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Israel says it regrets deadly strike on Catholic Church in Gaza

Reuters A priest stands in the Holy Family Church in Gaza as a mourner receives blessings during a funeral for those killed in the strike - 17 July 2025Reuters
Mourners attend the funeral of Palestinians who were killed in an Israeli strike on the Holy Family Church

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said his country "deeply regrets that a stray ammunition" hit Gaza's only Catholic Church, killing three people sheltering there.

"Every innocent life lost is a tragedy. We share the grief of the families and the faithful," he said in a statement.

The incident happened on Thursday when an Israeli strike hit the Holy Family Church in Gaza City. Several people were also injured, said the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem which oversees the small parish.

Pope Leo XIV said he was "deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life and injury", renewing his call for a Gaza ceasefire.

In his statement, Netanyahu said Israel was "investigating the incident and remains committed to protecting civilians and holy sites".

In a statement later on Thursday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said: "An initial inquiry into reports regarding injured individuals in the Holy Family Church in Gaza City, suggests that fragments from a shell fired during operational activity in the area hit the church mistakenly. The cause of the incident is under review.

"The IDF directs its strikes solely at military targets and makes every feasible effort to mitigate harm to civilians and religious structures, and regrets any unintentional damage caused to them," the statement added.

Earlier in the day, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said US President Donald Trump did not have a "positive reaction" to the attack on the church.

Trump called Netanyahu to discuss the incident on Thursday morning. During the call, Netanyahu described the attack as a "mistake", Leavitt cited him as saying.

The Patriarchate said the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, was a part of those who had been injured in the attack.

It said that people found a "sanctuary" in the church "hoping that the horrors of war might at least spare their lives after their homes, possessions, and dignity had already been stripped away".

It added that the "war must come to a complete end".

Child dies and 21 injured after school coach crash

PA Media A female police officer in uniform talks to local residents standing next to a police car in Wheddon Cross in Somerset after a coach crashPA Media
A huge emergency service operation was set up in response to the crash

A child has died and two others have been seriously injured after a coach bringing pupils back from an end-of-term school trip overturned and fell 20ft from a road.

Avon and Somerset Police declared a major incident after the accident at Cutcombe Hill near Wheddon Cross in Somerset at about 15:00 BST.

The coach was carrying about 70 people, many of them pupils from Minehead Middle School, with 21 passengers in total taken to hospital.

Ch Supt Mark Edgington said: "Today's events are truly tragic. We know the community will be utterly devastated by this news."

Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer said on X: "A heartbreaking update on the school bus crash in Somerset. There are no adequate words to acknowledge the death of a child.

"All my thoughts are with their parents, family and friends, and all those affected. Thank you to the emergency workers who are responding at pace — I'm being kept up to date on this situation."

Police confirm death of one child, after Minehead school bus crash

In a joint press conference involving police, the fire service and ambulance service held at Bridgwater Police Station at 21:00 BST, journalists were told the coach fell 20ft (six metres) down a slope near Wheddon Cross, and firefighters had to work to free dozens of trapped passengers.

Three air ambulances were sent to the scene, along with more than 20 ambulances.

Wayne Darch, Deputy Director of Operations for South West Ambulance Service, said: "Sadly one child was pronounced dead at the scene."

Many passengers either sustained minor injuries or were physically unharmed and were transferred to a rest centre, police added.

An off-duty firefighter who was travelling behind the coach was able to help the passengers before the emergency services arrived.

'Extremely difficult circumstances'

Gavin Ellis of Devon and Somerset Fire & Rescue Service told the assembled media: "Our crews carried out a number of extrications and rescues in extremely difficult circumstances, and they also supported our ambulance colleagues with casualty treatment."

Police said the large majority of passengers were taken to a rest centre in Wheddon Cross and that the authorities were working with Minehead Middle School, where officers have been posted, to help return them at the earliest opportunity.

Avon and Somerset Police said an investigation into the cause of the crash will take place and they have urged witnesses to come forward.

Peter Prior-Sankey, director of coach company Ridlers, said their 70-seater vehicle was involved in Thursday's crash.

"We have since been liaising with both the school, and the emergency services, while we try to understand the extent of the incident," he said.

"Our hearts of course go out to the school pupils and to our driver. We will be doing everything possible to understand what has happened."

