From an embankment overlooking Gaza City, there's no hiding what this war has done.

The Gaza of maps and memories is gone, replaced by a monochrome landscape of rubble stretching flat and still for 180 degrees, from Beit Hanoun on one side to Gaza City on the other.

Beyond the distant shapes of buildings still standing inside Gaza City, there's almost nothing left to orient you here, or identify the neighbourhoods that once held tens of thousands of people.

This was one of the first areas Israeli ground troops entered in the early weeks of the war. Since then they have been back multiple times, as Hamas regrouped around its strongholds in the area.

Israel does not allow news organisations to report independently from Gaza. Today it took a group of journalists, including the BBC, into the area of the Strip occupied by Israeli forces.

The brief visit was highly controlled and offered no access to Palestinians, or other areas of Gaza.

Military censorship laws in Israel mean that military personnel were shown our material before publication. The BBC maintained editorial control of this report at all times.

Asked about the level of destruction in the area we visited, Israeli military spokesman Nadav Shoshani said it was "not a goal".

"The goal is to combat terrorists. Almost every house had a tunnel shaft or was booby-trapped or had an RPG [rocket-propelled grenade] or sniper station," he said.

"If you're driving fast, within a minute you can be inside of a living room of an Israeli grandmother or child. That's what happened on October 7."

More than 1,100 people were killed in the Hamas attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023, and 251 others taken hostage.

Since then, more than 68,000 Gazans have been killed, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry there.

The bodies of several hostages had been found in this area, Lt Col Shoshani said, including that of Itay Chen, returned to Israel by Hamas this week. Searches are continuing for the missing bodies of another seven hostages.

The Israeli military base we travelled to is a few hundred metres from the yellow line – the temporary boundary set out in US President Donald Trump's peace plan, which divides the areas of Gaza still controlled by Israeli forces from the areas controlled by Hamas.

Israel's army has been gradually marking out the yellow line with blocks on the ground, as a warning to both Hamas fighters and civilians.

There are no demarcations along this part of the line yet - a soldier points it out to me, taking bearings from a small patch of sand between the grey crumbs of demolished buildings.

The ceasefire is almost a month old, but Israeli forces say they are still fighting Hamas gunmen along the yellow line "almost every day". The piles of bronze-coloured bullet casings mark the firing points on the embankments facing Gaza City.

Hamas has accused Israel of violating the ceasefire "hundreds of times", and Gaza's Hamas-run Health Ministry says more than 240 people have been killed as a result.

Col Shoshani said that Israeli forces were committed to the US-led peace plan, but that they would also make sure that Hamas no longer posed a threat to Israeli civilians, and would stay as long as necessary.

"It's very clear to everyone that Hamas is armed and trying to control Gaza," he said. "This is something that will be worked out, but we're far from that."

The next stage of the US-led plan requires Hamas to disarm and hand over power to a Palestinian committee overseen by international figures including President Trump.

But rather than give up its power and weapons, Col Shoshani said, Hamas was doing the opposite.

"Hamas is trying to arm itself, trying to assert dominance, assert control over Gaza," he told me. "It's killing people in broad daylight, to terrorise civilians and make sure they understand who is boss in Gaza. We hope this agreement is enough pressure to make sure Hamas disarms."

Israeli forces showed us a map of the tunnels they said that soldiers had found beneath the rubble we saw – "a vast network of tunnels, almost like spider's web" they said – some already destroyed, some still intact, and some they were still searching for.

What happens in the next stage of this peace deal is unclear.

The agreement has left Gaza in a tense limbo. Washington knows how fragile the situation is - the ceasefire has faltered twice already.

The US is pushing hard to move on from this volatile stand-off to a more durable peace. It has sent a draft resolution to UN Security Council members, seen by the BBC, which outlines a two-year mandate for an international stabilisation force to take over Gaza's security and disarm Hamas.

But details of this next stage of the deal are thin: it's not clear which countries would send troops to secure Gaza ahead of Hamas disarmament, when Israel's troops will withdraw, or how the members of Gaza's new technocratic administration will be appointed.

President Trump has outlined his vision of Gaza as a futuristic Middle Eastern hub, built with foreign investment. It's a far cry from where Gaza is today.

Largely destroyed by Israel, and seen as an investment by Trump, the question is not just who can stop the fighting, but how much say Gazans will have in the future of their communities and lands.

Hamas has handed over to the Red Cross a coffin containing what it says is the body of another deceased hostage, the Israeli military has said.

The remains have been transferred to Israeli forces, who will take them to the National Centre of Foreign Medicine in Tel Aviv for identification.

Under the first phase of the US-brokered ceasefire deal with Israel, which started nearly a month ago, Hamas agreed to return all 20 living and 28 dead Israeli and foreign hostages it was holding within 72 hours.

Israel has accused Hamas of deliberately delaying the recovery of the dead hostages' bodies, while Hamas has insisted it is struggling to find them under rubble.

If the latest remains are confirmed as those of a dead hostage, it will mean six others are still in Gaza – including Israelis and foreign nationals.

All the remaining living Israeli hostages were released on 13 October in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,718 detainees from Gaza.

Israel has also handed over the bodies of 300 Palestinians in exchange for the bodies of the Israeli hostages and those of two foreign hostages - one of them Thai and the other Nepalese.

On Tuesday, the remains of Israeli-American soldier Itay Chen, 19, were returned.

Staff Sgt Chen was serving as a soldier in the IDF's 7th Brigade when Hamas-led gunmen attacked southern Israel on 7 October 2023.

The IDF said he was killed inside a tank during a battle in Kibbutz Nir Oz and that his body was taken to Gaza as a hostage by Hamas.

The slow progress over the return of the hostages has meant there has been no advance on the second phase of President Trump's Gaza peace plan. This includes plans for the governance of Gaza, the withdrawal of Israeli troops, the disarmament of Hamas, and reconstruction.

Israel has allowed members of the Palestinian armed group and Red Cross staff to search for remains in areas still controlled by Israeli forces.

All but one of the dead hostages still in Gaza were among the 251 people abducted during the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, during which about 1,200 other people were killed.

Israel responded by launching a military campaign in Gaza, during which more than 68,800 people have been killed, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

French police have launched an investigation into sex-trafficking linked to the disgraced businessman Mohamed Al Fayed, who died two years ago.

The police investigation, ordered by the Paris prosecutor's office, will focus on "potential acts of aggravated human trafficking… with multiple victims," according to correspondence seen by the BBC. Prostitution and one case of rape are also being investigated.

Al Fayed's Ritz Hotel in Paris will likely be a target of the investigation, amid claims from victims that staff knew about or facilitated the abuse of women.

In a statement, the Ritz said it was "deeply alarmed" by the allegations of abuse and it would cooperate "fully" with authorities.

The trafficking investigation marks a new twist in a series of legal battles linked to Al Fayed's violent crimes and to the search – both before and since his death – for some sort of justice for his many victims.

An American woman, Pelham Spong, 40, played a key role in triggering this investigation in France, where it is alleged that Al Fayed moved young female staff from the Ritz to his private house in Paris and to various yachts and family homes on the Mediterranean coast.

Ms Spong was living in Paris in 2008 when she applied for a job working as a personal assistant for the Al Fayed family in Monaco.

She was brought to London several times, subjected to an intrusive gynaecological examination, and then – she alleges - sexually assaulted by Al Fayed in his office on Park Lane.

"He told me the job entailed sleeping with him," Ms Spong said, adding that she declined the offer on the spot.

"I didn't realise I was a victim of sex trafficking until this past year when I… saw the scale and scope of the abuse and realised that it was a pattern and a system and a machine," she told the BBC in an interview in Paris.

A few months ago, Ms Spong, now living back in the USA, came to Paris to report her experiences to the French police, hoping that it might persuade other women to come forward with evidence of their own abuse.

"It's a big step that the prosecutors decided to open an investigation. [Ms Spong] has a really good case because she kept a lot of materials. It will be very strong," her lawyer, Anne-Claire Le Jeune told the BBC.

Ms Spong said it is "so much easier to dismiss the actions of an evil man that's dead".

"And you can't learn anything from that as a society. So how do you prevent this happening again?

"Well, first, you have to name what it... It's critical to call it what it is, trafficking, so that we can prevent it," she said.

Al Fayed is also being investigated in the UK, where more than 140 people have reported him to the Met Police.

The extent of Al Fayed's predatory behaviour was first brought to light by a BBC documentary and podcast, broadcast in September 2024.

Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods heard testimony from more than 20 female ex-Harrods employees who said Al Fayed sexually assaulted or raped them. Since then, dozens more women have come forward with similar experiences.

After the broadcast, the Met revealed it had been approached by 21 women before Al Fayed's death, who accused him of sexual offences including rape, sexual assault and trafficking. Despite this, he was never charged with any offences.

Ms Spong herself says she spoke to British police about Al Fayed in 2017 but was told he was too ill to be questioned.

Earlier this year, the Met wrote to alleged victims apologising, saying it was "truly sorry" for the distress they have suffered because Al Fayed will never face justice.

The force is currently investigating its handling of historical allegations against Al Fayed and looking into whether others could face charges for enabling his behaviour.

Harrods has set aside more than £60m in its plan to compensate alleged victims of Al Fayed's abuse.

In a statement announcing the scheme, Harrods said: "While we cannot undo the past, we have been determined to do the right thing as an organisation, driven by the values we hold today, while ensuring that such behaviour can never be repeated in the future."

Seven people were killed when a UPS cargo plane crashed while taking off from an airport in Louisville, Kentucky on Tuesday evening, the state's governor said.

At least 11 other people were injured when the freight plane exploded as it departed Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport at around 17:15 local time (22:15 GMT), sending thick plumes of black smoke into the sky.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said the plane's three crew members were likely to be among the dead, adding that, "Anyone who has seen the images and the video knows how violent this crash is".

Officials warned that people suffered "very significant" injuries in the incident and the death toll could rise.

UPS flight 2976 bound for Honolulu, Hawaii was carrying 38,000 gallons (144,000 litres) of fuel when it skidded off the runway in Louisville and struck nearby buildings.

The explosion engulfed at least two nearby businesses, including a petroleum recycling company. A shelter-in-place order was initially issued for within five miles of the airport due to concerns of further explosions and air pollution, but was later reduced to just one mile.

