Sophie Kinsella, the author of the bestselling Shopaholic series of novels, has died aged 55, her family have announced.

The writer, whose real name is Madeleine Sophie Wickham, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer in 2022.

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Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has urged the prime minister to stand up to Donald Trump, describing the US president's new national security strategy as "deeply alarming".

The document, which was published last week, warns Europe faces "civilisational erasure" and says US policy should prioritise "cultivating resistance to Europe's current trajectory".

Sir Ed called on the PM to "make it clear to President Trump that any attempts to interfere with our democracy are totally unacceptable".

In response, Sir Keir Starmer avoided criticising the US President, instead saying he would always stand up for Europe's "longstanding values of freedom and democracy".

The US strategy calls for an end to mass migration and criticises European policies on the issue for "creating strife".

It also raises concerns about "censorship of free speech" and "loss of national identities and self-confidence".

"It is far from obvious whether certain European countries will have economies and militaries strong enough to remain reliable allies," the document states.

Trump continued to attack European leaders in an interview with Politico on Tuesday, when he branded them "weak" and said they had failed to control migration or take decisive action to end the war in Ukraine.

The strategy also adopts softer language towards Russia, blaming the EU for blocking US efforts to end the conflict and saying the US must "re-establish strategic stability with Russia".

The Kremlin has welcomed the document, calling it "largely consistent" with Moscow's vision.

Raising the US strategy during Prime Minister's Questions, Sir Ed told the House of Commons: "Quite apart from the irony of President Trump accusing others of trampling on basic principles of democracy, it repeats far-right tropes of civilisational erasure and threatens that the US government will cultivate resistance in Europe.

"No wonder Vladimir Putin has welcomed that strategy. So will the prime minister pick up the phone and make it clear to President Trump that any attempts to interfere with our democracy are totally unacceptable?"

Sir Keir replied: "On the question of Europe and President Trump's comments, what I see is a strong Europe, united behind Ukraine and united behind our longstanding values of freedom and democracy.

"And I will always stand up for those values and those freedoms."

Sir Ed hit back: "I didn't hear about standing up to President Trump."

The PM has sought to build a close relationship with Trump and the government has pointed to a deal on trade as among the positive results of this.

Meanwhile, Downing Street has defended the Labour mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, after he was branded a "disaster" and "incompetent" by Trump.

The US president's latest remarks in his long-running feud with the London mayor came during his Politico interview, where he also claimed Sir Sadiq was elected "because so many people have come in".

On Wednesday, the prime minister's press secretary told reporters Trump's comments were "wrong".

She said the mayor was "doing an excellent job in London", adding: "The prime minister is hugely proud of the mayor of London's record and proud to call him a colleague and a friend."

It comes after Downing Street was forced to deny it was failing to stand up for Sir Sadiq on Tuesday, when a No 10 spokesman declined to criticise the president's attack on the mayor.

Instead the spokesman had said: "The prime minister has a strong relationship with the US president and a strong relationship with the Mayor of London and on both is committed to working together to deliver stronger outcomes for the British people right across the country."

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A couple who had a brief encounter on a late-night train have got engaged on the same service one year later.

Steve Higgs, 56, from Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, set up the surprise proposal to Payal Pandya, from Harrow, London, after a train company got on board with the plans.

He said he first met Ms Pandya, 49, on the 23:09 London Northwestern Railway (LNR) service from Euston towards Milton Keynes in November 2024.

To mark their anniversary the couple boarded the same service and Mr Higgs got down on one knee to ask Ms Pandya to marry him - and wedding plans are now moving full steam ahead.

Mr Higgs contacted LNR to plan the moment to ensure that nothing derailed it.

When the couple were on the train home from a night out in the capital, the conductor made a special announcement hinting at the forthcoming proposal, which gave Mr Higgs the cue to get down on one knee.

Mr Higgs said: "I first met Payal when I offered her my seat after I'd been out for a few drinks with friends.

"I'm always up for chatting with people when I'm travelling and so I struck up a conversation.

"I remember she mentioned she'd just been on a first date where – luckily for me - sparks had failed to fly.

"Although we were only speaking for 20 minutes or so, I knew I wanted to see her again."

Ms Pandya said by the time she had got off the train last year, her fiancé had found her dating profile and sent her a message.

"We set up our first date not too long after and the rest is history," she said.

"We always joke that the 23:09 LNR service marks our 'encounter-versary' – the moment we first met.

"I can't believe Steve asked me to marry him on that same service and managed to get the conductor involved without me knowing!"

The couple said they hope to get married next year.

Jonny Wiseman, LNR's customer experience director, said: "When Steve got in touch with our customer relations team, we knew we had to help with his request for a special announcement.

"Their story is a brilliant example of the way the railway can connect people, not just to where they need to go, but to the people they're travelling with too."

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A member of the UK armed forces who died in Ukraine has been named as Lance Corporal George Hooley of the Parachute Regiment.

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Defence said the 28-year-old was killed observing Ukrainian forces test "a new defensive capability, away from the front lines".

Paying tribute to the paratrooper in the Commons on Wednesday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: "His life was full of courage and determination.

"He served our country with honour and distinction around the world in the cause of freedom and democracy, including as part of the small number of British personnel in Ukraine."

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A man has been found guilty of murdering his ex-girlfriend's sister and her three children in a house fire in Bradford.

Sharaz Ali killed Bryonie Gawith, 29, and her children Denisty, nine, Oscar, five, and 22-month-old Aubree Birtle, after deliberately setting fire to their home in a revenge attack when Bryonie's sister, Antonia, ended their relationship.

The 40-year-old was also found guilty of the attempted murder of Antonia Gawith, following a trial at Doncaster Crown Court.

Co-accused Calum Sunderland, 26, was cleared of murder and attempted murder but found guilty of four counts of manslaughter for his role in breaking into the family's house where Antonia had been staying.

The trial heard Ali "motivated by jealousy and fuelled by drink and drugs" and Sunderland had arrived at Bryonie's home in Westbury Road, Bradford, in the early hours of 21 August 2024.

Prosecutors said Ali then ordered Sunderland to kick down the door before he went inside and poured petrol around the property.

In her evidence, Antonia told jurors she had confronted Ali on the ground floor of the property.

During a scuffle he poured petrol over her before she managed to run into the garden in the hope he would follow her out of the house.

The court heard he tried to get upstairs but was confronted by Bryonie and forced back down where he took a lighter from his pocket and set the house alight.

Bryonie and her three children, who were asleep upstairs, were unable to escape.

Sophie Kinsella, the author of the bestselling Shopaholic series of novels, has died aged 55, her family have announced.

The writer, whose real name is Madeleine Sophie Wickham, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer in 2022.

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Four Afghan men were ordered to report to the Taliban government's department of vice and virtue for dressing in costumes inspired by the TV series Peaky Blinders.

The friends were told that their clothing was "in conflict with Afghan and Islamic values", a Taliban spokesman told the BBC, adding the values in Peaky Blinders went against Afghan culture.

In videos posted online, the men, who have been released, can be seen posing in flat caps and three-piece suits similar to those worn in the series set in England soon after World War One.

Since the Taliban seized power in 2021, they have imposed a number of restrictions on daily life in accordance with their interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.

"Even jeans would have been acceptable, but the values in the Peaky Blinders series are against Afghan culture," Saiful Islam Khyber, a spokesman for the Taliban government's provincial department of Vice and Virtue in Herat city told the BBC.

The men, all in their early twenties, come from the town of Jibrail in Herat province. They were ordered to report to the Taliban's "morality police" on Sunday, and presented themselves for questioning in Herat the following day.

"They were promoting foreign culture and imitating film actors in Herat," Khyber wrote on social media, adding that they had undergone a "rehabilitation programme".

The were not formally arrested, "only summoned and advised and released", Khyber told the BBC's US partner CBS News.

"We have our own religious and cultural values, and especially for clothing we have specific traditional styles," he said.

"The clothing they wore has no Afghan identity at all and does not match our culture. Secondly, their actions were an imitation of actors from a British movie. Our society is Muslim; if we are to follow or imitate someone, we should follow our righteous religious predecessors in good and lawful matters."

The men could be seen thanking officials for their advice and saying they were unaware they had violated any laws in a video released by the ministry after they were questioned - though it is unclear under what circumstances the interview was recorded.

"I have innocently been sharing content that was against Sharia which had many viewers," one said in the recording.

He said he had been "summoned and advised", and would no longer do "anything like this".

In an interview with YouTube channel Herat-Mic uploaded at the end of November, before they were summoned, the friends said they admired the fashion displayed in the series, adding that they had received positive reactions from locals.

"At first we were hesitant, but once we went outside, people liked our style, stopped us in the streets, and wanted to take photos with us," one of the men said, according to a translation by CBS News.

María Corina Machado, the winner of this year's Nobel Peace Prize, is "safe" and will come to Oslo, but will not be able to make the awards ceremony scheduled for 12:00 GMT on Wednesday, the Nobel Institute has said.

The Nobel Institute awarded the Venezuelan opposition leader the prize for "her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy" in her home country.

There has been much speculation about whether Machado, who has been living in hiding, would be able to defy a travel ban to attend the ceremony in Norway's capital.

Organisers said her daughter would accept the award in her stead.

In an audio recording shared by the Nobel Institute, Machado said "I will be in Oslo, I am on my way."

However, the director of the Nobel Institute, Kristian Berg Harpviken, said that Machado was expected to arrive "sometime between this evening and tomorrow morning" - too late for the ceremony.

In her mother's absence, Ana Corina Sosa is expected to give the speech Machado had prepared.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Nobel Institute had said they were in the dark about Machado's whereabouts, triggering concern among her supporters.

Two of her children and her mother are in Oslo, hoping to be reunited with Machado after being separated for more than a year.

Machado went into hiding shortly after Venezuela's disputed presidential election in July 2024.

The last time she was seen in public was on 9 January when she spoke to her supporters at a rally protesting against the swearing-in of Nicolás Maduro to a third term as president.

