US President Donald Trump has announced the US will send "top-of-the-line weapons" to Ukraine via Nato countries, while also threatening Russia with severe tariffs if a deal to end the war is not reached within 50 days.

"We want to make sure Ukraine can do what it wants to do," Trump said following a meeting with Nato chief Mark Rutte in Washington.

Rutte confirmed the US had decided to "massively supply Ukraine with what is necessary through Nato" and that the Europeans would foot the bill.

European countries will send Kyiv their own Patriot air defence systems - which Ukraine relies on to repel Russia's deadly air strikes - and replacements will then be issued by the US, Trump said.

Neither Rutte nor Trump elaborated on the weaponry that will be sent to Kyiv but Rutte said the deal included "missiles and ammunition".

However, the president did say "top-of-the-line-weapons" worth billions of dollars would be "quickly distributed to the battlefield" in order to support Ukraine.

"If I was Vladimir Putin today... I would reconsider whether I should not take negotiations about Ukraine more seriously," Rutte said, as Trump nodded.

On the tariffs front, Trump said that the US would impose 100% secondary tariffs targeting Russia's remaining trade partners if a peace deal with Ukraine was not reached within 50 days.

This would see any country that trades with Russia face the tax if they want to sell their products to the US.

For example, if India keeps buying oil from Russia, US companies that purchase Indian goods would have to pay a 100% import tax, or tariff, when the products reach American shores.

This would make the goods so expensive that US businesses would likely choose to buy them cheaper from elsewhere, resulting in lost revenue for India.

The intention is also to hobble Russia's economy. Theoretically, if Moscow was unable to generate money by selling oil to other nations it would also have less money to finance its war in Ukraine.

Given that oil and gas account for almost a third of Moscow's state revenue and more than 60% of its exports, 100% tariffs could make something of a dent Russia's finances.

Still, the Moscow Stock Exchange Index rose sharply following the announcement, likely as investors were expecting Trump - who last week teased a "major statement" on Russia - to pledge even harsher measures.

Although detail about both the tariffs and the Nato weapons deal was scant, Monday was the first time Trump pledged to make new military equipment to Ukraine since returning to the White House.

The briefing was also notable for the tone struck by US president, whose rhetoric on Vladimir Putin has become increasingly harsh.

Not for the first time, Trump implied Kyiv bore some responsibility for Russia's decision to launch its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

But he mostly appeared frustrated at the lack of progress in ending a conflict which he once seemed to believe could be easily solvable.

Asked about his relationship with Putin, Trump said that the two speak "a lot about getting this thing done" but voiced his displeasure at the fact that "very nice phone calls" with the Russian president are often followed by devastating air strikes on Ukraine - which have been growing in intensity and frequency.

"After that happens three or four times you say: the talk doesn't mean anything," Trump said.

"I don't want to call him an assassin but he's a tough guy. It's been proven over the years, he fooled a lot of people – Clinton, Bush, Obama, Biden," he added. "He didn't fool me. At a certain point talk doesn't talk, it's got to be action."

Two rounds of ceasefire talks between Russia and Ukraine took place earlier this year but no other meetings have so far been scheduled - something Moscow has blamed on Kyiv.

Ukraine's President Zelensky is currently hosting US envoy Keith Kellogg in Kyiv and earlier on Monday hailed a "productive meeting" - saying he was "grateful" to Trump for his support.

The Kremlin did not immediately comment on the announcement - but commentary trickling in from Moscow appeared to indicate a measure of relief.

Pro-Kremlin pundit and former Putin aide Sergei Markov called the tariffs announcement "a bluff" that indicated Trump had "given up on trying to achieve peace in Ukraine".

Senator Konstantin Kosachev argued that "if this is all Trump had to say about Ukraine today, then so far it's been much ado about nothing".

In 50 days a lot could change "both on the battlefield and in the moods of the powers that be in the US and Nato," Kosachev wrote.

Additional reporting by Dearbail Jordan

India's aviation regulator has ordered the country's airlines to inspect fuel control switches in Boeing aeroplanes, after their reported involvement in a fatal Air India crash that killed 260 people in June.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said the order follows Indian and international airlines already starting to carry out their own checks.

It comes after the US Federal Aviation Administration said on Monday that the fuel control switches in Boeing aeroplanes are safe.

The safety of the switches has become a key point of concern after a preliminary report on the disaster found fuel to the engines of the plane involved cut off moments after take-off.

The disaster involving London-bound Flight 171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, was one of the worst aviation incidents globally in almost a decade.

Since the publication of the preliminary report on Saturday a number of different stakeholders, both in India and internationally have taken action and issued statements in response to it.

In its order, India's aviation regulator has asked for checks to be carried out by 21 July, noting that "strict adherence to the timeline is essential to ensure continued airworthiness and safety of operations".

The checks being requested are in line with a 2018 advisory by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the US's aviation authority, which was referenced in the preliminary report.

The 2018 advisory urged - but did not mandate - operators of Boeing models to inspect the locking feature of the fuel cut-off switches to ensure they could not be moved by accident.

Air India had not carried out those inspections because they were not mandatory, the AAIB said in its preliminary investigation.

The DGCA has now ordered airlines to carry out the checks and report back.

In its response to the report, the FAA said the 2018 advisory was "was based on reports that the fuel control switches were installed with the locking feature disengaged" - but added that it does not believe this makes the planes unsafe.

• Boeing fuel switches safe, regulator says after Air India crash

Separately on Monday, a group representing Indian airline pilots defended the flight's crew.

The Indian Commercial Pilots' Association said staff on board had "acted in line with their training and responsibilities under challenging conditions and the pilots shouldn't be vilified based on conjecture".

The preliminary report, published by the India Aircraft Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) on Saturday, said the switches on Flight 171 controlling fuel flow to the jet's engines had been moved from "run" to the "cut-off" position, hampering the thrust of the plane.

In recovered cockpit voice recordings, the report said one of the pilots can be heard asking "why did you cut off?" - to which the other pilot replied he "did not do so".

The preliminary report states its role is "not to apportion blame or liability".

Also on Monday, the Reuters news agency reported that South Korea was waiting to order all airlines in the country which operate Boeing jets to examine fuel switches.

At least 30 people have been killed in armed clashes between Sunni Bedouin tribal fighters and Druze militias in southern Syria, the country's interior ministry says.

The violence erupted in the predominantly Druze city in the province of Suweida on Sunday, two days after a Druze merchant was reportedly abducted on the highway to Damascus.

The interior ministry called the situation "a dangerous escalation" and said security forces were being deployed to try to restore calm.

It is the latest outbreak of deadly sectarian violence in the country since Islamist-led rebel forces overthrew President Bashar al-Assad in December.

Syria's many minority communities - including the Druze, whose religion is an offshoot of Shia Islam with its own unique identity and beliefs - have expressed concerns over the new authorities' pledges to protect them.

Sunday's clashes between Bedouin tribesmen and Druze militias began in the al-Maqwas neighbourhood of Suweida city.

The area, which is inhabited by Bedouin, was reportedly encircled and later seized by armed Druze fighters.

The fighting soon spread into other parts of Suweida province, with tribesmen reportedly launching attacks on Druze towns and villages on the city's western and northern outskirts.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based monitoring group, said the towns of Sumay and Mazraah were shelled, and that residents of the village of Tayrah fled after armed men entered the outskirts and set fire to several homes.

It reported that 37 people were killed - 27 Druze, including two children, and 10 Bedouin.

The interior ministry said: "This dangerous escalation comes in light of the absence of relevant official institutions, leading to worsening chaos, a collapse of the security situation, and the local community's inability to contain the crisis despite repeated calls for calm."

It added that interior ministry forces, in co-ordination with the defence ministry, would "begin direct intervention in the area to end the conflict and impose order".

The governor of Suweida, Mustapha al-Bakur, called on his constituents to "exercise self-restraint and respond to national calls for reform".

Several Syrian Druze spiritual leaders also appealed for calm.

On Sunday night, local activist-run news outlet Suwayda 24 said that mediation between Bedouin and Druze leaders aimed at de-escalating tensions had resulted in the release of people kidnapped by both sides during the clashes.

However, on Monday morning it reported that fighting had erupted in the western countryside of Suweida after drones attacked villages at the same time as government forces deployed in nearby areas of eastern Deraa province.

At the start of May, more than 130 people were reportedly killed in clashes between Druze gunmen, security forces and allied Sunni Islamist fighters in two suburbs of the capital Damascus and Suweida province.

In the wake of that fighting, the government reached an agreement with Druze militias to hire local security forces in Suweida province from their ranks.

Production has begun on the new TV adaptation of Harry Potter, as the first picture of the lead actor in costume was released.

JK Rowling's series of novels has already been made into a film, but HBO is now producing a TV series which is expected to take 10 years to complete.

Producers released the first picture of Dominic McLaughlin in costume as Harry Potter on Monday and confirmed several new cast members.

Rory Wilmot hast been cast as Neville Longbottom, Amos Kitson as Dudley Dursley, Louise Brealey as Madam Rolanda Hooch, and Anton Lesser as Garrick Ollivander.

They join stars such as John Lithgow, who will play Dumbledore, Nick Frost as Hagrid, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall and Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape.

The three child actors who will play Harry, Ron and Hermione were announced in May.

The programme will be filmed at Warner Bros Studios Leavesden in Hertfordshire, which is where the eight Harry Potter movies were also shot.

HBO has previously said the series would be "a faithful adaptation of the iconic books".

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

Producers also announced new production staff, several of whom have previously worked on The Crown such as director of photography Adriano Goldman and hair and makeup designer Cate Hall.

The first series will launch in 2027.

A Lesotho MP is facing criminal charges after he accused the country's monarch and government of signing over control of Lesotho to its much larger neighbour, South Africa.

Dr Tshepo Lipholo also faces charges of "violating the dignity and reputation" of the royal family by declaring himself the chief ruler of the landlocked country.

He reportedly appeared in court on Monday to apply for bail but this was postponed to a later date this month.

