The estranged husband of a woman who served a poisonous mushroom lunch to her family says it was "very rare" for her to hold social gatherings at home.

Simon Patterson was invited to the fatal meal prepared by Erin Patterson - but decided not to attend the day before.

Mr Patterson is the first witness in the trial of Ms Patterson - who is charged with the murder of three relatives and the attempted murder of another, with the case centring on a beef wellington lunch at her house in July 2023.

Ms Patterson, 50, has pleaded not guilty and her defence team says she "panicked" after unintentionally serving poison to family members she loved.

Three people died in hospital in the days after the meal, including Ms Patterson's former in-laws, Don Patterson, 70, and Gail Patterson, 70, as well as Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, 66. Local pastor Ian Wilkinson survived after weeks of treatment in hospital.

The jury has been shown text messages exchanged between Simon and Erin Patterson the day before the deadly mushroom lunch.

Mr Patterson said he felt "too uncomfortable" about attending the lunch.

Erin Patterson responded: "That's really disappointing. I've spent many hours this week preparing lunch for tomorrow... It's important to me that you're all there tomorrow and that I can have the conversations that I need to have."

The prosecution alleges Ms Patterson invited the group to lunch "on the pretence she'd been diagnosed with cancer".

The court in Morwell, regional Victoria, heard that between the couple's marriage in 2007 and separation in 2015, there were a number of periods of separation and reconciliation - including Erin Patterson leaving her husband and their baby son in the middle of a road trip across Australia in 2009.

Mr Patterson had to drive from Townsville to Perth - a distance of about 5,000 km (3,100 miles) - alone with the child, he told the court.

The couple met in 2002, while both working at Monash City Council, where Mr Patterson was a civil engineer.

Asked about his wife, Mr Patterson said: "Erin is very intelligent.

"Some of the things that attracted me to her in the first place is definitely her intelligence. She's quite witty and can be quite funny."

Asked about how his wife got on with his parents, Don and Gail Patterson, Mr Patterson said: "She especially got on with dad. They shared a love of knowledge and learning in the world."

With his voice faltering, Mr Patterson added: "I think she loves his gentle nature."

He said Ms Patterson held a university degree in business and accounting, and was also qualified as an air traffic controller having worked at Melbourne's Tullemarine airport.

Mr Patterson painted a picture of a relationship peppered with periods of separation - the first within the first two years of marriage - at one point becoming emotional and asking for tissues.

After the final separation there was a lot of communication by text message he said, including "banter" and talk about politics, he said.

But there was a change in the relationship in 2022 when Ms Patterson was "upset" when her husband listed himself as separated on his tax return.

The "chatty nature" of their relationship "pretty much stopped" after this, Mr Patterson said - with communication now only about the "practical management" of their family life.

Wearing a navy suit, white shirt and purple tie, he told that Ms Patterson received a "substantial inheritance" from her grandmother which Mr Patterson estimated at A$2m ($1.3m; £964,000) - though it was not paid in a lump sum and was "dribbled out" by the executors of the estate.

The jury has heard that there is no dispute that the lunch of beef wellington, mashed potatoes and green beans contained death cap mushrooms and caused the guests' illnesses.

Whether Ms Patterson intended to kill or cause very serious injury is the main issue in the case, the judge has told the jury.

The court heard the couple had married in 2007 and had two children together - though separated permanently in 2015 .

They had remained "amicable" including sharing family holidays, though there was a falling out over child support payments in 2022, the jury was told.

During the prosecution's opening statement on Wednesday, lead defence barrister Nanette Rogers said the jury would hear evidence that Ms Patterson had travelled to a location, near her home in Leongatha, where death cap mushroom sightings had been logged on a naturalist website.

And in the days after the lunch, she took a number of steps to "conceal" what she had done, the prosecution alleged.

There'd be evidence that she lied to investigators about the source of the mushrooms in the dish - saying some had come from Asian grocery in Melbourne and she'd never foraged wild ones. And she made a trip to a local dump to dispose of a food dehydrator prosecutors say she used to prepare the toxic meal.

Ms Patterson's barrister has said she did not deliberately serve poisoned food to her guests.

"The defence case is that she panicked because she was overwhelmed by the fact that these four people had become so ill because of the food she had served them."

A Kenyan member of parliament has been shot dead in the streets of the capital Nairobi by gunmen on a motorcycle in a suspected assassination.

Police said the attackers had been trailing Charles Ong'ondo Were's vehicle before one of them got off the motorbike and shot him at close range.

"The nature of this crime appears to be both targeted and predetermined," police spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga said in a statement.

The opposition MP had two months ago complained about threats to his life, local media reported.

