Two Labour MPs have been refused entry to Israel and detained by Israeli authorities, the foreign office said.

Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang were denied entry because they intended to spread "hateful rhetoric" against Israel, the Israeli population and immigration authority said in a statement reported by Israeli media.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the MPs' detention and denial of entry was "unacceptable, counterproductive, and deeply concerning".

"I have made clear to my counterparts in the Israeli government that this is no way to treat British Parliamentarians," he added.

Ms Yang, MP for Earley and Woodley, and Ms Mohamed, MP for Sheffield Central, flew to the country from Luton airport on Saturday with two aides, according to reports.

Interior Minister Moshe Arbel denied entry to all four individuals following an interrogation, the population authority said according to the Times of Israel.

The paper reported Israel had not verified the arrival of an official visit but in a statement the UK Foreign Office confirmed the group was part of a parliamentary delegation.

Lammy said the foreign office had been in touch with both MPs to offer support.

"The UK government's focus remains securing a return to the ceasefire and negotiations to stop the bloodshed, free the hostages and end the conflict in Gaza," he said.

When Rachel Chinouriri played London's O2 Arena last month, she cried.

The new wave indie songwriter was there as the support act for Sabrina Carpenter, just a week after her first Brit Awards, where she was nominated for artist of the year.

Seven years after her debut single, those milestones felt like a validation.

No wonder she shed a tear.

"A lot of it was stress relief," says the 26-year-old, "but I also felt strangely at home.

"I was just like, 'Wow, is this my life'."

Chinouriri was booked for the tour after Carpenter fell in love with her song All I Ever Asked and started playing it as her walk-on music in the US.

We speak on the 14th date, as she prepares to play Assago, Italy. By this point, she's having a blast – bounding across the catwalk every night, and dropping to her knees between songs to talk to the audience at eye level.

But she admits the first couple of shows were "slightly rough".

"I filmed Graham Norton for the first time on Friday, then it was the Brit Awards on Saturday. The tour started in Dublin on Monday, and I had to film a music video on my day off."

"I was having a lot of first time experiences and trying to figure out what I was comfortable with on the road," she says.

"I'd say from show five, I was starting to enjoy myself."

If there were nerves, they didn't show.

The singer's infectious energy and knotty pop-rock songs have been picking up new fans in every city. One reviewer called her set "the perfect sweet treat before the main feast". At the end of March, she surpassed 4 million monthly listeners on Spotify for the first time. Adele sent her a bouquet of roses.

Rachel Chinouriri is officially having a moment - but it hasn't come quickly.

A former Brit School student, she released her first single, So My Darling, in 2018, and spent the next few years honing her sound.

The 2019 EP Mama's Boy was a mellow blend of soulful pop, while 2021's Four° In Winter was full of atmospheric electronic soundscapes.

Underneath it all, though, Chinouriri was an indie kid. Raised in Croydon by strict Zimbabwean parents, she'd only been allowed to listen to Christian music at home. When they went out, the singer and her siblings would blast out hits by Coldplay, MIA, Lily Allen and Daughter.

Once she incorporated those sounds to her music, Chinouriri's career took off. All I Ever Asked – a chirpy rock anthem that disguises a desperately sad story about being undervalued – won her support slots with Lewis Capaldi and Louis Tomlinson.

Florence Pugh declared herself a fan, and ended up starring in the video for Never Need Me, a killer kiss-off to a boyfriend who left her dangling.

For a musician who'd suffered crippling anxiety as a teenager ("I was pulling my hair out, and having panic attacks") the success was entirely unexpected.

"British culture is quite self-deprecating," she says, "so when I was younger, I just didn't believe I could do these things.

"Even the fact I can say I'm a two-time Brit nominee is still quite surreal. Then I'm like, Why is it surreal?

"I do deserve it because I've been making music since I was 16, and I haven't stopped'."

Chinouriri's debut album, the noughties-flavoured What A Devastating Turn Of Events, was finally released last May.

Initially charting at number 17, it has continued to sell steadily, thanks to the continued popularity of All I Ever Asked on TiKTok, as well as Chinouriri's scene-stealing festival performances.

Reflecting on her rise, she says there is a "privilege to having a slow-paced career".

"I've seen what happens when you skyrocket or go viral. If I'd a massive hit song when I was 21, I wouldn't have been ready in any way, shape or form – mentally or professionally. I'd be panicking.

"So now that things are skyrocketing, I just need to remember that what I'm good at is writing how I feel and turning those feelings into music.

"And even though there's more opinions about what I'm doing now, I need to trust my gut."

Unexpected love affair

What A Devastating Turn Of Events was a huge emotional purge. Among the topics she discussed: Racism, school bullying, self-harm, alcoholism, alienation and toxic relationships.

A recurring theme was men who take more from a relationship than they put back in.

"I'm quite a caregiver by nature, and that attracts boys who need a lot of help, or are very insecure," the singer reflects.

"I tend to be the person's 'mother', which isn't fun, because I have to be the strong one and there's no room for my emotions."

But the days of heartbreak are over. Last year, the singer unexpectedly found herself in a new kind of relationship, one where her needs are as important as her partner's.

It's written all over her new EP, Little House. "Kissing me under the indigo / I begged for the morning sun not to rise / Oh, what a beautiful starry night," she sings, totally besotted, on the ballad Indigo.

The lead single, Can We Talk About Isaac, even uses her new partner's real name. His photo is on the artwork.

"It's quite a brave move," she laughs, "but I'm a hopeless romantic, and I don't want to lose being able to document my life in song.

"It's a risk that whoever wants to date me was going to have to take!"

The title track documents their chance meeting at a pub: "With two pints in his hands, he came over and said, 'Nice to meet you'."

"He's very sweet, he's got a very simple friendship group, he likes going to the pub – but he does so much for me. It's the first experience I've ever had of being taken care of.

"He's changed my life, no matter what happens between us. We're both just really in love with each other and having a having a blast."

At the moment, though, the couple have been forced apart. The Sabrina Carpenter tour lasts five weeks, after which Chinouriri sets off for her first headline tour of North America.

It comes six months after the singer had to pull out of a US support slot with alt-pop star Remi Wolf.

She says the dates would have left her penniless, even with financial support from her record label.

"As much as I would have loved that tour, I wouldn't have been able to pay my rent, which was very, very scary," she says.

"My fans were like, 'Let's help out. Let's do a GoFundMe for 10 grand', but it was far beyond 10 grand.

"It was like, who's going to pay for visas, where's your band going to sleep, what are people going to eat?

"It was a big wake up call. It made me reassess; do I need to be styled all the time? Do I need to travel this way all the time?

"So now, I'm able to go back now in full force and upgrade my venues and sell out almost the entire tour, which is mental."

The cancellation taught her to slow down instead of grabbing every opportunity she's offered.

It's a sign that Chinouriri is finally shedding the self-doubt that clouded her early career.

The success of the Sabrina Carpenter tour is a prime example.

"There's always a risk as an opener, that people might be completely uninterested, but this has been the complete opposite," she says.

"Having the entire arena sing songs with you is such a blessed feeling to have."

It won't be long before she's selling out those arenas on her own.

Campaigner Esther Ghey has told the BBC she is "frustrated" at the government's approach to online safety, warning that "young people are losing their lives".

Ms Ghey's child Brianna, 16, was murdered in February 2023 by two 15-year-olds, one of whom had been watching violent content online. Brianna herself had viewed material that encouraged self-harm.

Her comments came amid reports that the Online Safety Bill - part of which came into force in March - could be watered down in a bid to secure favourable trade terms with US President Donald Trump, a suggestion Ms Ghey described as "shocking".

A government spokesperson said ministers were "committed to keeping young people safe online".

Eddie Ratcliffe and Scarlett Jenkinson lured Brianna to a park in Warrington, Cheshire, before stabbing her to death. Both received life sentences in February 2024.

The pair had a fascination with violence, torture and murder, and had planned the killing for weeks using a messaging app.

Speaking to the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg programme, Ms Ghey said of the Online Safety Bill: "While we are... questioning whether it's strong enough or whether it should be watered down, young people are at harm, and young people are losing their lives."

She was speaking in support of the new Behind Our Screens campaign to encourage young people to share their experiences online.

Ms Ghey, who has called for children under 16 to stop having access to social media on smartphones, has previously met the prime minister to discuss online safety but called on him to take a tougher approach.

She told the BBC: "Young people shouldn't be struggling with mental health because of what they are accessing online, and we really do need to take a hard stance on this."

Roxy Longworth, who spoke to the BBC alongside Ms Ghey, was coerced into sending nude pictures to a boy at school when she was just 13, and subsequently experienced serious mental health problems.

Ms Longworth said she wanted to bridge the growing "generation gap" around social media.

"A lot of young people I've spoken to have said that they're scared to tell their parents about anything they see online, because they're worried their phones will be taken away as punishment," she said.

A government spokesperson said the Online Safety Act means online platforms "must now prevent illegal material appearing on their sites" and that the bill's next phase will "ensure children only see age-appropriate content online".

They added: "We have commissioned research on the impact of social media and smartphones on children's well-being.

"This evidence base will help inform next steps in the safety of children online."

Crowds of liberal protesters have amassed in cities across the US to denounce Donald Trump's presidency, in the largest nationwide show of opposition since Trump took office in January.

The "Hands Off" protest planners aimed to hold rallies in 1,200 locations, including in all 50 US states. Throngs of people turned out in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Washington DC, among other cities, on Saturday.

Protesters cited grievances with Trump's agenda ranging from social to economic issues.

Coming days after Trump's announcement that the US would impose import tariffs on most countries around the world, gatherings were also held outside the US, including in London, Paris and Berlin.

In Boston, some protesters said they were motivated by immigration raids on US university students that have led to arrests and deportation proceedings.

Law student Katie Smith told BBC News that she was motivated by Turkish international student Rumeysa Ozturk, whose arrest near Boston-area Tufts University by masked US agents was caught on camera last month.

"You can stand up today or you can be taken later," she said, adding: "I'm not usually a protest girlie."

In London, protesters held signs reading, "WTAF America?", "Stop hurting people" and "He's an idiot".

They chanted "hands off Canada", "hands off Greenland" and "hands off Ukraine", referencing Trump's changes to US foreign policy. Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in annexing Canada and Greenland. He also got into a public dispute with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and has struggled to negotiate a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia.

In Washington DC, thousands of protesters gathered to watch speeches by Democratic lawmakers. Many remarks focused on the role played in Trump's administration by wealthy donors - most notably Elon Musk, who has served as an advisor to the president and spearheaded an effort to dramatically cut spending and the federal workforce.

Florida Congressman Maxwell Frost denounced the "billionaire takeover of our government".

"When you steal from the people, expect the people to rise up. At the ballot box and in the streets," he shouted.

One protester in Washington named Theresa told the BBC that she was there because "we're losing our democratic rights".

