Author: BBC

Aimee DexterBBC News, SuffolkReporting fromIpswich town centreMariam IssimdarBBC News, SuffolkHis intimate gig in a pub was watched by fans who got tickets by responding to a WhatsApp messageFans of Ed Sheeran have been treated to a “surprise” gig at a pub in his home county that he is taking over for a fortnight.The Thomas Wolsey in Ipswich town centre has been re-branded as The Old Phone – named after one of Sheeran’s latest songs. The pub will be known by that name for two weeks, before it reverts to its actual name again.Music-lovers have been speaking of their delight at…

Getty ImagesOn Mark Carney’s final day of a gruelling race to be elected PM of vast and sparsely populated Canada I was with him.It was his last push, not just to win, but also to get the majority he said he needed to stand up to the chaotic territorial and trade ambitions of his “neighbour to the south”.For someone who had got to see Carney as a cerebral technocrat, a crisis-managing central bank governor a decade ago, the transformation into public orator was quite something. I recall endless interviews trying to get the then governor to say something newsworthy, or…

Graham FraserTechnology reporterOwen and Weng WilliamsSkype would help change the lives of Owen and Weng WilliamsFrom blossoming long-distance love to helping families stay connected, for years Skype held a unique place in people’s hearts.In the days before Zoom, WhatsApp and Teams, the video call service was once one of the world’s most popular websites.It allowed people to make computer-to-computer calls free, and then became the way users could make low cost calls to landlines and mobiles to people in other parts of the world.In recent years though, Skype has been diminishing as its owner Microsoft focussed on Teams. Its services…

Getty ImagesLucy says she’s always been a bit of worrier, but two years ago she began to get anxious and started having panic attacks.”I didn’t know what was happening and my parents didn’t either,” says the 15-year-old. “It was scary. The attacks would occur without warning. It got worse and I began to have them in public.” Lucy started missing a lot of school and stopped socialising. She says it was hard for her parents to see her struggling. “We didn’t know what to do or where to go.”For six months, she tried to manage her anxiety herself, but eventually…

TV presenter Lorraine Kelly has revealed that she needs to undergo surgery to remove her ovaries and fallopian tubes.The 65-year-old shared a video on social media from her hospital bed on Saturday, saying she had not been “feeling all that well for a little while”.The ITV host said that the “wee procedure” was “purely preventative” and had been recommended after some scans and tests.Kelly added that she was “going to be totally fine” and praised hospital staff, saying she felt “very lucky to be treated so well” in the video’s caption.Kelly also thanked gynaecologist Dr Ahmed Raafat and hospital staff.The…

Getty ImagesA 25% import tax on engines, transmissions and other key car parts has come into force in the US, raising pressure on an industry finding its way through a thicket of policy changes. The new tariff comes days after Donald Trump eased the measure in response to business worries, but did not eliminate it.The US president has said the new tariff, along with a 25% import tax on cars that went into effect last month, is intended to push carmakers to do more manufacturing in the US.But analysts said any immediate expansions in the US were likely to come…

Joe TidyCyber correspondent, BBC World ServiceGetty ImagesCyber criminals have told BBC News their hack against Co-op is far more serious than the company previously admitted.Hackers contacted the BBC with proof they had infiltrated IT networks and stolen huge amounts of customer and employee data.After being approached on Friday, a Co-op spokesperson said the hackers “accessed data relating to a significant number of our current and past members”.Co-op had previously said that it had taken “proactive measures” to fend off hackers and that it was only having a “small impact” on its operations.It also assured the public that there was “no…

The number of assisted deaths could be more than 4,000 in the 10th year after the law comes into force in England and Wales if MPs vote for it, a review of the policy says.The estimate forms part of the official impact assessment, carried out by civil servants to inform MPs as they debate whether to allow assisted dying.It said initially the numbers coming forward would be low, but are expected to grow over time.The impact assessment says that the total number of assisted deaths is estimated to range from between 164 and 787 in the first (half) year of…

Getty ImagesTrump alleged that both organisations have engaged with “biased and partisan news coverage”US President Donald Trump has issued an executive order calling for all federal funding to the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR) to be blocked. On Thursday evening, Trump alleged that both organisations have engaged with “biased and partisan news coverage”. The order instructs the board of the Corporation of Public Broadcasting (CPB), who distributes funding to PBS and NPR stations, to “cease direct funding” to the “maximum extent allowed by law”.PBS called the order “blatantly unlawful”, while CPB said the organisation is not…

Getty ImagesThe retail giant has paused orders on its website and apps since Friday as it attempts to restore operations.The boss of Marks & Spencer has told customers the retailer is “working day and night” to manage the cyber attack that has forced it to temporarily shut down its online operations.Stuart Machin said he was “really sorry” for the disruption to services, but did not say when normal business would resume.M&S’s problems began over the Easter weekend, with customers reporting problems with Click & Collect and contactless payments.Last week, the company confirmed it was dealing with a “cyber incident” and…