BBC WORLD

#China #UK #BBCNews Chinese state intelligence is targeting the UK “prolifically and aggressively”, a group of British MPs have said. The findings from parliament’s intelligence and security committee are a “challenge” for British intelligence agencies. The senior MPs have also raised concerns about Chinese influence in universities and the nuclear industry.

#Microsoft #Gaming #BBCNews US regulator the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is appealing against a decision to allow Microsoft to proceed with its $69bn (£53bn) purchase of games publisher Activision Blizzard. Earlier this week, the FTC's request to block the takeover was rejected by a district judge in San Francisco. The technology giant's deal to buy the Call of Duty maker would be the biggest of its kind in gaming industry history. Meanwhile, a tax on online gaming in India has seen shares in online gaming platforms and casinos crash.

#Russia #Ukraine #BBCNews At least one person is reported to have died after a drone attack on Ukraine's capital Kyiv overnight. Roughly 20 Iran-made drones, launched by Russia, were shot down over the city's airspace, according to the Ukrainian air force. It was the third night of attacks in a row on the capital, coming just hours after the end of the Nato summit in Lithuania. Debris was reported in five districts and at least two people were sent to hospital with shrapnel wounds.

#US #India #BBCNews Several people have died, and many more are missing after heavy rain caused flooding in India. In the state of Vermont, US, teams are assessing the damage after a storm dumped up to two months worth of rain on the state in a matter of days. This follows the announcement that earlier this month was the warmest day yet recorded with temperatures averaging over 17C for the first time ever. Many factors contribute to flooding, but experts say climate change caused by global warming makes extreme rainfall more likely. There have been severe weather warning placed across Northern India and parts of North America continuing further into July.

#Greece #BBCNews New evidence has cast further doubt on the Greek coastguard’s version of events surrounding last month's deadly migrant boat sinking in the Mediterranean, a BBC investigation has found. At least 82 people are confirmed to have drowned, but it’s feared a further 500 may have died. The BBC has spoken to survivors who have claimed officials caused the boat to capsize in a disastrous attempt to tow it. Greek authorities have denied the claims.

#NorthKorea #Japan #BBCNews North Korea has fired a suspected intercontinental ballistic missile Japanese and South Korean officials report. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, speaking at the Nato summit described these actions as a threat to “Japan, the region and the international community” following the missile landing in Japanese waters. Pyongyang's launch comes after it threatened retaliation against what it said were recent US spy plane incursions over its territory. Washington has dismissed the accusations, saying its military patrols are in line with international law. Tensions have been growing in the region, as North Korea has already fired 12 long range missiles this year.

#BBCNews President Zelensky has accused Nato of weakness and uncertainty over the reluctance of some members to set a timetable for Ukraine to join the military alliance. Nato leaders meeting in Lithuania have agreed that Ukraine can join but only when certain conditions are met. Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance had never sent a stronger political and practical message about Ukraine’s path to membership, but made clear that it could not join while it was at war with Russia. Reeta Chakrabarti presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Katya Adler in Vilnius and Gordon Corera in Kyiv.

#LIV #PGA #Golf Saudi investors plan to spend more than a billion dollars on a controversial new golf venture with the US PGA tour, according to officials. Ron Price, Chief Operating Officer of the PGA, testified about the proposed merger before Congress on Tuesday. Despite significant funding from the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, Mr Price said the new entity will be controlled by the PGA. Critics have accused Saudi Arabia of using sports to burnish its image.

#Russia #Ukraine #Nato Nato states have said Ukraine can join the military alliance "when allies agree and conditions are met" after President Volodymyr Zelensky criticised the "absurd" delay to accession. In a communique, Nato said it recognised the need to move faster but would not be drawn on a timeframe. Earlier Mr Zelensky said there seemed to be "no readiness" to invite Ukraine to Nato or make it a member. He is now in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, where the summit is happening. Kyiv accepts it cannot join Nato while it is at war with Russia but wants to join as soon as possible after fighting ends.

#BBCNews South Korea has restated its commitment to welcoming North Korean defectors. The number who have escaped and made it to the South has fallen dramatically over the last decade or so. of North Koreans making the difficult and dangerous journey to South Korea - risking possible death if they are caught - has fallen significantly in recent years. But the few who do make it to the country to escape poverty and repression About two hours' drive from the South Korean capital, Seoul, there is a Part training-hub, part medical facility, part re-education centre, where North Korean defectors are sent for three months when they arrive in South Korea. Its name is Hanawon, or to give it its full title, the Settlement Support Centre for North Korean Refugees. Kim Sung-hui, who graduated from Hanawon just over a decade ago described how "the first night on the outside is a memorable one for all defectors. I felt such relief that I was finally in South Korea. I hugged my daughter and started to cry - not because I was sad or lonely - but because we'd survived,".

#AI #BBCNews Scientists are harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to decode animal languages. Scientists in Israel are closer than ever to making two-way communication with another species more likely - by using AI to understand the language of bats. “I’ve always dreamt of a Dolittle machine that will allow me to talk with animals”, said Professor Yossi Yovel of Tel Aviv University. The team at Tel Aviv University created a large database of bat noises and videos, teaching AI how to differentiate between the different sounds. The Algorithm then matched the sounds with specific social interactions captured on film. Adi Rachum from Tel Aviv University said, “in the end the computer will be able to speak the language, to understand what they say to each other”.

#MigrantCrisis #Europe #BBCNews Migrants saved in one of the first rescue operations in the Mediterranean since hundreds of people died when a boat sank off the Greek coast, say nothing could deter them from trying to reach Europe. They spoke to the BBC's Alice Cuddy on board a rescue vessel patrolling the sea for migrant boats in distress. One man says the disaster in June - in which the UN says up to 500 people may have drowned - didn't put him off because he believes those migrants would have had the same mindset as him. "It's either you reach Europe or you die at sea," the teenager tells me. "There's only two options." The migrants tell the BBC they were not ignorant to the risks they were facing and many say it was not their first attempt at reaching Europe. "Seven times I have been trying," one 17-year-old says.