"I'm very concerned about the cuts they're making to the federal government," she said, adding that she is also concerned about retirement and education benefits.

Asked if she thought Trump was receiving the protesters' message, she said: "Well, let's see. [Trump has] been golfing just about every day."

Trump held no public events on Saturday, and spent the day golfing at a resort he owns in Florida. He was scheduled to play golf again on Sunday.

One of Trump's top immigration advisors, Tom Homan, told Fox News on Saturday that protesters held a rally outside of his New York home, but that he was in Washington at the time.

"They can protest a vacant house all they want," Homan said, adding that their presence "tied up" law enforcement and prevented officials from seeing to more important tasks.

"Protests and rallies, they don't mean anything," Homan continued.

"So go ahead and exercise your first amendment [free speech] rights. It's not going to change the facts of the case."

The prime minister has said he is prepared to use industrial policy to "shelter British business from the storm", following Donald Trump's wave of new tariffs.

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Sir Keir Starmer said he will continue to seek an economic deal with the US to avoid some tariffs, but mooted state intervention to protect the national interest.

"Some people may feel uncomfortable about this – the idea the state should intervene directly to shape the market has often been derided," he said.

"But we simply cannot cling on to old sentiments when the world is turning this fast."

• UK draws up list of US products it could hit with tariffs
• Tariffs have shaken the markets - how worried should we be?
• Jaguar Land Rover to pause US shipments over tariffs

Britain was among countries hit with lowest import duty rate of 10%, but the government is taking steps to strengthen alliances and reduce barriers to trade.

In addition to the 10% tariffs, a 25% tariff has been put on UK car exports, as well as steel and aluminium products.

Many nations will face much higher tariffs, starting on 9 April.

"This week we will turbocharge plans that will improve our domestic competitiveness, so we're less exposed to these kinds of global shocks," Starmer wrote.

"We stand ready to use industrial policy to help shelter British business from the storm."

He has not ruled out further tax rises in the autumn but pointed out the government had resisted doing so in its Spring Statement.

Over the weekend the prime minister has spoken to several world leaders to discuss issues including how to respond to the US tariffs.

Sir Keir spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday with the pair agreeing that a trade war was "in nobody's interests" but that "nothing should be off the table".

In the Telegraph, he said would take a "cool-headed" approach to the tariffs rather than immediately retaliating, but he reiterated that "all options remain on the table."

On Wednesday the UK published a 400-page list of US goods it could include in any possible tariff response. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds told MPs the government would look at how retaliatory tariff measures against US products could affect British firms.

The list covers 27% of imports from the US - chosen because they would have a "more limited impact" on the UK economy, the Department for Business and Trade said.

The UK exported nearly £60bn worth of goods to the US last year, mainly machinery, cars and pharmaceuticals - making it one of the most important markets for thousands of British businesses.

On Saturday, Jaguar Land Rover announced it would "pause" all shipments to the US as it works to "address the new trading terms" after tariffs were imposed earlier this week.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has urged the prime minister to strike a "deep and meaningful trade deal" with the US, that "delivers growth without compromising on standards".

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said the UK should make trade deals with other countries to show "bully Trump" that there are alternatives to trading with the US.

Israel's army has admitted its soldiers made mistakes over the killing of 15 emergency workers in southern Gaza on 23 March – but says some of them were linked to Hamas.

The convoy of Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) ambulances, a UN car and a fire truck from Gaza's Civil Defence came under fire near Rafah.

Israel originally claimed troops opened fire because the convoy approached "suspiciously" in darkness without headlights or flashing lights. Movement of the vehicles had not been previously co-ordinated or agreed with the army.

Mobile phone footage, filmed by one of the paramedics who was killed, showed the vehicles did have lights on as they answered a call to help wounded people.

The video, originally shared by the New York Times, shows the vehicles pulling up on the road when, without warning, shooting begins just before dawn.

The footage continues for more than five minutes, with the paramedic, named as Refat Radwan, heard saying his last prayers before the voices of Israeli soldiers are heard approaching the vehicles.

An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) official briefed journalists on Saturday evening, saying the soldiers had earlier fired on a car containing three Hamas members.

When the ambulances responded and approached the area, aerial surveillance monitors informed the soldiers on the ground of the convoy "advancing suspiciously".

When the ambulances stopped beside the Hamas car, the soldiers assumed they were under threat and opened fire, despite no evidence any of the emergency team was armed.

Israel has admitted its earlier account claiming the vehicles approached without lights was inaccurate, attributing the report to the troops involved.

The video footage shows the vehicles were clearly marked and the paramedics wore reflective hi-vis uniform.

The soldiers buried the bodies of the 15 dead workers in sand to protect them from wild animals, the official said, claiming the vehicles were moved and buried the following day to clear the road.

They were not uncovered until a week after the incident because international agencies, including the UN, could not organise safe passage to the area or locate the spot.

When an aid team found the bodies they also discovered Refat Radwan's mobile phone containing footage of the incident.

The IDF insists at least six of the medics were linked to Hamas - but has so far provided no evidence. It admits they were unarmed when the soldiers opened fire.

The military official denied any of the medics were handcuffed before they died and said they were not executed at close range, as some reports had suggested.

Earlier this week, a surviving paramedic told the BBC the ambulances had their lights on and denied his colleagues were linked with any militant group.

The IDF promised a "thorough examination" of the incident, saying it would "understand the sequence of events and the handling of the situation".

The Red Crescent and many other international organisations are calling for an independent investigation.

Two Labour MPs have been refused entry to Israel and detained by Israeli authorities, the foreign office said.

Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang were denied entry because they intended to spread "hateful rhetoric" against Israel, the Israeli population and immigration authority said in a statement reported by Israeli media.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the MPs' detention and denial of entry was "unacceptable, counterproductive, and deeply concerning".

"I have made clear to my counterparts in the Israeli government that this is no way to treat British Parliamentarians," he added.

Ms Yang, MP for Earley and Woodley, and Ms Mohamed, MP for Sheffield Central, flew to the country from Luton airport on Saturday with two aides, according to reports.

Interior Minister Moshe Arbel denied entry to all four individuals following an interrogation, the population authority said according to the Times of Israel.

The paper reported Israel had not verified the arrival of an official visit but in a statement the UK Foreign Office confirmed the group was part of a parliamentary delegation.

Lammy said the foreign office had been in touch with both MPs to offer support.

"The UK government's focus remains securing a return to the ceasefire and negotiations to stop the bloodshed, free the hostages and end the conflict in Gaza," he said.

President Donald Trump has built another wall, and he thinks everyone else is going to pay for it. But his decision to impose sweeping tariffs of at least 10% on almost every product that enters the US is essentially a wall designed to keep work and jobs within it, rather than immigrants out.

The height of this wall needs to be put in historical context. It takes the US back a century in terms of protectionism. It catapults the US way above the G7 and G20 nations into levels of customs revenue, associated with Senegal, Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan.

What occurred this week was not just the US starting a global trade war, or sparking a rout in stock markets. It was the world's hyper power firmly turning its back on the globalisation process it had championed, and from which it handsomely profited in recent decades.

And in so doing, using the equation that underpinned his grand tariff reveal on the Rose Garden's lawns, the White House also turned its back on some fundamentals of both conventional economics and diplomacy.

The great free trade debate

Trump talked a lot about 1913 in his announcement. This was a turning point when the US both created federal income tax and significantly lowered its tariffs.

Before this point, from its inception, the US government was funded mainly by tariffs, and was unapologetically protectionist, based on the strategy of its first Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton.

The basic lesson the White House has taken from this is that high tariffs made America, made it "great" the first time, and also meant that there was no need for a federal income tax.

On this side of the Atlantic, underpinning globalisation and free trade are the theories of 19th-Century British economist David Ricardo. In particular, the 1817 Theory of Comparative Advantage.

There are equations, but the basics are pretty easy to understand: Individual countries are good at making different things, based on their own natural resources and the ingenuity of their populations.

Broadly speaking, the whole world, and the countries within it, are better off, if everyone specialises in what they are best at, and then trades freely.

Here in Britain this remains a cornerstone of the junction between politics and economics. Most of the world still believes in comparative advantage. It is the intellectual core of globalisation.

But the US was never a full convert at the time. The underlying reluctance of the US never disappeared. And this week's manifestation of that was the imaginative equation created by the US Trade Representative to generate the numbers on Trump's big board.

The rationale behind 'reciprocal' tariffs

It is worth unpacking the rationale for these so-called "reciprocal" tariffs. The numbers bear little resemblance to the published tariff rates in those countries.

The White House said adjustments had been made to account for red tape and currency manipulation. A closer look at the, at-first, complicated looking equation revealed it was simply a measure of the size of that country's goods trade surplus with the US. They took the size of the trade deficit and divided it by the imports.

In the hour before the press conference a senior White House official explained it quite openly. "These tariffs are customised to each country, calculated by the Council of Economic Advisers… The model they use is based on the concept the trade deficit that we have is the sum of all the unfair trade practices, the sum of all cheating."

This is really important. According to the White House, the act of selling more goods to the US than the US sells to you, is by definition "cheating" and is deserving of a tariff that is calculated to correct that imbalance.

This is why the surreal stories about the US tariffing rarely visited islands only inhabited by penguins matter. It reveals the actual method.

The long-term aim, and the target of the policy, is to get the US $1.2 trillion trade deficit and the largest country deficits within that down to zero. The equation was simplistically designed to target those countries with surpluses, not those with recognisable quantifiable trade barriers. It targeted poor countries, emerging economies and tiny irrelevant islets based on that data.

While these two different factors overlap, they are not the same thing.

There are many reasons why some countries have surpluses, and some have deficits. There is no inherent reason why these numbers should be zero. Different countries are better at making different products, and have different natural and human resources. This is the very basis of trade.

The US appears no longer to believe in this. Indeed if the same argument was applied solely to trade in services, the US has a $280bn (£216bn) surplus in areas such as financial services and social media tech.

Yet services trade was excluded from all the White House calculations.

'China shock' and the ripple effect

There is something bigger here. As the US Vice President JD Vance said in a speech last month, globalisation has failed in the eyes of this administration because the idea was that "rich countries would move further up the value chain, while the poor countries made the simpler things".

That has not panned out, especially in the case of China, so the US is moving decisively away from this world.

For the US, it is not David Ricardo who matters, it is David Autor, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) economist and the coiner of the term "China shock".

In 2001, as the world was distracted by the aftermath of 9/11, China joined the World Trade Organisation (WTO), having relatively free access to US markets, and so transforming the global economy.

Living standards, growth, profits and stock markets boomed in the US as China's workforce migrated from the rural fields to the coastal factories to produce exports more cheaply for US consumers. It was a classic example of the functioning of "comparative advantage". China generated trillions of dollars, much of which was reinvested in the US, in the form of its government bonds, helping keep interest rates down.