Aerial image of area the crash happened. A yellow line represents where the bus was travelling along.
The crash happened on the eastern edge of Exmoor

A resident who lives near the crash scene has described the incident as "horrendous".

They told the BBC: "The coach has gone down the slope. It's pretty steep around here and it's a big coach.

"There are no barriers along there or anything. We're used to it, you don't even notice it."

Local MP Rachel Gilmour said in a statement: "It's just unimaginable. You wave your children off, on an end of term school trip and then this happens.

"I visited Minehead Middles School about six weeks ago. It's a fantastic, loving kind school, with enthusiastic and confident children. I just know that our community will pull together."

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Israel says it regrets deadly strike on Catholic Church in Gaza

Reuters A priest stands in the Holy Family Church in Gaza as a mourner receives blessings during a funeral for those killed in the strike - 17 July 2025Reuters
Mourners attend the funeral of Palestinians who were killed in an Israeli strike on the Holy Family Church

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said his country "deeply regrets that a stray ammunition" hit Gaza's only Catholic Church, killing three people sheltering there.

"Every innocent life lost is a tragedy. We share the grief of the families and the faithful," he said in a statement.

The incident happened on Thursday when an Israeli strike hit the Holy Family Church in Gaza City. Several people were also injured, said the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem which oversees the small parish.

Pope Leo XIV said he was "deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life and injury", renewing his call for a Gaza ceasefire.

In his statement, Netanyahu said Israel was "investigating the incident and remains committed to protecting civilians and holy sites".

In a statement later on Thursday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said: "An initial inquiry into reports regarding injured individuals in the Holy Family Church in Gaza City, suggests that fragments from a shell fired during operational activity in the area hit the church mistakenly. The cause of the incident is under review.

"The IDF directs its strikes solely at military targets and makes every feasible effort to mitigate harm to civilians and religious structures, and regrets any unintentional damage caused to them," the statement added.

Earlier in the day, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said US President Donald Trump did not have a "positive reaction" to the attack on the church.

Trump called Netanyahu to discuss the incident on Thursday morning. During the call, Netanyahu described the attack as a "mistake", Leavitt cited him as saying.

The Patriarchate said the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, was a part of those who had been injured in the attack.

It said that people found a "sanctuary" in the church "hoping that the horrors of war might at least spare their lives after their homes, possessions, and dignity had already been stripped away".

It added that the "war must come to a complete end".

Former HSBC trader has fraud conviction overturned

Reuters Mark Johnson looks sterm in glasses and a green shirtReuters

A British trader who was jailed in the United States for allegedly manipulating foreign exchange rates has had his conviction overturned after a nine-year struggle for justice.

Former HSBC trader Mark Johnson, 59, has fought to establish his innocence ever since he was convicted of fraud in 2017 in connection with a large foreign exchange trade six years earlier.

He served time in jail in US federal prisons and in Wandsworth prison in the UK, exhausting avenues of appeal before being released on license in 2022.

After the US courts in 2023 overturned a law that was used to prosecute him, he launched a fresh appeal, which has now been allowed by a US appeal court, granting him a full acquittal.

Mr Johnson's US lawyer Alexandra Shapiro said: "We are delighted that justice has finally been achieved for Mark Johnson, after a nine-year ordeal. This is a case that never should have been brought."

Prosecutors at Mark Johnson's trial alleged he had conspired with a colleague to increase the price of sterling against the dollar before executing a huge foreign exchange trade for HSBC's client Cairn Energy, converting $3.5bn into pounds.

They alleged that on behalf of HSBC, Mr Johnson arranged to buy sterling in advance, inflating the currency's value so that the bank made a quick gain before executing the trade for its client at a higher price – so called 'front-running'.

Following his conviction a foreign exchange industry body, ACI Financial Markets Association, petitioned the court, protesting that purchasing a currency ahead of a large trade was a normal industry practice to manage a bank's risk, known in the industry as 'pre-hedging'.

"Mr. Johnson carried out the Cairn transaction consistent with industry practice and in violation of no law or rule, and he looks forward to moving on with his life," said Ms Shapiro.

Mr. Johnson, a father of five from Hampshire, was originally arrested on 19 July 2016 as he accompanied his son and a friend to JFK Airport on his way home to the UK and was later tried and convicted on 18 October 2017.

