Mark Gordon is a dangerous "psychopath" who should have been locked up for life as a child, an American woman he raped 36 years ago has told the BBC.

Gordon was jailed for attacking his neighbour at knifepoint in Miami when he was aged 14 and BBC News has now obtained US court papers revealing the shocking nature of the crimes.

Gordon, 51, and his partner, Constance Marten, 38, have been found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter, after their baby, Victoria, died while they were on the run from UK authorities.

The pair became the focus of a nationwide search after Gordon - who was put on the sex offender's register when he returned to the UK - and Marten disappeared while she was pregnant.

Social services had already taken four of their other children into care.

Gordon has always maintained his rape conviction was unlawful.

'I know he is evil'

For legal reasons, the jury at their first Old Bailey trial was not told Gordon had been convicted of rape in 1989 but details emerged during the retrial.

He was sentenced to 40 years in prison and, after serving 20 years, was deported back to the UK.

BBC News can reveal the full details of the brutal assault, having obtained court documents from his sentencing hearing at Broward County Courthouse, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 1990.

The victim of his crime, Jane - not her real name - told the BBC she had followed the recent legal proceedings from thousands of miles away in the US.

She says she was "floored" when she found out the man who attacked her more than three decades ago was on the run from police in the UK in 2023.

Jane says Gordon should have been imprisoned in the US for life. "The four-and-a-half hours I spent with him was enough to know he is evil," she says.

Warning: This story contains descriptions of a violent sexual attack.

Gordon, who was born in the UK, moved to the US as a child with his mother. They initially lived in New York, before settling in Miami.

US court papers reveal how, in late April 1989, he broke into his neighbour's bungalow one night, wearing a mask and armed with a knife and a pair of garden shears.

The court heard how Gordon raped Jane, a mother-of-two, multiple times in an attack that lasted more than four hours. He threatened to kill her children, who were aged nine and seven at the time, if she screamed.

Jane, who was then aged 30, told Judge Stanton Kaplan she had been woken by the sound of her dog barking.

"I went to my bedroom door and hesitated," she said. "I opened the door and was met with the sight of a masked figure dressed in black." Jane said she screamed and he told her: "Don't scream or I'll kill your children."

"I knew there was no way out," she said.

Jane then described being repeatedly raped by the teenager at knife point.

"I was told to say goodbye to my children because this was the day I was going to die. I was told I was worthless, not as good as the others, which led me to believe I was not the first one he had raped.

"As he was telling me these things, he was running the knife up and down my body. He was jabbing at my skin deep enough to hurt but not cut.

"He was holding it over my heart, saying: 'All I have to do is push and you are dead'. I was terrified my children would find my body covered in blood. He enjoyed the nightmare he was causing."

The same court heard, three weeks after attacking Jane, Gordon broke into the home of a couple called Patrick and Annette Nash, who lived a few doors down.

Prosecutors said masked and dressed in black, he made his way to their bedroom. When Annette woke and screamed, Gordon hit her husband with a shovel before fleeing.

At a hearing on 29 February 1990, Gordon pleaded guilty to four counts of armed sexual battery (rape), one of armed kidnapping, one of aggravated battery and two of burglary with a weapon. He later withdrew his guilty plea and stood trial in a chaotic court case in 1994 where he was convicted.

The defence's main witness in mitigation during the sentencing hearing was Gordon's mother, Sylvia Satchell. She revealed to the judge that her son had been the victim of sexual abuse at the age of four while at a nursery in Birmingham.

"I'm asking for a little leniency for him," she told the judge. "This is a first offender and I wouldn't want him to be a hardened criminal at this young age. He's only 15 now."

In a foretaste of his behaviour during his Old Bailey trials, Gordon tried to sack his lawyer and said he was too sick to attend court. He was eventually sentenced to 40 years in prison.

After the attack, Jane's life fell apart. She said her home no longer felt safe and she could not spend another night there.

"Now I'm plagued by nightmares, living with friends or relatives, afraid to be alone," she told the court in 1990.

"My children lost me for months while I dealt with what happened to me."

Jane says she still remembers packing what she could into her car and moving away. Eventually her home was sold for a fraction of what it was worth.

She now lives in a different part of the US, but still misses the Florida climate - particularly during the winter. "The cold is so painful," she says. "Once a Florida girl, always a Florida girl - yet another loss caused by Mr Gordon."

During Gordon's 1990 sentencing hearing, held before he retracted his pleas, Jane implored the US judge: "Please protect the innocent by keeping the guilty in prison for his life. Show him no mercy. Show him the guilty are punished and not merely chastised."

"I wanted them to sentence him as an adult and not just let him out when he was 18," Jane says now. "He showed me no mercy. So show him no mercy and save the other women out there.

"I think he's just evil."