After the shooting on late Wednesday, his driver and bodyguard, both unhurt, managed to rush the injured MP to Nairobi Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

• 'They aimed to kill' - BBC identifies security forces who shot Kenya anti-tax protesters

The attack happened along Ngong Road near a busy roundabout often manned by traffic police officers and well secured with security cameras.

Shortly after the shooting, senior police commanders and detectives visited the scene and investigations are underway, police said.

President William Ruto has ordered police to conduct a thorough investigation into the attack, adding that: "Those responsible must be held to account."

Fellow legislators who visited the scene expressed shock and outrage at the killing and called for swift investigations and justice.

Parliament Speaker Moses Wetang'ula described the MP as a "fearless and distinguished" legislator, calling his shooting "devastating".

Were represented the Kasipul constituency in western Kenya as a member of the Orange Democratic Movement, led by veteran politician Raila Odinga.

In his statement, Odinga condemned the killing, saying the legislator was "mercilessly and in cold blood, gunned down by an assassin".

"We have lost a gallant son of the soil!" Odinga added.

Odinga lost to President Ruto in the 2022 election and rejected the results due to alleged irregularities.

The former prime minister has since struck a political deal with Ruto which saw some opposition members join cabinet in what is referred as the "broad-based government".

You may also be interested in:

• Tributes to man killed in Nairobi motorcade crash
• Why police baby killers are still not on trial seven years on
• WATCH: Inside the world of Kenya's 'killer cop'
• Batons, tear gas, live fire - Kenyans face police brutality

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

Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica

Russian drones have killed at least two people and injured another five in a sustained attack on the Ukrainian city of Odesa, the governor of the region has said.

Residential high-rise buildings, a supermarket and school were damaged, Oleh Kiper posted on Telegram.

Elsewhere in Ukraine, the mayor of Kharkiv said a drone had struck a petrol station in the city centre, and explosions were also heard in the city of Sumy.

Russia has not yet commented on the attacks.

"The enemy is attacking Odesa with strike drones. There is considerable damage to civilian infrastructure, particularly dwellings," Kiper posted, before later confirming the casualties.

"Two people died and five others were injured as a result of the strike. Medics are providing all necessary assistance to the victims," he said.

The city's Mayor Gennady Trukhanov said: "The enemy has launched another massive attack on the city. Residential buildings and civilian infrastructure have been damaged in various areas of Odessa."

Videos and images uploaded to social media, which the BBC has not yet verified, show explosions and damaged buildings.

Odesa, a strategically important port city on the Black Sea, has a population of around a million people. It has come under repeated attack since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The latest attack comes as the US signed a deal with Ukraine on the joint exploitation of its energy and mineral resources.

The long-anticipated deal shows much more solidarity with Ukraine than is usual for US President Donald Trump's administration.

The two countries agreed to establish a reconstruction investment fund to spur Ukraine's economic recovery from its war with Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin this week announced a temporary ceasefire for the war in Ukraine.

The Kremlin said the ceasefire would run from the morning of 8 May until 11 May - which coincides with victory celebrations to mark the end of World War Two.

In response, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called for an immediate ceasefire lasting "at least 30 days".

The estranged husband of a woman who served a poisonous mushroom lunch to her family says it was "very rare" for her to hold social gatherings at home.

Simon Patterson was invited to the fatal meal prepared by Erin Patterson - but decided not to attend the day before.

Mr Patterson is the first witness in the trial of Ms Patterson - who is charged with the murder of three relatives and the attempted murder of another, with the case centring on a beef wellington lunch at her house in July 2023.

Ms Patterson, 50, has pleaded not guilty and her defence team says she "panicked" after unintentionally serving poison to family members she loved.

Three people died in hospital in the days after the meal, including Ms Patterson's former in-laws, Don Patterson, 70, and Gail Patterson, 70, as well as Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, 66. Local pastor Ian Wilkinson survived after weeks of treatment in hospital.

The jury has been shown text messages exchanged between Simon and Erin Patterson the day before the deadly mushroom lunch.

Mr Patterson said he felt "too uncomfortable" about attending the lunch.

Erin Patterson responded: "That's really disappointing. I've spent many hours this week preparing lunch for tomorrow... It's important to me that you're all there tomorrow and that I can have the conversations that I need to have."

The prosecution alleges Ms Patterson invited the group to lunch "on the pretence she'd been diagnosed with cancer".

The court in Morwell, regional Victoria, heard that between the couple's marriage in 2007 and separation in 2015, there were a number of periods of separation and reconciliation - including Erin Patterson leaving her husband and their baby son in the middle of a road trip across Australia in 2009.

Mr Patterson had to drive from Townsville to Perth - a distance of about 5,000 km (3,100 miles) - alone with the child, he told the court.

The couple met in 2002, while both working at Monash City Council, where Mr Patterson was a civil engineer.

Asked about his wife, Mr Patterson said: "Erin is very intelligent.

