UK

The BBC has said it “should have pulled” its coverage of punk duo Bob Vylan’s “death to the IDF” chant at Glastonbury on Saturday.After days of backlash against the performance and its broadcast, the BBC said it contained “utterly unacceptable” and “antisemitic sentiments”. “Millions of people tuned in to enjoy Glastonbury this weekend across the BBC’s output but one performance within our live streams included comments that were deeply offensive,” the corporation said. The performer led crowds on the festival’s West Holts Stage in chants of ‘death, death to the IDF’ More

A hard-right lawmaker was sworn in Monday as Greece’s migration minister, replacing a fellow right-wing political heavyweight who resigned following accusations of involvement in the distribution of European Union farm subsidies.Five high-ranking government officials, including the previous migration minister, Makis Voridis, three deputy ministers and a secretary general, resigned last Friday following allegations they were involved in a scheme to provide EU agriculture subsidies to undeserving recipients.The funds, which were handled by a government body known by its Greek acronym OPEKEPE, were allegedly given to numerous people who had made false declarations of owning or leasing non-existent pastures or livestock.Thanos Plevris, 48, succeeded Voridis and is expected to maintain Greece’s hard line in migration policy. Both Plevris and Voridis joined the conservative New Democracy party in 2012, from the right-wing populist Popular Orthodox Rally, or LAOS, party.Voridis has denied any involvement in the alleged farm subsidy fraud and said he resigned in order to clear his name. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office, which has investigated the case, passed on a hefty file to the Greek Parliament last week that includes allegations of possible involvement of government ministers. Lawmakers enjoy immunity from prosecution in Greece that can only be lifted by parliamentary vote.On Sunday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said his New Democracy party had failed to stamp out graft.“Significant reform efforts were made,” Mitsotakis said in a social media post. “But let’s be honest. We failed.”He said anyone found to have received EU funds they were not entitled to would be ordered to return the money.“Our many farmers and livestock breeders who toil and produce quality products, and all law-abiding citizens, will not tolerate scammers who claimed to have non-existent pastures and livestock, or those who enabled them to do so,” Mitsotakis said. More

Sir Keir Starmer’s £3bn U-turn on his planned welfare cuts does not go far enough, a leading rebel who quit her frontbench job over the changes has warned. The prime minister is still facing the prospect of around 50 Labour MPs voting against his welfare reforms, with former government whip Vicky Foxcroft among those calling for fresh concessions. Ms Foxcroft dramatically quit this month in protest at the plans, saying she could not back cuts that will harm disabled people.And, in an interview with The Guardian after Sir Keir’s U-turn, she said it was “good to hear that people won’t be losing their benefits who are currently on them” but said there were “areas where I still think there’s need for movement”.She has not decided whether to back the government’s plans on Tuesday, and around 50 Labour MPs are still expected to vote against the welfare shakeup even after the U-turn. Keir Starmer has been warned his welfare concessions do not go far enough More

The NHS is to use AI to analyse hospital data and sound the alarm on potential patient safety scandals early, in what will be a world-first. Patterns of deaths, serious injuries, abuse or other incidents that go otherwise undetected will be identified. The move, part of a new 10-year plan for the health service, follows a series of scandals in the NHS. These include Mid Staffs, where an estimated up to 1,200 patients died as a result of poor care, and the Countess of Chester Hospital, for which nurse Lucy Letby is serving 15 whole life orders after she was convicted of killing seven babies and attempting to murder seven more. The waiting list for treatment at NHS hospitals in England has fallen to its lowest level in two years (William Barton/Alamy)Earlier this month, health secretary Wes Streeting announced a national investigation into “systemic” failures in maternity care, after families were “gaslit” in their search for the truth.Mr Streeting said the AI plan would make it easier to spot danger signs earlier.A new maternity AI system will launch across NHS trusts from November, using “near real-time data” to flag higher-than-expected rates of death, stillbirth and brain injury.Mr Streeting said: “While most treatments in the NHS are safe, even a single lapse that puts a patient at risk is one too many.”Behind every safety breach is a person, a life altered, a family devastated, sometimes by heartbreaking loss.”By embracing AI and introducing world-first early warning systems, we’ll spot dangerous signs sooner and launch rapid inspections before harm occurs.”This technology will save lives, catching unsafe care before it becomes a tragedy.”It’s a vital part of our commitment to move the NHS from analogue to digital, delivering better, safer care for everyone.”Health secretary Wes Streeting (Lucy North/PA) More

