Reading view

There are new articles available, click to refresh the page.

Faisal Islam: We are heading for significant tax rises

EPA Chancellor Rachel Reeves wearing a dark purple top and pictured against a black backgroundEPA

Two very different reports have reignited UK economic gloom over the past four days.

Friday's economic figures showed a further monthly dip in UK growth, or GDP, in May. Earlier this week the official forecaster, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), said Britain faced "daunting" risks, including the possibility that levels of government debt could soar to three times the size of the economy.

Two very different timescales - the economy in a single month, and the public finances in half a century's time.

At another moment both might have been largely ignored. Monthly GDP figures are notoriously volatile, and what does a debt forecast for 2075 even begin to mean? What would the Treasury forecast from 1975 tell us about this year?

But these very different charts are setting the tone for some tricky judgements required by autumn and tough calls about what happens in the next half decade.

The really unusual thing about the OBR's long-term risk and sustainability report was the strength of the words from its boss Richard Hughes.

"The UK cannot afford the array of promises that are displayed to the public," based on reasonable assumptions about their cost and growth, he said.

The report also cited a pattern, over multiple governments, of U-turns on tax and spending changes.

It came within days of the government's reverses over welfare savings and the winter fuel payment.

Among 36 advanced economies, the UK now has the sixth highest debt, the fifth highest annual borrowing, and the third highest borrowing costs leaving it "vulnerable", when compared to other countries, to future crises, the OBR found.

The clear message was that repeatedly borrowing more is not a long-term solution to rising day-to-day spending pressures.

Getty Images Close up shot of a person looking at bills and receipts on a table next to a calculator in their kitchen. They are wearing a blue jumper and the kitchen sink is in the background.Getty Images
The government has U-turned on changes to the winter fuel payment and disability payments

Yet the pressure to spend more may prove stubborn, thanks to geopolitical and societal changes.

The OBR's existing forecasts assume that the post-pandemic surge in incapacity and disability cases will fall half way back to normal by 2029.

This is very uncertain. Local councils are now spending 58% of their revenue on social care for adults and children, with some councils spending more than 80%.

A £4.6bn special financial arrangement to deal with ballooning special educational needs budgets risks mass local authority bankruptcy.

The promise to increase defence spending to the new Nato target of 3.5% will cost nearly £40bn per year by 2035.

Time to level

The OBR's report was basically a polite plea for some realism about the choices ahead.

A government with a massive majority and four more years would normally be expected to have the strength to make these sorts of decisions.

As pointed out before the last election, there was little attempt to level with the public, especially over taxation.

The big picture is that this autumn's Budget may see £10bn to £20bn of further tax rises.

On top of this, Trump's tariffs have triggered profound uncertainty. That has pushed up UK government borrowing costs. But they are also prompting a more fundamental shift in the foundations of the global economic system, with the dollar and US government debt no longer treated as unbreachable safe havens.

Kitchen sink Budget

So how might the chancellor respond to these challenges?

She may choose to rebuild the so-called "headroom" to give her a better chance of meeting her self-imposed borrowing limits. Currently that buffer is a very tight £10bn.

Reeves has said she will stick to her plans to not borrow to fund day-to-day spending and to get government debt falling as a share of national income by 2029/29, despite some concern from MPs.

But she is considering the International Monetary Fund's advice to only adjust her plans once a year, rather than in both spring and autumn.

But there may still need to be a kitchen sink approach to this autumn's Budget, with the chancellor throwing everything she has at fixing the public finances.

Getty Images A Royal Air Force F-35b fighter jet in flightGetty Images
The pledge to increase defence spending will cost nearly £40bn a year by 2035

Ministers have not abandoned the idea of finding savings in the health-related welfare bill.

A discussion is opening up about whether the Personal Independence Payment (Pip) benefit, designed to help pay for physical equipment, is the right vehicle to manage the specific surge in mental ill health.

On the other hand, while politicians acknowledge the cost of the state pension triple lock is far higher than originally forecast, that policy seems to be utterly politically impregnable.

Netting revenue

So we are heading for significant tax rises. The expected further freeze on income tax thresholds will not be enough.

The noise around wealth taxes points to property and inheritance taxation, as baby boomers start a mass transfer of trillions of pounds of housing equity to their children.

Expect the Treasury to think very hard about what size of net it might lay in the water to ensnare bountiful revenues, aimed at funding the costs of an ageing society without levying that burden entirely on working households.

Of course the great hope is the return of robust economic growth to smooth the way.

Reeves' fiscal rules have left space for longer term investments in infrastructure, although the planning reforms will take some time to yield a construction boom. The UK's position as a comparatively stable island in a sea of trade tumult, should also yield dividends.

Some of the world's most important business people, such as Jensen Huang of Nvidia, were falling over themselves to praise the UK's investment potential for frontier tech.

The very latest economic news does contain some perking-up in levels of confidence over the past few weeks, and more interest rate cuts are on the way.

Some City economists say the gloom is overdone and we are "past the worst". UK stock markets and sterling remain strong.

So that is the long-term challenge laid down by the OBR, balance the books and boost the economy.

A government that should still have four years of a thumping majority has the necessary power, but the past month has raised concerns about its authority.

BBC faces dilemma over new series of MasterChef

Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock A picture of Gregg Wallace in a dark suitKen McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
Gregg Wallace has been the face of MasterChef for 20 years

Gregg Wallace may have been sacked as MasterChef presenter after allegations of misconduct, but for the BBC there's still a decision to be made over this year's series.

It is widely reported to have been filmed in 2024 - with Wallace in it - before BBC News first revealed the allegations against him.

The BBC, for its part, is staying tight-lipped about what it will do.

The corporation has said it won't comment until an inquiry into the allegations, ordered by MasterChef's production company Banijay, is complete and the findings are published.

Wallace has apologised for using "inappropriate" language, but has said the report will clear him of "the most serious and sensational allegations".

'Tough decision'

The BBC will face an "extremely tough decision" about what to do with the unseen series, according to Max Goldbart, international TV editor at Deadline.

"They're damned if they do show it, and damned if they don't," he says. "There are lots of competing objectives they'll be thinking about, and those conversations will be happening right now."

On the one hand, the BBC could go ahead and broadcast it as planned. But this week, BBC News reported that 50 more people have come forward with fresh allegations of inappropriate comments, touching and groping - which Wallace denies. BBC News is editorially independent of the wider corporation.

Regardless of what the Banijay report concludes, Goldbart says it would be "very awkward" for the latest series to be beamed into people's living rooms for weeks on end.

"There could be a backlash," he says. "Not to mention how upsetting that might be for the women who've come forward with claims about him."

One former MasterChef worker, who says Wallace pulled his trousers down in front of her, tells me it would show "a real lack of respect" to people like her if the series was aired.

Another, who says he planted a kiss on her forehead, says she would feel "disappointed and let down", and as if her experiences were being disregarded.

But shelving the cooking show is not an easy decision either - and not only because it could cause uproar among fans.

For the production crew, who spent many weeks working on it, it is a waste of their time and efforts. And for the chefs who have taken part in it the latest amateur series, it would clearly also be deeply disappointing.

Irini Tzortzoglou, who won the 2019 competition, tells me that for her, the experience was "life-changing".

She has gone on to judge awards, host retreats, and work as an olive oil sommelier, and says she is busier now than ever.

"I can't imagine what it would be like for people who've waited all this time, biting their nails, only to be told that no-one is going to see your achievements, your stresses, your growth. It would be awful."

iPlayer option

Thomasina Miers, who won the first series of MasterChef in 2005 and went on to co-found the Wahaca chain of Mexican restaurants, echoes her views.

"[Being on MasterChef] was great, it got me working in food, and I haven't looked back," she says. "It would be mad if they don't show it. It's a lot expecting people to turn up every day, give up their lives and income and not get paid, for it not to go out."

A third option could be to put it on BBC iPlayer so it's available for MasterChef fans to opt in to stream, but isn't being actively pushed out on primetime TV.

Other broadcasters have done similar things before.

In 2021, ITV decided to pull the final episode of drama Viewpoint after allegations of sexual harassment were made in The Guardian against its star, Noel Clarke.

