The Danish government has announced a huge boost in defence spending for Greenland, hours after US President-elect Donald Trump repeated his desire to purchase the Arctic territory.

Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said the package was a "double digit billion amount" in krone, or at least $1.5bn (£1.2bn).

He described the timing of the announcement as an "irony of fate". On Monday Trump said ownership and control of the huge island was an "absolute necessity" for the US.

Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, is home to a large US space facility and is strategically important for the US, lying on its shortest route to Europe. It has major mineral and oil reserves.

Poulsen said the package would allow for the purchase of two new inspection ships, two new long-range drones and two extra dog sled teams.

It would also include funding for increased staffing at Arctic Command in the capital Nuuk and an upgrade for one of Greenland's three main civilian airports to handle F-35 supersonic fighter aircraft.

"We have not invested enough in the Arctic for many years, now we are planning a stronger presence," he said.

The defence minister did not give an exact figure for the package, but Danish media estimated it would be around 12-15bn krone.

The announcement came a day after Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social: "For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity."

Greenland's Prime Minister Mute Egede responded to Trump's comments, saying "we are not for sale".

But he added that Greenlanders should continue to be open for cooperation and trade, especially with their neighbours.

Analysts say that the plan has been under discussion for a long time and should not be seen as a direct response to Trump's comments.

Until now Denmark has been very slow to expand its military capacity in Greenland, they say, but if the country is not able to protect waters around the territory against encroachments by China and Russia then US demands for greater control are likely to grow.

Army Maj Steen Kjaergaard of the Danish Defence Academy suggests it may have been Trump's intention to pressure Denmark into such a move.

"It is likely to be sparked by the renewed Trump focus on the need for air and maritime control around Greenland and the internal developments in Greenland where some are voicing a will to look towards the US – a new international airport in Nuuk was just inaugurated," he told the BBC.

"I think Trump is smart… he gets Denmark to prioritise its Arctic military capabilities by raising this voice, without having to take over a very un-American welfare system," he said, referring to Greenland's heavy dependence on subsidies from Copenhagen.

Trump's original suggestion in 2019 that the US acquire Greenland, which is the world's largest island, led to a similarly sharp rebuke from leaders there.

At the time Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederickson described the idea as "absurd", leading Trump to cancel a state trip to the country.

He is not the first US president to suggest buying Greenland. The idea was first mooted during the 1860s under the presidency of Andrew Johnson.

American Airlines has resumed flights after suspending its services for around an hour on Tuesday due to a technical issue that impacted the systems needed to release its planes.

The nationwide halt was cancelled just before 13:00 GMT, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The disruption came during one of the busiest travel days of the year as passengers made journeys on Christmas Eve.

In a statement, the airline said a "vendor technology issue" had caused the issue and it was "all hands on deck" to minimise further disruption.

"We sincerely apologise to our customers for the inconvenience this morning," the airline said.

"It's all hands on deck as our team is working diligently to get customers where they need to go as quickly as possible."

Flights are still showing delays as the airline recovers from the nationwide issue, but real-time tracking website Flightradar24 shows planes taking off again at a number of major US travel hubs.

Passengers reported on social media being stuck on the tarmac or at gates as flights were impacted by the outage for around an hour.

In a video posted on X by a CBS reporter in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a gate agent announced a flight to Philadelphia was going to start boarding.

"The system is slowly coming back," the agent announced from a gate.

In July, American Airlines, among other major operators, grounded flights across the US due to communication issues caused by a global IT crash.

That failure - which also affected banks and emergency services - was caused by a faulty software update from cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike.

The former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) has dementia and late onset Alzheimer's disease, his legal team has said in a court document filed in New York.

Lawyers for Mike Jeffries have requested a hearing to determine whether he is mentally fit to stand trial on federal sex trafficking charges.

The 80-year-old was arrested alongside his partner in October and charged with running an international sex trafficking and prostitution business. Both men have pleaded not guilty.

A so-called competency hearing has been scheduled for June next year.

Mr Jeffries, who ran US clothing brand A&F for two decades, is accused of running a sex trafficking and prostitution business from at least 2008-15.

US prosecutors allege that he used his wealth, power and status "to traffic men for his own sexual pleasure", and for the pleasure of his British partner Matthew Smith, 61.

They said the couple, alongside a middleman James Jacobson, 71, used force, fraud and coercion to make vulnerable, aspiring models engage in violent and exploitative sex acts.

