The harsh cold of Siberia has preserved the baby mammoth's remains almost perfectly
Russian scientists have unveiled the remains of a 50,000-year-old baby mammoth found in thawing permafrost in the remote Yakutia region of Siberia during the summer.
They say "Yana" - who has been named after the river basin where she was discovered - is the world's best-preserved mammoth carcass.
Weighing in at over 100kg (15st 10lb), and measuring 120cm (4ft) tall and 200cm long, Yana is estimated to have been only about one-year-old when she died.
Before this find, only six similar discoveries had been found in the world - five in Russia and one in Canada.
Yana was found in the Batagaika crater, the world's largest permafrost (ground that is permanently frozen) crater, by people living nearby.
The residents "were in the right place at the right time", the head of the Lazarev Mammoth Museum Laboratory said.
"They saw that the mammoth had almost completely thawed out" and decided to build a make-shift stretcher to lift the mammoth to the surface, said Maxim Cherpasov.
"As a rule, the part that thaws out first, especially the trunk, is often eaten by modern predators or birds," he told the Reuters news agency.
But "even though the forelimbs have already been eaten, the head is remarkably well preserved", he added.
A researcher at the museum, Gavril Novgorodov, told Reuters the mammoth "probably got trapped" in a swamp, and was "thus preserved for several tens of thousands of years".
Yana is being studied at the North-Eastern Federal University in the region's capital Yakutsk.
Scientists are now conducting tests to confirm when it died.
Spencer also admitted a separate offence of racially aggravated harassment.
Merseyside Police said his injuries were captured on mobile phone footage which was shared widely on social media after "some wayward missiles" hit him during the "appalling scenes" in Southport.
A police spokesperson said Spencer "could be seen acting in an aggressive manner" as part of a large group of people who were standing in front of police officers and throwing bricks.
'Despicable scenes'
Spencer was also seen "punching a police vehicle several times and picking up and throwing wheelie bins" at officers, police said.
Merseyside Police said its officers were later called to hospital after injured Spencer racially abused another patient while he was receiving treatment for his head injury.
A police spokesperson said the "officers recognised him from the viral social media footage" and he was arrested.
Det Insp Paula Jones said there were "despicable scenes as bricks, bins and other missiles were thrown" at officers during the riot.
She added: "Spencer was involved in the violence and will now spend a significant amount of time in prison."
Morrisons customers have been unable to get discounts on their shopping ahead of Christmas after a problem with the More loyalty card.
The supermarket has been advertising heavy discounts on Christmas dinner food, including vegetables, in the last week.
But social media users say their discounts are not working at the till, with one person posting a photo of an error message at the self-checkout, which reads: "We are really sorry some promotions and discounts are not working at this time."
The Morrisons website also appears to be down, with a "502 bad gateway" error message on some pages.
Morrisons has been contacted for comment.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.
Greenland's Pituffik Space Base, formerly the Thule Air Base, is owned by the US
Greenland has once again said it is not for sale after US President-elect Donald Trump said he wanted to take control of the territory.
"Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland," its prime minister said on Monday, a day after Trump repeated comments about the Arctic island that he first made several years ago.
Greenland, which is an autonomous Danish territory, is home to a large US space facility and lies on the shortest route from the US to Europe, meaning it is strategically important for America.
There was no immediate response to Trump's comments from Denmark.
Writing on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Sunday, the US president-elect said: "For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity."
His comments prompted a sharp rebuke from Greenland's Prime Minister Mute Egede, who said: "We are not for sale and we will not be for sale."
"We must not lose our long struggle for freedom. However, we must continue to be open to co-operation and trade with the whole world, especially with our neighbours," he said.
Trump's controversial remarks came hours after he announced that he intended to nominate Ken Howery, his former ambassador to Sweden, to be the new ambassador to Denmark.
Mr Howery said he was "deeply humbled" by the nomination and looked forward to working with the staff at the US embassy in Copenhagen and the US consulate in Greenland to "deepen the bonds between our countries".
Trump's original suggestion in 2019 that the US acquire Greenland, which is the world's largest island, led to a similarly sharp rebuke from leaders there.
The then Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederickson, who still holds the role, described the idea as "absurd", leading Trump to cancel a state trip to the country.
He is not the first US president to suggest buying Greenland. The idea was first mooted during the 1860s under the presidency of Andrew Johnson.
Sophie Harvey admitted to concealing the birth of her child
The trial of a woman accused of illegally aborting her baby collapsed due to "appalling and sloppy" reporting by the BBC, a judge has said.
Sophie Harvey, 25, and her boyfriend Elliot Benham, 25, accepted they had purchased abortion pills online, but she denied taking them.
The couple stood trial at Gloucester Crown Court in May, but the jury was discharged after an application by their lawyers who cited inaccurate reports of the proceedings by BBC Points West.
The BBC apologised to the court for the "unintentional" errors.
The court heard the opening headlines of the Points West episode on 16 May had shown archive footage of a property in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, with a tent and scenes of crime officers working, and stated: "The remains were found in the garden."
Later in the report of that day's trial proceedings, a TV reporter said that Harvey had taken the pill.
She had insisted she gave birth to a stillborn child in the bathroom of her home in Cirencester in 2018 and had not taken an abortion pill.
'Errors in reporting'
Tom Godfrey, representing Harvey, applied for the jury to be discharged due to the reporting, saying it would go to the issue of his client's credibility as she maintained she did not take the abortion pill.
Judge Ian Lawrie KC said it was "appalling and sloppy" reporting from the BBC, before dismissing the jury.
A BBC spokeswoman said: "The BBC apologised to the court for the unintentional errors in some of our reporting of the trial in May 2024.
"Our apology was accepted by the judge hearing the case."
A new trial had been fixed for February 2025, but Harvey and Benham pleaded guilty to a new offence of conspiracy to procure a poison with intent to procure a miscarriage and were sentenced to 18-month community orders.
The suspect accused of killing UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson has pleaded not guilty to New York state murder and terrorism charges.
Luigi Mangione, 26, appeared in court on Monday to be arraigned on 11 state criminal counts, including murder a crime of terrorism.
He also faces with federal stalking and murder charges that could lead to a death penalty sentence.
Prosecutors allege that Mangione shot Thompson in central Manhattan before going on the run. Authorities later arrested him at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.
Mauritius's deputy prime minister has hinted that negotiations with the UK over the future of the Chagos Islands are being held up over the amount of money involved.
Under the terms of the original agreement, which was announced in October, the UK would relinquish sovereignty to Mauritius over the archipelago but maintain a 99-year lease for Diego Garcia, home to a major UK-US military airbase.
As part of the deal, the UK said it would provide a package of financial support to Mauritius, including annual payments and infrastructure investment, but neither side has said how much is involved.
However a new government in Mauritius, elected since the agreement was first made, has said it wants to see some changes.
The proposed deal has also attracted criticism in the UK, with the opposition Conservative party calling it a "monumental failure of statecraft".
When the agreement was first made public after years of talks, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the then Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth called it a "seminal moment in our relationship and a demonstration of our enduring commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes and the rule of law".
It sought to end decades of uncertainty and dispute over the status of the islands.
In a joint statement issued on Friday, the UK and Mauritius said they were committed "to finalising a treaty as quickly as possible" that included both the "secure and effective operation of the existing base on Diego Garcia and that Mauritius is sovereign over the archipelago".
They added that "ongoing conversations" were productive.
The new Mauritian government, elected in a landslide last month, has not been explicit in public about what exactly its problems with the deal were.
