King Charles has sent a personal message to fellow cancer patients, speaking of the "daunting and at times frightening experience" for cancer sufferers and their loved ones.

In a heartfelt message to guests at a Buckingham Palace reception for cancer charities, the King spoke about becoming a cancer "statistic" - referencing the more than 1,000 new cases recorded in the UK every day.

He said his experience of living with cancer had shown that "the darkest moments of illness can be illuminated by the greatest compassion".

The message doesn't provide an update on the progress of the King's own cancer treatment, but royal sources say he is continuing in a positive direction.

The King was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in February 2024 and continues to receive regular treatment, which is said to be successful and that he is getting better.

There was a brief hospital stay for the King in March after he suffered side effects, but he was well enough in April for a state visit to Italy with a busy schedule and is said to have plans for further overseas trips.

There has been an attempt to be more open about his health problems - and this latest message reflects his sense of a shared experience with the many other families affected by cancer.

The King's statement continued: "But as one among those statistics myself, I can vouch for the fact that it can also be an experience that brings into sharp focus the very best of humanity."

He praised the "community of care" of those who helped cancer patients, for their humanity as well as their expertise.

The King highlighted "the profound impact of human connection - whether in the careful explanation from a specialist nurse, the hand held by a hospice volunteer, or the shared experience in a support group".

"While every patient's journey may be different, together you are ensuring that a cancer diagnosis need never mean facing the future without hope and support," said the King.

He quoted Dame Deborah James, who died of bowel cancer in 2022 and whose parents are guests at the reception, who said: "Have no regrets; and always, always have rebellious hope."

The reception at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday evening, attended by the King and Queen Camilla, is in honour of community projects helping people who are living with cancer and for health groups trying to prevent cancer.

Among the guests will be representatives of cancer charities including Macmillan Cancer Support, Breast Cancer Now, Maggie's and Children's Hospice South West.

The reception includes displays showing the work of groups helping people affected by cancer, including Wigs for Heroes and Move Dance Feel, which uses dance to support women with cancer.

At the Palace there are also champions of cancer charities, people living with cancer and people who lost relatives, including radio presenter Adele Roberts, former footballer Ashley Cain and actor Richard E Grant.

"Every day we see the impact that cancer is having on people's lives and that experience is even worse for some people because of who they are or where they live, which is entirely unacceptable. We are on a mission to transform cancer care, but we cannot do it on our own," said Gemma Peters, chief executive officer at Macmillan Cancer Support.

If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this story, support and advice is available via the BBC Action Line.

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A body found in the River Thames is that of 11-year-old Kaliyah Coa who went missing in east London last month, the Metropolitan Police has confirmed.

In a statement issued through the force, her family said Kaliyah had been attending a birthday party but "never returned home".

Her body was recovered at Maritime Quay on the Isle of Dogs, east London, on 13 April. Kaliyah was reported missing on 31 March after playing near Barge House Causeway in Woolwich during a school inset day.

In their statement, Kaliyah's family said: "Our hearts are broken and our lives will never be the same. We were blessed to have Kaliyah, even if it was for such a short time. She will be missed so much."

An inquest into Kaliyah's death is due to open on Friday.

Det Supt Scott Ware, who led the Met's investigation, said: "This tragic accident took away a little girl who was loved by many."

The family thanked all those who took part in the search for Kaliyah and requested their privacy be respected.

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Chancellor Rachel Reeves is being investigated by Parliament's standards watchdog after failing to declare on time that she received free theatre tickets.

It is understood the chancellor attended an event at the National Theatre over Christmas but did not add the donation to the MPs register of interests within the specified timeframe.

The BBC has been told Reeves did declare the trip on her ministerial register, which is separate from the MPs register. The parliamentary code of conduct states that MPs must register their financial interests and update any changes within 28 days.

A spokesperson for Reeves said: "The chancellor's interests are fully declared and up to date."

One of the world's most endangered amphibians - the strange, perpetually smiling Mexican axolotl - has thrived after being released in artificial wetlands, scientists have discovered.

In a study that provides hope for the long-term future of a creature that was pushed to the brink of extinction, scientists released 18 captive-bred axolotls in restored and artificial wetland close to Mexico City.

The researchers fitted the animals with radio trackers and found that they "survived and foraged successfully at both sites" - even gaining weight.

Lead researcher Dr Alejandra Ramos from the Autonomous University of Baja California said this was an "amazing result".

The findings are published in the journal PLoS One and they suggest, the researchers say, that the axoltol can be brought back to its native habitat.