All three men have pleaded not guilty to the charges and been released on bond.

The FBI began investigating last year after the BBC revealed claims Mr Jeffries and Mr Smith had sexually exploited men at events they hosted around the world.

The BBC investigation, published in October 2023, found the pair were at the centre of a sophisticated operation involving a middleman scouting young men for sex.

In the same month, Brian Bieber, Mr Jeffries' lawyer, said his client was examined several times by a neuropsychologist who later concluded diagnostic impressions that he was suffering from two types of dementia and probable late onset Alzheimer's disease.

In the court filing, Mr Bieber added that during an initial meeting last year the former fashion boss "did not even come close to resembling a master's degree-educated individual, who was just nine years earlier the chief executive officer of a publicly traded company".

As a result, Mr Bieber questioned the ability of Mr Jeffries to "rationally assist" with the possible factual and legal defences to the allegations he was facing, according to the document.

The filing comes after Mr Jeffries' legal team sought a competency hearing, which will now be held over two days on 16 and 17 June 2025.

Federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York declined to comment.

Mr Jeffries stepped down as CEO and chairman of A&F in 2014, and left with a $25m (£19.9m) retirement package.

Alongside the criminal case, A&F, Mr Jeffries and his partner have been defending a civil lawsuit accusing the retailer of having funded a sex trafficking operation.

Earlier this month, Mr Jeffries sued A&F after it refused to pay his criminal defence costs, arguing the brand had agreed to indemnify him for all claims arising out of his position.

Four rioters have been given short jail terms for violence against football fans visiting Amsterdam for a Europa League match between Ajax and Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Sefa Ö, 32, was handed the longest sentence of six months in jail by Amsterdam district court, while another man was given 10 weeks and two others a month's detention each. A fifth defendant was given a community service order under the Netherlands' juvenile law.

The judge said a prison sentence for the four was appropriate given the seriousness of the actions and the context in which they took place.

The riots broke out in several areas of the Dutch capital in early November and led to international condemnation.

The five defendants sentenced on Tuesday were the first to be tried for hit-and-run attacks that erupted in the early hours of 8 November, after incidents that took place over two days.

The court said that there was a lot of video evidence showing Maccabi fans facing extreme violence, and also pointed to footage of supporters pulling down Palestinian flags as well as chanting slogans against Arabs. Taxis were also vandalised by the fans.

The court chairman added that there had already been unrest in the Netherlands because of the war in Gaza.

While the court took "the context" of the events into account, it said there had been "no justification for calling for and using physical violence against Israeli supporters".

• Amsterdam violence exposes tensions in society and spills over to politics
• New arrests made in Amsterdam over violence after football match

Sefa Ö was found to have given a karate-type kick to one victim, causing him to fall against a moving tram, as well as taking part in several other attacks.

The trial saw video footage appeared to show him kicking and hitting victims on Dam Square, Damrak and Zoutsteeg, and prosecutors said he had played a leading role in violence that had nothing to do with football.

Rachid O, 26, who was given 10 weeks in jail, was found to have taken part in a WhatsApp chat group called Buurthuis2, on which he referred to intended victims as "cowardly" Jews who he would never again get the chance to attack.

More than 900 people were in the group and thee court said the chat had been used to pass on information to "commit violence against people of Jewish descent and/or supporters of Maccabi Tel Aviv".

Umutcan A, 24, was also found to have kicked one of the victims several times while taking part in an attack with other men and then kicked another fan on the ground. CCTV footage had shown him attacking several Maccabi fans, as well as grabbing one fan by the throat and seizing his football scarf.

He had written in messaging groups about a "Jew hunt" but told the trial he did not harbour hatred towards Jews.

Karanveer S, 26, had already been convicted of assault in 2022 and the court noted that did not deter him from taking part in last month's attacks.

The youngest of the five, Lucas D, 19, was found to have used violence against a police officer and taken part in a separate Snapchat group calling for violence against Maccabi Tel Aviv fans.

The five all have two weeks in which to appeal.

The court said he had an illegal, high-explosive "cobra" firework in his possession at the time of his arrest. Prosecutors had called for Lucas D to be given a jail term.

Chief prosecutor René de Beukelaer had earlier rejected suggestions that the attacks had amounted to terrorism, because he said it was not the aim of the group to instill fear in the people they were targeting.

