Everybody is fascinated by icebergs. The idea that you can have blocks of frozen water the size of cities, and bigger, sparks our sense of wonder. British astronaut Tim Peake photographed one from orbit that would just about fit inside Central London's ring road. But at 26km by 13km (16 miles by 8 miles), it was a tiddler compared with the berg that is about to break away from the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula. A rift has grown across the edge of the Larsen C Ice Shelf. A thin, 5km-long section of the floating shelf is now all that prevents a 6,000-sq-km berg from drifting away...…Everybody is fascinated by icebergs. The idea that you can have blocks of frozen water the size of cities, and bigger, sparks our sense of wonder. British astronaut Tim Peake photographed one from orbit that would just about fit inside Central London's ring road. But at 26km by 13km (16 miles by 8 miles), it was a tiddler compared with the berg that is about to break away from the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula. A rift has grown across the edge of the Larsen C Ice Shelf. A thin, 5km-long section of the floating shelf is now all that prevents a 6,000-sq-km berg from drifting away...WW…

Facebook is finalising plans to launch its own crypto-currency next year.It is planning to set up a digital payments system in about a dozen countries by the first quarter of 2020.The social media giant wants to start testing its crypto-currency, which has been referred to internally as GlobalCoin, by the end of this year.Facebook is expected to outline plans in more detail this summer, and has already spoken to Bank of England governor Mark Carney.Founder Mark Zuckerberg met Mr Carney last month to discuss the opportunities and risks involved in launching a crypto-currency.Facebook has...…Facebook is finalising plans to launch its own crypto-currency next year.It is planning to set up a digital payments system in about a dozen countries by the first quarter of 2020.The social media giant wants to start testing its crypto-currency, which has been referred to internally as GlobalCoin, by the end of this year.Facebook is expected to outline plans in more detail this summer, and has already spoken to Bank of England governor Mark Carney.Founder Mark Zuckerberg met Mr Carney last month to discuss the opportunities and risks involved in launching a crypto-currency.Facebook has...WW…

China is deliberately separating Muslim children from their families, faith and language in its far western region of Xinjiang, according to new research.At the same time as hundreds of thousands of adults are being detained in giant camps, a rapid, large-scale campaign to build boarding schools is under way.Based on publicly available documents, and backed up by dozens of interviews with family members overseas, the BBC has gathered some of the most comprehensive evidence to date about what is happening to children in the region.Records show that in one township alone more than 400...…China is deliberately separating Muslim children from their families, faith and language in its far western region of Xinjiang, according to new research.At the same time as hundreds of thousands of adults are being detained in giant camps, a rapid, large-scale campaign to build boarding schools is under way.Based on publicly available documents, and backed up by dozens of interviews with family members overseas, the BBC has gathered some of the most comprehensive evidence to date about what is happening to children in the region.Records show that in one township alone more than 400...WW…

Astronomers have for the first time discovered water in the atmosphere of a planet orbiting within the habitable zone of a distant star. The finding makes the world - which is called K2-18b - a plausible candidate in the search for alien life.Within 10 years, new space telescopes might be able to determine whether K2-18b's atmosphere contains gases that could be produced by living organisms.Details were published in the scientific journal .The lead scientist, Prof Giovanna Tinetti of University College London (UCL), described the discovery as "mind blowing"."This is the first time that we...…Astronomers have for the first time discovered water in the atmosphere of a planet orbiting within the habitable zone of a distant star. The finding makes the world - which is called K2-18b - a plausible candidate in the search for alien life.Within 10 years, new space telescopes might be able to determine whether K2-18b's atmosphere contains gases that could be produced by living organisms.Details were published in the scientific journal .The lead scientist, Prof Giovanna Tinetti of University College London (UCL), described the discovery as "mind blowing"."This is the first time that we...WW…

US President Donald Trump has defended his policy of splitting up families entering the US illegally, defying a growing chorus of condemnation.Speaking at a business convention, Mr Trump said children had to be taken away if their parents were jailed for illegally crossing the US border.The president had earlier sparked outrage for tweeting that undocumented immigrants would "infest" the US.Mexico's foreign minister has called the US policy "cruel and inhuman". Mr Trump on Tuesday met Republican lawmakers to discuss a bill that proposes to curb the policy."I don't want children taken away...…US President Donald Trump has defended his policy of splitting up families entering the US illegally, defying a growing chorus of condemnation.Speaking at a business convention, Mr Trump said children had to be taken away if their parents were jailed for illegally crossing the US border.The president had earlier sparked outrage for tweeting that undocumented immigrants would "infest" the US.Mexico's foreign minister has called the US policy "cruel and inhuman". Mr Trump on Tuesday met Republican lawmakers to discuss a bill that proposes to curb the policy."I don't want children taken away...WW…

