Hunt for survivors of Majorca building collapse
A desperate search for survivors is under way after a two-storey restaurant collapsed on the Spanish island of Majorca, killing four people and injuring 16, local emergency services say.
Several people are believed to be trapped under rubble at the site of the Medusa Beach Club, a beachside restaurant in one of the busiest areas of the regional capital, Palma de Majorca.
The building collapsed at about 20:30 local time (19:30 BST) on Thursday night. People fell into the basement below, where there were customers and staff. read more
A desperate search for survivors is under way after a two-storey restaurant collapsed on the Spanish island of Majorca, killing four people and injuring 16, local emergency services say.
Several people are believed to be trapped under rubble at the site of the Medusa Beach Club, a beachside restaurant in one of the busiest areas of the regional capital, Palma de Majorca.
The building collapsed at about 20:30 local time (19:30 BST) on Thursday night. People fell into the basement below, where there were customers and staff. read more
Three more Israeli hostages' bodies found in Gaza
The bodies of three more Israeli hostages have been recovered from Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have said.
They are those of Hanan Yablonka, Michel Nisenbaum and Orion Hernandez, it said in a statement.
The IDF said the men's bodies were recovered from the northern town of Jabalia overnight in a joint operation with Israel's domestic intelligence agency.
It comes one week after three other hostages' bodies were retrieved from Gaza. read more
The bodies of three more Israeli hostages have been recovered from Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have said.
They are those of Hanan Yablonka, Michel Nisenbaum and Orion Hernandez, it said in a statement.
The IDF said the men's bodies were recovered from the northern town of Jabalia overnight in a joint operation with Israel's domestic intelligence agency.
It comes one week after three other hostages' bodies were retrieved from Gaza. read more
Israeli activists battle over Gaza-bound aid convoys
The war in Gaza is being fought on many fronts.
One of them is aid.
Months after some Israelis started to protest against aid lorries entering Gaza at the main Kerem Shalom crossing, the battle has moved to other key junctions, where rival groups of activists do their best to block or protect aid convoys.
In recent weeks, social media has been flooded with images of aid lorries being blocked and ransacked. read more
The war in Gaza is being fought on many fronts.
One of them is aid.
Months after some Israelis started to protest against aid lorries entering Gaza at the main Kerem Shalom crossing, the battle has moved to other key junctions, where rival groups of activists do their best to block or protect aid convoys.
In recent weeks, social media has been flooded with images of aid lorries being blocked and ransacked. read more
Dozens reported killed in Israeli strike on Rafah
Dozens of people have been killed or injured in a blast at a refugee camp in the Rafah area, the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza has said.
Videos from the scene in the southern Gaza Strip showed a large explosion and intense fires burning.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had targeted two senior Hamas leaders at one of the group's compounds and would review reports fire had spread to shelters, harming civilians. read more
Dozens of people have been killed or injured in a blast at a refugee camp in the Rafah area, the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza has said.
Videos from the scene in the southern Gaza Strip showed a large explosion and intense fires burning.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had targeted two senior Hamas leaders at one of the group's compounds and would review reports fire had spread to shelters, harming civilians. read more
Jeremy Bowen: Ukraine faces its worst crisis since the war began
Summer is just starting in Ukraine, and it is looking dangerous.
Kharkiv, the country’s second city, in the high north-east close to Russia, is to all intents and purposes defenceless against air attacks.
Two guided bombs destroyed a DIY superstore and garden centre on Saturday afternoon when it was crowded with shoppers.
As the building burned, sending black smoke across Kharkiv, Andrii Kudenov, manager of one of the other stores in the shopping centre looked on in despair. read more
Summer is just starting in Ukraine, and it is looking dangerous.
Kharkiv, the country’s second city, in the high north-east close to Russia, is to all intents and purposes defenceless against air attacks.
Two guided bombs destroyed a DIY superstore and garden centre on Saturday afternoon when it was crowded with shoppers.
As the building burned, sending black smoke across Kharkiv, Andrii Kudenov, manager of one of the other stores in the shopping centre looked on in despair. read more
Luxury perfumes linked to child labour, BBC finds
Children have picked ingredients used by suppliers to two major beauty companies, the BBC can reveal.
A BBC investigation into last summer's perfume supply chains found jasmine used by Lancôme and Aerin Beauty's suppliers was picked by minors.
All the luxury perfume brands claim to have zero tolerance on child labour.
