The UK government set up a secret Afghan relocation scheme after the personal data of thousands of people was inadvertently leaked, it can be revealed.

A dataset containing the details of nearly 19,000 people who applied to move to the UK following the Taliban takeover of the country was released in error by a British defence official in February 2022.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) learned of the breach in August 2023 when some details were anonymously posted on Facebook.

Nearly 9,000 Afghans have arrived in the UK or are en route via the previously secret scheme, which is estimated to have cost £850m.

The existence of this confidential Afghan Response Route, which was established in April 2024, was kept confidential by an injunction but can now be reported following a High Court ruling on Tuesday.

The MoD declined to say how many have been arrested or killed as a result of the data breach.

Defence secretary John Healey is expected to confirm further details in the House of Commons later on Tuesday.

The unauthorised data breach was committed by an unnamed individual at the MoD. The data related to Afghans who worked with international forces following the 2001 invasion of the country.

As US troops completed their withdrawal in August 2021, the UK government set up Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap) scheme, which was designed to rapidly process applications by people who feared reprisals from the Taliban and move them to the UK.

But it emerged on Tuesday that thousands of those who applied for that scheme had sensitive personal data leaked by a British official.

Arap has already been heavily criticised in the years since it was launched, with a 2022 inquiry by the Foreign Affairs Committee finding it was a "disaster" and a "betrayal".

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.

At least 12 people have been killed in Israeli air strikes in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley, a regional governor says.

Seven Syrians, including a family of five, and three Lebanese were killed when the Wadi Faara area was hit, Baalbek-Hermel Governor Bachir Khodr wrote on X. The other two deaths were reported in Shmustar.

The Israeli military said it had struck a number of military compounds belonging to the armed group Hezbollah, including training camps affiliated to its elite Radwan Force.

These were the deadliest strikes since a ceasefire ended a year of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, including two months of all-out war that left the group severely weakened.

Hezbollah has not yet commented on the attacks, although its Al-Manar TV channel said they constituted violations of both the ceasefire and Lebanon's sovereignty.

The Arabic-language spokesperson of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Lt Col Avichay Adraee, said on X that Tuesday's strikes hit several Hezbollah targets.

"As part of the strikes, military compounds belonging to the Radwan Force have been targeted, where terrorist operatives and warehouses used to store combat equipment employed by Hezbollah have been identified," Adraee said.

The Radwan Force is Hezbollah's elite commando unit.

The IDF said in a separate English statement that it had killed the Radwan Force's commanders in September 2024 - when it launched an intense air campaign against Hezbollah and invaded southern Lebanon - and that since then the unit had been "operating to re-establish its capabilities".

The IDF asserted that Hezbollah's storage of weapons and military activities in the Bekaa Valley constituted a "blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon and constitute a future threat to the State of Israel".

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the strikes sent "a clear message" to Hezbollah and the Lebanese government, emphasising that Israel was prepared to "respond with maximum force against any attempt at rebuilding" Hezbollah's military capabilities.

The basis of the ceasefire agreement between the Israeli and Lebanese governments, brokered by US mediators in November, was the full implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1701, which ended the last war in 2006.

Hezbollah was required to withdraw its forces to positions north of the Litani River - approximately 30km (20 miles) from the Israeli border - leaving only the Lebanese army and United Nations peacekeepers authorized to operate with arms in that area.

Israel was required to fully pull its forces out of Lebanon, but it has maintained a military presence at five sites in the south that it considers strategically important.

The agreement also noted that the resolution reaffirmed previous Security Council calls for the "disarmament of all armed groups" in Lebanon.

A total of 13 people have been arrested and extra police have been deployed after an attack on a pensioner sparked anti-migrant unrest in a small town in southern Spain.

Three people of North African origin have been detained on suspicion of attacking the 68-year-old man in Torre Pacheco last Wednesday.

The unrest began after a video circulated on social media, inflaming the town of 40,000 people which is home to a large immigrant population.

The pensioner and police later said the video was unrelated to the incident but social media calls to find and attack the perpetrators multiplied quickly.

By Friday groups armed with batons could be seen roaming the streets of Torre Pacheco.

One far-right group called "Deport Them Now" called for attacks on people of North African origin. Further messages on social media have called for renewed attacks on immigrants over three days this week.

A leading member of the extremist group was detained in the north-eastern town of Mataró on suspicion of spreading hate speech.

The 68-year-old victim of last Wednesday's attack, named locally as Domingo Tomás Domínguez, told Spanish media he was thrown to the ground and hit while taking his morning walk.

A photo circulating on social media showed his face bearing extensive bruising.

Police said the motive for the attack was unclear. Mr Domínguez said he was not asked to hand over money or his belongings and did not understand the language his attackers were speaking.

Police presence has been beefed up, with more than 130 officers from both the local police in the province of Murcia and Guardia Civil.

The three people arrested on suspicion of attacking the pensioner are all of Moroccan origin and in their early 20s, according to Spanish media, and none are residents of Torre Pacheco.

One of the suspects was arrested on Monday as he prepared to take a train from the Basque region to cross the border to France.

The worst of the unrest occurred at the weekend, when groups of youths - some hooded - attacked vehicles and businesses. Clashes were also reported between far-right groups and people of North African origin.

On Sunday night journalists witnessed several dozen youths hurling glass bottles and other objects at riot police.

In a CCTV video shared by several Spanish outlets, a group of men, some armed with bats and sticks, could be seen vandalising a kebab shop on the same night.

Torre Pacheco mayor Pedro Ángel Roca called on the "migrant community not to leave their homes and not to confront rioters".

Many of the town's residents of migrant origin work in the area's booming agricultural sector, and some have complained of no longer feeling safe in the town. The mayor said they had been living in Torre Pachecho for more than 20 years.

