Newshour

The BBC's Chief International Correspondent, Lyse Doucet, returns to Afghanistan to report on the state of the country after five years of Taliban rule. She also brings us an interview with Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid. Later, we hear from the American four-star general David Petraeus, who led US forces in Afghanistan for a year.

Also in the programme: Colombian Vice-President Jose Manuel Restrepo on how his country has handled the aftermath of last week's earthquake; and the BBC Proms festival of classical music celebrates the legacy of the Motown musician Marvin Gaye.

(Photo: An Afghan...

This week marks five years since the Taliban swept into Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, seizing back power. In those five years, girls’ and women’s rights have drastically worsened, as has the country’s humanitarian situation. We hear from the BBC’s chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet, who has been travelling to Afghanistan for many years and has returned again now to report on life under Taliban rule, five years on from the 2021 Taliban takeover.

Also in the programme: extreme rainfall in Japan has led to the deaths of several people and caused major travel disruption near Tokyo; new...

Interviews, news and analysis of the day’s global events.

The US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has said that Washington has been very involved in efforts to end the siege in the occupied West Bank by Israeli settlers and remove what he called “Israeli terrorists”. Also on the programme: Taiwan's Foreign Minister tells us Pacific nations need to act together to counter Chinese aggression while hoping the US will remain involved; and why did Joshua Kushner buy the LA Lakers for more ⁠than $12.5bn in a record-breaking ⁠deal?

(Photo: Israeli settlers wait during a military raid in the town of Qusra, south of Nablus, West Bank on Augus...

Millions of people on the western fringes of Europe have witnessed their first total solar eclipse of this century.

Also in the programme: Israeli settlers are continuing to trap two Palestinian families in their homes in the occupied West Bank, after clashing earlier with the Israeli security forces; what was behind the mass poisoning of 14 elephants in Kenya -- a terrible accident or deliberate harm?; and Spotify says it's cracking down on AI generated music to protect HUMAN artists.

(Photo: Partial solar eclipse in Britain, London, United Kingdom - 12 Aug 2026. Credit: EPA)

The security forces moved in to try to force the settlers away from the homes in the village of Qusra, south of Nablus. But reports from the scene say more settlers then arrived, and the security forces withdrew.

Also on the programme: Germany is planning to loosen restrictions on its spy agencies to counter domestic and foreign threats; and we hear from an Italian scientist preparing a new solar instrument to measure the Sun's corona during the eclipse.

(Photo: A view shows Nablus city in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, February 16, 2025. Credit: Reuters/Mohammed Torokman)

A court in Syria has sentenced the ousted president, Bashar al-Assad, to death for crimes against humanity committed during the country's civil war. His cousin who was in charge of political security in Daraa province where the uprising began was also sentenced to death. We find out how the ruling has been received in Syria and whether justice has been served.

Also in the programme: Does the earthquake in Colombia pose a challenge for the newly inaugurated president, Abelardo de la Espriella? And we hear about the scramble for the right glasses in Europe to catch a...

Rescuers worked through the night looking for survivors trapped under dozens of collapsed buildings. The cities of Cali and Pereira were among the places worst hit.

Also on the programme: A Palestinian family in the West Bank says their house has been surrounded by Israeli settlers who they say have cut off their water and electricity; and Chinese authorities are warning of a rise in fake matchmaking agencies preying on the country's growing number of single men.

(Photo: Dozens of buildings have collapsed in the city of Cali. Credit: Reuters)

An earthquake in western Colombia has killed more than 100 people and caused significant damage. The seven point four magnitude quake's epicentre was in the Choco region between Medellin and Cali - where dozens of buildings have collapsed. We talk to the mayor of Cali, Alejandro Eder.

Also in the programme: Police in eastern India have used tear gas and water cannon to disperse thousands of young people protesting against alleged corruption in civil service examinations. And 40 years on from its release, we've been hearing about the singer-songwriter, Paul Simon's controversial album, Graceland, from Ashley Kahn, the former...

The world's oceans hit their hottest ever recorded temperatures for July, partly fuelled by developing El Niño conditions in the Pacific, according to the EU's climate monitoring service Copernicus. The average sea surface temperature outside the world's polar regions was 20.96C last month, beating the previous high of 20.89C, set in 2023.

Also in the programme: Ukraine strikes a Russian oil refinery - with at least 13 killed. And Harry Potter fans force the rerouting of a multi-million dollar cable project to preserve the mock grave of the much-loved character.

(Picture credit: Getty Images)

Prime Minister Netanyahu rules out any Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza before Hamas is totally disarmed. We ask Israeli official Fleur Hassan-Nahoum what her government's objections are to the peace plan and get an American perspective from former US special envoy for the Middle East Frank Lowenstein.

