Madeleine McCann's father is calling for greater scrutiny of the UK's media, complaining that his family was subjected to "monstering" by sections of the press.

He said the media "repeatedly interfered with the investigation" into his daughter's disappearance in 2007 and believes this has hindered the search for her.

Gerry McCann told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that more than a year on from Labour coming into power, "press regulation is no longer a priority".

He wants a resumption of the cancelled second phase of the Lord Leveson Inquiry, which would have examined unlawful action by the media, plus journalists' relationships with politicians and police. It was scrapped by the Tories in 2018.

Madeleine's disappearance during a family holiday in Portugal has never been solved.

In a rare interview, Mr McCann said that for months after her disappearance his family had "journalists coming to the house, photographers literally ramming their cameras against our car window when we had two-year-old twins in the back who were terrified".

"We are lucky we survived. We had tremendous support - but I can promise you, there were times where I felt like I was drowning. And it was the media, primarily," he told the BBC.

"It was what was happening and the way things were being portrayed, where you were being suffocated and buried, and it felt like there wasn't a way out."

Mr McCann and his wife, Kate McCann, are among more than 30 people to have signed a letter being sent to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and calling on him to reverse the decision not to hold the second phase of the Leveson Inquiry.

Among the other signatories are the families of Hillsborough victims, and the mother of TV presenter Caroline Flack.

The letter, seen by the BBC, requests a meeting with the prime minister, saying: "We understand that you recently had time to meet News Corp chairman Lachlan Murdoch.

"We hope you will now meet with some of the British citizens whose lives have been upended by the illegal practices and abuses associated with his company."

Mr McCann told the Today programme: "It's quite obvious that press barons can meet the prime minister, but the people who have suffered at the hands of them can't."

News UK, the UK branch of News Corp, declined to comment.

The first part of the Leveson Inquiry was held from 2011 to 2012, in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal.

Its findings were published in 2012, and led to the creation of the industry-funded press regulator Ipso.

Mr McCann told the BBC that the inquiry's second phase had "almost certainly" not happened because he believes that politicians in the UK are fearful of the press.

He said that in the run-up to last year's general election, Labour politicians had committed to implementing the recommendations made in the first part of the Leveson Inquiry, and that he was "extremely disappointed" that they hadn't done so.

"We're over a year into the government, and there haven't been any changes," he said.

"It's not acceptable to me now, more than a year on, that Leveson and press regulation is no longer a priority."

A DCMS spokesperson told the BBC it "recognises that for victims and their families, incidents of harassment and intrusion from the media cause significant distress".

"The Culture Secretary has met with individuals and families who have experienced this intrusion in the past and the government is committed to ensuring that these failings are never repeated," they said.

'We put our morals aside'

Mr McCann added that he and his wife had "supped with the Devil" by working with the Sun in 2011, in order to have the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance reviewed - illustrating the newspaper's influence.

"There was a front page letter published in The Sun, and [then-prime minister] David Cameron ordered the review," he said.

"That's the power they had. So we put our morals aside to work with them to achieve what we wanted."

Criticising media coverage of the investigation, he said: "Published material which should have been confidential, should be passed on to the police, witness statements, many other things that have gone out," he said.

"So if you were the perpetrator, you knew a lot more than you should have done - and as a victim, as a parent, it's absolutely dismaying."

'Making stories up'

Mr McCann gave a witness statement at the Leveson Inquiry on behalf of himself and his wife in November 2011.

In it, he described news outlets "making stories up" about them, as well as a "sustained, inaccurate and malicious series of headlines in a number of papers which gave the impression that we were in some way responsible for or involved in Madeleine's disappearance".

He also said around the time their daughter disappeared, the now-closed News of the World newspaper had published complete transcripts from Kate McCann's personal diary.

That diary had been seized by police in Portugal as part of their investigation into Madeleine's disappearance, and the couple were "unsure as to how the [News of the World] obtained a copy", the inquiry heard.

In his interview with the Today programme, Mr McCann said: "Madeleine's been missing for 18 years, and the bottom line is, we still don't know what's happened to her."

He added that there is "no evidence".

"I don't even mean 'convincing' evidence - there is no evidence to say she's dead," he said.

"Now we fully understand she may be dead, it may even be probable, but we don't know that."

A spokesperson for press regulator Ipso told the BBC that it can intervene directly in cases of press harassment.

"We encourage anyone with concerns about press behaviour to contact us for help," it said.

"Would I catch a bus? No, not out of choice now," says Andy Collett. "I feel much happier using my own car."

His sentiment isn't unusual among passengers. But Mr Collett is a bus driver.

