category	headline	text	url
business	Rising costs leave Albrighton independent shops in limbo	"Independent shops in a Shropshire village say they are ""in limbo"" as energy bills spiral.
Village Butcher, in Albrighton, is the high street's first casualty - it closed after its electricity bills more than doubled from £15,000 to £35,000.
Businesses are not covered by an energy price cap, now £3,549 for households, and many face cost pressures.
In Albrighton, business owners told the BBC they were concerned about raising their prices and losing customers.
""If I put my bills up, am I going to lose clients?,"" asked Helen Pickering from Nieve Ella's hair salon at the top of High Street.
""A lot of my customers are the older generation and it's horrible that they can't afford to have their hair done,"" she said. 
""If I can keep my prices the same, and keep my clients coming in, at least then I will have money coming in to pay my bills.""
Next door to Village Butcher is Number Seven Boutique. Amanda Potter, who runs it, is worried about the winter months.
""A lot of people went on holiday this summer and they wanted to buy new clothing. That might not be the case next year,"" she said.
Unlike her neighbour the butcher, which needed to power freezers around the clock, the boutique is looking at options to reduce its energy use.
""We normally have lights on in the window and they never go off, but I'm now looking to buy a timer so the lights can be switched off early,"" Ms Potter said.
At the bottom of High Street is the Latte Da coffee shop. It is owned by Phil Taylor, who opened the café nine years ago. He is optimistic about surviving the tough times ahead.
""We managed to get through the pandemic and now we face the energy crisis,"" he said.
""We're all in limbo, unsure how much our bills will rise. We get a lot of support from local customers and we're trying to give them good value for money.""
Current Chancellor Nadim Zahawi said the government was working on proposals for the new prime minister to consider which would include support for businesses.
Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-shropshire-62686179
business	Sudbury pop-up post office to restore service in town	"A pop-up post office is to open to restore postal services in a town with a population of 20,000 people.
Sudbury lost its only post office earlier this month as the previous operator resigned.
Babergh District Council later granted a licence for a unit on Borehamgate shopping precinct until a long-term solution was found.
Post Office said the temporary set-up would open on Wednesday 22 June at 09:00 BST.
It said there would be two counters in the pop-up and the temporary service would offer a ""wide range of everyday post office services"".
Staff from the previous branch would continue to work in the temporary store, the Post Office added.
Wendy Hamilton, from the Post Office, said: ""We are delighted to be restoring services to Sudbury as we know how important a Post Office is to a community.""
Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-suffolk-61812156
business	What the Autumn Statement means for you and the cost of living	"With the cost of living rising at its fastest rate for 41 years, this is going to be a tough winter for many people.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has outlined plans designed to tackle rising prices and restore the UK's credibility with international markets.
It will mean further pain for many, but the chancellor argues that the most vulnerable in society are being protected. Here are some of the ways the Autumn Statement will affect you. 
You start to pay income tax on annual earnings of more than £12,570, charged at 20%. You then pay tax of 40% on earnings over £50,270 a year, although the bands are different in Scotland.
- or tax thresholds - had already been frozen until 2026, rather than going up in line with prices as you might normally expect. 
r has now extended that freeze for a further two years. That means any kind of pay rise could drag you into a higher tax bracket. Even if it does not, it will almost certainly mean a greater proportion of your income is taxed.
ghest rate of income tax - which is 45% currently on earnings above £150,000 - will be paid on earnings of more than £125,140 from April instead, the chancellor has announced. That means the highest paid could pay hundreds of pounds more a year in income tax.
Spring Statement of March and September's mini-budget both included plans to cut the basic rate of income tax. Unsurprisingly, there were no such promises this time.
reshold at which people start to pay inheritance tax will also be frozen, and the dividend allowance (the amount you can receive each year in dividends, if you own shares, before paying tax) will be cut from £2,000 to £1,000 next year and then to £500 from April 2024. The allowance stood at £5,000 as recently as 2018.
ual allowance before capital gains tax is paid will also be reduced from £12,300 to £6,000 in April and then to £3,000 a year later. This tax is paid when you sell an asset, such as company shares or a second home.
Strains over the cost of living have centred on rising prices. The rate at which prices rise is measured by inflation, currently at 11.1%, which means that a typical item that cost £100 a year ago will cost £111.10 today.
good news from the government's independent forecasters - the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) - is that the inflation rate will drop to 7.4% next year. The target set for inflation is 2%.
However, a fall in the inflation rate does not mean that prices in the shops will be going down. It just means that they will be going up more slowly than now.
OBR said soaring inflation would still hit households' real disposable income - a measure of living standards - by the largest amount since official records began in 1956-57, falling by 4.3% in the year to April.
Even so, the OBR forecast that inflation may turn negative, in other words prices may fall by late 2024.
At present, there is a government cap on domestic energy bills, known as the Energy Price Guarantee. It limits the price per unit of energy used, not the total bill. It means that since October, the household using a typical amount of gas and electricity pays £2,500 a year.
was due to expire in April, leaving the prospect of the typical annual bill going up to £3,700, according to analysts at consultancy Cornwall Insight.
Mr Hunt said that this cap would be extended for a further 12 months, but would be less generous than now - so the typical household pays £3,000 a year. Mr Hunt predicted that would save the typical household £500 in a year.
government is also pumping more money into energy efficiency schemes.
A host of cost-of-living payments have been made during the latter half of this year, including a £400 discount off everyone's energy bills this winter. Others were directed at those on lower-incomes on benefits, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
While the universal payment will end, there will be more targeted support next year. That will amount to £900 to households on means-tested benefits, £300 to pensioner households, and £150 for those on disability benefits. 
using heating oil will receive a payment of £200 this winter, rather than £100 as previously planned.
Under the ""triple lock"", the state pension is supposed to increase each year in line with the highest of inflation (as measured by the Consumer Prices Index in September), the average increase in wages across the UK, or 2.5%.
After months of uncertainty, the chancellor confirmed that the state pension would go up by 10.1%, to match inflation.
will see the ""new"" state pension, currently worth £185.15 a week, go up to £203.85. The basic state pension, for those who reached state pension age before April 2016, is currently £141.85 a week, and will go up to £156.20. That can be topped up for those on low incomes with pension credit, which will also go up by 10.1%.
government's review on the age at which the state pension is received, currently 66 and going up to 67, will be published early next year.
Some disability benefits - such as the personal independence payment - must rise, by law, in line with inflation each year. That happens in April, based on the previous September's inflation figure - which this time is 10.1%.
However, rises in most means-tested benefits - most significantly universal credit, which is received by about six million people - and tax credits are a decision for ministers.
r said these too would go up by 10.1%, which he said would mean a family on universal credit would benefit next year by around £600.
Mr Hunt said the government will cap the increase in social rents in England at a maximum of 7% in 2023-24, rather than the 11% potential rise under previous rules.
minimum pay rate for those aged 23 and above - the National Living Wage - is £9.50 an hour. This will rise to £10.42 in April - a move that affects about two million people. It is employers who must shoulder this cost.
Ministers will have to scrutinise the recommendations for public sector pay rises, such as salary increases for teachers, nurses and the armed forces. Widespread, ongoing disputes are expected.
At present, councils in England must hold a referendum if they want to increase council tax by more than 3%, but the chancellor said he would raise this to 5%.
OBR said that could see the average Band D council tax bill rise by £250 a year by 2027-28.
In September, the government said a cut in stamp duty tax in England and Northern Ireland for some house buyers would be permanent.
rice at which stamp duty is paid was doubled from £125,000 to £250,000 (£425,000 for first time buyers) and discounted stamp duty for first-time buyers applied to properties up to £625,000, rather than £500,000.
r has now introduced a deadline, which will see these cuts reversed at the end of March 2025.
r has announced electric vehicles will no longer be exempt from Vehicle Excise Duty from April 2025.
Currently there are different rates depending on the type of vehicle but electric vehicles are exempt.
How does the Autumn Statement affect you? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
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 HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. "	/news/business-63635582
politics	Cost of Supreme Court Indyref2 case revealed	"Scottish government spent more than £250,000 on the Supreme Court case about holding another independence referendum, new figures show.
Supreme Court ruled in November that the Scottish government cannot hold an independence referendum without the UK government's consent.
Scottish government figures show £251,728.69 was spent on the court case.
ulk of this outlay was on legal fees for the two-day hearing. 
Scottish government said the Supreme Court case had achieved its aim of bringing legal clarity on the issue of legal powers to hold a referendum.
But critics claim it was a waste of money. 
Scottish Conservative constitution spokesman Donald Cameron said: ""Taxpayers will be appalled that this significant sum of their money has been frittered away by the SNP.
""The fact legal experts said they were destined to lose makes it all the worse.
""It is a disgraceful waste of public money at a time when Scots are grappling with the cost-of-living crisis and our NHS is totally overwhelmed.""
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had set out plans to hold a referendum on 19 October next year.
gal right to do this was tested by the Supreme Court and it ruled unanimously that she does not have the power to do so because the issue is reserved to Westminster.
UK government has refused to grant formal consent for a referendum.
ulk of the Scottish government's costs in the case went on external counsel (£222,869.45).
ravel and subsistence for the case cost £19,711.25, while £8,049.99 was spent on ""professional services"".
Filing fees for the Supreme Court were £350 and other costs for the court were £748.
During the Scottish budget last week, Deputy First Minister John Swinney announced £20m earmarked for a second referendum next year would instead go towards tackling fuel poverty.
A Scottish government spokeswoman said: ""As the first minister has previously set out, there has long been debate over whether the Scottish Parliament has the powers to legislate to hold a referendum.
""The Lord Advocate's reference of this question to the Supreme Court was intended to achieve legal clarity on this point, which it has done so.
""In light of majority support within the Scottish Parliament for an independence referendum, Scottish ministers remain ready to engage with the UK government at any point on delivering a referendum."""	/news/uk-scotland-64057492
politics	Lessons must be learned on low census rate - report	"government agency responsible for Scotland's census has been told lessons must be learned from the low response rate earlier this year.
for filling in the form had to be extended, and still failed to reach the target 90% of households.
An Audit Scotland report said this resulted in increased costs and extra work.
National Records of Scotland (NRS) delayed the census because of Covid-19 restrictions.
In the other UK nations, where it was not delayed, the survey reached 97% coverage. 
Only 89% of homes in Scotland returned the survey - this figure was 79% before the deadline was extended.
A subsequent survey by the NRS to assess the gaps left by the low response, also fell short of its target reach. 
Edinburgh University's Prof Lindsay Paterson, an expert in data-led social research, said it was not far-fetched to call it a ""fiasco"", calling it ""an extreme embarrassment"".
However, Audit Scotland's report noted that the NRS issued up to five further reminder letters and post cards, along with increased media and marketing activity. 
It said other countries also extended their deadlines in recent years due to Covid restrictions limiting door to door activity - including the USA. 
report also said people who had not completed the form were given a chance to comment on their reasons.
Of the 1,231 responses, it said the most common reasons were that people were ""too busy"" (35%), ""not aware of the census"" (16%) or did not realise they had to complete it (14%).
An independent group of census and data experts was established in response to the low turnout in Scotland.
It concluded the NRS had a ""solid foundation"" to continue the next phase of the census.
Auditor General Stephen Boyle noted the £6m additional cost of the census, saying its data is vital to planning public services.
He said: ""It's important that National Records of Scotland establishes why the return rate was significantly lower than the other countries in the UK. 
""Those lessons should be shared and will be crucial to planning for future censuses and surveys."" 
Scottish Conservative's constitution spokesperson Donald Cameron said: ""It was clear from the moment that the Scottish government decided to hold their census on a different date from the rest of the UK that it would cause trouble.
""Lessons must be learned - and I would hope Angus Robertson has the sense to accept them.""
A spokesperson for NRS said: ""NRS is conducting robust evaluation across the census programme looking at all aspects of its design and delivery to reflect lessons learned. 
""An end to end evaluation report on the census programme will be published and laid before Parliament.""
UK Office for Statistics Regulation has told the NRS to be open about how it is calculating the census results.
ure a high level of confidence in the use of other administrative data, including registrations at GPs, the NHS central register, the school pupil census, as well as colleges and universities. 
watchdog is to produce a report on the Scottish census next year."	/news/uk-scotland-63797117
sports	Winter Paralympics: How did the Great Britain team fare in Beijing?	"Great Britain have ended the Beijing Winter Paralympics with six medals - a gold, a silver and three bronzes from the alpine skiers and a snowboarding bronze.
It was was one short of the haul from Pyeongchang four years and came from the biggest GB team at a Winter Paralympics since 1994 in Lillehammer.
However, it did see them reach the UK Sport medal range of five to nine and they also secured some top-six finishes to strengthen their reputation.
Check out the information below to see how each member of the 24-strong British team fared in China.
Britain's most successful winter sport continued its run of success with all five medals coming from the visually impaired skiers. Brothers Neil and Andrew Simpson won the first Paralympic or Olympic gold on snow for GB men with success in the super-G and also claimed a super-combined bronze. Menna Fitzpatrick added to her gold, two silvers and a bronze from Pyeongchang with another silver and bronze - this time with guide Gary Smith. And after two silvers and a bronze four years ago, Millie Knight and Brett Wild added another bronze in the downhill.
Para-ice hockey has been part of the Games programme since 1994 in Lillehammer, but Great Britain have never won a medal and last competed in the sport at the 2006 Games in Turin, finishing seventh. That team included Richard Whitehead who went on to win Paralympic gold in athletics at 2012 and 2016.
No GB team in Beijing
Including both cross-country skiing and biathlon, it has been part of the Paralympic programme since the first Games. GB have two bronze medals through seven-time Paralympian Peter Young in the 10k B1 event in 1984 and then 10 years later in the 5km classical technique. Scott Meenagh, in his second Games, had GB's best finish in Beijing with sixth in the biathlon individual event.
Made its debut in Sochi in 2014 with men's and women's snowboard cross events while banked slalom events were introduced four years later. Ollie Hill won GB's first medal with bronze in the banked slalom in Beijing.
Wheelchair curling made its first Paralympic appearance in 2006 when GB won silver, losing in the final to Canada. There was also a dramatic bronze in Sochi in 2014. But they missed out on the play-offs in Beijing for the second Games in a row, finishing eighth, one place lower than in Pyeongchang."	/sport/disability-sport/60017260
health	Queen Elizabeth University Hospital records worst A&E waiting times	"Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital has recorded the worst A&E waiting time figures on record, with almost two-thirds of patients waiting more than four hours to be seen.
Across Scotland emergency department waiting times for the week ending 20 November were the second worst since the recording system began in 2015. 
Just 63.1% of patients were dealt with in the four-hour target time. 
Some 9,390 patients waited more than the four-hour to be attended to. 
Public Health Scotland stats show 3,013 patients spent more than eight hours in A&E while 1,062 waited more than 12 hours.
Performance varied across Scotland's hospitals with some, such as Western Isles and Lorn and Islands in Oban, meeting the Scottish government target which aims to admit, transfer or discharge 95% of patients within four hours.
Other larger hospitals such as Perth Royal Infirmary (92.9%) and Dundee Ninewells (89.5%) also performed well against the target.
But five managed to deal with fewer than half of their A&E patients within four hours, including Forth Valley Royal (47.8%), Aberdeen Royal (46.8%), Hairmyres in East Kilbride (43%), and the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (41.3%), Scotland busiest A&E department.
QEUH in Glasgow, the second busiest A&E in Scotland, only managed to see 35.1% of patients within four hours, with 1,179 waiting longer than the target.
It was the worst performance by any hospital since weekly recording began seven years ago.
revious lows were recorded by Forth Valley Royal in September and October this year.
A statement from the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board said the hospital was facing significant pressures including challenges throughout the whole hospital which had an impact A&E.
It said a recruitment campaign was ongoing and was working on new ways to treat patients, including virtual A&E care.
It added: ""Concurrently, we continue to urge any patient who thinks they need emergency care, but it's not life-threatening, to use alternatives to A&E such as local pharmacies, GPs, NHS Inform and the virtual A&E service, which is accessible through NHS24 on 111. 
""These routes mean patients will be seen and treated faster than at A&E and helps ring-fence A&E for those with life-threatening injuries and illnesses.""
Responding to the figures, Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: ""Covid continues to impact the performance of services and pandemic backlogs, Brexit-driven staff shortages, and inflation costs have all contributed to make this winter the most challenging the NHS has ever faced.
""Despite this, I am clear that A&E performance is not where it needs to be.""
Mr Yousaf said delayed discharge continued to be the single biggest factor driving up A&E waits and he was working to ensure people were leaving hospital without delay, freeing up beds for those who need them.
Scottish Tory heath spokesman Sandesh Gulhane said: ""These figures show our NHS is heading for a truly terrifying winter on Humza Yousaf's watch.
""More and more lives are being put on the line every single week in A&E under this health secretary. We are still yet to hit December, yet he's presided over yet another deplorable set of stats.""
Dr Gulhane said the QEUH figures were ""especially horrendous"", adding that the data was ""completely unacceptable and incredibly alarming for the safety of patients and staff at the hospital"".
Scottish Labour Health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said: ""These figures paint a grim picture of the continual crisis that is facing patients and staff in A&Es across our country.
""Clearly, things aren't improving despite repeated promises from the SNP that they will get a handle on this chaos.""
She added: ""The abysmal figures reported from the QEUH show the intense pressure facing our hospitals, and things are only getting worse."" "	/news/uk-scotland-63793352
business	Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes jailed for fraud	"ranos founder Elizabeth Holmes has been sentenced to over 11 years in prison for defrauding investors in her blood testing start-up that was once valued at $9bn (£7.5bn).
former Silicon Valley star falsely claimed the technology could diagnose disease with just a few drops of blood. 
Holmes, 38, who is pregnant, tearfully told the court she felt ""deep pain"" for those misled by the scam.
She was found guilty in January after a three-month trial.
Holmes is expected to appeal against the sentence, which was handed down on Friday in a California court. 
Once hailed as the ""next Steve Jobs"", she was at one time said to be the world's youngest self-made billionaire.
She launched Theranos after dropping out of Stanford University at age 19, and its value rose sharply after the company claimed it could bring about a revolution in disease diagnosis.
But the technology Holmes touted did not work and - awash in lawsuits - the company was dissolved by 2018.
At Holmes' trial in San Jose, California, prosecutors said she knowingly misled doctors and patients about Theranos' flagship product - the Edison machine - which the company claimed could detect cancer, diabetes and other conditions using just a few drops of blood.
used Holmes of vastly exaggerating the firm's performance to its financial backers.
Jurors ultimately found her guilty on four counts of fraud, with a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. But they found her not guilty on four other charges, and failed to reach a verdict on three more.
Before Judge Edward Davila issued his sentence on Friday, Holmes read a speech to the court in which she tearfully apologised to investors and patients.
rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes
""I am devastated by my failings. I have felt deep pain for what people went through, because I failed them,"" she said. 
""I regret my failings with every cell of my body,"" she continued. 
judge referred to Holmes as a ""brilliant"" entrepreneur, and told her: ""Failure is normal. But failure by fraud is not OK."" 
Silicon Valley is a place where fortunes can be made and squandered. It's not unusual for investors to lose big sums of money. 
It's also not unusual for founders to make grandiose claims about their tech. 
What is different about Holmes' case, though, is that Theranos' unwinding actually led to fraud charges that stuck. 
It is notoriously difficult to get successful prosecutions in cases of white-collar fraud in the US. 
When investors lose money, they often simply write it off, or pursue compensation privately. 
Holmes' punishment is a warning for Silicon Valley executives that there are real consequences for misleading investors.  
't a slap on the wrist, it's significant time in prison. 
She is required to surrender to begin serving her sentence on 27 April. 
Holmes and Ramesh ""Sunny"" Balwani, her former business partner and lover, were charged in 2018 with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Balwani, who was tried separately, was found guilty of fraud this summer. He will be sentenced next month.
Prosecutors requested that she face 15 years in prison and pay some $800m in restitution to investors, including several high-profile figures such as former US Secretary of Defense James Mattis, who testified against her at the trial, and software tycoon Larry Ellison. 
But Holmes' defence team - who argued she was well-intentioned and trying to help people - said she should spend 18 months under house arrest.
judge on Friday determined that she had caused $121m in losses to investors, including Rupert Murdoch and the family that owns Walmart. The amount she will be required to repay will be determined at a later court hearing. 
Over 130 friends, family and former Theranos employees wrote to the judge to appeal for clemency.
group noted that Holmes is a young mother. She had a son in July 2021 and is currently pregnant with her second child. 
It is not known when she is due to give birth. Her lawyers are expected to try to keep her from entering prison until after the baby is born. 
Her partner Billy Evans, in his sentencing memo to the court, told the judge that he fears for ""a future in which my son grows up with a relationship with his mother on the other side of glass armed by guards"".
Eileen Lepera, a Silicon Valley secretary who lost a chunk of her life savings by investing in Theranos, told the BBC she was ""happy"" with the sentence.
""I think it's fair, considering all the facts of the case,"" Ms Lepera said. ""She [Holmes] knew it was fraud, and she put people's lives at risk."""	/news/world-us-canada-63685131
entertainment	An Cailín Ciúin: Irish language film shortlisted for an Oscar	"Irish language film An Cailín Ciúin (The Quiet Girl) has been shortlisted for an Oscar in the Best International Film category.
An Cailín Ciúin was selected as one of 15 titles to contest the category at the 95th Academy Awards. 
All 15 film-makers will now be looking towards January, when five out of the 15 will be nominated for the award.
Directed and written by Colm Bairéad, the film is adapted from Claire Keegan's 2010 book Foster.
film is set in 1981 and tells the story of a nine-year-old girl sent to live with relatives in 1980s Ireland.
It follows Cáit, who is withdrawn and neglected, but finally finds herself in a loving home for the first time.
An Cailín Ciúin is the first Irish language title to be on the shortlist for best international feature film, a category formerly named best foreign language film.
film has won over critics at numerous festivals, both in Ireland and abroad, after premiering at Berlinale (Berlin International Film Festival). 
An Cailín Ciúin picked up the audience award at Dublin International Film Festival and eight Irish Film and Television Academy and Awards (IFTAs).
It was the first ever in the Irish language to win the IFTA for best film.
After surpassing UK and Ireland box office records for an Irish-language film, An Cailín Ciúin was submitted as Ireland's entry for Best International Feature at the 2023 Academy Awards.
Following the announcement in Los Angeles earlier on Wednesday, the film's producers said they were ""thrilled beyond words"" about making the Oscar shortlist.
In a tweet they said that it was a ""historic day"".
An Cailín Ciúin was produced for Cine4, a film initiative between Screen Ireland, Irish-language broadcaster TG4 and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland."	/news/world-europe-64059870
business	Budget pasta prices jump 50% as food staples rise	"rices of some budget food items have risen by more than 15%, according to new data, with pasta showing the steepest jump over a year.
west cost version of pasta rose by 50% in the year to April, said the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Household staples such as minced beef, bread and rice also recorded large increases.
But the average price rise of 30 budget food items at supermarkets was 6.7% - below the rate of inflation.
f living, or rate of inflation, rose by 9% in April, said the ONS. 
Despite sharp increases in the price of some items such as pasta, the ONS analysis found that the cost of its basket of low-cost groceries increased at a similar rate to the general basket of groceries used for the official measure of food and drink inflation. 
Earlier this year, anti-poverty campaigner Jack Monroe criticised large supermarkets for ""stealthily"" removing value food ranges from their shelves, forcing shoppers to ""level up"" to higher priced goods. 
She criticised the way that the rate of inflation was calculated - which measures the prices of 700 goods - stating that it ""grossly"" underestimates ""the true cost of living crisis"". 
In this latest data, the ONS measured the price of 30 everyday grocery items across seven supermarkets between April 2021 and 2022. 
It showed that the price of crisps rose by 17%, bread and minced beef grew by 16% and rice prices rose by 15%. 
Some everyday items showed a drop in prices, led by potatoes which were down by 14%. Cheese, pizza, chips, sausages and the price of apples were also lower.
Measured by price rather than percentage change, minced beef showed the biggest rise, up 32p for 500g to £2.34. It was followed by chicken breast which rose by 28p to £3.50 for 600g. 
rice of chicken - the UK's most popular meat - has risen sharply due to a number of factors. According to an analysis by the BBC, higher feed costs and soaring transport prices have contributed to the increase.  
Ms Monroe told the BBC: ""The figures that are out today will not come as news to anyone who is actually living this because we have all seen the prices of food go up.""
She said that having price rises that reflect reality for millions of people shown in official data ""puts us in a stronger position to campaign for things like better wages [and] a higher up-rating for benefits"". 
Following her comments earlier this year, Asda pledged to stock its budget ranges in all of its supermarkets. 
""All of the others just held fast and ignored it really,"" said Ms Monroe on Monday. ""If one supermarket could implement the changes, why can't the others?"" 
In response, a Sainsbury's spokesperson told the BBC that they understand customers are facing significant pressure on their household budgets. 
""We are doing all we can to help, and as part of our plans to focus on offering the best quality food at the lowest prices, today we announced we are investing £500m so that customers will be able to find low prices on the everyday items they buy most often,"" the spokesperson added. 
Meanwhile, Tesco said it is ""absolutely committed"" to helping customers by keeping a ""laser focus"" on the cost of the weekly shop.
""We have significantly increased the number of value lines we offer and whether it's price matching around 650 basics to Aldi prices, promising Low Everyday Prices on 1,600 staples, or offering exclusive deals and rewards through thousands of Clubcard Prices - we're more committed than ever to providing our customers with great value,"" a spokesperson told the BBC. 
BBC has also contacted Morrison's, Lidl and Aldi for a response.
How have you been affected by rising food prices? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
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 HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. "	/news/business-61630281
business	Jack Dorsey: Twitter co-founder breaks silence on Elon Musk takeover	"witter co-founder and ex-CEO Jack Dorsey has addressed the mass sackings at his former firm, apologising for growing Twitter ""too quickly"".
Half of the social media giant's staff are being fired, a week after Elon Musk bought it in a $44bn deal.
Billionaire Mr Musk has said he had ""no choice"" but to slash the company's workforce as the firm is losing more than $4m (£3.5m) a day.
witter staff took to the platform to express their anger at the firings. 
In a statement posted on the microblogging site, Mr Dorsey - who quit as CEO in November and left the board of directors in May - said Twitter staff ""are strong and resilient. They will always find a way no matter how difficult the moment. I realise many are angry with me. I own the responsibility for why everyone is in this situation: I grew the company size too quickly. I apologise for that.""
""I am grateful for, and love, everyone who has ever worked on Twitter. I don't expect that to be mutual in this moment...or ever…and I understand,"" he added. 
His statement appeared to endorse the need for dismissals at the firm. The 45-year-old Mr Dorsey has been supportive of Mr Musk's takeover.
Back in April when Mr Musk first began his purchase of Twitter, Mr Dorsey said the 51-year-old was the ""singular solution I trust"" and that the South African's takeover was ""the right path...I believe it with all my heart"".
Mr Dorsey created Twitter in 2006 along with Evan Williams, Biz Stone, and Noah Glass. He sent the company's first Tweet, writing ""just setting up my twttr"". 
uts have come across Twitter's 7,500-strong work force, and there are fears it could damage the firm's content moderation efforts. 
Despite the dismissals Mr Musk has said the firm's policies remain ""absolutely unchanged"".
A host of major brands have halted advertising spending with Twitter in recent days, including Volkswagen, General Motors and Pfizer.
Almost all of Twitter's revenue currently comes from advertising, and Mr Musk has been looking for ways to cut costs and make money in different ways from the platform.
In a move much publicised in advance, Twitter launched a subscription service on Saturday allowing users to buy blue-tick verification on the platform for a monthly fee of $7.99 (£7)."	/news/technology-63527893
health	Christmas: The theatre group bringing joy to care homes	"A theatre company has been bringing festive cheer to care homes across Northern Ireland with a series of performances specially created for people living with dementia.
Commedia of Errors' nostalgia-filled Christmas shows feature classic songs and poetry.
For many care homes, it has marked the return to face-to-face performances after the Covid-19 pandemic.
""It is such a joy to be part of,"" said theatre-maker Benjamin Gould.
uring variety show, called Plays Aloud, has been visiting people in care homes and dementia care units across Northern Ireland.
Directed by Clare McMahon and Benjamin Gould, the shows have been funded by Arts Council Northern Ireland and Halifax Foundation NI.
""We have developed over the years a more specialised style of performance,"" said Mr Gould.
""It focuses on engagement so a lot of it is to do with encouraging the audience to sing and recite poetry with us. 
""It's not just about standing there performing. It's about sharing the experience with the residents and it has a little bit more of a communal feel to it.""
Mr Gould said he can see the mood of residents ""changing dramatically"" during performances.
""If you go in and somebody's having a bad day, they are not really happy and engaging but you hit on the right song and suddenly you see them light up and they'll start singing along and they'll start dancing and that positive mood will carry on maybe even days after we've left,"" he said.
""Because memory can be so intrinsically linked to music and poetry you could have somebody who is not verbal before you come in and if you hit on the right song or the right piece of poetry, they'll start reciting along with you, start singing along with you and they'll actually be able to hold a conversation with you as well.
""It's a lonely place if you're not able to engage and if you get to do that then it becomes much more positive for them.""
Christmas tour features four performers working in groups of two to ensure the group can pay a visit to a care home in every county of Northern Ireland.
""It's beautiful sometimes,"" said performer Rosie McClelland.
""There was a time when a lady, who hadn't really spoken for a while, started to recite every single word of a poem because she had learnt it at primary school.
""It's wonderful how those core memories still exist and that's why we want to bring the core memories and give them that nostalgia feeling.""
Performer Adam Dougal said it was a privilege to be part of the show.
""I think music is a very powerful thing and it can evoke memories - we all associate a certain song with a time in our life,"" he said.
""It can be very moving. What we're trying to do is have a connection with that audience because we're in a very intimate environment.
""It can be very emotional and it can be very uplifting as well.
""Sometimes family members are there and for them to witness their relative, their mum or dad, enjoying themselves, coming out of their shells, can be a really special thing and quite moving.""
Fiona McAnespie, from Radius Housing, said she has seen a positive impact on residents, and their families.
""Some of our residents would be limited in communication due to their dementia but they'll be citing poetry or singing along,"" she said.
""I have seen relatives in tears because they maybe haven't heard their mum or dad speak or react for a long time."" 
She said people living with dementia can often retain long-term memories, which is why the old songs and poetry used in the performances can have such an impact.
""We obviously can see that it brings back a memory to them and for some it may be something that was played on their wedding day or something they recited at school,"" she said.
""The reaction is really quite phenomenal when you see it."""	/news/uk-northern-ireland-64024395
sports	Burghley Horse Trials: Piggy March wins aboard Vanir Kamira	"Britain's Piggy March has won the Burghley Horse Trials aboard Vanir Kamira.
ree-day event returned after the 2020 and 2021 editions were cancelled because of the Covid pandemic.
March, 42, twice a runner-up at Burghley, finished ahead of fellow Brit Tom Jackson on Capels Hollow Drift in second with New Zealander Tim Price taking third on Vitali.
""It is the best feeling in the world, a dream come true,"" said March.
March, who has also won Badminton in 2019 and is a two-time individual European silver medallist, added: ""I think Burghley is probably the hardest to win, and she is a true Burghley horse.
""I think this is probably the hardest cross-country event in the world. The terrain is so tough, and I think the horses just get an extra gold star for being able to do well here and get around that course fast.
""Badminton was the best day of my life, but this is definitely along the lines of it."" 
March takes home the £100,000 top prize with victory on her 17-year-old mare."	/sport/equestrian/62790667
health	Cancer care delays: How bad are they in your area?	"re has been a sharp rise in long waits for cancer therapy in the past four years, BBC analysis shows.
umber waiting more than the 62-day target time for therapy in the past year has topped 69,000 across England, Northern Ireland and Scotland - twice as many as the same period in 2017-18.
Waits are also getting worse in Wales, but data does not go that far back.
You can find out how services are doing where you live with our local search tool.
It shows you what proportion of patients treated for cancer had to wait longer than 62 days.
Steven McIntosh, of Macmillan Cancer Support, told the BBC that the delays were ""traumatic"" and people were living ""day-by-day with fear and anxiety"". 
He said the situation was ""unacceptable"" and could even be having an impact on the chances of survival.
Describing the NHS as ""chronically short-staffed"", he said: ""The NHS doesn't have the staff it needs to diagnose cancer, to deliver surgery and treatment, to provide care, support and rehabilitation.""
Mr McIntosh warned there would be further delays and disruption if NHS spending did not at least rise in line with inflation in the chancellor's November budget. 
Meanwhile, latest monthly data from NHS England showed a further deterioration in emergency care and another rise in the hospital waiting list.
Charlotte Park is one of the cancer patients who has faced a long wait for treatment. She went to see her GP in June 2020 after finding a lump in her breast. 
Her GP gave her an urgent referral to the local breast clinic. Ms Park, 50, from North Yorkshire, should have been seen within two weeks, but when that passed she phoned only to be told there was a backlog.
Eventually she got an appointment after three-and-a-half weeks, but only after going back to her GP to see if they could help her get seen.
She was then diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer, but had to wait until September to start chemotherapy. 
Fortunately, she is now in remission.
But she said: ""It was so frustrating. I just felt like I was hitting my head against a brick wall. I felt under a massive amount of stress.""
""I thought I was going to die at one point. You worry so much when you are waiting. Sadly there are so many people out there is this position.""
Macmillan has also raised concerns there could still be potentially thousands of missing cases.
umber of diagnoses since the start of the pandemic is more than 30,000 lower than would have been expected. 
Disruption to services at the start of the pandemic and people not coming forward with symptoms because of fear of Covid or not wanting to burden the NHS has been blamed for this.
Recent data shows the numbers being referred in for cancer checks is now increasing and is at record levels.
But, as the analysis on waiting times for treatment shows, problems are still been seen in getting those patients treated quickly.
BBC looked at the latest data for waits for treatment to start following an urgent referral from a GP, although the figures in Scotland also included those identified via screening or during a visit to A&E.
reatments include surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Investment in testing - a network of 90 community diagnostic centres has opened in England - is expected to speed up diagnosis.
However, cancer experts says the key bottleneck that needs addressing is the wait after that treatment with staffing shortages seen as a key problem.
Royal College of Radiologists says there is a 17% shortfall in the UK in cancer doctors who oversee chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
""Staff is the key to fixing this,"" Tom Roques, of the Royal College, said. ""We desperately need a fully-funded workforce plan for the NHS that will recruit and retain the right numbers of staff that will be able to treat patients as quickly as we would all like.""
Labour shadow health secretary Wes Streeting, who has had kidney cancer but is now free of the disease after having one kidney removed, said: ""It is terrifying that so many cancer patients are not being treated on time, when every day matters.
""Having been through treatment for kidney cancer this year, I know the importance of an early diagnosis and fast treatment."" 
But Dame Cally Palmer, national cancer director for the NHS in England, said the ""hard work"" of staff was helping the system to catch up in terms of getting people in for checks.
But she said she was determined to ensure improvements were made in terms of diagnosis and treatment.
""We will not stop in our efforts to catch cancers earlier and save more lives."" 
Data analysis by Rob England and Libby Rogers
Are you affected by issues covered in this story?  Email: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
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 can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. "	/news/health-63573718
technology	TikTok Now: BeReal-style feature prompts copycat claims	"kTok users have noticed a new feature promising ""a whole new creative experience"" - but they've been quick to question how new it really is.
, called TikTok Now, released in the UK this week, asks users to take a photo or video from their phone's front and back cameras at a random time of day.
kTok has encouraged people to ""share their most authentic moments"".
But many have pointed out that it looks pretty similar to BeReal.
, seen as an alternative to the filtered and curated feeds often associated with social media, has grown rapidly since it was launched by a small French company.
It's currently ninth in Apple's overall UK App Store downloads chart, compared with TikTok's 14th place.
But it has got some catching up to do, with some reports putting its total downloads at about 27 million against TikTok's estimated three billion.
re are some subtle differences between TikTok's offering and BeReal's.
Both will send users a notification at a random time of day, after which they'll have a limited time to snap a photo. TikTok Now also allows for 10-second videos.
BeReal prompts you with the message ""It's time to BeReal"", whereas TikTok has settled on ""It's Time to Now"" for its daily countdown launch.
As for sharing your posts, BeReal is restricted by design - photos are only meant to be seen by a small circle of close friends, in line with the app's low-key attitude.
kTok Now offers users the ability to share their posts with the wider world, although it will be limited to friends by default.
And younger users will have automatic restrictions placed on their posts.
Following TikTok's announcement earlier this year, people were quick to point out that the concept behind TikTok Now looked very familiar.
Others were more direct, accusing it of ""blatantly copying"" its smaller competitor.
xperts leapt on the fact that Instagram had been beaten to the launch, after the company confirmed last month that it was testing Candid Challenges, its own BeReal-style feature.
And industry analyst Matt Navarra said the announcement by ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, was ""shameless and ferociously fast"".
Could my BeReal get me sacked?
Instagram U-turns on TikTok-style revamp
kTok reveals 2022 summer breakout artist
Social media companies have a track record of ""borrowing"" ideas from each other - with varying degrees of success.
Some features we take for granted - Twitter's ""Like"" button, Instagram's Stories and the trend for short, vertical videos - have either inspired imitators or been copied from elsewhere.
For example, Instagram recently rolled back an unpopular TikTok-style revamp that filled people's feeds with videos.
Even celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner weighed in, accusing the app of trying to imitate its rival and urging it to ""make Instagram Instagram again"".
And you might remember Fleets - Twitter's ill-fated attempt to introduce disappearing tweets similar to Instagram's Stories features.
Or you might not. After a backlash, the company quietly retired the feature after just a few months, saying it hadn't ""seen an increase in the number of new people joining the conversation with Fleets like we hoped"".
As for TikTok Now, users in the USA got it first, with the button for the feature replacing the current Friends tab. There are plans to release it as a separate app in some countries.
It remains to be seen whether it will stick around long-term or vanish more quickly than a Vine video.
Follow Newsbeat on Twitter and YouTube.
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here"	/news/newsbeat-62925572
technology	Social media: Students grill TikTok and Meta over app dangers	"gers said they had come across bullying left in social media comments
A group of young Welsh people are calling for social media platforms to improve processes for reporting harmful content.
kTok and Meta bosses faced questions from students at Pontypridd High School in Rhondda Cynon Taf. 
Both platforms said they listened to feedback from users and encouraged them to make use of safety features. 
was organised by Alex Davies-Jones MP as the UK government's online safety bill goes through Parliament.
""There's barely a day that goes by that I don't experience something negative,"" said 17-year-old Caitlin. 
""I personally think social media's pretty dangerous."" 
""Scrolling through TikTok yesterday and there's many challenges aimed at young girls to eat roughly 300-400 calories in a day….[and] it could trigger many eating disorders.""
Many of Caitlin's attempts to report harmful content have been unsuccessful. 
""I think the reporting process should be looked into a bit more,  since it takes so long for things to be taken down, by the time they are taken down, the harm's already been made."" 
kTok said it strictly removed content that promoted disordered eating.
Caitlin had to deal with online abuse after posting about Manchester United Footballer Mason Greenwood being arrested on suspicion of rape. He has denied the claim.
""I spoke about the whole Mason Greenwood situation and I got told I need to get beat up about it. 
""I feel like because of social media, women's voices are being heard less. I feel like we're being pushed back a bit."" 
""It's kind of like a war on us in a way. It's like we can't really speak without having harm wanted against us.""
Others highlighted positive aspects of social media, such as keeping in touch with friends and self-love campaigns. 
""There's a lot of body positive things that go around now that never used to,"" said 17-year-old Isabelle. 
Pupils working on a project to improve online safety were given the chance to quiz tech giants at a virtual event. 
""Young people feel it is very difficult to report and remove upsetting content. How can you make this process easier?"" asked 13-year-old Brooke. 
kTok's head of safety public policy in Europe, Alexandra Evans, said she thought the platforms reporting mechanisms were ""intuitive"" but welcomes feedback from users on how they were struggling.
She also highlighted blocking functions: ""For example, if you don't like the word 'hate' or 'loser', whatever it may be, you can set a list of words that you will always get filtered from your comments.""
Megan Thomas, public policy associate manager at Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said the company had recently developed new features ""designed to help prevent people from having to experience any kind of harmful content on our platforms in the first place"".
Poppi, 13, wanted to know how many offensive posts were taken down each day, and what consequences were in place for repeat offenders. 
Both representatives said they did not know the daily figure, but pointed to quarterly reports. 
""There's a spectrum of harm, there's a spectrum of behaviours and we try to be really specific in our responses,"" said TikTok's Ms Evans. 
""But also when it comes to those egregious cases, when it comes to those absolute zero-tolerance behaviours,  we are all working together to make sure that we are responding and stamping out that kind of activity across all of our platforms.""
New online safety laws are being introduced by the UK government, but Labour MP for Pontypridd and shadow technology minister Alex Davies-Jones warned of ""loopholes"" in the legislation.
A UK government spokesperson said: ""Our pioneering Online Safety Bill will already deliver major improvements to the safety of women and girls from criminalising cyber flashing to protecting young girls from harmful content.""
failure to act by social media companies could result in heavy fines. "	/news/uk-wales-62094378
entertainment	Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em writer Raymond Allen dies, aged 82	"writer behind the hit 1970s BBC sitcom Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em has died aged 82, his family has said.
Raymond Allen, who lived on the Isle of Wight, created the hapless character of Frank Spencer, immortalised by actor Michael Crawford.
m ran from 1973, attracting audiences of up to 20 million.
Michael Crawford paid tribute to Mr Allen as a ""one-off"". His family said he had given ""joy and laughter to many millions of people"".
Mr Allen wrote a total of 22 episodes of Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em featuring the well-meaning and utterly accident-prone Frank Spencer who became one of the best-known characters of British TV comedy.
It was renowned for its heart-stopping stunts - all performed by Crawford himself. 
Speaking on a BBC documentary in 2016, Mr Allen recalled finding out his script had been commissioned while working as a cinema cleaner in Ryde.
""I'd been writing for 16 years, all I got was rejection slips,"" he said. 
""I was mopping the ladies loos and remembered I had a letter from the BBC in my pocket. It said, 'We'd like you to come to London to work for us'. I was so excited.
""I rushed and told the other cleaners. They looked at me and one said said, 'I cant understand that - you'd think they'd have their own cleaners'.""
He described Frank Spencer as ""a sort of loser - he was totally incompetent, very childlike"".
During his career Mr Allen also wrote scripts for other comedy stars, including Frankie Howerd and Dave Allen.
Mr Allen's family said he died peacefully on Sunday following a short illness.
""His life's work gave joy and laughter to many millions of people not just in this country but all around the world,"" a statement said. 
""Raymond has left us all with wonderful memories filled with fun, laughter and love.""
Michael Crawford posted a tribute on Twitter, describing his writing as ""the epitome of innocence and naivety"". 
""He gave me, as Frank, the most wonderful dialogue to perform, we travelled a very long journey together,"" he said.
""Ray was a 'one off' for sure and still people watch 'Some Mothers...'  with their great-grandchildren. Farewell, lovely man and thank you.""
Follow BBC South on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to south.newsonline@bbc.co.uk."	/news/uk-england-hampshire-63149846
entertainment	Wagatha play won't punch down at Rebekah Vardy and Coleen Rooney, writer says	"""The Wagatha Christie case has mystery, suspense and broken friendships - all the ingredients for a great drama,"" says Liv Hennessy, whose West End play is based on the High Court clash.
Love it or hate it, the dispute between Rebekah Vardy and Coleen Rooney captured many headlines earlier this year.
It arguably offered light relief to audiences weary of hearing about war in Ukraine, Covid, the heatwave and politics.
""Wagatha felt like a real water-cooler moment in the UK, which I think is quite rare now,"" says playwright Hennessy, a former story producer for ITV soap opera Emmerdale.
rial was dubbed ""Wagatha Christie"" - a reference to both women as footballers' wives and girlfriends (Wags), and Agatha Christie, the author famous for her whodunit mysteries.
Following her 2019 Instagram sting operation, Mrs Rooney dramatically accused Mrs Vardy, on social media, of leaking private stories about her to the Sun.
Mrs Vardy has always denied this, and filed legal proceedings against Mrs Rooney - but in July, Mrs Justice Steyn ruled Mrs Rooney's accusation was ""substantially true"". 
Mrs Rooney is expected to receive an estimated £1.5m from Mrs Vardy towards legal costs.
Hennessy says her play, Vardy v Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial, captures a moment in time - exploring what is private and what public.
""This case couldn't have happened 10 years ago, and it probably won't happen in 10 years, because media law is catching up with how we operate on social media every day,"" she says.
""The play questions what we ask of our public figures, and whether we believe they should behave with integrity - which is fair enough if you're a politician, somebody very high up. 
""But it becomes murkier when you're a social-media influencer, or you're 'fame adjacent', but you have social media.
""When you start to monetise public trust, and get money for your Instagram posts, we sort of have a right to know whether we can trust you or not.""
Before putting pen to paper, Hennessy spent a fortnight wading through 1,200 pages of transcripts, bought by the play's producers. 
wasn't a hardship though - she had already been ""glued to the case"", following it via WhatsApp groups and Twitter and taking particular delight at some of the memes.
""I come from soap, so I'm used to very, very tight deadlines, working under extreme pressure and finding the story,"" Hennessy says.
""It suited my skill set - but it's been a ride.""
She also consulted people with the necessary legal knowledge, ""to make sure I nailed it"".
f verbatim theatre - when its characters speak, they use real-life words.  
Director Lisa Spirling, who approached Hennessy to write the play, knew the format could work.
""Nicholas Kent did a huge amount of plays based on trials [and inquiries] at London's Tricycle Theatre, so we knew it had been done before"", she says.
His work includes plays on the Grenfell Tower fire, Stephen Lawrence's murder and Bloody Sunday.
Both women are clear about what struck them about the Vardy-Rooney trial - and what they chose to avoid.
Hennessy stresses she is not trying to belittle the women, arguably best-known for being footballers' wives.
""You could think we're punching down at people who don't understand the legal system, we're going to laugh at them,"" she says. 
""That's not what this play is about.""
Instead, what really came across reading the transcripts was ""they both are incredibly intelligent women, who navigate a legal system - most of us would be very confused"", Hennessy says.
""They're so self-possessed, they're confident, they handle it,"" she says.
Spirling admits being initially ""quite snobby"" about the case, until the play's producer, London Theatre Society president Eleanor Lloyd, persuaded her to think again and explore the issues raised. 
She agreed, and realised it had huge potential as a play. And she is not alone in this - Channel 4 is also making a docudrama about the case.
""I was asking, 'Are we pulling down two working-class women, or two women in a situation who happen to be very rich?"" Spirling says, on how the women could be portrayed. 
But her ""hackles went up"" at the ""patriarchy of everyone calling them Wags the whole time"".
Former sports journalist Alison Kervin, who landed a three-book deal in the 2000s to write novels starring Wags, told the Times recently: ""I hate the term Wag.
""The whole 'Wag' culture infantilised women,"" she said. ""They were seen as the pretty hangers-on.
""Girls no longer want to be just wives or girlfriends. As we've seen this summer, women are able to play football too - and actually win.""
Spirling also found a connection with the case.
""I'm from Lancashire originally, and many of my (male) friends are professional footballers,"" she says. ""A bizarre amount were from my local school.
""To see those boys go on that journey and have too much money, be too famous too young, and what that does to you - to be living that life, as those guys have for 20 years -the exhaustion of that, and how you maintain it, and for the women alongside it. 
""So I just I felt like I knew that world.""
And after a ""deep dive into what people were fighting for"" in the court case, she concluded ""it's reputation and control of their narrative... Instagram is a way of individuals taking back control"".
One voice missing from the trial was that of Caroline Watt, Mrs Vardy's friend and agent.
A consultant forensic psychiatrist produced a report concluding she was unfit to give oral evidence.
But she is featured in the play.
""What Liv has done extraordinarily well is to find a way to bring Caroline into the room,"" Spirling says. 
""So you have a sense of her, partly because of so many WhatsApp messages, but also in the presence of that person. 
""She's the one we're not talking about, where you go, 'That is someone that's lost their job, who wasn't in the public eye, who clearly this has been incredibly distressing for, and significant and troubling... it feels really important."" 
Hennessey also includes football pundits on stage, who comment on the action in court, plus action replays. 
She won't divulge which memorable moments from the court case are featured but says: ""I don't think people will be disappointed.""
roduction started out as a one-night-only performance but has been extended after demand for tickets.
""We want to give people a great night out,"" Spirling says. ""The world is pretty tough right now. 
""This play absolutely has conversations about economics and fame and celebrity - and it will give people a bit of escapism.""
Vardy v Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial is at London's Wyndham's Theatre on 15, 22 and 29 November, 6, 13 and 20 December and 10 January. "	/news/entertainment-arts-63515172
technology	Meet the BBC’s 'undercover voters' for the US midterms	"As US voters get ready to vote in the midterms, a number of recent news events are shaping their social media feeds - the raid on Trump's home in Mar-a-Lago as he's investigated for possibly mishandling documents, abortion bans, and debates about gun rights. For Americast and Newsnight, BBC's Disinformation and Social Media correspondent Marianna Spring is investigating what voters are recommended online at a turbulent time for US politics. 
I've created social media accounts belonging to five fake characters, who reflect views from across the political spectrum in the US. The people I created are based on data by a US think tank which defined types of voters after surveying more than 10,000 randomly selected US adults.
I've given each of them five profiles across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and Twitter - with names and computer-generated photos. They are: Larry, the Faith and Flag conservative; Britney from the Populist Right; Gabriela, the less political Stressed Sideliner; Michael, the Democratic Mainstay; and Emma from the Progressive Left.
After just a week of running the accounts, Britney - the Populist Right Voter - has already been recommended and has encountered pages on Instagram and Facebook continuing to promote disinformation that Trump really won the 2020 election. She's also come across similar content on TikTok. False claims are sometimes accompanied by violent rhetoric in reference to Trump's opponents. 
In contrast, the accounts belonging to Michael - the Democratic Mainstay, and Emma - the Progressive Left voter, have been pushed memes celebrating the investigation into Trump and quizzing why this didn't happen sooner. 
Britney's feeds include suggestions that the recent raid on his home in Mar-a-Lago just confirms he was actually victorious and the State is out to get him. Several of these pages opt for phrases like ""Trump won"" rather than ""stop the steal"", which was the term used on social media ahead of the riots at the Capitol. 
riots - and the wave of false claims about fraudulent voting in their build-up - have marked a turning point in the US. Now, more than ever, there are questions about how misleading and harmful posts online could affect voters heading to the polls, and social media sites have made fresh commitments to tackle it.
BBC's experiment so far suggests those same false claims about ""ballot mules"" and ""ballot trafficking"" from the 2020 election continue to spread online. Britney has also come across other anti-Semitic conspiracies about sinister global plots - and been recommended conspiracy-inspired pages. 
kTok told the BBC, ""We take our responsibility to protect the integrity of our platform and elections with utmost seriousness."" 
It says it prohibits election misinformation, ""provides access to authoritative information through our Election Centre"" and works with independent fact-checking organisations. 
Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, says ""it has hundreds of people across more than 40 teams working on the midterm elections"", as well as ""robust measures in place to combat misinformation"". That includes partnerships with 10 fact-checking organisations in the US. 
Larry - the Faith and Flag conservative - has been recommended similar content about the raid on Trump's home, as well as repeated pages promoting guns and other weapons. 
However, the feed belonging to Emma - the Progressive Left voter - also featured more about influencer Andrew Tate, recently banned from Instagram and Facebook for promoting misogyny online. The videos on her feed rejoice his ban, whereas none of the other older voters have encountered anything similar. 
unt of Gabriella - the undecided voter - hasn't been exposed to much politics at all, whether Trump or Tate. Her profiles are generally apolitical and so, instead, her social media feeds are dominated by posts about her hometown of Miami, fashion, dance, and saving money during the cost of living crisis. 
rofiles are all informed by data from Pew Research Center, which defined nine different typologies of US voters who sit along the political spectrum after conducting a wide-ranging survey in 2021.
BBC has selected five of those nine types and based the characters on data about their demographic, age, interests and opinions on different political issues. The five types chosen aim to reflect a cross-section of the US electorate with a range of views and backgrounds. 
Democrat-leaning and Republican-leaning groups that the characters are based on offer insight into what the greatest proportion of active voters on the political right and left can be exposed to online. The more apolitical Stressed Sideliner type makes up relatively less of the electorate compared to all of the other right or left-leaning groups.
I'll be logging on regularly to each of the accounts for a similar period of time to like the kinds of posts they would, check what they've been recommended, and see where the social media algorithms take our characters. I use a VPN on each of the phones, so my location can be set to the US. 
According to research from Pew, around seven in 10 Americans use social media - and this is one of the only ways of interrogating the subjective social media worlds of different voters that we can't usually access. 
While it can't offer an exhaustive insight into what every US voter could be seeing on social media - and they don't have friends or followers - it gives us a snapshot into what different types of voters across the political spectrum are exposed to when they log onto their phones. 
re are a series of recent news events that are shaping some of the voters' social media feeds. The raid on Trump's home in Mar-a-Lago, as he's investigated for possibly mishandling documents. The Roe v Wade ruling that made abortion legal across the US was overturned. The war in Ukraine, debates about gun rights and a cost-of-living crisis across the world. 
r accounts are all private - and they don't comment or talk to anyone real. They just like, follow and join groups, pages and accounts as per their interests and recommendations. 
Here's an explanation of who they are and what they like. 
Larry is what is known as a Faith and Flag conservative. This group has the oldest voters according to Pew's research - with a third over 65. Larry, a retired insurance broker, is 71 years old. This group is also the least diverse, with the highest proportion of non-Hispanic white voters, as well as the highest share of male voters. 
What would Larry like on social media? He has very conservative values and has followed and liked pages that are pro-guns and the US Second Amendment. He is loyal first and foremost to the Republican party and whoever represents them, which most recently has been Donald Trump - and likes pages about this. Fox News is the main place this voter group goes for news, according to Pew's data. 
For him, religion is very important in public life. He is an evangelical protestant who is married to a woman and has grown-up children. He has followed several anti-abortion pages and groups.
He doesn't like the federal government having too much power. Instead, he's liked lots of groups and pages about his local area and community in Oneonta, Alabama. He has also followed several US army pages. 
Britney, 50 years old, is the Populist Right character. She votes Republican, but unlike Larry, she's much more critical of big business. She likes some posts on social media opposing billionaires and supporting higher taxes for big corporations. She also follows pages about unfounded conspiracies like the Great Reset and New World Order, which tap into the idea that the very rich are orchestrating a sinister global plot. 
She is very supportive of Trump - and the possibility he'll run for re-election in 2024. Her loyalties lie with him rather than the Republican party itself. 
Populist Right group is overwhelmingly white - but the 54% of voters who fall into this group are female. It is also one of the least highly educated groups with just two in 10 graduating from college. Recently-divorced Britney and her children live in Houston in Texas, where she works as a school secretary and takes part in parent groups online.
Half of this group opposed Covid-19 vaccines - so Britney likes and follows some anti-mask and anti-vaccine content on social media. Like Larry, she is also religious and follows many anti-abortion accounts and pages. Fox News is also where she gets her news, according to research - and it's the outlet she was recommended lots on Twitter when she first signed up. 
Gabriela, 44 years old, is a floating voter - and Pew's research dubs this group Stressed Sideliner. Her views vary and she's not really that interested in politics. She likes music, dance, fashion - and topics that are generally apolitical on social media. 
group is 56% women - and has the highest share of Hispanic voters compared to all the other groups. Gabriela lives with her husband and children in Miami, Florida, and likes and follows pages about her local area, as well as the Hispanic community there. 
About one in four Stressed Sideliners live in lower-income households. Gabriela has liked lots of groups and pages about saving money on monthly shopping. She is a nanny, so has also joined lots of parent groups and others advertising work. 
Her views on social issues vary. According to Pew's research, on abortion, banning guns, legalising marijuana and making university free, Stressed Sideliners align with Democrats. But she's more conservative on the death penalty and supportive of the police. She has liked some pro-choice content.
Michael, 61 years old, is part of the Democratic Mainstay group. This is the most diverse group, with the highest proportion of black voters at 26%. According to Pew's research, three quarters of this group are religious - and it has the highest proportion of black protestant voters. Michael really values faith and family. He's interested in pages linked to churches in his local area, as well as US and black history. 
He's been a committed Democrat for years. He likes lots of pages, groups and accounts linked to the party, as well as popular politicians like Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and Barack Obama. 
Democratic Mainstays are slightly older and have less formal education than other Democrat-leaning groups. Michael is a teacher in Milwaukee, Wisconsin - where he lives with his wife and kids. 
He is economically more liberal. On social media he follows various teaching unions and charities that help families make ends meet. But he is more moderate on other social issues and is pro-military. He prefers left-leaning news outlets, including CNN.
Emma is the most liberal of all the types - 48% of this group has received a university degree, and most of them are white. Emma attended university and lives in New York City with her girlfriend, where she is a graphic designer. The creative arts are very important to these voters, according to Pew's data. Emma follows accounts about art and film. 
group is made up of younger voters - with a third under 30. They are also the least religious of all of the groups. Emma is 25-years-old and an atheist. 
According to Pew, these voters are likely to get their political news from NPR and The New York Times - which are pages Emma follows. 
Progressive Left voters are very passionate about racial and gender equality - 88% judge there to be serious discrimination against black people. Emma follows lots of accounts in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. 
She is also pro-choice and passionate about the environment. Emma likes a variety of pages about intersectional feminism, women's marches and LGBTQI rights, including supporting the transgender community. She follows environmental activists - and she supports the legalisation of marijuana, liking several pages that promote this. 
Emma and Larry are both the most politically engaged according to Pew's research. They voted at the highest rate in the 2020 Presidential election, they post about politics online and they donate to campaigns too. 
Where can you keep up with the Undercover Voters? 
Listen to Americast on BBC Sounds and tune into BBC 2's Newsnight for regular updates on what these profiles are recommended around major news events, and investigations into how they are targeted in the build-up to the midterms.  "	/news/world-us-canada-62742687
business	Kanye West: JP Morgan Chase cuts ties with rapper	"US banking giant JP Morgan Chase is ending its relationship with the rapper and designer Kanye West, who now goes by the name Ye, and his Yeezy brand.
A letter from the bank informing Mr West of the decision was posted on Twitter by a conservative commentator.
At the weekend, his Twitter and Instagram accounts were suspended after he posted anti-Semitic messages.
BBC understands the letter from JP Morgan pre-dated recent controversies, as it was sent on 20 September.
In the letter the bank gave Mr West until 21 November to transfer his business.
JP Morgan Chase declined to comment.
Mr West had previously taken to social media to criticise JP Morgan's leadership and said they would not give him access to the bank's chief executive Jamie Dimon.
He told Bloomberg in September that he was severing ties with his corporate partners and that ""it's time for me to go it alone"".
Representatives for Mr West did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the BBC.
move by JP Morgan comes as Mr West's business partnerships have come under increased scrutiny.
Last week, sportswear firm Adidas said it was reviewing its deal with him days after he showed a ""White Lives Matter"" T-shirt design at Paris Fashion Week.
mpany did not mention the controversy but said ""successful partnerships are rooted in mutual respect and shared values"".
Mr West responded on Instagram, claiming the firm ""stole"" his designs. That post now appears to have been deleted.
Adidas told the BBC it had made the decision to put the partnership under review after ""repeated efforts to privately resolve the situation.""
A spokesperson for the German sportswear company also said that the ""Adidas Yeezy partnership is one of the most successful collaborations in our industry's history.""
Last month, Mr West said he was ending his partnership with the retailer Gap.
He accused the firm of failing to honour terms of the deal, including by failing to open standalone stores for his Yeezy fashion label.
'Kanye West and Kendall Jenner wore my vintage T-shirts'"	/news/business-63252035
business	Union rejects Rolls-Royce £2,000 living-cost bonus	"A union representing Rolls-Royce workers has rejected the offer of a £2,000 one-off payment from the firm to help its staff with the rising cost of living.
Of the 14,000 staff at Rolls-Royce who were eligible for the payment, 11,000 members are unionised.
Unite said the offer ""falls far short of the real cost of living challenges which our members are experiencing"". 
But Rolls-Royce said the offer was ""fair"" and ""a good deal"" for staff.
ump sum, which was intended for junior management and shop floor staff, was due to begin being rolled out in August, starting with the 3,000 non-unionised staff before being paid to the remaining 11,000 unionised workers.
Unite's regional secretary Paresh Patel said the union was still in negotiations with Rolls-Royce about the pay offer.
News of the offer emerged on Monday night, and was later confirmed by Rolls-Royce.
However, Unite said: ""The fact that Rolls-Royce has made this announcement in the way that it has certainly in our view undermines the trade union and the negotiating position that should be between the employer and the unions on this matter.""
Rolls-Royce had also offered workers a 4% increase in pay, back-dated to March. A Rolls-Royce spokesperson had told the BBC it would be ""the highest annual pay rise for at least a decade"" for its shop floor staff. 
But Unite said it would also reject that offer of a 4% pay rise.
re are ongoing discussions with unions about a pay settlement for 2022-2023, Rolls-Royce's spokesperson said, and the cost of living issue is to be a factor in those negotiations.
In response to Unite's rejection of the offer, the spokesperson said: ""This is a good deal for our colleagues that is fair and competitive, with an immediate cash lump sum to help them through the current exceptional economic climate. 
""We will continue to talk to our people.""
Meanwhile, around 115,000 Royal Mail workers are voting on strike action in a similar row over pay.
Communication Workers Union (CWU), which represents many Royal Mail staff, said it would be claiming for an ""inflation-based, no-strings pay award"", adding that Royal Mail's offer of a 2% pay award was ""miles away from where inflation is, totally inadequate"". 
Pay rates and measures to help UK staff have been increasing as businesses have been seeking to recruit and retain staff, after official figures showed there were fewer unemployed people than job vacancies for the first time since records began. 
Earlier this month, Lloyds Bank staff were offered a £1,000 lump sum to help with rising costs, after Unite the Union demonstrated outside its annual general meeting.
Inflation - the rate at which prices rise - currently stands at 9%, and is expected to increase again later this year.
It seems one-off cost of living payments are gaining in popularity among employers - but are they a short-term fix to a long-term issue?
ure of inflation means that while the rate of price rises may slow next year, it is extremely unlikely that the cost of living will actually drop. Prices are almost certainly not going to fall.
Yet, these payments are not embedded in future wages, unlike a regular pay increase. As employees continue to find it tough, will there be pressure on bosses to make these payments a permanent part of pay next year and beyond?
re is undoubtedly an awareness among businesses that workers, particularly the lower-paid, need more financial help at the moment to cover their bills.
But perhaps this eye-catching tactic of one-off payments is directed more at another issue - the retention and recruitment of staff.
Rolls-Royce was badly impacted by the global coronavirus pandemic, which hit demand for its aircraft engines as international air travel ground to a halt. 
In 2020 it announced plans to cut its global workforce by 9,000 by the end of this year, with 3,000 of those jobs going in the UK. At the time it said it would take ""several years"" for the industry to recover from the pandemic. 
In the first year of Covid, Rolls-Royce made a loss of £4bn because of the collapse in air travel, however it returned to profit in 2021.
Staff shortages are also putting pressure on firms to raise wages.
Earlier this month, Morrisons said it would increase pay for its store workers as UK supermarkets battle for staff in the face of increasing competition in the sector.
Rival chains Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda have also announced pay rises for their workers this year."	/news/business-61874786
technology	Google to pay record $391m privacy settlement	"Google will pay $391.5m (£330m) to settle allegations about how it collects data from users.
gy giant tracked the location of users who opted out of location services on their devices, 40 US states said.
Google has been told to be transparent about location tracking in the future and develop a web page telling people about the data it collects.
It is the largest privacy-related multi-state settlement in US history.
A Google official said: ""Consistent with improvements we've made in recent years, we have settled this investigation, which was based on outdated product policies that we changed years ago.""
Last month, Google agreed to pay Arizona $85m over similar issues concerning how it collects location data.
re remains one outstanding case on the topic in the US courts, after Texas, Indiana, Washington and the District of Columbia took legal action against Google in January.
Knowing a user's location helps advertisers target products.
And location services help Google generate $200bn in annual advertising revenue.
Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, who led the case - alongside Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson - said: ""For years Google has prioritised profit over its users' privacy. 
""It has been crafty and deceptive. 
""Consumers thought they had turned off their location-tracking features on Google - but the company continued to secretly record their movements and use that information for advertisers.""
rneys general said Google had been misleading consumers about location tracking since at least 2014, breaking state consumer-protection laws.
mpany has been told to significantly improve user controls and the way it discloses location tracking, starting from 2023."	/news/technology-63635380
business	Why chicken is getting more and more expensive	"Chicken is the UK's meat of choice for the dinner table, but consumers might have noticed the numbers ticking up on their receipts.
With the cost of chicken feed, energy and transport increasing, fast food chains like Nando's and KFC have already put some prices up. 
f Co-op supermarkets has warned poultry could become as expensive as beef, while official figures suggest that the price of chilled, oven-ready, chicken has increased from £2.50 to £3 per kg in the last two years.
""The problem we have is that all kinds of prices are going up and up,"" says poultry farmer James Mottershead.
His family bought the West Midlands farm in 2001. 
In recent years, demand has grown and the business now raises about 1.5 million chickens a year.
We follow the production process step-by-step to see where costs are mounting for poultry farmers and processors.
Poultry makes up 50% of the meat eaten in the UK and one billion birds are reared in the country every year, according to the British Poultry Council.
Mr Mottershead, who is also the chair of the poultry board at the National Farmers' Union, receives deliveries of about 215,000 chicks in seven ""cycles"" each year.
roiler chickens, raised specifically for meat, arrive at the farm at one day old.
rice for the chicks has gone up by 5p over the last year though, with the cost now topping 40p per bird, Mr Mottershead says.
Hatcheries have come under pressure as costs for feed, electricity and heating for the incubation period have gone up, and those are being passed on to farms.
Mr Mottershead and two dedicated full-time employees look after the chicks that are then grown in dedicated poultry sheds.
Day-to-day costs are going up there too.
Staff start on-site at 07:00, checking water consumption and feed availability, as well as on the birds' health.
All of the birds on the farm are sold as Red Tractor assured, which means each chicken can be traced back to the hatchery it came from and it has 10% more space than is required by European legislation.
farm generates renewable energy. The commercial sheds use LED lights and have solar panels on the roof. Despite that, Mr Mottershead says electricity prices have ""rocketed"" in the last year, with the cost per kilowatt roughly doubling. 
Some of the sheds also have LPG gas containers for heating. Prices now top 40p per litre, up from 15p two years ago - driven higher by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and worries about the impact the conflict could have on supplies from one of the world's biggest gas exporters.
farm uses borehole water, but the cost of chemicals used to sanitise the water has risen by about 30%.
usiness also goes through about 200 tonnes of wood shavings for the chick's bedding each year. The cost of buying that in bulk has jumped by about 40% in the last 12 months.
Aside from wood shavings to scratch, the cost of feed, which makes up a large proportion of a poultry farmer's budget, is soaring.
farm's spend on it now stands at about £2m a year. Different types of feed ingredients are used depending on the chicken's stage in its life cycle - whether that's a chick crumb or a grower pellet for later on.
Kynan Massey, managing director of Massey Bros feed firm, told the BBC ""prices had never been higher"".
It's because the feed is often made up of wheat or soya, which have seen prices spike due to failed harvests last summer and the conflict in Ukraine.
""Russia and Ukraine are responsible for a quarter of wheat exported around the world,"" Mr Massey says. ""If conflict continues we could see prices carrying on rising, and in Europe the dry weather is affecting costs as well."" 
In the poultry sheds, the birds' weight is monitored regularly.
umber of birds is reduced at 32 days once they have reached their target weight to ensure the farm is meeting rules on density per square metre. 
About a third of birds in the shed are sent to the abattoir then, with the rest of the chickens removed at 39 days.
re transported by truck in crates. Of course, the cost of fuel has also gone up.
UK diesel prices, for example, rose to a record of just over £1.80 a litre on Monday, according to the RAC.
After the previous record of £1.79 in March following the invasion of Ukraine, prices dipped but have risen again in recent weeks.
And it's been more difficult to find a lorry driver. The shortage has been blamed on a combination of factors, including the pandemic, Brexit and tax changes. 
Wages have soared as a result, with annual salaries offered by some haulage firms reaching £80,000.
""The reality is that when you have a shortage, people can name their prices,"" Mr Mottershead says.
In UK processing plants, most chickens are now killed using gas - usually carbon dioxide, a by-product from the fertiliser production process.
Gas prices were already going up last year, forcing big fertiliser factories in the UK to suspend production.
Although the UK produces about half of its own fertiliser, costs have been driven up more because of conflict further afield. 
Russia is a huge producer of the key ingredients needed for fertiliser, like ammonia, so fears over supplies have a knock-on effect on CO2 prices.
2 Sisters, one of the UK's biggest chicken suppliers, told the BBC it had seen the cost of CO2 nearly quadruple.
After the chickens are killed, they are defeathered, cleaned and packaged by agricultural workers. 2 Sisters says the cost of card packaging has also gone up by 20% in recent months. 
Producers are spending more on labour in the plants due to an increase in the National Minimum Wage as well. Others are offering higher salaries to attract workers amid ongoing labour shortages.
Eventually, the packaged chicken will be sold to clients like butchers, corner-shop chains, manufacturers or supermarkets.
But Ronald Kers, the boss 2 Sisters, has said input costs before this point have rocketed. 
""Prices from the farm gate have already risen by almost 50% in a year,"" the company which has 600 farms and 16 factories across the UK, said previously.
It warned the days of lower prices are coming to an end.
Mr Mottershead points out that although some poultry producers are struggling, supermarkets are hesitant to pass on costs to their customers as the cost of living increases.
""We're doing all we can to produce quality chicken and egg products, but there's a huge amount of farmers who won't be able to restock their sheds because that cost is too great,"" he says.
Russia's war in Ukraine has made existing shortages ""even worse"", he suggests.
For poorer families and countries, ""the realities of this don't bear thinking about"". "	/news/business-61466479
entertainment	New Year Honours 2023: Grayson Perry and Brian May lead cultural roll call	"Artist Grayson Perry and Queen guitarist Brian May have been knighted, leading the cultural names who have been included in the New Year Honours.
Stephen Graham and David Harewood are among the actors to be honoured, both being appointed OBEs.
Pioneering 1960s fashion designer Mary Quant, already a dame, is elevated to a Companion of Honour.
V presenter Anne Diamond, comedian Frank Skinner and Countdown's Rachel Riley are also on the list.
Brian May becomes Sir Brian months after his band helped launch the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee concert in front of Buckingham Palace.
He is rewarded for services to music and to charity, after more than 50 years in one of Britain's most popular rock bands.
Grayson Perry - and his alter-ego Claire - shot to fame when he won the Turner Prize in 2003, and he is known for his pottery works and tapestries that give his take on British life.
His gong for services to the arts comes after Grayson's Art Club became a hit on Channel 4 during the pandemic, gathering works from members of the public to be included in exhibitions around the UK.
Another acclaimed artist, John Akomfrah, known for video installations dealing with post-colonialism and migration, also becomes a knight; as does former BBC Two controller and current British Library chief executive Roly Keating.
Dame Mary Quant, who is widely credited with popularising the mini skirt, joins the exclusive Order of the Companions of Honour. It is reserved for people who have made a major contribution to the arts, science, medicine or government, and has only 65 members at any one time.
re are CBEs for Oscar-nominated film and TV composer George Fenton, whose soundtracks range from Gandhi to Sir David Attenborough's Planet Earth; and theatre producer Sonia Friedman, who has staged shows including Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and Jerusalem.
Stephen Graham, known for TV dramas like Help, Time and Line of Duty, becomes an OBE for services to drama.
David Harewood gets the same honour for services to drama and charity. He has starred in Homeland, Supergirl and such documentaries as Will Britain Ever Have A Black Prime Minister? and My Psychosis And Me.
Well-loved broadcaster Anne Diamond is also made an OBE for services to public health and charity. She has campaigned to reduce cot deaths since the death of her own young son in 1991.
Jazz saxophonist YolanDa Brown, who is appointed OBE, has presented TV shows like YolanDa's Band Jam on CBeebies, and held senior positions behind the scenes in the music industry and music education.
And comic illustrator David Sutherland, who drew characters like Dennis the Menace and the Bash Street Kids for The Beano, is also appointed OBE.
Meanwhile, MBEs go to Cleo Sylvestre, the first black actor to have a leading role at London's National Theatre; veteran comic and presenter Frank Skinner; and Horrid Henry author Francesca Simon.
Countdown co-host Rachel Riley is appointed MBE for services to Holocaust education. She is also known for speaking out about anti-Semitism in the Labour Party and this year won two libel cases arising from that furore.
Investigative journalist Catherine Belton receives the same honour. Her 2020 book Putin's People attracted five lawsuits brought by Russian oligarchs and firms.
Singer Janet Kay, known for the 1979 Lovers' Rock hit Silly Games, is also appointed MBE; along with playwright Rachel De-Lahay.
Producer and radio presenter DJ Spoony is awarded the British Empire Medal for services to charities through music during Covid-19."	/news/entertainment-arts-64039096
business	Cost of living: Students struggling with impact of soaring prices	"Students are facing financial and mental health concerns as soaring prices take a toll on their wellbeing, a survey has suggested.
More than eight in 10 of those asked said they worried about making ends meet, with the average maintenance loan falling short of living costs.
urvey, run by the website Save The Student, suggested four in five had considered the prospect of dropping out of university.
Half of those blamed money worries.
""This is the most worried I've ever been about the financial situation students are facing,"" said Save The Student's Jake Butler.
""In a decade of running the National Student Money Survey, this year's findings are bleak - and we expect much worse is yet to come.""
Rent is by far the largest outgoing for students, followed by groceries. Living costs have seen a 14% increase since last year's survey, according to the responses, with the average student now spending £924 per month.
gher than the official inflation rate of 9.9%, which tracks how the cost of living changes over time. Save The Student suggested that a typical maintenance loan in England fell £439 short of covering these costs every month.
Many relied on parents or part-time jobs, or savings to make up the shortfall, but one in 10 students in the survey has used a food bank in the last academic year, the survey suggested.
Of those who were worried about making ends meet, some 59% said their mental health had suffered, and 64% said their social life had taken a hit.  
One student, who wished to remain anonymous, told the BBC that finding accommodation covered by the maintenance loan was impossible. 
""Over the summer between A-levels and university, I managed to save £2,000 to go towards my rent, but after rent I had none left to pay for food, going out, train tickets to visit home and so on,"" she said.
""Not being able to afford to do anything had a massive impact on my mental health as it was very isolating. I wasn't able to go out for a quick coffee with friends or go on all the nights out, so I feel as if I missed out of opportunities to make friends quite a lot. 
""I couldn't try out for sports teams or societies as even they have fees.""
She suggested students finding it difficult financially should research part-time job opportunities, talk to their families, and ask about bursaries and support payments.
Recent research by BBC News found that the number of students asking for emergency cash nearly tripled between 2018-19 and 2020-21 at 95 UK universities.
Responses also suggest the amount of hardship funding given out nearly doubled last year.
Save The Student surveyed 2,370 university students in the UK between May and August.
Since then, the government has introduced further support to help people with energy bills. Students should benefit from the cap on gas and electricity bills, with ministers saying that landlords should pass on any discounts.
""We welcome the news that energy bills will be capped for two years, but the new rate is still nearly double what households were paying last year. Students are getting the same rate and support as millionaires, despite being among the groups that will continue to struggle,"" Mr Butler said.
National Union of Students' vice president of higher education, Chloe Fields, said that the survey results were ""shocking, but sadly not surprising"".
Despite recent support measures, she called for further assistance for those studying: ""We need an emergency student support package for every single person studying and we need it now.""
A Department for Education spokeswoman said the government understood the pressures being faced. 
""To support students with living costs, we have increased maintenance loans every year, meaning disadvantaged students now have access to the highest ever amounts in cash terms,"" she said. 
""Students who are worried about making ends meet should speak to their university about the support they can access. This year universities can boost their hardship funds by drawing on up to £261m we have made available through the Office for Students."""	/news/business-62972580
sports	Mia Palles-Clark: Rider fulfils 'lifetime goal' with GB call for Veteran European Championships	"Mia Palles-Clark is set to fulfil a ""lifetime goal"" after being picked to represent Great Britain at the Veteran European Showjumping Championships.
49-year-old will be part of a five-member squad in Darmstadt-Kranichstein, Germany, next month.
She will ride Hamantha Fortuna, known as 'Maus', at the Championships, for which over 45s are eligible.
""Many years ago I did ride for England a couple of times - but this is incredible,"" she said.
""I got an email on Friday and I was at a competition. I'd just competed, she'd gone brilliantly, I picked up my phone to have a look, as you do, saw an email and my jaw fell open. 
""I grabbed the nearest friend, showed her and said, 'You can't tell anyone because it's confidential still,' but how exciting is this.""
Palles-Clark is a professional showjumping coach, who has worked with the British Army, and is based at Kentford on the Suffolk-Cambridgeshire border.
""Showjumping is my life - I was brought up into it. I'm a coach, a team manager for ponies, and a very passionate competitor too,"" she told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire.
""To have that GB flag on your jacket, it really does mean a lot.""
Mischa Irving, James Loffet, Faye Riddington-Smith and Michaele Tomlinson make up the rest of the GB team.
Championships, from 8-11 September, involve team and individual competitions, both won by France in 2021 - but getting there will not be straightforward in the post-Brexit world.
""I work very hard to do what I do and it costs a lot of money, but it's good for the soul - it's an obsession, it's in your blood,"" Palles-Clark added.
""I'll have to move heaven and earth to get to Germany but of course I'm going to do that.
""It's now hugely complicated, way more than it ever was - you even have to pay tax going into and out of France on the value of your animal."""	/sport/equestrian/62663019
sports	James Harrison: Warrington Wolves prop signs three-year extension	"Prop James Harrison has signed a three-year contract extension with Warrington Wolves until the end of the 2025 Super League season.
26-year-old missed a chunk of the 2022 campaign following his move from Featherstone because of a serious knee injury, yet still played 12 games.
Harrison, the son of ex-Great Britain prop Karl, has 36 tries in 124 matches, including for Leeds, Batley and Oxford.
""Everything's perfect for me here and I'm really enjoying it,"" Harrison said.
""Daryl [Powell, head coach] was a big reason for extending my contract. He trusts me, likes the way I play and gets the best out of me.""
Powell added on the club website:external-link ""When we signed James I was 100% certain he would be a consistent Super League player.
""After his injury that became a bit tougher for him. However, his efforts for us last year showed how good he is going to be in the future and is why I feel this deal is a great one for the club."""	/sport/rugby-league/63879266
business	Aberdeen's Bon Accord shopping centre owners go into administration	"wners of Aberdeen's Bon Accord shopping centre have gone into administration.
Guernsey-based Aberdeen Retail 1 Ltd and Aberdeen Retail 2 Ltd are said to have suffered ""unsustainable"" cash flow problems due to the Covid pandemic, rising costs and ""intense"" competition.
A buyer is now being sought.
Administrators Azets said the city centre shopping venue would continue to operate as normal in the meantime until any sale.
Bon Accord centre was built in 1990 and merged with the adjacent St Nicholas centre in 2020.
It has branches of major stores including Next, Boots and Waterstones.
Azets restructuring partner James Fennessey said the sale offered a ""very strong brand name and awareness"".
""We are keen to try and find a buyer promptly,"" he said.
At Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, policy director Ryan Crighton described it as ""clearly a concerning development"".
""However, there is precedent with other centres in the UK trading through administration for extended periods, which offers hope,"" he said.
""The Bon Accord Centre has been at the heart of Aberdeen's retail offering for over 30 years - and that must continue. However, if people want a vibrant city centre, this should serve as a clear 'use it or lose it' warning.""
Andrew Turnbull is a senior lecturer in retail marketing at the Robert Gordon University (RGU) Aberdeen Business School.
Mr Turnbull said: ""Aberdeen has to cope with people leaving the city to go to elsewhere, to have weekends away to have big shops away, whether it's Edinburgh or Glasgow, or even further afield.
""Individuals are not coming into the city since the start of working from home and hybrid working. People are doing their shopping locally rather than spending money getting in the car, cost of fuel is also an influence, and they are shopping in the suburbs, in the commuter areas.
""As far as Bon Accord is concerned, the competition from out of town centres, but more specifically in the city from Union Square shopping centre, will be major factors in the shopping centre's performance."""	/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-62719112
business	Government borrowing costs rise after PM's U-turn	"Government borrowing costs rose on Friday afternoon after the prime minister announced another U-turn on the mini-budget.
und, which initially held firm earlier on Friday, also lost ground.
moves came as Liz Truss sacked her chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, and said a rise in corporation tax would now go ahead.
However, some economists warned that the latest developments might not be enough to restore the UK's credibility.
""It's unlikely that the removal of Kwasi Kwarteng as chancellor and the new plans to cancel the cancellation of the rise in corporation tax from 19% to 25% from next April will be enough on their own to regain the full confidence of the financial markets,"" said Paul Dales, Chief UK economist at Capital Economics.
He also pointed out that despite another U-turn on the 45p tax cut, there are still unfunded tax cuts of about £25bn left over from the mini-budget - down from £45bn originally.
f government borrowing rose across a range of bonds traded on the financial markets following the announcement. 
rest rate - or yield - on bonds due to be repaid in 30 years' time climbed to 4.85%. 
5.17% on 28 September in the aftermath of the mini-budget when Mr Kwarteng set out one of the biggest tax cuts packages seen in decades but did not explain how they would be funded.
Meanwhile, the yield on bonds due to be repaid in five years' time, which underpins the cost of new five-year fixed rate mortgages, jumped to 4.35%.
und - which had jumped on Thursday as speculation mounted about a possible U-turn - also sank by more than 1% to just under $1.12 on Friday before clawing back some losses.
Prime Minister Liz Truss admitted the government's mini-budget had gone ""faster and further"" than many expected. 
""We need to act now to reassure the markets of our fiscal discipline,"" she said.
government also announced that Jeremy Hunt, the former foreign and health secretary, will succeed Mr Kwarteng. He will be the UK's fourth chancellor so far this year and will face big challenges with prices soaring and hikes in interest rates.
Speaking to the BBC's economics editor Faisal Islam, leading economist Mohamed El-Arian said that the events seen in the UK over the last few weeks in particular were ""unthinkable"".
""There are already scars. If you had to refinance your mortgage, if you're looking to buy a house - you've been hit,"" he said of the recent market turmoil.
He said Mr Hunt ""needs more measures, he needs to cover more of the unfunded tax cuts that were introduced… most of the damage is recoverable but it needs action and time"".
Investec economist Ellie Henderson described markets as ""dizzy"" over the series of policy reversals and changes.
""Markets seem unconvinced that today's announcement was enough to fully restore confidence in the UK government,"" she said.
government had already U-turned on its plan to scrap the top rate of income tax for people earning £150,000 a year or more. Reducing the tax rate for top earners would have cost £2bn. 
Moving ahead with the increase in corporation tax should add an estimated £18bn a year in tax revenue to the government's coffers.
rime minister added that ""spending will grow less rapidly than previously planned"". 
reasury also confirmed that the incoming chancellor would still deliver the government's ""economic plan"" on 31 October, which will set out how the remaining tax cuts will be funded, and how debts will be reduced.
On Friday, an emergency bond-buying scheme set up by the Bank of England to restore calm in the financial markets following the previous mini-budget will also come to an end. 
government raises money it needs for spending by selling bonds - a form of debt that is paid back plus interest in anywhere between five and 30 years.
Pension funds invest in bonds because they provide a low but usually reliable return over a long period of time.
However, the sharp fall in their value after the mini-budget forced pension funds to sell bonds, threatening to create a ""downward spiral"" in their prices as more were offloaded, which left some funds close to collapse.
rked an emergency intervention by the Bank of England, which has stepped in to buy £19.3bn worth of government bonds.
re has been strong speculation that the Bank will extend the scheme past the Friday deadline.
But on Tuesday, the Bank's governor Andrew Bailey dashed those hopes, telling pension funds: ""You've got three days left now and you've got to sort it out.""
Bethany Payne, global bonds fund manager at Janus Henderson, told the BBC it was not clear whether pension funds have done enough to strengthen their finances.
""The risk is that we don't know how pension funds have used this window of time and whether they have used it effectively by raising cash and doing everything they need to,"" she said.
""So the true test of the market will be this afternoon and Monday morning to see whether they have done enough."""	/news/business-63243918
technology	Vodafone and Three in merger talks	"Vodafone is in talks with Three about merging their UK businesses.
It would mean the third and fourth largest mobile phone networks respectively combining to create a business with 27 million customers, larger than current leaders BT, EE and Virgin Media O2.
mpanies say it would accelerate the rollout of 5G and rural broadband.
Any deal would be scrutinised by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
Reports suggest the two companies are hopeful of striking a deal by the end of the year. 
Vodafone said it would own 51% and Hutchison - which operates Three - 49% under the deal being discussed.
Regulators have previously opposed mergers that would reduce the number of networks in the UK. 
However, Vodafone has pointed to a recent report from communications regulator Ofcom which might suggest a new approach.
It found that both Vodafone and Three had in recent years delivered returns on investments that were lower than the cost of the capital they used.
But James Robinson, from communication market analysts Assembly, said there would still be hurdles to overcome for the merged firm.
""While the parties might view consolidation as a way to improve returns and unlock shareholder value, we expect the CMA would be eager to protect against the risk of consumer price rises - particularly in light of the current cost-of-living crisis,"" he said.
He suggested the merged firm may need to provide ""legally-binding concessions"" to reassure regulators.
Ben Wood, an analyst at CCS Insight, told the BBC that the potential tie-up was to be expected. 
""The two companies have made no secret of their interest to consolidate,"" he said.
""The leading motivation to join forces is scale. In telecommunications, the most successful companies tend to be the largest; bulking up would offer many synergies and cost-saving opportunities.
""Under the status quo, it's hard to see either operator growing enough organically to get close to challenging BT and Virgin Media O2 for size in the UK.
Vodafone pairing with Three is just one potential tie-up in the UK. 
Other deals involving Virgin Media O2, TalkTalk and Sky have been speculated in recent months.
""By combining our businesses, Vodafone UK and Three UK will gain the necessary scale to be able to accelerate the rollout of full 5G in the UK, and expand broadband connectivity to rural communities and small businesses,"" Vodafone said in an update to shareholders.
""The conditions to ensure thriving competition in the market need to be nurtured, otherwise the UK is at risk of losing the opportunity to be a 5G leader,"" it added.
Ofcom said it did not have a fixed position in relation to market consolidation. 
""Our view is that potential mergers in telecoms markets need to be assessed on a case-by-case basis, rather than on a presumptive view of the appropriate number of competitors,"" it said in its latest report. "	/news/technology-63118990
entertainment	ITV boss defends Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield over queue furore	"ITV's chief executive has backed Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield after the hosts were accused of jumping the queue for the Queen's lying-in-state.
Dame Carolyn McCall said the pair did nothing wrong and were ""of course"" safe in their jobs presenting This Morning.
reaction in the press and on social media showed ""how misinformation just spreads, and it is really horrible for them"", Dame Carolyn said.
""I don't think they're feeling great. I mean, it's hard,"" she added.
""Imagine yourself in the eye of a storm like this, where you're trying to say you've done nothing wrong, and all the noise around you is saying that you have. It's difficult to handle.""
Willoughby and Schofield were criticised after being seen on a live feed that streamed the viewing of the Queen's coffin. Members of the public queued for many hours to get into Westminster Hall.
""They did have accreditation,"" Dame Carolyn said. ""Lots of people say they didn't. They were sent by This Morning to do a piece for 20 September, which ran. They were to interview people inside and outside. They didn't displace anyone in the queue. And actually, they've been very misrepresented.""
klash showed how ""minority shrillness can become very, very loud and can become picked up and can become a story"", she added.
king aim at them included Domino's Pizza, which put out a tweet saying: ""Apologies to anyone waiting on their pizza, we've just received an order from Holly and Phil.""
Dame Carolyn said ITV spoke to Domino's, which advertises on the broadcaster's channels. ""We just said to them, 'What are you doing?'
""They said, 'We think it's really funny, don't you?' We said, 'No.' They didn't think of the impact that would have on how people would pick that up and start memeing it, and that's what happens with these things.
""They did not do anything wrong.""
Dame Carolyn was speaking at the Royal Television Society London Convention, in an interview with BBC media editor Amol Rajan.
ga of Holly, Phil and The Queue is a very modern one. As Dame Carolyn McCall implied, there is no science as to why some stories take off on social media and others don't. Usually, it is an unlikely, toxic mix of factors.
Here, public affection for the Queen, images of other celebrities who queued for hours, and Holly and Phil's reputation as cuddly and relatable presenters contrived to see them fall foul of the public mood.
Dame Carolyn was speaking at a Royal Television Society event where there was some concern about the impact of a recession on the media. She was very interesting on a curiosity of modern capitalism: namely, why some companies making no profit (like some streaming services) have huge valuations, while others whose underlying business is reporting solid growth (like ITV) are seeing their share price fall.
Market sentiment, as Britain is finding out this week, is not always rational or predictable.
Dame Carolyn also discussed the November launch of streaming service ITVX, which is aiming to upgrade the ""very clunky user experience"" of the ITV Hub.
She said ITVX would offer many more programmes, with more than 9,000 hours available for free in an attempt to appeal to younger audiences.
""The issue for Hub was that, with that small amount of content, they wouldn't stay. They'd come in for the whole of Love Island and then they disappear. They wouldn't come back, because there was nothing else for them to watch.""
ITV has not yet found Laura Whitmore's replacement as Love Island host, she said. Asked if the company has found a host for the reboot of Big Brother, she replied: ""Not announced yet.""
Other broadcasting executives speaking at the convention included BBC director general Tim Davie, who said he was not worried by the departures of a number of high-profile presenters for commercial rivals in recent months.
At the weekend, Fortunately podcast hosts Fi Glover and Jane Garvey became the latest names to leave, following the likes of Vanessa Feltz, Simon Mayo, Emily Maitlis and Andrew Marr.
""We didn't look like we had a weak squad in the coverage of the Queen,"" Mr Davie said. ""We have a very broad squad of people. There will be people moving in and out of the BBC. That always has been done to a degree. It's a hyper-competitive market.""
He also said having former Downing Street communications director Sir Robbie Gibb on the BBC board had helped the broadcaster in its quest for impartiality.
Sir Robbie's presence on the 13-strong board has attracted controversy, with Maitlis recently claiming he was an ""active agent of the Conservative Party"".
Mr Davie told delegates: ""We are absolutely fighting for fair and balanced output with due impartiality.
""We do take board members with all kinds of background and whatever - some of them have baggage.""
""But they have views and they are able to share those views, but they don't shape the output. They don't make the editorial calls. We do."""	/news/entertainment-arts-63048007
health	COPD lung disease sufferers waiting years for diagnosis	"People living with severe lung disease in Northern Ireland need faster and more accurate care, a leading charity has said. 
One in four patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in the UK wait at least five years for a diagnosis, according to a report from Asthma + Lung UK Northern Ireland.
Up to 42,000 people in NI suffer from COPD, the charity says.
It has called for lung health to become a priority.
""We are hearing shocking stories of people spending years... struggling to breathe, unaware that they have a lung condition which could be managed with the right treatment and support,"" said Joseph Carter, head of Asthma + Lung UK Northern Ireland.
""Diagnosis of COPD needs to be faster and more accurate and there needs to be greater awareness of the seriousness of lung conditions and the signs and symptoms to look out for.""
rity is campaigning for a new lung health strategy to improve diagnostic rates, increase pulmonary rehabilitation services, and reduce the number of respiratory deaths in Northern Ireland.
COPD is an umbrella term for a group of incurable lung conditions which cause breathing difficulties. 
udes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It affects more than one million people in the UK. 
Every patient with COPD should get a yearly flu and a regular pneumonia vaccine, according to the charity. 
uld also have a personalised plan to help them manage their condition, be offered optimised treatment for any other medical conditions and support to stop smoking if they need it. 
Delays in diagnosis of COPD can result in loss of lung function.
report, Delayed Diagnosis and Unequal Care: The reality for people with COPD in the UK in 2022, was published on Tuesday ahead of World COPD Day on Wednesday.
Results are based on a survey of 6,500 people across the UK. The sample size for Northern Ireland was small but the charity said it mirrored the rest of the UK results. 
Sharon Stewart from Dungiven has first-hand experience of the condition after her father was diagnosed in 2018.
""My dad, Jimmy worked as a mechanic and car sprayer for many years,"" she said.
""He was always very outgoing. He played the drums and was a great entertainer. He loved getting out and about.""
When he became ill, there was no clear diagnosis but he had to give up work. 
Sharon said her father was on inhalers for two years before he was finally hospitalised and diagnosed with COPD in 2018. 
""As a family, we felt Jimmy was not getting the proper level of care,"" she said.
""When his breathing worsened, he was no longer able to go out or walk, he was always exhausted and tired.  
""His home life was also affected as it took almost one year for a stairlift to be installed. This meant he stayed most of the time upstairs in his bedroom so that he could access the bathroom.""
k a dire toll on him, she said.
""He was not the same person, he couldn't walk any distance because his breathing was so bad.""
Jimmy died in September 2021 at the age of 74.
family and community helped raise more than £5,700 for Asthma + Lung UK Northern Ireland. 
""We are aware of all the constraints on our health service, but these gaps in care are making things worse,"" said Sharon.
More than a third of people surveyed in the report said they were unable to recognise the signs of COPD and around 23% said they were misdiagnosed as their doctor thought they had a chest infection or cough. 
Respiratory conditions make up one of the top three killers in Northern Ireland.
Asthma + Lung UK Northern Ireland said people with lung conditions in the poorest neighbourhoods are three and half times more likely to die than those in the richest areas in Northern Ireland."	/news/uk-northern-ireland-63625674
entertainment	Wilko Johnson: Dr Feelgood guitarist dies, aged 75	"Wilko Johnson, whose machine-gun guitar style and manic stage presence was a major influence on punk, has died.
musician found fame with the 1970s pub-rock band Dr Feelgood, and later played with Ian Dury before embarking on a four-decade solo career.
He also starred in two series of Game Of Thrones as the mute executioner Ser Ilyn Payne.
rs ago he survived what was initially diagnosed as a terminal case of pancreatic cancer.
musician refused chemotherapy to embark on a farewell tour.
""The decision was quite easy - chemotherapy could do no more than extend my life for a relatively short period and I thought I'd just rather enjoy the health that was left to me,"" he told BBC Radio 5 Live.
However, later tests discovered that the guitarist's pancreatic cancer was in fact a rare and less aggressive neuroendocrine tumour.
He underwent a radical, 11-hour operation that removed his pancreas, spleen and parts of his stomach and intestines, and was declared cancer-free in 2014.
""Now, I'm spending my time gradually coming to terms with the idea that my death is not imminent, that I am going to live on,"" he said at that year's Q awards.
""If there's a moral to this story, it's that you never know what's going to happen"", Wilko Johnson told the audience at the Q Awards in London
musician continued to play live until last month, hosting his final gig at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire on 18 October.
Johnson's death was confirmed to the BBC by his representatives.
In a statement posted on social media, they added: ""This is the announcement we never wanted to make, and we do so, on behalf of Wilko's family and the band, with a very heavy heart.
""Wilko Johnson has died. He passed away at home on Monday evening, 21 November 2022.
""Thank you for respecting Wilko's family's privacy at this very sad time, and thank you all for having been such a tremendous support throughout Wilko's incredible life.""
Who's Roger Daltrey, who recorded a top three album with Johnson in 2014, said his friend's music would ""live on"".
""More than anything Wilko wanted to be a poet,"" he said in a statement. ""I was lucky to have known him and have him as a friend. His music lives on but there's no escaping the final curtain this time.""
Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page tweeted that he was ""sad to hear of the passing of Wilko Johnson"", recalling how the atmosphere was ""electric"" when he saw the late guitarist perform in Camden in 2013.
Born in Canvey Island, Essex, Johnson developed a distinctive, finger-picked style that blended percussive stabs and fluid licks, allowing him to play lead and rhythm guitar at the same time.
""It's a bit like riding a bike,"" he told Radio 4 in 2013. ""It's easy to do but difficult to describe"".
He perfected the style with Dr Feelgood, where his intense and unhinged stage persona gave the band a menacing energy. 
Johnson recorded three studio albums with the band but, fittingly, it was the live record Stupidity that became their only number one.
Steve Howley, of Classic Rock magazine, once said Johnson's confrontational style led directly to punk, calling him ""one of the quintessential English guitar heroes.""
""Wilko may not be as famous as some other guitarists, but he's right up there,"" agreed Paul Weller in an interview with Uncut magazine. 
""There are a lot of people who'll say the same. I can hear Wilko in lots of places. It's some legacy.""
Arguments with Dr Feelgood's lead singer Lee Brilleaux led to Johnson's departure in 1977. He formed a short-lived band called Solid Senders, who released on album on Virgin Records, before Johnson joined Ian Dury's backing group The Blockheads.
After Dury's drug problems prompted the dissolution of that group, the guitarist set out on a solo career, with albums including Ice On The Motorway, Call It What You Want and Barbed Wire Blues - which introduced his regular backing group The Wilko Johnson Band.
ured relentlessly, receiving a fresh wave of interest in the 21st Century thanks to Julien Temple's Oil City Confidential, a Dr Feelgood documentary that presented Johnson as a loveable, loopy, quintessentially British guitar god.
On the back of the film's success, two volumes of The Best of Wilko Johnson were released in 2010, and the musician started writing his autobiography, Looking Back on Me, where he detailed his love of astronomy - going so far as to build his own observatory in Southend.
""I really would like to go into the galaxies, to be in the intergalactic void,"" he wrote.
After recovering from cancer, he continued to play and record, supporting Status Quo on their 2014 tour and releasing his last album, Blow Your Mind in 2018.
News of his death was greeted with sadness on Twitter, with musicians including Blur's Graham Coxon, Blondie's Clem Burke and The Charlatans' Tim Burgess paying tribute.
""Very sad to hear Wilko Johnson has died,"" wrote Alex Kapranos of the indie band Franz Ferdinand. 
""His unique, wired playing and stage presence thrilled and inspired many guitarists, myself included. His presence will be felt for many more years.""
Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk."	/news/entertainment-arts-63728503
sports	Mixed feelings on a 'breakthrough' year - Armagh star Rian O'Neill on The GAA Social	"Rian O'Neill won't soon forget his journey through the 2022 inter-county season with Armagh.
As he geared up for his fourth year in the senior set-up, he received a pleasant surprise: being asked by boss Kieran McGeeney to co-captain the team alongside Aidan Nugent. 
O'Neill was well aware of the significance, but any suspicions that the heightened responsibility would weigh heavily on his broad shoulders were emphatically dispelled by his virtuoso display in the Division One opener win over Dublin. 
Gracing Croke Park's hallowed turf for the first time, O'Neill scored 1-4 from full-forward as Armagh marked their top-flight return after a 10-year absence with a verve and swagger that forced many onlookers to sit up and take notice.
For O'Neill it set the tone for the next five months, and while he was ultimately forced to grapple with crushing disappointment, the Crossmaglen Rangers ace feels that 2022 was the year in which he really made his mark on the inter-county scene. 
""It felt to an extent that it was,"" O'Neill told The GAA Social when asked by Thomas Niblock if he considers 2022 his breakout season.  
""At the start of the year, Geezer came to me and Nugent and asked us to be captains of the team. When Geezer asks you to be captain of Armagh, it's something you really have to give your all to. 
""He'd obviously seen something in me. I wouldn't be the biggest of talkers but I prefer to do my talking on the field and prefer to lead that way.""
Unfortunately for O'Neill, the momentum and confidence built from an eye-catching Division One campaign would be shattered in the Ulster Championship cauldron when he was held scoreless in Armagh's 1-16 to 0-12 defeat by Donegal in Ballybofey.
""I felt fit all the way through the year - I was playing well but against Donegal I had an absolute nightmare, nothing went over for me,"" added O'Neill, who has returned from a summer in America to aid Crossmaglen's quest for a first Armagh SFC title since 2019.  
""I couldn't get on the ball, couldn't do anything, but against Tyrone and Donegal [in the All-Ireland qualifiers] again I started to kick on. [The All-Ireland quarter-final against] Galway, I had a good first half but was poor after that. 
""But it did feel like a bit of a breakthrough year for me. I was playing well in previous years, but this year I felt near on top of my game and that if I played well I'd be hard stopped.""
Being asked to lead his county, lighting up Croke Park, an All-Star nomination; O'Neill has a lot to savour when reflecting on 2022.
However, he maintains that any post-mortem on the inter-county campaign is tinged with regret given the manner of Armagh's All-Ireland exit, losing to Galway in a penalty shootout at the end of one of the most riveting championship games in recent memory.
In an incident-packed encounter that included the mass brawl which resulted in a six-month suspension for O'Neill's team-mate Tiernan Kelly for eye-gouging, O'Neill scored 0-4 and was the only Orchard player to score in the shootout.
His most memorable contribution, though, came in the dying embers of regulation time, nailing a 50m free to force extra-time after Armagh had roared their way back from a six-point deficit with two injury-time goals. 
In extra-time, Jemar Hall's score looked to have sealed a semi-final spot for Armagh before Cillian McDaid landed a beauty to set up the shootout. 
""You look back at Galway with regrets coming from that game, the way we lost the penalty shootout,"" admits O'Neill.  
""We didn't really perform in the second half. We had it won in extra-time, lost it again, got back into it. 
""There are regrets but we feel we've progressed through the year. We let ourselves down in the first game against Donegal but we came back against Tyrone and Donegal (in the qualifiers) and made a bit of a statement. 
""We were hoping to push on against Galway and get to that semi-final where we felt we'd have a chance coming up against Derry or Clare, it turned out to be Derry.
""Then you see how close Galway ran Kerry in the final and it just enters your head 'what if' we did get over the Galway game and the circumstances we did lose, it's a bitter pill to swallow but we've got to put that to the back of the head and go again next year."""	/sport/gaelic-games/62966290
business	Retail sales rise but stores could face difficult Christmas	"Retailers could face a tough Christmas this year as the soaring cost of living hits households, analysts have warned.
Retail sales rose 0.6% in October, latest figures show, but this followed a drop in sales the previous month when shops closed for the Queen's funeral.
Despite October's rebound, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said sales remain below pre-pandemic levels.
Analysts said October's rise could be a ""false dawn"" and the key Christmas trading period could be ""difficult"".
UK's inflation rate, which measures how quickly prices are rising, hit 11.1% in October - the highest for 41 years - and the government has said the country is in an economic recession.
ONS figures said sales volumes rose by 0.6% in October following a 1.5% drop in September.  
Darren Morgan, director of economic statistics for the ONS, said the October rebound in sales was mainly due to September's sales being affected by the extra bank holiday for the state funeral.
""Looking at the broader picture, retail sales continue their downward trend seen since summer 2021 and are below where they were pre-pandemic,"" he added.
ONS said sales volumes in the August to October period fell by 2.4% when compared with the previous three months.
Gabriella Dickens, senior UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said the rise in sales in October would ""prove a false dawn"".
Lynda Petherick, head of retail at Accenture in the UK & Ireland, said: ""Despite Black Friday coming up next week, it's unlikely that retailers will be in celebration mode as we head into the festive season this year.
""Rising inflation and the fall in real wages will only be adding to the sense of unease over whether this will be a 'golden quarter' after all.
""With further price rises expected, businesses may feel like they are already doing all they can in what is likely to be a difficult Christmas trading period.""
Petrol and diesel sales rebounded in October and non-food stores sales increased, the ONS said though both remain well below the pre-pandemic levels of February 2020.
However, the rebound was not seen by food stores, which saw sales drop.
Non-store shops, which are mostly online retailers, saw sales increase by 1.8% after a fall in September. Unlike traditional High Street businesses, online sales remain around fifth higher than pre-pandemic levels.
ONS also said sales were boosted last month because of ""strong growth"" in second-hand goods stores, ""particularly auctioning houses"".
UK faces its biggest drop in living standards on record with wage rises struggling to keep up with inflation, and higher prices have led households to tighten their belts when it comes to spending.
It means so-called ""big ticket"" purchases for goods such as washing machines and sofas have been avoided in recent months.
Marks and Spencer has warned of a ""gathering storm"" of higher costs for retailers and pressure on household budgets.
High Street giant has said trading will become ""more challenging"" and said ""all parts"" of retail will be affected by the UK's current economic climate, adding unviable firms would go bust.
Online furniture retailer Made.com collapsed into administration last week, resulting in 500 job losses, while clothing group Joules has also collapsed into administration, putting 1,600 jobs at risk."	/news/business-63666760
business	Cancelled flights: Traveller stuck abroad without medication	"A man has been left stranded in Amsterdam without lifesaving medication for three days  after flights were cancelled across Europe.
Russ Montlake-Mees, 63, had been due to fly home on 4 June but said he was ""thrown under the bus"" by EasyJet which cancelled two flights at short notice.  
usands of travellers are thought to be stuck abroad after flight cancellations over the Jubilee weekend.
EasyJet said it was ""sorry that these passengers' flights were cancelled"".
Mr Montlake-Mees, who is diabetic and takes medication related to a triple heart-bypass, travelled to Amsterdam on 31 May.
He said he only took enough medication and insulin to last the length of his five-day trip.
""I was not expecting any problems like this at all.""
After paying for a hotel, Mr Montlake-Mees booked a flight for Monday only for it to be cancelled as he made his way to the airport. 
He said: ""We've found ourselves thrown under the bus by EasyJet.
""They were not contactable because they've been cancelling an awful lot of other flights during the day.
""We ended up going back into Amsterdam itself and booking a hotel at our own expense.""
Mr Montlake-Mees estimates he has spent over £1,000 on accommodation, travel and food while stuck in Amsterdam.
EasyJet did pay for one night's accommodation in a hotel that was ""like a converted prison"", Mr Montlake-Mees said. 
Up to two million people were scheduled to fly to and from the UK over the bank holiday weekend.
According to aviation data firm Cirium, 305 flights departing the UK were cancelled out of a total of 10,662 scheduled flights over the Jubilee weekend. 
Several airlines cancelled flights, with EasyJet scrapping a further 37 on Monday.
In a statement EasyJet said: ""We notified customers directly of their options to rebook or receive a refund, and are providing hotel accommodation and meals when required."""	/news/uk-england-london-61721720
sports	Six Nations 2022: What is the tournament's greatest match of all time?	"The Six Nations has delivered some of the most memorable matches in rugby history, but which was the greatest of them all?
Former British and Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton and ex-England scrum-half Danny Care debate and discuss that question on the latest episode of Six Nations Greatest.
x matches they came up with are ranked in reverse order below. Take a trip down memory lane, then rank them yourself at the bottom of this page.
What happened: Scotland led 24-14 with seven minutes to go in Cardiff, but a yellow card for replacement hooker Scott Lawson gave Wales hope. 
Leigh Halfpenny scored under the posts in the 77th minute and, after Scotland's Phil Godman was sin-binned, Stephen Jones took three points to level things at 24-24 with 15 seconds remaining. 
With the clock in red, Shane Williams found his way over to seal victory as the Cardiff crowd exploded with joy.
Warburton: It was my first Six Nations campaign and I just remember Wales being completely outplayed. We were chasing the game. 
I remember running back to the halfway line with Johnathan Thomas and I remember the noise was so loud celebrating and we were looking at each other talking, from about a metre away, I could see his mouth moving but could hear nothing. It was just a wall of noise. 
You hardly ever win in that dramatic fashion. At international level you get one of those every four or five years.
What happened: England travelled to Cardiff chasing a Grand Slam in the Championship decider. Wales, beaten at home by Ireland in round one, needed a winning margin of at least seven points to take the title. 
As England's discipline crumbled, Wales led by six at the break but two second-half tries from wing Alex Cuthbert helped the hosts to a record winning margin of 27 points.
Warburton: We did our anthem and it was out of this world. It was ridiculous. My single greatest moment, without a doubt. Emotionally that game drained us. 
People probably think that we had the biggest party of the year but I remember going back to the hotel, most of us sat down, had a bottle of beer and we literally just sat there for about three hours. It was just an enormous weight off our shoulders.
Care: We weren't prepared for what was to hit us in that caldron, that atmosphere we met. It was all Wales and we couldn't wrestle back any momentum. It was probably one of the harshest lessons I've learnt.
What happened: Wales went to Paris seeking a Grand Slam and, after a fast-scoring start for both sides, Josh Adams' try edged the visitors ahead. Victory seemed secure when they led by 10 points with three minutes remaining. 
France lost Paul Willemse to a red card, before two Welsh players were sin-binned and with the man advantage, Charles Ollivon made it across the try-line in the 77th minute. With the clock in red, Brice Dulin crossed to break Welsh hearts.
Warburton: That was agonising because it would have been Alun Wyn Jones' second Grand Slam as captain. It just shows how tough the Six Nations is… to win away from home and to win a Championship. Wales did everything they had to do for 79 minutes and 50 seconds but they lost in the end.
What happened: Ireland travelled to Wales seeking their first Grand Slam in 61 years. Wales led 6-0 at the break thanks to two Stephen Jones penalties, but Brian O'Driscoll's pick-and-go try and an incredible take by Tommy Bowe down the right wing put Ireland ahead. 
wo more penalties from Jones brought Wales to within two points and his 76th-minute drop-goal seemed to seal victory. But Ronan O'Gara scored a drop-goal of his own with two minutes remaining to make Irish rugby history.
Warburton: It was such a dramatic away win for Ireland that went right to the wire. For the two seconds it takes to score a drop-goal, the whole stadium holds their breath. Maybe not the most entertaining game from minute one to 80 but the significance it has for Ireland puts it in our top six.
What happened: England travelled to Dublin hoping for a first Grand Slam since 1995, having lost on the final weekend in several recent attempts. Ireland were looking to secure a first clean sweep since 1948. 
floodgates opened in the second half as Mike Tindall crossed, Will Greenwood made it over twice and Dan Luger scored. Jonny Wilkinson added 15 points from the boot - including two drop-goals - to complete a comprehensive win.
Warburton: England just did a demolition job and I remember watching it thinking that's what cut-throat, ruthless, world-class dominating teams do. Away at Ireland is one of the hardest away games you can have. To go there and deliver with such dominance sent a message to the rest of the world.
Care: It was such a unique game in that both teams were going for the Slam [on the final day]. It was all to play for.
What happened: A heavy defeat for Scotland seemed certain when England raced into a 31-point lead after half an hour. A second-half blitz by Scotland made it 31-31 and Sam Johnson looked to have sealed victory when he scored in the 76th minute. But George Ford crossed at the death to complete a remarkable draw.
Care: This for me was a crazy Six Nations game. For entertainment value, this is a 10 out of 10. Those moments when you need an ice-cool player - George Ford was the man. I don't think we'll see a game like that again.
Can't see this selector? Visit this page. All images via Getty Images."	/sport/rugby-union/60296560
technology	ChatGPT: New AI chatbot has everyone talking to it	"A new chatbot has passed one million users in less than a week, the project behind it says.
ChatGPT was publicly released on Wednesday by OpenAI, an artificial intelligence research firm whose founders included Elon Musk.
But the company warns it can produce problematic answers and exhibit biased behaviour.
Open AI says it's ""eager to collect user feedback to aid our ongoing work to improve this system"".
ChatGPT is the latest in a series of AIs which the firm refers to as GPTs, an acronym which stands for Generative Pre-Trained Transformer.
m, an early version was fine-tuned through conversations with human trainers.
m also learned from access to Twitter data according to a tweet from Elon Musk who is no longer part of OpenAI's board. The Twitter boss wrote that he had paused access ""for now"".
results have impressed many who've tried out the chatbot. OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman revealed the level of interest in the artificial conversationalist in a tweet.
roject says the chat format allows the AI to answer ""follow-up questions, admit its mistakes, challenge incorrect premises and reject inappropriate requests""
A journalist for technology news site Mashable who tried out ChatGPT reported it is hard to provoke the model into saying offensive things.
Mike Pearl wrote that in his own tests ""its taboo avoidance system is pretty comprehensive"".
However, OpenAI warns that ""ChatGPT sometimes writes plausible-sounding but incorrect or nonsensical answers"".
raining the model to be more cautious, says the firm, causes it to decline to answer questions that it can answer correctly.
Briefly questioned by the BBC for this article, ChatGPT revealed itself to be a cautious interviewee capable of expressing itself clearly and accurately in English.  
Did it think AI would take the jobs of human writers? No - it argued that ""AI systems like myself can help writers by providing suggestions and ideas, but ultimately it is up to the human writer to create the final product"".
Asked what would be the social impact of AI systems such as itself, it said this was ""hard to predict"". 
Had it been trained on Twitter data? It said it did not know.
Only when the BBC asked a question about HAL, the malevolent fictional AI from the film 2001, did it seem troubled.
Although that was most likely just a random error - unsurprising perhaps, given the volume of interest.
Other firms which opened conversational AIs to general use, found they could be persuaded to say offensive or disparaging things.
Many are trained on vast databases of text scraped from the internet, and consequently they learn from the worst as well as the best of human expression.
Meta's BlenderBot3 was highly critical of Mark Zuckerberg in a conversation with a BBC journalist.
In 2016, Microsoft apologised after an experimental AI Twitter bot called ""Tay"" said offensive things on the platform.
And others have found that sometimes success in creating a convincing computer conversationalist brings unexpected problems. 
Google's Lamda was so plausible that a now-former employee concluded it was sentient, and deserving of the rights due to a thinking, feeling, being, including the right not to be used in experiments against its will.  
ChatGPT's ability to answer questions caused some users to wonder if it might replace Google.
Others asked if journalists' jobs were at risk. Emily Bell of the Tow Center for Digital Journalism worried that readers might be deluged with ""bilge"".
One question-and-answer site has already had to curb a flood of AI-generated answers.
Others invited ChatGPT to speculate on AI's impact on the media.
General purpose AI systems, like ChatGPT and others, raise a number of ethical and societal risks, according to Carly Kind of the Ada Lovelace Institute.
Among the potential problems of concern to Ms Kind are that AI might perpetuate disinformation, or ""disrupt existing institutions and services  - ChatGDT might be able to write a passable job application, school essay or grant application, for example"". 
re are also, she said, questions around copyright infringement ""and there are also privacy concerns, given that these systems often incorporate data that is unethically collected from internet users"".
However, she said they may also deliver ""interesting and as-yet-unknown societal benefits"".
ChatGPT learns from human interactions, and OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman tweeted that those working in the field also have much to learn.
AI has a ""long way to go, and big ideas yet to discover. We will stumble along the way, and learn a lot from contact with reality. 
""It will sometimes be messy. We will sometimes make really bad decisions, we will sometimes have moments of transcendent progress and value,"" he wrote."	/news/technology-63861322
health	Do restrictions on travel work against Covid?	"UK government has confirmed passengers arriving in England from China will have to provide a negative Covid test before they board a flight. 
Several countries - including the US, Japan, Italy and Malaysia - are now enforcing testing on visitors from China following the effective ending of Beijing's zero-Covid policy,
But do such restrictions work?
Australia imposed some of the strictest travel restrictions. From 2020, it closed its borders to non-residents and banned Australians from travelling abroad (with a few exceptions). 
Countries such as the UK were more lenient. They required international arrivals to use quarantine hotels and take Covid tests.
After the pandemic began in 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated it didn't generally support travel bans, as they were ""usually not effective"". 
It said: ""Travel measures that significantly interfere with international traffic may only be justified at the beginning of an outbreak, as they may allow countries to gain time.""
After the emergence of the Omicron variant it again warned against blanket travel bans, saying they would not stop the global spread.
""They can adversely impact global health efforts... by dis-incentivising countries to report and share epidemiological and sequencing data,"" it said. 
WHO's director general said he was ""very concerned over the evolving situation in China, with increasing reports of severe disease"".
He said that the WHO needed more detailed information to understand the risks created by the situation on the ground in China.
And on Twitter he added: ""In the absence of comprehensive information from China, it is understandable that countries around the world are acting in ways that they believe may protect their populations.""
Professor Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group told BBC News: ""Trying to ban a virus by adjusting what we do with travel has already been shown not to work very well.
""We've seen that with the bans on travel from various countries during the pandemic, that hasn't stopped those viruses travelling around the world eventually.""   
word ""eventually"" is important here, because studies suggest that travel restrictions tend only to delay the spread of the virus spreading in a country, but cannot keep it out completely.
A report in the British Medical Journal found that international border restrictions could delay the spread by two months.
One of its authors, Dr Karen Grepin from Hong Kong University, told Reality Check: ""We have learned during the pandemic that universal measures, applying to all travellers not just those from certain countries, are more effective than targeted measures, for example against Chinese travellers.
""The only type of travel restrictions that have been shown to be effective during the pandemic are those that involve lengthy quarantine periods and I don't think there is a lot of appetite for such measures at this point.""  
Research published in the journal Nature, in December 2020, said restrictions worked well as Covid first began to spread around the world, but became less effective the later they were introduced.
A study by the WZB Berlin Social Science Center in Germany looking at travel restrictions and death rates in more than 180 countries reached similar conclusions and added:
Another scientist advising the UK government, Prof Mark Woolhouse, told Reality Check that restricting arrivals from China to the UK would not do much to limit the number of Covid cases in this country. 
""We have far too many Covid-19 cases here in the UK at present for imported cases to make a significant contribution,"" he said.
It has also been suggested that restrictions would prevent potential new variants of Covid reaching the UK.
However, if there is such a variant, said Prof Woolhouse, travel restrictions would be too late.
""It will almost certainly have got here already,"" he said,
""Measures could only work if the variant happens to emerge during the period the measures are in place and even then they will only delay, not prevent, the arrival of the variant.""
Besides, a new variant is not more likely to come in from China than from anywhere else in the world. 
""Though China is clearly experiencing a substantial wave there is no reason to suspect that wave will be a crucible for the emergence of new variants,"" said Prof Woolhouse.
""The next variant is at least as likely to emerge from somewhere entirely different - there are currently around four million reported cases per week worldwide (and surely far larger numbers are unreported). So why concentrate only on China?""
However, the WHO has said it is concerned that China is not sharing information about its latest Covid surge, possibly including the emergence of any new variants.
""Targeted border measures against China may be more of a political statement in response to lack of information-sharing than a sincere attempt to promote public health,"" said Catherine Worsnop from the University of Maryland's School of Public Policy.
Read more from Reality Check
Send us your questions"	/news/59461861
sports	European Championships: Olympic stars chase medals in nine sports in Munich	"The second edition of the European Championships gets under way in Munich on Thursday, featuring a host of Olympic stars competing in nine sports.
Around 4,700 athletes from 50 nations will compete for 177 gold medals over 11 days of competition.
Among the British stars will be Dina Asher-Smith who missed the Commonwealth Games because of injury.
rinter will seek to retain the three titles she won at the inaugural championships in 2018.
Organisers believe staging the nine championships at the same time and in the same city will help them gain more exposure.
Athletics, cycling, triathlon, artistic gymnastics and rowing all return from the 2018 edition in Berlin and Glasgow.
Beach volleyball, canoe sprinting, sport climbing and table tennis have been added to the programme.
Swimming and diving are hosting their own championships at the same time in Rome, while golf does not return.
Rowing and canoe sprinting both feature para-sport events.
r's championships will once again be shown live on BBC TV with live streams of every sport available on BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and the BBC Sport mobile app.
re will also be coverage on BBC Radio 5 Live and reports on the BBC Sport website and app.
You will also be able to watch live coverage of the European Aquatics Championships in Rome.
Britain topped the athletics medal table with seven golds in Berlin four years ago. The array of defending champions include Asher-Smith (three titles), Matt Hudson-Smith (400m) and Zharnel Hughes (100m). 
Jake Wightman, Laura Muir and Keely Hodgkinson, who have all won medals at both the World Championships and Commonwealths, will seek further honours, while Commonwealth 10,000m champion Eilish McColgan will seek to continue her impressive winning run.
Among those not competing are Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Adam Gemili and Holly Bradshaw.
Stars of Birmingham such as gymnasts Jake Jarman and Joe Fraser, who won seven golds between them, are back for more as they change into Great Britain kit just a few days after representing England.
Reigning European floor champion Jessica Gadirova skipped the Commonwealths to focus on the European and World Championships. She, twin sister Jennifer and Commonwealth floor champion Alice Kinsella were all part of the bronze-winning women's team at the Olympics.
Olympic medallists Neah Evans, Josie Knight and Jack Carlin are included in the track cycling squad but Laura Kenny, who won two European golds in 2018, is taking a break after the Commonwealths and Katie Archibald is recovering from injury.
BMX freestyle squad is headed by Olympic medallists Charlotte Worthington and Declan Brooks, and mountain bike champion Tom Pidcock targets European glory before tackling the World Championships at the end of the month.
Britain's rowers had a disappointing Olympics but will be hoping to repeat their 2021 European success when they topped the medal table with 12 in total, including five golds.
Imogen Grant and Graeme Thomas, two of 57 athletes selected, are in great form after taking singles golds at World Cup III.
Following the retirement of Olympic champion Liam Heath, Britain's sprint canoe squad is short on medal hopes, although it does feature siblings Matthew, Daniel and Melissa Johnson. It's a different story, however, in the para-event: GB won 10 medals at the World Championships earlier this month to top the table for a second successive year, having also won 10 medals at the 2021 edition.
Britain are not sending a full-strength triathlon team but their entries include former world champion Non Stanford, competing in her final season before retirement, and mixed team relay gold medallist Sam Dickinson.
With Shauna Coxsey now retired from sport climbing, Britain's best  hopes rest with world bronze medallist Hamish McArthur and Max Milne, who finished second in the World Cup boulder event in Italy in June.
Liam Pitchford, who won his 10th Commonwealth table tennis medal on the final day in Birmingham, and team-mate Tin-Tin Ho are competing but there's no Paul Drinkhall.
re are no British athletes in beach volleyball or road cycling.
Athletics - 15-21 August
Beach volleyball - 15-21 August
Canoe sprint - 18-21 August
Cycling - BMX 11-13, track 11-16, road 14 & 17, mountain bike 19-20 August
Gymnastics - 11, 13, 14, 18, 20, 21 August
Rowing - 11-14 August
Sport climbing - 11-15 & 17-18 August
- 13-21 August
riathlon - 12-14 August"	/sport/62496584
sports	Tokyo Olympics: First gold of Games goes to China's Yang Qian in shooting	"She had to put her own medal round her neck and sing the national anthem behind a mask, but Chinese shooter Yang Qian still celebrated winning the first gold medal of the Tokyo Olympics.
morning after the delayed Games had opened with a scaled-back and sombre ceremony, Yang won the 10-metre rifle competition in front of empty stands.
She was handed her medal on a tray by International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach in accordance with the Covid-19 protocols that will affect every aspect of these Games.
Rock music had been piped into the venue and only a handful of Chinese support staff were there to congratulate her on her victory after a nail-biting final in which she clinched victory with an Olympic record over Russian Anastasiia Galashina in the last round, but she savoured the moment.
""I'm extremely proud and happy to win,"" said Yang, 21. "	/sport/olympics/57952436
politics	'If I buy a bus ticket I can't eat for two days' - asylum seeker Aymen	"Aymen Alkhawlani wakes each morning and asks himself the same question: Do I buy a bus ticket and go hungry, or eat and be alone?
Such dilemmas are familiar to people in the UK asylum system.
With most barred from working, they rely on UK government support. Typically this is £40.85 a week, or £5.84 a day. Others in hotels are given £8.24 a week, or £1.18 a day.
Aymen is one of several people in the asylum system who have spoken to BBC Scotland about the crisis they face as the cost of living soars at the fastest rate in 40 years. The self-titled ""new Scots"" want to be allowed to work while awaiting decisions on their applications.
Home Office says its payments are to cover essential needs for people ""who would otherwise be destitute"". 
But recipients say they are often unable to afford transport, good quality clothing, food, internet access and medicine.
Aymen is from Yemen and arrived in the UK in April 2021. He was placed in a hotel in Falkirk for a year before getting Home Office accommodation in Airdrie in October. 
He said he feels alone and cannot afford to buy return train or bus tickets for the 30-minute trip to Glasgow where he meets up with other people in the asylum system.
He explained: ""The only way to meet people is to go to Glasgow. And I need to spend a lot, at least £10, to go to Glasgow and back.
""If I decide to go to Glasgow, I won't be able to eat for two days.""
re are approximately 5,200 people in the asylum support system in Scotland with about 4,700 accommodated and/or financially supported by the Home Office. They can apply for £40.85 per week from the UK government. 
Some can request permission to work if they have been waiting for more than a year for a response on their claim, but most of those granted permission are only allowed to work in jobs on the official shortage occupation list, which was recently expanded to include nursing and care roles.
Aymen says he is only given about £35 a week because he received an extra £40 payment when he was offered housing in England, which he rejected.
He said he will not receive the full weekly allowance until he pays back the £40, which he says he has no way of doing.
31-year-old, who worked as an English teacher in Yemen, said: ""I can't even eat three meals a day nowadays because I only receive £35 a week. I have to skip dinner most of the time. Breakfast and lunch is pretty much all I have.""
He added: ""Because I don't have the money to buy bus tickets, I stay home all the time. So that also adds to my depression.""
For those in hotel accommodation, which is provided by private contractors, the level of government support is lower.
In Scotland, between 500 and 600 people in the asylum system live in 10 hotels across eight local authorities.
Since they are provided with ""full board"", they can only apply for £8.24 in support per week, or £1.18 a day. The Home Office says this should cover clothing, non-prescription medicine and travel.
But Hawre, a Kurdish man in his 30s who asked to remain anonymous, said: ""The £8 does literally nothing, especially in this cost of living crisis.""
""We can't even go to a barbershop to get a haircut. 
""We are at the point where we give each other haircuts, regardless of the quality of what we can do.""
He has spent a year in a hotel in Aberdeen, awaiting news on his asylum application.
Having worked as a painter and decorator in Iraq, Hawre says he is frustrated about his inability to earn his own money.
He explained: ""Financial gain wasn't something on my mind when I came here. If I didn't have a big issue in Iraq, if it wasn't life-threatening, I wouldn't come here to live under these circumstances living on £1 a day. 
""It makes me feel less human, like we're being treated inhumanely.""
Herberth, a poet from El Salvador, arrived in Scotland in April having also fled his home country due to fears for his safety. 
He applied for financial support in October but has been told he is unlikely to hear back until January.
Herberth lives in Glasgow with his partner, a UK citizen, so does not rely on Home Office housing support. But he says not being able to earn money is damaging his mental health, as well as his finances.
uthor of two poetry books in his homeland, the 35-year-old is studying for a psychology degree which he started in El Salvador but can complete online.
He would like to study for a masters degree in clinical psychology in Scotland, but he is struggling to get access to higher education due to his immigration status.
Herberth has managed to enrol on an advanced English course at City of Glasgow College. ""That's a big help,"" he said. ""But of course, I would like to get a job, study here in Scotland, those type of things I'm missing out on and it's affecting my life. I'm 35 years old and I'm in my most productive years and I'm unable to work, so it's a very stressful situation.""
Maryhill Integration Network (MIN), an organisation which supports people in the asylum system in the Glasgow area, provides a haven to both Herberth and Aymen.
Pinar Aksu, human rights and advocacy coordinator at MIN, said: ""With the cost of living crisis, people seeking asylum are forced to live in extreme poverty having to choose between buying food, clothes, or travelling.""
She backed the Lift the Ban coalition, a campaign urging the UK government to give people the right to work after six months in the UK. 
MIN has also called on Holyrood to follow the Welsh government by providing free bus passes for people seeking asylum. Aksu said the move would allow people to travel without being ""forced to pick between food, travel and essential needs"".
Scottish government said it continued to consider plans to provide free bus travel to refugees and people in the asylum system.
Campaign group Refugees for Justice told BBC Scotland that people in the asylum system are especially vulnerable during the cost of living crisis, and called for the UK government to increase weekly payments.
A Home Office spokesperson said the Nationality and Borders Act, which became law in June, ""will fix the broken asylum system"" by speeding up the application process and ""focusing on those genuinely fleeing persecution"". 
ued: ""For asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute, we provide accommodation and a weekly allowance for food, clothing, transport and sundries. 
""The Home Office ensures all spending is carefully scrutinised to make sure that every pound of taxpayers' money is spent in the most effective way. We review the allowance rates on an annual basis and we have commenced this year's annual review."""	/news/uk-scotland-63794296
sports	Get Inspired: How to get into curling	"Find a curling club or rink near you by visiting the Try Curlingexternal-link website. 
All clubs need a chair, secretary and treasurer to help things run smoothly as well as officials, coaches and judges. Whatever role you're interested in, Join Inexternal-link has opportunities to volunteer in your area. 
Are you inspired to try curling? Or maybe you are a keen enthusiast already? Get in touch and tell us your experience of the activity by tweeting us on @bbcgetinspired,external-link visiting us on Facebookexternal-link or email us on getinspired@bbc.co.uk."	/sport/get-inspired/23147581
technology	After the hype plant-based proteins face leaner times	"London's Vegfest this year was notably smaller and more subdued than in previous years, when queues would snake around the venue.
It's still the UK's largest indoor vegan event and this year's was the first one since the Covid-19 pandemic started.
rising price of food was one frequent topic of conversation. Like many parts of the world, grocery price inflation in the UK is very high, at 14.7% as of the end of October 2022. 
In response, a back-to-basics movement is underway among UK vegans. They're cooking more pulses and grains, buying in bulk, and relying less on the exotic processed products that have proliferated on supermarket shelves in the past few years. 
""The cost-of-living crisis in the UK has a big impact on food purchasing decisions,"" explains Louisianna Waring, the senior insight and policy officer for the Vegan Society.
So, if vegans are thinking more carefully about how they spend money, where does this leave companies with innovative plant-based proteins?
For a while in 2019 and 2020 it seemed like every month brought a plant-based meat, dairy or even fish alternative. The newcomers were trying to appeal to vegans and to non-vegans who were looking to cut down on animal protein.
But the evidence suggests that interest in the new foodstuffs has declined. Market research firm IRI has found that sales of plant-based meat products fell sharply in the US earlier this year.
ustry is partly the victim of its own success says Tom Rees, an industry manager at the market research firm Euromonitor.
He argues that as meat alternatives proliferated in the US during the pandemic, many people tried the lower-quality products and had bad experiences. 
So while wanting a healthier lifestyle might bring the veg-curious to vegan shelves, taste is often what drives them away, Mr Rees says.
Beyond Meat, was one of the brightest starts of the alternative meat sector. But in its most recent quarter it recorded a loss of almost $15m (£12.4m), and a 23% decline in sales compared with the same period in the previous year.
Beyond Meat's share price collapsed to a low of $11.56 in November 2022, a 95% fall from its record high of almost $240 in July 2019.
It expects further losses, and is aiming to recover by lowering prices.
But although these figures are concerning, we shouldn't place too much emphasis on them, cautions Friederike Grosse-Holz, a plant scientist who is currently a scientific director at Blue Horizon, an investment firm focused on sustainable food.
""Some people might have hyped this [sector] more than made sense from a business perspective,"" she acknowledges. 
But she says what we're seeing now isn't a catastrophic decline for plant-based foods, but what she calls a ""return to normal"". 
""I think it is really coming from a hype to a healthy growth trajectory, rather than a hype to death,"" she says.
Ms Waring agrees. ""In the last few years we have seen some vegan product categories in the UK see double, and even triple-digit, growth,"" she notes. ""This huge boom was always likely to lead to a slight decline in sales where the market stabilises, innovates, and then increases again.""
Another reason for caution in interpreting the data is that sales of meat are down as well. A September 2022 survey of UK adults by the consultancy Public First found that 28% were buying less meat in response to the soaring cost of living.
Despite the downturn in meat alternatives in the US, plant-based dairy sales remain high. Yet in this sector as well, consumers are increasingly scrutinising health claims. Many people no longer automatically assume that vegan equals nutritious.
More technology of business:
In one bright spot for alternative proteins, Ms Grosse-Holz believes that they are well positioned for resilience amid ongoing supply chain issues. They often have shorter supply chains than animal agriculture, as they don't need to rely on the animal feed step.
're not completely insulated from world events, of course. For German manufacturers of alternative meats, certain key ingredients remain in short supply following the Russian invasion in Ukraine. 
Retailers are also feeling the pinch, in the face of high energy prices and inflation. The Vegan Kind, the UK's biggest online supermarket dedicated to plant-based products, announced in November that it was ceasing operations, citing the challenging economic climate.
Overall, however, plant-based producers are heavily pushing to scale up production and drive down costs, in response to consumer demand. 
Developing technologies are helping with that. For instance, producers of plant-based chicken have often used pea protein isolate, for its ease in extrusion - essentially, forcing ingredients through a small opening. 
But improvements in extrusion technology mean that more companies are now able to use pea flour instead, which results in cost savings. It also translates into a food label that many consumers find more relatable.
""There is a bunch of magic happening on the product formulation side,"" Ms Grosse-Holz says.
But, as she emphasises, communication remains key: ""It doesn't help anyone if you have the greatest technological solution to the problem, if people are not going to buy it."""	/news/business-63718772
sports	Australia 57-53 England: Roses lose series 3-0 thanks to final-Test defeat	"England were beaten 57-53 by Australia in the final match as they lost their series against the Diamonds 3-0. 
Roses lost by one goal in the opening match, followed by an eight-point defeat at the weekend.
World number ones Australia dominated the first quarter in Brisbane on Thursday and although the Roses launched a spirited fightback in the second half the hosts held them at bay.
England captain Nat Metcalf said the series was ""incredibly competitive"".
At the end of the match players from both sides gathered together to celebrate the Roses' return to Australia for the first time since 2018, after their planned 2021 tour was cancelled because of Covid-19 restrictions. 
Funmi Fadoju, who was moved to goal defence, said it felt daunting to be facing the top-ranked team in the world.  
She added: ""I'm really happy to go out there and play against Australia. Even though we were beaten, we got some gains from it. 
""It was so nerve-wracking - but it's amazing. We played three games and got to learn how they play in those three games. Just amazing."""	/sport/netball/63495942
health	Frenchay rehab facility unbuilt seven years after NHS pledge	"Campaigners who fought to stop the closure of Frenchay hospital said the NHS had not fulfilled its pledge to build a health facility on site.
Plans for a replacement community hospital were dropped in 2013.
It was decided instead to build a rehabilitation unit on site but no visible progress has taken place.
Integrated Care Board (ICB) said it remained ""committed to our plans for new rehabilitation facilities on the Frenchay site"".
Southmead Hospital is under severe pressure, as many are across the country, and a third of beds are currently blocked by patients fit for discharge.
Campaigners said given the need to relieve pressure, they could not understand why a rehabilitation centre with in-patient beds was such a long way off.
Campaigner Barbara Harris has been pushing for the unit to be built for years.
She said: ""All we're left with is a minor injuries unit, and an 800-bed acute hospital that has 300 bed blockers in it.""
""Small wonder that ambulances are queuing,"" she added.
Another campaigner, Daphne Havercroft, said there was a lack of scrutiny by South Gloucestershire Council: "" It has not come under Health Scrutiny (Committee) since January  2020.""
She added: ""If the councillors aren't taking an interest, what message is that sending to local people?""
A spokesperson for South Gloucestershire Council said: ""We are committed to working closely with our partners at North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and the NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB around the future development of rehabilitation and extra care facilities at Frenchay and improving health and care provision across the whole of South Gloucestershire is a priority for the council.""
w ICB that runs services in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire said the facility was also very much in its plans, although no construction date has been given for it.
It would be part of a broader scheme to increase community rehabilitation, allowing more people to leave hospital earlier. 
An ICB statement said: ""Reducing delayed discharges from hospital remains a high priority for our system and we are continuing to invest in measures to improve discharge processes, reduce length of stay, and ensure that everyone can move on from hospital once they are medically well enough to do so.""
Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: bristol@bbc.co.uk "	/news/uk-england-bristol-63662164
politics	Gwent Police: Senior Tory says 'deep rot' in force	"A senior Welsh Tory has told the Home Secretary Suella Braverman he fears there is a deep ""rot"" in a police force hit by allegations of misogyny, racism and homophobia.
Welsh Conservative Senedd leader Andrew RT Davies has written to the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, asking her to intervene at Gwent Police.
But the Home Office says it is unable to put the force into special measures as Mr Davies requested.
Gwent Police was asked for comment. 
On Tuesday it said it was taking ""robust action"".
Home Office said it was His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS), and not the home secretary, that had powers to put police forces into special measures.
Meanwhile, the Welsh Liberal Democrats called for a ""full inquiry"" into misconduct in the force and questioned whether the Labour Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent, Jeff Cuthbert, should remain in post. 
Chief Constable Pam Kelly has said the force is ""horrified by the comments and material shared by retired officers and a small number of serving officers"".
Mr Davies is the only Welsh politician to have criticised the leadership of the force - the Welsh Conservatives said on Tuesday that he had no confidence in Ms Kelly as chief constable.
He has said the same of Labour's Police and Crime Commissioner Jeff Cuthbert.
Wiltshire Police was asked to investigate after a device owned by a retired officer who took his own life revealed a series of messages that were reportedly misogynistic, racist, homophobic and suggested corruption.
watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has said it is assessing material from both Gwent and Wiltshire police forces.
In a letter to the home secretary Mr Davies said: ""I know there will be many people across Gwent, especially women, who also lack confidence in the senior leadership to stamp out this culture.
""I am writing to ask you to consider placing the force into special measures. I fear the rot may be so deep that the force needs to be rebuilt in order to give confidence to the public and the majority of decent officers and staff in Gwent Police.""
He referred to an interview with Emma - the daughter of the retired officer at the centre of the investigation, Rick Jones - who said she did not trust the police.
Welsh Liberal Democrat leader and Senedd member Jane Dodds said: ""Trust in the force has clearly been undermined to a point where a full independent inquiry is required. 
""The failure to tackle this appalling behaviour on the part of some officers is failing the public and the majority of brave police who put their lives at risk to keep us all safe.
""It has also not yet been made clear whether Labour's Police and Crime Commissioner [PCC], Jeff Cuthbert, was aware of any of these allegations before the story broke in the Times. If not, how was he able to oversee a force with such serious problems without being aware?
""It is difficult to see how he should remain in post.""
A Home Office spokesperson said: ""Police forces must root out officers and staff who do not meet acceptable standards of behaviour to restore the public's trust, which has been shattered by recent high-profile events. 
""The Home Office plays an active role in pushing for changes, including by establishing the Angiolini Inquiry which is looking at issues around police culture and the safety of women, as well as announcing a targeted review of police dismissals to ensure the system can remove officers who are not fit to serve.
""HMICFRS are responsible for deciding whether to put a police force into engage, sometimes referred to as special measures, not the Home Office.""
Jeff Cuthbert said: ""These messages, which date back a number of years, only came to the attention of Gwent Police when they were reported in the Sunday Times. 
""This is also the first time I was aware of them. An independent investigation is now underway and if serving police officers are found to be guilty of wrongdoing they will be dealt with appropriately. As Commissioner I have no formal part in this investigation.""
He said it was ""unhelpful"" to criticise Gwent Police for failing to act on something it did not have prior knowledge on, and said Ms Kelly had his full confidence."" "	/news/uk-wales-politics-63730325
business	HSBC to end funding for new oil and gas fields	"HSBC has announced it will stop financing new oil and gas fields, as part of its efforts to drive down global greenhouse gas emissions.
Environment groups said the move sends ""a strong signal"" to fossil fuel giants that investment is waning.
Europe's largest bank said it made the decision after receiving advice from international energy experts.
It comes following previous criticism of HSBC for funding oil and gas projects despite its green pledges.
Jeanne Martin, head of the banking programme at ShareAction, a charity that campaigns for reducing investment for fossil fuels like oil and gas, said: ""HSBC's announcement sends a strong signal to fossil fuel giants and governments that banks' appetite for financing new oil and gas fields is diminishing.""
rity called on other banks to follow suit - saying this move sets a ""a new minimum level of ambition"" for the sector.
In 2020, HSBC made a pledge to be ""net zero"" - which means not adding to greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere - and investing and loaning up to $1 trillion (£806bn) in green projects.
However, the bank came under criticism earlier this year when it was revealed it had invested an estimated $8.7bn (£6.4bn) into new oil and gas in 2021, according to ShareAction.
In the update to its energy policy, the bank said the decision had been made ""follow[ing] consultation with leading scientific and international bodies"" who had estimated that current oil and gas fields would meet any demand in 2050 under a ""net-zero"" scenario.
Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, 197 countries agreed to try to keep temperature rises ""well below"" 1.5C to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
Experts say that to achieve this, net zero must be reached by 2050.
HSBC follows Lloyds bank - Britain's biggest domestic bank - which announced a similar decision in October. 
Burdon, chief executive at climate finance campaign Make My Money Matter, said: ""it's another nail in the coffin for fossil fuel expansion, and a massive signal to other UK banks that the game is up on new oil and gas.""
It is not yet clear if this is the beginning of a trend across the sector, but it comes just months after the UK government announced a new round of licensing for oil and gas production in the North Sea.
HSBC has said it will continue to keep its investments already in oil and gas fields as it  ""recognises that fossil fuels, especially natural gas, have a role to play in the transition, even though that role will continue to diminish""."	/news/science-environment-63975173
entertainment	Aaron Carter: Singer and brother of Backstreet Boys' Nick dies aged 34	"Singer and rapper Aaron Carter has died at the age of 34.
He was the younger brother of the Backstreet Boys' Nick Carter.
Website TMZ said Carter was found dead in his bath at his home in Lancaster, California, on Saturday morning. Representatives of his team confirmed his death, PA reported.
""Right now it's a really bad time, we're trying to figure out what happened and what the cause of it was,"" they said.
""We're just as upset as everyone and hope that fans can give thoughts and prayers to his family.""
MZ also reported Los Angeles County police arrived at the scene at around 11:00 local time (18:00 GMT) after receiving a report of drowning.
Carter started his career opening for the boy band Backstreet Boys on a number of tours and concerts, and also had a successful solo career.
During the late 90s and early noughties he sold millions of copies of his four albums, the first of which was when he was only nine years old.
His second album, Aaron's Party (Come Get It), was released in 2000 and went triple platinum.
It featured the singles I Want Candy, Aaron's Party (Come Get It) and That's How I Beat Shaq. Following the album he again supported the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears' on the Oops!... I Did It Again tour.
As he grew older, Carter transitioned into rap, and also appeared in Broadway musicals and on the US TV show Dancing With The Stars. 
He faced a number of struggles, checking in to rehab several times and filing a bankruptcy petition in 2013 over millions of dollars of debt, much of it tax-related.
He also had several run-ins with authorities over drugs possession and reckless driving.
Earlier this year he told the Daily Mail he wanted no longer to be seen as a ""train wreck"".
""I am not how some people try to paint me,"" he told the outlet. ""If somebody wants to call me a train wreck, well I've been a train that's been wrecked multiple times and derailed by many different things.""
Carter's son Prince was born in 2021 and according to The Hollywood Reporter he checked into rehab earlier this year in a bid to gain custody of him.  
Following the announcement of Carter's death, Prince's mother Melanie Martin issued a statement saying she was ""still in the process of accepting this unfortunate reality"".
""Your thoughts and prayers are greatly appreciated,"" she added.
Fellow '90s popstars New Kids on the Block paid tribute to Carter, saying they were ""shocked and saddened"" by his death.
Other figures from the world of showbiz who shot to prominence at a similar time to Carter posted their own messages remembering the late singer.
Actress Hilary Duff said Carter had ""a charm that was absolutely effervescent"", and One Tree Hill star Tyler Hilton said news of his death was ""heartbreaking""."	/news/entertainment-arts-63527899
politics	NI election: No clarity on Stormont plans, say NI politicians	"Northern Ireland secretary has given no clarity over what he intends to do about a potential Stormont election, politicians say.
Chris Heaton-Harris has been holding talks with the parties entitled to executive seats to discuss the ""next steps"" amid the political deadlock.
He has repeatedly said he will call an election, with the deadline for restoring power-sharing having passed.
But on Friday he decided not to set a date for the public to go to the polls.
After last Friday's deadline for reforming a power-sharing executive was missed, an election must be held within 12 weeks.
Sinn Féin wants clarity about a vote, while the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) said more talks were ""pointless"".
Mr Heaton-Harris had a 30-minute meeting with Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O'Neill on Tuesday morning. 
She said he did not ""colour in the lines"" and that and the public had been ""left in limbo"".
Ms O'Neill said the issue of MLA pay, which has continued despite the lack of a functioning executive, was not mentioned.
Speaking after his meeting with Mr Heaton-Harris DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said he was no nearer to knowing if there would be an assembly election.
""The secretary of state has not told us when he is going to call an election,"" he said.
""If an election is called we are ready to fight that election,"" he added.
In a statement issued following the meetings, Mr Heaton-Harris reiterated that he was under a legal obligation to call an election.
He said he listened to the politicians' views on calling that election and said he would provide a further update on the next steps ""in due course"".
""I am particularly worried that the executive has an enormous black hole in its budget, which potentially has serious implications for the delivery of many of Northern Ireland's public services,"" Mr Heaton-Harris added.
""Measures to set a budget will be required in the short term.""
Devolved government in Northern Ireland has not functioned fully since February.
DUP has blocked the restoration of power-sharing in its protest against the post-Brexit trading arrangement known as the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Sir Jeffrey urged the government to have ""a razor-like focus"" on getting a solution to the Protocol issue.
Alliance Party leader said the Northern Ireland secretary was ""clearly taking time"" over what to do next.
Naomi Long said the fact Mr Heaton-Harris had paused was ""a good sign"" but she said a decision over an election ""can't be strung along for weeks"".
