India has announced that it will stop it water from flowing over international borders.

“Now, India’s water will flow for India’s benefit, it will be conserved for India’s benefit, and it will be used for India’s progress”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday.

While he did not mention Pakistan specifically, Modi’s comments come about two weeks after India suspended a 65-year-old water sharing treaty with its neighbour.

Relations between India and Pakistan have declined sharply following a deadly militant attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir last month. India accuses Pakistan of backing cross-border terrorism – a charge Islamabad flatly denies.

Several rivers flow from India into Pakistan, providing vital water supplies to about 80% of farms there. Pakistani leaders previously warned that any attempt to stop the flow of water “will be considered as an act of war”.

The 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), which governs the water sharing of six rivers in the Indus basin between India and Pakistan, survived two wars between the nuclear rivals and was seen as an example of trans-boundary water management.

Modi’s suspension of the treaty was one of several steps he took against Pakistan after the attack, which killed 26 civilians.

The PM did not elaborate on how India plans to use the excess water, and experts say the country needs to build more dams, reservoirs and lakes to store it, which will take time to build.

The escalation prompted the US to repeat its calls for calm.

“We continue to urge Pakistan and India to work towards a responsible resolution that maintains long-term peace and regional stability in South Asia,” State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters on Tuesday afternoon.

Donald Trump said the US would stop attacking the Houthis in Yemen because the group had “capitulated”, as Oman confirmed a “ceasefire” had been reached with the Iran-backed group for it to stop targeting shipping in the Red Sea.

“[The Houthis] just don’t want to fight, and we will honour that and we will stop the bombings, and they have capitulated,” he said, speaking alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the White House.

Shortly afterwards the Omani foreign minister posted that the deal meant neither side would target the other, “ensuring freedom of navigation and the smooth flow of international commercial shipping”.

The Houthis have yet to comment.

The US stepped up air strikes on the Houthis in March and the US military says it has struck 1,000 targets in Yemen since then.

Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump said the Houthis would “not be blowing up ships anymore”.

“The Houthis have announced that they are not, or they announced to us at least, that they don’t want to fight anymore… but, more importantly, we will take their word.

“They say they will not be blowing up ships anymore and that’s what the purpose of what we were doing… so that’s just news we just found out about that.”

Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi said his country had mediated efforts to achieve de-escalation.

“In the future, neither side will target the other, including American vessels, in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait, ensuring freedom of navigation and the smooth flow of international commercial shipping” he said.

The Houthis began attacking shipping passing through the Red Sea in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza, who have been under bombardment by the Israeli military since the Palestinian armed group Hamas attacked Israeli communities in October 2023.

They have launched dozens of missile and drone attacks on commercial ships, sinking two vessels, seizing a third and killing four crew members. The attacks forced even major shipping companies to stop using the Red Sea – through which almost 15% of global seaborne trade usually passes – and to take a much longer route around southern Africa instead.

US-led naval forces thwarted many Houthi attacks on shipping and former US president Joe Biden began US air strikes against the Houthis, which have intensified under Trump.

Last month, the Houthis said at least 68 African migrants were killed in a US air strike on a detention centre in north-western Yemen.

The Houthis have continued firing missiles towards Israel, with one missile landing near Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv on Sunday.

On Tuesday Israel responded with a large-scale attack on Yemen’s main international airport in the capital Sanaa, which left it “completely destroyed” according to an airport official quoted by AFP.

Other Israeli strikes hit power facilities and a cement factory. On Monday Israel bombed port facilities in Hudaydah and another cement factory in the city.

The Indian government has threatened to take legal action against Sotheby’s in Hong Kong unless they stop an upcoming auction of jewels linked to the Buddha’s remains and requested their return to India.

The auction, which is set to take place on Wednesday, includes gems which were found buried with Buddha’s bone fragments more than a hundred years ago.

India’s ministry of culture has said the sale “violates Indian and international laws as well as UN conventions”, and asked for the jewels should be treated as sacred. The sale has also been condemned by several Buddhists and art scholars globally.

Sotheby’s has told the BBC the auction will proceed as planned.

The Indian ministry posted a letter it sent to Sotheby’s and Chris Peppé, the great-grandson of William Claxton Peppé, who excavated the relics in 1898, on Instagram.

The post stated that Sotheby’s has responded to the legal notice and assured that the matter is receiving its “full attention”.

The post said that Peppé “lacks authority” to sell the relics and accused the auction house of participating in “continued colonial exploitation” by facilitating the sale.

• Jewels linked to Buddha remains go to auction, sparking ethical debate

William Claxton Peppé was an English estate manager who excavated a stupa at Piprahwa, just south of Lumbini, the believed birthplace of Buddha. He uncovered relics inscribed and consecrated nearly 2,000 years ago.

The findings included nearly 1,800 gems, including rubies, topaz, sapphires and patterned gold sheets, stored inside a brick chamber. This site is now in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

William Peppé handed the gems, relics and reliquaries to the colonial Indian government, from where the bone relics went to the Buddhist King of Siam (Rama V). Five relic urns, a stone chest and most other relics were sent to the Indian Museum in Kolkata – then the Imperial Museum of Calcutta.

Only a small “portion of duplicates”, which he was allowed to keep, remained in the Peppé family, Chris Peppé said. (Sotheby’s notes say Peppé was allowed to keep approximately one-fifth of the discovery.)

The Indian ministry has said that labelling the jewels as “duplicates” is misleading and that these relics make up the “inalienable religious and cultural heritage” of India.

The jewels “cannot be treated as specimens” but as the “sacred body and originally interred offerings to the sacred body” of the Buddha, the post said.

The ministry has also questioned the custodianship of the jewels.

It said that the sellers who call themselves the custodians of the gems do not have the right to “alienate or misappropriate the asset”, which it calls an “extraordinary heritage of humanity”.

The statement also mentioned a decade-old report which said that the relics were left forgotten in a shoebox, suggesting that custodianship also included “safe upkeep”.

The Indian ministry has demanded a public apology from Sotheby’s and Peppé. It has also asked them to fully disclose all records that trace the ownership of the relics that are still in their possession or transferred by them.

The ministry has said that the failure to comply with their demands would lead to legal proceedings in India and Hong Kong for “violation of cultural heritage law”.

It also threatened to launch a “public campaign” highlighting Sotheby’s role in perpetuating “colonial injustice”.

Earlier, Chris Peppé had told the BBC that the the family looked into donating the relics, but all options presented problems and an auction seemed the “fairest and most transparent way to transfer these relics to Buddhists”.

Chris Peppé has written that the jewels passed from his great-uncle to his cousin, and in 2013 came to him and two other cousins.

Over the past six years years, the gems have featured in major exhibitions, including one at The Met in 2023. The Peppé family has also launched a website to “share our research”.

But the Indian ministry in its statement said custodianship of the jewels has been “monetised via publicity and exhibition”.

The UK and India have agreed a trade deal that will make it easier for UK firms to export whisky, cars and other products to India, and cut taxes on India’s clothing and footwear exports.

The British government said the “landmark” agreement, which took three years to reach, did not include any change in immigration policy, including towards Indian students studying in the UK.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the deal would boost the economy and “deliver for British people and business”.

Last year, trade between the UK and India totalled £42.6bn and was already forecast to grow, but the government said the deal would boost that trade by an additional £25.5bn a year by 2040.

India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, described the agreement as an historic milestone that was “ambitious and mutually beneficial”.

The pact would help “catalyse trade, investment, growth, job creation, and innovation in both our economies”, he said in a post on social media platform X.

Once it comes into force, which could take up to a year, UK consumers are likely to benefit from the reduction in tariffs on goods coming into the country from India, the Department for Business and Trade said.

That includes lower tariffs on:

• clothing and footwear
• cars
• foodstuffs including frozen prawns
• jewellery and gems

The government also emphasised the benefit to economic growth and job creation from UK firms expanding exports to India.

UK exports that will see levies fall include:

• gin and whisky
• aerospace, electricals and medical devices
• cosmetics
• lamb, salmon, chocolates and biscuits
• higher value cars

The British government said the deal was the “biggest and most economically significant” bilateral trade agreement the UK had signed since leaving the European Union in 2020.

UK Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the benefits for UK businesses and consumers were “massive”.

Tariffs on gin and whisky, a key sticking point in negotiations previously, will be halved to 75%, with further reductions taking effect in later years.

Tariffs of 100% on more expensive UK-made cars exported to India will fall to 10%, subject to a quota limiting the total number.

The deal also includes provisions on the services sector and procurement allowing British firms to compete for more contracts.

Under the terms of the deal, some Indian and British workers will also gain from a three-year exemption from social security payments, which the Indian government called “an unprecedented achievement”.

The exemption applies to the staff of Indian companies temporarily transferred to the UK, and to UK firms’ workers transferred to India. Social security contributions will be paid by employers and employees in their home country only, rather than in both places.

The UK already has similar reciprocal “double contribution convention” agreements with 17 other countries including the EU, the US and South Korea, the government said.

However, leader of the opposition Kemi Badenoch described the agreement as “two-tier taxes from two-tier Keir”, with Labour’s increase in employer NI contributions from the Budget coming into force last month.

Shadow trade secretary Andrew Griffith said: “Every time Labour negotiates, Britain loses”.

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said it was “very worrying to hear concerns that Indian workers coming over here, companies may not have to pay taxes on those workers” and called for MPs to be allowed to vote on the deal.

The government said the National Insurance exemption would not affect NHS funding, since Indians working in the UK would still be required to pay the immigration health surcharge.

India, currently the fifth largest economy in the world, is forecast to become the third-largest within in a few years, making it a desirable trading partner for the UK, currently the world’s sixth largest economy.

The UK is also a high priority trading partner for Prime Minister Modi’s government, which has an ambitious target to increase exports by $1 trillion by 2030.

The deal is a win for free trade at a time when US President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff campaign has put the idea on the defensive and raised fears of tit-for-tat trade wars.

It appears to have increased the impetus to strike this trade deal.

Rain Newton-Smith, chief executive of business lobby group, the CBI, welcomed the deal saying it provided a “beacon of hope amidst the spectre of protectionism” following Trump’s wave of tariffs.

UK businesses saw “myriad” opportunities in the Indian market, she added.

Allie Renison, from communications firm SEC Newgate, and a former government trade adviser, said the deal was potentially “transformational” due to India’s size, growth rate and relatively high existing barriers to accessing its market.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told Israelis that “we are on the eve of an intense entry into Gaza.” Israel would, he said, capture territory and hold it: “They will not enter and come out.”

The new offensive is calculated, according to the spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Brigadier-General Effie Defrin, to bring back the remaining hostages. After that, he told Israeli radio, “comes the collapse of the Hamas regime, its defeat, its submission”.

The offensive will not start, Israel says, until after Donald Trump’s trip to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar next week. Assuming Trump does not dissuade Israel from going ahead, Israel will need a military and political miracle to pull off the results described by Brig-Gen Defrin.

It is more likely that the offensive will sharpen everything that makes the Gaza war so controversial. The war, starting with the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023, has taken the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis to a point as dangerous as any in its long history. Prolonging the war divides Israelis, kills even more Palestinian civilians and horrifies millions around the world, including many who describe themselves as friends of Israel.

While the IDF attacks Hamas in Gaza, the government’s plan is that its soldiers will force some or all of the more than two million Palestinian civilians in Gaza into a small area in the ruins of the south. Humanitarian aid would be distributed, perhaps by contractors including American private security firms. The United Nations humanitarian agencies have said they will not cooperate, condemning the plan as a violation of the principles of humanitarian aid.

They have also warned of starvation in Gaza caused by Israel’s decision more than two months ago to block all humanitarian deliveries. Israel’s blockade, which continues, has been widely condemned, not just by the UN and Arab countries.

Now, Britain and the European Union both say they are against a new Israeli offensive. A fortnight ago, the foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, France and Germany, all allies of Israel who regard Hamas as a terrorist group, warned that the “intolerable” blockade put Palestinian civilians, including one million children, at “an acute risk of starvation, epidemic disease and death”.

The ministers also warned, implicitly, that their ally was violating international law.

“Humanitarian aid must never be used as a political tool and Palestinian territory must not be reduced nor subjected to any demographic change”, they insisted. “Israel is bound under international law to allow the unhindered passage of humanitarian aid.”

Israel denies it violates international humanitarian law and the laws of war in Gaza. But at the same time its own ministers’ words suggest otherwise. One of many examples: the defence minister Israel Katz has described the blockade as a “main pressure lever” against Hamas. That sounds like an admission that the blockade is a weapon, even though it starves civilians, which amounts to a war crime.

Countries and organisations that believe Israel systematically violates its legal obligations, committing a series of war crimes, will scour any new offensive for more evidence. Extreme language used by ministers will have been noted by the South African lawyers arguing the case at the International Court of Justice alleging Israeli genocide in Gaza.

Much of it has come from ultra-nationalists who prop up the Netanyahu government. They see the new offensive as another step towards expelling Palestinians from Gaza and replacing them with Jewish settlers.

One of the most vocal extremists, Bezalel Smotrich, the finance minister said that in six months Gaza would be “totally destroyed”. Palestinians in the territory would be “despairing, understanding that there is no hope and nothing to look for in Gaza, and will be looking for relocation to begin a new life in other places”.

“Relocation”, the word used by Smotrich, will be seen both by his supporters and political enemies as another reference to “transfer”, an idea discussed since the earliest days of Zionism to force Arabs out of the land between the River Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea.

Netanyahu’s Israeli critics say prolonging the war with a new offensive instead of ending it with a ceasefire is about his own political survival, not Israel’s safety or the return of its hostages. In the days after the 7 October attacks there were lines of cars hurriedly parked outside military bases as Israelis rushed to volunteer for reserve duty to fight Hamas.

Now thousands of them (some estimates from the Israeli left are higher) are refusing to do any more reserve duty. They argue the prime minister is continuing the war because if he doesn’t his hard right will bring down the government and bring on the day of reckoning for mistakes and miscalculations Netanyahu made that gave Hamas an opportunity to attack.

Inside Israel, the sharpest criticism of the planned offensive has come from the families of the hostages who fear they have been abandoned by the government that claims to be rescuing them. Hamas still has 24 living hostages in the Gaza Strip, according to Israel, and is holding the bodies of another 35 of the 251 taken on 7 October. The Netanyahu government has claimed repeatedly that only as much military pressure as possible will get the survivors home and return the bodies of the dead to their families.

In reality, the biggest releases of hostages have come during ceasefires. The last ceasefire deal, which Trump insisted Israel sign in the final days of the Biden administration, included a planned second phase which was supposed to lead to the release of all the hostages and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Netanyahu’s extremist allies told him they would bring down his government if he agreed to a second phase of the ceasefire. First, Israel blocked humanitarian aid to put pressure, it said, on Hamas to agree to a renegotiated deal that would give Israel the option of going back to war even after the hostages were released. When Hamas refused, Israel went on the offensive again with a massive air attack on the night of 18 March.

Since then, Israel has put unrelenting pressure on Palestinians in Gaza. A new offensive will kill many more Palestinian civilians, deepen the misery of the survivors and bereaved inside Gaza and widen the toxic rifts within Israel. On its own, without a ceasefire deal, it is unlikely on past form to force Hamas to free the remaining hostages.

