By Rob Cameron BBC News, Prague A Czech parish priest has apologised to local children after stomping on Halloween pumpkins near his church. Father Jaromir Smejkal destroyed the carved pumpkins on two successive days in a park in Kurdejov, a village in the wine-making region of South Moravia. He has apologised for the vandalism in…

By Liv McMahon & Joe Tidy Technology team Meta has apologised for adding “terrorist” to the biographies of some Instagram users describing themselves as Palestinian. Meta said it fixed a problem “that briefly caused inappropriate Arabic translations” in some of its products. “We sincerely apologise that this happened,” it told the BBC. The platform has…

English actress Haydn Gwynne, known for roles in TV shows including Drop the Dead Donkey, Peak Practice, Merseybeat and The Windsors, has died aged 66. She also had an acclaimed stage career, being nominated for both Tony and Olivier awards in the West End and on Broadway for Billy Elliot the Musical. She was Queen…

By Mark Lowen in Rome and Laura Gozzi BBC News Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, has announced she has separated from long-time partner Andrea Giambruno. She announced the split on social media hours after a TV show broadcast explicit comments made off-air by TV host Giambruno to female colleagues. Ms Meloni said the relationship, “which…

Wind and rain from Storm Babet has been causing dramatic scenes across England. Coastal communities such as South Shields in South Tyneside, Seaburn in Sunderland and Scarborough in North Yorkshire have been battered by wind and rough seas. Elsewhere, trains have been cancelled, roads blocked and homes and businesses damaged by floodwater. An amber warning…

By Geeta Pandey BBC News, Delhi The Indian space research agency is due to carry out the first of a series of key tests ahead of its planned mission to take astronauts into space in 2025. The Gaganyaan spacecraft is due to be launched at 08:00 local time (02:30GMT) on Saturday from Sriharikota. The test…

By Jared Evitts BBC News Blue shirts and chinos have been banned by a university Students’ Union due to “dangerous behaviour” by some students. Cardiff University Students’ Union (CUSU) said any people wearing the outfit – typically associated with sports clubs – would be refused entry to its Wednesday club night. It comes after “reckless,…

Labour has overturned huge Conservative majorities to win by-elections in Mid Bedfordshire and Tamworth. Here’s how events unfolded when the polls closed at 22:00 BST on Thursday. Video by James Harness This video has been optimised for mobile viewing on the BBC News app. The BBC News app is available for iPhone and Android.

By Ido Vock BBC News At least 18 people have been arrested after a wave of bomb threats prompted evacuations across France. The Palace of Versailles, the Louvre as well as schools, airports and hospitals have been targeted. Those behind the disruption are mostly minors, authorities say. The threats come at a time of heightened…

By Ian Youngs Entertainment & arts reporter Every Halloween, celebrities love to show off their elaborate costumes, often based on hit TV shows and films. But this year, things will look a little different after actors were warned that dressing as characters from major shows and movies would break the rules of the ongoing Hollywood…