BBC News Briefing

21 April, 2026

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Alex Binley

Hello. As the clock ticks on the end of the ceasefire declared between the US and Iran, the next round of talks remain up in the air. A ground-breaking DNA process has led to Kenyan children learning the truth about their military dads. And finally, watch as it all goes horribly wrong for a man who thought he'd just won a marathon.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

How US interception of Iranian ship unfolded

The Touska was travelling to Iran from China, having stopped in Malaysia on its way.

Preparations are continuing in Pakistan in the hopes that peace talks between the US and Iran will go ahead. Any negotiations are expected to focus on what one former navy commander has called "the blockade within the blockade", as both the US and Iran try and exert economic pressure on the other by controlling shipping in the vital Strait of Hormuz. This played out on Sunday, when the US intercepted an Iranian ship which appeared to defy its naval blockade. Iran called the seizure of the Touska, a vessel travelling from China, an "act of armed piracy" and a violation of the ceasefire. Here's what we know about the interception.

Verify's analysis

Get the latest: As we wait to see if US-Iran talks will take place, we'll bring you updates, here.

Analysis: Iran likes to play the long game while Trump likes to do quick deals. Will the two sides be able to find a middle ground?

Watch: "Mixed messages" on talks coming from Iran reflect the "tight spot" the country's in, chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet says.

WORLD HEADLINES

A huge stone pyramid seen from a distance with mountains in the background, and groups of people in the foreground

Tourist killed in shooting at Mexico's Teotihuacán

The gunman killed himself after the attack which left a 32-year-old Canadian woman dead and 13 others injured.

What happened >

A split image shows an older man with white hair and glasses with a black rim, wearing a black tuxedo. On the right is a middle-aged man with black hair and brown eyes is wearing a blue shirt with a black T-shirt underneath. He is standing in front of a multi-coloured screen.

New era as Apple names new boss to replace Tim Cook

Cook led Apple for 15 years and will be replaced by John Ternus, the current head of hardware engineering.

Why now >

A women with black braids wearing a black Tshirt hugs a woman with blonde and black braids who is wearing a red T-shirt. They both have their backs to the camera and re stood in front of a bungalow with a US flag on the porch.

Woman and child jumped off roof to escape shooting

Police have identified the Louisiana suspect as Shamar Elkins, who shot dead eight children, including seven of his own.

Read more >

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Japan loosens arms export rules

The announcement marks a milestone in Tokyo's shift away from the pacifism that has characterised its post-war defence policy.

More on this >

A view of Brazil's Ipanema Beach with a large mountain at the end of it. The mountain has two points and its slopes are green. High-rise buildings line the beach

Police gunfight with gang traps 200 tourists on hilltop

Visitors had gone up Morro Dois Irmãos to enjoy views of Ipanema Beach, but access to the trail was blocked by the gun fight.

Read more >

NEWS FROM THE UK

Royals: The late Queen Elizabeth would disapprove of the current state of the world, King Charles has said, marking what would have been her 100th birthday.

Fuel: Petrol thefts have surged amid higher prices due to the Iran war, the BBC has found. Watch as CCTV shows people driving off without paying.

Veteran's death: 109-year-old Frank Chester, thought to be the oldest surviving veteran of WWII, has died.

BEYOND THE HEADLINES

'They told me he was dead': Children born near army base search for their dads

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Cathy spent years desperately trying to contact her father through Facebook.

For years, Cathy was told her father, a former British Army soldier who was stationed in a base in Kenya, was dead. As she got older, the 20-year-old discovered he was alive and tried messaging him on Facebook, but he says he blocked her accounts, not recognising them. Now Phil, and 19 others who worked for the UK military in Kenya, have been identified through a ground-breaking process as fathers of children born near the base.

What happened next

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SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Written in the stars

Some travellers are choosing their destinations based on astrology.

Here's how