The carnage inflicted by Israel inside Gaza has been a recruiting sergeant for Hamas and other armed groups, according to President Joe Biden’s administration just before it left office in January of this year. It is worth repeating the words used by Biden’s secretary of state, Antony Blinken, in a speech in Washington on 14 January.

“We assess that Hamas has recruited almost as many new militants as it has lost,” Blinken said. “That is a recipe for an enduring insurgency and perpetual war.”

When he spoke, Israel was claiming that it had killed around 18,000 Palestinian fighters inside Gaza. More have been killed since then, and many more civilians.

Israel’s massive onslaught broke the back of Hamas as a structured military organisation more than a year ago. Now Israel faces an insurgency, which history shows can go for as long as recruits are prepared to fight and die to beat their enemy.

Conservative leader Friedrich Merz has won a parliament vote to become Germany’s next chancellor at the second attempt.

Merz had initially fallen six votes short of the absolute majority he needed on Tuesday morning – a significant blow to his prestige and an unprecedented failure in post-war German history.

As it was a secret ballot in the 630-seat Bundestag, there was no indication who had refused to back him – whether MPs from his centre-left coalition partner or his own conservatives.

After hours of uncertainty in the Bundestag, the parties and the president of the Bundestag agreed to hold a second vote, which Merz then won with 325 votes, a majority of nine.

His coalition with the Social Democrats should have had enough seats in parliament from the start, with 328 MPs in total, but it is thought 18 of them dissented during the first vote.

No chancellor candidate has lost a Bundestag vote in the 76 years since democracy was restored in Germany in 1949, and there was a prevailing mood of confusion in parliament in the hours after the vote.

Under Germany’s constitution, there is no limit to how many votes can be held but in practice another defeat for Merz would have meant a headache for his Christian Democrats, its sister party the Christian Social Union and their partner the Social Democrats.

The result meant a total debacle had been averted, declared one German news website.

Merz, 69, was then sworn in as chancellor by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and his team of 17 ministers were due to take office.

Bundestag President Julia Klöckner had originally been planning a follow-up vote on Wednesday, but Christian Democrat General Secretary Carsten Linnemann said it was important to press ahead.

“Europe needs a strong Germany, that’s why we can’t wait for days,” he told German TV.

Parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn appealed to his colleagues’ sense of responsibility: “All of Europe, perhaps the whole world, is watching this ballot.”

Merz’s defeat had been seen by political commentators as a humiliation, possibly inflicted by a handful of disaffected members of the Social Democrat SPD, which signed a coalition deal with his conservatives on Monday.

The Bundestag president told MPs that nine of the 630 MPs had been absent for the first vote while three had abstained and another ballot paper had been declared invalid.

Germany’s new Europe Minister, Gunther Krichbaum, told the BBC that some MPs may have hoped for a ministerial or state secretary role and had their hopes dashed. He also pointed out that some young Social Democrats had publicly said they were not convinced by Merz.

However, SPD officials were adamant their party was fully committed to the coalition deal.

“It was a secret vote so nobody knows,” senior Social Democrat MP Ralf Stegner told the BBC, “but I can tell you I don’t have the slightest impression that our parliamentary group wouldn’t have known our responsibility.”

Krichbaum, a conservative, said the clear message was that “now we are today in the situation to create a stable government” to tackle Germany’s big issues, including migration and the economy.

Far-right party Alternative for Germany, which came second in the February election with 20.8% of the vote, seized on Merz’s initial failure and called for fresh elections.

Joint leader Alice Weidel wrote on X that the vote showed “the weak foundation on which the small coalition has been built between the [conservatives] and SPD, which was rejected by voters”.

Merz’s choice for foreign minister, Christian Democrat colleague Johann Wadephul, told the BBC the initial vote was “an obstacle but not a catastrophe”.

Germany’s handover of government is carefully choreographed. On the eve of Tuesday’s vote, outgoing chancellor Olaf Scholz was treated to a traditional Grand Tattoo by an armed forces orchestra.

Merz had then been expected to sail through the initial vote on Tuesday morning, fulfilling a long-held ambition to become German chancellor.

His rival and former chancellor Angela Merkel had come to the Bundestag to watch the vote take place. She was not present for the second vote.

Among the first international leaders to congratulate Germany’s conservative leader was Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, who hoped that Germany would “grow even stronger and that we’ll see more German leadership in European and transatlantic affairs”.

Political correspondents in the Bundestag said Merz’s initial shock result indicated he had a potential problem lurking within his coalition ranks.

AfD MP Bernd Baumann said the CDU had promised a string of policies similar to his own party’s, such as limiting migration, and had then gone into an alliance with the centre left: “That doesn’t work. That’s not how democracy works.”

“This isn’t good,” warned Green politician Katrin Göring-Eckardt. “Even though I don’t want this chancellor or support him, I can only warn everyone not to rejoice in chaos.”

Barely 24 hours earlier, the messaging from Merz had been very different, of a new, stable government bringing six months of political paralysis to an end.

“It’s our historical duty to make this government a success,” he had said as he signed the coalition document on Monday.

Despite having a narrow majority of 12 seats, the agreement between the conservatives and centre left was seen as far more secure than the so-called traffic-light coalition of three parties that fell apart last November in a row over debt spending.

The SPD, which had been the biggest party in the old coalition slumped to its worst post-war election result in third place, but Merz had promised that Germany was back and that he would boost its voice on the world stage and revive a flagging economy.

After two years of recession, Europe’s largest economy grew in the first three months of 2025. However economists have warned of potential risks to German exports because of US-imposed tariffs.

Germany’s services sector contracted last month because of weaker demand and lower consumer spending.

The Israeli military has said it “fully disabled” Yemen’s main airport in the capital Sanaa, which is controlled by the Houthis.

Tuesday’s strikes targeted three civilian planes, the departures hall, the runway and a military air base, airport sources told Reuters. An official told AFP that the airport had been “completely destroyed”.

The Houthis said at least three people had been killed and vowed to respond.

It comes two days after the Iran-backed Houthis fired a missile that landed near Israel’s main airport, forcing it to close briefly.

Israel began responding on Monday by striking the Yemeni port city of Hudaydah, then targeted Sanaa airport the next day.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that anyone targeting Israel would be held “accountable”.

In a video statement, Netanyahu said whoever attacks Israel “bears responsibility for his own blood”.

“Our choice of when to respond, how to respond and on which targets to respond is a consideration that we make every time,” he added.

Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a member of the Houthis’ top political body, meanwhile told Houthi-linked TV that Israel’s attacks were “failed terrorism”.

“Support for Gaza continues, the response is coming, and Netanyahu must prepare his resignation,” he said.

The airport official said the three destroyed planes belonged to Yemenia Airlines.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had attacked runways, aircraft and “infrastructure” at Sanaa airport. It alleged the Houthis were using the airport to “transfer weapons and operatives”.

Israel’s military said it also struck power stations in Sanaa, which it described as “significant electricity supply infrastructure” for the Houthis – as well as the al-Imran cement factory in the north of the city.

Meanwhile on Tuesday President Donald Trump said the US would stop attacking the Houthis after the group “capitulated”.

“[The Houthis] just don’t want to fight, and we will honour that and we will stop the bombings, and they have capitulated,” he said, speaking alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the White House.

Shortly afterwards the Omani foreign minister posted that the US and the Houthis had agreed a ceasefire deal under which neither side would attack the other “ensuring freedom of navigation and the smooth flow of international commercial shipping”.

The Israeli strikes on Tuesday followed its attack a day earlier on Hudaydah. The port is the second-largest in the Red Sea after Aden, and is the entry point for about 80% of Yemen’s food imports.

At least four people were killed and 35 others were wounded during Monday’s attack, the Houthis said.

The group blamed the US and Israel jointly for the attack, but a US defence official told the AFP news agency that their forces did not participate.

The Houthi missile fired towards Ben Gurion airport, near Tel Aviv, on Sunday landed next to an access road near the main terminal. Six people were injured, Israeli emergency services said.

Following the strike, the Houthis said they would impose “a comprehensive aerial blockade” on Israel by targeting airports in response to Israel’s plans to expand its military operations in Gaza.

Israel has launched several previous rounds of strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, including targeting a power plant and ports in January. It previously attacked Sanaa airport in December.

Sudan has cut diplomatic ties with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), after repeatedly accusing the Gulf nation of backing the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the country’s civil war.

The announcement comes after the RSF were blamed for three days of attacks on the usually safe city of Port Sudan.

On Tuesday, Sudan’s Defence Minister Yassin Ibrahim accused the UAE of violating his country’s sovereignty through its “proxy”, the RSF. The UAE has repeatedly denied allegations that it is giving financial, military and political support to the paramilitary force.

Two years of conflict has killed thousands of people, forced millions from their homes and created the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

As a result of the defence minister’s announcement, the Sudanese ambassador will be withdrawn from the UAE and Sudan will shut its diplomatic missions in the Gulf nation.

• A simple guide to what is happening in Sudan
• From prized artworks to bullet shells: how war devastated Sudan’s museums

Over the past three days, drone strikes have hit an international airport, a major power station and a hotel in Port Sudan. The army has accused the RSF of being behind the assault, but the paramilitary group is yet to comment on the matter.

Until now, Port Sudan had avoided bombardment and was regarded as one of the safest places in the war-ravaged nation.

During the civil war Sudan’s army has accused the UAE of arming the RSF.

Both the UK and the US have singled out the UAE in separate appeals for outside countries to stop backing Sudan’s warring parties.

However, on Monday, the UN’s top court dismissed Sudan’s case against the UAE, in which it accused the Gulf state of complicity in genocide.

The International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled that the case could not proceed because the UAE had opted out Article 9 of the Genocide Convention, which means that it cannot be sued by other states over genocide allegations.

Reem Ketait, the UAE’s deputy assistant minister for political affairs, said the court’s decision was “clear and decisive”.

“The international community must focus urgently on ending this devastating war and supporting the Sudanese people, and it must demand humanitarian aid reaches all those in need,” she said.

Both the army and RSF have been accused of war crimes.

• Inside Khartoum, a city left in ruins after two years of war
• ‘Child in arms, luggage on my head, I fled Sudan camp for safety’
• Sudan’s years of war – BBC smuggles in phones to reveal hunger and fear

The US Supreme Court allowed President Donald Trump to enforce his ban on transgender troops serving in the military while challenges to the policy make their way through the courts.

A judge in Washington issued an injunction on the ban after several servicemembers sued.

In its emergency application to the court, the Trump administration argued that the lower court should show deference to the military’s decision-making.

The court’s three liberal justices objected to the stay, which arrived via an unsigned order on Tuesday.

Shortly after taking office, Trump issued a pair of executive orders that cleared the way for the Pentagon to ban transgender troops from service.

The second order declared that identifying as transgender “conflicts with a soldier’s commitment to an honourable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle” and would hamper military preparedness.

In February, the Department of Defense announced it would force out transgender troops currently serving.

Seven servicemembers, including Commander Emily Schilling, a Navy fighter pilot, sued to block the ban. Another transgender person who wanted to join the military joined their lawsuit.

They argued the policies “undermine military readiness, endanger our safety, and violate the United States Constitution.”

In March, a federal judge in Washington state ordered a nationwide halt on the administration’s ban, saying the government failed to show it would enhance “unit cohesion, good order or discipline.”

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals did not block the lower court’s ruling, keeping the injunction in place.

With the Supreme Court order, that pause will lift while the servicemembers’ lawsuit makes its way through lower courts.

An 81-year-old hunter in France has been fined and handed a four-month suspended jail sentence for killing an endangered bear in the Pyrenees mountains.

The man said he had “no other option” but to open fire on the brown bear when it attacked him during a boar-hunt in 2021.

Fifteen other hunters were also fined and must collectively pay more than €60,000 (£51,000) in damages to environmental associations that had filed a civil suit against them.

The 150kg female bear, nicknamed Caramelles, has since been preserved by a taxidermist and is on display at the Toulouse Natural History Museum.

The Foix Criminal Court heard that the group were boar-hunting in the Pyrenees, the mountain range that separates southern France and Spain, when two bear cubs emerged.

Shortly afterwards their mother appeared, charging at the man and dragging him several metres, before he shot and killed the animal.

“She grabbed my left thigh, I panicked and fired a shot. She backed away growling, she went around me and bit my right calf, I fell, she was eating my leg,” he told the court.

“I reloaded my rifle and fired.”

The shooting happened in the Mont Valier nature reserve near the village of Seix, Ariège. Prosecutors said they should not have been there in the first place, because it was 1,300ft (396m) outside an authorised hunting area.

But the defence lawyer for 14 of the hunters, Fanny Campagne, criticised “the lack of signs indicating that hunting was prohibited”.

The shooter was fined €750, his rifle has been confiscated and his hunting licence revoked.

In a statement, bear-preservation association Pays de l’ours said the verdict “seems justified”.

“All the hunters were found guilty, which is the most important thing for us,” the association’s president, Sabine Matraire, was quoted as saying in Le Monde.

“We hope that this ruling will be followed by a raising of awareness among the hunting community,” she added.

Brown bear populations saw a sharp decline in the Pyrenees, with only about 70 left in 1954, according to the region’s tourism board.

But numbers have slowly climbed up since 1990s when three bears were brought over from Slovenia as part of a reintroduction programme.

In 2024, the French Office for Biodiversity estimated that the mountain range is now home to about 96 bears.

Sometimes in war it is the smallest sound that can make the loudest statement.

In Gaza’s Nasser hospital, a five-month-old girl struggles to cry.

Siwar Ashour is hoarse. Her voice has been robbed of the energy to fully communicate her distress. She cannot absorb regular formula milk and doctors say the Israeli blockade now in its third month means supplies of the food she needs are scarce.

Siwar sounds as if the weight of the war is pressing down on her lungs.

Her mother Najwa, 23, is changing Siwar’s nappy. She weighs just over 2kg (4lb 6oz). A baby girl of five months should be around or over 6kg.

“There was no food when I gave birth to her,” says Najwa.

“If I wanted to feed myself so I could breastfeed her, I had no nutrients to make my health better… She now only drinks formula milk, and we don’t know how we’ll be able to provide it for her.”

Israel has banned international journalists from entering Gaza to report independently.

A local BBC colleague filmed the unmistakable signs of advanced malnutrition on Siwar’s body. The head that seems far too big for her frame. The stick-like arms and legs. The ribs pressing against her skin when she tries to cry. The large brown eyes that follow her mother’s every small movement.

Najwa worries about what will happen when she must leave the hospital.

“The hospital provided with great difficulty some milk for her, they searched all of the hospitals but they could only find it in one. They told me that they will give me one bottle when we leave, but it is barely enough for four days. Her father is blind and he can’t provide a bottle of milk for her, and even if we found it, it would be expensive, and he doesn’t work.”

According to Siwar’s doctor, Ziad al-Majaida, it was her second stay in the hospital. She was back because of the shortage of milk formula.

“Nothing enters through the borders, no milk, food or anything. This leads to big problems here for the kids. This baby needs a specific type of milk. It was available before, but because of the border closure, the stocks have run out for a while now.”

The hospital is trying to find more supplies but Siwar is weak and suffering from constant diarrhoea.

“If she stays like this, her life will be in danger, but if her milk or treatment were provided, then her state would improve,” says Dr Majaida.

Since the beginning of the year, according to the UN, about 10,000 cases of acute malnutrition among children have been identified. Food prices have rocketed by as much as 1,400%.

