European leaders appeared cautiously optimistic after holding a virtual meeting with Donald Trump on Wednesday, two days before he meets his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.

Trump reportedly told the Europeans that his goal for the summit was to obtain a ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv.

He also agreed that any territorial issues had to be decided with Volodymyr Zelensky's involvement, and that security guarantees had to be part of the deal, according to France's Emmanuel Macron.

Speaking to Trump had allowed him to "clarify his intentions" and gave the Europeans a chance to "express our expectations," Macron said.

Trump and Vice-President JD Vance spoke to the leaders of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Finland and Poland as well as EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and Nato chief Mark Rutte.

The Europeans have been sidelined from the hastily organised summit in Alaska and their phone call today was a last-ditch attempt to keep Ukraine's interests and the continent's security at the forefront of Trump's mind.

To an extent, it seemed to work. On Wednesday evening Trump rated the meeting "a ten" and said Russia would face "very severe" consequences unless it halted its war in Ukraine.

He also said that if Friday's meeting went well he would try and organise a "quick second one" involving both Putin and Zelensky.

Still, in their statements European leaders restated the need for Kyiv to be involved in any final decision – betraying an underlying nervousness that Putin could ultimately persuade Trump to concede Ukrainian land in exchange for a ceasefire.

"It's most important thing that Europe convinces Donald Trump that one can't trust Russia," said Poland's Donald Tusk, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stressed the leaders had "made it clear that Ukraine must be at the table as soon as follow-up meetings take place".

If the Russian side refused to make any concessions, "then the United States and we Europeans should and must increase the pressure," Merz said.

Since the US-Russia summit was announced last week, Trump has made several references to "land-swapping" between Kyiv and Moscow – sparking serious concerns in Ukraine and beyond that he could be preparing to give in to Putin's longstanding demand to seize large swathes of Ukrainian territory.

On Wednesday morning Russia's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Alexey Fadeev reiterated that Russia's stance had not changed since Putin set it out in June 2024.

At the time Putin said a ceasefire would start the minute the Ukrainian government withdrew from four regions partially occupied by Russia - Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. He also said Ukraine would need to officially give up in its efforts to join the Nato military alliance.

• What to know about Trump and Putin's meeting at an Alaska military base
• Why did Putin's Russia invade Ukraine?

These are maximalist demands which neither Kyiv nor its European partners see as viable.

Zelensky has said he is convinced that Russia would use any region it was allowed to keep as a springboard for future invasions.

A way to counter this threat could be security guarantees - intended as commitments to ensure Ukraine's long-term defence.

In statements issued after the phone call with Trump, several European leaders said such guarantees had been mentioned and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that "real progress" had been made in that respect.

Since the spring the UK and France have been spearheading efforts to create a so-called "Coalition of the Willing" - a group of nations who have pledged to deter Russia from further invading Ukraine.

On Wednesday the group said it stood "ready to play an active role" including by deploying "a reassurance force once hostilities have ceased" - although the shape, composition and role of such a force is yet unclear.

Meanwhile, on the front lines, Russia's summer offensive continues to press on. Referencing the sudden advance of Moscow's troops near Dobropillya, in the embattled Donetsk region, Zelensky said Putin was pretending that sanctions were not effective at damaging the Russian economy.

"I told Trump and our European allies that Putin is bluffing," the Ukrainian president said, urging them to apply "more pressure" on Russia.

For his part, Trump appeared to admit that even when he meets Putin face-to-face he may not be able to get him to stop killing civilians in Ukraine.

"I've had that conversation with him... but then I go home and see that a rocket has hit a nursing home or an apartment building and people are lying dead in the street.

"So I guess the answer to that is probably no."

Speculation has swirled over whether the Trump-Putin summit will result in the map of Ukraine being forcibly – and fundamentally – altered.

Russia has laid claim to vast parts of Ukraine since 2014, when President Vladimir Putin made his first move.

At the time, in the space of a short few months, Moscow carried out the relatively bloodless occupation and annexation of the Crimean peninsula.

But that was followed by a Russian-backed separatist movement in the eastern Donbas region – specifically the two regions, or "oblasts", known as Donetsk and Luhansk.

A war simmered there for eight years.

Ukraine lost around 14,000 soldiers and civilians during this period.

But in February 2022, Putin launched his full-scale invasion. Russian troops quickly reached the outskirts of Kyiv and seized huge swathes of the south, including big chunks of two more oblasts, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

The war has ebbed and flowed ever since. Russia now controls rather less territory - down from about 27% in the spring of 2022 to around 20% now. In the east, Russian forces are advancing, but very slowly and at great cost.

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine says an unconditional ceasefire is needed now. European allies also insist on on a halt in fighting. US President Donald Trump says that is what he has been trying to achieve.

But in the run-up to his Alaska summit with Putin, Trump has started talking, instead about territorial swaps. That has sent shockwaves across Kyiv and Europe.

It is not at all clear what land Trump is referring to, or what those swaps could look like, given that all the territory in question legally belongs to Ukraine.

As of August 2025, the territory of Ukraine looks as follows:

Russia would dearly love to expand its control over the entirety of Luhansk and Donetsk.

Some reports suggest that Putin is demanding that Ukraine hand over the remaining territory it controls in both oblasts.

But that would mean Kyiv giving up on places which tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers have died trying to protect - cities like Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, and a fortified line protecting Ukrainian territory to the north and west.

For Kyiv, such a concession would be a bitter pill to swallow. For Moscow, whose losses have been even more catastrophic, it would be seen as victory.

Zelensky said on Tuesday that Ukraine "could not" leave the Donbas as Moscow would use the region as a springboard to attack the rest of the country.

In recent days, Russian forces appear to be pushing hard, and making progress, near the town of Dobropillya. But it's not yet clear whether this marks a significant strategic move or just an effort to show Trump that Moscow has the upper hand.

What about Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, captured in 2022?

Here, it's reported, Russia is offering to halt its offensive and freeze the lines.

But would Russia be prepared to give any of it back?

On Monday, Trump talked vaguely about "ocean-front property" – presumably a reference to some of this shoreline, along the Sea of Azov or Black Sea.

But this is all part of Putin's strategically vital land bridge connecting Russia to occupied Crimea.

It's hard to see the Russian leader agreeing to give any of it up. Like Donetsk and Luhansk, Putin regards these places as part of Russia, and illegally annexed them three years ago in four referendums widely regarded as a sham.

For Ukraine, and Europe, territorial swaps – at this very early stage of the talks – are a non-starter.

A discussion about future borders may eventually come, but only when the war has stopped and Ukraine's security has been guaranteed.

Claire's Accessories is on the brink of collapse after the fashion retailer said it will appoint administrators in the UK and Ireland, putting 2,150 jobs at risk.

The company has 278 stores in the UK and 28 in Ireland but has been struggling with falling sales and fierce competition.

All the shops will continue trading while administrators at Interpath, once appointed, will "assess options for the company".

Interpath chief executive Will Wright, said options include "exploring the possibility of a sale which would secure a future for this well-loved brand".

Claire's in the US filed for bankruptcy in the US earlier this month.

The firm operates under two brand names, Claire's and Icing, and is owned by a group of firms, including investment giant Elliott Management.

Students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will receive A-level, T-level and BTec National results on Thursday morning.

The amount of students getting top A-level results is expected to be broadly similar to 2024, after years of flux as a result of the Covid pandemic.

A record number of 18-year-olds will get into their first choice of university, the head of the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas) has predicted.

Dr Jo Saxton stressed that this year's Year 13s had received lower GCSE grades than previous cohorts as part of a plan to push down grade inflation that happened during Covid, and they would need universities to take that into account.

The pass rate for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher exams in Scotland rose across the board last week.

BTec National and Cambridge Technical results are also due to be released on Thursday along with AS-levels - which, in Wales and Northern Ireland, will count towards students' final A-level results next summer.

This is also the fourth year of results for vocational T-level qualifications in England.

To achieve the technical qualification, time is split between classroom learning and industry placements - with students awarded a pass, merit, distinction or distinction* after two years of work and study.

• More teens to get their choice of uni even if they miss their grades, says Ucas
• Your full guide to A-level results day
• What are T-levels and what are the grades worth?
• What are BTecs and how are they graded?

Freya, a student at Middlesbrough College, will be getting her grade for a T-level in health.

"It gives you a hands-on experience in what sort of things you're going to do in a real-world scenario, rather than just learning from a book," she said.

She is about to start a full-time job in an NHS maternity department, and hopes to ultimately become a midwife.

"I thought coming here [and] doing this course would give me the theoretical and physical knowledge to be able to achieve what I want to do," she added.

Dr Jo Saxton, the chief executive of Ucas, said last week that it was a "really, really good year" for UK students applying to university.

She said universities were keen to enroll UK undergraduates because there was more "uncertainty" around international student numbers and domestic students offered universities "stability" for "financial planning".

They could "quite possibly" accept students who did not meet the conditions of their offer, she added.

• How much does university cost, and is it worth it?
• How do student loans work and when are they written off?
• What is an apprenticeship and how much are apprentices paid?
• 'I didn't go to uni - now I work as a celebrity photographer'

Dr Saxton also said Year 13 students would need universities to "respect and understand" the specific circumstances they have gone through.

They were in Year 8 and Year 9 during national lockdowns in 2020 and 2021.

Both years saw spikes in pass rates at GCSE and top grades at A-level, after exams were cancelled and results were based on teachers' assessments.

What followed was a phased effort to bring grades back in line with pre-pandemic levels.

The year that these students sat their GCSEs, 2023, was the final stage of that process in England. Grading returned to pre-pandemic standards in Wales and Northern Ireland last year.

It meant GCSE passes fell, with the steepest drop in England.

Dr Saxton said the "significant national programme to deflate their grades" at GCSE represented an "important backdrop" for those getting the grades for their Level 3 qualifications this week.

She also pointed out that, with GCSE grades down in 2023, fewer achieved the results they needed to start A-levels.

A-level entries fell from 825,355 last summer to 821,875 this summer, according to provisional data for England.

