Syrian military and security forces in Suweida. Photo: 15 July 2025
The Syrian presidency says it will deploy a new force to halt the deadly sectarian clashes between Bedouin and Druze fighters in the south of the country.
Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa's office urged "all parties to exercise restraint", amid reports of renewed fighting near the city of Suweida on Friday.
Almost 600 people are reported to have been killed since the violence erupted on Sunday. Government troops deployed to the area were accused by residents of killing Druze civilians and carrying out extrajudicial executions.
Israel later struck targets in Syria to force the troops to withdraw from Suweida province. On Friday, the US ambassador to Turkey said that Israel and Syria had agreed a ceasefire.
In a post on X, ambassador Tom Barrack said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Sharaa "have agreed to a ceasefire" embraced by Syria's neighbours Turkey and Jordan.
"We call upon Druze, Bedouins, and Sunnis to put down their weapons and together with other minorities build a new and united Syrian identity in peace and prosperity with its neighbours," the envoy said.
Israel and Syria have not publicly commented on the reported ceasefire agreement.
Shortly before Sharaa's office announced its planned military deployment to the south, an Israeli official said Israel had agreed to allow the limited entry of Syrian Internal Security Forces personnel into Suweida for 48 hours to protect Druze civilians "in light of the ongoing instability".
Suweida's predominantly Druze community follows a secretive, unique faith derived from Shia Islam, and distrusts the current jihadist-led government in Damascus.
The BBC correspondent in the Syrian capital says that sectarian hatred of the Druze is now spreading across the country.
The Druze are a minority in Syria, as well as in neighbouring Lebanon and Israel.
Earlier this week, the UN human rights chief, Volker Türk, said his office had received credible reports indicating widespread violations and abuses, including summary executions and arbitrary killings in Suweida.
Among the alleged perpetrators were members of the security forces and individuals affiliated with the interim government, as well as local Druze and Bedouin armed elements, Türk said in a statement.
"This bloodshed and the violence must stop," he warned, adding that "those responsible must be held to account".
The BBC has contacted the Syrian government and security forces about allegations of summary killings and other violations.
In a televised address early on Thursday, Sharaa vowed to hold the perpetrators accountable and promised to make protecting the Druze a "priority".
"We are eager to hold accountable those who transgressed and abused our Druze people because they are under the protection and responsibility of the state," he said.
He went on to blame "outlaw groups", saying their leaders "rejected dialogue for many months".
The fire in Oregon ballooned to more than 95,000 acres amid shifting winds and dry air, but improved weather this weekend was expected to slow its expansion.
Syrian military and security forces in Suweida. Photo: 15 July 2025
The Syrian presidency says it will deploy a new force to halt the deadly sectarian clashes between Bedouin and Druze fighters in the south of the country.
Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa's office urged "all parties to exercise restraint", amid reports of renewed fighting near the city of Suweida on Friday.
Almost 600 people are reported to have been killed since the violence erupted on Sunday. Government troops deployed to the area were accused by residents of killing Druze civilians and carrying out extrajudicial executions.
Israel later struck targets in Syria to force the troops to withdraw from Suweida province. On Friday, the US ambassador to Turkey said that Israel and Syria had agreed a ceasefire.
In a post on X, ambassador Tom Barrack said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Sharaa "have agreed to a ceasefire" embraced by Syria's neighbours Turkey and Jordan.
"We call upon Druze, Bedouins, and Sunnis to put down their weapons and together with other minorities build a new and united Syrian identity in peace and prosperity with its neighbours," the envoy said.
Israel and Syria have not publicly commented on the reported ceasefire agreement.
Shortly before Sharaa's office announced its planned military deployment to the south, an Israeli official said Israel had agreed to allow the limited entry of Syrian Internal Security Forces personnel into Suweida for 48 hours to protect Druze civilians "in light of the ongoing instability".
Suweida's predominantly Druze community follows a secretive, unique faith derived from Shia Islam, and distrusts the current jihadist-led government in Damascus.
