North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has left Pyongyang for China, where he will be attending a military parade in the capital Beijing, media reports say.

The "Victory Day" parade, which takes place on Wednesday, will see Kim rub shoulders with China's President Xi Jinping, Russia's Vladimir Putin and other world leaders - making it his first multilateral international meeting.

Kim left the North Korean capital on Monday evening onboard his armoured train, which is said to include a restaurant car serving fine French wines and dishes like fresh lobster.

The train's heavy protection means it travels slowly, and Kim's journey is expected to take up to 24 hours, according to South Korea's Yonhap agency.

Kim's attendance marks the first time a North Korean leader has attended a Chinese military parade since 1959. He will be among 26 other heads of states - including leaders from Myanmar, Iran and Cuba - in attendance.

His attendance is an upgrade from China's last Victory Day parade in 2015, when Pyongyang sent one of its top officials, Choe Ryong-hae.

The reclusive leader rarely travels abroad, with his recent contact with world leaders limited to Putin, who he's met twice since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

He last visited Beijing in 2019 for an event marking the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the countries. That trip also saw him travel by train.

The tradition of travelling via train was started by Kim's grandfather Kim Il Sung - who took his own train trips to Vietnam and Eastern Europe.

Kim's father, Kim Jong Il, travelled by train as well as he was reportedly afraid of flying.

According to one South Korean news outlet, the armoured train has around 90 carriages, including conference rooms, audience chambers and bedrooms.

Tens of thousands of military personnel will march in formation through Beijing's historic Tiananmen Square on the day of the parade, which will mark the 80th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War Two and the end of the conflict.

The 70-minute parade is likely to feature China's latest weaponry, including hundreds of aircraft, tanks and anti-drone systems - the first time its military's new force structure is being fully showcased in a parade.

Most Western leaders are not expected to attend the parade, due to their opposition to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has driven the sanctions against Putin's regime.

But it will see leaders from Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar and Vietnam in attendance - further proof of Beijing's concerted efforts to ramp up ties with neighbouring South East Asia.

Just one EU leader will be attending - Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico - while Bulgaria and Hungary will send representatives.

A gangland "executioner" who waited four years to take revenge on a prison officer for seizing a phone from his cell has been jailed for a minimum of 45 years for his murder.

Armed robber Elias Morgan gunned down father-of-three Lenny Scott six times outside a gym in Skelmersdale, Lancashire, on 8 February 2024.

He planned the killing after investigators at HMP Altcourse in Liverpool discovered evidence Morgan was having a sexual relationship with a female officer called Sarah Williams after the phone was found in March 2020.

Police said Mr Scott had been "assassinated" by Morgan, who was described as a "cold-blooded executioner who took a man's life doing his job".

Det Ch Insp Lee Wilson said Mr Scott was a "man of huge integrity and bravery who did the right thing and who sadly paid the ultimate price by doing so".

Sentencing Morgan to a life term, judge Mr Justice Goose told him he was satisfied the murder was a "revenge killing" for what Mr Scott "did lawfully in his duty as a prison officer".

"The murder has caused profound grief to the deceased's family, his young children and all who knew him," he said.

"He was 33 with most of his life ahead of him.

"He was loved, he was respected and he made them proud."

Morgan listened to the sentencing at Preston Crown Court quietly after telling his barrister to say "nothing at all" on his behalf.

Caroline Goodwin, KC, representing him, told the court: "My very firm instructions are that I am to offer no mitigation, no submissions and no representations to the court."

The trial heard Morgan had offered Mr Scott £1,500 as a bribe to "lose" the phone when it was found.

When he refused, Morgan made a series of threats which "terrified" Mr Scott, including accurately describing his address and what his partner and twin boys looked like.

At the time Mr Scott told his father, Neil Scott, that Morgan had said to him: "I'll bide my time, but I promise I will get you" before making a gun gesture with his fingers.

During the sentencing hearing Mr Scott's mother Paula Scott spoke to Morgan directly while giving a statement.

She told him: "My son was everything you are not. He was strong, brave, honest, respectful, hardworking, kind, and principled. He stood for what was right.

"You are a violent, inhumane coward. I am hurt, I am angry, and I will never forgive you."

The court also heard from Lucy Griffiths, the ex-partner of Mr Scott and mother of his twin boys.

She described the pain of having to tell the boys, then six, of their father's death and the struggles that followed.

Speaking from behind a screen, she said: "I find letters they write to him hidden under their pillow asking for him to come back. This is so upsetting to find as a mother.

"They have had nightmares about men chasing them with guns because of what's happened."

At the time of the shooting, Mr Scott had been out of the prison service since 2021, when he was dismissed over an incident involving the restraint of a prisoner unrelated to this case.

Morgan had been freed in 2022 but was on bail awaiting trial for offences linked to the discovery of the phone, which saw his former lover Williams jailed for misconduct in a public office.

The trial was due to take place 11 days later.

Morgan, whose previous convictions included his role in an £83,000 bank robbery in which staff were threatened with machetes, waited for 53 minutes outside the gym on Peel Road for Mr Scott to leave a jiu-jitsu training session.

Detectives found he had spent weeks scoping out addresses linked to Mr Scott, including his home in Prescot, Merseyside, the scene of the shooting and another gym the prison officer trained at in the Liverpool suburb of Speke.

There were tears in court from his family as CCTV of the moment Mr Scott was ambushed was played.

Morgan, wearing a high-visibility jacket, can be seen approaching on foot, before raising a self-loading handgun and shooting six times.

Mr Scott collapsed out of frame, and died at the scene.

Morgan was identified as the killer after police realised the gunman had driven to an estate near Skelmersdale in a Mercedes, which was registered to his mother.

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A British teenager on trial in Georgia for drug smuggling has been told a "substantial" sum of money is needed to free her or reduce her sentence.

Bella Culley, 19, from Billingham, Teesside, had previously been told she could face up to 20 years in jail or life imprisonment if convicted.

Tbilisi City Court heard defence and prosecution teams were negotiating the terms of a bargain which would see the teenager freed for a sum of money with "many zeros", understood to be in Georgian Lari.

During the hearing the teenager smiled at her family, telling them: "I love you."

Miss Culley, who is about five months pregnant, appeared in court wearing a black t-shirt and trousers.

The prosecutor argued she posed a flight risk and could reoffend if allowed bail.

Judge Giorgi Gelashvili ruled that she will remain in custody until the next hearing on 9 October unless an agreement is reached sooner.

Miss Culley initially went missing in Thailand before being arrested at Tbilisi International Airport on 10 May.

It is understood she arrived on a flight from Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates.

Georgian Police said officers seized narcotic drugs from a travel bag.

Miss Culley was detained for months while the prosecution investigated where the 12kg (26lbs) of marijuana and 2kg (4.4lbs) of hashish came from, and whether she was planning to hand them over to someone else.

At a hearing in July she pleaded not guilty to charges of possession and trafficking illegal drugs and claimed she had been "forced to do this through torture".

"I just wanted to travel," she said. "I am a good person. I am a student at university. I am a clean person. I don't do drugs."

Miss Culley's lawyer said the plea bargain sum under negotiation was substantial but, if her family was ready to pay, it could result in her freedom.

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Sting has been sued by his former bandmates in The Police over alleged lost royalties for the songs they recorded together between 1977 and 1984.

In a civil case filed at the High Court, guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland, claim they have been underpaid for their contributions to songs like Roxanne and Every Breath You Take.

Although they did not receive writing credits on those songs, they say the band entered an "oral agreement" to share income in 1977, which was later formalised in written contracts.

Sting, who wrote all of The Police's biggest hits, denies underpaying his bandmates. In court documents, his lawyers called the claims "illegitimate."

'Very dark' history

The Police formed in 1977 and quickly became one of the UK's most commercially successful bands.

They earned a US number one single with Every Breath You Take, taken from their fifth album, Synchronicity, in 1983.

It was later recognised as the most-played radio song of all time and was heavily sampled on P Diddy and Faith Evans' 1997 song I'll Be Missing You.

However, the band split up in 1984 amid personal and musical animosity.

Copeland later told The Guardian that the band "beat the crap out of each other" during the "very dark" recording sessions for Synchronicity.

In 2022, Sting, whose real name is Gordon Sumner, said he felt the band were holding him back.

"My frustration was I would have written an album's worth of material but also had to entertain these others songs that were not as good," he told Mojo Magazine.

"Explaining to someone why their song isn't working is a bit like saying their girlfriend's ugly. It's a very personal thing... That pain was something I didn't want to go through any more."

Although Sting was the band's primary songwriter, the other members both made contributions to their albums - and Summers has often claimed that he originated the iconic guitar riff on Every Breath You Take.

In 1977, documents submitted to the High Court show the band agreed that, when any one member received publishing income for a song they'd written, they would share a percentage of that money, usually 15%, with the other two members, in what was termed an arrangers' fee.

In the court documents, none of the members agree how that arrangement came into place.

Summers recalls it taking place on the street outside their manager Miles Copeland's office in Notting Hill.

Sting, however, contended there was no "oral agreement" - but that Copeland had floated the idea during a visit to his flat in Bayswater to help "keep things sweet" with his bandmates, who were not present.

Either way, the agreement was formalised in 1981, and revised again in 1995 and 2016.

The current legal dispute centres around which categories of publishing income Summers and Copeland should receive compensation.

It's a complicated area, but royalties are generally split into two separate categories:

1. Performance royalties - which are paid when a song is played in public, on the radio, or via a streaming service.
2. Mechanical royalties - paid when a song is pressed to CD or vinyl, but also when it is streamed on demand.

Summers and Copeland argue that they should be paid for both of these categories, while Sting says their agreement only covers mechanical royalties.

Sting's lawyers further contend that, under the terms of the band's 2016 agreement, all three members agreed not to pursue any historic or future claims over royalties.

His bandmates claim that does not stop them disputing the terms of the 2016 agreement.

