Inside Brooklyn novelty shop at centre of ‘surreal’ row with Kelly Clarkson over mechanical bird
On a rainy Wednesday afternoon, a novelty toy and games store in a quiet part of New York City was seeing much busier foot traffic than usual. Inside, the shop was packed with cameramen and customers, while passersby in this Brooklyn neighbourhood of…
Retired US generals call on Pentagon to cancel livestream execution
A group of 72 retired US generals, admirals, and other high-ranking military officers are pressing the US government to cancel plans to livestream an execution by firing squad. «We ask the President, our Congressional representatives, and our fellow…
White House defends new press secretary Katie Zacharia amid questions about her legal credentials
The White House is defending its new press secretary, Katie Zacharia, as she faces scrutiny over her legal credentials. President Donald Trump described Zacharia as an attorney when announcing her appointment last week and she has referred to herself as…
‘Nowhere to escape’ – Indonesians share footage of orange haze blanketing towns
A thick orange smog has descended on the Indonesian city of Palangka Raya. Witnesses captured videos of the haze washing over the Kalimantan region not far from where wildfires continue to burn. The ISPU air pollution index exceeded 1,200, according to…
Anthropic flags revenue surge to investors ahead of stock market debut
Artificial intelligence (AI) giant Anthropic saw its revenue surge by 45% to $16.8bn (£12.7bn) in the three months to the end of September, the BBC understands. The figures were revealed by the Claude-developer as it briefed prospective investors on…
Are the European 2027 Women’s World Cup play-offs working?
One of the main reasons for Tuesday night’s results was that only one team from the league phase groups received automatic qualification. The Netherlands, 2017 European champions, finished second in their group behind France, ranked sixth in the…
Pope walking and recovering ‘as expected’ after surgery, doctors say
Pope Leo XIV’s recovery from surgery to remove a lower lobe of his lung is «progressing as expected», his doctors have said. The 71-year-old pontiff has started to walk and has «resumed a normal diet» following the roughly 90-minute procedure, the…
Ukraine war: Why is Starlink internet so important on the battlefield?
Starlink is «the backbone of military communications in Ukraine», the institute’s George Barros says, and is used across Kyiv’s naval, land, and air forces. Barros, who is the ISW’s Director of Innovation and Open Source Tradecraft told…
Albania protests: Student protesters attack government ministries in Tirana
Riot police have clashed with the protesters, using tear gas and water cannons to disperse them. One demonstrator, Enida Bimi, told Reuters news agency that the protest is not just for the students, but «for all the people of Albania». «The people are…
Why Zelensky’s meeting with Burnham matters
Prime Minister Andy Burnham welcomed President Volodymyr Zelensky to Downing Street on Wednesday, as the Ukrainian leader looks to shore up his European allies five years into Russia’s war on Ukraine. Burnham told Zelensky that Britain «would…