The opposition MP has previously called for parts of South Africa to be declared "Lesotho's territory" and wants them returned to Lesotho's control,

Among them is the Free State, one of the three South African provinces that share a border with the small southern African nation. Dr Lipholo is also laying claim to parts of the Northern Cape, Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

The people of Lesotho, called Basotho, lived in these areas until the 19th Century, when they were seized by Afrikaners - white South Africans. Many still live there, especially the Free State.

• Lesotho MP demands huge parts of South Africa
• Who benefits from Lesotho's 'white gold'?

In the charge sheet, which the BBC has seen, the state accuses the lawmaker of "uttering seditious words" and "inciting public violence" by saying King Letsie III and the government had "signed [over] Lesotho to become the 10th South African province".

These remarks were allegedly made between April and June 2025 on various social media platforms and radio interviews, according to the state.

He is also accused of declaring himself the paramount chief of Basutoland, the country's colonial name, despite the king's presence.

A retired army official, Major General Samuel Makoro, was also arrested on Friday for allegedly supporting Mr Lipholo and providing him with sensitive information.

Dr Lipholo is the leader of the Basotho Covenant Movement (BCM), which has a single seat in parliament.

His motion, which was previously debated in Lesotho's parliament, is based on a 1962 United Nations resolution that recognised the right to self-determination and independence for the people of Basutoland.

The view from South African officials is that the motion to reclaim territories some Basotho view as their own does not stand a chance of happening, because it does not enjoy the support of the majority in Lesotho.

One of the key stumbling blocks is the 1964 Cairo Declaration of the Organisation of African Unity, now the African Union, whereby African leaders agreed to recognise the existing borders of their newly independent countries, even if they were drawn up by colonial powers with little regard to where different ethnic groups lived, to avoid stirring up conflict across the continent.

South Africa's foreign affairs ministry reaffirmed this view in response to a question in parliament earlier this year.

Dr Lipholo has previously told Lesotho media that he also hopes to have the motion discussed in the British Parliament "since it was the UK that gave Lesotho its independence in 1966, without correcting the borders seized by the Afrikaners".

According to a source, his legal team was given until 25 July 2025 to argue for bail. He remains in policy custody.

Additional reporting by Pumza Fihlani

More BBC stories on Lesotho:

• Nine things about Lesotho - the country 'nobody has ever heard of'
• How jeans and diamonds pushed Lesotho to the top of Trump's tariffs list
• The small African country with the world's highest suicide rate

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 body of Nigeria's former President Muhammadu Buhari, who died aged 82 in a London clinic on Sunday is being flown home to be buried in his hometown in Katsina state.

Katsina state governor Dikko Radda, who is in the British capital with Buhari's family, said he would be buried later on Monday in Daura town, 50 miles (80km) from Katsina city.

Nigeria's Vice-President Kashim Shettima is also in London and will accompany Buhari's remains back to Nigeria.

"I just left his family at the hospital where he died and the decision is that his remains will be taken to Daura for burial, the plan is to leave in the morning," Radda told DW Hausa.

The vice-president also confirmed Daura to be Buhari’s final resting place in a post on social media after arriving in London.

He said that Buhari had died after a brief illness without revealing any further details, however he had suffered from ill-health for many years.

Even though he's a former president, there will not be a state funeral. In line with Islamic teachings Buhari will be buried as quickly as possible in a simple ceremony, Islamic cleric Abdullahi Garangamawa told the BBC.

"The only thing that should stop Buhari's corpse from being buried today [Monday] is if his body arrives [in] Daura in the night because Islam frowns at night burials. In that case, Tuesday morning will be fine," the cleric added.

Tributes have continued to pour in for the late army general who was one of only two people to have led Nigeria twice (both as military and civilian president) in its post-independence history.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, defeated by Buhari in the 2015 election, described the late leader as someone who "was selfless in his commitment to his duty and served the country with character and a deep sense of patriotism".

Former military ruler, General Ibrahim Babangida, overthrown by Buhari in a 1985 coup, also showered praises on the octogenarian.

"He is a man who, even in retirement, remained a moral compass to many, and an example of modesty in public life,” Babangida noted.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is expected to attend the funeral prayer in Daura, has declared a seven-day national mourning period in honour of his predecessor.

In an official condolence statement released on Sunday evening, Tinubu said the nation would pay its final respects to the former leader with dignity and honour, starting with the lowering of all national flags to half-mast across the country from Sunday.

More BBC stories on Nigeria:

• Former Nigerian leader Muhammadu Buhari dies aged 82
• Big shake-up in Nigerian politics as heavyweights join forces
• Nigeria's major tax overhaul explained

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 gale-force storm hit north-eastern Alaska last winter. Residents of Kotzebue, a town of about 3,000, are used to polar conditions, so Desiree Hagan still had to get to work.

"The snow was so intense you could not see in front of you," Ms Hagan remembers. "I was walking backwards to work."

Ms Hagan is a reporter at a public radio station, KOTZ, which airs across Kotzebue and its 12 surrounding villages.

She also happens to be the only US journalist stationed inside the Arctic Circle, so as the storm intensified, she had to get on the air.

"It's go time, I have to report on this," recalls Ms Hagan. "We have to make sure we know where people can go. Oh, the electric is out. Okay, now the airport is flooded."

"Winter is not a joke here, it is life and death," she tells the BBC. "As a reporter I try not to make emotional statements like, if I wasn't here, people could die, but that is a reality."

On the other side of the country in Washington DC, however, a historic vote could bring federal support for KOTZ to an end.

The Senate must decide by the end of the week whether to claw back $1.1bn (£800m) from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the body that distributes federal funding to public radio and television stations.

While the public media cuts are part of a broad spending package, which includes requests to rescind $8.3bn from the United States Agency for International Development and other foreign aid programmes, they are especially dear to President Donald Trump, who frequently accuses media of bias.

The president has now threatened to pull his support from any Republican senator who does not support the cuts.

"It is very important that all Republicans adhere to my Recissions Bill and, in particular, DEFUND THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING (PBS and NPR), which is worse than CNN & MSDNC put together," Trump posted on Truth Social Thursday night.

Executives at National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) reject accusations of bias and say they abide by all journalistic standards.

Republican voters, however, are about three times less likely than Democrats to consume or trust news coverage from either outlet, according to the Pew Research Center.

While the cuts will affect national broadcasters like NPR and PBS, more than 70% of federal funding goes to local media stations and about 45% of the stations that received funding in 2023 are in rural areas.

For half of those rural stations, federal grants made up a quarter or more of their revenue. At KOTZ in Kotzebue, public funding constitutes 41% of its income.

The impacts of the cuts on rural constituents have made some senators balk.

"By no means is it assured of being passed in the Senate, where many of the Republican senators represent rural states that really do benefit from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting," Democratic congressman Dan Goldman, co-chair of the Public Broadcasting Caucus, told the BBC World Service's Weekend programme.

Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska has said she opposes the cuts to public media stations, warning that "what may seem like a frivolous expense to some has proven to be an invaluable resource that saves lives in Alaska".

"Almost to a number, they're saying that they will go under if public broadcasting funds are no longer available to them," Murkowski told a Senate hearing last month.

Other Republican senators, including Susan Collins of Maine and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, have expressed concern about cuts to foreign aid programmes.

Cutting federal funding for public broadcasting has been an ambition of Republican administrations for decades and was regularly raised by President Trump during his first term.

"It is unfair to ask conservative Americans to pay for a service that mocks them, that has nothing but a derisive attitude towards them," says Mike Gonzalez, senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Last year, a senior NPR editor resigned after accusing the outlet of favouring left-wing voices.

Gonzalez wrote a chapter in the Project 2025 policy blueprint calling for an end to all federal funding for public media.

"If there is a demand for local news, the market will meet it," Mr Gonzalez says. "The idea that the taxpayer is the only surviving business model, I don't think that is the case."

According to Northwestern University, the number of counties in the US without a local news source has risen to 206, with 1,561 counties having just one source.

Almost 55 million Americans now live in these news deserts, three-quarters of which are predominantly rural.

Rural America strongly backed Donald Trump in November's election, leading some to claim that the president's own voters could be hardest hit by cuts to public media.

Travis Bubenik is the news director at Marfa Public Radio in rural west Texas. Nearly every county where the station airs overwhelmingly voted Republican in the last election.

Where there is anger about public media, Mr Bubenik says it is directed at the national outlets.

"All I know is that in my experience here at this local station doing local news, people talk to me, they like what we're doing, they understand that we are local, that we live here and that we care about the region," he says.

More than a third of the funding for Marfa Public Radio comes from the federal grants that are now under threat.

"It's scary," admits Mr Bubenik. "In the not too distant future this station might be either off the air or just not able to do the same quantity and quality of local news."

The bill has to pass the Senate before 18 July and any changes must be approved by the House before it can make its way onto Trump's desk. If four Republicans decide not to vote for the bill, it won't move forward.

Watching an iceberg float by her office window in Kotzebue, Desiree Hagan is hoping enough senators will cross the aisle. She tries not to think about the alternative.

"Even when there's a few moments of dead air here, people think, 'What's wrong?" laughs Ms Hagan.

Around 90% of her audience is Inupiat, an Alaska Native community. Much of the programming is delivered by Elders in the Inupiat language.

"The station is so interwoven into the community," Ms Hagan says. "These cuts would have ripple effects across every aspect of society."

"It would be devastating," she adds.

At least 30 people have been killed in armed clashes between Sunni Bedouin tribal fighters and Druze militias in southern Syria, the country's interior ministry says.

The violence erupted in the predominantly Druze city in the province of Suweida on Sunday, two days after a Druze merchant was reportedly abducted on the highway to Damascus.

The interior ministry called the situation "a dangerous escalation" and said security forces were being deployed to try to restore calm.

It is the latest outbreak of deadly sectarian violence in the country since Islamist-led rebel forces overthrew President Bashar al-Assad in December.

Syria's many minority communities - including the Druze, whose religion is an offshoot of Shia Islam with its own unique identity and beliefs - have expressed concerns over the new authorities' pledges to protect them.

Sunday's clashes between Bedouin tribesmen and Druze militias began in the al-Maqwas neighbourhood of Suweida city.