However, he did say there were instances of antisemitism exchanged on a messaging group.

"I can well understand that the Jewish community in Amsterdam was left afraid because of this violence, but that's different from saying that was the goal of the suspects," he told Amsterdam's AT5 TV channel earlier this month.

Mozambique's main opposition leader, Venâncio Mondlane, has declared that he will install himself as president on 15 January after rejecting his defeat in presidential elections.

His announcement came as his supporters staged violent protests across the country to demand an end to the 49-year-rule of the Frelimo party.

The capital Maputo was like a ghost town on Christmas Eve, with almost all businesses shut and people staying at home to avoid being caught up in the worst unrest in the city since Frelimo rose to power at independence in 1975.

Frelimo's offices, police stations, banks and factories have been looted, vandalised and set ablaze around the country.

The latest unrest began on Monday after Mozambique's highest court upheld the victory of Frelimo's presidential candidate, Daniel Chapo, in elections held in October.

Mondlane had challenged the result, alleging that the poll was rigged.

In a Facebook live broadcast to his supporters on Tuesday, Mondlane said he rejected the ruling of the constitutional court, adding that he would assume the office of president on 15 January - the day that Chapo is due to be sworn in.

President Filipe Nyusi is due to step down at the end of his two terms.

It is unclear how Mondlane intends to take office, as he is currently in self-imposed exile in an unknown country.

He has frequently rallied his supporters via speeches on Facebook live, but has urged them to remain peaceful.

"We are with the people. We do not advocate any form of violence," Mondlane said in his latest address.

Chapo has not yet commented on his declaration.

October's election was the first time both of them had run for the presidency, with the electoral commission declaring Chapo the winner with 71% of the vote to Mondlane's 20%.

The constitutional court revised the result, giving the Frelimo candidate 65% and Mondlane 24%.

Rights groups say that more than 100 people have been killed in unrest since the elections.

They accuse the security forces of being responsible for many of the killings, but police commander Bernadino Rafael had previously told the BBC that his officers had been defending themselves after coming under attack.

Mondlane fled Mozambique after accusing police of threatening behaviour, and two of his aides were shot dead in October.

The 50-year-old evangelical pastor contested the election as an independent after breaking away from the main opposition Renamo party.

His support is strongest among young people, many of whom are unemployed and demanding change.

Frelimo fielded the 47-year-old Chapo as its youngest ever presidential candidate.

He has previously rejected suggestions that he and Frelimo rigged the poll, saying: "We are an organised party that prepares its victories."

You may also be interested in:

• Children shot dead after joining pot-banging protests in Mozambique
• Why governing parties are having a tough time in elections
• From freedom fighter to Namibia's first female president

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

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

Protests have broken out in Syria over the burning of a Christmas tree near the city of Hama.

A video posted on social media showed masked gunmen setting fire to the tree on display in the main square of the Suqaylabiyah, a Christian-majority town in central Syria.

The main Islamist faction which led the uprising that toppled President Bashar al-Assad said the men responsible for the arson were foreign fighters and had been detained and that the tree would be swiftly repaired.

Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets across the country, demanding the new Islamist rulers protect religious minorities.

In the Bab Touma neighbourhood of Damascus, protesters carried a cross and Syrian flags, chanting "we will sacrifice our souls for our cross".

"If we're not allowed to live our Christian faith in our country, as we used to, then we don't belong here anymore," a demonstrator named Georges told AFP news agency.

Syria is home to many ethnic and religious groups, including Kurds, Armenians, Assyrians, Christians, Druze, Alawite Shia and Arab Sunnis, the last of whom make up a majority of the Muslim population.

Just over two weeks ago, Bashar al-Assad's presidency fell to rebel forces, ending the Assad family's more than 50-year-rule.

How the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group will govern Syria remains to be seen. The group has a jihadist past, which it has distanced itself from, and an Islamist present.

As fighters marched to Damascus earlier this month, its leaders spoke about building a Syria for all Syrians.

Representatives have also said that the rights and freedoms of religious and ethnic minorities would be protected.

HTS remains designated as a terrorist organisation by the UN, US, EU and UK, though there are signs that a diplomatic shift may be underway.

On Friday, the US has scrapped a $10m (£7.9m) bounty on the head of HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, following meetings between senior diplomats and representatives from the group.