Clarke denies the allegations and is awaiting the result of his libel case against The Guardian.

The finale of Viewpoint was made available on the broadcaster's streaming service for a limited time, for any viewers who wished to seek it out.

Goldbart says he can see the appeal of the iPlayer option.

"It's a lot easier to bury stuff on on-demand than on linear TV," he says, although he points out that there might be financial implications.

But Dorothy Byrne, former head of news and current affairs at Channel 4, says even that option presents challenges.

"If they think the person's unacceptable, then I can't see how putting it on iPlayer gets around that issue," she tells me. "I would say on balance they can't show it at all, but I hope there's a way they can ensure all those people who took part in it don't lose out on this opportunity, because I really feel sorry for them.

"Perhaps there is a way they could edit him out in a way that still allows it to be shown."

BBC/Shine A picture of Gregg WallaceBBC/Shine

The BBC found itself in a similar predicament in November, when the allegations against Wallace first surfaced.

At the time, the corporation made the decision to pull the Christmas specials of MasterChef, although the most recent series of MasterChef: The Professionals did continue to air.

"MasterChef is life-changing for the chefs that take part and the show is about more than one individual," a BBC source said at the time.

The difference this time is that we're not halfway through a series - and that makes the decision even harder.

What no-one seems to be questioning, though, is the long-term future of the show.

Earlier this week, Banijay held a dinner for journalists and media industry people.

The timing of the event, just hours after Wallace dropped a lengthy statement in advance of the Banijay report, was no doubt uncomfortable (one of the people there describes it to me as akin to “a wedding where the bride or groom had done a runner”).

But that same person tells me Banijay executives spoke about MasterChef and its new base in Birmingham, demonstrating their commitment to it.

When the Birmingham move was announced a few years ago, the BBC renewed the show through to 2028.

And food critic Grace Dent has already stepped in to host the next series of Celebrity MasterChef, indicating that version is also continuing.

"It's not one of those shows which is defined by its presenter," Goldbart says. "I personally feel it can continue. John Torode is very good, Grace Dent has filled in a lot, and it's one of those rare beasts where the viewing figures on linear [TV] have held up."

But for the current series, a decision will need to be taken soon.

"They'll need to make an announcement when the report comes back for the sake of the wonderful people who took part," says Byrne.

"This isn't one of those things where you can endlessly delay."

Inside King Charles's fiery gathering that shone a light on his beliefs

Ian Jones/The King’s Foundation King Charles III greets an Indigenous leader - an Earth Elder - wearing a headdress and a dazzling robe of blue feathers.Ian Jones/The King’s Foundation

It wasn't exactly a run-of-the-mill royal occasion.

In the sunny gardens of the Highgrove estate, I stood in a circle with King Charles and an eclectic group who were attending his first "Harmony Summit".

We raised our arms in honour of nature as we stood around a fire, which was burning within a ring of flowers.

Presiding over the fire ceremony, in which we rotated as we honoured the north, south, east and west and then Mother Earth, was an Indigenous leader - an Earth Elder - wearing a headdress and a dazzling robe of blue feathers.

A conch shell was blown. Butterflies flew around the flowers. And, in a concession to modernity, as well as holding up feathers in a blessing for the King, the elder was reading his incantations from an iPhone.

There were people reaching to the sky, wearing colourful face paint and elaborate necklaces, while I held my palms up self-consciously, melting in my M&S suit.

Courtney Louise/The King’s Foundation King Charles and delegates at the Harmony Summit in Highgrove. He is draped in a yellow and black patterned scarf and standing between several men in traditional dress including one in a feathered headdressCourtney Louise/The King’s Foundation

The summit was a celebration the King's philosophy of harmony with nature - an inaugural event that the King's Foundation hopes will become a regular gathering.

It brought together representatives from Indigenous peoples, including from tribes in the Amazon, along with environmentalists, climate campaigners, organic farmers, herbalists, educators, crafts people and philanthropists.

For good measure, there was Dwight from the US version of The Office, or at least actor Rainn Wilson, a director of a climate change group.

There were other visitors from Amazon too. A film crew from Amazon Prime, making a documentary for next year, who were poring over every moment as the sacred smoke coiled up over the apple trees in Gloucestershire.

The King, in a light summer suit, spoke a few quiet words of welcome, wearing a circlet of feathers and a scarf that had been draped ceremonially around his shoulders.

Courtney Louise/The King’s Foundation People wearing traditional clothing listen to a speaker (out of shot) at the Harmony Summit Courtney Louise/The King’s Foundation

A humane, ruminative, humorous and quietly radical figure, he was at the centre of what he hopes will become the first of many such gatherings.

But it raised the question - and perhaps opened a window - into what the King believes. What is this thoughtful man really thinking about?

Harmony is the King's philosophy, it means that we should be working with the grain of nature rather than against it. Or "her" as, he describes nature, in his book on the subject, published in 2010.

It's about the inter-connectedness of all life, infused with a strong sense of the spiritual, and the idea that the human and natural worlds can't be separated.

It's the philosophy that stitches together his many different pursuits - on the environment, climate change, sustainable farming, urban planning, architecture, protecting traditional craft skills and building bridges between different faiths.

According to a source close to the King, it's "perhaps the single most important part of his eventual legacy", bringing together different strands of his work that might seem separate into "one philosophical world view about creating a better, more sustainable world for future generations".

The King's views, including on the environment, were "once seen as an outlier, but now many elements have been accepted and adopted as conventional thought and mainstream practice, embraced around the world".

In his book on Harmony - A New Way of Looking at our World, the King describes his purpose as a "call to revolution", and writes that he recognises the strength of the word.

It's a broadside against a consumer culture, in which people and the natural world become commodities. He warns of the environmental threats to the future of the Earth. There's a call to protect traditional crafts and skills and also for a radical change in rejecting modern, unsustainable, exploitative forms of farming.

If not avant garde, he's an avant gardener.

Courtney Louise/The King’s Foundation A woman wearing a blue and white dotted dress smiles as she walks between two stone pillarsCourtney Louise/The King’s Foundation

If you go for a walk in Highgrove's gardens there are small hurdle fences, with wooden rods woven around posts. The King makes these himself and this idea of things being inextricably woven together seems to be central to harmony.

His book moves from the importance of geometry, with patterns rooted in nature, to the designs in Islamic art and the inspiring dimensions of Gothic cathedrals.

A sense of the sacred in nature, as well as in people, seems to be an important part of this world view.

At lunch at the Harmony Summit, grace was said by the Bishop of Norwich, Graham Usher.

The King's idea of harmony dovetailed with a very deep personal Christian faith, he said.

"My sense is that he draws much of his energy and ideas from spending time in prayer and contemplation," said the bishop.

He said the King sees his role as serving others and a sense of this "is seen in how he is always keen to learn from other religious traditions, building bridges and fostering good relationships built on respect and understanding".

Within strands of Christianity, the King is also said to be have been interested in the Orthodox faith and its use of icons.

Courtney Louise/The King’s Foundation  Delegates gather around a fire at the Harmony Summit in HighgroveCourtney Louise/The King’s Foundation
A fire was lit within a ring of flowers

Highgrove itself has an example of the King's private sense of spirituality. There is a small sanctuary tucked away in the grounds, where no one else goes inside, where he can spend time completely alone with this thoughts.

It must seem a world away from the ceremonial juggernaut of this week's state visit by France's President Macron.

The focus of this inaugural Harmony Summit was drawing on the wisdom of indigenous people, tapping into their knowledge and pre-industrial ways of working with nature.

Survivalist Ray Mears was there to welcome representatives of the Earth Elders group, who work to defend the rights of "original peoples", who have become the threatened guardians of the natural world. They were wearing traditional headdresses, face paint and ornaments, in among the flowers and trees of Highgrove.

"People's selfishness has taken them away from nature. They can't feel the breeze, they're too focused on the clock," said Mindahi Bastida, of the Otomi-Toltec people in Mexico.

The cacophonous modern world has broken our connection with nature, said Rutendo Ngara, from South Africa. She described our era as a time of "loud forgetting".

