the main headlines. the princess of wales — apologises for confusion surrounding a family photo — saying, she was experimenting with editing. it came after major picture agencies pulled the photo — over concerns it had been manipulated. catherine has been seen inside a car with the princess of wales. —— prince william. —— prince william. a man from northern ireland pleads guilty to the manslaughter of a young girl he'd blackmailed online — in what is known as "catfishing". the mother of the murdered transgender teenager, brianna ghey, meets the mother of one of the killers. and the oscar goes to... and oppenheimer wins big at the oscars —

scooping seven awards — including best picture, best director and best actor. now for sport and for a full round—up, from the bbc sport centre. we'll start with a look ahead to the draw for the last 16 of rugby league's challenge cup — which takes place live on sportsday — in around an hour's time. this is the stage when the 12 superleague sides enter the fray. alongside the other four sides from the championship. let's join our reporter adam wild, who's at the home of the holders, leigh leopards for us, in greater manchester. great to see you. out of the underdogs who should we be keeping our eye on? underdogs who should we be keeping oure e on? ,, . underdogs who should we be keeping oure eon? ,. , underdogs who should we be keeping oureeon?,,. , , . underdogs who should we be keeping oure eon? ,, . , , . ., our eye on? such is the structure of the challenge _ our eye on? such is the structure of the challenge cup. _ our eye on? such is the structure of the challenge cup. a _ our eye on? such is the structure of the challenge cup. a unique - the challenge cup. a unique tournament, the oldest knockout round competition in the world. it isn't until the sixth round these 12 super league teams actually enter the competition. they are going up against the four remaining sides

from the opening of five rounds so that the ship failed and all won their ties over the weekend and all but halifax had very tight eyes indeed. halifax is when slightly less tight interesting to know that all four of those championship sides that are coming up against those super league sides in the draw this evening are each one former challenge cup winners. some real historical pedigree. it should be some really mouthwatering ties when as you say that draw is made in around an hour's time. the holders of course a — around an hour's time. the holders of course a brilliant _ around an hour's time. the holders of course a brilliant win _ around an hour's time. the holders of course a brilliant win for- around an hour's time. the holders of course a brilliant win for them i of course a brilliant win for them but they are winless so far in the super league. what is this competition meaning for teams likely in the priority of the season? very earl da s in the priority of the season? very early days in _ in the priority of the season? very early days in the _ in the priority of the season? very early days in the super— in the priority of the season? - early days in the super league season, i think everyone would agree on that. three defeats from the opening three games. not how they would've wanted to start the season. the challenge cup really is a very

different affair. already it is the grandest, oldest knockout competition anywhere in the world. it does retain a real sense of magic around it. who could forget that wonderful sunny august day last year at wembley when the leopards won their first challenge for more than 50 years? they did it in such dramatic fashion. lamb dropping that goal with a golden point when to break things in rovers hearts. a fantastic moment for the club and everyone associated with the club. it really did encapsulate the magic that this competition still holds for so many teams that trip down to wembley so in porton for the fans of the clouds, a very important figurehead —— pick a point of the season. i think everyone will be glued to the sport where the leopards begin defence and i. we look forward to it.

goalkeeper suffering a muscle injury and liveable yesterday. edison was hurt after kicking with striker darwin nunez conceded the penalty when liverpool scored the equaliser. he had treatment at the time but was later replaced by ortega for that city have told the brazilian fa he won't be fit for international duty later this month. the cheltenham festival starts tomorrow with one man set to dominate at the four—day meeting. irish trainer willie mullins has the favourite in many of the 28 races and needs six victories to become the first person to have 100 festival winners. he has last year's runner—up state man in tomorrow's champion hurdle, with last year's winner constitution hill absent. constitution hill is trained by nicky henderson and despite missing his star horse, 73 year old henderson still has high hopes for the coming week. you couldn't possibly even think about doing it without having a

great bunch of guys and the owners. they are all mates, we have a lot of fun. they kindly send us these sources so that we got a lot of very good horses at the moment. i'm only going to give up went there like this. you couldn't. i enjoy it and there's nothing else i can do so i got to keep going. and that's all the sport for now. sportsday is here at 630 with the challenge cup draw. sportsday is here at 630 with the challenge cup draw. let's bring you more on the controversy over the photo of the princess of wales. and we can go back to our royal correspondent sarah campbell who's outside westminster abbey, where the prince of wales has attended the commonwealth day ceremony. we've had the first picture of the prince and princess of wales together in public and it is they are on the screen just now for our

