London fire: Appeals for missing relatives

At least 30 people have died and 12 people are in critical care after a huge fire engulfed a west London tower block on Tuesday night.

Many people are unaccounted for, and loved ones have appealed on social media for information. An emergency number - 0800 0961 233 - has been set up for anyone concerned about friends or family.

Brkite and Biruk Haftom

Mother and son Brkite and Biruk Hafton live in Flat 155 of Grenfell Tower.

Family friend Dejan Araya says Brkite's sister and friend have been searching hospitals for news of their whereabouts and are inconsolable.

Dejan Araya said the last time there was any contact with them was at around 22:00 BST on the night of the fire.

Deborah Lamprell

Deborah Lamprell, 45, lives on the 16th floor. A family friend said she would always text her mother when she returned home from work.

The last text message Ms Lamprell sent her mother was at about 23:30 BST on the evening of the fire. She has not been heard from since.

Ms Lamprell's cousin made an appeal on Facebook for information. She posted: "Dear friends, I am desperate for your help. My cousin Deborah Lamprell lives in Grenfell Tower.

"We haven't had any news and don't know if she's been rescued and in hospital."

Gloria Trevisan and Marco Gottardi

It is believed Mr Gottardi, and his girlfriend Ms Trevisan were staying with friends at Grenfell Tower.

Mr Gottardi's father Giannino told Italy's ANSA news agency that he had been on the phone to his son and his girlfriend up until the last minute.

He told him that the flat was full of smoke and then communications were interrupted.

"We're just hoping for a miracle," he said.

Mr Gottardi, an architect, is from a town near Venice and Ms Trevisan is from the city of Padua.

El-Wahabi family

Five members of the El-Wahabi family are missing. Sanaa Jones says they are her uncle Abdul Aziz, 52, his wife Fouzia, 42, son Yasin, 21, daughter Nur Huda, 15, and youngest son Medhi, 8.

Sanaa's other aunt, her husband, and two children - who also live in the same block - were able to escape from the sixth floor, but the El-Wahabis were on the 21st floor.

My aunty told my uncle to get out but there was a lot of smoke," she said

"My uncle got on the phone to the fire brigade, who advised him to stay inside and to shut the door, and put blankets down around 02.30.

"That's the last time we heard from them.

"I went to one hospital, my cousins went to other hospitals. There is nothing and they are not there.

"It's very distressing time at the moment. We have to try to keep strong."

Hamid Kani

Iranian born Hamid Kani, 61, lived alone in flat 154 of Grenfell Tower. A London-based family friend says his relatives in Iran are devastated as they cannot reach him.

They have been trying to get information from hospitals but have not been able to locate him.

The family friend - who wishes to remain anonymous - said it has been a stressful and painful time for the whole family.

BBC NEWS

US destroyer collides with merchant vessel near Japan

A US Navy destroyer has collided with a merchant vessel close to Japan with reports of a number of injuries.

The crash involving the USS Fitzgerald happened 56 nautical miles (103km) south-west of the city of Yokosuka at about 2:30am local time (18:30 BST) on Saturday.

Japan's public broadcaster, NHK, showed aerial footage of the US ship with heavy damage on one side.

The US Navy has requested help from the Japanese coastguard.

One injured sailor is to be evacuated to hospital by the coastguard's helicopter, the navy said.

A spokesperson also told Reuters news agency that the ship was working to account for all personnel.

In a series of tweets, the US 7th Fleet earlier said the USS Fitzgerald had experienced flooding in some areas, and the extent of injuries was being determined.

It said the ship was now on its way to Yokosuka - under its own power, but with limited propulsion.

It also said the other ship carried a Filipino flag.

In a statement released on social media, Admiral John Richardson said: "As more information is learnt we will be sure to share it with the Fitzgerald families and when appropriate the public. [...] All our thoughts and concerns are with the Fitzgerald crew and their families."

BBC NEWS

Amazon to buy Whole Foods for $13.7bn

Online retail giant Amazon is buying Whole Foods in a $13.7bn (£10.7bn) deal that marks its biggest push into traditional retailing yet.

Amazon, which has been experimenting with grocery offerings, will buy the upscale supermarket for $42 a share.

Founded in 1978 in Texas, Whole Foods was a pioneer of the move towards natural and organic foods.

It has grown to more than 460 stores in the US, Canada and the UK, and employs about 87,000 people globally.

Amazon founder and chief executive Jeff Bezos said: "Millions of people love Whole Foods Market because they offer the best natural and organic foods, and they make it fun to eat healthy.

"Whole Foods Market has been satisfying, delighting and nourishing customers for nearly four decades - they're doing an amazing job and we want that to continue."