The area, which is inhabited by Bedouin, was reportedly encircled and later seized by armed Druze fighters.

The fighting soon spread into other parts of Suweida province, with tribesmen reportedly launching attacks on Druze towns and villages on the city's western and northern outskirts.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based monitoring group, said the towns of Sumay and Mazraah were shelled, and that residents of the village of Tayrah fled after armed men entered the outskirts and set fire to several homes.

It reported that 37 people were killed - 27 Druze, including two children, and 10 Bedouin.

The interior ministry said: "This dangerous escalation comes in light of the absence of relevant official institutions, leading to worsening chaos, a collapse of the security situation, and the local community's inability to contain the crisis despite repeated calls for calm."

It added that interior ministry forces, in co-ordination with the defence ministry, would "begin direct intervention in the area to end the conflict and impose order".

The governor of Suweida, Mustapha al-Bakur, called on his constituents to "exercise self-restraint and respond to national calls for reform".

Several Syrian Druze spiritual leaders also appealed for calm.

On Sunday night, local activist-run news outlet Suwayda 24 said that mediation between Bedouin and Druze leaders aimed at de-escalating tensions had resulted in the release of people kidnapped by both sides during the clashes.

However, on Monday morning it reported that fighting had erupted in the western countryside of Suweida after drones attacked villages at the same time as government forces deployed in nearby areas of eastern Deraa province.

At the start of May, more than 130 people were reportedly killed in clashes between Druze gunmen, security forces and allied Sunni Islamist fighters in two suburbs of the capital Damascus and Suweida province.

In the wake of that fighting, the government reached an agreement with Druze militias to hire local security forces in Suweida province from their ranks.

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, who created history by becoming the first Indian ever to set foot on the International Space Station (ISS), is on his way back.

A live broadcast showed the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission undocking from the orbiting laboratory with its four-member crew on Monday. It is expected to splash down in just under 24 hours.

Led by former Nasa veteran Peggy Whitson and piloted by Group Captain Shukla, Ax-4 had arrived at ISS on 26 June. Its crew included Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.

Group Captain Shukla is only the second Indian to have gone to space. His trip came 41 years after cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma flew aboard a Russian Soyuz in 1984.

Ax-4 - a commercial flight operated by Houston-based private firm Axiom Space - is a collaboration between Nasa, India's space agency Isro, European Space Agency (Esa) and SpaceX.

On Monday, ISS posted on X that the Ax-4 crew had taken their places in the spacecraft and its hatches had been closed. The undocking of the craft - when it separated from the ISS - was broadcast live.

Axiom Space said the craft would splash down in the ocean off the coast of California and a vessel would then pick it up.

Indian Science Minister Jitendra Singh has said the splash down is scheduled for 15 July at approximately 15:00 India time (09:30 GMT).

In his farewell address from aboard the ISS on Sunday, the Indian astronaut said India's journey in space exploration may be tough, but it has begun.

"It has been an incredible journey. Even though now it is coming to an end, for you and me there is a long way to go. The journey of our human space mission is very long and difficult. But if we are determined, even the stars are attainable."

He referred to India's first man in space cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma famously quoting from a 1924 Urdu song "Sare jahan se achcha" to say "India looked better than the rest of the world".

"Even today we want to know how it looks from space. I'll tell you. From space, today's India looks ambitious. It looks fearless. It looks confident. It looks proud. And so, I can once again say that today's India still looks better than the rest of the world," Group Captain Shukla said.

Ax-4, which was originally expected to spend two weeks on the ISS, ended up staying a few days longer. During their stay, Axiom Space said the crew conducted 60 scientific experiments, including seven designed by Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro).

Isro, which had paid 5bn rupees ($59m; £43m) to secure a seat for Group Captain Shukla on Ax-4 and his training, has said the hands-on experience he gains during his trip to the ISS will help India in its human space flights.

Isro has announced plans to launch Gaganyaan - the country's first-ever human space flight in 2027 - and has ambitious plans to set up a space station by 2035 and send an astronaut to the Moon by 2040.

Group Captain Shukla is among four Indian air force officers shortlisted last year to travel on Gaganyaan.

Born on 10 October 1985 in the northern city of Lucknow, Group Captain Shukla joined the air force as a fighter pilot in 2006.

He has flown MiGs, Sukhois, Dorniers, Jaguars and Hawks and has more than 2,000 hours of flying experience.

Before flying into space, Group Captain Shukla described the past year as "nothing short of transformative".

"It has been an amazing journey so far, but the best is yet to come," he said. "As I go into space, I carry not just instruments and equipment, I carry hopes and dreams of a billion hearts. I request all Indians to pray for the success of our mission," he had said.

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Argentine President Javier Milei and his vice-president, Victoria Villarruel, have engaged in a bitter public war of words over plans to increase pensions.

Milei shared posts on X in which his running mate had been called "stupid" and described as "a traitor", and in response Villarruel told the president to "grow up".

The president's anger was triggered by a heavy defeat in Congress on Thursday, when the Senate approved motions aimed at boosting pensions and increasing disability allowances - which Milei had vehemently opposed.

Milei said he would veto the pension hike, arguing that the extra expenditure threatened his fiscal surplus, and blamed Villarruel for allowing the vote to proceed.

In Argentina, the country's vice-president also acts as the president of the Senate.

It was in this role as Senate leader that Villarruel allowed the debate on the emergency pension hike to proceed, even though senators allied with the government boycotted the session.

With government-aligned senators absent, the motion passed with 52 votes in favour and four abstentions.

Its backers argue that higher payments are essential in order for pensioners to make ends meet.

But President Milei says it goes counter to his promise to eliminate Argentina's chronic fiscal deficit and bring down inflation.

In January, Milei scored a major economic victory when it emerged that 2024 was the first year in more than a decade that Argentina had registered a budget surplus.

Last month also saw the country's monthly inflation rate drop to 1.5%, the lowest it has been in more than five years.

But the austerity measures that helped the libertarian president lower the deficit and drive down inflation have also triggered protests, with pensioners holding weekly rallies outside Congress.

Following the approval of the motion on Thursday, President Milei was quick to announce that he would block the pension hike.

"I bet a hundred thousand to one that you all know what I'm going to do. You know what? We're going to veto it. And if, by some chance, which I don't believe will happen, but if the veto is overturned, we will take it to court," he said.

But he also turned on his vice-president, reposting a comment on X in which she was labelled a "traitor, a demagogue and stupid in economic terms".

Villarruel responded on Instagram arguing that pensioners and people with disabilities "could not wait" any longer for their payments to be raised and suggested the president should make savings by spending less on the intelligence services and on his travels.

Since becoming president in December 2023, Milei has travelled abroad extensively.

In one of the most publicised events, he wielded the chainsaw which has become emblematic of his government cuts before handing it to Elon Musk at the US Conservative Political Action Conference.

Villarruel also urged the president "to speak and act like an adult" in responses she gave her critics on Instagram.

After the thirtieth consecutive month without rain, the townsfolk of San Francisco de Conchos in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua gather to plead for divine intervention.

On the shores of Lake Toronto, the reservoir behind the state's most important dam – called La Boquilla, a priest leads local farmers on horseback and their families in prayer, the stony ground beneath their feet once part of the lakebed before the waters receded to today's critically low levels.

Among those with their heads bowed is Rafael Betance, who has voluntarily monitored La Boquilla for the state water authority for 35 years.

"This should all be underwater," he says, motioning towards the parched expanse of exposed white rocks.

"The last time the dam was full and caused a tiny overflow was 2017," Mr Betance recalls. "Since then, it's decreased year on year.

"We're currently at 26.52 metres below the high-water mark, less than 14% of its capacity."

Little wonder the local community is beseeching the heavens for rain. Still, few expect any let up from the crippling drought and sweltering 42C (107.6F) heat.

Now, a long-running dispute with Texas over the scarce resource is threatening to turn ugly.

Under the terms of a 1944 water-sharing agreement, Mexico must send 430 million cubic metres of water per year from the Rio Grande to the US.

The water is sent via a system of tributary channels into shared dams owned and operated by the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), which oversees and regulates water-sharing between the two neighbours.

In return, the US sends its own much larger allocation (nearly 1.85 billion cubic metres a year) from the Colorado River to supply the Mexican border cities of Tijuana and Mexicali.

Mexico is in arrears and has failed to keep up with its water deliveries for much of the 21st Century.

Following pressure from Republican lawmakers in Texas, the Trump administration warned Mexico that water could be withheld from the Colorado River unless it fulfils its obligations under the 81-year-old treaty.

In April, on his Truth Social account, US President Donald Trump accused Mexico of "stealing" the water and threatened to keep escalating to "TARIFFS, and maybe even SANCTIONS" until Mexico sends Texas what it owes. Still, he gave no firm deadline by when such retaliation might happen.

For her part, the Mexican President, Claudia Sheinbaum, acknowledged Mexico's shortfall but struck a more conciliatory tone.

Since then, Mexico has transferred an initial 75 million cubic metres of water to the US via their shared dam, Amistad, located along the border, but that is just a fraction of the roughly 1.5 billion cubic metres of Mexico's outstanding debt.

Feelings on cross-border water sharing can run dangerously high: in September 2020, two Mexican people were killed in clashes with the National Guard at La Boquilla's sluice gates as farmers tried to stop the water from being redirected.

Amid the acute drought, the prevailing view in Chihuahua is that "you can't take from what isn't there", says local expert Rafael Betance.

But that doesn't help Brian Jones to water his crops.

A fourth-generation farmer in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, for the past three years he has only been able to plant half of his farm because he doesn't have enough irrigation water.

"We've been battling Mexico as they've not been living up to their part of the deal," he says. "All we're asking for is what's rightfully ours under the treaty, nothing extra."

Mr Jones also disputes the extent of the problem in Chihuahua. He believes that in October 2022 the state received more than enough water to share, but released "exactly zero" to the US, accusing his neighbours of "hoarding water and using it to grow crops to compete with us".

Farmers on the Mexican side read the agreement differently. They say it only binds them to send water north when Mexico can satisfy its own needs, and argue that Chihuahua's ongoing drought means there's no excess available.