Dr Saxton said that students' previous grades would therefore "probably" be "fractionally higher" across the cohort.

Last year, with grading back to pre-pandemic standards across all three nations, 27.8% of all A-level grades were marked at A* or A - up from 27.2% in 2023 and 25.4% in 2019.

There is likely to be less emphasis this year on how grades compare to 2019 and more on how they compare to last year, since it is the second year that grading has returned to pre-pandemic levels across the board.

Students heading to university will pay higher fees in England and Wales this year. They have risen to £9,535 for undergraduate courses.

Maintenance loans have also gone up, meaning that students can borrow more to help with their living costs.

A man living at a hotel that has been the focus of a series of anti-migrant protests has been charged with assault and sexual assault offences.

Mohammed Sharwarq, 32, a Syrian national living at The Bell Hotel, Epping, Essex, has been charged with two counts of common assault, four of assault by beating, and one count of sexual assault on a male.

Essex Police said the offences were alleged to have taken place between 25 July and 12 August.

He was arrested on Tuesday and remanded in custody. Officers said they were not seeking any other suspects in relation to the case.

The hotel has been used by the Home Office to house asylum seekers, and has been the scene of a number of protests in recent weeks.

Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.

The BBC has apologised after a contributor to the Radio 4 Today programme's Thought for the Day slot accused shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick of "xenophobia".

Theologian and author Dr Krish Kandiah used the term about an article in which Jenrick said he wouldn't want his daughters living near "men from backward countries who broke into Britain illegally and about whom you know next to nothing".

In response, Jenrick said listeners had been told that "if you're concerned about the threat of illegal migrants to your kids, you're racist".

A BBC statement said that while Dr Kandiah's message was "broadly in line with expectations of Thought for the Day, some of the language it used went beyond that and we apologise for its inclusion".

Wednesday's episode of the Today programme was temporarily taken down from catch-up service BBC Sounds while three sentences were edited out of Thought for the Day.

The segment, which is broadcast during the Today programme but overseen by the BBC's religion department, features contributors from religious and theological backgrounds delivering messages related to topical themes and events.

On Wednesday, Dr Kandiah, founder of refugee charity The Sanctuary Foundation, referred to a Mail on Sunday article written by Jenrick this weekend.

He quoted a line from the Conservative politican that said: "I certainly don't want my children to share a neighbourhood with men from backward countries who broke into Britain illegally and about whom we know next to nothing."

Dr Kandiah continued: "These words echo a fear many have absorbed – fear of the stranger. The technical name for this is xenophobia. All phobias are, by definition, irrational. Nevertheless, they have a huge impact.

"It is understandable that many people are scared by the unknown, especially if they've been told illegality and unfairness are part of the story. However, over the past year, xenophobia has fuelled angry protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers, deepening divisions in our communities."

In response, Jenrick, who has three daughters aged 10, 12 and 14, posted: "On BBC Radio 4 this morning listeners were told that if you're concerned about the threat of illegal migrants to your kids, you're racist. Wrong. You're a good parent."

A BBC spokesperson said: "While its reflection on fear in society from a faith perspective is broadly in line with expectations of Thought for the Day, some of the language it used went beyond that and we apologise for its inclusion."

The BBC said it was apologising for the inclusion of an opinion in a place where it was inappropriate, not passing judgement on the rights or wrongs of the opinion.

In his Mail on Sunday article, Jenrick also described migrant crossings in the English Channel as "a national security emergency" and said he had sympathy with "the mothers and fathers peacefully protesting outside asylum hotels who have been pushed to breaking point".

More than 27,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel since the start of the year.

Small boat arrivals are a small percentage of the UK's overall immigration figure. In 2024, an estimated 948,000 people arrived expecting to stay at least a year, while an estimated 517,000 people left the country.

A major city in western Greece is under threat from fast-moving wildfires as extreme heat and strong winds drive blazes across much of southern Europe.

Searing winds pushed flames into the outskirts of Patras, the country's third-largest city with a population of around 200,000, forcing evacuations including a children's hospital, and sending plumes of smoke across the skyline.

Nearly 10,000 hectares have burned in the surrounding Achaia region in two days.

Entire villages have been emptied, homes and businesses destroyed and hundreds of vehicles incinerated, including more than 500 cars at a customs yard.

The streets of Patras were deserted on Wednesday, save for some residents watching in silence as the fires descended from the surrounding mountains.

Strong and scorching winds blew as temperatures hit 38C and smoke has blanketed the city, sending some to hospital with breathing difficulties.

Authorities ordered residents of a nearby town of 7,700 people to evacuate on Tuesday and fresh alerts were issued on Wednesday for two villages.

Elsewhere in Greece, dozens of people were rescued by coastguards as fires inched towards beaches on the islands of Zante and Chios.

Greece has requested EU water bombers to bolster the more than 4,800 firefighters tackling the more than 20 wildfires currently raging across the country.

The crisis comes as a heatwave blankets southern Europe, sparking blazes from Portugal to the Balkans.

In Spain, a civilian and a volunteer firefighter were killed on Wednesday during the country's tenth consecutive day of extreme heat, which peaked at 45C the day before.

The state weather agency warned almost all of Spain was at extreme or very high fire risk. The heatwave is expected to last until Monday, making it one of the longest in the country on record.

The fires have triggered a political row after transport minister Oscar Puente said that "things are getting a little hot" in Castile and León, where flames have threatened a world heritage Roman site and forced more than 6,000 people to flee.

His remark, aimed at the region's conservative leader for holidaying during the crisis, drew condemnation from opposition figures, who demanded his dismissal. Puente defended his comments, saying leaders absent during disasters should be held to account.

Authorities say 199 wildfires have destroyed nearly 99,000 hectares nationwide this year - double last year's total by mid-August - with several outbreaks suspected to be arson.

In neighbouring Portugal, 1,800 firefighters have been deployed against five major blazes, including one in the eastern town Trancoso reignited by lightning.

In Albania, the defence minister called it a "critical week" as 24 wildfires burned, forcing residents from central villages.

Italy has brought under control a five-day blaze on Mount Vesuvius but remains under extreme heat warnings in 16 cities, with Florence touching 39C. Temperatures are at such a high that Pope Leo moved his weekly audience from St. Peter's Square to an indoor venue in the Vatican.

Britain entered its fourth heatwave of the summer, with temperatures forecast to peak at 34C and health officials warning of a strain on care services.

Meteorologists say such extremes are becoming more frequent and intense due to human-induced climate change.

The US and Russia have agreed to hold a meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on Friday 15 August, to discuss how to end the war in Ukraine.

Trump announced the meeting a week beforehand - the same day as his deadline for Russia to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine or face more US sanctions.

Three rounds of talks between Russia and Ukraine held at Trump's behest this summer have yet to bring the two sides any closer to peace.

Here is what we know about the meeting between the two leaders, taking place in Alaska - which was once Russian territory - in Anchorage.

Why are they meeting in Alaska?

The US purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867, lending a historical resonance to the meeting. It became a US state in 1959.

Russian presidential assistant Yuri Ushakov pointed out that the two countries are neighbours, with only the Bering Strait separating them.

"It seems quite logical for our delegation simply to fly over the Bering Strait and for such an important and anticipated summit of the leaders of the two countries to be held in Alaska," Ushakov said.

The last time Alaska took centre-stage in an American diplomatic event was in March 2021, when Joe Biden's newly minted diplomatic and national security team met their Chinese counterparts in Anchorage.

The sit-down turned acrimonious, with the Chinese accusing the Americans of "condescension and hypocrisy".

Where in Alaska will Trump and Putin meet?

The meeting will be in Anchorage, the White House confirmed on Tuesday.

When announcing the bilateral, Trump said the location would be "a very popular one for a number of reasons", without disclosing it would be in the state's largest city.

The pair will be hosted at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, the largest military installation in Alaska. The 64,000 acre base is a key US site for Arctic military readiness.

Why are Putin and Trump meeting?

Trump has been pushing hard - without much success - to end the war in Ukraine.

As a presidential candidate, he pledged that he could end the war within 24 hours of taking office. He has also repeatedly argued that the war "never would have happened" if he had been president at the time of Russia's invasion in 2022.

Last month, Trump told the BBC that he was "disappointed" by Putin.

Frustrations grew and Trump set an 8 August deadline for Putin to agree to an immediate ceasefire or face more severe US sanctions.

As the deadline hit, Trump instead announced he and Putin would meet in person on 15 August.

The meeting comes after US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff held "highly productive" talks with Putin in Moscow on Wednesday, according to Trump.

Ahead of the meeting, the White House sought to play down speculation that the bilateral could yield a ceasefire.

"This is a listening exercise for the president," said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. She added that Trump may travel to Russia following the Alaska trip.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Trump said he viewed the summit as a "feel-out meeting" aimed at urging Putin to end the war.

• Trump says he will try to get back territory for Ukraine in talks with Putin
• Zelensky could still join Trump and Putin, but rest of Europe is shut out

Is Ukraine attending?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is not expected to attend. Trump said on Monday: "I would say he could go, but he's been to a lot of meetings."

Trump did, however, say that Zelensky would be the first person he would call afterwards.

A White House official later said that Trump and Zelensky would meet virtually on Wednesday, ahead of the US president's summit with Putin. The Zelensky meeting will be joined by several European leaders.

Putin had requested that Zelensky be excluded, although the White House has previously said that Trump was willing to hold a trilateral in which all three leaders were present.

Zelensky has said any agreements without input from Ukraine would amount to "dead decisions".

What do both sides hope to get out of it?

While both Russia and Ukraine have long said that they want the war to end, both countries want things that the other harshly opposes.

Trump said on Monday he was "going to try to get some of that [Russian-occupied] territory back for Ukraine". But he also warned that there might have to be "some swapping, changes in land".

Ukraine, however, has been adamant that it will not accept Russian control of regions that Moscow has seized, including Crimea.

Zelensky pushed back this week against any idea of "swapping" territories.