'Maximise value'

Whole Foods has been under pressure from investors amid declining same-store sales. Last month, the company named a new chief financial officer and new board members.

In April, activist investor Jana Partners called the firm's shares undervalued, noting "chronic underperformance".

The price being paid by Amazon marks a 27% premium to the level Whole Foods' shares closed at on Thursday.

The takeover deal is expected to be completed in the second half of the year.

Whole Foods boss John Mackey said: "This partnership presents an opportunity to maximize value for Whole Foods Market's shareholders, while at the same time extending our mission and bringing the highest quality, experience, convenience and innovation to our customers."

BBC NEWS

Online anger in China over breast-fondling 'magician'

A video blogger has ignited a debate about women's safety in China, after he posted videos of himself pretending to be a street magician so that he could fondle women's breasts.

The man, who calls himself "Chris", is shown approaching young women in the city centre of Chengdu. He asks them if he can show them a coin trick.

As he talks, the women appear to relax in his presence. Then he presses a coin to their chests and begins to fondle their breasts.

A local shop owner told local media that he had spotted the videos online and contacted police.

State-run news website The Cover said police had found the man - identified in media reports as a video blogger from Shanghai with the surname Xu - and were carrying out an investigation.

They are calling for women to come forward if they have been approached by him.

Who is this 'magician'?

The blogger has more than 40,000 followers on microblogging network Sina Weibo, where he describes himself as an "online prankster".

Since March, he has been posting videos in which he is shown stopping women in the street and asking them inappropriate personal questions.

In one video, he asks women questions such as "Do you use tampons?" and "Could I have a one night stand with you?", and films their reactions.

His behaviour in recent videos has become increasingly brazen.

In one post, titled The Pick-up Master, he brags about his exploits after being covertly filmed kissing and fondling girls he has just met.

None of the faces of the women in his videos are pixelated, and many are filmed in open public spaces.

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'Why so calm?'

A video compilation showing Xu groping women was posted on The Cover's website, where it has so far received more than three million views.

Thousands took to Sina Weibo using the hashtags #StreetMagicianMakesNameTouchingBreasts and #MagicMaleAnchorTouchesChests to discuss it - many reacted angrily, calling the man "scum" and a "pervert".

Some say they are concerned that the women featured didn't even flinch during his advances, and some say they suspect him of using hypnosis.

"Why are all these women so calm?" asks one user called Rome_Roma.

Other Weibo users were concerned about the lack of intervention from passersby, given that the women were filmed in daytime on a busy street.

On Thursday, Xu issued an apology on video website Meipai.

He said that "in some footage, I did not get the permission of some women featured and caused problems for their families, for which I am extremely sorry".

But many online users say they think an apology is not enough, and some are calling for Xu to be prosecuted.

One cited an article in Chinese law on indecent assault in public, for which the maximum prison sentence is five years.

BBC NEWS

UK to agree Brexit divorce bill before trade talks - EU sources

The UK has agreed to sort out its EU "divorce bill" and citizens' residence rights before starting Brexit trade talks, EU sources have told the BBC.

But the UK's Brexit department has insisted a trade deal must be agreed at the same time.

Brexit negotiations are due to start on Monday in Brussels but that will be the only day of talks next week.

The talks are set to continue every month throughout the summer.

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The EU will aim to see if "sufficient progress" has been made by October to move on to the next phase of negotiations, sources told the BBC's Europe correspondent Damian Grammaticas.

'Withdrawal process'

Monday's talks between Brexit Secretary David Davis and EU negotiator Michel Barnier follow preliminary negotiations in Brussels between officials.

In a statement the European Commission said: "The opening of negotiations at political level next week will focus on issues related to citizens' rights, the financial settlement, the Northern Irish border and other separation issues, as part of the sequenced approach to the talks.

"Both sides will also discuss the structure of the negotiations and the issues that need to be addressed over the coming months."

A spokesman for Mr Davis's Brexit department stressed that nothing had changed as far as the UK was concerned and trade talks must take place alongside withdrawal talks.

"We have been crystal clear about our approach to these negotiations," said the spokesman.

"As we set out in the Article 50 letter, our view is that withdrawal agreement and terms of the future relationship must be agreed alongside each other. We are clear this is what is set out in Article 50.

"We believe that the withdrawal process cannot be concluded without the future relationship also being taken into account.

"As the EU has itself said, 'nothing is agreed, until everything is agreed'."

'First aim'

The spokesman added that although some issues would be given early priority "the withdrawal and future are intimately linked".

"In particular, we want to move ahead on securing the rights of EU citizens in the UK and UK citizens living in the EU. We want to end the anxiety facing four million citizens.

"That has always been our first aim and that is what we will do."