Users of an extreme-right Telegram group reportedly called on people to flock in from other parts of Spain and take part in "hunts" of North Africans over three days this week. Their channel has since been shut down.

Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska attributed the violence to anti-immigration rhetoric from far-right groups and parties such as Vox - Spain's third largest political force.

Vox leader Santiago Abascal denied responsibility for the riots and blamed "mass immigration" policies for allowing the alleged perpetrators of last week's attack to enter the country.

Talking about migration, Abascal said: "It has stolen our borders, it has stolen our peace, and it has stolen our prosperity."

Murcia prosecutors have opened an investigstion for hate crimes into the regional president of Vox, José Ángel Antelo, who last week said the violence was the "fault" of Spain's two main parties - the Popular Party (PP) and Socialist Party (PSOE).

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said on X: "What we are seeing in Torre-Pacheco challenges us all. We must speak out, act firmly, and defend the values that unite us. Spain is a country of rights, not hate."

Muhammadu Buhari's life tracked the dramatic changes in politics in Nigeria over the last five decades – and he was often at the centre of events.

The former Nigerian president, who died on Sunday at the age of 82, became the country's military leader after a coup, was imprisoned by a new junta, then reinvented himself decades later to win the presidency in a democratic election.

Often pictured in dark glasses or thick, black-framed spectacles, traditional zanna cap and sporting a broad smile, much of Buhari's life was played out in public.

Buhari - pictured here in 1977 with the then-King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf and Saudi Arabia's Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani in 1977 - began his military career straight out of school.

By the time this picture was taken, Buhari had risen to become a regional military commander.

A few years later, in 1983, soldiers overthrew elected President Shehu Shagari.

Although Buhari took the role of military ruler, he denied having plotted the coup, saying he was simply installed by senior commanders who needed a figurehead. Other accounts describe Buhari as playing a more active role in the takeover.

After two years of iron-fisted rule, characterised by a crusade against corruption and various human rights abuses, Buhari was himself ousted. The new junta placed him under house arrest for three years.

In 2003, following decades away from politics, Buhari decided have another go at the leading the country.

This time, he bid for the top job through a democratic election - running for the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP).

Here he can be seen on the right, with his running mate Chuba Okadigbo on the left and ANPP chairman Don Etiebet.

Buhari was well beaten by Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003, and he made two other unsuccessful runs for the presidency in 2007 and 2011.

Despite these failed bids, he accumulated supporters, including disaffected youngsters, with his pledges to fight corruption and insecurity.

Buhari was particularly popular in Nigeria's north, the region in which he was born.

Here, a sign displayed in the city of Kaduna during the 2015 election, tells passers-by that locals will only vote for "Baba" Buhari.

Buhari was eventually elected in 2015, besting incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.

He made history, becoming the first ever opposition candidate to win a general election.

The historic moment in which Jonathan called Buhari to concede was captured on camera.

But after finally taking office, Buhari's first term was rocky. The economy entered a recession for the first time in a decade and security crises piled up.

When Buhari's wife - pictured below - publicly criticised his administration, the president sparked outrage by saying she belonged to the kitchen.

Despite the challenges of his first term, Buhari was re-elected in 2019.

As the president of one of Africa's largest economies, he travelled the world, attending high-profile summits and meeting his fellow heads of state.

Buhari was greeted by Queen Elizabeth at a Commonwealth leaders gathering in 2015.

Earlier in 2015, he was welcomed to the White House by then-US President Barack Obama.

And in 2018, Buhari was the first leader from sub-Saharan Africa to meet President Donald Trump in Washington.

Following his death, at a clinic in London, Buhari is being remembered by some as a man who broke his campaign promises and crushed dissent.

By others, he was champion of order who tried his best amid a dysfunctional political system.

In a tribute to his old rival, Jonathan described Buhari as someone who "was selfless in his commitment to his duty and served the country with character and a deep sense of patriotism".

You may also be interested in:

• Buhari - the austere Nigerian military ruler who defeated a sitting president
• Big shake-up in Nigerian politics as heavyweights join forces
• I learnt government was suing me on the news - Nigerian senator

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

Torrential rains in New York and New Jersey on Monday night brought flash flooding that killed two people and led New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy to declare a state of emergency.

Officials had to perform rescues as flooding left drivers stranded as their vehicles rose in the waters.

In Plainfield, New Jersey, two people died when a car was sept away by floodwaters as the storm hit, Governor Murphy said on Tuesday.

Additional storms are expected on Tuesday with the potential for more flooding in the north-east as well as Florida and the mid-western US, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

As of Tuesday morning, several main roads in New Jersey were closed because of the floods, while both New York City and New Jersey experienced subway delays.

New Jersey saw more than 6in (15 cm) of rain in a matter of hours on Tuesday evening, leading to flight delays and cancellations at Newark Liberty International Airport.

In Scotch Plains, New Jersey, people had to be rescued, including one instance in which responders had to use a rope to pull a man out of his car to escape the floodwaters, according to the BBC's US partner CBS News.

Flood waters also rushed through subway stations in New York City on Monday evening, pouring into subway cars and forcing passengers to kneel on their seats to avoid getting wet.

New York City saw its second-ever highest hourly rainfall in over 80 years - 2in of rainfall in just 30 minutes.

The flooding hit parts of Virginia as well, with two cities, Colonial Heights and Petersburg, at risk of "catastrophic" damage from floods, according to the NWS.

The heaviest rainfall is now moving to the east and weakening in intensity, the NWS in New York said, encouraging people to heed road closures.

The rain comes two weeks after extreme flash floods killed over 130 people in south central Texas, with many people still declared missing.