The US is continuing its military presence in Syria - it said it conducted airstrike in the northern city of Deir Ezzor that killed two ISIS operatives.

The presence of foreign fighters, Islamic extremists like ISIS or even regime supporters who have interest in causing insecurity and attacking minorities to shake the country's stability are the big challenge that the new Islamic leadership will face.

American Airlines has resumed flights after suspending its services for around an hour on Tuesday due to a technical issue that impacted the systems needed to release its planes.

The nationwide halt was cancelled just before 13:00 GMT, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The disruption came during one of the busiest travel days of the year as passengers made journeys on Christmas Eve.

In a statement, the airline said a "vendor technology issue" had caused the issue and it was "all hands on deck" to minimise further disruption.

"We sincerely apologise to our customers for the inconvenience this morning," the airline said.

"It's all hands on deck as our team is working diligently to get customers where they need to go as quickly as possible."

Flights are still showing delays as the airline recovers from the nationwide issue, but real-time tracking website Flightradar24 shows planes taking off again at a number of major US travel hubs.

Passengers reported on social media being stuck on the tarmac or at gates as flights were impacted by the outage for around an hour.

In a video posted on X by a CBS reporter in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a gate agent announced a flight to Philadelphia was going to start boarding.

"The system is slowly coming back," the agent announced from a gate.

In July, American Airlines, among other major operators, grounded flights across the US due to communication issues caused by a global IT crash.

That failure - which also affected banks and emergency services - was caused by a faulty software update from cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike.

Protests have broken out in Syria over the burning of a Christmas tree near the city of Hama.

A video posted on social media showed masked gunmen setting fire to the tree on display in the main square of the Suqaylabiyah, a Christian-majority town in central Syria.

The main Islamist faction which led the uprising that toppled President Bashar al-Assad said the men responsible for the arson were foreign fighters and had been detained and that the tree would be swiftly repaired.

Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets across the country, demanding the new Islamist rulers protect religious minorities.

In the Bab Touma neighbourhood of Damascus, protesters carried a cross and Syrian flags, chanting "we will sacrifice our souls for our cross".

"If we're not allowed to live our Christian faith in our country, as we used to, then we don't belong here anymore," a demonstrator named Georges told AFP news agency.

Syria is home to many ethnic and religious groups, including Kurds, Armenians, Assyrians, Christians, Druze, Alawite Shia and Arab Sunnis, the last of whom make up a majority of the Muslim population.

Just over two weeks ago, Bashar al-Assad's presidency fell to rebel forces, ending the Assad family's more than 50-year-rule.

How the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group will govern Syria remains to be seen. The group has a jihadist past, which it has distanced itself from, and an Islamist present.

As fighters marched to Damascus earlier this month, its leaders spoke about building a Syria for all Syrians.

Representatives have also said that the rights and freedoms of religious and ethnic minorities would be protected.

HTS remains designated as a terrorist organisation by the UN, US, EU and UK, though there are signs that a diplomatic shift may be underway.

On Friday, the US has scrapped a $10m (£7.9m) bounty on the head of HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, following meetings between senior diplomats and representatives from the group.

The US is continuing its military presence in Syria - it said it conducted airstrike in the northern city of Deir Ezzor that killed two ISIS operatives.

The presence of foreign fighters, Islamic extremists like ISIS or even regime supporters who have interest in causing insecurity and attacking minorities to shake the country's stability are the big challenge that the new Islamic leadership will face.

Some Morrisons customers have still not had their Christmas orders after the supermarket experienced what it called "systems issues" on Monday.

One customer told the BBC she was waiting for about £200 worth of groceries, another said he was struggling to get answers from the firm.

It follows chaotic scenes at what is the UK's fifth biggest supermarket on 23 December - the biggest grocery shopping day of the year - which saw deliveries cancelled and promotional discounts not applied.

Morrisons has apologised and insisted deliveries are back to normal but it has yet to reveal the cause of the problems despite repeated requests from the BBC.

'In limbo'

One Morrisons customer in Worcestershire, who did not want to be named, pays for a delivery pass which gives her priority access to busy slots such as at Christmas.

An hour before her delivery slot on Monday evening, she received a text message saying the delivery had been delayed.

On Tuesday morning, she still had not heard anything from Morrisons and had not got the delivery.

"I have no idea if my order is coming or not," she tells BBC News. "So I'm kind of at a real loss."