"We will not reward Russia for what it has perpetrated," the Ukrainian president said.

Meanwhile, Putin has not budged from his territorial demands, Ukraine's neutrality and the future size of its army.

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in part, over Putin's belief the Western defensive alliance, Nato, was using the neighbouring country to gain a foothold to bring its troops closer to Russia's borders.

The Trump administration has been attempting to sway European leaders on a ceasefire deal that would hand over swathes of Ukrainian territory to Russia, the BBC's US partner CBS News has reported.

The agreement would allow Russia to keep control of the Crimean peninsula, and take the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, which is made up of Donetsk and Luhansk, according to sources familiar with the talks.

Russia illegally occupied Crimea in 2014 and its forces control the majority of the Donbas region.

Under the deal, Russia would have to give up the Ukrainian regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, where it currently has some military control.

Speaking to Fox News, US Vice-President JD Vance said any future deal was "not going to make anybody super happy".

"You've got to make peace here… you can't finger point," he said.

"The way to peace is to have a decisive leader to sit down and force people to come together."

• ANALYSIS: Why Trump-Putin relationship has soured
• EXPLAINER: Why did Putin's Russia invade Ukraine?
• VISUALS: Tracking the war in maps
• GLOBAL FALLOUT: How the global economy could be impacted
• VERIFY: Russian attacks on Ukraine double since Trump inauguration
• GROUND REPORT: On Ukraine's front line, twisted wreckage shows sanctions haven't yet stopped Russia

The brother of the man who carried out the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing has been charged with attempting to murder three prison officers and assaulting a fourth.

Hashem Abedi, who was jailed in 2020 for helping his brother to plan the suicide bombing, is accused of attacking the four guards at the high-security HMP Frankland in County Durham on 11 April.

Abedi, who had been housed in a separation unit at the jail, also faces a charge of unauthorised possession of a knife in prison.

He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 18 September.

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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Claire's Accessories is on the brink of collapse after the fashion retailer said it will appoint administrators in the UK and Ireland, putting 2,150 jobs at risk.

The company has 278 stores in the UK and 28 in Ireland but has been struggling with falling sales and fierce competition.

All the shops will continue trading while administrators at Interpath, once appointed, will "assess options for the company".

Interpath chief executive Will Wright, said options include "exploring the possibility of a sale which would secure a future for this well-loved brand".

Claire's in the US filed for bankruptcy in the US earlier this month.

The firm operates under two brand names, Claire's and Icing, and is owned by a group of firms, including investment giant Elliott Management.

Three children have been charged with the murder of a man who was found dead on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent.

A 16-year-old girl and two boys, aged 14 and 15, were arrested following an altercation in Leysdown-on-Sea on Sunday night.

Alexander Cashford, 49, was pronounced dead at the scene, 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.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy has admitted he did not have a rod licence to go fishing with JD Vance and has blamed the oversight on an "administrative error".

Lammy has written to the Environment Agency to tell them about the mistake and has bought a fishing licence.

The agency says anglers in England and Wales aged 13 or over must have a rod fishing licence to fish for freshwater species and can be fined if they do not have one.

The foreign secretary did not catch any fish when he went angling with the US vice-president at his official residence at Chevening House, Kent, last week.

The two men went carp fishing in a pond near the 17th-century house before they held talks about Gaza and other international affairs at the residence during Vance's family holiday to the UK.

At the start of their meeting, the vice-president said: "Unfortunately, the one strain on the special relationship is that all of my kids caught fish, but the foreign secretary did not."

All fish that were caught were returned to the private lake.

It is not clear if Vance had bought a fishing licence. The BBC has asked his spokesperson for comment.

In a statement, the Foreign Office said: "The foreign secretary has written to the Environment Agency over an administrative oversight that meant the appropriate licences had not been acquired for fishing on a private lake as part of a diplomatic engagement at Chevening House last week.

"As soon as the foreign secretary was made aware of the administrative error, he successfully purchased the relevant rod fishing licences.

"He also wrote to the Environment Agency notifying them of the error, demonstrating how it would be rectified, and thanking them for their work protecting Britain's fisheries."

A one-day licence for trout and coarse fishing costs £7.30.

Fishing illegally can incur a fine of up to £2,500, and offenders can also have their fishing equipment seized.

In February, the Environment Agency said six anglers were found guilty of fishing illegally in London and were fined £2,182 collectively.

At the time, Richard Tyner, area fisheries team leader at the Environment Agency, said: "We inspect rod licences 24/7, 7 days a week to check on cases of illegal fishing, and for those caught cheating the system, we will always prosecute.

"Illegal fishing undermines the Environment Agency's efforts to protect fish stocks and make fishing sustainable."

The BBC asked the Environment Agency if Lammy had been fined and it did not respond to the question.

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: "Everyone who goes fishing needs licence to help improve our rivers, lakes and the sport anglers love.

"We understand the relevant licences have been purchased."

A 10-year-old chess prodigy from north-west London has become the youngest person to earn the woman international master title.

Bodhana Sivanandan, from Harrow, also became the youngest female player to beat a chess grandmaster at the 2025 British Chess Championship earlier this month.

In 2024 Bodhana was thought to have become the youngest person ever to represent England internationally in any sport when she was selected for England Women's Team at the Chess Olympiad in Hungary.

Her father Siva previously told the BBC he had no idea where his daughter got her talent from as neither he or his wife, both engineering graduates, are any good at chess.

The International Chess Federation said on its social media account on X that Bodhana "pulled off the win against 60-year-old Grandmaster Peter Wells in the last round of the 2025 British Chess Championships in Liverpool".

The federation added: "Sivanandan's victory at 10 years, five months and three days beats the 2019 record held by American Carissa Yip (10 years, 11 months and 20 days)."

Grandmaster is the highest title a chess player can attain and the rank is held for life.

Bodhana's new title - woman international master - is the second highest-ranking title given exclusively to women, second only to woman grandmaster.

Bodhana first took up chess during the Covid-19 pandemic.

She told the BBC last year: "When one of my dad's friends was going back to India, he gave us a few bags [of possessions].

"There was a chess board, and I was interested in the pieces so I started playing."

She says chess makes her feel "good" and helps her with "lots of other things like maths, how to calculate".

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk

The amount of people in the UK visiting the most popular pornography sites has decreased after new age verification rules came into place, new figures indicate.

Data analytics firm Similarweb said leading adult site Pornhub lost more than one million visitors in just two weeks.

Pornhub and other major adult websites introduced advanced age checks on 25 July after the Online Safety Act said sites must make it harder for under-18s to see explicit material.

Data experts at Similarweb compared the daily average user figures of popular pornography sites from 1 to 9 August with the daily average figures for July.

Pornhub is the UK's most visited website for adult content and it experienced a 47% decrease in traffic between 24 July, one day before the new rules came into place, and 8 August, according to Similarweb's data.

Over the same time period, traffic to XVideos, another leading adult site, was also down 47% and OnlyFans saw traffic drop by over 10%.

The number of average daily visits to Pornhub fell from 3.2 million in July to 2 million in the first nine days of August.

However, the data also showed that some smaller and less well regulated pornography sites saw visits increase.

This comes after Virtual private network (VPN) apps became the most downloaded on Apple's App Store in the UK in the days after the age verification rules were enforced.

VPNs can disguise your location online - allowing you to use the internet as though you are in another country.

The apps would also make it harder to collect data on how many people are visiting sites from specific locations.

Media regulator Ofcom estimates 14 million people watch online pornography.

It has set out a number of ways websites can verify the age of users including through credit card checks, photo ID matching and estimating age using a selfie.

Critics have suggested an unintended consequence of the changes could be to drive people to more extreme content in darker corners of the internet, such as the dark web.

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The US and Russia have agreed to hold a meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on Friday 15 August, to discuss how to end the war in Ukraine.

Trump announced the meeting a week beforehand - the same day as his deadline for Russia to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine or face more US sanctions.

Three rounds of talks between Russia and Ukraine held at Trump's behest this summer have yet to bring the two sides any closer to peace.

Here is what we know about the meeting between the two leaders, taking place in Alaska - which was once Russian territory - in Anchorage.

Why are they meeting in Alaska?

The US purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867, lending a historical resonance to the meeting. It became a US state in 1959.

Russian presidential assistant Yuri Ushakov pointed out that the two countries are neighbours, with only the Bering Strait separating them.

"It seems quite logical for our delegation simply to fly over the Bering Strait and for such an important and anticipated summit of the leaders of the two countries to be held in Alaska," Ushakov said.

The last time Alaska took centre-stage in an American diplomatic event was in March 2021, when Joe Biden's newly minted diplomatic and national security team met their Chinese counterparts in Anchorage.

The sit-down turned acrimonious, with the Chinese accusing the Americans of "condescension and hypocrisy".

Where in Alaska will Trump and Putin meet?

The meeting will be in Anchorage, the White House confirmed on Tuesday.

When announcing the bilateral, Trump said the location would be "a very popular one for a number of reasons", without disclosing it would be in the state's largest city.

The pair will be hosted at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, the largest military installation in Alaska. The 64,000 acre base is a key US site for Arctic military readiness.

Why are Putin and Trump meeting?

Trump has been pushing hard - without much success - to end the war in Ukraine.

As a presidential candidate, he pledged that he could end the war within 24 hours of taking office. He has also repeatedly argued that the war "never would have happened" if he had been president at the time of Russia's invasion in 2022.

Last month, Trump told the BBC that he was "disappointed" by Putin.

Frustrations grew and Trump set an 8 August deadline for Putin to agree to an immediate ceasefire or face more severe US sanctions.

As the deadline hit, Trump instead announced he and Putin would meet in person on 15 August.

The meeting comes after US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff held "highly productive" talks with Putin in Moscow on Wednesday, according to Trump.

Ahead of the meeting, the White House sought to play down speculation that the bilateral could yield a ceasefire.

"This is a listening exercise for the president," said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. She added that Trump may travel to Russia following the Alaska trip.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Trump said he viewed the summit as a "feel-out meeting" aimed at urging Putin to end the war.