Charity kitchens, which have helped hundreds of thousands of Gazans, are shutting as food supplies run out. Twenty-five bakeries supported by the World Food Programme have been forced to close.

In the southern city of Khan Younis, where Nasser hospital is located, our journalist visited a kitchen run by Shabab Gaza (Gaza Youth), which delivers food directly to families. Enough for a meal a day per family.

The head of the charity, Mohammad Abu Rjileh, 29, said three of their four kitchens had closed due to lack of supplies. Looting by criminal gangs, and by desperate civilians has deepened the supply crisis.

“Many of the organisations that support us had their warehouses looted. Instead of having enough ingredients to cook 10,000 meals daily – ingredients that were expected to last us an additional week or 10 days – we now have enough for only one or two days. If no immediate solution is implemented and the borders are not opened as soon as possible, we will be forced to stop cooking.”

Israel cut off all humanitarian aid and other supplies from entering Gaza on 2 March, and resumed its military offensive two weeks later, saying it was putting pressure on Hamas to release the 59 hostages the group is still holding in Gaza, up to 24 of whom are still thought to be alive.

The United Nations has said the Israeli blockade constitutes “a cruel collective punishment” on civilians.

The UN’s humanitarian director, former British diplomat Tom Fletcher, said that international law was unequivocal.

“As the occupying power, Israel must allow humanitarian support in… Aid, and the civilian lives it saves, should never be a bargaining chip,” he warned.

I put this point to Boaz Bismuth, a leading member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party. He denies there is an aid crisis caused by the blockade.

“There is food in Gaza… Israel wouldn’t do such a restriction if the population didn’t have food. I mean, I know my country perfectly well,” he said.

I put it to Bismuth that he was denying the evidence of people’s eyes, that children were starving.

“There are not starving children. I repeat again.” He said that there had been allegations months ago of famine, ethnic cleansing and genocide in Gaza “which was crap”.

“Nothing has really changed because we’re Israel, and we obey not only international law, but also humanitarian law.”

“What we want is our hostages back and Hamas out of Gaza. The war can be over in exactly 30 seconds.”

Israel has long accused Hamas of hijacking aid, which Hamas denies.

The president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, based in the occupied West Bank, recently claimed most of the looting was being done by gangs associated with Hamas.

He also called the movement “sons of dogs” and demanded the release of Israeli hostages. Hamas responded by saying Abbas “repeatedly and suspiciously lays the blame for the crimes of the occupation [Israel] and its ongoing aggression on our people”.

Without being able to enter Gaza and report independently, it is difficult to investigate the unfolding events.

Violent criminal gangs have been heavily implicated in stealing aid. Hamas is threatening violence against groups and individuals it accuses of theft.

Two people were shot outside an Unrwa warehouse but it is not clear who killed them. A local activist who was present blamed Hamas. 

“Hamas is hoarding food, depriving the hungry population of food, and selling food at very high prices. The population protested and demanded that the food be distributed or they would take it by force. Hamas fired live ammunition at the hungry,” said Moumen al-Natour, a lawyer and protest leader.

All of this is happening in the context of a growing hunger and the breakdown in order that has accompanied the war and blockade.

The Israeli cabinet has approved an escalation of the military offensive in Gaza. It says it aims to destroy Hamas – a goal that has proved elusive for the last 19 months of war.

There are also reports that Israel plans to use private security companies to oversee the distribution of aid in Gaza, although no date for this has been made public.

The United Nations and major aid agencies have described this as a politicisation of aid with which they will refuse to co-operate.

It has long been the great prize for Britain’s post-EU trade freedom – a deal with what is now the world’s most populous country.

India has agreed its most generous free trade agreement with the UK, which is at the same time Britain’s biggest post-Brexit trade deal.

It means a big boost for key UK exports such as whisky and cars which will see very high tariffs or taxes on imports slashed.

This is not a normal deal taking two way trade down to zero tariffs. India is a highly protectionist economy. So, while 99% of tariffs on India’s exports to the UK will be eradicated, 85% of British exports will not be tariffed going to India.

But because British exports are so much higher value than Indian exports of clothing, footwear, and food, this should be worth £15bn extra for British exports and £10bn for India by 2040. This could change, though. For example, 88,000 cheaper Indian cars will now be able to be imported tariff free.

The UK government sees this as a win-win which helps exporters, creates jobs, and means lower prices for consumers. This is all part of, in Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds words, making the UK the “most connected market in the world” – with a Brexit reset, a deal with the US, “pragmatism” on China, and new deals with India, and soon the Gulf.

But there is also a much bigger picture here. This is the worlds fifth and sixth biggest economies doing a much closer deal to increase trade at a time when the top two – the US and China – are involved in a brutal trade war, and the Trump administration is tariffing everywhere.

This may be one of the reasons why this elusive deal, coveted by many previous governments, has finally got over the line. It also turns the page on decades of missed economic opportunities, given the strong historic connections between the two nations.

Sir David Attenborough is launching what he says is one of the most important films of his career as he enters his hundredth year.

He believes his new, cinema-length film Ocean could play a decisive role in saving biodiversity and protecting the planet from climate change.

Sir David, who will be 99 on Thursday, says: “After almost 100 years on the planet, I now understand the most important place on Earth is not on land, but at sea.”

The ocean is the planet’s support system and humanity’s greatest ally against climate catastrophe, the film argues. It shows how the world’s oceans are at a crossroads.

The blue carpet was rolled out for the premiere the Royal Festival Hall in London.

In attendance was the King, told Sir David he “can’t believe” his 99th birthday was on Thursday.

The pair posed for photos before they entered the auditorium for the screening.

A host of celebrities also attended, including singer Geri Halliwell-Horner, astronaut Chris Peake, singer James Blunt and model Cara Delevingne.

Earlier, Prince William attended a matinee in a “private capacity”, along with hundreds of children from schools across the country.

Toby Nowlan, who produced Ocean, says this new production is not a typical Attenborough film. “This is not about seeing brand new natural history behaviours. It is the greatest message he’s ever told,” he says.

The film documents how the state of the world’s oceans and our understanding of how they function have changed in the course of Sir David’s lifetime.

Sir David remembers his first scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef way back in 1957: “I was so taken aback by the spectacle before me I forgot – momentarily – to breathe.”

Since then, there has been a catastrophic decline in life in the world’s oceans. “We are almost out of time,” he warns.

Ocean contains some of the most graphic footage of the damage that bottom trawling – a common fishing practice around the world – can do to the seabed. It is a vivid example of how industrial fishing can drain the life from the world’s oceans, Sir David claims.

The new footage shows how the chain that the trawlers drag behind them scours the seafloor, forcing the creatures it disturbs into the net behind. They are often seeking a single species: more than three-quarters of what they catch may be discarded.

“It’s hard to imagine a more wasteful way to catch fish,” comments Sir David.

The process also releases vast amounts of carbon dioxide which contributes to the warming of our planet, yet bottom trawling is not just legal but is actively encouraged by many governments.

Sir David says the state of the ocean has almost made him lose hope for the future of life on the planet. What has kept him from despair is what he calls the “most remarkable discovery of all” – that the ocean can “recover faster than we had ever imagined”.

Sir David says the story of the world’s whales has been a source of huge optimism for him.

It is estimated that 2.9 million whales were killed by the whaling industry in the 20th Century alone. Scientists have said it is the largest cull of any animal in history when measured in terms of total biomass. It pushed almost all whale species to the edge of extinction.

Just one per cent of Blue Whales were left, recalls Sir David: “I remember thinking that was it. There was no coming back, we had lost the great whales.”

But in 1986 lawmakers bowed to public pressure and banned commercial whaling worldwide. The whale population has rapidly recovered since then.

One of the film’s directors, Keith Scholey, has worked with Sir David for 44 years. “When I first met David, I was in shorts,” he jokes. That was in 1981, two years after Sir David had resigned as the BBC’s director of programmes – one of the most senior jobs at the Corporation. “He’d done one career, and he was off on his next.”

Despite now nearing his 99th birthday Sir David is still remarkably energetic, says Scholey. “Every time you work with David, you learn something new,” he says. “It’s really good fun. But also, David keeps you on your mettle, because he is so on his mettle and so, you know, it’s always a very creative process.”

Sir David’s key message in the Ocean film is that all is not lost. Countries have promised to protect a third of the world’s oceans. He hopes his new film will spur leaders to take firm action on this promise at a UN conference next month.

He believes that could be transformational.

“The ocean can bounce back to life,” Sir David says. “If left alone it may not just recover but thrive beyond anything anyone alive has ever seen.”

A healthier ocean ecosystem would also be able to trap more carbon dioxide, helping protect the world from climate change, according to scientists.

“In front of us is a chance to protect our climate, our food, our home,” Sir David says.

As he celebrates his 99th birthday this week he is still fighting to protect the natural world he has worked his lifetime to show to us in all its glory.

Ocean will be in cinemas across the country from Thursday.

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This must be the most secretive election in the world.

When 133 Catholic cardinals are shut into the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday to choose a successor to Pope Francis, each one will have sworn an oath on the gospels to keep the details under wraps for life.

The same goes for every person inside the Vatican during the conclave: from the two doctors on hand for any emergency, to the dining-room staff who feed the cardinals. All vow to observe “absolute and perpetual secrecy”.

Just to be sure, the chapel and the two guesthouses will be swept for microphones and bugs.

“There are electronic jammers to make sure that phone and wi-fi signals are not getting in or out,” said John Allen, the editor of Crux news site.

“The Vatican takes the idea of isolation extremely seriously.”

The famous lockdown is not only about keeping the voting process itself secret: stopping “nefarious forces” from attempting to hack it for information or to disrupt things.

The measures are also about ensuring the men in red total seclusion from the secular world and its influences as they prepare to vote.

Catholics will tell you the election is guided by God, not politics. But the hierarchy takes no chances.

On entering the conclave, everyone is obliged to surrender all electronic devices including phones, tablets and smart watches. The Vatican has its own police to enforce the rules.

“The logic is trust but verify,” John Allen said.

“There are no televisions, newspapers or radio at the guesthouse for the conclave – nothing,” said Monsignor Paolo de Nicolo, who was head of the Papal household for three decades.

“You can’t even open the windows because many rooms have windows to the exterior world.”

Everyone working behind the high Vatican walls for the conclave has been heavily vetted. Even so, they are barred from communicating with electors.

“The cardinals are completely incommunicado,” said Ines San Martin of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the US.

“There will just be walkie-talkies for some specific circumstances like, ‘we need a medic,’ or ‘Hey, the Pope has been elected, can someone let the bell-ringers in the Basilica know.'”

So what if someone breaks the rules?

“There is an oath, and those who do not observe it risk ex-communication,” Msgr De Nicolo says, meaning exclusion from the church. “No one dares to do this.”

It’s a different matter in the run-up to the conclave.

Officially, the cardinals are banned from commenting even now. But from the moment Pope Francis was buried, parts of the Italian press and many visitors turned cardinal-hunters, trying to suss out his most likely successor.

They have been scouring the tourist-filled restaurants and gelato joints around the Vatican, ready to speculate on any sightings and possible alliances.

“Wine and Rigatoni: the Cardinals’ Last Suppers”, was one headline in La Repubblica which described the “princes of the church” enjoying “good Roman lunches” before lockdown.

Reporters have then been grilling waiters on what they might have overheard.

“Nothing,” one of the servers at Roberto’s, a couple of streets back from St Peter’s, told me this week.

“They always go quiet whenever we get close.”

The other prime spot to catch a cardinal is beside the basilica itself, next to the curve of columns that embraces the main square. Each morning there’s a huddle of cameras and reporters on the lookout for the men in lace and scarlet robes.

There are now close to 250 cardinals in the city, called here from all over the world, although those aged 80 or over are not eligible to vote.

As they head into the Vatican for their daily congregations to discuss the election, each one is surrounded and bombarded with questions on progress.

They’ve given away little in response beyond the “need for unity” or assurances that the conclave will be short.

“The whole idea is for this to be a religious decision, not a political one,” Ines San Martin explains. “We say the Holy Spirit guides the conversation and the vote.”

But the Pope heads a huge, wealthy institution with significant moral authority and global sway on everything from conflict resolution to sexual politics.

So the man chosen – and his vision and priorities – matter far beyond the Vatican.

Certain Catholic monarchs had a veto on the election up until 1907. Today, voices from all quarters try to influence the debate – most obviously through the media.

At one point, Rome’s Il Messaggero chided a presumed front-runner, Italian Cardinal Parolin, for “a sort of self-candidacy”.

Then there was a video clip of Filipino Cardinal Tagle singing John Lennon’s Imagine, apparently released to dent his popularity. It went viral instead.

Meanwhile, a glossy book highlighting some potential contenders is doing the rounds, lauding conservatives like Cardinal Sarah of Guinea for condemning the “contemporary evils” of abortion and the “same-sex agenda”.

“There are groups in town who are trying to bang the drum on issues of interest to them,” John Allen says. “The cardinals are aware of this kind of thing, they read the papers. But they will do everything they can to block it out.”

“Are there lobbies going on? Yes, like in every election,” Ines San Martin agrees. “But it’s not as loud as I thought it would be.”

She argues that is partly because Pope Francis appointed so many new cardinals, including from new places.

“Fifty or sixty percent of them don’t even know one another. So even if you were an outside group, trying to have an agenda, it’s very hard even to pick your cardinals to begin with.”

By Wednesday morning, all the electors should be in place inside the Vatican – stripped of their phones and sealed off from the rest of the world.

From then on John Allen believes personal preference will dominate over politics, liberal or conservative factions or the “rattle and hum of public debate”.

“I really think the cardinals’ discussions among themselves right now is key,” Ines San Martin agrees. “A lot have been speaking up for the first time. You never know just how inspiring one of them might be.”

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Monday night marked one of the world’s biggest nights of fashion, as stars served up their most iconic looks for the annual Met Gala in New York City.

The theme for this year’s event was “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”, the first since 2003 to focus exclusively on menswear.

It was inspired by a newly unveiled exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s costume institute featuring the “black dandy”, which Vogue says “examines the importance of clothing and style to the formation of black identities in the Atlantic diaspora”.

A-list celebrities including Zendaya, Demi Moore and Diana Ross brought their own interpretation to the theme, stunning in tailored suits and dramatic gowns.

• Look back at our live coverage of the Met
• Rihanna reveals she is expecting third child

Here is a look at some of the highlights:

Actress Zendaya, known for her dazzling red carpet style, opted for a wide-brimmed hat and tailored Louis Vuitton cream suit at this year’s Met Gala.

But there was one slight pop of colour: her manicured red nails.

Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny wore a brown Prada suit, which he said he worked on with the Italian fashion house for a few months before the event.

He also stayed on theme by accessorising with embellished gloves, a brooch and a hat that paid homage to his Puerto Rican heritage.

“We did something special,” he said of his look. “I feel good, and I hope people think I’m looking good.”

US reality TV star Kim Kardashian wore an all-black ensemble by LA-based brand Chrome Hearts – a fitted leather top and skirt that she offset with diamond necklaces and two strings of pearls.

She is, of course, no stranger to the Met Gala – having made headlines with a dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in 2022, and a wet-look Thierry Mugler dress in 2019.

Black British designer Grace Wales Bonner dressed British Formula One star Sir Lewis Hamilton for the night. Sir Lewis was a co-chair of this year’s event.

