Plus: Giant tortoises return to island in the Galápagos ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
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| | | Hello. At least 25 members of Mexico's National Guards have been killed in unrest ensuing the death of the leader of a powerful drug cartel. My colleague Jack Burgess has the details. In the occupied West Bank, correspondent Yolande Knell reports on the economic crisis affecting the Palestinian Authority. And finally, watch giant tortoises return to an island in the Galápagos. | | | | | | |
| TOP OF THE AGENDA | | Locals and tourists describe Mexico unrest | | |  | | Mexico's defence secretary said 2,500 soldiers had been sent to the west of the country to bolster security. Credit: Getty Images | | Unrest has erupted in at least 20 states in Mexico since the death of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, one of the most feared criminal organisations in the country. Eyewitnesses in the state of Jalisco have described the situation as "heartbreaking", as footage recorded by locals and tourists showed burnt vehicles and plumes of smoke rising above several towns and cities, including the beach resort of Puerto Vallarta. The drug lord known as "El Mencho", who was Mexico's most wanted man, died in custody on Sunday shortly after being captured by Mexican special forces. Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum has praised the army's operation and said her priority is to guarantee peace and security. | | | | | | | | |
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| | | Former US ambassador Lord Mandelson arrested | | Peter Mandelson has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office and was being interviewed in London. | | What happened > | | | | FBI director defends USA hockey team celebrations | | Kash Patel has defended his trip to the Winter Olympics in Italy after footage of him drew online criticism. | | What to know > | | | | Nick Reiner pleads not guilty in parents' killing | | Reiner could face life in prison without parole or the death penalty if convicted of the murder of his parents Rob and Michele. | | Read more > | | | | | | |
| NEWS FROM THE UK | | | | | - Baftas: The BBC has apologised for not editing out a racial slur that a guest with Tourette's syndrome shouted out during its coverage of the awards.
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| | | | | Ramallah, Occupied West Bank | | | Why Palestinian Authority is in crisis |  | | The Palestinian Authority has delivered little improvement to the lives of Palestinians. Credit: EPA | | The Palestinian Authority (PA), which is tasked with providing basic services in the West Bank, is mired in a deep economic crisis. Israel is withholding tax transfers that it collects for the PA because of an ongoing dispute about Palestinian school texts and stipends to the families of those jailed or killed by Israel, including attackers. The PA says it is now owed more than $4bn (£3bn; €3.4bn). | | | | | | Yolande Knell, Middle East correspondent | | | | | | Sitting among green rolling hills, studded with olive groves, most homes in al-Mughayir are in an area where Israel's military controls security, but the internationally backed PA should provide basic services. Increasingly though, it cannot. Its schools – where more than 600,000 children study – open just three days a week. "It's truly hard," a mother-of-eight in al-Mughayyir tells me, explaining that the schools also close when settlers or soldiers are nearby because of fears for the children.
Driving away from al-Mughayyir, there are Israeli military gates used to close off Palestinian villages from each other and restrict movement. I also see Israeli bulldozers transforming the landscape, widening roads to connect settlements and give settlers quicker access to Jerusalem. Settlements – illegal under international law – are growing at a record rate. | | | | | | |
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