Tourists from dozens of countries including the UK could be asked to provide a five-year social media history as a condition of entry to the United States, under a new proposal unveiled by American officials.

The new condition would affect people from dozens of countries who are eligible to visit the US for 90 days without a visa, as long as they have filled out an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) form.

Since returning to the White House in January, President Donald Trump has moved to toughen US borders more generally - citing national security as a key reason.

Analysts say the new plan could pose an obstacle to potential visitors, or harm their digital rights.

The US expects a major influx of foreign tourists next year, as it hosts the men's football World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico, and for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

The proposal document was filed by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), of which the agency is part.

US media reported that it appeared in the Federal Register, which is the official journal of the US government. The BBC has asked DHS for comment.

It says "the data element will require ESTA applicants to provide their social media from the last 5 years", without giving further details of which specific information will be required.

The existing ESTA requires a comparatively limited amount of information from travellers, as well as a one-off payment of $40 (£30). It is accessible to citizens of about 40 countries - including the UK, Ireland, France, Australia and Japan - and allows them to visit the US multiple times during a two-year period.

As well as the collection of social media information, the new document proposes the gathering of an applicant's telephone numbers and email addresses used over the last five and 10 years respectively, and more information about their family members.

The text cites an executive order from Trump in January, titled "Protecting the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats".

The Trump administration has previously required foreign nationals to make their social media accounts public if they are applying for student visas or H1B visas for skilled workers - the latter of which now also entail a much higher fee.

A senior state department official said of the student visa policy: "It is an expectation from American citizens that their government will make every effort to make our country safer, and that is exactly what the Trump Administration is doing every single day."

Officers were instructed to screen for those "who advocate for, aid, or support designated foreign terrorists and other threats to national security; or who perpetrate unlawful anti-Semitic harassment or violence".

As part of the administration's broader effort to toughen borders, officials recently said an existing travel ban - affecting 19 countries in Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean - could soon be expanded.

That move was announced in the wake of a shooting attack on two National Guard members in Washington DC, in which an Afghan man has been named as the suspect.

The new proposal regarding ESTA data collection for tourists invites views from the public for 60 days.

Sophia Cope, of digital rights organisation the Electronic Frontier Foundation, criticised the plan, telling the New York Times that it could "exacerbate civil liberties harms".

Meanwhile, immigration law practice Fragomen suggested there could be practical impacts as applicants could face longer waits for ESTA approvals.

Experts have previously suggested that the changes to travel policies introduced under Trump have had an impact on the American tourism industry.

Earlier this year, the World Travel & Tourism Council said the US was the only one of 184 economies that it analysed that was expected to see a decline in international visitor spending in 2025.

Other Trump administration policies have also appeared to impact tourism to the country, such as many Canadians boycotting US travel as a form of protest against Trump's tariffs.

October marked the 10th straight month of decline in the number of Canadian travellers to the US. In the past, Canadians have made up about a quarter of all international visitors to the US, spending more than $20bn (£15.1bn) a year, according to the US Travel Association.

Fans of codebreaking, maths and brainteasers can now try their hand at the latest cryptic Christmas challenge set by GCHQ, the UK's intelligence agency.

GCHQ released their annual Christmas card on Wednesday, filled with puzzles and hidden codes designed to help children aged 11-18 test a range of problem-solving skills.

The card was created by "schoolchildren as well as spies", according to GCHQ, after hundreds of young people entered a design competition in the lead-up to the festive period.

It contains seven puzzles set by "GCHQ's in-house puzzlers", geared towards testing a range of problem-solving skills, including "intuitive reasoning" and "lateral thinking".

The quiz starts with Question 1:

Somewhere on the card is a special seven letter word which has no repeated letters, and no letters which are next to each other in the alphabet. Can you find it? * Answer at the bottom of the page

Students were asked to draw their response to the question: "What do you think GCHQ looks like on Christmas Day?". They were challenged to embed hidden codes, and ciphers into their designs.

Three winners were selected by a panel of judges across three age groups.

The famously tricky puzzles "aren't meant to be solved alone", GCHQ said, adding: "We believe the right mix of minds means we can solve seemingly impossible problems."

"Puzzles are at the heart of GCHQ's work to keep the country safe from hostile states, terrorists and criminals; challenging our teams to think creatively and analytically every day", said GCHQ Director Anne Keast-Butler.

She said she hoped the puzzle encourages the next generation "to explore STEM subjects and consider the rewarding careers available in cybersecurity and intelligence".

Meanwhile, the spy agency's "Chief Puzzler", known only as "Colin", said the puzzles are designed to test "the same blend of skills our teams use every day to keep the country safe."

* The answer is: Special (the clue is written into the text)

The daughter of the man believed to be the most prolific serial abuser to be associated with the Church of England (CofE) says finally learning the truth about his attacks on 130 boys was shocking and horrifying.

Fiona Rugg, 47, is the youngest daughter of barrister and Christian charity chairman John Smyth QC, who died before he was ever brought to justice.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Smyth subjected about 130 boys and young men to extreme physical and sexual abuse under the guise of spiritual discipline.

In the years since, Ms Rugg, who now lives in Bristol, has slowly come to terms with the disturbing truth but has often grappled with feelings of "shame by association".

"I can rationally understand that I'm in no way to blame, but you feel guilty that my father could do this to someone, and of course, he was unrepentant," she said.

"So much of my dad's story and how he got away was cover-up and deception, but I want to fly in the face of that and bring things into the light."

The Makin Review, published in 2024, found the church's handling of the allegations against Smyth amounted to a cover-up, with one cleric admitting: "I thought it would do the work of God immense damage if this were public."

Speaking openly to the BBC for the first time, Ms Rugg said learning the truth about the extent of her father's "shocking" abuse has helped her to heal.

"I have forgiven him, but it doesn't take away the pain or make it OK. I don't feel in the grip of it or feel so ashamed, but it doesn't diminish the horror of what he did," she said.

"There was nothing in his camp coming from him about being sorry. I'm sorry on behalf of my father for what he's done to these boys."

Warning - this story contains distressing content and references to child abuse

Ms Rugg recalls an oppressive childhood plagued by "hypervigilance" of her father's unpredictable moods.

"I think the overriding feeling is actually fear, as long as I can remember," she recalled.

"I felt afraid around dad, who was very volatile.

"He was very angry, and so there was a sense of fragile moods, walking on eggshells, wondering what dad's mood was like. A feeling of guilt as a young child I didn't like dad and sometimes I hated him."

Ms Rugg said her father "completely disregarded" her as a child, to the extent she questioned her own judgement of his "volatile" character.

"What I saw was confusing to me," she said. "He was so frightening, so angry and unkind, so hard to stand up to. I wanted to get as far away from him as possible, but what I saw was people who adored him."

While Smyth laughed and played outside with boys and young men in the sun, she would watch from the window, having been told to stay away as an "unwanted distraction".

"We were experiencing a completely different John Smyth to the reputation he presented to the world," she explained.

"The natural conclusion you draw when you are young is 'he must be right and I must be the problem. I'm the one who is not seeing this correctly here'."

Smyth gained access to Winchester College in 1973 through the school's Christian union and began abusing pupils after inviting them to his family home for Sunday lunch.

He forced his victims to strip naked and endure violent canings in a soundproofed shed at his family home, where he beat them so badly they bled.

Smyth, an evangelical Christian, would frame the abuse as a form of punishment and repentance for "sins" such as pride or masturbation.

An internal review by the Iwerne Trust uncovered the scandal in 1982, describing the attacks as "prolific, brutal and horrific", detailing how eight of the boys had suffered a total of 14,000 lashes.

But rather than alerting authorities, senior evangelical figures in the CoE facilitated Smyth's silent departure from the UK, allowing him to evade justice for decades.

When their family were ushered to Zimbabwe in 1984, Ms Rugg said it was framed by her father as "noble work", sacrificing his "glittering career" to become a missionary.

But his wake of destruction followed them across the globe, and he soon opened Christian camps where he would enforce nudity and beat young boys.

The following year, tragedy unfolded when a 16-year-old boy named Guide Nyachuru was found dead at one of Smyth's camps within 12 hours of arrival, resulting in a manslaughter charge, but the case collapsed.

When Ms Rugg moved back to England aged 18, she started to have more and more questions about her father.

"It would come up that I'm dad's daughter and I would see a shadow pass across someone's face," she recalled.

"People didn't react like 'oh what a great guy', it was the opposite of that. It was a stony silence. There seemed to be so little connection with the UK, which struck me as odd."

She confronted her father with the rumours on Christmas Eve, and he burst into a blind rage, accusing her of being "disloyal" to their family by daring to question his integrity.

"His reaction was so powerfully extreme, I remember thinking 'well now I know for sure'. There's never that much smoke without a fire," she said.

Reports of Smyth's abuse were first made public through an investigation by Channel 4 in February 2017.

Ms Smyth switched on the news one evening to see her father's face staring back at her, his name plastered across the screen against a backdrop of horrendous crimes.

"These were people's young, vulnerable sons whose lives were ruined. I have a son," she added.

"As cruel as I'd seen him to be, I had no idea he had committed this extensive criminal abuse. It was horrifying and so shocking, but it made sense.

"His whole life was about doing 'the Lord's work'. Everything was backed up with his Christian faith, and I found the hypocrisy of that really abhorrent."

In August 2018, Smyth received a summons from Hampshire Police to return to England for questioning, under the threat of extradition.

He died from heart failure just eight days later at the age of 77, and was never brought to justice for the trauma he inflicted upon young boys in his care.

Ms Rugg said she can now speak about her father "without bitterness or hatred" and finally feels at peace.

"In my experience, if you face what dad's done you can heal from it and you can forgive it," she explained.

"There are moments of upset but I no longer feel that knot when I think about my dad, and that is progress. It's not mine to carry and not mine to be controlled by.

"It's changed from something that was imposed on me, to 'I'm choosing what I do with that'."

• If you would like to learn more about John Smyth's history of abuse, head to Channel 4's two-part documentary titled See No Evil.

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Nnena Kalu has won this year's Turner Prize, the UK's most high-profile art award, for her "bold and compelling" sculptures and drawings - and has made history as the first artist with a learning disability to win.

The judges praised Kalu's brightly-coloured sculptures - which are haphazardly wrapped in layers of ribbon, string, card and shiny VHS tape - and her drawings of swirling, tornado-like shapes.

Kalu, 59, is an autistic, learning disabled artist with limited verbal communication.

Charlotte Hollinshead, who has worked with her for 25 years, said on stage at the ceremony: "This is a major, major moment for a lot of people. It's seismic. It's broken a very stubborn glass ceiling."

'Idol, legend, winner'

In a moving speech delivered alongside Kalu, she said: "This amazing lady has worked so hard for such a long time.

"It's wonderful she's finally getting the recognition she rightly, rightly deserves."

Glasgow-born, London-based Kalu was announced as the winner of the award - and its £25,000 prize money - at a ceremony in Bradford, the UK's current city of culture, on Tuesday.

She accepted the honour while wearing a rosette bearing her photo and the words: "Idol, legend, winner, whatever."

Kalu has been gradually gaining recognition in the art world in recent years after working as a resident artist with Action Space, which supports artists with learning disabilities, since 1999.

Ms Hollinshead, her studio manager and artistic facilitator, said: "We are so happy that Nnena's talent and beautiful work is now out in the world for you all to see this complex artist who creates gorgeous, complex forms - all while listening to disco music, often as loud as possible.

"Nnena's career reflects the long, often very frustrating journey we've been on together... to challenge people's preconceptions about differently abled artists, but especially learning disabled artists, an important creative community so undervalued.

"When Nnena first began working with Action Space in 1999, the art world was not interested.

"Her work wasn't respected, not seen, and certainly wasn't regarded as cool.

"Nnena has faced an incredible amount of discrimination, which continues to this day, so hopefully this award smashes that prejudice away.

"Nnena Kalu, you've made history!"

'Beautiful intricacy'

Kalu's work has divided opinion among art critics, but the Turner Prize judges were impressed by the "really compelling sculptures and drawings that could only be made by Nnena", according to the jury chairman, Tate Britain director Alex Farquharson.

Her drawings, which come in sets of two or three near-identical shapes, have "a beautiful intricacy to them" and "look like swirling vortexes", he said.

Her sculptures, meanwhile, are hanging shapes covered in reams of re-purposed materials including fabric, rope, parcel tape, cling film and paper.

They resemble three-dimensional versions of abstract expressionist paintings, Mr Farquharson said.

"But they're not paintings, they're not flat on the wall. They're suspended in the space that you're in, like brightly coloured rocks or creatures.

"They're at almost your eye level. Although there are no figurative features at all, they appear to be communing among themselves and with you.

"The use of materials is highly unusual, including video tape that gets wrapped round and round.

"The colours and the lines the materials make are very like brush marks translated into three dimensions. They're very gestural, they're very expressive, they're very compelling."

'Quality and uniqueness'

The judges deliberated for two or three hours, Mr Farquharson said, and stressed that their choice of winner was based purely on merit.

"The result wasn't about wanting, first and foremost, to give the prize to Nnena as the first neurodiverse artist. That wasn't a driving factor," he said.

"It was an interest in, and a real belief in, the quality and uniqueness of her practice, which is inseparable from who she is."

It is a historic moment, though, he told BBC News.

"It breaks down walls between, if you like, neurotypical and neurodiverse artists. It becomes really about the power and quality of the work itself, whatever the artist's identity is.

"So maybe what's historic about it is it's one more move to include really great neurodiverse artists in the picture we present of art today."

The result was announced at a ceremony at Bradford Grammar School, the former school of artist David Hockney.

Works by all four shortlisted artists are currently on show at the Turner Prize exhibition at the nearby Cartwright Hall gallery, which will run until 22 February 2026.

The other nominees were Rene Matić, Zadie Xa and Mohammed Sami, who will receive £10,000 each.

The Turner Prize has been the UK's most coveted and controversial art award since it was founded in 1984. Past winners include Lubaina Himid, Jeremy Deller, Grayson Perry, Steve McQueen and Damien Hirst.