Beyond the water scarcity, there are also arguments over agricultural efficiency.

Walnut trees and alfalfa are two of the main crops in Chihuahua's Rio Conchos Valley, both of which require a lot of watering – walnut trees need on average 250 litres a day.

Traditionally, Mexican farmers have simply flooded their fields with water from the irrigation channel. Driving around the valley one quickly sees walnut trees sitting in shallow pools, the water flowing in from an open pipe.

The complaint from Texas is obvious: the practice is wasteful and easily avoided with more responsible and sustainable farming methods.

As Jaime Ramirez walks through his walnut groves, the former mayor of San Francisco de Conchos shows me how his modern sprinkler system ensures his walnut trees are properly watered all year round without wasting the precious resource.

"With the sprinklers, we use around 60% less than flooding the fields," he says. The system also means they can water the trees less frequently, which is particularly useful when the Rio Conchos is too low to allow local irrigation.

Mr Ramirez readily admits, though, that some of his neighbours aren't so conscientious. As a former local mayor, he urges understanding.

Some haven't adopted the sprinkler method because of the costs in setting it up, he says. He's tried to show other farmers that it works out cheaper in the long run, saving on energy and water costs.

But farmers in Texas must also understand that their counterparts in Chihuahua are facing an existential threat, Mr Ramirez insists.

"This is a desert region and the rains haven't come. If the rain doesn't come again this year, then next year there simply won't be any agriculture left. All the available water will have to be conserved as drinking water for human beings," he warns.

Many in northern Mexico believe the 1944 water-sharing treaty is no longer fit for purpose. Mr Ramirez thinks it may have been adequate for conditions eight decades ago, but it has failed to adapt with the times or properly account for population growth or the ravages of climate change.

Back across the border, Texan farmer Brian Jones says the agreement has stood the test of time and should still be honoured.

"This treaty was signed when my grandfather was farming. It's been through my grandfather, my father and now me," he says.

"Now we're seeing Mexico not comply. It's very angering to have a farm where I'm only able to plant half the ground because I don't have irrigation water."

Trump's tougher stance has given the local farmers "a pep in our step", he adds.

Meanwhile, the drought hasn't just harmed farming in Chihuahua.

With Lake Toronto's levels so low, Mr Betance says the remaining water in the reservoir is heating up with uncommon speed and creating a potential disaster for the marine life which sustains a once-thriving tourism industry.

The valley's outlook hasn't been this dire, Mr Betance says, in the entire time he's spent carefully recording the lake's ups and downs. "Praying for rain is all we have left," he reflects.

Additional reporting by Angélica Casas.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has said the fuel control switches in Boeing aeroplanes are safe, following their reported involvement in a fatal Air India crash that killed 260 people in June.

The safety of the switches has become a key point of concern after a preliminary report on the disaster was released by investigators on Friday.

That report said fuel to the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner engines was cut off moments after take-off from Ahmedabad airport, and highlighted past FAA reports that suggested the switches should be inspected for safety.

The Flight 171 crash, which was headed to London when it crashed, was one of the worst aviation incidents globally in almost a decade.

Switches controlling fuel flow to the jet's engines had been moved from "run" to the "cut-off" position, hampering the thrust of the plane, according to the preliminary report, which was published by the India Aircraft Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB).

Investigators referred to a 2018 FAA advisory, which urged - but did not mandate - operators of Boeing models to inspect the locking feature of the fuel cut-off switches to ensure they could not be moved by accident.

This step was not taken by Air India, the AAIB said in its early findings.

The FAA on Friday told civil aviation authorities that it had seen AAIB's preliminary report.

It noted that its own 2018 advisory "was based on reports that the fuel control switches were installed with the locking feature disengaged" - but added that it does not believe this makes the planes unsafe.

"Although the fuel control switch design, including the locking feature, is similar on various Boeing airplane models, the FAA does not consider this issue to be an unsafe condition that would warrant an Airworthiness Directive on any Boeing airplane models, including the Model 787," said the authority, in an internal note shared with the BBC.

"The FAA will continue to share relevant information with foreign civil aviation authorities as appropriate."

AAIB, which reviewed recovered cockpit voice recordings, reported that one pilot could be heard during the flight asking the other why he cut off the fuel.

"The other pilot responded that he did not do so," said the report.

Investigators said the fuel switches had almost simultaneously flipped from run to cut-off just after take-off. The report did not say how the switches could have flipped during the flight.

Air India Flight 171 was scheduled to fly from Ahmedabad in India to London's Gatwick airport.

The plane crashed into a medical college near the airport within a minute of take-off, killing 260 people who were mostly passengers. One British national survived the crash.

Investigators are expected to produce a more detailed report in 12 months.

A raging wildfire near the Grand Canyon in the US has destroyed dozens of buildings - including a historic lodge that was the only accommodation available within the surrounding national park's North Rim.

The fire that destroyed the Grand Canyon Lodge is one of two that has swept across tens of thousands of acres in the area.

The blazes have also forced the closure of the North Rim for the remainder of the 2025 tourist season.

Authorities in the state of Arizona are still working to contain the fires, which have been dubbed the Dragon Bravo Fire and White Sage Fire.

Located approximately 8,000ft (2,438m), the Grand Canyon Lodge also included dining facilities, a gift shop and post office. It had been operating since the 1930s.

"As stewards of some of our country's most beloved national treasures, we are devastated by the loss of the Grand Canyon Lodge," Aramark, the company that operated the lodge, said in a statement.

"We are grateful that all of our employees and guests have been safely evacuated," the statement added.

No injuries are reported to have been caused by the blaze, which was fuelled by sustained winds that reached up to 40mph (64km/h).

But preliminary assessments from the National Park Service (NPS) indicate that between 50 and 80 buildings have been lost to the Dragon Bravo Fire, including administrative buildings and visitor facilities.

Firefighters in several areas were forced to evacuate due to a leak of chlorine at a nearby water treatment facility, the NPS added.

Chlorine gas is heavier than air and can settle in lower elevations, potentially posing a risk to both firefighters and hikers in the area.

The second blaze, the White Sage Fire, has so far burned more than 40,000 acres of the Kaibab National Forest, forcing hundreds to evacuate.

Both the fires are believed to have been started by lightning, the park service said.

Nearly five million people visited the Grand Canyon in 2024, making it one of the most popular tourist destinations in the US.

The canyon's South Rim remains open.

Taiwanese boy band F4 sprung a surprise reunion on fans at rock band Mayday's concert in Taiwan on Saturday.

The quartet's performance of their ballad Meteor Rain sparked a wave of nostalgia at the Taipei Arena, and sent many among the 40,000 concertgoers singing along.

Meteor Rain was the theme song to the 2001 popular TV drama Meteor Garden, which starred F4's Jerry Yan, Vanness Wu, Vic Chou, and Ken Chu, and catapulted them to stardom.

The series, which was based on the Japanese manga series Boys Over Flowers, captured the hearts of millions across Asia and popularised the "idol drama" genre.

Meteor Garden also starred Barbie Hsu, who died from pneumonia in February.

Its storyline centres around a girl from a working-class family, played by Hsu, who goes to school with four rich and arrogant boys known as the F4, short for Flower 4.

The series' success spawned other Asian adaptations, including Japan's Hana Yori Dango in 2005, South Korea's Boys Over Flowers in 2009, China's Meteor Garden in 2008 and F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers in 2021.

The boy band F4, which formed around the same time the Taiwanese series debuted, disbanded in 2009, but came together four years later for a one-off performance during Chinese TV network Jiangsu's Spring Festival Gala.

Mayday's frontman Ashin, whose real name is Chen Hsin-hung, said it took his band years to get all four F4 members together again.

"Everyone overcame a lot of obstacles to make this picture a reality," Ashin said on Saturday.

Mayday, which was formed in 1997, is one of the most popular bands in the Chinese-speaking world - at one point being described as the "Beatles of Asia" by the music press. Their success has also seem them compared to the likes of Coldplay and Maroon 5.

At Saturday's concert, F4 also performed Mayday's The Song of Laughter and Forgetting with the rock group.

F4's Yan thanked Mayday for its "amazing effort" in reuniting his former band mates.

"This is something I could not have imagined would happen again in my lifetime. It's also made us reminisce about our youth," said Yan, now 48.

"I am very grateful to everyone who are here to share a beautiful evening with us," said bandmate Wu, 46.

All four band members are in their 40s and are still active in the entertainment industry.

Fans were ecstatic about the reunion, with many calling for the band to hold their own concert.

"OMG!! Thank you Mayday !! My childhood is alive. It's crazy seeing [F4] perform again," read one comment on X.

"Are you crying already... because we are! Hello to the inner child in you jumping up and down because #F4 just reunited! Tour soon? We hope!" Sound Check Manila, whose account curates music events in the Philippine capital, also wrote on X.

Taiwan's Mirror Media earlier reported that F4 would hold a a concert next year, marking 25 years since their debut. This has not been verified by the artists or their agents.

The body of Nigeria's former President Muhammadu Buhari, who died aged 82 in a London clinic on Sunday is being flown home to be buried in his hometown in Katsina state.

Katsina state governor Dikko Radda, who is in the British capital with Buhari's family, said he would be buried later on Monday in Daura town, 50 miles (80km) from Katsina city.

Nigeria's Vice-President Kashim Shettima is also in London and will accompany Buhari's remains back to Nigeria.

"I just left his family at the hospital where he died and the decision is that his remains will be taken to Daura for burial, the plan is to leave in the morning," Radda told DW Hausa.

The vice-president also confirmed Daura to be Buhari’s final resting place in a post on social media after arriving in London.

He said that Buhari had died after a brief illness without revealing any further details, however he had suffered from ill-health for many years.

Even though he's a former president, there will not be a state funeral. In line with Islamic teachings Buhari will be buried as quickly as possible in a simple ceremony, Islamic cleric Abdullahi Garangamawa told the BBC.

"The only thing that should stop Buhari's corpse from being buried today [Monday] is if his body arrives [in] Daura in the night because Islam frowns at night burials. In that case, Tuesday morning will be fine," the cleric added.