"Some of the things that attracted me to her in the first place is definitely her intelligence. She's quite witty and can be quite funny."

Asked about how his wife got on with his parents, Don and Gail Patterson, Mr Patterson said: "She especially got on with dad. They shared a love of knowledge and learning in the world."

With his voice faltering, Mr Patterson added: "I think she loves his gentle nature."

He said Ms Patterson held a university degree in business and accounting, and was also qualified as an air traffic controller having worked at Melbourne's Tullemarine airport.

Mr Patterson painted a picture of a relationship peppered with periods of separation - the first within the first two years of marriage - at one point becoming emotional and asking for tissues.

After the final separation there was a lot of communication by text message he said, including "banter" and talk about politics, he said.

But there was a change in the relationship in 2022 when Ms Patterson was "upset" when her husband listed himself as separated on his tax return.

The "chatty nature" of their relationship "pretty much stopped" after this, Mr Patterson said - with communication now only about the "practical management" of their family life.

Wearing a navy suit, white shirt and purple tie, he told that Ms Patterson received a "substantial inheritance" from her grandmother which Mr Patterson estimated at A$2m ($1.3m; £964,000) - though it was not paid in a lump sum and was "dribbled out" by the executors of the estate.

The jury has heard that there is no dispute that the lunch of beef wellington, mashed potatoes and green beans contained death cap mushrooms and caused the guests' illnesses.

Whether Ms Patterson intended to kill or cause very serious injury is the main issue in the case, the judge has told the jury.

The court heard the couple had married in 2007 and had two children together - though separated permanently in 2015 .

They had remained "amicable" including sharing family holidays, though there was a falling out over child support payments in 2022, the jury was told.

During the prosecution's opening statement on Wednesday, lead defence barrister Nanette Rogers said the jury would hear evidence that Ms Patterson had travelled to a location, near her home in Leongatha, where death cap mushroom sightings had been logged on a naturalist website.

And in the days after the lunch, she took a number of steps to "conceal" what she had done, the prosecution alleged.

There'd be evidence that she lied to investigators about the source of the mushrooms in the dish - saying some had come from Asian grocery in Melbourne and she'd never foraged wild ones. And she made a trip to a local dump to dispose of a food dehydrator prosecutors say she used to prepare the toxic meal.

Ms Patterson's barrister has said she did not deliberately serve poisoned food to her guests.

"The defence case is that she panicked because she was overwhelmed by the fact that these four people had become so ill because of the food she had served them."

The directors of Moorcroft Pottery have announced that the firm has stopped trading after more than 100 years.

In a post on social media on Wednesday, bosses at the Stoke-on-Trent firm, based in Burslem, said they have told insolvency business Moore Recovery to help with voluntarily liquidating the company.

They said Moore would contact creditors in due course but did not give an explanation for the firm's closure.

Moorcroft had warned in March of possible redundancies and at the time cited rising costs and falling sales.

The firm traces its roots back to 1897 and has been based at its current site in Sandbach Road since 1913.

According to its website, the firm's founder William Moorcroft was able to produce pottery from its current site thanks to the support of London department store Liberty.

After winning a number of prestigious international awards, Moorcroft was appointed as Potter to HM The Queen in 1928.

The firm's royal patronage continued when the late Queen Elizabeth II added Moorcroft designs into the Royal Collection.

The brand was also popular with US presidents and British prime ministers, according to the firm.

The news of Moorcroft's collapse is the latest blow to the pottery industry in Stoke-on-Trent.

In February, Royal Stafford, also based in Burslem, called in administrators.

The firm's collapse followed the closure of Dudson in 2019, Wade in Longton two years ago and Johnsons Tiles in 2024.

City council leader Jane Ashworth said Moorcroft had been a major part of Stoke-on-Trent's heritage in ceramics.

"Our teams have been working closely and intensively with Moorcroft to try to find a solution but unfortunately this has not been possible," she said.

"The fact is global and national headwinds - including high energy prices and a rash of cheap, illegal forgeries from overseas - have made life very difficult for manufacturers.

"We have lobbied - and will continue to lobby - the government to provide specific support for this vital and valuable sector."

She added the authority would provide support for affected employees to help them find new jobs.

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Eleven New York state high school athletes accused of a hazing prank where they allegedly brandished a gun and traumatised their lacrosse teammates have turned themselves in, authorities said on Wednesday.

The student-athletes at Westhill High School in Syracuse allegedly drove a group of younger players to the woods, where one of the victims had a pillowcase put over his head and was put in the boot of a car.

At a news conference on Tuesday, Onondaga County District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick had ordered the players to turn themselves in within 48 hours or risk being prosecuted as adults.

District Attorney Fitzpatrick described the incident as "way beyond hazing".

"I cannot really adequately express to this community the level of stupidity and lack of judgment involved in this case," Fitzpatrick said.