Everyone was a winner. Well not quite. Essentially US consumers en masse got richer with cheaper goods, but the quid pro quo was a profound loss of manufacturing to East Asia.

Autor's calculation was that by 2011, this "China shock" saw the loss of one million US manufacturing jobs, and 2.4 million jobs overall. These hits were geographically concentrated in the Rust Belt and the south.

The trade shock impact on lost jobs and wages was remarkably persistent.

Autor further updated his analysis last year and found that while the Trump administration's first term dabble with tariff protection had little net economic impact, it did loosen Democrat support in affected areas, and boosted support for Trump in the 2020 Presidential election.

Fast forward to this week, and the array of union car workers and oil and gas workers celebrating the tariffs in the White House.

So the promise is that these jobs will return, not just to the Rust Belt, but across the US. This is indeed likely to some degree. The President's clear message to foreign companies is to avoid the tariffs by moving your factories. The carrots offered by Biden followed by the stick from Trump could well lead to material progress on this.

But the President's characterisation of the past half century of freer trade as having "raped and pillaged" the US obviously doesn't reflect the overall picture, even if it has not worked for specific regions, sectors or demographics.

The US service sector thrived, dominating the world from Wall Street and Silicon Valley. US consumer brands used hyper-efficient supply chains stretching into China and East Asia to make incredible profits selling their aspirational American products everywhere.

The US economy did very well indeed. The problem, simply, was that it was not evenly distributed among sectors. And what the US lacked was levels of redistribution and adaptation to spread that wealth across the country. This reflects America's political choices.

The first social media trade war

Now, as the US chooses to reshore its manufacturing with a sudden jolt of protectionism, other countries also have choices as to whether to support the flows of capital and trade that have made the US rich.

The world's consumers have choices.

It is little wonder major blue chip American companies, which have build cash machines on hyper-efficient East Asian supply chains producing cheaply and then selling to the whole world based on their attractive aspirational brands, have a big problem.

Their share prices are particularly badly affected because the President has both decimated their supply chains strategies, and also risks greatly impairing their brand image amongst global consumers.

Ultimately, this is the first social media trade war. The experience of Tesla's sale slump and Canada's backlash against US goods may prove contagious. That would be as powerful as any counter-tariff.

These countries that bet on being the workshops for US consumers have choices over trade too. New alliances will form and intensify that seek to cut out an erratic US.

The President's sensitivity to this was apparent when he threatened to increase tariffs if the EU and Canada joined forces over retaliation. This would be the nightmare scenario.

In the game theory of trade wars, credibility does matter. The US has unrivalled military and technological might, which helps. But to transform the global trading system using an arbitrary formula, that throws up transparent absurdities, even without the penguins, is likely to encourage the other side to resist.

This is especially the case when the rest of the world thinks that the loaded gun that the President is holding is being aimed at his own foot. The stock market fell most in the US. Inflation will go up most in the US. It is Wall Street now calculating a more-than-evens chance of a recession in the US.

Perhaps there is some substance to the theory that the real objective here is to weaken the dollar and lower US borrowing costs.

For now, the US is checking out of the global trade system it created. It can continue without it. But the transition is going to be very messy indeed.

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The family of a mother who died from cervical cancer after twice being wrongly told she had negative results have been awarded undisclosed damages.

The misreporting of Louise Gleadell's cervical screening results was admitted by University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust following her death aged 38 in March 2018.

An internal review in 2017 found the samples, taken four years apart, were not good enough to produce reliable results but neither Ms Gleadell - a mum to three boys - nor her relatives were told about the "inadequate" samples while she was still alive.

Her family have now been given an undisclosed payout, with the trust apologising for its mistakes that had "devastating consequences".

Ms Gleadell, from Cossington in Leicestershire, was diagnosed with cervical cancer two years prior to her death. It was, by that stage, too late to have surgery.

Two cervical screening tests, carried out in 2008 and 2012, were misreported to her as negative.

It meant that over a four-year period, she had been given false reassurance about her health when she was developing cervical cancer, and the opportunity to treat pre-cancerous cells passed.

In fact, following the trust's 2017 internal review, both samples were found to have been "inadequate", and it found Ms Gleadell should have been invited back to have the tests repeated.

Ms Gleadell's sisters, Laura and Clare Gleadell, say their grief has been compounded by knowing that their sister's death was avoidable.

Laura, 43, said: "Her death was preventable and that for us is ultimately really hard.

"It would not have developed into cancer had she been recalled in either 2008 or 2012.

"If she had had treatment for cell abnormalities before it even developed into cancer, she would not have died."

Clare stressed knowing the test results were misreported and led to her death is "incredibly hard to live with".

The 40-year-old added: "It is something we probably think about most days, if not every day."

The sisters described Louise as devoted to her three boys, who were aged two, 11 and 13 when they lost their mum.

"Family to her was everything," they said.

Louise began feeling unwell in late 2015, experiencing pain, abnormal bleeding and unexpected weight loss.

By February of the following year, she was so concerned about her health that she paid privately for an ultrasound scan.

The findings led to further investigations, and a biopsy provided by the NHS led to a diagnosis of cervical cancer in March.

Louise underwent chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and brachytherapy - which is internal radiation treatment. Initially, she recovered well but a few months later developed new symptoms.

Towards the end of 2016, doctors told her the disease was terminal.

With donations, Louise travelled abroad for immunotherapy in Germany but ultimately it did not stop the fatal spread of the cancer. She died at the Loros Hospice in Leicester.

The NHS routinely looks back and re-examines test findings after someone is diagnosed with cervical cancer.

After appointing solicitors to examine the case, the family found out that the NHS trust knew of the misreporting of the results in the summer of 2017 - before Louise died.

It is not clear why Louise was not told about this.

Specialist clinical negligence lawyer, Gemma Lewis, of Moosa-Duke Solicitors, uncovered the situation and said the trust should have told Louise.

"I don't think the family should have had to find out from me," she added.

"Someone with a medical background should have explained things, who could answer any follow-up questions.

"It should not take a legal investigation - that they might not have decided to undertake - to uncover the truth."

Richard Mitchell, chief executive at the trust, said: "I am deeply sorry that mistakes were made in how we cared for and communicated with Louise and for the devastating consequences.

"Errors like those in Louise's care are rare, and there have been significant improvements in cervical screening since 2019 when human papillomavirus (HPV) testing was introduced nationally.

"Locally, following an investigation into Louise's care, we have strengthened our processes for sharing the findings of cervical screening quality audits to ensure timely and open communication.

"We understand Louise's family may still have questions and we have reached out to offer a meeting."

Following the trust's apology, Louise's sisters stressed that they would encourage all women to go for a cervical screening.

The NHS says cervical screening checks a sample of cells from your cervix for certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV).

These types of HPV can cause abnormal changes to the cells in your cervix and are called "high risk" types of HPV.

If high risk types of HPV are found during screening, the sample of cells is also checked for abnormal cell changes.

If abnormal cells are found, they can be treated so they do not get a chance to turn into cervical cancer.

Louise's sisters added that they intended to take up the trust's offer of a meeting.

Clare said: "We have unanswered questions - exactly how and why was Louise given false information after her smears and why, after her diagnosis, when the mistakes were highlighted were the family not told?

"The hardest part is seeing Louise's three boys without their mother. It's heartbreaking - the impact of went wrong has been awful."

Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.

This month the government in England will launch a consultation for its men's health strategy. The move is long overdue, experts say, with men much more likely to die prematurely than women. But why are they in such poor health – and what can be done about it?

Andrew Harrison was running a men's health clinic from a youth centre in Bradford when he heard a knock. He turned to the door, but no-one was there. Then he heard his name being called. He looked around to see a young man at the window asking for condoms.

"I was on the first floor," he says, recounting the story from a few years ago. "The lad had shimmied up a drainpipe on the outside of the building because he didn't want to go through the reception and ask."

The anecdote, in many ways, encapsulates the challenges over men's health – a combination of risk-taking behaviour and a lack of confidence and skills to engage with health services.

Early deaths

In the UK men are more likely to smoke, drink alcohol, use drugs and have high cholesterol and blood pressure.

These are major contributors to the fact men have a lower life expectancy than women - by four years - and are nearly 60% more likely to die prematurely before the age of 75 with heart disease, lung cancer, liver disease and in accidents.

Prof Alan White, who founded the Men's Health Forum charity and set up a dedicated men's health centre at Leeds Beckett University, says the issue needs to be taken more seriously.

He cites the pandemic as an example, pointing out that 19,000 more men than women died from Covid. "Where was the outrage? Where was the attention?"

He says it is too easy to blame men's poor health on their lifestyles, arguing "it's much more complex than that."

He says there are biological reasons – the male immune system is less able to fight off infection. But, as the story of the young man seeking condoms above demonstrates, they can also lack the skills to access health services.

Prof White says: "Men are less health-literate, that is to say they don't develop the skills to talk about their health and recognise and act on the signs. Men's health is very static from their teenage years right through into their 40s generally – many go years without see a health professional.

"It is different for women. Getting contraception, having cervical screening and then childbirth means many women have regular contact with health services in a way men do not."

Stark differences

Machismo is also a factor, says Mark Brooks, the policy adviser for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Men's and Boy's Issues, which has played a key role in influencing the government to draw up a men's health strategy.

"In society we have different expectations in regards to men. They are expected to man up and get on with things, to be strong and resilient."

But he says when it comes to men's health it is important to pay particular attention to the impact of deprivation. Life expectancy in the poorest 10% of areas is 10 years less than in the wealthiest – a larger gap than is seen for women – and in the most deprived areas a man is 3.5 times more likely to die before the age of 75.

"You cannot ignore the stark differences when it comes to left-behind communities and those working in blue-collar jobs like construction and manufacturing," he says. "The way health services are designed isn't working for men."

NHS health checks, which are offered every five years to those aged 40 to 74, are considered a crucial intervention when it comes to many of the diseases which are claiming the lives of men early. But fewer than four in 10 men take up the offer.

"Someone working in construction or on an industrial estate will find it very difficult to take time off whether that's for a health check or to go and see their GP."

Mr Brooks says he would like to see employees given a right to two hours' paid time off to go for health checks as well as seeing them delivered in places where blue-collar workers are employed, such as industrial estates.

But he says this is also an issue about employment - with some men in these roles scared to face up to health problems that develop in their 40s and 50s - ignoring early warning signs or hiding illnesses from bosses altogether because of what it may mean for their work.

He adds that job worries and financial concerns, along with relationship problems, are a big driver in the high suicide rates seen among men. Three-quarters of people who take their own lives are men.

Despite this, just a third of people sent for talking therapies are men, which may suggest that services are not doing enough to consider men's needs.

"How services are set up to recognise signs of depression and anxiety is not how men express them – they are more likely to display signs of anger, abuse alcohol or become withdrawn and push people away," says Prof White.

