A network of AI licence plate readers run by a private company called Flock is rapidly expanding across the US.

There are now about 130,000 across the country, mostly used by law enforcement agencies.

The expansion has led to privacy concerns and protests.

BBC Verify examines Flock’s system and the growing backlash against it – as Jake Horton reports.

Produced by Krystal Campos. Graphics by Leo Scutt-Richter.

Presenter Joel Dommett made the comments as the the programme is up for a prize at this year’s National Television Awards in a new category recognising the rise of the fly-on-the-wall celebrity-led shows.

The reality TV show follows Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson as runs his Diddly Squat Farm near Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire, while highlighting the daily challenges of British agriculture.

The programme’s fate will be decided at the awards ceremony on Tuesday, which will be broadcast live from The O2 in London and hosted by comedian Dommett for the sixth year.

In an interview with the Press Association, Dommett expressed his excitement for the upcoming event while discussing the many nominees and “amazing cultural moments” created on TV over the past year.

The 41-year-old said: “Television is everyone’s medium, it’s a beautiful thing that doesn’t just bring your family together but it brings the country together.

“It brings the world together in these amazing cultural moments where everyone is watching something in the country – Mr Bates vs The Post Office, The Traitors, I’m A Celebrity, which you have to watch because it’s what everyone’s talking about in the office.

“It feels really cool right now that those moments are still coming at us thick and fast.”

Dommett said it is “really exciting” to see the NTAs first all-female shortlist in the drama performance category, adding: “I feel like I’m rooting for all of them.

“There’s a really great bunch on there, and it feels long overdue to have a full female category.”

The broadcaster also praised industry peers Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly and said he was “rooting for them”, and hailed Clarkson’s Farm as “one of my favourite shows”.

The Gloucestershire-born star said: “I grew up on a farm, so I understand the slightly agricultural references and stuff – but the show also works for people who don’t.

“I just think it’s one of the best shows in telly, and the numbers speak for itself.

“It has also got this amazing, really important message that’s being delivered to the country to people who don’t necessarily understand that farming is in jeopardy, and in a really difficult position right now.”

Since launching the show, Clarkson has become a vocal supporter of farmers and even attended a protest in London against the Government’s move to introduce inheritance tax on farmland in November 2024.

Dommett told PA: “The weather this year has completely ruined crops for almost everyone, and that’s people’s livelihoods.

“Then you’ve got the fact the Government don’t help either.

“It’s just become this real storm of uncertainty for farmers, and I think it’s really difficult.

“I love that Jeremy’s bringing attention to that – it’s really cool.”

Others nominated include beloved naturalist Sir David Attenborough, who is competing against the likes of Ant and Dec in the TV presenter category.

Dommett said: “I always root for Ant and Dec, because I love them. But they are against David Attenborough this year – how is this going to turn out?”

He also said that despite hosting the NTAs five times, he still finds the experience “a bit daunting”, but added: “It’s such an interesting night to host. I love doing it, and I love doing live television.

“It’s really fun and feels really exciting to me.

“The fact that it’s voted for by the people at home makes it even more exciting.”

The NTAs will be broadcast live on ITV1 and ITVX on September 8 from 8pm.

Prime minister Balendra Shah said the catastrophic floods that tore through northern Nepal along the Tibet border were driven by the climate crisis and demanded international action as the Himalayan country assessed damage.

Nepal officials said at least 939 bodies have been recovered, while almost 4,000 people, including 538 foreign nationals, remained missing as rescuers raced against time to find survivors on day seven of the operation.

“The flood in the Bhotekoshi river in Rasuwa was not an ordinary flood,” said Mr Shah in a late-night post on social media.

The rapper-turned-politician is facing his biggest challenge since being elected to power earlier this year, but has largely remained away from speaking to reporters and instead turned to social media for sharing updates.

“It was one of the region’s major disasters, triggered by an avalanche of snow and ice in the Himalayan region,” Mr Shah said.

He said the disaster indicated “the risks we face in the Himalayan region are increasing alongside climate change”.

It began with the collapse of part of a glacier in Tibet, which led a huge mass of ice and rock travelling rapidly into the valley below and striking the Lhende river, temporarily damming the water before the barrier gave way and released a powerful flood downstream.