If you have been affected by the issues raised in this story, help and support is available via the BBC Action Line

A BBC documentary about Gaza breached editorial guidelines on accuracy by failing to disclose the narrator was the son of a Hamas official, the corporation's review has found.

BBC director general Tim Davie commissioned the review into Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone, after it was pulled from iPlayer in February when the boy's family connections emerged.

The review found that the independent production company, Hoyo Films, bears most of the responsibility for the failure. However, it said the BBC also bears some responsibility.

The BBC said the programme should not have been signed off, and it was taking appropriate action on accountability.

The BBC said it was taking a number of steps to prevent a similar breach being repeated:

• The corporation will create a new leadership role in news documentaries and current affairs. The new director role on the BBC News board, which will be advertised in the next week, will have strategic leadership of its long form output across the news division.
• New editorial guidance will be issued that careful consideration must be given to the use of narrators in the area of contested current affairs programmes, and that the narrator will be subject to a higher level of scrutiny
• A new "first gate" process will be introduced, meaning "no high-risk long form programmes can be formally commissioned until all potential compliance considerations are considered and listed"

The corporation did not name any individuals facing disciplinary action.

Hoyo Films said it took the reviews findings "extremely seriously" and said it "apologises for the mistake that resulted in a breach of the editorial guidelines".

The company said it was pleased the report had found there was "no evidence of inappropriate influence on the content of the documentary from any third party".

It said it welcomed the report's recommendations and "hope they will improve processes and prevent similar problems in the future".

Hoyo Films said it would work closely with the BBC to explore the possibility of using some material for re-edited and re-versioned shorter films for archive on iPlayer.

The BBC's director general Tim Davie apologised, saying the report "identifies a significant failing in relation to accuracy".

"We will now take action on two fronts," he continued. "Fair, clear and appropriate actions to ensure proper accountability and the immediate implementation of steps to prevent such errors being repeated."

'Not appropriate'

The review found three members of the independent production company knew of the father's position as deputy minister of agriculture in the Hamas-run government in Gaza, but no-one within the BBC knew this at the time.

However, the report criticised the BBC team for not being "sufficiently proactive" with initial editorial checks, and for a "lack of critical oversight" of unanswered or partially answered questions.

The review said it had seen no evidence "to support the suggestion that the narrator's father or family influenced the content of the programme in any way".

It added the narrator's scripted contribution to the programme did not constitute a breach of due impartiality.

However, the report concluded that the use of the child narrator for this programme was "not appropriate".

A financial examination found that a fee of £795 was was paid for the narrator, paid to his adult sister, an amount which was not "outside the range of what might be reasonable in the context".

The review was conducted by Peter Johnston, the BBC's director of editorial complaints and reviews.

The BBC Board said: "Nothing is more important than trust and transparency in our journalism. We welcome the actions the Executive are taking to avoid this failing being repeated in the future."

A report into BBC show MasterChef has found 45 allegations against Gregg Wallace were upheld including one of unwelcome physical contact and another three of being in a state of undress.

In total, the report says 83 allegations were made against the TV presenter, with the majority of the substantiated claims relating to inappropriate sexual language and humour, but also culturally insensitive and racist comments.

The inquiry, conducted by an independent law firm, was ordered by MasterChef's production company Banijay in the wake of a BBC News investigation which first revealed claims of inappropriate sexual comments against Wallace.

Ahead of the report's release, Wallace insisted it had cleared him of "the most serious and sensational allegations".

Last week, it emerged that he had been sacked as presenter of the cooking show, as dozens more people came forward to BBC News with fresh claims against him.

The 50 people who came forward to BBC News said they encountered Wallace across a range of shows and settings.

Around 20 were on Banijay productions, but others related to areas like night clubs, awards ceremonies and other TV shows. Some of the individuals we heard from also contributed to the Banijay inquiry.

A decision has not yet been made about unseen series of MasterChef which was filmed last year.

The report also says that ten standalone allegations were made against other people, two of which were substantiated.

Both of those substantiated allegations , which did not involve Wallace, relate to inappropriate language, one of swearing and one of racist language.

The investigation team also found evidence that between 2005 and 2024, six complaints were raised with the production company and six with the BBC.

Patrick Holland, chief executive of Banijay UK, said in earlier years, "it is clear that escalation procedures were not as robust as they should have been".

"We are extremely sorry to anyone who has been impacted by this behaviour and felt unable to speak up at the time or that their complaint was not adequately addressed," he added.

A BBC statement said: "Although the full extent of these issues were not known at the relevant time, opportunities were missed to address this behaviour – both by the production companies running MasterChef and the BBC.

"We accept more could and should have been done sooner."

The BBC said it apologised to "everyone who has been impacted by Mr Wallace's behaviour", and confirmed it has no plans to work with the presenter in future.

Gregg Wallace has been contacted for comment.

Four people who died when a small plane crashed at London Southend Airport are believed to be foreign nationals, police have confirmed.