Also in the programme: we hear from a Canadian mayor, Doug Homes, about the wildfires that are devastating British Columbia, driving tens of thousands of people from their homes and leading to a state of emergency across the province; and a champion Italian spear-fisherman and free diver, Giacomo de Mola...

The Houthis in Yemen say they've carried out a drone attack on a Saudi refinery on the Red Sea coast. The Iranian-backed group's military spokesman said the strike on the Aramco refinery in Jazan was in response to Saudi incursions into north-west Yemen.

Also in the programme: Israel accused of weaponising archaeology at ancient West Bank sites; Iran lays out a list of demands for the US to fulfill, even as it says talks on reopening the Strait of Hormuz are making progress; and a Ukrainian singer on preserving folk songs of her homeland and promoting Ukrainian...

An Irish government jet has travelled to the United Arab Emirates as part of an operation to extradite suspected crime boss Daniel Kinahan. Kinahan has fought attempts to extradite him from the UAE.

Also in the programme: more controversy around Gianni Infantino; and Todd Blanche is confirmed as US attorney general.

(Photo: Daniel Kinahan pictured in 2016. CREDIT: Collins Photo Agency)

Thousands of migrant children are thought to still be in the Spanish territory of Ceuta, following the arrival of some 70,000 people there last week. Many of the migrants left of their own accord shortly after arriving in Ceuta, but at least 1,400 minors, some of them very young, are believed to still remain there.

Also in the programme: President Volodymyr Zelensky’s first official visit to Russia-friendly Serbia; Thailand’s prime minister vows to introduce stricter gun laws in the wake of a shooting on Bangkok’s outskirts; and electronic dance duo Groove Armada on why you’re never to...

Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have signed a joint defence agreement - which commits all three countries to defending each other if attacked. The deal brings together three of the world's most powerful Muslim-majority countries. But although it pledges mutual support, it provides no specifics on the obligations of each party. The move to boost security cooperation follows the turmoil in the region triggered by the US war against Iran, which has drawn in Saudi Arabia and restricted its oil exports.

Also in the programme: A mega fine for Meta - what does it mean for children's...

At least seven people have died in Thailand after a teenage boy shot his grandparents and some schoolteachers on the outskirts of the capital city, Bangkok.

Authorities say the suspected shooter, 14, is also dead. The Thai prime minister has said the attack was "well prepared" with "clear steps and clear goals".

Also in the programme: A US court fines the social media giant Meta more than a half a billion dollars and labels it a public nuisance; an Iranian political prisoner tells us what it is like to fall foul of the Revolutionary Guards; and...

Ukraine hits Russian oil refineries as Russa retaliates with ballistic missiles. Also in the programme: Is the US running dangerously low on hi-tech munitions? And the 97-year-old American woman daredevil flying on wings.

(Photo: A man looking at a mobile charging point in Crimea on the Black Sea as power outages continue as a result of strikes. Credit: Reuters)

Gianni Infantino remains Fifa president after receiving the backing of senior executives in a meeting in Morocco, where he apologised for "errors" he made.

Has the boss of world football done enough to save himself? HIs critics - especially in Europe - say they're not done yet.

Also in the programme: Ukraine carries out more strikes on Russian oil refineries; has Myanmar's military ruler broken out of diplomatic isolation; and we'll hear from a supporter of the black Cambridge professor who's resigned over allegations of fabrication and plagiarism who says the issue here turns on...

The embattled Fifa President Gianni Infantino tries to shore up support at a crisis meeting in Morocco. We hear from his critics and his fans, including the head of Malawi's football association.

Also on the programme: We speak to the Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk who went on hunger strike in solidarity with thousands of students in India as they demanded change; and what does the victory of a progressive candidate in a Democratic primary for the Senate say about the party, its platform and its chances in November's US midterm elections?

(Photo: Fifa's Africa regional...

Newshour speaks to Sonam Wangchuk, who went on a hunger strike in solidarity with thousands of students in India as they demanded change.

Also on the programme: Kyiv suffers another wave of overnight strikes; and what a crash into the moon might teach us about its surface.

(Photo: Sonam Wangchuk, an education reformer who was on a hunger strike for 26 days to support the demand for resignation of India’s education minister, walks after paying homage at the Mahatma Gandhi memorial at Rajghat in New Delhi, India, July 27, 2026. REUTERS/Priyanshu Singh)

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman says that talks with Oman on a new mechanism for vessels going through the strait have been positive. President Trump has so far rejected any deal that would allow Iran to maintain control over the waterway.

