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Police arrest two over alleged drug sales through shops in West Midlands after BBC investigation

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Two people have been arrested on suspicion of supplying drugs through shops in the West Midlands, police say.

The man and woman were arrested on Thursday in the town of Dudley, according to West Midlands Police, who added that they expect to make more arrests.

They come after a BBC investigation found cocaine, cannabis, laughing gas and prescription pills being offered for sale in mini-marts on UK High Streets.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the government was "absolutely focused" on tackling such criminality, pledging stronger powers and more police officers to do so.

West Midlands Police did not release the names of those arrested and did not indicate whether they are linked to the BBC's investigation into mini-marts.

In a news release, the force said: "In Dudley, we've today arrested a man and woman on suspicion of supplying drugs through shops in the borough. They're currently in police custody for questioning.

"We're involved in active investigations about drug dealing in the area and anticipate more arrests."

It said it was "aware of media reporting around the issue of drug dealing", adding that it wanted "to reassure our communities in Dudley, and across the wider region, we won't tolerate illegal activities and are taking action".

During the BBC's investigation, drugs were readily offered to its undercover researchers, who secretly filmed in shops across four neighbouring West Midlands towns.

The BBC also analysed dozens of local news reports. From Bideford in Devon, to Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, to Belfast in Northern Ireland, the analysis found that drugs had been discovered in more than 70 shops and linked premises, including crystal meth and heroin.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) and the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) both told the BBC that shopfronts were being exploited by criminal gangs which had gained a foothold pushing illegal drugs across the country.

Following the investigation's publication, Sir Keir said it had revealed a "really important issue".

He pledged more neighbourhood police officers "actually on the high street, in your patch and identifiable", and increased powers for them to tackle anti-social behaviour and crime.

"We've already changed some of the rules in relation to how we deal with incidents in shops, but we must do this, we're absolutely focused on it and I understand why people are concerned about it," he told reporters.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called the revelations "another example of the increasing lawlessness that is sadly such a feature of our towns and cities".

"That is why the Conservatives have a plan to take back our streets," she said, pledging swift and proper punishment for those who sell drugs, funding for 10,000 extra police officers and "live facial recognition to crime hotspots".

The Liberal Democrats called the findings "shocking", accusing the Conservatives of having "hollowed out our police forces and now Labour is failing to restore them fast enough".

The party's home affairs spokesperson Max Wilkinson said: "Organised gangs are exploiting this and communities are paying the price. We urgently need more police on our streets so that criminals know there are consequences for their actions."

Reform UK's home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf said the investigation had exposed "the reality of a soft-touch Britain that has allowed organised crime to take over our high streets".

"Years of Tory and Labour failure have hollowed out town centres and let criminal gangs flourish," he said, adding that Reform UK would deliver a "zero-tolerance crackdown on crime, restore visible policing, and ensure those who break the law are properly punished".

Green Party leader Zack Polanksi said councils were so "cash strapped" they weren't able to investigate such activity on High Streets.

"The government needs to make sure they're funding councils properly," he said.

A spokesperson for the Home Office said the BBC's investigation was "concerning" and it was "pleased to see West Midlands Police has already made arrests".

"We will not let organised crime groups endanger our high streets and are cracking down on illicit sales," it added.

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Which airlines are cancelling flights to the UK – and what can you do?

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The price of flights has been rising since the start of the conflict in the Middle East, a worry for anyone planning a summer holiday.

Some airlines are also cutting back the number of flights they are operating, which could mean travellers facing changes to their plans.

Many airlines that serve the UK have said they plan to operate fewer flights.

The following companies have said they don't plan to change their schedules:

While some airlines have cut back on the number of flights to save money, others have said they will start charging more per passenger or will put up charges for luggage.

Overall cancellations will be a very small proportion of the millions of flights in and out of the UK, says Rory Boland, travel editor at consumer publication Which?. Airlines are likely to target cancellations on routes where there are multiple flights a day to make it easier to put passengers on a different flight.