They claim a loss of about £1,500,000. Sting's lawyers denied they had been underpaid and argued that, in fact, Summers and Copeland may owe him money that has been overpaid to them.

In 2022, the musician sold the rights to his songwriting catalogue to Universal Music Group, with the deal covering both his solo hits and songs he penned for the Police.

The deal was estimated to be worth $200 million (£149 million).

A federal judge in California has blocked President Donald Trump's deployment of the National Guard to Los Angeles.

Trump deployed the troops this summer, despite opposition from California's governor, in response to protests against immigration raids.

US District Judge Charles Breyer ruled on Tuesday that the government had violated the Posse Comitatus Act, which limits the power of the federal government to use military force for domestic matters.

Judge Breyer has put the ruling on hold until 12 September and Trump will likely appeal.

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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Govanhill is one of the most deprived areas in Scotland – but Elle Glenny is still facing the rising cost of living in this part of Glasgow.

The rent on the 31-year-old community worker's one-bedroom flat in the south of the city has jumped from £590 to £700 a month.

The increase came just months after the landlord served Elle with an eviction notice, which is being challenged at a tribunal.

"I'm now paying up to 50% of my income every single month just to live," says Elle, who moved into the flat in 2023.

"The impact of the rent increase alone has been catastrophic. I'm cutting back on essentials, which is making my life feel really unliveable and uncomfortable.

"I've never missed a rent payment, I've never been late for rent... I've been a perfect tenant as far as I'm concerned."

The landlord says the rent increase reflects the market rate for the area.

Elle is also facing eviction because the landlord wants the property back to move in a family member – a legal method through which tenants are allowed to be evicted.

Elle, who uses they/them pronouns, is challenging the move and will remain in the flat while the case is heard by a first-tier tribunal.

Housing charities encourage tenants to remain in their rented property during this process, which can take months.

Elle has not been able to find another affordable flat and wants to secure a place in social housing instead.

However, Elle - who is in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction and receives disability benefits - has been on waiting lists for social housing for almost three years.

Despite having 100 out of the 120 priority points needed, Elle has been told that because waiting lists are so long they would likely have to become homeless before being prioritised for a home.

Elle now fears being placed in temporary accommodation, having to sofa-surf or even ending up on the streets if they have to leave the flat.

"I'm really proud of myself to get to the place that I'm at right now, to keep a stable tenancy and a stable job," Elle said.

"That does give me more points in the social housing system, but unfortunately not enough to prevent me from having to go through the homelessness system."

The Scottish government declared a national housing emergency in May last year after coming under sustained pressure from opposition parties and campaigners.

Housing Minister Màiri McAllan announced details of an action plan to tackle the crisis in Holyrood on Tuesday.

It included a commitment to invest up to £4.9bn in affordable homes over the next four years.

There is no standard definition of a housing emergency and the declaration placed no new legal duties on the government to act.

However, it was an admission from ministers that the current situation needed to be urgently addressed.

One of the main reasons is that demand for housing of all kinds, but especially social housing, is vastly outstripping supply.

In addition, rents are rising in the private sector and the cost of living crisis means that people who previously may not have struggled are finding it harder to afford higher rents or get on the property ladder.

How many new homes are needed?

In 2021 the Scottish government set a target to build 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, delivering 10,000 homes each year.

Affordable housing includes social housing, mid-market rent and affordable home ownership. Campaigners say social housing is needed the most desperately.

A new report has been produced by experts at Sheffield, Liverpool and Sheffield Hallam universities, who were commissioned by Shelter Scotland, the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations and Chartered Institute for Housing.

Their research, shared with BBC Scotland News, suggests that at least 15,690 new affordable homes now need to be built in Scotland each year - an increase of almost 50% since 2020.

They estimate this would cost £1.64bn annually, a total of £8.20bn over the next five-year session of the Scottish Parliament.

Shelter Scotland says this is "a very significant increase" and that it has seen "no evidence thus far of an emergency response" from the government.

Director Alison Wilson said: "We face a simple choice - invest in the homes we need now, or pay the price for generations."

The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations says the research makes clear that ending the housing emergency will require "building a lot more social homes and a radical and sustained increase in the housing budget".

There are now more than 99,000 households on the waiting list for social housing in Scotland.

This is housing designed for people who cannot afford to buy or rent on the open market, such as those on lower incomes or some with disabilities.

It covers homes which are rented out by councils, housing associations or housing co-operatives at a lower cost than is available elsewhere.

The number of social houses available across the UK fell dramatically in the 1980s after the Thatcher government gave tenants the right to buy their homes at a discount.

Since then, the number of homes built has not matched the number sold off. The right to buy was abolished in Scotland in 2016.

In recent years, the Scottish government has faced intense criticism from campaigners and housebuilders for a failure to build enough homes of all types.

And the number of affordable homes being completed has only reached the 10,000 per year target once in the last decade.

Most campaigners and experts agree that the creation of more social housing offers the best route to get people out of homelessness.

The number of live homeless cases reached a record high in 2024, when it stood at more than 31,000 households.

They are also now over 16,000 households in Scotland living in temporary accommodation, including over 10,000 children. Both these figures are also record highs.

Meanwhile, private rents in Scotland have been steadily rising over the last decade.

The average price for a rented property in Scotland is now £999 per month – compared to £673 in July 2015.

Cities are particular pinch points. Research from Zoopla in 2024 found that Glasgow recorded the highest average rent increases of any UK city over the past four years at 44.4%. Edinburgh also saw average rents rise by 41.3%.

The Scottish government introduced rent controls during the pandemic and cost of living crisis, but these came to an end in April this year.

They will eventually be replaced by longer-term rent controls in the government's Housing Bill, which will allow ministers to decide which parts of Scotland could come under rent control areas.

These powers, which are expected to come into force in 2027, would limit increases to 6% in those zones.

Campaigners have broadly welcomed these measures - but landlord groups have warned they would exacerbate the housing crisis by putting people off renting their properties and disincentivising investment.

'Deeply flawed' system

While tenants wait for this system to be put into place, they can use the government's rent adjudication system if they feel a proposed increase is unfair.

However, tenants' rights union Living Rent described the system as a "disaster".

It said that in 24% of cases, the adjudication actually increased the rent by a higher amount than the landlord's original proposal.

This is because the increase is measured against open market rents in the area – and this can often be higher than the landlord's original rent notice, especially in cities with rapidly rising prices.

Living Rent's national campaigns chairwoman, Ruth Gilbert, said the system was "deeply flawed" and called for protections to be introduced until the new controls come into law.

She described the action plan as "more bluster from a government that is only tinkering around the edges".

The Scottish government says it has invested "heavily" in affordable homes and supported the delivery of 139,000 affordable homes since 2007.

Housing Minister Màiri McAllan said her action plan focussed on ending children living in unsuitable accommodation; supporting the housing needs of vulnerable groups; and supporting growth and investment in the housing sector.

The government says it will invest up to £4.9bn over the next four years to deliver about 36,000 affordable homes and provide a home for up to 24,000 children.

Investment in acquisitions will double to £80m this year, which the government says will help take up to 800 children out of temporary accommodation.

Scottish Labour said the plan was "too little, too late", while the Scottish Conservatives described it as "another empty statement" on the issue.

Monday's meeting between Russia's Vladimir Putin, China's Xi Jinping and India's Narendra Modi marked a rare display of solidarity - and an opportunity for Putin to engage directly with his country's top oil buyers.

India and China were drawn to Russian oil, which became cheaper after Western countries cut trade ties with Moscow over its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

But Beijing, New Delhi and Moscow have taken their ties deeper.

They now share a common antagonist in the US, which has imposed sanctions on Russia and put sweeping tariffs on its trading partners.

India is reeling from some of the highest duties imposed by Washington for buying oil from Russia. China is still negotiating a deal with the US that would stave off crippling tariffs and possible sanctions for buying Russian crude.

The three leaders met at Tianjin for the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO) summit. The regional forum aims to promotes an alternative worldview from the West's - in what analysts have described as a challenge to America's influence.

The forum gives the leaders a rare chance reinforce ties during ongoing economic uncertainty, analysts told the BBC.

A lifeline for Russia

Russia has the opportunity to secure more business with India and China, its largest trade partners, they said.

The two most populous countries have helped prop up Moscow's economy after its invasion of Ukraine left it cut off from most Western trade.

Last year, China purchased a record of more than 100 million tonnes of Russian crude oil, which accounted for almost 20% of its total energy imports.

Likewise, oil exports to India, which made up only a small fraction of its imports before the Ukraine war, has since grown to some $140bn (£103.5bn) since 2022.

Together, China and India make up the majority of Russia's energy exports.

Russia relies on oil and gas exports for roughly a quarter of its budget revenues, which is funding its war chest.

It wouldn't be surprising if Moscow offers further discounts in order to secure more trade with India and China, public policy expert Mandar Oak told the BBC.

This is especially necessary for India to ensure it does not back away due to pressure from the US, said Prof Oak from the University of Adelaide.

New Delhi had offered Russia a lifeline after much of the oil supplies displaced by Western sanctions were diverted to India, which benefited from cheaper energy.

India could now be on course to buy even more oil from Russia, despite condemnation from Washington.

Modi on Monday affirmed ties with Moscow, telling Putin their countries "have walked together shoulder to shoulder". New Delhi officials have also said it will buy energy from where it gets "the best deal".

Delhi-Washington ties hit an all-time low after the Trump administration imposed an additional 25% tariff as a punishment for buying Russian oil. New Delhi described the White House's decision as "unjustified", given their history of trade.

Points for PM Modi

For Prime Minister Modi, the move would burnish his image at home.

"Politically, it is almost beneficial for Modi to snub the US" as it sends a signal that India will not buckle down to pressure from the Trump administration, Prof Oak said.

Buying more Russian oil is economically sound as India relies heavily on foreign suppliers for crude.

