Author: BBC

Apple’s encrypted data case against the UK government has begun in secret at the Royal Courts of Justice.The Home Office has demanded the right to access data from Apple users that have turned on Advanced Data Protection (ADP), a tool that prevents anyone other than the user – including the tech giant – from reading their files.Apple says it is important for privacy – but the UK government says it needs to be able access data if there is a national security risk.The BBC – along with civil liberties groups and some US politicians – argue the case should be…

Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesRichard Meddings, a former banker, is the chair of NHS EnglandThe chair of NHS England has said he does not disagree with the abolishing of the organisation – although he warns that the buck will now stop with ministers.”There will no longer be a separate vehicle that can be pointed [at] to say that’s what got it wrong,” Richard Meddings told BBC Radio 4’s The World This Weekend, in the first interview with a senior official from the organisation since it was announced it would be abolished.Earlier this week the government confirmed the administrative body would…

Yasmin RufoCulture reporterGetty ImagesA healthy dose of 90s nostalgia… Clueless is backCher Horowitz has brought her life of Beverly Hills high fashion, friendship and matchmaking to London’s West End, as classic 1990s teen film Clueless has been given a musical makeover.Clueless has been brought to the stage by the film’s original writer and director Amy Heckerling – who says keeping the 90s theme was integral to the show.Heckerling insists she has “no interest in being modern” – which will come as a relief to the audiences who grew up quoting “As if!” and aspiring to Cher’s plaid and Prada-filled wardrobe.The…

Jennifer MeierhansBusiness reporter, BBC NewsSnagSophie models for Snag and gets positive and negative comments about her weightThe boss of online clothing brand Snag has told the BBC it gets more than 100 complaints a day that the models in its adverts are “too fat”.Chief executive Brigitte Read says models of her size 4-38 clothing are frequently the target of “hateful” posts about their weight.The brand was cited in an online debate over whether adverts showing “unhealthily fat” models should be banned after a Next advert, in which a model appeared “unhealthily thin”, was banned.The UK’s advertising watchdog says it has…

Peter Gillibrand and Tom RichardsonBBC NewsbeatEA/Hazelight StudiosVideo game director Josef Fares says his studio is “the best in the world” at making co-operative adventuresThink of video games, and you’ll probably think of something competitive.Some of the most popular titles in the world, such as Fortnite and Call of Duty, are focused on outgunning, outrunning or outclassing opponents.But, as Josef Fares and his studio Hazelight have shown, that’s not the only thing gamers want.His latest, Split Fiction, is a collaborative experience where two players work together to solve puzzles and beat obstacles.The adventure game has received rave reviews, sold one million…

Michael BuchananSocial affairs correspondentGetty ImagesAfter Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s announcement this week that NHS England (NHSE) is to be disbanded, the BBC looks at whether the changes present a new opportunity to improve patient safety within the NHS.A hospital chief executive once described NHSE as “the biggest kiss up, kick down, organisation in public life.” The comment came to mind when Health Secretary Wes Streeting on Thursday said the scrapping of NHSE would “end the infantilisation of frontline NHS leaders.”Time and again, NHS trusts have complained about the total control that NHSE, the body responsible for the day-to-day running…

Brian FarmerBBC News, BuckinghamshireReporting fromHigh Wycombe Magistrates’ CourtGetty ImagesCheryl Tweedy said she “immediately panicked” upon seeing Daniel Bannister at her homeA man who stalked Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Tweedy has been jailed for 16 weeks after leaving the pop star “frightened” when he turned up at her home.Daniel Bannister, of no fixed address, targeted the singer three times last year in the Chalfonts area of Buckinghamshire.The 50-year-old was given a restraining order having said he had “come to get Cheryl” when he visited her home in January, and returned in July when he asked for a glass of wine.Having visited…

Noor Nanji & Zoe ConwayBBC NewsGetty ImagesEvery McDonald’s in Britain has been warned its owners could face legal action if they fail to take steps to protect staff from sexual abuse.The equality watchdog has written to all 1,400 branches telling them they must comply with their legal duties, or risk enforcement action, after a BBC investigation uncovered claims of a toxic culture of sexual assault and harassment.In January, McDonald’s workers told us they still faced sexual harassment more than a year after its chief executive promised to clean up behaviour at the fast-food chain.McDonald’s said it was “committed” to doing…

Belgian police have raided several locations in the country as part of an investigation into corruption within the European Parliament.Prosecutors said the alleged corruption was “under the guise of commercial lobbying”, and that several people had been detained for questioning.According to officials, an address in Portugal was also searched by local police, while in France, one person was arrested.Belgian newspaper Le Soir said the investigation was linked to Chinese tech giant Huawei and its activities in Brussels since 2021. Huawei said it was taking the allegations “seriously” and would “urgently communicate with the investigation”.The Belgian prosecutor’s office said: “Corruption was…

Cheshire PoliceLucy Letby is serving 15 whole-life prison sentences for murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others (one of whom on two occasions) between June 2015 and June 2016A police investigation at the hospital where nurse Lucy Letby murdered seven babies and attempted to kill seven others has been expanded to consider whether there was evidence of gross negligence manslaughter.Cheshire Police said it opened a corporate manslaughter investigation at the Countess of Chester Hospital in October 2023.Det Supt Paul Hughes said: “As our enquiries have continued, the scope of the investigation has now widened to also include gross…