| | | | | | | Hello. Relatives of some of the people taken captive by Hamas have tirelessly been calling for their safe return. Security correspondent Frank Gardner explains what the possible resolutions to the hostage crisis look like. Gaza, where the UN has warned the situation is increasingly dire, isn’t the only focus of the Israeli army. As Middle East correspondent Anna Foster reports, reserve soldiers have been dispatched to the northern border near Lebanon, where Israel has exchanged fire with Hezbollah fighters. Finally, as Comic Con gets under way in New York, we look at what fans are willing to spend to make the most of the event. |
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| | | | Get up to speed | | • | US Senator Robert Menendez, who was already charged with accepting bribes of cash, gold and other payments, has now been accused of acting as a foreign agent of Egypt. | | • | A Kenyan Airways flight heading to Heathrow was intercepted by Royal Air Force fighters and diverted to Stansted Airport over a "potential security threat". | | • | The International Olympic Committee has suspended the Russian Olympic Committee, but no word yet on whether Russian athletes may compete in the 2024 games in Paris. |
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| Questions Answered | | No easy options over hostages | | | | Elderly grandparents and young children were among those identified by relatives as being taken hostage. Credit: BBC |
| | Any plan for an Israeli ground invasion of Gaza has to reckon with the question of the hostages held by Hamas in the territory - an estimated 150 people, including women and children. Behind the scenes, Qatar, Egypt and possibly other countries are believed to be trying to negotiate a partial release of the hostages. | | | | Frank Gardner, Security correspondent |
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| | What is being done currently to rescue hostages? | | One idea being mooted is for Hamas to release its women and child prisoners in exchange for 36 Palestinian women and adolescent prisoners being held in Israeli jails. With anger and bitterness sky-high on both sides, neither Israel nor Hamas are disposed to make any concessions. | | What are the options for Israel? | | It could attempt an armed rescue mission, which is fraught with risks, or wait until Hamas is so weakened by airstrikes that it might be more willing to make a deal. But that option carries its own risks. Although the hostages are thought to be held below ground in tunnels and bunkers, they may not be immune to these airstrikes. | | What do we know about Hamas' position? | | Michael Milstein, a senior analyst at the Institute for Policy and Strategy at Israel's Reichman University, believes that Hamas may not be keen to hold on to women, children and the elderly. They are bad optics for the group internationally and many will require a high degree of care. By contrast, Hamas will want to take maximum advantage of any serving military personnel it holds. | | | | • | Blinken’s visit: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Israel will "never, ever" be alone, while also urging the country to avoid harming civilians in the conflict. | | • | Humanitarian crisis: Hospitals in Gaza are struggling to cope with the number of people injured in Israeli airstrikes, as the International Committee of the Red Cross warns that, without electricity, the facilities risk turning into morgues. |
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| | AT THE SCENE | Northern Israel | | The Hezbollah question facing Israel | | | | Israeli forces fire flares at night-time to help search for possible infiltrators. Credit: BBC | | Of the 300,000 Israeli reserve soldiers being mobilised right now, a large chunk are being sent to reinforce the northern border with Lebanon. Multiple exchanges of fire between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli soldiers are increasing concerns of a possible new front opening up in the war. | | | | Anna Foster, Middle East correspondent |
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| At the rendezvous points around here they're arriving all the time to report for duty. Vehicles spill out of overflowing car parks and empty coaches line the streets. In one bus stop a group of green-clad soldiers shelter from the sun, relaxing on the ground to save their energy until it's needed. Most people you meet proudly tell you about family members who are on their way to serve. Those who aren't needed yet - like two medics we meet - explain how they're instead using their time to take supplies of food, water and extra essentials like mobile phone power banks to colleagues.
The large troop build-up is all because another, different militant group poses a significant threat here on the northern border. Hezbollah - like Hamas - has been designated a terrorist organisation by the UK, US and other countries. Backed by Iran, it has a strong military and political presence in Lebanon, and wields considerable power in a country without a functioning government or president. In 2006, it fought a devastating war with Israel in which 1,200 people died. |
| | | | • | Follow live: The UN described the situation in Gaza as “dire” - stay updated with the latest statements, analysis and videos about the conflict. | | • | Meanwhile in Syria: Syrian state media says Israeli forces have hit the country's two main international airports in Damascus and Aleppo. |
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| | | | The big picture | | No cost spared for Comic Con | | | | New York’s Comic Con starts today and runs until 15 October. Credit: Reuters/Mike Blake |
| | It’s not just about the ticket price. For cosplayers, attending Comic Con is a chance to display their commitment to their favourite characters - and that doesn’t come cheap. | | | | |
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| | | | For your downtime | | Fight the power that be | | Looking back at the hip-hop tracks that made history. | | |
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| | | | And finally... in Rwanda | | Perpetue Mukamusinga - also known as “Queen P” - is Rwanda’s first female barista. Her job is more than brewing cups, she’s also training a new generation of women baristas, and working closely with coffee farmers in a country known for its beans. This video shows her in action. |
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| | | | | | Future Planet | | Explore the wonders of our amazing planet. | | |
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