Two men have been found guilty of the "mindless destruction" of the world famous Sycamore Gap tree, the felling of which sparked international outrage.

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

Daniel Michael Graham, 39, from Carlisle, and Adam Carruthers, 32, from Wigton in Cumbria, were each convicted of two counts of criminal damage.

Prosecutors said the pair carried out the "mindless thuggery" as a "bit of a laugh" but, when they realised the public's fury, they were too cowardly to confess.

Jurors took about five hours to reach their verdicts with both men remanded into custody for their "own protection" ahead of sentencing on 15 July.

• Verdict day as it happened
• How a ranger alerted the world to the felling

The value of the tree had previously been estimated at more than £620,000 but that figure was now in dispute - although that would not affect the men's sentence, which could be up to 10 years in prison, the court heard.

The tree had been planted in the late 1800s to be a "feature in the landscape", fulfilling that ambition and more by becoming a much-loved visitor destination and landmark at the former frontier of the Roman empire.

It found global fame after featuring in a scene of the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, starring Kevin Costner, and was popular with photographers and artists.

Graham and Carruthers, who had been best friends before falling out "spectacularly" in the aftermath, used the cover of darkness to travel from Cumbria and attack the tree with a chainsaw, jurors heard.

While one cut the tree down, taking less than three minutes to destroy what had taken more than a century to grow, the other filmed it on Graham's phone, with the pair then carrying away a wedge of the trunk as a "trophy".

Prosecutor Richard Wright KC said it had been a "moronic mission" and the men had thought it was "just a tree", while all right-thinking people had been angered and saddened by the "arboreal equivalent of mindless thuggery".

He said the pair initially revelled in the public's outrage but, when they realised they would become public enemy number one, were too scared to admit their actions.

Graham, whose phone and car were tracked going to and from the site, and on whose mobile the felling video had been recorded, had sought to blame Carruthers.

Carruthers, who jurors were told had probably made a "recce" of the remote site earlier in the day, claimed he had "no clue" who did it.

Welcoming the verdicts, the National Trust, which had owned the tree since the 1940s, said the "needless" felling had "shocked" people around the world.

A spokesperson said the tree was an "emblem" of north-east England and was a "backdrop to many personal memories".

They said there would be a "positive legacy" however, with 49 saplings grown from the tree set to be distributed to charities and organisations across the country.

Supt Kevin Waring of Northumbria Police said no explanation had ever been offered for the felling, but "there never could be a justifiable one".

After the verdicts were announced, the court heard there was a dispute over the valuation of the tree although all parties agreed it would not actually affect the sentence the men eventually get, which according to sentencing guidelines could be up to 10 years in prison.

Prosecutors had initially valued the damage to the tree at £622,191, but Graham's barrister, Christopher Knox, said the authorities had since lowered their estimate to about £450,000 while his team reckoned the true figure to be "much lower than that".

Gale Gilchrist, chief crown prosecutor at CPS North East, said the tree had stood for more than a century, adding: "In just under three minutes, Graham and Carruthers ended its historic legacy in a deliberate and mindless act of destruction."

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The new Pope, Leo XIV, has called for the Catholic Church to "desperately" counter a lack of faith in his first mass at the Vatican.

Speaking on Friday, the day after he was elected the first US leader of the Catholic Church, he warned that people were turning to "technology, money, success, power, or pleasure" for security instead of the Church.

Pope Leo also called for cardinals to extend missionary outreach.

The ascension of Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost, 69, has been widely celebrated by 1.4 billion Catholics across the world, with joyous outbursts in particular in Peru, where he was stationed for 20 years, and in his US homeland.

In his speech, the new pope said he had been elected to be a "faithful administrator" of the Church and to steer it as a "beacon" to reach areas suffering a "lack of faith".

"A lack of faith is often tragically accompanied by the loss of meaning in life, the neglect of mercy, appalling violations of human dignity, the crisis of the family and so many other wounds that afflict our society," he said in Italian.

Pope Leo wore a white robe trimmed in gold as he addressed the seated cardinals in the Sistine Chapel address broadcast live by the Vatican administration.

On Thursday evening, Prevost was introduced to the world as the new Pope Leo XIV to rousing cheers from crowds gathered in St Peter's Square.

Appearing on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica, his first words to the tens of thousands of worshippers gathered outlined a vision of a "missionary" Church which "builds bridges, which holds dialogues, which is always open".

• Live: Follow the latest updates after new Pope chosen
• Profile: Who is Robert Prevost, the new Pope Leo XIV?
• Watch: Oh my God, it's Rob! - Pope's brother speaks of joy
• Analysis: Continuity the key for Pope seen as unifier in the Church

He echoed his predecessor, the late Pope Francis, in calling for peace.

"Help us, and each other, to build bridges through dialogue, through encounter, to come together as one people, always in peace," he said.

World leaders have rushed to congratulate Prevost on his election, pledging to work with him on global issues. US President Donald Trump called it a "great honour" to have the first American pope.

