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Today — 15 May 2025BBC | Top Stories

Inmates to be released early and prisons built to ease overcrowding

14 May 2025 at 23:50
PA Media Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood wears a maroon blazer and stands behind a podium in Downing Street PA Media
The new legislation will not apply to the most serious criminals, the justice secretary said

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced limits on how long some offenders can be returned to prison, under plans to ease prison overcrowding.

Under the shake-up, offenders recalled for breaching their licences will be released after a fixed 28-day period.

The change is intended to bypass lengthy waits for a parole board assessment before they can be released again.

Mahmood warned that despite promised new prisons, it would not be possible to "build our way out of this crisis".

She said the change would not apply to those who commit a serious further offence – or are deemed to pose a high risk.

She announced that work would start on three new prisons later this year, but the government currently faced running out of spaces for male offenders by November.

Changes from an upcoming review of sentencing, led by former Conservative minister David Gauke, were only likely to be felt from spring next year, she added.

The prison population is 88,087 from a useable operational capacity 89,442, according to the latest official weekly figures.

It is estimated to increase to between 95,700 and 105,200 by March 2029, according to a government analysis released last year.

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Lineker apologises for sharing 'offensive' Zionism post with rat image

14 May 2025 at 23:32
PA Media Gary Lineker pictured on a football pitch in 2021 holding a BBC Sport microphonePA Media

The BBC's boss has reminded stars to follow the corporation's rules and avoid damaging "mistakes", after Gary Lineker attracted renewed criticism for his use of social media.

On Tuesday, the Match of the Day host deleted an Instagram story post he shared from the group Palestine Lobby, which said: "Zionism explained in two minutes" and featured an illustration of a rat.

A rat has historically been used as an antisemitic insult, referring to language used by Nazi Germany to characterise Jews. His representatives said he was not aware of the connection.

Asked whether the post had broken BBC guidelines, director general Tim Davie said: "The BBC's reputation is held by everyone, and when someone makes a mistake, it costs us."

He added: "I think we absolutely need people to be exemplars of the BBC values and follow our social media policy. It's as simple as that."

The Campaign Against Antisemitism said it was submitting a complaint to the BBC, adding that Lineker's "continued association with the BBC is untenable".

The charity posted on X: "Nothing to see here. Just Gary Lineker's Instagram account sharing an anti-Israel video misrepresenting Zionism, complete with a rat emoji."

A spokesperson for the Board of Deputies of British Jews said "the BBC should ask him to leave now rather than allowing him to dictate his own terms".

"He has caused great offence with this video – particularly with his egregious use of a rat emoji to illustrate Zionists."

Lineker's agent said: "Whilst viewing and reposting a video, Gary did not notice a rodent emoticon added by the author of the post. Although if he had, he would not have made any connection. The repost has been removed."

Zionism refers to the movement to create a Jewish state in the Middle East, roughly corresponding to the historical land of Israel, and thus support for the modern state of Israel.

The BBC, when asked on Tuesday if it had any comment on Lineker's now-removed post, responded by referring to its guidance on personal use of social media.

The former England striker has attracted criticism before for his posts on social media in the past.

He was temporarily suspended from the BBC in March 2023 after an impartiality row over a post in which he said language used to promote a government asylum policy was "not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s".

The BBC's social media rules were then rewritten to say presenters of flagship programmes outside news and current affairs - including Match of the Day - have "a particular responsibility to respect the BBC's impartiality, because of their profile on the BBC".

In November 2024, Lineker announced his departure from Match of the Day, but he will remain with the BBC to front FA Cup and World Cup coverage.

Exceptionally low river levels in UK raise fears over water supplies

14 May 2025 at 22:25
Getty Images An aerial photo shows the bed of Woodhead Reservoir is partially revealed by a falling water level, near Glossop, northern England on May 9, 2025. Getty Images

The UK's rivers are forecast to hit exceptionally low levels in some parts of the country in the next three months, according to the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH), raising questions over supplies to households, farmers and businesses.

The warning comes after the driest spring in England since 1961, with northern regions experiencing the driest start to the year in nearly a century.

Almost all of the UK is expected to have below normal or low river levels in May, apart from the south-west of England.

The Environment Agency has said that the UK is at medium risk of drought and warned households of the risk of water restrictions.

The next 2-3 weeks will be "crucial" in determining if drought will happen, says Mark Owen, head of fisheries for the Angling Trust and a member of the National Drought Group.

That is the group led by the government that can declare if drought is officially underway.

The country is not now in drought, but the impacts of the exceptionally dry weather are already being felt.

Some farmers are being forced to water their crops instead of relying on rainfall, which is something that normally happens later in the year.

"We are having a drought now from an agricultural point of view," arable farmer Nick Deane told BBC News from his farm in Norfolk.

He had to start irrigating his fields in March.

"We have to ration our water and decide which areas we are going to put that water on in order to keep the crops growing," he said.

He warned that an extremely long drought would mean farmers struggle to produce food and more produce would need to be imported.

The dry and sunny weather this year has led to a larger area of the UK burned by wildfires this year compared to in any other entire year.

Malcolm Prior/BBC A man stands with his arms crossed wearing a white t-shirt with a union jack on it. Behind him is a dry-looking field with some small plants in rows in the soil. Malcolm Prior/BBC
Nick Deane is worried about how early in the year he has been forced to irrigate his crops

The last drought was in June-August 2022, which was the joint hottest summer (with 2018) and fifth driest since the 1890s.

Five companies introduced hosepipe bans, affecting 19 million people, and waterways had restricted navigation.

That drought was preceded by six months of very dry weather.

However, the wet summer in 2024 and moderately-wet winter means water supplies are in a better place now and water companies have larger reserves to rely on.

But dry weather earlier in the year has risks. It does "potentially pose a greater risk to water resources later on in the year, particularly if the dry weather continues," says Stephen Turner, hydrologist at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.

Last week, Richard Thompson, chair of the National Drought Group, warned that water companies may need to bring in water restrictions to protect supplies if the dry weather continues.

At the moment the key questions are when will it next rain and when it does, how much will there be.

There are some signs that some rain is on the horizon, with unsettled weather from the west at the end of next week.

Drinking water comes from different places depending on the geography and geology of regions.

Roughly speaking, the south of England takes a long time to get into drought but a long time to leave. That's because a lot of rainfall is stored in rocks underground and takes a long time to reach rivers and water supplies.

By contrast, the north of England quickly enters drought and quickly gets out because reservoirs are more heavily used for water supplies.

Water Companies introduce hosepipe bans when water supplies reach a certain low in their areas.

If drought conditions become severe, the government can restrict irrigation of farms, reduce boats' movement on waterways, and limit water available to non-essential businesses like car washes.

In an extreme scenario, it could ration the amount of water available to homes and businesses but that has not happened since 1976.

Water industry bosses and the National Farmers' Union (NFU) are calling on the government to do more to ensure the driest parts of the UK have secure water supplies in the face of any future drought.

Water UK, which represents the water industry, is calling for a new national water grid of pipes, canals and reservoirs to be set up in England to move water from the wettest regions to where it is most needed.

And farmers say they need more government funding and less planning red tape to build their own reservoirs to supply their farms.

Malcolm Prior/BBC A man in a blue shirt and cream trousers stands next to a large reservoir with pipes leading out of it.Malcolm Prior/BBC
Tim Place is one of the six farmers who built their own 270,000 cubic metre reservoir to secure water supplies

Mr Deane came together with five other farmers, including fruit growers, to build their own reservoir. It took four years and cost more than £1m.

It has proved vital, they say, with 15% of the stored water already used this year in the dry conditions.

But the group said obtaining planning permission was costly and difficult.

A government spokesman said it was working with the agricultural sector to improve its water supply resilience and establish more groups of farmers who could work together to develop their own reservoirs.

He added: "Over £104bn of private sector investment has been secured to fund essential infrastructure, including nine new reservoirs, to help secure our future water supply for farmers."

Are the dry conditions linked to climate change?

The prolonged dry weather is linked to what are called "blocking highs" when a high pressure weather system becomes stuck.

Scientists do not know if this blocked pattern is linked to climate change.

Global warming is expected to cause more extreme weather events globally.

Studies about our future climate suggest more and longer periods of dry weather as well as periods of less rainfall in the UK. Winters are likely to be wetter and warmer.

That could exacerbate other forms of drought like hydrological or agricultural drought, according to the Met Office.

A graphic showing ways to save water at home, including taking shorter showers, fully loading appliances like dishwashers and washing machines, turning off taps, and fixing leaks in toilets or sinks.

British teen arrested in Georgia for drug offences

14 May 2025 at 23:36
Georgia Police Bella Culley who is an 18-year-old girl, is being escorted into a police station by a female police officer. The British teenager is wearing white shorts and a white top and she is in handcuffs. Her face has been blurred by police to disguise her identity.Georgia Police
Bella Culley was taken into custody by Georgia police who routinely blur the faces of suspects in official photographs and videos

A British teenager has been arrested in Tbilisi, Georgia, on suspicion of drug offences.

Bella Culley, 18, from Billingham, who is understood to have gone missing in Thailand, is accused of illegally buying, possessing and importing large quantities of narcotics including marijuana.

Georgian Police have said, if found guilty, she could face up to 20 years in jail or life imprisonment.

The Foreign Office have confirmed that they are "supporting the family of a British woman who is detained in Georgia".

Georgian Police said it had seized up to 12kg (26lbs) of marijuana and just over 2kg (4.4lbs) of the narcotic drug hashish in a travel bag at Tbilisi International Airport.

A spokesperson said: "As a result of joint operational measures and investigative actions, officers of the Main Directorate for Combating Illicit Drug Trafficking of the Central Criminal Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Customs Department of the Revenue Service of the Ministry of Finance arrested a British citizen on charges of drug trafficking.

The woman "is charged with the illegal purchase and possession of a particularly large amount of narcotics, the illegal purchase and possession of the narcotic drug marijuana, and the illegal importation of the drug into Georgia", they said.

Cleveland Police has confirmed an 18-year-old woman from Billingham has been arrested in Georgia "on suspicion of drugs offences" and remains in custody.

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Israeli strikes in northern Gaza kill at least 50, hospital says

14 May 2025 at 21:13
Reuters A Palestinian girl inspects a car destroyed by debris following an Israeli strike on a house in Jabalia, northern Gaza (14 May 2025)Reuters
Several homes in the northern Jabalia area were reportedly destroyed in the overnight strikes

At least 48 Palestinians have been killed in a series of Israeli air strikes in northern Gaza overnight, a local hospital says.

The Indonesian hospital reported that 22 children and 15 women were among the dead after a number of homes in Jabalia town and refugee camp were hit. A video shared online appeared to show at least a dozen bodies on the floor there.

The Israeli military said it was looking into the reports. It had warned residents of Jabalia and neighbouring areas to evacuate on Tuesday night after a Palestinian armed group launched rockets into Israel.

It came as the UN's humanitarian affairs chief urged members of the UN Security Council to take action to "prevent genocide" in Gaza.

Speaking at a meeting in New York on Tuesday, Tom Fletcher accused Israel of "deliberately and unashamedly imposing inhumane conditions on civilians".

He called on Israel to lift its 10-week blockade on Gaza and criticised the Israeli-US plan to take over the distribution of humanitarian aid in the territory.

The Israeli ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, told the council that foreign aid was being used to help Hamas's war effort.

Meanwhile, US Special Envoys Steve Witkoff and Adam Boehler said they would travel to Qatar for fresh negotiations on a possible ceasefire and hostage release deal.

Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has threatened to expand its military offensive in Gaza this week unless Hamas agrees to release the 58 hostages it is still holding.

On Tuesday, a massive Israeli air strike on the European hospital's compound in southern Gaza killed at least 28 people, according to local officials.

Israeli media reports said the target was Mohammed Sinwar, who is believed to have become the leader of Hamas in Gaza after his brother Yahya was killed by Israeli forces last October.

The Israeli military described it as "a precise strike on Hamas terrorists who were operating in a command-and-control centre" underneath the hospital.

The Israeli military launched a campaign to destroy Hamas in response to an unprecedented cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

At least 52,908 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

Starmer condemns suspected arson on properties linked to him as 'attack on democracy'

14 May 2025 at 20:18
House of Commons Sir Keir Starmer at prime minister's questions next to Commons leader Lucy PowellHouse of Commons

Sir Keir Starmer has told MPs suspected arson attacks on properties linked to him are "an attack on all of us, on democracy and the values that we stand for".

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch condemned the attacks as "completely unacceptable" at the beginning of their weekly Prime Minister's Questions clash.

Police are continuing their investigation into the fires at north London properties and a car linked to Sir Keir.

A 21-year-old man was arrested at an address in Sydenham, south-east London, in the early hours of Tuesday on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and remains in custody.

Counter-terrorism officers are working "at pace" to establish the cause of the fires and "any potential motivation", Scotland Yard said.

At Prime Minister's Questions, Badenoch told the PM: "I think I speak for the whole house when I say that this wasn't just an attack on him, but on all of us and on our democracy."

