mark easton reports.he home secretary made her speech today, international powers met in 191m to debate the idea of universal human rights. but suella braverman came to washington to argue that the refugee convention that followed doesn't make sense in a world ofjet travel and the internet. it is therefore incumbent upon politicians and thought leaders to ask whether the refugee convention and the way it has come to be interpreted through our courts is fit for our modern age or in need of reform. today, he and his kind are leaving their homes as evacuees... more than 60 million people were displaced by the second world war and world leaders agreed a refugee convention, promising protection to those who couldn't return to their country of origin because of a well—founded fear of persecution. the home secretary argues persecution no longer means what was intended. we have created a system of almost infinite supply, incentivising millions of people to try their luck, knowing full well that we have no capacit

our home editor, mark easton, has the latest.errible headlines and public anxiety about crumbling concrete in our schools... good morning, sir. good morning. - ..it was the chancellor who took to the airwaves to try and reassure parents that the government had matters under control. appearing on the laura kuenssberg programme, mr hunt said ministers would do whatever was necessary to keep schoolchildren safe. we will spend what it takes to sort out this problem as quickly as possible. so, do you commit to covering whatever costs are required to remove all of this dangerous concrete from schools around the country? we will spend what it takes to make sure that children can go to school safely, yes. the chancellor has insisted the government acted fast when the dangers of school ceilings unexpectedly falling on children came to light, but did they? injuly 2018, a staff room ceiling suddenly collapsed at a primary school in kent. crumbling raac beams were blamed, and in december of that year the government warned every school author

mark easton has that story.cretary made her speech today, international powers met in 191m to debate the idea of universal human rights. but suella braverman came to washington to argue that the refugee convention that followed doesn't make sense in a world ofjet travel and the internet. it is therefore incumbent upon politicians and thought leaders to ask whether the refugee convention and the way it has come to be interpreted through our courts is fit for our modern age or in need of reform. today, he and his kind are leaving their homes as evacuees... more than 60 million people were displaced by the second world war and world leaders agreed a refugee convention, promising protection to those who couldn't return to their country of origin because of a well—founded fear of persecution. the home secretary argues persecution no longer means what was intended. we have created a system of almost infinite supply, incentivising millions of people to try their luck, knowing full well that we have no capacity to meet

mark easton, for now, thank you. decade in this country. though new figures from the banking trade body uk finance show that we are still most likely to pay for things using a debit card. 0ur cost of living correspondent kevin peachey is with me. so is cash farfrom dead? cashis cash is no longer king, but i think it is not ready to abdicate entirely quite yet because these figures show that the number of payments made with notes and coins rose by 7% last year compared with the previous year. the first time in a decade we have seen a rise. two main reasons. the first is that as we came out of the pandemic people had more opportunity to spend money, but the second and most significantly i think is the rise in cost of living put pressure on people's finances and people often find it easier to budget using notes and coins, because they see what is coming in and what is going out. as you say this whole payments picture is still dominated by debit cards. they account for half of all payments, thatis account for half of all

mark easton, bbc news.off the table. that is until last month when valuable items disappeared from the british museum and turned up on ebay. 0ur correspondent joe inwood has more. have you come across any priceless antiquities — a bronze age earring, a roman bracelet, an egyptian engraving of a goddess fighting a four—headed snake, or this roman carving of a dolphin? priceless items like these could have been unwittingly purchased by the public. their location — unknown. and that's what the british museum is hoping they can find out. they've launched this special website to see if the public can help identify some of the 2,000 pieces from their collection that have gone missing. they've also told us for the first time exactly what has been lost. it's mostly pieces ofjewellery and gems from greece or rome. it all follows the revelation last month that items from the museum's collections had turned up for sale on ebay, being sold for a fraction of their true value. an unnamed member of staff was fired, the di

mark easton, bbc news, the hague.is own life at a heathrow immigration removal centre earlier this year says he had begged for help and was willing to leave the uk. the 39—year—old died within a month of being locked up even though according to his family he had no existing mental health problems. here's our home affairs correspondent tom symonds. 5000 miles from london, a family is in mourning. translation: ., ., ., translation: he wanted to return to colombia to continue _ translation: he wanted to return to colombia to continue his _ translation: he wanted to return to colombia to continue his work. - translation: he wanted to return to colombia to continue his work. he - colombia to continue his work. he was a civil engineer, a professional.- was a civil engineer, a professional. was a civil engineer, a rofessional. , , ., professional. the sister and brother-in-law _ professional. the sister and brother-in-law of _ professional. the sister and brother-in-law of frank - professional. the sister and i brother-in-la