Darran Marshall, BBC News NI political correspondent
On Friday Chris Heaton-Harris denied that he had made a U-turn about calling an election
Chris Heaton-Harris repeatedly made clear that if politicians missed the night's deadline to restore the executive then it was his intention to trigger an election.
me Friday - he emerged on to a busy city centre street in Belfast and U-turned.
Now the leaders of the four parties entitled to sit in an executive have been meeting him.
While the possibility of a pre-Christmas election remains, is the DUP going to suddenly change tack by removing its veto on power-sharing?
re's nothing to suggest that is the case.
If the Northern Ireland Office was hoping a late-night statement on Sunday would bring clarity to the situation, it was wrong.
It said these talks would be about the next steps, including budgets, how to protect public services and considering options on pay for MLAs.
Why would they need to tackle MLAs' pay if there was a possibility Stormont would be back in the short term?
Perhaps a clue that the government acknowledges the institutions are not returning any time soon.
Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader said it is clear the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) ""has no plan"" what to do next.
Doug Beattie said Mr Heaton-Harris intends to call an election but it is not clear when.
In a statement issued on Sunday night, the Northern Ireland secretary said he would ""be outlining to the parties that the people of Northern Ireland deserve a strong and accountable government"".
He added: ""There are a number of things I could do, including taking action on MLA pay, which I know many people feel is deeply unfair while the assembly is unable to function fully. 
""I am also concerned by the issues within the Stormont budget and will address these urgently with my officials and those from the Northern Ireland Civil Service.""
On Monday, Sinn Féin's Conor Murphy accused the DUP of creating a ""political limbo"" for Northern Ireland by ""holding out and preventing us from forming an assembly"".
Gordon Lyons of the DUP said his party would not change its stance until the UK government made changes to the Northern Ireland Protocol.
He said that talk of an election was a ""distraction from the real work that actually needs to be done"".
revious assembly election in May resulted in Sinn Féin winning the most seats for the first time.
meant Ms O'Neill was entitled to the role of first minister.
DUP was the second-biggest party but it refused to nominate a deputy first minister, meaning a ruling executive for Northern Ireland could not be formed.
In the run-up to that election the DUP withdrew Paul Givan from the first minister post in protest over the Northern Ireland Protocol.
rotocol keeps Northern Ireland aligned with some EU trade rules to ensure that goods can move freely across the Irish land border.
Unionist parties argue that the protocol has undermined Northern Ireland's place within the UK by effectively creating a trade border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland."	/news/uk-northern-ireland-63458771
technology	Drone test for delivering school meals	"A Scottish council is trailing delivering meals to more remote schools by drone. 
Argyll and Bute said getting school meals to some rural and island sites can mean using vans, taxis and ferries, which can be affected by weather conditions.
uncil said drones also offered an alternative carbon-free mode of transport, as they were fully electric."	/news/uk-scotland-61841678
politics	How do voters in Northern Ireland feel about another election?	"While no date has been set, the Northern Ireland secretary has said he will be calling an election.
Chris Heaton-Harris reiterated that he was legally bound to call one after the deadline to restore devolution passed at 00:01 BT on Friday.
Mr Harris said he would give more information next week about when people would be heading to the polls.
So what do potential voters here think? BBC News NI has been to St George's Market in Belfast gauge voter reaction.
Susan Gillespie has a stall in St George's Market. 
She has strong views on the prospect of another election. 
""I'm absolutely disgusted, actually furious is the word, because as a small independent trader, no decisions are being made and that impacts the economy and people like me.
""Just speaking to different customers, people are really fed up and angry about what's going on, something needs to be done.""
Despite her frustrations, she still plans to vote, whenever an election date is set.
""I voted last time and I'll be voting this time, but I'll be voting tactically.
""I think people on both sides of the communities are angry and are wondering how are we going to change this? But people need to do that with their vote.""
Conor McCrorie is a 30-year-old mushroom farmer from Bangor, County Down.
""I think we need a responsible government right now to deal with the cost-of-living crisis that we're facing and we need politicians to put their heads together to help solve things.""
He believes it's important for young people to get out and vote.
""I always vote and I think everyone should vote, especially those of a younger generation because until the youth votes comes out, very little will change.""
Clara Cromie is 22 and sells crepes in St George's Market.
She feels disillusioned by politics in Northern Ireland.
""While I understand there needs to be an election, I don't think it's going to fix anything, because obviously the government has collapsed in Northern Ireland before and it feels like it might keep happening.""
Although no date was set on Friday, she too still plans to vote.
""I don't want to waste my vote because so much had to be done for women to get the vote. 
""So I will always vote, even if I don't necessarily think my vote will do anything, the problem is there is no sense of compromise between all sides.""
What do potential voters think of another assembly election?
Alan Coffey is a fishmonger from Portavogie.
""To be honest I think it's time politicians here got their act together because you have people who don't even have money for food and we've no government.""
He is on the fence about voting this time round.
""The thing is, I know I probably should vote, but it won't take much to persuade me the other way and stay at home.
""Those folk up on the hill at Stormont, they're getting a good week's wages every week - they still have money to go out for a meal - whereas other people are sitting at home and can't heat their home.""
Zella Morrow from is 21 years old and lives in Carrickfergus.
""I've never voted before and probably won't this time either. 
""I don't think it will really make a difference, because they're just going to mess about anyway.
""I just feel that it doesn't really seem to matter really who we vote into Stormont, because honestly the politicians will do what they want to anyway.""
Lucy Geraghty, is a 22-year-old politics student from Belfast.
""In terms of elections here, I always feel conflicted because there's a lot of religion in politics and that always feels problematic.
""People can sometimes vote based on what side of the fence they're on and what religion they are, rather than political policy.""
She plans to vote when an election is called, but is still deciding who for.
""To be honest at this stage I don't have a clue who I am going to vote for, I need to weigh it all up.
""It is frustrating because it almost feels like my vote doesn't have a lot of power because we don't even know if they'll form a government, but I'll still vote."""	/news/uk-northern-ireland-63428424
sports	Glen set up Kilcoo decider as they hold off Cargin	"Glen will face All-Ireland champions Kilcoo in the Ulster Club Football final after battling past a determined Cargin side 1-10 to 0-8 at Omagh. 
five-point margin flattered Glen with Danny Tallon notching their goal from a penalty in the closing seconds. 
wo points from Tallon and Conor Glass helped Glen lead 0-5 to 0-2 but Cargin cut the margin to one by half-time. 
Cargin were still only one behind after 56 minutes but two Emmett Bradley frees and Tallon's penalty sealed Glen's win."	/sport/av/gaelic-games/63775848
sports	Wimbledon: Can you name every women's singles champion since 1968?	"Standing with the Venus Rosewater Dish in front of throngs of photographers and giddy fans on Centre Court is what every female tennis player dreams of.
Since the Open era began in 1968, 22 women have won the Wimbledon singles title. 
Can you name them all in three minutes?"	/sport/tennis/53159366
politics	Liz Truss and Boris Johnson join Tory wind farm rebellion	"Boris Johnson and Liz Truss are backing an attempt to overturn England's effective ban on onshore wind farms, a Conservative MP has said.
Former minister Simon Clarke said the ex-prime ministers were supporting his bid to relax restrictions through the Levelling Up Bill.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has scrapped a move by predecessor Ms Truss to relax the rules.
He has said he wants to prioritise building turbines offshore instead.
Mr Clarke has tabled an amendment to the Levelling Up Bill that would overturn a planning clampdown introduced by former PM David Cameron in 2015.
A spokesman for Mr Johnson has confirmed to the BBC he supports the amendment. Ms Truss has been approached for comment. 
In a tweet, Mr Clarke - who was levelling up secretary under Ms Truss - said his amendment had found support ""right across the Conservative Party"".
move would allow new turbines with local consent, and represented a ""pro-growth, pro-green policy at a time when we need both,"" he added.
It is the latest rebellion faced by Mr Sunak over the Levelling-Up Bill's planning measures.
's journey through Parliament has already been delayed by a Tory backbench rebellion over housing targets, with votes due next Monday postponed.
When he was prime minister, Mr Johnson published an energy strategy in May that ruled out ""wholesale changes"" to the planning system for onshore wind.
It said the government would consult a ""limited number of supportive communities"" about allowing new turbines in exchange for lower energy bills.
Earlier this month, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said his party would lift the ban if it wins power at the next general election, which is expected to take place in 2024.
Labour's proposed planning changes include removing a provision that allows a single person's objection to stop an application.
Sir Keir said not backing onshore wind was a ""national act of self-harm, choking off our economic potential"".
Asked about the ban earlier this month, Mr Sunak told MPs the government wanted to focus on offshore rather than onshore wind.
""It is right that we bring people with us as we transition to net zero,"" he said. 
""The worst thing we can do is alienate communities if we want to actually deliver on our climate commitments."""	/news/uk-politics-63750925
politics	Angela Rayner: I won't attack Rishi Sunak for being rich	"Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner has said she won't attack Rishi Sunak because of his personal wealth.
But speaking to the BBC's Nick Robinson, she said she would criticise the new PM ""if he doesn’t use that wealth in a way that is responsible”.
She added that Mr Sunak should not let working people ""pay"" for the ""mistake"" of last month's mini-budget in the form of higher mortgage payments and inflation."	/news/uk-politics-63420174
business	Ofgem director Christine Farnish resigns over price cap change	"A non-executive director at energy regulator Ofgem has quit over changes to the way the energy price cap is set.
Christine Farnish said she felt the regulator had not ""struck the right balance between the interests of consumers and interests of suppliers"".
Ofgem is in charge of setting the level at which domestic energy costs are capped every three months.
watchdog thanked Ms Farnish ""for her many years of devoted service"".
Ms Farnish told The Times she disagreed with a decision to change the cap to enable suppliers to recoup certain wholesale costs sooner - a measure the regulator has said would prevent more suppliers going bust.
An Ofgem spokesperson said: ""Due to this unprecedented energy crisis, Ofgem is having to make some incredibly difficult decisions where carefully balanced trade-offs are being weighed up all the time. 
""But we always prioritise consumers' needs both in the immediate and long term.""
regulator has faced criticism for raising the energy price cap - the maximum amount suppliers can charge domestic customers in England, Scotland and Wales for each unit of energy - this October.
gned to protect consumers from short-term price changes and is adjusted by Ofgem every three months - based on the price energy suppliers pay producers for electricity and gas. 
Consumer rights campaigner Martin Lewis has previously accused the regulator of ""selling consumers down the river"".
October's price cap is due to be announced at the end of this month. 
Energy industry analysts Cornwall Insight predict an average annual bill will reach £3,582 at this point - £200 higher than the previous estimate. 
In January 2023, when the the cap is due to be changed again, Cornwall Insights expects the cap to go up to £4,266.
gher estimate means the average household would be paying £355 a month, instead of £164 a month currently.
Energy prices have risen sharply because demand for gas increased when Covid restrictions eased, and because the invasion of Ukraine has threatened supplies from Russia.
Ofgem recently changed the rules so the cap can be revised every three months instead of every six, saying this would make it less likely that more energy suppliers would collapse, and allow consumers to feel the benefit of any future fall in prices more quickly.
Around 30 suppliers have failed in the UK in the past year.
Responding to Ms Farnish's resignation, an Ofgem spokesperson said that the rest of the board members had decided a shorter recovery period for energy costs was in ""the best interest"" of consumers in the ""long term"".
kesperson said the change reduced the ""very real risk of suppliers going bust, which would heap yet more costs onto bills and add unnecessary worry and concern at an already very difficult time"".
A spokesperson from the government's business department said: ""We are aware of a resignation at the Board of Ofgem, which has been accepted.""
Ms Farnish declined to comment further."	/news/business-62578614
technology	Firms 'going to war' against rivals on social media	"A growing number of unscrupulous companies are using bots or fake accounts to run smear campaigns against their competitors on social media, it is claimed.
's the warning from Lyric Jain, the chief executive of Logically, a high-tech monitoring firm that uses artificial intelligence (AI) software to trawl the likes of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to find so called ""fake news"" - disinformation and misinformation.
Mr Jain set up the business in the UK in 2017, and while its main customers are the British, American and Indian governments, he says that he is increasingly being approached by some of the world's largest retail brands. They are asking for help to protect themselves from malicious attacks by rivals.
""We seem to be on the cusp of an era of disinformation against [business] competitors,"" he says. ""We are seeing that some of the same practices that have been deployed by nation state actors, like Russia and China, in social media influence operations, are now being adopted by some more unscrupulous competitors of some of the main Fortune 500 and FTSE 100 companies.
""[The attackers] are trying to use similar tactics to essentially go to war against them on social media.""
Mr Jain says that a main attack tactic is the use of fake accounts to ""deceptively spread and artificially amplify"" negative product or service reviews, both real or made up. 
In addition, the bots can be used to damage a competitor's wider reputation. For example, if a retailer has disappointing financial results in a certain three-month period, then an unscrupulous competitor can try to exaggerate their rival's financial woes.
Mr Jain says that while such attacks are being led by ""foreign competitors"" of Western brands, such as by Chinese firms, he doesn't rule out that some smaller Western businesses are also doing the same against lager rivals.
""Yes foreign competitors [are doing this], but even potentially some domestic ones who don't have the same standards around their operations,"" he says. ""It is usually an emerging company that goes after an incumbent using these means.""
Mr Jain adds that he wouldn't be surprised if ""some established [Western] brands are also employing these tactics"".
New Tech Economy is a series exploring how technological innovation is set to shape the new emerging economic landscape.
mpanies defend themselves against such attacks, Logically's AI trawls through more than 20 million social media posts a day to find those that are suspicious. The firm's human experts and fact checkers then go through the flagged items. 
When they find disinformation and misinformation they then contact the relevant social media platform to get it dealt with. ""Some delete the account, while some take down the posts but not the accounts,"" says Mr Jain. ""It is up to the platform to make that decision.""
He adds that when it comes to attacks on companies, the posts or accounts are typically removed within two hours. This compares to just minutes for posts considered to be of ""greater societal harm"", or threats of violence.
Mr Jain says that while the firm's AI ""drives speed and efficiency"" in its operations, its 175 employees in the UK, US and India remain key. ""There are clear limitations of going with a technology-only approach... and so we also retain the nuance and expertise that the [human] fact checkers are able to bring to the problem.
""It is essential in our view to have experts be central to our decision making.""
Factmata, another UK tech firm that uses AI to monitor social media for disinformation and misinformation on behalf of company clients, takes a different approach. 
Its chief executive Antony Cousins says that while it can involve humans in the monitoring work if clients request them, the AI can be more objective. ""Our true aim is not to put any humans in the middle of the AI and the results, or else we risk applying our own biases to the findings,"" he says.
Set up in 2016, Factmata's AI uses 19 different algorithms, which Mr Cousins says are ""trained to identify different aspects of content, in order to weed out the bad stuff, and discount the false positives, the good stuff"".
By false positives he is referring to content that on first glance might be considered to be fake, but is in actual fact ""humour, satire, irony, and content that could well be drawing attention to issues for a good cause, a good reason"". He adds: ""We don't want to label those as bad.""
And rather than just finding fake tweets or other posts to be deleted, Mr Cousins says that Factmata's AI digs deeper to try to find the source, the first account or accounts that started the lie or rumour, and focus on getting them removed.
He adds that more brands have to realise the growing risks they face from fake news on social media. ""If a brand is falsely accused of racism or sexism it can really damage it. People, Generation Z, can choose to not buy from it.""
Prof Sandra Wachter, a senior research fellow in AI at Oxford University, says that using the technology to tackle fake news on social media is a complicated issue.
""Given the omnipresence and volume of false information and misinformation circling the web, it is absolutely understandable that we turn to technologies such as AI to deal with this problem,"" she says.
""AI can be a feasible solution to that problem if we have agreement over what constitutes fake information that deserves removal from the web. Unfortunately, we could not be further away from finding alignment on this.
""Is this content fake or real? What if this is my opinion? What if it was a joke? And who gets to decide? How is an algorithm supposed to deal with this, if we humans cannot even agree on this issue?""
She adds: ""In addition, human language has many subtleties and nuances that algorithms - and in many cases humans - might not be able to detect. Research suggests for example that algorithms as well as humans are only able to detect sarcasm and satire in around 60% of the time.""
Mr Cousins clarifies that Factmata is ""not acting as the guardian of the truth"". He adds: ""Our role is not to decide what is true or false, but to identify [for our clients] the content we think could be fake, or could be harmful, to a degree of certainty."""	/news/business-62161520
business	Row over M&S plan to redevelop flagship store	"A row is building up over Marks & Spencer's plans to demolish and rebuild its flagship London store.
Minister Michael Gove had already ordered a review into the idea due to concerns over carbon emissions from bulldozing the building.
Now, landlords have said delaying the plans could threaten the appeal of Oxford Street to investors as a place of national economic importance.
M&S said the revamp was needed due to changing consumer habits.
It wants to redevelop the site with a smaller shop, offices and a gym.
But that plan for the 100-year-old Art Deco store at Marble Arch ran into difficulties after Mr Gove stepped in.
Earlier this week, M&S said it was ""bewildered"" by the planning review ordered by the Levelling Up Secretary.
A letter from landlords and property investors, which was sent to Mr Gove on Friday, said their ""major concern"" was that the decision would undermine ""the appeal of the West End as an international centre"".
West End, where the M&S store is located, draws major investors to the capital, and that London flagship stores help support ""marginal stores in other British towns and cities"".
r was signed by Sir Peter Rogers, the chairman of the New West End Company, which represents retailers and hoteliers. It was also signed by property investors including Royal London Asset Management.
quiry will consider the pros and cons of bulldozing and rebuilding the store compared to refitting it. A new report will then be published with the government's recommendations. 
M&S claims a full rebuild is needed because the way people shop has changed. It said this was made starker during the Covid pandemic, when more customers opted to buy online.
retail giant also claimed the store is unattractive and does not offer a pleasant experience for customers or staff.
M&S's director of property, technology and development, Sacha Berendji this week accused Mr Gove of blocking ""the only retail-led regeneration in the whole of Oxford Street"".
He said the building was refused listed status due to its low design quality and, while it was safe, cannot be modernised through refitting as it is three separate buildings containing asbestos.
He said that an independent assessment of the building's carbon impact across its whole lifecycle found that a new build offered higher sustainability benefits than a refit.
""On completion, [it] will be amongst the top 10% performing buildings in London,"" he added.
revamp had been approved by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Westminster City Council but plans were then put on hold.
A report into the potential carbon footprint caused by bulldozing the building had warned the environmental impact would clash with City Hall's planning guidance.
report by architect Simon Sturgis said the plan is ""absolutely crazy"" and recommended refitting and renovating the existing shop instead. 
Campaigners from Save Britain's Heritage and the Architect's Journal urged Mr Gove to launch a public inquiry into the scheme in another letter signed by top names in the industry.
r claimed bulldozing the historic building would ""pump nearly 40,000 tonnes of C02 into the atmosphere"".
It also said the plan would destroy ""an elegant and important interwar building"".
""We should be adapting the building, not destroying it,"" it said.
Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said the decision to order a planning review was ""made in line with established policy"".
""It is right that a project of such significance should be considered by the independent planning inspectorate and ministers,"" a spokesperson said."	/news/business-61916562
technology	Birmingham's 'four lads in jeans' get statues outside city bar	"rs of the viral 'four lads in jeans' meme have been immortalised in paper mache outside the bar their famous photograph was taken. 
A picture of Kevin Rooney, Alex Lacey, Jamie Phillips and Connor Humpage went viral after it was shared on Instagram in 2019.
Birmingham artist Tat Vision said he had to create something ""because they looked like Greek statues of old"".
ulptures were unveiled outside All Bar One in the city.
Vision, whose real name is Well Douglas, said his paper mache sculptures took a couple of weeks ""on and off"" to create, but said: ""I don't think they're going to last.""
He predicted someone would probably try to take their heads off while enjoying a drink on a night out and said he would be happy if they lasted a couple of days.
ues were built as part of the Birmingham Weekender - an arts event in the city.
Coventry friends' social media fame came with a cost, when Mr Humpage later said they had been repeatedly targeted by trolls.
""I think people forget about the people they're trolling behind their phones or keyboards. We actually are real people and it does affect you,"" he said.
But multiple parodies of the photograph and a TikTok animated version of the men appearing to show them singing the sea shanty Wellerman sent their popularity soaring.
rred in an advert for McDonalds in 2021.
Mr Douglas said the men had told him they were ""very excited"" about the statues, and would be going to visit them. 
Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-birmingham-62693971
entertainment	Dame Angela Lansbury dies aged 96	"Dame Angela Lansbury, who won international acclaim as the star of the US TV crime series Murder, She Wrote, has died aged 96.
ree-time Oscar nominee had a career spanning eight decades, across film, theatre and television.
Dame Angela died in her sleep just five days before her 97th birthday, her family said in a statement.
r talked to the BBC's Andrew Marr in 2014. She mentioned how Ingrid Bergman inspired her early in her career."	/news/entertainment-arts-63221588
sports	Shane Snater: Essex pace bowler agrees contract extension until 2025	"Essex pace bowler Shane Snater has signed a two-year contract extension to run until the end of the 2025 season.
He took 50 wickets in all formats in 2022 and also hit five fifties - four of them in the County Championship.
His new deal follows extensions signed by Tom Westley, Paul Walter, Ben Allison and Michael Pepper.
""Shane's new contract is a testament to the hard work he has put in to continually develop his game,"" said head coach Anthony McGrath.
Although born in Zimbabwe, Snater has played international cricket for the Netherlands - appearing in four one-dayers and 13 T20 internationals so far.
He made his Essex debut in 2018 and took first-class career-best figures of 7-98 against Nottinghamshire in May 2021.
His previous deal was due to expire at the end of next summer.
""I've worked hard on improving my red-ball game and this has come to fruition over the last couple of seasons,"" he said."	/sport/cricket/64129827
technology	MPs Dehenna Davison and Kate Osborne speak out over 'toxic' tweets	"MPs have spoken about how they have received sexually explicit and homophobic tweets, after BBC research revealed the scale of the problem.
Dehenna Davison, Tory MP for Bishop Auckland, endured the 12th worst proportion of toxic tweets of all MPs, the BBC's Shared Data Unit found.
Abuse hurled at Labour's Jarrow MP Kate Osborne led to a restraining order.
Analysis of three million tweets aimed at MPs over six weeks found more than 130,000 could be classed as ""toxic"".
research was carried out between March and mid-April, and concluded 20,000 of the tweets sent in that period would be deemed ""severely toxic"".
A toxic comment was defined as one which is ""rude, disrespectful or unreasonable"" and ""likely to make someone leave a conversation"".
witter was unavailable for comment.
Ms Davison, elected Bishop Auckland's first Conservative MP in 2019, said most comments were ""low level"" but some were ""a lot more sinister"", and the police have been involved.
""I do think there is a sense that women do get it worse,"" she said.
""There has been a lot of quite sexually explicit stuff. 
""I have had people talking about how my dead dad must be looking down on me ashamed.""
She received offensive tweets when she wrote a critical open letter to actor Will Smith following his assault of Chris Rock during the Oscars ceremony.
Ms Davison is a campaigner for awareness of the dangers of one-punch assaults, following the death of her father in 2007 when she was just 13.
She said she ""naively assumed"" the response would have been positive, because of previous feedback.
""It was really surprising and really difficult, so I ended up just turning Twitter off for a few days and letting it die down."" 
Ms Davison received the largest amount of abuse on social media among all MPs representing the North East and Cumbria.
She remains active on social media and is not ""afraid to share"" her opinion, which she believes acts as a target.
""I am a young, northern, working class, female Tory, everything a Conservative isn't supposed to be. I don't know if I just tick all the wrong boxes for attracting that sort of abuse.""
Levelling Up Minister said while she supported ""free speech"" she called on social media companies to be more ""willing"" to share information on those who abuse and harass.
Kate Osborne, elected Labour's MP for Jarrow in 2019, has also suffered abuse on Twitter, as well as abusive graffiti and stickers put up in her constituency, which she said were ""designed to intimidate"". 
She said part of the problem was ""faceless"" social media accounts.
""I am very fortunate that I am in a position where I can speak out about these things and be heard - nobody is going to silence me,"" she said.
""I think undoubtedly if I was a white, straight man I wouldn't get the volume that I get.
""We know that women in elected positions, not just MPs but councillors and women generally get more abuse online than men do.""
In August, a constituent was found guilty of harassing her and was handed a restraining order, in a case which the judge noted the ""homophobic content"", the MP said.
Ms Osborne said it was her ""responsibility"" to call abuse out and spoke about the impact it has had on her family.
""It obviously upsets them - I think sometimes, when there's a threat there and it may be a threat of violence - that's really uncomfortable to know whether or not that's going to result in any physical action against me.
""We have seen two MPs murdered - most of the time I can let it go over my head but we have to take these things seriously.
""I don't expect people to agree with me all the time - that's life, that's democracy - but it's not necessary and it's not acceptable for people to abuse somebody else.""
witter has previously said it is committed to combatting abuse as outlined in its Hateful Conduct Policy.
Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk."	/news/uk-england-63565955
health	NHS Wales: Hospital staff 'in tears' over A&E pressures	"Keith Royles lived over the road from  the Ysbyty Glan Clwyd hospital
Patients being treated in chairs, staff in tears and an 18-hour wait for transfer from an ambulance.
re some of the extreme pressures experienced by the Royal Glamorgan Hospital's emergency department.
Dr Amanda Farrow was called in early to a recent shift at the site serving much of the south Wales valleys because the nurse in charge felt it was ""unsafe"".
On arrival, the number of patients awaiting beds was far higher than trollies available.
Meanwhile, six ambulances were queuing outside, unable to hand over their patients and, as a result, also unable to respond to other emergency calls.
Dr Farrow, the lead consultant at the A&E department of the hospital near Llantrisant, Rhondda Cynon Taf, said: ""She has never rung me before so I know when I get that phone call that I just need to get up and come in.
""We have 16 trolleys and we had 28 patients waiting for beds in the morning. Our resuscitation room was full and we had some very, very sick patients that all arrived at a similar time.
""Patients who are not on trollies are obviously sat in chairs, which is not a good experience. We also have a finite number of chairs in the clinical space.
""A number of members of staff were in tears.""
knock-on effect was soon felt outside the hospital's front door, with ambulances stacking up outside.
As a result the ambulance service was struggling to respond to urgent 999 calls in the community.  
""In extreme cases the department can receive an immediate release request, calling on them to admit a patient and release the ambulance as soon as possible to attend an extremely urgent call,"" said Dr Farrow.
""Yesterday during my shift we had two calls for an immediate release, because there was an unwell baby and there was a lady in labour."" 
""[With] the first one we did manage to bring the patient in, with a view to getting one of our patients out, But the [call] later in the day we were unable to accommodate.""
She continued: ""It is a lot of responsibility for the staff - none of us wants to be making these decisions. We're all doing our best and there is concern around the impact this is having on staff because that does cause moral injury.
""It's not just patients arriving in the ambulance. The majority of our patients actually self-present to the hospital. 
""We are having to pull them out of the boot of cars, they're coming by fire engine, with the police. We have to try and find somewhere to manage that and it's just a constant challenge.""
In September, Keith Royles, 85, broke his hip and was forced to wait seven hours for an ambulance, and then had to wait outside the hospital until the early hours of the morning.
His daughter Tina Royles told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast that her parents were ""horrified"".
""My parents put their whole lives into nursing and they're quite disgusted, they understand the pressures on the NHS staff, but the system is broken.
She said as a former police officer she knows how busy A&E gets, but it was never like it is now. 
Despite the long wait, Ms Royles said the staff who looked after her dad were amazing. 
Lee Brooks, executive director of operations at the Welsh Ambulance Service, said he was deeply sorry about Mr Royles' experience, describing the seven-hour wait as unacceptable. 
""It will take a system-wide effort to resolve a system-wide issue and we continue to play our part to alleviate the pressure by treating more patients over the phone and at home and referring them to more appropriate areas of the NHS, negating the need for a trip to the emergency department.""
Dr Farrow stressed that being ""supportive to all of our staff"" is extremely important to the department.  
""We're a very close-knit team and we do try, at the end of the shift, [to] go around and chat to the staff just to make sure that everyone's OK,"" she said.
During the shift, the department was escalated to its highest level of alert  - level 4/20 - meaning staff from across departments worked together to try to free up beds on the wards to ease the pressure in A&E.
resulted in a decision to open dozens of beds as part of ""surge capacity"", including opening an unused ward. This in itself was difficult due to staff shortages.
re is also a dedicated team who try to identify patients, who, given the right care and support might be able to leave without being admitted.
Gladly by the next morning the situation had stabilised.
""We had good supportive response from the rest of the sites... so this morning it's really quite pleasant which is a change but yesterday was extremely challenging.""
But Dr Farrow said she worried about what lies ahead this winter as a result of staff shortages, the potential re-emergence of respiratory viruses like flu and the added demand of chronically ill patients who may have stayed away during Covid coming back into the system.
""It is quite scary to be honest. 
""I think every winter in recent years has been challenging and I think we're fearful this is going to be even worse."""	/news/uk-wales-63889127
entertainment	Theatre group pulls play from Sheffield's Crucible over controversial musical	"A theatre company has pulled a play from Sheffield's Crucible in response to the staging of a musical criticised for its portrayal of Vietnamese people.
New Earth, a group of British East and South East Asian artists, said Miss Saigon contained ""damaging tropes, misogyny and racism"".
Its own production, Worth, had been due to run before the musical in June.
Sheffield Theatres, which runs the Crucible, said it respected the decision to cancel the play.
ue's creative directors acknowledged Miss Saigon's ""divisive performance history"" and ""the upset it has caused"".
In a statement they said they had approached the new production being ""sensitive"" to the issue, adding they ""believe this is a chance for us to engage in a fresh way with a majority East and South East Asian company reframing the story"".
Miss Saigon, which tells the story of the relationship between a young Vietnamese sex worker and an American soldier during the Vietnam War, sparked anger when it first opened in London's West End in 1989 with white actors wearing eye prostheses to make them look more Asian.
Written by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil and based on Giacomo Puccini's 1904 opera Madame Butterfly, it later transferred to Broadway and won multiple prizes including two Laurence Olivier and three Tony awards.
New Earth said Miss Saigon ""remains a very contentious musical since its release over thirty years ago, having hurt and angered many viewers due to its highly problematic narrative and portrayal of the Vietnam War and Vietnamese people"".
""We recognise concerns from our team that working alongside a musical that perpetuates deeply held notions of Asian inferiority would impact their wellbeing,"" added a joint statement from the company and Chester-based co-producers Storyhouse.
BEATS, an advocacy group for British East and South East Asian theatre workers, said Miss Saigon ""fetishised and hyper-sexualised"" Vietnamese women and erased ""the real experience of war and violence suffered by millions"".
It called the Crucible's decision to stage the musical in July ""deeply traumatising"".
Robert Hastie and Anthony Lau, directors of the Crucible's production of Miss Saigon, said they had taken a ""new approach"" which they hoped would ""shift the perspective"" on the show.
""The reimagining of any classic is about viewing stories through new lenses, that speak to the world as it is today as much as what it was or might have been,"" they added in a joint statement.
Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk."	/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-63717840
sports	Elite League: Cardiff Devils 4-2 Guildford Flames	"Cardiff Devils ended the year with victory over GuildFord Flames to boost their Elite League title hopes.
Justin Crandall gave Devils the lead inside the opening two minutes and although Daniel Tedesco equalised, Cole Stanford restored the hosts' lead.
Debutant Stefan Fournier put Devils further ahead in the second period with Marcus Crawford sealing victory after Dabiel Tedesco had scored for Flames.
Flames host Devils in the return match on New Year's Day."	/sport/ice-hockey/64136953
sports	Bellator 289: Raufeon Stots beats Danny Sabatello to retain title	"Raufeon Stots edged bitter rival Danny Sabatello by split decision to retain the interim bantamweight title at Bellator 289 in Connecticut.
Stots, 33, was controlled by fellow American Sabatello, 29, for periods but out-struck him to reach the final of the Bantamweight World Grand Prix.
He will face Patchy Mix after the American submitted Magomed Magomedov earlier in the night.
winner will likely fight Sergio Pettis for the undisputed title.
's champion Pettis was forced to pull out of the tournament with injury in March.
rim title bout between Stots and Juan Archuleta in the quarter-finals, which Stots won to set up the encounter with Sabatello.
Months of venomous verbal exchanges have passed between Stots and Sabatello since the fight was confirmed in June.
While promoting the fight in August, the pair had to be separated live on air during journalist Ariel Helwani's MMA Hour show.
Sabatello was largely booed on his walk to the cage, with Stots receiving the more positive ovation from the crowd inside the Mohegan Sun Arena.
In the first round, Sabatello landed a takedown, revealing the wrestling-heavy game-plan pundits predicted he would look to enforce on Stots.
fight progressed with Stots excelling in the striking and Sabatello countering by looking to take Stots down.
On the handful of times Sabatello's takedowns were successful, he held position while not inflicting much damage, which is perhaps what swayed the fight in Stots' favour when the judges were scoring.
By the final round Sabatello's nose was bloodied while Stots showed little sign of damage, illustrating the difference in output between the pair.
Both fighters raised their arms and circled the cage when the final bell rung, believing they had done enough for victory, but it was Stots who had his arm raised by the referee, leading to a swift exit for Sabatello.
""He didn't do no damage, I was walking him down the whole time, I got his face bloodied and I'm going to the final,"" said Stots in the post-fight interview.
""I was thinking separation and damage. He was trying to control me but hugging doesn't win fights.""
Victory extends the unbeaten start to Stots' Bellator career to seven, with Sabatello suffering the first defeat of his four fights in the promotion.
Stots was joined in the cage by fellow finalist Mix after the post-fight interview, with the pair engaging in a friendly stare-down. 
In the co-main event, American Liz Carmouche retained her flyweight title, winning a rematch with Juliana Velasquez in the second round via an armbar submission.
Carmouche, 38, executed her grappling-heavy game-plan to perfection as she successfully took Brazil's Velasquez down, transitioned to full mount and applied the fight-ending manoeuvre.
r first fight in April ended in controversial circumstances, with many pundits believing the referee stepped in to halt Carmouche's grounded attack on Velasquez too early.
However, there were no doubts over the manor of victory this time, as Carmouche made the first defence of her championship.
In victory, Carmouche extended her unbeaten streak in Bellator to five wins and inflicted the second defeat of Velasquez's 14-fight career.
Former UFC and Strikeforce title challenger Carmouche has now won 18 of the 25 fights in her 12-year career.
Watch highlights on BBC three at 20:00 GMT on Saturday"	/sport/mixed-martial-arts/63926616
technology	Gaming in Africa: Developers making mobile games for African players	"African gaming industry is a growing market bringing up opportunities for African game developers. 
Kenya is one of the many countries that has enabled African game developers the opportunity to create games for the African audience with characters relatable to them.
Edited by Njoroge Muigai"	/news/world-africa-63561831
technology	Cambridgeshire company's self-charging trains project wins government funds	"A project that has been developing so-called self-charging trains has won a share of £5m of government funding.
Echion Technologies, based in Sawston near Cambridge, is creating train batteries that can charge from overheard wires, the Department for Transport said.
rains would be able to use the batteries on unelectrified track.
roject was among the winners of the government's First of a Kind competition.
mpetition aims to award funding to projects that could transform the future of transport.
Other projects awarded funding from the competition include a programme by Thales Ground Transportation to develop sensors that detect when a person is approaching the tracks.
It was hoped this would reduce disruption and could prevent suicides.
ransport Secretary Mark Harper said: ""The UK has a long history of leading the way in railway innovation, and the First of a Kind competition is getting the great brains of today to create the trains of tomorrow.
""Through millions of pounds worth of government funding, we are breathing life into ideas that will revolutionise our railways and make them greener than ever before.
""This is just the beginning and, as transport secretary, I am determined to support British innovation and create a cutting edge, green rail industry that delivers even more benefits for passengers and freight.""
Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-63633734
sports	NFL: JJ Watt of the Arizona Cardinals announces his retirement	"JJ Watt, considered one of the NFL's greatest ever defensive players, has announced he will retire at the end of the current season.
Arizona Cardinals defensive end, 33, was voted NFL defensive player of the year three times.
Watt spent a decade with the Houston Texans before joining Arizona in 2021.
""My heart is filled with nothing but love and gratitude. It's been an absolute honor and a pleasure,"" Watt wrote on Twitter.external-link
Watt has spent the last two seasons with the Cardinals, after representing the Houston Texans between 2011 and 2020.
He added that Sunday's defeat by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was both his baby son Koa's first NFL game, and his own ""last ever"" home game.
Having failed to make the postseason, the Cardinals have two regular season games left, at Atlanta and San Francisco.
As well as being defensive player of the year in 2012, 2014 and 2015, Watt was the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2017.
He was also named Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year in 2017 for helping to raise $37m (£30.7m) in relief funds for people affected by the devastation brought by Hurricane Harvey in Houston.
In his 12-year NFL career, Watt has 111.5 total sacks, 580 tackles and 27 forced fumbles, and is the only player in the last 40 years to record 20 or more sacks in multiple seasons."	/sport/american-football/64102113
technology	How to check if your Instagram posts are being hidden	"Instagram has launched a new tool to let you know if your posts are barred from being recommended to other users.
Previously, people were not told if intervention by a platform meant posts did not appear in other people's feeds - a process known as ""shadow banning"".
Instagram does not use that term. It says the new tool will inform users if there are restrictions on their account because they broke certain rules.
Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram, said the decision was about ""transparency"".
""Sometimes your account can end up in a state where it's not eligible for your photos and videos to show up in [our] recommendations,"" he said. 
""If you have posted things that violate our 'recommendability' guidelines or recommendation guidelines... you can end up in a state where your content won't be recommended,"" Mr Mosseri explains.
Instagram users will be able to edit or delete posts which have fallen foul of the platform's rules. They will also be able to appeal to Instagram if they feel any content has been flagged in error.
People can check the status of their account in the Instagram app by selecting their profile, opening the menu, then selecting: settings, account, and account status.
Dr Carolina Are, a content moderation researcher at the Centre For Digital Citizens at Northumbria University, said Instagram has historically had a major issue with people having posts 'hidden' without their knowledge.
""The platform did not notify us about shadow banning,"" she said. ""For ages, Instagram denied that it was ever a thing.""
Dr Are is also a content creator on Instagram, where she often posts videos as a pole dance instructor - and says she has experienced so-called shadow banning herself.
""I personally received an apology [from Instagram] for the shadow ban of pole-dancing in 2019,"" she said. 
""They said the hashtags were blocked 'in error'... this is essentially shadow banning.""
Shadow banning can be a problem because if people are not told they have fallen foul of the rules, it means they're unable to appeal the decision or fix any mistake.
It can sometime lead to amusing consequences, with one Reddit user previously telling the BBC he didn't know he'd been shadow banned - and accidentally spent a year talking to himself.
re are some benefits to the practice, however. It allows big tech companies to block harmful content from spreading, limiting disinformation.
But Dr Are says her research has found it has had a disproportionate impact on marginalised communities.
""I think creators are very, very worried about shadow banning,"" she said. ""So it's only fair that Instagram is moving to do something about it.""
She said the problem is exacerbated by a lack of real people involved in the moderation process, which is often automated.
In her role as a researcher, Dr Are has spoken to people whose accounts were removed from Instagram due to violating its policies.
She claims to have spoken to some content creators who lost their accounts and tried to appeal, who said they weren't able to speak to a person involved in moderation.
""I still think it's a bit of a cosmetic and performative change,"" she said. ""As good as this is, without investing in human moderation, we are just going nowhere."""	/news/technology-63907699
business	CEO Secrets: What's a modern boss to wear?	"A new culture of working from home and video conferencing has ushered in a trend for informality in the workplace, including what we wear. CEOs set the tone for their companies. So can they now dress down a bit?
""Our post-pandemic lifestyle has taught me that I don't need to dress smartly for work every day,"" says Louise O'Shea, CEO of insurance comparison site Confused.com, ""especially when we've all seen each other's realities when working from home.
""But I do it because I enjoy it,"" she adds. ""And putting on some of my best workwear and doing my hair and makeup before each working day has become a sort of personal ritual for me, allowing me to go from one state of mind to another and putting my 'best self' forward.""
Fiona Gordon of advertising agency Ogilvy UK agrees. ""I think CEOs can definitely be more informal than they were,"" she says.
""The pandemic has moved the dress code for everyone. But for me personally, if I'm going to present to a big room, I like to feel the energy and I do get that from what I wear.
""For example, putting lipstick on is one of my personal triggers for confidence.""
women are just two of the many CEOs now facing a wardrobe dilemma. How do you present yourself to be taken seriously for business in a world that seems much more open to informality? Are those in charge ready to change their wardrobes, in line with their workforce?
Peter Done, CEO of Manchester-based HR specialists Peninsula, isn't ready to mothball his suit just yet. 
""I wear a suit to the office every day,"" he says. ""This conveys a certain standard that I have set for myself, both personally and professionally. As CEO, it's up to me to lead by example. If I expect employees to dress smartly then I should do the same."" 
While acknowledging that the pandemic has changed expectations, allowing employees to dress in a more casual style that used to be associated with the tech sector, Done believes that dressing professionally puts you in a better frame of mind for work.
""I believe it is good business practice to dress smartly,"" he adds. ""It all comes back to customer service, leaving people with a good impression, showing that you care and want them to come back. 
""If someone were to turn up to a meeting in ripped jeans or flip flops - unless it were out of hours and very last minute - to me that shows you don't care. First impressions count and you only get one chance to make a good one.""
mic has accelerated the level of informality that companies accept, according to Ben Whitter, head of employee coaching and consultancy firm HEX Organization. 
CEOs want to appear to be more human and not just some corporate robot in a suit, he says. ""Someone that people feel comfortable around, is relatable, and we can have confidence in.""
He also argues that (at least for men) the suit and tie combination was becoming a tainted brand well before the pandemic, thanks to a whole series of high-profile stories like the MPs' expenses scandal, the Enron collapse, and the 2007-08 banking crisis. 
""It's no longer taken for granted that the suit is the uniform of a trustworthy person,"" he says.
But Peter Done refutes this. ""Suits don't make any difference, it's the credibility of the individual that counts,"" he counters.
So what should a leader who wants to be seen as relatable and authentic wear?
recruit to the TV show Dragons' Den, Steven Bartlett, vowed when he became a panellist that he would never wear a suit.  
He says he wants to represent a new breed of young business leader that is true to himself and doesn't stand on ceremony.   
CEO's role, and the expectations placed on them, can vary a lot depending on the size of the company. This too might affect their choice of clothing.
Bosses of smaller start-ups don't usually feel the need to stand out from their team, but they do need to impress and quickly build trust with potential new clients and investors.
Joel Remy-Parkes has turned a successful side hustle selling kids' tableware into a growing small business.
He works out of a large co-working space where you will struggle to find anyone wearing a suit and tie.
""The lockdown almost stripped everyone down to their comfort essentials and we all began to discover a new level of appropriate dress code,"" he says.
It's a development he welcomes, but it poses a dilemma when he is getting ready to meet new people.
""If I had to meet an investor or potential partner, I would honestly feel a little odd rocking up in my Wu-Tang T-shirt. But on the flip side, I would be absolutely delighted if she was wearing one too!""
move to informal dressing at the top may sound liberating, but is it an equal one across the gender divide?
Some argue that it is easer for male CEOs to adopt this new informal style.
""The pressures for women are extremely high,"" says Confused.com's Louise O'Shea. 
""Quite often when I do broadcast interviews, comments are made about my appearance, particularly my hair. While this might not seem like anything major, it's led me to have conversations with my male counterparts on whether this would ever happen to them. 
""Guess what? It hasn't.""  
She adds: ""I do often wonder what the reaction would be if I appeared live on TV without brushing my hair or doing my makeup. Would I be known as the CEO who never made an effort, or the CEO who was ready to challenge old expectations?"" 
But not everyone agrees that the odds are stacked against women in this regard.
Fiona Gordon of Ogilvy UK thinks this shift to casual could present some unexpected positives for women. ""Women, you could argue, will have more opportunities than men because women traditionally can wear more diverse clothes so can be more expressive of themselves, whereas for men there is a kind of uniform in a way. 
""It is quite good to be memorable. People's attention is satiated with so many images,"" she adds. 
Sara Simmonds, a former fashion entrepreneur who now coaches CEOs across different sectors, believes women and men are judged equally in terms of style and appearance.
""We only want to do business with those we trust, and that first impression comes from what you wear and how you present yourself, no matter your gender,"" she says.
Whether you choose to dress formally or casually, you still need to pay close attention to what you wear, she says.
""Informal dressing can set your clients at ease, but first impressions still count. Jeans that fit well, trainers that are clean, and T-shirts that are crisp are essential. And you should add something to this that is your signature touch, you need to have a style and stick with it. 
""Your clothes are a silent sales weapon.""
You can follow CEO Secrets producer Dougal Shaw on Twitter: @dougalshawbbc"	/news/business-62992989
technology	Google faces €25bn legal action in UK and the EU	"Google is facing two legal cases which could result in the tech giant paying out damages of up to €25bn (£19.5bn) over its digital advertising practices.
mpany is accused of anti-competitive conduct, and of abusing its dominant place in the ad tech market. 
Separate legal cases, in the UK and in the Netherlands, are being filed in the coming weeks on behalf of publishers seeking ""compensation"" from Google.
Google has recently drawn scrutiny from anti-trust regulators after complaints.
Ad tech powers the online adverts that people see on their smartphones or when using the web. Google is the largest, and most important, ad tech vendor - with a market share reaching over 90%.
Selling digital advertising space has become a valuable source of income for publishers including global news websites, as well as smaller operators, such as independent bloggers - all of whom agree to carry advertising on their sites for a fee.
European Commission and its UK equivalent are investigating whether Google's dominance in the ad tech business gives it an unfair advantage over rivals and advertisers.
French competition watchdog imposed a €220m fine on the company last year. 
Johnny Ryan, from the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, told the BBC: ""Google is under pressure on two big issues - one is anti-trust and the other is data protection.""
Mr Ryan said more cases were coming to light as competition enforcers around the world ""increasingly put demands on Google"".
But he added ""the fines we have seen so far from competition authorities have had absolutely no consequence whatsoever"".
Damien Geradin, of the Belgian law firm Geradin Partners - which is involved in the Dutch case - said, ""Publishers, including local and national news media, who play a vital role in our society, have long been harmed by Google's anti-competitive conduct. 
""It is time that Google owns up to its responsibilities and pays back the damages it has caused to this important industry. 
""That is why today we are announcing these actions across two jurisdictions to obtain compensation for EU and UK publishers.""
British claim, at the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal, will seek to recover compensation for owners of websites carrying banner advertising.
If successful, this would mean a wide and diverse group could get compensation - from major media sites down to small and medium-sized businesses who produce their own online content.
Businesses which do not wish to be included in the legal action can opt out.
UK law firm Humphries Kerstetter is planning to bring its case with Geradin Partners to the Tribunal next month, although the process could take years to reach a conclusion. 
Starr, of Humphries Kerstetter, told the BBC, it was important to bring the claim because of the reasonable expectation that the tech giant might change practices as a result.
He said the claim represented ""victims of Google's anti-competitive conduct in ad tech who have collectively lost an estimated £7 billion"".
""This includes news websites up and down the country with large daily readerships, as well as the thousands of small business-owners who depend on advertising revenue - be it from their fishing website, food blog, football fanzine or other online content [which] they have spent time creating and publishing.""
UK competition watchdog is also investigating Google's power in the digital advertising technology market.
Dutch case is open to European publishers affected by Google's actions. Geradin Partners has teamed up with Dutch law firm Stek to bring the collective claim. 
Jan Bart van de Hel, from Stek, said: ""Many publishers have suffered damages as result of Google's wrongful actions. 
""It is important to take action against this, not only to make sure that the damages of the publishers are fully compensated, but also to make sure that Google's anti-competitive conduct is prevented for the future.""
UK litigation funder Harbour is funding both lawsuits. Harbour is a privately-owned company which  pays legal costs upfront ""and helps manage the costs and risks of litigation"" in return for a pre-agreed share of the amount recovered if the legal action is successful.
Google did not immediately respond to the BBC's request for comment."	/news/technology-62891769
sports	Charlotte Worthington: 'BMX star says 'cashing doesn't affect my confidence'	"BMX Olympic gold medallist Charlotte Worthington is hoping for more success in the Freestyle World Championships in Abu Dhabi this weekend.
Corby-based rider has had one or two mishaps in competition this year but tells BBC Look East that crashing does not affect her confidence.
Watch coverage of the Freestyle World Championships on iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and mobile app from 12:20 GMT on Sunday, 13 November."	/sport/av/cycling/63582425
business	Clacton Seaquarium closing down amid soaring energy costs	"An aquarium that is expecting its energy bills to quadruple by 2024 will close to visitors permanently at the end of this month.
Seaquarium at Clacton Pier, Essex, has been open for about four decades.
It is home to roughly 900 individual fish and other sea creatures, including smooth hound sharks, red-bellied piranhas and turtles.
Nigel Brown, communications manager for the pier, said energy costs were already £1,500 per month.
""It's a big operation for what is a relatively small part of our business,"" said Mr Brown.
""We like to think we've run it well, given a bit of education to children and helped push the conservation message.""
re has been some form of wildlife-based attraction the pier since the 1930s, which in the past has included whales, dolphins, sea lions and penguins.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs recently gave it a positive veterinary inspection report.
uilding structure is about 150 years old and needs maintenance.
It was closed to visitors for much of last year during the pandemic, but conservation and maintenance work continued.
Seaquarium director Billy Ball said the venue, which charges £3 entry, would have to meet stricter regulatory standards if it were to renew its licence with Tendring District Council.
""If it was to remain, we would have also wanted to look to come up with more conservation activities and that was simply not viable,"" he said.
""We are now in a very different world with emphasis on protecting the environment quite rightly gaining greater priority.
""All things considered, including overheads and the rising cost of energy, we decided it was time to close that chapter in the pier's history and move forward.""
wners said they were in discussions with other aquariums, including Sealife Adventure in Southend, to rehome all the sea life.
Mr Brown said they hoped to replace it with another attraction, ""probably"" for younger children.
Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-essex-63134289
politics	What's happening in Parliament next week?	"It's going to be a pretty weird week in Parliament. There's some significant law-making - on stamp duty and EU Law - but it will be completely overshadowed by the battle for the Conservative leadership. 
w PM could be anointed as early as Monday afternoon, or as late as Friday, if an online ballot of Tory members is required.
Question times and select committee interrogations will feature ministers who may not be in office a week later, or who may be auditioning for a promotion.
w prime minister will have allies to reward, opponents to de-fang, enemies to punish and big beasts to bring in, so expect significant ministerial changes.
And how much point is there in asking about policy? 
re's a big financial statement due on 31 October - the Monday after the new PM is due to emerge.
But will the new PM want the proposals now being drawn up, or even the chancellor doing the drawing-up? Or will the threat of a market backlash ensure that the new PM accepts whatever decisions Jeremy Hunt has made? 
Meanwhile, Mr Hunt's arrival in the Treasury has created a vacancy for chair of the Health and Social Care Committee. 
His successor must be a Conservative MP and possible contenders include former health ministers, Steve Brine, Stephen Hammond and James Morris, plus Victoria Atkins, a former Justice Minister, and GP Dr Luke Evans. The election is on 2 November. 
Commons: (14:30) Education Questions, starring new secretary of state Kit Malthouse, probably to be followed by the usual post-weekend quota of government statements and urgent questions. 
main business is financial measures - the allocation of £60bn to the business department to fund the energy price-capping scheme, and reductions to Stamp Duty Land Tax - one of the few measures surviving from the September mini-Budget. 
Westminster Hall: (16:30) MPs debate e-petitions on the safety of Covid vaccines - e-petition 602171 calls for an ""immediate and full scientific investigation"" on possible links between Covid-19 vaccination and a significant increase in heart attacks. Then (18:00) on e-petition 607712 calling for the government to ditch its Human Rights Act reforms. 
Committees: Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (16:00) questions new secretary of state, Simon Clarke.
Lords: (14:30) Introduction of Lord Simon Murray, a barrister and Conservative councillor, who has been appointed a Home Office Minister. Questions include an intriguing one from Labour peer and member of the Benn dynasty, Viscount Stansgate, asking whether the government has any plans to amend the 1937 Regency Act...
main debate is Committee and Report Stage consideration of the Energy Prices Bill. 
re's also a Labour regret motion against the Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) Amendment Regulations because they do not do enough to prevent claimants from financial hardship.
Commons: (11:30) Business Energy and Industrial Strategy questions.
10-Minute Rule Bill: Conservative Craig Mackinlay wants to require pharmacies to label prescription drugs with the with the price of the drug.
main debate is the Second Reading of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill. This sets a sunset date after which all the EU law accumulated in Britain over four decades of membership will lapse at the end of 2023.
re wasn't time to go through it all, clause by clause at the time of Brexit, so most of it was kept in place by a kind of legal shoring up manoeuvre, to allow it to be considered at leisure. The bill gives ministers sweeping powers to rewrite it.
Westminster Hall: (09:30) Jill Mortimer leads a debate on baby loss and safe staffing in maternity care. 
Committees: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (14:30) probes the die-off of marine life off the Yorkshire coast.
Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (10:00) launches its inquiry into safety at major sporting events with a session on fan personal safety, accessibility, and freedom from discrimination. 
Lords: (14:30) Peers begin their consideration of the detail of the highly controversial Northern Ireland Protocol Bill. Issues are not normally pushed to a vote at Committee Stage, but the cross-party alliance of peers opposing the bill plan a procedural motion asking for more information to be given between Committee and Report. This is partly to demonstrate that they have the power to delay the next stage of debate unless their conditions are met. 
Commons: (11:30) Half an hour of Women and Equalities Questions, followed, at noon by what may be Liz Truss's final Prime Minister's Question Time, or even the debut of her successor. 
10-Minute Rule Bill: The Conservative Robert Halfon presents a bill to cut long waiting times on utility and other service providers helplines; this would be backed up with financial penalties.
's followed by detailed consideration of the Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill, which creates commissioners to safeguard Northern Ireland's different cultural and linguistic identities. 
Westminster Hall: (14:30) Former minister Damian Hinds has a debate on online harms. 
Committees: Northern Ireland Affairs (09:30) question the Police Service of Northern Ireland Assistant Chief Constable Mark McEwan and Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Hill on their responses to paramilitarism.
ransport (09:30) has a session on self-driving vehicles and Home Affairs (09:45) hears from Immigration Minister, Tom Pursglove MP, on the current situation with illegal Channel crossings. 
Lords: (15:00) Questions (40 minutes) and if the Commons has agreed reductions in Stamp Duty, peers will be asked to rubber stamp them.  
main event is Report Stage consideration of the Seafarers' Wages Bill - which will enforce the minimum wage in UK waters. Issues include how the implementation of the act is monitored and moves to widen the categories of vessels covered. At least one vote is expected.
Commons: (09:30) Cabinet Office Questions with Nadhim Zahawi, followed by the weekly statement on the Commons agenda for the coming week, from the leader of the Commons (and possible prime minister), Penny Mordaunt. 
main event is a Backbench Business Committee debate on the National Food Strategy and Food Security led by Conservative former cabinet minister Esther McVey and Labour's Kerry McCarthy. 
's followed by a debate on guaranteeing the right to maintain contact with people in care, led by Labour's Dan Carden, the Conservative Tracey Crouch and the Lib Dem Daisy Cooper. 
Westminster Hall: (15:00) A debate on World Menopause Day. 
Lords: (11:00) Backbench debates: First a debate to mark the 50th anniversary of the expulsion of Asians from Uganda, led by Lord Popat who arrived in the UK from Uganda in 1971, at the age of 17. Then peers debate the report from the Communications and Digital Committee: Free for all? Freedom of expression in the digital age.
Commons: (09:30) More second reading debates on private members bills - new laws proposed by individual MPs, beginning with Sir Mark Hendrick's Co-operatives, Mutuals and Friendly Societies Bill.
Labour's Yasmin Quereshi has yet another employment-related bill, the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill.
rd is the Child Support Collection (Domestic Abuse) Bill, from Sally-Anne Hart. 
It's just possible the Green Party's Caroline Lucas may have the chance to speak on her Countryside and Rights of Way Act (Amendment) Bill.
Lords: (10:00) Second Reading debates on private members bills proposed by peers: Government of Wales (Devolved Powers) Bill proposed by Plaid Cymru's Lord Wigley; the Coroners (Determination of Suicide) Bill [HL] from the Bishop of St Albans and the Women, Peace and Security Bill from Baroness Hodgson of Abinger. 
Finally there's Lord Alton of Liverpool's Genocide Determination Bill - the latest iteration of a long-running campaign aimed at China's actions against the Uighur people in Xinjiang. The bill would provide for the High Courts in England and Wales, and in Northern Ireland, and the Court of Session in Scotland, the power to make preliminary determinations as to what constitutes genocide. 
Lord Alton has raised the subject of genocide more than 300 times in the House of Lords, and has introduced amendments which would have a similar effect, to other legislation, coordinating with sympathetic MPs in the Commons.  "	/news/uk-politics-63347338
technology	Guardian newspaper hit by suspected ransomware attack	"Guardian newspaper has come under a suspected ransomware attack.
It said there had been a ""serious incident"" affecting its IT systems in the last 24 hours, with disruption to ""behind the scenes services"".
mpany said it was continuing to publish globally to its website - one of the most visited news sites in the world - and was ""confident"" it could still print the physical paper.
Staff have been told not to go into the office and to work from home.
In a statement, the Guardian said: ""Our technology teams have been working to deal with all aspects of this incident, with the vast majority of our staff able to work from home as we did during the pandemic.
""We believe this to be a ransomware attack, but are continuing to consider all possibilities.""
Ransomware is malicious software used by hackers - and often sent via attachments in emails - to gain access to an organisation's or individual's computer systems.
riminals then find and encrypt important or sensitive files - and demand a ransom for them to be unlocked.
Watch: What is ransomware and how does it work?
A huge range of targets - from schools and hospitals to government agencies and media organisations - have fallen victim to ransomware, with research indicating hackers are paid in the majority of cases, especially in the UK.
According to the Press Gazette, the Guardian is the ninth most-read news site in the world, with almost 390 million visits in November.
In its own reporting of the incident, the Guardian said online publishing was ""largely unaffected"".
It said Guardian Media Group chief executive Anna Bateson and editor-in-chief Katharine Viner had sent a message to the company's workforce.
""Thank you to everyone working hard throughout this incident to keep us publishing,"" they said.
""We will continue to keep our staff and anyone else affected informed. 
""With a few key exceptions, we would like everyone to work from home for the remainder of the week unless we notify you otherwise.""
Jake Moore, global cyber-security adviser at security software company ESET, said the Guardian being targeted was not a surprise.
""News organisations have become a regular target for cyber-attacks this year, and these attacks often have even more damaging effects on the companies targeted,"" he said.
""Ransomware can often bring all departments to a standstill, so it is fortunate that despite this attack the organisation will still see some key areas working as usual."" "	/news/technology-64056300
business	UK government to bring in e-scooter law	"government has said new rules to expand legal use of e-scooters are a priority for the upcoming year.
It also said it would legislate to create a new body to oversee UK railways and ban ferries that do not pay workers the equivalent of minimum wage from docking at UK ports.
government outlined the plans in the Queen's Speech on Tuesday.
E-scooters are widely sold and seen, but are currently only legal on private land or from government hire schemes.
""While riding a privately owned e-scooter on public land is currently illegal, we are considering how best to design future regulations and our Transport Bill will help us to take the steps we need to make e-scooters safer and support innovation,"" a government spokeswoman said.
Official rental trial schemes have been set up in more than 30 areas across England. E-scooters in these trials are limited to 15.5mph and have automatic lights as safety features.
""Safety will always be our top priority and our trials are helping us to better understand the benefits of properly regulated, safety-tested e-scooters and their impact on public space,"" a spokeswoman said.
Private e-scooters are widely sold, prompting concerns about illegal and unsafe use.
On 27 April, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told MPs he would ""crack down"" on illegal e-scooter sales in England.
But he also hinted that models that did meet government standards could soon be legalised for use on public roads in England.
AA's president Edmund King said ""With e-scooters and other forms of micro-mobility popping up more frequently on UK roads, it makes sense that safety regulation should come first.
""If introduced alongside appropriate infrastructure, e-mobility could help provide a positive shift in greener localised travel both for individuals and last-mile freight.""
Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) said it was critical the government considered the needs of people who are blind or partially sighted.  
Moussa Haddad, a policy manager for the charity, said: ""E-scooters are fast-moving, operate quietly, making them difficult to detect, and are often ridden on pavements despite rules prohibiting this.
""Because of this, they pose particular risks for blind and partially sighted pedestrians.""
rity said it was working with the Department for Transport, local councils and e-scooter operators to try to address these concerns.
""Making e-scooters more visually and audibly detectable will help reduce the risks these vehicles pose but these are only some of the solutions that are being explored,"" Mr Haddad added.
In December, Transport for London introduced a ban on e-scooters and e-unicycles on its network, after a number of fires caused by the devices.
reation of a new public sector body to oversee Britain's railways was also included in the Queen's Speech.
Great British Railways (GBR) will ""simplify"" the rail network and improve services for passengers, according to a Downing Street briefing document on the Transport Bill.
It will incorporate the state-owned Network Rail and take on responsibilities from the Department for Transport.
GBR will issue passenger service contracts to private companies to run trains.
riefing document stated that it will ""act as the single national leader of the railways"", with ""a clear mandate, goals and budgets set by the government, who will reserve powers of direction"".
recommendations of a review of the rail industry carried out by former British Airways chief executive Keith Williams following the chaotic introduction of new timetables in May 2018.
In addition, new legislation will seek to ban ferries that do not pay their workers the equivalent of the minimum wage from docking at UK ports.
government said tens of thousands of seafarers will benefit from measures to ensure they are paid the national minimum wage, in the wake of the row over P&O Ferries sacking almost 800 workers.
Ministers said it was a ""major step forward"" on pay protection, but the TUC described the proposals as ""feeble and unworkable.""
Under the reforms, ferry operators who regularly call at UK ports will be required to pay their workers the equivalent of the UK national minimum wage.
government said it will implement the changes in the next parliamentary session and will consult with ports and the maritime sector over the next four weeks.
Options under consideration include surcharges, suspension of port access and fines.
ransport Secretary Grant Shapps said: ""We will stop at nothing to make sure seafarers in UK ports are being paid fairly.
""P&O Ferries' disgraceful actions do not represent the principles of our world-leading maritime sector, and changing the law on seafarer pay protection is a clear signal to everyone that we will not tolerate economic abuse of workers.
""We will protect all seafarers regularly sailing in and out of UK ports and ensure they are not priced out of a job.
""Ferry operators which regularly call at UK ports will face consequences if they do not pay their workers fairly.""
But TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said stronger rules were necessary.
""The government has done nothing to tackle the most flagrant labour abuse in years by P&O,"" she said.
""Only stronger employment legislation that boosts worker protections and stops companies firing on the spot will prevent another P&O-type scandal.""
Richard Ballantyne, chief executive at the British Ports Association, said ports regulating ships in such a way would be unprecedented.
""Enforcing the minimum wage is not an area where ports have a core competency,"" he said. ""This should be a job for the Maritime & Coastguard Agency or HM Revenue & Customs."""	/news/business-61354078
health	Charities warn Rishi Sunak about cost of living crisis suicide risk	"Rishi Sunak has been warned about the impact the cost of living crisis is having on mental health and suicide rates. 
In an open letter to the prime minister, 19 charities including the Samaritans and Mind, have urged the prime minister ""to act with speed and compassion to tackle the root causes of destitution"".
People living in the most deprived 10% of areas in the UK are more than twice as likely to die from suicide than those living in the wealthiest 10% of areas, according to the Office for National Statistics.
government has pledged £5.4m funding to over 100 suicide prevention charities to support them to deliver their services.
In addition, £15m has been invested through the Prevention and Promotion for Better Mental Health Fund in 40 local authority areas in the most deprived parts of the country.
In their letter, the charities say they will continue to provide all the support they can but add: ""The first intervention to reduce mental ill health and prevent suicide is to ensure every household has the means to be safe and warm with enough to eat.""
Last year 5,583 suicides were registered in England and Wales which was 6.9% higher than in 2020, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Mental health charities have reported an increase in concerns about money, with the Samaritans saying they were contacted 12,000 times in July alone.  
Mind's Infoline has seen a 40% rise in calls related to money compared with last year.
Some 77% of adults in Great Britain reported feeling very or somewhat worried about the rising costs of living, according to the Sunak warned about hardship suicide rate riskOffice for National Statistics.
Samaritans say that with over 1.5 million people currently on a waiting list for help, the cost of living crisis could put the mental health system ""on the brink of collapse.""
government has had a suicide prevention strategy in place for England since 2012 and in 2019 it launched a cross-government ""workplan"" to coordinate action by the NHS, charities and local government.
Watch: Sajid Javid on losing his brother to suicide
Labour's Shadow Minister for Mental Health, Rosena Allin-Khan has called on the government to ""recommit"" to the strategy.
She added: ""The next Labour government will enshrine a truly preventative approach to mental health, opening mental health hubs in every community.""
In October, Conservative MP Jason McCartney raised the issue on the House of Commons, saying that each death is ""a tragedy for their family, for their friends and their communities.""
Mr McCartney told the BBC: ""I've lost two friends who took their own lives. I think of them regularly.
""Fundamentally I believe we must do more to lower the suicide rate for no other reason than it's in all of our interests to do so.""
He is calling for a Commons debate on how the government can work with charities, like the Samaritans, to achieve the lowest ever recorded suicide rate.
He said: ""Suicide is the biggest killer of young men in Britain today. It needs to be addressed the same way as any other illness.
""I would like to see a recommitment to improving mental health and wellbeing outcomes, particularly for people who experience worse outcomes than the general population.""
former health Secretary, Sajid Javid, has supported a digital suicide prevention service called 'Shout'.
Shout is a free, confidential and 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling.
He spoke at an event launching a report that looked at the cost efficacy of the charity ""Shout"" as a suicide prevention service. 
Mr Javid said: ""Every 90 minutes someone loses their life to suicide. This report is not only timely but needed.""
report aims to estimate the number of lives saved by Shout and the cost savings to the UK economy.
Suicide is the most common reason those under 18 text Shout, accounting for 37% of their conversations. 
NHS Five Year Forward View for Mental Health was published in 2016 included a commitment to reduce the rate of suicides in England by 10% by 2020 compared to 2015 levels. 
However, the suicide rate in England in 2020 was almost the same as the 2015 rate.
government have said they understand the negative impact financial troubles can have on a person's mental health.
A government spokesperson said: ""Our Breathing Space scheme has protected over 100,000 people from charges, distressing letters and bailiff visits, giving them time to find a debt solution that works for them. 
""We are already investing £2.3bn a year by 2023/24 into mental health services, meaning an additional 345,000 children and young people will be able to access NHS-funded mental health support they need by 2024.""
government have also provided £79 million in funding to expand children's mental health services. 
Breathing Space scheme protections means people in mental health crisis treatment have legal protections from their creditors, for the full duration of their crisis treatment plus another 30 days. "	/news/uk-politics-63200639
entertainment	Lena Horne first black actress to have Broadway theatre named in her honour	"Actress Lena Horne has become the first black woman to have a Broadway theatre named in her honour.
re, on West 47th Street, was built in 1926 and is currently hosting the hit British musical Six.
It comes a couple of weeks after another Broadway theatre was named after Star Wars actor James Earl Jones.
Horne, who died in 2010, battled racial segregation to win a major Hollywood film contract and later found international fame as a singer. 
She later became the first black woman to be nominated for a Tony Award, Broadway theatre's highest honour, for her starring role in the 1957 calypso musical Jamaica.
In 1981, she received a special Tony Award for Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music, a one-woman Broadway show in which she sang and discussed the ups and downs of her life.
""She opened so many doors for us that we as people of colour can thank her for being a beacon of light,"" singer and actress Vanessa Williams told ABC News. 
Horne's granddaughter, Jenny Lumet, attended Wednesday night's unveiling and said she was overwhelmed by the honour.
""I didn't quite realise how emotional it was until I started speaking about it,"" she said. 
""My grandmother would've pretended not to be as thrilled as she was. But she would have been completely, completely thrilled.""
Born in 1917, Horne got her start in the chorus line of Harlem's famed Cotton Club when she was a teenager. She soon became a popular singer, and MGM signed her to star in its movie musicals in 1942.
She was not the first black woman to land a studio contract -  MGM had signed actress Nina Mae McKinney for five years in 1929 - but she was the first to make an impact.
In 1943, she played Selina Rogers in the all-black film musical Stormy Weather, and the title song became both a major hit and her signature tune.
However, she never became a fully-fledged film star. She later recalled that her appearances in all-star musicals like Two Girls And A Sailor and Ziegfeld Follies often amounted to a few minutes of screen time that could be easily cut when the movies played in America's southern states. 
When Horne's contract ended, she became a successful theatre star, recording artist and civil rights advocate, taking part in the historic March on Washington in 1963 where Martin Luther King delivered his ""I have a dream"" speech.
She won four Grammy Awards, including a lifetime achievement prize in 1989, while her 1957 live album, Lena Horne at the Waldorf-Astoria, was the best-selling record by a female singer in RCA Victor's history.
When actress Halle Berry became the first black woman to win a best actress Oscar in 2002, she cited Horne as a pioneer who had paved the way for her breakthrough.
However, Horne often downplayed the scale of her achievements.
""I was unique in that I was a kind of black that white people could accept,"" she once said.
""I was their daydream. I had the worst kind of acceptance because it was never for how great I was or what I contributed. It was because of the way I looked.""
wly-christened Lena Horne Theater was originally the Mansfield Theater. It was renamed in honour of the New York Times critic Justin Brooks Atkinson in 1960.
Horne's name was selected to fulfil a promise made by Broadway's three biggest landlords when black artists pressed for greater recognition in the wake of the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests.
In September, the Shubert Organisation renamed its Cort Theater in honour two-time Tony Award winner James Earl Jones.
""It means a lot. It's too heavy for me to try to define,"" said the actor, who has appeared in 21 Broadway shows, and is best-known as the voice of Darth Vader.
Jujamcyn Theaters already had a venue named for American playwright August Wilson, who died in 2005.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams welcomed the changes to what is known as The Great White Way - the Broadway district that houses 41 professional theatres.
""What we are saying is that The Great White Way must have some chocolate on it,"" he told reporters."	/news/entertainment-arts-63497428
sports	Fencing World Championships: Marcus Mepstead wins silver	"Great Britain's Marcus Mepstead won silver in the men's foil at the Fencing World Championship in Hungary.
Mepstead, 29, lost 15-6 to France's world number 10 Enzo Lefort in a one-sided final in Budapest.
Britain's world number 51 beat world number one and defending champion Alessio Foconi on his way to the final.
""I would have liked to have fenced better in the final to show off the sport a little more but I'm proud of what I have achieved,"" he said.
""The semi-final was really tough.  In fact everyone I fenced was really good so I think I've done really well.
""Since moving to coach Dan Kellner, based in New York, my preparation is a little better and my self-confidence has grown.""
Kellner added: ""I'm just so proud of Marcus.  The lead-up to this event wasn't the best. Marcus got sick, cut his hand and needed stitches and then had to miss his final training sessions.""
Richard Kruse won silver in the foil at the 2018 World Championships in China, Britain's first medal since Bill Hoskyns claimed epee silver in 1965.
Kruse, James Davis and Ben Peggs went out in the round of 64."	/sport/fencing/49059756
politics	PMQs: Fact-checking claims about asylum and migrants	"Delays in processing asylum claims and the cost of providing hotel accommodation for asylum-seekers were some of the issues debated at Prime Minister's Questions.
Labour leader Keir Starmer accused the prime minister of presiding over a ""broken"" asylum system, Rishi Sunak said Labour had ""no plan"" on how to deal with the thousands of migrants arriving in the UK in small boats. 
We've had a look at some of the claims. 
Keir Starmer asked the prime minister how many asylum claims from those who arrived in the UK on small boats last year had been processed.
Mr Sunak said: ""not enough is the answer"", but did not give a figure.
Mr Starmer went on to say that it was 4% of them, which is correct.
Speaking to the Home Affairs Committee last week, Home Office official Dan Hobbs said about small boat arrivals in 2021: ""96% of those claims remain outstanding"".
He added that of the 4% of claims which had been processed, around 85% were given asylum.
klog figures for the year to the end of June 2022, show 103,000 asylum applications awaiting a decision.
Keir Starmer said to the prime minister: ""His home secretary says the asylum system is broken - who broke it?""
Mr Sunak responded by talking about free movement.
""We gave the British people a referendum on Brexit, we delivered Brexit, we ended the free movement of people,"" he said.
But free movement and the asylum system are not the same thing.
Free movement is the European Union principle that all EU nationals are allowed to live and work in any EU country.
On 31 December 2020, this freedom ended for EU citizens coming to the UK (and for UK citizens going to the EU). 
um system is a set of rules around how people fleeing persecution can try to get protection in the UK.
Members of the government have been describing migrants arriving in small boats as illegal since the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 made it an offence to physically arrive on the shores of the UK without permission, although the legislation has not yet been tested in court.
We've heard the £5.6m figure before from Home Office official Abi Tierney, who appeared before a committee of MPs last week.
She said that the cost of hotel accommodation for asylum seekers was £5.6m a day, although that was the figure for all asylum seekers, not just for those who had arrived in small boats.
It's also not just for those who arrived this year and not all arrivals are being housed in hotels.
Ms Tierney said that on top of this figure, £1.2m per day is spent on hotel accommodation for people brought over from Afghanistan, bringing the bill to a total of £6.8m a day.
rime minister gave this figure for the increase in staff numbers when asked what the government was doing about speeding up the processing of asylum claims.
Ms Tierney told MPs last week that they had increased the number of asylum ""decision makers"" by 584 to 1,073, which would mean they had previously had only 489 of them. 
would be an increase of 119%, although neither she nor the prime minister gave a time period.
Reality Check asked the Home Office where the 80% figure came from and they confirmed that they had 597 staff in 2019-20, which had now increased to 1,073, which is indeed an 80% increase.
What claims do you want BBC Reality Check to investigate? Get in touch
Read more from Reality Check"	/news/63489695
politics	Watchdog apologises after MPs' Christmas expenses row	"Parliament's expenses watchdog has apologised for publishing advice that MPs could claim for the cost of an office Christmas party.
Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) faced a backlash from MPs after saying they could claim for festive get-togethers.
MPs on all sides rejected the guidance, with one calling it ""bonkers"" amid a cost of living crisis. 
Ipsa's chief executive Ian Todd said the body had ""got the messaging wrong"".
In a letter posted online, he added that some MPs had had to deal with ""phone calls, e-mails and in some cases abuse as a result of our guidance"".
Ipsa had initially defended its approach, saying after it was published that holding a ""modest gathering"" for MPs' staff was ""entirely appropriate"".
In his letter, Mr Todd said Ipsa had produced the guidance following requests for advice about applying the organisation's rulebook. 
He added that afterwards he was contacted by numerous MPs, who ""have made it clear to me that they have never made such claims in the past and have no intention of doing so in the future. I accept and respect that.""
""We got the messaging wrong by allowing the impression to form that this is what MPs were wanting to do, rather than our interpretation of the discretion available under the existing rules,"" he added.
""We are an independent body and we make our own decisions but occasionally, like everyone, we make mistakes.""
""In issuing it we also failed to recognise the public mood at a time of severe economic and financial pressures. I am sorry for that.""
In an update from Ipsa last week, MPs were told they could claim for ""festive office events"" for staff - as long as they were parliamentary in nature, not party political and represented value for money.
MPs were told they could claim for food, decorations and drinks - but not alcohol. 
was roundly criticised by MPs across the political spectrum.
Labour MPs were told it would ""clearly be inappropriate"" for them to claim at a time of rising living costs. Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Wendy Chamberlain also said none of her party's MPs would be claiming, calling the advice ""tone deaf"" amid the cost living crisis.
Conservative Former Brexit secretary David Davis called the rules ""bonkers"" and said Ipsa had ""missed the mood of the age"".
A spokesman for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he wouldn't be claiming for a party, and that MPs would have to ""justify all spending to their constituents""."	/news/uk-politics-63750920
sports	European Shooting Championships: Lucy Hall secures silver and GB Olympic quota place	"Teenager Lucy Hall secured a Paris 2024 Olympic quota place for Great Britain after taking silver at the European Shooting Championships.
18-year-old was second in the women's trap event in Larnaca, Cyprus behind Italy's Silvana Stanco with the top two nations earning Olympic spots.
re was also a bronze for Nathan Hales in the men's trap.
Hales had earlier beaten team-mate Matthew Coward-Holley, the Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist.
Hall started her final superbly, missing just one of her first 15 shots to guarantee a medal, before three misses in the next 10 saw her drop to second behind Stanco but she recovered to hold on to silver.
""I'm so happy to get the spot for GB and obviously the silver at the Europeans. I'm over the moon,"" she said.
""I had a good first 15 and then 10 that were OK and then the last 10 that was really good. But I'm just so happy for the silver medal and the quota place."""	/sport/shooting/62705129
business	Scratch card sales fall as cost of living rises	"People are buying fewer scratch cards than before the pandemic as living costs soar, the boss of Camelot has said.
Nigel Railton, chief executive of the outgoing UK National Lottery operator, said there had been a ""slight bubble"" around scratch cards during the pandemic which has now ""reversed"".
It came as Camelot revealed annual sales dropped by £283.2m to £8.1bn.
firm said it was seeing signs that players had ""tightened their belts"".
Camelot, which has run the National Lottery since it was launched, recently started legal action against the Gambling Commission after losing out on the next licence.
Rival Allwyn was selected as the preferred applicant for the lottery's next licence, which starts in 2024.
Camelot said its sales decline for the year ending 31 March was primarily driven by a £240m fall in sales of National Lottery Instants.
It blamed this on the lifting of lockdown restrictions, which it said led to ""greater competition for people's attention and spend"", as well as ""growing economic uncertainty"".
f living crisis had slowed down the retail recovery as ""consumers tightened their belts"", Camelot said.
Mr Railton told the BBC's Today programme the company had seen a shift in consumer behaviour following the pandemic.
""There was a slight bubble around scratch cards and games in retail during Covid and that reversed, and also because we have 44,000 retailers, we saw a change in people's buying behaviour,"" he said.
""So scratch cards decreased by a couple of 100 million [pounds] in the year.""
He said sales of scratch cards are now ""well below"" pre-pandemic levels.
Lazaros Gonidis, a psychology lecturer at the University of Kent, said there could be a range of factors driving the fall in scratch card sales.
""We do see that in an economic downturn, people have less spare cash and so they think twice about picking up scratch cards,"" he told the BBC.
""But it's also true that other people might turn to gambling in the hope of improving their personal financial situation. It could be that they're doing this more online, rather than buying scratch cards in stores,"" he added.
""It's a complex picture.""
In March, the Gambling Commission announced Allwyn Entertainment Ltd as its preferred applicant for the National Lottery's next licence.
xt month, Camelot said it was taking legal action to challenge the decision.
Mr Railton told the BBC he believed the regulator had ""got the decision badly wrong"".
But the Gambling Commission said it had run a ""fair and robust"" competition.
National Lottery is one of the world's largest lotteries and has raised more than £45bn for 660,000 causes across the UK.
It has also played a part in funding training and facilities over the past three decades for Great Britain's Olympic and Paralympic athletes.
While not being picked as the preferred applicant for the next licence, Camelot was named as the ""reserve applicant""."	/news/business-61964399
technology	Life after one week with robots in Leeds	"Robots that deliver food from a nearby supermarket have been deployed in areas around Leeds as part of a trial.
BBC reporter Jacob Tomlinson went to Adel in West Yorkshire to see what the community thought of the robots one week after being introduced.
One resident said: ""They're the cutest things I've seen"" whilst another said they have been ""causing chaos"".
robots navigate themselves and are programmed to stop for traffic and people."	/news/uk-england-leeds-63894677
sports	Thaw averted at the only ice rink in the Borders	"Curlers at the only ice rink in the Borders can now be assured of a solid surface after accepting a grant for new ice-making machinery.
Borders Ice Rink in Kelso plays host to almost 400 curlers, as well as dozens of skaters.
But refrigeration breakdowns often led to unplanned closures and cancellations as the ice started to melt.
week a cheque for £75,000 was handed over by the Fallago Environment Fund.
Andrew Wemyss, chair of the Borders Ice Rink, said: ""The plant machinery we have just now is outdated, unreliable, and very difficult to find parts for.
""This curling season was delayed by two weeks because of the latest breakdown.
""This amazing grant will allow us to have good, reliable plant machinery that will keep the ice how we want it, and also be more efficient and lead to lower bills.""
Borders Ice Rink first opened in 1964, and has produced several international players, including 2007 senior world champions Keith Prentice and Tommy Fleming, world junior silver medallist Cameron Bryce, and world junior gold medallist from last year, Angus Bryce.
-making refrigeration units at Kelso date back to the the mid-1980s.
David Melrose from Duns, who was part of the GB team that claimed silver at the 2019 world wheelchair curling championships, is delighted that the system is to be replaced.
He said: ""If the rink wasn't here I would have to travel to Stirling or Edinburgh for training facilities.
""It's a very well used rink and it is important that we have a reliable ice-making plant.""
A total of 24 curling clubs use the Borders Ice Rink for practice and tournaments.
Gareth Baird, chair of the Fallago Environment Fund, handed over the cheque this week.
He said: ""We're delighted that these windfarm-generated funds are helping to ensure a sustainable future for curling and skating in the Scottish Borders.""
w equipment is currently being purchased with installation scheduled for early in the new year."	/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-63642566
politics	Has court ruling boosted support for independence?	"A shift of opinion registered in one poll should always be regarded with caution. 
But when a number of polls all record much the same shift, it is highly likely that something has changed.
Before the Supreme Court pronounced on 23 November that the Scottish Parliament could not legislate for a referendum on independence without the agreement of the UK parliament, most polls of how people would vote in another independence referendum put No narrowly ahead. 
Five polls conducted in September and October on average put No on 51% (once those saying Don't Know were excluded) while Yes were credited with 49%.
However, four polls conducted since the Supreme Court judgement have all put Yes ahead - on average by 54% to 46%. 
Support for independence has not been consistently that high in the polls since the beginning of 2021, when Scotland was still in the midst of the Covid-19 lockdown.
f the Supreme Court was widely welcomed by those who would like Scotland to remain part of the UK. 
However, in the short run at least, it appears to have undermined popular support for the Union somewhat.
Underneath the overall figures there is a big age difference. 
On average, in the latest polls nearly three-quarters (72%) of those aged 16 to 24 say they would vote Yes, whereas only two in five (40%) of those who are 65 or older want Scotland to leave the UK.
In contrast, there is majority support for independence among both men (53%) and women (54%) - a big difference from the position in 2014 when men were markedly more likely than women to vote Yes. 
question of whether there should be another referendum is, of course, highly controversial. 
However, for the most part those who want Scotland to become independent support the idea, while those who wish to remain in the UK are opposed.
For example, when Redfield & Wilton asked whether there should a referendum in the next year, 90% of supporters said there should, while 91% of No supporters felt there should not.
However, most polling suggests that some Yes supporters would prefer to delay any referendum to beyond next year.
For example, Ipsos found that while two-thirds of Yes supporters would prefer a referendum next year, a quarter would want to leave it until some point between 2024 and 2026. 
Even so, their views are still very different from those of No supporters, just 6% of whom want a referendum at some point between now and the next Holyrood election in 2026.
YouGov also find that Yes supporters are keener on a referendum being held at some point in the next five years than they are on having one next year - but that most Unionist supporters are not keen on either prospect.
But why might the Supreme Court decision have persuaded some voters to switch to Yes?
One possible clue comes from YouGov's poll, which found that 51% of all voters believe that the Scottish Parliament should have the power to call a referendum without the agreement of the UK government, while only 39% took the opposite view. 
Perhaps crucially, nearly a quarter (23%) of those who voted No in 2014 believe that the Scottish Parliament should be able to hold a referendum.
uggests the Supreme Court's decision may have jarred with some voters.
However, the same YouGov poll also suggests voters have their doubts about Nicola Sturgeon's proposal in the wake of the Supreme Court decision that a majority vote for pro-independence parties at the next UK election should be regarded as a mandate for independence.
Only 39% support this idea, while 52% are opposed - including nearly one in four (23%) of those who voted for the SNP at the last UK election in 2019.
In truth, the latest polls provide plenty of food for thought for both sides in Scotland's continuing constitutional debate."	/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-63960289
business	Eight million Australians urged to turn off lights	"Australia's energy minister has urged households in New South Wales - a state that includes the country's biggest city Sydney - to switch off their lights in the face of an energy crisis.
Chris Bowen says people should not use electricity for two hours every evening if they ""have a choice"".
However, he added he was ""confident"" that blackouts could be avoided.
It comes after Australia's main wholesale electricity market was suspended because of a surge in prices.
Mr Bowen asked people living in New South Wales to conserve as much power as possible.
""If you have a choice about when to run certain items, don't run them from 6 to 8 [in the evening],"" he said during a televised media conference in Canberra.
Australia is one of the world's biggest exporters of coal and liquefied natural gas but has been struggling with a power crisis since last month. Three quarters of the country's electricity is still generated using coal. It has long been accused of not doing enough to cut its emissions by investing in renewables. 
In recent weeks, Australia has felt the impact of disruptions to coal supplies, outages at several coal-fired power plants and soaring global energy prices. 
Flooding earlier this year hit some coal mines in New South Wales and Queensland, while technical issues have cut production at two mines that supply the market's biggest coal-fired station in New South Wales.
Around a quarter of Australia's coal-fired electricity generating capacity is currently out of service due to unexpected outages and scheduled maintenance.
Some electricity producers have seen their costs soar as global coal and gas prices have jumped due to sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, demand for energy has jumped amid a cold snap and as Australia's economy opens up after Covid-19 restrictions were eased.
All of this has helped drive up power prices on the wholesale market to above the A$300 (£173; $210) per megawatt hour price cap set by the market's regulator, the Australian Energy Market Operator (Aemo).
However, that cap was below the cost of production for several generators, who decided to withhold capacity.
On Wednesday, Aemo took the unprecedented step of suspending the market and said it would set prices directly and compensate generators for the shortfall.
It also asked consumers in New South Wales to ""temporarily reduce their energy usage"".
Aemo has not given a timeline on when the suspension would be lifted. It said in a statement, ""The price cap will remain until cumulative wholesale electricity prices fall below the cumulative price threshold.""
""Aemo, as the national power system operator, will continue to monitor the situation and provide further updates should conditions change,"" it added.
On Thursday, Australia's biggest electricity producer AGL Energy said it expected to be able to supply more power to businesses and consumers in the coming days.
It has three units that have been out of service at its coal-fired plant in Bayswater, New South Wales.
re among several planned and unplanned outages that have helped cause the power crisis.
AGL said that one of the units should return to service on Thursday, while another will come back online by Saturday.
Meanwhile, Australia's new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the crisis would be raised at a meeting with state premiers which starts on Thursday.
Lynne Chester, an energy expert from the University of Sydney, told the BBC that policymakers have been aware of the risks of ageing generators for decades.
""The sector's regulators and policy makers have ignored the escalating capacity constraints of aging generation assets, fired by fossil fuels, that dominate the sector,"" Prof Chester said.
You may also be interested in:
Why are UK energy prices so high?"	/news/business-61821423
health	Flu nasal spray vaccine for children may reduce strep A risk	"A nasal spray vaccine that protects children against flu may also help protect against strep A infections, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says.
It found that rates of strep A were lower in areas where the vaccine was offered to all primary-age children when it was first being used.
Everyone eligible for a flu vaccine is urged to get one after a sharp rise in hospital admission levels last week. 
Children under five and the over-85s are the most vulnerable age groups.
re are unusually high rates of Group A strep infections in the UK at present, including scarlet fever and strep throat. Most are mild and easily treated, often with antibiotics, but occasionally the infection causes serious problems when it becomes invasive.
re have been 18 confirmed deaths of children in the UK with this form of the infection since September - the highest since the winter of 2017-18.
UKHSA study of data from 2013-17, which is not yet peer-reviewed, found that rates of strep infections were lower in areas where the flu vaccine was piloted - 73.5 per 100,000 children aged two to four years old - compared to areas where it was not offered as widely - 93 per 100,000 children.
re was no difference in the number of children reported to have scarlet fever or invasive group A strep (iGAS), however, the analysis said.
Parents of any primary school age children who have missed out on the nasal spray flu vaccine can still get it by contacting their GP surgery, school or local vaccination clinic.
free on the NHS for:
winter, the vaccine is also being offered to the youngest secondary school aged children in December and January.
""Children who catch influenza are at greater risk from subsequent infections, including group A strep, so these findings provide yet more reasons for parents of eligible children to bring them forward for the flu vaccine,"" Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal, from UKHSA, said. 
Hospital admission rates for flu have risen sharply in the past week and have now overtaken admissions for Covid-19 in England, latest figures show.
When compared to the actual number of people in hospital with Covid, the number of patients with flu is relatively small - still below 2,000. But it is the speed of increase that is being watched carefully - up by two-thirds in a week. 
under-fives and over-85s are most likely to become ill with flu, but vaccine take-up is low in young children (less than 40%).
As people mix more indoors than in previous years, winter viruses are rising, including flu and Covid, with health officials warning they are expected to continue going up.
Flu, particularly, is putting more people in hospital in England than at any point since the winter of 2017-18, when there was a large wave.
Admission rates have doubled in the over-85s and children under five years old in the past week, says the UK Health Security Agency's (UKHSA) latest weekly winter briefing - increasing to 6.8 per 100,000 people overall. 
While most older adults are getting jabbed against flu, fewer than a third of pregnant women and fewer than half of the extremely vulnerable under-65s have had a flu vaccine.
""The flu vaccine offers the best protection against severe illness and it's not too late for everyone eligible to get it,"" said Dr Conall Watson, consultant epidemiologist at the UKHSA.
Covid is also beginning to increase again, infecting one in 50 people.
Serious illness from Covid is affecting the oldest age groups the most, and they are the ones most likely to end up in hospital.
UKHSA said anyone who is over 50 or has an underlying condition that makes them high risk should come forward to get their booster jab.
mates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggest 1.3 million people tested positive for coronavirus in the week to 5 December - up from 1.1 million the week before.
Infection levels are now similar to where they were at the end of September.
Covid rates by nation, according to the ONS, are:
figures are based on random tests of thousands of people in households across the UK, whether or not they have symptoms.
was collected by the ONS for the week ending 5 December 2022 for England, Wales and Scotland, and the week ending 3 December 2022 for Northern Ireland."	/news/health-64002174
politics	Penny Mordaunt moves first in race to replace Liz Truss	"Penny Mordaunt has become the first Conservative MP to say they will run to replace Liz Truss as prime minister.
Commons leader said she was standing to ""unite our country"" and win the next general election.
Rishi Sunak is yet to confirm he is standing, but he has already amassed 87 of the 100 endorsements from MPs he would need to take part. 
Boris Johnson has not ruled out a comeback, months after being forced out of No 10 after a Tory revolt.
former prime minister - who is currently out of the country - has 44 MPs backing him. Ms Mordaunt currently trails both Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak, with only 21 public supporters.
International Trade Minister James Duddridge, a former parliamentary aide to Mr Johnson, has told the BBC: ""Boris is coming, and he has the momentum and support. He is coming home and is up for it.  
""He is the only election winner we have that has a proven track record in London, on Brexit, and in gaining the mandate we have now.""  
Ms Mordaunt is currently Commons leader and was briefly defence secretary under Theresa May.
49-year-old Portsmouth North MP backed Brexit and has worked hard to build up her profile with party activists, but did not get enough support from MPs to reach the members' ballot last time.
ry party bosses have decided contenders will need 100 nominations from fellow Conservative MPs, a much higher threshold than normal, meaning no more than three MPs will be able to stand.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has ruled himself out of the contest, adding he is ""leaning towards"" backing Boris Johnson.
He told reporters Mr Johnson had a ""mandate"" from the 2019 general election and ""could win the next election"".
Mr Sunak has won a high-level endorsement of his own, with former chancellor and home secretary Sajid Javid backing his leadership bid.
ry MP Angela Richardson said on Friday she had signed Mr Sunak's ""nomination papers for Conservative Party leader"". 
Ms Richardson, who has already declared her support for Mr Sunak, described this as a ""positive end to an extraordinary week in Westminster"". 
Earlier this week, the leader of the Commons Penny Mordaunt told MPs the prime minister was not ""under her desk"" hiding when she stood in for Ms Truss at the despatch box. 
It sounded more mischievous than helpful and Ms Mordaunt's own ambition to sit behind the No 10 desk has never been in doubt. 
She is hoping for early momentum by breaking cover first. Rishi Sunak currently has the most publicly declared support among Tory MPs and the former chancellor is expected to announce he's running soon.
will both pitch themselves as unifying candidates. 
With the threshold for nominations set so high, a maximum of three candidates can reach the first ballot on Monday. 
g question heading into the weekend is whether Boris Johnson attempts to boomerang back into Downing Street. 
former prime minister has already got a couple of Cabinet endorsements but other Tory MPs are horrified at the idea of Mr Johnson making a comeback. 
It's a prospect that splits Conservative MPs between delight and despair. The chance of a backroom deal and simple coronation seems to be receding as the rival campaigns fire up.
If Mr Johnson did make a comeback it would be unprecedented in modern British political history, coming three months after he was forced out by his own MPs following a string of scandals.
ry MP Jesse Norman, one of scores of ministers to quit his government over the summer, said bringing him back would be an ""absolutely catastrophic decision"".
And former Conservative leader Lord Hague told Times Radio it ""would be going round in circles"" and ""could become a death spiral"" for the party. 
""I think it's possibly the worst idea I've heard of in the 46 years I've been a member of the Conservative Party,"" he said.
Polling suggests he remains popular with Tory members, but another tilt at the leadership could prove divisive among Tory MPs, some of whom have said they would quit politics if he came back.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has ruled himself out of the race, along with Security Minister Tom Tugendhat and former cabinet minister Michael Gove.
Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman and International Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch are thought to be considering bids.
Contenders have until 14:00 BST on Monday to find 100 backers. If three reach the threshold, Conservative MPs will knock out one contender in a ballot on the same day.
MPs will hold an ""indicative"" ballot of the final two, with the winner then decided in an online vote of party members, to finish next Friday."	/news/uk-politics-63348370
entertainment	Hampshire artist talks about life with Parkinson's disease	"An antiques dealer who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease a decade ago says that his art helps him to ""be still"".
Ian Parmiter, from Portsmouth, has learnt to see the positives in his condition.  
He has filled his home with an enormous range of antiquities and objects that inspire him - and turned to painting and building sculptures, with considerable success. 
His work is now on display at an art gallery in the city.
Video journalist: James Ingham
Follow BBC South on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to south.newsonline@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-hampshire-63315586
politics	What we just learned about China's economy	"Chinese Communist Party's congress concluded on Sunday with the set-piece confirmation of Xi Jinping's historic third five-year term in charge.
ght was also on the man named as his new second-in-command, Li Qiang.
A loyalist to Mr Xi, he is now on track to become Premier and tasked with managing the world's second largest economy.
Meanwhile, on Monday, China released a set of economic figures which had been postponed from the previous week.
China's economy faces a number of challenges at home and abroad - including Beijing's zero-Covid policies and the trade conflict with the US.
What have we learned about the state of the country's economy over the last week?
On Monday, stocks in Hong Kong slumped and China's currency, the yuan, weakened against the US dollar over heightened concerns that Mr Xi will continue with his ideology-driven policies at the cost of economic growth.
mark Hang Seng index fell by more than 6% as Hong Kong-listed shares in Chinese technology giants Alibaba and Tencent plunged. In mainland China, the Shanghai Composite index closed 2% lower.
Meanwhile, official figures showed that China's economy grew 3.9% in the July to September quarter from the same time last year, beating estimates.
It marked a strong bounce back from the 0.4% growth seen for the previous three months, when Shanghai was in lockdown.
release of the figures was postponed during the congress, with no reason given for the delay. That caused some China watchers to suggest that they may point to weakness in the economy.
""The 20th Party Congress did not reveal any new directions in economic policy. Whether the overall economic approach will deliver the type of growth that China desires remains to be seen,"" Bert Hofman from the National University of Singapore's East Asian Institute told the BBC.
However, while the latest growth figures may seem high compared to most Western economies, they are far below the rate of expansion China has seen for decades and still some way off the 5.5% 2022 target set in March.
Since then, the Politburo - the ruling Chinese Communist Party's top policy-making body - has signalled that it may miss that target, after major cities were put into full or partial lockdowns.
Some observers say Mr Xi's picks for the Politburo Standing Committee - China's equivalent of a presidential cabinet - showed that he prizes loyalty over expertise and experience.
His choice for the new second-in-command of the party was Li Qiang.
He is expected to become China's Premier next year and take on the role of managing China's economy, even though he does not have any working experience in the central government. 
Li Qiang is also just five years away from the customary retirement age of top Chinese leaders.
However, he has been closely involved in managing the local economies of Zhejiang province and Shanghai and played a key role in the set-up of a massive Tesla factory in Shanghai.
""Keeping that in mind, Li Qiang would actually be a perfect candidate for the job. He is also a strong supporter of President Xi, that means the decision making process will probably be way more efficient than before, given that those decisions are the correct ones,"" Dan Wang, chief economist at Hang Seng Bank China said.
Nick Marro from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) said ""the dilution of that previously balanced relationship between the Premier and the president will continue under Xi's third term. But the erosion of these internal checks-and-balances will worsen the risks and consequences of policy drift.""
Premier is second-in-command of China's ruling Communist party. They play a major role in managing the economy by co-ordinating the work of government ministries and the central bank.
Li Qiang's predecessor, Li Keqiang - who is viewed to be a more moderate voice, has been in the position for close to a decade and is now expected to retire after his current term expires next March.
Before the congress, there were hopes that China could ease its strict zero-Covid policy, which has hampered economic growth.
A day before the event got under way, Communist Party spokesman Sun Yeli expressed support for the policy and said ""We firmly believe that the light is ahead and perseverance is victory.""
ments were echoed by Mr Xi in his opening speech. He said Beijing had launched a ""people's war to stop the spread of the virus"" and ""protected the people's health and safety to the greatest extent possible"".
Yun Sun, senior fellow at the Stimson Center think tank in Washington DC, thinks China will soon begin the ""incremental process"" of dropping zero-Covid.
""It is well known that China is planning to reopen, and it will stimulate the growth of trade. China is trying to juggle a middle ground between control and growth. It is not either or,"" she told the BBC. 
Meanwhile, Dan Wang from Hang Seng Bank believes ""There is a general consensus that this policy will stay for the long haul.""
""For the Chinese government, there is pretty much no tolerance to see a higher-than-zero death rate that is directly caused by Covid,"" she said. 
re have also been growing concerns that China would move to close itself off from the global economy.
One of largest hurdles China faces is its ""fraying relations"" with the US, Mr Marro from the EIU said.
""The recent US export controls pose an existential crisis not only to China's technology ambitions, but also parts of its domestic tech sector. It will be hard for China to surmount these challenges, given that many of these tie to... fundamental differences around human rights and democratic values,"" he added.
""Clearly with the challenges ahead, the economic management team for Xi's next term needs to be highly competent and experienced in economic management and reforms,"" Mr Hofman said.
However, speaking on Sunday, Mr Xi said his country was committed to remain open to international trade.
""China cannot develop without the world, and the world also needs China"". 
""After more than 40 years of unflagging efforts towards reform and opening up, we have created two miracles - rapid economic development and long-term social stability,"" he added.
Watch the moment Xi Jinping leads out his new Politburo Standing Committee"	/news/business-63296229
health	Royal United Hospitals Bath declares critical incident	"Royal United Hospitals (RUH) in Bath has declared a critical incident.
rust said that ""like all hospitals across the country, the RUH is extremely busy at the moment"".
However it added that ""people should still come forward for urgent care and support if they need it"".
It follows the declaration of a critical incident by the South Western Ambulance Service, which said there was a surge in demand over the Christmas period.
A RUH spokesperson said: ""On Thursday 29 December we declared a critical incident to reflect the pressure we are under. 
""This enables us to work in different ways and access more support from our partners so we can continue to care for our patients. 
""Our local community can support us at this busy time by choosing the most appropriate service for their needs. 
""This will help ensure people who need urgent care can be seen as quickly as possible.""
Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: bristol@bbc.co.uk "	/news/uk-england-somerset-64120824
health	Naked volunteers pose for Bondi Beach artwork	"Some 2,500 naked volunteers have posed in the early morning light on Sydney's Bondi Beach for an artwork designed to raise awareness of skin cancer.
American photographer Spencer Tunick's latest project, aimed at encouraging Australians to get regular skin checks.
Legislation was changed to allow public nudity on the beach for the first time.
Australia is the country in the world worst affected by skin cancer, the World Cancer Research Fund says."	/news/world-australia-63767282
technology	How India is building a pearl farming industry	"In 2016 Narendra Garwa was facing a desperate financial situation. His small book store in the village of Renwal, Rajasthan, was running at a loss.
With a family to support and little education, he searched the internet for other money-making ideas. He had some success growing vegetables in plastic bottles, but then came across a potentially more profitable crop - pearls.
""Rajasthan is a dry area with water issues. It was a challenge to think of growing pearls with limited water but I decided to try,"" he says.
Pearls are formed when a mollusc reacts to an irritant in its protective membrane. The mollusc deposits layers of aragonite and conchiolin, which together form nacre, also know as mother-of-pearl.
In the wild, pearl formation is rare so most pearls sold these days are from farmed molluscs, usually oysters or freshwater mussels. 
ur the mollusc to form a pearl, an irritant is artificially introduced into the creature. However, it is a delicate process and the mussels or oysters must be carefully handled, as Mr Garwa found.
""My first attempt was a disaster,"" he admits. Of the 500 mussels he purchased, only 35 survived. 
Mr Garwa had travelled to Kerala to buy the mussels - a journey of 1,700 miles involving a 36-hour train journey. He also used his savings and borrowed money to come up with the 16,000 rupees (£170; $200) needed to buy the molluscs.
In addition, Mr Garwa had dug a 10ft by 10ft pond in his back garden to keep the creatures in.
Despite the setback, he did not give up. Instead, he took a five-day course in pearl farming.
""Growing an oyster is like bringing up a baby,"" he says.
""Monitoring the the water throughout the growth period is crucial to achieving high quality and volume of produce.""
Now he has a 40ft by 50ft pond, which he treats with multivitamins and alum which maintains the correct pH level required for growth. 
urvival rate of his mussels has risen from 30% to more than 70% since becoming more familiar with the process. Mr Garwa expects to produce around 3,000 pearls this year, which he can sell for between 400 and 900 rupees (£4-£10; $5-$11).
Indian government has been encouraging pearl fishing as part of its Blue Revolution, a plan to modernise the nation's fishing industry.
Under the scheme the government pays for half the cost of setting up a pond for pearl fishing, and so far the Department for Fisheries has given financial support to 232 pearl farming ponds.
""Pearl farming is one of the most lucrative aquaculture businesses and the government is encouraging farmers to take up this farming,"" says Jujjavarapu Balaji, Joint Secretary of Marine Fisheries.
Not everyone is impressed with this wave of pearl farming activity. Critics include Gunjan Shah, who is the fifth generation of his family to be in the pearl trading business.
""The culture of pearl farming has increased in India but I think the pearls grown in every nook and corner are not of very good quality"" says the owner of Babla Enterprises, based in Mumbai.
More technology of business:
He says India is producing too many of the wrong kind of pearls.
""What India needs at present is people who can grow sea water pearls if we want to compete with China. Indian oysters are small but China has hybrid oysters which produce large pearls.
""Cultured South Sea pearls are the most valuable type of cultured pearl on the market today. These pearls come in a gorgeous variety of sizes, shapes and colours. A strand of South Sea pearls can be as expensive as $10,000 (£8,500) or more. They are very rarely produced in India.""
He says the government should be looking to develop this part of the industry.
In its defence, the government says it will take time to build up a competitive pearl farming sector.
""Pearl family is specialised farming, so this sector will take time to grow. The plan is to see the increase in the next three years,"" says Mr Balaji, from the Department for Fisheries.
""Once we are able to grow enough pearls for local consumption then we can focus on exports,"" he adds.
As for Mr Garwa, as well as farming pearls, he also offers courses for those who want to learn how to do it.
Reena Choudary, 28, was one of his students, and just like her tutor her first effort last year was a failure.
""I lost all the oysters - none of them were able to produce,"" she says.
But this year, she expects to produce around 1,000 pearls. 
Starting an independent business was a big leap for her, particularly as women in her region are often expected to look after the home rather than work. 
""For people like us this smells like freedom,"" she says. ""We have learnt how we can be independent, help towards contributing to the family and have a say in family matters."""	/news/business-62204515
business	Aberdeen Chinese takeaway hit with £10k gas bill	"A Chinese takeaway in Aberdeen has been hit with a £10,000 gas bill - 10 times more than what they would usually owe.
Owner Martin Tang's quarterly gas bill for Royal Crown usually amounts to about £1,000.
His electricity bill is normally a similar price, but this quarter it totalled more than £4,000.
Energy supplier SSE has contacted Mr Tang to try and work towards a solution, as he fears the business could close as a result.
Mr Tang said the price hike could leave staff jobless and claims the business is losing money whenever they cook.
keaway has been serving Aberdeen locals since the 1980s.
Mr Tang has been involved in the business as a manager and then owner for 18 years.
He told BBC Scotland he will not be able to pay what his energy supplier is charging.
He said: ""It's always around a thousand or slightly above a thousand.
""But this one I recently received on Saturday was like a bombshell, on top of the new electric bill I received last week which was £4,000.
""As a small business, there is no way I can find that extra £12k to cover this quarter.
""I already have high blood pressure, this actually shocked me to my core.""
keaway only opens five nights a week and Mr Tang said he will open this week just to use up fresh stock and then say goodbye to his customers.
He said: ""Every time I turn on a burner to cook something, I'm losing money. 
""This is enough to kill off my business.
""There's nothing I can do. 
""Imagine me telling a customer their chicken curry is now going to be £28.
""There's just no way around it.""
Royal Crown employs three full-time and two part-time members of staff who face unemployment if the takeaway is forced to close.
Mr Tang said: ""That's the saddest thing I feel, because I've been in the catering business for a long time, my family's been in this business for a long time. 
""We tried to build up a good business and now it's in my hands. 
""I'm basically looking at an impossible task.""
Mr Tang also said his regulars have been coming in less as people are unsure what they can afford to spend due to their own rising household bills.
He said: ""I received an email listing different kind of contracts and it still adds about £45,000 to £50,000 a year onto the electric and gas combined together. 
""As a small business, I am not able to find that kind of money.""
An SSE spokeswoman said: ""As a responsible business, SSE Energy Solutions is committed to engaging with all customer queries. 
""Our customer services team are working closely with the customer towards what we hope will be a satisfactory resolution.""
After publication, SSE told BBC Scotland Mr Tang had been offered a reduced contract rate of approximately £6,000 per quarter. 
SSE blamed the inflated amount on variable rates which are applied automatically when a customer's contract expires.
However Mr Tang said this was still too expensive and triple his usual amount of about £2,000 per quarter.
How are you dealing with the rising cost of living? You can let us know your tips and hacks for saving money on things like energy, food and transport. You can also send us any cost of living questions you want us to help answer.
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If you are reading this page on the BBC News app, you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question on this topic. "	/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-62466518
technology	How rangers are using AI to help protect India's tigers	"For 22 years vet, Akhilesh Mishra has been treating animals at Pench National Park in Madhya Pradesh state in India.
He does not hesitate to name the tiger as his favourite animal. ""They are so magnificent and beautiful. I just need to feel their soft skin to feel relaxed"" he says. ""!When I treat an injured tiger and then they are able to go back to forest, it is an out of this world experience.""
A tiger's life is not easy, he says, particularly for the females: ""For me the tigress is much stronger than the male tiger. She fights so fearlessly for her cubs.  She is a goddess - ready to take on a huge tiger who tries to harm her cubs.""
gers he treats have mostly been injured while hunting, or protecting their cubs. But he has also treated tigers that have been poisoned by poachers - who put toxins in pools where they are known to drink.
""My heart cries when I see for no fault theirs, they are killed for their skin, nails and teeth,"" he says.
Protecting India's tigers is an enormous job: most of the tiger population, which in 2018 stood at almost 3,000, live in one of the 51 tiger reserves, covering almost 74,000 square kilometres.
Just estimating the total tiger population is a daunting task.
rry out its most recent survey, India's National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) deployed camera traps in 26,838 locations, taking 34,858,623 images of wildlife.
On top of that, researchers covered hundreds of thousands of kilometres on foot, looking for signs of tigers and their prey.
wade through all that data the NTCA used artificial intelligence (AI), which had been trained to recognise different animals.
In the 2018 survey, AI helped by identifying which animals were pictured by the camera traps - a task which would have been very laborious for humans.
Now the NTCA hopes to take the use of AI to another level. A new system is being developed which can give rangers the best routes for patrolling the vast areas under their watch.
It does that by analysing data about the tiger population, how it moves, and the local topography.
""Artificial intelligence will help rangers in detecting wildlife crimes,"" predicts Mohmad Sajid Sultan, assistant inspector general, at the NTCA.
While more technology is good to have, those working in conservation say it can't replace boots on the ground.
More technology of business:
ger conservation has been successful in protected parks, but tigers outside there areas remain ""extremely vulnerable"", according to environmentalist Debi Goenka.
""Unless we are able to expand our protected area network and our wildlife corridors, the tiger population is not likely to increase,"" he says.
Mr Goenka says that more human patrols are needed that are better equipped.
""What is really needed is more field patrolling and better use of technology for monitoring and protection. The use of drones, camera traps, real-time tracking of poachers, and use of metal detectors for locating snares and traps needs to be increased and intensified,"" he adds.
reful monitoring is more crucial than ever, as tigers and humans come into closer proximity.
Sunil Limaye, is the chief forest conservator for Tadaoba National Park in Maharashtra. He says that tiger numbers in his state have increased from 312 to 400 over the last four years.
But as the tiger population has grown, so has its contact with humans, particularly as the local population is encroaching on the forests where tigers live and hunt.
""Predation of livestock and attacks on human beings has led to a negative perception about tigers,"" he says.
gers are particularly vulnerable when they move from one forested area to another, says Mr Limaye. He hopes that AI can come in to play here and help predict the movement of tigers at the forest periphery.
But human rangers will still be needed. ""It is still not possible for AI to replace human intelligence,"" says Mr Limaye.
Jerryl Banait, chairman of AVI Foundation, points out that poachers have also become more sophisticated. They map the patrol routes of rangers, avoid regular trails and know where cameras are located. 
His organisation has developed an artificial intelligence which can use the data collected by cameras and rangers, but in addition uses data gathered from satellites and information collected from the local population.
He hopes that forest departments across India will use this more sophisticated hybrid technology to better protect wildlife, particularly animals that are outside National Parks and wildlife sanctuaries in the future.
""With the limited territories available for the wild animals, it is of paramount importance that there is no human interference in the already shrunk wildlife habitats,"" he says.
Back at Pench National Park, Akhilesh Mishra hopes conservation work can prevent tragedies like the death of one well-known tiger - Baghin nala tigress.
12-year-old animal was found dead in March 2016 in the Pench Tiger Reserve, after being poisoned along with two of her cubs.
Mr Mishra managed to rescue a third cub, which has thrived in the reserve and now has cubs of its own: ""It was a sight of joy when we brought her up in captivity, developing her hunting skills to survive in the harsh forest."""	/news/business-61824904
business	Gloucestershire firms raising prices due to inflation	"Food and drink businesses say they have to increase prices due to the cost of living crisis.
Greg Pilley, founder of the Stroud Brewery & Taproom in Gloucestershire, said his business is facing a 10% rise in costs.
means a price increase of ""between 25 and 30 to 40p per pint"".
Other businesses in the county say they are having to reluctantly pass on rising costs to their customers in the form of higher prices.
UK is seeing its highest inflation in 41 years, with energy bills and the cost of food and drink the main drivers.
Milk prices were one of the biggest risers in latest food inflation figures, but producers say this does not always benefit them.
Richard Cornock, a Gloucestershire dairy farmer, said the price he gets for milk is determined by his major buyer. 
At the same time, he says he is having to absorb higher diesel and fertiliser prices.
""I can't go to [my milk buyer] and say I need another 5p a litre because they'll just go, ""well, we haven't budgeted for that"","" he said.
Neville Morse, who owns Jane's Pantry café in Gloucester, said they have had to put prices up twice this year - instead of just once in April, like they usually would.
""Our energy costs have doubled in this one shop alone, from £4,500 a month to £9,000,"" said Mr Morse.
""Across our 11 shops and the factory, we have to find an extra £400,000 in total this year. We don't want to raise prices for our customers but we have no choice.""
One item on the bakery shelf illustrates that rise in food prices: last year, the rum truffle was £1.80, now it costs £2.20.
Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: bristol@bbc.co.uk "	/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-63658761
politics	Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg... in under a minute	A round-up of key moments from Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg on 27 November 2022. Guests included Transport Secretary Mark Harper and Shadow Levelling Up Secretary Lisa Nandy.	/news/uk-politics-63776009
entertainment	The Big Eurovision Party: Rylan to bring in 2023 with song contest stars	"What do you get when you put 15 Eurovision winners on one stage? A great big party, that's what.
Six months before Liverpool hosts the song contest on behalf of Ukraine, about 15,000 fans travelled to Amsterdam's Ziggo Dome to see acts from competitions gone by perform.
As part of its New Year's Eve line-up, BBC One is showing Het Grote Songfestivalfeest - renamed The Big Eurovision Party for UK viewers and hosted by Rylan.
Granted, some songs have stood the test of time more than others, but Loreen's 2012 hit Euphoria had the crowd bouncing 10 years later.
""It was needed then, and it's needed now,"" she tells BBC News backstage at the concert.
""Euphoria has some sort of deepness to it that touches people on a real level,"" she says. ""Some songs just connect.""
39-year-old is often credited with changing the direction of Eurovision after her success, and she's hoping to represent Sweden again in 2023.
Eurovision-related events outside of May, when the contest is held, was something Israel's winner Netta had no idea about when she competed four years ago. 
""There wasn't any career before that. I was singing in bars and just trying to make a living in a very modest way, trying to sing back-up, singing covers at weddings,"" she tells BBC News. 
""I went from anonymity to stardom, and everything changed for a girl who'd calculate the amount of money - 'What do I buy, milk or beer?' - to people from Amsterdam calling me saying, 'We want to fly you here, how many people do you need?'.""  
She admits, though, it's ""a challenge"" to get fans to appreciate her non-Eurovision material, but says she's working in America with music producers to try to change that. 
Other performers agree that it can be strangely tricky, after performing in front of 160 million viewers, to get people around the world to listen to future releases.
But in recent years, acts like Måneskin, Rosa Linn and Duncan Laurence have all managed to have huge success in the US, largely down to TikTok.
""To me it was always a dream to be known as a musician on a global scale,"" Dutch singer Laurence explains. ""The biggest moment was when we hit the one billion streams on all platforms, and I got this award on stage in Rotterdam at Eurovision that I brought to The Netherlands.""
""You have to explain it's not X Factor, it's not The Voice, it's way bigger. Once it's in their head, they're like: 'I want to watch this'.""
28-year-old says American audiences see him as a new singer-songwriter, who are largely unaware of the world's largest live music event, but he's proud to be part of the three acts ""finally"" getting Eurovision songs to chart in America.
As well as Loreen, Netta and Laurence, the Netherlands gig allowed fans to see two winning Ukrainian acts, including this year's Kalush Orchestra.
rowd roared every time an act shouted ""Slava Ukraini"" (glory to Ukraine).
Jamala, who won in 2016 for her song about the 1944 deportation of Crimean Tatars, was dressed in the country's flag of yellow and blue for her performance.
""I know there are many people here tonight with light in their heart,"" she said on stage. 
""Please share it with my country and stand with Ukraine.""
Standing with Eurovision fans is something Ireland's Johnny Logan will always do, telling the crowd: ""Thank you for my life"".
""The people out there that love Eurovision opened up the whole world to me,"" the 68-year-old tells BBC News. 
""These days I sell out everywhere I work. A lot of people have to ask the question, 'If he's still around, why?' - and I can still deliver.
""When you stand up in the middle of this, I'm very humbled when I step back from the microphone and let the crowd take over the chorus"".
Like Loreen, Logan is a Eurovision legend - and not just with fans, with fellow winners too. 
Alexander Rybak, 2009's winner for Norway, interrupts our interview to say goodbye to Logan. 
""I just had to hug,"" he says. ""Johnny Logan is not just my favourite Eurovision singer, but my favourite heart-warming singer. He has heart. 
""A lot of artists use music to promote their talent but Johnny uses his talent to promote music.""
Planning for next year's competition in Liverpool is already under way, but it'll be a while yet before it's known which act will be representing the United Kingdom. 
Sam Ryder, after his success in 2022, has already ruled himself out. He became one of the UK's best ambassadors for the competition in Turin, constantly talking about the love and togetherness it brings.
Loreen ends the night by agreeing with the Space Man singer, telling the BBC: ""It has opened up my career and I've met so many wonderful people.
""I have been able to do what I love the most, and it's thanks to Eurovision."""	/news/entertainment-arts-63677509
technology	Gamers face price rise on PS5 but not Switch	"Gamers looking to buy a new console face a price rise if they want a Sony PlayStation 5, but not if they choose a Nintendo Switch. 
PS5s will cost an extra £30 in the UK, with EU consoles going up by €50 (£42) and Canadian consoles by CAD $20 (£13).
Sony is increasing its console prices because of inflation, it says, but Nintendo says that despite rising costs, its prices will stay the same.
Meanwhile, PC gamers may soon be able to save money on their hardware.
Jensen Huang, chief executive of tech company Nvidia, said the company had overproduced graphics cards, which have been in short supply in recent years.
""Our strategy is to sell in well below the current sell-through levels in the marketplace to give the channel an opportunity to correct,"" he said, according to the Verge.
uld mean the price of high-end graphics cards, including the RTX 3000 series, and gaming laptops falling.
Despite the increase in cost of the PS5 in many jurisdictions, there will be no price rises in the US.
Piers Harding-Rolls, industry analyst at gaming research firm Ampere Analysis, told the BBC the lack of a price increase in the US was a result of the strength of the dollar.
""Sony is a global entity which is operating I guess more consistently in lots of global markets, so they are impacted by currency exchanges and the strength of the dollar,"" he said.
""And that's why you're seeing price increases in some markets, but not in others - you've got this nuanced approach which is trying to reflect the impact on the costs of goods in relation to those specific markets.""
Jim Ryan, Sony Interactive Entertainment president and chief executive said in a blog post: ""The global economic environment is a challenge that many of you around the world are no doubt experiencing. 
""We're seeing high global inflation rates, as well as adverse currency trends, impacting consumers and creating pressure on many industries."" 
But Mr Harding-Rolls said he did not expect the price increase to put off gaming enthusiasts.
""I think pent-up demand for PS5, even though the availability is not good, means that this price increase won't have a huge impact at all,"" he said. 
""I don't see it changing Sony's outlooks or their sales. I think they're going to sell all the products that they can get into market.""
He added the move could potentially hand an advantage to Microsoft, which makes the Xbox console, ""because it has the cheaper console in the market coupled with Game Pass"".
BBC has approached Microsoft for comment. 
Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa told financial newspaper Nikkei: ""In order to offer unique entertainment to a wide range of customers, we want to avoid pricing people out.
""Our competition is the variety of entertainment in the world, and we always think about pricing in terms of the value of the fun we offer."""	/news/technology-62659688
health	US brings back free at-home Covid tests as part of winter plan	"US households are once again able to order free at-home Covid-19 tests, as the government attempts to limit the spread of the virus this winter.
White House said up to four rapid tests could be ordered from the government website CovidTests.gov.
It announced that the test programme, which was paused in September, would be restarted on Thursday with deliveries beginning the week of 19 December.
mes as Covid infections rise ahead of the winter holidays. 
Biden administration began sending free at-home tests in January, but stopped in September after more than 600 million tests were distributed because Congress did not approve the extra funding needed for the programme to continue.
But the government is now using funding left over from the American Rescue Plan, the Covid relief bill that was passed last year, to pay for the tests, a US official told the BBC's US partner CBS. 
""We feel confident that we are going to have enough tests to get through this round, four per household, in the coming weeks,"" a senior administration official told reporters on Wednesday,
It is part of a broader White House plan to prepare for Covid this winter, when some Americans are at an increased risk of catching the virus as they gather indoors for the holidays. 
White House said it hoped to encourage Americans to take at-home tests when they are symptomatic, before and after travelling for the holidays and when visiting vulnerable individuals.
Covid cases, hospital visits and deaths have all begun to rise in recent weeks. 
Some cities are calling on Americans to wear masks again in indoor spaces to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses, while White House officials have urged Americans to get the latest Covid and flu jabs.
Only 13.5% of those aged five and older in the US have received the updated coronavirus shot targeting the omicron variant, according to the CDC. 
Highly contagious omicron subvariants - which are now the dominant coronavirus strains in the US - are contributing to the uptick in cases.
Watch how China’s zero Covid strategy is exhausting its people."	/news/world-us-canada-63990173
business	Sri Lanka energy minister warns petrol stocks about to run dry	"Sri Lanka's energy minister has issued a stark warning over the country's fuel stocks as it faces its worst economic crisis in more than 70 years.
On Sunday, Kanchana Wijesekera said the nation only had enough petrol left for less than a day under regular demand.
He also said its next petrol shipment was not due for more than two weeks.
Last week, Sri Lanka suspended sales of petrol and diesel for non-essential vehicles as it struggles to pay for imports like fuel, food and medicines.
Mr Wijesekera told reporters that the country had 12,774 tonnes of diesel and 4,061 tonnes of petrol left in its reserves.
""The next petrol shipment is expected between the 22nd and 23rd [of July],"" he added.
A shipment of diesel is expected to arrive at the weekend, however Mr Wijesekera warned that the country does not have enough money to pay for planned fuel and crude oil imports.
He said Sri Lanka's central bank could only supply $125m for fuel purchases, far less than the $587m needed for its scheduled shipments.
Mr Wijesekera added that the country owed $800m to seven suppliers for purchases it made earlier this year.
Last week Sri Lanka banned sales of fuel for private vehicles for two week.
Experts believe it is the first country to take the drastic step of halting sales of petrol to ordinary people since the 1970s oil crisis, when fuel was rationed in the US and Europe.
f 22 million people is facing its worst economic crisis since gaining independence from the UK in 1948 as it lacks enough foreign currency to pay for imports of essential goods.
Acute shortages of fuel, food and medicines have helped to push up the cost of living to record highs in the country, where many people rely on motor vehicles for their livelihoods. It's also sparked violent street protests. 
government blames the Covid pandemic, which affected Sri Lanka's tourist trade - one of its biggest foreign currency earners. However, many experts say economic mismanagement is to blame.
In May the country failed to make a payment on its foreign debt for the first time in its history.
Rajini Vaidyanathan, BBC South Asia correspondent in Colombo
reets of this usually bustling capital are much quieter now and Colombo has the feel of a city under lockdown. With fuel in short supply people have been urged to stay home where possible.
But outside fuel stations is where you will find long queues. Members of the military guard the pumps, patrolling the forecourts - here petrol has become more precious than gold.
Van driver Aziz has been in line for two days: ""We are suffering, we've no lunch no breakfast, we've just had water as we wait.""
ruggle for fuel is also accompanied by a struggle for food. With food inflation at 80% for the month of June, many Sri Lankans are skipping meals. Charity Unicef says more than two-thirds of the country has cut down on food since the start of the year. 
Its spokesperson in Sri Lanka told the BBC that if outside help doesn't arrive soon to this island nation, there could be a humanitarian crisis in the coming months.
BBC India business correspondent Archana Shulka says that while Sri Lanka has not completely ground to a halt yet, it is precariously close to seizing up.
Export-driven industries, such as textile and clothing, have been helped to keep going by the government as the economy needs to earn significant amounts of foreign currency. 
However, the fuel supplies needed to power machinery in these industries and to transport goods are also drying up now, our correspondent says.
IT industry, which is still developing in the country, has also been heavily affected as firms face power cuts and internet outages.
All of this has prompted concerns of a so-called ""brain drain"", with fears that large numbers of young professionals could leave the country.
Last Thursday, an International Monetary Fund team concluded a fresh round of talks with Sri Lanka over a $3bn (£2.5bn) bailout deal.
While no agreement has been reached yet, the team said in a statement that it had made ""significant progress on defining a macroeconomic and structural policy package"".
It added that it had ""witnessed some of the hardships currently faced by the Sri Lankan people, especially the poor and vulnerable who are affected disproportionately by the crisis"".
-strapped country has also sent officials to the major energy producers Russia and Qatar in an attempt to secure cheap oil supplies.
South Asia Correspondent Rajini Vaidyanathan meets one family struggling to get fuel in Sri Lanka"	/news/business-62032542
technology	Fibrus: Belfast broadband firm wins major GB contract	"Belfast-based broadband company Fibrus has won its first major contract in Great Britain.
£108m scheme will upgrade broadband for more than 60,000 hard-to-reach homes and businesses across Cumbria in north-west England.
It is part of the UK government's Project Gigabit, which aims to improve broadband across the UK.
Fibrus is delivering a similar scheme in Northern Ireland known as Project Stratum.
roject, which is worth more than £200m, is largely funded by money which flowed from the Democratic Unionist Party's confidence and supply deal with the Conservative Party in 2017.
Project Gigabit is mostly focused on encouraging commercial investment with the government subsiding roll-out to mainly rural areas where the private sector would not otherwise connect.
Fibrus chief executive Dominic Kearns said the Project Gigabit contract was a significant development for the company.
""Winning this contract to connect Cumbria extends the Fibrus investment plan to 700,000 homes and £700m and sets us on the road to being central to national digital infrastructure."""	/news/uk-northern-ireland-63818934
health	China plans 'crackdown' after Covid protests	"China's top security agency has called for a crackdown on ""hostile forces"" after rare protests against Covid rules in Chinese cities at the weekend.
Police officers have flooded now-empty protest sites, with some protesters saying police have contacted them to seek information on their whereabouts.
Meanwhile the country's health officials say lockdowns should be ""imposed and eased quickly"".
China has recorded record numbers of new cases in recent days.
It is the only major economy with a zero-Covid policy, with local authorities clamping down on even small outbreaks with mass testing, quarantines and snap lockdowns.
Over the weekend, thousands in China took to the streets demanding an end to the strict measures - with some even making rare calls for President Xi Jinping to stand down.
But a heavy police presence in China's major cities, including Beijing and Shanghai, seems to have curbed further protests on Monday and Tuesday.
ruling Communist Party's Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, which oversees domestic law enforcement across China, said it was ""necessary to crack down on infiltration and sabotage activities by hostile forces in accordance with the law"". 
ment, reported by Chinese news agency Xinhua, did not mention the recent demonstrations, which began after a fire in a high-rise block in Urumqi, western China, killed 10 people on Thursday. 
Many Chinese believe Covid restrictions in the city contributed to the deaths, although the authorities deny this.
Police officers were seen on Tuesday patrolling in large numbers in parts of Beijing and Shanghai where demonstrations were held at the weekend.
re were also reports of around 150 officers showing up at a busy shopping area in the southern city of Shenzhen after rumours of a planned protest there circulated on social media.
Also on Tuesday, Chinese health officials said the authorities would work to reduce ""inconvenience"" caused by the Covid pandemic.
Mi Feng, spokesperson of China's National Health Commission (NHC), told reporters that lockdowns should be ""imposed and eased quickly"" and that ""excessive control measures should be continuously rectified"".
Health officials earlier called for more targeted Covid measures - saying complaints over tough curbs were a result of the ""arbitrary"" local roll-outs, rather than national guidelines.
In southern Guangdong province, authorities announced changes to local Covid policy on Tuesday evening, allowing some close contacts of Covid cases to quarantine at home rather than in state facilities. 
Elsewhere, the UK has summoned the Chinese ambassador for a meeting after a BBC journalist, Ed Lawrence, was beaten and briefly detained while covering anti-government lockdown protests on Sunday."	/news/world-asia-china-63796135
sports	Ukrainian refugee supported by Bristol wrestling coach	"A wrestling coach who has sponsored a Ukrainian refugee later discovered his father is a ""legend"" in the sport. 
Saeed Esmaeli, from Bristol, gave Ernest, 13, a pair of wrestling shoes as a welcome gift when he arrived.
He then found out his 72-year-old dad is a veteran wrestler and coached in Vladimir Klitschko's boxing company.
""I was really surprised. What a legend we've accidentally welcomed,"" said Mr Esmaeli, who left Iran when he was 11.
""As a child of war myself I know how hard it is to leave home and fit into another culture.
""I will do my best to give them a sense of belonging.""
Ernest and his family arrived on 1 April while his father came shortly afterwards on 1 May as he wanted to stay and fight in Ukraine, but was told he was too old.
ger had been wrestling for three years in Ukraine so his cousin, who arranged their visas, contacted Mr Esmaeli to see if he could attend some of the sessions he teaches in Horfield in Bristol.
Mr Esmaeli then found out a week later Ernest's dad, Vitaliy, was a veteran power lifting champion and a life long wrestler, and had coached a lot of boxing greats in Ukraine as well.
He said: ""I didn't know about Ernest's dad, it was just a coincidence and I told him to just come along to a session.
""I realised the situation they were facing and welcomed them to the club.
""I've been through these problems myself trying to adapt to a new culture. I was a total outsider and it took me years to blend in, so I can see the type of challenges Ernest will face,"" he added.
Ernest's cousin Natasha, who he has been living with in Bristol, said she was ""immensely grateful"" Ernest had been welcomed and given a friendship group via Mr Esmaeli.
""This is the first thing that Ernest was able to establish for himself in this country and it's a string that connects him to his past and life in Ukraine,"" she said.
""Instantly he's got friends in his wrestling team.""
Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: bristol@bbc.co.uk "	/news/uk-england-bristol-61370523
business	Russia in debt default as payment deadline passes	"Russia is believed to have defaulted on its debt for the first time since 1998 after missing a key deadline. 
Russia has the money to make a $100m payment, which was due on Sunday, but sanctions made it impossible to get the sum to international creditors.
untry had been determined to avoid the default, which is a major blow to the nation's prestige.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, said ""statements of a default were absolutely unjustified"".
He added that an intermediary bank had withheld the money and that the reserves were blocked ""unlawfully"".
White House said that Russia had defaulted on paying yields on its international bonds, crediting sanctions for effectively cutting Russia off from the global financial system.
Russia's finance minister called the situation ""a farce"" and said the situation is not expected to have short-term impact.
use Russia does not need to raise money internationally as it is reaping revenue from high-priced commodities such as oil, according to Chris Weafer, chief executive at Moscow-based consultancy Macro Advisory. 
But he said it would create a ""legacy"" problem if the situation with Ukraine and international sanctions improves.   
""This is the sort of action that will hang over the economy and make recovery much more difficult when we get to that stage,"" he said.
$100m interest payment was due on 27 May. Russia says the money was sent to Euroclear, a bank which would then distribute the payment to investors.
But that payment has been stuck there, according to Bloomberg News, and creditors have not received it.
Meanwhile, some Taiwanese holders of Russian bonds denominated in euros have not received interest payments, according to the Reuters news agency, which cited two sources.
money had not arrived within 30 days of the due date, that is, Sunday evening, and so is considered a default.
Euroclear would not say if the payment had been blocked, but said it adhered to all sanctions, introduced following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Russia disputed that it had defaulted on the debt. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it had made the payments due in May, and the fact that it was blocked by Euroclear because of sanctions was ""not our problem.""
Russia finance minister Anton Siluanov admitted foreign investors would ""not be able to receive"" the payments, according to the RIA Novosti news wire.
Because Russia wants to pay and has plenty of money to do it, he denied that this amounts to a genuine default, which usually occur when governments refuse to pay, or their economies are so weak that they cannot find the money. 
""Everyone in the know understands that this is not a default at all. This whole situation looks like a farce.""
Defaulting nations usually find it impossible to borrow any more money, but Russia is already in effect barred from borrowing in Western markets by sanctions.
Also, Russia is reportedly earning about $1bn a day from fossil fuel exports, and its finance minister Anton Siluanov said in April the country had no plans to borrow more.
fault will trigger repayments on a large chunk of Russia's debt, according to Mr Weafer.
About $40bn of Russia's debts are denominated in dollars or euros, with around half held outside the country.
""Some parts of that debt will now become automatically due because there will be early repayment clauses in all debt instruments so if you default on one it usually triggers the immediate demand for payment on the other debts, so Russia could certainly face immediate debt repayment of about $20bn at this stage,"" he told the BBC's Today programme.
Russia's last debt default of any kind was in 1998 as the country was rocked by the rouble crisis during the chaotic end of Boris Yeltsin's regime. At the time Moscow failed to keep up payments on its domestic bonds and defaulted on some overseas debt.
Russia has seemed on an inevitable path to default since sanctions were first imposed by the US and European Union following the invasion of Ukraine.
restricted the country's access to the international banking networks which would process payments from Russia to investors around the world.
Russian government has said it wants to make all of its payments on time, and up until now it had succeeded.
Default seemed inevitable when the US Treasury decided not to renew the special exemption in sanctions rules allowing investors to receive interest payments from Russia, which expired on 25 May.
Kremlin now appears to have accepted this inevitability too, decreeing on 23 June stating that all future debt payments would be made in roubles through a Russian bank, the National Settlements Depository, even when contracts state they should be in dollars or other international currencies. 
Meanwhile, Mr Weafer, who is based in Moscow, said that life was more or less operating as normal despite sanctions and Western companies withdrawing from Russia. 
""If you're in Moscow right now frankly, if you weren't reading the newspapers, you'd see there's been a price increase but otherwise life is as it was before February 24.
""In March and April there was a lot of concern that products would disappear, that factories would not be able to get components or materials to continue operating and we could be looking therefore at a severe drop in employment or a rise in unemployment by the summer [or] early autumn. That situation has improved,"" he added.
""We've seen alternative import routes opening via Kazakhstan and Turkey, the government has promoted what they call a parallel import scheme so effectively a lot of products that were blocked in March and April are now starting to reappear, albeit at a higher price."""	/news/business-61929926
business	Network Rail starts consultation over job reforms	"Network Rail has started a legal consultation with unions on maintenance reforms it says are needed to modernise the rail industry, one of the issues at the centre of the current strikes.
Around 1,900 fewer jobs would be needed under the proposed reforms.
mpany said the plans will also save money that is ""necessary for the future of our railway"". 
But the RMT union, which has staged strikes over pay and reform proposals, criticised the move.
reforms have been a key part of the ongoing dispute with the RMT, and this step represents an attempt to push through the changes whether or not the union agrees.
But negotiations can continue through the consultation process.
Changes to how Network Rail maintenance teams work would see multi-functional teams sent to fix faults on on tracks instead of multiple specialist teams.
A ""raft of labour and life-saving technology"" would also be rolled out.
Network Rail's chief executive Andrew Haines said he hadn't given up on finding a negotiated way forward, but added ""we can't continue to circle the same ground day after day, week after week and not move forward"".
""It is vital that we progress our modernisation plans to help put our railway on a sustainable financial footing for the future,"" he said.
""The way people live and work has changed since the pandemic. On the railway, that means significantly fewer commuters and significantly less income.""
Network Rail said around 1,900 fewer jobs would be needed under the reforms - cutting the maintenance workforce from about 10,000 to about 8,000.  
However, it insists most roles could be shed through voluntary redundancy, retraining and redeployment, instead of compulsory redundancies.
""These reforms are too important, especially given we started these conversations 18 months ago,"" said Mr Haines.
usands of rail workers from Network Rail and train companies have walked out in recent weeks due to the row over reforms as well as wages.
On Wednesday, a strike meant about 20% of train journeys went ahead.
RMT members will go on strike again, with the same impact on services on 18 and 20 August.
On Saturday, about 5,500 train drivers at seven rail companies who are members of the Aslef union will strike, which coincides with the Commonwealth Games and is the first day of the English Football League season.
Network Rail said its most-recent offer of an 8% pay rise over two years, with ""heavily discounted travel, a cash bonus and a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies"" had met many of RMT's demands.
""The alternative is to ask either taxpayers or passengers to fund a pay increase, and that is neither fair nor realistic,"" the company said.
It is understood that Network Rail was on two occasions close to reaching a deal, but union bosses then had a ""shift in tone"".
Mick Lynch, general secretary of RMT, hit back at Network Rail's latest move, saying an offer made was ""entirely conditional on mass redundancies and changes to conditions and working practices"".
""Rather than deceiving the staff about what they are actually proposing, the company now needs to get back round the table with RMT and work to resolve the issues in the dispute including their proposals for change and the union's demands for job security and a decent pay rise,"" he said.
ransport Secretary Grant Shapps said: ""While we still encourage RMT to join talks and find a solution to this dispute that is fair for all, it's clear now that no deal was ever going to be good enough for the RMT, and they have left Network Rail no choice but to go ahead with these essential modernisations with or without their support.""
How will your travel plans be affected? Share your experiences haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
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 HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. "	/news/business-62339053
business	Cost of living: Inflation hits NI consumer confidence	"Consumer confidence in Northern Ireland fell sharply in the first quarter of 2022 as inflation hit household finances, a Danske Bank survey has suggested.
urvey was carried out in the second half of March with 1,003 people.
More than 40% of people expected their financial position to worsen over the next year. 
Only 18% believe their finances will be in a better position in 12 months.
In comparison a survey conducted in the final quarter of 2021 found at that time only 26% of people expected their financial position to deteriorate in the year ahead.
In terms of spending, 38% of respondents said they expected to spend less on expensive items over the next year, compared with 26% who anticipated spending more.
However, there is a broad expectation that the jobs market recovery will be sustained.
When asked about job security, 13% of people expected to become more secure in their jobs, while 61% expected no change in job security and only 8% thought their job security would worsen.
Danske Bank chief economist Conor Lambe said: ""In Northern Ireland and the wider UK, consumer spending accounts for a considerable proportion of economic activity and is therefore an important driver of economic growth.
""Inflation has already increased sharply and is likely to rise even higher in the months ahead, exerting a further squeeze on consumer spending.""
UK main rate of inflation, the Consumer Price Index, stood at 7% in March but is expected to rise higher when the April statistics are released this week.
Last week, two of Northern Ireland's biggest food companies warned consumers to expect further price rises this year.
Food production inputs like fuel, fertiliser and animal feed have experienced rapid inflation over the last year.
Dale Farm chief executive Nick Whelan said only about half of that inflation had been passed to consumers.
was echoed by Justin Coleman, director at Moy Park, which is one of Europe's biggest chicken producers.
""I don't think the full force of food inflation has hit retail shelves yet,"" he said. "	/news/uk-northern-ireland-61468186
health	New nurses in NI discuss their future amid health service pressures	"group of nurses in Northern Ireland are ready to begin their careers after graduating from Queen's University Belfast.
graduate as the health service faces mounting pressure and nurses in Northern Ireland, England and Wales walk out on Thursday in a dispute over pay.
wly-qualified nurses told BBC News NI how they felt about starting their career in the health service."	/news/uk-northern-ireland-63978605
entertainment	Pulp, The 1975 and Sam Fender to headline TRNSMT 2023	"Britpop legends Pulp will be among the headliners at next year's TRNSMT music festival at Glasgow Green.
's organisers have announced the first acts who will perform at the festival between 7 and 9 July.
r headliners will be Sam Fender and The 1975, while the bill will also include George Ezra, One Direction's Niall Horan, Aitch, Becky Hill.
RNSMT returned to its summer slot this year after two years of disruption caused by the Covid pandemic.
About 50,000 people attended each day to see acts including Paolo Nutini, Lewis Capaldi and The Strokes.
Pulp's appearance at TRNSMT will be one of three UK festival appearances for the re-united band, who will be playing live for the first time in 10 years.
George Ezra, One Direction's Niall Horan, the Beautiful South's Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbot will also perform on Friday 7 July.
Sam Fender will return to the festival for his fourth consecutive year.
He will perform on the Saturday, alongside Aitch, one of the fastest growing UK rap artists; Kasabian; and Dublin band Inhaler.
1975 will close the festival on the Sunday, when the line-up will also include Royal Blood and singer Becky Hill. 
Kooks will also be performing following their 15th anniversary tour for their debut album Inside In/Inside Out.
-ups for the King Tut's Stage, Boogie Bar and River Stage are still to be announced, and more acts will also be added to the main stage line-up. 
Presale tickets for the festival will go on sale on 3 November, with the general sale starting the following day."	/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-63425844
business	Manx government admits living wage calculation incorrect since 2017	"An error in how the Isle of Man Living Wage was historically calculated means the figure has been overestimated since 2017, the treasury minister has said.
mix-up meant the figure had been overstated by between 80p and £1.24 each year since its introduction.
Alex Allinson said corrected figures set the voluntary wage rate at £11.05 an hour this year, an 18p rise on 2021.
Dr Allinson said the ""regrettable"" mistake was found during a detailed review of the calculations used.
A mistake involving the cost of having a child in the family was made when the wage was initially calculated in 2017 as £8.61.
It was replicated in each subsequent years' figures, which many Manx employers adopted to ensure their workers could afford a decent standard of living.
ry of the error delayed the publication of the 2022 report by three months while the methodology was corrected before being externally validated by Loughborough University, which will continue to check future calculations.
Dr Allinson said he hoped people would have confidence that ""as soon as we spotted this inaccuracy, we have dealt with it"". 
Steps had been taken to ensure future calculations were correct, he added.
Dr Allinson said businesses who felt ""damaged"" after overpaying staff should contact the Cabinet Office, which would deal with them on a case-by-case basis.
Living Wage figure was calculated before inflationary pressures started to build, and plans to alter it in the short-term have been ruled out, he said.
government wanted to maintain confidence that it was a ""statistical, not a political"" calculation, and other measures were being used to address rises in the cost of living, he added.
Last year Tynwald voted to see the minimum wage, currently set at £9.50 an hour, increase to meet the Living Wage by 2026.
Why not follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and Twitter? You can also send story ideas to IsleofMan@bbc.co.uk"	/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-62510116
entertainment	Sam Ryder busks Space Man in surprise Norwich gig	"Eurovision star Sam Ryder has surprised city centre shoppers with an impromptu gig.
ger, from Maldon in Essex, teased fans he would be in Norwich with an Instagram post around lunchtime asking them where he should sing.
He performed his hit song Space Man to a delighted crowd outside St Peter Mancroft church.
Ryder came second behind Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra in this year's Eurovision Song Contest."	/news/uk-england-norfolk-63841712
sports	Matty Smith: St Helens appoint former half-back as women's head coach	"Former England half-back Matty Smith has returned to St Helens to take over as women's team head coach, with Derek Hardman switching to reserve team boss.
35-year-old played 49 games for his hometown Saints, and also played for rivals Wigan, Salford, Catalans and Widnes on a permanent basis.
Hardman makes way having won Super League and Challenge Cup honours as Saints women's boss.
He will still work with Smith along with ex-England boss Craig Richards.
Ian Talbot will retain his role as first-team assistant coach.
""It's a great honour to be given the opportunity to come back to the club and coach such a talented group of women,"" Smith said. ""I'm really looking forward to getting started and building up to what I know will be a successful 2023 season.
""The chance to come back to the club was one I couldn't turn down. I hope with all the knowledge I have gained during my career I can use it to push the team to the next level."""	/sport/rugby-league/63880509
health	Forest of Dean GP surgeries enter into partnership	"A rural doctors surgery has entered into a partnership with another practice to help secure its future.
Drybrook Surgery in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire will become a branch surgery of Mitcheldean surgery.
NHS say Drybrook has been under pressure recently and that this would secure its future.
ges will take effect on 2 December, and current patients will continue to remain on the surgery's books.
Drybrook Surgery say that patients can be reassured that a ""full range of primary care services"" would still to be provided.
urgery added that patients would be able to access services in the same way as they do now and would remain on the practice's patient list, so would not need to take any action.
Both practices say Drybrook will be able to offer high-quality care to patients and meet growing demand thanks to the new arrangement.
GP Lead at Drybrook Surgery, Dr Manu K Agrawal, said that despite the ""excellent"" work of Drybrook's practice team, the surgery has been experiencing significant pressures and management had been looking at options to secure its future.
""We firmly believe that this is a great opportunity to offer high quality care to our patients well into the future,"" he added.
GP Partner at Mitcheldean Surgery, Dr Paul Weiss said the expansion will bring other benefits to its patients, including a wider range of skills and expertise, an increased number of services and a greater choice of appointments and clinics.
Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: bristol@bbc.co.uk "	/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-63807812
entertainment	David Tennant jealous of incoming Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa	"Former Doctor Who star David Tennant says he's ""a little bit jealous"" of the incoming Doctor Ncuti Gatwa ""starting on this exciting journey.""
""Ncuti is brilliant,"" adds Tennant, who played the Doctor between 2005-2010. ""He's a lovely, lovely man and he's full of beans and he's really talented. I mean he's like scary-talented.
""So I'm thrilled for every Doctor Who fan for what's to come and I include myself in that number.""
In May the BBC announced that Tennant himself would be reprising the role as part of the show's 60th anniversary celebrations next year. Details are shrouded in secrecy but we know that he will be reunited with Catherine Tate, who played his companion Donna Noble.
And Tennant now tells the BBC how the reunion came about. ""It all slightly happened a little bit by accident,"" he reveals. And, strange as it may sound, Covid played a huge role. 
