Author: BBC

The far-right National Rally (RN) has pulled off another victory and is now well on the way to its goal of turning French politics on its head.There will be much talk in the coming days of centrist and left-wing candidates standing aside in round two in order to concentrate the anti-RN vote – and much wailing about the disappearance of the old Front Républicain (when the other parties used to agree to keep out the far-right).But it would take an upset of monumental proportions to overturn the only conclusion that can be drawn from this first round of voting, which…

53 minutes agoBy Huw Thomas, BBC Wales business correspondent Getty ImagesUnite workers are set to start striking on 8 July over Tata’s plans to cut 2,800 UK jobsTata Steel has offered to meet unions for fresh talks on the condition strike action in south Wales is called off.In a letter to the UK Steel Committee, which represents the Community, Unite and the GMB unions, the company is believed to have offered to discuss future investment in Port Talbot.But the unions would be required to suspend future industrial action.Unite general secretary Sharon Graham told BBC Wales: “They suspend closure, we suspend action.”Unite workers…

2 hours agoBy Tom McArthur, BBC NewsX/@LLiamJLBanksy has appeared to confirm he was behind a stunt during a band’s headline set at Glastonbury Festival – involving an inflatable raft holding dummies of migrants in lifejackets.The boat was lifted above the heads the thousands-strong audience during Idles’ show on the Other Stage, with revellers believing the crowdsurfing was part of the Friday night performance.The mysterious artist posted a clip of the stunt – thought to symbolise small boat crossings of migrants in the Channel – on his Instagram account, his usual way of announcing a new creation. But a spokesperson for the British…

2 hours agoBy Lucy Williamson, Middle East CorrespondentBBCSamir said he was “waiting for death” after being picked up by Israeli soldiersTwo more Palestinian men, injured during a military operation in the occupied West Bank last week, have told the BBC that Israeli soldiers forced them on to the bonnet of an army jeep and drove them – sometimes at speed – along village roads.Their accounts came days after footage of 23-year-old Mujahid Abadi Balas clinging to the bonnet of what appears to be the same Israeli army jeep sparked international outrage.The BBC has now spoken to two men who allege similar treatment…

51 minutes agoBy Mark Savage, Music CorrespondentBBCThe star played a set full of country crossover hits including You’re Still The One, That Don’t Impress Me Much and Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?”Hats off to you Glastonbury,” says Shania Twain, surveying a sea of people – many of whom are, ironically, wearing cowboy hats.”I feel and I see your support. Thank you so much for having me.”Few artists have ever embraced Glastonbury’s so-called Legends Slot so fully. The star has been talking up her appearance for months. Not only did she share her ambition to arrive at the festival on horseback,…

A man in his 30s has been killed and several others wounded in a shooting at a Turkish wedding in north-east France, police have said. French media report that three armed, hooded men arrived at the reception venue in Thionville late on Saturday night before opening fire on guests.Quoting police sources, Le Figaro newspaper says the attackers came at 01:15am local time to “settle scores between well-known gangs in Moselle”. A pregnant woman was among the wounded, police said, and three of the injured are reportedly in a critical condition at the Bel-Air hospital nearby.Around 100 people were celebrating at…

9 hours agoBy Angie Brown, BBC Scotland, Edinburgh and East reporterBBCJakub Parulski, who lives with his wife and two young daughters, said they were in a ‘horror story’Residents of affordable housing developments in Edinburgh have said they are “living in a horror story” after being hit with a massive rise in their gas bill as costs are beginning to fall across the rest of the country.The Harvester’s Way development has 180 properties which are all connected to a district heating system, where one huge gas boiler provides heating and hot water to all the homes.It is billed as a greener and more…

14 hours agoBy Aleks Phillips, BBC NewsWildfarmedAndy Cato traded in his synthesizer for a muck spreader to champion regenerative farming​​As one half of Groove Armada, Andy Cato has been an electronic music star for nearly three decades. But he has never been asked for as many selfies as he has since appearing on the latest series of Jeremy Clarkson’s farming show.He did not go on Clarkson’s Farm – which follows the presenter as he grapples with running his Oxfordshire farm – for renewed fame. Rather, his aim was to expose its audience to his passion: regenerative farming.That is, moving towards a food…

Police in New York state have shot dead a 13-year-old boy after he ran from police while holding a replica handgun, authorities said. Officers stopped Nyah Mway and another 13-year-old on Friday night as the pair matched descriptions of suspects wanted for recent robberies in Utica, police said.As the officers questioned the boys, Nyah Mway fled on foot and a chase ensued. Utica Police Chief Mark Williams said police spotted what “appeared to be a handgun”.One officer then wrestled the boy to the floor. “During a ground struggle”, another officer fired a single shot that hit the teenager in the…

Sir Michael Eavis said he was a little disappointed with the first Glastonbury festival in the summer of 1970 as he had hoped for bigger crowds.Despite that he said he was delighted with the music on offer for festival-goers who had come from all over the world.”I’m glad to get back to the cows again,” he said.Video Journalist: Will Richards Source link