Donald Trump makes a habit of calling reporters out of the blue. The US president seems to prefer an off-the-cuff telephone conversation to a sit-down interview on camera.

On Monday evening it was my turn. And I'll be frank with you - I was asleep when the White House rang.

I'd spent the best part of five days believing there was an outside chance I would get an interview with him, to mark a year since the attempt on his life in Butler, Pennsylvania.

My reporting from that shooting had made global headlines and probably caught the president's attention. So I judged that perhaps that connection might be a way of securing a presidential interview - pretty rare things for foreign news organisations in the US.

On Sunday night I was told I was minutes away from the call so my team and I were standing by ready to record, but it didn't come.

By last night, I'd given up on the interview happening and after a long few weeks on the road without a day off, I was exhausted and taking a nap. Then the phone rang.

I blearily answered, and the voice of Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt came over the speaker: "Hi Gary, I'm here with the president, here you go."

I dashed into my living room, scrambling for my digital recorder; the line dropped and I thought I'd lost it. But they came back on the line and I spent almost 20 minutes speaking to Trump about everything from that fateful night in Butler, to his frustrations with Vladimir Putin, to his new-found belief in Nato and to his view of the UK.

Here are my five key takeaways from our surprise conversation.

1. Trump shows a different side, touching on Butler

He was very reflective on a couple of things and he sounded pretty vulnerable talking about the assassination attempt - it's clear he's uncomfortable talking about that.

For a president often seen in public shooting from the hip, and loved by his supporters for doing so, there were moments of reflection and some long pauses before answers that are rarely seen.

When asked if the assassination attempt had changed him, the president conveyed a hint of vulnerability as he said he tries to think about it as little as he can.

"I don't like dwelling on it because if I did, it would be, you know, might be life-changing, I don't want it to have to be that."

Elaborating, he said he liked "the power of positive thinking, or the power of positive non-thinking".

There was also a very long pause when I asked him if he trusted Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Eventually he replied: "I trust almost nobody to be honest with you."

• I'm 'disappointed but not done' with Putin, Trump says

2. No commitment to US deportation numbers

Turning to domestic American politics, I asked whether the president's plan for mass deportations was working - both in terms of speed, and given that some individuals were being swept up who the president perhaps wouldn't want to see deported.

The president insisted his team had done a "great job" at fulfilling his campaign promises, citing the drastic decrease in migrants crossing into the US from southern neighbour Mexico.

Some of Trump's team have expressed frustration that deportations are being carried out too slowly. When I pushed him on the question of how many deportations in this second presidential term would mark a success, Trump refused to give a figure.

"Well I don't put a number on but I want to get the criminals out quickly, and we're doing that, as you know," he said. "We're bringing them to El Salvador, lots of other places."

3. More frustration with Putin

Trump expressed his frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin - capping off a day in which he threatened to hit Moscow's economy with secondary sanctions if a deal over the war in Ukraine was not reached within 50 days.

Having campaigned on a promise to quickly end the war, Trump seemed perplexed that he had not yet managed to strike an agreement with his Russian counterpart to end the years-long conflict.

He again indicated there was a gap between words and actions on Putin's part: "I thought we had a deal done four times and then you go home, and you see, just attacked a nursing home or something in Kyiv. I said: 'What the hell was that all about?'"

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders have long accused Putin of not being serious about ending the war. To them, feelings of doubt will be nothing new.

But, when I asked Trump whether he had finished with the Russian leader, he continued to leave the door open: "I'm not done with him, but I'm disappointed in him."

• Trump weapons pledge marks major step forward for Ukraine
• Rosenberg: Russia more relieved than rattled by US threat

4. New tone on Nato

I pointed out to Trump that he once suggested Nato was obsolete, and he replied that he now thought the Western military alliance was "becoming the opposite of that".

He was fresh from hosting Nato chief Mark Rutte - a man he seems to be able to work well with. The pair exchanged warm words in front of the world's cameras, and announced that the US would sell weapons to Nato which would then be passed on to Kyiv.

During our call, Trump indicated that he was shaking off his grudge that his country spent proportionately more on defence than its allies.

"It was very unfair because the United States paid for almost a hundred percent of it, but now they're paying their own bills and I think that's much better," he said, appearing to refer to a pledge last month by Nato members to ramp up defence spending to 5% of each country's economic output.

"We changed Nato a lot," he told me.

5. Respect for Starmer and UK

Trump emphasised his respect for the UK and its prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, with whom he last month signed an agreement to remove some trade barriers. "I really like the prime minister a lot, even though he's a liberal," Trump explained.

Trump emphasised that the relationship between the two countries was just as "special" as many Britons like to believe, adding that he believed the UK would fight alongside the US in a war.

He sounded relaxed over perceived slights against him. Although his state visit to the UK later this year will not entail a speech to Parliament, he was not insistent that lawmakers be recalled. "Let them go and have a good time," he said.

Trump labelled his future host King Charles "a great gentleman". He shrugged off a recent speech that was given to Canada's parliament by the monarch that was seen as an endorsement of Canadian sovereignty in the face of Trump's threats.

He even had a joke. "You have many different names you go by," he said. "England, if you want to cut off a couple of areas. And you go UK, and you have Britain and you have Great Britain. You got more names than any other country in history, I think."

The UK government set up a secret Afghan relocation scheme after the personal data of thousands of people was inadvertently leaked, it can be revealed.

A dataset containing the details of nearly 19,000 people who applied to move to the UK following the Taliban takeover of the country was released in error by a British defence official in February 2022.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) learned of the breach in August 2023 when some details were anonymously posted on Facebook.

Nearly 9,000 Afghans have arrived in the UK or are en route via the previously secret scheme, which is estimated to have cost £850m.