"We all have egos and ambitions. I wanted to be an entrepreneur, I wanted to sell out," said Uyunkar Domingo Peas Nampichkai, from Ecuador, the co-ordinator for the Amazon Sacred Headwaters Alliance.

The temptation for him was to sell his land for oil. He decided a different path and explained what "harmony" now meant to him.

"It's well-being for all human beings, all living beings, visible and invisible, it's Mother Nature… Everything is connected and there's mutual respect," he said.

These were people from forests and rivers who talked of the destructive pressures on them, from mining, oil and urbanisation.

The weren't pulling punches either. There were speakers warning of how "Europeans" had killed their people and another who said that the much-hyped COP climate change gatherings were full of empty promises that never delivered for grassroots communities.

Ailton Krenak, from Brazil, talked of rivers that that had been "erased by money" and seeing the dried-up, polluted waterways was like a much-loved "grandfather in a coma".

Courtney Louise/The King’s Foundation Head and shoulders picture of Rutendo Ngara at the Harmony Summit. She has dreadlocks and is wearing dark glasses and a green and purple headscarfCourtney Louise/The King’s Foundation
Rutendo Ngara described our era as a period of "loud forgetting"

But how can harmony work in such a discordant world?

Patrick Dunne, who runs the educational Harmony Project which uses the concept in more than 100 schools in the UK, has been applying the principles in a place of extreme conflict, the war in Ukraine.

He's been taking classes of children traumatised by the conflict, and reconnecting them with nature, taking them to parks and forests for a place to heal.

"Ukraine is a powerful example of a country that's in a war they don't want and they are losing a lot of people. It's terrible, there's a lot of pain and suffering. And they want harmony, a future of living well together, so the message of harmony really resonates there," he said.

Highgrove, winningly wobbly with its crooked tiles and trees growing through holes in the roof of a shelter, is a lyrical sight on a summer's day. It's a model of harmony with nature.

How does that message work, when you step outside into an often angry, noisy and brutal world?

What makes the idea of harmony relevant, is that it puts ideas into practice, it's not just a "thought exercise", says Simon Sadinsky, executive education director at the King's Foundation, which teaches crafts skills to a new generation.

"It's not just a theoretical concept, it's not just a philosophy, it's grounded in practice," says Dr Sadinsky.

"There's a lot of awfulness going on in the world, it's hard to stay optimistic. You can feel completely powerless," says Beth Somerville, a textile worker who completed a King's Foundation course.

But she says the idea of "harmony in nature" inspires her work and helps to create things which can be both beautiful and functional, in a way that is "all connected".

"It does drive me to carry on and have hope," she says.

Courtney Louise/The King’s Foundation  Delegates at the Harmony Summit in HighgroveCourtney Louise/The King’s Foundation
Courtney Louise/The King’s Foundation A man wearing traditional dress holds two black and white feathers and a microphone at HighgroveCourtney Louise/The King’s Foundation
Courtney Louise/The King’s Foundation King Charles talks with a man wearing what looks like an animal skin capeCourtney Louise/The King’s Foundation
Ian Jones/The King’s Foundation  Delegates gather round a fire brazier at the Harmony Summit in HighgroveIan Jones/The King’s Foundation

North Korea's Benidorm-style resort welcomes first Russian tourists

Getty Images A North Korean tourist slides down a waterslide at the new resort. Several other visitors watch on. The photo is imposed over the BBC Verify colours and branding. Getty Images

A new beach resort in North Korea, criticised by human rights groups for the harsh treatment of construction workers, has welcomed its first group of Russian tourists this week.

The Wonsan Kalma resort was opened in a grand ceremony last month by North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un, who hailed it as a "world-class tourist and cultural destination".

The details of how this resort was built have been shrouded in secrecy in a country largely closed to the outside world.

BBC Verify has studied satellite imagery, obtained internal planning documents, and spoken to experts and former North Korean insiders about their concerns over human rights abuses during the development of the site.

Echoes of Benidorm

Kim Jong Un spent much of his youth in Wonsan, and prior to the building of the new resort the town was a popular holiday destination for the country's elite.

"When the Wonsan tourist area was initially planned… the idea was to attract around one million tourists to the area while keeping it a closed-off zone," says Ri Jong Ho, a senior North Korean economic official involved in the resort's early planning stages and who defected in 2014.

"The intention was to open North Korea up a bit."

In 2017, a year before construction began, Kim sent a delegation on a fact-finding mission to Spain, where the team toured the resort of Benidorm.

The North Korean delegation "included high ranking politicians and many architects who took lots of notes," recalls Matias Perez Such, a member of the Spanish team that hosted the delegation on a tour including a theme park, high-rise hotels and a marina.

A North Korean brochure with a map of the resort has 43 hotels identified along the beach front, as well as guest houses on an artificial lake, and camping sites.

We've matched these locations with high-resolution satellite imagery, although we are unable to verify whether they have actually been completed.

A satellite image showing the new resort. Labelled are a water park and several hotels. They all sit along the shoreline, where a beach is visible.

An aquatic park, complete with towering yellow water slides, is set back from the beach.

Further north, there's an entertainment quarter which includes buildings that are identified in the plan as a theatre, recreation and fitness centres, and a cinema.

A satellite image of the resort shows a recreation centre, cinema and a theatre. They all sit along the shoreline, where a beach is visible.

Beginning in early 2018, satellite images taken over 18 months reveal dozens of buildings springing up along the 4km (2.5 mile) stretch of coastline.

By the end of 2018, around 80% of the resort had been completed, according to research carried out by satellite imagery firm, SI Analytics, based in South Korea.

However, following this whirlwind construction effort, work on the site then appears to have paused.

Time-lapse of the Wonsan Kalma resort's construction

Construction then resumed after a June 2024 meeting with Kim and Vladimir Putin, where the Russian president said he would encourage his citizens to visit North Korea's holiday resorts.

The human cost of construction

This rapid pace of construction has raised concerns over the treatment of those working at the site.

The UN has highlighted a system of forced labour used in North Korea, in particular "shock brigades" where workers often face harsh conditions, long hours, and inadequate compensation.

James Heenan of the UN Human Rights Office in Seoul says "there are reports that the resort was built using what they call shock brigades".

"We've also seen reports that people were working 24 hours at the end to get this thing finished, which sounds like a shock brigade to me."

Getty Images The Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area in Wonsan. A series of multi-story buildings are visible in the image, which all sit along the shoreline. Getty Images
Dozens of high-rise buildings have been constructed along the beach front

The BBC has spoken to one North Korean who served in and eventually managed shock brigades.

Although Cho Chung Hui - who has subsequently defected - wasn't involved in the construction of the Wonsan resort, he recalled the brutal conditions of the brigades he oversaw.

"The principle behind these [brigades] was that no matter what, you had to complete the task, even if it cost you your life," he said.

"I saw many women who were under so much physical strain and eating so poorly that their periods stopped altogether."

Getty Images Domestic tourists ride a bicycle at Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area in Wonsan, North Korea's Kangwon Province. Getty Images
Beach front hotels were built at great speed raising concerns over conditions for construction workers

Kang Gyuri, who worked in Wonsan before fleeing to South Korea in 2023, says her cousin volunteered to work on the construction site because he saw it as a pathway to residency in the country's capital of Pyongyang, which is reserved for citizens trusted by the regime.

"He could hardly sleep. They [didn't] give him enough to eat," she said.

"The facilities are not properly organised, some people just die while working and they [the authorities] don't take responsibility if they fall and die."

Ms Kang also said residents in Wonsan were driven out from their homes as the resort project expanded, often without compensation.

Though not specific to Ms Kang's experience, BBC Verify was able to identify through satellite analysis the demolition of buildings near a main road leading towards the resort. In their place, larger tower blocks are now visible.

"They just demolish everything and build something new, especially if it's in a good location," Ms Kang said.

"The problem is, no matter how unfair it feels, people can't openly speak out or protest."

The BBC reached out to North Korean officials for comment.

Where are the foreign tourists?

North Korea has been almost entirely closed to foreign visitors with only a few highly-controlled tours permitted to visit the country in recent years.

Wonsan Kalma is seen not only as playing an important role in reviving the sanctioned country's ailing economic fortunes, but also as a means of strengthening its ties with Russia - which have grown closer following Pyongyang's military support for Moscow's war in Ukraine.

