Margaret has lived in a different country from her husband for the past 15 years.

She lives in London and he lives in Australia. The travelling between continents means the time she and Peter see each other ranges from once a year to every 18 months.

Despite the distance and the time between visits, they remain a faithful and happy couple.

"I've made a whole set of new friends and I live in my cosy flat in London alone. So I've done all of that while still staying married, it's been a wonderful experience," she told Woman's Hour on BBC Radio 4.

Living in a different home to your partner isn't that unusual, the term even has its own acronym - LAT - to describe couples "living apart together".

But, the proportion of people married or in a civil partnership living apart is very low at 3%, according to official figures.

Margaret believes you can still have a fulfilling marriage, even when you don't share a home.

Many high-profile couples have also spoken openly about choosing to live apart.

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow and her writer and director husband Brad Falchuk spent the early part of their marriage in separate homes which Paltrow said helped keep the relationship fresh.

Model Ashley Graham and her husband Justin Ervin lived apart for many years in a long-distance relationship as did actor Helena Bonham Carter and director Tim Burton during their 13-year relationship.

Recently, Abbott Elementary actress Sheryl Lee Ralph revealed that she and her husband have been living on opposite coasts of the US for almost 20 years as her work requires her to live in Hollywood and her husband, as Pennsylvania's state senator, needs to be in Philadelphia.

For Margaret, life was very different 15 years ago. She lived in Australia and didn't work outside the home and looked after her four children, while her husband Peter was a full-time doctor who was financially responsible for the family.

When she turned 57, Margaret went back to university, graduating with a PhD in applied linguistics.

After finishing her studies, and the children had left home, she believed this was time to do something different, and decided to move to London.

"It became obvious that Peter and I had different goals for that stage in our lives. He wanted to stay in the family home, continue working, whereas I saw it as an opportunity."

She is now an Education Officer at the Royal College of Surgeons.

"I've got onto the career ladder when most people are thinking of retiring.

"Yes you can get a full time job at the age of 60 if you want. Yes, you can live in another country and do all of these exciting things, even move to a different continent."

But Margaret stresses it hasn't all been smooth sailing for the couple.

"On a personal level, the disadvantages are, for Peter, that he's still living in the same family home in Brisbane, and he doesn't socialise that well on his own, and he may feel a bit lonely there. And for me, the disadvantage is the lack of companionship; I don't have that."

She says the key to making it work has been talking regularly.

"I tell Peter everything about my life in London, my work, my new friends, my travels.

"It's given him another dimension in life, the same for me when he comes over to London, he loves it."

Woman's Hour listener Kerry, said she'd been with her partner for three years and they'd agreed at the start to never co-habit as a way to keep their "freedom and independence".

"We bought houses close to one another and have housemates to help with the mortgages."

They do eventually plan to marry and even then Kerry says she wouldn't change their living arrangements.

"It works incredibly well for both of us and feels like the strongest relationship either of us has had as a result."

Ammanda Major, Clinical Quality Director for Relate at Family Action, says that this arrangement is not for everyone, but for married couples set on living apart, it can have benefits.

"It provides some space, some place to go back to where you can maintain your own interests, maintain their own sense of identity."

"It can be a useful way of supporting people to feel that whilst I am married to you, I have my own space, I have my own interests, and that I come together with my spouse when that feels appropriate for us."

How to live apart and stay together

• Be firm that this is a decision both parties really want, not to feel pressured because it suits one partner and not another
• Have some ground rules in place that have been fully discussed
• Check in regularly to make sure both parties feel it is still working
• This could mean discussing what days are spent together, managing a sexual relationship or managing children if they are involved
• Have very clear communication with your partner at all times

Advice provided by the Clinical Quality Director at Relate, a relationship counselling service.

France's parliament – deadlocked for a year and more poisonously divided than it has been in decades – looks set to throw out yet another prime minister on Monday.

But the acute sense of drama surrounding this latest vote of confidence inside Paris's Assemblée Nationale is counterbalanced by a despondent consensus that the almost inevitable removal of 74-year-old François Bayrou, after nine relatively ineffectual months in office, will do nothing to break France's political stalemate.

"It's a disaster. The situation is absolutely blocked," veteran political commentator Bruno Cautrès told the BBC.

Others have been even harsher in their diagnosis.

Marine Le Pen, parliamentary leader of the hard-right National Rally party, accused Bayrou of committing "political suicide".

The prime minister, a consensus-seeking figure from south-west France with a tendency to frown and to bluster, initiated Monday's surprise vote himself, seeking, as he explained it, to "shock" politicians into agreeing on a way to tackle the country's looming debt crisis.

Describing France's spiralling national debt as "a terribly dangerous period… a time of hesitation and turmoil", Bayrou warned there was a "high risk of disorder and chaos" if parliament failed to back his austerity budget with its aim to slash government spending by €44bn (£38bn).

Bayrou says young people will be saddled with years of debt payments "for the sake of the comfort of boomers", if France fails to tackle a national debt of 114% of its annual economic output.

But Bayrou's gamble – variously characterised as a kamikaze gesture, a pointless Cassandra-like prophecy, and an attempt to end his political career with a heroic act of self-sacrifice – looks almost certain to end in failure later on Monday.

Despite some frantic last-minute discussions, it appears clear Bayrou simply doesn't have the votes.

At the heart of this "crisis" – a word that seems to have spent an entire year dominating French newspaper headlines – is President Emmanuel Macron's widely derided decision, in June 2024, to call a snap parliamentary election in order to "clarify" the balance of power in parliament.

The result was the exact opposite of clarity. French voters, increasingly unhappy with their brash, eloquent young president, edged towards the extremes, leaving Macron floundering with a weakened minority centrist government, and a parliament so divided that today many rival MPs cannot even bear to shake each other's hands.

So, what next?

Far from the parliamentary power struggles on the left bank of Paris's River Seine, the mood across France appears to be drifting towards the right and the far right.

"Jordan, Jordan," shouted several hundred people crowding around the 29-year-old leader of the National Rally, Jordan Bardella, as he arrived at a large agricultural fair in Chalons-en-Champagne, east of Paris.

For an hour, Bardella inched through the crowd, taking selfies with his admirers.

"He seems like a good bloke. Someone you could get a drink with. France is struggling. We pay too many taxes, and we don't understand how they're spent. And prices keeping rising," said Christian Magri, 44, a computer programmer.

"[Bardella] is going to overhaul our country. I'm not at all racist, but I feel that in France we already have a lot of people waiting for housing and we can't take in all the wretched of the world," said a woman named Christine.

"He's a handsome man. His ideas are good. There are too many immigrants coming here. Mr Bardella… wants to put French people first," said Nadine, 61, who, like many others in the crowd, declined to give her surname.

At some point, in the crush, I managed to reach Bardella and asked if he thought that – after Monday's confidence vote - there might be another snap election that could see him emerge as France's next prime minister.