The airport has been closed since emergency services were called to the incident involving a Beech B200 Super King shortly before 16:00 BST on Sunday.

Witnesses described a "fireball" type explosion soon after the Netherlands-bound light aircraft had taken off.

All four people were killed in the crash - two pilots and two passengers - and Essex Police said in a press conference on Monday it believed they were foreign nationals.

The names of the four who died have not been released but officers are now working to confirm their identities.

Ch Supt Morgan Cronin said the victims would be "treated with the utmost respect and dignity".

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has put in place a significant air exclusion zone surrounding the crash site.

All flights to and from the airport on Monday have been rerouted, with passengers advised to check with their airline for advice.

The Beech B200 Super King Air plane was operated by Zeusch Aviation, based at Lelystad Airport in the Netherlands, which has confirmed it is "actively supporting the authorities with the investigation".

The plane had flown from the Greek capital Athens to Pula in Croatia on Sunday before heading to Southend. It was due to return to Lelystad on Sunday evening.

Detectives and forensic teams are working in parallel with the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), the Royal Air Force, Essex County Fire and Rescue Service and London Southend Airport to work out what happened.

Speaking at the press conference, Lisa Fitzsimons, a senior inspector at the AAIB, said it was "too early to speculate on what caused this tragic accident".

"If there are safety lessons that can be learned, we will make recommendations that will aim to prevent a similar accident occurring," she said.

Eight of its inspectors are now at the crash site.

A London Southend Airport spokesperson said: "Our thoughts are with those affected by [Sunday's] events and all passengers impacted by this disruption.

"We will restart flight operations as soon as possible and will continue to update the public on developments."

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Constance Marten and Mark Gordon's failures as parents are revealed by damning court papers, which have been released to BBC News.

A years-long family court case ended in January 2022 when their four children were permanently placed into care.

The documents show how over the years the couple fled to Ireland to avoid contact with social services when Marten was pregnant, refused antenatal and newborn healthcare and repeatedly missed contact sessions with their children once they were in care.

A turning point in the proceedings came when a family court judge ruled, "on the balance of probabilities", Gordon had caused Marten to fall from a first-floor window while she was pregnant.

Their fifth child, Victoria, died in January 2023 after they had gone on the run from authorities. Marten, 38, and Gordon, 51, were found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter on 14 July following a retrial.

They were convicted of child cruelty, concealing baby Victoria's birth and perverting the course of justice during their first trial in June 2024.

Until recently, family court hearings have taken place in private and journalists have not been permitted to report on them.

BBC News led a legal challenge which resulted in the publication of the documents.

The family court judgments, made across five years, provide an important insight into the couple's chaotic life together and the danger judges decided that posed to their four children.

Family court proceedings began in south Wales, where the couple's first baby was born, and continued in London, when Marten and Gordon moved there.

The papers reveal:

• Gordon did not call 999 after Marten fell from the window and he refused to let paramedics into their home to treat her
• Afterwards, Marten, pregnant with their third child, fled to Ireland to avoid contact with social services
• The couple put their children's health at risk by refusing standard antenatal and newborn healthcare
• Once their older children were in care, they repeatedly missed contact sessions with them
• Faced with permanently losing her children, Marten told a court she would separate from Gordon in a desperate bid to keep them - but the judge did not believe her

Marten and Gordon - a convicted rapist - returned from travelling around South America in June 2017. She was four months pregnant with their first child.

The pair had travelled through a country during an outbreak of the Zika virus - which can affect a baby's development - and the London hospital where Marten attended antenatal appointments became concerned. But Marten missed at least two more check-ups and then disappeared.

The hospital was worried enough to put out a "national alert". Marten's family also hired a private detective to find her.

Months later, she resurfaced in south Wales after going into labour.

Using the name Isabella O'Brien, and putting on an Irish accent, she told staff at Glangwili Hospital, in Carmarthen, that she was from the travelling community. But they weren't convinced and, remembering the national alert issued in London, called the police.

When officers arrived, there was a physical struggle in front of the other mothers and their babies - and Gordon was arrested. He was later sentenced to 20 weeks in prison for assaulting two female police officers.

This marked the start of a long and often chaotic journey through the family court system, in which Gordon and Marten repeatedly switched lawyers, represented themselves, or failed to turn up for hearings.

In the first court judgment, made by District Judge Taylor at Swansea Family Court in July 2018, a psychiatrist warned that Gordon had "the capacity to act in a violent manner", and could be violent when under stress.

He spent the initial weeks of their first baby's life in Cardiff prison, while Marten stayed with families in a series of mother and baby placements.

When Gordon was released, Marten travelled to visit him in London, leaving the newborn behind for 17 hours.

"There are some concerns that on occasions these parents prioritise their own relationship over [their baby's] needs," Judge Taylor recorded. Similar phrases crop up time and again throughout the 84 pages of court documents released to the BBC.