His arrest took place three days after demands in Congress for the US government to pursue the prosecution of HSBC employees who had avoided facing justice.

Those calls were prompted by a congressional report, Too Big to Jail, which revealed that the British government had secretly intervened on HSBC's behalf in 2012, when the bank face the risk of prosecution for helping a Mexican drug cartel launder £881m and for facilitating trades with US-sanctioned countries such as Iran, Libya and Sudan.

Senior executives at HSBC had urged him to accept a new role in the US in March 2016, four months before his subsequent arrest. Because he was arrested in the US, it meant that there was no need for extradition proceedings.

By contrast his alleged co-conspirator, Stuart Scott, contested extradition to the US and won his hearing. The US Department of Justice later withdrew the charges against him.

Slushies unsafe for children under seven, UK watchdog warns

Getty Images A boy pours a slushy from one of a row of slushy machines into a plastic cup. He wears a blue shirt.Getty Images

Children under seven years old should not have shop-bought slushies over health concerns about a chemical they contain, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has said.

The government watchdog said slushed ice drinks containing glycerol - a type of sweetener - were unsafe for young children, and consumption of them should be limited for children aged between seven and 10.

Most slushies contain naturally occurring glycerol instead of sugar to stop them freezing solid, giving them the slushy effect.

The FSA said consuming large amounts of it can cause side-effects, including headaches and sickness, low blood sugar levels, shock, and loss of consciousness in children.

Prof Robin May, the FSA's chief scientific advisor, said: "While these drinks may seem harmless and side effects are generally mild, they can, especially when consumed in large quantities over a short time, pose serious health risks to young children."

The fresh FSA guidance comes following research indicating children under eight should completely avoid drinking slushies.

It studied the cases of 21 two- to seven-year-olds in the UK and Ireland who needed A&E treatment after becoming acutely ill within an hour of having the drinks, mostly between 2018 and 2024.

The children all recovered and were discharged from hospital.

Dr Duane Mellor from the British Dietetic Association told the BBC that it was "relatively rare" for children to suffer ill side-effects after drinking slushies containing glycerol.

The registered dietician said the "heat of the day", dehydration and a child being excited could "exacerbate" symptoms linked to consuming the drink.

He recommended that children have water or cold milk as alternatives to slushies - or if they want a sweet drink, fruit flavoured water with ice cubes, a diet drink or a low-sugar ice lolly.

The FSA's updated guidance is stricter than its previous advice, which said that under-fives should avoid slushies.

It now also says children aged seven to 10 should have no more than one 350ml slushy drink - "roughly the size of a fizzy drink can" - a day.

"We are asking parents and carers to take extra care when buying drinks for young children, particularly during warmer months when consumption of 'slushies' typically increases," said Prof May.

This guidance also applies to ready-to-drink slushy pouches and make-at-home kits of slushy concentrates.

The FSA says its guidance should be on a "written warning at [the] point of sale" and that producers should make the drinks with the "minimum quantity" of glycerol "technically necessary to achieve the required 'slush' drink effect".

It also recommends against vendors offering free slushy refills in venues where children under the age of 10 would likely consume them.

Citizen Kane sled saved from destruction sells for nearly $15m

Getty Images Rosebud the sled from the movie Citizen Kane on display at the new Academy Museum in Los Angeles, CA Tuesday, September 21, 2021Getty Images
One Rosebud sled was bought by legendary director Steven Spielberg, which he later donated to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures

A prop central to the celebrated opening scene of Citizen Kane - widely regarded as one of the best films ever made - has sold at auction for $14.75m (£11m).

The wooden Rosebud sled, one of at least three known to have survived, was long thought to have been lost until it was given to director Joe Dante in 1984, saving it from destruction.

He went on to use it as a reference for fans (known as an Easter egg) in films he directed, including Gremlins 2: The New Batch.

It is now the second most expensive piece of memorabilia to have ever been sold - a pair of ruby slippers used in The Wizard of Oz sold for $32m (£23.9) in December.

"Along with Dorothy's ruby slippers, the Rosebud sled from Citizen Kane is one of the most iconic objects in Hollywood history," Joe Maddalena, executive vice president at Heritage Auctions, which held the action, told its magazine the Intelligent Collector.

