live from london. this is bbc news the evacuation of foreign nationals from sudan is getting under way as fighting there enters its second week. dominic raab has hit out at what he calls "activist civil servants" after resigning as the uk deputy prime minister over bullying claims. and criminals are targeting parents in the uk with scam text messages — which are thought to have conned over 1100 people out of over £1.3 million last year. and eyes are on hollywood star—owned wrexham — which hopes to return to the english football league for the first time in 15 years.

hello and welcome to the programme. i'm lewis vaughan jones. we start in sudan, where gunfire has been sounding across the capital, khartoum. live pictures here. we have been watching these live pictures over the last few hours. every few minutes or so you get a burst of gunfire or heavy artillery. we have had eye witnesses describing men in uniform on the streets and people trapped in their homes. in the last hour, we have had an update on people trying to leave. foreign nationals trying to leave.

the sudanese army have said that they will facilitate diplomats trying to leave the country. let's just take a look at the map and remind you where this is happening. sudan, here, the actualfocus remind you where this is happening. sudan, here, the actual focus of the fighting is the capital khartoum. and that is where diplomats and foreign nationals are. they haven't been able to leave, there has been significant efforts to try and make that happen. we have heard from the head of the army, general abdel fattah al—burhan that he will facilitate some foreign nationals leaving. that is from the uk, us, france and china. these are the people involved, on the left is abdel fattah al—burhan and on the right is mohamed hamdan dagalo, he is the head of the paramilitary force. those two are used to be

colleagues, running the country but they have had a significant disagreement. it has led to fighting in that built—up area. millions of people now impacted. they can't move around the city, they can't get medical supplies, they need food, electricity, water, all have been cut off. particularly acute in medical facilities. cut off. particularly acute in medicalfacilities. a desperate situation. there was some hope of a truce, both sides said on friday that they would adhere to one but that they would adhere to one but that hasn't happened. that wasn't a big surprise, there have been truces, last weekend that didn't work. let's get the latest from our correspondent bbc africa's — ferdinand omondi — is following this story for us from nairobi. tell us about these foreign nationals potentially leaving. we

are nationals potentially leaving. - are getting confirmation of the social media website of the sudanese army that some diplomats have been evacuated. they departed by road and then they were airlifted back to saudi arabia. it is at least 800 kilometres, north—east of khartoum. we have also heard that the jordanian diplomats will be evacuated by the same process. but diplomats from the united states, uk, france will be evacuated by air. they are securing the airport so that the aircraft of their countries can come and get their citizens out. thank you very much for that. we

haven't had any independent verification of those departures yet. we will keep an eye on that. very briefly, remind us, for people tuning in, of the background. why there is this fighting in the capital. there is this fighting in the ca - ital. ., ., there is this fighting in the caital. ., ., ., , capital. the head of the military, abdel fattah _ capital. the head of the military, abdel fattah al-burhan - capital. the head of the military, abdel fattah al-burhan and - capital. the head of the military, abdel fattah al-burhan and the l abdel fattah al—burhan and the paramilitary rsf. they don't agree with the future of sudan. they combined but then two years later, they ousted the transitional military council but now they disagree on the timeframe to integrate the rsf into the military. but because of past troubles, this distrust has generated into war. thank you very much for that.

i want to bring you some breaking news, sad news. we are reflecting the death of the australian comedian barry humphries who has died in hospital. he was a giant in the media, we did get reports a few days ago that he was seriously ill in hospital. the news reaching us that he has sadly died. we can get a look back at his life and his career. dame edna always said that she was born with a priceless gift. the ability to laugh at the misfortune of others. ., �* , .

