Author: BBC

Natalie ShermanBusiness reporterWatch: A trade deal, a family photo and conflict in the Middle East – Trump’s short G7A deal removing some trade barriers between the UK and US has been signed off by President Donald Trump.The move will bring into force parts of an agreement agreed between the two countries last month, and reduce tariffs on UK cars being shipped to the US.It comes after weeks of talks to implement parts of the pact, which the UK government hopes will shield British businesses from the impact of Trump’s tariffs.But the deal includes a 10% levy on most UK goods,…

Ben MorrisTechnology of Business EditorGetty ImagesUkrainians can access 130 services from the Diia portalRounding a corner in Kyiv on 24 Feb 2022, Oleksandr Bornyakov remembers driving into a gun battle. It was day one of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and Russian saboteurs were fighting with Ukrainian security forces in the centre of the Ukrainian capital.”There is shooting, cars are burning, armoured vehicles are burning… when we eventually passed… there were a lot of bodies.”As a government minister he had been ordered to drive hundreds of kilometres west and continue his work in a safer location. Beginning in 2019, Bornykov,…

Philippa Roxby and Smitha MundasadHealth reportersGetty ImagesPollen levels are forecast to be high or very high in many parts of the UK over the coming days.The fine powder released by certain grasses, trees and plants is causing chaos for the many who’re allergic to pollen.Itchy eyes, sneezing, dripping noses, scratchy throats and headaches are a common complaint.So what can you do to feel better?Why are my eyes streaming?If you’re sneezing hundreds of times day, your eyes are watering and you’re sleeping badly then it’s probably hay fever.You’re not alone – around one in five people are allergic to pollen and…

A juror in the sex trafficking trial of rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs has been removed after giving inconsistent answers about where he lives.During jury selection, the juror indicated on a questionnaire that he lived in the Bronx area of New York. But more recently, he told a court staffer he had moved in with his girlfriend in New Jersey.On Friday, Judge Arun Subramanian said he had found “several inconsistencies” between the juror’s answers in court transcripts, which he said could suggest a desire to “be deceptive” in an effort to get on the jury. Lawyers for Combs had opposed the…

Lucy HookerBusiness reporter, BBC NewsGetty ImagesIsrael’s strikes on Iran, and Iran’s response, initially caused a shudder on global financial markets.The price of oil in particular surged, but after a weekend of missile and drone strikes between the two countries the cost of crude has fallen back. Nevertheless, oil prices are $10 higher than they were a month ago and there are renewed fears increased energy costs could make everything – from petrol and food to holidays – becoming more expensive. That is what happened after Russia invaded Ukraine three years ago, affecting people’s lives around the globe.How much have oil…

Victoria GillScience correspondent, BBC NewsGlobal WitnessThe Raja Ampat archipelago in Indonesia is sometimes referred to as the ‘Amazon of the Seas’Stark images, captured from a drone by environmental campaigners and shared with the BBC, appear to show how nickel mining has stripped forests and polluted waters in one of the most biodiverse marine habitats on Earth.The Raja Ampat archipelago – a group of small islands in Indonesia’s Southwest Papua Province – has been dubbed the “Amazon of the Seas”. But mining for nickel – an ingredient in electric vehicle batteries and in stainless steel – has ramped up there in…

Emma StanleyBBC News, LancashireHandoutMel Tottoh was diagnosed with myeloma after months of rib and back painA former footballer has told how he was in “complete shock” after being diagnosed with blood cancer – after first believing the pain was from a pulled muscle.Mel Tottoh was diagnosed with myeloma after months of rib and back pain.The father-of-three, from Freckleton in Lancashire, went to the GP after feeling a “searing pain” that made him feel like he had broken a rib when taking a swing on the golf course in 2021.”When I was diagnosed, I had holey bones in my ribs, thighs,…

Yasmin Rufo & Alex TaylorCulture reporterGetty ImagesSir David Beckham and wife Lady Beckham with son Brooklyn and his wife Nicola PeltzThe anointment of Sir David Beckham is a moment of establishment recognition three decades in the making. But as the former footballer was conferred his knighthood on Friday, reports of family drama threatened to overshadow the milestone.Known for his precision on and off the pitch, Sir David has spent decades carefully curating his family’s public image.This year is one of celebration for the former England captain – turning 50 at the helm of an estimated £500m empire.But for the past…

Fardowsa HanshiBBC News, MogadishuAnthony Irungu / BBCFathi Mohamed Abdi (L) and Saadia Ahmed Omar (R) have overseen more than 30 multimillion-dollar projectsConstruction is booming in Somalia’s capital city and as Mogadishu literally rises from the ashes of its violent past it is also giving unexpected opportunities to women like Fathi Mohamed Abdi and Saadia Ahmed Omar.The two young female engineers have been overseeing the construction of a 10-floor apartment complex in Taleh in the city’s Hodan District.Wearing hard hats they navigate their way through construction material, issuing instructions to a team of workers – all of whom are men.”When I…

Tom GerkenTechnology reporterGetty ImagesMeta has taken legal action against a company which runs ads on its platforms promoting so-called “nudify” apps, which typically using artificial intelligence (AI) to create fake nude images of people without their consent.It has sued the firm behind CrushAI apps to stop it posting ads altogether, following a cat-and-mouse battle to remove them over a series of months.”This legal action underscores both the seriousness with which we take this abuse and our commitment to doing all we can to protect our community from it,” Meta said in a blog post.Alexios Mantzarlis, who authors the Faked Up…