Authorities said that on 24 April, at least five victims were offered a ride after a lacrosse game and were taken to nearby woods after the driver of the vehicle pretended to be lost.

"At some point by pre-arrangement, people came out of the woods all dressed in black. They were armed with what appeared to be at least one handgun and at least one knife," Fitzpatrick told reporters.

"I've seen the videotape of what happened to this young man. It is not a rite of passage," he said, referring to the student who had the pillowcase put over his head.

There were no reports of physical injuries, but the younger students had been traumatised by the experience, authorities said.

"I'm not trying to sissify American youth," Fitzpatrick said. "If you want to welcome someone onto your team and toughen them up, maybe an extra hour of practice might be appropriate, as opposed to taking someone at gunpoint, stuffing them in the back of the car and traumatizing them for the rest of his life."

The district attorney said the students would face misdemeanour charges of unlawful imprisonment and would be released to the custody of their parents if they turned themselves in voluntarily.

None of the names of the suspects or victims have been released by police.

Westhill Central School District Superintendent Steve Dunham said that the team's lacrosse season has been cancelled.

In a statement, he said the district is cooperating with the district attorney's investigation.

Israel's war in Gaza grinds on, but opposition is growing.

In recent weeks, thousands of Israeli reservists – from all branches of the military – have signed letters demanding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government stop the fighting and concentrate instead on reaching a deal to bring back the remaining 59 hostages being held by Hamas.

Eighteen months ago, few Israelis doubted the war's logic: to defeat Hamas and return the hostages.

For many, the January ceasefire and subsequent return of more than 30 hostages raised hopes that the war might soon end.

But after Israel broke the ceasefire and returned to war in mid-March, those hopes were dashed.

"We came to the conclusion that Israel is going to a very bad place," Danny Yatom, a former head of the spy agency Mossad told me.

"We understand that what mainly bothers Netanyahu is his own interests. And in the list of priorities, his interests and the interests of having the government stable are the first ones, and not the hostages."

Many of those signing recent letters are, like Yatom, long time critics of the prime minister. Some were involved in the anti-government protests that preceded the outbreak of war on 7 October 2023 following Hamas's attack on Israel.

But Yatom says that's not why he decided to speak out.

"I signed my name and I am participating in the demonstrations not because of any political reason, but because of a national reason," he said.

"I am highly concerned that my country is going to lose its way."

The first open letter to be published, in early April, was signed by 1,000 air force reservists and retirees.

"The continuation of the war does not contribute to any of its declared goals," they wrote, "and will lead to the death of the hostages".

The signatories urged Israelis to follow their lead before time ran out on the estimated 24 hostages still thought to be alive in Gaza.

"Every day that passes is further risking their lives. Every moment of hesitation is a crying shame."

In the weeks since, similar letters have appeared from almost every branch of the military, including elite fighting and intelligence units, along with a number of decorated commanders.

More than 12,000 signatures all.

After 7 October, hundreds of thousands of Israeli reservists answered the call, eager to serve.

But now, more and more are refusing, with reports suggesting that reserve attendance has dropped to as little as 50-60%.

For a military that depends heavily on reservists to fight its wars, it's a looming crisis on a scale not seen since Israel's first Lebanon war in 1982.

In a leafy Jerusalem park, I met "Yoav" (not his real name), an infantry reservist who asked not to be identified.

Yoav served in Gaza last summer but said he wouldn't do it again.

"I had the feeling that I needed to go to help my brothers and sisters," he told me.

"I believed I was doing something good. Complicated but good. But now, I don't see it in the same way anymore."

The government's determination to keep fighting Hamas, while hostages risk death in the tunnels of Gaza, Yoav said, was misplaced.

"We are very strong and we can beat Hamas, but it's not about beating Hamas," he said. "It's about losing our country."

During his time in Gaza, Yoav told me, he tried to be "the best moral soldier that a man can be".

But the longer the war goes on, critics say, the harder it is for Israel to claim, as government officials often do, that its military is the most moral army in the world.

In a recent column in the left of centre newspaper Haaretz, the retired general Amiram Levin said it was time for soldiers – starting with senior commanders - to think about disobeying orders.

"The risk of being dragged into war crimes and suffering a fatal blow to the Israel Defense Forces and our social ethos," he wrote, "make it impossible to stand idly by".

Some of Israel's critics, including those who have brought cases before the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice, argue that such lines have already been crossed.

Netanyahu has lashed out at the protesters, dismissing their concerns as "propaganda lies", spread by "a small handful of fringe elements – loud, anarchist and disconnected pensioners, most of whom haven't served in years".

But polls suggest the protest letters reflect a growing public conviction: that the release of the remaining hostages should come before everything.

In Tel Aviv, where noisy anti-war demonstrations have been held for well over a year, images of the hostages are held aloft, while other protestors sit on the road, cradling pictures of Palestinian children killed during the war.

