| | | | | | | Hello. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is the latest world leader to hold face-to-face talks with the Israeli government in what, according to international editor Jeremy Bowen, are briefings about an impending Israeli ground invasion of Gaza. In Ghana, our correspondent Thomas Naadi surveys the damage of a flood caused by excess water released to prevent a dam from bursting. Finally, a US lawmaker boasts a matchmaking record that also speaks to how long he's held his Senate seat. |
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| | | | Top of the agenda | | Aid offers limited relief | | | | Aid delivery into Gaza could happen by Friday, but there has been no mention of people being allowed to leave. Credit: EPA |
| | US President Joe Biden ended his trip to Israel having secured one limited assurance on the humanitarian aid front. Egypt is due to send a first group of 20 trucks to Gaza containing food, water and medicines. Israel has directed Palestinians to al-Mawasi, an area on the coast close to the Rafah border with Egypt, writes diplomatic correspondent Paul Adams, but questions about the aid delivery remain. Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is following in the footsteps of Mr Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in visiting Israel today. Those high-profile visits, according to international correspondent Jeremy Bowen, are a prelude to a ground invasion of Gaza. | | • | Northern frontier: The Israeli army has set up a war room in the mountains on the Israel-Lebanon border. Anna Foster visited the facility. | | • | Anti-war protest: At least 300 people were arrested at the US Capitol complex after they staged a protest demanding a ceasefire in Israel and Gaza. | | • | Follow along: As Mr Sunak meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, our live page continues to bring you the latest developments. |
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| | | | | | World headlines | | • | Ugly side: US Republican lawmaker Jim Jordan has lost a second vote to become speaker of the House of Representatives, as some of his colleagues denounced threats received from his supporters. | | • | Campus conflict: Three Ivy League students associated with a letter that blamed Israel for the deadly Hamas attack on October 7 have had job offers rescinded. | | • | Greta Thunberg: The Swedish activist was charged with a public order offence this week, but that hasn't stopped her from joining another climate protest in London today. | | • | Case closed: Joran van der Sloot, a prime suspect in the 2005 killing of Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway, has admitted to the murder as part of a plea deal over a separate charge of extorting money from Holloway's mother. | | • | Netflix price hike: The streaming giant is increasing the cost of a monthly ad-free subscription in the US, the UK and France. |
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| | AT THE SCENE | Mepe, Ghana | | 'My entire farm is under the water' | | Unpredictable rainfall patterns have put a strain on Ghana's infrastructure. Last week, controlled spillage of excess waters from two key dams near the southern tip of Lake Volta caused mass flooding that displaced nearly 26,000 people. | | | | Thomas Naadi, Ghana correspondent |
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| | It's a disaster Awusife Kagbitor is struggling to come to terms with. "It took me about 14 years to build this house - there is nowhere to go, there is no other land to build on," Ms Kagbitor said. About a quarter of the Mepe community in an area we visited has been seriously impacted by the water. Toilet facilities, cemeteries and refuse dumps have all been flooded, raising serious concerns about the outbreak of disease. Essential services like water and electricity are no longer reaching the affected areas. |
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| | | | Beyond the headlines | | The other top EV maker | | | | China overtook Japan this year to become the world's biggest car exporter. Credit: Adriano Machado, Reuters |
| | Do you know which Chinese electric vehicle maker is giving Tesla a run for its money, already surpassing the Elon Musk-owned company's quarterly production? | | | | |
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| | | | Something different | | Legendary fish | | The colossal river fish paiche, or pirarucu, has become a delicacy in Peru. | | |
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| | | | And finally... | | Last weekend, US Senator Chuck Grassley attended a wedding. It wasn't just any nuptial. As he claimed in a social media post, it was the 20th time he witnessed two of his staffers saying "I do" after meeting in his office. The 90-year-old Republican has built a reputation as an ultimate matchmaker to rival dating apps. |
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| | | | | | Future Planet | | Explore the wonders of our amazing planet. | | |
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– Sofia |
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