According to early planning documents seen by BBC Verify, the initial goal was to attract more than a million visitors, with foreign tourists expected to mainly come from China and Russia.

AFP Domestic tourists watch as a man uses a slide into a swimming pool at the Myongsasimni Water Park in the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area in Wonsan, North Korea's Kangwon Province. AFP
The resort opened to North Korean tourists at the end of June

We have scanned tourist agency sites both in China and Russia for any listings promoting trips to the new resort.

None of the Chinese agencies we checked were advertising trips to Wonsan. In Russia, however, we identified three agencies offering tours that included Wonsan Kalma.

We called one of the Russian agencies in early July posing as an interested customer a week before its first scheduled departure on 7 July and were told that it had attracted 12 people from Russia.

The week-long trip to North Korea, including three days at the Wonsan resort, cost $1,800 (£1,300) - that's 60% more than the average monthly salary in Russia.

Two further trips have been scheduled for August, according to this tour operator.

Vostok Intur A screengrab of an advert for from a Russian tourism agency promoting the resort. It says a trip cost around $1,800. Vostok Intur
A week's tour of North Korea costs a Russian traveller around $1,800 (£1,300)

We contacted the other two agencies offering similar tour packages, but they declined to disclose how many people had signed up.

Andrei Lankov, an expert in Russian-North Korean relations at the Kookmin University in Seoul, said Wonsan Kalma was "highly unlikely to become seriously popular with Russian visitors".

"Russian tourists can easily go to places like Turkey, Egypt, Thailand and Vietnam, which are far superior to everything North Korea can develop," he said.

"The standards of service are higher and you are not put under constant supervision."

Additional reporting by Yaroslava Kiryukhina, Yi Ma and Cristina Cuevas. Graphics by Sally Nicholls and Erwan Rivault.

The BBC Verify banner

Donald Trump and the Scots: A not-so special relationship

Getty Images A bagpiper in full military Highland dress with s bearskin hat is playing in the foreground on the left. Behind him and to the right is Donald Trump, in red Trump Golf baseball cap, white shirt and red fleece jacket. He is staring intently at the piper, looking very serious. There are others in golf gear in the background, just out of focus and slightly obscured by the President. Getty Images
A bagpiper welcomed Trump on a previous visit to Scotland

The Donald Trump who came to Scotland in 2006 to say he was building the world's greatest golf course was in many ways a different Donald Trump to the one now enjoying his second term in the White House.

Back then he was a brash hotelier, perhaps best known for hosting the US version of The Apprentice and his brief cameo in the 1992 film, Home Alone 2.

The President Trump who returns to Scotland later this month has often spoken of his affection for the country where his mother was born and says he built the course on the Menie Estate at Balmedie in Aberdeenshire in her memory.

But two decades on, few Scots return that affection.

That's not usually the case when it comes to US presidents and their ancestral ties this side of the Atlantic.

Immigration is a huge part of the American experience and US presidents have a strong tradition of acknowledging their family roots in the old world.

John F Kennedy and Joe Biden kept their Irish ancestry central to their personal and political identities and both enjoyed hugely successful trips to Ireland. President Kennedy is said to have described his 1963 visit as the best four days of his life.

In 2023, Joe Biden made a triumphant tour of the country, speaking to tens of thousands in his ancestral home town of Ballina in County Mayo.

He declared "I'm at home" when he addressed the Irish Parliament and even found time to visit a pub in County Louth.

Designed to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, the trip was seen as a huge success and clearly meant a great deal to both Biden and the Irish.

Reuters President Joe Biden outside a corner pub called The Windsor in a busy street in Ireland. he is surrounded by a large crowd and is taking a selfie with a phone in the street. He is smiling and dressed in a dark suit and tie with a plain white shirt.Reuters
President Biden enjoyed a warm welcome from the the people of Ireland in 2023
PA Media Donald Trump in dark blue suit, plain shite shirt and dark blue striped tie, standing outside a grey-harled house on a grey day. He is smiling and appears to be fixing his lapels.PA Media
Donald Trump paid tribute to his Scottish roots while visiting the Isle of Lewis in 2008

It's almost impossible to imagine the same thing happening with President Trump in Scotland.

To be fair, Scottish links to the White House are historically less well-known and celebrated. Yet according to the National Library of Scotland, 34 out of the 45 presidents have Scottish ancestry.

These include George Washington, William McKinlay, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton.

And Trump is more Scottish than any of them. His mother was a Gaelic speaker, born and raised in Lewis in the Western Isles, who moved to America aged 18 in 1930.

Mary Anne MacLeod Trump was said to have retained her native accent throughout her long life (she died aged 88 in 2000), and visited Lewis regularly enough that many there remember her well.

All this would normally be cause for celebration. But it's a reflection of Trump's personality and reputation that his relationship with the Scots has been largely antagonistic.

A recent opinion poll suggested seven in 10 Scots had an unfavourable opinion of the president.

I've been covering the story of Trump in Scotland since 2006 and have come to realise that to understand the relationship between the two you have to start with him flying in to Scotland with that grand plan to pay tribute to his beloved mum.

Mirrorpix/Getty Images A black and white photo of a smiling young woman, Mary Anne MacLeod, in 1928. She is sitting on a window ledge of a house, and she is wearing a light top with black necktie and a light skirt. Her hair appears to be quite dark and is quite short, parted on the right.Mirrorpix/Getty Images
Trump's mother was born Mary Anne MacLeod in Lewis in 1912

There had been a few months of speculation before Trump confirmed his plans in March 2006. He said he'd been looking to build a links golf course in Europe for years.

"My preference was Scotland over any other country, because I am half Scottish - my mother, Mary MacLeod, is from Stornoway," he said.

"When I saw this piece of land I was overwhelmed by the imposing dunes and rugged Aberdeenshire coastline. I knew that this was the perfect site.

"The complex will cover a large area of sand dunes. I have never seen such an unspoilt and dramatic seaside landscape, and the location makes it perfect for our development."

Getty Images Donald Trump in black coat and suit with white shirt and blue and white striped tie, standing on the road by the side of the 18th fairway to the Old Course, St Andrews. He is pointing and shouting, in a pose associated with his TV programme The Apprentice. The Royal and Ancient building is behind him and the sky is grey.Getty Images
Donald Trump came to St Andrews - the home of golf - in 2006 to announce his decision to build a course on the Menie Estate in Aberdeeshire

There's a certain irony there. The unspoilt nature of those dunes at Balmedie would become central to the reaction that grew against Trump.

Some of the land he bought was under protection as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The shifting sand dune system along that stretch of coast north of Aberdeen was regarded as one of the finest examples of its kind in the UK.

What followed was a protracted and often bitter planning dispute that went all the way to the heart of the Scottish government.

The conservation agency Scottish Natural Heritage had warned a planning inquiry that the development would seriously damage the SSSI.

The local council turned down the development, but permission was later granted by Scottish government ministers on the basis that the potential economic benefit would outweigh any environmental harm.

The development went ahead in the face of protests from environmental groups and calls for professional golfers not to attend the official opening in 2012.

In 2020, it was announced the dunes at Balmedie had lost their SSSI status. The dunes are now said to not include enough special features.

Trump International described the move as "highly politicised".

Getty Images A wide view of an area of large sand dunes and grass-covered sand. Two people are standing in the foreground, dwarfed by the landscape. It is greay and overcast.Getty Images
Getty Images Michael Forbes, a middle-aged man with a moustache and a bald head, is standing in front of a green farm building with the words No Golf Course written in large red letters on the side. He is wearing a Fair-Isle style woolly jumper in shades of cream and green. Tattoos can be seen on his arm. He looks unhappy.Getty Images

The site of the Trump course on the Menie Estate at Balmedie was renowned for its complex sand dunes
MIchael Forbes, whose family home was on the site of the proposed course, refused to sell up and leave the area

The long-running environmental dispute probably turned many against the Trump plans. But there was also a human story developing and this really captured the public's imagination.

Quite quickly in the development process, Trump became involved in a public fight with two of the site's neighbours.