The judge found the couple had "poor decision-making skills" and a "potential to act impulsively".

At least twice, professionals warned Marten about the dangers of falling asleep with a newborn on her chest - Marten reportedly said she had taken the advice on board.

This first brush with the family courts ended with a six-month supervision order, allowing a social worker to "advise, assist and befriend" the couple's baby. But almost immediately they left Wales for London.

They lived in a series of houses in the east and south-east of the city, leaving without paying rent on more than one occasion - despite Marten having a regular income from a family trust fund.

In one of these houses, their second baby was born. They called a private midwife but Marten had given birth to the baby by the time she arrived. Gordon refused to tell the midwife his own name, and became angry when she called an ambulance, the court documents say.

By late 2019, Marten was pregnant with her third child, and this is when judgments from Her Honour Judge Reardon, at the East London Family Court, pick up the story. A local authority in London alleged domestic abuse between Marten and Gordon, that they had failed to provide adequately for their children's medical needs, and that they had attempted to evade an investigation into their welfare.

The judge wrote that the legal proceedings in front of her were "protracted and delayed", mainly because of the way the parents had conducted the litigation. Their attendance at hearings was intermittent and they gave excuses such as "toothache" and a "car accident" for not turning up.

'Help me, help me'

The night of 21 November 2019 would be a key turning point.

A neighbour was woken by screaming in the early hours of the morning. When he looked outside, he saw Marten falling from a first-floor window and landing on a car.

According to the judgments, Gordon did not call 999, but someone else did. When paramedics arrived, Marten was inside the house screaming: "Help me, help me."

Marten spent eight days in hospital being treated for a shattered spleen and lacerations to a kidney. She was 14 weeks pregnant, but the baby survived.

Gordon told police officers he and Marten had both fallen out of the window while trying to fix the TV aerial, but they remained suspicious.

• If you have been affected by the issues raised in this story, help and support is available via the BBC Action line

In her judgment Judge Reardon said: "I find on the balance of probabilities that the father caused the mother to fall out of the window. I am not able to find whether he pushed her or whether she fell during a struggle. The former may be more likely."

When Marten left hospital, social workers wanted to talk to her, but she fled with her two children to a hotel in Ireland. She was eventually persuaded to return, a month later. The two children were removed from her on arrival, and she has never got them back.

By the time Judge Reardon made her fact-finding judgment in January 2021, the couple's third baby had been born. This child was also removed when the couple refused to go to a residential assessment unit.

Judge Reardon said it wasn't easy to evaluate the dynamics of their relationship. She found Gordon was likely to have perpetrated a serious act of violence on Marten, so it would be natural for her to fear him, she said. But despite this, she formed the view that it was Marten who was the "dominant personality".

"The strong impression given by the parents is that of two people who are fiercely united in an unrelenting struggle against a non-existent opponent," she said.

"I conclude that the parents have repeatedly prioritised their own need for privacy and secrecy above their children's health.

"Essentially, these parents have rolled the dice three times in refusing the vast majority of standard maternity and newborn healthcare and checks. They have been lucky each time, but plenty of pregnancies do involve complications which, if unchecked or untreated, can become life-threatening for the mother or the baby or both."

It was a tragic prophecy of what was to befall the couple's fifth child, Victoria.

The couple began repeatedly missing contact sessions with their children, and then stopped visiting altogether. Their eldest child became distressed and developed a stammer. "My mummy and daddy cancelled again," the child told nursery staff.

In January 2022, Judge Reardon made her final decision: the couple's four children, one only a baby, would be permanently removed.

The judge said observations from the contact sessions left her with "vivid snapshots of what could, if this were the complete picture, be a loving and integrated family".

But she had to balance that against the risk of harm to the children, caused by the likelihood of exposure to violence between the parents and their attempts to avoid local authority intervention.

"Perhaps most hurtful, from the children's point of view, is their parents' baffling lack of commitment to them over the course of these lengthy proceedings and their inability, or unwillingness, to do what needed to be done in order to reclaim them," Judge Reardon said.

"It is a picture that I, as a reasonably experienced family court judge, find very difficult to comprehend."

At the last minute, in a desperate attempt to hold on to her children, Marten had offered to separate from Gordon, but the judge simply did not believe she would go through with it.

She couldn't see either parent providing a safe home any time soon.

Eight months later, Gordon and Marten - who was by now pregnant again - left their house in south-east London, and went on the run from authorities - beginning the fatal journey that ended in baby Victoria's death.

The Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel is now carrying out a national review into Victoria's death, to examine how "agencies can better safeguard children in similar circumstances".

At least 30 people have been killed in armed clashes between Sunni Bedouin tribal fighters and Druze militias in southern Syria, the country's interior ministry says.

The violence erupted in the predominantly Druze city in the province of Suweida on Sunday, two days after a Druze merchant was reportedly abducted on the highway to Damascus.