But talking to his constituents on Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister Paul Bérenger spoke about the money involved.
"This base existed on our land, on our territory... but not only it is [about] our sovereignty. There are some things you can't accept if you're a true patriot. They are trying to make us sign and they are quibbling on a small amount," he said.
Speaking in parliament last week about the negotiations Bérenger admitted that Mauritius needs "money to get out of the economic mess the previous government got us into, but not at any price, not under any conditions".
Addressing MPs on Friday, Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam said that the UK was keen to complete the deal "before [Donald] Trump swears in as president on 20 January".
Marco Rubio, Trump's pick for secretary of state, has described the deal as a threat to US security.
Last week in the UK's House of Commons, Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel accused the Labour government of putting the UK's national security at risk, ignoring the interests of Chagossians, and "letting our standing go into freefall" in an increasingly dangerous world.
"How much is the British taxpayer going to be liable for each year, and in total, over 99 years?" she asked.
Foreign Office Minister Stephen Doughty insisted the deal would enhance, not damage UK security, saying it would protect the military base's operation and ensure it was "on a safe footing well into the next century".
In recent years, the UK has faced rising diplomatic isolation over its claim to what it refers to as the British Indian Ocean Territory, with various United Nations bodies - including its top court and general assembly - overwhelmingly siding with Mauritius and demanding the UK surrender what some have called its "last colony in Africa".
The government of Mauritius has long argued that it was illegally forced to give the Chagos Islands away in return for its own independence from the UK in 1968.
Until very recently, the UK insisted that Mauritius itself had no legitimate claim to the islands.
The King will be giving his speech from a former chapel in central London
This year's Christmas message from King Charles will be delivered from a former hospital chapel, in a year in which the King has been undergoing cancer treatment.
The location for the traditional Christmas Day broadcast is the Fitzrovia Chapel in central London, which once served as the chapel of the Middlesex Hospital.
It's the first time in more than a decade that the Christmas speech has been recorded from a place that isn't in a royal palace or estate - and it's understood that the King wanted a location with a healthcare connection.
The ornately-decorated 19th Century former chapel building is now used for exhibitions and community events for people of any faiths and none.
Getty Images
The Fitzrovia Chapel once served hospital staff and patients
As well as a link to the health services, the building also ties in with the King's interest in trying to build bridges between different beliefs, backgrounds and religions.
The traditional speech from the monarch, recorded earlier this month, will be broadcast as usual on television and radio at 15:00 on Christmas Day.
His regular sessions of treatment are continuing, as they have for much of this year, but as a sign of a positive response, he has plans for a busy schedule of engagements and overseas trips in 2025.
Setting the speech in this former hospital chapel, which was renovated and reopened in 2016, will be a reminder of those working in the health services and medical research.
The small chapel, decorated in the Gothic Revival style with shimmering mosaics and Byzantine influences, is tucked away in Pearson Square, in a quiet corner of London's West End.
It was built in the courtyard of what was the Middlesex Hospital, serving its staff and patients. When the hospital was demolished the chapel was retained and restored, with a new development built around it.
It's no longer regularly used for services, but is used for community events and concerts and is open to visitors wanting some quiet contemplation.
The run-up to Christmas has seen the King attending a series of seasonal events, including a Christmas market in Battersea, a service remembering those persecuted because of their religion and an event in Walthamstow celebrating the diversity of the local community.
Morrisons customers have been unable to get discounts on their shopping ahead of Christmas after a problem with the More loyalty card.
The supermarket has been advertising heavy discounts on Christmas dinner food, including vegetables, in the last week.
But social media users say their discounts are not working at the till, with one person posting a photo of an error message at the self-checkout, which reads: "We are really sorry some promotions and discounts are not working at this time."
The Morrisons website also appears to be down, with a "502 bad gateway" error message on some pages.
Morrisons has been contacted for comment.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.
US President Joe Biden has commuted the sentences of 37 out of 40 federal death row inmates, switching their penalty to life in prison without parole.
Among those are nine people convicted of murdering fellow prisoners, four for murders committed during bank robberies and one who killed a prison guard.
In a statement, Biden said he condemned the murderers and their crimes, but added he was "more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level".
Biden's decision comes before the return of President-elect Donald Trump in January, who previously resumed federal executions in July 2020 for the first time since 2003.
"Make no mistake: I condemn these murderers, grieve for the victims of their despicable acts, and ache for all the families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss," Biden added.
Disgraced former New Orleans police officer Len Davis, who operated a drug ring involving other officers and arranged a woman's murder, is among those who have been shown clemency.
The three remaining on death row include Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who helped carry out the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, and avowed white supremacist Dylann Roof who shot and killed nine Black churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina in 2015.
Robert Bowers, who killed 11 Jewish worshippers during a mass shooting in 2018 at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, will also remain on death row.
Biden has campaigned as an opponent of the death penalty, and the Justice Department issued a moratorium on its use at federal level after he became president.
During his first term in office, Trump oversaw 13 deaths by lethal injection during his final six months in power.
There had been no federal inmates put to death in the US since 2003 until Trump resumed federal executions in July 2020.
During his re-election campaign, Trump indicated he would expand the use of capital punishment to include human and drug traffickers, as well as migrants who kill American citizens.
Biden appeared to make reference to Trump's intentions in his statement by saying he could not "in good conscience - stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted".
In US law, these clemency decisions cannot be reversed by a president's successor.
Biden's decision will not impact people sentenced to death in state courts, which is around around 2,250 inmates according to the Death Penalty Information Centre. More than 70 state executions have been carried out during Biden's presidency.
The death penalty has been abolished in 23 of the 50 US states. Six other states, including Arizona, California, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Tennessee, have moratoriums in place.
Earlier this month, Biden commuted the sentences of nearly 1,500 people and pardoned 39 more convicted of nonviolent crimes.
He also pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, who was facing sentencing for two criminal cases. He had pleaded guilty to tax charges earlier in September, and was found guilty of being an illegal drug user in possession of a gun in June - becoming the first child of a sitting president to be a convicted of a crime.
The US Constitution decrees that a president has the broad "power to grant reprieves and pardons for offences against the United States, except in cases of impeachment".
Honda and Nissan plan to merge as the two Japanese firms seek to fight back against competition from the Chinese car industry.
The integration would create one of the world's biggest car producers alongside Toyota, Volkswagen, General Motors and Ford.
The potentially multibillion dollar deal to combat "the rise of Chinese power" was a key driver behind the plan, said Honda's chief executive Toshihiro Mibe.
Mr Mibe said a plan to "fight back" needs to be in place by 2030, or they risk being "beaten" by rivals.
Becoming one of the biggest brands in the car industry would allow the firms to claw back space in the growing electric car market, which has been increasingly dominated by Chinese-made electric vehicles, including BYD, which have posed a threat to some of the world's best known car firms.
"There is a rise of Chinese power and emerging forces and the structure of the automobile industry is changing," Mr Mibe told reporters at a press conference announcing the merger talks.
Growing competition in China has left many car makers struggling to compete, as lower labour and manufacturing costs make local firms more nimble and able to price their goods lower than foreign counterparts, making them far more attractive to buyers.
It has led to China becoming the world's biggest producer of electric vehicles.
In October, EU officials said the Chinese state was unfairly subsidising its EV makers and announced big taxes on imports of EVs from China to the EU, after the majority of member states backed the plans. The tariffs are set to rise from 10% to 45% for the next five years, but there are concerns it could raise EV prices higher for buyers.