Ethnic differences are also important to recognise, he says. For example, black men in England are twice as likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer, while men from Indian or Bangladeshi backgrounds are at particularly high risk of diabetes.

Wake-up call

But none of this means men are not interested in their own health, says Prof Paul Galdas, a men's health expert at York University. "Men will open up and want to be engaged, but to do that you have to base it around actions and activities."

He has helped develop a six-week mental fitness programme in partnership with the Movember men's health movement that has been trialled on NHS front-line workers following Covid. Now it is being used by Leeds United football club for its youth players.

Men are provided with support to understand how behaviour affects moods, they are encouraged to track their habits and set goals for healthy activities.

"It can be about going for a walk, seeing friends, playing golf and developing problem-solving skills to protect mental health. Good mental health leads to good physical health."

Similar activity-based initiatives can be found in a number of local areas where charities, councils and local men's groups have worked together to set up schemes.

The Men's Sheds movement is perhaps the most well-known where men are encouraged to come together and bond and support each other while doing practical projects.

Prof White says now is the time to build on these foundations – something a national men's health strategy is vital for. He says it will help "shine a spotlight" on the issue in a similar way to the women's health strategy did back in 2022 – that led to the creation of a network of women's health hubs and women's health champions at the heart of government.

But he also wants it to act as a "wake-up call" for men themselves. He says there are some simple steps every man should consider.

"Look at your waist size – if you are carrying weight, if your tummy is too big try to do something. Get moving, get out and about and talk to people.

"Take every opportunity to get a health check or screened. And, if you notice changes to body or the way you are managing problems, seek help."

Sam was lying in bed one morning when her tenant in a house she owned in Margate sent her a photo of a piece of graffiti that had appeared on the wall outside.

Astonishingly, it looked like a Banksy. It would turn out to be perhaps the graffiti artist's most interesting new artwork of recent years, Valentine's Day Mascara (pictured above), which was revealed in Margate on Valentine's Day, 2023.

Bamboozled, Sam googled: what do you do when you wake up with a Banksy on your wall?

"What did Google say about that?" I asked her.

"Nothing! And I was like, I need to contact the council, I need to find an art gallery who can advise me."

Sam called Julian Usher at Red Eight Gallery. Julian's team, conscious that new Banksy's are under immediate threat from street cleaners, the weather, rival graffiti artists and other art dealers, promised he'd be in Margate within the hour: "We knew we had to get the piece covered," say Julian.

And there was another reason Julian got to Margate double-quick: if Banksy chooses your wall for one of his drawings, you could be seriously in the money.

For the second season of my BBC Radio 4 podcast The Banksy Story, which is called When Banksy Comes To Town, I've been following the very different fates of two sets of homeowners who wake up one day to find a Banksy on their wall. The season shows just how important his graffiti becomes for a local community – and why people disagree so vehemently about what should happen after it's discovered.

Sam became the custodian of Valentine's Day Mascara, which speaks to the theme of domestic violence, incidents of which usually spike each Valentine's Day. It's a complicated bit of work. A peppy 50s housewife with a black eye has bludgeoned her partner. A real pan with flecks of red is at her feet, and his painted legs are upended into the real fridge-freezer that Banksy left by the wall. A broken plastic chair testifies to the fight they have had.

Later on the day it appeared, refuse collectors arrived to spirit away the fridge-freezer. This precipitated a free-for-all, with the public helping themselves to the remnants. It was mayhem.

A media scrum, a wrong-footed local council, millions of global onlookers. Exactly, one suspects, what Banksy wanted.

And this time, just for laughs, he left behind oil painter Peter Brown, commissioned to capture the scenes he would miss. I spoke to Pete "The Street" Brown for my series. "The whole reason I was employed was because Banksy was questioning what was the art about," Pete explained. "Is it about the graffiti? Or is it about the reaction afterwards, and what happens to it?"

As luck would have it, Pete was captured on video just as Banksy's team were putting the finishing touches to Valentine's Day Mascara – a video that The Banksy Story managed to obtain. In it we can see that one of Banksy's team let a local kid play with their drone.

"They're in the process of putting a large piece on a wall and yet they're taking the time to teach a kid how to fly a drone," says Steph Warren, who used to work with Banksy and who appeared in my first series - about the artist's rise and rise. "Very sweet!"

Alongside Sam, I've been following the story of Gert and Gary. They, like Sam, did not want me to use their last name. A 30ft-high seagull appeared one morning on the wall of their buy-to-let in Lowestoft in Suffolk. The bird needed to be massive for Banksy's ambitious visual gag to work. The artist had shoved large yellow insulation strips into a skip that now looked like a fast-food container that the seagull divebombed to steal chips.

Banksy had chosen his wall well. Visitors arriving by train were treated to this witty meditation on the scourge of Britain's seaside towns, equal parts warning and celebration. The Lowestoft Seagull was part of Banksy's Great British Staycation, his post-Covid lockdown campaign to cheer us all up at the prospect of a summer holiday spent in the UK.

But Gert was not cheered-up at all. "It's not a seagull, it's an albatross!" she quipped when I went to interview her.

"How did you know it was a Banksy?" I asked.

"There was scaffolding erected on the side of the house. I tried to find out if it was a particular scaffolding firm, but there was no phone number," Gert replied. "On the Monday morning the letting agency informed me that I could possibly have a Banksy. By then the scaffolding had gone and this seagull appeared."

This fits with what we know of Banksy's modus operandi. He claims hiding in plain sight is the best way to remain invisible. "If questioned about your legitimacy," he wrote in his book Wall & Piece, "simply complain about the hourly rate."

It's a good gag. But how fun is it for the folk on the other end of his spray can?

I found that with good hustling skills a Banksied homeowner might see their bank balance expanded, but it's not an easy process.

As Gert explains, exasperated, "Lowestoft people commented that it belongs to Lowestoft… But nobody's turned up to say, 'we'll help you protect it'. It doesn't belong to the person filming it, or the person taking pictures with their children. The problem is mine!"

Gert had to contend with people putting their children into the skip for photo opportunities, the council trying to charge her for Perspex screens, and the threat of a Preservation Order which might have cost her £40,000 a year.

And the two stories I've been following have ended up having entirely different outcomes.

Both artworks have been taken off the houses they were painted on – a complex, expensive operation that uses specialist equipment – so they can be sold. But while the Banksy in Margate is now on the verge of selling for well over £1m, with a sizeable chunk set to go to a domestic violence charity, and with the piece remaining in the town for the foreseeable future, the Banksy up the coast in Lowestoft languishes in a climate-controlled warehouse, costing its owners £3,000 per month.

It has cost Gert and her partner Gary around £450,000 so far to preserve the piece and although there are buyers sniffing around, nobody has bought it yet. Speaking about the situation, Gary told me: "I'm so angry at what's going on."

Not everyone approves of people trying to sell Banksy's street art.

Steph Warren – who starred in the first series of The Banksy Story as the only person ever to work for Banksy without signing his non-disclosure agreement – suggests that worried homeowners should simply "get busy with five litres of white emulsion and paint it out".

Owner of street-art gallery Stelladore in St Leonards, Warren is a purist, who feels that art made for the street should remain there, no matter it's value. "With Banksy, where he puts the art is fundamental," she says. "Remove the work from the precise place on the streets that he put it, and the work instantly loses its power. Context is everything."

But Banksy has elevated graffiti into a new art form, now monetised – street art. Banksy's signed prints can sell for six-figure sums. Graffiti, or street art, has not just come of age, it is now an asset class. Given this, how can any homeowner feel okay about scrubbing away a Banksy without feeling as if they have smashed a Ming vase?

One thing I know for sure: if you wake up with a Banksy on your wall, you'll have to make a series of clever decisions to come out of it unscathed. As Sam says, after two years of dealing with the Banksy circus, "going back to normal life now is going to be terribly boring".

• The new season of The Banksy Story is available on BBC Sounds

Long, flowing wigs and weave extensions have dominated the catwalks of Ivory Coast's massively popular beauty pageants for years.

Contestants in the West African nation often spend a huge amount of money on their appearance, from outfits to hairdos - with very few choosing the natural look.

In more than six decades, there have only been two notable exceptions, the most recent was Marlène-Kany Kouassi, who took the Miss Ivory Coast title in 2022 - looking resplendent with her short natural hair, the crown becoming her only adornment.

Her victory was not only unusual in Ivory Coast but across the world, where Western beauty standards are often the desired look both for those entering contests and for the judges.

Changes are slowly creeping in - last December Angélique Angarni-Filopon, from the French Caribbean island of Martinique, made headlines when she was crowned Miss France, mainly because of her age - she is 34 - and she also sported short Afro hair.

But this year the organisers of the Ivorian competition are shaking things up right from the start.

Wigs, weaves and hair extensions have been banned from the preliminary stages of the competition, which are held in 13 cities across the country (as well as two abroad for those in the diaspora).

"We want the candidates to be natural - whether with braids or straightened hair, it should be their own. Beauty must be raw," Victor Yapobi, president of the Miss Ivory Coast organising committee, told the BBC.

Ivory Coast is the only African country enforcing the ban for a national competition.

Mr Yapobi said the organisers in Ivory Coast had long been trying to promote a more natural look - for example cosmetic surgery is a no-no and skin lightening is frowned upon.

"We decided this year to truly showcase the natural beauty of these young women," he said.

Other changes have also been implemented, like allowing slightly shorter women to compete - the minimum is now 1.67m (5.4ft), increasing the age by three years to 28 and - crucially - lowering the entrance fee by more than $30 (£25) to $50.

"This change in criteria is because we observed these young women were putting up a lot of money to participate, and it was becoming a bit of a budget drain."

When the BBC joined the first preliminary pageant in Daloa, the main city in the western region of Haut-Sassandra, one contestant was overjoyed by the new rules - feeling it gave her a better chance of success as she prefers not to wear wigs.

"I would see other girls with long, artificial hair, and they looked so beautiful," 21-year-old Emmanuella Dali, a real estate agent, told the BBC.

"This rule gives me more pride as a woman - as an African woman."

The move aimed at celebrating natural African beauty has sparked a lively debate across the country, where wigs and extensions are popular.

As a fashion choice, many women love the creativity that wigs and weaves allow them. They also serve as what is called "protective style", which means minimising the daily pulling and tugging on hair that can cause breakages.

This was reflected by some contestants in Daloa who felt the rule removed an element of personal expression.

"I'm a wigs fan. I love wigs," said contestant and make-up artist Astrid Menekou. The 24-year-old told the BBC she was initially shocked by the no-wig, no-extensions stipulation.

"I didn't expect this rule! But now? I like my hair, and that's OK."

The new rule has made the competitors think more about concepts of beauty - and changed some opinions, like those of Laetitia Mouroufie.

"Last year, I had extensions because I thought that's what beauty meant," the 25-year-old student told the BBC.

"This year, I feel more confident being myself."