The interior ministry called the situation "a dangerous escalation" and said security forces were being deployed to try to restore calm.

It is the latest outbreak of deadly sectarian violence in the country since Islamist-led rebel forces overthrew President Bashar al-Assad in December.

Syria's many minority communities - including the Druze, whose religion is an offshoot of Shia Islam with its own unique identity and beliefs - have expressed concerns over the new authorities' pledges to protect them.

Sunday's clashes between Bedouin tribesmen and Druze militias began in the al-Maqwas neighbourhood of Suweida city.

The area, which is inhabited by Bedouin, was reportedly encircled and later seized by armed Druze fighters.

The fighting soon spread into other parts of Suweida province, with tribesmen reportedly launching attacks on Druze towns and villages on the city's western and northern outskirts.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based monitoring group, said the towns of Sumay and Mazraah were shelled, and that residents of the village of Tayrah fled after armed men entered the outskirts and set fire to several homes.

It reported that 37 people were killed - 27 Druze, including two children, and 10 Bedouin.

The interior ministry said: "This dangerous escalation comes in light of the absence of relevant official institutions, leading to worsening chaos, a collapse of the security situation, and the local community's inability to contain the crisis despite repeated calls for calm."

It added that interior ministry forces, in co-ordination with the defence ministry, would "begin direct intervention in the area to end the conflict and impose order".

The governor of Suweida, Mustapha al-Bakur, called on his constituents to "exercise self-restraint and respond to national calls for reform".

Several Syrian Druze spiritual leaders also appealed for calm.

On Sunday night, local activist-run news outlet Suwayda 24 said that mediation between Bedouin and Druze leaders aimed at de-escalating tensions had resulted in the release of people kidnapped by both sides during the clashes.

However, on Monday morning it reported that fighting had erupted in the western countryside of Suweida after drones attacked villages at the same time as government forces deployed in nearby areas of eastern Deraa province.

At the start of May, more than 130 people were reportedly killed in clashes between Druze gunmen, security forces and allied Sunni Islamist fighters in two suburbs of the capital Damascus and Suweida province.

In the wake of that fighting, the government reached an agreement with Druze militias to hire local security forces in Suweida province from their ranks.

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, who created history by becoming the first Indian ever to set foot on the International Space Station (ISS), is on his way back.

A live broadcast showed the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission undocking from the orbiting laboratory with its four-member crew on Monday. It is expected to splash down in just under 24 hours.

Led by former Nasa veteran Peggy Whitson and piloted by Group Captain Shukla, Ax-4 had arrived at ISS on 26 June. Its crew included Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.

Group Captain Shukla is only the second Indian to have gone to space. His trip came 41 years after cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma flew aboard a Russian Soyuz in 1984.

Ax-4 - a commercial flight operated by Houston-based private firm Axiom Space - is a collaboration between Nasa, India's space agency Isro, European Space Agency (Esa) and SpaceX.

On Monday, ISS posted on X that the Ax-4 crew had taken their places in the spacecraft and its hatches had been closed. The undocking of the craft - when it separated from the ISS - was broadcast live.

Axiom Space said the craft would splash down in the ocean off the coast of California and a vessel would then pick it up.

Indian Science Minister Jitendra Singh has said the splash down is scheduled for 15 July at approximately 15:00 India time (09:30 GMT).

In his farewell address from aboard the ISS on Sunday, the Indian astronaut said India's journey in space exploration may be tough, but it has begun.

"It has been an incredible journey. Even though now it is coming to an end, for you and me there is a long way to go. The journey of our human space mission is very long and difficult. But if we are determined, even the stars are attainable."

He referred to India's first man in space cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma famously quoting from a 1924 Urdu song "Sare jahan se achcha" to say "India looked better than the rest of the world".

"Even today we want to know how it looks from space. I'll tell you. From space, today's India looks ambitious. It looks fearless. It looks confident. It looks proud. And so, I can once again say that today's India still looks better than the rest of the world," Group Captain Shukla said.

Ax-4, which was originally expected to spend two weeks on the ISS, ended up staying a few days longer. During their stay, Axiom Space said the crew conducted 60 scientific experiments, including seven designed by Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro).

Isro, which had paid 5bn rupees ($59m; £43m) to secure a seat for Group Captain Shukla on Ax-4 and his training, has said the hands-on experience he gains during his trip to the ISS will help India in its human space flights.

Isro has announced plans to launch Gaganyaan - the country's first-ever human space flight in 2027 - and has ambitious plans to set up a space station by 2035 and send an astronaut to the Moon by 2040.

Group Captain Shukla is among four Indian air force officers shortlisted last year to travel on Gaganyaan.

Born on 10 October 1985 in the northern city of Lucknow, Group Captain Shukla joined the air force as a fighter pilot in 2006.

He has flown MiGs, Sukhois, Dorniers, Jaguars and Hawks and has more than 2,000 hours of flying experience.