Low-cost Spanish regional airline Volotea has come under fire for saying it will add a surcharge to tickets it has already sold and is being challenged by local consumer rights groups.

An airline or tour operator could only raise the price post-sale if they had a specific caveat written into the terms and conditions, says independent consumer commentator Jane Hawkes, but it is not standard practice.

However, when it comes to package holidays, tour operators can add up to 8% to the cost of your deal after you've booked, based on a "significant rise in fuel costs", says Boland. But Which? found most operators were promising not to add surcharges this year.

A lot of the industry's jet fuel supplies pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which has effectively been closed to shipping since the start of March.

Airlines are not physically running short of fuel currently, but there have been warnings of potential shortages by the summer if the conflict continues.

In the meantime the squeeze on supply has pushed up the price of jet fuel sharply – it roughly doubled during March and the first half of April.

Airlines agree deals in advance that help them lock in a lower price, but longer term they will be paying more for fuel.

The biggest rises in fares have been on long-haul routes via Asia, that have been forced to adapt their flight paths to avoid flying over the Gulf.

Flights from London to Melbourne in June now cost 76% more than last year and a flights to Hong Kong are up 72%, according to consultancy Teneo.

"There's no right or wrong," says Jane Hawkes. It could pay to wait for last-minute deals, or you might want to seize the moment now. She doesn't expect prices to fall over the rest of the year, however, because airlines still need to cover the increased costs.

She suggests being flexible over where and when you travel, including considering switching to road or rail or holidaying in the UK.

Book insurance and check your policy covers you for travel disruption, she adds.

And make sure you have a "contingency pot". Even if your holiday operator or airline is supposed to cover any disruption, you may need to pay upfront and claim it back later, which can take months, she warns.

If your flight is cancelled the airline must get you to your destination or offer a refund.

If you are delayed more than a couple of hours the airline is required to provide food and hotel accommodation.

That is in ordinary circumstances. In cases of war, weather, or other situations that are beyond an airline's control, they do not have to offer compensation.

Airlines are currently pushing for more clarity over whether fuel shortages caused by the current conflict would count as "extraordinary circumstances".

If you have booked your accommodation separately the airline is not required to compensate you for any days you have missed out on.

But if your package holiday travel is disrupted your tour operator should extend your stay, offer you an alternative holiday, or refund you for the holiday, says Boland.

Correction: this article has been amended to remove references to Air Asia and Vietjet as they do not currently fly to the UK. References to Air New Zealand have also been removed as it does not fly directly to the UK, but offers connections through its partners.

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Stock markets are too high and set to fall, says Bank of England deputy

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The Bank of England expects stock markets around the world to fall as share prices do not reflect the many risks facing the global economy, its deputy governor has told the BBC.

Sarah Breeden said: "There's a lot of risk out there and yet asset prices are at all-time highs. We expect there will be an adjustment at some point."

It is unusual for a senior figure at the Bank to be so forthright on market movements.

Breeden, who is also the Bank's head of financial stability, declined to say when she expected markets to fall or by how much, but pointed to a number of factors that markets seemed complacent about.

"The thing that really keeps me awake at night is the likelihood of a number of risks crystallising at the same time – a major macroeconomic shock, confidence in private credit goes, AI and other risky valuations readjust – what happens in that environment and are we prepared for it?" she said.

A sharp fall in stock markets can have a number of effects on the economy. If households own shares, a fall in their value can make people feel poorer which might make them cut back on spending.

It can also make it harder for businesses to raise funds, which means they might reduce or delay investment. Falling markets can also hit confidence, which might lead to companies cutting back on hiring.

The US stock market is home to the world's biggest companies and has set a series of all-time highs recently despite warnings from the International Energy Agency that the world economy is facing the biggest energy shock in history.

Technology firms have poured hundreds of billions of dollars into AI infrastructure prompting some, including Microsoft founder Bill Gates to call it "a frenzy" that resembles the dotcom bubble of the late 1990s, when investors threw money at unproven start-ups that quickly went bust or had billions wiped off their value.

Nvidia boss Jensen Huang, the biggest supplier of chips to AI companies, is among those to dismiss these concerns.