"We're working on it. This country has been deadlocked for over a year. It is dangerous to leave France drifting like this and to let those who've been in power for decades destroy the country. We want to do our best to stop mass immigration into France. If we come to power tomorrow, we will implement a referendum on the issue of immigration," he said.

And yet few in France believe that President Macron will call another early parliamentary election, or indeed that he will step down from his own role before his term ends in 2027.

More likely is another attempt to find a path towards a functioning minority government. Having repeatedly tried to cut deals on the right, some wonder if Macron might try something new.

"We think that it's time for the president to give the left a try because we will have a different method. We will try to reach compromises. We've proposed a budget that will make savings but also make investments for the future, for a green transition… while also taxing the richest persons on their fortunes," said Arthur Delaport, a Socialist Party MP from Normandy.

While speculation continues about who Macron might chose as his next prime minister, other challenges are looming.

There is growing focus here on the prospect, not just of significant industrial action in the coming weeks, but of a wave of street protests. A fledgling grass-roots movement, calling itself "Let's Block Everything," has been active on social media, urging French people to bring the country to a standstill this Wednesday.

"There is a bubble of exasperation in the country," explained the commentator, Bruno Cautrès, offering a warning to Macron.

"Macron has been extremely, extremely active at the international level, particularly with Ukraine these last two weeks. And I think that it is time that Macron is talking to the French. Because…. there is a very high level of anger, frustration, tensions."

The UK's most senior trade unionist is calling on the government to demonstrate "whose side it is on" following the Labour reshuffle.

The General Secretary of the TUC, Paul Nowak, will tell his annual conference in Brighton today that the government must do more for working class communities.

He will argue that Labour's promise of change at the last election doesn't feel like "a lived reality".

He will say that the Labour government needs to make what he calls "the right political choices" to persuade voters that it is on their side.

He will call for the two child benefit cap to be lifted - paid for by new taxes on wealth.

There is a similar message from Sharon Graham, the leader of the Unite union - though her warning to Labour has financial as well as political consequences.

At her own union's conference in the summer, delegates voted overwhelmingly to re-examine its relationship with Labour.

She has now told the BBC that at a future Unite conference, there will be an opportunity to sever a long-standing link which is worth around £1.3m a year to Labour.

She said: "Instinctively, workers don't feel that Labour is on their side. We will be giving our members the opportunity to vote on whether to remain part of Labour when the time comes.

"If that vote was today, I think they'd vote to disaffiliate. There's no doubt about that in my mind."

Ms Graham predicted that Reform UK would be the chief beneficiaries if Labour failed to improve standards of living. She argued that "unless Labour do something quite radical", then "they are going to find themselves in huge difficulty."

She added: "They've got about a year to get this right. And if they don't do that, people will start moving away from them, and I don't believe they'll go back."

The warnings come as the leader of the UK's biggest trade union Christina McAnea said it would be a "huge mistake" for the government to water down its Employment Rights Bill, which is due to become law in a few weeks.

The legislation would be a major shake-up of workers' rights, including protection against unfair dismissal and a ban on "exploitative" zero-hours contracts.

McAnea said she is concerned that ministers are no longer committed to implementing the bill in full, following Angela Rayner's resignation and the cabinet reshuffle.

Labour has said it is delivering the biggest uplift in workers' rights in a generation and that wages are now rising faster than prices.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said that the next phase of government will focus on "delivery, delivery, delivery" of its promises.

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How final delayed by Trump show unfolded

The UK government will unveil a new Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) on Monday, backed by £250m in funding, to support regional economic growth and boost innovation in the defence sector.

Defence Secretary John Healey will launch the strategy during a visit to Bristol-based defence tech firm Rowden on 8 September, to open its new facility.

The government says the strategy will offer working families across the country new opportunities such as highly skilled engineering positions or apprenticeships for young people.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the plan would "unleash the power of local economies while securing our country".

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The government anticipates that up to 50,000 new defence jobs could be created by 2035.

At the heart of the strategy are five new Defence Growth Deals, aimed at unlocking the potential of local economies across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The £250m fund will be used in collaboration between local authorities, businesses, academia and the defence sector to support job creation, skills development, and innovation.

"These deals offer a new partnership with UK Defence to build on industrial and innovation strengths that regions already hold," said Healey. "Together we aim to drive an increase in defence skills, SMEs and jobs across all four nations."

The first Defence Growth deals will be in the following areas:

• Plymouth – With £4bn of naval investment over the next decade, Plymouth will become the UK's national centre for marine autonomy.
• South Yorkshire – A hub for advanced materials and steel production for defence, including specialist components for submarines and weaponry.
• Wales – A growing centre for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and autonomy research, supported by companies like Tekever and the Snowdonia Aerospace Centre.
• Scotland – Hosting innovation in maritime and space technology, with key clusters around the Clyde, Rosyth, and academic centres.
• Northern Ireland – A leader in cyber security and dual-use technologies, home to firms like Thales and Harland & Wolff, and Queen's University Belfast's Centre for Secure Information Technologies.

The DIS also aims to respond to evolving global threats, such as the war in Ukraine, underscoring the need for rapid innovation and industrial capacity to support national security.

With defence spending set to rise to 2.6% of GDP by 2027 - and an ambition to reach 3% - the government says the DIS is a long-term investment in both security and a high-growth economy.

Huge crowds gathered at Tunisia's port on Sunday to welcome Greta Thunberg as her aid flotilla, bound for Gaza, docked at the port.

The Swedish climate activist is travelling with 350 pro-Palestinian activists on boats stocked with aid that they are hoping to deliver to Palestinians in Gaza.

Pictures from the Sidi Bou Said port show hordes of people surrounding the 22-year-old as she addressed the crowd. "We all know why were are here," she said. "Just across the water there's a genocide going on, a mass starvation by Israel's murder machine."

Israel has repeatedly denied that there is starvation in Gaza and has blamed any hunger on Hamas and aid agency failures.

Last month a UN-backed body confirmed that there was famine in the territory and the UN's humanitarian chief said it was the direct result of Israel's "systematic obstruction" of aid entering Gaza.

French-Palestinian Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan was at the port.

"The Palestinian cause is not in the hands of governments today. It is in the hearts of peoples everywhere," she said, adding praise for those who stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Flotilla organisers have said that the aim of their mission is to "break Israel's illegal siege on Gaza", but the trip has not always been smooth sailing - a previous attempt in June was intercepted by Israeli forces.

This latest attempt started on Monday, when the flotilla of about 20 vessels set sail from Barcelona.

The group will now stay in Tunisia for a few days, before resuming the journey to Gaza, Reuters news agency reports.

"Some of the flotilla ships bound for Gaza has reached Sidi Bou Said port in Tunisia, where it will be expanded, loaded with additional aid, and joined by the Tunisian team for the next stage of the mission," the collective group of activists Global Sumud Flotilla wrote on X.

Israeli authorities have characterised Thunberg's previous attempt to sail aid to Gaza as a publicity stunt that offered no real humanitarian assistance.