The customer had an order worth about £200, and had saved vouchers over the year to take it down to £100.

She says the lack of communication has left her "in limbo."

"I could go [out] today and spend £200 and then come home and Morrison's turn up with £200-worth of shopping," she adds.

"The complete lack of communication is the biggest thing, because you can't form a plan B, and you can't plan when it's Christmas Eve."

Problems started early on Monday morning, when customers who had ordered for Christmas started receiving emails saying their deliveries would be delayed or cancelled.

Then, when shops opened, in-store customers found their vouchers were not being accepted at the tills.

In response, Morrisons applied a 10% discount for members of their More Card loyalty scheme and applied other discounts for non-More Card holders.

"Today the Morrisons store experience is back to normal, but all More Card customers will still get 10% off their whole shop instore throughout the day," the supermarket told BBC News on Tuesday morning.

It added: "Click and Collect and Home Deliveries are working as normal. We are determined not to let a single customer down this Christmas."

Another Morrisons customer, Matthew Welch in Northumberland, had his delivery cancelled yesterday morning.

He said the manager he spoke to when he phoned up was "less than helpful."

Matthew told BBC News: "The manager had said that he needed to wait until the problem was fixed and then he would come back to me, which he did not."

He added: "I have since discovered that another four people in the village where I live have also had their Christmas deliveries canceled yesterday as well."

The BBC spoke to two other people in Northumberland who had deliveries cancelled yesterday.

Morrisons insists these cancellations were separate to the main "systems issues" it had, but would not go into more detail.

Mr Welch ended up buying his groceries locally, but has not had any information regarding his Morrisons order.

"Especially with Christmas slots, you're booking them six to eight weeks in advance, and there's really no excuse to cancel on the day the delivery is due," he says.

"I'll be swapping to another supermarket, but I won't use Morrisons again for anything," he adds.

'Will not be forgotten'

Consumer expert Kate Hardcastle says the supermarket chain needs to be honest and transparent with its customers.

"It's something that will be not very quickly forgotten into the new year," she told the BBC.

"I think it's about trying to lean in, doing as much as they can, being very honest about it," she adds.

She says that the way supermarkets use loyalty schemes have changed in recent years, from offering points to offering discounts for members.

"If we're going to see retailers implement these systems where you can only access a certain price through the schemes, then you absolutely have to make sure they're watertight," she says.

"Our grocery stores, they are built on legacy IT systems which can really get impacted at sensitive times of year... it's about trying to understand into the new year how they can really work with their loyal customers to make up for this."

Four rioters have been given short jail terms for violence against football fans visiting Amsterdam for a Europa League match between Ajax and Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Sefa Ö, 32, was handed the longest sentence of six months in jail by Amsterdam district court, while another man was given 10 weeks and two others a month's detention each. A fifth defendant was given a community service order under the Netherlands' juvenile law.

The judge said a prison sentence for the four was appropriate given the seriousness of the actions and the context in which they took place.

The riots broke out in several areas of the Dutch capital in early November and led to international condemnation.

The five defendants sentenced on Tuesday were the first to be tried for hit-and-run attacks that erupted in the early hours of 8 November, after incidents that took place over two days.

The court said that there was a lot of video evidence showing Maccabi fans facing extreme violence, and also pointed to footage of supporters pulling down Palestinian flags as well as chanting slogans against Arabs. Taxis were also vandalised by the fans.

The court chairman added that there had already been unrest in the Netherlands because of the war in Gaza.

While the court took "the context" of the events into account, it said there had been "no justification for calling for and using physical violence against Israeli supporters".

• Amsterdam violence exposes tensions in society and spills over to politics
• New arrests made in Amsterdam over violence after football match

Sefa Ö was found to have given a karate-type kick to one victim, causing him to fall against a moving tram, as well as taking part in several other attacks.

The trial saw video footage appeared to show him kicking and hitting victims on Dam Square, Damrak and Zoutsteeg, and prosecutors said he had played a leading role in violence that had nothing to do with football.

Rachid O, 26, who was given 10 weeks in jail, was found to have taken part in a WhatsApp chat group called Buurthuis2, on which he referred to intended victims as "cowardly" Jews who he would never again get the chance to attack.

More than 900 people were in the group and thee court said the chat had been used to pass on information to "commit violence against people of Jewish descent and/or supporters of Maccabi Tel Aviv".

