Four men have pleaded guilty in Kenya to trying to smuggle hundreds of highly sought-after ants out of the country.

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), which is more used to protecting larger creatures, such as lions and elephants, has described this as a "landmark case".

The contraband included giant African harvester ants, which are valued by some UK dealers at up to £170 ($220) each.

The case showed a "disturbing shift in trafficking patterns - from iconic mammals to lesser-known species that are vital to ecological balance", the KWS said.

The suspects had concealed the creatures in "specially modified test tubes and syringes" which would have enabled the insects to survive for two months, the KWS said.

There was also a "calculated attempt to bypass security systems" by obscuring the contents of the tubes.

Photographs of the illegal haul shared by the KWS show hundreds of these containers packed with cotton wool, each with two or three ants.

The exact number of insects involved is still being evaluated but KWS spokesperson Paul Udoto told the BBC this was the country's first case of "bio-piracy" on this scale.

The four suspects – two Belgians, a Vietnamese and a Kenyan – were arrested after what the KWS has described as "a co-ordinated, intelligence-led operation".

It is believed that the intended destinations were the exotic pet markets in Europe and Asia.

The KWS said the demand for rare insect species is growing. Collectors keep them in special habitats, known as formicariums, and watch them build their colonies.

The giant African harvester ant - or Messor cephalotes - is the largest of its species and can grow to around 20mm, with the queen growing up to 25mm.

Pat Stanchev, the general manager of insect-dealing website Best Ants UK, said that it is their "big and beautiful size" that makes them attractive for those who want to keep them as pets.

He does not sell the giant African harvester ant but told the BBC that he is aware of people who try to pass on illegally imported insects.

In Kenya, the ants are protected by international bio-diversity treaties and their trade is highly regulated.

"This prosecution sends a strong message that Kenya will enforce compliance… and marks a significant step forward in Kenya's fight against unconventional wildlife crimes," the KWS said.

The four men are due to be sentenced on Tuesday.

You may also be interested in:

• The snipers trained to protect rhinos
• Northern white rhinos: The audacious plan that could save a species
• Kenya receives 17 rare antelopes from the US

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

The families of five people murdered by Hashem Abedi in the Manchester Arena bombing have told the justice secretary of their "absolute disbelief" that he was allowed to attack prison officers in HMP Frankland.

Despite being held in a high-security unit, Abedi, 28, attacked three prison officers on Saturday with improvised blades and hot cooking oil.

In a letter seen by the BBC, the families say Abedi "should not have access to anything that he can weaponise" and urged the government to ensure he "cannot be allowed to hurt anyone else".

Abedi was jailed for life with a minimum 55 years in prison after being convicted of murdering 22 people in the 2017 attack carried out by his brother, Salman.

Since the letter was sent to Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood on Monday, inmates of separation centres have been barred from using kitchens.

Abedi had been held in a separation centre - which holds a small number of inmates deemed to be dangerous and extremist - at Frankland.

He moved to Frankland after carrying out an earlier attack on prison officers in London's Belmarsh prison in 2020, for which three years and 10 months was added to his sentence.

Two prison officers remain in hospital with serious injuries from the latest attack, while a third had been discharged.

The letter says "we are writing in absolute disbelief" that, once again, the "evil Hashem Abedi has been allowed to cause danger to life".

They go on: "As the families of Megan Hurley, Eilidh Macleod, Chloe Rutherford, Liam Curry, and Kelly Brewster, our beautiful, beloved children who were so tragically murdered along with 16 others in the Manchester Arena terror attack in May 2017, we find this situation beyond comprehension."

The families say they understood prison to mean "confinement in a cell for 23 hours a day, meals served through a hatch, and a single hour outside the cell, accompanied by a prison officer" - which they described as "the very minimum measure of justice for the devastation he caused".

They write: "In our view, he should not be allowed any privileges whatsoever while serving a sentence for the deaths of 22 innocent lives and the injuring of many more.

"He should not have access to anything that he can weaponise, such as hot oil or items he can turn into blades."