"It can be very intimidating," he says. "I've been assaulted twice, spat at numerous times, and I've had incidents of broken windows – it's just part and parcel of the job, unfortunately."

He describes a "lawlessness" among some of the travelling public - mostly younger people - which he believes has got worse in 38 years of driving Birmingham's bus routes.

The BBC has spoken to passengers, transport staff and other bus drivers in the West Midlands about what they say is a growing national trend of antisocial behaviour on public transport.

The British Transport Police recorded 40,034 incidents of antisocial behaviour in 2024-25, an increase of 24% on the previous year.

Buses are the most commonly used form of public transport but they're also where passengers feel least safe, according to a recent Transport for the North survey.

One incident gives Mr Collett flashbacks.

"I was attacked by about 30 schoolkids," he says. "I had cuts, bruises. They actually bent the fingers back on my hand when I was trying to hold [the door] to stop them getting on the vehicle."

Mr Collett now mostly trains other drivers, warning them of the dangers. When he does get shifts behind the wheel, he tries to avoid routes known for antisocial behaviour.

Antisocial behaviour hotspot Chelmsley Wood in the West Midlands is a snapshot of this national problem. Its interchange has suffered vandalism and graffiti, while drivers have been threatened and buses damaged.

Security camera footage shows masked teenagers aiming barrages of fireworks at buses over Halloween and Bonfire Night.

Passenger Emma Banks, 52, says she has witnessed a similar incident.

"They [were] hitting the bus. I've got learning difficulties and sometimes it does scare you," she tells me on a cold evening, waiting in the interchange.

Ms Banks says she regularly sees overcrowding and people smoking on buses.

She can't drive so relies on public transport but, tonight, Ms Banks doesn't feel confident enough to catch the bus.

"I'll be getting a taxi because I know that I'll get home safely."

A Public Space Protection Order has been imposed at Chelmsley Wood to stop gatherings of young people and to require the removal of masks and hoods. But 17-year-old Elle Furlong says she's still afraid.

"They smash windows, purposely pull the fire alarm, light their lighters on the chairs. It's just horrendous."

The probability of becoming a victim of crime on public transport is very low - Transport for West Midlands estimates one crime for every 50,000 bus journeys. But perceptions can outweigh statistics and drive people like Ms Furlong away.

"If I can walk it, I'll walk it. If it's far enough, I'll get an Uber. If it's really far, I'll get my dad to drop me off. I avoid buses at all costs," Ms Furlong says.

The drivers have no choice but to carry on with their jobs, although many are afraid to speak openly about the risks. Even trade union officials have refused to go on the record.

"You come to work not knowing what you're going to face," says a driver who asks to remain anonymous. "It can cause a lot of anxiety and stress. I go home sometimes and just want to break down and cry because it's a horrible job."

They describe the daily grind of disrespectful teenagers, aggressive drug addicts, even passengers defecating on the bus. Then there's the racial abuse.

"You have to hold back. I've known a few drivers who have kicked off, but then they've lost their job because of it."

I saw for myself what drivers and passengers are facing when I sat on the top deck of the 94 from Chelmsley Wood, shortly after the school bell. A group of kids soon boarded without paying.

"I've been driving buses for 33 years and it's changed," driver Neil Evans says through the screen protecting his cab. "Society has changed. No one cares anymore. They just walk onto the bus and do what they want, when they want, how they want, and nothing's done about it."

Today, Mr Evans has backup. Esha Sheemar is one of 13 Transport Safety Officers (TSOs) patrolling the West Midlands. She warns the kids if they don't behave they'll be thrown off the bus.

TSO roles were introduced in 2019. They are not police officers, but they have limited powers to tackle issues on public transport.

Across the bus station, Ms Sheemar's colleague Lee Clarke has spotted a face from their most-wanted list: a 13-year-old accused of vandalising a bus shelter. The boy's details are taken but he is allowed to get on the bus, as Mr Clarke's limited powers mean he'll need to pass the case to police officers.

TSOs are funded by the Combined Authority and belong to the West Midlands Safer Travel Partnership, which includes West Midlands Police, British Transport Police, as well as bus and train companies.

At its control room in the city centre, hundreds of screens flicker with security camera images from stations and interchanges across the region's roads and rail lines; they can even get live pictures from most of the buses.

Kerry Blakeman is head of security for the West Midlands Safer Travel Partnership and says they have access to more than 5,000 fixed cameras. He says his staff capture about 30 incidents each day, although he is keen to stress millions of journeys are safe and uneventful.

"We are trying to do our best to keep the travelling public safe. Behind each camera is an operator looking out for your safety whilst you travel around the bus, train and tram network."