The BBC correspondent in the Syrian capital says that sectarian hatred of the Druze is now spreading across the country.
The Druze are a minority in Syria, as well as in neighbouring Lebanon and Israel.
Earlier this week, the UN human rights chief, Volker Türk, said his office had received credible reports indicating widespread violations and abuses, including summary executions and arbitrary killings in Suweida.
Among the alleged perpetrators were members of the security forces and individuals affiliated with the interim government, as well as local Druze and Bedouin armed elements, Türk said in a statement.
"This bloodshed and the violence must stop," he warned, adding that "those responsible must be held to account".
The BBC has contacted the Syrian government and security forces about allegations of summary killings and other violations.
In a televised address early on Thursday, Sharaa vowed to hold the perpetrators accountable and promised to make protecting the Druze a "priority".
"We are eager to hold accountable those who transgressed and abused our Druze people because they are under the protection and responsibility of the state," he said.
He went on to blame "outlaw groups", saying their leaders "rejected dialogue for many months".
Awkward moment for couple on screen at Coldplay gig
A US tech company says its chief executive has quit after he was reportedly caught on a big screen at a Coldplay concert embracing a woman, in a clip that went viral.
Astronomer said in a statement: "Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted."
The clip showed a man and a woman hugging on a giant screen at the arena in Foxborough, Massachusetts, before they abruptly ducked and hid from the camera.
The pair were identified in US media as Andy Byron, a married chief executive of Astronomer, and Kristin Cabot, the firm's chief people officer. The BBC has been unable to independently confirm the identities of either person in the video.
The company statement said on Saturday: "As stated previously, Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding.
"Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met."
The firm said its board would begin a search for the next leader and their chief product officer would keep serving as interim CEO.
The video of the pair swaying to music at Wednesday night's concert and quickly trying to hide gained millions of views.
After seeing the pair duck, Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin said to the crowd: "Either they're having an affair, or they're just very shy."
Astronomer announced it was launching an investigation into the relationship and placed the CEO on leave shortly after the video went viral.
Awkward moment for couple on screen at Coldplay gig
A US tech company says its chief executive has quit after he was reportedly caught on a big screen at a Coldplay concert embracing a woman, in a clip that went viral.
Astronomer said in a statement: "Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted."
The clip showed a man and a woman hugging on a giant screen at the arena in Foxborough, Massachusetts, before they abruptly ducked and hid from the camera.
The pair were identified in US media as Andy Byron, a married chief executive of Astronomer, and Kristin Cabot, the firm's chief people officer. The BBC has been unable to independently confirm the identities of either person in the video.
The company statement said on Saturday: "As stated previously, Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding.
"Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met."
The firm said its board would begin a search for the next leader and their chief product officer would keep serving as interim CEO.
The video of the pair swaying to music at Wednesday night's concert and quickly trying to hide gained millions of views.
After seeing the pair duck, Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin said to the crowd: "Either they're having an affair, or they're just very shy."
Astronomer announced it was launching an investigation into the relationship and placed the CEO on leave shortly after the video went viral.
Ukraine has proposed a new round of peace talks with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said, in a move aimed at restarting negotiations that halted last month.
Senior security official Rustem Umerov has offered to meet the Russian side next week, Zelensky said in his evening address, adding that everything had to be done to get a ceasefire.
Zelenksy also repeated his readiness to meet Russia's Vladimir Putin face-to-face. "A meeting at the leadership level is needed to truly ensure peace," he said.
The proposal came hours after Ukraine was hit with another widespread air bombardment by Russia, which killed three people.
Ten regions of Ukraine, including several cities, were hit in the night between Friday and Saturday, Zelensky said earlier on Saturday.
Ukraine's military said more than 340 explosive and dummy drones and 35 cruise and ballistic missiles had been used, but many were downed.
Earlier this week, President Donald Trump said the US would send "top-of-the-line weapons" to Ukraine via Nato countries, while also threatening Russia with severe tariffs if a deal to end the war is not reached within 50 days.