L'Oréal, Lancôme's owner, said it was committed to respecting human rights. Estée Lauder, Aerin Beauty's owner, said it had contacted its suppliers. read more
Children have picked ingredients used by suppliers to two major beauty companies, the BBC can reveal.
A BBC investigation into last summer's perfume supply chains found jasmine used by Lancôme and Aerin Beauty's suppliers was picked by minors.
All the luxury perfume brands claim to have zero tolerance on child labour.
L'Oréal, Lancôme's owner, said it was committed to respecting human rights. Estée Lauder, Aerin Beauty's owner, said it had contacted its suppliers. read more
Pope apologises over reported homophobic slur
Pope Francis has apologised following reports that he used extremely derogatory language towards gay men.
A statement from the Vatican said the Pope did not mean to offend anyone and apologised to those who were "hurt by the use of a word".
At the Italian Bishops' Conference, the pope reportedly said gay men should not be allowed to train for the priesthood, adding there was already an air of frociaggine, which translates as a highly offensive slur.
This meeting was in private, but has been widely reported. read more
Pope Francis has apologised following reports that he used extremely derogatory language towards gay men.
A statement from the Vatican said the Pope did not mean to offend anyone and apologised to those who were "hurt by the use of a word".
At the Italian Bishops' Conference, the pope reportedly said gay men should not be allowed to train for the priesthood, adding there was already an air of frociaggine, which translates as a highly offensive slur.
This meeting was in private, but has been widely reported. read more
Israel's operation in Rafah doesn't cross US red lines - White House
The US does not believe Israel has launched a full-scale invasion of Rafah in southern Gaza, White House spokesman John Kirby has said.
He spoke hours after Israeli forces reached the centre of the city and reportedly seized a strategically important hill overlooking the nearby border with Egypt.
US President Joe Biden said this month he would limit weapons supplies to Israel if it entered the “population centres” of Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of civilians are still believed to be sheltering. read more
The US does not believe Israel has launched a full-scale invasion of Rafah in southern Gaza, White House spokesman John Kirby has said.
He spoke hours after Israeli forces reached the centre of the city and reportedly seized a strategically important hill overlooking the nearby border with Egypt.
US President Joe Biden said this month he would limit weapons supplies to Israel if it entered the “population centres” of Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of civilians are still believed to be sheltering. read more
Pressure on Biden to let US weapons strike Russia
Pressure is growing on US President Joe Biden to allow Ukraine to use West-supplied weapons to strike Russian territory.
A number of US allies this week signalled they were open to this possibility.
Russia's Vladimir Putin has warned of "serious consequences", especially for what he called "small countries" in Europe.
On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington’s stance on the matter would "adapt and adjust" based on changing battlefield conditions. He is currently in the Czech capital, Prague, for a meeting of Nato foreign ministers. read more
Pressure is growing on US President Joe Biden to allow Ukraine to use West-supplied weapons to strike Russian territory.
A number of US allies this week signalled they were open to this possibility.
Russia's Vladimir Putin has warned of "serious consequences", especially for what he called "small countries" in Europe.
On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington’s stance on the matter would "adapt and adjust" based on changing battlefield conditions. He is currently in the Czech capital, Prague, for a meeting of Nato foreign ministers. read more
What Trump's conviction means for the election
Donald Trump’s criminal conviction presents a remarkable collection of historic firsts.
He’s the first former or serving US president to be found guilty of a crime. He’s the first presumptive major-party nominee to become a convicted felon as well.
While Trump plans his appeal in the hush-money case, and awaits a sentence on 11 July that could in theory include prison time and a hefty fine, it’s not too early to consider the political fallout. read more
Donald Trump’s criminal conviction presents a remarkable collection of historic firsts.
He’s the first former or serving US president to be found guilty of a crime. He’s the first presumptive major-party nominee to become a convicted felon as well.
While Trump plans his appeal in the hush-money case, and awaits a sentence on 11 July that could in theory include prison time and a hefty fine, it’s not too early to consider the political fallout. read more
Biden unveils Israeli proposal to end Gaza war
US President Joe Biden has urged Hamas to accept a new Israeli proposal to end the conflict in Gaza, saying that "it's time for this war to end".
The three-part proposal would begin with a six-week ceasefire in which the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would withdraw from populated areas of Gaza.
There would also be a "surge" of humanitarian aid, as well as an exchange of some hostages for Palestinian prisoners. read more
US President Joe Biden has urged Hamas to accept a new Israeli proposal to end the conflict in Gaza, saying that "it's time for this war to end".
