BBC News Briefing

16 April, 2026

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

Alex Binley

Hello. A 10-day ceasefire will begin in Lebanon - where Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have been fighting - at midnight local time (17:00 EST; 22:00 BST), US President Donald Trump has said. We'll bring you the latest. In Sweden, we take a look at why schools are turning back to pens and paper and ditching screens. And find out what happened when a plane was deemed to be too heavy to take off.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

Trump says Israel and Lebanon to begin 10-day ceasefire

The burnt-out remains of a car is covered by wire and sits on top of a huge pile of rubble. Blocks of flats can be seen in the background, some of which are falling down and display damage.

Earlier on Thursday, Israel and Hezbollah continued to launch strikes. Credit: Reuters

Lebanon's prime minister has welcomed the ceasefire agreement, while Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said it is an “opportunity to make a historic peace agreement”. Israel appears to be "under pressure" to "align with Washington's interests", writes Middle East correspondent Lucy Williamson. Hezbollah - which is separate from the Lebanese state - has listed demands for any ceasefire, including "no freedom of movement" for Israeli troops, but Netanyahu has said Israeli troops will remain in a 10km-deep (6.2 mile) "security zone" in southern Lebanon. Netanyahu also said the disarmament of Hezbollah is one of the fundamental demands Israel will have in further talks with the Lebanese government, "the question likely to shape what happens once the pause ends", writes Middle East correspondent Hugo Bachega.

Get the latest

GET UP TO SPEED

Pope Leo wears white robes and a white skull cap. He is seated in a gold chair and speaking into a microphone. He is holding a sheet of paper in one had and gesticulating with the other

Pope criticises leaders who spend billions on wars

The pontiff also said the world was "being ravaged by a handful of tyrants" during a visit to Cameroon, days after a spat with Trump.

What else he said >

Four astronauts wear bright orange suits with helmets and goggles. They are sat in a small boat in th sea and are all smiling.

Splashdown 'like diving off skyscraper backwards'

The Artemis II crew members have detailed their experiences from the historic 10-day mission around the Moon.

Latest updates >

A silhouetted person wearing a backpack and with a large suitcase stands in what appars to be an airport. They are looking out of a large window and a plane can be seen taking off.

Europe has 'maybe six weeks of jet fuel left' - energy boss

Flights could soon be cancelled if supplies from the Gulf remain blocked, the head of the International Energy Agency said.

More on this >

NEWS FROM THE UK

Conviction quashed: A former church warden jailed for murdering a lecturer has had his conviction quashed by the Court of Appeal.

Family feud: The Beckhams have "tried to be the best parents", Victoria has said in her first public response after Brooklyn exposed a family rift.

EasyJet: A passenger has told how she thought the captain was joking after six passengers were asked to leave a plane as it was deemed to be too heavy.

AT THE SCENE

Nacka, Sweden

Why Sweden's schools are cutting back on digital learning

Two students sit next to each other in a classroom. They sit on white chairs at a white desk and the wall behind them is also white. The two students are both male and have short, brown hair. One is wearing a charcoal-coloured fleece and the other is wearing a white and black striped top.

In 2022, almost a quarter of students aged 15 or 16 did not reach a basic level of reading comprehension. Credit: Maddy Savage

Sweden's government is championing a renewed focus on physical books, paper and pens in classrooms, designed to reverse falling literacy levels. But doubling down on analogue tools has drawn criticism from tech companies, educators and computer scientists, who argue it could impact pupils' employment prospects, and even damage the Nordic nation's economy.

Only Maddy's face can be see She has long blonde hair that is parted on the side and she is smiling.

Maddy Savage, business reporter

The government has frequently used the slogan "från skärm till pärm", which sounds catchy in Swedish, and translates to "from screen to binder". It argues that screen-free lessons create better conditions for children to concentrate and develop their writing and reading skills.

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At a high school, final-year students are unpacking laptops from bags, alongside items - such as books and papers - they say they used less frequently a few years ago. "The internet has kind of taken over the younger generations, and I've noticed them kind of lose focus easier," says Alexios. But others, like Jasmine, are in favour of a digital education. "Let's focus more on computers. Because if we are being realistic, the whole world is using computers."

Keep reading

Smartphone ban: Two years ago, the Netherlands banned smartphones in schools, but has the move improved performance?

Spy school: Inside the French university where spies go for training.

Öresund bridge: How the bridge that connects Sweden and Denmark and inspired the hit TV series has changed lives and boosted businesses.

A woman in a green sports jacket with the hood up smiles as she leans her head up, eyes closed, towards the falling rain

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SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Feel the rain on your skin

Natasha Bedingfield was right to sing it - getting rained on can be good for you.

Here's why

And finally... in Northern Ireland

When conservationist Paddy Mackie bought Castle Espie in 1977, with the aim of turning the estate into a wetland, he unexpectedly also became the owner of one the UK's largest bird egg collections. The collection, comprising dozens of specimen gathered from around the world over half a century, will soon find a new home in London's Natural History Museum. Take a look.

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