Tributes have continued to pour in for the late army general who was one of only two people to have led Nigeria twice (both as military and civilian president) in its post-independence history.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, defeated by Buhari in the 2015 election, described the late leader as someone who "was selfless in his commitment to his duty and served the country with character and a deep sense of patriotism".

Former military ruler, General Ibrahim Babangida, overthrown by Buhari in a 1985 coup, also showered praises on the octogenarian.

"He is a man who, even in retirement, remained a moral compass to many, and an example of modesty in public life,” Babangida noted.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is expected to attend the funeral prayer in Daura, has declared a seven-day national mourning period in honour of his predecessor.

In an official condolence statement released on Sunday evening, Tinubu said the nation would pay its final respects to the former leader with dignity and honour, starting with the lowering of all national flags to half-mast across the country from Sunday.

More BBC stories on Nigeria:

• Former Nigerian leader Muhammadu Buhari dies aged 82
• Big shake-up in Nigerian politics as heavyweights join forces
• Nigeria's major tax overhaul explained

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 US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has said the fuel control switches in Boeing aeroplanes are safe, following their reported involvement in a fatal Air India crash that killed 260 people in June.

The safety of the switches has become a key point of concern after a preliminary report on the disaster was released by investigators on Friday.

That report said fuel to the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner engines was cut off moments after take-off from Ahmedabad airport, and highlighted past FAA reports that suggested the switches should be inspected for safety.

The Flight 171 crash, which was headed to London when it crashed, was one of the worst aviation incidents globally in almost a decade.

Switches controlling fuel flow to the jet's engines had been moved from "run" to the "cut-off" position, hampering the thrust of the plane, according to the preliminary report, which was published by the India Aircraft Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB).

Investigators referred to a 2018 FAA advisory, which urged - but did not mandate - operators of Boeing models to inspect the locking feature of the fuel cut-off switches to ensure they could not be moved by accident.

This step was not taken by Air India, the AAIB said in its early findings.

The FAA on Friday told civil aviation authorities that it had seen AAIB's preliminary report.

It noted that its own 2018 advisory "was based on reports that the fuel control switches were installed with the locking feature disengaged" - but added that it does not believe this makes the planes unsafe.

"Although the fuel control switch design, including the locking feature, is similar on various Boeing airplane models, the FAA does not consider this issue to be an unsafe condition that would warrant an Airworthiness Directive on any Boeing airplane models, including the Model 787," said the authority, in an internal note shared with the BBC.

"The FAA will continue to share relevant information with foreign civil aviation authorities as appropriate."

AAIB, which reviewed recovered cockpit voice recordings, reported that one pilot could be heard during the flight asking the other why he cut off the fuel.

"The other pilot responded that he did not do so," said the report.

Investigators said the fuel switches had almost simultaneously flipped from run to cut-off just after take-off. The report did not say how the switches could have flipped during the flight.

Air India Flight 171 was scheduled to fly from Ahmedabad in India to London's Gatwick airport.

The plane crashed into a medical college near the airport within a minute of take-off, killing 260 people who were mostly passengers. One British national survived the crash.

Investigators are expected to produce a more detailed report in 12 months.

A backpacker who survived nearly two weeks lost in Western Australia's outback has said she is "simply beyond grateful to have survived".

Caroline Wilga, a 26-year-old German national, was rescued on Friday after spending 11 freezing nights alone and lost in the bushland.

She survived by drinking from puddles and sheltering in a cave, police said.

In her first public statement since being rescued, Ms Wilga said she had hit her head after losing control of her van, causing her to exit the vehicle in a state of confusion.

She was spotted by a driver and airlifted to a hospital in Perth, where she is recovering.

Ms Wilga thanked the medical staff, German consulate and all the people who had helped search for her, in a statement to Western Australia Police posted on Instagram.

"I want to express a huge thank you from the bottom of my heart – a thank you that truly comes from the depth of my soul," she said.

"Some people might wonder why I even left my car, even though I had water, food, and clothing there," Ms Wilga added.

She said she "lost control of the car and rolled down a slope", hitting her head "significantly" in the subsequent crash.

"As a result of the accident, I left my car in a state of confusion and got lost," she added.

"Previously, I didn't know where my place was in a culture on the other side of the world to my own, but now, I feel a part of it. I am deeply impressed by the courage, helpfulness, and warmth that has been shown to me here.

"Western Australia has taught me what it really means to be part of a true community. Here, humanity, solidarity, and care for one another are what truly matter – and in the end, that's what counts most."

She was found walking barefoot by motorist Tania Henley - whom Ms Wilga described as her "saviour and angel" - more than 30km away from where she had abandoned her van, on a scarcely used track north of Beacon.

Ms Henley told Australia's public broadcaster ABC that she saw Ms Wilga waving by the side of the road, and she appeared to be in a "fragile state", suffering from exhaustion, dehydration, insect bites and an injured foot.

"Everything in this bush is very prickly. I just can't believe that she survived. She had no shoes on, she'd wrapped her foot up," Ms Henley said.

Before her rescue, Ms Wilga was last seen at a general store in the town of Beacon, Western Australia, in her van on 29 June.

"I am certain that I survived only thanks to this incredible outpouring of support," she said.

"The thought of all the people who believed in me, searched for me, and kept hoping for me gave me the strength to carry on during my darkest moments," she said.

The rescue was down to "sheer luck", acting police inspector Jessica Securo said in a news conference.

The world's oldest head of state, Cameroon's President Paul Biya, 92, has said he will run once more for re-election in October aiming to extend his 43 years in power.

"Rest assured that my determination to serve you matches the urgency of the challenges we face," he said in a post on X.

He added that his decision to go for an eighth term came after "numerous and insistent" calls by people from all regions in Cameroon and the diaspora.

Biya's administration has faced criticism over corruption, embezzlement, bad governance and failure to tackle security challenges. There have also been concerns about his health and ability to govern.

His absence from the public for more than six weeks last year led to speculation about his well-being and unfounded rumours that he had died.

His candidacy was expected but not formally confirmed until Sunday's social media post.

Biya has never lost an election since taking power in 1982 and if he wins another seven-year term he could be president until he is nearly 100.

There have been growing calls from inside and outside Cameroon for him to step aside and give way for fresh leadership in the central African nation.

His candidacy follows a recent political divorce from key allies from the northern regions, who had been crucial in helping secure votes in previous elections from that part of the country.

Two of these men - prominent minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary and former Prime Minister Bello Bouba Maigari - recently quit the ruling coalition and separately announced plans to run in the election.

Last month, Tchiroma said the Biya administration he belonged to had "broken" public trust and he was switching to a rival party.

Multiple opposition figures, including 2018 runner-up Maurice Kamto, as well as Joshua Osih, Akere Muna, and Cabral Libii, have also announced their candidacies.

However, members of the governing Cameroon People's Democratic Movement and other supporters have since last year publicly called for Biya to seek another term. He was already the de-facto candidate as the party leader.

Biya abolished term limits in 2008, enabling him to seek the presidency indefinitely.

He won the 2018 elections with more than 71% of the vote although opposition groups accused the process of widespread irregularities.

You may also be interested in:

• The African president who keeps defying death rumours
• Why African leaders maintain secrecy around their health

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

Taiwanese boy band F4 sprung a surprise reunion on fans at rock band Mayday's concert in Taiwan on Saturday.

The quartet's performance of their ballad Meteor Rain sparked a wave of nostalgia at the Taipei Arena, and sent many among the 40,000 concertgoers singing along.

Meteor Rain was the theme song to the 2001 popular TV drama Meteor Garden, which starred F4's Jerry Yan, Vanness Wu, Vic Chou, and Ken Chu, and catapulted them to stardom.

The series, which was based on the Japanese manga series Boys Over Flowers, captured the hearts of millions across Asia and popularised the "idol drama" genre.

Meteor Garden also starred Barbie Hsu, who died from pneumonia in February.

Its storyline centres around a girl from a working-class family, played by Hsu, who goes to school with four rich and arrogant boys known as the F4, short for Flower 4.

The series' success spawned other Asian adaptations, including Japan's Hana Yori Dango in 2005, South Korea's Boys Over Flowers in 2009, China's Meteor Garden in 2008 and F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers in 2021.

The boy band F4, which formed around the same time the Taiwanese series debuted, disbanded in 2009, but came together four years later for a one-off performance during Chinese TV network Jiangsu's Spring Festival Gala.

Mayday's frontman Ashin, whose real name is Chen Hsin-hung, said it took his band years to get all four F4 members together again.

"Everyone overcame a lot of obstacles to make this picture a reality," Ashin said on Saturday.

Mayday, which was formed in 1997, is one of the most popular bands in the Chinese-speaking world - at one point being described as the "Beatles of Asia" by the music press. Their success has also seem them compared to the likes of Coldplay and Maroon 5.

At Saturday's concert, F4 also performed Mayday's The Song of Laughter and Forgetting with the rock group.

F4's Yan thanked Mayday for its "amazing effort" in reuniting his former band mates.

"This is something I could not have imagined would happen again in my lifetime. It's also made us reminisce about our youth," said Yan, now 48.

"I am very grateful to everyone who are here to share a beautiful evening with us," said bandmate Wu, 46.

All four band members are in their 40s and are still active in the entertainment industry.

Fans were ecstatic about the reunion, with many calling for the band to hold their own concert.

"OMG!! Thank you Mayday !! My childhood is alive. It's crazy seeing [F4] perform again," read one comment on X.

"Are you crying already... because we are! Hello to the inner child in you jumping up and down because #F4 just reunited! Tour soon? We hope!" Sound Check Manila, whose account curates music events in the Philippine capital, also wrote on X.

Taiwan's Mirror Media earlier reported that F4 would hold a a concert next year, marking 25 years since their debut. This has not been verified by the artists or their agents.

An association of Indian pilots has defended the crew of the Air India Flight 171 which crashed in June, killing 260 people.

The Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA) said the crew "acted in line with their training and responsibilities under challenging conditions and the pilots shouldn't be vilified based on conjecture".

