Amid chaotic scenes, French police waded into shallow waters off a beach south of Boulogne early on Friday morning and used knives to slash an inflatable small boat - packed with men, women and children - that was wallowing, dangerously, in the waves.

All those onboard clambered to safety as the boat collapsed.

The intervention was highly unusual.

French police usually follow strict rules that bar them from going into the sea in case they put lives at risk.

"Let's go in," said one of the gendarmes, pulling off his body armour, and taking out a small knife. His colleagues took their heavy armour off, too, placing equipment in the back of a nearby police car before rushing into the water.

It is possible to see this rare incident as evidence that the French police - under growing pressure to stop a surge of small boat migrant crossings to the UK - are changing their tactics.

But well-placed sources in France have told us that the procedural changes now being considered will almost certainly focus on the use of patrol boats at sea to intercept the "taxi-boats" before they're fully loaded, rather than on approving more aggressive interventions from police on the beaches.

A few metres offshore, the boat itself was clearly in trouble. People were crowded around the outboard motor, which had briefly stalled but was being restarted.

Waves were breaking underneath the boat, causing it to lurch wildly, and there were loud screams from several children who were in danger of being crushed onboard.

Earlier, two large groups of people already wearing orange life jackets had emerged from the nearby dunes and rushed towards the sea.

In all there were probably 80 or 100 people. But when the first "taxi-boat" - used by the smuggling gangs to collect passengers from various points along the French coast - sped past perhaps 100m from the shore, it was clearly full already and did not stop to pick anyone else up.

A few minutes later, a second boat, with almost no passengers, came towards the shore, watched by a French coastguard boat further into the English Channel.

Initially, people were ushered forwards in organised groups, holding hands, and directed by one man who appeared to be leading events.

But as the inflatable boat turned and reversed towards the shore, there was a scrum as dozens of people scrambled to climb aboard in water that was at least waist deep.

At first the gendarmes declined to intervene and stood watching from the shore.

One officer repeated a now-familiar explanation to me - that they were barred from going into the water except to rescue people.

But as the situation became increasingly chaotic, the officers at the scene clearly felt that a line had been crossed, that those on board were now in danger, and that there was a brief opportunity to disable the boat in relative safety and while any smugglers - who might have fought back - were distracted by their attempts to restart the engine.

As a policeman slashed repeatedly at the rubber, there were cries and shouts of anger and frustration from some of those onboard.

A young girl, who had been in the middle of the scrum, squashed at the stern of the boat close to the engine, was plucked to safety as others scrambled on to the nearby sand.

Moments later the boat was dragged ashore by the police as the migrants began collecting items they had dropped on the beach and then headed inland, up the sandy paths through the dunes towards the nearest village and a bus-ride back to the migrant camps further north.

Moments before the explosion, artists, students and athletes were among those gathered at a bustling seaside cafe in Gaza City.

Huddled around tables, customers at al-Baqa Cafeteria were scrolling on their phones, sipping hot drinks, and catching up with friends. At one point, the familiar melody of "Happy Birthday" rang out as a young child celebrated with family.

In a quiet corner of the cafe overlooking the sea, a Hamas operative, dressed in civilian clothing, arrived at his table, sources told the BBC.

It was then, without warning, that a bomb was dropped by Israeli forces and tore through the building, they said.

At the sound of the explosion, people nearby flooded onto the streets and into al-Baqa in a desperate search for survivors.

"The scene was horrific - bodies, blood, screaming everywhere," one man told the BBC later that day.

"It was total destruction," said another. "A real massacre happened at al-Baqa Cafeteria. A real massacre that breaks hearts."

The BBC has reviewed 29 names of people reported killed in the strike on the cafe on Monday. Twenty-six of the deaths were confirmed by multiple sources, including through interviews with family, friends and eyewitness accounts.

At least nine of those killed were women, and several were children or teenagers. They included artists, students, social activists, a female boxer, a footballer and cafe staff.

The conduct of the strike and the scale of civilian casualties have amplified questions over the proportionality of Israel's military operations in Gaza, which the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) say are aimed at defeating Hamas and rescuing the hostages still being held by the group.

Family members in Gaza and abroad spoke to the BBC of their shock and devastation at the killings.

"We were talking with each other two days ago. We were sending reels to each other. I can't believe it," said a young Palestinian man living in the US whose 21-year-old "bestie" Muna Juda and another close friend, Raghad Alaa Abu Sultan, were both killed in the strike.

The numbers of deaths analysed by the BBC were broadly consistent with figures given by the Hamas-run Civil Defence Agency, a senior local medic and the Palestinian Red Crescent in the days after the strike.

Staff at Shifa Hospital, which received the bodies, said its toll as of Thursday had reached 40 deaths, including people who had succumbed to their injuries, and unidentified bodies.

An official at the hospital said some of the bodies had been "blown to pieces", and that 72 injured patients were brought there - many having sustained severe burns and significant injuries that required surgery. He said many were students.

In a statement after the strike, the IDF said it had been targeting "terrorists" and that steps were taken to "mitigate the risk of harming civilians using aerial surveillance".

"The IDF will continue to operate against the Hamas terrorist organization in order to remove any threat posed to Israeli civilians," it added, before saying the "incident" was "under review".

The IDF did not directly respond to multiple BBC questions about the target of the strike, or whether it considered the number of civilian casualties to be proportionate.

Al-Baqa Cafeteria was well-known across the Gaza Strip, considered by many to be among the territory's most scenic and vibrant meeting spots.

Split over two floors and divided into men's and mixed family sections, it had views out to the Mediterranean Sea and television screens where people could watch football matches. It was a place to gather for coffee, tea and shisha with friends, and was a particular favourite with journalists.

Al-Baqa had remained popular even during the war, especially because of its unusually stable internet connection. The cafe, which had until now survived largely unscathed, also served up a reminder of the life that existed before the bombardments.

A cafe manager told the BBC that there was a strict entry policy. "It was known to our customers that if any person looked like a target, then they were not let inside the cafeteria - this was for our safety and the safety of the people there," he said.

On the day of the strike, the port area of Gaza City where the cafe is located was not under Israeli evacuation orders, and families of those killed on Monday say they had felt as safe as is possible when heading there.

Staff told the BBC that the strike in the early afternoon - between the Muslim prayers of Zuhr and Asr - was outside of the cafe's busiest hours.

The strike hit a section of the men's area where staff said few people were at the time.

BBC Verify showed several experts photos of the crater left in the wake of the explosion and the remaining munition fragments. Most said that they believed it was caused by a bomb, rather than a missile, with a range of size estimates given, at a maximum of 500lb (230kg).

The IDF told the BBC it would not comment on the type of munition used.

A journalist who was in the area at the time of the strike and spoke to eyewitnesses immediately afterwards told the BBC the munition that hit the cafe "was launched from a warplane - not from a drone that would usually target one or two people… It looked like they were very keen on getting their target". His account was consistent with others we spoke to.

Twenty-seven-year-old Hisham Ayman Mansour, whose deceased father had been a leading figure in Hamas' military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, was among those in the men's section by the sea.

His brother was previously killed by Israeli forces, and one social media post mourning his death suggested the brother had taken part in the 7 October 2023 attacks.

A local Hamas source said Hisham was the target of the strike, and described him as a field commander with the group, a "mid-ranking role".

Tributes posted on social media also referred to him as a "fighter" and "member of the resistance". His cousin also described him to the BBC as a "fighter" with the proscribed group, but said he thought he was "low-level" and not currently active.

It is unclear what he was doing in the cafe that day, with two sources telling the BBC he was believed to be there for a "money drop", while another suggested he was there for "coffee and a short respite" and that he had not been involved in "militant activities" during the war.

A photo shared on social media purported to show Hisham at the same spot in the men's area of the cafe the day before the strike, wearing a cap and sports t-shirt. Photos of his body after the strike in the same outfit were shared by family and friends.

Two members of his family - one of them a child - were also killed.

The IDF would not confirm whether Hisham was the primary target, or one of a number of targets of the strike.

One former senior IDF official told the BBC he understood that "multiple Hamas operatives" were hit at the cafe, but that a so-called battle damage assessment was still ongoing. A source with Israeli intelligence connections pointed towards a social media post naming Hisham as the target.