Sir Keir thanked the opposition leader for contacting him "pretty well straight away" to lend her support.

In his first comments since the attacks, the prime minister said: "I really do appreciate that, and she's absolutely right that this is an attack on all of us, on democracy and the values that we stand for."

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: "Can I offer our support to the prime minister and his family after the appalling arson attacks on his home.

"And can I echo his thanks to our brilliant police and firefighters."

Emergency services responded to a fire at the prime minister's private home in Kentish Town, north London, early on Monday.

On Sunday, crews were called to a small fire at the front door of a house converted into flats in nearby Islington - a property Sir Keir is understood to have lived in during the 1990s.

Police are also looking at a car fire which took place on Thursday on the same street as the Kentish Town property. It is understood that the car used to belong to Sir Keir.

The prime minister is understood to still own the home in Kentish Town but lives in Downing Street. He lived there before the 2024 general election and it has been rented out since then.

Counter-terrorism police are leading the inquiry and are treating the fires as suspicious.

Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police's counter-terrorism command, acknowledged the probe may cause concern to MPs.

He encouraged any of them worried about their safety to get in touch with Operation Bridger, the specialist unit set up to protect MPs.

Couriers Evri and DHL merge to form UK delivery giant

14 May 2025 at 21:28
Evri Evri courier in blue sweatshirt and high-vis tabard is seen from waist to neck. He holds a small parcel wrapped in blue plastic with a white label. He stands at the open boot of a grey van filled with parcels.Evri

Evri will merge with DHL's UK parcel delivery businesses to create a combined courier firm handling more than a billion parcels and a billion letters a year.

DHL focuses on faster, secure higher-value deliveries of items such as computers or phones, whereas Evri handles much larger volumes of lower-value goods such as clothing.

Evri's deliveries are handled by self-employed couriers using their own vehicles, while DHL's parcels are delivered by a combination of couriers and the company's own fleet of vehicles.

The companies hope that combining the two operations will offer "greater choice" and "cost-competitive solutions" in the UK.

Evri said the deal will also expand its international delivery capacity by giving it access to DHL's global network.

DHL's e-commerce business will be renamed "Evri Premium – a network of DHL eCommerce".

DHL delivers a billion letters a year in the UK, mainly for businesses sending out bulk mail to clients – and the merger will see Evri offer a letter service for the first time.

It hopes to use this service to handle deliveries of smaller items as well as letters.

The group said its combined operation will have access to a network of 15,000 out-of-home delivery points in shops and lockers.

With about a billion parcels a year, the merged business would get closer to Royal Mail's parcel volumes. It delivered 1.3 billion parcels and 6.7 billion letters last year, according to its annual report.

Martijn de Lange, the chief executive of Evri, said that over the last decade Evri had "grown ten-fold in size".

He added the merger would "further expand our access into the European and global e-commerce markets".

After the merger DHL will acquire a minority stake in Evri - financial terms have not been disclosed.

DHL's other services in the UK, such as the DHL Express international delivery service are not included in the deal.

The merger is still subject to approval from the Competition and Markets Authority.

Relief on China's factory floors as US tariffs put on hold

14 May 2025 at 21:40
BBC Derek wangBBC
Derek Wang spent almost half a million dollars setting up his company

There's a vast empty space in the middle of the factory floor in Foshan in southern China where workers should be welding high-end air fryers for the US market.

Derek Wang says his American customers were wowed by his air fryer models - which are controlled via smartphones and can also bake, roast and grill.

But then on 2 April, Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs hit all Chinese goods entering the US, eventually reaching 145% - and his clients asked him to pause production.

"I tried to keep smiling through my anxiety for the sake of my 40 workers," he told the BBC.

On Wednesday, as a deal to ease the trade war came into effect, Mr Wang said his US buyers were back on the phone.

Both countries still face some tariffs. There is at least a 30% tax on all Chinese goods entering the US and Beijing has kept a 10% levy on American goods coming into the country, down from 125%.

But this surprise agreement after a weekend of negotiations in Switzerland has given factories and businesses some breathing room.

"At this time, our US client is willing to pay for the tariffs. Of course, we had to bargain with them as they asked us to lower some of our costs," he said.

Watch: Inside the Chinese sofa factory left deserted by Trump tariffs

Mr Wang, who studied engineering in Delaware in the US, spent three years helping develop the air fryer model. It cost him $500,000 to set up his company and he said the tariffs came as a shock.

"It felt like my parents were getting a divorce. China and US are the most important economic and cultural powers in the world. Their sudden separation would lead to a world that we cannot imagine. Tariffs as high as 145% would mean we have to say goodbye to one another.

But he adds, "there's a saying in Chinese: good fortune comes out of bad".

Mr Wang believes his "good fortune" is that this trade war has accelerated his plan to diversify away from doing business with America.

This is one of the reasons why Beijing believes it has the upper hand in its negotiations with Washington. China has choices and officials have been actively encouraging the country's firms to do more business in places like Africa, South America and South East Asia.

Many other Chinese businesses have also told the BBC that they are looking to diversify away from the US to reduce their reliance on the market - suggesting in the long-term there could be more of a separation between the US and China, rather than a divorce.

A wide shot of the interior of a sparsely filled factory. Workers are sitting at a long table near the windows, surrounded by shelves. Behind them, some distance away, are shelves with boxes stacked on them.
Factories have closed in the nearby city of Dongguan because of Trump's tariffs...

Donald Trump has suggested that he may speak to Chinese President Xi Jinping by the end of this week. The world's two largest economies will now enter talks after agreeing to a ceasefire in their economic war for 90 days.

Beijing has framed this deal as a win - not just for China but for all countries facing US tariffs.

But it has come at a cost.

A short walk through Shunde district - known as the "capital of home appliances" - presents a sobering assessment of a struggling manufacturing sector.

Factory workers use the cooler evenings in Foshan to let off a little steam. They spill out into every corner of the local park.

During the day they pack, mould and assemble nearly everything that you would find in your kitchen - from gas stoves and washing machines to kettles and fridges.

At night, after leaving work, one group line dances in one corner of the small park, while a heated basketball match takes place in another part.

Posters lining the walls of the streets tout "stable work and easy" jobs involving packing and screwing products for 30 days in a home appliance factory for 16 yuan an hour, to assembling air conditioning units for 20 yuan an hour.

But agents told us that several factories had stopped hiring, especially those linked to the US - some had even shut down parts of their production line.

Three unemployed men sit on a ledge in a park with some distance between each of them. One is wearing a blue shirt and squatting, looking at his phone; another wearing a bright yellow shirt is leaning on his hand with one foot on the ledge, looking at the camera; beside him is another man in a white shirt with his legs crossed and looking down at his phone.
... leaving workers struggling to find jobs

The BBC was told that several of these workers will sleep in the park to save money. Many of them travel to Foshan from their home towns, which can be hundreds of kilometres away.

Several nearby hostels offer rooms for 20 yuan a night, which can be at least an hour's pay. Many will want to pocket whatever they earn to send it back to their families.

This is the picture of China that President Trump's team have tried to present – one of sluggish growth, rising unemployment and a chronic housing crisis.

"We're not looking to hurt China," Mr Trump said after the trade agreement was announced, while adding that China was "being hurt very badly".

"They were closing up factories. They were having a lot of unrest, and they were very happy to be able to do something with us."

This may be overstating Beijing's economic woes. This country is still leading the world when it comes to the production of electric vehicles and solar panels, and it is making significant headway in artificial intelligence technology.

Officials in China have also continued to stress this country can take the pain of an economic war. But it is being keenly felt by some on the frontline and that may be part of why Beijing has started talking to the US.

Two men in white shirts, the bosses of a sofa factory, bend over to examine a white sofa in a factory.
Chinese business owners say their confidence in the US has been shaken

This latest "ceasefire" has prompted a rush of orders between the two countries as businesses wonder if it can last.

He Ke, or HK to his American clients, has called his workers back from their home towns to restart his sofa business, Gongyuan Furniture.

It ground to a halt even before Mr Trump's tariffs hit 145%.

"We had a day off straightaway," said Mr He. "Once the tariffs hit 50%, we had already come to a standstill. When they hit 145%, we certainly could not do business. It was just not possible."

His production line with around 200 workers once took up all four floors of the building.

Since the Covid pandemic, he has only needed one floor and around 40 staff. But he still has the odd high-profile client – he claims Elon Musk sits on one of his sofas.

A woman wearing a grey t-shirt at a sofa factory sits in front of a sewing machine. She is wearing white earbuds and holding a large piece of green fabric at the table.
At a sofa company, production was halted and workers sent home when Trump's tariffs kicked in

Some workers have already returned and are lifting a soft chair onto a compressor machine to get it ready to box and ship.

Sewing machines hum in the background as workers stitch fabric into the right shape to cover memory foam cushions.

Mr He says he has seen many changes in Foshan since he started making sofas in 2013.

"We feel that the global economy is not good. The domestic economy has also been hit and this affects the life of people here. In the past, when we went out to spend money, we spent a lot of money. We did not think about whether the price was high or cheap. We will buy it as long as we like it. Now, when we want to buy a relatively expensive things, we have to think twice, because the money is not easy to earn."

Like Mr Wang and his air fryers, Mr He also says he is looking at diversifying his sales away from the US, but he has hope that the world's two biggest economies can come to an agreement in the next 90 days.

"I am just a small businessman. But I do understand that the game between these two countries is temporary. I think if they want to survive with each other for a long time, they will definitely sit down and talk things over."

Yesterday — 14 May 2025BBC | Top Stories

Drug dealer jailed after killing boy, 7, in cannabis factory explosion

14 May 2025 at 20:29
Northumbria Police Mugshot of Reece Galbraith. He has thick ginger hair and a ginger goatee and a very pale face. He is wearing a black t shirtNorthumbria Police
Reece Galbraith admitted two counts of manslaughter

A man whose illegal cannabis factory exploded in a block of flats, killing seven-year-old Archie York, has been jailed for 14 years.

Archie died when the blast caused by Reece Galbraith, 33, obliterated several homes in Benwell in the early hours of 16 October 2024, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

The fatal explosion was caused by a build-up of butane created in the process of making drug-infused sweets in one of the flats by Jason Laws, 35, who was also killed, and Galbraith.

Galbraith, of Gateshead, admitted two counts of manslaughter, with Archie's mother screaming at him in court that he had killed her son.

Mr Laws and Galbraith were using a ground-floor flat in the block of 12 homes on Violet Close to make so-called cannabis shatter, a brittle substance containing a high concentration of the psychoactive compound THC which is used to form sweets from, prosecutor David Brooke KC said.

At about 00:40 BST, their "sophisticated" factory exploded, killing Archie, who lived upstairs with his parents and baby brother, and totally destroying six homes, the court heard.

Family handout Archie York smiles at the camera. He has short dark hair and is smiling, he is wearing a red t shirt and is standing in front of a blue swimming poolFamily handout
Archie York was killed in the blast

There was then a "fierce fire" and the block ultimately had to be demolished, with dozens of people losing their homes and possessions, Mr Brooke said.

Archie had been asleep in his living room when the blast occurred and was killed instantly, while his father Robbie York, mother Katherine Errington and seven-week-old brother Finley all survived, the court heard.

Mr Brooke said there had also been an "enormous impact" on the local area, with the damage and costs to Newcastle City Council valued at £3.7m, 81 adults and 59 children from 51 homes displaced and 10 households having to be permanently rehoused.

Ms Errington told the court her son's death had "broken us in ways I didn't know possible" and the family had "lost everything", adding she felt "survivor's guilt".

In a fury, she angrily told Galbraith he "took risks for profit" before screaming at him: "You killed my son."

"This was your choice," Ms Errington said. "We will never forgive you for what you did to our beautiful boy."

The court heard Archie's beloved dog Chase had also been killed in the blast.

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Starmer says suspected arson attacks on properties linked to him are 'attack on democracy'

14 May 2025 at 20:18
House of Commons Sir Keir Starmer at prime minister's questions next to Commons leader Lucy PowellHouse of Commons

Sir Keir Starmer has told MPs suspected arson attacks on properties linked to him are "an attack on all of us, on democracy and the values that we stand for".

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch condemned the attacks as "completely unacceptable" at the beginning of their weekly Prime Minister's Questions clash.

Police are continuing their investigation into the fires at north London properties and a car linked to Sir Keir.

A 21-year-old man was arrested at an address in Sydenham, south-east London, in the early hours of Tuesday on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and remains in custody.

Counter-terrorism officers are working "at pace" to establish the cause of the fires and "any potential motivation", Scotland Yard said.

At Prime Minister's Questions, Badenoch told the PM: "I think I speak for the whole house when I say that this wasn't just an attack on him, but on all of us and on our democracy."

Sir Keir thanked the opposition leader for contacting him "pretty well straight away" to lend her support.

In his first comments since the attacks, the prime minister said: "I really do appreciate that, and she's absolutely right that this is an attack on all of us, on democracy and the values that we stand for."

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: "Can I offer our support to the prime minister and his family after the appalling arson attacks on his home.