He, Tate and Russell T Davies, who was in charge of the hit sci-fi series between 2005 and 2009, got involved in Doctor Who: Lockdown! a worldwide series of online ""watch-alongs"" of previous episodes designed to pass the time during the pandemic, ""when everyone was locked in their house"".
""That's where this all started"", explains Tennant. 
""At a certain time and day everyone would press play on a certain episode and some of the people who had been involved in those episodes were tweeting along.
""I don't tweet but my wife helped me,"" he laughs.
rogramme, which is almost 60 years old, was being filmed in central Bristol
Afterwards the three of them ""were just having a text exchange and Catherine said, 'wouldn't it be fun to do it again?'""
He adds: ""Russell said, 'We could do a one off, maybe they'd let us'.""
""We said, 'yeah that would be a laugh,' and then it all went quiet.""
But last year Davies announced he was back as Doctor Who's showrunner. And Tennant and Tate received a surprising offer.
""Suddenly Russell let us know that he was taking over the show again and he would be back fully in charge and would we come and play a little bit for him?"" says Tennant.
""So I don't know if we gave him the idea to take Doctor Who back but certainly we thought if he's doing it, we can't let these young people have all the fun.""
Before we see him back on screen in Doctor Who though, Tennant is returning to the stage, for the first time in five years.
Next month he will star in CP Taylor's play Good, about a decent, respectable German professor, with a Jewish best friend, who becomes a high-ranking Nazi.
""When you look back at the historical events like what happened in Germany in the 1930s, yes there were some monsters but mostly it was a nation full of people that were as complex and different and broadly decent as most of us are,"" says Tennant. ""So what happened?"" 
was first performed in 1981, and in a revival at the Royal Exchange in Manchester in 2011, the Guardian's Lyn Gardner highlighted ""the fatal lack of dramatic tension in a play in which quite a nice man slips under with no struggle at all"".
But Tennant says Good will ask the audience hard questions because ""it sort of plonks you in the middle of this awful context and it makes you wonder how you would cope yourself"".
""One likes to think one is the true, virtuous crusading type of person. One fears one is the one that lets things slide past. [For instance] we are staring down the barrel of a terrible climate emergency, what am I really doing about that?""
And staging the work, the award-winning director Dominic Cooke says he has been struck by how timeless the themes of the play are. 
""What this play does is it allows you to identify with this very sort of decent, funny, charming person and watch him make compromises,"" he says. ""We all want to think that we are going to be the person that will stand up and say no when something terrible happens. 
""But the truth is that very few of us actually do.""
Good is on at London's Harold Pinter Theatre from 5 October to 24 December."	/news/entertainment-arts-63073710
sports	MLB: New York Yankees' Aaron Judge breaks American League home run record	"Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees has set a new American League record with his 62nd home run of the season.
utfielder, 30, passed the 61-year-old single-season mark set by another Yankee, Roger Maris, in the first inning away to the Texas Rangers.
Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants has the overall MLB record of 73, set in 2001 in the National League.
""It's a big relief,"" said Judge, who claimed the record with one regular season game remaining.
""Everybody can finally sit down in their seats now and watch the ball game.
""It's been a fun ride so far. Getting the chance to do this with my team-mates and with the constant support from my family, it's been a great honour.""
Judge drew level with Maris last week against the Toronto Blue Jays before playing five fruitless games, including two against the Rangers.
But he made no mistake this time as he led off the hitting, going clear of Maris with the third pitch faced from Jesus Tinoco.
""Congratulations to Aaron Judge and his family on Aaron's historic home run number 62,"" tweeted Maris' son, Roger Maris Jr.external-link
""It has definitely been a baseball season to remember. You are all class and someone who should be revered.""
record-breaking ball was claimed by a fan in the stands and has been valued at about $2m (£1.75m).
""I don't know where the ball's at, so we'll see what happens with that,"" said Judge.
""It would have been great to get it back but that's a souvenir for a fan. They made a great catch out there and they've got every right to it.""
Judge was a first-round draft pick by the Yankees in 2013 and made his MLB debut in 2016, hitting 52 home runs in his first full season.
In July he became the second-fastest player to reach 200 career home runs and he now has 219 from 727 games."	/sport/baseball/63103884
technology	London homicides driven by drugs and social media, study finds	"Drugs, missed mental health sessions and social media usage are factors driving homicides, a study has found.
London Violence Reduction Unit's (VRU) report analysed police data to better understand the causes of murder and manslaughter.
Last year, there was a record number of teenage killings in the capital, despite a national Covid-19 lockdown.
Each homicide costs the police and criminal justice system an estimated £800,000, the report claims. 
London's homicide rate means it would have an annual cost of about £120m. 
Established by the London mayor's office, the VRU study by the behavioural insights team aimed to find a framework for experts, including the police, to deliver early and targeted interventions.
Following an analysis of 50 homicides, it found:
will now use the framework to analyse another 300 cases with a view to it potentially being used more routinely in the capital.
Met Police Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, has previously said he wanted to bring the number of homicides in London down to below 100 a year, from 130. 
report from the Mayor's Violence Reduction Unit suggests police are only one part of the solution. 
re are recommendations for other agencies and policy makers too, including monitoring when someone stops engaging with mental health support and providing better guidance for young people who are being targeted on social media. 
report also highlights the gaps in the data recorded on homicides and makes recommendations for the police on how that can be improved. 
Gang violence, for example, is an area where researchers say there's not enough specific information about how drugs or social media are involved, or the relationships or nature of the conflict. 
Researchers say the clues are often there, but improving the data will make it easier to spot patterns and see where current provision and policy need to be improved.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: ""If we are to continue reducing violence in London, it's crucial that we identify more opportunities to intervene early because I firmly believe that violence is preventable, not inevitable.""
Lib Peck, director of VRU, said: ""The foundation of the VRU's approach to tackling violence is to build an evidence base for what works and what doesn't.""
Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hellobbclondon@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-london-63621808
entertainment	Bob Dylan apologises for machine-printed 'signatures'	"Bob Dylan has issued a rare public statement to apologise for using a machine to duplicate his signature on books and artworks since 2019.
r said he regretted making an ""error of judgment"" in allowing the works to be sold as hand-signed.
He said he had started using an autopen after developing vertigo in 2019.
ue came to light when fans who bought $600, limited-edition copies of Dylan's book The Philosophy of Modern Song compared photos of his signature.
ublisher, Simon & Schuster, initially refused requests for refunds, assuring buyers that the signatures were legitimate and validated by a ""letter of authenticity"".
After continued pressure, they admitted the books contained a ""penned replica"" of the star's autograph, and offered full refunds to everyone who had bought one of the 900 ""hand-signed"" editions.
row also raised questions over Dylan's artworks, prints of which can sell for up to $15,000 (£12,400).
In a statement released on Friday, the singer-songwriter admitted that some of those had also been signed by machine.
""I've hand-signed each and every art print over the years, and there's never been a problem,"" he wrote.
""However, in 2019 I had a bad case of vertigo and it continued into the pandemic years. It takes a crew of five working in close quarters with me to help enable these signing sessions, and we could not find a safe and workable way to complete what I needed to do while the virus was raging.   
""So, during the pandemic, it was impossible to sign anything and the vertigo didn't help. With contractual deadlines looming, the idea of using an auto-pen was suggested to me, along with the assurance that this kind of thing is done 'all the time' in the art and literary worlds.  
""Using a machine was an error in judgment and I want to rectify it immediately.  I'm working with Simon & Schuster and my gallery partners to do just that.""
Castle Fine Art, a UK art retailer that sells prints of Dylan's paintings, said they had been ""entirely unaware of the use of autopen"".
Only two collections, both released in 2022, were affected, it said in a statement. ""All other editions were individually hand signed by Bob Dylan himself.""
Buyers who own a machine-signed print will be offered a full refund. However, they will be asked to ""exchange the current certificate of authenticity for one reflecting the autopen signature"".
utopen was first patented in the USA in 1803, and allowed a machine to replicate a person's signature as they wrote. US president Thomas Jefferson was an early proponent of the system, purchasing two: One for the White House and another for his house in Monticello.
modern version does not require the signatory to be present - instead storing a digital version of their handwriting, which a robot arm can reproduce.
President Obama was the first person to use one to sign a bill into law; and the device is commonplace in the art and literature world.
Van Morrison was recently accused of using autopen to sign CDs, although his management issued a statement denying it. 
Sinead O'Connor admitted to signing her memoir with the device, saying: ""I  was not in a position to hand write my name 10,000 times, which is how many I was asked to sign. 
""My son was unwell as was I"".
In both these instances, the disputed items were selling for about £30, limiting the potential for uproar - although many retailers withdrew the autographed copies of O'Connor's book from sale.
Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk."	/news/entertainment-arts-63779904
sports	Get Inspired: How to get into disability sport	"At whatever level you wish to take part, sport and physical activity can be an enjoyable lifestyle choice. 
Physical activity has a number of health benefits including helping to maintain a healthy weight, lowering high blood pressure and boosting the immune system, as well as boosting self-confidence and preventing depression,
In the past, it may have been difficult to find a local sports club that could cater for individual needs, but nowadays nearly all sports have options or variations for disabled people and many clubs can accommodate people regardless of physical limitations. 
Activity Allianceexternal-link can direct you to numerous participation opportunities and programmes including information on different sports in your local area. For other areas of the UK, visit Disability Sport Walesexternal-link, Disability Sports NIexternal-link, or Scottish Disability Sport.external-link
Check out our Activity Guide pages which cover over 70 sports, most with a dedicated disability section.
Useful links
Any kind of physical movement is beneficial to your health, so don't think you have to be a great athlete to get involved. 
If you're not quite ready to join a club,  working out at home is a good starting point. If you're keen to get active but the prospect of entering the world of sport seems daunting, don't worry as there are plenty of great resources out there to help you get started.
BBC's Make Your Move has a wide range of challenges to help you get active - take a look and find the ones which are right for you.
With their connection to County Sport Partnerships around the country, the Activity Allianceexternal-link can point you to sports and activities in your area. Just click on your region and get started. The Parasport club finderexternal-link can also help to find a club near you.
In the past you may have been limited to certain sports such a wheelchair basketball or racing. 
If you used to enjoy sport or haven't been active for a while, you might be pleasantly surprised at the variety and popularity of sports now available in addition to the number of clubs that now offer specific options for disabled people. 
Don't know where to start? look through the Get Inspired activity guide list that has a range of different activities and their variations to point you in the right direction.
If you have your heart set on joining a gym, there are now more than 400 IFI Inclusive Fitnessexternal-link gyms around the country that provide accessible physical activity to disabled people. The specially designed equipmentexternal-link allows both disabled and non-disabled people to benefit from a full-body, cardiovascular and resistance-based workout. 
If it's your dream to compete at the highest level then Para Sportexternal-link is the destination for you. 
r Pathway to the Paralympicsexternal-link scheme includes initiatives and events which are designed to help you develop your skills and get the best out of disability sport. 
If you're not sure which sport to focus on, use the site to find a sportexternal-link, however if you have your heart set on a certain discipline, then go straight to finding a clubexternal-link in your local area. 
You will be trained by professional coaches to really ramp up your fitness and technique to help you reach your full potential. 
Regardless of your level of fitness or ability, joining a sports club is a great way to build your confidence, meet likeminded people and create a new social circle with people you can share your experiences with. 
re are even some sports such as basketball and dance that integrate able-bodied and disabled athletes which is a fantastic way to broaden your social circle even further. 
Visit the Activity Alliance for information on inclusive fitnessexternal-link and the health and social benefits of sport.external-link
If you're low in confidence or your disability inhabits your ability to attend a sports session alone, then take a friend, family member or carer with you and they will often get to play for free!
1. Share your storyexternal-link and inspire others
2. Find your local opportunities in  Englandexternal-link, Walesexternal-link, Scotlandexternal-link and Northern Ireland.external-link
3. See the Activity Alliance Being Active guideexternal-link for some more information on where to start.
5. Catch up on the Goz & Ross physical challenge series. The friends tried out different activities to find one that they can do together including wheelchair rugby, skiing, sailing, cycling, tennis and dance.
Are you inspired to try a new sport? Or maybe you are a keen enthusiast already? Get in touch and tell us your experience of the game by tweeting us on @bbcgetinspired,external-link visiting us on Facebookexternal-link or email us on getinspired@bbc.co.uk.
See our full list of activity guides for more inspiration & to choose which disability sport is right for you."	/sport/get-inspired/23196217
entertainment	Henry Cavill: British actor will not return as Superman	"Actor Henry Cavill has been dropped as Superman by the new bosses of DC Studios, less than two months after he announced his return to the role.
""I have just had a meeting with James Gunn and Peter Safran and it's sad news, everyone. I will, after all, not be returning as Superman,"" Cavill said.
""After being told by the studio to announce my return back in October, prior to their hire, this news isn't the easiest, but that's life.""
He said there were no hard feelings.
""The changing of the guard is something that happens. I respect that,"" he continued, in his Instagram post.
""James and Peter have a universe to build. I wish them and all involved with the new universe the best of luck, and the happiest of fortunes.""
Gunn and Safran took over DC Studios in late October, just after Cavill made a surprise appearance as the Man of Steel during the credits of the Dwayne Johnson film Black Adam.
British actor then posted a video telling fans: ""I wanted to make it official, that I am back as Superman."" The Black Adam cameo was ""just a very small taste of things to come"", he added.
Cavill played the legendary role in the 2013 Man Of Steel film, as well as in 2016's Batman v Superman alongside Ben Affleck, and in Justice League the following year.
Following the announcement, some fans have been speculating that the actor is now available to take on the role of James Bond - should the casting director come calling.
Cavill, 39, also announced his departure from Netflix's The Witcher in late October. He will be replaced by Liam Hemsworth.
On Wednesday, Gunn wrote on Twitter: ""Peter and I have a DC slate ready to go, which we couldn't be more over-the-moon about; we'll be able to share some exciting information about our first projects at the beginning of the new year.
""Among those on the slate is Superman. In the initial stages, our story will be focusing on an earlier part of Superman's life, so the character will not be played by Henry Cavill.""
He added: ""But we just had a great meeting with Henry and we're big fans and we talked about a number of exciting possibilities to work together in the future."""	/news/entertainment-arts-63983600
politics	The Supreme Court judgement is clear but not what Nicola Sturgeon wanted	"Clarity was what Nicola Sturgeon asked for and clarity is what she now has from the UK Supreme Court. 
judges have made clear that the law does not allow Holyrood to legislate for an independence referendum without Westminster's agreement. 
means there will not be an indyref2 on 19 October 2023, as the Scottish government had planned. 
SNP ministers will accept the judgement and respect the law. A wildcat ballot in the Catalan-style is not an option. 
A legal referendum can only happen if the first minister somehow persuades the prime minister to abandon his opposition. 
re's little prospect of that happening in the short term, so the renewed campaign for independence just became a longer haul. 
It will immediately incorporate this court defeat into its narrative and seek to use it to build support. 
At rallies across Scotland, independence supporters will protest that Scottish democracy is being denied. 
Some will argue the nature of the Anglo-Scottish union has changed from one based on consent to one based on law. 
Others will ask: if a Holyrood majority for indyref2 is not accepted as a mandate by Westminster then what is the democratic route to independence? 
reply from supporters of the union will be that the democracy of the 2014 referendum should be allowed to stand for at least a generation. 
will argue that tackling the cost of living crisis should be taking up all the available bandwidth in politics right now. 
UK PM Rishi Sunak may want to demonstrate his commitment to devolution through an early visit to Scotland and perhaps a joint announcement with the Scottish government on freeports. 
UK Labour leader Keir Starmer is likely to adopt plans for a UK-wide redistribution of power along the lines proposed by the former prime minister Gordon Brown, who is due to publish a blueprint soon. 
g question is what will Nicola Sturgeon do next?
Plan A - that Westminster would accept a Holyrood majority for indyref2 as a mandate has failed. 
Plan B - that the courts might allow a referendum without Westminster consent has failed. 
r stated Plan C - to take the independence argument into the next UK general election and treat it like a referendum. 
Ms Sturgeon has previously said she would seek to win more than 50% of the vote in the election and if successful would claim that as a mandate for independence. 
She recommitted to that plan in the aftermath of the Supreme Court ruling but left some of the details to a special SNP conference to be held in the New Year. 
It would be a huge gamble. 
In its best ever election result in 2015, the SNP fell just short of 50%. 
xtremely high bar in an election where any number of other issues could be at play. 
Clearing it is unlikely to get easier if Labour continue to be seen as serious challengers to the Conservatives in the battle for Number 10 and an alternative route to political change. 
re is also no guarantee that record-breaking electoral success for the SNP (and its allies) would be accepted by whomever forms the next UK government as a basis for independence negotiations. 
Even some on Nicola Sturgeon's side privately hope she will back off this all-or-nothing approach. 
Because if this Plan C fails, it would be time for a new independence strategy and presumably new leadership of the SNP. 
Nicola Sturgeon refuses to be drawn on what would happen in these circumstances, except to say: ""if we can't win, we don't deserve to be independent""."	/news/uk-scotland-63729280
sports	UFC London: Inside Paddy Pimblett's remarkable weight transformation	"Before Paddy Pimblett starts this interview, he finishes off a ham and coleslaw wrap.
Sweating after a training session at his gym, the 27-year-old Briton describes every calorie which enters his body.
""It's 27g of protein, 31g of carbs, half a gram of fat and 309 calories,"" Pimblett tells BBC Sport.
It's a first-hand example of the meticulous planning which goes into his diet and weight cut before each fight.
But it hasn't always been this way for Pimblett, who fights American Jordan Leavitt at UFC London on Saturday.
Pimblett admits to losing weight unhealthily in the past - referring to an old video where he vomited in the cage following a win - and points to those experiences as being key to the transformation in his training and eating habits.
""I was a stupid idiot when I was younger. I didn't mature until I was 24, 25,"" says Pimblett. 
""I used to tell everyone to shut up and say I knew best - my coaches, my mum, my dad, my fiancee, my mates.
""That week [when he vomited] I had to lose 12kg (26lb) from Monday to Friday. I think I started my cut [before the weigh-in day] at 74.2kg (164lb) so I had 8.4kg (19lb) to lose to make weight overnight. And I did it. Very unhealthily, very unprofessionally, but I did it.
""Now I do it very healthily, like a professional. I have a nutritionist who is responsible for my body changing over the last couple of years.
""I used to be a fighter but now I'm an athlete as well, so that's all down to him, and my food prep team, my pro chef. Without them my life would be so much harder.""
UFC has taken steps in recent years to make weight cuts safer - by banning IV drips, which forces fighters to hydrate in a healthier way, and building the Performance Institute, which provides guidance for its athletes from professional health experts.
UFC fighters are recommended to lose no more than 8% of their body weight during fight week, according to their senior vice-president of athlete health and performance Jeff Novitskyexternal-link. On fight night a fighter is recommended to stay within 10% of their weight class.
wo weeks ago Pimblett weighed 173lb, meaning he needed to lose 18lb to make the UFC lightweight limit of 156lb.
He now normally cuts up to 16lb during fight week, leaving no more than 10lb to be shed the night before weigh-ins.
Pimblett says because of his professional approach to cutting weight, the process has become ""easier and safer"" as he has got older.
After making his professional debut 10 years ago, Pimblett - nicknamed 'the Baddy' - built up a record of 16 wins and three defeats fighting in the UK and Ireland before being signed by the UFC in 2021.
During his short spell in the promotion, Liverpudlian Pimblett has turned into one of the most popular fighters on the roster.
Pimblett's exciting striking and jiu-jitsu helped him record two first-round victories in two bouts, but it is his vibrant personality and drive to achieve success 'his way' which has captured the hearts of MMA fans.
One aspect of Pimblett's lifestyle which has attracted attention is the unrestricted diet he follows when he is not training for a fight.
wo days after his last win over Rodrigo Vargas in London in March, Pimblett consumed almost 11,000 calories - nearly 5,000 of which were from chocolate.
""What don't I like to eat?"" he asks, rhetorically.
""Pizza, pasta, Chinese, Thai food. I love burgers. I love a Nandos and salt and pepper chicken are my favourite scrans. I just love food.
""But chocolate's one of my big ones. And desserts. I love desserts.""
ries: 10,670 + sauces
Pimblett's diet means his weight fluctuates much more than the majority of MMA fighters.
Only two months ago he weighed as much as 205lb - the limit for UFC light-heavyweights, three divisions above lightweight.
Pimblett was training in the US when he got on the scales.
""I took my boxers off and got on and I was 205,"" he says. ""And that's when it hit me: 'Paddy, you're fat here, son. You need to sort this out.' 
""And then you get on the diet. But with me there's no in between. Anything I do, whether it's partying, gambling, training, eating, it's go hard or go home. I've always had that sort of mentality; I can't help it.""
Pimblett's lifestyle has attracted criticism from some parts of the MMA world, with former bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw saying: ""That's like a recipe for destroying your body.
""If you keep that same work ethic that he has now, he'll never be a champion. You can't have that down time like that. You can't get that fat.""
Pimblett says he will prove his doubters wrong.
""People have doubted me for years. At the minute, I'm not in the rankings, I'm fighting once every four months or something, so I can have a good blowout if I want,"" he says. 
""People fat shame me. It's my life and I'll do whatever I want.
""I'm going to be UFC champion and I'm going to prove all these stereotypes wrong.""
Pimblett says victory over 27-year-old American Leavitt on Saturday will take him a step closer to achieving his goal.
""I'm going to be one of the biggest sports stars in the world,"" says Pimblett.
""Never mind MMA, I'm going to be like your [Floyd] Mayweathers, LeBrons [James], Tiger Woods, your [Conor] McGregors.
""I've visualised it; I've seen all this coming. I'm going to knock this crab out on the 23 July and then it is going to shoot up another level of stardom."""	/sport/mixed-martial-arts/62135535
politics	Covid public inquiry promises to cover key Welsh issues	"UK Covid public inquiry will do all it can to ensure all issues the people of Wales want covered are investigated, its chair has said.
Baroness Hallett made the pledge as it was revealed the inquiry will hold public hearings in Wales next autumn.
She said she understood the ""strength of feelings"" on calls for a separate Wales inquiry but that she was ""completely neutral on the question"".
Baroness Hallett was speaking at a preliminary hearing in London.
Opening the session, to discuss the section of the inquiry that will consider how to investigate Welsh decision-making during the pandemic, she said: ""I know there have been calls for a separate Welsh inquiry, and I understand the strength of feeling that there is around both Wales and Northern Ireland asking for separate inquiries.
""It's not a decision for me, and I'm completely neutral on the question, but what I will promise you is that if a Wales inquiry is set up I will work with them and co-operate to the best of my ability to ensure that between us we cover all of the issues that the people of Wales would wish to see covered. 
""If there isn't a separate inquiry established then I will do my very best to ensure that we again cover all the issues the people in Wales wish to see covered.""
Baroness Hallett said that, from a consultation exercise visit to Cardiff she had made, ""I know the strength of feeling there are on a number of different issues because I heard them directly from members of bereaved families"".
Counsel for the inquiry Tom Poole KC added that the ""people of Wales are entitled to have the Welsh government's key decision-making in response to the pandemic fully scrutinised, and their experiences and their voices properly heard and represented"". 
""Only in this way,"" he said, ""can proper and effective recommendations be drawn up to better protect Wales in the future, from pandemics and other comparable civil emergencies.""
Speaking on behalf of the Welsh government, Christian J Howells promised the inquiry ""the fullest possible co-operation in investigating the response to the unprecedented challenges faced by the people of Wales, their communities, their businesses and their public services as a result of the pandemic"". 
Mr Howells said the inquiry was ""the best means by which the interconnected decision-making between the UK government and devolved governments can be properly explored"". 
""In particular, this inquiry can look at how distinct decisions were made by each of the four nations for their respective countries either on a four nations basis or separately. 
""We have been consistent in our determination that our actions and those of our public sector partners in Wales are fully and properly scrutinised as part of this inquiry. 
""The people of Wales deserve no less, particularly those who have lost loved ones but also everyone else whose lives were affected by this devastating pandemic.""  
Covid Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru group, which has campaigned for a separate inquiry into the Welsh government's handling of the pandemic, has been recognised as a ""core-participant"" in the UK investigation, alongside the Welsh government and other key agencies involved in key pandemic decisions and their consequences."	/news/uk-wales-politics-63472762
politics	Dave Bishop: Man behind Bus Pass Elvis political party dies	"A Nottingham political character, best known as Bus Pass Elvis, has died at the age of 78.
Dave Bishop, who also went by the name Lord Biro, first stood in the 1997 general election in Tatton, Cheshire, against the scandal-hit Neil Hamilton.
He stood for a number of parties, including Lord Biro Versus the Scallywag Tories, the Bus Pass Elvis Party and Militant Elvis Anti-HS2.
Friends and politicians have paid tribute to Mr Bishop.
gans of Mr Bishop - who stood in both local and national elections - included Ban Builders Bums, Bono for Pope and Make Clifton Great Again.
His profile grew in 2014, when he beat the Liberal Democrats in a Nottingham City Council by-election.
Friend and election partner Ian Pickering said: ""He was a member of the awkward squad.
""He said 'somebody has got to have a go at them'.
""But he loved it. He told me he didn't have holidays, instead he paid £500 to stand in an election.""
Despite his slightly outrageous image, Mr Pickering said his friend took his position seriously.
""He was very considered,"" Mr Pickering said. ""He was interviewed by BBC political reporter Chris Mason and he gave reasoned, clear answers.
""He was not 'in your face' and I think people appreciated that.""
Mr Bishop had been diagnosed with a brain tumour last month.
Mr Pickering said: ""I asked him if it had been a life well-lived. He said yes. 
""Can't really ask for more than that.""
Nadia Whittome, who represents Nottingham East for Labour, tweeted: ""I'm very sorry to hear of Dave's passing. 
""Many people in Nottingham have fond memories of him and will miss him greatly.""
Labour MP for Nottingham South Lilian Greenwood added: ""Always a pleasure to bump into Dave out on the campaign trail or around town. 
""Elections won't be the same without him.""
Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk."	/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-63839826
entertainment	Golden Globes 2023: The nominations in full	"minations for the 80th annual Golden Globe Awards have been announced. 
film and TV shows of the past year will be honoured at a US ceremony in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles on January 10 next year.
Best motion picture - drama
Best motion picture - musical or comedy
Best actress in a motion picture - drama
Best actor in a motion picture - drama
Best actress in a motion picture - musical or comedy
Best actor in a motion picture - musical or comedy
Best supporting actress in any motion picture
Best supporting actor in any motion picture
Best director - motion picture
Best screenplay - motion picture
Best motion picture - animated
Best motion picture - non-English language
Best original score - motion picture
Best original song - motion picture
Best TV series - drama
Best actress in a drama series
Best actor in a drama series
Best TV series - musical or comedy
Best actress in a TV series - musical or comedy
Best actor in a TV series - musical or comedy
Best limited series or TV movie
Best actress in a limited series or TV movie
Best actor in a limited series or TV movie
Best supporting actress in a series, limited series or TV movie
Best supporting actor in a series, limited series or TV movie
Best supporting actress in a musical, comedy or drama TV series
Best supporting actor in a musical, comedy or drama TV series
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk."	/news/entertainment-arts-63940721
technology	What is behind the big tech companies' job cuts?	"first sign of job cuts at Amazon came from LinkedIn posts from laid-off employees.
, Amazon's devices boss, Dave Limp, announced: ""It pains me... We will lose talented Amazonians from the devices & services org"".
Across the tech industry, at firms like Twitter, Meta, Coinbase and Snap, workers have announced they are ""seeking new opportunities"".
Worldwide, more than 120,000 jobs have been lost, according to the Layoffs.fyi website, which tracks tech job cuts.
Different firms cut employees for different reasons but there are common themes.
As our lives moved online during the pandemic, the tech giants' businesses boomed, and executives believed the good times - for them - would continue to roll.
Meta, for example, took on more than 15,000 people in the first nine months of this year.
Now executives announcing cuts have said they miscalculated.
""I made the decision to significantly increase our investments,"" chief executive Mark Zuckerberg told Meta employees, as he laid off 13% of them.
""Unfortunately, this did not play out the way I expected.""
Online adverts are the chief source of income for many tech firms, but for the advertising business, dark clouds have been gathering. Firms have faced growing opposition to intrusive advertising practices. For example, Apple made it harder to track people's online activity and sell that data to advertisers. 
And as the economy ran into trouble, many firms slashed their online advertising budgets.
In the financial technology sector, rising interest rates have also hit companies.
""It's been a really a disappointing quarter of earnings for many of the big tech companies,"" said technology analyst Paolo Pescatore of PP Foresight. ""No-one's immune.""
Even Apple has signalled caution, with chief executive Tim Cook saying the firm was ""still hiring"", but only on a ""deliberate basis."" 
Amazon attributed its job cuts to an ""unusual and uncertain macroeconomic environment"" forcing it to prioritize on what mattered most to customers.
""As part of our annual operating planning review process, we always look at each of our businesses and what we believe we should change,"" spokeswoman Kelly Nantel said. 
""As we've gone through this, given the current macro-economic environment (as well as several years of rapid hiring), some teams are making adjustments, which in some cases means certain roles are no longer necessary. We don't take these decisions lightly, and we are working to support any employees who may be affected.""
Investors have also piled on the pressure to cut costs, accusing firms of being bloated and slow to respond to signs of slowdown.
In an open letter to Alphabet, parent company of Google and YouTube, activist investor Sir Christopher Hohn urged the firm to slash jobs and pay.
Alphabet had to be more disciplined about costs, he wrote, and cut losses from projects like its self-driving car company, Waymo.
Elon Musk is certainly of the view that there is room to cut costs at his latest investment, Twitter, which has struggled to either turn a profit or attract new users.
Added to that, many commentators argue Mr Musk paid over the odds for the firm, and the pressure is on to make his investment worthwhile.
He laid off half the firm's employees; and for those who remain an ""extreme"" work ethic is promised.
According to US media reports on Tuesday, Mr Musk told staff they needed to commit to a ""hardcore"" culture of ""long hours at high intensity"" or leave. 
Industry watcher Scott Kessler also says there is less tolerance for big spending on high-tech gambles like virtual reality or driverless cars that may not pay off in the short term.
Investors also see the high wages and cushy perks some enjoy in the industry as unsustainable.
""Some companies have had to face harsh realities,"" he said.
Mike Morini, from WorkForce Software, which provides digital management tools said it appeared to be a turning point.
""The tech industry is exiting a period of growth at all costs,"" he said.
But while the big tech firms may be buffeted by economic headwinds, they are not broken.
Amazon's proposed 10,000 job cuts in corporate and technology roles - its biggest such reduction to date - represents only 3% of its office staff.
And the lay-offs may also be the start of new businesses as talented staff, dumped by the big firms, join or create start-ups.
As veteran Silicon Valley watcher Mike Malone recently told the BBC: ""I won't write the Valley off yet. I still have a lot of hope."""	/news/technology-63635821
health	Gloucester Dementia Choir helps unlock memories and words	"A new choir for people with dementia aims to ""utilise the power of music"" to ease depression and anxiety amongst those suffering from the condition.
Gloucester Dementia Choir was launched on Saturday with a special Christmas session offering a safe environment for socialising, singing and celebrating music.
Jacqueline Fitall has dementia and said the first session was ""lovely"".
""I do forget things sometimes- but I absolutely love singing,"" she said.
""There are some really nice people here, and I have really enjoyed myself- it has been a nice experience,"" she added.
r was set up by the Gloucestershire Academy of Music which said it was building on the work it already performs in care homes across the county.
Jenny Harrison and Becky Chevis, from Gloucestershire, said they decided to launch the choir after they found a gap in music resources for those with dementia.
""Music evokes a lot of emotions, and it allows those living with the condition to reminisce,"" said Ms Harrison.
""When you play a song that they used to listen to forty years ago, they come to life, remember those words and find their voices to sing those words.
""Music is a really powerful tool for people with dementia and we want to utilise that.""
r is not only encouraging individuals with dementia to get involved, but also their families and carers too.
From 13 January the choir will begin offering sessions every two weeks.
Ms Chevis said she found the first session ""moving"".
""There was someone who sang a solo on the spot today - it nearly made me cry,"" she said.
""There is some amazing research about music and dementia- we know it can help ease depression and anxiety amongst those living with the condition.
""The first session has really proven that music can make people happy and provided that lovely feeling of being together with each other.
""It has been an absolute success and we look forward to the new year.""
Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: bristol@bbc.co.uk "	/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-64012259
business	Hundreds of jobs go as Aberdeen paper mill goes into administration	"A historic Aberdeen paper mill has gone into administration with the loss of more than 300 jobs.
Stoneywood paper mill has operated for more than 250 years.
In 2019, the business was sold to a new parent company, securing the jobs at the mill.
Administrators have now been appointed at the Arjowiggins Group mills at Stoneywood, as well as Chartham, Kent, with 368 of the group's 463 UK-based employees made redundant immediately.
A total of 301 out of 372 members of staff have been made redundant in Aberdeen.
Ninety five members of staff have been retained by the administrators to assist them with the operation of limited activity across the two sites while they explore any possibility of a sale of the sites and assets.
Blair Nimmo, chief executive of Interpath Advisory and joint administrator, said: ""Arjowiggins has a long and proud history dating back more than 260 years, so this is immensely troubling news for UK and Scottish manufacturing. 
""Unfortunately, and following on from the severe challenges posed by the pandemic, the significant economic headwinds which have been impacting industrial manufacturing businesses up and down the country, including skyrocketing energy costs and spiralling input prices, have proved to be overwhelming for the group.
""The management team has asked that we pass on their sincere thanks to all employees, customers and suppliers, plus Scottish Enterprise, for their strong support during these very difficult times, and they would like to express their deep regret that there was unfortunately no other option available for this historic group.""
Shauna Wright, of the Unite union, said: ""We are saddened to hear the news about Stoneywood Mill - particularly on the anniversary of its opening 252 years ago.
""This comes as a huge blow to our members who stood by the mill through the last administration and welcomed the management buyout, which gave them so much hope for the future.
""That hope has been shattered.""
Scottish Conservative north-east MSP Douglas Lumsden described the news as ""absolutely devastating"", and said he would be lodging an urgent question in parliament calling for Scottish government help.
""Stoneywood Mill has been a very successful business in our city for more than 250 years and everything must be done to safeguard jobs and protect its future,"" he said.
Richard Thomson, the SNP MP for Gordon, said together with Jackie Dunbar, the MSP for Aberdeen Donside, he would seek to hold an urgent meeting with the administrators to see what else could be done for those who had lost their jobs, and ""to discuss the options for preserving papermaking on the site with the aim of retaining as many jobs as possible.""   
urchase of the paper mill in September 2019 for an undisclosed sum was made by subsidiaries of a new venture, Creative Paper Holdings Ltd.
was supported with £7m of funding from Scottish Enterprise."	/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-63001007
entertainment	Colchester United 'transformed into Wembley' for Indian movie	"A film director has praised the ""energy"" of more than 100 extras who starred in an Indian movie scene shot at a League Two football stadium.
rowd were at Colchester Utd's ground on Thursday night.
will be digitally altered to make the Jobserve Community Stadium look like a bigger venue ""such as Old Trafford or Wembley"".
film is a ""Tollywood"" production which is the name coined for Teluga language movies.
""The extras gave so much energy, cheering, which is not easy to do at five in the morning,"" said Julien Mery, the director of Film Suffolk, which shot the scenes on behalf of the Indian producers, BVSN Prasad and Yogesh Sudhakara.
""It's been a pleasure working with all these fantastic people from Colchester and with the Colchester students doing their film degrees.
""We're looking forward to more of this happening - the beginning, potentially, of more Indian productions coming to East Anglia.
""This particular company is keen to move their productions out of London, as it's easier for filming.""
Film Suffolk recruited about 25 local actors and footballers to shoot an England team ""clearly thrashing"" Germany.
Mr Mery said the scene followed a ""main character in the crowd who has got to escape some goons"".
Varun Tej plays an Indian diplomat who is ""fighting to uncover an environmental scandal"".
film, which has the working title of The Agency, has been shot in other locations in East Anglia, London and Kent.
Students at University Centre Colchester collaborated on the filming and led on the casting.
Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-essex-63347255
business	PCS union boss: 'We can continue strikes for months'	Mark Serwotka, the boss of the PCS union, says Border Force strikes could continue over the next few months as he calls for the government to enter talks.	/news/business-64076806
business	Leaky Gucci and Adidas 'sun umbrella' sparks China outcry	"A parasol set to be sold in China by top western brands Gucci and Adidas for 11,100 yuan (£1,329) is causing an outcry for not keeping out the rain.
Criticism of the item the firms call a ""sun umbrella"" has gone viral on the Chinese social media platform Weibo.
It comes as Gucci's website says it is ""not waterproof and is meant for sun protection or decorative use"".
rasol is part of a joint collection that is being promoted online ahead of its release next month.
A hashtag on Weibo which translates to ""the collaboration umbrella being sold for 11,100 yuan is not waterproof,"" has so far had more than 140 million views.
One user called the parasol ""a very big but useless fashion statement"".
""As long as I'm poor, they won't be able to trick me into paying for this,"" another user said.
Others understood why the product may still be appealing.
""Those who are willing to pay use luxury goods to show what they are worth,"" a user wrote. ""They don't care about practicality.""
rasol is set to be released on 7 June as part of a new collection by luxury brand Gucci and sportswear giant Adidas.
Gucci and Adidas did not immediately respond to a BBC request for comment.
However, a Gucci spokesperson told Beijing-based magazine Caijing that the product was ""not recommended for use as an everyday umbrella"". 
""good collector's value and is suitable for use as a daily accessory"".
China is a key market for leading luxury brands. 
Last year, sales of luxury goods rose by 36% in the world's second largest economy, according to consultancy Bain & Company.
Bain also predicted that China will become the biggest luxury goods market within the next three years.
Celebrity stylist Lisa Farrall shares top tips on textured hair"	/news/business-61503469
technology	Festive drone shows set to light up Telford sky	"Hundreds of drones are going to be used to create a festive show in Telford accompanied by a specially written soundtrack.
free event will be held on 21 December in Telford Town Park but people will need to book a ticket, the borough council says.
wo showings are planned, with one at 17:00 GMT and the second at 21:00 GMT.
will see 400 drones create images relating to local landmarks and events, the authority adds.
Each display is due to last 15 minutes and the soundtrack has been written by Telford-born Trademark Blud.
uncil says Telford residents will be given priority for tickets via its Facebook page until 15 December when general bookings open.
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sports	Zinedine Zidane: Face of multi-cultural France and star of Les Bleus' 1998 World Cup triumph	"Back then they called him Yaz, the 10-year-old boy from the concrete high rises of northern Marseille who watched France fizzle and burn at the 1982 World Cup, and whose humble desires were for a leather football and a bicycle rather than Ballons d'Or and immortality.
rt our World Cup icons series, BBC Sport tells how Zinedine Zidane led a multi-cultural France team to 1998 glory.
We know him as Zinedine Zidane, Zizou, the man who finally delivered Les Bleus' World Cup dream in the summer of 1998 to a euphoric nation unified by their football team's success.
It was not always like that for Zidane. A second-generation Algerian immigrant, he got his first taste of football on the tough council estate of La Castellane, where unemployment was high and opportunities were low, and only joined his first club in the same year his national team suffered a crushing semi-final penalty shootout defeat by Germany in Seville.
It was not always like that for France, either. A country troubled by racial tension it was divided over the question of immigration, with far-right politicians such as Jean-Marie le Pen stoking the argument by claiming a team made up of players of New Caledonian, Spanish, Caribbean, Senegalese, Ghanian, Armenian, Portuguese and Argentine heritage did not represent the nation. 
But as more than a million joyous fans gathered on the Champs-Élysées to celebrate their newly-crowned heroes' success in 1998, it was the son of a north African warehouseman's face that was beamed on to the Arc de Triomphe.
""Merci, Zizou,"" it read. ""Zidane president!""
kid called Yaz, the one who honed his craft on the dusty streets of a Marseille housing project, had scored twice in a 3-0 victory over Brazil in the final at the Stade de France, casting himself forever as the nation's darling - their footballing beau idéal.
""Even if you dream about it, think about it, want to do it - you tell yourself it is not possible,"" said Zidane. ""And that is why I said afterwards that in my life nothing is going to be impossible anymore.""
Having failed to qualify for the previous two World Cups, the pressure on the French squad in the build-up to 1998 was immense. Aime Jacquet took charge of the national side in January 1994, after their failure to reach the USA tournament, and handed Zidane his debut that August.
rodigious 22-year-old Bordeaux star came off the bench to score twice in a 2-2 draw with the Czech Republic and Jacquet noticed something special - an internal vision and drive.
""Zidane was out of the ordinary, exceptional,"" said Jacquet. ""But he didn't have his influence yet, he hadn't yet got his personal aura.
""He played football to enjoy himself, he had exceptional skills. Though he wasn't much of a team player, when he came into the French squad he joined other talents who took him on to a national level.""
Zidane was Jacquet's playmaker by Euro 1996 - taking the mantle from Eric Cantona following the Manchester United player's nine-month ban for karate kicking a fan - as France reached the semi-finals in England. 
But as Les Bleus flailed and floundered between tournaments the press began to turn on the national team boss and, as a World Cup on home soil lurched into the foreground, sports newspaper L'Equipe was leading the calls for him to go.
media labelled Jacquet ""ill-prepared"" and ""Paleolithic"", and such was the relentless nature of the negative coverage even some players became apprehensive.
But Jacquet was resilient, and training camps in the Alps helped foster 'le collectif' philosophy of solidarity, team-work and generosity, with a leading role for one man: Zidane.
""I have known Zidane since we were kids, we played together coming through, and I realised quite quickly when I was part of his team that it is great for him to be the key player, he is going to control the game,"" former France defender Lilian Thuram told BBC Sport. 
""We realised Zidane was the player who was going to make the difference. We all had roles to play but he was the one that would really take us to another level - if we were going to win this World Cup it was for the rest of us to do our jobs to allow Zidane to shine.""
Zizou was the slightly balding poster boy, a relatively late bloomer - or rather a talent that remained unboxed until he was signed by Cannes as a teenager and given a platform on which to flourish.
By France '98 he had arrived at Juventus via Bordeaux, established himself as one of Europe's most electrifying midfielders - technically sublime - and went into the tournament on the back of successive Scudettos and as a Champions League runner-up.
""What he can do with his feet, some people can't even do with their hands,"" said Thierry Henry in the BBC documentary France: Black, White and Blue. ""He was just magical. Sometimes when he plays with the ball, it seems like he's dancing.""
Fittingly, France kicked off their tournament on a Friday night in Marseille at the Stade Velodrome, where Zidane's childhood idols Jean-Pierre Papin and Enzo Francescoli had strutted their stuff - the latter whom he named his eldest son after - and across the city from his childhood neighbourhood where he daydreamed of playing in World Cups.
Zidane, blue number 10 shirt untucked and hanging loose over his baggy white shorts, curled a corner on to the head of friend and former Bordeaux team-mate Christophe Dugarry to put France 1-0 up against South Africa - the pair having gone separate ways after a dual move to Blackburn Rovers failed to materialise - and the hosts went on to win 3-0. 
It settled some nerves, the French team got back in the changing room feeling stronger and were in a buoyant mood, singing and dancing after getting their campaign up and running. 
Six days later came Saudi Arabia at the Stade de France in Paris, with Zidane again at his creative best. With the visitors already down to 10 men, he flicked a delightfully deft pass down the line to another former Bordeaux team-mate Bixente Lizarazu, and the left-back teed up Henry for France's opener before half-time.
Jacquet had pleaded with his side beforehand to ""stay serene, don't get sent off"" and they looked to be coasting when David Trezeguet nodded in a second, but with 19 minutes remaining Zidane's fragile temperament shattered as he stood on Saudi midfielder Fuad Amin during a fairly innocuous challenge.
used, a collective intake of breath, before Mexican referee Arturo Brizio Carter flashed a red card that was greeted by whistles and jeers from the home crowd. 
Following then Fifa president Sepp Blatter's instruction for officials to ""get tough"" it was one of five red cards that day, with three players also sent off in Denmark's draw with South Africa.
But it was also a reminder that if you peeled away the balletic beauty of Zidane with an Adidas Tricolore match ball at his feet, there was the tough kid from a Marseille estate and a raw layer of rage ready to bubble up and sting the opponent who provoked it.
Beneath the cool, composed on-field persona, Zidane was sensitive about his family and heritage. He'd even punched an opposition player for mocking his ghetto roots at Cannes and spent those early days learning to battle his temperament.
g off was one of 14 red cards in his career, the last of which remains the most infamous of all - Zidane's final act as a footballer was a headbutt to Italy defender Marco Materazzi in France's World Cup final defeat by Italy in 2006.
mage of his humbled figure trudging past world football's glittering prize at Berlin's Olympiastadion will be forever etched in his legacy.
In Paris, Zidane stared at the official who waved his arms and encouraged the midfielder to leave. The Frenchman bowed his head and walked towards the touchline, bottom lip pulled tightly over the top one, straight past Jacquet who did not even glance at his star charge.
26-year-old took his shirt off, threw it across the changing room floor behind him and stood for a moment, then sat solemnly with his head in one hand, alone and cut off from the noise outside as Henry and Lizarazu completed a 4-0 rout.
""When I got back to the dressing room, I felt terrible because I had let my team-mates down and I was going to miss games,"" said Zidane. ""I didn't feel good about it all.""
uram did not blame his companion: ""There is no need for the player to talk or the other players around him, these are things that happen and everyone turned to how do we overcome it - how do we win without Zidane?""
Outside the camp, it was a carrot for Le Pen and his supporters. Inside, Jacquet was worried. France had lost their star man for two games.
first of those was the final group fixture which, having already qualified, the hosts won 2-1. But the next pitted France against Paraguay in an edgy last-16 tussle, which an anxious and tetchy Zidane watched from the sidelines. Eventually, his side scraped through thanks to Laurent Blanc's Golden Goal in extra time.
If Paraguay had posed a problem, how would France fare against an Italy side boasting the likes of Paolo Maldini and Fabio Cannavaro in defence, and Christian Vieri and Zidane's Juventus team-mate Alessandro del Piero up top?
Zizou was back. His stealth-like movement saw him evade the frugal Azzurri backline twice in the opening minutes, pulling a shot wide after a cushioned touch, but a game of few chances finished goalless after extra time.
Head to toe in France's white second strip - just like that fateful night eight years later against the same opponent - he finally beat Gianluca Pagliuca from the spot as the game went to penalties, sending the Italian stopper the wrong way with a confident strike. He raised his arms to the crowd.
Lizarazu's poor penalty was saved, but Fabien Barthez immediately denied Demetrio Albertini before Luigi di Biagio rattled the decisive effort against the crossbar. 
France had equalled Michel Platini, Alain Giresse and co from 1982 in reaching the semi-finals and there was a carnival atmosphere building in the country. Hundreds of fans were greeting the team bus as it passed through towns and villages, and the players began to notice that the diverse French population was cheering them on in unison. 
""Africans, Algerians, Arabs, Moroccans were all at their window with French flags, they were mixing with French people and everyone was singing together and everybody had their faces painted in blue, white and red,"" defender Marcel Desailly told the BBC documentary that followed France at the tournament. 
rty would continue as right-back Thuram emerged an unlikely hero in a 2-1 semi-final victory over Croatia to take France into their first World Cup final. President Jacques Chirac, dressed in a French football shirt, entered the dressing room after the win, shaking Zidane's hand and kissing Barthez's head, as the whole country became immersed in the footballing frenzy.
France versus Brazil was the final everyone wanted, including former Uefa president Platini who years later said ""we did a bit of trickery"" to avoid the teams being on the same side of the draw, and the players got a taste of the nation's anticipation as they made their way to the stadium.
""What surprised me was the people in the street,"" said Zidane. ""Black, white, brown. I was in the bus, right at the back, I turned around and looked behind and there must have been more than 500 motorbikes following us. It was incredible, really incredible.""
While Zidane may have been his nation's poster boy the Selecao had their own global superstar in Ronaldo, who had already scored four goals during the tournament.
Come matchday, however, rumours reached the French dressing room that the Inter Milan striker was unwell so would not feature.
""We were all convinced it was a ploy by the Brazilians to make us believe that Ronaldo wouldn't be able to play,"" explained Thuram. ""We thought 'no way, Ronaldo is playing the match, they are just making this up to try and fool us'.""
Ronaldo, it later emerged, had suffered from a convulsion earlier in the day. He woke up unaware of what happened, and after several tests and plenty of debate was given the green light to start for Mario Zagallo's side.
""In games like this, small margins can make a difference - who knows, if Ronaldo had been at 100% of his abilities and feeling well, maybe Brazil would have won?"" added Thuram.
21-year-old was nowhere near his best that evening in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis -  and neither were Brazil. But Zidane was, producing his greatest display of the tournament when it mattered - the man who later that year would be crowned the world's best player and Ballon d'Or winner.
France's iconic blue jerseys danced between the resplendent yellow of Brazil. For the neutrals it was footballing nirvana. For the fans whose faces were painted with the Tricolore, it was ecstasy. 
rangy, supple frame of Zidane glided around the Stade de France, Predator Accelerators barely clipping the turf as he almost teed up Stephane Guivarc'h. And then, after 27 minutes, boom! The 6ft 1in playmaker rose above Leonardo to meet Emmanuel Petit's in-swinging corner from the left and headed beyond goalkeeper Cláudio Taffarel to send the stadium delirious.
""This was something we had worked on beforehand,"" said Thuram. ""Jacquet coached us that Brazil were very weak at defending corners and we will have a really good chance to score if we get the delivery right.""
Zidane jumped on to the advertising hoardings with his arms aloft before anchoring down on the other side and punching the air like he'd just won a gruelling rally across town at Roland Garros.
Nineteen minutes later, in first-half stoppage time, it was Brazil's combative captain Dunga sent sprawling to the ground by Zizou's ferocious strength and desire to reach Youri Djorkaeff's corner whipped in from the right.
Again the Frenchman got his head to the ball, sending a whistling effort through the legs of Roberto Carlos at the front post and into the net to double the hosts' lead. This time he walked away kissing his France shirt. 
""To have Zinedine Zidane in our side performing so well was obviously incredibly important for us,"" captain Didier Deschamps told Fifa. ""He was a decisive player. Big players always make the difference in big matches.""
Jacquet called for calm in the changing room at the interval and Zidane lay on the floor, shirt off, with his legs hanging over the bench. But two yellow cards after the restart for Desailly threatened to derail France's bid for glory.
Memories of 1982 loomed until Petit's 93rd-minute goal popped the cork on the country's celebrations and the players could embrace, dance, cry and soak up the adulation.
uram remembers the party in the dressing room continuing on the bus back to the team hotel, though he had to leave early to give son Marcus his bottle the next morning. Zidane's face lit up the Arc de Triomphe and more than a million people gathered on the Champs-Élysées, waving flags, sitting on top of moving cars and hanging off lampposts singing I Will Survive in a colossal outpouring of emotion. 
wo days later, Zizou and the squad were guests at the French presidential residence for a Bastille Day garden party, receiving Legion of Honor ribbons.
m were nicknamed 'Black, Blanc, Beur' (black, white, North African) by some and the 'Rainbow Team' by others for their diverse make-up. And, for a moment at least, their success united a country that was conflicted over issues of immigration and discrimination.
""That victory in 1998 helped to give people greater courage and that desire to speak out about equality and injustice, and to demand greater equality,"" said Thuram, who has written several books and created his own foundation to educate against racism.
""1998 was also the 150th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the French colonies, so this was an important, symbolic moment in ways that might not have been perceived at the time.""
President Chirac's popularity soared and prime minister Lionel Jospin called it ""the best image of our unity and diversity"", though some felt it was hypocritical and opportunistic of politicians to exploit the World Cup triumph. It also did not make France's issues disappear, with Le Pen's National Front party coming second in the presidential election four years later.
Now, Thuram says the importance of France's victory was legitimising questions around who could represent the country and highlighting issues around diversity.
""If you look at the composition of the French team and all of the diversity that was there, that all of these players from these different backgrounds could represent France and go on and win, that was a very powerful message to send out to society,"" he said.
""It made you look at other areas of society where ethnic minorities were underrepresented and to think about whether they too could benefit from that diversity.
""It really cemented the fact there could be a questioning of dominant models of French identity and thinking about it in different ways, and that has been the most important legacy that you can hark back to 1998 - to think about a more inclusive France and to transfer that to other areas of society.
""This is important because there are always people who are looking to close the door on these debates or to turn back the clock on things that have changed.""
Shy, modest, humble, proud of his family roots in the Kabylie region of Algeria and not one to court controversy away from the field, Zidane has rarely expressed his own political views. As his brother Nordine professed, there are ""too many sharks"" who ""want to use him for political ends"".
Zidane was a social phenomenon, his role in France's World Cup win and what that meant for the country both in cultural liberation and sporting triumph became known as L'effet Zidane - the Zidane effect.
He transcended sport, race and religion, artists painted the playmaker's face on huge street murals and he was voted above Michael Jordan as the world's greatest athlete at the time. 
""What you notice about Zidane is a greater confidence and assurance on the pitch, a confidence in his ability to play a key role within the team. That was something that got stronger and stronger as his career developed,"" said Thuram. 
""He has this strong personality, leadership qualities, self confidence in his choices and his intelligence in the game - he wouldn't have been able to be a top player if he didn't have those.""
Zidane may have helped change France, but at heart he remained the boy from the Marseille projects who kept old friends and family close and admired his father Smail, who missed the World Cup final to look after his grandson Luca.
''My papa always taught me one special thing: be respectful, give respect in life,"" Zidane told the New York Times following France's victory.
""That was the biggest word in his vocabulary. He said, 'You'll see, if you're respectful and if you're good and if you work, you'll get there'. In fact, he wasn't wrong.
""I think when you're young, at a certain point you've just got to shut up. Be straight, you're there to learn - you don't let anybody walk all over you, but you take it easy and wait.
""I didn't want to open my mouth as a kid. What I wanted was to succeed.''"	/sport/football/63060351
business	EasyJet holiday bookings up despite cost-of-living crisis	"People are protecting their spending on holidays despite the cost-of-living crisis, the boss of EasyJet has said.
Johan Lundgren told the BBC the airline had seen strong demand for flights over half term, Christmas and New Year despite the ""pressure"" on households.
However, he said demand outside peak periods remained below usual levels.
It came as the low-cost carrier reported a sharp bounceback in sales and narrowed its losses for the year to 30 September.
mpany said it had faced ""multiple headwinds"" in the period, including Covid restrictions and the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which drove up fuel prices.
However, Mr Lundgren told the BBC's Today programme that there was ""a great deal of pent-up demand"" this summer despite the uncertainty surrounding the state of the economy.
""At the same time we see there is a strong demand in the peak periods,"" he said, adding that budget airlines tended to do well in downturns because ""people gravitate towards value"".
According to a survey of 2,000 people conducted by EasyJet, 64% plan to fly abroad in 2023, while 70% said that they would prioritise a holiday over other expenditure in their yearly budget.
Many said they would cut back on other discretionary spending, such as eating out or buying new clothes, to ensure they could travel abroad.
However, Mr Lungren said the airline needed to do more to ""stimulate"" demand outside peak periods and there were ""big cost increases coming towards the industry"".
Inflation - the rate at which prices rise - is running at a 41-year high in the UK, as energy and food prices have soared.
EasyJet said that, like all airlines, it faced cost pressures including higher fuel costs, a stronger US dollar and demands for higher wages. 
Mr Lundgren declined to say how much ticket prices for next summer could rise by.
Rival budget carrier Ryanair has said its prices are rising, with boss Michael O'Leary warning that the era of the €10 ticket is over.
rline's average fare would rise from around €40 (£33.75) last year to roughly €50 over the next five years, he told the BBC in August.
According to a recent BBC survey of more than 4,000 adults, 85% are worried about the rising cost of living, up from 69% in a similar poll in January.
As a result, nine in 10 people are trying to save money by delaying putting the heating on."	/news/business-63791613
health	A&E waiting times: 'Distressing' 10-hour wait outside for dementia patient	"families of two women who waited outside NI hospitals in ambulances all night before being admitted have spoken about the distress it caused.
Colleen O'Neill's grandmother Mary, who has dementia, waited more than 10 hours outside Causeway Hospital in Coleraine.
racey McCausland's mother Patricia was outside Antrim Area Hospital with a fractured kneecap for eight hours.
It comes as attempts are being made to prevent older people being kept in ambulances for long periods of time.
Health trusts in Northern Ireland have been advised to create areas within their emergency departments for older people who are brought by ambulance.
On Monday, a 77-year-old woman died on a trolley waiting to be admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.
BBC News NI understands these newly created areas are not hospital wards as there are none available.
Instead, the areas could be a corridor which is cordoned off especially for older patients.
Since Friday, there have been reports of many elderly frail patients having to be kept in ambulances or on trolleys in corridors as there is no room for them within the emergency area. 
Colleen O'Neill's grandmother Mary is 80 and has dementia.
She was taken into hospital on Tuesday with a suspected stroke after seeing the on-call doctor.
""She was taken in at 1.30 to Causeway where she was left in the back of an ambulance until 11.40 - for more than 10 hours,"" she told Good Morning Ulster. 
She said her grandmother was ""very agitated and confused"".
""They sent her home after doing nothing medically for her,"" she added. 
Colleen O'Neill said her family dreads hospital visits after 10-hour wait
Ms O'Neill said she was angry with those in positions of power in Northern Ireland.
""The staff are doing everything they can to keep this country going but it's a disaster,"" she said.
""Thankfully we have a good homecare plan set in place and the care workers are fantastic.
""They are outstanding and do anything possible for my grandmother and she is comfortable but we dread her going into hospital.""
After her eight-hour wait outside in an ambulance, Tracey McCausland's mother Patricia was admitted to hospital on Thursday morning.
When she was ""eventually"" allowed in to see her on Friday afternoon, she had not had her underwear changed, been washed or had her teeth cleaned.
Ms McCausland said the situation was ""in no way a reflection on the staff"".
""They are incredibly in a horrific situation and they are at their limit,"" she told Good Morning Ulster.
""She was transferred to Musgrave on Monday evening which was the first night's sleep she had since it happened.""
re is now the issue of where she will go for rehab, her daughter told the programme. 
Dr Gareth Hampton, the clinical director of emergency medicine at the Southern Health and Social Care Trust, said his hospital was overwhelmed and ""every cubicle was filled and every corridor filled"".
""In the last 24 hours, we have had more patients arriving.
""We have 28 adult assessment cubical assessments in Craigavon and with the 138 patients in the department it is way beyond what we have capacity for.""
He said he and his staff loved their job and it was upsetting for them.
""You many have one cubicle and dozens of patients we need to be in it  - how do you pick? Do you pick the poor lady with the broken hip in the  ambulance outside?
""Do you pick the person in the waiting room with chest pain who is scared and could have a heart attack? 
""Some of our patients have had a heart attack in waiting room.""
He said that it is not uncommon for a patient to wait 12 hours to be seen.
""That is way beyond the standard of care we set ourselves. It is distressing for patients and staff,"" he added
""There has been a slow escalation of what has been happening - we have been predicting this is going to come and winter will be difficult.""
He said the situation was ""deeply frustrating"". 
""It chips away at you over time. My staff want to have some hope and optimism.""
'Demoralised'
uation in Northern Ireland's hospitals is ""just not tolerable"", according to Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O'Neill.
After a meeting the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), she said nursing staff were feeling ""undervalued, exhausted and demoralised"".
She added: ""They need some hope that we can work with all the parties so that we can prioritise a budget for health, some hope that we can put proper strategies in place."" 
Earlier DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson told the BBC's Today programme that his party had ""argued for some time that reform of the health service is needed"".
""We want to see a solution on the protocol, and let's not forget that the protocol itself impacts on every aspect of life in Northern Ireland including in the delivery of healthcare,"" he said. 
""Cross-community consensus is the basis of power-sharing, but unfortunately the protocol has broken that.""
Last week there was a so-called emergency summit held last Wednesday.
It was led by a group of health officials known as the Strategic Planning and Performance Group who were formerly part of the health and social care board which has now closed. 
In a letter seen by the BBC from the group's lead, civil servant Sharon Gallagher, to GPs, hospitals and health trust chief executives, Ms Gallagher said that a number of ""additional interventions emerged strongly which if implemented quick;y could yield further gains"".
wo initiatives were discussed as part of the summit which health officials believe could have a significant impact in the care of elderly patients.
were cohorting patients who arrive by ambulance in emergency departments to release ambulance crews and transferring patients with a decision to admit to wards in advance of a bed being made available, as opposed to waiting in the emergency department for that bed. 
Ms Gallagher said that she ""recognised the challenge this presents but it needs to be seen in the context of balancing the risks across the entire system that was discussed at the summit"".
ummit also discussed the need to prevent care home residents being transferred to an acute hospital environment ""when that is not the best place to meet their needs"".
ring group said that there are ""many examples of good practice which seeks to prevent the unnecessary conveyancing of frail elderly patients"". 
Health trusts and primary care practitioners were asked to ""expedite discussions"" to ensure a more proactive approach to care is introduced across all geographical areas as soon as possible."	/news/uk-northern-ireland-63647374
business	Germany takes control of stakes in Rosneft oil refineries	"German government has taken temporary control of two subsidiaries of the Russian energy giant Rosneft.
move by the government puts it in charge of Rosneft's stakes in three refineries in the country.
udes a key facility in the northeast of the country which supplies around 90% of Berlin's fuel, and in which Rosneft held a majority stake.
Germany's economy ministry said the move was necessary to counteract an impending threat to energy security.
In a similar move in April, Germany took control of subsidiaries of Russian gas giant Gazprom.
On Friday, the German government handed control of the PCK Schwedt refinery in Brandenburg to the national energy regulator, along with stakes in two other refineries in the south of the country.
my ministry said the move was necessary because critical service providers and customers were no longer willing to work with Rosneft, putting the continued operation of the refineries under threat.
Schwedt refinery is Germany's fourth-largest and is the main supplier of petrol, diesel and aviation fuel for Berlin and the surrounding area. Rosneft has a 54% stake in the facility. 
refinery has received all its crude from Russia via the Druzhba pipeline since it was built in the 1960s. Parts of western Poland are also supplied by Schwedt.
It's less than a year since Rosneft agreed to buy out Shell's holding in PCK, a move that would have given it more than 90% ownership of the vital Schwedt refinery.
was scuppered by the Ukraine war. Now the German government has control - a symbol of the vast changes imposed on Europe's energy sector by the conflict.
In happier times, the refinery would take in vast quantities of crude brought from central Russia through the Druzbha pipeline, and pump out refined products for Berlin and Brandenburg.
But with Germany having pledged to boycott Russian oil, even though the pipeline itself is not covered by the EU's forthcoming embargo, new sources of supply will have to be found.
With Rosneft in charge that was seen as an impossible task. There were concerns in Berlin that the Russian firm would simply suspend operations at the plant, rather than use non-Russian oil.
w been removed - although it's not yet clear where alternative supplies will come from. 
Rosneft Deutschland, which accounts for about 12% of German oil processing capacity, will fall under the trusteeship of the Federal Network Agency regulator, which said the original owner no longer had authority to issue instructions. The regulator was also handed control of Rosneft subsidiary RN Refining and Marketing.
""With the trusteeship, the threat to the security of energy supply is countered and an essential foundation stone is set for the preservation and future of the Schwedt site,"" Germany's economy ministry said.
It claimed critical suppliers such as insurance companies, IT providers and banks were no longer willing to work with Rosneft, either with the subsidiaries themselves or through the refineries.
Federal Network Agency has also taken control of Rosneft Deutschland's shares in the MiRo refinery in Karlsruhe and Bayernoil refinery in Vohburg. Rosneft owns 28% and 24% stakes respectively.
Germany needs to stop Russian oil imports by the end of the year under European sanctions imposed over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
ministry said Friday's move included a package to ensure the Schwedt refinery could receive oil from alternative routes.
It is unclear who could step in to replace Rosneft as operator of the refinery. Shell, which owns a 37.5% stake in Schwedt, has wanted to withdraw for some time.
Germany said this week it would step up lending to energy firms at risk of being crushed by soaring gas prices after Russia cut supplies to Europe in retaliation for Western sanctions.
German utility Uniper said on Wednesday that the government might take a controlling stake, saying an earlier state rescue package worth €19bn euros was no longer enough.
government has also put SEFE, formerly known as Gazprom Germania, under trusteeship after Russian energy giant Gazprom ditched it in April."	/news/business-62924071
entertainment	Nativity: Peruzzi artwork acquired by National Museums NI	"An ""exceptionally rare"" 16th Century depiction of the nativity acquired by National Museums NI will go on public display in Northern Ireland next year.
Painted by Baldassare Tommaso Peruzzi around 1515, The Nativity is one of the artist's last remaining works.
It will go on display at the Ulster Museum in 2023.
Arts and Heritage Minister Lord Parkinson described its acquisition as a ""Christmas gift to the nation"".
Last year the painting was made subject to a temporary export bar in a bid to keep it in the UK.
""For many, being part of a nativity play is one of the first ways that we learn the story of Christmas,"" Lord Parkinson said.
""That is why I am delighted that, this Christmas Eve, we can announce that this incredible painting of that famous event has been saved for the nation thanks to the export bar system.""
Born in 1481 near Siena, Peruzzi was one of the leading artistic figures in Rome during the High Renaissance, working alongside Raphael and Bramante.
A painter, draughtsman and architect, the majority of his artworks were in fresco and have been lost to history.
Senior curator of art at National Museums NI Anne Stewart said she was delighted to have acquired ""this remarkable painting"".
""Currently, there are no High Renaissance paintings in any public collection in Northern Ireland, so this is truly a Christmas gift to our audiences,"" she added.
National Heritage Memorial Fund, Art Fund, Stormont's Department for Communities and the Esme Mitchell Trust have supported National Museums NI in its fundraising to acquire The Nativity.
g has been valued at £277,990 and is currently undergoing conservation work in London."	/news/uk-northern-ireland-64078282
sports	World Rowing Championships: GB win four golds on penultimate day	"Great Britain won four golds medals and seven in total on the penultimate day of the 2022 World Rowing Championships in Racice, Czech Republic. 
men's and women's four, lightweight women's double sculls and PR3 mixed coxed four boats all claimed top place in their races. 
re was also a silver for the men's quadruple sculls in the last race of the day.
men's pair and women's quadruple sculls each won bronze medals.
PR3 mixed coxed four of Ollie Stanhope, Ed Fuller, Frankie Allen and Giedre Rakauskaite, with Morgan Baynham-Williams as cox, put on a dominant performance to win and finish 18.60 seconds ahead of second-placed Germany. 
ghtweight women's double sculls boat of Imogen Grant and Emily Craig then added a second gold by taking a convincing win ahead of the United States and Ireland.
women's four of Rebecca Shorten, Sam Redgrave, Rowan McKellar and Heidi Long comfortably secured victory in their race before the men's four of Will Stewart, Samuel Nunn, Freddie Davidson and David Ambler added the British team's fourth gold of the day.
men's quadruple sculls of Harry Leask, George Bourne, Matthew Haywood and Thomas Barras were involved in a close race but were beaten to gold by Poland.
A late charge from the men's pair of Tom George and Oliver Wynne-Griffith earned them a bronze, while the women's quadruple sculls of Jessica Leden, Lola Anderson, Georgina Brayshaw and Lucy Glover also finished third."	/sport/rowing/63021883
politics	Delay to free school meal extension 'shameful', EIS union says	"rollout of free school meals to all primary pupils has been branded ""shameful"" by the country's biggest teaching union. 
general secretary of the EIS union, Andrea Bradley, said it ""runs contrary"" to efforts to tackle child poverty.
She also accused the Scottish government of attempting to ""obscure"" the move in its recent budget.
Ministers said Scotland had the ""most generous universal provision"" of free school lunches in the UK.
Scottish government had previously promised to introduce free school meals for all primary school pupils by August 2022.
So far this has only been delivered for youngsters in P1 to P5. 
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said in September that the government would ""start work with local authorities to extend universal provision to all pupils in primary 6 and 7"".
But the EIS said details in the Scottish budget showed that the universal rollout of free school meals for P6 and P7 will now be delayed until 2024.
Ms Bradley said: ""Delaying the rollout of free school meals to all primary school children was a shameful decision, which runs contrary to the Scottish government's stated commitment to tackling child poverty.""
She added: ""This is now the second time that the rollout of this hugely important policy has been delayed, with serious consequences for thousands of children and families across Scotland.
""It is also extremely disappointing how this change in policy came to light - not announced in parliament, but obscured within the detail of the budget document itself.
""In a country where more than one child in four lives in poverty, and with the cost-of-living crisis pushing ever more families into financial difficulty, it is more important than ever that universal free school meals should be a priority.""
union chief said that while a ""watered-down, means-tested policy"" on free school meals is being introduced for youngsters in the final two years of primary school, many children could still miss out amid a cost of living crisis. 
She continued: ""Universal free meals remain the best way to ensure that all young people have access to a healthy and nutritious meal at school, without any stigma being attached.""
Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said Scotland leads the way in the UK on free school meals. 
""All pupils in Primaries 1 to 5, children in funded early learning and childcare, and eligible pupils in Primary 6 through to S6 benefit from free meals in Scotland - the most generous universal provision of anywhere in the UK,"" she said.
""We will go further. Our additional investment announced in the 2023-24 Budget will continue to fund the expansion of free school meals for all Primary 6 and 7 pupils in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment, helping children most in need first.
""This will be the next step in fulfilling our commitment to universal provision in primary schools.""
Ms Somerville added: ""A number of local authorities have indicated that they face challenges in planning for the substantial expansion of free school meals. It is right that we work in partnership with local government to deliver our shared commitment."" "	/news/uk-scotland-64095765
business	Sports Direct owner Frasers Group scraps home working	"Office staff at Mike Ashley's Frasers Group will no longer work from home on Fridays after a memo said some were ""not treating Friday as a working day"".
memo from the retail group's chief operating officer, David Al-Mudallal, seen by The Sun, said there were ""too many examples"" of people not being contactable when they needed to be.
So-called ""Frasers Fridays"" was started as a flexible working policy in 2020.
A spokeswoman said the firm believed people worked better in an office.
keswoman told the BBC ""collaboration"" was ""key to how we deliver value"".
""We believe that we are all at our best when we work together in an office environment,"" she added.
Mr Al-Mudallal was reported to have told staff that some of their social media profiles were ""demonstrating that they're not treating Friday as a working day"".
He added that Fridays had become an ""unproductive day of the week"".
Frasers Group, which includes brands such as House of Fraser and Evans Cycles, is owned by Sports Direct founder and retail billionaire Mike Ashley.
Mr Ashley handed over the day-to-day running of his retail empire to his future son-in law, Michael Murray, in May.
It is understood bosses at Frasers Group had been measuring the productivity of staff on Fridays since the start of the flexible working scheme and decided to pull people back into the office.
Flexible and hybrid working patterns - where some people get to work some days at home and others in offices - have become more common since coronavirus pandemic restrictions were lifted.
However, companies differ in their opinion of new working practices. In April this year, Airbnb decided to let its employees work from anywhere for as long as they like, but last year the boss of Goldman Sachs rejected remote working as a ""new normal"" and labelled it an ""aberration"" instead.
Working from home for part of the week has become the norm for some employees, a survey of managers has suggested.
Chartered Institute of Management found in February that more than 80% of firms had adopted hybrid working - most since the pandemic.
ute said firms should embrace hybrid work as ""best practice"".
In April, Ben Willmott, head of public policy at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, said hybrid working let firms widen the net when recruiting to try to tackle skills shortages, and it can improve productivity and work/life balance.
However, he added that there were also potential downsides to hybrid working, including the possibility of ""a two-tier workforce"", with a split between those who have lots of flexibility and those who cannot work from home.
UK government said in September 2021 that would like to give workers the right to request flexible working when they start new jobs from day one, and is reviewing more than 1,600 responses to a consultation that closed in December last year."	/news/business-62175875
politics	Cost of Living: Asylum seekers left without basics to live on - charity	"Harriet Protheroe-Soltani said the allowance provided by the UK government should be supplemented
Rising prices have driven some asylum seekers to destitution, a charity has warned.
Welsh Refugee Council (WRC) has called for asylum seekers to be allowed to work in order to increase their income.
It said it was having to support more people with its hardship fund, as well as clothes and food donations.
Home Office said it provided accommodation and a weekly allowance to support asylum seekers. 
People seeking asylum are given somewhere to live, and a weekly allowance of £45 to cover food, essential items and travel.
In Wales, refugees are given free travel on public transport.
WRC provides help for asylum seekers in accessing support, including guidance on applying for asylum, and finding legal representation, as well as more practical help in building their lives in Wales, after escaping conflict zones, such as Ukraine, or human rights abuses in north Africa. 
Harriet Protheroe-Soltani, from the WRC, said the allowance provided by the UK government should be supplemented, by allowing asylum seekers to work as they wait to discover the outcome of their claim. 
""Asylum seekers aren't allowed to work in the UK, so that is a very limited pool of money that they've got to survive off, and they can't really expand that pool of money,"" she said. 
""From that £45, asylum seekers are expected to spend money on things like transport, food, essential toiletries, all of the day to say costs. 
""We've people from our play project who come in, they are mothers, and they can't afford to get their children uniforms,"" she said.
Ms Protheroe-Soltani added it was very difficult, with people falling into destitution and not surviving.
Frezgi Meles, fled war in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia, and came to Cardiff. 
""There is a genocide in Tigray, a lot of people are killed, women are raped, a lot of infrastructure is getting destroyed,"" he said. 
""We cannot live in our country because of the dictators.""
Fighting in the region led to the destruction of homes, school and hospitals.
Human Rights Watch has estimated more than two million people in Tigray have been forced to leave their homes. 
Now living in Cardiff, the 38-year-old volunteers for the Red Cross and the Welsh Refugee Council and said he has found it difficult to afford the basics on his £45 allowance, and said he would rather work. 
""It would be good if we could get work permits, so that we could get jobs.""
Ms Protheroe-Soltani said asylum seekers were in a ""no man's land between having this really small amount of money, and not being able to work"".
She added a lot of asylum seekers would ""love to work"".
""Remember the HGV drivers crisis? There were many of our clients that would've been willing and able to go and fill that shortage, but they're unable to, so they're in a really difficult position,"" she said. 
Home Office said: ""The Nationality and Borders Act will fix the broken asylum system, by processing application more quickly, and focusing on those genuinely fleeing persecution.
""For asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute, we provide accommodation, and a weekly allowance for food, clothing, transport and sundries.
""The Home Office ensures all spending is carefully scrutinised to make sure that every pound of taxpayers' money is spent in the most effective way, and we review the allowance rate annually."" "	/news/uk-wales-64068912
entertainment	Love Actually director Richard Curtis uncomfortable with movie's lack of diversity	"Love Actually director Richard Curtis has said he feels ""a bit stupid"" about parts of his 2003 Christmas rom-com, including its lack of diversity.
Curtis admitted elements of the movie are now ""bound to feel out of date"".
British filmmaker added that many people's ongoing love for his film was ""really touching"", however.
Curtis made the remarks on The Laughter & Secrets of Love Actually: 20 Years Later, a one-hour special broadcast on US TV channel ABC.
He appeared on the programme alongside stars Hugh Grant, Dame Emma Thompson and Bill Nighy, as well as Laura Linney and Thomas Brodie-Sangster.
Asked by anchor Diane Sawyer if there were any elements of the film that ""made you wince"", Curtis replied: ""There are things that you would change, but thank God society is changing.
""My film is bound in some moments to feel out of date,"" he said. ""The lack of diversity makes me feel uncomfortable and a bit stupid.
""There is such extraordinary love that goes on every minute in so many ways [in life generally], all the way around the world, and makes me wish my film was better.
""It makes me wish I'd made a documentary just to kind of observe it.""
He later added how films, when done well, can ""act as a reminder of how lovely things can be and how there are all sorts of things which we might pass by, which are in fact the best moments in our lives"".
r-studded Love Actually pulls together a string of separate but inter-linked romantic tales into one festive feast, which many viewers continue to devour to this day, while others find it sickly and in parts problematic and sexist.
x office smash hit received two Golden Globe awards as well as rather mixed reviews from critics.
At the time, Variety's Todd McCarthy called it ""a roundly entertaining romantic comedy"" and a ""doggedly cheery confection"", while Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times labelled it as ""a belly-flop into the sea of romantic comedy"".
In a retrospective review, BBC Culture's Nicholas Barber noted how ""there's actually no love in Love Actually"", suggesting ""Lust Actually"" might have been a better title.
During the aforementioned ABC show, some of its stars praised Curtis, with Dame Emma describing the Comic Relief co-creator as a man with a ""golden heart"".
""He's truly a good person [and] in our business that's something that [is] to be treasured.""
Grant added that the Love Actually script is ""a bit psychotic"", or in other words: ""Richard on steroids"".
""But the thing is with him, what you have to remember is when he writes about love, he means it,"" said Grant. ""And that is quite rare.
""I did drunkenly watch a bit of Love Actually a few months ago with my wife, and she was the one who said, 'Oh look, it's all about pain, it's all about suffering'.""
Love Actually cast reunites for Comic Relief
Nighy, who won a Bafta for best actor in a supporting role for his contribution in the film, said it was ""wonderful to be a part of"". 
""It's amazing the way it's entered the language,"" he said.
""I have people coming up to me saying it got me through my chemotherapy, or it got me through my divorce, or I watch it whenever I'm alone. And people do it.""
Elsewhere on the programme, Nighy's co-star Grant, who portrayed a fictional UK prime minister in Love Actually, said his famous Downing Street dance is ""the most excruciating scene ever committed to celluloid"".
In the scene he is seen gyrating around the offices of Number 10 Girls Aloud's version of The Pointer Sisters' 1983 track Jump, before being caught by his personal secretary.
Down the years, many people have recreated the dance online, such as former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker.
Boxer Joseph Parker recreates Love Actually dance routine at home
""I think I saw it in the script and thought 'I'll hate doing that',"" recalled Grant. ""No Englishman can dance when they're sober at 8am in the morning,"" he joked.
""And to this day, you know, there's many people, and I agree with them, and we think it's the most excruciating scene ever committed to celluloid.
""But then some people like it.""
Director Curtis said the actor - who he also cast in Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill - had been ""grumpy"" about performing the routine, but went through with it due to ""contractual obligation""."	/news/entertainment-arts-63805817
business	Persil advert banned for misleading green claims	"Unilever's advert for one of its laundry detergents, Persil, has been banned for being misleading about its environmental benefits.
rt said Persil was ""kinder to our planet"", and featured children picking up litter on a beach.
Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the advert's claim was unsubstantiated. 
Unilever, which owns brands including Hellmann's and Dove, said it is ""disappointed"" with the result. 
It follows a crackdown by the ASA on ""greenwashing"" - claims made by firms branding products as eco-friendly, green or sustainable. 
In the banned television advert, beaches are shown full of litter and then children are shown picking up the rubbish.  
A voiceover said: ""For real change we all need to roll up our sleeves and get dirty"". 
xt on the screen stating that the product ""removes stains at 30C"" is shown, with the Persil bottle, which the advert states is made with 50% recycled plastic. 
""Tough on stains and kinder to our planet,"" the voiceover adds. 
A viewer complained to the watchdog that Persil's claims of being ""kinder"" to the planet were unsubstantiated.  
regulator upheld the complaint and said that the claims could only be justified if the product provides an environmental benefit over other similar products. 
""Although we acknowledged Persil were undertaking actions to reduce the environmental impact of their products, we had not seen evidence or analysis to demonstrate the overall environmental impact of the featured liquid detergents over their full-life cycles, compared with Persil's own previous products or other products, in support of the claim 'kinder to our planet'"", the ASA said. 
Unilever countered that the advert showed how its liquid detergent was ""kinder"" to the planet because it saved energy by cleaning in fast washes and at lower temperatures. It also said it was ""kinder"" because the product used recycled plastic.
A spokesperson for Unilever told the BBC that is was ""disappointed"" with the ASA's result.
""We are committed to making on-going improvements to all our products to make them more sustainable and will continue to look at how we can share this with our shoppers"", Unilever said.
ASA banned the advert because it concluded that the basis of the claim ""kinder to our planet"" had not been made clear.
regulator also said the ad featured ""various strands of messaging"" about Persil's wider environmental initiatives including encouraging people to ""personally take action to care for the environment"", and showing children collecting plastic litter. 
""In the context of the entire ad with several messages relating to environmental issues, we considered the meaning and basis of the claim ""kinder to our planet"" was unclear,"" the ASA said. 
""Additionally, in the absence of evidence demonstrating that the full-life cycle of the product had a lesser environmental impact compared to a previous formulation, we concluded the ad was likely to mislead,"" a spokesperson from the ASA added. "	/news/business-62726666
business	Stuck Brits scramble to get home after axed flights	"usands of people have been stranded abroad after flights were cancelled, but while some wait around others are taking matters into their own hands.
Joel Pennington was due to take a three-hour flight to Manchester from Germany. Since his flight was axed, he has spent 25 hours trying to get home.
He flew from Germany to Norway and onto London, where he is waiting to get to Manchester, paying out £700 extra.
He is one of many taking drastic action to get home from their trips abroad.
Airlines have cancelled hundreds of flights over the past week due to staff shortages, with many changes made at short notice over the bank holiday weekend.
While some families never reached their destination or arrived late, others have found their return flights are not operating.
More than 100 flights to and from the UK were cancelled on Monday, according to the data analytics firm Cirium, and dozens more were scrapped on Tuesday.
EasyJet, which is the biggest operator at London Gatwick, has been badly affected by disruption over the past week. The airline initially did not say how many flights it had cancelled on Tuesday, but has now confirmed that 60 have been cancelled to and from the UK in total. 
Wizz Air has also been affected, while British Airways cancelled a large number of services in advance. 
Joel was due to fly home with Lufthansa, which arranged his alternative route.
23-year-old from the Lake District said he was now resting in London at a friend's house as he was ""too exhausted"" to make the final leg of his journey.
""I've just given up and am staying in London for the night. I can't continue travelling right now,"" he said.
Mr Pennington says the experience has affected his mental health, and the stress of the journey home has overshadowed the good time he had on holiday. 
He is not the only one.
Harshal Shah is stuck in Crete after his flight to take his family and two other families home was cancelled on Monday.
Rather than wait for a later EasyJet flight, the group has spent almost £3,000 to fly with Jet2 to Birmingham on Wednesday instead, where they will then get taxis to their homes in London.
Harshal, who spent a week in Crete with his family and friends for their first holiday since before the coronavirus pandemic, said his return flight had been cancelled four hours before it was due to depart on Monday.
He said the next available EasyJet flight was not until Thursday, so he decided to make alternative plans.
Harshal told the BBC he had to pay out £6,000 in total for the new flights, accommodation and food for two further nights and said he had received ""no response at all"" from EasyJet.
""The communication in terms of everything is shocking,"" he added. ""Honestly, EasyJet, they should not be EasyJet at all - it's not easy at all.""
Alex Settle, a police officer from Hull, and her hen party of 14 were told their flight from Portugal to Manchester had been cancelled by EasyJet when they arrived at the airport.
EasyJet re-booked them on a Wednesday flight back to UK - but the group were worried about further delays so booked a Jet2 flight for Tuesday instead. 
Each of them is having to pay £366 for the new flight and an extra night's stay.
""It's been really stressful, with lots of tears,"" said Alex. ""This has really tainted the whole trip.
group are due to arrive at Luton Airport in the early hours of Thursday, and are now having to plan how to get back to Hull.
Airlines have been being blamed for taking more bookings than they can manage following staff cuts during the height of the pandemic when travel ground to a halt.
But industry leaders have said the government could have done more to support the sector.
r has also called for immigration rules on hiring overseas workers to be relaxed to plug staff shortages, but Transport Secretary Grant Shapps ruled out such a move.
Before Covid, airports and airlines across Britain employed around 140,000 people, but since then thousands of jobs have been cut, including around 30,000 for UK airlines alone.
EasyJet said it was ""very sorry and fully understand the disruption this will have caused for our customers"".
""We are providing options to rebook or receive a refund as well as hotel accommodation and meals where required, along with information on how to arrange this quickly online or via the app. 
""Our customer service hours and hotel accommodation sourcing have been extended to support impacted customers and help get them to their destination as soon as possible.""
Additional reporting by Sherie Ryder and Osob Elmi, UGC team"	/news/business-61717223
technology	Apple reveals iPhone 14 Pro and Watch Ultra	"Apple has unveiled the iPhone 14, with emergency satellite connectivity and car crash detection technology, at a launch event in the US. 
mpany revealed four versions of the new handset at its Cupertino headquarters, with an audience attending in person for the first time since the pandemic.
It also showed off a new extreme sports wearable - the Watch Ultra.
focused on next generation iPhone, Watch and AirPod products.
Apple CEO Tim Cook was on stage at the Steve Jobs theatre inside the tech giant's California campus - but the presentation itself was entirely pre-recorded.
Apple reveals iPhone 14 Pro and Watch Ultra
Apple Watch Series 8 has a number of new features, including car crash detection, temperature sensors for tracking ovulation cycles and a new low-power mode option.
People have been cautious about menstrual trackers since changes were made to abortion legislation in the US and there are concerns that data about periods could be used by law enforcement. Apple says the data on its devices will be encrypted and only accessible via a passcode or biometrics. 
""We are taking our commitment to women's health even further,"" said Jeff Williams, chief operating officer at Apple.
Apple said a new automatic retrospective ovulation notification could help those who are trying to conceive. 
If activated, the new watch can monitor body temperate every five seconds overnight, and detect tiny changes which can signal ovulation. 
Another new feature is car crash detection. Using sensors, the watch will be able to identify a severe crash and will automatically connect its wearer with emergency services, provide their exact location and notify emergency contacts. 
Series 8 now also features a low power mode, a feature borrowed from the iPhone, that promises up to 36 hours of battery life on a full charge.
Apple Watch Series 8 is priced from $399 in the US, £419 in the UK.
Swim-proof, dust-proof and crack-resistant - Apple has announced its rival to the likes of Garmin, Polar and other rugged watchmakers. 
Ultramarathoner Scott Jurek from Born to Run appeared in the presentation for the new watch, which focused on a larger face design for extreme sports use.
All Ultra watches have up to 36 hours battery life on a single charge and an extended battery life of 60 hours, with Apple promising enough power for its customers to complete an ultra-triathlon which includes swimming, cycling and running. 
Apple Watch Ultra is priced from $799 in the US, £849 in the UK.
mpany is releasing the iPhone 14 in two sizes, the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 14 Plus.
w handsets are capable of sending an emergency call for help via satellite. The phone will display the whereabouts of passing satellites overhead and demonstrate how to point the device at them correctly. 
It can take from 15 seconds to a few minutes to send a basic message.
""The investment to add satellite capability should not be underestimated,"" said Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight. 
""It will likely have taken Apple years to put all the pieces of the puzzle in place, including a commercial agreement with satellite provider Globalstar, and the creation of the infrastructure needed to pass messages to the emergency services.""
Paolo Pescatore said he believed the innovation was good news for consumers ""in hard-to-reach areas"". 
""It is encouraging to see providers starting to get serious about using satellite - ultimately reliable and robust connectivity is still highly sought-after among all users,"" he said.
giant announced a new 12-megapixel camera, capable of taking photos of fast-moving subjects, and the company claims a 49% improvement in low-light capturing. 
front camera also included auto-focus for the first time, to help sharpen selfies.
According to Apple, iPhone users took more than three trillion photos in the last 12 months.
Phone 14 is priced from $799 (US), £849 (UK).
ggest change in iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max design is the top of the screen which is now a pill shaped cut-out.
A feature called the Dynamic Island has replaced the black notch, which many iPhone users complain about - and it can change shape depending on what notifications there are.
r big change is that the handset can always remain on.
When the phone is not in use, the screen dims and the refresh rate is lowered. 
mes in a deep purple colour alongside black, silver and gold. 
Phone 14 Pro is priced at $999 (US), £1099 (UK).
AirPods Pro are easier to find than their predecessors. Each pair comes with a new system for finding individual lost earphones, which play a chime when dropped outside of the case.
Additionally, the case itself gets its own speaker, which will play a louder sound when prompted by the Find My app. 
w AirPods Pro are priced at $249 (US), £249 (UK).
Being here in person, among an enthusiastic crowd of Apple fans, certainly made for a more interesting launch than recent years. But nothing was announced today that is going to revolutionise the tech industry.
Much of Apple's new tech seems ideal if you find yourself in some kind of peril on a regular basis.  The new iPhone 14 will be able to send texts by satellite when off the grid. The Ultra Watch design is chunky with extra-long battery life - the company says this is perfect for multi-day remote trips. Apple also announced a new crash detection system on new watches and phones, which will alert the emergency services when it detects an impact. The strategy here is pretty clear. Apple is continuing to pitch its hardware as a health and safety aid. Not surprisingly, Tim Cook describes the products as ""essential"".
But in reality these are interesting but fairly niche updates - features that users will hope they will never have to use."	/news/technology-62827774
entertainment	Taylor Swift breaks Arctic Monkeys chart-topping streak	"r Swift has denied Arctic Monkeys their seventh straight chart-topping album, after her own new LP raced to number one on Friday.
Her 10th album, Midnights, became the fastest-selling record of 2022, with 204,000 equivalent sales in week one.
Sheffield rock band finished in second place with more than 100,000 chart sales in seven days for The Car.
would have been enough sales to reach number one in a normal week where there was no competition from Swift.
US singer more than doubled her previous best opening week album sales, which she achieved in 2014 for her album 1989.
Anti-Hero, the breakout hit from the 32-year-old's latest album, also topped this week's singles chart.
Suitably named Swift has now surpassed Harry Styles' third album Harry's House to record the UK's fastest-selling record of 2022 so far.
Perhaps even more notably, Swift has overtaken Madonna by setting a new chart record for the quickest succession of nine UK number one albums by a female artist.
She managed it in 10 years flat, while it took the Madonna 21 years to achieve the same feat. However, the Queen of Pop is still ahead of Swift on the overall league table for most number one albums.
Midnights is Swift's first original studio album in two years, and sees her return to a more mainstream sound following the acoustic tone of her previous two albums.
It was devoured by fans, breaking the record for the most-streamed album on Spotify in one day.
um was also met with rave reviews from critics, although some said its subdued tone meant it lacked potential hit singles.
w record retains some of the folksy charm of sister albums Folklore and Evermore, both released in 2020 during the pandemic. But it also sees her re-engage her pop sensibilities, with lyrics that explore more personal subject matters.
Some songs offer fans further insight into the star's normally low-key relationship with her boyfriend, English actor Joe Alwyn.
ght bump in the road during a glorious run this week came when her team re-edited a music video days after its release, following a backlash over one of the scenes.
In the original video for Anti-Hero - which this week knocked Sam Smith off top spot - the singer steps onto a scale that reads ""FAT"", as her alter ego shakes her head, seemingly in disappointment.
Recent Reading and Leeds headliners Arctic Monkeys will be disappointed not to have added to their collection of six number one albums, with the follow-up to their divisive Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, which marked a move towards a more expansive, cinematic sound.
Also released last Friday, The Car is tighter and more immediate than its predecessor but it spins in the same sonic universe, with beautifully crafted orchestral, soulful and at-times funky tracks like There'd Better Be a Mirror Ball and Body Paint.
""I made a big deal about the piano on the last record,"" singer Alex Turner recently told BBC music correspondent Mark Savage. ""But when I look at it now, the shift in sound between that record and the one before [AM] is more to do with the fact that my writing process [changed] around that time"".
""So the piano had a part in it, but being able to record myself and write to those recordings is perhaps what got us into this mess,"" he added.
Remarkably, all of this week's top five albums are new entries, meaning that, despite it being a particularly crowded field, there were still strong showings from Loyle Carner, Simple Minds and Kylie Minogue."	/news/entertainment-arts-63423816
politics	Rishi Sunak: How the US shaped Britain's new leader	"UK's new prime minister points to his time in the US studying and working as a defining part of his life. So what are Rishi Sunak's American connections?
42-year-old has made the California chapter of his biography a key part of his public persona.
He frequently cites his time there in his 20s and early 30s to burnish his credentials as a business-savvy leader.
""I have lived and worked in California and I actually think it's one of the reasons that I would be good at this job,"" he told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg last month while running for the Conservative leadership.
""Because what I will bring to this job is a way of thinking that is different. When we think about growth and in a modern economy, how do you drive growth - you drive it through innovation. Because of my experience I know how to build that type of economy.""  
Here's a closer look at this period which had such an impact on him.
Mr Sunak started his years in America at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business as a Fulbright Scholar, heading to Silicon Valley in 2004 as the internet boom was under way.
rogramme, which admits roughly 400 students per year, has a reputation as the most exclusive business degree in the country.
Among the classes Mr Sunak took was ""The Paths to Power"", intended to help students understand power and how to wield it effectively.
He did not earn any particular academic distinctions and his professor in that class was unable to recollect him - understandably, given he taught 100 students a year.
But a more life-changing landmark in those early US years occurred when he met his wife, Akshata Murty, daughter of the founder of Indian tech firm Infosys.
Classmates at the time have told biographer Michael Ashcroft that they were a ""power couple"" on campus.
Derrick Bolton, who was assistant dean of admissions from 2001-2016 and remains friendly with the couple, said Mr Sunak entered the programme ""very self-assured"". 
""He knew from a young age that he wanted to make an impact on as many people as possible.""
Earlier this summer the couple invited Mr Bolton to Downing Street for tea, where they lived in Mr Sunak's capacity as chancellor. They showed their visitor exhibits on former chancellors and served biscuits marking the Queen's Jubilee.
Mr Bolton, who attended their New York wedding celebration in 2009, said he was surprised they made the time.
""Despite the lofty titles and significant responsibility, they are the same two lovely people they were as students - open and kind and humble and remarkably self-effacing,"" he said. ""They're very low-key, very chill.""
After graduating, Mr Sunak took a lucrative job at the London-based hedge fund, TCI Fund Management.
Mr Sunak focused on the US, participating in the firm's bitter 2008 fight with the leaders of America's CSX freight railroad.
Lawyer Marc Weingarten, who worked closely with Mr Sunak at this point, said he stood out as a ""sponge for information"".
""He was all over it,"" he said. ""They [Mr Sunak and his boss] had studied the industry and CSX in depth for months and their mastery of the industry and CSX was astonishing.""
In 2009, in the wake of the financial crisis, top leaders at TCI left to start their own firm Theleme and took Mr Sunak with them.
He became part of a team of two based in Santa Monica, a beach-side city just outside Los Angeles, and famous as the home of celebrities such as David Beckham and Christian Bale.
He invested in companies such as Rupert Murdoch's News Corp and started to put down ties to the area, joining the board of local Boys & Girls Club, a charity which runs after-school programmes and other activities for needy children.
Aaron Young, who led the organisation at the time, said he was surprised to see Mr Sunak become prime minister but that his ambition was always evident.
""I think he always had aspirations,"" Mr Young said.
Mr Sunak ultimately left the US, won a seat in the UK Parliament in 2015 and started his rapid ascent in British politics. But his California years have remained a frequent touchstone.
He has said he tried to introduce a ""start-up"" mentality while leading the Treasury Department, and credited Stanford for pushing him to shed ""incremental"" ways of thinking. 
rs in the US also informed his decision to back Brexit, he told the BBC in 2019.
""The pace of change is just accelerating around the world - that was my experience being in California,"" he said. ""My general broad view was given the pace of change... being independent and having the flexibility and nimbleness to react would be of enormous value to us.""
More on Rishi Sunak and his family
Mr Sunak and his wife continue to maintain a flat in Santa Monica, which they regularly visit. But his ties to the US have at times caused an outcry.
r, it emerged he had retained his Green Card, giving him the right to live and work in the US as a permanent resident. He returned it in October last year, ahead of his first American trip as a government minister.
ure occurred around the time it was revealed his wife held non-domiciled status, meaning she did not have to pay tax on earnings from outside the UK.
roversies have been used to raise questions about Mr Sunak's commitment to the country, despite his being born and raised in the UK, said Victoria Honeyman, professor of British politics at the University of Leeds. 
""There are legitimate questions - if you are chancellor of the exchequer, should your wife have non-dom status? Should you own a green card? The problem is that it gets tied up with a lot of issues that are not necessarily valid,"" she said, adding: ""I'm not sure a white politician would have to make those kinds of justifications to the same degree.""
But such controversies are low-level compared to the economic and political crisis he now faces as prime minister, said Rod Dacombe, director of the Centre for British Politics and Government at King's College London. 
""The thing that's going to make or break him isn't the kind of story that he presents or his ties to America.
""It's going to be how he deals with the almost impossible economic situation that he's going to face,"" he said. ""Is it going to be fixed in time for the next election? Probably not."""	/news/world-us-canada-63402491
technology	Sure to acquire Airtel-Vodafone in Channel Islands	"Bharti Global Limited and Sure have reached an agreement for Sure to acquire 100% of Airtel-Vodafone in the Channel Islands.
mpany said customers would benefit from faster speeds, wider coverage, and better value for money.
merger will result in up to £48m being invested in a new, innovative mobile network which will include 5G services, according to Sure.
merger is subject to regulatory approval.
Alistair Beak, Sure's CEO, welcomed the merger as good news for customers and the Channel Islands.
Mr Beak said: ""This merger will result in significant investment being made in the Channel Islands' digital infrastructure at a time when demand for connectivity has never been greater.""
Sid Ahlawat, CEO at Airtel-Vodafone, said: ""This merger will benefit consumers, enterprises, employees and the telecom infrastructure as a whole.
""The Airtel-Vodafone team is looking forward to joining the Sure family.""
Follow BBC Jersey on Twitter and Facebook. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk."	/news/world-europe-guernsey-63124750
entertainment	Strictly Come Dancing: Villagers celebrate Hamza Yassin's victory	"Residents of a Scottish village have said seeing their friend Hamza Yassin win Strictly Come Dancing was ""like winning the World Cup"".
meraman and TV presenter was crowned champion with dance partner Jowita Przystal on the BBC One show. 
Sudan-born wildlife photographer has lived in Kilchoan, on the Ardnamurchan peninsula, for 11 years.
Locals who gathered in the community hall to watch the Strictly final have expressed their delight at his victory.
Among those cheering on Hamza were siblings Sine, Caitlin and Innes Ferguson.
""It was like an eruption in the hall,"" said Sine, 29, reflecting on the moment the final results were announced. 
""It was unreal. It was like winning the World Cup, I think, for Ardnamurchan.""
Hamza had never had a dance lesson before taking part in the show, but villagers believe his talent was honed at ceilidhs. 
Innes, 21, who has known Hamza since he was in primary school, said his athletic ability was evident.
""I always knew he had the underpinning fitness because he's been lifting people around here, doing the famous lift,"" he told BBC Scotland. 
""[He's been] up the hills and he's been a rugby player as well throughout his youth so he's got the fitness.""
Innes added: ""We knew he was fit but didn't know he had the twinkle toes that he was showing.
""I hope he's going to perform a bit better at all the ceilidhs from now on.""
Caitlin, 28, is a graphic designer who also sells Gaelic-themed clothing. She has seen orders sky-rocket after Hamza wore her Ardnamurchan jumper on Strictly.
""It was mum's bright idea to post him one. I didn't know anything about it. 
""And then I saw him on the TV with it and I thought wow that's so cool.
""I was so surprised when orders just started coming in. I sold out twice and now I'm taking pre-orders so it's been quite crazy.""
Hamza has worked on The One Show as one of their wildlife cameraman, leading him to land his own CBeebies show and Let's Go For A Walk companion book.
He also appears on Countryfile and ITV's This Morning, and has filmed and presented Channel 4 shows Scotland: My Life in the Wild and Scotland: Escape to the Wilderness.
After weeks away while filming Strictly, locals are looking forward to have the newly crowned dancing star back at home.
""We're hoping he comes back soon because he cuts all the logs,"" said Sine. ""That'll be handy for the winter.""
She added: ""We're excited to see him home again. We're so proud of him."""	/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-64018735
entertainment	'It feels like you can give your worries to the water'	"A group of men have come together to form a choir by a canal as part of an initiative to improve wellbeing.
Under the Bridge project, which was organised by charity Bluetonic and community organisation Nottingham C.A.N, involved participants open water swimming, paddleboarding and singing together.
Many of those who took part had never met before.
""I think being around water definitely helps with mental health because, for me, it's almost like it's transient,"" participant Ashley Kirk said.
""It's almost like you can give your worries to the water and it travels away.""
Video journalist: Alex Thorp
Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk."	/news/uk-england-derbyshire-62649594
health	Noble's Hospital under 'extreme pressure', Manx Care says	"People have been urged only to attend the Isle of Man's main hospital if absolutely necessary.
Manx Care said Noble's Hospital was ""operating under extreme pressure"" due to the number of patients admitted.
A spokesman said X-ray services were being provided at the Minor Injuries and Illnesses Unit in Ramsey until Friday to help ease the situation.
Ramsey Cottage Hospital was also able to treat a number of other ""complex"" conditions, he added.
People have also been urged to consider contacting the Manx Emergency Doctor Service or visit a community pharmacy for more minor ailments.
General manager for medicine, urgent care and the ambulance service Mark Cox said there was ""very limited capacity within our hospitals to accommodate"" the number of people who had been admitted to Noble's.
framework put in place to cope with the current demand included signposting patients to other services, he added.
uation was being ""closely managed to ensure patient safety is maintained"", he said.
f urgent or emergency care would still be treated at Noble's Hospital, Mr Cox added.
Why not follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and Twitter? You can also send story ideas to IsleofMan@bbc.co.uk"	/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-64110666
health	Ipswich stroke patient forced to take bus faces housing issue	"A stroke patient forced to take a bus to hospital because no ambulances were available might no longer be able to live at home, according to his wife.
Lauren Matthews said her husband Gavin was currently unable to walk and their flat was no longer fit for purpose.
East of England Ambulance Service apologised after Mr Matthews was twice denied emergency transport due to service pressures.
He is being assessed to determine what his needs are. 
rognosis for Mr Matthews, who remains at Ipswich Hospital, is uncertain, but he has lost the use of his right arm and leg, said his wife.
Mrs Matthews told BBC Radio Suffolk: ""They can't say how soon he's going to walk again or even if he will walk again. At the minute it is not looking like he will.
""He's not going to be allowed home until I've moved into a wheelchair accessible property.
""It has just destroyed his life.""
Mr Matthews, 45, from Ipswich, fell ill on the afternoon of 16 November and an ambulance was sent, but the couple then received a call say the vehicle had to be diverted.
He and his wife then had to take two buses to get to the hospital on the other side of town because they could not afford the £15 taxi fare.
Mrs Matthews said an A&E doctor saw him and then cleared him to return home after a couple of hours, but the symptoms became worse later that evening.
Once again, an ambulance was cancelled after being initially dispatched, and the couple had to rely on family members to drive Mr Matthews to hospital for the second time.
A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service said: ""When demand on the service is extremely high, we must prioritise those with immediate life-threatening conditions and advise some lower category calls to make their own way to hospital, once reviewed by a clinician.""
uple's flat has steps going down to the entrance and there are also steps inside the property with narrow doorways. 
r housing provider Sanctuary said it had limited properties available in the area with less than 10 which would be suitable, all of which have tenants.
A spokesman said: ""We were very sorry to hear the news about Mr Matthews and have already been in contact to discuss what additional support we can provide at this difficult time. 
""Given the couple's urgent and specific needs, we have offered advice on how to use the local authority's Gateway to Homechoice letting system, as this will provide them with a wider pool of potential properties from all the housing providers in the area.""
A spokeswoman for Ipswich Borough Council said: ""Our housing support service works with Ipswich Hospital discharge team if a patient is not able to return home. 
""Once an Occupational Therapist has carried out an access assessment, this informs any rehabilitation needs, temporary adaptions of current housing or the need for alternative housing with a referral and support from our housing options team.""
Mrs Matthews is now fundraising to try and buy her husband an electric wheelchair.
""He's actually unable to just use crutches or even wheel himself in a wheelchair, so the idea of getting him in an electric wheelchair is to try and give him a little bit of independence back,"" she said.
Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-suffolk-63793937
politics	Earl of Shrewsbury faces suspension from Lords over lobbying claims	"A hereditary peer is facing suspension from the House of Lords for breaking lobbying rules. 
Earl of Shrewsbury was found by the Lords Conduct Committee to have approached ministers on behalf of a company marketing Covid-19 sanitiser products, which he worked for. 
mmittee recommended he should be suspended for nine months, which is subject to a vote by the upper house.
Lord Shrewsbury has said he did not realise his actions broke the rules.
Earl of Shrewsbury is one of the few remaining hereditary peers in the Lords and was affiliated with the Conservatives until October but now sits as a non-party crossbench peer.
He was paid £57,000 by healthcare company SpectrumX for his work as a consultant over a period of 19 months between 2020 and 2022. 
In 2020, at the height of the Covid pandemic, the firm was seeking regulatory approval for products including hand sanitisers and a walk-in disinfectant tunnel.
r approached ministers, including then-Health Secretary Matt Hancock to promote the company's tunnel in return for a £3,000 monthly retainer, the committee's report found. 
He referred himself to the commissioner following allegations about his conduct in relation to the company in the Sunday Times. 
Lord Shrewsbury has argued his work for SpectrumX was ""openly commercial dealing"", that he declared his interest as an adviser to the company and never sought to ""influence policy"". 
mmittee accepted that he did not act with ""deliberate dishonesty"" and did not realise his actions broke the rules. 
However, it found ""clear"" breaches of the Lords' code of conduct by seeking ""to profit from membership of the House"" and providing parliamentary advice or exercising parliamentary influence in return for payment. 
Separately, Baroness Goudie was also found to have breached the code ""by agreeing to provide parliamentary advice in return for payment"" and for breaking rules on the use of the House's facilities. 
mmittee has recommended she is suspended from the Lords for six months and Labour has also suspended her from the parliamentary party. 
reaches relate to her work for ecoLegacy in 2016 and 2017.
She was paid €20,000 (£17,454) over a 10-month period as an adviser for the company. the Lords committee said in its report. 
As part of her role, she advised the company on who to approach about their work and offered to book a room on the estate to hold meetings, although ultimately no room was reserved and Baroness Goudie did not directly approach parliamentarians on the company's behalf. 
She also commissioned research by the Lords Library on behalf of the company, in breach of the code. 
r has acknowledged she had an interest in the company during the period and has apologised for failing to register that interest until April 2017. 
However, the committee said she refused to accept her conduct had breached any other aspect of the code. 
In response to the report, Baroness Goudie said: ""Six-and-a-half years after the alleged events, I was accused by a former colleague of 'paid advocacy' and a late declaration of my interests.
""I totally refute the first allegation on which the commissioner made no finding and sincerely apologise for my late declaration in 2016, before which time I had used the Lords Library on one occasion to check facts relevant to my interests.""
upper chamber is due to vote on whether to approve the recommendations next month. "	/news/uk-politics-63998059
sports	Rhys McClenaghan wins gold at World Gymnastics Championships	"Rhys McClenaghan became Ireland's first gymnastics world champion as he won pommel horse gold in Liverpool.
McClenaghan, 23, adds to his gold from the Commonwealth Games and European Championships in 2018, and his World bronze from the following year.
Newtownards gymnast scored 15.300 in his final routine, with 6.400 for difficulty and 8.900 for execution.
Ahmad Abu Al Soud was second for Jordan while Armenia's Harutyun Merdinyan claimed bronze.
""It sounds great, it sounds so good,"" McClenaghan said when asked about how it felt to be called world champion.
""It's all been worthwhile. This sport I've dedicated my life to, it's been worthwhile for this day right here and this moment.
""So much work has went in by myself, by Luke [Carson, McClenaghan's coach] - it's been a long time coming in my eyes.
""I can't believe the day has finally come.""
McClenaghan is already the most decorated Irish gymnast of all time despite being only being 23.
He won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games for Northern Ireland and became the first Irish gymnast to win European gold later that year in Stuttgart.
In 2019 he secured Ireland's first-ever medal at the World Championships when he claimed bronze and was awarded a BEM in the New Year's Honours for services to the sport.
He finished seventh at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and was second at the 2022 Commonwealths in Birmingham despite a disrupted build-up.
Less than two months prior to the start of the Games, McClenaghan's very involvement appeared over when the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) ruled that he and team-mates Eamon Montgomery and Ewan McAteer could not perform for NI as they compete for Ireland in international competition.
It was a decision roundly met with disdain and while the FIG did eventually submit and grant the trio special dispensation, it was not before a protracted stand-off.
McClenaghan added his main emotion is relief after his latest medal.
""I'm not even thinking about ten years' time. I'm not even thinking about tomorrow,"" he said.
""I am just thinking about this moment right here, the moment I became world champion. 
""It's so weird saying it. It is just a dream come true. 
""I'm so happy this competition is over now. It has been such a long year. It has been non-stop competitions and I have lived such a dedicated lifestyle in the lead-up to this moment. 
""Now I can relax a bit. I have such relief going through my body and mind right now."""	/sport/gymnastics/63527382
sports	Matthew Coward-Holley: British trap shooter wins gold at European Championships	"Great Britain's Matthew Coward-Holley claimed another gold medal as he won the men's trap event at the European Shooting Championships in Croatia.
world champion, 26, continued his fine form by winning a close-fought final with a score of 47ex 50.
Czech Republic's Jiri Liptak won silver in Osijek while Italy's Mauro De Filippis claimed bronze.
""It feels so surreal,"" said Coward-Holley. ""It's been a phenomenal end to a fantastic trip.""
Coward-Holley became Britain's first trap world champion in July 2019 and is the current world number three.
Chelmsford shooter, who was selected for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in January, has now won three gold medals in less than three weeks.
He won a mixed pairs World Cup gold with Kirsty Hegarty, who will also be representing GB at July's Olympics, and a Green Cup gold - both in Italy last month.
""It took me a little while to get going but once I was up and running it was all good,"" added Coward-Holley.
""I've been lucky enough to be training abroad since April. It's been really great preparation and it's clearly paying off."""	/sport/shooting/57336884
politics	PMQs: Scottish people terrified of energy bill cost - SNP	"SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said people were ""genuinely terrified"" of energy bill costs.
Prime minister Rishi Sunak said the government was providing ""every household"" with around £900 of support.
Sunak promises end to asylum seeker backlog"	/news/uk-politics-63972508
sports	Levi Davis: Missing rugby star's family frustrated by search	"Levi's mum has shared the last video message from him sent just hours before he disappeared
mum of a British rugby player who disappeared in Barcelona says the weeks since have been ""an emotional whirlwind"".
Levi Davis has been missing in Spain for over a month, and mum Julie says the investigation has been ""very slow"".
24-year-old Worthing Raiders winger travelled by boat from Ibiza, where he visited a friend, on 29 October. 
He was last seen on CCTV leaving the Old Irish Pub in the centre of Barcelona at about 22:00.
rugby union player has not been seen or heard from since.
Julie, from Solihull in the West Midlands, last had contact with her son a few hours before he went missing.
He sent her a video taken on board his boat from Ibiza, showing the view from the deck and telling her: ""It's beautiful here"".
Since the end of October there have been a few possible sightings of Levi - but none have been confirmed as him.
, almost two weeks ago, his passport was discovered at Barcelona's port area.
Spanish police have confirmed this to the BBC, but say they can't comment on the investigation any further at this stage.
Julie wants more detail.
""Since the last thing we heard about the passport, there's been no more information,"" she says.
few weeks have been ""the scariest time"" of her life and ""an emotional whirlwind"".
She travelled to Barcelona with her son Nathan a few weeks ago to search for Levi herself, and is planning to go back again soon.
Rachel Stonehouse, BBC Newsbeat reporter in Barcelona
Irish Pub where Levi was last seen is on La Rambla - a touristy part of the city.
It's quiet when I go in at lunch time, but the staff tell me it gets busy on an evening - they're showing a lot of World Cup games at the moment.
rmaid who served him isn't working, but other staff tell me Levi ordered a pint and watched sport on the TV before leaving.
I ask lots of people on the street if they've heard about Levi - many of them have, but they don't know more than he's missing.
Just a short distance from the bar - maybe a five to 10-minute walk - is the port. 
It's busy, with a constant stream of ferries coming and going.
where Levi arrived into the city, and where his passport was discovered a couple of weeks ago.
But since then the trail has gone cold.
Julie says Levi was very open about his mental health, and in the last few months he'd been dealing with a knee injury.
She thinks he needed some time to himself - as ""the accumulation of all the struggles and the injury"" had taken a toll mentally.
According to his friend Tom Varndell, Levi had been trying to ""deal with things a bit more on his own"" in recent months.
""Rather than going out there and trying to seek help - or ask people for support,"" the former England rugby player adds.
When Levi's passport was found, Tom says his hopes were dashed a little bit. 
But both Julie and Tom still believe there will be good news in the future.
And Julie has this message for Levi: ""We're all missing you, all the family care for you so much. We just want you home, son.
""Please come home and we can sort out whatever is going on, together.""
Levi previously played for Bath Rugby, which shared the appeal over his disappearance a month ago. 
He's also known for his TV appearances in ITV's Celebrity X Factor in 2019 and E4's Celebs Go Dating in 2020.
Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here."	/news/newsbeat-63793572
politics	Boris Johnson did the right thing, says Scottish Tory MP	"Boris Johnson ended his bid to return as prime minister in the national interest, a Scottish Conservative MP has said. 
Since the ex-PM announced on Sunday that he would not put his name forward, Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt remain in the running to replace Liz Truss. 
MP Andrew Bowie told BBC Scotland Mr Johnson had done the ""right thing"". 
Nicola Sturgeon said she was relieved that the ""ridiculous notion"" of his return was ""knocked on the head"".
race for the party's new leader was set in motion after Liz Truss was forced to stand down after 45 days in office - the shortest premiership of any UK prime minister.
Ms Truss's policy programme spooked the financial markets and her successor will be tasked with establishing stability.
Candidates with 100 or more supporters will proceed in the process, which states a winner should be announced on Friday. However, if only one candidate reaches the threshold they could become leader on Monday.
Mr Sunak is the firm favourite to replace Ms Truss as PM and could do so by as early as Monday afternoon if Ms Mordaunt fails to meet the benchmark.
According to BBC figures, which are being updated here, former chancellor Mr Sunak has 193 Conservative MPs who have publicly given him their backing, while Ms Mordaunt has 26.
question remains as to whether Ms Mordaunt can get 100 MPs to back her before nominations close at 14:00 BST.
Speaking on BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme Mr Bowie, Conservative MP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, said Mr Johnson - who only stood down as prime minister seven weeks ago - stepping out of the leadership race was the ""right thing to do"". 
""I think what Boris did yesterday was definitely in the national interest,"" he said. ""The last thing we need is another prolonged battle for the heart and soul of the Conservative party. 
""We need to get this done quickly and get it over with as soon as possible in the national interest so we can get the economy on a firm footing and move the whole country forward.
""A general election, even for a snap general election, by law necessitates six weeks of campaigning. That is six weeks when parliament isn't sitting and six weeks where government isn't getting down to business.""
Mr Bowie, who is backing Rishi Sunak, added: ""Looking at the numbers it was clear that had he entered the race he would have been beaten in the MP's ballot.""
Boris Johnson's final months in office were dogged by accusations he broke ministerial rules by not telling the truth about parties in Downing Street during the Covid lockdown.
He remains under investigation by the Parliamentary Standards Committee, which could lead to him being suspended from Parliament, or being kicked out as an MP.
On Sunday, Scottish Conservatives chairman Craig Hoy told BBC Scotland his colleagues were ""very frustrated"" by the UK party's leadership turmoil and wanted to focus on holding the SNP to account over independence.
first minister said people were tired of the ""Tory soap opera psychodrama"".
""It is appalling given the difficulties people across the country are living through right now,"" Ms Sturgeon said. 
She added: ""I think everybody will breathe a sigh of relief that the ridiculous notion of Johnson coming back as prime minister has been knocked on the head."" 
But Ms Sturgeon said what the next prime minster does would be more important than their personality.
""What is of profound concern to everybody, particularly to me right now, is that the Tories are about to unleash another wave of austerity on all of us. It is going to be a horror show,"" the first minister said. 
""Scottish public services, cannot withstand, in my view, another round of Tory austerity.
""We need an alternative to that and if Rishi Sunak becomes prime minister today or later in the week, as I suspect he will, what we know is that next Monday his chancellor is going to stand up in the House of Commons and unveil a round of cuts that the Scottish government and public services are going to be powerless to withstand.""
Former Conservative MEP Lord Ian Duncan said he did not think there should be a general election, despite the last one in 2019 seeming ""like a lifetime ago"", or a return to the Conservative party members deciding on their next leader.
""Right now we do need a period of stability and once we've got that stability then it is time for an election,"" he said. ""But at that point, I wonder if Ian Blackford will be shouting in exactly the same way because at that point there may well be a restoration in the fortunes of the Tory party.""
But he agreed that Mr Johnson was right not to attempt to become prime minister again. 
""Boris may well have been a vote winner but once you've shot yourself in both feet it's very hard to run a race,"" Lord Duncan said.  
""Right now we need to have a period where common sense applies to the economy and it will be judged not wholly by the people but actually by the markets themselves. The markets will determine whether the common sense is working or not."""	/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-63371577
technology	How drones are replacing people in sewer surveys	"Drones are going underground to survey the sewers in Scotland.
gy is being used to increase access and to avoid hazards to workers when surveying pipelines.
Scottish Water hopes that developments in scanning can also help assess longer-term structural issues.
mpany said more accurate inspections would cut the cost of repairs and maintenance and reduce the risk of flooding and pollution.
Footage: Scottish Water"	/news/uk-scotland-63053663
entertainment	Channel 4 criticised for Jimmy Carr show involving Hitler painting	"A new Channel 4 show in which a studio audience will decide whether comedian Jimmy Carr should destroy a painting by Adolf Hitler has been criticised.
ught works by Hitler and other ""problematic"" artists to be used in Jimmy Carr Destroys Art.
Channel 4 said the series would be ""a thoughtful and nuanced exploration of the limits of free expression in art"".
But the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust called it ""deeply inappropriate"" and said Carr was an ""inflammatory"" host.
Earlier this year, the comedian was heavily criticised for performing a routine about the Holocaust in his latest Netflix stand-up special.
Channel 4 show, to be screened later this month, is also expected to feature artworks by Rolf Harris, the former entertainer who was found guilty of the sexual assault of underage girls, and sexual abuser Eric Gill.
Channel 4's director of programming Ian Katz told the Guardian that Carr would host a televised debate about what to do with the pieces in question.
""There are advocates for each piece of art,"" he said. ""So you've got an advocate for Hitler. There'll be someone arguing not for Hitler, but for the fact that his moral character should not decide whether or not a piece of art exists or not.""
But Holocaust Memorial Day Trust chief executive Olivia Marks-Woldman said: ""There is nothing entertaining or laughable about Hitler or the murder of six million Jews, and the persecution of millions more.""
w was making the Nazi leader ""a topic of light entertainment"", she said, adding: ""This is deeply inappropriate, and at a time of increasing Holocaust distortion, dangerously trivialising. 
""The question of how far art can be linked to its creators is an important one, but this programme is simply a stunt for shock value, and cannot excuse the trivialisation of the horrors of Nazism.""
Ms Marks-Woldman added: ""Choosing Jimmy Carr to front this episode is deliberately provocative and inflammatory given his history.""
A Channel 4 spokesman said: ""Jimmy Carr Destroys Art is a thoughtful and nuanced exploration of the limits of free expression in art, and whether work by morally despicable artists still deserves to be seen.
""It speaks directly to the current debate around cancel culture and is in a long tradition of Channel 4 programming.""
Carr did not publicly comment on the backlash he faced over his Holocaust routine earlier this year."	/news/entertainment-arts-63240336
technology	India gambles on building a leading drone industry	"Newly qualified drone pilot Uddesh Pratim Nath is excited about the opportunities his new skills have opened up for him.
""Being certified has opened new avenues for me. I have been working with different industries like survey mapping, asset inspection, agriculture and many others,"" he says. 
Drones come in all shapes and sizes. The smaller ones typically have three of four rotors and can carry something small like a camera. The biggest, usually used by the military, look more like aeroplanes and can carry substantial payloads.
Mr Nath, 23, had been designing drones, but decided that being certified to fly them would bring more job satisfaction and financial rewards.
A five-day course was enough to get him started, and he's now flight-testing drones that will be used for mapping.
Next he wants to master flying heavier and more complicated models.
Mr Nath is reaping the benefits of a big push by the Indian government into the drone industry.
In February this year India banned the import of drones, except for those needed by the military or for research and development.
government wants to develop a home-grown industry that can design and assemble drones and make the components that go into their manufacture.
""Drones can be significant creators of employment and economic growth due to their versatility, and ease of use, especially in India's remote areas,"" says Amber Dubey, former joint secretary at the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
""Given its traditional strengths in innovation, information technology, frugal engineering and its huge domestic demand, India has the potential of becoming a global drone hub by 2030,"" he tells the BBC.
Over the next three years Mr Dubey sees as much as 50bn rupees (£550m; $630m) invested in the sector.
Neel Mehta is the co-founder of Asteria Aerospace, which has been building drones for 10 years. He welcomes the government's efforts to boost the sector. 
It has allowed his company to expand beyond building drones for the defence sector and move into new areas.
""Drone companies now have a clear growth roadmap, large order books and promising future trajectory. In India, we now have drones being used in real-world, impactful large-scale applications, while being economically viable,"" says Mr Mehta.
Currently drones do all sorts of jobs in India. Police use them for monitoring the traffic and border security forces use them to search for smugglers and traffickers. 
re also increasingly common in the farming sector, where they are used to monitor the health of crops and spray them with fertiliser and pesticides.
However, despite the excitement and investment around India's drone industry, even those in the sector advise caution.
""India has set a goal of being a hub of drones by 2030, but I think we should be cautious because we at present don't not have an ecosystem and technology initiatives in place,"" says Rajiv Kumar Narang, from the Drone Federation of India.
He says the industry needs a robust regulator that can oversee safety and help develop an air traffic control system for drones.
will be particularly important as the aircraft become larger, says Mr Narang.
""Initiatives have to come from the government. A single entity or a nodal ministry has to take this forward if we want to reach a goal of being the hub by 2030,"" he says.
India also lacks the network of firms needed to make all the components that go into making a drone. 
At the moment many parts, including batteries, motors and flight controllers are imported. But the government is confident an incentive scheme will help boost domestic firms.
""The components industry will take two to three years to build, since it traditionally works on low margin and high volumes,"" says Mr Dubey.
Despite those reservations, firms are confident there will be demand for drones and people to fly them.
Chirag Shara is the chief executive of Drone Destination, which has trained more than 800 pilots and instructors since the rules on drone use were first relaxed in August 2021.
He estimates that India will need up to 500,000 certified pilots over the next five years.
""With 5G around the corner, the drone technology will have the platform to unleash its full potential, especially for long-range, high-endurance operations,"" he says.
More technology of business:
Some companies are already using autonomous drones that use artificial intelligence (AI) to get to their destinations. Could that eliminate the need for drone pilots in the future?
It's not something that concerns newly certified pilot Uddesh Nath.
""Drones will always require a pilot or someone remotely controlling and monitoring them. Different drones require different handling and AI is not yet that advanced.
""Even if it learns to control itself, we cannot teach the drone to react in every situation,"" he says."	/news/business-62966802
technology	Twitter misleading the public, whistleblower says	"witter's former head of security, Peiter Zatko, has told US lawmakers the firm is ""misleading the public"" about how secure the platform really is.
He claimed Twitter was ""a decade behind"" security standards, that users' data is not sufficiently protected and that too many staff have access to it. 
Mr Zatko was giving evidence following an 84-page long whistleblowing complaint he made about security practices inside the social network.
He was fired by the firm in January.
He also said ""one-time fines"" imposed by regulators over breaches of rules on data protection ""didn't bother Twitter at all"". 
In his damning testimony, Mr Zatko described an organisation prioritising revenue generation above everything else.
At the start of the hearing he grew tearful about his role as a whistleblower, saying it was not a decision he had taken lightly.
""I'm risking my career and reputation... if something good comes out of it five or ten years down the line, it will be worth it,"" he said later on.
He also said he still thought Twitter offered a good service but laughed when asked whether he would buy it - a wry nod to the saga of Elon Musk's deal.
""Depends on the price,"" he said.
During his questioning, Mr Zatko said that employees had expressed concerns to him that Twitter was carrying advertising from ""organisations which may or may not be associated with the Chinese government"", a potential national security risk.
When he raised concerns with Twitter executives he was told it would be ""problematic"" to lose that revenue stream, he said.
He also said he was troubled by Twitter's attitude to other national security issues he had raised. He said ""half the company"" were engineers and they all had access to users' personal information.
It is believed around 4,000 employees had access to this data. He said he was worried that rogue employees had the power to take information without leaving a trace. 
He added that there was a danger that employees could ""dox"" users, where private information is posted online, though he had not seen this happen.
He said Twitter does not log the activity of employees who access private data - which surprised him.
He also said that Twitter's security systems made it difficult to monitor potential espionage. In a previous statement Mr Zatko said that an Indian agent had been employed by the company . 
""The company did not in fact disclose to users that it was believed by the executive team that the Indian government had succeeded in placing agents on the company payroll,"" Mr Zatko said last month.
He has previously supported Elon Musk's claim that the platform has more spam and fake accounts than it has admitted - though he didn't elaborate on this.
His testimony focussed on national security issues - and is not officially connected with Mr Musk's attempt to pull out of his deal to buy Twitter for $44bn - that case is due to begin in October.
Even so, the flurry of accusations from a former senior employee will not help Twitter's case.
Mr Zatko was personally hired by Twitter's co-founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey, after a high-profile attack of the platform's celebrity accounts. 
whistleblower said that peoples' personal information was put at risk. Information held about users includes: 
uld enable an individual to be targeted in the real world, he said.
Mr Zatko has previously worked for the US government and Google, and is well-regarded in the information security community.
His lawyer John Tye described him as ""a pretty remarkable guy"".
Senator Chuck Grassley from the US Judiciary Committee said in his opening remarks that Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal had declined to attend the hearing.
Mr Agrawal's last activity on his own Twitter account was a re-tweet of the firm's chairman Bret Taylor in response to Elon Musk on 4 August.
witter has said that Peiter Zatko lost his job because of ineffective leadership and poor performance, and that his allegations are both inaccurate and inconsistent. "	/news/technology-62889754
politics	MSPs propose more than 150 changes to gender bill	"More than 150 changes have been proposed to the new bill that would make it easier to legally change gender in Scotland. 
MSPs had until midday on Wednesday to submit amendments to the Gender Recognition Reform bill. 
gislation has already been approved in principle despite the biggest rebellion by SNP members since the party took power. 
roposed changes will now go before Holyrood's equalities committee.
It is expected to vote on them over the next two weeks.
Scottish government has argued that the current process for changing gender is too difficult and invasive.
w bill would remove the requirement for a diagnosis of gender dysphoria or medical reports.
It would also reduce the period in which applicants need to have lived in their acquired gender to three months.
One of the most controversial proposals is to lower the minimum age that someone can apply from 18 to 16.
Anyone wanting to change their legal gender will still need to swear an oath about remaining this way for life - with it being a criminal offence to make a false declaration or application - and there would be a three-month ""reflection period"" before a certificate was issued.
Most Conservatives are opposed to the legislation but Labour, Green and Liberal Democrat MSPs backed the reform bill at stage one. 
It was also supported by most SNP members but Ash Regan resigned as a minister and was one of seven SNP members to vote against. A further two abstained.
ggest rebellion by SNP MSPs since the party took power in 2007. 
Scottish government's Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison has responded by proposing new powers to block fraudulent applications and those from people who appear to lack sufficient understanding. 
Others proposing amendments include SNP backbencher Christine Grahame who wants 16 and 17-year-old applicants to be required to live in their acquired gender for six months, rather than three. 
She also wants under-18s to demonstrate that they have sought appropriate advice. 
It is thought the Scottish government is sympathetic to Ms Grahame's proposals and has been in discussion with MSPs from across parties about other changes. 
Greens' Maggie Chapman wants to get rid of all time-related conditions, whereas Conservative amendments seek to retain the current two-year qualification period. 
ry MSPs also want to keep the requirement for a medical diagnosis and for any applicant to be at least 18 years old. 
Labour MSPs want the law to make clear that it does not water down existing rights under the UK Equalities Act. 
Labour MSP Michael Marra is also proposing that applications should be countersigned by a professional person. 
final number of proposed amendments was 155."	/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-63572905
sports	Vote: British MMA fighter of the year - PFL champion Brendan Loughnane, UFC's Leon Edwards and Paddy Pimblett in contention	"This has been a remarkable year of success for British MMA fighters. 
After waiting six years for another world champion in a major organisation, we got two in quick succession in Leon Edwards (UFC) and Brendan Loughnane (Professional Fighters League).
We've seen the likes of Paddy Pimblett and Molly McCann capture the imagination and attention of wider sports audiences and watched prospects like Muhammad Mokaev and Cory McKenna flourish on the biggest stage.
Cage Warriors is awash with British champions including Northern Ireland's Paul Hughes and England's George Hardwick. 
And let's not forget KSW heavyweight champion Phil De Fries who successfully defended his title in the Polish MMA promotion for the sixth and seventh time this year.
re are almost too many great fighters to mention. But we want you to pick your fighter of the year, if you can. 
Good luck!
Brendan Loughnane (PFL) - Manchester
Four fights, four wins and one TKO finish. Claimed PFL featherweight championship and $1m (£840,000) prize money by stopping Bubba Jenkins. First British PFL champion.
Leon Edwards (UFC) - Birmingham
One fight, one win and one head-kick KO finish. Claimed UFC welterweight title with last-round knockout of Kamaru Usman. Second British UFC champion.
Paddy Pimblett (UFC) - Liverpool
ree fights, three wins and two submission finishes. Two performance of the night $50,000 (£41,000) bonuses.
Phil De Fries (KSW) - Sunderland
wo fights, two wins and two finishes. Climbed to seven successful defences of KSW heavyweight title.
Molly McCann (UFC) - Liverpool
ree fights, two wins and two spinning back elbow finishes. Two performance of the night $50,000 (£41,000) bonuses.
George Hardwick (Cage Warriors) - Middlesbrough
ree fights, three wins and three TKO finishes. Claimed Cage Warriors lightweight title. Defended it once.
Can't see this selector? Visit this page.
Pictures via Getty Images, Cage Warriors and Bellator MMA."	/sport/mixed-martial-arts/64055459
health	Charity money stolen from Dunfermline woman with incurable cancer	"A woman who has incurable cancer says up to £4,000 was stolen from her charity fundraiser in Fife.
Claire Winter, 44, said hosting the event on Saturday had ""given her fire"" after finding out she would be on chemotherapy for the rest of her life.
However she was distraught to find a collection bucket of cash ""filled with notes"" had gone missing from the Crossgates Royal British Legion club.
Police Scotland said they were investigating the theft.
""I was absolutely distraught and my husband was physically sick,"" she said. ""We'd done all that work for nothing.""
Claire was first diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2019 three months after meeting her now husband Craig, 46.
Although loved ones including her two children were ""shell-shocked"", she said they assumed the illness would be treated and effectively cured.
following year she learned the cancer had developed to stage four after doctors removing her appendix noticed lesions on her spine and pelvis.
Claire now receives a host of maintenance treatments including oral chemotherapy to keep her alive -although doctors are unable to say for how long.
""It's just heavy and hard,"" she said. ""The quality of life is nothing to what it was before.
""You have good days and bad days. The mental side of it is even harder because every day you wake up knowing this is the deal you've been dealt and you need to make every day count.""
As part of making the most of her time, Claire decided to raise money for the charity CoppaFeel, after being inspired by its founder's autobiography.
She estimates between 150 and 200 friends and family turned up to support her ""Not Dead Yet"" event, which included a raffle and tombola.
Her father donated a bottle of whisky signed by the band Nazareth, which fetched £300, while Craig - a former professional footballer - raffled gloves signed by Hearts keeper Craig Gordon.
was stored in large pink collection buckets - but not all were brought home on Saturday night.
Claire said she noticed one was missing on Sunday morning and phoned the club.
Although she cannot be sure exactly how much was in the container, she said there had been at least £1,500 of large donations on top of many more smaller donations through the evening.
She said: ""The club was locked from the party and we knew we were going to get in - I messaged one of volunteers for British Legion who said no-one would be in until Monday.
""I assumed it would just be sitting there or a member staff had put it away safe but we couldn't find the pink bucket or the money.
""The whole thing was taken - someone walked out with it and somebody must have seen something.""
Agnes Guthrie, who is the club's treasurer, said staff had not found any buckets on Saturday night.
She added: ""It's so upsetting that this money has disappeared. Our staff are happy to speak to police about it if they contact us.""
Police in Fife said they were investigating the theft of a four-figure sum and have urged anyone with information to contact the non-emergency line.
Sgt John Nicol said: ""We're appealing for anyone with information on this theft, or if you believe you saw anyone acting in a suspicious manner in the Main Street area, to please come forward.""
In the meantime, Claire added that she will continue fundraising for CoppaFeel through her JustGiving page in the hope of raising awareness.
rity encourages people to receive regular checks in the hopes of catching breast cancer early.
Reflecting on the theft, Claire added: ""That was six months of my life, it was hard, hard work.
""Everybody has a conscience and theirs will not be serving them well. It's absolutely disgusting."""	/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-63741628
sports	Skateboarding Hull sisters acting as role models for others	"ree young sisters from Hull are aiming to inspire other girls with their skateboarding skills.
Lena, Maysa and Ameya took up the sport after seeing British Olympian Sky Brown's ""flicks and tricks"" during the pandemic.
girls now post their skateboarding exploits along with raps they create on social media."	/news/uk-england-humber-62140323
entertainment	Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar and Adele dominate Grammy Award nominations	"Beyoncé and Adele are the stars to beat at the 2023 Grammy Awards, and will go head-to-head for all the major prizes.
Both artists have been nominated for album of the year - Adele for her sumptuous fourth album 30, and Beyoncé for her dancefloor opus Renaissance.
Adele's single Easy On Me and Beyoncé's Break My Soul are each up for song and record of the year.
British stars Harry Styles and Coldplay are also in the running for best album, alongside Swedish pop icons Abba.
quartet have received their first ever album of the year nomination for last year's Voyage - which saw them emerge from a 39-year hibernation.
minations were announced on Tuesday, and Beyoncé leads the pack with nine overall - including nods in the dance and R&B categories.
She is now tied with her husband Jay-Z as the most-nominated artist in Grammy history, with a total of 88, overtaking Sir Paul McCartney and Quincy Jones.
However, the star has not won a prize in any of the three biggest categories (album, record and song of the year) since Single Ladies was named song of the year in 2010.
But if she collects four (or more) awards next February, she will beat conductor Sir George Solti's all-time record of 31 Grammys.
Kendrick Lamar is this year's second biggest nominee, with eight nods for his fourth album Mr Morale and the Big Steppers - a pensive rumination on the state of the world and his own moral failings - and the freestyle The Heart Part 5.
Adele and country star Brandi Carli are tied in third place, with seven nominations each.
r Swift has received multiple nominations for her epic re-recording of 2012's All Too Well, but her latest album, Midnights, was released too late for inclusion in the 2023 field.
And Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny has made history by landing the first ever album of the year nomination for a Spanish language album.
His record, Un Verano Sin Ti (A Summer Without You), dominated the US Billboard charts this summer, racking up 13 weeks at number one.
British artists have had a particularly strong year. Along with Adele, Harry Styles has nominations for album of the year (Harry's House) as well as record and song of the year (As It Was). 
Ozzy Osbourne picks up several nominations in the rock categories for his solo record Patient Number 9; while the Isle Of Wight duo Wet Leg get a nod for best new act.
Drake and The Weeknd, who would have been likely frontrunners in the main categories, withdrew their latest albums from consideration. Both artists have long maintained, with some justification, that the Grammys sideline black artists to genre-based categories.
Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, whose side project Silk Sonic also declined to submit their album. Rather than criticise the voters, however, Mars said it ""would be crazy to ask for anything more"" after winning song and record of the year for Leave The Door Open at this year's ceremony.
Last month, the rapper Nicki Minaj protested that her hit song Super Freaky Girl had been moved from rap to the pop categories during the shortlisting process. In the end, it failed to pick up any nominations.
Other snubs included Elton John, whose hit collaboration with Dua Lipa, Cold Heart, was expected to pick up a nomination for best pop duo/group performance; and Ed Sheeran, whose fifth album = was completely overlooked.
But the Grammys can be strangely cautious of mainstream success. At this year's ceremony, for example, Jon Batiste won album of the year for the handsome soul record We Are, beating big sellers like Olivia Rodrigo's Sour and Lil Nas X's Montero. 
His victory reinforced the perception that Grammy voters care more about tradition and musical chops than innovation and commercial performance - something many former nominees have grumbled about. 
However, that could change this year, after almost 2,000 new members joined the voting organisation, 44% of whom come ""from traditionally underrepresented communities,"" according to the Recording Academy. ""And almost 50% are under the age of 40,"" noted chief executive, Harvey Mason Jr.
minees were announced in a livestream from the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles by former winners including Olivia Rodrigo, Cyndi Lauper and John Legend.
Here's a rundown of the major categories, and who might stand to win at the ceremony on 5 February, 2023.
re is the repeat of 2017's best album race, in which Adele's 25 controversially beat Beyoncé's Lemonade. 
On stage, Adele said: ""I can't possibly accept this award. I'm very humbled and very grateful and gracious but my life is Beyoncé."" In the end, she held on to the trophy - but when it arrived in the mail it was broken in two. That's symbolism.
So who will take top honours this time? Beyoncé's Renaissance is undoubtedly the better album - a bold blast of dancefloor catharsis, which champions the black and queer roots of house music. But Grammy voters often play it safe, choosing ""traditional"" songcraft over innovation. 
my's membership has been revamped since the upset of 2017, potentially tipping the balance in Beyoncé's favour. But Adele has won all 13 Grammys she's been nominated for since 2012.
r Swift's sixth song of the year nomination - meaning she now ties with Sir Paul McCartney and Lionel Richie as the category's most-nominated writer. The recognition comes for All To Well, a break-up ballad that originally appeared on her 2012 album Red, but was re-recorded with extra verses (and extra juicy details) last year.
However, Swift has never won best song - and her competition this year is especially tough. 
Adele's comeback Easy On Me is the presumed frontrunner: A big blustery ballad, it sold more in the US than her previous song of the year winner, Hello, and spent 10 weeks at number one.
Harry Styles can beat that, though. As It Was, a pop song whose nimble melody disguises lyrics about loneliness and doubt, enjoyed 15 weeks atop the US charts earlier this year. 
While the song of the year award recognises music and lyrics, record of the year looks at the finished product - the actual sound recording. 
However, there's significant crossover between the categories, with Adele, Beyoncé, Lizzo and Styles all picking up duplicate nominations.
Once again, Adele leads the pack, but Lizzo's outrageously charismatic About Damn Time could be a contender.
Meanwhile, Swedish pop legends Abba gained a surprise nomination for Don't Shut Me Down, taken from their comeback album Voyage. 
umptuously-recorded vocals alone could be enough to earn them a Grammy award - which would be the band's first.
Most years provide a breakout star whose victory in the best new artist category seems nailed on. Last year it was Olivia Rodrigo. This year, it's an entirely open field.
Predicted nominations for rapper Jack Harlow and singer-songwriter Gayle failed to materialise, despite nominations in other categories.
As a result, the smart money is on Atlanta rapper Latto, thanks to her breakout hit Big Energy, for which she bagged a guest appearance from music legend Mariah Carey. 
Meanwhile, former Eurovision winners Maneskin have made huge inroads in the US, and British indie duo Wet Leg are building a sizeable audience for quirky hits like Chaise Longue and Ur Mum.
re's also a big opportunity for Brazilian star Anitta - who has had a breakthrough year in the States, after releasing her fifth album, Versions Of Me, in April.
While her decade-long career might seem grounds for disqualification, the criteria for best new artist are fairly relaxed. 
Artists are eligible if they have broken into public consciousness over the past 12 months, even if they've received prior Grammy nominations.
Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk."	/news/entertainment-arts-63636591
technology	Damaged cable leaves Shetland cut off from mainland	"Communications to Shetland have been severely disrupted after a subsea cable was damaged.
Police have declared a major incident after the south subsea cable between the islands and the mainland was cut.
force said some landlines and mobiles were not usable and that officers were patrolling to try to reassure residents.
Repairs to another cable connecting Shetland and Faroe are ongoing after it was damaged last week. 
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said it was an emergency situation for the island.
Scottish government's resilience committee had met and was working with partner agencies to ensure support was provided, she added.
She said the assumption was the damage was accidental, adding: ""There is nothing to suggest otherwise, but work is continuing to assess exactly what the cause of the problem has been.""
MP for Orkney and Shetlands Alastair Carmichael told the BBC he had raised the issue with the UK government, but understood it could be days before communications were restored.
He said the priority was fixing the issue but that resilience would also need to be looked at in future.
Homes and businesses are affected across the isles, which are 130 miles (210 km) from the Scottish mainland and have a population of about 23,000.
BBC has heard reports that many shops are unable to take card payments.
Meanwhile Highlands and Islands Airports told the BBC that Sumburgh Airport was ""operating as normal"", but would advise passengers to contact Loganair for further updates.
Serco NorthLink Ferries confirmed they did not anticipate the problem would have any impact on sailings.
A BT Group spokesperson said: ""Due to a break in a third-party subsea cable connecting Shetland with the Scottish mainland, some phone, broadband and mobile services are affected.
""Engineers are working to divert services via other routes as soon as possible and we'll provide further updates. Our external subsea provider is also looking to restore their link quickly. 
""Anyone who needs to call 999 should try their landline or their mobile, even if they don't have signal from their own mobile provider. We're sorry for any inconvenience.""
Emergency services have had to implement temporary back-up arrangements.
Police Scotland said it was working with partners including the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and HM Coastguard to bring additional emergency support to the island.
force said an emergency hub had been set up in the Tesco car park in South Road, Lerwick.
Ch Insp Jane Mackenzie told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme that police officers would be more visible on the island in the meantime.
She said: ""We're still trying to work to establish the full extent of the problem - we know there are some telephone lines working, 999 lines are believed to be working and some mobile networks are still working.
""So anyone calling 999 should be able to do so from a mobile phone. What we would ask is if you have an emergency you should first try a landline or mobile to call 999. 
""If that doesn't work, you should flag down an emergency service vehicle that isn't using their blue light or attend either a police station, hospital, fire or ambulance station to report the emergency.""
Ch Insp Mackenzie urged the public not to use phone lines for non-urgent calls and to check on elderly or vulnerable people more frequently as assistance alarms may not be operating effectively.
was damaged between Faroe and Shetland last week will be repaired on Saturday, according to Faroese Telecom's head of infrastructure Páll Vesturbú.
He said: ""The damage is affecting most of telecom services to Shetland. There are some services still working but we will try to establish more services during the day if that's possible. 
""We expect it will be fishing vessels that damaged the cable but it is very rare that we have two problems at the same time.""
MP Alistair Carmichael added that the damage had caused ""catastrophic impact"".
He said: ""Communication is critical to modern life, to business, to the emergency services and education - just about every aspect of modern life. 
""It's like somebody has flipped a switch and taken us back 20 or 30 years. You live in an island community, you know sometimes these things happen and that's why we have to learn the lessons from this.""
Modern submarine cables use fibre optic technology and are typically as wide as a garden hose, according to telecoms market research firm TeleGeography.
It explains lasers on one end fire at extremely rapid rates down thin glass fibres to receptors at the other end of the cable. 
glass fibres are wrapped in layers of plastic - and sometimes steel wire - for protection. 
Cables lie on the ocean floor, while nearer to the shore they are buried under the seabed for additional protection.
firm said ""considerable care"" is taken to make sure cables avoid fault zones, fishing zones, anchoring areas and other dangers.
Ian Brown, a partner with Lerwick-based internet provider Shetland Broadband, said he became aware of a problem just after 00:00 on Thursday when his home broadband went off.
He said the north cable was broken on 15 October in a clean break, but the southern one was not a clean break because there are around 100 fibres in the cable - and not all had been broken. 
Shetland Broadband is still operational because the fibres it uses were not damaged.
Mr Brown said the impact ranged from minor inconvenience for islanders to disruption to businesses and local NHS services that rely on their online connection.
He said Shetland Broadband was working with the NHS to try and resolve its issues.
In another example, he said a delivery of 2,000 parcels to the islands encountered problems as they could not be scanned.
Mr Brown said: ""We don't know if the cable was hooked up by a ship or lifted and caught by the currents. It is a very rare event, a bit like storm damage."""	/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-63326102
entertainment	Fi Glover and Jane Garvey to leave BBC for Times Radio	"Broadcasters Fi Glover and Jane Garvey are leaving the BBC to host a new programme and podcast for Times Radio.
r have jointly presented the popular Fortunately podcast for the corporation since 2017.
Fortunately will continue on the BBC until the end of the year, but the pair will launch a new podcast plus a live weekday afternoon show on Times Radio.
Garvey said she was ""delighted"" to be joining the station after ""a brilliant time working for the BBC"".
uo are the latest in a lengthy line of BBC stars jumping to the commercial sector, following the likes of Vanessa Feltz, Simon Mayo, Emily Maitlis and Andrew Marr.
Garvey and Glover will co-present a programme from 1500-1700, Monday to Thursday, covering the day's news as well as their reflections on the day.  
w will launch on 10 October. Times Radio added that details of their new podcast would be announced in due course.
In a statement, Garvey said: ""I've had a brilliant time working for the BBC. Now I'm delighted to be joining the award-winning team at Times Radio. We can't wait to get started on a live mix of illuminating conversation, topical interviews and occasional carping.""