Two rounds of talks in Istanbul between Moscow and Kyiv have so far failed to result in any progress towards a ceasefire, but large-scale prisoner exchanges and deals to return the bodies of killed soldiers were agreed.
After the last round, which ended in early June, Ukrainian negotiators said Russia had again rejected an "unconditional ceasefire" - a key demand by Kyiv and its allies in Europe and the US .
Russia also outlined a list of demands, including calls for Ukraine to cede more territory and to reject all forms of Western military support.
At the time, Zelensky accused Moscow of "doing everything it can to ensure the next possible meeting is fruitless".
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Russia currently controls about 20% of Ukraine's territory, including the southern Crimea peninsula Moscow annexed in 2014.
Police made more than 50 arrests in Parliament Square in central London
Dozens of people have been arrested at protests across the UK against the decision to proscribe Palestine Action as a terror group.
Arrests have been reported in London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Bristol and Truro, all places where demonstrations in support of the pro-Palestine action group took place on Saturday.
The Met Police said 55 people were arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences in Westminster for displaying placards in support of Palestine Action. Eight were arrested in Truro in Cornwall.
The government proscribed the group earlier this month under the Terrorism Act of 2000, making membership of or support for the group a criminal offence, following a break-in at an RAF base.
Across the country, protesters held placards with the words: "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action."
In London, arrests were made near the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Parliament Square, where as many as 20 police vans attended.
Officers moved in swiftly to arrest those holding the placards, many of whom appeared to be over the age of 60.
One woman claimed to be in her 80s and was walking with a stick. Some were led away while others had to be carried.
Devon and Cornwall Police said two men and six women were arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences after protesters gathered near Truro Cathedral.
The force said around 30 people were involved in the peaceful demonstration, organised by campaign group Defend Our Juries.
Earlier, the campaign group said that one of those arrested near the cathedral was an 81-year-old former magistrate.
It also said 16 people were arrested in Manchester.
Police forces in the other locations where protests took place have not yet confirmed the number of arrests they made.
EPA
Some demonstrators in London were led away while others had to be carried by officers
Saturday's protests came ahead of a High Court hearing on Monday at which the co-founder of Palestine Action, Huda Ammori, will ask for permission to challenge the decision to ban the group.
Last Saturday, 71 arrests were made across the UK at similar protests against the decision.
Palestine Action has engaged in activities that have predominantly targeted arms companies since the start of the current war in Gaza.
MPs voted to proscribe the group after activists broke into RAF Brize Norton in June, spraying two Voyager aircraft with red paint and causing £7m worth of damage. Palestine Action took responsibility for the incident at the time.
Four people have since been remanded in custody, charged with conspiracy to commit criminal damage and conspiracy to enter a prohibited place knowingly for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the UK.
The incident also prompted a security review across all UK military bases.
At least 20 people have been injured after a vehicle drove into a crowd on Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD).
Up to five people have been critically injured and up to 10 are in a serious condition, the emergency services said.
The incident happened at 02:00 local time (09:00 GMT) in East Hollywood.
Pictures from the scene show a grey car on a pavement with debris strewn on the ground, and a large police presence.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.
Taking on directing duties while helping oversee a studio has been a challenge for the filmmaker.: “I always want to do more. That’s been difficult, finding at least some boundaries.”
The great Japanese genre director Kiyoshi Kurosawa, whose latest film is “Cloud,” has mastered the cinema of psychological fright. Here’s why you should watch his work.
The vehicle, a stolen rental car, had been traveling west on the Manhattan Bridge before it struck the victims at the base of the bridge in Chinatown early Saturday morning.
PAWLEYS ISLAND, South Carolina — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear drew a standing ovation from Georgetown County Democrats Thursday night, after he shook hands and grinned for photos. California Gov. Gavin Newsom packed standing-room-only crowds into a two-day rural county tour of the state last week. California Rep. Ro Khanna kicked off his multi-day swing Friday to promote his populist message to Black voters.
