Watch: Lyse Doucet on emotion and politics at Tehran funeral of former supreme leader

Vast crowds loyal to the Islamic Republic have gathered in Tehran at a funeral ceremony for Iran's former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in joint US-Israeli strikes at the start of the war.

His second son and successor, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, was conspicuously absent from his father's funeral. Ali Khamenei's other three sons - Masoud, Mostafa and Meysam - all attended the service held in the capital on Sunday.

Iranian state media say six days of ceremonies will span several


From 'a beautiful night' to 'world's greatest hangover', guests react to Taylor and Travis's wedding

Music video director Joseph Kahn, who helmed a number of Swift's videos including Bad Blood and Look What You Made Me Do, also took to Instagram over the weekend to say he had had a "wonderful" time at the wedding.

"I got to meet Steven Spielberg and the lovely Kate Capshaw and talk filmmaking with the GOAT (lifelong dream achieved)," he revealed.

"What I will say about the wedding was it was so much funnier and emotional than expected, and as big as it was


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Against Argentina, they went behind to a Messi goal, but came back to level at 1-1 and take the game to extra time. Then they went behind again - before a stunning strike from Sidny Lopes Cabral levelled once more. It was not to be though, with a cruel deflection off Diney Borges from Cristian Romero's header seeing Argentina through.

Despite defeat, Cape Verde manager Pedro Leitão Brito, also known as Bubista, was proud of a team which came within 10 minutes of forcing


Nigeria says two nationals killed in South Africa amid rise of anti-migrant attacks

In its statement, Nigeria's foreign ministry said Iroegbu was reportedly killed in Pretoria by officers from the Tshwane Metro police department.

Joe, killed on 28 June, was attacked outside his shop in the city of eMalahleni, the ministry said.

Abuja said it was placing the South African government "on notice" and that "all options remain on the table... if the uncultured and provocative trend of intolerance and apartheid-style behaviour of South Africa against foreigners is not addressed".

Nigeria has said it


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The authorities in Australia are investigating the origins of mysterious large silver spheres that washed up on a beach in northern Queensland this weekend.

The six solid objects discovered on Forrest Beach, to the north of Townsville, are thought to be space debris, and the Australian Space Agency (ASA) is now trying to determine where they came from. The BBC has approached the agency for comment.

Crews in protective suits were reportedly seen placing the spheres in hazmat barrels under police guard, over concerns they may contain hazardous substances.

Queensland


Iran's supreme leader absent as senior officials attend ayatollah's funeral

The Tehran events alone are expected to attract more than 10 million mourners from across Iran, with strict security measures imposed and official media warned of a risk of crowd crushes.

Iran's official news agency Irna reported on Sunday that more than 4,000 people had visited medical centres located in and near the Grand Mosalla - though no deaths had been recorded.

Images from the funeral show mourners being sprayed with mist to keep them cool and medics carrying an elderly woman away on a stretcher.

Khamenei's


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Bavi is forecast to make landfall early on Monday morning, with winds of up to 257km/h (160mph), according to the US National Weather Service (NWS).

It warned the "very dangerous" storm could cause "catastrophic" damage, with "significant flooding from torrential rains" possible and waves potentially nearly 11m (35ft)


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Thousands of people gathered in the US capital to celebrate the country's 250th birthday in a day that was marked by extreme weather, delays, and a huge display of fireworks.

The celebration, which included a flyover, a concert, as well as a speech by US President Donald Trump, was delayed by a thunderstorm that forced an evacuation of the National Mall in the early evening.

The night ended with the skies being lit up by the reputed largest fireworks display ever in the US.

The 4


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Underground church leader Jin Mingri has been released from prison in China and has travelled to the US, less than two months after his incarceration was raised directly by Donald Trump.

The pastor and founder of the Zion Church had been imprisoned following overnight raids across China in October, described by Christian groups as one of the strictest crackdowns on religious activity in the country's modern history.

The Chinese government tightly controls religion and officially promotes atheism.

Jin's family thanked supporters in a statement, adding: "We truly witnessed


How Iran's new regime is very different to what came before

"They will keep a very, very strong focus on the street," she says.

But with the hijab no longer enforced outside state institutions, even before the war, and alcohol quietly available in Tehran restaurants, there are also signs that the regime may gradually be casting aside some of the old taboos.

Vali Nasr says it's all driven by necessity: the need to restore faith in the state.

"They made a pragmatic decision that their raison d'état [literally "reason of state"