Who is Hearts target Wouter Vrancken?

Image source, AFP via Getty ImagesImage caption, Wouter Vrancken is a target to lead Hearts next seasonByThomas DuncanBBC Sport ScotlandPublished23 June 2026Less than a week after Derek McInnes left for Rangers, Hearts are reportedly closing in on his replacement.Belgian Wouter Vrancken is the man who looks set to come in and try to replicate the Tynecastle club's incredible campaign from last season.The 47-year-old is fresh from his own remarkable year with Sint-Truiden in Belgium's Pro League as they finished third, their highest placing for 60 years.Now he keen to embark on a first venture outside of Belgium.

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Having a Scottish baby & good vibes - Johansson on Motherwell move

Image source, SNSImage caption, Johansson says he has a long-term focus on Motherwell, although the club has not revealed the length of contract the Swede has signedByKheredine IdessaneBBC Sport Scotland Senior ReporterPublished23 June 2026Alfred Johansson is only 35 but already worldly-wise enough not to go making big, bold predictions about what kind of success he might bring to Motherwell."Tomorrow is tomorrow, yesterday was yesterday and today is today," was how the new manager translated an old Swedish expression in which he puts much faith.He's clearly a deep thinker, as well as quite the people-person.

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Phelan named permanent Everton manager

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Scott Phelan took over from former boss Brian Sorensen in FebruaryByEmma SandersBBC Sport women’s football news reporterPublished23 June 2026Scott Phelan has bee n appointed permanent head coach of Everton Women following an interim period last season.The 38-year-old took over on a temporary basis in February when Brian Sorensen was sacked and led the Toffees to an eighth-placed finish in the Women's Super League.With the club just four points off the bottom when he took over, Phelan picked up three successive WSL wins in an impressive start to his interim spell.Having joined Everton as a player at the age of eight and progressed through the club's academy without making a senior appearance, he returned as a coach in 2012.Former Everton striker Phil Jevons, who initially returned to the club on an interim basis in February, will support Phelan go…

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Durham Women's future saved by local investor

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Durham finished 10th in the WSL 2 last seasonByEmma SandersBBC Sport women’s football news reporterPublished23 June 2026Durham Women's futur e has been saved by South Shields co-owner Geoff Thompson following an agreement to acquire a majority shareholding in the club.Local businessman Thompson's investment, with financial support from South Shields co-investor Jason Ye, means Durham will remain in the Women's Super League 2 next season.The club put out a desperate call for a takeover on 8 June after potential investors had fallen through, leaving them in danger of losing their professional status.In a statement, Durham said they had 21 days to find a buyer and told players and staff the club would have to "cease operations at all levels" if not.Although the value of the investment has not been revealed, this latest news comes as a significant bo…

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West Ham sign defender Riesen on three-year deal

Image source, West Ham United FCImage caption, Nadine Riesen was part of the Switzerland squad at Euro 2025ByEmma SandersBBC Sport women’s football news reporterPublished22 June 2026West Ham United have signed Switzerland defender Nadine Riesen following her departure from Eintracht Frankfurt.She joins on a three-year contract after making 69 appearances for the German club in the Frauen-Bundesliga between 2023 and 2026.The versatile 26-year-old full-back has experience of playing in the Women's Champions League (WCL) and has 42 caps for her country.She becomes West Ham manager Rita Guarino's fourth signing this summer after the arrivals of Katie Zelem, Constance Picaud and Laia Codina."When I heard about West Ham's interest in me, I was super excited. It's a huge club with a proud history and I'm very happy to be here," said Riesen."It already feels like a family here and everyone has …

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The Welsh hooker preparing to play against Wales

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Wales hooker Elliot Dee made his international debut in November 2017ByGareth GriffithsBBC Sport WalesPublished5 hours agoWhile George North has been getting most of the attention this week, it is another Welsh international who starts for Barbarians against Wales on Saturday.Hooker Elliot Dee will be in the Baa-Baas line-up for the uncapped match at the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham, while North will bring down his glittering professional career when he comes off the replacements bench. The two Welshmen are rooming together in London as they prepare to face the country they have represented for more than a decade."I'm looking forward to it," said Dee."It's going to be interesting, something I've never done before."We've played the Welsh club derbies but I have not played against so many close mates who are representing Wales."Dragons forward Dee…

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'I thought building would fall on top of me' - Venezuelans describe earthquake panic

Image source, BBC, Getty ImagesImage caption, Nicole Kolster says people in Caracas evacuated to the streets, fearing further aftershocksByLeire Ventas, BBC News Mundo and Kelly NgPublished5 hours agoJournalist Nicole Kolster was at home in Venezuela's capital city Caracas when her apartment started shaking violently."I saw the windows moving, and the only thing I could think to do was to get between the front door and a stone wall... to try to protect myself," she recounts.Two earthquakes hit the city seconds apart on Wednesday, the first at a magnitude of 7.2 and the second at 7.5.