The 2028 Democratic primary calendar isn’t set yet, but presidential hopefuls are already making bets that South Carolina will hold a powerful role in the nomination process — even if it doesn't keep its number-one spot. While Iowa and New Hampshire are drawing some big names, no other state has seen as much action as this small Southern state.
And while these top Democrats credited their appearances to local invitations — and in the case of Beshear, his son’s baseball tournament in Charleston — the 2028 implications are clear. Democratic hopefuls road-tested stump speeches and previewed their lines of attack against Republicans and President Donald Trump, all with an eye toward introducing themselves to a set of influential voters.
“I'm out there trying to be a common ground, common sense, get-things-done type of messenger for this Democratic Party,” Beshear told elected officials and party officials in Charleston Thursday morning. “Because I believe that with what we're seeing coming out of Washington, D.C., the cruelty and the incompetence, that the path forward is right there in front of us.”
Christy Waddil, a 67-year-old Democratic voter who waited to shake Beshear’s hand Thursday night, said she was “excited” to meet all these potential contenders. But it’s a lot of responsibility to be the first state in the presidential primary calendar, she said: “We have our work cut out for us now.”
In June, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly spoke at an anti-gun event in Charleston to mark the grim anniversary of the Emanuel AME shooting. In May, Govs. Wes Moore of Maryland and Tim Walz of Minnesota headlined a pair of state party events to rub elbows with Rep. Jim Clyburn, the longtime South Carolina kingmaker whose nod helped anoint Joe Biden as the party’s nominee in 2020.
“It’s not a surprise,” said Clyburn when asked about the state’s revolving door of 2028 hopefuls nearly three years before the actual presidential primary. “Why argue with success? If it ain't broke, why fix it?”
South Carolina Democrats know their grip on the top spot is tenuous, with traditional early states like Iowa and New Hampshire eager to reclaim their lead-off position, and others —like North Carolina and Georgia — seeking to emerge as new states to consider. And it comes as there's been a major reshuffling on a powerful panel at the Democratic National Committee that has huge sway over the presidential nominating process.
“None of what those supposed candidates are doing right now is going to have any bearing on what the Rules and Bylaws Committee ultimately does for the calendar,” said Maria Cardona, a longtime member of the powerful panel. “That may or may not include all of the states that are in the early calendar now.”
Democrats haven't won the state in a general election since 1976, and President Donald Trump won it by 18 points last year.
It's led more competitive neighbors to wonder whether they should get top billing instead.
“[National Democrats] have a lot of mobility to get power back at the federal level by investing early in North Carolina. And I think a lot of people will hear that message loud and clear, especially after we just got our asses kicked,”said state party chair Anderson Clayton, who is interested in usurping its neighbor to the south and angling for one of the open at-large slots on the RBC. “The future of the state of the Democratic Party also runs right through North Carolina too.”
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker will deliver the keynote address at North Carolina's state party unity dinner on July 26, and state party leaders are in talks with Sens. Kelly of Arizona and Cory Booker of New Jersey about visits to the state later this year.
But moving the order of primary states is easier said than done. North Carolina is hamstrung by state law from moving its date, and Democrats would need the GOP-controlled legislature to agree to any changes. DNC members have also emphasized smaller states to allow lesser-known candidates to build followings.
“The most powerful force in the universe is inertia, so South Carolina is probably the favorite to stay just because of that,” said an incoming member of the committee granted anonymity to discuss internal dynamics. “Every state has a chance to be first, but I do think we have to come into this with a degree of realism.”
The DNC is attempting to remain neutral.
“The DNC is committed to running a fair, transparent, and rigorous process for the 2028 primary calendar. All states will have an opportunity to participate,” Deputy Communications Director Abhi Rahman said in a statement.
Iowa Democrats are also gearing up on a bid to restore their caucuses to their traditional spot as the nation's first presidential contest. Michigan replaced Iowa as the Midwestern early state in 2024.
Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart said she planned to have "tough and direct conversations" with the party in a statement, even as the DNC removed Iowa's only representative, Scott Brennan, from the Rules and Bylaws Committee this year.