Sources in Gaza gave the BBC the name of a more senior Hamas commander who was rumoured to have been seated on a nearby table, but posts on social media said he died the following day and did not mention the cafe.

The Hamas source said Hisham was the only person within the group killed at al-Baqa, while the IDF did not respond to questions about the commander.

An anti-Hamas activist told the BBC that "many Hamas people" were injured in the strike, including one who worked with the group but not as a fighter, who lost his leg in the explosion.

Medics could not confirm this account, but said that they dealt with many people with severe injuries, including those arriving with missing limbs or requiring amputations.

Israel does not allow international journalists access to Gaza to report on the war making it difficult to verify information, and Hamas has historically ruled the territory with an iron grip, making speaking out or any dissent dangerous.

The remainder of this article contains details some readers may find distressing.

Among the bodies and the debris in al-Baqa were traces of the civilian lives lost - a giant pink and white teddy bear, its stuffing partially exposed, a child's tiny shoe, and playing cards soaked in blood.

A displaced man who was in the area seeing family at the time of the strike was among those who went running into the cafe to try to find survivors.

"Shrapnel was everywhere… there were many injuries," he told the BBC.

He said when he entered part of the men's section that he found the bodies of waiters and other workers, and saw as one "took his last breath".

"It was crazy," said Saeed Ahel, a regular at the cafe and friend of its managers.

"The waiters were gathered around the bar since it was shady and breezy there. Around [six] of them were killed," he added, before listing their names. More were injured.

The mother of two young men who worked at the cafe screamed as she followed their bodies while they were carried on a sheet out of the wreckage on Monday.

A distraught man pointed at a dry patch of blood on the floor, where he said bits of brain and skull had been splattered. He had put them in a bag and carried them out.

Meanwhile, the grandmother of 17-year-old Sama Mohammad Abu Namous wept.

The teenager had gone to the cafe that afternoon with her brother, hoping to use the internet connection to study. Relatives said the siblings were walking into the beachside cafe when the bomb hit. Sama was killed, while her brother was rushed to hospital.

"She went to study and they killed her," she said. "Why did she have to return to her grandmother killed?"

The coach of young female boxer Malak Musleh said he was in shock at the loss of his friend of more than 10 years, having first learned the news of her killing through social media.

"She believed that boxing was not just for boys but that girls should have the right too," Osama Ayoub said. "Malak was ambitious. She didn't skip any training day."

He said he last saw Malak about 10 days before the strike, when he dropped off some aid to her and her father.

"We sat together for nearly an hour. She told me that she was continuing her training with her sister and wished I could train them. I told her unfortunately because my house got demolished I live now in Khan Younis [in southern Gaza], but as soon as I hear that there is a ceasefire I will try to go back to training," he said.

"She said to make sure to keep a space for them… She had passion in her eyes and her words."

When Osama saw the Facebook post by Malak's father announcing her death, he "didn't believe it".

"I called him and he confirmed it but I still don't believe it," he said over the phone from a displacement camp.

Artist Amina Omar Al-Salmi, better known as Frans, was also at the cafe with a well-known photographer friend.

Since the 35-year-old's death, one of her pieces depicting a dead woman with her eyes closed and covered in blood, has been shared widely online alongside an image of her after her death, with people noting the striking similarities.

Her sister, now living in Sweden, told the BBC that the last time they spoke, Frans had said that she was sure "something good was going to happen".

"She was happy and said: 'We'll meet soon. You'll see me at your place.'"

Additional reporting by Riam El Delati and Muath al-Khatib

Verification by Emma Pengelly and Richie Irvine-Brown

US President Donald Trump is to sign his landmark policy bill into law, a day after it was narrowly passed by Congress.

The signing event at the White House on Friday afternoon, coinciding with 4 July celebrations, enacts key parts of the Trump agenda including tax cuts, spending boosts for defence and the immigration crackdown.

Trump began his victory lap at an Iowa rally on Thursday night, telling supporters it will unleash economic growth, but he must now convince sceptical Americans as polling suggests many disapprove.

Several members of his own Republican party were opposed because of the impact on rising US debt and Democrats warned the bill would reward the wealthy and punish the poor.

The 870-page package includes:

• extending 2017 tax cuts of Trump's first term
• steep cuts to Medicaid spending, the state-provided healthcare scheme for those on low incomes and the disabled
• new tax breaks on tipped income, overtime and Social Security
• a budget increase of $150bn for defence
• a reduction in Biden-era clean energy tax credits
• $100bn to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The bill signing will precede 4 July American Independence Day fireworks and a military picnic attended by the pilots who recently flew into Iran to try to dismantle three nuclear sites.

The celebratory mood follows days of tense negotiations with Republican rebels in Congress and days of cajoling on Capitol Hill, sometimes by the president himself.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries delayed the final vote in the lower chamber of Congress on Thursday by speaking for nearly nine hours.

He called the bill an "extraordinary assault on the healthcare of the American people" and quoted testimony from individuals anxious about its impact.

But his marathon speech only postponed the inevitable. As soon as he sat down, the House moved to a vote.

Only two Republicans went against, joining all 212 Democrats united in opposition. The bill passed by 218 votes to 214.

Earlier this week, the Senate passed the bill but US Vice-President JD Vance was required to cast a tiebreaking vote after three Republicans held out.

• Major win now but political peril awaits
• Fact-checking three key claims about the bill

Hours after the House passed the bill, the president was in a triumphant mood as he took to the stage in Iowa to kick off a years long celebration of 250 years since American independence.

"There could be no better birthday present for America than the phenomenal victory we achieved just hours ago," he told supporters in Des Moines.

"Very simply the One Big, Beautiful Bill will deliver the strongest border on Earth, the strongest economy on Earth [and] the strongest military on Earth."

The White House believes the various tax cuts will help stimulate economic growth, but many experts fear that will not be sufficient to prevent the budget deficit - the difference between spending and tax revenue in any year - from ballooning, adding to the national debt.

Analysis by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) suggests the tax cuts could produce a surplus in the first year but will then cause the deficit to rise sharply.

According to the Tax Policy Center, the tax changes in the bill would benefit wealthier Americans more than those on lower incomes, About 60% of the benefits would go to those making above $217,000 (£158,000), its analysis found.

The BBC spoke to Americans who may see a cut in the subsidies that help them pay for groceries.

Jordan, a father of two, is one of 42 million Americans who benefits from the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) scheme targeted by the bill.

• Americans brace for Trump's welfare cuts
• What is in the bill?

He and his wife get about $700 a month to feed their family of four and the 26-year-old said if this bill reduces what he can claim he would get a second job. "I'm going to make sure that I can do whatever I can to feed my family," he says.

Along with cuts to SNAP, the changes to Medicaid - a programme that covers healthcare for low-income, elderly and disabled Americans - would result in nearly 12 million losing coverage in the next decade, the CBO estimates.

Republicans defend their changes to Medicaid, saying that by toughening up work requirements they are tackling abuse and fraud.

Polling taken before the bill passed in Congress suggests public support is low and dwarfed by numbers opposed. A recent Quinnipiac University survey pointed to only 29% endorsing the legislation, which rose to two-thirds among Republicans.

But knowledge of the bill may be low too. Reuters reported there was little awareness of the legislation among Trump supporters they spoke to at the Iowa rally on Thursday night.

Several people have died and others are missing after flash flooding hit parts of central Texas on Friday morning.

Disaster declarations have been issued for the Hill Country and Concho Valley regions.

Rescues and evacuations have been underway since the early morning, but there are warnings of more potential flash flooding to come.

"Even if the rain is light, more flooding can occur in those areas," Acting Governor Dan Patrick said.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the state was providing "all necessary resources to Kerrville, Ingram, Hunt and the entire Texas Hill Country dealing with these devastating floods".

The region is to the north-west of the Texas city of San Antonio.

Pictures show the deep flood waters swamping bridges and fast moving water swirling down roads.

Exactly how many people have died or are missing has not yet been confirmed by authorities.

"Folks, please don't take chances. Stay alert, follow local emergency warnings, and do not drive through flooded roads," Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said.

Kerr County Sheriff's Office said the area had suffered a "catastrophic flooding event" and confirmed that fatalities had been reported.