In March, it introduced a nearly three-month total blockade on supplies entering the Strip, claiming the aid was being taken by Hamas. It started allowing a limited amount of aid back into the territory after increasing international pressure.

Sky-watchers around the world have been witnessing a striking Blood Moon - a phenomenon that happens when the Moon passes through the Earth's shadow, taking on a deep red hue.

The captivating display was visible in its totality in several countries around world.

The TUC has urged the government to "stay on course" in delivering its Employment Rights Bill.

The bill would be a major shake-up of workers' rights, which would include protection against unfair dismissal, and a ban on "exploitative" zero-hours contracts.

Speaking at the TUC congress in Brighton, TUC general secretary Paul Novak told the BBC: "I am confident that the government will deliver on its commitments to enact that employment rights bill in full."

This comes as a senior Labour MP told the BBC that the Employment Rights Bill risks being ''slow walked''.

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The MP warned: ''Many Labour colleagues fear that with the economy under strain, ministers may be tempted to drag their feet on implementation as an olive branch to business.''

Concern is coming from unions on the right of the trade union movement, not the usual suspects who might be expected to criticise the government.

Mr Novak said the bill "will give a massive boost to rights for millions of working people in this country, lots of whom are in insecure, low-paid employment".

"My message to the government is, stay on course, deliver the employment rights bill, and deliver it in full," he said.

He also pushed back on the idea the government could make concessions to business in the legislation

"I think that's the last thing government should countenance", Mr Novak said.

"Having people in well-paid, secure employment is good for everybody. It's good for workers, but it's also good for the good employers who are being undercut by the cowboys, and it's good for the UK economy".

At the Trades Union Congress, senior union figures have been voicing their concerns that the Bill will be watered down following the departure of Angela Rayner, the sacking of Justin Madders as Employment Minister and the decision to move Jonathan Reynolds from the Business brief to Chief Whip.

USDAW represents more than 300,000 workers, many of whom work in supermarkets, factories and warehouses.

The union is concerned that an amendment to the Employment Rights Bill, which was added by the House of Lords in July, could be adopted by the government.

The amendment seeks to change the Bill from a requirement for an employer to offer guaranteed hours to a right to request guaranteed hours by an employee.

The union is concerned that this would be a weakening of their members' rights because there would no longer be a right to a contract that reflects their normal hours of work.

The Federation of Small Businesses has told the BBC that Angela Rayner's resignation and the government reshuffle present an opportunity to 'fix the issues' with the Employment Rights Bill.

"In some of our recent polling of members, 92% of employers said they were worried about this legislation. We have never got to that level in a poll", said Craig Beaumont, director of policy at the FSB.

"They are overwhelmed by the changes that are coming. They don't have HR teams. All these different measures scare them, and this is a chance to fix the issues"

Mr Beaumont said that Rayner's resignation and the sacking of employment minister Madders - two key government supporters of the bill - could allow for some compromise.

Microsoft's Azure cloud services have been disrupted by undersea cable cuts in the Red Sea, the US tech giant says.

The company said Azure users would experience delays because of problems with internet traffic moving through the Middle East. Azure is among the world's leading cloud computing platforms.

Microsoft did not explain what might have caused the cuts to the undersea cables. It added that it had rerouted traffic through other paths.

Over the weekend, there were other reports suggesting that undersea cable cuts had affected the United Arab Emirates and countries in Asia.

An update posted on the Microsoft website on Saturday said that Azure traffic going through the Middle East "may experience increased latency due to undersea fibre cuts in the Red Sea".

It stressed that traffic "that does not traverse through the Middle East is not impacted".

Cables laid on the ocean floor transmit data between continents and are often described as the backbone of the internet.

On Saturday, NetBlocks, an organisation that monitors internet access, said a series of subsea cable cuts in the Red Sea had affected internet services in several countries, including India and Pakistan.

The Pakistan Telecommunication Company said in a post on X that the cable cuts occurred in waters near the Saudi city of Jeddah and warned that internet services could be affected during peak hours.

On Sunday, NetBlocks said services were also disrupted in the United Arab Emirates.

Undersea cables can be damaged by anchors dropped by ships but can also be targeted in attacks.

In February 2024, several communications cables in the Red Sea were cut, affecting data traffic between Asia and Europe.

The incident happened about a month after Yemen's internationally recognised government warned that the Iran-backed Houthi movement might sabotage the undersea cables in addition to attacking ships. The Houthis denied that they had targeted cables.

In the Baltic Sea, a series of undersea cables and gas pipelines have been damaged in suspected attacks since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Earlier this year, Swedish authorities seized a ship suspected of damaging a cable running under the Baltic Sea to Latvia. Prosecutors said an initial investigation pointed to sabotage.

Police in the Czech Republic have finally arrested the driver of a Formula 1-type racing car which had been spotted on the motorway on numerous occasions since 2019.

The red racing car, decked out in full Ferrari livery, was followed to a property in the village of Buk, some 60km (37 miles) south-west of Prague, after the latest sighting was reported to police.

Video emerged on Sunday morning showing the distinctive car driving along the D4 motorway and stopping for petrol.

The driver - a 51-year-old man - was arrested at his home and taken into custody after briefly refusing to get out of the vehicle.

Video footage captured by local media showed him sitting in the car in front of his garage, arguing with officers and saying they were trespassing on private property.

Eventually he relented and agreed to be taken to a police station for questioning - still wearing his red racing driver's outfit and helmet.

According to subsequent media reports he refused to answer any questions when he got there.

A man identified as his son told local media that the house had been surrounded by several dozen police cars and a helicopter, in what he said was a disproportionate response "to a supposed traffic violation of ours."

He said police "allegedly saw us towing a Formula 1 car which they claimed had been speeding along the motorway a few minutes earlier - of course we know absolutely nothing about this."

Police first managed to speak with the phantom F1 driver in 2019, when images and video of the car on the motorway first started to appear online.

They tracked down the vehicle and questioned its owner, who denied ever driving it on the motorway. It is unclear if that is the same person police have now arrested.

Because the driver wore a helmet in the videos and photos, they could not be identified and police were unable to take the matter any further.

The vehicle has frequently been described as "a Ferrari Formula 1 car".

However, according to the website auto.cz it is in fact a Dallara GP2/08 - a racing car developed by the Italian manufacturer Dallara for use in the GP2 Series, a feeder series for Formula One.

The contest has since been rebranded as the FIA Formula 2 Championship.

Regardless of its exact provenance the owner now faces a fine for driving a vehicle on the motorway without headlights, indicators or number plates.

Siren sounds have blared from mobile phones across the country in a test of the national emergency alert system.

At around 15:00 on Sunday, mobiles vibrated and sounded for about 10 seconds in the second test of the system.

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said "tens of millions of phones successfully sounded" in the test, which he said was "an important step in keeping people safe during national emergencies".

