The decision followed discussions with the European Union, which has pressed Israel to ease the dire humanitarian conditions for Palestinians in the territory.
Former MasterChef host Gregg Wallace is facing criticism from charities and groups working with disabled people after he appeared to link claims of misconduct he is facing to his autism diagnosis.
Several dozen people have come forward with allegations about Wallace, including inappropriate sexual comments, touching and groping, which he denies.
In a statement this week, the presenter defended himself and also said he had recently been diagnosed with autism, but that TV bosses had failed to "investigate my disability" or "protect me from what I now realise was a dangerous environment".
One charity told BBC News that autism is "not a free pass for bad behaviour", while others warned that such remarks risked stigmatising the autistic community.
Wallace has been sacked as MasterChef host, and a report into the accusations is expected to be published shortly. He has said it has cleared him of "the most serious and sensational allegations".
On Tuesday, Wallace wrote on Instagram: "My neurodiversity, now formally diagnosed as autism, was suspected and discussed by colleagues across countless seasons of MasterChef.
"Yet nothing was done to investigate my disability or protect me from what I now realise was a dangerous environment for over 20 years."
The Telegraph reported on Thursday that he plans to sue the BBC and the makers of MasterChef for discrimination on the grounds of his autism following his sacking.
And the Times reported friends of Wallace as saying his autism means he can't wear underwear, and that his condition was partly to blame for his alleged inappropriate behaviour.
Speaking to BBC News, Seema Flower, founder of disabilities consultancy Blind Ambition, said there was "no excuse" for being inappropriate to people in society.
"Where does it leave us if we use autism as excuse to behave in whatever way we like?" she asked.
Her comments were echoed by Emily Banks, founder of neurodiversity training body Enna.
"To be clear: being autistic is never an excuse for misconduct. It doesn't absolve anyone of responsibility, and it certainly doesn't mean you can't tell the difference between right and wrong."
Dan Harris, who runs the charity Neurodiversity in Business and is himself autistic, said people like him "may miss social cues sometimes".
"But autism is not a free pass for bad behaviour," he added.
"Comments like this stigmatise us and add an unfortunate negative focus on our community."
Last year, the charity Ambitious About Autism dropped Wallace as an ambassador in the wake of the original claims against him.
BBC/Shine TV
The comments have also sparked debate online and on radio phone-ins.
On BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine Show, Jessie Hewitson, Director of NeuroUniverse, said people with autism "have been stereotyped since the dawn of time".
She said she worried that remarks like this risk "forming a connection in peoples' minds - either that autistic people behave inappropriately in the workplace or that we cannot take personal responsibility".
But on social media, many people responded positively to Wallace's post and sent him supportive messages.
And on BBC Radio 5 Live's Nicky Campbell Show, which dedicated an hour to the topic on Thursday, some callers were sympathetic.
One called Danielle, who is autistic, said people with the condition "can misread situations quite often".
"I think growing up undiagnosed, you grow up thinking everything you're doing is wrong because you're different and you then internalise a lot of that so you're very oversensitive as well," she said.
Another caller, Jake, said he thought Wallace should have had support a long time ago.
"You've got a man here who's clearly out of touch, he's been out of touch for a long time, he's had nobody putting him back in line, whether that's an employer, whether that's a friend, whether that's anybody, and at the moment that's what he needs.
"He needs some compassion to get him back where he needs to be and I feel for his mental health."
Report expected
As the face of BBC One cooking show MasterChef, Wallace, 60, was one of the most high-profile presenters on British television for 20 years.
He stepped aside from the show in November after an initial BBC News investigation, when 13 people accused him of making inappropriate sexual comments.
This week, new claims have come from 50 more people who say they encountered him across a range of shows and settings.
The majority say he made inappropriate sexual comments, while 11 women accuse him of inappropriate sexual behaviour, such as groping and touching.
The inquiry into allegations of misconduct against Wallace, has been conducted by an independent law firm on behalf of MasterChef's production company Banijay.
BBC News has not seen that report, but Wallace said it had found the "most damaging" allegations to be "baseless".
He also accused the BBC of "peddling baseless and sensationalised gossip masquerading as properly corroborated stories".
A spokesperson for Wallace has said he denies engaging in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature.
Banijay UK said: "While the external investigation is ongoing, we won't be commenting on individual allegations. We encourage anyone wishing to raise issues or concerns to contact us in confidence."
