BBC News

The 2026 World Cup kicked off last night in Mexico, after a series of controversies in the lead up, including over visas for foreign teams, fans, media and officials hoping to go to the host countries: US, Canada and Mexico.

The latest scandal involves Fifa dropping Somali referee Omar Artan, after the US refused him entry.

Fifa‘s president Gianni Infantino said “we don't control everything”, and asked critics to "chill".

US Customs and Borders protection said in a statement that “derogatory information, including association with suspected members of terror organisations” was discovered after Omar Artan landed at Miami International Airport to attend the tournament.

Artan says he told border officials he knows nothing about the Somali militant group Al Shabab.

Today, we speak to Charles Gitonga, senior journalist and host of the BBC’s Focus on Africa podcast, about how Africans are reacting to the news, and whether the controversies will have long-term consequences for US-Africa relations.

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Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

02:08 Who is referee Omar Artan?

05:34 Why was Omar Artan refused entry into the US?

08:37 Why can’t he referee in Mexico or Canada?

10:45 What was Omar Artan said since?

12:29 What has Fifa President Gianni Infantino said?

16:51 What has Donald Trump said about African countries?

20:30 What do Africans think about the World Cup in the US?

#WorldCup #OmarArtan #US

Protests held across Northern Ireland on Thursday night passed off without major incident following a "robust" police response.

Police had vowed to crack down on any further trouble after two nights of unrest triggered by a brutal stabbing in Belfast on Monday.

Nineteen people - including a 16-year-old-boy - have now been arrested following the violence.

The BBC's Clive Myrie reports from the scene in Belfast.

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#NorthernIreland #Belfast #BBCNews

David Hockney has died at the age of 88, his publicist said.

The British artist is one of the most influential of the modern era and was one of the leaders of the 1960s pop art movement.

In 2018, one of his swimming pool paintings sold for nearly £70 million at auction - a record for a living artist.

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#DavidHockney #BBCNews

With world attention recently diverted to the wars in Iran, Lebanon and Gaza, there’s been a rise in the number of Palestinians forced from their homes in Occupied East Jerusalem.

According to UN figures, some 200 Palestinian households – about 900 people – are facing eviction cases filed against them in the Israeli courts, mostly by settlers. Israel sees the whole of Jerusalem as its capital - Palestinians want the East to be the capital of their hoped-for future state.

Our Middle East Correspondent, Yolande Knell has been to meet Palestinians whose homes are being taken over or demolished.

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#Israel #EastJerusalem #BBCNews

Tourism is a multi-billion-pound industry in Scotland, but when social media algorithms turn remote locations into must-see hotspots, the consequences can be complicated.

While tourism brings vital income to rural communities, it can also put pressure on landscapes, infrastructure and local life.

So how do we strike the right balance? And how can we explore the world without damaging the very places we’ve come to see?

In this video...

00:00 - Intro

00:45 - Scotland has gone... viral

01:08 - The data behind Scotland's internet popularity

01:43 - More visitors, more problems?

02:44 - Visitor numbers explained

03:15 - Meet Chris Lawlor - Scottish content creator

05:48 - The affect on rural communities

06:36 - Outlining local issues with BBC reporter Cameron

10:00 - Right to roam, explained

11:02 - What do local people think about tourism?

12:06 - What's being done to reduce the negative impacts of tourism?

13:24 - Chris Lawlor's top tips

14:05 - Summary

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#Scotland #Tourism #BBCNews

Today, the Defence Secretary John Healey has resigned.

In his resignation letter to the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Healey set out his reasons for leaving, telling the PM the defence investment plan "falls well short of what is required for defence and the country at this dangerous time”.

The sixth minister to resign for Starmer’s cabinet in a month, and one of its most loyal, the question will now turn to what lies ahead for the PM.

Adam and Chris are joined by Shashank Joshi Defence Editor of the Economist

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#BBCNews #UKPolitics #Defence

00:00 How John Healey's resignation unfolded

04:30 What the defence investment plan is

11:00 Budget pressures and competing priorities

13:00 The Prime Minister’s response

15:30 The spending gap and long-term defence targets

18:30 NATO commitments and credibility questions

21:00 Procurement, reform, and defence spending efficiency

24:00 Political fallout and leadership pressure

27:00 What happens next?

Violence broke out across Belfast with homes and vehicles set on fire following a knife attack in the north of the city on Monday night.

A man is in hospital with serious wounds after the attack, and a 30-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder.

Hadi Alodid, who is Sudanese, was arrested at the scene and appeared in court on Wednesday. He was remanded into custody.

Politicians and police have called for calm after people took to the streets across the city, with some reporting that residents were targeted based on their skin colour.

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US President Donald Trump said he has cancelled strikes on Iran tonight and suggested that a deal to end the war was close at hand.

"Discussions and final points have been, in both concept and great detail, approved by all parties involved", including the "US, Israel, Saudi Arabia", Trump said on Truth Social.

In an earlier post, he vowed to hit Iran "very hard" on Thursday night.

Iran has not responded to Trump's latest message - but earlier warned the US of an "endless quagmire that you will be stuck in for years".

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The 2026 World Cup kicks off in Mexico, with the men's tournament set to become Fifa's biggest showpiece ever.

An incredible 48 teams are taking part in the games, held across three nations: Mexico, the US and Canada.

But the sport bonanza has been mired in controversy over costly ticket prices, travel bans and visa issues, and local protests.

It is also the first time ever that a host nation is at war with one of the countries participating, leading to huge uncertainty over the Iran team's ability to partake in the games in the US.

We speak to our football issues correspondent Dale Johnson.

New episodes of the Global News Podcast are published twice a day. You can listen here: https://link.mgln.ai/GNP-YT

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With the UK government reportedly poised to announce significant restrictions for young people using social media, Matt and Marianna discuss how we got here.

They examine some of the arguments for and against limits for under-16s, and ask whether a de facto ban could be reversible if companies address safety concerns.