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Defence secretary questioned by Laura Kuenssberg about national security plans

Defence secretary questioned by Laura Kuenssberg about national security plans

BBC News01-06-2025

Update:
Date: 08:47 BST
Title: Defence secretary to be grilled ahead of security review publication
Content: Defence Secretary John Healey is in the hot seat on today's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, answering questions about the UK's defence strategy ahead of a review of the country's capabilities due out on Monday.
Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick will also be on the programme, just days after he made headlines with a video confronting fare dodgers on the London Underground.
We'll also hear from David Challen, the son of coercive control victim Sally Challen, who is a campaigner against domestic abuse.
We won't be providing regular text updates on this page but you can watch live at the top of this page from 09:00 BST.

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Ban 'no ball games' signs to get children off devices, play experts say
Ban 'no ball games' signs to get children off devices, play experts say

BBC News

time38 minutes ago

  • BBC News

Ban 'no ball games' signs to get children off devices, play experts say

Play experts want to ban "no ball games" signs and protect playtime during school breaks, to reduce the time children spend on are being forced "indoors on to digital devices", according to the Raising the Nation Play Commission, whose year-long inquiry calls for an end to "anti-play culture".It warns outdoor play in England has declined by 50% in a generation because of streets dominated by traffic, fear about crime and "public spaces where young people are not welcome".The government says it is working with experts to develop a framework to improve access to activities outside of school. The report is calling for a national Play Strategy for England and has made a number of recommendations including:A national ban on "no ball games" signsUpdating planning policy to require developers to consult with children on all new developmentsGovernment guidance protecting play at break time and lunchtime in schools and banning practices like withdrawing playtime for poor behaviourOpening up school playgrounds to the community outside of school hoursRaising the digital age of consent to 16 and a ban on phones in schoolsChair of the commission, Paul Lindley, says in England "we've made it incredibly hard for children to play"."Creating truly playful communities is not just about better street design, traffic management, and reduced crime, but also about a reversal of the growing culture of intolerance towards children playing."In London, there are more than 7,000 signs limiting play for more than half a million children, according to the councils are beginning to remove signs amid concerns that children are exercising less. For Samantha and her four-year-old son Chester, who live in Blackpool, having a playground far away from traffic is vital."It's free," she says and it's somewhere her son can play without having to worry "about someone coming to tell him he can't"."A lot of children are growing up and don't have the opportunity to be able to go to other places or travel, so having somewhere close to home, that is free, is so important."More than 400 playgrounds closed in England from 2012 to 2022 and annual park budgets have fallen, the report Better Start, which helps families with young children like Chester, has been working to transform the city's less used parks and green spaces over the last ten years."It is so important for families to have safe spaces to play. Families identify with the park. They feel a sense of ownership and they feel like it belongs to them," director Clare Law explains. And there are calls for changes in schools 1995, break times in schools were around 23 minutes longer for young children than they are now, the report found. The commission wants to see playtime during breaks and lunchtime at St Ambrose Catholic Academy in Liverpool are guaranteed an hour's quality play every Tracy Moorcroft says it is a massive part of the school day."If they are building, we see them as future architects, if they're in the kitchen, could they be the next future chef? We try to link their play with aspirations for later in life."But Ms Moorcroft is less convinced about the idea of having "always-active uniforms" which have already been introduced in some says the school has "very high standards" for the uniform, as the children are being prepared for life beyond the get to wear their PE kit some days and wear wellies and coats so they can go outside regardless of the weather. General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, Pepe Di'Iasio agrees that playtime has been squeezed "by the drive to improve academic outcomes", but cautioned against an "overly prescriptive approach to play" as this may impact on other areas of the Wales and Scotland have already made it a legal requirement for local authorities to ensure enough opportunities for children to commission in England is calling for a national play strategy with an annual budget of £125m, led by a minister with a responsibility for Anne Longfield from the Centre for Young Lives think tank, who worked on the report, said it should provide a "blueprint for how we can get children playing again and also tackle the scourge of addictive doom-scrolling".A government spokesperson said its Plan for Change was "setting young people up to achieve and thrive – both inside and outside the classroom", and that it is investing in grassroots sports facilities and in a programme to help turn "grey school spaces green". "From July, new rules under the Online Safety Act will require social media platforms to protect children in the UK from seeing harmful content online," the spokesperson reporting by Hayley Clarke and Rahib Khan

EXCLUSIVE Moment Bridgerton actress has her phone robbed by prolific Algerian thief in Joe & the Juice - before star heroically fights back in front of stunned customers
EXCLUSIVE Moment Bridgerton actress has her phone robbed by prolific Algerian thief in Joe & the Juice - before star heroically fights back in front of stunned customers

Daily Mail​

timean hour ago

  • Daily Mail​

EXCLUSIVE Moment Bridgerton actress has her phone robbed by prolific Algerian thief in Joe & the Juice - before star heroically fights back in front of stunned customers