The identity of the sled's buyer was not revealed.

Getty Images Young Charles Foster Kane (Buddy Swan) shakes hands with Walter Parks Thatcher (George Coulouris) as his parents (Harry Shannon and Agnes Moorehead) watch in Citizen KaneGetty Images
The secret of the name Rosebud is pivotal to the plot of Citizen Kane, which was released in 1941

Other Rosebuds made for the film have been sold in the past, including one to legendary director Steven Spielberg, who later donated it to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles.

However, the version sold on Thursday had not been seen for many years until it ended up in the hands of Dante.

He told Heritage auctions how he was making the film Explorers in 1984 on the same studio that was formerly owned by RKO Radio Pictures, which produced Citizen Kane.

Dante said crews were on site clearing out storage areas when one worker, who knew he liked vintage films, asked if he wanted it.

"I was astonished...Since I am a huge fan of the movie, I said, 'Yeah, I'll be glad to take it."

"Citizen Kane may be the greatest film ever made, and Rosebud is the linchpin of the story – the whole heart of the plot and the focal point of the mysterious drama in Kane's life.

"As a director, to own the prop that represents such a vital element of a cinema treasure is particularly meaningful."

Justice Dept. Asks California Sheriffs for Names of Undocumented Inmates

An A.C.L.U. lawyer said it was possible that any sheriff who complied with the request could be in violation of California’s so-called sanctuary state law.

© Ariana Drehsler for The New York Times

Sheriff Robert Luna of Los Angeles County, third from right, with deputies in Altadena, Calif., in January. His agency signaled it would not honor a request the Justice Department’s request for the names of noncitizen inmates.

Archery Club Used to ‘Nasty Storms’ Reels From Fatal Lightning Strike

The bolt struck local archers and a boy scout troop in New Jersey, killing one man and injuring 13 other people. Friends of the victims said the strike had come out of nowhere.

© Rachel Wisniewski for The New York Times

Sun speckled the range at the Black Knight Bowbenders Archery Club in Jackson, N.J., on Thursday, the day after a rogue bolt of lightning there struck 14 people, killing one.

White House says Trump diagnosed with vein condition after questions about bruises

Watch: White House says Trump has a chronic venous insufficiency

US President Donald Trump is suffering from a chronic vein condition, the White House announced on Thursday, after days of speculation regarding photographs showing bruising on the president's hand.

After recently experiencing swelling in his legs, Trump underwent a "comprehensive exam" including a diagnostic vascular study, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

Leavitt said Trump's bruised hand was consistent with "tissue damage from frequent handshaking" while taking aspirin, which she said is "part of a standard cardio-vascular prevention regimen".

Trump, 79, has regularly touted his good health and once described himself as "the healthiest president that's ever lived".

The vein condition discovered in the recent exam is called chronic venous insufficiency, a condition that occurs when leg veins fail to pump blood to the heart, causing it to pool in the lower limbs, which can then become swollen.

The condition is considered common, particularly in people over the age of 70, Leavitt said, adding that there was "no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease" and that all results from the test were "within normal limits".

The full medical report will be released to reporters, the White House said.

Photographers captured what appeared to be Trump's swollen legs during the Fifa Club World Cup final in New Jersey on 13 July, with subsequent photos taken earlier this week showing his bruised hands during a meet with Bahraini Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa at the White House.

A bruised hand on the president had previously been photographed during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in February.

The swollen legs and bruising prompted online speculation and rumours that the president may have been experiencing an illness he hadn't made public.

Following an annual physical exam in April, White House physician Sean Barbabella wrote that Trump "exhibits cognitive and physical health".

Trump was 78 years and seven months old when he was inaugurated for his second term in January, making him the oldest president to ever be inaugurated as US leader.

Met Police to close half its front desks following budget cuts

PA Media Part of the Palace of Westminster is seen between two Metropolitan Police officers in Parliament Square, London. PA Media

The Metropolitan Police plans to close half the front desks at its stations to save money, the BBC has learned.

The move would reduce the number across London from 37 to 19, and break a pledge to have a counter staffed 24/7 in each of the capital's 32 boroughs.

A Met Police spokesperson said the plan was subject to consultation and no changes would be made until later this year.

