Oil prices slide on hopes of US-Iran peace deal

Trump said on Saturday that an agreement would include the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, without giving further details.

Starmer ‘appalled’ by case of boys spared jail after raping teenage girls

The prime minister said it was “right” that the sentences were being urgently reviewed.

Sun, superstars and other takeaways from Radio 1’s Big Weekend

Olivia Dean, Zara Larsson and Fatboy Slim topped the bill – but it wasn’t all about the music.

Deal with US not imminent, Iran says

The Iranian foreign minister’s comments come after the US secretary of state said an agreement could be announced on Monday.

Premier League predictions – how accurate were BBC Sport pundits?

Last summer, 33 BBC pundits – plus AI and Opta’s ‘supercomputer’ were asked to pick which teams would finish in the Premier League’s top four, and in which order. How did they get on?

Education secretary to ask competition watchdog to review hidden childcare costs

Bridget Phillipson will ask the competition watchdog to examine costs that families are still facing in government-funded childcare.

Latest news bulletin | May 25th, 2026 – Midday

Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond this May 25th, 2026 – latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel.

Vučić defends Serbia’s Chinese ties on controversial visit to Beijing

Xi Jinping has welcomed a run of world leaders in recent months, including Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

Iran executes two over protests and alleged espionage as court sentences four more to death

Iran executed two men over the January protests and the war while a Tehran court sentenced four to death in a 2022 protest case amid UN condemnation.

Father of abandoned French children found on road in southern Portugal breaks silence

The father of the two children abandoned in Portugal says he is awaiting official permission to see them adding that he has thought about them “every second” since learning of their disappearance.

Films more likely to star a ‘Chris’ or a talking animal than a woman over 60, study reveals

An anti-ageism campaign in the UK has uncovered that top-grossing films over past three years are more likely to star an actor named ‘Chris’ or a talking animal rather than a female lead over the age of 60. What gives?

Turkey’s president scraps move to close liberal Bilgi University following outcry

Founded on 7 June 1996 as Turkey’s fourth private foundation university, Bilgi became part of the Laureate International Universities network, a US-based group operating universities across multiple continents, in 2006.

Kyiv attacks: The complex logistics network behind Russia’s war machine

The Ukrainian capital endured a barrage of strikes over the weekend, including ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and long-range drones. These increasingly frequent hybrid operations reveal the intensification of Russian drone and missile production.

A €100,000 contract and possible mistaken identity: New clues emerge in murder of anti-drug activist’s brother

The case file shows that the Marseille murder stemmed from major organized crime, involving several competing teams of hitmen. According to some suspects’ statements, it was Amine Kessaci and not his brother Mehdi who was targeted, due to his commitment to fighting drug trafficking.

France’s film funding agency targeted by the far right

Without the National Center for Cinema and the Moving Image, many French films could never be made. But the CNC is now under attack, which could spell the end of this nearly 80-year-old institution if the far-right Rassemblement National comes to power.

US says Iran deal still possible, as Trump tempers expectations

Even though both Tehran and Washington have signaled progress toward reaching an agreement to end the war, US President Donald Trump told his negotiators on Sunday ‘not to rush into a deal,’ insisting that ‘time is on our side.’

Djokovic fights through tough Roland Garros opener

The 39-year-old Novak Djokovic battled the big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard as the clay-court Grand Slam got underway on Sunday.

‘There is a growing political will to change the status quo’

Following the final passage of the cultural heritage restitution law in France on May 7, researcher Catharine Titi examines its legal and archaeological implications through the case of the Parthenon fragments at the Louvre.

Amid Mounting Tensions Between Kyiv And Minsk, Belarus Opposition Leader Tsikhanouskaya Visits Ukraine

Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya arrived in Kyiv, in the exiled Belarusian opposition leader’s first trip to Ukraine more than four years into the all-out Russian invasion.

Iran Hangs Man Linked To January Protests

As the US-Israeli war with Iran continues to impact and shape the region, journalists from RFE/RL’s Central Newsroom and Iranian service, Radio Farda, deliver ongoing updates and analysis.

US Officials Say Iran Deal Is 95% Done, But Not Ready for Signature

The Trump administration says the US and Iran are closer to a nuclear agreement than at any point in recent years, even as senior officials insist a final deal is still days away and key details remain unresolved.

How Bosnians Fighting For Russia Are Escaping Prosecution

Dario Ristic returned to his home country of Bosnia-Herzegovina after fighting for Russia in Ukraine, only to face trial. However, the indictment was dismissed because he had officially obtained Russian citizenship.

Old Traditions And Modern Tech Drive Abortions Of Girls In Central Asia

Across Central Asia, deep-rooted son preference is driving sex-selective abortions and distorting birth ratios. Women describe intense family pressure to bear boys, while experts warn the growing gender imbalance could fuel long-term social instability.

Black lawmakers tank SCORE Act with calls for boycotts

The SCORE Act, a controversial piece of legislation that aimed to curb the big business of college sports, has been torpedoed by a coalition of Black lawmakers who argued it would harm minority athletes and benefit only top-level universities, coaches and programs. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), some of whom had previously voiced support for the proposal, in an unexpected reversal last week announced none…

House and Senate Republicans are at odds over Trump’s ‘anti-weaponization’ fund

House and Senate Republicans were fuming as they left Washington last week for a long holiday break. The source of the torment, however, was notably different on each side of the Capitol, and the distinctions forecast a clash between the chambers when Congress returns next month.  While many Senate Republicans were furious with the Trump…

Trump’s former COVID adviser: US equipped to handle response to Ebola outbreak

A former adviser to President Trump during the COVID-19 pandemic said Sunday that the U.S. is equipped to handle an Ebola outbreak. “The U.S. right now does not have a confirmed head of the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)], it does not have a confirmed head of the [Food and Drug Administration (FDA)],…

Secret Service director: Thoughts with bystander shot after gunfire exchanged near White House

Secret Service Director Sean Curran said Sunday that his thoughts were with the bystander shot amid an exchange of gunfire between officers and a gunman near the White House on Saturday. “I want to recognize the quick and decisive response demonstrated by our Secret Service police officers last night in confronting an armed gunman. Their…

Trump pitches Paxton to Texas voters: ‘He will never let you down’

President Trump again promoted Texas Attorney General and Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton in a Sunday social media post, saying Paxton “WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!!!” “TEXAS, REMEMBER! Ken Paxton was a GREAT Attorney General, probably the best in the Country. He was also very loyal to your favorite President, ME, as the Dumocrats played…

WHO chief says hantavirus ‘situation is stable for now’

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Sunday said the hantavirus “situation is stable for now.” Tedros provided an update stating that WHO has reported 12 cases of hantavirus and three deaths, with no other confirmed deaths since May 2. The outbreak is believed to have originated from South America after infected travelers…

Thomas Massie’s defeat brings the odious Epstein Era to a humiliating end

The GOP congressman’s involuntary retirement represented a massive step out of the conspiracy-driven fever swamp for the whole country.

Tennessee families furious after students forced to walk at graduation in torrential rain

“I was like nervous someone was going to slip and fall down the bleachers, like all the elderly people.”

How to maximize your chances of pregnancy — and when to seek help

Age is the most significant factor affecting a woman’s fertility — but there are a few ways to tilt the scales in her favor.