BBC News Briefing

28 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 from Japan as the southern island of Kyushu reels from a 6.8 magnitude earthquake. In Berlin, biohacking start-ups are bidding to lengthen the human lifespan. And finally, meet the grandmas who're proving a hit in the wrestling world.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

Rescue operations underway to find Japan's earthquake missing

The shell of a large building can be seen. Inside is lots of twisted metal. It's night and the building is in darkness.

A witness reported seeing an explosion and smoke at Aeon Mall after the quake. Credit: Reuters

Searches are continuing through the night in Japan's Kumamoto prefecture to find 19 people who're missing at a shopping centre and a factory after an earthquake struck on Tuesday afternoon - watch the moment it hits. The missing include 10 people at Aeon Mall where authorities confirmed the second floor collapsed - aerial footage shows the scale of the devastation. Nine others are unaccounted for at a paper factory after a chimney reportedly collapsed. Images from across the region show the levels of destruction, with buildings and roads destroyed, while this dramatic video from inside a shop shows children crying and products all over the floor. Japan's Meteorological Agency said more than 60 aftershocks have been recorded, and people are being warned to expect day-two tremors as they wake up on Wednesday.

What we know

GET UP TO SPEED

A row of men in suits of varying shades of dark blue stand in a row looking forwards. In front of them a coffin is covered in a white drape with a red cross on it

Trump, Netanyahu and Zelensky at Graham funeral

The Israeli and Ukrainian leaders held talks with US President Donald Trump ahead of the service for Senator Lindsey Graham.

Latest updates >

A herd of seven elephants - five adults and two young ones are walking in a line across a savannah. They are large and grey and two have white tusks. The head of a giraffe can be seen in the corner of the image.

Mysterious deaths of 14 elephants in Kenya

It is the highest number of elephant deaths to be recorded in the area in decades and an urgent inquiry has been launched.

Read more >

A man with short, dark blond hair is wearing a grey T-shirt with a small black microphone attached to his collar. He is smiling and standing with the sea behind him. A grey boat can be seen in the distance.

French Navy carries out 'shooting drill' mid interview

The UK's shadow home secretary said the vessel fired 17 shots during his BBC interview in the English Channel.

Watch what happened >

A camera crew film two people dressed like ancient Greeks as they walk across a field. The man has short brown hair and a beard and is wearing a tunic and leggings, the woman is wearing a beige dress which also covers her hair.

Odyssey translator writes scathing review of film

"None of the characters has convincing motivation... There are no sex scenes, and all the food looks horrible," the academic wrote.

What else she said >

NEWS FROM THE UK

Watch: This is the moment a police officer hitches a ride in a van while chasing down a suspect.

Royal job: The search will soon begin for a new right-hand man or woman for King Charles, with his principal private secretary set to step down next year.

Booker Prize: These are the 13 "dynamite" novels up for this year's prestigious literary award.

AT THE SCENE

Berlin, Germany

The Berlin start-ups attempting to slow down the ageing process

A man and woman both wearing black trousers and black T-shirts, lie on white beds next to each other and have breathing apparatus attached to their faces. A sign behind them shows a man and a woman in a pool and the words 'cell training' above the image.

A recent 'longevity' conference in Berlin offered attendees a variety of ways to try and lengthen their lives. Credit: Simon Busch

From Our Own Correspondent: It's said that only two things are certain in life - death and taxes, and while many people try to avoid the latter, a growing number are attempting to delay the former through biohacking - using science and technology to try and optimise health and set back the ageing process. It's big business and in Berlin, 'wellness' drop-in centres are popping up and a recent conference on the subject was held.

Simon has short brown hair and is looking at the camera. Only his head can be seen.

Simon Busch, reporter

Berlin is marrying the start-up ethos with the quest for immortality, which of course is not something start-ups are generally known for themselves. I visit one in a residential building in the former East Berlin neighbourhood of Lichtenberg - the tiny name tag next to the buzzer lending it a clandestine air.

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A red-light therapy session is meant to kick-start my cellular repair, ageing being commonly defined as the accumulation of cellular damage. Next, I pop into a hyperbaric oxygen chamber in what looks like someone’s bedroom. It’s the same kit that divers use to fight off the bends; here it’s supposed to fight those biohacking baddies, “zombie cells”.

Listen from 22:39

Watch: Meet the multi-millionaire trying to stop himself from ageing.

Body 'hacks': From a Bluetooth connection chest implant to magnets in fingers - these are the people using tech to try and improve themselves.

Male fertility: Ice on testicles and donating blood are just two of the unproven 'hacks' influencers are promoting to boost sperm count.