The elections were widely dismissed both by the opposition in Venezuela and on the international stage as rigged, and sparked protests across the country.

Around 2,000 people were arrested in the crackdown which followed, among them many members of Machado's opposition coalition.

Machado, who had managed to unite the bitterly divided opposition ahead of the election, went into hiding for fear of arrest.

She continued to give interviews and uploaded videos onto social media urging her followers not to give up.

The announcement that she had been chosen as this year's Nobel Peace Prize winner galvanised her supporters and triggered immediate speculation as to whether she would be able to travel to Oslo.

Total secrecy has surrounded her travel plans and it is not know how she managed to leave her place of hiding or by what means she has reached Europe.

Two US fighter jets were tracked circling the Gulf of Venezuela on Tuesday as tensions continue to escalate between the two countries.

The F/A-18 Super Hornets appeared on flight tracking sites near Maracaibo, Venezuela's second-largest city, at around 13:00 (17:00 GMT), before circling the gulf for about 40 minutes.

A US defence official told the Associated Press the F/A-18 jets had conducted a "routine training flight" in the area.

The incident comes amid a wave of US strikes against boats in the Caribbean Sea, which the White House said were trafficking drugs to the US from Venezuela. Experts have raised questions over the legality of the strikes, which have killed more than 80 people.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has accused the US of using the strikes to destabilise the country and oust him from power.

In an interview conducted with Politico the day before the jets approached Venezuela's coastline, Trump declared that Maduro's days in power were "numbered", and declined to comment on whether US troops could be deployed to the country.

A separate jet, an EA-18G Growler, also appeared just before the F/A-18s on the tracking site FlightRadar24. Data shows the jet flew loops just north of Venezuela's coast.

They are the latest in a number of unusual US air force activities that have been tracked since September. B-52 Stratofortress and B-1 Lancer bombers previously flew up to and along the Venezuelan coast.

But the F/A-18s, which are capable of engaging targets both on the ground and in the air, appear to be the first to approach the Venezuelan coastline so publicly in recent months. The F/A-18s came within 20 nautical miles of the coastline, flight tracking data showed.

Neither the F/A-18s or the Growler showed a point of origin or a destination on FlightRadar24, and all three aircraft only turned on their transponders when they arrived near the Venezuelan coastline. Justin Crump, head of the risk consultancy Sibylline, suggested the move was intended to "support the administration's signalling and put pressure on the [Venezuelan] leadership".

The F/A-18s - which operated under the callsigns RHINO11 and RHINO12 - flew six loops up and down the Gulf of Venezuela. Meanwhile, the Growler jet - flying under the codename GRIZZLY2 - also flew circles along the coast.

Greg Bagwell, a former RAF air marshall and president of the Air and Space Power Association, told BBC Verify that the flights appeared to be "probing" Venezuelan defence and trying to check for responses such as radio traffic and encrypted signals related to defence systems.

"The Growlers would have been listening for [signals intelligence], whilst the Super Hornets would have been providing air defence cover for the Growlers," Baswell said. He said the Growlers would also detect "active missile sites".

"It could be construed as the early gathering of intelligence for subsequent operations, or just a warning of such," he added.

Crump said the jets also had the capacity to test out "jamming capabilities", adding: "This also helps send a message, when successful, potentially indicating to Venezuela's leadership that these systems cannot or should not be relied upon," he said.

The US has deployed troops, ships and jets to the Caribbean in recent months, which officials have said is to combat drug trafficking in the area.

On Tuesday the US Southern Command published photos of an F/A-18 operating from the USS Gerald Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, which has been sent to the Caribbean.

Analysis of satellite images and ship tracking websites by BBC Verify has made it possible to identify at least nine military vessels that have been deployed to the region over recent weeks.

Satellite images also show that an airbase in Puerto Rico, which was closed in 2004 by the Pentagon, has been re-activated. Repairs have been carried out to the runway at Roosevelt Roads base and F-35s - America's most advanced fighter - have been sent to the base.

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Tourists from dozens of countries including the UK could be asked to provide a five-year social media history as a condition of entry to the United States, under a new proposal unveiled by American officials.

The new condition would affect people from dozens of countries who are eligible to visit the US for 90 days without a visa, as long as they have filled out an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) form.

Since returning to the White House in January, President Donald Trump has moved to toughen US borders more generally - citing national security as a key reason.

Analysts say the new plan could pose an obstacle to potential visitors, or harm their digital rights.

The US expects a major influx of foreign tourists next year, as it hosts the men's football World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico, and for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

The proposal document was filed by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), of which the agency is part.

US media reported that it appeared in the Federal Register, which is the official journal of the US government. The BBC has asked DHS for comment.

It says "the data element will require ESTA applicants to provide their social media from the last 5 years", without giving further details of which specific information will be required.

The existing ESTA requires a comparatively limited amount of information from travellers, as well as a one-off payment of $40 (£30). It is accessible to citizens of about 40 countries - including the UK, Ireland, France, Australia and Japan - and allows them to visit the US multiple times during a two-year period.

As well as the collection of social media information, the new document proposes the gathering of an applicant's telephone numbers and email addresses used over the last five and 10 years respectively, and more information about their family members.

The text cites an executive order from Trump in January, titled "Protecting the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats".

The Trump administration has previously required foreign nationals to make their social media accounts public if they are applying for student visas or H1B visas for skilled workers - the latter of which now also entail a much higher fee.

A senior state department official said of the student visa policy: "It is an expectation from American citizens that their government will make every effort to make our country safer, and that is exactly what the Trump Administration is doing every single day."

Officers were instructed to screen for those "who advocate for, aid, or support designated foreign terrorists and other threats to national security; or who perpetrate unlawful anti-Semitic harassment or violence".

As part of the administration's broader effort to toughen borders, officials recently said an existing travel ban - affecting 19 countries in Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean - could soon be expanded.

That move was announced in the wake of a shooting attack on two National Guard members in Washington DC, in which an Afghan man has been named as the suspect.

The new proposal regarding ESTA data collection for tourists invites views from the public for 60 days.

Sophia Cope, of digital rights organisation the Electronic Frontier Foundation, criticised the plan, telling the New York Times that it could "exacerbate civil liberties harms".

Meanwhile, immigration law practice Fragomen suggested there could be practical impacts as applicants could face longer waits for ESTA approvals.

Experts have previously suggested that the changes to travel policies introduced under Trump have had an impact on the American tourism industry.

Earlier this year, the World Travel & Tourism Council said the US was the only one of 184 economies that it analysed that was expected to see a decline in international visitor spending in 2025.

Other Trump administration policies have also appeared to impact tourism to the country, such as many Canadians boycotting US travel as a form of protest against Trump's tariffs.

October marked the 10th straight month of decline in the number of Canadian travellers to the US. In the past, Canadians have made up about a quarter of all international visitors to the US, spending more than $20bn (£15.1bn) a year, according to the US Travel Association.

Fans of codebreaking, maths and brainteasers can now try their hand at the latest cryptic Christmas challenge set by GCHQ, the UK's intelligence agency.

GCHQ released their annual Christmas card on Wednesday, filled with puzzles and hidden codes designed to help children aged 11-18 test a range of problem-solving skills.

The card was created by "schoolchildren as well as spies", according to GCHQ, after hundreds of young people entered a design competition in the lead-up to the festive period.

It contains seven puzzles set by "GCHQ's in-house puzzlers", geared towards testing a range of problem-solving skills, including "intuitive reasoning" and "lateral thinking".

The quiz starts with Question 1:

Somewhere on the card is a special seven letter word which has no repeated letters, and no letters which are next to each other in the alphabet. Can you find it? * Answer at the bottom of the page

Students were asked to draw their response to the question: "What do you think GCHQ looks like on Christmas Day?". They were challenged to embed hidden codes, and ciphers into their designs.

Three winners were selected by a panel of judges across three age groups.

The famously tricky puzzles "aren't meant to be solved alone", GCHQ said, adding: "We believe the right mix of minds means we can solve seemingly impossible problems."

"Puzzles are at the heart of GCHQ's work to keep the country safe from hostile states, terrorists and criminals; challenging our teams to think creatively and analytically every day", said GCHQ Director Anne Keast-Butler.

She said she hoped the puzzle encourages the next generation "to explore STEM subjects and consider the rewarding careers available in cybersecurity and intelligence".

Meanwhile, the spy agency's "Chief Puzzler", known only as "Colin", said the puzzles are designed to test "the same blend of skills our teams use every day to keep the country safe."

* The answer is: Special (the clue is written into the text)

The daughter of the man believed to be the most prolific serial abuser to be associated with the Church of England (CofE) says finally learning the truth about his attacks on 130 boys was shocking and horrifying.

Fiona Rugg, 47, is the youngest daughter of barrister and Christian charity chairman John Smyth QC, who died before he was ever brought to justice.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Smyth subjected about 130 boys and young men to extreme physical and sexual abuse under the guise of spiritual discipline.

In the years since, Ms Rugg, who now lives in Bristol, has slowly come to terms with the disturbing truth but has often grappled with feelings of "shame by association".

"I can rationally understand that I'm in no way to blame, but you feel guilty that my father could do this to someone, and of course, he was unrepentant," she said.

"So much of my dad's story and how he got away was cover-up and deception, but I want to fly in the face of that and bring things into the light."

The Makin Review, published in 2024, found the church's handling of the allegations against Smyth amounted to a cover-up, with one cleric admitting: "I thought it would do the work of God immense damage if this were public."

Speaking openly to the BBC for the first time, Ms Rugg said learning the truth about the extent of her father's "shocking" abuse has helped her to heal.

"I have forgiven him, but it doesn't take away the pain or make it OK. I don't feel in the grip of it or feel so ashamed, but it doesn't diminish the horror of what he did," she said.

"There was nothing in his camp coming from him about being sorry. I'm sorry on behalf of my father for what he's done to these boys."