"Capabilities to fight"
The total sales of Nissan and Honda is more than $191bn (£152bn), said Nissan's chief executive, Makoto Uchida.
In March, the two Japanese car makers agreed to explore a strategic partnership for electric vehicles (EVs).
"The talks started because we believe that we must build up capabilities to fight them, including the current emerging forces, by 2030. Otherwise we will be beaten", said Mr Mibe.
He added that the deal was not a bailout of Nissan, which has been struggling with falling sales.
In November, Nissan said it will cut around 9,000 jobs as it slashes global production to tackle a drop in sales in China and the US. The cuts mean its global production will be reduced by a fifth.
Nissan, once a symbol of Japan's car making strength, has spent the past few years trying to regain its footing after the arrest of longtime chief executive Carlos Ghosn. Mr Ghosn faced charges of financial misconduct when he fled Japan in 2019, and is currently the subject of an Interpol Red Notice, which is a request to law enforcement worldwide to find and arrest a person. Mr Ghosn, currently in Lebanon, told reporters in December that Nissan's merger plans were an act of panic and desperation.
Mr Mibe said that any merger would be dependent on the turnaround of Nissan.
The merger, which would include Mitsubishi - of which Nissan is the biggest shareholder- would allow all three companies to share resources against other electric vehicle competitors such as Tesla. Honda and Nissan agreed in March to cooperate in their EV businesses, and in August deepened their ties, agreeing to work together on batteries and other technology.
However, any deal is likely to come under intense political scrutiny in Japan as it may result in job cuts, whilst Nissan is likely to unwind its alliance with French auto firm Renault.
Stallholders have been allowed back into the Christmas market after the attack
"I feel bad, I still do," said Eidwicht, as she stood in the Christmas market close to the spot where the car sped through on Friday, killing five people and injuring more than two hundred others.
"My granddaughter was here. I rang her because my daughter told me that something had happened here. And she didn't answer for two hours."
There is deep sadness here - and anger directed at the government and migrants. "It can't go on like this," said Eidwicht.
A Saudi refugee aged 50 has been arrested for the attack but the motive is unknown.
Officials say Taleb Al-Abdulmohsen, was an "untypical" attacker. Germany's Christmas markets and festivals have come under attack before, mainly from extreme Islamists.
Abdulmohsen has been described as critical of Islam and he also voiced support on social media for the far-right Alternative for Germany party, hailing the party for fighting the same enemy as him "to protect Germany".
The AfD has not commented on those posts - and the party is planning a procession of mourning in Magdeburg later on Monday, with national party leader Alice Weidel attending.
Her party is currently riding high in the opinion polls ahead of federal elections on 23 February, especially in states like Saxony-Anhalt in the former East Germany.
This attack has brought two big elections issues to the fore, security and immigration, and AfD figures have highlighted both since the attack.
Despite the suspect's many statements expressing hostility to Islam, the head of the AfD in Sachsen-Anhalt, Martin Reichardt, said in a statement "the attack in Magdeburg shows that Germany is being drawn into political and religious fanaticism that has its origins in another world".
In a post on X, Weidel said the government's discussion of new security laws following the attack "must not distract from the fact that Magdeburg would not have been possible without uncontrolled immigration. The state must protect its citizens through a restrictive migration policy and consistent deportations!"
AfD leader Alice Weidel said the attack would not have been possible without "uncontrolled migration"
A counter-demonstration will also be held and anti-racism groups in Magdeburg have accused the AfD of exploiting the attack.
David Begrich from Miteinander e.V. said people in the city needed a chance to catch their breath.
"In the migrant communities, there is great concern about being made into a scapegoat," he said. "We don't want that. We want to organise solidarity across society, but at the same time we are also sensitive to the voices of those who are now reacting with fear and uncertainty."
Germans are asking how the attack could have happened, when security was already heightened at Christmas markets and when authorities had clearly investigated the suspect several times in recent years.
The threat he posed was considered "too unspecific", according to one assessment, while one tip-off against him in September 2023 appears to have fallen through the cracks.
In another apparent security failing, the driver was also able to get through a gap that had been left open for emergency access when it should have been filled by a police van.
Stallholders at the Christmas market have now been allowed to come back, to throw away old food and remove their equipment and stocks.
None that I approached wanted to speak to the BBC. It's all too raw.
There has also been hostility towards journalists over the past few days, especially after some 2,000 people joined a protest by the far right in Magdeburg on Saturday night.
The Association of German Journalists said there had been aggression and threats against the press and appealed for greater police protection.
The BBC team joined mourners gathered in Cathedral Square for a live stream of the vigil for victims of the attack and many who spoke to them said it was important to show solidarity at a time of terrible distress.
But one woman struck a note of caution. There are "some Nazis here, who don't like journalists," she said. "Please be careful."
The suspect accused of killing UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson has pleaded not guilty to New York state murder and terrorism charges.
Luigi Mangione, 26, appeared in court on Monday to be arraigned on 11 state criminal counts, including murder a crime of terrorism.
He also faces with federal stalking and murder charges that could lead to a death penalty sentence.
Prosecutors allege that Mangione shot Thompson in central Manhattan before going on the run. Authorities later arrested him at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.
The British-born wife of deposed Syrian president Bashar al-Assad is not seeking a divorce, a Kremlin spokesman has said.
Reports in Turkish media had suggested Asma al-Assad wanted to end her marriage and leave Russia, where she and her husband were granted asylum after a rebel coalition overthrew the former president's regime and took control of Damascus.
Asked about the reports in a news conference call, Dmitry Peskov said, "No, they do not correspond to reality."
He also denied reports that Assad had been confined to Moscow and that his property assets had been frozen.
Russia was a staunch ally of the Assad regime and offered it military support during the civil war.
But reports in Turkish media on Sunday suggested the Assads were living under severe restrictions in the Russian capital, and that the former Syrian first lady had filed for divorce and wanted to return to London.
Mrs Assad is a dual Syrian-British national, but the UK foreign secretary has previously said she would not be allowed to return to Britain.
Speaking in parliament earlier this month, David Lammy said: "I want it confirmed that she's a sanctioned individual and is not welcome here in the UK."
He added he would do "everything I can in my power" to ensure no member of the Assad family "finds a place in the UK".
Asma al-Assad and Bashar al-Assad visited France in 2001, shortly after they were married
The couple met Queen Elizabeth II on a 2002 trip to London. It was the first time a Syrian leader had been invited to Buckingham Palace
Asma al-Assad, 49, was born in the UK to Syrian parents in 1975 and grew up in Acton, west London.
She moved to Syria in 2000 at the age of 25 and married her husband just months after he succeeded his father as president.
Throughout her 24 years as Syria's first lady, Mrs Assad was a subject of curiosity in western media.
A controversial 2011 Vogue profile called her "a rose in the desert" and described her as "the freshest and most magnetic of first ladies". The article has since been removed from the Vogue website.
Just one month later, Mrs Assad was criticised for remaining silent while her husband violently repressed pro-democracy campaigners at the start of the Syrian civil war.
The conflict went on to claim the lives of around half a million people, with her husband accused of using chemical weapons against civilians.
In 2016, Mrs Assad told Russian state-backed television she had rejected a deal to offer her safe passage out of the war-torn nation in order to stand by her husband.
She announced she was being treated for breast cancer in 2018 and said she had made a full recovery one year later.
She was diagnosed with leukaemia and began treatment for the disease in May this year, the office of then-President Assad announced.