The existence of this confidential Afghan Response Route, which was established in April 2024, was kept confidential by an injunction but can now be reported following a High Court ruling on Tuesday.

The MoD declined to say how many have been arrested or killed as a result of the data breach.

Defence secretary John Healey is expected to confirm further details in the House of Commons later on Tuesday.

The unauthorised data breach was committed by an unnamed individual at the MoD. The data related to Afghans who worked with international forces following the 2001 invasion of the country.

As US troops completed their withdrawal in August 2021, the UK government set up Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap) scheme, which was designed to rapidly process applications by people who feared reprisals from the Taliban and move them to the UK.

But it emerged on Tuesday that thousands of those who applied for that scheme had sensitive personal data leaked by a British official.

Arap has already been heavily criticised in the years since it was launched, with a 2022 inquiry by the Foreign Affairs Committee finding it was a "disaster" and a "betrayal".

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.

Former Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker has emerged as the BBC's top paid presenter for the eighth year running, the corporation's annual report shows.

Lineker earned between £1,350,000 - £1,354,99 in the last financial year, followed by former Radio 2 breakfast host Zoe Ball on £515,000 - £519,999.

Lineker's salary remained the same as last year's, while Zoe Ball's has dropped from the previous year's £950,000-£954,999, reflecting her departure from the Radio 2 breakfast show to take up a new role fronting Saturday afternoons on the station.

The report comes as the BBC confirmed that several members of staff have been dismissed following a review into the corporation's culture which was published in April.

Samir Shah, chairman of the BBC, acknowledged that over the past year, there had been a "string of revelations" about abuses of power in the workplace.

The comments came following a report on Monday which upheld 45 allegations about TV presenter Gregg Wallace's behaviour on BBC show MasterChef.

Later on Monday, Wallace's co-host John Torode said a separate allegation against him of using racist language had also been upheld, as part of the same inquiry.

Star salaries

As usual, the BBC's annual report does not paint the full picture of what star presenters at the BBC earn.

A huge number are not listed because the corporation does not have to make public the salaries of stars who are paid through its commercial arm BBC Studios or via independent production companies.

• The stars you won't see on the BBC salaries list

Lineker signed off from his final edition of Match of the Day in May after 26 years in the hot seat and officially left the BBC.

He had been due to remain with the BBC to front coverage of the men's FA Cup and the World Cup, but in the end, left the corporation completely after apologising for sharing a social media post that included an illustration considered antisemitic.

His salary is still included in the BBC's latest annual report as he's only just left, but next year he will no longer be included.

Zoe Ball hosted her final Radio 2 breakfast show in December after six years in the slot, and earlier this year took up her new Saturday afternoon role.

Elsewhere, director general Tim Davie's salary has gone up by £20k from last year (£527) to £547k, representing a 3.8% pay rise.

The BBC's licence fee is set by the culture secretary Lisa Nandy.

This year income generated by the licence fee increased from £3.7 to £3.8bn after inflation.

The report stated there was a drop in the number of households paying for the licence fee, from 23,131,000 in 2024 to 22,772,000 in 2025 - a drop of 359,000.

This represents a decline of 1.56%, compared with last year's figure of 1.26%.

That number is holding up fairly well, declining less quickly than might be expected given the competition from streaming services.

The report also revealed 50% of UK adults think the BBC is effective at providing news and current affairs that is impartial, an uptick of 5% on last year's 45% of those surveyed.

A further 63% of UK adults think the BBC is effective at providing news and current affairs is accurate, compared to last year's 59%.

The number of adults using BBC services weekly last year declined slightly from 75% to 74%, though 70% of under 16s use BBC services including TV, iPlayer, radio and online content on a weekly basis.

Of those platforms, iPlayer is the fastest growing platform for long-form content.

The report also showed that 10 out of 10 of Christmas Day top shows were from the BBC - but that includes King's speech which is also broadcast on other channels.

The BBC's annual report comes in the wake of a series of controversies faced by the corporation. As well as Masterchef, they include Glastonbury and the decision to broadcast Bob Vylan's set.

Earlier this year, a documentary, Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, was pulled from iPlayer after it emerged its 13-year-old narrator was the son of a Hamas official.

On Monday, a report concluded the documentary breached editorial guidelines on accuracy.

It stated the BBC bears "some responsibility" for "not being sufficiently proactive" in the early stages of the project, and for a "lack of critical oversight of unanswered or partially answered questions" - although the the party with most responsibility for this failure".

Data showing the immigration status of those claiming universal credit (UC) - a benefit designed to help both employed and unemployed people with living costs - has been published for the first time.

In June, nearly eight million people received universal credit, 83.6% of whom were British and Irish nationals.

More than a million claimants were born overseas, including around 700,000 EU citizens who arrived in the UK before Brexit and have the right to live and work in the UK.

Around 1.5% of claimants were refugees and 0.7% had arrived in the UK via safe routes such as those for Ukrainians and Afghans.

More than 75,000 claimants who are in the UK temporarily and would typically not be able to receive benefits are also claiming UC. The BBC has asked the Department for Work and Pensions for more information.

The figures were published following pressure from some Conservatives and the independent MP Rupert Lowe.

A Downing Street spokesperson said the prime minister wanted to see the number of claimants reduced and insisted the government was "toughening up the system" by doubling the time a migrant has to wait before qualifying for permanent - or settled - status in the UK.

They added that people in the UK illegally are not allowed to access UC.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said the "staggering figures" were "clear proof that the Labour government has lost control of our welfare system".

"Under Kemi Badenoch, we've set out a clear, common-sense position. This is about fairness, responsibility and protecting support for those who've contributed to this country," he said.

The Conservatives have said foreign nationals should not get the personal independence payment (Pip) disability benefit or the health element of UC.

