The new aid distribution system in Gaza, supported by the US and Israel, has faced significant violence and disruption, leading to confusion and danger for those seeking help. More than 500 Palestinians have been reported killed while traveling for aid, with accusations mostly aimed at Israeli forces, although a definitive cause is unclear. International organizations, including the UN, criticize the aid process and mention possible violations of international law due to the ongoing violence against civilians.
Key Facts
The new aid system in Gaza started with US and Israeli support, facing criticism for increasing violence.
Over 500 Palestinians have died, and 4,000 have been injured while trying to access aid.
Videos reviewed by BBC Verify showed gunfire and chaos near aid locations but did not confirm who is responsible for the deaths.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have admitted to firing "warning shots" at suspected threats.
The US committed $30 million to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which operates aid sites in IDF-controlled areas.
The UN condemned the plan, saying it endangers people by forcing them to travel through risky areas for aid.
The Red Cross reported activating mass casualty procedures 20 times due to gunshot victims.
The UN and human rights experts suggest the violence against civilians could constitute a war crime.
The UK government decided to change its plan on disability benefit cuts, which will now only affect new claimants from November 2026. This change reduces the expected savings from these reforms and raises questions about how the government will meet its budget goals.
Key Facts
The original plan aimed to save £5 billion by cutting welfare costs.
Changes will reduce savings from disability payment reforms by more than half.
Only new claimants from November 2026 will be affected by the planned disability benefit changes.
The change affects the Personal Independence Payment (PIP), sparing 370,000 existing claimants.
PIP assessments now need a score of four points on one activity for support eligibility.
This scoring method will be developed with input from disability charities.
Revisions to Universal Credit health changes mean benefit increases for 2.25 million people.
New plans could cost £2.5 to £3 billion on top of the winter fuel payment U-turn.
Sturgeons are endangered due to overfishing and habitat damage, leading to a shortage of natural caviar in Aktau, Kazakhstan. The Caspian Sea faces significant decline, potentially losing up to 34% of its surface by the century's end, affecting its ecosystems. Factors such as Russia's water management and pollution from oil companies contribute to the sea's problems.
Key Facts
Adilbek Kozybakov, an ecologist, recalls how his family regularly consumed sturgeon caviar in Aktau, Kazakhstan.
The Caspian Sea's surface area may decrease by up to 34% by the end of the century, according to a study in Nature magazine.
The sea's decline threatens local ecosystems, including habitats for Caspian seals and sturgeons.
The Caspian Sea is the world's largest enclosed body of water and a crucial route for oil and gas.
Russia's water management practices have reduced water flow into the Caspian Sea.
Oil pollution and poaching have severely impacted sturgeon populations.
Kazakhstan's major oil fields are managed by foreign companies.
A Kazakh lawyer sued the government over secret contracts with oil firms, concerned about environmental impacts.
Two men were given life sentences for killing an Aboriginal teenager, Cassius Turvey, in Perth, Australia. The incident led to public protests and discussions about racism. A third man involved was sentenced to 12 years for manslaughter, and a fourth received a shorter sentence for other assaults.
Key Facts
Cassius Turvey, a 15-year-old Aboriginal boy, died from head injuries after an attack.
This attack happened on the outskirts of Perth in October 2022.
The main attackers, Jack Brearley and Brodie Palmer, were sentenced to life in prison.
A third man, Mitchell Forth, was sentenced to 12 years for manslaughter.
A fourth person, Ethan MacKenzie, was jailed for two and a half years for his role in other attacks.
Brearley claimed self-defense, which the judge dismissed as false.
The attack sparked protests and discussions about racism in Australia.
The judge noted that racial insults used during the crime affected the Aboriginal community.
Investigators have retrieved crucial data from the flight recorders of an Air India plane that crashed on June 12 near Ahmedabad airport. The crash involved a London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which resulted in at least 270 deaths. The recovered data will help investigators understand what caused the crash.
