The latest five minute news bulletin from BBC World Service.Av BBC World Service

Israel and Hezbollah have agreed a ceasefire in Lebanon which could bring an end to more than a year of fighting there that has claimed thousands of lives. The office of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his security cabinet had approved the US ceasefire plan. It’s understood that the initial 60-day ceasefire will see Israeli troops p…

Fevzi Turkalp, the Gadget Detective, joins Salma El-Wardany on BBC Radio London to discuss the astonishing rate at which people are joining Bluesky, a social media platform alternative to Elon Musk's X/Twitter, especially since the recent US presidential election and changes to how the service is run. Created by Jack Dorsey, who formally owned Twit…

Russia and Ukraine have traded air strikes, after a week of intensifying rhetoric in which Russia tested a new missile on Ukraine. Russia has made close to 1,500 strikes on Ukraine since Sunday evening on about half of the country's regions causing dozens of injuries, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said. Meanwhile Ukraine's military said it…

US President Joe Biden has announced a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah. The deal will take effect from 04:00 local time (02:00 GMT) on Wednesday 27 November, according to Biden. Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Israel has agreed a ceasefire deal to end fighting with Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israeli troops began …

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel has agreed a ceasefire deal to end fighting with Hezbollah in Lebanon. He said, under the deal, any attempts by Hezbollah to rearm will be a violation of the deal, and that Israel will "respond severely" if they do.Israeli troops began a land invasion of Lebanon almost two months ago, in res…

Russia and Ukraine have traded air strikes, after a week of intensifying rhetoric in which Russia tested a new missile on Ukraine. Russia has made close to 1,500 strikes on Ukraine since Sunday evening on about half of the country's regions causing dozens of injuries, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said. Meanwhile Ukraine's military said it…

Thousands of opposition protesters have converged on Pakistan's heavily-barricaded capital, demanding the release of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan. The convoy - which is aiming for a square in the centre of Islamabad - has clashed with security forces, who have been firing tear gas and rubber bullets at the marchers in an attempt to dispe…

The Israeli security cabinet will discuss a 60-day Lebanon ceasefire deal with Hezbollah on Tuesday. The proposed truce would be for an initial period of 60 days and include the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, according to media reports. In return, Hezbollah would end its presence south of the Litani River, about 30km (18 miles) north of…

The special prosecutor who brought two key criminal cases against Donald Trump has asked judges to drop both of them after his victory in the 2024 presidential election. Special counsel Jack Smith was overseeing cases accusing Trump of trying to overturn the 2020 election results and improperly storing classified documents after he left office. Tru…

Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, is under lockdown for a second day as thousands of protesters demanding the release of former prime minister Imran Khan from jail converge on the city. His supporters are also calling for the overturning of election results they say were rigged - a claim disputed by the Pakistan government. The former PM has been deta…

Nigeria has one of the highest birth rates in the world, with women often facing social pressure to conceive and even ostracisation or abuse if they cannot.Under this pressure, some women go to extremes to realise their dream of motherhood.For over a year, BBC Africa Eye has been investigating the “cryptic pregnancy” scam.Scammers posing as doctors…

Egyptian authorities say 17 people are missing, including foreigners, and 28 have been rescued after a tourist boat sank in the Red Sea. Two of those missing are British, the BBC understands. Finland has also confirmed one of their nationals is also unaccounted for, as rescuers continue to search the area. The boat with 31 tourists and 14 crew - wh…

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has told the BBC the gas deals she made with Russia were intended to help German firms and kept the peace with Moscow.She also insisted the war with Ukraine would have started earlier if she hadn’t blocked Kyiv’s entry into Nato in 2008.Angela Merkel led Germany for 16 years. She was in office during the finan…

A British businessman caught on camera confessing he was illegally selling luxury perfume to Russia is not facing criminal charges, the BBC has learned.David Crisp admitted to an undercover investigator that he had “ignored government edicts” on sanctions by selling £1,000-a-bottle “Boadicea the Victorious” perfume in Russia.The BBC can now exclusi…

A far-right, pro-Russia candidate has taken a surprise lead in the first round of Romania's presidential electionWith more than 99% of votes counted, ultranationalist Calin Georgescu was on 23%, followed by centre-right candidate Elena Lasconi of the Save Romania Union and populist social democrat Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, the pre-election fav…

Defence ministers from the UK and key EU countries are meeting in Berlin, days after President Vladimir Putin said Russia had the right to target the military facilities of countries supplying weapons to Ukraine. Poland has always insisted Ukraine has every right to use Western-sent missiles against Russia in self-defence. But the country hosts sev…

