Firefighters battle to contain France and Spain wildfires

Mass evacuations as French wildfires continue

Military transport planes have been sent into the worst affected regions as ash clouds loom over Bordeaux. We hear from two families who have been caught in the fires on holiday, and get a response from the French foreign minister for International Partnerships, Éléonore Caroit. India's education minister has resigned after weeks of protests. Surbhi Kesar, a Senior Lecturer in Economics at SOAS University of London and an expert on India's labour markets and economy, told us why there is so much youth dissatisfaction in India. Also in the programme: the BBC's Jake Kwon goes out with a delivery driver in South Korea on an overnight shift to see what working conditions are like. Image: A firefighter works as flames burn during a wildfire at Ares, Grionde, amongst worsening drought conditions following a heatwave and water shortages across much of France, July 25, 2026. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe

Firefighters battle to contain France and Spain wildfires

Over 270,000 people have been evacuated in France and Spain following a spate of wildfires, with areas surrounding Bordeaux and Madrid particularly affected. Spain has declared the incident a national emergency. We hear from a woman in the impacted French commune of Biscarrosse who has not yet left the region. Also in the programme: India’s education minister resigns following protests from the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party movement. And we take a look at ‘Romantasy’ – a genre of fiction that has taken readers on the internet by storm. (Photo: Wildfires rage in southern France, Cap Ferret - 24th July 2026. Credit: Damien Rembert/EPA/Shutterstock)

ICC top prosecutor removed over sexual misconduct allegations

Member states of the International Criminal Court have overwhelmingly voted to remove its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, over allegations of sexual misconduct. The British lawyer denies accusations of engaging in an improper sexual relationship with a junior staff member. Also, firefighters struggle to contain Madrid wildfires as more than 130,000 evacuated in France and Spain. And a month after the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela, a leading member of the opposition tells us why he thinks the destruction was so bad and the response so slow. Plus that remarkable tale about two best friends who later discovered they were brother and sister! (Photo: Karim Khan. Credit: Reuters)

UN warns 'escalation is not what Yemen needs'

President Trump has threatened to inflict major military punishment against Yemen's Houthi rebels following their strikes on oil tankers in the Red Sea. Oil prices hit $100 a barrel for the first time since May as fears grow over global energy supplies. We speak to the UN's Yemen envoy Hans Grundberg who is concerned about the prospect of escalation in Yemen. Also in the programme; The BBC visits Iran school where a strike killed 120 children as questions remain whether the US military is responsible; and the European Union has fined the US tech titan Google one-billion-dollars for flouting anti- trust regulations. (Picture: A person walks past a display of Houthi-made mock missiles and drones at a square in Sana'a, Yemen, 23 July 2026. Credit: Yahya Arhab)

BBC visits Iran school where strike killed 120 children

Nawal Al-Maghafi visits Iranian school in Minab hit on first day of war. Also in the programme: Donald Trump has said the Saudi nuclear deal signed just a day ago is now contingent on the country normalising ties with Israel; and why are Tour de France cyclists being awoken in the middle of the night? (Photo: Iranian families visit the graves of loved ones killed in the US strike on a school in Minab. Credit: Jack Garland/BBC)