ability to laugh at the misfortune | of others._ for of others. you're very cruel... for more than — of others. you're very cruel... for more than 50 _ of others. you're very cruel... for more than 50 years _ of others. you're very cruel... for more than 50 years she _ of others. you're very cruel... for more than 50 years she took- of others. you're very cruel... for - more than 50 years she took pleasure in saying the unsayable. i’zfe more than 50 years she took pleasure in saying the unsayable.— in saying the unsayable. i've had a little work done _ in saying the unsayable. i've had a little work done but _ in saying the unsayable. i've had a little work done but not _ in saying the unsayable. i've had a little work done but not quite - in saying the unsayable. i've had a little work done but not quite as l little work done but not quite as much as some here... laughter the thing is you are still recognisable.— the thing is you are still recognisable. the thing is you are still recoanisable. ,, ., , ., ., recognisable. she was so familiar it was easy to — recognisable. she was so familiar it was easy to forget _ recognisable. she was so familiar it was easy to forget that _ recognisable. she was so familiar it was easy to forget that behind - recognisable. she was so familiar it was easy to forget that behind the l was easy to forget that behind the glasses was a man called barry humphries. glasses was a man called barry humphries-_ glasses was a man called barry humphries. that's me standing outside one _ humphries. that's me standing outside one of— humphries. that's me standing outside one of the _ humphries. that's me standing outside one of the big - humphries. that's me standing outside one of the big clocks... laughter he arrived as a australian comedian, satirising the people that he had grown up with. satirising the people that he had grown no with-— satirising the people that he had grown up with. satirising the people that he had aruown- with. ., , ., ., ., grown up with. most of us that go to en . land t grown up with. most of us that go to england try to _ grown up with. most of us that go to england try to get — grown up with. most of us that go to england try to get rid _ grown up with. most of us that go to england try to get rid of— grown up with. most of us that go to england try to get rid of our- england try to get rid of our australian accents. we

england try to get rid of our australian accents. we always felt sliuhtl australian accents. we always felt slightly inferior _ australian accents. we always felt slightly inferior to _ australian accents. we always felt slightly inferior to our _ australian accents. we always felt slightly inferior to our english - slightly inferior to our english cousins. ., �* ., , slightly inferior to our english cousins. ., , , , cousins. the real barry humphries was an art — cousins. the real barry humphries was an art lover, _ cousins. the real barry humphries was an art lover, a _ cousins. the real barry humphries was an art lover, a collector- cousins. the real barry humphries was an art lover, a collector of- was an art lover, a collector of rare books, a loyalfriend, and opposite of some of his characters. i have the honour to be the australian cultural attache... laughter but he and his characters did have one thing in common. drink. it took a divorce and a spell in hospital to convince him to give up the beer. throughout his life he always had dame edna. starting as a parody of melbourne values.— melbourne values. what is it, a little choker, _ melbourne values. what is it, a

little choker, darling? - melbourne values. what is it, a little choker, darling? to - melbourne values. what is it, a little choker, darling? to the i little choker, darling? to the brash, housewife _ little choker, darling? to the brash, housewife superstar? | little choker, darling? to the - brash, housewife superstar? and did it come off the _ brash, housewife superstar? and did it come off the same _ brash, housewife superstar? and did it come off the same chandelier? - it come off the same chandelier? laughter for many dame edna was so real, it was easy to forget that the wit, charm and audacity was down to the brilliant comic mind of barry humphries. australian entertainer barry humphries, who has died, i just want to give you a flavour of the jokes that he was still making until just the jokes that he was still making untiljust this the jokes that he was still making until just this week. the jokes that he was still making untiljust this week. a remarkable man and a huge figure. ijust want to read you this that he sent when he went into hospital a couple of days ago. his family said he was in

hospital receiving treatment for health issues, but he then said this from hospital— he thanked everybody for the support and good wishes as he has received but he would like more and more! which pretty much sums up him and how he made so many people laugh, right up until the end and so many years before that. for decades and decades. on our screens here and around the world. a remarkable life and career. ijust want to take you back to our main story, we can take you to these live pictures in khartoum. there have been developments this morning. we have been watching and waiting. there were talks of a truce,

initially proposed by one side, the paramilitary side with mohamed hamdan dagalo in charge. it started as a unilateral declaration of truce which is never going to work. we then got a response from the army, then got a response from the army, the two sides that are fighting is the two sides that are fighting is the army and the paramilitary force, we had a response like there could be a truce but that never materialised. that was not surprising, we had talks of truce before, last weekend. we were covering that and almost immediately, as the truce was being proposed and talked about, there was gunfire and we could hear the gunfire and we could hear the gunfire on the live feed. unfortunately, that is what we have been witnessing this morning in khartoum as we head into lunchtime

and the afternoon. we have been speaking to people on the ground and who are experiencing living there right now. earlier, i spoke to sudan's former foreign minister mariam al—sadiq al—mahdi who is sheltering in the capital khartoum. i want to play you some of what she said. a quick warning, there are some distressing details, but she paints a picture of what is going on right now. well, truly it is very dangerous now. to get to you i had to go out on the balcony because the lighting is better and i could get a better signal. there is bombardment all around us. i really don't know where it is coming from. also we have some of the young men who are in uniform, they are outside in the streets.

