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BBC News with Sue Montgomery.
The U.S. military says it's carrying out another round of airstrikes in Iran after Iran's Revolutionary Guards closed the Strait of Hormuz following a confrontation with a cargo ship. Iran says the vessel was using what it called an "illegal" shipping route but had stopped when a warning shot was fired upon it. Andrew Ochieng reports. In a statement posted on social media, the U.S. military said one of the ship's crew is missing and that the vessel has suffered significant damage. It said the airstrikes are meant to degrade Iran's ability to attack ships freely transiting the strait. Following the announcement, Iranian media reported explosions in several cities along its coast. The IRGC had earlier said the vital waterway will remain closed until the U.S. ceases its interference in the region, as they put it. They had also threatened to target what they called new regional enemy bases in retaliation. Truck drivers who deliver humanitarian aid have been protesting in Gaza after Israeli forces killed one of their colleagues in the south of the territory on Wednesday. Paddy Maguire takes up the story. The protest was small, just a few dozen people, but many of them were truckers who say they're subjected to systematic killings and deliberate attacks by Israeli troops. Ahmad Salim was killed near Rafah while transporting food aid into Gaza. His family said he was unarmed and had his hands raised when the soldier who had summoned him shot him in the head. The Israeli military say Salim was running towards them and that the troops opened fire because they perceived a threat. A U.N. commission of inquiry recently found Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, including deliberately killing humanitarian workers. The U.S. Congressman Ro Khanna has said he was detained for 90 minutes by armed Israeli settlers during a recent visit to the occupied West Bank. "I'm certainly probably the first American politician who's been detained by the IDF and Israeli settlers. I mean, we were at a village that Israeli settlers had destroyed. They had destroyed the school. They had destroyed that village and we were just looking at it and these hoodlums come in with machine guns, an M4, an American-made machine gun, and they detain us. They block off the road. And then they call the IDF and the IDF is on their side, not on the side of the Americans." The European Commission has recommended that its education and cultural agency terminate a grant of more than $2 million given to the Venice Biennale. It comes after the world's most prestigious international art festival allowed Russia to take part in this year's exhibition. An EU official said the inclusion of Moscow was against ethical standards linked to the grant. World News from the BBC. Police in Britain have arrested a second man on suspicion of murdering the former minister and TV personality Anne Widdecombe. Officers say a 28-year-old male has been detained in northern England. A 26-year-old man who was in custody earlier was released yesterday. Police said he would not be questioned any further. 78-year-old Ms. Widdecombe was found dead in her home in southwest England on Thursday. Firefighters have for the first time started to contain wildfires in southern Spain which have killed 12 people and burned more than 6,000 hectares of land. Calmer winds and higher humidity levels have allowed about 500 firefighters and 20 aircraft to directly tackle the flames in Andalusia. A huge typhoon has made landfall in southeast China, where nearly 2 million people have been evacuated from their homes. Typhoon Bavi arrived close to the city of Wenzhou. Winds of more than 140 kilometers an hour have been recorded. Schools, workplaces, transport services and outdoor activities have been suspended across Zhejiang province. In football, England have beaten Norway 2-1 in their quarterfinal match at the World Cup and are through to the semifinals. Jude Bellingham scored the two goals for England, including one in extra time, to give them the victory. These England fans in London gave their reaction. "Bellingham's top, Kean's top, everyone's top. We're ready. It's coming home. It's coming home." "It's wild at every angle. I'm here with my best friends. And what better way to finish the night with watching the football, a win for England, raising the vibration of the nation. Everybody feels good tonight. It's been a high vibe and I'm happy to have been part of it." In the last quarterfinal game, the defending champions Argentina are getting underway against Switzerland. BBC News. |