All departing flights for Tuesday evening were cancelled, the airport said in a statement on X.

Louisville Fire Dept Chief Brian O'Neill said the fire has almost entirely been contained, with crews still deployed at the crash site.

"When you have such a large scale incident and fire that spread over such a massive area, we have to use hundreds of personnel to surround it, contain it, and then slowly bring it in," O'Neill said.

He added: "These are trained firefighters from all around the region that are handling this to search, grid by grid, very carefully to make sure if we can find any other victims."

At a press conference, Beshear warned people not to go to the crash site, saying that, "There are still dangerous things that are flammable, that are potentially explosive."

Beshear said he would not "speculate" as to what caused the incident, adding that the National Transportation Safety Bureau (NTSB) would be leading the investigation.

The NTSB's investigative team is scheduled to arrive in Kentucky on Wednesday.

Louisville Metro Police Dept Chief Paul Humphrey said that the crash site will be "an ongoing active scene for the next several days".

He added: "We don't know how long it's going to take to render that scene safe for the investigation to take place."

The aircraft was a MD-11F, a triple-engine jet that started service 34 years ago with Thai Airways as a passenger jet, but was transferred to UPS in 2006.

The MD-11F was originally manufactured by McDonnell Douglas, which merged with Boeing in 1997.

MD-11s are just over 61 metres long and have a wingspan of 52 metres, smaller than Boeing 747s , which are roughly 76 metres long and have a wingspan of 68 metres.

In 2023, FedEx and UPS both announced plans to begin retiring their fleets of MD-11s over the next decade as part of plans to modernise their fleets.

In a statement, Boeing said it is "ready to support our customer" and that "our concern is for the safety and well-being of all those affected."

It added that it will offer technical assistance to the NTSB.

Louisville is home to UPS Worldport, a global hub for the delivery firm's air cargo operations and its largest package handling facility in the world.

During the press conference, Louisville Metro Council member Betsy Ruhe said that the city is a "UPS town", and that every resident would know somebody who works for company.

"They're all texting their friends, their family, trying to make sure everyone is safe," she said.

In a statement, UPS said it was "terribly saddened" by the incident and would be halting package sorting operations at Worldport on Tuesday night.

It added: "UPS is committed to the safety of our employees, and customers and the communities we serve. This is particularly true in Louisville, home to our airline and thousands of UPSers."

State Senator Keturah Herron said, "Many of us watch our family members and loved ones pass through [Louisville airport] on a regular basis."

In a post on X, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said that the plane crash is an "incredible tragedy that our community will never forget".

He added: "We are so thankful for our brave first responders who have flooded the scene to help try and control the fire and provide support for any victims on the ground."

After sealing decisive wins in the New York mayoral election and governor's races in Virginia and New Jersey, it is clear the Democratic Party will be buoyed by a big election night on Tuesday.

It is a far cry from the scenes after last year's presidential election, when the party was left searching for answers after Donald Trump and the Republicans scored a hugely dominant victory.

The results also mark a year until vital midterm elections. So with the picture of the night becoming clearer, here's what we've learned from the results.

1. Democrats get their energy back

The Democrats notched key victories as they swept the first major elections of Trump's second term.

There were joyous celebrations at the various candidate headquarters, a stark contrast to the downbeat scenes after the party's bruising 2024 defeat.

Abigail Spanberger won in Virginia, flipping the governorship from Republican, while Mikie Sherrill was elected governor in New Jersey. Both won decisively, securing more than 56% of the vote.

In New York City, Zohran Mamdani beat independent Andrew Cuomo and became the first candidate to pass one million votes since 1969.

• FOLLOW LIVE: Updates and analysis after election night

Barack Obama's former deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes told the BBC that Mamdani had "changed the electorate" by urging young people and immigrants to vote.

"He most importantly built a movement," he said.

The series of decisive victories may well boost a party that has at times struggled to counter President Trump's rapidly-enacted second term agenda, and rebound from its 2024 defeat.

"The Democrats are back and we're winning," said Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Ken Martin on Wednesday. "We've got the momentum going into the midterm elections."

2. Cost of living a winning message

Pledging to bring down the cost of rent, food and childcare was at the core of Mamdani's left-wing campaign, but it was also a winning issue for the more moderate Democrats elsewhere.

Sherrill in New Jersey and Spanberger in Virginia both made tackling the high cost of living front and centre in their governor campaigns. And it was seemingly top of voters' minds, too.

Exit poll data from the major US networks indicated that in all three races the most important issue for voters was the economy and affordability.

And tellingly, according to exit poll data from the BBC's US partner CBS News, a majority of voters who named the economy as their most important issue voted for the Democratic candidate in New York, New Jersey and Virginia.

It may well give the party a message to coalesce around ahead of the crucial midterm elections next year - and pose a challenge for Republicans to counter.

"I can't see into the future, but I see Republicans losing the House if Americans are continuing to go paycheck-to-paycheck," Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene told Semafor recently.

"It's clearer than ever that affordability needs to be the centrepiece of the Democrats' message going into the midterms," political communications expert Andrew Koneschusky told the AFP news agency.

"The affordability message cuts across demographics and highlights a major vulnerability for Republicans," he said.

3. A stark shift in the Latino vote

When Trump scored his decisive victory over Kamala Harris last year, he racked up huge support from Latino voters who had been a key part of the Democratic voter base for decades.

Trump saw a huge 14 percentage-point increase in support from that demographic compared to the 2020 election, according to exit polls. No Republican presidential candidate had ever won a higher percentage with Latino voters.

And while he wasn't on the ballot on Tuesday night, there were some potentially concerning signs for his Republican Party. The winning candidates for governor in Virginia and New Jersey both had wide leads of around 30% with Latino voters, according to exit poll data.

There are interesting shifts, too, when examining the results more closely.

Passaic County in New Jersey - which census data shows is almost half Latino - is often cited by analysts as a bellwether for Trump's support among those voters. He won it by 3 percentage points in 2024, yet Sherrill won it by 15 on Tuesday.

Mike Madrid, a Republican political consultant who specialises in Latino voting trends, suggested the cost of living - a key theme in the Democratic campaigns - was a major factor.

"No poll taken anywhere in the country in the past month has anything other than the economy as the top issue for Latinos," he said.

4. Democratic differences were on display

In liberal New York, Mamdani ran as a democratic socialist who will tax millionaires and corporations to the tune of $9bn (£6.9bn), in order to pay for policies such as free childcare and buses.

It was a different story, however, in the governor's races in New Jersey and Virginia, where Republicans have had far more electoral success in the past.

In those states, the two Democratic candidates were establishment-backed moderates who emphasised pragmatic policies more likely to appeal to voters less liberal than those in New York City.

The night itself illustrated the broad differences in the party between its left-wing and centrists, and raised questions over how it will approach elections and candidate selection in the future.

Koneschusky suggested Democrats needed to field candidates who reflect the specific electorate, rather than taking a "one-size-fits-all" approach.

"In some cases, that may mean fielding progressive candidates. In other cases, it may mean moderate or centrist candidates," he said.

New York City comptroller and Mamdani ally Brad Lander echoed this point, telling the BBC's Nada Tawfik that Democratic leadership must acknowledge different things will work in different parts of the country and they should allow the primary process to play out.

"A moment comes but rarely in history when we step out from the old to the new," Zohran Mamdani told a jubilant crowd in New York on Wednesday - quoting India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru's midnight speech of 1947, when the country awoke to freedom.

"When an age ends and the soul of a nation finds utterance. Tonight we step out from the old to the new," Mamdani continued.

As Mamdani wrapped up his victory speech, the title track from the 2004 Bollywood hit Dhoom rang out across the hall - followed by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' Empire State of Mind, now pulsing with new meaning as New York's first Indian-origin mayor made history.

Months earlier, Mamdani had turned Bollywood into campaign language, a nod to his South Asian roots - his mother is filmmaker Mira Nair, and his father, Mahmood Mamdani, a Ugandan-born scholar of Indian descent. On Instagram, he's recorded several messages in Hindi, often relying on playful imagery and dialogues from popular Bollywood films.

Invoking India's first prime minister on Wednesday was a final flourish.

Seventy-seven years ago, Nehru, in a sweltering Constituent Assembly hall in Delhi, had prefaced the lines borrowed by Mamdani with one of the most stirring openings in history: "Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially."

"At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom."

It was just before midnight on 15 August 1947, and India was about to become independent after nearly two centuries of British rule. The words carried both elation and gravity - a promise of responsibility and of a nation finding its voice.

Many believe Mamdani's nod to Nehru's speech held out the promise that something new, untested, and potentially transformative had begun in New York.

Decades earlier, in another moment of awakening, Nehru had been evoking something far larger - a nation's rebirth.

Freedom, Nehru continued, as not an end but a beginning - "not one of ease or resting but of incessant striving". The service of India, he insisted, meant serving "the millions who suffer" and ending "poverty and ignorance and disease and inequality of opportunity".

He pledged that India's work would not be over "so long as there are tears and suffering", and urged unity over "petty and destructive criticism" to build "the noble mansion of free India where all her children may dwell."

The roughly 1,600-word speech by India's first prime minister has gone down as one of the most famous speeches in history.

The New York Times said Nehru had "electrified his countrymen with a speech of soaring eloquence". Historian Ramachandra Guha called it a speech "rich in emotion and rhetoric". Srinath Raghavan, a historian, told an interviewer that the "speech still resonates in India because it genuinely captured the moment in the way great speeches can".

There were three main speakers that night: Chaudhry Khaliquz-zaman spoke for India's Muslims, Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a philosopher, for his eloquence and vision, and Nehru - the star of the evening.

The set-up of Nehru's speech was electric. Time magazine reported that Indian leaders had gathered in the Constituent Assembly Hall an hour before midnight. The chamber was "ablaze with the colours of India's new tricolour flag - orange, white and green". Nehru made what the magazine called an "inspired speech".

What followed was pure theatre of history.

"And as the twelfth chime of midnight died out, a conch shell, traditional herald of the dawn, sounded raucously through the chamber. Members of the Constituent Assembly rose. Together they pledged themselves at this solemn moment . . . to the service of India and her people."

