BBC News (World)

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed, state media saysIran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed, state media confirms.President Donald Trump earlier said Khamenei had been killed by US-Israeli strikes across Iran.read more

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public officeWe've now seen a statement from Thames Valley police, which says:"As part of the investigation, we have today (19/2) arrested a man in his sixties from Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office and are carrying out searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk."The man remains in police custody at this time."...

Trump revokes landmark ruling that greenhouse gases endanger public healthUS President Donald Trump has reversed a key Obama-era scientific ruling that underpins all federal actions on curbing planet-warming gases.The so-called 2009 "endangerment finding" concluded that a range of greenhouse gases were a threat to public health. It's become the legal bedrock of federal efforts to rein in emissions...

We had sex in a Chinese hotel, then found we had been broadcast to thousandsOne night in 2023, Eric was scrolling on a social media channel he regularly browsed for porn. Seconds into a video, he froze.He realised the couple he was watching - entering the room, setting down their bags, and later, having sex - was himself and his girlfriend. Three weeks earlier, they had spent the night in a hotel ...

Clintons agree to testify on Epstein as vote looms to hold them in contempt of CongressFormer US President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary Clinton, the former Secretary of State, have agreed to testify in the congressional investigation into late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.It comes days before a vote on whether to hold the couple in criminal contempt for refusing to appear before the House Ove...

South Africa and Israel expel each other's envoys in diplomatic rowSouth Africa has expelled Israel's top diplomat in the country for "violating diplomatic norms", a move that prompted Israel to kick out a South African envoy in retaliation.The diplomatic row started when South Africa's foreign affairs ministry declared Ariel Seidman, chargé d'affaires at the Israeli embassy, persona non grata and...

Trump tells Iran to drop nuclear aims and stop killing protesters to avoid military actionDonald Trump says he has told Iran it has to do "two things" to avoid military action, as the US builds up its forces in the Gulf."Number one, no nuclear. And number two, stop killing protesters," the US president said, adding that "they are killing them by the thousands"."We have a lot of very big, very powe...

Iran supreme leader admits thousands killed during recent protestsIran's supreme leader has for the first time publicly acknowledged that thousands of people were killed, "some in an inhuman, savage manner", during recent protests.A violent response to protests in Iran has claimed 3,090 lives, according to US-based Iranian Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), following unrest that started o...

At least 55 dead and hundreds missing after fire engulfs Hong Kong tower blocksAt least 55 people have been killed in a huge fire that engulfed multiple high-rise buildings in Hong Kong - the city's deadliest blaze in more than 70 years.Some residents remain trapped inside the buildings, with more than 270 people unaccounted for.Hundreds of firefighters have been tackling the blaze, which is now l...

Hostage families confirm identities of three of four bodies handed over by HamasIsraeli hostage families have confirmed the identities of three of four bodies handed over by Hamas in Gaza on Tuesday.The bodies of Tamir Nimrodi, 20, Eitan Levy, 53, and Uriel Baruch, 35, were part of the latest return, the Hostages Families Forum said. The fourth body does not match any of the known hostages, Israel...

Palestinians celebrate return of detainees freed by IsraelHundreds of freed Palestinian prisoners and detainees have been welcomed with tears and screams of joy as they were released by Israel to be reunited with their families in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.The release involved about 250 prisoners who had been convicted of crimes including murder and deadly attacks against Israelis - and abou...

Trump says Israel and Hamas 'sign off' on first phase of Gaza peace planUS President Donald Trump has announced that Israel and Hamas have "both signed off" on the first phase of a peace plan for Gaza."This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace," Trum...

Key US and regional mediators join talks in push to end Gaza warTop US envoys and regional figures are taking part in the third day of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in Egypt on President Donald Trump's plan to end the war in Gaza.Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, arrived in Sharm el-Sheikh on Wednesday along with Qatar's prime minister and Turkey's intelligence chief f...

Macron should step down early and call presidential vote, says his first PMEmmanuel Macron should name a prime minister to push through a budget and then call early presidential elections to solve France's political crisis, his first prime minister has said.Édouard Philippe's comments come after France's third prime minister in a year, Sébastien Lecornu, resigned on Monday after his bid to form a ...

India wants to lure its best minds back from the US - but it won't be easyUS President Donald Trump's abrupt decision to hike H-1B visa fees to $100,000 has prompted policymakers in Delhi to woo skilled Indians back home.A bureaucrat, who works closely with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, recently said that the government was actively encouraging overseas Indians to return and contribute to nation-b...

Sanctions reimposed on Iran 10 years after landmark nuclear dealSweeping UN economic and military sanctions have been reimposed on Iran - 10 years after they were lifted in a landmark international deal over its nuclear programme.The new measures took effect as the three European partners to the deal - the UK, France and Germany - activated the so-called "snapback" mechanism, accusing Iran of "con...

Trump suggests Starmer could use military to control UK bordersDonald Trump suggested Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer could use the military to stop illegal migration at a news conference marking the end of the US president's second state visit to the UK.Trump said he discussed migration issues with Sir Keir during a meeting at his country residence Chequers.The US president talked about his polic...

Trump's 50% tariff on India kicks in as Modi urges self-relianceDonald Trump's steep 50% tariffs on India have kicked in, weeks after the US president issued an executive order hitting the Asian country with an additional 25% penalty over its purchases of Russian oil and weapons.This makes India - one of the US's strongest partners in the Indo-Pacific - among the countries paying the highest tarif...

Israel says it regrets deadly strike on Catholic Church in GazaIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said his country "deeply regrets that a stray ammunition" hit Gaza's only Catholic Church, killing three people sheltering there."Every innocent life lost is a tragedy. We share the grief of the families and the faithful," he said in a statement.The incident happened on Thursday when an Isr...

Iraq's shopping centre fire leaves 61 dead, many missingA fire that tore through a five-storey shopping centre in the eastern Iraqi city of Kut has left at least 61 dead, local officials said.The blaze at the mall, which opened seven days ago, broke out on Wednesday night and has since been brought under control.Videos posted on social media showed firefighters rescuing people from the mall's roof...