Prevost, who also holds Peruvian citizenship, only became an archbishop and then cardinal in 2023. He was elected leader by his fellow cardinals in just two days of voting in the secret conclave that took place two weeks after Francis died.

He is seen as being aligned with the late Pope, who was viewed as a progressive champion of human rights and the poor and celebrated for his charismatic style that sought to make the Catholic Church more outward-facing.

Vatican watchers have noted that Francis appeared to have brought Prevost to Rome in recent years, perhaps to set him up as a potential successor.

Pope Leo's upcoming remarks, which include Sunday's midday Regina Coeli prayer and a Monday press conference with journalists, will be closely scrutinised for hints as to which direction he intends to lead the Church and what kind of Pope he will be.

Three police officers who were first on the scene to respond to the "unimaginable horror" of the Southport attacks have been nominated for National Police Bravery Awards.

Sgt Gregory Gillespie, PC Luke Holden and PCSO Timothy Parry of Merseyside Police confronted and detained killer Axel Rudakubana after reports a man was attacking children with a knife.

Alice Aguiar, nine, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and six-year-old Bebe King were killed and 10 others were injured in the attack at a dance class in the seaside town on 29 July 2024.

Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said the officers faced "the most harrowing situation Merseyside Police has ever had to deal with" with courage and professionalism.

The officers had been on duty working out of Southport police station when they each heard a radio transmission at midday requesting for officers to attend immediately at Hart Street.

"In those frantic initial moments, they were unaware of the horrific events taking place", Ms Kennedy said.

"They dismissed any thoughts for their own safety, bravely detaining the offender while protecting and helping the victims and those inside."

Rudakubana was jailed for a minimum of 52 years in January after admitting to the murders.

Ms Kennedy described the award nomination as a "true testament" to the three officers for their courage and professionalism in the face of "unimaginable horror", adding the force was "immensely proud".

"Our thoughts remain with the victims, their families, those who suffered serious injuries and all those involved in the appalling attack," she added.

Merseyside Police Federation Chair Chris McGlade said: "In the face of the most challenging and perilous of circumstances, these three officers exemplified this commitment."

He said they they acted without "without hesitation" and had demonstrated "the highest levels of bravery".

"Their professionalism was unparalleled, and it is fitting that we acknowledge and honour their actions accordingly," he added.

The National Police Bravery Awards, which recognises the extraordinary acts of courage by police officers from forces across England and Wales, takes place on 10 July.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.

The US has confirmed that a new system for providing humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza through private companies is being prepared, as Israel's blockade continues for a third month.

US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said "distribution centres" protected by security contractors would provide food and other supplies to up to a million people initially, as part of an effort to prevent Hamas stealing aid.

He denied Israel would take part in aid delivery or distribution, but said its forces would secure the centres' perimeters.

It comes as details emerged about the controversial plan, which UN agencies have reiterated they will not co-operate with because it appears to "weaponize" aid.

"We will not participate," the spokesman for the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Jens Laerke, told the BBC in Geneva, "only in efforts that are in line with our principles".

He added: "There is no reason to put in place a system that is at odds with the DNA of any principled humanitarian organisation."

Since early March, Israel has cut off all supplies from reaching Gaza - including food, shelters, medicines and fuel - leading to a humanitarian crisis for its 2.1 million residents.

A third of the community kitchens in Gaza - one of the territory's last remaining lifelines - have been forced to shut down over the past two weeks due to shortages of food and fuel, according to OCHA.

Among them were the last two field kitchens of World Central Kitchen, a US-based charity which had been providing 133,000 meals daily before it ran out of ingredients on Tuesday.

Prices of basic foodstuffs have also skyrocketed at local markets, with a 25kg (55lb) bag of flour now selling for $415 (£313) in Gaza City - a 30-fold increase compared to the end of February, OCHA says.

Huckabee told journalists in Jerusalem that US President Donald Trump saw aid for Gaza as an urgent matter and that his team was tasked "to do everything possible to accelerate that and to as expeditiously as possible get humanitarian aid into the people".

Israel and the US accuse Hamas of diverting aid. "Previous actions have often been met with Hamas stealing the food that was intended for hungry people," the ambassador said.

The UN and other agencies say they have strong supervisory mechanisms and that when aid has surged into Gaza, incidents of looting have largely halted. The World Health Organization says none of its medical supplies have been looted during the war.

The Trump administration is trying to build momentum behind the new aid initiative ahead of the president's trip next week to wealthy Arab Gulf countries that could help to fund it.

It says that a non-governmental organisation has been set up and that aid delivery will not be under Israeli military control.

Huckabee said: "The Israelis are going to be involved in providing necessary security because this is a war zone. But they will not be involved in the distribution of the food, or even the bringing of food into Gaza."

The newly registered Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) appears to have been set up for this purpose.

A 14-page document from GHF, seen by the BBC, promises to set up four distribution sites, giving out food, water and hygiene kits initially for 1.2 million people - less than 60% of the population. It says the project aims to reach all Gazans eventually.

