Researchers tracking wild polar bears in northern Canada witnessed something exceedingly rare this fall: a mother bear adopting a cub that was not biologically her own.
The five-year-old mother bear and her 10- to 11-month-old cubs were observed and captured on camera during the annual polar bear migration along the Western Hudson Bay near Churchill, Manitoba, a town known for its polar bear population.
"It's unusual," Alyssa McCall, a scientist at Polar Bears International, said in a video. "We don't really know why it happens...but we know it doesn't happen often at all."
It's only the 13th known case of adoption out of the 4,600 bears studied for nearly five decades in the area.
Dave Sandford / Discover Churchill
The mother bear was first captured as she emerged from her maternity den this spring. At the time, she had one cub, which scientists tagged for study.
In the fall, she was seen again, but this time with two cubs - the original cub that had been tagged and another without a tag. Researchers aren't sure what happened to the new cub's biological mother, but they are trying to identify her with genetic samples.
"The bears need all the help they can get these days with climate change," Evan Richardson, a polar bear scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, said in a video statement. "If females have the opportunity to pick up another cub and care for it and successfully wean it, it's a good thing for bears in Churchill."
Polar bears in the wild only have a 50% chance of surviving into adulthood, but having a mother caring for them improves their odds.
The cubs appear to be healthy, researchers said, and they will likely stay with their mother until they are about two-and-a-half years old.
Next, the family is expected to head out to sea ice, where the cubs will learn from their mother how to hunt seals and survive on their own.
"It's just nice to know that the bears are looking out for each other," Richardson said.
Warner Bros Discovery will urge its shareholders to reject Paramount Skydance's $108.4bn (£80.75bn) takeover bid as soon as Wednesday, according to reports.
Paramount has said its offer is "superior" to a $72bn deal that Warner Bros struck with Netflix for its film and streaming businesses.
At the same time, a key backer of Paramount's attempt to buy Warner Bros, Affinity Partners, has reportedly pulled out of the bid, citing the involvement of "two strong competitors". Affinity was founded by US businessman and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Warner Bros declined to comment when contacted by the BBC. Paramount and Affinity have also been asked for a response to the reports.
Warner Bros will advise its shareholders to reject Paramount's offer for a number of reasons including concerns over how the deal would be financed, according to the Financial Times.
The media giant put itself up for sale in October after receiving "multiple" expressions of interest from potential buyers, including approaches from Paramount Skydance.
Paramount is backed by the billionaire Ellison family, which has close ties to the president.
A takeover of Warner Bros is expected to face scrutiny from competition regulators in the US and Europe.
A new owner of Warner Bros would gain a significant edge in the highly competitive streaming market. It would get a huge library of films and TV shows, including Harry Potter, Friends and the HBO Max streaming service.
Some in the film industry have criticised the deal. The Writers Guild of America's East and West branches called for the merger to be blocked, arguing that it would result in lower wages and job cuts.
The volume of content for viewers would also be reduced, it said.
Having failed to do so, they had to win in Brisbane, given they have never won an Ashes series from 2-0 down.
Defeat at the Gabba left only the keenest optimists holding on to the faintest hope. Most of that is only for the series to remain alive for another week.
But this, a Thursday in Adelaide, really is it.
Play well - and by well we mean take the final two Australian wickets quickly before batting all day - and Ben Stokes' side have the chance to control the rest of this match.
You can forget about your cricketing Christmas if England are not still batting when the UK wakes up for breakfast on Thursday but that's not the only failing they must correct to prevent 18 December 2025 being the day Bazball finally died...
Wrap up the tail
England's first task on day two is to quickly end the Australian innings - a task rarely their specialty.
In the 2023-25 World Test Championship cycle, England's bowlers were the sixth-worst team at removing the tail and that trend continued in the second Test in Brisbane where Mitchell Starc's 77 helped Australia extend their innings from 383-7 to 511 all out.
From there, defeat was inevitable.
Starc remains again in Adelaide, unbeaten on 33, and Thursday's forecast - which predicts Adelaide to be hotter than Western Sahara - only reinforces the importance in a swift England exit from the field.
Every minute saved will be respite for England's bowlers, inflicting Australia to the worst of the searing South Australian heat.
They will also be helped by a ball still just three overs old. Time, too, for Jofra Archer to take the two wickets needed to claim his first five-wicket haul in Tests for six years.
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'Terrific' Carey makes first Test century against England
Bat once, bat big
England have pointed to the 2023 Ashes series, where they fell 2-0 down before fighting back to draw 2-2, as evidence for why fans should still have faith.