"And can I echo his thanks to our brilliant police and firefighters."

Emergency services responded to a fire at the prime minister's private home in Kentish Town, north London, early on Monday.

On Sunday, crews were called to a small fire at the front door of a house converted into flats in nearby Islington - a property Sir Keir is understood to have lived in during the 1990s.

Police are also looking at a car fire which took place on Thursday on the same street as the Kentish Town property. It is understood that the car used to belong to Sir Keir.

The prime minister is understood to still own the home in Kentish Town but lives in Downing Street. He lived there before the 2024 general election and it has been rented out since then.

Counter-terrorism police are leading the inquiry and are treating the fires as suspicious.

Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police's counter-terrorism command, acknowledged the probe may cause concern to MPs.

He encouraged any of them worried about their safety to get in touch with Operation Bridger, the specialist unit set up to protect MPs.

The Menendez brothers' sentences have been reduced. What happens next?

14 May 2025 at 19:20
Getty Images Erik (left) and Lyle in courtGetty Images
Erik and Lyle were aged 18 and 21 when they killed their parents

In 1989, brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez killed their parents by shooting them multiple times at close range at their mansion in Beverly Hills.

They were found guilty of first-degree murder and conspiracy to murder in 1996, and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

On Tuesday, a Los Angeles judge reduced their sentence, making them eligible for parole.

There has been renewed public interest in the case after a new Netflix drama, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, was released in September.

Why was there a hearing to resentence the brothers?

Last year, the previous district attorney of Los Angeles, George Gascón, requested a change to the brothers' sentence from life without the possibility of parole to 50 years to life.

The hearing was put to Los Angeles County superior court Judge Michael Jesic on Tuesday who resentenced the brothers.

"I do believe they've done enough in the past 35 years that they should get that chance," he said, concluding a day-long hearing.

The brothers are eligible for parole under California's youthful offender law which allows individuals who committed crimes before the age of 26 to seek a reduced sentence.

The siblings were aged 18 and 21 at the time. They are now aged 54 and 57.

What happened at the hearing?

Watch: "Redemption is possible" - Family and attorney of Menendez brothers react to resentencing

During the hearing, family members and a former fellow inmate were among those who testified in support of the resentencing.

People who worked with the brothers in prison spoke about the educational courses they had completed and how they created a hospice initiative for the elderly and sick.

The district attorney's office, which fiercely opposes a lower sentence, said the brothers have continued to "make excuses" for their conduct instead of taking full responsibility and were not rehabilitated.

The brothers spoke to the court via video and apologised for their actions.

They also spoke about their hopes of working with sex abuse victims and helping those incarcerated if they were given a second chance outside prison.

What happens next?

The California parole board will now decide whether to release the brothers from prison.

Separately, the state's governor, Gavin Newsom, is considering a request from the brothers for clemency. If approved, it could lead to a reduced sentence or a pardon.

Governor Newsom requested that the parole board conduct a risk assessment that examines whether the brothers pose a risk to the general public if released.

The full report has not been released, but the district attorney said it indicated a "moderate risk of violence".

The parole board hearing on the clemency petition is set to take place on 13 June.

It is unclear whether the board will also consider the possibility of parole based on Judge Jesic's resentencing at the same hearing.

What did the Menendez brothers do?

Getty Images Lyle and Erik Menendez sit in courtGetty Images
A jury found the brothers guilty of murder in 1996

Lyle and Erik Menendez killed their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, on 20 August 1989 at their home in Beverly Hills.

Their father, a 45-year-old Hollywood executive, was shot six times with a shotgun the brothers had purchased days before the attack.

Their mother died after suffering 10 shotgun blasts to several parts of her body.

The brothers initially told police they found their parents dead when they arrived home.

They were arrested after the girlfriend of a psychologist that had been treating Erik Menendez went to police to say that he had physically threatened the doctor.

Why did the Menendez brothers kill their parents?

The brothers claimed they committed the murders in self defence after years of alleged physical, emotional and sexual abuse, although no molestation was ever proven in court.

They said they feared their father would kill them after they threatened to expose him.

However, prosecutors argued that the young men had killed their successful parents to inherit their multi-million-dollar estate.

What happened during the Menendez trial?

The brothers were taken into custody in 1990 and in 1993 they were tried for the murders, first individually, with one jury for each brother.

However, both juries were deadlocked in 1994, resulting in a mistrial, and the pair were later tried again together in 1995.

During their joint trial the judge excluded apparent evidence of abuse from their defence case. Taped sessions with a doctor, in which the killings were discussed, were ruled admissible in court by the judge.

A jury found them guilty and the pair were convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to murder in 1996.

The brothers, who were separated during their detention after a detective who investigated the slayings said they may conspire to escape if housed together, reunited in jail in 2018.

What impact has the Netflix drama had on the case?

Netflix Cooper Koch (left) and Nicholas Chavez as Erik and Lyle MenendezNetflix
Cooper Koch (left) and Nicholas Chavez played Erik and Lyle Menendez respectively in the 2024 Netflix series

The case was thrust back into the spotlight after Netflix released a drama series about the brothers in September.

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, shot to the top of the platform's streaming chart and was reported to have had 12.3 million views in its first weekend of release.

It explores what might have led the siblings to kill their parents and it presents the murders from different perspectives.

Its creators said the series was based on extensive research and it follows the events surrounding the murders.

It includes the brothers' claims of abuse as well as showing things from the parents' point of view.

The show introduced the case to a new generation and garnered attention from celebrities - including Kim Kardashian and Rosie O'Donnell - who called for the brothers to be released.

The series was a follow-up to the controversial first Monsters series about US serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.

What have the Menendez brothers said about the Netflix series?

Following its release, Erik Menendez shared a statement, released on X by his wife.

He said the show was "disheartening slander" and he "believed we had moved beyond the lies and ruinous character portrayals of Lyle".

"It is sad for me to know that Netflix's dishonest portrayal of the tragedies surrounding our crime have taken the painful truths several steps backward - back through time to an era when the prosecution built a narrative on a belief system that males were not sexually abused, and that males experienced rape trauma differently than women," he added.

Members of the family also spoke out and said the brothers had been "victimised by this grotesque shockadrama," and the show was "riddled with mistruths".

Ryan Murphy, who created the show, told Variety that the comments were "predictable at best".

He added that the family's response was "interesting because I would like specifics about what they think is shocking or not shocking. It's not like we're making any of this stuff up. It's all been presented before".

Man who killed boy, 7, when cannabis factory exploded jailed for 14 years

14 May 2025 at 19:39
Northumbria Police Mugshot of Reece Galbraith. He has thick ginger hair and a ginger goatee and a very pale face. He is wearing a black t shirtNorthumbria Police
Reece Galbraith admitted two counts of manslaughter

A man whose illegal cannabis factory exploded in a block of flats, killing seven-year-old Archie York, has been jailed for 14 years.

Archie died when the blast caused by Reece Galbraith, 33, obliterated several homes in Benwell in the early hours of 16 October 2024, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

The fatal explosion was caused by a build-up of butane created in the process of making drug-infused sweets in one of the flats by Jason Laws, 35, who was also killed, and Galbraith.

Galbraith, of Gateshead, admitted two counts of manslaughter, with Archie's mother screaming at him in court that he had killed her son.

Mr Laws and Galbraith were using a ground-floor flat in the block of 12 homes on Violet Close to make so-called cannabis shatter, a brittle substance containing a high concentration of the psychoactive compound THC which is used to form sweets from, prosecutor David Brooke KC said.

At about 00:40 BST, their "sophisticated" factory exploded, killing Archie, who lived upstairs with his parents and baby brother, and totally destroying six homes, the court heard.

Family handout Archie York smiles at the camera. He has short dark hair and is smiling, he is wearing a red t shirt and is standing in front of a blue swimming poolFamily handout
Archie York was killed in the blast

There was then a "fierce fire" and the block ultimately had to be demolished, with dozens of people losing their homes and possessions, Mr Brooke said.

Archie had been asleep in his living room when the blast occurred and was killed instantly, while his father Robbie York, mother Katherine Errington and seven-week-old brother Finley all survived, the court heard.

Mr Brooke said there had also been an "enormous impact" on the local area, with the damage and costs to Newcastle City Council valued at £3.7m, 81 adults and 59 children from 51 homes displaced and 10 households having to be permanently rehoused.

Ms Errington told the court her son's death had "broken us in ways I didn't know possible" and the family had "lost everything", adding she felt "survivor's guilt".

In a fury, she angrily told Galbraith he "took risks for profit" before screaming at him: "You killed my son."

"This was your choice," Ms Errington said. "We will never forgive you for what you did to our beautiful boy."

The court heard Archie's beloved dog Chase had also been killed in the blast.

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'Very real chance' Diane Sindall killer still at large after man's conviction quashed

14 May 2025 at 18:31
Handout Diane Sindall, who has blonde hair, smiles at the camera while holding a light coloured puppy which appears to be a labradorHandout
Diane Sindall, 21, had been due to get married when she was ambushed by an unknown killer

Detectives have said there is a "very real chance" the true killer of a young woman murdered in 1986 is still on the streets after a man wrongfully convicted of the frenzied sexual attack was freed.

Peter Sullivan had spent the last 38 years behind bars for the murder of 21-year-old Diane Sindall in Birkenhead, Merseyside, before he was dramatically acquitted by the Court of Appeal on Tuesday.

Now 68, Mr Sullivan was released from prison after judges heard a DNA profile pointing to an unknown attacker was found after new testing on semen samples preserved from the crime scene.

Det Ch Supt Karen Jaundrill, head of investigations at Merseyside Police, said the force has since made contact with every man identified in the original investigation and "had not met with any resistance" to DNA screening.

The detective said more than 260 men had been tested and eliminated as a suspect.

She has now appealed for people in the community to come forward if they can think of anyone whose "behaviour they were not happy with" at the time, admitting there was a "very real chance" the killer was still at large.

Miss Sindall was dragged into an alley and beaten to death on 2 August 1986 in an attack detectives at the time described as the worst they had ever been involved in.

Merseyside Police said it had immediately reopened Miss Sindall's case after being told there was a new DNA profile in 2023, despite Mr Sullivan's appeal still being in progress at the time.

Det Ch Supt Karen Jaundrill, who has black hair pulled into a ponytail, black rimmed glasses and wearing a grey blazer over a black top, speaks to the camera outside a grey sign bearing the Merseyside Police insignia
Det Ch Supt Karen Jaundrill said the force was desperate for information

Det Ch Supt Jaundrill said that while the DNA was the main focus of investigative efforts, her team will rely heavily on people who lived in Birkenhead at the time for answers.

"I'm really hopeful with the work that we are doing but we really are relying on the community, particularly Birkenhead, just to really think about the nature of that investigation at the time," she said.

"Try and reflect on any individuals that you weren't happy with at the time.

"It may be that somebody has passed away and you weren't happy with their behaviour at the time and you think they were linked.

"My ask would be please contact us, regardless of how insignificant you think the information is, and let us judge where that fits into our investigation."

Miss Sindall, who worked as a florist, had also been doing part-time bar work at the Wellington Pub in Bebington to save up for her upcoming wedding to her fiancé, David Beattie.

Julia Quenzler/BBC A court sketch showing Peter Sullivan, 68, who has grey and white hair and a blue shirt, holding his hand to his face Julia Quenzler/BBC
Peter Sullivan held his hand to his face and sobbed when he was told his conviction would be quashed

She began driving to her home in Seacombe in her blue Fiat van but seemingly ran out of petrol, and began walking to what police believe was either a bus stop or an all night garage shortly after 00:00 BST.

Her semi-naked body was discovered partially concealed in an alleyway by a woman walking her dog at about 12:30 BST that day.

She had suffered severe injuries and her death was found to have been caused by repeated blows to the head.

Det Ch Supt Jaundrill said Miss Sindall's family and fiancé were "fully supportive" of the new investigation and "very much want us" to find her real killer.

Asked about the chances of the true attacker still being on the streets nearly four decades later, she added: "There is a very real chance.

"That's where I reiterate our dedicated team of investigators are working tirelessly.

"We're exploiting every opportunity to try and identify who the person is in relation to that DNA sample, but it does come back to that point - we are reliant on the communities, particularly Birkenhead to provide information."

The force has defended how it investigated the original case, and highlighted that the technology to extract a DNA profile from the semen samples recovered from Miss Sindall's body was still many years away at the time of her murder.

Merseyside Police A black-and-white police mugshot of Peter Sullivan, taken in 1986. In the photograph he has black bushy hair and is wearing a woolly coat.Merseyside Police
Peter Sullivan was in his late 20s when he was arrested

It has also pointed to the fact that two other grounds of appeal, related to how Mr Sullivan was interrogated and the admissibility of bite mark evidence, were rejected by appeal court judges.

Det Ch Supt Jaundrill said: "Nobody at Merseyside Police underestimates the impact on Peter Sullivan and I am grateful that the outcome at court will allow him to go out and rebuild his life.

"Our focus remains on finding justice for Diane."

Mr Sullivan's solicitor Sarah Myatt said her client was a "private man" and wanted to be "left in peace" to rebuild his life.