"Given the Met's budget shortfall and shrinking size, it is no longer sustainable to keep all front counters open," they said.

The Met covers all parts of London apart from the Square Mile covered by the City of London Police.

Met Police chief Sir Mark Rowley last month took the unusual step of warning Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer that police forces would face "stark choices" about which crimes to investigate if their budgets were cut.

Concern about funding was such that Home Secretary Yvette Cooper took negotiations with Treasury to the wire, ending up as the last cabinet minister to agree her department's spending.

Labour made manifesto commitments to halve violence against women and girls as well as knife crime.

At the same time, the Met has been struggling with a widespread loss of trust in its officers, particularly among women, following the murder of Sarah Everard by a serving police officer.

There were further revelations about entrenched misogyny and racism, leading to the force attempting to rebuild trust with Londoners with a two-year plan making fresh commitments on community policing, in its A New Met for London strategy.

A key commitment was to have at least one 24/7 front counter in each of London's 32 boroughs to make it easier for people to report crime.

But the BBC has seen leaked plans for the Met Police that show only eight counters will remain open 24/7, and there will also be reduced hours at 11 front counters, closing at 10pm weekdays and 7pm weekends.

A Met Police spokesperson defended the plans, saying: "That's why we have taken the tough choice to pursue some closures and a reduction in hours – allowing us to focus resources relentlessly on tackling crime and putting more officers into neighbourhoods across London."

The spokesperson added that 5% of crimes were reported at front counters in the last year, "with the vast majority of Londoners doing it over the phone, online, or in person with officers elsewhere".

With nearly a million crimes (948,241) reported to the Met in 2024 excluding fraud according to the latest government figures, that adds up to just under 50,000 crimes (47,412) reported at existing front counters.

The Home Office and the Mayor of London have been contacted for comment.

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Slushies unsafe for children under 7, UK watchdog warns

Getty Images A boy pours a slushy from one of a row of slushy machines into a plastic cup. He wears a blue shirt.Getty Images

Children under seven years old should not have shop-bought slushies over health concerns about a chemical they contain, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has said.

The government watchdog said slushed ice drinks containing glycerol - a type of sweetener - were unsafe for young children, and consumption of them should be limited for children aged between seven and 10.

Most slushies contain naturally occurring glycerol instead of sugar to stop them freezing solid, giving them the slushy effect.

The FSA said consuming large amounts of it can cause side-effects, including headaches and sickness, low blood sugar levels, shock, and loss of consciousness in children.

Prof Robin May, the FSA's chief scientific advisor, said: "While these drinks may seem harmless and side effects are generally mild, they can, especially when consumed in large quantities over a short time, pose serious health risks to young children."

The fresh FSA guidance comes following research indicating children under eight should completely avoid drinking slushies.

It studied the cases of 21 two- to seven-year-olds in the UK and Ireland who needed A&E treatment after becoming acutely ill within an hour of having the drinks, mostly between 2018 and 2024.

The children all recovered and were discharged from hospital.

Dr Duane Mellor from the British Dietetic Association told the BBC that it was "relatively rare" for children to suffer ill side-effects after drinking slushies containing glycerol.

The registered dietician said the "heat of the day", dehydration and a child being excited could "exacerbate" symptoms linked to consuming the drink.

He recommended that children have water or cold milk as alternatives to slushies - or if they want a sweet drink, fruit flavoured water with ice cubes, a diet drink or a low-sugar ice lolly.

The FSA's updated guidance is stricter than its previous advice, which said that under-fives should avoid slushies.

It now also says children aged seven to 10 should have no more than one 350ml slushy drink - "roughly the size of a fizzy drink can" - a day.

"We are asking parents and carers to take extra care when buying drinks for young children, particularly during warmer months when consumption of 'slushies' typically increases," said Prof May.

This guidance also applies to ready-to-drink slushy pouches and make-at-home kits of slushy concentrates.

The FSA says its guidance should be on a "written warning at [the] point of sale" and that producers should make the drinks with the "minimum quantity" of glycerol "technically necessary to achieve the required 'slush' drink effect".

It also recommends against vendors offering free slushy refills in venues where children under the age of 10 would likely consume them.

Rate the players in Sweden v England

Rate the players in Sweden v England

Lucy Bronze, Lauren James and Alessia RussoImage source, Getty Images
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