The waters of Xochimilco - shaped by traditional farming practices and flushed with spring water from the mountains - used to teem with these amphibians.

But as Mexico City grew, urbanisation, pollution and other pressures pushed axolotls to the brink of extinction, with some estimates suggesting that there were as few as 50 left in the wild.

"If we lose this species, we lose part of our Mexican identity," said co-lead researcher Dr Luis Zambrano from the National University of Mexico.

It is no exaggeration to call the axoltol an icon. Aztec legend has it that the creature is a god in salamander form - the Aztec god of fire and lightning, Xolotl, disguised as a salamander.

"If we can restore this [wetland] habitat and restore the axolotl's population in a city of more than 20 million people," Dr Zambrano continued, "I feel that we have hope for humanity."

To lay the foundations for releasing the animals, the researchers worked with local farmers and a team of volunteers to create wetland "refuges" for the axolotls. They installed natural filtering systems to clean the water,

The scientists released their captive-bred animals at two sites - one in Xochimilco and one at a disused quarry that, over decades, has turned into what they called an "artificial wetland".

Every animal was tagged with a radio tracking device.

"The amazing news is that they all survived," Dr Ramos told BBC News. "And not only that, but the ones that we recaptured had gained weight - so they're hunting."

The monitoring also revealed intriguing insights into axolotl behaviour. "We found that some spend most of their time with with one other individual - like they make these little friendships," Dr Ramos explained.

Somewhat ironically, these charismatic salamanders are found in the world's laboratories and pet aquariums in their hundreds of thousands. The species is biologically fascinating - it has the remarkable ability to regrow any part of its body that is damaged or lost. So there is research underway to understand whether that ability could be harnessed medically.

But in the murky wetlands of Mexico City, there is still a great deal of work to do to clean up and restore the habitat, and to give the wild axolotl a chance to recover.

"Many animals are losing their habitat around the world," said Dr Ramos. "And restoration projects are not easy, but they can be done - they just need a lot of people.

"You don't need to be a scientist to get involved - everybody in the world can help out."

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced a judicial inquiry into allegations of political interference in the prosecution of apartheid-era crimes.

The announcement comes three decades after the end of white-minority rule - and after a group of survivors and victims' relatives sued Ramaphosa's government over a perceived lack of justice.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), set up in 1996, uncovered apartheid-era atrocities like murder and torture, but few of these cases progressed to trial.

Announcing the new inquiry, a presidential statement said Ramaphosa is "determined that the true facts be established and the matter brought to finality".

The investigation is the outcome of settlement discussions in a high court case brought by 25 families and survivors.

The group, which is suing the government for damages worth $9m (£6.8m), says apartheid-era crimes were never properly investigated by the governments that came after the racist system.

• South Africa's long wait for justice over apartheid crimes
• Ghosts of apartheid haunt South Africa as compensation anger brews

Plaintiffs include the son of Fort Calata who, among a group of anti-apartheid activists who came to be known as the Cradock Four, was burnt and killed by security forces in 1985.

Their murder of the four men sparked outrage across the country and six former police officers eventually confessed their involvement to the TRC. They were denied amnesty by the commission, but were never taken to court. All six officers have since died.

For years, critics have alleged that the post-apartheid leadership of the African National Congress (ANC) formed a secret deal with the former white-minority government in order to prevent prosecutions. The ANC has denied this.

On Wednesday, the presidency acknowledged that "allegations of improper influence in delaying or hindering the investigation and prosecution of apartheid-era crimes have persisted from previous administrations".

The head of the inquiry, along with its timetable, will soon be announced.

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Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.

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Mobile phone footage which prosecutors claim shows the moment the "iconic" Sycamore Gap tree was felled has been shown to jurors.

The tree had stood for more than 100 years in a dip on Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland before it was felled in a "moronic mission" in the early hours of 28 September 2023, Newcastle Crown Court has heard.

Daniel Michael Graham, 39, from Carlisle and Adam Carruthers, 32, from Wigton in Cumbria, each deny two counts of criminal damage relating to the tree and the Roman wall.

Jurors were told the tree was a much-loved feature in Northumberland and had global significance for its position on the former frontier of the Roman empire.

On the night of 27 September, Mr Carruthers and Mr Graham made a 40-minute drive in the latter's Range Rover from Cumbria to chop the tree down, prosecutors allege.

While one used a chainsaw to fell the tree, the other filmed the act of "mindless" vandalism on Mr Graham's mobile phone, jurors have heard.