mark easton, home editor.visit continues. the king spoke partly in french and he and the queen are also visiting notre—dame cathedral to see the restoration work following the fire of 2019. from paris, here's our royal correspondent, daniela relph. it was a moment when the king made history. no british monarch had ever addressed both houses of the french parliament from the senate chamber, until now. applause. parliamentarians were due to be on holiday today, but it was a full chamber to hear the king, speaking in both french and english, praise the strong bonds between the uk and france, and highlight the power of governments working together to fight climate change. just as we stand together against military aggression, so must we strive together to protect the world from our most existential challenge of all, that of global warming, climate change, and the catastrophic destruction of nature. applause across the city, the queen was with the president's wife, brigitte macron, at the french national library to

here's our home editor, mark easton.it's doing what it takes to root out corrupt and incompetent officers. it's two years since former met constable wayne couzens was given a whole life order for murdering sarah everard and more than six months since his colleague david carrick was given 36 life sentences for a series of rapes. at the absolute heart of our plan is renewing our contract with londoners, our contract with the public. we police by consent in this country, we know we've got so much to do to rebuild that trust and to rebuild that connection. 100 officers have been sacked in the past year, up 66% from the normal rate and 275 are still due to face gross misconduct hearings — many relating to violence against women and girls, including allegations of rape. the yard says they intend holding 60 misconduct hearings every month over the next few years. 0ne officer currently suspended and facing a gross misconduct case called bbc radio 5 live this morning. yes, there are some wrong officers in the force and there are

mark easton, bbc news.ew york. one of the world's biggest media figures stepping back at 92 — what do you think his impact has been? so for, you know, at the age of 92, this moment had long been anticipated, of course. but when it came, the stepping down of somebody who is arguably the world's most powerful and controversial media tycoon has still, is a bit of a shock to staff here at fox news as well as other offices across his empire. in a statement to staff, he described his son lachlan is a passionate and principled leader who would take the companies into the future, and of course attention will now focus on his legacy, as we heard in that report, there are those for whom his revolutionising of the media industry makes him a hero but there will also be those focusing on some of the scandals and setbacks. the phone hacking scandal in the uk, of course, as well as more recently those unfounded claims of a rigged election here in america, for which news recently had to pay $800 million. —— fox news had to

here's our home editor, mark easton.aving crossed the channel, more than 23,000 now this year. today labour revealed its plan to stop the boats if they win the next election. the hague in holland was selected as the place for sir keir starmer to launch his policy, a carefully constructed picture opportunity to project the labour leader as a statesman ready, as he puts it, to lead europe's efforts on smashing the smuggling gangs. this is a vile trade and that is why i am here at europol saying, how can we have a better agreement to share intelligence, have joint operations and take these gangs down? europol is an eu policing body which britain left after brexit but labour now wants to negotiate a new agreement giving british police faster and greater access to europol�*s real—time data bases and intelligence. labour believes that securing britain's borders requires a closer, not more distant relationship with europe. for instance, a new party pledge to end the use of hotels for asylum seekers some reckon would require a d

mark easton, bbc news.f a russian spy ring operating in the uk have appeared in court. the bulgarian nationals — who've been living in the uk for a number of years — are all accused of conspiring to gather information that would be useful to an enemy. it's alleged they carried out surveillance on people and places targeted by russia between august 2020 and february 2023. here's daniel de simone. these are the five people accused of operating as a russian spy ring in the uk. the bulgarian nationals have lived in britain for years, some had apparently normaljobs. but today a court heard they are accused of secretly working as spies. carrying out surveillance on people and places targeted by russia. the alleged surveillance activities are said to have been for the apparent purpose of assisting russia to conduct hostile action. including the potential abduction of targeted individuals. prosecutors say the spy cell's operations hub was this now closed seaside guest in great yarmouth in norfolk. the occupier, for

mark easton, bbc news, the hague.ys 7000 people have arrived in the last 48 hours. that is effectively doubling the population. he has appealed for help. earlier i spoke to a journalist, who is into this and it's been following the story. this started on it's been following the story. ti 3 started on tuesday and was described as valencia of boats that are mostly handcrafted or what are called the death boats and are simply sheet metal welded together. and the southern part of tunisia, there is a thriving trafficking of human smuggling trade going on. and we are seeing and have been seeing normal people going but this is unprecedented. we have seen hundreds of landings happen in one day and lampedusa and this is been increasing all summer. but this has been the most amount of people that have landed in such a short period of time. i previously have spoken to a person from the ministry of the interior about how italy has been coping, and they been saying that all what they call hot spots, which is lampedusa, sicily and

mark easton reports. of 92, rupert murdoch is regarded by many as the most powerful person on the planet. rumoured to be able to change governments, making or destroying political careers without ever having to win a vote from anyone. as the billionaire head of the media giant news corp, murdoch's influence on britain has been profound for more than half a century. music. the tv series succession was a thinly—veiled take on the murdoch dynasty and the family's battles to take over control of the global business. now we have a new episode, and it's real. rupert is stepping away from the seat at the head of the table. his son lachlan, seen here on the left, will take the reins. in a statement today, rupert murdoch said, "our companies are in robust health, as am i." "we have every reason to be optimistic about the coming years. "i certainly am and plan to be here to participate in them. "in my new role, i can guarantee you that i will be involved every day in the contest of ideas." it's going to affect brit