It told residents near creeks, streams and the Guadalupe River to move to higher ground.

One of Sweden's most wanted gang leaders, Ismail Abdo, has been arrested in Turkey, the Swedish prosecutor's office said on Friday.

The dual Swedish-Turkish national has an extensive list of drug-related charges against him according to the global police agency, Interpol.

The 35-year-old, nicknamed The Strawberry, is a well-known leader of the Rumba crime gang in Sweden. He is accused of orchestrating illegal operations from abroad and has been the subject of an Interpol red notice since last year.

Swedish police did not identify him, but confirmed the arrest of a man "suspected of having engaged in serious drug trafficking and inciting serious violent crimes" for many years in Sweden.

He was one of 19 people who were arrested during raids in Turkey, where officers seized more than a tonne of drugs, state broadcaster TRT reported. Exactly where the raids took place has not been revealed.

Arrest warrants were issued for a further 21 suspects, of whom 14 were believed to be abroad and three already in custody on other charges. Four are still at large, TRT added.

Turkish authorities reportedly seized assets worth around 1.5bn Turkish lira (£27.8m; $38m), including 20 vehicles, bank accounts and 51 real estate properties.

Gang violence in Sweden has escalated in recent years, in part because Abdo's former friend, Rawa Majida, is the leader of a rival gang, Foxtrot.

Many people have been killed since their deadly turf war began. It entered a new, violent chapter in 2023 when Abdo's mother was murdered in her home in Uppsala, north of the capital, Stockholm.

The escalation prompted the government to bring in the army to help tackle the surge in gang killings.

In 2024, Turkish police arrested Abdo during a traffic stop, but released him on bail despite the active Interpol red notice against him - a move which drew criticism from Swedish authorities who were seeking to extradite Abdo.

The increase in gang violence that has plagued some of Sweden's biggest cities and spread to quieter suburbs and towns has shattered its reputation as a safe and peaceful nation.

Lat year, Sweden's security service, Sapo, accused Iran of recruiting Swedish gang members to carry out attacks on Israeli or Jewish interests. In October, a 13-year-old boy fired shots outside the offices of Israeli tech firm Elbit Systems. Israel's embassies in Sweden and Denmark were also both targeted.

Sweden's centre-right governing coalition, which promised to end the gang crime wave when it was elected in 2022, will see Abdo's capture as a win. However the fact that he is also a Turkish citizen could complicate the extradition process.

An estimated 14,000 people in Sweden are caught up in criminal gangs, according to a police report last year, and a further 48,000 people are said to be connected to them.

A pall of acrid smoke hung over Kyiv on Friday morning following a night of intensive Russian strikes that hit almost every district of the capital, according to Ukrainian authorities.

The hours of darkness were once again punctuated by the staccato of air defence guns, buzz of drones and large explosions. Ukraine said Russia had fired a record 550 drones and 11 missiles during a long night of bombardment.

The strikes came hours after a phone call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, after which the US president said he was "disappointed" that Putin was not ready to end Russia's war against Ukraine.

A woman was killed in Russia following Ukrainian drone attacks, officials said.

The acting governor of the southern Rostov region said she had been killed in a strike on village not far from the Ukrainian border.

Russia's overnight air strikes broke another record, Ukraine's air force said, with 72 of the 550 drones penetrating air defences - up from a previous record of 537 launched last Saturday night.

Air raid alerts sounded for more than eight hours as several waves of attacks struck Kyiv, the "main target of the strikes", the air force said on the messaging app Telegram.

Ukraine's foreign minister condemned "one of the worst" nights in the capital and said "Moscow must be slapped with the toughest sanctions without delay".

"Absolutely horrible and sleepless night in Kyiv. One of the worst so far," wrote Andrii Sybiha on X.

Noting that it came directly after Putin's call with Trump, Sybiha added that "[Putin] does it on purpose" and "clearly shows his disregard for the United States and everyone who has called for an end to the war".

Footage shared on social media by Ukraine's state emergency service showed firefighters battling to extinguish fires in Kyiv after Russia's large-scale overnight attack.

At least 23 people were wounded in the attacks on Kyiv, according to Ukrainian authorities, with railway infrastructure damaged and buildings and cars set ablaze across the capital.

Friday's attacks were the latest in a string of major Russian air strikes on Ukraine that have intensified in recent weeks as ceasefire talks have largely stalled.

War in Ukraine has been raging for more than three years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Following his conversation with Putin on Thursday, Trump said that "no progress" to end the fighting had been made.

"I'm very disappointed with the conversation I had today with President Putin, because I don't think he's there, and I'm very disappointed," Trump said.

"I'm just saying I don't think he's looking to stop, and that's too bad."

The Kremlin reiterated that it would continue to seek to remove "the root causes of the war in Ukraine". Putin has sought to return Ukraine to Russia's sphere of influence and said last week that "the whole of Ukraine is ours".

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he hoped to speak to Trump on Thursday about the supply of US weapons after a decision in Washington to halt some shipments of critical weapons to Ukraine.

Kyiv has warned that the move would impede its ability to defend Ukraine against escalating airstrikes and Russian advances on the frontlines.

Speaking to reporters, Trump said "we're giving weapons" and "we haven't" completely paused the flow of weapons. He blamed former President Joe Biden for sending "so many weapons to Ukraine that it risked weakening US defences".

Kenyan President William Ruto says he is building a church at the presidential residence in Nairobi that he will pay for himself - and says he has nothing to apologise for.

"I am not going to ask anyone for an apology for building a church. The devil might be angry and can do what he wants," President Ruto said on Friday.

That statement alone has angered Kenyans already frustrated with his style of leadership and what they regard as the entanglement of the state and the church.

The BBC has asked the government for comment.

It is not clear who Ruto was referring to as "the devil" in his comments at state house, but he says nothing will stop the project from going ahead.

On Friday one of Kenya's leading newspapers - the Daily Nation - published architectural designs showing a large building with stained glass windows and capacity for 8,000 people.

The paper questioned whether the project was in keeping with Kenya's secular constitution.

There has also been criticism of the cost, estimated at $9m (£6.5bn), at a time when many Kenyans are struggling with the rising cost of living.

Ruto said he would pay for the church out of his own pocket, however that raises the question of whether he has the right to build such a large structure on state-owned property.

In an open letter, one MP said Kenya was not a Christian state and belonged to people of all religions.

While some 85% of Kenyans are Christian, there is also a large Muslim population of about 11%, along with other minority faiths including Hinduism and traditional African religions.

There is no mosque or temple at the presidency.

"I did not start building this church when I entered the State House. I found a church but one made out of iron sheets. Does that look befitting for the State House?" a defiant Ruto told politicians at a meeting he hosted on Friday.

You may also be interested in:

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• How African popes changed Christianity - and gave us Valentine's Day
• Ghana to investigate ex-president's controversial $400m cathedral project

Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.

Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica

An American teenager has been detained on an Antarctic island, creating a major delay in his attempt to fly his small plane to every continent that is being followed online by more than a million people.

Chilean authorities stopped Ethan Guo, 19, after he submitted a false flight plan, according to the BBC's US partner CBS News.

His deviation from that plan in the air had "activated alert protocols", Chile's General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics said in a statement.

Mr Guo was taken into custody after landing on King George Island, home to a number of international research stations and their staffs, where July temperatures typically stay well below freezing.

Mr Guo's small Cessna 182 aircraft took off from the city of Punta Arenas, near the southernmost point of Chile, and flew to the island off the Atlantic coast, which is claimed by Chile. It is named after England's King George III.

He was detained at Teniente R. Marsh airport.

Mr Guo had allegedly submitted a plan to fly over Punta Arenas, but not beyond that, according to regional prosecutor Cristian Cristoso Rifo, as cited by CBS.

He has been charged for violating two articles of the country's aeronautical code, including one that could lead to short-term imprisonment.

In the statement, Chile's General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics said Mr Guo had also allegedly violated the Antarctic Treaty, which regulates international relations with respect to the uninhabited continent.

Mr Guo posted an update on X on Wednesday, saying: "I'm alive everyone, I'll make an update soon."

Ethan Guo has flown his Cessna aircraft to all the other six continents in his journey spanning more than 140 days, according to his social media feed.