The prime minister said Nepal should “strongly raise” with the international community the series of disasters it faced “as a result of climate change”.

Mr Shah, in a previous Facebook post, said the flood was an “unprecedented and devastating natural disaster” and it remained challenging to compile a complete assessment of the damage. “Despite the adverse weather, difficult terrain and continuing risks, we are moving forward with determination to save the lives of our citizens,” he added.

The Himalayan nation of less than 30 million people, has contributed little to the emissions driving global warming, yet it is bearing the brunt of a crisis fuelled by larger nations.

Steep Himalayan landscapes have always experienced landslides, avalanches and floods. However, scientists say, the climate crisis has aggravated weather events.

Glaciers across the Hindu Kush mountain systems are losing ice at an accelerating rate, while permafrost degradation, unstable slopes, glacial lakes and increasingly erratic rainfall raising the risks of floods, landslides and debris flows, according to reports by Kathmandu-based International Center for Integrated Mountain Development.

Nepal’s finance minister, Swarnim Wagle, said initial estimates suggest the country may need up to $5bn or $3.6bn to rebuild the Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts near the Tibet border.

“We will require much less than what ​we needed for the 2015 earthquake. Loss and damage ​is being assessed,” he told Reuters, without elaborating on why the reconstruction bill was expected to be less than the $9bn spent after the ​2015 magnitude-7.8 ⁠quake, that killed 9,000 people.

Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure estimates that $124bn or £100bn worth of Nepal’s infrastructure is exposed to climate-driven disasters, creating the potential for hundreds of millions of dollars in losses each year.

A report by the coalition earlier this year found that Nepal’s average annual losses are nearly $760m or £561m from various disasters, while the country’s national disaster funds is only a fraction of this amount.

EXCLUSIVE: Opposition parties have warned SNP ministers they cannot ignore the situation in many of the country’s schools, where parents and pupils have reported worsening behaviour.

John Swinney has been challenged to spell out how he will improve Scots schools where “standards are down and violence is up“.

The First Minister will today announce his Programme for Government for the next five years, with a focus expected on slashing costs across the public sector and offering Scots more support with the cost of living.

But opposition parties have warned SNP ministers they cannot ignore the situation in many of the country’s schools, where parents and pupils have reported worsening behaviour and rising cases of playground violence.

The Record previously reported how campaigners have called on members of the public to “seriously consider” the impact of youth violence in a consultation about phone bans in Scottish schools.

The discussion has been opened to help the Scottish Government work out “finer details” of a ban. It comes amid the Record’s Our Kids … Our Future campaign, which was launched in 2023 after a spate of violent attacks on young people in Scotland were filmed and uploaded online.

Labour and the Lib Dems are now calling on SNP ministers to set out how to improve standards ahead of the publication next week of the PISA report, the world’s largest international comparative survey of 15-year-old students.

The last PISA publication in 2023 found standards across Scots high schools had slipped.

Duncan Dunlop, Scottish Lib Dems education spokesman, said: “Scotland’s education system used to be the envy of the world, but under the SNP, it has suffered blow after blow.

“Standards are down and violence is up. Not enough is being done to allow communities to help schools as there’s no meaningful participation. Headteachers also lack the powers they need.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats were the first to call for a ban on mobile phones in classrooms, and it’s important we see that incorporated into the programme for government.

“Ultimately, if John Swinney’s agenda is to be worth the paper it’s written on, he will need to produce a clear plan for boosting support for teachers and pupils so we can return Scottish education to its best.”

Katherine Sangster, Scottish Labour education spokeswoman, said: “After 20 years of the SNP, Scotland no longer has a world-renowned education system.

“That is a damning indictment of the failure we have seen after decades of neglect by SNP ministers. In schools, attendance is at a record low, violence is at a record high, and the poverty related attainment gap is widening.

“That is entirely unacceptable and it is why the SNP must use this Programme for Government as an opportunity to tackle the challenges that are facing our education system.

“The SNP are yet to deliver on promises made in the last parliament – from reducing teacher class contact time to universal free lunches.

“We cannot have yet more broken promises. The SNP must start delivering and restoring our education system to the standard it should.”

The Record asked the Scottish Government for comment.