Michael Forbes and David and Moira Milne own properties next to the Trump course. They declined to sell their land and the tycoon went on the offensive.

On one visit he was filmed looking up at the Milnes' home - actually a rather striking converted coastguard station which sits high on a hill overlooking the course - saying "I want to get rid of that house".

He was told by an employee that this could cause a "bit of stir" and replied: "Who cares? We are going to build the greatest golf course in the world, this house is ugly."

Trump also accused local farmer and salmon fisherman Michael Forbes of living in a "pig-like atmosphere".

Mr Forbes and the Milnes became folk heroes to Trump's critics. The Milnes flew a Mexican flag outside their home in a protest against plans to build a wall on the southern US border.

Speaking on a US comedy show in 2017, Mr Forbes branded the president a "clown", adding: "The only regret I have is I didn't knock him on his arse when I met him".

AFP A large group of people protesting against Donald Trump. One is carrying a placard which says 'No to racism - no to Trump'. Another carries one which says 'Scotland says no to Trump'. AFP
Trump's previous visits to Scotland have been met by large demonstrations

It should be said many welcomed Trump's interest in Scotland, especially at the start.

He enjoyed the qualified support of Jack McConnell and Alex Salmond's governments. The sort of inward investment he promised doesn't come along every day.

The former head of the economic agency Scottish Enterprise, Jack Perry, later described being "profoundly dismayed" when councillors turned down the planning application.

Speaking to BBC Scotland for a documentary I made with my colleague Glenn Campbell in 2017, he said: "I found it hard to credit. You're saying, 'No' to Donald Trump? Remember, this is before he was involved in politics and had the kind of toxic brand that he has now."

Local chambers of commerce, business leaders and many councillors backed the project.

Stewart Spence, who died earlier this year, ran the luxury Marcliffe Hotel in Aberdeen for more than 40 years.

As an influential business leader in the city, he was an early supporter of Trump and his plans, recognising the potential value for the local economy.

Speaking in 2017, he said: "I knew that this was a man that wouldn't do anything unless it was the best in the world. And that was always what he was known for."

The two became friends, with Trump gifting him membership at the club.

Getty Images Trump, McConnell and Sir Sean Connery enjoying a laugh on a balcony at an event at Tartan Week. They are all in dark business suits and we can see a bit of a Saltire in front of them.Getty Images
Then First Minister Jack McConnell met Trump, along with Sir Sean Connery, at Tartan Week in New York in 2006 and made the tycoon a "GlobalScot" business ambassador

Trump was made a business ambassador by Jack McConnell in 2006 and awarded an honorary degree by Aberdeen's Robert Gordon University four years later.

All of these can be easily justified by the need to do business with powerful business and political leaders.

And there are those today advocating for better relations with Donald Trump.

Writing in The Times newspaper ahead of the recent UK-US trade deal, the Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar argued: "President Trump's affinity for Scotland is real, regardless of what people think of his politics.

"His family's investments in Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire are real and significant. They have created jobs, attracted tourism, and demonstrated that Scotland remains an attractive destination for global investment.

"I am sure at times they have felt frustrated at doing business in Scotland, but the potential benefits of having the president of the United States as an advocate for others to invest in Scotland should be obvious."

But many at the top of Scottish politics turned away from Trump years before he won the 2016 election.

In 2012, he travelled to the Scottish Parliament to argue against a wind farm being built in the North Sea, within sight of his development.

He went on to fight a court action against the plans. And when he lost, he turned his ire on Scotland's politicians, especially ministers.

The man who had once called Salmond "a tremendous representative of the people of Scotland" who had done "a fantastic job", now said, "You're going to have riots all over Scotland, because Alex Salmond is going to destroy the natural beauty of Scotland".

Getty Images A large group of protestors with placards outside the Scottish Parliament. Donald Trump, in dark coat with white shirt and light blue tie, is moving through them. A man is running a large orange balloon on Trump's head.Getty Images
Trump's visit to the Scottish Parliament in 2012 was met by protests, with one man attempting to mess the businessman's hair with a statically-charged balloon

The economic benefits of the Aberdeenshire golf course - which had tipped the argument for ministers - also came into question as the years passed.

Trump promised a £1bn project creating hundreds of jobs. According to an investigation by BBC Scotland in 2024, the latest accounts showed the facility has a net book value of £33.2m and 81 employees.

In addition to the golf course, the original proposal also included approval for a 450-room hotel, 950 holiday apartments, 36 golf villas and 500 houses for sale.

None of these elements, and the thousands of new jobs promised, have materialised. The golf resort had yet to turn a profit, racking up £13.3m in losses since it opened.

President Trump is expected to open the second course at the site while on his latest visit.

He's also likely to visit the Trump Turnberry resort in Ayrshire. Bought in 2014 for $60m, at its centre is the Ailsa course with its rich history of hosting the Open Championship.

In the wake of the Washington riots in 2021, the organisers of The Open announced that it would not be held at Turnberry as long as its links to the Trump Organisation remain. In recent months, there have been suggestions this may change.

Turnberry has became the focus of many of the protests against Trump throughout his presidency and beyond.

It's where the late comedian Janey Godley was pictured holding a very blunt placard and buildings on the course have been the subject of recent vandalism in protest at the president's comments on Gaza.

Trump's low regard among most Scots remains a live issue. If anything, his return to the White House has energised his critics and his name on Scottish businesses gives them a focus for their anger.

Getty Images A street in Stornoway. Outside a cream-coloured harled building, a banner saying 'Shame on you, Donald John' is attached to railings. A woman and man are walking past, one behind the other. There are two bronze sculptures of seals on the ground in front of them.Getty Images
Some in Lewis - the island where Trump's mother was born - have made known their disapproval of the president

As Scotland gets ready for Trump's return, there are concerns about the cost of policing such a high-profile occasion, and talk of further public protests.

So what will all this mean when the president flies into Scotland later this month?

Donald Trump has an almost unparalleled talent for courting controversy, getting into fights and provoking his opponents.

It would be a stretch to imagine he cares very much whether people turn out and protest his visit. As someone who thrives on all kinds of publicity he might, in fact, welcome it.

It would be even more of a stretch to believe angry Scots hitting the streets to march against him will change his mind on anything.

People will likely protest and, though he has his supporters and those who believe Scotland ought to make more of the connection, the voices raised against him will probably be the loudest across the days he spends in his mother's homeland.

But the last 20 years suggest he won't necessarily be listening.

  • Craig Williams produced and directed the documentary Donald Trump: Scotland's President for BBC Scotland in 2017.

Columbia and Trump Near a Deal, With School Possibly Paying Millions

In return, the White House would restore some of the more than $400 million in federal research funding it canceled, according to people familiar with ongoing discussions.

© Juan Arredondo for The New York Times

Columbia University was the first to be punished by the Trump administration with a freeze on research funding for allegedly tolerating antisemitism.

Google Hires Top A.I. Leaders From Windsurf, Which OpenAI Was Courting

In a $2.4 billion deal, Google recruited the chief executive and a co-founder of Windsurf, which OpenAI had been in talks to buy, as the battle to dominate artificial intelligence escalates.

© Mike Kai Chen for The New York Times

Demis Hassabis of Google DeepMind, the company’s A.I. division, at a developer conference in May. Google is bringing on more A.I. talent.

Judge Blocks Trump Administration Tactics in L.A. Immigration Raids

A federal judge temporarily halted the administration from making indiscriminate arrests based on race and denying detainees access to lawyers, in a lawsuit that could have national repercussions.

© Philip Cheung for The New York Times

The initial rulings represented a sharp rebuke of the tactics that federal agents have employed in and around Los Angeles during raids, which have entered their second month.

Mark Snow, Who Conjured the ‘X-Files’ Theme, Is Dead at 78

It took a misplaced elbow, a quirk of Los Angeles geography and some whistling from his wife to produce one of television’s most memorable melodies.

© David W. Harple/The News Times, via Associated Press

The composer Mark Snow in 2005 at his home recording studio in Connecticut. He tallied more than 250 film and television credits in a long and prolific career.