Also in the programme: Oil prices have again fallen, after the latest suggestions from US officials that a deal with Iran about reopening the Strait of Hormuz might soon be agreed; why SpaceX expects a space crash on the Moon; and 'Digital lifeline' - Gaza tech workers give glimpse of possible future.

(Photo credit: Getty...

Ukraine steps up its attacks on Russia - with strikes on logistics warehouses and other infrastructure overnight. Officials say at least five people have been killed and 10 more injured.

Also on the programme: European Union interior ministers hold an emergency meeting to discuss last week's influx from Morocco of up to 70,000 migrants into the tiny Spanish territory of Ceuta; and the musical that uses humour to raise awareness about the chronic women's health condition endometriosis.

(Photo: A drone view shows the site where houses were heavily damaged by a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack...

President Trump has said talks with Iran are going on right now. Speaking to reporters, he said Iran faced decapitation unless it agreed a deal. Mr Trump also said oil companies were making too much money, as a result of the shortages caused by the war.

Also in the programme: Russian officials say seven people have been killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on a Black Sea beach resort; drought in eastern Europe and why it's having serious implications for Hungary and Romania's electricity generation; and we hear from Kim Aris after the Red Cross visits his...

The English Football Association is set to become the latest governing body to withdraw support for Gianni Infantino's bid for re-election as head of Fifa. Wales and Finland have already dropped their support for him. Infantino is under sustained pressure because of his abandoned plan to sell a stake in the World Cup and other tournaments to private investors.

Also in the programme: extreme heat, wildfires and droughts continue to cause havoc across Europe; and the pioneering "horse whisperer" Monty Roberts has died.

(Photo: Fifa head Gianni Infantino sits with both hands over his mouth...

Questions are being asked about whether Morocco allowed mass migration to the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, in response to the Spanish prime minister visiting Algeria which opposes Moroccan annexation of the Western Sahara.

Also in the programme: Two helicopters responding to wildfires in Greece have collided mid-air, killing both people on board one of the aircraft; and police in Germany are investigating death threats made against a theatre presenting a play about a stranded whale.

(Photo: People stand during clashes between migrants and the military, following deadly mass crossings of migrants on foot and by...

The European Union will hold emergency talks this week to discuss the migration crisis in Ceuta - a tiny city which belongs to Spain, located on the northern coast of North Africa. We'll hear from a nurse who tried to save people who crossed the border and entered. Also in the programme: Three people dead in Moscow after an attack on one of the city's more exclusive restaurants; and scientists find evidence that Ice Age hunters targeted female woolly mammoths more than males. (Photo: Migrants wait to enter a short-stay migrant centre after mass crossings of migrants on foot...

After thousands of Moroccans enter the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, Italy calls for Spain to be suspended from the EU open borders agreement.

Also in the programme: It's six months since 84-year old Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her home in Tucson, Arizona, in the middle of the night; and a bomb has exploded in a Moscow restaurant frequented by the Russian elite.

(Photo: A migrant from Morocco walks in the water after crossing into Ceuta by sea, amid recent mass crossings of migrants on foot and by sea from Morocco into Spanish territory, in...

The head of world football has scrapped his plan to allow private investment in the World Cup, after a backlash from football associations worldwide. Gianni Infantino said he was acting because the proposal was dividing the sport, but he's now facing calls to resign.

Also in the programme: Our reporter in the West Bank speaks to an Israeli settler about the killings of Palestinians; the search continues for seven missing climbers after Pakistan avalanche; and folk dancing from the east of Colombia makes its way to London.

(Photo: Fifa President Gianni Infantino. Credit: Reuters)

Spain says most of the around 55,000 migrants who flooded into its North African territory of Ceuta have returned to Morocco. We speak to a Spanish politician who asks for support from Spain's European partners.

Also on the programme: Hamas has said it's agreed to completely disarm if Israel fully withdraws from Gaza and ends all its attacks; and can Fifa's Gianni Infantino survive after a severe backlash from his own senior staff?

(Photo: Migrants from Morocco arrive at the Spanish border in Ceuta, Spain on July 31, 2026, as migrants cross into Ceuta by sea and land...

Hamas says it has agreed to completely disarm if Israel withdraws forces and ends its attacks. But the Israeli government has yet to confirm whether it will comply.

Also in the programme: Spain's prime minister condemns an influx of tens of thousands of people from Morocco into Ceuta as an attack on Spain's territorial integrity; a top advisor to the head of FIFA resigns over plans to sell private stakes in the World Cup; and the first drone footage of a humpback whale giving birth - we speak to the young man who got the video.