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Madeleine McCann's father is calling for greater scrutiny of the UK's media, complaining that his family was subjected to "monstering" by sections of the press.

He said the media "repeatedly interfered with the investigation" into his daughter's disappearance in 2007 and believes this has hindered the search for her.

Gerry McCann told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that more than a year on from Labour coming into power, "press regulation is no longer a priority".

He wants a resumption of the cancelled second phase of the Lord Leveson Inquiry, which would have examined unlawful action by the media, plus journalists' relationships with politicians and police. It was scrapped by the Tories in 2018.

Madeleine's disappearance during a family holiday in Portugal has never been solved.

In a rare interview, Mr McCann said that for months after her disappearance his family had "journalists coming to the house, photographers literally ramming their cameras against our car window when we had two-year-old twins in the back who were terrified".

"We are lucky we survived. We had tremendous support - but I can promise you, there were times where I felt like I was drowning. And it was the media, primarily," he told the BBC.

"It was what was happening and the way things were being portrayed, where you were being suffocated and buried, and it felt like there wasn't a way out."

Mr McCann and his wife, Kate McCann, are among more than 30 people to have signed a letter being sent to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and calling on him to reverse the decision not to hold the second phase of the Leveson Inquiry.

Among the other signatories are the families of Hillsborough victims, and the mother of TV presenter Caroline Flack.

The letter, seen by the BBC, requests a meeting with the prime minister, saying: "We understand that you recently had time to meet News Corp chairman Lachlan Murdoch.

"We hope you will now meet with some of the British citizens whose lives have been upended by the illegal practices and abuses associated with his company."

Mr McCann told the Today programme: "It's quite obvious that press barons can meet the prime minister, but the people who have suffered at the hands of them can't."

News UK, the UK branch of News Corp, declined to comment.

The first part of the Leveson Inquiry was held from 2011 to 2012, in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal.

Its findings were published in 2012, and led to the creation of the industry-funded press regulator Ipso.

Mr McCann told the BBC that the inquiry's second phase had "almost certainly" not happened because he believes that politicians in the UK are fearful of the press.

He said that in the run-up to last year's general election, Labour politicians had committed to implementing the recommendations made in the first part of the Leveson Inquiry, and that he was "extremely disappointed" that they hadn't done so.

"We're over a year into the government, and there haven't been any changes," he said.

"It's not acceptable to me now, more than a year on, that Leveson and press regulation is no longer a priority."

A DCMS spokesperson told the BBC it "recognises that for victims and their families, incidents of harassment and intrusion from the media cause significant distress".

"The Culture Secretary has met with individuals and families who have experienced this intrusion in the past and the government is committed to ensuring that these failings are never repeated," they said.

'We put our morals aside'

Mr McCann added that he and his wife had "supped with the Devil" by working with the Sun in 2011, in order to have the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance reviewed - illustrating the newspaper's influence.

"There was a front page letter published in The Sun, and [then-prime minister] David Cameron ordered the review," he said.

"That's the power they had. So we put our morals aside to work with them to achieve what we wanted."

Criticising media coverage of the investigation, he said: "Published material which should have been confidential, should be passed on to the police, witness statements, many other things that have gone out," he said.

"So if you were the perpetrator, you knew a lot more than you should have done - and as a victim, as a parent, it's absolutely dismaying."

'Making stories up'

Mr McCann gave a witness statement at the Leveson Inquiry on behalf of himself and his wife in November 2011.

In it, he described news outlets "making stories up" about them, as well as a "sustained, inaccurate and malicious series of headlines in a number of papers which gave the impression that we were in some way responsible for or involved in Madeleine's disappearance".

He also said around the time their daughter disappeared, the now-closed News of the World newspaper had published complete transcripts from Kate McCann's personal diary.

That diary had been seized by police in Portugal as part of their investigation into Madeleine's disappearance, and the couple were "unsure as to how the [News of the World] obtained a copy", the inquiry heard.

In his interview with the Today programme, Mr McCann said: "Madeleine's been missing for 18 years, and the bottom line is, we still don't know what's happened to her."

He added that there is "no evidence".

"I don't even mean 'convincing' evidence - there is no evidence to say she's dead," he said.

"Now we fully understand she may be dead, it may even be probable, but we don't know that."

A spokesperson for press regulator Ipso told the BBC that it can intervene directly in cases of press harassment.

"We encourage anyone with concerns about press behaviour to contact us for help," it said.

"Would I catch a bus? No, not out of choice now," says Andy Collett. "I feel much happier using my own car."

His sentiment isn't unusual among passengers. But Mr Collett is a bus driver.

"It can be very intimidating," he says. "I've been assaulted twice, spat at numerous times, and I've had incidents of broken windows – it's just part and parcel of the job, unfortunately."

He describes a "lawlessness" among some of the travelling public - mostly younger people - which he believes has got worse in 38 years of driving Birmingham's bus routes.

The BBC has spoken to passengers, transport staff and other bus drivers in the West Midlands about what they say is a growing national trend of antisocial behaviour on public transport.

The British Transport Police recorded 40,034 incidents of antisocial behaviour in 2024-25, an increase of 24% on the previous year.

Buses are the most commonly used form of public transport but they're also where passengers feel least safe, according to a recent Transport for the North survey.

One incident gives Mr Collett flashbacks.

"I was attacked by about 30 schoolkids," he says. "I had cuts, bruises. They actually bent the fingers back on my hand when I was trying to hold [the door] to stop them getting on the vehicle."

Mr Collett now mostly trains other drivers, warning them of the dangers. When he does get shifts behind the wheel, he tries to avoid routes known for antisocial behaviour.

Antisocial behaviour hotspot Chelmsley Wood in the West Midlands is a snapshot of this national problem. Its interchange has suffered vandalism and graffiti, while drivers have been threatened and buses damaged.

Security camera footage shows masked teenagers aiming barrages of fireworks at buses over Halloween and Bonfire Night.

Passenger Emma Banks, 52, says she has witnessed a similar incident.

"They [were] hitting the bus. I've got learning difficulties and sometimes it does scare you," she tells me on a cold evening, waiting in the interchange.

Ms Banks says she regularly sees overcrowding and people smoking on buses.

She can't drive so relies on public transport but, tonight, Ms Banks doesn't feel confident enough to catch the bus.

"I'll be getting a taxi because I know that I'll get home safely."

A Public Space Protection Order has been imposed at Chelmsley Wood to stop gatherings of young people and to require the removal of masks and hoods. But 17-year-old Elle Furlong says she's still afraid.

"They smash windows, purposely pull the fire alarm, light their lighters on the chairs. It's just horrendous."

The probability of becoming a victim of crime on public transport is very low - Transport for West Midlands estimates one crime for every 50,000 bus journeys. But perceptions can outweigh statistics and drive people like Ms Furlong away.

"If I can walk it, I'll walk it. If it's far enough, I'll get an Uber. If it's really far, I'll get my dad to drop me off. I avoid buses at all costs," Ms Furlong says.

The drivers have no choice but to carry on with their jobs, although many are afraid to speak openly about the risks. Even trade union officials have refused to go on the record.

"You come to work not knowing what you're going to face," says a driver who asks to remain anonymous. "It can cause a lot of anxiety and stress. I go home sometimes and just want to break down and cry because it's a horrible job."

They describe the daily grind of disrespectful teenagers, aggressive drug addicts, even passengers defecating on the bus. Then there's the racial abuse.

"You have to hold back. I've known a few drivers who have kicked off, but then they've lost their job because of it."

I saw for myself what drivers and passengers are facing when I sat on the top deck of the 94 from Chelmsley Wood, shortly after the school bell. A group of kids soon boarded without paying.

"I've been driving buses for 33 years and it's changed," driver Neil Evans says through the screen protecting his cab. "Society has changed. No one cares anymore. They just walk onto the bus and do what they want, when they want, how they want, and nothing's done about it."

Today, Mr Evans has backup. Esha Sheemar is one of 13 Transport Safety Officers (TSOs) patrolling the West Midlands. She warns the kids if they don't behave they'll be thrown off the bus.

TSO roles were introduced in 2019. They are not police officers, but they have limited powers to tackle issues on public transport.

Across the bus station, Ms Sheemar's colleague Lee Clarke has spotted a face from their most-wanted list: a 13-year-old accused of vandalising a bus shelter. The boy's details are taken but he is allowed to get on the bus, as Mr Clarke's limited powers mean he'll need to pass the case to police officers.

TSOs are funded by the Combined Authority and belong to the West Midlands Safer Travel Partnership, which includes West Midlands Police, British Transport Police, as well as bus and train companies.

At its control room in the city centre, hundreds of screens flicker with security camera images from stations and interchanges across the region's roads and rail lines; they can even get live pictures from most of the buses.

Kerry Blakeman is head of security for the West Midlands Safer Travel Partnership and says they have access to more than 5,000 fixed cameras. He says his staff capture about 30 incidents each day, although he is keen to stress millions of journeys are safe and uneventful.

"We are trying to do our best to keep the travelling public safe. Behind each camera is an operator looking out for your safety whilst you travel around the bus, train and tram network."

Last summer, a teenager was filmed threatening people at Chelmsley Wood bus station with a machete. He was identified and sentenced to six months in juvenile custody.

The footage of the firework attacks has been handed over to West Midlands Police - and efforts to trace the hooded youths are ongoing.

Bus driver Bryan Cook recently called police after being threatened with a weapon while working. It was one of four times in the past three months that he's phoned for assistance while driving the 72 bus to Chelmsley Wood.

On this chilly evening, he takes his chance to tell the TSOs how their timetable fails to match that of the vandals. "Where are you on the weekends? Where are you on school holidays?" he asks.

TSO Mr Clarke starts to reply, but the driver has more to say.

"We're the ones getting threatened, we're the ones getting stuff thrown at us, broken windows. Where are you lot?"

Mr Clarke emphasises the importance of reporting incidents so patrols can be targeted in problem areas.

"We keep telling everyone. No one does anything," says Mr Cook, in exasperation.

It outlines the challenge for a small team covering such a large area. The number of TSOs doubled a year ago and is set to rise to 25 across the West Midlands. Some areas have similar teams - and others have piloted them - but many places are uncovered, relying on the police. Bus routes can be especially vulnerable.

The anonymous bus driver questions the effectiveness of Transport Safety Officers and urges more support from their employer.

"They [management] know what goes on. Do they care? I don't know. Doesn't feel like it, to be fair."

National Express West Midlands told the BBC that all reports of antisocial behaviour or crime are "fully investigated to ensure perpetrators are held accountable, to identify any learnings, and to provide support for those affected".

It added that antisocial behaviour "will always be a subject we need to keep challenging and working on".

The UK government's recent Bus Services Act allows local authorities to apply for extra powers to deal with issues such as smoking, vaping and fare evasion, the sort of problems TSOs can tackle already on trains.

The legislation also requires bus drivers to receive training in dealing with antisocial behaviour and spotting the signs of harassment and abuse faced by women and girls.

The Department for Transport told the BBC that abuse of passengers and staff is "unacceptable" and pointed to the new powers the Bus Services Act will give to help tackle antisocial behaviour.

Transport for West Midlands promises greater use of drone cameras and AI technology, capable of recognising known troublemakers and even identifying concealed weapons. It recently launched a campaign prioritising the safety of women and girls.

Mr Blakeman insists his team is having a positive impact but says he recognises passenger confidence is fragile.

"I respect why some members of the public wouldn't feel comfortable travelling, but I want them to know that we're actually doing everything we can behind the scenes."

Back on the 72 bus, Mr Clarke is trying to restore Mr Cook's faith. He promises someone will make contact to explain their role and discusses the most efficient way to flag issues.

The West Midlands Safer Travel Partnership is regarded as a model of good practice. And yet, this frosty exchange reveals a clash of perspectives – one that speaks of "intelligence-led tasking" and "visible reassurance"; the other of lone working under the stark reality of sustained abuse and the risk of attack.

Mr Cook sums it up like this: "Two weeks ago I had two windows broken on my bus, I got threatened with a knife - and that's all in a day's work".

Humans are a bit like meerkats when it comes to pairing up, according to a study that examined the monogamous lifestyles of different species.

In our romantic life, we more closely resemble these social, close-knit mongooses than we do our primate cousins, a "league table" of monogamy compiled by scientists suggests.

At 66% monogamous, humans score surprisingly highly, far above chimps and gorillas – and on a par with meerkats.

However, we are by no means the most monogamous creature. Top spot goes to the Californian mouse - rodents that form inseparable, lifelong bonds.

"There is a premier league of monogamy, in which humans sit comfortably, while the vast majority of other mammals take a far more promiscuous approach to mating," said Dr Mark Dyble at the University of Cambridge.

In the animal world, pairing up has its perks, which may be why it has evolved independently in multiple species, including us. Experts have proposed various benefits to so-called social monogamy, where mates match up for at least a breeding season to care for their young and see off rivals.

Dr Dyble examined several human populations throughout history, calculating the proportions of full siblings – where individuals share the same mother and father – compared with half-siblings, individuals who share either a mother or a father, but not both. Similar data was compiled for more than 30 social monogamous and other mammals.

Humans have a monogamy rating of 66% full siblings, ahead of meerkats (60%) but behind beavers (73%).

Meanwhile, our evolutionary cousins fall at the bottom of the table - with mountain gorillas at 6% rating, while chimpanzees come in at just 4% (alongside the dolphin).

In last place is Scotland's Soay sheep, where females mate with multiple males, with 0.6% full siblings. The Californian mouse came top, at 100%.

However, being ranked alongside meerkats and beavers doesn't mean our societies are the same - human society is poles apart.

"Although the rates of full siblings we see in humans are most similar to species like meerkats or beavers, the social system that we see in humans is very different," Dr Dyble told BBC News.

"Most of these species live in colony-like social groups or perhaps live in solitary pairs that go around together. Humans are very different from that. We live in what we call multi-male, multi-female groups, within which we have these monogamous, or pair-bonded, units."