A squirming Vladimir Putin has been told to halt his war in Ukraine for the sake of humanity during a meeting in Kyrgyzstan with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.  

The two world leaders met on the sidelines of the two-day summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek, which seeks to be a counterbalance to the West.

The regional SCO bloc – which brings together Russia, China, Iran, India, Pakistan, four central Asian countries and Belarus – is celebrating its 25-year anniversary.

‘We need to move from an endless war to the end of the war,’ Modi told the Russian President, who was awkwardly looking down and away from the leader’s gaze, during the broadcasted moment on Monday.

A stern-faced Putin then slapped down his earpiece – used to hear the translation – and said through gritted teeth: ‘Thank you very much, Mr Prime Minister. We are moving in that direction.’

On the ground in Ukraine, there is little sign Putin is edging towards peace. 

Instead, the Russian leader appears to be stepping up the war, launching repeated strikes across the country, including attacks on food warehouses that are now being blamed for alarming shortages and empty supermarket shelves. 

During Monday’s tense encounter, Modi, 75, told the 73-year-old Kremlin ruler: ‘Every day of war sets the humanity back, whereas every step taken towards peace fills the humanity with new hope and enthusiasm.’

Modi called for an end to the four-and-a-half-year war, calling peace ‘crucial for the well-being of humanity’

A stern-faced Putin then slapped down his earpiece, used to hear the translation, as he addressed Modi’s plea

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He urged an end to the four-and-a-half-year war, calling peace ‘crucial for the well-being of humanity’ as he confronted an uncomfortable-looking Putin: 

‘A peaceful resolution to all issues at the earliest is the call of humanity, and this is India’s message.

‘The land of Gandhi and Buddha shares a single message: the path of peace.’

This followed the Russian president’s accusations, during an August 22 address, that Ukraine is opening a ‘Pandora’s box’ and threatened ‘blowback on the most sensitive sectors of your economy’.

Earlier that day, speaking to United Russia, the Kremlin’s ruling party, he dismissed suggestions that the war was coming to an end. ‘The special military operation continues,’ he said. ‘We will move only forward.’

It comes as ordinary Russians are increasingly bearing the brunt of the war, facing relentless Ukrainian drone attacks, internet restrictions and a struggling economy. 

According to The Economist, discontent is even greater among Russia’s elites, with one insider claiming they are increasingly frustrated by the length of the conflict.

Mr Putin reportedly believes he could be at risk if he ends the war without achieving at least his minimum goal of capturing the entire Donbas region.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands on Monday during a meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit 

Members of the delegations, led by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, attend a meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit

Smoke rises in Ukraine’s Kyiv amid a Russian drone attack on Monday 

‘They will hang me,’ he reportedly said, according to an insider cited by The Economist.

Russia has suffered an estimated 1.4 million battlefield casualties, including up to 450,000 deaths, since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, according to the Centre for Strategic & International Studies. 

Meanwhile, Moscow’s losses are now thought to be outpacing recruitment, with more than 30,000 troops killed or wounded each month in 2026 against an estimated 27,000 new recruits. 

For every Ukrainian casualty, Russia is now suffering almost eight of its own, compared with just two or three for much of the conflict. The growing disparity has been driven in large part by Ukraine’s widespread use of drones, including AI-enabled weapons. 

Putin also met with ally Chinese President Xi Jinping at the summit on Monday as they discussed Ukraine, Russian media reported.

Although they reportedly discussed Ukraine, it was not the main theme of their meeting, the Kremlin said.

Mr Putin and Xi have previously used SCO summits to promote their vision of a multipolar world and present a united front against the West.

Sources close to the Kremlin have claimed Mr Putin has chosen to escalate the war, fearing he could face backlash from the Russian public if he ends the conflict without being able to claim victory.

Russia’s defence ministry on Sunday said it was gearing up for large-scale attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in a tit-for-tat response to strikes by Kyiv.

‘Russian forces have begun preparations for massive strikes against facilities in Ukraine’s energy sector in response to the ongoing attacks by the Kyiv regime on civilian infrastructure and on Russia’s oil and energy complex,’ it said on Telegram.

Last winter, Moscow repeatedly hit Ukrainian power plants, devastating the country’s energy sector and plunging millions of people into cold and darkness in sub-zero temperatures.