Warning - this story contains distressing content and references to child abuse

Ms Rugg recalls an oppressive childhood plagued by "hypervigilance" of her father's unpredictable moods.

"I think the overriding feeling is actually fear, as long as I can remember," she recalled.

"I felt afraid around dad, who was very volatile.

"He was very angry, and so there was a sense of fragile moods, walking on eggshells, wondering what dad's mood was like. A feeling of guilt as a young child I didn't like dad and sometimes I hated him."

Ms Rugg said her father "completely disregarded" her as a child, to the extent she questioned her own judgement of his "volatile" character.

"What I saw was confusing to me," she said. "He was so frightening, so angry and unkind, so hard to stand up to. I wanted to get as far away from him as possible, but what I saw was people who adored him."

While Smyth laughed and played outside with boys and young men in the sun, she would watch from the window, having been told to stay away as an "unwanted distraction".

"We were experiencing a completely different John Smyth to the reputation he presented to the world," she explained.

"The natural conclusion you draw when you are young is 'he must be right and I must be the problem. I'm the one who is not seeing this correctly here'."

Smyth gained access to Winchester College in 1973 through the school's Christian union and began abusing pupils after inviting them to his family home for Sunday lunch.

He forced his victims to strip naked and endure violent canings in a soundproofed shed at his family home, where he beat them so badly they bled.

Smyth, an evangelical Christian, would frame the abuse as a form of punishment and repentance for "sins" such as pride or masturbation.

An internal review by the Iwerne Trust uncovered the scandal in 1982, describing the attacks as "prolific, brutal and horrific", detailing how eight of the boys had suffered a total of 14,000 lashes.

But rather than alerting authorities, senior evangelical figures in the CoE facilitated Smyth's silent departure from the UK, allowing him to evade justice for decades.

When their family were ushered to Zimbabwe in 1984, Ms Rugg said it was framed by her father as "noble work", sacrificing his "glittering career" to become a missionary.

But his wake of destruction followed them across the globe, and he soon opened Christian camps where he would enforce nudity and beat young boys.

The following year, tragedy unfolded when a 16-year-old boy named Guide Nyachuru was found dead at one of Smyth's camps within 12 hours of arrival, resulting in a manslaughter charge, but the case collapsed.

When Ms Rugg moved back to England aged 18, she started to have more and more questions about her father.

"It would come up that I'm dad's daughter and I would see a shadow pass across someone's face," she recalled.

"People didn't react like 'oh what a great guy', it was the opposite of that. It was a stony silence. There seemed to be so little connection with the UK, which struck me as odd."

She confronted her father with the rumours on Christmas Eve, and he burst into a blind rage, accusing her of being "disloyal" to their family by daring to question his integrity.

"His reaction was so powerfully extreme, I remember thinking 'well now I know for sure'. There's never that much smoke without a fire," she said.

Reports of Smyth's abuse were first made public through an investigation by Channel 4 in February 2017.

Ms Smyth switched on the news one evening to see her father's face staring back at her, his name plastered across the screen against a backdrop of horrendous crimes.

"These were people's young, vulnerable sons whose lives were ruined. I have a son," she added.

"As cruel as I'd seen him to be, I had no idea he had committed this extensive criminal abuse. It was horrifying and so shocking, but it made sense.

"His whole life was about doing 'the Lord's work'. Everything was backed up with his Christian faith, and I found the hypocrisy of that really abhorrent."

In August 2018, Smyth received a summons from Hampshire Police to return to England for questioning, under the threat of extradition.

He died from heart failure just eight days later at the age of 77, and was never brought to justice for the trauma he inflicted upon young boys in his care.

Ms Rugg said she can now speak about her father "without bitterness or hatred" and finally feels at peace.

"In my experience, if you face what dad's done you can heal from it and you can forgive it," she explained.

"There are moments of upset but I no longer feel that knot when I think about my dad, and that is progress. It's not mine to carry and not mine to be controlled by.

"It's changed from something that was imposed on me, to 'I'm choosing what I do with that'."

• If you would like to learn more about John Smyth's history of abuse, head to Channel 4's two-part documentary titled See No Evil.

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Nnena Kalu has won this year's Turner Prize, the UK's most high-profile art award, for her "bold and compelling" sculptures and drawings - and has made history as the first artist with a learning disability to win.

The judges praised Kalu's brightly-coloured sculptures - which are haphazardly wrapped in layers of ribbon, string, card and shiny VHS tape - and her drawings of swirling, tornado-like shapes.

Kalu, 59, is an autistic, learning disabled artist with limited verbal communication.

Charlotte Hollinshead, who has worked with her for 25 years, said on stage at the ceremony: "This is a major, major moment for a lot of people. It's seismic. It's broken a very stubborn glass ceiling."

'Idol, legend, winner'

In a moving speech delivered alongside Kalu, she said: "This amazing lady has worked so hard for such a long time.

"It's wonderful she's finally getting the recognition she rightly, rightly deserves."

Glasgow-born, London-based Kalu was announced as the winner of the award - and its £25,000 prize money - at a ceremony in Bradford, the UK's current city of culture, on Tuesday.

She accepted the honour while wearing a rosette bearing her photo and the words: "Idol, legend, winner, whatever."

Kalu has been gradually gaining recognition in the art world in recent years after working as a resident artist with Action Space, which supports artists with learning disabilities, since 1999.

Ms Hollinshead, her studio manager and artistic facilitator, said: "We are so happy that Nnena's talent and beautiful work is now out in the world for you all to see this complex artist who creates gorgeous, complex forms - all while listening to disco music, often as loud as possible.

"Nnena's career reflects the long, often very frustrating journey we've been on together... to challenge people's preconceptions about differently abled artists, but especially learning disabled artists, an important creative community so undervalued.

"When Nnena first began working with Action Space in 1999, the art world was not interested.

"Her work wasn't respected, not seen, and certainly wasn't regarded as cool.

"Nnena has faced an incredible amount of discrimination, which continues to this day, so hopefully this award smashes that prejudice away.

"Nnena Kalu, you've made history!"

'Beautiful intricacy'

Kalu's work has divided opinion among art critics, but the Turner Prize judges were impressed by the "really compelling sculptures and drawings that could only be made by Nnena", according to the jury chairman, Tate Britain director Alex Farquharson.

Her drawings, which come in sets of two or three near-identical shapes, have "a beautiful intricacy to them" and "look like swirling vortexes", he said.

Her sculptures, meanwhile, are hanging shapes covered in reams of re-purposed materials including fabric, rope, parcel tape, cling film and paper.

They resemble three-dimensional versions of abstract expressionist paintings, Mr Farquharson said.

"But they're not paintings, they're not flat on the wall. They're suspended in the space that you're in, like brightly coloured rocks or creatures.

"They're at almost your eye level. Although there are no figurative features at all, they appear to be communing among themselves and with you.

"The use of materials is highly unusual, including video tape that gets wrapped round and round.

"The colours and the lines the materials make are very like brush marks translated into three dimensions. They're very gestural, they're very expressive, they're very compelling."

'Quality and uniqueness'

The judges deliberated for two or three hours, Mr Farquharson said, and stressed that their choice of winner was based purely on merit.

"The result wasn't about wanting, first and foremost, to give the prize to Nnena as the first neurodiverse artist. That wasn't a driving factor," he said.

"It was an interest in, and a real belief in, the quality and uniqueness of her practice, which is inseparable from who she is."

It is a historic moment, though, he told BBC News.

"It breaks down walls between, if you like, neurotypical and neurodiverse artists. It becomes really about the power and quality of the work itself, whatever the artist's identity is.

"So maybe what's historic about it is it's one more move to include really great neurodiverse artists in the picture we present of art today."

The result was announced at a ceremony at Bradford Grammar School, the former school of artist David Hockney.

Works by all four shortlisted artists are currently on show at the Turner Prize exhibition at the nearby Cartwright Hall gallery, which will run until 22 February 2026.

The other nominees were Rene Matić, Zadie Xa and Mohammed Sami, who will receive £10,000 each.

The Turner Prize has been the UK's most coveted and controversial art award since it was founded in 1984. Past winners include Lubaina Himid, Jeremy Deller, Grayson Perry, Steve McQueen and Damien Hirst.

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Madeleine McCann's father is calling for greater scrutiny of the UK's media, complaining that his family was subjected to "monstering" by sections of the press.

He said the media "repeatedly interfered with the investigation" into his daughter's disappearance in 2007 and believes this has hindered the search for her.

Gerry McCann told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that more than a year on from Labour coming into power, "press regulation is no longer a priority".

He wants a resumption of the cancelled second phase of the Lord Leveson Inquiry, which would have examined unlawful action by the media, plus journalists' relationships with politicians and police. It was scrapped by the Tories in 2018.

Madeleine's disappearance during a family holiday in Portugal has never been solved.

In a rare interview, Mr McCann said that for months after her disappearance his family had "journalists coming to the house, photographers literally ramming their cameras against our car window when we had two-year-old twins in the back who were terrified".

"We are lucky we survived. We had tremendous support - but I can promise you, there were times where I felt like I was drowning. And it was the media, primarily," he told the BBC.

"It was what was happening and the way things were being portrayed, where you were being suffocated and buried, and it felt like there wasn't a way out."

Mr McCann and his wife, Kate McCann, are among more than 30 people to have signed a letter being sent to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and calling on him to reverse the decision not to hold the second phase of the Leveson Inquiry.

Among the other signatories are the families of Hillsborough victims, and the mother of TV presenter Caroline Flack.

The letter, seen by the BBC, requests a meeting with the prime minister, saying: "We understand that you recently had time to meet News Corp chairman Lachlan Murdoch.

"We hope you will now meet with some of the British citizens whose lives have been upended by the illegal practices and abuses associated with his company."

Mr McCann told the Today programme: "It's quite obvious that press barons can meet the prime minister, but the people who have suffered at the hands of them can't."

