BBC News

Sergei Tikhanovsky was held in solitary confinement in a high security Belarusian prison for five years after he dared to stand up to a dictator.

The former opposition blogger is now in enforced exile, freed along with 13 other political prisoners after a senior US delegation paid a rare visit to the authoritarian ruler of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko.

He spoke to the BBC’s Sarah Rainsford about how the last five years have been and reuniting with his family.

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

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

#Belarus #BBCNews

Israel has carried out a wave of air strikes across the Gaza Strip, which has triggered the mass displacement of hundreds of Palestinian families, witnesses said.

Rescue teams recovered the bodies of five people, while dozens of injured civilians were evacuated to Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, according to local reports.

The bombardment follows one of the largest evacuation orders issued since the war resumed in March.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has received increased pressure, including from the US, to refocus efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement.

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

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

#BBCNews

The US must rule out any further strikes on Iran if it wants to resume diplomatic talks, Tehran's deputy foreign minister has told the BBC.

Majid Takht-Ravanchi said the Trump administration told Iran through mediators that it wanted to return to negotiations this week, but had not made its position clear on the "very important question" of further attacks while talks are taking place.

The US and Iran were involved in talks over Iran's nuclear programme when Israel struck Iranian nuclear sites and military infrastructure earlier this month and Iran responded with missiles.

The US became directly involved in the conflict on 21 June when it bombed three of Iran's nuclear sites.

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

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

#Iran #BBCNews

It's been just over three years since Mariupol was taken by Russian forces after a brutal siege and indiscriminate bombardment – a key moment in the early months of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Thousands were killed, and the UN estimated 90% of residential buildings were damaged or destroyed.

In recent months, videos and reels from several pro-Russia influencers have been painting a picture of a glossy city where damaged structures have been repaired and where life has gone back to normal.

But the BBC has spoken to more than half a dozen people - some still living in Mariupol, others who escaped after spending time under occupation - to piece together a real picture of what life is like in the city.

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

#BBCNews

A heatwave continues to grip large parts of Europe, with authorities in many countries issuing health warnings amid searing temperatures.

Southern Spain is the worst-affected region, with temperatures in the mid-40s Celsius recorded in Seville and neighbouring areas.

A new heat record for June of 46C was set on Saturday in the town of El Granado, according to Spain's national weather service, which also said this month is on track to be the hottest June on record.

Red heat warnings are in force in parts of Portugal, Italy and Croatia, with numerous amber warnings covering areas of Spain, France, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Serbia, Slovenia and Switzerland.

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

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

#Europe #Spain #Heatwave #BBCNews

In the wake of the Post Office scandal, an injustice that’s been described by the government as 'on another level', BBC Wales investigates the infected blood scandal.

Wyre Davies exposes the role of drugs companies, politicians and doctors, and asks: how did 3,000 people lose their lives to deadly diseases in blood?

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

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

#UK #Wales #BBCNews

For years, British politicians avoided talking about immigration - but in the past two decades, it's become unignorable.

We take a look at the immigration pressures and promises that brought our recent governments to crisis.

In the first part of this two-part documentary, Tony Blair, David Cameron, Nigel Farage, migrant activists and government and media insiders go on record.

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

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

#BBCNews

Iran has the capacity to start enriching uranium again - for a possible bomb - in "a matter of months", the head of the UN's nuclear watchdog has said.

Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said US strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites had caused severe but "not total" damage to the enrichment programme.

That contradicts claims by US President Donald Trump that the US bombing had “totally obliterated” the nuclear facilities.

Meanwhile Iran’s deputy foreign minister has told the BBC that the US must rule out any further strikes on Iran if it wants to resume diplomatic talks. Majid Takht-Ravanchi says the Trump administration has told Iran through mediators it wants to return to negotiations, but had "not made their position clear" on the "very important question" of whether they might conduct further attacks while talks are taking place.

Israel attacked nuclear and military sites in Iran on 13 June, claiming Iran was close to building a nuclear weapon.

The US later joined the strikes, dropping bombs on three of Iran's nuclear facilities: Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan.

Since then, the true extent of the damage has been unclear.

The IAEA assessment comes after a leaked US intelligence report also concluded that the strikes had probably only set back the programme by months.

Trump retorted furiously to that, declaring that Iran's nuclear sites were "completely destroyed" and accusing the media of "an attempt to demean one of the most successful military strikes in history".

Reeta Chakrabarti presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Lyse Doucet in Iran’s capital Tehran.

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

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

#BBCNews

Today, we look at where the welfare U-turn leaves Keir Starmer’s government, and the PM himself.

Paddy and Henry Zeffman go through the PM’s first year in office and put it into context by look at where he’s got things right and wrong.

Henry’s been talking to Labour insiders and officials for a documentary: Starmer’s Stormy Year

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

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

#BBCNews

Voice actors and video games go hand in hand, right? But what happens when voice actors try to make a video game?

Well, co-creator of Date Everything Robbie Daymond joked it "almost destroyed" their lives, with Ray Chase and Amanda Hufford also sharing the tough times they had with getting their game to screen.

The game does, well, what it says on the tin, you can get into a relationship with anything inside a virtual household, with plenty of nods to the anime history of the creators involved.

They spoke to BBC Newsbeat's Tom Richardson to share the challenges they faced in making the leap from voice acting to game creating.

(Sassy Chap Games/Team 17)

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

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

#Gaming #DateEverything #JujutsuKaisen #GenshinImpact #Anime #BBCNews