A statement said she would "temporarily withdraw" from public engagements.
Morrisons customers have been unable to get discounts on their shopping ahead of Christmas after a problem with the More loyalty card.
The supermarket has been advertising heavy discounts on Christmas dinner food, including vegetables, in the last week.
But social media users say their discounts are not working at the till, with one person posting a photo of an error message at the self-checkout, which reads: "We are really sorry some promotions and discounts are not working at this time."
The Morrisons website also appears to be down, with a "502 bad gateway" error message on some pages.
Morrisons has been contacted for comment.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.
US President Joe Biden has commuted the sentences of 37 out of 40 federal death row inmates, switching their penalty to life in prison without parole.
Among those are nine people convicted of murdering fellow prisoners, four for murders committed during bank robberies and one who killed a prison guard.
In a statement, Biden said he condemned the murderers and their crimes, but added he was "more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level".
Biden's decision comes before the return of President-elect Donald Trump in January, who previously resumed federal executions in July 2020 for the first time since 2003.
"Make no mistake: I condemn these murderers, grieve for the victims of their despicable acts, and ache for all the families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss," Biden added.
Disgraced former New Orleans police officer Len Davis, who operated a drug ring involving other officers and arranged a woman's murder, is among those who have been shown clemency.
The three remaining on death row include Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who helped carry out the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, and avowed white supremacist Dylann Roof who shot and killed nine Black churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina in 2015.
Robert Bowers, who killed 11 Jewish worshippers during a mass shooting in 2018 at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, will also remain on death row.
Biden has campaigned as an opponent of the death penalty, and the Justice Department issued a moratorium on its use at federal level after he became president.
During his first term in office, Trump oversaw 13 deaths by lethal injection during his final six months in power.
There had been no federal inmates put to death in the US since 2003 until Trump resumed federal executions in July 2020.
During his re-election campaign, Trump indicated he would expand the use of capital punishment to include human and drug traffickers, as well as migrants who kill American citizens.
Biden appeared to make reference to Trump's intentions in his statement by saying he could not "in good conscience - stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted".
In US law, these clemency decisions cannot be reversed by a president's successor.
Biden's decision will not impact people sentenced to death in state courts, which is around around 2,250 inmates according to the Death Penalty Information Centre. More than 70 state executions have been carried out during Biden's presidency.
The death penalty has been abolished in 23 of the 50 US states. Six other states, including Arizona, California, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Tennessee, have moratoriums in place.
Earlier this month, Biden commuted the sentences of nearly 1,500 people and pardoned 39 more convicted of nonviolent crimes.
He also pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, who was facing sentencing for two criminal cases. He had pleaded guilty to tax charges earlier in September, and was found guilty of being an illegal drug user in possession of a gun in June - becoming the first child of a sitting president to be a convicted of a crime.
The US Constitution decrees that a president has the broad "power to grant reprieves and pardons for offences against the United States, except in cases of impeachment".
Police were called to Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue Station in Brooklyn after a woman on a subway car was set on fire
A suspect has been arrested in New York over the death of a woman who was set on fire on a subway train in Brooklyn.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the incident on Sunday as "one of the most depraved crimes one person could possibly commit against another human being".
She said the woman was sleeping on a stationary F train to Brooklyn when she was approached by the suspect who used a lighter to ignite her clothing.
The victim died at the scene, she said, adding that the suspect had been taken into custody after he was detained on another subway train.
Police said the woman, who has not been named, was sleeping in a subway carriage at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station in Brooklyn at about 07:30 local time (12:30 GMT) when a man approached her.
There was no interaction before the attack, police said, adding that they did not believe the two people knew each other.
The man got off the train as police officers on patrol in the station rushed to the fire.
"What they saw was a person standing inside the train car fully engulfed in flames," Ms Tisch said.
Police are still working to identify the victim and the motive for the attack.
Thousands of people were killed and wounded in the surprise attacks
Two former Israeli intelligence agents have revealed how members of the Lebanese Shia militant group Hezbollah used Israeli made walkie-talkies booby-trapped with explosives for 10 years before they were detonated in a surprise attack in September this year.
The two ex-Mossad agents told US CBS News how the service duped Hezbollah into buying thousands of rigged walkie-talkies and pagers without realising they were made in Israel.
Dozens of people were killed and thousands injured in the attacks. Israel said it was tailored to target only Hezbollah members, but civilians were among victims, Lebanese officials said.
The UN human rights chief called the attack a war crime.
At the time of the attack, Israel and Hezbollah were fighting a conflict which had spiralled since Hezbollah fired at Israeli positions a day after Hamas's unprecedented attack on southern Israel 7 October 2023.
On 17 September 2024, thousands of pagers simultaneously exploded across Lebanon, mainly in areas with a strong Hezbollah presence. The blasts wounded or killed users and some people nearby, spreading panic and confusion. The following day walkie-talkies exploded in the same way, killing and injuring hundreds more.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted that Israel was responsible two months later, Israeli media reported at the time.
One of the agents, given the name Michael, said Mossad had concealed an explosive device inside the batteries operating the walkie-talkies, which he said would typically be carried in a vest nearer the wearer's heart.
He said Hezbollah had unwittingly bought over 16,000 the walkie talkies at "a good price" from a fake company 10 years ago.
"We have an incredible array of possibilities of creating foreign companies that have no way being traced back to Israel," Michael said. "Shell companies over shell companies to affect the supply chain to our favour.
"We create a pretend world. We are a global production company. We write the screenplay, we're the directors, we're the producers, we're the main actors, and the world is our stage."
The operation expanded two years ago to include pagers, CBS said.
Mossad found that at that time Hezbollah was buying pagers from a Taiwanese company called Gold Apollo, it said. It set up a fake company which used the Gold Apollo name on pagers rigged with explosives, without the parent company realising.
CBS said Mossad put explosives inside powerful enough to hurt only the user.
"We test everything triple, double, multiple times in order to make sure there is minimum damage," said the second agent, whom the programme called Gabriel.
It said Mossad specifically chose a ringtone which would sound urgent enough for someone to check in incoming message.
Gabriel said the agency duped Hezbollah into buying the pagers, making advertising films and brochures, and sharing them on the internet.
"When they are buying from us, they have zero clue that they are buying from the Mossad," he said. "We make like [movie] Truman Show, everything is controlled by us behind the scene."
Hezbollah had bought 5,000 of the booby trapped pagers by September 2024, CBS said.
They were triggered from Israel when Mossad feared Hezbollah began to have suspicions, it said.
The explosions caused shockwaves across Lebanon, with detonations happening everywhere the pagers were being carried, including in supermarkets. Hospitals were overwhelmed with casualties, many of whom had been maimed.
Gabriel said there was a "strong rumour" that people also fell victim in front of the Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Days later, with Hezbollah still reeling from the attack, Israel began intense waves of air strikes against Hezbollah targets, followed by a ground invasion of Lebanon.
The two sides agreed to a ceasefire on 26 November.
Fans are waiting to find out whether the second season of Netflix's Squid Game can live up to the first
The out-of-office is on, the mulled wine is mulling, and the highlighter pen is out as families look ahead to the best of this year's Christmas TV.
Four names in particular have been dominating the headlines as people gear up for the festive break - Gavin, Stacey, Wallace and Gromit.
But there are plenty of other programmes to look forward to over Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Here are just a few of the shows scheduled for the coming days.
Christmas Eve
Reuters
The Princess of Wales (far right) will appear in Royal Carols: Together at Christmas on ITV
Many viewers will be getting themselves into the spirt of the season with a festive film - and there are plenty on offer on Christmas Eve.