Umutcan A, 24, was also found to have kicked one of the victims several times while taking part in an attack with other men and then kicked another fan on the ground. CCTV footage had shown him attacking several Maccabi fans, as well as grabbing one fan by the throat and seizing his football scarf.

He had written in messaging groups about a "Jew hunt" but told the trial he did not harbour hatred towards Jews.

Karanveer S, 26, had already been convicted of assault in 2022 and the court noted that did not deter him from taking part in last month's attacks.

The youngest of the five, Lucas D, 19, was found to have used violence against a police officer and taken part in a separate Snapchat group calling for violence against Maccabi Tel Aviv fans.

The five all have two weeks in which to appeal.

The court said he had an illegal, high-explosive "cobra" firework in his possession at the time of his arrest. Prosecutors had called for Lucas D to be given a jail term.

Chief prosecutor René de Beukelaer had earlier rejected suggestions that the attacks had amounted to terrorism, because he said it was not the aim of the group to instill fear in the people they were targeting.

However, he did say there were instances of antisemitism exchanged on a messaging group.

"I can well understand that the Jewish community in Amsterdam was left afraid because of this violence, but that's different from saying that was the goal of the suspects," he told Amsterdam's AT5 TV channel earlier this month.

An investigation has been launched after a passenger's hand became trapped in the closing doors of an Elizabeth line train as it was leaving London's Ealing Broadway station.

The incident, which happened shortly after midnight on 24 November, saw the passenger having to run alongside the train before they were freed by a member of staff who was working on the platform.

The driver was alerted to what was happening by other rail users, and the train stopped after moving approximately 17m (56 ft). The passenger reportedly suffered minor injuries.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said it would look into what happened. Transport for London has been approached for comment.

Among the issues the RAIB said it would consider are the actions of those involved and the arrangements in place to manage and control the risks associated with passengers getting on and off Elizabeth line trains.

In June 2023 the RAIB investigated after two people were dragged along London Underground platforms by trains when their coats got stuck in the train doors.

The incidents happened at Archway and Chalk Farm stations on the Northern line.

The passenger at Archway was seriously injured after being dragged along the platform for about 2m (6.5ft) when their coat became trapped in the doors of a northbound Northern line train.

In its report into the incidents the RAIB recommended that London Underground should look at reducing the risk of a passenger becoming trapped and dragged along by a departing train.

This could include technology that can detect when thin objects, such as fingers, straps or clothing, become trapped in train doors, and detect when something is being dragged along by the departing train.

It said Tube bosses should consider modifying door seals to make it easier for small, trapped objects, such as clothing and straps to be pulled free from closed doors.

The board also said London Underground should review the current minimum automatic train dwell times to determine if passengers have sufficient time to safely get on or off trains.

Elizabeth line injuries

Concerns have previously been raised about passenger safety on the Elizabeth line at Ealing Broadway due to the gap between the platform and the train.

In July the mayor of London apologised to several Elizabeth line passengers who were seriously injured using trains at the station and said work was being done to make sure the high gap would be fixed.

Three passengers told BBC London they had been hurt using the service at Ealing Broadway station because the gap between the platform and trains is too big.

Sadiq Khan said he was "shocked" to see reports on BBC London of those injured, adding: "I'm really sorry. You should not be injured going about your daily business."

At the time TfL and Network Rail both said they were "sorry" some passengers had sustained injuries and safety was their "priority".

The £18.8bn Elizabeth line opened in May 2022 and links Reading and Essex via central London.

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

The former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) has dementia and late onset Alzheimer's disease, his legal team has said in a court document filed in New York.

Lawyers for Mike Jeffries have requested a hearing to determine whether he is mentally fit to stand trial on federal sex trafficking charges.

The 80-year-old was arrested alongside his partner in October and charged with running an international sex trafficking and prostitution business. Both men have pleaded not guilty.

A so-called competency hearing has been scheduled for June next year.

Mr Jeffries, who ran US clothing brand A&F for two decades, is accused of running a sex trafficking and prostitution business from at least 2008-15.

US prosecutors allege that he used his wealth, power and status "to traffic men for his own sexual pleasure", and for the pleasure of his British partner Matthew Smith, 61.

They said the couple, alongside a middleman James Jacobson, 71, used force, fraud and coercion to make vulnerable, aspiring models engage in violent and exploitative sex acts.

