BBC News (World)

Wael Al-Dahdouh: Al Jazeera reporter's family killed in Gaza strike The family of an Al Jazeera news reporter has been killed in an Israeli air strike on Gaza, the network has confirmed. Wael Al-Dahdouh's wife, teenage son and young daughter were all killed at a refugee camp in central Gaza on Wednesday, Al Jazeera said in a statement. It later reported that his grandson had died as well. Al Jazeera condemned the killings and Israel's "indiscriminate attack". According to the news organisation, Al-Dahdouh's family was living in a house at the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza after being displaced from northern Gaza following Israel's warning to residents to move south due to ongoing military action. read more

At least 16 feared dead in mass shootings in US city of Lewiston, Maine Police in the US city of Lewiston, Maine have warned a gunman is on the loose, with reports that at least 16 people have been killed. Residents of the city, as well as the nearby town of Lisbon, have been told to shelter in place. Police named Robert Card, 40, as a person of interest and said he should be considered "armed and dangerous". The White House said President Joe Biden had been briefed on the situation and would continue to receive updates. read more

Hurricane Otis smashes into Mexico coast Hurricane Otis has made landfall on the coast of southern Mexico, bringing wind speeds of up to 165mph (270km/h). It touched down near the popular Acapulco resort just after midnight on Wednesday (06:25 GMT), the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. Authorities have warned of a life-threatening storm surge and the possibility of landslides as heavy rain pelts the area. The storm has already begun to weaken as it moves inland. David Hall arrived at the Princess Mundo Imperial resort in Acapulco for a work conference hours before Otis made landfall. He told the BBC that the building had been damaged by the wind and rain. read more

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Republicans pick Mike Johnson as latest House Speaker nominee Republicans have picked Congressman Mike Johnson as their latest nominee for the Speaker of the House of Representatives. He is the fourth nominee put forward after three others failed to win enough support from colleagues, and the second nominee of the day. Mr Johnson was selected after three rounds of voting late on Tuesday. The House has been without a Speaker and has been unable to pass bills since Kevin McCarthy was ousted on 3 October. The selection of Louisiana's Mr Johnson, 51, was announced by House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik. read more

World shift to clean energy is unstoppable, IEA report says The world is on an "unstoppable" shift towards renewable energy but the phase down of fossil fuels is not happening quickly enough, a new report says. The International Energy Agency, the global energy watchdog, predicted renewables would provide half of the world's electricity by 2030. But it warned that emissions were still too high to prevent temperatures rising above a key threshold of 1.5C. And the report said investment in fossil fuels needed to be cut in half. read more

Argentina presidential election: Javier Milei and Sergio Massa head for run-off vote Argentina's economy minister Sergio Massa has defied expectations by winning more than 36% of the vote in Sunday's presidential election, putting him on course for a run-off contest with far-right candidate Javier Milei. With most ballots now counted, no candidate has received more than 45% of votes - the threshold to be elected. Many pollsters believed voters would punish Mr Massa for presiding over a financial crisis. Inflation in Argentina is nearing 140%. read more

Israel-Gaza war: UN agencies call for Gaza ceasefire as aid arrives A group of UN agencies have called for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza as conditions worsen in the territory. The World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) were among five agencies who described the situation in Gaza as "catastrophic" in a joint statement. The UN's plea for a de-escalation of the conflict comes as Israel warns of intensified strikes on Gaza. On Saturday, 20 aid trucks crossed from Egypt for the first time in two weeks. read more

Palestinians under attack as settler violence surges in the West Bank Abed Wadi was getting dressed for the funeral when the message arrived. It was an image, forwarded to him by a friend, of a group of masked men posing with axes, a petrol canister, and a chainsaw, with text printed on the image in Hebrew and Arabic. "To all the rats in the sewers of Qusra village, we are waiting for you and we will not mourn you," the text said. "The day of revenge is coming." Qusra is Wadi's village, in the northern part of the West Bank near Nablus. The funeral that day was for four Palestinians from the village. Three had been killed the previous day - Wednesday 11 October - after Israeli settlers entered Qusra and attacked a Palestinian family home. read more