A BBC spokesperson said: "Banijay UK instructed the law firm Lewis Silkin to run an investigation into allegations against Gregg Wallace.
"We are not going to comment until the investigation is complete and the findings are published."
Kemi Badenoch will call for foreign nationals to be barred from claiming disability and sickness benefits, as she sets out plans for tighter curbs on welfare.
In a speech on Thursday, the Tory leader will describe Britain's benefits bill as a "ticking time bomb" that could "collapse the economy".
It comes after the party outlined some of its own proposals to reduce spending, after Labour largely gutted its own plan for benefits cuts after a backbench revolt.
Legislation to bring in remaining government cuts to sickness benefits was approved by MPs on Wednesday evening.
But other proposals, including changes to the eligibility criteria for disability benefits, have effectively been put on hold.
The government announced plans to shrink welfare spending in March, warning the working-age welfare bill was set to rise by nearly £30bn by 2030 and reforms to the system were required to ensure it remained sustainable.
It wanted to make it harder to claim personal independence payment (Pip), the main disability benefit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and make health-related top-ups for universal credit less generous.
But ministers significantly watered down the cuts earlier this month after a huge rebellion from Labour MPs, all but wiping out savings estimated to be worth £5bn a year by the end of the decade.
Plans to freeze the higher rate of universal credit for existing health-related claimants have been reversed, whilst all changes to the Pip system have been parked pending a government review into the assessment regime.
In her speech on Thursday, Badenoch will accuse Labour of being "beholden to left-wing MPs" and "turning a blind eye" to rising benefit costs.
She will also seek to create a dividing line with Reform UK over the two-child benefit cap, which Nigel Farage's party has pledged to scrap, branding him "Jeremy Corbyn with a pint and a cigarette".
"On welfare he shows his true colours - promising unaffordable giveaways with no plan to fix the system," she is expected to add.
A Labour spokesperson said "The Conservatives had 14 years to reform welfare - instead, they left the country with a broken system that holds people back and fails to support the most vulnerable."
The party also warned that the Conservative proposal could see disabled British nationals living abroad being denied support if other countries decided to take a similar approach.
Tory welfare proposals
The Conservatives have not backed the government's legislation to deliver the changes, arguing its proposals do not go far enough.
They have set out some plans of their own to shrink welfare spending in the form of amendments to the government's plans, which were defeated on Wednesday.
These include limiting access to Pips and the health-related part of universal credit to those with "less severe" mental health conditions, and preventing claimants from receiving payments without a face-to-face assessment.
They also say both benefits should only be paid to British citizens, with exceptions for those covered by international agreements, such as citizens from EU countries who have acquired settled status in the UK.
At the moment, foreign nationals gain access to the welfare system when they are granted indefinite leave to remain or refugee status. Applicants for Pip generally need to have lived in Britain for at least two of the last three years.
Asylum seekers are not allowed to apply for benefits, although they have access to taxpayer-funded accommodation and separate financial support.
Conservative shadow minister Neil O'Brien has said he has obtained figures under freedom of information laws showing universal credit payments to households containing at least one foreign national stood at £941m a month as of March.
But working out the exact scale of payments to non-UK nationals specifically is complicated, because the Department for Work and Pensions does not provide a breakdown of claimants by immigration status and nationality.
However, the department is due to publish the first such breakdown next week, and has committed to updates every three months thereafter.
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Drone footage shows the proximity of the bonfire to infrastructure.
The police have declared a major incident over a bonfire in south Belfast that is due to be lit on Friday as part of annual Twelfth events across Northern Ireland.
There are concerns that the power supply to Belfast City Hospital and the Royal Victoria Hospital would be put at risk because the bonfire lies near a major electricity substation.
On Thursday afternoon, bonfire builders voluntarily removed tiers of pallets from the top of the bonfire and told BBC News NI the action was an "olive branch" to those concerned.
PA Media
The electricity substation buildings are behind the fence just metres from the bonfire, while asbestos is not far away
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said no decision had been taken on assisting the removal of the bonfire and they continued to work with agencies and community representatives on this matter.
The Twelfth commemorates the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 when the Protestant King William III - also known as King Billy and William of Orange - defeated Catholic King James II.
Bonfires were lit on 11 July to welcome - and guide - William.