Dr Kit Opie at the University of Bristol, who is not connected with the study, said this is another piece in the puzzle over how human monogamy arose.

"I think this paper gives us a very clear understanding that across time and across space humans are monogamous," he said.

"Our society is much closer to chimps and bonobos – it just happens that we've taken a different route when it comes to mating."

The new study is published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences.

A teaching assistant has been banned from classrooms for two years after telling pupils he had killed more than 250 people as a military sniper.

Scott John Trigg-Turner, 44, made bogus claims to a Year 8 class in Newport that he had been in the US marines, went by the codename 'Kill Switch' and still owned a gun.

A professional standards hearing in Cardiff was told wheelchair user Mr Trigg-Turner also claimed to be a lord, the recipient of an MBE and to have served in Northern Ireland during the Troubles - despite being too young to have done so.

Mr Trigg-Turner denied being unprofessional and had told investigators his words were "misinterpreted".

Fellow learning support assistant Sharon Davies said she had become suspicious about Mr Trigg-Turner after hearing the stories he told pupils at Bassaleg School in 2023, including boasts about killing "in excess of 250 people".

However, in an email to the Education Workforce Council Wales (EWC) hearing, Mr Trigg-Turner said he had "been diligent in my transparency in all interactions with pupils. I have never crossed professional boundaries and would never do so".

He added: "I feel targeted and singled out. It is not fair."

The EWC panel was also told he arrived late and left class early without agreement a number of times and gave inconsistent explanations to colleagues about how he came to be a wheelchair user.

A prominent Wales international wheelchair rugby player for the Wigan Warriors wheelchair rugby league team and former Torfaen Tigers player, Mr Trigg-Turner was not at the hearing and was not represented.

He has made no formal response to the allegations.

But the EWC hearing was told that during a school investigation Mr Trigg-Turner denied having a gun in his house or saying that he did.

He added that any mentions of the military had referred to family members and that his comments to the class had been taken the wrong way.

Mr Trigg-Turner, who went on to work at Cardiff and Vale College after leaving Bassaleg, was struck off the EWC register in the categories both of learning support worker in schools and further education colleges.

Panel chair Helen Beard-Robbins said: "There is evidence of deep seated attitudinal problems given the lies he told pupils, colleagues and his line manager."

The panel ruled Mr Trigg-Turner may not apply to be reinstated for two years.

He has the right of appeal to the High Court against the decision within 28 days.

International talks to revolutionise how the European Court of Human Rights handles migration cases will begin on Wednesday.

The British government is urging partners to modernise the way states tackle the continent-wide illegal migration crisis.

The talks are the most significant sign yet that international human rights law could be reinterpreted to make it easier for states to target people smuggling and set up 'returns hubs' to hold people with no right to be in Europe.

Writing ahead of the major meeting in Strasbourg, Sir Keir Starmer and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said other nations should rethink human rights laws to make protecting borders easier.

Critics say the ECHR is getting in the way of removing more illegal migrants, while supporters say claims about the ECHR's role in migration are exaggerated.

The BBC understands that the aim is for member states to reach a political declaration by the spring which would set how the European Convention on Human Rights is applied in migration cases.

If such an agreement was achieved, it could be one of the most important reforms to how human rights law is applied in the 75-year history of the convention.

The meeting at the Council of Europe, the political body that agrees the human rights laws which are then applied by the court, comes after months of pressure over migration.

Nine members of the human rights body, led by Italy and Denmark, called earlier this year for reforms.

The UK did not sign that open letter - but it has been lobbying behind the scenes for talks on reforms.

Membership of the convention has become increasingly contentious in the UK in recent years.

Both the Conservatives and Reform UK have said they would leave it if they won the next election.

Kemi Badenoch has said leaving would not be a "silver bullet" but was a necessary step to "protect our borders, our veterans and our citizens".

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said he would oppose such a move saying the convention "upholds our freedom" and would "do nothing to stop the boats or fix our broken immigration system".

Writing in the Guardian newspaper ahead of the talks, Sir Keir and his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen said that the member states meeting on Wednesday must "go further in tackling" the "shared challenges" of "uncontrolled migration" that they said were undermining public confidence in governments.

"Europe has faced big tests before and we have overcome them by acting together. Now we must do so again," said the leaders.

"Otherwise, the forces that seek to divide us will grow stronger.

"So our message is this: as responsible, progressive governments we will deliver the change that people are crying out for.

"We will control our borders to protect our democracies – and make our nations stronger than ever in the years to come."

The UK delegation to the talks will be led by Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy.

He is expected to tell the meeting that the UK remains committed to the ECHR - but its interpretation must not stand in the way of combating people smuggling.

The UK's already-announced domestic plan includes legislating to restrict how the right to private and family life applies in removal cases.

The BBC understands that if the meeting in Strasbourg is a success, officials will begin working with the member states on a political declaration to clarify how human rights laws should be applied to migration challenges - with a deadline of next May for the final wording.

The talks are expected to cover some of the most difficult issues including combating migrant smuggling and how to create human rights compliant 'returns hubs' - centres outside of Europe where migrants could be forcibly housed if they can not be returned to dangerous countries.

The talks are also expected to cover the complex rules of Article 8, the right to family life, and Article 3, the ban on inhumane treatment which features in many migration cases.

In October Alain Berset, the head of the Council of Europe, told the BBC that he was "absolutely ready" to discuss human rights reforms.

That olive branch to member states came after months of diplomatic talks paving the way for Wednesday's meeting.

"The European Convention on Human Rights provides the framework we need to address these issues effectively and responsibly," said Berset ahead of the meeting.

"Our task is not to weaken the Convention, but to keep it strong and relevant — to ensure that liberty and security, justice and responsibility, are held in balance."

For many families, it has become an annual Christmas tradition – gathering together to watch The Holiday.

The romantic comedy from 2006 told the tale of two broken-hearted women, played by Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz, arranging a Transatlantic house-swap to help them make it through Christmas. Jude Law and Jack Black were the love interests.

But one family which does not have a yearly yuletide yearning to view the film is Winslet's.

"No, we haven't seen The Holiday for years," she says adamantly, adding: "We don't sit down and watch films I'm in. I barely do."

"You know, almost everything I've been in I've only seen once," Winslet continues.

"When you watch the finished product, for most actors, that's an excruciating experience. It's something you kind of have to go through."

The subject has come up because Kate Winslet is talking to the BBC about her first Christmas film for almost 20 years, Goodbye June.

Written by her son Joe Anders, it was inspired by the death of his grandmother Sally, Winslet's own mother, from ovarian cancer in 2017. It tells the story of siblings trying to put disputes aside to unite and honour their mother as she undergoes palliative care at Christmas.

"It's not actually a film about dying," says Winslet, explaining why she thinks it will make a suitable festive watch on Christmas Eve, the day it drops on Netflix.

"It's a film about living more than anything. People have been finding it very, very uplifting."

'Learnt everything'

Not only does she star opposite Dame Helen Mirren, Timothy Spall, Andrea Riseborough and Stephen Merchant (a thank you for her famous turn in Extras), but this is her directorial debut.

After a decade of considering making a move behind the camera, and people asking her why she had not, Winslet decided that she finally had the space to do so.

"Now is a time when I've felt that my children are grown up enough that I can be that little more absent, just mentally absent," explains the Oscar, Emmy and Grammy-winner.

"I just don't think I would have honestly had the time before now, because I've been a mum since I was 25 and that's obviously been my priority alongside acting, and that was already a bit of a juggle."

She insists she would not have done it if she was not ready.

"There is a thing with female filmmakers, certainly actresses who turn into directors, there's a strange almost judgey thing. 'Do we really know what we are talking about? Do we really know what we are doing with the camera?'

"But I've been in front of cameras for 33 years, so sort of, by osmosis, [you] learn the technical side of it. I do really feel at this time in my life I have learnt everything."

'Perfectly capable'

Last year, when it came to the top 100 films at the UK box office, 16 were directed or co-directed by women, 84 by men. Winslet has a theory as to why that is.

"A lot of us are mothers and it really is very hard. You can't just stop doing that to go to work, but actually the job of being a director is so incredibly intense and demanding, it is just simply not possible.

"But I do think there is also a lack of belief in women being able to do it. Actually, we're incredibly forward thinking, incredibly resilient, we can cope extremely well with very little sleep and we get things done."

Scarlett Johansson, Kristen Stewart and Zoë Kravitz have all recently made their directorial debuts, while Dakota Johnson is another actress set to do so soon.

Winslet has worked with some of the most successful directors in movie history; James Cameron, Peter Jackson and Jane Campion, but she says her biggest influence has been Australian Jocelyn Moorehouse, whose films include Proof, How to Make an American Quilt, and The Dressmaker, in which Winslet starred.

"She has been subjected to quite a lot of judgement and scrutiny. It's been quite hard for her to carve her own path, so I was very inspired by her determination."

And Winslet hopes that her choice to direct, will inspire a new generation.

"I certainly felt that in making the decision to direct now, at this time in my life - I turned 50 this year - it felt meaningful to me, to be actively participating in hopefully changing that culture," she says.

"If there is more of us doing it then hopefully more will follow and we'll be giving across the message that we are perfectly capable of doing that job just as well as the men."

'Nepo baby term silly'

Two of Winslet's three children have followed her into the film industry, but are determined to make a name of their own, literally, with both making conscious decisions not to use her surname.

Daughter Mia Threapleton, 25, with whom Winslet starred in the Bafta-winning TV drama I Am Ruth, recently starred opposite Benico del Toro in Wes Anderson's The Phoenician Scheme.

Winslet's son Joe Anders, 21, not only wrote the screenplay for Goodbye June, but last year appeared alongside his mum in Lee, and had a small role in 1917, directed by his father Sam Mendes.

Kate Winslet finds it offensive when people suggest that they are nepo babies.

"These kids are not getting a leg up," she insists.

"Joe would say to me, 'I don't want people to think this film is just being made because you're my mum'.

"The film would have been made with or without me. The script is so good. It was the script that attracted all these wonderful actors," she argues.

"With Mia, I just try to say to my children, 'follow your heart'.

"There are lots and lots of people in the world whose children go into a similar family business, whether it's being a judge or a lawyer or a doctor. And it doesn't surprise me at all that my children wanted to do something creative with their lives, having always expressed a great passion for writing and acting and music as well.

"But that doesn't necessarily translate to being able to actually get jobs and actually gain respect from your peers and people around you. And both of them have separately carved their own paths.

"Part of it is actually teaching them to ignore the white noise of silly terms like nepo baby, which you can't really do anything about."

Goodbye June is in cinemas from Friday and on Netflix from Christmas Eve. The Holiday is on BBC iPlayer.

Scotland fans have been scrambling to book flights, hotels and transfers since being drawn to play World Cup games in Boston and Miami next summer.

The men's team will face Haiti, Morocco and five-time champions Brazil when they make their first appearance in the tournament in 28 years.

Tartan Army foot soldiers have already shelled out thousands for travel arrangements and are now turning their attention to match tickets ahead of the application window opening.

Diane Lees, who is travelling to the US with her husband and teenage daughter, told BBC Scotland News: "We know it's a lot of money - but when are we going to have this chance again?"

World Cup tickets system

Scotland qualified for the finals last month after a thrilling 4-2 Hampden victory over Denmark.

In France 1998, the national side, managed by the late Craig Brown, was also drawn against the then defending champions Brazil and Morocco.

The 2026 edition will feature 48 teams and be played from 11 June to 19 July in 16 cities across the US, Canada and Mexico.

The Scottish Football Association has said members of the Scotland Supporter Club (SSC) - which operates a loyalty points system - will be given priority for match tickets.

The Fifa application window runs from 11 December to 13 January.

On Monday, SSC members will be sent an access code to apply for Scotland's three group stage matches and potential knock-out matches.

For each match that is oversubscribed, a ballot using the loyalty points system will be used to determine who is successful in receiving their chosen category ticket.

Successful applicants will be notified in February.

Diane, 55, and Jim, 58, will travel to the US with 19-year-old daughter, Chloe, who has never been to a Scotland away match.

Diane, of Holytown, North Lanarkshire, is still on a high after the Denmark game and started looking at travel arrangements that night.

The mother-of-three said: "I have never experienced anything like that in my life.

"I was bawling my eyes out."

The project co-ordinator hoped to be based in New York or Toronto but solidified her plans after Friday's showpiece draw in Washington DC.

She paid £1,900 for three return flights to New York, with the family travelling to the US on 16 June and returning on 21 June.

They have also booked five nights in a Manhattan hotel for £1,200.

And they have reserved one nights' accommodation in Providence, Rhode Island, which is about 50 miles from Boston, for £350.

They intend to stay there after the 19 June match against 2022 World Cup semi-finalists Morocco.

Diane said: "You have to become your own travel agent but I don't yet know how we are going to get back to New York."

The grandmother said New York to Boston train prices had soared for dates during the tournament.

Buses will be a popular option but some journey times range from four hours to eight hours.

Supporters seeking a base in Boston will need deep pockets with some hotels quoting £3,200 for a five-night stay.

On Tartan Army chat forums - where one supporter priced a trip at £7,000 - fans have floated the idea of hiring a coach and a driver to ferry fans from New York to Boston in a bid to keep costs to a minimum.

Diane has 11 SSC points and her husband Jim has 14 so they hope to secure match tickets through the ballot.

But daughter Chloe has never been to a Scotland away match and won't be guaranteed a ticket.

Diane said: "It will be absolutely magical. I just hope we get a good World Cup song.

"Perhaps we could get the Proclaimers to re-write Letter to America?"

Rachael Vaughan is also making the transatlantic trip a family affair and has booked flights with her father, Edward, and boyfriend, Aaron Fish.

She told BBC Scotland: "It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Rachael, who lives in Manchester, said her father's last World Cup trip left her mother "livid" as he missed her first birthday party.

She was brought up in England but fell in love with Scotland after watching the national side lose to Wales in Cardiff in 2009.

The 28-year-old said: "It was the atmosphere. Everyone was so friendly.

"I was worried that I had an English accent and would not be accepted but people looked out for me."