Cases of measles in Europe have hit a record high, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). More than 41,000 people have been infected in the first six months of 2018, leading to 37 deaths. Last year there were 23,927 cases and the year before 5,273. Experts blame this surge in infections on a drop in the number of people being vaccinated. In England, there have been 807 cases so far this year. The WHO is calling on to take action. Public Health England say the outbreaks in England are largely due to people who have travelled to areas of mainland Europe that have had outbreaks....…Cases of measles in Europe have hit a record high, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). More than 41,000 people have been infected in the first six months of 2018, leading to 37 deaths. Last year there were 23,927 cases and the year before 5,273. Experts blame this surge in infections on a drop in the number of people being vaccinated. In England, there have been 807 cases so far this year. The WHO is calling on to take action. Public Health England say the outbreaks in England are largely due to people who have travelled to areas of mainland Europe that have had outbreaks....WW…

Spanish police say they have shot dead five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils in a second vehicle attack, hours after another in Barcelona killed 13 people and injured dozens.Police said the men were linked to the Barcelona attack, which so-called Islamic State said it had carried out.Police are still hunting the man who drove his van into crowds on Las Ramblas in Barcelona on Thursday.Spanish media have named Moussa Oukabir, 18, as the suspect.He is the brother of Driss Oukabir, whose documentation was allegedly used to rent the van involved in the attack.Spanish PM Mariano...…Spanish police say they have shot dead five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils in a second vehicle attack, hours after another in Barcelona killed 13 people and injured dozens.Police said the men were linked to the Barcelona attack, which so-called Islamic State said it had carried out.Police are still hunting the man who drove his van into crowds on Las Ramblas in Barcelona on Thursday.Spanish media have named Moussa Oukabir, 18, as the suspect.He is the brother of Driss Oukabir, whose documentation was allegedly used to rent the van involved in the attack.Spanish PM Mariano...WW…

"Catastrophic" flooding in the US state of Texas is only expected to worsen in coming days as waters rise following a storm of historic proportions.A record 30in of rain (75cm) has already fallen on the city of Houston in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, turning roads into rivers.But forecasters say the total rainfall could nearly double later this week. US President Donald Trump has promised swift action to help those affected. He is due to visit Texas on Tuesday."Recovery will be a long and difficult road and the federal government stands ready, willing and able to support that effort," he...…"Catastrophic" flooding in the US state of Texas is only expected to worsen in coming days as waters rise following a storm of historic proportions.A record 30in of rain (75cm) has already fallen on the city of Houston in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, turning roads into rivers.But forecasters say the total rainfall could nearly double later this week. US President Donald Trump has promised swift action to help those affected. He is due to visit Texas on Tuesday."Recovery will be a long and difficult road and the federal government stands ready, willing and able to support that effort," he...WW…

President Donald Trump is to impose steep tariffs on steel and aluminium imports next week, hitting producers like Canada and China.He said steel products face a 25% tariff, with 10% on aluminium goods.The US imports four times more steel than it exports, and is reliant on steel from more than 100 nations.Mr Trump tweeted that the US was suffering from "unfair trade". But the move has hit US markets, with the Dow Jones index closing down 1.7%.The value of shares in American steel manufacturers jumped significantly after the announcement.The news is likely to provoke an angry reaction from...…President Donald Trump is to impose steep tariffs on steel and aluminium imports next week, hitting producers like Canada and China.He said steel products face a 25% tariff, with 10% on aluminium goods.The US imports four times more steel than it exports, and is reliant on steel from more than 100 nations.Mr Trump tweeted that the US was suffering from "unfair trade". But the move has hit US markets, with the Dow Jones index closing down 1.7%.The value of shares in American steel manufacturers jumped significantly after the announcement.The news is likely to provoke an angry reaction from...WW…

Profits at Alphabet, the parent company of search giant Google, have been hit by the record fine imposed by the European Commission last month.The firm said it saw strong growth in the second quarter, with revenues of about $26bn (£19bn), up 21% compared to the same period in 2016. But profits for the three months to the end of June were $3.5bn, more than 40% lower than they would have been without the fine.Year-on-year profits fell almost 30%. 2.42bn euros ($2.7bn; £2.1bn) by the European Commission last month after it ruled the company had abused its power by promoting its own shopping...…Profits at Alphabet, the parent company of search giant Google, have been hit by the record fine imposed by the European Commission last month.The firm said it saw strong growth in the second quarter, with revenues of about $26bn (£19bn), up 21% compared to the same period in 2016. But profits for the three months to the end of June were $3.5bn, more than 40% lower than they would have been without the fine.Year-on-year profits fell almost 30%. 2.42bn euros ($2.7bn; £2.1bn) by the European Commission last month after it ruled the company had abused its power by promoting its own shopping...WW…