India was once a key customer of the Middle East, but turned to discounted crude from Russia after Western sanctions were imposed on Moscow following the Ukraine invasion in 2022.

Indian refiners have since enjoyed lower costs due to cheaper supplies, with Russian oil cheaper than Middle Eastern alternatives.

China, which has also ramped up its purchases of oil from Russia, will be eager to safeguard its energy interests as the leaders gather at the summit, said trade policy expert Peter Draper.

On Tuesday, Russian and Chinese gas corporations agreed to raise supplies to the Asian nation.

But Russia might not offer the same discounts to China, especially if Putin secures more sales to India, said Prof Draper.

A stage for China

Beyond trade, perhaps China's main goal at the SCO summit is to show it can be a strong alternative to the US, especially after Trump's recent policy moves, said Prof Draper.

At the forum, China stands alongside countries like Pakistan, Myanmar and Sri Lanka that have all been hit with Trump's tariffs.

China has long desired to promote a "multi-polar" world order, Prof Draper said, referring to the concept of a system in which power is distributed among several major players.

The summit has brought together three countries whose economic ties have long been complicated by geopolitical tensions, said Prof Oak.

But in the face of the economic threat of the US tariffs, the countries have "strong economic interests to join hands", he said.

There is a lot of noise currently about UK government borrowing costs.

The focus has been on what is known as the 30-year gilt yield, which is the effective interest rate of what it would cost the UK government to borrow money over three decades.

This rate reached a 27-year high on Tuesday, which some argue is a verdict on economic mismanagement and fiscal credibility. The bond vigilantes are striking, and this is the ultimate harbinger of doom.

Is there a link to the mini reshuffle of Downing Street personnel from Number 11 to Number 10 on Monday?

For others analysing market moves, it is a pan-European trend, and if anything, a sign of UK growth outperformance, meaning there is less room to cut interest rates.

It is worth quickly unpacking what this measure represents.

This is about trading on financial markets of a very long-term form of UK government debt - essentially loans taken out for 30 years.

Demand for these assets goes up and down, setting the price, which in turn affects what is known as the yield, a measure of the effective interest rate facing the government.

It is that 30-year gilt yield that has hit a new 27-year high after creeping up over the summer.

The UK is not alone in this. Other European countries have also seen such records set in recent days.

The time period for these loans is quite important in determining the overall impact on the economy.

The 30-year gilt is important in sectors requiring long-term returns: pensions and insurance. Ultra long government loans are especially important for defined benefit pensions systems, which need fixed and predictable payouts over long periods.

One of the reasons why this has affected a series of European countries has been structural changes in pensions markets that is reducing the demand for such long-term debt.

But some general doubts about the political and economic sustainability of tax and spending plans in Europe is also part of the context here.

Warning sign

There are two critical differences to what happened, for example, at the infamous mini-Budget of three years ago.

Firstly the rise in yields at that point was more rapid. Secondly, back in 2022 UK government debt across a series of time frames (known as maturities) was affected.

Two-year and five-year government loans have a direct influence on fixed-rate mortgages of the same time frame. The mortgage market reacted in real time to the UK-specific sudden crisis. So far, this year, the cost of mortgages has continued to fall.

Only 30-year mortgages might be impacted by the record set today, but they remain exceptionally rare in the UK.

The 10-year gilt is the benchmark for government bonds, and that was up a bit on Tuesday as well, but remains below the highs set earlier this year. There was no lack of appetite from markets however for the debt, banks put in £140bn of bids for £14bn in debt this morning.

There is, however, one factor in common with 2022. These important markets also have half an eye on the Bank of England. In particular, this month the Bank will set out its plans for the sell-off its own stock of government debt, amassed over years.

The reality is that with both the Treasury and the Bank auctioning off truckloads of these debts, there is a lot to digest, and markets will remain skittish, against the backdrop of multiple diplomatic, trade and political uncertainties.

The moves in the 30-year gilt are a warning sign of bond sharks scenting some blood in the water.

Some of it might be heading toward Paris in the coming days where ministers are publicly warning of an IMF crisis amid unremitting political uncertainty.

The smaller moves in the 10-year gilt can impact more directly the chancellor's room for manoeuvre at her upcoming Budget. The lack of movement at shorter time frames means there is limited direct impact on UK household finances, for now.

This would be, however, pretty much the worst time for the government to show division, lack of certainty and credibility. Markets have long memories when governments fail to pass their announced Budget measures, especially when it arises surprisingly within administrations with thumping majorities.

Some traders identify the move of the chancellor's deputy, Darren Jones, and other Treasury officials to Number 10 on "Transfer Deadline Day" yesterday as a sign that Reeves's control is weakening. Others may see a more coherent operation between the two Lords of the Treasury.

All of this raises the stakes for the chancellor's challenge of delivering both credible tax and spend plans, as well as jump-starting growth at her upcoming Budget.

Zack Polanski has stormed to victory in the Green Party leadership election on a platform promising bold communication and "eco-populism".

The new leader said he would now "take the fight to Labour", telling Sir Keir Starmer's party: "We are here to replace you."

While he's made a name for himself as a feisty media performer among the party faithful, he's little known outside the London Assembly, where he is an elected member.

Beating two of the party's four MPs to the leadership, the 42-year-old has already faced down the charge that he doesn't have the establishment heft of those elected to Parliament in a first-past-the-post system.

Polanski has had an unconventional path to politics, previously working as an actor, hypnotherapist and mental health counsellor.

Born in 1982, he grew up in Salford, heading to university in Aberystwyth, north Wales, before ending up in Hackney, east London.

His political awakening started by joining the Liberal Democrats, a party he now criticises as being insufficiently left-wing, and standing unsuccessfully for Camden Council and the London Assembly.

He joined the Greens in 2017, working as a local party chairman before getting elected to City Hall in 2021 and becoming the party's deputy leader in 2022.

He is gay and also Jewish, changing his name from David Paulden when he reached 18 in order to embrace the identity erased by his family's anglicised name.

As deputy leader, Polanski has played a role in the party's growing electoral success.

In last year's general election, the Greens quadrupled their number of MPs to four, with his leadership rivals Adrian Ramsay and Ellie Chowns among those joining Parliament.

Caroline Lucas had been the party's sole MP for 14 years, before standing down at last year's election, and she had thrown her weight behind the Ramsay-Chowns joint ticket.

While Ramsay and Chowns have been seen as continuity candidates, Polanski wants to push the Greens to the left, promising a mass-membership "eco-populist" movement.

Key to that approach is Polanski's approval of Nigel Farage's "storytelling" skills, which he told BBC Newsnight could be harnessed to send a different message to a wider audience, including Reform UK supporters.

He said the Greens had to "connect with that anger and turn it to hope, turn it to possible solutions".

In his "eco-populism" leadership pitch he has linked inequality to the climate crisis and called for radical action "not briefcase politics".

He has promised to lower bills with green energy and nationalised water companies, while also taking the "fight" to Labour, particularly on inequality.

The battle on inequality includes his longstanding support for a Universal Basic Income, a small, non-means-tested payment for everyone that covers basic needs.

As a former property guardian and long-time renter, Polanski has also campaigned for decent, warm homes for everyone.

He has called for the government to take action on what he describes as the genocide in Gaza, as well as being arrested for his activism with environmental protest group Extinction Rebellion.

His election potentially opens the door to cooperation with the new left-wing party being set up by former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and ex-Labour MP Zarah Sultana.

Asked during a press conference following his victory whether he would form an alliance with the new party, Polanski said it was "too soon to talk about joining electoral coalitions".

But he added that he was interested in working with "anyone who wants to challenge a failing Labour government and take on fascism and the far right".

He said he was "watching the situation very closely" but his immediate focus was on growing the Green Party.

Being bold and radical does not come without risk, as Chowns and Ramsay, who were both elected to Parliament in previously Tory areas, had been keen to point out during the campaign.

Jettisoning the careful calibration both those MPs managed to balance to win half the party's Westminster seats from the Conservatives could leave them, and the 3,705 Green members who voted for them, out in the cold.

Polanski sought to address these concerns in his victory speech, saying: "To those of you who didn't vote for me, this is a democracy. We don't have to agree on everything. We just have to have common cause."

But the four Green MPs will now have to elect one of their number to lead their group in the Commons, setting up another potential source of tension.

Because of the way the Green Party is structured, with a leadership election every two years, members will get a chance to give their verdict on Polanski's new direction well before the next general election, due in 2029.

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Jaguar Land Rover says a cyber-attack has "severely disrupted" vehicle production as well as its retail operation.

The firm, which is owned by India's Tata Motors, says it took immediate action to lessen the effect of the hack and is working quickly to restart operations.

There was no evidence any customer data had been stolen, it said.

The attack began on Sunday and comes at a significant time for UK car sales, as the latest batch of new registration plates became available on Monday 1 September.

It's traditionally a popular time for consumers to take delivery of a new vehicle.

The BBC understands that the attack was detected while in progress, and the company shut down its IT systems in an effort to minimise the damage being done.

Workers at the company's Halewood plant in Merseyside were told by email early on Monday morning not to come into work, with others sent home.

It is not yet known who is responsible for the attack, but it comes in the wake of crippling attacks on prominent UK retail businesses including the Co-op and Marks and Spencer.

In both cases the hackers sought to extort money.

In a statement the firm wrote: "JLR has been impacted by a cyber incident. We took immediate action to mitigate its impact by proactively shutting down our systems.

"We are now working at pace to restart our global applications in a controlled manner.

"At this stage there is no evidence any customer data has been stolen but our retail and production activities have been severely disrupted"

The halt in production is a fresh blow to the firm which recently revealed a slump in profits attributed to increasing in costs caused by US tariffs.

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Tens of thousands of foreign students are being contacted directly by the government and told they will be removed from the UK if they overstay their visas.

The Home Office launched the new government campaign in response to what it has called an "alarming" spike in the number of international students arriving legally on student visas then claiming asylum when they expire.