#Nato #Turkey #Sweden Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has agreed to support Sweden's bid to join Nato, the military alliance's chief Jens Stoltenberg has said. At a briefing, Mr Stoltenberg said the Turkish president would forward Sweden's bid to the Turkish parliament and "ensure ratification". Earlier, he had appeared to suggest Turkey would back Sweden if the EU re-opened membership talks with Ankara. Turkey has criticised Sweden for hosting Kurdish militants. Nato - the North Atlantic Treaty Organization - was formed in 1949 by 12 countries, including the US, UK, Canada and France.

#Nato #Ukraine #BBCNews Nato leaders are gathering in Lithuania for a crucial summit that could shape the direction of the war in Ukraine and the future of the Western alliance. The 31 allies hope to show Russia they have the resolve to support Ukraine militarily for the long term. They arrive with a welcome boost after Turkey dropped its objections to Sweden joining the alliance. Over their two-day meeting, Nato leaders are expected to agree new plans to deter and defend the alliance against future Russian aggression by beefing up their forces in the east.

#BBCNews #China Three children are among the six killed in a stabbing at a kindergarten in Lianjiang, in China's south-eastern Guangdong province. Police said they have arrested a 25-year-old man and called the case an "intentional assault", but have not elaborated on a possible motive. The attack happened on Monday at 07:40 local time (23:40 Sunday GMT) in in Lianjiang just as parents were dropping their children off for summer classes.

Prince Harry, aged 33, and Ms Markle, aged 36, are to marry in the spring He said the "stars were aligned" when they fell in love and he proposed over roast chicken Appearing for photos outside Kensington Palace earlier, Prince Harry said he was "thrilled" The couple secretly got engaged earlier this month The Queen and Prince Philip are "delighted for the couple" Ms Markle is an actress and humanitarian campaigner

#Bats #Ghana #BBCNews Bats are essential to the world's ecosystems, but they are known carriers of several viruses. Humans are increasingly encroaching upon their habitats, adding to the risk of new pandemics. Scientists are studying the animals for any clues about how to prevent any new outbreaks.

#BBCNews #Climate #TikTok Earlier this year, TikTok vowed to clamp down on climate change denial on its platform. But a BBC investigation has found hundreds of videos are still spreading false information about the climate crisis. We speak to the scientific experts who have taken to the app to try and tackle climate conspiracies directly.

Trains #BBCNews These trains are Europe's first tri-mode trains to enter passenger service, after starting running on routes in Italy at the end of 2022. As well as being fitted with pantograph overhead power and a standard diesel engine, they also have with a battery pack power unit and can be switched between modes.

The human preoccupation with sex is nothing new – but the internet has made it so much easier to explore and exploit every shade of desire. The online porn industry makes billions of dollars in profit every year, but the big winners are corporate players, not the women and men performing the sex acts. Stephen Sackur interviews Mia Khalifa. She was briefly a porn actress, garnering worldwide notoriety when she appeared in a sex video wearing the Islamic hijab. After years of threats and insecurity, she’s speaking out. What does her story tells us about the porn industry and 21st century culture?

#NHS #BBCNews "You're caring for somebody and the abuse that you get - you don't let it affect you." When the NHS began, its survival relied on staff from immigrant backgrounds. As the NHS celebrated its 75th birthday this week, the BBC's Amanda Kirton spoke to a group of black nurses who came to the UK from the Caribbean in the 1960s to work for the NHS.

#Insects #Italy #BBCNews Despite opposition, insect-based food products are on the rise in Europe. The process is simple: insects are frozen, boiled, dried, and then pulverised. The resultant powder can be used to make up foods like pasta. This powder is a superfood packed with vitamins, fibre, minerals and amino acids. One plate contains higher sources of iron and magnesium, for example, than a regular sirloin steak. But what about the taste? The BBC’s Sofia Bettiza found out.

Watch the amazing moment when two school friends, a judge and a man suspected of burglary, were 'reunited' briefly during a court hearing in Miami, US. "I'm sorry to see you here," said Judge Mindy Glazer. "I always wondered what happened to you." Standing in the dock, Arthur Booth, who was arrested after he was chased in a car by police, broke down in tears when he recognised his former class-mate. Judge Glazer set Mr Booth's bond at $43,000 (£27,500).

#BBCNews The Dutch government has collapsed because of a disagreement between coalition parties over asylum policies, Prime Minister Mark Rutte has said. The four parties were unable to find agreement in crisis talks chaired by Mr Rutte on Friday. The government was set up a year and a half ago but the parties have been opposed on migration for some time. Mr Rutte met King Willem-Alexander in The Hague to discuss forming a caretaker administration.

#BBCNews The President of Belarus has suggested that he could use tactical nuclear weapons, which are being deployed in his country by Russia. Alexander Lukashenko is a close ally of the Russian President Vladimir Putin and his country served as a launchpad for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Recently President Putin announced that Russian nuclear weapons had been deployed in Belarus. He said they would only be used if the Russian state or its territory was threatened. Speaking to the BBC’s Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg, the Belarus President Lukashenko insisted that he could launch the weapons if he chose to. He said: “In Ukraine a whole army is fighting with foreign weapons, with NATO weapons. So why can’t I fight with someone else’s?” Mr Lukashenko also said that the leader of the Wagner mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin was in Russia. The Wagner leader hasn’t been seen since he staged a mutiny against Russia’s military leadership.