• Trump says he will try to get back territory for Ukraine in talks with Putin
• Zelensky could still join Trump and Putin, but rest of Europe is shut out

Is Ukraine attending?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is not expected to attend. Trump said on Monday: "I would say he could go, but he's been to a lot of meetings."

Trump did, however, say that Zelensky would be the first person he would call afterwards.

A White House official later said that Trump and Zelensky would meet virtually on Wednesday, ahead of the US president's summit with Putin. The Zelensky meeting will be joined by several European leaders.

Putin had requested that Zelensky be excluded, although the White House has previously said that Trump was willing to hold a trilateral in which all three leaders were present.

Zelensky has said any agreements without input from Ukraine would amount to "dead decisions".

What do both sides hope to get out of it?

While both Russia and Ukraine have long said that they want the war to end, both countries want things that the other harshly opposes.

Trump said on Monday he was "going to try to get some of that [Russian-occupied] territory back for Ukraine". But he also warned that there might have to be "some swapping, changes in land".

Ukraine, however, has been adamant that it will not accept Russian control of regions that Moscow has seized, including Crimea.

Zelensky pushed back this week against any idea of "swapping" territories.

"We will not reward Russia for what it has perpetrated," the Ukrainian president said.

Meanwhile, Putin has not budged from his territorial demands, Ukraine's neutrality and the future size of its army.

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in part, over Putin's belief the Western defensive alliance, Nato, was using the neighbouring country to gain a foothold to bring its troops closer to Russia's borders.

The Trump administration has been attempting to sway European leaders on a ceasefire deal that would hand over swathes of Ukrainian territory to Russia, the BBC's US partner CBS News has reported.

The agreement would allow Russia to keep control of the Crimean peninsula, and take the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, which is made up of Donetsk and Luhansk, according to sources familiar with the talks.

Russia illegally occupied Crimea in 2014 and its forces control the majority of the Donbas region.

Under the deal, Russia would have to give up the Ukrainian regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, where it currently has some military control.

Speaking to Fox News, US Vice-President JD Vance said any future deal was "not going to make anybody super happy".

"You've got to make peace here… you can't finger point," he said.

"The way to peace is to have a decisive leader to sit down and force people to come together."

• ANALYSIS: Why Trump-Putin relationship has soured
• EXPLAINER: Why did Putin's Russia invade Ukraine?
• VISUALS: Tracking the war in maps
• GLOBAL FALLOUT: How the global economy could be impacted
• VERIFY: Russian attacks on Ukraine double since Trump inauguration
• GROUND REPORT: On Ukraine's front line, twisted wreckage shows sanctions haven't yet stopped Russia

The Metropolitan Police says 146 people have now come forward to report a crime in their investigation into former Harrod's boss Mohammed Al Fayed.

In a video update sent to victims, Scotland Yard said women and men had reported crimes, and a number of new witnesses had also contacted the force to give evidence.

The Met is currently conducting an investigation into how it handled historical allegations, including sexual assault and rape, perpetrated by Al Fayed - who died in 2023 aged 94.

It is also looking into whether there may have been others who could face charges for enabling or assisting his behaviour. The force has previously said it was investigating at least five people.

In the update, Detective Inspector Karen Khan said the Met was working with international agencies, including foreign police forces.

She said it was "difficult" to say when the investigation might be concluded because of the sheer number of survivors who had come forward.

She also asked for victims and witnesses to continue to come forward but acknowledged there was a "reluctance" to trust the police by some.

Last month, the force wrote to alleged victims apologising, saying it was "truly sorry" for the distress they have suffered because Al Fayed will never face justice.

The latest figure is more than double the 61 people who the Met said had reported allegations the last time it released a number in October.

Harrods said more than 100 victims of Al Fayed's abuse had entered its compensation scheme in July. Al Fayed owned the luxury department store between 1985 and 2010.

The store started issuing compensation at the end of April and the scheme remains open for new applications until 31 March 2026.

Eligible applicants could receive up to £385,000 in compensation, plus treatment costs, if they agree to be assessed by a consultant psychiatrist, Harrods said in March.

They are also offered a meeting with a senior Harrods' representative to receive an apology in person or by video, as well as a written apology.

The extent of Al Fayed's predatory behaviour was brought to light by a BBC documentary and podcast, broadcast in September 2024.

Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods heard testimony from more than 20 female ex-Harrods employees who said Al Fayed sexually assaulted or raped them.

Since then, dozens more women have come forward with similar experiences.

Responding to the BBC investigation at the time, Harrods' current owners said they were "utterly appalled" by the allegations and that his victims had been failed - for which the store sincerely apologised.

It was only after the broadcast that the Met revealed it had been approached by 21 women before Al Fayed's death, who accused him of sexual offences including rape, sexual assault and trafficking. Despite this, he was never charged with any offences.

In October, the Met said 40 new allegations including sexual assault and rape had been made against Al Fayed, covering a period between 1979 and 2013. These allegations were in addition to the 21 it had already received.

Two complaints against the Met Police for its handing of allegations against Al Fayed are being investigated by the force under the direction of the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

Trouble on the streets, rising tension in communities, and angry scenes outside immigration hotels - in many cases fuelled by rumours on social media.

Moments like these are what police chiefs and the government are keen to avoid.

Riots across England and Northern Ireland last summer were partly triggered by misinformation on social media, which said the man responsible for the murder of three girls in Southport was an illegal migrant.

But in recent months, police have been inconsistent on when they have disclosed the ethnicity of a suspect.

When a car drove into a crowd at a bus parade for Liverpool FC in the city in May, police were quick to say a white man had been arrested over the incident to defuse any trouble.

But Warwickshire Police was not so forthcoming with details earlier this month when two men in Nuneaton were charged in connection with an alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl.

Reform UK claimed the men were asylum seekers, and reports suggested they were Afghans - but this was not confirmed by police.

This led to claims of a "cover-up" - something Warwickshire Police fiercely denied.

The force said it simply followed police guidance, which at the time did not include revealing the ethnicity and immigration status of suspects.

The ongoing debate has led to an update in police guidance on what to disclose when someone is charged with a crime.

The National Police Chiefs' Council, along with the College of Policing, have come up with the advice for forces across the UK.

It states they should consider revealing the suspect's ethnicity and nationality in high-profile and sensitive investigations and operations.

But how will it work in practice?

The guidance says if someone is arrested, officers should provide only the suspect's sex and age.

Police want to be certain there are no legal issues surrounding disclosing more details, and the decision to do so is up to individual forces.

When the suspect is charged, it says police can provide their name, date of birth and address.

This has been updated to say police should consider revealing the race and nationality.

The BBC understands this will apply when the case is of public interest or involves a serious offence - such as murder, rape, or an assault involving numerous victims.

However, there is no single definition of what constitutes a serious offence and this would need assessing on a case-by-case basis.

Ultimately, it will be up to the individual police force to decide what it discloses, but decisions are likely to be based on factors such as the risk of local unrest or inflammatory social media rumours.

What are the pitfalls?

There are concerns among some police officers that revealing these details could be counterintuitive.

One Metropolitan Police officer told the BBC: "Stating whether someone is black or brown could fuel the far-right and racism towards certain communities, rather than calm it down."

Another said it was important not to disclose more information than is necessary to avoid influencing a future trial - although revealing a suspect's race and nationality is unlikely to do this.

It is also up to the force whether they give these details even earlier - such as when someone is arrested - if for example they sense potential trouble in the community.

The immediate aftermath of a high-profile, public incident could be when the risk of online speculation and tensions is highest, but a charging decision may not be made for at least a day or two.

Police will need to assess whether there are any legal issues in releasing more information at the point of arrest, such as the right to a fair trial and presumption of innocence, as well as the suspect's right to privacy.

The former chief constable of Greater Manchester Police, Sir Peter Fahy, believes it will cause suspicion and misunderstanding if police release some details in certain cases and not others.

"People could create a story which isn't true because they've disclosed certain information and it's a dangerous road to go down," he said.

But he argues police are in an impossible situation because social media is fast moving, and officers need to quash falsehoods as quickly as possible.

It will be up to the Home Office whether a suspect's immigration status will be revealed.

But some police officers are concerned this could cause tension between the government and police chiefs.

A senior police officer said: "Policing should be a job for police officers and not ministers."

The new guidance is not permanent yet, with the Authorised Professional Practice (APP) - the official source of professional practice for policing - currently reviewing it.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp has said he was pelted with bottles and had a knife pulled on him while speaking to migrants in a camp in northern France.

The Conservative MP posted a video on social media discussing the incident with Daily Express journalist Zak Garner-Purkis who has accompanied him on his visit to France.

In the clip, Philp says: "I found it pretty shocking - you said behind me somebody had pulled out some sort of machete and we left pretty quickly."

Mr Garner-Purkis says the man was "swinging it around in the air" adding: "It was, clear he was doing it to send a message to the other people there - whether it was a case of 'don't speak'."

In the video, the two men are recounting the incident while walking along the side of a road at which point objects can be seen being thrown at them.

Mr Garner-Purkis says "they are throwing bottles at us" and Philp says: "Right, we've got to go."

A gleaming white Vivaro van drove slowly off the production line at Vauxhall's factory in Luton, beeping its horn, while workers cheered and crowded around taking photographs.

Behind it, the production line came to a halt – forever.

The Luton plant began building cars in 1905. It kept operating for the next 120 years, taking time out to build tanks and aircraft engines during World War Two. But on 28 March, that came to an end.

The factory shut down, a victim of cutbacks at Vauxhall's parent company, Stellantis.

Justin Nicholls, a production shift manager, was one of the 1,100 workers there - he had worked at the plant for 38 years. "It was devastating, because it came out of the blue", he says. "It was a complete surprise."

It followed the closure of Honda's car factory in Swindon in 2021, and Ford's engine plant in Bridgend the year before.

Together, they have come to symbolise an apparent long-term decline in the UK motor industry.

