Author: BBC

At least six people have been found dead at a hotel in Thailand’s capital, Bangkok. A spokesperson for the Thai government said that the dead were all Vietnamese-American nationals.Local media initially suggested there had been a shooting at the five-star Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok, but police dismissed these reports and said there was no evidence of a shooting.Local media are now reporting that the victims may have been poisoned, however this has not been confirmed.Thailand’s Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, has ordered an investigation into the deaths, saying he does not want the case to affect the country’s image or have…

3 hours agoBy Kevin Peachey, Cost of living correspondentGetty ImagesThe battle for savers has intensified with the choice of products at its highest level for 12 years, according to analysis.UK savers have a choice of 2,014 savings deals – the highest number since 2012, the financial information service Moneyfacts says.However, people may have to shop around for the best deals, with loyalty often bringing the lowest returns.In addition, interest rates may drop if the Bank of England decides to cut the benchmark rate in August.Key decisionMoneyfacts said the choice of accounts was greater than anything seen since May 2012. The number of…

Jack Black has said he’s cancelled the rest of the Tenacious D world tour after his bandmate Kyle Gass sparked an outcry with a comment about the assassination attempt on Donald Trump.The comedy rock group were on stage in Sydney, Australia, on Sunday when Gass was asked to make a wish after being presented with a cake for his 64th birthday.He appeared to reply: “Don’t miss Trump next time.”In a statement on Instagram, Black said he was “blindsided” by the comment.”I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form,” the comedian and actor wrote.He said he…

Spain’s football team chanted “Gibraltar is Spanish” towards a vast crowd of supporters while on stage in Madrid. The team was greeted by a huge crowd of fans at a celebration event in Spain’s capital city, after winning the Euros against England on Sunday. At the event, team member Alvaro Morata took the opportunity to lead the crowd in a chant about British overseas territory Gibraltar. Gibraltar has been under British rule since 1713, but Spain continues to claim sovereignty of the territory. Source link

All 11 water and wastewater companies in England and Wales are now under scrutiny over sewage spills, after the regulator said it was expanding its investigation.On Tuesday, Ofwat opened enforcement cases into four more firms – Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, Hafren Dyfrdwy, Severn Trent and United Utilities – as part of its probe into how companies manage their sewage treatment works and networks.It began its investigation in 2021 and if found in breach the companies face being fined.Ofwat chief executive David Black said the latest move showed “how concerned we are about the sector’s environmental performance”.It comes a week after…

2 hours agoBy Andrew Rogers, BBC NewsbeatGetty ImagesThe International Olympics Committee has run test events including various esportsThe Olympic Esports Games will put gaming “at the same level as the Winter and Summer Olympics”, according to the boss of one of the world’s biggest teams.This week the International Olympics Committee announced a 12-year partnership with Saudi Arabia to stage the standalone event.The Kingdom recently hosted the Esports World Cup, with some fans, players and commentators boycotting the event in protest over its human rights record.Alban Dechelotte, CEO of G2 Esports, tells BBC Newsbeat the esports version of the Olympics will aim for…

The judge who has been overseeing the long-running racketeering trial against Young Thug has been removed.The Atlanta rapper’s charges were put on hold earlier this month after lawyers for him and co-defendant Deamonte Kendrick asked for the judge to be recused over misconduct allegations.Their lawyers accused Fulton County Superior Court Judge Ural Glanville of holding an “improper” meeting on 10 June when he met privately with prosecutors and a key witness.Glanville maintained that the meeting was proper and argued that no one gained a tactical advantage as a result but while Judge Rachel Krause did not fault him for holding…

6 minutes agoBy Hayley Mortimer, BBC File on 4BBCAn ex-police officer who claims to save children from human traffickers has faked stories to raise money for his charity, the BBC has discovered.Adam Whittington, founder of Project Rescue Children (PRC) says he has helped more than 700 children in countries including Uganda, Kenya and The Gambia.But BBC File on 4 has found that some of these children have never been trafficked, and that funds raised – sometimes with the help of celebrity supporters – have not always reached children in need.PRC has described our allegations that it does not support children as being…

Disney has confirmed it is investigating an apparent leak of internal messages by a hacking group, which claims it is “protecting artists’ rights”.The group, Nullbulge, said it had gained access to thousands of communications from Disney employees and had downloaded “every file possible”.It is not clear how commercially sensitive the information is for the media and theme park giant, but it is reported to include messages about upcoming projects the firm is working on. “Disney is investigating this matter,” a company spokesperson told the BBC in an email.Nullbulge’s website says the group targets anyone it believes is harming the creative…

TV star Zara McDermott has said she was involved in incidents in the Strictly Come Dancing training room that she now finds “incredibly distressing” to watch back, following the news that her dance partner Graziano Di Prima has left the show.On Saturday, the BBC confirmed that Di Prima was “no longer a part of the line-up of professional dancers for the upcoming series”.He said he “deeply regrets” the events leading up to his departure and acknowledged that his “intense passion and determination to win might have affected my training regime”.Now, former Love Island star and documentary maker McDermott has posted…