He is hoping to become the first pilot to complete solo flights across all seven continents in the Cessna aircraft, and simultaneously aims to raise $1m (£ 731,000) for cancer research at the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

When the gunfire started outside her home in the Damascus suburb of Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, Lama al-Hassanieh grabbed her phone and locked herself in her bathroom.

For hours, she cowered in fear as fighters dressed in military-style uniforms and desert camouflage roamed the streets of the neighbourhood. A heavy machine gun was mounted on a military vehicle just beneath her balcony window.

"Jihad against Druze" and "we are going to kill you, Druze," the men were shouting.

She did not know who the men were - extremists, government security forces, or someone else entirely - but the message was clear: as a Druze, she was not safe.

The Druze - a community with its own unique practices and beliefs, whose faith began as an off-shoot of Shia Islam - have historically occupied a precarious position in Syria's political order.

Under former President Bashar al-Assad, many Druze maintained a quiet loyalty to the state, hoping that alignment with it would protect them from the sectarian bloodshed that consumed other parts of Syria during the 13-year-long civil war.

Many Druze took to the streets during the uprising, especially in the latter years. But, seeking to portray himself as defending Syria's minorities against Islamist extremism, Assad avoided using the kind of iron first against Druze protesters which he did in other cities that revolted against his rule.

They operated their own militia which defended their areas against attacks by Sunni Muslim extremist groups who considered Druze heretics, while they were left alone by pro-Assad forces.

But with Assad toppled by Sunni Islamist-led rebels who have formed the interim government, that unspoken pact has frayed, and Druze are now worried about being isolated and targeted in post-war Syria.

Recent attacks on Druze communities by Islamist militias loosely affiliated with the government in Damascus have fuelled growing distrust towards the state.

It started in late April with a leaked audio recording that allegedly featured a Druze religious leader insulting the Prophet Muhammad. Although the leader denied it was his voice, and Syria's interior ministry later confirmed the recording was fake, the damage had been done.

A video of a student at the University of Homs, in central Syria, went viral, with him calling on Muslims to take revenge immediately against Druze, sparking sectarian violence in communities across the country.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group, said at least 137 people - 17 civilians, 89 Druze fighters and 32 members of the security forces - were killed in several days of fighting in Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, the southern Damascus suburb of Jaramana, and in an ambush on the Suweida-Damascus highway.

The Syrian government said the security forces' operation in Ashrafiyat Sahnaya was carried out to restore security and stability, and that it was in response to attacks on its own personnel where 16 of them were killed.

Lama Zahereddine, a pharmacy student at Damascus University, was just weeks away from completing her degree when the violence reached her village. What began as distant shelling turned into a direct assault - gunfire, mortars, and chaos tearing through her neighbourhood.

Her uncle arrived in a small bus, urging the women and children to flee under fire while the men stayed behind with nothing more than light arms. "The attackers had heavy machine guns and mortars," Lama recalled. "Our men had nothing to match that."

The violence did not stop at her village. At Lama's university, dorm rooms were stormed and students were beaten with chains.

In one case, a student was stabbed after simply being asked if he was Druze.

"They [the instigators] told us we left our universities by choice," she said. "But how could I stay? I was five classes and one graduation project away from my degree. Why would I abandon that if it wasn't serious?"

Like many Druze, Lama's fear is not just of physical attacks – it is of what she sees as a state that has failed to offer protection.

"The government says these were unaffiliated outlaws. Fine. But when are they going to be held accountable?" she asked.

Her trust was further shaken by classmates who mocked her plight, including one who replied with a laughing emoji to her post about fleeing her village.

"You never know how people really see you," she said quietly. "I don't know who to trust anymore."

While no-one is sure who the attackers pledged their allegiance to, one thing is clear: many Druze are worried that Syria is drifting toward an intolerant Sunni-dominated order with little space for religious minorities like themselves.

"We don't feel safe with these people," Hadi Abou Hassoun told the BBC.

He was one of the Druze men from Suweida called in to protect Ashrafiyat Sahnaya on the day Lama was hiding in her bathroom.

His convoy was ambushed by armed groups using mortars and drones. Hadi was shot in the back, piercing his lung and breaking several ribs.

It's a far cry from the inclusive Syria he had in mind under new leadership.

"Their ideology is religious, not based on law or the state. And when someone acts out of religious or sectarian hate, they don't represent us," Hadi said.

"What represents us is the law and the state. The law is what protects everyone…I want protection from the law."

The Syrian government has repeatedly stressed the sovereignty and unity of all Syrian territories and denominations of Syrian society, including the Druze.

Though clashes and attacks have since subsided, faith in the government's ability to protect minorities has diminished.

During the days of the fighting, Israel carried out air strikes around the Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, claiming it was targeting "operatives" attacking Druze to protect the minority group.

It also struck an area near the Syrian presidential palace, saying that it would "not allow the deployment of forces south of Damascus or any threat to the Druze community". Israel itself has a large number of Druze citizens in the country and living in the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights.

Back in Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, Lama al-Hassanieh said the atmosphere had shifted - it was "calmer, but cautious".

She sees neighbours again, but wariness lingers.

"Trust has been broken. There are people in the town now who don't belong, who came during the war. It's hard to know who's who anymore."

Trust in the government remains thin.

"They say they're working toward protecting all Syrians. But where are the real steps? Where is the justice?" Lama asked.

"I don't want to be called a minority. We are Syrians. All we ask for is the same rights - and for those who attacked us to be held accountable."

Additional reporting by Samantha Granville

Russia has become the first country to formally recognise Taliban rule, with Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi calling it a "courageous" decision.

He met Russia's ambassador to Afghanistan, Dmitry Zhirnov, in Kabul on Thursday, where Mr Zhirnov officially conveyed his government's decision to recognise the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

Muttaqi said it was "a new phase of positive relations, mutual respect, and constructive engagement", and that the shift would serve as "an example" to other countries.

The Taliban have sought international recognition and investment since they returned to power in August 2021, despite reports of increasing violations on human rights.

"We believe that the act of official recognition of the government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will give impetus to the development of productive bilateral cooperation between our countries," Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement.

It said Russia saw the potential for "commercial and economic" cooperation in "energy, transportation, agriculture and infrastructure", and that it would continue to help Kabul to fight against the threats of terrorism and drug trafficking.

Russia was one of very few countries that did not close down their embassy in Afghanistan in 2021, and said on Telegram that "expanding the dialogue with Kabul" was critical in terms of regional security and economic development.

The country was also the first to sign an international economic deal with the Taliban in 2022, where they agreed to supply oil, gas and wheat to Afghanistan.

The Taliban was removed from Russia's list of terrorist organisations in April this year with the intention to pave the way for the establishment of a "full-fledged partnership" with Kabul, according to the Russian foreign ministry.

Russian President Vladimir Putin also referred to the Taliban as an "ally" in fighting terrorism in July last year, with representatives travelling to Moscow for talks as early as 2018.

The two countries have a complex history, after the Soviet Union invaded the country in 1979 and fought a nine-year war that cost them 15,000 personnel.

The decision to install a USSR-backed government in Kabul turned the Soviets into an international pariah, and they eventually withdrew from Afghanistan in February 1989.

Western governments and humanitarian organisations have widely condemned the Taliban government, in particular for their implementation of Sharia, which places heavy restrictions on women and girls.

In the past four years, women have been barred from accessing secondary and higher education, are unable to leave their homes without a male chaperone and are subject to strict dress codes.

Legislation has become increasingly restrictive, with the latest installation of 'virtue' laws banning women from speaking outside of their home.

The United Nations has said the rules amount to "gender apartheid", while also reporting public floggings and brutal attacks on former government officials.

Strict sanctions were placed on Afghanistan in 2021 by the United Nations Security Council, most notably the freezing of approximately $9bn in assets.

While China, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Pakistan have all designated ambassadors to Kabul, Russia is now the only country to recognise the Taliban government since their return to power almost four years ago.

A hugely popular K-pop musical animation has seen songs by its fictional bands zoom to the top 10 of music charts, rivalling the success of real-life K-pop groups.

KPop Demon Hunters, produced by Sony Pictures Animation, is currently the most streamed movie on Netflix globally, clocking up more than 33 million views in just two weeks.