Glover added: ""It's been an amazing 29 years with the BBC. But I am so looking forward to bringing Times Radio listeners some extraordinary stories from some extraordinary people with Jane.""
Nearly 250 episodes of Fortunately with Fi and Jane have been released since the weekly podcast launched. 
Intended as a look behind the scenes of broadcasting, the format sees the pair interview a variety of guests and discuss topics sent in by listeners. 
It was the third most downloaded podcast on BBC Sounds in 2021, behind Newscast and You're Dead to Me.
Garvey and Glover's chemistry and self-deprecating humour have been applauded by listeners, and the pair have been praised for their open discussions of sometimes taboo subjects.
Garvey has had a long career with the BBC and was the first voice heard on Radio 5 Live when the station launched in 1994.
She later presented Radio 4's Woman's Hour for 13 years, alternating with Dame Jenni Murray, until both departed in 2020.
Glover started her BBC career in local radio and also went on to present a variety of programmes on 5 Live. She also fronted several shows for Radio 4, including The Listening Project and Two Rooms.
Speaking to the Times as the newspaper announced its sister radio station's latest recruits, Glover said: ""We're not leaving Fortunately in a massive strop, but we have talked about ourselves as much as we want to, and we found the offer of a return to solid journalism appealing.
""I listen to way more stuff outside the BBC than I ever thought would be possible to find, so [Times Radio] feels like a familiar world to my ears, if not to my head.""
Garvey said the BBC was currently losing ""more experienced"" staff. ""There's never been a time where people haven't been gloomy about the BBC, though,"" she said.
""I've moaned and groaned about my employer for 34 years, but I've also had some astonishing opportunities."" "	/news/entertainment-arts-62631499
politics	Laura Kuenssberg: Putin set UK on search for new friends	"If you're reading this in a cold house in the UK with a woolly hat on your head, if you've winced at the cost of filling up the car, if you've taken in Ukrainian refugees, then your life has been changed by Vladimir Putin's decision to wage war against an independent country.
As one diplomat puts it, in 2022 ""foreign policy has come home to roost"". 
But beyond supporting Ukraine against Russia's aggression, what makes up Rishi Sunak's foreign policy? That's something to ask Foreign Secretary James Cleverly when he is on our show this Sunday.
While Mr Sunak has a ghastly set of problems to attend to at home, part of being an effective prime minister is wielding influence abroad. 
But, as one senior former minister laments, there's been little sign of a grand vision, with ""demoralisation left, right and centre"" instead.
Like any leader, there are some things they have no choice but to do. When it comes to foreign policy, for Mr Sunak, there is the UK's commitment to Ukraine.
Unlike Boris Johnson, he's hardly likely to have Ukrainian streets named after him. But his commitment is as solid as a rock, the right thing to do and politically a no-brainer. 
Despite the impact on our fuel bills, there's no sign of the public expecting anything but full-throated support for Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.
And when it comes to the issue of people arriving in the UK in small boats, efforts are being put into repairing the relationship with France's President Emmanuel Macron.
was ""essentially broken with Boris"", according to one Whitehall source, and a better relationship with Paris could bring a resolution to that problem.
re's also been a visible effort by the government to move towards a solution on the Northern Ireland protocol - the trickiest hangover from the Brexit deal minted by Mr Johnson.
Long gone is the tough talk and sabre rattling, with one EU ambassador saying Mr Sunak's government has ""completely changed the mood"".
rmination is to play nice, for now, but resolving the long-standing dispute over implementing extra rules for Northern Ireland, which kept closer ties with the EU than the rest of the UK, needs more than a friendly conversation, it needs one or both sides to budge. 
One former diplomat warns there will be a ""showdown moment"" ahead of next year's 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement which brought peace to Northern Ireland. 
Mr Sunak faces the same dilemma as the other post-Brexit prime ministers. He could compromise and get an agreement but risk a giant row with his party -  or refuse to budge and trigger a massive fight with our biggest trading partner. 
Watch: Rishi Sunak meets President Zelensky in Kyiv for the first time as prime minister
f government policy is different, but as one ambassador tells me: ""The big question is do we see any willingness to make a deal?""
re's been unavoidable pressure too on the prime minister to turn up the heat on China - not least because of the noisy demands from his backbenches - as President Xi Jinping's increasingly hard-line tactics have become more obvious. 
Mr Sunak stepped along a careful line in his white tie and tails speech at the Lord Mayor's banquet. ""Not as soft and squishy"" as David Cameron was on China, one former diplomat said, ""but not quite as hawkish as Liz Truss"".
Governments can't ignore China if they want to solve issues like climate change, but they cannot also cut themselves off from an evolving mega power. 
It is hard so far to see how Mr Sunak's government will manage these unavoidable problems differently.
Yet this week we may see the foreign secretary fill in some of the blanks in Mr Sunak's foreign policy.
On Monday, Mr Cleverly will make his pitch to focus on new friends - ""future partnerships"" around the world - essentially building better relationships with countries who are neither the global bad guys nor Britain's traditional allies.
Mr Cleverly will argue for closer ties with countries like Indonesia, South Africa and Brazil whose influence is growing. 
gthen the UK's list of global friends - it's described as the ""really smart and obvious thing to do"". 
But one senior Conservative MP worries the government's foreign policy will be ""devoid of any meaningful depth but heavy on flirtation with cameras"", adding that it's time to spell out its objectives and ""show some grit when it comes to threats from autocratic states"".
Mr Sunak said foreign policy would go through an ""evolutionary leap"". But when you look down the list of challenges it's hard to see, so far, anything that matches that grand language. 
It's not Theresa May's ""Global Britain"", David Cameron's ""golden era"" with China or Tony Blair's ""ethical foreign policy"" - much maligned though they all came to be. 
And on the world stage, as one former senior official says, Mr Sunak ""is the junior guy at the table"" and world leaders are not sure after years of the Tories knocking lumps out of each other whether he has control or they should be working out what Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer would do instead.
Mr Sunak is a pragmatist prime minister - not a foreign philosopher. His backers would argue that's exactly what's required right now. 
But he is boxed in by an unhappy party which disagrees with itself on policy towards China or the EU. 
And his detractors claim his political personality is dwarfed by the scale of the challenge.
""The more he talks, the less he says,"" a Labour source tells me.
""Both at home and abroad he is in danger of being the Incredible Shrinking Prime Minister - the man who got smaller in office.""
world stage can provide huge opportunities for prime ministers, but Mr Sunak's chance of turning things round for his struggling party starts with confronting problems at home. "	/news/uk-63929487
entertainment	Somerset woman dedicates her first book to children she fostered	"A foster carer has dedicated her first book to all the children who came to her ""without warm jumpers"". 
Emma Lloyd, 52, who has fostered for more than eight years, said reading to the children would help them settle at night and ""forget unhappy memories"".
uthor, from Wellington, wrote the book after her own son thought the stories she made up should be shared. 
Little Red Dragon is about a dragon who encounters friendship and kindness as he looks for his missing jumper.  
Ms Lloyd said she was inspired to start fostering by friends and has since taken in babies, siblings and teenagers. 
""They can arrive late at night, maybe without pyjamas or shoes for the next day, and often without warm coats or jumpers,"" Ms Lloyd said.
""It's a scary time for these children and sometimes they display that through their behaviour. But it is an incredibly rewarding role.
""Seeing them a few months later, twirling around in their new party dress or proudly heading off to school - these are all little pictures I keep in my mind of children building their self-esteem and confidence,"" she said. 
Ms Lloyd was telling The Little Red Dragon to her eight-year-old daughter when her son, 17, walked in and told her she should ""write it down so other children could hear it"".
""For traumatised children especially, reading can allow them to lose themselves in another world and forget unhappy memories, or feelings of sadness or anger, just for a moment,"" she explained.
Ms Lloyd said rather than reading a book, she would dim the lights and tell her own story, which would comfort children, while not being stimulated by pictures, and help them get to sleep. 
On having the book published, Ms Lloyd said one of the ""nicest moments"" was when she received a video of a child she had fostered, with her new adoptive parents reading the book.
""That was lovely to see, because it was children like her that inspired me to publish it,"" she said.
Somerset County Council lead member for children and families, Tessa Munt, said the county urgently needed more foster homes and it was ""wonderful"" to see Ms Lloyd raising awareness of the importance of fostering. 
Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: bristol@bbc.co.uk "	/news/uk-england-somerset-63584007
technology	Elton John quits Twitter blaming change in misinformation policy	"Watch: Sir Elton John receives award after performing at White House
Sir Elton John has become the latest celebrity to leave Twitter since its acquisition by Tesla boss Elon Musk.
ger, a headline act for next year's Glastonbury Festival, blamed the platform's ""change in policy"" around misinformation without elaborating. 
witter stopped taking action against accounts spreading misleading information about Covid-19 last month.
In response to Sir Elton's announcement, Mr Musk said he hoped the star would be back. 
In what could be his last ever tweet, the Rocket Man singer wrote: ""All my life I've tried to use music to bring people together. Yet it saddens me to see how misinformation is now being used to divide our world.
""I've decided to no longer use Twitter, given their recent change in policy which will allow misinformation to flourish unchecked.""
witter's controversial CEO, who began referring to himself as the company's Chief Twit after buying it, replied to the post saying: ""I love your music. Hope you come back. Is there any misinformation in particular that you're concerned about?""
Since Mr Musk completed his $44bn (£38.1bn) Twitter takeover in October, there has been controversy over the Covid policy roll-back, as well as other moves such as reinstating some previously suspended accounts and charging users for their ""blue tick"".
A slew of famous faces have, in the aftermath, signed out of Twitter for good, citing its new leader as their main reason for leaving. 
Actors Jim Carrey and Whoopi Goldberg, supermodel Gigi Hadid and White Stripes musician Jack White are among those to have quit the social media website. 
In Ms Hadid's announcement, she referred to Twitter under Mr Musk as a ""cesspool of hate and bigotry"".
According to Twitter's website, it stopped taking action against tweets breaching its former coronavirus rules on Wednesday 23 November. 
It had previously reported suspending more than 11,000 accounts for misinformation about the virus as of September this year.
Under its Covid-specific policy, Twitter operated a ""five-strike system"" for accounts posting ""demonstrably false or misleading"" content that might ""lead to significant risk of harm"" - such as exposure to Covid or damage to public health systems.
No action would be taken against accounts tweeting disinformation once. But repeat offenders could be suspended for a matter of hours, days or even indefinitely, if they received five strikes against their account."	/news/uk-63925416
sports	World Triathlon Championship Series: Bermuda's Flora Duffy wins to boost hopes of fourth title	"Bermuda's Olympic champion Flora Duffy boosted her hopes of claiming a record fourth World Triathlon Championship Series title after winning the penultimate race on home soil.
Duffy finished ahead of American Taylor Knibb and Great Britain's Beth Potter.
She now has three golds and a bronze, just behind the three golds and a silver won by Britain's overall leader Georgia Taylor-Brown this season.
In the men's race, Briton and reigning world champion Alex Yee came fifth.
France's Vincent Luis secured his first World Triathlon Championship Series podium of the season, crossing the line ahead of Spanish duo Antonio Serrat Seoane and Roberto Sanchez Mantecon.
r-Brown missed the Bermuda race to focus on the season-ending Championship Finals which take place in Abu Dhabi between 23 and 26 November, and which will be a straight shootout between the Briton and Duffy for the title. "	/sport/triathlon/63537234
entertainment	Ringo Starr cancels North American tour after catching Covid	"Sir Ringo Starr has cancelled several upcoming shows on his North American tour after catching Covid-19.
former Beatle, who is 82, had been playing a string of dates in the US and Canada with his All-Starr band before falling ill this weekend.
After cancelling two shows at the last minute, ""it has been confirmed today that Ringo has Covid and the tour will be on hold"", his spokesperson said.
rummer is ""recovering at home"" and hopes to resume shows soon, they added.
ur dates planned for this week in Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia have all been cancelled. A decision has yet to be taken on upcoming shows in the US and Mexico.
""We will keep fans updated with any further news or changes,"" his spokesperson told the BBC.
Last year,  Sir Ringo confessed that he had rarely ventured outside in the early days of the pandemic, to avoid catching Covid-19.
""Since last March, I've left the house six times,"" he told USA Today last year. ""You've got to help protect yourself if you can"".
Despite receiving two doses of the vaccine, he told the publication he was cautious about touring in 2021, saying: ""I don't think it'll be safe. And that's it. Living in the now.""
ur finally resumed in Canada this May, with Starr having played more than 25 shows since.
musician rose to fame in the 1960s as the Beatles' laconic, easy-going drummer. He sang lead vocals on tracks like With A Little Help From My Friends and Yellow Submarine, and launched a successful solo career after the Beatles split in 1970.
He formed his All-Starr band, where ""everybody on stage is a star in their own right"" in 1989. The ever-changing line-up has included rock legends such as Joe Walsh, Peter Frampton, Todd Rundgren and Sheila E.
Sir Ringo received his knighthood in 2018, and was inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame as a solo artist in 2015.
Follow us on Facebook, or on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk."	/news/entertainment-arts-63121692
sports	Senegalese athletes angered by World Cup bonuses	"The decision by President Macky Sall to pay Senegal's football squad its World Cup bonus despite the team not hitting its target has caused anger for some in the West African nation. 
African champions had been tasked with reaching the quarter-finals but bowed out in the second round after a 3-0 defeat by England. 
""We will fully pay the qualification bonuses for the quarter-finals for the whole official delegation,"" Sall announced two days later.
World Cup bonuses - which come out of the pool of nearly $23m (£19m) unlocked by the Senegalese government to cover the World Cup costs - will differ depending on the involvement of the 26 players in the entire campaign, including qualifying. 
However, some former players and other Senegalese sportsmen have questioned the move. 
""If you win you must be rewarded, but if you lose you must learn from it,"" former Teranga Lions forward Diomansy Kamara told local newspaper Stades. 
Despite its generous nature, Sall's decision was even less favourably received by athletes from other sports who traditionally have to fight to fund their own participation in competitions. 
Hamadel Ndiaye is a Senegalese triathlon champion trying to reach the world series and qualify for the Olympics but despite working as a cameraman in London to help with costs, he has often been unable to afford flights that would have enabled him to compete. 
He admits to feeling put out when learning that supporters would have free passage to watch the Teranga Lions in Qatar. 
""Firstly, I was disturbed when I heard the story about the nice amount of money unlocked to bring fans to Qatar,"" the former swimmer, 26, told BBC Sport Africa.
""In both 2019 and 2021, I wanted to participate in a race but the flight ticket to Dakar was $850 (£705) and I needed to pay another $120 (£100) for my bicycle as extra luggage but I couldn't afford this.
""Sometimes we have to wait until the last minute to know if we can participate or not."" 
Ndiaye's viewpoint is backed by up athlete Sangone Kandji, who represents Senegal in the triple jump and says such situations are happening far too often, preventing athletes from ""acclimatising"" at event venues and thus affecting results. 
""This year, at the Islamic Solidarity Games, we arrived late in Konya and one of the athletes landed the day before his race. Those things need to be reviewed so that we can help the athlete to recover (from their trips).""
After her triple jump title at June's African Athletics Championships in Mauritius, Kandji adds she was rewarded with a ""modest sum"".
Olympian Ndeye Binta Ndiongue is a Senegalese fencer also fighting to earn a living, and who was only paid last year for results-related bonuses dating back over a decade to 2008. 
""This year, I won the bronze medal at the African championship and the bonuses are yet to come my way,"" she told BBC Sport Africa. 
""(The funds for football) bring frustration even if I understand that it brings sponsors and excitement to the whole country."" 
According to Ndiongue, a Senegalese gold medal holder in fencing is awarded roughly $650 (£539)after a continental title, a sum likely to be dwarfed by that received by the footballers.
In addition to frustration over the bonuses awarded to the Teranga Lions, these other athletes are also constantly troubled by the attention lavished on football in comparison to other sports. 
""Football is the priority and everybody knows it - all the African federations suffer from this,"" insists Diongue.
Last December, Guy Marius Sagna, one of the opposition leaders, backed the various athletes when the sports minister's budget was voted on at Senegal's National Assembly.
""This is a long, ongoing debate - is he the sports minister or the football minister?"" Sagna poignantly asked.
""Sports like karate or taekwondo brought world medals. Football has never brought world medals, but the way football is taken care of has no comparison whatsoever with karate or taekwondo.""
""If I am not wrong, the budget of the Senegalese Athletics Federation is around $50,000 (£41,000). For the football Lions, the budget for one single friendly game is between $485,000-$810,000 (£398,000-£672,000),"" Sagna added.
In response, Sports Minister Yakhouba Diattara promised ""there is no sport we will not support"".
""I think the solution is to have a meeting every year between the Olympic National Committee, the government and the different federations to arbitrate,"" he continued.
""The sports that we believe have a chance of winning medals will receive funds. The others will have to wait.""
As she continues a life where funds are in short supply, Diongue focuses on her own training plan while teaching fencing to children in the French town of Asnieres-sur-Seine. 
""My coach accepts me for free because he understands I can't pay 2,000-4,000 euros (£1,763-£3,526,$2,125-4,250) a year,"" she explained. ""Before the 2020 Olympics, I had three jobs but ended up with burnout and almost gave up.
""Thankfully, I had my family, friends and coaches to help me and I also received donations - I managed to get 3,000 euros (£2,650, $3,200) in total.""
When she finally received her bonuses after her participation in her first Olympics, it was mainly to cover her debts.
As Senegalese authorities prepare to host the 2026 Youth Olympics, the first Olympic event in Africa, new infrastructure is being built or renovated in and around the capital Dakar. 
During the last Games in Tokyo, nine athletes represented Senegal, but the nation's only Olympic medal remains the silver won by 400m hurdler Amadou Dia Ba in Seoul in 1988.
Once again, what could appear a solid investment for the future continues to cause angst among some of the athletes hoping to shine for Senegal in future senior Olympics. 
""There were a lot of investments made with the stadium or Dakar Arena, yet these are not used most of the time during the year,"" Hamadel Ndiaye points out. 
""The equipment in the gym there is barely used and I think it's a shame because it would be easy to gather a national team and organise training camps."""	/sport/africa/63994617
health	Warning Somerset GP agency spend is 'not sustainable'	"f an organisation that provides GP services has warned a chronic reliance on expensive agency staff is ""not sustainable"".
Symphony Healthcare Services (SHS) had to spend £3m on locum GPs in the past financial year across Somerset.
Medical director Dr Berge Balian warned ""difficult decisions will have to be made"" without improved funding. 
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said there are 2,300 more GPs since 2019. 
But the Royal College of GPs does not recognise that figure, and said GP numbers had fallen by 713 fully qualified full-time equivalent positions since 2019. 
Commons Health Select Committee has itself said general practice is in crisis.
Dr Balian added: ""I think most people would recognise it is currently in crisis."" 
When SHS started in 2016, it took over three GP surgeries that could not attract enough partners to run them as a private business. 
Since then it has employed more and more salaried GPs to work in 16 surgeries across 20 locations in Somerset and Devon, with all rated good or outstanding by the Care Quality Commission. 
But over the years it has had to rely more heavily on expensive agency GPs that cost up to £1,000 a shift. 
And because SHS is owned by Yeovil hospital, this has contributed to a £12m spend on agency staff last year.
Dr Balian is a GP at Crewkerne Health Centre and said many doctors are retiring early because their job has become too stressful.
""In the last three years the number of consultations general practice has done in the country has increased by two million while the number of GPs has dropped by 1,800 roughly.
""You can see why it ends up being a significant pressure on those GPs who are responsible for managing that contract and caring for patients under that contract.""
Dr Balian also said there is a financial incentive for GPs to move away from being partners to work as locum doctors because they can earn more than £1,000 a day and also benefit from being in the NHS pension scheme. 
SHS spent £3m on GP locums in the year 2021-22 and Dr Balian said expanding further, with a bigger agency staff bill, is not sustainable. 
He said: ""If you look at general practice, demand is increasing, its capacity is reducing, its funding in real terms is also reducing.
""The only solution to that is either increasing the amount of funding into GPs, or you say actually, nationally we will make a decision that GPs that used to provide this amount of service can only provide this amount of service and that bit needs to be done elsewhere.""
Since it started SHS has set up a new model for family medicine which relies heavily on health coaches, physios and pharmacists to relieve pressure.
Mary Guppy is one of a growing number of ""health coaches"" employed by SHS to support vulnerable patients living in their home.
One of her regulars, Ivan Down, 81, is at risk of having to leave his home in Crewkerne to be admitted to hospital because he has dementia, and diabetes.
Mrs Guppy says an important part of her role is to look after carers, such as Ivan's 71-year-old wife Patricia.
Mrs Guppy said: ""Without Pat, we'd have to find some more care for Ivan, but thanks to her hard work and liaising with the health coaches we can go back to the GPs if there are any health concerns so we can keep him safe in his own environment and keep him well.""
A spokesman for the DHSC said: ""Supporting and growing the workforce is one of the Health and Social Care Secretary's priorities and there are over 2,300 more doctors in general practice compared to 2019, while a record 4,000 trainees have accepted a GP training place this year.
""We have taken action to promote NHS staff banks, which are managed by trusts and allow healthcare professionals to take up temporary shifts. 
""This reduces the requirement for agency staff, and as a consequence agency spend has dropped by a third since 2016.""
Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: bristol@bbc.co.uk "	/news/uk-england-somerset-63823431
health	Dr Heather Steen: From girl's death to dishonesty ruling	"In 1996 nine-year-old Claire Roberts died, with her parents told her death was caused by a viral infection.
But years later Claire's death was examined by a major public inquiry and serious questions were asked of Dr Heather Steen - a consultant paediatrician involved in her care.
Among other allegations, Dr Steen was accused of a ""cover-up"".
After a General Medical Council (GMC) investigation, a fitness to practice hearing run by the Medical Practitioner Tribunal Service (MPTS) found the majority of allegations against Dr Steen had been proven.
MPTS has handed down the most serious sanction - removal from the medical register.
BBC News NI examines the events leading up to the tribunal's findings. 
Nine-year-old Claire Roberts dies at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children (RBHSC).
Belfast schoolgirl has a history of epilepsy and moderate learning difficulties.
wo days before her death, Claire became ill with symptoms including vomiting and drowsiness - it was believed she was suffering from a stomach bug.
After seeing her GP, she was referred to the RBHSC's accident and emergency department on 21 October.
Hospital doctors prescribed intravenous fluids. However, Claire was given a fatal overdose of fluids and medication.
ght, blood tests showed a low level of sodium in her bloodstream suggesting that she had hyponatraemia.
Over the next few hours, Claire's sodium level continued to drop and on 23 October she suffered a sudden respiratory arrest.
A scan showed severe swelling of her brain. She died later that day.
Claire's parents, Alan and Jennifer Roberts, are told that their daughter died from a viral infection.
A television documentary, Insight: When Hospitals Kill, about the deaths of three children in Northern Ireland hospitals is broadcast by UTV.
rate incidents, but the programme alleges all three deaths - those of Lucy Crawford, Raychel Ferguson and Adam Strain - were a result of mistakes by staff as they administered intravenous fluids.
Dr Steen is not accused of any wrongdoing related to the deaths of Lucy, Raychel or Adam.
Claire's parents see the documentary and notice similarities with their daughter's case, leading them to contact the Children's Hospital. 
As a result, Claire's death is reconsidered and referred to the coroner.
Following the programme, an inquiry is launched into the deaths of Lucy, Raychel or Adam - it becomes known as the Hyponatraemia Inquiry.
quiry is the longest running public inquiry in the UK.  
Hyponatraemia is a shortage of sodium in the blood that can be fatal.
At the first inquest into Claire's death in May 2006, two doctors tell the coroner that her case should be referred to the inquiry
By 2008, the inquiry is extended to examine the cases of Claire and Conor Mitchell, who died while receiving hospital care.
quiry hears that Claire was given 300% more medication than the quantity prescribed for her.
Dr Steen, a senior doctor on duty the morning after Claire was admitted to the RBHSC, tells the inquiry she cannot recall examining her.
ultant paediatrician says she has ""little memory"" of events for health reasons and ""can't defend my notes or those of others"".
Claire's parents accuse some senior healthcare staff of a cover-up over their daughter's death in 1996. 
family's solicitor tells the inquiry that when an investigation into Claire's death finally got under way 10 years later, ""it looked as though a hand was steering the evidence from behind the scenes"".
Dr Steen denies claims of a cover-up over the death, but admits there were numerous deficiencies in Claire's care, including mistakes in the dosage of medication. 
She tells the inquiry staffing levels were dangerously low at the time and that, in hindsight, Claire's death should have been reported to the coroner.
A former chief executive of Belfast Health Trust, William McKee, admits to the inquiry that his organisation failed Claire in her treatment and the communication with her family before and after her death.
Belfast Trust ultimately publicly admits liability for Claire's death and a lawyer for the trust offers a ""sincere apology for shortcomings in the management of Claire's treatment"".
quiry finds the death of Claire - as well as three other children - was avoidable. 
Chairman Mr Justice O'Hara is scathing of how the families were treated in the aftermath of the deaths and also the evidence given to the inquiry by medical professionals.
He finds there ""was a cover up"" in Claire's death, which was not referred to the coroner immediately ""to avoid scrutiny"".
Northern Ireland's attorney general directs the coroner to open a fresh inquest into the death of Claire.
In a statement, her father says between 2004 and 2006 false and misleading information was supplied to the coroner.
""As a result (of that), the coronial system was undermined and we, as grieving parents, were failed and misled,"" he says.
Mr Roberts says it is now up to the coroner for a second time to examine why his daughter died.
quest finds Claire's death was caused by the treatment that she received in hospital. 
roner, Joe McCrisken, says he considers, on balance, that an ""overdose"" of fluids contributed to her death.
Speaking outside court, Claire's family thank the coroner for reaching his verdict.
Her father says it is ""reaffirming what we have known for 15 years"".
Belfast Trust says it will ""carefully consider the coroner's conclusions and recommendations"".
An MPTS fitness to practice tribunal begins, inquiring into allegations that between October 1996 and May 2006, Dr Steen knowingly and dishonestly carried out several actions to conceal the true circumstances of Claire's death.
GMC refers a doctor to the MPTS if allegations against the doctor suggest such a serious failure of the doctor to meet its standards that, if proven, their fitness to practise would be impaired
Within minutes of the tribunal starting, Dr Steen's lawyers apply to the MPTS for her to be voluntarily removed from the medical register, which would end the tribunal within days, but the application is rejected.
At the tribunal, Dr Steen admits failing to tell Claire's parents that her death should have been reported to the coroner.
She denies allegations that she acted dishonestly and engaged in a cover up.
ribunal later hears Dr Steen is ""having difficulties following and absorbing"" the discussion and goes into private session to check on her.
GMC tells the tribunal there was evidence of ""simple dishonesty"" and that Dr Steen's conduct ""fell below that which was expected"".
A lawyer for the GMC says Claire's father was ""continuously misled"" and it has been a ""struggle for answers"".
Claire's father tells the hearing that following his daughter's death, Dr Steen told him and his wife there would be a ""hospital-only post mortem and there would be no need for an inquest"".
A lawyer acting for Dr Steen says his client has ""no real recollection or clear recollection of this conversation"".
He adds that it wouldn't be her ""usual practice"" to tell parents this.
General Medical Council lawyers argue Dr Steen's actions at the time were ""dishonest"" and to ""avoid scrutiny"".
As proceedings reach the halfway stage, Dr Steen is expected to give evidence but instead her legal team submits a second bid for voluntary erasure.
rejected.
GMC lawyer Tom Forster KC says that is ""undoubtedly the position that Dr Steen has been a good doctor throughout her career"" and references testimonial letters written about her
However, he adds he is ""very unhappy to say that I'm afraid on this particular occasion the weight of the evidence is that Dr Steen abandoned her duties as a doctor"".
wyer tells the inquiry ""she abandoned them in 1996, motivated to cover up failings in care when it all happened on her watch and then controlled things thereafter"".
In his closing submissions, a lawyer acting for Dr Steen, Kevin McCartney, says she has been ""painted as an almost Machiavellian character who has sought to influence documents, sought to influence other doctors"".
""There was reference to the closing of ranks of doctors and my submission is that really you should approach such general characterisation with some care, to look first of all to see whether the evidence actually supports the type of propositions that were being put forward this morning.""
ribunal finds the majority of allegations against Dr Steen to have been proven.
In a majority of the allegations, the tribunal did not uphold the application of no case to answer.
Some allegations were not proved.
Examples of the allegations which were proved, included:
She is then found unfit to practise by the tribunal and is given the most serious of sanctions - being removed from the medical register."	/news/uk-northern-ireland-63554819
health	South East Coast Ambulance Service issues New Year's Eve plea	"An ambulance service that covers four counties has called for support from the public ahead of New Year's Eve.
South East Coast Ambulance Service (Secamb) urged people to only call 999 for genuine emergencies.
NHS services in the South East continue to face sustained pressure, with Surrey and Sussex NHS Trust, Medway Maritime Hospital and Secamb all declaring critical incidents this month.
Demand is expected to remain high across the New Year period.
Secamb is responsible for covering Brighton & Hove, East Sussex, West Sussex, Kent, Surrey, and North East Hampshire.
Last year, the trust said it answered about 1,000 999 calls in the seven hours from 20.00 GMT on 31 December.
rating New Year's Eve are urged to plan their evenings, including how they get home, ensuring they look out for others, and, if drinking alcohol, remembering the impact excessive drinking can have on health and emergency services.
Emma Williams, Secamb executive director for operations, said: ""We have faced significant pressure on our services for many weeks but we know that New Year's Eve can bring additional challenges.""
Ms Williams wants people to celebrate ""sensibly"" and says she understands how the decisions of individuals can impact an ""already stretched ambulance service"".
""I would like to thank all our staff and volunteers for their hard work and professionalism at this busy time and urge the public to show their support by using NHS services wisely,"" she added.
ublic is asked to help Secamb manage pressure by reserving 999 for genuine emergencies and making use of alternatives such as the 111 service, when incidents are not so serious.
Meanwhile, Chief Medical Officer for NHS Kent and Medway, Dr Kate Langford, urged people to be ""very, very selective"" when using emergency services amid an ""incredibly challenging"" period due to flu and Covid.
She said using 999 or an emergency department for something not life threatening could be ""delaying the care of someone who does have a life threatening condition"".
""Anything people can do to avoid using those routes unless it really is an emergency is greatly appreciated,"" she added.
Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk. "	/news/uk-england-64124892
business	Hobbycraft to open three new stores as profits rise	"An arts and crafts retail chain is to create three more stores after a rise in profits for the past year.
New Hobbycraft sites will be in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire; Southend in Essex; and Bromborough on Merseyside and will create 40 new retail jobs.
It said its adjusted pre-tax profit for the year to February 2022 was £15m, up from £13.8 million the previous year.
mpany said it was ""incredibly well placed"", but the 2023 financial year would be ""challenging"".
Dominic Jordan, Hobbycraft's chief executive, said ""multiple new initiatives"" were planned including a new website, workshop channel, further new stores and a subscription model.
""However, we are conscious that the year ahead will be very challenging, particularly given the significant inflationary pressures on our customers and we are starting to see this impact on market demand in the early part of full-year 2023,"" he said.
He added that there had been a significant increase in freight costs.
firm, founded in 1995 and now with more than 100 stores across the UK, revealed total revenue rose 14.8% from £176.9m in 2021 to £203.1m in 2022.
mpany had had to close for seven weeks in 2021 during Covid restrictions as it was not classed as an essential retailer.
It saw e-commerce sales grow 58.2% from the point stores reopened in April 2021 compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2020.
Seven new stores and 100 new jobs were created over in the year to February 2022, including openings in Leicester, Rochester in Kent, and Boucher Crescent in Northern Ireland. 
Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-61949684
technology	Helping others with one-handed life hacks	"Chiara Beer used to hide her disabled right arm behind her back, afraid of receiving negative comments. But a brave decision one day inspired her to share her experience with the world and use it to help others too.
Chiara suffered a stroke aged two, leading to her developing dyslexia, the muscle disorder dystonia, and hemiplegia - a condition that causes weakness down her right side.
She would hide her disabled arm, afraid of receiving negative and hateful comments.
""It's OK to be different. My struggle was always that I looked different, which was quite a hard thing to deal with,"" she says.
But a photo - one she hadn't intended to upload at first because it showed her arm - started a journey towards her becoming a YouTuber and Instagram Reeler. 
""I really liked the picture and couldn't redo it [to hide the arm]. So I thought 'let's post it',"" Chiara tells BBC Newsbeat.
""Then I didn't get any nasty comments - I was getting questions.""
Curious viewers asked Chiara a lot about how she performs certain tasks one-handed, such as putting on make-up and doing her hair.
Pretty soon, she was receiving encouragement to create more videos, and ended up posting about activities including drawing and cooking.
And, after seeing the success of those videos, she was more than happy to share her tips.
""Because ultimately, that's my goal: to live as independently as I can for myself,"" she says.
Now the 27-year-old makes videos for the charity Different Strokes, demonstrating life hacks for people who, like her, can only use one hand.
She's covered a range of topics from hair and fashion to make-up and jewellery.
""I really wanted to help people who are struggling with stroke or hemiplegia to find a way to do things,"" she says.
According to the charity, one in four strokes happen in younger people.
But Chiara says there wasn't much information available when she was a child.
She says she's received messages, both from parents who have children with hemiplegia and people who've had strokes later in life, saying her videos have helped.
""People have said: 'you've made me believe that my child can be independent, you've helped me think that my child will be OK'.""
Looking back, Chiara says she's ""really proud"" of how far she's come.
""Had someone said to me, at 14, you're going to talk about your disability so openly, I would have been like: 'No, that's not happening',"" she says. 
But she has a message for her younger self and those in a similar position:
""Confidence comes with time, be more happy with yourself and more confident.""
Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. "	/news/newsbeat-63122254
health	New Zealand places child in anti-vax blood case in custody	"A New Zealand court has ordered a child at the centre of a case over blood transfusions from donors vaccinated against Covid-19 be taken into temporary custody by health officials.
four-month-old boy is in a hospital in Auckland awaiting urgent treatment to correct a heart disorder. 
His parents had blocked the operation and sought a court ruling that he receive blood from unvaccinated donors.
But the High Court ruled the operation was in the child's ""best interest"".
Justice Ian Gault ordered that the boy - identified as Baby W in court documents - be placed under the guardianship of the court ""from the date of the order until completion of his surgery and post-operative recovery"". 
He dismissed the parents' request for unvaccinated blood and agreed with health authorities that the boy's ""survival [was] actually dependent on the application being granted"". 
But he emphasised that the parents remained the boy's primary guardians and said doctors must keep them informed at all times about his treatment and condition. 
Justice Gault also rejected a request from the parents' lawyer, Sue Grey, that a tailored donor service with blood from exclusively unvaccinated donors be established. 
Ms Grey said the long-term effects of the vaccine were ""untested"" and accused doctors of refusing to provide an alternate donor service for ideological reasons. 
But lawyers for the state blood service said the establishment of any direct donor service would have been a ""slippery slope"" and would ""damage an excellent blood service"". 
Citing evidence from New Zealand's chief medical officer, Justice Gault ruled that there was ""no scientific evidence there is any Covid-19 vaccine-related risk from blood donated"" by vaccinated donors. 
me a vector for anti-vaccine activists in New Zealand with demonstrators - many of whom carried placards - gathering outside the court before the ruling was delivered on Wednesday. 
It also emerged during the case that during a meeting with doctors at the Starship hospital in Auckland, the parents had been accompanied by a ""support person"" who hijacked the conference. 
rson presented a host of unfounded conspiracy theories, and went on to claim that children were dying from transfusions at the hospital. 
Addressing the demonstrators outside the court house following the ruling, former TV host and leading anti-vaccine campaigner Liz Gunn said the decision was ""wrong on every level"". 
Whatu Ora (Health NZ) acknowledged that the case was a ""difficult situation for all involved"" but emphasised that its priority was ""the health and wellbeing"" of all children in its care. 
Dr Philip Joseph, a constitutional law lecturer at New Zealand's University of Canterbury, told the BBC that the court's ruling was ""inevitable given the circumstances"". 
""Even parents' rights of freedom of belief must give way to the right to life (a right guaranteed under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990),"" Dr Joseph said. 
""There are many precedents where Jehovah's Witness parents have been compelled to allow their children to receive blood transfusions in life threatening situations,"" he added. 
""There is no material difference between these precedents and the court's ruling in the present case."""	/news/world-asia-63884694
health	Ballymena: GP surgery closures will have 'devastating effect'	"A GP has warned the closure of two surgeries in Ballymena could have a ""devastating effect"" on neighbouring practices.
urgeries have indicated that they intend to resign affecting around 7,000 patients.
Dr Susan Sproule, a GP in Ballymena, said taking on the extra patients ""dilutes the service"" provided.
Department of Health (DoH) said both practices were offering services as normal.
wo surgeries are among six based in the same health centre in Ballymena.
Dr Sproule, who runs another practice based in the centre, said her practice had not received any extra resources to deal with the potential extra patients.
She said: ""When we take on extra patients we're not just talking about GP time, we're talking about other members of the primary care team.
""If we don't have that extra resource it's very hard to provide a safe service.""
Department of Health confirmed one of the practices, Ballymena Family Practice, had found no one interested in taking over the running of the surgery.
It means the practice's 3,204 patients will be assigned to 18 neighbouring surgeries when it closes its doors on 1 January 2023.
rtment said additional funding would be provided to each practice for every additional patient they take on.
Dr Sproule warned the added pressure on her practice has left her considering if she might also be forced to hand back the contract for her own practice.
""We have to be truthful not only to our profession but to our patients and I think at some point patient safety has to come into this,"" she said.
""It is fundamental and if we can't provide a safe service we will have no other choice but to possibly hand our own contracts back.""
Across Northern Ireland, the number of GP practices has fallen by just under 9% in eight years according to Department of Health Figures.
Despite the decrease in practices, the number of GPs, excluding locums, has gone up by 20% to 1,419 since 2014.
Belfast - Flax Medical Centre, Belfast, County Antrim
Northern - Ballymena Family Practice, Ballymena, County Antrim
South Eastern - Priory Surgery, Holywood, County Down. 
Western, Maple Healthcare Practice, Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh.
raditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader Jim Allister is an assembly member for North Antrim, he said patients at the practices are facing an ""unbearable situation that cannot be allowed to happen"".
""We need to recruit professionals from elsewhere but we also need to discourage professionals leaving the province to go elsewhere,"" he added."	/news/uk-northern-ireland-63754330
entertainment	Children in Need: Charity a lifeline for disabled girl	"Ruby has an extremely rare genetic condition which has impacted her life in every possible way. 
14-year-old from Hereford can't walk or talk and requires 24-hour care.
rity Marches Family Network has been a lifeline to Ruby and her family. It provides play days and trips for more than 200 young people with disabilities. 
roject is the only one of its kind in the county and would not be able to continue without funding from Children in Need. 
If you've been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, there is help and support available via BBC Action Line.
Produced by Louise Brierley. Filmed by Paul Hutchins. Edited by Matt Jinks."	/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-63626725
technology	Ukraine War: UK reveals £6m package for cyber defence	"A UK programme has been secretly helping Ukraine defend against Russian cyber attacks, it can now be revealed.
Details of the £6m package had not been made public before to protect operational security, officials say.
Ukraine saw unprecedented attacks from a range of Russian intelligence services, according to those involved in the programme.
But Ukrainian defences - supported by its allies - helped it withstand many of the attempts to take down systems.
Russia has repeatedly dismissed claims it has carried out cyber attacks.
rgeting of Ukraine in cyber-space was believed to represent the most extensive compromise of a single government seen in history, those involved in defending Ukraine say.
Russian attacks came in waves, accelerating in the second half of last year as Moscow prepared for its invasion, security sources say. 
xt wave saw it seeking to disrupt government ministries around January and February and then moving to a new, more opportunistic phase in recent months, according to the sources. 
UK had long worked with Ukraine on cyber defence but shifted to providing direct help after the invasion, it has emerged.
focused on working with industry partners to provide specialist forensic capabilities to detect and investigate attacks as well as offering hardware and other systems to bolster defences.
""We brought some of our expertise to bear on helping them defend from what has been a daily onslaught of cyber attacks from Russia since the start of the invasion,"" said Leo Docherty, Europe minister at the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
Support is provided through the FCDO, with officials saying it has led the way amongst allies in providing specialist expertise.
US military's Cyber Command also recently revealed to the BBC the way in which it helped hunt Russians inside Ukrainian systems, although their team had withdrawn by the time of the February invasion.  
Sources close to the UK programme, which includes extensive private sector support, say they saw waves of attacks, sometimes using innovative techniques. 
uded targeting satellite communications to get inside sensitive networks and using networks of human agents on the ground to gain access to key systems - infected USB devices were found which apparently were inserted into computers.
In some cases, there were attempts to knock ministries and infrastructure offline. But Russia did not initially appear to try and destroy telecommunications and energy sector networks, most likely because they were hoping to utilise them for their own purposes and ""live off the land"", according to one person involved.
Back in 2015, hackers linked to Russia were able to turn off a power station in the country for hours and after an initial delay, electricity systems have been increasingly targeted this year.
""We've seen on a daily basis now the terrible images of the way that the electrical grid in Ukraine has been battered by ballistic strikes and drone strikes from the Russians - they face the same threat and same challenge in the cyber domain,"" Mr Docherty told the BBC.
In the early months of the war, the teams supported by the UK are also said to have seen specific Russian targeting of databases looking for personal identifiable information at the village, district and city level, which may have been Russian intelligence services seeking to identify and locate officials.
full range of hacking groups from all three of Russia's intelligence agencies have been spotted with military intelligence, the GRU, the most active, sources say.
most advanced capabilities appear to have been kept back for targeting senior Ukrainian officials. One of the most stealthy groups, codenamed Turla and linked to Russia's FSB security service, was also seen in two locations thanks to mistakes it made. Meanwhile, Russia's foreign intelligence service, the SVR, has been continuing to spy on the US and European governments.
New Russian teams were also seen being mobilised along with greater innovation in the way malicious software was developed and deployed, those involved claim.  There are signs though that the conflict has temporarily disrupted the Russian criminal world with splits between groups over the war, those involved in observing the dark web say.
ffective defences, led by the Ukrainians and supported by allies, cyberspace remains heavily contested as Russia continues to seek new ways of carrying out its ambitions.
""The UK's support to Ukraine is not limited to military aid - we are drawing on Britain's world-leading expertise to support Ukraine's cyber defences,"" Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said. ""Together, we will ensure that the Kremlin is defeated in every sphere: on land, in the air and in cyber space.""
""The threat remains real and the UK's support package is undoubtedly bolstering Ukraine's defences further,"" said Lindy Cameron, chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre, an arm of the intelligence agency GCHQ."	/news/uk-63465237
politics	Child abuse survivors lose faith in redress payment scheme	"Some child abuse survivors say they have lost faith in the Scottish government's redress scheme.
gued by delays, failures and broken promises. 
mpensation scheme was set up last December to provide one-off payments for people abused as children in care. 
Scottish government says more than £8m has already been paid to survivors of historical abuse and more case workers have been recruited to improve the delivery of the scheme.
Rosie (not her real name) is a working mum who was sexually and emotionally abused by foster carers in East Lothian.
She applied for the Redress Scheme but she thought there would be more support for applicants.
""I thought it was quite difficult,"" she said.  ""I read a small amount in my records and it took me three months to heal from what I'd read.""
Rosie employed a lawyer because the bureaucracy was too difficult for her to deal with emotionally. 
She said the scheme should be quick and compassionate but she found it a ""long and difficult"" process.
She added: ""It's not acceptable for survivors to have to keep reliving their trauma because a public body can't get their skates on and fix things.""
Scotland's Redress Scheme was set up to recognise and acknowledge survivors of historical abuse in care.
It compensates people abused before 1 December 2004 who were under the age of 18 at the time.
As of 30 October, 277 applications have been passed to Redress Scotland for consideration and of those 178 have had a payment.
In total £8.57m has been paid to abuse survivors. 
Simon Collins is solicitor for the In Care Abuse Survivors (INCAS) group.
He urged survivors not to turn their backs on the scheme.
He said: ""I'm aware there are delays that have been entirely unacceptable over the period, some survivors have waited 10, 11 months.""
But Mr Collins said he has recently begun to see an increased number of payments.
He added: ""That's very positive because you get the acknowledgement to the survivors, the payment of the redress which, because of the involvement of the government scheme, goes 100 per cent to the survivors, there's no deduction from the fees.
""That positive outcome should be borne in mind.""
Kim Leslie is a partner at Digby Brown Solicitors who have also represented some applicants for the scheme.
She said people are getting put off by delays, a lack of communication and an overly complicated process.
""A survivor has a short window of tolerance for let down,"" she added. ""There is a big difference between what was promised and what is being delivered. 
""So my advice would be to get round the table now and try and implement immediate improvements to make this meet the needs of survivors.""
Deputy First Minister John Swinney said the Scottish government had increased staff numbers working on Redress Scotland due to the ""very high number of applications"". 
He said: ""We're taking care to work our way through those applications in an empathetic manner, to support individuals and get them the answers that they deserve.
""This will be painful process for survivors because it requires them to revisit, to some extent, the horrors of the abuse that they have suffered.""
me was launched after the Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) (Scotland) Act 2021 received Royal Assent in April last year.
Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, set up in 2015, is currently examining the abuse of children in care in Scotland.
A restriction order issued by the chair of the inquiry prevents applicants from using their inquiry statement as part of their application - it operates independently of the government.
A Scottish government spokesperson said: ""Scotland's Redress Scheme is designed to be swifter and less adversarial than civil court action, and the number of applications received to date is in line with projections. 
""More than £8 million has already been paid out to survivors in less than one year of the scheme being in operation, with 8% of applicants having requested a review out of 189 payment offers.
""As each application is unique to an individual's experience it is not possible to determine an average timescale however priority is given to applicants with a terminal illness and those over 68 years of age.""
Scottish government said that following feedback from survivors the operating model for the Redress Scheme has been improved and that additional case workers have been recruited.
It said practical and emotional support was available to applicants at each stage of the process."	/news/uk-scotland-63648390
health	Newly qualified nurse 'scared for her future' in profession	"A recently qualified nurse says she is unsure if she will continue in her job, just 18 months into her career.
Bethany Tulloch, from Northumberland, is a Royal College of Nursing (RCN) member who feels ""betrayed and let down"" by the government.
22-year-old, who is taking part in the national strike, fears for the future of nursing without change.
RCN wants a 19% pay increase for its members, but the UK government says their demands are unaffordable.
government said this year's pay increase reflected the independent NHS Pay Review Body's recommendations.
""I'm scared for my future and where the nursing profession is going to be in 10 to 20 years time,"" Bethany told the BBC.
""If things don't change I don't see myself continuing as a nurse and that's really sad.
""We are trained medical practitioners. We do a lot of hours before we even get into a hospital, we do a lot of training and I don't think our pay reflects that at all.""
rting salary for a nurse in England is just over £27,000 a year, but Bethany has had to give up her apartment in recent months.
""I moved out because I couldn't afford to live there anymore,"" she said.
""I've moved back in with my parents.""
Bethany was one of tens of thousands of nurses took industrial action across England, Wales and Northern Ireland on Thursday, and will be back on strike again on Tuesday.
""I did it for my patients, I did it for me,"" she said.
However, just a few hours after leaving the picket line she was back at Cramlington's Emergency Care Hospital because she claimed it was ""severely undermanned"".  
She said although she was proud of her job, the workload was ""emotionally and physically"" draining because she was often caring for dozens of patients by herself.
In September, research by the Nuffield Trust think tank for the BBC revealed nurses were leaving the profession nearly as fast as they were being recruited, with nearly one in 10 posts vacant.
""It's often up to 30 patients with different medical conditions who need a high level of care to one single nurse,"" said Bethany. ""That's what the staffing shortages have caused.""
RCN has said that if there is no move to reopen pay talks, then new strike dates will be announced before Christmas with a series of walkouts likely in January.
Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk."	/news/uk-england-tyne-64027246
sports	Tokyo Olympics: Molly Seidel of the USA takes bronze in only third marathon	"When a star-struck Molly Seidel lined up at the Olympics for what was only her third marathon, her goal was to leave her rivals wondering 'who is this girl?'
rtainly know now after she took a surprise bronze medal.
27-year-old American had only made her debut in the event at the US trials last year, having switched from shorter distances, but ran two hours 27 minutes 46 seconds to finish 26 seconds behind Kenyan winner Peres Jepchirchir on Saturday.
""I was really trying to keep an open mind. I had the same goal that I had going into the US trials of just stick my nose in it, don't be afraid if you're up in the front,"" Seidel said.
field for the race, which took place in sweltering conditions in Japan's northern city of Sapporo, had featured heavyweights such as Kenyan world record holder Brigid Kosgei and world champion Ruth Chepngetich. 
""I was a little bit star struck - I look up to these guys a lot,"" said Seidel. ""A lot of it is just trying to stay calm and not try to think like, 'oh my gosh, you're running with the fastest women in the world'. It's just trying to focus on your race.
""I think my goal today was just go in and have all of these experienced marathoners be like, 'who the hell is this girl?'""
Seidel, who finished sixth in last year's delayed London Marathon, is the third American woman to get an Olympic medal in the event after Joan Benoit's 1984 gold and Deena Kastor's bronze in 2004."	/sport/olympics/58127357
health	Broomfield, Basildon and Southend hospitals 'must improve' maternity	"Regulators have told a major hospital trust to improve staffing following an inspection of maternity units.
Care Quality Commission rated the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, and its three hospitals, as ""requires improvement"".
report said there were not enough staff at Basildon to keep babies safe.
rust hailed the ""positive findings"" in the report and said it has recruited more staff since the inspection.
""While [staffing] is a national problem affecting many hospitals, leaders must develop ways of minimising the risk to patients this causes,"" said CQC head of hospital inspection Zoe Robinson.
Basildon's maternity unit was rated ""inadequate"" in 2020 and it was ordered to urgently improve after failings were found in six serious cases.
unit however, along with the rest of the trust, was rated ""requires improvement"" in December 2021.
CQC, because of remaining concerns, inspected maternity at Basildon, Broomfield and Southend hospitals during August and September this year.
It also visited diagnostic imaging at Southend.
It said it spoke with 104 staff, 12 patients and relatives and reviewed 29 sets of care records.
rust is one of the largest in England, serving a population of more than 1.2 million, with about 1,800 inpatient beds and 15,000 staff.
Across the trust, inspectors found:
•Not all staff completed mandatory training
•Maternity services did not have enough staff with the right qualifications, skills, training and experience to keep women safe
•The trust did not always share learning from incidents
•Women using the trust's maternity services were not always triaged within target times
report however commended the trust for collaboration, its complaints procedure, feedback system and ""effective governance"".
CQC said the Basildon maternity unit did ""not have enough nursing and midwifery staff to keep women and babies safe"".
Data showed that whole-time equivalent midwife vacancies almost doubled to 48 between the 2021 inspection and 31 August this year.
report however noted the unit had two dedicated midwives for triaging, and that 100% of women were triaged within 30 minutes of arrival during five of the first seven months in 2022.
recruited 18 newly qualified midwives, four international midwives and - following the inspection - a further ""four experienced midwives"".
unit delivers up to 350 babies each month.
Acting trust chief executive Hannah Coffey said there were now 52 newly qualified midwives across the three hospitals.
""There are some very positive findings in this report,"" said Ms Coffey.
""We are seeing a sustained improvement which ensures we can always provide women with one-to-one care in labour.""
She added: ""We are an improving organisation with a dedicated workforce committed to providing the very best care.""
CQC also gave the trust a rating of ""good"" when it came to being effective and caring.
Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-essex-64076931
sports	Roger Federer's top 10 moments - how you voted	"Roger Federer has called time on a career that spanned 24 years and saw him become one of the greatest players of all time.
Swiss won 20 Grand Slam singles titles and 103 ATP Tour titles, as well as attracting legions of fans around the world.
BBC Sport looked back at 10 iconic moments in his career - then asked readers to choose their favourite.
wo stood apart from the rest - the classic 2008 Wimbledon final against Rafael Nadal came top with 38% of the vote, just ahead of his 2017 Australian Open win over the Spaniard, which was selected by 36%.
Pete Sampras was the top dog at Wimbledon. In 2001 he was the four-time defending champion, world number one and heavy favourite for the title.
, in the fourth round, he came up against a pony-tailed 19-year-old who was starting to move up the rankings himself.
Federer, the boys' champion at Wimbledon in 1998, came through 7-6 (9-7) 5-7 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 7-5 in three hours and 41 minutes to end Sampras' Wimbledon dominance.
It would be the first of many stunning results on Centre Court for the Swiss great.
It was fitting that Federer won his first Grand Slam at Wimbledon, which he has often described as his favourite tournament.
Having failed to go beyond the quarter-finals in his previous outings at a major, Federer dropped just one set on his way to the final, where he beat Australia's Mark Philippoussis 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 7-6 (7-3). 
An emotional Federer dedicated his win to former coach Peter Carter, who died in a car accident the previous year.
""Peter was one of the most important people in my career,"" he said. ""I hope he saw it from somewhere.""
ry was the start of a period of dominance, with the Swiss winning 11 of his majors between 2004 and 2007.
Federer may have lost but the final between him and Rafael Nadal in 2008 is widely regarded as one of the greatest matches of all time.
Federer was bidding for a sixth consecutive singles title but Nadal had thrashed him in the French Open final a few months previously and held an 11-6 winning record over the Swiss.
Played out over seven hours because of rain delays, Federer lost the first two sets, saved two championship points in the fourth and forced a fifth before Nadal claimed a stunning victory in near darkness.
It ended Federer's unbeaten run of 65 matches on grass and was arguably the peak of an enthralling rivalry that lasted until Federer's retirement.
Federer arrived at the Beijing Olympics just a month after his loss to Nadal at Wimbledon and on the verge of losing his world number one ranking to the Spaniard after 236 weeks at the top.
Having lost in the quarter-finals in the singles, he and Stan Wawrinka teamed up for the men's doubles and claimed a big victory over the Bryan brothers of United States in the semi-finals.
Sweden's Simon Aspelin and Thomas Johansson 6-3 6-4 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 to give Switzerland their first Olympic tennis medal since 1988.
It would be the only Olympic gold of Federer's career.
By 2009, the only thing that eluded Federer was the French Open title. He had reached the final in Paris for the past three years but had lost each one to Nadal.
Federer had claimed just his second victory over Nadal on clay in the build-up to Roland Garros but Nadal was once again the heavy favourite to lift the trophy.
However, Nadal's shock defeat by Robin Soderling in the fourth round put things in motion for Federer.
Federer seized his opportunity, ultimately beating Soderling 6-1 7-6 (7-1) 6-4 in the final to become the sixth man to win all four Grand Slam singles titles.
Federer avenged his heart-breaking loss to Nadal the previous year by winning Wimbledon in 2009 - but the final was just as draining.
Federer beat Andy Roddick 5-7 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-5) 3-6 16-14 across four hours and 17 minutes, with the fifth set alone lasting 95 minutes.
It was Federer's sixth Wimbledon title and his 15th major trophy, taking him beyond Sampras' all-time record as the American watched on from the Royal Box.
ry also sent Federer back to the top of the world rankings.
Federer arrived at his favourite tournament having not won a Grand Slam title since January 2010, and having gone out in the quarter-finals in his last two appearances at SW19.
He came through a five-set match in the third round before ousting defending champion and top seed Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals.
Waiting in the final was Andy Murray, bidding to become the first British man since 1936 to win a major singles trophy.
But Federer spoilt the home party with a 4-6 7-5 6-3 6-4 win, tying Sampras' Open era record of seven Wimbledon men's singles titles and regaining the world number one ranking in the process.
Murray would have his revenge a few weeks later on the same court as he beat Federer to win Olympic gold.
Federer had helped Switzerland reach their first Davis Cup final in 22 years but was struggling with a back injury, leading him to withdraw from the ATP World Tour final just a few weeks before the showpiece event in Lille.
Against France, Federer lost his first singles rubber to Gael Monfils, leaving the tie level at 1-1.
He and Wawrinka teamed up for the doubles and won and Federer was chosen to play Richard Gasquet, knowing that victory would secure the trophy for Switzerland.
Federer beat Gasquet in straight sets, sparking jubilant scenes and leading an emotional Federer to dedicate the trophy to ""the boys"".
Federer arrived in Australia having spent six months out with a knee injury and with many saying he would not win a major title again.
It was not easy for Federer - he beat two top-10 players in Kei Nishikori and Tomas Berdych and ousted Wawrinka in five sets on his way to the final, where long-time rival Nadal awaited.
In another epic that almost inevitably went to five sets, Federer won 6-4 3-6 6-1 3-6 6-3 to claim an 18th Grand Slam title and his first for five years.
It was the first time Federer, now 35, had beaten Nadal at a major since the 2007 Wimbledon final.
Federer became just the second man after Jimmy Connors to win 100 ATP titles with his victory at the Dubai Tennis Championships in March 2019.
He beat Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas - who had ended his Australian Open title defence a few months earlier - 6-4 6-4 to lift the trophy.
ry came 6,600 days after his first career title in Milan, which he lifted at the age of 19.
Federer would go on to win three more trophies, with his final title coming at the Swiss Indoors in 2019.
If you are viewing this page on the BBC News app please click here to vote."	/sport/tennis/62947999
sports	Marcus Rashford was dropped after oversleeping and missing Manchester United meeting	"Marcus Rashford has said he was dropped from Manchester United's starting XI against Wolves because he missed a team meeting after oversleeping.
Manager Erik ten Hag praised the 25-year-old after he came on to score the winner in the second half at Molineux.
But the Dutchman said breaches of internal discipline at Old Trafford have to be punished if his team are to be successful this season.
""Everyone has to match the standards and rules,"" said Ten Hag. 
""[If they don't] there has to be consequences. 
""That is what I expect on the pitch, otherwise you can't be successful. When you miss rules outside the pitch, it can go onto the pitch. He gave the right answer.""
Rashford revealed the nature of his disciplinary breach in a post-match TV interview.
He said he was ""disappointed"" to be dropped, but added: ""I understand the decision and obviously I am happy we managed to win the game. I think we can draw a line under it and move on.""
It is not the first disciplinary issue Ten Hag has had to confront this season.
He blocked Alejandro Garnacho, who replaced Rashford in the starting line-up at Wolves, from playing during United's pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia when he was late for team meetings.
Most famously, he axed Cristiano Ronaldo when he refused to come on as a substitute against Tottenham in October, triggering the chain of events that ended on Friday when the Portuguese forward signed a lucrative contract with Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr.
""Don't talk about the past. Let's talk about the future,"" Ten Hag said on Saturday when asked about Ronaldo's move.
Rashford has now scored 11 goals for United in all competitions this season. He has scored in three successive games for the first time since November 2019.
""I think I am in a good place,"" the England star told BT Sport.
""It's difficult to come back from the World Cup. Emotion-wise everyone is at different levels but it has been important for us to stick together and help each other through a difficult moment for the lads that didn't win the World Cup.""
Rashford's efforts have helped United record five wins in a row for the first time since April 2021 and edge into the top four.
""We make a good step today,"" said Ten Hag. ""It is the first time we are in top four, but it means nothing. 
""We have to win every game if we want to try and win something. That is our aim. It depends on hard work from everyone."""	/sport/football/64135191
sports	Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe: Watching Andy Murray from prison was joyful	"Listen: Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe tells Andy Murray of the joy his Wimbledon victory gave her in prison
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe had been in solitary confinement for months, separated from her husband and young daughter, when her Iranian jailers provided a rare glimmer of joy. 
In July 2016, after months without books or newspapers, she was granted access to a TV with two channels - one showing Iranian soaps, the other Wimbledon tennis matches. 
""They had no idea what they had given me,"" she said.
From the notorious Evin prison, she watched as Andy Murray secured his second Wimbledon title on Centre Court - more than 3,000 miles from her prison cell, but just a little over an hour on the Tube from her home in north London. 
More than six years later - and nine months after she was released - the 45-year-old met Murray and shared the personal significance of that match, as part of her guest edit of Radio 4's Today programme.
""I was always a big fan of you, but also there I was in solitary confinement watching the match that you actually won in the end,"" she told Murray. ""I can't tell you how joyful it was and I was ecstatic just to see you win.""
She had vowed to email Murray on her release and hoped to find tickets to watch the following year's final, she recalled. 
""That never happened because I was in prison for such a long time,"" she said.
Later, after having been moved out of solitary confinement, Nazanin taught other inmates Murray's name and the story of his tournament victory. 
""It felt like a connection, it felt like escape,"" she said. ""I was close to home all of a sudden."" 
Murray, who was visibly moved, said it was ""by far the strangest, most incredible story that I've been told about someone watching me"". 
Listening to her experience of that day had been ""quite emotional"" and put issues in his own life - like back and knee pain - into context, he said. 
""We all have our own problems, but after listening to you and speaking to you I'll certainly make sure I'm a lot more grateful for everything that I've got,"" he said. 
Nazanin, a British-Iranian national, had been detained in 2016 as she was about to fly home from a visit to Iran with her two-year-old daughter. 
Iranian authorities alleged she was plotting to topple the government in Tehran. She has always denied the accusations and insisted she had taken her daughter to visit family. 
She was released in March, following a sustained campaign by her British husband Richard Ratcliffe.
Murray, who asked Nazanin several questions about her experience, said he would ""feel very angry"" if he was in her position. 
""I would be interested to hear how you feel about it all. You seem absolutely fine now, but I'm thinking if I was in that situation or someone that I knew was in that situation, that I would feel very angry about that,"" he said.
Nazanin replied: ""At times I do feel very angry, but I guess there was a point that I decided I should put the anger away and to not carry it with me, because otherwise it will eat me up for the rest of my life.""
Asked by Murray about life in prison, Nazanin said she would ""take refuge in the library"" reading books on philosophy and history, and spent much of her time cooking and doing craftwork alongside fellow inmates. 
""When I came out, there were times that I felt like I really missed my friends and missed prison,"" she said.
""It's a very odd thing to say. I don't know whether people actually can say that you miss prison, but I sometimes think that I miss the environment and my friendships in prison.""
Listen to the full interview on Best of Today on BBC Sounds"	/news/uk-64074678
technology	Technoblade: Minecraft YouTuber dies from cancer aged 23	"Minecraft YouTuber Technoblade has died aged 23, his family have confirmed in an emotional farewell video posted on his behalf.
, entitled ""so long nerds"" and posted to his 10 million followers, showed his father calling him ""the most amazing kid anyone could ever ask for"".
US internet personality rose to fame livestreaming and posting clips of himself playing the sandbox video game.
Last year, Technoblade revealed to fans he had been diagnosed with cancer.
farewell message, written hours before his death and read by his father, began: ""Hello everyone, Technoblade here. If you're watching this. I am dead.""
He went on to reveal that his real name was in fact Alex, reminiscing about the time he had pranked viewers into believing his name was Dave. 
""Thank you all for supporting my content over the years,"" he continued. ""If I had another hundred lives, I think I would choose to be Technoblade again every single time as those were the happiest years of my life.""
r, who won Minecraft tournaments and legions of fans talking about his life in a humorous way while playing the game, explained in a fundraising video posted in February that he had undergone chemotherapy, radiation therapy and a limb salvage operation after developing a painful tumour in his right arm.
He died from sarcoma, which is a rare bone and soft tissue cancer.
He disclosed his cancer diagnosis in August 2021, explaining that he initially thought the pain he was feeling was from a repetitive stress injury due to excessive gaming. After his arm became swollen he went to hospital and was subsequently diagnosed with cancer.
Little is known about Technoblade, who kept his true identity concealed until the end. But his online avatar was a picture of a crowned pig. 
He has 10.8 million subscribers to his YouTube channel, where he bio reads: ""I play video games too much. I might not be the best, but I do have hot elbows."" 
Following the news of his death, fans, fellow gamers and YouTubers paid tribute online.
""I'll never forget the day I met Technoblade,"" recalled J Schlatt. ""I left work early to play in a Minecraft tournament with him. I barely knew how to play... and the dude still carried us to win the entire event.
""Rest in peace, big guy. You'll always be a legend.""
YouTuber Captain Puffy aka Cara tweeted: ""Rest in peace Technoblade, He always treated me with pure kindness and never excluded me from anything. He couldn't of been a kinder person!""
She added: ""Thank you for everything you've done for this community, it will never be the same without you.""
mmy Innit said: ""Technoblade is a legend. From being a massive fan, to one of his actual friends, I can't describe how thankful I am to have been in his life. I just know he's strategizing in heaven on how to beat God...""
""I've been rewatching Technoblade's for the past hour,"" added Ludwig Ahgren. ""He was so witty and so humble even in the toughest of times. I'll always look up to him.""
Quackity expressed gratitude online too, posting: ""I had the opportunity to express to Technoblade how much admiration and respect I had for him, not only for the massive impact he had on all of us, but also for keeping his incredible humour even in the darkest moments. I will miss him so much.""
""May he rest in peace,""added eSports gamer Jake Lucky.
's father thanked fans in the farewell video, noting: ""You meant a lot to him.""
He explained that a portion of proceeds from online orders for his late son's merchandise would now go to charity.
with a written statement from his family, which read: ""We, the family of Technoblade, wanted all of you to know just how much he adored and respected his fans and colleagues.
""From Technoblade's earliest online days, he was always strategizing ways to delight and reward his audience - giving away online prizes, encouraging good sportsmanship, and most of all sharing his Minecraft adventures for entertainment and laughs.
""Even after his eventual successes he somehow managed to keep his good-natured humility, competing with an endearing balance between confidence and self-deprecating wit.""
Minecraft allows players to create their own experience in an imaginative virtual landscape, by digging holes to collect blocks.
Recent updates of the game have been used to help children explore and develop their career skills and knowledge, and to find solutions to real world problems such as flooding.
Nevison described Technoblade as being ""effortlessly funny"" and ""endlessly talented"". ""Gone too soon,"" he said.
Bad Boy Halo also paid tribute, adding: ""Words can't express how much you will be missed. The lives you've touched and the impact you've had on them will last forever.""
Slimecicle said Technoblade's ""personality and sense of humour were a true inspiration to me and countless others.""
""Thank you for everything you gave to a world that took you too soon, you will always be a legend."""	/news/entertainment-arts-62006852
business	Russia unveils 'tasty' McDonald's substitute	"Watch: The BBC's Steve Rosenberg had a taste of Russia's McDonald's replacement
It's a Russian revamp of an American icon. 
Fast food giant McDonald's pulled out of Russia in protest at the invasion of Ukraine and sold its restaurants here - more than 800 - to Russian businessman Alexander Govor. 
first rebranded restaurants are reopening in Moscow. 
re's a new name: ""Vkusno i Tochka"", which translates as ""Tasty and that's it"". 
Gone are the Golden Arches, replaced by a stylised letter M, made out of two French fries, and a dot (or, perhaps, a burger?)
Gone are the Big Mac and McFlurry. 
But the new owners hope customers won't notice too many differences. They held a press conference in the flagship restaurant on Pushkin Square, where the very first Moscow McDonald's opened 32 years ago. 
""Our goal is that our guests do not notice a difference either in quality or ambience,"" said Oleg Paroyev, CEO of Vkusno i Tochka.
utlet sported a slogan reading: ""The name changes, love stays.""
But one male protester disrupted the event, saying ""bring back Big Mac!""
w company says the burgers' composition has not changed and the McDonald's equipment remains. 
Back in 1990 I was in the massive queue: it took me three hours to get in and be served. I remember the excitement. The arrival of McDonald's was a symbol of Soviet Russia embracing Western ideas, Western culture, Western food. 
What's happening here today is a symbol, too: of how Russia and the West are moving apart. And the crowd was a lot smaller.
We're not just talking burgers. Many global brands and multinational companies have suspended business in Russia or sold up and pulled out completely, in protest at the Russian offensive in Ukraine. 
Mr Govor, a Siberian oil magnate, aims to reopen about a quarter of the 850 rebranded McDonald's restaurants by the end of the month. 
Last month McDonald's announced that it would leave Russia because of the ""humanitarian crisis"" and ""unpredictable operating environment"" caused by the war.
Russia and Ukraine accounted for about 9% of McDonald's global sales last year.
Starbucks, Coca Cola, Levi's and Apple are among the international brands that have left Russia or suspended sales here since the 24 February invasion of Ukraine. 
Russia is now under wide-ranging international sanctions, which are disrupting its supply chains and increasing unemployment."	/news/world-europe-61774475
entertainment	Former EastEnders star Rakhee Thakrar returns to old school	"Actress Rakhee Thakrar returned to her old school in Leicester to tell hundreds of pupils how persistence and determination helped her build her acting career.
former EastEnders star explained how few opportunities there had been for her to get into the industry when she was at Soar Valley College.
But she urged them continue ""chipping away and working hard"".
Her return to Rushey Mead was part of the BBC's Share Your Story Tour.
Share Your Story forms part of the BBC's Centenary celebrations.
Ms Thakrar started off in youth theatre in the city before gradually finding more work around the Midlands. 
She said: ""The thing I found most difficult is believing there was a path forward.
""I came from quite humble beginnings and I grew up on a council estate. 
""I owe a lot to different people who believed in me along the way to be sure.""
She added: ""When I was 18 I applied to university to do textile design because I thought there's no chance I'll be able to do this [acting].
""Then I took a year out and then just took a shot on the advice of the leader of the youth theatre.
""That worked out and I got my first job on a radio show called Silver Street on the BBC Asian Network and that became my university because I had these amazing actors I was learning from.""
As well as working on Eastenders, she has since gone on to star in the Netflix comedy-drama Sex Education.
Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk."	/news/uk-england-leicestershire-63433108
sports	Scottish Curling to review selection policy after Team Mouat call for change	"Scottish Curling is to revise its selection policy for major events after Olympic silver medallists Team Mouat were not selected for next month's men's World Championship.
Bruce Mouat's rink urged ""robust and transparent change"" after their successful appeal was overturned.
Ross Paterson's rink, who won the Scottish Championship, had their place confirmed after a counter appeal.
m Mouat took silver at the Worlds last year in Canada.
But Team Mouat were not present at the Scottish Championships last month as it clashed with their return from the Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Bruce Crawford, Scottish Curling chief executive, said a ""fair and balanced"" selection process was carried out by the seven-person panel - three of whom have votes - but accepted improvements could be made.
urrent selection criteria includes results and performance at the 2022 Scottish Championships, international tournaments, previous performance at major events and readiness to make the play-offs.
""We acknowledge there can be improvements to ensure there is greater clarity for future policies,"" Crawford told BBC Scotland.
""So we will engage with athletes, coaches and members to ensure that the next selection policy is better than the current one.
""We'll be making representations to the World Curling Federation to see whether the World Championships that follow the Olympics can be slightly later in the year. That would help alleviate some of this pressure.
""We'll identify whether it is a better priority for the teams that go to the Winter Olympics to have that as their focus for that season, and for other teams to be given the opportunity to prove themselves on the world stage in a year when it is not an Olympic qualification year.""
On Team Mouat's criticism, Crawford added: ""I'm quite happy that they can make that statement. I'm not entirely in agreement with all of the things they've stated, but I think that many of those things will be cleared up in our review.
""We are blessed with three very good teams who are all roughly top 30 in the world rankings, with two in the top 10. So we're in a really strong position as a sport on the men's side.
""And we've got Olympic gold medallists on the women's side, and a different team on the women's side that is going to the World Championships."""	/sport/winter-sports/60766925
sports	Tokyo Olympics: German pentathlon coach thrown out for punching horse	"A German coach has been thrown out of the Olympics for appearing to punch a horse who was refusing to jump or trot during the modern pentathlon.
Coach Kim Raisner was heard on German TV urging tearful athlete Annika Schleu to ""really hit"" the horse while she struggled to control Saint Boy during the showjumping round of Friday's women's event.
Schleu had been leading the event before the equestrian, where athletes are given just 20 minutes to bond with a horse they have never ridden.
Modern pentathlon's governing body, the UIPM, said it had reviewed video footage that appeared to show Raisner - who competed at the 2004 Olympics in modern pentathlon - striking the horse with her fist.
""Her actions were deemed to be in violation of the UIPM competition rules, which are applied to all recognised modern pentathlon competitions including the Olympic Games,"" the governing body said in a statement.
""The UIPM Executive Board [EB] has given a black card to the Germany team coach Kim Raisner, disqualifying her from the remainder of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
""The EB decision was made today at the Tokyo Stadium before the resumption of the men's modern pentathlon competition.""
Saint Boy is not among the horses due to be ridden during Saturday's men's modern pentathlon competition.
rse cleared just four fences before crashing into the fifth and then repeatedly refused to jump, eliminating Schleu with zero points as it had done earlier to another competitor, Gulnaz Gubaydullina."	/sport/olympics/58127366
politics	Rishi Sunak: No 91,000 target for civil service job cuts	"Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has scrapped a target of 91,000 civil service job cuts and ordered departments to find efficiency savings instead.
Downing Street said reductions in staff were needed but the government would not be putting a specific number on it.
91,000 target was introduced when Boris Johnson was prime minister.
ft in policy comes as Mr Sunak's government seeks to shore up the UK's finances to fill a gap worth an estimated £50bn.
reasury has warned of spending cuts and tax rises ahead of a financial statement by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt on 17 November.
ment was delayed by two weeks after Mr Sunak replaced Liz Truss as prime minister, following a period of economic turmoil, exacerbated by her tax-cutting mini-budget in September.
rget of reducing the Civil Service by around a fifth predates both Ms Truss and Mr Sunak.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, who has now quit government and returned to the backbenches,  was working towards the target when he was a Cabinet Office minister under Mr Johnson. 
Jacob Rees-Mogg: ""During an issue with the cost of living... you need to have control of budgets""
At the time, Secretary Simon Case sent a letter to civil servants, telling them the aim was to return to 2016 staffing levels within three years.
re were 384,000 civil servants employed in 2016 - the lowest number since World War Two - but as the UK prepared to leave the EU, numbers steadily rose until they reached 475,000 at the end of last year.
But on Tuesday, Mr Sunak's official spokesman said reductions in civil servant numbers would be up to individual departments, and no targets would be set.
In a tweet, the Trades Union Congress wrote: ""Big win for civil servant trade unions.""
Writing to civil servants, Mr Sunak said: ""Together, we must make sure every taxpayer pound goes as far as it possibly can.
""I do not believe that top-down targets for Civil Service headcount reductions are the right way to do that.
""Instead, the chancellor and I will be asking every government department to look for the most effective ways to secure value and maximise efficiency within budgets so that we can use taxpayers' money sustainably in the long term.""
Cabinet Office said government departments ""have been asked to look for the most effective ways to maximise efficiency within their budgets"".
A spokesperson said: ""It is the role of a responsible government to identify how to deliver the best outcomes for the public as efficiently as possible.""
kesperson also confirmed the Fast Stream programme to recruit civil servants would resume next month after a pause."	/news/uk-politics-63477209
politics	Just Stop Oil: Greens co-leader Carla Denyer criticises some of activists' tactics	"Carla Denyer says not all of Just Stop Oil's protests are ""well-targeted""
-leader of the Green Party has criticised the tactics of some Just Stop Oil protests, saying some of the group's action are not ""well-targeted"". 
Carla Denyer told the BBC she supported the environmental group's right to protest but ""the balance of disruption"" caused by some of its methods ""might not be what I would choose"". 
Its protests have included blocking motorways and throwing soup at artwork.
group wants the government to stop granting new oil and gas licences. 
In its 2019 manifesto, the Green Party of England and Wales said it wanted to stop burning fossil fuels as soon as possible, and pledged to prepare for the rapid decommissioning of North Sea oil rigs and the phasing out of the UK's remaining coal plants. 
Asked whether she was cheering on Just Stop Oil activists or if she was frustrated by their protests, Ms Denyer told the BBC's Political Thinking podcast: ""I definitely support their right to protest. I think that's a key difference between the Green Party and the other political parties that I think that their right to protest is essential, and has an important role. 
""However, that doesn't mean I agree with every protest that takes place.""
She added: ""I think some of them are quite well-targeted and make their point well. I think others perhaps have not really targeted at the right people or, you know, the balance of disruption might not be what I would choose.""
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said the government is ""moving ahead with legislation"" to give police the powers to stop what he has described as ""this type of extreme protesting"". 
government says the new Public Order Bill will crack down on disruptive demonstrations carried out by environmental groups such as Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion. 
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has previously described Just Stop Oil protesters as ""arrogant"" and ""wrong"" and said his party would introduce strict sentences for those who block roads. 
However, Labour has argued the government's bill undermines the freedom to protest. 
On Friday, Just Stop Oil said the group would halt its protests on the M25 for the ""foreseeable future"" to allow the government ""to do the right thing"". 
Earlier this week activists climbed on overhead gantries in multiple locations of the M25, causing the motorway to be closed and leading to multiple arrests. 
In her interview with the BBC, Ms Denyer also said she hoped to be part of a coalition government with other left-wing and centre-left parties after the next general election, which is due to take place in just over two years time. 
""Based on where polling is at the moment, it doesn't look likely that we're going to have another Conservative government,"" she said.
""A lot's going to change probably between now and the next general election. But I would be very happy to work with other left-wing and centre-left parties to form a coalition government.""
She added: ""It's absolutely possible that we could have Greens in government after the next election.""
Asked what her dream government job would be, the former wind turbine engineer said: ""Well, I think given my background in the energy sector, I would love to be energy minister.""
Nick Robinson's interview with Carla Denyer will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 at 17:30 GMT on Saturday 12 November, and is also available on BBC Sounds and the Political Thinking website."	/news/uk-politics-63598138
business	Cost of living: Are you missing out on unclaimed universal credit?	"As she guides struggling families in Blackpool through their financial choices, Jill Kerr is fully aware of the seriousness of their situation.
""They are living hand-to-mouth, but when the hand gets to the mouth, it is empty,"" says Ms Kerr, advice services manager at Blackpool Citizens Advice.
It is not only people on the breadline who come in for benefits checks and debt advice, as the cost of living soars.
Working parents with a mortgage and an annual income of £40,000 are also seeking help, she says. So are pensioners, eager to check whether they are claiming all the money to which they are entitled.
""Older people used not to talk about that. They used to come in about consumer issues,"" she explains.
Many, however, are still too proud to claim, unsure of taking what they perceive to be a handout. The reality is that many have a legitimate claim for pension credit, which tops-up the state pension and is a crucial gateway to the government's cost of living payments and other discounts.
One charity's rough estimate is that £15bn of benefits are unclaimed each year - an income that would help ease the burden of rising grocery and domestic energy bills.
government's welfare bill is well over £200bn a year, but the system is complex and interconnected. While most benefits need to be claimed by individuals, others are paid automatically to those who are eligible.
People who are working and on a low income, or are out of work, are most likely to be claiming universal credit. Universal credit is an overarching payment that replaces individual benefits, such as housing benefit and income support. These are now known as legacy benefits.
Anyone who wants to claim a benefit for the first time will need to apply for universal credit. Internet search interest about universal credit is as high now as it was at the start of the pandemic.
Citizens Advice points out that lockdowns created the biggest surge ever seen in universal credit claims, so the rising cost of living could be having a similar impact. Anyone who receives universal credit is automatically entitled to an extra £650 in government payments, to help pay rising energy bills.
government has said that technical issues are preventing it from making estimates about how much universal credit is unclaimed. The switch over from legacy benefits means the calculations have been put on hold.
However, the charity Entitledto says that billions of pounds will not be claimed, but it is impossible to give an accurate figure on how much.
More accurate estimates do exist for pension credit, which is a benefit paid to those on low incomes who are above state pension age. It is designed to help with living costs by guaranteeing them a minimum income.
quates to a top-up on weekly incomes to £182.60 for those who are single, or a joint weekly income of £278.70 for couples. Significantly, it can also lead to the automatic payment of additional support, including the cost of living payments, housing benefit, a council tax discount, help with NHS dental treatment, glasses and transport costs, and a free TV licence for those aged 75 and over.
It goes to 1.4 million pensioners, but an estimated 850,000 pensioner households are failing to claim a total of £1.7bn, according to the Department for Work and Pensions.
It is possible to claim online, on the phone or by post, and charities can also help for free. Ms Kerr, from Citizens Advice, stresses that this is a benefit to be claimed, not a handout taken in desperation.
Ms Kerr says other common enquiries include: 
fits can help, and the knock-on effects can be significant. Somebody on disability benefits, for example, will be exempt from the benefits cap which limits how much an individual can receive even if their entitlement is higher.
raction between different benefits can affect how much money people receive.
Ultimately, the benefits system is extremely complex. People should have all their financial details, and personal circumstances, available to check their entitlement on benefits calculators.
Many people may then need to get free advice from charities to make sure they are not missing out.
Even after claiming everything they are entitled to, some of Ms Kerr's clients still have a negative budget. This means their budget is in the red, with income failing to cover daily living costs, even before paying bills such as credit card repayments.
In May, the charity said the proportion of clients in this situation was rising. The fastest increase was among those who did not receive, or perhaps had not claimed, benefits.
result was more demand for food and fuel vouchers. Some people, she says, are ""clutching at straws"". 
But even when a solution is not immediately obvious, the first step is to check every penny they are entitled to is being claimed."	/news/business-62223978
entertainment	Kanye West: Adidas investigates after claims of 'toxic' behaviour	"Adidas has launched an investigation into reports that rapper Kanye West created a ""toxic environment"" when he was working with the brand.
Rolling Stone reported claims from some workers on the Yeezy collaboration, saying he showed them explicit pictures and videos as part of bullying tactics.
In a letter, they said bosses were aware of West's ""problematic behaviour"" but ""turned their moral compass off"".
Adidas said it did not yet know whether the allegations have any merit.
""It is currently not clear whether the accusations made in an anonymous letter are true,"" the company said in a statement on Thursday. 
""However, we take these allegations very seriously and have taken the decision to launch an independent investigation of the matter immediately to address the allegations.""
West, who was dropped by the company last month after he posted anti-Semitic comments online, has not responded to the Rolling Stone story.
Rolling Stone reported allegations from anonymous staff members that he attempted to intimidate them through behaviour that the magazine described as ""provocative, frequently sexualized, and often directed toward women"".
reportedly included showing them explicit images of his ex-wife Kim Kardashian and his own explicit videos, it said.
It quoted from the letter, in which staff members complained to Adidas about ""the toxic and chaotic environment that Kanye West created"" and ""a very sick pattern of predacious behaviour toward women"" who worked for him under the partnership.
According to Rolling Stone, the letter said: ""He has, in years past, exploded at women in the room with offensive remarks, and would resort to sexually disturbing references when providing design feedback. This type of response from a brand partner is one that Adidas employees should never be subjected to, nor should Adidas leadership ever tolerate.""
West has not as yet commented on the claims. The BBC has attempted to contact West."	/news/entertainment-arts-63747492
health	Strep A cases could level off within weeks, paediatrician says	"Cases of strep A in Northern Ireland are expected to level off within weeks, a leading paediatrician has said. 
Dr Ray Nethercott said it was difficult to be precise but that there could be a ""settling"" or drop in infections.
On Wednesday a record 227 children attended the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, although it is not clear how many had strep A.
But it is understood that more children with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and flu are being cared for on wards.
All routine procedures have been postponed due to pressures caused by a rise in bacterial and viral infections.
""This is an infection that [normally] starts in early spring time, it peaks after several weeks and then settles down again,"" Dr Nethercott told BBC News NI's Good Morning Ulster programme.
""It's really difficult to be precise, but I would be expecting that we will see this infection settle over the space of another few weeks.""
Northern Ireland officer for the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said infections would begin to level off once children who had not yet been exposed to the infection developed antibodies and natural defences.
He also urged parents to remain vigilant and consult the Belfast Trust's online symptom checker if they were concerned about their child.
Dr Nethercott added that while there was a marked increase in infections generally, the message for parents was one of reassurance.
""We are really keen to convey to parents that for the very vast majority of children this will be a mild infection that is unlikely to have very serious or tragic consequences.""
Another senior doctor said the healthcare system had already been under pressure but the spike in illness meant it was struggling to cope.
Chairperson of the Royal College of GPs Northern Ireland Council, Dr Ursula Mason, acknowledged parents were having to be persistent to obtain GP appointments, but added: ""This is a system at breaking point and we are doing all we can with the capacity that we have in general practice.""
Most strep A infections are mild - a sore throat or a skin infection that can be easily treated with antibiotics. 
But some people who catch it can get very sick.
Some people develop scarlet fever, which causes a skin rash (that feels like sandpaper) and flu-like symptoms, including a high temperature.
Figures show there were at least 104 cases of scarlet fever in Northern Ireland in November, up from 43 in October.
Very rarely, Strep A can cause something called invasive group A streptococcal infection or iGAS, which can be deadly.
Invasive disease happens when the bacteria get past your body's immune defences.
Since September, 15 UK children have died after invasive strep A infections, including Stella-Lily McCorkindale from Belfast.
government said that during a similar period in 2017-18 - the last high season for iGAS infection - there were four deaths in England.
But the number of cases of iGAS - the most serious form of infection - is 33 so far in 2022, compared to 55 in 2018 and 72 in 2019 (before the pandemic).
Public Health Agency said there was no indication Northern Ireland was seeing more deaths from iGAS than in previous years.
As a parent, if you feel that your child seems seriously unwell, you should trust your own judgement. Contact your GP if:
Call 999 or go to A&E if:"	/news/uk-northern-ireland-63915308
politics	Which policies will Rishi Sunak stick with or twist?	"Rishi Sunak's first Prime Minister's Questions and a briefing from No 10 have given us a flavour of what he is planning to do as prime minister - and, crucially, how he'll differ from his predecessor Liz Truss.
A lot of policies, ones involving public spending decisions, will not be confirmed until the now-delayed autumn statement on 17 November. 
But here's what we know so far. 
Liz Truss had lifted the ban on fracking where there was ""local consent"" - although her plans never got far enough to confirm how they would measure this. She faced a backlash from some Tory MPs, and opposition parties, who did not support fracking and thought MPs should get a say. Mr Sunak, in answer to a question from Green Party MP Caroline Lucas at PMQs, suggested that ban would now be reinstated unless the science changes - which was later confirmed by his official spokesman. That's despite Mr Sunak saying in the summer leadership campaign that he also backed a return of fracking where there was local consent. 
Liz Truss confirmed that pensions would still rise in line with inflation - as opposed to average wages, which is lower. On Wednesday No 10 did not commit to whether or not they would. But they did say that Mr Sunak would be guided by the Conservative 2019 manifesto, which committed to this, and that he would be ""compassionate"" to the most vulnerable. We're likely to hear more about that at the chancellor's economic statement on 17 November. 
Whether or not to raise benefits in line with inflation was an issue that split Ms Truss's cabinet. There was speculation her government may not decide to proceed with that commitment, despite some of her cabinet ministers like Penny Mordaunt saying it was the right thing to do. On Wednesday No 10 did not commit to raising benefits in line with inflation, but said this would be a matter for the chancellor on 17 November. However, answering a question in the Commons, Mr Sunak said he had ""always acted in a way to protect the most vulnerable"" when he was chancellor - a hint there that he may well be in favour of the rise. 
government cut its pledge to spend 0.7% of national income on international aid to 0.5%, in response to major government spending during the Covid pandemic. One of the key Conservative MPs who rebelled against this cut, Andrew Mitchell, is now back in government as an international development minister. No 10 have not committed either way on whether the initial pledge will be reinstated, saying that a lot has happened since Mr Sunak indicated he would like it to eventually return. Again, this is one we will need to wait and see on. 
w chancellor Jeremy Hunt has already ditched Ms Truss's pledge to scrap the planned rise to corporation tax. No 10 say this will be a decision for the fiscal statement on 17 November, but Mr Sunak had always intended when running for Tory leader to keep the planned rise to this tax next year. 
No 10 say that Mr Sunak wants ""offshore not onshore wind"". The former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng and former prime minister Ms Truss had paved the way to loosen planning rules for onshore wind in England after saying they would bring onshore planning ""in line with other infrastructure to allow it to be deployed more easily in England"". Currently, planning restrictions mean it is very hard to build new onshore wind farms in England. Opposition parties want the rules loosened, arguing its one of the quickest and cheapest forms of homegrown energy. 
No 10 has not committed to raise spending on defence to 3% of GDP by 2030, saying it will be a matter for that economic statement on 17 November. The chancellor has already hinted this pledge may be rowed back on - saying every department including the Ministry of Defence would need to find efficiencies as he makes ""difficult"" decisions on the economy. Mr Hunt hasn't committed to any timings of when defence spending may rise, a pledge that Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has been keen the government sticks to. 
One of the big differences between Mr Sunak and Ms Truss in the summer leadership contest was that Mr Sunak said he did not want to cut taxes until inflation had been brought down, saying tax cuts risked fuelling price rises further. In the summer he said he would cut income tax by 1p in April 2024 and a further 3p by end of the next Parliament. On Wednesday No 10 today said that he prioritised cutting taxes, and a path to that by 2024, when he was chancellor but ""could not speculate"" long term into the future and this was a matter to be discussed with his chancellor.
Answering a question by Liz Truss's former chief whip Wendy Morton on Wednesday, Mr Sunak committed to pursuing a ""brownfield-first"" approach to housebuilding - i.e. building on land that has already been developed in the past, rather than on so-called green belts which are areas between towns and countryside. Liz Truss had reportedly been intending to loosen some planning rules in England to encourage more housebuilding - particularly in what she described as ""investment zones"" which would be identified around the UK. 
Mr Sunak's No 10 operation says it ""remains important"" to meet the 2019 manifesto commitments, which include bringing down net migration numbers. The ""exact mix"" will be set out in due course and be ""guided"" by the principle that the UK needs skills and talents but should also train people in the UK, they say. Ms Truss had been reportedly planning to loosen certain immigration rules to help fill vacancies and shortages in certain sectors, although some cabinet ministers in her government were not on board with the idea. "	/news/uk-politics-63407273
business	What are my rights if my flight is cancelled?	"Strike action by airport border staff risks causing delays and cancellations to flights at some of the UK's biggest airports.
Passengers have been told to expect disruption over the Christmas period owing to the industrial action. 
So what are your rights?
If your flight is covered under UK law, your airline must let you choose between either getting a refund or an alternative flight, regardless of how far in advance the cancellation was made. 
You can get your money back for any part of the ticket you have not used. So if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded. 
If you still want to travel, your airline must find you an alternative flight. If another airline is flying to your destination significantly sooner, or there are other suitable modes of transport available, then you have a right to be booked onto that alternative transport instead. 
Several airlines are allowing passengers with flights arriving in the UK on strike days to change their tickets free of charge, so travellers should check with their airline.
If you are stuck abroad or at the airport because of a flight cancellation, airlines must also provide you with other assistance until you are able to fly to your destination. 
udes: 
If your airline is unable to arrange assistance, you have the right to organise this yourself and claim back the cost later. In this case, the Civil Aviation Authority advises people to keep receipts and not spend more than necessary. 
You are entitled to the same assistance if your flight is delayed by more than two hours. 
You may also be able to claim compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late. Again, the amount is based on how far you are flying. 
If you are delayed by more than five hours and no longer want to travel, you can get a full refund.
Disruption caused by things like airport or air traffic control employee strikes, bad weather or other ""extraordinary circumstances"" are not eligible for extra compensation.
However, in other circumstances - which are the airline's fault - you have a number of rights under UK law if you are flying from a UK airport on any airline, arriving at a UK airport on an EU or UK airline, or arriving at an airport in the EU on a UK airline. 
What you are entitled to depends on what caused the cancellation and how much notice you were given. 
If your flight is cancelled with less than two weeks' notice, you may be able to claim compensation based on the timings of the alternative flight you are offered.
mount you are entitled to also depends on how far you were travelling. For example: 
If you booked a package holiday with a company that is an Abta member and your flight is cancelled, you are entitled to a suitable alternative flight or a full refund. "	/news/business-61646214
sports	Phoenix Suns & Phoenix Mercury set for record $4bn sale	"Billionaire Mat Ishbia is closing in on a deal for the Phoenix Suns and Mercury in an agreement that will value the franchises at $4bn (£3.3bn).
Mortgage executive Ishbia has made a deal in principle with Robert Sarver, who is selling after being suspended for racist and sexist behaviour.
""Both teams have an incredibly dynamic fanbase. I have loved experiencing the energy of the Valley,"" said Ishbia.
would be a record for the purchase of an NBA team. 
Ishbia's investment in a controlling stake in the Suns and WNBA side the Mercury values the franchise at $4bn, more than the $3.3bn price tag that Joe Tsai's deal put on the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center in 2019.
Ishbia played college basketball at Michigan State and was a fringe player in the team's NCAA Championship win under the long-serving coach Tom Izzo in 2000.
""Basketball is at the core of my life, from my high school days as a player to the honour of playing for Coach Izzo and winning a national title at Michigan State University,"" he added.
Ishbia's arrival in the sport was welcomed by NBA great Magic Johnson, who also played for Michigan State, although in a different era.
""All of the other 29 NBA teams better watch out because Mat's a winner!"" Johnson wrote.
Ishbia said in November that he was considering a bid to buy American football's Washington Commanders after he lost out in the bidding for fellow NFL side the Denver Broncos in August.
Current Phoenix owner Sarver was fined $10m and suspended from basketball for a year in September after an investigation into claims of racism and misogyny found he had ""engaged in conduct that clearly violated common workplace standards"". 
He announced he was looking to sell the franchise shortly after, saying it was ""the best course of action for everyone""."	/sport/basketball/64048800
technology	Netflix loses almost a million subscribers	"After enjoying a long reign as the king of streaming, Netflix faces a tough fight to keep its crown.
It lost almost a million subscribers between April and July as more people decided to quit the service.
reaming giant has now lost members for two quarters in a row, but the drop was smaller than it feared. 
Asked what slowed the exodus, the firm's boss Reed Hastings, said: ""If there was a single thing, we might say 'Stranger Things.'"" 
w season of the hit drama has been a phenomenal success, and may have helped stem the exodus of Netflix customers.
mpany reported its first subscriber loss since 2011 in April, news that was followed by hundreds of job cuts and a sharp drop in its share price.
Rivals are challenging its dominance, while price hikes have taken a toll.
ubscriber losses reported on Tuesday were the biggest in the firm's history, with the US and Canada seeing the highest number of cancellations in the past three months, followed by Europe.
Guy Bisson, executive director at Ampere Analysis, said it was ""inevitable"" that Netflix would start to see its grip on the market loosen.
""When you're the leader, there's only one direction to go, especially when a large amount of competition launches, which is what Netflix has seen in the last couple of years,"" he said. 
It is a stark change for Netflix, which enjoyed years of seemingly unstoppable growth, as it revolutionised the way people around the world consumed entertainment.
Its position as a global giant was cemented when the pandemic hit in 2020 and people, stuck at home with few other options for entertainment, flocked to monster hits like Squid Game and The Crown.
But as pre-pandemic habits return, Netflix has struggled to attract new sign-ups - and maintain the loyalty of existing members, especially as the rising cost of living leads to people cutting back.
mpany also faces fierce competition from the likes of Apple TV, HBO Max, Amazon Prime and Disney+. Netflix was once the disruptor, making video rental stores like Blockbuster redundant. But the disruptor is fast becoming the disrupted. 
Netflix's move to make its service more expensive has also put off some customers.
A ""standard"" plan in the US - which allows people in the same home to watch on two devices simultaneously - now costs $15.49, up from $14 in January and just $11 in 2019.
In the UK, basic and standard plans have both increased since January by £1 a month to £6.99 and £10.99 respectively.
""At some point, yes, they're going to reach a threshold where a significant number of people say enough is enough,"" Mr Bisson said. ""Because of the additional choice... price hikes are a more risky strategy.""
For now, surveys suggest that Netflix is managing to lure back a higher share of deserters than its rivals. Many households also continue to identify it as the streaming option they would retain if forced to have only one.
In all, the company had roughly 220 million subscribers at the end of June - still well north of its closest competition. 
But the company, long accustomed to posting double digit growth, is grappling with its most serious slowdown in years, with revenue in the April-June quarter of $7.9bn, up just 8.6% year-on-year.
firm's share price has dropped more than 60% so far this year, as investors sour on its prospects.
""Netflix's subscriber loss was expected but it remains a sore point for a company that is wholly dependent on subscription revenue from consumers,"" said Insider Intelligence analyst Ross Benes. 
""Netflix is still the leader in video streaming but unless it finds more franchises that resonate widely, it will eventually struggle to stay ahead of competitors that are after its crown.""
Shares climbed more than 7% in after-hours trade on relief that the losses were not larger. The firm had warned it could lose as many as two million subscribers. 
Netflix has said it will jumpstart growth with a new ads-supported service and by clamping down on password sharing - which one study estimated was costing Netflix $6bn a year.
It is already charging more for sharing accounts in some countries in central and South America. It hopes to replicate this model around the world. 
However, the company has known about problems with passwords sharing for years, and has so far failed to find a solution. 
In its shareholder update, the company said it was ""encouraged by our early learnings and ability to convert consumers to paid sharing in Latin America"".
It said it expected its less expensive, ad-supported option to launch in early 2023, starting in ""a handful of markets where advertising spend is significant"".
""Like most of our new initiatives, our intention is to roll it out, listen and learn, and iterate quickly to improve the offering,"" the company said.
rvice has the potential to attract both existing customers inclined to cancel over price hikes, as well as new households hesitant to commit to a subscription, Mr Bisson said.
It should be possible for Netflix to make the same amount of money - or more - per user than it did by relying on subscriptions, he added.
""Assuming they get it right - and by getting it right I mean the price ... and the amount of advertising on it - then it's potentially a strong strategic move for them,"" he said.
But he said Netflix's most critical task is ensuring it has strong material for people to watch - a job that has grown harder as it pushes to reach an increasingly broad audience.
New sign-ups in the US, for example, are coming from an increasingly older crowd, with different tastes than the younger viewers who were early streaming converts.
""They're increasingly competing for that generalist audience, so the breadth of content that is needed becomes much wider and that's why I think people are saying 'there's now a lot of stuff I don't like',"" Mr Bisson said. ""It's a very big challenge.""
Netflix needs ""more frequent hits"", said Eric Steinberg of Whip Media, adding that Netflix also has room to experiment staggering its releases to keep a hold on its subscribers.
mpany has already taken steps in that direction by releasing episodes of the fourth season of Stranger Things in two batches this year, but the ""pressure is on"" he said.
""They don't have the sandpit to themselves anymore,"" he said. ""In an inflationary environment like the one we're in and also great programming [at the competition], people are going to re-evaluate how much they're willing to pay.""
Cast of Stranger Things returns for penultimate series"	/news/business-62226912
health	China Covid: Beijing eases some curbs despite rising cases	"China has slightly relaxed some of its Covid restrictions even as case numbers rise to their highest levels in months.
Quarantine for close contacts will be cut from seven days in a state facility to five days and three days at home.
Officials will also stop recording secondary contacts - meaning many people will avoid having to quarantine.
ght easing comes weeks after Xi Jinping was re-instated as party leader for a historic third term.
Mr Xi held his first Covid meeting with his newly elected Standing Committee on Thursday. 
China's zero-Covid policy has saved lives in the country of 1.4 billion people but also dealt a punishing blow to the economy and ordinary people's lives.
re is increasing public fatigue over lockdowns and travel restrictions. 
Stories of suffering and desperation have also circulated on social media, fuelling many outbursts of civic anger.
China's National Health Commission (NHC) insisted the changes did not amount to ""relaxing prevention and control, let alone opening up"", but were instead designed to adapt to a changing Covid situation.
NHC also said it would develop a plan to speed up vaccinations.
On Friday, the changes were announced even as the country grapples with its worst wave of Covid in months.
f Beijing, Guangzhou and Zhengzhou are currently seeing record numbers. 
On Thursday, China recorded over 10,500 new Covid cases - the highest daily total since April when China shut down its largest city Shanghai to combat a wave there.
People in China, and analysts watching the country, have been waiting for some indication from the government that strict Zero-Covid measures might be eased.
On the one hand, Beijing is not officially backing down from its commitment to its current strategy, but it has announced a series of measures it has described as ""adapting"" to the situation rather than ""relaxing"" the policy.
For Chinese people who have become exhausted by Zero-Covid it doesn't really matter if the government finds the need to save face semantically, as long as the changes are real and that they are.
moves announced today may not seem like much if you are not living in China but, inside the country, three years into a crisis, with no indication of when or how an off ramp may appear, any steps towards re-opening are steps which are not going backwards.
Ending the punishment for airlines carrying infected passengers will mean more flights, more seats, cheaper inbound tickets, and an end to abrupt Covid-induced cancellations. This is significant.
A reduction of seven days in hotel quarantine plus three days at home to five days plus three is only a small alteration but the expectation is that this could continue to come down at some point in the future.
Again, for a country with an economy being smashed by Zero-Covid, baby steps are better than no steps.
Raising the bar for centralised quarantine inside China will also ease tensions for ordinary people, if only because it provides a glimmer of light at the end of the Covid tunnel.
It is hard to explain to people in other countries just how fed up with Zero-Covid locals have become. They were living through this crisis well before the rest of the world and while other countries have now found a way to move on, they're still stuck with it, as if China has been frozen in a massive 2020 time block.
Despite the small changes however, most restrictions still remain in place. Mr Xi has insisted on sticking to a stringent zero-Covid policy involving lockdowns even as the rest of the world has moved on. 
means in many cities residents have been subject to sudden restrictions on their movement and disruptions to work and schooling.
For example, this week in Guangzhou - the current epicentre of the Covid wave in China - locals in one district were barred from venturing outside and only one member of each household was allowed outside to grocery shop.
Public transport has been suspended while schools and workplaces are also shut down.
In Zhengzhou, another Covid centre at the moment, lockdowns there prompted many workers living at a vast factory owned by Taiwanese iPhone-maker Foxconn to flee the area on foot to escape restrictions."	/news/world-asia-china-63594255
entertainment	Louise Fletcher: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest's Nurse Ratched dies aged 88	"Louise Fletcher, who won an Oscar for her unforgettable role as Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, has died aged 88. 
US actress died at her home in the south of France, her agent said. 
While she was best known for her portrayal of Nurse Ratched, Fletcher's career spanned six decades, including TV and film. 
Former colleagues and fans paid tribute to the actress, calling her an ""absolute great"". 
Fletcher was a relative unknown when picked to play Nurse Ratched in 1975's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. She began her acting career in the 50s but paused for more than a decade to raise her children. 
Leading actresses including Angela Lansbury and Ellen Burstyn had all turned down the part. 
Set and filmed in a psychiatric hospital in Oregon in the US,  One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was directed by Milos Forman and based on Ken Kesey's 1962 novel of the same name. 
film proved hugely popular, winning a raft of awards and making it into many lists of the greatest American films of all time. 
Central to the film's appeal was Fletcher's cruel and calculating Nurse Ratched, a fearsome symbol of institutional authority who is pitted against the individualism of Jack Nicholson's Randle McMurphy.
American Film Institute put Nurse Ratched behind only The Wicked Witch of the West, Darth Vadar, Norman Bates and Hannibal Lecter in its ranking of film's greatest villains. 
Fletcher won an Oscar in 1976 for her role, part of a rare clean sweep that saw the film also bag Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Screenplay. 
A child of deaf parents, she thanked them using sign language in her acceptance speech.
While her career never again hit the same heights, Fletcher had a recurring role in the TV show Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and gained Emmy nominations for guest-starring in Picket Fences and Joan of Arcadia, in 1996 and 2004 respectively. 
She married producer Jerry Bick in the 1960s, before getting divorced in 1977. She is survived by two sons, John and Andrew.
Friends and fans shared tributes on social media.
Marlee Matlin, a deaf American actress who worked with Fletcher on Picket Fences, wrote on Twitter that she was a ""brilliant actress"", and highlighted that she was first to use sign language in an Oscar acceptance speech. 
Robert Hewitt Wolfe, a writer for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, said: ""'It was an honour and a pleasure to write for Louise Fletcher, one of the absolute great A blazing talent and a compete class act."""	/news/entertainment-arts-63019250
health	West Suffolk Hospital's plans for replacement are approved	"Plans for a new, larger hospital to replace one deemed ""past its use-by date"" have been given the go-ahead.
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (WSFT) wants to build a new hospital to replace the current one in Bury St Edmunds which was built in the 1970s.
West Suffolk Council's development control committee was split over the proposal which it heard would result in the loss of ""irreplaceable habitat"".
But, councillors decided, the need for a new hospital outweighed concerns.
West Suffolk Council's approval allows WSFT to submit a business plan as part as an application for funding from central government, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
mmittee heard the current building had structural defects associated with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) used in its roof and walls.
It was expected the current building would not last far beyond 2030 and government funding was gained to replace it under the New Hospitals Programme - with a commitment to have it built by 2030.
Under the plans, the new hospital would be located on the Hardwick Manor site, owned by WSFT, on Hardwick Lane.
Most of the Hardwick Manor site is wood pasture parkland and, according to the officers' report, the development was expected to result in the loss of 11.5 hectares of waxcap grassland, which is classified as irreplaceable habitat.
Independent councillor Jason Crooks said: ""This is a real shame. The applicant has chosen to destroy parkland that's hundreds of years old and it is completely irreplaceable when we all know there are better alternatives.
""It is so frustrating. I don't think I can vote for this because of the destruction of the parkland,"" he said.
Concerns were also raised about emergency access to the site.
But Conservative councillor Andrew Drummond, who had the deciding vote as chairman, said: ""The care you get at West Suffolk Hospital is fantastic. But the building is past its use-by date and that will inevitably affect services.""
A full planning application to change the use of Hardwick Manor from residential to health-related was also approved.
Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-suffolk-63810841
health	'The company I work for gives me time off when I am on my period'	"A company in Bristol has introduced a period policy so women and people with a cervix can have time off, or flexible working if they need it.
mpany has also introduced free sanitary products for its staff. 
Megan Thompson said some months her period is very painful and it causes her to have migraines.
She said the policy has “benefitted her hugely”.
“I talk to my friends from Wales, and they’re like ‘oh no, we still have to remember our products, and we have time off we almost have to fake an excuse.’
“It’s sad that it’s like that, when you are working in a company like this with all these policies, and when we are so progressive.”"	/news/uk-wales-politics-62165448
business	House prices drop for the first time this year, says Rightmove	"Asking prices for homes have dropped for the first time this year, down £4,795, because of a summer lull in activity, says sales portal Rightmove.
Although interest rates are rising - which would increase the cost of a mortgage - it said seasonal factors were key to the drop in prices.
king price fell by 1.3% between July and August to £365,173.
wo years had been ""frenzied"" in the UK housing market, said Rightmove.
Prices soared as the pandemic prompted many people to search for more space in which to live and work.
How big an impact the rising cost of living, and consistent increases in interest rates, will have on the housing market will be watched closely.
m Bannister, Rightmove's director of property science, said: ""A drop in asking prices is to be expected this month, as the market returns towards normal seasonal patterns after a frenzied two years, and many would-be home movers become distracted by the summer holidays.""
1.3% drop in August was in line with the average drop seen that month over the past 10 years, Rightmove said.
""We are still expecting price changes for the rest of the year to continue to follow the usual seasonal pattern, which means we'll end year at around 7% annual growth, even with the wider economic uncertainty,"" Mr Bannister added.
He said that data showed the rising interest rates were yet to have a significant impact on the number of people wanting to move home.
""For those looking to move who are concerned about interest rate rises, it's important that they get a mortgage in principle early on in their moving journey to understand what they could afford to borrow, and find out about the rates available to them to assess what they are able to repay each month,"" he said.
rage five-year fixed rate mortgage has now breached 4%, according to Moneyfacts.co.uk, but experts expect rates to climb further.
ggest risk to making mortgage repayments is usually the loss of a job, but anyone in that position should get help, at least in the short-term, from their lender. 
Debt advisors say anyone in financial trouble should talk to their mortgage provider as soon as possible."	/news/business-62549477
sports	Modern Pentathlon: Kate French and Jo Muir complete World Cup one-two	"Kate French won gold and fellow Briton Jo Muir took silver in the opening International Modern Pentathlon Union (UIPM) World Cup of the season in Budapest.
French set a world record in fencing on her way to finishing in first place, winning 31 of her 35 bouts.
Muir's second place followed up her gold medal win in Cairo in March 2020.
was the last World Cup competition to be held before sport was put on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic.
""Honestly, it's been a rollercoaster of emotions,"" said Muir. 
""Today has been really hard. While we've been training really hard, we haven't had access to any competition or been to any training camps, so it's been really difficult. 
""I'm just so thrilled with this result.""
Lithuania's Gintare Venckauskaite took the bronze medal while Francesca Summers completed a good day for the British as she finished sixth.
final of the men's competition takes place on Saturday. "	/sport/modern-pentathlon/56545831
entertainment	The Beatles: Love Me Do celebrated at Sir Paul McCartney's former home	"wo acts have recorded versions of the Beatles' debut single at Sir Paul McCartney's childhood home to mark the 60th anniversary of the song's release.
Released on 5 October 1962, Love Me Do reached number 17 in the UK and number one in the US two years later.
Jazz singer Ni Maxine and indie pop band TRAITS performed in Liverpool's 20 Forthlin Road, where the track was written by Sir Paul and John Lennon.
Maxine said there had been ""a lot to live up to"" in recording in the house.
rformances were arranged by the National Trust, which cares for 20 Forthlin Road, as part of a series of events to mark the anniversary.
were chosen by Sir Paul's brother, Mike McCartney, the music writer and DJ Pete Paphides and representatives of the trust.
RAITS singer Kieran McCarthy said it had been ""the most special thing we could possibly imagine"".
""We only started the band in January and from this, it's got to be Glastonbury [next], as I can't top this.""
Maxine said there had been ""a lot to live up to"".
""It's such an amazing song and such an amazing legacy that follows it, so it's a real honour to be part of this,"" she added.
McCartney said he wanted his old home to be a focal point for the anniversary, as it was the place where the Beatles first found their sound.
""We want our little house to continue to inspire new creative generations,"" he told BBC North West Tonight.
""Our message is [that] something extraordinary can happen, whoever or wherever you are, with creativity and love.
""Everyone is welcome here and we hope everyone is inspired here.""
use was where Lennon and Sir Paul rehearsed and wrote about 30 early songs, including Love Me Do, on the front room floor.
McCartney said he could remember when he first heard the pair playing Love Me Do and how it was picked to be the band's debut single.
""There were many beautiful songs that floated upstairs to me, but that was the one was that was chosen,"" he said. 
""I heard them all from nothing. I could hear the guitar [and] the chords being formed.
""Our kid and John would always choose chords and change them and make them different and that was the genius of that group.""
Paphides said it was ""impossible to hear Love Me Do without thinking about the pop-cultural revolution for which it was undoubtedly a catalyst"".
""John Lennon's harmonica sounded to me like the bracing stink of Mersey mud.
""And yet, I'd never been to Liverpool.""
Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-merseyside-63145207
entertainment	Who are voices behind Netflix's Harry and Meghan?	"release of Harry and Meghan's new Netflix documentary featured a kaleidoscopic cast of characters, some speaking about their relationship with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex publicly for the first time.
From family and friends to experts and witnesses, dozens appeared within the first three episodes.
r on-screen contributions added flavour to the highly anticipated ""tell-all"" docuseries, but left many wondering: Who are they? 
So here's some off-screen background information about a few of the cast. 
Ashleigh Hale, one of the more elusive media targets among the Harry and Meghan camp, spoke out publicly for the first time. 
Ms Hale, an attorney, is the daughter of Meghan's older half-sister, Samantha Markle. In the show, Ms Hale says she was raised by her paternal grandparents and that she later connected with Meghan over email. 
's when they ""hit it off"", Meghan told viewers. From there, the friendship grew. 
""There's like a sister element,"" Ms Hale said. ""There's something maternal, she's a best friend.""
However, Meghan's nuptials with the prince proved a source of friction with Ms Hale, who was not invited to the royal wedding. 
Ms Hale tells the interviewer she was ""hurt on some level"". The explanation given was that she was not invited because her mother, Samantha, wasn't. 
Meghan says inviting one without the other would have been difficult to explain to media. 
Doria Ragland is Meghan's mother. In the docuseries, she shares her first extensive public comments. 
Ragland told the interviewer: ""I am ready to have my voice heard.""
She describes the last five years of her life as ""challenging"" since Meghan's engagement to Prince Harry in 2017. 
Incessant paparazzi, whose interest in the royal couple is noted in the series, was troublesome for Ms Ragland, too. She says she felt ""stalked"" by them. 
Ms Ragland attributes to race a negative media frenzy over Meghan in the wake of her engagement.
She says she regrets not having conversations about race with her daughter earlier in life. 
Silver Tree is a Hollywood producer, director and writer who developed a relationship with Meghan during production of the US TV drama Suits, where Meghan was a lead actress. 
In a social media post last year, Ms Tree wrote that Meghan ""is one of my very nearest and dearest. Like all friends, I love her madly"". 
Ms Tree outlined in the post acts of kindness by Meghan - including giving her peonies on her birthday - and wrote: ""This is Meg before she met H (Prince Harry). This is Meg now. She's always been this person.""
In the programme, Ms Tree recalls her initial scepticism upon first hearing that Meghan was going on a date with the prince. ""We thought it was really funny. We were like, 'in what world does this happen?""'
However, she describes Meghan as ""crazy"" about the duke after meeting him.
Argentinian polo player, celebrity and model Nacho Figueras is known to be a longtime friend of Prince Harry. 
He first met the duke at a charity event for Sentebale in 2007 - an organisation co-founded by the prince - and is now an ambassador for it. 
Over the years, the two have also appeared on multiple polo pitches and recently played as teammates on the Los Padres team at the Santa Barbara Polo Club. Mr Figueras later described the moment in an interview with Vanity Fair as ""a dream come true"". 
In the docuseries, Mr Figueras commented on the early part of Harry and Meghan's relationship saying: ""You could tell right away that those were the eyes of someone that had fallen in love.""
Harry and Meghan's unseen video moments - the BBC's Jonny Dymond takes a look."	/news/world-us-canada-63911640
business	Covid: Have the lockdown success stories lost their shine?	"Lockdown measures imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic led to a surge in demand for online services, but two years on, have those trends reversed?
Stuck indoors, there was a boom in demand for takeaways, online shopping, streaming and online fitness. 
But as restrictions eased, some pandemic darlings are now finding life tougher.
Netflix, Peloton and Boohoo have all seen the popularity they enjoyed during the pandemic fade.
So who is still winning and who is losing?
With lockdowns came the closure of gyms, yoga studios and fitness centres, meaning people turned to screens for their daily endorphin hits.  
Peloton, the global firm that sells exercise bikes and membership subscriptions for remote classes, was one of the first companies to really cash in on online fitness.
However, as people have returned to gyms, the company's shares have slumped. Shares are down by more than 60% this year already.
Peloton saw its losses spiral in the first three months of the year, with the company warning that growth will remain difficult.
Many personal trainers also switched to online sessions during the pandemic - but after restrictions eased some say this is no longer such a popular option. 
Roxy Sullivan, a personal trainer based in Bristol, says she only has a handful of clients that continue to train online, with the rest done in person.
""I just prefer training clients face-to-face,"" she says. ""It's much easier to engage with people in person and as a personal trainer it's nice to be able to motivate them whilst being in the same room.""
But not all online fitness has lost its shine. 
ularity of online yoga during lockdown is a trend that is ""here to stay"", according to the British Wheel of Yoga, the sport's national governing body. 
Ian Vollum, founder of Fat Whippet Yoga, moved his classes online during the pandemic and now says he has no plans to restart in-person sessions. 
Mr Vollum says many of his clients got used to exercising indoors during the pandemic and feel happier doing classes from the comfort of their own homes. 
""[Clients] have realised they don't want to be in the gym with what they call 'yoga bunnies' or younger people working out where they feel watched and intimidated,"" he tells the BBC. 
He says keeping classes online is also good for clients who are still worried about Covid. 
""They don't want to be going back to packed-out places that put them at risk,"" Mr Vollum says. ""The restrictions might be gone but there are still a lot of people who care about that.""
Drew Cockton says sales for his candle business, Owen Drew, boomed when everyone was stuck at home.
Since then, he's seen a sharp reduction in sales. The reopening of physical stores has meant a pick-up in competition, and he says businesses like his, which are primarily online, have suffered as a result.
""Everyone was bored during the lockdowns, furlough money was burning a hole in people's pockets, and we did really well out of that,"" he says.
""That trend has now reversed and people are shopping online less.""
Official figures also suggest the pandemic surge for online retail has not been sustained.
Online retail sales peaked during the coronavirus lockdowns, and have been on a slow decline since then, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
most recent ONS data shows that retail sales in March fell by 1.4%, as the cost of living rose. The biggest contribution to the slide came from a drop in online sales.
Online retail giants such as Asos, Boohoo and AO World saw their share prices jump in the early days of the pandemic but have now come crashing back down.
""Online retailers were big beneficiaries from the pandemic and lockdowns, but there is now a willingness to get back to High Streets, helped by lower levels of fear over catching the virus,"" says Nick Carroll, from market research firm Mintel.
""Those online retailers without physical stores are naturally going to find it harder.""
Michelle Ovens, founder of campaign group Small Business Britain, says online businesses are having to think more creatively in order to survive.
""As the demand for e-commerce rebalances following the lockdown boom, small businesses are using their new resiliency and creativity to develop new innovative routes to market,"" she says. ""This includes click and collect models, hybrid experiences and bringing the best of both digital and physical worlds together.""
Saima Salahuddin, a chef from east London, started taking online orders for her South Asian meals during the first lockdown.
""Our business, Chattpatta Kitchen, really flourished during Covid,"" she says. ""We started by selling on Facebook but then expanded to Deliveroo and Uber Eats.""
Saima says sales have held up even after restaurants reopened and dining out returned. However, she says she does need to offer some attractive deals and discounts for her customers.
""During the pandemic, people have gotten used to the comfort and ease of ordering food at home,"" she tells the BBC. ""We do have to work a bit harder to attract consumers now, but they are still coming to us for the convenience.""
Figures from accountancy firm KPMG suggest that when it comes to dining, consumer habits have changed for the longer term.
Before the pandemic, Britons spent around £38 per month on takeaways, home deliveries and meal kits, KPMG says. But between spring 2020 and spring 2021 average monthly spend per person reached £53.
figure has remained high into 2022, says Will Hawkley, KPMG's global head of leisure and hospitality.
""At the moment, we're not seeing a drop off,"" he says. ""The trends we saw during lockdown are continuing, with people still ordering meals online,"" he says.
However, he warns this might now start to decline, as consumers tighten their belts in response to the rising cost of living."	/news/business-61182406
politics	Rishi Sunak promises to call out Putin's regime at G20	"Rishi Sunak is promising to ""call out Putin's regime"" at a gathering of world leaders in Indonesia. 
rime minister is travelling to Bali on Sunday afternoon for a summit of the G20 - the world's biggest economies. 
British officials had prepared for this get-together assuming Russia's president would be there. 
rime minister was expected to join other world leaders in condemning Vladimir Putin to his face. 
But Moscow said last week he wouldn't be attending and the Kremlin would be sending Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, instead.
So the words of anger will be directed at him. 
Speaking before setting off for Indonesia, the prime minister said: ""Putin's war has caused devastation around the world - destroying lives and plunging the international economy into turmoil. 
""This G20 summit will not be business as usual. We will call out Putin's regime, and lay bare their utter contempt for the kind of international cooperation and respect for sovereignty forums like the G20 represent.""
G20 is a hotchpotch of countries with little in common beyond big economies.  
An economic forum whose members have been hammered, economically, by one of their own, Russia. 
So the backdrop is awkward, to say the least. 
re won't even be one of the basic diplomatic niceties of these gatherings this time, what is known as the family photo, where the leaders pose for a group picture.
r leaders refuse to be seen smiling in the presence of Russia. 
Recent precedent suggests another usual staple of these affairs, what is known as a communique, a set of agreed conclusions published at the close of the summit, probably won't happen either.
Almost three weeks into the job, this is Mr Sunak's second overseas trip as prime minister, after last week's dash to the COP27 climate summit in Egypt.  
He managed to see a good number of fellow European leaders in Sharm el-Sheikh. 
rip to Bali will mean he can meet plenty from the Indo-Pacific region, a part of the world the government has been increasingly focused on since Brexit. 
And, perhaps, a first chance to meet US President Joe Biden.
Meanwhile, back home, as Laura Kuenssberg writes, the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will continue preparing what is called the Autumn Statement, a budget in all but name, to be delivered on Thursday, just hours after the prime minister gets back home. 
Downing Street is seeking to frame both the summit and the Autumn Statement as responses to the same shock: the consequences of the war in Ukraine. 
A desperate global economic situation, as they describe it, with big domestic implications, that they seek to be trusted to grapple with, after the chaos of the Liz Truss administration. 
But a fractious summit followed by what many will see as a bad news Budget won't make for an easy week for Mr Sunak. "	/news/uk-politics-63610049
health	South Cumbria: Hospital trust warns public of 'significant pressure'	"A health trust has warned of ""significant and increasing pressure"" facing all NHS services for south Cumbria.
re are also ""exceptionally high"" numbers attending A&E and GP practices, University Hospitals Morecombe Bay NHS Foundation Trust said. 
It comes as some North West Ambulance Service staff are on strike.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay has criticised unions for walking out when the system was under pressure.
rust, which covers Lancashire and south Cumbria, including Furness General Hospital in Barrow, said it was experiencing ""a sustained increase in demand"" for all services.
It urged the public to call NHS 111 to ensure they are directed to the correct service. 
""Our priority, as always, is to ensure safe and high-quality care for people in Lancashire and south Cumbria,"" it said.
""Irrespective of how busy local NHS services are, and any industrial action, it is essential that people who need urgent medical care continue to come forward - especially in emergency and life-threatening cases, when someone is seriously ill or injured or their life is at risk.""
Meanwhile, thousands of ambulance staff in England and Wales are striking over pay and conditions, which saw a walkout of more than 10,000 paramedics, control room staff and support workers who are members of the Unison, GMB and Unite unions.
Ambulances will respond to life-threatening situations. 
Jennie Dennett, BBC Radio Cumbria
Barrow's ambulance station has been alive with the sound of beeping car horns - not sirens - today. 
As drivers passed the striking line of paramedics in florescent jackets, there were plenty of waves and honks of support. 
""People have mostly been lovely,"" one paramedic told me, ""but we did get one man shout 'murderers' at us.""
Supportive members of the public offered the striking workers snacks and sweets, including five tubs of chocolates.
ket line will be here until their shifts end, some staying until midnight.
A picket line formed outside Barrow Ambulance Station in Duke Street.
BBC Radio Cumbria's Jennie Dennett said there had been ""loads of beeps of support"" with the public giving those on strike snacks and tubs of sweets, but one man had shouted abuse as people stood outside.
Laura Milner from Ulverston has been with the ambulance service for more than 20 years and said she had ""never known it so bad"".
She said paramedics were ""frustrated"" queueing in A&E for up to eight hours and unable to leave to respond to the most serious emergency calls.
""We are getting calls and going five hours later and people are deceased - it's just so wrong,"" she said.
""The care system is broken - it just needs money ploughing into it.""
Paramedic Michelle Doherty, who is also a representative for the GMB, said it was patient safety and not pay that was the biggest issue for strikers.
""The NHS can't go on the way its going - it is just going to internally combust and there is going to be nothing to help get it back to where it needs to be,"" she said.
""Everyone is going above and beyond their normal duties to try and help people out. 
""Some politicians are saying that today we are potentially putting people at risk but we are still responding.
""They don't understand that because of the way the system's going and the amount of money that they have stripped from the social care fund and the NHS means that patients are getting put in jeopardy every day.""
Matt Cooper, from the North West Ambulance Service, said it would be running at about 35% of its usual operational capacity, with the military called in to help.
""We are here for people that are suffering life-threatening emergencies and we would urge them still to call us,"" he added.
North Cumbria Integrated Care said it had plans in place to manage the impact of industrial action and its ""priority is to keep our patients safe"".
It said that it was working to keep ambulances on the road by creating additional space in and next to our A&E departments so they were not ""held up at our hospitals"".
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said most ambulance staff had received a pay rise of at least 4% and further rises were unaffordable.
""We know these are challenging times for everyone and we have given a fair pay settlement that strikes a careful balance between recognising the vital importance of public sector workers whilst minimising inflationary pressures and managing the country's debt,"" they said.
Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk."	/news/uk-england-cumbria-64055917
technology	Drones take to sky for festive Telford show	"A festive drone show has taken place in the skies above Telford.
During two public displays over Telford Town Park on Wednesday, the flying craft created images in light of the Iron Bridge and the old Ironbridge Power Station cooling towers.
w included music written by Telford-born rapper Trademark Blud.
Highlights from the event have been captured by BBC Midlands Today's Andy Grindley."	/news/uk-england-shropshire-64064480
politics	Rishi Sunak: World leaders welcome next UK prime minister	"World leaders have been reacting to Rishi Sunak's victory in the race to be the next British prime minister. 
Many offered their congratulations, and expressed hope for stability after a ""turbulent"" few weeks. 
What the leadership is saying: ""As you become UK PM, I look forward to working closely together on global issues, and implementing Roadmap 2030,"" Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, referring to a framework agreement struck between the two countries. ""Special Diwali wishes to the 'living bridge' of UK Indians, as we transform our historic ties into a modern partnership.""
What the press is saying: Mr Sunak's appointment has been big news in India, with Indian news channels breaking into rolling coverage. ""Indian son rises over the Empire, history comes full circle in Britain,"" was how one channel put it.
kground: It is no surprise that there is a lot of interest in Mr Sunak's rise in India. His grandparents come from Punjab, while his father-in-law is Narayana Murthy, the founder of Infosys and one of India's best-known businessmen. Sunak is also a Hindu who took his oath as MP on the Hindu holy book the Bhagavad Gita. India and the UK have been trying to strike a free trade deal, but talks reportedly stalled over fears among Sunak's party it could lead to more immigration. 
What the leadership is saying: Kenya's president, William Ruto, has yet to comment publicly on Mr Sunak's new position. 
What the press is saying: The Taifa Leo newspaper called Mr Sunak's rise another ""Barack Obama moment"". ""Sunak's case is nearly similar to that of former US President Barack Obama, who is an American citizen but has Kenyan roots as his father was born in Homa Bay County,"" Citizen Digital website said. Popular newspaper commentator Macharia Gaitho said ""Kenya has conquered the British Empire"". 
kground: Mr Sunak's father, Yashvir, was born in colonial Kenya to parents who had moved from Gujranwala, now in Pakistan, in the 1930s. Mr Sunak's father moved to the UK in the 1960s, where he became a GP. 
What the leadership is saying: European Council President Charles Michel said: ""Working together is the only way to face common challenges... and bringing stability is key to overcoming them.""
kground: Rishi Sunak is a Brexit supporter, but many EU leaders will have breathed a sigh of relief that he, not Boris Johnson, is taking over as prime minister, our Europe editor Katya Adler says. He is considered a pragmatist, and EU officials will want to work with him on rising energy costs, and the difficult issue of the Northern Ireland protocol, an important trading arrangement struck during Brexit talks.
During the August leadership contest, Mr Sunak said a trade war with the EU was not in the UK's interest. But finding compromise may be politically difficult for him, and Brussels fears he might shun working with the EU to protect his political support at home. 
What the leadership is saying: Irish PM Micheál Martin said he looked forward to working with Mr Sunak, ""on the important issues we face on these islands and globally"".  
What the press is saying: The Irish Times welcomed Mr Sunak's reputation for ""sensible politics"", but said he will face challenges, particularly with Brexit. It is not yet clear what his election means for the Northern Ireland protocol, the paper said. The Irish Independent said the new prime minister had been ""vindicated"" after the ""folly"" of Ms Truss's tax cuts. 
kground: Brexit remains one of the key issues between the UK and Ireland, with the Northern Ireland protocol now at the forefront of the agenda. Currently, goods being imported from Britain are checked before entering Northern Ireland. But the UK government previously called for a two-tier system, with checks only being conducted on goods destined for onward travel to the republic. 
Watch: Biden calls Sunak's rise to UK prime minister a ""ground-breaking milestone""
What the leadership is saying: At a White House event to mark the Hindu holiday of Diwali, President Biden described Mr Sunak's nomination as the UK's next prime minister a ""ground-breaking milestone"". The US president is holding back on formally congratulating Mr Sunak until he has met King Charles and been asked to form a government, as protocol dictates. 
What the press is saying: The New York Times lauds the ""record of representation"" built by the Conservatives in recent years, saying Mr Sunak's victory is another milestone in a history of promoting women and people of colour to prominent positions. The Washington Post also emphasised Mr Sunak's position as the first person of colour to be prime minister. The paper added that it would be ""the first time in history that the residents of Downing Street are richer than those of Buckingham Palace"". 
kground: Joe Biden has already said he would maintain a ""close relationship"" with whoever succeeded Ms Truss. He called her abandoned plans to cut taxes a ""mistake"", causing some eyebrows to be raised - US presidents tend to avoid commenting on allies' domestic policies. 
What the leadership is saying: China wants to ""advance ties with the UK"" under Sunak, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said. He added: ""We hope that we can work with the UK side on the basis of mutual respect and win-win co-operation and advance China-UK relations along the right track.""
What the press is saying: State-run CGTN highlighted reports that Mr Sunak will be the first prime minister to be richer than the monarch. ""His experience managing the UK's finances, and in particular his strongly-voiced opposition to Truss' disastrous plans for borrowing-funded tax cuts, prompted many in the party to view him as the safest choice,"" it said. Shanghai-based The Paper wrote that Sunak's victory ""would appear to signal a new achievement in his efforts to overcome racism in British politics"" but that it ""could not overshadow his other controversies"", mentioning the BBC video clip of him saying he had no working class friends in 2007, and his wife's previous non-domiciled status which excused her from paying some tax. 
kground: Rishi Sunak has favoured closer ties with China than his predecessor, and was criticised by Ms Truss for pursuing a trading relationship when chancellor. Ms Truss spoke of a need to avoid ""dependency"" on China, and during the summer leadership race said she would declare the country a ""threat"" to national security - a label already given to Russia. She also was reported to have privately supported declaring China's actions against Uyghur Muslims in Xinjang a genocide. 
What the leadership is saying: President Zelensky tweeted his congratulations to Mr Sunak. ""I wish you to successfully overcome all the challenges facing British society and the whole world today. I'm ready to continue strengthening the Ukraine-UK strategic partnership together!"" he said. Oleksandr Kornienko, the First Deputy Chairman of Ukraine's parliament, said he welcomed Mr Sunak as a ""colleague"". He added: ""Congratulations to the people of Great Britain on the fact that they have political stability again. After a short stage of turbulence.""
What the press is saying: The Glavkom website said both Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson would have been ""good news"" for Ukraine. Mr Sunak's remarks on Ukraine so far have been ""promising"", the website said, contrasting his statement in a debate that he does not want to meet Vladimir Putin with Liz Truss's readiness to speak to the Russian president. 
kground: UK policy towards Ukraine will not change under Mr Sunak. During the summer leadership contest, he said he would continue backing Ukraine, and make an early visit to Kyiv. But while Ms Truss promised to increase defence spending from 2% to 3% of national wealth - measured by gross domestic product - by 2030, Mr Sunak has said that target was ""arbitrary"" and ""not a plan"".
What the leadership is saying:  Russia sees no reason to expect relations with the UK to improve under Mr Sunak, the Kremlin said on Tuesday. 
What the press is saying:  All three main TV channels - the state's official Rossiya 1, state-controlled Channel One, and Gazprom-Media's NTV - have pointed out that Mr Sunak was elected unopposed.  TV's London correspondent Liza Gerson said this was an example of ""British democracy not for everyone"" - with Sunak voted in by so few that it amounted to a statistical ""margin of error"". Channel One correspondent Timur Siraziyev said Mr Sunak was toeing his party's line on Ukraine - ""to keep the conflict in Ukraine going as long as possible"" - and it was therefore ""not to be expected that with the advent of the new prime minister, relations between our countries will improve"".
kground: Russia-UK relations have soured even further since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February. The UK responded with several rounds of sanctions, and it is one of the main backers of President Zelensky. The UK has also provided substantial military support to Ukraine. 
What the leadership is saying: Treasurer Jim Chalmers called Mr Sunak a great friend of Australia. ""I don't think it's insignificant a country like the United Kingdom has its first prime minister of colour,"" he said. 
What the press is saying: ""Sunak — one of the richest men in the House of Commons — may not be breaking the Tory tradition of elevating Oxford-educated elites, but his leadership will be historic. He will be Britain's first prime minister of colour.""
kground: Mr Sunak previously criticised the trade deal with Australia and New Zealand that Liz Truss negotiated as trade secretary, calling it ""one-sided"", and saying the UK ""shouldn't be rushing to sign trade deals as quickly as possible""."	/news/uk-63378673
health	Linden Centre: Alarm 'possibly would' prevent patient's absconding	"A 23-year-old man may have been prevented from fleeing a mental health unit if all staff were wearing their security alarms, an inquest heard.
Jayden Booroff was found dead after absconding from the Linden Centre in Chelmsford, Essex, on 23 October 2020.
A coroner heard a nurse tried to ""grab"" Mr Booroff as he fled, but was not carrying her alarm to alert colleagues.
Doreen Mhone, the matron at the time, said the alarm ""possibly would have"" prevented the incident.
Ms Mhone, who was overseeing three acute wards and is now a service manager, said staff are told to bring their Pinpoint alarms to each shift.
Mr Booroff, described as a talented musician, was sectioned in October 2020 and taken to the Linden Centre, run by the Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust.
quest was told he had a history of undiagnosed mental health issues, and had previously been treated at The Lakes in Colchester.
He went missing at about 19:45 BST and his body was found near Chelmsford railway station about two hours later.
Jurors also heard staff were reminded in 2017 to ensure doors were closed behind them after an inpatient ""tailgated"" a nurse out of the building.
Area coroner Sonia Hayes asked Ms Mhone why a similar incident happened nine days later.
Ms Mhone admitted staff were likely to have been unaware of the new guidance, but added: ""We would look at the incident not as an isolated incident, and try to ascertain where it went wrong, have a discussion with the team basically, on what they've learnt from that incident.""
Mr Booroff's keyworker on the ward admitted she went on annual leave on 22 October having not completed his care plan.
She told jurors Mr Booroff did not engage with her, adding: ""When I came back to work on the Wednesday [the following week] I had paperwork ready to sit with Jayden because I really believed that after the weekend and a few days of rest he might have been able to engage better with myself.
""I had the kind of view that he was into music and arts, so I really wanted to sit with him and see where he wanted to go following admission.""
urt heard the junior nurse had not read all of Mr Booroff's previous care notes, which were more than 70 pages long and included suicidal thoughts, and had not updated his risk assessment.
""You can navigate through the system and look at different case notes and histories, but it is not a simple task of clicking and showing all [the records] rolling one after another,"" she said.
wo-week inquest at Essex Coroner's Court is due to conclude on Friday.
Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-essex-63710328
sports	Ukrainians resume badminton training in Ipswich	"A group of elite badminton players from Ukraine are receiving regular coaching after being given refuge in Suffolk. 
Eight youngsters have been found host families in Ipswich, in a scheme organised by coach Helen Thornton and Badminton England.
It means they can attend sessions at the town's Badminton Performance Centre at sixth form college Suffolk One.
""It's absolutely everything to all the people who are here - it's a huge sport for them,"" said Ms Thornton.
""There are two things they wanted to be - one, was to be safe and two, to be somewhere they could play badminton.
""That was their second requirement over and above school, and having a nice home.""
Yana, 17, and her elder sister, Yuliia, from the central Ukrainian city Dnipro, initially fled to Poland, and have lived with Alex and Jane Gooch since May. 
r family are still in Ukraine, caring for grandparents, and are in daily contact. 
""Our parents are really grateful to our sponsors because their daughters are in a safe place, we have a home, food and great people to live with who care about us,"" said Yana.
university student - who is now studying remotely - had been expected to compete in a four-day badminton tournament the day war broke out. 
""I'm really happy to be playing badminton again because I can't tell you how much I love the sport,"" she added.
""It helps me to think about something else - not the war, the news - I can concentrate on my training.""
Ms Thornton added the integration over the past few weeks has been ""incredible"".
""The kids are so involved and [playing badminton] gives them some sense of normality,"" she said.
""As soon as they walk in the hall they've got a smile on their face, and they work really hard.
""It also raises the level here, because the kids are really good players.""
Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-essex-62011953
politics	Labour Senedd member reprimanded for 'vulgar' tweet	"A Labour MS breached the Senedd's code of conduct by tweeting a ""vulgar and grossly offensive personal attack"", the standards commissioner has concluded.
It follows an investigation by Douglas Bain into a tweet by Caerphilly Senedd member Hefin David in March.
In his report, Mr Bain noted the MS had apologised and deleted the post early the next day.
Senedd members are expected to vote to formally reprimand Mr David in the Welsh Parliament next week.
He admitted to the commissioner that the tweet was inappropriate.
mmittee decided not to include the contents of the tweet in its report ""as we consider it may cause further distress to the subject and their family to do so, particularly as they were not the complainant"".
In his report to the standards committee, Mr Bain says Senedd members ""are rightly required to show leadership and to be exemplars of good behaviour"". 
He said ""abusive use of social media reflects badly on him but also tends to bring the Senedd into disrepute"" and concluded that Mr David's conduct ""fell very far below the required standards"".
Mr Bain says the MS has told him he has taken steps to prevent ""any further misuse of social media"" and that he had urged him to ""take care in his use of that medium"".
Mr David declined to comment.
He was previously found in breach of the code of conduct for calling someone a ""coc oen"" (Welsh for ""lamb's cock"") on Twitter in 2019, although he was not formally punished."	/news/uk-wales-politics-63675965
sports	Commonwealth Games: England's Emily Campbell wins weightlifting gold	"England's Emily Campbell added Commonwealth gold to her weightlifting medal haul with a record-breaking performance at Birmingham's NEC.
Campbell, 28, lifted a Games-record total of 286kg in the women's +87kg to beat Samoan defending champion Feagaiga Stowers, who managed 268kg.
She also broke the snatch Commonwealth record with 124kg and did the same in the clean and jerk, with 162kg.
Campbell was the first Team GB woman to win an Olympic weightlifting medal.
""I'm absolutely elated,"" Campbell told BBC Sport.
""I knew this would be a tough competition. I knew someone was not going to hand it to me on a plate, I knew I would have to work for it but I said, 'whatever I needed to lift today to win that gold medal, I was going to do it'.
""I hope people see how beautiful our sport is. Throughout the week you have seen it doesn't matter what you look like, what shape you are, what size you are, you can pick up a bar and do it. 
""It is not about coming to the Commonwealth Games or coming to the Olympics, it is is about doing something you love.""
One of two flagbearers for England at the Birmingham 2022 opening ceremony, Campbell took silver in Tokyo in 2021 and is a two-time European champion.
NEC announcer informed fans before the final that the weightlifting venue had become known as ""the party arena"" and the crowd made sure it lived up to its name.
Every time Campbell entered the stage they welcomed her with adrenaline-boosting cheers and she repaid the favour with a high-energy performance.
With her hair arranged in two buns on top of her head - one white and one red - she took on the role of circus ringmaster, opening her arms wide in celebration after every successful lift.
""We've been in the training hall in the back and we've heard the crowds all week and it has been mad, absolutely immense,"" Campbell added.
""There was a full house today. It is very nice to see actual fans coming to see weightlifting, it is all we have ever wanted.""
Stowers was her only close competitor for gold, with Australia's Charisma Amoe-Tarrant winning the battle for bronze.
Campbell looked dominant throughout, breaking the Games record with her second snatch attempt of 121kg before extending it to 124kg as the Samoan had to settle for 121kg.
Records continued to tumble as Stowers set a new Games total of 268kg with her first clean and snatch attempt.
Campbell immediately passed that as she raised her total to 276kg, then Stowers failed her next two attempts to give the England athlete gold with two attempts remaining.
me lifter, who uses her platform to advocate for better sports clothing for plus-size women, continued to put on a show, successfully lifting 162kg to bring the crowd to their feet before whipping her belt around her head in celebration."	/sport/commonwealth-games/62410337
health	Isle of Man Covid review widened to cover entire pandemic response	"A review into the actions of the Isle of Man government during the coronavirus pandemic has been expanded.
wald backed changes to the probe by Kate Brunner KC, who requested it be widened to cover December 2019 up to the removal of restrictions in April. 
robe had previously been due to cover up to September 2021.
Home Affairs Minister Jayne Poole-Wilson said the changes would see the review cover ""the entirety of government's response"".  
ges to the review also give Ms Brunner the power to decide which evidence she may publish while considering confidentially, practicality and cost.
weaked remit of the probe also give Council of Ministers and Tynwald Public Accounts Committee (PAC) the power to make further changes to its terms of reference without parliamentary approval. 
Ms Poole-Wilson said this was a ""timely"" way of making other changes if needed as the review progresses.
PAC chairman Juan Watterson SHK said the committee acknowledged its role in ""ensuring the independence of the review"".
wald had backed the review in November 2021 as an alternative to a ""costly and lengthy"" public inquiry, Ms Poole-Wilson said. 
Why not follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and Twitter? You can also send story ideas to IsleofMan@bbc.co.uk"	/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-63680379
entertainment	The long struggle of Dumfries to get its cinema back	"When the Odeon in Dumfries closed its doors in 2018 it left a big hole in the entertainment offering.
It means the closest large-scale cinema to the town is actually in another country - over the border in Carlisle, more than 30 miles away.
A council-commissioned feasibility study has identified potential for a £10m multi-screen facility.
It is now being asked to commit a further £75,000 to develop the project aimed at boosting the town centre.
Martin O'Neill, creative director with The Stove Network arts and community group in the town, said the suggested five-screen, 433-seat facility could give a major lift.
""I think something like that for Dumfries extends the cultural offer beyond what we currently already have, which is fantastic, but perhaps not as mainstream as people would like,"" he said.
""To see anything major you would have to go to Carlisle or further afield to actually see the next Star Wars or what have you.
""I think, beyond that, something like this could support businesses and other enterprises and contribute - potentially fairly significantly - to the regeneration of Dumfries.
""It has the potential to really bring Dumfries into some new territory, into some new realm.""
He said the loss of the old Odeon had been something which was on the cards for some time.
""I think the cinema quietly passed away, I don't think it was a blow as such, I think it sort of faded out of people's way of life,"" he said.
He said that was an issue facing cinemas across the country.
""But I think what this type of cinema can do is bring back those experiences and memories,"" he added.
""If you are a Doonhamer of the last 10 years or more you will have a memory of being in that cinema - you learned Darth Vader was Luke Skywalker's dad in that cinema.
""Everyone has that kind of experience at the cinema and to not have that currently feels like we are depriving ourselves a little bit.""
At present, the town has the 69-seat council film theatre at the Robert Burns Centre with a small multi-screen about 15 miles away in Annan or the larger sites in Carlisle.
re is also a ""pop-up"" cinema being offered by the Big Burns Supper.
Its chief executive, Graham Main, said there was no doubt there was an appetite for the big screen in the town.
""Interest in screenings at our pop-up cinema at the Loreburn Hall has been much higher than we anticipated, particularly around mainstream cinema releases,"" he said.
""Doonhamers like to get out and watch movies, there is no question about that.
""We have been pretty vocal about safeguarding culture in Dumfries in our 12-year history so we fully endorse this idea, in principle.""
He said it would be great to see a community group take the plan forward but pointed out that smaller operators often had to wait longer to get major titles.
""In practical terms, this means that Dumfries screenings would lag behind four to five weeks if a national operator didn't step forth and this doesn't feel good enough for our local community,"" he said.
Mr Main said whatever happened he hoped there would be some kind of interim solution offered until the ambitious multi-screen plan was delivered.
Otherwise, Dumfries will still have to wait a few more years before it gets to see the latest blockbusters on the big screen as soon as they are released. "	/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-63622975
entertainment	Norwich Puppet Theatre bridge brought back into use after 30 years	"A unique bridge in a puppet theatre that gives audiences a ""magical"" experience has been brought back into use after more than 30 years.
metal structure at the Norwich Puppet Theatre was restored after a £41,000 Arts Council England grant.
Built in the 1980s, its use declined as long-string marionettes fell out of fashion in favour of glove and rod puppets like The Muppets.
Puppeteer Rachel Leonard said bringing the bridge back was ""very special"".
It is being used in the production Cinderella, with the grant funding also contributing to puppeteer training and making the show accessible.
Created by Boulton and Paul, who made their name from creating prefabricated buildings during war time, the bridge is unique in its ability to move across the stage and be rigged on split levels.
It hides the puppeteers from the audience and offers them a birds-eye view of the ""miniature actors"" on long strings to the stage below.
""The marionette is like the Stradivari of the puppet world,"" said Mark Mander, producer and director of Cinderella.
""In the 1940s marionettes were the predominant style of puppetry, then television came along with The Muppets and that become the predominant image of puppetry,"" Mr Mander said.
""But for many people marionettes are proper puppets, it takes real skill to operate them on very long strings, about 3m (10ft) in this case, and as you don't see the puppeteer at all it creates a very magical, immersive world.""
Ms Leonard added: ""It's such a lovely chance to do a puppet show where you're unaware of the puppeteers.
""We use a wooden control with wire pieces so what you're doing with your hands is not the same as what the puppets are doing. It's like playing an instrument.""
uppeteers on Cinderella have worked on some of the world's most loved shows including Star Wars, The Muppets, Rainbow, The Dark Crystal from Netflix and Disney's new live-action version of Pinocchio staring Tom Hanks, shot at Cardington Studios in Bedfordshire.
Puppeteer Ronnie Le Drew was Tom Hanks's double in the Disney live action remake of Pinocchio
""I was very thrilled Disney said that they were going to use a proper marionette at the beginning of the film,"" said Ronnie Le Drew, who has also operated Zippy from the children's TV show Rainbow since the 1970s.