Lowe said the publication of the data was a "huge win" for those who had "relentlessly pushed for this".

He described the levels of foreign nationals claiming UC as "absolute insanity" adding: "We cannot afford it. The country is BROKE."

A grandfather and grandmother have been found guilty of murdering their two-year-old grandson.

Ethan Ives-Griffiths, two, from Garden City in Flintshire, died on 16 August 2021 after suffering a "catastrophic" head injury.

Ethan's grandfather Michael Ives, 47, and grandmother Kerry Ives, 46, were both convicted of murder after a trial at Mold Crown Court.

Ethan's mother Shannon Ives, 28, from Mold, was also found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child and cruelty to a child.

Michael and Kerry Ives have also been found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child and cruelty to a child.

During a seven week trial, the jury was shown CCTV installed in the Ives' garden which showed Ethan apparently struggling for balance while other children bounced around him.

In several clips, he was seen lying on his side and despite getting to his feet, was seen falling repeatedly.

At one point, his mother Shannon climbed on the trampoline and bounced, causing Ethan to fall.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

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Two-year-old Ethan Ives-Griffiths arrived at hospital covered in bruises, thin and malnourished, and with a severe brain injury.

There was nothing more the medical team could do to save him so, two days later on 16 August 2021, his life-support machine was turned off.

It would be nearly four years before what happened to Ethan was finally revealed in what senior detectives described as one of the most difficult investigations they had ever faced.

"What happened, happened behind closed doors," said Det Supt Chris Bell from North Wales Police.

"Nobody has been prepared to tell the truth."

Warning: This article contains details that readers may find distressing.

Over the course of more than a month, jurors at Mold Crown Court learned how Ethan came to die.

Shockingly, it was at the hands of his own grandfather Michael Ives, with Ethan's grandmother Kerry making a pact with her husband to hide what happened.

On Tuesday, the pair were found guilty of murder and child cruelty.

Ethan's mother Shannon Ives also played her role, with the jury deciding she did nothing to prevent her son's death and, in her own way, was just as responsible for the cruelty he suffered.

She was convicted of causing or allowing the death of a child and child cruelty.

Ethan went to live with his grandparents towards the end of June 2021 after a domestic dispute which saw Shannon separate from her son's father, Will Griffiths.

A few weeks later, Shannon also moved in with her parents at their home on Kingsley Road in Garden City, Flintshire.

Kerry Ives told her trial that Ethan was a "a bubbly little child" and "chubby" when he arrived in their home, but that all changed over the next two months.

By the time Ethan was taken to hospital on the night of 14 August, he was painfully thin.

Doctors discovered he was covered in bruises and injury marks - 40 in total - as well as being dangerously dehydrated, with cracked, dry lips.

The jury heard nursing staff thought Ethan looked "very malnourished" with paediatric nurse Antonia Chaddar telling them he "seemed like a child that hadn't been looked after".

She added: "He had a pot belly you would see in very malnourished children. I see a lot of children who are ill and they don't look like that."

Medical evidence also revealed the true extent of the head injuries suffered by Ethan.

Paediatric neurosurgeon at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool, Jayaratnam Jayamohan, said the whole of Ethan's brain was very swollen and he was essentially "having a stroke to a whole half of his brain".

He told the trial any operation to save Ethan would have been "hopeful" at best and he was "probably going to die".

"Sadly, everything was stacked against him by this point."

Asked how the fatal injury suffered by Ethan would have been caused, Mr Jayamhohan said there were two potential explanations.

Either Ethan had been subjected to an impact or "physical contact" such as a fist, hand or knee, or he could have been "shaken vigorously".

It was the job of North Wales Police's major incident team to find out who was responsible - and their focus was on Ethan's grandparents and mother.

Det Supt Bell said it was clear that the fatal injury Ethan suffered was no accident, and all the medical evidence pointed towards an almost instantaneous act.

They were also able to confirm that Ethan's mother Shannon had been upstairs on her phone at the time Ethan collapsed.

"The only people that were inside that room - and it's not in doubt, it's from their own evidence themselves - was Kerry and Michael," said Det Supt Bell.

He said he was convinced that the couple "developed a pact" between themselves to hide the truth, with an ambulance not called for nearly 20 minutes after Ethan collapsed.

"I think Kerry has stuck to a pact to defend Michael and only she can answer why that might be."

Both Kerry and Michael Ives denied they were responsible.

"I loved him," claimed Michael Ives in court.

When his wife was pressed, she told the jury: "It wasn't me or Michael."

Asked who it could have been, Kerry Ives responded: "Nobody."

During the trial, both grandparents attempted to deflect blame to their daughter, claiming she was quick tempered and would hit Ethan - an allegation she rejected.

Shannon Ives said she blamed her father Michael for Ethan's death, telling the court that she hated him and was scared of him.

While blame was being thrown everywhere by the Ives, the investigation team had crucial evidence - the family home was covered by CCTV cameras.

It was this footage that was critical to showing how Ethan was treated - in particular by Michael Ives.

"We had around 1,100 hours of footage from three different cameras front and back, 24 hours a day, that gave us a real insight, a detailed high-definition insight into what was happening to Ethan," explained Det Con Lee Harshey-Jones.

"The CCTV clearly shows Michael Ives was the main physical abuser of Ethan."

Ethan is seen being placed or taken from the family car by his grandfather, held by just one arm.

It happened repeatedly, including harrowing footage of Ethan being pulled from a trampoline in the back garden and carried the length of the lawn by one arm.

"You held him like a rag doll, didn't you," barrister Gordon Cole KC asked Ives.

He replied: "Yeah."

Asked why he had carried him in that way, he said: "No reason. There's no excuse, I know."