Sporting and other events had to adjust for the alert. The women's Rugby World Cup match between Ireland and New Zealand in Brighton paused mid-game, while theatre-goers were advised to turn off their phone before curtains up.

Mobile phone users received a message making clear that the alert was a drill.

The alarm happened between overs at England's third ODI cricket match against South Africa at Southampton. Fans had been warned via a message on the big screen about the alert.

Drivers were urged not to be distracted behind the wheel.

Video posted on social media shows the siren sounds blaring inside the usually tranquil British Library in London. One patron can be heard whispering "shush".

At the BBC, the alert was covered in a live broadcast as presenters checked to see whether their phones were sent the alert.

The system appeared to reach into the tunnels of London's Underground system. A couple said they received their alerts while on a tube train heading towards Liverpool Street Station.

Mark, 44, of Essex, told the PA news agency: "We were on the Tube. It came through twice for me. The whole Tube carriage's phones started going when we got signal."

His partner Abby said no one appeared surprised.

Some people did seem to experience problems with the test. The BBC's science reporter Esme Stallard and other users received a garbled message with her alert.

But a government spokesperson said the alert message "was broadcast correctly and mobile operators have confirmed that the test ran as expected".

The first national test in 2023 was largely successful, although there were some reports of no alerts being sent, or too late.

The government has used the system to issue real warnings five times, including in January during Storm Eowyn to warn people in Scotland and Northern Ireland about severe weather.

Approximately 3.5 million people across Wales and south-west England received an alert during Storm Darragh last December.

A 500kg unexploded Second World War bomb found in a Plymouth back garden triggered a warning to some 50,000 phones in February last year.

Messages can be targeted to relatively small areas to pinpoint those at risk.

Around 15,000 phones were alerted during flooding in Cumbria in May 2024, and 10,000 received a warning during flooding in Leicestershire in January this year.

The system is designed for use during the most likely emergencies to affect the UK and warnings would also be transmitted on television, radio and locally by knocking on doors.

Government officials also met domestic violence charities and campaigners for discussions on helping those who needed to opt out of the test.

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London Underground staff have started a five-day walkout over pay and conditions.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union are carrying out rolling action over pay and fatigue management, and have asked for a 32-hour week.

There will be limited service until 18:00 BST on Sunday and little or no service between Monday and Thursday. The Elizabeth line and the Overground will operate as normal but are expected to be much busier, along with buses and roads.

Transport for London has offered a 3.4% pay rise and said it "welcomes further engagement with our unions", but said a reduction in the contractual 35-hour week "is neither practical nor affordable".

A separate dispute on the Docklands Light Railway will stop services on Tuesday and Thursday.

As various parts of RMT membership walk out on different days, London Underground services will not resume before 08:00 on Friday.

The last Tube strike to close the whole network took place in March 2023.

Last year, the mayor of London used £30m of Greater London Authority funds to avert a Tube strike at the last minute.

He was later accused of misleading the London Assembly over the figure until it appeared in budget papers and unions had been briefed.

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Former Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas waved an emotional goodbye to cycling, with his final ride in his home city.

The former Whitchurch High School pupil won the iconic French race in 2018, along with Olympic gold in Beijing, China, in 2008 and London in 2012.

But he was on more familiar terrain on Sunday, taking part in his final race - the Tour of Britain, which ended in Cardiff.

The final 122.2km (76 miles) stage started at the velodrome in Newport named after the 39-year-old and where crowds turned out to cheer him. It also passed his childhood cycling club, Maindy Flyers, before it ended in his hometown.

"A a whole club we're extremely proud, we've been fortunate that we've had a number of youngsters who have come through this club and who've gone on to achieve Olympic golds, world records world championships," said co-chairman of Maindy Flyers Alan Davies.

"But Geraint was the first, he was the one who showed the others the way.

"This is Geraint's legacy within cycling in Cardiff."

Mr Davies said it was almost 30 years to the day that Thomas first began cycling at Maindy, joining in late 1995.

He was his first coach, and in testament to the effect he has had on the sport in the city, many young riders are present to pay tribute to him.

"He's inspired so many children to join Maindy, it's just great what he's done," said 10-year-old Gwen.

"It's his last year and he's done really well."

Imogen, 12, said it gives her "a nice feeling" to know he started his career at the club.

"And then he went on to be an Olympian, Tour de France winner, and then is finishing his last race here," she added.

Raima used to go on bike rides with her dad, and "really liked beating him", with the success of Geraint Thomas allowing her to dream.

"It gives you a sense of hope and brings everyone together - it makes you want to do better," she said.

Speaking after the race Thomas said he had expected a good atmosphere for his final ride, "but this is something else".

He added it was "bonkers" that Newport's velodrome, where the race started, was now named after him.

He said fellow Welsh rider Nicole Cooke inspired him, and recalled thinking at the time "if she can do it, why can't other Welsh people do it", adding that the thought of young children looking at him and thinking that was "strange, but really nice".

He added that riding along Ben Swift was emotional.

"Swifty, who I started racing with when I was 12 [years-old] - we're 39 now, that's a long time.

"To ride in to the finish with him, I just broke down."

Thomas added that one of the most special moments of the ride in Cardiff was having his son Macs old enough to remember it.

"That's what gets me, I never thought I'd still be going when he's at the age to remember.

"I thought I would've stopped a couple years ago, so its nice that he can enjoy it."

His final race also featured a custom-made jersey carrying the name of those closest to him, along with a drawing by Macs.

"There's a lot of teammates, current and ex-teammates, Swifty, Mum and Dad - its nice.

"And on the back, Macs designed a picture. Apparently its me on the top step, so that's good."

At least two people have been killed and 11 injured in a new Russian overnight drone attack on Ukraine's capital Kyiv, local officials have said.

One of the victims was a one-year-old baby, whose body was pulled from the rubble, Kyiv's military administration head Tymur Tkachenko said Sunday. A young woman is also believed to have been killed.

Russian strikes were also targeted at Kryvyi Rih, President Volodymyr Zelensky's hometown in central Ukraine, where three infrastructure facilities were hit. Air raid warnings were activated overnight for all of the country's regions.

The fresh attack came as Russian President Vladimir Putin has been hardening his warning on the West not to aid Ukraine.

Overnight, several multi-storey residential buildings were partially destroyed and continued to be ablaze after direct hits.

"The Russians are deliberately hitting civilian facilities," Tkachenko said, urging Kyiv residents to remain in shelters.

City authorities said residential buildings were hit in the western Svyatoshynkyi and south-eastern Darnytskyi districts.

There were multiple explosions in Kyiv in the early morning, including at least one in the city centre, seen by the BBC. Several cruise missiles also targeted the capital.

Russia's military has not commented on the reported drone strikes.

Earlier this week, Putin rejected Western proposals for a "reassurance force" in Ukraine the day after any ceasefire comes into place, following a Paris summit aimed at finalising plans for security guarantees.

