The Japanese parliament has approved a bill to relax imperial succession rules, amid concerns over the dwindling size of the imperial family. The bill, passed by the upper house on Friday, allows the imperial family to adopt distant male relatives over the age of 15 and lets women keep their royal status after marrying outside the family. But it does not change the law barring women from ascending the throne despite wide public support for a female emperor, meaning Princess Aiko, the only child of the current emperor, is still not eligible to succeed the throne. The bill cleared the lower house last week, and will move through the final legal procedures before the changes take effect. Japan has the world's oldest continuous hereditary monarchy, with a lineage that's believed to span more than 2,600 years.

Australian Olympic cyclist Rohan Dennis has pleaded guilty to driving despite a five-year ban placed on him after a 2023 incident where he struck his wife with a car. Dennis, 36, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Friday to face a charge of driving while disqualified after police pulled him over last month when he was behind the wheel with two children as passengers. Last year, Dennis received a suspended jail sentence after pleading guilty to one aggravated count of creating the likelihood of harm under a plea deal where prosecutors dropped two more serious charges. The court found he was not criminally responsible for Melissa Hoskins' death but had been reckless in his actions. During last year's case, the court heard that the couple - who got married in 2018 - had been arguing about kitchen renovations before Dennis got into his car to leave.

Is Glasgow ready for the Commonwealth Games - and does the city care? At the conclusion of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Glasgow's then council leader Gordon Matheson was in no doubt how successful the event had been. Not only has Glasgow and her citizens completely embraced the Games, but we have demonstrated our credentials as a world-class city, he declared . As the city prepares to welcome the Games back, the mood is not nearly as bright or positive. Glasgow will welcome athletes against a backdrop of roadworks, refurbishments and the remains of a building ravaged by fire sitting next to the city's largest train station - but organisers are keen to stress the city is ready.

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Trump alleges'shocking vulnerabilities' in US election security ahead of midterms US President Donald Trump has delivered a primetime address in which he accused China of interfering in the 2020 election and alleged shocking vulnerabilities in American voting systems. Trump, who spoke from the White House on Thursday, has repeatedly made unsubstantiated claims about voter fraud and foreign meddling in the 2020 election which he lost to Joe Biden. In the half-hour speech, delivered three months before the midterm elections, he said he had declassified hundreds of intelligence files which supported his claims that Beijing had tried to sway the election in Biden's favour. The US intelligence community has previously concluded China did not interfere in the 2020 election. Trump spoke in front of several members of his top team as he gave his address, but journalists were unable to put questions to the president.

Before they were mummies, four royal sisters wielded the daggers, bows, and arrows 4,000 years ago. More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. A daughter of Pharaoh Amenemhat II, Princess Ita likely wielded an ornate dagger among other weapons. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. By signing up, you confirm you are 16+, will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy .

US fast-food chain Taco Bell is removing lettuce from its menu in some states after investigations found it could be linked to an outbreak of explosive diarrhoea caused by a parasite. The decision was taken out of an abundance of caution following discussions with health officials, Taco Bell told the BBC. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says 1,644 people in five states that reported exposure to Taco Bell have been infected by cyclosporiasis, a parasitic infection that spreads through contaminated food or water. Do not eat food items with shredded iceberg lettuce from Mexico served at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia, the FDA said. No deaths have been reported but 94 people have been hospitalised due to cyclosporiasis infections, which were first detected on 13 May, the FDA added.

More than 500 Rohingya vanished at sea - what happened? Two boats carrying an estimated 530 Rohingya asylum seekers left Myanmar's Rakhine state on 29 June, and have not been heard from since. The equivalent of a jumbo jet full of people has vanished. It is very likely that they both capsized. The monsoon has started, the seas are rough, and the boats - usually old fishing trawlers converted to carry as many people as possible - are barely sea-worthy with unreliable engines.

Australia'deeply frustrated' over Laos methanol poisoning charges The Australian government has said it is deeply frustrated and bitterly disappointed that Laos is not pursuing more serious charges in relation to the deaths of six backpackers who died after drinking methanol-laced alcohol in 2024. Australians Bianca Jones and Holly Morton-Bowles, both 19, were among six people who died at a hostel in Vang Vieng in November 2024. The statement comes after reports in Australian media that Laos would press charges that collectively carry penalties of up to one year in jail and a fine of A$1600 ($1100; £829) against those allegedly responsible. Australian Foreign Ministry Penny Wong said they have summoned Laos' ambassador to Canberra. Laos has yet to confirm any charges but the BBC understands authorities there will hold a press conference later on Friday.

China has hit out at the nationalisation of British Steel, saying it firmly opposes and is strongly dissatisfied with the British government's decision. On Thursday, the UK government said that taking the loss-making firm into public hands would protect jobs and safeguard a vital national capability. The UK took control of British Steel's operations in Scunthorpe last year, though it was still owned by China's Jingye Group, limiting the government's ability to steer its future. China's commerce ministry said on Friday that the moves seriously infringed upon Jingye's legitimate rights and interests and severely undermined the confidence of Chinese companies investing in the UK. It also called on Britain to faithfully fulfil its obligations under the China-UK Bilateral Investment Treaty. Disregarding Jingye's significant contribution to the UK economy and society, the British side forcibly took control of the company in the name of national security, the ministry said.