In all, just 417,000 new cars and vans were built in the UK in the first six months of 2025, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) - the lowest for that period since 1953.

Output for the year is expected to be around 755,000 vehicles — lower even than during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The SMMT's chief executive, Mike Hawes, described the situation as "depressing".

The sector contributes some £22bn a year to the economy, according to the SMMT, and as recently as 2023 automotive manufacturing employed some 198,000 people in the UK.

Andy Palmer, who was previously chief executive of Aston Martin, believes the ecosystem - and the sum it contributes to the economy - can only survive if the industry maintains its current scale.

"There is a critical mass of employment," he explains. "Once you go below that, you see it all fall apart.

"You don't have the university courses, you don't have people coming across from the aero industry, you don't have the pipeline of skilled engineers that allow the luxury firms to exist, and so on."

And the knock-on effect of this could affect regions already facing challenges.

"If we think about parts of the UK that have automotive plants, they're often disadvantaged regions," says David Bailey, professor of business economics at Birmingham Business School.

"Losing these good quality jobs would have a big impact in terms of wages for workers and also a knock-on effect in terms of the multiplier on the local economy."

He is concerned about what has already been lost. "I'd argue that actually we've let too much of this go already. I think once it's gone, it's really gone."

The question is, can the industry recover - or is it too late?

A concealed deeper problem

The UK car industry is sprawling. Alongside large factories run by the likes of JLR, Nissan, BMW MINI and Toyota, there is a network of suppliers and high-tech specialist engineering firms, along with a number of smaller, luxury car firms, such as Aston Martin, Bentley, Rolls-Royce and McLaren, plus bus and truck manufacturers.

In 2016, the UK produced 1.82m new vehicles – more than at any point since 1999. Yet even at that point, storm clouds were already gathering. And the industry has suffered further over the past decade.

Factory closures have had an impact, but other factors have been at play as well, including uncertainty over US trade policy, which has hit exports to a major market.

Then there was the role of Brexit.

"Obviously, Brexit had a big impact", says Santiago Arieu, senior autos research analyst at Fitch Solutions. "It created uncertainty and complicated future visibility."

As a result, experts say new investment suffered – just as the industry was gearing up for the massive changes being brought by the transition to electric vehicles.

The agreement with the EU to guarantee continued tariff-free trade soothed the industry's concerns when it came. But by then, there was another challenge to contend with.

The pandemic caused havoc within the industry globally.

In 2020, output dropped by nearly a third, hitting levels not seen since the mid-1980s. It also threw finely tuned global supply chains out of kilter and created shortages of vital parts.

Although demand for new cars was spiking, manufacturers simply couldn't build them quickly enough.

All of this caused short-term disruption - but the impact concealed a deeper, structural problem for the UK industry.

Quite simply, it has become an expensive place to build cars.

Part of this is to do with labour costs. Although lower than in some other Western European countries, particularly Germany, they are around twice the level seen in Central European nations such as Poland, Slovakia and Hungary.

Then, there are energy costs. British manufacturers currently pay some of the highest electricity prices in the world.

"Car makers operating in the UK also have factories in Europe and elsewhere, so it's not hard for them to find a replacement for their UK production," explains Felipe Munoz of JATO Dynamics.

The former chief executive of Stellantis, Carlos Tavares, has previously criticised the cost of manufacturing cars in the UK and northern Europe – while holding up the company's Kenitra factory in Morocco as a model of efficiency.

The investments starting to bear fruit

When the Luton plant shut last year, it was estimated by Luton Borough Council that the move could cost the regional economy £300m per year.

A small part of the workforce relocated to Stellantis' other UK plant, at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire, where the company is in the process of investing £50m in expanding production.

Of those who have not relocated, some retired. "[Others] are taking quite a reduction in pay", says Gary Reay, who was a representative of the Unite union at the plant.

The factory site has been bought by a property firm, Goodman - it plans to create more than 1,700 jobs at a new industrial park.

Mr Reay is unimpressed. "The problem for the workforce… is this is years down the road… It's too far away for most of our workers."

Yet there is hope in some quarters: it is possible this year's output may turn out to be a low point, as recent investments start to bear fruit.

In 2024, for example, Nissan stopped building its ageing electric Leaf model at its Sunderland plant — having previously been building about 30,000 a year. But it is due to begin making a new version this year and will start building an electric version of the Juke in 2026.

Nissan is also one of the manufacturers set to benefit from investments in gigafactories. Nissan's battery partner AESC is building one in Sunderland, which will be able to make power packs for 100,000 electric vehicles a year.

JLR's parent company, Tata, meanwhile, is investing in its own plant in Somerset, through its subsidiary Agratas.

The government says it wants to increase the number of cars and commercial vehicles built annually to 1.3m by 2035. The SMMT believes 803,000 vehicles will leave the production lines next year but bringing that up to 1.3m looks like a very tall order, according to Mike Hawes.

Greg McDonald, the CEO of Goodfish Group, is also circumspect. "I don't think many people think there's going to be a resurgence," he says.

His business makes injection moulded components for carmakers and has four sites across the UK. It also has a base in Slovakia.

"Suppliers like us are used to being constantly bid at for price and cost reductions, and there's a limit to how much you can do."

Diversifying or Chinese investment?

One way of mitigating this is for businesses to diversify - something more viable for smaller businesses in the sector.

Burnett's Manufacturing, based in Northampton, is one of many automotive suppliers clustered around the Midlands Corridor. A manufacturer of specialist rubber and plastic parts, it relies on the motor industry for about 40% of its business. But it also provides components for shipbuilders and oil and gas firms.

According to technical sales manager, Rich Dixon, smaller companies are more flexible and able to adapt to changing circumstances.

"I think we're lucky in some ways, because 60% of our business is diversified across many different industries," he says. "The last thing you want to be is 100% automotive.

"The difficulty is that higher up the food chain, there are some big companies that are very reliant on automotive."

Some argue there is another way forward. Chinese giants such as Chery Group and Dongfeng want to expand their international operations – and see the transition to electric vehicles as an opportunity to do this in the European market.

"If you embrace the move to electric vehicles and become a leading light in attracting Chinese investment, then you can do what China did to us in the past, which is essentially use collaboration to rebuild your industry," argues Andy Palmer, who now owns and invests in clean energy companies.

This would, he adds, require significant government action, including negotiations with Beijing.

The question is, is it already too late?

One senior executive, who has spent decades in the European industry, doesn't believe the UK will become a major player in the EV market.

"I don't think governments have spent the necessary time and energy preparing for the shift to EVs.

"I don't see much opportunity for new players to come in," says the executive, who asked not to be named. "It's all about encouraging those who are already here to stay, and if possible to expand."

Another option, Felipe Munoz believes, is that the UK could double down on its position as a key player in the market for high-end cars.

This could mean becoming a hub for the production of luxury Chinese designs, while allowing cheaper mass-market models to be built elsewhere.

"I think people globally are willing to pay a premium for a British-made luxury car," adds Prof Bailey.

The Great British 'brain drain'

There is plenty at stake here, and it goes beyond the impact on local communities when factories are lost or suppliers stop trading.

"I also worry about it in terms of impacts on productivity, exports, and research and development," says Prof Bailey.

"Part of the reason why we've got poor productivity performance in the UK is that we have allowed too much manufacturing to go."

This is where we differ from our European counterparts, argues Steve Fowler, EV editor for The Independent. "We tend not to support our homegrown industries in the same way that other countries do".

What is harder to assess is the loss of national prestige. When MG Rover collapsed in 2005, there was an outcry, not just because thousands lost their jobs, but also because it was perceived as a symbol of the wider decline of British industry.

This became even more marked when MG – a classic British brand – became a boutique badge for cars made in China.

Many of the upmarket brands that still build cars in this country deliberately trade on their British identity. Think of Rolls Royce, Bentley, McLaren and Lotus. Even BMW-Mini, a mass market manufacturer, is more than willing to wave the Union Jack – or rather, have it painted on door mirrors and roofs.

If those cars were no longer built in Britain, it might well be perceived as a national humiliation. And for some, the decline of the auto industry would almost certainly be perceived as a symptom of a much wider loss.

"I do think people are [becoming] much more aware of where things are made," argues Mr Fowler. "This isn't necessarily a nationalistic thing, but more a sustainability thing. Do you want your car to have travelled halfway around the world to reach you?"

Ultimately, he says, there is already "a bit of a brain drain of talent, because the opportunities, bluntly, aren't here in the UK.

"[But] the UK is a great place to make cars, we have incredible expertise, we have some of the best engineers and people who can build them better than anybody else."

Top image credit: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images

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As thousands of students across the UK open their exam results, many are getting ready for the next big step: university.

But that path isn't for everyone - and it doesn't have to be.

BBC News spoke to four former pupils who chose a different route and still landed their dream jobs.

From working with animals at Chester Zoo to photographing Harry Styles on tour, their stories show that skipping university doesn't mean missing out on success.

'Don't rush it'

When 29-year-old Lloyd Wakefield was growing up in Stockport, he didn't imagine his future behind a camera, and certainly not on tour with one of the biggest pop stars in the world.

"Up until college, my only goal was to be a footballer," he says.

"I'm not the most academic. I didn't click with any lessons outside of PE. I'm a hands-on person."

When football didn't work out, he took a job at Aldi.

"It took me two years to adjust, to find any kind of direction or purpose outside of football," he says.

He "caught a bug" for photography through a friend's film camera, spending their days off going out and taking photos together.

Teaching himself through YouTube and lots of trial and error, Lloyd began messaging agencies and chasing opportunities. That led him to a backstage gig at Fashion Week, and eventually to photographing Harry Styles' Love On Tour.

"If you told me when I was working in Aldi that I'd be in the music world, on a tour, it was so polar opposite of where I thought I was going to be."

His work at Love On Tour landed him the title of favourite tour photographer at the 2023 iHeartRadio Awards. He has also worked with other celebrities and brands such as Dua Lipa, EA, UFC and Arsenal FC.