This is the moment a Bridgerton actress had her phone robbed by a prolific Algerian thief in Joe & the Juice - before the star heroically fought back in front of stunned customers. MailOnline can reveal for the first time CCTV of Genevieve Chenneour, 27, bravely defending herself after Zacariah Boulares, 18, snuck up behind her and grabbed her phone in the upmarket coffee shop on Kensington High Street, west London, on February 8. Around 18 months earlier, Boulares had threatened to behead Aled Jones with a machete as he stole his £17,000 Rolex in Chiswick, west London. The thief, then 16, was locked up for his attack on the Welsh chorister in October 2023 but was released from youth detention early after serving just 14 months of his 24-month sentence. Boulares, who can now be named and pictured after turning 18, has gone on to commit a spate of crimes, including robbing rising star Ms Chenneour, who plays rumour-monger Clara Livingston in hit Netflix period drama Bridgerton. The thug's extensive criminal history - 12 previous convictions relating to 28 offences - was laid bare after he pleaded guilty on May 29 to stealing Ms Chenneour's phone and assaulting another customer, Carlo Kurcishi. In exclusive footage obtained by MailOnline, the actress can be seen courageously fighting back against the hooded thief who targeted her while she was out with a friend on a dog walk. Speaking of the moment she fought off the teenage thug, Ms Chenneour previously told the Mail: 'They didn't expect me to stand up for myself – but I did.' CCTV footage shows brave the moment Bridgerton actress, Genevieve Chenneour fought back against the thug In the CCTV, Boulares can be seen prowling around the back of the café, waiting for Ms Chenneour's friend to leave her alone at the table when he ordered before he pounces. The hooded thief, wearing all black with a navy cap, then swipes the phone while Ms Chenneour has her back turned, but she quickly leaps into action and takes down the thief with the help of her friend. The fearless Yorkshire-born actress puts her arm out to block the thief from leaving and dislodges the phone from his hand. Retrieving the iPhone from off the floor, she then uses the device to strike Boulares who is left helpless on the floor. The commotion continued as shocked onlookers began to form a crowd in the popular café in Kensington. The tussle can then be seen spilling into the back of the café, where Ms Chenneour, her friend and Boulares can only be seen in CCTV in glimpses via a mirror. After around four minutes of scuffling, the humbled crook then points his finger in the face of Ms Chenneour's friend before walking out of the café without the phone. The actress previously revealed: 'I was left with a concussion just before the Screen Actors Guild Awards and since then, I've felt constantly on edge. 'Even my dog was traumatised - now, if anyone touches me, he panics and tries to protect me. 'Getting a coffee shouldn't be something you need your wits about you for. She courageously stood up to the thief, hitting him with the phone as he tussled with a man on the floor during the ordeal 'I'm so grateful to the staff at Joe & The Juice – they were incredible during the incident and when I went back to see them after.' Boulares appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on May 29, where he pleaded guilty to stealing the phone and assaulting Mr Kurcishi. To the charge of stealing a mobile phone of a value unknown belonging to the Bridgerton actress, he shouted: 'Guilty'. He also admitted stealing a black leather hand bag from a diner at a pizza restaurant in London's West End on 30 January this year. The defendant has been remanded into custody with sentencing scheduled for June 17 at Isleworth Crown Court in west London. More than 70,000 phones were snatched in London in 2024, out of an estimated 100,000 thefts across the UK. Ms Chenneour is a former athlete who joined Team GB's artistic swimming team at the age of 15. She was awarded an Olympic scholarship before the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, but her sporting career was cut short by injury and she retrained as an actress. After appearing as a stunt double in the underwater sequences of period feature Gateway To The West, she landed her breakthrough role in the Regency drama. A source was previously quoted as saying: 'Genevieve showed real bravery throughout. It was a very shocking incident. 'It shows what is happening on London's streets on a daily basis. 'This was just another young woman going about her daily business. She's handled it brilliantly.' Genevieve Chenneour, pictured here at the premiere of Netflix's The Gentlemen at London's Theatre Royal Drury Lane in March last year, had her phone stolen in February this year Boulares went on to rob Ms Chenneour after being released from youth detention for the attack on chorister Mr Jones on July 7 2023. The Algerian national threatened Mr Jones with a 20-inch blade, demanding the 'f***king Rolex' on the singer's arm, while threatening to cut his limb off. Boulares could not be named at the time due to his age. After the terrified baritone gave the menacing youth his Dayton, Boulares later said he would 'cut [Jones's] head off' if the Songs of Praise star continued to follow him. The now 18-year-old appeared late to magistrates court late several times before he eventually pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of an offensive weapon at Wimbledon Youth Court. It was also heard the youngster had also stolen a £20,000 gold Rolex from a pensioner. His record was dubbed 'appalling' by Chairman of the bench Rex Da Roach. A Detention and Training Order (DTO) can be handed to teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17, where they serve half of their time in custody and are later supervised, by a Youth Offending Team. However after only 14 months the Algerian national was freed, and later went on to commit a spate of crimes, including at Joe & the Juice. A spokesman for the Met Police said: 'Police were called to a restaurant on Kensington High Street on Saturday, 8 February following reports of a theft and an assault. 'CCTV showed the suspect stealing a phone from the table and then assaulting a separate member of the public who confronted him. 'The victim of the assault was kicked and punched before the suspect left the premises. 'CCTV enquiries identified Zacariah Boulares as the suspect and he was arrested.

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