A rescue diver from the Maldives has died after searching for the bodies of five Italians who were exploring an underwater cave. The team from Italy were diving at depths that are not permitted for recreational divers. We hear from a government spokesperson about the rescue operation and from a former military diver about the conditions in the cave.

Also on the programme: more than 50 children have been abducted in Nigeria; and the Eurovision 2026 finals take place in Vienna.

(Photo: A police boat joins a search and recovery operation in the Vaavu Atoll, Maldives. Credit: SOPHIA NASIF/EPA/Shutterstock)

Nigeria and the United States say they have killed a senior Islamic State leader in a joint operation. Abu-Bilal al-Minuki oversaw IS-linked activities across Africa and was declared a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by Washington in 2023. We speak to a spokesperson for the Nigerian president and a regional security expert.

Also on the programme: where has this week's US-China summit left Taiwan?; and the Swiss bus service on the road to nowhere.

(Photo: Nigerian soldiers walk past military tanks prepared for deployment during a tour of the Theatre Command Operation Lafiya Dole by Nigeria's Chief of Army Staff at Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria, November 7, 2025 Credit: REUTERS/Ahmed Kingimi/File Photo)

Ukraine sent nearly 600 drones into Russia overnight, the biggest single attack on the country since the start of the war. Targets in Moscow and a patrol ship in the Caspian Sea were hit, with at least four killed in the offensive.

We hear from The Economist's Shashank Joshi about the significance of the strikes, and from Russia analyst Professor Nina Khrushcheva about how President Putin might respond.

Also in the programme: The Democratic Republic of the Congo fights to contain a deadly Ebola outbreak; and what does Che Guevara's daughter make of recent US hostility towards Cuba?

(Photo: A man inspects a damaged apartment building following a drone attack outside Moscow on May 17, 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)

The US Justice Department has indicted Cuba's former leader, Raul Castro, on criminal charges. The allegations centre on a Cuban military offensive against US civilian aircraft in 1996. The planes were operated by an organisation called Brothers to the Rescue and were searching for people who wanted to leave the island, when they were shot down by the Cuban military, which was led by Castro at the time. We get the latest from the BBC’s Cuba correspondent.

Also on the programme: Israel's far-right security minister has been condemned for taunting handcuffed Gaza flotilla activists; and we hear from the winner of this year’s International Booker Prize. 

(Photo: Cuba's former President Raul Castro watches a May Day rally in Havana, Cuba 1st May, 2025. Credit: Reuters/Norlys Perez)

Why was the Ebola outbreak able to spread so quickly? We speak to the co-chair of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response about Ebola testing shortfalls in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Also on the programme: we examine the relationship between Russia and China as Vladimir Putin fails to reach a gas pipeline deal during a visit to Beijing. Plus, we hear why the Tyrannosaurus Rex had such short arms.

(Picture: A health worker takes the temperature of an M23 rebel in Goma, North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Credit: Arlette Bashizi/Reuters)

We hear from a journalist in eastern DR Congo on how situation is becoming more and more difficult for people in the city of Goma, a major transport hub - and we speak to Tom Frieden, a leading US scientist involved in fighting the last major Ebola outbreak.

Also on the programme: An interview with former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez, pardoned by Donald Trump, now in hiding in the US. We have a rare report from inside Afghanistan. And an age-old mystery at sea has been solved - we hear how biologists rumbled the whale.

(Photo: UNICEF staff receive medical supplies from an aircraft in Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo, May 19, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Gradel Muyisa Mumbere)

The World Health Organisation has sent six tonnes of medical supplies to the Democratic Republic of Congo as it continues to sound the alarm over the scale of the Ebola outbreak in central Africa. We hear why the authorities are battling against the widespread local belief that symptoms are caused not by the Ebola virus, but witchcraft.