US has resumed military supplies to Ukraine, Zelensky says

Reuters Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stands, visible above the shoulders dressed in a black shirt, his dark hair and beard short and face serious. Behind him is a camouflage-painted missile defence system.Reuters
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pictured in a file photo with a US Patriot defence system

US President Donald Trump has said he will send weapons, including Patriot air defence systems, for Ukraine via Nato.

Trump told NBC News that in a new deal, "we're going to be sending Patriots to Nato, and then Nato will distribute that", adding that Nato would pay for the weapons.

His announcement came after Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke of having a "positive dialogue" with Trump on ensuring that arms arrived on time, particularly air defence systems.

Zelensky said he had asked for 10 Patriot systems, after a surge in Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities in the past week.

Speaking in Rome on Thursday, the Ukrainian leader said Germany was ready to pay for two of the Patriots and Norway for one, while other European partners were also prepared to help.

After a phone-call with Russia's Vladimir Putin last week, Trump said he was "not happy" that progress had not been made towards ending the war, and he has since complained that Putin's "very nice" attitude turned out to be meaningless.

During his interview with NBC News, Trump said he would make a "major statement" on Russia on Monday, but did not say what it would be about.

He said "Nato is going to reimburse the full cost" for the weapons sent on to Ukraine. Nato is funded through the contributions of its members, including the US.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Friday that he had urged countries including Germany and Spain to hand over some of their existing Patriot batteries, as they could reach Ukraine faster.

"We have continued to encourage our Nato allies to provide those weapons... since they have them in their stocks, then we can enter into financial agreements... where they can purchase the replacements."

The US defence department halted some shipments of critical weapons last week, raising concerns in Kyiv that its air defences could run low in a matter of months.

Among the armaments reported to have been placed on pause were Patriot interceptor missiles and precision artillery shells.

Then, as Ukraine was pounded by record numbers of drone attacks this week, Trump said more weapons would be sent: "We have to... They're getting hit very hard now."

Zelensky had appealed for the shipments to resume, describing the Patriot systems as "real protectors of life".

On Tuesday night, Ukraine was hit by a record 728 drones, and the Ukrainian president warned that Russia wanted to increase that to 1,000.

Heat map showing attacks on Ukraine

June saw the highest monthly civilian casualties in Ukraine in three years, with 232 people killed and more than 1,300 injured, according to the UN.

Since re-entering the White House in January, Trump has pushed to scale back US support for Ukraine.

The US was the biggest source of military aid to Ukraine between the start of 2022 and the end of 2024, giving $69bn (£54.6bn) in that time period, according to German think tank the Kiel Institute.

Trump has also pressed Nato allies to pledge more of their GDP to the security alliance. Last year, all European Nato members pledged to spend 2% of GDP on defence.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The US has been urging the two countries to reach an agreement to end the war.

Rubio told reporters that he and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had a "frank" conversation on the sidelines of a meeting in Malaysia on Thursday.

Rubio echoed Trump's "frustration at the lack of progress at peace talks", including "disappointment that there has not been more flexibility on the Russian side to bring about an end to this conflict".

He said the two had shared some new ideas about how the conflict could conclude, which he would take back to Trump.

Rubio declined to elaborate on what Trump said would be a "major" announcement about Russia on Monday.

Trump surveys damage in Texas as search continues for 160 missing

Watch: 'We're filled with grief' - President Trump visits Texas after deadly floods

US President Donald Trump reassured residents of Kerrville, Texas, that the government would help rebuild after floods hit the central part of the state last week, killing 120 people.

The president and First Lady Melania Trump met on Friday with local officials on the ground - standing in front of an upended tractor trailer - and surveyed the damage.

"I've never seen anything like it," Trump said after taking a tour of the devastation.

More than 12,300 volunteers have gathered to help search for the 161 people still missing statewide. Officials said volunteers have been working 10 hours a day.

Watch: BBC's Nomia Iqbal on Trump's handling of the Texas floods as he visits disaster area

Trump told officials at an afternoon roundtable that he and the first lady were in town to "express the love and support, and the anguish of our entire nation".

The first lady, who ordinarily keeps a low profile, joined the tour of the devastation. She said she hugged and prayed with families of the victims during her visit.

"My deepest sympathy to all of the parents who lost beautiful young souls," she said. "We are grieving with you. Our nation is grieving with you."

She also promised to visit again.

In the wake of the deadly tragedy, questions have been raised about whether adequate warnings were provided and why some weren't evacuated ahead of the deluge.

"Only an evil person would ask a question like that," Trump responded when the topic came up Friday, saying it's easy to sit back and wonder what could have happened.

The Guadalupe River levels, which submerged homes, roads and cars, caught many by surprise.

Watch: "I pray for them" - First Lady Melania offers condolences to Texas flood victims

The catastrophe unfolded before daybreak last Friday as the river rose 26ft (8m) in the span of just 45 minutes. Young children and staff at summer camps along the river were asleep as weather alerts went off.

Search crews in Texas are still sifting through debris for scores of missing people. Authorities have said they will not relent until everyone is accounted for.

Experts have said there were a number of factors that led to the tragic floods in, including the pre-dawn timing, the location of some homes and the extreme weather.

Watch: "We're appreciative" - Texans react to Trump's visit after devastating floods

Man Had 14 Toucans Stashed in His Volkswagen Dashboard, U.S. Says

Carlos Abundez, 35, is facing federal smuggling charges after U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers made the discovery. The birds, a threatened species, were in stable condition.

© Department of Justice

Carlos Abundez of San Ysidro, Calif., is charged with smuggling 14 live, bound Keel-billed toucans that the authorities said were hidden inside the dashboard of his Volkswagen Passat.

Heat Warnings Issued for Parts of Eastern Canada

Warnings were issued for southern Ontario and southwest Quebec as hot and humid weather is expected to linger through Thursday.

© Artur Widak/NurPhoto, via Getty Images

Montreal is under a heat warning on Saturday and Sunday. Hot and humid weather is expected to linger in eastern Canada and southern Ontario and Toronto until Thursday.

Trump surveys damage in Texas as search continues for 160 missing

Watch: 'We're filled with grief' - President Trump visits Texas after deadly floods

US President Donald Trump reassured residents of Kerrville, Texas, that the government would help rebuild after floods hit the central part of the state last week, killing 120 people.

The president and First Lady Melania Trump met on Friday with local officials on the ground - standing in front of an upended tractor trailer - and surveyed the damage.

"I've never seen anything like it," Trump said after taking a tour of the devastation.

More than 12,300 volunteers have gathered to help search for the 161 people still missing statewide. Officials said volunteers have been working 10 hours a day.

Watch: BBC's Nomia Iqbal on Trump's handling of the Texas floods as he visits disaster area

Trump told officials at an afternoon roundtable that he and the first lady were in town to "express the love and support, and the anguish of our entire nation".

The first lady, who ordinarily keeps a low profile, joined the tour of the devastation. She said she hugged and prayed with families of the victims during her visit.

"My deepest sympathy to all of the parents who lost beautiful young souls," she said. "We are grieving with you. Our nation is grieving with you."

She also promised to visit again.

In the wake of the deadly tragedy, questions have been raised about whether adequate warnings were provided and why some weren't evacuated ahead of the deluge.

"Only an evil person would ask a question like that," Trump responded when the topic came up Friday, saying it's easy to sit back and wonder what could have happened.

The Guadalupe River levels, which submerged homes, roads and cars, caught many by surprise.

Watch: "I pray for them" - First Lady Melania offers condolences to Texas flood victims

The catastrophe unfolded before daybreak last Friday as the river rose 26ft (8m) in the span of just 45 minutes. Young children and staff at summer camps along the river were asleep as weather alerts went off.

Search crews in Texas are still sifting through debris for scores of missing people. Authorities have said they will not relent until everyone is accounted for.

Experts have said there were a number of factors that led to the tragic floods in, including the pre-dawn timing, the location of some homes and the extreme weather.

Watch: "We're appreciative" - Texans react to Trump's visit after devastating floods

US has resumed military supplies to Ukraine, Zelensky says

Reuters Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stands, visible above the shoulders dressed in a black shirt, his dark hair and beard short and face serious. Behind him is a camouflage-painted missile defence system.Reuters
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pictured in a file photo with a US Patriot defence system

US President Donald Trump has said he will send weapons, including Patriot air defence systems, for Ukraine via Nato.