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has said there would be a full, independent review into the incident, which saw the three prison officers suffer stab wounds and burns.

The families asked Mahmood to "consider the full gravity of Abedi's actions when determining any further punishment".

They wrote "His continuing violence in prison, attacking prison officers in Belmarsh and now attempting to murder three more, shows he feels no remorse and has no respect for human life.

"We send our heartfelt sympathies to the three prison officers who were injured on Saturday, as well as their families. Hashem Abedi cannot be allowed to hurt anyone else.

"As broken families, we firmly believe the appropriate punishment for this individual should be permanent solitary confinement. In truth, anything harsher would be more fitting."

The MoJ said in a statement responding to the letter: "Our thoughts remain with the victims of the Manchester Arena bombing and their families who are understandably concerned by the shocking attack at HMP Frankland this weekend.

"We've already taken immediate action to suspend access to kitchens in separation and close supervision centres."

It added that it would be setting out the terms and scope of the review into the incident in the coming days.

Mahmood has said separately that she will be pushing for the "strongest possible punishment" for Abedi.

With his brother, the suicide bomber Salman Abedi, Hashem Abedi planned and prepared the attack on the Ariana Grande concert in 2017.

He was in Libya when the blast took place and was later extradited to the UK to face trial.

Hashem Abedi was found guilty in 2020 of 22 counts of murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to cause an explosion likely to endanger life, and sentenced to a minimum term of at least 55 years before he could be considered for parole.

The sentence was a record for a fixed-length prison term.

It is understood that Hashem Abedi has been moved to the separation centre at HMP Full Sutton following the kitchen attack.

Officials are working to deliver essential raw materials to British Steel's Scunthorpe plant, the government has said, as it races to keep its blast furnaces burning.

An emergency law rushed through Parliament on Saturday gave the government control of the Lincolnshire site to prevent its Chinese owner shutting it down.

The government said work was under way on Monday to obtain the coking coal and iron ore that power the plant's two furnaces - materials it previously said owners Jingye had been selling off.

"My team are already hard at work on the ground to keep jobs going and furnaces burning," the business secretary said in a statement.

Dozens of businesses including steel producers Tata and Rainham Steel have offered help and to supply their raw materials, the government added.

How quickly materials get to the site is important because blast furnaces can sustain permanent damage if their temperature drops too low.

Restarting a furnace that has shut down is also a costly and complex process.

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: "When I said steelmaking has a future in the UK, I meant it.

"That's why we've passed these new powers to save British Steel at Scunthorpe and that's why my team are already hard at work on the ground to keep jobs going and furnaces burning."

It comes after Reynolds refused to confirm on Sunday whether the government could obtain the materials in time.

"I'm not going to get into that," he told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, but said the takeover gave the "opportunity" to obtain the materials needed.

The Scunthorpe plant employs 2,700 people and is the last site in the UK that can produce virgin steel.

The government fast-tracked legislation which gave it control of the plant after talks with Jingye to save it appeared to break down.

The company said in March it was losing £700,000 a day at the site, which it called "no longer financially sustainable," and began a consultation on its closure.

Reynolds told the BBC it "became clear" during negotiations that Jingye was intent on closing down the blast furnaces no matter the financial support offered.

The government said Jingye refused an offer of some £500m and demanded more than twice as much money, with few guarantees it would keep the plant open.

"It might not be sabotage, it might be neglect," Reynolds said of the company's actions.

The Conservatives have criticised the government for not stepping in sooner to save the plant.

Tory shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith said the party had supported the emergency law because "it's the least worst option on the table".

Nick Frost, Paapa Essiedu, Janet McTeer and Paul Whitehouse will appear in the forthcoming Harry Potter TV series, US network HBO has confirmed.

Frost has been cast as Hagrid, McTeer will play Minerva McGonagall, and Essiedu will portray Severus Snape. All three were reported to be in talks with the network in recent weeks.

HBO have now formally confirmed their casting, and announced that Whitehouse, well known for the Fast Show and Harry & Paul, will play Argus Filch.