here's our home editor, mark easton.r plan is renewing our contract with londoners, our contract with the leadership lower down. both served in the armed _ leadership lower down. both served in the armed parliamentary - leadership lower down. both served in the armed parliamentary and - in the armed parliamentary and diplomatic protection command. the unit is being overhauled with a new leadership team and a plan to recruit 20% women and 20% from ethnic backgrounds. recruit 20% women and 2096 from ethnic backgrounds.— recruit 2096 women and 2096 from ethnic backgrounds. 34,000 men and women in the — ethnic backgrounds. 34,000 men and women in the metropolitan _ ethnic backgrounds. 34,000 men and women in the metropolitan police - ethnic backgrounds. 34,000 men and women in the metropolitan police and one of— women in the metropolitan police and one of the _ women in the metropolitan police and one of the reasons _ women in the metropolitan police and one of the reasons why— women in the metropolitan police and one of the

our home editor, mark easton, has the latest.ng, sir. good morning.

our home editor mark easton has the latest.ays of terrible headlines about crumbling schools at risk of collapse... good morning, sir. good morning. ..it was the chancellor who took to the airwaves to try and reassure the public that the government had matters under control. welcome back to the studio, chancellor. appearing on the laura kuenssberg programme, mr hunt said ministers would do whatever was necessary to keep schoolchildren safe. we will spend what it takes to sort out this problem as quickly as possible. so do you commit to covering whatever costs are required to remove all of this dangerous concrete from schools around the country? we will spend what it takes to make sure that children can go to school safely, yes. the chancellor has insisted the government acted fast when the dangers of school ceilings unexpectedly falling on children came to light, but did they? injuly 2018, a staff room ceiling suddenly collapsed at a primary school in kent, and crumbling raac beams were blamed. in december of that year, the gov

mark easton, bbc news. with us on the programme and what do you make of the home secretary speech?— what do you make of the home secretary speech? good evening, i feel he does _ secretary speech? good evening, i feel he does a _ secretary speech? good evening, i feel he does a lot _ secretary speech? good evening, i feel he does a lot of _ secretary speech? good evening, i feel he does a lot of conjecture - feel he does a lot of conjecture numb secretaries speech and i think she was articulating a worldview which is one where countries pull up a tribe and take a unilateralist approach and retreat. in the face of global challenges, it is a worldview which i am afraid will not succeed and i don't think it will solve the challenge of global migration either. the road is to respond in a much more multilateral list weight in the way it is seeking to do around climate change if it is going to visit to the challenge and critically, we need to stand up for the rights of people who have been persecuted through no fa

live now to our home editor mark easton, who's live in the newsroom.the results from the survey, can you give us a bit more, tell us more about this british attitudes survey and what exactly it meshes.— british attitudes survey and what exactly it meshes. well, this is an exam - le i exactly it meshes. well, this is an example i think _ exactly it meshes. well, this is an example i think of _ exactly it meshes. well, this is an example i think of british - exactly it meshes. well, this is an example i think of british naval. example i think of british naval gazing. we're trying to work out what the place we live in is actually like and since 1983 some of the country's leading social scientists have put together a special report based on interviewing people around the country about their attitudes and it's a real treasure trove for people like me. you can see the trends in social attitudes changing over a0 years. he mentioned the fact that there has been something of a revolution, we are much more liberal around a whole range of dishes that we used to b

we can talk now to our home editor, mark easton. a huge relief for the government, and for the police who have been involved in this huge operation?— police who have been involved in this huge operation? yes. this was a otentiall this huge operation? yes. this was a potentially very _ this huge operation? yes. this was a potentially very embarrassing - potentially very embarrassing situation, of course, with a prisoner escaping in this manner, and the huge publicity that went with that. embarrassing for the ministry ofjustice and the fiscal authorities, and embarrassing for the government as well. i think there will be a great deal of pleasure, perhaps not the right word, but relief certainly in number ten. we know the prime minister said he was very pleased that daniel khalife has been arrested, that there has been clearly pleasure to end scotland yard, where they have been working hard to track this man down. —— pleasure too in a scotland yard. down. -- pleasure too in a scotland yard. �* ~ ., ., ., . yard. and the metropolitan po

our home editor, mark easton, has the latest.