The pair have worked together in the past with Wales Bonner dressing Hamilton for the 2023 British Fashion Awards.

Singer Chappell Roan brought a rare pop of colour to the Met’s blue carpet, in a patchwork hot pink ensemble sourced from eBay.

The singer worked with Wicked costume designer Paul Tazewell on her outfit, while make-up artist Pat McGrath was behind her disco-inspired look.

Demi Moore gave us another round of method dressing.

The American actress’s recent press tour for The Substance recalled the body horror themes of the film, while her awards campaign for the role of Elisabeth Sparkle saw her dressing for the glam statuettes.

Moore understood the assignment for the Met Gala, coming as a literal men’s tie in a sculptural black and white striped sequin gown from Thom Browne.

Rihanna, typically one of the most stylish attendees at the Gala, returned to the Met steps this year in Marc Jacobs, debuting her pregnancy with co-chair of the evening A$AP Rocky.

Legendary singer Diana Ross wore a show-stopping white ensemble, complete with feathers and a long train that required at least two assistants.

On the carpet, Ross said her son persuaded her to attend this year’s event. The last time she attended the Met Gala is 2003.

She added she had the names of her children and grandchildren embroidered on her dress train.

Actress Sydney Sweeney wore a custom Miu Miu gown – her third time wearing the designer at the Met Gala. This time, her dress was complete with beaded fringe shoulders and gold hardware detailing on the neck.

Speaking about her look, Sweeney said it paid homage to actress and painter Kim Novak. Sweeney is set to portray Novak in the upcoming film Scandalous.

A custom-made Chanel look was Dua Lipa’s choice this year.

The chiffon dress, sequin tweed jacket and organza cape – all adorned with pearls, feathers and crystals – took some 2,000 hours to make.

Sabrina Carpenter wore a burgundy Louis Vuitton bodysuit that featured all the tailoring of a regular suit.

The singer said she worked with recording artist Pharrell Williams – also the men’s creative director of Louis Vuitton – on the bottomless look.

“You’re quite short, so no pants for you,” Carpenter recalled Williams telling her.

Irish actor Barry Keoghan wore a custom-made Valentino fit, with florals embroidered on the cuffs and a silk red scarf wrapped around the waist.

New Zealand singer Lorde made a rare appearance at the Met Gala this year (she has not attended since 2021).

She wore a metallic silver floor-length skirt set, and a matching bandeau and blazer designed by Thom Browne.

Olympic gymnast and gold medalist Simone Biles brought a pop of colour to the Met Gala carpet with a striking blue minidress that featured a collared neckline, a long train and jewelled appliques.

The dress was designed by Harbison Studio.

Singer Coco Jones opted for a look designed by Indian brand Manish Malhotra.

She wore a tailored cream and white look that featured ornate embroidery and a dramatic long-sleeve coat. Jones also wore a large statement necklace and Jimmy Choo heels.

Actor and playwright Colman Domingo could have inspired this year’s Met Gala theme, as he’s been carrying the baton for well-dressed men on the red carpet for several years now.

He donned a royal blue Valentino cloak that paid homage to Andre Leon Talley, former editor-at-large on Vogue whom Anna Wintour called “a dandy among dandies.”

The cape later was removed to reveal a second look underneath: a tailored, patterned suit complete with a big fabric, polka-dotted flower brooch.

Actress and singer Teyana Taylor, who hosted Vogue’s live stream of the red carpet, arrived in custom Marc Jacobs on the arm of costume designer Ruth E. Carter. Ms Carter has worked with filmmaker Spike Lee and on the Black Panther movie franchise to create some modern pop cultural cues for the black dandy.

Taylor wore a burgundy cape embroidered with “Harlem Rose,” a nod to her 2018 song A Rose in Harlem.

Social media influencer Emma Chamberlain looked sharp and on theme with a backless tailored suit dress designed by French fashion house Courrèges.

She accessorised the look with a spiky beach blonde pixie cut and stylish eyeglasses.

Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo, known for her on-theme style, wore a Givenchy ensemble featuring a bedazzled bodice and an extra-long black train with matching leather boots and nails.

Recording artist Doja Cat wore a custom Marc Jacobs look that featured giant shoulder pads and a leopard-print bustier panel.

“I just wanted to feel like a little gangsta,” she said.

“I feel like he brought that with the strong shape of the shoulders, and all of the exaggerated shapes,” Doja Cat said of Jacobs.

Actress Tracee Ellis Ross, the daughter of Diana Ross, was one of the few people who wore pink at this year’s Met Gala.

She donned a custom Marc Jacobs suit that was complete with a giant, hot pink bow at the back, a matching top hat and some unique bling.

In one of the more memorable looks of the evening, Andre 3000 showed up to the Met Gala carpet with a black and white piano strapped to his back and a trash bag as a purse.

The stylish OutKast rapper designed the look himself in collaboration with Burberry.

Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o wore a stunning powder blue Chanel suit, with a matching hat and transparent cape.

She accessorised the look with bedazzled, black rhinestone eyebrows.

Rapper Cardi B debuted a new hairstyle (and eye colour) in a green Burberry pantsuit, complete with matching nails and eye shadow.

Doechii took brand representation to new levels, stamping the famous Louis Vuitton logo on her face to go along with the motif of her suit.

The American rapper is often seen wearing looks from the French fashion house.

This outfit combined the designer’s two famous patterns – the LV monogram pattern on the waistcoat and jacket, as well as the damier checkerboard on the shorts.

When asked about her outfit on the carpet, Janelle Monáe responded simply – “free” – followed by an expletive.

“And when I’m in my suit, that is exactly how I feel,” she said.

She wore a Thom Brown suit, with whom she’s attended the Met Gala as a guest for the last several years. The look is styled by the Academy Award-winning costume designer for Wicked, Paul Tazewell.

Pop legend Madonna accessorised her cream-colored tuxedo with a cigar, creating an interplay between soft feminine materials and a distinct masculine energy.

It’s a dynamic that the superstar has played with throughout her career.

I ran from the White House briefing room, past the portico entrance of the West Wing to our camera position on the lawn, and flung on an ear piece connecting me to the studio.

A moment later the presenter asked me about the comments we had just heard live from US President Donald Trump.

I said we were seeing a fundamental shift in a United States’ policy position after decades of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

It was February this year, and Trump had just held talks with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – the first foreign leader since Trump’s inauguration to be invited to the White House. The US president vowed that his country would take control of the Gaza Strip, having earlier pledged the territory would also be “cleaned out” and emptied of its Palestinian population.

Trump was grabbing the world’s attention with a proposal that hardened his administration’s support for Israel and also upended international norms, flying in the face of international law. It marked an apex of the current Republican Party’s relationship with Israel – sometimes described as support “at all costs”.

The alliance between the two countries had been thrust into the international spotlight after the Hamas attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023 and Israel’s offensive in Gaza that followed.

During that war, the administration of President Joe Biden sent some $18bn (£13.5bn) worth of weapons to Israel, maintaining unprecedented levels of US backing. The period was marked by intensifying protests in the US, with many of those protesting being traditional Democrat leaning voters. The fallout became the focus of a bitter culture war centring on American attitudes towards Israel and the Palestinians. I covered demonstrations in which protesters repeatedly labelled Biden “Genocide Joe” – an accusation he always rejected.

At the time Donald Trump branded the protesters “radical-left lunatics” and the Trump administration is now targeting for deportation hundreds of foreign students who it accuses of antisemitism or support for Hamas, a move being vigorously challenged in the courts.

But as a Democrat who could otherwise have expected the vote of many of those upset over his support for Israel that support was politically costly for Biden in a way not experienced by previous presidents or, indeed, Trump.

One of Biden’s key decision makers over relations with Israel still wrestles with the decisions they took.

“My first reaction is just, I understand that this has evoked incredibly passionate feelings for Arab Americans, for non-Arab Americans, Jewish Americans,” says Jake Sullivan, Biden’s former national security adviser.

“There were two competing considerations: one was wanting to curb Israel’s excesses, both with respect to civilian casualties and the flow of humanitarian assistance. The other was […] wanting to make sure that we were not cutting Israel off from the capabilities it needed to confront its enemies on multiple different fronts.”

He added: “The United States stood behind Israel materially, morally, and in every other way in those days following October 7th.”

But opinion polls suggest support for Israel among the American public is dwindling.

A Gallup survey taken in March this year found only 46% of Americans expressed support for Israel (the lowest level in 25 years of Gallup’s annual tracking) while 33% now said they sympathised with the Palestinians – the highest ever reading of that measure. Other polls have found similar results.

Surveys – with all their limitations – suggest the swing is largely among Democrats and the young, although not exclusively. Between 2022 and 2025, the Pew Research Center found that the proportion of Republicans who said they had unfavourable views of Israel rose from 27% to 37% (younger Republicans, aged under 49, drove most of that change).

The US has long been Israel’s most powerful ally – ever since May 1948, when America was the first country to recognise the nascent State of Israel. But while US support for Israel is extremely likely to continue long-term, these swings in sentiment raise questions over the practical extent and policy limits of the US’s ironclad backing and whether the shifting sands of public opinion will eventually feed through to Washington, with real-world policy impacts.

To many, the close relationship between the US and Israel seems like a permanent, unshakeable part of the geopolitical infrastructure. But it wasn’t always guaranteed – and at the very beginning largely came down to one man.

In early 1948, US President Harry S Truman had to decide on his approach to Palestine. The country was in the grip of sectarian bloodshed between Jews and Arab Palestinians after three decades of colonial rule by Britain, which had announced its intention to pull out. Truman was deeply moved by the plight of Jewish survivors of the Holocaust stranded in displaced persons camps in Europe.

In New York City, a young Francine Klagsbrun, who would later become an academic and historian of Israeli prime minister Golda Meir, watched her parents praying for a Jewish homeland.

“I grew up in a very Jewish home and a very Zionist home also,” she explains. “So my older brother and I would go out and collect money to try to get England to open the doors. My brother would go on the subway trains, all the doors open on the train and he’d shout ‘open, open, open the doors to Palestine’,” she recalls.

Truman’s administration was deeply divided over whether to back a Jewish state. The CIA and the Department of State cautioned against recognising a Jewish state. They feared a bloody conflict with Arab countries that might draw in the US, risking Cold War escalation with the Soviets.

Two days before Britain was due to pull out of Palestine, an explosive row took place in the Oval Office. Truman’s domestic advisor Clark Clifford argued in favour of recognising a Jewish state. On the other side of the debate was Secretary of State George Marshall, a World War Two general whom Truman viewed as “the greatest living American”.

The man Truman admired so much was vigorously opposed to the president immediately recognising a Jewish state because of his fears about a regional war – and even went as far as telling Truman he would not vote for him in the coming presidential election if he backed recognition.

But despite the moment of extraordinary tension, Truman immediately recognised the State of Israel when it was declared two days later by David Ben-Gurion, the country’s first prime minister.

The historian Rashid Khalidi, a New York-born Palestinian whose family members were expelled from Jerusalem by the British in the 1930s, says the US and Israel were fused together in part by shared cultural connections. From 1948 onwards, he says, the Palestinians had a critical diplomatic disadvantage in the US, with their claim to national self-determination sidelined in an unequal contest.

“On the one side, you had the Zionist movement led by people whom are European and American by origin… The Arabs had nothing similar,” he says. “[The Arabs] weren’t familiar with the societies, the cultures, the political leaderships of the countries that decided the fate of Palestine. How could you speak to American public opinion if you had no idea what America is like?” says Khalidi.

Popular culture played its role too – notably the 1958 novel and subsequent blockbuster film Exodus by the author Leon Uris. It retold the story of Israel’s establishment to mass audiences of the 1960s, the movie version creating a heavily Americanised portrayal of pioneers in a new land.

Ehud Olmert, who at the time was a political activist but would later become Israeli prime minister, points to the war of 1967 as the moment when America’s support for Israel became the profound alliance that it is today.

That was the war in which Israel, after weeks of escalating fears of invasion by its neighbours, defeated the Arab countries in six days, effectively tripling the size of its territory, and launching its military occupation over (at that time) more than a million stateless Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.

“For the first time, the United States understood the importance and the significance of Israel as a major military and political power in the Middle East, and since then everything has changed in the basic relations within our two countries,” he says.

Over the years, Israel became the biggest recipient of US foreign military aid on Earth. Strong American diplomatic support, particularly at the United Nations, has been a key element of the alliance; while successive US presidents have also sought to broker peace between Israel and its Arab neighbours.

But in recent years it has been far from a straightforward relationship.

When I spoke to Jake Sullivan, I put to him the issue of Arab Americans in the state of Michigan who boycotted Biden and his successor candidate Kamala Harris over the extent of their support for Israel during the Gaza conflict, voting instead for Trump. He rejected the idea that Biden lost the state because of this support.

But that backing still prompted a marked backlash within a section of the American public.

A Pew Research Center survey taken in March this year found that 53% of Americans expressed an unfavourable opinion of Israel, an 11 point increase since the last time the survey was taken in 2022.

Currently, these shifts in public opinion haven’t yet prompted a major change in US foreign policy. Whilst some ordinary US voters are turning away from Israel, on Capitol Hill elected politicians from both parties are still mostly keen to talk up the importance of a strong alliance with Israel.

Some think that a sustained, long-term shift in public opinion might eventually lead to reduced real-world support for the country – with weaker diplomatic ties and reduced military aid. This issue is felt particularly sharply by some inside Israel. Several months before 7 October, the former Israeli general and head of the Military Intelligence Directorate, Tamir Hayman, warned of cracks forming between his country and the United States, in part because of what he described as the slow movement of American Jews away from Zionism.

Israel’s political shift in favour of the national-religious right has played a key part in this. From early 2023, Israel was gripped by an unprecedented wave of protests among Jewish Israelis against Netanyahu’s judicial reforms, with many arguing he was moving the country towards theocracy – a claim he always rejected. Some in the US who had always felt a deep sense of connection with Israel were watching with growing concern.

In March this year, the Institute for National Security Studies, a leading Tel Aviv-based think tank led by Hayman, published a paper arguing that US public opinion had entered the “danger zone”, as far as support for Israel was concerned. “The dangers of diminished US support, particularly as it reflects long-term and deeply rooted trends, cannot be overstated,” wrote the paper’s author, Theodore Sasson. “Israel needs the support of the global superpower for the foreseeable future,”.

That support at the policy level has only strengthened over the decades, but it is important to note that historic American opinion polling shows public opinion has ebbed and flowed before.

Today, Dennis Ross, who helped negotiate the Oslo accords with President Bill Clinton, says American opinion on Israel has become increasingly tied to sharp political divisions in the US.

“Trump is viewed very negatively by most Democrats – the latest polls show over 90 percent,” Ross says. “There’s potential for Trumpian support for Israel to feed a dynamic here that, at least among Democrats, increases criticism of Israel.”

But he expects that Washington’s support for Israel – in the form of military aid and diplomatic ties – will continue. And he thinks if Israeli voters eject their prime minister and replace him with a more centrist government, one that may reverse some of the disquiet in the US. A general election must be held in Israel before late October next year.

Under such a new Israeli government, Ross argues, “there won’t be the same impulse towards creating de-facto annexation of the West Bank. There’ll be much more outreach to the Democratic Party and the Democratic Party officials.”