Aimed at potential donors, the paper states that "months of conflict have collapsed traditional relief channels in Gaza".

It goes on: "GHF was established to restore that vital lifeline through an independent, rigorously-audited model that gets assistance directly - and only - to those in need."

The document maintains that GHF is "guided by the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence".

Its boards of directors and advisors are said to include a former chief executive of World Central Kitchen, along with the American former head of the UN's World Food Programme, David Beasley - though his participation is not yet confirmed.

Full details of how the aid mechanism will work on the ground are not given.

The Gaza war was triggered by the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which saw about 1,200 people killed and more than 250 taken hostage. Some 59 are still held captive, up to 24 of whom are believed to be alive.

Israel's military campaign has killed more than 52,700 people in Gaza, mostly women, children and the elderly, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Last Sunday, Israel's security cabinet approved an intensified military offensive against Hamas in Gaza which could involve forcibly displacing the population to the south, seizing the entire territory indefinitely, and controlling aid.

This was quickly met with widespread international condemnation. Many of Israel's allies pointed out that it was bound under international law to allow the unhindered passage of humanitarian aid.

The UK's Minister for the Middle East, Hamish Falconer, told Parliament on Monday that the British government was gravely concerned that the Israeli announcements could lead to the 19-month-long war in Gaza entering "a dangerous new phase".

On the subject of aid, he said: "As the UN has said, it is hard to see how, if implemented, the new Israeli plan to deliver aid through private companies would be consistent with humanitarian principles and meet the scale of the need. We need urgent clarity from the Israeli government on their intentions.

"We must remember what is at stake. These humanitarian principles matter for every conflict around the world. They should be applied consistently in every war zone."

This week, the US Special Envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, briefed members of the UN Security Council - which includes the UK - behind closed doors about the new plan to resume the delivery of aid.

Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that Israeli forces were already setting up distribution hubs in Rafah, in southern Gaza, in "a sterile zone" designed to be free of any Hamas presence.

According to reports, Israel expects that aid will be distributed to security-screened representatives from each Gazan family who would be allowed to take supplies for his or her relatives only. They would be allowed into the hubs only on foot.

The Israeli defence establishment was said to have assessed that the average quantity of aid that would have to be distributed as 70kg (154lb) per family per week.

The Israeli military would ultimately be stationed outside the distribution hubs, allowing aid workers to hand out food without soldiers being directly involved, the reports say.

Israel and the US argue that the new system would prevent Hamas from being able to steal food for its own benefit. By preventing its access to aid and involvement in security for convoys, they hope to reduce the group's influence over the Gazan population.

However, there are major questions over the plan's feasibility. The current UN system uses some 400 points of aid distribution, while the situation in Gaza is now at a crisis point, with warnings that mass starvation is imminent.

At a UN briefing in Geneva, aid officials said they had carried out "careful analysis" before deciding they could not participate in the US-Israeli scheme. They said they had not been formally presented with the GHF document that is currently circulating.

James Elder, spokesman for the UN's children's agency Unicef, said the plan that had been laid out would lead to more children suffering, not fewer. He noted that civilians would have to travel to militarised zones to receive aid, meaning the most vulnerable - children and the elderly - would struggle to get there.

He said the decision to locate all the distribution points in the south appeared designed to use aid as "a bait" to forcibly displace Gazans once again. The UN says 90% of the population has been displaced during the war, often many times.

The plan that has been discussed with UN agencies envisages just 60 lorry loads of aid entering each day - far less than they say is needed to meet growing needs, and a tenth of the number that went in daily during the recent two-month ceasefire.

OCHA's Jens Laerke said that in short, the proposals from Israel "do not meet the minimum bar for principled humanitarian support".

Analysts say that the current impasse over aid for Gaza is not only an existential threat to the UN's vast humanitarian operation in the Palestinian territory but could also have implications for its future work.

If it was to agree to a scheme accommodating the demands of the military on one side in a conflict, it could dent perceptions of the UN's neutrality and impartiality, and set a dangerous precedent leading to similar demands in other war zones where it operates.

The UN and other aid agencies also point out that they currently have tonnes of supplies piled up near Gaza's border crossings, ready to enter, if Israel would allow it.

Without an end to the blockade, the risk of famine is expected to grow.

In Jabalia, in northern Gaza, which has already been the focus of Israeli military operations against Hamas, Palestinian families told the BBC of their growing despair as they waited for a food handout at a takia, or community kitchen, which turned into a chaotic scramble.

"Every day I come here and wait with my cooking pot to feed my children," Umm Ahmed said. "The pot doesn't fill us up. We have been suffering for two months. There's no flour or anything. Open the borders so we can eat properly."

She said she would not comply with Israeli efforts to force her to move south to Rafah to receive aid.

"We don't have money for transport, we don't have money to eat!" she exclaimed. "I don't want to evacuate from here, I'd rather die than leave."

"The takia is our last source of food," said Mohammed, who had been waiting for five hours in line. "My wife is pregnant and sick and I'm unable to get her to the hospital. How am I supposed to get to Rafah?"