There are separate concerns about the presence of asbestos at the bonfire site which is between the Donegall Road and the Westlink and the council voted to write to the environment minister to act immediately to have it removed.
The Deputy First Minister and DUP MLA, Emma Little-Pengelly, said: "No one wants anyone to be hurt or for there to be any risks to health or wellbeing".
On Facebook she said those involved in the bonfire had engaged for "some time" on "size and other mitigations" and she believed that would continue.
Earlier, Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan told BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme that the police had a "responsibility" in the situation.
He said the issue had only been brought into the public domain because it is "the first time a bonfire has been held in this site".
He also called on action from the landowner and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) regarding the asbestos.
Sheehan had also urged unionist politicians to "show leadership" and said Emma Little Pengelly "should be out today calling for that bonfire to be dismantled. Where is her leadership?"
Carol Walsh says the bonfire means everything to the community
Residents of the Village area of Belfast, where the bonfire is situated, said the bonfire means "everything".
"This bonfire has been going for all of our generations… and we want our next generations to know our culture. This isn't to get up anybody's nose.
"The children of this area have been collecting for the bonfire since Christmas time."
Billy says this is another attack on their culture
Billy Garrett, another resident, said there was "a lot of frustration".
"It's just another attack on our culture and our traditions. We don't see any harm in what we're doing here, especially in the Village area of south Belfast. It's just knocking the heart out of everyone," he told BBC News NI.
He said the organisers of the bonfire site had been making sure it was safe since September last year.
"They've went through all the proper people to make sure it is safe for everyone in the community."
In a statement, the council said it previously took enforcement action and secured the site due to asbestos in 2011
Loyalist activist Jamie Bryson planned to take legal action to stop the bonfire being dismantled and has questioned the decision-making process behind the vote.
However, the council rejected claims that the decision to dismantle the bonfire breached legal guidelines and said the move was part of its "emergency" decision-making processes.
It also said it was in line withthe rules of council, those cases on which an "inability to immediately implement a decision would result in a breach of statutory or contractual duty".
Power for hospitals
Belfast Health Trust said the bonfire was near a substation that supplies both hospitals.
Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) said it had expressed concerns over the bonfire's "proximity to the substation causing potential risk to critical infrastructure and power outages".
The trust said it had contingency measures including back-up generators and it was confident there was no need to cancel any planned treatments or procedures.
The NIEA said it was first alerted to the issues of asbestos near the bonfire on 16 May and had been engaging with the landowner and the city council regularly since then.
An inspection was carried out and the NIEA said if the asbestos was not cleared by 11 July, "mitigating measures" would need to be put in place.
PA Media
People gathered at the south Belfast bonfire on Wednesday night
Tensions are escalated
Julian O'Neill
BBC News NI crime and justice correspondent
The PSNI appears to have been put between a rock and a hard place here by a political decision at the 11th hour.
One of its considerations is most certainly: Would any operation trigger disorder which could spread to other areas?
Just 36 hours ago, the PSNI felt the mood music going into the 12th of July was pretty positive.
Now we have a significant bonfire row which has escalated tensions.
We saw evidence last night of how the local community has reacted to the prospect of a police operation.
Site entrances were blocked, a protest took place on the road, people were in an around the bonfire, and there is also a risk it could be lit early if any operation is mobilised.
Who owns the site?
The landowners, Boron Developments, bought the site in the summer of 2017 and were made aware of asbestos at that time.
Boron Developments have said it engaged a waste management company to remove the asbestos but the company needed "no personnel" on the site in order to complete the removal of asbestos.
Due to people "bringing in materials and building the bonfire" the company told the landowners it could not complete its work.
Belfast City Council said while the lands at the site remained "the responsibility of the landowner" the council and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) were "working together in relation to this site".
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs said it had put in place mitigations "over the past week including the further covering of the asbestos containing material, the use of fire-retardant material and the erection of additional fencing".
Watch: Trump praises Liberian president's English, the country's official language
US President Donald Trump has praised Liberian President Joseph Boakai for speaking "good English" and asked him where he went to school.
What Trump might have missed is that Liberia shares a unique and long-standing connection with the US.
English is the country's official language and many Liberians speak with an American accent because of those historical ties to the US.
It may have been this accent that Trump picked up on.
Here are five things to know about the country:
Founded by freed slaves
Liberia was founded by freed African-American slaves in 1822 before declaring independence in 1847.