Both sides have for several months escalated long-range strikes, targeting infrastructure such as warehouses, businesses, oil and port facilities, as well as ships, which has led to an increase in civilian casualties.

On Sunday, the Russian army claimed to have struck a plant in Kyiv producing asbestos and cement whose warehouses, it said, were used to store explosives, as well as a manufacturer of drones and munitions.

On Saturday, a Russian strike on an ammunition depot in the suburbs of the Ukrainian capital triggered a huge explosion and killed at least 37 people.

Firefighters deal with the aftermath of a Russian drone strike in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv

Ukraine for its part attacked an oil refinery with drones in northwestern Russia, causing a fire, according to local authorities.

Meanwhile, Nato is facing a particularly fraught moment, as Russian drones repeatedly test the defences of countries along the alliance’s eastern frontier.

But other European nations are also increasingly coming under threat.

Just last week, Russia threatened to target British factories in a ‘semi-military’ response to the UK’s support for Ukraine.

On Monday, Moscow accused the UK of ‘participating in this war’ after Andy Burnham arrived in Kyiv for his first foreign visit since becoming Prime Minister.

Mr Burnham had announced that the European defence firm MBDA had been given permission to share information on UK components for the long-range Scalp missile, meaning Ukraine could start manufacturing them locally.

The move sparked a furious reaction from the Kremlin, with a senior Putin adviser warning of a more aggressive response and claiming Russia now views the UK as ‘evil number one’.

Russia’s former deputy foreign minister Andrey Fedorov told BBC’s Newsnight that Russia’s response to Mr Burnham’s announcement had been ‘very negative’.

Kyiv residents wait out an air raid and resumption of the metro train service during a Russian drone attack on Monday

The roof of a facility building in flames on Sunday following a Russian airstrike in Kramatorsk, Ukraine

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Asked about the threat, Mr Fedorov said: ‘There’s a very serious political and public pressure on President Putin today, to undertake certain measures against UK, because he is considering UK as part of the war in Ukraine, and assistance from the UK is considered as a direct involvement of UK in this war.’

He warned a new stage of escalation would see a ‘not only verbal but maybe some visible reaction’ from Russia towards the UK.

Explaining what this would look like, Mr Fedorov said: ‘It might be so-called technical reaction, maybe some hackers attack from unknown source – not from official level, of course.

‘There might be different political steps. And I cannot exclude 100 per cent that there might be some semi-military, for example.

He said British factories producing drones for Ukraine could be targeted in such a move by ‘unknown sources’.

Hackers would also target what he described as ‘concrete enterprises’ linked to the production of drones or components for Storm Shadow (the British version of Scalp) missiles.

Mr Fedorov explained that by Mr Burnham handing over blueprints for the manufacturing of missiles in Ukraine, Britain has become ‘much more involved’ in the war.

‘Moscow is considering steps by UK Prime Minister as direct military involvement into this conflict,’ he added.

A firefighting helicopter flies above a burning Wildberries, the Russian version of Amazon, facility following a reported Ukrainian drone strike

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Mr Fedorov’s comments come after Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed on Monday that ‘Britain is participating in this war’ on the side of Ukraine.

‘Britain methodically and regularly pours fuel on the fire and methodically and regularly plots to prevent any progress in the peace process.’

He added Russian armed forces were intent on identifying ‘the production sites of such missiles’ and ‘the production sites of other military equipment’ in order to destroy them.

But Mr Burnham insisted there would be no let-up in the UK’s support for Ukraine against Mr Putin’s aggression, branding Russia’s threats to the UK ‘outrageous’.

‘Who started the fire? That’s the question, isn’t it,’ he said.

Meanwhile, Western intelligence assessments have grown increasingly stark, with US officials worried Moscow could attempt to seize Nato territory within weeks.

Potential scenarios range from a major cyber attack to armed groups occupying territory to an incursion along Nato’s eastern flank.

Moscow has already been accused of waging a shadow war across the continent through sabotage, cyber attacks, drones, disinformation and intimidation – tactics designed to cause disruption while staying below the threshold for a military response.