In the third Test of that contest, at Headingley, England conceded a first-innings deficit but roared back to win in a run chase.
Attempting a repeat in Adelaide, where there has been one successful chase over 200 in 43 years, would surely have a different outcome.
With the pitch set to take spin later but good for now, first-innings runs are critical. Australia were generous in gifting some of their dismissals on day one and England cannot fail to take advantage.
"I firmly believe on that pitch, which is a very good batting pitch, 450-500 is going to win you the Test match," said former England spinner Graeme Swann on TNT Sports.
"England have bowled themselves into a position where they will bat on days two and three, which are the best batting days on this pitch."
Speaking on BBC Test Match Special, former England captain Michael Vaughan added: "Bat the whole day tomorrow. Roast Australia in the heat of the Adelaide Oval.
"They are going to need a first-innings lead. Batting last on that wicket is not going to be easy."
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Archer dismisses Labuschagne and Green in first over after lunch interval
See off Starc, neuter Lyon
However, batting long was England's biggest problem in the first two Tests of this series.
They managed only 67.3 overs across both innings of the first Test combined and did not survive long enough for Australia to require a second new ball in either innings of the second.
Harry Brook has admitted playing "shocking" shots. Now is the chance to show he really has learned.
Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope are on their last drink in last chance saloon.
England must first repeat what they achieved for the first time this series in the second innings in Brisbane, surviving the opening over from left-armer Starc, before an entirely different prospect follows.
Having been a second-string in the first two Tests, Australia's bowling attack is back to near full strength with captain Pat Cummins fit again and spinner Nathan Lyon recalled.
No bowler has taken more than Lyon's 63 wickets at the Adelaide Oval - a ground he knows from his 15 Tests but also his time working on the groundstaff.
Lyon's old boss is still the curator in Adelaide. Even more reason to score your runs before the ball turns big.
"England are going to have to go big because the main difference is Nathan Lyon," said former Australia opener Justin Langer on TNT Sports.
"Even [England spinner] Will Jacks got a few to spin but it's going to be 40 degrees tomorrow and will start spinning so England have to capitalise on this very flat wicket.
"England have to be thinking they'll only bat once, it's that flat a wicket. I didn't see a ball swing or seam all day. This is a batting paradise."
Nato countries' pledge to spend 5% of their economic output on defence is Donald Trump's "biggest foreign policy success," the alliance's chief has said.
In an interview with the BBC, Mark Rutte said it was thanks to Donald Trump that Nato was "stronger than it ever was", adding that Trump "is good news for collective defence, for Nato and for Ukraine".
The US leader has harshly criticised European allies for spending very little on defence - even threatening to withdraw US protection if they fail to do so.
"I've said it repeatedly - it's a lie, nonsense, pure nonsense, about some imaginary Russian threat to European countries," Putin told defence officials in Moscow.
After Putin launched Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, he announced the annexation of four Ukrainian regions - Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. Russia had already annexed Crimea in 2014.
It now occupies most of Luhansk, and is understood to demand Ukraine's withdrawal from all of Donetsk, too, even though Ukraine still controls up to 23% of the eastern region.
Putin said the goals of what he calls "the special military operation" would be achieved.
He said he preferred to do it through diplomacy, before warning that, "if the opposing side and their foreign patrons refuse to engage in substantive discussions, Russia will achieve the liberation of its historical lands by military means".
In his interview with the BBC Radio 4's PM programme, the Nato secretary general said it was "insane" that Putin's pursuit of his "historical idea that you want to regain access to Ukraine" - or over the entire territory that used to constitute the former Soviet Union - had caused the death or serious injury to 1.1m of his people.
Mark Rutte praised Trump's efforts to find an end to the war.
US envoys have been conducting intense negotiations with Ukrainian officials over a Trump-proposed peace plan whose initial draft was seen as favouring Russia.
It envisages ceding control of territory in the east of the country to Russia, as well as security guarantees for Kyiv to forestall future Russian aggression.
US officials say Washington is ready to offer Ukraine guarantees modelled on Nato's Article 5 clause of mutual protection.
European allies who met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday in the German capital, Berlin, said a European-led "multinational force Ukraine" was also envisaged to "assist in the regeneration of Ukraine's forces, in securing Ukraine's skies, and in supporting safer seas, including through operating inside Ukraine".
The Nato chief told the BBC that "Russia will see that, with the security guarantees in place, he should never ever try again to attack Ukraine because our reaction will be devastating and that's exactly what we are now discussing".