All three men have pleaded not guilty to the charges and been released on bond.

The FBI began investigating last year after the BBC revealed claims Mr Jeffries and Mr Smith had sexually exploited men at events they hosted around the world.

The BBC investigation, published in October 2023, found the pair were at the centre of a sophisticated operation involving a middleman scouting young men for sex.

In the same month, Brian Bieber, Mr Jeffries' lawyer, said his client was examined several times by a neuropsychologist who later concluded diagnostic impressions that he was suffering from two types of dementia and probable late onset Alzheimer's disease.

In the court filing, Mr Bieber added that during an initial meeting last year the former fashion boss "did not even come close to resembling a master's degree-educated individual, who was just nine years earlier the chief executive officer of a publicly traded company".

As a result, Mr Bieber questioned the ability of Mr Jeffries to "rationally assist" with the possible factual and legal defences to the allegations he was facing, according to the document.

The filing comes after Mr Jeffries' legal team sought a competency hearing, which will now be held over two days on 16 and 17 June 2025.

Federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York declined to comment.

Mr Jeffries stepped down as CEO and chairman of A&F in 2014, and left with a $25m (£19.9m) retirement package.

Alongside the criminal case, A&F, Mr Jeffries and his partner have been defending a civil lawsuit accusing the retailer of having funded a sex trafficking operation.

Earlier this month, Mr Jeffries sued A&F after it refused to pay his criminal defence costs, arguing the brand had agreed to indemnify him for all claims arising out of his position.

From the moment Justin Baldoni announced in 2019 that he was adapting the best-selling book It Ends With Us into a film, there was a widespread frenzy.

There are few books in recent years that have become as big a cultural phenomenon as Colleen Hoover's novel - it has sold 20m copies and became an internet sensation on TikTok with more than one billion tags on the app.

When Blake Lively, who rose to fame in the 2000s playing Serena van der Woodsen in Gossip Girl, was cast as the main character, fans became even more excited, describing her as the perfect choice to play Lily Bloom, a young woman who grew up witnessing domestic abuse and winds up in the same position years later.

Lily, a florist in Boston, navigates a complicated love triangle between her charming but abusive boyfriend Ryle Kincaid - played by Jane the Virgin's Justin Baldoni - and her compassionate first love, Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar).

Released at the beginning of August, the film became a box office success bringing in more than $350m (£280m) globally.

But despite its financial success, everything wasn't running so smoothly behind the scenes. Rumours of a feud between Baldoni and Lively began swirling before the film was even released.

Last week, Lively filed a legal complaint against her co-star, accusing him of sexual harassment and starting a smear campaign against her, something Baldoni strongly denies. Here is the story so far:

It Ends With Us press tour

For a film about domestic abuse, the press tour for It Ends With Us was probably not what you would have expected. There were pink carpets, flowers galore and the promotion of Lively's new haircare brand and her husband's gin company.

Instead of advocacy on the red carpet, Lively highlighted fashion and florals.

At the London premiere, press were told to keep questions "fun and light-hearted" with one event organiser telling me to "steer away from questions on domestic abuse".

One of her remarks made at the New York premiere - "you are so much more than just a survivor or just a victim" - sparked backlash on social media.

Domestic abuse survivor Ashley Paige criticised Ms Lively's language and told the BBC that her own trauma "shaped my identity".

Lively was also criticised for her comments in another clumsy promotional tour video where she said: "Grab your friends, wear your florals and head out to see it."

Ms Paige accused Lively of promoting the film like it's "the sequel to Barbie".

Justin Baldoni's absence

Alongside the press tour being described as "tone-deaf", people started asking questions about why the Lively and Baldoni weren't photographed on the red carpet together at the film's New York premiere on 6 August.

The pair also did no interviews together during the press tour and at the London premiere, which Baldoni didn't attend, I was warned by Lively's team to not "ask any questions about Justin".

Internet sleuths also spotted that cast members including Lively and author Hoover did not follow Baldoni on social media.

Neither Lively or Baldoni addressed rumours of a feud during the press tour and the only reference to each other was Baldoni telling Today that his co-star was a "dynamic creative".

"She had her hands in every part of this production, and everything she touched made [it] better," he said about the 37-year-old.

Mixed critic reviews

While the film was a box office success, it received mixed reviews from critics with some saying it romanticised domestic abuse.

