BBC News Briefing

8 May, 2026

Sofia has long brown hair and brown eyes and is wearing a green top

Sofia Lotto Persio

Hello. My colleague Tom McArthur details efforts around the world to trace passengers from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship. BBC Africa's Bushra Mohamed reports what life is like for Somali migrants in Minneapolis after immigration operations in the US city were scaled down. Test your news knowledge in our weekly quiz and, finally, watch drone deliveries take off in the UK.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

At least 12 countries monitoring citizens

Civil Guard officers and local policemen prepare the command post set up at the port of Granadilla de Abona, in Tenerife Island, during preparations for the arrival of the cruise ship MV Hondius, affected by hantavirus outbreak, Canary Islands, southwestern Spain, 08 May 2026.

The luxury cruise ship is expected to arrive in Spain's Canary Islands on 10 May. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

The World Health Organization is in touch with officials in at least 12 countries who are monitoring citizens that were on the MV Hondius cruise ship or had returned home. Those countries include Canada, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. One expert told the BBC the outbreak response has been "highly chaotic and uncoordinated" but there was little general risk to the public.

Country-by-country list

GET UP TO SPEED

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Iran accuses US of 'reckless' military action

Iran is expected to respond to US proposals to end the war on Friday, according to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Read more >

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International cyber attack hits universities, schools

An estimated 9,000 institutions have been affected by the attack that caused the academic software Canvas to go offline.

What to know >

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Thousands take part in Palestine Marathon

The event has returned to the West Bank city of Bethlehem after a two-year pause due to restrictions over the Gaza War.

Watch what happened >

NEWS FROM THE UK

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Fraud sentencing: A cashier who stole from vulnerable customers and was caught after posting lavish holiday photos has been jailed for 16 months.

Sir David Attenborough: Read some of the birthday wishes sent to the centenarian, and test your knowledge of his life and career.

AT THE SCENE

Minneapolis, US

Somali migrants living in fear of ICE

Two women stand in front of the window of a residential complex. A baby pram stands next to them. They are wearing winter jackets and headscarfs covering their hair. Cars can be seen parked outside.

The US state of Minnesota has been home to a huge Somali diaspora community since the 1990s. Credit: Reuters

Months after it was announced that the surge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minnesota was coming to an end, fear still pervades parts of the US state. Walking through parts of Minneapolis, home to several migrant communities, the impact of the raids is still visible - even if daily life is slowly beginning to return to some normality.

Bushra wears a black headscarf. She has brown eyes.

Bushra Mohamed, BBC Africa

Abdi, a 23-year-old man from Somalia whose name has been changed to protect his identity, is one of those who lives in the shadows - terrified of the immigration agents still patrolling the city. "It hasn't ended," Abdi told the BBC.

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He said that he rarely stays in one place for longer than five nights - and sneaks out to go to work. In Adbi's mind the situation remains an existential crisis: "I would rather live in hiding here for the rest of my life than go back to Somalia, because my life would be at risk."

Keep reading

Stay or go: The White House's deportation drive forces tough decisions for couples who face a choice between separation or leaving the US.

Watch: Residents of Social Circle, in Georgia, are opposing plans to turn an empty warehouse into a detention centre to house 10,000 people.

Unpaid debt: The State Department has said it will start to revoke the US passports of those who owe substantial amounts of child support.

PICK OF THE WEEK

No-nonsense judge presides over tech feud

Judge Gonzalez Rogers appears on a panel wearing a tweed jacket and white turtleneck

The 61-year-old federal judge, who originally hails from southern Texas, has experience with Big Tech cases. Credit: Getty Images

Elon Musk's $150bn (£110bn) lawsuit against OpenAI is currently playing out in a California court. On the bench is US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who is known for her no-nonsense approach in the courtroom. "In Gonzalez Rogers, Musk may have met his match," writes North America technology correspondent Lily Jamali.

Read her profile