| |
| |
|
| | Hancock texts put spotlight on police and quarantine | |  | | | | | | | | | Another day, another set of revelations based on Matt Hancock's leaked messages. The former health secretary mocked people in quarantine and suggested getting "heavy with the police" to enforce lockdown more strictly, according to the Daily Telegraph's latest analysis of more than 100,000 WhatsApp messages sent between ministers and officials at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
BBC News has neither independently verified, nor seen in full context, the messages leaked by journalist Isabel Oakeshott - the ghost writer for Mr Hancock's Pandemic Diaries. But another text is said to show former Prime Minister Boris Johnson describing a £10,000 fine on two people who broke quarantine rules as "superb". Mr Hancock has described the messages as being used to produce "a partial, biased account to suit an anti-lockdown agenda". But behind it all is a fascinating tale of betrayal and journalistic ethics - read our culture and media editor Katie Razzall's take on a star journalist ending up at the centre of the story.
| | | | | |
|
|
| | Lawyer guilty of killing wife and son | | | | | | | | | A court case that has gripped America - and inspired two documentaries - has ended with the conviction of a lawyer for murdering his wife and son to distract from his multi-million dollar financial crimes. Alex Murdaugh, 54, shot wife Maggie, 52, and youngest son, Paul, 22, at close range near the kennels at their South Carolina estate, in June 2021. A jury convicted Mr Murdaugh at the end of a six-week trial, during which he acknowledged years of financial corruption and admitted to lying to police about his whereabouts at the time of the murder. The case against him had been based entirely on circumstantial evidence. Here's how it all unfolded. | | | | | |
|
|
| | Energy firms expect bill help to continue | | | | | | | | | Already eye-watering energy bills are due to rise from next month, with the end of government support aimed at limiting the "typical" household bill to £2,500. But could more help for consumers be in the offing? BBC News understand some energy firms are preparing to amend bills, in the expectation ministers will keep support at or near current levels. A Treasury source declined to "comment on speculation" but the government has previously said all help for bills is under review. Here's what we know. | | | | | |
|
|
| | | | | | | | | | | It is past midnight on a quiet residential street in San Francisco and I have just left a taxi with a nagging feeling I didn't close the door properly. Normally I wouldn't worry, but this isn't a normal ride. It is a Cruise robotaxi with no human driver to close the door.
I go back to check and sure enough, it was a weak push. A human voice pipes up on a speaker checking everything is OK. I apologise about the door, but I also press her. What if I hadn't come back? We would take care of it, she reassures me. | | | | | | | | | |
|
|
| | | | | | | Several papers lead on the public inquiry verdict that security service MI5 missed a significant chance to take action that might have prevented the 2017 Manchester Arena bomb attack. The Guardian records the "fury" of victims' families, while the Sun pictures the faces of "22 who should be alive". The Daily Mirror's headline offers a simple verdict: "Failed". The Daily Telegraph continues its coverage of leaked messages from former Health Secretary Matt Hancock, while other papers question Labour's move to offer a job to Sue Gray, the civil servant who probed the "Partygate" affair. See all the front pages. | | | | | |
|
|
| | | | | Baby death Pair charged with gross negligence manslaughter | | | | | | | HS2 Delays being considered to cut rising costs | | | | | | | Prisons "My Friday release led to disastrous error" | | | | | | | Partygate Probe chief offered key job by Labour's Starmer | | | | | | |
|
|
| | If you watch one thing today | | | | | | | | | | |
|
|
| | If you listen to one thing today | | | | | | | | | | |
|
|
| | If you read one thing today | | | | | | | | | | |
|
|
| | Need something different? | | | | | | | | | If you've felt spring in the air recently, you might have a hankering for an afternoon tea. And Sarah Merker would be just the person to ask where to get a good one. She's just completed a decade-long tour of National Trust sites, ranking the scones at each. Find out which she liked best.
It has taken an even longer to track down the dusky tetraka - declared one of the 10 "most-wanted" on last year's Search for Lost Birds list. Some feared it extinct but, after 24 years, ornithologist John Mittermeier has finally tracked one down in Madagascar. Take a look.
That's not quite as long as Ken Bruce has been presenting on Radio 2. He hosts his last mid-morning show today - read his exit interview. And is it years since you last scored 7/7 in our quiz of the week's news? Maybe this is your moment to shine. Test yourself. | | | | | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| | | Let us know what you think of this newsletter by emailing bbcnewsdaily@bbc.co.uk. If you’d like to recommend it to a friend, forward this email. New subscribers can sign up here. | | | | | |