Already, potential 2028 candidates have traveled there, including former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who held a town hall in Cedar Rapids in May. Walz stopped by the Hawkeye State in March, and former Japan Ambassador Rahm Emanuel and freshman Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego are both slated to visit the state in the coming months.
New Hampshire Democrats also openly clashed with top DNC officials last cycle — and plan to stick with their state law making it first primary in the nation. Pritzker went to an influential state party dinner there in April.
“The potential candidates on the Democratic side and, to some extent, the Republican side are coming through New Hampshire,” Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) said in a brief interview.
The positioning at the national party over early states is already underway.
Party insiders are voting for the remaining open seats on the panel after DNC Chair Ken Martin named members to the governing body in recent weeks. Cardona said the goal of the committee is to ensure the strongest and most electable candidate emerges from what is expected to be a crowded field. Talks will begin on the next presidential primary calendar later this year, but will ramp up after the midterms.
South Carolina’s ascension was aimed at recognizing South Carolina’s significant Black electorate, long considered the backbone of the Democratic Party.
That’s partly why Khanna is there, he said in an interview on why he is focusing on reaching out to Black voters.
“I believe that’s critical for all the people who want to lead the Democratic Party, in whatever form, and to me it’s encouraging that people are going down to South Carolina” to reach them.
Beshear, too, expressed support for South Carolina’s representation, telling reporters that Democrats “need to make sure that the South is represented in the primary calendar” because “for too long, the investments haven't been made in places like Kentucky and in places like South Carolina.”
In defense of remaining in the early window, South Carolina Democrats are playing up the state’s diverse electorate and inexpensive media markets that could allow for the best presidential candidates — not just the best fundraisers — to emerge in a wide open presidential cycle in 2028.
“The Democratic primary for president is not based on the state's competitiveness in a general election,” said Parmley. “This is the same bullshit that loses us presidential elections, and we only play in eight competitive states.”
Lisa Kashinsky and Kelly Garrity contributed to this report.
Twenty-eight people have died after a tourist boat capsized in Vietnam in bad weather, according to local reports.
At least 14 people are said to be missing following the incident in Halong Bay, a popular tourist destination in the north of the country, the reports say.
Most of the passengers were reportedly Vietnamese visiting from Hanoi.
Heavy rain has been hindering the search for survivors, rescuers say.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.
Police made more than 50 arrests in Parliament Square in central London
Dozens of people have been arrested at protests across the UK against the decision to proscribe Palestine Action as a terror group.
Arrests have been reported in London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Bristol and Truro, all places where demonstrations in support of the pro-Palestine action group took place on Saturday.
The Met Police said 55 people were arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences in Westminster for displaying placards in support of Palestine Action. Eight were arrested in Truro in Cornwall.
The government proscribed the group earlier this month under the Terrorism Act of 2000, making membership of or support for the group a criminal offence, following a break-in at an RAF base.
Across the country, protesters held placards with the words: "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action."
In London, arrests were made near the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Parliament Square, where as many as 20 police vans attended.
Officers moved in swiftly to arrest those holding the placards, many of whom appeared to be over the age of 60.
One woman claimed to be in her 80s and was walking with a stick. Some were led away while others had to be carried.
Devon and Cornwall Police said two men and six women were arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences after protesters gathered near Truro Cathedral.
The force said around 30 people were involved in the peaceful demonstration, organised by campaign group Defend Our Juries.
Earlier, the campaign group said that one of those arrested near the cathedral was an 81-year-old former magistrate.
It also said 16 people were arrested in Manchester.
Police forces in the other locations where protests took place have not yet confirmed the number of arrests they made.
EPA
Some demonstrators in London were led away while others had to be carried by officers
Saturday's protests came ahead of a High Court hearing on Monday at which the co-founder of Palestine Action, Huda Ammori, will ask for permission to challenge the decision to ban the group.
Last Saturday, 71 arrests were made across the UK at similar protests against the decision.
Palestine Action has engaged in activities that have predominantly targeted arms companies since the start of the current war in Gaza.
