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Donald Trump has said his administration is now exploring the possibility of normalising relations with Syria – his comments coming shortly after he met Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose forces ended the decades-long dictatorship of the Assad family.

The extraordinary encounter, unthinkable just months ago, was short but significant.

"I think he has got the potential," Trump remarked after his meeting in Riyadh, 37 minutes long, with the former Syrian fighter formerly linked to al-Qaeda.

The $10m US bounty on his head was only lifted in December.

Video footage of their conversation in a lavish Saudi royal palace showed some initial awkwardness as they spoke through a translator.

A beaming Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammad bin Salman, sat next to them. The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined them by telephone.

Trump acknowledged it was these two leaders who had convinced him to also lift the US's punishing Syria sanctions.

His sudden announcement on Tuesday night at a major US-Saudi investment forum in Riyadh won him a standing ovation. It was a volte-face after his many previous posts on social media that the US had "no interest in Syria".

"Tough guy, very strong past," is how Trump later described Sharaa to journalists travelling with his high-powered American delegation on his first official four-day tour.

It was a very Trump gloss about Sharaa's old links to al-Qaeda. His Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), was al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria until he severed ties in 2016. HTS is still designated as a terrorist organisation by the UN, US and UK.

Since assuming power in December, Sharaa has been wearing Western business suits and trying to present himself as a president for all Syrians.

"It's a new light at the end of this tunnel," exclaimed Hind Kabawat, minister of social affairs and labour, in the interim government.

She told the BBC's Newshour programme they had been calling for sanctions relief ever since their "Liberation Day".

The US decision sparked celebrations across a county where 90% of Syrians are said to be living in poverty, after more than a decade of civil war and profound suffering.

Removing restrictions which cut Syria off from the international financial system will enable greater engagement by aid agencies and encourage foreign investment and trade.

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"We are the North Korea of the Middle East," a hotel receptionist in Damascus told me last December when I asked for another electronic hotel key.

He tearfully lamented that "we don't have enough cards, we have shortages of everything".

It may also help convince some of the millions of Syrians living in exile to think more seriously about returning home. And it could help a fledgling government to pay salaries, begin to rebuild, and address the growing discontent over the privations of daily life.

But dismantling the vast web of sanctions now strangling Syria will take time.

"Some sanctions can be removed immediately using presidential waivers," commented Dina Esfandiary of Bloomberg Economics.

"But lifting the multi-layered sanctions won't be easy and will require real commitment by the Trump administration."

I remember travelling to Tehran in the wake of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and the Obama administration's commitment to ease sanctions there.

At the news conference with the visiting EU's high representative for foreign policy, Iranian journalists kept asking, with palpable anguish, why it was still impossible for them even to open a bank account.

Syria's new friends, including regional powers like Saudi Arabia and Turkey, now positioning themselves to shape the new Syria, will need to ensure Trump and his team stay interested.

But he's made it clear he expects something in return if there is to be a full normalisation of relations. The first item on his list is "join the Abraham Accords".

The US president regards this process of normalisation with Israel, which several Arab states including the United Arab Emirates has joined, as one of his foreign policy achievements in his first term.

Sharaa, praised by his friends as pragmatic, has already signalled that he understands the importance of building a working relationship with his neighbour, even though Israel continues to bomb what it calls "terrorist targets" – air bases, military installations and weapons depots – insisting they could "fall into the wrong hands".

Last month, the Syrian leader reportedly told a visiting US congressman, Cory Mills, that Syria was prepared to normalise ties with Israel and join the Abraham Accords under "the right conditions".

Israeli media have reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had urged President Trump not to lift sanctions. He remains suspicious of Sharaa and his HTS forces, as well other groups which include foreign fighters in their ranks.

Removing foreign fighters is another of Washington's demands; it's one of the very many challenges now facing Syria's leader.

President Trump hailed this moment as "a chance at greatness". Millions of Syrians just welcome a greater chance that their lives will finally start changing for the better.