Before flying into space, Group Captain Shukla described the past year as "nothing short of transformative".

"It has been an amazing journey so far, but the best is yet to come," he said. "As I go into space, I carry not just instruments and equipment, I carry hopes and dreams of a billion hearts. I request all Indians to pray for the success of our mission," he had said.

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Argentine President Javier Milei and his vice-president, Victoria Villarruel, have engaged in a bitter public war of words over plans to increase pensions.

Milei shared posts on X in which his running mate had been called "stupid" and described as "a traitor", and in response Villarruel told the president to "grow up".

The president's anger was triggered by a heavy defeat in Congress on Thursday, when the Senate approved motions aimed at boosting pensions and increasing disability allowances - which Milei had vehemently opposed.

Milei said he would veto the pension hike, arguing that the extra expenditure threatened his fiscal surplus, and blamed Villarruel for allowing the vote to proceed.

In Argentina, the country's vice-president also acts as the president of the Senate.

It was in this role as Senate leader that Villarruel allowed the debate on the emergency pension hike to proceed, even though senators allied with the government boycotted the session.

With government-aligned senators absent, the motion passed with 52 votes in favour and four abstentions.

Its backers argue that higher payments are essential in order for pensioners to make ends meet.

But President Milei says it goes counter to his promise to eliminate Argentina's chronic fiscal deficit and bring down inflation.

In January, Milei scored a major economic victory when it emerged that 2024 was the first year in more than a decade that Argentina had registered a budget surplus.

Last month also saw the country's monthly inflation rate drop to 1.5%, the lowest it has been in more than five years.

But the austerity measures that helped the libertarian president lower the deficit and drive down inflation have also triggered protests, with pensioners holding weekly rallies outside Congress.

Following the approval of the motion on Thursday, President Milei was quick to announce that he would block the pension hike.

"I bet a hundred thousand to one that you all know what I'm going to do. You know what? We're going to veto it. And if, by some chance, which I don't believe will happen, but if the veto is overturned, we will take it to court," he said.

But he also turned on his vice-president, reposting a comment on X in which she was labelled a "traitor, a demagogue and stupid in economic terms".

Villarruel responded on Instagram arguing that pensioners and people with disabilities "could not wait" any longer for their payments to be raised and suggested the president should make savings by spending less on the intelligence services and on his travels.

Since becoming president in December 2023, Milei has travelled abroad extensively.

In one of the most publicised events, he wielded the chainsaw which has become emblematic of his government cuts before handing it to Elon Musk at the US Conservative Political Action Conference.

Villarruel also urged the president "to speak and act like an adult" in responses she gave her critics on Instagram.

After the thirtieth consecutive month without rain, the townsfolk of San Francisco de Conchos in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua gather to plead for divine intervention.

On the shores of Lake Toronto, the reservoir behind the state's most important dam – called La Boquilla, a priest leads local farmers on horseback and their families in prayer, the stony ground beneath their feet once part of the lakebed before the waters receded to today's critically low levels.

Among those with their heads bowed is Rafael Betance, who has voluntarily monitored La Boquilla for the state water authority for 35 years.

"This should all be underwater," he says, motioning towards the parched expanse of exposed white rocks.

"The last time the dam was full and caused a tiny overflow was 2017," Mr Betance recalls. "Since then, it's decreased year on year.

"We're currently at 26.52 metres below the high-water mark, less than 14% of its capacity."

Little wonder the local community is beseeching the heavens for rain. Still, few expect any let up from the crippling drought and sweltering 42C (107.6F) heat.

Now, a long-running dispute with Texas over the scarce resource is threatening to turn ugly.

Under the terms of a 1944 water-sharing agreement, Mexico must send 430 million cubic metres of water per year from the Rio Grande to the US.

The water is sent via a system of tributary channels into shared dams owned and operated by the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), which oversees and regulates water-sharing between the two neighbours.

In return, the US sends its own much larger allocation (nearly 1.85 billion cubic metres a year) from the Colorado River to supply the Mexican border cities of Tijuana and Mexicali.

Mexico is in arrears and has failed to keep up with its water deliveries for much of the 21st Century.

Following pressure from Republican lawmakers in Texas, the Trump administration warned Mexico that water could be withheld from the Colorado River unless it fulfils its obligations under the 81-year-old treaty.

In April, on his Truth Social account, US President Donald Trump accused Mexico of "stealing" the water and threatened to keep escalating to "TARIFFS, and maybe even SANCTIONS" until Mexico sends Texas what it owes. Still, he gave no firm deadline by when such retaliation might happen.

For her part, the Mexican President, Claudia Sheinbaum, acknowledged Mexico's shortfall but struck a more conciliatory tone.

Since then, Mexico has transferred an initial 75 million cubic metres of water to the US via their shared dam, Amistad, located along the border, but that is just a fraction of the roughly 1.5 billion cubic metres of Mexico's outstanding debt.