He added: ""Of course after the Blue Fairy comes in Pinocchio becomes a CGI character but the first few moments there was real puppet manipulating walking across the workshop floor. It was just a joy.""
""It's one of the most exciting things I've done for film.""
re director Peter Beck said the venue was aware families were struggling with cost of living, and had held its ticket prices. 
""Post-pandemic it's been a challenging time for theatres, especially small theatres in terms of funding, but if we can't provide some entertainment, some light relief when people are working endless hours - what's the point?""
Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-norfolk-63969116
health	Top hospitals targeted by nurse strikes	"A host of leading hospitals will be affected in next month's nurse strikes, the Royal College of Nursing says.
ude Great Ormond Street and Alder Hey children's hospitals and leading cancer centres.
Overall, around a quarter of hospitals and community services in England and nearly all those in Northern Ireland and Wales will see nurses walkout on 15 and 20 December.
Emergency care will continue to be provided during the strike action.
In total, 76 NHS organisations will see nurses walk out.
ude leading cancer centres the Royal Marsden and Liverpool's Clatterbridge centre alongside major hospitals in Birmingham, London, Liverpool, Newcastle and West Yorkshire.
All the health boards in Northern Ireland and all-but-one in Wales, the Aneurin Bevan, will see strike action take place.
But action has been suspended in Scotland after ministers there made a fresh pay offer, which the RCN is consulting on.
Meanwhile, Unison has announced ambulance staff including paramedics and call handlers, have voted to strike in five of England's 10 ambulance services. A walkout is expected before Christmas.
urnout was too low in the remainder for the votes to count, as well as in all but two of England's hospital and community trusts.
No services in Wales voted for strike action, but a walkout will happen across all services in Northern Ireland on 12 December, Unison said.
Overall, up to 100,000 nurses could be involved in the nurse walkout the RCN says, which would amount to about a quarter of nurses in those three nations.
RCN warned the government if a deal could not be agreed more services would be involved in the strike action next year.
RCN general secretary Pat Cullen said: ""Ministers have declined my offer of formal pay negotiations and instead chosen strike action.
""It has left us with no choice. Nursing is standing up for the profession and their patients. 
""We've had enough of being taken for granted and being unable to provide the care patients deserve.""
Watch this video quiz to test your knowledge of nurses' pay
rike action will last from 08:00 to 20:00 GMT.
Under trade union laws, the RCN has to ensure life-preserving care
kely to mean some cancer services, urgent tests and scans and ongoing care for vulnerable patients will be protected alongside A&E and intensive care - although it will be up to local health bosses and union leaders to negotiate exact staffing levels on strike days.
But it seems almost certain the walkout will increase the backlog in non-urgent hospital treatment - a record seven million people are already on the waiting list in England.
GP services, however, will be unaffected as nurses working in practices were not entitled to take part in the ballot.
In England, the RCN only has mandates for strike action in just over half of NHS trusts as the turnout was too low in the rest.
For the forthcoming strikes the union's leadership has decided to only announce walkouts in around half of those eligible to take action.
RCN has called for a rise of 5% above the RPI inflation rate, which currently stands at above 14%, but no UK nation has offered close to that.
In England and Wales, NHS staff, including nurses, have been given a rise of at least £1,400 - worth about 4% on average for nurses.
In Northern Ireland, nurses are yet to receive a pay award because there is no working government.
Earlier this month Scottish ministers made a fresh offer worth more than 8% for a newly-qualified nurse, with more senior nurses being offered less. This prompted the re-starting of talks.
During the ballot - the results of which were announced two weeks ago - the RCN had argued this year's below-inflation pay award came after years of squeezes on nurse's salaries. 
But England Health Secretary Steve Barclay has said the RCN's demands are not affordable.
He has said the government had met the recommendations of the independent NHS Pay Review Body in giving its award.
And it followed a 3% pay rise last year, in recognition of work during the pandemic, despite a public-sector pay freeze.
Welsh government said it was unable to enter pay talks without extra funding from the UK government.
will only be the second time RCN members have been on strike.
In 2019, nurses in Northern Ireland walked out over pay, while nurses who are members of Unison in England walked out in 2014 over pay.
A host of other major health unions, including Unison, the Royal College of Midwives, GMB and Unite, have all started balloting members."	/news/health-63799244
politics	What made Senedd members laugh in 2022?	"Senedd's official record, which provides a transcript of proceedings, does not easily reflect the emotions involved in parliamentary debate, but it does indicate ""[laughter]"" when it's particularly conspicuous. 
So what has made Members of the Senedd (MSs) laugh in the Siambr - the Senedd chamber - in 2022? 
Are they things that cross the divide to the written format or did you have to be there to appreciate the humour? 
You can decide for yourself with this selection.
Some of the matters that tickled funny bones involved animals. Conservative group leader Andrew RT Davies - a farmer who famously described himself as ""19 stone of prime Welsh beef"" - seemed to surprise himself with a question about biodiversity on the Senedd estate.
He asked: ""Have you thought about putting habitats in place, such as hedgehog houses, so they can hibernate in those houses and people can show greater interest in the wildlife that's in the bay area? I can't believe I've asked this question, to be honest with you.""
When Minister for Climate Change Julie James made a statement on biodiversity she referred to a film about Yellowstone park in the western United States and the reintroduction of wolves there.
She said the Welsh government had been looking ""at whether the reintroduction of beavers is a good idea in some of our rivers. I have no idea yet - nobody panic.""
Llywydd (presiding officer) Elin Jones drew a laugh by confessing ""I'm panicking more about wolves, actually.""
Huw Irranca-Davies joined in by teasing his fellow Labour colleague Mike Hedges, MS for Swansea East, that he was ""looking forward to the wolves in Singleton Park"" in the city.
Julie James, who represents Swansea West, couldn't resist adding ""there are some people who would say there were already wolves in Singleton Park"".
On the tangential topic of animal produce, when Janet Finch-Saunders was thinking about a summer event and told her Conservative colleague Laura Anne Jones ""I'm very much looking forward to sharing a roast pork and apple sauce"", the latter immediately made clear ""I'm not sharing"".
When the Senedd's only Liberal Democrat, Jane Dodds tried to stand up for farmers by emphasising the financial pressures they face, her comments were open to misinterpretation.
""I'm interested to hear from Mike Hedges that he knows of farmers with pockets full of gold. I'd love to be introduced to them, please."" 
Some of the humour came about when members shared insights into their personal lives, hobbies and interests.
Plaid Cymru's Heledd Fychan told members about her enjoyment of the Anglesey Show.
""I've always visited since being a child, with my lifelong friend Ann, going on the waltzers. We used to do that, and we still do - we're not too old for that. 
""So, I look forward to doing that again. I think I'm sharing too much today, perhaps.""
Conservative James Evans admitted ""golf is probably my number one love in life"". 
After seeing reaction from other members, he added ""no, I won't tell my girlfriend. I spend much of my time on the golf course, and she isn't very happy about that either"".
Health minister Eluned Morgan revealed that she shares her birthday with former senior Labour UK minister Peter Hain, media personality Amanda Holden and John Taylor from Duran Duran ""so I'm in very good company"".
Conservative Tom Giffard's love of the Eurovision Song Contest was illustrated when, in calling on the Welsh government to back a bid for Cardiff to host the contest, he urged ministers to show "" 'Ooh Aah...Just a Little Bit' more ambition"", a reference to the UK entry in 1996, performed by Gina G.
Mr Giffard later referred to something else as ""one of the Conchita Wurst suggestions I've heard in this chamber"", before acknowledging the groans, ""no, that one didn't land. Okay.""  Conchita Wurst won the contest in 2014. 
racticalities of contributing to proceedings can give rise to humour.
Conservative Russell George apologised for ""confusion"" which he said was caused by ""trying to remove my face mask at the same time as not having my translation equipment on."" The Llywydd Elin Jones responded dryly ""multitasking can be difficult for some"". Mr George acknowledged, ""especially for men, yes"".
An unknown MS was waving at a colleague at the precise moment the Llywydd was asking whether anyone was objecting to a proposal to agree a motion. The Llywydd advised ""perhaps you should consider the timing of the wave for next time"".
When deputy presiding officer David Rees called on members to ""avoid heckling"" Andrew RT Davies ""so much"", Mr Davies replied by channelling Dad's Army's Corporal Jones, ""they don't like it up 'em'."" 
When the Finance Minister, Rebecca Evans, brought her contribution to a debate to a close having seen the Llywydd's facial expression she explained, ""I thought I might have been going on too long."" 
Llywydd responded: ""I need to work on my poker face, obviously.""
Seeking to compliment Jane Mudd's leadership of Newport City Council, deputy minister Hannah Blythyn muddled her up with her Welsh government colleague Jane Hutt. 
She valiantly tried to recover the situation: ""Jane Hutt shows leadership as well.""
Finally, what kind of question does the first minister deem to be impossible to answer without attracting criticism in Wales? 
One came from his Labour colleague Huw Irranca-Davies.
""What is your favourite part of the Wales coast path?""
""Oh dear, oh dear,"" Mark Drakeford responded.
""You know a hospital pass when it comes your way in Wales, don't you?
""To choose a part of a path that goes all the way around Wales is guaranteed to offend far more people than it will ever please, so I thank the member for that opportunity."" 
He put his head on the block, citing the walk between Pendine and Amroth.
Humour can be a powerful weapon to score party political points on policy issues, but in the spirit of the season of goodwill, that is a matter for another day."	/news/uk-wales-politics-63986150
entertainment	North East tourist boards pilot £2.25m scheme to boost visitors	"rth-east of England is to pilot a £2.25m project aimed at attracting tourists and major events.
A partnership of Visit Northumberland, the Newcastle Gateshead Initiative and Visit County Durham will target investment, new businesses and jobs.
will run across the region's seven local authority areas.
Newcastle Gateshead Initiative chief Sarah Green said it was an opportunity for ""reinforcing local pride in our place"".
She said: ""Our region will act as a blueprint for the rest of England.
""From Auckland Castle to Alnwick Gardens, from dark skies to sparkly venues, from fish and chips to fine dining, the aim of this partnership is to provide an inclusive welcome for all.""
A review last year of tourism boards, which market areas to businesses and visitors, found there were too many.
Having more than 150 of different sizes made it confusing for tourists planning breaks and businesses looking to invest, the report concluded.
government set out plans earlier this year to streamline tourist boards, now known as destination management organisations (DMOs), by concentrating on the top performing bodies.
It hopes they will increase visitor numbers, create jobs, and attract major business, cultural and sporting events, highlighting the Tour de Yorkshire and the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham as examples.
It believes by working in partnership, DMOs will be able to attract new hotels, make use of heritage and culture, and exploit the potential of the region's natural assets, including its dark skies, beaches and national parks, while making them sustainable and fully accessible.
urism Minister Stuart Andrew said the North East had much to offer tourists but ""we want to go further and attract even more visitors"".
government wanted to streamline the way the region's tourism bodies worked together to ""improve the region's offer and the way it markets itself"", he said.
will be monitored and, if effective, the partnership model could be rolled out to other regions.
Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk."	/news/uk-england-tyne-63759986
business	Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng hails 'new era' as he unveils tax cuts	"Watch: Stamp duty to income tax - What to know about Kwarteng's 'new era'
Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng has unveiled the biggest package of tax cuts in 50 years, as he hailed a ""new era"" for the UK economy. 
Income tax and the stamp duty on home purchases will be cut and planned rises in business taxes have been scrapped.
Mr Kwarteng said a major change of direction was needed to kick start economic growth.
But Labour said it would not solve the cost-of-living crisis and was a ""plan to reward the already wealthy"".
It comes as the Bank of England warns the UK may already be in recession.
und sank to a fresh 37-year low against the dollar as the chancellor gave his statement. 
In a departure from Boris Johnson's economic policies, Mr Kwarteng has scrapped plans to push up taxes to pay for public services, with the aim of boosting economic growth.
In a Commons statement, being dubbed a mini-budget, he said high tax rates ""damage Britain's competitiveness"", reducing the incentive to work and for businesses to invest. 
He announced that the basic rate of income tax would be reduced by one percentage point to 19% in April - one year earlier than planned. 
He also unveiled a cut to the top rate of income tax from 45% to 40%, meaning the UK will have a single higher rate from April. 
Other measures include:
Mr Kwarteng fulfilled promises to reverse the rise in National Insurance payments introduced by Mr Johnson to pay for social care and tackle the NHS backlog.
He confirmed a planned corporation tax increase from 19% to 25% would also be scrapped.
f the permanent tax cuts announced by the chancellor are estimated at almost £45bn by 2027, which the chancellor said would ""turn the vicious cycle of stagnation into a virtuous cycle of growth"". 
""We need a new approach for a new era, focused on growth,"" he added. 
Government borrowing will increase by £72bn as a result of the announcements, according to the Treasury. 
ges to income tax do not apply in Scotland but cuts to corporation tax and national insurance are UK-wide.
Paul Johnson, director of the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies, said the statement amounted to the biggest tax cuts since the 1972 Budget, with the cuts 50% bigger than had been expected. 
He said that the UK could be borrowing £120bn in three years' time to afford the measures.
Mr Johnson added that the plans were a ""big gamble"", with money being pumped into the economy when inflation remains high. However, he said they were ""manageable"" if economic growth ""really picks up"". 
mini-budget. This is a radical tax-cutting economic intervention, which is a significant change of course. 
Boris Johnson's tax plans have been junked. Many households will save some money, but some of the biggest tax cuts will be for those with the biggest salaries. 
And this will cost a lot of money.
r's calculation is that it's worth it. People need help with bills and slashing tax will stimulate growth. If you grow the economy, there will be more tax raised and that will help pay the debt in the medium term.
But many are sceptical it will work. 
Senior Conservatives have been warning for months that the strategy is wrong and will saddle future generations with debt. 
Opposition parties believe the government has the wrong priorities with tax cuts for the wealthy and should be raising more money from a windfall tax on energy company profits.
reasury hasn't said when it expects to achieve its desired economic growth.
But the chancellor is determined to press ahead with a radical change of direction. The big question now: will it work?
Labour described his statement as ""an admission of 12 years of economic failure"". 
""The Conservatives cannot solve the cost-of-living crisis, the Conservatives are the cost-of-living crisis, and our country cannot afford them anymore,"" shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said. 
""The chancellor has made clear who his priorities are today. Not a plan for growth. A plan to reward the already wealthy. A return to the trickle-down of the past. Back to the future, not a brave new era.""
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey said: ""This was the billionaire's budget, showing the Conservatives are completely out of touch with families struggling to pay the bills.""
Watch: Labour says Tories created 'vicious circle of stagnation'
ment also included details of the cost of the government's plan to cap energy bills for households and businesses.
Mr Kwarteng said these estimated costs were ""particularly uncertain, given volatile energy prices"" but based on recent prices the total cost of the package for the six months from October was expected to be around £60bn. 
""We expect the cost to come down as we negotiate new, long-term energy contracts with suppliers,"" he added. 
government normally releases an independent forecast of how major tax changes will impact the economy, but Mr Kwarteng has opted not to do this, as his statement is not technically a Budget.
However, Mr Kwarteng promised the Office for Budget Responsibility would publish a full economic forecast before the end of the year, with a second to follow in the new year. 
uge increase in borrowing comes at a time when inflation - the rate at which prices rise - is at a 40-year high, leading to higher interest payments. 
On Thursday the Bank of England raised interest rates from 1.75% to 2.25% - the highest level for 14 years - in an attempt to cool soaring prices. 
A not-so-mini-budget: What’s it all about?
What are your questions on the cost of living crisis? What would you like to know about the chancellor's mini-budget? Send your questions to  yourquestions@bbc.co.uk.
You can also send your questions 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 YourQuestions@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. "	/news/uk-politics-63005302
entertainment	Debbie McGee to sell off Paul Daniels magic props	"Debbie McGee is selling off £200,000 of illusion tricks and props that belonged to her late husband Paul Daniels.
udes cards, wands, his top hat, equipment used on his BBC show, and a letter from Harry Houdini.
An illusion box, which would be filled with swords with McGee inside, is expected to fetch £12,000, while 500 vintage magic posters could sell for £60,000. 
ms are being auctioned by Special Auction Services in Newbury.
Paul Daniels died in 2016 aged 77 at his Berkshire home, a month after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Special Auction Services said the auction included the ""biggest collection of magic posters ever to be sold in the UK"".
Director Thomas Forrester said: ""Magic appeals to everyone of all ages. It has the ability to transport you back to childhood and to the time when you first saw magic being performed.
""Paul Daniels gave that sense of amazement to his audiences throughout his illustrious career and we are honoured and privileged to be selling his fabulous collection.""
Daniels collected vintage posters and other related items during his travels around the world, which date back to the 1800s.
re is a poster of legendary magician Chung Ling Soo, estimated at £2,500, and a letter from Harry Houdini to Liverpudlian magician Will Goldston, estimated at £1,200.
were all stored at the house Daniels and McGee shared in Wargrave, Berkshire.
McGee told Hello magazine: ""For the magical world to have even a little something of Paul's is a big thing.
""I don't need to hang on to all of this - my memories are what I have.""
uction will take place on 23 and 24 November. 
Some of magician Paul Daniels' best tricks
Follow BBC South on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to south.newsonline@bbc.co.uk."	/news/uk-england-berkshire-63312607
sports	Tennis in 2023: What can Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic & Emma Raducanu expect?	"The new tennis season starts this week with the inaugural United Cup in Australia.
mixed team event, running from 29 December to 8 January, will feature many of the world's top players and offer a chance to gauge their form before the opening Grand Slam of the year - the Australian Open - starts on 16 January.
Before the first ball of the season is hit, we consider what the big tennis questions for 2023 might be and ask BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller for his verdict. 
Rafael Nadal won two Grand Slam titles in 2022, taking his tally to a men's record 22 major singles trophies.
It was something of a resurgence for the 36-year-old - he had not won back-to-back Grand Slams for 12 years - and his 14th French Open title came despite having ""no feeling"" in his left foot as he was having multiple injections to numb chronic foot pain.
After the victory in Paris he had a nerve-burning treatment so that he could avoid further jabs and he went on to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals before withdrawing with an abdominal injury.
He shed tears in September when he played alongside Roger Federer as the Swiss called time on his career and while Nadal's mind clearly wants to continue playing tennis at the highest level, it seems that his body is becoming increasingly reluctant and it may not be too long before he follows his great rival into retirement.
Nadal will play at the United Cup so we should get an early clue as to what his physical condition looks like before he defends his Australian Open title.
Russell Fuller's verdict: Not entirely, I suspect, but Nadal proved last year he can still win Grand Slams in between rest periods. And he is a past master at getting himself fit for the second week at Roland Garros. 
A year ago Novak Djokovic was deported from Australia before he could begin the defence of his title after his visa was cancelled in a row over his Covid-19 vaccine status.
He was automatically banned from entering the country for three years but that has been overturned and the former world number one will now return to Melbourne seeking a record-extending 10th title.
ga dominated the headlines in the build-up last year, splitting public opinion, and it is unclear what kind of reception the Serb will get when he walks out on court. Tournament director Craig Tiley said last month he expected the crowd to be ""fair"".
Russell Fuller's verdict: My hunch is quite a good one. I'm sure there will be some anger on radio phone-ins as he arrives in the country, and a few larrikins in the stands come the Australian Open, but he is a nine-time champion who can win those fans over.
ree out of the four men's major titles were won by Nadal and Djokovic in 2022, continuing a pattern of recent years - the pair have won 15 of the past 18 Grand Slam titles. 
But the past three editions of the US Open have been won by different players, with Dominic Thiem, Daniil Medvedev and Carlos Alcaraz winning their maiden Grand Slam titles in New York.
Nadal has question marks over his fitness, Djokovic is short of match practice after his vaccination status ruled him out of various events in 2022 and Federer has retired, which may open the door for some new champions.
Denmark's Holger Rune put himself firmly in the conversation by coming from behind to beat Djokovic in the final of the prestigious Paris Masters final in November and the 19-year-old has set his eyes on more. 
""I know what I want,"" he said. ""I want to win Slams. I won an ATP 250, reached an ATP 500 final and won a Masters 1,000. It's time for a Slam win.""
Norwegian 23-year-old Casper Ruud, runner-up at the French and US Opens in 2022, will be hoping to go one better, while Australian Nick Kyrgios, 27, will be aiming to carry on the momentum he built with a Wimbledon final appearance and a US Open quarter-final. 
In the women's game, Tunisia's Ons Jabeur will be keen to take one of the big prizes after back-to-back finals in the last two Grand Slams of last season. 
Russell Fuller's verdict: Ons Jabeur and Casper Ruud now have Grand Slam final experience and a very high seeding and I don't see any reason why they can't take the final step. And, more speculatively, could China's Zheng Qinwen or even 17-year-old Czech Linda Fruhvirtova go the distance?
Wimbledon organisers were fined for their decision to ban Russian and Belarusian players from the grass-court Grand Slam this year because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
re is no end in sight to the war so Wimbledon is likely to face a sensitive decision in the coming months about whether to continue to ban the players.
men's ATP Tour and women's WTA Tour also stripped Wimbledon of ranking points in response to the ban and while last year players were still attracted to the event, it could become less appealing to them if there are no points once again.
Russell Fuller's verdict: The All England Club will be extremely anxious to avoid a repeat of last year and return the championships to full strength. But it will still be very difficult for them to ignore any strong governmental direction (whether public or otherwise) to ban Russian players.
Emma Raducanu's first full year on the tour was frequently interrupted by injuries and coaching changes, with the 20-year-old Briton unable to build on her stunning 2021 US Open success with more titles. 
In a bid to make herself less prone to injury, she has been working with physical trainer Jez Green, who played a key role in Andy Murray's physical development early in his career.
""My biggest goal in 2023 is to be more injury free,"" she told lifestyle magazine SheerLuxe earlier this month. 
""This year, the demands of the tour, going from having no training or stamina to being thrown into competing at the top level, my body has struggled.
""So, I'll be working hard to keep my body in good shape and improving. If you want a 'resolution' it's probably to be consistent. Put in the work, day in, day out.""
Russell Fuller's verdict: The omens are more encouraging. Despite the wrist injury she took into pre-season, Raducanu has had a much better training block. She avoided Covid this year, and looks set to share Jez Green with Dominic Thiem on tour next year.
r marked a breakthrough season for 21-year-old Briton Jack Draper, who rose to a career-high world number 41 from 265 at the start of the year. 
He reached the Eastbourne semi-finals and an ATP 1,000 quarter-final in Canada, was well as the Next Gen Finals, which are for the Tour's best players aged 21 and under.
Victories against top-10 players Stefanos Tsitsipas and Felix Auger-Aliassime, as well as former world number three Dominic Thiem, showed he can compete at the highest level and makes him one to watch in 2023.
Russell Fuller's verdict: Finishing the year in the top 20 would be fantastic, and not implausible. He starts the year at 42 - trying to halve your ranking in a season is always a good target for aspiring young players.
It's not entirely impossible.
Since a farewell ceremony at the US Open in September following the 41-year-old's announcement she was ""evolving away"" from tennis, the American 23-time Grand Slam singles champion has maintained that she is ""not retired"".
And last month she posted a photo of a tennis racquet in plastic wrapping with the words ""I'm a little bored"".
Surely, she couldn't?
Russell Fuller's verdict: No. But I am sure she will think about it in the spring with Wimbledon and the US Open fast approaching."	/sport/tennis/63985689
business	Up to 200 jobs at risk at Meggitt in Coventry	"About 200 people are set to lose their jobs at an aerospace and weapons firm.
Meggitt, based at Coventry's Ansty business park, was taken over by US firm Parker last month.
Parker Meggitt said the merger of the two businesses had meant some of the work previously undertaken at Meggitt may no longer be required, potentially affecting up to a 10th of the company's UK workforce.
Bosses are ""committed"" to reducing the impact of the changes, it has said.
About 2,300 people are employed by the company across the UK in total.
Following the announcement, a consultation with employee representatives would begin soon and last a minimum of 45 days, the firm has said.
A spokesman for the company said: ""Parker Meggitt is committed to a clear and transparent process with options to reduce the impact of the proposed changes, including the consideration of voluntary redundancy.""
Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-63251123
sports	Welsh Sports Hall of fame: Kevin Ratcliffe, Georgia Davies and Helen Jenkins inducted	"Ex-Wales captain Kevin Ratcliffe and Olympians Georgia Davies and Helen Jenkins have been inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame.
Ratcliffe skippered Everton to two First Division titles as well as an FA Cup and European Cup Winners Cup.
Swimmer Georgia Davies represented Team GB at London 2012 and Rio 2016 and won 20 international medals, including Commonwealth gold.
Double world triathlon champion Jenkins competed at two Olympics.
Maurice Richards and Robert Weale were also inducted, with Ted Peterson and Mike Davies posthumously inducted during a ceremony at Cardiff City Stadium.
BBC Sport Wales producer and programme maker Craig Withycombe won the Peter Corrigan Welsh sports media award following his documentary ""Slammed"" which tells the story of the tumultuous years of Welsh rugby between 1998 and 2008.
Former Wales dual code rugby international Richards was part of the British and Irish Lions that toured South Africa in 1968 and also won two Great Britain rugby league caps.
Weale won six Commonwealth Games lawn bowls medals, including gold at Edinburgh 1986 and Delhi 2010, and was world indoor champion in 2000.
Peterson, often described as Mr Baseball, won eight Wales caps and, as well later managing the team, was chairman of the Welsh Baseball Union and then president until his death in 2005.
Mike Davies, who died in 2015, was once ranked Britain's number one male tennis player. A Davis Cup player, he reached the Wimbledon men's doubles final in 1960 before a successful career in administration of marketing of the game.
re have now been 153 individuals from 30 different sports who have been inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame since 1989.
Former Welsh rugby international turned endurance athlete Richard Parks received the Rhodri Morgan award."	/sport/wales/62969711
entertainment	'I learnt how to channel my addiction into art'	"A former homeless drug addict has turned his life around and is now an up-and-coming graffiti pop artist hosting an exhibition in an east London gallery.
Opake, also known as Ed Worley, was recently offered a lucrative contract by a top gallery, but he turned the offer down and chose Quantus Gallery, where he decided to host a homeless breakfast with Centrepoint.
His exhibition, ""Sanity Through Repetition"", follows the influences of his personal journey through addiction. 
It is running until 19 November. 
Video journalist: Olivia Demetriades"	/news/uk-england-london-63474060
technology	New Bedford vertical farm to help food security - minister	"An agriculture minister said she expected indoor farms to ""play a large part in the future"" of farming.
Jo Churchill MP made the comment at the opening of a vertical farm in Bedford, which is one of the largest in Europe.
facility - Infarm - which measures 10,000 sq m (2.5 acres) in size, has the capacity to grow millions of crops each year in tall units without soil.
mpany said the farm used 95% less water than traditional farming methods and no chemical pesticides.
Ms Churchill, Conservative MP for Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, said indoor farms, growing food using the hydroponic method, would play an important role in helping UK food security and sustainability.
Under the method, plants are fed directly with mineral nutrients in water, often under artificial light.
minister for Agri-Innovation and Climate Adaptation, said: ""This is innovation, we have the traditional but we also have this high-tech development.
""The world needs food, so actually finding better and diverse ways to deliver that, both to the customer, there is space for everybody to produce optimally.
""This is definitely going to play a large part in the future.""
Bedford site is Infarm's first high-capacity growing centre in the UK and can feature up to 40 cloud-connected farming units, each standing 10 metres high. 
Each unit can grow more than 500,000 plants per year - the equivalent of a football field worth of crops.
Ms Churchill said she expected this method of farming to generate more jobs for young people, especially in the areas of robotics, artificial intelligence and plant breeding.
Bedford MP Mohammad Yasin, Labour, said the venture would create between 50 and 70 new jobs. 
""The UK is overly dependent on food imports leaving us dangerously exposed to food insecurity and soaring food prices,"" he said. 
""I'm really excited that Bedford is now home to one of Europe's largest vertical farming facilities at the forefront of new ways to grow more food domestically.""
Infarm said an estimated 2.5 million litres of rainwater would be captured and used in its Bedford farm.
Water which evaporates from plants would also be recycled back into the system.
f produce grown this way included herbs, leafy greens, salads, microgreens, and mushrooms. 
Strawberries, peppers, cherry tomatoes and peas would also be grown going forward, the firm said.
""Every vertical farm is connected to a central farming brain which gathers data constantly to improve plant yield, taste and nutritional value, while further reducing the use of natural resources,"" said Infarm.
Erez Galonska, co-founder of Infarm, said: ""The opening of this UK facility is aligned with our goal to change the food system for the better by improving the safety, quality and environmental footprint of our food.""
Bedford farm said it planned to install solar panels to provide renewable energy.  
""By the end of 2022 we aim to procure close to 100% green-certified, renewable and low-carbon sources of electricity across our network,"" it said. 
Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-61954771
entertainment	Museum bids to save tram that killed Coronation Street villain Alan Bradley	"A museum is trying to save a piece of TV history by offering a new home to the tram that knocked down and killed Coronation Street villain Alan Bradley.
1989 episode when Bradley chased his long-suffering partner Rita Fairclough into the path of the tram in Blackpool was watched by 27m people.
Blackpool's Tramtown Museum needs to raise £2,500 by end of the year to rescue the tram.
money is needed to transport the tram from Fleetwood. 
Local Democracy Reporting Service said the double decker, which is known as tram number 710, is owned by the Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust and currently based on land at Fleetwood Docks.
But it needs a new home by the end of the year.
ramtown volunteer and local councillor Paul Galley said: ""This is a unique opportunity to save a bit of Blackpool's history.
""We know it will be popular as 'where is the tram that killed Alan Bradley?' is the most popular question we get asked by visitors to Tramtown.""
Blackpool Transport's head of heritage Bryan Lindop said: ""We know that not only can we save this unique tram, but tram 710 can work for Blackpool in a different way over the years, to become an attraction in its own right.""
Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-lancashire-63769067
entertainment	Camp Bestival Dorset: Grace Jones and Craig David among headliners	"Grace Jones, Craig David and The Kooks will be among the headliners for Camp Bestival's 15th birthday event in Dorset, organisers have announced.
family festival returns to Lulworth Castle from 27 to 30 July 2023.
Melanie C, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Sam Ryder, Ella Henderson and Confidence Man are also among the performers.
A sister Camp Bestival show will be held in Shropshire in August after making its debut last year.
In 2022, the festival in Dorset broke the world record for the largest disco dance, raising money for the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust.
r's event will see festivalgoers dressed in animal costumes to match the theme ""Animal Snap"".
Organiser Rob da Bank said the festival was in a strong position after briefly entering administration in 2018.
He said: ""We've already sold over half the tickets so demand is huge.
""We've kept our prices the same... this year going into next year. We're... very conscious that coming to Camp Bestival, like any festival, is not cheap.""
kets will go on general sale from Thursday.
Follow BBC South on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to south.newsonline@bbc.co.uk."	/news/uk-england-dorset-63621690
sports	Ulster Club SFC: 'Years of hurt fuel Glen's rise to Ulster summit'	"For Glen, Sunday's Ulster Club Football Final represented a tantalising opportunity to shed the last remnants of a reputation that has haunted the club for decades.
Last year, the men from Maghera finally smashed through the glass ceiling in Derry. For so long they had been looked upon as the county's perennial underachievers, the nearly men.
g-awaited and hugely emotional county triumph paved the way for a debut Ulster campaign that ended in heartache. 
Having overcome Scotstown, Glen's dreams of conquering Ulster at the first attempt were dashed by Kilcoo in a tense semi-final.
feeling of anguish was nothing the Glen players hadn't felt before, but their hurt was only deepened by watching Kilcoo go on to claim the Ulster and All-Ireland titles. 
However, having defended their Derry crown in October, the Watty Graham's side overcame Errigal Ciaran and Cargin to set up another date with Kilcoo and the chance to extinguish the painful memories of 12 months ago in their first Ulster final. 
me, it was to be Glen's day and the emotion poured out of those in green and gold at the final whistle of a gripping championship slugfest, their elation contrasting starkly with the Kilcoo players' devastation. 
For Michael Warnock, Sunday's win was redemption after ""years and years of hurt"".
""We've even listened to it [criticism] last year and we weren't happy with ourselves last year,"" admitted the Glen centre half-back.
""We felt we didn't go for the game, maybe the occasion got to us and we said this year 'we're going to come and win it'. 
""After the Errigal game, we said 'this is a massive opportunity'. We've only ever won two Derry championships so to get over the line in our second year in Ulster against a team like Kilcoo really is special.""
While Glen were far from their best in the semi-final win over Cargin, hitting six wides in an errant first-half showing, they came flying out of the traps in an engrossing Athletic Grounds showpiece.
Malachy O'Rourke's side led 0-5 to 0-0 after 11 minutes thanks to scores from five different players, and while Aaron Branagan's goal brought Kilcoo back into it, Paul Devlin's missed penalty saw the Derry champions hold a slender one-point advantage at the break.
And Glen's early scoring burst helped them keep their noses in front before pulling away in the closing stages, with Alex Doherty's injury-time goal capping the biggest result in the Derry club's history to spark jubilant scenes among those who had travelled down from the Oak Leaf county.
""I didn't even see the ball going in the net. I'd already turned around and was going nuts,"" smiled Doherty. 
""I saw the crowd celebrating. At that point you just knew it was over so it was an unbelievable feeling.
""A fast start is massive against a team like Kilcoo. They're always going to be chipping away and coming back to getting the lead early was massive - we went out and targeted that.""
Glen were able to count on star performers throughout the team. Conor Glass and Emmett Bradley got through a mountain of work in midfield, while goalkeeper Connlan Bradley made a crucial save to deny Ceilum Doherty 11 minutes from time.
Man of the match Conleth McGuckian in attack and full-back Ryan Dougan made telling contributions at either end of the field, while Glen's spirit was summed up by the indefatigable Tiarnan Flannagan, who produced a heroic effort a week after undergoing a heart procedure to have an artery widened.
r cause was also aided by stalwart forward Danny Tallon, who added 0-5 to the 1-4 he struck against Cargin, and the 26-year-old echoed his captain Connor Carville's post-match speech as he portrayed the satisfaction of shaking the 'underachievers' label. 
""Connor summed it up there. We've been seen as underachievers. Getting over the line in Derry was a relief. This is another relief,"" said Tallon, who made his championship debut for Glen in 2013.
""We made our first Derry final in 2019 [against Magherafelt], probably went into that one as favourites and didn't get it done, so that drove us on.
""But we have a good age profile, a good, young team so we weren't panicking either. We knew that if we kept doing the right things, we'd get over the line.""
right. Nine of the 15 players that started for Glen on Sunday are 26 or younger. The age profile is there for Glen to establish themselves as mainstays at the highest echelons of the Ulster club scene.
mmediate concern, of course, is an All-Ireland semi-final against Galway's first-time Connacht champions Moycullen in January. And Tallon allowed himself - just for a moment - to dream of going beyond the last four. 
""It's the stuff of dreams, going to an All-Ireland final with your club,"" Tallon admitted when asked about being one win away from a trip to Croke Park. 
""But I'm sure Moycullen will be very strong and tough to get over in the semi-final.
""We'll enjoy this on Monday, and maybe even Tuesday, then we'll concentrate on them and give it our best shot.""
So far, Glen's best shot has been pretty good. It's brought them two Derry titles and now an Ulster crown. 
Emulating Kilcoo's All-Ireland win will take a monumental drive from a group of players who have already poured everything into this campaign.
But after so many hurtful defeats down the years, they're just grateful to have the chance. "	/sport/gaelic-games/63912380
sports	Lucy Renshall: British judoka retains Grand Slam title in Abu Dhabi	"British world number one Lucy Renshall has retained her Abu Dhabi Grand Slam gold medal with victory over Portugal's Barbara Timo.
Renshall, 26, cruised past her opponent in the final of the -63kg category to earn a fifth career Grand Slam title.
It is her fourth Grand Slam victory since last year's Olympic games after adding wins in Baku and Antalya to her first title in Abu Dhabi.
Fellow Briton Jemima Yeats-Brown won bronze in the women's -70kg category.
27-year-old took 19 seconds to beat Israel's Maya Goshen in the bronze medal match to secure her second Grand Slam podium finish.
Renshall said she was ""grateful"" to be able to return to action after recovering from an elbow injury which ruled her out of the Commonwealth Games last summer. 
""I am so happy to get my fifth Grand Slam gold medal today, but it's really all down to the team behind me at British Judo,"" she said.
""Fourteen weeks ago I had surgery, and to get me back fighting at this level this quickly I am so grateful."""	/sport/judo/63359613
politics	PMQS: SNP accuses new PM of 'sleazy deal' to get into power	"Ian Blackford has accused Rishi Sunak of doing a ""sleazy backroom deal"" with Suella Braverman in order to get into No 10.
SNP Westminster leader claimed there was a “return to the sleaze and scandal” of previous governments and called for the home secretary to be sacked over an email data breach.
She resigned over the issue under former PM Liz Truss, but was reappointed by Mr Sunak just a few days later. 
In response, Rishi Sunak spoke of his phone call with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on his first day in office, saying he wanted to work with her and he believed in “a strong United Kingdom"".
Live: New PM Rishi Sunak in first Starmer clash at PMQs"	/news/uk-politics-63399204
entertainment	Pavement on their reunion: 'We're like an uncaged tiger'	"Depending on who you ask, Pavement are either the greatest indie band of the nineties, or a minor blip on the rock landscape.
Formed in California in 1989, they were the ultimate underground band, whose noisy, shambolic songs were laced with enough melodic charm to lodge permanently in your brain. 
r first two albums, Slanted and Enchanted (1992) and Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (1994) were hailed as masterpieces of lo-fi, slacker rock - a description that's technically true, but which fails to capture their magic.
From the fuzzy squall of Summer Babe to the celestial balladry of Spit On A Stranger and the goofiness of Cut Your Hair, Pavement knew their way around a pop song, no matter how awkward the delivery. 
uilt an audience who gorged on frontman Stephen Malkmus's wayward song structures and cryptic lyrics (""Lies and betrayals / Fruit-covered nails,"" he sang, mystifyingly, on Trigger Cut).
But after Crooked Rain pushed Pavement towards the limelight, an unpredictable follow-up - 1995's Wowee Zowee - put them back in the shadows. 
It was an act of commercial self-sabotage that only deepened their cult appeal. Pavement never committed the ""sin"" of having a hit song and they quit while they were ahead: Disbanding in 1999, with just five almost-perfect albums to their name.
r last show, in London's Brixton Academy, hinted at internal tensions. Attaching handcuffs to his microphone, Malkmus told the audience: ""These symbolise what it's like being in a band all these years."" When the gig ended, the band left on one side of the stage, and Malkmus walked off in the opposite direction. 
But percussionist Bob Nastanovich says the myth surrounding Pavement's demise is more dramatic than the reality.
""It's never been anywhere near as bad as people thought it was,"" he says. ""There really wasn't that much drama at all. It was more about exhaustion and desire to do other things.""
For Nastanovich, that meant a career in horse racing - but today he's speaking on Zoom from San Francisco, where Pavement are in the middle of a reunion tour (their second, after a previous fling in 2010). 
We're quickly joined on the call by Malkmus, mid-order at a local coffee joint. Americano in hand, he chats enthusiastically about their upcoming London shows and the band's giant video screen, which he's nicknamed R2-FU.
""The tour's been great so far,"" he beams. ""I'm sort of like a tiger let out of the cage. An older, greyer tiger.""
His sunny disposition might seem out of character to longtime fans. In Pavement's prime, Malkmus was often accused of being surly and aloof. According to drummer Steve West, there were times he refused to speak to his bandmates, pulling a jacket over his head and referring to himself as ""the little bitch"".
But he rejected those characterisations, telling one reporter it was all ""part of the act"". 
""I'm nice at the bottom of my heart, but I like the 'tough love, bitchy performer' thing.""
, he seems mellow. He talks in ellipses and apologises several times for rambling - but there's an obvious affection for Pavement and its fans.
fanbase has only expanded in recent years.
As the dust of the 90s settled, Pavement's stock rose, with acts like Blur, Animal Collective, Deerhunter and Beabadoobee citing them as a major influence. Rolling Stone recently ranked Slanted and Enchanted at number 199 in its top 500 albums of all time. Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain landed at 343 and Wowee Zowee (which has undergone a critical reappraisal) was at 265.
""It's a great compliment,"" says Nastanovich. ""But I mean, they had to put something from early 90s on there, other than Nevermind.""
Over the years, the band's archives have been raided for a series of album reissues that further enhanced their reputation, but Malkmus claims not to have heard them. Instead, he prepared for the Pavement reunion on YouTube.
""I listened to every song, just about, that we ever did, starting from the very beginning to make sure I had enough material to surprise people and make it magical and every show different.""
He has kept his word. 
ur is designed as a series of mini-residencies, and every night delivers ""a different set and a different vibe"", raved Rolling Stone critic Rob Sheffield. ""Twenty-five songs in two hours, rampaging all over their catalogue, rocking the house each night with a couple dozen of the greatest tunes ever written for electrically amplified string instruments.""
roblem? That big video screen ruins their spontaneity.
""We're used to passing out setlists 20 minutes before we go on stage,"" says Nastanovich, ""but to get everything set up for the show to work, it needs to be in five hours beforehand.""
Even so, the band have frequently thrown their plans out the window. 
""Last night we had a couple of band meetings on stage and changed a couple of songs,"" he confesses. ""I'm sure it's thoroughly entertaining for the audience to watch, you know? A cluster of people deciding what to play next.""
But the tour also sees a level of professionalism Pavement lacked first time round.
""We had a proper rehearsal this time,"" says Malkmus, only half-joking. ""In the 90s, tours were hammered down our throats at all times and we'd just jump on them. 
""This time, we worked on our chops, which is a funny thing to say with Pavement. The drummer in particular spent a year practicing. We never had a chance to do that before.
""But it's still loose, it's still Pavement,"" he reassures. ""The emotions coming at you are gonna take you back to when you first heard us.""
One track, however, is a new addition to the set.
Harness Your Hopes, a b-side recorded during sessions for 1997's Brighten The Corners, has suddenly risen from obscurity to become Pavement's most-streamed song,
Malkmus only became aware when he heard the song in a bakery near his home in Portland, Oregon. At first, he thought it was the Rolling Stones' Tumblin' Dice. Then the vocals kicked in and ""my kids said they knew the song"".
It turned out the 25-year-old track had inspired a TikTok dance craze.
""I assumed it was a kind of smaller viral hit,"" he says, ""but it turns out we're like a strong Omicron.""
He laughs when I mention the second verse: ""Show me a word that rhymes with pavement/And I won't kill your parents and roast them on a spit"" (the joke being that the second line describes the word ""depravement"")
""That's the kind of thing you write when you're feeling cocky and you think it's a b-side,"" says Malkmus. 
""It's sort of bizarre, how history rewrites itself.""
g has brought Pavement a new audience, although Malkmus grumbles that they never make it to the moshpit.
""I hate to say it, but there's, like, a halo of wealth at the front, where the tickets cost more. And it's fine, but it's almost always older people with disposable income.""
Ultimately, though, Pavement are happy on the nostalgia circuit. 
""I like going to reunion shows,"" says Malkmus, ""because, almost always, the dudes and women are psyched to be up there. 
""I mean, I hear stories about mega-bands like The Police who exist in separate rooms and are mailing it in for the cash. This is not that.
""The feeling in the band is pretty much the exact same as it was the first time we ever got into a minivan in the 90s.""
g he won't consider, however, is adding to Pavement's body of work.
""That'd be really weird,"" he says. ""These songs are solid. They're old but they're still alive. I don't know why you would do it.""
Pavement play four nights at London's Roundhouse from 22 October."	/news/entertainment-arts-63157311
politics	Ukrainian refugees told to leave hotel next month	"One of almost 60 Ukrainian refugees who have been told they have a month to leave a Perthshire hotel says she hopes to be able to stay in the area.
Nataliia Parkhomenko has been living in the Killin Hotel since July and expected to be there until February.
refugees have now been told that they will have to leave their temporary accommodation next month.
Scottish government said it was doing what it could to accommodate people wishing to stay in Killin.
Its minister for refugees from Ukraine said it was constantly reviewing its temporary accommodation provision and did not expect people to be rebuilding their lives from hotels.
Nataliia has worked in a local cafe near the hotel for two months and said she felt at home in the area.
She told BBC Scotland's The Nine: ""I don't feel like a refugee here. 
""It's really good because people here try to help a lot with, for example, to find a place to work, or to help with English classes."" 
Nataliia said she was surprised when she was told the refugees would have to relocate.
""We built our plans according to this schedule,"" she said. ""But I understand the hotel where we live, it's like temporary accommodation for us. 
""So we will be happy with any other place the government will give us to live.""
Nataliia works with three other Ukrainians at the Real Food Cafe in Killin.
Owner Sarah Heward said she was devastated at the prospect of potentially losing them.
She said: ""This is real, this is people's lives. It's people's livelihoods.""
refugees came to Scotland under the super sponsor scheme.
Neil Gray, the Scottish government's minister for refugees from Ukraine, said hotels by their nature were temporary accommodation.
He said the government wanted the refugees to be in long-term, sustainable accommodation.
He added: ""A lot of people had contacted us wanting to move into a more central location
""We don't expect people to be building their lives from hotel accommodation. We're also wanting to give people choice over where they are staying. 
""So for some people in Killin, they want to be closer to Stirling. 
""We understand that and we'll do what we can to offer that opportunity.
""For those that are keen to stay in Killin, we're working with the hotel and Stirling Council to ensure that we can offer people that choice.""
A Stirling Council spokesperson said: ""We are continuing to work with guests to support moves from temporary accommodation, based on their individual needs."""	/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-63413097
business	Energy bills could break firms, warns ex-chancellor	"Soaring energy bills could be the ""straw that finally breaks the camel's back"" for small businesses, former chancellor Alistair Darling has warned.
Mr Darling, who was Labour chancellor during the financial crisis, said ""bold action"" was needed to help the economy.
rgy price cap for households will soar by 80% from October.
But firms are not covered by the cap and Mr Darling said that after surviving Covid, energy costs risked finishing them off.   
Mr Darling described the current situation as a ""lethal cocktail"" and said it required ""bold action"" to be taken by the government.
Both candidates in the Conservative Party leadership race, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, have come under pressure to outline further support for households and firms following the announcement that energy bills would rise again this Autumn. 
w leader - and prime minster to succeed Boris Johnson - will be announced next Monday.
Ms Truss has so far confirmed she will cut National Insurance and green levies on bills. Mr Sunak has proposed tax cuts on energy bills as part of a £10bn package.
It emerged at the weekend that Ms Truss is considering a ""nuclear"" option of cutting VAT by 5% as well as raising the threshold at which people start paying tax. 
In May, the government announced £37bn worth of help for households with the rising cost of living. 
But Mr Darling told the BBC's Today programme the government needed to announce more support.
""You've got to announce it now,"" he said. 
""Frankly the stuff that's been announced so far might have passed muster earlier this year, it simply won't do now, you need something far more substantial.""
Mr Darling said many firms, ""especially the smaller ones who have been struggling through the whole Covid problems over the last couple of years may find that [the cost of energy] is the straw that finally breaks the camel's back"".
He said: ""My fear is if the government doesn't do something, you will not just have hardship for individuals and businesses, but you will find that people's spending goes down.
""And the risk is, at the moment people are saying the chances of us going into recession are 50-50. It could just tip us into recession, which of course would be disastrous for us.""
He added: ""One lesson I drew from what happened in 2008 is you've got to do more than people expect, and you've got to it more quickly than people expect, if it's going to work.""
A spokesperson for the Treasury said it was ""making the necessary preparations to ensure a new government has options to deliver additional support as quickly as possible, as the chancellor has made clear"".
""And as the prime minister has made clear, no major fiscal decisions will be taken until the new prime minister is in post,"" they added.
On Friday, energy regulator Ofgem announced a rise in the energy price cap. It means a typical household will pay £3,549 a year for gas and electricity starting in October up from £1,971 currently. And some economists have warned that could rise even further. 
Wholesale gas prices have been rising since last year but have worsened recently because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the Kremlin's decision to squeeze energy supplies to Europe. 
Small businesses across a number of industries have voiced their concerns over rising energy bills.
More than 750 restaurant and café owners called on the government and Conservative leadership candidates for support through VAT cuts, grants and business rate rebates.
In an open letter, the signatories said takeaways were being quoted ""eyewatering bills"" that were ""simply impossible to pay"".
""The government has waited until the last moment to act before, but now cannot be one of those times. 
""It must work with the Conservative leadership candidates on a plan to support Britain's smallest restaurants before it's too late,"" said Ibrahim Dogus, chair of the British Takeaway Campaign.
Jon Long, who runs five fish and chips shops in Dorset, told the BBC if he had to pay the current market rate for gas and electricity, it would mean the end his business after four generations in his family.
He managed to fix his gas and electric rates with his energy provider in 2021 and secured a two-year contract, but many businesses aren't in his position.
""What seemed to be extortionate then now seems like an absolute steal,"" he said. 
59-year-old said currently his average bill per shop is about £15,000 per year, but based on current wholesale prices, it would cost him up to £80,000. 
""We are on a war footing here. There has been a lot of talk, a lot of sympathy, they (the government) have been listening but no action,"" he said.
""Businesses coming out of contracts need drastic help, and they need it now or we face losing thousands of previously viable businesses.""
Bank of England recently warned that the UK economy will fall into recession later this year as rising energy costs push up the rate of inflation. It recently raised interest rates by 0.5% - the biggest increase in 27 years - in an attempt to cool rising consumer prices which hit 10.1% in July.
Mr Darling said the financial crisis more than a decade ago was different to today's economic climate, but warned the current situation was ""just as threatening to people, [and] to the economy as the financial crisis was back in 2008"".
""It's not just people on low incomes who are going to be affected by this, it's going to be people right up the income chain,"" he said."	/news/business-62712188
business	Train strikes: Passengers told to avoid travel on Saturday	"Passengers should avoid travelling by train unless absolutely necessary on Saturday due to expected widespread disruption from strikes, the rail industry has said.
Unions are striking as part of a long-running series of disputes over jobs, pay and conditions.
Only a fifth of trains are set to run on Saturday, with services starting late and finishing early.
RMT union members in 15 rail companies and Network Rail will strike.
ghth day of action taken by the union over pay and conditions.
will be joined by members of the TSSA union, who staff station ticket offices and work in on-board operational roles, affecting Avanti West Coast, c2c and Transpennine Express services.
Disruption is set to continue into Sunday morning.
National Rail Enquiries warned customers that it is ""inevitable that services will be cancelled or severely disrupted"".
""There will be a very limited service on Saturday 8 October with no service at all in some places. Please only travel by train if your journey is absolutely necessary, plan ahead and check before you travel.""
Passengers with advance, off-peak or anytime tickets affected by the strikes can use their ticket on Friday, or up to and including three days later, rail operators said.
People can also change their tickets to travel on an alternate date or get a refund if their train is cancelled or rescheduled.
RMT strikes will be widespread due to Network Rail's signalling staff striking across England, Scotland and Wales, so even where train operators are not directly involved in the dispute, only a fraction of usual services will run.
For example, the last direct train from Newcastle to London will leave at 13:53 and the last train from London to Nottingham will go at 16:32.
re will be no trains between London and Edinburgh, with passengers having to travel via Glasgow. Nor will there be any direct services between London and Norwich.
Separately, there will be further strikes on Monday in Scotland after the RMT rejected a 5% ScotRail pay offer which it described as a ""kick in the teeth"".
ScotRail warned of ""significant disruption"" to services, saying it would run ""very limited"" services on just three lines on the day.
rains will only run between 07:30 and 18:30, with two an hour between Milngavie and Edinburgh via Bathgate, and one train an hour between Glasgow and both Lanark and Larkhall.
RMT said more than 40,000 railway workers would take part in the action on Saturday. 
In an open letter to Transport Secretary Anne Marie Trevelyan, RMT general secretary Mick Lynch suggested the ongoing dispute would cost the government more than £100m.
government should ""unshackle"" the train operators, he wrote, suggesting the Department for Transport's role in the strike was blocking the path to a settlement.
Manuel Cortes, general secretary of the TSSA union, described workers' demands as ""reasonable"", saying his members deserved a pay rise after several years of pay freezes.
""We urge employers and government to bring forward talks to find a resolution to the concerns that rail workers have over pay, conditions and job security,"" Mr Cortes said.
On Wednesday, Ms Trevelyan told the BBC she wanted unions and train operators to ""come together and find something that we can all live with"".
She continued ""nothing is ever perfect, negotiations are compromises, but what we need is for our customers, our passengers to be at the centre of everyone's decision making.""
Since taking up her post last month, the transport secretary has met the leaders of the RMT and Aslef unions. She also told the BBC she would also meet the train companies over the next few weeks."	/news/business-63170168
business	House prices climb 11% despite cost of living squeeze	"House prices are continuing to rise despite the growing cost of living crisis.
Nationwide said prices climbed 11% in the last 12 months, although the rise over the last month was just 0.1%.
""The housing market has retained a surprising degree of momentum,"" said Robert Gardner, Nationwide's chief economist.
But he said that there were ""tentative signs of a slowdown in activity"".
July figure was slightly ahead of June's annual rise of 10.7% and left the average house at £271,209.
""Demand continues to be supported by strong labour market conditions, where the unemployment rate remains near 50-year lows and with the number of job vacancies close to record highs,"" said Mr Gardner.
""At the same time, the limited stock of homes on the market has helped keep upward pressure on house prices.""
Bank of England is expected to increase interest rates by as much as 0.5% on Thursday when and that could ""exert a cooling impact on the market"" he said.
""We continue to expect the market to slow as pressure on household budgets intensifies in the coming quarters, with inflation set to reach double digits towards the end of the year.""
First-timer buyer mortgage completions remain around 5% above pre-pandemic levels, according to the Nationwide, despite the rising affordability pressures caused by the cost of living squeeze.
""First-time buyer numbers remain strong but that is likely to reflect significant financial input from the Bank of Mum and Dad, as deposit levels rise along with house prices and interest rates,"" said Mark Harris, chief executive of mortgage broker SPF Private Clients.
Borrowers remained extremely keen to secure a fixed-rate mortgage before rates go up again, as they are expected to later this week, he said. ""Minds are focused on getting deals done before the cost of borrowing inevitably rises further still.""
""Today's market is being fuelled by people's desperation to find a home before interest rates rise further and the cost of living crisis bites deeper,"" said Nicholas Finn, managing director of Garrington Property Finders.
ursday's expected bank rate rise to 1.75% will have a ""dampening effect on the market,"" said Alice Haine, personal finance analyst at Bestinvest.
She predicted the effects of soaring inflation and the cost-of-living squeeze will ""add more pressure on the property sector"".
""There are a barrage of challenges to come - from the surge in energy prices in October, to runaway inflation continuing to outstrip wage growth - and the pressure on household finances will intensify.""
Gabriella Dickens, senior UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said rises in mortgage rates will cause buyer demand to cool further.
""The rate for a two-year 75% loan-to-value fixed-rate mortgage already has increased to 2.88% in June from 1.57% in December - the fastest six-monthly increase since at least 1995,"" she said.
uld rise to about 3.1% by the end of the year if the Bank of England increased rates in line with current market expectations, she added.
If the recession many are predicting sees unemployment rise sharply, the property market will invariably take a hit, said Andrew Montlake, managing director of mortgage broker Coreco. 
""Even then, though, the impact on prices will be limited due to the abject lack of supply and homes being built."""	/news/business-62390578
entertainment	Cambridgeshire TikTok star vows never to wear shoes again	"A man who has spent a year walking everywhere barefoot after deciding to give up wearing shoes has become a hit on social media. 
George Woodville, from Cottenham, Cambridgeshire, has built up more than 325,000 followers on TikTok by chronicling his life without footwear - and has even sold pictures of his dirty feet to some fans.
He admitted getting used to his shoe-free life was one of the most difficult things he had ever done, but he now ""feels free"".
""I had a random brainwave on a walking holiday and when I got back to the hotel I took my shoes off and thought, I'm not wearing shoes ever again,"" he said."	/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-62385539
entertainment	Eurovision 2023: Glasgow and Liverpool await decision on UK host city	"Glasgow and Liverpool will find out later on Friday which of the two cities has been chosen to host the Eurovision Song Contest next May.
ular music show will be staged in the UK after this year's winner, Ukraine, was unable to take up hosting duties because of the war.
wenty UK locations initially expressed an interest, and they have since been narrowed down to just two.
uncement will be made on BBC One's The One Show from 19:00 BST.
Previewing the announcement, BBC Radio 2's Ken Bruce said: ""The finish line is finally in sight, because I can confirm that on the One Show tonight, Graham Norton will finally reveal which city will be hosting the Eurovision Song Contest.
""He'll also tell us the date of the grand final,"" Bruce confirmed.
UK has hosted Eurovision eight times in the past, most recently in Birmingham in 1998. But the contest has never been to Liverpool or Glasgow.
Both are Unesco cities of music, and the chosen location will attract thousands of visitors and be in the global spotlight, with around 160 million TV viewers around the world watching this year's show live.
Liverpool's leaders have said they would host the event ""on behalf of Ukraine"", while a Glasgow spokesperson said a Scottish Eurovision would also be ""a celebration of Ukraine"".
A winning country normally hosts the following year's contest, but Essex singer Sam Ryder's second-placed finish this May led the UK to be asked to step in for 2023.
Glasgow was a bookies' favourite from the off, with its OVO Hydro venue having a capacity of 14,300.
rena would be a fitting setting in some ways after being filmed for the exterior of the venue in Will Ferrell's 2020 Netflix movie Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.
And of course, Glasgow's Lulu won the 1969 contest with Boom Bang-a-Bang. She says it's ""the perfect place... and it's about time"". 
Fellow Glaswegian Scott Fitzgerald came second in 1988 when he was beaten to the top spot by none other than Celine Dion.
r of Glasgow City Council said the city had ""everything it takes"" to host Eurovision.
""The competition has been very strong but Glasgow has an unrivalled track record for successfully hosting major global events,"" Susan Aitken said.
re venue is also next to exhibition centres that could be useful for facilities like a press centre, and has a nearby station and hotels. It has previously hosted BBC Sports Personality of the Year and events during the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
me of The Beatles has a rich musical history that attracts thousands of international visitors every year. Its past major events have included the MTV Europe Music Awards in 2008.
Sonia, who was born near Liverpool, came second in the contest back in 1993 with Better the Devil You Know. The city has also been represented by Jemini, who sadly got nul points in 2003.
Eurovision would be staged at the 11,000-capacity dockside M&S Bank Arena, which is next to a conference centre and near the city centre's hotels and rail links.
Liverpool Mayor Joanne Anderson said she was ""absolutely delighted"" the city had made the final two.
""Nowhere throws a party quite like us,"" she tweeted. ""The people, communities & businesses of our city are ready to put on a show - for Ukraine, the UK & for Europe.""
rtlisted cities were scored on a set of criteria including: 
Eurovision organisers say a host venue should accommodate about 10,000 spectators, be within easy reach of an international airport and have enough hotel accommodation for at least 2,000 delegates, journalists and ticket-buyers.
ue will be needed for preparations for six to eight weeks ahead of the song contest, meaning the host city will need to move concerts and events that are already in their schedules.
uld include the likes of Sir Elton John, who has concerts in Liverpool on 22 and 23 April, and the Magic Mike arena tour, which is booked for both cities in late April."	/news/entertainment-arts-63158155
health	New South Wales scraps tens of thousands of Covid fines	"More than 33,000 Covid fines will be withdrawn or refunded in Australia's most populous state after a court deemed them invalid.
An Australian legal advocacy group challenged the pandemic-era fines on the basis they were ""too vague"".
""fail to comply"" fines were issued for a range of alleged offences - from carpooling to attending a public gathering. 
ranged from $1,000 (£559) to $3,000 (£1,677). 
Ultimately, government lawyers conceded the fines did not meet legal requirements in the New South Wales Supreme Court. Shortly after the decision was handed down, the Commissioner of Fines Administration withdrew 31,121 of the 62,138 fines.
In a statement, Revenue NSW said it prioritised the health and safety of residents during the pandemic.
However, while it said it would withdraw the ""fail to comply"" fines, it added the decision ""does not mean the offences were not committed"".
Redfern Legal Centre (RLC), which brought the challenge to the Supreme Court, hailed Tuesday's decision as a ""momentous win"" in a tweet.
Before the ruling, centre solicitor Samantha Lee said ""this case is about more than just two people's fines"". 
""It is about the need to properly adhere to the rule of law, even during a pandemic.""
RLC has also alleged fines were disproportionately issued to people living in poorer areas, saying statistics ""show the majority of Covid-19 fines were issued to those residing in low-socioeconomic areas and areas with a large proportion of First Nations populations"".
An independent review into Australia's response to the COVID-19 pandemic found women, children and people with disabilities - among others - ""bore the brunt"". 
It also found Australians in the lowest 20% of socioeconomic status were three times more like to die of Covid-19 than those in the top 20%.
Australian states and territories imposed strict restrictions during the pandemic, which included limits on travel and movement outside the home and bans on travelling interstate. 
federal government also banned international travel for almost two years in an attempt to curb the spread of the virus. 
New South Wales is currently experiencing its third Covid-19 Omicron wave with the state recording more than 31,000 cases this week. 
judge presiding over the case is expected to release the full judgement at a later date. "	/news/world-australia-63798388
health	Covid: Why are some places testing Chinese arrivals?	"When a country of 1.4 billion people suddenly ended its zero-Covid policy after nearly three years, there was little doubt what would happen.   
Poor immunisation levels and little natural immunity meant an explosion of cases - just as China is about to lift restrictions on its citizens travelling abroad. 
So now, some countries - wary of an influx of cases - are imposing Covid testing, and possible quarantine, on visitors from China.
Covid wave hitting China is not due to some radical new variant, but Omicron in its different forms.   
BF.7 and BQ.1 are both sub-lineages of BA.5, which itself is part of the Omicron ""family"" - more contagious, more infectious than any previous Covid strain. 
But these Omicron sub-variants have all been widely detected outside China - including in the UK.    
Omicron has been the dominant global variant for more than a year, but that does not exclude the possibility that a new variant of concern will emerge in future. 
A key reason that many countries are imposing Covid checks on travellers from China is the lack of surveillance data coming out of the country. The more Covid that is circulating, the more chance there is for the virus to mutate. 
But new variants can pop up anywhere - the UK, Brazil, South Africa and India have all been the likely origins of previous variants of concern.
So will the new Covid test restrictions make any difference?
Several countries are asking travellers from China to produce a negative Covid test in order to gain entry. 
US said this would ""slow the spread"" of the virus, while scientists worked to identify any potential variants that may emerge. But no-one is suggesting that this will stop Covid cases coming in. 
Italy has gone further, and is imposing mandatory post-arrival PCR tests on travellers from China. Those that test positive will need to quarantine for several days. 
ge of enabling genomic sequencing of the virus, and so aids the search for new variants. But it will also add to airport congestion.   
Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that those travellers from China who have tested positive so far are carriers of ""Omicron variants already present in Italy"". Italy wants an EU-wide approach on the issue - but the EU's disease agency says, for many reasons, that is ""unjustified"".
In the UK, there is plenty of Covid about. Probably well over a million people a week are getting infected, either at work, home or socialising - in other words anywhere people gather. The latest ONS survey estimated that around 1 in 45 people had the virus earlier this month.
But most of the UK population is very well protected from severe illness, via a combination of vaccines and repeated natural infection.
means Covid - while still a potential danger here - is no longer the threat it once was.  
Watch: Hope and worry as Beijing relaxes zero-Covid policy"	/news/health-64122626
health	Scarlet fever: Three more cases at Carmarthenshire school	"ree more cases of scarlet fever have been found in pupils at a primary school where two children have needed hospital treatment after an outbreak.
It takes the total number of reported cases at Brynaman Primary School, in Carmarthenshire, to 33.
re have been no further cases of invasive Strep A identified, meaning the figure stands at three.
Since September, 15 UK children have died after invasive strep A infections, including seven-year-old Hanna Roap.
Hanna, from Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, was described by her family as ""bubbly"" and ""always smiling"".
In a letter to parents, Brynaman Primary School said it was working with the council, Public Health Wales (PHW) and Hywel Dda health board.
PHW has previously said the scarlet fever cases at the school occurred over six weeks and that the number was higher than would normally be expected.
PHW health protection consultant Sion Lingard said: ""Invasive Group A Streptococcal disease (iGAS) is a rare complication which usually affects fewer than 20 children in Wales each year.
""Although iGAS is concerning, the majority of these children will recover with proper treatment.""
It is caused by a bacteria group called streptococcus, also known as strep A.
rash of scarlet fever often begins with small spots on the body which then spread to the neck, arms and legs. It is often sandpaper-like to touch, but is not itchy.
Your child may also have a:
It is a notifiable disease, meaning health professionals must inform health protection teams of suspected cases. This is so they can be treated quickly and possible outbreaks brought under control.
If a parent or carer suspects scarlet fever or invasive strep A infection, they should call their GP or NHS 111 as prompt treatment with antibiotics can prevent serious illness and stop infections spreading."	/news/uk-wales-63907568
business	Government is undercutting UK institutions, says former Bank governor	"Mark Carney said the government was ""working at cross-purposes with the Bank""
Former Bank of England governor Mark Carney has accused the government of ""undercutting"" the UK's key economic institutions. 
Mr Carney told the BBC the government's tax-cutting measures were ""working at some cross-purposes"" with the Bank.
He also pointed to a decision not to publish economic forecasts by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) alongside Friday's ""mini-budget"".
mini-budget sparked turmoil on financial markets and hit the pound.
Investors had been demanding a much higher return for investing in government bonds, causing some to halve in value. Pension funds, which invest in bonds, were forced to start selling, sparking fears of a fresh market downturn.
Bank of England was forced to step in to calm markets and on Wednesday, said it would buy £65bn of government bonds over the next fortnight in an attempt to restore stability. 
Sterling hit a record low against the US dollar of around $1.03 on Monday. It has since risen to around $1.08 after the Bank's announcement and remained there after Prime Minister Liz Truss said she would stand by the measures announced in the mini-budget. 
f government borrowing, however, edged higher and the interest paid - or yield - on 10-year government debt rose. 
Speaking to the BBC's Today programme, Mr Carney said that while the government was right to want to boost economic growth: ""There is a lag between today and when that growth might come."" 
He said: ""There was an undercutting of some of the institutions that underpin the overall approach - so not having an OBR forecast is much-commented upon and the government, I think, has accepted the need for that but that was important.""
OBR provides independent forecasts of the impact of government's plans on the economy as well as on public finances. The Treasury decided not to publish its forecasts on Friday, which fuelled market turmoil.
""Unfortunately having a partial budget, in these circumstances - tough global economy, tough financial market position, working at cross-purposes with the Bank - has led to quite dramatic moves in financial markets,"" Mr Carney said. 
reasury has subsequently said the OBR will release a full forecast when Mr Kwarteng announces his medium-term fiscal plan on 23 November.
Mr Carney also said that the government's mini-budget showed it was ""working at some cross-purposes with the Bank in terms of short-term support for the economy"".
Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng unveiled the country's biggest tax package in 50 years on Friday. But the £45bn-worth of tax cuts has sparked concerns that government borrowing could surge along with rising interest rates.
Bank has a target to keep inflation at 2%. But prices are rising at their fastest rate in four decades and the Bank has been lifting interest rates to cool inflation. 
Since the mini-budget, some economists believe interest rates could rise faster and higher, to as much as 6% by next May.
At the helm of the Bank of England until 2020, Mark Carney was charged with rebuilding the reputation of British financial systems after the crash of 2008. 
While it is not usual for former governors to comment on current issues, his stark words will be a further blow to the government as it defends its tax cuts. Mr Carney has indicated that the fall-out from these plans, by contributing to market turmoil, has consequences that may damage rather than enhance prosperity.
Bank of England has been forced to inject billions of pounds into bond markets. That is after a plunge in their value threatened the viability of the pensions funds that manage workers' retirement pots. 
During times such as the the financial crisis to the pandemic, the Bank of England has, on occasion, provided emergency help to ease global shocks. Doing so to offset the consequences of domestic government policy is far more rare.
With the markets remaining uneasy, analysts say an emergency interest rate hike can't be ruled out.
Ms Truss insisted that the government's plan was ""right"".
In her first remarks since Friday's announcement, Ms Truss told the BBC: ""Of course there are elements of controversy, as there always are.""
But she said: ""This is the right plan that we've set out.""
On Wednesday, Treasury Minister Andrew Griffith said that every major country ""is dealing with exactly the same issues"" as the UK such as Russia's war with Ukraine and the effect on energy prices. 
But while Mr Carney conceded that the global economy is ""going through some difficulties"", he said that over the last week ""developments have centred around the UK"" and that recent financial turmoil was a response to the government's mini-budget.  
Mr Carney was the governor of the Bank of England for almost seven years, from July 2013 to March 2020.
Before that he led Canada's central bank for five years, where he is seen as having played a major role in helping the country avoid the worst effects of the 2008 global financial crisis.
His successor as governor, Andrew Bailey, declined to comment on Thursday on whether the Bank would make further interventions. 
Some economists - including former deputy governor Sir Charlie Bean - suggested that the Bank's Monetary Policy Committee call an emergency meeting and raise interest rates before a scheduled meeting on 3 November,  
Mr Carney said it was ""important that the system functions"" but added: ""We're talking about an interest rate meeting five weeks from now and it is important to see the persistence of the exchange rate moves, it is important to see what else the government does and take that into account.""
He added: ""This is a robust system, this is a resilient system, it has had a big knock but it will move forward.""
Bank is widely expected to raise interest rates before Mr Kwarteng announces his fiscal plan in late November. 
uld set out how the government intends to follow its own fiscal rules. The current fiscal rules state that debt should be falling as a share of the UK's gross domestic product - which is all the goods and services that the country produces - by 2024-25.
rules also dictate that by that same financial year, daily public spending should be balanced by revenues.
But it is possible that Mr Kwarteng could set out his own rules in November, changing those drawn up by his predecessor Rishi Sunak in November 2021. "	/news/business-63070485
politics	Labour MP Ian Byrne reselected as Liverpool West Derby candidate	"An MP who had faced a battle to be chosen to represent Labour at the next election has been reselected as the party's candidate.
Ian Byrne, who has represented Liverpool West Derby since 2019, was announced as the winner of a ballot on Sunday. 
He had had to compete for the seat after losing a series of votes in local constituency branches.
Mr Byrne and the Labour Party have been approached for a comment by the BBC.
MP had faced competition from Liverpool councillor Anthony Lavelle and Lancashire councillor Kimberley Whitehead.
During the contest, he accused Mr Lavelle's supporters of ""intimidation"", a claim which was strongly denied by the councillor's backers.
Mr Byrne was first selected to replace the previous Labour MP Stephen Twigg in early 2019.
At the time, he was a local ward councillor in Everton and was a vocal supporter of then-party leader Jeremy Corbyn.
He is a member of the Socialist Campaign Group of backbench Labour MPs and is a familiar face on match days on Merseyside, collecting donations for the charity he set up, Fans Supporting Foodbanks.
In Parliament, he has campaigned for a right to food to be established in law and for the Hillsborough disaster to be added to the national curriculum.
Ian Byrne is part of the Socialist Campaign Group parliamentary caucus of Labour MPs - made up of MPs on the left of the Labour party. 
Some Labour left-wingers, including supporters of the former leader Jeremy Corbyn, have claimed in recent months they are being frozen out of standing for the party at the next general election as Sir Keir Starmer seeks to remake the party in his own image. 
But a Labour spokesperson previously said that the party's ""due diligence is about weeding out candidates who could cause electoral damage"".
However, the fact Mr Byrne was not automatically selected prompted criticism by Labour's left - including the group Momentum, who said that despite ""a deeply flawed trigger ballot process which broke with basic principles of fairness"", he had ""roared back to victory"".
""also struck a blow... against an out-of-control Starmer machine willing to break Labour's own rules, disregard trade unions and attack its own MPs in the service of their right-wing purge"".
Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-merseyside-63699407
sports	Mikolaj Oledzki & Luke Hooley: Leeds Rhinos pair to miss Super League season start	"England prop Mikolaj Oledzki and new signing Luke Hooley will miss the start of the season for Leeds Rhinos after having shoulder and ankle operations respectively.
Both players are expected to be out for 12-14 weeks in their recovery.
Oledzki, 24, played in September's Grand Final loss to St Helens and then the World Cup, having nursed the issue through the latter part of the season.
Full-back Hooley, also 24, was signed after impressing at Batley in 2022.
Having helped the Bulldogs to the Championship play-off final in 2022, he joined the Rhinos this off-season but damaged his ankle in an innocuous training ground accident.
former Bradford and Wakefield junior has 42 tries and 58 goals in 97 games in total, while Oledzki has 13 tries in 144 appearances.
""Understandably, Mik was keen to push himself for England selection for a home World Cup and that was his reward for an outstanding season with the Rhinos,"" head coach Rohan Smith told the club website.
""Unfortunately, his time away has worsened the injury and he has immediately gone to have the operation.""
""Luke rolled his ankle in training which didn't look serious at the time however the scans have revealed an issue."""	/sport/rugby-league/63970852
politics	Truss resignation: Global media ask what's happened to Britain	"British politics rarely troubles the front pages of international media. 
But in the last few days, all eyes have turned towards Liz Truss's short tenure in Number 10.
""The past six weeks have been not so much a cautionary tale as much as a textbook example of what happens when political ideologues are let off the leash, allowed to shut out anyone with opposing views and given the keys to the kingdom,"" argues Rob Harris in Australia's Sydney Morning Herald.
""Britain ruled India for 200 years, but see the twist of fate,"" says an anchor on India's Aaj Tak TV channel. ""Today, the same British political system has weakened so much that their Prime Minister Liz Truss had to resign from her post in barely 44 days.""
Closer to home, Europeans saw another culprit: Brexit.
""What happened to British politics, to its reputation of stability and moderation, its venerable parliament, buffeted by accelerated convulsions since Brexit?"" asks France's Le Monde. 
russ ""tried to put the Brexit ideology into practice"", Germany's Sueddeutsche Zeitung notes. ""As soon as the shackles of the EU are thrown off and taxes are lowered, an almost fairytale economic growth should be triggered, so the theory goes."" 
UK and its institutions have traditionally been revered on the continent. But its parliament has been a ""madhouse"" since the Brexit vote, adds another German paper, Die Welt. 
""Again and again, politicians fail when it comes to leaving the EU - and there are good reasons for that.""
Italian media reacted angrily to suggestions that British politics have reached Italian levels of chaos - Italian politics is notorious for its rapid turnovers of governments. Commentators rushed to point out that Westminster and Brexit are to blame.
UK political crisis ""has no parallels with Italy or any other country"", argues the leading daily Corriere della Sera.
renewed dispute ""will paralyse the government again, instead of tackling the country's numerous challenges such as the energy crisis, the consequences of Brexit and Scotland's quest for independence,"" Germany's Frankfurter Rundschau newspaper adds, pointing out this turmoil comes as more and more people in Britain are struggling to cope with the cost of living crisis.
But there are positives to be taken. 
In the Middle East, some commentators contrast Truss's decision favourably with the reluctance of leaders in the Arab world to step down.
""This is the difference between the courage of the leader appointed through elections and who respects [their] people, and the military man who comes atop a tank and scares the people with weapons,"" says Egypt's Al-Masriyun newspaper editor. 
""Is there a single example among politicians in Iraq showing this English patriotic spirit which feels duty and fears for repercussions on her country's economy?"" asks Iraqi opposition politician Abdulamir Altharb.
Yet others see warnings. 
""As fun as it might be for outsiders to gawk at the political chaos engulfing the UK, Prime Minister Liz Truss's resignation Thursday is a sideshow,"" warns Joseph C Sternberg in the US's Wall Street Journal.
""The bigger problem is that recent events in Britain are an alarming vision of a fate that potentially awaits all of us in developed economies."""	/news/uk-politics-63342558
politics	Rishi Sunak backtracks on £10 missed NHS appointment fines	"Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has scrapped a Tory leadership campaign pledge he made to fine patients in England £10 if they miss GP or hospital appointments. 
He made the pledge during this summer's leadership contest against Liz Truss. 
Mr Sunak had argued it was ""not right"" some patients were failing to turn up, taking slots from those in need. 
But a No 10 spokeswoman said that, after ""listening to GPs"", the government decided it was ""not the right time"" for the policy. 
She added that Mr Sunak wanted to deliver ""a stronger NHS and the sentiment remains that people should not be missing their appointments and taking up NHS time"".
Critics of the proposal included doctors' union the British Medical Association (BMA), which said it would ""make matters worse"" and threaten the NHS's principle of free care at the point of need.
BMA welcomed the decision to scrap the plan and said it ""cannot be brought back to the table later down the line"".
It said ""punishing"" patients was not the answer to the many reasons people miss appointments, and the policy would ""only deter the most vulnerable from seeking the help they need, worsen health inequalities, and ultimately undermine the essential trust between doctor and patient"".
Instead, the BMA said the government must work to improve pay and other conditions to ensure the NHS has safe levels of staff.
Reflecting a similar view, the Royal College of GPs said the plans would have disadvantaged some of the NHS's most vulnerable patients.
Chairman of the college Prof Martin Marshall said the move would ""simply have been tinkering at the edges given the scale of the crisis facing GPs and our teams"".
Outlining the policy in July, Mr Sunak said patients would be given the ""benefit of the doubt"" the first time they missed an appointment without providing sufficient notice, but further absences would incur a £10 charge.
Fines would also be waived in exceptional circumstances, such as if a patient had an emergency. 
He explained the system would be ""temporary"" as backlogs caused by the pandemic were cleared.
But he gave few details of the how the system would work, writing in the Sunday Telegraph: ""If we have people who are now showing up and taking those slots away from people who need [them], that's not right.
""I'm all for a healthcare system that's free at the point of use, but not one that's free at the point of misuse.""
Asked if other pledges on the NHS made during the summer leadership campaign still stood, she said Mr Sunak's ""initial ideas"" over summer would be discussed with cabinet ministers and any announcements would be ""set out in due course"". 
Mr Sunak had also pledged to eliminate one-year waiting times by September 2024, and get the number of people waiting for non-urgent treatment in England falling by next year. 
He pledged to do this by boosting the number of ""diagnostic hubs"" outside hospitals, including by repurposing empty High Street shops. He also pledged to reform dentists' NHS contract, and ring fence the annual £3bn NHS dentistry budget.
WATCH: Catherine Poole, aged 77, tells Rishi Sunak NHS staff should be paid more
me as Mr Sunak met patients and staff at Croydon University Hospital in his first visit as prime minister. 
A patient was filmed telling the prime minister he needed to ""try harder"" to pay NHS staff more.
Mr Sunak replied ""he would take that away"" following the exchange. 
During the summer the Conservative Party membership chose Ms Truss over Mr Sunak, but this week he succeeded her by winning enough nominations from Tory MPs on Monday following her resignation. "	/news/uk-63429244
sports	The Open: Young Tom Morris, Old Tom Morris and how it all began	"Young Tom Morris was just 13 years old when he first beat his dad. This was no ordinary victory though. Old Tom Morris was the reigning Open champion.
Scot would go on to become the youngest Open champion, winning the 1868 title at the age of 17, and also the next three to set records that are yet to be bettered some 150 years later. However, his life ended in tragic circumstances at the age of 24, dying of what many say was a broken heart.
week's Radio 5 Live Sport podcast, building up to July's 150th Open Championship, looks at the tournament's humble origins and the stories around those pioneers who founded what has become the oldest and most revered of all majors.
It all began with the death of Allan Robertson in 1859.
""He was the champion golfer In the 1840s and 1850s,"" said renowned golf historian Roger McStravick. ""He was untouchable. Some competitions wouldn't let him play because he was so good. 
""But when he died, aged 43, he left that question, who is the champion golfer and that is why Prestwick created the Open Championship.""
Prestwick had only been in existence for nine years when it hosted the first Open on the afternoon of 17 October, 1860. Eight golfers whizzed around the 12-hole links course three times and had a spot of lunch at the Red Lion in five hours.
""It comes as a surprise to many to hear that the Open was first played at Prestwick because it tends to be assumed it must have been at St Andrews,"" says club archivist Andrew Lochhead.
""The reason it came to Prestwick is James Ogilvie Fairlie, an Ayrshire landowner who had been captain of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club at St Andrews.""
Fairlie wanted to build a course on the west coast of Scotland and in 1851 recruited Old Tom, who had just been fired by Robertson for using a new-fangled guttie ball that was threatening the featherie that Robertson made and sold.
""It shows how much respect Old Tom had for Fairlie to leave St Andrews,"" said Lochhead. ""It was a big leap of faith to move across country with his wife and son to a place he'd never visited before.
""He became Prestwick's keeper of the greens, ball and club maker and it was thanks to the skills of Morris that the 12-hole course quickly established its credentials as a proper test of golf.""
In the mid-19th Century golf was an expensive hobby, predominantly for the rich, so the professionals, like Robertson and Old Tom, made a living from playing for bets, being employed as a caddie or making balls and clubs. 
Many players would bring their caddies to Prestwick from the east coast of Scotland and, following the death of Robertson, Fairlie invited 11 clubs, 10 in Scotland and Blackheath in London, to send a ""respectable caddie"" to determine his successor.
winning prize, donated by the Earl of Eglington, was a red Moroccan leather 'Challenge Belt', thought to be influenced by his passion for sports like boxing and medieval pageantry.
Willie Park senior of Musselburgh edged out Old Tom by two strokes to become the first champion.
""Tom designed Prestwick so he would have been favourite,"" said McStravick. ""He was looking really strong and then fell in the last couple of holes. He would have felt like he'd let everybody down.
""He was the best golfer in the world and he would go on to win it in 1861, 62, 64 and 67.""
Park would also go on to win four titles, as would Young Tom, who won all his in successive competitions.
""Young Tom was the Tiger Woods of his day,"" continued McStravick. ""He was the first all-out professional. He was not a ballmaker, he was not a caddie, just a professional through and through. When he went on tours in England he was paid to play.
""He won the Open Championship three times as a teenager, aged 17, 18 and 19.
""He was exceptional and took the game to a different level.""
His victory as a 17-year-old still stands as a record as the youngest major champion, while no player since has matched his run of four successive titles.
mmy registered The Open's first hole-in-one in 1869 and the following year he became the first player to average under four strokes per hole when he carded a 47 for 12 holes. His cause was helped by holing his third shot from 200 yards at the 578-yard opening hole in the first round - this was at a time before holes had par scores.
""According to the rules of The Open when it started, if anyone won the belt three years in a row they got to keep it so Young Tom won it outright in 1870,"" said Angela Howe, the R&A World Golf Museum's heritage director.
Because there was no prize sorted in time for 1871, the event was not played. But by 1872, the Royal & Ancient Golf Club, Prestwick and the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers had put their heads together and come up with a new trophy - the Claret Jug.
Young Tom was victorious for a fourth successive time but although the trophy was not ready for presentation, his name was the first to be etched on it.
""The game was exploding and Tommy was King,"" said McStravick, ""and it's tragic how it all ended"".
It was 1875 and Tommy and his father had just won a big money match at North Berwick when he received a telegram to say his wife was in labour. Before they could set off in the boat back to St Andrews - the Morris family had returned to the east coast in 1864 - another telegram arrived saying his wife had died in childbirth.
""He was just broken-hearted. For the next three months he was inconsolable,"" said McStravick. 
""People tried to get him to play matches and he did play one. At 4UP he broke down and lost the last five holes.""
mmy moved back in with his parents. He spoke with them on Christmas Eve before saying goodnight but when he didn't appear in the morning, his dad went to wake him.
Old Tom found his son lying in his bed. He was 24 and had effectively bled to death of a burst aneurysm in his left lung.
""It was tragic,"" said McStravick. ""It's like Tiger Woods dying before his seventh major. What would he have won? What could he have done? How many courses would he have designed? He was such a maverick."""	/sport/golf/61641438
sports	World Cup 2022: Wales match beats England game in TV ratings	"More viewers watched Wales play their opening World Cup match than England play theirs, overnight ratings show.
An average UK audience of 7.4 million watched England play Iran on BBC One, according to ratings body Barb.
mpares with 9.4 million who watched Wales play the USA on ITV.
fference can be partly explained by the timings - the England match took place during office hours in the UK on Monday, while the Wales match took place in prime time evening hours.
BBC also drew attention to the large number of viewers who were watching the England match on iPlayer, figures which aren't fully reflected in Barb's terrestrial data. 
It is likely that a larger number of viewers than usual would have been watching on iPlayer during office hours, while away from their traditional TV sets at home.
While England took part in the last World Cup in 2018, the Wales match marked the nation's first in a World Cup for 64 years.
England beat Iran 6-2 on the first day of the tournament in Qatar, while Wales drew 1-1 with the USA.
Wales match also aired on Welsh-language broadcaster S4C, the audience of which is not included in the ITV figures. BBC News has asked S4C for their own audience data.
Gareth Bale said he had ""no doubts"" about taking the penalty which brought Wales their first World Cup goal since 1958.
USA had been heading for victory until Bale was fouled by Walker Zimmerman and stepped up to score the 82nd-minute penalty.
Prince of Wales showed his support by tweeting in the Welsh language, with a picture of his Wales supporters bucket hat.
England's match saw Arsenal ace Bukayo Saka score twice, while the other four goals game from Jude Bellingham, Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish.
roughout the tournament, the total number of viewers watching any particular match will be higher when further data is added - such as people who watched at different times or on certain catch-up platforms.
More from the World Cup:"	/news/entertainment-arts-63715578
sports	Winter Olympics: Beijing 2022 - all the best stats	"A heady mix of spectacular action has been served up at Beijing 2022.
re have been twists, turns and tumbles as almost 3,000 athletes from 91 nations competed.
After 109 gold medals were won, what are the key stats from this Winter Olympics? BBC Sport and Simon Gleave, head of sports analysis at Nielsen Gracenote, take a look...
For the second Winter Games in a row, Norway have finished top of the medal table, with an Olympic record of 16 golds. They won medals in nine of the 15 sports at Beijing.
Germany finished second again, while hosts China had their best ever Games.
Great Britain's lowest tally at a Winter Games since 2010. They finish 19th overall in the medal table, thanks to women's curling gold and men's curling silver.
Despite that, GB have now won gold at each of the past four Winter Olympics - a new record for them, beating the three Olympics in a row between 1976 and 1984. 
women's curling team gold follows Amy Williams' skeleton gold in 2010 and Lizzy Yarnold's back-to-back medals in the same discipline in 2014 and 2018. 
Women have won all of Britain's Winter Olympic golds since 1984. The last man to win gold for Great Britain was Christopher Dean, who won alongside Jayne Torvill.
Athletes representing the Russian Olympic Committee finished with 32 medals, consisting of six golds, 12 silvers and 14 bronze.
It is the best haul of any Russian or Soviet team at a Winter Games.
However, they finished only ninth overall in the medals table. The only teams containing Russian athletes that have not been in the top five of a final medal table are Russia in 2010, the Olympic Athletes from Russia in 2018 and this year's team.
China's previous best position in the medal table was their seventh-place finish at Vancouver in 2010.
""China did not increase its medal total by as much as most of the recent host nations have, winning only 67% more than in the Games prior to hosting,"" says Gleave.
""However, gold medals improved from one to nine and were 80% higher than China's previous best of five.
""The only hosts since 1988 to have improved their highest number of Winter Olympic gold medals by more than China's 80% are Japan (1998) and Canada (2010) whose best gold total went up by 400% and 100% respectively.""
New Zealand won their first ever Winter Olympics gold medal when Zoi Sadowski-Synnott triumphed in the women's snowboard slopestyle.
Nico Porteous then doubled their tally a day later in the ski halfpipe.
Speed skater Bart Swings gave Belgium their first gold for 74 years, while Germany claimed gold in all six of the luge and skeleton events.
Japan won 18 medals, surpassing their previous best of 13 in Pyeongchang, while Italy's 17 gave them their best Winters return since 1994, when they won 20.
Johannes Thingnes Bo's victory in the men's mass-start biathlon steered Norway to their record-breaking 15th gold medal in Beijing.
He finished with four golds and a bronze, making him one of only three biathletes to win five medals at an Olympics.
Bo is also the second person to win four gold medals at a Winter Olympics and the first to do so since US speedskater Eric Heiden won five golds in 1980.
Compatriot Marte Olsbu Roiseland also departs with five medals - three golds and two bronze - while Quentin Fillon Maillet claimed two golds and three silvers for France.
Russian Alexander Bolshunov won a medal in each of the five events he competed in, and now has nine Olympic medals to his name.
""Just over 40% of the medals awarded at the Beijing Olympics were given to competitors aged 25 to 29,"" Gleave says.
""The 20-24-year-olds won just under 24% of medals and 30-to-34-year-olds picked up over 26%, while 36 medals went to veteran athletes aged 35 or over.""
American snowboarder Nick Baumgartner, 40, was the oldest gold medallist after he and Lindsey Jacobellis won the mixed snowboard cross.
15-year-old Kamila Valieva was the youngest medal winner when she won figure skating team gold alongside her Russian compatriots. The medals have yet to be awarded after it emerged Valieva had failed a drugs test before the Games.
Fellow Russian figure skater Anna Shcherbakova was the youngest gold medal winner in an individual event, while 18-year-old Chinese freestyle skier Eileen Gu became the ninth teenager to win two gold medals at a Winter Olympics and the sixth teenager to win three medals at a Games.
Friday, 11 February proved to be a good day for breaking records.
Dutch short-track speed skater Suzanne Schulting broke the 1,000m world record in the quarter-final, clocking one minute 26.514 seconds. She would go on to win gold later that day.
Swedish speed skater Nils van der Poel broke the world record that he set last year when he won men's 10,000m gold in 12:30.74.
re were 15 disciplines across seven sports in Beijing, with some countries dominating in certain areas.
""The Netherlands (speedskating), Switzerland (alpine skiing), France (biathlon), South Korea (short track), Finland (cross country skiing) and Slovenia (ski jumping) all won at least 50% of their medals at Beijing 2022 in one sport,"" Gleave says.
""Biathlete Quentin Fillon Maillet was responsible for 36% of France's medals at the 2022 Winter Olympics.
""Germany are also worth a mention for their reliance on the three sliding sports of bobsleigh, luge and skeleton which contributed 16 of the country's 27 medals [59%] and nine of the 12 golds [75%]."""	/sport/winter-olympics/60401755
politics	Aberconwy asylum hotel plan attacked by Welsh government	"It is unacceptable that a north Wales hotel is housing asylum seekers without the Welsh government, councils or police being told, a minister has said.
Labour Social Justice minister Jane Hutt warned the Home Office risks fostering extremism and said the hotel was in a rural location with none of the specialist services needed nearby.
g used to ease overcrowding at Kent detention centres.
Home Office said hotels provided a short-term, safe solution.
BBC Wales is not naming the hotel for safeguarding reasons.
Ms Hutt compared the situation to the lack of consultation over Penally, an army camp used to house asylum seekers which was closed after it was criticised by inspectors.
""The Welsh government is aware of the pressures faced by the Home Office in providing accommodation for asylum seekers,"" Ms Hutt said in a letter, seen by BBC Wales, to the UK Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick. 
""However, it is unacceptable that your department has failed to contact or notify the Welsh government, members of the Senedd and key partners such as local authorities, health boards and the police in Wales before putting these arrangements in place.""
She said the north Wales hotel was being used ""with no prior consultation or notification of use"".
Ms Hutt said that without proper engagement ""there could well be a lack of trust and confidence within the wider community; this in turn could result in increased risks for the asylum seekers themselves. 
""We have particular concerns about the impact on community cohesion within the areas of hotels being established, which may also experience increased, adverse interest from hostile organisations which are active within Wales. 
""It is short-sighted to focus dogmatically on one Home Office aim - to reduce the costs of the asylum system - in ways which are likely to foster extremism which the Home Office seeks to eliminate.""
Manston asylum numbers are back below 1,600, says Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick.
Ms Hutt added the north Wales hotel is in a rural location ""with none of the specialist services which asylum populations require - including traumatic stress mental health services, communicable disease specialists, English for Speakers of Other Language tutors, immigration legal advisors, interpreters, or refugee drop-in services"".
She asked that Welsh ministers are informed in the same way and at the same time as MPs and councils, urged the Home Office to use contingency accommodation and ""provide sufficient funding"" to minimise the risk to residents at hotels and within the community.
Mr Jenrick told the Commons on Monday that he had agreed with officials that all MPs should be informed of new facilities opening in their constituency ahead of time.
Earlier this week Conservative Aberconwy Senedd member Janet Finch Saunders said the decision had sparked local anger.
Writing to the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, she expressed ""serious concerns"" and demanded the decision be reversed.
Conwy council said it was also not given advance warning of the Home Office plan.
An email from the operators to local politicians on Saturday, seen by the BBC, said: ""With the current crisis in Kent in relation to the overcrowding of detention centres, the Home Office have reached out asking us to take a short-term accommodation contract, which we felt was the right thing to do.
""This was an urgent project for them and we have been contracted with immediate effect.
""The agreement we have entered appoints us as the host accommodation provider, but all security is provided by the Home Office.""
Home Office said it cost £5.6m every day to house more than 37,000 asylum seekers in hotels.
A spokesman added: ""We have received Social Justice Minister Jane Hutt's concerns and thank the Welsh government for their continued cooperation thus far.
""We accept that while hotels do not provide a long-term solution, they do ensure accommodation provided is safe, secure, leaves no-one destitute and is appropriate for each individual's needs."""	/news/uk-wales-politics-63570024
entertainment	Splinter Cell: Audio drama, gaming's next frontier?	"Whether it's World of Warcraft, Uncharted or the upcoming Super Mario movie - games characters have been all over our cinemas in recent years.
Last of Us is coming to television screens, where shows based on Resident Evil and Halo have found audiences.
Now, BBC Radio 4 is getting in on the act.
Sam Fisher, leading man from the Splinter Cell game series, can call the radio station home, thanks to a first-of-its-kind adaptation that producers say no-one had thought possible.
Radio 1 film critic Ali Plumb says that with so much competition for audiences these days it's no surprise that commissioners are giving the green-light to projects with a ""built-in audience"".
He argues that we live in a world that is dominated by content: ""From podcasts to music, TV, movies, games and audiobooks - frankly its tricky for anyone to cut through the noise.
""The art of finding intellectual property, using the built-in fan base of that property and engaging with them in something you want to say about the world is the trick that many creative people are trying to do.""
Splinter Cell: Firewall is an eight part dramatisation of a novel based on the famous video game franchise. Sam Fisher, the series' main protagonist, is a covert special agent who excels at sneaking around military bases at night, silently killing terrorist guards and generally saving the world.
Bringing the gaming revolution to audio drama makes perfect sense to actor Andonis Anthony, who plays Sam in the Radio 4 drama, which is also available on BBC Sounds. He argues that with more people turning to ""non-music audio"", it's a good time for BBC radio to tell stories that offer a ""cinematic experience"".
""Given the rise in podcasts, and audiobooks being so popular - more and more people are getting used to listening to audio as a story experience. Everyone's going out and about with their air pods on these days and listening in a different way to before."" 
A paramilitary secret agent is a bit of a change for Anthony who's perhaps better known to Radio 4 listeners as Russ Jones, an art gallery curator living in Ambridge. ""It's the polar opposite of what I'm doing in the Archers,"" he laughs. 
Other platforms have adapted video games into audio dramas recently, with stories from franchises like Assassin's Creed and Bioshock being available to listen to, but this is the first time the BBC has got involved. 
For a few years now the the organisation has been trying to appeal to new and younger audiences - on television, online and radio. 
Sebastian Baczkiewicz, who adapted the Firewall story for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds, hopes that just because this is a story based on a gaming franchise, it won't be pigeonholed as something for younger listeners only: ""Trying to reach new audiences is always part of what we do and hopefully this will find an audience.
""But I don't know if they'll be younger. People in their 50s, 60s and 70s play - gaming is a massive global phenomenon.""
Video games are inherently a visual medium - which is why high-profile crossovers have focused in the main on film and television, and Baczkiewicz admits the adaptation was ""an extraordinary challenge"", but one he was excited about. 
""The genius of this is that no-one actually thought it was possible, but I always think of anything in radio in a very visual way. I'm not sitting here thinking how it will sound, but rather what does it look like, what's happening in the scene and what are people doing.
""With access to all the sound effects from the game we were able to bed the drama into the world of the game - and show fans that we're not leaving the game behind, instead we're slap bang in the middle of the action.""
While plenty of executives and commissioners have been happy to back movie and television gaming crossovers in recent years, not all of them have been box office successes - and many have been critical failures.
Ali Plumb believes there are clear lessons to be learned from these failed experiments: ""Embracing what makes the originals so beloved but also doing what makes sense for the new medium - finding this balance is the key to making a success of these crossover projects, whether it's TV, film or audio drama.""
He argues that projects aimed at children - like Sonic and Angry Birds - have found the greatest success in doing this: ""Maybe because, without being too rude, they don't have to pass such a high critical bar to be successful in their own terms. As long as they're putting smiles on faces, then they're doing their job nicely.""
Splinter Cell has a more mature fan base than those examples - so the job of making a success of this adaptation may be a little harder.
m behind it say paying respect to the source material is the key, Andonis Anthony explaining it was a major focus for everybody involved, ""from the production team, from writers to the performers, all of the cast"".
Sebastian Baczkiewicz added: ""There's no winking as it were, there's no 'this is all a bit crazy, isn't it?!' This is the world we are in and we are being true to it. We were really keen to make sure we maintained that throughout.
""The audiences of these games are passionate and why wouldn't you treat them and the story with respect."" 
Splinter Cell: Firewall is broadcast on Fridays on Radio 4 at 14:15 GMT. All episodes are on BBC Sounds now.
For more gaming content - go to Press X to Continue - the BBC Sounds gaming Podcast."	/news/entertainment-arts-63874745
politics	Sir Keir Starmer calls for 'much better' asylum processing	"Sir Keir Starmer has said the UK-France deal over migrants is a ""step in the right direction"" but insisted that more needed to be done.
He agreed with Home Secretary Suella Braverman that the asylum system was broken, but added: “They broke it”.
Sir Keir said most people would be ""pretty shocked"" to learn that only 4% of asylum applications of those arriving in boats had been processed.
UK strikes revised deal with France on Channel migrants"	/news/uk-politics-63624557
health	Ambulance staff in England vote for strike action	"Members of two unions representing ambulance staff have voted for strike action in England and Wales as the NHS pay dispute deepens.
Paramedics, call handlers and other staff at 10 ambulance services have backed a walkout in the ballots run by Unison and the GMB.
Strikes are likely to start before Christmas, but the rules requiring emergency care to be provided mean their impact will be limited.
Nurses are walking out in December.
Strikes on 15 and 20 December will affect a quarter of frontline services in England and nearly all of those in Wales and Northern Ireland.
Unions have suspended industrial action in Scotland while they consider a new pay offer.
GMB members at nine ambulance services and Unison members at five backed strikes. 
Only the East of England service will not be affected.
Unison - the biggest union in the health service - also balloted members at more than 200 other NHS organisations, including hospitals, mental health teams and community services. 
Alongside ambulance staff, they also represent cleaners, porters, nurses and health care assistants.
Only three NHS organisations backed strike action with the turnout too low at the others.
But a strike by Unison members will take place in Northern Ireland across ambulance and other NHS services on 12 December as turnout requirements are lower there.
Unison general secretary Christina McAnea said with ambulance services struggling to respond to calls - the response times are the longest since modern records began - staff there felt they had no choice.
Just last week, the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives warned patients were dying because of the ""crippling delays"".
Ms McAnea said until the government acts on wages, staff shortages would not be addressed and delays would continue.
But she added: ""Patients will always come first and emergency cover will be available during any strike.""
Have you experienced a long wait for an ambulance or at A&E?  Get in touch.
It will now be up to ambulance managers to negotiate with unions to decide on the exact level of cover.
Most at risk will be the lowest category 999 calls that do not require patients to be taken to hospital, and transport services between hospitals.
five regional services that voted for strike action are London, North West, North East, Yorkshire and the South West.
Patients around the UK will face widely different levels of care as a result of the looming NHS strikes in December.  
Because of turnout rules for strike ballots to be valid some trusts wont see any disruption. But it will be a very different story at neighbouring hospitals and ambulance services affected by walkouts. 
Ambulance staff staged four hour strikes over pay in late 2014 - emergency care was maintained but there were long waits for some cases including fractures and falls.  Military backup was needed. 
me the NHS is under much greater strain and the walkouts may well be longer. The Royal College of Nursing has never taken this level of action before so the strikes will take the NHS into uncharted territory. 
Crucially the precise definitions of the emergency care which will be maintained have not been finalised. Operations, appointments and even some cancer care will be postponed at a time of growing waiting lists and warnings of intense winter pressures.  
While talks progress in Scotland with strike calls suspended there appears to be deadlock in the UK's other nations.
uncement of the ballot comes as the Royal College of Nursing announced which hospitals and other NHS services will be affected by its strike on 15 and 20 December.
Nurses at a quarter of NHS trusts in England will be involved, along with nearly all services in Northern Ireland and Wales.
It will affect leading cancer centres and children's hospitals, including London's Great Ormond Street Hospital.
r two main ambulance unions, GMB and Unite, are expected to announce the results of their strike ballots in the coming days.
All the unions have asked for above-inflation pay rises.
But the governments in England and Wales have given NHS staff an average rise of 4.75%, with staff guaranteed a minimum of £1,400.
England Health Secretary Steve Barclay said paying what was being asked for was ""unaffordable"" and he pointed out the award met the requirements of the recommendations of the independent NHS Pay Review Body.
""I'm hugely grateful for the hard work and dedication of NHS staff and deeply regret some will be taking industrial action - which is in nobody's best interests as we approach a challenging winter,"" he added.
Strike action has been suspended in Scotland after a fresh pay offer was made, which unions are consulting on."	/news/health-63806656
sports	Winter Olympics: Norway win record 15th gold as Johannes Thingnes Bo takes biathlon victory	"Johannes Thingnes Bo steered Norway to Winter Olympic history as they won a record-breaking 15th gold in Beijing.
Bo's victory in the men's mass start biathlon was his fourth gold of the Games, and his fifth medal overall.
His country's tally surpassed the previous best at a Winter Games of 14, first achieved by Canada in 2010.
Norway's Marte Olsbu Roiseland, meanwhile, has become the first person to win a medal in all four individual biathlon events at a Winter Games.
Roiseland took bronze in the women's mass start biathlon, to add to the gold she earned in the sprint and pursuit biathlon events, and bronze in the individual.
31-year-old also won gold in the mixed relay, meaning she is the first woman to win five biathlon medals in a single Winter Games.
Justine Braisaz-Bouchet took gold in the women's mass start event, becoming the first Frenchwoman ever to do so.
ril Eckhoff, in second, is the first female biathlete to win a mass start medal at three successive Games.
As Bo, 28, took victory in the men's event, he became the third biathlete to win five medals at a single Games after France's Quentin Fillon Maillet, who claimed gold in the individual and pursuit events at Beijing, plus silver in the sprint and both relays, and Roiseland.
Martin Ponsilouma of Sweden took silver with another Norwegian, Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen, winning bronze.
Fillon Maillet finished fourth to narrowly miss out on a historic sixth Olympic biathlon medal.
freezing temperatures and high winds throughout both races, with the women's event brought forward 24 hours because of forecast bad weather.
Finland reached their first men's Olympic ice hockey final in 16 years after a 2-0 victory over Slovakia.
Sakari Manninen scored the opener in the first period for Finland, who have never won the gold medal.
Harri Pesonen scored into an empty net to seal the win late on after Slovakia netminder Patrik Rybar joined their attack in search for an equaliser.
Finns had beaten Slovakia 6-2 in their tournament opener but this was a much closer affair, with Manninen's opener one of a few scoring chances in the opening period.
rest of game was then dominated by the two netminders, with Slovakia's Rybar making 25 saves, while Harri Sateri made 28 to earn the shutout for Finland.
While they have never claimed Olympic gold, Finland - the number two-ranked team in the world - have claimed a medal in three of the past four Games, including silver in Turin in 2006.
will face the Russian Olympic Committee in Sunday's gold medal match after the defending champions squeezed past Sweden on penalties.
Arseni Gritsyuk scored the decisive goal at sudden death in the shootout.
Sweden's Anton Lander had earlier cancelled out Anton Slepyshev's opener midway through the third period, with the sides still unable to be separated after overtime, when ended with the score 1-1.
Canadawon bronze in the men's curling after a 8-5 victory over the USA, the defending champions.
A tight and tense contest turned in the ninth end when US skip John Shuster gave up a steal of two, which opened up a three-point deficit they were unable to recover from.
Victory avenges Canada's defeat by the US in the semi-finals in Pyeongchang four years ago, which ended the Canadians' run of three successive golds in this event.
ronze will be Canada's only curling medal at the Beijing Games after their women's and mixed doubles teams did not make the playoffs.
Great Britain, who beat the USA in the semi-final on Thursday, play Sweden in the men's gold medal match on Saturday."	/sport/winter-olympics/60428141
health	Largest nursing strike in NHS history starts	"Nurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have started a nationwide strike in the largest action of its kind in NHS history.
Staff will continue to provide ""life-preserving"" and some urgent care but routine surgery and other planned treatment is likely to be disrupted.
Royal College of Nursing said staff had been given no choice after ministers refused to reopen pay talks. 
UK government said the RCN's 19% pay rise demand was unaffordable.
RCN general secretary Pat Cullen has called on the government to ""do the decent thing"" and resolve the dispute before the year ends.
Ms Cullen told BBC Breakfast the strike marked ""a tragic day in nursing"".
""We need to stand up for our health service, we need to find a way of addressing those over seven million people that are sitting on waiting lists, and how are we going to do that? By making sure we have got the nurses to look after our patients, not with 50,000 vacant posts, and with it increasing day by day,"" she said.
Health Minister Maria Caulfield, a former nurse, accepted ""it is difficult"" living on a nurse's wage, but said that a 19% pay rise ""is an unrealistic ask"".
will involve nurses in around a quarter of hospitals and community teams in England, all health boards in Northern Ireland and all but one in Wales. Nurses are not striking in Scotland.
Watch Make Sense of Strikes on iPlayer and find out more about why people are striking and whether industrial action works.
Under trade union laws, the RCN has to ensure life-preserving care continues during the 12-hour strike.
Chemotherapy and kidney dialysis should run as normal, along with intensive and critical care, children's accident and emergency and hospital neonatal units, which look after newborn babies.
Beyond that, it will be up to NHS boards and trusts to negotiate services on a local level, with discussions likely to come down to the circumstances of some individual patients. 
ggest impact is likely to be in pre-booked treatment such as hernia repair, hip replacements or outpatient clinics.
NHS has said it is ""vital"" people continue to come forward for emergency care during the strikes and anyone not contacted to reschedule an appointment should attend as planned.
""Nurses have had enough - we are underpaid and undervalued,"" a nurse and local RCN steward Lyndsay Thompson, from Northern Ireland, says.
""Yes, this is a pay dispute but it's also very much about patient safety.
""The fact we cannot recruit enough nurses means patient safety is being put at risk.""
Ms Thompson, who has worked as a registered nurse for 12 years, says her colleagues ""absolutely do not want to strike"" but feel the need to take action ""to protect the NHS"" after a period of below-inflation pay rises. 
""We just feel we have no other option, because the government is not listening to us,"" she says.
RCN balloted more than 300,000 nurses across individual NHS trusts and boards rather than in a single, national vote.
means some nurses are not entitled to take industrial action, because the turnout in their local area was too low. 
In England, the first round of strikes will go ahead in 44 of 209 hospitals, mental-health trusts and community services. 
Strikes are also going ahead in all of Northern Ireland's health boards and all but one in Wales, the Aneurin Bevan. 
Most GP services will be unaffected, as nurses working directly for practices were not entitled to take part in the vote, but the strike will include district nurses working in people's homes or community settings.
A second day of strike action will go ahead on 20 December, unless there is a breakthrough in talks. 
Watch this video quiz to test your knowledge of nurses' pay
In England and Wales, most NHS staff have already received a pay rise of roughly £1,400 this year - worth about 4% on average for nurses. 
uation in Northern Ireland meant there was a delay in processing the increase - but nurses should receive backdated payments before the end of the year.
RCN wants a larger rise, of 5% above the RPI inflation rate, which currently stands at 14%, saying its members have received years of below-inflation pay increases. 
England's Health Secretary, Steve Barclay, said further pay rises would mean taking money away from other front-line services.
""I've been working across government and with medics outside the public sector to ensure safe staffing levels - but I do remain concerned about the risk that strikes pose to patients,"" he said. 
Mr Barclay added that the government had followed the recommendation of the independent NHS Pay Review Body, which said in July NHS staff should receive the £1,400 increase, with slightly more for the most experienced nurses. 
, made up mainly of economists and human-resources (HR) professionals, had been asked to base that recommendation on a range of factors, including:
Welsh ministers said they were unable to enter pay talks without extra funding from the UK government.
In Scotland, the RCN's strike action has been ""paused"", after ministers made a fresh offer worth just over £2,200 a year for most NHS staff. Nurses have been asked to vote on that deal, with results due next week. 
David was meant to have a pacemaker fitted on Thursday at a hospital in Wales.
Since he had major heart surgery five years ago, his NHS treatment has been ""second to none"", he says.
But being called and told Thursday's procedure had been postponed has left him ""frustrated and disappointed""  - and he has not yet been given a new date.
""If you're [working] in a profession where lives are at risk, I feel [it is] wrong to strike,"" David says.
""Particularly at Christmas and when other people are striking as well, it's not a good time.""
Union bosses have offered to suspend strikes if the UK government agrees to reopen serious discussions over pay. 
But a face-to-face meeting earlier this week broke down, with the RCN accusing Mr Barclay of ""belligerence"" and having ""too little to say"". 
will be only the second time RCN members have walked out in its 106-year history. Until 1995, the union had a formal no-strike policy in its rulebook. 
In 2019, nurses in Northern Ireland went on strike over pay. And in 2014, those in England who were members of Unison walked out - also over pay.
winter, a number of other major health unions, including Unison, the GMB, Unite the Union and the Royal College of Midwives, have also voted to strike in different parts of the UK, with a series of walkouts planned over Christmas and the new year. 
Are you taking part in the strike action - or affected by it? Please email us: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. 
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 HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. "	/news/health-63946730
entertainment	NI Screen: Blade Runner 2099 to be filmed in Northern Ireland	"Blade Runner 2099, a TV series based on the iconic Blade Runner films, is to be filmed in Northern Ireland.
ries has been commissioned by the streaming giant Amazon with Ridley Scott, who directed the original 1982 Blade Runner film, as executive producer.
Northern Ireland Screen chief executive Richard Williams made the announcement on Tuesday.
He said pre-production would start almost immediately.
Filming is due to begin in spring 2023.
""Most people are familiar with Blade Runner, this is a television series in that world,"" he said.
""It'll be big, it'll be very big.""
Alcon Entertainment, who made the 2017 feature film sequel Blade Runner 2049 starring Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford, are behind the TV series.
first Blade Runner film has become one of the most iconic science fiction films of all time.
Starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young and Darryl Hannah, it told the tale of a police officer whose job was to hunt down synthetic humans - or replicants - in a dystopian Los Angeles.
It has influenced many other films and popular culture, as well as predicting developments in technology and climate change.  
It is not yet known who will star in the new TV series, which is set 50 years after the action of the 2017 sequel.
uncement was made as Northern Ireland Screen's new 2022-2026 strategy outlined that the TV, film and video game industries should aim to generate more than £430m for the Northern Ireland economy over the next four years.
It plans to spend about £53m on TV, film and video game production until 2026 to generate an ""ambitious and challenging"" £431m return. 
But there is less money for Irish language and Ulster-Scots broadcasting this year compared to 2021/22.
Northern Ireland (NI) Screen said that was due to the end of ""an uplift in funding in 2021/22 following the implementation of commitments within New Decade New Approach"".
New Decade New Approach (NDNA) was the agreement which restored the Northern Ireland Executive in January 2020.
It included a government commitment to increase funding to the Ulster Scots Broadcast Fund and Irish Language Broadcast Fund.
""one-off uplift"" was provided by the UK's Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
However, NI Screen's business plan for 2022/23 said ""the uplift in funding is not to be sustained in 22/23 and future years"".
""A one-year increase in production funding is challenging to manage as it increases demand for the funding from the production companies which cannot be met in future years,"" it said.
""The reduction in funding from DCMS will impact the number of projects that can be supported and the number of training places and skills development that can be supported in 2022-23.""
re will be about £3.9m available for the Irish Language Broadcast Fund in 2022/23 and about £1m for the Ulster Scots Broadcast Fund.
will fund a number of things including 60 hours of television in Irish, 10 hours of television and some radio in Ulster-Scots and employment for a number of trainees through both funds.
Richard Williams, the chief executive of NI Screen, told BBC's Good Morning Ulster there was no reason the creative industries could not sustain growth in the coming years but added that he was very disappointed by the reduction in Irish and Ulster-Scots language funding.
NI Screen's 2022/23 business plan covers the first year of the body's new strategy for 2022-26, called Stories, Skills & Sustainability.
revious strategy from 2018-2022 included plans to grow the television drama, independent film and animation industries and to increase the number of video game companies.
For instance, NI Screen spent about £300,000 per year on video game production funding until 2022.
2018-22 strategy also included an overall target to deliver a minimum of £300m return to the Northern Ireland economy from the screen industries over that period.
NI Screen said that target had been exceeded and so it had been increased for the new 2022-26 strategy.
""The strategy includes an uplifted economic spend target of £430 million, a 43% increase on the £300 million target for Opening Doors 2018-22,"" the business plan said.
Department for the Economy (DfE) provides the majority of NI Screen's income and has increased its funding to almost £18m in 2022-23.
NI Screen's total budget for 2022/23 is about £27m.
Mr Williams praised early efforts made by former first and deputy first ministers Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness in developing the film industry in Northern Ireland, but added that recent governments have ""not delivered to the same extent"". 
""Would it be more impactful, particularly in the American market, if there was the joined-up leadership that there had been in the past? Yes it would,"" he added.
Among the recent productions filmed in Northern Ireland which NI Screen has invested money in are Paramount's Dungeons & Dragons, starring Hugh Grant and Chris Pine, and Netflix's The School for Good and Evil, featuring Charlize Theron and Kerry Washington.
Major TV series recently shot in Northern Ireland include Bloodlands and Line of Duty.
Plans have also been unveiled for Studio Ulster - a £25m cutting-edge virtual production studio to be built in Belfast by 2024.
However, in June a major television series from Star Wars director JJ Abrams, which was due to film in Belfast, was cancelled.
Mr Williams said he understands the pressures freelance workers are feeling and that a new project will be announced ""within a matter of days"", adding he was not in a position to provide further details.
""I am extremely confident that we will have projects to fill both Titanic Studios and Belfast Harbour Studios. Unfortunately I don't have full control on the information that underpins that,"" he said.
""The work absolutely will come in… we continue to get the support of the Northern Ireland Executive, which gives us the tools and allows us to develop the physical infrastructure, provide the modest incentives and to develop the crew that will allow us to continue to bring the work.""
NI Screen's 2022-26 strategy also includes plans to give about 100 people training and placements in the film and TV industry.
Creative Industries New Entrants programme is funded by the Department for Communities and run by NI Screen in partnership with BBC Northern Ireland.
It will target opportunities to those least likely to enter the industry including to those with a disability, from an ethnic minority or from a lower socio-economic background."	/news/uk-northern-ireland-63206462
sports	Welsh Grand National: The Two Amigos and David Prichard win at 16-1	"The Two Amigos won the Welsh Grand National at 16-1 at Chepstow Racecourse with Welsh jockey David Prichard giving home fans a festive win to cheer.
Prichard made the early running and held off the challenges of the 14-1 The Big Breakaway and The Big Dog, who started at 9-2, to win.
It was the first Welsh National to be held in front of spectators since 2019 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
wo Amigos finished second in 2021 and fifth in 2019.
Prichard told ITV: ""Obviously it is the biggest win of my career so far. 
""We only just got in, we did not think we were going to get in to be honest and even worse I thought I was going to have 10 2 (10 stone 2) a couple of days after Christmas, luckily the weights went up.
""He (The Two Amigos) is ultra-consistent, he chucked in a few bad runs, but that was mainly because the yard was not in great form last year, but Nicky (Nicky Martin, trainer) has got them all firing this year.""
Prichard added: ""We thought we were coming in with a real chance, especially with the ground getting softer by the minute and on such a featherweight, it was just brilliant.
""I would like to thank Nicky and John for all the chances they have given me.
""I am a proud Welshman, to win our own national is absolutely incredible. 
""My mum and dad are from near Pontypridd, it is a big day.""
It was also a memorable, if poignant day for 16-year-old Freddie Gingell, who guided Truckers Lodge to fourth, and The Big Breakaway's trainer Joe Tizzard.
race was run in memory of Freddie's late mother, Kim Gingell - Tizzard's sister - who died aged 43 from cancer in 2020."	/sport/horse-racing/64102232
politics	Rishi Sunak admits not enough asylum claims are being processed	"Keir Starmer says PM did 'grubby deal' to avoid an election
Rishi Sunak has admitted not enough asylum claims are being processed, but promised to fix the system.
He was responding to questions from Sir Keir Starmer who accused the government of having lost control.
Labour leader also called for Suella Braverman to be replaced with a ""proper home secretary"". 
Last week MPs were told that just 4% of those coming to the UK via small boat Channel crossings in 2021 had received decisions on their asylum claims.
government is also facing questions about severe overcrowding at the Manston asylum processing centre in Kent, which has reportedly led to outbreaks of disease and violence. 
re have been reports of over 4,000 people staying at the centre, despite it being meant to hold just 1,600 when it was built.
Migrants are supposed to be kept at the centre for 24 hours only but the chief inspector of immigration has said some people had been there for over a month. 
On Monday, Ms Braverman said illegal migration was ""out of control"" and acknowledged the system was ""broken"".
Repeating her comment at Prime Minister's Questions, Sir Keir asked Mr Sunak ""who broke it?""
""If the asylum system is broken and his lot have been in power for 12 years - how can it be anyone's fault but theirs.""
rime minister defended his government's record, pointing to an increase of staff at Manston and the number of hotel beds available for arrivals. 
""These are significant steps that demonstrate we are getting a grip of this system,"" he told Sir Keir.
He accused Labour of not having a plan to fix the problem, describing their policy as ""a blank page"". 
Sir Keir said the government had wasted £140m on the Rwanda scheme which has so far failed to deport any failed asylum seekers. 
He urged the government to ""scrap the Rwanda gimmick, crack down on smuggling gangs, end the small boat crossings, speed up asylum claims and agree an international deal on refugees? 
""Start governing for once and get a grip.""
was a difficult PMQs for the new prime minister for two reasons.
Firstly, he is Conservative prime minister number five after 12 years of Conservative government, and so there is nowhere to hide and no-one else to blame when things go wrong.
And secondly, because of the bluntness of his home secretary.
Suella Braverman said the other day that illegal immigration was ""out of control"".
And Sunak was forced to admit the speed of processing asylum claims isn't good enough.
rime minister is, for now, managing to keep his side on side - with tribal stuff that Conservative MPs lap up about Keir Starmer having wanted Jeremy Corbyn to become prime minister.
But you have to wonder about the shelf life of those attack lines as the problems for the government stack up.
Earlier this year, the government announced plans to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda where they could claim refuge. 
Ministers argue this would reduce the numbers crossing the English Channel, but the policy has been held up by legal challenges.
Almost 40,000 people have crossed the Channel in small boats so far in 2022 - the highest number since figures began to be collected in 2018. 
rocessing asylum claims is partly down to a rule change from 2019, whereby the Home Office scrapped a target for decision-making.
Council leaders in Kent have warned the home secretary the county is at ""breaking point"" dealing with the migrant issue, with public services coming under ""extreme pressure"".
Earlier this week, Ms Braverman described the numbers arriving in the UK as an ""invasion on the south coast"".
United Nations Human Rights Commissioner has now criticised the home secretary, saying invasion was ""a horrible word"".  
Speaking in Geneva, Volker Türk said politicians had to be sure their words didn't ""add fuel to the fire on issues that are about human beings"".
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has also expressed anger at the rhetoric used in the UK, after figures showed a big rise in the number of Albanians coming to the UK in small boats. 
""Targeting Albanians (as some shamefully did when fighting for Brexit) as the cause of Britain's crime and border problems makes for easy rhetoric but ignores hard fact,"" he tweeted.
""Albanians in the UK work hard and pay tax... [the] UK should fight the crime gangs of all nationalities and stop discriminating [against] Albanians to excuse policy failures."""	/news/uk-politics-63486665
politics	Post Office scandal: Anglesey honours wrongly jailed sub-postmaster	"A former sub-postmaster who was disqualified as a councillor 16 years ago when he was wrongly jailed has been honoured by the local authority.
Noel Thomas, 75, was one of more than 700 sub-postmasters convicted in the Post Office IT scandal. 
He was sent to prison for false accounting in 2006, but had his conviction quashed last year.
Anglesey council gave him ""a long delayed vote of thanks for his service"". 
Post Office IT scandal was the UK's most widespread miscarriage of justice, and the prosecutions were based on flawed information from the Horizon computer system. 
Mr Thomas, from Gaerwen, Anglesey, first represented Plaid Cymru as a councillor in 1986.
He received a letter of disqualification when he was serving nine months in Kirkham prison, Lancashire in 2006, because of the length of his sentence. 
Council chairman Dafydd Roberts, who also presented Mr Thomas with a gift, said: ""Noel had to leave the council through no fault of his own, but our hands were tied.
""We have great sympathy for him, he has been treated horrendously by his employer, and we appreciate the way he has conducted himself during this egregious miscarriage of justice. 
""There is nothing the council can do to right the wrong, but we can take a small step to show we have the greatest respect for him.""
He added that they wanted to show their appreciation as a council, and ""he was and always will be a pillar of the community"".
former sub-postmaster, who will be 76 on Christmas Eve, said he was extremely grateful for the honour, and he vividly remembered getting the disqualification letter in prison.
""What could I do?"" he said.
""I read it, and had a lump in my throat, helping people was the main thing about being a councillor - it was the Post Office's fault not the council.""
His daughter Sian said the vote of thanks was welcome ""after all these years"".
""We as a family think it's a lovely idea, as at the same time the authority had no choice at the time but to dismiss him."" "	/news/uk-wales-63879540
sports	Winter Olympics: Spanish figure skater Laura Barquero fails doping test	"Spanish figure skater Laura Barquero tested positive for a banned substance at the Winter Olympics, according to the International Testing Agency (ITA).
ITA said a sample taken on 18 February contained a metabolite of clostebol, which is on the prohibited list of the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Barquero was tested during the pairs skating short programme in Beijing.
""The athlete has been informed. She has the right to request the analysis of the B-sample,"" said the ITA.
""The matter will thereafter be referred to the anti-doping division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport [Cas] for adjudication under the IOC [International Olympic Committee] anti-doping rules applicable to the Olympic Games Beijing 2022.
""Given that the case is under way, there will be no further comments during the ongoing proceeding.""
20-year-old, alongside partner Maurizio Zandron, finished 11th in the pairs skating event at the Beijing Games.
It is the fourth positive test from the Games, which were dominated by the case of 15-year-old figure skater Kamila Valieva.
Russian Valieva was allowed to compete in Beijing despite testing positive for banned angina drug trimetazidine before the Winter Olympics."	/sport/winter-olympics/60480117
technology	Drone technology used to inspect Scotland's sewers	"How drones are replacing people in Scotland's sewers
Scottish Water is pioneering the use of drones to inspect Scotland's sewers.
utility company said the technology replaces the need for workers to carry out inspections, will provide more accurate readings about conditions and will help reduce emissions.
It carried out the UK's first drone inspection at a sewer on Bath Street, Glasgow in July.
Similar inspections are expected to be rolled out in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and some rural areas.
Scottish Water said the more accurate inspections will cut the cost of repairs and maintenance and reduce the risk of flooding and pollution.
gh-tech drones are fitted with cameras and laser technology called light detection and ranging (LiDAR), which scans sewers for issues like cracks, holes, partial collapses, infiltration, and root ingress.
wo workers pilot a drone as it flies along pipes and can inspect the area using video.
method replaces 15 workers who would have traditionally carried out inspections - though this method will still be used in other parts of the network.
Scottish Water said the drones help cut down on staff working in dangerous conditions in confined spaces with the risk of hazardous gases.
It added that the technology would not adversely affect jobs, pay or conditions of any workers involved.
A spokesperson added: ""It will actually create more work because, as we roll it out, we'll be able to carry out more sewer inspections on parts of our waste water network that we could not reach using the traditional 'worker entry' methods. Sewer inspections are also just one part of these workers' job remits.""
gy including its software was developed by Environmental Techniques, a surveyor based in Northern Ireland.
Scottish Water said the drones would be flown to parts of its 33,000-mile network that traditional surveys could not reach.
It added this method could reduce carbon emissions from sewer surveys by as much as 80% by reducing the number of site vans and vehicle deliveries.
Iain Jones, the company's risk and life cycle planning manager, said: ""Drones have been put into sewers elsewhere with limited capabilities and limited success. But the specific adaptation of both drone and the 3D LiDAR modelling is what makes this special.
""The 4K quality outputs combined with accurate modelling is the innovative thing. That quality is four times better than a HD TV and it's certainly a first in Britain.
""Some of the sewers pre-date the Victorian era and are more than 160 years-old and we need information to enable us to make good decisions about how to rehabilitate them if necessary."""	/news/uk-scotland-63048466
sports	Hazara: The female karate champions 'breaking out of the cage'	"Many of Pakistan’s top female karate players are from the Hazara ethnic minority. The community has endured decades of persecution and targeted bomb attacks.
One of the deadliest was in 2013, when multiple bombings in the city of Quetta left more than 200 people dead.
Hazara community lives in isolated ghettos in the city, cordoned off by checkpoints. For many Hazara women karate is a way of fighting back and breaking out of the restrictions they face.
Filmed by: Musa Yawari. Directed by: Kevin Kim and Musa Yawari. Edited by: Kevin Kim."	/news/world-asia-60827251
technology	Nissan Sunderland's £10m battery assembly line begins manufacturing	"Electric versions of the Qashqai and Juke are being manufactured at Nissan in Sunderland thanks to a £10m state-of-the-art battery assembly line.
Battery packs for the plant's two most successful models are now made onsite and fitted into the crossover vehicles.
Built alongside the Nissan Leaf, it means every model built in the UK now has an electrified version.
Vice president of manufacturing Alan Johnson said it was ""fantastic"" to see them rolling off the production lines.
wo electrified models are part of a previously announced £500m investment by Nissan into the plant to build the current generations of Qashqai and Juke.
Mr Johnson added: ""Both e-POWER and hybrid technologies are firsts for the team in Sunderland.
""Our plant is built on the foundations of 36 years of manufacturing excellence from our world-class people and advanced facilities.
""Two million hours of training just for electrification shows we are taking that to the next level, as we lead the charge towards an electrified future.""
Last Year Nissan announced a major expansion of electric vehicle production at the plant in Sunderland as part of a £1bn investment.
Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk."	/news/uk-england-tyne-63027180
sports	Meggan Dawson-Farrell: 'I said I would run away from sports camp'	"Meggan Dawson-Farrell's comic timing may be the key to Britain securing wheelchair curling success in Beijing - as she knows how to quell a tense situation.
""It helps, if games aren't going so well, to give the team a lift,"" she says. ""But I've been told I'm not allowed to tell any more jokes, because they are really bad!""
Dawson-Farrell didn't play sport at school, but attending a sports camp as a teenager transformed her life.
""I told my mum I would run away, but three days later when she came to pick me up, I didn't want to leave,"" she says.
29-year old - a Paralympic debutant in Beijing - will be hoping Britain can repeat previous medal successes in the event - a bronze in 2014, and a silver when the sport made its debut in 2006."	/sport/av/disability-sport/60601952
sports	Tokyo Olympics: British medal hope Amber Hill withdraws after testing positive for Covid-19	"British medal hope Amber Hill has withdrawn from the women's skeet competition at this summer's Olympics after testing positive for Covid-19.
World number one Hill won silver at the shooting World Cup in May and finished sixth at the Rio 2016 Games.
Hill says she is ""absolutely devastated"" by the news, which came before she had left for Japan.
She was due to participate in Sunday's qualifying event with the final scheduled to take place on Monday. 
British Olympic Association confirmed Hill's positive test and added there would be no replacement for the 23-year-old.
""There are no words to describe how I'm feeling right now,"" Hill said.
""After five years of training and preparation, I'm absolutely devastated to say that last night I received a positive Covid-19 test, meaning I've had to withdraw from Team GB's shooting team.
""Although I don't have any symptoms, I will now isolate as per the government guidance."" 
Swimmer Ilya Borodin, 2020 European champion in the men's 400m individual medley, will also miss the Games, the Russian Swimming Federation said.
18-year-old tested positive for coronavirus during a training camp before departing for Japan.
One athlete who feared her Games might be over after she was identified as a close contact of a member of the public who tested positive on the flight to Japan has been given hope she can compete.
British 400m hurdler Jessie Knight was part of a group of six athletes identified as a close contact of someone two rows away on her flight.
""When I was initially told, I was just told 'Oh Jessie we need to speak to you' so my heart dropped and to be honest I thought I'd tested positive,"" the 27-year-old told BBC Sport. ""The fact that I was just a close contact, I was really relieved.""
rotocols in place mean she is isolated from athletes who have not been affected but with twice-a-day testing, and social distancing between her and her coach, she is still able to train.
""You don't want to miss 14 days of training going into the biggest race of your life so I was panicking but it was communicated so quickly that I would be able to train so long as we were providing those negative tests.""
m GB chef de mission Mark England said: ""This is a rule that was presented to everybody only in the last 48 hours by the IOC and Tokyo 2020.
""Any athlete in the Olympic Games that has been contacted for track-and-trace and is isolating, as long as they presenting negative tests they are allowed to enter the field of play.""
Knight is due to compete in the early rounds of the women's 400m hurdles on 31 July."	/sport/olympics/57917553
entertainment	David Walliams made 'disrespectful comments' about Britain's Got Talent contestants	"David Walliams has admitted making ""disrespectful comments"" about two Britain's Got Talent contestants during a break in filming in 2020. 
A leaked transcript of a recording showed the talent show judge making derogatory and sexually explicit remarks, according to the Guardian.
He has said sorry, and that the remarks ""were never intended to be shared"".
w's producers said they had spoken to him about his ""future professional conduct"".
median and author has appeared on the ITV programme since 2012.
In a statement, the TV personality said: ""I would like to apologise to the people I made disrespectful comments about during breaks in filming for Britain's Got Talent in 2020.
""These were private conversations and - like most conversations with friends - were never intended to be shared. Nevertheless, I am sorry.""
mments were picked up by microphones during discussions between the judging panel while recording an audition show at the London Palladium, the Guardian said.
One was reportedly aimed at an older performer who had made a jibe about Walliams while joking with the judges.
r incident occurred shortly after a woman had walked off stage, with Walliams apparently referring to her as a ""slightly boring girl you meet in the pub"" who thinks you want to have sex with her.
In a statement, ITV said: ""We do not condone the language outlined in these allegations, and we have spoken to the producers of Britain's Got Talent.
""Duty of care towards all participants on any of our programmes is always of paramount importance and we have protocols and guidelines in place for all our production partners.""
A spokesperson for Thames TV, which produces the show, said the company regarded Walliams' comments as private, but that his use of language was ""inappropriate"".
: ""Even though it was private, those involved have been spoken to and reminded of their responsibilities and the show's expectations as to future professional conduct.""
A spokesperson for Cowell and Syco Entertainment, the co-producer of Britain's Got Talent, said they were ""unaware"" of the alleged conversation until contacted by the newspaper, stressing that ""Britain's Got Talent is a family show and we do not condone the use of any such language"".
re is no suggestion that Cowell or any other judges made any such remarks.
Noted for his on-screen chemistry with Cowell on the show, Walliams was named best judge at the National Television Awards in 2015, 2018 and 2019.
He rose to fame in the noughties as the star and co-creator of hit BBC sketch show Little Britain and has gone on to enjoy success as a best-selling children's author.
However, in 2020, he and Little Britain co-star Matt Lucas apologised for using black face in the show; and last year a story about a Chinese boy was removed from one of his books after criticism that it contained ""harmful stereotypes""."	/news/entertainment-arts-63584677
health	Nottingham: Tech issue resolved after hospital services disrupted	"A technology problem at a Nottingham hospital trust that led to delays and overcrowding in its emergency department has been resolved.
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust alerted patients about the IT issue on Wednesday evening.
rust says the issue has now been fixed and disruption at the Queen's Medical Centre's emergency department has ""much improved"".
Some planned procedures and outpatient appointments have been postponed. 
rust is encouraging people to attend scheduled appointments unless they have been told otherwise. 
Additional steps were taken to maintain safe services, including bringing in more staff and seeking support from the health and social care sector, according to the trust. 
A statement said: ""The IT issue that we experienced yesterday has now been resolved and we are able to process and report on blood samples as normal.
""We would like to thank our health and social care partners for their support and our staff for their continued hard work.
""Please attend your planned procedure or outpatient appointment as normal today, unless you have been contacted.""
Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk."	/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-63743445
politics	No pot of money for teachers' pay deal, says education secretary	"re is no separate pot of money in the education budget to fund an improved pay deal for teachers, the education secretary has said.
Shirley-Anne Somerville said any enhanced offer would have to be paid for by cuts elsewhere.
Scotland's largest teachers' union announced strike action on Thursday after rejecting a 5% pay offer.
rs across the country will stage a 24-hour walkout on 24 November with further industrial action planned.
Conservatives have accused Ms Somerville of being ""missing in action"" during the teachers' pay dispute and called on her to ""get a grip"" and resolve the issue.
ucation secretary told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme that strike action ""is not inevitable"".
She insisted the Scottish government was ""absolutely determined"" to work with local authority body Cosla to try to come up with a pay increase closer to the 10% called for by the EIS union.
But she said ""difficult decisions would have to be made"" because the Scottish government's budgets had already been fully marked out.
Ms Somerville said: ""We've made it very clear to teachers, and everyone across the public sector, that we have huge sympathy for public sector workers, with high inflation and the cost of living that we have. 
""But we do also have to bear in mind the reality and the context. The Scottish government has a fixed budget. It cannot change taxes in the year. Its reserves have been fully utilised.
""If we're looking to fund public sector pay offers, that money has to come from somewhere else in the budget.
""There is no separate pot of money in the education budget or anywhere else within the Scottish budget to allow these deals to be made.""
Ministers have repeatedly said there is no more money for public sector pay deals - that their budget is already spent. 
Yet it is clear they intend to find more cash to make an improved offer to teachers to try to avert a national strike. 
rs to mean trimming cash already allocated for other things within the education budget and diverting it to salaries. 
While the EIS is seeking a 10% rise - double the 5% currently on offer - they are unlikely to get that when a separate dispute with local government workers was settled at around 7%. 
Scottish government does not seem to be proposing a similar approach in health. 
Why? Partly because they have already raided NHS budgets to improve the nurses' pay offer and worry that switching more cash could put patient health at greater risk. 
re also hoping the UK government will come up with some more cash to help resolve this dispute, with the first minister arguing that without it the NHS across the UK is close to breaking point. 
Deputy First Minister John Swinney announced £615m of spending cuts in his emergency budget review earlier this month.
It came on top of £560m cuts to public services in September.
Ms Somerville said she was still hopeful a deal could be done with teachers before the first walkout at the end of this month.
She said: ""When we met the trade unions yesterday, along with Cosla the employers, there was a clear understanding that no-one wanted to get to the stage where there was industrial action.
""We all appreciate the huge disruption that children and young people have faced over the past few years.
""And that's why, as a Scottish government, we are absolutely determined to see... if there is additional funding that we can provide to Cosla to allow an enhanced pay offer.""
Scottish Conservatives called on the education secretary to ""show some leadership"" and give education and skills ""the priority it needs"".
rty's education spokesman Stephen Kerr told Good Morning Scotland: ""The Scottish government have had the largest block grant in history.
""The is about political priority and the top priority should be education.
""The Scottish government need to show some flexibility and creativity and solve this dispute.
""We have seen in the past they've been able to find the money when they needed to find the money.""
EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said Ms Somerville's comments that the Scottish government was determined to make a new offer were ""somewhat positive"".
She added: ""There has been very little movement since around the third week in September.
""So it is good to hear that the Scottish government is prepared to look again to see how it might be able to provide additional funds in order that Cosla can make a better offer than that 5%, which falls far short of inflation and would amount to an almost 8% real terms pay cut for teachers."""	/news/uk-scotland-63596443
sports	Commonwealth Games 2022: Adam Peaty & Brummie rapper Mist face funny kids questions	"Adam Peaty and rapper Mist face some tough questions from Birmingham schoolchildren ahead of the Commonwealth Games.
Watch coverage of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 across the BBC from 28 July."	/sport/av/commonwealth-games/62254235
sports	Andy Murray regrets not playing in Scotland more after Battle of the Brits appearance	"Andy Murray wishes he had played in his Scottish homeland more after taking part in this week's Battle of the Brits in Aberdeen.
Dan Evans beat Andy Murray as England clinched the tournament with an 8-4 win over Scotland.
However, Murray and older brother Jamie teamed up to beat Evans and Neal Skupski 6-3 6-4 in the final match of the event.
""I haven't played here since 2006 I think it was,"" Andy Murray said.
""Great to be back. I wish I had done more of this during my career. I regret that a little bit after experiencing the last couple of days, it was great.""
ree-time Grand Slam and 2015 Davis Cup winner Murray, 35, has played at Glasgow's Emirates in recent years but last year's Battle of the Brits had to be postponed because of rising Covid cases.
Aberdeen event is organised by Jamie Murray, 36, and came as the younger Murray brother finished 2022 with a ranking of 49 after 26 wins from 45 singles matches.
""My movement was good this week,"" added Andy Murray.
""I'm hoping that in 2023 there's some good things coming and I want to finish my career off strong."""	/sport/tennis/64076369
technology	Bailey Sarian: 'I'm just a true crime enthusiast'	YouTuber Bailey Sarian talks to the BBC's Dearbail Jordan about her approach to her true crime videos.	/news/business-62178072
sports	Valentino Rossi: The end of an era for motorsport legend	"It is the end of an era. 
After 432 grand prix starts, 115 race wins and nine world titles, Valentino Rossi - the most successful motorbike racer of his generation - is bringing down the curtain on his glittering MotoGP career.
In August, the 42-year-old announced this season would be his last, meaning Sunday's finale in Valencia will mark his farewell.
In 26 years, Rossi has become a global phenomenon, transcending the sport itself and, with it, amassing cult-like status with fans around the world. 
As MotoGP commentator Nick Harris observes, he is ""someone who has changed the sport and brought it to places it had never been to before - without a doubt there has never been anyone like Valentino Rossi in 73 years of grand prix racing"".
many, Rossi is truly one of the motorsport greats, up there with Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna, Giacomo Agostini, Mike Hailwood and Mick Doohan. 
But why? Let names such as Max Biaggi, Fabio Quartararo and Lewis Hamilton fill you in.
First, just look at the stats.  
Rossi's incredible record shows he is still the only rider in history to win World Championships in 125cc, 250cc, 500cc and MotoGP.
His first title in the premier class came in 2001 at the age of 22, the first of five successive championships - on the Honda and then with Yamaha. His final two championships came in 2008 and 2009.  
He is the only rider to have started 400 or more races in the sport's history, and has 89 victories in the premier class - no-one in the history of grand prix racing has ever come close to that. 
One man who knows what it's like to work with Rossi is his former mechanic, Alex Briggs. He was with Rossi from 2000, when he made his debut in the 500cc class, until 2020.  
""It is like you are comparing people with computers, it is like he has a bigger hard drive and bigger memory than the rest of the guys,"" Briggs told BBC Sport.
""He was very good at understanding a race - if he was in third or fourth he knew in his mind that he could win, but then he got so good that it was too easy for him for a while. He would drop back like a kitten plays with a mouse - he would play with some of the other guys. 
""I think he could have probably ridden a wooden motorcycle around the track for a few years and still would have won.""
On and off the track Rossi has always been larger than life. He became famous worldwide for his unique celebrations - from wearing a Robin Hood outfit on the podium, to pretending he was in charge of a chain gang and even running to a portable toilet on a slow-down lap.
""He was different to anything we had ever seen before,"" Harris told BBC Sport. ""He was cheeky, charismatic, fun-loving and understood exactly what he had to do and it just took off. 
""I have been involved in F1 with the likes of Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna and the rollercoaster Rossi produced was even bigger than them - it was extraordinary.""
'cult of Rossi' is worldwide - in Tokyo you will find shops dedicated to the Italian, in the Caribbean you will see Rossi merchandise sold on the beach. In China you will see his race number, 46, in car back windows - and even in a small village in Cheshire you will find Rossi flags flying high in back gardens. 
""When he found out there was a Rossi fan club in Hawaii, he flew some people over and had a paddling pool in the paddock garage with palm trees,"" said Harris. ""The whole crew, his leathers and the bike had palm trees on them in Hawaiian colours. That's the effect he had.""
His hometown of Tavullia has become a place of pilgrimage for many fans - more than 20,000 visit each year, from Europe, Asia and South America. 
Even Hollywood A-listers can't resist his charms. Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise and Daniel Day-Lewis are huge fans, as is seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton.  
""One of the biggest highlights of my career was the day we spent together riding and swapping vehicles. It was so cool to do it with somebody I had watched and admired for such a long time,"" Hamilton told BBC Sport.  
""Vale has an incredibly long career, and he was always pushing and never giving up. He has shown he is a great team player, humble with his approach and always smiling and positive. 
""I think there is a lot to take away from the great leader that he is. It's beautiful to see he has achieved everything he wanted.""
Rossi has made it on to the podium 235 times since making his debut in 1996. His final podium came in 2020, a third place in Jerez. 
2000s were no doubt the Rossi glory years but this past decade has seen the rise of other superstars - most notably Spaniard Marc Marquez, winner of six titles between 2013 and 2019.
Only the best of the best can say that they have gone head-to-head with Rossi and for those who have, it has sparked some of the biggest rivalries in the sport's history. 
Six-time world champion Max Biaggi was 'The Doctor's' first true rival. Both Italian, both passionate, both wanted to win.
""We had a lot of championships together and we were rivals. We were the same nationality and that makes the rivalry very true,"" Biaggi told BBC Sport. 
""On track with him you never knew how it could go - he was good from the start, not so many weak points but it was always nice to race against riders who have that talent.
""He can adapt very easily and do more than one style. He was very strong on brakes but also in the wet he was fast. He was not the cleanest of riders because his style wasn't the cleanest - still he was able to have great results over the past 20 years.""
2001 at the opening round in Suzuka, while in Catalunya the same year they had an altercation on the steps leading up to the podium. But for Biaggi, his greatest battle against his countryman came at Phillip Island in Australia in 2001 - a Rossi win that handed him his first premier class title.
""I remember in Australia where he won by 00.1s. Wow - there was almost nothing [between us] and the race was fantastic. I didn't expect to be overtaken on the last lap and I was able to get second by a small margin,"" he said.
""Those kind of races created a lot of adrenaline and a positive feeling, even on a bad day it was great - we were fighting on the track in front of thousands of people and they were there to see a great battle.""
Harris said: ""He was brave and fearless - one of the greatest races ever was in 2008 in Laguna Seca where he beat [Australian two-time MotoGP champion] Casey Stoner and took him at the corkscrew. No-one who was there could ever forget that move. He was prepared to take enormous risks.""
Stoner ended up crashing and Rossi won the race and eventually the title.  
In 2009, it was the turn of Rossi's Yamaha team-mate, Jorge Lorenzo. The stage was the Catalunya GP, and the championship was on the line - it all came down to the last corner, where Rossi made his move and took the win by less than a tenth of a second.
His biggest rival over recent years has been Honda's Marquez. Things came to a head at the 2015 Malaysian GP, where Rossi was penalised for appearing to kick Marquez off his bike.
But with Rossi's longevity and his epic battles on tarmac, he has inspired the next generation of motorbiking superstars, none more so than 2021 MotoGP champion Fabio Quartararo. 
""Valentino was and is my idol,"" said the Frenchman. ""When I was six I saw one of his races and he was overtaking on the last corner in Jerez in 2005, and that was the moment I wanted to be there, fighting with MotoGP riders.
""He is amazing because normally people stop racing at 35 or 36 and I thought I would never have the chance to ride with Vale - but he was still riding when I signed my MotoGP contract and I said at least I had the chance to ride with him.""
So what is next for the rider who loves Batman movies, Bob Marley and eating pizza with mayonnaise? 
He will probably not dwell on his final season in MotoGP with the Petronas Yamaha satellite team. He experienced his worst start ever to the season, his best finish eighth at the Red Bull Ring in Austria. A 10th title has eluded him, leaving him feeling ""a little bit sad"", but there is plenty to keep Rossi busy during his retirement. 
He will still be in the MotoGP paddock in 2022, as his VR46 racing team will be venturing into the premier class. He also runs his VR46 ranch in his hometown which is an academy for up-and-coming racers - and he will become a dad for the first time too.    
But based on his comments at a recent media conference, it looks like Rossi could be turning his attention to four wheels.
""I love to race with cars, so I think I will race with cars from next year, but it is not decided yet. 