Amid the row generated by the letters, such emotive displays appear to have rattled the authorities.

On 20 April, the police briefly told protesters that "pictures of children or babies from Gaza" would not be permitted, along with posters displaying the words "genocide" or "ethnic cleansing".

Following expressions of outrage from the organisers, the police quickly backed down.

Meanwhile, the prime minister continues to speak of his determination to defeat Hamas.

Military pressure, Netanyahu continues to insist, is the only way to bring the hostages home.

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Israel's war in Gaza grinds on, but opposition is growing.

In recent weeks, thousands of Israeli reservists – from all branches of the military – have signed letters demanding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government stop the fighting and concentrate instead on reaching a deal to bring back the remaining 59 hostages being held by Hamas.

Eighteen months ago, few Israelis doubted the war's logic: to defeat Hamas and return the hostages.

For many, the January ceasefire and subsequent return of more than 30 hostages raised hopes that the war might soon end.

But after Israel broke the ceasefire and returned to war in mid-March, those hopes were dashed.

"We came to the conclusion that Israel is going to a very bad place," Danny Yatom, a former head of the spy agency Mossad told me.

"We understand that what mainly bothers Netanyahu is his own interests. And in the list of priorities, his interests and the interests of having the government stable are the first ones, and not the hostages."

Many of those signing recent letters are, like Yatom, long time critics of the prime minister. Some were involved in the anti-government protests that preceded the outbreak of war on 7 October 2023 following Hamas's attack on Israel.

But Yatom says that's not why he decided to speak out.

"I signed my name and I am participating in the demonstrations not because of any political reason, but because of a national reason," he said.

"I am highly concerned that my country is going to lose its way."

The first open letter to be published, in early April, was signed by 1,000 air force reservists and retirees.

"The continuation of the war does not contribute to any of its declared goals," they wrote, "and will lead to the death of the hostages".

The signatories urged Israelis to follow their lead before time ran out on the estimated 24 hostages still thought to be alive in Gaza.

"Every day that passes is further risking their lives. Every moment of hesitation is a crying shame."

In the weeks since, similar letters have appeared from almost every branch of the military, including elite fighting and intelligence units, along with a number of decorated commanders.

More than 12,000 signatures all.

After 7 October, hundreds of thousands of Israeli reservists answered the call, eager to serve.

But now, more and more are refusing, with reports suggesting that reserve attendance has dropped to as little as 50-60%.

For a military that depends heavily on reservists to fight its wars, it's a looming crisis on a scale not seen since Israel's first Lebanon war in 1982.

In a leafy Jerusalem park, I met "Yoav" (not his real name), an infantry reservist who asked not to be identified.

Yoav served in Gaza last summer but said he wouldn't do it again.

"I had the feeling that I needed to go to help my brothers and sisters," he told me.

"I believed I was doing something good. Complicated but good. But now, I don't see it in the same way anymore."

The government's determination to keep fighting Hamas, while hostages risk death in the tunnels of Gaza, Yoav said, was misplaced.

"We are very strong and we can beat Hamas, but it's not about beating Hamas," he said. "It's about losing our country."

During his time in Gaza, Yoav told me, he tried to be "the best moral soldier that a man can be".

But the longer the war goes on, critics say, the harder it is for Israel to claim, as government officials often do, that its military is the most moral army in the world.

In a recent column in the left of centre newspaper Haaretz, the retired general Amiram Levin said it was time for soldiers – starting with senior commanders - to think about disobeying orders.

"The risk of being dragged into war crimes and suffering a fatal blow to the Israel Defense Forces and our social ethos," he wrote, "make it impossible to stand idly by".

Some of Israel's critics, including those who have brought cases before the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice, argue that such lines have already been crossed.

Netanyahu has lashed out at the protesters, dismissing their concerns as "propaganda lies", spread by "a small handful of fringe elements – loud, anarchist and disconnected pensioners, most of whom haven't served in years".

But polls suggest the protest letters reflect a growing public conviction: that the release of the remaining hostages should come before everything.

In Tel Aviv, where noisy anti-war demonstrations have been held for well over a year, images of the hostages are held aloft, while other protestors sit on the road, cradling pictures of Palestinian children killed during the war.

Amid the row generated by the letters, such emotive displays appear to have rattled the authorities.

On 20 April, the police briefly told protesters that "pictures of children or babies from Gaza" would not be permitted, along with posters displaying the words "genocide" or "ethnic cleansing".

Following expressions of outrage from the organisers, the police quickly backed down.

Meanwhile, the prime minister continues to speak of his determination to defeat Hamas.

Military pressure, Netanyahu continues to insist, is the only way to bring the hostages home.

