Broadcast timeline
BBC News — BBC News Now
Friday 31 July 2026 · 12:30 BST · 30m · 3 stories · 10 annotated moments · 28 of 30 min on news stories (92%)
Broadcast overview
An AI-generated overview based on this broadcast's transcript.
Spain is deploying additional police and troops to its North African territory of Ceuta after approximately 60,000 migrants entered illegally from Morocco, with the Spanish Prime Minister describing the influx as an attack. Hamas has agreed to give up its arms if Israel withdraws and allows humanitarian aid into Gaza, a move President Trump called a monumental step towards peace, though there has been no response from Israel. A senior adviser to FIFA president Gianni Infantino resigned hours after a third confederation opposed his plan to sell a stake in international competitions to private investors; the Asian Football Confederation joined UEFA and CONCACAF in opposition, with the European nations threatening to boycott the World Cup if the proposal is not scrapped.
In the United States, President Trump's net approval rating has slipped to minus 20, the lowest of his second term, according to pollster Nate Silver, coinciding with rising gas prices and the resumption of the Iran war. Trump is set to hold a cabinet meeting at Camp David this weekend to work on a plan for Iran, though a Washington Post reporter suggested a breakthrough is unlikely. Meanwhile, a senior adviser to FIFA resigned over the investment proposal, and the broadcast included analysis from a BBC World Service sports presenter on the support for the plan among some African football federations.
In the UK, funeral director Robert Bush was sentenced at Hull Crown Court for 91 offences of fraud by false representation, 30 offences of preventing the lawful and decent burial of bodies, fraudulent trading, and theft. The judge detailed how Bush gave grieving families the wrong ashes while bodies were left at his premises for months, stole charity donations collected at funerals, and misappropriated prepaid funeral plan money, with the overall financial loss to victims amounting to hundreds of thousands of pounds.
- 0:59
- 1:13
Claim European federations seek to oust FIFA president Infantino
The Asian Football Confederation said they were not consulted and were disappointed.
BBC NEWS, BBC News Now, 31 July 2026, 1:13-1:19
- 1:40
Claim European federations seek to oust FIFA president Infantino
All 55 UEFA member nations agreed to back a World Cup boycott if FIFA sells a stake to private investors.
BBC NEWS, BBC News Now, 31 July 2026, 1:40-1:49
- 2:09
Claim European federations seek to oust FIFA president Infantino
Carlos Cordeiro resigned in opposition to the plan.
BBC NEWS, BBC News Now, 31 July 2026, 2:09-2:24
- 7:37
- 7:37
Claim Trump's approval rating drops; Camp David meeting on Iran
Trump's net approval rating dropped to the lowest level of his second term, with 59% disapproval, coinciding with rising gas prices and the resumption of the Iran war.
BBC NEWS, BBC News Now, 31 July 2026, 7:37-7:44
- 8:41
Claim Trump's approval rating drops; Camp David meeting on Iran
Trump will hold a cabinet meeting at Camp David, likely a regular meeting rather than a sensitive Iran strategy session.
BBC NEWS, BBC News Now, 31 July 2026, 8:41-8:55
- 11:30
Claim Trump's approval rating drops; Camp David meeting on Iran
Elon Musk is reviving his super PAC with a potential $100-200 million for the midterm elections.
BBC NEWS, BBC News Now, 31 July 2026, 11:30-11:35
- 13:37
- 14:34
Claim Robert Bush sentenced to 20 years for fraud and preventing burial
Robert Bush admitted 67 charges including preventing a lawful burial and fraud, took over £869,000 for funerals he never delivered, and police recovered 35 bodies and ashes linked to 163 families from his funeral home.
BBC NEWS, BBC News Now, 31 July 2026, 14:34-14:51
- 14:34
Claim Robert Bush sentenced to 20 years for fraud and preventing burial
There were 91 offences of fraud by false representation.
BBC NEWS, BBC News Now, 31 July 2026, 14:34-14:40
- 21:36
Claim Robert Bush sentenced to 20 years for fraud and preventing burial
The judge noted that the overall financial loss in counts 31 to 60 was just short of 50,000 pounds.
BBC NEWS, BBC News Now, 31 July 2026, 21:36-21:44
- 22:17
Claim Robert Bush sentenced to 20 years for fraud and preventing burial
A judge said the offending would merit a seven-year prison sentence after a trial for fraud offences.
BBC NEWS, BBC News Now, 31 July 2026, 22:17-22:22
Source: BBC NEWS, "BBC News Now", Friday 31 July 2026. Transcript excerpts and stills are shown only to support the analysis annotated alongside them. Search-result excerpts are distinct from the editorial annotations — see our copyright basis. The full broadcast is not reproduced.