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Hello, I'm Chris Barrow with the BBC News.
The Israeli military has admitted that it was wrong in its initial account of the killings of 15 emergency workers in Gaza last month. Troops opened fire on a convoy, saying the vehicles had approached suspiciously in darkness without headlights or flashing lights. But a video retrieved from the phone of a paramedic killed in the shooting cast doubt on that version of events. Alfie Tobutt reports. The footage published by the Palestine Red Crescent Society shows clearly marked vehicles with their headlights and emergency lights on. At least one of the workers is wearing a reflective uniform. It appears to contradict the Israeli military's original explanation for why it opened fire just seconds later. At a briefing, an Israeli official admitted that account was inaccurate. They said the soldiers had earlier fired at a car containing three Hamas members, and when the emergency convoy stopped nearby, the troops assumed they were under threat. Israel maintains at least six of the medics were linked to Hamas, but it's not yet provided evidence to back up that claim. U.S. Democrat lawmakers have told protesters in Washington that they're locked in a fight for democracy in the largest show of opposition to President Trump since he returned to office. Peter Bowes reports. Protesters were out in force around the United States, with opposition groups gathering in Washington and many other major cities. Their goal was to highlight what they see as Mr. Trump's authoritarian style of government, such as decisions to sack federal workers and break up the Department of Education. His foreign policy also came in for criticism. Some protesters carried Ukrainian flags, while others had free Palestine signs. And then there's the sweeping tariffs on goods imported into the U.S., the most recent bombshell to affect not only Americans, but the entire world. The tech billionaire, Elon Musk, who's been heading President Trump's Department of Government Efficiency, has told a political gathering in Italy via video link that he hopes Europe and America would eventually move to a zero-tariff situation. "I hope that the United States and Europe can establish a very close partnership. And I'm hopeful, for example, with the tariffs, that at the end of the day, I hope it is agreed that both Europe and the United States should move, ideally, in my view, to a zero-tariff situation, effectively creating a free trade zone between Europe and North America." The Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, says he's willing to engage in dialogue with the United States after President Trump threatened to bomb Iran if it failed to make a deal over its nuclear program. But it's unclear whether Tehran would participate in direct talks, which Mr. Trump has called for. It has previously refused to do so. This is the World News from the BBC. The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, says he's revoking all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders. The move comes at a time of renewed instability in Africa's newest state. Here's Ali McConnell. Mr. Rubio said the measures were being imposed because South Sudan's transitional government had failed to accept the return of repatriated citizens in what he called a timely manner. He said the government in Juba should stop taking advantage of the United States, adding that the State Department would be prepared to review the action once South Sudan was in full cooperation. The African country is facing a worsening security situation after the president, Salva Kiir, ordered the house arrest of his long-term rival, the first vice president, Riek Machar. There are fears of a return to the civil war which was only resolved by a peace deal signed in 2018. The son of an elderly British couple imprisoned in Afghanistan has said he's concerned about the health and well-being of his parents after nine weeks in detention, and he's also appealed to President Trump to help obtain their release. Jonathan Reynolds told the BBC his parents, Peter and Barbie, both in their 70s, were being held separately, and his father's health was deteriorating. He said the couple have worked openly in education in central Afghanistan for the past 18 years. Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy has condemned the detention of two MPs during an official visit to Israel. Israeli media report that Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed, members of Britain's governing Labour Party, were refused entry because the authorities believed they intended to spread hateful rhetoric. Hundreds of thousands of people have joined protests across Spain against the high cost of housing. People are angry about soaring rents and a lack of affordable homes in Europe's fastest-growing economy. The problem has been made worse by a boom in tourism. That's the latest BBC News. |