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Trump asks Congress for $87bn, mostly for 'urgent' Iran war costs

Figure caption, Congress has told Trump to stop Iran war- why does it matter?ByKwasi Gyamfi AsieduWashingtonPublished25 June 2026, 00:30 BSTUpdated 7 hours agoThe White House has asked lawmakers to approve $87.6bn (£66.5bn), mostly for "urgent needs" connected with the US war on Iran, a day after Congress passed a resolution rebuking the military action.The bulk of the funding - $67bn - is for the Defence Department, including $21bn for munitions, $17.3bn for operational costs and $12.1bn for classified programmes, said the White House.The other money is for unrelated measures including $11bn for US farmers and $1.4bn to tackle the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa.But the proposal faces an uphill battle in Congress as the Iran conflict is unpopular with voters and midterm elections loom this November.

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Oil price falls to levels not seen since before Iran war

Image source, The Dallas Morning News via Getty ImagesByOsmond ChiaBusiness reporterPublished25 June 2026, 08:11 BSTUpdated 1 hour agoThe price of oil has fallen to levels not seen since before the Iran war as traffic through the key Strait of Hormuz shipping route gradually resumes.Global benchmark Brent crude briefly fell below $72.48 (£55) a barrel, the price it was at the day before the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on 28 February, before edging up to $72.63.Energy prices have been on a wild ride since Iran responded to the strikes by effectively closing the strait, a critical waterway for oil and gas shipments.The cost of crude has been moving sharply lower since the US and Iran signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 17 June which set out a 60-day period for negotiations on Tehran's nuclear programme and other measures to end the war.Representatives from the two sid…

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Philippines bans video game played by alleged high school shooter

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Gorebox is a game where "creativity meets unrestrained destruction", according to its Google Play listingByJoel Guinto and Virma Simonette Rivera, Reporting fromManilaPublished9 hours agoThe Philippines has temporarily blocked gaming app Gorebox after an initial investigation found that a teenage suspect in a rare school shooting had been playing the game.Three students were killed and 20 others wounded after two suspects - aged 15 and 14 - allegedly fired handguns inside a classroom in Tacloban, south-east of Manila, on Monday.Police said the 14-year-old was a player of Gorebox, a game where players can "obliterate anything [they] desire" and "engage in brutal combat with an extensive arsenal of weapons and explosives", according to its Google Play listing."We cannot ignore possible online influences that may have contributed to this tragic inci…

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Police seal off key roads in Nairobi as Kenya braces for Gen Z protests

Image source, AFP via Getty ImagesImage caption, Major roads leading to the capital have been barricaded, disrupting the movement of motoristsByWycliffe MuiaReporting fromNairobiPublished25 June 2026, 07:32 BSTUpdated 26 minutes agoPolice in Kenya have sealed off key roads leading into central Nairobi ahead of planned nationwide protests marking two years since the deadly Gen-Z-led anti-government demonstrations.Thousands of Kenyans protested against proposed tax hikes in June 2024, culminating in the storming of parliament and the eventual withdrawal of the controversial finance bill.Protesters say they are demanding justice for more than 80 people killed and dozens more injured during the 2024 anti-tax demonstrations and last year's anniversary protests.Commuters were left stranded on Thursday morning after security forces blocked access to the city centre, while many businesses and s…

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Anthropic accuses Chinese rival Alibaba of illicitly extracting AI capabilities

Image source, Bloomberg via Getty ImagesImage caption, Anthropic CEO Dario AmodeiByOsmond ChiaBusiness reporterPublished5 hours agoUS artificial intelli gence (AI) giant Anthropic has accused Chinese e-commerce and technology firm Alibaba of "brazenly" and "illicitly" extracting its Claude AI model's capabilities.In a letter sent to two members of the US Congress, the San Francisco-based company said operators linked to Alibaba carried out almost 29 million exchanges with Claude using thousands of fraudulent accounts in what it called the largest extraction campaign of its kind.Anthropic urged Congress to penalise the companies behind attacks like this and to ramp up measures to prevent US tech from being stolen.The BBC has contacted Alibaba for comment and requested more details from Anthropic.Anthropic's letter, dated 10 June and addressed to US Senators Tim Scott and Elizabeth Warren…

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Independent MPs launch new Australian centrist party