Additional reporting by David Gritten in Jerusalem

A rose has been named after Catherine, Princess of Wales to highlight the healing power of nature.

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) said it called the flower 'Catherine's Rose' to raise awareness of the role that spending time outdoors plays in supporting people's mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing.

The floribunda rose has coral-pink blooms with a scent of Turkish Delight and mango.

Proceeds from every sale will go to the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. The princess was treated at the hospital, in west London, for cancer last year.

The Princess of Wales revealed she was in remission after making a surprise visit to the hospital in January, where she thanked staff and reassured cancer patients that there was "light at the end of the tunnel".

She first revealed her diagnosis in March last year and underwent a course of preventative chemotherapy, announcing in September that it had been completed.

Catherine's Rose will have flowers that attract pollinators and will thrive in a mixed border, as a hedge, in a large container or in a rose bed, according to the RHS.

Clusters can have up to 15 blooms, each flower measuring between 8 and 12cm, while the plant that supports it can grow to about 1.2m tall by 90cm wide.

Clare Matterson, RHS director general, said the flower would "raise awareness of how nature and gardening can help to heal".  

"We know how important this message is as every day we see how accessing nature and being outside is vital for our health and happiness," she added.

There will be 15,000 Catherine's Rose available this autumn, with further roses becoming available next year.

The government has insisted that American hormone-reared meat will not start to seep onto the UK market, following the trade deal agreed this week, which boosts the trade in beef in both directions.

Some farmers and consumers, including Ian McCubbine a beef farmer in Surrey, have expressed fears that the deal could open the door to hormone-treated beef.

"How do we know what they are putting in?" he said, speaking to the BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

However, the government said maintaining UK food standards had been a strict red line during the negotiations, and that certification procedures and border checks would ensure hormone-reared beef would not enter the UK.

Darren Jones chief secretary to the Treasury said: "The rules on food standards have not changed and they will not change" as a result of the deal.

The agencies responsible for sanitary and phytosanitary checks would be able to test meat for traces of hormone with "consequences" for anyone breaking the law, he added.

The UK stopped allowing hormone-produced beef in 1989, when the practice was banned across the EU which declared it unsafe.

But many American farmers use growth hormones as a standard part of their beef production. Adding growth hormones makes cows put on muscle mass, and so makes their beef cheaper.

The US and other countries that use the method, including Australia, say there is no added health-risk from hormone-fed beef.

But a lot of consumers are wary of it, with some commenting online that they would look out for UK-produced beef in future.

As part of the trade deal the UK has agreed to allow up to 13,000 metric tonnes of beef imports from the US tariff-free. Currently the US exports around 1,000 tonnes to the UK with a 20% tariff, the UK's Department for Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) said.

In exchange, the UK will also be able to sell more beef to the US than it currently does, also up to 13,000 tonnes at a lower tariff than at present.

The deal also includes lower tariffs on UK-made cars destined for US market and US ethanol exports to the UK.

• What is in the UK-US trade deal?

Liz Webster, founder of the group Save British Farmer, echoed Mr McCubbine's fears in a post on X.

"In exchange for tariff relief on luxury cars, we've opened our doors to US beef and ethanol.

"But as our border checks are barely functioning, how we'll enforce standards is anyone's guess," she wrote.

US producers must have monitoring and certification procedures in place to prove that they are compliant with UK food standards to be allowed to export, Defra said.

Hormones are usually used to fatten cattle in the later stages of production, a Defra spokesperson said, and therefore traces would be identifiable through checks.

The National Farmers Union said it was checking the details of the trade deal with Defra, asking them provide more information about how the checks on imported meat would continue to ensure that safety standards were maintained.

The new Pope, Leo XIV, has called for the Catholic Church to "desperately" counter a lack of faith in his first mass at the Vatican.

Speaking on Friday, the day after he was elected the first US leader of the Catholic Church, he warned that people were turning to "technology, money, success, power, or pleasure" for security instead of the Church.

Pope Leo also called for cardinals to extend missionary outreach.

The ascension of Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost, 69, has been widely celebrated by 1.4 billion Catholics across the world, with joyous outbursts in particular in Peru, where he was stationed for 20 years, and in his US homeland.

In his speech, the new pope said he had been elected to be a "faithful administrator" of the Church and to steer it as a "beacon" to reach areas suffering a "lack of faith".

"A lack of faith is often tragically accompanied by the loss of meaning in life, the neglect of mercy, appalling violations of human dignity, the crisis of the family and so many other wounds that afflict our society," he said in Italian.

Pope Leo wore a white robe trimmed in gold as he addressed the seated cardinals in the Sistine Chapel address broadcast live by the Vatican administration.

On Thursday evening, Prevost was introduced to the world as the new Pope Leo XIV to rousing cheers from crowds gathered in St Peter's Square.

Appearing on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica, his first words to the tens of thousands of worshippers gathered outlined a vision of a "missionary" Church which "builds bridges, which holds dialogues, which is always open".

• Live: Follow the latest updates after new Pope chosen
• Profile: Who is Robert Prevost, the new Pope Leo XIV?
• Watch: Oh my God, it's Rob! - Pope's brother speaks of joy
• Analysis: Continuity the key for Pope seen as unifier in the Church

He echoed his predecessor, the late Pope Francis, in calling for peace.

"Help us, and each other, to build bridges through dialogue, through encounter, to come together as one people, always in peace," he said.

World leaders have rushed to congratulate Prevost on his election, pledging to work with him on global issues. US President Donald Trump called it a "great honour" to have the first American pope.

Prevost, who also holds Peruvian citizenship, only became an archbishop and then cardinal in 2023. He was elected leader by his fellow cardinals in just two days of voting in the secret conclave that took place two weeks after Francis died.

He is seen as being aligned with the late Pope, who was viewed as a progressive champion of human rights and the poor and celebrated for his charismatic style that sought to make the Catholic Church more outward-facing.

Vatican watchers have noted that Francis appeared to have brought Prevost to Rome in recent years, perhaps to set him up as a potential successor.

Pope Leo's upcoming remarks, which include Sunday's midday Regina Coeli prayer and a Monday press conference with journalists, will be closely scrutinised for hints as to which direction he intends to lead the Church and what kind of Pope he will be.

Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers have been found guilty of cutting down the iconic Sycamore Gap tree. The deliberate felling of the tree on Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland angered people around the world. For the man who was first on the scene, it was a moment that changed his life forever.

Park ranger Gary Pickles was in shock.

Where once had stood arguably England's favourite tree, there was now just air.

When the call had come through earlier that morning, Gary had thought it was a prank.

His working day on 28 September 2023 had barely started when a farmer called his office to report the tree was down.

"I doubted a farmer would be telling us a silly story so I thought 'oh my god, I think this might be true'."

The team of park rangers were alerted by email and Gary got in his van to drive to the tree.

With every passing minute of the short journey, his anxiety levels increased.

"As I got nearer and nearer, I just thought 'it's gone, it's gone'."

He'd arrived at the road adjacent to the tree and had to "double take" as he saw it for the first time lying on its side.

"It was shock," said Gary, who was met with a gaping hole in the landscape.

At this stage, he presumed the tree had been damaged in Storm Agnes, which had brought strong winds overnight.

"When you look and it's gone, it's just....oh my god," he said.

"It's a landmark. It's a piece of the landscape."

Gary needed to investigate further. He parked his van in a nearby car park and rushed on foot to the fallen tree.

The sadness he was feeling soon turned to anger and panic.

"When I got there I realised it had been chopped down and not blown down.

"There was a clean cut so that escalated it up.

"Once you realise it's been chopped down, then it's going to become a massive worldwide story."

The seriousness of the developing situation quickly became apparent.

Gary hastily reported back to Northumberland National Park's headquarters that it appeared that the tree had been cut down deliberately. At this stage there was no time to consider who by or why.

Just after 09:00 BST, the National Park alerted colleagues at the National Trust, including general manager Andrew Poad.

"My personal phone started lighting up. Messages were coming through on my laptop.

"Once I realised it was a deliberate act, crisis mode kicked in," said Andrew, whose priority was to personally inform people before they saw it on social media.

"It was like ringing people up to tell them that someone had passed away.

"On the day I was using the expression 'it's like losing a loved one'. We all went through that grief.

"There were numerous members of staff in tears."

Viral photographs shared on social media showed the tree on its side, as the PR teams at the National Park and the National Trust frantically collaborated on an official response.

"Within the hour it was global, effectively," Andrew said.

Shortly before 11:00, a statement from the organisations confirmed the tree had been cut down.

At around midday, Northumbria Police announced it was being treated as "a deliberate act of vandalism".

Local journalists were already carrying out interviews at the scene, before reporters from around the world turned the grassy mound opposite the stump into a "sea of camera tripods".

"It is the largest press story that the National Trust has ever dealt with," Andrew said.

"It was one of the things that surprised us. The sheer scale of the global reach of the interest really took us back a bit."

The usual calming sound of the vast countryside was drowned out by the clicks of cameras and the engines of broadcast trucks.

"We knew it was popular, but we didn't know how popular," Andrew said.

The international interest also surprised Gary.

"My sister lives in France, my brother is in America, and by dinner time they'd both rung me, so it was global news at such a fast rate."

Senior management from the National Park and the National Trust spent the afternoon at the fallen tree, speaking to the crowds of emotional walkers and journalists.

Reporters gathered shocking footage of the trunk draped over a now damaged Hadrian's Wall.

This idyllic, tranquil spot that had brought peace to so many was now a crime scene wrapped in blue and white police tape. Forensic officers in white suits also gathered DNA from the stump.

Eighteen months on from its felling, Andrew and Gary regularly reflect on the day that north-east England lost "a massive local landmark."

"It's just senseless. Who or what were they trying to get at?" said Andrew.

"It's still a huge part of my life dealing with this. It's a big gap in all our lives, never mind the landscape."

Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.

The new Pope, Leo XIV, has called for the Catholic Church to "desperately" counter a lack of faith in his first mass at the Vatican.

Speaking on Friday, the day after he was elected the first US leader of the Catholic Church, he warned that people were turning to "technology, money, success, power, or pleasure" for security instead of the Church.

Pope Leo also called for cardinals to extend missionary outreach.

The ascension of Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost, 69, has been widely celebrated by 1.4 billion Catholics across the world, with joyous outbursts in particular in Peru, where he was stationed for 20 years, and in his US homeland.

In his speech, the new pope said he had been elected to be a "faithful administrator" of the Church and to steer it as a "beacon" to reach areas suffering a "lack of faith".

"A lack of faith is often tragically accompanied by the loss of meaning in life, the neglect of mercy, appalling violations of human dignity, the crisis of the family and so many other wounds that afflict our society," he said in Italian.

Pope Leo wore a white robe trimmed in gold as he addressed the seated cardinals in the Sistine Chapel address broadcast live by the Vatican administration.

On Thursday evening, Prevost was introduced to the world as the new Pope Leo XIV to rousing cheers from crowds gathered in St Peter's Square.

Appearing on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica, his first words to the tens of thousands of worshippers gathered outlined a vision of a "missionary" Church which "builds bridges, which holds dialogues, which is always open".

• Live: Follow the latest updates after new Pope chosen
• Profile: Who is Robert Prevost, the new Pope Leo XIV?
• Watch: Oh my God, it's Rob! - Pope's brother speaks of joy
• Analysis: Continuity the key for Pope seen as unifier in the Church

He echoed his predecessor, the late Pope Francis, in calling for peace.

"Help us, and each other, to build bridges through dialogue, through encounter, to come together as one people, always in peace," he said.

World leaders have rushed to congratulate Prevost on his election, pledging to work with him on global issues. US President Donald Trump called it a "great honour" to have the first American pope.

Prevost, who also holds Peruvian citizenship, only became an archbishop and then cardinal in 2023. He was elected leader by his fellow cardinals in just two days of voting in the secret conclave that took place two weeks after Francis died.

He is seen as being aligned with the late Pope, who was viewed as a progressive champion of human rights and the poor and celebrated for his charismatic style that sought to make the Catholic Church more outward-facing.

Vatican watchers have noted that Francis appeared to have brought Prevost to Rome in recent years, perhaps to set him up as a potential successor.

Pope Leo's upcoming remarks, which include Sunday's midday Regina Coeli prayer and a Monday press conference with journalists, will be closely scrutinised for hints as to which direction he intends to lead the Church and what kind of Pope he will be.

An art expert who has worked on the BBC's Bargain Hunt has pleaded guilty to offences related to terror financing, in the first prosecution of its kind.

Oghenochuko Ojiri, 53, admitted eight counts under the Terrorism Act 2000 of failing to make a disclosure during the course of business.

Under the legislation, it is an offence if people do not notify police if they know or suspect a business associate to have been involved in financing a proscribed group.

The Met said the alleged offences dated back to between October 2020 and December 2021.

Ojiri, also known as Ochuko Ojiri, was charged following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police's specialist arts and antiques unit, alongside the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) and HMRC.

He is listed on Bargain Hunt's website as one of the show's experts.

Ojiri is not a member of BBC staff, works as a freelance presenter and has also appeared on Antiques Road Trip and Channel 5's Storage: Flog the Lot! He has not worked on BBC programmes since 2023.

Ojiri also founded the Ramp Gallery, a contemporary art showroom now known as the Ojiri Gallery, based in east London.

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The world's first drone war between nuclear-armed neighbours has erupted in South Asia.

On Thursday, India accused Pakistan of launching waves of drones and missiles at three military bases in Indian territory and Indian-administered Kashmir - an allegation Islamabad swiftly denied.

Pakistan claimed it had shot down 25 Indian drones in recent hours. Delhi remained publicly silent. Experts say the tit-for-tat attacks mark a dangerous new phase in the decades-old rivalry, as both sides exchange not just artillery but unmanned weapons across a volatile border.

As Washington and other global powers urge restraint, the region is teetering on the edge of escalation, with drones - silent, remote and deniable - opening a new chapter in the India-Pakistan conflict.

"The Indo-Pak conflict is moving into a new drone era - one where 'invisible eyes' and unmanned precision may determine escalation or restraint. Thus, in South Asia's contested skies, the side that masters drone warfare won't just see the battlefield - they'll shape it," Jahara Matisek, a professor at the US Naval War College, told the BBC.

Since Wednesday morning, Pakistan says Indian air strikes and cross-border fire have killed 36 people and injured 57 more in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. On the other side, India's army reports at least 16 civilians dead from Pakistani shelling. India insists its missile barrage was retaliation for a deadly militant attack on Indian tourists in Pahalgam last month - an attack Islamabad denies any role in.

Pakistan's military announced on Thursday that it had shot down 25 Indian drones across various cities, including Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi. The drones - reportedly Israeli-made Harop drones - were reportedly intercepted using both technical and weapon-based countermeasures. India claimed to have neutralised several Pakistani air defence radars and systems, including one in Lahore, which Islamabad denied.

Laser-guided missiles and bombs, drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become pivotal in modern warfare, significantly enhancing the precision and efficiency of military operations. These can relay co-ordinates for airstrikes or, if equipped, directly laser-designate targets, and help immediate engagement.

Drones can be used as decoys or suppression of enemy air defences, flying into contested airspace to trigger enemy radar emissions, which can then be targeted by other munitions like loitering drones or anti-radiation missiles. "This is how Ukraine and Russia both do it in their war. This dual role - targeting and triggering - makes drones a force multiplier in degrading enemy air defences without risking manned aircraft," says Prof Matisek.

Experts say India's drone fleet is largely built around Israeli-made reconnaissance UAVs like the IAI Searcher and Heron, along with Harpy and Harop loitering munitions - drones that double as missiles, capable of autonomous reconnaissance and precision strikes. The Harop, in particular, signals a shift toward high-value, precision-targeted warfare, reflecting the growing importance of loitering munitions in modern conflict, experts say.

The Heron, say experts, is India's "high-altitude eyes in the sky" for both peacetime monitoring and combat operations. The IAI Searcher Mk II is designed for frontline operations, offering up to 18 hours of endurance, a range of 300km (186 miles), and a service ceiling of 7,000m (23,000ft).

While many believe India's combat drone numbers remain "modest", a recent $4bn deal to acquire 31 MQ-9B Predator drones - which can can fly for 40 hours and up to an altitude of 40,000ft - from the US marks a major leap in its strike capabilities.

India is also developing swarm drone tactics - deploying large numbers of smaller UAVs to overwhelm and saturate air defences, allowing higher-value assets to penetrate, say experts.

Pakistan's drone fleet is "extensive and diverse", comprising both indigenous and imported systems, Ejaz Haider, a Lahore-based defence analyst told the BBC.

He said the inventory includes "over a thousand drones", featuring models from China, Turkey and domestic manufacturers. Notable platforms include the Chinese CH-4, the Turkish Bayraktar Akinci, and Pakistan's own Burraq and Shahpar drones. Additionally, Pakistan has developed loitering munitions, enhancing its strike capabilities.

Mr Haider said the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has been actively integrating unmanned systems into its operations for nearly a decade. A key focus is the development of "loyal wingman" drones - unmanned aerial vehicles designed to operate in co-ordination with manned aircraft, he added.

Prof Matisek believes "Israel's technical assistance, supplying Harop and Heron drones, has been pivotal for India, while Pakistan's reliance on Turkish and Chinese platforms highlights an ongoing arms race".

While the recent drone exchanges between India and Pakistan mark a significant escalation in their rivalry, they differ markedly from the drone-centric warfare observed in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, experts say. There, drones become central to military operations, with both sides deploying thousands of UAVs for surveillance, targeting and direct attacks.

"Deploying drones [in the ongoing conflict] instead of fighter jets or heavy missiles represents a lower-level military option. Drones are less heavily armed than manned aircraft, so in one sense, this is a restrained move. However, if this is merely a prelude to a broader aerial campaign, the calculus changes entirely," Manoj Joshi, an Indian defence analyst, told the BBC.

"The [India-Pakistan] drone warfare we're witnessing may not last long; it could be just the beginning of a larger conflict."

Ejaz Haider believes the recent drone activity in Jammu "appears to be a tactical response to immediate provocations, not a full-scale retaliation [by Pakistan]".

"A true retaliatory strike against India would involve shock and awe. It would likely be more comprehensive, involving multiple platforms - both manned and unmanned - and targeting a broader range of objectives. Such an operation would aim to deliver a decisive impact, signalling a significant escalation beyond the current tit-for-tat exchanges," Mr Haider says.

While drones have fundamentally reshaped the battlefield in Ukraine, their role in the India-Pakistan conflict remains more limited and symbolic, say experts. Both countries are using their manned air forces to fire missiles at one another as well.

"The drone warfare we're witnessing may not last long; it could be just the beginning of a larger conflict," says Mr Joshi.

"This could either signal a de-escalation or an escalation - both possibilities are on the table. We're at an inflection point; the direction we take from here is uncertain."

Clearly India is integrating drones into its precision-strike doctrine, enabling stand-off targeting without crossing borders with manned aircraft. However, this evolution also raises critical questions.

"Drones lower the political and operational threshold for action, providing options to surveil and strike while trying to reduce escalation risks," says Prof Matisek.

"But they also create new escalation dynamics: every drone shot down, every radar blinded, becomes a potential flashpoint in this tense environment between two nuclear powers."

Ofcom has launched investigations into two pornographic sites it believes may be falling foul of the UK's newly introduced child safety rules.

The regulator said two companies - including one running a so-called "nudifying" service - had failed to detail how they were preventing children from accessing their platforms.

Ofcom announced in January that, in order to comply with the Online Safety Act, all websites on which pornographic material could be found had to introduce "robust" age-checking techniques by July.

It said the two services it was investigating did not appear to have any effective means of checking the age of users.

Firms found to be in breach of the Act face huge fines.

The regulator said on Friday that many services had, as required, provided details of "highly effective age assurance methods" they were planning to implement.

• What the Online Safety Act is - and how to keep children safe online

They added that this "reassuringly" included some of the largest services that fall under the rules.

It said a small number of services had also blocked UK users entirely to prevent children accessing them, it said.

The two companies it is investigating did not respond to its request for information or show they had plans to introduce age checks.

The "nudifying" technology one of them features involves the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to create the impression of having removed a person's clothing in an image or video.

The Children's Commissioner recently called on the government to introduce a total ban on such AI apps that could be used to create sexually explicit images of children.

What changes are porn sites having to make?

All websites where a user might encounter pornographic material are required to demonstrate the robustness of the measures they are taking to verify the age of users.

These could include requiring UK users to provide photo ID or running credit card checks.

These could even apply to some social media platforms, Ofcom told the BBC in January.

The rules are expected to change the way many UK adults will use or encounter some digital services, such as porn sites.

"As age checks start to roll out in the coming months, adults will start to notice a difference in how they access certain online services," said Dame Melanie Dawes, Ofcom's chief executive, in January.

In April, Discord said it would start testing face-scanning as a way to verify some users' ages in the UK and Australia.

Experts said it marked "the start of a bigger shift" for platforms as lawmakers worldwide look to impose strict internet safety rules.

Critics suggest such measures risk pushing young people to "darker corners" of the internet where there are smaller, less regulated sites hosting more violent or explicit material.

A plane aborted take-off on a Gatwick runway after its co-pilot muddled up his left and right hands, investigators have found.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said the error resulted in the aircraft's brakes catching fire.

The 28 June incident - involving a British Airways flight to Vancouver, Canada - led to a 50-minute runway closure and 23 cancelled departures at the West Sussex airport.

A British Airways spokesperson said: "Safety is always our highest priority and our pilots brought the aircraft to a safe stop."

Gatwick Airport has been contacted for comment.

A 13-person crew and 334 passengers were on board during the incident, according to the AAIB report.

Investigators said the co-pilot "unintentionally" moved a lever to his left when he was supposed to move a lever to his right instead.

This reduced the Boeing 777 aircraft's thrust at a time when the aircraft's commander called for the plane to start pulling up, they said.

According to the investigation's findings, the co-pilot "momentarily" sped up again before abandoning take-off.

The plane "stopped some distance before the end of the runway" but airport firefighting crews were called to put out a fire on the right-hand landing gear.

There were no reported injuries.

Co-pilot surprised by mistake

The AAIB said British Airways analysis of the event showed the morning was otherwise "unremarkable" and there were no obvious distractions or workload problems prior to the fire.

The co-pilot, who had over 6,100 hours of flying experience, "expressed surprise" over the mistake and "could not identify a reason for it", according to the report.

He last flew two weeks before the incident.

British Airways had issued a safety notice reminding pilots to "pause before execution and cognitively consider what the required action is" four days before the incident, the AAIB said.

The agency added that the airline had "included 'mis-selections' in a new 'safety topic' section of its pre-flight briefing material for crew" and was promoting focus during regular simulator training for pilots.

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An unseen version of the pilot episode of Thomas & Friends, the animated children's steam train series narrated by Beatles drummer Sir Ringo Starr, is to air for the first time.

The original episode, titled Down The Mine, will be shown to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the famous tank engine franchise.

The popular character began his adventures in a book published in 1945 which was later adapted into a TV show in 1984, running until 2021.

The 40-year-old recording of the unseen pilot - shot on 35mm film in 1983 - has been rediscovered and treated, and will be made available on YouTube at 18:00 BST on Friday.

'Timeless stories'

Sir Ringo can be heard narrating in the new footage alongside a bespoke musical arrangement by longtime series composer Mike O' Donnell.

Roberto Stanichi, from toy company Mattel, said Thomas - who first appeared on ITV before moving to Cartoon Network, Nick Jr, Channel 5 and now Netflix - had "brought joy to generations, sharing timeless stories and valuable life lessons".

"As we celebrate this momentous year, we're unveiling 40-year-old footage and newly uncovered stories from the vault for the first time ever, offering longtime fans and new audiences the chance to reconnect with the beloved adventures of Thomas & Friends in new and nostalgic ways," he said.

The franchise will also put original pieces from the brand's history up for auction, to mark the anniversary, including artwork and props from the stop-motion scenes that first aired in 1984.

Collectors and fans will have the chance to bid for items signed by celebrities who have voiced characters on the long-running series down the years, including English actors Olivia Colman, Eddie Redmayne and Hugh Bonneville.

The proceeds from the auction - which is open for registration now, with bidding to commence from the 12 May - will be donated to the National Autistic Society.