David Davis has said the UK will pay what was legally due, in line with its rights and obligations, but "not just what the EU wants", following reports the "divorce bill" could be 100bn euros (£87bn).

Mr Barnier, the EU's chief negotiator, has said there was no desire to punish the UK but "its accounts must be settled".

"There is no Brexit bill. The final settlement is all about settling the accounts," he said last month.

In Prime Minister Theresa May's letter triggering Article 50, she states: "We believe it's necessary to agree the terms of our future partnership alongside those of our withdrawal from the EU.'

But European Council president Donald Tusk and other senior EU officials have consistently ruled out parallel talks.

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Analysis by BBC Europe correspondent Damian Grammaticas

We now know that at precisely 11:00 BST on Monday morning, almost exactly a year after the Brexit referendum, the all important exit negotiations will begin.

It's been confirmed that they will start with talks between David Davis representing the UK and Michel Barnier for the EU side.

The EU has pressed for openness and a press conference is expected at the end of the first day.

After that, an EU source said, there will be one week of face-to-face negotiations every four weeks throughout the summer.

And the source told the BBC that it was understood the talks would broadly follow the EU's preferred sequence, dealing with issues of citizens' rights and a framework for calculating outstanding financial liabilities before moving on, possibly later in the year, to deal with the UK's future relationship with the EU.

EU countries have said they will only move on if they believed sufficient progress had been made in the first phase of talks.

BBC NEWS

Man held by police outside Parliament

A man was brought down with a Taser outside the Palace of Westminster after he reached for a knife when approached by officers, Scotland Yard has said.

A bearded man, wearing black trousers and a grey sweatshirt, was seen being held against the fence with his arms behind his back by a police officer.

Police said the man was arrested on suspicion of possessing a knife.

But they "remain open minded as to whether terrorism was a motive", they said.

The man was held just yards from where PC Keith Palmer was stabbed to death by terrorist Khalid Masood in March.

Joe Murphy, London Evening Standard political editor, tweeted: "There were shouts of 'knife, knife, knife' and man was brought down with a Taser."

BBC deputy political editor John Pienaar said the latest incident ended very swiftly with the man being taken away in a police van.

While the gates are closed, the road and pavement opposite remained open and the incident had no effect on traffic in Parliament Square, he said.

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said "it is too early to understand the motivation" of the man "so we have not declared this a terrorist incident".

"However, given the location, the circumstances and recent tragic events, the MPS Counter Terrorism Command will be investigating this incident.

"We remain open-minded as to whether terrorism was a motive."

Eyewitness Bradley Allen, 19, from Barking, east London, who was walking past Parliament, said he saw a man "who looked quite angry with fists quite clenched".

"He stared at me and my mate and we walked past him. Within seconds there was a shout and police ran out of the front gate shouting at him 'Get on the floor, get on the ground'.

"Within seconds he was on the ground - I'm not sure whether he was Tasered - I'm not sure how he got down there, but in seconds it was over.

"Armed police everywhere, telling everyone to move back, and we all got pushed back."

Security tightened

Security around Westminster was tightened following the attack by Masood, who was shot dead after fatally stabbing PC Palmer as he guarded Carriage Gate.

A review of security at the perimeter of the parliamentary estate was ordered by Commons Speaker John Bercow following the incident.

The use of armed officers and physical barriers have become more visible, while a permanent barrier has been erected to protect pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, where Masood murdered five people and injured more than 50 others by mounting the pavement in a car.

BBC NEWS

Archaeologists in Ethiopia uncover ancient city in Harlaa

A forgotten city thought to date back as far as the 10th century AD has been uncovered by a team of archaeologists in eastern Ethiopia.

Artefacts from Egypt, India and China have been found in the city in the Harlaa region.

The archaeologists also uncovered a 12th Century mosque which is similar to those found in Tanzania and Somaliland.

Archaeologists says this proves historic connections between different Islamic communities in Africa.

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This discovery revolutionises our understanding of trade in an archaeologically neglected part of Ethiopia. What we have found shows this area was the centre of trade in that region," lead archaeologist Professor Timothy Insoll from the University of Exeter said.

The team also found jewellery and other artefacts from Madagascar, the Maldives, Yemen and China.

'City of giants'

BBC Ethiopia correspondent Emmanuel Igunza says there was a local myth that the area was occupied by giants because the settlement buildings and walls were constructed with large stone blocks that could not be lifted by ordinary people.

However the archaeologists found no evidence of this.

"We have obviously disproved that, but I'm not sure they fully believe us yet," said Prof Insoll.

A statement from the team says the remains of some of the 300 people buried in the cemetery are being analysed to find out what their diet consisted of.

Further excavations are expected to be conducted next year.

BBC NEWS