The network also confirmed John Lithgow's announcement in February that he will play Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore.

The show is due to begin filming this summer, with the first series airing potentially as early as next year.

The actors playing Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger have not yet been cast.

HBO launched an open casting call for the three lead roles, which reportedly attracted more than 30,000 submissions.

Who are the confirmed actors?

• John Lithgow, who will play Dumbledore, recently starred in the Oscar-winning Conclave, and has also appeared in 3rd Rock from the Sun, Footloose and The Crown. He won an Olivier Award last week for playing Roald Dahl in stage play Giant, which soon transfers to the West End
• Paapa Essiedu, who will portray Hogwarts teacher Severus Snape, shot to fame in the TV series I May Destroy You, and has also appeared in Gangs of London and The Lazarus Project. Last year, he starred in The Outrun with Saoirse Ronan, and will appear in a new stage production of Arthur Miller's All My Sons in the West End later this year
• Janet McTeer, who has been cast as Professor McGonagall, has appeared in films including Wuthering Heights, Albert Nobbs and The Menu, as well as the TV series Ozark and Jessica Jones. Later this year, she will be seen in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
• Nick Frost, who will play the friendly half-giant Hagrid, is best known for appearing in comedy films Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, The World's End and Paul. His TV credits include Spaced and Into the Badlands, and he voices SM-33 in Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
• Paul Whitehouse, who will play Argus Filch, appeared in the BBC sketch comedy series The Fast Show and opposite Harry Enfield in Harry & Paul. He also appears in Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, with Bob Mortimer, while his stage credits include Only Fools and Horses The Musical
• Luke Thallon, who will play Quirinus Quirrell, has appeared in stage productions including Patriots, Albion and Tom Stoppard's Leopoldstadt. He is currently starring in a touring Royal Shakespeare Company production of Hamlet, playing the titular role

Showrunner Francesca Gardiner and executive producer Mark Mylod said they were "delighted to have such extraordinary talent onboard, and we can't wait to see them bring these beloved characters to new life".

JK Rowling's phenomenally successful series of novels has previously been adapted into a film franchise starring Daniel Radcliffe as Potter.

The TV series, however, will have more breathing space to explore the plot lines from the books without the time constraints of the film.

Rowling will serve as an executive producer on the TV series, which HBO has said will be a "faithful adaptation" of her books.

Further casting announcements are expected to follow soon, with rumours swirling about other actors reportedly in discussions about joining, including Cillian Murphy as a possible Voldermort.

The World Health Organization has said conditions at hospitals in Gaza are "beyond description", after a major facility was put out of service by an Israeli air strike.

Spokeswoman Dr Margaret Harris told the BBC it was seeing "attack after attack" on hospitals and healthcare workers, and medical supplies were critically low due to Israel's blockade of the territory.

On Sunday, staff at al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City said an Israeli strike had destroyed its laboratory and damaged its emergency room. They did not report any direct casualties, but said a child died due to disruption of care.

The Israeli military said it hit a "command-and-control centre" used by Hamas to plan attacks.

The hospital is run by the Church of England, whose bishops said they shared "grief, sorrow and outrage" with Palestinians over the attack and called on Israel to provide evidence to support its claim.

A ceasefire in Gaza ended when Israel resumed its air and ground campaign four weeks ago, saying that military pressure would force Hamas to release the hostages it is still holding.

Al-Ahli hospital was struck by two missiles around midnight on Sunday - the fifth time it has been hit since the beginning of the war.

According to the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem, the two-storey genetic laboratory was demolished and the pharmacy and emergency department buildings were damaged. Surrounding buildings were also damaged, including St Philip's Church.

The diocese said the Israel military gave a 20-minute warning to hospital staff and patients to evacuate before the attack.

There were no casualties as a result of the strike, but one child who had previously suffered a head injury died as a result of the rushed evacuation process, it added.

Later, WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the UN agency had been told by al-Ahli's director that the emergency room, laboratory, emergency room X-ray machines, and the pharmacy were "destroyed".

