Author: BBC

7 hours agoZoe Applegate,BBC News, NorfolkPA MediaLiam Gallagher in 1996, performing with Oasis at KnebworthThey were the iconic band who led the Britpop revolution, achieving number one hits and selling out stadiums and arenas across the country. But just two months before Oasis’ era-defining debut Definitely Maybe became the fastest ever selling debut album, the Manchester rockers played the tiny Norwich Arts Centre. And now 30 years on, some of the 200 or so people lucky enough to be in the crowd on 6 June,1994, have recalled the emotions of the night. Norwich Arts CentreThe band, fronted by Liam and…

A World War Two US Navy veteran travelling to France for an event marking the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings has died, a veteran organisation has confirmed.Robert “Al” Persichitti from Rochester, New York, was airlifted to a hospital in Germany on 30 May after suffering a medical emergency aboard a ship heading to Europe. He died the following day, aged 102.Remembered as a “great, humble man,” Mr Persichitti was involved in the allied operation in Japan. Honor Flight – a veteran organisation Mr Persichitti belonged to – confirmed his death on social media and said he had “served his…

Government officials considered sacking Paula Vennells as the Post Office’s chief executive in 2014 some five years before she resigned, an inquiry has heard. According to government documents revealed at the long-running inquiry into the Horizon scandal, they had concerns about whether she was the right person to lead the group. One issue was the perception that she was “unable to work with personalities that provide robust challenge to her”. Alice Perkins, who chaired the Post Office at the time and faced a second day of questioning by lawyers on Thursday, denied that Ms Vennells had surrounded herself with “yes-men…

19 hours agoAurelia Foster,Health reporter, BBC NewsGetty ImagesSports injuries could be linked with fluctuating hormones during the menstrual cycle, researchers saySportswomen make fewer mistakes and have quicker reactions when they are on their period, a study suggests.Tests designed to mimic the mental processes involved in team sports assessed 241 women’s reaction time, attention, accuracy, and spatial cognition – 14 days apart. They felt worse when menstruating and thought their performance would suffer – but on average, they were 12% faster at ball-moving tasks and 25% more likely to pass a test of their anticipation skills.It could explain why women playing…

5 hours agoHope Webb,BBC Scotland NewsGettyTaylor Swift will take to the stage at Murrayfield in Edinburgh for her first UK date in her Eras tour on FridayIt’s T minus one day until Taylor Swift brings her worldwide Eras Tour to the UK.But fans are already building up to the first gig on Friday.The star kicks off three nights at Murrayfield stadium in Edinburgh and the city is already in full Swift mode.Fans gathered at the stadium from the early hours on Wednesday to buy their tour merchandise ahead of the gigs.Ailsa Cameron, 32, bagged hers and shared her luck with…

A controversy over a waterfall has cascaded into a social media storm in China, even prompting an explanation from the water body itself. A hiker posted a video that showed the flow of water from Yuntai Mountain Waterfall – billed as China’s tallest uninterrupted waterfall – was coming from a pipe built high into the rock face.The clip has been liked more than 70,000 times since it was first posted on Monday. Operators of the Yuntai tourism park said that they made the “small enhancement” during the dry season so visitors would feel that their trip had been worthwhile.”The one…

Post Office inquiry live updates: Ex-Post Office chair Alice Perkins giving evidence – BBC News BreakingBreaking newsClose breaking news SummaryAlice Perkins, former chair of Post Office Ltd from 2011 to 2015, is giving evidence to the inquiry into the Horizon IT scandal for a second dayPerkins led a Post Office board sub-committee, codenamed “Project Sparrow”, which included Paula Vennells and other senior officialsA secret plan to sack independent forensic accountants Second Sight was revealed in the minutes of two Project Sparrow meetings in 2014More than 900 sub-postmasters were prosecuted for stealing because of incorrect information from a computer system called…

Just nowAileen Moynagh,BBC News NI health reporterBBCJunior doctors took to picket lines at Altnagelvin Hospital earlier this yearJunior doctors across Northern Ireland are taking further strike action over the next two days in a dispute over pay.The 48-hour full walkout runs from 07:00 BST on Thursday 6 June until 07:00 on Saturday 8 June.The Department of Health (DoH) said patients are advised to expect “widespread disruption” to normal services.The move will coincide with the launch of a new IT system in the Belfast Trust on Thursday, but the trust anticipates “minimal problems” on that day.Dr Johnny Cash is chief clinical…

16 hours agoGiancarlo Rinaldi,South Scotland reporterWigtown Book FestivalWigtown Book Festival has ended its 14-year association with Baillie GiffordAnother Scottish book festival is ending its partnership with sponsors Baillie Gifford following pressure from climate change protesters.Wigtown Book Festival confirmed the move following similar announcements by the Edinburgh International Book Festival and the Borders Book Festival.A short statement from the board of the Dumfries and Galloway event said it was making the move “with regret”.The company has been a supporter of the festival – staged this year from 27 September to 6 October – for more than a decade.The festival in Scotland’s…

1 hour agoJonathan Head & Burmese Service ,BBC NewsGetty ImagesFighting between Myanmar’s military and the Arakan Army has been raging in in Rakhine State for monthsAt least 50 people were killed by Myanmar soldiers in a raid on a village in Rakhine State last week, say local residents and opposition forces. Warning: You may find some of the details in this piece disturbingEyewitnesses told the BBC the village was subjected to two-and-half days of terror as soldiers blindfolded and beat them up, poured burning petrol on their skin and forced some of them to drink their urine. They were looking…