Key Facts
The Air India flight crashed less than a minute after takeoff on June 12.
At least 270 people lost their lives in the crash.
Investigators found the flight recorders, often called "black boxes," on June 13 and June 16.
These flight recorders contain data on aircraft performance and cockpit audio.
The investigation is led by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, with help from the US National Transportation Safety Board.
The data analysis aims to understand the crash and improve future aviation safety.
The flight recorders were recovered nearly two weeks after the crash, sparking questions about the timing.
A Russian court has sentenced photographer Grigory Skvortsov to 16 years in prison for treason, alleging he shared details about underground Soviet bunkers with an American journalist. Skvortsov denies wrongdoing, claiming the information was publicly available. The trial was held in secret, and Skvortsov says Russian officers mistreated him during his arrest.
Key Facts
A Russian court found photographer Grigory Skvortsov guilty of treason.
Skvortsov received a 16-year sentence in a maximum-security prison.
He was accused of sharing information about Soviet-era bunkers with a U.S. journalist.
The trial took place in a closed-door session in Perm, Russia.
Skvortsov claims the information he shared was already publicly available or could be bought.
The court released a photo of Skvortsov in a glass cage during the verdict.
Skvortsov alleges he was mistreated by Russian authorities during his arrest.
The rights organization Memorial considers his case possibly politically motivated.
Baby Bank Network Bristol, a charity founded in 2015 by three local mothers, has aided over 11,000 families in need by providing essential items like clothes and strollers. It operates from a small warehouse in Bristol and is seeking funds through a campaign called Power The Hive to expand to a larger location and support more families.
Key Facts
Baby Bank Network Bristol started in 2015 by three mothers to help families in poverty.
The charity has given away nearly 460,000 essential items to families.
Items like clothes and prams were mostly secondhand but valued at £3.4 million if new.
The charity runs from a small warehouse and aims to move to a larger space.
Around 40 families per week receive help from the charity.
The charity has 325 referral partners and relies entirely on donations and fundraising.
The fundraising campaign, Power The Hive, aims to raise £10,000, with the first £5,000 match-funded.
A third of UK children live in poverty, with nearly half under the age of four.
A teacher named Stefanie Lakin from Solihull started a charity called Madrina, which provides free prom dresses and suits to teenagers who might not afford them otherwise. Since 2022, Madrina has given almost 1,000 dresses and works with schools to identify students in need, aiming to make proms more accessible and inclusive for everyone.
Key Facts
Stefanie Lakin set up the charity Madrina in 2022 to provide prom dresses for free.
Madrina has given away almost 1,000 dresses, each worth up to £750.
The charity also offers free suits for boys, with garments donated by local shops.
Madrina collaborates with schools, local charities, and parents to find families who need help.
About 80 schools have pop-up prom shops organized by the charity.
Shoes and bags are also donated by prom dress shops and community members.
The initiative helps students who might skip prom due to financial reasons.
Schools like St Thomas Aquinas Catholic School support the charity to ease the cost burden on parents.
The Supreme Court is gathering to make decisions on the last six cases of its term, one of which involves birthright citizenship. The decisions are expected on Friday.
Key Facts
The Supreme Court is meeting on Friday to decide the last six cases for the term.
One of the cases involves birthright citizenship.
Birthright citizenship refers to the right to citizenship for anyone born in a country.
The meeting is part of the Supreme Court's regular schedule to conclude its term.
Steve Inskeep and Nina Totenberg discussed the expectations for these cases on NPR.
Chad Machado and his son Xavier opened a pizza shop in Kekaha, Hawaii, after Chad lost his job during the Covid-19 pandemic. Xavier, who has loved cooking since he was young, teamed up with his father to start the business.
Key Facts
Chad and Xavier Machado are from Kekaha, a town on the island of Kaua'i in Hawaii.
Xavier was not interested in school but had a strong passion for cooking.