The hospital was forced to move 50 patients to other hospitals, but 40 patients in a critical condition could not be moved, he added.

"Hospitals are protected under international humanitarian law. Attacks on health care must stop. Once again we repeat: patients, health workers and hospitals must be protected."

The Israeli foreign ministry said it was a "precise strike on a single building that was used by Hamas as a terror command and control centre" and where there was "no medical activity take place".

It also stressed that an "early warning" was issued, and that the strike was "carried out while avoiding further damage to the hospital compound, which remained operational for continued medical treatment".

Hamas condemned the attack as a "savage crime" and rejected the claim that it was using the facility for military purposes.

On Monday, the Church of England's House of Bishops said in a statement they were "dismayed that hospitals have become battlegrounds in Gaza" and that Israel had "yet to provide clear and compelling evidence to substantiate its claim" that the hospital was being used by Hamas.

"Against that backdrop, we call for an independent, thorough and transparent investigation into this attack as well as the alleged misuse of the hospital."

The bishops also said that "the extremely limited time given to staff and patients to evacuate the hospital was a further assault on fundamental human rights and basic human dignity".

WHO representative Dr Rik Peeperkorn meanwhile told the BBC that al-Ahli was now unable to receive new patients pending repairs, and that this would "heavily impact trauma patients".

"Al-Ahli was a key trauma hospital north of Wadi Gaza. It is the hospital with the only functional CT scanner north of Wadi Gaza," he said, referring to the valley that effectively divides the territory in two because it is an Israeli-designated "no-go" area.

The charity Medical Aid for Palestinians also quoted an orthopaedic surgeon at al-Ahli as saying that the level of care the hospital could provide to the 40 remaining patients was "quite similar to that of a hostel".

"We are unable to perform any surgical procedures, as these patients require laboratory diagnostics, pharmacy support, and emergency referrals in case of complications - all of which have ceased entirely due to the recent attack," Dr Ahmed al-Shurafa said.

The ICRC's head of sub-delegation in Gaza, Adrian Zimmermann, also warned that the wider shortage of medical supplies "puts the life and the wellbeing of Gazans who require healthcare services at risk".

Dr Peeperkorn said they were running critically low because Israel had not allowed in any deliveries of humanitarian aid for more than six weeks.

He added that the WHO had stockpiled some supplies in its warehouses during the recent ceasefire, but that the Israeli military was not facilitating transfers between northern and southern Gaza.

"Last week, we had a discussion with one of the medical specialists at al-Ahli. He was telling us that they had to use the same surgical gowns and the same surgical gloves for various operations, while we have surgical gloves and gowns in our warehouse in Deir al-Balah [south of Wadi Gaza]," he recalled. "We want to bring them, but we are not facilitated."

The Israeli military launched a campaign to destroy Hamas in response to an unprecedented cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

More than 50,980 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

A ceasefire deal that began in January and lasted two months saw Hamas release 33 Israeli hostages – eight of them dead – and five Thai hostages in exchange for about 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and a surge in humanitarian aid entering Gaza.

Israel resumed its offensive on 18 March, blaming Hamas's refusal to accept a proposal for an extension of the agreement's first phase and the release of more of the 59 hostages it is still holding, up to 24 of whom are believed to be alive.

Hamas accused Israel of violating the original deal, according to which there would be a second phase where all the remaining living hostages would be handed over and the war brought to a permanent end.

On Monday, a Hamas delegation led by the group's chief negotiator left Cairo without making any progress in talks with Egyptian mediators aimed at reaching a new ceasefire agreement, a senior Palestinian official familiar with the talks told the BBC.

"No breakthrough was achieved due to Israel's refusal to commit to ending the war and withdrawing from the Gaza Strip," the official said.

"Hamas showed flexibility, regarding the number of hostages to be released in order to make progress. But Israel wants the hostages back without ending the war," he claimed.

Israel has said it is waiting for a response to its latest proposal, sent at the end of last week.

It is understood to have reduced slightly the number of hostages it is demanding should be released in exchange for an extension of the truce and the entry of humanitarian aid.