Since then her Tartan Army credits include Euro 2020 and trips including San Marino, Denmark, Greece, Hungary, Portugal and Liechtenstein.

Flights and hotels booked

Ahead of last month's match against Denmark she was confident but the manner in which Scotland qualified left her stunned.

"I can't even put it into words," she added.

In the days that followed, she pre-booked more than 20 hotels.

After Friday's draw she secured three 11 June flights from London Heathrow to New York JFK, which cost £500 each.

Like many fans she hopes to travel to Boston via bus for the opening match against Haiti on 13 June.

The Everton FC account executive then booked an internal return flight from Boston to Miami - where Scotland play Brazil on 24 June - for £350.

Finally, she paid £550 for flights from Boston to Manchester on 25 June.

Rachael, who has a healthy SSC points balance of 24, hopes to attend all three of Scotland's group matches.

She has pre-booked a hotel in Times Square with Aaron, 24, for £2,200 from 11-17 June.

The couple, who met on a Scotland away trip to Poland, have also reserved a hotel in Boston from 12-20 June for £2,500.

They plan to cancel some of the Boston dates if the supporters' bus from New York goes ahead.

Finally, they have pre-booked a hotel in Miami from 21-25 June for £700.

Her father is planning to make his own accommodation arrangements.

"I feel some people will be put off by the prices but it will be incredible," she said.

"I have taken so many years of stick from friends and, six or seven years ago, I would not have dreamt we would be in this position.

"When Scotland qualified for the World Cup I knew we had to be there."

Ukraine is "ready for elections", President Volodymyr Zelensky has said, after US President Donald Trump repeated claims Kyiv was "using war" to avoid holding them.

Zelensky's five-year term as president was due to end in May 2024, but elections have been suspended in Ukraine since martial law was declared after Russia's invasion.

Speaking to reporters following Trump's comments in a wide-raging Politico interview, Zelensky said he would ask for proposals to be drawn up which could change the law.

Elections could be held in the next 60 to 90 days if security for the vote was guaranteed with the help of the US and other allies, he said.

"I'm asking now, and I'm stating this openly, for the US to help me, perhaps together with our European colleagues, to ensure security for the elections," he told reporters.

"The issue of elections in Ukraine, I believe, depends first and foremost on our people, and this is a question for the people of Ukraine, not the people of other countries. With all due respect to our partners," he said.

"I've heard hints that we're clinging to power, or that I personally am clinging to the presidency" and "that's why the war isn't ending", which he called "frankly, a completely unreasonable narrative".

Russia has consistently claimed Zelensky is an illegitimate leader and demanded new elections as a condition of a ceasefire deal – a talking point which has been repeated by Trump.

"They talk about a democracy, but it gets to a point where it's not a democracy anymore," the US president told Politico. He has suggested without evidence that Zelensky is the main obstacle to peace as US-led efforts to broker a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine continue.

Such a vote would only be fair if all Ukrainians could participate, including soldiers fighting on the front line, a Ukrainian opposition MP told the BBC.

"In order for these elections to be fair all of the People of Ukraine would need to be allowed to vote," Lesia Vasylenko told the BBC World Service's Newsday programme.

She said that "elections are never possible in wartime", alluding to the suspension of elections in the UK during World War Two.

Discussions around holding elections have made headlines since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. They have been routinely dismissed by Ukraine's government, opposition and public alike, arguing unity in the war effort must come first.

A poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) in March found about 78% of people opposed holding elections even after a complete settlement of the war.

"Even a year ago, Zelensky said that he was ready for elections as soon as the conditions allow" in the face of previous pressure, Hanna Shelest, a foreign policy analyst with the think tank Ukrainian Prism, told the BBC.

The question was, however, how to create the conditions Zelensky outlined, Shelest told the Newsroom programme on the BBC World Service, given there were around one million soldiers and four million refugees who would be voting - as well as unsecured areas in the country and ongoing strikes.

"You cannot guarantee the security of the polling stations," she said.

Humans are a bit like meerkats when it comes to pairing up, according to a study that examined the monogamous lifestyles of different species.

In our romantic life, we more closely resemble these social, close-knit mongooses than we do our primate cousins, a "league table" of monogamy compiled by scientists suggests.

At 66% monogamous, humans score surprisingly highly, far above chimps and gorillas – and on a par with meerkats.

However, we are by no means the most monogamous creature. Top spot goes to the Californian mouse - rodents that form inseparable, lifelong bonds.

"There is a premier league of monogamy, in which humans sit comfortably, while the vast majority of other mammals take a far more promiscuous approach to mating," said Dr Mark Dyble at the University of Cambridge.

In the animal world, pairing up has its perks, which may be why it has evolved independently in multiple species, including us. Experts have proposed various benefits to so-called social monogamy, where mates match up for at least a breeding season to care for their young and see off rivals.

Dr Dyble examined several human populations throughout history, calculating the proportions of full siblings – where individuals share the same mother and father – compared with half-siblings, individuals who share either a mother or a father, but not both. Similar data was compiled for more than 30 social monogamous and other mammals.

Humans have a monogamy rating of 66% full siblings, ahead of meerkats (60%) but behind beavers (73%).

Meanwhile, our evolutionary cousins fall at the bottom of the table - with mountain gorillas at 6% rating, while chimpanzees come in at just 4% (alongside the dolphin).

In last place is Scotland's Soay sheep, where females mate with multiple males, with 0.6% full siblings. The Californian mouse came top, at 100%.

However, being ranked alongside meerkats and beavers doesn't mean our societies are the same - human society is poles apart.

"Although the rates of full siblings we see in humans are most similar to species like meerkats or beavers, the social system that we see in humans is very different," Dr Dyble told BBC News.

"Most of these species live in colony-like social groups or perhaps live in solitary pairs that go around together. Humans are very different from that. We live in what we call multi-male, multi-female groups, within which we have these monogamous, or pair-bonded, units."

Dr Kit Opie at the University of Bristol, who is not connected with the study, said this is another piece in the puzzle over how human monogamy arose.

"I think this paper gives us a very clear understanding that across time and across space humans are monogamous," he said.

"Our society is much closer to chimps and bonobos – it just happens that we've taken a different route when it comes to mating."

The new study is published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences.

The Prince of Wales has paid tribute to pioneering elephant conservationist Iain Douglas-Hamilton, who died aged 83 at his home in Nairobi on Monday.

Douglas-Hamilton spent his life studying and campaigning to protect African elephants, becoming a world-leading expert on their behaviour in the wild.

His groundbreaking research exposed the devastating effects of poaching - often at great risk to his own safety - and was instrumental in the banning of the international ivory trade.

Prince William praised the zoologist as "a man who dedicated his life to conservation and whose life's work leaves lasting impact on our appreciation for, and understanding of, elephants".

"The memories of spending time in Africa with him will remain with me forever," added Prince William, who is a royal patron for the African wildlife conservation charity, Tusk, of which Douglas-Hamilton was an ambassador.

"The world has lost a true conservation legend today, but his extraordinary legacy will continue," the charity's founder Charles Mayhew said in a statement.

Born in 1942 to an aristocratic British family in Dorset, England, Douglas-Hamilton studied biology and zoology in Scotland and Oxford before moving to Tanzania to research elephant social behaviour.

It was there at Lake Manyara National Park that he began documenting every elephant he encountered, eventually becoming so familiar with the herds he could recognise them by the unique shapes of their ears and wrinkles on their skin.

"The thing about elephants is that they have a lot in common with human beings," he said in a 2024 documentary about his work, A Life Among Elephants.

Friend and fellow conservationist Jane Goodall, who died in October, was featured in the documentary, and said he had shown the world that elephants are capable of feeling just like humans.

"I think his legacy will be one of a man who did so much to help people understand how majestic, how wonderful elephants are, and to learn more about their way of life," Goodall said.

But that work did not always come easy: he was charged at by elephants, almost killed by a swarm of bees and shot at by poachers. In 2010, a flood destroyed his research facility in Kenya and years of work was lost.

Despite the hardships, Douglas-Hamilton remained steadfast in his mission to raise awareness of the plight of African elephants, becoming one of the leading voices to alert the world of the ivory poaching crisis, which he described as "an elephant holocaust".

He later campaigned for an international ban on the commercial trade in ivory, and in 1989 the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species was signed, an international agreement between governments.

After the agreement failed to wipe out the trade completely, Douglas-Hamilton turned his attention to China and the US, the two main markets for ivory. Chinese President Xi Jinping and then-US President Barack Obama agreed to a near-total ban on its import and export in 2015.

Douglas-Hamilton established Save the Elephants in 1993, a charity dedicated to safeguarding the animals and deepening human understanding of their behaviour.

The organisation's CEO Frank Pope, who is also his son-in-law, said: "Iain changed the future not just for elephants, but for huge numbers of people across the globe. His courage, determination and rigour inspired everyone he met."

In his own words, Douglas-Hamilton expressed optimism for the future of his life's work.

"I think my greatest hope for the future is that there will be an ethic developed of human-elephant coexistence," he once said.

Iain Douglas-Hamilton is survived by his wife Oria, children Saba and Dudu, and six grandchildren.

International talks to revolutionise how the European Court of Human Rights handles migration cases will begin on Wednesday.

The British government is urging partners to modernise the way states tackle the continent-wide illegal migration crisis.

The talks are the most significant sign yet that international human rights law could be reinterpreted to make it easier for states to target people smuggling and set up 'returns hubs' to hold people with no right to be in Europe.

Writing ahead of the major meeting in Strasbourg, Sir Keir Starmer and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said other nations should rethink human rights laws to make protecting borders easier.

Critics say the ECHR is getting in the way of removing more illegal migrants, while supporters say claims about the ECHR's role in migration are exaggerated.

The BBC understands that the aim is for member states to reach a political declaration by the spring which would set how the European Convention on Human Rights is applied in migration cases.

If such an agreement was achieved, it could be one of the most important reforms to how human rights law is applied in the 75-year history of the convention.

The meeting at the Council of Europe, the political body that agrees the human rights laws which are then applied by the court, comes after months of pressure over migration.

Nine members of the human rights body, led by Italy and Denmark, called earlier this year for reforms.

The UK did not sign that open letter - but it has been lobbying behind the scenes for talks on reforms.

Membership of the convention has become increasingly contentious in the UK in recent years.

Both the Conservatives and Reform UK have said they would leave it if they won the next election.

Kemi Badenoch has said leaving would not be a "silver bullet" but was a necessary step to "protect our borders, our veterans and our citizens".

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said he would oppose such a move saying the convention "upholds our freedom" and would "do nothing to stop the boats or fix our broken immigration system".

Writing in the Guardian newspaper ahead of the talks, Sir Keir and his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen said that the member states meeting on Wednesday must "go further in tackling" the "shared challenges" of "uncontrolled migration" that they said were undermining public confidence in governments.

"Europe has faced big tests before and we have overcome them by acting together. Now we must do so again," said the leaders.

"Otherwise, the forces that seek to divide us will grow stronger.

"So our message is this: as responsible, progressive governments we will deliver the change that people are crying out for.

"We will control our borders to protect our democracies – and make our nations stronger than ever in the years to come."

The UK delegation to the talks will be led by Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy.

He is expected to tell the meeting that the UK remains committed to the ECHR - but its interpretation must not stand in the way of combating people smuggling.

The UK's already-announced domestic plan includes legislating to restrict how the right to private and family life applies in removal cases.

The BBC understands that if the meeting in Strasbourg is a success, officials will begin working with the member states on a political declaration to clarify how human rights laws should be applied to migration challenges - with a deadline of next May for the final wording.

The talks are expected to cover some of the most difficult issues including combating migrant smuggling and how to create human rights compliant 'returns hubs' - centres outside of Europe where migrants could be forcibly housed if they can not be returned to dangerous countries.

The talks are also expected to cover the complex rules of Article 8, the right to family life, and Article 3, the ban on inhumane treatment which features in many migration cases.

In October Alain Berset, the head of the Council of Europe, told the BBC that he was "absolutely ready" to discuss human rights reforms.

That olive branch to member states came after months of diplomatic talks paving the way for Wednesday's meeting.

"The European Convention on Human Rights provides the framework we need to address these issues effectively and responsibly," said Berset ahead of the meeting.

"Our task is not to weaken the Convention, but to keep it strong and relevant — to ensure that liberty and security, justice and responsibility, are held in balance."

A sperm donor who unknowingly harboured a genetic mutation that dramatically raises the risk of cancer has fathered at least 197 children across Europe, a major investigation has revealed.

Some children have already died and only a minority who inherit the mutation will escape cancer in their lifetimes.

The sperm was not sold to UK clinics, but the BBC can confirm a "very small" number of British families, who have been informed, used the donor's sperm while having fertility treatment in Denmark.

Denmark's European Sperm Bank, which sold the sperm, said families affected had their "deepest sympathy" and admitted the sperm was used to make too many babies in some countries.

The investigation has been conducted by 14 public service broadcasters, including the BBC, as part of the European Broadcasting Union's Investigative Journalism Network.

The sperm came from an anonymous man who was paid to donate as a student, starting in 2005. His sperm was then used by women for around 17 years.

He is healthy and passed the donor screening checks. However, the DNA in some of his cells mutated before he was born.

It damaged the TP53 gene – which has the crucial role of preventing the body's cells turning cancerous.

Most of the donor's body does not contain the dangerous form of TP53, but up to 20% of his sperm do.

However, any children made from affected sperm will have the mutation in every cell of their body.

This is known as Li Fraumeni syndrome and comes with an up to 90% chance of developing cancer, particularly during childhood as well as breast cancer later in life.

"It is a dreadful diagnosis," Prof Clare Turnbull, a cancer geneticist at the Institute of Cancer Research in London, told the BBC. "It's a very challenging diagnosis to land on a family, there is a lifelong burden of living with that risk, it's clearly devastating."

MRI scans of the body and the brain are needed every year, as well as abdominal ultrasounds, to try to spot tumours. Women often choose to have their breasts removed to lower their risk of cancer.