Today, Lloyd runs Lloyd's Workshop, a creative community for young photographers without connections or formal training.

His advice for other young creatives is to take their time.

"There's no shame in getting a normal job," he says.

"Use it to fund your passion. Don't rush it."

Looking back, he says choosing not to go to university was the right call for him.

"I learned way more by just kind of putting myself in those situations on set. The benefits vastly outweigh the negatives."

'Just go for it'

Frazer Walsh's journey to working with lions didn't begin in a lab or lecture hall - it started with a job advert he spotted by chance.

"I applied for three different universities but I didn't want to go - it was just because I felt I had no other option," he says.

"Then I saw a Chester zookeeping apprenticeship listed and thought: 'Oh my god, that's my dream, it's something I've always wanted to do.'"

The 21-year-old, from Widnes in Cheshire, was "obsessed" with animals from a young age, he says, driving his mum "insane" with his love of David Attenborough.

But he had no idea how to turn that into a career.

"You don't really hear of many zookeepers, or if you do, you don't really know how they got into that position in the first place," he says.

Now a qualified keeper, Frazer is thriving.

"About a year into the apprenticeship, I was finally able to work with the lions by myself. They're your responsibility then, you're looking after them, and you take a lot of pride in it.

"That is something that I'll always keep with me."

Frazer's advice to school leavers is similar to Lloyd's.

"Just don't rush it, because it's your life, isn't it?" he says.

"A job like this is really once in a lifetime, so just go for it."

'It's okay not to have it all figured out'

For south Londoner Thaliqua Smith, film-making was always the dream, but going to university to get there just didn't feel right.

"I just felt like school should be done," she says.

"They were saying the only way for me to get into [directing and producing] was to go and do further studies. But it just wasn't something that I was particularly interested in."

After her dad suggested she look into an apprenticeship, Thaliqua found the Channel 4 production training scheme.

"It just sounded really cool," she says.

"I thought, 'Wow, this is great. I'm working, I'm learning for a year. I'm earning money for a year in a field that would be amazing.'"

Thaliqua was one of just 10 people selected for the first year of the scheme. From day one, she says she knew she was in the right place.

Now 25, she's worked on shows like The Apprentice, Naked Attraction, and Rich Flavours with Big Zuu and AJ Tracey. She's filmed abroad in Spain and New York and has moved up to the role of assistant producer.

"I didn't travel much as a kid, so to be flown to amazing places, staying in beautiful hotels, meeting insanely cool people - it's a dream come true."

Now she says she's passionate about spreading the word.

"Apprenticeships are amazing, [but] I had to dig through Google to find mine. They should be promoted way more."

Her advice is to "not let anyone convince you you can't do something".

"It's OK to not have it all figured out," she says.

"Even people who act like they've got it figured out probably don't."

Turning a hobby into a career

Faye Husband's school years were far from typical.

Diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, as well as Pots - a condition which causes dizziness - and hypermobility, she struggled with attendance and anxiety.

"I had a lot of time off and it was hard managing being off and then coming back to school and teachers and friends not understanding," the 19-year-old says.

She eventually left mainstream school and was homeschooled before joining a support unit called Strive.

"That literally gave me my GCSEs - I probably wouldn't have managed them if I wasn't there," she says.

After going to college and earning A-levels in criminology and psychology, Faye still wasn't sure about university. That's when her parents suggested turning a hobby into a career.

"I'd done my own nails for years and my mum and dad said, 'Why don't you do a course and do it for other people?'"

Working from a converted garage at home in Redcar, she now runs her business Phaze Nails which is often booked up to a month in advance.

Being self-employed has given Faye the room to thrive despite her health struggles.

"I've met so many nice people and made really strong friendships from it," she says.

"That's usually stuff I don't get the opportunity to do, because I don't go out a lot."

Faye says young people should not put too much pressure on themselves.

"Be kind to yourself," she says.

"Don't rush yourself into doing something that you're not ready to do."

Three children have been charged with the murder of a man who was found dead on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent.

A 16-year-old girl and two boys, aged 14 and 15, were arrested following an altercation in Leysdown-on-Sea on Sunday night.

Alexander Cashford, 49, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

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The average two-year mortgage rate has dipped below 5% for the first time since former Prime Minister Liz Truss's mini-budget in September 2022, figures show.

The rate has dropped to 4.99%, according to Moneyfacts, which described it as a "symbolic turning point" for homebuyers and shows lenders are "competing more aggressively".

Interest rates have been cut five times since last August but at the Bank of England's last meeting, a split vote between policymakers raised questions about whether there would be another reduction this year.

A Moneyfacts spokesperson said that although mortgages are following the "mood music" set by the Bank's rate cuts, they are unlikely to fall at the same pace.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that Gaza ceasefire efforts are now focused on a comprehensive deal to release all the remaining hostages at once.

The plan previously being pushed was for an initial 60-day truce and partial release of living hostages.

Hamas says a delegation of its leaders is in Cairo for "preliminary talks" with Egyptian officials.

Reports say that mediators see a window of opportunity in the coming weeks to try to push a deal through.

After indirect talks between Israel and Hamas broke down last month, Israel announced a controversial plan to widen its military offensive and conquer all the Gaza Strip - including the areas where most of its two million Palestinian residents have sought refuge.

However, Israeli media do not expect the new operation to begin until October - allowing time for military preparations, including a mass call-up of reservists.

In the meantime, witnesses say that Israel has stepped up its attacks on Gaza City with intense air strikes in the past day, destroying homes.

Early on Wednesday, al-Shifa Hospital said seven members of one family, five of them children, were killed when tents were targeted in Tel al-Hawa. Al-Ahli Hospital said 10 people were killed in a strike on a house in the Zaytoun area.

The Israeli military chief Lt Gen Eyal Zamir also "approved the main framework for the IDF's operational plan in the Gaza Strip", a statement released by the army said.

In an interview with the i24 Israeli TV Channel shown on Tuesday, Netanyahu was asked if a partial ceasefire was still possible.

"I think it's behind us," he replied. "We tried, we made all kinds of attempts, we went through a lot, but it turned out that they were just misleading us."

"I want all of them," he said of the hostages. "The release of all the hostages, both alive and dead - that's the stage we're at."

Palestinian armed groups still hold 50 hostages taken in the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023 that triggered the war. Israel believes that around 20 of them are still alive.

Netanyahu is under mounting domestic pressure to secure their release as well as over his plans to expand the war.

Last week, unnamed Arab officials were quoted as saying that regional mediators, Egypt and Qatar, were preparing a new framework for a deal that would involve releasing all remaining hostages at the same time in return for an end to the war and the withdrawal of Israeli troops.

However, this will be difficult to do in a short time frame as Israel is demanding that Hamas give up control of Gaza as well as its weapons.

This is likely to be why, at a news conference on Tuesday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told journalists that Cairo was still "making great efforts" with Qatar and the US - the other mediators - to revive the earlier phased plan.

"The main goal is to return to the original proposal - a 60-day ceasefire - along with the release of some hostages and some Palestinian prisoners, and the flow of humanitarian and medical aid into Gaza without obstacles or conditions," Abdelatty said.

The Israeli prime minister says Israel's goals have not changed. He says that the war will end only when all hostages are returned and Hamas surrenders.

Netanyahu has said that, ultimately, Israel must keep open-ended security control over Gaza.

Hamas has long called for a comprehensive deal to exchange the hostages it is holding for Palestinian prisoners in Israel jails. It also wants a full pull-out of Israeli forces and an end to the war.

It refuses to disarm unless an independent Palestinian state is created.

Speaking to i24, Netanyahu also reiterated an idea that Palestinians should simply leave the territory through "voluntary" emigration, saying: "They're not being pushed out, they'll be allowed to exit."

He went on: "All those who are concerned for the Palestinians and say they want to help the Palestinians should open their gates and stop lecturing us."

Palestinians, human rights groups and many in the international community have warned that any forced displacement of people from Gaza violates international law.

Many Palestinians fear a repeat of what they call the "Nakba" (Catastrophe) when hundreds of thousands fled or were forced from their homes in the fighting that came before and after the state of Israel was created in 1948.

Most Gazans are descendants of those original refugees and themselves hold official refugee status.

UN-backed experts have warned of widespread famine unfolding in Gaza, where Israel has greatly limited the amount of humanitarian aid it allows in.

The UN's World Food Programme has warned that starvation and malnutrition are at the highest levels in Gaza since the conflict began.

Hamas's 2023 attack killed about 1,200 people in Israel, with 251 taken into Gaza as hostages.

Israel's offensive has since killed at least 61,722 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. It says that 235 people including 106 children have also died due to starvation and malnutrition.

An amber heat health alert remains place for parts of the UK until 1800 on Wednesday, as areas in England and Wales officially entered their fourth heatwave this summer.

Temperatures will rise into the high 20Cs and low 30Cs, with parts of the East Midlands, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire experiencing the hottest weather with a maximum temperature of 33C forecast on Wednesday afternoon.

Wednesday brings "a more complex picture", the Met Office has said, as high temperatures coincide with a chance of thunderstorms across northern areas.

A yellow weather warning for thunderstorms will be in place for some parts of Scotland between 14:00 and midnight.

The weather warning, issued by the Met Office, covers northern, central and south-east Scotland, where showers are forecast. Conditions could be particularly heavy and thundery.

The downpours could lead to some localised disruption, with road spray and flash flooding leading to difficult conditions.

There are further heavy and thundery showers expected across Scotland and Northern Ireland on Thursday, with an additional yellow weather warning in place from midnight on Wednesday until 22:00 on Thursday.

While Scotland and Northern Ireland will not technically be in a heatwave, due to the three consecutive day rule, temperatures there are still well above the average for the time of year with a forecast of 25C to 29C on Wednesday.

The threshold is 25C for most of the UK, but rises to 28C in London and its surrounding areas, where temperatures are typically higher.

Areas in south-west England, south-west Midlands, north-west England and East Anglia already met the heatwave criteria, by having three consecutive days above a certain temperature.