Mr Sullivan, in a statement read to the media by Ms Myatt outside the Court of Appeal, had said he was not "angry or bitter" and expressed his wish that the Sindall family get justice.

Ms Myatt, who has represented Mr Sullivan for 20 years, said she had been "honoured" to read those words on his behalf.

"The comments he made about wanting the family to get a resolution, to find peace, that is a true reflection on the man that he is," she said.

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BBC boss vows to tackle Britain's 'crisis of trust'

14 May 2025 at 19:25
BBC The silhouette of a camerawoman in a TV studio showing a large BBC logo on a yellow and pink studio wall BBC

The BBC can help tackle a "crisis of trust" in UK society, the broadcaster's director general is expected say in a speech later.

Tim Davie will set out measures he says will allow the broadcaster to play a leading role in reversing a breakdown in trust in information and institutions, as well as combating division and disconnection between people.

They include expanding fact-checking service BBC Verify, doing more to counter disinformation, and enhancing its local journalism.

"The BBC is ready to play its full part – not to defend the past, but to help shape the future," he is expected to say, according to advance extracts of the speech.

"A future where trusted information strengthens democracy, where every child has a fair start, where creativity fuels growth and social capital, and where no-one is left behind in the digital age."

The speech in Salford will set out Mr Davie's vision for the corporation's future.

The BBC's current royal charter, which sets out the terms and purposes of its existence, expires in 2027, and negotiations with the government about its renewal are ramping up.

He will argue that the BBC can play a key part in making the UK a "global leader in trusted information", support democracy, boost education and economic growth, and improve digital access.

"The future of our civilised, cohesive, democratic society is, for the first time in my life, at risk," Mr Davie will say.

"I have no doubt that we face a crisis. It is a crisis that has been well documented and debated. The dramatic rise of people who feel more lonely in a connected world, who don't feel involved and who feel others are benefitting from a changed world.

"We see profound changes in people's trust in the information that they are receiving, and their associated faith that those who have information are acting in their interests."

The BBC says it is the most trusted news provider in the UK, with 45% of the population naming it as the source they trusted the most in 2024. That is down from 57% a decade ago.

Other proposed measures include using artificial intelligence "for good" in its Bitesize educational service by giving every child an automated "personal learning companion".

Mr Davie will also call for a national plan to switch off traditional broadcast transmissions in the 2030s, and ensure a "smooth" transition to internet-only delivery of programmes.

The BBC could launch its own device aimed at people who haven't switched to streaming, based on the existing Freely online service, Mr Davie said.

"We want to double down on Freely as a universal free service to deliver live TV over broadband.

"And we want to consider developing and launching a streaming media device with Freely capabilities built in, with a radically simplified user interface specifically designed to help those yet to benefit from IP services."

Ex-Reform MP Rupert Lowe will not face criminal charges over alleged threats

14 May 2025 at 18:49
BBC 'Breaking' graphicBBC

Rupert Lowe, the MP for Great Yarmouth, will not face criminal charges in relation to an allegation of threats, the Crown Prosecution Service has said.

Malcolm Mc Haffie, head of the CPS, said it made the decision "following a thorough and detailed review of the evidence".

Lowe was elected as a Reform MP in last year's general election but was later suspended by the party.

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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'My son was killed by criminals making cannabis'

14 May 2025 at 19:27
Family handout Archie smiles at the camera. He has short dark hair and a big smile on his face, showing a tooth missing from the bottom row. He is wearing a navy football shirt with yellow trim and appears to be in a restaurantFamily handout
Archie York was killed in an explosion at a block of flats in October

Seven-year-old Archie York was killed in a blast in Newcastle caused by his neighbour's illegal attempts to make cannabis sweets. As one of his killers is jailed, Archie's mother says her son's death should serve as a warning to other criminals.

Shortly before 01:00 BST on 16 October, the slumbering streets of Benwell were rent by the roar of an enormous explosion.

Katherine Errington had been asleep in her bedroom with her seven-week-old son Finley, when the pair were suddenly bombarded with and buried beneath the walls and contents of their flat.

She initially thought she was having a nightmare, but the taste of blood in her mouth quickly confirmed this was all too real. The utter panic and confusion was replaced by a realisation she was trapped beneath the debris of her home.

She could hear her baby son crying but could not find him in the darkness and destruction - his cries soon gave way to a chilling silence.

PA Media A row of two-storey red brick homes. The middle couple have been totally obliterated, just a pule of black and smouldering rubble instead with emergency service workers wearing bright orange clothes rummaging through the debrisPA Media
The explosion obliterated several homes on Violet Close

"I closed my eyes," Katherine recalls. "I thought 'if my son's gone, as in unalive, I'll close my eyes and whatever happens I'll not remember it, I'll be asleep'."

Then she heard the shouts of her partner Robbie, desperately searching for her and their baby, and she called back to him so he could zero in on her voice.

Katherine managed to push her foot through the bricks into the dust-filled air, Robbie seizing it gratefully and starting to frantically dig her out, also, miraculously, finding Finley alive and pulling him to safety.

"I got out and looked at where my flat was supposed to be," she says. "There was nothing left of it."

Northumbria Police A pile of masonry rubble, bricks and large pieces of concrete, where a house used to be. Another house is just beyond, attached to the rubble.Northumbria Police
A pile of rubble was left by the blast

The street outside had rapidly filled with neighbours and emergency services, with Katherine and her baby quickly rushed away for medical treatment.

It was at the hospital where police officers told her the explosion had been even more devastating than she had imagined. Her eldest son, Archie, was "gone".

The last time she had seen him, her "perfect little boy" and Robbie had been asleep on the living room settee.

Family handout Archie smiles at the camera. He has short dark hair and is wearing a red t-shirt, with the blue waters of a swimming pool behind him.Family handout
Archie York loved superheroes and school, his mum said

Seven-year-old Archie had been the dictionary definition of a "mischievous cheeky boy", his mum says. "He was just a normal, happy little boy."

He loved superheroes, computer games and school, where "everybody loved him", Katherine says.

Archie had been overjoyed at the arrival of Finley almost two months earlier, wanting to feed him and change his nappies, maturing overnight into a proper big brother.

"It was just how a family should be," Katherine recalls. "It was the best seven weeks of my life."

Family handout Archie smiles at the camera while holding his baby brother Finley in his arms. Archie has short dark hair and his big grin reveals he is missing his front teeth. He is wearing a school uniform of a yellow polo shirt and blue jumper. Finley has dark hair and is wearing a blue onesie. Behind them is a shelf covered in cards celebrating Finley's birth.Family handout
Archie was delighted to be a big brother, his family said

Within seconds, several houses on Violet Close were practically demolished and a huge fire was raging, with more than 100 people having to be evacuated from their homes.

Initial suspicions were that it was a gas leak, a faulty boiler somewhere, but investigators quickly honed in on the activities of Katherine and Robbie's downstairs neighbour, 35-year-old Jason Laws, who was also killed in the blast, and his associate Reece Galbraith.

Katherine Errington looks directly at the camera. She has long blonde hair and is wearing a black top
Katherine Errington says her son's death has been devastating

"The scene was hell for almost two months," Det Ch Insp Katie Smith of Northumbria Police says, detailing the "harrowing" finger-tip searches officers had to make in the rubble in the days and weeks after the blast.

A suspiciously large number of butane cannisters were discovered scattered throughout the debris which, along with other industrial items such as a vacuum oven, indicated a factory making so-called shatter - a glassy-type substance used to form cannabis sweets - was operating in one of the flats.

The blast was caused by a build-up of the highly flammable butane, the gas used in the production process, which was taking place while the neighbours all slept peacefully nearby.

Northumbria Police 34 butane cannisters laid out on a board of wood. They are in varying conditions, some just reduced to ragged metal, others still showing the white and blue branding and distinctive cylindrical shapeNorthumbria Police
Police found dozens of butane cannisters in the rubble

"The dangers go without saying," Det Ch Insp Smith says. "[Galbraith and his associates] knew about the risks that night, it says on the side of the gas cannister how highly flammable it is.

"They disregarded that to make some money from drugs.

"It caused utter devastation."

Katie Smith looks at the camera with a serious expression on her face. She has long brown hair and is wearing a dark suit, behind he is a blue banner with the Northumbria Police insignia on it
Det Ch Insp Katie Smith said Galbraith and his associates knew the danger they were posing

For Katherine, finding out her son had been killed because of the illegal activities of a criminal neighbour only worsened her grief.

"It sickens me that it could have been prevented," she says. "You are supposed to trust your neighbours.

"This is more upsetting for us because someone chose to do that, it was their choice, not ours."

The day she was burying her boy, 33-year-old Galbraith was in court denying being responsible for his death.

Northumbria Police Mugshot of Reece Galbraith. He is gaunt and pale with thick ginger hair and a ginger goatee, wearing a black t shirtNorthumbria Police
Reece Galbraith initially denied manslaughter before changing his pleas

It was only later, when confronted with the wealth of prosecution evidence against him including DNA, finger prints and mobile phone data, that Galbraith changed his plea and admitted manslaughter.

His initial denials caused further pain and consternation for Katherine.

"He's got no compassion whatsoever, no remorse for anything he has done," she says.

She says her life now is indescribable, the shock and grief at the loss of Archie still all-consuming.

Katherine never would have thought the routine of kissing her son goodnight and laying out his school clothes for the next morning would be obliterated in such a violent manner.

Family handout Archie give a salute with his right hand held up to his forehead while wearing a black top and toy police vest. The vest is bright yellow and had blue and white checked badges across the shouldersFamily handout
Archie York will be remembered for being a happy cheeky boy, his family said

But she is also keen to ensure he is remembered for being the "funny little cheeky boy" who "touched so many hearts" rather than for the way he was killed.

Katherine is also keen other criminals heed what happened.

"This should be enough to stop anyone trying to do any illegal activities," she says.

"[Galbraith] has now got a seven-year-old's death on his hands from his choice."

Neither Katherine nor Robbie ever saw a future without Archie.

Their son was going to be a rock for Finley, but the baby is now an only child with no memory of the brother who doted on him.

"I don't think we will ever move on from this," Katherine says.

"That day is going to haunt us to the day we die."

A paving stone with a Spider Man action figure on it and a couple of white candles.
A tribute left to Archie at the scene of the explosion as it stands today

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Israeli strikes in northern Gaza kill at least 48, hospital says

14 May 2025 at 17:01
Reuters A Palestinian girl inspects a car destroyed by debris following an Israeli strike on a house in Jabalia, northern Gaza (14 May 2025)Reuters
Several homes in the northern Jabalia area were reportedly destroyed in the overnight strikes

At least 48 Palestinians have been killed in a series of Israeli air strikes in northern Gaza overnight, a local hospital says.

The Indonesian hospital reported that 22 children and 15 women were among the dead after a number of homes in Jabalia town and refugee camp were hit. A video shared online appeared to show at least a dozen bodies on the floor there.

The Israeli military said it was looking into the reports. It had warned residents of Jabalia and neighbouring areas to evacuate on Tuesday night after a Palestinian armed group launched rockets into Israel.

It came as the UN's humanitarian affairs chief urged members of the UN Security Council to take action to "prevent genocide" in Gaza.

Speaking at a meeting in New York on Tuesday, Tom Fletcher accused Israel of "deliberately and unashamedly imposing inhumane conditions on civilians".

He called on Israel to lift its 10-week blockade on Gaza and criticised the Israeli-US plan to take over the distribution of humanitarian aid in the territory.

The Israeli ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, told the council that foreign aid was being used to help Hamas's war effort.

Meanwhile, US Special Envoys Steve Witkoff and Adam Boehler said they would travel to Qatar for fresh negotiations on a possible ceasefire and hostage release deal.

Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has threatened to expand its military offensive in Gaza this week unless Hamas agrees to release the 58 hostages it is still holding.

On Tuesday, a massive Israeli air strike on the European hospital's compound in southern Gaza killed at least 28 people, according to local officials.

Israeli media reports said the target was Mohammed Sinwar, who is believed to have become the leader of Hamas in Gaza after his brother Yahya was killed by Israeli forces last October.

The Israeli military described it as "a precise strike on Hamas terrorists who were operating in a command-and-control centre" underneath the hospital.

The Israeli military launched a campaign to destroy Hamas in response to an unprecedented cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

At least 52,908 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

Menendez brothers eligible for parole after judge cuts sentences

14 May 2025 at 11:44
Getty Images Menendez brothers, Erik, left, and Lyle on the steps of their Beverly Hills home in November, 1989Getty Images
Menendez brothers, Erik, left, and Lyle on the steps of their Beverly Hills home in November 1989

A Los Angeles judge has resentenced two brothers who are serving life in prison for the 1989 murders of their parents in a Beverly Hills mansion, making them eligible for parole.

Judge Michael Jesic gave Erik and Lyle Menendez a new sentence of 50 years to life. A decision on their potential release will be made at a parole hearing in June.

The pair have acknowledged killing Kitty and Jose Menendez, but said they acted out of self-defence after years of abuse and have since been rehabilitated.

