'to new mm mm york for a hue event to new york for a hue event there. later york for a huge event there. later on, what time is it now, 8:40am in the morning there in new york, and there will be a lot of media present outside that building there, but as a courtroom we are expecting donald trump to arrive in within the next few hours. at the moment he is in trump tower and he will make the journey there to this courtroom, where we will hear the charges against him. we know the charges at the moment relate to those payments to the pawn star stormy daniels but as for the specifics of the charges we still don't know. that is what we will hearfor don't know. that is what we will hear for the first time, when he don't know. that is what we will hearfor the first time, when he is booked into that courthouse there and we will hear the specific charges against him for the first time. we have been watching these pictures as the world's media

dispense on new york. when we get in a movement that we will cross back over. the bbc has discovered more problems for anyone trying to get a new passport. the passport office had already warned it could take up ten weeks to get your passport renewed. they are offering a more expensive "fast track" option, where you get it in a week, but it looks like that system is not operating. with more on this is our correspondent paul mossi. first of all, just remind us what the situation is with the passport offices. . . , the situation is with the passport offices. , ., , the situation is with the passport offices. , ., ., offices. this really dates back to 2021 after the _ offices. this really dates back to 2021 after the end _ offices. this really dates back to 2021 after the end of _ offices. this really dates back to 2021 after the end of the - offices. this really dates back to 2021 after the end of the covid l 2021 after the end of the covid lockdown. people were applying for passports much more as he suddenly found they could travel. many realise they didn't have a passport and a backlog began. until last summer when you probably remember there were those awful stories of people who simply weren't getting their passports in time for the holidays that they had booked. they were missing their holidays, simply

because the passport was sitting in an envelope on someone's desk waiting to be processed. this has just got worse because the government really never cleared that backlog and now people who work at the passport office have gone on strike in a row over pay, conditions and jobs, and this isn't like one of those strikes we have seen on the railways for example where they go on strike for a day or two here and there, they have gone on strike for five weeks, none of them will go back until may the 5th and so basically what it means is nearly two years after the first problems were mentioned it looks like it is still taking ten weeks to get a passport. if you apply now that takes you to the middle ofjune. tells about this fast—track option. there was supposed to be a way round this, albeit expensive. it normally costs 82— £92 to get a passport depending on how you apply but you could spend £155 to get your passport fast tracked in a week. the

government website tells you about this. if you look, there you are, it sounds very simple, you just fill out the form as normal and get your photos and documents ready and when you make an appointment to go to the passport office, and the documents over and you get your passport in a week. but there isjust over and you get your passport in a week. but there is just one over and you get your passport in a week. but there isjust one problem, you have to book an appointment online and we have been trying this since sunday and this is what we have seen. i don't know if you can read that but it says there are no fast—track appointments available, not in the distant future at all. it also adds more appointments are added each day. so check again later for availability. we have been checking very regularly since sunday, nearly two days now, and is not a single appointment has appeared. not a single appointment has appeared-— not a single appointment has a- eared. ~ . ., ., not a single appointment has a- eared. ~ . . ., ' . appeared. what have the home office been saying? — appeared. what have the home office been saying? we _ appeared. what have the home office been saying? we asked _ appeared. what have the home office been saying? we asked them, - appeared. what have the home office been saying? we asked them, i - appeared. what have the home office j been saying? we asked them, i called them yesterday _ been saying? we asked them, i called them yesterday and _ been saying? we asked them, i called them yesterday and described - been saying? we asked them, i called them yesterday and described the - them yesterday and described the problem and they said send us an e—mail. so i sent an e—mail saying you are saying these new appointments are added every day, how many appointments are you