• How to stay safe during a storm and what to do in a power cut
• Extreme weather is the UK's new normal, says Met Office
• How do heat health alerts work?

An amber heat health alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office, means the weather's impacts are likely to be felt across the health service. It is under these circumstances that we can see an increase in risk to health for individuals aged over 65, or those with pre-existing health conditions.

Amber alerts are in place for London, the South East, East of England, West Midlands and East Midlands. A yellow heat health alert is in place for the South West, North East, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber.

Climate change is making heatwaves like those parts of the UK and Europe have experienced this summer more frequent and intense.

Extreme weather events in Europe should be treated as "a health emergency, not just a climate one", a World Health Organization (WHO) advisory group that looks into the health impacts of climate change said on Wednesday.

Citing a 2023 report, the Pan-European Commission on Climate and Health said that heat-related mortality in Europe has increased by 30% in the past two decades, with more than 100,000 deaths recorded.

There is no current law in the UK for maximum workplace temperatures, although employers have an obligation to keep them at a comfortable level.

Trade union Unite has called for the introduction of a maximum working temperature to be set at 30C and for work to be stopped where temperatures cannot be controlled indoors or when no protection - such as shaded areas - can be provided outdoors.

Overheating can lead to heat exhaustion or heatstroke. Heatstroke is considered to be a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment.

Older adults, young children and people with long-term health conditions are especially at risk.

Highest temperatures of 2025:

• England - 35.8C Faversham, 1July
• Wales - 33.1C Cardiff Bute Park, 12 July
• Scotland - 32.2C Aviemore, 12 July
• Northern Ireland - 30C Magilligan, 12 July

The heat will ease for most on Thursday with some thunderstorms and some cooler, less humid air into Friday - but temperatures could rise again into the weekend.

Thursday will still be a very warm day for eastern and south-east England, with temperatures reaching 29C. Elsewhere the forecast temperatures will be slightly lower at 24C to 27C.

Friday could be hotter again with temperatures rising back above 30C in south-east England and to mid to high 20s elsewhere across England and Wales.

It then stays very warm into the weekend. While cloudy at times, especially in the mornings over the coming days, there will still be lots of sunshine for most of us.

The lack of any significant rain into next week is another concern, especially for farmers and growers, as well as for those in areas experiencing a drought and hosepipe bans.

England is suffering widespread environmental effects from the shortage of water, which is hitting farms, damaging wildlife and increasing wildfires, the national drought group - which includes the Met Office, regulators, the government and water companies - said.

The group met on Tuesday as Yorkshire, Cumbria and Lancashire, Greater Manchester Merseyside and Cheshire, East Midlands, and the West Midlands experienced drought.

North-east England, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, East Anglia, Thames, Wessex, Solent and South Downs are currently classed as areas "in prolonged dry weather", the phase before drought.

Droughts began to occur earlier than expected this summer following a long period of low rainfall and the sixth driest spring since records began in 1836.

Millions of people in England are now under hosepipe bans aimed at limiting water consumption.

"This has been the turning point for me - it's improved my confidence, my own self-belief."

Single mum Roxanne Freeman says she lived beyond her means and used her credit cards to support her family, even using one to put down a deposit on a caravan.

She had racked up £13,000 worth of debt by summer 2023, but her fortunes changed after she turned her hand to content creation, filming and posting reviews of plus-size clothing on TikTok.

The 36-year-old from Leicester earns commissions on her videos - up to £5,000 a month now, she says - and has cleared her debt.

Roxanne is among a growing number of people turning to social media to boost their income and says: "It's literally life-changing."

Roxanne was working as a Slimming World consultant when she bought a dress from TikTok Shop and filmed herself trying it on before posting a review for her 1,000 followers in February 2024.

She says she earned £200 in commission from the dress manufacturer in a week - 10% for each one bought via the link she posted with her video - and was soon approached by other companies offering her samples to review.

"In my second month I earned £600 and it just went up and up gradually," she adds.

"I'm now earning up to £5,000 per month from just two to three hours' work a day, it's insane."

'Imposter syndrome'

Roxanne, who now has almost 50,000 followers, has since left her slimming consultant job and relies solely on her income from TikTok.

She says her earnings vary each month depending on her followers, but she has earned enough to pay off her debts and to do more with her sons, aged six and 10.

"I took the kids on holiday - my youngest boy had never been abroad before," she says.

"Sometimes imposter syndrome does sneak in a little bit and I worry, but you could lose any job tomorrow."

Like Roxanne, married couple Holly and Diego Hernandez also earn money by posting videos on TikTok.

Holly, from Leicester, and Diego, from Mexico, met on the social media platform when they were 16 and went on to set up an account to document their relationship and daily life.

The couple now have almost 300,000 followers and earn up to £5,000 a month, but they have both kept their day jobs - Holly, 22, is a nurse and Diego, 23, works for a medical supply company.

Some of their income comes via the TikTok Creator Fund, which pays users for their content.

To be eligible, creators must be 18 or older, have 10,000 followers or more and have had at least 100,000 video views in the 30 days before applying to join the fund.

For Holly and Diego, who live in Leicester, they are paid according to their video interactions.

They are also paid by record labels to play particular songs in the background of their videos.

Due to their success, the couple have become a limited company - registered with Companies House - and have signed with a management agency.

Holly says: "We were so young when the money came in, and we were going on amazing holidays and buying things.

"I wish there was somebody back then who guided us, because I think we would have invested or saved it.

"In the beginning, I was trying to manage the monetary side of it myself and I found it really overwhelming.

"Things like taxes came into play, so we ended up getting an accountant and becoming a limited company."

The couple post videos most days but admit there are negatives to sharing their lives so openly.

"I think the biggest downside is the trolls," says Holly.

"There's always someone hounding you because of our relationship or the way that we look, the way we speak or the way we dress.

"It can get to you when it's constant."

Estelle Keeber, also from Leicester, started a Facebook group aimed at female business owners in 2017 and, after gaining a large following, started charging for her social media expertise.

The 42-year-old says she turned over £1.2m in the first two years and now runs a social media marketing consultancy firm called Immortal Monkey.

"Whether you want to be an influencer or an affiliate marketer, there has never been a better time for people to be jumping in," she says.

"But it does takes time, it takes a lot of hard work, especially if you're building a brand around yourself. It is constant hard work."

Estelle is now setting up a community interest company to link influencers with schools to educate the next generation on content creation.

"I think influencer marketing is here to stay because it's an organic way of marketing," she says.

"Nobody wants to be sold to, whereas when it's organic, people trust and believe in that person - and the bigger brands are really understanding this now."

'Big, fat juicy tax bill'

According to Statista, a global data and business intelligence platform, there are 54 million social media users in the UK and 84% of adults follow an influencer.

But anyone who makes a living from or supplements their income by posting content online is subject to the same tax laws as everyone else.

According to Revenue and Customs, income from creating online content includes gifts and services received from promoting products on social media.

If someone's total income is more than the £1,000 allowance for the tax year, including any gifts and services received, they must tell HMRC about it.

Zubair Ali, managing partner of MyTaxDoc Accountants, based in Birmingham, says three in 10 of the firm's clients are social media influencers.

"Just because you've got a million followers, HMRC won't let it slide," Zubair says.

"The last thing anyone wants is a big, fat juicy tax bill which they haven't got the means to pay for."

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Welsh Labour politician Hefin David has died suddenly, aged 47.

Mr David had been Member of the Senedd (MS) for Caerphilly since 2016.

Paying tribute, First Minister and Welsh Labour leader Eluned Morgan called him an "outstanding politician" who would be "greatly missed".

Gwent Police said a 47-year-old man was found unresponsive at a property in Nelson, Caerphilly county, on Tuesday evening, and the death was not being treated as suspicious.

His partner was Cynon Valley MS Vikki Howells, the minister for further and higher education in the Welsh Labour government.

The first minister said: "We are extremely saddened by the sudden death of Hefin. Our thoughts are with his family at this terrible time.

"Hefin was a much-loved member of the Labour family. He served Caerphilly as a councillor and a Member of the Senedd with pride and passion.

"He was an outstanding politician, warm and enthusiastic and a great communicator – especially on behalf of his constituents.

"He will be greatly missed."

Mark Hobrough, Gwent Police chief constable, said his "thoughts and heartfelt condolences" are with Mr David's family, friends and colleagues.

"After I joined Gwent Police as the chief superintendent for the area covering Caerphilly, I worked closely with Hefin on many occasions and I found him to be an engaging and thoughtful individual.

"A dedicated public servant to Caerphilly, his commitment to our communities will be a significant loss."

Elected to Cardiff Bay in 2016, Mr David was one of the more prominent Labour backbench members and was never afraid to go against the party line.

A standout feature of the India-UK free trade agreement signed last month was the Narendra Modi government's decision to open India's vast government procurement market to UK suppliers.

This typically includes a range of things the government buys - from goods and services to contracts for public works such as roads.

Some 40,000 high-value tenders worth £38bn from federal ministries will now be open to bidding for UK businesses in strategic sectors like transport, green energy and infrastructure - areas which have thus far been heavily protected from foreign competition.

The access is unprecedented, trade experts say.

It is "far greater" than what India had offered in its earlier agreement with the United Arab Emirates and "sets a new benchmark", Ajay Srivastava of the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), a Delhi-based think-tank, told the BBC.

Under the agreement, UK firms bidding for Indian government contracts in specified areas will be treated almost on par with Indian suppliers and also have real-time access to information on forthcoming public tenders and procurement opportunities.

Also, goods from the UK made with just 20% domestic input can now be supplied to the Indian government, allowing UK companies the flexibility to source up to 80% of the parts or raw material from other countries and still qualify for procurement preference in India.

The minimum contract value at which these firms can bid for government projects has also been sharply reduced as a result of which "UK companies can now bid on a wide range of lower-value projects - such as rural roads, solar equipment for schools, or IT systems for government offices - that were previously out of reach", said Mr Srivastava.

But for British companies, realising this opportunity on the ground will be easier said than done, several experts told the BBC.