Prosecutors have argued the brothers meticulously planned the shotgun killings to access their parents' fortune, are yet to take responsibility and should not be released.

The notorious case, which has prompted books, documentaries and dramas, still divides America.

The brothers gave an emotional statement - via video - to the court at Tuesday's hearing.

The court heard relatives detail how the case affected their family, and pleading for the judge to allow the siblings' release from prison.

The brothers' cousin, Anamaria Baralt, who has been close with them since they were children, told the judge they deserved a "second chance at life".

"It's been a nightmare," she said. "I am desperate for this process to be over."

At times, both Erik and Lyle appeared emotional as family recounted how their crimes have impacted them. Both wiped their eyes at times, with Erik covering his mouth or putting his head in his hands at other moments.

Ms Baralt speaks with Erik and Lyle frequently, she told the court, and testified that they've taken "ownership of their actions".

She said they admitted they tried to steer their previous trial - with Lyle telling her he'd asked a witness to lie when testifying.

"They are very different men from the boys they were," she said.

Wild chimpanzees filmed using medicinal plants to treat injuries

14 May 2025 at 12:35
Watch: wild chimpanzees filmed using forest 'first aid'

Chimpanzees in Uganda have been observed using medicinal plants - in multiple ways - to treat open wounds and other injuries.

University of Oxford scientists, working with a local team in the Budongo Forest, filmed and recorded incidents of the animals using plants for first aid, both on themselves and occasionally on each other.

Their research builds on the discovery last year that chimps seek out and eat certain plants to self-medicate.

The scientists also compiled decades of scientific observations to create a catalogue of the different ways in which chimpanzees use "forest first aid".

Researchers say the study, which is published in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, adds to a growing body of evidence that primates, including chimps, orangutans and gorillas, use natural medicines in a number of ways to stay healthy in the wild.

Lead researcher Elodie Freymann explained there was "a whole behavioural repertoire that chimpanzees use when they're sick or injured in the wild - to treat themselves and to maintain hygiene".

"Some of these include the use of plants that can be found here," she explained. "The chimpanzees dab them on their wounds or chew the plants up, and then apply the chewed material to the open injury."

The researchers studied footage of a very young, female chimpanzee chewing plant material and applying it to an injury on its mother's body.

They also found records of chimpanzees tending to the wounds of other animals they weren't related to. This is particularly exciting, explained Dr Freymann, "because it adds to the evidence that wild chimpanzees have the capacity for empathy".

Elodie Freymann A young woman scientist, with a surgical mask on her face, studies a tablet computer. She is crouched in the rainforest and, in the background, the image shows a chimpanzee with its hand gripping a low tree branch. The animal is sitting on the ground and the researcher is observing it. The mask is to avoid transmitting respiratory infections to the chimpanzees.   Elodie Freymann
Researcher Dr Elodie Freymann follows and observes wild chimpanzees to record their natural behaviour

Some of the hundreds of written observations that Dr Freymann and her colleagues studied came from a log book at the field station in the forest site, which is northwest of the capital, Kampala.

This record of anecdotal evidence dates back to the 1990s – local field staff, researchers and visitors have written in, describing any interesting behaviour they have observed.

There are stories in that book of leaf-dabbing on injuries and chimps helping other chimps to remove snares from their limbs.

There are some surprisingly human-like hygiene habits: One note describes a chimpanzee using leaves to wipe itself after defecating.

This team of researchers has previously identified some of the plants that chimpanzees sought out and ate when they were injured. The scientists took samples of those plants, tested them and discovered most had antibacterial properties.

Elodie Freymann The image shows four adult chimpanzees sitting in a line on a log on the forest floor. Each appears to be grooming the animal sitting in front. Elodie Freymann
Chimpanzees are some of our closest primate relatives

Chimpanzees are not the only non-human apes with apparent knowledge of plant-based medicine. A recent study showed a wild oranguatan using chewed leaf material to heal a facial wound.

Scientists think studying this wild ape behaviour - and understanding more about the plants the chimps use when they are sick or injured - could help in the search for new medicines.

"The more we learn about chimpanzee behaviour and intelligence, the more I think we come to understand how little we as humans actually know about the natural world," Dr Freymann told BBC News.

"If I were plopped down here in this forest with no food and no medicine, I doubt that I'd be able to survive very long, especially if I were injured or sick."

"But chimpanzees thrive here because they know how to access the secrets of this place, and how to find all they need to survive from their surroundings."

Gary Lineker deletes 'Zionism' post after criticism

14 May 2025 at 03:56
PA Media Gary Lineker in casual clothesPA Media

Gary Lineker has deleted an Instagram story post he shared from the group Palestine Lobby, which said: "Zionism explained in two minutes" and featured an illustration of a rat.

A rat has historically been used as an antisemitic insult, referring to language used by Nazi Germany to characterise Jews.

Lineker's agent told the BBC the presenter immediately deleted the post when he learned about the image's symbolism.

The charity Campaign Against Antisemitism said it was submitting a complaint to the BBC.

Lineker's agent said: "Whilst viewing and reposting a video, Gary did not notice a rodent emoticon added by the author of the post. Although if he had, he would not have made any connection. The repost has been removed."

In response to Lineker's post, Campaign Against Antisemitism posted on X: "Nothing to see here. Just Gary Lineker's Instagram account sharing an anti-Israel video misrepresenting Zionism, complete with a rat emoji."

The group added that his "continued association with the BBC is untenable. He must go".

The BBC, when asked if it had any comment on Lineker's now-removed post, responded by referring to its guidance on personal use of social media.

Zionism refers to the movement to create a Jewish state in the Middle East, roughly corresponding to the historical land of Israel, and thus support for the modern state of Israel.

A spokesperson for the Board of Deputies of British Jews said they felt "the BBC should ask him to leave now rather than allowing him to dictate his own terms", according to the Daily Mail.

"He has caused great offence with this video – particularly with his egregious use of a rat emoji to illustrate Zionists."

BBC News has asked the body about its comments and if it has anything further to add.

Barrister Simon Myerson KC, who chairs the Leeds Jewish Representative Council, posted a message to the outgoing Match of the Day presenter, which said: "Posting racism - bad. Deleting racist post - good. Not acknowledging error when paid enormous amount of public money pa by BBC - pathetic."

'I know where I stand'

Last month, Lineker spoke to BBC presenter Amol Rajan about his views on the Middle East.

The sports presenter said: "I know where I stand on this... What's going on there [Gaza], the mass murder of thousands of children is probably something we should have a little opinion on."

The war in Gaza was triggered by the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others taken hostage.

Israel launched a mass military offensive on Gaza in response which has killed 52,908 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Rajan responded to Lineker's comment that the BBC "as a whole needs to be impartial about it", to which Lineker replied: "Why? It needs to be factual."

The journalist said the BBC, as a public broadcaster, needs to be "impartial about conflict", to which Lineker replied: "It wasn't impartial about Ukraine and Russia... I think facts are the most important thing."

Lineker hitting headlines

Lineker was temporarily suspended from the BBC in March 2023 after an impartiality row over comments he made criticising the then-government's new asylum policy.

Reflecting on his tweets in the interview with Rajan, Lineker said he did not regret taking the position he did, but that he would not do it again because of the "damage" it did to the BBC.

In February, Lineker made headlines when he was among 500 other high-profile figures who signed an open letter urging the BBC to reinstate a documentary, Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone, to BBC iPlayer.

The documentary was pulled from the streaming service in February after it emerged its 13-year-old narrator was the son of a Hamas official.

After concerns were raised, the BBC took down the film while it carried out further due diligence. The corporation has apologised and admitted "serious flaws" in the making of the film and the matter is still subject to an internal investigation.

Lineker and the BBC jointly announced in November that he would be stepping down from the flagship football programme, although he will still host World Cup and FA Cup coverage.

On top of his presenting roles, Lineker is also the co-founder of Goalhanger Podcasts, which make the successful The Rest is History series and its spin-offs about Politics, Football, Entertainment and Money.

The Rest is Football podcast, featuring Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, is also on BBC Sounds.

Airbnb offers private chefs and massages as it revamps app

14 May 2025 at 11:58
Getty Images Stock image of woman having a massage.Getty Images

Airbnb says users will now be able to book luxury services like personal trainers, massages and chefs on its redesigned app as it continues to expand beyond its main short-term rentals business.

"People choose hotels for their services. People choose Airbnbs for the space... now, we're giving you the best of both worlds", the company's chief executive Brian Chesky said in a statement.

It comes just weeks after the firm signalled bookings may slow in the US as President Trump's unpredictable trade policies hit consumer sentiment.

Despite hosting more than two billion guests since its launch in 2008, Airbnb has also faced challenges in recent years with some cities moving to ban short lets.

Airbnb's new services will initially be available in 260 cities, with the company saying they will cost from below $50 (£37.57).

The luxury offerings, which include spa treatments, photographers and makeup artists, can also be booked by people who are not staying in Airbnbs.

The company's revamped app also includes an updated experiences tab, allowing users to book bespoke tours and activities. That service was first launched in 2016.

The new hotel-like features reflect the changing needs of tourists, Gary Bowerman, director of travel marketing firm Check-in Asia told the BBC.

"Travellers are now thinking much more about how to customise the trip for themselves, not just the actual functional parts of how they get there and where they stay."

Another feature of the new app is an originals tab, which offers exclusive experiences across the world.

This includes playing beach volleyball in Rio de Janeiro with Olympian Carol Solberg or spending a Sunday with National Football League superstar Patrick Mahomes.

Bespoke options like this are part of a wider trend as tourists seek out off-the-beaten path experiences, said luxury travel consultant Anastasia Oriordan.

"There are so many people that have travelled and done so many things, that the benchmark or the goalpost for unique experiences is constantly moving."

Co-op says shelves to be more fully stocked this weekend

14 May 2025 at 16:53
BBC A shop fridge with almost empty shelves, and a sign stuck on the window which says "Sorry we are having some availability issues which will be resolved shortly"BBC
Shoppers have found some empty shelves over the past few weeks

Co-op customers should see stocks on shelves start to return to more normal levels this weekend, the company said, after it announced it was switching its online ordering system for suppliers back on after a cyber-attack.

The hack resulted in payment problems, widespread shortages of goods in shops, and compromised customer and staff data.

The hackers, who use the name DragonForce, also claimed to be responsible for a similar attack on Marks and Spencer (M&S) and an attempted hack of Harrods earlier this month.

Co-op said it was bringing its systems "gradually back online in a safe and controlled manner."

Earlier this month, cyber criminals infiltrated the Co-op's IT networks apparently trying to extort money from the grocery chain.

The company moved to limit the impact of the attack by shutting down some IT systems, including parts of its supply chain and logistics operations, resulting in disruption to deliveries.

Shoppers have shared images of empty shelves and fridges.

But Co-op says this should improve from the weekend in-store and online, as it works with its suppliers to restock.

It says all payments systems, including contactless payments, are back up and running.

In a statement, the company thanked "colleagues, members, partners and suppliers for their support so far."

Reuters Man in shirtsleeves looking at phone walks in front of a Co-op store on The Strand, LondonReuters

In a message sent to its suppliers earlier this week, and first reported by The Grocer, the Co-op asked for patience as it gets its systems back up and running.

It warned of likely increased "volatility" in order volumes.

The cyber criminals claim to have the private information of 20 million people who signed up to Co-op's membership scheme, but the firm would not confirm that number.

M&S admitted on Tuesday that some customer data had been stolen in the hack of its systems.

How can traditional British TV survive the US streaming giants?

14 May 2025 at 08:57
BBC A treated image which shows six TVs stacked up. BBC

Just before Christmas, in a private dining room in the upmarket Charlotte Street Hotel in the heart of London's Soho, the BBC's director general gathered some of the UK's leading TV creatives and executives for lunch. As they ate, surrounded by kaleidoscopic-patterned wallpaper and giant artworks, they were also chewing over the future survival of their own industry.

As solutions were thrown around to what many see as an acute funding crisis in the age of global streaming, one of the invitees suggested, in passing, that BBC Studios (the corporation's commercial content-producing arm) could merge with Channel 4 to create a bigger, more powerful force to compete with the likes of Disney Plus, Netflix and Amazon.

As another diner knocked down the idea, I'm told that Tim Davie, the BBC's DG, asked why it was so ridiculous.

I relate that not because it has come to fruition. It hasn't. Nor even to suggest that the Director General supports the idea.

Instead the story illustrates the belief, among some within the broadcasting industry, that nothing should be off the table when it comes to contemplating how to ensure the survival of British-originated and British-focused TV as we know it.

Getty Images A family watch a boxing match at home in 1950.Getty Images
With viewing habits having shifted, the industry is attempting to ensure the survival of British-originated and British-focused TV

Many of the people I spoke to for this piece didn't want to be quoted. But Sir Peter Bazalgette, the former Chairman of ITV, told me that what he termed the current "generous spread" of British broadcasters (BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5) will need some consolidation or, at the very least, more cooperation in future.

