Plus: McDonald's rethinks prices, and we unearth an archive Tolkien interview ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
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| Hello. Our reporters at the scene of a deadly stabbing at a children's event in Southport, north-west England, describe a town in a state of disbelief. In Venezuela, there have been protests over the disputed election result. And James FitzGerald reports from Paris, where the Olympic triathlon has been postponed over concerns about water quality in the Seine. | |
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TOP OF THE AGENDA | Children's stabbing leaves town in shock | | Floral tributes have been left near the scene of the attack. Credit: Getty Images | The seaside town of Southport, known in England for its annual flower show, golf courses and coastal dunes, is coming to terms with a deadly multiple stabbing that has left a community shattered. Two children were killed in what police described as a "ferocious" attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event. Nine more were injured, six critically. Two adults were seriously hurt - it's thought while trying to protect the children. Witnesses have been describing in distressing terms what unfolded. One man, who runs a vehicle repair shop, ran to the scene after hearing children's screams to be met with "the worst thing I've ever seen". As our reporter Nicky Schiller puts it: "This town is waking up in shock, grief and asking why?" Police who arrested a 17-year-old boy are working to establish a motive. They are not treating it as terror-related.
What happened: Here's what we know about how the attack unfolded.
Singer's support: Taylor Swift has paid tribute to the victims, while her fans have raised more than £20,000 for the families affected.
Get the latest: Police are continuing to question the suspect. Our live page has more details. | |
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WORLD HEADLINES | Election protests: Security forces in Venezuela have fired tear gas and rubber bullets after thousands of people descended on central Caracas to demonstrate over Sunday's disputed election result. | India disaster: At least 63 people have been killed and dozens are feared trapped after heavy rains triggered massive landslides in the southern state of Kerala. | Mercenaries ambushed: A Russian commander from what was the Wagner Group was among an estimated 20 to 50 fighters killed by rebel fighters in Mali, sources close to the group - now known as Africa Corps - have said. | Airline emissions: Air New Zealand has abandoned a 2030 goal to cut its carbon emissions, blaming difficulties securing more efficient planes and sustainable jet fuel. | Fast food: McDonald's will undergo a "comprehensive rethink" of its pricing strategy after the first drop in sales since the Covid pandemic, boss Chris Kempczinski has told investors. | |
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| Triathlon off but some are undeterred | | Danielle is keen to take the plunge, despite heavy rain having affected the water quality. Credit: BBC | The Olympic men's individual triathlon has been postponed after tests revealed water quality in the River Seine did not reach the required standard, despite a 1.4bn euro (£1.2bn) outlay on making it safe to swim. |
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| | James FitzGerald, BBC News |
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| | I've been asking people here whether they'd consider having a dip. A few Parisians clearly don't fancy it. "I will never dive in, even if they clean it for years," says a man named Reda. But Danielle says she's wanted to do it for a long time and would "absolutely" have a go, even if "the colour isn't perfect". As for overseas visitors - opinions are again mixed. "It's too green," says Rudolf from Mexico... though he'd reconsider if there was an Olympic medal up for grabs. |
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BEYOND THE HEADLINES | Videos reveal brutality against protesters |
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| | | One UN expert describes the violence seen in videos analysed by the BBC as "unlawful". Credit: EPA | More than 200 people are reported to have been killed this month in protests over quotas in government jobs in Bangladesh. But only now an internet shutdown has ended are we getting a fuller picture. As Anbarasan Ethirajan and BBC Verify explain, one image of a student - facing police with arms wide open, stick in hand, before being shot at - stirred the nation into action. |
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SOMETHING DIFFERENT | War-based fantasy | JRR Tolkien talked about how fighting in World War One affected his writing. | |
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And finally... | A team of Indian and American biologists camped for 55 nights over three years, during the monsoon rains in the remote Andaman islands off India's east coast, to study tiny Charles Darwin frogs. They delivered remarkable findings, as the species' mating rituals are thought to be one of a kind. | |
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Medal Moments | Your daily newsletter guide to the Paris Olympics, from global highlights to heroic stories, throughout the Games. | |
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MORE BBC NEWSLETTERS | The Essential List: The week's best stories, handpicked by BBC editors, in your inbox twice a week. Subscribe. | In History: The past comes to life through the BBC's unique audio, video and written archive, each Thursday. Subscribe. | US Election Unspun: Cut through the noise in the race for the White House, every Wednesday. Subscribe. | |
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