adding, are they really actually being added because it didn't look like it. i received what was was a surprising e—mail button the home office saying we won't tell you. they described it as we are not going to give your running on the number of new appointments available. so i wrote again and said we don't need a running commentary but the bbc would like to know how many of these appointments are there, give us a total yesterday or there, give us a total yesterday or the day before, and to that e—mail we have had no reply whatsoever. so at the moment what it looks like is if you do want a passport at the moment the only available option is the standard option which the government is saying will take ten weeks, which i guess is a very long way of saying if you are planning to go away this summer on holiday and read passport, isuggest go away this summer on holiday and read passport, i suggest you get your application form in as soon as possible. your application form in as soon as ossible. . ~ your application form in as soon as ossible. ., ~ , ., the number of dog attacks on livestock has risen in the last few years — and there's further concern as the bank holiday approaches — and more of us head to the countryside — that the number of incidents will continue to grow.

now landowners and farmers are asking people to take extra care particularly during the lambing season — which is now. ben boulos has been to a farm in high wycombe to find out more. we're on a farm here in buckinghamshire where at the end of lambing season, they will have more than 3,000 sheep and lambs. and while they want to encourage dog owners to come and use the footpaths and take the dogs out for a walk, there is a real concern about an increase in the number of dog attacks on livestock like these sheep and also cattle, as well. we can find out a little bit more about all of this with rebecca, who's from the nfu mutual, the national farmers union mutual. and it's a gorgeous day. dog owners would love to make the most of this. but why is it becoming more of a problem now, do you think? well, dog attacks have always been an issue for farmers. but what we found over the pandemic, we had this big surge in dog ownership. also, lots of people made the most of the countryside and that's really important for our wellbeing.

but unfortunately, many people new to dog owning and they didn't have the opportunities for training, socialisation and sadly we've seen this big increase in attacks. and on the business aspect of it, presumably the cost comes on top of existing pressures financially for the farming industry? absolutely. so farmers are very hard pressed at the moment. with these dog attacks, we estimate the uk cost is about £1.8 million. but behind that figure there's the suffering to the animals and there's the anxiety for farmers because they have to deal with the aftermath of very horrific attacks. let's get some practical advice for people who do own dogs. we can speak to maria from the dogs trust. maria, people might take their dogs out for a walk and think it's not an aggressive breed. it might even be a small dog, thinking it can't do much harm. they'll let her off the lead. why is that such a problem? any dog can be worrying for livestock or wildlife. so basic training is the most important thing. making sure if you see livestock in the distance, you're able to call them back,

put them on the lead, and that they can walk then nicely on the lead. they're under control. they're not worried, and neither is the livestock they're around. a deaf woman who was unable to communicate with paramedics after her husband died has described how traumatic the ordeal was. elizabeth corbett now wants ambulance crews to learn basic sign language to prevent something similarfrom happening to another family. emma snow reports.

in the past few minutes finland has officiallyjoined nato,

becoming its 31st member. let's listen to the announcement, made a few moments ago, we have two ensure it is done in the right and proper way. i am delighted to reort right and proper way. i am delighted to report that _ right and proper way. i am delighted to report that just _ right and proper way. i am delighted to report that just moments - right and proper way. i am delighted to report thatjust moments ago - to report that just moments ago deposited with me on behalf of the united _ deposited with me on behalf of the united states, turkey's ratification of the _ united states, turkey's ratification of the instrument of the proceeding to the _ of the instrument of the proceeding to the protocol for finland's session— to the protocol for finland's session to nato, and with this the receipt _ session to nato, and with this the receipt of— session to nato, and with this the receipt of the submission of that protocol— receipt of the submission of that protocol i — receipt of the submission of that protocol i can say the protocol is now in _ protocol i can say the protocol is now in force. protocol i can say the protocol is now in force-— protocol i can say the protocol is now in force. thank you so much, this is great _ now in force. thank you so much, this is great news, _ now in force. thank you so much, this is great news, and _ now in force. thank you so much, this is great news, and with - now in force. thank you so much, this is great news, and with that i j this is great news, and with that i can actually then hand over to you, the formal invitation on behalf of all allies for the republic of finland to accede to the nato. at