The European Sperm Bank said the "donor himself and his family members are not ill" and such a mutation is "not detected preventatively by genetic screening". They said they "immediately blocked" the donor once the problem with his sperm was discovered.

Children have died

Doctors who were seeing children with cancer linked to sperm donation raised concerns at the European Society of Human Genetics this year.

They reported they had found 23 with the variant out of 67 children known at the time. Ten had already been diagnosed with cancer.

Through Freedom of Information requests and interviews with doctors and patients we can reveal substantially more children were born to the donor.

The figure is at least 197 children, but that may not be the final number as data has not been obtained from all countries.

It is also unknown how many of these children inherited the dangerous variant.

Dr Edwige Kasper, a cancer geneticist at Rouen University Hospital, in France, who presented the initial data, told the investigation: "We have many children that have already developed a cancer.

"We have some children that have developed already two different cancers and some of them have already died at a very early age."

Céline, not her real name, is a single-mother in France whose child was conceived with the donor's sperm 14 years ago and has the mutation.

She got a call from the fertility clinic she used in Belgium urging her to get her daughter screened.

She says she has "absolutely no hard feelings" towards the donor but says it was unacceptable she was given sperm that "wasn't clean, that wasn't safe, that carried a risk".

And she knows cancer will be looming over them for the rest of their lives.

"We don't know when, we don't know which one, and we don't know how many," she says.

"I understand that there's a high chance it's going to happen and when it does, we'll fight and if there are several, we'll fight several times."

The donor's sperm was used by 67 fertility clinics in 14 countries.

The sperm was not sold to UK clinics.

However, as a result of this investigation the authorities in Denmark notified the UK's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) on Tuesday that British women had travelled to the country to receive fertility treatment using the donor's sperm.

Those women have been informed.

Peter Thompson, the chief executive of the HFEA, said a "very small number" of women were affected and "they have been told about the donor by the Danish clinic at which they were treated".

We do not know if any British women had treatment in other countries where the donor's sperm was distributed.

Concerned parents are advised to contact the clinic they used and the fertility authority in that country.

The BBC is choosing not to release the donor's identification number because he donated in good faith and the known cases in the UK have been contacted.

There is no law on how many times a donor's sperm can be used worldwide. However, individual countries do set their own limits.

The European Sperm Bank accepted these limits had "unfortunately" been breached in some countries and it was "in dialogue with the authorities in Denmark and Belgium".

In Belgium, a single sperm donor is only supposed to be used by six families. Instead 38 different women produced 53 children to the donor.

The UK limit is 10 families per donor.

'You can't screen for everything'

Prof Allan Pacey, who used to run the Sheffield Sperm Bank and is now the deputy vice president of the Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health at the University of Manchester, said countries had become dependent on big international sperm banks and half the UK's sperm was now imported.

He told the BBC: "We have to import from big international sperm banks who are also selling it to other countries, because that's how they make their money, and that is where the problem begins, because there's no international law about how often you can use the sperm."

He said the case was "awful" for everybody involved, but it would be impossible to make sperm completely safe.

"You can't screen for everything, we only accept 1% or 2% of all men that apply to be a sperm donor in the current screening arrangement so if we make it even tighter, we wouldn't have any sperm donors – that's where the balance lies."

This case, alongside that of a man who was ordered to stop after fathering 550 children through sperm donation, has again raised questions over whether there should be tougher limits.

The European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology has recently suggested a limit of 50 families per donor.

However, it said this would not reduce the risk of inheriting rare genetic diseases.

Rather, it would be better for the wellbeing of children who discover they are one of hundreds of half-siblings.

"More needs to be done to reduce the number of families that are born globally from the same donors," said Sarah Norcross, the director of the Progress Educational Trust, an independent charity for people affected by infertility and genetic conditions.

"We don't fully understand what the social and psychological implications will be of having these hundreds of half siblings. It can potentially be traumatic," she told BBC News.

The European Sperm Bank said: "It is important, especially in light of this case, to remember that thousands of women and couples do not have the opportunity to have a child without the help of donor sperm.

"It is generally safer to have a child with the help of donor sperm if the sperm donors are screened according to medical guidelines."

What if you are considering using a sperm donor?

Sarah Norcross said these cases were "vanishingly rare" when you consider the number of children born to a sperm donor.

All of the experts we spoke to said using a licensed clinic meant the sperm would be screened for more diseases than most fathers-to-be are.

Prof Pacey said he would ask "is this a UK donor or is this a donor from somewhere else?"

"If it's a donor from somewhere else I think it's legitimate to ask questions about has that donor been used before? Or how many times will this donor be used?"

If you or someone you know has been affected by the issues raised, details of help and support are available at BBC Action Line.

Madeleine McCann's father is calling for greater scrutiny of the UK's media, complaining that his family was subjected to "monstering" by sections of the press.

He said the media "repeatedly interfered with the investigation" into his daughter's disappearance in 2007 and believes this has hindered the search for her.

Gerry McCann told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that more than a year on from Labour coming into power, "press regulation is no longer a priority".

He wants a resumption of the cancelled second phase of the Lord Leveson Inquiry, which would have examined unlawful action by the media, plus journalists' relationships with politicians and police. It was scrapped by the Tories in 2018.

Madeleine's disappearance during a family holiday in Portugal has never been solved.

In a rare interview, Mr McCann said that for months after her disappearance his family had "journalists coming to the house, photographers literally ramming their cameras against our car window when we had two-year-old twins in the back who were terrified".

"We are lucky we survived. We had tremendous support - but I can promise you, there were times where I felt like I was drowning. And it was the media, primarily," he told the BBC.

"It was what was happening and the way things were being portrayed, where you were being suffocated and buried, and it felt like there wasn't a way out."

Mr McCann and his wife, Kate McCann, are among more than 30 people to have signed a letter being sent to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and calling on him to reverse the decision not to hold the second phase of the Leveson Inquiry.

Among the other signatories are the families of Hillsborough victims, and the mother of TV presenter Caroline Flack.

The letter, seen by the BBC, requests a meeting with the prime minister, saying: "We understand that you recently had time to meet News Corp chairman Lachlan Murdoch.

"We hope you will now meet with some of the British citizens whose lives have been upended by the illegal practices and abuses associated with his company."

Mr McCann told the Today programme: "It's quite obvious that press barons can meet the prime minister, but the people who have suffered at the hands of them can't."

News UK, the UK branch of News Corp, declined to comment.

The first part of the Leveson Inquiry was held from 2011 to 2012, in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal.

Its findings were published in 2012, and led to the creation of the industry-funded press regulator Ipso.

Mr McCann told the BBC that the inquiry's second phase had "almost certainly" not happened because he believes that politicians in the UK are fearful of the press.

He said that in the run-up to last year's general election, Labour politicians had committed to implementing the recommendations made in the first part of the Leveson Inquiry, and that he was "extremely disappointed" that they hadn't done so.

"We're over a year into the government, and there haven't been any changes," he said.

"It's not acceptable to me now, more than a year on, that Leveson and press regulation is no longer a priority."

A DCMS spokesperson told the BBC it "recognises that for victims and their families, incidents of harassment and intrusion from the media cause significant distress".

"The Culture Secretary has met with individuals and families who have experienced this intrusion in the past and the government is committed to ensuring that these failings are never repeated," they said.

'We put our morals aside'

Mr McCann added that he and his wife had "supped with the Devil" by working with the Sun in 2011, in order to have the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance reviewed - illustrating the newspaper's influence.

"There was a front page letter published in The Sun, and [then-prime minister] David Cameron ordered the review," he said.

"That's the power they had. So we put our morals aside to work with them to achieve what we wanted."

Criticising media coverage of the investigation, he said: "Published material which should have been confidential, should be passed on to the police, witness statements, many other things that have gone out," he said.

"So if you were the perpetrator, you knew a lot more than you should have done - and as a victim, as a parent, it's absolutely dismaying."

'Making stories up'

Mr McCann gave a witness statement at the Leveson Inquiry on behalf of himself and his wife in November 2011.

In it, he described news outlets "making stories up" about them, as well as a "sustained, inaccurate and malicious series of headlines in a number of papers which gave the impression that we were in some way responsible for or involved in Madeleine's disappearance".

He also said around the time their daughter disappeared, the now-closed News of the World newspaper had published complete transcripts from Kate McCann's personal diary.

That diary had been seized by police in Portugal as part of their investigation into Madeleine's disappearance, and the couple were "unsure as to how the [News of the World] obtained a copy", the inquiry heard.

In his interview with the Today programme, Mr McCann said: "Madeleine's been missing for 18 years, and the bottom line is, we still don't know what's happened to her."

He added that there is "no evidence".

"I don't even mean 'convincing' evidence - there is no evidence to say she's dead," he said.

"Now we fully understand she may be dead, it may even be probable, but we don't know that."

A spokesperson for press regulator Ipso told the BBC that it can intervene directly in cases of press harassment.

"We encourage anyone with concerns about press behaviour to contact us for help," it said.

"Would I catch a bus? No, not out of choice now," says Andy Collett. "I feel much happier using my own car."

His sentiment isn't unusual among passengers. But Mr Collett is a bus driver.

"It can be very intimidating," he says. "I've been assaulted twice, spat at numerous times, and I've had incidents of broken windows – it's just part and parcel of the job, unfortunately."

He describes a "lawlessness" among some of the travelling public - mostly younger people - which he believes has got worse in 38 years of driving Birmingham's bus routes.

The BBC has spoken to passengers, transport staff and other bus drivers in the West Midlands about what they say is a growing national trend of antisocial behaviour on public transport.

The British Transport Police recorded 40,034 incidents of antisocial behaviour in 2024-25, an increase of 24% on the previous year.

Buses are the most commonly used form of public transport but they're also where passengers feel least safe, according to a recent Transport for the North survey.

One incident gives Mr Collett flashbacks.

"I was attacked by about 30 schoolkids," he says. "I had cuts, bruises. They actually bent the fingers back on my hand when I was trying to hold [the door] to stop them getting on the vehicle."

Mr Collett now mostly trains other drivers, warning them of the dangers. When he does get shifts behind the wheel, he tries to avoid routes known for antisocial behaviour.

Antisocial behaviour hotspot Chelmsley Wood in the West Midlands is a snapshot of this national problem. Its interchange has suffered vandalism and graffiti, while drivers have been threatened and buses damaged.

Security camera footage shows masked teenagers aiming barrages of fireworks at buses over Halloween and Bonfire Night.

Passenger Emma Banks, 52, says she has witnessed a similar incident.

"They [were] hitting the bus. I've got learning difficulties and sometimes it does scare you," she tells me on a cold evening, waiting in the interchange.

Ms Banks says she regularly sees overcrowding and people smoking on buses.

She can't drive so relies on public transport but, tonight, Ms Banks doesn't feel confident enough to catch the bus.

"I'll be getting a taxi because I know that I'll get home safely."

A Public Space Protection Order has been imposed at Chelmsley Wood to stop gatherings of young people and to require the removal of masks and hoods. But 17-year-old Elle Furlong says she's still afraid.

"They smash windows, purposely pull the fire alarm, light their lighters on the chairs. It's just horrendous."

The probability of becoming a victim of crime on public transport is very low - Transport for West Midlands estimates one crime for every 50,000 bus journeys. But perceptions can outweigh statistics and drive people like Ms Furlong away.

"If I can walk it, I'll walk it. If it's far enough, I'll get an Uber. If it's really far, I'll get my dad to drop me off. I avoid buses at all costs," Ms Furlong says.

The drivers have no choice but to carry on with their jobs, although many are afraid to speak openly about the risks. Even trade union officials have refused to go on the record.

"You come to work not knowing what you're going to face," says a driver who asks to remain anonymous. "It can cause a lot of anxiety and stress. I go home sometimes and just want to break down and cry because it's a horrible job."

They describe the daily grind of disrespectful teenagers, aggressive drug addicts, even passengers defecating on the bus. Then there's the racial abuse.

"You have to hold back. I've known a few drivers who have kicked off, but then they've lost their job because of it."

I saw for myself what drivers and passengers are facing when I sat on the top deck of the 94 from Chelmsley Wood, shortly after the school bell. A group of kids soon boarded without paying.

"I've been driving buses for 33 years and it's changed," driver Neil Evans says through the screen protecting his cab. "Society has changed. No one cares anymore. They just walk onto the bus and do what they want, when they want, how they want, and nothing's done about it."

Today, Mr Evans has backup. Esha Sheemar is one of 13 Transport Safety Officers (TSOs) patrolling the West Midlands. She warns the kids if they don't behave they'll be thrown off the bus.

TSO roles were introduced in 2019. They are not police officers, but they have limited powers to tackle issues on public transport.

Across the bus station, Ms Sheemar's colleague Lee Clarke has spotted a face from their most-wanted list: a 13-year-old accused of vandalising a bus shelter. The boy's details are taken but he is allowed to get on the bus, as Mr Clarke's limited powers mean he'll need to pass the case to police officers.

TSOs are funded by the Combined Authority and belong to the West Midlands Safer Travel Partnership, which includes West Midlands Police, British Transport Police, as well as bus and train companies.

At its control room in the city centre, hundreds of screens flicker with security camera images from stations and interchanges across the region's roads and rail lines; they can even get live pictures from most of the buses.

Kerry Blakeman is head of security for the West Midlands Safer Travel Partnership and says they have access to more than 5,000 fixed cameras. He says his staff capture about 30 incidents each day, although he is keen to stress millions of journeys are safe and uneventful.

"We are trying to do our best to keep the travelling public safe. Behind each camera is an operator looking out for your safety whilst you travel around the bus, train and tram network."

Last summer, a teenager was filmed threatening people at Chelmsley Wood bus station with a machete. He was identified and sentenced to six months in juvenile custody.

The footage of the firework attacks has been handed over to West Midlands Police - and efforts to trace the hooded youths are ongoing.

Bus driver Bryan Cook recently called police after being threatened with a weapon while working. It was one of four times in the past three months that he's phoned for assistance while driving the 72 bus to Chelmsley Wood.

