Author: BBC

‘I love being part of that whole myth’ – James Earl Jones talks about voicing Darth VaderStar Wars creator George Lucas has led the tributes to “incredible actor” James Earl Jones, the voice behind Darth Vader, following his death at the age of 93.In a statement, Lucas described Jones as “a most unique voice both in art and spirit”.”For nearly half a century he was Darth Vader, but the secret to it all is he was a beautiful human being,” the director said.”He gave depth, sincerity and meaning to all his roles, amongst the most important being a devoted husband…

Europe’s top court has ruled Google must pay a €2.4bn (£2bn) fine handed down for abusing the market dominance of its shopping comparison service.The tech giant had appealed against the fine, which was originally levied by the European Commission in 2017.It was at the time the largest penalty the Commission had ever imposed – though it has since been supplanted by a €4.3bn fine, also against Google.Google said it was “disappointed” with the ruling.It brings an end to a long-running case that was first brought by British firm Foundem in 2009, when the UK was still part of the EU.Another…

Cordelia OstlerRhiannon Williams had been receiving counselling for depression and anxietyA father has said his 24-year-old daughter’s suicide hit him like a “depth charge” which “shred things in ways that are difficult to describe”.One year on from Rhiannon’s death, Gareth Williams wants other parents to know how “seriously dangerous” poor mental health can be.The latest figures show the suicide rate in Wales in 2023 was the highest for a decade, with an average of about one every day.Mr Williams’ comments come as a Welsh government-backed service is rolled out across Wales to support those affected by suicide.Mental health warning after…

Apple has been told to pay back €13bn (£11bn; $14bn) in unpaid taxes to Ireland by the European Court of Justice (ECJ). The EU Commission accused Ireland of giving Apple illegal tax advantages eight years ago but the Irish government has consistently argued against the need for the tax to be paid back.“The Court of Justice gives final judgment in the matter and confirms the European Commission’s 2016 decision: Ireland granted Apple unlawful aid which Ireland is required to recover,” the court said.The news comes a day after the tech giant released its new iPhone 16 range.”This case has never…

Laurel County Sheriff’s OfficePolice on the lookout for a suspect wanted in the shootings near London, KentuckySchools in several Kentucky counties are closed Monday as the search for a man suspected of shooting into vehicles along a major highway, injuring five people, continued into a third day.Joseph A Couch, 32, the suspect in the shootings was charged Monday with multiple counts of attempted murder and assault.After the incident on Saturday evening, police believe the attacker fled to a remote rugged area about 9 miles (14km) from the city of London in south-eastern Kentucky.The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office said that they…

Ali Bastian has revealed she has been diagnosed with breast cancer.The actor – who appeared in Hollyoaks between 2001 to 2007 – says she was diagnosed with stage two cancer after discovering a lump while breastfeeding.”It was a total shock,” the 42-year-old told OK! Magazine.”I have mornings when I wake up and I’ve forgotten… and then suddenly I remember. I’m still trying to process it.”She said that she first thought she had a blocked duct, but that she went to a breast clinic after a course of antibiotics didn’t solve the problem.Bastian currently lives in Ireland, and has two children…

The US government is taking aim at the engine of Google’s immense wealth – its extremely lucrative ad tech business.A trial beginning on Monday will hear the Department of Justice’s case that the search engine’s parent company Alphabet illegally operates a monopoly in the market.The company earned more than $200 billion (£152bn) last year through the placing and selling of ads seen by internet users.Alphabet has argued its success is due to the “effectiveness” of its services – but prosecutors say it has used its market dominance to stifle rivals.“It is a really important industry that grabs billions of consumer…

BBCMandi Masters, a community midwife, was hospitalised with Covid in the pandemic.The public inquiry into the pandemic will start 10 weeks of hearings on Monday looking at the impact on patients, healthcare workers and the wider NHS. Covid patients have been admitted to hospital more than a million times in the UK since the virus emerged in 2020, while countless others have had care for other conditions disrupted. The third stage of the inquiry will also examine the impact on NHS staff, the use of masks and PPE in hospitals, the policy of shielding the most vulnerable and the treatment…

Boeing is offering its staff a 25% pay rise over four years in a bid to avoid a strike that could potentially shut down its assembly lines as early as Friday.Union leaders representing more than 30,000 employees have urged the workers to support the proposal, describing it as the best contract they had ever negotiated.If approved, the agreement would be an important achievement for Boeing’s new chief executive, Kelly Ortberg, who faces pressure to fix the company’s quality and reputational issues. Boeing workers in the Seattle and Portland region are set to vote on the deal on Thursday. If the…

Google uses anti-competitive practices to dominate the market for online advertising technology, a UK watchdog has provisionally found.The potentially unlawful behaviour could be harming thousands of UK publishers and advertisers, an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has warned.It accuses Google of preventing rivals from “competing on a level playing field” with its own tech for the billions of pounds spent by UK businesses on online advertising.Google said the watchdog’s findings were “flawed” and said it would respond.According to the CMA, the vast majority of businesses use Google’s services when placing digital ads on websites.Google maintains it has…