News UK, the UK branch of News Corp, declined to comment.

The first part of the Leveson Inquiry was held from 2011 to 2012, in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal.

Its findings were published in 2012, and led to the creation of the industry-funded press regulator Ipso.

Mr McCann told the BBC that the inquiry's second phase had "almost certainly" not happened because he believes that politicians in the UK are fearful of the press.

He said that in the run-up to last year's general election, Labour politicians had committed to implementing the recommendations made in the first part of the Leveson Inquiry, and that he was "extremely disappointed" that they hadn't done so.

"We're over a year into the government, and there haven't been any changes," he said.

"It's not acceptable to me now, more than a year on, that Leveson and press regulation is no longer a priority."

A DCMS spokesperson told the BBC it "recognises that for victims and their families, incidents of harassment and intrusion from the media cause significant distress".

"The Culture Secretary has met with individuals and families who have experienced this intrusion in the past and the government is committed to ensuring that these failings are never repeated," they said.

'We put our morals aside'

Mr McCann added that he and his wife had "supped with the Devil" by working with the Sun in 2011, in order to have the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance reviewed - illustrating the newspaper's influence.

"There was a front page letter published in The Sun, and [then-prime minister] David Cameron ordered the review," he said.

"That's the power they had. So we put our morals aside to work with them to achieve what we wanted."

Criticising media coverage of the investigation, he said: "Published material which should have been confidential, should be passed on to the police, witness statements, many other things that have gone out," he said.

"So if you were the perpetrator, you knew a lot more than you should have done - and as a victim, as a parent, it's absolutely dismaying."

'Making stories up'

Mr McCann gave a witness statement at the Leveson Inquiry on behalf of himself and his wife in November 2011.

In it, he described news outlets "making stories up" about them, as well as a "sustained, inaccurate and malicious series of headlines in a number of papers which gave the impression that we were in some way responsible for or involved in Madeleine's disappearance".

He also said around the time their daughter disappeared, the now-closed News of the World newspaper had published complete transcripts from Kate McCann's personal diary.

That diary had been seized by police in Portugal as part of their investigation into Madeleine's disappearance, and the couple were "unsure as to how the [News of the World] obtained a copy", the inquiry heard.

In his interview with the Today programme, Mr McCann said: "Madeleine's been missing for 18 years, and the bottom line is, we still don't know what's happened to her."

He added that there is "no evidence".

"I don't even mean 'convincing' evidence - there is no evidence to say she's dead," he said.

"Now we fully understand she may be dead, it may even be probable, but we don't know that."

A spokesperson for press regulator Ipso told the BBC that it can intervene directly in cases of press harassment.

"We encourage anyone with concerns about press behaviour to contact us for help," it said.

"Would I catch a bus? No, not out of choice now," says Andy Collett. "I feel much happier using my own car."

His sentiment isn't unusual among passengers. But Mr Collett is a bus driver.

"It can be very intimidating," he says. "I've been assaulted twice, spat at numerous times, and I've had incidents of broken windows – it's just part and parcel of the job, unfortunately."

He describes a "lawlessness" among some of the travelling public - mostly younger people - which he believes has got worse in 38 years of driving Birmingham's bus routes.

The BBC has spoken to passengers, transport staff and other bus drivers in the West Midlands about what they say is a growing national trend of antisocial behaviour on public transport.

The British Transport Police recorded 40,034 incidents of antisocial behaviour in 2024-25, an increase of 24% on the previous year.

Buses are the most commonly used form of public transport but they're also where passengers feel least safe, according to a recent Transport for the North survey.

One incident gives Mr Collett flashbacks.

"I was attacked by about 30 schoolkids," he says. "I had cuts, bruises. They actually bent the fingers back on my hand when I was trying to hold [the door] to stop them getting on the vehicle."

Mr Collett now mostly trains other drivers, warning them of the dangers. When he does get shifts behind the wheel, he tries to avoid routes known for antisocial behaviour.

Antisocial behaviour hotspot Chelmsley Wood in the West Midlands is a snapshot of this national problem. Its interchange has suffered vandalism and graffiti, while drivers have been threatened and buses damaged.

Security camera footage shows masked teenagers aiming barrages of fireworks at buses over Halloween and Bonfire Night.

Passenger Emma Banks, 52, says she has witnessed a similar incident.

"They [were] hitting the bus. I've got learning difficulties and sometimes it does scare you," she tells me on a cold evening, waiting in the interchange.

Ms Banks says she regularly sees overcrowding and people smoking on buses.

She can't drive so relies on public transport but, tonight, Ms Banks doesn't feel confident enough to catch the bus.

"I'll be getting a taxi because I know that I'll get home safely."

A Public Space Protection Order has been imposed at Chelmsley Wood to stop gatherings of young people and to require the removal of masks and hoods. But 17-year-old Elle Furlong says she's still afraid.

"They smash windows, purposely pull the fire alarm, light their lighters on the chairs. It's just horrendous."

The probability of becoming a victim of crime on public transport is very low - Transport for West Midlands estimates one crime for every 50,000 bus journeys. But perceptions can outweigh statistics and drive people like Ms Furlong away.

"If I can walk it, I'll walk it. If it's far enough, I'll get an Uber. If it's really far, I'll get my dad to drop me off. I avoid buses at all costs," Ms Furlong says.

The drivers have no choice but to carry on with their jobs, although many are afraid to speak openly about the risks. Even trade union officials have refused to go on the record.

"You come to work not knowing what you're going to face," says a driver who asks to remain anonymous. "It can cause a lot of anxiety and stress. I go home sometimes and just want to break down and cry because it's a horrible job."

They describe the daily grind of disrespectful teenagers, aggressive drug addicts, even passengers defecating on the bus. Then there's the racial abuse.

"You have to hold back. I've known a few drivers who have kicked off, but then they've lost their job because of it."

I saw for myself what drivers and passengers are facing when I sat on the top deck of the 94 from Chelmsley Wood, shortly after the school bell. A group of kids soon boarded without paying.

"I've been driving buses for 33 years and it's changed," driver Neil Evans says through the screen protecting his cab. "Society has changed. No one cares anymore. They just walk onto the bus and do what they want, when they want, how they want, and nothing's done about it."

Today, Mr Evans has backup. Esha Sheemar is one of 13 Transport Safety Officers (TSOs) patrolling the West Midlands. She warns the kids if they don't behave they'll be thrown off the bus.

TSO roles were introduced in 2019. They are not police officers, but they have limited powers to tackle issues on public transport.

Across the bus station, Ms Sheemar's colleague Lee Clarke has spotted a face from their most-wanted list: a 13-year-old accused of vandalising a bus shelter. The boy's details are taken but he is allowed to get on the bus, as Mr Clarke's limited powers mean he'll need to pass the case to police officers.

TSOs are funded by the Combined Authority and belong to the West Midlands Safer Travel Partnership, which includes West Midlands Police, British Transport Police, as well as bus and train companies.

At its control room in the city centre, hundreds of screens flicker with security camera images from stations and interchanges across the region's roads and rail lines; they can even get live pictures from most of the buses.

Kerry Blakeman is head of security for the West Midlands Safer Travel Partnership and says they have access to more than 5,000 fixed cameras. He says his staff capture about 30 incidents each day, although he is keen to stress millions of journeys are safe and uneventful.

"We are trying to do our best to keep the travelling public safe. Behind each camera is an operator looking out for your safety whilst you travel around the bus, train and tram network."

Last summer, a teenager was filmed threatening people at Chelmsley Wood bus station with a machete. He was identified and sentenced to six months in juvenile custody.

The footage of the firework attacks has been handed over to West Midlands Police - and efforts to trace the hooded youths are ongoing.

Bus driver Bryan Cook recently called police after being threatened with a weapon while working. It was one of four times in the past three months that he's phoned for assistance while driving the 72 bus to Chelmsley Wood.

On this chilly evening, he takes his chance to tell the TSOs how their timetable fails to match that of the vandals. "Where are you on the weekends? Where are you on school holidays?" he asks.

TSO Mr Clarke starts to reply, but the driver has more to say.

"We're the ones getting threatened, we're the ones getting stuff thrown at us, broken windows. Where are you lot?"

Mr Clarke emphasises the importance of reporting incidents so patrols can be targeted in problem areas.

"We keep telling everyone. No one does anything," says Mr Cook, in exasperation.

It outlines the challenge for a small team covering such a large area. The number of TSOs doubled a year ago and is set to rise to 25 across the West Midlands. Some areas have similar teams - and others have piloted them - but many places are uncovered, relying on the police. Bus routes can be especially vulnerable.

The anonymous bus driver questions the effectiveness of Transport Safety Officers and urges more support from their employer.

"They [management] know what goes on. Do they care? I don't know. Doesn't feel like it, to be fair."

National Express West Midlands told the BBC that all reports of antisocial behaviour or crime are "fully investigated to ensure perpetrators are held accountable, to identify any learnings, and to provide support for those affected".

It added that antisocial behaviour "will always be a subject we need to keep challenging and working on".

The UK government's recent Bus Services Act allows local authorities to apply for extra powers to deal with issues such as smoking, vaping and fare evasion, the sort of problems TSOs can tackle already on trains.

The legislation also requires bus drivers to receive training in dealing with antisocial behaviour and spotting the signs of harassment and abuse faced by women and girls.

The Department for Transport told the BBC that abuse of passengers and staff is "unacceptable" and pointed to the new powers the Bus Services Act will give to help tackle antisocial behaviour.

Transport for West Midlands promises greater use of drone cameras and AI technology, capable of recognising known troublemakers and even identifying concealed weapons. It recently launched a campaign prioritising the safety of women and girls.

Mr Blakeman insists his team is having a positive impact but says he recognises passenger confidence is fragile.

"I respect why some members of the public wouldn't feel comfortable travelling, but I want them to know that we're actually doing everything we can behind the scenes."