Putin has opposed any such ideas.
He has also warned that Russia does not seek conflict with Europe, but is ready "right now" if Europe wants to - or starts a war.
Similar reassurances were given by Moscow in 2022, just before 200,000 Russian troops crossed the border and invaded Ukraine.
Russia's economy has been on a war footing for more than three years now - its factories churn out ever more supplies of drones, missiles and artillery shells.
According to a recent report by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Russia has been producing each month around 150 tanks, 550 infantry fighting vehicles, 120 Lancet drones and more than 50 artillery pieces.
The UK, and most of its Western allies, are not anywhere near this point.
Analysts say it would take years for Western Europe's factories to come close to matching Russia's mass-production of weapons.
France and Germany have both recently moved to revive a system of voluntary military service for 18-year-olds.
Nato includes 30 European countries - as well as Canada and the US, the alliance's most powerful military member.
Under pressure from Trump, its members pledged during their summit in The Hague in June to increase military spending to 5% of their gross domestic product by 2035 - because of "long-term threat posed by Russia" and terrorism, among others.
"Now we are stronger, but if we do not implement the Hague decisions, we would be weaker than the Russians in a couple of years and that is extremely dangerous," Mark Rutte said in his BBC interview.
Researchers tracking wild polar bears in northern Canada witnessed something exceedingly rare this fall: a mother bear adopting a cub that was not biologically her own.
The five-year-old mother bear and her 10- to 11-month-old cubs were observed and captured on camera during the annual polar bear migration along the Western Hudson Bay near Churchill, Manitoba, a town known for its polar bear population.
"It's unusual," Alyssa McCall, a scientist at Polar Bears International, said in a video. "We don't really know why it happens...but we know it doesn't happen often at all."
It's only the 13th known case of adoption out of the 4,600 bears studied for nearly five decades in the area.
Dave Sandford / Discover Churchill
The mother bear was first captured as she emerged from her maternity den this spring. At the time, she had one cub, which scientists tagged for study.
In the fall, she was seen again, but this time with two cubs - the original cub that had been tagged and another without a tag. Researchers aren't sure what happened to the new cub's biological mother, but they are trying to identify her with genetic samples.
"The bears need all the help they can get these days with climate change," Evan Richardson, a polar bear scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, said in a video statement. "If females have the opportunity to pick up another cub and care for it and successfully wean it, it's a good thing for bears in Churchill."
Polar bears in the wild only have a 50% chance of surviving into adulthood, but having a mother caring for them improves their odds.
The cubs appear to be healthy, researchers said, and they will likely stay with their mother until they are about two-and-a-half years old.
Next, the family is expected to head out to sea ice, where the cubs will learn from their mother how to hunt seals and survive on their own.
"It's just nice to know that the bears are looking out for each other," Richardson said.
Former Special Counsel Jack Smith (left) arrives on Capitol Hill to testify about his criminal investigations of Donald Trump.
Former Special Counsel Jack Smith appeared on Capitol Hill on Wednesday for a high-stakes, closed door hearing about his two defunct criminal investigations into President Donald Trump.
In his opening statement, he told Congress his team "developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt" that Trump "engaged in a criminal scheme" to overturn the 2020 election results. Smith also charged Trump for allegedly mishandling classified documents.
Trump pleaded not guilty in both cases, and the prosecutions ended after his re-election.
Since returning to office, Trump has demanded investigations of officials who criminally charged him.
House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, a staunch Trump ally, called Smith's investigations "partisan and politically motivated".
In an October letter to Smith, Jordan accused the career prosecutor of using "disturbing tactics".
Republicans also expressed alarm at the decision to subpoena the phone records of several Republican lawmakers as part of his election investigation.
Smith is testifying in a closed setting on Wednesday, meaning that the public will not be able to hear from him in real time.
According to sections of his opening statement obtained by the BBC's US partner CBS News, Smith told lawmakers that in both of his investigations, the "basis for those charges rests entirely with President Trump and his actions".
Smith also said the investigators found "powerful evidence" that Trump had retained classified documents and obstructed efforts to return them to the government.
He will likely face tough questions from the Republican-controlled committee, currently chaired by Jordan, a long-time Trump ally who was a staunch defender of the president during both of his impeachment inquiries.
Democrats on the panel said they wanted to learn more about the results of Smith's inquiries.
"We want to hear exactly what he found, and what he did," Congressman Jamie Raskin the top House Judiciary Democrat, told Politico.