French President Emmanuel Macron said 26 of Ukraine's allies had formally committed to deploying troops "by land, sea or air" to help provide security the moment fighting was brought to a halt. He gave no further details.

Putin sought to quash the allies' initiative, warning that any troops deployed to Ukraine would be "legitimate targets".

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Moscow currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory - including the southern Crimea peninsula illegally annexed in 2014.

Police say 890 people were arrested at a demonstration in support of the banned group Palestine Action in London on Saturday.

The majority of the arrests were for supporting a proscribed group under the Terrorism Act, while the Metropolitan Police said there were also a "significant" number of arrests made "after the protest turned violent".

The government proscribed Palestine Action under anti-terrorism legislation in July, making membership of or support of the group a criminal offence, punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

The number of arrests at the London demonstration has risen from the 425 announced on Saturday.

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The next time you travel from the UK to Europe, you might notice some changes.

The EU's much-delayed new digital border system, the Entry/Exit System or EES, will be gradually introduced this autumn.

The system is meant to strengthen security and ultimately make travel smoother, but there are concerns it could lead to long queues when people first register.

What is EES and where is it being introduced?

EES is a digital system designed to keep track of when non-EU citizens enter and leave the Schengen Area.

This covers 29 European countries - mainly in the EU - which member citizens can travel across freely without border controls.

It includes many popular destinations for UK travellers, such as France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece.

EES will eventually replace the current system which requires individual passports to be checked and stamped by a border officer.

When will EES start?

After being postponed several times, the European Commission confirmed in July that EES will begin on 12 October. It will be phased in gradually over six months.

At Dover, coach passengers will start using the new system on 12 October, followed by other tourist traffic on 1 November.

At Eurostar terminals, EES will be introduced more gradually.

Only a small number of business travellers will be invited to use the new system from 12 October. More passengers will be directed to use it over subsequent months.

Eurotunnel, which runs vehicle shuttles through the Channel Tunnel, is also expecting to introduce EES in stages from 12 October.

EES should be active at every Schengen border crossing point in all 29 participating countries by 10 April 2026.

What will passengers have to do under EES?

The first time they use the new system, people from most non-EU countries - including the UK - will have to register biometric information while having their passport scanned.

This may be done with a border officer, depending on where people travel to.

Flight passengers will register when they arrive at their destination airport.

But registration will be done as you leave the UK if you are crossing the English Channel by ferry from the port of Dover, taking the Eurotunnel shuttle to France, or getting the Eurostar train.

At these places, passengers will have to follow the instructions on kiosks - automated machines installed in dedicated areas.

The machines will scan each passport, then take fingerprints and a photo.

Children under 12 won't have to provide fingerprints. Staff should be on hand to help.

The machine's screen will also present travellers with four questions about their trip, such as confirming where they will be staying and that they have enough money.

Eurostar has installed 49 EES kiosks in three areas around its London St Pancras terminal. Passengers will use them before presenting their ticket at the departures area.

But it says all passports will continue to be stamped manually until EES is fully rolled out in 2026.

Eurotunnel, which runs vehicle shuttles through the Channel Tunnel, has installed more than a hundred kiosks at each side.

A mobile phone app has been developed to enable passengers to do part of the process before reaching the border. However, this won't be widely used when EES is first introduced.

The EES registration will be valid for three years, with the details verified on each trip during that period.

What are the concerns about the introduction of EES?

Concerns have repeatedly been raised that the time it takes to complete the registration process could lead to big queues, particularly at space-constrained Dover.

The port of Dover previously planned to give ferry passengers tablet devices so they could register inside their vehicles. However, a source told the BBC that Dover now plans to also use kiosks.

During the initial transition period, the port will be able to temporarily stand down EES if queues get too long, and revert to manual passport stamping.

Eurostar hope its decision to limit EES initially to some business travellers will help to avoid any significant queues.

What is ETIAS and when is that coming?

The EU is also introducing a new visa waiver system linked to passports called the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which will build on the EES.

Citizens of non-EU countries who don't need a visa to enter the EU - including people from the UK - will be able to apply online for authorisation before they travel.

ETIAS isn't due to start until the end of 2026, but the final date has not yet been confirmed.

It will cost €20 per application, and will be valid for three years.

People aged under 18 and over 70 will need to apply, but won't have to pay.

In May 1989, Dame Anna Wintour did something that would become a hallmark of her time as editor-in-chief of US Vogue: She put a pop star on the cover.

Just a year into her tenure as the top of the magazine's masthead, Dame Anna had already made a name for herself as an editor who instinctively understood the zeitgeist. She was the first to put a model in jeans on Vogue's front, and now, Madonna.

"If it was edgy to do jeans for November 1988, I think it was even edgier for her to do Madonna," says Amy Odell, author of Anna: The Biography.

For Marian Kwei, a stylist and Vogue contributor, this move speaks to Dame Anna's ability to make Vogue "relevant to our times, make it contemporary, make it accessible".

"Before, it was women who could buy couture who were interested in what Vogue had to say," she says. "But Dame Anna realised the need to reach out to the kids listening to Madonna."

Now almost 40 years later, Dame Anna is preparing to hang up her Manolo Blahnik's, sort of – while she will no longer be editor-in-chief, she will remain on as global editorial director. Down the hall will sit her heir, the 39-year-old Chloe Malle, who is stepping in as head of editorial content.

While some have attributed her continued presence as a sign of unwillingness to cede total control, one could also see it as a recognition of her unmatched place in the fashion industry, and the fear that should she go entirely, this print magazine – already a relic to some – will lose its remaining clout.

Once, fashion magazines like Vogue ruled the industry. They didn't have to fight for attention so much as just decree from on high what was and wasn't "chic".

Whether you still see – or ever saw – Vogue as an arbiter of good taste, or reflection of our times, depends on who you talk to.

"I think it's more relevant than people want to admit honestly," Odell says.

For Anja Aronowsky Cronberg, the founder and editor-in-chief of academic fashion publication Vestoj, less so. When she was a teenager growing up in Sweden, "Vogue represented the world out there, something glamorous and different and the wide horizons that I was striving for."

But she stopped reading it 25 years ago.

Today, print magazines are fighting for survival in an increasingly crowded, fast-paced landscape – a monthly publication loses a lot of relevance in a by-the-minute digital world.

"There's no one magazine that is relevant in the way Vogue might have been relevant in the 80s," says Cronberg.

"There are so many other vehicles for culture today," she adds, like TikTok and Instagram.

All this will be factoring into Malle's thinking as she takes on the job of head of editorial content. She reportedly plans to put out issues less frequently, centred around themes or cultural events rather than months. She says she wants to lean into the idea of Vogue in print as something to collect and cherish.

One of the ways that Dame Anna has kept Vogue a part of the conversation is by expanding the people she invited onto the cover.

Since Maddona's debut, Dame Anna has placed royalty, politicians, pop stars, writers and gymnasts on the cover.

"She definitely bridged fashion and entertainment as editor-in-chief of Vogue," says Odell.

