Washington sends a message to Israel

Hello. The US has sent a message to Israel by blocking a shipment of bombs. James Landale deciphers the meaning. The murders of three foreign surfers shocked a quiet Mexican beach town. Will Grant describes how local and foreign surfers reacted to the tragedy. We're also examining the scale of the devastation of the floods in southern Brazil. Finally, three more survivors are rescued from the rubble of a collapsed building in South Africa.

QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Biggest US warning yet for Israel

The Biden administration has for the first time delayed a shipment of munitions to Israel. Credit: Reuters

A senior White House official has told the BBC that the delivery of thousands of 2,000lb (900kg) bombs and other munitions to Israel has been paused, and other weapons sales were under review. The unprecedented move sends a warning to Israel.

Why is the US acting now, seven months into the conflict in Gaza?

A first answer is the proposed military operation against Hamas in Rafah. The US does not want Israel to attack, and this is another way of reinforcing that message. The US also wants to maintain pressure on Israel's cabinet to support a ceasefire deal with Hamas, as negotiations continue in Cairo. Then, there's domestic pressure. Opinion pollsters are suggesting that some Democrats - especially younger people - may be reluctant to come out and vote for Joe Biden in the November presidential election because of the US role in the war in Gaza.

How important is the US to Israel as an arms supplier?

The US is by far Israel's biggest source of weapons and ammunition. By law, it provides Israel with $3.8bn (£3bn) of military aid each year. The US Congress last month passed a bill providing a further $14bn of military support.

How might Israel react?

Israel could once again simply ignore what its ally was saying and doing, and trust that US military support would continue in the long term. That would be a very public demonstration of diminishing US influence in the world. But equally, Israel might be loath to risk a historic rift with its biggest ally.

Egypt shooting: A group not previously known to the authorities has claimed it killed an Israeli-Canadian businessman in Alexandria, in retaliation for Israel's actions in Gaza.

THE BIG PICTURE

'We've never experienced anything like it'

Porto Alegre's public market was surrounded by water. Credit: Getty Images

An estimated 1.4 million people in southern Brazil have been affected by recent flooding and more heavy rains are forecast this week. Suzan, a resident of Porto Alegre, said people in the city had "never experienced anything like it".

And finally... in South Africa

Rescuers searching the rubble of a collapsed building cheered as they found three more survivors in the coastal city of George. Among the survivors is Delvin Safers, a young father whose plight was closely followed by South Africans as he sent voice notes from beneath the rubble to his parents and girlfriend, telling them how much he loved them.