Channel 4 will be airing A Christmas Carol (at 14:10 GMT) alongside the short animated favourite The Snowman (16:15) and surely the greatest of them all, Home Alone (18:05).
ITV is opting for It's A Wonderful Life (14:30) while Channel 5 will air Scrooge (09:30) and Cameron Diaz favourite The Holiday (11:15).
BBC One's film choices may be slightly less festive, with Moana (14:20), Shrek (15:55) and Ghostbusters: Afterlife (17:50), but the broadcaster has lots of other Christmas content that evening.
EastEnders will air at 19:45, followed by a Christmas edition of The Repair Shop hosted by Roman Kemp (20:15), before the season finale of Strike: The Ink Black Heart at (21:15).
Those looking forward to Gavin & Stacey on Christmas Day may wish to prepare by rewatching the 2019 special, which BBC One repeats tonight at 22:35.
Roman Kemp will host a special festive edition of The Repair Shop
There's an embarrassment of riches for quiz show fans over on BBC Two, with special editions of Richard Osman's House of Games (19:15), Celebrity Mastermind (19:45), Only Connect (20:15) and University Challenge (20:45).
On ITV, Coronation Street fans will be treated to a special episode at 20:45 as Audrey tries to stop Gail from leaving the cobbles - a storyline which is leading up to the previously announced exit of actress Helen Worth.
ITV also has an episode of Emmerdale (19:00), a countdown of the Top 100 TikTok Videos of 2024 (21:15), and Royal Carols: Together at Christmas (19:30), hosted by the Princess of Wales.
And there will be a sweet treat on Channel 4 the same evening as fans tuck into The Great Christmas Bake Off (20:00) ahead of a best-of-year compilation on Gogglebox (21:15).
Other highlights include Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing (21:15, BBC Two) and Christmas at the Four Seasons: Park Lane (20:15, Channel 5).
Christmas Day
Channel 4
Mika, Claudia Winkleman and Lang Lang will visit Battersea Power Station for The Piano at Christmas
The stars of the schedule this year are Wallace & Gromit: Vengence Most Fowl (18:10, BBC One), which will see Wallace invent a smart gnome which develops a mind of its own, and Gavin & Stacey: The Finale (21:00, BBC One), bringing the sitcom which began in 2007 to a close.
BBC One's other highlights include special editions of The Weakest Link (15:10), Doctor Who: Joy to the World (17:10), EastEnders (19:30) and Call The Midwife (20:00).
The Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special (15:55) will see Josh Widdicombe, Tayce, Vogue Williams, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (Nitro on Gladiators), Tamzin Outhwaite and Billy Monger take to the dancefloor.
BBC Two will broadcast two programmes on Morecambe and Wise (19:20 and 19:55), ahead of their documentary From Roger Moore: With Love (21:00) about the life of the late James Bond star.
ITV
Freddie Flintoff is hosting ITV's reboot of Bullseye, with the second of two specials airing on Christmas Day
Meanwhile on ITV, those who enjoyed Home Alone on Christmas Eve can watch the sequel on Christmas Day, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (15:10).
After that, look out for specials of Emmerdale (18:30), Coronation Street (19:00) and The Chase (20:00), before 2022 film Downton Abbey: A New Era (21:00).
But the highlight of their schedule this year is arguably the return of Bullseye (17:25), a reboot of the 1980s and 1990s gameshow hosted by Freddie Flintoff, alongside 17-year-old darts prodigy Luke Littler.
Channel 4 are keeping their film offering traditional with Miracle on 34th Street (17:00), before Claudia Winkleman, Mika and Lang Lang return for a special edition of The Piano at Christmas, filmed at Battersea Power Station (19:05).
The Railway Children Return (15:10) will be on Channel 5, before the network dedicates its evening programming to the UK's favourite Comedy Moments (17:15), Christmas Party Songs (19:15) and 1980s Songs (21:15).
Boxing Day
The Brockmans will return eight years after their last outing for a new Outnumbered special
Everybody likes a film on 26 December as their stomach recovers, and BBC One have plenty, including Inside Out (09:55), Paddington (13:50), 2017's Beauty and the Beast (15:15) and Matilda (17:40).
Other movie highlights include Gladiator (21:00, BBC Two), Grease (15:00, ITV), The Queen (20:00, ITV3) and Crocodile Dundee (16:40, Channel 4).
Films aside, look out for the second festive episode of Call The Midwife (19:30), along with Blankety Blank (21:00) and the Brockman family reunited for one of the highlights of the schedule, Outnumbered (21:40).
Elsewhere, ITV will air Pictionary (17:40) hosted by Mel Giedroyc, as many families recoil from any fall-outs of their own games at home.
The network also has a special edition of The Masked Singer (19:30) and The 1% Club (21:00), while Channel 4 will broadcast The Festive Pottery Throwdown, hosted by Siobhan McSweeney.
But arguably the biggest release is the second season of Squid Game (Netflix), the sequel to streamer's most watched series of all time.
Many felt the original story was self-contained and that it wasn't crying out for a second season, it it will be interesting to see where Netflix takes it and whether it can have the same impact.
On Friday evening, a man ploughed a car into a crowd of shoppers at a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg.
The attack has left five people dead and more than 200 injured, with many in a critical condition.
One man has been arrested over the attack, and police believe he was solely responsible.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz travelled to Magdeburg on Saturday, and a city councillor declared Christmas over for the city.
How did the attack unfold?
Unverified footage on social media showed a black BMW travelling at high speeds through the pedestrian walkway between Christmas stalls.
Eyewitnesses described jumping out of the car's path, fleeing or hiding. One told the Reuters news agency that police were already at the venue and chased after the car before arresting the suspect.
Footage from verified sources showed armed police confronting and arresting a man who can be seen lying on the ground next to a stationary vehicle - a black BMW with significant damage to its front bumper.
BBC correspondent Damien McGuinness in Magdeburg reported that the market is "surrounded by concrete blocks". However, "there is a gap which is wide enough for pedestrians to go through, but tragically wide enough for a car to go into the Christmas market", he said.
City officials said around 100 police, medics and firefighters, as well as 50 rescue service personnel rushed to the scene in the aftermath of the attack.
Images from the scene on Friday night showed an area outside the market awash with blue lights as dozens of first responders attended to the injured.
Video shows arrest of Magdeburg attack suspect
Who are the victims?
Five people have died in the attack, one of whom is a child.
More than 200 people have been injured and at least 41 are in a critical condition.
The toll had earlier been reported as two dead and 68 injured, but was revised to the much higher totals on Saturday morning.
None of the victims have been identified yet.
Reuters
Tributes have been left at a church by the scene
Who is the suspect?
German media has identified the suspect as Taleb A, a psychiatrist who lives in Bernburg, around 40km (25 miles) south of Magdeburg.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear, but authorities have reported that they believe he carried out the attack alone.
Originally from Saudi Arabia, he arrived in Germany in 2006 and in 2016 was recognised as a refugee.
He ran a website that aimed to help other former Muslims flee persecution in their Gulf homelands.
Evidenced by social media posts, the suspect is an outspoken critic of Islam, and has promoted conspiracy theories regarding a plot to seek Islamic supremacy in Europe.
A report from Der Spiegel said a complaint was filed against Taleb A with the authorities a year ago over statements he made. Officials did not see any concrete threat, the report says.
What have officials said about the attack?
