More than 40,000 without power across Kyushu island, says energy provider

People trapped in Japanese mall hit by earthquake, with others missing after factory chimney collapse Summary Many people are trapped inside a Japanese shopping centre after an earthquake, the fire service says One witness reported the second floor of the mall in Kumamoto collapsing - BBC Verify has looked at some of the images from the site Reports in Japan say 20 to 30 shopping centre staff may be missing - but the figure has not been confirmed Elsewhere in the Kumamoto prefecture, people are reported missing at a paper factory after a chimney collapsed A magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit inland on Kyushu island at 16:27 local time (07:27 GMT), causing power cuts, damaged roads, a collapsed castle wall, and a destroyed footbridge

Wildfire has 'life of its own', says French minister, with blaze nine miles from Bordeaux outskirts

 

Wildfire has 'life of its own', says French minister, with blaze nine miles from Bordeaux outskirts

Iran warns countries aiding US attack •

 Middle East tensions are once again driving up global oil prices, with Brent crude climbing above $100 a barrel for the first time since May. While much of the focus has been on the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the alternative shipping route through the Red Sea is becoming increasingly dangerous after Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels said they targeted two Saudi oil tankers. The escalation comes as US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he was considering a "massive attack" on Iran, prompting Tehran to warn it would hold accountable any country that assists the United States in such an operation.

'Cockroach Movement' protests pile pressure on India's government

 

India's government is facing its biggest youth-led challenge in years. Thousands of protesters from the so-called ‘Cockroach Movement’ have taken to the streets of New Delhi demanding the education minister's resignation. After clashes with police and a crackdown near parliament, is the movement becoming a wider political threat?

Russian polls signal growing discontent as Putin's approval hits wartime low

For years, Vladimir Putin's approval rating barely budged, remaining comfortably above 70 percent despite war, sanctions and economic pressure. Now, Russia's state pollster is recording a steady decline, with support falling to its lowest level since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

 

Report reveals extent of Kenyan deaths on Russian frontline

 

The spectacle and symbolism of Khamenei’s funeral

 

Once again, the Strait of Hormuz is at the centre of the latest escalation in the war between Iran, the United States and their allies. The ceasefire collapsed just days after millions of Iranians took to the streets to pay homage to late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Hundreds of foreign reporters and social media influencers were granted rare access to Iran to cover the funeral, signalling just how carefully Tehran is calibrating its media messaging.