views to see. just take us through where and when that was taken. i understand it was earlier today. they were making their way from windsor. we know she has been recuperating at the family home in windsor resents that operation, the abdominal surgery that she had in january. just coming up to two months ago now. the prince of wales in the car, he was on his way into central london because as you alluded to it he was participating in a big royal event, the commonwealth day service that was how they are at westminster abbey. the princess was accompanying him. he did not accompany him to the abbey here. yes, both of them out and about for that over the last 2a hour haven't we been talking about photographs which relate to the princess and prince of wales? it is really been quite a 2k hours the commonwealth day service, you could see behind me but all the apparatus

is being taken down now. the scaffold been taking down but the headlines are not about the commonwealth service they about this photo released yesterday about nine o'clock gmt to celebrate mother's day. it has been the subject of much debate ever sense. in day. it has been the sub'ect of much debate ever senseh debate ever sense. in terms of that controversy. _ debate ever sense. in terms of that controversy. the — debate ever sense. in terms of that controversy, the timing _ debate ever sense. in terms of that controversy, the timing could - controversy, the timing could be worse because the hope would have been that by publishing the photograph it would put to bed the wild social media speculation we have seen over the last few weeks. instead it sparked a new tsunami. social media hates a vacuum. that's what they've had. the princess of wales had the surgery nearly two months ago. she's been out of the public eye ever sense. kensington palace told us that that would happen, said she would not be expected to be seen, certainly not to take any official duties before easter. we're not at easter yet. but

social media, wild is exactly the word for that after all sorts of rumours, speculation so this photo was released, taken by the prince of wales and it was put on social media yesterday with the best wishes, thanks from catherine for the wishes being sent to her. of the course of yesterday more and more of the conversation online was about the inconsistencies in the photograph. by inconsistencies in the photograph. by the end of the day four of the major picture agencies, glover picture agencies had issued a kilt notification, —— global picture agencies. the day the final one, the largest nugent agency in the uk did the same at that point clearly it was felt that something needed to be done from kensington palace for the bats when we had that statement from catherine that she had like many

amateur photographs, which of course she is occasionally experiment with editing and she wanted to express her apology for any confusion with the family photograph that was shared. has that quelled the speculation online? certainly there is a lot of sympathy online that this is a woman recovering from major surgery and was trying her best to stop the speculation online for that but clearly a lot of other people saying well, how can we trust images that come from kensington palace when this clearly had been digitally altered?— palace when this clearly had been digitally altered? sarah campbell, thank ou. a 25—year—old man has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in what's said to be the uk's biggest catfish child abuse investigation. catfishing is when online scammers use a fake identity to trick their victims. alexander mccartney, from newry in northern ireland, has admitted more than 180 charges,

including the manslaughter of a 12—year—old girl who took her own life after being blackmailed by him. our correspondent sara girvin was in court today alexander mccartney pleaded guilty to manslaughter. that relates to the case of a girl who was under the age of 13 when she took her own life after being blackmailed by him. he has now admitted 185 charges involving more than 60 victims. there has been a recording restriction on this case that was lifted this morning for that what we know about those victims as fear spread across the world in the uk some of them are as far as way as new zealand and america. all this came to light back in 2008 when police in scotland contacted the police in scotland contacted the police service in northern ireland and the case of a 12—year—old girl who had been befriended by mccarthy on social media. she had sent him a naked image and he told her that if

she didn't do what he wanted to do it she would doing that he would upload that to the internet. the search took place of devices, and thousands of images of young girls in various states of dress and undress for the all these offences took place within a six year period, between 2013 and 19. alexander mccartney has been remanded in prison since 2019. the judge said today that this would be a complex sentencing exercise. he added that he won't sentence alexander mccartney for the next few months. the mother of murdered teenager brianna ghey, has met a parent of one of her daughter's killers. estherjheye met the mother of 15—year—old scarlettjenkinson — who was jailed for life last month. the two women discussed the dangers of mobile phone use by children and the challenges of parenting. sally nugent has been speaking to estherjheye. speaking to esther ghey.