On this chilly evening, he takes his chance to tell the TSOs how their timetable fails to match that of the vandals. "Where are you on the weekends? Where are you on school holidays?" he asks.

TSO Mr Clarke starts to reply, but the driver has more to say.

"We're the ones getting threatened, we're the ones getting stuff thrown at us, broken windows. Where are you lot?"

Mr Clarke emphasises the importance of reporting incidents so patrols can be targeted in problem areas.

"We keep telling everyone. No one does anything," says Mr Cook, in exasperation.

It outlines the challenge for a small team covering such a large area. The number of TSOs doubled a year ago and is set to rise to 25 across the West Midlands. Some areas have similar teams - and others have piloted them - but many places are uncovered, relying on the police. Bus routes can be especially vulnerable.

The anonymous bus driver questions the effectiveness of Transport Safety Officers and urges more support from their employer.

"They [management] know what goes on. Do they care? I don't know. Doesn't feel like it, to be fair."

National Express West Midlands told the BBC that all reports of antisocial behaviour or crime are "fully investigated to ensure perpetrators are held accountable, to identify any learnings, and to provide support for those affected".

It added that antisocial behaviour "will always be a subject we need to keep challenging and working on".

The UK government's recent Bus Services Act allows local authorities to apply for extra powers to deal with issues such as smoking, vaping and fare evasion, the sort of problems TSOs can tackle already on trains.

The legislation also requires bus drivers to receive training in dealing with antisocial behaviour and spotting the signs of harassment and abuse faced by women and girls.

The Department for Transport told the BBC that abuse of passengers and staff is "unacceptable" and pointed to the new powers the Bus Services Act will give to help tackle antisocial behaviour.

Transport for West Midlands promises greater use of drone cameras and AI technology, capable of recognising known troublemakers and even identifying concealed weapons. It recently launched a campaign prioritising the safety of women and girls.

Mr Blakeman insists his team is having a positive impact but says he recognises passenger confidence is fragile.

"I respect why some members of the public wouldn't feel comfortable travelling, but I want them to know that we're actually doing everything we can behind the scenes."

Back on the 72 bus, Mr Clarke is trying to restore Mr Cook's faith. He promises someone will make contact to explain their role and discusses the most efficient way to flag issues.

The West Midlands Safer Travel Partnership is regarded as a model of good practice. And yet, this frosty exchange reveals a clash of perspectives – one that speaks of "intelligence-led tasking" and "visible reassurance"; the other of lone working under the stark reality of sustained abuse and the risk of attack.

Mr Cook sums it up like this: "Two weeks ago I had two windows broken on my bus, I got threatened with a knife - and that's all in a day's work".

The leader of France's far-right National Rally (RN) Jordan Bardella has welcomed "for the most part" concerns raised about Europe in US President Donald Trump's new National Security Strategy.

Last week, the White House published a document which outlined Trump's vision of the world and the state of the European continent, which many have characterised as harshly critical of Europe.

Speaking to the BBC's Nick Robinson for his Political Thinking podcast, Bardella praised what he said was Trump's "appeal to American pride" - but he made clear he did not want Europe to be "subservient to any major power".

He said there was a "wind of freedom, of national pride blowing all over Western democracies".

In a wide-ranging interview, the 30-year-old, who opinion polls suggest leads in the race to be France's next president, was also challenged on the RN's political history and his stance on immigration.

Bardella said he shared the majority of the concerns outlined by the Trump administration about Europe facing "civilisational erasure", which the White House said is being fuelled by a range of policies, including on migration.

"Mass immigration and the laxity of our governments in the last 30 years with regards to migration policy are shaking the balance of European countries, of Western societies, and namely French society," Bardella said.

Snap parliamentary elections in June 2024 made the RN the largest single force in parliament, although an alliance of left-wing parties clinched victory.

The next French presidential election is due to be held in 2027. A recent poll for Le Figaro suggests Bardella would win with 44% of the vote - just ahead of Marine Le Pen, the RN figurehead whose candidacy is in doubt after she was found guilty of embezzling EU funds and barred from standing in an election for five years.

An appeal due early next year will determine whether Le Pen can run - otherwise, the expectation is that Bardella will step in.

Bardella batted away suggestions this was sparking tensions between them, stating they were united by "trust and friendship".

"I will fight by her side so she can win the appeal. Until the appeal we will campaign together, as we will after, hand-in-hand," he said in his interview.

The RN was founded by Le Pen's father Jean-Marie in 1972. Known then as the National Front (FN), it has since become a decisive force in French politics. Jean-Marie Le Pen was convicted several times for Holocaust denial and was an unrepentant extremist on race.

In his interview with Nick Robinson, Bardella distanced himself from Jean-Marie Le Pen's comments, as have many other RN politicians in recent years.

"I am fighting against the caricature of my political movement, of my ideas," he said, adding his responsibility was to bring together the French people and present the country with "a project of national recovery".

"My people's expectations for a break with the past are numerous," Bardella added.

Challenged on the racist and antisemitic history of the RN's precursor, Bardella rejected accusations that the National Front had ever put forward arguments that could "offend" some sections of the population

"A lot of Jewish people vote for us and consider us a bulwark against extremism," he said.

The RN is primarily known as an anti-immigration party and has long pushed for France to have stricter immigration rules, including limiting social spending to French citizens.

"If tomorrow I am the head of government, France will no longer be the target of mass immigration," he said, adding that if elected his first provision would be to trigger a referendum on immigration. "It will allow us to take back control of our borders."

However, according to the French constitution, a referendum can only be held on certain subjects which do not include immigration, so the constitution would have to be amended first. In order to do so, the RN would have to clinch the presidency and have either an absolute majority in Parliament or enough allies.

Bardella - who grew up in the Paris region but himself has parents of immigrant origin - drew a clear distinction between people who he said were born in France but "reject republican institutions like the police or values like secularism", and others who "do everything to become French - espouse the language, culture and national patrimony".

When pressed on what it means to be French if being born in the country is not sufficient, Bardella said he felt being French was an "honour" that transcended bureaucracy.

"Being French is adhering to some values and lifestyles, believing in equality between men and women," he argued.

"I defend secularism and I feel that Islamism has today become a separate political project... which wants to impose its rules on French society," Bardella added, before promising to close down radical mosques and banning "hate preachers" from the country if elected.

Although he did not expand on France's frequent and longstanding financial woes - the country's debt is more than €3 trillion, or around 114% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) - Bardella said the French economy was "sick".

"We face two ailments – excessive taxation and excessive regulation," he said, promising to free the country from the "shackles" that limit growth. The RN has repeatedly voted down the yearly budgets put forward by governments since last year, and has promised to similarly vote down this year's.

Bardella's position on Ukraine also bears some differences with that of the current centrist government. While he stated Russia represented a "multidimensional threat to French and European interests", and that Kyiv will need security guarantees even in the event of a peace deal, he also said that he was "firmly opposed" to sending soldiers to Ukraine.

Emmanuel Macron's government, on the other hand, has proposed deploying a steady military presence, albeit far from the front line.

But such a decision "would contribute to an escalation," Bardella said, "especially given that we have nuclear weapons and that President Putin has intentions whose limits are unclear".

If Bardella does stand at the next presidential election and wins, he will be 31.

Macron was 39 when he became France's youngest ever president in 2017. While Macron was finance minister for two years under François Hollande, Bardella, in comparison, has never been in government.

"It's true I am 30 years old. Unfortunately I can't do anything about that," he argued.

"I recognise the existential questions facing our country... And I'd rather be told that today is 'too soon' rather than tomorrow is 'too late'."

School is out for the year, but the summer holidays aren't exactly a break for 15-year-old Breanna Easton - that is when she's hard at work mustering cattle on the family's station.

"It's the freedom, the space you have to move," Breanna says, listing all the things she loves about her life, 1,600km north-east of Brisbane in Australia's sparsely-populated outback.

With grazier parents and grandparents, the industry runs in her blood. The vast hinterland is her own backyard.

And yet, like most teenagers, she's also attached to her smartphone.

The all-terrain buggy she uses to herd cattle is fitted with an internet extender, enabling her to message friends on Snapchat while working. On days she gets a little bored, she likes to make funny TikTok videos with her siblings.

With nearly all her friends living at least 100km away, social media is a lifeline. But not anymore, now that Australia's social media ban for children has taken effect.

"Taking away our socials is just taking away how we talk to each other," Breanna says.

While she can still text her friends, it's not the same as a quick "snap" or a "like" on a photo that allows her to play a part in their lives even when she is far away.

The ban has been in the making for a year now.

Throughout, supporters have argued it's for the wellbeing of children who they say are spending too much time online and risk being exposed to uncontrollable pressures, bullying and predators.

Opponents say restricting children's access to the internet runs the risk of pushing them to even less regulated corners of it - and they question the effectiveness of the age-verification tech the ban relies on.

The debate is far from settled but Australia's experiment has now begun, and Breanna is among millions of children under the age of 16 who are no longer allowed to use social media.

And among them are children who are seen as both winning - saved from the potential dangers of social media - and losing out - no longer having the community and connections that may have been harder to forge offline.

For Breanna's mum Megan Easton, the ban is a mixed blessing. While she agrees kids need to be protected, she remembers her own childhood on a cattle station was far more isolating.

"We did feel very behind the other children at school because we had a somewhat sheltered life."

Breanna, her older sister Olivia and younger brother Jacob all did remote classes for children in the outback who are unable to attend a physical school.

For senior grades though, boarding school is the only option for a good education. So from the age of 11 or 12, the siblings have lived six hours away from home during term-time.

"We might be incredibly geographically isolated but we're not digitally illiterate and we have taken great measures in our family to make sure that we educate our children appropriately for the world ahead of them," Ms Easton says. "I do think that it is a bit of government overstepping."

One of her concerns is that delaying access to social media to 16 takes away power from parents to educate their children.

"Usually around 12 is when they start looking for their peers to be more influential than their parents," she says. "Even though it's young to get them on social media, we've staged their experiences with it and it's a great opportunity for us to let them have a few mistakes and then talk them through the processes of self-correcting."

More than 2,000km away, teens in Sydney lead very different, far more connected lives. But they share similar worries.

"It's a bit insulting that they think we can't handle it," says 14-year-old Jacinta Hickey who attends Rosebank College in Sydney's inner west. "I'm definitely mature enough to distinguish right from wrong and to know what's good and bad for me."

Her teachers though couldn't be happier. "I feel really passionate that as long as we can, we should preserve the innocence that comes through childhood," says Iris Nastasi, the principal at Rosebank.

When smartphones started becoming popular in the early 2000s, she thought it would be an opportunity to teach children about technology. She embraced the change. Twenty years later, Ms Nastasi thinks very differently.

"It's two in the morning, he or she does something that they wouldn't normally do and the fallout happens here. Relationships are damaged and we have to look into it."

At 12, Lola Farrugia isn't on social media yet - and with the new law, she now won't be for another four years. But that doesn't faze her. She's happy enough with a flip phone.

"They're my school friends so I see them at school, I see them in sport - they're everywhere," says Lola, who's had coaching from her parents about the ills of social media.

"My mom explained to me that social media is junk food for the brain," she says.

"If you have a pantry and you clear [it], you're not craving anything, you know what I mean?"

Peter Malinauskas, the Premier of South Australia, is the man credited – or blamed, depending on your age - for clearing out the pantry.

After his wife read The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, an American psychologist who sets out the ills of the smartphone and how it is rewiring childhood, Malinauskas set out to introduce state-level legislation hoping it could win federal support too.

"She put the book down on her lap and turned to me and said you've really got to do something about this," he told the BBC. "And then I stopped and thought about it and thought maybe we actually can."

Not even Malinauskas expected the speed at which it happened though. The Anxious Generation was published in March 2024. By late November, a federal law banning social media for under-16s was passed.

There's still a High Court challenge brought by two teens pending, possible battles with tech firms and a warning from US President Donald Trump about targeting American companies.

"Of course you think through the potential repercussions of any move like this," Malinauskas says. "But when you are talking about protecting young people, all other considerations become secondary."

But one of the biggest criticisms of the law is that a blanket restriction could do the opposite for minority groups.

According to a survey of nearly 1,000 young people carried out by Minus18, a group that supports under-18 LGBTQ+ communities, 96% of respondents said social media was important to access friends and support, and 82% believed a ban would leave them disconnected.

Brisbane schoolgirl Sadie Angus is one of them. She turned 13 just a few weeks ago and opening an Instagram account was a rite of passage for her. But it was a short-lived one - the law means she's now being kicked off it and she's frustrated.

"I can admit more things on there than I can in real life," says Sadie who often prefers to keep her anonymity online.

"I use it as a safe space to share what I've had to go through and since nobody knows who I am, they can't come to me in real life and talk about it and that feels kind of comforting."

Sadie's mother Kath felt it was an important step in her daughter - the youngest in their family - growing up and now that has been taken away from her.

"She's being exposed to some really amazing role models through social media, particularly in the queer community which I think is really healthy for young adolescents," Ms Angus says.

Other minority groups have also voiced concern over the ban.

"I am quite nervous about what this is going to mean for autistic young people," says Sharon Fraser, the CEO of Reframing Autism.

"We communicate and socialise differently," says Sharon who also has an autistic son. "Online can be a very beneficial place for autistic people and there are ways to connect online that are just not accessible to them in real life."

For every young person who feels like they're losing out, campaigner Emma Mason thinks there will be far more winners.

Nearly four years ago, her daughter Tilly killed herself. She was 15.

Emma blames the rise of social media for Tilly's death. Face-to-face bullying started when Tilly was just eight. It moved to messaging and then to platforms including Tiktok, Snapchat and Instagram. But it got worse after a fake image of Tilly was spread by children at her school.

Emma recalls how hysterical Tilly was when she found out: "She was subject to something she had no control over, a harm that was instant, a harm that she could not stop. It was one of those moments in her life where she just lost it, she just thought I can't do this anymore, I can't keep fighting the demons."

Ms Mason doesn't want this to happen to other children, which is why she's been standing alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to support this law.

