A Los Angeles jury has found Instagram and YouTube deliberately designed to be addictive and negligent in protecting a young user, awarding $6m (about £4.5m) to the plaintiff known as Kaley.The woman told the court the platforms left her with body dysmorphia, depression and suicidal thoughts.Meta and Google say they will appeal — Meta argues a single app cannot be held solely responsible for a...

President Trump has signaled a desire to step back from the conflict with Iran, but his approach remains muddled as Washington balances threats and talks.In a dramatic 48-hour stretch this week, the Pentagon ordered more than 1,000 paratroopers toward Iran while US negotiators sent Tehran a new 15-point peace proposal.The White House publicly urged acceptance even as it warned of tougher action...

This Nowruz has a different feel: homes are being swept and prepared for spring, but celebration is muted by war, internet blackouts and a sense of danger.Families who would normally gather are cut off from loved ones and struggling to get news from the outside.Reporters working with people inside Iran have been sent accounts under strict anonymity for safety. The government has tightened online...

Russia carried out an unprecedented drone offensive against Ukraine, firing 948 unmanned aircraft over a single 24‑hour period, Ukrainian authorities said.The country's Air Force reported 556 drones were launched from 09:00 local time in a rare daytime wave of strikes that struck cities across Ukraine.Officials said many machines were intercepted, but several made direct hits that caused deaths...

After eight years of talks, Australia and the European Union have finalized a wide-ranging free trade agreement in Canberra valued at roughly A$10 billion.The pact removes almost all customs duties between the two sides and also deepens cooperation on defence, supply-chain resilience and critical minerals — steps officials said are designed to withstand growing global uncertainty.Tariffs on...

Two Russian men have gone on trial in Angola accused of running a covert influence campaign to stir anti-government unrest and interfere in next year’s presidential vote.Igor Ratchin and Lev Lakshtanov were arrested in August and face 11 charges between them, including terrorism, espionage and influence peddling.Angolan prosecutors say the pair worked with a wider network that grew out of...

Matt Brittin, a former senior executive at Google, has been named the BBC's next director general.He succeeds Tim Davie, who stepped down following controversy over a Panorama edit that sparked widespread criticism.Brittin led Google's activities across Europe, the Middle East and Africa before leaving the company in 2025 after an 18-year tenure. BBC chairman Samir Shah argued the corporation...

Jannik Sinner extended a remarkable run at ATP Masters 1000 events, breaking Novak Djokovic's decade-old mark for consecutive sets won with a convincing victory at the Miami Open.The Italian, ranked world number two and just 24 years old, closed out Corentin Moutet 6-1 6-4 in 71 minutes to register his 25th and 26th straight sets at the Masters 1000 level, moving past Djokovic’s previous streak...

Larry Fink, chief executive of asset manager BlackRock, warned that oil at around $150 a barrel would likely push the global economy into a deep downturn.He told the BBC that if tensions with Iran persist and energy prices remain elevated, the fallout would be severe for growth and living standards.Fink, who runs a firm with about $14 trillion under management, outlined two broad paths for the...

Five women who say they were abused by Jeffrey Epstein met on camera for the first time in a BBC Newsnight session to share how the crimes still shape their lives.One of them, Joanna Harrison, said she had kept silent for years but was forced into the open when US government files were published with insufficient redactions.That disclosure stripped her of anonymity and pushed her to speak. The...