A 34-year-old man has been stabbed in Shrewsbury town centre after leaving a music venue.

West Mercia Police said the victim left Albert's Shed and was walking along the High Street when he was injured at about 04:20 BST.

The force said his injuries were serious, but not life-threatening or life-changing.

A barrier around the scene is in place and police are appealing for witnesses to the stabbing.

"We understand this incident may be concerning for the local community and, as you would expect, enquiries are ongoing to locate those responsible," said Det Insp Danielle Logan.

"We are still in the early stages of our investigation but will provide more information if and when we are able to do so."

The BBC has contacted West Midlands Ambulance Service for comment.

A town has held a parade – complete with performances from a singing group and a brass band – to mark a woman's 100th birthday.

Born and bred Cornish woman Nancy Tresidder watched from her porch on Saturday as dozens of people from Helston took to the streets for the special occasion.

Ms Tresidder – who has three children, 11 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, three great-great-grandchildren and many step-grandchildren – was joined by her sisters Elsie, 93, and Wendy, 84.

Ms Tresidder's granddaughter Hayley said: "She's absolutely amazing and we all adore her."

"We think we're just so lucky to still have her in our lives," she added.

The music was provided by Cornish male singing group Odds 'n' Sods and local brass players.

Ms Tresidder, whose fiancé was lost at sea during World War Two, worked as a nurse during the conflict.

Through this work, she met her second husband Edgar Tresidder while he was being treated for a hernia in Penzance.

Ms Tresidder also ran a guest house in Carnkie and was a church organist in her 70s.

A car parked on a drive that caught fire spread to a house and van in the early hours.

Firefighters were sent to Charlecote Drive in Chandler's Ford near Southampton shortly before 05:00 BST.

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service said multiple 999 calls were made into its control room reporting the blaze.

The fire was out shortly after 07:30 with no one injured, the fire service said.

Planning permission has been granted for dozens of statues of soldiers, cyclists and dog walkers to "continue to stand proudly" on Salisbury Plain.

A total of 29 steel silhouettes, including three 10ft (3m) tall "giants" modelled on local soldiers, were erected temporarily on the edge of an army training area in Wiltshire last summer.

Every year, hundreds of people put themselves at risk by wandering into military training areas and it was hoped the army of statues would act as a warning.

Lt Col Andy Hough, said the giants carry an important safety message and he is "delighted" they will be staying at Westbury.

The installation, near Bratton on the edge of the plain, was created by the charity, Standing with Giants (SWG).

Commissioned for the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the steel silhouettes were initially only going to stay in place for 28 days.

Due to their popularity, Wiltshire Council agreed they could stay until the end of the year and now planning permission has been given for them to remain permanently.

Lt Col Hough, DTE Regional Commander, said it was "important" that armed forces' training was not uninterrupted and that the public were kept safe.

"Military training can take place at any time of day and night across the year," he said.

"The giants carry with them important safety messaging that we hope people will take on board when in and around the military training estate at Salisbury Plain."

Deborah Urch, from Westbury Town Council Town, said the statues have "really added something special to the area ".

"There was real excitement when the giants were unveiled last year and it's fantastic to know they'll be staying," she said.

Dan Barton, from SWG, said it was "humbling" having your artwork" so keenly adopted by local residents".

"We're delighted that this piece of art will be staying in Westbury, adjacent to such an iconic military training area."

A dairy farmer who switched from a conventional way of milking to a holistic one says it is more rewarding.

The calves at Babbinswood Farm near Oswestry, in north Shropshire, stay with their mothers until they are weaned at up to eight months old, instead of being separated hours or days after they are born.

However, farmer Casha Bowles-Jones said her "cow and calf" dairy could be at risk unless she could raise money by selling some of the land to the community.

A change in personal circumstances has meant that half the value of the farm is up for sale. They need to raise £1.5m by September.