Suspected methanol poisoning from tainted drinks has reportedly killed six tourists in a Laos holiday town in the past fortnight. A British woman, two Australian women, a US man and two Danish nationals have died. The deaths remain under police investigation, but reports have suggested they may have consumed drinks tainted with methanol, a deadly s…

Public attitudes to immigration are hardening in the Irish Republic as the country sees a significant increase in arrivals. The government, which is facing an election, has said it will begin chartered deportation flights for those denied asylum in the coming months and is freeing up immigration officers from desk work to address the issue.Asylum a…

In the heart of The Natural History Museum in London, UK, the exhibits are coming to life. Visions of Nature takes visitors to the year 2125, to see how the natural world is adapting to climate change and human behaviour. It's called a mixed reality experience; some of the exhibition is physically present, but much of it uses virtual reality headse…

Israel says a rabbi who went missing in the United Arab Emirates has been murdered, and have vowed to track down his killers.“The murder of Zvi Kogan is a criminal antisemitic terrorist incident," PM Benjamin Netanyahu's office said.Rabbi Kogan, an envoy of the orthodox Jewish organisation Chabad, had been missing in Dubai since Thursday.His body w…

A finance deal reached at the COP29 summit to help less-developed countries tackle climate change has been criticised for failing to meet the scale of the challenge. Days of negotiations in Azerbaijan - that extended the talks by more than 30 hours - saw richer countries agree to raise their contribution to $300bn a year by 2035. The African Group …

The UN's latest climate summit is coming to a close in Azerbaijan, and there have been more calls for countries to take further action to reduce emissions. Crucial to any global response is America - the world's only superpower and the world's second largest emitter. Now, Donald Trump is about to become its president - and he has been fiercely crit…

UN climate talks are on the verge of collapse as a group representing small island states walks out of a key meeting at COP29 in Azerbaijan.Nearly 200 countries are trying to reach a deal on money to help poorer countries tackle the effects of climate change. However on Friday, poorer countries dismissed an offer of $250bn (£199bn) per year by 2035…

A famine-stricken camp housing about 500,000 displaced people in Sudan has received its first convoy of aid in months. The United Nations' trucks arrived in Zamzam - which houses masses forced to flee during Sudan's 18-month civil war - on Friday. The UN's World Food Programme (WFP) said food deliveries had been held up for months by fierce fightin…

A massive Israeli strike has flattened a residential building in centre of the Lebanese capital Beirut. At least 11 people have now been killed and more than 60 injured, according to Lebanon's health ministry.The eight-storey building was completely destroyed without warning by five missiles in the capital's densely-populated Basta district, accord…

As Donald Trump’s list of appointments becomes longer and more controversial, there’s one area that seems set for drastic change: defence. The announcements come alongside Joe Biden’s decision to supply Ukraine with long-range missiles to fire into Russia, just months before Trump becomes commander in chief. We speak to Robert Wilkie, the man in ch…

In this episode of Path to the Presidency, the BBC’s Sumi Somaskanda and Caitríona Perry are joined by digital reporter Kayla Epstein to discuss more twists and turns in Donald Trump's transition.It comes as his pick for US Attorney General, Matt Gaetz withdraws his candidacy.Subscribe here: http://bit.ly/1rbfUogFor more news, analysis and features…

A young Australian woman has died, the sixth foreign tourist to lose their life in Laos in South East Asia, from suspected methanol poisoning. Holly Bowles was 19, on holiday with her best friend Bianca Jones, who's also died. Simone White, a lawyer from Kent in the UK is also among the victims. Two other victims aged 19 and 20 were from Denmark, a…

In southern China, scientists have discovered ancient forests with animals and plants they thought were extinct in several sinkholes. The sinkholes have formed over tens of thousands of years and have only recently become visible when the land collapsed. They're now being explored with the help of local mountaineers. Subscribe here: http://bit.ly/1…

The COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan has released a new draft finance deal that would have developed nations take the lead.The deal proposes wealthier countries give $250bn (£199bn) per year by 2035 to developing nations to help tackle climate change.But small island nations, including countries like Tonga, Samoa and Vanuatu in the Pacific,…

A civil jury has found that the mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor assaulted a woman who had accused him of raping her. He has been ordered to pay the woman more than €248,000 in damages. The civil action was taken by Nikita Hand who sought damages for assault after accusing McGregor of raping her in the Beacon Hotel in Dublin on 9 December …

Germany’s core industries, like car manufacturing, are under threat from competition abroad. Could artificial intelligence (AI) get Europe’s most powerful economy back on track?Only two weeks ago its colation government collapsed, involving complicated constitutional questions at a time when economic growth has stalled.Some of the world’s greatest …