MPs voted to proscribe the group after activists broke into RAF Brize Norton in June, spraying two Voyager aircraft with red paint and causing £7m worth of damage. Palestine Action took responsibility for the incident at the time.
Four people have since been remanded in custody, charged with conspiracy to commit criminal damage and conspiracy to enter a prohibited place knowingly for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the UK.
The incident also prompted a security review across all UK military bases.
At least 20 people have been injured after a vehicle drove into a crowd on Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD).
Up to five people have been critically injured and up to 10 are in a serious condition, the emergency services said.
The incident happened at 02:00 local time (09:00 GMT) in East Hollywood.
Pictures from the scene show a grey car on a pavement with debris strewn on the ground, and a large police presence.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.
Apartments were among the buildings went up in flames across Ukraine following the Russian air strike
At least three people have died following another widespread air bombardment by Russia.
Two people were killed in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, the regional governor, Sergiy Lysak, said, while a woman died of her injuries after being rescued from a burning apartment in Odesa, according to emergency services.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said 10 regions of Ukraine, including a number of cities, were hit in the overnight assault. Ukraine's military said more than 340 explosive and dummy drones and 35 cruise and ballistic missiles were used.
Although it said 90% of these were shot down, suppressed electronically or lost, more than 30 got through.
One of the strikes hit a residential block in the southern city of Odesa, causing a fire on its upper floors.
Rescuers said five people were rescued from burning apartments - including the woman who later died. At least another six people were wounded.
The eastern city of Pavlohrad was subjected to what Serhiy Lysak called a "hellish night and morning".
He said there had been "explosion after explosion" caused by drone and missile strikes, adding it had been the biggest-scale attack on the city to date.
Targets reportedly included industrial sites, a fire department, a clinic, a school, and a cultural institution.
Zelensky wrote of "important infrastructure" being damaged there. A missile plant is based in Pavlohrad, and the city has been struck in the past by Russia.
Russia's defence ministry said it struck military-industrial enterprises that produce components for missiles and drones overnight, but did not specify where.
The north-eastern city of Sumy was also attacked. Zelensky said critical infrastructure had been damaged, cutting power to several thousand families.
There have also been strikes - including with guided bombs - on another town in the region, Shostka, which lies less than 50km (30 miles) from the Russian border. Officials said a "targeted hit" there had caused a fire. They did not say what had been struck.
Unverified video footage posted online purportedly of the incident shows a fierce fire and billowing clouds of grey smoke.
Zelensky once again stressed the importance of bolstering air defences, both in terms of supplies from allies, but also producing them in Ukraine, including more interceptor drones.
The Trump administration recently moved to free up weapons supplies, even if some of these - including much-needed Patriot air defences - will be paid for by other Nato allies.
EPA/Shutterstock
At least six people were wounded as a result of the Russian attack on Odesa
Russia said it shot down more than 70 Ukrainian drones overnight into Saturday, most of them over the regions of Rostov, Moscow and Bryansk.
The acting governor of Rostov, Yuri Slyusar, said the attack had been massive, affecting areas close to the border with occupied parts of Ukraine. Houses, he said, were damaged by what he said had been falling debris, and several settlements suffered temporary power cuts.
Slyusar said one railway worker had been injured, and rail traffic disrupted. Several supply routes into Ukraine run through the area.
Meanwhile, on the front lines, Russian forces continue to attack one of their key objectives - the town of Pokrovsk in the eastern region of Donetsk.
Late on Friday, Ukraine's commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, acknowledged it faced increasing pressure, but insisted its defence was "steadfast". He said Russia had been trying to get to the city with small groups of soldiers attacking for sabotage and reconnaissance purposes, claiming one such group had been destroyed. Russia has been trying to encircle Pokrovsk for months.
At least 32 Palestinians seeking food have been killed by Israeli gunfire near two aid distribution points close to Khan Younis and Rafah in southern Gaza, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.
Dozens were also injured near the two sites run by the controversial US and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), it said.
