BBC News Briefing

2 June, 2026

Roland has ginger hair and a ginger beard and is wearing a white shirt. He is wearing glasses with a black frame.

Roland Hughes

Hello. The killing of a young student falsely accused of racism has brought scrutiny on policing in the UK from across the political spectrum. Elsewhere, there's striking footage of a large explosion that rocked Malta, and... arise, Sir Idris.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

PM says he 'felt sick' watching footage of attacked student's arrest

Henry Nowak was handcuffed by police despite repeatedly telling them he had been stabbed. Credit: handout.

When student Henry Nowak was fatally stabbed last December, his attacker Vickrum Digwa falsely claimed to have been racially abused by him. Police footage shows Nowak telling officers he'd been stabbed and couldn't breathe; one responds: "Don't think you have, mate." After Digwa was jailed on Monday, outrage over the case has grown - especially over what the PM calls the "harrowing" footage, which he says made him feel sick, and about how the false accusation of racism was handled. With one police officer misidentified by the public and forced to relocate, senior government figures - and Henry Nowak's family - are calling for calm.

The latest reaction

GET UP TO SPEED

A middle-aged couple smile on a beach, with palm trees behind them

British couple lose Iran jail sentence appeal

Lindsay and Craig Foreman were jailed on espionage charges, which they deny, after being held while on a motorcycle trip.

More on their case >

Explosion destroys fireworks factory in Malta

The large blast struck the site in Naxxar on Monday, injuring two men working in nearby fields.

Watch the footage >

The singer Sabrina Carpenter wearing a tiara and a necklace made of a roll of film

Sabrina Carpenter 'stalker' given restraining order

The singer says the man had engaged in a "pattern of stalking, trespassing, and surveillance" at her home.

Story in full >

NEWS FROM THE UK

Guilty plea: A Donald Trump-supporting influencer and PR executive has admitted to assaulting a woman in London. More about the case.

Actor honoured: Sir Idris Elba has received his knighthood from the King at a ceremony in Windsor Castle. See the photos here.

Kenny Dalglish: The legendary former Liverpool and Celtic footballer and manager says he is undergoing treatment for cancer.

AT THE SCENE

Crete, Greece

Would you work a 13-hour day? People in Greece are divided

What better place to gauge the mood of people in Greece than a taverna? Credit: Getty Images (file picture)

In Greece, indignation over new labour laws introduced last October continues to simmer as the summer heat takes hold. The new law, which permits 13-hour working days, was met with fierce opposition and nationwide strikes, but the government has been keen to make clear that the new longer workday is purely optional.

Heidi Fuller-Love

It’s 2 pm, and the taverna buzzes with conversation as Giorgos hands out tongue-loosening carafes of the white spirit raki. Made in local stills to avoid paying stiff taxes, this popular 60% proof alcohol is the strongest, but also the cheapest, available. Today, the locals are discussing the new bill. According to Eurostat, Greeks already work some of the longest hours in Europe.

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"Surely 13 hours isn't so bad, because you can just work extra hours at the same job instead of having two different jobs?" one pensioner suggests. "Eh! You can say that - you were in the public sector and you get a good pension," a builder with cement-covered fingers replies. "Why should anyone have a second job? Are we animals to be working such long hours?" "Good pension?" the old man grumbles. "If you call 1,200 euros a month good when food costs are so high."

Hear more from Heidi

Quake detection: A swarm of tremors hit the Greek island of Santorini last year. Now scientists know why.

Cheesed off: Greece is famed for its feta cheese, but a disease might endanger supplies

Two small, silver fish are seen face to face in front of some green plants

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SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Fish that shouldn't exist

Amazon mollies have survived 100,000 years without males and they're thriving.

Here's why