Trump told NBC News that in a new deal, "we're going to be sending Patriots to Nato, and then Nato will distribute that", adding that Nato would pay for the weapons.

His announcement came after Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke of having a "positive dialogue" with Trump on ensuring that arms arrived on time, particularly air defence systems.

Zelensky said he had asked for 10 Patriot systems, after a surge in Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities in the past week.

Speaking in Rome on Thursday, the Ukrainian leader said Germany was ready to pay for two of the Patriots and Norway for one, while other European partners were also prepared to help.

After a phone-call with Russia's Vladimir Putin last week, Trump said he was "not happy" that progress had not been made towards ending the war, and he has since complained that Putin's "very nice" attitude turned out to be meaningless.

During his interview with NBC News, Trump said he would make a "major statement" on Russia on Monday, but did not say what it would be about.

He said "Nato is going to reimburse the full cost" for the weapons sent on to Ukraine. Nato is funded through the contributions of its members, including the US.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Friday that he had urged countries including Germany and Spain to hand over some of their existing Patriot batteries, as they could reach Ukraine faster.

"We have continued to encourage our Nato allies to provide those weapons... since they have them in their stocks, then we can enter into financial agreements... where they can purchase the replacements."

The US defence department halted some shipments of critical weapons last week, raising concerns in Kyiv that its air defences could run low in a matter of months.

Among the armaments reported to have been placed on pause were Patriot interceptor missiles and precision artillery shells.

Then, as Ukraine was pounded by record numbers of drone attacks this week, Trump said more weapons would be sent: "We have to... They're getting hit very hard now."

Zelensky had appealed for the shipments to resume, describing the Patriot systems as "real protectors of life".

On Tuesday night, Ukraine was hit by a record 728 drones, and the Ukrainian president warned that Russia wanted to increase that to 1,000.

Heat map showing attacks on Ukraine

June saw the highest monthly civilian casualties in Ukraine in three years, with 232 people killed and more than 1,300 injured, according to the UN.

Since re-entering the White House in January, Trump has pushed to scale back US support for Ukraine.

The US was the biggest source of military aid to Ukraine between the start of 2022 and the end of 2024, giving $69bn (£54.6bn) in that time period, according to German think tank the Kiel Institute.

Trump has also pressed Nato allies to pledge more of their GDP to the security alliance. Last year, all European Nato members pledged to spend 2% of GDP on defence.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The US has been urging the two countries to reach an agreement to end the war.

Rubio told reporters that he and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had a "frank" conversation on the sidelines of a meeting in Malaysia on Thursday.

Rubio echoed Trump's "frustration at the lack of progress at peace talks", including "disappointment that there has not been more flexibility on the Russian side to bring about an end to this conflict".

He said the two had shared some new ideas about how the conflict could conclude, which he would take back to Trump.

Rubio declined to elaborate on what Trump said would be a "major" announcement about Russia on Monday.

'Splash and burn' and 'Tax time bomb'

The headline on the front page of the Daily Mirror reads: "Splash and burn".
The ongoing heatwave engulfing the UK features prominently on Saturday's papers. The Mirror splashes their front page with a photo of swimmers diving into a lake in Somerset to beat the heat as the country swelters through its third heatwave this year. On the upside, the paper reports that seaside towns are getting a tourism boost as people pack the beaches to cool off.
The headline on the front page of the Financial Times reads: "Brussels plans annual tax for big companies".
The Financial Times follows with their coverage of the "blazing" heat, captured in a misty image of a woman cooling off in a water feature in Dover. Elsewhere, the paper reports that Brussels is planning a levy on big companies operating in Europe in an effort to lift funds for the EU budget.
The headline on the front page of the i Paper reads: "Heatwaves drive government to consider air con grants for homes".
The i Paper says there may be some reprieve from the heat as ministers are considering air conditioning grants for homes that could offer relief from rising summer temperatures.
The headline on the front page of the Daily Telegraph reads: "Families to pay more for water in heatwaves".
The Daily Telegraph says water companies will use smart meters to increase prices this summer, which means families could pay more during heatwaves. Alongside, the "relaxed figure" of General Sir Patrick Sanders is featured, smoking a cigar on his BMW motorbike.
The headline on the front page of the Daily Express reads: "Workers will suffer a 'tax time bomb'".
The Daily Express warns that workers will suffer a "tax time bomb" as it reports on experts accusing Chancellor Rachel Reeves of "reckless choices" that risk plunging the country into recession. Elsewhere, the Prince of Wales is seen "playing it cool" on a horse during a charity polo match.
The headline on the front page of the Daily Mail reads: "Starmer's migrant plan set to be sunk before it's launched".
Sir Keir Starmer's migrant deal with France could be "sunk before it's launched" declares the Daily Mail. The paper reports that campaigners, who have condemned the scheme, will support court cases brought by small-boat arrivals chosen to be sent back to France. The Mail also speculates on a rumoured feud within the Beckham family, teased with a smiling photograph of Brooklyn Beckham with his sister Harper and wife Nicola Peltz Beckham.
The headline on the front page of the Sun reads: "Becks' boys at war".
"Becks' boys at war" is the Sun's take on the Beckham family's alleged "rift", saying Romeo and Cruz Beckham have blocked big brother Brooklyn on social media. The paper cites a source saying Brooklyn has been "blindsided" by the move.
The headline on the front page of the Times reads: "Trust might not recover from strike, doctors told".
Medical leaders are warning resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, against a planned five-day strike at the end of this month in England, saying they may "never recover" the trust of patients after the walkout, the Times reports. Adding a splash of colour to front page is a photo of Bake Off judge Prue Leith attending a celebrity-packed Wimbledon.
The headline on the front page of the Guardian reads: "Union targets Rayner as Labour row grows".
The Guardian's Wimbledon coverage take the spotlight with a photo of a grinning Carlos Alcaraz, who the paper says has "captured the hearts of Wimbledon fans". The Spanish tennis star is set to meet world number one Jannik Sinner in the Men's Singles final on Sunday. The paper also features Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner's vow that she will not be "pushed around" by the leading Labour trade union after it voted to suspend her membership.
The headline on the front page of the Daily Star reads: "Clowns: Don't call these clowns 'clowns'".
Finally, the Daily Star features a mocked up image of US President Donald Trump, Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves as clowns. The paper reports that people stop branding politicians "clowns" because it is giving "big-shoed funsters a bad name".
News Daily banner

Sign up for our morning newsletter and get BBC News in your inbox.

News Daily banner

In the country with the world's lowest birth rate, fertility clinics are booming

Getty Images Close-up of a baby's hand grabbing a silver baby shoe. The baby is wearing a furry sweater.Getty Images
South Korea, home to the world's lowest birth rates, is seeing a fertility industry boom

When she started in vitro fertilisation (IVF) last November, Kim Mi-ae knew it would be a gruelling test of patience - something she had already endured when she conceived her first child three years ago.

But what shocked her this time around were the "crazy" waits at the fertility clinic.

"When I went in January, it felt like everyone had made a New Year's resolution to have a baby! Even with a reservation, I waited over three hours," says the 36-year-old Seoul resident.

While South Korea continues to struggle with the world's lowest birth rates, fertility clinics are in growing demand - a bright spot in the country's demographic crisis.

Between 2018 and 2022, the number of fertility treatments carried out in the country rose nearly 50% to 200,000. Last year, one in six babies in Seoul were born with the help of fertility treatment.

Underpinning the boom, experts say, is a shift in attitudes about family planning.

"We have a young generation… that is used to being in control of its life," says Sarah Harper CBE, professor in Gerontology at the University of Oxford. That control, she adds, may come in the form of single women freezing their eggs or couples trying IVF when they can't conceive.

"Whereas in previous generations there was a greater acceptance that whether you conceive or not can be a bit haphazard, now we have Korean women saying, 'I want to plan my life.'"

Getty Images Backview of children and parents sitting and standing in front of colourful arcade machines, in a brightly lit mall.Getty Images
In 2024, South Korea's birth rate rose for the first time in nine years

This is good news for South Korea's government, which is trying to lift the country out of a demographic crisis. One in five people in South Korea are now aged 65 or above. As a proportion of the country's total population, there have never been fewer babies.