The GHF said there were no incidents "at or near" their sites, but that there had been "Israel Defense Forces (IDF) activity" hours before their sites were due to open.
One eyewitness told the Reuters news agency that the Israeli gunfire seemed "targeted to kill".
The Palestinian ministry of health said a number of bodies were taken to nearby Nasser hospital on Saturday morning.
There are almost daily reports of Palestinians being killed while seeking aid since the GHF began operations in late May. Witnesses say most have been shot by Israeli forces.
The IDF told the BBC that in the latest incident, troops fired warning shots to prevent "suspects" approaching them, saying the incident happened before the aid sites opened.
Mohammed Al-Khalidi, speaking to Reuters, pointed the finger at the Israeli army for the attack.
He said he was part of a group of Palestinians who had been told the GHF aid distribution centre was open, but when they arrived tanks began moving towards them and opened fire.
"It wasn't shots that were to scare us or to organize us, it was shots that were targeted to kill us, if they wanted to organize us they would have, but they meant to kill us."
The GHF uses private security contractors to distribute aid from sites in Israeli military zones. Israel and the US say the system is necessary to stop Hamas from stealing aid. The UN refuses to co-operate with it, describing it as unethical and saying no evidence has been offered of Hamas systematically diverting aid.
On 15 July, the UN human rights office said it had so far recorded 674 killings in the vicinity of the GHF's four sites in southern and central Gaza over the past six weeks.
Another 201 killings had been recorded along routes of UN and other aid convoys, it added.
The GHF denies that there have been any deadly incidents in close proximity to its sites and accused the UN of using "false and misleading" figures from Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry. The ministry's figures are widely seen as a reliable count of bodies seen by Gazan hospitals.
Israel does not allow international news organisations, including the BBC, to send journalists into the territory.
The UN also said this week that the number of acutely malnourished children has doubled since Israel began restricting food entering the territory in March. Despite the creation of the GHF significant amounts of aid, including baby formula, is still being blocked at the border.
On Friday, the director of one field hospital said in a statement that they had an unprecedented influx of patients suffering from severe exhaustion, emaciation and acute malnutrition.
So far, 69 children have died from malnutrition during the increasing humanitarian crisis, according to the Hamas government media office.
On Friday, US President Donald Trump once again suggested a ceasefire deal was very near – but a Palestinian official told the BBC that talks remain blocked, with a latest troop withdrawal map proposed by Israel still unacceptable to Hamas.
Twenty-eight people have died after a tourist boat capsized in Vietnam in bad weather, according to local reports.
At least 14 people are said to be missing following the incident in Halong Bay, a popular tourist destination in the north of the country, the reports say.
Most of the passengers were reportedly Vietnamese visiting from Hanoi.
Heavy rain has been hindering the search for survivors, rescuers say.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.
Apartments were among the buildings went up in flames across Ukraine following the Russian air strike
At least three people have died following another widespread air bombardment by Russia.
Two people were killed in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, the regional governor, Sergiy Lysak, said, while a woman died of her injuries after being rescued from a burning apartment in Odesa, according to emergency services.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said 10 regions of Ukraine, including a number of cities, were hit in the overnight assault. Ukraine's military said more than 340 explosive and dummy drones and 35 cruise and ballistic missiles were used.
Although it said 90% of these were shot down, suppressed electronically or lost, more than 30 got through.
One of the strikes hit a residential block in the southern city of Odesa, causing a fire on its upper floors.
Rescuers said five people were rescued from burning apartments - including the woman who later died. At least another six people were wounded.
The eastern city of Pavlohrad was subjected to what Serhiy Lysak called a "hellish night and morning".
He said there had been "explosion after explosion" caused by drone and missile strikes, adding it had been the biggest-scale attack on the city to date.
Targets reportedly included industrial sites, a fire department, a clinic, a school, and a cultural institution.
Zelensky wrote of "important infrastructure" being damaged there. A missile plant is based in Pavlohrad, and the city has been struck in the past by Russia.
Russia's defence ministry said it struck military-industrial enterprises that produce components for missiles and drones overnight, but did not specify where.