Should the competition influence attitudes beyond the pageant world, it could have huge economic implications.

Wigs from human hair, which can last for years if cared for properly, can range in price from an estimated $200 to $4,000, while synthetic ones cost around $10 to $300.

Ivory Coast's hair industry is worth more than $300m a year, with wigs and weaves making up a significant share of that market.

"This rule is not good for us," Ange Sea, a 30-year-old hairdresser in Daloa, told the BBC.

"Many women love wigs. This will hurt our business and we make more money when working with wigs and weaves."

At her salon, glue will be used to carefully attach wigs to make them look more natural and women will spend hours having weaves and extensions put in.

It shows how deeply engrained wig culture is in West Africa, despite a natural hair movement that has been gaining momentum among black women around the world over the last decade.

Natural hair products have become much more readily available and natural hair influencers proliferate on social media worldwide with advice on how to manage and style natural hair, which can be time-consuming.

It used to be considered unprofessional to wear one's hair naturally and it would have been extraordinary to see black female TV stars on screen or CEOs in the boardroom with natural hair.

According to Florence Edwige Nanga, a hair and scalp specialist in the main Ivorian city of Abidjan, this is often still the case in Ivory Coast.

"Turn on the TV [here], and you'll see almost every journalist wearing a wig," the trichologist told the BBC.

"These beauty enhancements are fashionable, but they can also cause problems - like alopecia or scalp infections," she warned.

With the preliminary rounds under way, arguments over whether pageants should be setting beauty rules or women should decide such things for themselves continues.

The outcome may be that there is more of an acceptance of both in Ivory Coast, allowing women to switch styles up - between natural hair and wigs and weaves.

Mr Yapobi said the feedback he had received over the new rules was "extraordinary" and clearly showed it was having an impact.

"Everyone congratulates us. Everyone, even from abroad. I receive emails and WhatsApp messages from everywhere congratulating us for wanting to return to our roots."

He said no decision had been taken about whether the wig ban would apply to the 15 contestants who make it to the final of Miss Ivory Coast 2025.

This extravaganza will take place at a hotel in Abidjan at the end of June and will be broadcast on national TV.

"If it works, we'll continue and carry on this initiative in the years to come," Mr Yapobi said.

For Doria Koré, who went on to be named Miss Haut-Sassandra, her crown holds even more significance: "Winning with natural hair shows the true beauty of African women."

Ms Dali said she was walking away with something even more valuable - self-confidence: "I didn't win, but I feel proud. This is who I am."

Additional reporting by the BBC's Nicolas Negoce and Noel Ebrin Brou in Abidjan.

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

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

Jaguar Land Rover has announced it will "pause" all shipments to the US as it works to "address the new trading terms" after tariffs were imposed earlier this week.

A 25% tariff on car imports came into force on Thursday, one of several measures announced by US President Donald Trump which have sent shockwaves through global supply chains.

The US is the second largest export market for the UK's car industry, after the European Union.

In a statement, a Jaguar Land Rover spokesperson said the company was "taking some short-term actions including a shipment pause in April, as we develop our mid to longer-term plans".

The Coventry-based car manufacturer - which also has sites in Solihull and Wolverhampton - said the US is an "important market for JLR's luxury brands".

More cars are exported to the US from the UK than any other good. In a 12-month period up to the end of the third quarter of 2024, the trade was worth £8.3bn, according to the UK trade department.

An initial wave of tariffs on cars came into effect from 3 April, with import taxes on auto parts due to follow next month.

A separate 10% tariff will be imposed on all other UK imports, with higher rates in place for some other major economies.

Global stock markets have incurred heavy losses in recent days as firms grapple with how to adapt to the new trading environment.

Sir Keir Starmer has said the UK will take a calm approach to the trade tariffs and has ruled out "jumping into a trade war".

On Thursday, the prime minister warned the global economy was "entering a new era" and said there would "clearly" be an impact on the UK.

The government is consulting on products it could impose retaliatory measures on but talks between UK and US officials continue on a possible trade deal which the British governments hopes would see tariffs relaxed.

Sir Keir is holding talks with other European leaders to discuss how to respond to the White House's trade moves.

The US began collecting a 10% "baseline" tariff on all imports on Saturday as President Donald Trump urged Americans to "hang tough" after market turmoil.

The UK and France are among hundreds of countries impacted and its leaders have said nothing is off the table. While China, which has been hit the hardest by President Trump's tariffs, announced a significant retaliatory response.

All three major stock indexes in the US plunged more than 5% on Friday, with the S&P 500 dropping almost 6%, capping the worst week for the US stock market since 2020.

In Washington DC, New York and other cities thousands gathered to protest against a range of Trump's policies - from the economy to government cuts.

Trump described the market volatility as "an economic revolution", which the US "will win".

"Hang tough, it won't be easy, but the end result will be historic," he added in a post on Truth Social.

His policy changes have sent shockwaves through global supply chains.

In the UK, the FTSE 100 fell almost 5% - its steepest in five years, while Asian markets also dropped and exchanges in Germany and France faced similar declines.

Billionaire Elon Musk, a close ally of Trump and responsible for the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), said the US and Europe could move towards a "zero-tariff situation", which could create "a free-trade zone between Europe and North America".

His comments, made as he travelled to meet government ministers in Italy, came days before the Trump administration introduces tariffs on goods of up to 50% on 9 April to what it calls the "worst offenders" for trade imbalances with the US.

The EU is due to be hit with a 20% levy.

In his first term in office, Trump scorned a proposed free-trade deal with the EU, called the Transatlantic Trade and Investment partnership, but a bubbling trade war was ended after he put threats to impose tariffs on European cars aside in 2018.

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had a series of calls with world leaders following Trump's tariffs announcement on Wednesday.

• Starmer's response to Trump tariffs is both to slow down and go faster

In a readout issued after Sir Keir's conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron, Downing Street said the pair "agreed that a trade war was in nobody's interests but nothing should be off the table".

Sir Keir and Macron also "shared their concerns about the global economic and security impact, particularly in South East Asia".

China, the world's second largest economy, was hardest hit by Trump's "reciprocal tariffs" towards nations he deems unfriendly to America's interest.

On Friday, Beijing announced retaliatory tariffs of 34% on US imports - the same as Washington imposed on imports from China. Beijing also filed a complaint against the new tariffs to the World Trade Organisation.

In a statement a day later, China's foreign ministry urged Washington to "stop using tariffs as a weapon to suppress China's economy and trade, and stop undermining the legitimate development rights of the Chinese people".

In Washington DC and across the US, around 1,200 demonstrations were expected to take place on Saturday, marking the largest single day of protest against President Trump and Musk since the White House announced policy changes to how the US government is led - expanding the power of the executive branch.

The White House is yet to comment on the protests, but Trump was pictured by an AP photographer - excluded from the press pool - with an issue of the New York Post in his hand, open to an article about China.

The impact on trade since tariffs came into place has been palpable.

In the UK, Jaguar Land Rover announced it would "pause" all shipments to the US as it works to "address the new trading terms".

The Labour Party has suspended MP Dan Norris after "being informed of his arrest", a party spokesman has told the BBC.

The suspension means Mr Norris, the MP for North East Somerset and Hanham, is also understood to have had the party whip suspended, meaning he is not able to sit as Labour MP in the Commons.

The Labour party spokesperson said they could not comment further while the police investigation is ongoing.

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A 48-year-old man and a girl, aged 10, have died following a fire at a caravan park in Lincolnshire.

Emergency Services were called to Coastfields Holiday Park, Roman Bank, Ingoldmells at about 03:53 BST, Lincolnshire Police said.

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The Labour Party has suspended MP Dan Norris after "being informed of his arrest", a party spokesman has told the BBC.

The suspension means Mr Norris, the MP for North East Somerset and Hanham, is also understood to have had the party whip suspended, meaning he is not able to sit as Labour MP in the Commons.

The Labour party spokesperson said they could not comment further while the police investigation is ongoing.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.

A 48-year-old man and a girl, aged 10, have died following a fire at a caravan park in Lincolnshire.

Emergency Services were called to Coastfields Holiday Park, Roman Bank, Ingoldmells at about 03:53 BST, Lincolnshire Police said.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.

Emotional win for Mullins family

Sir Elton John has said he can't see his sons playing rugby after an infection last summer left him struggling with his eyesight.

"I can't see TV, I can't read. I can't see my boys playing rugby and soccer," the 78-year-old superstar told The Times.

"It has been a very stressful time because I'm used to soaking it all up. It's distressing," he added.

In September, the singer wrote on Instagram that a "severe" infection had left him with "only limited vision" in one eye, adding that his recovery would "take time".

• Elton John left with 'limited vision' in one eye
• Elton John on red carpet after vision issues
• Elton John album on hold because he 'can't see'

Sir Elton and his filmmaker husband David Furnish have two sons, Zachary and Elijah.

The songwriter said he "can't see the telly", adding: "I haven't been able to see anything since last July."

He admitted he does get "emotional" about his sight loss.

"But you have to get used to it, because I'm lucky to have the life I have. I still have my wonderful family, and I can still see something out of here," he said, pointing at his left eye.

"So you say to yourself, just get on with it."

Sir Elton previously said he'd been unable to finish his new album due to his eyesight issues.

In November, he said "it's been a while since I've done anything".

But on Friday, he released his new collaborative album with US musician Brandi Carlile, Who Believes In Angels?

The pair worked with producer Andrew Watt and his long-term songwriting partner Bernie Taupin on the album.

Sir Elton said that they "didn't all agree", adding that he became "frustrated" when they stood up to him.

He said: "If I want to make a great album aged 76 or 77 I've got to be told and they put up with my little foibles, which were really about anxiety, self-doubt and not feeling very well at the time.

"I was tired so I thought, I'm going to abandon this.

"The problem was three other people were involved and I knew that if I walked away from it I would hate myself for the rest of my life."

He added that it is not the first time he has had doubts about his music.

"You wouldn't be human if you didn't have fear and doubt. It's good for artists. Every album I've done, good, bad or indifferent, I've had doubts about," he said.

"And the most doubts I've ever had have been with this one."

The album has mostly been praised by critics. Writing in the Guardian, Lisa Wright awarded it four stars, praising its "poignant moments", while The Telegraph's Neil McCormick gave it five stars, calling it a "glorious return to his bombastic, melodious 1970s pomp".

In January, Sir Elton's career-spanning greatest hits collection, Diamonds, reached number one after 374 weeks on the charts.

Featuring signature songs like Tiny Dancer, I'm Still Standing and Rocket Man, the 51-track collection has gave the star his ninth number one album.

Last year, Sir Elton also won his first Emmy Award which finally gave him EGOT status, meaning he joined an exclusive club of performers who have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony award.

The Fab Four came together on stage this week for an all-star Beatles announcement that left some of the internet swooning.

No, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr aren't reuniting through AI for a joint album with Taylor Swift.