The estranged husband of a woman who served a poisonous mushroom lunch to her family says it was "very rare" for her to hold social gatherings at home.

Simon Patterson was invited to the fatal meal prepared by Erin Patterson - but decided not to attend the day before.

Mr Patterson is the first witness in the trial of Ms Patterson - who is charged with the murder of three relatives and the attempted murder of another, with the case centring on a beef wellington lunch at her house in July 2023.

Ms Patterson, 50, has pleaded not guilty and her defence team says she "panicked" after unintentionally serving poison to family members she loved.

Three people died in hospital in the days after the meal, including Ms Patterson's former in-laws, Don Patterson, 70, and Gail Patterson, 70, as well as Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, 66. Local pastor Ian Wilkinson survived after weeks of treatment in hospital.

The jury has been shown text messages exchanged between Simon and Erin Patterson the day before the deadly mushroom lunch.

Mr Patterson said he felt "too uncomfortable" about attending the lunch.

Erin Patterson responded: "That's really disappointing. I've spent many hours this week preparing lunch for tomorrow... It's important to me that you're all there tomorrow and that I can have the conversations that I need to have."

The prosecution alleges Ms Patterson invited the group to lunch "on the pretence she'd been diagnosed with cancer".

The court in Morwell, regional Victoria, heard that between the couple's marriage in 2007 and separation in 2015, there were a number of periods of separation and reconciliation - including Erin Patterson leaving her husband and their baby son in the middle of a road trip across Australia in 2009.

Mr Patterson had to drive from Townsville to Perth - a distance of about 5,000 km (3,100 miles) - alone with the child, he told the court.

The couple met in 2002, while both working at Monash City Council, where Mr Patterson was a civil engineer.

Asked about his wife, Mr Patterson said: "Erin is very intelligent.

"Some of the things that attracted me to her in the first place is definitely her intelligence. She's quite witty and can be quite funny."

Asked about how his wife got on with his parents, Don and Gail Patterson, Mr Patterson said: "She especially got on with dad. They shared a love of knowledge and learning in the world."

With his voice faltering, Mr Patterson added: "I think she loves his gentle nature."

He said Ms Patterson held a university degree in business and accounting, and was also qualified as an air traffic controller having worked at Melbourne's Tullemarine airport.

Mr Patterson painted a picture of a relationship peppered with periods of separation - the first within the first two years of marriage - at one point becoming emotional and asking for tissues.

After the final separation there was a lot of communication by text message he said, including "banter" and talk about politics, he said.

But there was a change in the relationship in 2022 when Ms Patterson was "upset" when her husband listed himself as separated on his tax return.

The "chatty nature" of their relationship "pretty much stopped" after this, Mr Patterson said - with communication now only about the "practical management" of their family life.

Wearing a navy suit, white shirt and purple tie, he told that Ms Patterson received a "substantial inheritance" from her grandmother which Mr Patterson estimated at A$2m ($1.3m; £964,000) - though it was not paid in a lump sum and was "dribbled out" by the executors of the estate.

The jury has heard that there is no dispute that the lunch of beef wellington, mashed potatoes and green beans contained death cap mushrooms and caused the guests' illnesses.

Whether Ms Patterson intended to kill or cause very serious injury is the main issue in the case, the judge has told the jury.

The court heard the couple had married in 2007 and had two children together - though separated permanently in 2015 .

They had remained "amicable" including sharing family holidays, though there was a falling out over child support payments in 2022, the jury was told.

During the prosecution's opening statement on Wednesday, lead defence barrister Nanette Rogers said the jury would hear evidence that Ms Patterson had travelled to a location, near her home in Leongatha, where death cap mushroom sightings had been logged on a naturalist website.

And in the days after the lunch, she took a number of steps to "conceal" what she had done, the prosecution alleged.

There'd be evidence that she lied to investigators about the source of the mushrooms in the dish - saying some had come from Asian grocery in Melbourne and she'd never foraged wild ones. And she made a trip to a local dump to dispose of a food dehydrator prosecutors say she used to prepare the toxic meal.

Ms Patterson's barrister has said she did not deliberately serve poisoned food to her guests.

"The defence case is that she panicked because she was overwhelmed by the fact that these four people had become so ill because of the food she had served them."

President Donald Trump has asked for more time on the US economy as it contracted for the first time in three years, stoking recession fears.

He said the figure was misleading because companies had stockpiled imports ahead of his imposition of tariffs.

Trump, however, said $8tn (£6tn) of inward investment had been promised, which he argued would restore American manufacturing prowess.

The US economy contracted at an annual rate of 0.3%, the US commerce department said, a sharp downturn after growth of 2.4% in the previous quarter. It comes as Trump marks 100 days in office, with opinion polls indicating public discontent over his economic stewardship.