"To casually suggest pilot suicide without verified evidence is a gross violation of ethical reporting and a disservice to the dignity of the profession," it added.

A preliminary report did not blame the pilots. It said seconds after take-off, both of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner's fuel-control switches moved to the "cut-off" position, starving the engines of fuel.

The report released on Saturday gave details of the cockpit voice recording with one pilot asking the other why he "did the cut-off", to which the other replies that he didn't. The recording doesn't clarify who said what. Data shows the switches were then moved to "run" position, but the plane crashed within seconds.

Aviation experts and pilots say the fuel switches are designed to prevent accidental activation and they must be pulled up to unlock before flipping. Protective guard brackets further shield them from accidental bumps.

The preliminary report does not throw any light on how the switches were moved to cut-off, but since its release, sections of media and social media has been awash with unsavoury speculation about the role of pilots.

"We are deeply disturbed by speculative narratives emerging in sections of the media and public discourse - particularly the reckless and unfounded insinuation of pilot suicide," the Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA) said in a statement released late on Saturday night.

"Let us be unequivocally clear: there is absolutely no basis for such a claim at this stage, and invoking such a serious allegation based on incomplete or preliminary information is not only irresponsible - it is deeply insensitive to the individuals and families involved."

The statement added that until the official investigation was concluded and the final report was published, "any speculation - especially of such a grave nature - is unacceptable and must be condemned".

The preliminary investigation was led by Indian government with experts from Boeing, General Electric, Air India, Indian regulators and participants from the US and UK. A final report is due to come out in a year.

On Saturday, another pilots' grouping - the Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA India) - had raised concerns over the way the investigation was being handled.

It highlighted that the report also mentions that in December 2018, the US Federal Aviation Administration issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) highlighting that some Boeing 737 fuel control switches were installed with the locking feature disengaged.

While the issue was noted, it wasn't deemed an unsafe condition requiring an Airworthiness Directive (AD) - a legally enforceable regulation to correct unsafe conditions in a product.

The same switch design is used in Boeing 787-8 aircraft, including Air India's VT-ANB which crashed. As the SAIB was advisory, Air India did not perform the recommended inspections.

Taking note of the bulletin, ALPA India said "it demands clarity on whether the recommendations outlined in the bulletin were implemented before the flight". (Air India hasn't commented on the specific issue.)

The pilots' union said it was "surprised at the secrecy surrounding these investigations" and alleged that "suitably qualified personnel were not taken on board for the probe".

"We feel that the investigation is being driven in a direction presuming the guilt of pilots and we strongly object to this line of thought," ALPA India's president Captain Sam Thomas said in the statement.

The union also urged the authorities to allow it to join the process "even in the capacity of observers so as to provide the requisite transparency in the investigations".

Following the report's release on Saturday, Indian Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu told reporters to not "jump to any conclusions at this stage. Let us wait for the final report".

Describing the pilots and crew in India as the "backbone of this civil aviation", he said India had "the most wonderful workforce in terms of pilots and the crew in the whole world".

Flight 171 had taken off from the western Indian city of Ahmedabad for Gatwick in London on 12 June with 242 people on board. The crash killed 241 onboard - one passenger miraculously survived - and 19 people on the ground.

The report says the pilots, based in Mumbai, had arrived in Ahmedabad the previous day and were adequately-rested. They had passed breathalyser tests and were cleared to fly, it adds.

French President Emmanuel Macron has outlined plans for a big increase in defence spending, warning Europe's liberty is facing a "greater threat" than at any time since the end of World War Two.

In a speech to the armed forces in Paris, he said "we are living in a pivotal moment" due to complex geopolitics.

Macron called for France's defence spending to rise by €3.5bn (£3bn) next year and then by a further €3bn in 2027.

Referencing the threat from Russia, he denounced "imperialist policies" and "annexing powers".

Fighting has raged since Moscow launched its full scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Macron pledged to double France's military budget by 2027, three years earlier than originally planned.

In 2017, his country's defence budget stood at €32bn and under the plans would rise to €64bn in two years time. The proposals still need to be approved by the French government.

"To be free in this world, you must be feared. To be feared, you must be powerful," he said in the speech, which fell on the eve of Bastille Day.

Macron said the world was witnessing the return of nuclear power and the "proliferation of major conflicts".

He also referenced the US bombing of Iran, fighting between India and Pakistan and what he called the "ups and downs in American support for Ukraine".

Last month, Nato members agreed to commit to spending 5% of GDP annually on defence, up from the previous target of 2%.

The UK also announced its own defence review, with Defence Secretary John Healey saying it would send a "message to Moscow".

On Friday, the head of the French army, Thierry Burkhard, said Russia saw France as its "main adversary in Europe".

Russia posed a "durable" threat to Europe, Burkhard said, adding that the "rank of European countries in tomorrow's world" was being decided in Ukraine.

France's Prime Minister Francois Bayrou is expected to outline next year's budget on Thursday.

Hungarians have a popular saying: "Visszanyal a fagyi". Translation: "The ice-cream licks back." In other words, watch out, because what you enjoy devouring, might enjoy devouring you.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has assiduously attacked a liberal world view for at least two decades, transforming the country into what he has variously called an "illiberal democracy" and nation of "Christian liberty".

Meanwhile he has drawn admirers around the world, including US Deputy President JD Vance and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. US President Donald Trump has called Orban "smart" and "a tough person".

"One of the most respected men, they call him a strong man," Trump said in September 2024.

Ahead of the next Hungarian election in April 2026, the LGBTQ community appear to be among Orban's targets – his Fidesz party rubber stamped a new law that sought to ban Pride from going ahead. And yet between 100,000 and 200,000 people turned out last month - up from just 35,000 last year.

But watching huge crowds march through Budapest to celebrate gay pride, free speech and the right to assemble - all in defiance of the ban - many wonder: could the liberal worldview bite back?

And in some ways, that in itself is the wrong question. Orban's power is indeed now under threat, but not in the way – or from the people – one might expect.

As the real challenge comes not from the liberal left, but the centre right.

A surprise challenger from Orban's own circle

Peter Magyar, a 44-year-old formerly of Orban's own circle, appeared as a surprise challenger in February 2024.

This followed a scandal involving a decision to pardon a man convicted of covering up child sexual abuse that led to President Katalin Novak resigning on live television. Justice Minister Judit Varga (Magyar's ex-wife) also resigned - and the scandal dealt a blow to Orban's claim to stand for traditional family values.

Magyar gave a long interview to Partizan, the flagship opposition YouTube channel, blasting what he called the nepotism and corruption of the governing party.

Robert Puzser, an opposition activist who heads a new, non-party initiative called Citizens Resistance, says that Magyar is treading carefully, amid Fidesz officials and certain quarters of the media trying to portray him as a liberal or leftist.

Magyar, he argues, is trying to avoid alienating his conservative base in the countryside, which until recently was Orban's undisputed heartland. And he has created his own powerful narrative – of a Hungary that is collapsing.

Most national polls put Tisza, Hungary's main opposition party led by Magyar, between 9% and 18% ahead of Orban's party. Only one, the pro-government thinktank Viewpoint Institute, still puts Fidesz narrowly ahead.

The parlous state of state hospitals, state schools, and state railways are all being used against Orban by Magyar and his party. Now, Orban's long-established playbook, so admired abroad, is starting to fail at home – and it leaves Hungary closer than ever to ousting a man who has ruled it for the past 15 years.

Orban's tried-and-tested strategy

Orban has been in power for 19 of the 35 years since the fall of Communism in 1990, making him one of the most experienced leaders in the EU. In the early 1990s, Fidesz broke away from its liberal roots, and Orban instilled a new conservative, nationalist, right-wing identity.

In 2015, as scores of people travelled to Europe asking for asylum, Orban referred to them as part of "a migratory movement composed of economic migrants, refugees and also foreign fighters". He has opposed military support for Ukraine since the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022, and also opposes Ukraine's bid for EU membership.

A cornerstone of Orban's playbook has been his ability to identify what his voters fear: this was true of each of his landslide victories, in 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022.

A public opinion survey by the Publicus agency carried out from 23-25 June found 45% of people were in favour of the Pride march in Budapest and 48% were against. Just 8% of Fidesz voters approved, however, so it was a flag to rally his own camp behind.

Since the march, Fidesz supporters have shared some provocative images from Budapest Pride, including nudity and the tale of a man arrested by police for masturbating in public.

After the event, folk singer Marianna Majorosi, whose song was performed during a drag queen show at the Pride event, said, "it deeply upsets me that as a performer I have no right to prevent someone from doing this to my voice". Orban expressed his support for her on Facebook.

In 2022, the government organised a referendum on child protection to coincide with the general election. The questions included: "Do you support allowing children in public schools to participate in sexual orientation classes without parental consent?" And, "do you support the promotion of gender reassignment for minors?"

A total of 3.7 million Hungarians took part, with the vast majority voting, "No". Government officials have since cited that referendum result as proof that Hungarians oppose what Pride stands for.

The winner takes all

Another key to Orban's playbook is that the winner takes all. Orban lost power in 2002 then returned to office in 2010, and in a new electoral law of 2011 he shrank Parliament from 386 seats to 199 and abolished the second round of elections, effectively channelling votes to the strongest party.

While the fractious opposition parties fought for the crumbs, Fidesz took the cake. They took 45% of the vote in 2014, which translated to 67% of seats in Parliament. The former system of proportional representation was replaced by something closer to the first-past-the-post system, as used in the UK.

He has also appointed Fidesz-friendly judges to the Constitutional and Supreme Court.

In 2014 he said that the "illiberal state" he was constructing "does not reject the fundamental principles of liberalism such as freedom… but it does not make this ideology the central element of state organisation".

Orban is still struggling to find the right name for his invention. András Lánczi, a philosopher widely considered a strong influence on the prime minister, calls it "political realism… Ideas based on experience rather than the utopias and moralising that leftists like so much".

How he won over world leaders

Orban rules by bullet-points, simple messages culled from unpublished opinion surveys commissioned by his government to find out what is worrying the public. Pro-government media, social media, and nationwide billboards then act as an echo chamber for these messages.