The song Your Idol by a boy band in the film, Saja Boys, has reached number two on the chart. This makes them the highest charting male K-pop group in US Spotify history, according to reports - surpassing kings of K-pop BTS.

Golden, a track by the film's fictional girl group Huntr/x, hit number three on Spotify in the US, equalling Blackpink as the highest-charting female K-pop group.

The film's soundtrack shot into the top 10 of the Billboard 200 in the US, making it the highest debut for a soundtrack so far this year.

Golden is being released as an official single by Republic Records, and Netflix is submitting it for awards consideration, according to Variety.

KPop Demon Hunters follows the adventures of superstar band Huntr/x.

The three members of the all-female group - Rumi, Mira, and Zoey - are secretly "badass demon hunters" who protect their legions of fans from supernatural dangers.

During Huntr/x concerts, their music is used to protect the human world from the forces of darkness.

But rival band the Saja Boys, who are demons in disguise, are their arch enemies.

Jinu, Abbs, Romance, Baby, and Mystery have been sent by demon king Gwi-ma to steal the souls of Huntr/x's fans.

KPop Demon Hunters was directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans and was based on a story by Ms Kang.

Its success should perhaps not be too surprising as top producers including Teddy Park, who has worked with Blackpink, and BTS collaborator Lindgren were part of the team that created the album.

The huge success of KPop Demon Hunters comes as South Korean mega-stars BTS are set to make their highly-anticipated comeback.

The seven-strong group announced this week that it will head to the US this month to start working on new music.

The band is due to release a new album and go on tour next year after all of its members completed their mandatory military service.

Meanwhile, Blackpink is set to start its first all-stadium world tour on 5 July.

The band, which has not released an album together since 2022's Born Pink, is due to reveal a new song at the start of the Deadline World Tour.

High-profile British sports agent Jonathan Barnett has been accused of raping a woman more than 39 times, in a US lawsuit.

In a civil complaint lodged at a US district court in Los Angeles, the unnamed woman, referred to as "Jane Doe", says Mr Barnett "trafficked" her from Australia to the UK in 2017, "tortured" and kept her as a "sex slave" over a six year period.

She says Mr Barnett made "repeated threats to her life and the lives of her minor children".

The 75-year-old known for representing leading footballers including Gareth Bale and Jack Grealish, says the charges "have no basis in reality and are untrue".

"We will vigorously defend this lawsuit through the appropriate legal process. I am looking forward to being entirely vindicated and exonerated," a statement from his lawyers said.

Mr Barnett was ranked as the world's most powerful sports agent in 2019 by Forbes magazine.

The civil case was filed on Wednesday.

According to court documents, the pair first met in the 1990s through a professional athlete in London and reconnected online and then in person in 2017.

Within a matter of weeks she relocated to the UK with her teenage children - with sports agency CAA Stellar, headed by Mr Barnett, covering moving expenses.

The filing says that upon her arrival, he told her he "owned" her and raped her in a hotel room.

Mr Barnett went on to impose strict rules to obey him at all times, referring to him as "My Master" and to "never say it hurts", according to the lawsuit.

The complaint goes on to describe alleged degrading acts that included drinking urine or ingesting faeces.

The alleged torture also included the woman "tied up overnight without food or water".

She says she was "trafficked, threatened, tortured, and held" in bondage in different locations throughout the world, including Los Angeles, from 2017 to 2023.

"Realising she was powerless against a dangerous predator, Ms Doe submitted to Barnett in order to avoid being severely beaten or even killed," the lawsuit said.

"Jane Doe" is also suing Hollywood talent firm Creative Artists Agency and sports agency CAA Stellar, where Mr Barnett was executive chairman until his retirement last year.

The court documents state the CAA Stellar's parent companies, talent agencies ICM and CAA, "failed to find and/or willfully or recklessly disregarded" that substantial payments were made between 2017 and 2023, despite the woman not being an athlete or agent.

It is claimed Barnett referred to her as "slave" in emails sent from his work account.

Court documents say Mr Barnett used his "money and power to maintain coercive control" over the woman who was "in fear of her life and the lives of her children".

Lawyers for "Jane Doe" state the case is about "institutional abuse at the highest level".

They are seeking compensation on her behalf.

According to LA Times, CAA said it first heard of the woman's allegations last year when her lawyers made settlement demands - and the press inquired.

"While the complaint attempts to connect these allegations to CAA's business, Ms Doe has never been an employee, consultant, or contractor of CAA, ICM, or Stellar, nor has she ever had any business connection to CAA, ICM, or Stellar," CAA said in its statement.

"CAA takes any allegations of this nature seriously, and through counsel, promptly urged Ms Doe to contact law enforcement in the United Kingdom."

A former security contractor for Gaza's controversial new Israel- and US-backed aid distribution sites has told the BBC that he witnessed colleagues opening fire several times on hungry Palestinians who had posed no threat, including with machine guns.

On one occasion, he said, a guard had opened fire from a watchtower with a machine gun because a group of women, children and elderly people was moving too slowly away from the site.

When asked to respond the GHF said the allegations were categorically false.

They referred us to a statement saying that no civilians ever came under fire at the GHF distribution sites.

The GHF began its operations in Gaza at the end of May, distributing limited aid from several sites in southern and central Gaza. That followed an 11-week total blockade of Gaza by Israel during which no food entered the territory.

The system has been widely criticised for forcing vast numbers of people to walk through active combat zones to a handful of sites. Since the GHF started up, Israeli forces have killed more than 400 Palestinians trying to retrieve food aid from its sites, the UN and local doctors say. Israel says the new distribution system stops aid going to Hamas.

Continuing his description of the incident at one of the GHF sites - in which he said guards fired on a group of Palestinians - the former contractor said: "As that happened, another contractor on location, standing on the berm overlooking the exit, opened up with 15 to 20 shots of repetitive weapons fire at the crowd.

"A Palestinian man dropped to the ground motionless. And then the other contractor who was standing there was like, 'damn, I think you got one'. And then they laughed about it."

The contractor, who spoke to us on condition of anonymity, said GHF managers had brushed off his report as a coincidence, suggesting that the Palestinian man could have "tripped" or been "tired and passed out".

The GHF claimed the former contractor who made these allegations is a "disgruntled former contractor" who they had terminated for misconduct, which he denies. He showed us payslips suggesting that he continued to be paid for two weeks after leaving the post.

The man we spoke to, who said he had worked at all four of the GHF distribution sites, described a culture of impunity with few rules or controls.

He said contractors were given no clear rules of engagement or standard operating procedures, and were told by one team leader: "if you feel threatened, shoot – shoot to kill and ask questions later".

The culture in the company, he said, felt like "we're going into Gaza so it's no rules. Do what you want."

"If a Palestinian is walking away from the site and not demonstrating any hostile intent, and we're shooting warning shots at them regardless, we are wrong, we are criminally negligent," he told me.

He told us that each site had site CCTV monitoring activity there, and GHF insistence that no one there had been hurt or shot at was "an absolute bare-faced lie".

GHF said that gunfire heard in footage shared with the BBC was coming from Israeli forces.

Team leaders referred to Gazans as "zombie hordes", the contractor told me, "insinuating that these people have no value."

The former contractor also said Palestinians were coming to harm in other ways at GHF sites, for example by being hit by debris from stun grenades, being sprayed with mace or being pushed by the crowds into razor wire.

He said he himself had witnessed several occasions in which Palestinians appeared to have been seriously hurt, including one man who had a full can of pepper spray in his face, and a woman who he says was hit with the metal part of a stun grenade, improperly fired into a crowd.

"This metal piece hit her directly in the head and she dropped to the ground, not moving," he said. "I don't know if she was dead. I know for a fact she was unconscious and completely limp."

Earlier this week more than 170 charities and other NGOs called for the GHF to be shut down. The organisations, including Oxfam and Save the Children, say Israeli forces and armed groups "routinely" open fire on Palestinians seeking aid.

Israel denies its soldiers deliberately shoot at aid recipients and says the GHF's system provides direct assistance to people who need it, bypassing Hamas interference.

The GHF says it had delivered more than 52 million meals in five weeks and that other organisations "stand by helplessly as their aid is looted".