they are overtaking the streets around where we live. we are out of electricity for the last 2a hours, we are out of water for the last six days. yesterday the promise was from both generals that they will abide by this humanitarian truce. as you know, people are besieged in homes without any supplies, without water and the hospitals, most of the hospitals are out of business because of a lack of water and also no supplies of medicine, as well as the medical teams are already exhausted. they haven't been replaced by any others. many of the medical teams who tried to reach out for some of the health facilities were targeted as well. there are so many, not around us here, but in several parts of khartoum, in the capital, there are rotting bodies of our youths in the streets, some of them being eaten by the dogs.

apologies for those distressing details but it gives an idea of what is happening. in those live pictures, we were hearing gunfire across the city, so, given that i was concerned. my team in london were worried too. i asked her about her safety there and then. i just want to focus for a second on you and just make sure that you're in a safe location. you mentioned you came out to the balcony. i really... i can't stress enough, i don't want you going anywhere or taking any risks for the sake of a connection. if you're safer elsewhere, then please do move or let us know...

no, no... thank you very much... i want... thank you very much... you're ok? there is no safety now in khartoum and no—one is safe in khartoum. right. and i am amongst the hundreds of thousands of the inhabitants of khartoum of its... different locations are being terrified. they are being horrified in their... inside their homes. so, it is nothing... it is nothing... it is the least i could do, is to try to...to... to let the world know what is the suffering of the sudanese people. a big thank you to mariam al—mahdi for speaking to us despite the dangers around. we are keeping a close eye on that situation and we will cross back as we get more updates. now here in the uk, there's ongoing political debate about the resignation of this man

the deputy prime minister, dominic raab, after his behaviour was criticised by a bullying investigation. the independent report found mr raab had been aggressive towards some staff. he claims some were trying to block reforms they didn't like. well today the bbc has heard from a former senior uk government official — lord mcdonald. he's a former permanent secretary at the foreign office. he says mr raab was wrong to describe some civil servants as "activists". all the civil servants i saw working for dominic raab worked very hard for him, in the way they are required to do. there is no civil service activism, there is no civil service passive aggression, there is no separate civil service agenda. the issue is the minister's behaviour. our political correspondent helen catt is following the story for us. what you make of those comments? i want to set a bit of context as to

why what dominic raab has been saying is controversial. in the uk there is a duty for civil servants to be neutral. it is written into the civil service code that they will serve whatever the government of the day is, regardless of who is in power. the same people will move each time the ministers change. civil servants stay in post. governments of all sorts of political persuasions. it is a big moment for a minister to suggest that there are civil servants who are activists and trying to block policy is that the government wants to put in place. that is why it has been controversial. you have lord mcdonald, this morning, a senior civil servant in the foreign office, in the year when dominic raab was foreign secretary. he is saying that there is no civil service activism, there is no civil service activism, there is no passive aggression,

there is no passive aggression, there is no separate agenda. he made there is no separate agenda. he made the point that under the rules of the point that under the rules of the uk, serving civil servants can't go on camera and defend themselves. so they can put forward their side of the case. so they can put forward their side of the case-— of the case. what you think the ramifications _ of the case. what you think the ramifications are? _ of the case. what you think the ramifications are? if— of the case. what you think the ramifications are? if you - of the case. what you think the ramifications are? if you are i ramifications are? if you are looking at it from the prime minister is point of view, there was a resignation, you hope that draws a line under it, but when you have a resignation letter as explosive as this, that's not going to happen. and a television interview that doubles down on that. it certainly will raise questions about how things work between ministers and civil servants. something else that lord mcdonald put forward this morning, he was talking about the barforformal morning, he was talking about the bar for formal complaints is very high. he says he approached dominic raab informally while he was the senior permanent secretary at the foreign office. he said that he had witnessed him being a tough task