Five generations of the Bowles-Jones family have farmed at Babbinswood.

In 2002 it converted to organic, and then 15 years later, after completing a course in holistic management, mother and daughter, Barbara and Casha, adopted the cow and calf or cow with calf method.

Veterinarian Barbara said they started with one rescue cow and have built up to a herd of 80 dairy cows. "We wanted to do it in the most compassionate way possible," she said.

"The farm milks once a day", instead of the conventional two, "and the cows share their milk between us and their babies."

Casha said: "I'm a mother, and knowing the cows have been kept in a way that really resonates with the way I feel a mother should bring up her child – to me that's just natural and what we're trying to replicate here."

A litre of milk is more expensive to produce from a suckled dairy system, as the calf is getting a share of the milk, so the yields are lower. Casha estimates her cows produce, on average, around eight to 10 litres a day compared to 25 to 30 litres on conventional dairy farms.

This means the milk is more expensive and considered more of a luxury product. A litre of milk from the farm costs £3, plus a refundable deposit on the glass bottle, compared to around £1.40 in supermarkets.

The milk is pasteurised on site and sold in the farm shop and is also delivered to customers.

Four months to raise £1.5m

This way of farming could come to an end due to a change in family circumstances, and half the value of the farm is up for sale.

The family has formed the Babbinswood Farm Community Benefit Society (CBS) to buy 116 acres of the 176-acre farm and put the land into community ownership.

A crowdfunder has been set up for anyone who wants to buy shares and make donations.

CBS director Charlotte Hollins said: "Not only do we want to retain this way of farming for Casha, but also for the community to have a part in it."

Cow and calf farming methods are more commonplace in other parts of the world, including Nordic countries as well as Mexico and Australia, according to farming consultant Anna Bowen.

She said it was not unusual to find cow and calf milk being sold in supermarkets abroad and hopes the same may happen in the UK one day.

The National Farmers Union said it "celebrates the diverse range of production systems and those farmers who are busy meeting shoppers demands for milk and dairy products".

NFU Shropshire county adviser Ed Garratt said: "While farmers decide how they want to farm, they all have things in common, including a real love for the job, pride in growing food, a deep sense of care for their animals and a commitment to producing the best produce to the highest standards while looking after the countryside.

Farmer Rob Davies, NFU Midlands dairy board chairman, said: "Our high animal welfare and production standards are recognised the world over and are hugely valued by shoppers, who recognise choosing British dairy means eating high-quality sustainable food."

Meet 27-year-old train driver, Liam Mackenzie.

He works at Southern Railway and has done so since he was 18. But he has not always been in his dream job.

That's because, until recently, drivers had to be 20 to begin training. Now that is changing, and the age is being lowered to 18.

"Since I was young I always wanted to do this. My dad worked on the railway, his dad worked on the railway, and my brother did for a small time too, so this has always been in the forefront of my mind," said Liam.

'Intensive training'

Liam started his railway career as a platform conductor and waited until he was old enough to start the intensive train driver training.

When the time came the process started with six months in a training school and tests every month.

This was followed by an assignment to a depot and 225 hours of train driving experience with a dedicated instructor – 40 of which had to be done at night.

The practical training was accompanied by an "intensive programme" of theoretical study, Liam said.

"You have to go and learn your routes – tunnel names, signalling areas – you name it, you have to know it," he added.

Liam said this process ended with the final test: "You get a week-long exam with a competency assessor who will eventually sign you off, if you're competent to drive alone.

"That's a really intense week – that's everything you know – you have to show them you know."

In terms of lowering the age for new drivers, Liam said: "I think it's a great thing.

"If you pass all the assessments you are showing you've got the mental strength and the concentration and all the traits you need to do it – so the age just becomes a number.

"In other industries you can start at 18 – like bus driving. You can drive a car at 18," he added.

The rail industry faces the problem of replacing a growing number of people retiring with new recruits, the Department for Transport (DfT) said.