i know that all of these emotions and, like, feelings like hate — it's only going to impact me. i genuinely don't feel any of those towards scarlett�*s parents, and. i actually don't feel that towards scarlett, either. esther ghey talking about one of the teenagers who murdered her daughter. 16—year—old brianna was stabbed to death last february. scarlettjenkinson and eddie ratcliffe had watched videos of violence and torture online before killing her. now, just over a year later, esther has metjenkinson's mother. you instigated that meeting, why did you want to meet her? the crime that's been committed has impacted so many other people and, obviously, what they've gone through is terrible, as well. and they've lost a child and they haven't only lost a child, but they've also got to live with what's happened now

for the rest of their life. both of us are mothers who are trying to navigate something that nobody should ever have gone through. and i think, for that, i kind of feel. ..a bit of a connection to her, as well. and how was that meeting? it was emotional. we had a few, like, very personal. we spoke about very personal things, and she was very open with me and she was so respectful, as well. i think that her coming to see me shows a great deal of bravery on her part, as well. since her daughter's death, esther ghey has been campaigning for better online safety for children and for mindfulness to be taught to young people in schools. you talk about choosing to make something positive out of the most horrific thing that could possibly happen. if you were able to cooperate or work in some way with scarlettjenkinson's mum, how much do you think you might be able to achieve?

i imagine that might be quite a powerful combination. we're working together in a very private way. there is good out there and i think the level of support we've received across the uk, and the kindness that we've received from people as well as scarlett�*s family, as well, itjust show that there is that hope of unity and for people to be better to one another, as well. esther is hoping that working with the mother of her daughter's killer might help with her campaign to make society a safer place for young people. let's turn to cardiff — where the uk covid inquiry has been hearing from vaughan gething — who served as wales' health minister during the first two waves of the pandemic. mr gething's told the inquiry it was a �*real embarrassment�*

that his whatsapp messages from a key period during that time were no longer available. take a listen. i certainly do regret the fact that all those messages are available because you could see them and satisfy yourself that all of the information there is consistent with the information in the record you do have in front of you. it's a point of embarrassment. and if i had been able to write all of those records then i don't think that this would really be the issue that i understand it is for a number of people. let's get more on this from bbc wales political correspondent daniel davies in our cardiff newsroom. just tell us a bit more about those exchanges, the questions, answers around the whatsapp messages. the use and around the whatsapp messages. iie: use and retention around the whatsapp messages. tie: use and retention of around the whatsapp messages. ti2 use and retention of whatsapp messages has emerged as a huge area of concern in this inquiry. notjust during hearings in wales but elsewhere for them of the last couple of weeks it's been established that the use of whatsapp

was against welsh government rules. but that it is our people from using it, including seeing their ministers, including senior civil servants. they won't supposed to use their welsh government issued phones they were using personal phones or in mr kevin's case the phone issued by the wealth parliament. —— mr gethin. he said used to blow off steam and be supportive to colleagues with them at one point in 2022 he handed that phone back for what he said was a security rebuild for that when he got it back from the senate all of his whatsapp messages from his time as the health minister during the pandemic had been disappeared. he said he had meetings with officials to talk about whether they could retrieve them but they couldn't put up all his messages heard don including personal messages that had nothing to do with welsh government business with the edge you heard in that clip it was a point of embarrassment for me that he wasn't able to share

those messages with the inquiry. aside from all of those discussions and questions around whatsapp messages he also talked about his regret of not being able to keep schools open for longer back in 2020. it schools open for longer back in 2020. ,., , ~ schools open for longer back in 2020. , ~ . , 2020. it sounds like the welsh governments _ 2020. it sounds like the welsh governments position - 2020. it sounds like the welsh governments position in - 2020. it sounds like the welsh governments position in march 2020. it sounds like the welsh - governments position in march 2020 and keeping schools open changed almost overnight for that on the 17th of march at 4pm the health minister of the education minister at the time in her written evidence said the welsh government was operating under the assumption that the best thing to do is keep schools open. the following morning she had to announce that they were going to close early for the easter holidays and really for classroom teaching that didn't return until the autumn for the gethin said they did that to avoid a disorderly closure because a lot of schools and councils were closing anyway. but it is one of my regrets, he said that we could not