As part of the campaign, the Home Office has for the first time proactively contacted international students directly by text and email.

Under the plans, about 130,000 students and their families in total will be sent a message telling them: "If you have no legal right to remain in the UK, you must leave.

"If you don't, we will remove you."

Ten thousand international students whose visas are due to expire have already been contacted directly by text and email - warning them they could be deported.

Tens of thousands more will receive the message in the coming months, the BBC understands, to coincide with autumn when applications often increase.

The full message will read: "If you submit an asylum claim that lacks merit, it will be swiftly and robustly refused.

"Any request for asylum support will be assessed against destitution criteria. If you do not meet the criteria, you will not receive support.

"If you have no legal right to remain in the UK, you must leave.

"If you don't, we will remove you."

While the political focus this summer has been on people arriving on small boats, a similar number arrive legally with visas, then apply for asylum often when those visas run out.

Many of these claims are legitimate, but ministers are worried that too many international students are seeking asylum simply to stay in the country because their leave to remain has run out.

In the year to June 2025, 43,600 people seeking asylum arrived on a small boat - 39% of all asylum claims, according to Home Office data.

Another 41,100 asylum claims came from people who entered legally with a visa, the department said, with the largest group among visa holders being students.

Last year, 16,000 asylum claims came from those who arrived on student visas, nearly six times as many as in 2020, it said.

Since then, Home Office data shows there has been a drop of 10%, but ministers in the department want the figures to fall further.

The number of people on skilled worker visas being granted asylum has also fallen, according to the department.

Earlier this year, the Home Office announced a cut in the amount of time overseas graduates can stay in the UK after their studies – from two years to 18 months.

Sainsbury's is planning to introduce facial recognition technology across its supermarkets in a bid to identify shoplifters.

The UK's second largest supermarket has begun an eight-week trial in two stores as part of a crackdown on the crime, which has increased sharply in recent years.

It is working with facial recognition business Facewatch and will start using the technology this week at one shop in London and another in Bath ahead of a potential nationwide roll out.

However, privacy campaigners described the plans as "deeply disproportionate and chilling", urging the supermarket chain to abandon its plans.

Facewatch is used in numerous retailers in the UK - including Budgens, Sports Direct and Costcutter - to identify shoplifters.

But the use of facial recognition in shops has been heavily criticised with campaigners and MPs calling for a ban.

Sainsbury's, which has more than 1,400 shops across the country, said the plans were "not about monitoring" staff or customers, but to create "safe, secure and welcoming environments".

Bosses said the technology would be used to help identify and potentially ban people who are "violent, aggressive or steal in the store", but records would be instantly deleted if the software does not recognise the face of reported individuals.

"The retail sector is at a crossroads, facing rising abuse, anti-social behaviour and violence. We must put safety first," said Sainsbury's chief executive Simon Roberts.

Madeleine Stone, senior advocacy officer at privacy group BigBrotherWatch, said: "Sainsbury's decision to trial Orwellian facial recognition technology in its shops is deeply disproportionate and chilling.

"Sainsbury's should abandon this trial and the government must urgently step in to prevent the unchecked spread of this invasive technology."

Sainsbury's said incidents of theft, abuse and threatening behaviour "continue to rise" despite working with the police and government, adding that it is "affecting Sainsbury's teams across the UK daily".

Mr Roberts, boss of the supermarket chain,added: "We have listened to the deep concerns our colleagues and customers have and they're right to expect us to act.

"We understand that facial recognition technology can raise valid questions about data and privacy."

Crime and Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson said the Home Office was working with businesses to tackle retail crime "head-on" and was looking into "passing new laws to protect retail workers from abuse".

Joanne Thomas, general secretary of the USDAW union, welcomed Sainsbury's approach.

She said: "We look forward to seeing the results of the trial of facial recognition software and will continue to work closely with Sainsbury's to support a responsible, evidence-led approach to tackling retail crime."

Rivals and Inbetweeners star Emily Atack has revealed she was sexually assaulted while at work.

The actress told the Radio Times: "I've been sexually assaulted at work throughout my career, whether it's on the actual set, or at a wrap party."

Atack, who has previously fronted a documentary about her experiences of being sexually harassed online, didn't give further details of the assaults.

She also welcomed the increased use of intimacy co-ordinators, which "shows that people are listening and that there has to be a shift in behaviour on sets", and added that she hasn't "felt safe all the time" in the past.

The use of professionals to oversee sex scenes has been divisive at times, but they "are there for support if you feel uncomfortable, whether you're a man or a woman", she said.

The actress said she now wants to make a documentary about intimacy co-ordinators, following her previous 2023 programme, Emily Atack: Asking For It?, about online sexual harassment.

In that programme, Atack revealed she was sent hundreds of explicit pictures and messages every day, and asked what motivates the men behind them and what could be done to stop them.

The 35-year-old added that she wanted to raise her young son Barney "to know how to treat women and know his own worth, so he doesn't feel he has to follow awful men online that are preying on vulnerable boys".

Atack continued that recent Netflix hit Adolescence "exposed the truth of what is going on in so many homes".

"We're a very open book in this family," she said. "I want Barney to know he can talk to me about anything – that's the mother I want to be."

The actress was 17 when she was cast as Charlotte Hinchcliffe in popular Channel 4 coming-of-age comedy The Inbetweeners.

She told the BBC in 2023 that she began receiving unwanted attention from some men from a very young age.

Atack added that confronting her online abuse was one of the hardest things she had ever done - she underwent therapy throughout the process because it had involved revisiting past trauma.

She will next be seen in Channel 5's new thriller The Rumour later this month.

Few sitcoms inspire the level of devotion that The Office does.

The American mockumentary, based on the UK original created by Ricky Gervais, ran from 2005 to 2013 and became a cultural phenomenon, endlessly rewatched and memed by fans who still find themselves quoting America's answer to David Brent - Michael Scott - on a regular basis.

Its mix of deadpan humour, relatable characters and documentary style intimacy made it one of the most beloved comedies and now, more than a decade after the Scranton branch shut its doors, its creators are returning to the format with a new workplace comedy.

The Paper, from the team behind the US adaptation of The Office, follows the same documentary crew that once filmed office supplies company Dunder Mifflin as they turn their cameras on a struggling Midwestern newspaper, the Toledo Truth-Teller.

With Domhnall Gleeson as its hapless editor Ned Sampson and Oscar Nuñez reprising his role as accountant Oscar Martinez, the series aims to capture the spirit of The Office while telling its own story.

The Office's original creators Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant also served as executive producers on the show.

Gleeson, whose character tries, against the odds, to breathe life back into local journalism, describes Ned as both earnest and disastrous.

With no budget to hire trained reporters, Ned leans on the paper's dwindling staff, cajoling disgruntled employees into volunteering as journalists despite them having no idea what they're doing.

"Ned's leadership is totally different to the bosses we knew before," Gleeson explains. "He's running a newspaper, so the ramifications go out into the real world and there's a feeling of what they're doing really matters.

But his skill level doesn't quite match his enthusiasm, "and that's why it's a comedy rather than a drama".

That balance between stakes and silliness is key to what show creators Greg Daniels and Michael Koman are attempting to do with The Paper.

Gleeson, best known for his role as Bill Weasley in Harry Potter, admits that stepping into a leading role in such a beloved show was daunting.

"Before I read it I was thinking, 'Oh my God, those are big shoes to fill', but then I realised this is a whole new story and I'm not playing a version of David Brent or Michael Scott, it's actually totally new.

"Once I understood that, I realised I needed to find my own shoes and not try to wear anyone else's."

Still, the DNA of The Office runs through The Paper, with the same invisible film crew behind the lens, and fans will spot at least one familiar face in front of it: Oscar Nuñez.

The 66-year-old American actor reprises his role as the dry-witted accountant of Dunder Mifflin's Scranton branch and he is now crunching numbers at the Truth-Teller and "finding his footing in a new city".

While in real life more than a decade has passed since he was on our screens, in Greg Daniels' world "it's only been four years so it's really where we left him".

This made it easier for Nuñez to reprise the character and he hopes the familiarity of his character will act as a bridge for fans who may be wary of the new setting.

"The stories and tone of the show are similar - it's still about figuring out what your workmates mean to you and putting them in ridiculous situations," he says.

He adds that there will be a few Easter eggs for fans but he admits he can't say much more about that just yet.

Similar to Gleeson, Nuñez was aware of the pressure of reviving a character audiences feel such affection for, but he only "thought about it for a minute".

"Greg Daniels was concerned about that too but then I realised there's nothing you can do about it," he tells the BBC.

The Paper is a slow burner in a similar way to The Office and Nuñez hopes that will work as "people are used to that formula."

He says the show "definitely does move faster than The Office" as by the end of the first season some characters are already getting closer to each other, but he warns that people will need to "be patient with it".

Among those new characters is Esmeralda, played by Italian actress Sabrina Impacciatore, best known for her Emmy-nominated role in season two of The White Lotus.

She tells me she is bringing a very different energy to this character as she's "lively, loud and very sneaky. She will manipulate anyone to get what she wants".

She jokes that this could be her last Hollywood character so "wanted her to be very bold".

Impacciatore admits that the weight of expectation has been nerve-racking.

"We feel pressure, of course, because The Office is so beloved. You can watch it now and it's still so funny, still timeless."

But she's reassured by the fact that Daniels, who was also The Office (US) showrunner, was behind the project, which meant "the spirit is the same but the dynamics and relationships are all different".

As the release date for the show approaches, Impacciatore says nerves are building.

"I am terrified. There are moments of panic where I wonder if, in a few weeks, my career will end.

"But I know I gave everything, commitment, attention and respect for the show. I really lived the situation, it wasn't just acting."

Fans hoping for more of Scranton may not get exactly what they expect, but all three actors advise fans to watch it with no expectations.

"If you expect something, you'll be disappointed. Just sit down with an open heart, relax, and allow yourself to be surprised," Impacciatore says.