The country has repeatedly broken its own record for having the world's lowest birth rate: 0.98 babies per woman in 2018, 0.84 in 2020 and 0.72 in 2023. If this trend continues, experts warn the population of 50 million could halve in 60 years.

But recently there is reason for cautious optimism: instead of another record low, South Korea's birth rate rose slightly to 0.75 in 2024 - its first increase in nine years.

"It's a small bump, but still a meaningful one," says Seulki Choi, a professor at the Korea Development Institute's School of Public Policy and Management.

It is too early to tell whether this is the start of a much-needed reversal or just a blip. The country's birth rate remains far below the global average of 2.2. But many like Dr Choi are cautiously optimistic.

"If this trend holds, it could signal a longer-term shift," says Dr Choi. "We need to watch how young people's attitudes toward marriage and parenthood are changing."

A baby bump

For years, having children was the last thing on Park Soo-in's mind. She was mostly busy at work, often only clocking off from her advertising job at 04:00.

"I was in a company with endless overtime, so it wasn't even something I could realistically consider," says the 35-year-old.

Things started to change after she got married two years ago. She landed a new job with better hours - and friends around her started having babies.

"Seeing and interacting with their kids made it feel less overwhelming," she said. "And watching my husband take initiative, doing research on pregnancy and childbirth and showing real effort, gave me confidence that we could do this."

When Ms Park and her husband had trouble conceiving, they looked to fertility treatments. Many others are doing the same, fuelling projections that the burgeoning industry could be worth more than $2bn by 2030.

"This is actually an important signal for policymakers that there are still some women who want to start families but are facing … barriers to doing so," says Jennifer Sciubba, president and CEO of the non-profit Population Reference Bureau in Washington, DC.

"More than anything, this is a sign that people are unable to fulfil their desires to have children."

Jang Sae-ryeon A woman injecting a substance with a syringe on her belly. She is standing in front of a counter, which is strewn with medical products.Jang Sae-ryeon
South Korean women are on average 33.6 years old by the time they have their first child

Difficulty conceiving is just one barrier. At the heart of South Korea's population woes are a raft of social and financial pressures - from patriarchal norms that place most childcare responsibilities on women to long work hours and high education costs - which discourage many young people from having children.

For some, however, those dreams have merely been delayed. More than half of South Koreans say they want kids but can't afford them, according to a UN report. And by the time South Korean women have their first child, their average age is 33.6 - among the highest in the world.

"Looking back, it might have been better to start earlier," says Ms Park. "But realistically… now actually feels like the right time. In my late 20s, I just didn't have the financial capacity to think about marriage or kids."

The same goes for Ms Kim, who spent three years saving up for marriage and another four for a child.

"People spend their youth studying, job hunting, and spending money to prepare for life. And by the time they're ready to settle down, it's often late," she says. "But the later you wait, the harder it gets [to become pregnant], physically and emotionally."

Bumps in the road

For those who opt for IVF, the process of trying to conceive also becomes much more expensive.

"It's hard to say exactly how much IVF costs because it varies so much by person and cycle," says Ms Kim. "It's a huge and unpredictable expense that can really affect your finances."

As part of concerted efforts to boost its birth rate, South Korea's government has expanded its support for fertility treatments. Seoul now subsidises up to 2 million Korean won ($1,460; £1,100) for egg-freezing and 1.1 million won for each IVF treatment.

But even with government subsidies, Ms Kim says she spent more than 2 million won in January for IVF - mostly on out-of-pocket items that subsidies do not cover, such as supplements and additional tests.

And with less than half of IVF cycles ending in success, the costs can stack up quickly.

This has been the case for Jang Sae-ryeon in the southwestern Jeolla province. The 37-year-old started fertility treatment two years ago and has done five IVF cycles, each of which cost her around 1.5 million won.

Jang Sae-ryeon A woman, wearing a blue shirt, stares at the camera. Jang Sae-ryeon
Despite the financial and cultural pressures she faced while undergoing IVF, Jang Sae-ryeon still dreams of having children

"I wish things worked out after just one or two tries, but for most people, that's not the case," she says. "Without money, you simply can't move forward. That's the reality. And I think that's the most frustrating part."

Equally challenging, women say, are the workplace pressures they face when they commit to a demanding IVF schedule.

While South Korean companies offer several days of leave for fertility treatment, women say that in reality it is difficult to utilise them. Ms Kim says she underwent IVF for her first child without taking leave at all. Ms Jang, meanwhile, says her colleagues asked her to postpone her treatment.

"It made me feel like IVF and a full-time job just don't mix," says Ms Jang. "So I quit. But once I left, I struggled financially. That led to another cycle of quitting and job-hunting again."

Such financial and cultural pressures may have dampened many South Koreans' dreams of having children, but not Ms Jang's. She still gets teary when she recalls two pregnancies from early in her marriage - both of which ended in miscarriages.

"You know how they say when you have a child, you feel a love that's limitless?" she says. "I think having a child that resembles both of us and creating a family together is one of the greatest forms of happiness a person can feel."

Liverpool to retire number 20 in honour of Jota

Liverpool to retire number 20 in honour of Jota

Diogo Jota makes a heart shape with his hands with his back to the camera so his number 20 shirt is visibleImage source, PA Media
Image caption,

Jota joined Liverpool from Wolves in 2020

  • Published

Liverpool are to retire the number 20 shirt in honour of forward Diogo Jota, who tragically died in a car crash along with his brother Andre Silva.

The Reds took the decision after consulting with Jota's wife Rute Cardoso and his family which means the Portugal international "will forever be Liverpool's number 20".

A Liverpool statement said the number "will be retired in honour and memory of Diogo across all levels", including the women's team and throughout the academy.

They added: "The move is recognition of not only the immeasurable contribution our lad from Portugal made to the Reds' on-pitch successes over the last five years, but also the profound personal impact he had on his team-mates, colleagues and supporters and the everlasting connections he built with them."

Jota joined Liverpool from Wolves in 2020 and scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for the club.

He also helped them win the FA Cup and League Cup in 2022 - also winning the latter in 2024 - and the Premier League title last season.

"As a club, we were all acutely aware of the sentiment of our supporters - and we felt exactly the same way," said Fenway Sports Group chief executive of football Michael Edwards.

"It was vitally important to us to involve Diogo's wife, Rute, and his family in the decision and to ensure they were the first to know of our intention.

"I believe this is the first time in Liverpool's history that such an honour has been bestowed upon an individual. Therefore, we can say this is a unique tribute to a uniquely wonderful person.

"By retiring this squad number, we are making it eternal – and therefore never to be forgotten."

Jota and his brother died on 3 July after their car, a Lamborghini, left the road due to a tyre blowout while overtaking another vehicle at about 00:30 local time on Thursday, 3 July.

Jota was on his way back to Liverpool for pre-season and, as doctors had advised him against flying because he had undergone minor surgery, he was making the trip by car and ferry.

The funeral of the brothers took place in their hometown of Gondomar last Saturday when a large Liverpool delegation were in attendance.

Jota wife attends Anfield tributes

Cardoso, members of the brothers' family and Liverpool's squad visited Anfield on Friday to pay their respects to Jota and Silva.

Cardoso had three children with the Portugal international and the pair had married only 11 days prior to his accident.

She was seen carrying flowers at Anfield as she viewed the wealth of tributes that have been left outside the stadium in honour of Jota and his brother.

Liverpool players and staff have paid personal tributes in the week but the squad went as one with manager Arne Slot along with Cardoso on Friday.

Liverpool will play their first game since Jota's death when they face Preston North End at Deepdale in a pre-season friendly on Sunday.

Jota and Silva will be commemorated with a number of tributes and there will be a minute's silence at the game.

Rute Cardoso pays here respects to Jota at AnfieldImage source, EPA
Image caption,

Rute Cardoso pays here respects to Jota at Anfield

Liverpool manager Arne Slot and his players put some flowers down for Jota and his brother Andre Silva at AnfieldImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Liverpool manager Arne Slot and his players laid flowers for Jota and his brother Andre Silva at Anfield

❌