BBC News

Tens of thousands of people are fleeing Syria's third-largest city Homs in fear that Islamist-led rebels will continue to advance towards the capital, Damascus.

The rebels seized Hama to the north on Thursday, a second major blow to President Bashar al-Assad who lost control of Aleppo last week.

The leader of the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani, told residents of Homs "your time has come".

Syrian rebels launched a surprise offensive against the government last week and have so far captured two major cities. The rebel push is the largest offensive launched against the government in years, but a civil war has continued in Syria since the Arab Spring in 2011.

Subscribe here: http://bit.ly/1rbfUog

For more news, analysis and features visit: www.bbc.com/news

#Syria #MiddleEast #BBCNews

Police in New York have released new photos of an unmasked individual wanted for questioning over the killing of a healthcare chief executive.

UnitedHealthcare boss Brian Thompson, 50, was fatally shot in the back on Wednesday morning outside the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan.

The attacker fled the scene without taking any of Thompson's belongings.

Police believe the victim was targeted in a pre-planned killing. Investigators are also using facial recognition technology and examining bullet casings with cryptic messages written on them as they seek to track down the killer. The words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” were written on the ammunition. It’s been suggested this is a reference to methods used by the US healthcare insurance industry to reduce or deny claims for payouts.

Clive Myrie presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Ros Atkins and Nada Tawfik.

Subscribe here: http://bit.ly/1rbfUog

For more news, analysis and features visit: www.bbc.com/news

#BBCNews

Police have released two new photos of "a person of interest" in the killing of US health insurance executive Brian Thompson in New York on Wednesday.

NYPD are continuing their manhunt for a suspect after the "targeted attack" on the UnitedHealthcare CEO in Midtown Manhattan.

Thompson was shot in the back and leg around 06:45 EST (11:45 GMT) on Wednesday morning outside the Hilton hotel.

Investigators say the words "deny," "defend," and "depose" were written on the shell casings recovered at the scene of the attack, the BBC's US partner CBS News reports.

Subscribe here: http://bit.ly/1rbfUog

For more news, analysis and features visit: www.bbc.com/news

#US #BBCNews

A strong 7.0 magnitude earthquake has struck off the coast of northern California, according to the US Geological Survey.

The quake led to a tsunami warning along the coasts of both northern California and southern Oregon.

The earthquake's epicentre was marked near Ferndale, California, a small city in Humboldt County.

Subscribe here: http://bit.ly/1rbfUog

For more news, analysis and features visit: www.bbc.com/news

#US #Earthquake #BBCNews

Syrian rebels say they have taken control of the major city of Hama, after the military withdrew its troops amid fierce battles.

The leader of the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani, declared "victory" in the city and vowed there would be "no revenge".

Earlier, a rebel commander said HTS fighters and their allies had taken over a prison and released inmates.

The military said it had redeployed troops to "preserve civilian lives and prevent urban combat".

Subscribe here: http://bit.ly/1rbfUog

For more news, analysis and features visit: www.bbc.com/news

#Syria #BBCNews

Protesters have gathered in South Korea's capital Seoul for a second day, calling on President Yoon Suk Yeol to resign.

The South Korean ruling party says it will not vote to remove the president from office after his failed attempt to bring the country under martial law.

President Yoon's shock announcement on Tuesday night caused chaos in the country, and was quickly overturned by parliament.

Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun has taken responsibility for the situation and resigned.

Subscribe here: http://bit.ly/1rbfUog

For more news, analysis and features visit: www.bbc.com/news

#SouthKorea #BBCNews

The price of Bitcoin has for the first time broken past the $100,000 mark, hitting a new record high.

The value of the world's biggest cryptocurrency has been boosted by hopes US President-elect Donald Trump will adopt crypto-friendly policies.

The milestone was reached hours after Trump said he would nominate former Securities and Exchange Commission commissioner Paul Atkins to run the Wall Street regulator.

Atkins is seen as being far more pro-cryptocurrency than the current head of the SEC, Gary Gensler.

Subscribe here: http://bit.ly/1rbfUog

For more news, analysis and features visit: www.bbc.com/news

#Bitcoin #Cryptocurrency #BBCNews

France's Prime Minister Michel Barnier is expected to tender his resignation today, hours after being ousted in a no-confidence vote.

Barnier's government collapsed after MPs voted overwhelmingly in support of the motion against him, just three months after he was appointed by President Emmanuel Macron.

The prime minister is likely to stay on as caretaker while Macron chooses a successor, a process which could take weeks.

Last night's vote was the first time a French government had been voted down by parliament in more than 60 years.

Subscribe here: http://bit.ly/1rbfUog

For more news, analysis and features visit: www.bbc.com/news

#MichelBarnier #BBCNews

Police in New York are using facial recognition technology and a discarded cell phone to identify and track down the killer of a healthcare chief executive.

UnitedHealthcare boss Brian Thompson, 50, was fatally shot in the back on Wednesday morning outside the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan.

The attacker fled the scene without taking any of Thompson's belongings. Police believe Thompson was targeted in a pre-planned killing.

They are focusing on a surveillance image taken in a branch of Starbucks just before the shooting.

Subscribe here: http://bit.ly/1rbfUog

For more news, analysis and features visit: www.bbc.com/news

#BrianThompson #BBCNews

The French government has collapsed after Prime Minister Michel Barnier was ousted in a no-confidence vote. MPs in the National Assembly voted overwhelmingly in support of the motion against him - just three months after he was appointed by President Emmanuel Macron.

Opposition parties had tabled the motion after the former Brexit negotiator controversially used special powers to force through his budget without a vote. It marks the first time the country's government has collapsed in a no-confidence vote since 1962.

The removal of Michel Barnier will increase France's current political instability after snap elections in the summer gave no single group a majority in parliament.

Barnier is now obliged to present the resignation of his government and the budget which was the cause of his downfall is defunct.

Both the far right and radical left had tabled motions of no-confidence after Barnier pushed through reforms to social security by invoking presidential decree on Monday after failing to win enough support for the measures.

The left-wing alliance New Popular Front (NFP), which won the most seats in the summer election had heavily criticised Macron’s decision to appoint the Michel Barnier as prime minister instead of its own candidate.

Reeta Chakrabarti presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Andrew Harding and Katya Adler.

Subscribe here: http://bit.ly/1rbfUog

For more news, analysis and features visit: www.bbc.com/news

#BBCNews