That plea may be wise, as while The Paper will inevitably be compared to its predecessor, the creators and cast seem determined to carve out something distinct. They are clear that this show isn't a reboot or remake but a new story with a familiar DNA.

"It may surprise people that The Paper is not the same as The Office, but I hope they like it and realise we tried to make something that will stand on its own two feet," Gleeson says.

The Paper can be seen on Peacock in the US and on Sky and Now in the UK from 5 September.

Two sisters seeking to become Indian citizens are currently stateless after failing to procure a document that could prove that they have renounced their citizenship of Pakistan.

The sisters, who have been living in India's Kerala state since 2008, surrendered their passports to the Pakistan High Commission in India in 2017, they recently told a court.

But as they were under 21 years, the minimum age for renouncing citizenship in Pakistan, the high commission did not issue their renunciation certificates at the time, they said.

They approached the High Commission again after turning 21, but it still refused to grant the certificate without giving any explanation, says the petitioners' mother, Rasheeda Bano (her daughters didn't want to speak to the media). She and her son are now Indian citizens but her daughters, she says, have been in limbo for years.

The situation, she says, has severely impacted her daughters' lives, as they are unable to even apply for passports.

The BBC has reached out to the Pakistani High Commission in India but hasn't received a response.

Neighbours India and Pakistan share a tense relationship which has often spilled over into hostility, like in May this year, when the countries engaged in a four-day military conflict. But migration is not uncommon, especially among members of families who ended up on different sides of the border when India was partitioned and Pakistan was created in 1947.

Over the past few decades, the process has become harder as there is much higher scrutiny of documents. As of December 2021, citizenship applications of more than 7,000 Pakistani nationals were pending with the government, according to data shared in parliament.

Ms Bano says that when the Pakistani High Commission did not provide the renunciation certificate, she requested them to return her daughters' passports, but this wasn't done.

The sisters have in their possession a certificate given by the high commission in 2018 which states that they have submitted their passports and Pakistan has no objection if they are granted Indian citizenship. But Indian authorities have refused to accept this in place of a renunciation certificate, forcing the sisters to move court.

Last year, a single-judge bench of the Kerala High Court ruled in their favour, saying that it was clear that the petitioners wouldn't be able to produce the document.

"It would be directing them to do the impossible," the court observed, ordering the Indian government to grant them citizenship.

But the federal home ministry appealed against this and on 23 August this year, a two-judge bench of the same court overturned the earlier order.

"For a person to be considered a citizen of India, they must be recognised as such by the Indian state alone, without any competing claims from another country's government," it said.

"The formal renunciation process is the mechanism that ensures this legal clarity," the court added.

The sisters have the option to appeal against the order in a higher court.

According to Pakistan's rules, people under the age of 21 cannot renounce their citizenship independently, but their names can be included in the renunciation application filed by their father.

The sisters' father, Mohammed Maroof, was born in Kerala but was adopted by his grandmother after he was orphaned at the age of nine. When she migrated to Pakistan in 1977, she took him along.

Their mum Ms Bano said her parents were also Indians but they got stuck in Pakistan while visiting relatives in 1971, after borders were shut when the two countries went to war.

Unable to return even after months, they found it easier to apply for Pakistani citizenship. She was born a few years later.

Ms Bano and Mr Maroof, who have four children, moved to India in 2008 on long-term visas to be closer to their "roots". But Mr Maroof was unable to adjust to life in India and soon returned to Pakistan.

Ms Bano and her son, who was above 21 years of age, were eventually granted Indian citizenship.

She said the family often faced stigma when they produced their Pakistani identity documents, but at least they had something to fall back on - for the sisters even that is not an option anymore.

Simple tasks like getting a mobile phone connection, or enrolling their children in school was difficult for them, she said. Authorities eventually allowed the sisters to get an Aadhaar Card, which acts as an identity document in India. But that's still not considered proof of citizenship, denying them basic rights.

Ms Bano says her daughters' lives have also been affected by the lack of passports. The husband of one of them had to leave his job in the Gulf and come to India as she couldn't travel to him. Meanwhile, her other daughter has a son who needs medical treatment abroad but she is unable to leave India.

"The sisters didn't get the certificate in 2017 because they were then minors. Now that they are adults, they can't go back to Pakistan because they have surrendered their passports. So how will they get the certificate?" says their lawyer M Sasindran.

"They are stuck now."

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A total of 1,017 people suffered a fatal overdose in Scotland last year.

That figure was a 13% fall on the previous year, and the lowest recorded total since 2017.

While the reduction is significant, experts have warned there may be a rise in drug deaths in 2025.

We take a deeper look at the figures and the efforts to tackle the problem in recent years.

Which drugs are the biggest killers?

Opioids and opiates - such as heroin and methadone - were the biggest contributors to fatal overdoses in 2024.

They were linked to 80% of deaths, according to the figures from the National Records of Scotland.

For the fifth year in a row, methadone (412) was involved in more fatalities than heroin (317).

Deaths involving benzodiazepines - including prescribed diazepam and counterfeit tablets such as 'street Valium' - rose rapidly over the last decade and were a major factor in the drug deaths crisis.

In 2024, they were involved in 56% (574) of deaths.

Meanwhile, there were 479 fatal overdoses involving cocaine - equalling the record total from 2023.

The NRS figures also show that 76 deaths were connected to the powerful, synthetic drug nitazenes. These are drugs often used as adulterants in other substances and can be more than 100 times more potent than heroin.

After adjusting for age, there were 19.1 drug misuse deaths per 100,000 people in 2024 - more than three-and-a-half times higher than in 2000.

Deprivation remained a key factor. Those in the poorest areas of Scotland were 12 times more likely to suffer a fatal overdose than those in the richest.

Glasgow City recorded the highest death rate in the country at 41.1 - more than double the rate of Scotland as a whole.

While 2024 data for other UK countries is unavailable, the NRS report said deaths in Scotland were two to three times the rate of those other nations.

Scotland still has the highest drug death rate in Europe, according to available data.

The NRS said drug-related deaths were still "much more common" than they were two decades ago, and that the figures for men were double those for women.

The 'national mission' to reduce drugs deaths

In 2021, the Scottish government announced a five-year "national mission" to reduce drug deaths.

The previous year saw the highest number of drug-related deaths, with 1,339 fatalities.

In 2021, the then First Minister Nicola Sturgeon responded by announcing £250m in extra funding for addiction treatment services.

The mission's aims were to bring down the number of deaths; increase access to residential rehabilitation; reduce waiting times for addiction treatment; and establish treatment standards across Scotland.

A report by Audit Scotland last year said funding for addiction treatment had doubled in the last decade but that progress has been "mixed".

The national target - for 90% of referrals to start community-based addiction treatment within three weeks – has largely been met since 2020.

The number of referrals has remained relatively steady over the last year, and just over 3,800 were made in the first three months of the year.

In the last five years, there has been a rise in the number of funded rehab placements – a portion of which were funded through the national mission.

There are currently no concrete figures on the number of people overall who have started rehab for drug dependence.

However, Public Health Scotland data shows that more than 900 placements were approved for funding in the 12 months to March 2025.

Overall, more than 3,200 placements have been approved for funding since 2021/22.

'It was tough to detox'

Former care worker Karen is nearing the end of her six-month stay at a rehab centre in Glasgow.

Battling addiction to heroin, alcohol and cocaine after a succession of family tragedies, this was the second time the 49-year-old was ready for rehab.

She said she weighed just four stone when she showed up for treatment

"I never had any energy. I was walking about thinking I was alright, but I was nothing," she told BBC Scotland News.

While she's anxious about her departure, she says her treatment has helped.

"It was quite tough to detox," she added.

"I kept saying: 'I can't do this, I can't do this.'

"But I did it. Because if I didn't, I don't know what would've happened to me."

Karen's placement was paid for by additional funding made available by the Scottish government.

While the number of publicly-funded rehab placements has increased, the government is still shy of its target of 650 beds being available across Scotland.

David Brockett is head of operations for Phoenix Futures in Scotland, a charity which provides rehab services.

He said there was uncertainty as the national mission nears its end, and that the funding needed to continue next year.

"Getting into residential rehab is still a real challenge because of the demand," he said.

"A lot of services closed prior to this funding. What we are needing is more services, we need more residential rehab."

The number of drug-related hospital stays grew by 15% in 2023/24 with more than 11,000 recorded – a rate of 212 per 100,000 people.

The rate of patients and new patients in hospital also increased last year.

The link between drug misuse and deprivation remains stark, with just under half of patients with a drug-related hospital stay living in the most deprived parts of the country.

Methadone remains a key tool in tackling addiction – but is also one of the main drugs involved in fatal overdoses. It was a factor in 412 of the 1,017 deaths last year.

Opioid substitution therapy, which includes treatment like methadone and buphrenorphine, was prescribed to an estimated 29,000 people in the 12 months to December 2024.

One of the key steps since the start of the drug deaths crisis has been the roll-out of Naloxone.

Access to this drug, which can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, has also largely been on the rise.

The latest figures show 23,260 take-home kits have been issued so far in 2025. More than 130,000 kits have been issued since the national mission was announced in 2021.

'We face new threats'

Drugs Minister Maree Todd said progress in reducing deaths was "welcome" but added that "there is still work to be done".

She said: "We will continue to do everything we can to save and improve lives.

"This is particularly true as we face new threats from highly dangerous synthetic opioids like nitazenes, which further raise the risk of overdose and death."

Scottish Labour health spokesperson Jackie Baillie MSP said every life lost to drugs was a tragedy.

"Scotland's drug emergency is claiming far too many lives and more must be done to not only save lives but ensure that people can get the recovery support that they need," she said.

The Scottish Conservatives said it was "shameful" that those living in the poorest areas were worst affected.

"SNP ministers have repeatedly taken their eye off the ball, and still have no coherent and credible strategy for tackling this national crisis," said Annie Wells, the party's drugs spokeswoman at Holyrood.