Feelings on cross-border water sharing can run dangerously high: in September 2020, two Mexican people were killed in clashes with the National Guard at La Boquilla's sluice gates as farmers tried to stop the water from being redirected.

Amid the acute drought, the prevailing view in Chihuahua is that "you can't take from what isn't there", says local expert Rafael Betance.

But that doesn't help Brian Jones to water his crops.

A fourth-generation farmer in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, for the past three years he has only been able to plant half of his farm because he doesn't have enough irrigation water.

"We've been battling Mexico as they've not been living up to their part of the deal," he says. "All we're asking for is what's rightfully ours under the treaty, nothing extra."

Mr Jones also disputes the extent of the problem in Chihuahua. He believes that in October 2022 the state received more than enough water to share, but released "exactly zero" to the US, accusing his neighbours of "hoarding water and using it to grow crops to compete with us".

Farmers on the Mexican side read the agreement differently. They say it only binds them to send water north when Mexico can satisfy its own needs, and argue that Chihuahua's ongoing drought means there's no excess available.

Beyond the water scarcity, there are also arguments over agricultural efficiency.

Walnut trees and alfalfa are two of the main crops in Chihuahua's Rio Conchos Valley, both of which require a lot of watering – walnut trees need on average 250 litres a day.

Traditionally, Mexican farmers have simply flooded their fields with water from the irrigation channel. Driving around the valley one quickly sees walnut trees sitting in shallow pools, the water flowing in from an open pipe.

The complaint from Texas is obvious: the practice is wasteful and easily avoided with more responsible and sustainable farming methods.

As Jaime Ramirez walks through his walnut groves, the former mayor of San Francisco de Conchos shows me how his modern sprinkler system ensures his walnut trees are properly watered all year round without wasting the precious resource.

"With the sprinklers, we use around 60% less than flooding the fields," he says. The system also means they can water the trees less frequently, which is particularly useful when the Rio Conchos is too low to allow local irrigation.

Mr Ramirez readily admits, though, that some of his neighbours aren't so conscientious. As a former local mayor, he urges understanding.

Some haven't adopted the sprinkler method because of the costs in setting it up, he says. He's tried to show other farmers that it works out cheaper in the long run, saving on energy and water costs.

But farmers in Texas must also understand that their counterparts in Chihuahua are facing an existential threat, Mr Ramirez insists.

"This is a desert region and the rains haven't come. If the rain doesn't come again this year, then next year there simply won't be any agriculture left. All the available water will have to be conserved as drinking water for human beings," he warns.

Many in northern Mexico believe the 1944 water-sharing treaty is no longer fit for purpose. Mr Ramirez thinks it may have been adequate for conditions eight decades ago, but it has failed to adapt with the times or properly account for population growth or the ravages of climate change.

Back across the border, Texan farmer Brian Jones says the agreement has stood the test of time and should still be honoured.

"This treaty was signed when my grandfather was farming. It's been through my grandfather, my father and now me," he says.

"Now we're seeing Mexico not comply. It's very angering to have a farm where I'm only able to plant half the ground because I don't have irrigation water."

Trump's tougher stance has given the local farmers "a pep in our step", he adds.

Meanwhile, the drought hasn't just harmed farming in Chihuahua.

With Lake Toronto's levels so low, Mr Betance says the remaining water in the reservoir is heating up with uncommon speed and creating a potential disaster for the marine life which sustains a once-thriving tourism industry.

The valley's outlook hasn't been this dire, Mr Betance says, in the entire time he's spent carefully recording the lake's ups and downs. "Praying for rain is all we have left," he reflects.

Additional reporting by Angélica Casas.

A hosepipe ban affecting 1.1 million people across several postcode areas has been announced by Thames Water.

The water firm said the measure would come into place across Swindon, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Wiltshire on 22 July due to a lack of rain and increasing demand, which had stretched supplies.

It bans the use of a hosepipe for activities such as watering the garden, washing the car or filling a paddling pool.

It comes as the Environment Agency said it had declared a state of prolonged dry weather in large parts of Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Surrey.

Thames Water said the temporary restriction would cover areas with postcodes beginning with OX, GL, SN, RG4, RG8 and RG9.

The ban does not affect businesses where hosepipe use is part of their purpose - for example, garden centres and car washes - but the company said everyone in the region should be "mindful" of water use.

Thames Water said prolonged hot weather meant there was less water available as well as a higher demand, with customers using up to 30% more water when temperatures were above 25C.

Nevil Muncaster, strategic water resources director at Thames Water, said he did not "anticipate the situation will improve any time soon".

"We have to take action now," he said.

"This has been a challenging spring and summer with big spikes in customer demand during hot dry days and very little rainfall to replenish local supplies in the Thames Valley."

He encouraged customers both within and outside the ban area to reduce water use, by doing things like turning taps off while brushing teeth, taking shorter showers and not watering their lawns.