Speaking on Wednesday afternoon at a White House event attended by business leaders, Trump blamed his Democratic predecessor, President Joe Biden, for the disappointing gross domestic product data.

"This is Biden's economy because we took over on January 20th," Trump said. "I think you have to give us a little bit of time to get moving."

It comes in the aftermath of the Republican president's import taxes, which have disrupted global trade and markets.

• 'We don't care': A defiant China looks beyond Trump's America
• Why the IMF is worried about the economy - three things to know

Trump's finger pointing at Biden drew scorn from Democrats.

Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, minority leader of the US House of Representatives, said: "This is not Joe Biden's economy, Donald, it is your economy.

"It is the Trump economy, it is a failed economy and the American people know it."

At Wednesday's White House event, Trump touted planned investments in technology, healthcare and infrastructure.

He introduced CEOs of major companies, including Hyundai's Jose Munoz, Toyota's Ted Ogawa, and Johnson & Johnson's Joaquin Duato.

Trump also urged Congress to pass his tax bill, which includes trillions of dollars in tax and spending cuts, but faces opposition from Democrats and some Republicans.

At a television appearance earlier in the day with cabinet members, Trump played down fears of shortages of items such as toys, as trade between the US and China falls sharply.

"Well, maybe the children will have to have two dolls instead of 30 dolls, you know?" he said. "And maybe the two dolls will cost a couple of bucks more than they would normally."

Trump has enacted 10% levies on almost all countries importing to the US, after announcing a 90-day pause on higher tariffs. The amount paid by these countries could change after the period expires in July.

Another 25% tariff has been imposed on Mexico and Canada. The levies on China, however, have led to an all-out trade war with the world's second largest economy.

Trump imposed import taxes of up to 145% on Chinese goods coming into the US and China hit back with a 125% tax on American products.

His administration said when the new tariffs were added on to existing ones, the levies on some Chinese goods could reach 245%.

Russian drones have killed at least two people and injured another five in a sustained attack on the Ukrainian city of Odesa, the governor of the region has said.

Residential high-rise buildings, a supermarket and school were damaged, Oleh Kiper posted on Telegram.

Elsewhere in Ukraine, the mayor of Kharkiv said a drone had struck a petrol station in the city centre, and explosions were also heard in the city of Sumy.

Russia has not yet commented on the attacks.

"The enemy is attacking Odesa with strike drones. There is considerable damage to civilian infrastructure, particularly dwellings," Kiper posted, before later confirming the casualties.

"Two people died and five others were injured as a result of the strike. Medics are providing all necessary assistance to the victims," he said.

The city's Mayor Gennady Trukhanov said: "The enemy has launched another massive attack on the city. Residential buildings and civilian infrastructure have been damaged in various areas of Odessa."

Videos and images uploaded to social media, which the BBC has not yet verified, show explosions and damaged buildings.

Odesa, a strategically important port city on the Black Sea, has a population of around a million people. It has come under repeated attack since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The latest attack comes as the US signed a deal with Ukraine on the joint exploitation of its energy and mineral resources.

The long-anticipated deal shows much more solidarity with Ukraine than is usual for US President Donald Trump's administration.

The two countries agreed to establish a reconstruction investment fund to spur Ukraine's economic recovery from its war with Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin this week announced a temporary ceasefire for the war in Ukraine.

The Kremlin said the ceasefire would run from the morning of 8 May until 11 May - which coincides with victory celebrations to mark the end of World War Two.

In response, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called for an immediate ceasefire lasting "at least 30 days".

The estranged husband of a woman who served a poisonous mushroom lunch to her family says it was "very rare" for her to hold social gatherings at home.

Simon Patterson was invited to the fatal meal prepared by Erin Patterson - but decided not to attend the day before.

Mr Patterson is the first witness in the trial of Ms Patterson - who is charged with the murder of three relatives and the attempted murder of another, with the case centring on a beef wellington lunch at her house in July 2023.

Ms Patterson, 50, has pleaded not guilty and her defence team says she "panicked" after unintentionally serving poison to family members she loved.

Three people died in hospital in the days after the meal, including Ms Patterson's former in-laws, Don Patterson, 70, and Gail Patterson, 70, as well as Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, 66. Local pastor Ian Wilkinson survived after weeks of treatment in hospital.

The jury has been shown text messages exchanged between Simon and Erin Patterson the day before the deadly mushroom lunch.

Mr Patterson said he felt "too uncomfortable" about attending the lunch.

Erin Patterson responded: "That's really disappointing. I've spent many hours this week preparing lunch for tomorrow... It's important to me that you're all there tomorrow and that I can have the conversations that I need to have."

The prosecution alleges Ms Patterson invited the group to lunch "on the pretence she'd been diagnosed with cancer".

The court in Morwell, regional Victoria, heard that between the couple's marriage in 2007 and separation in 2015, there were a number of periods of separation and reconciliation - including Erin Patterson leaving her husband and their baby son in the middle of a road trip across Australia in 2009.