Outside, Indians were rejoicing. In his book India After Gandhi, Guha quotes an American journalist reporting: "Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs were happily celebrating together... It was Times Square on New Year's Eve. More than anyone else, the crowd wanted Nehru."

But beneath the euphoria, chaos and violence were already stirring. Across the subcontinent, religious riots broke out. Two days later, the borders were drawn - triggering one of history's largest and bloodiest migrations, as up to 15 million people moved and about a million died.

Amid the upheaval, Nehru's words stood out - a reminder of India's unfulfilled promise, and of a leader whose command of language many believe matched the enormity of the moment.

By then, Nehru had gained a reputation as a formidable orator, delivering extempore speeches that ranged effortlessly across politics, science, art, and ethics. As Australian diplomat Walter Crocker observed, the breadth and spontaneity of his addresses were "without parallel".

As he concluded his most famous speech in August 1947, Nehru said: "We have hard work ahead. There is no resting for any one of us till we redeem our pledge in full, till we make all the people of India what destiny intended them to be."

Seven decades later, in New York, Mamdani has his own, rather different work cut out for him.

Many Ugandans are expressing their pride in the newly elected mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, who was born in Uganda and retains dual nationality.

Some have described him as one of "their own", saying he inspires them.

A journalist who mentored him during his teenage internship at one of Uganda's leading newspapers told the BBC that there was a "lot of excitement" in Uganda about Mamdani's rise especially because of his young age. Uganda has the second-lowest median age worldwide of just 16.2, according to the CIA World Factbook.

Zohran, 34, is the son of Prof Mahmood Mamdani, a prominent Ugandan academic, while his mother, Mira Nair, is an acclaimed filmmaker.

Journalist Angelo Izama told the BBC's Newsday programme that the younger Mamdani was "initially shy" while they worked together, but was "absolutely determined to get things done".

He says Zohran is "very fond of Kampala", Uganda's capital, which he often mentions.

Mahmood Mamdani was raised in Uganda and worked for more than a decade at Makerere University, the country's main and oldest university. He met his wife in Kampala while she was researching Mississippi Masala, a film about the expulsion of Asians from Uganda under Idi Amin.

Prof Mamdani is known for his anti-colonialist scholarship, which examines the legacy of colonialism in Africa and its impact on governance, identity and justice.

Makerere University professor Okello Ogwang says he "feels great" about Zohran's success, describing him as the "son of a colleague. This is somebody from home".

"We have one of us there," he told the BBC.

"It gives me hope that the children we are raising are the hope of this world. As a continent... we are missing out on the greatest resource we have - the youth."

While many Ugandans had not heard of Zohran until his election, a student at the university said people were "very happy", saying it proved that anyone could rise above their background.

"It gives morale, especially to us as youths," said Abno Collins Kuloba. "Wherever you have grown up, be it poor or rich, you can become something big, like what [Mamdani] has done."

Another student, Chemtai Zamzam, said she was happy, for herself and Ugandans. She said Mamdani was an inspiration to her as a young person, as "it shows we can become anything we want as long as we put faith and determination".

The new mayor is also being celebrated elsewhere in the continent.

Abdul Mohamed, an Ethiopian who is a former senior UN and African Union official, describes Mahmood Mamdani as "a distinguished scholar of African politics", a man who interrogated power and justice.

He says having known Zohran since infancy, he sees him as having inherited his father's "commitment to pan-Africanism", his parents' "courage to think freely," and their belief that one can "belong everywhere".

He says Zohran's rise is symbolic and practical especially to young Africans, asking them to draw from him lessons in politics.

"I think through him, [the] power and beauty of multi-ethnic, multi-religious identity found its voice. And Africa is by and large a multi-ethnic and a multi-religious society," he says.

He adds that as Zohran has demonstrated, young people need to organise and build political action and "avoid despair and avoid pure anger".

Uganda is holding elections next year, with 81-year-old President Yoweri Museveni seeking another term after almost 40 years in power.

The Mamdani family also spent at around three years in Cape Town, South Africa, after Mahmood was appointed to the country's University of Cape Town.

Some South Africans have also been taking pride in his historic win.

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

Donald Trump has renominated billionaire investor Jared Isaacman to run Nasa, five months after withdrawing his first nomination.

The 42-year-old entrepreneur, who has ties to SpaceX founder Elon Musk, had looked set to lead the space agency when Trump abruptly pulled his nomination in late May, following what the president said was a "thorough review of prior associations."

While the White House did not specify what those associations were, it was during Trump's high-profile feud with Musk.

Isaacman, who is worth an estimated $1.9bn (£1.46bn), is an amateur jet pilot and also became the first non-professional astronaut to walk in space last year, on a mission with SpaceX that he bankrolled.

Why Trump has suddenly changed his mind is unclear, and the president made no mention of the past when he wrote on his Truth Social platform that he was "pleased to nominate" Isaacman for the role.

"Jared's passion for Space, astronaut experience, and dedication to pushing the boundaries of exploration, unlocking the mysteries of the universe, and advancing the new Space economy, make him ideally suited to lead NASA into a bold new Era," the president wrote.

The Nasa administrator role will be Isaacman's first job in politics, representing a departure from the last two men appointed to the job.

It requires confirmation by the Senate, where the Republican Party holds a 53-47 majority. Even though the US government has been shut down since early October, the Senate is still able to confirm presidential nominees.

Thanking the president, Isaacman wrote on X that "it will be an honor" to serve in the role.

"The support from the space-loving community has been overwhelming," he wrote in a long post, that also acknowledged Nasa scientists and innovators.

"I am not sure how I earned the trust of so many, but I will do everything I can to live up to those expectations."

Sean Duffy, the head of the transport department, has been interim Nasa chief since July.

Isaacman's initial nomination withdrawal came just days after Elon Musk left the Trump administration, following a tumultuous drive to shrink the size of government departments with his Doge initiative, leading to thousands of job cuts.

Concerns were voiced over Isaacman's ties to Musk and his SpaceX company, where Isaacman has reportedly spent hundreds of millions of dollars. He has also made donations to the Democrats in past elections.

His nomination has encountered scepticism, and at his initial confirmation hearing in April, members of both parties questioned Isaacman about possible conflicts of interest, budget cuts and his desire to send astronauts to Mars.

They expressed fears he would sacrifice the long-planned Moon mission to focus on Mars, but Isaacman said both can be possible.

"We don't have to make a binary decision of Moon versus Mars, or Moon has to come first versus Mars," he later added.

The billionaire - who was a high-school dropout - made his fortune from payment processing company Shift4 Payments, which he founded in 1999 in his parents' basement when he was 16.

Isaacman has a longstanding interest in flying - having first taken pilot lessons in 2004 and later setting a world record for the fastest circumnavigation of the world in a light jet.

A driver has rammed his car into pedestrians and cyclists on the Ile d'Oléron, off the west coast of France, leaving 10 people hurt including several in a critical condition.

A local man aged "about 30" was arrested at the scene after deliberately driving into people, the mayor of Dolus d'Oléron Thibault Brechkoff said.

The man drove some distance between two villages on the island, mowing down several people including a young girl, the mayor told French TV.

He eventually abandoned his vehicle and tried to set fire to it before running away, Brechkoff said.

The public prosecutor for La Rochelle, Arnaud Laraize, said the suspect was known to police and that he shouted "Allahu Akbar" ("God is greatest") at the moment of his arrest.

The incident took place around 08:45 (07:45 GMT), according to local media.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said an inquiry had been opened into the incident and he was heading to the scene.

Seven people were killed when a UPS cargo plane crashed while taking off from an airport in Louisville, Kentucky on Tuesday evening, the state's governor said.

At least 11 other people were injured when the freight plane exploded as it departed Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport at around 17:15 local time (22:15 GMT), sending thick plumes of black smoke into the sky.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said the plane's three crew members were likely to be among the dead, adding that, "Anyone who has seen the images and the video knows how violent this crash is".

Officials warned that people suffered "very significant" injuries in the incident and the death toll could rise.

UPS flight 2976 bound for Honolulu, Hawaii was carrying 38,000 gallons (144,000 litres) of fuel when it skidded off the runway in Louisville and struck nearby buildings.

The explosion engulfed at least two nearby businesses, including a petroleum recycling company. A shelter-in-place order was initially issued for within five miles of the airport due to concerns of further explosions and air pollution, but was later reduced to just one mile.

All departing flights for Tuesday evening were cancelled, the airport said in a statement on X.

Louisville Fire Dept Chief Brian O'Neill said the fire has almost entirely been contained, with crews still deployed at the crash site.

"When you have such a large scale incident and fire that spread over such a massive area, we have to use hundreds of personnel to surround it, contain it, and then slowly bring it in," O'Neill said.

He added: "These are trained firefighters from all around the region that are handling this to search, grid by grid, very carefully to make sure if we can find any other victims."

At a press conference, Beshear warned people not to go to the crash site, saying that, "There are still dangerous things that are flammable, that are potentially explosive."

Beshear said he would not "speculate" as to what caused the incident, adding that the National Transportation Safety Bureau (NTSB) would be leading the investigation.

The NTSB's investigative team is scheduled to arrive in Kentucky on Wednesday.

Louisville Metro Police Dept Chief Paul Humphrey said that the crash site will be "an ongoing active scene for the next several days".

He added: "We don't know how long it's going to take to render that scene safe for the investigation to take place."

The aircraft was a MD-11F, a triple-engine jet that started service 34 years ago with Thai Airways as a passenger jet, but was transferred to UPS in 2006.

The MD-11F was originally manufactured by McDonnell Douglas, which merged with Boeing in 1997.

MD-11s are just over 61 metres long and have a wingspan of 52 metres, smaller than Boeing 747s , which are roughly 76 metres long and have a wingspan of 68 metres.

In 2023, FedEx and UPS both announced plans to begin retiring their fleets of MD-11s over the next decade as part of plans to modernise their fleets.

In a statement, Boeing said it is "ready to support our customer" and that "our concern is for the safety and well-being of all those affected."

It added that it will offer technical assistance to the NTSB.

Louisville is home to UPS Worldport, a global hub for the delivery firm's air cargo operations and its largest package handling facility in the world.

During the press conference, Louisville Metro Council member Betsy Ruhe said that the city is a "UPS town", and that every resident would know somebody who works for company.

"They're all texting their friends, their family, trying to make sure everyone is safe," she said.