Back on the 72 bus, Mr Clarke is trying to restore Mr Cook's faith. He promises someone will make contact to explain their role and discusses the most efficient way to flag issues.

The West Midlands Safer Travel Partnership is regarded as a model of good practice. And yet, this frosty exchange reveals a clash of perspectives – one that speaks of "intelligence-led tasking" and "visible reassurance"; the other of lone working under the stark reality of sustained abuse and the risk of attack.

Mr Cook sums it up like this: "Two weeks ago I had two windows broken on my bus, I got threatened with a knife - and that's all in a day's work".

Humans are a bit like meerkats when it comes to pairing up, according to a study that examined the monogamous lifestyles of different species.

In our romantic life, we more closely resemble these social, close-knit mongooses than we do our primate cousins, a "league table" of monogamy compiled by scientists suggests.

At 66% monogamous, humans score surprisingly highly, far above chimps and gorillas – and on a par with meerkats.

However, we are by no means the most monogamous creature. Top spot goes to the Californian mouse - rodents that form inseparable, lifelong bonds.

"There is a premier league of monogamy, in which humans sit comfortably, while the vast majority of other mammals take a far more promiscuous approach to mating," said Dr Mark Dyble at the University of Cambridge.

In the animal world, pairing up has its perks, which may be why it has evolved independently in multiple species, including us. Experts have proposed various benefits to so-called social monogamy, where mates match up for at least a breeding season to care for their young and see off rivals.

Dr Dyble examined several human populations throughout history, calculating the proportions of full siblings – where individuals share the same mother and father – compared with half-siblings, individuals who share either a mother or a father, but not both. Similar data was compiled for more than 30 social monogamous and other mammals.

Humans have a monogamy rating of 66% full siblings, ahead of meerkats (60%) but behind beavers (73%).

Meanwhile, our evolutionary cousins fall at the bottom of the table - with mountain gorillas at 6% rating, while chimpanzees come in at just 4% (alongside the dolphin).

In last place is Scotland's Soay sheep, where females mate with multiple males, with 0.6% full siblings. The Californian mouse came top, at 100%.

However, being ranked alongside meerkats and beavers doesn't mean our societies are the same - human society is poles apart.

"Although the rates of full siblings we see in humans are most similar to species like meerkats or beavers, the social system that we see in humans is very different," Dr Dyble told BBC News.

"Most of these species live in colony-like social groups or perhaps live in solitary pairs that go around together. Humans are very different from that. We live in what we call multi-male, multi-female groups, within which we have these monogamous, or pair-bonded, units."

Dr Kit Opie at the University of Bristol, who is not connected with the study, said this is another piece in the puzzle over how human monogamy arose.

"I think this paper gives us a very clear understanding that across time and across space humans are monogamous," he said.

"Our society is much closer to chimps and bonobos – it just happens that we've taken a different route when it comes to mating."

The new study is published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences.

A teaching assistant has been banned from classrooms for two years after telling pupils he had killed more than 250 people as a military sniper.

Scott John Trigg-Turner, 44, made bogus claims to a Year 8 class in Newport that he had been in the US marines, went by the codename 'Kill Switch' and still owned a gun.

A professional standards hearing in Cardiff was told wheelchair user Mr Trigg-Turner also claimed to be a lord, the recipient of an MBE and to have served in Northern Ireland during the Troubles - despite being too young to have done so.

Mr Trigg-Turner denied being unprofessional and had told investigators his words were "misinterpreted".

Fellow learning support assistant Sharon Davies said she had become suspicious about Mr Trigg-Turner after hearing the stories he told pupils at Bassaleg School in 2023, including boasts about killing "in excess of 250 people".

However, in an email to the Education Workforce Council Wales (EWC) hearing, Mr Trigg-Turner said he had "been diligent in my transparency in all interactions with pupils. I have never crossed professional boundaries and would never do so".

He added: "I feel targeted and singled out. It is not fair."

The EWC panel was also told he arrived late and left class early without agreement a number of times and gave inconsistent explanations to colleagues about how he came to be a wheelchair user.

A prominent Wales international wheelchair rugby player for the Wigan Warriors wheelchair rugby league team and former Torfaen Tigers player, Mr Trigg-Turner was not at the hearing and was not represented.

He has made no formal response to the allegations.

But the EWC hearing was told that during a school investigation Mr Trigg-Turner denied having a gun in his house or saying that he did.

He added that any mentions of the military had referred to family members and that his comments to the class had been taken the wrong way.

Mr Trigg-Turner, who went on to work at Cardiff and Vale College after leaving Bassaleg, was struck off the EWC register in the categories both of learning support worker in schools and further education colleges.

Panel chair Helen Beard-Robbins said: "There is evidence of deep seated attitudinal problems given the lies he told pupils, colleagues and his line manager."

The panel ruled Mr Trigg-Turner may not apply to be reinstated for two years.

He has the right of appeal to the High Court against the decision within 28 days.

International talks to revolutionise how the European Court of Human Rights handles migration cases will begin on Wednesday.

The British government is urging partners to modernise the way states tackle the continent-wide illegal migration crisis.

The talks are the most significant sign yet that international human rights law could be reinterpreted to make it easier for states to target people smuggling and set up 'returns hubs' to hold people with no right to be in Europe.

Writing ahead of the major meeting in Strasbourg, Sir Keir Starmer and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said other nations should rethink human rights laws to make protecting borders easier.

Critics say the ECHR is getting in the way of removing more illegal migrants, while supporters say claims about the ECHR's role in migration are exaggerated.

The BBC understands that the aim is for member states to reach a political declaration by the spring which would set how the European Convention on Human Rights is applied in migration cases.

If such an agreement was achieved, it could be one of the most important reforms to how human rights law is applied in the 75-year history of the convention.

The meeting at the Council of Europe, the political body that agrees the human rights laws which are then applied by the court, comes after months of pressure over migration.

Nine members of the human rights body, led by Italy and Denmark, called earlier this year for reforms.

The UK did not sign that open letter - but it has been lobbying behind the scenes for talks on reforms.

Membership of the convention has become increasingly contentious in the UK in recent years.

Both the Conservatives and Reform UK have said they would leave it if they won the next election.

Kemi Badenoch has said leaving would not be a "silver bullet" but was a necessary step to "protect our borders, our veterans and our citizens".

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said he would oppose such a move saying the convention "upholds our freedom" and would "do nothing to stop the boats or fix our broken immigration system".

Writing in the Guardian newspaper ahead of the talks, Sir Keir and his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen said that the member states meeting on Wednesday must "go further in tackling" the "shared challenges" of "uncontrolled migration" that they said were undermining public confidence in governments.

"Europe has faced big tests before and we have overcome them by acting together. Now we must do so again," said the leaders.

"Otherwise, the forces that seek to divide us will grow stronger.

"So our message is this: as responsible, progressive governments we will deliver the change that people are crying out for.

"We will control our borders to protect our democracies – and make our nations stronger than ever in the years to come."

The UK delegation to the talks will be led by Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy.

He is expected to tell the meeting that the UK remains committed to the ECHR - but its interpretation must not stand in the way of combating people smuggling.

The UK's already-announced domestic plan includes legislating to restrict how the right to private and family life applies in removal cases.

The BBC understands that if the meeting in Strasbourg is a success, officials will begin working with the member states on a political declaration to clarify how human rights laws should be applied to migration challenges - with a deadline of next May for the final wording.

The talks are expected to cover some of the most difficult issues including combating migrant smuggling and how to create human rights compliant 'returns hubs' - centres outside of Europe where migrants could be forcibly housed if they can not be returned to dangerous countries.

The talks are also expected to cover the complex rules of Article 8, the right to family life, and Article 3, the ban on inhumane treatment which features in many migration cases.

In October Alain Berset, the head of the Council of Europe, told the BBC that he was "absolutely ready" to discuss human rights reforms.

That olive branch to member states came after months of diplomatic talks paving the way for Wednesday's meeting.

"The European Convention on Human Rights provides the framework we need to address these issues effectively and responsibly," said Berset ahead of the meeting.

"Our task is not to weaken the Convention, but to keep it strong and relevant — to ensure that liberty and security, justice and responsibility, are held in balance."

For many families, it has become an annual Christmas tradition – gathering together to watch The Holiday.

The romantic comedy from 2006 told the tale of two broken-hearted women, played by Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz, arranging a Transatlantic house-swap to help them make it through Christmas. Jude Law and Jack Black were the love interests.

But one family which does not have a yearly yuletide yearning to view the film is Winslet's.

"No, we haven't seen The Holiday for years," she says adamantly, adding: "We don't sit down and watch films I'm in. I barely do."

"You know, almost everything I've been in I've only seen once," Winslet continues.

"When you watch the finished product, for most actors, that's an excruciating experience. It's something you kind of have to go through."

The subject has come up because Kate Winslet is talking to the BBC about her first Christmas film for almost 20 years, Goodbye June.

Written by her son Joe Anders, it was inspired by the death of his grandmother Sally, Winslet's own mother, from ovarian cancer in 2017. It tells the story of siblings trying to put disputes aside to unite and honour their mother as she undergoes palliative care at Christmas.

"It's not actually a film about dying," says Winslet, explaining why she thinks it will make a suitable festive watch on Christmas Eve, the day it drops on Netflix.

"It's a film about living more than anything. People have been finding it very, very uplifting."

'Learnt everything'

Not only does she star opposite Dame Helen Mirren, Timothy Spall, Andrea Riseborough and Stephen Merchant (a thank you for her famous turn in Extras), but this is her directorial debut.

After a decade of considering making a move behind the camera, and people asking her why she had not, Winslet decided that she finally had the space to do so.

"Now is a time when I've felt that my children are grown up enough that I can be that little more absent, just mentally absent," explains the Oscar, Emmy and Grammy-winner.

"I just don't think I would have honestly had the time before now, because I've been a mum since I was 25 and that's obviously been my priority alongside acting, and that was already a bit of a juggle."

She insists she would not have done it if she was not ready.