The three-part proposal would begin with a six-week ceasefire in which the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would withdraw from populated areas of Gaza.
There would also be a "surge" of humanitarian aid, as well as an exchange of some hostages for Palestinian prisoners. read more
Mexico elects Claudia Sheinbaum as first woman president
Claudia Sheinbaum has been elected as Mexico's first woman president in an historic landslide win.
Mexico's official electoral authority said preliminary results showed the 61-year-old former mayor of Mexico City winning between 58% and 60% of the vote in Sunday's election.
That gives her a lead of about 30 percentage points over her main rival, businesswoman Xóchitl Gálvez. read more
Claudia Sheinbaum has been elected as Mexico's first woman president in an historic landslide win.
Mexico's official electoral authority said preliminary results showed the 61-year-old former mayor of Mexico City winning between 58% and 60% of the vote in Sunday's election.
That gives her a lead of about 30 percentage points over her main rival, businesswoman Xóchitl Gálvez. read more
China says MI6 recruited Chinese couple as spies
China has accused the UK’s intelligence agency of recruiting a couple as spies - the latest in a string of tit-for-tat allegations between Beijing and the West in recent months.
According to the Ministry of State Security, the two Chinese government employees were successfully recruited after MI6 operatives exploited the man’s “strong desire for money”.
The man, named as Wang, then convinced his partner, named only as Zhou, to join him as a British spy, the ministry said. read more
China has accused the UK’s intelligence agency of recruiting a couple as spies - the latest in a string of tit-for-tat allegations between Beijing and the West in recent months.
According to the Ministry of State Security, the two Chinese government employees were successfully recruited after MI6 operatives exploited the man’s “strong desire for money”.
The man, named as Wang, then convinced his partner, named only as Zhou, to join him as a British spy, the ministry said. read more
US urges Israel to be transparent over Gaza school strike
The US has told Israel it must be fully "transparent" over an air strike that reportedly killed at least 35 people at a central Gaza school packed with displaced people on Thursday morning.
Local journalists told the BBC a warplane had fired two missiles at classrooms on the top floor of the school in the Nuseirat urban refugee camp.
The Israeli military said it had conducted a "precise" strike on a "Hamas compound" in the school, but Gaza’s Hamas-run government media office denied the claim. read more
The US has told Israel it must be fully "transparent" over an air strike that reportedly killed at least 35 people at a central Gaza school packed with displaced people on Thursday morning.
Local journalists told the BBC a warplane had fired two missiles at classrooms on the top floor of the school in the Nuseirat urban refugee camp.
The Israeli military said it had conducted a "precise" strike on a "Hamas compound" in the school, but Gaza’s Hamas-run government media office denied the claim. read more
Biden apologises for delay in Ukraine military aid
US President Joe Biden has apologised to his counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky for delays in military aid to Ukraine and has pledged $225m (£191m) in support.
The pair met for talks in Paris, a day after they both attended the 80th anniversary commemorations of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France.
The US Department of Defense said the new aid package would include ammunition and anti-aircraft missiles. read more
US President Joe Biden has apologised to his counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky for delays in military aid to Ukraine and has pledged $225m (£191m) in support.
The pair met for talks in Paris, a day after they both attended the 80th anniversary commemorations of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France.
The US Department of Defense said the new aid package would include ammunition and anti-aircraft missiles. read more
Four hostages kidnapped by Hamas freed from Gaza
Four hostages kidnapped by Hamas from the Nova music festival during the 7 October attacks have been rescued in a daylight raid deep in central Gaza.
Noa Argamani, 26, Almog Meir Jan, 22, Andrei Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 41, were freed during a "high-risk, complex mission" from two separate buildings in the Nuseirat area, the Israel Defense Forces said.
The IDF said the four are in good medical condition and have been transferred to the 'Sheba' Tel-HaShomer Medical Center for further medical examinations - where they have been pictured embracing family members waiting at the facility. read more
Four hostages kidnapped by Hamas from the Nova music festival during the 7 October attacks have been rescued in a daylight raid deep in central Gaza.
Noa Argamani, 26, Almog Meir Jan, 22, Andrei Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 41, were freed during a "high-risk, complex mission" from two separate buildings in the Nuseirat area, the Israel Defense Forces said.