A group of hostages' families, known as the Tikvah Forum, said on Monday that the parents of Eitan Mor had been told by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the government was working on a deal that would see 10 hostages freed - down from 11 or 12.

A Russian missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Sumy, which killed 34 people - including two children - and injured 117 others, has been strongly condemned by Kyiv's Western allies.

Two ballistic missiles struck the city centre mid-morning on Sunday, exploding near the state university and congress centre, leaving bloodied bodies scattered in the streets.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the attack "horrifying" while Germany's chancellor-in-waiting, Friedrich Merz, accused Russia of committing a war crime.

There was no immediate official comment on the attack from Russia, whose forces across the nearby border are said to be preparing for a major offensive.

The attack comes as the US, Ukraine's strongest military ally, has been pursuing an end to the war - now in its fourth year - through negotiation under President Donald Trump.

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky has urged Trump himself to visit Ukraine and see the devastation brought by Russia's invasion.

"Please, before any kind of decisions, any kind of forms of negotiations, come to see people, civilians, warriors, hospitals, churches, children destroyed or dead," he said on Sunday in an interview for CBS's 60 Minutes programme.

Offering his condolences to the victims' loved ones, Rubio, the US secretary of state, said the attack was a "tragic reminder" of why the Trump administration was "putting so much time and effort into trying to end this war".

Earlier, Trump's special envoy to Ukraine, retired Lt-Gen Keith Kellogg, used stronger language, saying the attack had crossed "any line of decency".

Merz, who is expected to take over as Germany's new chancellor next month, told German public broadcaster ARD that the attack on Sumy constituted a "serious war crime".

"It was a perfidious act.. and it is a serious war crime, deliberate and intended," the conservative politician said.

Germany's outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz, meanwhile, said the attack showed "just what Russia's supposed readiness for peace [was] worth".

French President Emmanuel Macron accused Russia of "blatant disregard of human lives, international law, and the diplomatic efforts of President Trump".

"Strong measures are needed to impose a ceasefire on Russia," he said. "France is working tirelessly toward this goal, alongside its partners."

Describing the attack as "barbaric", European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen added: "Russia was and remains the aggressor, in blatant violation of international law.

"Strong measures are urgently needed to enforce a ceasefire. Europe will continue to reach out to partners and maintain strong pressure on Russia until the bloodshed ends and a just and lasting peace is achieved, on Ukraine's terms and conditions."

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also gave a view, saying he was "appalled at Russia's horrific attacks on civilians in Sumy".

A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was "deeply alarmed and shocked" to learn of the missile attack.

"Attacks against civilians and civilian objects are prohibited under international humanitarian law, and that any such attacks, wherever they occur, must end immediately", he added.

Guterres stressed the UN's support for "meaningful efforts towards a just, lasting and comprehensive peace that fully upholds Ukraine's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity".

Sunday's double missile strike was the deadliest attack on civilians in Ukraine this year.

Another Russian missile attack, earlier this month on 4 April, killed 20 people and injured 61 in the city of Kryvyi Rih.

On that occasion, Russia's defence ministry said it had targeted a meeting of "unit commanders and Western instructors" in a restaurant. No evidence was provided.

It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of people - the vast majority of them soldiers - have been killed or injured on all sides since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.

The UN estimates that nearly seven million Ukrainians are currently living as refugees.

The conflict goes back more than a decade, to 2014, when Ukraine's pro-Russian president was overthrown. Russia then annexed the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea and backed insurgents in bloody fighting in eastern Ukraine.

The World Health Organization has said conditions at hospitals in Gaza are "beyond description", after a major facility was put out of service by an Israeli air strike.

Spokeswoman Dr Margaret Harris told the BBC it was seeing "attack after attack" on hospitals and healthcare workers, and medical supplies were critically low due to Israel's blockade of the territory.

On Sunday, staff at al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City said an Israeli strike had destroyed its laboratory and damaged its emergency room. They did not report any direct casualties, but said a child died due to disruption of care.

The Israeli military said it hit a "command-and-control centre" used by Hamas to plan attacks.

The hospital is run by the Church of England, whose bishops said they shared "grief, sorrow and outrage" with Palestinians over the attack and called on Israel to provide evidence to support its claim.

A ceasefire in Gaza ended when Israel resumed its air and ground campaign four weeks ago, saying that military pressure would force Hamas to release the hostages it is still holding.

Al-Ahli hospital was struck by two missiles around midnight on Sunday - the fifth time it has been hit since the beginning of the war.

According to the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem, the two-storey genetic laboratory was demolished and the pharmacy and emergency department buildings were damaged. Surrounding buildings were also damaged, including St Philip's Church.

The diocese said the Israel military gave a 20-minute warning to hospital staff and patients to evacuate before the attack.

There were no casualties as a result of the strike, but one child who had previously suffered a head injury died as a result of the rushed evacuation process, it added.

Later, WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the UN agency had been told by al-Ahli's director that the emergency room, laboratory, emergency room X-ray machines, and the pharmacy were "destroyed".

The hospital was forced to move 50 patients to other hospitals, but 40 patients in a critical condition could not be moved, he added.

"Hospitals are protected under international humanitarian law. Attacks on health care must stop. Once again we repeat: patients, health workers and hospitals must be protected."

The Israeli foreign ministry said it was a "precise strike on a single building that was used by Hamas as a terror command and control centre" and where there was "no medical activity take place".

It also stressed that an "early warning" was issued, and that the strike was "carried out while avoiding further damage to the hospital compound, which remained operational for continued medical treatment".

Hamas condemned the attack as a "savage crime" and rejected the claim that it was using the facility for military purposes.

On Monday, the Church of England's House of Bishops said in a statement they were "dismayed that hospitals have become battlegrounds in Gaza" and that Israel had "yet to provide clear and compelling evidence to substantiate its claim" that the hospital was being used by Hamas.

"Against that backdrop, we call for an independent, thorough and transparent investigation into this attack as well as the alleged misuse of the hospital."

The bishops also said that "the extremely limited time given to staff and patients to evacuate the hospital was a further assault on fundamental human rights and basic human dignity".

WHO representative Dr Rik Peeperkorn meanwhile told the BBC that al-Ahli was now unable to receive new patients pending repairs, and that this would "heavily impact trauma patients".

"Al-Ahli was a key trauma hospital north of Wadi Gaza. It is the hospital with the only functional CT scanner north of Wadi Gaza," he said, referring to the valley that effectively divides the territory in two because it is an Israeli-designated "no-go" area.

The charity Medical Aid for Palestinians also quoted an orthopaedic surgeon at al-Ahli as saying that the level of care the hospital could provide to the 40 remaining patients was "quite similar to that of a hostel".

"We are unable to perform any surgical procedures, as these patients require laboratory diagnostics, pharmacy support, and emergency referrals in case of complications - all of which have ceased entirely due to the recent attack," Dr Ahmed al-Shurafa said.

The ICRC's head of sub-delegation in Gaza, Adrian Zimmermann, also warned that the wider shortage of medical supplies "puts the life and the wellbeing of Gazans who require healthcare services at risk".

Dr Peeperkorn said they were running critically low because Israel had not allowed in any deliveries of humanitarian aid for more than six weeks.

He added that the WHO had stockpiled some supplies in its warehouses during the recent ceasefire, but that the Israeli military was not facilitating transfers between northern and southern Gaza.

"Last week, we had a discussion with one of the medical specialists at al-Ahli. He was telling us that they had to use the same surgical gowns and the same surgical gloves for various operations, while we have surgical gloves and gowns in our warehouse in Deir al-Balah [south of Wadi Gaza]," he recalled. "We want to bring them, but we are not facilitated."

The Israeli military launched a campaign to destroy Hamas in response to an unprecedented cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

More than 50,980 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

A ceasefire deal that began in January and lasted two months saw Hamas release 33 Israeli hostages – eight of them dead – and five Thai hostages in exchange for about 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and a surge in humanitarian aid entering Gaza.

Israel resumed its offensive on 18 March, blaming Hamas's refusal to accept a proposal for an extension of the agreement's first phase and the release of more of the 59 hostages it is still holding, up to 24 of whom are believed to be alive.

Hamas accused Israel of violating the original deal, according to which there would be a second phase where all the remaining living hostages would be handed over and the war brought to a permanent end.

On Monday, a Hamas delegation led by the group's chief negotiator left Cairo without making any progress in talks with Egyptian mediators aimed at reaching a new ceasefire agreement, a senior Palestinian official familiar with the talks told the BBC.

"No breakthrough was achieved due to Israel's refusal to commit to ending the war and withdrawing from the Gaza Strip," the official said.

"Hamas showed flexibility, regarding the number of hostages to be released in order to make progress. But Israel wants the hostages back without ending the war," he claimed.

Israel has said it is waiting for a response to its latest proposal, sent at the end of last week.

It is understood to have reduced slightly the number of hostages it is demanding should be released in exchange for an extension of the truce and the entry of humanitarian aid.

A group of hostages' families, known as the Tikvah Forum, said on Monday that the parents of Eitan Mor had been told by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the government was working on a deal that would see 10 hostages freed - down from 11 or 12.

South Africa has appointed a special envoy to the US in an effort to ease tensions between the two countries, which have worsened since Donald Trump's return as president.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced Mcebisi Jonas's selection, adding that he would be "entrusted with [advancing] South Africa's diplomatic, trade and bilateral priorities".

Jonas, a former deputy finance minister, made headlines when he made corruption allegations against a wealthy family linked to former President Jacob Zuma.

The US last month expelled South Africa's ambassador, Ebrahim Rasool, over remarks he had made about the Trump administration.

Ramaphosa's office said Jonas would be "serving as the official representative" of the president and South Africa.

"He will lead negotiations, foster strategic partnerships and engage with US government officials and private-sector leaders to promote our nation's interests."

Who is Mcebisi Jonas?

Jonas has previously served as one of South Africa's four investment envoys, appointed in 2018 to help encourage foreign companies to put their money into the country.

He first came into the spotlight during his tenure as deputy finance minister when he accused the wealthy Gupta family, which had close ties to Zuma, of offering him a bribe of 600 million rand ($31.7m; £24.14m) to become finance minister.

This was one of the most shocking of a series of allegations of corruption against Zuma and the Guptas.

Jonas, who declined the offer and would later become vocal about his resistance, said this offer came just before his then boss, Nhlanhla Nene, was sacked by Zuma.

• The expelled envoy at the heart of the latest US-South Africa row
• Race policies or Israel - what's really driving Trump's fury with South Africa?

Had he accepted, Jonas at the time said that he would have been expected to remove key Treasury officials from their posts and use his position to advance the Gupta family's "business ambitions" - an example of what has become known in South Africa as "state capture".

He later said he had been told he would be killed if he ever spoke about the meeting. The Gupta family has denied the allegations, while Zuma has always denied all accusations of corruption made against him.

Nene was eventually replaced by then little-known David van Rooyen, leading to a run on the currency and national protests, before a new finance minister was appointed just days later.

Jonas currently serves as an independent non-executive chairman of the multinational telecommunications company, the MTN Group, which Ramaphosa said he will continue with alongside his appointment as special envoy.

Ramaphosa earlier this year announced he would be dispatching envoys to several countries, including the US, to explain the country's position on key issues, some of which have drawn the Trump administration's ire.

Relations between the US and South Africa, characterised by ups and downs over the years, hit rock bottom earlier this year, with Trump cutting off aid to the country, citing the new Expropriation Law, which allows the government to confiscate land without compensation in certain circumstances.

Trump, in a post over the weekend, reiterated his intention to boycott the upcoming G20 2025 Summit taking place in South Africa later this year, citing the controversial land policy as the main reason.

Trump has also condemned South Africa for taking Israel to the International Court of Justice, accusing it of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, which Israel has denied.

More BBC stories on South Africa:

• Is South Africa's coalition government about to fall apart?
• US cuts send South Africa's HIV treatment 'off a cliff'

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

A strike by bin workers in Birmingham is set to continue after the latest pay offer by the city council was "overwhelmingly" rejected.

It follows a month-long stand-off between members of the Unite union and the Labour-run authority as bin bags and fly-tipped rubbish have piled high on streets.

Unite said the city council's "partial" offer was "totally inadequate" did not address the potential pay cuts for 200 drivers.

The council has previously said the offer on the table was a fair one.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "The rejection of the offer is no surprise as these workers simply cannot afford to take pay cuts of this magnitude to pay the price for bad decision after bad decision."

The dispute centres around the council's decision to remove Waste Recycling and Collection Officer (WRCO) roles.

The union argued that the role brought safety expertise to an "often dirty and dangerous job", and said about 170 affected workers faced losing up to £8,000 annually due to the decision.

Birmingham City Council, which disputes both the number of staff affected and the sums of money quoted by the union, said the WRCO role was not industry standard, and did not exist in other councils.

At the end of March, the council declared a major incident, saying that some 17,000 tonnes of rubbish was lining the city's streets.

Some residents have also reported an increase in rats and other vermin.

In recent days, military planners have been called in to help deal with the situation.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said that was not about "boots on the ground" but it would help get waste cleared.

Other neighbouring authorities have also stepped in to help clear rubbish.

"We've got over two-thirds of the rubbish cleared off the streets now, this week we'll start to see cleaning up the pavements and streets as well as the clearance of all of that rubbish, I'm very pleased about that," Rayner said.

"The kids are off school - obviously it's Easter holidays, we want that rubbish cleared."

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The government has suspended kitchen use in prison separation centres that are used to house a small number of the UK's most dangerous and extremist inmates, it is understood.

It comes after the Manchester Arena bomber Hashem Abedi attacked three prison officers on Saturday in HMP Frankland.

Two male officers remain in hospital with serious injuries. A female officer was discharged from hospital on Saturday.

Abedi threw hot oil at the officers and stabbed them with blades fashioned from cooking trays, the prison officers' association has said.

Abedi had access to the kitchen in Frankland's separation centre, one of only two separation centres currently in use.

It is understood that Hashem Abedi was moved to the separation centre at HMP Full Sutton following the kitchen attack.

The Ministry of Justice has said there will be a full review into the incident.

Abedi was jailed for life with a minimum sentence of 55 years for helping his brother carry out the 2017 suicide bombing of an Ariana Grande concert.

Abedi had been a long-term inmate at HMP Frankland's separation centre, which holds fewer than 10 prisoners and is used to house those considered the most dangerous and extremist.

He moved to Frankland after carrying out an earlier attack on prison officers in London's HMP Belmarsh in 2020.

Earlier that same year, Abedi was found guilty of 22 counts of murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to cause an explosion likely to endanger life over the Manchester Arena attack.

A man who died in a house explosion that saw dozens of people evacuated from their homes has been named as David Howard.

Emergency services were called to John Street, Worksop, Nottinghamshire, on Saturday shortly before 20:00 BST.

Nottinghamshire Police said officers recovered the 53-year-old's body from under debris following the blast.

His daughters have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers, the force added.

A major incident was declared by emergency services following the explosion on Saturday evening.

One terraced house was destroyed and two more partially collapsed.

Eight further properties and 20 cars were damaged by debris, police said, with one other person treated for minor injuries.

The force said 35 houses were evacuated on the night but residents had since been able to return to all but 16.

Temporary accommodation is being provided to those still unable to return.

Det Ch Insp Ruby Burrow, from Nottinghamshire Police, said: "Our thoughts are very much with David's loved ones at this devastating time.

"He has lost his life in truly tragic circumstances, and we would ask everyone to respect his daughters' privacy.

"Our investigation to establish exactly what happened is ongoing and we are working hard to find the answers his family needs.

"We would ask that while the investigation is being carried out that people avoid speculation both online and in the community."

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