"There is a thing with female filmmakers, certainly actresses who turn into directors, there's a strange almost judgey thing. 'Do we really know what we are talking about? Do we really know what we are doing with the camera?'

"But I've been in front of cameras for 33 years, so sort of, by osmosis, [you] learn the technical side of it. I do really feel at this time in my life I have learnt everything."

'Perfectly capable'

Last year, when it came to the top 100 films at the UK box office, 16 were directed or co-directed by women, 84 by men. Winslet has a theory as to why that is.

"A lot of us are mothers and it really is very hard. You can't just stop doing that to go to work, but actually the job of being a director is so incredibly intense and demanding, it is just simply not possible.

"But I do think there is also a lack of belief in women being able to do it. Actually, we're incredibly forward thinking, incredibly resilient, we can cope extremely well with very little sleep and we get things done."

Scarlett Johansson, Kristen Stewart and Zoë Kravitz have all recently made their directorial debuts, while Dakota Johnson is another actress set to do so soon.

Winslet has worked with some of the most successful directors in movie history; James Cameron, Peter Jackson and Jane Campion, but she says her biggest influence has been Australian Jocelyn Moorehouse, whose films include Proof, How to Make an American Quilt, and The Dressmaker, in which Winslet starred.

"She has been subjected to quite a lot of judgement and scrutiny. It's been quite hard for her to carve her own path, so I was very inspired by her determination."

And Winslet hopes that her choice to direct, will inspire a new generation.

"I certainly felt that in making the decision to direct now, at this time in my life - I turned 50 this year - it felt meaningful to me, to be actively participating in hopefully changing that culture," she says.

"If there is more of us doing it then hopefully more will follow and we'll be giving across the message that we are perfectly capable of doing that job just as well as the men."

'Nepo baby term silly'

Two of Winslet's three children have followed her into the film industry, but are determined to make a name of their own, literally, with both making conscious decisions not to use her surname.

Daughter Mia Threapleton, 25, with whom Winslet starred in the Bafta-winning TV drama I Am Ruth, recently starred opposite Benico del Toro in Wes Anderson's The Phoenician Scheme.

Winslet's son Joe Anders, 21, not only wrote the screenplay for Goodbye June, but last year appeared alongside his mum in Lee, and had a small role in 1917, directed by his father Sam Mendes.

Kate Winslet finds it offensive when people suggest that they are nepo babies.

"These kids are not getting a leg up," she insists.

"Joe would say to me, 'I don't want people to think this film is just being made because you're my mum'.

"The film would have been made with or without me. The script is so good. It was the script that attracted all these wonderful actors," she argues.

"With Mia, I just try to say to my children, 'follow your heart'.

"There are lots and lots of people in the world whose children go into a similar family business, whether it's being a judge or a lawyer or a doctor. And it doesn't surprise me at all that my children wanted to do something creative with their lives, having always expressed a great passion for writing and acting and music as well.

"But that doesn't necessarily translate to being able to actually get jobs and actually gain respect from your peers and people around you. And both of them have separately carved their own paths.

"Part of it is actually teaching them to ignore the white noise of silly terms like nepo baby, which you can't really do anything about."

Goodbye June is in cinemas from Friday and on Netflix from Christmas Eve. The Holiday is on BBC iPlayer.

Scotland fans have been scrambling to book flights, hotels and transfers since being drawn to play World Cup games in Boston and Miami next summer.

The men's team will face Haiti, Morocco and five-time champions Brazil when they make their first appearance in the tournament in 28 years.

Tartan Army foot soldiers have already shelled out thousands for travel arrangements and are now turning their attention to match tickets ahead of the application window opening.

Diane Lees, who is travelling to the US with her husband and teenage daughter, told BBC Scotland News: "We know it's a lot of money - but when are we going to have this chance again?"

World Cup tickets system

Scotland qualified for the finals last month after a thrilling 4-2 Hampden victory over Denmark.

In France 1998, the national side, managed by the late Craig Brown, was also drawn against the then defending champions Brazil and Morocco.

The 2026 edition will feature 48 teams and be played from 11 June to 19 July in 16 cities across the US, Canada and Mexico.

The Scottish Football Association has said members of the Scotland Supporter Club (SSC) - which operates a loyalty points system - will be given priority for match tickets.

The Fifa application window runs from 11 December to 13 January.

On Monday, SSC members will be sent an access code to apply for Scotland's three group stage matches and potential knock-out matches.

For each match that is oversubscribed, a ballot using the loyalty points system will be used to determine who is successful in receiving their chosen category ticket.

Successful applicants will be notified in February.

Diane, 55, and Jim, 58, will travel to the US with 19-year-old daughter, Chloe, who has never been to a Scotland away match.

Diane, of Holytown, North Lanarkshire, is still on a high after the Denmark game and started looking at travel arrangements that night.

The mother-of-three said: "I have never experienced anything like that in my life.

"I was bawling my eyes out."

The project co-ordinator hoped to be based in New York or Toronto but solidified her plans after Friday's showpiece draw in Washington DC.

She paid £1,900 for three return flights to New York, with the family travelling to the US on 16 June and returning on 21 June.

They have also booked five nights in a Manhattan hotel for £1,200.

And they have reserved one nights' accommodation in Providence, Rhode Island, which is about 50 miles from Boston, for £350.

They intend to stay there after the 19 June match against 2022 World Cup semi-finalists Morocco.

Diane said: "You have to become your own travel agent but I don't yet know how we are going to get back to New York."

The grandmother said New York to Boston train prices had soared for dates during the tournament.

Buses will be a popular option but some journey times range from four hours to eight hours.

Supporters seeking a base in Boston will need deep pockets with some hotels quoting £3,200 for a five-night stay.

On Tartan Army chat forums - where one supporter priced a trip at £7,000 - fans have floated the idea of hiring a coach and a driver to ferry fans from New York to Boston in a bid to keep costs to a minimum.

Diane has 11 SSC points and her husband Jim has 14 so they hope to secure match tickets through the ballot.

But daughter Chloe has never been to a Scotland away match and won't be guaranteed a ticket.

Diane said: "It will be absolutely magical. I just hope we get a good World Cup song.

"Perhaps we could get the Proclaimers to re-write Letter to America?"

Rachael Vaughan is also making the transatlantic trip a family affair and has booked flights with her father, Edward, and boyfriend, Aaron Fish.

She told BBC Scotland: "It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Rachael, who lives in Manchester, said her father's last World Cup trip left her mother "livid" as he missed her first birthday party.

She was brought up in England but fell in love with Scotland after watching the national side lose to Wales in Cardiff in 2009.

The 28-year-old said: "It was the atmosphere. Everyone was so friendly.

"I was worried that I had an English accent and would not be accepted but people looked out for me."

Since then her Tartan Army credits include Euro 2020 and trips including San Marino, Denmark, Greece, Hungary, Portugal and Liechtenstein.

Flights and hotels booked

Ahead of last month's match against Denmark she was confident but the manner in which Scotland qualified left her stunned.

"I can't even put it into words," she added.

In the days that followed, she pre-booked more than 20 hotels.

After Friday's draw she secured three 11 June flights from London Heathrow to New York JFK, which cost £500 each.

Like many fans she hopes to travel to Boston via bus for the opening match against Haiti on 13 June.

The Everton FC account executive then booked an internal return flight from Boston to Miami - where Scotland play Brazil on 24 June - for £350.

Finally, she paid £550 for flights from Boston to Manchester on 25 June.

Rachael, who has a healthy SSC points balance of 24, hopes to attend all three of Scotland's group matches.

She has pre-booked a hotel in Times Square with Aaron, 24, for £2,200 from 11-17 June.

The couple, who met on a Scotland away trip to Poland, have also reserved a hotel in Boston from 12-20 June for £2,500.

They plan to cancel some of the Boston dates if the supporters' bus from New York goes ahead.

Finally, they have pre-booked a hotel in Miami from 21-25 June for £700.

Her father is planning to make his own accommodation arrangements.

"I feel some people will be put off by the prices but it will be incredible," she said.

"I have taken so many years of stick from friends and, six or seven years ago, I would not have dreamt we would be in this position.

"When Scotland qualified for the World Cup I knew we had to be there."

Ukraine is "ready for elections", President Volodymyr Zelensky has said, after US President Donald Trump repeated claims Kyiv was "using war" to avoid holding them.

Zelensky's five-year term as president was due to end in May 2024, but elections have been suspended in Ukraine since martial law was declared after Russia's invasion.

Speaking to reporters following Trump's comments in a wide-raging Politico interview, Zelensky said he would ask for proposals to be drawn up which could change the law.

Elections could be held in the next 60 to 90 days if security for the vote was guaranteed with the help of the US and other allies, he said.

"I'm asking now, and I'm stating this openly, for the US to help me, perhaps together with our European colleagues, to ensure security for the elections," he told reporters.

"The issue of elections in Ukraine, I believe, depends first and foremost on our people, and this is a question for the people of Ukraine, not the people of other countries. With all due respect to our partners," he said.

"I've heard hints that we're clinging to power, or that I personally am clinging to the presidency" and "that's why the war isn't ending", which he called "frankly, a completely unreasonable narrative".

Russia has consistently claimed Zelensky is an illegitimate leader and demanded new elections as a condition of a ceasefire deal – a talking point which has been repeated by Trump.

"They talk about a democracy, but it gets to a point where it's not a democracy anymore," the US president told Politico. He has suggested without evidence that Zelensky is the main obstacle to peace as US-led efforts to broker a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine continue.

Such a vote would only be fair if all Ukrainians could participate, including soldiers fighting on the front line, a Ukrainian opposition MP told the BBC.

"In order for these elections to be fair all of the People of Ukraine would need to be allowed to vote," Lesia Vasylenko told the BBC World Service's Newsday programme.

She said that "elections are never possible in wartime", alluding to the suspension of elections in the UK during World War Two.