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A backpacker who survived nearly two weeks lost in Western Australia's outback has said she is "simply beyond grateful to have survived".

Caroline Wilga, a 26-year-old German national, was rescued on Friday after spending 11 freezing nights alone and lost in the bushland.

She survived by drinking from puddles and sheltering in a cave, police said.

In her first public statement since being rescued, Ms Wilga said she had hit her head after losing control of her van, causing her to exit the vehicle in a state of confusion.

She was spotted by a driver and airlifted to a hospital in Perth, where she is recovering.

Ms Wilga thanked the medical staff, German consulate and all the people who had helped search for her, in a statement to Western Australia Police posted on Instagram.

"I want to express a huge thank you from the bottom of my heart – a thank you that truly comes from the depth of my soul," she said.

"Some people might wonder why I even left my car, even though I had water, food, and clothing there," Ms Wilga added.

She said she "lost control of the car and rolled down a slope", hitting her head "significantly" in the subsequent crash.

"As a result of the accident, I left my car in a state of confusion and got lost," she added.

"Previously, I didn't know where my place was in a culture on the other side of the world to my own, but now, I feel a part of it. I am deeply impressed by the courage, helpfulness, and warmth that has been shown to me here.

"Western Australia has taught me what it really means to be part of a true community. Here, humanity, solidarity, and care for one another are what truly matter – and in the end, that's what counts most."

She was found walking barefoot by motorist Tania Henley - whom Ms Wilga described as her "saviour and angel" - more than 30km away from where she had abandoned her van, on a scarcely used track north of Beacon.

Ms Henley told Australia's public broadcaster ABC that she saw Ms Wilga waving by the side of the road, and she appeared to be in a "fragile state", suffering from exhaustion, dehydration, insect bites and an injured foot.

"Everything in this bush is very prickly. I just can't believe that she survived. She had no shoes on, she'd wrapped her foot up," Ms Henley said.

Before her rescue, Ms Wilga was last seen at a general store in the town of Beacon, Western Australia, in her van on 29 June.

"I am certain that I survived only thanks to this incredible outpouring of support," she said.

"The thought of all the people who believed in me, searched for me, and kept hoping for me gave me the strength to carry on during my darkest moments," she said.

The rescue was down to "sheer luck", acting police inspector Jessica Securo said in a news conference.

A former Conservative MP has been given a community order and fine for harassing her ex-wife.

Jamie Wallis, who is now known as Katie Wallis and uses female pronouns, represented Bridgend from 2019 to 2024.

At an earlier hearing, the 41-year-old from Butetown in Cardiff denied harassing Rebecca Wallis, now known as Rebecca Lovell, between 14 February and 21 March.

Wallis was sentenced to a 12-month community order involving 12 days of rehabilitation activity and fined £500 plus £650 costs and a £114 surcharge.

A restraining order was also imposed for 12 months to prevent contact with Rebecca Lovell.

The former MP made unwanted phone calls, sent unwanted messages and a voice note.

Cardiff Magistrates Court heard that the messages contained abusive language while accusing Rebecca Lovell of being "mean" and seeking to find out details about her new relationship.

One message complained about access to Wallis's family, another demanded £350,000 within 15 minutes and wished to ensure that Wallis's former wife and others "never have a happy moment again".

Wallis, who was the first MP to openly begin the process of gender transitioning, previously told the court: "My name is Katie Wallis, but my legal name is Jamie Wallis".

District Judge Rhys Williams asked Wallis's barrister how he should address the defendant.

Defending, Narita Bahra KC told the court that Wallis identifies as she, "her dead name is Jamie. Her current name is Katie".

Wallis and the victim were in a relationship for more than 15 years and separated in 2020, with their divorce finalised in 2024.

In a personal impact statement, Rebecca Lovell said the messages left her "drowning in a chaos that was not of my own making" and concerned that Wallis would turn up at her house.

She said she was left wondering if threats of suicide were real.

"I torture myself wondering if I deserve the vile slurs," she said.

She added, "I can't remember a day I haven't cried. The woman I used to be has been destroyed."

Narita Bahra KC told the court that her client was "having profound and emotional difficulties in completing the passing stage" of transitioning to become a woman, but accepts that the behaviour was "wrong".

Ms Bahra said that Wallis was at a "crucial turning point" in the transitioning process and in "profound mental crisis" when the messages were sent and that there was acceptance of wrongdoing and apology in the final message.

Shortly after the final message was sent, Wallis was found by police and sectioned under the mental health act before being arrested and later charged.

Ms Bahra told the court it was "really disappointing that South Wales Police and the Crown Prosecution Service have shown no compassion" by pursuing a prosecution.

She added it was "disillusioning and disappointing that South Wales Police and the CPS demonstrated a lack of understanding" to what she said were the "unique stresses" of transitioning.