In a statement, UPS said it was "terribly saddened" by the incident and would be halting package sorting operations at Worldport on Tuesday night.

It added: "UPS is committed to the safety of our employees, and customers and the communities we serve. This is particularly true in Louisville, home to our airline and thousands of UPSers."

State Senator Keturah Herron said, "Many of us watch our family members and loved ones pass through [Louisville airport] on a regular basis."

In a post on X, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said that the plane crash is an "incredible tragedy that our community will never forget".

He added: "We are so thankful for our brave first responders who have flooded the scene to help try and control the fire and provide support for any victims on the ground."

A driver has rammed his car into pedestrians and cyclists on the Ile d'Oléron, off the west coast of France, leaving 10 people hurt including several in a critical condition.

A local man aged "about 30" was arrested at the scene after deliberately driving into people, the mayor of Dolus d'Oléron Thibault Brechkoff said.

The man drove some distance between two villages on the island, mowing down several people including a young girl, the mayor told French TV.

He eventually abandoned his vehicle and tried to set fire to it before running away, Brechkoff said.

The public prosecutor for La Rochelle, Arnaud Laraize, said the suspect was known to police and that he shouted "Allahu Akbar" ("God is greatest") at the moment of his arrest.

The incident took place around 08:45 (07:45 GMT), according to local media.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said an inquiry had been opened into the incident and he was heading to the scene.

Investigators have boarded an Australian cruise ship more than 10 days after the death of an elderly female passenger who was left behind on a remote island.

Suzanne Rees, 80, had been hiking on Lizard Island with fellow passengers from the Coral Adventurer, but broke off from the group for a rest. The ship left without her, only returning several hours later when the crew realised Ms Rees was missing.

Officials from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (Amsa) boarded the vessel on Wednesday morning local time.

Amsa, which is probing the incident alongside Queensland Police and the state coroner, told the BBC it could not comment on the investigation.

The 60-day cruise around Australia, which had cost guests tens of thousands of dollars, was cancelled due to Ms Rees' death as well as mechanical issues.

The Coral Adventurer had been expected to dock at Cairns – where its operator Coral Expeditions is based.

But a lack of available berths meant it instead dropped anchor a few kilometres north early on Tuesday evening, off the coast of Yorkey's Knob, where it remained on Wednesday morning.

The BBC understands only a skeleton crew were on board.

Ship tracking data showed one of the vessel's smaller boats, known as a tender, moving between the ship and the shore on Tuesday night.

All passengers disembarked at Horn Island in the far north of Queensland over the weekend and were transferred to the mainland on a charter plane.

The Coral Adventurer caters for up to 120 guests with 46 crew, according to the company's website. It was purpose-built to access remote areas of Australia's coast.

Tracking data shows the vessel initially left Cairns at around 07:30 local time on 24 October - after a delay of around a week because of mechanical issues.

The next day it reached Lizard Island - also known as Jiigurru or Dyiigurra - in the northern area of the Great Barrier Reef for the first stop on the journey.

Passengers aboard were transported by tenders to the secluded island – home to a luxury resort and a research station - for a day trip with the option of hiking or snorkelling.

Suzanne Rees' daughter, Katherine Rees, said last week that her family was "shocked and saddened that the Coral Adventurer left Lizard Island after an organised excursion without my mum".

She described her mother, who was from Sydney, as an "active 80-year-old" who was a member of a bushwalking group.

"From the little we have been told, it seems that there was a failure of care and common sense."

Ms Rees added that she hoped the coroner's inquiry would be able to pinpoint what "the company should have done that might have saved mum's life".

"We understand from the police that it was a very hot day, and mum fell ill on the hill climb," she said.

"She was asked to head down, unescorted. Then the ship left, apparently without doing a passenger count.

"At some stage in that sequence, or shortly after, mum died, alone."

A search and rescue effort late on Saturday 25 October – the day she went missing – did not find any sign of Ms Rees. Her body was discovered the following day.

Last week Mark Fifield, the chief executive of the cruise operator Coral Expeditions, confirmed the firm was "working closely with Queensland Police and other authorities to support their investigation".

Mr Fifield said that the company was "deeply sorry that this has occurred" and had offered its full support to the Rees family.

At least three people have been killed and hundreds of thousands have been forced to flee their homes as a typhoon ripped through the central Philippines, the country's disaster agency said.

Typhoon Kalmaegi has flooded large areas, including entire towns on the island of Cebu.

Videos show people sheltering on rooftops, while cars and shipping containers have been swept through the streets.

A military helicopter deployed to assist relief efforts crashed in northern Mindanao island, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) said. It is not yet clear if there were any survivors of the crash.

The typhoon, locally named Tino, has weakened since making landfall early on Tuesday, but has continued to bring winds of more than 80mph (130km/h).

It is forecast to move across the Visayas islands region and out over the South China Sea by Wednesday.

"The situation in Cebu is really unprecedented," provincial governor Pamela Baricuatro said in a Facebook post.

"We were expecting the winds to be the dangerous part, but... the water is what's truly putting our people at risk," she said.

"The floodwaters are just devastating."

Don del Rosario, 28, was among those in Cebu City who sought refuge on an upper floor as the storm raged.

"I've been here for 28 years, and this is by far the worst we've experienced," he told the AFP news agency.

In a statement, the PAF said a rescue helicopter went down near Agusan del Sur on Mindanao island.

"Communication with the helicopter was lost, which immediately prompted the launch of a search and rescue operation," it said, adding that further details will be released "as they become verified".

In total, almost 400,000 people were moved from the typhoon's path, Rafaelito Alejandro, deputy administrator at the Office of Civil Defence, told a news conference.

The Philippines is hit by an average of 20 storms and typhoons each year.

The latest comes barely a month after back-to-back typhoons killed over a dozen people and wrought damage to infrastructure and crops.

Super Typhoon Ragasa, known locally as Nando, struck in late September, followed swiftly by Typhoon Bualoi, known locally as Opong.

In the months before, an extraordinarily wet monsoon season caused widespread flooding, sparking anger and protests over unfinished and sub-standard flood control systems that have been blamed on corruption.

On 30 September, dozens were killed and injured after a powerful 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck the central Philippines, with Cebu bearing the brunt of the damage.

Zohran Mamdani, the newly elected mayor of New York City, is notable in many ways. He will become the city's youngest mayor since 1892, its first Muslim mayor and its first mayor born in Africa.

He entered the race last year with next to no name recognition, little money and no institutional party support.

That alone makes his victory over former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Silwa remarkable.

But more than that, he represents the kind of politician that many in the Democratic Party's left have been seeking for years.

He is young and charismatic, with his generation's natural comfort with social media.

His ethnicity reflects the diversity of the party's base. He hasn't shied away from a political fight and has proudly espoused left-wing causes - such as free childcare, expanded public transportation and government intervention in free market systems.

Mamdani has also shown a laser-like ability to focus on the kind of core economic issues that have been a priority for working-class voters who have drifted from the Democratic Party recently, but he hasn't disavowed the left's cultural principles.

But critics have warned that such a candidate is unelectable in broad swathes of America - and Republicans have gleefully held the self-avowed democratic socialist up as the far-left face of the Democratic Party. Still, on Tuesday night in New York City, he was a winner.

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By running against and defeating Cuomo, a former New York governor who is himself the son of a governor, he has vanquished the entrenched Democratic establishment viewed by many on the left as woefully out of touch with their party and their nation.

Because of this, Mamdani's campaign for mayor has generated voluminous media attention, perhaps more than a municipal election, even one for America's largest city, deserves.

It also means that, as mayor, his successes - and failures - will be closely scrutinised.

Twelve years ago, Democrat Bill de Blasio won his race for mayor on a platform of addressing New York City's economic and social inequalities. Like Mamdani, Americans on the left had high hopes that his administration would provide a national example of effective liberal governance.

De Blasio, however, departed office eight years later widely unpopular and with a mixed record of achievements as he struggled with the limits of his mayoral power to implement new policies.

Mamdani will have to grapple with those same limits - and those same expectations.

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New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a fellow Democrat, has already said she opposed raising the kind of taxes necessary to fund Mamdami's ambitious agenda.

And even with sufficient funding, Mamdani would not be able to implement programmes unilaterally.

He campaigned as a sharp critic of the corporate and business elite that call New York City their home, and have made Manhattan the financial capital of the world. To effectively govern, he will probably have to make some form of peace with those interests, however - a process he has already begun in recent weeks.

He has also condemned Israel conduct during the Gaza War and pledged to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a war criminal if he sets foot in New York City, a promise that could be tested at some point during his term.

All those are problems for a later date, however. For now, Mamdani will need to set about the task of defining himself on the public stage - before his opponents do.

While his campaign has generated national attention, he is still a blank slate for much of America.

A recent CBS poll indicated that 46% of the American public were following the New York mayoral election "not closely at all". That provides both an opportunity and a challenge for Mamdani and the American left.

Conservatives from President Donald Trump down will be trying to paint the newly elected mayor as a socialist menace, whose policies and priorities will bring ruin to America's largest city and present a danger if embraced by the nation as a whole.

They will amplify every stumble and highlight every negative economic indicator or crime statistic.

Trump, who has a personal connection to New York, is sure to welcome a political tussle with Mamdani and he has a wealth of ways to complicate life for the new mayor.

He will also be pressed to win over Democratic leaders, like New York Senator Chuck Schumer, who never backed his campaign.

The opportunity for Mamdani, however, is that he is not burdened by his past, which his political opponents unsuccessfully tried to wield against him during the campaign.

When he is inaugurated in January, he will have the chance to build his political reputation from scratch. And if Trump does feud with him, he will only give Mamdani a larger platform on which to work.

His political talent and abilities have gotten him this far, which is no small feat. But that is nothing compared to the tests that await him in the years ahead.

A collection of diaries has won the prestigious Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction for the first time.

How to End a Story: Collected Diaries by Helen Garner charts the Australian writer's life from the early stages of her career in bohemian Melbourne, to raising her daughter in the 1970s, and her experience of a disintegrating marriage in the 1990s.

Garner's previous work includes 2014's The House of Grief, which told the story of Robert Farquharson on trial for the murder of his three sons.

