BBC News Briefing

15 October, 2025

Alex Binley

Hello. Hamas has said it has handed over the bodies of more hostages to the Red Cross, but that it is unable to access the rest of the dead hostages - we'll bring you the latest. In Paraguay, an abundance of clean energy means the government believes the South American country could become a new Silicon Valley. And finally, take a look at a rare wildflower bloom in Chile's Atacama desert.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

Hamas returns more bodies but says it cannot retrieve remaining dead hostages

Two men walk along past piles of rubble. The are carrying planks of wood on their shoulders and a bag filled with shards of wood. One man is wearing a brown striped T-Shirt and black trousers. The other man has a red T-shirt on and black trousers and his face cannot be seen.

Before any reconstruction can begin, debris must first be cleared. Credit: Reuters

The Red Cross is collecting the bodies of two more hostages from Gaza, Israel has said. They could be the last for the immediate future after Hamas said it has handed over all the remains it can reach, and that it will require "significant efforts and specialised equipment" to recover the others. Under the terms of the first phase of the peace plan, Hamas is required to return all 28 dead hostages. The agreement has also seen Israeli troops withdraw from parts of Gaza and thousands of Palestinians return to their neighbourhoods, many of which are in ruins. BBC Verify investigates the extent of the damage in Gaza and what its reconstruction would require, a task expected to cost $70bn (£52.29bn) and take years.

Live updates

GET UP TO SPEED

A man wears a white shirt and a cream coloured straw hat with a black ribbon around it. He is seen from the side and is holding an arm up and makinag a fist with his hand

'Father of our democracy': Kenya's Raila Odinga dies

The 80-year-old was one of Kenya's most influential and enduring political figures, despite five unsuccessful presidential bids.

More on his life >

Three men with scarves wrapped around their heads sit on top of a green tank which has its gun pointing up into the air.

Afghanistan and Pakistan agree truce after clashes

A 48-hour ceasefire comes after fighting at the border and reports of Pakistani air strikes in Kandahar and Kabul.

Read more >

A woman wears a military uniform of camouflage fatigues and a large khaki-coloured backback. She has red hair which is in a plait and has a mobile phone held up to her ear. Her face cannot be seen and she appears to be waiting on a railway station platform

Row over military service splits German government

Plans to re-introduce military service have been thrown into chaos because of an 11th hour disagreement.

What sparked it >

A man with grey hair sits at a desk and leans forwards. He is wearing a blue suit, with a striped blue tie and there is a US flag next to him.

Hegseth plane lands in UK due to cracked windshield

The US defence secretary was flying from Belgium to the US when his plane was forced to land.

What happened >

AT THE SCENE

Asunción, Paraguay

Is Paraguay set to become the Silicon Valley of South America?

Gabriela Cibils has long brown hair that is more blonde as it gets longer. She has green eyes and is wearing lots of gold studs and hoops in her ears. She is smiling and wearing a black jacket.

Gabriela Cibils wants to help Paraguay attract big tech from the US and elsewhere. Credit: Gabriela Cibils

Landlocked Paraguay, nestled between Brazil and Argentina, hopes to build a big tech sector, and the government is so confident in its vision that it's investing millions to make it happen. It believes it has two advantages to help make this dream a reality - a young population, and vast amounts of cheap hydroelectricity, essential for the massive energy demands of AI computing.

Jane has long blonde hair and is smling. She has sunglasses pushed up into her hair and her head is cocked to the side.

Jane Chambers, business reporter

Gabriela Cibils is on a mission – to help turn Paraguay into the Silicon Valley of South America. When she was growing up, she says the nation "wasn't super tech focused". She's now helping to lead efforts to build a large and successful tech sector that puts the country of seven million people on the world map - and attract some of the globe's tech giants.

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"I saw first hand the impact that technology can have on your life," she says. "After being exposed to such a different world [while living in Silicon Valley], it's my responsibility to bring that mindset back and combine it with the talent I see in Paraguay."

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Overhead view of a plate of couscous with grain, lamb, chickpeas, parsley, courgettes and carrots. Background is yellow and white stripes.

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