"The reports from Magdeburg raise the worst fears," the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, said on social media platform X.
Magdeburg's city councillor for public order, Ronni Krug, said the Christmas market will stay closed and that "Christmas in Magdeburg is over", according to German public broadcaster MDR.
That sentiment was echoed on the market's website, which in the wake of the attack featured only a black screen with words of mourning, announcing that the market was over.
The Saudi government expressed "solidarity with the German people and the families of the victims", in a statement on X, and "affirmed its rejection of violence".
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was "horrified by the atrocious attack in Magdeburg", adding that his thoughts were with "the victims, their families and all those affected" in a post on X on Friday night.
If you asked TV viewers to name a favourite double act, chances are the two stars of Vengeance Most Fowl would be close to the top of the list.
It's Wallace & Gromit's first major appearance in over a decade, and the first film not to feature the voice of Peter Sallis as the cheese-loving inventor.
"It has been quite emotional [doing this production] since we lost Peter, he was such an original, unique voice," says Nick Park of Sallis, who died in 2017 at the age of 96.
"So it's very hard for anyone to step into his shoes. But we have been blessed with a youngish actor whom we've known for many years who can do a fantastic Wallace impersonation.
"He's stepped in very kindly, and is just great. It's hard to tell them apart."
PA Media
The original voice of Wallace, Peter Sallis with Nick Park in 2008
Take a bow, Ben Whitehead - the 47-year-old actor and voice artist says he feels honoured to be taking on the role. But also admits to feeling a degree of pressure.
"Enormous pressure!" he tells the BBC.
"Because it's a very popular character. I got to work with Peter [Sallis] a couple of times for [2005's] The Curse of the Were-Rabbit film.
"So yeah, there's a great deal of pressure with that. And I feel very grateful to Aardman for giving me so much time to build the character.
"You kind of have to do the 'hmm' and the 'hee-hee'," he continues - demonstrating some Wallace-isms that sound indistinguishable from Peter Sallies's Yorkshire tones.
"Definitely the elongation of the vowels like 'cheeeeese'!"
Why return now?
Fans have been clamouring for more from the plasticine pair for years. So why now?
"Whenever we've done talks around the world, the last question is always, 'When is the next Wallace & Gromit film?', explains Park. "The last time we did that I just came home burning with this idea that's been around for years."
The idea was - what if Wallace created a pre-programmed, voice-controlled smart Gnome.
Enter Norbot, but of course regular viewers of Wallace & Gromit will be unsurprised to learn that the inventor's well-intentioned idea, as usual, ends up causing mayhem.
Aardman Animations
In Vengeance Most Fowl Wallace & Gromit are joined by smart gnome Norbot
This isn't the only familiar element to appear in this latest story.
This new adventure also features an old villain, the criminal mastermind Feathers McGraw, a chicken-impersonating-penguin whom Wallace & Gromit - mostly Gromit - defeated in 1993's The Wrong Trousers.
"Whenever we're out and about talking about the future of Wallace & Gromit, the single most asked question is 'when will Feathers be back?", says Merlin Crossingham, who directs Vengeance Most Fowl alongside Nick Park.
"Everybody loves a villain, it's often said your film is only as good as its villain, [so it] seemed a perfect opportunity to bring Feathers back for this story."
Aardman Animations
Directors Merlin Crossingham and Nick Park on one of the film's sets
Wallace & Gromit were first introduced to audiences with 1989's A Grand Day Out. Since then their adventures have involved everything from malfunctioning clothing to mysterious were-rabbits.
"I think Wallace & Gromit have so many facets to their relationship," says Crossingham.
"They are best pals. They're kind of partners in crime, they're man and dog. And hopefully in the films, their stories, and their relationship everybody young and old relates to them.
"I truly think it's that relatability, not just of their simplicity of lifestyle from which madness erupts.
"But everybody somewhere in the stories connects with them on some level.
"And I think that what Nick has created, right back at the beginning with A Grand Day Out, has really struck a chord with people."
'Christmas day ratings battle'
The last time a new Wallace & Gromit adventure went out on Christmas Day was in 2008 with A Matter of Loaf and Death. It was day's most-watched show, with more than 16 million viewers tuning in.
It was also the most-watched show of the entire year.
While it's still possible that it could repeat that feat, it's up against some extremely tough competition.
"Bring it on, Gavin & Stacey!" jokes Crossingham, acknowledging the huge popularity of the Essex and Barry-based comedy, whose finale also goes out on Christmas Day.
However while Gavin & Stacey might be reaching its conclusion, this definitely isn't a finale for Wallace & Gromit.
"[It's] certainly not the end," says Nick Park. "I think there's plenty of bounce still in their bungee.
"We'll carry on. There's always ideas worth kicking about."
"Give us a minute though," Interjects Merlin. "They take a while to make!"
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is on BBC One at 18.10 on Christmas Day.
Morrisons customers have been unable to get discounts on their shopping ahead of Christmas after a problem with the More loyalty card.
The supermarket has been advertising heavy discounts on Christmas dinner food, including vegetables, in the last week.
But social media users say their discounts are not working at the till, with one person posting a photo of an error message at the self-checkout, which reads: "We are really sorry some promotions and discounts are not working at this time."
The Morrisons website also appears to be down, with a "502 bad gateway" error message on some pages.
Morrisons has been contacted for comment.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.
The King will be giving his speech from a former chapel in central London
This year's Christmas message from King Charles will be delivered from a former hospital chapel, in a year in which the King has been undergoing cancer treatment.
The location for the traditional Christmas Day broadcast is the Fitzrovia Chapel in central London, which once served as the chapel of the Middlesex Hospital.
It's the first time in more than a decade that the Christmas speech has been recorded from a place that isn't in a royal palace or estate - and it's understood that the King wanted a location with a healthcare connection.
The ornately-decorated 19th Century former chapel building is now used for exhibitions and community events for people of any faiths and none.
Getty Images
The Fitzrovia Chapel once served hospital staff and patients
As well as a link to the health services, the building also ties in with the King's interest in trying to build bridges between different beliefs, backgrounds and religions.
The traditional speech from the monarch, recorded earlier this month, will be broadcast as usual on television and radio at 15:00 on Christmas Day.
His regular sessions of treatment are continuing, as they have for much of this year, but as a sign of a positive response, he has plans for a busy schedule of engagements and overseas trips in 2025.
Setting the speech in this former hospital chapel, which was renovated and reopened in 2016, will be a reminder of those working in the health services and medical research.
The small chapel, decorated in the Gothic Revival style with shimmering mosaics and Byzantine influences, is tucked away in Pearson Square, in a quiet corner of London's West End.
It was built in the courtyard of what was the Middlesex Hospital, serving its staff and patients. When the hospital was demolished the chapel was retained and restored, with a new development built around it.
It's no longer regularly used for services, but is used for community events and concerts and is open to visitors wanting some quiet contemplation.
The run-up to Christmas has seen the King attending a series of seasonal events, including a Christmas market in Battersea, a service remembering those persecuted because of their religion and an event in Walthamstow celebrating the diversity of the local community.
Beijing's plan to build another dam on the Jinsha river, which runs through Tibetan territories, led to protests
Hundreds of Tibetans protesting against a Chinese dam were rounded up in a harsh crackdown earlier this year, with some beaten and seriously injured, the BBC has learnt from sources and verified footage.
Such protests are extremely rare in Tibet, which China has tightly controlled since it annexed the region in the 1950s. That they still happened highlights China's controversial push to build dams in what has long been a sensitive area.