Famous fans include fellow writer David Nicholls, and singer Dua Lipa, who said: "Helen Garner's work is a thrilling discovery. She's one of the most fascinating writers I have come across."

Chair of judges, Robbie Millen, said How to End a Story was the judges' unanimous winner, praising it as "a remarkable, addictive book".

"Garner takes the diary form, mixing the intimate, the intellectual, and the everyday, to new heights," he continued.

"She is a brilliant observer and listener - every page has a surprising, sharp or amusing thought. Her collected diaries will surely be mentioned alongside The Diary of Virginia Woolf."

In her review, the Observer's Rachel Cooke also referenced the revered Modernist author, describing Garner's collection as "the greatest, richest journals by a writer since Virginia Woolf's".

This marks the first major UK-based prize win for the Australian, who has been belatedly receiving attention in the UK following the British publication of three of her books for the first time last year.

The Baillie Gifford Prize rewards the best of non-fiction and is open to authors of any nationality.

As the winner, Garner will receive £50,000, with the other shortlisted authors each receiving £5,000, bringing the total prize value to £75,000.

The selection was made from over 350 books published between 1 November 2024 and 31 October 2025.

The others who made the shortlist were:

• The Revolutionists: The Story of the Extremists Who Hijacked the 1970s by Jason Burke, about a group of extremists including Carlos the Jackal and the Baader-Meinhof Gang.
• The Boundless Deep: Young Tennyson, Science and the Crisis of Belief by Richard Holmes, a biography about the young Alfred Lord Tennyson
• Captives and Companions: A History of Slavery and the Slave Trade in the Islamic World by Justin Marozzi, it covers slavery in the Islamic world from the 7th Century to the present day
• Lone Wolf: Walking the Faultlines of Europe by Adam Weymouth, this book follows a young wolf's 1000-mile trek across the European Alps
• Electric Spark by Frances Wilson, a biography of novelist Muriel Spark

Ahead of Tesla's annual general meeting (AGM) on Thursday there's been one key message the electric car-maker has been hammering home to shareholders: the boss is worth $1tn.

It has taken out digital ads to make the case for Elon Musk's proposed bumper pay package, while Votetesla.com features a video of board chair Robyn Denholm and director Kathleen Wilson-Thompson praising him, as triumphant music crescendos in the background.

It's not clear that everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet though, meaning the AGM in Austin, Texas is set to become a referendum on Musk himself, after a rightward political turn which has made him one of the most polarising chief executives in recent memory.

Musk himself has taken to X - which he owns - to raise the stakes higher still, saying the fate of Tesla "could affect the future of civilization."

He's also used his social media megaphone to amplify some of the deal's high-profile backers, including Dell Technologies' Michael Dell, Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood, and his brother, Kimbal, who sits on the Tesla board.

"There is no one remotely close to my brother," Kimbal said, extolling his sibling's leadership qualities.

"Thanks bro ❤️," Musk replied.

Not everyone agrees.

For some, the focus on Musk and the soap opera around his pay is symptomatic of how the car firm - which has seen sales slide - has lost its way under his leadership.

"What's amazing to me is a company struggling to sell cars spends money on advertising to sell a pay package," said Ross Gerber, CEO of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management.

Mr Gerber has pared back his Tesla holdings in recent years - and turned up his criticism of the direction it's heading in.

"[Tesla] needs to change the focus of the company back to its core – to selling EVs again," he said.

The trillion dollar man

The deal Tesla wants shareholders to back is not a salary of a one followed by twelve zeroes.

Instead, it sets Musk the target of raising Tesla's market value to $8.5tn, from $1.4tn at the time of writing.

He would also have to oversee a massive boom in the company's self-driving "Robotaxi" cars, getting a million of them into commercial operation - no small deal given their underwhelming launch.

Do that, among meeting other benchmarks, and Musk would be given 423.7 million new shares, which would be worth nearly $1tn if the target valuation is reached.

Tesla did not respond to the BBC's requests for comment about its strategy to garner support from shareholders.

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Of course, this is not the first pay controversy Musk and Tesla have become embroiled in.

Previously, Tesla got shareholders to twice ratify a pay package for Mr Musk that was worth tens of billions of dollars if he achieved a tenfold increase in Tesla's market value.

He met that milestone but, in 2024, a Delaware judge rejected the deal on the grounds that Tesla's board members were too personally and financially enmeshed with the company's boss.

The Delaware Supreme Court is reviewing that decision - even as deliberations continue over this even larger pay package.

"The strategy is more of the same from Tesla, which is not to say that this is normal. Nothing about Tesla is normal," Dorothy Lund, a professor at Columbia Law School told BBC News.

"They're not a poster child for good corporate governance."

Professor Lund said get-out-the-vote campaigns like this sometimes take place when a company is worried, for example. about an activist shareholder forcing significant changes to how it operates, such as who is on its board of directors.

"[But] never in my life have I seen something like that happen in the context of a compensation decision," Professor Lund said.

And unlike the vote on that earlier compensation package, Elon and Kimbal Musk will both get to vote as they push to reach the majority threshold required to seal the deal.

Mr Musk is already the world's richest man, becoming the first known half-trillionaire earlier this year.

A polarising figure

Tesla's argument in support of the pay package rests on the idea that Musk might leave the company if shareholders don't follow the board's recommendation and approve the pay package.

It says it can't afford to lose him, and that he "singularly possesses the leadership characteristics necessary to... realize its long-term mission".

In the video posted to votetesla.com, Ms Wilson-Thompson said the board undertook a seven month process using legal and compensation experts to devise the compensation deal.

On last month's earnings call, Musk minimised the focus on the payout, saying the real issue was ensuring he had adequate control in order to properly steer Tesla.

But - aside from the question of whether Musk, with his preoccupations with autonomous cars and humanoid robots, is the setting the right course - there is also the matter of whether championing the boss is the board's job.

"The role of a board is to have fiduciary responsibility to shareholders and not to be advocating for a CEO," said Yale School of the Environment's Matthew Kotchen, an economics professor who co-authored a recent study attempting to quantify damage Mr Musk has done to Tesla of late.

It's clear a number of key decision-makers are unpersuaded the deal represents value for money.

Proxy advisers Glass Lewis and Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), which advise asset managers on how to vote on major corporate proposals, have recommended investors reject the pay package, saying it's excessive and would dilute shareholder value.

Norway's sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest national wealth fund, has followed suit, as has the largest public pension fund in the US, CalPERS.

New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli has urged investors to also reject directors up for re-election to the board, saying they've failed "to provide independent oversight and accountability."

As some institutions balk, that might leave Mr Musk more reliant on Tesla's unusually large volume of retail investors - who tend to support him - to get his wish.

It all means, in the words of Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas, that Thursday's vote is set to be one of "most important events" in Tesla's history - with a "distinct possibility" the pay package won't pass.

It doesn't help Musk's cause that protesters continue to organise anti-Tesla rallies, months after his controversial turn as US President Donald Trump's government efficiency tsar crashed and burned in May.

"It's hard for me to imagine that Elon Musk, in the very near term, shakes off the damage that he's done to this brand," said Mr Kotchen.

Others though would say Musk's extraordinary track record of entrepreneurship would make it unwise to bet against him, even when the sum being staked is as dizzyingly high as $1tn.

"It's hard to deny that Elon Musk's larger-than-life personality has helped drive more interest and awareness for his organisation than almost any other corporate leader in the modern era," said Edmunds' head of insights Jessica Caldwell.

"He's become a more polarizing figure over time, but there's still a belief in his ability to deliver on bold, unconventional ideas," she added.

The trillion dollar question now is - do Tesla shareholders agree?

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Zohran Mamdani, 34, is the projected winner of New York City's race for mayor in a contest that rallied young voters and sparked debate about the future direction of the Democratic Party.

The Ugandan-born Mamdani, a Democrat, beat former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, running as an independent, to become the youngest person in over a century to lead the largest city in the US.

A self-described democratic socialist, he made affordability the central message of his campaign, pledging to expand social programmes paid for by new taxes on high earners and corporations.

Mamdani was a relatively unknown member of New York State Assembly until his campaign gained online momentum a few months ago, propelling him to victory in the Democratic primary contest over the summer.

In projections from BBC news partner CBS, Mamdani had secured 50.3% of the vote, compared with Cuomo's 41.6%. Republican Curtis Sliwa had just over 7%. Shortly after the winner was projected, Sliwa conceded.

"We have a mayor-elect," Sliwa told a group of supporters. "Obviously I wish him good luck, because if he does well, we do well."

"We've been with them, each and every day, and we will not surrender, we will not retreat, we will not leave this city of New York."

Cuomo has not released a public statement.

Mamdani's campaign has drawn significant national attention, including from US President Donald Trump, who in the days before the vote threatened to withhold federal funds from New York if Mamdani, whom he called a communist, won.

It is a historic moment as Mamdani also becomes the first South Asian and Muslim to lead the city.

But there are questions over how he will pay for his ambitious social agenda and critics have questioned how a politician with no executive experience will handle a hostile Trump administration.

His win also presents a dilemma for the Democratic establishment, which has been reluctant to endorse him.

Centrist Democrats clinched victories in elections for governor on Tuesday night, with US Representative Abigail Spanberger and US Representative Mikie Sherrill winning races to run the states of Virginia and New Jersey respectively.

Mamdani was the favourite to win New York City's election, leading Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa in the polls by double digits for weeks leading up to Election Day.

A relatively unknown figure just months ago, few could have predicted his rise, from hip-hop artist and housing counsellor to the frontrunner to lead a city with a $116bn (£88bn) budget and global scrutiny.

The former New York assemblyman centred his campaign on affordability in one of the country's most expensive cities, campaigning on issues like universal child care, and free and faster buses.

His candidacy drew criticism from business leaders and centrist Democrats, some of whom did not endorse him, including fellow New Yorker and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Republicans have seized on his expected win to paint the future of the Democratic Party as a party of socialism. President Donald Trump has repeatedly lambasted Mamdani and threatened to withold federal funding from the city if he wins.

Still, Mamdani won even after New York Mayor Eric Adams dropped out of the race after several scandals, which was expected to boost Cuomo's candidacy.

Seven people were killed when a UPS cargo plane crashed while taking off from an airport in Louisville, Kentucky on Tuesday evening, the state's governor said.

At least 11 other people were injured when the freight plane exploded as it departed Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport at around 17:15 local time (22:15 GMT), sending thick plumes of black smoke into the sky.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said the plane's three crew members were likely to be among the dead, adding that, "Anyone who has seen the images and the video knows how violent this crash is".

Officials warned that people suffered "very significant" injuries in the incident and the death toll could rise.

UPS flight 2976 bound for Honolulu, Hawaii was carrying 38,000 gallons (144,000 litres) of fuel when it skidded off the runway in Louisville and struck nearby buildings.

The explosion engulfed at least two nearby businesses, including a petroleum recycling company. A shelter-in-place order was initially issued for within five miles of the airport due to concerns of further explosions and air pollution, but was later reduced to just one mile.

All departing flights for Tuesday evening were cancelled, the airport said in a statement on X.

Louisville Fire Dept Chief Brian O'Neill said the fire has almost entirely been contained, with crews still deployed at the crash site.

"When you have such a large scale incident and fire that spread over such a massive area, we have to use hundreds of personnel to surround it, contain it, and then slowly bring it in," O'Neill said.

He added: "These are trained firefighters from all around the region that are handling this to search, grid by grid, very carefully to make sure if we can find any other victims."

At a press conference, Beshear warned people not to go to the crash site, saying that, "There are still dangerous things that are flammable, that are potentially explosive."

Beshear said he would not "speculate" as to what caused the incident, adding that the National Transportation Safety Bureau (NTSB) would be leading the investigation.

The NTSB's investigative team is scheduled to arrive in Kentucky on Wednesday.

Louisville Metro Police Dept Chief Paul Humphrey said that the crash site will be "an ongoing active scene for the next several days".

He added: "We don't know how long it's going to take to render that scene safe for the investigation to take place."

The aircraft was a MD-11F, a triple-engine jet that started service 34 years ago with Thai Airways as a passenger jet, but was transferred to UPS in 2006.

The MD-11F was originally manufactured by McDonnell Douglas, which merged with Boeing in 1997.

MD-11s are just over 61 metres long and have a wingspan of 52 metres, smaller than Boeing 747s , which are roughly 76 metres long and have a wingspan of 68 metres.

In 2023, FedEx and UPS both announced plans to begin retiring their fleets of MD-11s over the next decade as part of plans to modernise their fleets.

In a statement, Boeing said it is "ready to support our customer" and that "our concern is for the safety and well-being of all those affected."

It added that it will offer technical assistance to the NTSB.

Louisville is home to UPS Worldport, a global hub for the delivery firm's air cargo operations and its largest package handling facility in the world.

During the press conference, Louisville Metro Council member Betsy Ruhe said that the city is a "UPS town", and that every resident would know somebody who works for company.

"They're all texting their friends, their family, trying to make sure everyone is safe," she said.

In a statement, UPS said it was "terribly saddened" by the incident and would be halting package sorting operations at Worldport on Tuesday night.

It added: "UPS is committed to the safety of our employees, and customers and the communities we serve. This is particularly true in Louisville, home to our airline and thousands of UPSers."

State Senator Keturah Herron said, "Many of us watch our family members and loved ones pass through [Louisville airport] on a regular basis."

In a post on X, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said that the plane crash is an "incredible tragedy that our community will never forget".

He added: "We are so thankful for our brave first responders who have flooded the scene to help try and control the fire and provide support for any victims on the ground."

On her first day of work, Adau realised she had made a big mistake.

"We got our uniforms, not even knowing exactly what we were going to do. From the first day of work we were taken to the drones factory. We stepped in and we saw drones everywhere and people working. Then they took us to our different work stations."

Twenty-three-years-old and originally from South Sudan, Adau says last year she was lured to the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in the Republic of Tatarstan in Russia, on the promise of a full-time job.

She had applied to the Alabuga Start programme, a recruitment scheme targeting 18-to-22-year-old women, mostly from Africa but also increasingly from Latin America and South-East Asia. It promises participants professional training in areas including logistics, catering and hospitality.

But the programme has been accused of using deception in its recruitment practices, and of making its young recruits work in dangerous conditions for less pay than advertised. It denies all these allegations but did not deny that some employees were helping to build drones.

The Alabuga Start programme (AS) recently made global headlines when South African influencers advertising the programme were accused of promoting human trafficking. The BBC reached out to the implicated influencers and the promoter responsible for connecting them to the programme but none responded to our requests.

By some estimates more than 1,000 women have been recruited from across Africa to work in Alabuga's weapons factories. In August the South African government launched an investigation and warned its citizens not to sign up.

Adau has asked the BBC not to use her surname or picture as she does not want to be associated with the programme. She says she first heard about it in 2023.

"My friend posted about a scholarship in Russia on their Facebook status. The advert was by the South Sudanese Ministry of Higher Education," she says.

She reached out to the organisers through WhatsApp.

"They asked me to fill out a form with my name, age and why I wanted to join Alabuga. And then they also asked me to pick three fields I wanted to work in."

Adau says she picked being a tower-crane operator as her first choice. She had always been into technology and had even travelled abroad once to take part in a robotics competition.

"I wanted to work in fields that are not normally done by women. It is very hard for a woman to come across fields like tower-crane operation, especially within my country."

The application took a year because of the lengthy visa process.

In March last year, she finally made it to Russia.

"When I first got there it was very cold, I hated it. We travelled towards the end of winter. The second we stepped out of the airport, it was freezing cold."

But driving into the Alabuga Special Zone left her with a good first impression.

"I was very impressed. It was everything that I thought it was [going to be]. I saw a lot of factories, cars and agricultural companies."

Adau had three months of language classes before starting work in July. That was when things started to go downhill.

She says she and the other participants were not given a choice as to whether to work in the drone factory. They had signed non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) so could not even discuss their work with their families.

"We all had a lot of questions. We had all signed up to work in technical fields -production operation, logistics, tower-crane operator - but we all ended up working in the drone factory."

Alabuga denies using deception to recruit workers. "All the fields in which our participants work are listed on our website," it said in response to our questions.

The workers were not allowed to take pictures inside the facility, but the BBC showed Adau footage broadcast on Russian state-owned TV station RT of a factory in Alabuga making Iranian Shahed 136 drones. She confirmed to us that this was where she worked.

"The reality of the Alabuga Special Economic Zone is that it's a war production facility," says Spencer Faragasso from the Institute For Science And International Security.

"Russia has openly admitted that they are producing and building Shahed 136 drones there in videos that they released publicly. They boast about the site. They boast about its accomplishments."

Spencer says that like Adau, many of the women they interviewed who worked in the programme said they had no idea they would be building weapons.

"On the surface, this is an amazing opportunity for many of these women to see the world, to gain work experience and to earn a living wage. But, in reality, when they're brought to Alabuga, they have a harsh awakening that these promises are not kept, and the reality of their work is far different from what they're promised."

Adau says she knew straight away that she could not keep working at the factory.

"It all started clicking: all the lies that we have been told since the time of application. I felt like I couldn't work around people who are lying to me about those things. And I wanted to do more with my life than work in a drone factory."

She handed in her notice but was told the notice period was two weeks, during which she had to work. During that time she painted the outer casing of the drones with chemicals she said burned her skin.

"When I got home I checked my skin and it was peeling. We wore protective gear, white cloth overalls, but the chemicals would still pass through them. They would make the fabric stiff."

Alabuga says that all staff are provided with the necessary protective clothing.

And that was not the only danger. On 2 April 2024, just two weeks after Adau arrived in Russia, the Alabuga Special Economic Zone was targeted by a Ukrainian drone strike.

"That day I woke up to our fire alarm, but this one was unusual. The windows on the upper floor of our hostel were shattered, and some of the girls had woken up to an explosion. So we went outside."

As they started walking away from their hostel in the cold morning air, Adau said she noticed others starting to run.

"I see some people pointing up, so I look up to the sky, and I see a drone coming through the sky. That's when I started running as well. I ran so fast I left the people who ran before me behind."

The BBC verified footage that Adau sent us from the day of the attack and confirmed it was taken on the same day and location of the deepest Ukrainian drone strike into Russian territory at the time.

"The drone struck down the hostel right next to ours. It completely shattered that building and our building was also damaged."

Months later, when she found out she had been working in a drone factory, she thought back to the attack and realised that was why they had been targeted.

"Ukraine knew that the African girls who had come to work in the drone factories, lived in that hostel that was struck down. It was in the news. When Ukraine was accused of hitting civilian houses, they said: 'No, those are workers working in drone factories.'"

A few women left without notifying the programme after the drone attack, prompting the organisers to seize the workers' passports for a while.

When asked why the hostel attack and existing reports about Alabuga being at the centre of Russia's drone production had not raised her suspicions, Adau said she had been repeatedly assured by staff that recruits would only work in the fields they had signed up for.

"The allegations that we would be building drones felt to me like anti-Russian propaganda," she explained.

"There is a lot of fake news when it comes to Russia, trying to make Russia look bad. The Special Economic Zone used to have people working there from Europe and America, but they all left after the Ukraine-Russia war because of the sanctions on Russia. So when Russia started looking for Africans to work there, it felt like they were just trying to fill up the spots the Europeans left."

After Adau handed in her notice, her family sent her a ticket home, but she says many women cannot afford to pay for a return flight and end up stuck there - particularly because their pay is much lower than advertised. Adau was meant to earn $600 (£450) per month, but only got a sixth of that.

"They deducted money for our rent, for our Russian classes, for the Wi-Fi, for our transport to work, for taxes. And then they also said that if we skipped a day of work, they'd deduct $50. If we set off the fire alarm whilst cooking, they'd deduct $60. If we didn't hand in our Russian language homework, or if we skipped class, they'd deduct from your salary."

The Alabuga Start programme told the BBC that salaries partly depended on performance and behaviour in the workplace.

We spoke to another woman on the programme who did not want to be named for fear of reprisals on social media. She says she had a more positive experience at Alabuga.

"To be honest every company has rules. How can they pay you your full salary if you miss work, or don't perform well? Everything is logical, no-one is subjected to what they do not want. Most of the girls who end up leaving missed work and didn't follow the rules. Alabuga doesn't hold anyone hostage, you can leave at any time," the unnamed woman told the BBC.

But Adau says working for Russia's war machine was devastating.