Last summer, a teenager was filmed threatening people at Chelmsley Wood bus station with a machete. He was identified and sentenced to six months in juvenile custody.

The footage of the firework attacks has been handed over to West Midlands Police - and efforts to trace the hooded youths are ongoing.

Bus driver Bryan Cook recently called police after being threatened with a weapon while working. It was one of four times in the past three months that he's phoned for assistance while driving the 72 bus to Chelmsley Wood.

On this chilly evening, he takes his chance to tell the TSOs how their timetable fails to match that of the vandals. "Where are you on the weekends? Where are you on school holidays?" he asks.

TSO Mr Clarke starts to reply, but the driver has more to say.

"We're the ones getting threatened, we're the ones getting stuff thrown at us, broken windows. Where are you lot?"

Mr Clarke emphasises the importance of reporting incidents so patrols can be targeted in problem areas.

"We keep telling everyone. No one does anything," says Mr Cook, in exasperation.

It outlines the challenge for a small team covering such a large area. The number of TSOs doubled a year ago and is set to rise to 25 across the West Midlands. Some areas have similar teams - and others have piloted them - but many places are uncovered, relying on the police. Bus routes can be especially vulnerable.

The anonymous bus driver questions the effectiveness of Transport Safety Officers and urges more support from their employer.

"They [management] know what goes on. Do they care? I don't know. Doesn't feel like it, to be fair."

National Express West Midlands told the BBC that all reports of antisocial behaviour or crime are "fully investigated to ensure perpetrators are held accountable, to identify any learnings, and to provide support for those affected".

It added that antisocial behaviour "will always be a subject we need to keep challenging and working on".

The UK government's recent Bus Services Act allows local authorities to apply for extra powers to deal with issues such as smoking, vaping and fare evasion, the sort of problems TSOs can tackle already on trains.

The legislation also requires bus drivers to receive training in dealing with antisocial behaviour and spotting the signs of harassment and abuse faced by women and girls.

The Department for Transport told the BBC that abuse of passengers and staff is "unacceptable" and pointed to the new powers the Bus Services Act will give to help tackle antisocial behaviour.

Transport for West Midlands promises greater use of drone cameras and AI technology, capable of recognising known troublemakers and even identifying concealed weapons. It recently launched a campaign prioritising the safety of women and girls.

Mr Blakeman insists his team is having a positive impact but says he recognises passenger confidence is fragile.

"I respect why some members of the public wouldn't feel comfortable travelling, but I want them to know that we're actually doing everything we can behind the scenes."

Back on the 72 bus, Mr Clarke is trying to restore Mr Cook's faith. He promises someone will make contact to explain their role and discusses the most efficient way to flag issues.

The West Midlands Safer Travel Partnership is regarded as a model of good practice. And yet, this frosty exchange reveals a clash of perspectives – one that speaks of "intelligence-led tasking" and "visible reassurance"; the other of lone working under the stark reality of sustained abuse and the risk of attack.

Mr Cook sums it up like this: "Two weeks ago I had two windows broken on my bus, I got threatened with a knife - and that's all in a day's work".

Humans are a bit like meerkats when it comes to pairing up, according to a study that examined the monogamous lifestyles of different species.

In our romantic life, we more closely resemble these social, close-knit mongooses than we do our primate cousins, a "league table" of monogamy compiled by scientists suggests.

At 66% monogamous, humans score surprisingly highly, far above chimps and gorillas – and on a par with meerkats.

However, we are by no means the most monogamous creature. Top spot goes to the Californian mouse - rodents that form inseparable, lifelong bonds.

"There is a premier league of monogamy, in which humans sit comfortably, while the vast majority of other mammals take a far more promiscuous approach to mating," said Dr Mark Dyble at the University of Cambridge.

In the animal world, pairing up has its perks, which may be why it has evolved independently in multiple species, including us. Experts have proposed various benefits to so-called social monogamy, where mates match up for at least a breeding season to care for their young and see off rivals.

Dr Dyble examined several human populations throughout history, calculating the proportions of full siblings – where individuals share the same mother and father – compared with half-siblings, individuals who share either a mother or a father, but not both. Similar data was compiled for more than 30 social monogamous and other mammals.

Humans have a monogamy rating of 66% full siblings, ahead of meerkats (60%) but behind beavers (73%).

Meanwhile, our evolutionary cousins fall at the bottom of the table - with mountain gorillas at 6% rating, while chimpanzees come in at just 4% (alongside the dolphin).

In last place is Scotland's Soay sheep, where females mate with multiple males, with 0.6% full siblings. The Californian mouse came top, at 100%.