Quizzed in court, Michael Ives admitted being "cruel and neglectful" but claimed he was "ashamed" about how he was captured carrying Ethan.

Other CCTV showed Ethan stood with his hands on his head, which the court was told was a hallmark punishment from his grandfather.

Shannon Ives told police Ethan would be made to stand in the corner of the room for up to two hours by her father and slapped if he moved.

All three, under oath and in front of the jury, accepted more should have been done to get Ethan help and protect him.

"I should've done more," agreed Michael Ives.

"Contacted the social worker, got him to a doctor's, got him checked."

Kerry Ives told the jury she regretted that she and Shannon did nothing to protect Ethan from Michael Ives "every day".

"I regret I didn't do more for the baby," she said.

The trial also heard how help was thwarted at every turn.

Ethan had been placed on a child protection register, which meant he should have been seen every 10 days by a social worker.

He was seen just once towards the end of July at the Ives' home, where it was noted he was a "small two-year-old boy who was quite shy".

A return visit was booked for 5 August, but the social worker was turned away on the doorstep and told the household was isolating due to Covid, and Ethan was asleep.

Another visit was booked for 12 August, but no-one answered the door or phone calls.

Quizzed in court Shannon Ives admitted these excuses were lies and that if social workers had seen "how skinny he was" then Ethan would have been taken into care.

A day later, events began to spiral out of control and a final opportunity to save Ethan was lost.

The toddler collapsed for the first time on 13 August, becoming unresponsive for at least five minutes before recovering.

Instead of seeking medical help, Ethan was taken shopping.

His mother also cancelled an appointment for a health visitor to see him the same day.

The next evening, the Ives were dialling 999 as Ethan lay motionless on the living room floor again.

This time he never recovered.

'I just can't forget about it'

The convictions mark the end of what police have described as an emotional investigation.

DC Harshey-Jones said it had affected the entire team: "I can't just leave it in the office and forget about it for the weekend. I'll take it home with me in my mind.

"It won't be a case I'll be able to forget easily."

"I personally feel very proud that we were able to do that for Ethan. He had his life ahead of him and he didn't deserve any of what happened to him."

Det Supt Bell said Michael and Kerry Ives stuck to their pact of silence and had shown no remorse, which he said left him "numb".

"It should have been the safest place for Ethan. It should have been somewhere he can be loved, where he can express himself, where he can develop a safe space to have fun," he said.

"It wasn't the case. In fact it appears he was treated completely differently to everyone else and only Michael and Kerry can answer as to why that was."

• If you have been affected by the issues raised in this story you can visit the BBC Action Line for details of organisations who can offer support

The BBC has published the salaries of its highest-paid stars as part of its annual report.

Ex-Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker, who departed in May after apologising for reposting a social media post about Zionism that included an illustration considered antisemitic, was again the corporation's top earner in the region of £1,350,000 - £1,354,99 - the same amount as the previous year.

He is followed by former Radio 2 breakfast host Zoe Ball, who also left her BBC Radio 2 breakfast show in December - three quarters of the way through the financial year meaning her salary is lower than last year - but having already earned approximately £515,000 - £519,999. In May, she began hosting a Saturday show on the same station.

Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer, in third place, took home £440,000 - £444,999, while in fourth, Radio 1 presenter Greg James received £425,000 - £429,999. Fifth on the list is Question Time host Fiona Bruce who earned £410,000 - £414,999. The wages of all three increased year-on-year.

Some famous BBC faces such as Rylan Clark, Claudia Winkleman, David Mitchell and Rob Brydon don't make the list as the BBC does not have to disclose the salaries of stars who are paid through production companies like BBC Studios , which is classed as a commercial entity.

• Who's missing from the BBC salaries list, and why?
• BBC pay 2023-2024: The full list of star salaries

Here are the list of presenters who earned more than £178,000, according to the BBC's accounts.

The ▼, ▲ and ➤ icons show whether their salary has moved up, down or remained the same. A ★ icon represents a presenter making a new appearance or re-entry onto the list.

➤ Gary Lineker - £1,350,000 - £1,354,99

Match of the Day, Premier League, FA Cup, Sports Personality of the Year

2023/2024: £1,350,000-£1,354,999

2022/2023: £1,350,000-£1,354,999

2021/2022: £1,350,000-£1,354,999

▼Zoe Ball - £515,000 - £519,999

Radio 2's Zoe Ball Breakfast Show

2023/2024: £950,000-£954,999

2022/2023: £980,000-£984,999

2021/2022: £980,000-£984,999

▲Alan Shearer - £440,000 - £444,999

Match of the Day: Premier League, FA Cup

2023/2024: £380,000-£384,999

2022/2023: £445,000-£449,999

2021/2022: £450,000-£454,999

▲Greg James - £425,000 - £429,999

Radio 1 Breakfast Show

2023/2024: £415,000- £419,999

2022/2023: £395,000- £399,999

2021/2022: £390,000-£394,999

▲Fiona Bruce - £410,000 - £414,999

Question Time and presenting on BBC One

2023/2024: 405,000 - £409,000

2022/2023: £395,000-£399,999

2021/2022: £410,000-£414,999

▲Nick Robinson - £410,000 - £414,999

Radio 4's Today programme, Radio 4's Political Thinking podcast

2023/2024: £345,000 - £349,000

2022/2023: £275,000 - £279,999

2021/2022: £270,000-£274,999

➤Stephen Nolan - £405,000 - £409,999

The Nolan Show on Radio Ulster, Nolan Live on BBC One (Northern Ireland), The Stephen Nolan Show on 5 Live

2023/2024: £405,000-£409,999

2022/2023: £400,000-£404,999

2021/2022: £415,000-£419,999

▲Laura Kuenssberg - £395,000 - £399,999

Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, documentary series

2023/2024: £325,000 - £329,999

2022/2023: £305,000 - £309,999

2021/2022: £260,000-£264,999

▲Vernon Kay - £390,000 - £394,999

Radio 2 mid-morning show, Radio 2's Dance Sounds of the 90s

2023/2024: £320,000 - £324,999

▲Justin Webb - £365,000 - £369,999

Radio 4's Today programme, Americast podcast

2023/2024: £320,000 – 324,999

2022/2023: £280,000 - £284,999

2021/2022: £255,000-£259,999

▲Scott Mills - £355,000 - £359,999

Radio 2 early afternoon show and now breakfast show, plus Pop Top 10 on BBC Sounds and other appearances.