Chad lost his job due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
They decided to open a pizza shop as a result of Chad's job loss.
The father-son duo took a risk to start the business together.
This NPR article discusses three economic topics: the effect of having more babies on climate change, a legal ruling involving an AI company named Anthropic, and the current state of the bond market.
Key Facts
The article features economic stories related to babies, climate change, AI, and the bond market.
It explores whether an increase in the birth rate could significantly impact climate change.
A U.S. judge made a ruling that favored the artificial intelligence company Anthropic.
The bond market appears to be unusually stable, or "chill," as described in the article.
The reporting on these topics is part of a weekly economic update by NPR.
The episode is available on various platforms including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Japan executed Takahiro Shiraishi, known as the "Twitter killer," who murdered nine people in 2017. Shiraishi connected with his victims on social media, lured them to his apartment, and then killed them. The case led to public discussion about how suicide is discussed online and resulted in a change in Twitter's rules.
Key Facts
Takahiro Shiraishi murdered nine people in 2017.
He used Twitter to find his victims, mostly young women.
He lured them to his apartment by claiming he could assist them with suicide.
Shiraishi strangled and dismembered his victims.
Police discovered the bodies in October 2017 in Zama, near Tokyo.
Shiraishi admitted to the murders and later rejected his defense's claims that the victims consented to die.
He was sentenced to death in December 2020.
The case prompted Twitter to update its rules against promoting or encouraging suicide.
Japan executed Takahiro Shiraishi, known as the "Twitter killer," for murdering and dismembering nine people in 2017. Shiraishi was sentenced to death in 2020 and was executed as debate over the death penalty continues in Japan.
Key Facts
Takahiro Shiraishi was executed for killing and dismembering nine people in 2017.
He was called the "Twitter killer" because he contacted victims through Twitter.
Most victims shared suicidal thoughts on social media before their deaths.
The victims included eight women and one man.
Shiraishi was also found guilty of sexually abusing female victims.
Shiraishi's execution occurred amid discussions in Japan about ending the death penalty.
Japan has a high suicide rate, which has increased as the COVID-19 pandemic affects the country.
The execution was conducted in secrecy and wasn't revealed until after it happened.
A bright object, likely a meteor or space junk, was seen in the sky over parts of the Southeastern U.S. on June 26, 2025. The National Weather Service reported sightings mainly from Georgia and South Carolina, and a house in Georgia was damaged when a rock broke through its roof.
Key Facts
A bright object appeared in the midday sky over southeastern U.S. on June 26, 2025.
The National Weather Service suggested it might be a meteor or space debris.
Most sightings occurred around 12:30 p.m. in Georgia and South Carolina.
A house in Henry County, Georgia, was damaged by the object, which left a golf ball-sized hole.
Officials are investigating the object about 25 miles southeast of Atlanta.
Over 140 people across various states reported seeing the fireball.
Bright fireballs like this are caused by objects entering Earth's atmosphere and slowing down.
While many objects enter the atmosphere, they usually break into very small pieces before reaching the ground.
In Vilnius, Lithuania, fly larvae are used to process food waste, saving the city money by reducing waste disposal costs. The larvae eat the waste and are then converted into products like animal feed, while their manure is used as fertilizer.
Key Facts
Fly larvae in Vilnius process food waste for the city's residents and nearby councils.
The waste management company Energesman does not charge Vilnius for processing food waste.
This system is expected to save Vilnius up to €2 million per year by 2026.
Energesman uses fly larvae to convert food waste into renewable products like animal feed and industrial materials.
About six million flies are housed at Energesman's plant, producing over three million larvae a month.
The company provides orange waste bags and runs campaigns to encourage waste sorting.
EU regulations restrict fly larvae fed with kitchen waste from being used for human food products.
Energesman collaborates with other industries and universities for trials and research involving fly larvae products.