Thousands of black Americans and liberated Africans - rescued from transatlantic slave ships - settled in Liberia during the colonial era.
Former US President Abraham Lincoln officially declared Liberia's independence in 1862 but the country retained a lot of US heritage and it remained in the American "sphere of influence" during the colonial period.
Due to this integration, Liberian culture, landmarks, and institutions have a heavy African-American influence.
Ten of Liberia's 26 presidents were born in the US.
AFP via Getty Images
Liberia shares a long-standing historical connection with the US
The capital is named after a former US president
Reuters
Some streets in Monrovia are named after colonial American figures
Liberia's capital, Monrovia, was named in honour of America's 5th President, James Monroe, who was a strong supporter of the American Colonization Society (ACS).
The ACS was the organisation responsible for resettling freed African-Americans in West Africa - which eventually led to the founding of Liberia.
Not surprisingly the early architecture of the city was largely influenced by American-style buildings.
Many streets in Monrovia are named after colonial American figures, reflecting the city's founding and historical ties to the US.
Nearly identical flags
AFP via Getty Images
There is a striking resemblance between the flags of the two countries
The flag of Liberia closely resembles the American flag. It features 11 alternating red and white stripes and a blue square with a single white star.
The white star symbolises Liberia as the first independent republic in Africa.
The US flag, in comparison, has 13 stripes representing the original 13 colonies and 50 stars, one for each state.
The Liberian flag was designed by seven black women - all born in America.
Ex-president's son plays for US football team
Reuters
Timothy Weah, seen here shaking hands with President Donald Trump, plays for Juventus in Italy
Timothy Weah, the son of Liberia's former President George Weah, is an American professional soccer player who plays for Italian club Juventus as well as the US national team.
The 25-year-old forward was born in the US but began his professional career with Paris St-Germain in France, where he won the Ligue 1 title before moving on loan to the Scottish team, Celtic.
His father, George, is a Liberian football legend who won the Ballon d'Or in 1995 while playing for Juventus's Italian rivals AC Milan. He is the only African winner of this award - and went on to be elected president in 2018.
Former president won the Nobel Peace Prize
Reuters
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf served as the 24th president of Liberia from 2006 to 2018
Liberia produced Africa's first elected female president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
She was elected in 2005, two years after the nation's bloody civil war ended, and served as president until 2018.
Sirleaf has a strong American background as she studied at Madison Business College and later went to Harvard University where she graduated as an economist.
She has received worldwide recognition and accolades for maintaining peace during her administration.
Her story is pitted with remarkable feats of defiance and courage.
In 2011, along with Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkul Karmān, she won the Nobel Prize for Peace for her efforts to further women's rights.
In 2016, Forbes listed her among the most powerful women in the world.
What do Liberians make of the comments?
There has been a mixed reaction.
Accountant Joseph Manley, 40, told the BBC that Trump should have been properly briefed before meeting Liberia's leader.
"Liberia has always been an English-speaking country. Our president represents a country with a rich educational tradition."
For human resources professional Henrietta Peter-Mogballah, The US president's surprise at Boakai's eloquence reflects a broader problem of global ignorance about African nations and its peoples.
"From travel experiences and observations, most citizens of other nations outside Africa do not know a lot about African countries," she said. "The few that know a little, their minds are clouded by narratives of war, poverty, and lack of education."
While many have criticised Trump, others see nothing wrong in his comments.
"I believe President Trump's remark was a genuine compliment on President Boakai's command of English," lawyer and politician Kanio Gbala told the BBC. "There is no evidence of sarcasm. Reading it as disrespectful may reflect political agendas."
'You're not just a tennis player' - taking care of mental health
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Break away from tennis was necessary - Anisimova
Published
Wimbledon 2025
Dates: 30 June-13 July Venue: All England Club
Coverage: Live across BBC TV, radio and online with extensive coverage on BBC iPlayer, Red Button, Connected TVs and mobile app. Full coverage guide.
Before she was a Wimbledon semi-finalist, Amanda Anisimova was a teenage prodigy tipped to win Grand Slam titles.
She reached the 2019 French Open semi-finals as a 17-year-old, stunning defending champion Simona Halep along the way, and moved inside the world's top 25.
But four years later, Anisimova knew she needed to stop. Struggling with her mental health and burnout, she found it "unbearable" to be at tennis tournaments.