All 55 European footballing nations have voted to boycott the men's and women's World Cup if Fifa goes ahead with plans to sell stakes in the tournaments to private investors. We speak to the vice president of Uefa, which governs European football. Also on the programme: a cross-party group of British MPs slams the Ministry of Defence for a data leak which could have imperilled thousands of Afghans; and who should take over as the next boss of the United Nations? (Photo: Fifa President Gianni Infantino attends a Fifa reception at Trump Tower in New York City on July 17, 2026. Credit...

The US military says it has completed a "heavy wave" of strikes against Iran in retaliation for Tuesday's attempted ballistic missile attacks on American forces. Also on the programme, a  teenager who travelled from Norway to the UK to carry out a "hit" for a Swedish organised crime group has been found guilty of conspiracy to murder; and, why K-Pop sensation BTS are boycotting the next year's Grammys.

(Photo: A woman walks next to anti-US graffiti on a street in Tehran, Iran, 20 July 2026. Abedin Taherkenareh EPA/Shutterstock.)

FIFA promises national football associations $40m each if they back contentious new plans to sell stakes in major competitions. We hear from a former vice-president of FIFA, who is not impressed.

Also in the programme: the former White House medical advisor Anthony Fauci is warned by Republican senators that he could face charges of contempt of Congress for refusing to answer questions about the Covid pandemic; a BBC investigation into alleged criminal sexual behaviour by the film star Jared Leto; and the British chemist who's helped find a new way to fight the growing global threat of...

Along with the US, the Saudis have carried out missile strikes against Iran-backed militias in Iraq, in a potential escalation of the Middle East conflict. One of the Iran-aligned groups, the Popular Mobilisation Forces, said at least 20 of its members were killed in the overnight attacks.

Also in the programme: the number of settler attacks on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank was the highest on record last month, according to the UN; and the health-conscious ravers swapping nightclubs for saunas.

(Photo: Damage at a site belonging to Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) following jo...

It remains one of the defining meetings of President Trump's second term - that now infamous Oval Office exchange - when President Trump and his Vice President JD Vance met Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky in February 2025. They clashed over the Ukraine conflict with President Trump accusing President Zelensky of 'gambling with World War Three.' The pair met today and President Zelensky said it was a 'good' meeting.

Also in the programme: Dozens are still unaccounted for after a powerful earthquake hits Japan. Firefighters are working around the clock to contain wildfires in France; and is clicking your...

The Israeli prime minister is preparing to meet Donald Trump for the first time since the start of the war with Iran - will the discussions harden US strategy on Iran.

Also in the programme: a strong earthquake rocks southern Japan; and we're on the front line of Ecuador's battle with the cocaine cartels.

(Photo: Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaking at the president's tesidence in Jerusalem, 12 July, 2026. Credit: Abir Sultan/EPA/Shutterstock)

Firefighters in France say they are still not in control of an unprecedented wildfire that's spreading towards the southwestern city of Bordeaux. The city's mayor says he's preparing for all eventualities.

Also, India's youth protesters threaten to restart their demonstrations a day after they ended, we explain why.

And a few months away from the US mid term elections - how will President Trump's war with Iran, impact voters views?

(Photo: French firefighters battle a wildfire spreading in Marcheprime, south-western France, 26 July 2026. Credit: EPA)

The US has imposed new tariffs on 60 trading partners.

These tariffs, which replace an identical levy which expires on Friday, are based on claims key economic partners have failed to properly tackle forced labour.

Those affected - including Brazil, Norway, China, and Australia have criticised the move by the Trump administration. Will these import taxes last and what effect will they have?

Also in the programme: the woman who tried single-handedly to stop a police bus taking away Indian student protesters; how the future of the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court...

Firefighters in France say they are still not in control of an unprecedented wildfire that's spreading towards the southwest city of Bordeaux. The city's mayor says he's preparing for all eventualities. The massive blaze, in the Gironde region, is one of several wildfires burning across France.

Also in the programme: the Normandy beaches used for the D-Day landings are to be given UNESCO World Heritage status; and the Irish Gaelic football team breaks a so-called "curse" after winning the All-Ireland championship for the first time in 75 years.

(Photo: Fire engines carry out edge protection and...

The suspect in the Berlin Pride ramming attack, which killed at least one person on Saturday night, has been shot and killed by German officials. Police say 21-year-old Abdul Ballout was killed after he reportedly ran towards officers with a knife in a western borough of the country’s capital. We get all the details from a Berlin-based journalist.

Also in the programme: The US ambassador to the UN says his country has halted strikes on Iran to give diplomacy more time; and a wildlife haven in South Sudan gets UNESCO World Heritage status, a first in th...