The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to Hamas's 7 October 2023 attack on Israel, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

At least 57,130 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

Additional reporting by Gidi Kleiman and Samantha Granville

Hamas says it is consulting other Palestinian groups before giving a formal response to the latest proposal for a new Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal put forward by the US.

President Donald Trump said on Friday morning that expected to know within 24 hours whether Hamas has agreed to the plan.

On Tuesday, Trump said Israel had accepted the conditions necessary for a 60-day ceasefire, during which the parties would work to end the 20-month war.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military is continuing to bomb targets across the Gaza Strip.

Local journalists reported hearing explosions and gunfire as Israeli helicopter gunships and artillery struck the southern Khan Younis area on Friday morning.

Overnight, at least 15 Palestinians were killed in strikes on two tents housing displaced people in Khan Younis, the local Nasser hospital said.

The Israeli military has not yet commented on the strikes, but it did say its forces were "operating to dismantle Hamas military capabilities".

In a statement issued early on Friday, Hamas said it was discussing with the leaders of other Palestinian factions the ceasefire proposal that it had received from regional mediators Qatar and Egypt.

Hamas said it would deliver a "final decision" to the mediators once the consultations had ended and then announce it officially.

The proposal is believed to include the staggered release of 10 living Israeli hostages and the bodies of 18 other hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

Fifty hostages are still being held in Gaza, at least 20 of whom are believed to be alive.

One of Hamas's key demands is the resumption of unrestricted food and medical aid into Gaza, and the proposal reportedly says sufficient quantities would enter the territory immediately with the involvement of the United Nations and Red Cross.

It is said the plan would also include a phased Israeli military withdrawal from parts of Gaza.

Above all, Hamas wants a guarantee that Israeli air and ground operations will not resume after the end of the 60-day ceasefire.

The proposal is believed to say that negotiations on an end to the war and the release of the remaining hostages would begin on day one.

Donald Trump told reporters early on Friday that he expected to know "over the next 24 hours" whether the proposals would be accepted by Hamas.

The hope then would be the resumption of formal, indirect, talks ahead of a planned visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington next week.

"We sure hope it's a done deal, but I think it's all going to be what Hamas is willing to accept," US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told Israel's Channel 12 TV on Thursday.

"One thing is clear: The president wants it to be over. The prime minister wants it to be over. The American people, the Israeli people, want it to be over."

Netanyahu meanwhile promised to secure the release of all the remaining hostages during a visit to Kibbutz Nir Oz, a community near the Israel-Gaza border where a total of 76 residents were abducted during the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023 that triggered the war.

"I feel a deep commitment, first of all, to ensure the return of all of our hostages, all of them," he said. "We will bring them all back."

He did not, however, commit to ending the war. He has insisted that will not happen until the hostages are freed and Hamas's military and governing capabilities are destroyed.

The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the 7 October 2023 attack, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

At least 57,130 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

Crowds mourned Diogo Jota in his hometown to pay their respects to the Liverpool forward and his brother Andre Silva, who both died in a car crash on Thursday.

Portugal's president, stars from the national team and fans from across the country gathered in the small town of Gondomar, on the outskirts of Porto, where the pair grew up.

Their parents, grandfather and other family members held a private vigil at a chapel in the town before it was opened to the public for a wake. The funeral will be held on Saturday.

The pair - both footballers, with Andre playing in Portugal's second division - were killed after the Lamborghini they were travelling in crashed in the Spanish province of Zamora.

Fans carrying Portugal flags, flowers and other memorabilia were seen weeping as they queued to pay their respects.

Those in attendance included President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, national team stars Joao Moutinho, Diogo Dalot and Ricardo Horta, and Jota's agent Jorge Mendes.

For years as a young boy, Jota played for local club Gondomar SC, which named its academy after him in 2022.

Emblazoned on its sign is a quote from Jota: "It's not about where we come from but where we're going to."

Outside the club, shirts and scarves were laid inside a ring of candles.

The 28-year-old father-of-three - who this year won the Nations League with Portugal and Premier League with Liverpool - married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso just 11 days before the fatal crash.

He had been travelling back to Liverpool for pre-season training, making the trip by car and ferry because he had undergone minor surgery and had been advised against flying.

Liverpool said his death was a "tragedy that transcends" the club.

Fans also grieved outside the club's Anfield stadium.

Former captain Jordan Henderson was seen in tears as he laid a wreath, with a card that read: "Rest in peace my friend, along with your brother Andre. We will all miss you."

Former Liverpool councillor Peter Millea - a home and away regular who had come to pay his respects - told the BBC: "There was something about him as a player when he first came to us that he became an instant hit.

"He was one of those players you can easily take to, because of the manner in which he conducted himself on and off the pitch and the important goals he scored."

Mr Millea said some fans at Anfield had broken into impromptu renditions of the chant while paying their respects.

"I'm sure we'll hear it loud and clear at Wembley for the Community Shield and we'll hear it at Preston for the first pre-season away game, you know it'll be sung around the field against Athletic Bilbao and then during the course of the rest of the season and probably forever-more," he said.

Elsewhere, fans left flowers, scarves and shirts outside Wolves' Molineux Stadium, where Jota played prior to his move to Anfield.

At Wimbledon, Portuguese tennis player Francisco Cabral wore a black ribbon to mark the passing of his countrymen.

A minute's silence was held in the Euro 2025 game between Denmark and Sweden.

Liverpool has cancelled pre-season fitness tests that were due to take place today for some players as a result of yesterday's news. A phased return of training will now begin on Monday.

The funeral service will be held at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar in Sao Cosme in Gondomar at 10:00 on Saturday.

Several people have died and others are missing after flash flooding hit parts of central Texas on Friday morning.

Disaster declarations have been issued for the Hill Country and Concho Valley regions.

Rescues and evacuations have been underway since the early morning, but there are warnings of more potential flash flooding to come.

"Even if the rain is light, more flooding can occur in those areas," Acting Governor Dan Patrick said.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the state was providing "all necessary resources to Kerrville, Ingram, Hunt and the entire Texas Hill Country dealing with these devastating floods".

The region is to the north-west of the Texas city of San Antonio.

Pictures show the deep flood waters swamping bridges and fast moving water swirling down roads.

Exactly how many people have died or are missing has not yet been confirmed by authorities.

"Folks, please don't take chances. Stay alert, follow local emergency warnings, and do not drive through flooded roads," Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said.

Kerr County Sheriff's Office said the area had suffered a "catastrophic flooding event" and confirmed that fatalities had been reported.

It told residents near creeks, streams and the Guadalupe River to move to higher ground.

US President Donald Trump is to sign his landmark policy bill into law, a day after it was narrowly passed by Congress.

The signing event at the White House on Friday afternoon, coinciding with 4 July celebrations, enacts key parts of the Trump agenda including tax cuts, spending boosts for defence and the immigration crackdown.

Trump began his victory lap at an Iowa rally on Thursday night, telling supporters it will unleash economic growth, but he must now convince sceptical Americans as polling suggests many disapprove.

Several members of his own Republican party were opposed because of the impact on rising US debt and Democrats warned the bill would reward the wealthy and punish the poor.

The 870-page package includes:

• extending 2017 tax cuts of Trump's first term
• steep cuts to Medicaid spending, the state-provided healthcare scheme for those on low incomes and the disabled
• new tax breaks on tipped income, overtime and Social Security
• a budget increase of $150bn for defence
• a reduction in Biden-era clean energy tax credits
• $100bn to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The bill signing will precede 4 July American Independence Day fireworks and a military picnic attended by the pilots who recently flew into Iran to try to dismantle three nuclear sites.

The celebratory mood follows days of tense negotiations with Republican rebels in Congress and days of cajoling on Capitol Hill, sometimes by the president himself.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries delayed the final vote in the lower chamber of Congress on Thursday by speaking for nearly nine hours.

He called the bill an "extraordinary assault on the healthcare of the American people" and quoted testimony from individuals anxious about its impact.

But his marathon speech only postponed the inevitable. As soon as he sat down, the House moved to a vote.

Only two Republicans went against, joining all 212 Democrats united in opposition. The bill passed by 218 votes to 214.

Earlier this week, the Senate passed the bill but US Vice-President JD Vance was required to cast a tiebreaking vote after three Republicans held out.