Those who see a fraying relationship are paying particularly close attention to the views of younger Americans – a group that has shown the most marked shift in opinion since 7 October. As the ‘TikTok generation’, many young Americans get their news about the war from social media and the high civilian death toll from Israel’s offensive in Gaza appears to have driven the declining support among young Democrats and liberals in America. Last year, 33 percent of Americans under 30 said their sympathies lie entirely or mostly with the Palestinian people, versus 14 percent who said the same about Israelis, according to a Pew Research poll published last month. Older Americans were more likely to sympathise with the Israelis.

Karin Von Hippel, chair of the Arden Defence and Security Practice and a former official in the US State Department, agrees there is a demographic divide among Americans on the topic of Israel – one that even extends to Congress.

“Younger Congress men and women are less knee jerk, reactively supporting Israel,” she says. “And I think younger Americans, including Jewish Americans, are less supportive of Israel than their parents were.”

But she is sceptical of the idea that this might lead to a serious change at the policy level. Despite changing opinions among the party’s base, she says, many of the most prominent Democrats who might run for President in 2028 are “classically supportive of Israel”. She names Gretchen Whitmer, the governor of Michigan, and Pete Buttigieg, the former Transportation Secretary, as examples. And what about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the Instagram-famous congresswoman who is a long-standing supporter of Palestinian rights? Hippel responds bluntly: “I don’t think an Ocasio-Cortez type can win right now.”

In the weeks after February’s Trump-Netanyahu press conference at the White House, I asked Jake Sullivan where he thought the US-Israel relationship was going. He argued that both countries were dealing with internal threats to their democratic institutions that would define their character and their relationship.

“I think it’s almost less of a foreign policy question than it is a domestic policy question in these two countries – whither America and whither Israel?” he says. “The answer to those two questions will tell you where does the US-Israel relationship go five, ten, fifteen years from now.”

King Charles and Queen Camilla have unveiled their new state portraits at the National Gallery on the second anniversary of their Coronation day.

The paintings will be displayed in the gallery’s Central Hall before moving to Buckingham Palace in June.

The portrait of the King shows him wearing the Robe of State alongside his naval uniform with medals, and the Queen is portrayed wearing her coronation dress.

There was applause at the gallery on Tuesday as the couple pulled down coverings to reveal both portraits, before stepping back to admire the paintings.

The King was painted by Peter Kuhfeld, who has known him for more than 40 years, while the Queen was painted by Paul S. Benney.

The robe worn by the King is the one used during the first part of the coronation service. In keeping with tradition, alongside him is the Imperial State Crown.

Alongside the Queen in her portrait is her crown and the Robe of Estate she wore as she left Westminster Abbey on coronation day.

The King sat for Mr Kuhfeld at St James’s Palace five times over a year and a half. There were also two separate sittings with just the crown.

“I’ve spent quite a long time with him over the years so I’m used to being with him, ” the artist said.

“As a person he’s very interesting, he is very understanding of what a painter needs to do the job.”

Mr Benney had six official sittings with the Queen in the Garden Room at Clarence House. He was also allowed to set up a studio there allowing him to meet the Queen informally many times.

“The sittings were extremely pleasurable on my part,” he said. “I like to talk when I’m painting… and so we had a lot of chat and stories which we told each other.

“At times I would be holding my tummy from laughing so much. The Queen is very witty.”

Both the King and Queen reacted positively as they looked at the portraits after their unveiling.

“I suppose he thinks it’s okay,” Mr Kuhfeld said. “You never ask a sitter what they think of their own picture because I’m not sure that they know.”

The Queen could be heard telling Mr Benney about her portrait: “I think it’s really lovely”.

He also benefitted from some crucial family support: the Queen’s daughter, Laura Lopes, was at the National Gallery for the unveiling and complimented the painting.

Mr Benney said: “The Queen has said nothing but wonderful things about it – but more importantly Laura, her daughter, likes it.

“And you know when the kids like it that you’re probably on the right track.”

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As 133 cardinals meet in Rome to decide the next pope, questions about the legacy of the last one will loom large over their discussions.

For the Catholic Church, no aspect of Pope Francis’ record is more sensitive or contentious than his handling of the sexual abuse of children by members of the clergy.

While he’s widely considered to have gone further than his predecessors in acknowledging victims and reforming the Church’s own internal procedures, many survivors do not think he went far enough.

Alexa MacPherson’s abuse by a Catholic priest began around the age of three and continued for six years.

“When I was nine-and-a-half, my father caught him trying to rape me on the living room couch,” she told me when we met on the Boston waterfront.

“For me, it was pretty much an everyday occurrence.”

On discovering the abuse, her father called the police.

A court hearing for a criminal complaint against the priest, Peter Kanchong, accused of assault and battery of a minor, was set for 24 August 1984.

But unbeknownst to the family, something extraordinary was taking place behind the scenes.

The Church – an institution that wielded enormous power in a deeply Catholic city – believed that the court was on its side.

“The court is attempting to handle the matter in such a way as to help Father Peter and to avoid scandal to the Church,” the then-Archbishop of Boston, Bernard Law, wrote in a letter that would remain hidden for years.

Reflecting on the events of more than four decades ago, Ms MacPherson recognises that her abuse took place long before Francis became pope.

But over that same period, through a series of global scandals which are still unfolding, the issue of the systemic sexual exploitation of children has become the modern Church’s biggest challenge.

It is a challenge she believes Pope Francis failed to rise to, as she made clear when I asked her how she had reacted to the news of his death.

“I actually don’t feel like I had much of a reaction,” she replied.

“And I don’t want to take away from the good that he did do, but there’s just so much more that the Church and the Vatican and the people in charge can do.”

The 1984 letter from Archbishop Bernard Law was addressed to a bishop in Thailand.

Mentioning the accusation of “child molestation” it was written two months after the Boston court hearing, which had indeed concluded without scandal for the Church.

Peter Kanchong – who was originally from Thailand – had been spared from formal criminal charges and given a year’s probation on the condition that he stayed away from the MacPherson family and underwent a course of psychological therapy.

The Archbishop’s letter, however, noted that even the Church’s own psychological evaluation had determined that the accused priest was “not motivated and unresponsive to therapy” and should therefore be “forced to face the consequences of his actions” under both civil and Church law.

But instead of acting on that advice, he implored the Thai bishop to immediately recall Peter Kanchong to his diocese in Thailand, mentioning for a second time the risk of “grave scandal” if he were to remain in the US.

Although press reports from the time suggest the Church authorities in Thailand did agree to take him back, Peter Kanchong ignored the recall, finding work in the Boston area at a facility for adults with learning disabilities.

In 2002, more than 18 years after Ms MacPherson’s father first called the police, the archbishop’s letter was made public.

In a landmark ruling, it was one of thousands of pages of documents that a Boston court ordered the Catholic Church to release.

A local newspaper, The Boston Globe, had, for the first time, begun to seriously challenge the institution’s power in the city, by placing the stories of victims on its front pages.

Soon, hundreds had come forward and their lawyers were fighting in court to prise open decades of internal records relating to the sexual abuse of children.

The Church had tried to argue that the First Amendment protection for freedom of religion entitled it to keep those files secret.

The order to unseal them led to a watershed moment.

Contacted at the time, Peter Kanchong denied the allegations.

“Do you have evidence? Do you have witnesses?” he told the Boston Globe, who found him still living in the area.

Ms MacPherson, however, was one of more than 500 victims who won an $85m civil case for the abuse they’d suffered at the hands of dozens of priests.

The internal files showed that, time and again, Archbishop Law had dealt with his knowledge of abuse in the same way he’d attempted to deal with Peter Kanchong – by simply moving priests on to new parishes.

After the settlement, and by then a Cardinal, Bernard Law resigned from his position in Boston and moved to Rome.

For the survivors, the sense of Church impunity was further compounded when he was given the honour of a seven-year post as Archpriest of the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, the same building where Pope Francis has now been buried.

Many Church insiders credit Francis with going further than his predecessors to address the issue of abuse.

In 2019, he summoned more than a hundred bishops to Rome for a conference on the crisis.

In the abuse of children, he told them, “We see the hand of evil.”

The conference led to a revision of the Church law on “pontifical secrecy” allowing co-operation with the civil courts when required in cases of abuse.

The change, however, doesn’t compel the disclosure of all information relating to child abuse, only its disclosure in specific cases when formally requested by a legitimate authority.

Similarly, a new law requiring that allegations be referred up the internal Church hierarchy stops short of mandating referral to the police.

Ms MacPherson’s lawyer, Mitchell Garabedian, a man portrayed in the Hollywood blockbuster Spotlight about the Boston abuse scandal, told me there are plenty of ways the Church continues to exercise secrecy.

“We have to litigate in court to get documents, nothing really has changed,” he said.

His 2002 legal victory may have been a defining moment, followed by an avalanche of such cases in dozens of countries, but he has no doubt that knowledge of wrongdoing remains hidden in churches around the world.

“While he did some things, it’s not enough,” Ms MacPherson told me when I asked for her assessment of Pope Francis’ record on this issue.

She wants the Church to reveal everything it knows.

“One of the biggest things is turning over predatory priests and the people who covered it up and holding them accountable in a regular court of law and not shielding them and hiding them any longer.”

Watching the endless news of the Pope’s funeral and the preparations for the appointment of his successor has been painful for her.

“It’s the abuse being celebrated, in a way,” she told me, “Because the cover-ups are still there, they’re shielded behind the Vatican walls and their canon laws.”

It is news coverage she’s found hard to escape because of her mother’s continuing faith in the Catholic Church.

“It’s all I’ve heard on the news, and she is obsessed with watching this, and so I just get slammed and inundated with it.”

Now 85-years-old, Peter Kanchong meanwhile has never been convicted of an offence.

Nor has he been stripped of his priesthood, although he has been prevented from holding any formal position in the Boston Diocese.

The Church’s own published list of accused clergy marks his case as “not yet resolved” with no final determination of guilt or innocence, noting simply that he is “AWOL” – absent without leave.

“I’ve been trying for years to have him defrocked and that is because he can only be defrocked either where he was ordained, which was in Thailand, or by the Vatican,” Ms MacPherson said.

She points out that the Church has gone to the trouble of changing the name of the parish where she was abused – in order, she believes, to try to start afresh after what took place there.

The BBC asked the Boston Diocese for its views on Pope Francis’ legacy as well as for a response to claims that the Catholic Church maintains a culture of secrecy over its own internal records.

We received no reply to those questions.

We also asked whether the current archbishop could do anything to help victims seeking to remove a priest from the priesthood.

We were referred to the Vatican.

As the Catholic Church now sets about the business of electing a new pope, Ms MacPherson holds little hope for more comprehensive reform.

“You say you want to move forward. You say you want to bring people back into the fold,” she said.

“But you cannot possibly do any of that until you truly acknowledge those sins, and you hold those people accountable.”

Visa applications from nationalities thought most likely to overstay and claim asylum in the UK could be restricted under a new government crackdown.

Under Home Office plans, first reported in the Times, people from countries such as Pakistan, Nigeria and Sri Lanka may find it more difficult to come to the UK to work and study.

Ministers believe there is a particular problem with those who come to the UK legally on work or study visas and then lodge a claim for asylum – which if granted, would allow them to stay in the country permanently.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “Our upcoming Immigration White Paper will set out a comprehensive plan to restore order to our broken immigration system.”

It is not clear which nationalities are most likely to overstay their visas as the Home Office has not published statistics on exit checks since 2020, due to a review into the accuracy of the figures.

Many exits from the UK can go unrecorded, meaning those without a departure record were not necessarily still in the country.

Prof Jonathan Portes, a senior fellow at the academic think tank UK in a Changing Europe, said the impact that restricting visas would have on the number of asylum applications was “likely to be quite small”.

“I think the impact here is not designed primarily to be about numbers overall, it’s designed to be about reducing asylum claims which are perceived to be abusive,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

“When you have someone who comes here ostensibly as a student and then switches quickly to the asylum route… that is an abuse of the system – the government is trying to reduce that.”

Latest Home Office figures show that more than 108,000 people claimed asylum in the UK last year – the highest level since records began in 1979.

In total, 10,542 Pakistani nationals claimed asylum – the most of any nationality. Some 2,862 Sri Lankan nationals and 2,841 Nigerian nationals claimed asylum in the same period.

Latest figures for 2023/24 also show there were 732,285 international students in the UK, with most coming from India (107,480) and China (98,400).

The number of UK work and study visas dropped in 2024, compared to the year before.

Since becoming prime minister last year, Sir Keir Starmer has promised to reduce both illegal and legal migration – but has previously declined to offer a net migration target, saying an “arbitrary cap” has had no impact in the past.

Labour’s plans to reduce migration include making it a criminal offence to endanger the lives of others at sea, to target small boat crossings, and cutting demand for overseas hires by developing training plans for sectors that are currently reliant on migrant workers.

Sir Keir has criticised the previous Conservative government, saying it failed to deliver lower net migration numbers “by design, not accident”.

Net migration – the number of people coming to the UK, minus the number leaving – hit a record 906,000 in the year to June 2023, and then fell to 728,000 in the year to June 2024.

New rules introduced by former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in a bid to reduce migration levels appear to have contributed to the fall.

The previous Conservative government increased the minimum salary for skilled overseas workers wanting to come to the UK from £26,200 to £38,700 and banned care workers from bringing family dependants to the UK.

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Labour was already under pressure to make changes to the immigration system – but that pressure may have grown after Reform UK’s successes in last week’s local elections.

Reform won 677 of around 1,600 seats contested on Thursday across a clutch of mainly Tory-held councils last contested in 2021.

In its general election manifesto, Reform said it would implement a freeze on non-essential immigration. Those with certain skills – for example in healthcare – would still be allowed to come to the UK.

Reacting to the results last week, Sir Keir said he shared the “sharp edge of fury” felt by voters leaning away from the major parties, arguing that it would spur him on to “go further and faster” in delivering Labour’s promised changes to immigration and public services.

Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said that “some people on work or study visas may find their lives at risk because the political situation in their home country has changed”, adding that it was right they were “protected from harm and given a fair hearing in the asylum system”.

Plans to tackle overstaying were already being worked on before the local elections.

Full details of government’s plans are due to be published in a new immigration white paper later in May.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “To tackle abuse by foreign nationals who arrive on work and study visas and go on to claim asylum, we are building intelligence on the profile of these individuals to identify them earlier and faster.

“We keep the visa system under constant review and will where we detect trends, which may undermine our immigration rules, we will not hesitate to take action.

“Under our plan for change, our upcoming Immigration White Paper will set out a comprehensive plan to restore order to our broken immigration system.”

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A senior Hamas official has said the armed group is not interested in further talks on a new Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal while Israel continues what he called its “starvation war”.

Israel cut off all humanitarian aid from entering Gaza nine weeks ago and later resumed its military offensive, saying it was putting pressure on Hamas to release hostages.

But Bassem Naim said there was “no point in any negotiations” while the blockade remained in place.

His comments came after Israel’s security cabinet approved an expanded offensive which could see the forced displacement of most of Gaza’s 2.1 million population and occupation of all of the Palestinian territory indefinitely.

Israel also intends to replace the current aid delivery and distribution system with one channelled through private companies and military hubs.

The UN’s humanitarian office has rejected that idea, saying it does not live up to fundamental humanitarian principles and “appears to be a deliberate attempt to weaponize the aid”.