There was a two-star review from The Telegraph's Tim Robey, who called it a "queasy drama" that "repackages domestic violence as slick romance".

He suggested the film "splices abuse and glossy courtship in the big city to deeply dubious effects".

The movie also sparked a debate on TikTok, with some saying that it's not clear from the trailer that this story is about an abusive relationship and rather it appears to be telling a love story.

Based on this misconception, some people said they found the film traumatic as they didn't know it contained scenes of domestic abuse.

'Smear campaign'

During the film's press tour, Baldoni hired a crisis manager, Melissa Nathan, whose previous clients include Johnny Depp and Drake.

Shortly after the press tour, Lively faced a barrage of criticism on social media relating to her comments on that tour as well as from old interviews.

One of the interviews to resurface was one shared by a Norwegian journalist, Kjersti Flaa, who posted a video on YouTube of her interviewing Lively in 2016. It was titled "The Blake Lively interview that made me want to quit my job."

Actor Brandon Sklenar, who plays Atlas in the film, defended Lively and said in a post on Instagram that people had been "vilifying" the women involved in the film online.

He said it was "disheartening to see the amount of negativity being projected" and that someone close to him who had experienced a relationship similar to Lily's had credited the film with "saving her life".

Legal complaint

Four months after the film's launch, Lively filed a legal complaint against Mr Baldoni in which she accused him of sexual harassment.

The complaint also listed Wayfarer Studios, Mr Baldoni's production company which produced It Ends With Us, as a defendant.

The legal filing accuses Mr Baldoni and Wayfarer CEO Jamey Heath of "repeated sexual harassment and other disturbing behaviour". Some other female cast and crew had also spoken up about their conduct, the filing alleges.

It also alleges that Ms Lively, Mr Baldoni and other people involved in the development of the film attended a meeting in January to address "the hostile work environment" on set. Her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, attended the meeting alongside her, according to the complaint.

At the meeting, attendees agreed to a list of demands, including Mr Baldoni and Mr Heath making "no more descriptions of their own genitalia", requiring an intimacy coordinator on set at all times when Ms Lively was in scenes with Mr Baldoni and no "friends" of the producers and directors being on set during scenes when Ms Lively was in a state of nudity.

The list of demands also implied that Mr Baldoni had asked Ms Lively's trainer how much she weighed and alleged that Mr Baldoni and Mr Heath had spoken about their "pornography addiction" to Ms Lively.

Plan to 'destroy' reputation

In the filing, Ms Lively also alleges that Mr Baldoni and his team attacked her public image after the meeting.

She accuses him of orchestrating a plan to "destroy" her reputation in the press and online, including hiring a crisis manager who led a "sophisticated, coordinated, and well-financed retaliation plan" against her and used a "digital army" to post social media content that seemed authentic.

"To safeguard against the risk of Ms Lively ever revealing the truth about Mr Baldoni, the Baldon-Wayfarer team created, planted, amplified, and boosted content designed to eviscerate Mr Baldoni's credibility," Ms Lively's team wrote in the filing.

In the filing, Ms Lively says that this had led to "substantial harm" that affected "all aspects" of her life.

Mr Baldoni's legal team told the BBC the allegations are "categorically false" and said they hired a crisis manager because Ms Lively had threatened to derail the film unless her demands were met.

Responding to the legal complaint, Mr Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, said on Saturday: "It is shameful that Ms Lively and her representatives would make such serious and categorically false accusations against Mr Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and its representatives."

Mr Freedman accused Ms Lively of making numerous demands and threats, including "threatening to not show up to set, threatening to not promote the film", which would end up "ultimately leading to its demise during release, if her demands were not met".

Support for Lively

Hollywood stars including America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn and Alexis Bledel have publicly backed Lively after she filed her complaint.

Ferrera, Tamblyn and Bledel, who starred with Lively in 2005 film The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, issued a joint statement on Instagram, on Sunday saying they "stand with her in solidarity".

"Throughout the filming of It Ends with Us, we saw her summon the courage to ask for a safe workplace for herself and colleagues on set, and we are appalled to read the evidence of a premeditated and vindictive effort that ensued to discredit her voice," they wrote.

Colleen Hoover, the author of It Ends With Us, also showed her support, describing Ms Lively as "honest, kind, supportive and patient".

Additional reporting by Grace Dean.