"These are agents of harm that are unregulated and I think our children have been the social experiment," Emma says. "It's a government's job to protect the vulnerable of our society and to provide guardrails for how things need to go."

She admits though, for those who are already teenagers, they might not be clear winners.

"I don't know that we can save the children that have had access to it already," she says. "But those children that are 13 and below that aren't supposed to be on it now, they won't have to grow up in a world where it's acceptable that you just get on social media and you can say what you want, how you want, to whoever you want."

Additional reporting by Simon Atkinson

Russia's full-scale war on Ukraine will soon enter its fifth year. Mysterious incidents of so-called "hybrid warfare" are mounting in Europe, increasing tensions. And in the UK, military chiefs have warned we must prepare for war if we want to avoid it. But if the unthinkable happened, and war with Russia broke out, could the UK fight for more than just a few weeks?

Listen to Frank reading this article

"We are not planning to go to war with Europe. But if Europe wants to, and starts, we are ready right now." So said Russian President Vladimir Putin on 2 December, accusing European countries of hindering US efforts to bring peace in Ukraine.

To be clear, it is extremely unlikely that the UK would ever find itself in a war with Russia on its own, unsupported by Nato allies.

But Putin's words were an uncomfortable reminder that a war between Russia and Nato countries, including the UK, was not as remote as people hoped.

How war could look in the tech-age

"Well that's odd. I've got no signal on my phone." "Me neither. I'm offline. What's going on?" That scenario, hypothetically, is just one way we could know that a war with Russia had begun, or was about to. (I should add that there can also be other, perfectly benign, reasons for a loss of signal.)

That signal interruption could be followed by an inability to make bank payments for essentials like food and fuel.

Food distribution would be disrupted, electricity supplies compromised.

There are many ways of fighting a war, and not just the physically destructive wave of drones, bombs and missiles so tragically familiar to the citizens of Ukraine.

Our modern, tech-driven society is highly dependent on the network of undersea cables and pipelines that connect the UK to the rest of the world, carrying data, financial transactions and energy.

Covert activity by Russian spy vessels, such as the Yantar, is widely believed to have scoped out these cables for potential sabotage in a time of war, which is why the Royal Navy has recently invested in a fleet of underwater drones equipped with integrated sensors.

In a war, these hidden, unseen actions, combined with an almost inevitable attempt to "blind" Western satellites in space, would seriously hamper the UK's ability to fight, as well as potentially wreaking havoc on civil society.

At a recent conference in London entitled Fighting the Long War, organised by the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi), a Whitehall think tank, military and political figures came together to discuss whether the UK's current armed forces would be in a position to sustain a protracted conflict before they ran out of everything from troops, to ammunition to spare parts.

"There remains little evidence that the UK has a plan to fight a war lasting more than a few weeks," argues Rusi's Hamish Mundell. "Medical capacity is limited. Reserve regeneration pipelines are slow… The British plan for mass casualty outcomes appears to be based on not taking casualties."

With classic British understatement, he says: "This could be considered an optimistic planning assumption."

He adds that to fight a long war you need proper back-up. "It demands a second and even third echelon; personnel, platforms and logistics chains that can absorb losses and continue the fight. Yet this depth is notably absent from current British force design."

Russia's 'low quality' army

"There are shortfalls in ammunition, artillery, vehicles, air defence, and people, with limited to no ability to regenerate units or casualties," says Justin Crump, CEO of Sibylline, a private intelligence company.

Two of the biggest military lessons to come out of the Ukraine war are firstly, that drones are now integral to modern warfare, at every level, and secondly, that "mass", or sheer volume of personnel and military hardware, matters.

Russia's army is generally of a very low quality. Its soldiers are poorly equipped, poorly led and poorly fed. Their life expectancy in the deadly "drone zone" of eastern Ukraine is short.

UK Defence Intelligence estimates that since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022 Russia's army has suffered more than 1.1 million casualties – that is killed, wounded, captured or missing.

Even conservative estimates put the number of Russians killed at 150,000. Ukraine has also suffered catastrophic casualties but numbers are hard to ascertain.

But Russia has been able to draw on such a massive pool of manpower that it has so far been able to replace its estimated 30,000 monthly battlefield casualties with fresh blood.

Russia's economy has also been on a war footing for more than three years now: an economist has been placed in charge of the Defence Ministry, while its factories churn out ever more supplies of drones, missiles and artillery shells.

According to a recent report by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Russia has been producing each month around 150 tanks, 550 infantry fighting vehicles, 120 Lancet drones and more than 50 artillery pieces.

The UK, and most of its Western allies, are simply not anywhere near this point.

Analysts say it would take years for Western Europe's factories to come close to matching Russia's mass-production of weapons.

"The land war in Ukraine has shown beyond doubt that mass is absolutely vital for anybody that is going to face Russia on land," says Keir Giles, a Russia expert at Chatham House think tank.

"And having deep reserves vastly greater in number than the standing regular armed forces has been shown to be essential."

How national service conversations backfired

France and Germany have both recently moved to revive a system of voluntary military service for 18-year-olds.

The UK's former Head of the Army, Gen Sir Patrick Sanders, suggested in 2024, the year he retired, that the UK should train what he called "a citizen army" to fight a land war in the future. The idea was shot down by No. 10.

"I think it's a cultural thing within the UK," says Ed Arnold, senior research fellow at Rusi.

"So if you look at the states that are now looking towards [military service] - like Sweden, Germany and France - they are states who culturally still have an institutional memory of when they had that system.

"We haven't had national service since the 1960s and attempts to have that national conversation around it have pretty much backfired."

"The reality is, our armed forces cannot survive on a diet of government spin, over-the-horizon spending commitments and hollow rhetoric," Sir Ben Wallace, who was Defence Secretary in the Conservative government from 2019 to 2023, told the BBC.

Responding to this, a spokesperson for the current Labour Defence Secretary, John Healey, told me: "This characterisation is baseless.

"We increased defence spending by £5bn this year alone, signed 1,000 major contracts since the election and increased MOD spending with British businesses by 6% above inflation in the last year."

He points to a new defence agreement with Norway, a £300m new investment in the Royal Navy's laser weapon and a £9bn investment into armed forces housing, adding: "We're a government investing in the transformation of our forces, investing in our British service personnel... to create jobs and growth in Britain's communities."

But this is not about party politics. It's about whether UK defence has been under-funded for so long that it has now reached the point where the country is dangerously vulnerable in several areas, notably air defence.

There are also problems of timing and inefficiency.

Defence contracts often take years to come to fruition. Billions of pounds have been spent on Ajax, an overdue armoured vehicle project still beset with problems. Meanwhile, Nato officers have been warning Russia could be in a position to launch an attack on a Nato country within three to five years.

At the end of the Cold War (between Nato and the Soviet Union) in 1990, when I was a young infantry Captain in the Army Reserves, the UK was spending 4.1% of GDP on defence.

The following year it deployed over 45,000 troops to help evict Iraq President Saddam Hussein's invading army from Kuwait in operation Desert Storm.

Today, with multiple pressures on the economy, the government is striving to meet a target of 2.5% of GDP by 2027, while Russia spends close to 7%.

On paper, the British Army numbers around 74,000 but Rusi's Ed Arnold points out that once you subtract medically non-deployable soldiers, defence attaches around the world and others not part of formed units, then its actual deployable strength is only 54,000. That is less than the average number of casualties Russia takes in two months in Ukraine.

In the event of a war, says Justin Crump of Sibylline, on land the (British) Army would most likely be degraded – incapable of fighting effectively - within weeks, once committed, though he adds "much depends on the form of the conflict".

Suggestions the UK is already 'at war'

Some commentators have suggested that the UK is already "at war" with Russia. They are referring to what is known as "hybrid" or "grey-zone" warfare, which includes events that are often deniable, such as cyber-attacks, disinformation and the alleged launching of drones close to airports and military bases in Nato countries.

But worrying as these are, they pale compared to the crisis that would be triggered by a Russian military attack on a Nato country, especially if it involved seizing territory and people being killed.

There are several potential flashpoints here, where Nato military chiefs fear that Putin, if he were allowed to achieve his aims in Ukraine, could eventually move on to seek new targets for aggression.

One potential target is the Suwalki Gap, a 60-mile (100km) stretch of border between Poland and Lithuania, both Nato countries. This is all that separates Russian ally Belarus from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad on the Baltic coast.

Seizing that border and opening up a route along it would, in theory, give Moscow direct access to its strategic base on the Baltic.

The Baltic states themselves are other potential flashpoints. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were all once part of the Soviet Union and were ruled from Moscow.

They all voted for independence and have since joined Nato, but all have Russian-speaking minorities and hence there is a risk that Mr Putin could be tempted to send his troops across the border "to protect them from persecution".

The eastern Estonian town of Narva, for example, is an obvious potential target here, as the majority of its population speak Russian and it sits just across the river from the giant Russian fortress of Ivangorod.

A UK battle group comprising some 900 British military personnel has been stationed in Estonia, about 80 miles west of Narva, since 2017.

In the event of war, the plan goes, it would be hurriedly reinforced to brigade strength of around 3,000 or more.

Another possible flashpoint is the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, which is administered by Norway but where Moscow already has a toehold in the coal mining town of Barentsburg.

Litvinenko, Skripal and hostile acts on UK soil

The UK may well be Putin's enemy number one, having been one of Ukraine's staunchest allies, and having pushed for more powerful weapons to be delivered to help its defence.

Hostile acts on UK soil that have been linked to President Putin include the murder with radioactive Polonium-210 of former KGB officer Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006 - a public inquiry concluded that Putin "probably" approved his assassination - and the attempted murder of former Russian military intelligence officer turned MI6 agent Sergei Skripal in Salisbury in 2018, using the nerve agent, Novichok.

Dawn Sturgess, a mother-of-three, later died after she sprayed the Novichok, disguised as perfume, on her wrists. Putin was "morally responsible" for her death, an inquiry concluded last week.

Lord Anthony Hughes, the inquiry chair, said: "I have concluded that the operation to assassinate Sergei Skripal must have been authorised at the highest level, by President Putin."

Russia, which has always denied involvement in the attacks and suggested more than 20 different possible explanations for Ms Sturgess's death, described the report's findings as "tasteless fairy tales".

But the UK is also a core member of the Nato alliance. While questions are certainly raised in private over the reliability of the current US administration in the White House, it is hard to envisage the UK ever having to fight Russia on its own.

"A pure UK-Russia conflict is not likely and can be disregarded, practically," says Mr Crump. "We would definitely fight with allies, although Russia would most likely only launch a conflict if it felt Nato would break."

The wild card here is US President Donald Trump.

While the chairman of Nato's Military Committee, Adm Cavo Dragone recently assured me that the US president was absolutely committed to defending the Nato alliance, others are not so sure.

Would Trump, for example, go to war to defend the Estonian town of Narva?

"There is no one-size-fits-all answer to what the United Kingdom is actually capable of," concludes Keir Giles of Chatham House, "because there are so many different situations under which it could be challenged by Russia."

As a society, the UK – unlike Poland, Finland and the Baltic States – is unquestionably not ready for war. Even serious preparations for such an eventuality would be both expensive, unpopular and politically risky.

But Mr Giles of Chatham House offers some sobering advice to the British public: "Recognise that the rights and freedoms and prosperity that they take for granted are in fact under threat and that freedom does not come for free."

"And understand that lives will have to change. And this is not the fault of the current government or even its predecessors — it's their fault that it is so expensive, but the root cause of the problem is in Moscow."

Top image credit: Ministry of Defence /PA Wire/ Getty Images. Picture shows soldier in non-combat scenario

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The UK's asylum system is affected by inefficiencies, "wasted public funds" and a succession of "short-term, reactive" government policies that have moved problems elsewhere, the National Audit Office (NAO) has said.

As part of its analysis, the spending watchdog looked at a sample of 5,000 asylum claims lodged almost three years ago, in January 2023.

Since then, 35% (1,619) of those asylum seekers had been given some sort of protection such as refugee status, and 9% (452) had been removed from the country. But 56% (2,812) still did not have a final outcome in their case.

The Home Office welcomed the analysis, which it said supported "the case for fundamental reform of the asylum system".

Most of the cases in the remaining group (2,021 out of the 2,812) remained in a sort of "limbo", with no appeal lodged.

The NAO's chief analyst, Ruth Kelly, told reporters: "They've had their claim refused, but they're staying in the system with their case unresolved, and that's because of the difficulties in removal."

A shortage of other types of accommodation means that large numbers of asylum seekers whose cases are not closed are being housed in hotels. The cost of accommodation in 2024-25 was £2.7bn.

Enver Solomon, the chief executive of Refugee Council, said of the January 2023 analysis: "The NAO's finding that more than half of people who applied for asylum almost three years ago still don't have an outcome is shocking."

He said the report mirrors what the Refugee Council's front-line services see every day, "an asylum system that is simply not functioning, where people wait months or even years for a decision… and costs keep rising".

The NAO's report criticises how successive governments have dealt with the current surge in small boats crossings that began in 2018.

"Interventions have tended to be reactive and focused on fixing an urgent problem in one part of the system only, such as intake or initial decisions, without a clear view of the effects on other parts," the report says.

"Increases in speed of processing have sometimes come at the expense of the quality of decisions, and improvements in one area have shunted problems elsewhere."

The NAO gave the example of former prime minister Rishi Sunak's drive to clear the legacy asylum backlog in 2023, which then shifted pressure onto the appeals stage, simply creating another backlog in the courts.

Shortage of judges

Ruth Kelly said one of the most critical factors now was a shortage of specialist immigration judges to hear appeals.

"There's a severe capacity shortage with judges," she said. "And judges told us there are poor incentives for working in the immigration and asylum tribunals… because of the taxing and the complex nature of the work, and also because of negative media attention, which makes it harder to recruit judges."

The NAO said it would be looking for evidence that the government was now moving away from "short-term, reactive fixes" towards a "sustainable whole-system approach".

It said the current lengthy delays in the system "erode public confidence in the system's fairness and effectiveness".