he told the bbc�*s mark easton how his government would end the use of hotels for asylum seekers.vernment has completely lost control of this and the cast now to the taxpayer, year on year, the hotel accommodation, the taxpayer, year on year, the hotelaccommodation, is the taxpayer, year on year, the hotel accommodation, is £2 billion —— the cost. what i would do is use a small amount of that money to recruit more caseworkers, to get the cases through and to make sure that within a reasonably short period of time, let's say 12 months from when this operation, that we would clear out all of those who are currently in hotel accommodation. responding to keir starmer's _ in hotel accommodation. responding to keir starmer's comments, - in hotel accommodation. responding to keir starmer's comments, the - to keir starmer's comments, the prime minister was critical of labour's record on the issue. keir starmer spent — labour's record on the issue. keir starmer spent this _ labour's record on the issue. tf;2 " starmer spent this year voting against our stop the boats built, the toughest le

he told the bbc�*s mark easton his govenment would end the use of hotels for asylum seekers.o the taxpayer, year on year, for hotel accommodation, is £2 billion. what i would do is use a small amount of that money to recruit more caseworkers, to get the cases through and to make sure that within a reasonably short period of time, let's say 12 months from when this is operational, that we would clear out all of those who are currently in hotel accommodation. we can speak now to our political correspondent peter saull. very interesting what we heard from keir starmer. what is the response from the government? this is an area of policy they haven't seen as one of policy they haven't seen as one of their strengths, one of the key pledges —— they have seen. we of their strengths, one of the key pledges -- they have seen. we are seeinu pledges -- they have seen. we are seeing the — pledges -- they have seen. we are seeing the labour _ pledges -- they have seen. we are seeing the labour party _ pledges -- they have seen. we are seeing the labour party trying i pledges -- they have s

he told the bbc�*s mark easton his government would end the use of hotels for asylum—seekers. to the taxpayer year—on—year for hotel accommodation is £2 billion. so what i would do is use a small amount of that money to recruit more caseworkers to get the cases through and to ensure that, you know, within a reasonably short period of time — let's say 12 months from when this is operational — that we would clear out all those that are currently in hotel accommodation. earlier, i spoke to our political correspondent peter saull. we are seeing here the labour party trying to get on the front foot of an issue that rishi sunak has made one of his top five priorities, to stop the boats. when we get to the general election at some point next year, no doubt this will be a key battleground, and we're seeing, i think, today what labour's approach to this issue starting to crystallise, this idea of getting all asylum—seekers out of hotels after a year. he wants to get a new security agreement with the eu to help with things like data—sharing, and also the possibility of this returns agre

our home editor mark easton is here. thank you. public trust is in freefall at the moment.ent officers. it's two years since wayne couzens was given a whole life order for murdering sarah everard and more than six months since his colleague david carrick was given 36 life sentences for a series of rapes.— for a series of rapes. at the heart ofthe for a series of rapes. at the heart of the plan _ for a series of rapes. at the heart of the plan is _ for a series of rapes. at the heart of the plan is renewing _ for a series of rapes. at the heart of the plan is renewing our- for a series of rapes. at the heart i of the plan is renewing our contract with the _ of the plan is renewing our contract with the public. we police by consent— with the public. we police by consent in this country. we know we have so _ consent in this country. we know we have so much— consent in this country. we know we have so much to do to rebuild that trust _ have so much to do to rebuild that trust and — have so much to do to rebuild that trust and rebuild that connection. 100 officers have been sack

our home editor mark easton has more details in incident room: concrete chaos. ceilings falling in. all is and it's difficult to find because it looks from the outside like normal concrete. so what on earth is happening to the fabric of britain? this is the stuff making thousands of pupils, teachers, parents and politicians mighty uncomfortable. it looks like concrete. but actually, it is 80% air. some have called it aero bar. but it's leaving a bitter taste for many. so how serious is this crisis? what should be do about it? and what does this fiasco tell us about britain and our relationship with our public buildings? first though, back to this lump of — well, what is it? it's made using a regular concrete recipe, a mix of sand, cement, gypsum, water. but a century ago, a swedish architect added another ingredient. aluminium powder. that makes the mixture rise like a loaf of bread. he popped it in the oven, or autoclave, for about a day. and out came autoclave aerated concrete, aac. add a bit of reinforcement with an iron bar and you've got raac. it is light, easy to install, uses

we can speak now to our home editor mark easton.onservative government has been grappling with. sir keir starmer obviously trying to show that he is going to be tackling this with full force?— with full force? absolutely. morning. — with full force? absolutely. morning, naga. _ with full force? absolutely. morning, naga. i— with full force? absolutely. morning, naga. ithink- with full force? absolutely. - morning, naga. ithink actually with full force? absolutely. - morning, naga. i think actually the details of what labour is announcing today are less important than the optics. this is sir keir starmer wanted to project himself on the european stage as a leader taking on many of the big subjects that perhaps the conservatives had hoped would play to their strengths, not least dealing with the people traffickers bringing the migrants over the channel mic in small boats. so today we will see circular go to euro poll, an eu body which europe —— britain left after brexit. he will seek a closer deal with euro poll that we currently have