Sir Keir Starmer has demanded the BBC explain how “appalling” chants of “death to the IDF” were broadcast as part of its coverage of Glastonbury. Police are assessing footage of sets by Bob Vylan, who led crowds in chants of “free, free Palestine” and “death, death to the IDF” (the Israeli Defence Force), and Irish rap trio Kneecap, who suggested fans “start a riot” outside one of the band member’s upcoming court appearance.The prime minister said: “There is no excuse for this kind of appalling hate speech… The BBC needs to explain how these scenes came to be broadcast.” His comments come after politicians and former BBC staff lined up to say the broadcaster and the festival both had questions to answer.The Independent understands the row is expected to be discussed when MPs on the Commons culture committee meet on Tuesday, raising the spectre that BBC bosses, such as the director general Tim Davie, could be called to give evidence to parliament.Bob Vylan performing at Glastonbury More

Wes Streeting has told the Israeli government to get its “own house in order” and take violence against Palestinians more seriously following outrage over chants at Glastonbury.Police are assessing videos of sets by Bob Vylan, who led crowds to shout “free, free Palestine” and “death, death to the IDF”, the Israeli Defence Force, and Irish rap trio Kneecap, who suggested fans “start a riot” outside one of the band’s upcoming court appearance.Sir Keir Starmer has demanded the BBC explain how “appalling” chants against the IDF were broadcast. Health Secretary Wes Streeting (Lucy North/PA) More

Keir Starmer has made the most inept start of any prime minister in a century, a leading historian has warned.Sir Anthony Seldon even suggested that Liz Truss, who lasted just six weeks in office before she was ousted by her own MPs, has done a better job than the Labour leader. “Not in 100 years has anyone made such an inept start coming into the (role) with so little idea about what he is doing (and) why he is doing it,” he told Sky News. Sir Keir Starmer said fixing the ‘broken’ system must be done in a ‘Labour way’ (Screengrab/Welsh Labour TV/PA) More

Serbia’s president announced Sunday more arrests of anti-government protesters following clashes with police at a massive rally demanding an early parliamentary election. Dozens have already been detained.Aleksandar Vucic, at a press conference, accused organizers of Saturday’s student-led protest in the capital, Belgrade, of inciting violence and attacks on police, urging legal prosecution. He also criticized “terrorists and those who tried to bring down the state,” singling out University of Belgrade’s head dean, Vladan Djokic, who was among the protesters. Tens of thousands of people attended the rally held after nearly eight months of persistent dissent, which has rattled Vucic’s firm grip on power in the Balkan country. Protesters also declared the current populist government “illegitimate” and laid the responsibility for any violence on the government. Clashes with riot police erupted after the official part of the rally ended. Police used pepper spray, batons and shields while protesters threw rocks, bottles and other objects. Police said on Sunday that 48 officers were injured while 22 protesters sought medical help. Out of 77 people detained, 38 remain in custody, most of whom are facing criminal charges, said Interior Minister Ivica Dacic. “There will be more arrests,” Vucic said. “Identification of all individuals is underway.”The protests started after a renovated rail station canopy collapsed in November, killing 16 people. Many in Serbia blamed the tragedy in the northern city of Novi Sad on corruption-fueled negligence in state infrastructure projects.Vucic has repeatedly rejected an immediate snap vote instead of the one planned for 2027.“Serbia won. You cannot destroy Serbia with violence,” Vucic said Sunday. “They consciously wanted to spur bloodshed. The time of accountability is coming.”Critics say Vucic has become increasingly authoritarian since coming to power over a decade ago, stifling democratic freedoms while allowing corruption and organized crime to flourish. He has denied this.Serbia is formally seeking European Union entry, but Vucic’s government has nourished its relations with both Russia and China. More