The IDF said the four are in good medical condition and have been transferred to the 'Sheba' Tel-HaShomer Medical Center for further medical examinations - where they have been pictured embracing family members waiting at the facility. read more
Israel rescues four hostages in Gaza; Palestinians say 50 dead in Israeli assault
The Israeli military said it rescued four hostages held since October in a raid in the central Gaza Strip on Saturday while Palestinian officials said an Israeli attack in the same area killed more than 50 people.
It was not immediately clear if the hostage rescue and the deadly Israeli assault were part of the same operation but both took place in al-Nuseirat, an often embattled area in the eight-month-old war between Israel and Gaza's ruling Hamas. read more
The Israeli military said it rescued four hostages held since October in a raid in the central Gaza Strip on Saturday while Palestinian officials said an Israeli attack in the same area killed more than 50 people.
It was not immediately clear if the hostage rescue and the deadly Israeli assault were part of the same operation but both took place in al-Nuseirat, an often embattled area in the eight-month-old war between Israel and Gaza's ruling Hamas. read more
South Korea to resume loudspeaker broadcasts over border in balloon row
South Korea has said it will resume propaganda broadcasts against North Korea for the first time in six years in response to Pyongyang's campaign of sending rubbish-filled balloons across the border.
Over 300 North Korean balloons were detected over Saturday and Sunday with around 80 landing in the South carrying scrap paper and plastic sheets.
North Korea is yet to respond to the announcement, but Pyongyang considers the loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts an act of war and has threatened to blow them up in the past. read more
South Korea has said it will resume propaganda broadcasts against North Korea for the first time in six years in response to Pyongyang's campaign of sending rubbish-filled balloons across the border.
Over 300 North Korean balloons were detected over Saturday and Sunday with around 80 landing in the South carrying scrap paper and plastic sheets.
North Korea is yet to respond to the announcement, but Pyongyang considers the loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts an act of war and has threatened to blow them up in the past. read more
Europe's night of election drama capped by Macron bombshell
France's President Emmanuel Macron has called a bombshell snap parliamentary election after being defeated by the far right in the European elections - in a night of drama that overall saw the centre-right tighten their grip on the EU Parliament.
Mr Macron made the announcement after losing to his rivals Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella and their National Rally party.
France’s result was one of the big gains that Europe’s far-right parties had expected, and confirmation came with all the exit polls giving National Rally more than 30% of the vote, double that of Mr Macron’s centrist Renaissance party. read more
France's President Emmanuel Macron has called a bombshell snap parliamentary election after being defeated by the far right in the European elections - in a night of drama that overall saw the centre-right tighten their grip on the EU Parliament.
Mr Macron made the announcement after losing to his rivals Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella and their National Rally party.
France’s result was one of the big gains that Europe’s far-right parties had expected, and confirmation came with all the exit polls giving National Rally more than 30% of the vote, double that of Mr Macron’s centrist Renaissance party. read more
Malawi VP's plane found with no survivors, president says
The wreck of a plane carrying Malawi's vice-president has been found with no survivors, President Lazarus Chakwera has said.
Saulos Chilima and nine others were flying within the country on Monday morning when their aircraft disappeared from airport radars.
The plane, a military aircraft, was flying in bad weather.
Soldiers were searching Chikangawa Forest in an effort to find the plane. read more
The wreck of a plane carrying Malawi's vice-president has been found with no survivors, President Lazarus Chakwera has said.
Saulos Chilima and nine others were flying within the country on Monday morning when their aircraft disappeared from airport radars.
The plane, a military aircraft, was flying in bad weather.
Soldiers were searching Chikangawa Forest in an effort to find the plane. read more
Evidence of Iran and UAE drones used in Sudan war
Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been accused of violating a UN arms embargo by supplying drones to the warring sides in the 14-month conflict that has devastated Sudan. We look at the evidence to back up the claim.
On the morning of 12 March 2024, Sudanese government soldiers were celebrating an unprecedented military advance. They had finally recaptured the state broadcaster’s headquarters in the capital, Khartoum.
Like most of the city, the building had fallen into the hands of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) at the start of the civil war 11 months earlier. read more
Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been accused of violating a UN arms embargo by supplying drones to the warring sides in the 14-month conflict that has devastated Sudan. We look at the evidence to back up the claim.
On the morning of 12 March 2024, Sudanese government soldiers were celebrating an unprecedented military advance. They had finally recaptured the state broadcaster’s headquarters in the capital, Khartoum.
Like most of the city, the building had fallen into the hands of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) at the start of the civil war 11 months earlier. read more