A number of funds that mimic the role of banks and lend privately to businesses have sustained losses and have had to restrict withdrawals from investors, sparking concerns of weaknesses in the financial system.

Breeden said the enormous growth in this so called "shadow banking" system has not been tested.

"Private credit has gone from nothing to two-and-a-half trillion dollars in the last 15 to 20 years. It hasn't been tested at this scale with the degree of complexity and interconnections it has with the rest of the financial system so far," she said.

"It's a private credit crunch, rather than a banking-driven credit crunch, that we're worried about."

The UK stock market does not contain the kind or size of AI companies that have helped drive US markets to records but the FTSE 100 index is also within 5% of its own all-time high.

Breeden said her job was not to predict when and how much the markets fall but to ensure the financial system is ready if it does.

"What we are watching for: is how might those prices fall? Will there be a sharp adjustment downwards? And if there is such an adjustment, how will that affect the economy? I'm not saying it will happen today, tomorrow, in 12 months' time. It's ensuring that if it happens the system is resilient."

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US rights groups urge caution for World Cup visitors

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US President Donald Trump and Fifa president Gianni Infantino have close ties

Rights groups have urged fans, players, journalists, and other visitors to this summer's World Cup to "exercise caution" if travelling to the United States.

More than 120 organisations have collectively issued a 'travel advisory' driven by what they say is "the Trump administration's violent and abusive immigration crackdown".

"The Trump administration's rising authoritarianism and increasing violence pose serious risks to all," the message states.

It adds minority groups in particular are "vulnerable to serious harm", and is critical of Gianni Infantino, president of football's world governing body Fifa, for his close ties to US President Donald Trump.

The coalition, which includes the American Civil Liberties Union, has called on Fifa to put pressure on US authorities "to respect the fundamental human rights of every person visiting and attending the games".

US officials have not yet commented on the groups' travel advisory, but Fifa says it is "committed to respecting all internationally recognised human rights and shall strive to promote the protection of these rights".

Fifa said it has a "commitment to human rights across all key activities and actors connected to the tournament", citing several documents and advisory groups it has set up to address human rights issues.

Trump's foreign policy and what it might mean for the World Cup

Trump and Infantino – too close for comfort?

World Cup risks being 'stage for repression' – Amnesty

The rights groups warn travellers about what they say is the potential for denial of entry to the country and risk of arrest, travel restrictions on citizens from dozens of countries, social media screening, racial profiling, and increased surveillance.

There are travel bans on nationals from four of the countries taking part in the tournament: Iran, Haiti, Senegal and Ivory Coast.

The groups say travellers should take steps including removing sensitive information from phones and keeping friends and family updated about their plans when travelling.

The United States is co-hosting the tournament alongside Canada and Mexico, with 78 of the 104 scheduled matches at the tournament taking place in the US.

The signatories are critical of Fifa, accusing it of failing to issue "concrete guarantees" on safety for travellers "while its president, Gianni Infantino, has aligned himself closer to the Trump administration".

In December, Infantino awarded President Trump with Fifa's inaugural Peace Prize.

An immigration crackdown has been a key focus of the Trump administration, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) having its scope and budget significantly expanded.

ICE has faced criticism for its methods – especially following the fatal shooting of two US citizens who were protesting against the immigration crackdown.

US officials have said ICE agents will be part of World Cup security. Earlier this year, fan group Football Supporters Europe (FSE) told BBC Sport it was "extremely concerned by the ongoing militarisation of police forces in the US".

Last month, a report from human rights campaign group Amnesty said the World Cup risked becoming "a stage for repression and a platform for authoritarian practices".

In response to that, the White House's World Cup Task Force said that the tournament will be "the largest, safest, and most welcoming sporting event in history" and that it was working to deliver an event "that highlights America's hospitality, commitment to security, and spirit of excellence".

It promised that fans "can look forward to a smooth, secure, and truly unforgettable tournament".

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📰 மூல செய்தி (Source): https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/ce3d69wngevo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

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