master and he felt that his methods weren't getting him where he wanted. he says that he raise those concerns with dominic raab and dominic raab wasn't concerned. so there is questions about processes and there will be more questions raised about that in the coming days. rishi sunak in his letter, suggested that there were changes needed to what he called historic processes. there will be questions about what he meant by that. we haven't heard from rishi sunak, dominic raab was one of his closest allies, he was the man when rishi sunak was winning for the leadership and lost to liz truss, dominic raab was out there at the front of the tv cameras, putting his case. therefore, to have lost up close political ally, there will be more questions put to rishi sunak. it is not quite the end until he has answered some of these.- it is not quite the end until he has answered some of these. a text—message scam targeting parents conned people out of more than a million pounds last year.

that's more than $1.2 million. new figures from the bbc reveal more than 1,100 people fell for scammers pretending to be the victim's son or daughter in financial trouble — before asking for money. it might seem like a legitimate plea for help, but it's nothing of the sort. they're texts from scammers that start with, "hi, mum" or "hi, dad" before making a request for money or help, normally accompanied by a distressing story about why the cash is needed quickly. in the last year, more than 1,100 people across england, wales, and northern ireland reported being targeted by these scams. more than £1.1 million was lost to texts targeting mums and more than £170,000 was lost to texts targeting dads — a total of more than 1.3 million. jan was one of the victims. after receiving a message she thought was from her son, asking for her to transfer money, she sent more than £3,000 to the person who contacted her. by the time she realised it wasn't him, it was too late.

i was just so gutted. i was so, so, so upset that someone could do this to me because i save... i'm... i save so hard. i try so hard to save money and i watch my pennies but ijust felt so gutted that someone could do this to me. only texts reported to action fraud have been counted in the new figures, meaning the number of people affected could well be higher. a police officer who works on fraud cases just like these is warning people to be aware of the dangers. the sorts of people that will be targeted will be parents, mums and dads with children. so, ultimately, this is about loved ones telling their parents or neighbours being informed about this sort of scam so the more people that know about it, the less chance they are likely to become victim of it.

research suggests that nine in every ten people have received scam messages or calls similar to this. the advice, if you do get one, is to delete or report it straight away. and if you're tempted to transfer any money to a loved one after receiving a text, make sure you speak to them first. the welsh club wrexham, could be promoted back into the english football league for the first time in 15 years this evening, and get the hollywood storyline, theirfilm star owners, have been aiming for, since they took over, a couple of years ago. the club could escape non league football tonight, with a victory over boreham wood, at the racecourse ground. hollywood stars, rob mackle—henney and ryan reynolds have pumped in millions of pounds into the club and theirjourney has been turned into a global tv series, meaning this game will be followed by new fans all over the world. our reporter dave guest is in the city for us with fans getting ready for the match. well, here at the fairfield tavern in wrexham, excitement is starting to build, slowly at first, they are only on teas and coffees at the moment

because of the time of day but wrexham is a city in the mood to celebrate. their football club went from near oblivion to maybe facing promotion back to the premier league. it is all thanks to two hollywood stars, ryan reynolds and rob mcelhenney, they bought the club and spent millions on it and now the club is one match away from that possible promotion. alice is the landlady here, she isjoined by herfamily. and also the mascot, ducky. yes, ducky is going to bring us lots of luck. what did you think when to hollywood stars were going to take over? i didn't believe it, it was so surreal and what they have done in two years is fantastic. they have notjust kept a connection, they have been doing things in the town? they have done things in the town. it's not just about the club.

we have always been a close knit community, but it has given that extra excitement and community spirit. you are a player and a manager, what you think about what has happened? the last couple of years, if you look back at the last 15 years when we haven't been doing non—league football, suddenly were going to get back on the football league. everybody is so elated, but for all the fans that have been going for years, i think it is brilliant that they will get success at last and go into the football league. 22 games played this season, 21 wins. what is your scoreline for today? logically, i think we will win 2—0. if you look at their goals, they are not big goal—scorers. we have two strikers that are scoring lots of goals. 10,000 fans behind you, you won't hold back.