Some leaders overseas appear to admire his approach, while many MAGA Republicans love Orban for confronting "woke" culture.

The Slovak and Georgian prime ministers are also seemingly firm admirers, as are Alice Weidel (Alternative for Germany), Geert Wilders (Dutch Party for Freedom), and Herbert Kickl (Austrian Freedom Party).

Orban has instilled in his countryfolk "a new self-confidence", Mr Lánczi suggests, after centuries of foreign rule. "This nation has become stronger, and we would like to believe that we are not inferior to any other nations."

But just as he reaches the height of his fame abroad, the carpet is apparently being tugged from under his feet at home.

Are cracks starting to appear?

Peter Magyar has toured the country almost continuously, attacking the government for conditions in hospitals, a failing rail network and public service wages that are among the lowest in Europe.

He draws large crowds, and his visits to hospitals, schools or care homes are broadcast live on Facebook, with many attracting tens of thousands of views.

"We will re-build this country together, brick by brick," Magyar repeats. "Brick by brick!" chant the crowds, in unison.

Fidesz publicists have dismissed him as a hollow "messiah", or a traitor from their own ranks. But Magyar has given the public an alternative vision of repairing the homeland.

Orban has himself started to make some mistakes, like backing the ultra-nationalist candidate George Simion in the recent Romanian presidential election, despite a long history of anti-Hungarian remarks. He considered him to be a useful ally in the European Parliament where he shares Orban's message that "Christian Europe" is under threat. But Simion was the surprise loser of the second round of that election.

Orban's failure to stop Pride, after he promised his supporters it would not take place, also suggests some weakening of his power.

But perhaps most seriously, the Hungarian economy, heavily dependent on the German market, especially German cars manufactured in Hungary, is stagnating. Orban can no longer deliver an improved standard of living.

Even András Lánczi, who believes Orban will win the next election, says: "Unavoidably, there are so many conflicts during such a long time [in power]", conflicts that "erode trust, erode respect, erode a lot of positive things that unite that political community."

Battle for the soul of Hungary

Defeat for Orban, who has ruled Hungary for the past 15 years, would be monumental.

"Orban is able to mobilise his core electorate, which is about two million people, but it's not enough to win the elections," says Zoltan Kiszelly, a political analyst close to Fidesz.

The Tisza party now also has about two million supporters. More than five million Hungarians voted in the 2022 election, with a 69% turnout - so the election in April 2026 will likely be decided by those who are currently undecided.

"We are looking for policy issues that can attract these 500,000 to one million more voters who are needed to outnumber the opposition," Mr Kiszelly explained.

In 2022, amid the war in Ukraine, Orban portrayed himself as the "peace" candidate, and claimed the opposition would drag Hungary into war. It was a successful tactic in a country, often overrun in its history by foreign armies. In 2026, Ukraine could help Orban win again, Mr Kiszelly believes.

Yet if the war in Ukraine is over by then, Orban "the political realist" will be able to claim credit as the Western leader who warned that Ukraine cannot defeat the might of Russia. Or, if the war continues, Fidesz could step up its campaign against Manfred Weber, leader of the European People's Party (EPP), which supports continued Western military supplies for Ukraine.

"Orban can present himself, once again, as the dove of peace," Mr Kiszelly explains.

Orban also depicts his good relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin as a guarantee of cheap Russian gas and oil for Hungarian consumers - constantly under threat from EU sanctions against Russia. (Though Orban has not successfully blocked any of the 18 packages of EU sanctions against Russia so far.)

But his opponents hope that Tisza, and Magyar, can maintain their polling lead. Mr Puzser, the opposition activist, believes Tisza will win "sooner or later".

He describes Hungary as being at a crossroads. "There is a path leading to a democratic transition from this semi-authoritarian, semi-constitutional system," he argues, "and there is a despotic path leading to a dictatorship."

As for Orban, he said in March that there was a struggle "for the soul of the Western world" – some see next April's election as a battle for the soul of Hungary.

Top image credits: Anna Moneymaker/ Leon Neal/ Pierre Crom via Getty

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French President Emmanuel Macron has outlined plans for a big increase in defence spending, warning Europe's liberty is facing a "greater threat" than at any time since the end of World War Two.

In a speech to the armed forces in Paris, he said "we are living in a pivotal moment" due to complex geopolitics.

Macron called for France's defence spending to rise by €3.5bn (£3bn) next year and then by a further €3bn in 2027.

Referencing the threat from Russia, he denounced "imperialist policies" and "annexing powers".

Fighting has raged since Moscow launched its full scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Macron pledged to double France's military budget by 2027, three years earlier than originally planned.

In 2017, his country's defence budget stood at €32bn and under the plans would rise to €64bn in two years time. The proposals still need to be approved by the French government.

"To be free in this world, you must be feared. To be feared, you must be powerful," he said in the speech, which fell on the eve of Bastille Day.

Macron said the world was witnessing the return of nuclear power and the "proliferation of major conflicts".

He also referenced the US bombing of Iran, fighting between India and Pakistan and what he called the "ups and downs in American support for Ukraine".

Last month, Nato members agreed to commit to spending 5% of GDP annually on defence, up from the previous target of 2%.

The UK also announced its own defence review, with Defence Secretary John Healey saying it would send a "message to Moscow".

On Friday, the head of the French army, Thierry Burkhard, said Russia saw France as its "main adversary in Europe".

Russia posed a "durable" threat to Europe, Burkhard said, adding that the "rank of European countries in tomorrow's world" was being decided in Ukraine.

France's Prime Minister Francois Bayrou is expected to outline next year's budget on Thursday.

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has placed Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on an immediate "leave of absence" after allegations of links to organised crimes were made against him.

In Sunday's live televised speech to the nation, Ramaphosa also announced a judicial commission would probe the claims, which he said undermined the constitution and threatened national security.

He added that law professor Firoz Cachalia had been appointed as interim police minister.

Mchunu denied any wrongdoing, saying in a statement that he "stood ready to respond to the accusations" against him.

In his speech, the president said that the allegations against Mchunu, which include interference in investigations into political killings and corruption within law enforcement agencies, "call for an urgent and comprehensive investigation".

He said the judicial commission, led by the country's deputy chief justice, would examine all the claims.

The commission will also investigate current and former police officials, as well as members of the national executive, Ramaphosa said.

Ramaphosa has been under growing public pressure to act swiftly over the high-profile case.

Mchunu, 67, is an influential figure in Ramaphosa's African National Congress (ANC) party.

Political analysts have suggested he could run for a leadership position at the ANC's next elective conference in 2027.

In a statement, Mchunu said: "I welcome and respect the president's decision and pledge my commitment to the process.

"Honour and integrity are the virtues I personally subscribe to and which we all need to make efforts to uphold."

The allegations were first made public by KwaZulu-Natal provincial police boss Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi last Sunday.

He claimed Mchunu was receiving financial support from an allegedly corrupt businessman to fund his "political endeavours".

Gen Mkhwanazi also detailed a sequence of events he claimed led to the "orchestrated" disbandment of a task force that was set up in 2018 to investigate the killing of politicians, mainly in KwaZulu-Natal.

He said the team's investigations had uncovered links to high-profile individuals - including politicians, police officials, and businesspeople tied to a drug cartel syndicate - and this is why the team was disbanded.

When he dissolved the unit earlier this year, Mchunu said it was not adding value in the province, despite many cases remaining unsolved.

According to Gen Mkhwanazi, a total of 121 case files were allegedly removed from the unit on the minister's instruction and without the authorisation of his boss, the national police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola.

"These case dockets have, since March, been sitting at the head office ever since without any investigation work done on them. Five of these dockets already had instructions to [effect] arrests," Gen Mkhwanazi said.

He also alleged Mchunu had ties to a controversial businessman who was "financially supporting" the minister's political career.

Vusimuzi Matlala had a lucrative contract with the police before it was abruptly cancelled when he was arrested for attempted murder in May. Gen Mkhwanazi shared copies of text messages and a payment allegedly made by Mr Matlala to prove this.

Two people have been fatally shot at a church in Kentucky by a gunman who had just shot a police officer nearby, officials said.

Two women, aged 72 and 32, died in Sunday's attack at Richmond Road Baptist Church in Lexington, and two male parishioners were injured, said police.

Investigators believe the suspect, who was shot dead by police, had a connection to individuals at the church.

State police said the wounded trooper was receiving medical treatment. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear offered his condolences on social media, saying "violence like this has no place in our commonwealth or country".

The initial shooting occurred at 11:36 local time (15:36 GMT) on Sunday near the Blue Grass Airport, a regional hub in Fayette County.

A state trooper pulled over the suspect's car on Terminal Drive after receiving a registration plate reader alert, Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers told a news conference.

The suspect shot the trooper, "carjacked a vehicle" as he fled and drove towards the church about 16 miles (25km) away, with law enforcement in pursuit.

Lexington Police said the injured trooper was "in stable condition receiving medical treatment".

"The suspect fired his weapon at individuals on church property," Chief Weathers told media.

"Preliminary information indicates that the suspect may have had a connection to the individuals at the church."

Four people - two males and two females - were shot on church grounds. The women were pronounced dead at the scene.

The two male victims were transported to a local hospital, with one sustaining critical injuries and the other in a stable condition.

An official from the Fayette County coroner's office said the church was small and a "majority" of attendees were either related or close friends.

"It's a very tight-knit group of people at the Richmond Baptist Church," official said.

The incident is being investigated by the Kentucky State Police and the department's Public Integrity Unit, police said.

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has placed Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on an immediate "leave of absence" after allegations of links to organised crimes were made against him.

In Sunday's live televised speech to the nation, Ramaphosa also announced a judicial commission would probe the claims, which he said undermined the constitution and threatened national security.

He added that law professor Firoz Cachalia had been appointed as interim police minister.

Mchunu denied any wrongdoing, saying in a statement that he "stood ready to respond to the accusations" against him.

In his speech, the president said that the allegations against Mchunu, which include interference in investigations into political killings and corruption within law enforcement agencies, "call for an urgent and comprehensive investigation".