• Live coverage of the trial

The pair then took the wedge cut out of the trunk home as a "trophy" and revelled in the public's outrage over the following days, the court has heard.

In statements read to the jury, staff from the National Trust, which had owned the site since the 1940s, and Historic England emphasised the importance of the tree and wall.

Tony Wilmott, a senior archaeologist for Historic England, said Sycamore Gap got its name in the 1980s from the tree in the cleft of the wall.

He said the site was "picturesque" and had become one of the "most prominent and appreciated features" in Northumberland, a symbol of the county with an unmistakeable profile.

The place had become "totemic", he said, adding it was a place of marriage proposals, family visits and even location of ashes for deceased individuals.

"In short, the place is much loved by many thousands of people," Mr Wilmott said, adding its reputation was "spread worldwide" by its inclusion in the 1992 film Robin Hood Prince of Thieves.

Lee McFarlane, an inspector of ancient monuments for Historic England, said it was "fortunate" the tree was fully in leaf at the time as the canopy bore the brunt of the impact and weight of the fallen tree.

Several stones of the Unesco World Heritage Site wall had been broken though, she added.

Ian Everard of the Forestry Commission said the tree had been deliberately cut using a "hinge-and-wedge" technique so it would fall across the wall, adding it was "unequivocally obvious" where it would end up.

The National Trust said the wall would cost £1,144 to repair while Historic England said the staff hours spent in assessing the damage ran up a bill of more than £6,000.

Jurors also saw body-worn footage from the first police officer at the scene, who arrived at about 11:30 on 28 September and said park rangers were "visibly shocked and upset."

Andrew Pode, the National Trust's general manager for Northumberland coast and Hadrian's Wall, said the tree was "world famous" and had been "unlawfully felled", adding: "No-one had the right or permission to cause damage to the tree."

Mr Pode said the "iconic" tree had been planted in the 1800s by previous landowner John Clayton to be a "feature in the landscape", with the National Trust taking it over on 10 December 1942.

Jurors were shown a photo taken by Alice Whysall-Price, a holidaymaker out for a walk, who is believed to have been the last person to take a picture of the tree intact, the court heard.

In a statement read to the court, Ms Whysall-Price said she arrived at the tree at about 17:20 on 27 September while walking the length of Hadrian's Wall.

She said the weather was "awful" with wind and rain while a storm was anticipated.

The court also heard Mr Graham's mobile phone and Range Rover were tracked to and from the site and the metadata of the felling video showed it had been filmed at the spot of the tree.

A forensic botanist, Dr Mark Spencer, examined the picture of the wedge of wood in Mr Graham's car, which prosecutors said the pair had taken as a "trophy", and concluded there was "very strong evidence" it had come from the tree with no other possible source identified, the court heard.

The defendants shared screenshots of Facebook posts and media reports in the aftermath, with Mr Graham saying the felling had gone "viral" and "worldwide", the court heard.

The trial continues.

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A man murdered a couple, dismembered their bodies and then froze some of their remains before taking the rest in suitcases to the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, a court has heard.

Yostin Andres Mosquera filmed himself having sex with Albert Alfonso, 62, and stabbed him to death, having earlier killed Paul Longworth, 71, the prosecution said.

Mr Mosquera, 35, denies the murder of both men at their flat in Shepherd's Bush, west London, between 8 and 10 July last year.

He admitted the manslaughter of Mr Alfonso during a hearing at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, however the prosecution rejected this plea.

This article contains material that some people may find distressing.

The court heard the defendant told a cyclist who had stopped to ask if he was lost that he had car parts inside a large red suitcase and a large silver trunk.

Deanna Heer KC, prosecuting, told the court the suitcases contained the decapitated and dismembered bodies of Mr Longworth and Mr Alfonso.

Other body parts were found by police in a chest freezer at their flat in Shepherd's Bush.

Mr Longworth had been attacked with a hammer to the back of his head and Mr Alfonso had been repeatedly stabbed, the court heard.

The pair were in a long-term relationship and a year before their death, had entered into a civil partnership together, the prosecution told the Jury.

Internet searches

The court heard the defendant and another man, known under a pseudonym as James Smith, were both paid by Mr Afonso to perform degrading sexual acts which were often filmed and posted online.

The court heard there were also times when the victims and the defendant went on trips together.

The prosecution alleges Mr Mosquera killed both men on 8 July 2024 at their home in Shepherd's Bush, killing Mr Longworth first and then hiding his body in the storage section of Mr Longworth's bed.