Long-term government borrowing costs in the UK reached their highest level since 1998 on Tuesday, as concerns over the country's economic outlook combined with a global move higher in bond yields.

The move adds to the pressure on Chancellor Rachel Reeves ahead of the upcoming Budget, where expectations are rising that she will increase taxes to bolster government finances.

The interest rate on 30-year government bonds, known as the yield, jumped to 5.698%, its highest level for 27 years.

On the currency markets, the pound also fell more than 1% against the dollar on Tuesday morning.

Government bonds have been under pressure globally for a number of months, in part due to volatile US trade policy.

The yield on 30-year UK government bonds - known as gilts - has been rising for some months, and this adds to the cost of UK government debt due to higher interest payments.

However, when it comes to satisfying government forecaster the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) that the chancellor is meeting her self-imposed fiscal rules, the OBR looks at 10-year borrowing costs, rather than 30 years.

Tens of thousands of foreign students are being contacted directly by the government and told they will be removed from the UK if they overstay their visas.

The Home Office launched the new government campaign in response to what it has called an "alarming" spike in the number of international students arriving legally on student visas then claiming asylum when they expire.

As part of the campaign, the Home Office has for the first time proactively contacted international students directly by text and email.

Under the plans, about 130,000 students and their families in total will be sent a message telling them: "If you have no legal right to remain in the UK, you must leave.

"If you don't, we will remove you."

Ten thousand international students whose visas are due to expire have already been contacted directly by text and email - warning them they could be deported.

Tens of thousands more will receive the message in the coming months, the BBC understands, to coincide with autumn when applications often increase.

The full message will read: "If you submit an asylum claim that lacks merit, it will be swiftly and robustly refused.

"Any request for asylum support will be assessed against destitution criteria. If you do not meet the criteria, you will not receive support.

"If you have no legal right to remain in the UK, you must leave.

"If you don't, we will remove you."

While the political focus this summer has been on people arriving on small boats, a similar number arrive legally with visas, then apply for asylum often when those visas run out.

Many of these claims are legitimate, but ministers are worried that too many international students are seeking asylum simply to stay in the country because their leave to remain has run out.

In the year to June 2025, 43,600 people seeking asylum arrived on a small boat - 39% of all asylum claims, according to Home Office data.

Another 41,100 asylum claims came from people who entered legally with a visa, the department said, with the largest group among visa holders being students.

Last year, 16,000 asylum claims came from those who arrived on student visas, nearly six times as many as in 2020, it said.

Since then, Home Office data shows there has been a drop of 10%, but ministers in the department want the figures to fall further.

The number of people on skilled worker visas being granted asylum has also fallen, according to the department.

Earlier this year, the Home Office announced a cut in the amount of time overseas graduates can stay in the UK after their studies – from two years to 18 months.

Chloe Malle will become the top editor at American Vogue after Dame Anna Wintour stepped aside as editor-in-chief, the publication has announced.

The 39-year-old, daughter of actress Candice Bergen, worked her way up the fashion magazine ranks over the past 14 years to become editor of Vogue.com and host the magazine's podcast The Run Through.

Malle's appointment marks a new era for the magazine, considered one of the most influential and glamorous fashion publications.

Wintour, the British-born fashion magnate, announced she was leaving the role in June after holding the position for 37 years. The magazine said she would retain senior positions at its publisher.

During her tenure at Vogue, Malle has reportedly been responsible for securing the magazine's photoshoot with Naomi Biden for her 2022 White House wedding, as well as an interview with Lauren Sanchez ahead of her wedding to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.

Before she began at Vogue, Malle covered real estate for the New York Observer. Her next gig as a freelance writer led her to Vogue where she began a full time position as the social editor in 2011.

"I was hesitant when I was interviewing, because fashion is not one of my main interests in life, and I wanted to be a writer more than an editor, but I was so seduced by the Vogue machine that I couldn't resist," Malle told the publication Into the Gloss in 2013.

Like her predecessor, Dame Anna, Malle has not shied away from politics while at Vogue.

Both on her social media and on her podcast she has supported Democratic causes and candidates.

During a 2024 episode of her podcast, which aired after Donald Trump was re-elected as US president, Malle expressed her disappointment with the election result.

It is unclear exactly when the transition from Dame Anna to Malle as chief of the magazine will be, but the 75-year-old is not completely leaving the picture.

Dame Anna will remain publisher Condé Nast's chief content officer, a role she was appointed to in 2020, which means she will still oversee Vogue's content, along with the company's other titles such as GQ, Wired and Tatler.

Father Ted co-creator Graham Linehan has been arrested at Heathrow Airport on suspicion of inciting violence in relation to his posts on X.

He was arrested after arriving on a flight from the US, and said in an online Substack article that officials then became concerned for his health after taking his blood pressure, and took him to hospital.

The Metropolitan Police said that a man in his 50s was arrested on 1 September at Heathrow Airport and taken to hospital, adding his condition "is neither life-threatening nor life-changing" , and he was bailed "pending further investigation".

Linehan said in an online article on Substack that his bail condition stipulates he is "not to go on Twitter" and that his arrest related to three posts on X from April, on his views about challenging "a trans-identified male" in "a female-only space".

Linehan said when he stepped off the aircraft, "five armed officers were waiting" to tell him he was under arrest.

The Met said: "The arrest was made by officers from the MPS Aviation Unit. It is routine for officers policing airports to carry firearms. These were not drawn or used at any point during the arrest."

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London Assembly member Zack Polanski has been elected leader of the Green Party of England and Wales by a landslide.

Polanski beat joint candidates, the Green MPs Adrian Ramsay and Ellie Chowns, by 20,411 votes to 3,705.

The result was greeted by whoops and cheers, with Polanski promising in his victory speech to "work every single day to grow this party" and paying tribute to his defeated rivals.

Polanski, a former actor who was the party's deputy leader, campaigned on an "eco-populism" platform and has promised to make the party "bolder" in its approach.

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Figures to be published on Tuesday are expected to show that Scotland remains the drugs death capital of Europe for the seventh year in a row.

In 2023, there were 1,172 drug misuse deaths in Scotland, bringing the total in a decade to 10,481, according to official figures.

Although experts expect that number to have dropped slightly for 2024, they are warning that any fall will almost certainly be a blip.

Kirsten Horsburgh, chief executive of the Scottish Drugs Forum says the arrival of deadly synthetic opioids known as nitazenes in the country is "a crisis on top of a crisis."

Suspected deaths early this year "are already higher than they were last year" she said.

How did we get here?

This is a crisis with deep roots in the social and economic changes which swept through Scotland in the latter half of the 20th Century as the country's economy shifted away from manufacturing.

When the shipyards, steel mills and collieries fell silent, they left a generation of men, whose pride and identity had been bound up with the things they made, struggling to adapt.

Society changed rapidly too. The old city slums were cleared, but many people were moved to damp, isolated tower blocks with limited amenities.

It was a recipe for joblessness, family breakdown and addiction.

In 1972, in a famous speech at the University of Glasgow, the trade unionist Jimmy Reid said Britain's "major social problem" could be summed up in one word - alienation.

Men, he said, viewed themselves as "victims of blind economic forces beyond their control" leading to a "feeling of despair and hopelessness that pervades people who feel with justification that they have no real say in shaping or determining their own destinies."

One way alienation found expression, said Reid, was in "those who seek to escape permanently from the reality of society through intoxicants and narcotics."

Half a century after his speech, Scotland is still grappling with alienation and still struggling with the scourge of alcohol and drugs.

High unemployment in the 1980s was followed by cuts to public spending after the financial crash of 2007/8 and the skyrocketing cost of living this decade.

By 2023, people in the most deprived parts of Scotland were more than 15 times more likely to die from drug misuse than those in the richest areas.

For many years this was a particularly male problem.

In the early 2000s, men were up to five times more likely to die of an overdose than women although that gap has since narrowed considerably.

As demand for drugs rose, so did supply. From 1980, heroin from Afghanistan and Iran began to arrive in Scotland in large quantities, with deadly results.

The sharing of dirty needles by injecting drug users and the arrival of HIV led to a public health crisis which was graphically depicted in Irvine Welsh's 1993 novel, Trainspotting, and its film adaptation.

'Drugs are becoming normalised'

Drug overdoses are not the only evidence that Scotland is experiencing a crisis related to alienation. Other so-called deaths of despair are also high.

Scotland has a higher rate of suicide than other parts of the UK and some of the highest levels of alcohol-related deaths in Europe.

These too are often linked to poverty. In 2023, deaths directly caused by alcohol were 4.5 times higher in the most deprived areas of Scotland than in the least deprived.

Taken together, says Annemarie Ward, of the charity Faces and Voices of Recovery UK, Scotland has a "penchant for oblivion".

Illegal drugs, she argues, have become part of the national culture.

"It's become normalised," she said. "I don't think we have to accept that normality."

Of course, deprivation and despair are not unique to Scotland and do not on their own amount to a sufficient explanation for its crisis.

Various other theories have been put forward including the existence of a macho, hard-partying culture; a reluctance, especially among men, to seek mental health support; and even the country's long, dark winters.

Another suggestion is that years of substance abuse are now catching up with the ageing Trainspotting generation - although this is disputed.

Between 2000 and 2023, according to the National Records of Scotland, the average age of a drug misuse death increased from 32 to 45.

Another potential explanation is the ripple effect of trauma.

When more than 1,000 people are dying every year in a small country, the implications for their families and friends are enormous and potentially catastrophic.

Drugs have scarred whole communities with abuse of substances continuing from generation to generation.

Nearly "every person who seeks treatment has been traumatised in some way," says Dr Susanna Galea-Singer, chair of the Faculty of Addictions at the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland.

Last year, Public Health Scotland published a review of all drug deaths in 2020 which revealed that 602 children lost a parent or parental figure to overdose in that year alone.

"You get social fragmentation when you have aspects of poverty, aspects of trauma," said Dr Galea-Singer.

