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The long-awaited COVID inquiry will hold its first public hearings today with an opening statement from chair Baroness Hallett and a film of testimonies from bereaved families that's been described as "difficult to watch". Baroness Hallett, a retired judge, has promised to put the 226,000 victims of the pandemic at the heart of the investigation into the government's response. However, she has been criticised by some families for not giving more time to hear their stories - with a demonstration planned outside the London hearing. Only one bereaved family member is due to give evidence during the opening module examining the country's resilience and preparedness. Baroness Hallett has said that more bereaved families will be heard during later modules.

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President Biden responds to a shouted question during a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Sen. Chuck Grassley said Monday that the Burisma executive who allegedly paid Joe Biden and Hunter Biden kept 17 audio recordings of his conversations with them as an "insurance policy," citing the FBI FD-1023 form that the bureau briefed congressional lawmakers on. Grassley, R-Iowa, revealed from the Senate floor Monday what was said to be a redacted reference in the FBI-generated FD-1023 form alleging a criminal bribery scheme between then-Vice President Joe Biden and a foreign national that involved influence over U.S. policy decisions.

On Thursday, Trump announced he was indicted by Special Counsel Jack Smith on 37 federal counts relating to the unlawful retention of classified documents, describing the investigation to Fox News Digital as "the greatest witch hunt of all time." A recent ABC/Ipsos poll conducted after the shocking indictment found that 48% of Americans think Trump was rightfully charged in the classified documents case, while 35% do not think he should have been indicted. About 17% reported feeling unsure about whether the former president should have been indicted the second time. Among political parties, 86% of Democrats and 45% of independents said they support the indictment, while the majority of Republicans, 67%, disagree with the charges against Trump

A first-of-its-kind topical gel for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, called Eroxon, has been authorized for over-the-counter marketing in the United States, according to pharmaceutical company Futura Medical, which developed the product.

Researchers say they may be able to explain how light drinking benefits the heart, and its main effect doesn’t stem from changes in the blood – as scientists once thought – but from its actions in the brain. But because alcohol also raises the risk of cancer at any amount, however, researchers say they aren’t advising people to imbibe. Instead, understanding this mechanism may point to healthier ways to tap into the same benefit, such as through exercise or meditation. For decades, large epidemiological studies have shown that people who consume moderate amounts of alcohol – less than one drink a day for women, and one to two drinks a day for men – have lower risks of major cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes compared with people who abstain from alcohol completely as well as those who drink more.

JP Morgan has agreed to pay roughly $290m (£232m) to settle a lawsuit brought on behalf of alleged victims of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Attorneys for the bank said it was "in the best interests of all parties, especially the survivors who were the victims of Epstein's terrible abuse". The lawsuit had alleged the largest US bank ignored warning signs about its client during a 15-year relationship. The agreement is subject to court approval. JPMorgan Chase will not admit liability in the case, but upon the settlement's approval the bank will put out a statement regretting its association with Epstein, David Boies, one of the victims' attorneys, told CNN. "We all now understand that Epstein's behaviour was monstrous," lawyers for the bank said in a statement on Monday. "Any association with him was a mistake and we regret it. We would never have continued to do business with him if we believed he was using our bank in any way to help commit heinous crimes." The settlement follows weeks of embarrassing revelations about the extent of JP Morgan's relationship with the late financier.

Donald Trump will have another day in court on Tuesday, when he is due to surrender to authorities in Miami to face charges that he mishandled classified documents. The first former president ever to face federal charges, he is accused of 37 criminal counts of unauthorised possession of classified material, obstruction of justice and making false statements to law enforcement. Mr Trump's court appearance is his second in less than three months. He was arraigned in April in New York on charges that he falsified business records for a 2016 hush-money payment to a porn star. But that is a state-level case and much less serious than the one he is now facing. Florida officials are bracing for protests from supporters and opponents. Here's how we expect Tuesday's arraignment to unfold.

The Netherlands and Canada have submitted a case against Syria to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over allegations of torture. Their application accuses the Syrian government of committing "countless violations of international law" since the country's civil war began in 2011. They ask the court to urgently compel Syria to prevent any acts of torture. If the ICJ finds it has jurisdiction, it would be the first international court to rule on Syrian torture claims. "Syrian citizens have been tortured, murdered, disappeared, attacked with poison gas or forced to flee for their lives and leave behind everything they had," Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra said in a statement. "Establishing accountability and combating impunity are important elements of achieving a lasting political solution to the conflict in Syria. Bringing this case before the ICJ is a major next step on the long road to that goal."

Former US President Donald Trump appeared defiant at two Republican Party conventions on Saturday, a day after he was charged with mishandling classified documents. Mr Trump - who is running to be the Republican candidate for president in 2024 - claimed that he was being pursued in federal court because of his re-election hopes. But at the North Carolina Republican Party convention, he didn't look like a man under severe legal stress. Hundreds of people stood up to welcome their former president as he walked onto the stage, happily soaking in the adulation. He was the main event, after a three-course meal. There was salad to start, steak for the main and ice-cream with strawberries for dessert - washed down with jugs of coke. It was just a day after an indictment was unsealed revealing federal charges against Mr Trump, accusing him of mishandling classified documents including nuclear secrets. What's in the Trump documents indictment?

Around 13,000 people have been evacuated in north-east Philippines as the country's most famous volcano, Mayon, continued to ooze lava. Riding lorries and buffalo-drawn carriages, people living within the "permanent danger zone" or six-kilometre radius fled to shelters. Known for its "perfect" conical shape, Mayon started spewing lava last week. But evacuations only began over the weekend as volcanic activity intensified, setting of alerts. More people could be evacuated if Mayon's unrest intensifies in the coming days, said Teresito Bacolcol, the country's chief volcanologist. It is currently under the third highest warning in a five-tier system that forecasts the threat of a hazardous or explosive eruption. It is technically erupting, albeit at a slow pace, with lava oozing from the crater, scientists say. Located in a farming peninsula called Bicol, Mayon is among the country's most active volcanoes. It has grown restive in recent weeks with more frequent earthquakes and rocks falling from its crater.

Silvio Berlusconi, the former Italian PM who bounced back from sex scandals and corruption allegations, has died aged 86. He died at the San Raffaele hospital in Milan, according to Italian media. In April, Berlusconi was treated for a lung infection linked to a previously undisclosed case of chronic leukaemia. A flamboyant billionaire media tycoon, Berlusconi first came to office in 1994 and led four governments until 2011. He led the centre-right Forza Italia party which went into coalition under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni after elections in September, when he was elected to Italy's upper house, the Senate. Reacting to the news, Italy's Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said Berlusconi's death left a "huge void". "An era is over... Farewell Silvio," Mr Crosetto wrote in a tweet, adding that he "loved" Berlusconi "very much". This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.