Discussions around holding elections have made headlines since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. They have been routinely dismissed by Ukraine's government, opposition and public alike, arguing unity in the war effort must come first.

A poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) in March found about 78% of people opposed holding elections even after a complete settlement of the war.

"Even a year ago, Zelensky said that he was ready for elections as soon as the conditions allow" in the face of previous pressure, Hanna Shelest, a foreign policy analyst with the think tank Ukrainian Prism, told the BBC.

The question was, however, how to create the conditions Zelensky outlined, Shelest told the Newsroom programme on the BBC World Service, given there were around one million soldiers and four million refugees who would be voting - as well as unsecured areas in the country and ongoing strikes.

"You cannot guarantee the security of the polling stations," she said.

Humans are a bit like meerkats when it comes to pairing up, according to a study that examined the monogamous lifestyles of different species.

In our romantic life, we more closely resemble these social, close-knit mongooses than we do our primate cousins, a "league table" of monogamy compiled by scientists suggests.

At 66% monogamous, humans score surprisingly highly, far above chimps and gorillas – and on a par with meerkats.

However, we are by no means the most monogamous creature. Top spot goes to the Californian mouse - rodents that form inseparable, lifelong bonds.

"There is a premier league of monogamy, in which humans sit comfortably, while the vast majority of other mammals take a far more promiscuous approach to mating," said Dr Mark Dyble at the University of Cambridge.

In the animal world, pairing up has its perks, which may be why it has evolved independently in multiple species, including us. Experts have proposed various benefits to so-called social monogamy, where mates match up for at least a breeding season to care for their young and see off rivals.

Dr Dyble examined several human populations throughout history, calculating the proportions of full siblings – where individuals share the same mother and father – compared with half-siblings, individuals who share either a mother or a father, but not both. Similar data was compiled for more than 30 social monogamous and other mammals.

Humans have a monogamy rating of 66% full siblings, ahead of meerkats (60%) but behind beavers (73%).

Meanwhile, our evolutionary cousins fall at the bottom of the table - with mountain gorillas at 6% rating, while chimpanzees come in at just 4% (alongside the dolphin).

In last place is Scotland's Soay sheep, where females mate with multiple males, with 0.6% full siblings. The Californian mouse came top, at 100%.

However, being ranked alongside meerkats and beavers doesn't mean our societies are the same - human society is poles apart.

"Although the rates of full siblings we see in humans are most similar to species like meerkats or beavers, the social system that we see in humans is very different," Dr Dyble told BBC News.

"Most of these species live in colony-like social groups or perhaps live in solitary pairs that go around together. Humans are very different from that. We live in what we call multi-male, multi-female groups, within which we have these monogamous, or pair-bonded, units."

Dr Kit Opie at the University of Bristol, who is not connected with the study, said this is another piece in the puzzle over how human monogamy arose.

"I think this paper gives us a very clear understanding that across time and across space humans are monogamous," he said.

"Our society is much closer to chimps and bonobos – it just happens that we've taken a different route when it comes to mating."

The new study is published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences.

The Prince of Wales has paid tribute to pioneering elephant conservationist Iain Douglas-Hamilton, who died aged 83 at his home in Nairobi on Monday.

Douglas-Hamilton spent his life studying and campaigning to protect African elephants, becoming a world-leading expert on their behaviour in the wild.

His groundbreaking research exposed the devastating effects of poaching - often at great risk to his own safety - and was instrumental in the banning of the international ivory trade.

Prince William praised the zoologist as "a man who dedicated his life to conservation and whose life's work leaves lasting impact on our appreciation for, and understanding of, elephants".

"The memories of spending time in Africa with him will remain with me forever," added Prince William, who is a royal patron for the African wildlife conservation charity, Tusk, of which Douglas-Hamilton was an ambassador.

"The world has lost a true conservation legend today, but his extraordinary legacy will continue," the charity's founder Charles Mayhew said in a statement.

Born in 1942 to an aristocratic British family in Dorset, England, Douglas-Hamilton studied biology and zoology in Scotland and Oxford before moving to Tanzania to research elephant social behaviour.

It was there at Lake Manyara National Park that he began documenting every elephant he encountered, eventually becoming so familiar with the herds he could recognise them by the unique shapes of their ears and wrinkles on their skin.

"The thing about elephants is that they have a lot in common with human beings," he said in a 2024 documentary about his work, A Life Among Elephants.

Friend and fellow conservationist Jane Goodall, who died in October, was featured in the documentary, and said he had shown the world that elephants are capable of feeling just like humans.

"I think his legacy will be one of a man who did so much to help people understand how majestic, how wonderful elephants are, and to learn more about their way of life," Goodall said.

But that work did not always come easy: he was charged at by elephants, almost killed by a swarm of bees and shot at by poachers. In 2010, a flood destroyed his research facility in Kenya and years of work was lost.

Despite the hardships, Douglas-Hamilton remained steadfast in his mission to raise awareness of the plight of African elephants, becoming one of the leading voices to alert the world of the ivory poaching crisis, which he described as "an elephant holocaust".

He later campaigned for an international ban on the commercial trade in ivory, and in 1989 the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species was signed, an international agreement between governments.

After the agreement failed to wipe out the trade completely, Douglas-Hamilton turned his attention to China and the US, the two main markets for ivory. Chinese President Xi Jinping and then-US President Barack Obama agreed to a near-total ban on its import and export in 2015.

Douglas-Hamilton established Save the Elephants in 1993, a charity dedicated to safeguarding the animals and deepening human understanding of their behaviour.

The organisation's CEO Frank Pope, who is also his son-in-law, said: "Iain changed the future not just for elephants, but for huge numbers of people across the globe. His courage, determination and rigour inspired everyone he met."

In his own words, Douglas-Hamilton expressed optimism for the future of his life's work.

"I think my greatest hope for the future is that there will be an ethic developed of human-elephant coexistence," he once said.

Iain Douglas-Hamilton is survived by his wife Oria, children Saba and Dudu, and six grandchildren.

International talks to revolutionise how the European Court of Human Rights handles migration cases will begin on Wednesday.

The British government is urging partners to modernise the way states tackle the continent-wide illegal migration crisis.

The talks are the most significant sign yet that international human rights law could be reinterpreted to make it easier for states to target people smuggling and set up 'returns hubs' to hold people with no right to be in Europe.

Writing ahead of the major meeting in Strasbourg, Sir Keir Starmer and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said other nations should rethink human rights laws to make protecting borders easier.

Critics say the ECHR is getting in the way of removing more illegal migrants, while supporters say claims about the ECHR's role in migration are exaggerated.

The BBC understands that the aim is for member states to reach a political declaration by the spring which would set how the European Convention on Human Rights is applied in migration cases.

If such an agreement was achieved, it could be one of the most important reforms to how human rights law is applied in the 75-year history of the convention.

The meeting at the Council of Europe, the political body that agrees the human rights laws which are then applied by the court, comes after months of pressure over migration.

Nine members of the human rights body, led by Italy and Denmark, called earlier this year for reforms.

The UK did not sign that open letter - but it has been lobbying behind the scenes for talks on reforms.

Membership of the convention has become increasingly contentious in the UK in recent years.

Both the Conservatives and Reform UK have said they would leave it if they won the next election.

Kemi Badenoch has said leaving would not be a "silver bullet" but was a necessary step to "protect our borders, our veterans and our citizens".

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said he would oppose such a move saying the convention "upholds our freedom" and would "do nothing to stop the boats or fix our broken immigration system".

Writing in the Guardian newspaper ahead of the talks, Sir Keir and his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen said that the member states meeting on Wednesday must "go further in tackling" the "shared challenges" of "uncontrolled migration" that they said were undermining public confidence in governments.

"Europe has faced big tests before and we have overcome them by acting together. Now we must do so again," said the leaders.

"Otherwise, the forces that seek to divide us will grow stronger.

"So our message is this: as responsible, progressive governments we will deliver the change that people are crying out for.

"We will control our borders to protect our democracies – and make our nations stronger than ever in the years to come."

The UK delegation to the talks will be led by Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy.

He is expected to tell the meeting that the UK remains committed to the ECHR - but its interpretation must not stand in the way of combating people smuggling.

The UK's already-announced domestic plan includes legislating to restrict how the right to private and family life applies in removal cases.

The BBC understands that if the meeting in Strasbourg is a success, officials will begin working with the member states on a political declaration to clarify how human rights laws should be applied to migration challenges - with a deadline of next May for the final wording.

The talks are expected to cover some of the most difficult issues including combating migrant smuggling and how to create human rights compliant 'returns hubs' - centres outside of Europe where migrants could be forcibly housed if they can not be returned to dangerous countries.

The talks are also expected to cover the complex rules of Article 8, the right to family life, and Article 3, the ban on inhumane treatment which features in many migration cases.

In October Alain Berset, the head of the Council of Europe, told the BBC that he was "absolutely ready" to discuss human rights reforms.

That olive branch to member states came after months of diplomatic talks paving the way for Wednesday's meeting.

"The European Convention on Human Rights provides the framework we need to address these issues effectively and responsibly," said Berset ahead of the meeting.

"Our task is not to weaken the Convention, but to keep it strong and relevant — to ensure that liberty and security, justice and responsibility, are held in balance."

A sperm donor who unknowingly harboured a genetic mutation that dramatically raises the risk of cancer has fathered at least 197 children across Europe, a major investigation has revealed.

Some children have already died and only a minority who inherit the mutation will escape cancer in their lifetimes.

The sperm was not sold to UK clinics, but the BBC can confirm a "very small" number of British families, who have been informed, used the donor's sperm while having fertility treatment in Denmark.

Denmark's European Sperm Bank, which sold the sperm, said families affected had their "deepest sympathy" and admitted the sperm was used to make too many babies in some countries.

The investigation has been conducted by 14 public service broadcasters, including the BBC, as part of the European Broadcasting Union's Investigative Journalism Network.