Instead, the 60s rock 'n' roll icons will be played by four leading heartthrobs of the moment: Paul Mescal (McCartney), Harris Dickinson (Lennon), Joseph Quinn (Harrison) and Barry Keoghan (Starr), in a big-screen quadrilogy directed by Sir Sam Mendes - all set for release in 2028.

Each actor fits the mould of "the internet's boyfriends" - a term defined by Glamour magazine as "a famous or semi-famous male person whom your entire Twitter feed has a crush on at the same time".

When Sir Sam walked out on stage with his "band" at Las Vegas' CinemaCon on Tuesday, the message was clear.

If 1960s Beatlemania was defined by teenage girls fainting and screaming, the plan now is arguably to get Gen Z - in internet parlance - "screaming, crying, throwing up" from behind their phone screens in excitement.

"Each star brings their own brand of modern-day hysteria," says the Evening Standard's celebrity reporter Lisa McLoughlin, "the kind fuelled by social media virality and fan video edits".

This is particularly true of Mescal, whose "popularity mirrors a smidge the frenzy the Beatles once sparked".

After shooting to fame in 2020's BBC adaptation of Normal People, the Irishman scored an Oscar nomination as a tormented father in Aftersun, before finding blockbuster status in Gladiator II - rising from indie heartbreaker to Hollywood heartthrob.

Similar is true of fellow Irishman Keoghan. Also Oscar-nominated for Banshees of Inisherin, he embraced rugged sex symbol status in last year's cult hit Saltburn.

Dickinson and Quinn are earlier in their trajectory, but still burning bright - the former recently starring alongside Nicole Kidman in erotic thriller Babygirl and the latter turning heads in Netflix's Stranger Things.

McLoughlin describes the casting as "logical and predictable" - a strategic move as the band look to secure their legacy with a new generation, while studios grapple with the ambition of luring streaming era, post-Covid, audiences back to the cinema not once, but four times in close proximity.

A day in the life?

The timing and scope of the project sums up the Beatles' unique heritage as the best-selling band of all-time - the catalyst for shifting youth culture and the boundaries of pop.

It's been 56 years since all four members last recorded together. Lennon was shot dead just over a decade later at 40, while Harrison died of cancer in 2001, aged 58. The two surviving Beatles, Sir Paul and Sir Ringo, are now into their 80s.

And yet, as the band's only official biographer Hunter Davies told Radio 4's Today programme on Wednesday: "The strange thing about the Beatles is that the longer we get from them, the bigger they become".

Recent years have seen Sir Paul seemingly work to bookend the Beatles' music - becoming Glastonbury's oldest ever headliner at 80, before driving the 2023 release of Now and Then, a "final" Beatles track rebuilt from Lennon's demo vocals. It became the band's 18th UK number one single, over five decades from their last, and won a Grammy.

The forthcoming biopics appear to be a way of continuing this on the big screen.

Four years on from Peter Jackson's sprawling Get Back docuseries, this is the first time that all four band members and their estates have granted full life story and music rights for a scripted film.

The casting reflects the distinct identities and histories of the members, each offering something different to lovelorn girls and copycat boys so intoxicated by Beatlemania.

McLoughlin feels the choices "make commercial sense" as the perfect foil for an audience now two generations removed from the original Beatlemania.

"They all have dedicated younger fan bases (many of whom may not be regular cinema-goers or deeply connected to the Beatles), acting credibility and experience leading or co-leading major productions".

Each film will focus on an individual member of the band. "They intersect in different ways - sometimes overlapping, sometimes not," Sir Sam explained.

"They're four very different human beings. Perhaps this is a chance to understand them a little more deeply."

'Binge cinema'

The Barbenheimer phenomenon of summer 2023 highlighted the increasing influence online audience reactions hold on cultural currency.

It also turbocharged Hollywood's acceptance of "event cinema" as a way to lure younger audiences. A generation that Warner Bros Discovery's executive director Vera Chien previously told Forbes, already see the streaming-social media relationship as the norm.

Sir Sam's four-film schedule plays into this. It's aimed at creating what Sony executive Tom Rothman described as "the first bingeable theatrical experience".

"Frankly, we need big cinematic events to get people out of the house," Sir Sam said.

Films can now develop distinct digital identities through audience projection, as seen by the viral success of Saltburn.

The makers of the Beatles biopics are arguably betting on its cast of "internet boyfriends" pulling younger audiences - without the same nostalgic attachment to the Beatles - engaged on social media and, executives hope, looking up from phone screen to big screen.

The extent to which musical performances will feature is unknown.

But the Beatle biopics could capitalise on the booming money-spinning genre that's found awards success over the past decade. .

It's also proven fertile heartthrob ground, with the Beatles cast following Jacob Elordi and Austin Butler's turns as Elvis, alongside Timothee Chalamet's Oscar-nominated take as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown.

Still, there are risks, says Dade Hayes, business writer at Deadline and co-author of Binge Times.

He says that whilst he commends Rothman's "clever handle" and the cinephile in him values the biopics' "bold statement about the value of cinemas and communal viewing," market realities present cautionary signs.

First, the UK box office is yet to fully bounce back from the pandemic, whilst US takings are more than 20% below pre-Covid levels. "If people aren't dying to return at regular intervals to cinemas," says Hayes, "then you are holding an expensive set of assets that are hard to monetise".

And a multi-release strategy relies on the "fuse being lit with the first instalment", Hayes says.

He points to Kevin Costner's Horizon films, originally envisioned as a multi-part theatrical franchise, only to flounder once the first instalment tanked, as an example of the dangers.

For McLoughlin, the three-year gap between the casting announcement and 2028 release date adds further risk, especially in the fast-moving online space where fanbases can shift.

Liverpool walking alone

But beyond industry dynamics there's also a cast talking point much closer to home.

The Beatles biopics, celebrating four Scouse lads who conquered the world and put Liverpool on the map, will not feature any local talent in the lead roles.

As one Liverpudlian put it in a TikTok video liked over 200,000 times: "I love Mescal as much as the next gal but [the lack of representation] is breaking my heart".

McLoughlin agrees, pointing out that James Corden last week urged the TV industry to be "bolder" and back ideas that "might scare you a little." She feels film studios should do the same.

"The Beatles themselves were unknown until they weren't," she says. "This could have been a chance for a newcomer to have their own Beatles moment - rising from obscurity in real-time".

And perhaps the biggest missed opportunity of all McLoughlin adds, is the failure to put Liverpudlian actors front and centre in a Beatles biopic. "The band is Liverpool's greatest cultural export, yet the city's deep talent pool was completely overlooked," she adds.

Social media, meanwhile, is already awash with doubt over Keoghan's ability to deliver a consistent Scouse accent, questioning his attempts in Saltburn.

Still, as Hunter Davies put it, the Beatles have long been more than just a local band. They keep growing.

Way back in 1966, Lennon infamously described them as bigger than Jesus. Over five decades on, the studio behind the four films - and perhaps cinema in general - is no doubt banking on a Beatlemania revival.

Empty nesters should not worry they are too old to become foster carers, as those who have made the move tell the BBC they have "a huge amount to offer" .

Parents who started fostering after their grown-up children left home encouraged others to "just go for it".

It comes after the children's minister urged empty nesters to consider fostering due to a "decline in the number of foster carers to the point of crisis".

But charity The Fostering Network warns government action falls short of what is needed to recruit and retain dedicated carers.

When Sharon quit her job and became a foster carer aged 51, her friends and family asked: "Why would you want to?"

Her own children had grown up, and she had more time to spend with her husband Tim at their home in Leicester.

But Sharon was set on fostering because she "wanted to make a difference".

Foster carers provide a home to children who cannot live with their birth family for different reasons.

These include short-term family crises like an illness, or experiences such as abuse and neglect. Children can be looked after for short or long periods of time.

At first, Sharon and Tim had "some very difficult times" with the foster child, who the BBC is not naming.

He has since had "a complete transformation", she said. He is thriving at school, has lots of friends, and is learning to play the trumpet.

Sharon says she now does her "own advertising" for fostering later in life with family and friends.

"Some of my friends say, 'I couldn't do it'. I say, 'why not?'

"Just go for it, you see there's so many children who need just the basics in life, a loving secure home, and to feel that sense of belonging."

More than 56,000 children were in foster care in England in 2024, according to government data, while The Fostering Network estimates there is a shortage of 5,000 foster carers.

Minister for Children and Families Janet Daby has urged empty nesters to help address this shortage.

"Maybe your child has left for university, you are retired, or you feel like you can give a child the fulfilling family they deserve," she told the BBC.

"We urge anyone who is interested to reach out to your local council to find out more about making a difference to a child's life chances."

'We've not been written off'

Allan's first question when he and his wife first looked into fostering, aged 64, was: "Am I too old?"

Without their three adult children, their four-bedroom family home in Scotland was not as full as it once was.

"I began to feel a bit selfish," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"I said to my wife, we really could do this and take someone in."

Their children were surprised and urged their parents to "enjoy life".

But Allan and his wife were told "if you're healthy, fit and you feel that you want to do this, you're definitely not too old".

"They gave us a bit of a lift really, thinking we've not been written off."

However, Allan admits the child they came to foster was curious about his age.

"He saw my date of birth (and asked), 'are you really?'"

The Fostering Network estimates there is currently a shortage of 400 foster carers in Scotland, where the latest figures show more than 3,900 children were in foster care in 2023.

The Scottish government provided more than £2m to support foster carers in 2024-25, and more than £150,000 towards carer recruitment, training and advice services.

When Allan's foster child arrived, he was "scared, very unsure - not knowing how long it's going to last".

Now, he sees Allan's grandchildren as his cousins, and the grown-up children as his aunt and uncles.

"My message to older people is, if you're even thinking about it, at least pursue it."

Steve and Liz had reservations about fostering when the idea occurred to them 20 years ago.

"But we just felt we had such a huge amount to offer," said Steve, 70, from the West Midlands.

"We had space in the house, were used to having children, and had the time."

Since then, they have fostered 16 children.

Steve said people should approach fostering with their eyes "wide open".

"The young people have experienced lots of different things your own children wouldn't normally do," he explained.

"But you can pick the phone up and speak with a supporting social worker very easily… they'll come back to you with strategies.

"Once you get into the swing of it, it feels natural."

Steve and Liz are currently caring for two boys who are progressing "absolutely brilliantly", and are eager to see what the future holds.

In the short term, they are planning their "huge" annual Easter egg hunt - in which their children, grandchildren, and former foster children will take part.

"Certainly if you've got an inkling you'd like to try it, try it," Steve added.

In the Spring Statement, the chancellor announced £25m over two years to recruit 400 more foster families in England, improve support for carers, and ensure placements were available to children when needed.

The Fostering Network's chief executive Sarah Thomas agreed more carers were "desperately needed," but said further action on retention was crucial.

