Seven activists whose Gaza-bound aid flotilla was intercepted in international waters by Israeli forces have returned to the UK after being deported.

They were among more than 422 people involved in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), which aimed to break the maritime blockade of Gaza and deliver food and medical aid.

The group, who arrived at at London Stansted on Saturday via Turkey, told the BBC they witnessed people being "systematically tortured and abused over two days" on Israeli vessels and in prison.

The Israeli military previously rejected similar allegations, telling the BBC that its orders "require respectful and appropriate treatment of flotilla participants".

More than 50 boats taking part in the GSF set sail from Turkey last Thursday carrying a token amount of aid.

Israel's government dismissed the action as a "PR stunt" serving the Palestinian armed group Hamas, and ordered commandos to board the boats west of Cyprus on Monday and Tuesday.

The detained activists were transferred to Israeli vessels and taken to an Israeli prison after arriving at the port of Ashdod.

The flotilla's organisers alleged there were "at least 15 cases of sexual assaults", while other people who were detained said they were beaten and mistreated.

The BBC has not been able to independently verify the allegations. Israel's prison service has dismissed them as false, saying all detainees were "held in accordance with the law".

Katy Davidson, 49, from Cornwall arrived in London in a grey tracksuit which she said she was made to wear after their belongings were thrown away.

She said: "These marks are from the handcuffs. When I asked them to loosen them they said they didn't care. They didn't care about human rights, or whether I lost my hand.

"When I actually got my hands through to have them adjusted they actually tightened them and laughed."

Hannah Schafer, a 62-year-old sailing instructor, said the aim was to open the humanitarian corridor to Gaza.

She said participants in the flotilla were taken onto "two prison ships".

Schafer alleges flotilla members were "systematically tortured and abused over two days".

Israeli authorities have said there was little humanitarian aid onboard the flotilla and it was a PR stunt.

Documentary film maker Dáša Raimanová, 44, said there were moments she thought she'd never see her daughter again but that what they faced was "nothing compared to the people of Palestine".

"It's not a PR stunt it's raising awareness and mobilising together that as civil society we have power to do something when governments are ignoring genocide," she said.

Elliott Roberts, 34, who lives in both Lincoln and Torquay, claimed the vessel he was on was fired at.

"I was taken into a small tent straight off the boat, two soldiers were crouched down ready for me to enter, they lifted me up turned me over and smashed me into the ground and now I think I've got a broken spine," he said.

He claimed he was denied medical treatment.

Israeli authorities have denied forces sexually assaulted and seriously abused people from the flotilla.

In an earlier statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said: "IDF orders require respectful and appropriate treatment of flotilla participants on the intercepted vessels, and there are clear and established procedures in this regard.

"No specific incidents of deviation from these binding procedures are known within the IDF. Any concrete complaints submitted to the IDF on the matter will be examined thoroughly."

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At least 82 people have been killed and two are missing after a coal mine blast in northern China, officials have said.

The gas explosion at the Liushenyu Coal Mine is the worst mining disaster in China since 2009, and Chinese President Xi Jinping said no effort must be spared in the search and rescue operation.

Early on Sunday morning, rescuers deployed mine inspection robots underground, equipped with gas sensors and infrared cameras, state media reported.

The BBC's China correspondent Stephen McDonell is at the scene of the blast in Shanxi province.

A North Korean women's football team played in South Korea marking the first time athletes from the North have crossed the border in nearly 8 years.

Pakistan says it hit 'military and terrorist infrastructure' – but the UN and victims' families reject this claim.

Officials said the group had been hiking up the active volcano despite a climbing ban.

A glamping facility was destroyed by the raging torrent in Bogor, West Java on 4 May.

Thousands of people have been displaced after a fire destroyed around 1,000 homes in Malaysia's Sabah state.

The escape of Neukgu, a two-year-old wolf, from a zoo in the city of Daejon captured national attention.

The Philippine President challenged anyone questioning his fitness to join him in the gym.

K-pop stars BTS kicked off their marathon world tour in South Korea, with a heavy nod to their new album Arirang.

The megastars kick off their grandest tour, the largest in K-pop history, in Seoul on Thursday after a nearly four-year hiatus.

Drivers are queuing for hours at petrol stations in Myanmar as the Iran war continues to send shockwaves across the globe.

BBC News Asia Business Correspondent Suranajana Tewari spoke to people taking to the streets of Manila.

Some 260,000 fans are expected to watch BTS perform together on Saturday for the first time since 2022.

Eleven people were killed and dozens injured when a huge blaze engulfed a car parts factory in the central city of Daejeon.

Senior Kashmir leader Farooq Abdullah escaped unhurt after the incident and the suspect is in custody.

A young Japanese macaque at the Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan went viral, after videos showed him playing with a soft toy that zookeepers gave him for comfort.

Wanted for multiple counts of theft, the suspect was caught outside a temple on the outskirts of Bangkok.

A court is due to deliver its verdict in the insurrection trial of Yoon Suk Yeol.

The BBC's Arunoday Mukharji explains why India needs to capitalise on the momentum.

A Lakshmi goddess shrine at Bangkok shopping mall has become a place where young people come to pray for love.

BBC South Asia correspondent Azadeh Moshiri visited Sheikh Hasina's former residence which is now a memorial for the student protesters killed in the 2024 uprising.

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Marta Kostyuk's best French Open result was reaching the fourth round in 2021

Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk won "one of the most difficult matches" of her career as she reached the French Open second round on the same morning that a Russian missile struck close to her parents' home.

Russia launched a large-scale wave of overnight strikes against Ukraine, firing hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles.

Four people were killed in the capital Kyiv – where Kostyuk was born – and at least 83 people were injured across the country.

Kostyuk became tearful during her on-court speech following her 6-2 6-3 victory over Russian-born Oksana Selekhmeteva.

To loud cheers of support, the world number 15 said: "This morning, 100 metres away from my parents' house, a missile destroyed the building.

"It was a very difficult morning for me, I didn't know how this match would turn out for me or how I would handle it.

"I have been crying this morning. I don't want to talk about myself today.

"All my heart and all my thoughts go to the people of Ukraine today."

A one-horse French Open or will somebody stop Sinner?

Selekhmeteva was playing her first match under the Spanish flag, having switched allegiance earlier this week.

Kostyuk did not shake hands with her opponent, as Ukrainian players have a long-standing policy of not shaking hands with Russian or Belarusian players.

The 23-year-old has been an outspoken critic of Russia and its ally Belarus since it began its invasion on Ukraine in 2022.

"My biggest example is the Ukrainian people," Kostyuk said.

"I woke up this morning and looked at all these people who woke up and kept living their lives, kept helping people who are in need.

"I knew a lot of Ukrainian people would come out and support today. My friends from Ukraine came to support and I'm very happy to have them here.

"I'm incredibly proud of myself. I think it was one of the most difficult matches of my career."

Only Mirra Andreeva (15) has claimed more wins on clay on the WTA Tour this season than the in-form Kostyuk (12), who remains unbeaten on the surface in 2026.

She will face Katie Volynets next after the American beat France's Clara Burel 6-3 6-1.

Live text commentaries of key matches on the BBC Sport website and app, along with daily commentary live from Court Philippe-Chatrier across 5 Live Sport, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app

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