It said the average age of a UK train driver is currently 48, with 30% set to reach retirement age by 2029, meaning more drivers are urgently needed.

Opening up the recruitment pool to 18 and 19 year olds "unlocks thousands of jobs," the government said.

Mick Whelan, general secretary of train drivers' union Aslef, said the industry had previously "missed out" on young people wanting to become train drivers "as they don't wait around until they turn 20 to find a career".

The Rail Safety and Standards Board said its research found "18 year olds are capable of safely becoming train drivers".

'Absolutely love it'

Liam reflects on his own journey to becoming a train driver.

"I would have loved to drive trains at 18 – I would have bitten the hand off someone to get the opportunity to do this at 18."

"For me, it's a great career, I don't mind the early wake ups, the late going to beds – it gives me a bit more control over my life. I absolutely love it."

Showing off the controls of a Southern Railway train, Liam says he gets a "real sense of pride of getting people where they need to be in a safe manner… preferably on time too!"

A man who was jailed for murdering his own daughter has died behind bars, a prison spokesperson confirmed.

Nigel Malt, 47, formerly of King's Lynn, in Norfolk, was sentenced to a minimum of 18 years in prison after he ran over Lauren Malt, 19, twice outside her home in West Winch on 23 January 2022.

He was serving his sentence at a category B men's prison in Market Harborough, Leicestershire. His cause of death has not been confirmed.

"As with all deaths in custody, the Prison and Probation Ombudsman will investigate," a prison service spokesperson said.

During a trial at Norwich Crown Court in July 2022, the jury heard Malt had turned up at the family home.

When his daughter asked him to leave, he reversed his car over her, stopped and then drove forward over her body.

Malt then put her in his front passenger seat and drove to his wife's work before taking her to hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

A post-mortem examination found she died from injuries to her chest and abdomen.

Malt denied murder, claiming it was an accident, but was found guilty.

A series of planned overnight closures for the A63 in Hull have been cancelled.

National Highways, which is building a new junction in Castle Street, said it no longer needed to shut the road on 6, 9, 12 and 16 May, and between 19 and 23 May.

A westbound overnight lane closure planned for 30 May has been put back from 20:00 to 22:30 BST due to Super League match between Hull KR and Saint Helens at Craven Park.

Signed diversions will be in place via the A15, A164 and the A1079 and A1033.

Castle Street is undergoing a £355m redesign that involves lowering the level of the A63 to create an underpass at the Mytongate junction.

The work is due to be completed by spring 2026, a year later than planned.

Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Soundslatest episode of Look North here.

A railway said it still has some way to go to refill its financial reserves despite a "fantastic" year of fundraising.

Last year The Nene Valley Railway (NVR) launched an urgent appeal to raise £300,000 to keep it running in the face of financial challenges.

The railway, which has been running near Peterborough since the 1970s and featured in a 1980s James Bond movie, has since raised £120,000.

Chairman Michael Purcell said NVR was "more than just a railway attraction; it's a community of volunteers, a legacy, and a symbol of our industrial heritage."

NVR's financial challenges followed a combination of a two-year deficit after the Covid pandemic and an increase in operating costs.

A fundraising target was created to refill its reserves, maintain operations, conduct essential repairs and infrastructure upgrades.

The heritage railway said it had received grants and donations, but the best way for the public to support it was riding on the train.

Mr Purcell said: "We are calling upon all those who cherish the heritage and charm of Nene Valley Railway to join us in this crucial effort.

"Your contributions will not only help us weather the current storm but will ensure that the railway can continue to inspire and delight our visitors and volunteers for years to come."

The railway runs for 7.5 miles (12km) from Peterborough Nene Valley station, through Orton Mere, Overton station, Wansford – and finishing at Yarwell Junction.

NVR has featured in 150 commercials, TV programmes and films, including Octopussy, which starred Roger Moore as Bond.