Author: BBC

Julia GregoryReporter BBC SurreyReporting fromSurrey HillsJulia Gregory/BBCYoung people have a chance to meet farm animalsOn a farm nestled in the Surrey Hills, young people are helping herd cows and build pens so they can be wormed.They are spending time on Pondtail Farm in Brockham, near Box Hill, to help boost their mental health as part of the Care Farm project.Katie Daw, the Surrey Hills Society Care Farm co-ordinator, said the scheme was boosting young people’s confidence and wellbeing, and reducing anxiety.Ronnie, aged 17, said helping out on the farm was “like heaven on earth to me”.”People are sleeping better, eating…

Julian O’NeillBBC News NI crime and justice correspondentReporting fromDublin High CourtBrian Lawless/PA WireGerry Adams pictured outside the High Court in Dublin last weekThe BBC has opened its defence in a libel case brought by Gerry Adams, who claims he was defamed in a broadcast and article which alleged he sanctioned the murder of a British agent.Eoin McCullough SC, acting for the broadcaster, told the High Court in Dublin the allegation had been “thoroughly investigated”.He also stated it would have been “irresponsible” for the information to be ignored.Mr Adams denies any involvement in the 2006 killing of Denis Donaldson – who…

Michael Race & Joe TidyBusiness reporter & Cyber correspondent, BBC NewsGetty ImagesMarks & Spencer has revealed that some personal customer data has been stolen in the recent cyber attack, which could include contact details and dates of birth.The High Street giant said the personal information taken could also include online order histories, but added the data theft did not include useable payment or card details, or any account passwords.M&S was hit by the cyber attack three weeks ago and is struggling to get services back to normal, with online orders still suspended.The retailer said customers would be prompted to reset…

President Donald Trump has slashed the tariff on small parcels sent from mainland China and Hong Kong to the US, just hours after the world’s two biggest economies said they would cut levies on each other’s goods for 90 days.The new tariffs on small packages worth up to $800 (£606) have been cut from 120% to 54%, according to a White House statement.The flat fee per item will remain at $100 for shipments sent after 2 May, while a $200 charge due to apply from 1 June has been cancelled.Chinese online retail giants Shein and Temu had previously relied on…

Getty ImagesA disproportionate number of children referred to NHS excess weight clinics in England are from the most deprived areas, and a significant number are neurodivergent or have other health conditions, a study has found.Some have a body mass index (BMI) over 50, with 40 deemed to be severely obese.Nearly 4,800 under-18s have been referred to the clinics since they were set up in 2021, according to research carried out by Leeds Beckett, Sheffield Hallam, Leeds and Bristol universities and presented at the European Congress on Obesity.The clinics provide mental health support and care for other underlying conditions, as well…

Ruth Jones says she hopes to write again soon with her close friend and fellow Gavin & Stacey creator James Corden. Fresh from her Bafta success as best female performance in a comedy, Jones confirmed there are no plans to continue one of Britain’s most beloved comedies. But that does not mean the pair are not hoping to “come up with something new” in the future.Video edited by Erin Lister.

The US and China have agreed a deal that will significantly cut the import tariffs, or taxes, both sides have imposed on one another for a 90-day period.US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said both countries would lower their reciprocal tariffs by 115% for 90 days.The announcement came after the two countries held talks in Switzerland, the first between the two countries since US President Donald Trump had levied steep tariffs on Chinese imports.The huge tariffs caused turmoil in the financial markets and sparked fears of a global recession.President Trump had imposed a 145% tariff on Chinese imports, while Beijing responded…

Graham FraserTechnology ReporterGetty ImagesAbout 1.2m people in the UK were affected by banking outages that happened on what was pay day for many earlier this year.The details have emerged in letters from Lloyds, TSB, Nationwide and HSBC to Dame Meg Hillier, the chair of the Commons Treasury Committee, which is looking into the incident that occurred on Friday, 28 February.HSBC also revealed that customers had to wait two hours on average that day to reach its online customer service team. Its standard target wait time is five minutes.In their correspondence, the banks said they had paid compensation to affected customers…

Lindsey Burrow talks to Giovanna Fletcher on the Couch to 5K Podcast about how her perseverance while running has helped her to build resilience in life. Lindsey has run two marathons in two weeks in memory of her late husband, rugby league legend Rob Burrow.LISTEN ON BBC SOUNDS: The Couch to 5K Podcast

Steven McIntoshEntertainment reporterGetty ImagesTV duo Ant & Dec, who are nominated for their last series of Saturday Night TakeawayTV stars doused themselves in suncream on Sunday, as they walked the sun-drenched red carpet ahead of the Bafta TV Awards. The ceremony, one of the most prestigious events in the entertainment calendar, takes place at London’s Royal Festival Hall. Baby Reindeer and Mr Bates vs the Post Office are among the nominees at the ceremony, which recognises the best television of 2024. The show is recorded ahead of time and broadcast on BBC One at 19:00 BST. Here’s a selection of…