"We're in danger of having no public service broadcasting within a decade, certainly within 20 years," he says. "We don't have a strategy for their survival. It's that serious. The regulators need to start thinking about it.

"Mergers may well be part of the answer. There should be fewer companies in the future."

Lord Vaizey, who was Culture Minister under David Cameron, put it baldly. "ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 should merge.

"The UK only has room for two domestic broadcasters."

AFP via Getty Images BBC director general Tim Davie speaks at the Confederation of Business Industry (CBI) annual conference at the Vox Conference Centre in Birmingham on 22 November 2022.AFP via Getty Images
Tim Davie is set to give a speech on Wednesday that lays out his vision for, among other things, embracing the digital age

Others, however, argue that distinctiveness is good for viewers. Channel 5 President Sarah Rose told me she "couldn't disagree with Ed Vaizey more" – calling it a "Doomsday prophecy".

Channel 5 is profitable, she tells me; it invests in smaller production companies and offers plurality for British audiences. By having just one commercial channel, "You're taking the funnel from three to one types of content for British audiences."

Channel 4 also rejects the suggestion of any merger. Its outgoing CEO Alex Mahon argues that, "The unique structure of competition between our publicly funded and commercially funded broadcasters" is what makes UK public service TV "so excellent".

And yet the days of turning on your TV and finding an electronic programme guide listing channels – with BBC1 and BBC2 at the top, then ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 – are disappearing. The proposed date for the dawn of a new era is 2035; the end of traditional terrestrial TV as we know it.

When the increasingly expensive contracts to provide broadcast channels and digital terrestrial services like Freeview come to an end, the UK's broadcasters are likely to pivot to offering digital-only video on demand. (However this won't happen without a campaign to ensure older people are protected, as well as rural and low-income households who may not have high quality internet access.)

But if the aerials are turned off in 2035, is this the moment TV as we know it changes forever? If it becomes a battle between online-only British streamers and their better-funded US rivals, can the Brits survive? And, crucially, what will audiences be watching?

How TV could look by 2035

Flash forward to switching on the television in 2035 and there will of course have been certain technological transformations – perhaps more immersive viewing experiences or some shows viewed through augmented reality glasses. What's highly likely, though, is that the communal big screen will still be a staple, (albeit probably voice-activated by then).

It's a shift that has already begun with YouTube viewers changing their viewing habits and moving to the bigger screen. In 2024, for the first time, TV sets were the most-used device for watching content on the video sharing site at home, according to recent data from the Broadcasters Audience Research Board (Barb). In all, 41% of YouTube viewing was done on TV sets, ahead of 31% on smartphones.

With YouTube an apparently unstoppable force, in ten years' time it could well become the go-to viewing for the majority.

"We are likely to continue to see a shift in the share of viewing time and advertising revenue towards globally-scaled players and user-generated content platforms like YouTube and TikTok," all within the next five years, according to Kate Scott-Dawkins, Global President for Business Intelligence at media investment company Group M.

There'll also likely be Netflix, Disney, Apple, Amazon. In other words, the global players, based in the US, many of which also have other revenue streams (whether parks, computer hardware or a vast shopping platform).

Getty Images A general view of the front of BBC Broadcasting House on 10 July 2023.Getty Images
The BBC has lost income in real terms over the last 10 years through licence fee decline

Kate Scott-Dawkins, Global President for Business Intelligence at media investment company Group M tells me the UK broadcasters are facing what could be an "existential" battle against US-based media companies with "wildly different business models".

The shift to streaming TV has, she says, "enabled large globally-scaled players to get even bigger and pour money into content that they can put in front of worldwide audiences".

The "big players with big pockets" already pay for a bespoke button on certain remote controls, or their own content tile front and centre on the homepage on smart TVs.

Ms Scott-Dawkins believes that in the future it will be "a position of strength" to own the operating systems themselves, as well as the media that people are watching on them. For example, this might mean Apple showing its films and television series on Apple TVs and iPhones, or Amazon showing its own productions via its Fire devices, or Google through its own computers and phones.

Questions of revenue

Part of the problem is that the UK terrestrial channels can't compete financially with the streamers. Netflix, for example, is valued at $472bn (£356bn).

The BBC has lost 30% of its income – or £1bn a year – in real terms since 2010, as the licence fee has become worth less. ITV's share price hasn't yet recovered since the advertising downturn in 2022, despite its vast production arm, ITV Studios, boosting its earnings before tax to £299m.

Meanwhile, Channel 4's recorded a deficit of £52m for 2023. Alex Mahon told Parliament last month, "We will pretty much break even in the year".

Getty Images Nick Bateman, Jade Goody, Peter Bazalgette, Craig Phillips, Nadia Almada and Marco Sabba.Getty Images
Sir Peter Bazalgette (seen here at the back with Big Brother contestants in 2005), is calling on regulators to make a strategy to secure the future of the industry

Some TV insiders think the solution will be one gateway or app for all public service content: one place to find all shows from BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and 5.

Alex Mahon recently told a newspaper that there needs to be "more collaboration" between the UK broadcasters – a way of "making sure we're not duplicating the same technology".

ITV has spent hundreds of millions to create ITVX, its streaming platform for the Netflix-age. Channel 4 took a pioneering approach to its own digital transformation, launching 4oD back in 2006; the first broadcaster in the world to offer television content on-demand.

But while its current £1bn a year revenue enables it to compete as a significant content creator, this may not be enough to sustain a modern distribution platform with all the associated investment costs into the long term, according to some insiders.

Lord Hall, the former BBC Director General, is among those arguing that it's not sustainable for individual broadcasters to continue going it alone. "The notion that everyone has their own portals when you are competing against the huge streamers is not going to survive into the future," he says.

'One big streamer under iPlayer'?

Could the solution be for BBC iPlayer, which has been built with public money, to become the portal for the other British public service media content, too? It would be a single place where viewers could find ITV's The Chase, Channel 4's The Great British Bake Off and Channel 5 News, alongside BBC's The Traitors. This was one idea suggested to me by multiple TV insiders. "One big streamer under iPlayer", as one TV executive described it to me, "a modern public service streaming service".

Part of their argument is that it's the fastest growing streaming service in the UK – and the only existing platform of plausible scale to compete.

With political support and the right deal, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 could potentially get behind sharing tech (after all, the streaming service Freely, which launched last year, already hosts their content with the BBC's and others).

But the idea of branding this all under the BBC iPlayer is – unsurprisingly – not something that commercial broadcasters would likely entertain, according to conversations I've had.

Comic Relief via Getty Images Ed Byrne, Geri Halliwell and John Simpson take on baking tasks for the Comic Relief special episode of the Great British Bake Off in 2016.Comic Relief via Getty Images
Some have suggested that shows like Channel 4's Great British Bake Off could one day be made available on BBC iPlayer

Lord Hall believes, "It could be branded differently... It would be a very good step."

He says: "The public would have to get used to the fact that BBC material would be free of advertising, and other parts of the platform would have adverts."

If the idea of a shared streaming service sounds familiar, that's because it was proposed years ago. Project Kangaroo was a plan by BBC Worldwide, ITV and Channel 4 for a UK video-on-demand joint venture. Think an early rival to Netflix.

But the UK's Competition Commission blocked the project in 2009 because of concerns it could harm competition in the emerging VoD market.

Other regulators across Europe have also blocked mergers: In France, the TFI and M6 channels were prevented from merging. Two of the largest TV and radio broadcasters in the Netherlands, which would have combined eight national TV channels and four national radio stations, were also stopped for competition reasons.

Any form of merger between different public service broadcasters would be subject to the same scrutiny. It's perhaps why Sir Peter Bazalgette is calling on UK politicians and regulators to focus on creating a strategy – or risk the end of British TV as we know it.

Nostalgia versus a changing world

Today, people in the UK spend more time watching traditional broadcasters than they do streaming services. Figures show 87% of people age four and above watch the traditional broadcasters each month and they spend an average of 137 minutes a day doing so. By comparison, 78% of people watch a streaming service and they spend only 40 minutes a day doing so.

If this does shift and the pattern reverses, TV producers and executives may be worried. But does it really matter to audiences?

Netflix is already making the types of shows that may have previously been made by the likes of the BBC (Adolescence, Toxic Town and Baby Reindeer are all very British stories made by the streamer). So what is the problem? (Aside from the obvious point that you need a subscription to watch Netflix.)

Getty Images An advertising poster for the Netflix drama Adolescence, London, March 2025.Getty Images
Netflix's hit show, Adolescence, sparked international conversations about male rage and misogynistic influences online

Ms Rose argues that the picture is "much more complex". Creatives involved in those shows often cut their teeth in public service TV, she says – one of benefits of the traditional broadcasters is, she believes, that it is a pipeline of talent.

Sir Peter Bazalgette argues that they're needed more than ever in our AI age to serve as "a gold standard of trusted news for our democracy, amid the online Tower of Babel."

He also argues for programmes that reflect "our shared values and national conversation". Would a US-based streamer have chosen to make Mr Bates v the Post Office (ITV), for example, or 'It's A Sin' (Channel 4) – stories that are uniquely British and reflect who we are?

Backing producers to take risks is, says Lord Hall, "exactly what the BBC should be doing – but of course [it] has been doing less because the licence fee has been consistently cut".

Start of the 'martini streaming age'

Ultimately, the American streamers are here to stay; they're spending billions and their UK operations are often led by British executives who are supportive of Britain's public service broadcasting scene.

I have also picked up a sense from those inside Netflix that the company is often used as a battering ram to persuade the government that the UK's traditional broadcasters need more protections.

Some have also been critical of the BBC for, as they see it, wanting everything on its own terms: "'We want you to give us your money for co-productions, but the BBC will make all the creative decisions'," is how one insider put it to me, unfairly or not.

In 2018, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos was invited to the BBC's New Broadcasting House in London. Invitees recall that he talked warmly about how influential the BBC's iPlayer had been to the success of Netflix, describing how impressed he had been by a piece of kit that had got British viewers used to getting their video on demand.

With more than 17 million Brits now subscribed to Netflix, there is a certain irony to that.

Today, as the BBC's Director General Tim Davie starts to position the BBC ahead of the renewal of the corporation's charter after 2027, the TV landscape is changing fast. And the challenges are clear.

Lord Hall tells me: "Our lives will be enriched by having not only what the streamers can offer, but also what the public service broadcasters can bring. It's unthinkable not to build on what the BBC and others can deliver".

Sir Peter Bazalgette predicts that, "Small doesn't cut it," adding that, "The winners will have to be big enough to [both] afford high end dramas for winning subscribers and maintain large back catalogues to keep subscribers happy."

He says we now live in "the 'martini' streaming age - any time, any place, anywhere".

The question is whether the leaders of the public service broadcasters can forge the right plan to safeguard their industry in that age.

BBC InDepth is the home on the website and app for the best analysis, with fresh perspectives that challenge assumptions and deep reporting on the biggest issues of the day. And we showcase thought-provoking content from across BBC Sounds and iPlayer too. You can send us your feedback on the InDepth section by clicking on the button below.

Scared and malnourished - footage from Gaza shows plight of children and aftermath of Israeli strike

14 May 2025 at 10:38
BBC cameraman captures Israeli strike on Gaza hospital

The war's horrors multiply. The dead, the pieces of the dead. The dying. The starving. More and more of them now – all the weight of human suffering witnessed by my brave colleagues in Gaza.

The urge to avert our gaze can be overpowering. But the cameramen who work for the BBC cannot turn away, and on Tuesday one of them became a casualty himself. For their safety we do not reveal the names of our colleagues in Gaza.

Our cameraman was not seriously wounded, but that was a matter of luck. The Israeli bombs launched into the car park of the European Hospital in Khan Younis killed and wounded dozens.

The Israelis say the leader of Hamas was hiding in a command-and-control compound under the hospital. The army said it conducted a "precise strike" - and blamed Hamas for"cynically and cruelly exploiting the civilian population in and around the hospital". Hamas denies such charges.

At the time of the attack, families whose sick children are to be evacuated from Gaza were gathering in the hospital. There were also families waiting to meet children returning from treatment abroad.

One of the fathers was with our BBC colleague and was wounded by the bombs. He has now been discharged from hospital. Harrowing images show our journalist trying to console the man's terrified children.

Warning: This report contains distressing images.

Much of my colleague's work in recent days has focused on the plight of malnourished children.

A short time before the blast, I messaged to thank him for his work filming, with immense sensitivity, the story of Siwar Ashour. This was his response:

"Siwar's story broke something in all of us, and working on it was one of the most painful things I've ever had to do. But I knew her face, her name, and her story had to be seen – had to be heard."

Siwar is five months old and acutely malnourished, a child whose large, brown eyes dominate her shrunken frame. They follow her mother Najwa's every move. On Tuesday Najwa sent us a video message from her room at Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza.

She wanted the world to know how much she loves her child. "I wish she could receive the treatment she needs, to recover fully, and return as she was before – to play like other children, to grow and gain weight like other children. She is my first child, and as her mother, I'm deeply heartbroken for her."