Also, a look ahead to today's primary contests in the United States with Kentucky becoming the most expensive race ever, and the former President of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernandez, tells our correspondent why he believes he was the victim of “lawfare” and “a witch-hunt” by a vindictive Biden Administration.

(Photo: Fatima Tafida, the Regional Supply Chain Lead for Emergencies at the World Health Organization's (WHO) Regional Office for Africa pastes stickers on shipment pallets as the WHO mobilises 4.7 tonnes of essential medical supplies and emergency kits to support the affected regions in response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, 18 May, 2026. Credit: World Health Organization/Handout /Reuters)

A deadly outbreak of the Ebola virus is spreading in central Africa. We'll talk to a doctor with experience of both treating and contracting the disease.

A report from Ukraine's "kill-zone".

Elon Musk loses AI lawsuit against Sam Altman.

and a survivor of the Blitz on her recollections of the horrors of that bombing campaign on the UK.

An ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been declared a public health emergency of international concern. The World Health Organisation has said that the virus has spread beyond the DRC, with confirmed cases reported in neighbouring Uganda. Two other neighbours - Rwanda and South Sudan - are also now on "high alert". The current strain of Ebola is caused by the Bundibugyo virus for which there are no approved drugs or vaccines. Also on the programme: A decade after Britain voted to leave the European Union... could it be heading back in? And the daughter of Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara gives us her reaction to the US blockade of her country

(Image: REUTERS/Victoire Mukenge)

A day after the US's indictment of former Cuban president Raul Castro, Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Havana has accepted an offer of $100m in aid but that the chances of a negotiated settlement was "not high". Could the US be considering an imminent invasion of Cuba?

Also on the programme: Amid a growing number of cases, a hospital treating Ebola patients in Congo is set on fire; and the new research suggesting that Beluga whales recognise their own reflections.

(Photo: Rubio speaks to the press before boarding his plane at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida, May 21, 2026 Credit: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/Pool via REUTERS)

US President Donald Trump has indicated that his country and Iran is getting ‘closer’ to achieving a peace deal. He told CBS News that despite seeing a ceasefire draft with Iran, however, he would only sign off on a deal where the US gets ‘everything’ it wants. The BBC’s State Department correspondent breaks these developments down with us.

Also in the programme: As the Ebola crisis in the DRC worsens, we hear the experience of one Sierra Leonean woman who contracted the virus back in 2014; and who's won the Palme d'Or award at this year's Cannes Film Festival?

(Photo: US President Donald Trump. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)

President Trump says he's told American negotiators not to rush into a deal with Iran. In a post on social media, he said the US blockade of Iranian ports would continue until an agreement had been certified and signed. Key sticking points remain, including control of the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear programme.

Also in the programme: Turkish riot police have stormed the headquarters of the main opposition party in Ankara in a row over a court's decision to oust the party's leader; the Gaza Flotilla activist who alleges she was sexually assaulted by Israeli forces when they intercepted her boat; and what value to put on a world record if athletics doping is allowed.

(Photo credit: Reuters)

Millions of people with breast cancer could safely avoid chemotherapy as scientists have developed a groundbreaking DNA test. We speak to an oncologist who has been involved in the research and a woman who has gone through chemotherapy after a breast cancer diagnosis.

Also on the programme: we hear from the Romanian president on the Russian drone that hit an apartment block in the east of the country; and a preview of tonight's Champions League football final between Paris St Germain and the London club Arsenal.

(Photo: A nurse provides assistance to a patient undergoing a mammogram in a modern medical facility. Credit: Getty Images)

Nato and the EU condemn Russia after a drone crashed into a Romanian apartment block, injuring two people. Speaking on Newshour, Romania’s foreign minister, Oana Toia, said the incident was a provocation by Russia.

Also on the programme: the government in Bangladesh steps in to save a buffalo named Donald Trump; and artwork by the musician Jack White goes on display in London.