According to Smith's attorney Peter Koski, the special counsel had volunteered to testify in an open hearing.
Smith, was "disappointed that offer was rejected, and that the American people will be denied the opportunity to hear directly from Jack on these topics," Koski told Politico earlier this month.
The stakes are high for Smith, who Trump has deemed a "criminal" and suggested should be "investigated and put in prison" along with other Department of Justice officials involved in the 2020 election inquiry.
In September, the Department of Justice indicted former FBI Director James Comey based on testimony he gave to Congress in 2019. In November, a federal judge tossed out the case after finding the prosecutor who brought it was improperly appointed.
Warner Bros Discovery will urge its shareholders to reject Paramount Skydance's $108.4bn (£80.75bn) takeover bid as soon as Wednesday, according to reports.
Paramount has said its offer is "superior" to a $72bn deal that Warner Bros struck with Netflix for its film and streaming businesses.
At the same time, a key backer of Paramount's attempt to buy Warner Bros, Affinity Partners, has reportedly pulled out of the bid, citing the involvement of "two strong competitors". Affinity was founded by US businessman and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Warner Bros declined to comment when contacted by the BBC. Paramount and Affinity have also been asked for a response to the reports.
Warner Bros will advise its shareholders to reject Paramount's offer for a number of reasons including concerns over how the deal would be financed, according to the Financial Times.
The media giant put itself up for sale in October after receiving "multiple" expressions of interest from potential buyers, including approaches from Paramount Skydance.
Paramount is backed by the billionaire Ellison family, which has close ties to the president.
A takeover of Warner Bros is expected to face scrutiny from competition regulators in the US and Europe.
A new owner of Warner Bros would gain a significant edge in the highly competitive streaming market. It would get a huge library of films and TV shows, including Harry Potter, Friends and the HBO Max streaming service.
Some in the film industry have criticised the deal. The Writers Guild of America's East and West branches called for the merger to be blocked, arguing that it would result in lower wages and job cuts.
The volume of content for viewers would also be reduced, it said.
National Guard troops in Washington in August. A lower court judge had ordered that the troops be removed from the city, but the appeals court previously stayed the ruling while it considered the matter.
National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo., is responsible for many of the biggest scientific advances in humanity’s understanding of weather and climate since its founding in 1960.
Patients are being told to expect disruption as doctors start their five-day strike in England, with NHS bosses saying they are struggling to keep as many services going as they have done in recent walkouts.
NHS England said with a wave of flu placing pressure on hospitals, non-urgent services would be affected by the strike which begins at 07:00 Wednesday.
This is the 14th walkout by resident doctors, the new name for junior doctors, in the long-running pay dispute.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the strike had been timed to inflict most damage on the NHS and put patients at risk, but the British Medical Association said it would work with NHS bosses to ensure patient safety.
The strike is being held after the two sides held last-minute talks on Tuesday afternoon.
The talks were described as "constructive" by the government, but not enough progress had been made to call off the strike.
Resident doctors represent nearly half of the doctors working in the NHS. They will walk out of both emergency and non-urgent care with senior doctors drafted in to provide cover.
In the two most recent strikes – in July and November – NHS England said it was able to keep the majority of non-urgent operations and treatments, such as hip and knee replacements, going.
But NHS England said it expected more disruption this time. Concern has also been expressed that hospitals may struggle to discharge patients in time for Christmas as the doctors who are working concentrate on providing strike cover.
Medical director Prof Meghana Pandit said: "These strikes come at an immensely challenging time for the NHS, with record numbers of patients in hospital with flu for this time of year.
"Staff will come together as they always do, going above and beyond to provide safe care for patients and limit disruption.
"But sadly more patients are likely to feel the impact of this round of strikes than in the previous two – and staff who are covering will not get the Christmas break they deserve with their families."
Streeting added: "We have been working right up to today to try and avert these strike actions.
"Everyone knows the period leading up to Christmas and into the New Year are always the busiest for the NHS. With super flu, this year is harder.
"And that double whammy of flu plus strikes means that there is an additional burden now on other NHS staff."
NHS England said GP practices will continue to be open and urgent and emergency care services will be available for those who need them.
But even then there is likely to be some disruption. Cheltenham General Hospital's emergency department is closing for emergencies during the strike - it will remain open for minor injuries - with patients advised to use nearby Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.
NHS England said the public should use 111 online as the first port of call for urgent, but not life-threatening issues during the strike.
Patients who need emergency medical care should continue to use 999 or come forward to A&E as normal, it added.