China has sharply expanded nuclear arsenal, US says China has significantly expanded its nuclear stockpile over the past year and is now holding some 500 operational warheads, the US has said. An annual report released by the Pentagon also said Beijing hopes to double its arsenal to over 1,000 warheads by 2030. But it said China remained committed to a "no-first strike" policy. While the report said the growth exceeded projections, China's stockpile is still dwarfed by Russia and the US. read more

Aid delivery waits to enter Gaza from Egypt at Rafah crossing About 20 trucks carrying food, water and medical supplies may be allowed to enter Gaza in the coming days. Israel cut electricity, most water and stopped deliveries of food and medicine to Gaza following an attack by Hamas militants on 7 October. Since then, Gaza's 2.1 million residents have been rapidly running out of basic supplies. But leading humanitarian organisations warn the aid delivery will only be a drop in the ocean. read more

Russia's Lavrov hails deeper ties in N Korea visit Moscow has pledged its "complete support" for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, says Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Mr Lavrov, who is on an official trip to North Korea, also thanked the country for its support in Ukraine. His ongoing trip sets the stage for a possible visit to the country by President Vladimir Putin. Last week, the US said North Korea had begun sending large shipments of arms to Russia for use in Ukraine. read more

Hundreds feared dead in Gaza hospital blast as Biden heads to Israel The deadly blast on a hospital in the Gaza Strip is "totally unacceptable", the UN human rights chief said. "Words fail me," Volker Turk said in a statement. "Tonight, hundreds of people were killed - horrifically - in a massive strike at Al Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza City, including patients, healthcare workers and families that had been seeking refuge in and around the hospital. Once again the most vulnerable." read more

Displaced among dozens killed in Israeli strikes on southern Gaza More than 100 Palestinians have been killed in air strikes in southern Gaza, officials say, as the Israeli military continues to target the area despite ordering civilians to shelter there. Most of the dead reportedly fled their homes in the north ahead of what is expected to be a major ground offensive against the militant group Hamas. The military said it struck a series of Hamas targets in the south. There is also mounting concern about humanitarian conditions in Gaza. read more

Poland election earthquake: What happens next? A second exit poll in Poland has predicted the governing right-wing populist Law and Justice party won the most votes in Sunday's election but will lose its majority in parliament. If the official result, expected on Tuesday, confirms the second exit poll prediction - which has a 2% margin of error - it's up to President Andrezj Duda, a former Law and Justice MP, to appoint a new prime minister to form a government. read more

Boy, 6, killed in anti-Muslim attack, say US police A man has been charged with murder and hate crimes after allegedly stabbing two people because they were Muslim. Joseph Czuba, 71, is accused of killing a six-year-old boy and injuring a woman, 32, in Plainfield, Illinois. The victims were targeted because of the current conflict between Hamas and Israel, the Will County Sheriff's Office said. Mr Czuba was charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, hate crimes and aggravated battery. read more

Microsoft completes $69bn takeover of Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard Microsoft has completed its $69bn (£56bn) takeover of Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard in the gaming industry's biggest ever deal. It comes as Microsoft, which owns the Xbox gaming console, was given the green light for the global deal after UK regulators approved it. The Competition and Markets Authority said its concerns had been addressed, after it blocked the original bid. Microsoft's Phil Spencer said securing Activision was "incredible". read more

North Korea sending Russia military equipment, US claims US officials have accused North Korea of supplying vast amounts of military hardware to Russia for use in Ukraine. Pyongyang has supplied up to 1,000 containers of "equipment and munitions" in "recent weeks", National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby said. Officials also released photos of what they said were 300 containers assembled for transport in Najin, North Korea. Last month, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited Russia to discuss potential military cooperation. read more

French police break up pro-Palestinian demo after ban Police in the centre of Paris used tear gas and water cannons to break up a pro-Palestinian rally, after the French government banned such demonstrations. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said those defying it should be arrested as "they are susceptible to disrupt public order.'' Despite the ban, thousands of protesters gathered in Paris, Lille, Bordeaux and other cities on Thursday. President Emmanuel Macron appealed to people not to foment internal division. read more