(Photo: Romanian law enforcement officers work on the site of an explosion at a residential block of flats following a drone hit close to the border with Ukraine, in Galati, Romania. Credit: Inquam Photos/George Calin/Reuters)

Israel is continuing its attacks on what it says are Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, even as reports emerge from Washington that an extension of the wider ceasefire with Iran is close. We hear from our correspondent in Beirut.

Also on the programme: the World Health Organisation has told Newshour it is“fairly confident” it will soon be “on top” of the spread of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, we hear from someone living at the centre of the outbreak; and shock in Paris, what does the exit of No.1 seed Jannik Sinner mean for this year’s Roland-Garros?

(Photo: People inspect at the site of an Israeli strike in Tyre, Lebanon, May 28, 2026. REUTERS/Stringe)

The head of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, is travelling to the Democratic Republic of Congo as fears grow about the Ebola outbreak. Speaking ahead of his visit, Mr Ghebreysus warned that the country is facing a catastrophic collision of disease and conflict

Also in the programme: Israel has carried out a strike in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, after warning people in the south of the country to leave their homes; and why a tennis player's outfits are causing such a fuss at the French Open (Photo: Health workers in protective gowns and masks operate at a checkpoint set up for preventative measures against Ebola near Goma: Credit: EPA 2026 Shutterstock Editorial )

Israel's issued an evacuation order for all of southern Lebanon and carried out air strikes, saying the whole region's now a combat zone. We'll have the details from our correspondent who’s been there recently.

Also on the programme: the authorities in New York and New Jersey have launched an investigation into the way Fifa's been selling tickets for the men's World Cup; and a former member of the German militant group the Red Army Faction has been jailed after 30 years on the run. (Photo: Smoke billows following an Israeli strike in Kfar Joz, Lebanon May 26, 2026. Credit: Reuters)

Iran accused the United States of breaching their ceasefire on Tuesday. It warned it was ready to retaliate after overnight US strikes targeting Iranian missile sites and mine-laying boats. Newshour hears from a UAE political scientist and from former US state department negotiator Aaron David Miller.

Also in the programme: NASA announces moon base plans; and the man who discovered Sierra Leone's 700 carat diamond.

(Picture: An Iranian woman holds a flag bearing portraits of late Iranian supreme leaders Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, during a memorial ceremony for those killed in the Iran-US-Israel war. Credit: EPA)

Iran has issued a new warning, after the US carried out air strikes on Iranian missile sites and mine-laying boats. Also on the programme, how countries around world are adapting to heatwaves and higher summer temperatures; and, on his 100th birthday we ask what made Miles Davis one of the jazz greats from a musician who played with him.

(Photo: An Iranian woman walks next to an anti-Israeli mural on a street in Tehran, Iran, May 26, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)

Colombians are voting in a presidential election after a campaign marred by violence. Also on the programme, the death in prison of Nicaraguan indigenous leader, Brooklyn Rivera; and we hear from John Travolta on his directorial debut.

(Photo: Colombia holds first round of presidential election, Bogota - 31 May 2026. Mauricio Duenas Castaneda/EPA/Shutterstock)

Israel has ordered attacks against Hezbollah in the southern suburbs of Beirut - prompting many residents to evacuate the Lebanese capital. Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said the military would strike what he called 'terrorist targets' in the area, in response to attacks on Israeli civilians.

Also in the programme: Grammy-winning director, Meji Alabi, explores his Nigerian grandfather's role in the Biafran war; woman with incurable cancer reaches Everest summit; and South Africa’s parliament is starting an impeachment inquiry into President Cyril Ramaphosa over a scandal involving the theft of more than half a million dollars from his farm.

(Photo: People make their way as they flee the southern suburbs of Beirut, after Israeli PM Netanyahu ordered the military to attack targets in the suburbs. Credit: EPA)

The Israeli military has carried out deadly airstrikes on the southern districts of Lebanon’s capital, claiming it is targeting Hezbollah sites. In response Iran has fired ballistic missiles towards Israel, the first attack of its kind by Tehran since the ceasefire in April.