On Monday, the Israeli military’s spokesman said its expanded ground offensive in Gaza would seek to bring home the remaining 59 hostages, up to 24 of whom are believed to be alive, and achieve the “dismantling and decisive defeat of the Hamas regime”.

The operation would take place on a “wide scale” and involve “the movement of the majority of the Gaza Strip’s population – in order to protect them in a Hamas-free zone”, he added.

An Israeli official briefed the media that the offensive would also include “holding the territories, moving the Gazan population south for its defence, [and] denying Hamas the ability to distribute humanitarian supplies”.

A second official said it would not be implemented until after US President Donald Trump’s visit to the region next week, providing what he called “a window of opportunity” to Hamas to agree a new ceasefire and hostage release deal.

Bassem Naim’s comments on Tuesday seemed to counter that.

“There is no point in any negotiations or engagement with new proposals while [Israel] continues its starvation war against our people in the Gaza Strip – a war that the international community, including UN institutions, has deemed a war crime in itself,” he said.

Hamas also put out a separate statement telling Israeli ministers that their approval of the expanded offensive represented “an explicit decision to sacrifice” Israeli hostages.

There was no immediate response from the Israeli government, but far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich told a conference that an Israeli victory in Gaza would see the territory “entirely destroyed” and its residents “concentrated” in the south, from where they would “start to leave in great numbers to third countries”.

UN Secretary General António Guterres warned that expanded Israeli ground operations and a prolonged military presence would “inevitably lead to countless more civilians killed and the further destruction of Gaza”.

France’s Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, said Israel’s plans were “unacceptable” and that its government was “in violation of humanitarian law”.

In Washington, Trump said the US would help supply food to people in Gaza, without going into details.

“People are starving and we’re going to help them get some food,” he said. “Hamas is making it impossible because they’re taking everything that’s brought in.”

Israel cut off all deliveries of aid and other supplies on 2 March and resumed its offensive on 18 March after the collapse of a two-month ceasefire that saw 33 Israeli hostages released in exchange for about 1,900 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

Israel has also accused Hamas of stealing and storing aid – an allegation the group has denied.

But aid agencies have warned that mass starvation is imminent unless the blockade ends.

The UN and its humanitarian partners have said Israeli authorities are seeking to shut down the existing aid distribution system run by them and are asking them to agree to deliver supplies “through Israeli hubs under conditions set by the Israeli military”.

Israeli Army Radio reported on Tuesday that Israel was proposing to distribute aid from three distribution centres in the southern governorate of Rafah, which is currently covered by an Israeli evacuation order and cut off from the rest of the territory by a new military corridor.

It said a representative from each family in Gaza would be allowed to go to the centres to receive a week’s supply of food – estimated to be about 70kg (154lb) on average – in order to prevent starvation. They would be screened to ensure Hamas members did not enter.

The report said the distribution would be managed by American organisations and private companies, rather than Israeli troops. It added that aid would not be distributed anywhere else in Gaza, which might hasten the movement of the population southwards.

A spokesman for the UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the Israeli plan “appears designed to further control and restrict supplies, which is the opposite of what is needed”, adding that aid should never be used as a way of forcing populations to move.

Jens Laerke told a news conference in Geneva that the UN would not co-operate with the plan because it would “not live up to the core fundamental humanitarian principles of impartiality, neutrality, and independent delivery of aid”.

“Impartiality means aid is provided on needs alone, not based on trying to get people to go somewhere,” he said. “Then neutral and independent: it is extremely important that [those receiving aid] see a neutral provider that they have nothing to fear from.”

The UN has said Israel is obliged under international law to ensure food and medical supplies for Gaza’s population. Israel has said it is complying with international law and there is no aid shortage because thousands of lorry loads entered during the ceasefire.

One Palestinian man in Gaza said he believed Israel’s proposal was “camouflage” and that it “has no intention of allowing aid into” the territory.

“This is the basic principle Israel is working on – to prolong the blockade until Gaza reaches an aggravated stage of famine,” he told BBC Arabic’s Gaza Today programme.

But another man said his “first and last concern” was receiving the supplies his family needed to survive, adding: “What really matters to us is that we want to live, eat, and go on with life.”

Israel’s resumed bombardment and ground operations over the past seven weeks have already resulted in hundreds of casualties and the displacement of an estimated 423,000 people, with about 70% of Gaza placed under Israeli evacuation orders, within an Israel-designated “no-go” zone, or both, according to the UN.

On Tuesday, health officials said Israeli strikes across Gaza killed at least 37 people.

Women and children were reportedly among at least 17 people who died when a UN-run school in Bureij refugee camp that was being used as a shelter for displaced families was bombed.

The Israeli military said it “struck terrorists who were operating within a Hamas command-and-control centre” and planning attacks.

Hamas denounced the attack as a “horrific massacre”.

The Israeli military launched a campaign to destroy Hamas in response to an unprecedented cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

At least 52,615 people have been killed in Gaza since then, including 2,507 since the Israeli offensive resumed, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.

A second man accused of felling the world famous Sycamore Gap has told jurors he was amazed at the public’s reaction as he thought it was “just a tree”.

The tree had grown in a dip on Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland for more than 100 years before it was felled in a “moronic mission” in the early hours of 28 September 2023, Newcastle Crown Court has heard.

Daniel Michael Graham, 39, from Carlisle, and Adam Carruthers, 32, from Wigton in Cumbria, each deny two counts of criminal damage relating to the tree and the Roman Wall.

Mr Carruthers told jurors he had “no clue” who did it.

Jurors were previously told the tree was a much-loved landmark and had global significance for its position on the former frontier of the Roman empire.

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Mr Graham’s phone and Range Rover were both tracked going to and from the site, while a video, which prosecutors allege shows the moment the tree was felled, was filmed on his mobile, the court has heard.

A wedge of wood was taken as a “trophy” and photographed hours later alongside a chainsaw in the boot of Mr Graham’s car, prosecutors have said.

Mr Graham previously told jurors he had been asleep that night and Mr Carruthers must have taken his car and phone without his knowledge.

On the sixth day of the trial, Mr Carruthers took to the witness box where he started by denying he had anything to do with felling the tree or filming it.

His barrister Andrew Gurney asked why Mr Carruthers seemed so interested in the aftermath, exchanging screenshots of social media posts and press reports with his co-accused and swapping voice notes discussing it.

Mr Carruthers said he just “couldn’t understand” the hysteria he was seeing on Facebook and he had wanted to talk about it with his friend.

“I didn’t understand how a tree would be able to hit the headlines as much as it did,” he said. “It was almost as if someone had been murdered.”

He was asked about a voice note in which he said an online commenter, who criticised the vandals, lacked the “minerals” to “launch an operation like we did”.

Mr Carruthers told jurors: “I think it’s been interpreted wrong.”

He said he had actually meant to say “he” instead of “we,” referring to whoever who had felled the tree although he had “no idea” who that might be.

Mr Graham had also claimed Mr Carruthers was fascinated with the tree, treasured a piece of string he had used to measure its circumference and had “mentioned” cutting it down, then admitted he had done so in a call to Mr Graham the morning after and later asked his friend to “take the blame”.

Mr Carruthers told jurors none of that was true.

He also told the court he had used a chainsaw to trim trees but never to fell one.

In cross-examination, prosecutor Richard Wright KC asked Mr Carruthers who felled the tree.

Mr Carruthers replied he had “no clue at all”, adding: “It wasn’t me.”

He said he thought it was “just a tree” but then, the morning after it was felled, started seeing news reports and public comments appearing “more and more” on social media.

The prosecutor suggested that was what was at the “heart” of the case.

“You thought ‘it’s just a tree’.

“When the rest of the world didn’t think it was just a tree, that it was a terrible and wicked thing to have done, you have lost your bottle and can’t own up to it?”

Mr Carruthers replied: “That’s not true.”

He was asked about mobile phone tracking data which showed him travelling to a spot about four miles way from the tree the afternoon before it was felled.

Mr Graham’s legal team suggested he was “doing a reconnoitre” of the tree, but Mr Carruthers claimed he was taking his partner and their new-born daughter on an impromptu excursion to the Metrocentre for food, turning around when the baby would not settle.

Mr Wright asked if there were not restaurants in Carlisle they could have visited rather than make a three-hour round trip on an afternoon when storms were forecast to hit the area.

Mr Carruthers replied the restaurants in Carlisle were “not the best” and the Metrocentre would be better.

The trial continues.

Russia says Ukraine launched a drone attack on Moscow – days before the start of a ceasefire, ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin to coincide with a World War Two parade.

Moscow’s four major airports shut for a few hours on Tuesday amid the barrage, authorities said. There were no casualties and Ukraine has not commented.

Moscow is due to hold a parade on 9 May to mark the victory of the Soviet Union and allies over Nazi Germany. This year is the 80th anniversary of the end of WW2 and will see world leaders, including China’s Xi Jinping, in Russia for the event.

Putin has called for a three-day ceasefire from 8 May – something Ukraine has not committed to. Kyiv wants a longer truce.

“Fire will be halted, but should the Kyiv regime fail to do the same and should it continue trying to strike our positions and facilities, then an appropriate response will be given immediately,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed Russia’s ceasefire plans as a “theatrical play”. Instead, he has been pushing for a ceasefire of at least 30 days where there would be a halt to missile and drone strikes on civilian targets.

He has also reportedly said his country cannot guarantee the safety of anyone travelling to Moscow this week.

“Our position is very simple for all countries traveling to Russia on May 9: We cannot be held responsible for what happens on the territory of the Russian Federation,” Zelensky was quoted as saying over the weekend by Ukrainian news agency Interfax.

Ukraine’s foreign ministry went a step further, calling on “all foreign states to refrain from the participation of their military personnel in the parade in Moscow”.

In a statement on Tuesday, it said taking part in the event would be “regarded by Ukraine as an insult to the memory of the victory over Nazism [and] the memory of millions of Ukrainian front-line soldiers who liberated our country and all of Europe from Nazism eight decades ago”.

The Kremlin had previously announced a 30-hour truce with Ukraine over Easter, where both sides reported a decrease in fighting, but accused each other of hundreds of violations.

Russian authorities said the Ukraine attack was the second in as many nights.

Moscow’s mayor said at least 19 Ukrainian drones had been intercepted “from different directions”. Sergei Sobyanin added that debris had landed on one of Moscow’s key highways.

The governors of other Russian cities, including Penza and Voronezh, also said they had been targeted.

Meanwhile, Ukraine reported downing 54 drones launched overnight from Russia, and several strikes across the country – including in Kyiv.

Four people have died as a result of the most recent attacks – three in the Sumy region, close to the Russian border, and one in the Black Sea city of Odesa.

Kharkiv’s regional head, Oleh Syniehubov, said 11 people had been injured and the city’s central market had been destroyed in a fire. At least four others were injured in the southern city of Nikopol on Tuesday morning, the regional head reported.

Fighting also continues in Russia’s Kursk region more than a week after Moscow said it had pushed Ukrainian troops out. Ukraine had denied that report and said its forces were still active there.

A total of 200 combat engagements occurred between Ukrainian and Russian troops on Monday, Ukrainian military authorities said.

Ukraine pushed into the Russian border region in a surprise incursion last August, but has since gained little ground.

India has announced that it will stop it water from flowing over international borders.

“Now, India’s water will flow for India’s benefit, it will be conserved for India’s benefit, and it will be used for India’s progress”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday.

While he did not mention Pakistan specifically, Modi’s comments come about two weeks after India suspended a 65-year-old water sharing treaty with its neighbour.

Relations between India and Pakistan have declined sharply following a deadly militant attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir last month. India accuses Pakistan of backing cross-border terrorism – a charge Islamabad flatly denies.

Several rivers flow from India into Pakistan, providing vital water supplies to about 80% of farms there. Pakistani leaders previously warned that any attempt to stop the flow of water “will be considered as an act of war”.

The 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), which governs the water sharing of six rivers in the Indus basin between India and Pakistan, survived two wars between the nuclear rivals and was seen as an example of trans-boundary water management.

Modi’s suspension of the treaty was one of several steps he took against Pakistan after the attack, which killed 26 civilians.

The PM did not elaborate on how India plans to use the excess water, and experts say the country needs to build more dams, reservoirs and lakes to store it, which will take time to build.

The escalation prompted the US to repeat its calls for calm.

“We continue to urge Pakistan and India to work towards a responsible resolution that maintains long-term peace and regional stability in South Asia,” State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters on Tuesday afternoon.

King Charles and Queen Camilla have unveiled their new state portraits at the National Gallery on the second anniversary of their Coronation day.

The paintings will be displayed in the gallery’s Central Hall before moving to Buckingham Palace in June.

The portrait of the King shows him wearing the Robe of State alongside his naval uniform with medals, and the Queen is portrayed wearing her coronation dress.

There was applause at the gallery on Tuesday as the couple pulled down coverings to reveal both portraits, before stepping back to admire the paintings.

The King was painted by Peter Kuhfeld, who has known him for more than 40 years, while the Queen was painted by Paul S. Benney.

The robe worn by the King is the one used during the first part of the coronation service. In keeping with tradition, alongside him is the Imperial State Crown.

Alongside the Queen in her portrait is her crown and the Robe of Estate she wore as she left Westminster Abbey on coronation day.

The King sat for Mr Kuhfeld at St James’s Palace five times over a year and a half. There were also two separate sittings with just the crown.

“I’ve spent quite a long time with him over the years so I’m used to being with him, ” the artist said.

“As a person he’s very interesting, he is very understanding of what a painter needs to do the job.”

Mr Benney had six official sittings with the Queen in the Garden Room at Clarence House. He was also allowed to set up a studio there allowing him to meet the Queen informally many times.

“The sittings were extremely pleasurable on my part,” he said. “I like to talk when I’m painting… and so we had a lot of chat and stories which we told each other.

“At times I would be holding my tummy from laughing so much. The Queen is very witty.”

Both the King and Queen reacted positively as they looked at the portraits after their unveiling.

“I suppose he thinks it’s okay,” Mr Kuhfeld said. “You never ask a sitter what they think of their own picture because I’m not sure that they know.”

The Queen could be heard telling Mr Benney about her portrait: “I think it’s really lovely”.

He also benefitted from some crucial family support: the Queen’s daughter, Laura Lopes, was at the National Gallery for the unveiling and complimented the painting.

Mr Benney said: “The Queen has said nothing but wonderful things about it – but more importantly Laura, her daughter, likes it.

“And you know when the kids like it that you’re probably on the right track.”

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Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told Israelis that “we are on the eve of an intense entry into Gaza.” Israel would, he said, capture territory and hold it: “They will not enter and come out.”

The new offensive is calculated, according to the spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Brigadier-General Effie Defrin, to bring back the remaining hostages. After that, he told Israeli radio, “comes the collapse of the Hamas regime, its defeat, its submission”.

The offensive will not start, Israel says, until after Donald Trump’s trip to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar next week. Assuming Trump does not dissuade Israel from going ahead, Israel will need a military and political miracle to pull off the results described by Brig-Gen Defrin.

It is more likely that the offensive will sharpen everything that makes the Gaza war so controversial. The war, starting with the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023, has taken the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis to a point as dangerous as any in its long history. Prolonging the war divides Israelis, kills even more Palestinian civilians and horrifies millions around the world, including many who describe themselves as friends of Israel.