The court also heard the defendant had searched on the internet for the value of the victims' home.

Mr Mosquera, a Colombian national, sat in the dock and listened to proceedings with the help of an interpreter.

The trial continues.

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The Co-op has shut down parts of its IT systems in response to hackers attempting to gain access to them.

The Co-op said the "proactive measures" it had taken to fend off the attack had had a "small impact" on its call centre and back office.

Meanwhile, The Metropolitan Police has confirmed it's looking into the the major cyber attack at fellow retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S).

"Detectives from the Met's cyber crime unit are investigating," it confirmed in a statement

There are more than 2,500 Co-op supermarkets in the UK, as well as 800 funeral homes. It also provides food to Nisa shops.

A spokesperson confirmed its shops and funeral homes were operating as usual following the attempted hack.

"We are working hard to reduce any disruption to our services and would like to thank our colleagues, members, partners and suppliers for their understanding during this period," they said.

"We are not asking our members or customers to do anything differently at this point."

It comes as M&S enters the second week of a cyber attack that has caused chaos costing it millions of pounds in lost sales.

The retailer has not said what took out its online ordering systems and left empty shelves in stores, but the BBC has been told by security experts that ransomware called DragonForce was used.

Ciaran Martin, the founding Chief Executive of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), told the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 on Wednesday it had "serious" consequences for M&S.

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Kemi Badenoch has accused the government of breaking its promise to set up five local inquiries into grooming gangs despite pledging to do so.

The Conservative leader said Sir Keir Starmer had promised £5m to fund five locally-led investigations into grooming gangs but delivered just one, in Oldham.

During Prime Ministers Questions, Badenoch suggested the Sir Keir was "dragging his heels" on inquiries to shield Labour-run councils from scandal.

Sir Keir said Labour were "investing more in delivering truth and justice" for victims of grooming gangs than the Conservatives had during "14 long years" in power.

Ministers have been facing growing demands to reveal which areas are running grooming gang inquires alongside the review in Oldham, and a three-month audit of national evidence being led by government troubleshooter Baroness Louise Casey.

Earlier this month Tom Crowther, the barrister helping to develop the schemes, suggested local inquiries into grooming gangs had stalled since they were announced in January.

Crowther, who chaired the inquiry into child sex abuse in Telford, Shropshire, gave evidence to the Commons Home Affairs Committee at the start of April and told MPs he had asked a government official "do you still want me?"

The issue was again raised in the Commons on Monday, when Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips told MPs she expected there to be more than five local inquires.

Labour was focusing on ensuring "there is a local process of accountability that actually changes things on the ground", Phillips told MPs.

During a heated PMQs exchange, Badenoch sought to tie grooming gang inquiries to the local elections, a series of councils and mayoral votes across England on Thursday.

The Tory leader said voters faced a choice of "chaos and cover-ups under Labour councils or better services under the Conservatives".

Badenoch repeatedly asked Sir Keir for an update on the local inquires. When he did not respond, she said he "cannot name a single place because nothing is happening".

She questioned whether the prime minister was "dragging his heels" on local inquiries into grooming gangs because he "doesn't want Labour cover-ups exposed", adding that the inquiries hadn't started because "local authorities don't want to investigate themselves".

A national inquiry was needed as local probes "cannot force witnesses to appear" and "cannot force people to give evidence under oath", Badenoch said.

Sir Keir accused Badenoch of "staying silent" on the issue in government while he "oversaw the first grooming gang prosecution" as Director of Public Prosecutions.

He told the Commons: "I was the prosecutor who brought the first case.

"On the back of that I then changed the entire approach to prosecutions, which was then lauded by the government that we were doing the right thing, and brought those prosecutions."

In contrast to the Conservatives, Labour were "implementing existing recommendations" of the 2022 national inquiry into child sexual abuse and "providing for local inquiries", he said.

For more than a decade there has been a series of high-profile cases where groups of men, predominantly of Pakistani descent, were convicted of sexually abusing and raping mainly white girls in the UK.

In 2022, Prof Alexis Jay published the conclusions of a seven-year national inquiry into child sexual abuse, which investigated abuse in churches and schools, as well as by grooming gangs.

The Conservative have been calling for a second national inquiry into grooming gangs since the issue was thrust back into the spotlight by tech billionaire Elon Musk at the start of the year.

The proposal was backed by opposition MPs, as well as some Labour figures including Rotherham MP Sarah Champion alongside Labour mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham.

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