"You burn bridges with families, it's just extremely difficult. It does fragment society."

Trauma might explain a high or even rising level of drug deaths but even it does not adequately account for a dramatic jump in the numbers a decade ago.

There appear to be two main reasons for the surge in deaths at that point.

First, in 2015, the Scottish government cut funding for alcohol and drug partnerships, which co-ordinated local addiction services around the country.

"We saw the start of a really sharp increase in drug-related deaths," said Kirsten Horsburgh of the Scottish Drugs Forum.

"There's no doubt that cuts to funding in this area reduces the amounts of services that people can access, reduces the staff that are able to support people and results in deaths."

Ministers later boosted resources as part of a five-year "national mission" to tackle the drugs emergency, only for funding to fall again in real terms in the past two years.

The 2015 cuts were "a disaster," said Ms Horsburgh. "Even with increased resource as part of the national mission, we can see it's still not enough.

"We can't just have small pilots of projects to address a public health emergency.

"We would not do that for any other public health emergency. We did not do that for Covid. We should not be doing that for the drug deaths crisis."

The second big change came around the same time as drug services were being cut.

It was the arrival on Scottish streets of dangerous benzodiazepenes known as street valium.

These blue pills were a fake and powerful version of the anti-anxiety medication, Valium, and they were deadly.

Nicola Sturgeon, who was First Minister at the time, would later admit that her SNP government had taken its "eye off the ball" as deaths rose.

How to tackle the issue now remains contentious.

Many public health experts support a harm reduction approach involving the provision of substitute drugs such as methadone, clean needles, and a drug consumption room which has been set up in Glasgow.

"Harm reduction has to be the core of any effective evidence-based drugs policy approach," said Ms Horsburgh of the Scottish Drugs Forum.

She is among those calling for decriminalisation of all drugs while others argue for a transfer of related powers from Westminster to Holyrood.

Harm reduction

Annemarie Ward of Faces and Voices of Recovery UK agreed that harm reduction should be part of the mix but said the balance needed to tilt towards rehabilitation.

"When government ministers talk about treatment in Scotland, what they're talking about is harm reduction," she said.

"When the general public hears the word treatment, they're thinking detox, rehab, people getting on with their lives."

Ms Ward also wants a shift away from NHS provision of drugs services in favour of organisations, such as her charity, which focus on rehabilitation and recovery.

"Our treatment system is delivered through the public sector, which means it's incredibly bureaucratic. So you can't just walk into a service and get seen that day, for instance, the way you can in England."

Ms Horsburgh and Ms Ward may have different priorities for tackling the crisis but both agree that it is almost certainly about to get worse.

"Nitazenes are a whole new ball game," warns Ms Ward.

"These are the synthetic opioids that are 100 times stronger than your average hit of heroin, and they're also ending up in the coke supply."

She predicts an exponential rise in deaths "unless we start to help people get clean and sober again."

If that is the case, it appears Scotland has not yet got to grips with this emergency.

The causes of the drug deaths crisis are multiple and complex.

But the fear is that they are producing a cumulative and compounding effect from which it is proving almost impossible to escape.

The price of gold has hit a record high as demand for the precious metal remains strong amid global economic uncertainty.

The spot gold price hit $3,508.50 per ounce early on Tuesday, continuing its upwards trend which has seen it rise by nearly a third this year.

The precious metal is viewed as a safer asset for investors during times of economic uncertainty, and its price rose earlier this year after US President Donald Trump announced wide ranging tariffs which have upset global trade.

Analysts say the price has also been lifted by expectations that the US central bank will cut its key interest rate, making gold an even more attractive prospect for investors.

Adrian Ash, director of research at BullionVault, told the BBC's Today programme that the rise in gold prices over the past few months is really down to Trump and "what he's done to geopolitics [and] what he's done to global trade".

"It was really the US election last year that really put a fire under it," he said.

Analysts also cite worries over the independence of the US central bank, the Federal Reserve, as another factor driving the gold price.

Trump has launched repeated attacks on the Federal Reserve's chair, Jerome Powell, and recently attempted to fire one of its governors, Lisa Cook.

Derren Nathan from Hargreaves Lansdown said it was Trump's "attempts to undermine the independence of the Federal Reserve Bank" that was "driving renewed interest in safe haven assets including gold".

On Monday, the head of the European Central Bank Christine Lagarde warned that if Trump were to undermine the independence of the Fed, it would represent a "very serious danger" to the global economy.

She said if the Fed was forced to respond to Trump's politics, it would have a "very worrying" impact on economic stability in the US, and therefore in the rest of the world as well.

Mr Ash added that when the price of gold surges because of investor interest, it was usually tempered by a slowdown in buying from China and India - two of the biggest markets for gold jewellery.

But this time, he said gold was continuing to find demand in China and India as, rather than exiting the market during times of high prices, jewellery buyers turn towards buying investment gold products such as bars or coins.

The stage is set in the heart of Beijing for a grand display of power and military might that has been choreographed by President Xi Jinping.

Eight huge Chinese flags flutter and flank the portrait of Mao Zedong, the founder of Communist China, which sits on top of the Gate of Heavenly Peace overlooking Tiananmen Square, one of the largest public squares in the world.

Below are rows of seats reserved for 26 foreign heads of state, including Russia's Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un, whose attendance is a diplomatic win for Xi.

Across the road, near the Great Hall of the People, two huge floral arrangements commemorating the end of World War II rise up alongside seating for around 50,000 invitees.

On the last day of preparations - Monday - Chang'an Avenue, the multi-lane road that cuts through the square was once again open to the public. Drivers and cyclists held their phones aloft trying their best to capture the scene.

Ostensibly the parade marks 80 years of Japan's surrender in the war, and China's victory against an occupying force. But it's so much more than that for President Xi.

This is a big week for him, with quite a few firsts. He enticed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit China over the weekend for the first time in seven years, rebooting a key economic and strategic relationship.

More than 20 world leaders attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, which just concluded - its largest ever gathering.

And a North Korean leader will attend a Chinese military parade for the first time since 1959.

The Chinese leader is having his moment in the spotlight.

The SCO summit in Tianjin has allowed him to project power and offer a vision of a new world order which he hopes will challenge the United States. Now attention turns to the parade in Beijing, which will showcase his country's growing ability to rival the US in any conflict.

The leaders of Iran, Malaysia, Myanmar, Mongolia, Indonesia, Zimbabwe and central Asian countries will witness the precise troop formations and get a glimpse of what authorities say will be new hypersonic weapons and unmanned underwater drones. The only western leaders on the guest list are from Serbia and Slovakia.

Kim Jong Un is a surprise addition - his attendance was only announced at the end of last week - and his armoured train and usual motorcade flanked by bodyguards will add to the spectacle.

Xi is expected to have both Kim and Putin by his side which will inevitably lead to western headlines or analysts describing them as the "axis of upheaval".

While the parade is a show of China's strength and Xi's influence as a world leader, there is also a clear domestic message: pride and patriotism.

China describes World War II as the "people's war of resistance against Japanese aggression", although much of the resistance was not from the Communist Party, but from the nationalists who later lost the civil war to Mao and his forces, and have been largely scrubbed from national memory.

In the run-up to the anniversary, several films have been released depicting this struggle, some of which have been box office hits. State media has been publishing reports to "foster a right view of WWII history".

The campaign has caused some friction with Japan. Last week, Beijing lodged a protest with Tokyo over reports that Japan had asked European and Asian governments not to attend the parade.

All of this appears to be part of a rallying cry to the nation, as China struggles with a sluggish economy, youth unemployment and plummeting house prices. Demand is weak and the most recent data suggests Trump's tariffs are hitting factory output. And the "anti-corruption" drive continues, with reports of high-ranking officials being investigated.

There is discontent, even disillusionment, especially among young people and it has seeped through, even on the tightly-controlled Chinese internet.

The fear that this could spill into the real world is partly what has been driving the extra-cautious preparations, which have become a demonstration of the Party's control of a capital city home to more than 21 million people. The city has grown quieter as the parade draws closer.

Airport security scanners have been installed in some office entrances. All drones are banned and international journalists have been visited at home, some on multiple occasions, to ensure they get the message.

Guards have been stationed 24 hours a day at the entrances to overpasses and bridges to prevent any protests, some of them in army uniforms.

Three years ago, when the Party chose Xi as its leader for a historic third term, a protester unfurled a banner over a major highway bridge criticising Xi and calling for his ouster. He was taken away instantly and we still don't know what happened to him.

But that is a moment the Party does not want to relive.

Communist Party officials have spent months planning and preparing for their first military parade in six years. More than 200,000 flags have been put up across the capital.

More floral arrangements depicting China's fight against Japan sit proudly on prominent roadsides and roundabouts. There's even a new city "lightscape" to brighten buildings in the business district.

Officials from the Parade Command Office have said "the overarching principle... is to avoid disturbing the public as much as possible".

But for those living in Beijing, the parade has upturned life.

Tanks could be heard rolling down the streets during weekly overnight rehearsals and the sounds of marching echoed far beyond the parade route.

People living near Chang'an Avenue, which leads to Tiananmen square, were told to stay off their balconies to ensure the rehearsals could be held in secrecy.

Schools, businesses and hotels along the parade route will be closed for the next two days. There are multiple road diversions and subway line closures, which have effectively paralysed transport into and out of the city centre.

Even getting hold of a shared city bike, often the best way to get around Beijing, can now be troublesome. Usually there are hundreds of them lined up outside subway stations, and along pavements. But recently city workers have been scooping them up to move them further away from the parade route. Trying to hire the odd one left behind is not an option: the bike will not move.

There have been reports in the past that China has used its air force to ensure there are blue skies for the parade. The aircraft can manipulate weather to trigger rain through cloud-seeding one or two days in advance, to make sure it's clear afterwards.

It's hard to know if this tactic has been used this year, but forecasters are predicting clear skies. Officials in Beijing are taking no chances on President Xi's big day.

US actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has said he had a "burning desire" to make a different kind of film, after years of being "pigeon-holed" as a blockbuster star.

The 53-year-old could be in line for the first Oscar nomination of his career for his role in The Smashing Machine, which has just launched at the Venice Film Festival.

Johnson said playing UFC fighter Mark Kerr in the film had "certainly changed my life", adding that the transformation was something he was "really hungry to do".

He told journalists: "I've been scared to go deep and intense and raw until now, until I had this opportunity to do this."

Johnson is best known for his roles in big-budget movies such as Jumanji, San Andreas, Moana, Black Adam and the Fast & Furious franchise.

The Smashing Machine, directed by Benny Safdie, sees Johnson reunite with his Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt, who stars as Kerr's girlfriend Dawn Staples.

Asked about his motivation for taking on the role, Johnson explained: "I have wanted this for a long time.

"When you're in Hollywood, as we all know, it had become about box office and you chase the box office. And the box office in our business is very loud, it can be very [overwhelming].

"And it can push you into a corner and category - 'This is your lane, this is what you do, and this is what people want you to be and this is what Hollywood wants you to be'.

"And I understood that, and I made those movies and I liked them and they were fun, and some were really good and did well, and some not so good!" he laughed.

"But I think what I did realise is I just had this burning desire and this voice that was just saying, 'what if there's more, what if I can?'

"Sometimes it's hard to know what you're capable of when you've been pigeon-holed into something. It's harder to know 'wait, can I do that? I feel like I can'. And sometimes it takes people who you love and respect to say 'you can'."

Johnson, also known as The Rock from his own earlier career in wrestling, added he didn't think playing the role was "about anything to prove to Hollywood as much as it is for me, internally".

Johnson's performance 'a revelation'

Johnson was praised by critics in early reviews of the film. Variety's Owen Gleiberman described his performance as "a revelation", adding that he "seems like a new actor".

In a four-star review, the Telegraph's Robbie Collin said: "His performance is warm, sincere and admirably ego-less, while some phenomenally delicate facial prosthetics alter his appearance just enough that you see his character, rather than The Rock, looming up on the screen."

IndieWire's Ryan Lattanzio concluded: "While The Smashing Machine doesn't play like easy awards catnip, Johnson earns a sizeable position among this year's prize-seekers."

Normally in a Dwayne Johnson film, you're never more than about four minutes away from the next explosion or car chase.

The Smashing Machine is a different kettle of fish, focusing on the world of the Ultimate Fighting Championship and how prominent a figure Kerr was in the early years of the sport in the 1990s.

As explained early in the film, UFC involves all kinds of fighting in the same ring. One fighter might be a boxer, while his opponent could come from a wrestling or karate background. More or less anything goes in the battle to be the last one standing.

"Around that time, there was something so experimental about what was going on," explains director Safdie, one half of the Safdie brothers, whose screen credits include Uncut Gems.

"You had all of these different martial arts forms competing against one another, and it was just such a unique sport.

"And it was also such a close-knit community where everybody knew one another and loved one another, and to have that contradiction of this fighting world but this love between them was something that was really beautiful to me, and I wanted to explore that."

The film has plenty of fight scenes, but its primary focus is outside of the ring, focusing on Kerr's gentle nature, his battle with substance abuse, and his complex relationship with Dawn, played by Blunt.

The actress describes Johnson as a "dear friend", adding: "One of the most extraordinary things was seeing him completely disappear, it was spooky."

Discussing her own character, Blunt says: "I was delighted there was a woman in the midst of it, because there was a lot going on behind closed doors of what it means to live with a fighter and the all-consuming world that comes with that.

"I got to know Dawn well and she was very generous with her story with me, the full weather system of it, the regrets, the eruptions, the hazardous nature of the relationship at times, and the deep, profound love and devotion they had to each other amid an impossible environment.

"So I think it was an incredibly exciting relationship to put on screen. I'd been part of a lot of [on-screen] relationships that essentially are a movie-fied relationship, and this just felt like the full spectrum of what a relationship really looks like."

Set between 1997 and 2000, The Smashing Machine gets its title from the nickname given to Kerr after one of his early tournament victories. An HBO documentary about Kerr with the same title was released in 2002.

Johnson first met Kerr in the 1990s when he was a wrestler himself. He semi-retired from the sport in 2004 to focus on his Hollywood career, going on to become one of the industry's most bankable stars.

"I remember talking to [Kerr] back then and being so enamoured and respecting of his career, and it's so wild how years later life can come full circle in this incredible way," Johnson notes.

The actor said he's become "very close" to Kerr, who he describes as "a walking contradiction for a man who at one time was the greatest fighter on the planet, but also the most kind, gentle, tender, empathetic [person]".

Awards pundits will be watching closely to see how Johnson's film is received, but the star joins a best actor race that is stacked with A-listers this year.

Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matthew McConaughey, George Clooney, Jesse Plemons, Timothee Chalamet and Jeremy Allen White are among the big names who could be competing with Johnson.

Only a small number of those names will make it all the way to the Oscars, although several of them could be recognised at the more celebrity-skewing Golden Globes, which has more slots available. The race will start to crystallise as more of the films premiere in the coming weeks.

Reflecting on his success since leaving wrestling, Johnson said: "I have been very fortunate to have the career I've had over the years and make the films that I've made. But there was this voice inside of me that said 'what if I could do more?'"

He continues: "The truth is, I looked around a few years ago and started to think, 'am I living my dream or am I living other people's dreams?'

"And you come to that recognition and you can either fall in line, go 'it's status quo, things are good', or you can go, 'no, I wanna live my dreams now and do what I want to do, and tap into the things I want to tap into and have a place to put all this stuff that I've experienced in the past that I've shied away from'."

There is a "decent chance" the aurora borealis will be visible across much of the UK on in the coming days, the Met Office has said.

Heighted solar activity could lead to the Northern Lights being visible further south than usual, with sightings possible with the naked eye.

Although the Met Office cautioned that solar forecasts can change rapidly, and factors such as cloud cover and light pollution will impact visibility.

But those lucky enough to have clear and dark skies could be rewarded "with a rare and memorable display".

BBC Weather said the lights, formally known as the aurora borealis, would be visible across much of England and Wales away from western coasts.

As is usually the case, Northern Ireland and north east Scotland would have the best chance for clear spells of viewing, it said.

It also advised the public to head away from city lights for the best chance of seeing the Northern Lights and that if the lights were not visible - another way to potentially see them was to use a smartphone on night mode.

The Met Office forecasts that while there will be lots of cloud cover throughout the evening, the Midlands will be most likely to have clear skies, making it potentially one of the best place in the UK for a sighting.

Monday night could offer the best chance for a sighting, but the lights should still be visible throughout Tuesday night.

By Wednesday night no significant solar activity is currently expected, meaning less chance of seeing the Northern Lights.

"There's a decent chance of seeing the aurora tonight [Monday] - it may be visible as far south as the Midlands (perhaps even further south)", the Met Office said on social media site X.

The Northern Lights are caused by solar winds carrying charged particles interacting with the earth's magnetic field.

The heightened chance of a UK sighting has been caused by a fast-moving coronal mass ejection, which is a "release of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun's corona", late on Saturday night.

Met Office space weather manager, Krista Hammond, said: "As we monitor the arrival of this coronal mass ejection, there is a real possibility of aurora sightings further south than usual on Monday night.

"While the best views are likely further north, anyone with clear, dark skies should keep an eye out.

"Forecasts can change rapidly, so we encourage the public to stay updated with the latest information."

'It was like wildfire - word of mouth'

'These guys have ruined our lives'

Where did the investments go?

Have the police done anything?

'HMRC will probably enforce, I have nothing to give'

'If it wasn't for the group, I don't know where I'd be'

Rescuers on helicopters are searching the ruins of remote villages in eastern Afghanistan for survivors of a powerful earthquake that has killed 800 people and injured 1,800 others.

Many are feared trapped under the rubble of their homes after the magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck on Sunday near the country's border with Pakistan.

Authorities searched by air for the second day on Tuesday as roads blocked with debris and the mountainous terrain in the affected areas made land travel difficult.

The Taliban government has appealed for international help. The UN has released emergency funds, while the UK has pledged £1m ($1.3m) in aid.

Sunday's earthquake was one of the strongest to hit Afghanistan in recent years. The country is very prone to earthquakes because it is located on top of a number of fault lines where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet.

In 2023, more than 1,400 people died after a series of 6.3-magnitude earthquakes hit western Afghanistan, near the city of Herat.

Survivors of Sunday's earthquake were brought to a hospital in Jalalabad, which has been overwhelemed with hundreds of patients daily even before the disaster.

Mir Zaman told the BBC that he pulled his dead children out of the rubble by himself.

"It was dark. There was no light. Someone lent me a lamp, and then I used a shovel and pick axe to dig them out. There was no one to help because everyone was affected. So many people died in my village. Some are still buried. Whole families have died," he said.

Two-and-a-half-year-old Maiwand suffered head injuries and blood loss.

"You can see his situation. It's so tragic. The earthquake was deadly. I want the doctors to treat him, to cure him," said the child's uncle, Khawat Gul.

The most recent earthquake hit Afghanistan when it is reeling under severe drought and what the UN calls an unprecedented crisis of hunger.

The country has also experienced massive aid cuts especially from the US this year which is further reducing the aid that many of these people could have got. This disaster couldn't have come at a worse time.

Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy said aid from the UK will be "channelled through experienced partners", the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and the International Red Cross.

India delivered 1,000 tents to Kabul, its foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar wrote on X after speaking to his Taliban counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi.

The Indian mission is also helping to move 15 tonnes of food from Kabul to Kunar province, which has been badly hit by the earthquake, he said, adding that India would send more relief items.

China and Switzerland have also pledged support.

Survivors will need housing, shelter and blankets, said Amy Martin, who leads the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Afghanistan.