The north-eastern city of Sumy was also attacked. Zelensky said critical infrastructure had been damaged, cutting power to several thousand families.
There have also been strikes - including with guided bombs - on another town in the region, Shostka, which lies less than 50km (30 miles) from the Russian border. Officials said a "targeted hit" there had caused a fire. They did not say what had been struck.
Unverified video footage posted online purportedly of the incident shows a fierce fire and billowing clouds of grey smoke.
Zelensky once again stressed the importance of bolstering air defences, both in terms of supplies from allies, but also producing them in Ukraine, including more interceptor drones.
The Trump administration recently moved to free up weapons supplies, even if some of these - including much-needed Patriot air defences - will be paid for by other Nato allies.
EPA/Shutterstock
At least six people were wounded as a result of the Russian attack on Odesa
Russia said it shot down more than 70 Ukrainian drones overnight into Saturday, most of them over the regions of Rostov, Moscow and Bryansk.
The acting governor of Rostov, Yuri Slyusar, said the attack had been massive, affecting areas close to the border with occupied parts of Ukraine. Houses, he said, were damaged by what he said had been falling debris, and several settlements suffered temporary power cuts.
Slyusar said one railway worker had been injured, and rail traffic disrupted. Several supply routes into Ukraine run through the area.
Meanwhile, on the front lines, Russian forces continue to attack one of their key objectives - the town of Pokrovsk in the eastern region of Donetsk.
Late on Friday, Ukraine's commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, acknowledged it faced increasing pressure, but insisted its defence was "steadfast". He said Russia had been trying to get to the city with small groups of soldiers attacking for sabotage and reconnaissance purposes, claiming one such group had been destroyed. Russia has been trying to encircle Pokrovsk for months.
Sumbu Sita Mambu, representative of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Benjamin Mbonimpa (R) secretary exectutive of the M23 group sign a deal in Qatar
The Democratic Republic of Congo and M23 rebels have signed ceasefire deal in Qatar to end fighting between the warring sides.
Dubbed the Declaration of Principles, Saturday's agreement seen by the BBC, says both sides must refrain from attacks, "hate propaganda" and "any attempt to seize by force new positions on the ground".
The declaration is intended as a roadmap towards a permanent settlement.
The two sides agreed to implement the deal's terms by July 29. A final peace deal is due by 18 August and must align with last month's US-brokered deal between DR Congo and Rwanda, which denies accusations it backs M23.
Decades of conflict escalated earlier this year when M23 rebels seized control of large parts of the mineral-rich eastern DR Congo including the regional capital, Goma, the city of Bukavu and two airports.
The UN says thousands of people have been killed and hundreds of thousands of civilians forced from their homes following since. The M23 disputes the figures, saying fewer than 1,000 people have died.
DR Congo spokesperson Patrick Muyaya said the deal took the government's "red line" into account - including the "non-negotiable withdrawal" of the M23 from occupied areas.
But in a video posted on X, M23 negotiator Benjamin Mbonimpa said the deal did not mention such a pull-out.
It is the first direct accord between the two sides since the rebels launched their offensive at the turn of the year.
Qatar said negotiations were set to continue.
The African Union Commission called the declaration a "milestone" in lasting peace efforts and security in the region.
The declaration also outlines a commitment to reinstating state authority in eastern DR Congo.
This is the latest in a long line of failed peace deals in the region.
One of the main players in today's conflict - the M23 rebels - emerged from a failed peace deal 16 years ago that never delivered on demobilisation.
In March, DR Congo's President Félix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame met in Qatar and both called for an immediate ceasefire.
The following month, DR Congo and M23 group agreed to a ceasefire facilitated by Qatar, but fighting continued on the ground.
The Washington deal, which came about in June, has been met with widespread criticism as a key incentive for the US' intervention is access to the DR Congo's vast mineral wealth. President Trump boasted of this feat.
There has been talk of Tshisekedi and Rwanda's President Paul Kagame going to Washington to meet Trump together, though no date has been fixed.
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