• Major win now but political peril awaits
• Fact-checking three key claims about the bill

Hours after the House passed the bill, the president was in a triumphant mood as he took to the stage in Iowa to kick off a years long celebration of 250 years since American independence.

"There could be no better birthday present for America than the phenomenal victory we achieved just hours ago," he told supporters in Des Moines.

"Very simply the One Big, Beautiful Bill will deliver the strongest border on Earth, the strongest economy on Earth [and] the strongest military on Earth."

The White House believes the various tax cuts will help stimulate economic growth, but many experts fear that will not be sufficient to prevent the budget deficit - the difference between spending and tax revenue in any year - from ballooning, adding to the national debt.

Analysis by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) suggests the tax cuts could produce a surplus in the first year but will then cause the deficit to rise sharply.

According to the Tax Policy Center, the tax changes in the bill would benefit wealthier Americans more than those on lower incomes, About 60% of the benefits would go to those making above $217,000 (£158,000), its analysis found.

The BBC spoke to Americans who may see a cut in the subsidies that help them pay for groceries.

Jordan, a father of two, is one of 42 million Americans who benefits from the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) scheme targeted by the bill.

• Americans brace for Trump's welfare cuts
• What is in the bill?

He and his wife get about $700 a month to feed their family of four and the 26-year-old said if this bill reduces what he can claim he would get a second job. "I'm going to make sure that I can do whatever I can to feed my family," he says.

Along with cuts to SNAP, the changes to Medicaid - a programme that covers healthcare for low-income, elderly and disabled Americans - would result in nearly 12 million losing coverage in the next decade, the CBO estimates.

Republicans defend their changes to Medicaid, saying that by toughening up work requirements they are tackling abuse and fraud.

Polling taken before the bill passed in Congress suggests public support is low and dwarfed by numbers opposed. A recent Quinnipiac University survey pointed to only 29% endorsing the legislation, which rose to two-thirds among Republicans.

But knowledge of the bill may be low too. Reuters reported there was little awareness of the legislation among Trump supporters they spoke to at the Iowa rally on Thursday night.

Several people have died and others are missing after flash flooding hit parts of central Texas on Friday morning.

Disaster declarations have been issued for the Hill Country and Concho Valley regions.

Rescues and evacuations have been underway since the early morning, but there are warnings of more potential flash flooding to come.

"Even if the rain is light, more flooding can occur in those areas," Acting Governor Dan Patrick said.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the state was providing "all necessary resources to Kerrville, Ingram, Hunt and the entire Texas Hill Country dealing with these devastating floods".

The region is to the north-west of the Texas city of San Antonio.

Pictures show the deep flood waters swamping bridges and fast moving water swirling down roads.

Exactly how many people have died or are missing has not yet been confirmed by authorities.

"Folks, please don't take chances. Stay alert, follow local emergency warnings, and do not drive through flooded roads," Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said.

Kerr County Sheriff's Office said the area had suffered a "catastrophic flooding event" and confirmed that fatalities had been reported.

It told residents near creeks, streams and the Guadalupe River to move to higher ground.

High profile left winger Zarah Sultana has quit Labour and vowed to launch a new political party with Jeremy Corbyn.

That, however, seems to have come as news to him.

In a social media post, the former Labour leader congratulated Sultana on her "principled decision" to leave and said he was "delighted that she will help us build a real alternative".

But he said "the democratic foundations of a new kind of political party" were still taking shape and discussions were "ongoing".

Sultana appears to have jumped the gun, taking not just Corbyn but others involved in the project by surprise.

But that does not mean it is not happening.

There is no name yet - Aspire and The Collective have been bandied about. Corbyn is thought to like the phrase "Real Change", but not necessarily as a party name.

No timetable for a launch has been agreed, although there has been talk of fielding candidates at next May's local elections.

But all of those involved in the project believe there is a huge gap in the market to the left of Sir Keir Starmer's Labour Party, with millions of potential votes up for grabs.

Are they right?

And what would the arrival of a new socialist party mean for the Greens who have scooped up many left-wing voters in recent times - not to mention the Labour Party itself?

It is very difficult to assess support for a party that does not yet exist, has no leader and no policies.

Pollsters More In Common recently tested the sort of support a party to the left of Labour would have – specifically one led by Jeremy Corbyn.

Their research suggested it could pick up 10% of the vote - reducing Labour's standing by three points but far more dramatically eating in to support for the Greens, which would fall from 9% to 5% in the polls.

Notably, a Corbyn-led party could become the country's most popular party among 18- to 24-year-olds with 32% of the vote.

Former Corbyn aide Andrew Murray said Sir Keir Starmer had "created the space" for a party to Labour's left by ruthlessly expelling left wingers from the party and dropping his leadership campaign promises.

Speaking to GB News's Choppers Podcast, Murray said Labour's 2017 vote - 3.2 million more than Sir Keir's in 2024 - showed the scale of potential support for a new left-wing party.

Thousands of votes had leaked away from the Tories to Reform UK at last year's election, he added, and "there are similarly huge numbers of people who regard themselves as progressives and are looking for something different."

A veteran left-wing organiser, who did not wish to be named, told the BBC even with a double digit share of the national vote it is "quite hard for new parties to become positive forces in the UK".

"I think it could do quite a lot of damage to Labour and the Greens if it gets above a critical mass," he said.

Senior Greens have told the BBC they are not worried about a new insurgent party.

Green leadership hopeful Zack Polanski said "anyone who wants to challenge Reform and this failing Labour government is a friend of mine".

But he added: "In the past there's been lots of left-wing parties, but only the Green Party has endured and had sustained growth."

Polanski's point was echoed by his leadership contest rival Adrian Ramsay, who currently co-leads the party, and said anyone looking for a "progressive alternative to Labour" should join the Greens.

Any damage to the Greens could be limited by a "non-aggression" pact with the new party, running candidates on a joint ticket, for example, or agreeing to stand aside in certain circumstances.

Jeremy Corbyn has been working for some time under the radar to turn the small group of independent MPs he co-ordinates into a full-blown political party which could stand candidates at the local elections next year.

Last year, the Islington North MP united with Shockat Adam, Ayoub Khan, Adnan Hussain and Iqbal Mohamed - four independents that beat Labour candidates in the 2024 election with their pro-Palestinian stance in constituencies with large Muslim populations.

On Wednesday he hinted that a new party could be on the way, telling ITV's Peston he and his fellow pro-Gaza independents would "come together" and "there will be an alternative".

The MPs are united in their condemnation of Keir Starmer's approach to the Gaza crisis, but we don't know what their rest of their policy programme would be.

We do not even know for certain that Jeremy Corbyn would be their leader. He is thought to favour a democratic convention to decide on leadership but others in the project are impatient to get on with it.

Sultana is clearly keen to play a leading role, although her statement was carefully worded - she wants to co-lead the "founding" of a new party with Corbyn.

One thing is already clear - any new party will not be a reincarnation of the previous Corbyn project, as key figures on Labour's left show no sign of leaving.

Corbyn's former shadow chancellor John McDonell said he was "dreadfully sorry to lose Zarah from the Labour Party" but is not expected to quit himself.

The chair of the Labour party under Corbyn - Ian Lavery – told the BBC he planned to stay in the party until he retired.

The Independent MPs were elected last year in areas where voters felt Labour wasn't taking a strong enough line on Israel's actions in Gaza.

We don't know how resonant the issue will be at the next election, four years away.

But where Keir Starmer's strategists might be concerned is that a new left-wing party might just reduce the Labour vote by enough in some seats to allow a second-placed Reform UK to sneak home.

And Labour may have to be more mindful that it can lose votes on the left and not just the right.

It was once seen as close to impossible to successfully launch a new political party in the UK, under Westminster's first-past-the-post voting system.

But Reform UK, which has five MPs and is currently ahead in the polls, has shown how volatile politics now is and the extent to which traditional party loyalties no longer matter.

A well-known leader and some eye-catching policies could potentially redraw the map of mainstream politics.

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Several people have died and others are missing after flash flooding hit parts of central Texas on Friday morning.

Disaster declarations have been issued for the Hill Country and Concho Valley regions.

Rescues and evacuations have been underway since the early morning, but there are warnings of more potential flash flooding to come.