2023/2024: £315,000 - £319,999

2022/2023: £300,000 - £304,999

2021/2022: £400,000-£404,999

▲Naga Munchetty - £355,000 - £359,999

BBC Breakfast, Radio 5 Live's Naga Munchetty Programme, UK general election

2023/2024: £345,000 - £349,999

2022/2023: £335,000 - £339,999

2021/2022: £365,000-£369,999

▲Sophie Raworth - £350,000 - £354,999

BBC News at Six, BBC News at Ten. UK General Election

2023/2024: £325,000 - £329,999

2022/2023: £365,000 - £369,999

2021/2022: £305,000-£309,999

▲Clive Myrie - £335,000 - £339,999

BBC News at One, Six and Ten and UK General Election, Music Matters on Radio 3.

2023/2024: £310,000 - £314,999

2022/2023: £285,000 - £289,999

2021/2022: £255,000-£259,999

▼Mishal Husain - 325,000 - £329,999

Radio 4's Today programme, BBC One presenting, Today debates for Radio 4 and other projects. UK General Election debates

2023/2024: £340,000 - £344,999

2022/2023: £315,000 - £319,999

2021/2022: £275,000-£279,999

▲Mark Chapman - £325,000 - £329,999

Radio 5 Live Sport, Match of the Day 2, Challenge Cup, European Football Championships, Olympics

2023/2024: £260,000 - £264,999

2022/2023: £325,000 - £329,999

2021/2022: £250,000-£254,999

▲Amol Rajan - £315,000 - £319,999

Radio 4's Today programme, Amol Rajan Interviews, Radio 4’s Rethink, The Today Podcast

2023/2024: £310,000 - £314,999

2022/2023: £335,000 - £339,999

2021/2022: £325,000-£329,999

▲Jeremy Vine - £310,000 - £314,99

Radio 2 shows and News Election shows

2023/2024: £285,000 - £289,999

2022/2023: £285,000 - £289,999

2021/2022: £290,000-£294,999

▼Sara Cox - £310,000 - £314,99

Radio 2 early evening show. Various other engagements across public service

2023/2024: £315,000 – 319,999

2022/2023: £285,000 - £289,999

2021/2022: £275,000-£279,999

▲Nicky Campbell - £300,000 - £304,999

Radio 5 Live Nicky Campbell Show, Different

2023/2024: £295,000 - £299,999

2022/2023: £295,000 - £299,999

2021/2022: £295,000-£299,999

▲Evan Davis - £300,000 - £304,999

Radio 4's PM and Radio 4's The Bottom Line

2023/2024: £290,000 - £294,999

2022/2023: £280,000 - £284,999

2021/2022: £270,000-£274,999

▲Reeta Chakrabarti - £300,000 - £304,999

News at One, Six and Ten. UK General Election

2023/2024: £270,000 - £274,999

2022/2023: £215,000 - £219,999

2021/2022: £200,000-£204,999

▲Ros Atkins: £295,000 - £299,999

Analysis Editor, The Media Show

2023/2024: £290,000 - £294,999

2022/2023: £260,000 - £264,999

▲Tina Daheley - £295,000 - £299,99

Radio 2 Breakfast Show, cover for Jeremy Vine, BBC One News Bulletins, BBC Breakfast

2023/2024: £270,000 - £274,999

2022/2023: £240,000 - £244,999

*Emma Barnett - £285,000 - £289,999

Presentation days, Woman's Hour and multiplatform interviews

▼Victoria Derbyshire - £275,000 - £279,999

Newsnight, Ukrainecast podcast

2023/2024: £295,000 - £299,999

2022/2023: £295,000 - £299,999

2021/2022: £240,000-£244,999

▲Chris Mason - £270,000 - £274,999

Political editor

2023/2024: £260,000 - £264,999

2022/2023: £225,000 - £229,999

▲Jeremy Bowen - £260,000 - £264,99

International Editor

2023/2024: £240,000 - £244,999

2022/2023: £230,000 - £234,999

2021/2022: £230,000-£234,999

▲Sarah Montague - £250,000 - £254,999

Radio 4's World at One, HARDtalk cover, multiplatform interviews

2023/2024: £245,000 - £249,999

2022/2023: £245,000 - £249,999

2021/2022: £245,000-£249,999

▲Trevor Nelson - £245,000 - £249,999

Radio 2's Rhythm Nation, plus other shows on Radio 2 and 1Xtra and other engagements

2023/2024: £235,000 - £239,999

2022/2023: £240,000 - £244,999

2021/2022: £210,000-£214,999

▲Katya Adler - £240,000 - £244,999

Europe Editor, The Global Story podcast

2023/2024: £230,000 - £234,999

2022/2023: £225,000 - £229,999

2021/2022: £215,000-£219,999

Jon Kay – £240,000 - £244,999

BBC Breakfast, Radio 4 Pick of the Week, Radio 4 Saturday Live, Radio 4 Podcast Fairy Meadow, UK General Election