The NAO also found that it was impossible to track individual cases through the whole asylum process because there is no "unique asylum case identifier" shared by Home Office, court service and local authority computer systems.

The report says that because the asylum applications are subject to fluctuating demand with significant peaks, it was important to build a flexible and resilient system that can respond to increases and decreases in demand.

Ruth Kelly, the NAO analyst, said the government needed to avoid reverting to "that pattern of counter-productive quick fixes that we have seen in the past".

A Home Office spokesperson said: "The home secretary recently announced the most sweeping changes to the asylum system in a generation to deal with the problems outlined in this report.

"We are already making progress – with nearly 50,000 people with no right to be here removed, a 63% rise in illegal working arrests and over 21,000 small boat crossing attempts prevented so far this year.

"Our new reforms will restore order and control, remove the incentives which draw people to come to the UK illegally and increase removals of those with no right to be here."

UK adults spent over half an hour longer online every day in 2025 than they did during the pandemic, according to an annual survey of internet habits by the regulator Ofcom.

The Online Nation report found on average, people in the UK spent four hours and 30 minutes online every day in 2025 - 31 minutes longer than in 2021.

Psychologist Dr Aric Sigman told the BBC this was not a problem in itself, but what mattered was "what this time is displacing and how this may harm mental health".

He added the "good news" was society was "beginning to question online time more critically".

In a year where the major UK Netflix drama Adolescence won praise and politicial attention for shining a light on misogynistic online content, the survey found adults were feeling less positive about the impact of the internet overall.

Only a third (33%) said they felt it was "good for society" – down from 40% in 2024.

However, nearly two thirds of people still believed the benefits of being online outweighed the risks.

And many adults said they found the internet to be a source of creativity, with roughly three quarters agreeing being online helped them to broaden their understanding of the world.

Children wary of 'brain rot'

The report also explored children's experiences of being online.

While more than eight in ten aged 8-17 said they were happy with the amount of time they spent on the internet, they also recognised there were negative impacts of endlessly scrolling on smartphones.

The term "brain rot" was used by some children surveyed to describe the feeling they were left with after spending too long on their devices.

It has become a popular phrase to describe overconsuming online posts and videos considered to be the opposite of mentally challenging.

And Ofcom found across four of the main services used by children - YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok and WhatsApp – up to a quarter of the time 8 to 14-year-olds spent online was between 2100 and 0500.

VPN use more than doubles

From 25 July, Ofcom required websites operating in the UK with pornographic content to "robustly" age-check users, under the Online Safety Act.

Some people began using a virtual private network (VPN) at this time - tools which can disguise your location online to allow you to use the internet as though you are in another country.

The increase indicates people are likely using them to bypass requirements of the Act.

After the age checks became mandatory, the survey said VPN use more than doubled, rising from roughly 650,000 daily users before July and peaking at over 1.4 million in mid-August

But it also found the number had since declined to around 900,000 in November.

ASMR 'relaxing'

The report also found 69% of children aged 13 to 17 said they used online services to help with their wellbeing, either to relax or improve their mood.

More than half named ASMR as a tool they had used in particular to help them relax.

These videos became an online phenomenon more than a decade ago - which some people claim causes them to feel a tingling sensation.

It has led to an entire industry of online creators making special content viewed on platforms such as YouTube.

But children were not solely positive about their online experiences.

Seventy percent said they had issues with self-improvement media - involving toxic messaging or body shaming.

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International talks to revolutionise how the European Court of Human Rights handles migration cases will begin on Wednesday.

The British government is urging partners to modernise the way states tackle the continent-wide illegal migration crisis.

The talks are the most significant sign yet that international human rights law could be reinterpreted to make it easier for states to target people smuggling and set up 'returns hubs' to hold people with no right to be in Europe.

Writing ahead of the major meeting in Strasbourg, Sir Keir Starmer and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said other nations should rethink human rights laws to make protecting borders easier.

Critics say the ECHR is getting in the way of removing more illegal migrants, while supporters say claims about the ECHR's role in migration are exaggerated.

The BBC understands that the aim is for member states to reach a political declaration by the spring which would set how the European Convention on Human Rights is applied in migration cases.

If such an agreement was achieved, it could be one of the most important reforms to how human rights law is applied in the 75-year history of the convention.

The meeting at the Council of Europe, the political body that agrees the human rights laws which are then applied by the court, comes after months of pressure over migration.

Nine members of the human rights body, led by Italy and Denmark, called earlier this year for reforms.

The UK did not sign that open letter - but it has been lobbying behind the scenes for talks on reforms.

Membership of the convention has become increasingly contentious in the UK in recent years.

Both the Conservatives and Reform UK have said they would leave it if they won the next election.

Kemi Badenoch has said leaving would not be a "silver bullet" but was a necessary step to "protect our borders, our veterans and our citizens".

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said he would oppose such a move saying the convention "upholds our freedom" and would "do nothing to stop the boats or fix our broken immigration system".

Writing in the Guardian newspaper ahead of the talks, Sir Keir and his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen said that the member states meeting on Wednesday must "go further in tackling" the "shared challenges" of "uncontrolled migration" that they said were undermining public confidence in governments.

"Europe has faced big tests before and we have overcome them by acting together. Now we must do so again," said the leaders.

"Otherwise, the forces that seek to divide us will grow stronger.

"So our message is this: as responsible, progressive governments we will deliver the change that people are crying out for.

"We will control our borders to protect our democracies – and make our nations stronger than ever in the years to come."

The UK delegation to the talks will be led by Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy.

He is expected to tell the meeting that the UK remains committed to the ECHR - but its interpretation must not stand in the way of combating people smuggling.

The UK's already-announced domestic plan includes legislating to restrict how the right to private and family life applies in removal cases.

The BBC understands that if the meeting in Strasbourg is a success, officials will begin working with the member states on a political declaration to clarify how human rights laws should be applied to migration challenges - with a deadline of next May for the final wording.

The talks are expected to cover some of the most difficult issues including combating migrant smuggling and how to create human rights compliant 'returns hubs' - centres outside of Europe where migrants could be forcibly housed if they can not be returned to dangerous countries.

The talks are also expected to cover the complex rules of Article 8, the right to family life, and Article 3, the ban on inhumane treatment which features in many migration cases.

In October Alain Berset, the head of the Council of Europe, told the BBC that he was "absolutely ready" to discuss human rights reforms.

That olive branch to member states came after months of diplomatic talks paving the way for Wednesday's meeting.

"The European Convention on Human Rights provides the framework we need to address these issues effectively and responsibly," said Berset ahead of the meeting.

"Our task is not to weaken the Convention, but to keep it strong and relevant — to ensure that liberty and security, justice and responsibility, are held in balance."

Nnena Kalu has won this year's Turner Prize, the UK's most high-profile art award, for her "bold and compelling" sculptures and drawings - and has made history as the first artist with a learning disability to win.

The judges praised Kalu's brightly-coloured sculptures - which are haphazardly wrapped in layers of ribbon, string, card and shiny VHS tape - and her drawings of swirling, tornado-like shapes.

Kalu, 59, is an autistic, learning disabled artist with limited verbal communication.

Charlotte Hollinshead, who has worked with her for 25 years, said on stage at the ceremony: "This is a major, major moment for a lot of people. It's seismic. It's broken a very stubborn glass ceiling."

'Idol, legend, winner'

In a moving speech delivered alongside Kalu, she said: "This amazing lady has worked so hard for such a long time.

"It's wonderful she's finally getting the recognition she rightly, rightly deserves."

Glasgow-born, London-based Kalu was announced as the winner of the award - and its £25,000 prize money - at a ceremony in Bradford, the UK's current city of culture, on Tuesday.

She accepted the honour while wearing a rosette bearing her photo and the words: "Idol, legend, winner, whatever."

Kalu has been gradually gaining recognition in the art world in recent years after working as a resident artist with Action Space, which supports artists with learning disabilities, since 1999.

Ms Hollinshead, her studio manager and artistic facilitator, said: "We are so happy that Nnena's talent and beautiful work is now out in the world for you all to see this complex artist who creates gorgeous, complex forms - all while listening to disco music, often as loud as possible.

"Nnena's career reflects the long, often very frustrating journey we've been on together... to challenge people's preconceptions about differently abled artists, but especially learning disabled artists, an important creative community so undervalued.

"When Nnena first began working with Action Space in 1999, the art world was not interested.

"Her work wasn't respected, not seen, and certainly wasn't regarded as cool.

"Nnena has faced an incredible amount of discrimination, which continues to this day, so hopefully this award smashes that prejudice away.

"Nnena Kalu, you've made history!"

'Beautiful intricacy'

Kalu's work has divided opinion among art critics, but the Turner Prize judges were impressed by the "really compelling sculptures and drawings that could only be made by Nnena", according to the jury chairman, Tate Britain director Alex Farquharson.

Her drawings, which come in sets of two or three near-identical shapes, have "a beautiful intricacy to them" and "look like swirling vortexes", he said.

Her sculptures, meanwhile, are hanging shapes covered in reams of re-purposed materials including fabric, rope, parcel tape, cling film and paper.

They resemble three-dimensional versions of abstract expressionist paintings, Mr Farquharson said.

"But they're not paintings, they're not flat on the wall. They're suspended in the space that you're in, like brightly coloured rocks or creatures.

"They're at almost your eye level. Although there are no figurative features at all, they appear to be communing among themselves and with you.

"The use of materials is highly unusual, including video tape that gets wrapped round and round.

"The colours and the lines the materials make are very like brush marks translated into three dimensions. They're very gestural, they're very expressive, they're very compelling."

'Quality and uniqueness'

The judges deliberated for two or three hours, Mr Farquharson said, and stressed that their choice of winner was based purely on merit.

"The result wasn't about wanting, first and foremost, to give the prize to Nnena as the first neurodiverse artist. That wasn't a driving factor," he said.

"It was an interest in, and a real belief in, the quality and uniqueness of her practice, which is inseparable from who she is."

It is a historic moment, though, he told BBC News.

"It breaks down walls between, if you like, neurotypical and neurodiverse artists. It becomes really about the power and quality of the work itself, whatever the artist's identity is.

"So maybe what's historic about it is it's one more move to include really great neurodiverse artists in the picture we present of art today."

The result was announced at a ceremony at Bradford Grammar School, the former school of artist David Hockney.

Works by all four shortlisted artists are currently on show at the Turner Prize exhibition at the nearby Cartwright Hall gallery, which will run until 22 February 2026.

The other nominees were Rene Matić, Zadie Xa and Mohammed Sami, who will receive £10,000 each.

The Turner Prize has been the UK's most coveted and controversial art award since it was founded in 1984. Past winners include Lubaina Himid, Jeremy Deller, Grayson Perry, Steve McQueen and Damien Hirst.

Trains, flights and ferries have been cancelled and thousands left without power as Storm Bram brought heavy rain, strong winds and unseasonably mild temperatures to large parts of the UK.

Amber warnings for wind, which mean a possible danger to life, are in place in part of Northern Ireland and northern Scotland, where forecasters say gusts could reach speeds of 90mph (145 km/h).

Yellow warnings for wind are in place across Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, as well as northern and south-west England.

As of 17:25 GMT, there were 90 flood warnings in place across the UK, with 37 flood warnings in England, 20 in Wales and 33 in Scotland.

The storm has brought exceptionally mild air to the country, with some regions registering temperatures as high as 16C (60F) - significantly higher than the December average of 5-9C.

In Scotland, several ferry routes on the west coast were cancelled or face disruption, ferry operator CalMac has warned.

ScotRail announced that some trains in the north west would finish early and said there would be speed restrictions and delays in other parts of the country.

The Met Office issued an amber warning for very strong and disruptive winds in northwest Scotland between 16:00 and 23:59 on Tuesday.

Some Scottish schools closed early due to the forecast.

An amber wind warning in Northern Ireland is due to last until 20:00.

Dozens of flights between the island of Ireland and Great Britain were cancelled.

Ulster University in Northern Ireland closed some of its campuses, while the country's Education Authority asked schools to monitor and assess the weather warnings in their areas.

In Wales, a yellow warning covers the whole of the country until 19:00.

South Wales and south-west England saw heavy rain overnight, with both regions covered by amber warnings that expired at 10:00 on Tuesday.

BBC South West's senior broadcast meteorologist David Braine said Dartmoor in Devon saw almost a month's worth of rainfall over the past 48 hours.

Many houses in Totnes were flooded as the River Dart - which carries water from Dartmoor - grew swollen with rainwater.

Rail services, including some services to London, have been disrupted in both areas because of the rain.

In the west of England, Great Western Railway is reporting cancellations due to flooding between:

• Par and Newquay
• Totnes and Plymouth
• Swindon and Bristol Parkway

In Wales, various Transport for Wales services are experiencing disruptions: Flooding has led to the closure of all lines between Aberdare and Abercynon. Some rail replacement coaches are operating.

National Rail has warned some Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway and TransPennine Express services are affected - with the full details available on its website.

Thousands in England and Wales have been left without power. As of 16:30, just over 4,000 properties had no electricity, according to National Grid.

Storm Bram follows Storm Amy in October, which caused travel disruption, power cuts and storm damage to thousands of homes across the UK.

Named by Ireland's national weather service, Met Éireann, Storm Bram is expected to cause ongoing disruption throughout Tuesday before clearing on Wednesday.

Why does Storm Bram follow Storm Claudia?

Storm Bram is the fourth named storm to hit the UK this season, after Amy, Benjamin and Claudia - so why did forecasters go back to the letter B?

It comes down to how storms are named and who actually names them, BBC lead weather presenter Matt Taylor says.

The UK's Met Office, Ireland's Met Éireann and KNMI in the Netherlands group together to track major storms. Storms are named when they are expected to have a significant impact in at least one of the countries in the group, and are not based on any rainfall or wind speed thresholds.

The alphabetic storm name list is decided jointly by the group every year, following submissions from the public. Storm Bram is only the second storm to be named by the group this season, with the Irish weather service announcing Bram's naming.

Benjamin was named by the French weather service, and Claudia by the Spanish service because of the impacts the low pressure systems would have in those nations first.