A malnourished, frightened baby with enormous eyes stares at the camera and cries.
Siwar Ashoura has advanced malnutrition and cannot tolerate formula milk

In the past few days Siwar has developed a skin infection. Sores have appeared on her hands. She also has a severe gastrointestinal condition. The battle is to keep nourishment inside her. Her immune system is fighting the deprivation caused by the Israeli blockade.

The baby's cry is weak, yet it is full of urgency, the sound of a life struggling for its survival. Siwar can only drink a special milk formula due to severe allergies.

On Tuesday there was some better news. Medics at the nearby Jordanian Field Hospital managed to find some of the formula she needs. It is a small amount but they plan to send more.

A woman has closed her eyes and looks on the verge of tears. A child can be seen in the background.
Asma Al-Nashash's children are stuck in Gaza

In the coming days there are plans to bring sick children to the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. Here in Amman there are already several Gaza families who have children being treated for illness or war injuries in local hospitals. These evacuations are co-ordinated with the Israelis who do background checks on the parents travelling with their children.

In January we filmed the arrival of Abdelrahman al-Nashash and his mum Asma. Abdelrahman lost his leg in an Israeli bombing.

For four months they've lived in a place with food and shelter. A safe place.

When we visited them on Tuesday Asma called her children and their grandmother in Gaza.

Three children look at a phone next to their grandmother, sitting against a wall
The children in the photo are trapped in Gaza with their grandmother Najwa

Grandmother Najwa spoke of the war all around them. "The rockets are everywhere, firing over our heads. The food. Life is very bad. There is no flour. The prices are very high."

The children waved and blew kisses to their mother.

Afterwards, Asma told us: "I don't know what to say. I am very grateful for my mum for all she is doing for me. I wish I can return back to find them safe and in good health." She broke down and was silent.

It is only through the eyes of a mother who sees her children trapped, frightened and hungry from a safe distance, that it is possible to imagine why anyone would want to go back to Gaza.

With additional reporting by Alice Doyard, Suha Kawar and Nik Millard.

Awoniyi in induced coma after surgery

14 May 2025 at 13:58

Awoniyi in induced coma after surgery on abdominal injury

Taiwo AwoniyiImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Taiwo Awoniyi has scored 19 goals in 83 appearances in all competitions for Forest

  • Published

Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi is in an induced coma after having the first phase of surgery on a serious abdominal injury.

The Nigeria international, 27, collided with the post in the 88th minute of the 2-2 draw against Leicester at the City Ground on Sunday as he attempted to get on the end of a cross from Anthony Elanga.

He had surgery on Monday night and remains in hospital, with the rest of the procedure set to be completed on Wednesday.

In a statement earlier on Tuesday, Forest said Awoniyi was "recovering well" following the operation.

After the incident on Sunday, he received treatment on the pitch and was able to continue but was visibly struggling when the match restarted.

Awoniyi, who joined Forest from Union Berlin in June 2022, had only been on the pitch for five minutes, having come on as a late substitute for Ibrahim Sangare.

Owner Evangelos Marinakis took to the field after the game to express his concern to manager Nuno Espirito Santo over how Awoniyi's injury was handled.

Marinakis is being kept updated on the forward's condition.

On Tuesday, Forest said that Awoniyi's injury was "a powerful reminder of the physical risks in the game and why a player's health and wellbeing must always come first".

'Go back to Ukraine': War refugees complain of abuse in Poland

14 May 2025 at 13:00
EPA Three young children hold hands with their backs to the camera as a woman looks down at them and a man on the other side carries two bagsEPA
At least 2.5 million Ukrainians live in Poland - making up nearly 7% of the country's total population

Svitlana says her daughter loved her school in Poland.

"Even when we moved to another area, she didn't want to change schools," says the 31-year-old Ukrainian mother. "She liked it so much. There was no bullying."

Now she says the atmosphere at the school – and in Poland overall – has changed.

"Two weeks ago, she came home and said "One boy said to me today, 'Go back to Ukraine'." Svitlana was astonished.

She is one of dozens of Ukrainians living in Poland who have told the BBC that anti-Ukrainian sentiment has risen considerably in recent months.

Many described experiencing abuse on public transport, bullying in schools and xenophobic material online.

A polarising presidential election campaign has added to the tension, with the first round of voting taking place on Sunday.

The back of a woman in a black leather jacket is seen with a child's hands around her back in a hug
Svitlana says her daughter has been bullied at school for being Ukrainian

The day after Svitlana's daughter was told to go back to Ukraine, the abuse became even worse.

"Girls from the class above started complaining about her speaking Ukrainian. Then they pretended to fall to the ground shouting 'Missile! Get down!' and laughing," Svitlana says. "She came home crying."

A Russian missile had slammed into Svitlana's hometown in Ukraine days before, killing scores of civilians, including children. Her daughter was traumatised.

Svitlana – not her real name did not want to be identified as she fears reprisals. She showed us screenshots of messages with school staff where she complains about her daughter's treatment.

She said she had noticed attitudes changing towards Ukrainians in other places, too: "At work, many people have been saying Ukrainians come here and behave badly. And my Ukrainian friends say they want to go home because Polish people don't accept us. It's frightening to live here now."

According to government statistics, at least 2.5 million Ukrainians live in Poland, comprising almost 7% of the total population of Poland.

When the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, there was an outpouring of compassion from Poles. "It was amazing. Every day people were calling, asking, 'How can we help?'" says activist Natalia Panchenko, head of the Warsaw-based 'Stand with Ukraine' Foundation.

Natalia Panchenko, with dark hair and in a dark shirt looks directly at the camera
Natalia Panchenko's organisation has seen a rise in anti-Ukrainian abuse online - and in real life

"Some of them organised humanitarian convoys or brought refugees here. They gave their houses, food, everything they have – and their hearts, too."

Three years later, Natalia says she believes the majority of Poles still support Ukraine. But some don't – and her organisation has noticed an upsurge of anti-Ukrainian online abuse that began several months ago.

"Then it started to come to real life," she says. "Recently, we have more and more of these kinds of situations… xenophobic [abuse] of people working in shops or hotels just because they speak with a Ukrainian accent."

Natalia says that many Ukrainian refugees are traumatised. "These groups of women and children are in Poland because of the war, very often their relatives are on the front line, in captivity or dead... and this is the group of people being targeted."

Research suggests that Poland's public opinion of Ukrainians is indeed worsening. According to a March 2025 poll by the respected CBOS Centre, just 50% of Poles are in favour of accepting Ukrainian refugees, a fall of seven percentage points in four months. Two years ago, the figure was 81%.

Around a million Ukrainians are officially registered as having arrived after the start of the full-scale invasion. Poland spends 4.2% of its GDP on Ukrainian refugees.

EPA Rafal Trzaskowski wears a suit, stands in a bus doorway, holds up a megaphone and speaks into itEPA
Presidential front-runner Rafal Trzaskowski is playing down his pro-Ukrainian credentials in the campaign

Ukraine has become a hot-button political issue in Poland's crucial presidential election campaign.

Far-right populist Slawomir Mentzen, currently polling third, is virulently anti-Ukrainian and supports an "agreement" with Russia's Vladimir Putin.

In second place is conservative Karol Nawrocki, who opposes EU and Nato membership for Ukraine and financial assistance for refugees, but supports the war effort.

The most pro-Ukraine candidate is front-runner Rafal Trzaskowski from Prime Minister Donald Tusk's coalition, although even he has promised a reduction in social welfare for Ukrainians.

Trzaskowski has refrained from espousing his pro-Ukrainian credentials in order to attract the centrist vote in the elections, says political analyst Marcin Zaborowski.

"He's responding to the change in public attitudes. The initial enthusiasm for supporting war victims is disappearing, negative sentiments are taking over and it's not an entirely comfortable issue for him."

Another far-right candidate, Grzegorz Braun, is under investigation by police for tearing down a Ukrainian flag from a city hall building during an election rally in April. Braun, who is polling at just 3%, regularly fulminates against what he calls the "Ukrainisation of Poland".

Last week, the Polish government warned of an "unprecedented attempt" by Russia to interfere in the Polish elections by spreading "false information among Polish citizens online". Moscow denies all allegations of election interference.

Michal Marek, who runs an NGO that monitors disinformation and propaganda in Poland, offers some examples of the anti-Ukraine material being circulated on social media.

"The main narratives are that Ukrainians are stealing money from the Polish budget, that Ukrainians do not respect us, that they want to rob and kill us and are responsible for the war," he says.

"This information starts in Russian-speaking Telegram channels, and, after that, we see the same photos and the same text just translated by Google Translate. And they are pushing [the material] into the Polish infosphere."

Mr Marek links such disinformation directly with the increase in anti-Ukraine sentiment in Poland, and says an increasing number of Poles are becoming influenced by propaganda.

"But we will only see the effect after the election - what percentage of Poles want to vote for openly pro-Russian candidates."

Trump expected to meet Syrian leader after announcing he will lift sanctions

14 May 2025 at 12:10
Getty Images A girl waves a Syrian flag out of the open roof of a car being driven by a smiling man in DamascusGetty Images

US President Donald Trump has said he will lift sanctions on Syria, ahead of an expected meeting with its leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Trump has agreed to "say hello" to Syria's interim president on Wednesday in Saudi Arabia as part of his tour of the Middle East, the White House said.

The announcement of the lifting of sanctions was met with elation in the Syrian capital of Damascus, where cheering, dancing and celebratory gunfire were heard.

The sanctions had previously blocked any foreign financing, including aid, from reaching Syria and were originally intended to put pressure on the dictatorship of now-ousted President Bashar al-Assad.

Trump said the policy change would give Syria "a chance at greatness", telling an investment forum in Saudi Arabia's Riyadh, "it's their time to shine."

Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani celebrated the decision as a "pivotal turning point for the country" in an interview with the country's state news agency, Sana.

The country looks forward to a future of "stability, self-sufficiency and genuine reconstruction after years of a destructive war", he added.

Ninety percent of Syria's population were left under the poverty line at the end of Assad's regime and its new government has been pushing for an end to sanctions since Assad was overthrown in December.

Al-Sharaa told the BBC in an interview late last year that Syria was not a threat to the world and called for sanctions to be lifted.

He also called for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Islamist group who overthrew Assad, to be de-listed as a terrorist organisation. It is designated as one by the UN, US, EU and UK, among many others, as it started as a splinter group of al-Qaeda, which it broke away from in 2016.

Al-Sharaa repeated these calls at a joint press conference with France's President Emmanuel Macron last week, saying "these sanctions were imposed on the previous regime because of the crimes it committed, and this regime is gone."

The Syrian leader has promised to protect ethnic minorities since his Sunni Islamist group led the rebel offensive that overthrew Bashar al-Assad's regime in December after 13 years of devastating civil war.

However, the mass killings of hundreds of civilians from Assad's minority Alawite sect in the western coastal region in March, during clashes between the new security forces and Assad loyalists, has hardened fears among minority communities.

There have also been deadly clashes between Islamist armed factions, security forces and fighters from the Druze religious minority.

The US's announcement is a major boost for al-Sharaa, and also marks a significant foreign policy shift for the US, which previously said it would not lift sanctions on Syria until issues such as minority rights progressed in the country.

Trump said his announcement followed a request from Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.

"Oh, what I do for the Crown Prince," the US leader said, adding, "I like him too much."

The pair met on Tuesday on Trump's first stop of his tour of the Middle East, where they jointly announced a $142bn (£107bn) arms deal.

Former US ambassador to Syria Robert Ford, who served under former President Barack Obama, applauded the Trump administration's move to lift sanctions.

"I visited Syria three months ago and the country is simply devastated after the 13-year civil war. It needs to rebuild, it needs reconstruction, it needs foreign financing to do that," he told the BBC.

"So removing the sanctions, that will enable international capital flows to go into Syria from Gulf states, from other Arab states and from different aid agencies is absolutely vital."

The tour of the Arab Gulf states will also see Trump visit Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

How can traditional British TV survive US streaming giants

14 May 2025 at 08:57
BBC A treated image which shows six TVs stacked up. BBC

Just before Christmas, in a private dining room in the upmarket Charlotte Street Hotel in the heart of London's Soho, the BBC's director general gathered some of the UK's leading TV creatives and executives for lunch. As they ate, surrounded by kaleidoscopic-patterned wallpaper and giant artworks, they were also chewing over the future survival of their own industry.

As solutions were thrown around to what many see as an acute funding crisis in the age of global streaming, one of the invitees suggested, in passing, that BBC Studios (the corporation's commercial content-producing arm) could merge with Channel 4 to create a bigger, more powerful force to compete with the likes of Disney Plus, Netflix and Amazon.

As another diner knocked down the idea, I'm told that Tim Davie, the BBC's DG, asked why it was so ridiculous.

I relate that not because it has come to fruition. It hasn't. Nor even to suggest that the Director General supports the idea.

Instead the story illustrates the belief, among some within the broadcasting industry, that nothing should be off the table when it comes to contemplating how to ensure the survival of British-originated and British-focused TV as we know it.

