BBC News

Nuclear sites in Iran have been severely damaged after a huge operation involving 125 warplanes and "deception tactics", a top US general has said.

Iranian officials have confirmed the facilities were struck but denied it had suffered a major blow.

Speaking at a briefing by the Pentagon, Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen Dan Caine said it will take some time to fully assess the extent of the damage Iran sustained but initial assessments indicated "all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction."

The deputy political director of Iran's state broadcaster, Hassan Abedini, said Iran had evacuated these three nuclear sites a "while ago".

Appearing on state-run TV, he said Iran "didn't suffer a major blow because the materials had already been taken out".

General Caine said US forces remain on "high alert" and are "fully postured to respond to any Iranian retaliation".

In response to the attacks, Iran warned of "everlasting consequences" and accused President Trump of "betrayal".

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

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

#Iran #BBCNews

Today we’re looking at the reaction to a security breach at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.

Pro-Palestinian activists broke into the base and sprayed two military planes with red paint.

The home secretary will move to proscribe the Palestine Action group in the coming weeks, effectively branding them as a terrorist organisation, the BBC understands.

Paddy and Laura look at the political row surrounding the incident.

And the BBC’s chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet joins us to answer your questions on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran.

You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers

You can join our Newscast online community here: https://tinyurl.com/newscastcommunityhere

Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. It was presented by Laura Kuenssberg and Paddy O’Connell. It was made by Chris Flynn with Josh Jenkins. The technical producer was Jonny Hall. The weekend series editor is Chris Hall. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The editor is Sam Bonham.

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

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

#bbcnews

00:00 What happened?

01:09 Who are the group claiming responsibility?

12:02 Your Israel-Iran questions answered

Millions of Americans have been warned of extreme temperatures as a heat dome is already smothering the mid west.

The heat is expected to spread to the rest of the United States over the coming days with highs of more than 32 degrees Celsius.

In Europe authorities have also issued warnings, with temperatures soaring in France and Spain.

The UK is experiencing its hottest day of the year so far with temperatures 10 degrees higher than the average for this time of year.

The UK Met Office has issued a yellow thunderstorm warnings too.

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

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

#ExtremeWeather #BBCNews

Iran's foreign minister has said that US involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict would be "very, very dangerous."

Abbas Araghchi is in Istanbul to continue diplomatic talks, but Iran has said it will not entertain nuclear talks until attacks stop.

Iran says at least 430 people have been killed in the country since the conflict began on 13 June, as Israel reports continuing Iranian attacks.

The Israel Defense Forces say they assassinated Iranian commander Saeed Izadi in the north-eastern city of Qom overnight.

Speaking in Istanbul, Turkey's President Erdogan said "Israel is the biggest obstacle to peace in the Middle East".

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

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

#BBCNews

Video games and music live in (almost) perfect harmony - so which video game would the bands of Download Festival like to see themselves in?

Members of Bullet For My Valentine, Dayseeker, McFly, Jimmy Eat World, Kittie, Don Broco and Rise Against caught up with us to tell us which game they'd like to hear one of their tracks on - and Malevolence's Alex Taylor may have let slip some Grand Theft Auto VI gossip.

Meanwhile, Alien Ant Farm said it was a 'bummer' not to be invited back to feature as one of the artists on the Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3+4 remakes, revealing what happened.

(Credit: Rockstar, Epic Games, Sony, Nintendo, Activision)

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

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

#Gaming #GrandTheftAutoVI #DownloadFestival #BBCNews

Today, MPs have voted in favour of the assisted dying bill in England and Wales, in the biggest step so far in favour of the changing of the law.

MPs vote to back a bill legalising assisted dying in England and Wales by 23 votes. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer voted in favour of the bill, while UK Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch voted against.

The bill would allow terminally ill adults with six months or less to live to get medical assistance to end their own lives. The bill will now progress to the House of Lords where it will face further scrutiny.

Adam and the BBC's political editor, Chris Mason, are joined by Fergus Walsh, the BBC’s medical editor to discuss.

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

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

#BBCNews

As the world waits for Donald Trump’s decison on whether to join Israel in striking Iran’s nuclear sites, he is quickly losing support from his own party. Donald Trump has generally enjoyed party unity since returning to office in January but now faces an open revolt over the possibility of US strikes against Iran.

Some of Trump’s biggest supporters, including the Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, have publicly come out against the prospect of war with Iran. Why are some of his MAGA supporters against military involvement, and does it fit with the ‘America First’ agenda?

Sarah, Justin and Anthony discuss how the legacy of America’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan loom over the current situation with Iran, and whether Donald Trump even needs the support of his party to join the Israel-Iran conflict.

And Justin speaks to Elliott Abrams, who served as Special Representative for Iran from 2020 to 2021, during Donald Trump’s first term. He was also an Assistant Secretary of State in the Reagan Administration. In 1992, Abrams was pardoned after he was convicted of misleading Congress about out the Iran-Contra affair, which involved the secret sale of arms to Iran.

This episode was made by George Dabby with Alix Pickles and Julia Webster. The technical producer was Rohan Madison. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to be notified every time we publish a new episode, please subscribe to us on BBC Sounds by hitting the subscribe button on the app. You can now listen to Americast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Americast”. It works on most smart speakers.

US Election Unspun: Sign up for Anthony’s BBC newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68093155

Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Americast also makes lots of other podcasts, including Radical, Newscast and Ukrainecast. If you enjoy Americast (and if you're reading this then you hopefully do), then we think that you will enjoy some of our other pods too. See links below.

Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl Ukrainecast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0bqztzm Radical: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r

Iran’s foreign minister has warned that Israel’s attack on his country is a "historic moment for human civilisation" in which countries must stand up for international law.

Speaking to the UN Human Rights Council, Abbas Araghchi said Israel attacked his country in the "midst of an ongoing diplomatic process" with the US about Iran’s nuclear capability - a process he said has been "promising".

He described Israel’s surprise attack as "an outrageous act of aggression", a "stark violation of the UN charter," which defied ‘the standards this council stands for.’

Israel has been hit by a new round of Iranian strikes this afternoon. It said its military had attacked dozens of targets, including what it called missile manufacturing sites in Tehran.

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

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

#Iran #Israel #BBCNews

Is escalation in the Middle East between Israel and Iran a positive development for Russia?

How successful has Ukraine been in downing Russia’s fibre optic drone capacity?

And is the Kremlin really intent on extending its invasion beyond Nato borders?

For this episode of Ukrainecast, Lucy Hockings and Vitaly Shevchenko are joined by BBC Verify's Olga Robinson and RUSI's Matthew Savill.

To hear more - including on the impact of the latest western sanctions - listen to the full episode here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0lk8pzs

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

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

#Ukraine #Russia #BBCNews

In an historic vote, Members of Parliament have approved a bill which gives terminally ill adults in England and Wales the right to end their own lives.

The Terminally Ill Adults Bill, which was backed by 314 votes to 291, will now go to the House of Lords for further scrutiny.

The bill backed with a majority of 23 MPs, representing a drop from the first time it was debated in November, when it passed by 55.

The vote came after an emotionally-charged debate which saw MPs recount personal stories of seeing friends and relatives die.

SUBS

#AssistedDying #BBCNews

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

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

#BBCNews