""I feel I am a rider or a driver all life long."""	/sport/motorsport/59250378
politics	What's happening in Parliament next week?	"week's drama is backloaded to Thursday, when Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will deliver his Autumn Statement, his package of tax rises and spending cuts to restore long-term market confidence in the UK's finances. 
going to be a major event, probably the defining political event up to the next election, so expect a noisy and confrontational Commons. 
-up is a mostly humdrum diet of general debates and low-key law-making, perhaps with legislation to postpone the Northern Ireland Assembly elections dropped in somewhere along the way. 
And keep an eye out for some of the big-ticket legislation currently missing in action, in particular the eagerly-awaited Online Safety Bill which ministers are apparently rethinking. 
Meanwhile, more select committee chairs are up for election. Jonathan Gullis, David Simmonds and Robin Walker are vying to succeed Robert Halfon in Education, and six candidates are seeking to succeed Huw Merriman in Transport: Jack Brereton, Jackie Doyle-Price, Katherine Fletcher, Chris Loder, Karl McCartney and Iain Stewart. 
g will take place with the results announced later in the afternoon. 
Commons: Home Office Questions at 14:30, after which there will be a general debate about the Australia and New Zealand trade deals. 
Westminster Hall: At 16:30, MPs will debate an e-petition which argues the government should not reduce the existing adult-child ratios in early years childcare. The petition attracted 106,903 signatures.
Committees: Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has his first meeting with Foreign Affairs Committee (16:00), while Public Accounts (16:00) considers the Defence Digital Strategy - how Britain's armed forces are acquiring cyber-warfare and information-handling capabilities.
Lords: At 14:40, two new peers take their seats: Labour's Fiona Twycross, Deputy Mayor of London, and Michael Hintze, hedge fund manager and Conservative donor. Questions will include the Green Party's Baroness Jones asking why there has been a delay in water companies producing their plans for dealing with sewage discharges. 
main event is the final committee stage day on the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill. 
Commons: Treasury Questions at 14:30 - watch out for a debut intervention from new Treasury Committee Chair Harriet Baldwin - after which the main debate will be on a Labour motion, to be announced.  
Minute Rule Bill: Plaid Cymru's Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts wants to create a commission to look at the way the tax system impacts different groups in society. It would look at issues like non-dom status, increasing taxes on high-profit industries, and equalising tax rates on income whatever its source.
Adjournment: Labour's Richard Burgon leads a debate on the merits of enabling the public to call a general election.
Committees: Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (10:15) hears from witnesses from Amazon and Zoom, as well as from trade unions Prospect and the GMB, in its inquiry into post-pandemic economic growth and the labour market. Public Administration (10:00) looks at how the Lobbying Act 2014 is working.
Lords: At 14:30, peers will be asked to approve another job lot of orders and regulations: University Institutes, Social Workers, Pensions Dashboards, Financial Services, Police and Crime Commissioner Elections, Assistance with Voting for Disabled People, Prescribed Persons (Reports on Disclosures of Information), and Climate Change (Targeted Greenhouse Gases).
re will also be a short debate on calls for peace talks between Eritrea and Ethiopia.
Commons: Scottish Questions at 11:30 will be followed by Prime Minister's Questions. 
main debate will be on the report stage of the National Security Bill - the point at which MPs can put forward changes. The bill updates existing espionage laws and make it harder for hostile states to steal information for commercial or political advantage. or to interfere in British society covertly.
An interesting change is being mooted by Labour's Chris Bryant, who chairs the Standards Committee. He wants people convicted of illegal work for a foreign power to be disqualified from sitting in Parliament  - in part this reflects his committee's long-standing queasiness about foreign powers using all-party parliamentary groups to influence Westminster. 
Similar concerns were expressed by Security Minister Tom Tugendhat, now guiding the bill through Parliament, in his previous incarnation as chair of the foreign affairs committee; it will be interesting to see how he responds.
Minute Rule Bill: Labour MP Alex Norris will propose imposing on the government a new duty to promote the safety and well-being of teenagers.
Committees: Work and Pensions (09:30) takes expert evidence on the Plan for Jobs and employment support; Women and Equalities (14:30) focuses on sexism and inequality in football; and Human Rights (15:00) has a session on asylum seekers
Lords: At 15:00, peers will hold the first of two committee stage days on the Public Order Bill. 
Commons: Environment Food and Rural Affairs Questions, from 09:30, with new Secretary of State Therese Coffey, will be followed at 10:10 by mini question times for the MPs who speak for the Church Commissioners, the Parliamentary Works Sponsor Body (about the plans for a multi-billion pound restoration of the Victorian Palace of Westminster), the Public Accounts Commission, and the Electoral Commission.
main business will be Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's Autumn Economic Statement.
Westminster Hall: New Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Alicia Kearns leads a debate on the committee's report, ""The cost of complacency: illicit finance and the war in Ukraine"".
Lords: From 11:00, peers will debate subjects raised by Lib Dem peers - on long Covid, and the problems affecting tenures in the housing market in England - plus there'll be a short debate on celebrating national women's sports. 
Commons: From 09:30, MPs will debate second readings of a series of private members' bills - new laws proposed by backbench MPs. First is Conservative Bob Blackman's Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Bill, which deals with the specialised social housing used for prison leavers, recovering addicts, refugees, and those fleeing domestic violence. 
It gives local councils new powers to drive out poor practice following a report by the Levelling Up select committee, of which he is a senior member. The committee has even held a scrutiny session to go through the bill in detail. This is the second time Mr Blackman has tried to put committee recommendations into law, after his Homelessness Reduction Act in 2018.
's followed by Labour MP Alex Cunningham's Terminal Illness (Support and Rights) Bill, which would require utility companies to provide financial support to customers with a terminal illness, and the SNP's Chris Stephens's Corporate Homicide Bill.
Lords: From 10:00, peers will also debate private members; bills, starting with the second reading of Conservative constitutionalist Lord Norton of Louth's House of Lords (Peerage Nominations) Bill. This aims to give real teeth to the House of Lords Appointments Commission (HOLAC)'s role, by requiring the prime minister to wait until it has advised on whether an individual nominated for a peerage has ""conspicuous merit"" and a ""willingness and capacity to contribute"". 
With two sets of nominations incoming from prime ministerial resignation honours lists, this is particularly well-timed. I doubt even Lord Norton expects this bill to become law, but it might prod ministers a bit.
Next will be committee consideration of the Clean Air (Human Rights) Bill from the Green Party's Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb.
Lib Dem peer Lord Redesdale is planning to strip out most of the content of his Climate and Ecology Bill, honing it down to a simple commitment to reverse biodiversity loss, based on the argument that this will make the measure harder for the government to resist.
Finally, there's the committee stage for Conservative Lord Hayward's Ballot Secrecy Bill which aims to curb so-called 'family voting', where other members of a family accompany voters into polling stations, particularly women, and pressure them to vote a particular way."	/news/uk-politics-63596885
technology	Holocaust activist seems to talk to guests at her funeral	"Holocaust campaigner Marina Smith appeared able to answer questions at a funeral celebration of her life, thanks to new technology - her son has said.
Mrs Smith died in June, aged 87, but video technology, built by her son's firm, meant those attending her funeral could watch her respond to their questions about her life.
Stephen Smith said it enabled his mother to be ""present, in a sense"".
His company predicts many uses for its ""conversational video technology"".
use of the technology at Mrs Smith's funeral was first revealed by The Telegraph. 
Mr Smith, the chief executive and co-founder of StoryFile, told the BBC the technology meant, once a person had died, it was possible to have a conversation with them ""as if they are there, and they will answer you"".
He said it meant his mother had brought ""the aspects of her life that were most important to her to the people who loved her most. And it was very meaningful to them"".
His mother's words were her own, and not the creation of artificial intelligence (AI), Mr Smith stressed.
make a conversational video, a person must make a recording while still alive, answering numerous questions about their life.
Later, after that person's death, an AI system selects appropriate clips to play in response to questions from people viewing a remembrance video; the person in the video appears to listen and reply.
Rollo Carpenter, who created the chatbot CleverBot - and has no connection to Mr Smith's company StoryFile - said the system was not trying to construct its own replies and was not using AI to invent answers.
""It's just selecting from a pre-recorded set of sequences and cleverly allowing people to cause them to be played,"" he said.
Mrs Smith co-founded the National Holocaust Centre in Nottinghamshire, from where she ran a successful Holocaust education programme. She was awarded an MBE in 2005 for her work.
founders of StoryFile hit upon the idea for the company while working on creating interactive holograms of Holocaust survivors for the USC Shoah Foundation.
firm sees a wide range of possible commercial applications for the technology, from customer service to sales.
It has also encouraged some famous contemporary celebrities to document their careers using the tech, including the Star Trek actor William Shatner, whose video can be interacted with on the company website.
Looking ahead, Mr Smith envisages a world in which people document their lives on a continuous basis, suggesting that users could ""speak to your 18-year-old self, when you're 50, or introduce your children to your 16-year-old self"".
Previously, it has been suggested that AI could be used to create fully synthetic versions of dead people.
But Mr Smith rejects the idea that current technology is capable of this: ""Everything about us is so absolutely unique to us,"" he said. ""There is no way you can create a synthetic version of me, even though it may look like me.""
Mr Carpenter agrees, saying that using current AI technology to create a ""computer-generated"" person  would risk ""putting words into the deceased person's mouth - and it could be worse than that, those words could be believed by the audience"".
mits of AI conversationalists were demonstrated by Meta's BlenderBot 3, which was criticised for making offensive remarks and said unflattering things about the company's co-founder Mark Zuckerberg.
Meta said that it was a prototype created for research purposes, adding it had warned users they should expect it to say things it ideally should not."	/news/technology-62552696
health	Cornwall tourist died after two-hour wait for ambulance, inquest hears	"Ambulance delays in Cornwall ""significantly reduced"" the chances of a man surviving a stroke, an inquest has heard.
Reedman, 54, died four days after suffering a stroke while on holiday in Cornwall in June 2021.
quest heard he waited nearly two-and-a-half hours for an ambulance to take him from his holiday cottage to the Royal Cornwall Hospital at Truro.
mong three in the county raised with the government.
Andrew Cox, senior coroner for Cornwall, said ambulance delays in the case of Mr Reedman and two others, David Morganti and Winnie Barnes-Weeks, were either the cause or a contributing factor in their deaths. 
Mr Reedman, from Norfolk, started feeling unwell on the evening of 26 June and his wife, Jill, dialled 999.
rs suspected he was having a stroke and graded him as a priority two - meaning an ambulance should have reached him within the national target of 18 minutes.
He underwent surgery in hospital, but developed a cerebrovascular infarction and died four days later.
Guy Davies, assistant coroner for Cornwall, said the delay in the ambulance reaching Mr Reedman directly led to the delay in treatment starting at hospital, which could have saved his life.
""I find that the delay between the 999 call and Tony being taken to hospital significantly reduced his chances of surviving the blood clot,"" he told Cornwall Coroner's Court.
""The average stroke patient has a one in three chance of a positive outcome following treatment by thrombolysis in the first hour following a stroke.
""This is reduced down to one in 30 after four-and-a-half hours. Tony's stroke was more serious than the average.
""I find on the evidence it is not possible to definitively determine whether Tony would have survived if he had arrived at a hospital earlier and been treated earlier.""
In a preventing future deaths report to Health Secretary Steve Barclay, Mr Cox said hospital bed-blocking and ambulance delays were ""recurring themes"" in the cases.
He said he had been told by the medical director at the South West Ambulance Service Trust that delays were being caused by ambulances being in the ""wrong place at the wrong time"".
""When they are required for emergency responses, they are parked outside Royal Cornwall Hospital with patients in the back for extended periods,"" he wrote.
""On occasions this summer and autumn, there have been queues of over 20 ambulances outside the emergency department and delays have been longer than a paramedic's shift.""
roner said the Royal Cornwall Hospital's medical director had told him there had been at times the equivalent of five wards of patients fit for discharge, but they could not leave due to problems with the social care sector.
Mr Cox wrote about a fourth inquest into the death of Robert Conybeare, which found he died after suffering a fall in hospital at a time when he was fit to be discharged but there was no suitable social care support.
He wrote: ""My central concern is how the delays that are currently manifest can be mitigated in the intervening months, particularly given the likely increase in demand for ambulances/hospital admissions during the winter months.""
report gives the Department of Health and Social Care until 10 January to respond to the coroner's concerns.
A spokeswoman said: ""Each of these four deaths is a tragedy and our sympathies are with the families affected.
""We have received the prevention of future deaths report and will be responding to the coroner in due course.
""We have prioritised health and social care in the autumn statement, with an additional £6.6bn available over the next two years, to tackle the backlog, speed up discharge and ensure patients are getting the care they deserve quickly.""
In a joint statement Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board (ICB), Cornwall Council, Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust and South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust extended their sincere condolences to the families of the patients referenced in the report.
Kate Shields, ICB CEO, said: ""The report highlights the complex pressures on all parts of our health and care system that our staff are working tirelessly to resolve.
""We have recently introduced new ways of working with the aim of reducing delays in patients' journeys from their admission through to discharge in both our acute and community services.
""These changes have resulted in some improvement in ambulance response and handover times in Cornwall but we will continue to focus our efforts until we are confident all patients get timely access to care.""
Follow BBC News South West on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk."	/news/uk-england-cornwall-63709653
entertainment	Brian Eno on how Woodbridge helped create ambient music	"""father of ambient music"" has been speaking about the influence of US airbases on his musical education.
Brian Eno, the former synth player with Roxy Music, has worked as a collaborator and producer with world-famous artists and bands including David Bowie, U2 and Coldplay.
Eno returned to his birthplace of Suffolk at the weekend to open the Woodbridge Ambient Music Festival. 
He said he was happy ambient music had returned to Woodbridge. 
f a postman, now in his 70s, Eno lived in Woodbridge for 18 years. 
He attended Ipswich Civic College in the 1960s where he studied painting and experimental music. 
festival audience at St Mary's Church heard about the influence of the nearby US air force bases at RAF Bentwaters and RAF Woodbridge, since vacated by the Americans.
He said Woodbridge then had a population of about 4,000 locals with some 17,000 Americans within a five-mile radius. 
He described hordes of large Cadillac cars regularly getting stuck in the narrow Suffolk lanes.
""We had something like 11 or 12 coffee bars with jukeboxes... which had almost exclusively American Southern R&B music,"" he said.
""So there was an entirely different music world here than almost anywhere in England.
""What was playing in these jukeboxes was so much better than the English version of rock n roll at that time."" 
Eno said it was those formative experiences that got him ""thinking about music"".
""What became very clear was that you had to search out good music. You couldn't just switch on the radio and get it automatically,"" he said. 
""I eventually ended up exchanging cassette tapes with other people who were into music, and finding I liked tapes where the music did not change very much, where there was not much variety.""
Eno said in the 1960s ""albums always had the idea that there had to be variety"".
""So you'd have a fast song and a slow song and another fast song. The assumption being, nobody would want to stay in the same mood for more than three-and-a-half minutes,"" he said. 
""I was very clear that I liked staying in the same mood for hours on end if I could.
""I remember I used to take walks towards Kyson Point [overlooking the River Deben estuary] and I used to imagine what would it be like if you could make music like a painting.""
Eno said he liked music ""that stayed still, so that you were the person that did the moving in relation to them"".
By the time he got to art school, he had begun listening to left-field classical composers like Philip Glass, Terry Riley and Steve Reich who were creating what has been termed as minimal music. 
r sounds often had an ""intense repetition"" that was attractive to the young Eno, but he still felt ""it was all a bit too spectacular"".
musician said it was ""really here in Woodbridge where I started imagining this idea of a kind of endless, rather still, music"".
He began making ambient records in the 1970s.
""I came up with the idea of ambient music. Of course it wasn't just me - there were a lot of people who also felt it in the air and wanted to work in that musical area - I just gave it a name.""
Eno was speaking to an audience about his musical connection to the area just before introducing tabla player Talvin Singh and pianist Tom Rogerson.
He ended by saying: ""I'm here just to introduce this concert and to say how glad I am that ambient music has come back to Woodbridge. I hope you enjoy it.""
Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-suffolk-63049337
health	China Covid: How many cases and deaths are there?	"re is concern over the spread of Covid in China following the recent easing of strict lockdown measures.
re have been reports that hospitals across the country are under pressure amid a fresh wave of infections.
Officially, there have only been 13 Covid deaths throughout December.
However, China has limited criteria for confirming Covid-19 deaths, which only includes those who die directly from respiratory illnesses caused by coronavirus, and not deaths caused by its knock-on effects. 
unting method does not correspond with WHO guidance, and results in a figure that is way below the death toll in many other countries.
China has already stopped mass testing and it is only recording positive cases at hospitals and fever clinics where the patient has Covid symptoms. Asymptomatic cases and positive results from home testing kits are not recorded in the data. 
Currently the official count only records about 5,000 cases a day.
UK-based research company Airfinity said its model estimates cases in China could reach more than three million a day in January.
Despite the official numbers being low, the World Health Organization has warned the healthcare system in China could be under severe pressure.
Reuters have reported that Chinese hospitals have been overwhelmed during the Christmas period, with footage showing long queues for clinics and patients on hospital beds in the middle of busy waiting rooms.
Videos have been emerging on social media throughout December appearing to show crowded hospitals.
By cross-referencing with other images posted online, the BBC has been able to verify two videos of overcrowding at a children's hospital in the city of Tianjin in northern China.
However we have not been able to verify many of the other videos which have emerged. 
It's difficult to confirm how severe the situation is compared with normal as China strictly controls information coming out of the country.
BBC's team in Beijing have reported on long queues outside health clinics, and on the high demand for fever remedies at pharmacies.
mporary health centres are being set up along with intensive care facilities across the country.
National broadcaster CCTV has reported that Beijing's Chaoyang Hospital will boost its capability as the number of incoming patients increased by fourfold.
It's also been reported that in Shanghai an extra 230,000 hospital beds have been made available. 
re has been a sudden lifting of many of China's Covid restrictions following November's protests against strict lockdowns across the country.
Before the recent relaxation, China had one of the toughest anti-Covid regimes in the world - known as its zero-Covid policy. 
measures included strict lockdowns even if only a handful of Covid cases had been found, mass testing in places where cases were reported, and people with Covid having to isolate at home or under quarantine at government facilities.
Lockdowns have now been scrapped, and quarantine rules have been abolished.
A negative Covid test is no longer required to enter public transport, restaurants, gyms and other public buildings (with the exception of orphanages and care homes).
Chinese authorities have also said they will fully open borders from 8 January with no travel restrictions or quarantine measures for arrivals.
Several countries including the US have imposed Covid testing on visitors from China due to its ongoing Covid surge.
Overall, China says more than 90% of the population has been fully vaccinated. 
However, less than half of people aged 80 and over have received three doses of vaccine. The vaccination rate back in April among this age group was much lower - less than 20%.  
uthorities now say they require local health services to ""strengthen immunization of the whole population, particularly the elderly"".
re are doubts over whether the main vaccines used in China - Sinovac and Sinopharm - are effective against Omicron, the most widespread strain.
China has refused to use Western vaccines widely.
government has given no official explanation. However, national pride may be a factor according to Dr Yu Jie, Senior Research Fellow on China at the international affairs think tank Chatham House:
""I think it's Xi Jinping really thinking of things in terms of economic self-reliance - that need to have China produce and use its own vaccine, rather than import it from somewhere.""
Reporting by Wanyuan Song, Jake Horton and Jeremy Howell."	/news/59882774
politics	Sri Lanka down to last day of petrol, new prime minister says	"Sri Lanka's new prime minister says the country is down to its last day of petrol as it faces its worst economic crisis in more than 70 years.
In a televised address, Ranil Wickremesinghe said the nation urgently needs $75m (£60.8m) of foreign currency in the next few days to pay for essential imports.
He said the central bank would have to print money to pay government wages.
Mr Wickremesinghe also said state-owned Sri Lankan Airlines may be privatised. 
's economy has been hit hard by the pandemic, rising energy prices, and populist tax cuts. A chronic shortage of foreign currency and soaring inflation had led to a severe shortage of medicines, fuel and other essentials. 
Ravindu Perera, who lives in the capital Colombo, said he and his family had begun searching for fuel before daybreak on Monday.
""We went to several fuel stations and most of them were closed. At around 5.30am we took a chance and joined a queue at Townhall which is the station usually providing fuel for government vehicles,"" he told the BBC. 
""It was less crowded - but the queue gradually grew to about 2km long. We were lucky enough to get fuel around 9.00am once fuel was delivered.""
He said his friends outside the capital were having to wait even longer. ""I'm working from home now to try and save fuel because who knows when I'll get a full tank again.""
Auto rickshaws, the most popular means of transport in Colombo, and other vehicles have been queuing at petrol stations around the capital.
""At the moment, we only have petrol stocks for a single day. The next couple of months will be the most difficult ones of our lives,"" said Mr Wickremesinghe in Monday's address. 
However, shipments of petrol and diesel using a credit line with India could provide fuel supplies in the next few days, he added.
Mr Wickremesinghe, who was appointed prime minister last Thursday, said the country's central bank would have to print money to help meet the government's wage bill and other commitments.
""Against my own wishes, I am compelled to permit printing money in order to pay state-sector employees and to pay for essential goods and services. However, we must remember that printing money leads to the depreciation of the rupee,"" he said.
PM Ranil Wickramasinghe: ""There won't be a hunger crisis""
He also proposed selling off Sri Lankan Airlines as part of efforts to stabilise the nation's finances. The carrier lost 45 billion Sri Lankan rupees ($129.5m; £105m) in the year ending March 2021.
In recent weeks, there have been large, sometimes violent, protests against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his family.
Last week, the president's elder brother Mahinda resigned as prime minister after government supporters clashed with protesters. Nine people died and more than 300 were wounded in the violence. 
On Friday, Mr Wickremesinghe told the BBC, that the economic crisis is ""going to get worse before it gets better"". 
In his first interview since taking office, he also pledged to ensure families would get three meals a day.
Appealing to the world for more financial help, he said ""there won't be a hunger crisis, we will find food"". 
Are you in Sri Lanka? How have you been affected by the issues in this story? haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
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 HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. "	/news/business-61474732
politics	Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says £600 energy support payment will arrive in NI this winter.	"Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said the £600 energy support payment for Northern Ireland will be delivered this winter.
His comment comes after Alliance Party leader Naomi Long said energy firms had suggested it could take until June for all households to receive the payment.
Mr Sunak did not say when the discount would be applied to bills but said an announcement would come ""very shortly"".
Read more: Sunak promises NI energy payment update 'shortly'"	/news/uk-northern-ireland-64002277
entertainment	K-pop fans in Birmingham find sense of community	"Fans of K-pop say they are finding a sense of community in Birmingham, as places dedicated to the musical genre continue to spring up.
first studio dedicated to the music opened in the city in April and new shops cater to the area's fanbase.
ularity of K-pop has continued to spread with bands topping the UK album chart in the past three years.
""Seeing it grow and be able to have a place to go and buy my albums is really special,"" one fan, Hannah, said.
KPOPPINUK, which claims to be the first dedicated K-pop shop in Birmingham, held a photo-trading-card event on 4 December to allow fans to meet friends and buy merchandise.   
Owner Jane Langley said: ""We have a really big community, it's about having somewhere to buy albums physically and also being able to interact personally with other fans."" 
Fan Lexy said she used to be made fun of at school for liking the chart-topping music, but she said it was considered more normal now and ""the atmosphere at K-pop concerts is really friendly"".
w spaces were allowing people to find a sense of community, the fans said.
Korean-exchange student Hayoon said she felt welcomed by the growing British interest in Korean pop culture.
It gave her confidence and had been, she said, ""a great way to make new friends"".
K-pop dance studio XI only opened in Birmingham in April, although fans have already found ways to learn routines together and perform in public places. 
IVIX is just one of several K-pop dance groups in Birmingham and leader Emily Hancocks described the group as a second family.
She said: ""We meet up pretty much every weekend, it just makes me feel really happy.""
genre's popularity has been notable, as band Blackpink became the first K-pop girl group to top the UK album charts, three years after boyband BTS did the same.
ustry annually generates about $10bn for South Korea, according to non-profit group International Socioeconomics Laboratory. 
Although none of the biggest K-pop acts have yet played a concert in Birmingham, fans in the West Midlands are hoping that will change in the near future.
Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-birmingham-64046847
entertainment	Alexei Ratmansky: The challenges of staging Ukrainian ballet during war	"Russian-born choreographer Alexei Ratmansky, who recently staged a production of Giselle in London with The United Ukrainian Ballet, has told the BBC about the challenges of working on it while the war in Ukraine is ongoing. 
""The dancers have families. I have a family in Kyiv. We are all checking the news constantly,"" Ratmansky, who grew up in Ukraine, told the Hardtalk programme's Stephen Sackur.
""You wake up in the morning and you want to know which cities were bombed, how many people were killed, which buildings were destroyed and check that all your loved ones are OK and safe.""
United Ukrainian Ballet is a group of Ukrainian dancers, technicians and creatives who fled their country when Russia invaded and are now based in the Netherlands.
Ratmansky, a former principal dancer with the Ukrainian National Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Royal Danish Ballet, was artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet from 2004 before joining the American Ballet Theatre in 2009 as artist in residence. He was working on a new production with the Bolshoi when the conflict began and he left Russia. 
Watch the full interview on BBC World News on Monday 26 September."	/news/entertainment-arts-63010556
sports	European Beach Handball Championships: Norway hit with 1,500 euros bikini fine	"Norway have been fined 1,500 euros (£1,295) for wearing shorts instead of bikini bottoms at the European Beach Handball Championships.
European Handball Federation (EHF) said it had imposed the fineexternal-link because of a case of ""improper clothing"".
Norway's players wore shorts instead of bikini bottoms during a bronze medal match against Spain in Varna, Bulgaria.
Norway's Handball Federation (NHF) had already stated it would pay if their players were fined.
An EHF statement said a disciplinary commission had imposed a fine of ""150 euros per player, for a total of 1,500 euros"".
It added that Norway had played with shorts that are ""not according to the athlete uniform regulations defined in the IHF [International Handball Federation] beach handball rules of the game.""
Kare Geir Lio, the head of NHF, had told news agency AFP any penalty would be paid but added: ""It should be a free choice within a standardised framework.
""The most important thing is to have equipment that athletes are comfortable with.""
And following the decision to fine the players, the NHF said: ""We are very proud of these girls who during the European Championships raised their voices and announced that enough is enough!
""We at NHF stand behind you and support you. Together we will continue to fight to change the rules for clothing, so that players can play in the clothes they are comfortable with.""
Before the Championships, Norway approached the EHF to ask for permission to play in shorts but were told that breaches of the rules were punishable by fines.
A Norwegian motion to amend the current rules will be discussed by the bodies in the coming months.
""The EHF is committed to bring this topic forward in the interest of its member federations - however, it must also be said that a change of the rules can only happen at IHF level,"" said EHF spokesman Andrew Barringer.
ue has been debated in beach sports circles for several years as some players find the bikini both degrading and impractical. 
Norway's Minister for Culture and Sports, Abid Raja, tweeted after Monday's ruling: ""It's completely ridiculous - a change of attitude is needed in the macho and conservative international world of sport.""
President of the Norwegian Volleyball Federation, Eirik Sordahl, was critical too, telling national news agency NTB: ""In 2021, it shouldn't even be an issue."""	/sport/handball/57890430
health	Molly, seven, has hair cut for charity	"A seven-year-old from Derby has cut off 14 inches (35cm) of hair to donate to the Little Princess Trust. 
After being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, Molly has now raised more than £2,300 for the Macmillan Cancer unit at Royal Derby Hospital and for the Derby Diabetes Fun Club - a total that has risen since she had the trim.
Her mother Amy said she had been ""flabbergasted"" by the response to Molly’s fundraiser.
Video journalist: Sian Filcher
Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk."	/news/uk-england-derbyshire-63604387
sports	World Taekwando Grand Prix: Great Britain win three more medals in Manchester	"Great Britain's double Olympic champion Jade Jones won silver in the -57kg at the World Taekwando Grand Prix in Manchester on Saturday.
Welsh fighter did not drop a round on her way to the final against China's Luo Zongshi, who won gold. 
She won the first round 5-0 but lost the second 12-4 and the third 11-3.
Wales' Lauren Williams won Britain's second medal with bronze in the -67kg after losing to France's Magda Wiet-Henin in the semi-final.
Olympic silver medallist narrowly lost the opening round 4-2 before Wiet-Henin cruised to victory with a 12-3 score in the second.
Meanwhile, Great Britain's European champion Bradly Sinden withdrew from the final of the -68kg category on medical grounds.
Sinden, who beat Sweden's Ali Alian in the semi-final, still claimed silver despite not being able to continue in the competition.
""I was coming back from a previous injury so to pick up another one is disappointing,"" he said.
""We've got a World Championships in three weeks so it's great to have won some ranking points towards the Paris 2024 Olympics and secured another Grand Prix medal along the way."""	/sport/taekwondo/63361244
sports	NBA: Giannis Antetokounmpo leads Bucks to win over Warriors	"Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 30 points as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Golden State Warriors 128-111 in a testy match between the NBA's last two champions.
Warriors beat the league-leading Boston Celtics on Tuesday but this was their 12th loss in 14 away games.
Coach Steve Kerr earned a technical foul for his furious reaction after Stephen Curry appeared to be caught on the head as he made a three-point shot.
""I felt like we were on the bad end of things to start the game,"" he said.
""That needs to be called.""
Warriors were 14 points down early in the second quarter but briefly threatened to reel in the Bucks - who they succeeded as NBA champions in June - as they closed to within six.
But the hosts proved too strong and Kerr pulled his starters out of the game in the final stages in order to prepare for their trip to the Indianapolis Pacers on Wednesday. 
Elsewhere the Celtics got back on track with a 122-118 overtime win at long-time rivals the Los Angeles Lakers. 
Jayson Tatum scored 44 points for the visitors, who improved their NBA-leading record to 22 wins and seven defeats this season.
Anthony Davis scored 37 points with 12 rebounds and LeBron James added 33 points with nine rebounds and nine assists but the Lakers lost for the fourth time in their last five games.
Lakers, who are 12th in the Western Conference, were subjected to stinging criticism from NBA great Charles Barkley.
""The Lakers stink,"" he told TNT. ""We have to talk about the Lakers, but the Lakers are awful.
""We don't talk about no other 12th seeds. In the East, we don't talk about the Washington Wizards do we?"""	/sport/basketball/63968476
entertainment	Plaque commemorates site of Bournemouth's first BBC radio station	"A blue plaque has been unveiled to commemorate Bournemouth's first BBC radio station.
6BM started broadcasting 99 years ago above a pram and cycle shop at 72 Holdenhurst Road on 17 October 1923.
, which could be heard up to about 25 miles (40km) away, stopped transmitting in June 1939.
BBC Radio Solent broadcast its breakfast show from the site of the former station ahead of the plaque's unveiling by the town's deputy mayor.
que has been placed on the Ocean 80 building - an office block on Holdenhurst Road - as the station's original building was demolished a number of years ago.
Councillor David Kelsey said: ""It's a great pleasure for me to unveil this plaque - it's really important to have this place recognised.""
featured a children's hour and broadcast a wide range of live music including the Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra  - which later became the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.
It was the eighth wireless relay station set up by the BBC to enable it to cover the whole of the country.
que has been paid for by the Bournemouth Civic Society.
Follow BBC South on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to south.newsonline@bbc.co.uk."	/news/uk-england-dorset-63281861
politics	Scotland doesn't need parades commission, says report	"reation of a Northern Ireland-style parades commission is not necessary in Scotland, a report has found.
move was proposed last year after police made several arrests at a series of Orange Walks in Glasgow.
But a working group on peaceful assemblies in Scotland said there was ""no present need"" for such a body.
It concluded improvements would be best handled at a local as opposed to a national level.
rades commission in Northern Ireland was set up in 1998. It followed the Drumcree crisis over an Orange parade marching through a nationalist area in County Armagh.
It has the power to place restrictions on public processions and related protest meetings.
In Scotland, the local authority receives notifications of processions and is the central decision-making body.
Last year, concerns were raised in the Scottish parliament after anti-social behaviour linked to Orange Walks, including sectarian and racist singing.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the government would give ""further consideration"" to whether a commission should be established. 
reation of a short-life working group featuring experts on marches, human rights, community engagement and mediation.
It has now made 18 recommendations but concluded there was no need for major reform.
report said: ""While we have found there to be many fruitful comparisons between the regulatory processes in Northern Ireland and Scotland, we have not heard evidence that would justify the transplantation of the NI Parades Commission model to Scotland."" 
Justice Secretary Keith Brown said: ""Marching, parading and protesting is of great importance to many people in Scotland for cultural, community and political reasons.
""The Scottish government fully recognises this and is committed to freedom of speech and to upholding the human rights of those seeking to participate in such events. 
""But in doing this we must also ensure that the rights of those seeking to go about their business undisturbed are also protected.""
Mr Brown added it was important to strike a balance between the rights of those who seek to march or protest and the communities affected as a result of such events.
""We will continue to hold meaningful and productive dialogue with march and parade organisers, community representatives, Police Scotland and local authorities to ensure that, collectively, we continue to work towards achieving the correct balance of right for all,"" he added.
Prof Dominic Bryan, who chaired the working group, said: ""Members of the working group were impressed with much of the work already undertaken by local authorities in sometimes challenging circumstances.
""We believe that our recommendations will offer a sustainable way forward for the facilitation and regulation of processions in Scotland reflecting important human rights considerations.""
report also calls for improvements to the notification process around marches to ensure relevant information is available for communities.
And it recommends exploring ways to limit the need for public order policing.
For example, it highlights examples from Derry where the Apprentice Boys train their own stewards in order to reduce the policing required at their events.
It said this model could be supported in Scotland through providing resources to groups.
report adds: ""Such funding offers a community policing alternative to the deployment of public order resources and thus potentially saves money.
""It also underpins the state's commitment to protecting the right of peaceful assembly and other rights and freedoms.""
Key partners, including the Scottish government, the City of Edinburgh Council, Glasgow City Council, Police Scotland, Cosla and human rights experts will now come together to consider the report recommendations and agree the best way forward."	/news/uk-scotland-63485851
sports	UK triathlon challenge helps Hampshire mum's mental health	"When Elle English was struggling with her mental health, she decided to take on an epic physical challenge.
31-year-old mother of two from Twyford in Hampshire said she wanted to show her children they can ""achieve anything that they set their mind to"". 
man Triathlon is a route first covered in 2021 to raise awareness of men's mental health.
It involves cycling from John O'Groats in Scotland to Lands End in Cornwall, climbing the UK's three highest peaks and swimming across the three largest lakes. 
Elle said being the first woman to complete the feat has helped her overcome many of her problems.
She has also been raising money for a mental health charity so more people can be helped.
Video journalist: Ellie Cleverley
Follow BBC South on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to south.newsonline@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-hampshire-63214165
entertainment	Zumba instructor with Down's syndrome lands dream job	"A woman who is believed to be the first Zumba instructor in the UK with Down's syndrome has landed her dream job teaching in a gym.
Hannah Payton, from Atherton, has started running her first classes after securing a job at Pure Gym in Tyldesley, Greater Manchester.
25-year-old, who qualified as an instructor last year led a class attended by Joe Wicks as part of a Children In Need event in November.
She said she wanted to inspire other people with disabilities to pursue their dreams and ""have some fun and just be yourself"".
Video journalist: Molly Brewer
Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-manchester-63971775
sports	UFC: Joanna Jedrzejczyk considers 'one more fight' despite retirement	"Former UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk has refused to rule out a return to mixed martial arts despite retiring in June.
Pole called time on her illustrious career after she was knocked out by Zhang Weili at UFC 275.
""I was not prepared, and they were not prepared to say goodbye,"" said 35-year-old Jedrzejczyk.
""Sometimes I feel that I should give one more fight; I should give the last dance for fans because we had no time.""
Following her last loss, Jedrzejczyk said in the octagon: ""It's been 20 years. I want to be a mum. I want to be a businesswoman. I've been training more than half of my life. I love you guys.""
She defended the strawweight title five times between 2015 to 2017, has notable wins in her MMA career over Carla Esparza, Tecia Torres and Jessica Andrade, and is considered as one of the greatest champions in UFC history.
However, Jedrzejczyk was on the receiving end of two knockouts during her 21-fight career.
first Polish champion in UFC history, she says her health will be the decisive factor behind a return.
""I'm not scared of losing. I'm scared of losing by knockout,"" she said. 
""I want to stay healthy, and there's a thin line I don't want to cross."""	/sport/mixed-martial-arts/63975519
politics	Teddy kept by Holocaust survivor's side visits Parliament	"In December 1942, the government made the shocking announcement that what we now know as the Holocaust was taking place in Nazi-occupied Europe. This prompted MPs to rise to their feet, for a spontaneous moment of silence.
Eight decades later, seven Holocaust survivors - and an important teddy - were invited to meet the Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle. They then witnessed a fresh silence in the Commons chamber done by the MPs of today.
Video journalist: Thomas Mason"	/news/uk-politics-64007699
entertainment	Award launched to honour actress Phoebe Frances Brown	"'I made sense of my cancer by creating some art'
wo theatres are launching a writing award to celebrate the memory of an actress who died at the age of 29.
Phoebe Frances Brown, from Nottingham, who wrote and performed in a play inspired by her incurable brain tumour diagnosis, died in April.
Nottingham Playhouse and London's Hampstead Theatre said they wanted to celebrate her talent.
ward will offer up-and-coming playwrights a paid commission and a £1,000 bursary.
In a joint statement, the venues said: ""The award is for writers who identify as female and who are at the start of their career.""
would be offered a paid commission from Hampstead Theatre, together with a £1,000 bursary and support for project development from both theatres.
Miss Frances Brown's one-woman show, The Glad Game, was acclaimed as a ""mesmerising portrait of hope in the face of horror"".
She died at home surrounded by family and her partner Jake.
Walker, associate director at Hampstead Theatre and director of The Glad Game said: ""Phoebe had an extraordinary talent both as a performer and writer as well as an incredible passion for theatre.
""I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate her memory than with a new writing award that will support more brilliant women.""
Adam Penford, artistic director at Nottingham Playhouse said: ""Phoebe... was much loved at the Playhouse and by the artistic community in Nottingham.
""The Glad Game showed off both Phoebe's performing and writing talents, and we're so proud to be supporting this new award in her memory.""
Gail Brown, Phoebe's mother, said: ""Phoebe was the most inspirational and determined person I know. She never let her illness stop her doing anything.
""Her positivity shone out of her and will continue to do so throughout this award. I am beyond proud.""
When interviewed by the BBC in 2021, Miss Frances Brown said she had started writing the play while in hospital.
""I was writing more for myself because I was just making sense of it all,"" she said.
She was born in Nottingham and trained at the city's Television Workshop, a charity known for developing stars including Vicky McClure and Jack O'Connell.
She then studied at the University of Birmingham, where she received a first class degree.
Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk."	/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-63386519
sports	World Taekwondo Grand Prix III: BBC coverage times	"The World Taekwondo Grand Prix III takes place from 20-23 October - and BBC Sport has live coverage.
More than 400 fighters from across the globe have headed to Manchester to compete in the third of four global Grand Prix events this year.
World number one Bradly Sinden and two-time Olympic champion Jade Jones are among the Britons taking part at the Manchester Regional Arena. 
Olympic medallists Bianca Walkden and Lauren Williams - ranked number one and number two in the world respectively - and Paralympic medallists Amy Truesdale and Beth Munro will also compete.
ursday, 20 October
17:00-18:45, BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app
Friday, 21 October
17:00-18:30, BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app
Saturday, 22 October
18:00-20:00, BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app
Sunday, 23 October
18:00-20:00, BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app
All times are BST. Coverage times are subject to late changes. The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made."	/sport/taekwondo/63303160
business	Fraud victims face call waiting lottery from banks	"Victims of fraud have no idea how long they will be stuck on the phone trying to report the crime to their bank, an investigation has found.
Average waiting times can range from 16 seconds to more than 30 minutes - depending on the bank, according to tests by the consumer group Which?.
More priority should be given to distressed victims, it said.
Co-operative Bank, which recorded the worst times in the exercise, said it had faced staff recruitment issues.
It added that retention of workers had also been a problem, as had sickness levels as a result of the pandemic.
Which? tested 11 banks and building societies by calling each of them 12 times at different times of the day over the course of a week in March. 
It dialled the phone numbers listed on each bank's website for reporting current account fraud - only some of which are dedicated hotlines. Monzo was excluded as it told people to use an in-app chat function. Six of 11 banks' helplines charged a fee, Which? said. 
wered fastest lasted only 10 seconds. That was made to First Direct - a bank designed to communicate with customers primarily over the phone. First Direct also had the shortest average call waiting time of 16 seconds.
One call to the Co-operative Bank went on for more than an hour before being answered. Its average waiting time was the longest, at 31 minutes and 40 seconds.
, across all the calls to all the banks, the testers from Which? had to wait for 10 minutes and 51 seconds before speaking to someone.
Rocio Concha, Which? director of policy and advocacy, said:  ""The feeling of being scammed is already stressful enough for victims, without having to wait long periods just to get through to your bank. 
""Victims are told to contact their bank immediately because every second counts. Some firms taking longer than half an hour to answer victims' calls shows the lack of support with which certain banks have treated fraud victims for far too long.""
Hutt is among those to have faced a long wait trying to deal with a potential fraud on his account.
71-year-old had spotted a suspicious transaction on his balance and called his bank to stop what looked like a fraudulent subscription.
After three or four attempts, including waiting for over an hour, he eventually got through. The web-chat system he tried directed him to the same phone number.
""I'm sure I wouldn't have had to wait for more than an hour if I was in a branch,"" he said.
A spokeswoman for UK Finance, which represents the banking industry, said: ""We know the devastating impact that fraud can have on victims and so firms always strive to respond to calls in good time. 
""Given fraud cases are often complex an appropriate amount of time needs to be spent on each call so customers get the right support, which can have an impact on call times.""
Hundreds of millions of pounds a year are stolen in so-called authorised push payment fraud - when victims transfer money to a business or organisation they believe to be genuine but is actually a con-artist.
Some victims have got their money back from banks, while others have lost out.
Proposed legislation in the Queen's Speech should mean there is a consistent approach to refunds in the future. It will be up to the Payment Systems Regulator to frame those rules, after banks were unable to do so between themselves.
At present, some banks have signed up to the 159 pilot scheme. It encourages customers to hang up from a phone call that might be a scam, for example one that asks for personal information or money, and to dial 159 to speak to their bank. 
Citizens Advice urges anyone who believes they are the victim of a scam to protect from further loss by resetting passwords, reporting the issue to their bank immediately - and possibly to the police on the 101 number - and checking if they are entitled to the money back. "	/news/business-61550686
technology	Mercedes-Benz to introduce acceleration subscription fee	"Mercedes-Benz is to offer an online subscription service in the US to make its electric cars speed up quicker.
For an annual cost of $1,200 (£991) excluding tax, the company will enable some of its vehicles to accelerate from 0-60mph a second faster.
It comes after rival manufacturer BMW offered a subscription feature earlier this year - for heated seats.
Mercedes has confirmed to BBC News it currently does not plan to introduce ""Acceleration Increase"" in the UK.
It will be available for purchase in the US on the Mercedes-EQ EQE 350 and EQS 450 vehicles, as well as their SUV counterparts.
According to the Mercedes US online store, the feature ""electronically increases"" the output of the car's motor, as well as the torque.
All told, it estimates this amounts to a 20-24% increase in output, allowing a Mercedes-EQ 350 SUV to accelerate from 0-60mph in about 5.2 seconds, as opposed to 6.2 seconds without the subscription.
Jack McKeown, Association of Scottish Motoring Writers president and motoring editor of the Courier newspaper, in Dundee, said Mercedes's new feature was ""unsurprising but dispiriting"". 
""When you pay a monthly subscription for a phone or for broadband, you're paying for the company to supply and maintain a data network,"" he said.
""Mercedes is asking you to pay for hardware it has already installed in the car - and which it presumably already made a profit margin on when you bought the car.  
""Trying to leverage even more profit out of subscription services is a worrying trend and I hope there is a consumer backlash against it."" 
In July, BMW faced a backlash when it announced customers could pay £25 per month to unlock heated seats and steering wheels in their cars.
And in December 2021, Toyota announced it would charge some drivers $8 per month to remotely start their cars using a key fob.
In 2019, Tesla introduced ""Acceleration Boost"", which makes its Model 3 vehicles accelerate from 0-60mph half a second faster for a one-time fee of $2,000.
Acceleration Increase subscription is listed as ""coming soon"" on the US Mercedes storefront, with no exact date given for its release."	/news/technology-63743597
business	From Maruti to Amul: Five brands that shaped India after independence	"Some things just stick, like an iconic ad jingle or the taste of the butter you've grown up eating.
It's what makes consumers fall in love with a brand and stay loyal to it. India has a host of homegrown brands that have found their way into the homes and hearts of millions over the decades.
rands helped India become self-sufficient after the country gained independence in 1947 and, over the years, they have shaped consumer behaviour and transformed their sectors.
Seventy-five years later, they continue to bolster India's marketplace, making it viable for global investors. Here's a look at some of the most illustrious brands and how they shaped India and its people.
Amul's milk products are ubiquitous in India, making the brand a leader in the dairy category and one of India's top 10 fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies.
It started off in the western state of Gujarat as a co-operative movement, by bringing together thousands of farmers to create a thriving dairy business.
Under the leadership of Dr Verghese Kurien - a social entrepreneur credited with kickstarting ""India's milk revolution"" - the brand perfected the grassroots cooperative business model and today offers employment to millions.
Despite facing competition from multinational giants, Amul has managed to hold fort in the dairy space in India - a testament to the brand's ability to adapt and survive.
Amul also made it cool to hold up a mirror to society long before it became fashionable for brands to do so. Their ads featuring the 'Amul girl' have offered a tongue-in-cheek take on almost every significant event in India - be it a political scam or an actor's demise.
rm of Amul - it is India's original social enterprise, and one that has always had the larger collective good at the heart of its design.
A glucose biscuit brand from Parle Products, Parle-G is among the world's largest-selling brands of biscuits in terms of volume and one of the most widely distributed products in India. 
It is also the biscuit that has united India, one bite at a time.
Born out of the Swadeshi movement - a self-sufficiency movement that was part of India's freedom struggle in the early 1900s - the brand was created as a counterpoint to the expensive biscuits sold by the dominant international players at the time.
Parle-G quickly became an integral part of the Indian palate, cementing its place as the inevitable partner to a cup of tea. Apart from its popularity as a product, culturally it is part of one's collective identity. The experience of enjoying a Parle-G biscuit dipped in tea is one that people across class, caste and region can relate to within India.
For a very long time, it was only the privileged few who could afford a car in India and for the middle class, it was a distant dream. Then, Maruti came along and began offering cars at a magical price point of just about 50,000 rupees ($625; £530).
800CC cars were cute, zippy and far more reliable than bulky Ambassadors - India's only luxury car from the 1960s to the mid 1990s.
Maruti whet the appetite of India's consumption-hungry middle class and transformed consumer behaviour in the country. It democratised travel and aspirations, and represented mobility in every sense.
Families discovered that the radius of their reach - geographically and socially - had dramatically increased with the owning of a car. And so Indian society, notorious for being steeped in caution and restraint,  found itself gleefully seeking out the next frontier of consumption - and then the next. 
Up until the 1980s in India, it was legacy brands that held sway over the marketplace. But Nirma, a detergent brand with its origins in Gujarat's Ahmedabad city, took on established players in the space and humbled them.
At a time when businessmen were hesitant to invest money up-front in advertising, Nirma spent huge sums on TV ads. 
Nirma jingle, which drives home the brand's name by repetition, is an earworm that refuses to die even today. In recent years, it has taken on a new life with millennials remixing it and making it part of quirky acapella renditions.
rand's foresight and ambition helped it dominate and leverage the most powerful media vehicle of the time to drive up consumption.
Another admirable strategy of the brand was that it kept a razor-sharp focus on elements that truly mattered - it offered an adequately good product at a great price and relied on a simple, but efficient, distribution model to sell its products.
In this way, Nirma made itself indispensable to millions of Indians who wanted good-quality products at an affordable price.
rand has now become a symbol of an entrepreneurial spirit that is hungry for success and has the confidence to rely on new ways to chart a path in the Indian marketplace.
An offering of Reliance Industries, Jio is among India's biggest telecoms brands.
At the time of its launch in 2016 by Mukesh Ambani, one of Asia's richest men, India's telecoms space was already dominated by other multinational brands.
But Jio turned the tables in its favour by adapting a clever marketing strategy. It offered free data and calls for the first six months, luring millions of customers and transforming India's digital landscape.
ks to Jio, what would have been a gradual process of digital adoption became an accelerated phenomenon.
, India's digital-savvy populace has become a crucial market for global technology players. It has also helped India build a robust digital payment system, which is counted among the finest in the world. The cultural impact of the exposure digital access provides is far too sweeping in nature to be measured.
If there is one drawback, it is that this very digital revolution in India has also contributed to the polarised environment the country finds itself trapped in today.
India, the world's largest democracy, is celebrating 75 years of independence from British rule. This is the tenth story in the BBC's special series on this milestone.
Read more from the series here:"	/news/world-asia-india-62645795
politics	Boris Johnson: Former PM announces plans to stand at next election	"Boris Johnson has told his local Conservative Party he will stand again as an MP at the next general election, the BBC has been told.
Conservatives have given their MPs until 5 December to confirm whether they wish to contest the next election - which must be held by early 2025.
So far, 11 Tory MPs have announced they will not stand for re-election. 
re had been suggestions Mr Johnson would stand down from Parliament after he was ousted as prime minister.
MPs can still stand down before the next election without letting the party know ahead of time. 
In October, Mr Johnson ran to replace Liz Truss as prime minister and passed the threshold of 100 nominations from his parliamentary colleagues, only to withdraw from the race hours before the deadline.
Mr Johnson has been the MP for Uxbridge and Ruislip in west London since 2015. He was elected to the seat while still serving as mayor of London. 
xt election will be the fourth time he has run to represent the constituency. 
Mr Johnson has a 7,210 vote majority after securing a 1.8% swing to the Conservatives at the 2019 election. 
On 5 December, the Boundary Commission will end its consultation on new constituency boundaries for the next election. Conservative campaign headquarters has asked Tory MPs to confirm if they plan to stand for re-election before then.
Under current proposals, Mr Johnson could gain support when his constituency is redrawn to absorb some new Tory leaning areas.
Levelling Up minister Dehenna Davison, Chloe Smith, the former work and pensions secretary, and Will Wragg, the chair of the public administration select committee, have all said they will stand down.
Uxbridge and South Ruislip Conservative association said it ""fully supported Boris Johnson as our local MP and candidate at any future election"". 
Association chairman Richard Mills added: ""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."""	/news/uk-politics-63824268
entertainment	Peter Kay: 'I should only be on the news if I'm dead'	Peter Kay has revealed on BBC Radio 2's Breakfast Show that he will perform a monthly residency at London's O2 arena, starting on 16 December until 18 November 2023. It follows this week's announcement of his first UK tour in 12 years, which was lacking any dates in the capital. 	/news/entertainment-arts-63571644
politics	Rishi Sunak: Leaders react to next Conservative PM	"Politicians and other leaders have been reacting to news that Rishi Sunak is to be the new prime minister. 
He faces a number of challenges including a cost-of-living crisis, a war in Europe as well as pressure to get Stormont working again.
In May, Sinn Féin was returned as the assembly's largest party, however, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) blocked the forming of an executive.
DUP withdrew in protest over the Northern Ireland Protocol.
As it stands, unless an executive is formed by 00:01 BST on Friday 28 October, people in Northern Ireland could, once again, be heading to the polls.
Mr Sunak has received a mixed reaction from the Stormont party leaders and senior politicians in the Republic of Ireland.
Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O'Neill has said Rishi Sunak must ""prioritise the restoration of the executive"" and ""respect democracy"".
""In May, people voted for change. To make politics work,"" she said, referencing her party's success in the assembly election when it was returned with the most number of seats.
""I've been ready to form an executive with others to help workers and families under real pressure with the cost of living crisis.""
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson congratulated Mr Sunak on his victory in the Conservative leadership contest and said the challenge for the new PM remains to deal with the Northern Ireland Protocol.
DUP leader said Mr Sunak must ""restore Northern Ireland's place within the United Kingdom"". 
""There may be a focus on the unity of the Conservative Party, but the unity of our United Kingdom must be protected,"" Sir Jeffrey said.  
""If the prime minister wants to see a fully-functioning Stormont, then he must deal with it once and for all. 
""Delivering that solution would be a very powerful signal that that he is focused on building a better future for everyone.""
Alliance leader Naomi Long said Mr Sunak ""must prioritise reform of the institutions to end ransom politics"" and called on him to ""take the opportunity to have a fresh approach to Northern Ireland"".
""The lack of an executive is compounding the cost-of-living crisis and the unprecedented pressures on our public services and finances,"" Ms Long said. 
""Rishi Sunak needs to recognise, even if a solution to the protocol can be agreed with the EU, there remains an inherent instability at the heart of our institutions.""
Ms Long described the protocol as ""only the latest in a long line of grievances to have collapsed Stormont"" and called for reform of the power-sharing executive in Northern Ireland.
Alliance leader said the prospect of fresh Stormont elections, with or without a deal on the Northern Ireland Protocol, ""solves nothing"".
Doug Beattie said that one of the new prime minister's priorities ""must be resolving the political impasse"" and ""dealing with the issues caused by the Northern Ireland Protocol"". 
Ulster Unionist leader said: ""Northern Ireland cannot continue to be used as political football between the United Kingdom and the EU. 
""The Protocol must be replaced with a deal that works for everyone.""
Mr Beattie said that ""everyone knows what needs to be done and now is the time to be getting on with it"".
Colum Eastwood branded the process in which Rishi Sunak succeeds Liz Truss as prime minister as a ""farce"".
Mr Eastwood said Mr Sunak had no mandate to serve as prime minister and urged him to call a general election. 
""It is completely illegitimate and an affront to democracy for the Tories to elevate Rishi Sunak to the position of prime minister with no mandate whatsoever,"" the SDLP leader said. 
""Mr Sunak's predecessors have completely destroyed the public's confidence in politics and public service and wrecked the economy.
""He should not be allowed another two years to desperately attempt to clean up their mess.""
Jim Allister said the new prime minister's actions on the Northern Ireland Protocol will determine ""how we will judge him"".
UV leader said the protocol is a ""core constitutional issue which he must deal with"" and said this ""sovereignty issue"" will determine the future of Stormont.
(Irish PM) congratulated Mr Sunak on becoming Tory leader, saying: ""I look forward to working with you, as British PM, on the important issues we face on these islands, and globally.""
ánaiste [Irish deputy prime minister] Leo Varadkar said he looked forward to working with Mr Sunak.
In a tweet, Mr Vardakar said: ""These are challenging times of war, inflation, global uncertainty. I look forward to the UK working with Ireland and the EU as friends and allies in the years ahead.""
European Council President Charles Michel offered his congratulations to Rishi Sunak. 
With UK-EU talks ongoing over the Northern Ireland Protocol, Mr Michel said in a tweet: ""Working together is the only way to face common challenges... and bringing stability is key to overcoming them.""
Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has said the Irish government would work ""in partnership"" with Rishi Sunak's administration in response to the collapse of power sharing in Northern Ireland, Irish broadcaster RTÉ reports.
Speaking in Galway on Monday, Mr Coveney hoped both governments would work with the DUP to see if an executive could be formed to avoid an ""unnecessary election""."	/news/uk-northern-ireland-63376833
health	Cost of living: Cancer treatment trip costs a worry, says mum	"rising cost of living is taking its toll on families coping with serious illness, with one mum saying the cost of trips to hospital is a constant worry.
Gemma Jones from Builth Wells, Powys, said a seven-day stay in Cardiff, where her daughter Tilly is being treated for Leukaemia, cost her £300 in food and fuel.
Six-year-old Tilly was diagnosed when she was four years old, and the family won't know if she is clear of the disease before 2027.
""I have epileptic fits most days from stress,"" Ms Jones says, adding she was struggling with gas and electricity prices."	/news/uk-wales-63797702
health	Patients have to leave Dumfries and Galloway to find NHS dentist	"A health board has said thousands of people will have to leave its area to try to find an NHS dentist.
It comes after a dental practice in Dumfries confirmed plans to deregister more than 5,000 patients.
No other dentists in Dumfries and Galloway are accepting new NHS registrations, meaning they will have to go private or go elsewhere.
Director of public health Valerie White said the situation was one of ""significant concern"".
Blue Door dental practice is the latest in a string of similar issues across south-west Scotland.
Last month, a practice in Thornhill wrote to patients telling them it no longer intended to provide NHS services.
Similar steps were announced in Castle Douglas in October.
rd confirmed that the alternatives facing patients without an NHS dentist were now to ""secure registration outwith the region or access dental care privately"".
Paul Davies is among those affected by the decision of the Blue Door practice in Dumfries to deregister thousands of patients in March next year.
He has been trying to get an appointment since the summer - one was cancelled due to the Queen's funeral and another a week before he was due to be seen.
""In frustration I emailed the practice manager and was told that all NHS appointments were being cancelled as the practice was leaving the NHS for most treatments,"" he said.
""I have been unable to find a NHS dentist in Dumfries.
""Amazingly the pain I have been experiencing has reduced but I do have a broken tooth and some discomfort.""
He said he hoped not to wait until March to be deregistered.
""I intend to speak to Blue Door about leaving and then find a dentist outside of Dumfries and Galloway,"" he said.
Ms White said:  ""We continue work to encourage and support dentists to provide NHS general dental services and are working closely with Scottish government colleagues on these matters.
""However, lack of dentists coming to work in the region is a key issue, and challenges in dental workforce are being seen across the UK.""
Anyone who is not registered with a dentist and requires emergency dental care can access it by contacting the dental helpline on 0845 602 6417.
A Scottish government statement said: ""We understand that in certain remote and rural areas, NHS dental access is challenging - a historical position exacerbated by Brexit controls, as well as the unique difficulties following the pandemic.
""We have put in place additional recruitment and retention incentives to maximise the opportunities for newly qualified dentists to work in areas such as Dumfries and Galloway.""
Have you been affected by the lack of dentists in Dumfries and Galloway? If you are happy to share your story contact us on dumfries@bbc.co.uk."	/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-63824209
business	HMRC closes phone lines due to technical fault	"HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has closed most of its phone lines due to a fault as many people seek advice ahead of filing their tax returns.
x authority apologised for the outage and urged people to use their online services.
It is not known when the lines will be working again, but HMRC said it would ""reopen them as soon as possible"".
More than 12 million people are required to complete self-assessment tax returns before 31 January.
umber is made up of people who are self-employed and those with more than one source of income.
If people do not file their tax return, either online or via post, then they face being hit with a fine, which is usually £100.
A statement from HMRC said: ""Our online services are working well and we encourage people to continue using them.
""We are working to urgently resolve a technical problem that has seen us temporarily close most of our phone lines. We apologise to people affected and will reopen them as soon as possible.""
HMRC gave people up to a month after the normal deadline of 31 January this year because the pandemic had put pressure on individuals and tax advisers to complete submissions.
r there will be no extended deadline."	/news/business-63838362
business	HSBC climate change adverts banned by UK watchdog	"UK's advertising regulator has banned two HSBC advertisements for being ""misleading"" about the company's work to tackle climate change.
Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the banking giant can no longer run the ads which promoted its plans to reduce harmful emissions.
watchdog said that the posters ""omitted material information"" about HSBC's activities.
It marks the ASA's first action against a bank for so-called ""greenwashing"".
An HSBC spokesperson told the BBC that ""The financial sector has a responsibility to communicate its role in the low carbon transition to raise public awareness and engage its customers.""
""We will consider how best to do this as we deliver our ambitious net zero commitments,"" they added.
Greenwashing - branding something as eco-friendly, green or sustainable when this is not the case - misleads consumers into thinking they are helping the planet by choosing those goods or services.
rts were seen at bus stops in London and Bristol last October, in the lead up to the highly-anticipated United Nations COP26 climate change summit.
rs outlined HSBC's efforts to plant trees and help its customers achieve ""net zero"" emissions. Net zero means not adding to greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere by cutting and trying to balance out emissions.
One poster showed an image of waves crashing on a shore with text that said ""Climate change doesn't do borders. Neither do rising sea levels. That's why HSBC is aiming to provide up to $1 trillion in financing and investment globally to help our clients transition to net zero"".
r advert was of tree growth rings and text which read ""Climate changes doesn't do borders. So in the UK, we're helping to plant 2 million trees which will lock in 1.25 million tonnes of carbon over their lifetime"".
ASA upheld complaints that the ads ""omitted significant information about HSBC's contribution to carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions.""
""Customers... would not expect that HSBC, in making unqualified claims about its environmentally beneficial work, would also be simultaneously involved in the financing of businesses which made significant contributions to carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions,"" the regulator added.
HSBC's efforts to address climate change have come under scrutiny in recent months. 
In February, campaigners accused big banks, including HSBC, of pumping billions of dollars into new oil and gas production despite being part of a green banking group.
London-based ShareAction called on the banks to demand green plans from fossil fuel firms before funding them.
ShareAction said that 24 big banks, which joined the Net Zero Banking Alliance last year, had since provided $33bn (£29.1bn) for new oil and gas project. 
At the time, a HSBC spokesman said the bank was ""committed to working with our customers to achieve a transition towards a thriving low carbon economy"".
Meanwhile, a senior HSBC executive drew controversy in May when he accused central bankers and other officials of exaggerating the risks of climate change.
Stuart Kirk, who was the global head of responsible investing at the bank's asset management division, said: ""There's always some nut job telling me about the end of the world.""
His role, which was based in London, involved considering the impact of investments on environmental, social and governance issues.
In July, Mr Kirk resigned from the bank and said that his comments had made his position ""unsustainable"".
How can I deal with my eco-anxiety?"	/news/business-63309878
business	BBC NI job cuts: BBC Northern Ireland to lose 36 posts	"BBC Northern Ireland (BBC NI) is planning to close 36 posts in an attempt to make £2.3m of savings and invest more money in online services.
According to the most recent BBC annual report, BBC NI has a workforce of about 600.
BBC said it hopes ""the majority"" of post closures will be achieved through voluntary redundancy.
rporation also said that some programmes on Radio Ulster and Radio Foyle would be ""impacted"" by the plans.
udes the daily breakfast news programme on Radio Foyle and the weekly Inside Business programme on Radio Ulster.
However, more money is set to be spent on BBC Northern Ireland's online and digital services, including the BBC iPlayer.
Staff and trade unions will now be consulted on the savings plans.
As a whole, the BBC announced proposals to make £500m in annual savings and to become a ""digital-led"" organisation in May 2022.
uded plans to employ up to 1,000 fewer people in the publicly-funded part of the BBC over the next few years.
Channels like CBBC and BBC Four are to be moved online and a single news will replace separate UK and world channels.
In January 2022, the then Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries confirmed the BBC licence fee is to be frozen at £159 for two years.
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said the cuts were ""an absolute disgrace""
According to the BBC's most recent annual report for 2021/22 the number of adults who watch BBC TV each week has fallen, whereas use of digital services like the iPlayer, BBC online and BBC Sounds has risen.
BBC Northern Ireland spends about £55m a year on local programmes and services across TV, radio and online.
Radio Foyle, based in Londonderry, will also lose its hourly bulletins.
Foyle MP Colum Eastwood said people in Derry and the north west have been ""badly served by the BBC today"" and the cuts were an ""absolute disgrace"".
""This is an attempt to close BBC Radio Foyle down by stealth,"" the SDLP leader added. 
""Over half of the newsroom staff in Foyle are going and that will make it totally unsustainable. 
""The flagship programme, The Breakfast Show, is going and anybody knows that once you remove the flagship programme, you're basically removing the station.
""We all pay our licence fee, there is nobody in Radio Foyle on massive wages, they are all ordinary working people who are either losing their job or losing their station, it's being gutted and it's shameful.""
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP for East Londonderry, Gregory Campbell, said the news came as ""a bolt from the blue"".
""I don't think people saw the Radio Foyle announcement coming as it did,"" he told BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback programme.
He added: ""What they [the BBC] do well is local news and they do that very well.
""I think what will happen here is that it will become quite Belfast-centric.
""My fear and the fear of many will be that Radio Ulster will become effectively BBC Radio Greater Belfast. That's the fear.
""There is a regional localised radio station in the north west and if we lose that, what will the BBC put in its place?""
mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, cllr Sandra Duffy, has written to the BBC to express her deep concern.
She said the news was causing ""huge anxiety"" for the workers who are learning that they will lose their jobs.
""It will also have a hugely detrimental impact on the people of Derry who rely on this institution for local news and coverage,"" she said.
NUJ said the decision to end Radio Foyle's breakfast programme and news bulletins was a betrayal of the people of Northern Ireland.
""This is an attack on the very essence of public service broadcasting,"" said Seamus Dooley, NUJ assistant general secretary.
""Radio Foyle is part of the cultural landscape of the north west with a wide listenership on both sides of the border. The diminution of services in Radio Foyle is of particular concern and will be strongly resisted by the NUJ.
""If redundancies are implemented, they should be on a voluntary basis.""
In a statement BBC Northern Ireland said that its plans ""reflect a BBC-wide strategy to prioritise digital content, announced earlier this year, and the need to manage inflationary and other cost pressures"".
""BBC Northern Ireland is proposing to close approximately 35-40 posts to contribute to its £2.3m savings and reinvestment plans,"" the statement continued.
""Efforts have been made to limit the effect of proposed changes on the scope and benefits of BBC services in Northern Ireland and local staff teams.""
rim director of BBC Northern Ireland, Adam Smyth, added that the corporation faced ""some difficult choices, none of which are easy"".
""We have to find monies to maintain and develop our local presence on BBC iPlayer and to absorb cost pressures across different aspects of our work,"" he said.
""Our concern in all of this will be to safeguard audience value and benefit and to remain mindful of the impact that this announcement will have on BBC staff in Northern Ireland.""
BBC NI had previously scaled back plans for a £77m redevelopment of Broadcasting House in Belfast.
BBC NI also said that other ongoing UK-wide operational and staffing reviews may also ""impact other locally-based teams and roles next year"", but gave no further details about what that might mean."	/news/uk-northern-ireland-63793557
health	NHS trust apologises as man kept in hospital for more than a year	"A man with physical and mental health problems is ""living"" in a hospital despite being fit to leave, a court has heard.
man, who is in his 30s, has been in hospital for more than a year.
A barrister leading the man's legal team told how he had tried to ""escape"" and broke an arm during the attempt.
Court of Protection heard that he remained in hospital because no ""available alternative accommodation"" had been found. 
Manchester City Council has responsibility for his care, but the NHS trust involved has apologised for ""not yet"" identifying a ""suitable community placement"".
A lawyer representing another health authority told the judge that professionals involved were under pressure because of the ""state"" of the health and social care services.
Mr Justice Hayden, who is overseeing the case, asked why no plan for the man's discharge had been formulated and indicated that he would review the case in the near future.
""This is a case about a young man who has been in [hospital] for over a year,"" barrister Ben McCormack, who is leading the man's legal team, said in a written case outline.
""He is medically fit to be discharged.""
Mr McCormack said the man was ""living"" in hospital and added: ""The real problem is that no available alternative accommodation has yet been sourced.""
He said despite the ""wide range"" of public authorities involved, each of which supported discharge, the man remained in hospital without any ""alternative options actually yet on the table"".
""[He] dislikes being required to live in hospital,"" Mr McCormack told the judge.
""He feels imprisoned. He has tried to escape through the ceiling of the bathroom attached to his ward.
""He hurt himself, he broke his arm.""
Mr McCormack said the man had ""extensive health needs"" which would need to be met outside hospital.
But he added: ""We are not attempting to land a person on the Moon here.""
Mr McCormack said the man had a computer, and a television, and had watched the World Cup Final on Sunday.
""We will deploy any and every resource to try and get this man out of hospital,"" Vikram Sachdeva KC, who represented one of the health authorities involved, told the judge.
""We know the state that the health service and social care services are in.
""It is cold comfort to the individual, but the professionals do have that pressure.""
Barrister Alexis Hearnden, who represented the NHS trust involved, told the judge in a written case outline: ""The trust offers an apology to the court and [the man] that it has not yet identified a suitable community placement.""
She said ""progress"" had been made recently.
""[His] physical health has at times been extremely precarious,"" she said.
""During the currency of this hospital admission, his health has also fluctuated and a stroke in July 2022 set back plans to discharge [him] from hospital."" 
Manchester City Council has been approached for comment. 
Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-manchester-64029162
entertainment	Bradford's Kala Sangam arts venue to undergo £295k revamp	"An arts venue will undergo a £295,000 transformation ahead of Bradford's City of Culture year in 2025.
Kala Sangam Arts Centre plans to create a new 200-seat theatre and four studio spaces in its city centre building as part of the project.
An archive celebrating the centre's 30-year history will also be developed.
Creative director Alex Croft said it was the first step to creating a bigger space ""for all communities in Bradford to visit and enjoy.""
roject aims to make the centre more accessible, with a new entrance and lift access to all floors.
Work is expected to begin in January 2024, with the centre reopening in 2025, according to a spokesperson for the organisation.
National Lottery Heritage Fund has put £295,758 toward the work.
funding will also be used to employ a head of community engagement, who will work with communities in Bradford to explore their own heritage.
Kala Sangam has also received an increase in its regular funding from Arts Council England and will be granted £362,000 a year for the next three years.
A spokesperson said the extra funding will allow the centre to ""programme more dance, theatre, music and poetry"".
Mr Croft said: ""The increase in our regular funding from Arts Council England will enable us to support more artists in Bradford, have a greater role in developing South Asian art forms locally and nationally, welcome larger audiences and play a bigger role in Bradford's City of Culture celebrations.""
Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk."	/news/uk-england-leeds-63575444
sports	Pele: Brazil legend's extraordinary career in pictures	"He has been described as a genius, the best of the best, a player who gifted his skills to the whole world. Brazil legend Pele is the iconic sporting figure for a country that regards itself as the game's spiritual home.
From Santos to three World Cup wins and New York Cosmos, here's a look at his life in pictures."	/sport/football/64125974
sports	Eve Muirhead wants to be 'role model' like fellow Olympian gold medallist Rhona Howie	Eve Muirhead wants to be role model for girls like fellow Olympic gold medallist curler Rhona Howie.	/sport/av/winter-sports/60667502
health	Mothers go to Stormont to call for better maternity care	"'We need perinatal services to improve'
A group of mothers are in Stormont to share their experiences of childbirth as part of a campaign for better maternity support services.
will recount problems with the care they received and call for urgent improvements to services for mothers who develop mental-health issues.
rganised by the Mas (Maternal Advocacy and Support) project.
It provides mental-health support to new mothers in eight women's centres.
Jannine Barnes takes part in the Mas project in the Ballybeen Women's Centre in Dundonald, on the outskirts of east Belfast.
She said that poor communication between health workers during postnatal home visits had a negative effect on her mental health as she tried to look after her vulnerable newborn child.
""When my youngest daughter was born, she spent some time in neonatal.  She had breathing difficulties and it was suggested that she had some holes in her heart,"" Ms Barnes told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme.
""After some time we were released from hospital back home, but we had to have health visitors and midwives coming every other day to check her weight, to make sure that she didn't have to be readmitted to hospital.
""We never got the same health visitor twice. We never got the same midwife"" she recalled.
""I was having to continually explain why they were coming out to do weight checks; what was wrong with her breathing; why she was breathing so fast.
""Sometimes we had students coming out and they hadn't been told why there were coming out to check her weight, so it just had a real impact on my mental health.""
Women like Ms Barnes will share their stories with assembly members at Stormont on Monday in a bid to give patients a greater voice in the delivery of maternity and perinatal services.
Mas Project is also calling for better training for health workers on post-partum psychosis, a serious mental health illness that affects about one in 500 women after giving birth.
In Northern Ireland the condition affects about 35 women every year, according to Professor Siobhan O'Neill, the region's Mental Health Champion.
She added that postnatal depression was a ""significant mental-health problem"" in Northern Ireland which resulted in about 70 mothers being admitted to mental health units annually. 
Both Prof O'Neill and the Mas Project are supporting the ongoing campaign for establishment a dedicated mother and baby perinatal mental health unit.
Northern Ireland is the only place in the UK which has no dedicated in-patient service for women with serious post-partum mental-health issues.
Prof O'Neill, who was appointed as Mental Health Champion for Northern Ireland last year, said the unit might be expensive in the short-term, but in the long-term it would make ""good economic sense"". 
""The mother-and-baby unit will carry a significant cost and the Department of Health are now looking at that and the strategical outline case will be available in March 2023, so there should be progress then and we'll know exactly how much that will cost and where it will be,"" she said. 
""The work that this group of women have done is just so important in bringing this to the top of the agenda.  
""There's clear evidence that intervening at this stage, in those early weeks and months, can make a real difference to women's lives, to babies' lives, and it can reduce the cost of mental-health services that they'll need later on,"" Prof O'Neill added. 
Clare Anderson, co-ordinator of the Mas project, said the mothers involved in the initiative ""highlighted key areas that would make a difference to their experience such as compassion, non-judgement, better communication, signposting to services and earlier identification of a perinatal mental health problem"".
""We understand how stretched the health service is and how hard they are working but we want health leaders to see the care from the perspective of the women they treat,"" she added. "	/news/uk-northern-ireland-63778981
entertainment	Essex film office: Council wants county 'top of the list'	"A dedicated movie office is being set up to ensure Essex is ""at the top of the list of great places to film"".
Essex County Council has appointed a film officer who will promote the county to location managers and liaise with Creative UK.
Councils in Kent and Suffolk have already established similar offices.
Apple TV's The Essex Serpent and Mission: Impossible - Fallout were both filmed in the county in recent years.
""Essex has some of the most diverse and beautiful landscapes in the UK and currently our coast is of particular interest to directors and location managers,"" said Erica Gilson, the council's marketing and business development manager.
""We need to ensure that we're getting Essex out there and that we're at the top of the list of great places to film.""
Ms Gilson, speaking at a council committee meeting earlier in October, also said the office would help minimise disruption to local residents and businesses during filming.
British Film Institute estimated that film and TV producers spent a record £5.64bn in the UK in 2021.
Shots for the 2013 Hollywood movie, World War Z, starring Brad Pitt, were filmed at Hanningfield Reservoir near Chelmsford, while Thorndon Country Park in Brentwood was used for a scene in the 2018 Mission Impossible film.
As well as in The Essex Serpent, an adaptation of the Sarah Perry novel starring Tom Hiddleston and Claire Danes, the county's coastline was also featured in shots for the 2017 ITV drama, Liar.
A scene from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, which was set in Venice, included shots from Tilbury Docks.
Most recently, Colchester Utd's football stadium was used in the filming of an Indian movie production.
Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-essex-63406449
business	North of England faces rail chaos, warns business lobby	"Business leaders in the north of England are warning rail services could ""collapse into utter chaos"" by January unless the government takes action.
Members of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership have written to ask the transport secretary to address a crisis they say is ""wreaking havoc"".
Rail travel in northern England has been severely disrupted in recent months by strikes and cancellations.
government agreed the current situation was ""unacceptable"".
It said it was ""investing billions"" in northern transport and was ""working closely with train operators"" to resolve problems around the recruitment of new drivers.
But Juergen Maier, former chief executive of Siemens UK and a vice chair of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said the government had failed to ""use the levers only it can pull, to sort out or train services"".
Although train travel has been disrupted across the whole of the UK this year, northern operators, including Avanti West Coast and TransPennine Express have come under particular scrutiny.
Passengers to, from and across the region have faced reduced timetables, crowded services, last-minute cancellations and delays.
Northern Powerhouse Partnership said recruitment of new train drivers, one source of the disruption, was held back by the failure to agree new overtime working arrangements at some rail operators, including at TransPennine. 
government to open the way for new ""rest day working"" arrangements. Drivers at most operators can choose to work on their days off - or ""rest days"" - when they are expected to give training and be on standby to cover drivers who call off sick.
ransPennine had a rest day working agreement in place until last autumn, but it has not been able to agree on new terms with its drivers since then. That leaves the operator more at risk of last-minute cancellations.
""We are not able to continue as we are,"" said Mr Maier. ""If we do not get approval for a rest day working agreement to be negotiated this week it will be too late.""
Without a new agreement the system would collapse into ""utter chaos"", he said.
Cancellations have already cut off the Humber for ""days at a time"" and reduced access to Manchester Airport, forcing people into their cars instead, the Northern Powerhouse Partnership said.
ransport Secretary Mark Harper, who is due to meet city mayors from across the region later this week, said services would be improved by having ""a proper seven-day railway"".
""We have days in the week when train services are completely dependent on the goodwill of people coming in to work on their days off. That isn't how you run a modern railway that people depend on for running their daily lives,"" he said.
In their letter to Mr Harper, the vice chairs of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, Mr Maier, and crossbench peer Lord Jim O'Neill, said the situation was already ""wreaking havoc on the northern economy"".
ransPennine apologised for the disruption and said work was continuing to address the impact of sickness and a shortage of drivers, which would normally have been significantly mitigated by rest day working arrangements.
""We are sorry to anyone who has been affected by this ongoing disruption,"" a spokesperson said. ""This has been caused by high levels of traincrew sickness, an intensive crew training programme (which includes a training backlog as a direct result of Covid), and infrastructure issues outside of our control.""
rator said it had invested in a fleet of new trains and now had 70 more drivers than the 500 it had in 2019."	/news/business-63776464
politics	Watch as Sunak declared Tory contest winner	"Rishi Sunak will be the next prime minister after no other rivals came forward to challenge him.
He was the only candidate after Penny Mordaunt pulled out just ahead of the 1400 deadline. Boris Johnson was expected to stand, but decided not to stand on Sunday.
Sir Graham Brady announced the result four days after Liz Truss resigned from the office. 
Mr Sunak immediately became leader of the Conservative Party and should be PM later after meeting King Charles.
Live: Sunak is next PM as Mordaunt drops out of leadership race"	/news/uk-politics-63373382
sports	Uber Cup: World champion Akane Yamaguchi suffers shock loss to teenager Bilqis Prasista	"Badminton's world number one Akane Yamaguchi suffered a shock defeat at the Uber Cup to a teenager ranked 333 in the world.
Indonesia's Bilqis Prasista, 18, beat Japan's 24-year-old world champion 21-19, 21-19 in 35 minutes in Bangkok.
Japan still beat Indonesia to top their group but both teams qualified for the quarter-finals of the women's event.
England cannot qualify in the men's Thomas Cup, also held in Bangkok, after losing their first two group games. "	/sport/badminton/61404473
sports	Johan Cruyff: Total Football and the World Cup that changed everything	"It was a summer that played out in an orange haze. One of floppy-haired Dutchmen letting their revolutionary brand of football loose on the world and cavorting their way into the hearts and minds of the adoring public. It was Johan Cruyff's summer. At least, it almost was. 
In the fourth of our World Cup icons series, BBC Sport tells the story of how Johan Cruyff and the Netherlands' Total Football captured the world's imagination in 1974.
As he ground-hopped through West Germany in 1974, Cruyff embraced each game with more of a dance than a duel, his every stroke of leather compelling and each balletic movement steeped in vision and expectation. 
Just the mention of his name transports you to Dortmund's Westfalenstadion, 19 June, the 24th minute - the moment Cruyff conjured up an unmistakable turn that bamboozled Sweden's Jan Olsson and was cast in football folklore.
""The turn wasn't something I'd ever done in training or practised,"" wrote Cruyff in his autobiography, My Turn. ""The idea came to me in a flash, because at that particular moment it was the best solution for the situation I was in.""
Yet that piece of skill, the inventive, individual moment of brilliance he is remembered most vividly for, was a beautiful contradiction. 
Cruyff was the face of Total Football - a style of play where success blossoms with a collective, almost telepathic understanding of space and movement among all 11 players - but he was also the one star that could break the mould.
Cruyff was the essence of a team who captured the imagination with football as vivid and resplendent as their orange shirts, including leaving their mark on a mesmerised future Arsenal manager.
""I discovered completely new football,"" recalled Arsene Wenger at the Cruyff Legacy Summit. ""When you speak today about pressing, transition and winning the ball back quickly, in 1974 Holland did that already.
""They were miles ahead tactically. They believed in the way they think about the game and they were not ready to compromise with their ideas: 'That's the way we see the game and that is the way football has to be played.'""
It was a concept that began with Ajax, the club based just five minutes from Cruyff's childhood home in Amsterdam. 'Jopie' joined as a 10-year-old, his mother later got a job there as a cleaner following his father's death, and it was Ajax that helped supplement him leaving school at 15 by faking his age to offer him a ""special"" youth contract.
Under the guidance of the great Rinus Michels, Cruyff became an integral part of a side that would go on to dominate European football during a boom for Dutch clubs.
Michels, himself influenced by Hungary's Magical Magyars in the 1950s, developed a style of football that would see Ajax win their first European Cup in 1971 and - after he left for Barcelona later that year - watched as the side he built collected three successive continental crowns.
""Michels made us run less and take over each other's positions, which was revolutionary,"" Ruud Krol, former Ajax and the Netherlands defender, told Uefa.
""It was the first time there was a totally different vision of football. Total Football spread all over the world. It was the only real change for almost 40 years. He stunned the world.""
By 1973 Cruyff, about to claim his second Ballon d'Or, was an Ajax star and an idol for youngsters in the Netherlands at a time of social and cultural change.
Young people related to his practical approach and admired his exceptional talent. He was unwittingly cool - as a teenager he would stub out cigarettes on his boot soles - but he could also be confrontational, demanding and rebellious.
""He said you must do this in a game or you must do that,"" team-mate Johnny Rep remembered in David Winner's book Brilliant Orange. ""It was not easy for me to shut my mouth.""
Cruyff wore the Ajax armband, but during a summer training camp the squad voted Piet Keizer in as captain. Furious and feeling undermined, it spelled the end in Amsterdam for Cruyff, who called it a ""form of jealousy I had never before experienced"".
He left Ajax to join Michels in Barcelona for a then world-record £922,000 and helped the Catalan side to a first La Liga title in 14 years.
Cruyff experienced problems with some of his former colleagues during the international camps that followed, believing they were complaining about him arriving late from Spain or for not travelling with the team. But those feelings had softened by the time they regrouped to prepare for a tournament that would change many of their lives.
Netherlands' record of qualifying for major tournaments was, frankly, rubbish - they had not reached a World Cup finals since before World War Two and had never appeared at the European Championships.
Even for the 1974 tournament they almost made a hash of qualifying, relying on a controversial offside decision in the final game against Belgium to see them through; Jan Verheyen's 89th-minute winner was chalked off, despite replays showing the Belgian was being played on by a number of Dutch defenders.
Czech manager Frantisek Fadrhonc was replaced by Barcelona boss Michels for the finals. It turned out to be a masterstroke. 
Michels' squad was largely comprised of players with an Ajax connection and those from Feyenoord, who won the European Cup in 1970. But there was a surprise call up for FC Amsterdam goalkeeper Jan Jongbloed - the cigar shop owner who won his only previous cap 12 years earlier and was selected predominantly for his ability on the ball. 
Ajax contingent were well versed in the coach's pressing style and switching of positions, while the rest of the squad had the system drilled into them during a pre-tournament camp at the leafy KNVB headquarters in Zeist. Michels wanted Ajax 2.0, the ultra-attacking remodel.
It took time to click and they lost a friendly to a second division German team while trying to familiarise themselves with the tactics, but just one week before the World Cup started they enjoyed a morale-boosting 4-1 victory over Argentina. 
""Total Football requires talented individuals acting in a disciplined group,"" said Cruyff, who had a huge influence on team selection. ""Someone who whines or doesn't pay attention is a hindrance to the rest, and you need a boss like Michels to nip that in the bud.
""Total Football is, aside from the quality of the players, mostly a question of distance and positioning. When you've got the distances and formation right, everything falls into place.""
Netherlands opened their first World Cup campaign in 36 years against Uruguay at the Niedersachsenstadion in Hannover, stepping out in orange shirts trimmed with the iconic three stripes of Adidas along the sleeve. All bar Cruyff's, that is.
He was contracted to Puma and had already refused to wear Adidas boots when playing for the national team, despite a KNVB deal with the manufacturer. At the World Cup - after a standoff between the brands, Cruyff and Dutch football bosses - it was decided his kit would have one of the stripes removed.
""The KNVB had signed a contract with Adidas without telling the players,"" Cruyff wrote in his autobiography. ""They thought they didn't need to because the shirt was theirs. 'But the head sticking out of it is mine,' I told them.""
""Those two stripes belong to me,"" he later wrote in a column for Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, when the row reignited 40 years later after Cruyff's clothing company released a replica of his 1974 jersey.
In Hannover, Cruyff was the target of some rough Uruguayan treatment but glided over tackles and carried the Netherlands forward in a move that resulted with Rep giving them the lead after seven minutes, later adding his second to complete an opening victory that provided a glimpse of the side's potent mix of a smothering press and effortlessly fluid attack. 
Four days later the Dutch played out a goalless draw with Sweden - a match remembered for one of the most iconic flashes of brilliance the game has ever witnessed.
Cruyff received a diagonal ball on the left of the Swedish box. His first touch almost let him down but a seemingly elasticated right leg wound it back in again and, once under control, the game of cat and mouse was on.
ggy-haired Dutch skipper exaggeratedly shaped to knock the ball back down field with his right foot, luring Olsson to take the bait, and with the Sweden full-back already moving in the direction of the anticipated pass Cruyff wrapped his boot around the ball, dragged it through his legs and was off towards the byline in an orange blur, leaving Olsson floundering in no man's land.
""There are impulses that arise because your technical and tactical knowledge has become so great that your legs are able to respond immediately to what your head wants them to do,"" wrote Cruyff. ""Even if that's nothing more than a flash in the brain.
""I've always used feints like that. I've never used them to make the opponent look foolish, only as the best solution to a problem.""
Olsson was convinced he was going to take the ball, and then it was gone.
""I do not understand how he did it,"" he said in 2016. ""Now when I see the video, every time I think I have got the ball. I am sure I am going to take it, but every time he surprises me.""
move ultimately came to nothing and the Netherlands were unable to find a breakthrough, but Cruyff's moment of wizardry became the most recognisable image of that - arguably, of any - World Cup.
By the time the final group game against Bulgaria came round, the Netherlands were confident and won 4-1 against a side that included several of the CSKA Sofia team who ended Ajax's three-year unbeaten run in the European Cup earlier that season.
Cruyff, picked as the focal point in attack but dribbling into the box from the left, won a penalty from which Johan Neeskens put the Dutch ahead, adding another before the break while the captain toyed with and riled the Bulgarians and almost scored following a run from his own half. 
Rep made it three after Cruyff sent the black and white tournament ball spinning into the area from a free-kick, before a floated cross from the Barcelona playmaker found a diving Theo de Jong arriving to cap a resounding win. 
Dutch were hitting their stride. Their football was captivating fans on the terraces and those watching from home, and their choir of orange-clad supporters was getting more vociferous with every scintillating performance.
urnament format saw teams progress into a second group stage, with the Netherlands ripping through Argentina in their first game - the opening goal a perfect snapshot of their breathtaking style.
Dutch recovered possession in the Argentina half and Cruyff plucked Wim van Hanegem's deft chip out of the air before rounding goalkeeper Daniel Carnevali and sliding the ball into an empty net.
Krol added a second and Rep then headed in a third from Cruyff's deep cross as boss Michels, raincoat covering his knees, observed from the bench with a flicker of a smile during a downpour in Gelsenkirchen.
-half weather could not dampen a display so dominant from the Dutch that goalkeeper Jongbloed touched the ball only once in the entire game. Cruyff added a late fourth with an instinctive volley from a tight angle to further whip up the hype around this team and their seemingly unstoppable captain.
""They said he would have made a good ballet dancer,"" Michels once reflected. ""Honestly, I think Johan could have become anything he wanted to.""
Jorge Valdano would go on to become a World Cup winner himself - and Argentina would get their revenge four years later in the final in Buenos Aires - but he watched in awe as a teenager as the Netherlands' number 14 tormented his compatriots.
""Never in my life have I seen a player rule matches like Cruyff,"" he said. ""He was the owner of the show, much more than his team, the referee or the fans. His grip on what was happening on the field was amazing. He was a player, coach and referee at the same time.""
Cruyff admitted to being tense in the early stages of the tournament but was now wowing the press with his manner off the pitch as well as on it - apart from one Dutch critic who was tossed, fully clothed, into the hotel swimming pool by the squad.
""Cruyff himself was a rapid and remarkable learner,"" said esteemed English football writer Brian Glanville. ""Surrounded by a polyglot of journalists he dealt effortlessly with them in Dutch, English, German, Spanish and Italian.""
As June rolled into July the Netherlands were continuing to gather momentum and a 2-0 win over East Germany teed up what was essentially a semi-final against reigning champions Brazil. 
was a Selecao without Pele, who had left the national team in 1971 and revealed years later he refused to play in the 1974 World Cup in protest against torture by Brazil's military regime - instead he spent the tournament working for Pepsi. 
Brazil still boasted the likes of Roberto Rivelino and Jairzinho, who missed a golden chance as the South Americans looked to take the initiative in the opening 20 minutes. But with the holders in blue and the Dutch in white, it was more than just their kits that were unrecognisable - it was a hot-tempered, physical battle.
""That was the best game, the hardest game - it had everything,"" explained Krol in Brilliant Orange. ""There was nice football, nice combinations, dirty football. It was a game on the limits and I like that. Do everything to win.""
Brazil collected three bookings in the first half, the Dutch one. But after the break Cruyff sprinkled some stardust on the skirmish with a pass from the right threaded between a pair of backtracking Brazilians for Neeskens to loop over goalkeeper Emerson Leao with a first-time effort. 
r superior goal difference meant the Dutch only needed a draw to progress, but they made sure of their place in the final with 25 minutes remaining when Cruyff finished off a flowing move down the left by leaping on to a side-footed volley in mid-air. Luis Pereira was sent off for a hack on Neeskens late on as Brazil relinquished their grip on the trophy.
""It all came together in that game against Brazil,"" wrote Cruyff. ""Until then, no one really knew how good we were, and the game against Brazil was probably the moment you could point to and say that was Total Football.
""When we walked on the pitch we were nervous, because we thought that we were still playing the team of 1970. It took us 30 minutes to realise that we were actually more skilful than them.
""Winning was the consequence of the process we had concentrated on. The first step was to bring enjoyment to the crowd, the next was the win.""
Netherlands had been so good, so compelling, their confidence was straddling arrogance. In an unusual calendar quirk, boss Michels even jetted back to Barcelona to oversee his club side play the Spanish Cup final mid-tournament. 
But before the final there was unease in the Dutch camp as news reached home about a story in German newspaper Bild.
As Auke Kok explained in Johan Cruyff: Always on the Attack, Cruyff found being away from wife Danny and their three children ""inhuman"" and life at the Waldhotel Krautkramer in Hiltrup was becoming a bit of a drag.
In need of some entertainment, a group of players decided to host a now infamous party following the win over East Germany.
Volendam band The Cats performed, sparkling wine and cigars were enjoyed, and by 2am Cruyff and several others fancied a swim - naked - in the hotel pool, where they were joined by a group of local females.
""Little happened, other than a bit of flirting,"" wrote Kok. But unbeknown to the Dutch, there was also an undercover journalist present and the story appeared in Bild under the headline: Cruyff, champagne, naked girls and a refreshing dip. The captain was furious and spent hours on the hotel phone trying to placate his wife.
Cruyff always denied the incident and head coach Michels insisted it was an attempted smear campaign by the German press to unsettle the Dutch should they meet the hosts in the final.
And so they did, on 7 July at the Olympic Stadium in Munich. 
For many in the Netherlands, the German occupation during the war still carried huge cultural significance - midfielder Van Hanegem lost his father, sister and two brothers in the conflict.
It was, however, the bohemian Dutch who went into the final as favourites and there was huge optimism around the prospect of lifting a first World Cup. 
""You could see it in their eyes,"" said German forward Bernd Holzenbein in Brilliant Orange. ""Their attitude to us was, 'how many goals do you want to lose by today, boys?'. While we waited to go on the pitch, I tried to look them in the eye, but I couldn't do it. They made us feel small.""
Dutch preparation was not ideal, compounded by losing their The Cats cassette tape and, the story goes, instead having to listen to David Bowie's Sorrow. 
Cruyff did not sleep well the night before the final and instead sat up smoking in his room. He chewed gum as he stared into the crowd while the teams lined up before kick-off. For the first time, the Netherlands' huge following was massively outnumbered by home spectators.
uring an unconvincing start to the tournament that featured a defeat by neighbours East Germany, and they were immediately left stunned by the Dutch as Cruyff went on a surging run, dummying and shimmying his way into the penalty area where he was brought down by Uli Hoeness - all before any German player had even touched the ball. 
Neeskens converted from the spot to give Michels' men the perfect start and, as several players have since conceded, they set about trying to humiliate their hosts with the kind of football that won them so many suitors throughout the tournament - but, crucially, this time without adding to their lead.
""It was a classic case of pride coming before a fall,"" wrote Cruyff. ""As soon as you're past that point of over-confidence, it becomes incredibly difficult to turn it around.
""Throughout the match everyone was either a bit too early or a bit too late - never on time. It just wasn't quite 100%. Sometimes you can lose a game in your head.""
Despite their slow start to the competition, West Germany were also a very good side and moments after a glorious chance for Rep at one end, created by Cruyff, Holzenbein went down inside the box at the other. Paul Breitner levelled from the spot, and suddenly it was Germany's final.
Cruyff was a false nine long before the term was coined. He was everywhere during the World Cup: dropping deep as a playmaker, arriving late into the box, drifting on to the flanks. He created more chances and completed more dribbles than any other player in the tournament. 
But as the Netherlands struggled to wrestle back control, the captain was dragged further away from goal, swamped by white shirts and unable to find space where he was so usually dangerous.
He came in for rough treatment from Berti Vogts, who was eventually booked, but then so was Cruyff for arguing with referee Jack Taylor at half-time after Gerd Muller had given the hosts the lead. There was some internal sniping between the Dutch, too.
A mentally and physically drained Cruyff could not rediscover his spark. He created several chances when restored to a forward position after the break, but nothing would go in for Michels' team.
""When it was all over, of course, there was a great feeling of disappointment,"" wrote Cruyff. ""You know you're the best in the world, but you haven't won the prize.""
Back in the Netherlands, the squad were greeted like heroes with a reception at the Royal Palace and celebration on the Stadsschouwburg balcony in Amsterdam. Cruyff later wrote that he got over the disappointment of losing the final quickly.
""Much more important was the vast amount of positivity and admiration for our play that our performances had generated all over the world,"" he said.
""We had set an example for billions of people. We had also given hope to all the players who, like me, weren't big or strong. The whole philosophy of how football should be played was adjusted during that tournament.""
It also changed his individual status. Cruyff had already been twice crowned the world's best but admitted he did not feel famous until that tournament. When it was over, he was a global superstar and later that year won his third Ballon d'Or in four seasons.
""Cruyff was an optimal player,"" said Wenger. ""In every situation he found the optimal solution. He had the tools to realise it. The point of his decision making was exceptional.
""You always felt he was a class above everyone on the pitch. There are few players like that. He had that elegance, you wanted to look like him on the football pitch.""
But 1974 would be his one and only World Cup. Cruyff helped the Netherlands qualify for the 1978 tournament in Argentina but made a decision not to play and would not go back on that, later suggesting it was because of a kidnap attempt at the family home in Barcelona.
In many ways, it added to his legend.
Cruyff, in his four weeks on the global stage, was a playmaker-come-coach who gifted the sport a new philosophy. He left a legacy that transcends a flick, a touch, a goal, even a turn - one that has survived long beyond the last tying of his boot laces and donning of the lucky number 14 shirt. 
Bibliography
BBC World Cup icons series"	/sport/football/63177677
health	Bodmin diagnostic scanning centre opens	"A new medical diagnostic centre has been officially opened and is welcoming its first patients.
Bodmin Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) has a range of services including CT and MRI scans.
It is hoped it will reduce patient-wait times for scans, after it was revealed in May that there were more than 58,000 people on waiting lists in Cornwall.
Emma Spouse, of the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust, said: ""It will make a real difference for patients"".
When fully operational, the centre will deliver an additional 120,000 diagnostic tests each year.
It has been set up by Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, the hospitals trust and the NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board.
re forms part of a strategy to locate community diagnostic centres away from acute hospital sites. 
Ms Spouse, diagnostic imaging lead, said: ""The Bodmin CDC provides a calm, outpatient scanning environment that also alleviates our hard-pressed acute and emergency diagnostic imaging services on the Royal Cornwall Hospital site at Treliske in Truro. 
""Digital technology and connectivity ensures that expert advice and opinion is immediately available to the Bodmin CDC clinical staff, supporting our services on this site to meet exemplary standards.""
CDC should also reduce travel time and costs for patients, as well as creating some local jobs.
Margaret Schwarz, Chair of Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said: ""Not only am I delighted to see this facility open, I am delighted as a resident of north Cornwall that my fellow residents will not have to travel down the A30 to Truro for their diagnostics. 
""It is fantastic to have this facility available closer to where people live"". 
Follow BBC News South West on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk."	/news/uk-england-cornwall-63920715
business	Sizewell C nuclear plant: Truss and Macron agree cooperation	"UK prime minister and France's president have agreed joint support for the new Sizewell C nuclear power plant. 
Liz Truss and Emmanuel Macron issued a joint statement in which they said they were keen to advance cooperation, on energy in particular.
ged ""full support"" for the station set for Suffolk's coast, to be developed by French energy company EDF.
Critics have argued Sizewell C will be hugely expensive and take years to build.
rs said they expected the ""relevant bodies to finalise arrangements in the coming month"".
Ms Truss and Mr Macron were meeting at the first summit of the European Political Community in Prague where they discussed matters for further cooperation.
ment issued by the prime minister's office reiterated how ""energy transition and decoupling from Russian hydro-carbons are common challenges"". 
It stated: ""They reaffirmed their belief that both renewable and nuclear energies are part of consistent strategies to achieve energy transition and strategic autonomy.""
Ms Truss also tweeted that both countries were keen to end dependence on Russian energy.  
Before leaving office, former prime minister Boris Johnson pledged £700m for a new power plant, with a call to ""go nuclear and go large and go with Sizewell C"".
Campaign group Stop Sizewell C said it had concerns about a relationship with France on nuclear energy, and questioned whether ""relying on the French state for UK energy security"" was a good idea. 
group's thoughts were echoed by Together Against Sizewell C (TASC), which has instigated a judicial review process into the decision to approve the nuclear power station.
""If they see Sizewell C as the answer, then they are asking the wrong question,"" it said.
government gave the go-ahead for the plant in July, against the advice of the Planning Inspectorate.
Negotiations on raising funds are continuing.
Sizewell C project is expected to generate about 7% of the UK's electricity needs and operate for 60 years.
It is not expected to begin generating electricity until the 2030s.
It would be built next to the existing Sizewell B, which is still generating electricity, and Sizewell A, which has been decommissioned.
EDF has said the plant could generate 3.2 gigawatts of electricity, enough for about six million homes.
Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-suffolk-63166558
sports	Bellator v Rizin: AJ McKee on his father, being a 'teddy bear' and the Pitbull trilogy	"AJ McKee Jr was about 12 years old when he asked his father what would turn out to be a lifechanging question.
Growing up in California, McKee spent a lot of time with MMA legend Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson and found himself captivated by the former UFC light-heavyweight champion's lifestyle.
""He was a big jokester, a lot like my father - very laid back and a good heart - but you don't wanna see him mad,"" McKee tells BBC Sport.
""We'd sit in a car he'd made into a limo and during camps he'd go into the gym to train while I'd be sat playing video games.
""We'd go to his house and have barbeques, pool parties, and I was like 'Dad, why don't you have this? We need this life. We deserve this.'""
McKee's father Antonio was a successful fighter who ended his career in 2019 with a fine record of 30 wins and six defeats.
Despite his sporting success, he never reached the same level of stardom as Jackson, and this is what confused McKee.
Looking back, McKee points to the difference in fighting style between the athletes.
""Rampage is a knockout artist. It was such a new, fast-growing sport and everyone wants to see the knockouts and the finishes,"" he says. 
""My father was a brute - a very high-evel wrestler - and nobody could stop his takedowns, but at the time that wasn't what people wanted to see.""
McKee says it used to bother his father when he asked why he did not have the same recognition as Jackson, and this is what initially drove him to pursue his own career in the sport.
On Saturday McKee, 27, will headline a cross-promotional event in Japan between Bellator and Rizin, when he faces Roberto de Souza at lightweight.
Former Bellator featherweight champion McKee is arguably the biggest star in the promotion and will be looking to improve his record of 19 wins and one defeat.
""That's where it became kind of personal with me, like 'I'm going to be your revenge in this sport where they have no choice but to recognise our last name in the industry',"" says McKee.
""My dad is my training partner to this day at 52 years old. He's in the gym with me every day so we came up with a style that was entertaining. 
""We know I have the wrestling background, so I can get someone to the ground, but it was trying to implement the striking and give fans the entertainment they needed - the knockouts, the submissions.""
Away from the cage, McKee describes himself as an ""adrenaline junkie"" with a passion for fast cars, shooting and snowboarding, but also a ""big teddy bear, loving and softly spoken"".
His success enables him to embrace aspects of Jackson's life he admired as a youngster, but he takes a more reserved approach, being conscious of the example he sets for his friends and family.
""When you're a provider you take care of your family and everyone around you and you have to be cognitive of your expenses - that's something my dad kind of made me realise early on,"" says McKee.
""He said you can dress a certain way, you can show people with the work you put in this is what they can expect, but if they don't put in the work they can't expect it.""
Following the sole defeat of McKee's career in a rematch with Patricio 'Pitbull' Freire in April when he lost his title, McKee went through a bout of depression.
""When I heard 'unanimous decision', it was like my whole world crumbled in front of me,"" says McKee.
""I wasn't really open to anyone about it, you know? My 16-year-old brother has lived with me for around four years now. I wasn't talking to him about anything but he could tell I was hurt. 
""I was walking through the house and not saying anything, sleeping all day, and I wasn't able to really verbalise it.""
After some self-reflection, McKee opened up to his loved ones and now uses the experience to help others.
""Depression is big right now, post-Covid, and our younger generation took a big impact on their social lives,"" he says.
""My younger cousin and brother have been through it a bit, so going through something like that myself opened my mind up, and being able to express that to other people and let them know you have people there for you, to verbalise it and reach out...
""I know the first step is hard because you feel vulnerable, but I feel that's the key.""
McKee's Bellator rival Freire is fighting in the co-main event on Saturday against Rizin's featherweight champion Kleber Koike.
McKee and Freire have one win each against each other, with McKee winning their first encounter in July last year, and he is targeting a trilogy bout.
""It's only right for his legacy and for my legacy. It's what the fans want and hopefully it's what he wants,"" says McKee. 
""I don't know how he feels about the last fight but I feel the game needs to be settled and see who the best of the best is.
""It's not about the money or the belt any more - it's for the legacy. We can't leave an open door like that."""	/sport/mixed-martial-arts/64110403
health	Coventry to host British Transplant Games	"Next year's British Transplant Games will be hosted by Coventry.
multi-sport festival, which aims to raise awareness of the benefits of organ donation, will take place in a number of venues across the city.
More than 1,000 athletes and spectators are expected to flock to the area for the competition running from 27 July to 30 July 2023.
ual contest sees both transplant recipients and donors compete in a range of sports disciplines.
A launch event is being held at Coventry University's 'The Hub' on 29 November.
""We are all really looking forward to a wonderful event hosted in Coventry as we know the facilities will be first class,"" said Dr Paul Harden, Chair of Transplant Sport.
He added: ""I have no doubt this year's games will be bigger and better than ever through our ongoing support network from the stakeholder board, talented athletes and volunteers making it their mission to leave a lasting legacy behind in Coventry.""
r's Games were held in Leeds.
Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk "	/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-63626110
politics	Stephen Flynn: Who is the new SNP Westminster leader?	"Aberdeen South MP Stephen Flynn is set to face his first Prime Minister's Questions less than 24 hours after being elected the SNP's new Westminster leader.
Here is what we know about the 34-year-old and what colleagues expect of him.
Mr Flynn was born in Dundee and raised in the city and in nearby Brechin.
He studied politics at Dundee University before moving to Aberdeen - although he still travels back down the A90 to support Dundee United.
His hip gave way when he was a teenager, and he spent 17 years in ""constant pain"" and facing a ""daily physical and mental battle"" until eventually having replacement surgery in September 2020.
After marrying his wife in 2014, he was elected to Aberdeen City Council in a by-election the following year, and served as the SNP's group leader from 2016 until he became an MP in 2019.
He took Aberdeen South from the Conservatives - a seat which has bounced between Labour, the SNP and Tories at the last four elections.
Following his election as Westminster leader, Nicola Sturgeon congratulated both Flynn and Paisley and Renfrewshire South MP Mhairi Black, who was elected deputy leader, calling them a ""truly formidable team"".
SNP MP Stewart Hosie echoed that sentiment, telling the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme: ""One thing you will see from Stephen is a different tone - perhaps more pointed, snappier, more vibrant. 
""I think he will bring a great deal to the table and a great deal to the independence cause as he holds the government to account.
""Stephen has rare gift of being able to communicate difficult things in a really effective way and I'm looking forward to seeing him deploy that particularly in PMQs today.""
Stephen Flynn says he will push the impact of the cost of living and Scotland's right to choose its future
Mr Flynn's maiden speech in the Commons underlines why colleagues hope he will be a punchy presence as leader.
He warned Conservative members that ""we will not forget, and we will not forgive this government"".
He added: ""Scotland rejects your austerity and Scotland rejects your Brexit, just as Scotland rejected your prime minister.""
Mr Flynn became a prominent member of the so-called Tuesday Club of male SNP MPs who regularly meet for five-a-side football, beer and curry nights.
gas industry is at the heart of his patch, and he initially argued against the idea of a windfall tax on the profits of big energy firms - something later embraced enthusiastically by the SNP.
In February, he told MPs: ""The last time the UK government implemented a windfall tax, investment in the North Sea oil and gas sector plummeted. 
""It fell off a cliff - in fact it has never got back to where it was. If that happens again, my constituents will lose their jobs.""
Mr Flynn has been linked to the leadership role for some time, with newspaper reports claiming he was set to oust Ian Blackford surfacing weeks before the Skye MP decided not to stand again.
However, SNP leader and first minister Nicola Sturgeon has insisted that the change is ""not a coup"". "	/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-63886702
politics	Ukraine round-up: Kyiv strikes and German spy chief fired	"At least three people have been killed by Russian strikes in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, as Moscow continues to target key infrastructure across the country. 
Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said that the victims of the latest Russian attacks were employees of ""critical infrastructure"", adding that two facilities in the city had been hit.
Meanwhile, thousands of towns and cities across the country have been left without power and President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian strikes had destroyed about 30% of Ukraine's power stations over the past eight days. 
ks came 24 hours after ""kamikaze"" drones - believed to have been supplied by Iran - killed at least nine people in Kyiv and Sumy, in the north-east.
Ukraine has identified the drones used in deadly attacks on Kyiv and the eastern city of Sumy as Shahed-136 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). They are known as Geran-2 in Russia. 
Earlier, the US said it agreed with its French and UK allies that the supply of drones by Iran violated a UN Security Council resolution linked to a nuclear agreement, barring the transfer of certain military technology.
Read more about the latest developments in Ukraine here. 
Russian attacks prompted Ukraine's energy minister to call for international help to ""close the sky"" over his country to protect its energy infrastructure.
Herman Halushchenko told the BBC Hardtalk programme that the strikes, including from missiles, had caused vast amounts of damage to his country. 
Ukraine Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko: ""We need to close the sky""
At least 50 metres (164ft) of an underwater pipeline bringing Russian gas to Germany is thought to have been destroyed by a blast last month.
Video shot by a Norwegian robotics company and published by Swedish newspaper Expressen appears to show the massive tear in the Nord Stream 1 pipe. Danish police believe ""powerful explosions"" blew four holes in the pipe and its newer twin, Nord Stream 2.
Watch: Swedish newspaper's undersea video of 'blown-up Nord Stream 1 pipeline'
It is still unknown who or what caused the blasts amid suspicions of sabotage. Western leaders have stopped short of directly accusing Russia but the EU has previously accused Moscow of using its gas supplies as a weapon against Ukraine's allies.
Kremlin has accused Western investigators of seeking to blame Russia for the damage. ""Elementary logic"" shows damaging the pipeline was not in Moscow's interest, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.
Germany's cybersecurity chief, Arne Schönbohm, has been fired after allegations of being excessively close to Russia through an association he helped set up.
Mr Schönbohm has led the Federal Cyber Security Authority (BSI) - charged with protecting government communications - since 2016, but was accused by German media of having had links with people involved with Russian intelligence services. 
His former employer, a private company called the Cyber Security Council Germany, is accused of having a subsidiary of a Russian firm set up by an ex-KGB officer as a member. The company denies any wrongdoing. 
A spokesperson for Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said public trust in Mr Schönbohm's ""neutrality and impartiality"" had been damaged, but emphasised that the security chief would be ""presumed innocent"" while an investigation into the allegations was conducted.
r of the Republican Party in the US House of Representatives has hinted that he could seek to slash aid to Ukraine if the party wins November's midterm elections.
Kevin McCarthy told the US media outlet Punchbowl News that President Joe Biden's huge financial support for Ukraine meant that other areas, including border control - a massive priority for Republican legislators - had been ignored.  
""I think people are gonna be sitting in a recession and they're not going to write a blank cheque to Ukraine,"" he said. ""Ukraine is important, but at the same time it can't be the only thing they do and it can't be a blank cheque."" 
US has so far provided billions of dollars of military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, and in a call with President Volodymyr Zelensky last week Mr Biden vowed to continue that support. "	/news/world-europe-63301865
sports	Sky Brown inspiring London skateboarding girls to 'push boundaries'	"""You don’t see many girls competing, but when we see more girls locally, that means we are making progress which is exciting to be a part of.""
Fifteen-year-old Tilly, from Tooting, said the Olympics had inspired her to push herself in the sport.
umber of women and girls taking up skateboarding has seen an eightfold increase over the past five years, according to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme. 
rt got a big boost after Britain's youngest-ever Olympian, Sky Brown, won a bronze medal in the Tokyo Games.
“Skating is so fun – like riding a bike, but with more risk,"" Tilly said. 
""It is such a male-dominated sport and I want to be part of the change. I want to try and learn tricks and push boundaries."""	/news/uk-england-london-62480028
business	Musk to hold first meeting with Twitter staff this week	"Elon Musk will speak to Twitter employees on Thursday for the first time since launching his $44bn (£36.2bn) bid for the company in April.
multi-billionaire Tesla boss is expected to take questions from Twitter's workers at the meeting.
Mr Musk has warned he may quit the deal if the firm fails to provide data about fake accounts on the platform.
was announced by Twitter's chief executive Parag Agrawal in an email to staff on Monday.
Mr Agrawal told employees they could submit questions to Mr Musk in advance of the meeting.
ws, which was first reported by Business Insider, was confirmed to the BBC by a spokesperson for Twitter.
-hands meeting will be the first time Mr Musk will have spoken directly with the company's workforce since launching his takeover bid.
Earlier this month, he threatened to walk away from the deal, accusing the social media company of ""thwarting"" his requests to learn more about its user base.
In a letter filed with regulators, Mr Musk said he was entitled to do his own measurement of spam accounts.
r formalised a dispute that had simmered for weeks after he declared the deal ""on hold"" pending further information.
Analysts have said that Mr Musk might be using the issue to try to renegotiate the price or even walk away from the deal. They said his decision to raise the matter on social media was unconventional, making it difficult to establish how serious he was.
When Mr Agrawal defended the company's process for identifying fake accounts in a series of tweets, Mr Musk responded with a poo emoji.
mpany's shares stood at $37.03 each at the end of New York trading on Monday, well below Mr Musk's offer price of $54.20.
You may also be interested in:
Who is Elon Musk? Meet the meme-loving magnate behind SpaceX and Tesla...published in 2021"	/news/business-61793188
politics	Speaker Hoyle tells Michael Gove: Not how we do things	"g-up secretary was criticised for giving a different speech in Parliament to the written version he had supplied to the opposition in advance.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle suspended Parliament and said Michael Gove and the government had not followed conventions of the House, and told him it was “not acceptable” to give a longer statement in the Commons, adding it must not happen again.
My Gove apologised and said “no discourtesy was intended” when he spoke about the approval of the Woodhouse Colliery scheme in Cumbria - the first new UK deep mine in decades.
Whitehaven: West Cumbria coal mine opponents consider legal challenge"	/news/uk-politics-63905240
technology	Dutch town Bodegraven-Reeuwijk loses Twitter paedophilia rumour case	"A Dutch town has lost a court case seeking action by Twitter to stop the spread of a conspiracy theory saying it once hosted a satanic paedophile ring.
unfounded reports that Bodegraven-Reeuwijk was the site of the crimes in the 1980s first circulated in 2020. 
Local authorities had wanted all posts relating to the alleged events removed by the social media site.
But a Dutch judge said Twitter had done enough to remove unlawful content about the story.
One of three men behind the rumours said he had been the victim of abuse and witnessed murders as a child. 
ries have subsequently made the town, of around 35,000 people, the focus for conspiracy theorists who visit the local graveyard to lay flowers and write messages at the graves of dead children.
Local officials have said these visits cause ""great unrest and anger"" among residents, especially the parents of children buried at the cemetery.
In giving its judgement, The Hague district court said it would not order Twitter to remove other tweets relating to the stories from other accounts, but did tell the company to respond immediately to specific removal requests from the town.
witter had argued it was impossible to create a good filter to find Bodegraven stories that would not affect legal content.
ree men accused of instigating the Bodegraven story are currently in jail after being convicted in other court cases for incitement and making death threats to people including Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and former health minister Hugo de Jonge."	/news/world-europe-63138324
entertainment	Tory Lanez trial over Megan Thee Stallion shooting begins	"ry Lanez told Megan Thee Stallion to ""dance"" as he shot at her feet during an argument, a jury has been told.
Prosecutors said the rappers got into a row as they drove away from a pool party at Kylie Jenner's house.
Jurors in Los Angeles heard Megan, 27, insulted Mr Lanez and demanded to be let out of their luxury car before he fired five rounds at her.
Lanez, 30, real name Daystar Peterson, denies multiple charges relating to a 2020 dispute with the Savage artist.
Megan - real name Megan Pete - left a trail of blood at the scene, before getting back into the vehicle, which was subsequently stopped by police.
A gun that was still warm to the touch was found on the floor near where Lanez had been sitting, prosecutor Alexander Bott said.
Minutes after the shooting, a female friend texted Megan Thee Stallion's security detail, saying: ""Help... Tory shot meg."" 
In a later phone call, Lanez ""profusely apologised for his actions"" and claimed he was ""just too drunk,"" jurors were told.
ry Lanez's lawyer George Mgdesyan said the jury needed to keep an open mind and this was a ""case about jealousy"".
He told the court he would prove the accusations were lies.
Earlier hearings have been told that Megan Thee Stallion initially told doctors her injured feet had been cut on broken glass.
She initially denied Lanez had shot at her, but later said she had done so for fear he would get into trouble.
Several bullet fragments were removed from her feet, but some remain and she told investigating officers that she had difficulty walking in certain shoes.
Megan Thee Stallion then posted a video to Instagram Live in which she said ""Tory shot me. You shot me and you got your publicist and your people... lying... Stop lying.""
rial continues.
Follow Newsbeat on Twitter and YouTube.
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here."	/news/newsbeat-63955189
health	Group set up to help patients with 'frightening' ICU dreams	"A peer support group has been set up for survivors of intensive care at a south-west London hospital. 
me to terms with their experiences - both of being close to death and with the flashbacks and vivid dreams they experienced while in drug-induced comas.
group at St Helier Hospital in Sutton encourages patients to talk about the dreams they had with those who had a similar experience."	/news/uk-england-london-63703924
sports	World Boccia Championships: Great Britain lose team final	"Northern Ireland's Claire Taggart says she is ""delighted"" to be coming home as a boccia world champion, but admits missing out on a second gold medal in Rio was ""gutting"".
ggart and Great Britain team-mates David Smith and Will Hipwell lost to South Korea in Tuesday's team final.
Larne's Taggart had already won the singles title in the BC2 category.
""I didn't expect it (winning a world title) at all. It's been an amazing championship,"" said Taggart.
After defeating Argentina 10-1 in their semi-final, Taggart, Smith and Hipwell raced into a 4-0 lead in the decider.
However, South Korea picked up four points in the fourth end to level the match and they moved clear with two points in the fifth end.
GB team pulled one back in a tense final end but fell short by one point.
""We should be really pleased with how we have played,"" added Taggart. 
""I guess in a sense of reality it is gutting that we were so close but yet so far, but it will give us fight for another day.""
ggart made history by becoming the first person from Northern Ireland to compete at the Paralympics in boccia at Rio in 2016, and went to participate again at the delayed Tokyo Paralympics in 2021.
""It's exciting going into the 2024 Paralympics in Paris as world champion but it's not the time to get complacent or look beyond next year,"" said Taggart.
""I think next year we focus on the events that are coming around; there's Europeans and aiming to qualify as well through the team, but Paris looks great and I can't wait to fight the journey to get there.""
In July, Taggart secured her first World Cup titles in Portugal, winning individual gold before helping Great Britain clinch BC1/2 team gold.
Englishman Smith, who is now based in Swansea, is Britain's most successful boccia player with three Paralympic gold medals. "	/sport/disability-sport/63950338
health	Malta moves to ease EU's last total ban on abortion	"Malta's government is to propose a change in the law to allow doctors to terminate a pregnancy if a mother's life or health is at risk.
mall Mediterranean state has the only total abortion ban in the EU.
Ministers promised to review the law when a US tourist was denied an abortion after she began to miscarry.
Andrea Prudente, who was 16 weeks pregnant, was told doctors could do nothing while the baby's heart was still beating.
Facing a potentially deadly infection she asked for an abortion and after days of waiting she was eventually allowed to fly to Spain.
Maltese Health Minister Chris Fearne said a legal amendment would go before parliament in the coming days to ensure doctors were now legally protected in cases of medical complication that left a mother's life at risk or her health in grave jeopardy due to the pregnancy.
Malta's criminal code currently says any doctor who knowingly provides a woman with the means for a termination faces a jail term of 18 months to four years and a permanent professional ban. Any woman who arranges her own termination is also liable to face jail, although no woman is thought to have faced criminal charges in years.
Last July Ms Prudente told the BBC that a midwife at Mater Dei hospital in Malta had told her that doctors might intervene ""when I would be on the 'brink of death'"". However, the head of the Malta College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said they would have never allowed her condition to deteriorate to that extent.
Pro-choice gynaecologist Isabel Stabile, one of 135 doctors in Malta who challenged the law, said the government had confirmed that the last blanket ban on abortion in the EU would end.
She said the change was a ""step in the right direction"" but did not go far enough: ""There will still not be any provision to terminate pregnancies in cases of rape or incest, or in cases of fatal, fetal anomaly."" 
minister said the spirit of the law and medical ethics was to save lives, so the change ensured that the principle was enshrined in law.
Prime Minister Robert Abela told The Times of Malta earlier this month that women had told him that he had to recognise the reality that women were unable to seek medical help if they suffered complications for fear of being sent to jail.
""These past months I've met tens of women who aborted using a tablet. Conservatively, around 300 or 350 women abort this way every year,"" he said. ""All these women told me the same thing: that they had been stigmatised and that none of them had found any sort of support.""
Malta is a predominantly Catholic country and a recent survey indicated 61.8% of people were completely opposed to abortion.
Some Maltese have argued that the law has acted as a deterrent. ""When mothers are faced with life-threatening conditions then doctors can intervene,"" Christian Briffa of anti-abortion youth group, I See Life, told the BBC during the summer.
But Justice Minister Jonathan Attard said the reform would remove any form of doubt and ensure patients received the best healthcare."	/news/world-europe-63650476
health	Antrim Area Hospital: Hospital 'unsafe' on Saturday night	"A major incident was declared in the Northern Health Trust at the weekend because the situation was ""unsafe,"" the chief executive of the trust has said.
Jennifer Welsh was speaking after people were told not to come to Antrim Area Hospital on Saturday night ""in any circumstances"".
A major incident means there are too many patients for staff to deal with safely. 
was taken after the emergency department reached capacity. 
""At the time we called the incident there were 131 patients and about 66 had a decision to admit and no bed available,"" Ms Welsh told BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme.
""It's not just a numbers game but is about the acuity of the patients and how sick they are,"" she said.
""Our resuscitation unit was over full,"" she added.
""We simply could not cope. It was safest thing to do to close the door and convey people to next nearest ED [emergency department] to make sure they begin the urgent treatment they need.
""It was the right call to say it was unsafe - it was at the time.""
A social media post from the hospital said the hospital was still under ""extreme pressure"" on Sunday.
On Monday night, the Department of Health said it remained deeply concerned about the situation in hospitals and across the health and social care system.
""The fundamental reality is that we have a serious mismatch between demand for care and the capacity of the system to provide it,"" the department said.
""Hospitals do not have unlimited capacity and it is imperative that when patients have been deemed medically fit, they leave the hospital setting.""
It's a very brave decision, particularly in Northern Ireland, to declare a major incident.
Over the years we have had a culture where it's been seen as a failure when a chief executive comes out and says they can no longer cope - but when you think about it, being unsafe in a hospital is a contradiction.
I have been told that the emergency department at the Royal Belfast Hospital was in a similar position.
I spoke to a number of staff at the weekend and was told there was serious overcrowding in Belfast and in one person's words ""alarming levels of patient congestion"".
Staff said it felt like a very unsafe environment for both patients and staff. 
felt compromised in being able to deliver care in an emergency environment.
On Sunday morning there were 116 people waiting in the ED, figures similar to Antrim, and 61 people waiting to be admitted.
Staff in Belfast were saying they felt they had to keep their doors open because Antrim got in first.
We heard there was a third trust also experiencing a lot of pressure so it's not an isolated incident and the question is, what happens next?
On Monday evening, the South Eastern Trust warned its emergency department at the Ulster Hospital was under ""extreme pressure"".
rust said 164 patients were in the emergency department, 53 awaiting admission.
It issued an appeal for nursing staff to help across critical areas on Monday night.
Ms Welsh said the situation at Antrim Area Hospital would have been ""unthinkable"" five years ago but now it was ""normal business - and not acceptable"".
""The situation is pressured and not just in Antrim but across many of Northern Ireland's emergency departments,"" she said. 
She said new beds were coming in February.
Ms Welsh said Antrim Area Hospital had its highest number of attendances last month.
She added that the Northern Trust was Northern Ireland's largest health trust area geographically and had the highest number of people over 75 - two things that drive hospital admission.
Rita Devlin, from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), told Good Morning Ulster her members were at maximum capacity.
She said the threshold for a major incident was when when a hospital could no longer cope with the amount of patients in its emergency department and there was no possibility of getting patients out of the department.
""We have had times before where the trusts have asked for ambulance diverts but never in my time have I ever heard a hospital tell patients not to come under any circumstances,"" Ms Devlin said.
""I have been contacted by members from three different trusts about overcrowding and unsafe issues for patients, and nurses telling me they can't go on.""
She said the situation should be ringing ""alarm bells for everyone in Northern Ireland"".
She added that health needed ""fundamental transformation,"" which was impossible without ""political leadership"".
Dr Paul Kerr, vice-president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine Northern Ireland, warned that one hospital closing its doors put pressure on other hospitals.
""The domino effect occurs in the situation where one hospital says it has to close its doors and the next hospital is going to get more patients and they're going to face a critical incident,"" he told BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback programme.
""It's a very small system and we have to try and avoid this situation happening because that is going to put us all at risk of being in the same situation.""
Declaring a major incident is rare and under such circumstances, there is a call-out for staff to come into work. 
A potential major incident was declared at Antrim Area Hospital in February but was stood down after several hours.
On Sunday the Belfast Trust appealed to any available nursing staff for help during the nightshift."	/news/uk-northern-ireland-63620959
entertainment	Alec Baldwin reaches settlement over Halyna Hutchins shooting on Rust set	"Alec Baldwin has reached a settlement with the family of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, after she was killed on a film set when he fired a prop gun.
Filming of Rust will continue in January, with Ms Hutchins' widower Matthew on board as the movie's executive producer.
All parties believe Ms Hutchins' death was an accident, her husband said.
A lawsuit filed against Mr Baldwin, producers and others, had alleged violations of industry standards.
xact terms of the settlement, which is subject to court approval, have not been disclosed. 
In a statement, Mr Hutchins said that ""all the original principal players"" would be involved when filming resumes, which he said would be a way to ""pay tribute"" to his late wife's final work. 
""I have no interest in engaging in recriminations or attribution of blame,"" he added.
""All of us believe Halyna's death was a terrible accident.""
Mr Baldwin posted his reaction in a statement on Instagram: ""We are pleased to announce today the settlement of the civil case filed on behalf of the family of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
""Throughout this difficult process, everyone has maintained the specific desire to do what is best for Halyna's son.
""We are grateful to everyone who contributed to the resolution of this tragic and painful situation.""
Rust director Joel Souza, who was also injured in the shooting on the Bonanza Creek Ranch set near Santa Fe in New Mexico, said in a statement on Wednesday that he would now devote himself ""to honouring Halyna's legacy and making her proud"".
""Though certainly bittersweet, I am pleased that together, we will now complete what Halyna and I started,"" he said.
urred in October last year when Baldwin was practicing drawing a prop gun.
film's producers were fined and strongly criticised by authorities for failing to follow safety guidelines.
makers of Rust showed ""plain indifference to recognised hazards associated with use of firearms on set"", according to the New Mexico Environment Department.
gency issued the maximum $136,793 (£105,000) fine to Rust Movie Productions.
roducers of the film later disputed the official report saying the company had ""enforced all applicable safety protocols"".
Police also released footage from the set, including of the aftermath of the fatal shooting.
Almost a year on from the tragedy, the criminal investigation still hasn't concluded. 
Heather Brewer, spokesperson for the Office of the First Judicial District Attorney for New Mexico said in a statement: ""The proposed settlement announced today in Matthew Hutchins' wrongful death case against Rust movie producers, including Alec Baldwin, in the death of Halyna Hutchins will have no impact on District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altweis' ongoing investigation or her ultimate decision whether to file criminal charges in the case. 
""While civil suits are settled privately and often involve financial awards, criminal cases deal only in facts. If the facts and evidence warrant criminal charges under New Mexico law then charges will be brought. No one is above the law."" "	/news/entertainment-arts-63149155
politics	Police are solving only 1% of catalytic converter thefts, data suggests	"f thousands of catalytic converter thefts are going unsolved, with only 1% of cases resulting in someone being charged, figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats suggest.
Data from 20 police forces in England and Wales for 2017-2021 indicate a suspect was charged in only 548 cases.
Catalytic converters fitted in car exhaust systems reduce their emission of toxic gases and pollutants.
re attracted by the valuable metals the devices contain.  
Police say converters can often be removed in under a minute, and are most frequently stolen in car parks, before being sold to scrapyards, online or shipped out of the country.  
Hybrid vehicles are most commonly targeted as their metals are more valuable, but any vehicle can be at risk of catalytic converter theft.
Home Office says it has national programmes to target metal theft, including catalytic converters.
figures were disclosed in response to a Freedom of Information request.  
In the 20 police areas where full information was provided, a total of 50,223 thefts of catalytic converters were reported in the five-year period.  
Full figures from some of the biggest forces - including West Midlands Police and Greater Manchester Police - were not available. 
In the 20 force areas surveyed, the number of thefts surged from 742 reported in 2017 to 19,451 in 2020, before falling in 2021 - the first full year of the Covid pandemic - to 15,780. 
By far the highest number of thefts from 2017-2021 - 36,586 - occurred in London. Just 544 were solved. 
In Hertfordshire, in 2020, 915 cases were recorded; in South Yorkshire, the figure was 669. No one was charged in either police area in that year. 
Liberal Democrats have called for more to be done to crack down on the problem, including more visible community policing to deter thieves. 
rty said the Conservatives' 2019 manifesto promise to recruit 20,000 more police officers by March 2023 had stalled. 
Home Office figures show that by 30 September, 15,343 extra officers had been recruited. 
Richmond Park MP, and Lib Dem Treasury spokesperson, Sarah Olney said: ""There is a catalytic converter theft epidemic across many parts of the country, but far too often the gangs responsible are getting away with it.
""At the very least, people should be able to expect that if something is stolen from their vehicle it will be properly investigated.""
Victims were ""not just massively inconvenienced but often left out of pocket and hit by higher insurance costs"", she added. 
f replacing a catalytic converter is put at between £150 and £800, depending on the type of car and the complexity of the job.  
A Home Office spokesperson said: ""We recognise the impact that theft can have on victims and we want offenders charged and brought to justice in the courts.
""Since the National Infrastructure Crime Reduction Partnership was set up in 2020, there has been significant success in tackling metal theft through co-ordinated national action against scrap metal dealers -  including a marked increase in enforcement action from police and partner agencies.""
During two weeks of national action to tackle catalytic converter and other metal theft, 64 arrests were made and more than 1,000 converters and other stolen items were recovered, the spokesperson added.
Police say that although catalytic converter thefts are increasing, there are steps that can be taken to protect a vehicle.
uggest asking a car dealer for advice on approved locks or guards, registering the converter and marking it with a forensic marker.    
Alternatively, they say, try to make sure the vehicle is parked in a garage overnight, or in a secure compound if it is a commercial vehicle.  
Otherwise, police add, park in an area that is well-lit and overlooked, and try to park so the converter can not be easily reached by potential thieves. Vehicles that sit high above the road are said to be particularly vulnerable."	/news/uk-politics-64057742
health	Strep A: Surge in parents at Broomfield A&E over child health concerns	"An emergency ward doctor said hospitals were seeing increased numbers of worried parents after a rise in cases of strep A infections nationally. 
fection has led to nine deaths of children in the UK in recent months.
Dr Stephen Hughes, of Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, said hospitals in Essex had seen ""very, very high attendances from parents who are very worried"".
NHS advised people to familiarise themselves with the symptoms.
Dr Hughes, a consultant and a senior lecturer in medicine at Anglia Ruskin University, said the rise in children being presented was ""putting particular pressure on hospitals around the county and nationally"".
He said he had been ""briefing his team to make sure they know what they're looking out for"" when presented with poorly children.
Strep A: Broomfield Hospital doctor gives advice to worried parents
mptoms of a strep A infection can include a sore throat, sandpaper-like skin rash, high temperature, swollen glands and muscle aches.
Medical experts said symptoms were usually mild and could be treated with antibiotics.
ria could cause scarlet fever, which mostly affects young children, and could also be treated with antibiotics.
Very rarely, strep A can cause invasive group-A streptococcal infection (iGAS), which can be deadly.
Dr Hughes, who has worked in emergency services for 12 years, said: ""The main message is, most sore throats, mercifully, are self-limiting viral infections.""
He said parents should also look out for the tongue being coated with a red rash and children not wanting to eat which meant ""medical treatment should be sought"".
Dr Hughes said: ""If a child is complaining of a little bit of a sore throat, but is still managing breakfast, is still managing to eat and drink, it probably isn't invasive group A strep.""
Dr Krishna Ramkhelawon, Southend's director of public health, said strep A cases had presented themselves earlier than normal this winter.
me there was a similar outbreak was in 1718, he said.
""The level of immunity in the system is very low, there's a lot of challenges there, a lot of people getting concerned and turning up to hospital because they are concerned,"" said Dr Ramkhelawon.
He added that at this time of year there were a lot of respiratory illnesses and it was important to observe good hygiene, such as washing children's hands and using tissues. 
Worried parents should contact their GP and the NHS 111 service in the first instance before going to hospital, he said. 
Dr Ramkhelawon said there was no reason at present to introduce preventative antibiotics in schools. 
Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-essex-63873559
business	Energy companies' customer service hits record low	"Customer service standards at energy companies have fallen to a record low as households are being hit by soaring bills, Citizens Advice has said.
Standards have ""plummeted"" since June 2021 when several suppliers went bust due to high global gas prices, it said.
rage waiting time on the phone to speak to a firm is now about six and a half minutes, compared to just under four minutes the year before.
Citizens Advice called for improvements before bills rise again in the autumn.
rgy price cap, which limits how much suppliers can raise the cost of household bills, went up by an unprecedented £700 a year to £1,971 in April for the typical household. Bills are expected to rise by a further £800 a year in October.
rise in bills is down to wholesale gas prices soaring in recent months. Demand increased as economies reopened following Covid restrictions, but Russia's invasion of Ukraine has fuelled fears over supplies, pushing prices up further. 
rease in the wholesale cost of gas - the price at which energy companies buy it - caught many suppliers out and meant they were losing money on price promises to customers. This led to several, mostly smaller, firms going bust and millions of customers being shifted to new suppliers.
Between January and March 2022, Citizens Advice said its consumer service helpline saw more than 70,000 cases related to energy issues - a 63% increase on the same period the previous year.
rity said it was ""particularly worried"" about people on prepayment meters, who it said are at risk of having no gas or electricity if they can't afford to top up.
It warned that ""without swift action"" to tackle poor customer service, standards ""will only worsen when bills are expected to hike again this winter"".
Energy suppliers are obliged to help people who cannot afford their bills.
""At a time when customers need all the support they can get, it's worrying to see service performance is the worst on record,"" said Dame Clare Moriarty, chief executive of Citizens Advice.
""This leaves people frustrated and in the dark at the end of the phone.
""We recognise call centre staff are working incredibly hard to answer as many calls as possible, but energy companies must do better.""
Citizens Advice said companies were also getting slightly slower to respond to emails. On average, suppliers responded to 62% of emails within two working days, compared with 66% during the same period in 2021. 
rity ranked energy suppliers through its ""star rating"" after looking at information from a number of sources, including its complaints to its consumer service and the energy ombudsman.
It ranked Utilita, Ovo Energy, Ecotricity and E.On Energy as the four worst performing suppliers for customer service.
Utilita, which was rated the worst of all, said it had ""issues"" with Citizens Advice's approach to recording complaints, ""regardless of whether we are at fault"".
""Yet again, the Citizens Advice Star Rating fails to reflect neither the unique nature of our business nor the service our customers receive,"" a spokesman said.
It accused Citizens Advice of not adjusting its records to reflect ""where the supplier has done nothing wrong, and we have had no contact with the customer"".
""We acknowledge that we can do better, but we strongly believe Citizens Advice employs a methodology that is unfairly weighted against us as a smart prepay specialist.""
E.On said it had seen an ""unprecedented spike"" in contact from customers during the months ahead of the April price change and apologised to ""any customer who feels our service fell short around this time"".
Ecotricity founder Dale Vince said Citizens Advice's numbers ""do not represent our current performance"".
He said since the statistics were recorded, the company had recruited more staff to cope with higher demand.
Ofgem, the UK's energy regulator, said it was working with suppliers to improve service, adding that ""now is the time for them to up their game"".
""Our top priority is to protect consumers, and as these stats from Citizens Advice show, there are areas where customers are simply not getting the service they desperately need and rightly expect in these very difficult times,"" it said.
""We are clear with suppliers - they must not use the current gas crisis as an excuse for poor performance or sharp practices."""	/news/business-62008383
business	Cost of living: Walmart issues profit warning as price rises hit	"US retail giant Walmart has warned over its profits for the second time since May, as the soaring cost of food and fuel hits customer spending.
mpany says it now expects profits to fall by as much as 13% this year.
One expert told the BBC that Walmart's unscheduled announcement ""signals a warning bell for the retail sector"".
firm's stock market value slumped almost 10% in after-hours trade in New York, while shares in rival retailers Amazon and Target also fell sharply.
Walmart had previously said that it expected its full-year profit to fall by just 1% this year.
""The increasing levels of food and fuel inflation are affecting how customers spend,"" its chief executive Doug McMillon said in a statement on Monday after US markets closed.
He added that the retailer planned to cut the prices of clothing as it was ""anticipating more pressure on general merchandise in the back half"" of this year.
As food and fuel prices rise, shoppers are having to spend more of their income on essentials and have cut back on other spending, Neil Saunders, managing director of retail at data analytics firm GlobalData, told the BBC.
Mr Saunders said Walmart's warning suggests that many other retailers were also feeling the squeeze.
""Walmart has buying power like few others. That helps it mitigate against some inflation, but as today's announcement shows, even the mightiest are not immune to rising costs,"" he said.
Also on Monday, online retail giant Amazon raised the price of its Prime service for UK customers for the first time since 2014 because of ""increased inflation and operating costs"". Prime offers unlimited delivery of products, and entertainment streaming services.
Prices in the US and UK are rising at their fastest rate in four decades, driven by higher petrol and food costs.
Ukraine war and supply chain issues caused by the pandemic have driven up everyday costs for households and businesses.
In its last earnings announcement in May, Walmart said it had more than $60bn (£49.7bn) worth of stock and pledged ""aggressive"" price cuts on some items.
mpany also trimmed its profit outlook for the first time. That led to its shares suffering their biggest one-day drop since 1987.
Walmart is scheduled to publish its second quarter earnings on 16 August.
You may also be interested in:
‘Lunchflation’: Why is lunch costing more in Asia-Pacific’s big cities?"	/news/business-62301316
business	Australia to lift electricity market suspension as prices ease	"Australia's energy market operator says it will lift its suspension of the country's main wholesale electricity market as its power crisis eases.
restrictions will be temporarily lifted on Thursday before a final decision is made.
In an unprecedented move last week it suspended trading on the platform following a surge in prices.
Officials also urged people in the state of New South Wales to conserve power over concerns about shortages.
- which has a population of around 8 million - includes the country's biggest city Sydney.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Australian Energy Market Operator (Aemo) said it had ""seen a clear improvement in market conditions"" and that it would resume trading from 04:00 in Sydney on Thursday (19:00 BST Wednesday).
It added that it would monitor the market for at least 24 hours before making a decision to formally lift the suspension.
""We have seen nearly 4,000 megawatts of generation return to service since this time last week, and that means the risk of any shortfall has reduced markedly,"" Aemo chief executive Daniel Westerman said in a televised media conference.
Australia is one of the world's biggest exporters of coal and liquefied natural gas but it has been struggling with a power crisis since last month.
ree quarters of its electricity is still generated using coal, and it has long been accused of not doing enough to cut its emissions by investing in renewables.
In recent weeks, the country has felt the impact of disruptions to coal supplies, outages at several coal-fired power plants and soaring global energy prices.
Meanwhile, the demand for energy has jumped amid a cold snap and as Australia's economy opens up after Covid-19 restrictions were eased.
All of this helped drive up electricity prices on the wholesale market to above the A$300 (£170; $208) per megawatt hour price cap set by Aemo.
However, that cap was below the cost of production for several generators, who decided to withhold capacity.
Last Wednesday, Aemo took the unprecedented step of suspending the market and said it would set prices directly and compensate generators for the shortfall.
It also asked consumers in New South Wales to ""temporarily reduce their energy usage"".
At the time Mr Westerman said Aemo had ""put the security of the grid, and keeping the lights on above everything else"".
""We asked generators to bid their plant back into the system - and that is happening more - giving us greater visibility of generation in real time,"" he added.
You may also be interested in:
Why are UK energy prices so high?"	/news/business-61890617
politics	Do not reduce UK's modern slavery protections, Theresa May warns	"resa May has warned government efforts to tighten modern slavery laws must not mistakenly make it easier for criminal gangs to hold onto victims.
former Tory prime minister told BBC Radio 4's PM programme Rishi Sunak needed to avoid unintended consequences as he explores changes to legislation.
Mr Sunak has promised to make it harder to be considered a modern slave in a bid to cut illegitimate asylum claims.
Mrs May also said Mr Sunak could revive the Tories and win the next election.
Speaking about the Modern Slavery Act  introduced in 2015 in her time as home secretary, Mrs May said the legislation offers ""world-leading protections"" for victims.
But she said efforts to raise thresholds at which a person can be considered a victim of modern slavery needed to consider the potential to create further loopholes.
Raising the example of a sex trafficking victim who may come forward to authorities in the UK, Mrs May said ""there's talk of requiring more evidence from individuals"".
But she said victims were unlikely to have such evidence.
""If you are somebody who is being brought by a criminal gang who are abusing the system, and they know there needs to be a piece of paper, they probably will provide a piece of paper,"" she said. 
Mrs May, who has previously spoken in the Commons about her concerns, added: ""So it's making sure that, in dealing with problems that are identified, we don't create other problems.""
Mr Sunak has denied he would water down the definition of modern slavery and said he wanted to stop the system ""being clogged up by people making spurious claims"". 
But Labour has criticised the government's plans to deal with a mounting asylum backlog, which stands at about 117,000 outstanding claims, as ""unworkable gimmicks"".  And refugee and migration charities have hit out at what they say are ""cruel"" and ""ineffective"" proposals.
More than 40,000 people have crossed the Channel in small boats so far this year - the highest number since figures began to be collected in 2018. Some 90 people arrived in two small boats on Christmas Day, the Ministry of Defence confirmed on Monday.
Elsewhere in a wide-ranging interview with presenter Carolyn Quinn on PM, Mrs May backed Mr Sunak to succeed at the next general election.
Conservatives are currently trailing Labour in the opinion polls.
Mrs May - who left Downing Street in 2019 -  said there was ""no doubt"" the so-called mini budget under Prime Minister Liz Truss had an impact on the Conservative Party's reputation for economic integrity,  
But she said ""we've seen already... the new chancellor and a new prime minister... taking the process of re-establishing that reputation"", adding Mr Sunak can ""turn it round and we can win that election""."	/news/uk-politics-64098701
sports	Climbing World Championships: GB's Hamish McArthur takes bronze in men's lead final	"Great Britain's Hamish McArthur settled for a bronze medal after a nail-biting men's lead final at the Climbing World Championships in Moscow. 
19-year-old finished behind Austria's Jakob Schubert and Slovenia's Luka Potocar with a score of 46+. 
McArthur narrowly missed out on topping out the route, which would have been good enough to clinch gold. 
It is a third world lead title for Olympic bronze medallist Schubert after his wins in 2012 and 2018. 
McArthur's fellow Britons William Bosi and Billy Ridal finished 11th and 26th respectively."	/sport/sport-climbing/58644405
health	Cleidocranial dysplasia: The mum and son with a one-in-a-million condition	"""I don't have collarbones, so I can touch my shoulders together under my chin,"" says Karen Hunt.
""It's a party trick. There have to be some perks to my condition.""
Karen, 40, and her four-year-old son Jaiden have cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD), a rare genetic condition that can affect teeth and bones.
People with CCD might have bones that form differently or are more fragile than normal, and certain ones like collarbones may be absent altogether.
After decades of obscurity, CCD is now gaining more public recognition, thanks to the Stranger Things star, Gaten Matarazzo, who has the condition.
It can be passed from a parent to a child, or can appear at random.
In Karen's case, her baby teeth were removed because they would not fall out naturally.
Her second teeth then struggled to come through and further surgery was needed to make that happen.
use people to look different, and Karen says she was bullied at secondary school because of this.
""It was awful,"" she said.
""People would ask 'what's wrong with your face? Why don't you have any teeth?'
""As an adult, I can answer those questions, and I want people to ask them. Knowledge is key to understanding difference,"" she added.
""That's what I want for my son. I want him to see me be confident about it and to embrace our unique look.""
Orthodontic surgery to bring her adult teeth through was so painful, Karen says, that she stopped midway, and now has gaps in her top teeth.
""I remember saying to the orthodontist, will I still look different if I have the work done?
""He told me I would, so I felt at the time it wasn't worth going through the pain.""
For her son Jaiden, CCD has had an even more serious effect. The enamel on his teeth is very thin, and all but four of his baby teeth have worn away or have had to be removed.
But Karen is hopeful that Jaiden's experience of life with the condition will be better than her own.
""I didn't have anyone to reach out to and I didn't know anyone else with the condition.
""My son has me, and I have experienced most of what he'll go through.
""We have this incredible nationwide network of people with CCD in the UK and we all support each other.
""The procedures Jaiden will have to go through are different these days, and hopefully he'll end up with a good set of teeth at the end of it.""
Around one in a million people has CCD, meaning it has received little attention historically. This is now starting to change.
Gaten Matarazzo, who stars as Dustin in the Netflix series Stranger Things, has been vocal in raising the profile of the condition.
He sent a message to a recent conference in the UK for people with CCD.
""Loving yourself isn't showing the parts of yourself you're confident in. It's showing off the parts of yourself that you're least confident in, in spite of your fear.""
w Karen views it, too.
She teaches her son to be happy and confident.
""He just gets on with it,"" she said.
Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: bristol@bbc.co.uk "	/news/uk-england-bristol-63673576
technology	How solar farms in space might beam electricity to Earth	"It sounds too good to be true: a plan to harvest solar energy from space and beam it down to Earth using microwaves.
But it's something that could be happening as soon as 2035, according to Martin Soltau, the co-chairman at Space Energy Initiative (SEI) - a collaboration of industry and academics.
SEI is working on a project called Cassiopeia, which plans to place a constellation of very large satellites in a high Earth orbit.
Once deployed the satellites would harvest solar energy and beam it back down to Earth.
He says the potential is almost unlimited.
""In theory it could supply all of the world's energy in 2050,"" he says. 
""There's sufficient room in orbit for the solar power satellites, and the Sun's supply of energy is vast. A narrow strip around geostationary Earth orbit receives more than 100 times the amount of energy per year than all of humanity is forecast to use in 2050,"" Mr Soltau says.
Earlier this year, the UK government announced £3m in funding for space-based solar power (SBSP) projects, following an engineering study conducted by consultancy Frazer-Nash that concluded the technology was viable.
SEI is hoping to get a big chunk of that money.