Image source, SuppliedImage caption, Allegra Spender (left) and Zali Steggall say their new party will offer 'reason over rage'ByLana LamSydneyPublished6 hours agoTwo independent Australian MPs have banded together to launch a new centrist political party which they say is a response to an increasingly divisive landscape.The Community Strong Australia party - launched in Canberra on Thursday - will offer "unity over division and reason over rage", will have no leader and will allow members to vote freely, rather than along party lines.Its two members - Sydney MPs Zali Steggall and Allegra Spender - are from a group of independent MPs known as "teals" who share socially liberal values and want greater climate action.The party will offer an "alternate political force" to the current two-party system in Australia, the pair said.Australia's political landscape had traditionally been dominat…

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The ICE raids are over, but some Minnesotans say they still live in fear

Image source, AFP via Getty ImagesImage caption, People demonstrate against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during the Cinco de Mayo parade in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on 2 May ByGrace Eliza GoodwinPublished6 hours agoAliah, a 20-year-old student in Minnesota, expected her new American life to be all about studying and work after fleeing Afghanistan in 2021 and being granted asylum in the US.But earlier this year, when federal immigration enforcement agents flooded the Minneapolis area during Operation Metro Surge, she faced a much different reality. Months after the operation's official end, its effects still linger."We're still a little scared," Aliah, who has a green card, told the BBC.

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This Indian state is trying to ensure no one grows old alone

Image source, Arun Chandra BoseImage caption, The Dominics have two sons - both of whom left home in search of better employment opportunitiesByNikita Yadav and Ashraf PadannaDelhi & KeralaPublished6 hours agoIn India's southern state of Kerala, 70-year-old TO Dominic starts most of his days with a phone call to one of his sons.One of them lives in the neighbouring Karnataka, the other in the Middle East. Both left home some years ago in search of better employment opportunities, leaving him and his wife MJ Martha to manage on their own.The calls are comforting, revolving around familiar topics such as health and the weather.

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Find out which university degrees could earn you most across your lifetime

Image source, Getty ImagesByEmily HoltPublished22 minutes agoYoung people are being urged to choose their university degree subjects carefully, after new research reveals how it can impact your career earnings.On average, graduates picking medicine can earn up to £400,000 more over their lifetime compared to non-graduates, research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) suggests.Economics could also earn graduates significantly more but other subjects, including creative arts, philosophy and languages, offer little to negative financial return when compared to the earnings of someone similar without a degree, the research suggests.The Department for Education (DfE) says it will cap numbers on courses with poorest returns, and will consult on the introduction of minimum English language requirements.The data suggests the average graduate earns around £100,000 more over their lifetime …

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The woman who fought for Pakistan's disappeared men now faces life in jail

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Mahrang Baloch was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025ByFarhat JavedReporting fromIslamabadPublished24 June 2026When Dr Mahrang Baloch was a teenager, she joined hundreds of families across Pakistan's south-western province of Balochistan to search for her father, who was allegedly arrested by security forces and later killed.Years on, the doctor-turned-activist became one of the most recognisable faces of a movement demanding answers about enforced disappearances in the province.Now, she faces life behind bars.A Pakistani anti-terrorism court sentenced Mahrang and fellow activist Sibghatullah Shah to life imprisonment on Monday after convicting them of terrorism, sedition and murder in connection with the death of a paramilitary soldier during a protest in the town of Gwadar in 2024.The pair deny the charges and are expected to appeal.Sp…

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Watch: Moment earthquakes hit airport and buildings in Caracas

CloseTwo powerful earthquakes have struck the Venezuelan capital of Caracas just seconds apart, with the second quake - a magnitude 7.5 - one of the strongest tremors to hit the South American country in a century.Buildings across the city have collapsed and residents were seen rushing into the city streets for safety, with BBC reporters on the ground capturing the tremors on video.Venezeula's interim president Delcy Rodríguez has declared a state of emergency.More on this story.SubsectionLatin AmericaPublished9 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated topicsVenezuelaFollow Venezuelaclose panelYou are now following VenezuelaUpdates from your News topics will appear in My News and in a collection on the News homepage.EarthquakesFollow Earthquakesclose panelYou are now following EarthquakesUpdates from your News topics will appear in My News and in a collection on …

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H&M’s Sales Miss Estimates as Turnaround Questions Persist

H&M AB reported disappointing sales, posing a fresh challenge to the Swedish fast-fashion retailer’s turnaround efforts amid intense competition and cautious consumer spending.

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SK Hynix ADR Seen Driving 30% Upside as Micron Gap Narrows

SK Hynix Inc.’s push for a US listing is spurring talk of another prize for shareholders: a potentially higher market value that may narrow its gap with US rival Micron Technology Inc.

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Chipmakers Rally With Traders Piling In After Micron Results

Semiconductor stocks are surging in early trading as Micron Technology Inc.’s strong results underscored how artificial intelligence is driving rapid profit growth.

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