The sperm came from an anonymous man who was paid to donate as a student, starting in 2005. His sperm was then used by women for around 17 years.

He is healthy and passed the donor screening checks. However, the DNA in some of his cells mutated before he was born.

It damaged the TP53 gene – which has the crucial role of preventing the body's cells turning cancerous.

Most of the donor's body does not contain the dangerous form of TP53, but up to 20% of his sperm do.

However, any children made from affected sperm will have the mutation in every cell of their body.

This is known as Li Fraumeni syndrome and comes with an up to 90% chance of developing cancer, particularly during childhood as well as breast cancer later in life.

"It is a dreadful diagnosis," Prof Clare Turnbull, a cancer geneticist at the Institute of Cancer Research in London, told the BBC. "It's a very challenging diagnosis to land on a family, there is a lifelong burden of living with that risk, it's clearly devastating."

MRI scans of the body and the brain are needed every year, as well as abdominal ultrasounds, to try to spot tumours. Women often choose to have their breasts removed to lower their risk of cancer.

The European Sperm Bank said the "donor himself and his family members are not ill" and such a mutation is "not detected preventatively by genetic screening". They said they "immediately blocked" the donor once the problem with his sperm was discovered.

Children have died

Doctors who were seeing children with cancer linked to sperm donation raised concerns at the European Society of Human Genetics this year.

They reported they had found 23 with the variant out of 67 children known at the time. Ten had already been diagnosed with cancer.

Through Freedom of Information requests and interviews with doctors and patients we can reveal substantially more children were born to the donor.

The figure is at least 197 children, but that may not be the final number as data has not been obtained from all countries.

It is also unknown how many of these children inherited the dangerous variant.

Dr Edwige Kasper, a cancer geneticist at Rouen University Hospital, in France, who presented the initial data, told the investigation: "We have many children that have already developed a cancer.

"We have some children that have developed already two different cancers and some of them have already died at a very early age."

Céline, not her real name, is a single-mother in France whose child was conceived with the donor's sperm 14 years ago and has the mutation.

She got a call from the fertility clinic she used in Belgium urging her to get her daughter screened.

She says she has "absolutely no hard feelings" towards the donor but says it was unacceptable she was given sperm that "wasn't clean, that wasn't safe, that carried a risk".

And she knows cancer will be looming over them for the rest of their lives.

"We don't know when, we don't know which one, and we don't know how many," she says.

"I understand that there's a high chance it's going to happen and when it does, we'll fight and if there are several, we'll fight several times."

The donor's sperm was used by 67 fertility clinics in 14 countries.

The sperm was not sold to UK clinics.

However, as a result of this investigation the authorities in Denmark notified the UK's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) on Tuesday that British women had travelled to the country to receive fertility treatment using the donor's sperm.

Those women have been informed.

Peter Thompson, the chief executive of the HFEA, said a "very small number" of women were affected and "they have been told about the donor by the Danish clinic at which they were treated".

We do not know if any British women had treatment in other countries where the donor's sperm was distributed.

Concerned parents are advised to contact the clinic they used and the fertility authority in that country.

The BBC is choosing not to release the donor's identification number because he donated in good faith and the known cases in the UK have been contacted.

There is no law on how many times a donor's sperm can be used worldwide. However, individual countries do set their own limits.

The European Sperm Bank accepted these limits had "unfortunately" been breached in some countries and it was "in dialogue with the authorities in Denmark and Belgium".

In Belgium, a single sperm donor is only supposed to be used by six families. Instead 38 different women produced 53 children to the donor.

The UK limit is 10 families per donor.

'You can't screen for everything'

Prof Allan Pacey, who used to run the Sheffield Sperm Bank and is now the deputy vice president of the Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health at the University of Manchester, said countries had become dependent on big international sperm banks and half the UK's sperm was now imported.

He told the BBC: "We have to import from big international sperm banks who are also selling it to other countries, because that's how they make their money, and that is where the problem begins, because there's no international law about how often you can use the sperm."

He said the case was "awful" for everybody involved, but it would be impossible to make sperm completely safe.

"You can't screen for everything, we only accept 1% or 2% of all men that apply to be a sperm donor in the current screening arrangement so if we make it even tighter, we wouldn't have any sperm donors – that's where the balance lies."

This case, alongside that of a man who was ordered to stop after fathering 550 children through sperm donation, has again raised questions over whether there should be tougher limits.

The European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology has recently suggested a limit of 50 families per donor.

However, it said this would not reduce the risk of inheriting rare genetic diseases.

Rather, it would be better for the wellbeing of children who discover they are one of hundreds of half-siblings.

"More needs to be done to reduce the number of families that are born globally from the same donors," said Sarah Norcross, the director of the Progress Educational Trust, an independent charity for people affected by infertility and genetic conditions.

"We don't fully understand what the social and psychological implications will be of having these hundreds of half siblings. It can potentially be traumatic," she told BBC News.

The European Sperm Bank said: "It is important, especially in light of this case, to remember that thousands of women and couples do not have the opportunity to have a child without the help of donor sperm.

"It is generally safer to have a child with the help of donor sperm if the sperm donors are screened according to medical guidelines."

What if you are considering using a sperm donor?

Sarah Norcross said these cases were "vanishingly rare" when you consider the number of children born to a sperm donor.

All of the experts we spoke to said using a licensed clinic meant the sperm would be screened for more diseases than most fathers-to-be are.

Prof Pacey said he would ask "is this a UK donor or is this a donor from somewhere else?"

"If it's a donor from somewhere else I think it's legitimate to ask questions about has that donor been used before? Or how many times will this donor be used?"

If you or someone you know has been affected by the issues raised, details of help and support are available at BBC Action Line.

Madeleine McCann's father is calling for greater scrutiny of the UK's media, complaining that his family was subjected to "monstering" by sections of the press.

He said the media "repeatedly interfered with the investigation" into his daughter's disappearance in 2007 and believes this has hindered the search for her.

Gerry McCann told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that more than a year on from Labour coming into power, "press regulation is no longer a priority".

He wants a resumption of the cancelled second phase of the Lord Leveson Inquiry, which would have examined unlawful action by the media, plus journalists' relationships with politicians and police. It was scrapped by the Tories in 2018.

Madeleine's disappearance during a family holiday in Portugal has never been solved.

In a rare interview, Mr McCann said that for months after her disappearance his family had "journalists coming to the house, photographers literally ramming their cameras against our car window when we had two-year-old twins in the back who were terrified".

"We are lucky we survived. We had tremendous support - but I can promise you, there were times where I felt like I was drowning. And it was the media, primarily," he told the BBC.

"It was what was happening and the way things were being portrayed, where you were being suffocated and buried, and it felt like there wasn't a way out."

Mr McCann and his wife, Kate McCann, are among more than 30 people to have signed a letter being sent to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and calling on him to reverse the decision not to hold the second phase of the Leveson Inquiry.

Among the other signatories are the families of Hillsborough victims, and the mother of TV presenter Caroline Flack.

The letter, seen by the BBC, requests a meeting with the prime minister, saying: "We understand that you recently had time to meet News Corp chairman Lachlan Murdoch.

"We hope you will now meet with some of the British citizens whose lives have been upended by the illegal practices and abuses associated with his company."

Mr McCann told the Today programme: "It's quite obvious that press barons can meet the prime minister, but the people who have suffered at the hands of them can't."

News UK, the UK branch of News Corp, declined to comment.

The first part of the Leveson Inquiry was held from 2011 to 2012, in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal.

Its findings were published in 2012, and led to the creation of the industry-funded press regulator Ipso.

Mr McCann told the BBC that the inquiry's second phase had "almost certainly" not happened because he believes that politicians in the UK are fearful of the press.

He said that in the run-up to last year's general election, Labour politicians had committed to implementing the recommendations made in the first part of the Leveson Inquiry, and that he was "extremely disappointed" that they hadn't done so.

"We're over a year into the government, and there haven't been any changes," he said.

"It's not acceptable to me now, more than a year on, that Leveson and press regulation is no longer a priority."

A DCMS spokesperson told the BBC it "recognises that for victims and their families, incidents of harassment and intrusion from the media cause significant distress".

"The Culture Secretary has met with individuals and families who have experienced this intrusion in the past and the government is committed to ensuring that these failings are never repeated," they said.

'We put our morals aside'

Mr McCann added that he and his wife had "supped with the Devil" by working with the Sun in 2011, in order to have the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance reviewed - illustrating the newspaper's influence.

"There was a front page letter published in The Sun, and [then-prime minister] David Cameron ordered the review," he said.

"That's the power they had. So we put our morals aside to work with them to achieve what we wanted."

Criticising media coverage of the investigation, he said: "Published material which should have been confidential, should be passed on to the police, witness statements, many other things that have gone out," he said.

"So if you were the perpetrator, you knew a lot more than you should have done - and as a victim, as a parent, it's absolutely dismaying."

'Making stories up'

Mr McCann gave a witness statement at the Leveson Inquiry on behalf of himself and his wife in November 2011.

In it, he described news outlets "making stories up" about them, as well as a "sustained, inaccurate and malicious series of headlines in a number of papers which gave the impression that we were in some way responsible for or involved in Madeleine's disappearance".

He also said around the time their daughter disappeared, the now-closed News of the World newspaper had published complete transcripts from Kate McCann's personal diary.

That diary had been seized by police in Portugal as part of their investigation into Madeleine's disappearance, and the couple were "unsure as to how the [News of the World] obtained a copy", the inquiry heard.

In his interview with the Today programme, Mr McCann said: "Madeleine's been missing for 18 years, and the bottom line is, we still don't know what's happened to her."

He added that there is "no evidence".

"I don't even mean 'convincing' evidence - there is no evidence to say she's dead," he said.

"Now we fully understand she may be dead, it may even be probable, but we don't know that."

A spokesperson for press regulator Ipso told the BBC that it can intervene directly in cases of press harassment.

"We encourage anyone with concerns about press behaviour to contact us for help," it said.