Author: BBC

Getty ImagesWhen Americans choose their next president, the contest is always closely watched around the world.There are countless ways US foreign policy – and the actions of the White House – has an impact on different parts of the globe.American influence abroad is sure to play a part in the first debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump on Thursday.But it’s not just in Ukraine, Israel and Gaza that this election matters. Eight of the BBC’s foreign correspondents explain why this election rematch is making waves where they are.Russians will watch closely for instabilityBy Steve Rosenberg, Russia editor, MoscowImagine you’re…

Hundreds of jobs are at risk after a nappies and wet wipes manufacturer announced it is considering closing one of its sites.Kimberly-Clark said the UK government’s deadline to remove plastic from wet wipes by mid-2026 “significantly limits” its ability to adapt its processes in time, meaning it may “no longer be viable” to keep its site running in Flint, Flintshire.The manufacturer said phasing out plastics from its baby wipes had “long been part” of its sustainability plans. The UK government announced new legislation to ban wet wipes containing plastic in April 2024. Around 220 people are employed at the factory…

The Indian government has sought a detailed report from Tamil Nadu state following media reports that Apple supplier Foxconn was allegedly rejecting married women for iPhone assembly jobs.A Reuters investigation alleged that Foxconn had excluded married women from jobs at its main India iPhone plant near Chennai, citing their greater family responsibilities compared to unmarried women.The federal labour ministry says the law “clearly stipulates that no discrimination (is) to be made while recruiting men and women workers”. Neither Apple nor the Tamil Nadu state government responded to requests for comment from Reuters.The BBC has also reached out to Foxconn and…

3 days agoBy Chloe Harcombe, BBC News, West of EnglandPA MediaPeople will be travelling from all over to attend Glastonbury FestivalWith just days to go before the gates of Glastonbury Festival open, many will be in the process of planning their journeys.About 200,000 people are expected to descend on Worthy Farm in Somerset. With various modes of transport available, some may be considering what their options are. The site can be reached by train, coach bike or car – but festival-goers are encouraged to “travel green” by making eco-friendly journeys. The organisers have launched a carbon calculator which can be used to…

There was shock in the Bolivian administrative capital of La Paz on Wednesday, after soldiers stormed the presidential palace as part of an attempted coup by breakaway military chiefs. There were no reports of serious injuries or deaths.The coup leader, General Juan José Zúñiga, said he wanted to “restructure democracy” in the country and called for a change of government. He was later arrested and is now the subject of a criminal investigation, alongside those who helped him. The attempted coup has been denounced by the Bolivian government and several Latin American countries. Here are some of the best images…

Webtoon Entertainment, which describes itself as the world’s largest web comic platform, has set its market value at $2.67bn (£2.11bn) ahead of its US listing.Its shares are due to start trading on the Nasdaq stock exchange on 27 June at $21 each, the top end of their marketed range.The Los Angeles-based company is owned by South Korean technology giant Naver, which has been boosted by the growing online popularity of Korean and Japanese comics.Webtoon says it has 170 million monthly active users in more than 150 countries around the world.The company is aiming to sell 15 million shares and raise…

BBCElliott Collins spent 29 years needing regular injections to help clot his blood, now he feels curedA transformational gene therapy that treats the bleeding disorder haemophilia B is being made available on the NHS.Elliott Collins was one of the first to get the treatment when he took part in the trials that proved it worked. He says he “feels cured” and the gene therapy has given him a “new lease of life”.The treatment is one of the world’s most expensive, with an official cost of £2.6m.When you cut yourself, the body senses the injury and activates a series of clotting…

Glastonbury Festival opens its gates on Wednesday, as 200,000 revellers descend on Worthy Farm for a weekend of music, comedy, poetry, dance and theatre.This year promises one of the most diverse line-ups in years, with the main stages exploring Afrobeats, Drum & Bass, Grime, Folk and Ballet among the usual diet of rock and pop.Dua Lipa, Coldplay and SZA headline the Pyramid Stage, with other highlights including Shania Twain, Jungle, Disclosure, Avril Lavigne, Fontaines DC, Peggy Gou, The National, Burna Boy, Janelle Monae, Jessie Ware and Charli XCX.The main stages open on Friday, but acts like Shygirl and MJ Cole…

An original watercolour illustration has become the most valuable Harry Potter item ever sold – fetching $1.9m (£1.5m) at auction in the US.The artwork for the first edition of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone sold for more than three times the expected price.It was first auctioned in 2001, before the book series was complete, for £85,750 (about $108,000 at current exchange rates).”This is really the first visualization of Harry and the wizarding world,” said Kalika Sands from Sotheby’s auction house. The artwork had been expected to sell for between $400,000 and $600,000, which Sotheby’s said was the…

1 hour agoBy Mark Savage, Music CorrespondentSugababes / XSugababes / XSugababes at Glastonbury 2022 (L-R): Siobhan Donaghy, Keisha Buchanan and Mutya BuenaSo many fans tried to get into the show that the Avalon field had to be shut downAll of a sudden, the police arrive.It’s 2022 and we’re in Glastonbury’s Avalon field. It’s a chilled-out area where “travellers come to rest their weary legs,” according to the festival’s website.You can buy hot buttered crumpets or kick back with a pint of local ale. The music tends to be less frenetic, the atmosphere more kid-friendly.Then Sugababes turn up.The day one line-up of Keisha…