Claims of the arrests and beatings began trickling out shortly after the events in February. In the following days authorities further tightened restrictions, making it difficult for anyone to verify the story, especially journalists who cannot freely travel to Tibet.
But the BBC has spent months tracking down Tibetan sources whose family and friends were detained and beaten. BBC Verify has also examined satellite imagery and verified leaked videos which show mass protests and monks begging the authorities for mercy.
The sources live outside of China and are not associated with activist groups. But they did not wish to be named for safety reasons.
In response to our queries, the Chinese embassy in the UK did not confirm nor deny the protests or the ensuing crackdown.
But it said: "China is a country governed by the rule of law, and strictly safeguards citizens' rights to lawfully express their concerns and provide opinions or suggestions."
The events took place in the southwestern province of Sichuan
The protests, followed by the crackdown, took place in a territory home to Tibetans in Sichuan province. For years, Chinese authorities have been planning to build the massive Gangtuo dam and hydropower plant, also known as Kamtok in Tibetan, in the valley straddling the Dege (Derge) and Jiangda (Jomda) counties.
Once built, the dam's reservoir would submerge an area that is culturally and religiously significant to Tibetans, and home to several villages and ancient monasteries containing sacred relics.
One of them, the 700-year-old Wangdui (Wontoe) Monastery, has particular historical value as its walls feature rare Buddhist murals.
The Gangtuo dam would also displace thousands of Tibetans. The BBC has seen what appears to be a public tender document for the relocation of 4,287 residents to make way for the dam.
The BBC contacted an official listed on the tender document as well as Huadian, the state-owned enterprise reportedly building the dam. Neither have responded.
Plans to build the dam were first approved in 2012, according to a United Nations special rapporteurs letter to the Chinese government. The letter, which is from July 2024, raised concerns about the dam's "irreversible impact" on thousands of people and the environment.
From the start, residents were not "consulted in a meaningful way" about the dam, according to the letter. For instance, they were given information that was inadequate and not in the Tibetan language.
They were also promised by the government that the project would only go ahead if 80% of them agreed to it, but "there is no evidence this consent was ever given," the letter goes on to say, adding that residents tried to raise concerns about the dam several times.
Then, in February, officials told them they would be evicted imminently, while giving them little information about resettlement options and compensation, the BBC understands from two Tibetan sources.
This triggered such deep anxiety that villagers and Buddhist monks decided to stage protests, despite knowing the risks of a crackdown.
'They didn't know what was going to happen to them'
The largest one saw hundreds gathering outside a government building in Dege. In a video clip obtained and verified by the BBC, protesters can be heard calling on authorities to stop the evictions and let them stay.
Watch: Hundreds of Tibetan protesters call for end to evictions
Separately, a group of residents approached visiting officials and pleaded with them to cancel plans to build the dam. The BBC has obtained footage which appears to show this incident, and verified it took place in the village of Xiba.
The clip shows red-robed monks and villagers kneeling on a dusty road and showing a thumbs-up, a traditional Tibetan way of begging for mercy.
Watch: Residents in Xiba kneel and plead with officials to stop the dam
In the past the Chinese government has been quick to stamp out resistance to authority, especially in Tibetan territory where it is sensitive to anything that could potentially feed separatist sentiment.
It was no different this time. Authorities swiftly launched their crackdown, arresting hundreds of people at protests while also raiding homes across the valley, according to one of our sources.
One unverified but widely shared clip appears to show Chinese policemen shoving a group of monks on a road, in what is thought to be an arrest operation.
Many were detained for weeks and some were beaten badly, according to our Tibetan sources whose family and friends were targeted in the crackdown.
One source shared fresh details of the interrogations. He told the BBC that a childhood friend was detained and interrogated over several days.
"He was asked questions and treated nicely at first. They asked him 'who asked you to participate, who is behind this'.
"Then, when he couldn't give them [the] answers they wanted, he was beaten by six or seven different security personnel over several days."
His friend sustained only minor injuries, and was freed within a few days. But others were not so lucky.
Another source told the BBC that more than 20 of his relatives and friends were detained for participating in the protests, including an elderly person who was more than 70 years old.
"Some of them sustained injuries all over their body, including in their ribs and kidneys, from being kicked and beaten… some of them were sick because of their injuries," he said.
Similar claims of physical abuse and beatings during the arrests have surfaced in overseas Tibetan media reports.
The UN letter also notes reports of detentions and use of force on hundreds of protesters, stating they were "severely beaten by the Chinese police, resulting in injuries that required hospitalisation".
Tsering Woeser
The dam's reservoir would submerge the 700-year-old Wontoe Monastery...
Tsering Woeser
And its ancient, sacred murals
After the crackdown, Tibetans in the area encountered even tighter restrictions, the BBC understands. Communication with the outside world was further limited and there was increased surveillance. Those who are still contactable have been unwilling to talk as they fear another crackdown, according to sources.
The first source said while some released protesters were eventually allowed to travel elsewhere in Tibetan territory, others have been slapped with orders restricting their movement.
This has caused problems for those who need to go to hospital for medical treatment and nomadic tribespeople who need to roam across pastures with their herds, he said.
The second source said he last heard from his relatives and friends at the end of February: "When I got through, they said not to call any more as they would get arrested. They were very scared, they would hang up on me.
"We used to talk over WeChat, but now that is not possible. I'm totally blocked from contacting all of them," he said.
"The last person I spoke to was a younger female cousin. She said, 'It's very dangerous, a lot of us have been arrested, there's a lot of trouble, they have hit a lot of us'… They didn't know what was going to happen to them next."
The BBC has been unable to find any mention of the protests and crackdown in Chinese state media. But shortly after the protests, a Chinese Communist Party official visited the area to "explain the necessity" of building the dam and called for "stability maintenance measures", according to one report.
A few months later, a tender was awarded for the construction of a Dege "public security post", according to documents posted online.
The BBC has been monitoring the valley via satellite imagery for months. For now, there is no sign of the dam's construction nor demolition of the villages and monasteries.
The Chinese embassy told us authorities were still conducting geological surveys and specialised studies to build the dam. They added the local government is "actively and thoroughly understanding the demands and aspirations" of residents.
Development or exploitation?
China is no stranger to controversy when it comes to dams.
When the government constructed the world's biggest dam in the 90s - the Three Gorges on the Yangtze River - it saw protests and criticism over its handling of relocation and compensation for thousands of villagers.
In more recent years, as China has accelerated its pivot from coal to clean energy sources, such moves have become especially sensitive in Tibetan territories.
Beijing has been eyeing the steep valleys and mighty rivers here, in the rural west, to build mega-dams and hydropower stations that can sustain China's electricity-hungry eastern metropolises. President Xi Jinping has personally pushed for this, a policy called "xidiandongsong", or "sending western electricity eastwards".
Getty Images
China has been building several dams on the Jinsha river, including the Wudongde Hydropower Station
Like Gangtuo, many of these dams are on the Jinsha (Dri Chu) river, which runs through Tibetan territories. It forms the upper reaches of the Yangtze river and is part of what China calls the world's largest clean energy corridor.
Gangtuo is in fact the latest in a series of 13 dams planned for this valley, five of which are already in operation or under construction.
The Chinese government and state media have presented these dams as a win-win solution that cuts pollution and generates clean energy, while uplifting rural Tibetans.
In its statement to the BBC, the Chinese embassy said clean energy projects focus on "promoting high-quality economic development" and "enhancing the sense of gain and happiness among people of all ethnic groups".