"It felt terrible. There was a time when I got back to my hostel and I cried. I thought to myself: 'I can't believe this is what I'm doing now.' It felt horrible having a hand in constructing something that is taking so many lives."

You may also be interested in:

• War 'tour', football and graffiti: How Russia is trying to influence Africa
• Why Russia's Africa propaganda warrior was sent home
• How Russia is quietly trying to win over the world beyond the West

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

Online retailers Shein, Temu, AliExpress and Wish are being investigated in France in relation to the offence of enabling minors to access pornographic content on their platforms, the Paris prosecutor said on Tuesday.

The country's consumer watchdog had reported the four firms to the prosecution service on Sunday after raising concerns about the sale of childlike sex dolls on Shein's platform over the weekend.

The Paris prosecutor's office told the BBC that the platforms are being investigated over violent, pornographic or "undignified messages" that can be accessed by minors.

The BBC has contacted the companies for comment.

Shein and AliExpress are also under investigation over the dissemination of content related to children that are of a pornographic nature, the office said.

The cases have been referred to Paris' Office des Mineurs, which oversees the protection of minors, the prosecution service added.

On Monday, Shein said it had banned the sale of all sex dolls on its platform worldwide. The Singapore-based retailer also said that it would permanently block all seller accounts related to the illegal sale of the childlike dolls and set stricter controls on its platform.

The French consumer watchdog, the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control, had said the sex dolls' description and categorisation left "little doubt as to the child pornography nature" of the products.

The scrutiny of Shein comes as the company, which was founded in China, prepares for the opening on Wednesday of its first permanent physical outlet in France .

Protesters have been seen gathered in front of the Paris department store where Shein is set to open the outlet.

Shein plans to open outlets in other French department stores in cities including Dijon, Reims and Angers.

Hamas has handed over to the Red Cross in northern Gaza a coffin containing what the Palestinian group says is the body of a deceased hostage, according to the Israeli military.

The remains will be transferred to Israeli forces, who will take them to the National Centre of Foreign Medicine in Tel Aviv for identification.

Earlier, Hamas's armed wing said it had recovered the body of an Israeli soldier in the eastern Shejaiya neighbourhood of Gaza City.

Israel had allowed members of the group and Red Cross staff to search for the remains in the area, which is inside territory still controlled by Israeli forces.

The Israeli government has accused Hamas of deliberately delaying the recovery of the dead hostages since a ceasefire deal took effect more than three weeks ago.

Hamas has insisted it is difficult to locate the bodies under rubble.

Under the US-brokered ceasefire deal that took effect on 10 October, Hamas agreed to return the 20 living and 28 dead hostages it was still holding within 72 hours.

All the living Israeli hostages were released on 13 October in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,718 detainees from Gaza.

Israel has handed over the bodies of 270 Palestinians in exchange for the bodies of the 18 Israeli hostages returned by Hamas before Tuesday, along with those of two foreign hostages - one of them Thai and the other Nepalese.

Six of the eight dead hostages still in Gaza before Tuesday were Israelis, one was Tanzanian, and one was Thai.

All but one of the dead hostages still in Gaza were among the 251 people abducted during the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, during which about 1,200 other people were killed.

Israel responded by launching a military campaign in Gaza, during which more than 68,800 people have been killed, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

Earlier on Tuesday, a hospital official in Gaza City said a man was killed by Israeli fire in the Jabalia area of northern Gaza.

The Israeli military said its troops killed a "terrorist" who had crossed the "Yellow Line", which demarcates Israeli-controlled territory, and posed a threat to them.

A fire that broke out in a nursing home in northeastern Bosnia-Herzegovina killed 10 people and injured 20, local police said.

The blaze started on Tuesday night at the retirement facility in the town of Tuzla, breaking out on the seventh floor shortly after 20:45 local time (19:45 GMT).

Around 20 people were sent to a medical centre for treatment, including firefighters, police officers, medical workers, employees, and residents of the home, a police spokesperson said.

While cause of the fire was not immediately clear, Prime Minister Nermin Nikšić called it "a disaster of enormous proportions".

"According to preliminary information, 10 residents of the Tuzla retirement home lost their lives in the fire," the police spokesperson said.

Officials said a full investigation would be conducted as soon as conditions were safe.

Chairman of Bosnia-Herzegovina's tripartite presidency, Željko Komšić, also offered condolences to the victims' families and the injured, national broadcaster BHRT reported.

A resident of the nursing home, Ruza Kajic, said she lived on the third floor of the building and was woken up after hearing a "cracking sound".

"I looked out the window and saw burning material falling from above. I ran out into the hallway. On the upper floors, there are bed-ridden people," she told BHRT.

Footage from the scene showed flames erupting from the windows of an upper floor of the nursing home.

According to a spokesperson for the Tuzla University clinical centre, several patients were being treated for carbon monoxide poisoning, three of whom were in intensive care, local media reported.

Zohran Mamdani, 34, is the projected winner of New York City's race for mayor in a contest that rallied young voters and sparked debate about the future direction of the Democratic Party.

The Ugandan-born Mamdani, a Democrat, beat former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, running as an independent, to become the youngest person in over a century to lead the largest city in the US.

A self-described democratic socialist, he made affordability the central message of his campaign, pledging to expand social programmes paid for by new taxes on high earners and corporations.

Mamdani was a relatively unknown member of New York State Assembly until his campaign gained online momentum a few months ago, propelling him to victory in the Democratic primary contest over the summer.

In projections from BBC news partner CBS, Mamdani had secured 50.3% of the vote, compared with Cuomo's 41.6%. Republican Curtis Sliwa had just over 7%. Shortly after the winner was projected, Sliwa conceded.

"We have a mayor-elect," Sliwa told a group of supporters. "Obviously I wish him good luck, because if he does well, we do well."

"We've been with them, each and every day, and we will not surrender, we will not retreat, we will not leave this city of New York."

Cuomo has not released a public statement.

Mamdani's campaign has drawn significant national attention, including from US President Donald Trump, who in the days before the vote threatened to withhold federal funds from New York if Mamdani, whom he called a communist, won.

It is a historic moment as Mamdani also becomes the first South Asian and Muslim to lead the city.

But there are questions over how he will pay for his ambitious social agenda and critics have questioned how a politician with no executive experience will handle a hostile Trump administration.

His win also presents a dilemma for the Democratic establishment, which has been reluctant to endorse him.

Centrist Democrats clinched victories in elections for governor on Tuesday night, with US Representative Abigail Spanberger and US Representative Mikie Sherrill winning races to run the states of Virginia and New Jersey respectively.

Mamdani was the favourite to win New York City's election, leading Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa in the polls by double digits for weeks leading up to Election Day.

A relatively unknown figure just months ago, few could have predicted his rise, from hip-hop artist and housing counsellor to the frontrunner to lead a city with a $116bn (£88bn) budget and global scrutiny.

The former New York assemblyman centred his campaign on affordability in one of the country's most expensive cities, campaigning on issues like universal child care, and free and faster buses.

His candidacy drew criticism from business leaders and centrist Democrats, some of whom did not endorse him, including fellow New Yorker and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Republicans have seized on his expected win to paint the future of the Democratic Party as a party of socialism. President Donald Trump has repeatedly lambasted Mamdani and threatened to withold federal funding from the city if he wins.

Still, Mamdani won even after New York Mayor Eric Adams dropped out of the race after several scandals, which was expected to boost Cuomo's candidacy.

Seven people were killed when a UPS cargo plane crashed while taking off from an airport in Louisville, Kentucky on Tuesday evening, the state's governor said.

At least 11 other people were injured when the freight plane exploded as it departed Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport at around 17:15 local time (22:15 GMT), sending thick plumes of black smoke into the sky.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said the plane's three crew members were likely to be among the dead, adding that, "Anyone who has seen the images and the video knows how violent this crash is".

Officials warned that people suffered "very significant" injuries in the incident and the death toll could rise.

UPS flight 2976 bound for Honolulu, Hawaii was carrying 38,000 gallons (144,000 litres) of fuel when it skidded off the runway in Louisville and struck nearby buildings.

The explosion engulfed at least two nearby businesses, including a petroleum recycling company. A shelter-in-place order was initially issued for within five miles of the airport due to concerns of further explosions and air pollution, but was later reduced to just one mile.

All departing flights for Tuesday evening were cancelled, the airport said in a statement on X.

Louisville Fire Dept Chief Brian O'Neill said the fire has almost entirely been contained, with crews still deployed at the crash site.

"When you have such a large scale incident and fire that spread over such a massive area, we have to use hundreds of personnel to surround it, contain it, and then slowly bring it in," O'Neill said.

He added: "These are trained firefighters from all around the region that are handling this to search, grid by grid, very carefully to make sure if we can find any other victims."

At a press conference, Beshear warned people not to go to the crash site, saying that, "There are still dangerous things that are flammable, that are potentially explosive."

Beshear said he would not "speculate" as to what caused the incident, adding that the National Transportation Safety Bureau (NTSB) would be leading the investigation.

The NTSB's investigative team is scheduled to arrive in Kentucky on Wednesday.

Louisville Metro Police Dept Chief Paul Humphrey said that the crash site will be "an ongoing active scene for the next several days".

He added: "We don't know how long it's going to take to render that scene safe for the investigation to take place."

The aircraft was a MD-11F, a triple-engine jet that started service 34 years ago with Thai Airways as a passenger jet, but was transferred to UPS in 2006.

The MD-11F was originally manufactured by McDonnell Douglas, which merged with Boeing in 1997.

MD-11s are just over 61 metres long and have a wingspan of 52 metres, smaller than Boeing 747s , which are roughly 76 metres long and have a wingspan of 68 metres.

In 2023, FedEx and UPS both announced plans to begin retiring their fleets of MD-11s over the next decade as part of plans to modernise their fleets.

In a statement, Boeing said it is "ready to support our customer" and that "our concern is for the safety and well-being of all those affected."

It added that it will offer technical assistance to the NTSB.

Louisville is home to UPS Worldport, a global hub for the delivery firm's air cargo operations and its largest package handling facility in the world.

During the press conference, Louisville Metro Council member Betsy Ruhe said that the city is a "UPS town", and that every resident would know somebody who works for company.

"They're all texting their friends, their family, trying to make sure everyone is safe," she said.