The strike is going ahead despite a new offer from the government being made last week, which included increasing the number of speciality training posts and covering out-of-pocket expenses like exam fees.
Getting job is 'nightmare'
The speciality training jobs, which resident doctors start in year three of their training after completing medical school, have become highly competitive.
This year 30,000 applicants went for 10,000 jobs – although some of the applicants were doctors from abroad.
Dr Tom Twentyman is one of those who lost out after trying to secure an emergency medicine post. He says finding a job is an "absolute nightmare".
Since then he has been struggling to find work, juggling a handful of locum shifts each month at the same time as applying for more than 40 short-term contracts at hospitals across the country – one of which he now secured.
But this will not count towards his training, so he will now look to reapply next year.
"Some of the job adverts were coming down within two hours of going up after they received 650 applications, which is clearly an enormous number to shortlist," he says.
On Monday the BMA announced its members had voted to continue with the strike – effectively rejecting the offer in the process – after the union agreed to hold an online poll of members.
BMA resident doctor leader Dr Jack Fletcher described it as a "resounding response" and said the government needed to go further on jobs as well as pay.
Streeting has maintained he will not discuss pay as doctors have received pay rises totalling nearly 30% over the past three years.
The BMA argues that, despite the pay rises, resident doctors' pay is still a fifth lower than it was in 2008, once inflation is taken into account.
Dr Fletcher added: "It is well past the time for ministers to come up with a genuinely long-term plan.
"If they can simply provide a clear route to responsibly raise pay over a number of years and enough genuinely new jobs instead of recycled ones, then there need not be any more strikes for the remainder of this government."
But the BMA said it was committed to ensuring patient safety.
"We will be in close contact with NHS England throughout the strikes to address safety concerns if they arise," the union added.
Roman Abramovich agreed to sell Chelsea FC in 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine
The Prime Minister has said Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich must "pay up now" to victims of the war in Ukraine or face court action.
Mr Abramovich, the former owner of Chelsea Football Club, pledged in 2022 that money from the sale of the club would go to benefit victims of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The money has been frozen in a British bank account since the sale after he was sanctioned following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking in the Commons, Sir Keir Starmer said the UK had issued a licence "to transfer £2.5bn from the sale of Chelsea Football Club that's been frozen since 2022."
Sir Keir said: "My message of Abramovich is clear: the clock is ticking.
"Honour the commitment that you made and pay up now, and if you don't we're prepared to go to court and ensure that every penny reaches those whose lives have been torn apart by Putin's illegal war."
The Treasury said that under the terms of the licence, the money must go to "humanitarian causes" in Ukraine and cannot benefit Mr Abramovich or any other sanctioned individual.
On the face of it, there is relatively little festive cheer for your finances in the latest inflation figures.
Prices have risen by 3.2% compared with a year ago. If you filled your virtual shopping bag with goods and services at a cost of £100 a year ago, the same selection will now cost £103.20.
The rate of rising prices is well above the Bank of England's target of 2%, and some items are still rocketing up in price. Chocolate, arguably central to the family diet at Christmas, is 17% more expensive than a year ago.
But, crucially, there are now clear signs that prices are going up at a slower rate. That bodes well for next year, and more immediately for the cost of borrowing.
And, with essentials driving the slowdown, the latest data will be welcomed by those who feel particularly stretched by the cost of living.
Pasta, sugar and flour prices fall
The rate of inflation, which charts the rising cost of living, has overcome its recent mini-peak, according to analysts.
The mountainous height of inflation was in October 2022 when the rate hit 11.1%. The rate then fell, but there was an uptick in the late summer of 2025, reaching 3.8%.
And it was the price of food - an essential for consumers - driving November's drop in inflation.
Food and non-alcoholic drinks rose by 4.2% in the year to November, compared to 4.9% in October. Alcohol and tobacco were up 4% compared to 5.9% in October.
Moving in the opposite direction to chocolate, and beef and veal (which rose by nearly 28% in a year), were olive oil (down 16%) as well as drops in price for flours, pasta and sugar.
Importantly, food is essential spending. When the price rises slow, this is much better news for those on lower incomes who see a bigger proportion of their income spent on things that it is impossible to do without.
Sarah Coles, head of personal finance at investment firm Hargreaves Lansdown, said this was also helpign the overall inflation rate drop faster than expected: "It has been following the path the Bank of England had forecast - peaking in September and gradually moving south."
Will the good news last?
The reasons for slowing price riese are often specific to individual items.