keep schools open for longer. this is in a period just before the first lockdown when there were momentous decisions being taken. we heard about a lot of those in april for example the welsh government was a couple of weeks behind the uk government in england introducing a policy of more widespread testing within the care homes. they've been a lot of questions about why that delay occurred in wales. and gethin was asked to clarify his position a couple of times he said the science did not support taking that decision but even if it had been a scientific recommendation to test more widely it really doesn't sound as if the welsh government had the opacity to do that anyway. a word that came up more than once today, hindsight. he said that in hindsight wales and the uk word as well—prepared as we could have been for the pandemic. he talked about in hindsight as well he would've given different advice on cancelling major events for that

just before the lockdown in wales there was do to be a wales — scotland match in the six nations, 20,000 scottish fans turned up for that matter. in the end the wi you cancelled it. mr gethin says that that decision jarred with him. perhaps he should have been more explicit with rugby officials to cancel that match. air fires used by the office for national statistics to check vices and work out the inflation rate. let's talk to cost—of—living correspondent. you are smiling already. take me through what is in and what is out. this already. take me through what is in and what is out.— and what is out. this is a huge long list of items. _ and what is out. this is a huge long list of items. more _ and what is out. this is a huge long list of items. more than 700 - and what is out. this is a huge long list of items. more than 700 thingsj list of items. more than 700 things that the chief statisticians in the uk add up each month and work out

when the prices are going up or down. each year they reassess those items and work out which of the items and work out which of the items that we're buying to make sure thatis items that we're buying to make sure that is still relevant. a really good measure of inflation. this year items that are now in the list include vinyl records, lots of current artists releasing on vinyl. lots of people like me improving their catalog. other things included air fires that's because of the energy price rises we've seen over recent years with the air fires are cheaper way to cook than turning on the oven. we're also seeing changes and potentially health products as well. sunflower seeds, and potentially health products as well. sunflowerseeds, pumpkin seeds is well as spray oreos, gluten—free bread on the list for the first time. he was out of the basket we're now synced —— spray oils lots of products bought during the pandemic no longer on the list with the baking items, stuck at home wanted to do baking may be less interested

to do baking may be less interested to do baking may be less interested to do that now. the hand gels that we all carried around in pretty much every handbag. no longer included in this list. mr; every handbag. no longer included in thislist. y ,, �* this list. my goodness, i didn't know you _ this list. my goodness, i didn't know you had _ this list. my goodness, i didn't know you had props _ this list. my goodness, i didn't know you had props for - this list. my goodness, i didn't know you had props for this i know you had props for this particular interview. tell me, how do they actually decide on the sorts of things? it do they actually decide on the sorts of thin . s? , , do they actually decide on the sorts of thins? , , ., , of things? it is this huge long list and those numbers _ of things? it is this huge long list and those numbers are _ of things? it is this huge long list and those numbers are crossed. | of things? it is this huge long list i and those numbers are crossed. it's notjust and those numbers are crossed. it's not just about the amount of products bought but also about how widely available they are. those statisticians do to compare the price and track it each month. like gluten—free bread, when the product becomes available and a lot more shops then it becomes a reliable statistic that they can look at each month. that's why we're seeing changes and some of those products. it's about availability across different stores. we're also seeing rotisserie chickens dropping off that list. again because of the changes we see in supermarkets within the last year or so. lots of those smaller concessions had closed

that used to sell rotisserie chickens for that when that price isn't available for this statisticians to compare than they are not able to add that to the list of also shows the changing habits of all of our shopping.— all of our shopping. fascinating. thank you _ all of our shopping. fascinating. thank you so — all of our shopping. fascinating. thank you so much _ all of our shopping. fascinating. thank you so much for- all of our shopping. fascinating. thank you so much forjoining i all of our shopping. fascinating. | thank you so much forjoining us. the first video of britain's new laser weapon with the ability to shoot down drones, has been released by the ministry of defence. the dragon fire laser has been described as cutting—edge technology with the potential to revolutionise warfare. our defence correspondent jonathan beale has been meeting some of the people behind its development. this is what's been happening in the red sea. british and us warships shooting down cheap houti drones to protect commercial shipping, with missiles costing in excess of £1 million each. but this could be the future.