Russian President Vladimir Putin said an attack by his forces on the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Thursday morning was carried out using "a new conventional intermediate-range missile". He said that the missile, codenamed Oreshnik, was a response to Ukraine's use of US and UK-supplied long-range weaponry towards targets inside Russia. Putin …

A second Australian teenager has died of suspected methanol poisoning, bringing to six the number of foreign tourists who have died after apparently drinking tainted alcohol in Laos. The family of Holly Bowles, 19, said they were "heartbroken" to confirm her death, more than a week after she fell ill in the tourist town of Vang Vieng. Her friend Bi…

US President-elect Donald Trump has nominated long-time ally and veteran prosecutor Pam Bondi as his new pick for attorney general, hours after Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. Bondi has a long track record in law enforcement and previously served as Florida's attorney general. A loyal Trump ally, she was part of his legal team duri…

udges at the International Criminal Court have issued an arrest warrant for Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of committing with others the war crimes of mass starvation, murder and persecution. Warrants have also been issued for Israel’s former defence minister Yoav Gallant, as well as the Hamas military commander, Mohammed …

British lawyer Simone White has become the fifth tourist to die in a suspected mass poisoning in Laos, following the deaths of an Australian woman, American woman and two Danish women. A number of people taken to hospital following the incident in the tourist town of Vang Vieng. News reports and testimonies on social media from other tourists have …

Vladimir Putin says Russia hit Ukraine with a new intermediate-range ballistic missile, days after Kyiv used Western-supplied weapons to strike inside Russia. The Russian president says the strike was in response to Ukraine's "use of American and British long-range weaponry". It's still unclear exactly what was damaged in the attack, which Ukraine …

Former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz has withdrawn his name from consideration to become attorney general after days of debate over whether to release a report on sexual misconduct allegations against him.On X, formerly Twitter, the 42-year-old said that the controversy over his potential nomination "was unfairly becoming a distraction" to the wor…

A US official has disputed Kyiv's claim that Russia launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at Ukraine, reports the BBC's US partner CBS News. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine was attacked with a "new Russian rocket" and suggests it has the "characteristics" of an ICBM. Russia has refused to comment - instead it cla…

Ukraine has fired UK-supplied Storm Shadow cruise missiles at targets within Russia for the first time, the BBC understands. It comes just days after US-supplied longer-range Army Tactical Missile System (Atacms) missiles also struck targets inside Russia. Former senior British officer and assault helicopter pilot Mikey Kay explains how these lates…

Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have issued arrest warrants for Israel’s prime minister and former defence minister, as well as Hamas's military commander. A statement said a pre-trial chamber had rejected Israel’s challenges to the court’s jurisdiction and issued warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant. A warrant was also…

Dozens of people are reported to have been killed in overnight Israeli air strikes in northern Gaza. Paramedics and Hamas-affiliated media said at least 66 were killed, including women and children, when several houses sheltering displaced people were hit near Kamal Adwan hospital in the town of Beit Lahia. One unverified video showed more than 20 …

High-tech equipment made by a UK firm worth $2.1m (£1.6m) has been sold to companies in Russia connected to the military, customs documents seen by BBC News suggest. The documents indicate the British-made camera lenses were shipped by a company registered in Kyrgyzstan, apparently run by swimwear model Valeria Baigascina. The UK manufacturer, Beck…

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said damage to two undersea cables in the Baltic Sea looks like an act of sabotage. A 1,170km (730-mile) telecommunications cable between Finland and Germany was severed in the early hours of Monday, while a 218km internet link between Lithuania and Sweden's Gotland Island stopped working on Sunday. The incid…

Ukraine has fired UK-supplied long-range Storm Shadow missiles at targets within Russia for the first time, the BBC understands. The UK government is not commenting on the reports but the defence secretary said "Ukraine’s action on the battlefield speaks for itself". It comes just days after US-supplied longer-range Army Tactical Missile System (At…

Vice-President-elect JD Vance is shoring up Senate support for Donald Trump's cabinet picks as he brings attorney general nominee Matt Gaetz along on a visit to the Capitol. The nomination has caused controversy among Republicans and Democrats, as the House Ethics Committee is expected to meet amid a debate over whether it should release a report o…

Harvesting olives is an age-old ritual and also an economic necessity for many Palestinians, but, according to the UN, it is increasingly precarious. Farmers across the West Bank - internationally regarded as Palestinian land occupied by Israel - face heightened risks, like organised attacks by Israeli settlers seeking to sabotage the olive harvest…