While UK suppliers are eligible to participate as Class-II local suppliers, Indian companies will continue to get preferential treatment as Class-I suppliers, says Dr Arpita Mukherjee, a trade expert with the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations.

Moreover, pricing plays a key role in winning contracts, and "UK companies tend to have higher prices" compared with Indian companies, which will be a major challenge for them, she adds.

A more significant deterrent will be delayed payments and difficult contract enforcement, which are "major legacy issues when it comes to public procurement in India", says Srijan Shukla of the Observer Research Foundation think-tank.

He says a study on procurement by India's central public sector enterprises from 2017 to 2020 found that pending payments to suppliers were often more than the total average procurement in a year.

"This will impact UK players trying to enter India's public procurement markets, especially when it comes to public contracts that have long-time horizons and are subject to regulatory and political uncertainties," Mr Shukla told the BBC.

Pending dues have been a major irritant for India's small businesses too, leading to short-term liquidity issues that often "force them out of these procurement markets and reallocate that business to the big players", according to Mr Shukla.

Much of this is reflected in India's poor ranking - 163 out of 190 - on contract enforcement in the World Bank's Doing Business report, the latest round of which was in 2020.

While things have improved since these rankings were published - with one-stop-shop portals like Government e-Marketplace, the Central Public Procurement Portal or the recently launched online dispute resolution portal bringing more transparency to the public tendering process - payment discipline by government entities continues to remain a challenge, says Mr Shukla.

According to Ms Mukherjee, the India-UK trade agreement emphasises transparency in procurement but omits issues like pending dues, contract enforcement and penalties.

She adds the deal excludes the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement's dispute settlement provisions for four years after the CETA takes effect - these provisions usually define how disputes are resolved.

"Doing business in India is an acquired skill. Over time, companies from the UK will have to learn the way to work around complexities regarding the art of winning public tenders and navigating though complex regulations," Mr Shukla says.

Despite the niggling issues, allowing foreign players entry into India's government procurement market marks a far-reaching policy shift.

It shows the Indian government's intentions to open up a space that has long been reserved for local small and medium enterprises, and could be reflective of the concessions Delhi is willing to give foreign players in future trade agreements like the one being negotiated with the US, according to GTRI.

India is late to including deep government procurement clauses in trade deals, making its current efforts a catch-up game, says Mr Shukla.

It is also a sign, he says, of the Indian government's "confidence that its own firms can compete with global firms both externally and at home".

The hope is that more foreign players will force more accountability from the Indian government and "help standardise" its tendering and public procurement process - marked by payment delays and poor contract enforcement - to global standards.

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The US and Russia have agreed to hold a meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on Friday 15 August, to discuss how to end the war in Ukraine.

Trump announced the meeting a week beforehand - the same day as his deadline for Russia to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine or face more US sanctions.

Three rounds of talks between Russia and Ukraine held at Trump's behest this summer have yet to bring the two sides any closer to peace.

Here is what we know about the meeting between the two leaders, taking place in Alaska - which was once Russian territory - in Anchorage.

Why are they meeting in Alaska?

The US purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867, lending a historical resonance to the meeting. It became a US state in 1959.

Russian presidential assistant Yuri Ushakov pointed out that the two countries are neighbours, with only the Bering Strait separating them.

"It seems quite logical for our delegation simply to fly over the Bering Strait and for such an important and anticipated summit of the leaders of the two countries to be held in Alaska," Ushakov said.

The last time Alaska took centre-stage in an American diplomatic event was in March 2021, when Joe Biden's newly minted diplomatic and national security team met their Chinese counterparts in Anchorage.

The sit-down turned acrimonious, with the Chinese accusing the Americans of "condescension and hypocrisy".

Where in Alaska will Trump and Putin meet?

The meeting will be in Anchorage, the White House confirmed on Tuesday.

When announcing the bilateral, Trump said the location would be "a very popular one for a number of reasons", without disclosing it would be in the state's largest city.

The pair will be hosted at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, the largest military installation in Alaska. The 64,000 acre base is a key US site for Arctic military readiness.

Why are Putin and Trump meeting?

Trump has been pushing hard - without much success - to end the war in Ukraine.

As a presidential candidate, he pledged that he could end the war within 24 hours of taking office. He has also repeatedly argued that the war "never would have happened" if he had been president at the time of Russia's invasion in 2022.

Last month, Trump told the BBC that he was "disappointed" by Putin.

Frustrations grew and Trump set an 8 August deadline for Putin to agree to an immediate ceasefire or face more severe US sanctions.

As the deadline hit, Trump instead announced he and Putin would meet in person on 15 August.

The meeting comes after US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff held "highly productive" talks with Putin in Moscow on Wednesday, according to Trump.

Ahead of the meeting, the White House sought to play down speculation that the bilateral could yield a ceasefire.

"This is a listening exercise for the president," said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. She added that Trump may travel to Russia following the Alaska trip.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Trump said he viewed the summit as a "feel-out meeting" aimed at urging Putin to end the war.

• Trump says he will try to get back territory for Ukraine in talks with Putin
• Zelensky could still join Trump and Putin, but rest of Europe is shut out

Is Ukraine attending?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is not expected to attend. Trump said on Monday: "I would say he could go, but he's been to a lot of meetings."

Trump did, however, say that Zelensky would be the first person he would call afterwards.

A White House official later said that Trump and Zelensky would meet virtually on Wednesday, ahead of the US president's summit with Putin. The Zelensky meeting will be joined by several European leaders.

Putin had requested that Zelensky be excluded, although the White House has previously said that Trump was willing to hold a trilateral in which all three leaders were present.

Zelensky has said any agreements without input from Ukraine would amount to "dead decisions".

What do both sides hope to get out of it?

While both Russia and Ukraine have long said that they want the war to end, both countries want things that the other harshly opposes.

Trump said on Monday he was "going to try to get some of that [Russian-occupied] territory back for Ukraine". But he also warned that there might have to be "some swapping, changes in land".

Ukraine, however, has been adamant that it will not accept Russian control of regions that Moscow has seized, including Crimea.

Zelensky pushed back this week against any idea of "swapping" territories.

"We will not reward Russia for what it has perpetrated," the Ukrainian president said.

Meanwhile, Putin has not budged from his territorial demands, Ukraine's neutrality and the future size of its army.

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in part, over Putin's belief the Western defensive alliance, Nato, was using the neighbouring country to gain a foothold to bring its troops closer to Russia's borders.

The Trump administration has been attempting to sway European leaders on a ceasefire deal that would hand over swathes of Ukrainian territory to Russia, the BBC's US partner CBS News has reported.

The agreement would allow Russia to keep control of the Crimean peninsula, and take the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, which is made up of Donetsk and Luhansk, according to sources familiar with the talks.

Russia illegally occupied Crimea in 2014 and its forces control the majority of the Donbas region.

Under the deal, Russia would have to give up the Ukrainian regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, where it currently has some military control.

Speaking to Fox News, US Vice-President JD Vance said any future deal was "not going to make anybody super happy".

"You've got to make peace here… you can't finger point," he said.

"The way to peace is to have a decisive leader to sit down and force people to come together."

• ANALYSIS: Why Trump-Putin relationship has soured
• EXPLAINER: Why did Putin's Russia invade Ukraine?
• VISUALS: Tracking the war in maps
• GLOBAL FALLOUT: How the global economy could be impacted
• VERIFY: Russian attacks on Ukraine double since Trump inauguration
• GROUND REPORT: On Ukraine's front line, twisted wreckage shows sanctions haven't yet stopped Russia

The number of people surviving cancer has improved hugely in the past 50 years, but experts warn progress has been uneven with some of the cancers with the worst survival rates falling further behind.

For some, including melanoma skin cancer, 10-year survival is now above 90%, while for all cancers, half of patients can expect to live that long - double the figure in the early 1970s.

But a study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said there had been little improvement in those affecting the oesophagus, stomach and lungs - and less than 5% survive pancreatic cancer for 10 years.

The government said it was committed to making more progress with a new strategy due soon.

The researchers said advances in treatment and earlier detection were behind the improvements in survival seen for many cancers.

Breast cancer is a perfect example of this, with 10-year survival rates rising from 42% to more than 76% between 1971 and 2018 in England and Wales.

The period saw the introduction of an NHS breast screening programme, plus targeted therapies for different types of breast cancer.

In comparison, the cancers with the lowest survival rates tend to be the hardest to detect and have the fewest treatment options.

Alongside pancreatic cancer, the study says these include oesophagus, stomach and lung cancers, which all still have 10-year survival rates below 20%, after only a small amount of progress since the 1970s.

This has meant the gap between the cancers with the best and worst survival rates has nearly doubled.

'Amazing job'

Matt Black is someone with first-hand experience of how the type of cancer you get makes a huge difference.

In 2019 the 60-year-old lost his sister, Harriette, to pancreatic cancer, 20 years after his father-in-law died of oesophageal cancer.

Five years ago he was diagnosed with bowel cancer which has above average survival rates. Soon after developing symptoms he had surgery and was given the all-clear.

"NHS staff do an amazing job, but it's such a difficult time to be a cancer patient, especially for those with cancers which aren't easy to spot or treat.

"It's so important that there is more research and support for cancer services here, so that more people can be as fortunate as me," says Matt.

The researchers also warned that, while overall survival was still improving, the rate of progress had slowed during the 2010s. Longer waits for diagnosis and treatment are thought to be partly to blame.

Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, which funded the study, said: "Thanks to research, most patients today are far more likely to survive cancer than at any other point in the past.

"But the reality is that this progress is slowing – and for some cancers it never got going in the first place."

The charity wants the government's forthcoming strategy to focus on:

• cutting waiting times
• early detection, including full introduction of a lung cancer screening programme
• investment in research, particularly targeting the most deadly cancers

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said cancer care was a priority. with some progress already made on waiting times.

"The national cancer plan will set out how we will improve survival rates further and address the unacceptable variation between different cancer types," he added.