Mr Patterson had to drive from Townsville to Perth - a distance of about 5,000 km (3,100 miles) - alone with the child, he told the court.

The couple met in 2002, while both working at Monash City Council, where Mr Patterson was a civil engineer.

Asked about his wife, Mr Patterson said: "Erin is very intelligent.

"Some of the things that attracted me to her in the first place is definitely her intelligence. She's quite witty and can be quite funny."

Asked about how his wife got on with his parents, Don and Gail Patterson, Mr Patterson said: "She especially got on with dad. They shared a love of knowledge and learning in the world."

With his voice faltering, Mr Patterson added: "I think she loves his gentle nature."

He said Ms Patterson held a university degree in business and accounting, and was also qualified as an air traffic controller having worked at Melbourne's Tullemarine airport.

Mr Patterson painted a picture of a relationship peppered with periods of separation - the first within the first two years of marriage - at one point becoming emotional and asking for tissues.

After the final separation there was a lot of communication by text message he said, including "banter" and talk about politics, he said.

But there was a change in the relationship in 2022 when Ms Patterson was "upset" when her husband listed himself as separated on his tax return.

The "chatty nature" of their relationship "pretty much stopped" after this, Mr Patterson said - with communication now only about the "practical management" of their family life.

Wearing a navy suit, white shirt and purple tie, he told that Ms Patterson received a "substantial inheritance" from her grandmother which Mr Patterson estimated at A$2m ($1.3m; £964,000) - though it was not paid in a lump sum and was "dribbled out" by the executors of the estate.

The jury has heard that there is no dispute that the lunch of beef wellington, mashed potatoes and green beans contained death cap mushrooms and caused the guests' illnesses.

Whether Ms Patterson intended to kill or cause very serious injury is the main issue in the case, the judge has told the jury.

The court heard the couple had married in 2007 and had two children together - though separated permanently in 2015 .

They had remained "amicable" including sharing family holidays, though there was a falling out over child support payments in 2022, the jury was told.

During the prosecution's opening statement on Wednesday, lead defence barrister Nanette Rogers said the jury would hear evidence that Ms Patterson had travelled to a location, near her home in Leongatha, where death cap mushroom sightings had been logged on a naturalist website.

And in the days after the lunch, she took a number of steps to "conceal" what she had done, the prosecution alleged.

There'd be evidence that she lied to investigators about the source of the mushrooms in the dish - saying some had come from Asian grocery in Melbourne and she'd never foraged wild ones. And she made a trip to a local dump to dispose of a food dehydrator prosecutors say she used to prepare the toxic meal.

Ms Patterson's barrister has said she did not deliberately serve poisoned food to her guests.

"The defence case is that she panicked because she was overwhelmed by the fact that these four people had become so ill because of the food she had served them."

A Columbia University student and Palestinian activist arrested by US immigration authorities has been released from custody, US media reports.

Mohsen Mahdawi, who has permanent US residency or "green card" status, was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) when he turned up at an American citizenship interview in Vermont in mid-April.

Mr Mahdawi's legal team petitioned for his release alleging unlawful incarceration.

The US government says he was undermining US foreign policy. Luna Droubi, one of his lawyers, argued that the arrest was "in direct retaliation for his advocacy on behalf of Palestinians and because of his identity as a Palestinian".

Vermont District Judge Geoffrey Crawford ordered the release of Mohsen Mahdawi from prison on bail on Wednesday, pending the court's ruling on the habeas petition challenging his detention, according to a statement by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which is part of his legal representation.

The judge denied a request from government lawyers to delay his release by seven days.

In the statement, Ms Droubi said the claims against him are "baseless" and a "disgrace to the US Constitution". She said she was "relieved" that Mr Mahdawi had been released, and vowed to "keep fighting until Mohsen is free for good".

Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, responded after his release, saying "no judge, not this one or another, is going to stop the Trump Administration from restoring the rule of law to our immigration system".

Mr Mahdawi thanked supporters outside the courtroom, saying, "We are pro-peace and anti-war".

"To my people in Palestine: I feel your pain, I see your suffering; and I see freedom and it is very very soon."

One day before his arrest, Mr Mahdawi had told CBS News, the BBC's US partner, that he believed the citizenship interview could be a setup.

"It's the first feeling of like, I've been waiting for this for more than a year," Mr Mahdawi said. "And the other feeling is like, wait a minute. Is this a honey trap?"

Several prominent politicians, including independent Senator Bernie Sanders who represents Vermont, have spoken out in support of Mr Mahdawi and called for his release.

US authorities have detained multiple students and graduates involved in the protest movement against the war, including Columbia University's Mahmoud Khalil and Tufts University's Rumeysa Ozturk.