Getty Images A family watch a boxing match at home in 1950.Getty Images
With viewing habits having shifted, the industry is attempting to ensure the survival of British-originated and British-focused TV

Many of the people I spoke to for this piece didn't want to be quoted. But Sir Peter Bazalgette, the former Chairman of ITV, told me that what he termed the current "generous spread" of British broadcasters (BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5) will need some consolidation or, at the very least, more cooperation in future.

"We're in danger of having no public service broadcasting within a decade, certainly within 20 years," he says. "We don't have a strategy for their survival. It's that serious. The regulators need to start thinking about it.

"Mergers may well be part of the answer. There should be fewer companies in the future."

Lord Vaizey, who was Culture Minister under David Cameron, put it baldly. "ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 should merge.

"The UK only has room for two domestic broadcasters."

AFP via Getty Images BBC director general Tim Davie speaks at the Confederation of Business Industry (CBI) annual conference at the Vox Conference Centre in Birmingham on 22 November 2022.AFP via Getty Images
Tim Davie is set to give a speech on Wednesday that lays out his vision for, among other things, embracing the digital age

Others, however, argue that distinctiveness is good for viewers. Channel 5 President Sarah Rose told me she "couldn't disagree with Ed Vaizey more" – calling it a "Doomsday prophecy".

Channel 5 is profitable, she tells me; it invests in smaller production companies and offers plurality for British audiences. By having just one commercial channel, "You're taking the funnel from three to one types of content for British audiences."

Channel 4 also rejects the suggestion of any merger. Its outgoing CEO Alex Mahon argues that, "The unique structure of competition between our publicly funded and commercially funded broadcasters" is what makes UK public service TV "so excellent".

And yet the days of turning on your TV and finding an electronic programme guide listing channels – with BBC1 and BBC2 at the top, then ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 – are disappearing. The proposed date for the dawn of a new era is 2035; the end of traditional terrestrial TV as we know it.

When the increasingly expensive contracts to provide broadcast channels and digital terrestrial services like Freeview come to an end, the UK's broadcasters are likely to pivot to offering digital-only video on demand. (However this won't happen without a campaign to ensure older people are protected, as well as rural and low-income households who may not have high quality internet access.)

But if the aerials are turned off in 2035, is this the moment TV as we know it changes forever? If it becomes a battle between online-only British streamers and their better-funded US rivals, can the Brits survive? And, crucially, what will audiences be watching?

How TV could look by 2035

Flash forward to switching on the television in 2035 and there will of course have been certain technological transformations – perhaps more immersive viewing experiences or some shows viewed through augmented reality glasses. What's highly likely, though, is that the communal big screen will still be a staple, (albeit probably voice-activated by then).

It's a shift that has already begun with YouTube viewers changing their viewing habits and moving to the bigger screen. In 2024, for the first time, TV sets were the most-used device for watching content on the video sharing site at home, according to recent data from the Broadcasters Audience Research Board (Barb). In all, 41% of YouTube viewing was done on TV sets, ahead of 31% on smartphones.

With YouTube an apparently unstoppable force, in ten years' time it could well become the go-to viewing for the majority.

"We are likely to continue to see a shift in the share of viewing time and advertising revenue towards globally-scaled players and user-generated content platforms like YouTube and TikTok," all within the next five years, according to Kate Scott-Dawkins, Global President for Business Intelligence at media investment company Group M.

There'll also likely be Netflix, Disney, Apple, Amazon. In other words, the global players, based in the US, many of which also have other revenue streams (whether parks, computer hardware or a vast shopping platform).

Getty Images A general view of the front of BBC Broadcasting House on 10 July 2023.Getty Images
The BBC has lost income in real terms over the last 10 years through licence fee decline

Kate Scott-Dawkins, Global President for Business Intelligence at media investment company Group M tells me the UK broadcasters are facing what could be an "existential" battle against US-based media companies with "wildly different business models".

The shift to streaming TV has, she says, "enabled large globally-scaled players to get even bigger and pour money into content that they can put in front of worldwide audiences".

The "big players with big pockets" already pay for a bespoke button on certain remote controls, or their own content tile front and centre on the homepage on smart TVs.

Ms Scott-Dawkins believes that in the future it will be "a position of strength" to own the operating systems themselves, as well as the media that people are watching on them. For example, this might mean Apple showing its films and television series on Apple TVs and iPhones, or Amazon showing its own productions via its Fire devices, or Google through its own computers and phones.

Questions of revenue

Part of the problem is that the UK terrestrial channels can't compete financially with the streamers. Netflix, for example, is valued at $472bn (£356bn).

The BBC has lost 30% of its income – or £1bn a year – in real terms since 2010, as the licence fee has become worth less. ITV's share price hasn't yet recovered since the advertising downturn in 2022, despite its vast production arm, ITV Studios, boosting its earnings before tax to £299m.

Meanwhile, Channel 4's recorded a deficit of £52m for 2023. Alex Mahon told Parliament last month, "We will pretty much break even in the year".

Getty Images Nick Bateman, Jade Goody, Peter Bazalgette, Craig Phillips, Nadia Almada and Marco Sabba.Getty Images
Sir Peter Bazalgette (seen here at the back with Big Brother contestants in 2005), is calling on regulators to make a strategy to secure the future of the industry

Some TV insiders think the solution will be one gateway or app for all public service content: one place to find all shows from BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and 5.

Alex Mahon recently told a newspaper that there needs to be "more collaboration" between the UK broadcasters – a way of "making sure we're not duplicating the same technology".

ITV has spent hundreds of millions to create ITVX, its streaming platform for the Netflix-age. Channel 4 took a pioneering approach to its own digital transformation, launching 4oD back in 2006; the first broadcaster in the world to offer television content on-demand.

But while its current £1bn a year revenue enables it to compete as a significant content creator, this may not be enough to sustain a modern distribution platform with all the associated investment costs into the long term, according to some insiders.

Lord Hall, the former BBC Director General, is among those arguing that it's not sustainable for individual broadcasters to continue going it alone. "The notion that everyone has their own portals when you are competing against the huge streamers is not going to survive into the future," he says.

'One big streamer under iPlayer'?

Could the solution be for BBC iPlayer, which has been built with public money, to become the portal for the other British public service media content, too? It would be a single place where viewers could find ITV's The Chase, Channel 4's The Great British Bake Off and Channel 5 News, alongside BBC's The Traitors. This was one idea suggested to me by multiple TV insiders. "One big streamer under iPlayer", as one TV executive described it to me, "a modern public service streaming service".

Part of their argument is that it's the fastest growing streaming service in the UK – and the only existing platform of plausible scale to compete.

With political support and the right deal, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 could potentially get behind sharing tech (after all, the streaming service Freely, which launched last year, already hosts their content with the BBC's and others).

But the idea of branding this all under the BBC iPlayer is – unsurprisingly – not something that commercial broadcasters would likely entertain, according to conversations I've had.

Comic Relief via Getty Images Ed Byrne, Geri Halliwell and John Simpson take on baking tasks for the Comic Relief special episode of the Great British Bake Off in 2016.Comic Relief via Getty Images
Some have suggested that shows like Channel 4's Great British Bake Off could one day be made available on BBC iPlayer

Lord Hall believes, "It could be branded differently... It would be a very good step."

He says: "The public would have to get used to the fact that BBC material would be free of advertising, and other parts of the platform would have adverts."

If the idea of a shared streaming service sounds familiar, that's because it was proposed years ago. Project Kangaroo was a plan by BBC Worldwide, ITV and Channel 4 for a UK video-on-demand joint venture. Think an early rival to Netflix.

But the UK's Competition Commission blocked the project in 2009 because of concerns it could harm competition in the emerging VoD market.

Other regulators across Europe have also blocked mergers: In France, the TFI and M6 channels were prevented from merging. Two of the largest TV and radio broadcasters in the Netherlands, which would have combined eight national TV channels and four national radio stations, were also stopped for competition reasons.

Any form of merger between different public service broadcasters would be subject to the same scrutiny. It's perhaps why Sir Peter Bazalgette is calling on UK politicians and regulators to focus on creating a strategy – or risk the end of British TV as we know it.

Nostalgia versus a changing world

Today, people in the UK spend more time watching traditional broadcasters than they do streaming services. Figures show 87% of people age four and above watch the traditional broadcasters each month and they spend an average of 137 minutes a day doing so. By comparison, 78% of people watch a streaming service and they spend only 40 minutes a day doing so.

If this does shift and the pattern reverses, TV producers and executives may be worried. But does it really matter to audiences?

Netflix is already making the types of shows that may have previously been made by the likes of the BBC (Adolescence, Toxic Town and Baby Reindeer are all very British stories made by the streamer). So what is the problem? (Aside from the obvious point that you need a subscription to watch Netflix.)

Getty Images An advertising poster for the Netflix drama Adolescence, London, March 2025.Getty Images
Netflix's hit show, Adolescence, sparked international conversations about male rage and misogynistic influences online

Ms Rose argues that the picture is "much more complex". Creatives involved in those shows often cut their teeth in public service TV, she says – one of benefits of the traditional broadcasters is, she believes, that it is a pipeline of talent.

Sir Peter Bazalgette argues that they're needed more than ever in our AI age to serve as "a gold standard of trusted news for our democracy, amid the online Tower of Babel."

He also argues for programmes that reflect "our shared values and national conversation". Would a US-based streamer have chosen to make Mr Bates v the Post Office (ITV), for example, or 'It's A Sin' (Channel 4) – stories that are uniquely British and reflect who we are?

Backing producers to take risks is, says Lord Hall, "exactly what the BBC should be doing – but of course [it] has been doing less because the licence fee has been consistently cut".

Start of the 'martini streaming age'

Ultimately, the American streamers are here to stay; they're spending billions and their UK operations are often led by British executives who are supportive of Britain's public service broadcasting scene.

I have also picked up a sense from those inside Netflix that the company is often used as a battering ram to persuade the government that the UK's traditional broadcasters need more protections.

Some have also been critical of the BBC for, as they see it, wanting everything on its own terms: "'We want you to give us your money for co-productions, but the BBC will make all the creative decisions'," is how one insider put it to me, unfairly or not.

In 2018, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos was invited to the BBC's New Broadcasting House in London. Invitees recall that he talked warmly about how influential the BBC's iPlayer had been to the success of Netflix, describing how impressed he had been by a piece of kit that had got British viewers used to getting their video on demand.

With more than 17 million Brits now subscribed to Netflix, there is a certain irony to that.

Today, as the BBC's Director General Tim Davie starts to position the BBC ahead of the renewal of the corporation's charter after 2027, the TV landscape is changing fast. And the challenges are clear.

Lord Hall tells me: "Our lives will be enriched by having not only what the streamers can offer, but also what the public service broadcasters can bring. It's unthinkable not to build on what the BBC and others can deliver".

Sir Peter Bazalgette predicts that, "Small doesn't cut it," adding that, "The winners will have to be big enough to [both] afford high end dramas for winning subscribers and maintain large back catalogues to keep subscribers happy."

He says we now live in "the 'martini' streaming age - any time, any place, anywhere".

The question is whether the leaders of the public service broadcasters can forge the right plan to safeguard their industry in that age.

BBC InDepth is the home on the website and app for the best analysis, with fresh perspectives that challenge assumptions and deep reporting on the biggest issues of the day. And we showcase thought-provoking content from across BBC Sounds and iPlayer too. You can send us your feedback on the InDepth section by clicking on the button below.

Judge cuts Menendez brothers' sentences giving them chance of parole

14 May 2025 at 11:44
Getty Images Menendez brothers, Erik, left, and Lyle on the steps of their Beverly Hills home in November, 1989Getty Images
Menendez brothers, Erik, left, and Lyle on the steps of their Beverly Hills home in November 1989

A Los Angeles judge has resentenced two brothers who are serving life in prison for the 1989 murders of their parents in a Beverly Hills mansion, making them eligible for parole.

Judge Michael Jesic gave Erik and Lyle Menendez a new sentence of 50 years to life. A decision on their potential release will be made at a parole hearing in June.

The pair have acknowledged killing Kitty and Jose Menendez, but said they acted out of self-defence after years of abuse and have since been rehabilitated.

Prosecutors have argued the brothers meticulously planned the shotgun killings to access their parents' fortune, are yet to take responsibility and should not be released.

The notorious case, which has prompted books, documentaries and dramas, still divides America.

The brothers gave an emotional statement - via video - to the court at Tuesday's hearing.

The court heard relatives detail how the case affected their family, and pleading for the judge to allow the siblings' release from prison.

The brothers' cousin, Anamaria Baralt, who has been close with them since they were children, told the judge they deserved a "second chance at life".

"It's been a nightmare," she said. "I am desperate for this process to be over."

At times, both Erik and Lyle appeared emotional as family recounted how their crimes have impacted them. Both wiped their eyes at times, with Erik covering his mouth or putting his head in his hands at other moments.

Ms Baralt speaks with Erik and Lyle frequently, she told the court, and testified that they've taken "ownership of their actions".

She said they admitted they tried to steer their previous trial - with Lyle telling her he'd asked a witness to lie when testifying.

"They are very different men from the boys they were," she said.

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