It wasn't always well received. When Dame Anna put Kanye West and Kim Kardashian on the cover in 2014, "it sparked so much debate", says Kwei.

"Nobody really wanted to dress [her] because she was a reality star."

Looking at the almost mythological position the Kardashians have gone on to occupy, the cover spoke to Dame Anna's uncanny ability to anticipate culture – as well, arguably, as drive it.

But whether Dame Anna remains the right person to be at the helm, and whether the magazine can withstand increasing financial pressures, remains to be seen.

It is a far more corporate world than it once was.

Her decision to spotlight Lauren Sanchez, the now-wife of Jeff Bezos, also sparked accusations that the magazine was selling out. It was read by some as more about celebrating wealth and luxury than style. Interestingly, it was Malle who apparently organised the story on the power couple's wedding and was dispatched to write it.

Vanessa Friedman, chief fashion critic of The New York Times pointed out in a recent article that "while elite weddings are a hallmark of Vogue, they almost never made its cover, and Ms Sánchez Bezos seemingly had neither the celebrity nor modelling credentials that usually merited cover treatment." The couple's presence at Donald Trump's inauguration also drew criticism from some - and contributed to the cover's backlash, especially on social media.

Dame Anna, who has supported Democratic candidates in the past, has over the years featured Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Jill Biden and, most recently, Kamala Harris. It feels pertinent that whether or not she will invite Melania Trump to be on the cover has been the subject of much discussion – and continues to be, even as Malle steps into the role.

But Vogue can arguably withstand more of this kind of criticism than most because of its fabled history. As Lauren Sherman, the fashion journalist who broke the news of Malle's appointment, tells the BBC: "The Vogue brand stands apart, and is one of the most important fashion brands in the world."

A large part of Vogue's standing in the world is wrapped up in Dame Anna's own - the enigmatic editor-in-chief of fashion, with her instantly recognisable bob and her unknowability.

She has maintained a certain relevancy for the title almost by being the relevancy.

"Anna has been able to stay relevant despite all the various eras we've lived through simply by being as synonymous with culture, fashion and beauty as possible," says Kwei.

This, despite being criticised for being late to make Vogue more diverse compared to other sections of the industry.

"She's a mainstream celebrity figure," says Odell. "What other editor has had a book and an iconic movie made about them? You know, she's been played by Meryl Streep!"

For Cronberg, she is "a brand in and of herself at this point".

So what next?

"I think we're about to see how much of the relevance of Vogue comes from Dame Anna," says Odell.

While Malle may have inherited the magazine's prestige, "it'll be up to Chloe and her team to see if they can use it wisely to influence the way the culture moves," says Sherman.

Ellie Violet Bramley is a freelance writer and former Guardian fashion and lifestyle editor.

More than 15,000 people have taken to the streets in Israel to call for an end to the war in the Gaza Strip and urge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a deal to free the remaining hostages.

Families and supporters of the hostages still being held by Hamas thronged Jerusalem's Paris Square, with others gathering in Tel Aviv.

Of the 48 hostages still being held in Gaza, as many as 20 are believed to be alive.

Israel has yet to formally respond to a deal that would see the release of some hostages, but has previously demanded the return of all the hostages in any agreement. Netanyahu insists total victory over Hamas will bring the hostages home.

Hamas took 251 hostages back to Gaza after its attack in southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which some 1,200 people died.

Israel launched a massive retaliation campaign to destroy Hamas which has resulted in the death of at least 64,368 Palestinians, according to figures from the Hamas-run health ministry. The UN considers the figures reliable, although Israel disputes them.

Voices of protest on Israeli streets and international demands from some of Israel's allies to stop its military offensive in Gaza have been growing steadily.

Yet all the signs are that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is preparing to intensify the war, as the Netanyahu government vows to gain full control of the Gaza Strip and finally defeat Hamas.

On Saturday night, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem saw some of the biggest protests in recent months calling for the release of remaining hostages and an end to the war.

Within earshot of Netanyahu's residence in the city, speaker after speaker called for Israel's prime minister to strike a deal with Hamas that would see the safe return of their loved ones, almost two years after their abduction.

Among the many family members with angry messages for Netanyahu was the mother of Matan Angrest, an IDF soldier being held in Gaza.

"This is not a threat, Mr Prime Minister. If something happens, you will pay for it -this is a mother's word," shouted Anat Angrest, according to the Times of Israel.

Many protesters say the expansion of the war will further endanger the hostages' lives.

If Netanyahu, indeed, was in his nearby Jerusalem home, the appeals from parents and supporters appear to be falling on deaf ears.

Israel's beleaguered but resolute prime minister has shown no sign of ending the war even though many former military leaders have repeatedly said the IDF has probably achieved as much as it can militarily in Gaza, without further endangering the lives of hostages and exacerbating the desperate humanitarian crisis there.

That is a view, reportedly, also held by many serving army generals but they are now being asked by their government to prepare for a huge land incursion to overrun Gaza City and the rest of the war-damaged Palestinian enclave.

Netanyahu's Defence Minister Israel Katz has repeatedly taken to social media in recent days, posting videos of high-rise buildings in Gaza City being blown-up with the blunt message that this was just the start.

Israel justifies the destruction of Gaza's most prominent buildings because it says they are used by Hamas as "command and control centres".

It denies accusations of implementing a "scorched-earth" policy - the systematic destruction of public buildings and homes to make Gaza practically uninhabitable.

Katz had earlier threatened to "open the gates of hell" as Israel warned Gaza City's residents to leave for the so-called "humanitarian enclave" of al-Mawasi further south.

But nowhere in Gaza can realistically be described as "safe" and al-Mawasi has itself been repeatedly targeted by Israeli air strikes in which dozens of people have been killed - many, including several children, in the last week.

It is against this backdrop that many of Israel's allies have repeatedly called for an end to the fighting in Gaza and an urgent return to ceasefire negotiations.

"We are extremely concerned about the humanitarian disaster in Gaza and that's why we repeat our calls for Israel to stop the military offensive," said Denmark's Foreign Minister, Lars Rasmussen, on a visit to Jerusalem on Sunday.

That message was politely ignored by his Israeli counterpart, Gideon Sa'ar, who not so subtly warned that the intention of some European nations to recognise soon Palestinian statehood would be counterproductive and could have dire consequences.

Asked by a reporter where the Netanyahu government stood on highly controversial proposals to annex the Occupied Palestinian West Bank, Sa'ar said: "We've had discussions on this issue with the prime minister and there will be a decision. I don't have to elaborate."

The foreign minister also said he had recently spoken to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the matter, amid other reports citing US officials, including Mike Huckabee - the high-profile US ambassador to Israel - who indicated that the Trump administration would not "tell Israel what to do" if it chose to declare sovereignty over much of the West Bank.

If that did happen, tensions in an already divided region would move up a notch or two.

The number of dead in Gaza continues to rise as Israel's position hardens.