For example, the drop in the price of olive oil is primarily the result of a recovery in harvests after some particularly bad years of heatwaves and drought in Greece and Turkey.
Clothing and footwear prices fell by 0.6% in the year to November compared to a rise of 0.3% in October.
This has been linked to shops bringing forward Black Friday discounts due to weak sales as shoppers struggle with the cost of living pressures.
Lucy says home bakers are making the most of what they have
Consumers, too, have changed their habits owing to the financial climate of recent years.
Lucy Fairs, who helps run a cake-sharing social club, called Band of Bakers in Camberwell, London, said that, over the last five years, they had started using what they already had in their cupboards, rather than buying extra special ingredients.
Costa Christou says he chooses recipes carefully
"When I chose a recipe for today, I thought of the theme - but, more so, I thought of what I already had in my pantry," said club member Costa Christou.
Impact on borrowing and saving
The rising cost of goods and services has an impact on the money you save or earn. Inflation erodes the spending power of money you've got saved and - unless you get a pay rise - of your salary.
Analysts say the latest inflation data strengthens the likelihood of a cut in interest rates by the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee on Thursday.
That should make it cheaper for consumers to borrow money, but bring lower returns for savers.
"Lower inflation is good news for household budgets, but it is a different story for savers," said Sally Conway, savings commentator at Shawbrook Bank.
"Some savings will inevitably take a hit over Christmas. The key is what happens next. Once the dust settles, it's worth checking whether remaining cash is working hard enough."
Policymakers are trying to encourage more people to invest their money in stocks and shares - which they say is likely to bring higher returns over time than cash savings.
It is why the Financial Conduct Authority has given the go-ahead for targeted support - a scheme that, for the first time, allows banks and financial firms to give suggestions about where to invest your money.
The Metropolitan and Greater Manchester police forces have said they will arrest people holding placards and chanting the phrase 'globalise the intifada' - an Arabic word for uprising.
In a statement following Sunday's mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, they said: "Violent acts have taken place, the context has changed - words have meaning and consequence. We will act decisively and make arrests".
The two forces also referenced the Manchester synagogue attack in October.
The UK's chief rabbi told the BBC this week that chants of 'globalise the intifada' had helped lead to the two attacks.
The police forces said: "We know communities are concerned about placards and chants such as 'globalise the intifada' and those using it at future protests or in a targeted way should expect" the two forces "to take action".
"Frontline officers will be briefed on this enhanced approach. We will also use powers under the Public Order Act, including conditions around London synagogues during services," the statement said.
Visible patrols and protective security measures around synagogues, schools, and community venues have been stepped up in London and Greater Manchester.
The term intifada came into popular use during the Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 1987.
It was a largely unarmed and popular uprising that continued until the early 1990s. The intifada also saw the development of groups outside the control of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) – notably Hamas.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
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Warner Bros Discovery will urge its shareholders to reject Paramount Skydance's $108.4bn (£80.75bn) takeover bid as soon as Wednesday, according to reports.
Paramount has said its offer is "superior" to a $72bn deal that Warner Bros struck with Netflix for its film and streaming businesses.
At the same time, a key backer of Paramount's attempt to buy Warner Bros, Affinity Partners, has reportedly pulled out of the bid, citing the involvement of "two strong competitors". Affinity was founded by US businessman and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Warner Bros declined to comment when contacted by the BBC. Paramount and Affinity have also been asked for a response to the reports.
Warner Bros will advise its shareholders to reject Paramount's offer for a number of reasons including concerns over how the deal would be financed, according to the Financial Times.
The media giant put itself up for sale in October after receiving "multiple" expressions of interest from potential buyers, including approaches from Paramount Skydance.
Paramount is backed by the billionaire Ellison family, which has close ties to the president.
A takeover of Warner Bros is expected to face scrutiny from competition regulators in the US and Europe.
A new owner of Warner Bros would gain a significant edge in the highly competitive streaming market. It would get a huge library of films and TV shows, including Harry Potter, Friends and the HBO Max streaming service.
Some in the film industry have criticised the deal. The Writers Guild of America's East and West branches called for the merger to be blocked, arguing that it would result in lower wages and job cuts.
The volume of content for viewers would also be reduced, it said.
Harry and Megan Tooze were killed at their home in Llanharry on 26 July 1993
An 86-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the murders of a couple at their farmhouse more than 30 years ago.
Harry and Megan Tooze were both found dead with gunshot wounds at their Ty Ar y Waun rural home in Llanharry, Rhondda Cynon Taf, on 26 July 1993.