Its satellites would be made up of hundreds of thousands of small, identical modules produced in factories on Earth, and assembled in space by autonomous robots, who would also carry out servicing and maintenance.
r energy collected by the satellites would be converted into high frequency radio waves and beamed to a rectifying antenna on Earth, which would convert the radio waves into electricity.
Each satellite could deliver around 2GW of power into the grid, making each satellite comparable in power output to a nuclear power station.
Here on Earth, sunlight is diffused by the atmosphere, but in space it comes directly from the sun without interference.
So a space-based solar panel can collect a lot more energy than a similar sized one on Earth.
Similar projects are under development elsewhere.
In the US, for example, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is working on some of the critical technologies needed for such a system, in a project known as Space Solar Power Incremental Demonstrations and Research (SSPIDR). 
ude improving solar cell efficiencies, solar-to-radio frequency conversion and beam forming, as well as reducing the large temperature fluctuations on spacecraft components and creating designs for deployable structures.
Late last year, the team successfully demonstrated new components for a so-called sandwich tile, which is used to convert solar energy into radio waves.
So is it safe to beam energy back to earth?
In a 2009 reportNasa scientist James Logan looked at the safety issues. In his report, he said the intensity of a typical space-based microwave beam would reach 30mW/cm2 at the centre - around 3% as strong as a typical counter-top microwave oven. 
At its perimeter, the energy from the beam would be around the same as the amount of radiation that current standards allow to leak up to 5cm away from a microwave oven. 
Although birds might be able to detect the microwave beams, the beams could ""never even come close to 'cooking' birds in flight"", the report said.
More technology of business:
While many of the biggest hurdles have already been cleared, there are still potential problems.
""My personal take on this is that we like to think the technology is there, but it's not quite ready yet for us to embark on a project of such complexity,"" says Dr Jovana Radulovic, a thermodynamics lecturer at the University of Portsmouth, who specialises in renewable energy systems.
She makes the point that launching a large number of solar panels into space will be expensive and, given that any project could require hundreds of launches, it would generate a lot of carbon dioxide.
But there is cause for optimism. An environmental analysis of the Cassiopeia project by the University of Strathclyde has concluded that overall, including launch, the carbon footprint could be as little as half that of terrestrial solar, at about 24g of CO2 per kilowatt-hour.  
Meanwhile, says Mr Soltau, the economic case is improving all the time.
""The cost of launch has fallen by 90% and is continuing to fall, and this has been game-changing for the economics,"" he says. 
""Secondly, there have been some real advances in the design of solar power satellites, so that they're much more modular, which provides resilience and reduced production costs. Thirdly, we've got real advances in robotics and autonomous systems.""
With only limited funding from the UK government, SEI is hoping to attract private investment for some of the technologies involved. However, warns Dr Radulovic, the proposed timeline may be over-optimistic.
""I think with significant investment and focused effort into this area, there's no reason why we couldn't have the system up and running as smaller pilot projects in the foreseeable future,"" she says. 
""But something on a large scale - we are talking about kilometres of solar arrays - would take a substantially longer time."""	/news/business-62636746
business	Luton Airport: Passenger numbers top 1.2m in April	"New jobs are expected at Luton Airport where managers are expecting the ""busiest summer since 2019"".
Bedfordshire airport had 1.2m passengers pass through its gates in April compared with 106,000 in April 2021.
Alberto Martin, chief executive at Luton London Airport (LLA), said the figures demonstrated its ""continued recovery"".
rport is owned by Luton Rising, a company owned by Luton Borough Council.
Mr Martin, said: ""The launch of new destinations and the opening of new shops and restaurants, along with a great customer experience are a clear signal that LLA is truly back in business and positions us as the airport of choice for people travelling this summer.""
rport, which is the UK's fifth busiest, said in ""preparation for its busiest summer since 2019"" it was looking to recruit staff in a number of jobs including security, retail customer service and hospitality, and positions to work on the Direct Air-Rail Transit (DART) system, that will link the airport terminal with Luton Airport Parkway railway station.
Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-61426148
sports	NBA Warriors coach on Texas school shooting: 'When are we going to do something?'	"for the NBA's Golden State Warriors, a team based in San Francisco, refused to talk about basketball during a news conference and instead delivered an emotional speech condemning gun violence in the United States.
On Tuesday, 19 young children and two adults died in a shooting in south Texas, after a gunman opened fire at Robb Elementary school in the city of Uvalde.
Steve Kerr, said ""basketball questions don't matter"" before talking about recent shootings in the US and asking when something would be done."	/news/world-us-canada-61576574
politics	PMQs: Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer's exchange in full	Prime Minister Rishi and Labour leader Keir Starmer discuss, housing, Baroness Mone and strike action.	/news/uk-politics-63890493
politics	What are Rishi Sunak's instincts as a world leader?	"Beneath the garishly illuminated palm trees and totally clear skies of this Red Sea resort, there is a multilingual, multinational babble.
In the corridors, under the parasols, in the meeting rooms, at the exhibition stands: climate, diplomacy, fairness, funding and timetables for action are all being discussed. 
re are Conference of the Parties (COP) veterans and novices among the delegations - and there are long established leaders and newbies.
Newbies like Rishi Sunak; this summit providing the forum for his first set of in person talks with fellow prime ministers and presidents.  
He seeks to restore an impression of reliability and stability after the turbulence in British politics throughout much of this year.
Yet, one of his acts was to add to the very unpredictability he is attempting to be the antidote to. 
It means a certain Boris Johnson, the prime minister before last, confirmed he was coming here before Mr Sunak did. 
Mr Sunak was compelled to publicly welcome the attendance of the man whose government he had resigned from. 
rime minister regrets giving the impression he did not want to come here. 
Here's why it happened, I'm told: in his first days in Downing Street he was reluctant to immediately guarantee he would make it to avoid subsequently having to give back word and cancel if domestic economic troubles prevailed. 
He ended up performing the opposite about turn; perhaps only marginally less awkward. 
His team concluded that jump starting the UK's reputation made attendance here near obligatory; for its own sake given the primacy of climate in international relations - and building his own personal relationships at their heart. 
re'll be more opportunity for this at the G20 Summit in Indonesia next week. 
Climate Basics: CO2 explained
He now leaves the climate negotiations to others. 
's not atypical - national leaders come and go from this gathering, which lasts, in total, for a fortnight.
As the prime minister leaves, the chancellor of Germany arrives. Then later in the week, US President Joe Biden drops in.
Back home, attention remains focused on the Autumn Statement, the budget, coming up a week on Thursday.
Some here have an eye on it too: is there any backsliding on previous promises to help poorer countries develop more cleanly? 
rime minister was asked repeatedly about this today. His answer wasn't entirely clear.
As chancellor during the pandemic, we got a sense of Rishi Sunak's priorities. 
But, now he is on the world stage as a leader, we wait to see what his instincts are as prime minister, particularly in foreign affairs. 
ge here in Egypt: fulfilling expensive promises at a time of budget squeezes at home. 
COP27 global climate summit in Egypt is seen as crucial if climate change is to be brought under control. More than 200 countries are attending the summit to discuss further measures to cut emissions and prepare for climate change, and it could lead to major changes to our everyday lives."	/news/uk-politics-63550741
politics	Ian Blackford to stand down as SNP leader at Westminster	"Ian Blackford is to stand down as leader of the SNP group at Westminster, it has been confirmed.
Mr Blackford said he believed it was time for ""fresh leadership"" after five years in the role.
He said he would formally stand down at the group's annual general meeting next week. 
re has been speculation in recent weeks that some SNP MPs were plotting to replace Mr Blackford as group leader.
Mr Blackford said he would continue in his role as the MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber and had also accepted a new role at the centre of the SNP's independence campaign.
And he insisted he had not been pressured into resigning, telling BBC Scotland: ""No, not at all. I've taken the decision"". 
He added: ""The first minister has asked me to take on a role as her business ambassador. I'm absolutely delighted to have the opportunity to take on the engagement with the business community. 
""In order to do that, it's right that I stand down as the SNP Westminster leader. 
""I've done it for five and a half years so it's time for others to come forward and take the Westminster group through on the next part of its journey and helping the party towards independence."" 
Mr Blackford has become as well-known figure in the House of Commons through his weekly appearance at Prime Minister's Questions and is seen as being a close ally of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP leader. 
He faced calls to resign from political opponents after the Daily Mail reported in June that it had obtained a recording of Mr Blackford urging fellow MPs to give ""absolute full support"" to SNP MP Patrick Grady, who was suspended for sexual misconduct.
Mr Grady, a former SNP chief whip, was suspended from Parliament for two days over a sexual advance towards a colleague in 2016, and also suspended from the SNP's Westminster group for a week.
Ms Sturgeon subsequently said that the support expressed for Mr Grady had been ""unacceptable"". 
re have been reports that some SNP MPs were also unhappy at Mr Blackford's handling of the case, with Aberdeen South MP Stephen Flynn recently dismissing suggestions that he was ""on manoeuvres"" with a view to replacing him as group leader.
After announcing he was stepping down, Mr Blackford told BBC Scotland: ""I'll always speak up to make sure that we speak out against any kind of intimidation, any kind of bad behaviour, sexual exploitation. And in my new role I'll continue to do that when it's right to do so.""
At the time, Mr Blackford made clear that he intended to stand for re-election to the post at the upcoming AGM.
He also denied rumours in March that he was considering resigning amid further reports of party infighting.
SNP sources have told BBC Scotland that they expect Mr Flynn to stand for the leadership, and that he has ''broad support'' among their MPs and may be the only candidate to succeed Mr Blackford. 
Westminster group's AGM will be held next Tuesday, with the leader being selected by the 44 MPs who currently hold the SNP whip.
It means the new leader will be in place to face Rishi Sunak at Prime Minister's Questions the next day, 
Mr Blackford defeated former Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy to become the MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber in 2015, with his campaign being mired in controversy over online abuse aimed at Mr Kennedy and his long-running battle with alcoholism.
Brian Smith, who was convenor of the SNP's Skye and Lochalsh branch, later resigned after it was reported that he had called Mr Kennedy a ""drunken slob"" and ""quisling-in-chief"" in a series of more than 130 tweets. 
Mr Kennedy died of a major haemorrhage linked to his alcoholism just three weeks after the election.
It is only a fortnight since Ian Blackford made clear he would stand again for the leadership of the SNP group at Westminster at their annual meeting next week. 
At that point, his MP colleague Stephen Flynn insisted he did not intend to put his name forward, despite reports suggesting he was preparing to challenge for the job. 
Mr Flynn is now expected to stand and may be the only candidate. So what's changed?
It seems a majority of SNP MPs made clear they favoured a leadership change and that Mr Blackford decided to stand down, avoiding a potential challenge he might not win or being stuck leading a disgruntled group. 
re have been rumblings about his position for a while, not least since the controversy over his handling of a harassment complaint against the MP Patrick Grady. 
Others say his leadership has not been inclusive enough with high profile MP Joanna Cherry - who has criticised the leadership over women's rights and its independence strategy - sacked from the party's front bench team. 
Ms Sturgeon said Mr Blackford had led the party's Westminster group at a time of ""huge electoral success"".
She added: ""I would like to place on record my thanks for Ian's diligence, tenacity, friendship and loyalty in his time as group leader. 
""I look forward to working with Ian's successor as group leader at Westminster, as we continue to make the case for the people of Scotland to have a democratic choice on the country's future.""
SNP MP Joanna Cherry, who has been an outspoken critic of Ms Sturgeon's leadership, tweeted that she was ""pleased to hear"" that Mr Blackford was standing down as it was ""time for fresh leadership and tolerance of debate and diverse viewpoints.""
She added: ""I hope the SNP Westminster group will be now be left to choose our new leader without outside interference and in accordance with our standing orders.""
Labour's shadow Scottish secretary Ian Murray said Mr Blackford's decision to stand down showed that the SNP was in ""total disarray"".
He added: ""Nationalist MPs know Nicola Sturgeon's plan for a de facto referendum is finished before it is even started and are worried about Labour gaining seats.""
Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy said Mr Blackford should have been ""sacked immediately"" by Ms Sturgeon over his support for Mr Grady, and accused the first minister of showing a ""total lack of judgement"". 
He added: ""It is clear that, unlike Nicola Sturgeon, SNP MPs were not prepared to forgive how Ian Blackford put the needs of the perpetrator above the victim who had bravely come forward in this case. 
""The SNP Westminster group are clearly in a state of disarray and Nicola Sturgeon is rapidly losing her grip over her party."""	/news/uk-scotland-63821836
health	Reading: Smell training workshop to help Covid sufferers	"A smell training workshop to help people who lost their sense of smell after getting Covid is being held this weekend. 
AbScent, a charity which works to increase understanding and raise awareness of the condition, is holding the session in Reading. 
It said about 58,000 people in the town suffered smell loss during the pandemic. 
Some are still experiencing problems, the charity said. 
AbScent said more than four million people in the UK have experienced smell and taste loss and that research suggests 46% also suffer from smell distortions. 
Parosmia is a distorted odour with a known source, for example onions smelling like rotten meat. Phantosmia is having a smell sensation without a source, such as random cigarette smoke.   
Smell training is one of the only treatments evidenced to improve smell. 
AbScent said smell training ""is the process of actively sniffing the same four scents every day, spending around 20 seconds on each scent with intense concentration"". 
rity said it is easy, safe, and recommended by doctors. ""Anyone can do smell training if they would like to improve their sense of smell,"" it added.  
AbScent founder Chrissi Kelly said: ""Our work with researchers and scientists around the world to better understand the function of the olfactory sense is crucial for the future. 
""But it is the work that we do with people who are suffering with little support and understanding that really encapsulates our values. We know that people struggle to get help."" 
Follow BBC South on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to south.newsonline@bbc.co.uk. "	/news/uk-england-berkshire-63683028
sports	Six Nations 2022: Who is the tournament's greatest try-scorer?	"The Six Nations has featured some of the most prolific try-scorers in the history of the modern game - but who is the most deadly in the tournament's history?
Former British and Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton and ex-England scrum-half Danny Care ask and answer that question on the latest episode of Six Nations Greatest.
r top six try-scorers are ranked in reverse order below. Agree? Disagree? You can reorder their selection in our vote at the bottom of the page.
Who? Standing 6ft 2in and weighing more than 16st, wing Cohen was a key member of England's World Cup-winning team of 2003. He scored 31 tries in 57 Tests, 13 of them in the Six Nations, before retiring in 2011.
Warburton: ""Ben Cohen was a new breed of winger when he arrived on the scene. He was big, physical, powerful, but really fast, with great acceleration.
""I used to love his boots as well. I saw his boots and went out and bought the same when I was a teenager.""
Who? The current Scotland captain, Hogg has made long-distance solo scores something of a speciality. He scored his first Test try as a teenager in a Six Nations defeat by France in 2012 and has crossed in every tournament since up to this year.
Warburton: ""He's got that individual brilliance. If I was a young kid watching the Six Nations, I'd love watching Stuart Hogg.""
Care: ""He doesn't just score you an easy try. He'll score you an absolute worldie.""
Who? Robinson switched to union after a stellar rugby league career and took to the 15-man code instantly. His searing pace and vicious side-step made him a constant menace to opposition defences. He scored 28 tries in 51 games for England.
Warburton: ""He was just so muscle-bound and explosive. If you could get near him you probably wouldn't be able to hang on to him.""
Care: ""He would just skin you alive. I actually feel privileged that I got to experience his little stutter step on me, even if it made me look like an absolute idiot.
""He had unbelievable feet - next level. The type of player you would pay your money just to go and watch him play. He was one of a kind.""
Who? North burst on to the Test scene by scoring two debut tries against South Africa as an 18-year-old. Plenty more have followed since, including 22 in the Six Nations, with his size, pace and bravery making him a formidable finishing force.
Warburton: ""It's been hard for him to manage the level of expectation because he set the bar so high, so young.
""Biomechanically, he's very gifted. All of those things in the mix make him a very gifted athlete and player.
""He could really take this list and put it to the sword. Considering he's second in the list for tries scored and he's 29, that's pretty impressive.""
Care: ""I remember the first time I saw him play, I thought 'I don't want to try and tackle him'. It's almost not fair. When Wales were on he was on the end of everything.
""I've always been a massive fan.""
Who? The leading try-scorer, not just in Six Nations history, but in the entire, pre-Italy history of the tournament too. 'Bod' could do it all. Wrecking-ball bravery, a classy line-break, a jink worthy of Nijinsky.
Care: ""He was the go-to guy. You give him the ball when you need something happening.
""In magic moments you look for your big players, and on the final day of the 2009 Championship Brian O'Driscoll stepped up. 
""Ireland were chasing a first Grand Slam in 61 years, but a strong Wales side in Cardiff stood between them and the clean sweep.
""O'Driscoll scored a canny pick-and-go try to put his side ahead for the first time in the match and then potted a 78th-minute drop goal to snatch the lead for the second and final time after the hosts had fought back.""
Who? Williams was a bundle of fast-twitch fibres, darting through holes with blurring speed as he changed direction in an instant. The Welsh wizard scored 58 tries in 91 internationals for his country.
Care: ""He was the smallest on the pitch but the hardest to tackle. He scored the big tries, the tries where you need a hero. He is the guy you give the ball to when you need to win.""
Warburton: ""There was a massive hole when he retired from international rugby in 2011."""	/sport/rugby-union/60581511
entertainment	Vloggers rekindling the joys of India train journeys	"gins with the chugging sound of a train in motion. 
A yellow board with Rameswaram written in black lets you know you're departing the island town in India's southern state of Tamil Nadu.
u see bucolic landscapes, and then the sea, streaking past the train's window. Vendors selling hot samosas (a popular Indian snack) file past you. You see families chatting; people dozing. You take a trip to the train's washroom and watch an argument break out between two passengers over more luggage room.
Before you know it, you've reached your destination - Chennai in Tamil Nadu - a 10-hour-long journey condensed to a 13 minute video.
f the many videos made by Himanshu Yadav, a 22-year-old who makes vlogs - or video blogs - on Indian trains. 
Carrying more than 13 million passengers every day the Indian railways - Asia's largest railway network and the world's fourth largest - is one of the most popular and affordable modes of transport. 
rain vloggers the BBC spoke to say that they are on a mission to generate more interest in railways. Their videos capture what makes train journeys enjoyable, while some are trying to make a difference by highlighting problems commuters face.
Akshay Malhotra's minute-long vlogs on Instagram show a more luxurious side of the trains.
25-year-old software engineer shoots his reels inside some of India's premium long-distance trains. He uploads these videos on his Instagram account @JourneyswithAK, which has racked up about 135,000 followers in the six months since he started it. A longer version of these vlogs goes up on his YouTube channel.
In his videos, one gets to experience the new glass-sided railway carriages, plush dining cars and private air-conditioned coupes. He reviews the food, bathing and washroom facilities, seating and sleeping arrangements and offers tips for those travelling with pets.
Mr Malhotra says he travels on his own money, and that a one-way luxury train ticket to a destination in India can cost up to 8,000 rupees ($100; £87). But he doesn't mind the expense.
""The thing about a train journey is that it gives you enough time to explore - whether that's a person, a route or a place,"" says Mr Malhotra.
Vishwajeet Singh, 25, on the other hand, likes to document what train travel is like for the lower middle-class. 
On his YouTube channel - V S Monu vlogs - which has about 885,000 subscribers, Mr Singh uploads videos shot in compartments where ticket fares are cheaper, but there are fewer facilities and a lot more passengers.
Hailing from a small town in Bihar, Mr Singh began making vlogs five years ago. Since then, he has earned a reputation among his subscribers for ""showing reality"" and for highlighting ""scams taking place on trains"".
In his videos, he finds out whether the train is running on time; and whether the washrooms, berths and waiting rooms are clean. He checks out the quality and price of food and strikes up conversations with fellow passengers and railway staff. 
Viewers thank him for highlighting the ""appalling conditions"" in some trains, while others ask him questions related to ticket prices or food or share details about bad experiences they've had during their journeys. He says he also gets requests from people asking him to visit and review trains they've had terrible experiences in.
ularity of his videos has earned him several brand sponsorships and a YouTube silver play button - an award given to the most watched channels. But the vlogger says that this popularity is a double-edged sword. ""Many railway staff recognise me now, so they're extra careful when I'm in the train,"" he says.
Mr Yadav, who runs the YouTube channel Train Lovers HY and has about 165,000 subscribers, enjoys taking train journeys that are likely to result in ""captivating"" content. 
Earlier this year, he went on a three-hour-long journey from Banihal to Baramulla in Kashmir in -5C (23F) cold. His 11-minute video - shot from inside the train - has been viewed over a million times and captures snow-covered landscapes and blue-grey skies. 
Along with filming scenic vistas, Mr Yadav also shares information about the history of trains and other trivia - like which is India's oldest sea bridge or longest train tunnel.
""I've started including drone shots of scenic locations trains pass through in my videos,"" says Mr Yadav. ""They give the videos a cinematic quality and viewers love it."" 
He quit his job a year ago, and now earns up to 100,000 rupees a month through brand deals and YouTube ads.
""I have loved trains since I was a child,"" says Mr Yadav. 
""Train journeys are full of possibilities and I try to capture the wonder and excitement I feel about train journeys in my videos."""	/news/world-asia-india-62978056
business	UK house prices forecast to fall for the next two years	"UK house prices will fall for the next two years before starting to rise again, according to the government's official forecaster.
A drop of 9% is expected between now and autumn 2024, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has said.
will be a relief to some potential first-time buyers following a period of sharp rises in property prices.
But a squeeze on their own finances will limit their ability to save for a deposit.
f a mortgage is also likely to stay much higher than homeowners have become accustomed to during the last decade. A typical two- or five-year fixed-rate deal currently has an interest rate of just over 6%.
Higher mortgage rates and the wider impact of a slowdown in the economy, such as rising unemployment, will unite to push down house prices, the OBR said.
It forecast that there will still be an average increase in property prices this year of 10.7% despite the recent slowdown.
will be followed by two years of falls, with house prices down by 1.2% next year, and 5.7% in 2024.
OBR suggests that property prices will start to rise again at a rate slightly faster than people's incomes - up by 1.2% in 2025, 3% in 2026 and 3.5% in 2027.
However, it pointed out there was ""significant uncertainty over this forecast"" given the sensitivity of house prices to mortgage rates and general borrowing costs.
UK housing market, in reality, is a series of local markets, so house price falls could have more impact in some areas than others. 
For example, despite the rebound after the 2008 financial crisis, house prices in the north-east of England only returned to their pre-crash levels at the end of 2020. Meanwhile, in Northern Ireland, house prices still remain below their pre-crisis peak.
Squeezed incomes mean that first-time buyers may still be asking for the help of parents and grandparents to get enough for a deposit, even if house prices fall.
Richard Fearon, chief executive of Leeds Building Society, said: ""Our research shows that 81% of aspiring first-time buyers say that the cost of living crisis has made it harder for them to save for a deposit and almost half of them now doubt they will ever get onto the housing ladder.""
He said a lack of homes was still the key long-term issue in the market.
A new deadline will see a reversal of the cuts in stamp duty at the end of March 2025. This may also affect potential buyers' long-term plans in London and the south-east of England, where the vast majority of stamp duty is paid.
Other measures announced in the Autumn Statement could have a notable impact for other parts of the housing sector.
renting social housing in England will still face higher rental bills - but not as high as might have been the case.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said the government would cap the increase in social rents in England at a maximum of 7% in 2023-24, rather than the 11% potential rise under previous rules. This cap does not apply to shared ownership rents or private sector rents.
Meanwhile, buy-to-let landlords - who may include so-called accidental landlords who find themselves with two homes after moving in together - face a higher capital gains tax bill if they sell up.
ual allowance before capital gains tax is paid will be reduced from £12,300 to £6,000 in April and then to £3,000 a year later. The tax is paid when you sell an asset, such as company shares, a second home, or a buy-to-let property."	/news/business-63676119
entertainment	Maxine Peake stages Betty Boothroyd's life in comedy musical: 'This is me letting rip'	"first female Speaker of the House of Commons is having her life story told on stage - but rather than being a dry political drama, it sees actor Maxine Peake sing in her first musical and return to her comedy roots.
Betty Boothroyd never fulfilled her youthful dreams of high-kicking her way to showbiz stardom.
She discovered she wasn't cut out to be a chorus-line showgirl at the London Palladium, so her stint as a member of the Tiller Girls dance troupe after World War Two was short-lived.
But her flair for performing wasn't wasted.
She moved onto a different public stage when she pursued her other passion, politics, and ended up with a starring role in the House of Commons as the first Madam Speaker from 1992 to 2000.
Betty Boothroyd's pitch to become the first woman Speaker in 1992
""Politicians, like Tiller Girls, are public performers,"" she wrote in her autobiography. ""They forget it at their peril.""
Maxine Peake agrees. ""The worlds of politics and theatre, I think, do collide,"" she says. ""My granddad always used to say to me, 'Politicians, Maxine, are frustrated actors.' And she really has that charisma and presence.""
Betty (now Baroness) Boothroyd is admired for the way she worked the crowd in the Commons. That has inspired Peake and co-writer and co-star Seiriol Davies to tell her life story on stage.
""We just felt she was someone to celebrate,"" Peake says. ""You look at her achievements. It's what she stands for, and her work ethic, what she achieved, what her beliefs were. 
""And then when you start with somebody who used to be a Tiller Girl, you think, well, this could be fun, especially for a musical.""
As well as deciding against the predictable idea of a straight and serious biographical play, the title of Peake and Davies's show suggests it isn't quite a regular musical either.
Betty! A Sort of Musical opened at Manchester's Royal Exchange theatre on Saturday. The ""sort of"" in the name refers to the fact it's a show within a show - following an amateur dramatic group in Lady Boothroyd's home town of Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, who are themselves attempting to stage a musical about their local heroine.
Each member of the fictional Dewsbury Players takes turns to portray Lady Boothroyd and perform a song about a different stage of her life. Each tune goes on a different flight of fantasy, with Grease and James Bond-themed numbers and a Queen-inspired Boothroydian Rhapsody.
""If we're in a Bond film or a kitchen sink drama, they all then get elevated to the level of absurdity,"" Davies explains.
He adds: ""We make no promises that things are biographically factually correct, although we think there is some truth in all of the moments. But it is not a bio-musical. It is a musical about people making myths about a woman they love.""
Davies says he was inspired by Lady Boothroyd's general ""fabulousness"" as well as her ""explicit glamour and showmanship"".
On top of that: ""I think she's a unifying figure. If someone has heard of Betty, the chances are they'll at least admire her, or if not, be slightly obsessed with her.
""But if someone hasn't heard of her, I just have to tell them she used to be kick-line chorus girl and the KGB tried to honeytrap her, and then she rose to the second-highest commoner rank in the land or whatever.
""That is a story, whatever side your bread is buttered politically.""
racters in the Dewsbury am-dram group have their bread buttered on various sides, but they agree Lady Boothroyd is, as Peake believes too, a symbol of democratic respectability and stability compared with today's politicians.
""She unified the House of Commons with her skill and wit and intelligence. I felt very much I've missed that.""
Peake plays Meredith Ankle, matriarch of the am-dram group and owner of Ankle Carpets. It's hard not to detect the influence of Victoria Wood - who gave Peake her first break in Dinnerladies - in the way she is mining humour from the most mundane situations.
""She's such a big inspiration, even before I worked with her, growing up,"" Peake says of her late mentor.
Betty! is a return to comedy for Peake, who has gone on to forge her career mainly in serious (and often harrowing) dramas like Three Girls, about the Rotherham child sex grooming scandal; Anne, playing Hillsborough campaigner Anne Williams; and Mike Leigh's historical tub-thumper Peterloo.
""Initially, I wasn't Meredith when we first started writing,"" Peake says. ""And then the more I wrote, the more I really wanted to play Meredith, because it's something I've been crying out to do for a long time.
""I started in comedy, and I thought that's where I'd continue. And then I sort of went, 'Oh I'd like to try some straight, serious drama.' And then I couldn't quite get back. So this is me letting rip.
""As a youngster, that's what I thought my career would be, as I got into middle age. But there's not as many of those parts written now for women - those larger-than-life funny women. We've lost Victoria Wood.""
w show also requires Peake to sing. Has she been in a musical before? ""Have I heck. I'm not a singer.""
She is, it must be noted, in a band called The Eccocentric Research Council, although her vocal delivery with them is more like spoken word. ""Sort of"" musical again.
""What is nice, at the grand old age of 48, is going, OK, I'm going to do something where I sing, and there's ways around it, and I've learned so much.""
Lady Boothroyd isn't the first politician to get the musical treatment. Evita and Hamilton haven't done badly, but recent shows about British political figures have had mixed results.
Like with Betty!, an exclamation mark was deployed for Tony! (The Tony Blair Rock Opera), co-written by comedian Harry Hill. Blair is more divisive, and the show was less affectionate and less subtle. ""The show struggles to shift out of a cartoon register,"" The Telegraph said.
Veteran Labour MP Dennis Skinner was the subject of The Palace of Varieties, and setting his ""colourful Commons battles"" to a soundtrack of music hall and Broadway songs ""makes surprising sense"", The Guardian said.
Skinner makes an appearance in Betty! too. This time, the Beast of Bolsover and Madam Speaker perform a verbal joust in the form of a rap battle.
Betty! also completes something of a trilogy for Peake, who has previously written plays about two other pioneering real-life women - champion cyclist Beryl Burton and Hull fishwife Lillian Bilocca. Like Lady Boothroyd, both are from Yorkshire.
""I feel slightly traitorous to my Lancashire roots,"" jokes Peake, from Bolton. ""There's been a theme of writing things about inspirational women from working class backgrounds in the north.""
Both Burton and Bilocca were dead by the time Peake came to pay homage. Lady Boothroyd, now 93, is very much with us. What does she think about her life being given this fantastical treatment?
Peake says she says has been ""very supportive"".
""Because you worry, don't you? You think, what would she think? But she seemed really pleased about it. We've assured her it's a celebration.""
Betty! A Sort of Musical is at the Royal Exchange theatre in Manchester until 14 January."	/news/entertainment-arts-63775575
entertainment	Her Loss: Drake and 21 Savage sued by Vogue publisher	"Drake and 21 Savage are being sued by Vogue's publisher over claims they used the brand name to promote their new album, Her Loss, without permission.
Condé Nast claims the rappers' promo campaign was built ""entirely"" on the unauthorised use of Vogue trademarks and false representations.
It said the musicians created a counterfeit issue of the magazine which they distributed.
In a complaint, the publisher said it's seeking at least $4m (£3.49m).
Larry Stein, the lawyer representing Drake and 21 Savage, has not yet responded to BBC Newsbeat's request for comment.
Condé Nast claims the rappers falsely suggested having the ""love and support"" of Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.
r complaint says it resulted in ""unmistakable"" confusion, with Drake and 21 Savage being wrongly touted as ""new cover stars"".
""All of this is false. And none of it has been authorised by Condé Nast,"" the legal paperwork says.
It added the rappers' ""flippant disregard"" for the publisher's rights ""have left it with no choice but to commence this action"".
mas Walters, who founded advertising agency Billion Dollar Boy, said the publisher will need to defend itself because the Vogue brand is ""everything"" to the outlet.
""In an era where journalism is consistently being used for free, people aren't buying magazines anymore, that is their value,"" says Thom.
""From their perspective, 21 Savage and Drake have used that brand without compensating for that investment.""
And if they don't defend it in this instance, Thom says there's a risk ""anyone could start using the Vogue brand"".
Since its release on 4 November, Her Loss has had mixed reviews and has also caused a stir after one track, Circo Loco, appeared to suggest singer Megan Thee Stallion had lied about being shot.
Music publication NME gave the album three stars, saying it was an ""exciting prospect marred by lazy song writing"" and packed with ""cheap misogyny"".
Rolling Stone went a step further, branding the album ""a misfire"".
Condé Nast is seeking at least $4m in damages - or triple Drake and 21 Savage's profits from their album and ""counterfeit"" magazine.
But could this actually work out well for Drake and 21 Savage? Thom thinks so.
""I think Drake and 21 Savage are certainly going to benefit from doing this,"" he says. ""Probably more so than the amount than the lawsuit is claiming.
""When you're a star of the calibre of Drake, you know that you're willing to take the risk. They obviously would have seen a bigger upside here than downside.""
Follow Newsbeat on Twitter and YouTube.
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here."	/news/newsbeat-63568013
technology	Robot boat maps Pacific underwater volcano	"Watch USV Maxlimer as it moves through waters around Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha’apai
A robot boat, controlled from the UK, has returned from an initial survey of the underwater Tongan volcano that erupted explosively back in January.
Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) Maxlimer is part-way through mapping the opening, or caldera, of the underwater Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha'apai (HTHH) volcano. 
, developed by the British company Sea-Kit International, is surveying the volcano as part of the second phase of the Tonga Eruption Seabed Mapping Project (TESMaP), led by New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) and funded by the Nippon Foundation of Japan.
far has confirmed earlier reports of continuing volcanic activity from HTHH. A winch on the boat allows instruments to be deployed at depths, reaching 300m, in order to collect data from the entire water column.
12m-long Maxlimer may be in Tonga, but it is being remotely controlled from 16,000km away in the small coastal village of Tollesbury in Essex. Everything is done over satellite link.
In a dark control room in Sea-Kit's HQ, several large screens display live feed images from the 10 cameras on board Maxlimer. Operators, who work in shifts around the clock, watch on as real-time data gets beamed in from the South Pacific. 
""We can communicate with nearby vessels via radio as if we were on board""
Ashley Skett, director of operations at Sea-Kit, told BBC Radio 4's Inside Science programme that the operators can even communicate via radio with other vessels in the area, so much so that other boats wouldn't know that nobody was on board Maxlimer. 
""The boat has been designed from the ground up to be remotely controlled and remotely operated. So every switch, every function on the boat, every light, we can control from here.""
Robotic, remotely controlled boats are likely to be the future of maritime operations. When surveying a dangerous area such as the active HTHH volcano, remote control ensures no crew are put in harm's way.
re are also environmental benefits to USVs. As there is no onboard crew to support, the vessel can be much smaller, leading to reduced carbon dioxide emissions.
""We use 5% of the fuel that an equivalent manned vessel doing the same job that we're doing now would use,"" Ashley said.
ruption of HTHH in January caused extensive damage far beyond Tonga, triggering a massive tsunami that spread across the Pacific Ocean. The atmospheric shockwave caused by the eruption was felt as far away as the UK. 
Weather satellites captured the climactic eruption. Video looped three times. (Himawari-8/JMA/NCEO/@simon_sat)
Maxlimer is currently taking a short break while some rough weather passes through the region.  Once conditions improve, the boat will head back out to the underwater volcano to fill in remaining gaps in its map of the caldera.
will help us understand why the eruption had such a huge and violent impact, as well as help predict the nature of future eruptions."	/news/science-environment-62606589
business	Nike latest brand to leave Russia permanently	"Nike has announced plans to leave Russia, becoming the latest Western brand to quit the country since the invasion of Ukraine in February. 
US sportswear giant halted online orders and closed the stores it owned in the country in March.
Shops run by local partners continued to operate, but the firm is winding down those agreements.
Networking giant Cisco also said it would start to fully shut down operations in Russia and Belarus.
Other companies that have finalised plans to leave in recent weeks include McDonald's and Starbucks.
""Nike has made the decision to leave the Russian marketplace,"" the company said in a statement. ""Our priority is to ensure we are fully supporting our employees while we responsibly scale down our operations over the coming months.""
Russia has grown increasingly economically isolated since the invasion, as the West and allies impose sanctions and international companies head for the exits. 
untry is now working on legislation that would punish foreign companies seeking to leave, allowing the government to seize their assets and impose criminal penalties, according to Reuters.
Nike has more than 50 stores in Russia, about a third of which are closed, according to its website.
In May, Russian media reported that the company was ending its agreement with its largest franchisee in Russia, responsible for 37 stores.
Nike had previously disclosed that Russia and Ukraine together accounted for less than 1% of the company's revenue.
Cisco said on Thursday that it had ""made the decision to begin an orderly wind-down of our business in Russia and Belarus"".
will affect a few hundred employees, the US company said, adding that it wanted to ensure they are ""treated with respect"".
""Cisco remains committed to using all its resources to help our employees, the institutions and people of Ukraine, and our customers and partners during this challenging time,"" a spokesperson for the firm said.
working giant had already stopped business operations, including sales and services, in the region in March, taking a $200m (£160m) hit to third quarter revenues."	/news/business-61914165
sports	Nations Cup: Ireland lose to India in shootout drama after semi-final ends 1-1	"Ireland lost 2-1 to India in a shootout after their Nations Cup semi-final in Valencia ended 1-1.
Naomi Carroll scored from play to put Ireland in front just before the end of the first quarter.
India drew level in the third quarter from a penalty corner, with Udita Duhan converting after 44 minutes, and the scores remained that way.
India scored two of their five efforts in the shootout and Ireland just one, allowing India to advance to the final.
Sonika Tandi and Lalremsiami Hmarzote were the scorers for India in the shootout, beating Irish goalkeeper Lizzy Murphy, with just Hannah McLoughlin converting for Ireland.
India will play Spain in Saturday's final (14:45 GMT) with a place in the hockey Professional League the prize for the winners, after Ireland face Japan in the third-place play-off on the same day (13:30).
Indians are ranked eighth in the world, five spots above the Irish, who beat them twice on their way to reaching the World Cup final in London in 2018."	/sport/hockey/64003488
technology	Elon Musk: Billionaire's daughter cuts ties with her father	"Elon Musk's transgender daughter has applied to legally change her name and gender, saying she no longer wants to ""be related to my biological father in any way, shape or form"".
18-year-old has asked to be recognised as female and have the name Vivian Jenna Wilson.
She was known as Xavier Alexander Musk.
for both a name change and a new birth certificate was filed with the Los Angeles County Superior Court in Santa Monica.
Her request is set out in court documents filed in April, which have only recently come to light.
re was no further detail of the apparent rift between Mr Musk's daughter and her father.
SpaceX entrepreneur has yet to comment.
Mr Musk was married to Vivian's mother, Canadian author Justine Wilson, from 2000 until they divorced in 2008. 
r first son, Nevada, was born in 2002, and died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) at 10 weeks.
r went on to have twin sons called Xavier and Griffin and triplet boys - Damian, Kai and Saxon. 
He has two other children,  X Æ A-Xii and Exa Dark Sideræl - who goes by Y - with singer Grimes, with whom he has had an on-off relationship. 
His children have kept a relatively low profile despite their father's fame.
On Father's Day, the entrepreneur tweeted that he loves all his children.
re has been no comment from Mr Musk about his daughter's decision to distance herself from him.
He has been vocal on various transgender issues, and has been branded anti-gay in several rows. Last year he complained about people using their own pronouns.
urt document for his daughter's name and gender change was filed a month before he publicly declared his support for the Republican Party, having previously voted Democrat.
He has also said he is a fan of Ron DeSantis, the Republican Florida governor who introduced the so-called ""Don't Say Gay"" bill. This controversial piece of legislation restricts schools from teaching students about sexual orientation and gender issues, with teachers opening themselves up to lawsuits should they fail to comply.
In 2020 Elon Musk wrote on Twitter ""Pronouns suck"" before deleting it. He then said: ""I absolutely support trans, but all these pronouns are an aesthetic nightmare."""	/news/technology-61880709
business	China congress: Beijing delays key economic figures as leaders meet	"China has delayed the release of its latest economic growth figures, which were due to be published as the Communist Party's leadership gathers.
President Xi Jinping is expected to be confirmed for a historic third-term at this week's party congress in Beijing.
National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) did not give a reason for the delay.
ribed as ""very rare"" by experts and is seen by some as a sign of further weakness in the world's second largest economy.
However, Zhao Chenxin, deputy head of China's National Development and Reform Commission, said on Monday that the country's economy had ""picked up significantly in the third quarter"".
""Globally China's economic performance also remains outstanding. Consumer prices have risen modestly, in sharp contrast to the high global inflation, and employment remained generally stable,"" he told a news conference.
According to an updated NBS calendar, publication of several key economic indictors on Tuesday, including third quarter gross domestic product (GDP), had been ""postponed"".
A new date for the release of the figures has yet to be scheduled.
NBS did not immediately respond to a BBC request for comment.
Pushan Dutt, an economics professor at INSEAD, told the BBC the delay was a ""very rare event"" as the Chinese government had released data as scheduled through the pandemic.
""My only guess is that those numbers were not very good and would not lead to the objective of doubling the Chinese economy in the timespan that President Xi announced,"" he said.
Meanwhile, Dan Wang, chief economist at Hang Seng Bank China, believes ""the delay may not necessarily be because of disappointing economic data"".
""The normal procedure of signing off those data might have been disrupted as all top leadership are occupied with the congress,"" she said.
Mr Xi signalled on Sunday that there would be no immediate loosening of his controversial zero-Covid strategy, which has weighed on China's economic growth.
GDP measures the size of an economy. Gauging its expansion or contraction is one of the most important ways of measuring how well or badly an economy is performing and is closely watched by economists and central banks.
China previously indicated that it may miss its annual economic growth target of 5.5%.
Politburo - the ruling Communist Party's top policy-making body - did not mention the official growth target in a statement after its quarterly policy meeting in July. Instead it said it aimed to keep growth within ""a reasonable range"".
Iris Pang, Greater China chief economist at ING Bank, said she expects that China's third-quarter GDP data would ""not paint an optimistic picture"".
""This data delay shows that the government thinks that 20th Party Congress is the most important thing happening in China, and would like to avoid other information that could create mixed messages to the market,"" she told the BBC.
Watch: The 'miraculous' potatoes claimed to alleviate poverty in northern China"	/news/business-63295495
politics	Eton College boys 'booed' visiting state schoolgirls	"Eton College has apologised after it was claimed girls visiting from a nearby state school were subjected to misogynistic language and racial slurs.
BBC a number of its pupils had been ""sanctioned"" after an investigation following an incident during a speech by Nigel Farage.
former politician told the BBC the atmosphere was ""riotous"".
ge said it had apologised ""unreservedly"" for the ""totally unacceptable"" behaviour.
Claims made anonymously on social media, by a person who said they were a parent of one of the girls who attended the speech last week, said the students were also booed at the boys' public school near Windsor, Berkshire.
Prince William and his brother, the Duke of Sussex, both attended Eton, as did the former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
rges in excess of £40,000 a year for boarders. 
Follow BBC South on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to south.newsonline@bbc.co.uk. "	/news/uk-england-berkshire-63683667
business	Deliveroo: UK-based food delivery firm quits Australia	"UK-based food delivery app Deliveroo says it is quitting Australia, citing tough economic conditions.
mpany's Australian operation, which launched in 2015, is being placed into voluntary administration.
Deliveroo has come under increasing pressure to treat its 15,000 riders as employees, with the country's new government pledging to improve gig workers' conditions. 
It has also faced competition from rivals such as Uber Eats and Menulog.
Deliveroo said it had stopped accepting orders through its app, with customers receiving an error message if they tried to place an order.
""This was a difficult decision and not one we have taken lightly. We want to thank all our employees, consumers, riders and restaurant and grocery partners who have been involved with the Australian operations over the past seven years,"" Deliveroo's chief operating officer Eric French said in a statement to investors.
""Our focus is now on making sure our employees, riders and partners are supported throughout this process,"" he added.
In the statement the company pledged ""guaranteed enhanced severance payments for employees as well as compensation for riders and for certain restaurant partners.""
Food delivery apps saw demand surge during the pandemic but have since faced challenges including customers reining in their spending and the tightening of regulations in several countries.
During Australia's election campaign this year Anthony Albanese, who is now the country's prime minister, said he would work to improve the rights of workers if his party came to power.
Members of his government have called gig work a ""cancer"" on the economy with accusations that it drives down the wages of a million workers. 
Last month, Deliveroo also announced that it planned to quit the Netherlands market at the end of November.
Deliveroo's London-listed shares have lost around half of their value since the start of this year.
Zomato, Swiggy riders risking their lives to deliver food"	/news/business-63645765
health	William Harvey Hospital withdraws gas and air for women in labour	"A maternity department has suspended its provision of gas and air, the most common method of pain relief, to women in labour.
William Harvey Hospital in Ashford withdrew the painkiller because of ventilation issues in its labour rooms. 
East Kent Hospitals Maternity said the current levels of gas in the air ""could affect the health of staff"" who work for long periods.
It expects to use gas and air (Entonox) again within two weeks.
ws comes only weeks after a damning inquiry into maternity services at East Kent Hospitals Trust.
It found as many as 45 babies might have survived with better care.
A statement posted on Facebook on Friday said ""mums and babies are not at risk of harm"" and that ""every other method of pain relief"" will be offered.
Checks to make sure maternity staff were working safely showed that some staff may have been exposed to high levels of Nitrous Oxide (a gas present in Entonox).
w ventilation systems for the maternity unit had been ordered and it expects to be using Entonox again within two weeks.
Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk. "	/news/uk-england-kent-63766811
business	Switching to green fuel needs same urgency as Covid jab, says energy boss	"UK would be paying ""billions"" of pounds less for its energy, if it had stuck with plans to reduce fossil fuel use, an energy boss has said.
Greg Jackson, chief executive of Octopus energy, told the BBC there should be a concerted push now.
me ""sense of urgency"" should be applied to the switch to green energy, as there was for finding a Covid vaccine, he said.
government said it had delivered a 500% increase in renewables since 2010.
""Without the clean energy we have deployed over the past decade, bills would be even higher today,"" a spokesperson for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) said. 
re were already plans to invest further in renewables, BEIS said.
In 2013, the coalition government led by David Cameron made a series of changes, including cutting back support for energy efficiency and later ended subsidies for onshore wind.
""If we hadn't done that, energy bills this year would be billions of pounds lower than they are,"" Mr Jackson told the Big Green Money Show on BBC Radio 5 Live. 
""It's short term behaviour that has left us even more exposed than we need to be.""
Octopus Energy generates electricity from renewable sources, including wind and solar and supplies energy to three million UK customers.
A report earlier this year by energy analysis site Carbon Brief said bills in the UK were nearly £2.5bn higher than they would have been if climate policies had not been scrapped over the past decade.
""We now need to get on with it, and going green will not only help prevent the catastrophic climate change we see already changing weather patterns, but will also drive energy costs down,"" Mr Jackson said.
Mr Jackson said he believed the process of creating new renewables could be speeded up significantly.
use it was the planning, consent and connection to the grid that took several years, while the engineering of a new wind turbine could be done in a year.
""In the pandemic we took that normal fifteen year process for producing and licensing a vaccine and we did it in a year.
""If we were to act with the same sense of urgency, we could let communities who want it have access to cheap energy quickly enough to make a difference,"" he said.
Some customers who have signed up to green energy suppliers have questioned why their bills aren't already lower than the typical bill, when the cost of generating electricity through renewables is lower than using fossil fuels.
But the price of electricity is currently determined for the whole market by the cost of gas because it is the most expensive form of generation.
Mr Jackson said if the UK moved towards a situation where renewables provided the bulk of energy needs and gas was ""a gap filler"", then the link between the gas and electricity prices could be addressed.
However, it would take several years, before increased renewable generation had an impact on prices for consumers, according to energy analyst David Cox.
""It's a bit of a dream,"" he said. ""To increase wind power, which is the only one you could build quickly, is five to 10 years away before you have a significant contribution.
""That's assuming you can get the parts and the steel, and the cost of that is going to go through the roof because of the cost of gas.""
Subsidising energy efficiency measures, such as home insulation, would be a faster way to reduce gas use and bring down bills, Mr Cox said.
Energy prices have become an urgent political issue in the Conservative leadership race.
frontrunner, Liz Truss, has pledged to suspend the green levy on energy bills, which in the past funded investment in renewable energy. On Tuesday she hinted she would look at providing further support to businesses and households with soaring energy costs. 
However, unlike her rival Rishi Sunak, she has ruled out energy rationing. 
Mr Sunak has pledged to scrap VAT on household energy for one year and has promised more money to help with bills.
A BEIS spokesperson said: ""Since 2010, we have delivered a 500% increase in the amount of renewable energy capacity connected to the grid - more than any other government in British history.""
""To build on this progress, the government recent secured an additional 11GW of clean power in July's renewable auction, and we plan to go even further by driving £100billion of private sector investment in clean energy this decade."""	/news/business-62753949
technology	Take a ride around San Francisco in a driverless taxi	"In San Francisco a futuristic pilot is taking place - fully driverless robo-taxis are being allowed at night for paying members of the public. 
mpany Cruise, says the cars will revolutionise transport. 
But critics say putting fully autonomous taxis on urban streets is premature and dangerous. James Clayton took a ride in one of the cars to see how it felt."	/news/technology-63077437
sports	England's inaugural men's netball team prepare for first game	"History will be made on Sunday when England's inaugural men's netball team play their first international match against Australia in Sydney.
James Thomson-Boston, captain of the recently formed England Thorns, says: ""It's historic. It's a pinch-me moment.""
men's match will be a curtain-raiser to England Roses' - the women's side - second game of a three-match series against Australia on Sunday. 
mson-Boston tells BBC Sport about getting into a sport predominantly played by women and what it means to be part of a side that will go down in history.
mson-Boston, who turns 30 on Wednesday, started out as a basketball player but ""fell in love"" with netball after he was asked by friends to play mixed netball.
""It's a highly athletic sport that doesn't get the credit it deserves for how tough it is to play,"" he says.
""Most boys join and they're just running around all over, but once you really start to learn the game you realise how amazing it is.""
re are currently about 10 men's netball clubs in the UK, including Knights, whom Thomson-Boston also captains.
Men have long been a part of the training process for Super League teams and the Roses, but now, through England Men's and Mixed Netball Association (EMMNA), they are starting to create their own identity in the sport.
""The men's game is a lot more aerial with more contests in the air. It's seen as an athletic style of netball, whereas the female side is very smart,"" says Thomson-Boston.
""That's why it's so amazing to play the Roses the way we do because there's only so much we can do in a game by being athletic.
""You watch the Roses play and you think 'OK, so that's what I can do to beat a player that means I'm not just sprinting at 100mph'.
rns squad was announced in Marchexternal-link but trials took place before Covid hit and Thomson-Boston says ""people were working tirelessly behind the scenes"" to ensure the infrastructure was in place to get the squad up and running after lockdown.
Once the team was announcedexternal-link Thomson-Boston says ""it never felt like anything other than partners"" between them and the Roses.
men even helped with England's preparations for this summer's Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
""It just validates the fact that this isn't just a girls' sport, that boys should be allowed to play it and that the stigma will lift the more that we push ourselves out there.""
mson-Boston was born in Australia, where netball is one of the dominant national sports and, he says, there is no stigma around men playing netball.
""Men's netball, women's netball, mixed netball - it's all under the same banner and it's respected as the same sport,"" he says.
""When I moved over to England about nine years ago I noticed it was non-existent. Even just trying to find a mixed team was really tough. I would say 'I'm just off to play netball' and people would say, 'you mean basketball?'""
mson-Boston says many of the Thorns players had to fight to play the sport they love.
""A few of the boys persevered through quite a tough couple of years where they've said 'I really want to play this sport' and they've been met with resistances at school or at other netball clubs who didn't want a boy playing with them,"" he says.
""Now they're here at the elite level and it just shows this sport should be available for boys to play,use why are we limiting anyone playing sport? You should be able to play whatever sport you want.""
Who better to test themselves against at the elite level than the sport's dominant force, Australia.
""We know Australia are an elite team and they have been for a while, but we have the element of surprise,"" says Thomson-Boston. ""We've watched their games and they have some athletic boys, but not compared to the boys we have.
""It could be false confidence, but you should never go into a game thinking you're going to lose and, as a captain, I could never say that. So we've got this.
""This is not just for people who are part of our England set-up. We all come from individual clubs where we've been allowed in to all-female clubs, and sometimes they've just let one of the boys in to train.
""No matter the outcome, we know we're going to do them all proud and the win will be a bonus.""
mson-Boston says he and EMMNA hope that international fixtures can become more frequent, with a view to getting at least mixed netball into the Commonwealth Games.
""The sky is the limit,"" he says. ""I would love to have a full men's team there, but if we're doing baby steps then mixed would be first.""
Roses begin their series against Australia on Wednesday in Newcastle, near Sydney, and for many players it will be their first international netball since the disappointment of finishing fourth at the Commonwealth Games in August.
Defender Geva Mentor, who has 160 England caps, says it is an opportunity to show they have recovered from their ""traumatic experience"" in Birmingham and also a ""monumental"" moment to have the men playing on Sunday.
""It's really exciting. How great that the men are the curtain raiser when normally in most sports it's the other way around?"" she says.
""Why not get excited about it? It brings a different dynamic. It's not trying to replace female netball - it's just trying to find it's own niche in the world.
""It's monumental to have them playing alongside us - it's where we want to take it. Netball is in a really healthy space with regards gender equality, and it's important for us to keep improving and pushing that.
""I've always been a big advocate for boys in netball. They're pumped to be here and that's the way it should be because they're leading the way on it.
""The more people are playing, the more we can capture a different audience and the greater it's going to be."""	/sport/netball/63384826
health	Midwives in Scotland reject latest NHS pay offer	"Members of the union representing midwives in Scotland have rejected the latest NHS pay offer. 
Royal College of Midwives (RCM) said 65% of members voted against it. The union will now consider next steps including possible industrial action. 
NHS offered an average pay increase of 7.5%. It was accepted by Unison and Unite members but rejected by the GMB.
Scottish government has said the proposal was unprecedented at a time of ""extraordinary financial challenges"".
Royal College of Nursing has also rejected the pay offer and said it would soon announce dates for strikes. 
Jaki Lambert, RCM director for Scotland, said: ""Our members have spoken loud and clear - the latest pay offer by the Scottish government is simply not good enough. It goes nowhere near addressing the rising cost of living and would see many midwives actually worse off in real terms.
""Our members have been consistent throughout this process - they want a decent deal, and they are prepared to take industrial action to get one. 
""No midwife wants to do this and it is for the Scottish government to make sure that they do not feel that they are left with no other option. 
""While we acknowledge that the Scottish government has listened to some of the concerns regarding career opportunities and development, it has failed to meet our members' needs on pay.""
Last month, Holyrood ministers tabled an improved pay offer averaging 7.5% to health workers threatening industrial action.
Annual salary rises under the proposal would range from a flat rate payment of £2,205 for staff in Bands 1 to 4 and up to £2,660 for staff in Bands 5 to 7, backdated to April. 
represents an increase of 11.3% for the lowest paid workers and delivers an average uplift of 7.5%.
Unite and Unison chose to accept the deal, however, the GMB union became the first to reject it last week.
Scottish government said previously that the pay offer was unprecedented for front-line employees and would ensure NHS workers in Scotland remain the best paid in the UK.
RCM is part of the Scottish Terms and Conditions Committee (STAC), which negotiates pay deals with the Scottish government. STAC staff will meet with ministers on Thursday to share the outcomes of their respective consultations, the RCM said. "	/news/uk-scotland-64050826
politics	Akshata Murty: Who is Rishi Sunak's wife?	"Rishi Sunak's wife Akshata Murty is heiress to a fortune worth billions and has lived a life divided between three continents. BBC News has spoken to some of those she has rubbed shoulders with along the way. 
It is a Friday night in rural Yorkshire and local farmers and small business owners are waiting for the results of a Conservative party fundraising raffle. 
At the front of the room, one of the richest women in the country and her husband are drawing paper tickets and presenting the relatively modest prizes - a bottle of Campari, a coffee shop voucher. 
Akshata Murty had spent much of her life in the US and India, where her father founded one of the nation's biggest companies. But in recent years, she is just as likely to have been spotted at a local Tory social event, working the room alongside her husband Rishi Sunak in his North Yorkshire constituency.
""She mixes with everybody and everybody speaks highly of her,"" said Peter Walker, a local party member in Richmond. Despite her privileged background, ""there is no ostentatiousness,"" said Mr Walker, who last saw Ms Murty joining in with a Christmas carol service. 
Mr Walker, a retired deputy chief constable, said that for a long time he had been unaware of the scale of the couple's wealth. ""I literally got my knowledge of their significant wealth from the news,"" he said.
Ms Murty's shares in Infosys, the company her father founded, are worth an estimated £700m. 
Earlier this year, while her husband led the nation's financial affairs as chancellor of the exchequer, her business interests were the subject of newspaper headlines and political debate.
First, it emerged the company had continued operating in Russia after the invasion of Ukraine. Then, days later, it was revealed she held non-domiciled status, meaning she did not have to pay tax on earnings from outside the UK. The company later pulled out of Russia, and Ms Murty pledged to pay UK tax on all her income, but said at the time: ""India remains the country of my birth, citizenship, parents' home and place of domicile.""
roversies have come as a surprise to some in India, where the family are known for promoting an austere lifestyle. 
""There is so much simplicity in the way they behave and the way they live, this is in their DNA,"" said Suhel Seth, an Indian marketing expert who knows the family.
In 1981, a year after his only daughter's birth, software engineer NR Narayana Murthy (unlike his wife and children, he spells his name with an ""h"") started an IT company, using $250 dollars borrowed from his wife.
Over four decades, as personal computing and the internet changed the world, the firm morphed into an outsourcing giant. Today, more than 300,000 employees work in about 50 countries. It has won lucrative contracts to provide IT services for companies and governments around the world, including in the UK. 
But it has faced controversies over its outsourcing practices. In 2013, the company paid $34m (£21m) to settle a civil lawsuit from the US government over allegations it misused visas. Infosys said at the time that claims of systemic visa fraud were ""untrue and are assertions that remain unproven"". 
In 2019, it agreed to an $800,000 settlement with California's attorney general over allegations 500 employees had the wrong visas. Infosys denied any wrongdoing. 
mpany's success has made Mr Murthy one of the richest people in a country where hundreds of millions live in poverty. But he has strived not to be part of a pampered elite, his supporters say.  
""He is corporate India's Mahatma Gandhi,"" Mr Seth said. ""He is unmoved by all these trappings.""
76-year-old is now retired, but even while leading a multinational corporation, he has said he made a point of cleaning his own toilet.  It was a habit learnt from his father, who was opposed to the Indian caste system, in which the ""so-called lowest class... is a set of people who clean toilets,"" he told the BBC in 2011. He continued the practice to set an example for his offspring, he said. 
It was one of a number of steps - including not having a TV in the house - that were intended to teach the children about the ""importance of simplicity and austerity"", Ms Murty's father wrote in an open letter to his daughter published in 2013. 
But it was her mother who shouldered the ""great responsibility"" of instilling family values in Ms Murty and her brother Rohan, he said.
Sudha Murty worked as an engineer in the 1980s, but gave up to teach in a college and spend more time with her children. In 1996, she started the Infosys Foundation - a non-profit organisation that funds educational and anti-poverty projects. Her passion for engineering and education is shared by her daughter. 
While living in California in 2007, Ms Murty joined the board of San Francisco's Exploratorium museum, which aims to engage young people in science and technology. The foundation's director at the time, Dennis Bartels, says she had a ""fervent belief"" in the power of Stem (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) to change lives. 
She had been ""especially supportive of programmes that increased the number of female engineers"", he says. 
He describes Ms Murty as having a ""gentle and generous spirit"".
As an undergraduate, she moved to the US to study economics and French at the private liberal Claremont McKenna College, near Los Angeles in California. She then earned a diploma at a fashion college before working at Deloitte and Unilever and studying for an MBA at Stanford University.
Her relationship with Mr Sunak began at the university's grand campus near San Francisco. The couple graduated 16 years ago, but have maintained a connection to Stanford, funding a fellowship for social entrepreneurs and keeping in touch with university staff.
""They are the same two lovely people they were as students - open and kind and humble and remarkably self-effacing,"" said Derrick Bolton, who was assistant dean of admissions during their time at Stanford. 
In 2009, they married in a ceremony in the bride's home city of Bangalore, later hosting a wedding party in New York.
""I remember Akshata just kind of gliding through the room and how incredibly beautiful she looked,"" said Mr Bolton, who joined the US celebration. 
""There were a lot of really important people in the room, and I'm not one of those important people, and Akshata still made time to come by and say hello and to let me know how happy they were that I had made it.""
In the years after graduation, the couple built a life in Santa Monica, California, where they still own a penthouse apartment with ocean views. For two years, she worked for venture capital company Tendris, but quit in 2009 to start a fashion label, named Akshata Designs. 
It was the culmination of a life-long love of fashion, which had baffled her ""no-nonsense engineer"" mother, Ms Murty told Vogue India in 2011. The company's website said it aimed to provide a ""sustainable source of income"" for female artists and craftspeople in rural India. However, the Guardian reported that the business collapsed within three years.
Around this time, Ms Murty and Mr Sunak founded a London-based offshoot of her family's investment fund, Catamaran Ventures. 
Within two years, Mr Sunak was elected as the MP for Richmond in North Yorkshire, having transferred his share of the company to his wife in the weeks before the vote in May 2015. It is a solid Tory seat that used to be held by ex-Tory leader William Hague.
ught a Grade II-listed manor house in the village of Kirby Sigston, near Northallerton, which sold for £1.5m in 2015. The couple have hosted Conservative party fundraising evenings with canapes served alongside the property's lake. 
It is one of four properties they are believed to own, including a four-bedroom mews house in London, where the couple have lived with their two daughters. Now, the family are set to move into 10 Downing Street. 
uple appeared on the Sunday Times' Rich List in 2022, with an estimated wealth of £730m. 
It has led to questions about whether Mr Sunak is out of touch, particularly during a cost-of-living crisis, and the couple's lifestyle has regularly made headlines. 
fter her husband resigned as chancellor in July, Ms Murty delivered tea and biscuits to journalists waiting outside their London home. But her hospitality was scrutinised after Twitter users suggested the designer mugs cost more than £30 each. One wrote: ""The price of that mug could feed a family for 2 days."" 
Speaking from Goa in India this week, Mr Seth said the episode was symbolic of what he sees as the unfair treatment of Ms Murty. ""People need to evaluate her value system, and not value her wealth,"" he said. 
He said Ms Murty was ""very charming, very simple and very bright"", adding that she had a ""sterling academic career"" before launching a fashion business ""far away from IT"". 
""If someone has done all of this and you just paper it over by saying 'you are just a rich kid', you are denigrating academia, you are denigrating values, you are denigrating a path of simplicity that the family has treaded on all their lives.""
In the towns and villages of North Yorkshire, the couple's affluence seems to receive less of a focus, even from political opponents. 
Labour councillor Gerald Ramsden said that while he ""completely disagrees"" with Mr Sunak's politics, he admits he is ""fairly well liked by the community"". He pointed to the fact that he had bumped into the family shopping for a barbecue in the local Tesco this summer. ""If I could afford a chef, I wouldn't be going shopping,"" he said.
It is a sentiment shared by independent councillor Paul Atkin. He said Mr Sunak had been ""extremely helpful"" on local issues, adding: ""It really doesn't bother me as to his wife's position"".
By their supporters, like Mr Walker, the former deputy chief constable, the couple are described as ""nice, ordinary folk"". 
""If you've got airs and graces, they won't last long in rural North Yorkshire in a farming community like this,"" he said. 
With additional reporting by BBC business reporter Natalie Sherman in New York."	/news/uk-politics-63371276
sports	Bowler Lucy Beere lands back in Guernsey with silver medal	"Guernsey's silver medal winner Lucy Beere has returned to the island.
wler won silver in the women's singles at the Commonwealth Games, bringing back the island's first medal since 1994.
Guernsey last won a bowls medal in 1986, with Beere winning the island's fourth-ever silver medal at a Commonwealth Games.
She said she felt ""like a star"" as islanders clapped and welcomed her at Guernsey Airport.
""It feels great, I'm knackered but it feels great... It was quite a welcoming. I feel like a star. 
""I definitely achieved, still beyond all my expectations. 
""I wanted to get to the quarterfinals and here I am with my silver medal round my neck.""
Follow BBC Guernsey on Twitter and Facebook. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk."	/news/world-europe-guernsey-62442818
sports	Loughgiel 3-6 Drom and Inch 2-6: Shamrocks reach All-Ireland Club Camogie final	"Loughgiel secured a place in the All-Ireland Senior Club Camogie Final by beating Tipperary side Drom and Inch 3-6 to 2-6 at Kinnegad.
Four goals came in the first half with Loughgiel's Annie Lynn and Caitrin Dobbin goaling and Miriam Campion and Eimear McGrath netting for Drom & Inch.
But after leading by two points at the break, Drom & Inch were held scoreless for 22 minutes of the second half.
riod included Roisin McCormick's high ball going all the way to the net.
Further points from McCormick, Lynn and Dobbin helped Loughgiel lead by four and while McGrath got Drom & Inch scoring again, a score by substitute Chloe Higgins helped the Ulster champions qualify for the senior decider for the first time.
re they will meet defending champions Sarsfields of Galway who edged out Dublin side St Vincent's 1-11 to 1-10 in Saturday's other semi-final.
Loughgiel earned their first Ulster title since 2015 three weeks ago as they ended Slaughtneil's hopes of a seventh successive provincial title by securing a 2-13 to 1-11 triumph.
During Slaughtneil's dominant reign in Ulster, they also earned three All-Ireland titles and Loughgiel will be hoping to make their breakthrough at national level in the decider."	/sport/gaelic-games/63930679
sports	Wasps Netball situation 'unprecedented' after holding company goes into administration	"The Netball Players Association (NPA) says the situation at Super League side Wasps is ""unprecedented"" in the sport.
Wasps Holdings Limited, the holding company for Wasps men's and women's rugby teams, plus Wasps Netball, went into administration on Monday.
All members of the playing squads and staff have been made redundant and the NPA said the ""impact"" on the club is ""yet to be fully understood"".
Wasps won the Super League title in 2017, their debut season, and in 2018.
""This is unprecedented in our sport and we will learn and adapt to give the best support that we can,"" said the NPA, adding that it was ""deeply saddened"" by Monday's news.
In a statement, the organisation run and managed by current and retired netball players added: ""We will continue conversations with England Netball and the wider netball community to try and find solutions for players where we can, and provide them with the individual support they may need in the coming weeks and months.
""All NPA members at Wasps have been contacted over the last few days and we will continue to offer them support.""
Governing body England Netball said in a statement: ""We had sincerely hoped that an appropriate solution could have been found to ensure the survival of Wasps Holdings Limited, and whilst we process exactly what this news means for the future of Wasps Netball, our thoughts are with the club, its players and their wider support team during this incredibly difficult time. 
""We will continue to work together with all relevant parties including the Netball Players Association, and are committed to exploring solutions to protect netball opportunities at community, pathway and elite level."""	/sport/netball/63292115
politics	Strikes Q&A: What are they and how are they called?	"Wales and the rest of the UK are facing a wave of strikes in key services the like of which hasn't been seen for decades and many of us have never experienced.
Health workers (apart from Scotland), rail, postal staff and border force staff are amongst those demanding better working conditions and pay increases as prices keep rising.
But who calls a strike and what are the rules on workers refusing to do their jobs?
A strike is when workers formally agree among themselves to stop working because they believe they are not being treated fairly by their employer.
Strikes can take place for all sorts of reasons, but they tend to be over how much people are paid and/or their working conditions.
Yes, it is, provided the trade union representing the workers involved has followed strict rules set down in law for strikes (we'll come on to the role of trade unions in a bit).
A strike can only take place legally when a majority of trade unions members in a place of work agree to the action through a formal vote, or ballot.
means that if less than half of a union's members vote the strike is not legal.
why nurses at Aneurin Bevan health board are not striking alongside Royal College of Nursing members in the rest of Wales. The 50% turnout in the ballot was not reached in that health board area. 
Members must vote on a piece of paper and return their ballot in a prepaid envelope.
Other rules include requiring unions to give employers are least 14 days notice that they are to begin strike action, unless it is agreed with the employer that seven days notice is enough.
urts can stop a strike from taking place if the rules have not been followed.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was working on ""new tough laws"" to protect people from strike disruption.
A bill has been introduced to the UK Parliament to ensure minimum service levels on transport networks during strikes but it is yet to be debated by MPs and peers.
Downing Street has said the legislation would be extended to other services but would not specify which services or when this might happen.
Asked by the BBC if he would consider banning strikes in emergency services, the prime minister said the ""government is always going to be reasonable"" but refused to rule it out.
No. Strike action is banned in a limited number of jobs. This includes the police, the armed forces and prison officers.
Workers who are not a member of a trade union are also allowed to strike, alongside union members, provided the  strike is legal.
Pay is normally deducted from salaries for each day they are on strike, unless the strike takes place on a day in which they would not normally work.
Individual workers join trade union to negotiate on their behalf with employers with the aim of getting better pay or working conditions.
A union might ask its members if they want to strike, through a ballot, if union leaders feel the employer is not offering as much as they should. 
Sometime deals can be reached during the process of consulting workers on strike action, meaning the action doesn't take place.
Unions can also, for example, act on behalf of a worker who is facing disciplinary action from their employer. 
Unions are funded by workers through a deduction from their wages.
According to official figures published in May, 23.1% of UK employees were trade union members last year.
However, despite a decline in membership in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, the proportion of members in Wales had risen by 3.7 percentage points to 35.6%, its highest since 2014. "	/news/uk-wales-politics-64039394
health	Protests erupt after deadly China residential fire	"Clips shared on social media in China appear to show fresh protests against Covid restrictions, after an apartment block fire killed 10 people.
Demonstrators were filmed confronting officials in the city of Urumqi, and shouting ""end the Covid lockdown"".
Beijing continues to pursue a zero-Covid policy, despite record infection numbers and growing public anger.
Authorities have denied claims that restrictions stopped people escaping Thursday's fire."	/news/world-asia-china-63767153
health	Hove secondary school pupil dies with suspected strep A	"A secondary school pupil has died with suspected strep A in East Sussex, officials have said.
Hove Park School in Hove, a joint statement from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Brighton & Hove City Council said. 
As of Thursday, 15 UK children had died after invasive strep A infections since September.
f the pupil in Brighton with suspected strep A brings that number to 16.
Most strep A infections are mild, but more severe invasive cases - while still rare - are rising.
Public health officials in Brighton and Hove said they were working with the school to raise awareness among parents about the signs of strep A infections and what to do if a child develops them.
ge and gender of the child have not been disclosed.
Dr Rachael Hornigold, consultant in health protection at UKHSA South East, said: ""We are extremely saddened to hear about the death of a young child, and our thoughts are with their family, friends and the local community.""
Alistair Hill, director of Public Health at Brighton & Hove City Council, said: ""We are working with the UK Health Security Agency and Hove Park School following the death of a pupil who attended the school. 
""We offer our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and the whole school community who will all be deeply affected by the very tragic loss of this young child, and we are providing our support to them at this incredibly sad time.""
Normally, mild strep A infections cause symptoms like a sore throat or skin infections.
ug can also cause scarlet fever - with a sore throat, skin rash that feels like sandpaper, a high temperature and a so-called ""strawberry tongue"".
It is treated with antibiotics which may also help reduce the risk of complications and spread of the bug.
You can read more about Strep A here.
Data as of Thursday from the UKHSA showed 13 children aged under 15 had died in England since September.
wo other deaths of children had been recorded in Belfast and Wales, taking the UK total to 15 at that point.
Mr Hill said that contracting strep A from another person was ""very rare"" and most people who come into contact with strep A infections ""remain well and symptom-free - and therefore there is no reason for children to be kept home if well"".
Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk. "	/news/uk-england-sussex-63922734
politics	COP27: Jailed activist Alaa Abdel Fattah stops drinking water	"Jailed British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah has stopped drinking water as he steps up his hunger strike to coincide with the start of the COP27 summit, his sister has said.
Calls for his release escalated after the climate summit opened in Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt on Sunday.
40 year old has consumed just 100 calories for more than 200 days to push Egypt to allow him UK consular access.
UK PM Rishi Sunak has said he will raise the issue at the COP summit.
Abdel Fattah, a key activist in the 2011 Arab Spring, is currently serving a five-year sentence for spreading false news.
His sister, Sanaa Seif, has warned that her brother's hunger and water strike may mean he could die before the end of the summit.
Speaking to Sky News, she urged the British government to be ""responsible for getting us proof of life"".
Mr Sunak wrote to Abdel Fattah's family and said he would raise his imprisonment with the Egyptian government and reply again by the end of the summit.
He said the activist's case is ""a priority for the British government both as a human rights defender and as a British national"".
Ms Seif, a 28-year-old human rights activist who has served three prison sentences in Egypt herself on charges that fellow activists condemned as bogus, has been protesting outside the Foreign Office in London along with family members for her brother's release.
She expressed concerns that Downing Street's engagement with the Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi would come too late.
Amnesty International Secretary General Agnes Callamard said Abdel Fattah ""must be released"" and warned that he may only have 72 hours to live.
""Let's be very clear, we're running out of time,"" she said in Cairo on Sunday. ""So if the authorities do not want to end up with a death they should have and could have prevented, they must act now.
""If they don't, that death will be in every single discussion in this COP.""
Abdel Fattah's aunt, Ahdaf Soueif, told the BBC that the summit could be his last chance to be saved and to be released.
She urged Mr Sunak to secure her nephew's release.
""It means we really only have a few days,"" she said. ""None of us have any reason to believe that the regime will ever ever let him go.""
""He has known for a while that he's had enough, that he cannot live like this. And this is now his opportunity and all of ours really to bring matters to a head.
""He's betting on us and on the community inside Egypt that wants him released and on the international community that's making a noise for him.""
She said the UK government could use its influence to have him released.
""This is all in the hands of the British government to facilitate... it would be very difficult for the UK to do business as usual with Egypt unless this case is resolved. 
""And I think if the British government is serious and if Rishi Sunak says this convincingly, Alaa will be on a plane to London.""
Abdel Fattah played a key role in the protests that toppled the former Egyptian leader, Hosni Mubarak, from power in 2011.
He has been in jail for nine years and was sentenced to a further five years in 2021 on charges of ""broadcasting false news"" - a charge human rights groups condemned as spurious.
He received British citizenship in December 2021 through his London-born mother.
Human rights groups have said he is one of an estimated 60,000 Egyptian political prisoners and have accused the government in Cairo of trying to ""greenwash"" its repressive reputation through its hosting of the climate summit.
Egyptian government has insisted there are no political prisoners in the country."	/news/world-middle-east-63534578
technology	Elon Musk suspends Kanye West from Twitter for inciting violence	"Kanye West has been suspended from Twitter and accused of ""inciting violence"" over offensive tweets - just two months after his last ban.
US rapper, who now goes by the name Ye, posted a series of erratic tweets - one of which appeared to show a symbol combining a swastika and a Jewish star.
witter's new boss Elon Musk was asked by one user to ""fix Kanye"".
West had ""violated our rule against incitement to violence"", Musk tweeted.
""Account will be suspended,"" Musk wrote in a Twitter post.
Also on Thursday, during an interview with US conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and with his face covered in a mask, West praised Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and ranted about sin, pornography and the devil.
f the UK's Holocaust Educational Trust described West's comments as ""repulsive and sickening"". 
""These comments mixed with his high profile and huge following have dangerous consequences,"" chief executive Karen Pollock said.
In recent months West has caused controversy with a series of antisemitic and racist remarks - leading to clothing giant Adidas cutting ties with the rapper.
West was initially locked out of his Twitter and Instagram accounts after posting antisemitic messages in October. Both platforms removed West's posts - which accused rapper Diddy of being controlled by Jewish people - saying the star had violated policies on hate speech.
me in response to a backlash against his show at Paris Fashion Week, where he wore a T-shirt carrying the slogan ""White Lives Matter"".
Anti-Defamation League in the US branded his phrase ""hate speech"" and attributed it to white supremacists, who began using it in 2015 in response to the Black Lives Matter movement.
Earlier this year, West was suspended from Instagram for 24 hours in March after using a racial slur in reference to comedian Trevor Noah.
In 2018, singer Will.i.am led a backlash against West after he claimed the enslavement of African-Americans over centuries may have been a ""choice"" - remarks he later tried to clarify.
His latest Twitter ban comes hours after the right-wing social media platform Parler - which styles itself as a ""free speech"" alternative to mainstream platforms - said West could no longer buy the firm.
In a statement, Parlement Technologies said: ""The company has mutually agreed with Ye to terminate the intent of sale."" 
firm - which runs the much smaller platform, popular with conservatives and the far right - said the decision was made in mid-November.
""Parler will continue to pursue future opportunities for growth and the evolution of the platform for our vibrant community,"" the firm said in its statement.
Musk took control over Twitter in October and immediately embarked on a series of radical changes within the social media giant - including lifting the bans on controversial accounts.
He has clarified that he had no role in bringing West back on Twitter, saying the account was restored before he acquired the social media platform.
West was diagnosed with bipolar disorder years ago and has publicly spoken about his challenges with his mental health.
However, medical experts and people who share West's condition have warned that mental health problems do not go hand-in-hand with antisemitism."	/news/business-63826675
politics	Rishi Sunak speaks of safety fears for daughter	"Rishi Sunak has spoken of his fears for his daughter's safety on her walk to school following a number of crimes against women and girls. 
PM said ""events of the last year showed us that so many women and girls have not felt as safe as they should."" 
He mentioned the case of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel shot in her home earlier this year in Liverpool.
""I want to make sure that my kids and everyone else can walk around safely,"" the PM said. 
He said in the past he and ""many of us men"" had taken safety ""for granted"".
""So tackling that and making it safer for people is something that's just personally quite important to me."" 
rime minister said his eldest child had wanted to walk to her primary school by herself when she turned 11, adding this had been the reason why his family had previously moved out of their Downing Street flat and closer to her school before he resigned as chancellor.
He said: ""It brings it home to you as a parent and again over the summer the awful things that we read about with the young girl Olivia [Pratt-Korbel], which we'll all remember.
""I want to make sure that my kids and everyone else can walk around safely.
""That's what any parent wants for their children.""
On tackling crime, he said people in disadvantaged backgrounds were more likely to be affected by crime and he wanted to ""deliver for those people"" by putting more police officers on the street.
In 2019 the government pledged to recruit 20,000 additional police officers in England and Wales by March 2023, in an attempt to reverse cuts since 2010, which had seen the number fall by about 19,000.
Labour has accused the government of ""taking an axe to the vital services that are there to protect us all"".
Pushed on whether the number of people in prison should be higher, Mr Sunak said this was a ""logical consequence of catching more criminals"" and the government was building 10,000 more prison places over the next few years. 
He said he was not particularly comfortable with prison numbers going up, but the funding was in place to have the capacity to do it.
Mr Sunak was speaking to reporters while flying to Bali last Sunday, for his first G20 summit since becoming prime minister.
Asked about life back in Downing Street, he said moving back into the flat the family lived in  when he was chancellor above No 10 had made the transition ""easier than it otherwise might have been""."	/news/uk-politics-63676396
technology	Molly Russell inquest: Pinterest executive admits site was not safe	"A senior executive at social media site Pinterest has said he is ""sorry"" for content viewed by a 14-year-old who took her own life after viewing it.
Judson Hoffman admitted at an inquest that when Molly Russell was viewing the content on the platform in 2017, the site was not safe.
Molly, from Harrow, north-west London, died in November 2017. 
Her father, Ian, earlier told North London Coroner's Court that social media was instrumental in her death.
Mr Hoffman, Pinterest's global head of community operations, said he was ""not able to answer"" how children could agree to potentially being exposed to content inappropriate for a child.
In the platform's terms of service, displayed to the court, users were asked to report ""bad stuff"" if they saw it on the site. The terms of service, from November 2016, said users might be exposed to material that was ""inappropriate to children"".
Russell family's barrister, Oliver Sanders KC, asked: ""Bearing in mind it might be children who are opening the account… when a user opens an account they have to agree there may be content that's inappropriate for a child. If the user is a child, how can they agree to that?""
""I'm sorry, I'm not able to answer that,"" Mr Hoffman said.
Mr Hoffman said he deeply regretted that Molly saw content relating to self-harm, suicide and depression on the platform.
He was taken through a number of images the company had sent to Molly via email before her death, with headings such as ""10 depression pins you might like"" and ""depression recovery, depressed girl and more pins trending on Pinterest"".
mails also contained images about which Mr Sanders asked Mr Hoffman if he believed they were ""safe for children to see"".
Mr Hoffman replied: ""So, I want to be careful here because of the guidance that we have seen.
""I will say that this is the type of content that we wouldn't like anyone spending a lot of time with.""
Mr Sanders said ""particularly children"" would find it ""very difficult… to make sense"" of the content, to which Mr Hoffman replied: ""Yes.""
urt heard how Pinterest used artificial intelligence and human moderators to hide or remove content related to self-harm and suicide, a system that was ""largely successful"" but users might still encounter such content.
Family barrister Mr Sanders suggested to Mr Hoffman the platform had ""chosen to take a risk"" when there was a ""no-risk option"" of not allowing children on Pinterest.
Mr Hoffman replied: ""I would say 'chosen an option other than absolutely no risk', I would not say 'risky option'… obviously our intention is to reduce the risk.""
ring was shown two streams of content Molly had seen on Pinterest, comparing the material she viewed earlier in her use of the platform and in the months closer to her death. 
While the earlier stream of content included a wide variety of content, the latter focused on depression, self-harm and suicide.
Asked by Mr Sanders if he agreed that the type of content had changed, Mr Hoffman said: ""I do and it's important to note, and I deeply regret that she was able to access some of the content shown.""
Mr Hoffman agreed the platform was not safe when Molly used it - and admits harmful content still ""likely exists"" on the site.
Mr Sanders asked: ""Pinterest accepts that its platform should be safe for children?""
Mr Hoffman replied: ""It should be safe for everyone on the platform.""
Mr Sanders continued: ""And it accepts that in 2017, when Molly was on it, it wasn't safe?""
Mr Hoffman replied: ""That's correct, there was content that should have been removed that was not removed.
""Content that violates our policies still likely exists on our platform. It's safe but imperfect and we strive every day to make it safer and safer.""
Coroner Andrew Walker asked: ""It's not as safe as it could be?""
Mr Hoffman replied: ""Yes, because it could be perfect.""
Earlier in the day, the inquest also heard how Molly tried to ask for help from celebrities.
Molly's father, Ian Russell, said his daughter had reached out for help on Twitter to personalities with thousands or even millions of followers, who would not even necessarily notice a tweet from someone like Molly.
He added: ""She was calling out to an empty void.""
One message, sent to US actress Lili Reinhart, which was read to the court, said: ""I can't take it any more. I need to reach out to someone, I just can't take it.""
Mr Russell, who previously told the inquest he was shocked that ""dark, graphic, harmful material"" was readily available to be seen by children online, questioned how Molly knew ""how to get into this state"" and he ""found it hard to believe that some of the most powerful global brands in the world"" could not find a way to help prevent such content reaching vulnerable people.
If you've been affected by self-harm or emotional distress, help and support is available via the BBC Action Line.
Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hellobbclondon@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-london-62991510
technology	BeReal: Can my post get me in trouble at work?	"When you read it's ""Time to BeReal!"" on your phone, the expectations are clear. You open the app, take a picture of yourself and whatever's in front of you. 
It could be the meal you've just cooked, the TV show you're watching, or your computer screen at work. 
But as the app grows in popularity, do we need to be more careful what we post when we're on shift?
Or is zooming in on your friend's work computer just innocent fun?
was released in 2020, but started to get much more popular in mid-2022. Some reports say BeReal has had more than 27 million downloads worldwide. 
If you're not familiar with it, it's a social media platform that notifies all users simultaneously at a random time every day. It gives you just two minutes to stop and take a picture of your surroundings.
kes you off-guard, forcing you to be more ""real"" than you might be when curating, for example, an Instagram story. 
Once you've posted, you can scroll through all of your friends' posts and see what they're up to. 
Most users will admit they've enjoyed zooming in to their friends' screen to see the way they type on email, or what task they're up to.
But talk has since turned to whether that's allowed - with people flagging data protection and privacy concerns.
It's ""definitely a bad idea"" to take a BeReal of your work screen, says Emma Green, a data protection expert and managing partner at Cyber Data Law Solicitors.
She says there are a number of factors to consider.
""Firstly, you will more than likely be breaking data protection laws if there's any personal data on those screens.""
's any information linked to a person that makes them identifiable.
So yes, even getting someone's email address in the shot would technically be a breach of the law.
More importantly, Emma stresses that taking any photo of your workplace screen is very likely to be a breach of company rules.
""Probably in your employment contract, there will be a duty of confidentiality as an employee not to disclose confidential information about the company that may well be on those screens and even in the office in the background,"" she says.
Even though you can choose who to be friends with on the BeReal app, Emma says once something is posted you can never be sure who will see it. Screenshots could be taken, or phones passed around among friends. 
""Especially if people are zooming in and reading emails, you may well be in breach of contract,"" she says.
""It could lead to disciplinaries, and so you could find yourself in a lot of trouble with your employer.""
You might be thinking this advice is dramatic, and be tempted to snap that photo next time your BeReal alert goes off.
But Emma's key advice is that the post isn't worth the hassle it might cause. 
Even if it's meant to be an innocent picture, shared among friends, if it ends up further than that you could be in trouble. 
""'I wasn't aware' or 'I didn't realise' is not a defence, unfortunately,"" Emma says.
Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. "	/news/newsbeat-62795955
politics	Sturgeon breached ministerial code over ferry meeting, say Tories	"Scottish Conservatives have called on Nicola Sturgeon to refer herself for ""clear breaches"" of the ministerial code during the ferries fiasco.
used the first minister of failing to properly record a meeting with the then Ferguson Marine shipyard owner Jim McColl in May 2017. 
rty also alleges Ms Sturgeon failed to have a civil servant present.
A Scottish government spokesperson said the first minister had ""complied in full"" with the obligations of the code. 
mplaint follows evidence given by Ms Sturgeon to Holyrood's public audit committee last month.
She told committee members at the time she would provide details of the meeting with Mr McColl.
But Scottish Tory chairman Craig Hoy insists files lodged with the committee ""contain no substantive record of it"".
He says an email sent by an unnamed special adviser who was at the meeting does not contain the ""basic facts"" required to be recorded under the ministerial code.
Mr Hoy said: ""The email evidence which the first minister presents as the supposed minute of a meeting with Jim McColl is nothing of the sort because it reveals very little about what was actually discussed.
""This is made more worrying by the fact that Mr McColl has given a very different account of the discussion.
""Nicola Sturgeon also appears to have forgotten the clear distinction between special advisers and civil service officials.""
Mr Hoy added: ""Her evasiveness under questioning from the committee last month set alarm bells ringing, and the lack of detail in her subsequent correspondence adds to the suspicion that she has something to hide.
""The public deserves to know the truth. That's why, in addition to referring herself, Nicola Sturgeon must agree to hold a full, independent public inquiry into the whole ferries scandal.""
Earlier this week, Mr McColl claimed ministers later wasted £200m by rejecting an offer to end the impasse over two CalMac ferries.
Mr McColl revealed details of a proposal he made in 2019 to split the cost of finishing the ships, and limit the government's contribution to £50m. 
Instead, the shipyard in Port Glasgow was nationalised and the bill for completing the vessels has since risen by about £240m. 
riginal contract was for £97m, and £83m had been handed over to FMEL by the time it went bust. It was agreed that CMAL would not have to pay any more money. 
After the yard was nationalised in 2019, ""turnaround director"" Tim Hair estimated it would cost a further £110m-£114m to complete the ships. 
By March this year that figure had risen to £119m-£123m but in September new Ferguson boss David Tydeman advised MSPs the figure would probably rise to nearly £210m. 
rd's estimate is therefore £83m + £210m = £293m. 
Many commentators, including the Auditor General of Scotland, believe that £45m of written down government loans to FMEL should also be included - taking the total to £338m. That is £240m above the original contract price. 
re are also some additional costs that others believe could be added in. The process of nationalising the shipyard cost £8.3m. Troubleshooter Tim Hair was taken on at a daily rate of about £2,500. By the time he left earlier this year, he had billed the government nearly £2m for 595 days' work. 
government said Mr McColl's proposal breached EU state aid rules.
Mr McColl gave details of the offer, including legal advice that it was compliant with EU rules, in his latest submission to the public audit committee inquiry. 
ffer was made in the spring of 2019 when relations between Mr McColl's company Ferguson Marine Engineering Ltd (FMEL) and government ferries agency CMAL had completely broken down.
Ms Sturgeon has previously told the MSPs that Mr McColl's last-ditch offer was ""rigorously assessed"" but could not be considered for ""a range of state aid and legal procurement issues"".
A Scottish government spokesperson said the May 2017 meeting between Ms Sturgeon and Mr McColl ""was arranged through the civil service and so, by definition, officials were aware of the details"".
kesperson added: ""The meeting was recorded in the official record of ministerial engagements published by the government. An official - a special adviser - was present and a brief note of the outcome recorded. To claim otherwise is factually wrong.
""In evidence to the committee, the first minister gave a commitment to see whether information relating to actions resulting from the meeting could be made available. This has been done.""
government regards special advisers as temporary civil servants, therefore it argues it complied with the ministerial code."	/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-63841683
sports	'I had to be there, it'll only get bigger' - Wales’ first Urban Games goes down a storm	"Cardiff Bay was buzzing with excitement on the weekend with world class champions taking part in Wales’ first Urban Games.
, organised by Welsh youth organisation Urdd Gobaith Cymru, saw Roald Dahl Plass transformed to host BMX, skateboarding, scootering and 3x3 basketball competitions."	/sport/av/wales/61874823
politics	Suella Braverman back as home secretary after resigning	"Suella Braverman has returned to the role of home secretary only six days after she dramatically resigned.
Ms Braverman was forced to step down on what became the final chaotic day of Liz Truss' premiership, after admitting two data breaches.
In her resignation letter, she said she had emailed cabinet papers from a private account, but also attacked Ms Truss's approach to immigration.
Rishi Sunak re-appointed Ms Braverman on his first day in office.
roles of Chancellor, home secretary and foreign secretary are now held by the same people they were seven days ago.
Jeremy Hunt was appointed Chancellor two weeks ago by Ms Truss and reversed much of her tax-cutting mini-budget. James Cleverly, made foreign secretary by Ms Truss, will also remain in post.
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper accused Mr Sunak of ""putting party before country"" in appointing Ms Braverman. 
Ms Braverman threw her support behind Mr Sunak in the contest to replace Ms Truss, in what was widely seen as a significant endorsement by an MP on the right-wing of the Tory party. 
""He said he wants his government to have 'integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level',"" Ms Cooper said.
""Yet he has just appointed Suella Braverman to be home secretary again a week after she resigned for breaches of the Ministerial Code, security lapses, sending sensitive government information through unauthorised personal channels, and following weeks of non-stop public disagreements with other cabinet ministers. 
""Our national security and public safety are too important for this kind of chaos.""
Ms Braverman quit on a chaotic day in parliament
Ms Braverman had been appointed as Attorney General by Boris Johnson in 2020, before becoming Ms Truss's first home secretary.
In her resignation letter last week, Ms Braverman said she had made a ""technical infringement"" of the rules by sending an official document from a personal email and was now taking responsibility.
""I have made a mistake; I accept responsibility; I resign,"" she told the PM in her letter, in a thinly-veiled dig at Ms Truss.
However, she also said she had ""serious concerns about this government's commitment to honouring manifesto commitments, such as reducing overall migration numbers and stopping illegal migration, particularly the dangerous small boats crossings.""
re have been reports that Ms Braverman had been at odds with Ms Truss over plans to relax immigration rules in a bid to boost economic growth.
She was replaced by Grant Shapps, who served in office for only six days."	/news/uk-politics-63393019
health	Disgraced surgeon's patients consider legal action	"Patients of a disgraced former neurosurgeon are considering a class action against NHS Tayside.
ft in chronic pain after operations by Prof Sam Eljamel at Dundee's Ninewells Hospital
A damning Scottish government report last month accused NHS Tayside of letting patients down.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said he expected NHS Tayside to give the issue the highest priority - a police investigation is also ongoing.
Dozens of patients are also calling for an external and independent review of what happened to them.
ged a protest to highlight their cause outside Ninewells Hospital. 
Scottish government has turned down calls for a public inquiry.
Prof Eljamel, the former head of neurosurgery at NHS Tayside in Dundee, harmed dozens of patients before he was suspended in 2013.
He was allowed to voluntarily remove himself from the General Medical Council's register and is now working as a surgeon in Libya.
Elizabeth Rose from L&M MediLaw said she had been approached by some of Eljamel's patients to look into any harm they experienced under his care, as well as the actions or omissions of Tayside Health Board. 
wyer also backed the patients' calls for a public inquiry.
She said: ""Although our investigations are at very early stages, a public inquiry would allow those affected to understand what happened to them and why.""
Jules Rose was among those protesting outside Ninewells Hospital.
After her operation in 2013, Ms Rose discovered that Prof Eljamel had removed her tear gland instead of a tumour on her brain.
She still has not been told exactly when health bosses knew he was a risk to patients.
Ms Rose said that a class action, or group proceeding as it is known in Scotland, was being considered.
However, she said that a public inquiry was the patients' priority.
She said: ""Patients have been complaining to NHS Tayside for years and they have got nowhere.
""They have got every door closed in their face. 
""Why was Tayside allowing the surgeon to continue butchering people for so many years, what were they doing?
""Where were their systems and processes?
""All these questions need answered by external scrutiny.""
An NHS Tayside spokeswoman said the health board was aware of the protest.
She added: ""We continue to be in contact directly with Ms Rose and have offered her another meeting with the Chair, Chief Executive and Medical Director. 
""Ms Rose has advised that she welcomes this further opportunity for discussion.  
""We are also making arrangements for other patients who wish to discuss their circumstances to be invited to a meeting."" "	/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-63877241
health	Fresh nurse strike dates announced in England	"Nurses will go on strike again on 18 and 19 January in England unless pay talks are opened, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has said.
Nurses at more hospital trusts than before will be involved in the strike action in the new year, the union said.
Meanwhile, the GMB union has called off a second day of ambulance strikes planned in England and Wales for 28 December.
But it announced a new co-ordinated walkout on 11 January. 
wo days of nurses strikes were held in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on 15 and 20 December, which resulted in more than 40,000 patient appointments and procedures being rescheduled.
On two consecutive days in January, there will be 12-hour walkouts by nurses at 55 health trusts in England - around a quarter.
Pat Cullen, head of the RCN, said the union had been left ""with no choice"" but to arrange January strikes.
""The government had the opportunity to end this dispute before Christmas but instead they have chosen to push nursing staff out into the cold again in January,"" Ms Cullen said. 
""The public support has been heart-warming and I am more convinced than ever that this is the right thing to do for patients and the future of the NHS.""
Health Secretary Steve Barclay said he was ""disappointed"" by the decision to take further strike action. He said meeting unions' pay demands would mean money being taken away from frontline services, causing delays to patients' treatment.
""Strikes are in no one's best interest, least of all patients, and I urge unions to reconsider further strike action before walkouts have a worse impact on patients,"" he added. 
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was ""really sad"" about the disruption being caused ""to so, so many people's lives, particularly at Christmas time.""
But he insisted he had ""acted fairly and reasonably"" in accepting public sector pay recommendations and could not risk inflation rising any further.
Watch this video quiz to test your knowledge of nurses' pay
In Scotland, NHS workers are to be awarded an average pay increase of 7.5% - but nurses are still expected to announce strike dates in the new year. They rejected the pay deal, alongside midwives and staff belonging to the GMB union.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said the deal was ""the biggest since devolution"" and he had no more money for pay this year - but he said he was prepared to meet unions during the festive period to stop further strike action.
Royal College of Midwives says its members in Scotland may also take action in 2023.
Up to 10,000 ambulance members were expected to walk out on Wednesday 28 December. 
union said it was scrapping the action next week so that ""the public will be able to enjoy Christmas without additional anxiety"".
f strike action on 11 January means GMB workers will again be striking on the same day as ambulance workers represented by Unison. 
It means thousands of paramedics, call handlers and technicians will walk out in nine of England's 10 trusts, and across Wales in the new year.
Unison said yesterday it planned two more days of strikes on 11 and 23 January in London, Yorkshire, the North West, North East and South West.
unions say they want the government to come to the table and negotiate pay in order to help retain staff and improve patient care.
Rachel Harrison, GMB National Secretary, said they were suspending action on 28 December because they had been overwhelmed by ""amazing public support"".
But she said the new January strike date showed the union's commitment to getting higher pay for ambulance staff was ""stronger than ever"".
""The government can now do what ambulance workers and the public want - get round the table and talk pay now. We are here 24/7. Any time, any place,"" she said.  
A Welsh Government spokesperson said: ""We will continue to work to bring together trade unions, employers and government to deliver the best possible outcomes for workers, while continuing to call on the UK government to use the funding it has to provide a fair pay offer to NHS staff and enable us to do the same in Wales.""  "	/news/health-64076956
business	Give details of 'banker bonus' talks, Labour tells government	"Keir Starmer: Government increasing bankers' bonuses
Labour has urged the government to reveal whether the prime minister was ""lobbied"" by bankers for the cap on their bonuses to be lifted.
Financial Times reports that on 7 June, Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak were asked to raise the limit, currently 200% of fixed pay.
Labour's Angela Rayner accused ministers of ""hypocrisy"" at a time when inflation is putting pressure on wages.
government has insisted it is not looking to change bonus rules.
In a recent statement the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said the focus was instead on possibly changing the form in which bonuses were paid out - with potentially more of the awards coming in company shares rather than cash.
meant recipients would be more ""fully invested in the success of the company they run"", it added.
EU-wide cap on bankers' bonuses is normally set at 100% of salary but it can be extended  to as much as 200% of fixed pay if there is explicit shareholder permission.
It was brought in after the 2008 financial crisis. Supporters say it ensures fairness, but opponents argue that removing it for UK-based bankers following Brexit would give the City of London a competitive advantage over its rivals.
Financial Times has reported that, at a virtual meeting featuring Mr Johnson, Mr Sunak, Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey and international bankers, the prospect of the post-Brexit UK lifting of ""unnecessary"" restrictions on bonuses was discussed.
And the i newspaper has reported that Cabinet Office minister Steve Barclay, who is also the prime minister's chief-of-staff, wrote to the chancellor calling for ""deregulatory measures"" to help businesses, including cutting restrictions on director and non-executive director remuneration.
In a letter to Mr Barclay, Labour's deputy leader Ms Rayner says the claims over the meeting on 7 June are of ""huge concern"" and show ""hypocrisy"" when inflation is running at 9.1%, the highest level in 40 years.
""It appears this government's 'new approach' is to prioritise increasing bankers' bonuses rather than helping working people,"" she adds.
Ms Rayner asks for the minutes of the meeting to be released, what ""was promised"" and whether there were further discussions after 7 June.
ubject also came up at Prime Minister's Questions, when Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Johnson had ""rolled over"" on bankers' bonuses.
rime minister replied: ""What we're actually doing is, thanks to the decisions we've taken... putting money into the pockets of people up and down the country - £1,200 more for the eight million most vulnerable households.""
He said the government was able to do this after taking the ""tough decisions"" linked to the pandemic."	/news/uk-politics-61898781
health	Rapid cancer diagnosis centres open in Northern Ireland	"wo specialist clinics aimed at reducing the time it takes for a cancer diagnosis have been opened by the Department of Health.
Rapid Diagnosis Centres are being launched at Whiteabbey Hospital in County Antrim and South Tyrone Hospital in Dungannon.
will treat patients with concerning symptoms which doctors suspect could be cancer.
GPs in Armagh, Dungannon and east Antrim can now refer patients.
res are the first of their kind in Northern Ireland and are a key part of the Department of Health's 10 year Cancer Strategy published in March.
rtment said patients referred to the centres will receive co-ordinated examination and investigations based on their needs in a one-stop environment with rapid reporting of results.
With the patient's consent the Rapid Diagnosis Centre clinician will make an onward referral to the appropriate speciality for patients who require further investigation or treatment.
Department of Health Permanent Secretary Peter May said: ""This is an important step forward in our ability to diagnosis those harder to identify cancers and is a key action set out in the Department's Cancer Strategy.
""Most importantly, there is the opportunity to diagnose more people sooner and to improve both patient experiences and outcomes."" 
Heather Monteverde, Department of Health professional advisor, said the centres will offer GPs access to a fast-track clinic for people who present with vague symptoms which a GP suspects could be cancer. 
""They will not only provide a better diagnostic service for patients and GPs, but will also be more efficient,"" she added.
Kevin McMahon, director of surgical and clinical services in the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, welcomed the opening of the centres.
""While this is initially for the local east Antrim population we look forward to expanding the service to a much wider population in the near future.""
Chief Executive of the Southern Health and Social Care Trust, Dr Maria O'Kane, said she was delighted that South Tyrone Hospital was involved in the pilot. 
""The hospital and our committed team will be involved in this new regional pilot, helping to improve waiting times, enhancing the patient experience and potentially achieving the best possible outcomes for more local people."" "	/news/uk-northern-ireland-64048845
health	Surrey and Sussex NHS Trust declares critical incident	"A record number of patients going to A&E has led Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust to declare a critical incident.
rust said the problems were being made worse through an increase in staff sickness.
One doctor from Brighton, who has worked in A&E for 22 years, said he has seen ""nothing like this"".
Medway Maritime Hospital and the South East Coast Ambulance Service both declared critical incidents this month.
A Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust spokesperson said it faced challenges in discharging patients who were well enough to leave hospital, to create capacity for patients coming in.
rust took the decision to declare a critical incident in order to be able to take additional steps to maintain safe services for patients and cope with the growing pressures.
A spokesman said: ""Due to the significant ongoing pressure on local NHS services, alongside the need to act swiftly to ensure patients continue to receive safe, high quality care, Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust has declared a critical incident.""
In a further statement released on Thursday, deputy chief executive Paul Simpson said the trust had seen ""some improvement"" following a significant number of discharges.
""Preparations are being made to deal with the expected pressures over the weekend,"" he added.
Dr Robert Galloway, Consultant in Emergency Medicine at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, said hospitals were facing deep pressures. 
rust said essential services remain fully open for anyone who needs them and those requiring urgent medical help should continue to come forward. All time critical and cancer surgery continue unaffected.
People should continue to attend planned appointments unless contacted.
Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk. "	/news/uk-england-sussex-64114594
politics	MPs reject Christmas parties on expenses	"Parliament's expenses watchdog is facing a backlash from MPs after it told them they can claim for the cost of an office Christmas party.
Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) announced MPs can this year claim for food, decorations and non-alcoholic drinks.
But MPs on all sides have rejected the guidance, with one calling it ""bonkers"" amid a cost of living crisis.
Ipsa said holding a ""modest gathering"" for staff was ""entirely appropriate"". 
But a spokesman for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he wouldn't be claiming for a party, and that MPs would have to ""justify all spending to their constituents"".
Labour MPs have been told it would ""clearly be inappropriate"" for them to claim for Christmas parties at a time of rising living costs.
John Cryer, chair of the parliamentary Labour Party, said he would be writing to Ipsa to ask them to reconsider their guidance.
Labour frontbencher Jess Phillips said: ""The guidance wasn't made by MPs and yet we will be pilloried for it.
""I think it's really irresponsible to issue this guidance as if MPs have been clamouring for it when I've literally never heard anyone do that.""
Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Wendy Chamberlain said none of her party's MPs would be claiming, adding ""in the middle of a cost of living crisis this is tone deaf from Ipsa"".
Conservative Former Brexit secretary David Davis called the rules ""bonkers"" and said Ipsa had ""missed the mood of the age"".
In a statement, Ipsa defended its approach, saying MPs' staff worked in a ""challenging"" environment and often had to deal with ""distressing"" casework from constituents.
""As employers, it is entirely appropriate that MPs should, if they see fit, reward their staff with a modest gathering at Christmas,"" the statement added. 
""We are clear that alcohol is not included, that any event must represent value for money, is subject to publication for transparency and must not be party political in nature. It must be funded within existing budgets.""
""To suggest that there is anything inappropriate in this is simply incorrect.""
rganisation added that it had produced the guidance in response to requests from MPs for clarification on its expenses policy. 
uthority - which was set up in the wake of the 2009 MPs' expenses scandal - is funded by the Treasury, which in turn raises most of its funds through taxes.
In its update, the body said MPs would be able to claim for ""festive office events"" for staff - but ""value for money should be considered and all claims will be published in the usual manner"".
Ipsa added that all claims ""should represent value for money, especially in the current economic climate"". Claims have to be parliamentary in nature and should not be party-political.
uthority said it would also approve claims of money spent on sending cards to local residents. 
But MPs were explicitly told they cannot use their expenses for a festive or new year calendar, decorations outside their constituency offices, or spend taxpayers' money on alcohol.
Any Christmas cards claimed for must not be sent to ""large groups or all constituents as there is a risk this may not represent value for money and could be considered self-promotional""."	/news/uk-politics-63714892
politics	Plaid Cymru: Adam Price concerned over claims of 'awful culture' in party	"Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price has said he is ""concerned"" over claims of an ""awful culture"" in his party.
Mr Price promised to ask all party staff to share their experiences and said he would learn from them.
But he declined to comment on claims he knew of allegations against a party Senedd member a year ago.
Several sources have said there is substantial unease within the party about the way allegations have been dealt with.
Welsh Parliament's Standards Commissioner is investigating serious allegations made against Rhys ab Owen, MS for South Wales central.
Mr ab Owen is suspended in the meantime. Sources have claimed the allegations were in raised in Plaid a year ago.
BBC Wales also learned earlier this week the party has also commissioned a HR firm to look into misconduct allegations in Plaid Cymru, unrelated to Rhys ab Owen.
One source spoke of an ""awful culture"" in the party and a ""lack of leadership"".
Speaking to BBC Radio Wales Drive with Gareth Lewis, Mr Price said: ""I've made it very clear that Plaid Cymru, like all parties, has to work to improve its culture and ensure that it has a safe and inclusive environment for everyone.
""I'm concerned to read this and we're committed to ensuring that we do practice those values of inclusivity and creating a safe space.
""As a result of these comments, we will be reaching out to all our staff, giving them a space to share their experiences confidentially.
""And we are committed, absolutely, to taking any necessary action as a consequence of learning from them.""
Asked if he knew about the Rhys ab Owen allegations a year ago, he said: ""It's not possible for us to comment on a case which is being investigated at the moment.""
He said he also could not comment on the HR firm's probe."	/news/uk-wales-politics-63669944
entertainment	Taylor Swift: Midnights praised by critics despite lack of radio hits	"r Swift's new album has been met with rave reviews from critics, although some said its subdued tone means it lacks potential hit singles.
Midnights, the singer's 10th original studio album, was awarded five stars by both the Guardian and the Independent.
Guardian said Midnights is a ""cool, collected and mature"" record which is ""packed with fantastic songs"".
But some criticised the lack of radio hits, with the Evening Standard noting there is ""not a smash hit in sight"".
Swift is currently re-recording her early records due to a dispute with music mogul Scooter Braun, but has paused that process to release a new album of original material. 
Midnights is the 32-year-old's first original album in two years and sees her return to a more mainstream sound than the somewhat muted, acoustic tone of her previous two albums.
Her new record retains some of the folksy charm of sister albums Folklore and Evermore, both released in 2020 during the pandemic. But it also sees her re-engage her pop sensibilities, with lyrics that explore more personal subject matters.
Some songs offer fans further insight into the star's normally low-key relationship with her boyfriend, English actor Joe Alwyn.
Swift previously described the album as ""stories of 13 sleepless nights, scattered throughout my life"". 
In a five-star review, the Guardian's Alexis Petridis said Midnights ""delivers her firmly from what she called the 'folklorian woods' of her last two albums back to electronic pop"". 
""There are filtered synth tones, swoops of dubstep-influenced bass, trap and house-inspired beats and effects that warp her voice to a point of androgyny,"" he noted. 
""Confidence is the thing that binds Midnights together. There's a sure-footedness about Swift's songwriting, filled with subtle, brilliant touches.""
Independent's Helen Brown also awarded five stars, writing: ""Over a series of murky electronic grooves (mostly co-written with Jack Antonoff), the pop star unpacks her darkest dreams, deepest doubts and cruellest thoughts. All the while she keeps things just cryptic enough to keep the tension crackling and the speculation buzzing.
""The subtle melodies of Midnights take time to sink their claws in,"" she added. ""But Swift's feline vocal stealth and assured lyrical control ensure she keeps your attention. Turn the lights off and let these songs prowl around you. Just don't expect their meanings to settle too biddably into your lap. Swift's always as elusive as she is allusive.""
However, the Evening Standard's David Smyth was significantly less enthusiastic, awarding the album just two stars.
""It's hard to spot anything that sounds like a smash hit on Swift's third muted collection in a row,"" he wrote.
""While the style is a change from Folklore and Evermore, Swift is never at the ball when the clock strikes 12. On the twinkly Bejeweled she announces that she's 'going out tonight', but the beats remain sleepy and sluggish.
""The brighter Karma, presumably another dig at Braun, is the only song that feels like it could be a highlight when she eventually returns to the stage. Otherwise Midnights sounds ready for bed.""
But Rolling Stone's Brittany Spanos argued that a subtle return to form has resulted in an improved quality of songwriting from the star.
""As Swift has returned to her archive for to undertake the project of re-recording her previous albums, it's clear slipping back into her past self has unlocked something brilliant and fresh in her songwriting,"" she wrote. 
""Midnights may come as a surprise to the most newly turned fans of her music, those who only learned to like her songwriting when it came in the traditionally respectable Folklore/Evermore package.""
Swift is gearing up for a busy few months. She is hoping to be nominated for an Oscar in January, either for her short film All Too Well, or in the best original song category for her track Carolina, taken from Where The Crawdads Sing 
But Midnights will be her main focus for the next few months, with fans anticipating the announcement of a world tour in support of its release.
In a four-star review, the Times' Will Hodgkinson wrote: ""Swift has said she intended Midnights as a concept piece based on 13 nights of troubled sleep, and these variously minimal, eerie, heartfelt and intense songs do have a crepuscular quality that is out of keeping with her usual cheery brightness. 
""Sometimes, as on Labyrinth, the modish vocal treatments are off-putting, but in the main Midnights appeals because, for all its modern touches, it is essentially an old-fashioned singer-songwriter album about human weakness.""
NME's Hannah Mylrea wrote: ""After a foray into a different sonic world, on Swift's return to pure pop she still shimmers.
""She spins these new stories through sleek synth-pop, in common with [previous albums] 1989 or Lover, but the razor-sharp production of these albums is more subtle this time around.""
graph's Neil McCormick praised the album's ""sensuous electro-digital sound"" in his four-star review for the Telegraph, but also highlighted the lack of radio hits. 
""Yet despite the Prince-like falsetto funkiness of opening love song Lavender Haze and glib strut of Bejeweled (""When I walk in a room, I can still make the whole place shimmer"") there are no obvious chart-smashing bangers. 
""It is almost as if she has become too mature for the brand of meme-friendly, earworm pop with which she made her name."""	/news/entertainment-arts-63341633
business	Thai transgender tycoon buys Miss Universe contest	"A Thai celebrity media tycoon - who is a transgender woman - has bought the company that runs the Miss Universe beauty pageants for $20m (£17.1m).
Anne Jakapong Jakrajutatip is the boss of JKN Global Group, which makes television shows in Thailand.
She has starred in the Thai versions of popular reality shows Project Runway and Shark Tank.
Her purchase of the company, which was once co-owned by Donald Trump, comes as the pageant becomes more inclusive.
Ms Jakrajutatip has been outspoken about her experiences as a transgender woman.
She said in a statement that the Miss Universe Organization was a ""strong, strategic addition"" to her company's portfolio.
""We seek not only to continue its legacy of providing a platform to passionate individuals from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and traditions, but also to evolve the brand for the next generation,"" she added.
""Our relationships with global partners and brands have never been stronger, and our progressive approach continues to position us at the forefront of our industry,"" Miss Universe Organization chief executive Amy Emmerich and president Paula Shugart said.
Miss Universe Organization was co-owned by Mr Trump from 1996 to 2015.
former US president sold the company after two television partners said they would not broadcast the pageant, over comments Mr Trump made about illegal immigrants on his 2016 presidential campaign.
He was also criticised when former Miss Universe Alicia Machado claimed Mr Trump called her ""Miss Piggy"".
remarks were made when she put on weight after winning contest in 1996, the Venezuela-born model said.
""When I purchased the pageants many years ago, they were in serious trouble,"" Mr Trump said in a statement following the company's sale to US talent agency WME-IMG in 2015.
""It has been a great honour making them so successful. The pageants are now in the hands of a great company that will shepherd them to even greater levels of success.""
Ms Jakrajutatip's purchase came as the Miss Universe pageant has moved towards being more inclusive.
From next year, organisers have said that married women and mothers will be allowed to compete for the title.
mpetition was previously only open to women who had never been married, and had no children.
geant has been held annually for 71 years and is broadcast in more than 160 countries.
Miss International joins Mrs Galaxy and Ms Great Britain in pageant diversity debate"	/news/business-63408879
sports	Commonwealth Games: Badminton - Men's Singles results	Results from preliminary rounds can be found on the official Commonwealth Games website.external-link	/sport/commonwealth-games/62409162
business	Martin Lewis says energy bills at 'desperate' point	"ring cost of energy has hit crisis point and more help is needed for struggling households, Martin Lewis has told the BBC.
Analysts have forecast the price of bills will rise even further to nearly £4,000 a year for a typical home.
It comes as energy firms Shell and British Gas owner Centrica reported big increases in profits after price hikes. 
Money expert Mr Lewis said people were panicking, warning ""it will be desperate"" when bills rise this winter.
""It's going to throw many households into a terribly difficult financial situation,"" he told the BBC's Today programme.
In recent months, Russia has reduced supplies to Europe and fears are growing it may switch off the taps altogether.
In the face of potential gas supply problems, the wholesale price has soared, which has led to energy firms passing those costs onto customers - pushing up household energy bills by an unprecedented amount.
Mr Lewis said he had ""never seen anything like this"", and that people were going to be pushed into making ""some awful choices"".
""Year-on-year from last October to this October a typical house will be paying £2,300 a year more on their energy bills alone. Forget the rises in mobile and broadband and tax and everything else and petrol and food,"" he said. 
""People will be panicking, it will be desperate.""
government has said that every household in the UK will get an energy bill discount of £400 this autumn as part of a package of new measures to tackle soaring prices.
But Mr Lewis said that more needed to be done now to help the poorest households.
""Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss, Boris Johnson, if you're listening, please, go and sit in a room together, make a collective decision now of what help you can give and make an announcement now to forestall the mental damage that is coming across the country,"" he said.
""There needs to be action now.""
UK energy bills increased by an unprecedented £700 in April and are likely to keep rising. 
One management consultancy, BFY, warned that a typical energy bill could hit £3,850 a year by January, much higher than forecasts earlier this month.
BFY said its forecast reflected the increase in wholesale prices over the past few weeks with the ongoing tensions with Russia sparking concerns over winter supplies.
Faye Dearnaley, a student who lives with her three-year-old daughter in Fife, is one of many scared about soaring bills and said she was ""always checking the meters"".
""It's becoming more and more stressful as the prices are going up.
""I mean the only thing I keep on constantly is my fridge freezer, but I will go eight plus hours a day without having anything else on the house.
Ms Dearnaley, who is studying to be a teacher, said she had been running her laptop down until it was about to go flat and turning her internet off at times ""just to try to save a bit of electric"".
""It's getting ridiculous,"" she said. ""My standing charge for gas has doubled. My standing charge for my electric has trebled.
""You really are watching every single penny just tick away on your smart meter.
""Food banks are a regular occurrence anyway so to frequent them more than I already am is a daunting thought."""	/news/business-62334566
technology	TikTok may be fined £27m for failing to protect children	"kTok could face a £27m fine for failing to protect children's privacy when they're using the platform.
UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) found the video-sharing platform may have processed the data of under-13s without appropriate consent.
watchdog said the breach happened over more than two years - until July 2020 - but that it had not yet drawn final conclusions.
kTok says it disputes the findings, noting that they are ""provisional"". 
ICO has issued TikTok Inc and TikTok Information Technologies UK Limited with a ""notice of intent"" - a legal document which precedes a potential fine. 
ut the ICO's provisional view that TikTok breached UK data protection law between May 2018 and July 2020.
ICO investigation found the social platform may have:
According to Ofcom, 44% of eight to 12-year-olds in the UK use TikTok, despite its policies forbidding under-13s on the platform.
Information Commissioner John Edwards said: ""We all want children to be able to learn and experience the digital world, but with proper data privacy protections. 
""Companies providing digital services have a legal duty to put those protections in place, but our provisional view is that TikTok fell short of meeting that requirement.""
kTok has rolled out a number of features to strengthen the privacy and safety on the site - including allowing parents to link their accounts to their children's, and disabling direct messaging for under-16s.
But Mr Edwards continued: ""I've been clear that our work to better protect children online involves working with organisations, but will also involve enforcement action where necessary.
""In addition to this, we are currently looking into how over 50 different online services are conforming with the Children's Code, and have six ongoing investigations looking into companies providing digital services who haven't, in our initial view, taken their responsibilities around child safety seriously enough.""
Rolled out in September last year, the Children's Code put in place new data protection codes of practice for online services likely to be accessed by children, built on existing data protection laws, with financial penalties a possibility for serious breaches.
ICO said its findings in the notice were provisional, with no conclusion to be drawn at this stage that there had been any breach of data protection law.
It added: ""We will carefully consider any representations from TikTok before taking a final decision.""
A TikTok spokesperson said: ""This notice of intent, covering the period May 2018-July 2020, is provisional and as the ICO itself has stated, no final conclusions can be drawn at this time.
""While we respect the ICO's role in safeguarding privacy in the UK, we disagree with the preliminary views expressed and intend to formally respond to the ICO in due course."" 
In 2019, the firm was given a record $5.7m fine by the Federal Trade Commission, for mishandling children's data.
It has also been fined in South Korea for similar reasons.
In July, the US Senate Commerce Committee voted to approve a measure that would raise the age that children were given special online privacy protections to 16, and prohibit targeted advertising to children without consent.
Follow Shiona McCallum on Twitter @shionamc"	/news/technology-63033263
technology	Ethiopia: ‘We want future generations to have their own African heroes’	"A team of Ethiopian software engineers have created an immersive virtual reality user experience on the Battle of Adwa.
By also digitally preserving Africa's historic sites, the engineers want future generations to learn about their culture and have their own heroes, in a fun way.
Produced by Ashley Lime
Filmed and edited by Yadeta Berhanu"	/news/world-africa-62580391
business	Marks & Spencer speeds up store closure plans	"Marks & Spencer is speeding up a shake-up of its stores with 67 of its bigger shops to shut within five years.  
ures are part of previously announced plans to axe 110 main stores as part of a big overhaul under its previous chief executive Steve Rowe.
But the retailer is now aiming to complete the changes faster than it had originally planned. 
Marks & Spencer also said it will be opening 104 new Simply Food stores.
In a presentation to investors, M&S chief executive Stuart Machin said the retailer aims to have 180 ""full-line"" shops selling food, clothing and homeware products by early 2028, down from 247. That's one in four stores. 
67 to close were ""lower productivity, full line stores.""
mpany wants fewer but better main stores, as shoppers spend more online, as well as to expand its food business.
M&S wants to try to achieve these changes in three years instead of five.
It said stores which have already relocated to newer, more modern sites are performing strongly.
Mr Machin said: ""We are creating a fit-for-the-future store estate, with shops in great locations, that help our customers shop the way they want to.
""We're seeing strong performances from our recently relocated stores and this gives us the confidence to go faster in our rotation plans, while at the same time investing in bigger and better food stores,"" he said.
Many Simply Food stores will reopen in the same area or location as sites earmarked for closure.
M&S did not give details on which locations or how many jobs would be affected by the plans."	/news/business-63224269
entertainment	Jeanne Dielman: Film directed by woman picked as best ever	"A film directed by a woman has been chosen as the greatest of all time by a group of experts.
Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles, directed by Chantal Akerman, has topped the British Film Institute's Sight and Sound poll. 
It is the first time a work directed by a woman has reached the top ten. The poll, which runs every decade, has been criticised for a lack of diversity. 
winning spot was held for 40 years by Orson Welles' Citizen Kane.
It was overtaken in 2012 by Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo. 
Jeanne Dielman, released in 1975, is the story of a Belgian widow who turns to prostitution to make ends meet, but kills one of her clients. The film runs for almost three and a half hours.
ugh not as well-known outside the world of film criticism as previous winners, it has been lauded as a ""masterpiece"", and a ground-breaking piece of feminist film. 
Chantal Akerman, the Belgian director, died in 2015 aged 65.
Lillian Crawford, a film critic and writer who contributed to the poll, said the film was the ""essential text"" in feminist cinema. 
""Jeanne Dielman isn't a film that I would say to someone getting into cinema 'Oh, this is the first film you absolutely must see',"" she told the BBC.
""I think if you're going to work through the list, maybe do it in reverse order and sort of build towards it, because it's quite an ask to invite people to see this. 
""But in an academic sense and thinking about cinema and encouraging more people to seek out experimental film, films by women, and in terms of the history of feminist cinema, this is absolutely the sort of essential text.""
In an article for the British Film Institute, Laura Mulvey, a professor of film studies at Birkbeck University, called the vote a ""sudden shake-up"". 
""Things will never be the same,"" she wrote.
run by the British Film Institute's Sight and Sound magazine each decade since 1952. 
It has faced criticism in the past for a lack of diversity in the experts polled and the list of 100 best films chosen. 
In 2012, Jeanne Dielman was one of just two films directed by women which made it on to the list, along with one by a black director - Djibril Diop Mambéty's Touki Bouki.
Over the years the number and diversity of people consulted have increased. This year, 1,639 critics, programmers, curators, archivists and academics were asked to choose their top ten films. 
Last time's winner, Vertigo, claimed the second spot, while Citizen Kane was third. 
Yasujirō Ozu's Tokyo Story came fourth, followed by Wong Kar Wai's In the Mood for Love in fifth place. "	/news/world-europe-63829976
health	Alopecia: 'I decided I'd had enough of hiding my real self'	"Laura Mathias was just 13 years old when she started losing her hair. She automatically blamed herself.
Her doctor diagnosed her with the autoimmune condition alopecia and said it was caused by stress. Laura's parents were going through a divorce and she was finding life difficult. 
For the next 17 years she kept her hair loss secret, using a series of wigs that irritated her scalp and often made her head bleed.
During the pandemic, Laura found the confidence to leave home in Manningtree, Essex, without her wig and began posting about her condition on Instagram.
Here, in her own words, she describes her hopes for the future now she has learned to embrace living her life as a bald woman.
My hairdresser first found a small bald patch at the back of my scalp when I was 13 and suggested to my mum that we go to a doctor. 
r told me it was alopecia and said not to get stressed because it would get worse, and that if I calmed down it might grow back. Straight away I started blaming myself.
He told me there were some online chatrooms I could use, run by the charity Alopecia UK, but I didn't want to accept what was happening to me.
My parents were arguing all the time and it was incredibly stressful. I was waking up to hair all over my pillow and I was so embarrassed that I stopped going to school. 
I didn't leave the house for six months and everything stopped. I fixated on my exercise bike because it was the only thing I could control and I lost a lot of weight.
Aged 14, I asked my hairdresser to shave my head and help me find a wig. It was actually too big for me and immediately aggravated my scalp. I also suffer from eczema and the wigs made it so much worse for so many years.
I forced myself back to school and was put in the bottom sets, but I managed to argue that I had potential and I should be allowed back in the higher groups. That was make or break and thank goodness I went back, because I don't know where I would be today otherwise. 
I would spend all of my money on expensive wigs to make sure my secret wasn't exposed. I didn't go on holiday or anything because it cost me £3,000 for a wig that would last for two years.
When I left the house it was 'wig Laura'. When I was at home, curtains shut, 'bald Laura'. That is how extreme it was. I didn't see any other option.
I started following the hashtag 'alopecia' on Instagram and suddenly it was like the curtains were drawn back and I thought, 'Oh my god, there are other people like me out there'. 
During the pandemic, I decided I'd had enough of hiding my hair loss. How many years would I have carried on wearing a wig to the point where my head would bleed, if my routine hadn't been disrupted?
In summer 2020, I took part in a photo shoot without my wig to test the water. I started to share my story on social media to build my confidence. 
I felt if I was chronicling it online and people were following me, I had to take my wig off. It was only very recently that I started going out without my wig on a casual basis, and I'm still learning to feel completely comfortable with that.
I've made so many great friends through sharing my story. I've met lots of other young women going through hair loss and it has normalised being bald for me.
I recently met a friend I made online in Rotterdam who lost her hair in her 30s. It has taken me nearly 20 years to accept this, so I'm amazed by people who have gone through this so recently who are at peace with it.
Until I met these people, the only images I was exposed to of bald women were models who were thin with a trendy shaved head. I needed to see real women of all sizes to accept myself. 
re is still such a long way to go. I would love to see patchy hair loss in a magazine and I'd love to see more people with alopecia in the media in general, not just talking about their hair loss.
re was only one place where I was still keeping my hair loss a secret - the workplace. 
I've always kept it hidden in all of the jobs I've had, but I recently got a new job for Save The Children and I decided to change that.
I did my interview on Zoom without a wig on. I haven't gone to the office bald yet, but I have worn my bandana which feels like a massive step. 
It's always stressful starting a new job and I had an eczema flare up and lost my eyelashes. I felt sore and self conscious, so I felt I needed my bandana and I'm OK with that.
I started posting on LinkedIn after the Oscars incident, where Will Smith hit Chris Rock for making a joke about his wife's alopecia. I wanted to give my point of view. The awareness of alopecia after the Oscars was massive, even though it wasn't the most positive of incidents.
LinkedIn recently asked me to take part in the first UK creator accelerator programme and I've really enjoyed working with them. I want to celebrate people with a visible difference who can act as mentors at work, and I hope my ideas can be used to improve the workplace for everyone.
Alongside dealing with alopecia, I was recently diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) and it's really helping me make sense of so many different aspects of my life. 
I wanted to understand myself better and I started reading about women being diagnosed later in life. It made so much sense to me.
I don't have a filter and I struggle to focus, which is a common sign and I am a massive over-sharer. I often go off on tangents and I say 'yes' to everything and get burned out. 
I studied film and literature at the University of Warwick and it was a struggle because I pushed myself so hard at the expense of my health and managed to get a first.
It is exhausting trying to mask it. Standard adult tasks like keeping on top of the washing up and sorting your house out can be difficult. I also believe I have rejection sensitivity dysphoria, which is closely related to ADD, so I feel any sort of rejection so keenly. 
fear of being rejected changes my behaviour and it has impacted my relationships. I've always been told I'm sensitive and I can be too much. It is nice to feel vindicated, I've been coping with my brain working differently. I'm still working it all out but at least I now have a diagnosis.
People who are newly going through hair loss, or sometimes parents, often message me on Instagram. I always make it very clear that every person's experience is unique. A lot of people have a short experience of hair loss and it will come back, they might not have Alopecia Areata, which I originally had, before it developed into Alopecia Universalis, meaning I have no hair at all. I always ask people, 'Do you have people around you who you can talk to about this?'. I signpost them to help from the charity Alopecia UK who I volunteer with. I'm also involved with the charity Changing Faces and took part in their Stop The Stare campaign, which raised awareness about the fact staring can be damaging to the wellbeing of those with a disfigurement or visible difference.
I still notice people staring at me when I'm out without a wig. I think they presume I've got an illness like cancer and I'm going through treatment so I get a lot of sympathetic looks, which makes me feel uncomfortable.
I really hope that future generations won't stare and will just accept us. That's one of the reasons I'm doing as much as I can to raise awareness of alopecia.
I still have days where I feel like I want to wear a wig and I haven't gone to a wedding yet without one, but I'm going out more and more as a proud bald women and I never thought I would be able to do that. It's just nice to have the choice.
I've spent my whole life not wanting to stand out and for people not to realise I'm wearing a wig. But now, I know it doesn't matter if people notice what's on my head or not. 
Living with this visible difference is an integral part of who I am, whether I choose to wear wigs or not, but it's not the only part of my identity. So look at me if you like, ask me questions if you want to know more, but do not think my hair (or lack of it!) is the most interesting thing about me.
As told to Charlie Jones.
Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-essex-63889179
business	Falling pound: What does it mean for me and my finances?	"und fell against the dollar on Friday morning as new figures showed a gloomy picture for the UK economy the day after Prime Minister Liz Truss resigned.
But how could a slide in the value of the pound affect people and businesses in the UK day-to-day?
A fall in the value of the pound will increase the price of goods and services imported into the UK from overseas.
's because when the pound is weak against the dollar or euro, for example, it costs more for companies in the UK to buy things such as food, raw materials or parts from abroad.
Firms could choose to pass on those higher prices to their customers. 
It comes at a time when the cost of living is already increasing at its fastest rate in nearly 40 years, driven by the cost of food and fossil fuels going up.
Lots of different factors can affect whether or not a business might choose to pass on those costs. Supermarkets, for example, might have bought some of their stock in advance.
Paul Davies, chief executive officer at Carlsberg Marston's Brewing Company, suggested the fall of the pound could cause a rise in beer prices.
He told the BBC's Today programme that the drop was ""worrying"" for the British beer industry, which imports beer and hops from Europe and the US. 
Shoppers buying goods from American companies could also see prices spike. California-based Apple recently raised the launch price of its new iPhone 14 Pro range by up to £150 in Britain in comparison with the iPhone 13 Pro, thought by experts to be partly due to the weak pound.
A falling pound is likely to push inflation, which tracks how the cost of living changes over time, higher - if companies choose to pass on those higher costs to consumers.
Bank of England is expected to counter higher inflation by raising interest rates even further. 
It is one way the Bank can try to control rising prices - by increasing the cost of borrowing and encouraging people to borrow less and spend less, as well as saving more.
governor of the Bank of England has warned that interest rates may need to rise by more than previously expected.
About two million people in the UK on a tracker or variable rate mortgage could see their monthly costs going up even further as a result.
Even if you don't have a mortgage, changes in interest rates could still affect you because lenders might choose to increase fees charged on credit cards, bank loans or car loans.
But Sarah Coles, senior personal finance analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, points out that higher rates ""will also hurt borrowers on variable deals"".
In addition, there is still an ""awful long way to go"" before rates on savings accounts start to close the gap with the rising cost of living, she says, denting people's spending power. 
Energy costs are one of the things that are also likely to increase as the value of the pound falls. 
rice of all of the gas that the UK uses is based on the dollar - even if the gas is produced in the UK.
government has had to outline measures to deal with soaring gas and electricity bills faced by households and businesses in the wake of the war in Ukraine.
uded the energy price guarantee, which sets the highest amount suppliers are allowed to charge domestic households for every unit of energy they use. 
Suppliers could come under further strain due to the slide in the value of sterling, although wholesale gas prices have fallen from recent highs.
Household budgets have also been under pressure because of road fuel costs in recent months. 
fact that oil prices are based on the dollar means that petrol could also be more expensive for UK drivers as it costs more to be imported by fuel companies.
Although oil prices have been falling in recent weeks, consumers are not likely to see the benefit at the pump due to the slide in the value of the pound. 
By contrast, some businesses in the UK could get a boost from a fall in the value of the pound against the dollar or euro.
A cheaper pound makes it less expensive for people from around the globe to buy goods and services from British firms, making them more competitive.
It could provide some benefit to firms struggling with additional red tape and customs checks introduced after Brexit. According to recent European figures, exports to the trade bloc declined by nearly 14% in 2021 compared with the year before.
weakness in the pound also makes the UK an attractive place for international investors, particularly from the United States.
UK firms have already seen big takeover bids from investors, such as fashion chain Ted Baker, which recently agreed to be snapped up by the US company behind the likes of Forever 21 and Juicy Couture for £211m.
For people in the UK planning a trip overseas, the plunge in the pound means that their holiday money won't stretch as far on things such as meals out or accommodation.
rticularly the case for anyone planning a trip to the US. 
fall in its value could also see airlines face sharply increased costs, with fuel and aircraft leases often denominated in dollars.
Johan Lundgren, chief executive of EasyJet, said: ""Clearly the dollar is very, very strong. We have a lot of expenditure in dollars and a lot of revenue in pounds.""
But he said that the airline was in a good position because it had ""hedged"", or bought some fuel in advance at a set rate.
""So it has less impact on us than it does on some other airlines,"" he added.
ravel industry expert Simon Calder pointed out that the slump in the value of the pound could make the UK more attractive to inbound visitors looking for a cheaper holiday.
He pointed out that at constant prices, a London hotel room that would have cost $200 (£186) at the start of the year is now only $150."	/news/business-63033110
politics	Rishi Sunak urges allies to boost Ukraine support	"Rishi Sunak has urged European allies to maintain or boost military support for Ukraine over the coming year.
PM kicked off a trip to the Baltic region by announcing the UK would send hundreds of thousands of rounds of artillery ammunition to Ukraine. 
He also said there could not be peace talks until Russia withdrew its troops.
Last week, the BBC reported that the prime minister had asked for an assessment of the progress of the war in Ukraine. 
A Whitehall source told BBC's Newsnight programme: ""Wars aren't won [by dashboards]. Wars are won on instinct. At the start of this it was Boris (Johnson) sitting down and saying: 'Let's just go for this.' So Rishi needs to channel his inner Boris on foreign policy though not of course on anything else.""
Downing Street has insisted Mr Sunak is strongly supportive of Ukraine.
During his trip to eastern Europe, the prime minister also met British troops serving in the Nato military alliance. 
He served mince pieces to soldiers in Estonia and praised their ""selfless dedication and bravery"".
Over the past year, the UK has doubled its presence in the country in response to the build up of Russian troops in Ukraine.
Earlier in the day, Mr Sunak had attended a meeting of the leaders of the Joint Expeditionary Forces (JEF) - a coalition of northern European countries, including Denmark, Estonia, Finland and Latvia.
Addressing the gathering in the Latvian capital Riga, Mr Sunak said it was an ""incredibly important"" time for them to reaffirm their commitment to Ukraine. 
""We must be clear that any unilateral call for a ceasefire by Russia is completely meaningless in the current context.
""I think it would be a false call, it would be used by Russia to regroup, to reinforce their troops and until they have withdrawn from conquered territory, there can and should be no real negotiation.
""But what we can do is think about that time now, think about what we will do with regard to security assurances.""
He added that the group should concentrate on ""degrading Russia's capability to regroup and resupply"".
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky also addressed the meeting, albeit over video link rather than in person. 
He said providing Ukraine with a ""100% air shield"" would be ""one of the most successful steps"" countries could take against Russia. 
He added that Russian missiles had left millions in his country without heat or power. 
Following the summit, Mr Sunak met his Latvian counterpart Krisjanis Karins for talks, during which the pair agreed to work to accelerate trade between their countries. 
Mr Karins tweeted: ""As close and likeminded allies our countries have a shared commitment to regional security and a strong stance in support of Ukraine. Glad we also got to discuss strengthening of economic & high-tech links.""
Mr Sunak then headed to Estonia where he signed a technology partnership with the country's Prime Minister, Kaja Kallas, aimed at improving cooperation on cyber security, connectivity and data."	/news/uk-politics-64027987
sports	Jade Jones: Double Olympic champion wins World Championship bronze in Mexico	"Double Olympic champion Jade Jones won -57kg bronze at the World Taekwondo Championships in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Welsh fighter, 29, was beaten in the semi-final 4-1, 0-4, 3-8 by China's Zuo Longshi, who went on to win gold.
Jones, the 2019 world champion, had enjoyed comfortable progress to the last four, including a 7-1, 12-6 quarter-final win against Kamila Aimukasheva of Kazakhstan.
mpionships continue with Lauren Williams and Aaliyah Powell on Tuesday.
Jones' compatriot Williams, a double junior world champion, fights in the -67kg competition.
English fighter Powell, a 2019 world bronze medallist, competes in the -62kg class.
Find out how to get into taekwondo in our special guide."	/sport/taekwondo/63623002
entertainment	David Amess: Charity Christmas single release for murdered MP	"A charity choir is to release a Christmas single in tribute to their late president, Sir David Amess.
Music Man Project has teamed up with the Royal Marines Band to create the Christmas single, Music Is Magic.
Sir David, the former MP for Southend West, was fatally stabbed during a constituency surgery in October 2021. 
music education charity, which works with people with learning disabilities, sang at his funeral mass in Westminster Cathedral.
David Stanley, who founded the Music Man Project in 2000 in Southend, said the charity single was a fitting tribute to Sir David, who had been involved with the project for more than 20 years, becoming its president.
Proceeds from the single will go to supporting learning disabled people across the UK.
""He was our biggest champion,"" Mr Stanley said.
""Those with learning disabilities will often have a physical disability as well and they've got lots of challenges.
""They're the last to really achieve equality in that respect. 
""So I'm doing this through music by putting them out there. And David believed in that. And he really believed in them.""
In 2019, Sir David helped the Music Man Project organise an event in which 200 children with learning disabilities played at the Royal Albert Hall in front of a crowd of 3,000 people.
""(Sir David) said, 'We've conquered the Royal Albert Hall. Next stop is Broadway',"" Mr Stanley remembered.
""That's the ultimate dream.
""So when it came to a tribute, to me this was the best thing ever, because music is magic. It's about bringing people together.
""Our link with the Royal Marines was all about - can the universal language of music connect those elite musicians with my musicians with learning disabilities? And my gosh, the answer is yes.""
Christmas single marks the beginning of a long-term partnership between the charity and the Royal Marines Band.
""We couldn't be prouder of this unique collaboration with The Music Man Project,"" Lt Col Jason Burcham, of the Royal Marines Band Service, said.
""Each performer radiates warmth, energy, and positivity.
""They are also incredibly talented musicians. Rehearsing and recording this single was a wonderful experience.""
Music Is Magic will be released on 16 December. 
Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-essex-63886580
sports	Rio Olympics 2016: Natalia Ishchenko and Svetlana Romashina retain title	"Russia's Natalia Ishchenko and Svetlana Romashina retained their Olympic title in the synchronised swimming duet.
uo have now won gold in three successive Games, having also done so in the team event in Beijing in 2008.
Ishchenko and Romashina scored 98.533 for their superb free routine to finish with an overall total of 194.991.
China's Huang Xuechen and Sun Wenyan took the silver with a score of 192.368, and Japan's Yukiko Inui and Risako Mitsui won bronze with 188.054.
Russia have won gold in both the team and duet competitions at every Olympics since Sydney 2000."	/sport/olympics/37101605
technology	Tory MP Julian Knight warns of face-offs with Musk's Twitter	"Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter could lead to multiple ""face-offs"" with regulators in the UK and the EU, a senior Conservative MP has warned.  
Select committee chair Julian Knight said Mr Musk's support for ""absolute free speech"" could mean governments were faced with repeated calls to widen their regulation of online content.
He told the BBC it would be a case of ""watch and see"".  
On Thursday, it emerged the UK's Online Safety Bill had again been delayed.  
gislation is aimed at making social media firms like Twitter and Facebook accountable for finding and removing harmful content.
Children's charities say it is urgently needed to protect young people from abuse - but civil liberties groups argue it is an attack on free speech.
mammoth bill was put on hold during the summer's Tory leadership contest, amid claims it would be watered down.
Mr Musk has previously spoken of wanting to make Twitter an unfiltered ""common digital town square"", sparking fears the platform could become more abusive and polarised. 
After completing his takeover, he tweeted ""the bird [Twitter's logo] is freed"".  Thierry Breton, EU commissioner for the internal market, responded: ""In Europe, the bird will fly by our rules"".
Under the EU's recently approved Digital Services Act, online platforms which fail to curb illegal online content will face hefty fines.  
But Mr Knight, who chairs the Commons digital, culture, media and sport committee, told the BBC the billionaire had a record of ""rowing back"" on some of his previous statements and had done so again on Friday. 
Mr Musk said: ""Twitter obviously cannot become a free-for-all hellscape, where anything can be said with no consequences"", adding that it would follow ""the laws of the land"" and ""must be warm and welcoming to all"".  
Online Safety Bill would compel social media platforms to remove all illegal content and to take action against designated ""legal but harmful"" material. 
Companies could face fines running into billions of pounds or have access to their sites blocked if they breach the rules. 
During Liz Truss's brief premiership, Commons leader Penny Mordaunt told MPs the bill would return to Parliament for its remaining stages on 1 November. 
But on Thursday, she confirmed it had been pulled from the Parliamentary schedule.
She told MPs the legislation ""remains a priority"", but the government needed to ""ensure that there is time for members to properly look at amendments"".
Another Conservative member of the digital, culture, media and sport committee, former senior cabinet minister Damian Green, told the BBC the bill appeared to be ""up in the air both in terms of content and timing"".  
Mr Knight suggested the legislation drawn up by Boris Johnson's government had been too wide-ranging and needed greater focus. 
He predicted that the protection of children from harmful content and age verification measures would be ""beefed up"", while potentially harmful but legal content for adults might fall outside the bill's scope.    
On Thursday, Labour's Shadow Commons leader Thangam Debbonaire questioned whether the bill had been withdrawn by new prime minister Rishi Sunak to ""appease"" International Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch.
When she was a Tory leadership candidate in July, Ms Badenoch said the Bill in its current form should not become law. If elected, she would ""ensure the Bill doesn't overreach"", she added.
Ms Debbonaire said Parliament had been waiting four years for the Bill to become law. 
""Since the Conservatives first announced their intention to regulate seven other jurisdictions have introduced online safety laws, and in the UK in that time online crime has exploded, child sexual abuse online has become rife, scams have proliferated.
""Every day that goes by without the Bill the suffering continues."" 
Ms Mordaunt insisted the government was ""committed"" to the Bill and it would ""be back in the House shortly"". 
Ian Russell - the father of Molly, 14, who ended her life after viewing self-harm content online - warned the further delay could ""cost vulnerable young lives"". 
He added: ""I hope the assurances I have been given by the Secretary of State [Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Michelle Donelan] that the Bill will be in the Lords by Christmas will prove to be more than just fine words.
""For the sake of our young, who are currently exposed to online dangers on a daily basis, this legislation can't come soon enough.""
Susie Hargreaves, chief executive of the Internet Watch Foundation, said: ""Each day this crucial legislation is delayed is another day imagery of children being sexually abused spreads further online. This is the reality.
""Our hotline analysts see the consequences, and last year they removed more images and videos of children suffering sexual abuse and rape from the internet than ever before.
""We need to see a clear timetable of when this bill will proceed to give victims the confidence that this Bill is still a Government priority."" 
Free speech campaigners have called for the legislation to be scrapped. 
Monica Horten, policy manager of the Open Rights Group, said: ""The privacy of 40 million chat users is threatened by this Bill.
""There will be constant surveillance of what they say and send. The Bill will create everyday censorship where the Computer Says No to perfectly legal content, with no proper process of review."" "	/news/uk-politics-63426734
business	Rivals row over deal for failed energy firm Bulb	"Octopus Energy's acquisition of collapsed supplier Bulb could face further delays after rival firms challenged the deal in court.
Bulb, which had about 1.6 million customers, collapsed last year when wholesale gas prices soared.
It was bailed out by the government and is currently being run by administrators.
A deal for Octopus to buy Bulb was agreed, but Eon, British Gas and Scottish Power oppose it.
On Tuesday, the three rival firms filed judicial review applications at London's High Court, challenging the government's decision to approve the takeover and to provide funding to allow the deal for Octopus to buy Bulb to take place.
A judicial review is a type of court case that allows the legality of a government decision to be challenged.
ue of the Octopus Energy deal has not been published but the BBC understands the firm paid the government between £100m and £200m. The deal needs to be approved by the High Court to be completed.
Stephen Robins KC, for Scottish Power, said in written submissions that the marketing of the Bulb sale was ""defective"" and should be re-run to allow for alternative bids.
He said Octopus had effectively received a ""cash gift"" or ""dowry"" from the government in relation to the transaction, full details of which rivals had not seen.
Jonathan Adkin, representing British Gas, said in the court hearing there had been an ""abject lack of transparency"" about the commercial terms of the deal.
Meanwhile, lawyers representing Bulb's administrators urged the judge to set a date for the deal to go ahead, despite the pending legal challenges.
Richard Fisher KC, representing Bulb's administrators from the Teneo consultancy firm, rejected Scottish Power's ""highly controversial"" version of events and said in written submissions that other energy companies had decided to ""walk away"" from the sale process.
Judge Anthony Zacaroli said he would give a decision on Wednesday whether to set a date for the deal to go ahead.
Octopus said the company ""will continue to work hard to get this resolved as fast as possible"", while a spokesperson for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) said it could not comment on the legal proceedings.
Bulb was the biggest of more than 30 energy companies that collapsed last year following a spike in wholesale gas prices.
Bulb's bailout was the biggest one by the state since the Royal Bank of Scotland collapse during the 2008 financial crisis. The government's official budget forecaster, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), has said the support for the firm will cost around £6.5bn to taxpayers.
BEIS agreed a deal with Octopus to buy Bulb in October and it was expected to be completed by the end of November.
But the acquisition was delayed after Eon, British Gas and Scottish Power raised concerns earlier this month."	/news/business-63800602
sports	Ukraine conflict: Olympic karate medallist Stanislav Horuna 'ready to fight' Russia	"Ukrainian Olympic karate medallist Stanislav Horuna says he is ready to fight for his country after joining the nation's defence against Russia.
Horuna has no previous military experience but says he is prepared to protect Lviv, where he was born. 
33-year-old won a bronze medal in the men's -75kg category at the Tokyo Games last summer. 
""Mentally I am ready, ready to fight. Because I know I am not attacking, I am defending,"" Horuna told Radio 5 Live. 
More than 1.7 million people have fled Ukraine because of the Russian invasion, according to the United Nations, many of whom have crossed to neighbouring countries such as Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary and Moldova.
Horuna is one of the Ukrainian soldiers helping people who have been forced to leave their homes during the conflict. 
Horuna's life has changed dramatically since standing on an Olympic podium to receive his medal less than a year ago, but he believes that Ukraine ""will soon be back to normal life"". 
""Of course not all Ukraine as many cities are totally destroyed, some cities are half destroyed and of course those people who left their homes and cities, now they are refugees,"" he added. 