She did not touch a racquet for months. She took holidays, saw friends and family, attended her university in person for a semester, and stayed away from tennis until the itch returned.
Now set to face world number one Aryna Sabalenka on Thursday for a place in a first Grand Slam final, Anisimova is thankful she could take the time to reset.
"I learned a lot about myself, my interests off the court and just taking some time to breathe and live a normal life for a bit," the 23-year-old told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"What I've learned is to listen honestly to yourself, to your intuition and what your body is telling you."
With an 11-month season, players go from hotel room to hotel room around the world in a push for points and prize money.
That goes alongside the psychological impact of trying to break a losing streak, the pressure of trying to win a Grand Slam and abusive messages on social media.
Matteo Berrettini, who has spent three years battling injuries, said it was a "heavy" feeling to be on court, while world number three Alexander Zverev said he was "lacking joy" both inside and outside of tennis and had "never felt this empty before".
Andrey Rublev has been open about his struggles, telling the Guardian in January, external that he worked with a psychologist to stop feeling "that crazy anxiety and stress of not understanding what to do with my life".
He also has a new perspective. At one point, winning a Grand Slam was everything to Rublev. Now, he says he knows it would not change his life at all - but he also knows how difficult it is to give yourself space away from the sport.
"In the end, tennis is just the trigger point. It's something inside of you that you need to face," Rublev said.
"You tell Sascha [Zverev] to take a break, it will get tough for him. He would love to play. For sure, Casper [Ruud], maybe, for him it's also not easy."
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
Amanda Anisimova is into a second Grand Slam semi-final
Five-time major winner Carlos Alcaraz said in a Netflix documentary that his biggest fear was that tennis would become an "obligation".
The relentless pursuit of success, the determination to clinch that long-awaited Grand Slam or to snap a losing streak against a particular player becomes a part of someone's personality, and they can find it difficult to know where tennis ends and they begin.
Alcaraz makes a concerted effort to enjoy himself on and off the court. It is not unusual to see him laughing after an amazing point - even when he was struggling against Fabio Fognini in the Wimbledon first round, he still managed to smile at his opponent's ridiculous shot-making.
He has also spoken about how mentally refreshing his trips to Ibiza have been, even if his team did not want him to go after his 2024 French Open triumph.
"It's about having fun playing tennis, have fun stepping on the court and not thinking about the result," the Spaniard said.
"It's just live in the moment."
Australian Open champion Madison Keys has spoken about how therapy helped her gain perspective.
The American previously worked with sports psychologists, but said focusing on sport "was not as helpful as I needed it to be".
"From a pretty young age, our identity becomes very wrapped up in being a tennis player," Keys said.
"That's great but when you have tough weeks, months and years on tour, that can take a toll on how you think about yourself as a person.
"Being able to dive into that and figure out how to separate the two and know that you're not just a tennis player, you're a full person that has all of these other really great attributes and interests, was a really important piece for me.
"That kind of made the tennis a bit easier."
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Carlos Alcaraz is a five-time Grand Slam champion
Sabalenka worked with a therapist for five years before deciding she was ready to "take responsibility", describing herself as "my own psychologist".
She talks openly with her team, saying: "We can talk about whatever. I know they're not going to judge me.
"They're not going to blame me. They just going to accept it, and we are going to work through."
Anisimova says her break was "a necessary thing" and put her on the trajectory she is on today.
Since returning to the tour, she has won the biggest title of her career at the WTA 1,000 event in Doha and broken into the world's top 10.
"It was something that I needed to for myself," she added.
"I definitely had to find my way back, really work on the fitness side, and get in my hours of training.
"It's been a journey. I finally found my game and my confidence."
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Anisimova saves five set to wrap up incredible tie-break victory
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is thought to be planning to make changes to the rules surrounding tax-free Individual Savings Accounts (Isas).
The details are expected to be set out in her Mansion House speech on Tuesday - traditionally an opportunity for chancellors to outline their strategic vision to City leaders.
But some have warned against tampering with a very popular savings product.
What are Isas and how much money can you save in them?
Isas are offered by a host of banks, building societies, investment companies and other financial providers.
Any returns you make from an Isa are tax-free, but there is a limit to how much money you can put in each year.
The current £20,000 annual allowance can be used in one account or spread across multiple Isa products as you wish.
These accounts do not close automatically at the end of the tax year. When the next tax year begins, you can open a new Isa or - in some cases - can keep adding money to your existing accounts.