Also on the programme: Armenians vote in a general election that could determine whether the country looks to Brussels or to Moscow.

And researchers test a new weight loss drug that not only suppresses appetite, but could help people burn calories faster.

(Picture: The site of an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut,, 07 June 2026 Credit: NNA)

The people of Armenia are voting in a parliamentary election- a test of whether the country in the Caucasus moves closer to Europe, or remains within Russia's sphere of influence. We hear from both sides.

Also in the programme: How China is clamping down on exam candidates who try to get the answers from the inside of their glass lenses: and the boy who has learnt to sing like a bird.

Photo: Armenian people examine voting information during parliamentary elections at a polling station in Yerevan, Armenia, 07 June 2026. Credit: Photo by Vahram Baghdasaryan Photo Lure/ EPA

Diplomats from Israel and Lebanon have been meeting in Washington for a fourth round of talks as Israeli forces continued to carry out strikes in southern Lebanon. We speak to a member of the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah on why it has no plans to give up its weapons. Also in the programme: As the head of the UN gives a stark warning about the most catastrophic El Niño yet, farmers around the world remind us what's at stake; and the meaning of new research into the magnetic fields of planets beyond our solar system.

(Photo: Destroyed buildings after an Israeli airstrike that targeted the city of Tyre, Lebanon. Credit: WAEL HAMZEH/EPA/Shutterstock)

Iran targets Bahrain and Kuwait after renewed US strikes. We speak to a former Kuwaiti minister as the American-Iranian stalemate continues. Also in the programme, India's Cockroach Janta Party takes to the streets to demand the resignation of the education minister; and the African-American musician Brian Jackson on his work and collaboration with Gil Scott-Heron.

(Photo: CCTV image of Iranian drone above Kuwait airport on 3rd of June. Credit: Reuters)

Astronauts onboard the International Space Station were ordered to prepare for evacuation after an air leak suddenly got worse. The situation returned to normal after two Russian cosmonauts completed repairs. We talk to retired Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, who served as commander of the ISS in 2013.

We'll also hear from the Sherpa who went missing on the upper slopes of Mount Everest for six days and survived; and we remember Kanya King, the founder of the MOBO awards recognising Black music and its impact.

(A view of Earth from the Cupola on the earth-facing side of the International Space Station is seen in this NASA handout photo taken June 12, 2013 and provided June 17, 2013. Credit: Reuters)

One of the biggest artificial intelligence developers, Anthropic has warned that the latest models might escape human control. It has proposed a co-ordinated global slowdown on building AI systems. One of the firm's co-founders, Jack Clark has been speaking to BBC.

Also in the programme: the latest from Russia's flagship economic forum in Saint Petersburg; and how an outsider reached the French Open tennis final.

(Photo: Anthropic logo. Credit: Dado Ruvic/Reuters)

Lebanon's government says it will use the army to keep Hezbollah out of southern Lebanon, following a truce with Israel. But can that work without Hezbollah’s consent?

Also in the programme: we hear from a member of Curacao’s first ever World Cup soccer team; and a Sherpa feared dead on Everest reaches base camp after six days on the mountain.

(IMAGE: Smoke billows from southern Lebanon, following Israeli strikes, as seen from Nabatieh, Lebanon, June 4, 2026 / CREDIT: REUTERS/Stringer)

It's now five months since the United States removed the then Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from Caracas by force to face trial on drug charges. What has changed in the interim in Venezuela?

Also in the programme: The leader of the Cuban Five - Gerardo Hernández - speaks to us about Raúl Castro's 95th birthday, and US pressure for change in Havana; and the German film director Wim Wenders says he's withdrawing his 1975 film Wrong Move because of complaints by the actress Nastassja Kinski who appeared topless in it when she was 13 years old.