Dedicated carers were stepping away due to "a lack of support, insufficient respect from professionals, and burnout", she told the BBC.

"Without addressing these fundamental issues, the system will continue to struggle."

The children's minister recognised the impact foster carers have "on breaking down barriers to opportunity and nurturing some of our most vulnerable children".

She said the government was "committed to removing barriers for carers – ensuring that age, training and background don't stand in the way", and offering support and advice at regional fostering hubs.

Treatments to remove wrinkles and tone arms, thighs and stomachs are driving a rise in cosmetic surgery, the latest figures from UK private clinics suggest.

There were 27,462 procedures performed in 2024 - a 5% rise on 2023 - of which more than nine in ten were on women.

Boob jobs remained the most popular treatment, followed by breast reduction surgery in second place.

But much of the rise was driven by increases in facial rejuvenation surgery, such as face and brow lifts and body contouring procedures like liposuction and tummy tucks, according to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS).

The association's president said surgery has become cheaper and easier to access, while some patients say there is less stigma around cosmetic procedures.

The most popular cosmetic surgeries, with their change from 2023 to 2024, are:

1. Boob job (up 6%)
2. Breast reduction (up 1%)
3. Blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery (up 13%)
4. Abdominoplasty, or tummy tucks (up 6%)
5. Liposuction, or fat removal (up 8%)
6. Rhinoplasty, or nose jobs (down 1%)
7. Face/neck lift (up 8%)
8. Fat transfer (up 5%)
9. Breast implant removal (down 5%)
10. Otoplasty, or ear correction (up 2%)

There was also a 24% rise in thigh lifts, and a 13% increase in brachioplasty, or "bingo wing" removal.

Non-surgical procedures like botox and fillers were also popular: nearly 10,000 were performed by BAAPS members in 2024.

But "designer vagina" labiaplasty surgery, which changes the shape or size of the labia, appeared less popular, with the number carried out down by 7%.

Nugent said that cosmetic surgery had become "more accessible", and while she acknowledged that treatments still were expensive, she said that they had become a bit more affordable.

This has coincided with a "shift in attitude" towards cosmetic procedures over the past decade because of a movement in society "towards wellness and looking after oneself", she said. Cosmetic surgery is "more normalised", she added.

Some of the growth in cosmetic surgery is also caused by people who previously had non-surgical procedures, like filler and Botox, now choosing to go under the knife because they were getting "fatigue" from repeatedly going to clinics to get the work done, Nugent said.

And the rise of weight-loss injections such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro have played a role, too. Nugent said that some people taking these medications, also known as "skinny jabs", are getting surgery on their face.

"As they lose weight they start to notice deflation and some sagging of their face," she said.

The BAAPS statistics do not show how many people have surgery after taking weight-loss drugs, but Nugent said that of the patients she has treated, "more and more" are people taking the medications.

'There's not as much stigma'

People have cosmetic surgery for a wide range of reasons.

Kirsten White, 33, a talent acquisition specialist from Sheffield, had a breast reduction and uplift after losing weight with a gastric sleeve.

She said her "breasts were basically down to my bellybutton" before surgery, leading to backache and the need for physiotherapy, she said.

"I don't think people are surprised when I tell them I've had cosmetic surgery because I think it's pretty normal now," she said.

"There's not so much the stigma that there used to be that it's really taboo and people are a lot more supportive of doing what will make you feel happy."

Men underwent 1,799 surgical procedures in 2024, a slight drop from 2023 - making up just 6.6% of all surgeries in the BAAPS dataset.

Nose jobs (rhinoplasty) remained the most popular among men, with 332 surgeries done in 2024, which is a 14% drop on 2023.

Face and neck lifts increased by 26%, with 140 done in 2024, suggesting a growing interest in anti-aging procedures among men - though Nugent said it was harder to spot trends for men due to the smaller numbers treated.

Video calls 'heightened our awareness of our appearance'

Beauty standards are shaped by social media and celebrity culture, said Dr Beth Daniels, director of the Centre for Appearance Research at UWE Bristol.

The pandemic also caused a shift, when the move towards video calls "heightened our awareness of our appearance" because people saw their own faces on their computer screens.

Dr Daniels said that society places value on youthful looks, which could push some women to get cosmetic procedures.

"As women age, they're often discounted in a number of ways" and are "made to feel invisible in society", she said.

BAAPS vice president Anthony Macquillan suggested the overall increase in facelifts could be linked to societal changes, such as the rising pension age.

He said: "For many, this type of surgery is not just aesthetic but also functional, helping to maintain confidence, secure employment, and reduce anxiety associated with age-related bias."

The BAAPS data is based on statistics from 233 of its members. Jim Frame, president of the UK Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons and professor at Anglia Ruskin University, said that it does not cover all of the cosmetic surgery operations that happen in the UK because some is carried out by ENT and maxillofacial surgeons, or by non-BAAPS members, especially fillers and Botox.

The data also does not include surgeries carried out overseas, where the lower cost of treatment in countries like Turkey attracts Brits.

Cosmetic procedures and surgery carry risks and the NHS warns that they "can lead to serious complications if they're not done correctly".

It advises people to research thoroughly beforehand, including checking the credibility of the clinic and getting information about the most common complications of the procedure.

"There are a lot of susceptible people that are committing to surgeries that a fairly large proportion will regret," Prof Frame said.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has fired one of his deputies for taking a "lavish" trip to Antarctica with his wife during Nowruz, the Persian new year.

The president's office described Shahram Dabiri's trip as "unjustifiable and unacceptable given the ongoing economic challenges" in Iran.

A picture of Dabiri and his wife posing in front of MV Plancius, which was bound for the South Pole, circulated widely on social media and caused outrage in Iran.

In a statement on Saturday, Pezeshkian said Dabari had been removed as vice president of parliamentary affairs for "indefensible" actions, regardless of whether they were financed from his own pocket.

"In a government that seeks to follow the values of the first Shia Imam (Imam Ali), and amid significant economic pressures on our people, the lavish travels of government officials, even when personally financed, are indefensible," Pezeshkian said.

Iran's economy is under significant strain, and subject to Western sanctions due in part to its support of groups including Hamas and Hezbollah, which have been proscribed terrorist organisations by the US, UK and the EU.

Iran's unemployment rate as of October 2024 was 8.4%, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), while its annual inflation rate was 29.5%.

Pezeshkian said Dabiri's actions "starkly contradict the principle of simplicity that is paramount for those in positions of authority".

The Antarctica expedition on the MV Plancius reportedly has a starting cost of equivalent to $6,685 (£5,187).

Usually, visits to the coldest and least populated continent in the world are carried out by scientists and seasoned explorers.

However, tourism voyages on cruises have surged in popularity in recent years. The Dutch vessel pictured in the picture of Dabiri, for example, was used by the Royal Netherlands Navy for military and civilian research between 1976 and 2004.

It is not clear what expedition package Dabiri chose or what mode of transport he took from Iran to Antarctica.

On one of the many package deals available online, explorers need to embark and disembark from Ushuaia, one of the southernmost points of Argentina. The town is about 3,079km (1,913 miles) from Buenos Aires, the Argentinian capital.

The Iranian president was elected last year with a promise to revive the economy and improve Iranians' daily lives. He replaced Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed in a helicopter crash.

Iranian media reported that many of Pezeshkian's supporters urged him to remove Dabiri from post as the public grew disgruntled over the trip.

A 48-year-old man and a girl, aged 10, have died following a fire at a caravan park in Lincolnshire.

Emergency Services were called to Coastfields Holiday Park, Roman Bank, Ingoldmells at about 03:53 BST, Lincolnshire Police said.

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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The son of a British couple who were detained by the Taliban nine weeks ago is calling on the US to help secure their release from an Afghan prison.

Peter Reynolds, 79, and wife Barbie, 75, were arrested on 1 February while returning to their home in the central Bamiyan province.

Their son Jonathan called on the White House to intervene after Faye Hall, an American who was detained alongside them, was released last week by the Taliban, which returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021.

He told BBC News the detention of his parents - who have lived in Afghanistan for 18 years and ran education projects - had been "harrowing and exhausting" for their family.

Mr Reynolds said: "Anybody who has the ability to unlock that key and let them out, whether it be the Taliban, whether it be the British government or whether it be the American government, I would ask - do it now, please.

"And if you have the ability to put the pressure on the people who hold that key, do it now, please."

Ms Hall became the fourth US citizen to be released by the Taliban since January after talks between officials in Kabul - in what the group described as a "goodwill gesture" towards the Trump administration.

That prompted Mr Reynolds to appeal to US President Donald Trump directly to aid in Peter and Barbie's release, in a video taken outside the White House earlier this week.

Mr Reynolds, a US citizen, told BBC News that his parents had not been formally accused of any crime.

He said: "They've been in and out of court, which is infuriating for them because there's no charges and they are told every single time: yes, they are innocent, it's just a formality, we've made a mistake."

An Afghan interpreter was also arrested alongside the British couple.

Mr Reynolds said his parents had sought to work with the Taliban and had "been open" about their work in the country.

He said he believes his mother received "the only certificate for a woman to actually teach and train even men", despite women typically being banned from employment under Taliban rule.

"They deeply love the country," he added.

The couple married in Kabul in 1970 and later became Afghan citizens. They are being held separately in prison and Peter's health has deteriorated while detained, Mr Reynolds said.

He said he had been able to speak to his parents via a prison payphone and described the conversations as "excruciatingly painful".

He continued: "Just to think of your parents, elderly parents and grandparents to my kids - and they've got great-grandkids even - and wondering if we're going to see them again.

"We want to see our parents again, to hug them and hold them."

Mr Reynolds said securing his parents release was "complex" as they wish to remain in Afghanistan and continue their education work.

He said: "They want to be released from prison because they've done nothing wrong, but they want to be released so they can carry on doing the work they're doing - which just speaks to the character and the stamina and the vision and conviction that they have."

He said the UK government had been "very supportive" and discussions with he US State Department had been "encouraging".

A Taliban official told the BBC in February that the group planned to release the couple "as soon as possible".

The UK shut its embassy in Kabul after the Taliban returned to power. The Foreign Office said this means its ability to help UK nationals in Afghanistan is "extremely limited".

India is a cricket-crazy nation, and it seems the AI chatbot ChatGPT hasn't missed that fact.

So, when its founder Sam Altman fed it the prompt: "Sam Altman as a cricket player in anime style", the bot seems to have immediately generated an image of Altman wielding a bat in a bright blue India jersey.

Altman shared his anime cricketer avatar on X on Thursday, sending Indian social media users into a tizzy.

Though the tech billionaire had shared AI-generated images before - joining last week's viral Studio Ghibli trend - it was the India jersey that got people talking.

While some Indian users said they were delighted to see Altman sporting their team's colours, many were quick to speculate about his motives behind sharing the image.

"Sam trying hard to attract Indian customers," one user said.