South Wales Police undertook a forensic review of the case in 2023 and detectives have now made an arrest for the unsolved murders of 64-year-old Harry and 67-year-old Megan.
The man was arrested earlier and is currently in police custody.
Senior investigating officer Det Supt Mark Lewis said: "While this arrest is clearly a significant development in the investigation, our enquiries are very much ongoing.
"This case has affected many people over the years and our aim is to find the answers to the unanswered questions which remain about their deaths over 30 years on.
"Even with this passage of time I appeal to anyone who has any information about the murders to come forward and speak to police."
The couple were both found with gunshot wounds
Harry and Megan Tooze had left their farm on the morning of Monday 26 July 1993 to collect their pensions in Llanharry and were seen arriving back at 11:00 GMT.
At around 13:30, two gun shots were heard by neighbours, but this was not considered unusual on a farm.
The couple's daughter Cheryl raised the alarm when her phone calls went unanswered. Officers went to the farm and found the couple's bodies in the cow shed.
They had both been shot in the head with a shotgun and covered in carpet.
The Toozes' daughter Cheryl and her partner Jonathan Jones at their funeral
Their daughter's boyfriend Jonathan Jones was found guilty of their murders and sentenced to life in prison in 1995, but was later freed on appeal.
Mr Jones, who was a self-employed recruitment consultant, had told police he had taken the day off work on the day the Toozes were killed.
He said he had gone to Orpington, Greater London, to look for office space to rent, but police could not find anybody who had seen him that day.
His partial thumbprint was also on a cup and saucer that had been found in the couple's living room.
He was arrested that December, five months after the murders.
Cheryl Tooze stood by him, moving in with his family in Caerphilly after his arrest.
A year after his conviction he was released on appeal. Three appeal court judges took five minutes to reach their decision.
The original trial judge was criticised and it emerged police had failed to seal the crime scene properly.
Dominance at the top of the men's game is nothing new.
As age caught up with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, thoughts turned to the void left by the 'Big Three', who won 66 of the 78 Grand Slams held between 2004 and 2023.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have shattered any expectation of the men's majors being blown wide open.
The pair have swept the past eight Grand Slams and dominated the ATP Tour, leading to one question: can anybody stop them in 2026?
"I see a lot of guys who can start to become a threat if they progress, but to say this person will be a threat next season is difficult," Patrick Mouratoglou, who coached 23-time major singles champion Serena Williams between 2012 and 2022, told BBC Sport.
"If you look at the margin those two guys have above the other players, it's difficult to imagine."
BBC Sport picks out five players who could potentially end the 'Sincaraz' duopoly next season.
At the bottom of the page, you can have your say and predict the next men's Grand Slam champion outside of the pair - plus when and where it will be.
Ben Shelton won the biggest title of his career at the Canadian Open in July
Age: 23
World ranking: 9
Career Slam highlights: 2023 US Open semi-finalist, 2025 Australian Open semi-finalist
With serves touching 150mph and plenty of on-court sass, Shelton announced himself with his run to the New York semi-finals in 2023.
The left-handed American reached another Grand Slam semi-final in Melbourne this year, but came unstuck against Sinner.
His progress at the next two majors was blocked by Alcaraz at Roland Garros and Sinner again at Wimbledon.
"I think the next guy will have to have a huge ego if he wants to be in the mix - so it can be someone like Shelton, maybe," said Mouratoglou.
"He will have to make progress but I think his confidence in himself and in his game is big enough."
Former British number one Greg Rusedski agrees Shelton has the "firepower" to win a major.
"But only if he makes the improvements on his backhand, his court positioning and plays the big points better," Rusedski added.
Taylor Fritz - aggressive & 'looking to improve'
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Taylor Fritz's two titles in 2025 - Stuttgart and Eastbourne - both came on grass courts
Age: 28
World ranking: 6
Career Slam highlights: 2024 US Open finalist
Fritz has been a staple in the top 20 for the past four seasons, with a game built around a serve that was ranked second on the ATP Tour in 2025.
An aggressive approach from the baseline supports the American's opening shot, with a steely drive and work ethic underpinning his consistency.
Fritz's problem so far has been simple: his level is not as high as Alcaraz or Sinner's.
He has won just two of his 11 matches against the pair - one victory over each but none at a major - but is seen as the "likeliest to close the gap" by former world number four Tim Henman.
"He's so efficient on serve and at the back of the court, both forehand and backhand, but [he needs to] try to finish a few points at the net when he's so aggressive from those groundstrokes," Henman said on Netflix's coverage of the Six Kings Slam exhibition event.