But the Chinese government has long been accused of violating Tibetans' rights. Activists say the dams are the latest example of Beijing's exploitation of Tibetans and their land.
"What we are seeing is the accelerated destruction of Tibetan religious, cultural and linguistic heritage," said Tenzin Choekyi, a researcher with rights group Tibet Watch. "This is the 'high-quality development' and 'ecological civilisation' that the Chinese government is implementing in Tibet."
One key issue is China's relocation policy that evicts Tibetans from their homes to make way for development - the same fate awaits the villagers and monks living near the Gangtuo dam. More than 930,000 rural Tibetans are estimated to have been relocated since 2000, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW).
"These people will essentially lose everything they own, their livelihoods and community heritage," said Maya Wang, interim China director at HRW.
There are also environmental concerns over the flooding of Tibetan valleys renowned for their biodiversity, and the possible dangers of building dams in a region rife with earthquake fault lines.
Some Chinese academics have found the pressure from accumulated water in dam reservoirs could potentially increase the risk of quakes, including in the Jinsha river. This could cause catastrophic flooding and destruction, as seen in 2018, when rain-induced landslides occurred at a village situated between two dam construction sites on Jinsha.
The Chinese embassy told us that the implementation of any clean energy project "will go through scientific planning and rigorous demonstration, and will be subject to relevant supervision".
In recent years, China has passed laws safeguarding the environment surrounding the Yangtze River and the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. President Xi has personally stressed the need to protect the Yangtze's upper reaches.
About 424 million yuan (£45.5m, $60m) has been spent on environmental conservation along Jinsha, according to state media. Reports have also highlighted efforts to quake-proof dam projects.
Multiple Tibetan rights groups, however, argue that any large-scale development in Tibetan territory, including dams such as Gangtuo, should be halted.
They have staged protests overseas and called for an international moratorium, arguing that companies participating in such projects would be "allowing the Chinese government to profit from the occupation and oppression of Tibetans".
"I really hope that this [dam-building] stops," one of our sources said. "Our ancestors were here, our temples are here. We have been here for generations. It is very painful to move. What kind of life would we have if we leave?"
Additional reporting by Richard Irvine-Brown of BBC Verify
Katie Boulter and Alex de Minaur began dating in March 2020
Published
British number one Katie Boulter has announced her engagement to Australian world number nine Alex de Minaur.
The couple, who met on the tennis circuit, have been dating for almost five years.
Announcing the news on Instagram, external with a photo of the ring, world number 24 Boulter wrote: "We've been keeping a small secret."
Great Britain face Australia in the United Cup, external in Sydney on 1 January, with Boulter, 28, and 25-year-old De Minaur named in their respective teams.
With two singles matches and a mixed doubles tie in every fixture, Boulter and De Minaur could play against each other if selected for the doubles.
"I wouldn't say I was thrilled at the idea of playing him all over again," Boulter said before news of the engagement.
"He's a top-10 player and he knows how to play tennis, so there's one side of it.
"Then there's the personal side of it, which is difficult but also great for bragging rights."
Playing together, Boulter and De Minaur reached the second round of the mixed doubles at Wimbledon last year.
For safety reasons, a fake version of Burt (pictured with Hogan) was used for some of the promotional photographs
The crocodile who starred in 1980s hit film Crocodile Dundee has died in Australia.
Burt, who was thought to be over 90 years old, appeared alongside Paul Hogan and Linda Kozlowski in the 1986 movie.
News of his death was confirmed by staff at Crocosaurus Cove in Darwin, a reptile and aquarium attraction where Burt had lived since 2008.
In a statement posted on Instagram, the wildlife centre wrote: "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Burt, the iconic saltwater crocodile and star of the Australian classic Crocodile Dundee.
"Burt passed away peacefully over the weekend, estimated to be over 90 years old, marking the end of an incredible era."
Shutterstock
Burt, pictured with Hogan on set, had lived at Crocosaurus Cove in Darwin since 2008
Getty Images
Crocodile Dundee was a box office hit in 1986
In the film, character Mick Dundee (Hogan) swaps the Australian outback for the jungle of New York after meeting American reporter Sue Charlton (Kozlowski), who eventually falls in love with him.
The croc is famously seen in the scene where Kozlowski's character is attacked as she kneels next to a creek.
Burt, who was captured in the 1980s in the Northern Territory's Reynolds River, was described by Crocasourus Cove as having a "bold" personality.
"Burt was a confirmed bachelor - an attitude he made clear during his earlier years at a crocodile farm," the centre's statement continued.
"His fiery temperament earned him the respect of his caretakers and visitors alike, as he embodied the raw and untamed spirit of the saltwater crocodile."
"Burt was truly one of a kind. He wasn't just a crocodile; he was a force of nature and a reminder of the power and majesty of these incredible creatures.
Getty Images
"While his personality could be challenging, it was also what made him so memorable and beloved by those who worked with him and the thousands who visited him over the years.
The statement concluded: "Visitors from around the globe marvelled at his impressive size and commanding presence, especially at feeding time."
It's not unusual for saltwater crocodiles to live beyond 70 years old, especially in captivity.
Burt will be honoured with a commemorative sign at the attraction.
Ian Coates, Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar were stabbed to death by Valdo Calocane
An investigation has opened into allegations Ministry of Justice (MoJ) staff illegally accessed computer files related to the Nottingham attacks.
Students Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley Kumar were fatally stabbed by Valdo Calocane in the city in June 2023 along with school caretaker Ian Coates.
Calocane, who had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, received a hospital order in January after admitting manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
Now the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit is examining whether case files were accessed illegally by government employees.
In a statement, the unit said it was "currently investigating allegations under the Computer Misuse Act in relation to members of staff from His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service and His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service".
It said: "This is in relation to individuals accessing case files for the investigation into the deaths of Ian Coates, Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar, who were killed in an attack in Nottingham in June 2023.
"No arrests have been made at this time as part of this investigation."
PA Media
Emma Webber (right) and other victims' family members have been highly critical about how the case has been handled
The unit said the probe was "completely independent from any previous investigations in relation to the original incident, to ensure the families of the deceased and injured can have full trust and confidence in the process".
Barnaby's mother Emma Webber said her family had received a letter notifying of them of the investigation.
She said: "So many individuals and organisations failed Barney, Grace and Ian. It's an utter disgrace.
"Leicester and Nottingham police forces, the NHS, the CPS and now the wider courts and prison and probation service. When will it ever stop?"
In February a special constable with Nottinghamshire Police was sacked for viewing bodycam footage showing the aftermath of the attacks.
Police were called to Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue Station in Brooklyn after a woman on a subway car was set on fire
A suspect has been arrested in New York over the death of a woman who was set on fire on a subway train in Brooklyn.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the incident on Sunday as "one of the most depraved crimes one person could possibly commit against another human being".
She said the woman was sleeping on a stationary F train to Brooklyn when she was approached by the suspect who used a lighter to ignite her clothing.
The victim died at the scene, she said, adding that the suspect had been taken into custody after he was detained on another subway train.
Police said the woman, who has not been named, was sleeping in a subway carriage at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station in Brooklyn at about 07:30 local time (12:30 GMT) when a man approached her.
There was no interaction before the attack, police said, adding that they did not believe the two people knew each other.
The man got off the train as police officers on patrol in the station rushed to the fire.
"What they saw was a person standing inside the train car fully engulfed in flames," Ms Tisch said.
Police are still working to identify the victim and the motive for the attack.
Login
Reuters