(Photo: Members of Venezuelan opposition political parties, public sector workers and students protest demanding higher wages, better working conditions, and an electoral calendar for the presidential election, in Caracas, Venezuela, 3 June 2026. Credit: Reuters/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria)

Iran's military has said it's halting military operations against Israel and media reports in Israel say that it is stopping attacks on Iran “at Trump’s request”

Also on the programme: is overheating going to be an issue in the World Cup which starts this week? And the octopus "super bloom" around the shores of England.

(Picture: Iranians examine an unexploded missile. Credit: Reuters)

Iran's military has said it's halting military operations against Israel, after the first direct hostilities between the two sides in two months. We examine the links between Iran and Hezbollah.

Also in the programme: Armenia's pro-EU incumbent wins election; a new online archive of the complete writings and drawings of Leonardo da Vinci.

(Picture: A screenshot taken from a handout video released by the Israeli Military says to show a strike on an aerial defence system in Iran at an unknown location. Credit: Reuters)

President Trump has said that a deal with Iran is scheduled to be signed on Sunday, hours after Tehran cast doubt on whether this would happen so soon. We look into Iran's proposal on its frozen assets.  Also on the programme: a new blood test that can detect thousands of serious genetic conditions in the developing foetus, limiting the need for invasive screening during pregnancy; and why Anthropic has suspended its powerful new AI model just days following its public release. (Photo: A woman holds an Iranian flag on a street in Tehran on June 10, 2026. Credit: Reuters)

Lebanese state media say Israel carried out airstrikes in the south shortly after ordering residents to leave about twenty locations. They say three injured people have been pulled from rubble following a strike near Tyre. Iran says that peace in Lebanon must be part of any agreement with the US. Tehran and Washington have both indicated that they're close to an accord, but there have been further hostilities. The US military said it shot down several Iranian drones in the Strait of Hormuz.

Also in the programme: President Trump says the US has killed the leader of a Venezuelan criminal cartel, Tren de Aragua; the UN condemns increasing levels of aggression and intimidation in the occupied West bank; and a new documentary speaks to the people who have worked as private chefs for some of the world's most notorious dictators!

(Photo: Daily life in Tehran as tension between Iran and US continues, Iran Islamic Republic Of - 21 Feb 2026. Credit: EPA)

Elon Musk has become the world's first trillionaire after his company SpaceX debuted on the Nasdaq stock market in New York. Shares jumped more than 25% over their initial offer price, valuing the rocket, satellite, and AI firm at more than two trillion dollars.

Also on the programme: One of the world's best-known artists David Hockney has died aged 88; and the English miners who took football to Mexico.

(Photo: SpaceX company leadership ring the opening bell to celebrate during SpaceX's initial public offering (IPO) at the Nasdaq MarketSite in New York City, US, June 12, 2026. Credit: Reuters/Brendan McDermid)

SpaceX shares have begun trading on the US stock exchange, marking what could be the largest initial public offering in history.

If share sales reach the company's suggested price of $135 (£100), it will set founder Elon Musk on track to be the world's first trillionaire.

Also in the programme: We pay tribute to David Hockney, one of the UK's most important and influential artists, who has died at the age of 88; Iran and the US both suggest they're close to a deal to end the conflict between them; and the biggest sporting show in the world comes to Canada - but are Canadians buying the World Cup hype?

(Photo shows SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on a live feed projected onto the Nasdaq MarketSit in New York City, on 12 June 2026. Credit: Jeenah Moon/Reuters)

Football fans have filled the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City for the start of the World Cup. After the opening ceremony, Mexico takes on South Africa in the first of 104 matches in the expanded tournament. 48 nations are competing for football's ultimate prize. The co-hosts Canada and the United States will hold their own opening ceremonies before their first group matches on Friday and Saturday. Also in the programme: Pope Leo urges world leaders to treat migrants more humanely; and drama in the world of chess as Russia is suspended - we'll hear from the governing body's president, who is himself Russian. (Photo: FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group A - Mexico v South Africa - Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico - June 11, 2026. A performer during the opening ceremony before the match. Credit: Reuters/Kai Pfaffenbach)

The US military has struck another commercial tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, accusing it of violating its blockade of Iranian ports. It's the third ship to be targeted by American missiles this week. All had Indian crews. On Wednesday three Indian seafarers were killed when their vessel was hit off the coast of Oman.