British spy chief Anne Keast-Butler, director of GCHQ, has warned that the UK and its allies now occupy ‘a space between peace and war’, with Russian activity stretching ‘from the seabed to cyberspace’.

Security experts have told Mr Burnham to be prepared for a ‘direct response’ from Mr Putin following his declaration of Britain’s ‘unwavering’ support for Volodymyr Zelensky’s forces.

There are many different ways to cook sausages, but not every method delivers the same juicy, golden-brown result

There are numerous methods for cooking sausages, from frying and grilling to baking in the oven. However, not every technique produces the same succulent, golden-brown results that cooks strive for.

In contrast to some conventional approaches, this air fryer method requires minimal to no oil and virtually no effort.

Air frying sausages offers several benefits, including eliminating the need for oil and lowering fat content. Sausages typically contain high levels of fat, but when prepared in an air fryer, much of that fat can drain into the basket rather than pooling around the sausages during cooking.

GoodFood stated that the most energy-efficient way to cook sausages is to air-fry them. This is also the “easiest” and “fastest” approach.

They said: “This method ensures a crispy exterior while retaining moisture in the centre to keep the sausages juicy.”

This technique is remarkably straightforward, requiring no additional oil whatsoever. It has received 40 five-star ratings online, alongside 16 comments from enthusiastic home cooks who have tried it.

One comment read: “I have to say this is just the best and easiest way of cooking sausages. They were delicious.”

Another said: “This recipe gave me nicely browned sausages, and they were so juicy.”

A third commented: “This recipe always works for me, less fat splatter to clean up.”

Air fryer sausages recipe

All that’s required for this recipe is six sausages of your preference.

Chipolatas will need slightly less time, but select whichever variety you fancy, whether that’s standard or Cumberland.

Next, use a sharp knife to pierce the sausages several times all over. This step is optional, but it will help draw out excess fat during cooking.

Place the sausages in a single layer inside the air fryer basket. Depending on their size, you may need to cook them in batches or make use of two drawers if your appliance has them.

Set the air fryer to 180°C and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, turning them every five minutes, until cooked through.

If you have a meat thermometer to hand, ensure the centre of the meat has reached 75°C. Serve alongside a full breakfast or with mashed potatoes for a fuss-free midweek dinner.

Robert Sugden and Aaron Dingle also get scheming while Nicola King has money worries in next week’s Emmerdale

It’s been a heartbreaking time for the residents of Emmerdale as death and destruction has been at the heart of the ITV soap over recent weeks.

As Joe and Dawn’s wedding was set to take place, Jimmy King lost his life, as well as Dawn, later on, after welcoming baby Tate. Joe was left heartbroken as his whole future with Dawn had disappeared.

Elsewhere, Gabby had been acting suspiciously following the crash, as well as newcomer DS Ramsden, who seemed set on interrogating Kim Tate over the events.

Caleb and Ruby attempted to get their “edge back” by betraying both Billy and Jimmy, but as the events of the wedding took place, the couple had a lot of heat on them. Here’s what is coming up next in the Dales…

Nicola has money worries

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Nicola’s financial anxiety over funeral costs leads her to seek Jimmy’s haulage shares for Elliot. She discovers from Caleb that Jimmy secretly sold them for untaxed cash but continued running the business to maintain appearances.

Nicola realises the money from the sale of the shares is missing. Her search uncovers deeper financial ruin: the family home is remortgaged and in arrears. Nicola continues to struggle without the haulage money.

Joe makes a decision

Robert feigns a truce with a grieving Joe, hiding his true agenda to seize the farm and later reveals to Aaron he also wants to take over the Hide from Gabby and Laurel.

Joe visits his tiny newborn son in NICU with Kim, and he holds his hand through the incubator. Kim hopes this is the beginning of a breakthrough. Soon, Joe shares that he’s made a decision about his son’s future.

Charity is in trouble

Charity is charged with murder. Now behind bars and facing a murder charge, Charity fears she’s finally run out of options. Charity assigns Mack with a specific task.

Mack retrieves a St. Christopher and delivers it to Cain, who immediately understands what’s expected of him.. Charity shocks Cain.

Elsewhere in the Dales

Sarah’s world is shattered. Lewis is excited. Caleb looks hot under the collar.

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Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX and YouTube from 7am