BBC News Briefing

21 May, 2026

Roland has ginger hair and a ginger beard and is wearing a white shirt. He is wearing glasses with a black frame.

Roland Hughes

Hello. We've got the latest reaction from a Paris court after a historic verdict over a plane crash 17 years ago. Elsewhere, the fallout from the US indictment of Raúl Castro continues, and there's some surprising health news from Europe.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

Air France and Airbus found guilty of manslaughter over 2009 jet tragedy

Part of a plane is lifted from the sea by ropes towards a crew on a grey dinghy

All 228 people on board flight AF447 died when it crashed. Credit: Getty Images

It was the deadliest incident in French aviation history. On 1 June 2009, flight AF447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris stalled during a storm and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, killing all 12 crew members and 216 passengers. Now, a Paris court has found Air France and manufacturer Airbus "solely and entirely responsible" for the incident, three years after a previous trial cleared the companies. Both have repeatedly denied the charges and say they will appeal. But for the victims' families, there is a clear sense of relief - mixed with frustration at the fine the companies face.

What happened on board

GET UP TO SPEED

Cuba's former President Raul Castro waves a small Cuban flag

China and Russia condemn US over Castro indictment

It comes after the US charged Raúl Castro with murder, the latest move to put pressure on the regime.

Read the latest >

An Iranian military speedboat pictured in the sea, in a blue frame with the text BBC Verify

Iran steps up claim to control Strait of Hormuz

Iran has published a map claiming "armed forces oversight" across more than 22,000 sq km of the waterway.

Read the reaction >

A man in a white T-shirt pinches a red condom packet

Gonorrhoea and syphilis hit record levels in Europe

Cases of gonorrhoea more than trebled, and those of syphilis doubled, since 2015, leading to warnings from doctors.

What's behind the rise >

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