The PKK, an outlawed group fighting for Kurdish rights, announced it would stop its long conflict with Turkey, which has lasted 40 years and caused over 40,000 deaths. Despite the announcement, no formal peace talks have started, and fighting continues. Families of PKK fighters, like Leila, are waiting for peace, with some hopeful they might reunite with loved ones.
Key Facts
The PKK is known for fighting against Turkey to gain rights for Kurds and has been labeled a terrorist organization by several countries.
In the past, the PKK wanted an independent Kurdish state but now focuses on more autonomy and rights for Kurds.
The conflict between Turkey and the PKK has been ongoing for 40 years and has resulted in the deaths of over 40,000 people.
The PKK announced it would disband and end its fight, but no official peace process has started, and violence continues.
The PKK is based in the Qandil Mountains, a remote area near Iraq's border with Iran.
Leila's son joined the PKK after becoming interested in their ideas, and she hasn't seen him since he left home to train with the group.
Leila often visits the Qandil Mountains hoping to see her son, despite not having contact with him for years.
The BBC visited the Qandil Mountains and found that access is controlled by the PKK, and they display images of their leader Abdullah Ocalan, who has been imprisoned by Turkey since 1999.
Sean Combs is on trial for sex trafficking and related charges in a New York court. Prosecutors claim he used threats and control to force victims into sexual activities over several years. Combs has denied all allegations.
Key Facts
Sean Combs is facing charges including sex trafficking and racketeering.
Prosecutors argued that Combs controlled victims through threats and violence.
Two women testified against Combs, describing pressured participation in sexual events.
These events were allegedly orchestrated by Combs over several years.
Combs allegedly coerced women with financial control, violence, and blackmail.
The jury only needs to believe that the women were coerced in one instance to convict.
Cassie Ventura, one of the accusers, claimed Combs controlled her life and was physically abusive.
Prosecutors in Sean "Diddy" Combs's trial argued that he used his business to coerce women into unwanted sexual acts. Combs, who faces charges including sex trafficking and racketeering, has pleaded not guilty. The prosecution presented evidence over seven weeks, suggesting Combs committed multiple crimes through his network, including drug trafficking and arson.
Key Facts
Sean "Diddy" Combs is on trial facing charges like sex trafficking and racketeering.
Prosecutors claim Combs used his business and a network of employees to coerce women into unwanted sexual activities.
Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Assistant US Attorney Christy Slavik argued that Combs's actions included drug trafficking and hiring someone to destroy a car.
The prosecution presented a video from 2016 showing Combs allegedly attacking one of the victims.
Testimonies from two of Combs's ex-girlfriends describe being manipulated and coerced into sex acts.
One victim claimed Combs threatened her living situation to force compliance.
The jury could start deliberating on the case as soon as Friday.
Bill Moyers, former White House press secretary and renowned TV journalist, passed away at 91 after a long illness. He was known for his influential work in television, producing many programs on public television that explored a wide range of topics. Moyers won numerous awards for his contributions to journalism, including over 30 Emmy Awards.
Key Facts
Bill Moyers died at the age of 91 in a New York City hospital.
He served as a White House press secretary under President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Moyers worked in various roles, including a minister, Peace Corps deputy director, newspaper publisher, and TV journalist.
He was well-known for his public television programs on topics like government corruption, religion, and media consolidation.
Moyers produced a notable series, "The Secret Government," about the Iran-Contra scandal.
He received many awards, such as more than 30 Emmys and 11 Peabody Awards, for his work in journalism.
Moyers was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1995.
A vaccine advisory committee has seen changes in its membership. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. replaced all the previous members with new appointees, who have proposed a new approach during a recent meeting.
Key Facts
A key vaccine advisory committee has experienced a complete change in membership.
The committee is known as ACIP, which stands for Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
ACIP gives advice to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on vaccine recommendations.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. removed every former member of the committee.
Seven new members have been appointed to the committee.
The new members held a two-day meeting to discuss their future plans.
Former Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams provided additional insights on the changes.