At least 87 people were killed over the last 24 hours in air strikes across Gaza, according to local officials.

The Gaza health ministry also reported that five people had died during the same period, including three children, from famine and malnutrition.

Against this backdrop, Netanyahu digs in deep.

"If I have to choose between victory over our enemies and evil propaganda against us - I choose victory, " said the prime minister on Sunday as he made clear Israeli troops were "deepening manoeuvres" around and inside Gaza City.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham says he is concerned about the "balance" of the cabinet after a reshuffle sparked by Angela Rayner's resignation for under paying stamp duty.

She left her roles as housing secretary and deputy prime minister, as well as deputy leader of the Labour Party, the latter of which has triggered a contest to find her replacement.

Burnham told Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that process would be an opportunity to have a "discussion about the internal management" of the party and that somebody from the north of England would be "great".

Defence Secretary John Healey said there was a "good new team in place" and called on them to "go up a gear".

• Healey says more military sites could house asylum seekers

Rayner's exit has sparked a major reshuffle with David Lammy replacing her as deputy prime minister, Yvette Cooper moving to foreign secretary and Shabana Mahmood following her as home secretary.

Among those to lose their job was Leader of the House Lucy Powell.

Asked if he was worried about whether the new-look cabinet included the right balance of people, Burnham said: "I am concerned about the balance, and I think you know, we need to use the deputy leadership contest to discuss some of these things."

He said the leadership needed to to the party more, pointing to internal rows over winter fuel payments and disability benefits, adding that MPs opposed to the government's plans should not be "punished".

He continued: "I see good people, good MPs, losing the whip, people like Rachael Maskell. That doesn't seem fair to me. It didn't happen in the governments I was in, in Gordon Brown's government or Tony Blair's government.

"You know, we need a different style here, so that everyone is included and we pull together."

• Working-class warrior who fell from power
• In full: Rayner, PM and ethics adviser's letters
• Watch: Key moments from Rayner's political career
• Timeline of the Angela Rayner flat row

His words come ahead of a deputy leadership contest which some have predicted could highlight divisions between Downing Street and the left of the party. The deputy leadership is separate to the deputy prime minister role, although Rayner held both simultaneously.

Asked who should take the job, Burnham suggested Louise Haigh or Lucy Powell, both of whom are MPs in northern England, in order to "counter that London centricity".

Healey told the BBC the reshuffle was Sir Keir Starmer resetting his team and "saying to each and every one of us you've got to go up a gear, you've got to deliver".

He added their job was "to demonstrate to people that we can as government change their lives, make them feel better off and make them feel more secure".

Healey said Rayner had been an "inspiration to many" and particularly to working-class women, adding the government would "miss" her, adding: "Any government is stronger with Angela Rayner but we've got a good new team in place and that's our job."

But he defended Sir Keir's "clear, swift action" and said she was "not victim".

Labour MP Emily Thornberry said she was considering running for deputy leader but said it was "a question of what can I bring to it".

"I mean I hear what is said about the deputy leader should come from Manchester, and obviously the mayor of Manchester would say that.

"I'm sure that people would say they should come from Wales or Scotland.

"What's important is what you bring... do you have the strength, do you have the experience, can you actually make a difference?"

Labour's governing body is due to meet on Monday to discuss details of the deputy leadership election, according to LabourList.

Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has announced he is stepping down after less than a year in the role, following two major election losses.

The move comes a day before his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was expected to vote on whether to hold an internal leadership vote that could have forced him out.

The LDP has governed Japan for almost seven decades, but under Ishiba it lost its majority in the lower house for the first time in 15 years and then lost its majority in the upper house in July.

Japan, the world's fourth-largest economy and a key US ally, now faces a period of political uncertainty as tensions rise with China and regional insecurity mounts.

"Now that a conclusion has been reached in the negotiations concerning the US tariff measures, I believe this is precisely the appropriate time", Ishiba said, referring to a deal signed last week to ease tariffs imposed by US president Donald Trump on Japanese cars and other exports.

Until Sunday, he had resisted calls to resign, saying it was his responsibility to settle the dispute with Washington before stepping down.

"I have strongly believed that negotiations concerning the US tariff measures, which could be described as a national crisis, must be brought to a conclusion under our administration's responsibility," he said.

The 68-year-old said he would continue his responsibilities "to the people" until a new prime minister was selected.

Ishiba, who took office in October 2024 promising to tackle rising prices, struggled to inspire confidence as the country faced economic headwinds, a cost-of-living crisis and fractious politics with the US.

Inflation, particularly the doubling of rice prices in the last year, was politically damaging.

Public support further slid after a series of controversies, including criticism of his decision to appoint only two women to his cabinet and handing out expensive gifts to party members.

The defence secretary has said the government is looking at moving asylum seekers onto military sites as an alternative to hotels.

John Healey also confirmed officials are considering a range of "non-military" accommodation, although he did not offer further details.

Labour has pledged to stop housing asylum seekers in hotels before the next election, after a series of protests against their use over the summer.

Just over 32,000 asylum seekers are living in hotels whilst their claims are processed, around a third of those in taxpayer-funded accommodation.

Speaking on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, the defence secretary said his department would "play our part" in the task of ending asylum hotel use.

"What you are seeing from Keir Starmer now is this isn't just a job for the Home Office, it's an all of government effort," he added.

"We've got (military) planners alongside the Home Office, we're looking at military and non-military sites for potential temporary accommodation".

It comes amid reports that Shabana Mahmood, who replaced Yvette Cooper as home secretary on Friday during a major cabinet reshuffle, is set to announce new proposals to house asylum seekers on military land within weeks.

Two former military sites - MDP Wethersfield, a former RAF base in Essex, and Napier Barracks, a former military base in Kent - are already being used to house asylum seekers after being opened under the previous government.

The Home Office had been expected to start increasing the number of migrants living at the Wethersfield site, while Napier Barracks, which had been due to stop housing asylum seekers this month, is also set to stay open longer.

A London-born boy is set to become the first millennial saint, in a ceremony steeped in an ancient ritual presided over by Pope Leo on Sunday.

In his short life, Carlo Acutis created websites documenting "miracles" as a means of spreading Catholic teaching, leading some to nickname him God's influencer.

His canonisation had been due in late April, but was postponed following the death of Pope Francis.

More than a million people are estimated to have made a pilgrimage to the Italian hilltop town of Assisi where Carlo's body lies, preserved in wax.

But there is another pilgrimage site associated with Carlo Acutis that has seen an increase in visitors since it was announced that he was to be made a saint - Our Lady of Dolours Church in London.

The font at the back of the Roman Catholic church in the Chelsea area was where Carlo was baptised as a baby in 1991.

To the side of the church an old confession booth has been converted into a shrine to him. In it, a relic holder contains a single strand of Carlo's hair.

"His family were in finance and they were working really temporarily in London," says Father Paul Addison, a friar at the church.