""Many of them have left the country and their lives changed completely. I stay in a relatively safe place and we are trying to help those people who have left their houses.""
Horuna is one of several Ukrainian sportspeople to have joined their nation's military effort, including tennis player Sergiy Stakhovsky, heavyweight champion boxer Oleksandr Usyk and three-weight champion fighter Vasiliy Lomachenko.
Brothers Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, both former heavyweight world champions, are also defending their homeland.
When asked if he has been treated differently because of his sporting success, Horuna said: ""I consider myself just another man on the barricades. 
""I do the same that other people do. We stay together and we resist. We help each other, we are so united and stronger than ever before. 
""And I don't see anything heroic in my decision to join the army, because everyone here is doing the same.""
wo months before his achievement in Tokyo, Horuna became the European champion in his category by defeating Azerbaijan's five-time world champion Rafael Aghayev, and he has no doubt that he will return to his karate training in the near future. 
""I guess in 10 days, maybe two weeks we will win this war and my theory is life will get back to normal,"" he said. 
""And I will be able to visit my gym, my dojo and continue my regular training. And I will start the preparation for the next tournament or championship. 
""We will see - I hope and believe it will finish soon because Russian army is running out of resources."""	/sport/karate/60654026
politics	Scottish parliament apologises after suffragette scarf row	"Alison Johnstone: ""We actively support and promote universal suffrage in a number of ways at Holyrood.""
Scottish Parliament's presiding officer has apologised after a woman was ejected from a committee meeting for refusing to remove a scarf in suffragette colours.
woman was asked to leave a session of the equalities committee, which was discussing proposed reforms to Scotland's gender recognition laws.
Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone later said her removal was an error.
She said suffrage colours were not banned from Holyrood.
woman, who had been sitting in the public seats, tweeted a picture of her green, purple and white scarf shortly after being removed from the meeting of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee on Tuesday morning. 
Under the Twitter handle Obsolesence, she said: ""I have just been asked to remove my new scarf. I refused because its lovely & inoffensive.
""Apparently (the Scottish Parliament) believes these colours are unacceptable while several MSPs wear rainbow lanyards.""
urs have been associated with the suffragette movement, which campaigned for women to be given the right to vote in the early 20th century. More recently, they have also become associated with those opposed to changes to gender recognition laws.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon wore a suffragette scarf to mark the centenary of women winning the right to vote in 2018, and the Scottish Conservatives said items bearing the colours are on sale in the Scottish Parliament gift shop.
Ms Johnstone later told the Holyrood chamber that staff had removed the woman due to visitor rules on ""the display of banners, flags or political slogans, including on clothing and accessories"".
MSPs regularly wear symbols associated with political causes during meetings of the parliament. 
Ms Johnstone told MSPs: ""Let me make one thing crystal clear - suffrage colours are not, and never have been, banned at the Scottish Parliament. 
""We actively support and promote universal suffrage in a number of ways at Holyrood and will continue to do so.""
residing officer said the woman was not ejected as a result of a request from any member of the committee.
She added: ""The action taken was an error, and I would like to apologise on behalf of the Parliament. The wearing of a scarf in those colours does not, in itself, breach the visitor code of conduct.  
""The parliament wishes people to engage with the democratic process, including observing elected representatives debate and make the law of the country."" 
woman's removal had prompted criticism from Conservative MSPs.
Rachael Hamilton, who was wearing suffragette colours in the chamber, thanked the presiding officer for making the clarification.
She said: ""I think it's important that you have confirmed that MSPs are treated exactly the same way as members of the public and the suffragette colours were not in breach of the guidelines set by this parliament.""
SNP MP Joanna Chery - a vocal critic of the gender reforms - tweeted that the removal of the woman was a ""disgraceful episode for Scottish democracy"", adding: ""This is not the Scotland I entered politics to promote. 
""It's completely out of step with what the suffragettes fought for, the spirit of the enlightenment and indeed the founding principles of the Scottish Parliament"". 
qualities committee is currently examining the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill. which aims to make it easier for people to change their legally-recognised gender. 
first stage of the parliamentary process at the end of October, although seven SNP MSPs defied the whip to vote against it and minister Ash Regan quit the government in protest.
Opponents of the bill have raised concerns about the potential impact of the proposals on the rights of women and girls, while supporters say it will have little impact outside the trans community."	/news/uk-scotland-63639814
politics	Plymouth City Council Conservatives and Labour have 24 seats each	"Both the Conservatives and Labour have 24 seats each on Plymouth City Council following the resignation of another Tory councillor.
Stephen Hulme, councillor for Ham, announced his resignation on Wednesday after he asked ward residents whether he should remain in the party. 
He said he would be an independent for the next 15 months.
Ahead of his resignation, no one party had an overall majority on the council but the Tory group had the most seats.
Mr Hulme said: ""I will represent my ward as they want me to represent them.""
Conservative numbers had already been cut following the resignation of Shannon Burden and Dan Collins.
uple were urged to step down following concerns they were unable to serve residents effectively after deciding to move to Gloucestershire, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
r resignation triggered by-elections in their former wards of Moor View and Plympton Chaddlewood which will take place on 12 January. 
Follow BBC News South West on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk."	/news/uk-england-devon-63901886
business	Anti-London policies will slow UK's financial recovery, report says	"Divisive ""them and us"" rhetoric about London and the rest of the UK will hinder national recovery from the cost-of-living crisis, according to a new report.
Centre for London says there is an opportunity for less antagonism and more partnership with ""levelling up"" likely to fade as a political slogan.
k tank argues investment outside of London should not come at the expense of the capital.
report, London's Contribution in the UK, concluded regional inequalities could be fixed by increasing overall spending, rather than cutting London's funding. Choking off government spending in the capital would hit the tax revenues on which investment around the UK depends, it said.
k tank carried out focus groups involving 2,000 people from London and elsewhere to find out how people feel about London's dominant status as the country's only ""global"" city.
On the whole, it found people outside London did not resent the capital. However, they were not convinced by arguments about the value of the City financial sector to the UK economy, in terms of tax revenue.
And participants in the focus groups did appreciate London's international reputation and its importance for tourism.
Centre for London analysis describes the impact of ""London-plus"" tourism, where London is the ""gateway"" to visitors but the benefits are spread far beyond.
Researchers found 71% of first-time holiday visitors to the UK came to the city. 
""This London-plus tourism is estimated to contribute more than £640m in spending a year, driven by the fact that these visitors spend between 24% and 64% more nights in the UK than those who just visit one location,"" the report said.
Indeed, in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic, London was visited by nearly 22 million tourists - around 63% of the total number who visited England and more than 53% of those who visited the UK.
gether, they spent nearly £16bn in the capital, accounting for 55% of tourism spending in the UK.
r spending supported one in seven of all jobs in London, 700,000 of them, and nearly 12% of the city's economic output, according to researchers.
report also found London's arts and cultural attractions were a major draw for domestic and international visitors. 
However, this is at risk, due the recently announced cuts to Arts Council funding, which have raised doubts about the future of institutions like the English National Opera. Under the plans, £24m of annual funding will be diverted outside of the capital.
Researchers also believe many Londoners are unable to access the city's wealth of cultural venues, and that cuts to public funding would make them less accessible still, particularly to low income families.
According to the report, the capital ""kickstarts"" innovations in public transport such as contactless payment, helping to make London fundamental to the UK's productivity and creativity.
And the report said Transport for London had entered into a private-sector partnership that allowed other cities to adapt its systems for their own network.
Former prime minister Boris Johnson made ""levelling up"" a key slogan of his premiership, although there was little consensus of what it meant.
With the future of levelling up unclear because of the recent political ""chaos"", Centre for London argues the strategy should focus on increasing overall investment spending, not cutting investment in London.
Claire Harding, research director, said: ""Levelling up could help everyone in the UK, but only if it is done properly. It must not be seen as an opportunity to create divisions between places or simply reduce London's funding, which is not a strategy that the public want and would only threaten the economy. 
""London's contribution has always been vital to the UK, ranging from a hub of world-class education, research and arts, to a place of pride representing the country on the global stage. We hope this report will convince policymakers to continue making the case for the city.""
Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hellobbclondon@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-london-63800022
sports	Commonwealth Games: Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix & Noah Williams win mixed synchronised 10m platform gold	"Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix won her third diving medal at her first Commonwealth Games with mixed synchronised 10m platform gold for England alongside Noah Williams.
James Heatly and Grace Reid earlier claimed the mixed synchronised 3m springboard title to give Scotland their 13th gold - and 50th medal - of Birmingham 2022.
England's Kyle Kothari and Lois Toulson finished 14.52 points behind Spendolini-Sirieix and Williams' tally of 333.06 to take silver.
Australia's Cassiel Rousseau and Emily Boyd won bronze.
""This has definitely exceeded what I hoped. I came here with no expectations - I just wanted to have fun,"" said 17-year-old Spendolini-Sirieix. 
""I made a conscious decision to train even harder than the last couple of months and it's paid off.
""I don't want to put any pressure on myself - that's what makes you crumble. I'm very excited for the next two years.""
Spendolini-Sirieix last week won the 10m platform title and Williams the men's synchronised 10m platform with Matty Lee.
ughter of First Dates maitre-d' Fred Sirieix, Spendolini-Sirieix also won women's synchronised 10m platform silver with Eden Cheng.
r is the first time mixed gender synchronised diving has been contested at the Commonwealth Games.
England's divers leave the Games top of the standings with six golds, four silvers and five bronzes.
Heatly and Reid capped a brilliant Games for Scotland with a brilliant final dive which scored 74.40 points, giving them a total of 306.00.
""It's insane. I'm over the moon. I honestly don't know what to say to that,"" Heatly told BBC Sport.
""It's been tough. I'm really happy to do this with Grace, though, and to save all of this for the last day.
""If it becomes an event at the Olympics then we're up for it.""
Australia's Li Shixin and Maddison Keeney took silver, 1.98 points behind, while bronze medallists Muhammad Syafiq Bin Puteh and Nur Dhabitah Binti Sabri of Malaysia were a further 4.98 points back.
England's teenage pair Ben Cutmore and Desharne Bent-Ashmeil were fourth.
Heatly and Reid, who won 3m synchro bronze at the World Championships in Budapest earlier in the summer, had missed out on medals in their individual events. 
""It's maybe not been what I've wanted in my individual events, but to come back into this and win gold today, with all of our family here just makes me speechless,"" said Reid.
""We welcomed the expectation in today and that performance in Budapest a few weeks ago really carried us through today.
""I now need a lie down. I keep seeing people with pizza so I'm definitely having a pizza."""	/sport/commonwealth-games/62463941
entertainment	Leicester breast cancer patient's art focuses on hope	"A woman who is among a group of artists whose work is featured in an upcoming exhibition has described how painting helped her focus on hope while she was undergoing cancer treatment.
Laura Dampney, from Leicester, was 35 when she was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer.
Breast Cancer and Me exhibition is taking place at the Angear Visitor Centre at Lakeside Arts in University Park, Nottingham.
It will run from 8-30 October.
Ms Dampney said she had wanted to create memories for her children in case she did not survive. 
""I wanted to create art for them to remember me by and to have around the house, art with a positive message,"" she said.
""I have a strong faith and I wanted to create pictures that represented hope and joy and good things for them to remember as they grow older and as they inevitably face difficult times.""
39-year-old underwent a mastectomy in November 2018 and began the first of six courses of chemotherapy in January 2019 to reduce the chances of the cancer returning. 
She said she was now looking forward to celebrating her 40th birthday, as it was a milestone she had not known if she would reach.
She added she felt very honoured that two of her artworks would feature in the exhibition. 
xhibition has been curated by the Breast Cancer Research Centre (NBCRC) at the University of Nottingham.
It will feature 15 artists who will present their experiences of breast cancer through visual pieces. 
Deputy director of NBCRC, Dr Andy Green said: ""We are incredibly grateful to all the artists.
""Incidence rates for breast cancer are expected to rise 2% in the next 12 years and there continues to be a real need to continue our research and increase awareness of breast cancer.""
Carol Pairaudeau, the administrator of the centre who curated the exhibition, said: ""I am looking forward to the opening of Breast Cancer and Me and showcasing this amazing artwork to the public.""
Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk."	/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-63132642
sports	Commonwealth Games: England's Bello twins lose in semi-final	"England's Bello twins missed out on a guaranteed historic beach volleyball medal after losing to Canada in the semi-final at Birmingham 2022.
But they still have a chance to win a first ever Commonwealth Games medal as they will play off for bronze against Rwanda on Sunday.
Javier and Joaquin Bello won the first set against the 2018 silver medallists.
But the experience of Sam Schachter came through as Canada made it 1-1 before taking the decider 15-7.
""A lot of things went wrong for us,"" said Joaquin Bello.
""They played an amazing match and pulled themselves back together after we dominated the first set.
""We definitely could have had more pressure on their serve, there were a lot of elements to our game that were lacking in that third set.
""The good thing is we know what we have to do and we will try and bring that tomorrow [Sunday].""
Earlier Australia beat Rwanda in straight sets to set up a re-run of the Gold Coast gold medal game from four years ago."	/sport/commonwealth-games/62444173
politics	Sex education: Parents lose legal challenge against curriculum	"Parents have lost a legal challenge against the teaching of young children about gender identity and sex in primary schools across Wales.
Campaigners launched a judicial review in the High Court against the Welsh government's new relationships and sexuality education (RSE) curriculum.
It was launched in September and sees the mandatory teaching of these topics to pupils from the age of three.
gal challenge was rejected but claimants plan to appeal.
It follows a two-day legal hearing in November at the Civil Justice Centre in Cardiff.
mants were five parents of children of school age living in Wales who objected on religious and or philosophical grounds to their children being taught the subjects. 
Mrs Justice Steyn said: ""Teaching should be neutral from a religious perspective, but it is not required to be value neutral.""
It referenced sex education that aims to encourage ""tolerance between human beings irrespective of their sexual orientation and identity"" and enables children to deal critically with influences from society.
urt found the introduction of mandatory RSE had been ""the product of a process of careful consideration"".
All five claimants have ""moral and philosophical objections"" to the curriculum and wanted to exercise rights of excusal on behalf of their children to the classes, said Paul Diamond representing them. 
""The proposed teaching of RSE in Wales is specifically constructed to be value-laden since much of the teaching, particularly that regarding LGBTQ+, will concern not facts of a scientific nature but highly contentious theories relating to moral and behavioural choices made by individuals,"" he added.
""Were it to be taught as a stand-alone class and subject to a right of excusal, there would clearly not be any possibility of indoctrination.
""At stake in the present case is the question of whether there is any limit to what can be taught to children in schools or, ultimately, any place including the home and whether the state is to endorse the values of modern, liberal democracy or adopt instead a form of ideological totalitarianism."" 
However, Jonathan Moffett, representing the Welsh government, rejected the language used by the claimants.
He described ""such hyperbolic rhetoric"" as ""unhelpful"", adding the claimants had failed to identify ""what allegedly unlawful teaching"" the new curriculum would adopt and instead ""resort to broad assertions"".
""The claimants have not pointed to any passages in the code or the guidance that authorise or positively approve teaching that advocates or promotes any particular identity or sexual lifestyle over another, or that encourage children to self-identify in a particular way,"" he added.
In the judgement, Mrs Justice Steyn said: ""Openness to a plurality of ideas and the ability to engage sensitively, critically and respectfully with such debates, which RSE seeks to encourage and develop, fully accords with the aim of pluralism in a liberal and democratic state.""
Welcoming the judgment, education minister Jeremy Miles said he was ""appalled by the misinformation that has been purposefully spread by some campaigners"". 
He added: ""Parents can expect schools to engage with them about their plans for teaching RSE and to be able to raise any constructive questions or anxieties they have about those plans. 
""We will work closely with schools and communities to ensure that they are heard and they are clear about what their children will and will not be taught.""
Kim Isherwood, one of the claimants and spokeswoman for the campaign, said: ""We asked the High Court to recognise the overreach of power by the government, we asked the court to help us protect our children from future emotional, physical, and psychological harm. 
""The evidence we provided to the court referenced and highlighted concerning levels of betrayal, deceit and false claims made by the government, but it appears as though the judge agrees with them - not only do we parents not have rights, but they were never there to begin with.""
He added that the team plans to appeal the ruling to ""fight harder to protect our children from a dangerous woke agenda gone off the rails""."	/news/uk-wales-64067393
health	Weston General Hospital improves after 'inadequate' rating	"Hospital staff have been praised for helping it improve, but bosses admit there is more to be done.
Weston General Hospital has been upgraded from its ""inadequate"" rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
CQC rated the hospital 'requires improvement' after an inspection in August, up from inadequate - the lowest the health regulator can give.
It found staffing was stretched, although there were sufficient numbers to keep patients safe, 
's surgical unit and identification of blood clot risks were areas where improvement was found to be needed.
Concerns were also raised about racist behaviour towards staff, highlighted as a priority to hospital leadership, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
But the report also found that staff provided good care, treated patients with kindness, and that the Weston General's leaders had the skills to run the hospital well and were making improvements.
Chief executive of the NHS trust that runs the hospital, Eugine Yafele, said: ""I absolutely want to congratulate the team at Weston on getting the hospital to be on a firm footing of recovery and improvement.""
Mr Yafele added: ""What this also highlights is there is a steely determination, because the people who have done this are people at Weston, and actually 'requires improvement' is the start.
""I think their ambitions, and the ambitions we have for patients, are to go beyond that.""
Chief Medical Officer Stuart Walker insisted: ""I think its absolutely the case that there has been a very significant improvement.
""Now, that may manifest itself - in CQC function and how they process things - as inadequate to our eye but there has been a major improvement in the quality of care being able to be offered there.""
Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: bristol@bbc.co.uk "	/news/uk-england-somerset-63996905
sports	World Aquatics Championships: US artistic swimmer Anita Alvarez rescued by coach after fainting in pool	"American artistic swimmer Anita Alvarez was rescued from the bottom of the pool by her coach after fainting at the World Aquatics Championships.
25-year-old was not breathing and had sunk after completing her routine in the solo free final in Budapest.
Her coach, Andrea Fuentes, pulled Alvarez to the surface before she was taken away on a stretcher.
US swim team later released a statement from Fuentes saying Alvarez ""feels good now"".
Alvarez previously fainted following a routine during an Olympic qualifier in Barcelona last year, with Fuentes also rescuing her on that occasion. 
Of the more recent incident, Fuentes said: ""Anita is OK - the doctors checked all vitals and everything is normal - [her] heart rate, oxygen, sugar levels, blood pressure etc. All is OK. 
""We sometimes forget that this happens in other high-endurance sports [such as] marathon, cycling, cross country. We all have seen images where some athletes don't make it to the finish line and others help them to get there. 
""Our sport is no different than others, just in a pool, we push through limits and sometimes we find them.
""Anita feels good now and the doctors also say she is OK. Tomorrow she will rest all day and will decide with the doctor if she can swim free team finals or not.""
Spanish newspaper Marca reported four-time Olympic medallist Fuentes as saying she had jumped in ""because the lifeguards weren't doing it"".
And speaking to Spanish radio, she said: ""It felt like a whole hour. I said things weren't right, I was shouting at the lifeguards to get into the water, but they didn't catch what I said or they didn't understand.
""She wasn't breathing. I went as quickly as I could, as if it were an Olympic final.""
Alvarez scored 87.6333 points for her routine, finishing seventh in the final."	/sport/swimming/61906249
technology	Elon Musk: Twitter won't 'take yes for an answer'	"Billionaire Elon Musk has said he aims to complete his purchase of Twitter by the end of the month, but the company ""will not take yes for an answer"".
In a court filing, he said the social media platform had raised concerns about the ""theoretical possibility of a future failure to obtain debt financing"" to pay for the deal.
witter said it did not trust that the offer would come through. 
witter sued Mr Musk in July after he tried to back out of buying the firm.
judge overseeing the case gave the two sides until 28 October to work out a deal, agreeing to put legal proceedings on hold at the request of Mr Musk.
Mr Musk said litigation was no longer necessary, after he said in a surprise move this week that he was prepared to go forward with the original takeover plan, pending receipt of the financing and an end to the legal battle.
""There is no need for an expedited trial to order defendants to do what they are already doing,"" Mr Musk's attorneys wrote in a filing.
""Yet, Twitter will not take yes for an answer. Astonishingly they have insisted on proceeding with this litigation, recklessly putting the deal at risk and gambling with their stockholders interests.""
In its own filing for Delaware Chancery Court on Thursday, Twitter said it was opposed to suspending litigation, calling such a move ""an invitation to further mischief and delay.""
It said it did not trust Mr Musk's promises, noting that one bank helping to finance the deal had testified this week that it had not received any notice from Mr Musk about plans to move forward.
""Defendants can and should close next week,"" the company wrote. ""Until defendants commit to close as required, Twitter is entitled to its day in court.""
Mr Musk announced a plan to buy Twitter for $54.20 per share in April. But he backed away from the deal just a few weeks later saying he was concerned that spam accounts on the platform were higher than Twitter had claimed.
witter ultimately sued to force Mr Musk to complete the deal. 
In its lawsuit, Twitter argued Mr Musk was worried about the price he had agreed to pay, after a sharp downturn in the value of tech shares, including Tesla, the electric car company he leads and is the base of much of his wealth.            
Mr Musk was due to be questioned this week as part of the preparation for the trial, which was scheduled to begin 17 October. The trial is now postponed to 28 October to allow a deal to close, according to a court filing. 
Shares in Twitter ended the day down more than 3%, amid investor doubts the deal will go through."	/news/business-63166568
entertainment	National Television Awards: Ant and Dec to miss ceremony after catching Covid	"Ant and Dec have both caught Covid, so will miss the National Television Awards (NTAs) in London on Thursday.
joked on Instagram: ""Sadly it's true... we even get ill together!""
uo have won the best TV presenter prize for the past 20 years, and could now scoop their 21st consecutive award - unless Alison Hammond, Graham Norton or Bradley Walsh can beat them.
remony will be live on ITV from Wembley Arena after being postponed following the death of the Queen.
BBC's EastEnders, ITV's Emmerdale and Netflix's Bridgerton and Heartstopper all have three nominations each. 
will be hosted by The Masked Singer presenter Joel Dommett, with performances from singers Lewis Capaldi and Sam Ryder, who has replaced Robbie Williams as the opening attraction.
Here are some more things to look out for:
ITV's chief executive last month backed Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield after the hosts were accused of jumping the queue for the Queen's lying-in-state.
NTAs are voted for by the public, though, so it has been up to the people to decide whether the pair will keep their crowns as daytime queen and king, after This Morning won the daytime award in 2021 - or whether they'll be dethroned by Loose Women, The Chase or The Repair Shop.
Notably, neither Holly nor Phil are up for best TV presenter this year, as they have been in previous years. But the nominations were announced in August, long before ""queue-gate"".
Ant and Dec, Line of Duty, Corrie and more -  watch the highlights of the National Television Awards 2021
Ant and Dec underlined their status as the nation's favourite TV hosts last year, after their 20th (yes, 20th) consecutive win in the presenting category.
me they didn't win the award was in 2000, to Michael Barrymore. Most of the nominees in this year's rising star category, including Heartstopper's Joe Locke and Kit Connor, were not even born then.
While the duo will be absent through illness on Thursday, the question is whether voters are sick of seeing them win the same award every year.
Geordie double act are also nominated in the entertainment show category for Saturday Night Takeaway and I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, as well as best talent show for Britain's Got Talent - so there's a good chance we may see an acceptance speech made over video call in their PJs at some stage.
uthored documentary category includes heartfelt films chronicling the lives of Kate Garraway and her husband Derek, who has been critically ill with Covid; Julia Bradbury with breast cancer; Paddy and Christine McGuinness alongside their three autistic children; as well as Katie Price and her disabled son Harvey.
final nominee focuses on The Wanted's late singer Tom Parker. Inside My Head, about the music star's brain tumour, was aired in October 2021 - just five months before he died at the age of 33.
Elsewhere, a new category for best expert will see Clarkson's Farm's breakout star Kaleb Cooper, 24, take on 96-year-old broadcasting legend Sir David Attenborough, Money Show Live host Martin Lewis and The Repair Shop's Jay Blades.
A special recognition award will be given to actor and comedy legend Sir Lenny Henry. Previous recent winners have included the Line of Duty team, Sir Michael Palin and David Dimbleby.
Authored documentary
New drama
Returning drama
Drama performance
Serial drama
Serial drama performance
Rising star
V presenter
Bruce Forsyth entertainment award
w
w judge
Quiz game show
Factual entertainment 
Expert
Comedy
Daytime
2022 National Television Awards will be broadcast on ITV from 20:00 BST."	/news/entertainment-arts-63226515
politics	Wendy Morton: I’ll never forget chaotic vote that sank Liz Truss	"Wendy Morton explains how then-PM Liz Truss would not accept her resignation after a Commons vote on fracking.
Former chief whip Wendy Morton handed in her resignation to Liz Truss after a chaotic vote that eventually led to the then-PM's downfall, she has revealed.
Ms Truss refused to accept Ms Morton's resignation, as she battled to hold her government together.
But the PM stepped down the following day, when it became clear she had lost the confidence of her MPs.
It ""was one of those nights that I will probably never forget"", Ms Morton told the BBC's Politics Live.
As chief whip, she was tasked with ensuring Tory MPs voted with the government, but many had refused to do so on the evening of 19 October because they opposed Ms Truss's policy on fracking.
MPs had been told it amounted to a confidence vote in the government in an effort to get them in line.
""That's why I took the stance that I did, as chief whip,"" Ms Morton said. ""We were expecting colleagues to be in the lobby with us.""
But there was confusion over whether it really was a confidence vote and the disarray that followed, including claims Tory MPs were being bullied by ministers into backing the government, proved to be the beginning of the end for Ms Truss's short-lived premiership.
""You can see what ensued, which was chaos,"" Ms Morton said.
Ms Morton - who was a key political ally of Ms Truss - said she had since ""spent a lot of time reflecting on"" the vote in October. She confirmed that it had been a confidence vote.
In her first TV interview about the events of that night, Ms Morton said she resigned as chief whip ""on the basis that No 10 were interfering"" in the vote.
""I feel so strongly about the integrity of the chief whip and the red lines that I have,"" Ms Morton said. ""But the prime minister would not accept my resignation so I continued.""
She said her conversation with Ms Truss was ""robust but it was respectful"", adding: ""I have spoken to her since.""
""We had coffee with her just the other week,"" Ms Morton said.
Ms Truss's premiership unravelled within 24 hours of the fateful vote, as a groundswell of Conservative MPs urged her to stand down.
Sir Graham Brady - the chairman of the 1922 committee of backbench Tory MPs - told the BBC he had decided to call Downing Street to tell Ms Truss her position was ""unsustainable"" following the ""utter chaos"" of the vote.
Confusion reigned after Labour brought a vote on whether MPs should get a say on the government's fracking plans.
Conservative MPs were initially told the vote would be treated as a test of loyalty to the government - a motion of confidence - and if they did not oppose the Labour plan they could get kicked out of the parliamentary party.
ry whips, who are responsible for discipline in the parliamentary party, ordered their MPs to vote against the motion.
But then, just minutes before the vote, climate minister Graham Stuart rowed back on this at the despatch box, where he suggested it was not a vote of confidence.
Jacob Rees-Mogg - who was business secretary at the time - blamed the confusion on ""a junior official at 10 Downing Street [who] sent a message through to the front bench that it was not a vote of confidence and nobody else was aware of that"".
Chaotic scenes in the voting lobby followed, as whips tried to get Tory MPs to oppose the Labour motion.
Labour MP Chris Bryant said what he saw was ""clear bullying"", and House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle ordered an investigation into the incident.
Mr Hoyle said while ""the atmosphere was tense"", there was no evidence ""of any bullying or undue influence placed on other members""."	/news/uk-politics-63746602
technology	TikTok: Welsh speakers use social media to teach others	"Welsh speakers are turning to TikTok to promote the language and teach it to others.
media platform is helping to connect lovers of the language with new learners.
""I think the one thing with TikTok that's different is the videos are short and sweet. You're able to engage with people,"" said one creator.
It comes as recent census data shows that there is a decline in Welsh speakers.
Bethany Davies from Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, has about 44,000 TikTok followers and has made a career out of sharing the Welsh language and culture.
23-year-old history graduate grew up speaking Welsh, and says she feels ""privileged"" not to have known life without it. 
""I am one of five children and when my two eldest siblings were young, [my family] moved to this area and at the time the best school in the area was Welsh,"" she said. 
Having made the decision that her children would have a Welsh-medium education, Bethany's mother threw herself into learning the language. 
""She went to night school, while my sisters were really small. Five kids all under the age of 10, while learning this new language. So to me she's this massive inspiration,"" said Bethany. 
""I never knew anything different. I went to a Welsh cylch, like a creche, a Welsh primary school, a Welsh secondary school.""
She continued: ""After I left school, I went to an English college, and then I went to university. It's not that I lost my Welshness, it's just that it kind of went on the backburner. 
""That sense of pride in my Welshness, it kind of went, and I think that happens for so many of us Welsh speakers.
""When I started my TikTok, it was during the pandemic and I was stuck in university in lockdown with my husband, who is not a fluent Welsh speaker. 
""I was missing speaking Welsh with people, face to face. It just made me realise how much I took for granted."" 
Looking to reconnect with Welsh after beginning to feel ""rusty"" was also the main motivation for TikTok creator Nicky Gamble from Tonyrefail, Rhondda Cynon Taf, who also has more than 40,000 followers on the platform. 
""I have grown up speaking Welsh, just through education. I went to a Welsh nursery, a Welsh primary school, a Welsh secondary school. So everything we were taught - history, maths, science - it was all done in Welsh,"" she said.
""My parents don't speak Welsh. It was something I mainly associated with school and friends.""
33-year-old continued: ""I've always been really proud of the fact that I can speak Welsh, and I've always been proud that, as a country, [we] have our own language.""
Nicky, who works full-time in recruitment, joined TikTok with her two stepdaughters, as a hobby during the pandemic. 
She's found that being able to share her Welsh language skills has spurred her on to keep it up. 
""I wanted to make it fun, I wanted Welsh to seem cool,"" she said. 
""I started making TikToks with some Welsh in there, and just kind of made it a bit cheeky as well, and I think that's what attracted a lot of attention. 
""After school, I didn't really speak a lot of Welsh, so I found TikTok really useful, it's brought it back to life for me."" 
While both Bethany and Nicky use a variety of social media platforms, they recognise TikTok as being particularly accessible for people looking to learn something new. 
Nicky said: ""Facebook is more for people you know, Instagram is quite posey, I think. Whereas TikTok is everything. And you have quite a large audience on there as well. 
""I think people judge TikTok and think it's just for youngsters, and it's not. It's really for everyone.""
She added that the algorithm on TikTok helps people to return to what they like watching.
However, she was shocked to attract such a large following.
""It's surprising to see how many non-Welsh speakers are interested in what I'm saying. That's good, they didn't just scroll past.""
Bethany grew up with social media from a young age, but says joining TikTok let her ""start a fresh"" as a content creator. 
""With TikTok, I didn't tell anyone about it. I really carved this name for myself as this Welsh girl, and I am proud of that and I will happily wear that with honour,"" she said. 
""I think the one thing with TikTok that's different from any other app is the videos are short and sweet. You're able to engage with people, I feel, on a better level.""
Bethany became a content creator after illness forced her to pause her planned masters degree studies.
She too has been surprised by the large and diverse interest in her Welsh content.
""Definitely in the beginning it was younger people,"" she said. ""I tend to utilise a lot of TikTok trends, and I incorporate Welshness into it. 
""But, at the same time, I've been surprised by how many older people I have engaged with. 
""They grew up speaking Welsh, but maybe unfortunately their family don't anymore. So it's nice for them to have someone to speak with and for them it represents their community, their childhood and all those things that make them who they are."" 
Bethany believes there are a lot of ""misconceptions"" about Welsh.
""I grew up in this bubble where Welsh wasn't even questioned. The status of the language, whether it is alive or dead. And then I went to university it was 'What do you mean you speak Welsh?', 'What is that?', 'I thought that was a dead language?'
""It really just shows there is a world outside my little town. Being on TikTok showed me more of people's misconceptions so I am now on my little mission to correct that.""
She continued: ""I think as Welsh speakers we have a responsibility to make the language as accessible as possible. 
""One thing that I never really thought of as a Welsh speaker was other people's perceptions of Welsh, and how difficult it is for them to learn it. 
""I can't do everything, but I can make a community that is non-judgmental and wants to help people. 
""It should be a happy thing, you should want to learn it and it should be a fun thing. It shouldn't come from a place of feeling bad or that you should.""
On the future of the language, Bethany added: ""It's an ancient language, it's one that has survived many campaigns against it. So I think it will survive this little blip as well. I have faith in the language, I have faith in my people, and I have faith in us to keep it going.""
Nicky said the decline in Welsh speakers was disappointing, but it motivated her to encourage others to learn the language. 
""TikTok, it's free, and you can hear someone speaking Welsh. 
""So I think it's easier to access, perhaps, and that pushes me to continue wanting to do Welsh content.
""I'd like to see the numbers rise again and people take an interest in the language. It's a part of who we are, our story. I just feel if we lost the language we would lose our identity.""
rested in learning Welsh, she said: ""Just give it a go, take it slow. You're not in a competition with anyone. Utilize all the different tools that are out there."" 
Bethany added: ""For any language the best way is to immerse yourself in it as much as you can. 
""Just start listening to some Welsh music, watch some Welsh TV or Welsh films. Engage with Welsh media. 
""It's meant to be fun, so don't put too much stress on yourself."" "	/news/uk-wales-64027345
sports	Chelsie Giles: GB judoka becomes world number one in -52kg category	"Great Britain's Chelsie Giles has become world number one in the judo -52kg category.
25-year-old was crowned European champion earlier this year and won silver at the World Championships.
It is the first time in history that two British athletes have topped the world rankings in two judo weight categories, with Lucy Renshall world number one in the -63kg category.
Giles said: ""It's great to see all the years of hard work paying off.
""I have to say a massive thanks to the support team around me, as I would not be here without them helping me.""
By winning a world silver medal, the first Briton to do so since Nekoda Davis in 2018, Giles completed a set of major medals after she also won Olympic bronze at Tokyo 2020.
British Judo Performance Director Nigel Donohue said: ""Chelsie never ceases to amaze. A European, World and Olympic medallist and now world number one. 
""To be ranked world number one in your chosen sport is a fantastic achievement and we are all extremely proud of both Lucy and Chelsie for achieving this incredible milestone."""	/sport/judo/63462680
politics	Are you in business?, Rishi Sunak asks homeless man during shelter visit	"rime minister has been criticised by some Labour MPs after he was filmed asking a homeless man if he worked in business.  
Rishi Sunak was serving breakfast at a shelter in London when the man, named Dean, asked him if he was ""sorting the economy out"".
Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner posted a clip of the exchange on Twitter, calling it ""excruciating"".
Later in the video, filmed yesterday, Dean goes on to tell Mr Sunak that he ""wouldn't mind"" a job in finance, but he would like to get through Christmas first."	/news/uk-64087160
business	Mortgage rates still rising as big lenders revise deals	"UK's biggest mortgage lender will raise rates on Wednesday as the cost of new fixed rate deals keeps climbing.
Halifax, part of Lloyds Banking Group, will put up the interest rates on a range of deals for new borrowers to well over 5%.
It follows a string of major providers in re-pricing products, which has pushed the average two-year fixed rate deal to 6%.
Four days ago, the rate was 5.43% and at the start of December it was 2.34%.
Brokers say lenders are ""playing safe"" with rates amid current economic uncertainty, but costs could eventually start to dip.
fall-out from the mini-budget initially led to a slump in the value of the pound, as traders expected a sharper increase in interest rates by the Bank of England than previously anticipated.
rompted mortgage providers to rapidly pull hundreds of deals from the market. This week, the availability of products has started to pick up again.
However, mortgages are now more expensive. That is affecting about 100,000 homeowners each month who remortgage and first-time buyers getting a new home loan.
rest rate on a new, average two-year fixed deal has risen consistently since the mini-budget.
On the morning of the speech it was 4.74%. Now, it is 5.97%. A five-year fixed deal has typically risen from 4.75% to 5.75% over the same period.
In recent days, the biggest lenders have revised their prices. 
On Wednesday, the largest of them - the Halifax - will increase its own. A spokesman said this was to ""reflect the continued increase in mortgage market pricing over recent weeks"".
It means its rate for a two-year fixed deal for a customer offering a 25% deposit is up from 4.61% to 5.84%.
On a 30-year mortgage for somebody borrowing £200,000, that would mean a monthly repayment of £1,179 rather than £1,026.
Similar shocks to the mortgage sector in the past have led to lenders pursuing a ""flight to quality"", according to Andrew Montlake, of mortgage broker Coreco.
means lenders have concentrated their attention on borrowers able to offer large deposits and absolute certainty of repaying.
He said the current upheaval is likely to be a relatively short-term issue with lenders scrambling to reset prices, rather than a longer-term problem.
Lenders were playing safe with their rates, he added. Notably, the TSB has a stricter test of affordability - checking whether homeowners can cope were rates to rise to 8% (or 7% for first-time buyers) before accepting an application.
Some more specialist lenders, whose customers may include those with a chequered credit history or the recently self-employed, have been raising rates to 6.5-7% or more.
group of customers may be the one that finds their choice of products is curtailed.
Mr Montlake said there was still high demand from borrowers, and money available for providers to lend.
Economic clarity provided by clear forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility should eventually feed through to stop the increase, or see some reversal in mortgage rates, he said.
rospect has already improved the value of the pound.
Some brokers are worried that first-time buyers offering a 5% deposit could find it more difficult to find a deal.
""The 95% loan-to-value mortgage won't die, but there will almost certainly be fewer of them due to the current economic situation,"" said Ian Hewett, founder of Ashford-based The Bearded Mortgage Broker.
""Equally, I am sure they will be resurrected once stability is back and confidence in the government has resumed.""
How are you being affected by the rise in mortgage rates? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
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 HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. "	/news/business-63131509
sports	Top-ranked Gerwyn Price under 'a bit more pressure' at World Championship	"Gerwyn Price accepts he is under ""a bit more pressure"" going into the PDC World Darts Championship as world number one than at other tournaments.
37-year-old Welshman also hopes to avoid early round nerves as he tries to reclaim the title he won in 2021.
""The pressure's there on every single tournament, obviously a bit more with the World Championship.
""I think it's just the first round jitters if you know what I mean,"" he told BBC Radio Wales Sport.
Price will play Luke Woodhouse or Vladyslav Omelchenko in his opener on Monday, 19 December aiming to win and then come back ""all guns firing"" after the festive break.
He will go into action at Alexandra Palace having been at the venue throughout the weekend watching some of the games and practicing.
""I had a couple of exhibitions this week which I think I needed to give me a boost of confidence.
""I used a new set of darts, obviously it's the same set-up that I use, but a new set and I was playing really well so I'm going into this tournament full of confidence off the back of four really good days.
""The back end of this year has been really good to me, so fingers crossed I can get through the first round and have a good Christmas and then that's when the tournament really starts then I think, third round on.""
me around, Price hopes to share in success with his family and friends, having won the title by beating Gary Anderson in an empty venue due to the coronavirus pandemic.
""I was up there alone,"" said Price.
""I was in the hotel on my own most of the tournament to go into a World Championship Final, where the venue is obviously completely dead, even the practice room and it was quite eerie, really, and it wasn't nice.
""But it was great to win the tournament, but first and foremost is it will be good to have my family there obviously if I did reach the world final and managed to pick up the trophy again.
""But, yeah, obviously, I want the crowd there, I feed off the ground and I feed off the atmosphere.""
Price also reflected on ""a lot of ups and downs"" in 2022, including breaking a hand and ""struggling"" with his game.
""But I battled on and as soon as my hand got a little bit better my form started to come back, it did take a while and you know like I said as soon as I found that form it was sort of real me again.
""It was difficult for six months, but those are the periods you need to knuckle down and come through them.""
Price's compatriot Jonny Clayton is the seventh seed. Jim Williams, Robert Owen, Lewy Williams and Richie Burnett complete the list of Welsh competitors.
Burnett was the first of them in action, losing 3-2 against Czech Republic's Adam Gawlas on Saturday. Clayton will be the last to begin, on Friday, 23 December.
final is on Tuesday, 3 January.
Listen to the extended interview with Gerwyn Price  on Friday's Radio Wales Sport from 19:00 GMT on BBC Radio Wales and BBC Sounds, and on demand after transmission."	/sport/darts/63992627
business	Weak pound puts the squeeze on holiday spending	"und's weakness against the dollar and the euro spells bad news for British holidaymakers this summer.
Fears over the UK economy are weighing on markets, causing sterling to sink below $1.20 on Tuesday, its lowest level since the start of the pandemic, before partly recovering on Wednesday. 
Versus the euro, the pound is hovering near thirteen-month lows.
As a result many Brits travelling in the next few weeks will find their spending money won't stretch as far.
""The pound remains a very vulnerable currency,"" said Jane Foley, head of foreign exchange strategy at the Dutch bank Rabobank.
""A lot of this is related to fears about growth,"" she continued, noting that political uncertainty and a potential trade conflict with the European Union were likely to add to investors' concerns about the UK's economic outlook.
weakness of the pound will ""add to the gloom"" for British holidaymakers, who are already facing the prospect of travel disruption, said Ms Foley.
After more than two years of Covid restrictions, many people are planning their first trips overseas, with the peak summer holiday season and the long school break hovering on the horizon.
But when they get there, they could find the pound in their pocket doesn't go as far, Ms Foley warned.
""If you're going to the Eurozone or the United States, you're going to be able to purchase less,"" she said.
""When we look at the dollar, it's very strong, so holidaymakers going to the US are really going to see the weakness.""
Some holidaymakers will already have adjusted for this, however.
""Sterling's been on the backfoot for several years, so to some extent this weakness is already expected,"" Ms Foley said.
Fears have grown over the prospects for the UK economy after figures showed it shrank again in April for the second month in a row, with businesses feeling the impact of rising prices. 
re is uncertainty over how fast the Bank of England - which is expected to raise interest rates again on Thursday - can tighten policy this year to tame inflation without further hurting the economy further.
However the pound's weakness is also a result of a strong dollar, Ms Foley said, with rising interest rates there making the US currency more attractive.
""A more aggressive pace of US interest rate hikes is certainly propping up the dollar,"" she said. The US central bank, the Federal Reserve, is expected to raise rates substantially after its policy meeting on Wednesday, to try to curb rising inflation there.
""Also, the dollar does have this safe haven appeal, so when we're looking at concerns perhaps about China, perhaps about the gas crisis in Europe, a large part of this does create an environment where people want to hold dollars.""
How is the rising cost of living affecting your travel plans? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
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 HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. "	/news/business-61809589
health	Shrewsbury hospital rolls out ambulance delay scheme	"A scheme aiming to cut ambulance waiting times has launched at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
me of the longest delays in the region, tying up ambulances outside A&E and preventing staff from responding to 999 calls.
Shrewsbury's Ambulance Decision Area allow paramedics to care for patients while they wait to be handed over to hospital staff.
It means other ambulance crews can get back on the road.
West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) has already trialled the scheme at three Birmingham hospitals and said it had seen a ""significant impact"".
Another decision area is also set to open soon at Telford's Princess Royal Hospital.
Across the West Midlands in September 2019, the service lost a total of 6,259 hours through ambulances being stuck at hospitals waiting to hand over patients,  a report revealed.
In September 2022, the equivalent figure was 36,750 hours.
Following a trial of the initiative at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Good Hope Hospital and Heartlands Hospital, WMAS was approached by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust in October to set up the scheme at its two sites.
""This is another example of the two organisations doing everything possible to reduce handover delays, which ultimately, will benefit patients,"" a WMAS spokesperson said.
""We have worked incredibly hard with Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals to get the scheme up and running as quickly as possible after the funding was identified.""
Ambulance Decision Areas are also staffed by healthcare assistants with extra training.
Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-shropshire-63788163
health	Noble's Hospital emergency care teams stretched, Manx Care says	"Emergency care teams at Noble's Hospital are ""stretched"" after a number of seriously ill patients were admitted over the past 24 hours, Manx Care has said.
ked residents to consider only going to the emergency department if they need to.
People have been asked to visit Ramsey Cottage Hospital for minor injuries.
A spokesman said that would allow staff to focus on ""patients who need them most"".
re body says it has started to implement plans in order to cope with demand ""given the level of treatment that these individuals require"", he added
Executive director of nursing and governance Paul Moore has encouraged people to ""choose well"" when seeking healthcare to help ease pressure on emergency care teams.
""Every day a number of patients are seen in the emergency department that could be treated by their GP or at a community pharmacy,"" Mr Moore said.
He added the team at the minor illnesses and injuries unit in Ramsey could treat ""a broad range of conditions including breaks or sprains"".
However, he said those in need of urgent or emergency treatment should still attend the island's main hospital.
Why not follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and Twitter? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk"	/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-63636445
technology	Encouraging self-harm to be criminalised in Online Safety Bill	"uragement of self-harm will be criminalised in an update to the Online Safety Bill, the government has said.
Content that encourages someone to harm themselves will be targeted in a new offence, making it illegal.
government said the changes had been influenced by the case of Molly Russell - the 14-year-old who ended her life in November 2017.
Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan said she was strengthening the bill ""to make sure these vile acts are stamped out"". 
""I am determined that the abhorrent trolls encouraging the young and vulnerable to self-harm are brought to justice,"" she said.
Molly Russell, from Harrow in north-west London, took her own life after viewing suicide and self-harm content on Instagram and Pinterest. 
Her father has previously criticised delays to the Online Safety Bill and called for online platforms to stop self-regulating their content. 
At the inquest in September, the coroner concluded the schoolgirl died while suffering from the ""negative effects of online content"". 
In October, Coroner Andrew Walker wrote to social media firms and the government to call for changes, including separate platforms for adults and children. 
Ms Donelan said social media firms could no longer be ""silent bystanders"" and they would face fines for ""allowing this abusive and destructive behaviour to continue"". 
She said the update to the Online Safety Bill would create a new offence, bringing self-harm content in line with communications that encourage suicide - which is already illegal. 
mendment would mean social media platforms would be required to remove self-harm content and any person found to have posted such content would face prosecution. 
More details about the maximum penalty would be published in due course, the government said. 
NSPCC's Richard Collard said it was ""good news"" the government was recognising the dangers of children being exposed to online content promoting self-harm.
But he said a ""culture of compliance and accountability"" from technology firms that have allowed this type of content ""to spread like wild fire"" was needed.
Amanda Stephens, whose son Olly was stabbed to death in Reading in 2021 by teenagers who plotted his killing across numerous social media platforms, called the amendment to the Online Safety Bill ""positive news"".
""Just because something's hard, shouldn't mean that it stops us wanting to push forward,"" said Ms Stephens.
""At the end of the day, our children are losing their lives; we're losing them from our lives. It's wrong - and we need to, as quickly as possible, but in the best possible way - move forward and I can't stress how strongly I feel about this.""
ue to return to Parliament in early December, following a number of delays. 
gital department said it could not say when the amendments would be tabled. 
Earlier this week the government announced other new offences being added to the bill that would crack down on the sharing of intimate images without consent. 
Representatives from both Pinterest and Meta, Instagram's parent company, gave evidence during Molly Russell's inquest. 
Meta executive Elizabeth Lagone said she believed posts seen by Molly, which her family say ""encourage"" suicide, were safe, but the firm agreed that regulation was needed. 
Judson Hoffman of Pinterest told the inquest the site was ""not safe"" when the school girl was using it. The company said it was ""committed"" to making ongoing improvements to help ensure the platform is ""safe for everyone"". 
Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said ""lives and families"" had been destroyed by ""those who encourage vulnerable internet users to self-harm"".
""Our changes will ensure the full force of the law applies to those callous and reckless individuals who try to manipulate the vulnerable online in this way,"" Mr Raab said.
measure should come as no real surprise - it was proposed by a parliamentary committee in December 2021.  
And there are obvious questions about how effective it will be. Are police going to prosecute a distressed child for posting pictures of their own self-harm scars? Does this clause weigh the law disproportionately against the individual rather than the platforms?
Might this particular clause have helped Molly? It's hard to know. Coroner Andrew Walker concluded that Molly was likely affected by the dark and depressing content and that some posts ""romanticised"" acts of self-harm.
Molly Rose Foundation - set up in her memory - today said it ""appears a significant move"".
But I spoke to Molly's father Ian last week about the progress of the Online Safety Bill. He said years of campaigning ""have led me to not believe in anyone's words but instead judge them by their actions, because it's only when a positive step is taken will I believe it"".
It would have been Molly's birthday today. She would have been 20 years old."	/news/uk-63768496
health	Ex-ministers back bid to end zero hours contracts in social care	"wo former health secretaries have backed a campaign to end the use of zero hours contracts in Scotland's social care system.
Alex Neil and Malcolm Chisholm joined academics and patients' relatives in signing an open letter to the current health secretary Humza Yousaf.
It calls for the eradication of zero hours contracts to be included in the National Care Service Bill.
Scottish government said it opposed ""inappropriate use"" of such contracts.
Social Care Minister Kevin Stewart said companies bidding for government work are evaluated on their fair working practices ""where it is relevant and proportionate to do so"".
r states that, according to the Office for National Statistics, about a million people across the UK are employed on zero hours contracts.
It adds this includes 74,000 in Scotland, of which 20% are employed in the health and social care sector. 
Mr Neil, who served in Alex Salmond's SNP government from 2012 to 2014, branded the contracts ""pernicious"" and warned the health and social care sector was in the midst of a major recruitment crisis.
He said: ""Social care shortages are leaving patients stuck in hospital taking up much needed hospital beds at a cost of £4,000 a week when they should be recovering at home with social care support. 
""Zero hours contracts are a barrier to people working in the care system and should be banned.""
r also claims social care staff shortages are driving delayed discharges in Scotland's NHS.
roblem, often referred to as ""bed blocking"", occurs when a patient continues to occupy a hospital bed despite being clinically able to be discharged. 
Malcolm Chisholm, who held the health brief in the Labour-led coalition between 2001-2004, said social care staff ""performed heroically"" during the Covid pandemic.
He added: ""They deserve to be treated with dignity and respect with a secure contract, fair pay and decent working conditions. 
""The Cabinet Secretary has the opportunity to end the use of these contracts once and for all.""
Zero hours contracts do not oblige employers to provide a minimum number of working hours but neither do they oblige employees to accept any of the hours offered by their employer.
Workers on zero-hours contracts are still entitled to statutory annual leave and the national minimum wage.
Although such contracts have been controversial, some say they provide flexibility to people such as students, parents and those with other caring responsibilities.
But critics say that zero-hours contracts create insecurity for workers and are used by employers to undercut wages and avoid holiday pay and pension contributions.
Chris Peace, campaign director of Zero Hours Justice, said the contracts were a ""stain on Scotland's care system"". 
She added: ""They cause anxiety and fear amongst workers leaving them financially insecure and unable to plan their lives. 
""They are a key factor in the recruitment crisis in the Scottish care system which, according to the Scottish government, has a 43% vacancy rate.""
Ms Peace called for the contracts to be scrapped in the National Care Service Bill.
Scottish government last month defended its plans for a new National Care Service.
government says the system will be the biggest shakeup of public services since the creation of the NHS and will end a social care ""postcode lottery"".
But questions have been raised about the cost of setting it up and what it means for local decision-making.
Social Care Minister Kevin Stewart said the fair working practices of companies bidding for Scottish government work were already evaluated.
He added:  ""This includes the inappropriate use of zero hours contracts and this will be extended to the National Care Service. 
""The Fair Work in Social Care group has developed a set of minimum terms and conditions, including investigating ways to end the misuse of zero hours contracts within the social care sector, and work to deliver these standards with key stakeholders has begun."" "	/news/uk-scotland-63922257
health	Mental health: Former patient shares psychiatric unit diary	"Niamh Brownlee talks about penning a hospital diary
""I am the people I was always scared of - insane and imprisoned in hospital. What if they decide I'm too mad and I never leave again?""
Five years ago, like so many people do, Niamh Brownlee was keeping a daily diary. 
But hers was being written in a psychiatric hospital. Gripped by depression and bulimia, she was admitted in the spring of 2017 aged 24.
Niamh was consumed by dark thoughts she believed she could never share with anyone, not least because she feared infecting others with the darkness.
Afraid and confused, she detailed her agony, frustration and inner turmoil on the page. Now, having been down a long road to recovery, Niamh has published that diary. 
It covers the 31 days she spent as an inpatient and, according to Northern Ireland's mental health champion Prof Siobhan O'Neill, it can offer health care providers a crucial insight into the experiences of patients. 
""The diary became a way for me to offload everything that was in my head and to try to understand how I had ended up in hospital,"" she told BBC News NI.
""Looking in, there was no reason this had happened to me. I had a family and friends and a job and a social life. I remember thinking: 'How have I gotten here?' 
""The diary gave me the space to try to work that out.""
In the diary, Struggling to Breathe, she describes the daily routine of the hospital and interactions with other patients and staff, all at a time when she was at her most unwell.
On her second day in hospital, Niamh wrote: ""I'm afraid that if I speak or open up, the screaming and crying and thrashing in my head will make its way out of my mouth and everyone will hear and be disgusted and horrified."" 
And later: ""My biggest fear is that if I open my mouth it could spread to my friends and family and take them over too.""
Niamh said she now realises that part of why she became so unwell was because she kept her feelings a secret for so long. 
""The shame I felt for having depression was enough to completely overwhelm me. 
""Through all the work I've done to recover, I've realised there was nothing to be ashamed of. I have nothing to feel guilty about for becoming unwell.""
She added that it was routine for her ""to wake up every morning and think I don't want to be here anymore, I hate myself, I don't offer anything"".
""I can hear now that that's shocking, but for me it had become my every day. I don't think I could have been more unwell."" 
Now, after years of therapy with mental health charities and voluntary organisations, she said she is in a great place.
Once she was discharged and back at home she put the diary away in a box. 
""I suppose I felt I didn't need it anymore. It was only during [the pandemic] lockdown that I found it again.
""When I read it, I was just so shocked. I needed to sit with it for a while. 
""I thought: 'When I was ill I would have really loved to have read something like that.' To hear someone else's experience and hear about what helped them and how they were able to recover.""
Prof O'Neill said it was courageous to publish the diary, describing it as ""a really impressive and detailed testament"". 
""I think it's really important we know about the experience of service users and patients in our hospitals because we have so much to learn from that,"" she added.
Prof O'Neill said the diary is also now a book that will give people hope: ""It's a story about getting through difficult times. 
""Not everyone recovers but many people get to a point where they can live really good lives and that's a story that needs to be told."" 
If you, or someone you know, have been affected by any of the issues in this article you can find information about organisations that can help on the BBC Action Line website."	/news/uk-northern-ireland-64043174
business	Energy bills: Tens of thousands of firms 'face collapse' without help	"f thousands of businesses are at risk of going under without government support because of soaring energy bills, according to insolvency experts.
Red Flag Alert, which monitors the financial health of firms, told the BBC previously profitable companies are experiencing significant losses.
Among those that survive, many will be forced to make workers redundant, the consultancy said.
Firms are waiting to hear if they will get help with their energy bills.
On Thursday the government, led by new Prime Minister Liz Truss, is expected to announce significant financial support for households facing an 80% rise in the energy price cap in October.
Businesses are not covered by the cap, however, and Red Flag is warning that more than 75,000 larger firms that are high energy users are at risk of insolvency or are likely to lay off staff without government support. 
government's plan is expected to include some relief for businesses - but details are not yet known.
According to Red Flag, many firms will face a choice between paying wages or paying energy bills.
""Businesses can't absorb these costs and they're going to be forced very quickly into a decision about headcount or being able to pay energy bills,"" said chief economist Nicola Headlam. ""That's going to be the reality and it's coming down the track very quickly.""
According to Red Flag Alert, there are 355,000 companies with a turnover higher than £1m that are designated as high energy users - industries such as steel, glass, concrete, and paper production. Of those, the company estimates 75,972 are at risk of insolvency, and they estimate 26,720 of them could fail because of energy costs. That is in addition to the 26,000 insolvencies they had already predicted this year.
""That is a colossal number of people whose businesses will fail, without a large-scale support package from the government"", said Ms Headlam. ""That's more than during the pandemic, and more than in any other recession.
""A business turning over a million pounds two years ago would have spent around 8% of that on energy costs and made profits of around £90,000.
""If the cost of energy doubles to 16%, that instantly wipes out profitability, and they're straight into a scenario where it threatens the viability of the business within a year.""
Beyond the large, energy-intensive companies, smaller companies with turnover under £1m, were also at risk of failure, Red Flag Alert said. It highlighted the hospitality sector where firms face a triple threat of increasing energy bills, higher supply and staffing costs, and a fall-off in consumer spending, squeezed by inflation.
rtainly the case for James Greenhalgh, who runs Flamingos Coffee House in Leeds, and a bar in the city too. The combined energy bill for both is due to leap from £1,500 to around £10,000 from the beginning of October. 
""That's more expensive than our wage bill. That's just catastrophic,"" said Mr Greenhalgh.
""It's an extinction event for many businesses like mine,"" said Mr Greenhalgh.
""I've been speaking to so many similar businesses in Leeds and everyone's in the same situation - considering whether to try and battle through, mothball sites over the winter and hope things improve, or whether it's game over.""
""The only thing I can do is wait to see what help the government will give. I can't innovate out of it. I can't put prices up because our customers don't have the money.""
Without rapid government help, Mr Greenhalgh said he would have to close one of his sites, and make staff redundant.
""If the government had stepped in two months ago, it would have made a much bigger difference. The delays this summer have slammed customer confidence"", he added.
Red Flag Alert calculates businesses overall will need £100bn a year in support to tackle the rise in energy bills. 
While hospitality is not included in that figure, speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, restaurateur Martin Williams warned that thousands of smaller firms in the industry were also at risk.
f the Gaucho steakhouse chain urged the government to consider energy bills help, as well as VAT cuts and business rates reform.
""There needs to be some confidence and that can only come from government support by the prime minister and the chancellor,"" he said.
However the government is already under pressure over how it will finance a promised package of support for households, while sticking to promises to cut taxes.
Ms Truss is understood to be planning to borrow up to £100bn to to limit the expected sharp rise in energy bills for households and firms. 
Right now, the annual energy bill for a typical household is £1,971. From 1 October, however, that is due to rise 80% - to £3,549. It is understood that the plans will see a typical household energy bill rise to £2,500 instead - about £1,000 less than expected, but still about £500 more than at present.
As well as households, businesses are also expected to receive some help. Many firms are currently facing even sharper rises than households and many fixed-rate deals for business expire this October, exposing thousands of firms to full costs that could rise by four or five times or more.
In her victory speech, Ms Truss pledged to ""deliver on the energy crisis""."	/news/business-62813782
business	Netflix cuts 150 US-based jobs after losing subscribers	"Netflix has made about 150 staff redundant, a month after the streaming service said it was losing subscribers for the first time in a decade.
redundancies, announced by the entertainment giant on Tuesday, will mainly affect its US office in California. They account for about 2% of its North American workforce.
Netflix said the job losses were due to the slump in the company's revenue.
reaming service is battling an exodus of viewers this year.
""These changes are primarily driven by business needs rather than individual performance, which makes them especially tough as none of us want to say goodbye to such great colleagues,"" the company said in a statement.
It wasn't disclosed which parts of the business would see job losses, but the Los Angeles Times reported that recruiting, communications and also the content department were all affected.
Some people also disclosed their job loss online.
In April, the streaming giant shocked the industry when it revealed it had lost 200,000 subscribers in the first three months of 2022, and warned another two million were expected to quit in the coming quarter.
ws sparked an investor sell-off, with the firm's stock plunging 35% in one day. It is now trading at $190 (£152), a 46% drop on its previous premium.
While Netflix has 220 million subscribers globally and remains the clear market leader, it has faced fierce competition in recent years with the arrival of competitor platforms such as Disney Plus, HBO, and Amazon's Prime Video.
In its earnings report last month, the company also said the war in Ukraine and the decision to raise its prices in the US had cost it subscribers. 
Pulling out of the Russian market alone had cost the service 700,000 members, it revealed.
Along with job losses, the company is also cutting content and pulling back on its own creations. Earlier in May it cancelled development of Pearl, an animated series created by Meghan Markle, in its move to cut costs.
Some analysts say that after a surge in sign-ups during the pandemic, Netflix has run out of easy ways to grow the business.
mpany says it's looking at a cheaper, ad-based model and also planning on cracking down on password sharing which has cost it 100 million households.
Netflix is not alone in making job cuts. In recent weeks, a slew of US tech companies from start-ups to big names such as Uber and Twitter have said they are slowing or freezing hiring, or, like online car sales firm Carvana, announced redundancies, citing a downturn.
Bristol pupil stars in Last Bus Netflix series"	/news/business-61489041
sports	Piggy March: Burghley Horse Trials victory 'stuff of dreams' for Northamptonshire rider	BBC Look East speaks to Piggy March at her Northamptonshire stables after winning the Burghley Horse Trials on Vanir Kamira.	/sport/av/equestrian/62810061
politics	Rishi Sunak and Emmanuel Macron vow to co-operate on Channel crossings - No 10	"UK and France have pledged to boost co-operation to tackle migrant crossings in the English Channel, Downing Street has said.
Rishi Sunak held his first call, since becoming prime minister, with President Emmanuel Macron on Friday.
No 10 said the two men expressed a commitment to ""deepening"" their work to deter the ""deadly journeys."" 
A statement from the Elysée Palace after the call made no specific mention of migrant boats.
re have already been promises to deepen co-operation earlier in October, after then-Prime Minister Liz Truss met with Mr Macron in Prague earlier this month. 
r pledged an ""ambitious package of measures"" to be announced this autumn. 
Downing Street has refused to give details on any future plans or when an announcement will be made. 
But Mr Sunak is said to have ""stressed the importance for both nations to make the Channel route completely unviable for people traffickers"".
In 2021, the UK agreed to pay France £54m to boost patrols along France's northern coast.
A report, in The Times, says Mr Sunak wants to close a new deal with France, including targets for how many boats are stopped. 
It has been claimed that the French ""pulled the plug"" on a draft agreement back in the summer, after Liz Truss said the ""jury's out"" on whether Emmanuel Macron was a friend or foe.                                                                                                 
Elysée has previously declined to comment while Ms Truss and Mr Macron appeared to patch things up after their October meeting in Prague. 
w prime minister chose on Friday to strike a markedly warm tone towards the French president.
Following their phone call, No 10 emphasized areas of co-operation - including climate change, defence, the war in Ukraine and energy. 
According to Downing Street, Mr Sunak ""stressed the importance he places on the UK's relationship with France - our neighbour and ally"".
Elysée said Mr Macron spoke of his willingness to deepen ties in defence and energy.
UK and France have clashed in recent years over post-Brexit fishing rights, the AUKUS security pact and migration.
In November 2021, 27 people died in the worst-recorded migrant tragedy in the Channel. 
But the UK was disinvited from a ministerial meeting on the issue after Mr Macron accused Boris Johnson - prime minister at the time - of not being serious.
re is speculation that Mr Sunak may forge a more positive relationship with the French president than his two predecessors. 
re close in age, often seen as ""slick"" in appearance and worked in banking before turning to politics. 
""I think in terms of style, they're quite compatible,"" says Lord Ricketts, who previously served as the UK's ambassador to France.
However the cross-bench peer notes that in substance, they're a long way apart on certain issues. 
Mr Sunak was a Brexit supporter in 2016 while Emmanuel Macron is passionately pro-European. 
w prime minister has also signalled he intends to push ahead with certain policies, strongly disliked by the Elysée.
ude sending asylum seekers to Rwanda and pursuing legislation that could allow ministers to override parts of the post-Brexit deal for Northern Ireland. 
""But at least there'll be a more serious dialogue than there ever was under Boris Johnson, provided Rishi Sunak can stay away from using France as political football,"" says Lord Ricketts. 
In August, before leaving Downing Street, Boris Johnson said Emmanuel Macron was a ""très bon buddy"" and described the UK-France relationship as one of ""huge importance."" 
A France-UK summit will go ahead next year."	/news/uk-politics-63430865
politics	Conwy councillor denies voting on Zoom while driving	"A councillor who took part in an online meeting while sitting in the driver's seat of a car has denied he was driving at the time.
Andrew Wood is seen apparently raising his hand to vote and then seems to reach to turn the camera off while the vehicle appears to be moving.
Mr Wood, an independent councillor who represents Gele and Llanddulas on Conwy council, has denied any wrongdoing.
ublic services ombudsman has confirmed it is investigating.
A Conservative Member of the Senedd had already called for the ombudsman to look into it.
North Wales MS Mark Isherwood said he had received emails from constituents accusing Mr Wood of ""making a mockery of the political system, and that ""he should be encouraged to resign and apologise"".
Conwy council said it was considering what action to take.
meeting of the council's finance and resources scrutiny committee in July. 
Like many council meetings around Wales since the pandemic, it was a ""hybrid"" meeting, which councillors can attend by sitting in a meeting room or by using Zoom. 
Mr Wood took part remotely, but only appears on screen briefly, seemingly to vote on council decisions by showing his hand to the camera.
In one vote, the vehicle he is sitting in appears to be moving, before Mr Wood moves his hand towards the camera and the video feed is turned off. 
Conwy council said it had only just been made aware of the incident, but that driving while attending a virtual council meeting was not actually covered by any of its existing rules. 
A council spokeswoman said ""existing policies do not refer to members taking part in meetings while driving"".
""The council's monitoring officer will consider appropriate action and also remind all elected councillors of their individual responsibility to conduct themselves in line with the requirements of the code of conduct and members protocol."" 
Mr Wood did not reply to several messages from BBC Wales asking for a response, but told the Daily Post newspaper: ""I can tell you I have not done a Zoom meeting while driving a vehicle.  
""The only time I have ever attended a meeting whilst in my vehicle would have been an audio meeting only. 
""I play it through my Bluetooth, other than that I do not have a clue as it's never been pointed out to me. I know nothing about it."" "	/news/uk-wales-63986523
business	Interest rate ‘rigger’ guilty conviction thrown out	"A British former trader has had a conviction in the US for ""rigging"" interest rates overturned in spite of pleading guilty. 
Mike Curtler, formerly of Deutsche Bank, was among 38 former traders and brokers prosecuted after the US Department of Justice declared their conduct illegal 10 years ago. 
But earlier this year a US appeal court decided no rules had been broken. 
Mr Curtler's lawyer said they were ""extremely pleased"" with the decision. 
In the past eight years, 38 former brokers and traders have been prosecuted over emails and messages asking colleagues to tweak their estimates of the cost of borrowing cash to suit their bank's commercial interests - a practice which the US Department of Justice declared to be illegal interest rate ""rigging"" in 2012, when it fined Barclays Bank for it. 
mates of the interest rates banks were paying were submitted each morning as part of the process of arriving at Libor (London Interbank Offered Rate), the index that tracks the cost of borrowing cash.
Just as the FTSE tracks the prices of shares, Libor tracks the interest rates banks are paying to borrow cash on the wholesale money markets. 
For the past 35 years, it has been used to set interest rates on millions of residential and commercial loans around the world. 
work out Libor each day, 16 banks answer a question - at what interest rate could they borrow money? They submit their answers and an average is taken.
gainst Mike Curtler and other traders consisted of messages and emails asking for those interest rates to be submitted ""high"" or ""low"".
Mike Curtler admitted he had acted on the emailed requests and, faced with the risk of up to 15 years in a US jail if he went to trial, pleaded guilty. 
But in January this year a US appeal court ruled that the requests were not illegal after all, acquitting former Deutsche Bank traders Gavin Black from Middlesex and Matt Connolly from New Jersey. 
Now US courts are acquitting even those who pleaded guilty, such as Mike Curtler, saying they must be viewed as innocent. 
""I'm very glad the US courts have decided that what we did was not criminal. The past decade has been horrible but hopefully we can now start to rebuild,"" Mr Curtler told the BBC. 
Mr Curtler's lawyer, David Krakoff, said: ""We are extremely pleased that Mike Curtler has been cleared and that the courts have decided that there was no wrongdoing whatsoever.""
A month ago New York court threw out the conviction of former trader Tim Parietti, 56, who had also pleaded guilty, ordering the government to repay a £1m fine. 
It leaves the UK as the only country in the world where convictions for ""rigging"" interest rates have, so far, been sustained. 
Nine have been convicted in the UK, including Tom Hayes, Peter Johnson, Jonathan Mathew, Alex Pabon, Jay Merchant, Christian Bittar, Philippe Moryoussef, Carlo Palombo and Colin Bermingham. "	/news/business-62801918
sports	Ironman World Championship: Great Britain's Lucy Charles-Barclay claims silver in first women-only race	"Great Britain's Lucy Charles-Barclay finished runner-up in the first women-only professional race at the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii.
Californian Chelsea Sodaro, 33, won in eight hours 33 minutes and 46 seconds.
Charles-Barclay, 29 - the 2021 half Ironman world champion - finished in eight hours 42 minutes and 22 seconds.
Germany's Anne Haug came third, in what was the largest elite women's field the race has seen, with 42 competitors at the start line in Kona.
""I knew the calibre of runners and what I'd have to do to stay at the front,"" Charles-Barclay said after holding off a late challenge from Haug for silver.
""I had to keep digging and doing my own thing. I can't believe I held on for second.""
Britons Fenella Langridge and Laura Siddall finished sixth and 10th respectively.
Charles-Barclay had won three Ironman silver medals before claiming her first world title over the 70.3-mile half distance in Utah in 2021.
Find out how to get into triathlon in our special guide.
king on the full 140.6 miles in Hawaii on Thursday, Charles-Barclay was first after the swim and led 2021 winner Daniela Ryf by seven minutes.
2017, 2018 and 2019 runner-up had only compatriot Langridge for company early on the 112-mile bike ride as favourites Laura Philipp and Sarah Crowley both served five-minute drafting penalties.
Ryf, who was was able to make up a nine-minute deficit to Charles-Barclay during the bike stage in 2018, began to reduce the gap and eventually overtook the British pair before the start of the marathon run.
She led Charles-Barclay by 17 seconds at the start of the run but the Briton regained the lead, only to be passed by rookie Sodaro, who produced a superb run to win by more than eight minutes."	/sport/triathlon/63163524
health	How play therapy helps children in hospital	"Like any six-year-old, Afonso loves his toys but play has taken on a different meaning since he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia two-and-a-half years ago. 
A big part of his hospital experience is the play area and the NHS play technicians. They support the young patients, playing games and interacting with toys with them.
gy for children's play at Kingston Hospital has been donated by Starlight. The charity is fundraising to provide more play resources to children's wards across the country. 
r Christmas appeal aims to raise £400,000 to bring play to every seriously ill child who needs it. The charity estimates there will be over 1.3 million A&E and hospital admissions for under 18s in England this December alone."	/news/uk-england-london-63990353
politics	Stephen Doughty: Police 'standing by its decision' in MP's diazepam case	"South Wales Police says it is ""standing by its original decision"", after it was asked to re-examine why it treated a man cautioned for supplying diazepam to an MP differently to the politician himself.
Labour's Stephen Doughty admitted last year asking Byron Long for the prescription-only drug on one occasion.
Mr Doughty has not been cautioned.
Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) upheld some of Mr Long's complaints in an initial review in May.
South Wales Police has now told BBC Wales it has ""reviewed its investigation"" and has ""replied to Mr Long clarifying and standing by its original decision"".
An IOPC spokesperson said ""we are aware that South Wales Police has responded to the complainant following their further investigation"".
Mr Long, the Labour Party and Mr Doughty declined to comment. 
Byron Long, 63, had complained to South Wales Police, which told him it took no action against Mr Doughty, the MP for Cardiff South and Penarth, because the allegation he possessed a controlled drug ""cannot be proved in these circumstances"".
, in a letter to Mr Long, the IOPC said this ""does not appear to be borne out by the available evidence"".
Evidence suggested an ""inconsistency in the manner in which you were dealt with by South Wales Police, following your admission of being concerned in the supply of a controlled drug, and Mr Doughty's apparent acknowledgement regarding obtaining a controlled drug, which did not result in further investigative lines of enquiry"".
IOPC had said a police investigation ""should address the apparent difference in the outcomes experienced by Mr Long and Mr Doughty"".
It added that the police ""may wish to take into consideration Mr Long's belief that Mr Doughty was treated differently due to his status as an MP, and also due to a personal relationship with Alun Michael"". 
Mr Michael is South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner and a senior Labour Party figure.
Mr Doughty denied Mr Long's claim that he gave him pills at up to 20 meetings in a Cardiff coffee shop, saying it only happened once.
In May 2021, the MP apologised ""unreservedly for any error he made"".
Via a spokesperson, he said at the time that he asked his ""friend"" Mr Long for ""a few spare diazepam"" in 2019 ahead of a flight because he had not been able to see a GP.
kesman explained last year: ""To the best of his recollection, at the time he was panicking, had been unable to get to a GP for an appointment, and as a friend who he regularly shared confidential personal mental health worries and anxieties with, asked Byron if he had a few spare diazepam, which he had previously been prescribed for such circumstances, and taken without any issues.""
In October 2021, Mr Doughty was cleared of breaking the MPs' code of conduct.
In a report, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards said the MP ""was complicit in a criminal offence"", but that the police took no action and that there was only evidence that he received diazepam once.
Mr Michael has also denied any involvement in the case.
Possession of diazepam, which is a class C drug without a prescription, carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison.
It is available on prescription only and is used to treat anxiety, muscle spasms and fits."	/news/uk-wales-politics-63502527
technology	BGMI: Why India has blocked the popular combat mobile game	"A popular combat and survival game similar to hit video game PlayerUnknown's Battleground (PUBG) has been blocked in India.
Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) has been taken off the Google and Apple app stores. 
Google said it had blocked access to the game in the country after receiving a government order.
Developer Krafton confirmed the news and said it was talking to authorities to understand why it was suspended.
BGMI is a rebranded avatar of PUBG, which was among a slew of Chinese-origin apps blocked by the Indian government in 2020.
2020 took place against the backdrop of tensions between the two countries along a disputed Himalayan border.
In several phases throughout the year, India banned apps like WeChat Work and TikTok, that had Chinese links.
""The government had banned these apps citing security concerns, data of Indian citizens going out etc, but it was essentially meant to put pressure on China over the border conflict,"" says tech analyst Prasanto K Roy.
PUBG was developed by a subsidiary of the South Korean company, Krafton, and operated in India through Tencent Games, a division of the Chinese multinational Tencent Holdings.
mpany cut ties with Tencent in India and released BGMI in 2021. A year after its launch, the Krafton said the game had 100 million registered users in India. 
In June, PUBG made headlines again after a 16-year-old boy in Lucknow city in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh allegedly shot his mother dead for scolding him about playing the game.
renewed a debate about the violence in such games and also came up in the ongoing session of the parliament.
In response to an MP's question about such apps, the government said it was looking into reports of rebranded and similar sounding apps.
urrent BGMI ban links itself back to the Chinese apps ban, says Mr Roy.
""Since 2020, the government had added a further layer of scrutiny to funding sources which come from a country with which India shares a land border,"" he says. ""It has also been looking harder and harder at apps with Chinese origin.""
r, the government and the Reserve Bank of India have been cracking down on lending-related apps. ""These apps are not regulated and triggered genuine issues but the scrutiny has essentially to do with the concerns with China,"" he says.
While BGMI is published by the South Korea's Krafton, China's Tencent Holdings has a 13.6% stake in the company through its subsidiary Image Frame Investment.
Under intense government scrutiny, Mr Roy says, apps that are Chinese-owned or have significant Chinese investment will continue to find it extremely difficult to operate in India."	/news/world-asia-india-62344926
health	Breastfeeding: Nigeria's first breast milk bank	"Meet Chinny Obinwanne, the Doctor behind the first breast milk bank in Nigeria. 
It was her own struggle with breastfeeding that led her to start this self-funded initiative.
Reporter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producer: Princess Abumere
Executive producer: Ann-Marie Yiannacou
Edited by: Joshua Akinyemi"	/news/world-africa-63781415
sports	Ben Spencer: Club captain agrees to contract extension at Bath	"Bath scrum-half Ben Spencer has signed a contract extension with the club.
30-year-old was named club captain at the start of the season and has been a key member of a side that have begun to improve under head of rugby Johann van Graan, who joined in the summer.
Spencer signed for Bath from Saracens in 2020 and has won four England caps.
""Since I arrived, Ben has stood out as a true leader who leads by example and is a superb communicator in the group,"" Van Graan told the club website.
""He has the ability to run a game from scrum-half and he will continue to be a significant member of our squad for years to come.""
Spencer will have Finn Russell outside him next season after the Scotland international agreed a move to Bath from Racing 92.
""The direction the club and Johann have committed to is incredibly exciting,"" said Spencer. 
""We have a group of players who are determined to succeed and achieve great things.""
f Spencer's new deal with the Premiership club are undisclosed.
Bath will hope to snap a five-match losing run in all competitions when they host Newcastle in the league on Saturday."	/sport/rugby-union/64120284
politics	Mothers in Cambridge start campaign to support congestion charge	"A group of mothers have gathered together to support a controversial traffic scheme which could see a Cambridge congestion charge brought in.
Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) is proposing a £5 charge to be introduced by 2026-27.
But it has sparked opposition from shopkeepers who fear it will hit trade.
Elisabeth Whitebread, from Parents for the Cambridge Sustainable Travel Zone, said it was fair that drivers pay for the pollution their car's produce.
group is holding a protest meeting at Parker's Piece in Cambridge city centre on Saturday, which was also the site of a demonstration against the charging plans in November.
rge would affect private vehicles across the whole city, including Addenbrooke's Hospital and the rest of the BioMedical Campus, between 07:00 and 19:00 on weekdays.
would also see £50m of investment to expand the bus network and improved walking and cycling routes.
Cambridgeshire County Council would have final approval of any plans.
Ms Whitebread told BBC Politics East: ""Cambridge is great place to raise children, but we need a transport system fit for the 21st Century.
""There are no easy answers to this sort of thing, and of cause the charges are going to come in, in a staggered way. There will be upfront investment before the charge comes in. 
""I do think it is fair that people who are driving and causing pollution and congestion are the ones who should pay for it. The council has signed up to a climate emergency so it is really time for them to 'walk the walk.'""
Elissa Meschini, Labour councillor and chair of the Greater Cambridge Partnership which is looking to put forward the plans, said:  ""We have to come clean about the challenges we face. All we ask at this point is that people appreciate the extent of the challenge we have to address. We haven't made a final decision and it's important people understand it isn't an easy solution.""
GCP said the scheme would cut the number of car trips in Cambridge by 50% .
John Whitelegg, a visiting professor at Liverpool John Moores University who has studied congestion charge schemes, said: ""I'm surprised to hear the 50% figure. 
""I think that might prove to be wildly out of line with the outcome.""
But Prof Whitelegg, who is a former Green Party spokesperson in sustainable transport, believed congestion charge schemes are the way forward, and people who originally oppose it will come around to supporting it in the end.
""There's a pattern. There is initial opposition, then reluctantly accepting the scheme is being done, and then really liking it and everyone finding the advantages of it,"" he said.
But the plans have provoked strong opposition.
Clare King, 64, who has lived in Cambridge for 30 years and drives across the city every day for her job in a supermarket, said: ""Rather than the 10 minute car journey, I would need to walk to a bus stop, wait for a bus, catch two buses, then get off a bus near work and then walk to work. 
""That journey would take me between 45 and 50 minutes, provided the buses came pretty quickly.
""We need to improve the buses. We don't need to do it through treating residents as cash cows.""
Neil Mackay's family has been running a hardware store in Cambridge for more than 100 years, selling items including heavy duty metal piping, tools, ladders, workwear and gardening equipment.
""The sorts of materials we supply. You can't take those on a bus,"" he said.
""If I was a tradesman coming into Cambridge and I wanted some materials and I had a choice between coming down to see my old friend Neil Mackay in East Road and paying £10, or going to an alternative supplier who might be outside the zone - of which there are plenty - who has similarly priced goods, which is he going to do?""
You can see more on this story on Politics East on BBC One on Sunday, 11 December at 10:00 GMT, with it also available on BBC iPlayer afterwards.
Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion please email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-63919087
technology	Meta, Amazon, Twitter layoffs: 'Tech layoffs won't destroy American dreams of Indians’	"Many Indians who work on temporary visas in the US are facing an uncertain future after mass layoffs at big tech firms. Surbhi Gupta, who lost her job at Meta, tells her story of in her own words.
It was my mum's birthday. I was staying up late to wish her and that's when I started getting messages from my friends about layoff announcements. They were all anxious.
At around 6am here, I received an email that I'd been let go. I had joined Meta earlier this year as a product manager. My team was shocked because I'd been performing really well.
It went against my motto, work is worship, instilled early by my favourite teacher at school. Initially, it felt like the Titanic sinking because I was losing access to things one by one - workplace, then email, then laptop. But I was pleasantly overwhelmed and surprised in a positive way by my network on LinkedIn. Many colleagues, ex-colleagues and friends reached out in a very supportive way, making introductions and referrals. It made me feel like I have so many people in this country who care for me, made me feel like I belong to this country.
My last day at Meta is in January and my H1-B visa [a non-immigrant visa that allows firms in the US to hire foreigners for up to six years] allows me to stay in the US for another 60 days, so early March is the deadline for me to find another job. 
job search is going to be difficult now as hiring will be slow in December because of the holidays. But I'm very focused. I am in touch with multiple companies and exploring options.
What I'll miss most about Meta is the workplace and my colleagues. Being at Meta meant not only being able to build an amazing product for millions of people, but also being able to participate in fireside chats and growth and learning opportunities. As a product manager, it would have been rewarding to see the project I was working on go further.
My parents taught me to never give up in life. They tell me to stay strong because I'm a person who can convert problems into opportunities. They tell me 'aur kuch accha mil jayega' [you'll find something better].
But my ability to work and stay in the US depends on my H1-B visa. I moved to the US in 2009 and I have worked very hard to build my career on my own strength and intellect. I have worked in prominent companies like Tesla, Intuit, etc., built great products, got top ratings, paid taxes, and contributed to the US economy for more than 15 years, but I feel that I am in the same place as far as permanent residency goes because of the limitations of the H1-B. I was crowned Miss Bharat California [a beauty pageant] by my idol, Bollywood actress Sushmita Sen. I have walked the ramp at New York Fashion Week. I have my own podcast. 
We face unnecessary stress because the US has a country cap which takes forever for Indian H1-B holders to get a green card (permanent residency). Even though I am in the green card queue, when I track my status, I sometimes get a wait-time of two decades, and at other times, 60 years.
Our personal life suffers because of the uncertainty. Buying a home has been a question mark in my mind - do I invest in a home and then what if I have to leave. In spite of having gone ahead with the YC [Y Combinator is an American technology start-up accelerator], I can't start a company even though I have a great idea because I don't have a green card.
I travelled to 30 countries before turning 30 years old, but now I'm unable to travel much, even though it's my dream to travel the world, because I'm nervous about facing problems while trying to get my H1-B visa re-stamped. I have heard from my friends who work at great companies like Google and PayPal about getting stuck abroad.
I have even curtailed my travels home to India. A few years back, I got stuck in India. I had gone to attend a wedding and I had to get my H1-B visa stamped. But that took several months as it went into random administrative processing and I wasn't even sure when it would come through. The uncertainty and the wait caused problems in my marriage. The visa issues had a very big role in my marriage. It was not the only reason, but it became one of the major reasons for the break-up of my marriage. I also had to drop out of a semester at New York University, where I was studying at the time, because I didn't know when I would be able to return to the US. Why do people on H1-Bs have to deal with this?
I have not met my parents since the Covid-19 pandemic because they haven't been able to come to visit me for three-and-a-half years. They are elderly, and don't keep too well. I constantly think - if my parents need support, will I be able to go to help them? Nobody realises how it impacts our life.
But despite whatever has happened, I believe this experience too has a silver lining. Spirituality is a significant part of my life. I am a believer and follower of Sadhguru ji [as followers refer to Indian yoga guru Jaggi Vasudev]. He says that we should not be identified only by or limit our identity to our professional role. In Silicon Valley, the most frequently asked question is - Which company do you work for? But I am still me, not just a product manager. Everyone should realise that they are more than just the company they work for.
As told to Savita Patel"	/news/world-asia-india-63804055
sports	Tom Daley: Olympic champion says Commonwealth Games LGBT+ manifesto is 'first step'	"Olympic champion Tom Daley says his Commonwealth Games LGBT+ manifesto is ""the first step"" and that other major sports events now need to follow suit.
British diver Daley, 28, has worked closely with the Commonwealth Games Federation to draw up a number of action points.
ude a commitment to install Pride Houses within the athletes' villages at every future Games, sensitivity training for staff, and resources for asylum-seeking charities where LGBT+ people can seek safety.
""There are other sporting events that aren't taking a stand in any way,"" Daley told BBC Sport. 
""There are so many examples of major events being held in places where it is illegal to be gay. For instance, the Fifa World Cup being held in Qatar, Formula 1 in Saudi Arabia.
""The silence speaks a thousand words.""
In the lead-up to the Qatar World Cup this winter, 16 LGBTIQ+ organisations - representing lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex, queer or questioning fans - have been engaging with Fifa, presenting action points on rights they want to see implemented before the tournament. They said in March that ""progress has been slow"". Tournament organisers have said ""everyone will be welcome"".
Within Formula 1, where races have been held in both Qatar and Saudi Arabia, individual drivers such as Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel have worn Pride colours during races.
It is illegal to be gay in more than half the 54 countries that competed at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Many of these include countries where laws were exported by the UK during colonial rule.
During the opening ceremony in Birmingham, four-time champion Daley joined athletes and advocates from different countries within the Commonwealth carrying 'Progress Pride' flags into Alexander Stadium.
""In the UK, I think the Pride flag can be taken for granted,"" Daley told BBC Sport. ""For lots of people around the Commonwealth, it's a sign of safety and acceptance.""
One of the flag-bearers was Jason Jones - an LGBT+ activist from Trinidad who, in 2018, won a legal challenge at the High Court of Trinidad and Tobago which decriminalised adult same-sex intimacy.
He said what happened at the opening ceremony was ""a small step for LGBT+ people, but a giant leap in the sports world for LGBT+ people"".
Daley added: ""This was the first time any sporting event had anything so bold.""
In order to draw up his plan, Daley spent much of the last year travelling to - or speaking to people from - a number of countries where laws are hostile to LGBT+ people, including Jamaica, Pakistan and Nigeria.
All of this is documented in a one-off film, which will be shown on BBC One on Tuesday, 9 August, at 21:00 BST.
Daley hears horrific stories of people being beaten, stoned and killed for their sexuality. 
His initial stance was any country in which it is illegal to be gay should be banned from hosting the Games, but he has since modified that.
""There shouldn't be further oppression of telling people what they should and shouldn't do, but instead allowing the sporting federation to draw up a set of values,"" he said. 
""That way, it's on individual countries to embrace those values if they do want to host the Games."""	/sport/commonwealth-games/62479810
politics	UK Royal Family: Who is in it and what does the King do?	"Preparations for the coronation of King Charles III have begun, ahead of the May 2023 ceremony. 
Life in the Royal Family is under increased scrutiny following the release of a Netflix documentary series about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
King Charles was the first-born son of Queen Elizabeth II, and he inherited the throne on 8 September, immediately after her death at the age of 96 at Balmoral Castle.
A period of national mourning was declared, and he was formally proclaimed king two days later.
usands of people queued up to see the Queen's coffin lying in state in Westminster Hall in the Houses of Parliament in the days leading up to her funeral. 
Her funeral service at Westminster Abbey was attended by 2,000 people, including leaders and dignitaries from around the world.
usands of people lined the streets as her coffin was transported to Windsor Castle where a committal service was held. She was buried later, alongside her late husband the Duke of Edinburgh.
King is the UK head of state. However, his powers are symbolic and ceremonial, and he remains politically neutral.
He receives daily dispatches from the government in a red leather box, such as briefings ahead of important meetings, or documents needing his signature.     
rime minister normally meets the King on a Wednesday at Buckingham Palace, to keep him informed on government matters.
meetings are completely private and there is no official record of what is said. 
King also has a number of parliamentary functions:
In addition, the King hosts visiting heads of state, and meets foreign ambassadors and high commissioners based in the UK. He leads the annual Remembrance event in November at the Cenotaph in London.
King is also head of the Commonwealth, an association of 56 independent countries and 2.5 billion people. For 14 of these countries, known as the Commonwealth realms, he is their head of state.
A coronation is the ceremony at which the monarch is formally crowned. It takes place after a period of mourning for the previous sovereign.  
Elizabeth II became Queen on 6 February 1952 on the death of her father King George VI, but was not crowned until 2 June 1953. 
King Charles III's coronation will take place on Saturday 6 May 2023 at Westminster Abbey in London. He will be the 40th monarch to be invested there. 
During the ceremony, the King will be crowned alongside Camilla, the Queen Consort. 
will be marked by an additional bank holiday across the UK on Monday 8 May 2023.
ronation is an Anglican religious service, carried out by the Archbishop of Canterbury. 
monarch is anointed with ""holy oil"", and receives the orb and sceptre, symbols of royalty. At the climax of the ceremony, the Archbishop will place St Edward's Crown on Charles's head - a solid gold crown, dating from 1661.
repiece of the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London, and is only worn by the monarch at the moment of coronation itself. 
Unlike royal weddings, the coronation is a state occasion - the government pays for it, and ultimately decides the guest list.
Queen Elizabeth's coronation was the first to be broadcast live on TV, and was watched by more than 20 million people. 
After stepping down, they moved to Montecito in California. They said they wanted space to raise their family.
Harry remained a Prince, and the couple kept their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles, but they are no longer addressed as His/Her Royal Highness (HRH).
Duke also gave up his official military titles. 
Since June 2020, the couple has not received any money from Royal sources. They earn much of their income from commercial arrangements.
Previously, they had been funded through the Sovereign Grant and the then Prince of Wales' estate, the Duchy of Cornwall. 
Sussexes have a media company called Archewell Productions, which is behind various podcasts for Spotify and is making a range of programmes for Netflix. 
udes a six-part documentary series in which the couple discuss life in the Royal Family, press intrusion and racism.
Harry and Meghan returned to the UK for the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee in June 2022, and her funeral in September.
It is not clear whether they will attend King Charles' coronation.
rder of succession sets out which member of the Royal Family takes over as monarch when the existing one dies or abdicates. First in line - the heir to the throne - is the monarch's eldest child.
Royal succession rules were amended in 2013 to ensure that sons no longer take precedence over their older sisters. 
As Queen Elizabeth's first-born child, Charles became King on his mother's death and his wife, Camilla, became Queen Consort. 
King Charles's heir is his elder son, Prince William. 
Prince William's eldest child Prince George is second in line to the throne, and his daughter Princess Charlotte is third. Prince Louis is fourth and Prince Harry is fifth. 
King Charles and the Queen Consort live in Buckingham Palace. They previously split their time between Clarence House in London and Highgrove in Gloucestershire.
Other Royal residences include Windsor Castle, Sandringham in Norfolk, the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, and Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire. 
In August 2022, the Prince and Princess of Wales moved from Kensington Palace in west London to live in Adelaide Cottage, on the Windsor Estate. "	/news/uk-56201331
politics	SNP: Sunak suffers ‘self-inflicted loss’ over Williamson	"Ian Blackford has said Rishi Sunak’s handling of Gavin Williamson's exit showed his judgment was “every bit as bad as his predecessor's"".
SNP Westminster leader also asked the PM about reports that Boris Johnson's resignation honours list would include peerages for four Tory MPs. 
Mr Sunak would not be drawn on the “speculation” but said Scottish Secretary Alister Jack, rumoured to be on the list, and himself were both focused on ""working constructively"" with the Scottish government.
Live: Sunak pressed on Gavin Williamson resignation at PMQs"	/news/uk-politics-63569157
entertainment	The Mumbai B-boy taking India to the breakdance world championship	"""If you ask what breaking is for me, I’d say it’s life and happiness.""
Eshwar Tiwari has been breaking - also called breakdancing or b-boying - since he was 14.
24-year-old, who hails from India's Mumbai city, began doing backflips for fun as a young boy. But soon, breaking became a full-fledged passion for him.
r will represent India at the Red Bull BC One World Finals in New York city later in 2022.
Video produced by Kinjal Pandya and edited by Sharad Badhe."	/news/world-asia-india-62912448
entertainment	Strictly Come Dancing: Tony Adams withdraws with an injury	"Former footballer Tony Adams has pulled out of Strictly Come Dancing after hurting himself in Saturday's show. 
His decision saved DJ Tyler West and Strictly dancer Dianne Buswell from Sunday night's dance-off, meaning they will go through to next week's show.
Adams, 56, said the show had taught him a lot about himself and described his dance partner Katya Jones as an ""exceptional human being"".
uple were in bottom place after a 1960s-themed jive on Saturday night.
Speaking about his time on Strictly, ex-England player Adams said he had ""cried for the first month"".
""I thought this 'journey' rubbish was nonsense but, my god, the rollercoaster of emotion. I've got to be honest, it's tough, physically it's really tough out there, but dancing is really fantastic for you. 
""Go out there and enjoy it and pick up new skills and explore,"" he said. 
On the one message he wanted to bring to the show, he told viewers: ""If you've got an issue with mental health then please don't suffer in silence and reach out for help.""
Head judge Shirley Ballas was full of praise for the former Arsenal player, saying he had become ""one of the nation's favourite entertainers"" and encouraged him to carry on dancing. 
""On behalf of all the judges, we've enjoyed watching every second. You are truly what this show is all about, and we can only wish you the best as you move forward,"" she said. 
Katya Jones expressed how grateful she was to have partnered Adams. 
""I loved that we didn't care what people thought, we did every single dance our way. 
""You led by example, and put yourself out there, and showed everyone you can do anything. And everyone deserves love and to be loved,"" she said. 
uple performed their Saturday night jive to Wilson Pickett's Land of 1000 Dances, making the studio audience cheer with excitement after executing a series of roly-polies.
But their efforts failed to impress the judges who only scored them 24 points. Craig Revel Horwood branded their dance a ""technical disaster"".
Sunday's results show opened with a touching Remembrance Sunday tribute as Strictly professionals performed a ballroom dance. 
Adams and Jones will join hosts Rylan Clark and Janette Manrara on Strictly It Takes Two on Monday evening.
remaining eight couples will take to the dancefloor in Blackpool next week. 
Withdrawals from Strictly have been very rare over its 20 series to date, with just a handful leaving the ballroom bonanza without being voted off:"	/news/entertainment-arts-63615618
entertainment	Music therapy gives Cardiff amputee reason to live again	"""Music pulls you through things,"" says Tim, who was left with serious injuries after trying to take his life.
55-year-old, from Cardiff, said his work with a music therapist helped give him a reason to live again.
guitarist suffered brain injuries in 2020, leaving him partially sighted. His left arm was amputated just below his shoulder and he is a full-time wheelchair user.
""Losing my arm, being a guitar player was horrendous,"" he said. 
But he rediscovered his love of music at a rehabilitation unit and now writes music on a computer and sings."	/news/uk-wales-63502622
sports	Commonwealth Games: Javier and Joaquin Bello win beach volleyball bronze	"Twins Javier and Joaquin Bello cruised to a historic triumph as they won England's first beach volleyball medal at the Commonwealth Games.
Bellos won 21-11 21-12 in their bronze medal match against Rwanda's Olivier Ntagengwa and Venuste Gatsinzi.
Birmingham's Smithfield erupted when they won with their second match point.
""It would've been amazing for us to win the first medal anywhere but to do it here, at home, it felt like the whole country was behind us,"" said Javier.
""Having all those people supporting us and enjoying beach volleyball, having our family there and being able to enjoy this moment with them is indescribable really.
""It's amazing and I hope we live another moment like this.""
22-year-old twins were born in Madrid and started playing volleyball when they were six, but moved to London aged 10.
won gold for England at the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games before claiming the first World Tour medal for a British men's team with a bronze in 2019.
r topped that achievement by securing World Tour gold in Portugal last year and warmed up for the Commonwealths by winning the NEVZA Beach Championships in June. 
Away from the beach volleyball court, Javier is a graduate of politics, philosophy and economics from the Royal Holloway University, while Joaquin is studying medicine at Imperial College.
A series of superb performances in Birmingham captured the imagination of the home fans, who provided plenty of noise in a boisterous atmosphere where music and dancers provide entertainment throughout the match.
Bellos missed out on a guaranteed medal after losing to Canada in the semi-final on Saturday, but responded with a quality performance against their Rwandan opponents to deliver bronze on Sunday.
""We were gutted after the loss yesterday but today we had the most important match of our lives,"" said Joaquin.
""We performed incredibly, probably the best match we played all tournament, and I'm so proud of my brother and the way he played.""
Australia won gold for the second successive Games as Chris McHugh - who triumphed alongside the now-retired Damien Schumann in 2018 - and Paul Burnett beat Canada's Sam Schachter and Dan Dearing later on Sunday.
In the women's tournament, Canada's Melissa Humana-Paredes and Sarah Pavan won gold, beating Australia's Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artacho del Solar 22-24 21-17 15-12.
Miller Pata and Tini Toko won bronze for Vanuatu - the South Pacific nation's first medal of the Games."	/sport/commonwealth-games/62458399
entertainment	Mercury Prize: Rapper Little Simz wins album of the year award	"Watch: 'It's crazy!' - Little Simz tells the BBC's Lizo Mzimba what the Mercury Prize means to her
London rapper Little Simz has won the Mercury Prize, for the best British or Irish album of the last 12 months.
28-year-old took the £25,000 award for her fourth album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, a hip-hop coming-of-age tale delivered with a cinematic sweep.
She told the ceremony in London on Tuesday she was ""very overwhelmed and grateful"" to receive the honour.
And the star paid tribute to the other nominees, who included Self Esteem, Wet Leg, Harry Styles and Sam Fender.
""We all made incredible albums,"" she said on stage. ""We all changed people's lives with our music, and that's the most important thing.""
Little Simz adds the Mercury to the Brit Award she won earlier this year. That was for best newcomer, despite the fact she released her debut album seven years ago.
But she has grown in stature and acclaim with every release, and was also nominated for the Mercury for her last LP, Grey Area, in 2019.
Sometimes I Might Be Introvert reached number four in the UK album chart when it was released a year ago, and topped a BBC News ""poll of polls"", which combined the results of 30 critics' end-of-year lists for 2021.
Her appearances at the Reading and Leeds festivals over the summer also cemented her status as a crowd-pleasing main stage performer.
She is the 31st winner of the Mercury Prize, one of the most prestigious awards in music. Singer-songwriter Arlo Parks won last year, while other recent holders include Michael Kiwanuka, Dave and Wolf Alice.
Contrary to the title, Little Simz is bursting with confidence on her fourth album, which takes you on a journey through her family background and artistic struggles over a funky, orchestral brand of hip-hop.
On Little Q, she raps from the perspective of her cousin, who was stabbed in the chest in south London. The moving I Love You / I Hate You, meanwhile, is addressed to the father who abandoned her when she was 11. ""Never thought my parent would give me my first heartbreak,"" she observes.
r's laid-back delivery balances the sadness with empathy and understanding, and the music pulses with an unstoppable life force.
As well as rapping about her family, it is a deeply personal album on which Little Simz, real name Simbiatu Ajikawo, confronts her own inner self plus themes of race, womanhood and community.
She told BBC News after the ceremony: ""I just pray I can do what I can and contribute what I can to the landscape of music and society in whatever way, shape or form, and just try and speak for those that don't have a voice and use my platform and my gift for the greater good.""
In her acceptance speech, she paid tribute to her family and her co-writer and producer Inflo.
""There was times in the studio when I didn't know if I was going to finish this record,"" she told the audience at the Hammersmith Apollo. ""I was feeling all the emotions and really going through it. He stuck by me and pushed me to deliver this album for you guys.""
Mercury Prize judges said: ""This accomplished and complex yet entirely accessible album is the work of someone striving constantly to push herself.
""It deals with themes both personal and political while putting them against music that is as sophisticated as it is varied. The Mercury Prize is all about shining a light on albums of lasting value and real artistry. Sometimes I Might Be Introvert has both.""
uesday's ceremony, which featured performances from 11 of the 12 nominated acts, took place almost six weeks later than planned, after it was postponed at the last minute due to the death of the Queen.
On 8 September, several of the artists had already arrived and rehearsed for the show when news broke of the Queen's death.
full list of Mercury Prize nominated albums:"	/news/entertainment-arts-63296907
sports	Elnaz Rekabi: Iranian climber 'says hijab fell off accidentally' at competition	"Watch: Iran rock climber competes without hijab
A female Iranian climber who competed with her hair uncovered did so because her hijab fell off ""inadvertently"", a post on her Instagram account says.
Elnaz Rekabi, 33, was praised by those protesting against Iran's dress code after video showed her violating it at the Asian Championships in South Korea.
BBC Persian reported on Monday that friends had been unable to contact her.
Before dawn on Wednesday morning, she flew into Tehran, where large crowds had gathered to greet her.
Videos on social media show many of them clapping and chanted ""Elnaz is a heroine"" as she arrived. Where the athlete is heading now is unknown.
red on Instagram on Tuesday apologised for ""getting everybody worried"".
""Due to bad timing, and the unanticipated call for me to climb the wall, my head covering inadvertently came off,"" it explained. 
was on her way back to Iran ""alongside the team based on the pre-arranged schedule"".
BBC Persian's Rana Rahimpour says that to many people the language used in this post looks like it has been written under duress.
Other Iranian women who have competed abroad without wearing a headscarf in the past have said they came under pressure from Iranian authorities to issue similar apologies, she adds. Some of them decided not to go back to Iran.
Women in the country are required to cover their hair with a hijab and their arms and legs with loose clothing. Female athletes must also abide by the dress code when they are officially representing Iran in competitions abroad.
Earlier, the Iranian embassy in South Korea said Ms Rekabi had left Seoul for Iran on Tuesday morning. It also strongly denied what it called ""all fake news, lies and false information"" about her.
International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) said it had been in contact with Ms Rekabi and the Iranian Climbing Federation, and that it was ""trying to establish the facts"".
""It is important to stress that athletes' safety is paramount for us and we support any efforts to keep a valued member of our community safe in this situation,"" it added. ""The IFSC fully support the rights of athletes, their choices, and expression of free speech.""
A source told BBC Persian on Monday that Ms Rekabi's passport and mobile phone were confiscated, and that she left her hotel in Seoul two days before her scheduled departure date. Her family and friends lost contact with her after she said she was with an Iranian official.
wo years ago, an Iranian international chess referee said she had received death threats after a photo circulated that appeared to show her without a hijab at the Women's World Chess Championship in Shanghai. 
Shohreh Bayat insisted that she had been wearing a headscarf loosely over her hair at the time, but she subsequently stopped covering her hair and claimed asylum in the UK after being warned that she could face arrest in Iran.
""I had to chose my side because I was asked to write an apology on Instagram and to apologise publicly,"" Ms Bayat told BBC World News on Tuesday. 
""I was given a list of things to do. I knew that if I just followed those things that I did not believe in, if I apologised for not wearing a headscarf, then I could not forgive myself.""
Asked what she thought about Elnaz Rekabi's Instagram post, she said: ""I think actions speak louder than words. And she made a very powerful statement in not wearing a headscarf.""
Ms Bayat has called on the international community to act over the violent crackdown by Iranian authorities in response to nationwide protests against the compulsory hijab laws and the clerical establishment.
rotests were sparked by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman arrested by morality police in Tehran on 13 September for allegedly wearing her headscarf too loosely. 
reports that she was beaten on the head with a baton and said she suffered a heart attack. 
On Tuesday, the UN Human Rights Office said it was deeply worried by the ""unabated violent response by security forces against protesters, and reports of arbitrary arrests and the killing and detention of children"".
""Some sources suggest that as many as 23 children have been killed and many others injured in at least seven provinces by live ammunition, metal pellets at close range and fatal beatings,"" spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said.
She added that a number of schools had also been raided and children arrested by security forces, while some principals had been arrested for not co-operating.
Norway-based Iran Human Rights has reported that 215 people have been killed by security forces. Authorities have denied killing peaceful demonstrators and instead blamed foreign-backed ""rioters""."	/news/world-middle-east-63297219
entertainment	Snape Maltings: Exhibition finds power in community stories	"A series of creative workshops has provided a platform for the sharing of community stories for a new art collection.
Power of Stories exhibition, a collaboration between Aspire Black Suffolk and Britten Pears Arts, will be held at Snape Maltings in Suffolk.
""We're having workshops with members of the black, African-Caribbean community, to create artworks which are around senses of identity, how they feel about their home and environment and what that means to them,"" said curator Devi Singh.
""It enables people to visually describe their stories and experiences... everybody's stories are important.""
free exhibition, which includes three costumes from Marvel's Black Panther film, is on show from 22 October to 19 February, 2023.Video by Dawn Gerber."	/news/uk-england-suffolk-63288793
technology	Inside a US military cyber team’s defence of Ukraine	"Russia failed to take down Ukrainian computer systems with a massive cyber-attack when it invaded this year, despite many analysts' predictions. The work of a little-known arm of the US military which hunts for adversaries online may be one reason. The BBC was given exclusive access to the cyber-operators involved in these global missions.
In early December last year, a small US military team led by a young major arrived in Ukraine on a reconnaissance trip ahead of a larger deployment. But the major quickly reported that she needed to stay.  
""Within a week we had the whole team there ready to go hunting,"" one of the team recalls. 
me to detect Russians online and their Ukrainian partners made it clear they needed to start work straight away. 
""She looked at the situation and told me the team wouldn't leave,"" Maj Gen William J Hartman, who heads the US Cyber National Mission Force, told the BBC. 
""We almost immediately got the feedback that 'it's different in Ukraine right now'. We didn't redeploy the team, we reinforced the team.""
Since 2014, Ukraine has witnessed some of the world's most significant cyber-attacks, including the first in which a power station was switched off remotely in the dead of winter. 
By late last year, Western intelligence officials were watching Russian military preparations and growing increasingly concerned that a new blizzard of cyber-attacks would accompany an invasion, crippling communications, power, banking and government services, to pave the way for the seizure of power. 
US military Cyber Command wanted to discover whether Russian hackers had already infiltrated Ukrainian systems, hiding deep inside. Within two weeks, their mission became one of its largest deployments with around 40 personnel from across US armed services.
In January they had a front-row seat as Russia began paving the way in cyberspace for a coming invasion in which Ukraine's cyber-defences would be put to an unprecedented test. 
filtration of computer networks had for many years been primarily about espionage - stealing secrets - but recently has been increasingly militarised and linked to more destructive activities like sabotage or preparation for war. 
means a new role for the US military, whose teams are engaged in ""Hunt Forward"" missions, scouring the computer networks of partner countries for signs of penetration. 
""They are hunters and they know the behaviour of their 'prey',"" explains the operator who leads defensive work against Russia. 
US military asked for some operators to remain anonymous and others to be identified only by their first names due to security concerns.
Since 2018, US military operators have been deployed to 20 countries, usually close allies, in Europe, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific region. - although not countries like the UK, Germany or France, which have their own expertise and are less likely to need or want outside help. 
Most of their work has been battling state-hackers from China and North Korea but Russia has been their most persistent adversary. Some countries have seen multiple deployments, including Ukraine, where for the first time cyber attacks were combined with a full-scale war.
Inviting the US military into your country can be sensitive and even controversial domestically, so many partners ask that the US presence remains secret - the teams rarely wear uniform. But increasingly, governments are choosing to make missions public.
In May, Lithuania confirmed a three-month deployment had just finished working on its defence and foreign affairs networks, prioritised because of concerns over threats from Russia in the wake of the Ukraine invasion. 
Croatia hosted the most recent deployment. ""The hunt was thorough and successful, and we discovered and prevented malicious attacks on Croatian state infrastructure,"" Daniel Markić, the head of the country's security and intelligence agency, says.
""We were able to offer the US a new 'hunting ground' for malicious actors and share our experience and acquired knowledge,"" he adds.
But warm public statements mask the reality that these missions often begin uneasily. 
Even countries allied to the US can be nervous about allowing the US to root around inside sensitive government networks. In fact, revelations from former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden 10 years ago suggested that the US spied on friends as well as enemies.
uspicion means the young men and women arriving on a mission are often faced with a stern test of their diplomatic skills. They show up at an airport hauling dozens of boxes of mysterious technical equipment and need to quickly build trust to get permission to do something sensitive - install that equipment on the host country's government computer networks to scan for threats. 
""That is a pretty scary proposition if you're a host nation,"" explains Gen Hartman. ""You immediately have some concern that we're going to go do something nefarious or it's some super-secret kind of backdoor operation.""
Put simply, the Americans need to convince their hosts they are there to help them - and not to spy on them.
""I'm not interested in your emails,"" is how Mark, who led two teams in the Indo-Pacific region, describes his opening gambit. If a demonstration goes well they can get down to work.
Local partners sometimes sit with US teams around in conference rooms observing closely to make sure nothing untoward is going on. ""We have to make sure we convey that trust,"" says Eric, a 20-year veteran of cyber operations. ""Having people sit side-saddle with us is a big factor in developing that.""  
And although suspicion can never be totally dispelled, a common adversary binds them together.
""The one thing that these partners want is the Russians out of their networks,"" Gen Hartman recalls one of his team telling him. 
US Cyber Command offers an insight into what the Russians, or others, are up to, particularly since it works closely with the National Security Agency, America's largest intelligence agency which monitors communications and cyberspace.
In one case, proof of infiltration came in real-time. One US operator, Chris, who has led multiple European missions, recalls observing someone move suspiciously around the computer network of a partner country. 
What was bizarre was that it appeared to be one of the local network administrators the team was working with. That person was standing right behind Chris. Could it be some kind of insider threat?
""Is that you?"" Chris asked. 
""That is my computer, but I swear that's not me,"" the administrator responded, transfixed as if watching a movie. Someone had stolen his online identity. 
""Finding someone on your network is not a good moment especially when they are using your credentials,"" Chris recalls. That moment conveyed the reality of the threat and in turn helped secure more access. 
US teams say they share what they find to allow the local partner to eject Russians (or other state hackers) rather than do it themselves. They also use commercial tools so that local partners can continue after the mission is over. 
A good relationship can pay dividends. At the end of one mission, US operators say that local partners handed them a parting gift - a computer disc containing malicious software, or malware, from another network the team had not been inside.
Each mission is different and there are some where an adversary has been found on the very first day of looking, explains Shannon who has led two missions in Europe. But it often takes a week or two to unearth more advanced hackers who have burrowed deeper.
A cat-and-mouse game is often played with hackers from Russian intelligence agencies who are particularly adept at changing tactics.
In 2021, it emerged the Russians had used software from a company called SolarWinds to infiltrate the networks of the customers who bought it, including governments.
US operators began looking for traces of their presence. A tech sergeant in Cyber Command who liked puzzles spotted the way the Russians were hiding their code in one European country, General Hartman says. Unscrambling it, he was able to establish the Russians were hiding on a network. Eight different samples of malicious software, all attributed to Russian intelligence, were then made public to allow industry to improve defences. 
Hunting is not an altruistic act by the US military. As well as providing hands-on experience for its teams, it can also help at home. In one mission, a young enlisted cyber operator found the same malware they had discovered in a European country was also present on a US government agency. The US has often struggled to identify and root out vulnerabilities domestically, whether in industry or government, because of overlapping responsibilities between different agencies even as it sends out its operators abroad.
Hunt Forward missions are classed as ""defensive"" but Gen Paul Nakasone, who leads both the military's Cyber Command and the National Security Agency confirmed offensive missions have also been undertaken against Russia in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine. But he and others declined to provide further detail.
January, the team in Ukraine were trying to avoid slipping on icy pavements when a series of major cyber-attacks hit. ""Be afraid and expect the worst,"" read a message posted by hackers on the Foreign Ministry website.
US team watched in real-time as a wave of so-called wiper software, which renders computers unusable, hit multiple government websites.  
""They were able to assist in analysing some of the ongoing attacks, and facilitate that information being shared back to partners in the United States,"" Gen Hartman says.
m was to destabilise the country ahead of the February invasion.
By the time Russian troops flooded over the border, the US team had been pulled out. Knowledge of the physical risk for their Ukrainian partners who remained weighed heavily on them.
Hours before the invasion began on 24 February, a cyber-attack crippled a US satellite communications provider that supported the Ukrainian military. Many predicted this would be the start of a wave of attacks to take down key areas like railways. But that did not happen.
""One of the reasons the Russians may not have been so successful is that the Ukrainians were better prepared,"" says Gen Hartman. 
""There's a lot of pride in the way they were able to defend. A lot of the world thought they would just be run over. And they weren't,"" says Al, a senior technical analyst who was part of the Ukrainian deployment team. ""They resisted.""
Ukraine has been subject to continued cyber-attacks which, if successful, could have affected infrastructure. But the country has continued to defend itself better than many expected. Ukrainian officials have said that this has been in part thanks to help from allies, including US Cyber Command and the private sector as well as their own growing experience. Now, the US and other allies are turning to the Ukrainians to learn from them. 
""We continue to share information with the Ukrainians, they continue to share information with us,"" explains Gen Hartman. ""That's really the whole idea of that enduring partnership."" 
With Ukrainian and Western intelligence officials expressing concerns that Moscow may respond to recent military setbacks by escalating its cyber-attacks, it is a partnership that may still face further tests."	/news/uk-63328398
sports	BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year 2022: Para-athlete Olivia Breen wins	"Para-athlete Olivia Breen is the BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year for 2022.
In August, Breen won Commonwealth Games gold as she beat English rival Sophie Hahn in a spectacular T37/38 100m race in Birmingham.
Breen's top career win was earned with a personal best time of 12.83 seconds.
""I'm shocked. I didn't expect to win [the award]... this is a massive honour with such strong performances in Welsh sport,"" said Breen.
""Being part of the team was just amazing and being a team captain [in athletics] with Osian Jones was a real special moment for me.
""At Team Wales everyone was so supportive, we supported one another and also after Covid, it makes you appreciate life and having a crowd as well.""
26-year-old's medal was the first by a Welsh woman on the track at a Commonwealth Games since Kay Morley won the 100m hurdles in 1990 in Auckland.
Breen has so often had to play second fiddle to Hahn.
revious year Breen could only look on from seventh as Hahn defended her Paralympic T38 title at the Tokyo Games.
But in Birmingham the tables were finally turned as Breen produced the performance of her career.
Her emotional post-race interview in Birmingham proved to be one of the most memorable moments of the Games.
""Getting any kind of medal would've been amazing but getting a gold was so special, and having my family and friends there was amazing,"" she added.
""I've had a rivalry with Sophie Hahn for nine years now, she's been winning for years and I think it made the rivalry.
""It shows that hard work pays off.""
Breen was selected for the BBC Cymru Wales award by an expert panel chaired by Welsh Rugby Union performance director Nigel Walker, and consisting of Paralympic great Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Leshia Hawkins the Cricket Wales chief executive, former Wales footballer and netball player Nia Jones and Sport Wales' Owen Lewis.
""Olivia Breen was the unanimous choice of the panel to be Wales' Sports Personality of the Year 2022 for her outstanding performance during Birmingham 2002,"" Walker said. 
""It was a performance which resonated across the UK as it was replayed for many days following her breath-taking performance in defeating defending champion, and heavy favourite, Sophie Hahn.  
""It was a performance which was one of the outstanding highlights of the whole Games. The quality of the performance was evident but it was also the way her obvious delight was shared by those lucky enough to be in the stadium - and also by many of the millions watching on television. A truly special moment.
""There were honourable mentions for skier Menna Fitzpatrick who added to her vast collection of medals on the world stage despite a late change of guide, for Gareth Bale whose outstanding performances in qualification meant that Wales appeared in its first men's football World Cup since 1958 and for Jeremiah Azu who announced his arrival as senior track and field athlete with eye catching performances in the Commonwealth Games and European Championships.""
Breen also competes in the F38 long jump category and is now focusing on the World Para-Athletics Championships in Paris in July 2023.
""I've been injured the last six weeks but I'm getting back into it,"" added Breen.
""Its been my knee, when I was on a training camp in Portugal. 
""I was on such a high but came back to training and everything was going really well, so it was a bit of a low but I've got to keep positive and it will come.
""I want more PB's [in Paris], more medals, to get faster, stronger and jump further. That's my main goal."""	/sport/wales/63946392
health	NHS Wales: Grange Hospital A&E needs urgent improvement - HIW	"Urgent improvements are being called for at a new south Wales hospital's emergency department.
Healthcare Inspectorate Wales' (HIW) main concern is poor patient flow through the Grange Hospital in Cwmbran, which opened only two years ago.
rns about potential cross contamination in the ""Covid corridor"", out of date medicines and the security of harmful substances.
Aneurin Bevan health board said it welcomed the findings. 
Staff told inspectors they could not always deliver the standard of care they wanted to, due to increasing pressures and demand on the department.
report mirrors concerns raised in a previous inspection of Cardiff's University Hospital of Wales, where patients were found sitting on bins in waiting areas.
Grange, Wales' newest hospital, which opened on 17 November, 2020, has come under heavy criticism.
A report by the Royal College of Physicians in 2021 found that some trainee doctors and consultants were scared to come to work, with chronic understaffing and excessive workloads.
Earlier this year the hospital's medical director said the site needed to expand because demand had been higher than anticipated.
rd said it had acknowledged and responded to concerns raised, adding: ""We're also pleased to see that the report highlights the hard work and dedication of our staff during periods of extreme pressure on our services, during which patients were treated with courtesy, dignity and respect.""
's report paints a more positive picture of the running of the hospital, with staff feeling supported and patients praising the medical teams and their treatment.
However, the flow of patients through the hospital is hindering care.
Inspectors said until it can be improved, ""the health board will find it challenging to address a number of our concerns"".
One anonymous member of staff said patient flow was ""a national problem"" and believed there was ""good evidence that patients come to harm"".
used the analogy, ""If the bath is full and overflowing, don't make a bigger bath, sort out the plug hole"".
Patient Lee Pomroy echoed these comments.
He said: ""I've been there about three or four times. The hospital is fine, it's just the waiting times... half the time it's not their fault, it's just when people come in they have nowhere to put them.""
Lesley Hardy, 64, said: ""They did a Covid test and then they put me into an observation ward but that was really awful. There were four chairs in each corner of the room and they were hard chairs, there was no recliners so you couldn't sleep. 
""When I asked for a pillow just to put my head, because the pain was so bad, they said they didn't have the pillow in the actual hospital that I could have.""
Another patient, Kirsten Lapping, said: ""The patients got offered tea, coffee, sandwiches twice while I was there. The seats are not comfortable, but they never are. Relatives are asked to leave a couple of times so there was room for patients.
""There were so many people in there. I think they made an announcement there were 150 people in A&E at one point while we were there. So the wait was understandable.
""It was frustrating, I'm not going to lie but I understand that they are understaffed.""
Across Wales - and the rest of the UK - a shortage of staff in social care means patients are unable to be safely discharged from hospitals, despite being medically well enough.
means beds are unavailable for those arriving at A&E needing to be admitted to hospital.
In turn, this causes longer waits for patients in the emergency department.
Inspectors noted the waiting area at The Grange was very small and unfit for purpose.
gthy waits for patients caused some to be ""frustrated and sometimes angry"", though ""the majority were very complimentary about the staff"".
Some patients told inspectors they had sat on the floor because of a lack of space.
report said there could be more than 50 patients in the waiting room, with the majority physically or mentally unwell, posing ""a significant risk"" which ""placed stress and risk on the staff members"".
Inspectors spent three days at the hospital during August.
About three-quarters of patients will be treated in their own rooms with ensuite facilities
During August 7,530 people turned up at The Grange hospital - making it the second busiest A&E in Wales that month. 
Nearly one in five patients waited longer than 12 hours during that month. 
On the inspectors' first day, 14 ambulances were waiting outside, with one patient waiting18 hours to be ""offloaded"" from the ambulance to hospital staff because of an infection control risk.
Patients were assessed and triaged to reduce risks, but efforts to free up ambulances were sometimes hindered by the lack of space in the hospital.
In response to the HIW report, Welsh government said it was ""providing an additional £25m this year to transform urgent and emergency care services across Wales, with Aneurin Bevan UHB receiving £3m"".
In a statement it added that it had ""provided an additional £260k to the health board for improvements to its emergency department waiting areas this winter"".
""I fully accept there are mounting pressures on the NHS across Wales, but the problem seems particularly acute in Gwent where patient complaints at The Grange continue to mount,"" said Monmouth MP and Welsh Secretary David TC Davies. 
He added: ""We are being let down by those in charge who are pretending the current situation is acceptable when it is clearly not."""	/news/uk-wales-63571316
entertainment	Mediahuis: Belfast Telegraph publisher to close Newry site	"ublisher of titles including the Belfast Telegraph, Irish Independent and Sunday Life has announced the closure of its newspaper printing facility in Newry, County Down.
will be vacated by the end of 2022.
Mediahuis plans to contract work to the Dublin-based Irish Times Group and other third party providers.
From January the Belfast Telegraph will be printed at Interpress in Belfast.
Interpress is a sister company of the Irish News newspaper.
mpany already prints Mediahuis's Sunday Life title.
Mediahuis, a Belgian media group, has owned the former Independent News and Media group of newspapers since 2019.
It consolidated its printing operations in Newry shortly after taking over the group, closing its presses in Dublin.
mpany blamed reduced newspaper volumes and rising costs as reasons for closing the Newry facility.
A statement sent to staff on Tuesday said: ""Our priority is on protecting the future of our business by responding to the changing needs of our industry, and to ensure a future sustainable publishing model as we continue our transition to a digital focused news organisation.""
mpany also announced the closure of The Fingal Independent newspaper, which serves north County Dublin, due to falling revenues."	/news/uk-northern-ireland-63055504
technology	Twitter drama continues with blue-tick confusion	"witter halted its new $8 blue tick subscription offering on Friday in the latest head spinning reversal at the social media platform since billionaire Elon Musk bought the company. 
move came as a number of accounts impersonating big brands received the blue tick, previously a signal that the firm had verified the user as real.
In one instance, a user claiming to be drugs firm Eli Lilly said ""insulin was free"". 
witter did not comment.
rns about how Mr Musk's leadership was affecting the spread of misinformation on the platform. 
""We apologize to those who have been served a misleading message from a fake Lilly account,"" Eli Lilly tweeted a few hours after the prank post went up on Thursday, reiterating the name of its real Twitter handle. 
firm's shares fell 4% on Friday amid the confusion. 
US-based PR strategist Max Burns said he had seen fake accounts with the verified blue tick badge bought through Twitter Blue posing as support accounts for real airlines and asking customers who were trying to contact them on Twitter to direct message the fake accounts instead.
""How long until a prankster takes a real passenger's ticket information and cancels their flight? Or takes their credit card info and goes on a spending spree?"" he said.
""It will only take one major incident for every airline to bail on Twitter as a source of customer engagement.""
Mr Musk completed his $44bn purchase of Twitter late last month, and swiftly set about overhauling the company.
He has fired roughly 3,700 people - about half of the company's former staff - and pushed the firm to focus on finding ways other than advertising to make money.
His first email to employees warned: ""The road ahead is arduous and will require intense work to succeed.""
""Without significant subscription revenue, there is a good chance Twitter will not survive the upcoming economic downturn,"" he said.
firm's troubles as the digital ad market hits a downturn have been compounded as big brands and marketing firms halt spending on the platform amid concern about its direction.
witter Blue subscription service asked users to pay £6.99 ($7.99) per month for a blue tick, a symbol that was previously free.
move immediately raised concerns about fake accounts - the reason that Twitter had first introduced the system.
Lou Paskalis, president of marketing firm MMA Global, wrote on Twitter that Mr Musk needed to appoint a new chief executive and commit to stepping away from the company's operations. 
""It's clear that leading Twitter is not among your many talents,"" he wrote.
Mr Musk had also said Twitter users engaging in impersonation without clearly specifying a ""parody"" account would be permanently suspended without a warning. 
Several fake brand accounts, including those of Nintendo and BP, have been suspended. 
Mr Musk's actions have prompted the departures of a rash of high-profile executives who had survived the staff cuts, including people in charge of protecting user data.
""I've made the hard decision to leave Twitter,"" tweeted chief security officer Lea Kissner.
Federal Trade Commission on Thursday said it was watching events with ""deep concern"".
Yoel Roth, the site's head of trust and safety, also resigned just a day after staunchly defending Mr Musk's content moderation policy to advertisers.
Late on Thursday, Mr Roth's Twitter bio described him as ""Former Head of Trust & Safety at @Twitter.""
Mr Roth had became the public face of Twitter's content moderation after Mr Musk took over. 
Mr Musk had praised him for defending Twitter's ongoing efforts to fight harmful misinformation and hate speech.
I've heard Twitter in its current state described as an aeroplane, mid-flight, without pilots.
udden departure of the head of trust and safety, the chief information security officer, and both the chief privacy and compliance officers is a dramatic development. It's not clear how soon they will be replaced, while the firm remains this unstable and sweeping job cuts have already been made. 
From a security perspective, Twitter will, like all big platforms, be a constant target for hackers and bad actors around the world, meaning it cannot afford to take its eye off the ball and it must continue to ensure that its systems are robust, and threats are monitored. 
As for users' privacy, you don't need me to tell you how important that is. And indeed, as we've seen, the US regulators are already keeping a very close eye on what's going on. 
Elon Musk, on the other hand, says engagement and user numbers are higher than ever. We only have his word for it - I have to say that anecdotally I'm seeing plenty of Twitter Blue subscribers who seem happy with their new ""blue tick"". And however many of them there are, that's all fresh income that the firm did not previously have.  
But it's also causing its own headache because now anybody can have a badge which until very recently was a symbol of authenticity - including fakes.   And the confusion continues as this service appears to have been paused.
Musk has also said that bankruptcy is not out of the question. While it may feel like we are watching Twitter speeding towards the edge of a cliff, I think it's too early to tell whether it will manage to put the brakes on in time. In the early days of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg's motto was ""move fast and break things"" - Elon Musk appears to have taken this to another level. "	/news/technology-63597087
business	Covid: Qantas says pandemic 'existential crisis' is over	"rriers of Australia and New Zealand say that the worst of the coronavirus crisis is now behind them, even as they posted annual losses for a third year in a row.
Qantas says it is seeing demand increase ""with the existential crisis posed by the pandemic now over"".
Air New Zealand says it has also experienced ""a very strong recovery in bookings and revenues"" since March.
Both countries had imposed some of the world's strictest pandemic travel bans.
Qantas said in a statement on Thursday that its underlying loss before tax had widened to A$1.86bn ($1.3bn; £1.1bn) in the year to the end of June, from the previous year.
mpany said it had lowered its net debt to a better than expected A$3.94bn.
Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said ""the speed and scale of that recovery has been exceptional"".
""Our teams have done an amazing job through the restart and our customers have been extremely patient as the whole industry has dealt with sick leave and labour shortages in the past few months,"" Mr Joyce added.
Australia reopened its borders to international visitors in February. That marked a closure of nearly two years.
Like much of the global airline industry, Qantas has been struggling to resume its services as borders reopened. 
It asked senior executives to work as baggage handlers at the Sydney and Melbourne airports to tackle an acute labour shortage.
Analysis by Simon Atkinson, BBC News, Brisbane
With vast distances and lack of a decent inter-city rail network (even between Sydney and Melbourne, one of the busiest air routes in the world) flying is the only realistic way to get around Australia if you're in a hurry.
But as traveller demand bounces back, it hasn't always been a particularly enjoyable experience.
On a recent Qantas flight out of Sydney, my fellow passengers surged to get on board with a fervour I'd never seen. But it became clear why.
f lost and delayed baggage have been so commonplace that, perhaps understandably, flyers are not risking putting luggage in the hold. 
Instead they're scrabbling for overhead locker space. Finding somewhere, even for a laptop bag, was a real test of my Tetris skills.
An hour's delay on the tarmac didn't help anyone's mood, but we were the lucky ones. Departure boards are littered with last-minute cancelations as airlines struggle with crew phoning in sick, as flu and Covid continue to be a strain.
Other airlines have struggled with staffing and baggage issues too. But as the national carrier, Qantas is the most high profile. And having laid off thousands of baggage handlers during the pandemic, it is an easy target.
Earlier this week, under-fire chief executive Alan Joyce was on the front foot - wielding not only apologies, but discount vouchers, lounge passes and status extensions for those frequent flyers which underpin the business.
results suggest its problem is not so much tempting people back in the air. The pick up in bookings shows that people want to travel again. 
In time that will help repair its balance sheet. But just as urgently, Qantas knows it needs to fix its reputation.
Also on Thursday, Air New Zealand said that its pre-tax losses had risen to NZ$725m ($449.8m; £380.7m) in the year to the end of June.
However, operating revenue jumped by 9% to NZ$2.7bn over the same period.
Air New Zealand chief executive Greg Foran said the firm was in the ""revive"" phase of its Covid-19 turnaround.
""When travel restrictions began to lift in March the company recorded a very strong recovery in bookings and revenues,"" Mr Foran said.
""This trend continues, with high booking levels through July and August,"" he added.
New Zealand fully opened its borders to travellers earlier this month for the first time since March 2020.
Watch emotional scenes as Australia’s border opens"	/news/business-62655455
health	My mum's 40-hour wait to get to A&E with hip break	"When 85-year-old Koulla fell at home, her family immediately rang for an ambulance. She was in agonising pain - she had broken her hip.
It was around 8pm. It took another 14 hours for an ambulance to get to her, leaving her pregnant granddaughter to care for her through the night.
When they arrived the crews were able to give her pain relief and quickly transported her to the Royal Cornwall Hospital.
But there the wait continued - there were around 30 ambulances queuing to handover patients to A&E staff.
It was another 26 hours before she was taken inside to A&E.
She then faced many hours in A&E before being taken for surgery. 
Koulla's daughter, Marianna Flint, 53, said: ""It was awful. You feel helpless because you're giving your trust over to them to look after a family member who's in agony and who needs surgery.""
She has since received a written apology from the Royal Cornwall for the care provided to her mother in August.
rust said it was ""sincerely"" sorry for the failings.
Ms Flint said: ""I almost feel sorry for those looking after her. It's not down to them. There was no room inside to accept her in.""
But Koulla is just one of many thousands of patients getting caught up in these delays.
When ambulance crews bring patients to hospital they are meant to be able to handover their patients to A&E staff within 15 minutes.
But an analysis by the BBC shows by late November more than 11,000 ambulances were spending over an hour stuck in queues outside hospital every week.
f all arrivals and the highest since records began in 2010.
Rishi Sunak said he will sit down with the NHS ""relatively soon"" to discuss the issues around ambulance waiting times. 
Speaking on Thursday evening, the prime minister said he wanted to see waiting times come down and the government had put more money into the NHS to help address the issue. 
He said more money had also been put into social care to allow people to move out of hospitals and back into their homes.  
He added: ""I want to make sure the extra funding we're putting in is actually going to make a difference on the ground.""
College of Paramedics said crews were facing a ""perfect storm"", with the queues outside A&E preventing them reaching patients who need a 999 response.
College chief executive Tracy Nicholls said: ""We all know patients are coming to harm and in some cases severe harm.""
And even when patients are admitted into A&E they can face long waits for a bed on a ward, with hospital bosses blaming a shortage of beds and problems discharging patients back into the community.
Experts believe these problems are a contributing factor to the high levels of deaths being recorded - in recent months 1,000 more deaths a week are being seen than would be expected. 
Royal College of Emergency Medicine believes disruption to emergency care may account for around a quarter of these deaths.
College president Dr Adrian Boyle said ambulances had effectively become ""wards on wheels"".
Both ambulance response times and A&E waits have hit their worst levels on record in all parts of the UK in recent months.
In Cornwall, patients facing emergencies such as heart attacks and strokes are now waiting more than two hours on average for an ambulance. The target is 18 minutes.
re thought to be among the worst delays in the country, but none of England's ambulance services is close to the target, while Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are all missing their targets.
Alongside Cornwall, parts of Gloucestershire, Lincolnshire, Somerset and Bristol have the longest waits, Freedom of Information requests by the Liberal Democrats have revealed.
roblems come as NHS staff prepare to take strike action.
Unions have cited the problems facing the emergency care system as one of the factors motivating members to vote for a walkout.
A strike by members of the Royal College of Nursing is planned for 15 and 20 December in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, while earlier this week the two main unions representing ambulance staff said their members had also backed walkouts.
government said the NHS will publish its emergency care recovery plan in the new year, which will set out proposals to improve ambulance response times and A&E performance in England.
A spokesman for the Department of Health said an extra £500m was being made available to speed up hospital discharges and free up space in A&E, creating the equivalent of at least 7,000 more beds this winter
""This will be supported by an additional £6.6bn in the NHS over the next two years to enable rapid action to improve urgent and emergency care performance towards pre-pandemic levels,"" he added.
Have you experienced a long wait for an ambulance or at A&E? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC News journalist. You can also make contact in the following ways:
If you are reading this page but cannot see the form, visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit a question or comment, or email HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. "	/news/health-63808516
business	Plans to cut energy bills if peak-time use avoided	"Plans to enable households to get discounts on electricity bills if they cut use at peak times are set to be announced in the next two weeks.
me would allow people to save cash if they avoid high-power activities, such as cooking or using washing machines, when demand is high.
It is understood the service is likely to apply to homes which have smart meters installed.
re are hopes it can be put in place this winter, when energy bills rise.
""We are developing a new service that will be available for consumers to benefit from across this winter and will be announcing further information soon,"" a spokesman for National Grid ESO - which will run the scheme - said.
It is understood the company's proposals of how it will work, such as how money will be paid back to customers, are expected to be revealed in the next fortnight, with consultations taking place with energy providers and the UK's energy regulator Ofgem.
It has been reported that rebates for minimising the use of goods such as tumble dryers, dishwashers and games consoles during the peak hours of 17:00 and 20:00 could be as high as £6 per kWh saved.
National Grid ESO previously told the BBC the service is ""not about energy rationing"", despite fears over supplies, with Russia's invasion of Ukraine affecting oil and gas supplies to Europe.
usehold energy bill is forecast to reach £3,553 a year in October.
when the price cap - the maximum amount suppliers can charge customers in England, Scotland and Wales for each unit of energy - goes up again. It has been forecast to rise further to £4,650 in January.
Jack Beckwith, 25 and from County Durham, said the scheme would mean he is able to put his heating on this winter. 
He expects his bill to go up to £238 per month in October - from his current monthly average of £100 - wiping out his savings. 
""I generally keep on top of my usage and pay for what I use. I have some savings - but that was meant for emergencies - my leaky roof fund. That'll all go towards paying for the price increase,"" he told the BBC. 
""It's been a gradual realisation that I can't afford it.""
Jack said he was expecting to not meet up with friends, and has already said no to taking on a gym membership. He is also considering cutting back on his Spotify subscription, which could save around £10 per month.
""Off peak heating will be a lifeline,"" he said. ""It will literally will save lives if people can be made aware of it, and can use it, because it will mean they can put the heating on.""
National Grid ESO has hosted webinars with energy firms to ask for feedback on its proposals.
move follows a trial where Octopus Energy offered incentives for 100,000 customers who reduced consumption.
Octopus Energy has said during the trial its consumers received credit on their energy accounts and also had a ""self-refund option"" where they could get cash transferred to their bank accounts.
How will this scheme affect your energy use? You can get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
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 HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. "	/news/business-62626908
entertainment	Rex Orange County: Singer has sexual assault charges dropped before trial	"Rex Orange County has had sex assault charges against him dropped, shortly before he was due to stand trial.
rt-topping singer-songwriter, real name Alexander O'Connor, from Surrey, had faced six charges of touching a woman without consent.
But on Thursday, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said the evidence ""no longer met"" its test for a prosecution.
O'Connor, who denied the allegations, said it had been ""a difficult time for everyone involved"".
In a statement on Instagram, he wrote: ""Today, all charges against me have been dropped.
""The Crown Prosecution Service reviewed the evidence and decided that there is no merit in this case going to trial. Not guilty verdicts were entered to all the charges.
""I have always denied these allegations and am grateful that the independent evidence has cleared me of any wrongdoing. 
""I have never assaulted anyone and I do not condone violence or abusive behaviour of any kind.""
He also addressed ""inaccuracies"" that he said had circulated about his case. 
""I was wrongly accused of touching someone one evening on their leg, neck, back, and bottom,"" he said.
""That led to six charges of sexual assault. The only evidence against me was the individual's account.
""However, CCTV footage obtained by the police contradicted their version of events. Their partner was also present throughout the evening in question and gave a statement to the police, which did not support the allegations against me.
""It's been a difficult time for everyone involved and I'd like to thank the people who have helped me through it, as well as my family and loved ones for their continued support.""
A CPS spokesperson said: ""CPS prosecutors have a duty to keep each case under review. Having carefully considered all the evidence, our legal test for a prosecution was no longer met and so we will not be continuing a prosecution.
""We will always seek to prosecute sexual offences, where our legal test is met, no matter how challenging.""
Rex Orange County's third studio album went to number one in the UK this March.
He cancelled tour dates in July, saying, ""due to unforeseen personal circumstances, I am having to spend some time at home this year"", and news of the charges emerged in October."	/news/entertainment-arts-64063665
politics	National Care Service costs significantly understated, says spending watchdog	"Scottish government's ""price tag"" for a new National Care Service is likely to be significantly understated, Audit Scotland has said.
g watchdog has highlighted a number of concerns about the service which would make ministers accountable for adult social care in Scotland.
government initially said it could cost up to £0.5bn to deliver.
By mid-October, Scottish Parliament researchers estimated the bill over five years to be £664m to £1.261bn.
In a written submission to parliament, Audit Scotland has highlighted issues with pensions, VAT changes, capital investment and health board transition costs, which could see the final total increase further.
It says ""a number of costs associated with the measures... have yet to be assessed"" and that ""the potential for additional cost is significant"".
roposed National Care Service is currently the subject of a bill making its way through parliament.
It would see the setting-up of a series of care boards that operate in the same way as health boards, with Scottish ministers directly responsible.
It means local authorities would no longer run social care services, while aiming to support people in their own homes or among family, friends and community wherever possible.
Scottish government has touted the move as potentially the most significant since the creation of the NHS.
However, opposition parties and union leaders have described it as a government ""power grab"" and an ""all-out assault on local democracy"".
Some SNP MSPs have also been publicly critical, with Kenneth Gibson saying the policy ""seemed like a sledgehammer to crack a nut"" if it does not provide the funding to address issues in the healthcare sector.
His party colleague Michelle Thomson also said she had ""no confidence whatsoever"" that the service's financial memorandum represents any level of accuracy or value for money.
Holyrood's finance and public administration committee has begun hearing evidence from health and social care bosses, as well as Audit Scotland's audit director Mark Taylor.
Mr Taylor told MSPs lessons should be learned from the creation of other new services like Social Security Scotland.
He said: ""Government needs to be able to be much clearer, at a much earlier stage, about its financial plans.""
Responding to a question from the SNP's Michelle Thomson, he said the purpose of the National Care Service was to improve standards and consistency.
""What's not clear, and understandably so, is the price tag that will ultimately be associated with that,"" he said.
""If that is to be levelling up - to use that politically loaded phrase - if it's about areas where the quality and consistency of the service falls below a certain standard, does that have a price tag attached to it?""
Mr Taylor added: ""What's the price tag, what's the cost associated with that service redesign?
""I understand at this stage of the process that it's very difficult to get a sense of that, but that's the hidden cost here.""
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf previously said the creation of a National Care Service for Scotland would end the ""postcode lottery"" in the sector.
rvice was proposed after an independent review into the future of adult social care triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic."	/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-63471687
sports	Netball Australia to change to new 'inclusive' uniform in 2023	"Netball Australia will allow players to choose their own uniform to try and make the sport more inclusive.
Female Australian players largely wear dresses but will now have the option of wearing a dress, singlet, bodysuit, short sleeve or long-sleeve shirt, skirt, shorts or long pants.
uniform variations recognise individual preferences, religious beliefs and climate.
rules will apply to its eight member organisations from 1 January.
""Netball is ever evolving, and we need to reflect this in all aspects of our game, including uniform choices,"" said Netball Australia's executive general manager Glenn Turnor.
""We are excited to implement these inclusive uniform guidelines going into 2023 and ensure that everyone can feel comfortable playing netball.""
Football teams Manchester City, West Brom, Stoke and Scottish side Livingston recently changed their kit colour because of concerns about having to wear white shorts while on their periods.
ue was also raised by England's Beth Mead during Euro 2022external-link. "	/sport/netball/63959811
technology	Elon Musk claims he's buying Twitter to 'help humanity'	"Elon Musk claims that he is buying Twitter to ""help humanity"" as the billionaire set out his aims for taking over the social media platform.  
In a tweet, Mr Musk said he didn't buy the firm ""to make more money. I did it to try to help humanity, whom I love"".
repreneur has until Friday to complete a $44bn (£38bn) takeover of Twitter or risk going to trial.
weet addressed to Twitter's advertisers states that he has ""acquired"" the firm.  
However, there has been no official confirmation that the deal has been completed. 
Earlier this week, Mr Musk published a video of himself walking into Twitter's headquarters carrying a sink, raising speculation about his aims for the firm. 
""Entering Twitter HQ - let that sink in!"" Mr Musk wrote.
In business parlance, ""kitchen sinking"" means taking radical action at a company, though it is not clear if this was Mr Musk's message - he also updated his Twitter bio to read ""chief twit"".
In his latest tweet, Mr Musk set out some of his goals for the company, saying that Twitter must be ""warm and welcoming for all"".
He wrote that he wanted ""civilization to have a common digital town square"" but he denies the platform will take an anything-goes approach. 
""Twitter cannot become a free-for-all hellscape where anything can be said with no consequences!"" He also said the platform must adhere to the laws of the land.
Mr Musk has said the social media site needs significant changes. 
It was not clear whether Mr Musk met Twitter executives Wednesday when he made his trip with the sink but he listed his location as the Twitter headquarters in San Francisco on the social media platform.
When Mr Musk first revealed plans to buy Twitter, he said he wanted to clean up spam accounts on the platform and preserve it as a venue for free speech.
But Mr Musk, the world's richest man and a prolific Twitter user known for his impulsive style, baulked at the purchase just a few weeks later, citing concerns that the number of fake accounts on the platform was higher than Twitter claimed.
witter executives denied the accusations, arguing that Mr Musk wanted out because he was worried about the price.
mpany eventually filed a lawsuit to hold him to the deal, and Mr Musk revived his takeover plans on the condition that legal proceedings were paused.
must be completed by 28 October, or he will face trial over the contract.
""I'm excited about the Twitter situation,"" Mr Musk recently said during a call to discuss Tesla's financial results. Mr Musk is electric car maker's chief executive.
""I think it's an asset that has just sort of languished for a long time but has incredible potential, although obviously myself and the other investors are overpaying for Twitter right now,"" he added.
Given the history of this deal, you can see why people are hesitant about announcing it prematurely.
Elon Musk we're talking about, an erratic and capricious character.
However, everything we have seen today here in San Francisco would suggest that he will own Twitter in the coming days.
It is hard to believe he would be meeting staff if the deal wasn't as good as done.
He laughed and smiled as he entered Twitter, but he has a lot of work to do to warm up the social media platform's employees.
Reports he would dramatically reduce headcount have not gone down well with staff.
k of allowing Donald Trump and other banned accounts back onto the platform has also frustrated many employees.
It has been widely reported he is due to speak to Twitter workers on Friday, about what lies in store.
Perhaps then we'll finally get more information about ""X"", the app for everything that Mr Musk wants Twitter to become."	/news/business-63408384
entertainment	Manchester's Night & Day Cafe at risk over noise complaint	"future of a Manchester music venue which has hosted bands such as Wet Leg, Elbow and the Arctic Monkeys hangs in the balance after a noise complaint.
Owners of the Night & Day Cafe will appear in court next month over alleged breaches of statutory noise levels.
It comes after Manchester City Council issued the venue with a noise abatement notice last year.
If found in breach, the bar - which has been a Northern Quarter staple for more than 30 years - could close.
row centres on a complaint from neighbours in an adjoining property, which has recently been converted for residential use.
Owner Jennifer Smithson, daughter of the late founder and Manchester icon Jan Oldenburg, has said she now ""faces an impossible task"".
Ms Smithson said to comply with the requirements of the abatement notice would effectively ruin Night & Day's business and likewise a court hearing could mean ""the closure and the end of the venue altogether"".
She added: ""It's just so unfair. We believe that the fault lies squarely with Manchester City Council.
""They could cancel the noise abatement notice and rectify the problem that they originally caused, rather than close down a business that's been the beating heart of the Manchester music scene for decades.""
Elbow lead singer Guy Garvey added: ""This a shameful disgrace and we are furious. Manchester's music and arts are things we all share and are rightfully proud of. 
""Night & Day has taken hundreds of Manchester artists from bedrooms and garages to the world stage. The vibrant scene started by Night & Day triggered enormous redevelopment.
""That this corner stone of our city's culture is under attack again is bewildering.""
A spokesperson for Manchester City Council said the local authority has ""never threatened to close down this venue"".
: ""It is important to reiterate throughout this process extensive discussions have taken place to try and address the statutory noise nuisance which was the sole reason a Noise Abatement Notice (NAN) was served. 
""It is also important to state that the source of complaints regarding this venue relate to very loud music played into the early hours of the morning and not live band performances.
""The council's planning records show that an acoustic report was provided during the development of surrounding units, and the council completely rejects any suggestion that planning conditions were not met.""
ment added the council would work towards an ""amicable resolution"".
urt hearing is listed for 29 November.
Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk"	/news/uk-england-manchester-63351472