While the IDF attacks Hamas in Gaza, the government’s plan is that its soldiers will force some or all of the more than two million Palestinian civilians in Gaza into a small area in the ruins of the south. Humanitarian aid would be distributed, perhaps by contractors including American private security firms. The United Nations humanitarian agencies have said they will not cooperate, condemning the plan as a violation of the principles of humanitarian aid.

They have also warned of starvation in Gaza caused by Israel’s decision more than two months ago to block all humanitarian deliveries. Israel’s blockade, which continues, has been widely condemned, not just by the UN and Arab countries.

Now, Britain and the European Union both say they are against a new Israeli offensive. A fortnight ago, the foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, France and Germany, all allies of Israel who regard Hamas as a terrorist group, warned that the “intolerable” blockade put Palestinian civilians, including one million children, at “an acute risk of starvation, epidemic disease and death”.

The ministers also warned, implicitly, that their ally was violating international law.

“Humanitarian aid must never be used as a political tool and Palestinian territory must not be reduced nor subjected to any demographic change”, they insisted. “Israel is bound under international law to allow the unhindered passage of humanitarian aid.”

Israel denies it violates international humanitarian law and the laws of war in Gaza. But at the same time its own ministers’ words suggest otherwise. One of many examples: the defence minister Israel Katz has described the blockade as a “main pressure lever” against Hamas. That sounds like an admission that the blockade is a weapon, even though it starves civilians, which amounts to a war crime.

Countries and organisations that believe Israel systematically violates its legal obligations, committing a series of war crimes, will scour any new offensive for more evidence. Extreme language used by ministers will have been noted by the South African lawyers arguing the case at the International Court of Justice alleging Israeli genocide in Gaza.

Much of it has come from ultra-nationalists who prop up the Netanyahu government. They see the new offensive as another step towards expelling Palestinians from Gaza and replacing them with Jewish settlers.

One of the most vocal extremists, Bezalel Smotrich, the finance minister said that in six months Gaza would be “totally destroyed”. Palestinians in the territory would be “despairing, understanding that there is no hope and nothing to look for in Gaza, and will be looking for relocation to begin a new life in other places”.

“Relocation”, the word used by Smotrich, will be seen both by his supporters and political enemies as another reference to “transfer”, an idea discussed since the earliest days of Zionism to force Arabs out of the land between the River Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea.

Netanyahu’s Israeli critics say prolonging the war with a new offensive instead of ending it with a ceasefire is about his own political survival, not Israel’s safety or the return of its hostages. In the days after the 7 October attacks there were lines of cars hurriedly parked outside military bases as Israelis rushed to volunteer for reserve duty to fight Hamas.

Now thousands of them (some estimates from the Israeli left are higher) are refusing to do any more reserve duty. They argue the prime minister is continuing the war because if he doesn’t his hard right will bring down the government and bring on the day of reckoning for mistakes and miscalculations Netanyahu made that gave Hamas an opportunity to attack.

Inside Israel, the sharpest criticism of the planned offensive has come from the families of the hostages who fear they have been abandoned by the government that claims to be rescuing them. Hamas still has 24 living hostages in the Gaza Strip, according to Israel, and is holding the bodies of another 35 of the 251 taken on 7 October. The Netanyahu government has claimed repeatedly that only as much military pressure as possible will get the survivors home and return the bodies of the dead to their families.

In reality, the biggest releases of hostages have come during ceasefires. The last ceasefire deal, which Trump insisted Israel sign in the final days of the Biden administration, included a planned second phase which was supposed to lead to the release of all the hostages and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Netanyahu’s extremist allies told him they would bring down his government if he agreed to a second phase of the ceasefire. First, Israel blocked humanitarian aid to put pressure, it said, on Hamas to agree to a renegotiated deal that would give Israel the option of going back to war even after the hostages were released. When Hamas refused, Israel went on the offensive again with a massive air attack on the night of 18 March.

Since then, Israel has put unrelenting pressure on Palestinians in Gaza. A new offensive will kill many more Palestinian civilians, deepen the misery of the survivors and bereaved inside Gaza and widen the toxic rifts within Israel. On its own, without a ceasefire deal, it is unlikely on past form to force Hamas to free the remaining hostages.

The carnage inflicted by Israel inside Gaza has been a recruiting sergeant for Hamas and other armed groups, according to President Joe Biden’s administration just before it left office in January of this year. It is worth repeating the words used by Biden’s secretary of state, Antony Blinken, in a speech in Washington on 14 January.

“We assess that Hamas has recruited almost as many new militants as it has lost,” Blinken said. “That is a recipe for an enduring insurgency and perpetual war.”

When he spoke, Israel was claiming that it had killed around 18,000 Palestinian fighters inside Gaza. More have been killed since then, and many more civilians.

Israel’s massive onslaught broke the back of Hamas as a structured military organisation more than a year ago. Now Israel faces an insurgency, which history shows can go for as long as recruits are prepared to fight and die to beat their enemy.

Conservative leader Friedrich Merz has won a parliament vote to become Germany’s next chancellor at the second attempt.

Merz had initially fallen six votes short of the absolute majority he needed on Tuesday morning – a significant blow to his prestige and an unprecedented failure in post-war German history.

As it was a secret ballot in the 630-seat Bundestag, there was no indication who had refused to back him – whether MPs from his centre-left coalition partner or his own conservatives.

After hours of uncertainty in the Bundestag, the parties and the president of the Bundestag agreed to hold a second vote, which Merz then won with 325 votes, a majority of nine.

His coalition with the Social Democrats should have had enough seats in parliament from the start, with 328 MPs in total, but it is thought 18 of them dissented during the first vote.

No chancellor candidate has lost a Bundestag vote in the 76 years since democracy was restored in Germany in 1949, and there was a prevailing mood of confusion in parliament in the hours after the vote.

Under Germany’s constitution, there is no limit to how many votes can be held but in practice another defeat for Merz would have meant a headache for his Christian Democrats, its sister party the Christian Social Union and their partner the Social Democrats.

The result meant a total debacle had been averted, declared one German news website.

Merz, 69, was then sworn in as chancellor by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and his team of 17 ministers were due to take office.

Bundestag President Julia Klöckner had originally been planning a follow-up vote on Wednesday, but Christian Democrat General Secretary Carsten Linnemann said it was important to press ahead.

“Europe needs a strong Germany, that’s why we can’t wait for days,” he told German TV.

Parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn appealed to his colleagues’ sense of responsibility: “All of Europe, perhaps the whole world, is watching this ballot.”

Merz’s defeat had been seen by political commentators as a humiliation, possibly inflicted by a handful of disaffected members of the Social Democrat SPD, which signed a coalition deal with his conservatives on Monday.

The Bundestag president told MPs that nine of the 630 MPs had been absent for the first vote while three had abstained and another ballot paper had been declared invalid.

Germany’s new Europe Minister, Gunther Krichbaum, told the BBC that some MPs may have hoped for a ministerial or state secretary role and had their hopes dashed. He also pointed out that some young Social Democrats had publicly said they were not convinced by Merz.

However, SPD officials were adamant their party was fully committed to the coalition deal.

“It was a secret vote so nobody knows,” senior Social Democrat MP Ralf Stegner told the BBC, “but I can tell you I don’t have the slightest impression that our parliamentary group wouldn’t have known our responsibility.”

Krichbaum, a conservative, said the clear message was that “now we are today in the situation to create a stable government” to tackle Germany’s big issues, including migration and the economy.

Far-right party Alternative for Germany, which came second in the February election with 20.8% of the vote, seized on Merz’s initial failure and called for fresh elections.

Joint leader Alice Weidel wrote on X that the vote showed “the weak foundation on which the small coalition has been built between the [conservatives] and SPD, which was rejected by voters”.

Merz’s choice for foreign minister, Christian Democrat colleague Johann Wadephul, told the BBC the initial vote was “an obstacle but not a catastrophe”.

Germany’s handover of government is carefully choreographed. On the eve of Tuesday’s vote, outgoing chancellor Olaf Scholz was treated to a traditional Grand Tattoo by an armed forces orchestra.

Merz had then been expected to sail through the initial vote on Tuesday morning, fulfilling a long-held ambition to become German chancellor.

His rival and former chancellor Angela Merkel had come to the Bundestag to watch the vote take place. She was not present for the second vote.

Among the first international leaders to congratulate Germany’s conservative leader was Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, who hoped that Germany would “grow even stronger and that we’ll see more German leadership in European and transatlantic affairs”.

Political correspondents in the Bundestag said Merz’s initial shock result indicated he had a potential problem lurking within his coalition ranks.

AfD MP Bernd Baumann said the CDU had promised a string of policies similar to his own party’s, such as limiting migration, and had then gone into an alliance with the centre left: “That doesn’t work. That’s not how democracy works.”

“This isn’t good,” warned Green politician Katrin Göring-Eckardt. “Even though I don’t want this chancellor or support him, I can only warn everyone not to rejoice in chaos.”

Barely 24 hours earlier, the messaging from Merz had been very different, of a new, stable government bringing six months of political paralysis to an end.

“It’s our historical duty to make this government a success,” he had said as he signed the coalition document on Monday.

Despite having a narrow majority of 12 seats, the agreement between the conservatives and centre left was seen as far more secure than the so-called traffic-light coalition of three parties that fell apart last November in a row over debt spending.

The SPD, which had been the biggest party in the old coalition slumped to its worst post-war election result in third place, but Merz had promised that Germany was back and that he would boost its voice on the world stage and revive a flagging economy.

After two years of recession, Europe’s largest economy grew in the first three months of 2025. However economists have warned of potential risks to German exports because of US-imposed tariffs.

Germany’s services sector contracted last month because of weaker demand and lower consumer spending.

Sir David Attenborough is launching what he says is one of the most important films of his career as he enters his hundredth year.

He believes his new, cinema-length film Ocean could play a decisive role in saving biodiversity and protecting the planet from climate change.

Sir David, who will be 99 on Thursday, says: “After almost 100 years on the planet, I now understand the most important place on Earth is not on land, but at sea.”

The ocean is the planet’s support system and humanity’s greatest ally against climate catastrophe, the film argues. It shows how the world’s oceans are at a crossroads.

The blue carpet was rolled out for the premiere the Royal Festival Hall in London.

In attendance was the King, told Sir David he “can’t believe” his 99th birthday was on Thursday.

The pair posed for photos before they entered the auditorium for the screening.

A host of celebrities also attended, including singer Geri Halliwell-Horner, astronaut Chris Peake, singer James Blunt and model Cara Delevingne.

Earlier, Prince William attended a matinee in a “private capacity”, along with hundreds of children from schools across the country.

Toby Nowlan, who produced Ocean, says this new production is not a typical Attenborough film. “This is not about seeing brand new natural history behaviours. It is the greatest message he’s ever told,” he says.

The film documents how the state of the world’s oceans and our understanding of how they function have changed in the course of Sir David’s lifetime.

Sir David remembers his first scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef way back in 1957: “I was so taken aback by the spectacle before me I forgot – momentarily – to breathe.”

Since then, there has been a catastrophic decline in life in the world’s oceans. “We are almost out of time,” he warns.

Ocean contains some of the most graphic footage of the damage that bottom trawling – a common fishing practice around the world – can do to the seabed. It is a vivid example of how industrial fishing can drain the life from the world’s oceans, Sir David claims.

The new footage shows how the chain that the trawlers drag behind them scours the seafloor, forcing the creatures it disturbs into the net behind. They are often seeking a single species: more than three-quarters of what they catch may be discarded.

“It’s hard to imagine a more wasteful way to catch fish,” comments Sir David.

The process also releases vast amounts of carbon dioxide which contributes to the warming of our planet, yet bottom trawling is not just legal but is actively encouraged by many governments.

Sir David says the state of the ocean has almost made him lose hope for the future of life on the planet. What has kept him from despair is what he calls the “most remarkable discovery of all” – that the ocean can “recover faster than we had ever imagined”.

Sir David says the story of the world’s whales has been a source of huge optimism for him.

It is estimated that 2.9 million whales were killed by the whaling industry in the 20th Century alone. Scientists have said it is the largest cull of any animal in history when measured in terms of total biomass. It pushed almost all whale species to the edge of extinction.

Just one per cent of Blue Whales were left, recalls Sir David: “I remember thinking that was it. There was no coming back, we had lost the great whales.”

But in 1986 lawmakers bowed to public pressure and banned commercial whaling worldwide. The whale population has rapidly recovered since then.

One of the film’s directors, Keith Scholey, has worked with Sir David for 44 years. “When I first met David, I was in shorts,” he jokes. That was in 1981, two years after Sir David had resigned as the BBC’s director of programmes – one of the most senior jobs at the Corporation. “He’d done one career, and he was off on his next.”

Despite now nearing his 99th birthday Sir David is still remarkably energetic, says Scholey. “Every time you work with David, you learn something new,” he says. “It’s really good fun. But also, David keeps you on your mettle, because he is so on his mettle and so, you know, it’s always a very creative process.”

Sir David’s key message in the Ocean film is that all is not lost. Countries have promised to protect a third of the world’s oceans. He hopes his new film will spur leaders to take firm action on this promise at a UN conference next month.

He believes that could be transformational.

“The ocean can bounce back to life,” Sir David says. “If left alone it may not just recover but thrive beyond anything anyone alive has ever seen.”

A healthier ocean ecosystem would also be able to trap more carbon dioxide, helping protect the world from climate change, according to scientists.

“In front of us is a chance to protect our climate, our food, our home,” Sir David says.

As he celebrates his 99th birthday this week he is still fighting to protect the natural world he has worked his lifetime to show to us in all its glory.

Ocean will be in cinemas across the country from Thursday.

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Donald Trump said the US would stop attacking the Houthis in Yemen because the group had “capitulated”, as Oman confirmed a “ceasefire” had been reached with the Iran-backed group for it to stop targeting shipping in the Red Sea.

“[The Houthis] just don’t want to fight, and we will honour that and we will stop the bombings, and they have capitulated,” he said, speaking alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the White House.

Shortly afterwards the Omani foreign minister posted that the deal meant neither side would target the other, “ensuring freedom of navigation and the smooth flow of international commercial shipping”.

The Houthis have yet to comment.

The US stepped up air strikes on the Houthis in March and the US military says it has struck 1,000 targets in Yemen since then.

Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump said the Houthis would “not be blowing up ships anymore”.

“The Houthis have announced that they are not, or they announced to us at least, that they don’t want to fight anymore… but, more importantly, we will take their word.

“They say they will not be blowing up ships anymore and that’s what the purpose of what we were doing… so that’s just news we just found out about that.”

Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi said his country had mediated efforts to achieve de-escalation.

“In the future, neither side will target the other, including American vessels, in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait, ensuring freedom of navigation and the smooth flow of international commercial shipping” he said.

The Houthis began attacking shipping passing through the Red Sea in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza, who have been under bombardment by the Israeli military since the Palestinian armed group Hamas attacked Israeli communities in October 2023.

They have launched dozens of missile and drone attacks on commercial ships, sinking two vessels, seizing a third and killing four crew members. The attacks forced even major shipping companies to stop using the Red Sea – through which almost 15% of global seaborne trade usually passes – and to take a much longer route around southern Africa instead.

US-led naval forces thwarted many Houthi attacks on shipping and former US president Joe Biden began US air strikes against the Houthis, which have intensified under Trump.

Last month, the Houthis said at least 68 African migrants were killed in a US air strike on a detention centre in north-western Yemen.

The Houthis have continued firing missiles towards Israel, with one missile landing near Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv on Sunday.