Also in the programme: Britain's defence minister has resigned, accusing the prime minister Keir Starmer of failing to deliver on commitments to boost military spending; the Pope's visit to the Spanish islands where many African immigrants have sought sanctuary; and Mexico take on South Africa today in the first game of the tournament at World Cup 2026.

(Photo credit: EPA)

Experts say that recent advances in drone technology, including the AI-enabled Hornet system, have allowed Ukraine to attack Russian targets travelling to the front lines at greater distances and with increased accuracy.

Also on the programme: an Israeli airstrike hits the centre of Sidon in Lebanon, we hear from the local MP; violent unrest continues in Northern Ireland over immigration; and the conductor Marin Allsop leads a musical tribute to Barcelona's Sagrada Familia church and its famous architect Antoni Gaudi.

(Photo: Firefighters extinguish a fire at a historic museum following a drone attack by Ukraine in Sevastopol, Crimea. Credit: Government of Sevastopol via Reuters)

The US says it has carried out a series of strikes on Iranian military and surveillance sites in response to the downing of an American helicopter in the Gulf. Iran responded with attacks on American bases across the region. We hear from Bahrain, one of the Gulf countries where Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed attacks. Also on the programme: rebels in Myanmar tell the BBC they are losing ground to the military after the government began conscripting thousands to be soldiers; and a concert to celebrate the completion of Barcelona's iconic Sagrada Familia on the centenary of the death of its architect, Antoni Gaudi. (Photo: Iranians walk past a large billboard featuring late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on a street in Tehran on June 10, 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)

The two crew members of a US army helicopter that crashed near the Strait of Hormuz were rescued by an American sea drone, say US officials. It was the first such operation carried out by US forces, the officials added.

Also on the programme: Iran's ticket allocation for its team's World Cup games in the US is cancelled; and the trial opens in Paris over a Europe-wide scheme to steal Russian literary classics.

(Photo: AH-64 Apache helicopters are American-made twin-turboshaft attack aircraft Credit: Getty Images)

A BBC investigation has found that more than 300 migrants heading to the UK last summer were kidnapped, tortured and threatened with forced organ removal. The young men, all from Iraqi Kurdistan, were captured in Libya by a militia which demanded a ransom of $5,000 from each of their families. Newshour hears from Libya expert Tim Eaton.

Also in the programme: the chief executive of US Soccer on the coming World Cup, and illegal fishing off the coast of Sierra Leone.

(Photo: Iraqi people smuggler Noah Aaron who is now serving a 10-year jail sentence in France)

A deal between the US and Iran, which was reported to be on the verge of being signed, now appears at risk after Israel struck the southern suburbs of Beirut. Also on the programme: Swiss voters reject a proposal to cap the country's population at 10 million; and the heart-wrenching story of a Syrian family disappeared by the Assad regime. (Photo: An Iranian woman walks past a billboard featuring Iran's national flag at Enqelab Square in Tehran on June 14, 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)

Israel has attacked the southern suburbs of Beirut at what it says was a Hezbollah infrastructure, in response to Hezbollah firing into its territory. The strikes could put the agreement between Iran and the United States to halt their war at risk. We hear from Ali Vaez, the Iran Project Director for the International Crisis Group.  Also on the programme;  Switzerland's proposal to limit the country's population to ten million has been rejected according to early projections, and the New York Knicks win their first NBA title in 53 years.

(Photo: Smoke billows from southern Lebanon following an Israeli strike, as seen from Marjayoun, Lebanon, June 14, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer)