“There are corpses on the roads. We do not know if they are civilians or the Taliban,” one resident, who is not being named for security reasons, told the BBC Afghan service in an interview on Whatsapp. “Dozens of families have fled
In Tokyo a French father is drawing the world’s attention to what he says is the kidnapping of children by their own parents in Japan. Vincent Fichot started a hunger strike outside the Olympic stadium on 10 July. He says his Japanese
Turkey is continuing to battle deadly wildfires sweeping through the country, forcing tourists to flee in boats and turning the sky red. More than 120 fires have now been brought under control, but local and international firefighters are still battling another seven
The Taliban’s firm focus is now on Afghanistan’s cities. The situation is fluid but Lashkar Gah, capital of Helmand province where many US and British soldiers lost their lives, looks the most vulnerable right now. Pro-Taliban social media accounts have uploaded videos
Simone Biles has pulled out of Sunday’s vault and uneven bars gymnastics finals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The four-time Olympic champion, 24, withdrew from Tuesday’s women’s team final as well as Thursday’s individual all-around final saying she had to focus on
Nearly 70% of adults have received at least one jab, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control. But vaccination rates are varied across the country. Southern and western regions, which are now experiencing Covid outbreaks, have much lower
Biles, who won four golds at Rio 2016, has yet to confirm whether she will take part in the apparatus finals in Tokyo Four-time Olympic gold medallist Simone Biles has reacted to the widespread support she has received after withdrawing from Thursday’s
Simone Biles withdrew following her vault in the opening rotation of the women’s team final Dates: 23 July-8 August Time in Tokyo: BST +8 Coverage: Watch live on BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, BBC Red Button and online; Listen on BBC Radio 5
A record number of civilians have been killed as a result of the conflict in the first half of this year. The UN blames most of the 1,600 civilian deaths on the Taliban and other anti-government elements. The fighting has also forced
Dates: 23 July-8 August Time in Tokyo: BST +8 Coverage: Watch live on BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, BBC Red Button and online; Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live, Sports Extra and Sounds; live text and video clips on BBC Sport website and