However, being ranked alongside meerkats and beavers doesn't mean our societies are the same - human society is poles apart.

"Although the rates of full siblings we see in humans are most similar to species like meerkats or beavers, the social system that we see in humans is very different," Dr Dyble told BBC News.

"Most of these species live in colony-like social groups or perhaps live in solitary pairs that go around together. Humans are very different from that. We live in what we call multi-male, multi-female groups, within which we have these monogamous, or pair-bonded, units."

Dr Kit Opie at the University of Bristol, who is not connected with the study, said this is another piece in the puzzle over how human monogamy arose.

"I think this paper gives us a very clear understanding that across time and across space humans are monogamous," he said.

"Our society is much closer to chimps and bonobos – it just happens that we've taken a different route when it comes to mating."

The new study is published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences.

A teaching assistant has been banned from classrooms for two years after telling pupils he had killed more than 250 people as a military sniper.

Scott John Trigg-Turner, 44, made bogus claims to a Year 8 class in Newport that he had been in the US marines, went by the codename 'Kill Switch' and still owned a gun.

A professional standards hearing in Cardiff was told wheelchair user Mr Trigg-Turner also claimed to be a lord, the recipient of an MBE and to have served in Northern Ireland during the Troubles - despite being too young to have done so.

Mr Trigg-Turner denied being unprofessional and had told investigators his words were "misinterpreted".

Fellow learning support assistant Sharon Davies said she had become suspicious about Mr Trigg-Turner after hearing the stories he told pupils at Bassaleg School in 2023, including boasts about killing "in excess of 250 people".

However, in an email to the Education Workforce Council Wales (EWC) hearing, Mr Trigg-Turner said he had "been diligent in my transparency in all interactions with pupils. I have never crossed professional boundaries and would never do so".

He added: "I feel targeted and singled out. It is not fair."

The EWC panel was also told he arrived late and left class early without agreement a number of times and gave inconsistent explanations to colleagues about how he came to be a wheelchair user.

A prominent Wales international wheelchair rugby player for the Wigan Warriors wheelchair rugby league team and former Torfaen Tigers player, Mr Trigg-Turner was not at the hearing and was not represented.

He has made no formal response to the allegations.

But the EWC hearing was told that during a school investigation Mr Trigg-Turner denied having a gun in his house or saying that he did.

He added that any mentions of the military had referred to family members and that his comments to the class had been taken the wrong way.

Mr Trigg-Turner, who went on to work at Cardiff and Vale College after leaving Bassaleg, was struck off the EWC register in the categories both of learning support worker in schools and further education colleges.

Panel chair Helen Beard-Robbins said: "There is evidence of deep seated attitudinal problems given the lies he told pupils, colleagues and his line manager."

The panel ruled Mr Trigg-Turner may not apply to be reinstated for two years.

He has the right of appeal to the High Court against the decision within 28 days.

International talks to revolutionise how the European Court of Human Rights handles migration cases will begin on Wednesday.

The British government is urging partners to modernise the way states tackle the continent-wide illegal migration crisis.

The talks are the most significant sign yet that international human rights law could be reinterpreted to make it easier for states to target people smuggling and set up 'returns hubs' to hold people with no right to be in Europe.

Writing ahead of the major meeting in Strasbourg, Sir Keir Starmer and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said other nations should rethink human rights laws to make protecting borders easier.

Critics say the ECHR is getting in the way of removing more illegal migrants, while supporters say claims about the ECHR's role in migration are exaggerated.

The BBC understands that the aim is for member states to reach a political declaration by the spring which would set how the European Convention on Human Rights is applied in migration cases.

If such an agreement was achieved, it could be one of the most important reforms to how human rights law is applied in the 75-year history of the convention.

The meeting at the Council of Europe, the political body that agrees the human rights laws which are then applied by the court, comes after months of pressure over migration.

Nine members of the human rights body, led by Italy and Denmark, called earlier this year for reforms.

The UK did not sign that open letter - but it has been lobbying behind the scenes for talks on reforms.

Membership of the convention has become increasingly contentious in the UK in recent years.

Both the Conservatives and Reform UK have said they would leave it if they won the next election.

Kemi Badenoch has said leaving would not be a "silver bullet" but was a necessary step to "protect our borders, our veterans and our citizens".

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said he would oppose such a move saying the convention "upholds our freedom" and would "do nothing to stop the boats or fix our broken immigration system".

Writing in the Guardian newspaper ahead of the talks, Sir Keir and his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen said that the member states meeting on Wednesday must "go further in tackling" the "shared challenges" of "uncontrolled migration" that they said were undermining public confidence in governments.

"Europe has faced big tests before and we have overcome them by acting together. Now we must do so again," said the leaders.

"Otherwise, the forces that seek to divide us will grow stronger.

"So our message is this: as responsible, progressive governments we will deliver the change that people are crying out for.

"We will control our borders to protect our democracies – and make our nations stronger than ever in the years to come."

The UK delegation to the talks will be led by Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy.

He is expected to tell the meeting that the UK remains committed to the ECHR - but its interpretation must not stand in the way of combating people smuggling.

The UK's already-announced domestic plan includes legislating to restrict how the right to private and family life applies in removal cases.

The BBC understands that if the meeting in Strasbourg is a success, officials will begin working with the member states on a political declaration to clarify how human rights laws should be applied to migration challenges - with a deadline of next May for the final wording.

The talks are expected to cover some of the most difficult issues including combating migrant smuggling and how to create human rights compliant 'returns hubs' - centres outside of Europe where migrants could be forcibly housed if they can not be returned to dangerous countries.

The talks are also expected to cover the complex rules of Article 8, the right to family life, and Article 3, the ban on inhumane treatment which features in many migration cases.

In October Alain Berset, the head of the Council of Europe, told the BBC that he was "absolutely ready" to discuss human rights reforms.

That olive branch to member states came after months of diplomatic talks paving the way for Wednesday's meeting.

"The European Convention on Human Rights provides the framework we need to address these issues effectively and responsibly," said Berset ahead of the meeting.

"Our task is not to weaken the Convention, but to keep it strong and relevant — to ensure that liberty and security, justice and responsibility, are held in balance."

For many families, it has become an annual Christmas tradition – gathering together to watch The Holiday.

The romantic comedy from 2006 told the tale of two broken-hearted women, played by Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz, arranging a Transatlantic house-swap to help them make it through Christmas. Jude Law and Jack Black were the love interests.

But one family which does not have a yearly yuletide yearning to view the film is Winslet's.

"No, we haven't seen The Holiday for years," she says adamantly, adding: "We don't sit down and watch films I'm in. I barely do."

"You know, almost everything I've been in I've only seen once," Winslet continues.

"When you watch the finished product, for most actors, that's an excruciating experience. It's something you kind of have to go through."

The subject has come up because Kate Winslet is talking to the BBC about her first Christmas film for almost 20 years, Goodbye June.

Written by her son Joe Anders, it was inspired by the death of his grandmother Sally, Winslet's own mother, from ovarian cancer in 2017. It tells the story of siblings trying to put disputes aside to unite and honour their mother as she undergoes palliative care at Christmas.

"It's not actually a film about dying," says Winslet, explaining why she thinks it will make a suitable festive watch on Christmas Eve, the day it drops on Netflix.

"It's a film about living more than anything. People have been finding it very, very uplifting."

'Learnt everything'

Not only does she star opposite Dame Helen Mirren, Timothy Spall, Andrea Riseborough and Stephen Merchant (a thank you for her famous turn in Extras), but this is her directorial debut.

After a decade of considering making a move behind the camera, and people asking her why she had not, Winslet decided that she finally had the space to do so.

"Now is a time when I've felt that my children are grown up enough that I can be that little more absent, just mentally absent," explains the Oscar, Emmy and Grammy-winner.

"I just don't think I would have honestly had the time before now, because I've been a mum since I was 25 and that's obviously been my priority alongside acting, and that was already a bit of a juggle."

She insists she would not have done it if she was not ready.

"There is a thing with female filmmakers, certainly actresses who turn into directors, there's a strange almost judgey thing. 'Do we really know what we are talking about? Do we really know what we are doing with the camera?'

"But I've been in front of cameras for 33 years, so sort of, by osmosis, [you] learn the technical side of it. I do really feel at this time in my life I have learnt everything."

'Perfectly capable'

Last year, when it came to the top 100 films at the UK box office, 16 were directed or co-directed by women, 84 by men. Winslet has a theory as to why that is.

"A lot of us are mothers and it really is very hard. You can't just stop doing that to go to work, but actually the job of being a director is so incredibly intense and demanding, it is just simply not possible.

"But I do think there is also a lack of belief in women being able to do it. Actually, we're incredibly forward thinking, incredibly resilient, we can cope extremely well with very little sleep and we get things done."

Scarlett Johansson, Kristen Stewart and Zoë Kravitz have all recently made their directorial debuts, while Dakota Johnson is another actress set to do so soon.

Winslet has worked with some of the most successful directors in movie history; James Cameron, Peter Jackson and Jane Campion, but she says her biggest influence has been Australian Jocelyn Moorehouse, whose films include Proof, How to Make an American Quilt, and The Dressmaker, in which Winslet starred.

"She has been subjected to quite a lot of judgement and scrutiny. It's been quite hard for her to carve her own path, so I was very inspired by her determination."

And Winslet hopes that her choice to direct, will inspire a new generation.

"I certainly felt that in making the decision to direct now, at this time in my life - I turned 50 this year - it felt meaningful to me, to be actively participating in hopefully changing that culture," she says.

"If there is more of us doing it then hopefully more will follow and we'll be giving across the message that we are perfectly capable of doing that job just as well as the men."

'Nepo baby term silly'

Two of Winslet's three children have followed her into the film industry, but are determined to make a name of their own, literally, with both making conscious decisions not to use her surname.

Daughter Mia Threapleton, 25, with whom Winslet starred in the Bafta-winning TV drama I Am Ruth, recently starred opposite Benico del Toro in Wes Anderson's The Phoenician Scheme.

Winslet's son Joe Anders, 21, not only wrote the screenplay for Goodbye June, but last year appeared alongside his mum in Lee, and had a small role in 1917, directed by his father Sam Mendes.

Kate Winslet finds it offensive when people suggest that they are nepo babies.

"These kids are not getting a leg up," she insists.

"Joe would say to me, 'I don't want people to think this film is just being made because you're my mum'.

"The film would have been made with or without me. The script is so good. It was the script that attracted all these wonderful actors," she argues.

"With Mia, I just try to say to my children, 'follow your heart'.

"There are lots and lots of people in the world whose children go into a similar family business, whether it's being a judge or a lawyer or a doctor. And it doesn't surprise me at all that my children wanted to do something creative with their lives, having always expressed a great passion for writing and acting and music as well.

"But that doesn't necessarily translate to being able to actually get jobs and actually gain respect from your peers and people around you. And both of them have separately carved their own paths.

"Part of it is actually teaching them to ignore the white noise of silly terms like nepo baby, which you can't really do anything about."

Goodbye June is in cinemas from Friday and on Netflix from Christmas Eve. The Holiday is on BBC iPlayer.

Scotland fans have been scrambling to book flights, hotels and transfers since being drawn to play World Cup games in Boston and Miami next summer.

The men's team will face Haiti, Morocco and five-time champions Brazil when they make their first appearance in the tournament in 28 years.

Tartan Army foot soldiers have already shelled out thousands for travel arrangements and are now turning their attention to match tickets ahead of the application window opening.

Diane Lees, who is travelling to the US with her husband and teenage daughter, told BBC Scotland News: "We know it's a lot of money - but when are we going to have this chance again?"

World Cup tickets system

Scotland qualified for the finals last month after a thrilling 4-2 Hampden victory over Denmark.

In France 1998, the national side, managed by the late Craig Brown, was also drawn against the then defending champions Brazil and Morocco.

The 2026 edition will feature 48 teams and be played from 11 June to 19 July in 16 cities across the US, Canada and Mexico.

The Scottish Football Association has said members of the Scotland Supporter Club (SSC) - which operates a loyalty points system - will be given priority for match tickets.

The Fifa application window runs from 11 December to 13 January.

On Monday, SSC members will be sent an access code to apply for Scotland's three group stage matches and potential knock-out matches.

For each match that is oversubscribed, a ballot using the loyalty points system will be used to determine who is successful in receiving their chosen category ticket.

Successful applicants will be notified in February.

Diane, 55, and Jim, 58, will travel to the US with 19-year-old daughter, Chloe, who has never been to a Scotland away match.

Diane, of Holytown, North Lanarkshire, is still on a high after the Denmark game and started looking at travel arrangements that night.

The mother-of-three said: "I have never experienced anything like that in my life.

"I was bawling my eyes out."

The project co-ordinator hoped to be based in New York or Toronto but solidified her plans after Friday's showpiece draw in Washington DC.

She paid £1,900 for three return flights to New York, with the family travelling to the US on 16 June and returning on 21 June.

They have also booked five nights in a Manhattan hotel for £1,200.

And they have reserved one nights' accommodation in Providence, Rhode Island, which is about 50 miles from Boston, for £350.

They intend to stay there after the 19 June match against 2022 World Cup semi-finalists Morocco.

Diane said: "You have to become your own travel agent but I don't yet know how we are going to get back to New York."

The grandmother said New York to Boston train prices had soared for dates during the tournament.

Buses will be a popular option but some journey times range from four hours to eight hours.

Supporters seeking a base in Boston will need deep pockets with some hotels quoting £3,200 for a five-night stay.

On Tartan Army chat forums - where one supporter priced a trip at £7,000 - fans have floated the idea of hiring a coach and a driver to ferry fans from New York to Boston in a bid to keep costs to a minimum.

Diane has 11 SSC points and her husband Jim has 14 so they hope to secure match tickets through the ballot.

But daughter Chloe has never been to a Scotland away match and won't be guaranteed a ticket.

Diane said: "It will be absolutely magical. I just hope we get a good World Cup song.

"Perhaps we could get the Proclaimers to re-write Letter to America?"

Rachael Vaughan is also making the transatlantic trip a family affair and has booked flights with her father, Edward, and boyfriend, Aaron Fish.

She told BBC Scotland: "It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Rachael, who lives in Manchester, said her father's last World Cup trip left her mother "livid" as he missed her first birthday party.

She was brought up in England but fell in love with Scotland after watching the national side lose to Wales in Cardiff in 2009.

The 28-year-old said: "It was the atmosphere. Everyone was so friendly.

"I was worried that I had an English accent and would not be accepted but people looked out for me."

Since then her Tartan Army credits include Euro 2020 and trips including San Marino, Denmark, Greece, Hungary, Portugal and Liechtenstein.

Flights and hotels booked

Ahead of last month's match against Denmark she was confident but the manner in which Scotland qualified left her stunned.

"I can't even put it into words," she added.

In the days that followed, she pre-booked more than 20 hotels.

After Friday's draw she secured three 11 June flights from London Heathrow to New York JFK, which cost £500 each.

Like many fans she hopes to travel to Boston via bus for the opening match against Haiti on 13 June.

The Everton FC account executive then booked an internal return flight from Boston to Miami - where Scotland play Brazil on 24 June - for £350.

Finally, she paid £550 for flights from Boston to Manchester on 25 June.

Rachael, who has a healthy SSC points balance of 24, hopes to attend all three of Scotland's group matches.

She has pre-booked a hotel in Times Square with Aaron, 24, for £2,200 from 11-17 June.

The couple, who met on a Scotland away trip to Poland, have also reserved a hotel in Boston from 12-20 June for £2,500.

They plan to cancel some of the Boston dates if the supporters' bus from New York goes ahead.

Finally, they have pre-booked a hotel in Miami from 21-25 June for £700.

Her father is planning to make his own accommodation arrangements.

"I feel some people will be put off by the prices but it will be incredible," she said.

"I have taken so many years of stick from friends and, six or seven years ago, I would not have dreamt we would be in this position.

"When Scotland qualified for the World Cup I knew we had to be there."

Ukraine is "ready for elections", President Volodymyr Zelensky has said, after US President Donald Trump repeated claims Kyiv was "using war" to avoid holding them.

Zelensky's five-year term as president was due to end in May 2024, but elections have been suspended in Ukraine since martial law was declared after Russia's invasion.

Speaking to reporters following Trump's comments in a wide-raging Politico interview, Zelensky said he would ask for proposals to be drawn up which could change the law.

Elections could be held in the next 60 to 90 days if security for the vote was guaranteed with the help of the US and other allies, he said.

"I'm asking now, and I'm stating this openly, for the US to help me, perhaps together with our European colleagues, to ensure security for the elections," he told reporters.

"The issue of elections in Ukraine, I believe, depends first and foremost on our people, and this is a question for the people of Ukraine, not the people of other countries. With all due respect to our partners," he said.

"I've heard hints that we're clinging to power, or that I personally am clinging to the presidency" and "that's why the war isn't ending", which he called "frankly, a completely unreasonable narrative".

Russia has consistently claimed Zelensky is an illegitimate leader and demanded new elections as a condition of a ceasefire deal – a talking point which has been repeated by Trump.

"They talk about a democracy, but it gets to a point where it's not a democracy anymore," the US president told Politico. He has suggested without evidence that Zelensky is the main obstacle to peace as US-led efforts to broker a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine continue.

Such a vote would only be fair if all Ukrainians could participate, including soldiers fighting on the front line, a Ukrainian opposition MP told the BBC.

"In order for these elections to be fair all of the People of Ukraine would need to be allowed to vote," Lesia Vasylenko told the BBC World Service's Newsday programme.

She said that "elections are never possible in wartime", alluding to the suspension of elections in the UK during World War Two.

Discussions around holding elections have made headlines since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. They have been routinely dismissed by Ukraine's government, opposition and public alike, arguing unity in the war effort must come first.

A poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) in March found about 78% of people opposed holding elections even after a complete settlement of the war.

"Even a year ago, Zelensky said that he was ready for elections as soon as the conditions allow" in the face of previous pressure, Hanna Shelest, a foreign policy analyst with the think tank Ukrainian Prism, told the BBC.

The question was, however, how to create the conditions Zelensky outlined, Shelest told the Newsroom programme on the BBC World Service, given there were around one million soldiers and four million refugees who would be voting - as well as unsecured areas in the country and ongoing strikes.

"You cannot guarantee the security of the polling stations," she said.

The US has asked Thailand and Cambodia to "cease hostilities immediately" as border clashes extended for a third day, killing at least 10 people and displacing hundreds of thousands.

The two nations must follow de-escalatory measures outlined in a peace accord brokered by US President Donald Trump in October, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.

Trump has also said that he would "make a phone call" to stop the fighting, which is the most serious escalation since clashes in July killed dozens of people.

Both countries have blamed each other for re-igniting the fighting, which has seen air strikes and exchanges of artillery fire.

The death toll over three days of hostilities stands at 10 - seven from Cambodia and three from Thailand. Thai officials said they evacuated more than 400,000 people, while Phnom Penh said 100,000 on the Cambodian side have been moved to shelters.

Thailand's defence ministry said Wednesday military actions were "limited in scope and employed as a last option".

"Peace must come with the safety and security of our citizens, full stop," the ministry's spokesman said.

Cambodia on the other hand accused Thailand of launching "aggressive military attacks" that targeted civilian institutions and "sacred cultural sites", including historic temples along the disputed border.

Also on Wednesday, Cambodia announced it was pulling out from the South East Asian Games that is being hosted in Thailand.

The Cambodian National Olympic Committee cited "serious concerns and requests" from the families of its athletes for the withdrawal. It added that the decision was "not made lightly".

United Nations' Secretary-General António Guterres urged both sides to "exercise restraint and avoid further escalation", noting how their dispute has led to "significant civilian casualties, damage to civilian infrastructure, and displacement on both sides".

The century-old border dispute between the South East Asian neighbours dramatically escalated on 24 July with a Cambodian rocket barrage into Thailand, followed by Thai air strikes.

That set off five days of intense fighting, which left dozens of soldiers and civilians dead. Later that month, Bangkok and Phnom Penh agreed to an "immediate and unconditional ceasefire" brokered by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Trump - who at the time threatened to stop tariff negotiations until the hostilities stopped.

In October, Trump claimed a historic achievement in ending the border conflict after both sides signed a ceasefire agreement, but tensions have continued to simmer.

Violence this week has expanded into at least six provinces in north-eastern Thailand and five provinces in Cambodia's north and north-west.

Thailand and Cambodia have been contesting territorial sovereignty along their 800km land border for more than a century, since the borders of the two nations were drawn after the French occupation of Cambodia.

This week, several countries, including the UK, US and Japan, have issued warnings against travelling to the border areas citing the renewed fighting.

South Korea has lodged a complaint with the Chinese and Russian defence attaches based in the country, a day after their warplanes entered its air defence zone.

Seoul said it sent up fighter jets to "take tactical measures in preparation for any emergencies" after seven Russian and two Chinese military aircraft "briefly entered" the zone on Tuesday, but noted they "did not violate" South Korea's airspace.

Some countries delineate air identification defence zones, wherein they require foreign planes to identify themselves. These are not part of sovereign airspaces under international law.

In March this year, Seoul also deployed fighter jets after several Russian warplanes flew into the zone.

The Russian aircraft entered Korea's Air Defense Identification Zone (Kadiz) near Ulleung Island and Dokdo, while the Chinese aircraft entered near Ieodo, a Joint Chiefs of Staff official said, according to South Korean media.

Both sides' aircraft then regrouped in the airspace near Japan's Tsushima Island, the official said.

"Our military will actively respond to aircraft activities from neighbouring countries in the Kadiz in compliance with international law," South Korea's defence ministry said on Wednesday when lodging the complaint.

Both Japan and South Korea have laid claims to the Dokdo island grouping, as has North Korea.

Ieodo - a submerged rock above the South Korean island of Jeju - is a point of dispute between Seoul and Beijing, each of whom have included it in their air defence zones.

China on Wednesday confirmed that its air force had conducted a joint patrol with Russia in the East China Sea and Western Pacific airspace.

The exercise was part of an "annual cooperation plan" between Beijing and Moscow to "address regional challenges and maintain regional peace and stability", said a national defence spokesman.

China and Russia have entered South Korea's air defence zone without notification on several occasions since 2019, often during similar exercises.

Russia does not recognise South Korea's air defence zone, describing it as "unilaterally" established and saying it should therefore not create any legal obligations for other countries.