In a statement, UPS said it was "terribly saddened" by the incident and would be halting package sorting operations at Worldport on Tuesday night.

It added: "UPS is committed to the safety of our employees, and customers and the communities we serve. This is particularly true in Louisville, home to our airline and thousands of UPSers."

State Senator Keturah Herron said, "Many of us watch our family members and loved ones pass through [Louisville airport] on a regular basis."

In a post on X, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said that the plane crash is an "incredible tragedy that our community will never forget".

He added: "We are so thankful for our brave first responders who have flooded the scene to help try and control the fire and provide support for any victims on the ground."

Former US Vice-President Dick Cheney, a key architect of George W Bush's "war on terror" and an early advocate of the invasion of Iraq in 2003, has died at the age of 84.

He died from complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease on Monday night, his family said.

Cheney served as Gerald Ford's White House chief of staff in the 1970s, before later becoming one of the most powerful US vice presidents in history under Bush.

In his later years, he became a bitter critic of the Republican party under the leadership of Donald Trump.

"Dick Cheney was a great and good man who taught his children and grandchildren to love our country, and to live lives of courage, honour, love, kindness, and fly fishing," his family said in a statement.

• Follow our live updates on Cheney's life and legacy

Cheney was born in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1941 and later attended the prestigious Yale University on a scholarship but failed to graduate.

He went on to gain a Master's degree in political science from the University of Wyoming.

His first taste of Washington came in 1968, when he worked for William Steiger, a young Republican representative from Wisconsin.

Cheney became chief of staff under Ford when he was just 34, before spending a decade in the House of Representatives.

As secretary of defence under George Bush Snr, he presided over the Pentagon during the 1990-91 Gulf War, in which a US-led coalition evicted Iraqi troops from Kuwait.

He then became VP to George W Bush in 2001 and played a greater role in making major policy decisions than most of his predecessors.

It is for this role that he will be remembered best and most controversially.

During the younger Bush's administration, he singlehandedly turned his role as vice-president from what was traditionally an empty role, with little formal power, into a de-facto deputy presidency, overseeing American foreign policy and national security in the wake of the 11 September attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon in 2001.

He was a leading advocate of US military action in both Afghanistan and Iraq.

In the lead-up to the invasion of Iraq, Cheney said that Saddam Hussein's regime possessed so-called weapons of mass destruction. Such weapons were never found during the military campaign.

He also repeatedly claimed there were links between Iraq and al-Qaeda, the terror group led by Osama bin Laden that claimed responsibility for the 9/11 attacks. He said the attackers would incur the "full wrath" of American military might.

"The fact is we know that Saddam Hussein and Iraq were heavily involved with terror," Cheney said in 2006.

In 2005, Cheney warned of "decades of patient effort" in the war on terror, warning "it will be resisted by those whose only hope for power is through the spread of violence".

His key role in the campaign heavily affected his political legacy, after the US took years to extricate itself from its costly war in Iraq, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people.

Despite decades working for Republican presidents, he later became a bitter opponent of President Donald Trump.

Having initially endorsed him in 2016, Cheney was appalled by allegations of Russian interference in the presidential election and Trump's seemingly casual attitude towards Nato.

He supported his older daughter, Liz, as she became a leading Republican "never Trump" in the House of Representatives - and condemned the refusal to accept the result of the 2020 election.

Two months before last year's US presidential election, Cheney staged a major intervention: announcing that he would vote for the Democrats' Kamala Harris.

He said there had "never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump".

In return, Trump called Cheney "irrelevant RINO" - an acronym which stands for "Republican in name only".

In his final years, Cheney would become a persona non grata in his own party, which had been reshaped in Trump's image.

His daughter, who had followed him into Congress, was ousted from office for her criticism of Trump.

In an odd final twist, his own Trump criticism - and endorsement of Harris - would win him praise from some on the left who had once denounced him decades earlier.

Hamas has handed over to the Red Cross in northern Gaza a coffin containing what the Palestinian group says is the body of a deceased hostage, according to the Israeli military.

The remains will be transferred to Israeli forces, who will take them to the National Centre of Foreign Medicine in Tel Aviv for identification.

Earlier, Hamas's armed wing said it had recovered the body of an Israeli soldier in the eastern Shejaiya neighbourhood of Gaza City.

Israel had allowed members of the group and Red Cross staff to search for the remains in the area, which is inside territory still controlled by Israeli forces.

The Israeli government has accused Hamas of deliberately delaying the recovery of the dead hostages since a ceasefire deal took effect more than three weeks ago.

Hamas has insisted it is difficult to locate the bodies under rubble.

Under the US-brokered ceasefire deal that took effect on 10 October, Hamas agreed to return the 20 living and 28 dead hostages it was still holding within 72 hours.

All the living Israeli hostages were released on 13 October in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,718 detainees from Gaza.

Israel has handed over the bodies of 270 Palestinians in exchange for the bodies of the 18 Israeli hostages returned by Hamas before Tuesday, along with those of two foreign hostages - one of them Thai and the other Nepalese.

Six of the eight dead hostages still in Gaza before Tuesday were Israelis, one was Tanzanian, and one was Thai.

All but one of the dead hostages still in Gaza were among the 251 people abducted during the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, during which about 1,200 other people were killed.

Israel responded by launching a military campaign in Gaza, during which more than 68,800 people have been killed, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

Earlier on Tuesday, a hospital official in Gaza City said a man was killed by Israeli fire in the Jabalia area of northern Gaza.

The Israeli military said its troops killed a "terrorist" who had crossed the "Yellow Line", which demarcates Israeli-controlled territory, and posed a threat to them.

Online retailers Shein, Temu, AliExpress and Wish are being investigated in France in relation to the offence of enabling minors to access pornographic content on their platforms, the Paris prosecutor said on Tuesday.

The country's consumer watchdog had reported the four firms to the prosecution service on Sunday after raising concerns about the sale of childlike sex dolls on Shein's platform over the weekend.

The Paris prosecutor's office told the BBC that the platforms are being investigated over violent, pornographic or "undignified messages" that can be accessed by minors.

The BBC has contacted the companies for comment.

Shein and AliExpress are also under investigation over the dissemination of content related to children that are of a pornographic nature, the office said.

The cases have been referred to Paris' Office des Mineurs, which oversees the protection of minors, the prosecution service added.

On Monday, Shein said it had banned the sale of all sex dolls on its platform worldwide. The Singapore-based retailer also said that it would permanently block all seller accounts related to the illegal sale of the childlike dolls and set stricter controls on its platform.

The French consumer watchdog, the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control, had said the sex dolls' description and categorisation left "little doubt as to the child pornography nature" of the products.

The scrutiny of Shein comes as the company, which was founded in China, prepares for the opening on Wednesday of its first permanent physical outlet in France .

Protesters have been seen gathered in front of the Paris department store where Shein is set to open the outlet.

Shein plans to open outlets in other French department stores in cities including Dijon, Reims and Angers.

Popular forum site Reddit has been added to Australia's world-first social media ban for children under 16 that starts next month.

Live-streaming platform Kick will also be included, bringing the number of sites targeted in the ban to nine. They include Facebook, X, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Threads.

From 10 December, tech companies can be fined up to A$50m ($32.5m; £25.7m) if they do not take "reasonable steps" to deactivate existing accounts for under-16s and prohibit new ones.

Each banned platform was chosen as their "sole or a significant purpose is to enable online social interaction," the government said, and more sites may be added given the "fast-changing" nature of technology.

"Delaying children's access to social media accounts gives them valuable time to learn and grow, free of the powerful, unseen forces of harmful and deceptive design features such as opaque algorithms and endless scroll," said Australia's eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant.

Messaging services Discord and WhatsApp and gaming platforms Lego Play and Roblox will not be included, nor will Google Classroom and YouTube Kids.

Federal Communications Minister Anika Wells said the online platforms can target children with "chilling control" and the ban was about protecting children.

"We aren't chasing perfection, we are chasing a meaningful difference," she said.

It is unclear how companies will implement the ban - which is being closely watched by global leaders - but some of the potential methods include using official ID documents, parental approval and facial recognition technology.

Critics have raised concerns over data privacy and the accuracy of age verification software, with a recent report showing the proposed methods all have risks or shortcomings.

Most Australian adults support the ban, according to polls, but some mental health advocates say it may cut kids off from connection, and others say it could push youngsters to even-less-regulated corners of the internet.

Instead, they say, the government should focus on better policing of harmful content on social media platforms and prepare children for the reality of life on the web.

An Australian influencer family who have millions of YouTube follower recently announced their decision to move to the UK to avoid the upcoming ban, namely so their 14-year-old daughter can continue to create online content.

YouTube was initially exempt from the ban but in July, the government reversed its decision, saying the video sharing site was "the most frequently cited platform" where children aged 10 to 15 years saw "harmful content".

Teens under 16 will still be able to view YouTube videos but will not be permitted to have an account, which is required for uploading content or interacting on the platform.

A fire that broke out in a nursing home in northeastern Bosnia-Herzegovina killed 10 people and injured 20, local police said.

The blaze started on Tuesday night at the retirement facility in the town of Tuzla, breaking out on the seventh floor shortly after 20:45 local time (19:45 GMT).

Around 20 people were sent to a medical centre for treatment, including firefighters, police officers, medical workers, employees, and residents of the home, a police spokesperson said.

While cause of the fire was not immediately clear, Prime Minister Nermin Nikšić called it "a disaster of enormous proportions".

"According to preliminary information, 10 residents of the Tuzla retirement home lost their lives in the fire," the police spokesperson said.

Officials said a full investigation would be conducted as soon as conditions were safe.

Chairman of Bosnia-Herzegovina's tripartite presidency, Željko Komšić, also offered condolences to the victims' families and the injured, national broadcaster BHRT reported.

A resident of the nursing home, Ruza Kajic, said she lived on the third floor of the building and was woken up after hearing a "cracking sound".

"I looked out the window and saw burning material falling from above. I ran out into the hallway. On the upper floors, there are bed-ridden people," she told BHRT.

Footage from the scene showed flames erupting from the windows of an upper floor of the nursing home.

According to a spokesperson for the Tuzla University clinical centre, several patients were being treated for carbon monoxide poisoning, three of whom were in intensive care, local media reported.