"He's brought in the drop shot a little bit, which is good to get the opponents moving forward to backwards, not just side to side."
Jack Draper - 'leftie' weapons
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Jack Draper won his first Masters title - the tier of tournaments below the Grand Slams - at Indian Wells in March
Age: 23
World ranking: 10
Career highlights: 2024 US Open semi-finalist
Draper's promise is illustrated by him finishing 2025 as the world number 10, despite playing only 11 tournaments.
With his left-handed serve and forehand able to puncture the defence of most opponents, the British number one has beaten both Sinner and Alcaraz over three sets - including the latter on his way to Indian Wells glory in March.
"Someone like - and I've got my biased hat on here - a fully fit Jack has weapons," Britain's Davis Cup captain Leon Smith told BBC Sport.
"I think it helps the fact he's a leftie. There's big serving, big cuts of the ball.
"He can beat them - we've seen it before in one-off matches.
"But to win the Slams you are probably going to have to beat one of Sinner or Alcaraz in the semi-finals and then beat the other one in the final - that's the biggest challenge."
Felix Auger-Aliassime - maturing & has firepower
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Felix Auger-Aliassime has reached a career-high ranking after a stunning finish to 2025
Age: 25
World ranking: 5
Career Slam highlights: 2021 & 2025 US Open semi-finals
When Auger-Aliassime reached his first Grand Slam semi-final in 2021, it felt like he was primed for the very top.
However, his progress was derailed by a string of injuries and a lack of belief at the biggest events.
The Canadian started 2025 outside of the world's top 20, but his game - booming serve, vicious groundstrokes and supreme athleticism - came together late in the season.
He surged into the top five after reaching the US Open semis, claiming the Brussels title and losing to Sinner in the Paris Masters final.
"I like the way he has matured in the past three to four months and how he played at the US Open," said Tennis Channel analyst Mark Petchey.
"He has got big weapons. I look at Jannik and Carlos and if you don't come with firepower, they are going to get you every single time."
Novak Djokovic - the third wheel
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Novak Djokovic won his 101st career singles title at the Hellenic Championships, but has not won a major since the 2023 US Open
Age: 38
World ranking: 4
Career Slam highlights: 24-time major singles titles
That Djokovic consistently looks the most likely to disrupt the 'New Two' is testament to his enduring brilliance.
It is also damning about the rest of the pack.
"Despite barely playing, he was still the third-best player on the planet this year, and he still wants to keep going," Rusedski said.
By his own admission, Djokovic's problem going into 2026 is beating Sinner and Alcaraz over five sets.
Somehow, the Serb managed to oust Alcaraz at this year's Australian Open and Melbourne - where Djokovic is a 10-time champion - perhaps represents his best chance to win a standalone record 25th major title.
Anyone else?
Germany's Alexander Zverev is the nearest challenger in terms of ranking and has long been predicted to win a Grand Slam.
However, the 28-year-old has regularly shown he lacks the belief to get over the line - including three defeats in major finals.
And what about the precocious talents emerging?
Brazil's Joao Fonseca, 19, is tipped for big things but is far from the finished product, while 20-year-old Czech Jakub Mensik - who beat Djokovic in the Miami final - is the youngest player in the world's top 20.
"They're not ready at the moment to win a Slam, they are still so far away from the top two," Rusedski added.
Roman Abramovich agreed to sell Chelsea FC in 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine
The Prime Minister has said Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich must "pay up now" to victims of the war in Ukraine or face court action.
Mr Abramovich, the former owner of Chelsea Football Club, pledged in 2022 that money from the sale of the club would go to benefit victims of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The money has been frozen in a British bank account since the sale after he was sanctioned following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking in the Commons, Sir Keir Starmer said the UK had issued a licence "to transfer £2.5bn from the sale of Chelsea Football Club that's been frozen since 2022."
Sir Keir said: "My message of Abramovich is clear: the clock is ticking.
"Honour the commitment that you made and pay up now, and if you don't we're prepared to go to court and ensure that every penny reaches those whose lives have been torn apart by Putin's illegal war."
The Treasury said that under the terms of the licence, the money must go to "humanitarian causes" in Ukraine and cannot benefit Mr Abramovich or any other sanctioned individual.
A court filing by a group with deep ties to the pipeline company Energy Transfer raises questions about the growing use of amicus briefs in litigation.
A group of prominent figures issued a statement memorializing Mr. Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner. “We were their friends, and we will miss them forever.”
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