BBC News Briefing

21 July, 2026

Alex has short blonde hair and blue eyes. She is smiling and wearing a black turtleneck

Alex Binley

Hello. We've got the latest on a row surrounding Ukraine's top defence and military staff. We take a look at why flamingos have become a symbol of protest in Albania, and find out the rather unusual reason why a governor has been sacked in Turkey.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

Zelensky removes Ukraine’s top general after outrage

A blading man with short grey hair is seen from the side. He is sitting in a wood-panneled room and wears camouflage military fatigues.

Syrskyi was praised by Zelensky for successfully defending Kyiv in 2022. Credit: Reuters

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has sacked the country's commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi. His dismissal comes just days after the removal of popular Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov - a move that triggered street protests across the country. Demonstrators had given the president a deadline of Friday to reinstate Fedorov and dismiss Syrskyi, threatening nationwide demonstrations if not. The end of Fedorov's tenure was widely rumoured to be related to tensions between himself and Syrskyi, with the two men not even able to bear sitting in the same room, according to Zelensky. Syrskyi has been replaced by Mykhailo Drapatyi, the now former commander of Ukraine's Joint Forces, who is a popular, battle-hardened general.

GET UP TO SPEED

Debunking World Cup posts about Trump

Some of the most viral posts focus on the US president and Spain's wonderkid Lamine Yamal.

Watch the video >

Ann Widdecombe has grey bobbed hair and is speaking into a microphone and pointing with her other hand. She wears a pale blue jacket with a blue rosette on it.

Ex-minister hit 21 times with hammer - prosecutors

The attack on Ann Widdecombe took place as she was eating lunch at home and was caught on camera, a court has heard.

More from court >

Two soldiers in military camouflage fatigues are driving away from the camera in tanks. A number of people stand in the foreground, watching them.

Lebanese troops in 'pilot zone' as Israel withdraws

An agreement states Israeli troops will pull out of an area in Lebanon they occupied during the conflict with Hezbollah.

More on the plans >

A large crowd in the centre of an Italian city clashes with riot police in bright blue helmets. A blue police van can be seen in the background.

Bologna protests after man dies during police restraint

A video in Italian media shows two police officers sitting on Abderrahim Fakir as he lies face down and calls for them to stop.

What happened >

A white and blue Ryanair plane is seen taking off into the sky. The sky is blue and the top of a building with the word 'Ryanair' in yellow capital letters is seen.

'Foreign object' may have caused broken window

The incident on a Ryanair flight saw a passenger partially sucked out through the smashed window.

Read more >

NEWS FROM THE UK

Analysis: Just how divided is Britain, and how hard will it be for new Prime Minister Andy Burnham to unite it? asks presenter Evan Davis.

Organ donation: A nine-year-old boy who inspired changes to Northern Irish law has finally got a new heart after waiting almost his entire life.

'Blue lagoon': The owners of a reservoir that went viral on TikTok are warning people to stay away. Here's why.

AT THE SCENE

Tirana, Albania

Why flamingos have become the face of protest in Albania

A crowd of protesters hold sticks which hold up a pink flamingo made of paper. It is being carried along a street which people line and look at the flamingo. Trees can be seen along the street and the sky is getting dark.

Conservationists argue that the proposed luxury resort would be detrimental to Albania's unique wildlife, not least its flamingo population. Credit: Reuters

From Our Own Correspondent: Flamingos have become a national symbol of protest in Albania, triggered by opposition to a proposed luxury development by a group of international investors – including US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. They want to develop a resort close to a nature reserve where flamingos - a protected species - migrate to each year, sparking anger and daily protests.

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Guy De Launey, Balkans correspondent

The flamingos and the Trump factor might have grabbed the initial headlines, but it soon becomes apparent that the protesters’ discontent comes down to the most basic issue of all. They want a better life in one of Europe’s poorest countries – not what they see as special treatment for billionaire investors and their equally wealthy clients.

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“I'm here for my country,” a young woman called Helena tells me. “I'm here for our schools. I'm here for our hospitals. I'm here for our infrastructure,” she continues. And then she adds a plaintive note that reflects the fact that tens of thousands of mostly young Albanians leave the country every year. “I'm mostly here for myself,” she says, “because I want to stay in my country, and I don't want to leave".

Listen from 11:41

Explained: Here's what you need to know about the proposed development and Kushner's involvement.

Demonstrations widen: The protests now cover schools, jobs, living standards and calls for the prime minister to resign.

Belgrade: A Trump International Hotel in Serbia was meant to mark a new chapter in its history. Here's how it unravelled.