He said the judicial commission, led by the country's deputy chief justice, would examine all the claims.

The commission will also investigate current and former police officials, as well as members of the national executive, Ramaphosa said.

Ramaphosa has been under growing public pressure to act swiftly over the high-profile case.

Mchunu, 67, is an influential figure in Ramaphosa's African National Congress (ANC) party.

Political analysts have suggested he could run for a leadership position at the ANC's next elective conference in 2027.

In a statement, Mchunu said: "I welcome and respect the president's decision and pledge my commitment to the process.

"Honour and integrity are the virtues I personally subscribe to and which we all need to make efforts to uphold."

The allegations were first made public by KwaZulu-Natal provincial police boss Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi last Sunday.

He claimed Mchunu was receiving financial support from an allegedly corrupt businessman to fund his "political endeavours".

Gen Mkhwanazi also detailed a sequence of events he claimed led to the "orchestrated" disbandment of a task force that was set up in 2018 to investigate the killing of politicians, mainly in KwaZulu-Natal.

He said the team's investigations had uncovered links to high-profile individuals - including politicians, police officials, and businesspeople tied to a drug cartel syndicate - and this is why the team was disbanded.

When he dissolved the unit earlier this year, Mchunu said it was not adding value in the province, despite many cases remaining unsolved.

According to Gen Mkhwanazi, a total of 121 case files were allegedly removed from the unit on the minister's instruction and without the authorisation of his boss, the national police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola.

"These case dockets have, since March, been sitting at the head office ever since without any investigation work done on them. Five of these dockets already had instructions to [effect] arrests," Gen Mkhwanazi said.

He also alleged Mchunu had ties to a controversial businessman who was "financially supporting" the minister's political career.

Vusimuzi Matlala had a lucrative contract with the police before it was abruptly cancelled when he was arrested for attempted murder in May. Gen Mkhwanazi shared copies of text messages and a payment allegedly made by Mr Matlala to prove this.

The Sudanese paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) stormed the besieged city of el-Fasher on Friday in a battle that raged for seven hours, witnesses told the BBC.

RSF fighters managed to capture a cattle market, a prison and a military base while broadcasting videos of their members walking around empty stockyards.

It was the first time RSF fighters had entered the city in large numbers since the siege of el-Fasher - an ongoing battle for control of the western Darfur city - began 15 months ago.

On Saturday morning, the army retaliated and succeeded in pushing the RSF back beyond el-Fasher's limits. But Mathilde Vu, from the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), described the city as a "death trap".

"What we're hearing is stories of horror and terror and weekly shelling, attacks on civilian infrastructure," Ms Vu told the BBC Newshour programme.

"There are local volunteers - they are really struggling, risking their lives every day to try and provide a little bit of food for people who are mostly starving."

Siddig Omar, a 65-year-old resident of el-Fasher, told the BBC the RSF entered the city on Friday from the south and south-west.

The RSF, whose fighters have been mustering in trenches dug around the city, frequently attack el-Fasher. According to the army, this was their 220th offensive.

But this time, during a battle that raged for seven hours, they managed to take control of the city's livestock market, which has been closed for business for several months.

From here, they broadcast videos of their fighters walking around empty stockyards. They also briefly held Shalla prison and the headquarters of the military's Central Reserve Forces.

On Saturday morning, the army retaliated and succeeded in pushing the RSF back beyond the city limits, saying it had inflicted "heavy losses" on the paramilitary group.

But Mr Omar said RSF shelling - using drones - continued throughout Saturday.

"One of the shells hit a civilian vehicle near my house resulting in the death of five civilians who were inside the car," he said.

Sudan plunged into a civil war in April 2023 after a vicious struggle for power broke out between its army and the RSF.

It has led to a famine and claims of a genocide in the western Darfur region.

More than 150,000 people have died in the conflict across the country, and about 12 million have fled their homes in what the United Nations has called the world's largest humanitarian crisis.

El-Fasher is the only city in Darfur now controlled by the military. But a communications blackout makes it difficult to confirm information from the besieged city, as only those with satellite internet connections are contactable.

• Sudan war: A simple guide to what is happening
• Sudan in danger of self-destructing as conflict and famine reign
• BBC smuggles in phones to el-Fasher to reveal hunger and fear

The latest RSF offensive followed weeks of artillery and drone attacks. The group recently started using large drone aircraft.

The army accuses the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of funding the RSF, an allegation the oil-rich Gulf state denies.

This weekend's attack comes three months after the RSF overran Zamzam camp on the outskirts of el-Fasher. It had been the largest displacement camp in the country and many of its residents either escaped into el-Fashir or tried to make it to Tawila, 60km (about 40 miles) away.

Ms Vu, NRC's advocacy manager in Sudan, said the team in Tawila has continued to hear horrific stories as people desperately try to find safety.

"People fleeing at night by foot, on donkeys - trying to escape armed men targeting them, maybe raping them," she said.

"We're getting people arriving into Tawila who are thirsty, who haven't eaten for weeks."

Nearly 379,000 people have now fled to Tawila, where they are facing an outbreak of cholera and expected heavy rain is likely to destroy makeshift shelters.

This week, residents of el-Fasher told the BBC Arabic's emergency radio programme more about their dire situation.

"Right now, we are suffering deeply, and everyone around us is facing the same hardship," one man said.

"There is no bread, no food, and no work to be found. Even if you have money, there's nothing available in the markets to buy.

"When someone gets sick, we can't find any medicine or treatment.

"There are no medicines in hospitals. The situation here is truly terrible."

Another man said until recently, residents had been relying on something called "ombaz", a food waste left over after pressing oil from peanut shells.

"We are in a very critical situation," he said.

"Even ombaz is no longer available, as the peanut factories have stopped working.

"We are calling out for help - please, we urgently need assistance."

Ms Vu bemoaned the international community's apathy when it came to engaging with the warring parties and their backers.

"The funding is completely decreasing and the consequence is that you can see it on the ground," she said.

"People [in el-Fasher] just rely on the solidarity of others.

"If they have a little bit of food, they will be sharing it among themselves."

Last week, the International Criminal Court (ICC) said there were "reasonable grounds" to believe war crimes and crimes against humanity are being committed in Darfur.

Allegations of war crimes have persisted throughout the past two years, and in January 2025 the US determined that the RSF and allied militias had committed a genocide against the region's non-Arab population.

You may also be interested in:

• 'I lost a baby and then rescued a child dodging air strikes in Sudan's civil war'
• Last surgeons standing in el-Fasher
• A photographer's 11-day trek to flee war-torn Sudan

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

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was reportedly slightly injured during one of Israel's attacks on Iran last month.

Iran's state Fars news agency, close to the revolutionary guard, says that on 16 June, six bombs targeted both access and entry points of a secret underground facility in Tehran where Pezeshkian was attending an emergency meeting of the Supreme National Security Council.

The president is said to have suffered leg injuries as he and others escaped through an emergency shaft. Iran is now reported to be following leads of infiltration by Israeli agents.

The Fars report has not been independently verified. Israel has not publicly commented on the report.

Videos posted on social media during the 12-day war showed repeated strikes against a mountain side in north-western Tehran.

Now it has emerged that the strikes on the fourth day of war targeted a secret underground facility in Tehran where Iran's top leaders were at the time.

The Fars news agency report says the Israeli strikes blocked all the six entry and exit points, and also the ventilation system.

The electricity to the facility was also cut off - but Pezeshkian managed to reach safety.

The Supreme National Security Council is Iran's top decision-making body after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Last week, Pezeshkian accused Israel of trying to kill him - a claim denied by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, who said "regime change" had not been not a goal of the war.

Israel wiped out many of top IRGC and army commanders at the very start of the war.

Iranian leaders admit they were taken completely by surprise, and there was a decision-making paralysis for at least the first 24 hours after the attack.

Israel officials admitted that Ayatollah Khamenei was also the target - but that they had lost track of him when he was moved to a secure secret location, cut off to a great extent from the outside world.

There are still many questions about how Israel had gathered critical intelligence about the whereabouts of Iran's top officials and commanders - not to mention the locations of sensitive secret facilities.

On 13 June, Israel launched a surprise attack on nuclear and military sites in Iran, saying it acted to prevent Tehran from making nuclear weapons.

Iran - who retaliated with aerial attacks on Israel - denies seeking to develop nuclear weapons and says its enrichment of uranium is for peaceful purposes.

On 22 June, the US's Air Force and Navy carried out air and missile strikes against three Iranian nuclear facilities.

US President Donald Trump later said the attack "obliterated" the facilities, even as some US intelligence agencies have taken a more cautious view.

The EU's retaliatory tariffs on US exports have been delayed again, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced.

The countermeasures, which were due to start on Tuesday, came in response to US President Donald Trump's initial import taxes on steel and aluminium.

The EU's retaliation, which would have hit € 21bn worth of US goods, was first suspended in March. This break has been extended until early August, von der Leyen told a press conference on Sunday.

Trade ministers are expected to meet in Brussels on Monday to discuss how to respond.

It comes after Trump wrote a letter to von der Leyen announcing his plans to impose 30% tariffs on EU imports from 1 August.

He warned that if the trade partner retaliated with import duties of their own against the US, he would hit back by raising tariffs above 30%.

In a pre-recorded interview with Fox News which aired on Saturday night, Trump said some countries were "very upset now" but he insisted the tariffs meant "hundreds of billions of dollars" were "pouring in".

Von der Leyen told journalists on Sunday: "The United States has sent us a letter with measures that would come into effect unless there is a negotiated solution, so we will therefore also extend the suspension of our countermeasures until early August.

"At the same time, we will continue to prepare for the countermeasures so we're fully prepared."

The European Commission president insisted that the EU has "always been very clear that we prefer a negotiated solution".

"This remains the case, and we will use the time that we have now till August 1," she added.

As of Saturday, the Trump administration has now proposed tariff conditions on 24 countries and the EU, which is composed of 27 countries.

On 12 April, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro set a goal to secure "90 deals in 90 days".

So far, the president has announced the outlines of two such pacts with the United Kingdom and Vietnam as negotiations with others continue.