are we all confident guys of success? cheers i want to return to that news that i bought you earlier, the death of the australian entertainer, barry humphries, best known for that character, dame edna everage. he has beenin character, dame edna everage. he has been in hospital in sydney, he is 89 years old. we knew of the serious illness earlier, the newsjust arriving and sadly he has died at the age of 89. will speak to our correspondent in sydney. this was someone with an extraordinary, long

career. , ~ career. yes born in melbourne in 1934, career. yes born in melbourne in 1934. barry _ career. yes born in melbourne in 1934, barry humphries _ career. yes born in melbourne in 1934, barry humphries was - career. yes born in melbourne in 1934, barry humphries was on i career. yes born in melbourne in - 1934, barry humphries was on stage, had a stage career for the best part of 70 years. he got his big break after moving to london and was cast in the original musical, oliver. but certainly best known for his comic alter ego, dame edna everage and news that he has died in a sydney hospital at of 89 will sadden his many fans, both here in australia and overseas. many of those fans will be fearing the worst given the health bulletins we have received in recent days. health bulletins we have received in recent days-— recent days. dame edna everage is ossibl recent days. dame edna everage is oossibly the _ recent days. dame edna everage is possibly the most _ recent days. dame edna everage is possibly the most famous - recent days. dame edna everage is possibly the most famous of - recent days. dame edna everage is possibly the most famous of his i possibly the most famous of his characters. he

possibly the most famous of his characters-— possibly the most famous of his characters. ., , ., ., ~ ., characters. he really took the world b storm characters. he really took the world by storm as — characters. he really took the world by storm as dame _ characters. he really took the world by storm as dame edna _ characters. he really took the world by storm as dame edna everage, i by storm as dame edna everage, having audiences with royalty and millions of fans. i think it that particular role that will define the life of a man whose career spanned so many generations. he was awarded many honours, and in civic society as well. a national treasure here in australia and there will be an enormous amount of sadness at his passing. he was admitted into hospital in february after a fall in his apartment in sydney. he was treated in st vincent's hospital. we heard from his family saying that he was himself until the bitter end. making light of his condition and planning new shows. that is a measure of the man fighting until the end. barry humphries has died in

sydney, he was 89 years of age. we started about talking about the length of this extraordinary career, decade after decade. so well known in australia, and london. this is pre—internet age, i suppose, for long parts of his career. do we have a sense of how well he was known outside those two countries? i think --eole outside those two countries? i think oeoole aronnd _ outside those two countries? i think people around the _ outside those two countries? i think people around the world, _ outside those two countries? i think people around the world, not - people around the world, not everyone will have heard of him, but many people would have heard of dame edna everage, those comic alter egos. when you consider he was born in the mid 1930s in between the two world wars, this was a man who was enjoying extreme longevity in terms of his career. during all of those decades, picking up many awards and

keeping going. his appetite for work was enormous. and that is why, while he was lying in his hospital bed, he thought he could keep going, but nature had a different verdict. he was admitted for hip surgery in february and conditions arising from that, we are not sure of the specifics. he was quite unwell after being admitted for hip surgery. his family saying, as we mentioned, he was himself until the very end. joking with nurses and i think that is how many people will remember barry humphries. those roles and others. ., ., , others. you mentioned his time in the hosoital. _ others. you mentioned his time in the hospital, we _ others. you mentioned his time in the hospital, we have _ others. you mentioned his time in the hospital, we have been - others. you mentioned his time in the hospital, we have been having updates from there and from his family. you talked aboutjoking and making everyone around him and laugh

until the end. i think this sums it up. his family released a statement, saying that he is in hospital receiving treatment for health issues. this is the line that he came up with, just this week. he he said that he thanked everybody for the support and good wishes he has received but would like more and more! that pretty much sums it up. for someone who has made so many people laugh for so many years. thank you very much for that update. we will be back on speaking to you again later on. for now though. just bring you that news that we have been hearing in the last hour or so that the australian entertainer barry humphries, best known for dame edna everage has been treated in hospital and now we have the confirmation that he has died at the age of 89. this is bbc news.