You have to be 18 to open an Isa. You also have to live in the UK or be a member of the armed forces or a so-called Crown servant who works abroad.
Isas were first introduced by then-chancellor Gordon Brown in 1999, but the annual allowance and the way they work have changed several times since then.
What is the difference between cash Isas and stocks and shares Isas?
Cash Isas are typically offered by banks or building societies, and function like a normal savings account.
Savers pay in money and interest gets added on top.
With regular saving accounts, once the interest goes above a certain threshold, you start to pay income tax.
A basic rate taxpayer can earn £1,000 in savings interest a year before paying tax. For higher rate taxpayer the limit is £500, but additional rate taxpayers don't have any allowance - they pay tax on all their savings income. Those on low incomes may get an extra allowance.
When the money is saved in a cash Isa, the interest is tax-free, however much you earn.
Cash Isas are very popular, with millions of savers holding billions of pounds in them.
Stocks and shares Isas work in much the same way.
However, instead of simply being held in an savings account, the money is invested in shares in companies, unit trusts, investment funds or bonds.
Unlike other investments any returns are protected from income tax and capital gains tax.
Crucially, while the returns can be greater, so too are the risks. The amount of money you have in a shares Isa can go down as well as up.
What other types of Isa are available?
Junior Isasallow young people to save - or let their parents save for them - until they reach 18 - when they can access regular Isas.
Lifetime Isas (Lisas) are designed to help people save towards a deposit when buying a first home, or for retirement. Savers can put in up to £4,000 a year and the government adds an extra 25%.
Innovative Finance Isas let people use other types of financial arrangements such as peer-to-peer loans, without going through a bank.
How might the Isa rules change?
Despite a lot of media speculation, Chancellor Rachel Reeves has not yet set out her plans.
Documents released by the Treasury as part of the Spending Review in June said only that the government was "looking at options" for Isa reform.
It wants to "get the balance right between cash and equities [shares] to earn better returns for savers, boost the culture of retail investment, and support the growth mission".
However, there is an expectation that Reeves will make an announcement at her Mansion House speech in the City of London on 15 July.
Many experts think she will reduce the annual allowance for putting money into a cash Isa.
Some have argued that she should scrap cash Isas completely, but that is considered extremely unlikely.
It is thought the government wants to encourage savers to put money into stocks and shares Isas instead of cash Isas. This could potentially benefit British companies, and boost economic growth in the UK.
Many investment companies which sell stocks and shares Isas back the change, while banks and building societies who dominate the cash Isa market are against it.
Those in favour say there are billions of pounds languishing in savings accounts, which do not need to be accessed in a hurry.
They say that money could be better used for personal, and the greater, good by being invested in stocks and shares in the long-term, rather than sitting in savings accounts.
They want any change to the Isa rules to go hand-in-hand with other reforms to encourage personal investing.
What are the pitfalls of cutting the cash Isa allowance?
Opponents say there is little evidence that the move would encourage people to invest in shares instead of saving in cash.
They warn many people may not save at all, or would simply pay more tax on any money held in non-Isa accounts.
Building societies, in particular, point out it would also reduce the amount of money they receive from savers' deposits which can then be lent out as mortgages or other loans.
Ursula von der Leyen secured a second term as Commission chief last July
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has survived a confidence vote tabled by a far-right faction in the European Parliament.
Although the outcome was not a surprise, the fact that it came about at all was not a positive signal for von der Leyen, who began her second term as Commission chief only a year ago.
Confidence votes of this kind are rare and the last one was tabled against Jean-Claude Juncker more than a decade ago.
Two-thirds of all 720 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) - or 480 - would have had to back the motion for it to pass.
Instead, only 175 voted in favour; 360 voted against and 18 abstained. The remaining MEPs did not vote.
The text of the motion said that von der Leyen's Commission could no longer be trusted to "uphold the principles of transparency, accountability, and good governance essential to a democratic Union".
During a fierce debate on Monday von der Leyen slammed her accusers as "conspiracy theorists".
Hitting back at Piperea and what she called "his world of conspiracies and alleged sinister plots", she said he and his cohort were "extremists", "anti-vaxxers" and "Putin apologists".
She also said the accusations against her over so-called Pfizergate were "simply a lie."
Piperea had the backing of figures such as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who posted on X a photo of von der Leyen alongside the caption "Time to go".
But his own European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group was split.
A sizeable portion of the ECR is made up by Brothers of Italy (FdI), the party of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. FdI has been fostering a good relationship with von der Leyen and its MEPs voted against the motion.
In the end the votes in favour came primarily from the far-right groups Patriots for Europe (PfE) and the European of Sovereign Nations (ENS).
Von der Leyen survived the vote thanks to the support of her own centre-right European People's Party (EPP), the Socialist & Democrats (S&D), the liberal Renew, the Greens and left-wing groups.
However, the days in the lead-up to the vote saw several groupings caveat their support with gripes over von der Leyen's leadership.
Over the last year her centre-right EPP has increasingly teamed up with the far-right to pass amendments and resolutions on issues like migration and the environment, often irking liberals and left-wing parties.
Valérie Hayer, president of the centrist Renew Europe, echoed the sentiment, warning von der Leyen that her group's support was "not guaranteed" and urging the Commission chief to "take back control" of the EPP and end "alliances with the far right."
Ahead of the vote Iratxe García, leader of the S&D, said dismantling the Commission in the midst of geopolitical crisis would have been "irresponsible".
"Our vote doesn't mean that we are not critical of the European Commission," García said, citing "the recent shifts by von der Leyen towards far-right pledges."
Earlier this week there was a suggestion that the S&D might abstain from the vote, but were eventually persuaded to back von der Leyen after she reportedly ruled out cuts to social programmes in the upcoming budget.
As the vote against her leadership was taking place, Von der Leyen was giving a speech at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome.
Shortly after the motion was turned down, however, she posted on X: "As external forces seek to destabilise and divide us, it is our duty to respond in line with our values."
Watch: Trump praises Liberian president's English, the country's official language
US President Donald Trump has praised Liberian President Joseph Boakai for speaking "good English" and asked him where he went to school.
What Trump might have missed is that Liberia shares a unique and long-standing connection with the US.
English is the country's official language and many Liberians speak with an American accent because of those historical ties to the US.
It may have been this accent that Trump picked up on.
Here are five things to know about the country:
Founded by freed slaves
Liberia was founded by freed African-American slaves in 1822 before declaring independence in 1847.
Thousands of black Americans and liberated Africans - rescued from transatlantic slave ships - settled in Liberia during the colonial era.
Former US President Abraham Lincoln officially declared Liberia's independence in 1862 but the country retained a lot of US heritage and it remained in the American "sphere of influence" during the colonial period.
Due to this integration, Liberian culture, landmarks, and institutions have a heavy African-American influence.
Ten of Liberia's 26 presidents were born in the US.
AFP via Getty Images
Liberia shares a long-standing historical connection with the US
The capital is named after a former US president
Reuters
Some streets in Monrovia are named after colonial American figures
Liberia's capital, Monrovia, was named in honour of America's 5th President, James Monroe, who was a strong supporter of the American Colonization Society (ACS).
The ACS was the organisation responsible for resettling freed African-Americans in West Africa - which eventually led to the founding of Liberia.
Not surprisingly the early architecture of the city was largely influenced by American-style buildings.
Many streets in Monrovia are named after colonial American figures, reflecting the city's founding and historical ties to the US.
Nearly identical flags
AFP via Getty Images
There is a striking resemblance between the flags of the two countries
The flag of Liberia closely resembles the American flag. It features 11 alternating red and white stripes and a blue square with a single white star.
The white star symbolises Liberia as the first independent republic in Africa.
The US flag, in comparison, has 13 stripes representing the original 13 colonies and 50 stars, one for each state.
The Liberian flag was designed by seven black women - all born in America.
Ex-president's son plays for US football team
Reuters
Timothy Weah, seen here shaking hands with President Donald Trump, plays for Juventus in Italy
Timothy Weah, the son of Liberia's former President George Weah, is an American professional soccer player who plays for Italian club Juventus as well as the US national team.
The 25-year-old forward was born in the US but began his professional career with Paris St-Germain in France, where he won the Ligue 1 title before moving on loan to the Scottish team, Celtic.
His father, George, is a Liberian football legend who won the Ballon d'Or in 1995 while playing for Juventus's Italian rivals AC Milan. He is the only African winner of this award - and went on to be elected president in 2018.
Former president won the Nobel Peace Prize
Reuters
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf served as the 24th president of Liberia from 2006 to 2018
Liberia produced Africa's first elected female president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
She was elected in 2005, two years after the nation's bloody civil war ended, and served as president until 2018.
Sirleaf has a strong American background as she studied at Madison Business College and later went to Harvard University where she graduated as an economist.
She has received worldwide recognition and accolades for maintaining peace during her administration.
Her story is pitted with remarkable feats of defiance and courage.
In 2011, along with Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkul Karmān, she won the Nobel Prize for Peace for her efforts to further women's rights.
In 2016, Forbes listed her among the most powerful women in the world.
What do Liberians make of the comments?
There has been a mixed reaction.
Accountant Joseph Manley, 40, told the BBC that Trump should have been properly briefed before meeting Liberia's leader.
"Liberia has always been an English-speaking country. Our president represents a country with a rich educational tradition."
For human resources professional Henrietta Peter-Mogballah, The US president's surprise at Boakai's eloquence reflects a broader problem of global ignorance about African nations and its peoples.
"From travel experiences and observations, most citizens of other nations outside Africa do not know a lot about African countries," she said. "The few that know a little, their minds are clouded by narratives of war, poverty, and lack of education."
While many have criticised Trump, others see nothing wrong in his comments.
"I believe President Trump's remark was a genuine compliment on President Boakai's command of English," lawyer and politician Kanio Gbala told the BBC. "There is no evidence of sarcasm. Reading it as disrespectful may reflect political agendas."
In a letter, Trump cited Brazil's treatment of former President Jair Bolsonaro as a trigger for tariff-hike.
Bolsonaro is currently on trial for allegedly attempting to stage a coup against Lula after being defeated by him in the 2022 election.
Trump referred to Bolsonaro as "a highly respected leader throughout the world". "This Trial should not be taking place," he wrote, calling on Brazil to immediately end the "witch hunt" against the former president.
Trump's support for Bolsonaro does not come as a surprise as the two men have long been considered allies.
The US president had already slammed Brazil for its treatment of Bolsonaro on Monday, comparing it to the legal cases he himself had faced in US courts.
The 50% tariff threat was met with a robust and lengthy response by President Lula.
In a post on X, he stressed that Brazil was "a sovereign country with independent institutions and will not accept any tutelage".
The Brazilian leader also announced that "any unilateral tariff increases" would be met with reciprocal tariffs imposed on US goods.
The US is Brazil's second-largest trade partner after China, so the hike from a tariff rate of 10% to an eye-watering 50% - if it comes into force - would hit the South American nation hard.
But Lula also made a point of challenging Trump's assertion that the US had a trade deficit with Brazil, calling it "inaccurate".
Brazil was not the only country Trump threatened with higher tariffs on Wednesday.
Japan, South Korea and Sri Lanka were among 22 nations which received letters warning of higher levies.
But the letter Trump sent to his Brazilian counterpart was the only one focussing matters beyond alleged trade deficits.
As well as denouncing the treatment of ex-President Bolsonaro, Trump slammed what he said were "secret and unlawful censorship orders to US social media platforms" which he said Brazil had imposed.
Trump Media, which operates the US president's Truth Social platform and is majority-owned by him, is among the US tech companies fighting Brazilian court rulings over orders suspending social media accounts.
Lula fought back on that front too, justifying the rulings by arguing that "Brazilian society rejects hateful content, racism, child pornography, scams, fraud, and speeches against human rights and democratic freedom".
Rafael Cortez, a political scientist with Brazilian consulting firm Tendências Consultoria, told BBC News Brasil that rather than hurt him, the overly political tone of Trump's letter could end up benefitting Lula.
"Those confronting Trump win at home when Trump and other conservative leaders speak out on issues pertaining to their countries. That happened, to a certain degree, in Mexico, and the elections in Canada and Australia," Mr Cortez says of other leaders who have challenged Trump and reaped the rewards in the form of rising popularity levels.
Creomar de Souza of the political risk consultancy Dharma Politics told BBC News Mundo's Mariana Schreiber that it would depend on the Lula government coming up with organised and united response if it is to "score a goal" against Trump.
The president hasn’t named a successor to Jerome H. Powell, but his insistence on someone who will lower interest rates has already raised doubts about their credibility.
Whoever replaces Jerome H. Powell to lead the Federal Reserve will face scrutiny because of the president’s attacks on the central bank’s current leadership and his demands that the next chair lower interest rates.
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