the first video of britain's first laser weapon being tested in scotland. a silent, less expensive killer. the beam filmed through a special lens. in reality, it's invisible to the naked eye. this is where the high energy laser comes out of. out of there? out of this window here. a number of tens of kilowatts is coming out of this aperture here. so, that's a number of beamlets that are combined to make sure that we can get that laser onto target. dragon fire has been developed in the uk at a cost of more than £100 million, but it will give the military more bang for its buck. what this could bring is not having to use that very expensive missile for these cheap threats coming towards you. you know, they're staying, ultimately firing it costs you maybe £10 per shot as opposed to a lot of pounds per missile. this is what the laser can do, using energy rather than firing a projectile. we've got some steel plates here of different thicknesses that we've been blasting. it's not only taken out static targets, but also

drones in mid—flight. it can hit an object the size of a pound coin from more than a kilometre away. the most important thing, lots of people talk about the power of lasers, but to take out an asset like this, you don't really need a great deal of power. what you need to do is actually have the precise pinpoint accuracy of the laser beam on the target itself. in reality, it's yet to be fitted to a warship. this is a simulation, but this moment could be just several years away. and unlike a conventional weapon, the lasers power can be turned up or down, from destroying a target to simply dazzling it. but it has its limitations, too. the downsides are there. it's a relatively short range system, because you need to be able to see the target and you are fighting against the atmosphere that is trying to distort the beam. and then the big advantages of it? big advantage, you canjust keep firing it every day and don't need

to replenish that stockpile. directed energy weapons are the next evolution of warfare. not yet star wars, but another step from science fiction becoming fact. jonathan beale, bbc news, porton down. that is almost from today's program. just time to tell you the us state department has just said that the us has deployed additional security forces to their mission in haiti over the weekend. the deteriorating situation on the ground with gangs in control and real concern of the situation deteriorating, the world put programme worrying about famine conditions. as that continues to deteriorate the us confirming dave deployed additional security forces in their mission in haiti over the weekend. they've artie taken out nonessential personnel. thank you for watching. see you tomorrow.

see you tomorrow. good afternoon, it's turned into a pretty grey day across many parts of the uk, the cloud producing spots of rain and for some it is on the chilly side. through this week, i can't promise we will lose all the cloud, in fact there will still be some rain at times but it is going to start to feel milder. on the earlier satellite picture you can see the extent of the cloud, that cloud producing some rain and drizzle in places. a few brighter glimpses particularly across parts of south—west england and wales, one or two brighter spells elsewhere, conversely some slightly more persistent rain pushing across the western side of scotland. exposed to the breeze in north—east scotland, temperatures only 5—7 c, the highest values in the south around 12. this evening and tonight we keep a lot of cloud, some mist an in lots of places, few clear spells but some outbreaks of rain swinging in from the west across northern ireland, wales, the south—west of england, perhaps getting into south—west scotland and north—west england by the end of the night.

if you do see clear skies for any time it may turn a bit chilly to start tuesday morning. but you can see the frontal system working in from the west. in fact, various pulses of moisture, pulses of rain running along this frontal system. here is the first one pushing its way eastwards as we go through the day on tuesday. pretty wet across a good part of england and wales, some of the rain getting in scotland as well. perhaps a bit drier and brighter for a time in northern ireland and the north of scotland will also see some sunshine at times. generally quite a cloudy day but starting to feel milder, 13 in cardiff, 1a degrees in belfast. through tuesday night and into wednesday these various milder, 13 in cardiff, 1a degrees in belfast. through tuesday night and into wednesday these various frontal systems continue to wriggle through. this frontal system here, this cold front, pushing a bit further southwards on wednesday, outbreaks of rain with that. to the north of it, some sunshine, it will be quite windy in the far north with some scattered showers. to the south of our weather front, a lot of cloud and here it will feel very mild indeed,

may be 16 degrees, if you get a bit of brightness. towards the end of the week we will see mild air surging northwards. temperatures may peak around thursday with values up to 16, possibly 17 degrees in parts of eastern england. it stays pretty mild as we head towards the weekend. but there will be a fair amount of cloud and rain at times.

today at six: the princess of wales issues

an apology when a mother's day photograph leads to a storm of speculation. after picture agencies withdrew the picture believing it had been manipulated, princess catherine admitted she had edited it. meanwhile, the rest of the royal family today tried to get on with business as usual. the photo takingen here last week was supposed to stop the rumours, instead the speculation and scrutiny has intensified. former tory mp lee anderson defects to reform uk and says the conservatives are stifling free speech. catfishing — a man pleads guilty to using a fake identity to abuse children online in one of the biggest ever such investigations. and ryan gosling wows the oscars though barbie loses out to oppenheimer which sweeps the board.