the same time also invite you the documents of accession to the us government, represented by secretary antony blinken. government, represented by secretary antony itiinken-— antony blinken. thank you. i have not this antony blinken. thank you. i have got this invitation, _ antony blinken. thank you. i have got this invitation, it _ antony blinken. thank you. i have got this invitation, it is _ antony blinken. thank you. i have got this invitation, it is my - antony blinken. thank you. i have got this invitation, it is my great l got this invitation, it is my great pleasure — got this invitation, it is my great pleasure to _ got this invitation, it is my great pleasure to get _ got this invitation, it is my great pleasure to get the _ got this invitation, it is my great pleasure to get the secretary . got this invitation, it is my great pleasure to get the secretary ofl pleasure to get the secretary of state _ pleasure to get the secretary of state of — pleasure to get the secretary of state of the _ pleasure to get the secretary of state of the united _ pleasure to get the secretary of state of the united states- pleasure to get the secretary of - state of the united states secretary of state, _ state of the united states secretary of state, the — state of the united states secretary of state, the document _ state of the united states secretary of state, the document of— state of the united states secretaryl of state, the document of accession. with receipt— of state, the document of accession. with receipt of— of state, the document of accession. with receipt of this _ of state, the document of accession. with receipt of this instrument - of state, the document of accession. with receipt of this instrument of. with receipt of this instrument of accession, — with receipt of this instrument of accession, we can now declare that finland _ accession, we can now declare that finland is _ accession, we can now declare that finland is the 31st member of the nata _ nato. applause since we are now a applause since we are no . . applause since we are no . , ., applause sincewe are no . , ., ., ., since we are now a member of nato we have an important _ since we are now a member of nato we have an important task, _ since we are now a member of nato we have an important task, to _ since we are now a member of nato we have an important task, to give - since we are now a member of nato we have an important task, to give to - have an important task, to give to you the _ have an important task, to give to you the deposit_ have an important task, to give to you the deposit also _ have an important task, to give to you the deposit also of— have an important task, to give to

you the deposit also of our- you the deposit also of our ratification _ you the deposit also of our ratification for— you the deposit also of our ratification for swedish - you the deposit also of our- ratification for swedish members, this is— ratification for swedish members, this is our— ratification for swedish members, this is our first _ ratification for swedish members, this is our first act _ ratification for swedish members, this is our first act as _ ratification for swedish members, this is our first act as member- this is our first act as member state — this is our first act as member state i— this is our first act as member state. . ., . state. i am delighted to receive this on behalf— state. i am delighted to receive this on behalf of— state. i am delighted to receive this on behalf of finland. - state. i am delighted to receive this on behalf of finland. thank you _ this on behalf of finland. thank ou. �* . ., ., you. and then we welcome them into the alliance — you. and then we welcome them into the alliance and _ you. and then we welcome them into the alliance and we _ you. and then we welcome them into the alliance and we appreciate - you. and then we welcome them into the alliance and we appreciate that i the alliance and we appreciate that you also invite sweden, so this ends this moment and then we will continue outside the building in just a minute. thank you so much. another moment of history will be made in new york in a few hours' time, the first former us president ever to face criminal charges, it will be happening right there, that is in new york, at the courthouse where donald trump will be heading in the next few hours, before quarter past 20 local time he has to appear there and that is the first time he will hear the specific charges you'll be facing, payments

to stormy daniels, the former adult film star who donald trump has always denied any relationship with but the payments were made and the nature of those payments could potentially allegedly be criminal and that is what the charges will be read out in court and we will finally hear the specifics of them, so stay with us on the bbc live page for more continued coverage of that. this is bbc news.

live from london, this is bbc news. finland is to formallyjoin the nato, becoming the 31st member of the military alliance. we can declare that finland is the sist we can declare that finland is the 31st member of the t. —— of the treaty. former us president donald trump is in new york to face criminal charges, relating to alleged hush money paid to a former porn star this is the scene live in manhattan — where security is high for one

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