2023/2024: £225,000 - £229,999

▼Faisal Islam - £235,000 - £239,999

Economics editor, Newsnight cover

2023/2024: £260,000 - £264,999

2022/2023: £230,000 - £234,999

2021/2022: £240,000-£244,999

▲Fergal Keane - £235,000 - £239,999

Special Correspondent

2023/2024: £225,000 - £229,999

2022/2023: £215,000 - £219,999

2021/2022: £210,000-£214,999

▲Rick Edwards – £235,000 - £239,999

5 Live Breakfast Show, Fighting Talk, 5 Live Football coverage

2023/2024: £215,000 - £219,999

2022/2023: £178,000 - £184,999

▼Jo Whiley - £230,000 - £234,999

Radio 2 evening show, and other engagements

2023/2024: £245,000 - £249,999

2022/2023: £230,000 - £234,999

2021/2022: £265,000-£269,999

▼Jason Mohammad - £230,000 - £234,999

Daily BBC Wales programme, Final Score, Radio 2's Good Morning Sunday

2023/2024: £245,000 - £249,999

2022/2023: £255,000 - £259,999

2021/2022: £285,000-£289,999

▲Sarah Smith - £230,000 - £234,999

North America Editor

2023/2024: £225,000 - £229,999

2022/2023: £220,000 - £224,999

▼Simon Jack - £225,000 - £229,999

Business Editor, Radio 4 Today cover, podcasts

2023/2024: £240,000 - £244,999

2022/2023: £210,000 - £214,999

2021/2022: £205,000-£209,999

➤Rachel Burden - £220,000 - £224,99

5Live Breakfast Show, BBC Breakfast.

2023/2024: £220,000 - £224,999

2022/2023: £195,000 - £195,999

*Katie Razzall - £220,000 - £224,99

Media and culture editor, and The Media Show plus Newsnight cover

▲Mark Easton – £210,000 - £214,999

Home Editor

2023/2024: £205,000 - £209,999

2022/2023: £195,000 - £195,999

▲Stephen Sackur – £210,000 - £214,999

HARDtalk interviews

2023/2024: £200,000 - £204,999

2022/2023: £190,000 - £194,999

*Orla Guerin - £210,000 - £214,999

Senior international correspondent

▼Ben Thompson - £205,000 - £209,999

BBC Business presentation, BBC Breakfast presentation, BBC News Channel presentation cover

2023/2024: £225,000 - £229,999

▼Christian Fraser - £205,000 - £209,999

Presentation days, Newsnight cover and UK General Election

▼Alex Scott - 205,000 - £209,999

Football Focus, Women's Super League, European Football Championship, Sports Personality of the Year

2023/2024: £220,000 - £224,999

2022/2023: £185,000 - £189,999

➤Lyse Doucet - £205,000 - £209,999

Chief International Correspondent

2023/2024: £205,000 - £209,999

2022/2023: £205,000 - £209,999

*Jonny Dymond - £205,000 - £209,999

Royal correspondent and Radio 4 programmes including the World at One

▲Chris Sutton - £200,000 - £204,999

BBC Radio 5 live Sport, 606, Football Focus, Final Score

2023/2024: £190,000 - £194,999

*Lucy Hockings - £200,000 - £204,999

Presentation days, Global Story podcast, Ukrainecast cover

*Ben Brown - £200,000 - £204,999

BBC News at One and News channel

*Matthew Amroliwal - £200,000 - £204,999

Presentation days

*Sally Nugent - £200,000 - £204,999

Presentation days and UK General Election

*Jane Hill - £200,000 - £204,999

Presentation days, and The World Tonight on Radio 4

The rest of the list:

£195,000 - £199,999

Owain Wyn Evans - Radio 2 early breakfast show

Maryam Moshi - presentation days

Sally Bundock - business presentation days

Annita McVeigh, presentation days

£190,000 - £194,999

Charlie Stayt - BBC Breakfast

John Simpson - World Affairs editor, Unspun World with John Simpson

Craig Charles - 6 Music daytime show and Funk and Soul show

£185,000 - £189,999

Catriona Perry - presentation days (USA), The President's Path

podcast, Global Story podcast

Sumi Somaskan - presentation days (USA), The President's Path

podcast, Global Story podcast

£178,000 - £184,999

Gary Davies - Radio 2 Sounds of the 80s, Radio 2 cover

Steven Lai - presentation days (Singapore)

Charlie Hedges - shows on Radio 1 including Dance Anthems

The UK government set up a secret Afghan relocation scheme after the personal data of thousands of people was inadvertently leaked, it can be revealed.

A dataset containing the details of nearly 19,000 people who applied to move to the UK following the Taliban takeover of the country was released in error by a British defence official in February 2022.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) learned of the breach in August 2023 when some details were anonymously posted on Facebook.

Nearly 9,000 Afghans have arrived in the UK or are en route via the previously secret scheme, which is estimated to have cost £850m.

The existence of this confidential Afghan Response Route, which was established in April 2024, was kept confidential by an injunction but can now be reported following a High Court ruling on Tuesday.

The MoD declined to say how many have been arrested or killed as a result of the data breach.

Defence secretary John Healey is expected to confirm further details in the House of Commons later on Tuesday.

The unauthorised data breach was committed by an unnamed individual at the MoD. The data related to Afghans who worked with international forces following the 2001 invasion of the country.

As US troops completed their withdrawal in August 2021, the UK government set up Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap) scheme, which was designed to rapidly process applications by people who feared reprisals from the Taliban and move them to the UK.

But it emerged on Tuesday that thousands of those who applied for that scheme had sensitive personal data leaked by a British official.

Arap has already been heavily criticised in the years since it was launched, with a 2022 inquiry by the Foreign Affairs Committee finding it was a "disaster" and a "betrayal".

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

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