"Now awaiting your India announcement. How much are you allocating out of that $40bn to India," another user asked, alluding to the record funding recently secured by Altman for his firm, OpenAI, which owns ChatGPT.

Yet another user put into words a pattern he seemed to have spotted in Altman's recent social media posts - and a question that seems to be on many Indian users' minds.

"Over the past few days, you've been praising India and Indian customers a lot. How did this sudden love for India come about? It feels like there's some deep strategy going on behind the scenes," he wrote on X.

While the comment may sound a bit conspiratorial, there's some truth to at least part of it.

Just hours before Altman shared his image in the cricket jersey, he'd shared a post on X praising India's adoption of AI technology. He said it was "amazing to watch" and that it was "outpacing the world".

This post too went viral in India, while the media wrote numerous stories documenting users' reactions to it.

Someone even started a Reddit thread which quite comically aired the Redditor's curiosity, and perhaps, confusion.

"Can someone tell me what Sam Altman is talking about here in his tweet?" the person posted on Reddit sharing Altman's post.

A few days earlier, Altman had retweeted Studio Ghibli-style images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi which were shared by the federal government's citizen engagement platform.

All these posts of Altman have generated a fair amount of comments questioning his motives.

The scepticism around Altman's perceived courting of India could be because of his past views on the country's AI capabilities.

During a visit in 2023, he had sounded almost dismissive of small Indian start-ups making AI tools that could compete with OpenAI's creations.

Asked at a event how a small, smart team with a low budget of about $10m could build substantial AI foundational models, he answered that it would be "totally hopeless" to attempt this but that entrepreneurs should try anyway.

But when Altman visited India again this year, he had changed his tune.

In a meeting with federal minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in February, Altman expressed an eagerness to collaborate with India on making low-cost AI models.

He also praised India for its swift pace of adopting AI technologies and revealed that the country was OpenAI's second-largest market, with users tripling over the past year.

The praise comes even as his company is locked in a legal battle with some of India's biggest news media companies over the alleged unauthorised use of their content.

Experts say that Altman's seemingly newfound affinity for India might have to do with the country's profitability as a market.

According to the International Trade Administration, the AI market in India is projected to reach $8bn by 2025, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 40% from 2020 to 2025.

Nikhil Pahwa, founder-editor of MediaNama.com, a technology policy website, says that when it comes to founders of AI companies making "grand statements" about India, it has much to do with the country's massive user base. He adds that Altman isn't the only CEO wooing India.

In January, Aravind Srinivas, founder of Perplexity, an AI search engine, also expressed an eagerness to work with Indian AI start-ups.

Mr Srinivas said in a post on X that he was ready to invest $1m and five hours of his time per week to "make India great again in the context of AI".

Technology writer Prasanto K Roy believes that the Ghibli-trend revealed India's massive userbase for ChatGPT and, potentially, other AI platforms as well. And with competitor AI models like Gemini and Grok quickly gaining Indian users, Altman may be keen to retain existing users of his firm's services and also acquire new ones, he says.

"India is a very large client base for all global AI foundational models and with ChatGPT being challenged by the much cheaper DeepSeek AI, Altman is likely eager to acquire more Indian customers and keep Indian developers positively aligned towards building on top of OpenAI's services," Mr Pahwa says.

"So when it comes to these grand overtures towards India, there's no real love; it's just business," he adds.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer watched in his flat. Chancellor Rachel Reeves saw it in her study. The Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, accompanied by staff and pizza, took in President Donald Trump's big tariffs reveal on Wednesday from his office in Old Admiralty Arch, from where the British Navy was directed to protect and control trade on the high seas in days gone by.

Ministers can only dream of having that kind of power now, as the UK watches on in growing horror at the bust-up between the US and China.

"Sometimes people don't realise they are living through a moment of history," a cabinet minister notes, as Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping square up to each other, and stock markets plunge. Trump has slapped a 10% tariff on all nations – including the UK – for imports into the US, and much higher rates on some countries, including China, which has responded with fresh tariffs of its own.

So what's happening in Whitehall right now to try to limit the harm to the UK, perhaps by making a deal with the US, and make the most of any opportunities?

The PM is spending another dramatic weekend working the phones from the peace of his country pad, Chequers. So far, the other calls that could really matter, from US negotiators, have not yet resumed.

Trump dangled a possible trade deal that might exempt the UK from some of the costs from tariffs during the pair's chummy White House press conference in February. There have been significant negotiations since then by a team of around 20, led out of No 10 by Michael Ellam, the Treasury and banking veteran, and the PM's business adviser Varun Chandra alongside the business secretary.

Those talks included ideas about the UK watering down rules on electric vehicles, possible changes to a tax on tech companies ("space to talk about it", one minister says) and changes to online safety rules ("not happening", says a government source).

But as the US government prepared for its announcements on Wednesday, talks about a deal ground to a halt. Now, after the announcement, the "ball is in their court", said one government source involved, waiting to hear if, in the chaos of Trump's new tariff world, the White House can find time and energy to push a deal with the UK.

"We're expecting to hear from them any moment," one of those involved hopes. The risk, in the visible turmoil, is that any economic agreement could become a case of: don't call us, we'll call you. We'll be asking Darren Jones, the Treasury Minister, about it when he join us in the studio tomorrow.

If a deal is done, however, do not expect an all-singing all-dancing arrangement. Instead, "it would be a basic agreement on principles – rather than a super detailed trade agreement", says a government source, contrasting these "quick and dirty" moves to long-running negotiations with India ("we're on our 15th chapter with them!").

Uncertainty around the talks, and the limited nature of what a deal could achieve in any case, means No 10 is "not sitting here waiting for it – it's not the basket where all our eggs are".

For weeks the government told us they were preparing for all kinds of scenarios. A secret cabinet committee was considering how the UK might react if Trump's tariffs materialised.

But now they are here, the actual response is… not to respond, and to spend four weeks asking businesses if they would like the government to respond later on. That is not just Whitehall dither: at this stage, there seems to be almost zero appetite among ministers to join in with the rounds of tariffs between the US, China, and perhaps the EU in coming days.

One Whitehall figure working with business says "there has not been a single voice in business, big or small, saying this is the wrong strategy".

Ministers' approach to get businesses on board, like when Sir Keir invited dozens of big wigs to No 10 the morning after Trump's tariff announcement, is in part because of the anger when the government increased National Insurance contributions. "The really calm reaction," one source says, "is because we got people into the headspace where tariffs were going to happen – one of the businesses said they were being borderline stalked, we've been trying to persuade business to trust the process."

The government is in no rush, and has no enthusiasm to introduce its own new tariffs, and for now at least, demands on them to do so are muted. According to a minister: "Most people have considerable numbers of jobs in their constituencies on the line – even in cabinet there might have been some question marks but there weren't this week."

And they joke that the Lib Dems, who are calling for tariffs in retaliation, "keep demanding a trade war but I don't think they'll lead the nation". Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who also does not want extra tariffs, will be on tomorrow's show too.

But just as the government is going slow on hitting back, they are cracking heads to crack on with their existing plans faster.

This isn't all about Trump. I understand the chancellor is looking at whether any of the money announced in the government's vital Spending Review can be brought forward from June. If government departments are able to finalise their deals, can that be sorted and made public as soon as possible?

There are discussions too about whether it's possible to speed up the long waited-for Industrial Strategy – a plan to get investment into the UK pencilled in for June, but could it be brought forward? A decision hasn't been made but the prime minister is again, his team indicate, trying to use the jeopardy around the world as an impetus to push the government machine harder. "We have to run quickly towards this," a government source says – and the chancellor is looking at it this weekend.

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You might feel, haven't I heard this before? You'd be right. Since the start of the year, the prime minister and the chancellor have both repeatedly said the government has to go faster, work harder. So why after years in opposition weren't Starmer's team ready to go with all of these changes when they got into office? For a government that promised to be radical, its plans have not always been forthcoming.

You may not fancy the kind of radicalism we're seeing out of the White House, but radical it certainly is. To compete, the UK may need to be that too.

It is ludicrous to imagine the PM is "very happy" that the UK has been hit with tariffs as Trump suggested – "artistic licence", a government source remarked. No British action can completely insulate our economy from disruption abroad. But the government's own actions do matter, and this could be a defining moment.

While there's been no lack of trying to soften the blows for the UK, the government's hopes have been dashed already. First, ministers believed the UK could escape tariffs, then they said they were prepared in case, then disappointed when they arrived. As Sir Keir spends another weekend on the phone, and officials hope the phone rings, the government doesn't know what they will be able to say next.

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Mobile phone footage has emerged that appears to contradict Israel's account of why soldiers opened fire on a convoy of ambulances and a fire truck, killing 15 rescue workers.

The video published by the New York Times, and said to have been filmed by a Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) paramedic who was killed, shows the vehicles moving in darkness with headlights and emergency flashing lights switched on early on the morning of 23 March - before coming under fire.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) initial statement said "several uncoordinated vehicles were identified advancing suspiciously toward IDF troops without headlights or emergency signals. IDF troops then opened fire at the suspected vehicles."

A surviving paramedic previously told the BBC that the ambulances were clearly marked and had their internal and external lights on.

The IDF has been approached for comment about the video, which the PRCS said had been shown to the UN Security Council.

The video shows the marked vehicles drawing to a halt on the edge of the road, lights still flashing, and at least two emergency workers stepping out wearing reflective clothing.

The windscreen of the vehicle being filmed from is cracked and shooting can then be heard lasting for several minutes as the person filming says prayers. He is understood to be one of the dead paramedics.

The footage was found on his phone after his body was recovered from a shallow grave one week after the incident. The bodies of the eight paramedics, six Gaza Civil Defence workers and one UN employee were found buried in sand, along with their wrecked vehicles. It took international organisations days to negotiate safe access to the site.

Israel claimed a number of Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants had been killed in the incident, but it has not provided any evidence or further explained the threat to its troops.

Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar earlier this week echoed the army account, saying "the IDF did not randomly attack an ambulance".

The IDF promised to investigate the circumstances after a surviving paramedic questioned its account.

In an interview with the BBC, paramedic Munther Abed said: "During day and at night, it's the same thing. External and internal lights are on. Everything tells you it's an ambulance vehicle that belongs to the Palestinian Red Crescent. All lights were on until the vehicle came under direct fire."

He also denied he or his team had any militant connections.

"All crews are civilian. We don't belong to any militant group. Our main duty is to offer ambulance services and save people's lives. No more, no less," he said.

Speaking at the United Nations yesterday the President of the PRCS, Dr Younis Al-Khatib, referred to the video recording, saying: "I heard the voice of one of those team members who was killed. His last words before being shot…'forgive me mum, I just wanted to help people. I wanted to save lives'. It's heartbreaking".

He called for "accountability" and "an "independent and thorough investigation" of what he called an "atrocious crime".

One paramedic is still unaccounted for following the 23 March incident.