On Tuesday Israel responded with a large-scale attack on Yemen’s main international airport in the capital Sanaa, which left it “completely destroyed” according to an airport official quoted by AFP.

Other Israeli strikes hit power facilities and a cement factory. On Monday Israel bombed port facilities in Hudaydah and another cement factory in the city.

The US Supreme Court temporarily allowed President Donald Trump to enforce his ban on transgender people serving in the military while legal challenges to the policy move forward.

Shortly after taking office in January, Trump issued a pair of executive orders that cleared the way for the Pentagon to ban transgender troops from service.

But a lower court blocked the enforcement of the order in March, saying the administration had presented no information that transgender troops harmed the operation of the military.

In its emergency application to the court, the Trump administration argued that the lower court should show deference to the military’s decision-making.

The court’s three liberal justices objected to the stay, which arrived via an unsigned order on Tuesday.

Trump’s executive order declared that identifying as transgender “conflicts with a soldier’s commitment to an honourable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle” and would hamper military preparedness.

In February, the Department of Defense announced it would force out transgender troops currently serving.

Seven servicemembers, including Commander Emily Schilling, a Navy fighter pilot, sued to block the ban. Another transgender person who wanted to join the military joined their lawsuit.

They argued the policies “undermine military readiness, endanger our safety, and violate the United States Constitution”.

In March, a federal judge in Washington state ordered a nationwide halt on the administration’s ban, saying the government failed to show it would enhance “unit cohesion, good order or discipline”.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals did not block the lower court’s ruling, keeping the injunction in place.

With the Supreme Court order, that pause will lift while the servicemembers’ lawsuit makes its way through lower courts.

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt called the order “another massive victory in the Supreme Court”.

The UK and India have agreed a trade deal that will make it easier for UK firms to export whisky, cars and other products to India, and cut taxes on India’s clothing and footwear exports.

The British government said the “landmark” agreement, which took three years to reach, did not include any change in immigration policy, including towards Indian students studying in the UK.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the deal would boost the economy and “deliver for British people and business”.

Last year, trade between the UK and India totalled £42.6bn and was already forecast to grow, but the government said the deal would boost that trade by an additional £25.5bn a year by 2040.

India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, described the agreement as an historic milestone that was “ambitious and mutually beneficial”.

The pact would help “catalyse trade, investment, growth, job creation, and innovation in both our economies”, he said in a post on social media platform X.

Once it comes into force, which could take up to a year, UK consumers are likely to benefit from the reduction in tariffs on goods coming into the country from India, the Department for Business and Trade said.

That includes lower tariffs on:

• clothing and footwear
• cars
• foodstuffs including frozen prawns
• jewellery and gems

The government also emphasised the benefit to economic growth and job creation from UK firms expanding exports to India.

UK exports that will see levies fall include:

• gin and whisky
• aerospace, electricals and medical devices
• cosmetics
• lamb, salmon, chocolates and biscuits
• higher value cars

The British government said the deal was the “biggest and most economically significant” bilateral trade agreement the UK had signed since leaving the European Union in 2020.

UK Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the benefits for UK businesses and consumers were “massive”.

Tariffs on gin and whisky, a key sticking point in negotiations previously, will be halved to 75%, with further reductions taking effect in later years.

Tariffs of 100% on more expensive UK-made cars exported to India will fall to 10%, subject to a quota limiting the total number.

The deal also includes provisions on the services sector and procurement allowing British firms to compete for more contracts.

Under the terms of the deal, some Indian and British workers will also gain from a three-year exemption from social security payments, which the Indian government called “an unprecedented achievement”.

The exemption applies to the staff of Indian companies temporarily transferred to the UK, and to UK firms’ workers transferred to India. Social security contributions will be paid by employers and employees in their home country only, rather than in both places.

The UK already has similar reciprocal “double contribution convention” agreements with 17 other countries including the EU, the US and South Korea, the government said.

However, leader of the opposition Kemi Badenoch described the agreement as “two-tier taxes from two-tier Keir”, with Labour’s increase in employer NI contributions from the Budget coming into force last month.

Shadow trade secretary Andrew Griffith said: “Every time Labour negotiates, Britain loses”.

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said it was “very worrying to hear concerns that Indian workers coming over here, companies may not have to pay taxes on those workers” and called for MPs to be allowed to vote on the deal.

The government said the National Insurance exemption would not affect NHS funding, since Indians working in the UK would still be required to pay the immigration health surcharge.

India, currently the fifth largest economy in the world, is forecast to become the third-largest within in a few years, making it a desirable trading partner for the UK, currently the world’s sixth largest economy.

The UK is also a high priority trading partner for Prime Minister Modi’s government, which has an ambitious target to increase exports by $1 trillion by 2030.

The deal is a win for free trade at a time when US President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff campaign has put the idea on the defensive and raised fears of tit-for-tat trade wars.

It appears to have increased the impetus to strike this trade deal.

Rain Newton-Smith, chief executive of business lobby group, the CBI, welcomed the deal saying it provided a “beacon of hope amidst the spectre of protectionism” following Trump’s wave of tariffs.

UK businesses saw “myriad” opportunities in the Indian market, she added.

Allie Renison, from communications firm SEC Newgate, and a former government trade adviser, said the deal was potentially “transformational” due to India’s size, growth rate and relatively high existing barriers to accessing its market.

The Israeli military has said it “fully disabled” Yemen’s main airport in the capital Sanaa, which is controlled by the Houthis.

Tuesday’s strikes targeted three civilian planes, the departures hall, the runway and a military air base, airport sources told Reuters. An official told AFP that the airport had been “completely destroyed”.

The Houthis said at least three people had been killed and vowed to respond.

It comes two days after the Iran-backed Houthis fired a missile that landed near Israel’s main airport, forcing it to close briefly.

Israel began responding on Monday by striking the Yemeni port city of Hudaydah, then targeted Sanaa airport the next day.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that anyone targeting Israel would be held “accountable”.

In a video statement, Netanyahu said whoever attacks Israel “bears responsibility for his own blood”.

“Our choice of when to respond, how to respond and on which targets to respond is a consideration that we make every time,” he added.

Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a member of the Houthis’ top political body, meanwhile told Houthi-linked TV that Israel’s attacks were “failed terrorism”.

“Support for Gaza continues, the response is coming, and Netanyahu must prepare his resignation,” he said.

The airport official said the three destroyed planes belonged to Yemenia Airlines.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had attacked runways, aircraft and “infrastructure” at Sanaa airport. It alleged the Houthis were using the airport to “transfer weapons and operatives”.

Israel’s military said it also struck power stations in Sanaa, which it described as “significant electricity supply infrastructure” for the Houthis – as well as the al-Imran cement factory in the north of the city.

Meanwhile on Tuesday President Donald Trump said the US would stop attacking the Houthis after the group “capitulated”.

“[The Houthis] just don’t want to fight, and we will honour that and we will stop the bombings, and they have capitulated,” he said, speaking alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the White House.

Shortly afterwards the Omani foreign minister posted that the US and the Houthis had agreed a ceasefire deal under which neither side would attack the other “ensuring freedom of navigation and the smooth flow of international commercial shipping”.

The Israeli strikes on Tuesday followed its attack a day earlier on Hudaydah. The port is the second-largest in the Red Sea after Aden, and is the entry point for about 80% of Yemen’s food imports.

At least four people were killed and 35 others were wounded during Monday’s attack, the Houthis said.

The group blamed the US and Israel jointly for the attack, but a US defence official told the AFP news agency that their forces did not participate.

The Houthi missile fired towards Ben Gurion airport, near Tel Aviv, on Sunday landed next to an access road near the main terminal. Six people were injured, Israeli emergency services said.

Following the strike, the Houthis said they would impose “a comprehensive aerial blockade” on Israel by targeting airports in response to Israel’s plans to expand its military operations in Gaza.

Israel has launched several previous rounds of strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, including targeting a power plant and ports in January. It previously attacked Sanaa airport in December.

Monday night marked one of the world’s biggest nights of fashion, as stars served up their most iconic looks for the annual Met Gala in New York City.

The theme for this year’s event was “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”, the first since 2003 to focus exclusively on menswear.

It was inspired by a newly unveiled exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s costume institute featuring the “black dandy”, which Vogue says “examines the importance of clothing and style to the formation of black identities in the Atlantic diaspora”.

A-list celebrities including Zendaya, Demi Moore and Diana Ross brought their own interpretation to the theme, stunning in tailored suits and dramatic gowns.

• Look back at our live coverage of the Met
• Rihanna reveals she is expecting third child

Here is a look at some of the highlights:

Actress Zendaya, known for her dazzling red carpet style, opted for a wide-brimmed hat and tailored Louis Vuitton cream suit at this year’s Met Gala.

But there was one slight pop of colour: her manicured red nails.

Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny wore a brown Prada suit, which he said he worked on with the Italian fashion house for a few months before the event.

He also stayed on theme by accessorising with embellished gloves, a brooch and a hat that paid homage to his Puerto Rican heritage.

“We did something special,” he said of his look. “I feel good, and I hope people think I’m looking good.”

US reality TV star Kim Kardashian wore an all-black ensemble by LA-based brand Chrome Hearts – a fitted leather top and skirt that she offset with diamond necklaces and two strings of pearls.

She is, of course, no stranger to the Met Gala – having made headlines with a dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in 2022, and a wet-look Thierry Mugler dress in 2019.

Black British designer Grace Wales Bonner dressed British Formula One star Sir Lewis Hamilton for the night. Sir Lewis was a co-chair of this year’s event.

The pair have worked together in the past with Wales Bonner dressing Hamilton for the 2023 British Fashion Awards.

Singer Chappell Roan brought a rare pop of colour to the Met’s blue carpet, in a patchwork hot pink ensemble sourced from eBay.

The singer worked with Wicked costume designer Paul Tazewell on her outfit, while make-up artist Pat McGrath was behind her disco-inspired look.

Demi Moore gave us another round of method dressing.

The American actress’s recent press tour for The Substance recalled the body horror themes of the film, while her awards campaign for the role of Elisabeth Sparkle saw her dressing for the glam statuettes.

Moore understood the assignment for the Met Gala, coming as a literal men’s tie in a sculptural black and white striped sequin gown from Thom Browne.

Rihanna, typically one of the most stylish attendees at the Gala, returned to the Met steps this year in Marc Jacobs, debuting her pregnancy with co-chair of the evening A$AP Rocky.

Legendary singer Diana Ross wore a show-stopping white ensemble, complete with feathers and a long train that required at least two assistants.

On the carpet, Ross said her son persuaded her to attend this year’s event. The last time she attended the Met Gala is 2003.

She added she had the names of her children and grandchildren embroidered on her dress train.

Actress Sydney Sweeney wore a custom Miu Miu gown – her third time wearing the designer at the Met Gala. This time, her dress was complete with beaded fringe shoulders and gold hardware detailing on the neck.

Speaking about her look, Sweeney said it paid homage to actress and painter Kim Novak. Sweeney is set to portray Novak in the upcoming film Scandalous.

A custom-made Chanel look was Dua Lipa’s choice this year.

The chiffon dress, sequin tweed jacket and organza cape – all adorned with pearls, feathers and crystals – took some 2,000 hours to make.

Sabrina Carpenter wore a burgundy Louis Vuitton bodysuit that featured all the tailoring of a regular suit.

The singer said she worked with recording artist Pharrell Williams – also the men’s creative director of Louis Vuitton – on the bottomless look.

“You’re quite short, so no pants for you,” Carpenter recalled Williams telling her.

Irish actor Barry Keoghan wore a custom-made Valentino fit, with florals embroidered on the cuffs and a silk red scarf wrapped around the waist.

New Zealand singer Lorde made a rare appearance at the Met Gala this year (she has not attended since 2021).

She wore a metallic silver floor-length skirt set, and a matching bandeau and blazer designed by Thom Browne.

Olympic gymnast and gold medalist Simone Biles brought a pop of colour to the Met Gala carpet with a striking blue minidress that featured a collared neckline, a long train and jewelled appliques.

The dress was designed by Harbison Studio.

Singer Coco Jones opted for a look designed by Indian brand Manish Malhotra.

She wore a tailored cream and white look that featured ornate embroidery and a dramatic long-sleeve coat. Jones also wore a large statement necklace and Jimmy Choo heels.

Actor and playwright Colman Domingo could have inspired this year’s Met Gala theme, as he’s been carrying the baton for well-dressed men on the red carpet for several years now.

He donned a royal blue Valentino cloak that paid homage to Andre Leon Talley, former editor-at-large on Vogue whom Anna Wintour called “a dandy among dandies.”

The cape later was removed to reveal a second look underneath: a tailored, patterned suit complete with a big fabric, polka-dotted flower brooch.

Actress and singer Teyana Taylor, who hosted Vogue’s live stream of the red carpet, arrived in custom Marc Jacobs on the arm of costume designer Ruth E. Carter. Ms Carter has worked with filmmaker Spike Lee and on the Black Panther movie franchise to create some modern pop cultural cues for the black dandy.

Taylor wore a burgundy cape embroidered with “Harlem Rose,” a nod to her 2018 song A Rose in Harlem.

Social media influencer Emma Chamberlain looked sharp and on theme with a backless tailored suit dress designed by French fashion house Courrèges.

She accessorised the look with a spiky beach blonde pixie cut and stylish eyeglasses.

Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo, known for her on-theme style, wore a Givenchy ensemble featuring a bedazzled bodice and an extra-long black train with matching leather boots and nails.

Recording artist Doja Cat wore a custom Marc Jacobs look that featured giant shoulder pads and a leopard-print bustier panel.

“I just wanted to feel like a little gangsta,” she said.

“I feel like he brought that with the strong shape of the shoulders, and all of the exaggerated shapes,” Doja Cat said of Jacobs.

Actress Tracee Ellis Ross, the daughter of Diana Ross, was one of the few people who wore pink at this year’s Met Gala.

She donned a custom Marc Jacobs suit that was complete with a giant, hot pink bow at the back, a matching top hat and some unique bling.

In one of the more memorable looks of the evening, Andre 3000 showed up to the Met Gala carpet with a black and white piano strapped to his back and a trash bag as a purse.

The stylish OutKast rapper designed the look himself in collaboration with Burberry.

Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o wore a stunning powder blue Chanel suit, with a matching hat and transparent cape.

She accessorised the look with bedazzled, black rhinestone eyebrows.

Rapper Cardi B debuted a new hairstyle (and eye colour) in a green Burberry pantsuit, complete with matching nails and eye shadow.

Doechii took brand representation to new levels, stamping the famous Louis Vuitton logo on her face to go along with the motif of her suit.

The American rapper is often seen wearing looks from the French fashion house.

This outfit combined the designer’s two famous patterns – the LV monogram pattern on the waistcoat and jacket, as well as the damier checkerboard on the shorts.

When asked about her outfit on the carpet, Janelle Monáe responded simply – “free” – followed by an expletive.

“And when I’m in my suit, that is exactly how I feel,” she said.

She wore a Thom Brown suit, with whom she’s attended the Met Gala as a guest for the last several years. The look is styled by the Academy Award-winning costume designer for Wicked, Paul Tazewell.

Pop legend Madonna accessorised her cream-colored tuxedo with a cigar, creating an interplay between soft feminine materials and a distinct masculine energy.

It’s a dynamic that the superstar has played with throughout her career.