"Although they didn't use the church much, they decided to come and ask to have the child baptised. So Carlo was a flash, a very big flash, in the life of the parish community," he says.

Carlo was not yet six months old when his parents moved back to their home country of Italy, and he spent the rest of his life in Milan.

There, he was known for a love of technology and is said to have enjoyed playing video games.

While some who knew Carlo Acutis say he did not appear to be especially devout, as a teenager he did create a website – pages of which are now framed at the church in Chelsea – in which miracles were documented.

But he died of leukaemia aged just 15.

In the years after his death, Carlo's mother, Antonia Salzano, visited churches around the world to advocate for him to be a saint.

As part of the process, it had to be proved her son had performed "miracles".

"The first miracle, he did the day of the funeral," says Carlo's mother.

"A woman with breast cancer prayed (for) Carlo and she had to start chemotherapy and the cancer disappeared completely," she explains.

Pope Francis attributed two miracles to Carlo Acutis and so the test was passed and he was due to be made a saint on 27 April.

But Pope Francis died during the preceding week.

Some followers who had travelled to Rome for the canonisation instead found themselves among the tens of thousands of mourners at the late pontiff's funeral - Diego Sarkissian, a young Catholic from London, was one of them.

He says he feels a connection to Carlo Acutis and is excited by his canonisation.

"He used to play Super Mario video games on the old Nintendo consoles and I've always loved video games," Mr Sarkissian says.

"The fact that you can think of a saint doing the same things [as you], wearing jeans, it feels so much closer than what other saints have felt like in the past," he says.

Approval for someone to become a saint can take decades or even centuries, but there is a sense that the Vatican fast-tracked Carlo Acutis' canonisation as a means of energising and inspiring faith in young people.

The Catholic Church will be hoping Sunday's events do just that.

The Duke of Sussex will announce a substantial donation to Children in Need on Tuesday when he attends a charity event in Nottingham.

The donation is intended to help support work tackling violence and its effect on young people.

It is one of several engagements for Prince Harry during a visit to the UK, which has also prompted speculation on whether he might meet his father, King Charles.

The duke, who lives in the US with his wife Meghan Markle, was last in the UK in April for a court hearing over the level of security protection he receives from the government while here.

Harry will arrive in London on Monday to attend an awards ceremony for WellChild, which supports seriously ill children and their families. The prince has been a patron for 17 years.

"I am always privileged to attend the WellChild Awards and meet the incredible children, families and professionals who inspire us all with their strength and spirit," he said announcing his return to the UK.

Tuesday's event in Nottingham will be held held at the Community Recording Studio (CRS) in Nottingham, a charity that teaches film and video skills as well as music.

Harry's visit to Nottingham is to build support and funding for community organisations.

He will hold a private briefing with Children in Need, the Police and Crime Commission, CRS and Epic Partners, and will have informal meetings with some of the young people he has met previously.

The duke will also watch live performances from artists, and make a short speech.

Buckingham Palace has not commented on the possibility of a meeting between the King and the duke during this trip. Nor has Harry and Meghan's team.

But recently, there have been signs that tensions between father and son are easing, and that a reconciliation could be within reach.

His father was in Italy on a state visit during the prince's April trip to London.

This time, the King will be in the UK. He has spent most of the summer in Scotland at his Balmoral Estate but is regularly travelling south for cancer treatment and some royal engagements. It leaves open the real possibility of father and son meeting in person.

London Underground staff have started a five-day walkout over pay and conditions.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union are carrying out rolling action over pay and fatigue management, and have asked for a 32-hour week.

There will be limited service until 18:00 BST on Sunday and little or no service between Monday and Thursday. The Elizabeth line and the Overground will operate as normal but are expected to be much busier, along with buses and roads.

Transport for London has offered a 3.4% pay rise and said it "welcomes further engagement with our unions", but said a reduction in the contractual 35-hour week "is neither practical nor affordable".

A separate dispute on the Docklands Light Railway will stop services on Tuesday and Thursday.

As various parts of RMT membership walk out on different days, London Underground services will not resume before 08:00 on Friday.

The last Tube strike to close the whole network took place in March 2023.

Last year, the mayor of London used £30m of Greater London Authority funds to avert a Tube strike at the last minute.

He was later accused of misleading the London Assembly over the figure until it appeared in budget papers and unions had been briefed.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk

A London-born boy is set to become the first millennial saint, in a ceremony steeped in an ancient ritual presided over by Pope Leo on Sunday.

In his short life, Carlo Acutis created websites documenting "miracles" as a means of spreading Catholic teaching, leading some to nickname him God's influencer.

His canonisation had been due in late April, but was postponed following the death of Pope Francis.

More than a million people are estimated to have made a pilgrimage to the Italian hilltop town of Assisi where Carlo's body lies, preserved in wax.

But there is another pilgrimage site associated with Carlo Acutis that has seen an increase in visitors since it was announced that he was to be made a saint - Our Lady of Dolours Church in London.

The font at the back of the Roman Catholic church in the Chelsea area was where Carlo was baptised as a baby in 1991.

To the side of the church an old confession booth has been converted into a shrine to him. In it, a relic holder contains a single strand of Carlo's hair.

"His family were in finance and they were working really temporarily in London," says Father Paul Addison, a friar at the church.

"Although they didn't use the church much, they decided to come and ask to have the child baptised. So Carlo was a flash, a very big flash, in the life of the parish community," he says.

Carlo was not yet six months old when his parents moved back to their home country of Italy, and he spent the rest of his life in Milan.

There, he was known for a love of technology and is said to have enjoyed playing video games.

While some who knew Carlo Acutis say he did not appear to be especially devout, as a teenager he did create a website – pages of which are now framed at the church in Chelsea – in which miracles were documented.

But he died of leukaemia aged just 15.

In the years after his death, Carlo's mother, Antonia Salzano, visited churches around the world to advocate for him to be a saint.

As part of the process, it had to be proved her son had performed "miracles".

"The first miracle, he did the day of the funeral," says Carlo's mother.

"A woman with breast cancer prayed (for) Carlo and she had to start chemotherapy and the cancer disappeared completely," she explains.

Pope Francis attributed two miracles to Carlo Acutis and so the test was passed and he was due to be made a saint on 27 April.

But Pope Francis died during the preceding week.

Some followers who had travelled to Rome for the canonisation instead found themselves among the tens of thousands of mourners at the late pontiff's funeral - Diego Sarkissian, a young Catholic from London, was one of them.

He says he feels a connection to Carlo Acutis and is excited by his canonisation.

"He used to play Super Mario video games on the old Nintendo consoles and I've always loved video games," Mr Sarkissian says.

"The fact that you can think of a saint doing the same things [as you], wearing jeans, it feels so much closer than what other saints have felt like in the past," he says.

Approval for someone to become a saint can take decades or even centuries, but there is a sense that the Vatican fast-tracked Carlo Acutis' canonisation as a means of energising and inspiring faith in young people.

The Catholic Church will be hoping Sunday's events do just that.