"Even if the rain is light, more flooding can occur in those areas," Acting Governor Dan Patrick said.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the state was providing "all necessary resources to Kerrville, Ingram, Hunt and the entire Texas Hill Country dealing with these devastating floods".

The region is to the north-west of the Texas city of San Antonio.

Pictures show the deep flood waters swamping bridges and fast moving water swirling down roads.

Exactly how many people have died or are missing has not yet been confirmed by authorities.

"Folks, please don't take chances. Stay alert, follow local emergency warnings, and do not drive through flooded roads," Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said.

Kerr County Sheriff's Office said the area had suffered a "catastrophic flooding event" and confirmed that fatalities had been reported.

It told residents near creeks, streams and the Guadalupe River to move to higher ground.

Palestine Action will be banned from midnight after a judge refused its request to temporarily block the government from proscribing it as a terror group.

On Friday, a High Court judge refused the group more time to pursue legal action against the government's decision.

The proposed ban, which amends the Terrorism Act 2000, will come into force after being approved by both the House of Commons and House of Lords earlier this week.

It means supporting Palestine Action will become a criminal offence, with membership or expressing support for the direct action group punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

The move was taken to ban the group after an estimated £7m of damage was caused to planes at RAF Brize Norton last month, in action claimed by Palestine Action.

At a hearing earlier on Friday, Raza Husain KC, barrister for Palestine Action's co-founder Huda Ammori, told the court banning the group would be "ill-considered" and an "authoritarian abuse" of power.

"This is the first time in our history that a direct action civil disobedience group, which does not advocate for violence, has been sought to be proscribed as terrorists," he said.

As the evening light ebbed away a handful of Ukrainian troops emerged from the treeline to face an unequal fight. Their mission – to shoot down 21st Century killer drones with weapons designed in the dying days of World War One.

In Ukraine's north-eastern region of Sumy, bordering Russia, this is a nightly battle.

Just after we joined the troops, there was danger in the skies, and tension and adrenaline on the ground.

The commander – codenamed Jaeger – was glued to a screen showing clusters of red dots, each indicating an Iranian-designed Shahed drone, one of Russia's key weapons. By early evening, there were already 30 in the skies over Sumy, and the neighbouring region of Chernihiv.

Two flatbed trucks were driven out into a clearing – on the back of each a heavy machine gun and a gunner, scanning the skies. The trucks were flanked by troops, light machine guns at the ready.

We could hear the whirring of the propellers before we could see the drone - barely visible as it sliced through the sky. The troops opened fire - all guns blazing in unison – but the drone disappeared into the distance. These low-cost long-range weapons are terrorising Ukraine.

As often in war, there were flashes of humour. "You'll know when the next drone is coming, when that short guy gets nervous," said Jaeger, pointing at one of his team.

As darkness closed in, the drones kept coming and the troops kept trying – sending tracer fire streaking across the sky. But how do they feel when these suicide drones get through?

"Well, it's not very good, "Jaeger says sombrely, glancing away. "You feel a slight sadness but to be honest - as you have seen - you don't have time for emotions. One comes in and another can come right behind it. You work in this rhythm. If it's taken down - good, if not, you know there are other teams behind you who will also engage it."

He and his men are a "mobile fire unit" from Ukraine's 117 Territorial Defence Brigade – all locals trying to defend not just their hometown but their country. Most Russian drones fly through this region and deeper into Ukraine.

"They come in massive waves, often flying at different altitudes," says Jaeger. "When there is heavy cloud cover, they fly above the clouds, and we can't see them. And it's very hard to detect them when it's raining."

A hundred Shahed drones a night is standard for Sumy.

His unit includes a farmer ("now I do something else in the fields," he jokes) and a builder. Jaeger himself is a former forest ranger, and mixed martial arts fighter.

Now he fights an enemy he can barely see.

"It's the same thing every single day, over and over again," he says. "For us, it's just like Groundhog Day."

"The worst thing is that years are passing by," adds Kurban, the builder, "and we have no idea how long all this is going to last".

Many of the drones in the skies over Sumy that night were headed for the capital, Kyiv. Jaeger and his men knew it. So did we. The knowledge was chilling.

An air raid alert warned the residents of Kyiv of incoming drones. Russia aimed more than 300 at the capital overnight, according to the Ukrainian air force, trying to overwhelm its air defences. By morning six locations had been hit, and the victims were being reclaimed from the rubble. In the days that followed the death toll climbed to 30.

In Ukraine's fourth summer of full-scale war the fields around Sumy are dotted with corn and sunflowers, not yet in bloom, and a crop of dragon's teeth - triangles of concrete which can stop tanks in their tracks.

The picture was very different last autumn. Ukrainian troops had turned the tables with a cross-border attack on Russia, capturing territory in the neighbouring region of Kursk.

By March of this year, most were forced out, although Ukraine's military chief said recently it still holds some territory there. By May, President Zelensky warned that 50,000 Russian troops were massed "in the direction of Sumy".

By June, more than 200 villages and settlements in Sumy had been evacuated, as the Kremlin's men slowly shelled their way forward.

President Putin wants "a buffer zone" along the border, and is talking up the threat to the city of Sumy.

"The city…is next, the regional centre," he said recently. "We don't have a task to take Sumy, but I don't rule it out." He claims his forces are already up to 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) inside the region.

Warning: The following section contains distressing details

The head of Ukraine's army, Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi, claims his troops have halted the Russian advance, but the war has already closed in on Margaryta Husakova, 37, menacing her village. She warned her sister not to come because there were explosions.

"She came anyway," Margaryta says, "and everything was fine for a month, quiet and peaceful, until we got on that bus".

On the morning of 17 May, the sisters set out with other relatives for a trip to the city.

"I remember how we came, got on the bus, how we laughed, were happy," says Margaryta. "Then we started to leave, and it happened."

The bus was ripped apart by a Russian drone, in an attack that killed nine people – all civilians - including her mother, her uncle and her sister.

Margaryta was pulled from the wreckage with a shattered right arm – now held together by steel rods.

She is tormented by what she lost, and what she saw. Her description is graphic.

"I opened my eyes, and there was no bus," she said, her voice beginning to break. "I looked around and my sister's head was torn off. My mum too, she was lying there, hit in the temple. My uncle had fallen out of the bus, his brain was exposed."

We met at a sand-bagged reception centre for evacuees in Sumy. Margaryta sat outside on a wooden bench, seeking comfort from a cigarette. She told me she was planning to leave for the home of another relative, but feared her eight children might not be safe there either.

"Maybe we will have to run away even further," she said, adding: "It's scary everywhere."

"I'm terrified, not for myself but for the children. I must save them. That's what matters."

As we spoke an air raid siren wailed overhead – the sound so familiar that Margaryta did not respond. Neither did anyone else around us. "We only run for explosions now," a Ukrainian journalist explained "and only if they are loud and close".

There's little talk in Sumy of a ceasefire, let alone an end to Europe's largest war since 1945.

US President Donald Trump no longer claims he can deliver peace in Ukraine in a day. He's become embroiled in a newer war, bombing Iranian nuclear sites.

Talks between Russia and Ukraine have delivered only prisoner exchanges, and the return of bodies. President Putin appears emboldened and has been upping his demands.

With the Summer sun still overhead, those trying to save Ukraine expect more Winters of war. We followed a bumpy track deep into a forest to meet troops fresh from the front lines. They were getting a refresher course in weapons skills at a remote training ground. A battle-hardened 35-year-old with a shaved head and full beard was among the group - call sign "student".

"I think the war won't end in the next year or two," he told me. "And even if it does end in six months with some kind of ceasefire, it will start again in four or five years. President Putin has imperialist ambitions."

War inflicts wounds – seen and unseen.

"Student" sent his family abroad for safety soon after Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022 and has been unable to see his two daughters since then.

He and his wife are now divorced. Other soldiers we met also spoke of broken relationships and marriages that have buckled under the strain.

Student sums up war as "blood, dirt and sweat" and does not try to conceal the cost. "We joined our battalion, as a platoon of 30 neighbours," he told me.

"Today, only four of us remain alive. "

Additional reporting by Wietske Burema, Moose Campbell and Volodymyr Lozhko