| | | | | | | Hello. The focus of high-level talks aimed at containing the conflict between Israel and Hamas, and supplying humanitarian aid to Gaza, has shifted to Egypt today, which is hosting both UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and UN chief Antonio Guterres. In southern Lebanon, Hugo Bachega talks to residents who, in the face of escalating exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah fighters, must decide whether to leave or stay. Finally, the heirs of late Italian Prime Minister and billionaire Silvio Berlusconi found that his sprawling art collection is more of a burden than an asset. |
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| | | | Top of the agenda | | Gaza is 'on the brink' as aid trucks stand still | | | | The WHO estimates the amount of water available in Gaza each day is now 3 litres, compared with 84 used before the supplies were cut. Credit: Getty Images |
| | Work has been going on to repair the damaged Rafah border crossing to deliver aid to Gaza, with the head of the UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) warning the situation in the territory is "on the brink". Philippe Lazzarini told the BBC that he fears "the world is now losing its humanity". Aid trucks are still queueing to enter the enclave. Continuing his Middle East trip, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is holding talks aimed at preventing a further escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict and the further loss of civilian life. Both issues were highlighted overnight, as the US reported downing missiles and drones sent from Yemen and potentially heading towards Israel, and an Orthodox church in Gaza was damaged by an explosion. | | • | Primetime address: US President Joe Biden last night characterized billions of dollars in wartime aid for Ukraine and Israel as a "smart investment" for American security. | | • | Kibbutz victims: Recovery teams working in the areas attacked by Hamas on 7 October are still finding bodies of people killed in the massacre, as families of those abducted anxiously await news of their loved ones. | | • | Follow along: Egypt said it has opened its side of the Rafah border crossing, but the Gaza side remains closed. Our live blog has the latest news. |
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| | | | AT THE SCENE | Southern Lebanon | | Tensions at Lebanon-Israel border | | Frequent exchanges of fire between the Israeli army and Iran-backed Hezbollah have prompted some residents living near the border to leave, fearing that the area may turn into another front in the Israel-Hamas war. Others are staying put. | | | | Hugo Bachega, Middle East correspondent |
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| | Not far from the frontier on the Lebanese side, in the southern town of Bein Jbeil, there was quiet in the streets. Most shops were closed. Half a dozen men, among the few people seen outside, sat around a plastic table. Some ate pizza; others were smoking. They did not seem to be concerned. "I'm not going to leave unless [the situation] gets out of hand, which I doubt," 52-year-old Mohammed Baidoun said, under the watchful eye of a handful of Hezbollah minders, who came from multiple directions as soon as we arrived. "I have faith in the resistance that we have here... I believe deep down that [Hezbollah] will protect us." |
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| | World headlines | | • | US Speaker saga: Jim Jordan is hoping third time's a charm for his chances to become Speaker of the House of Representatives, after a plan to keep Patrick McHenry as a temporary Speaker until January lost traction. | | • | Labour victories: The UK's opposition party has won two by-elections in former strongholds of the Conservatives. Our chief political correspondent Henry Zeffman says it looks like more than mid-term blues for the government. | | • | India-Canada tensions: Canada has withdrawn 41 diplomats from India amid an ongoing dispute between the two countries over the killing of a Sikh separatist leader. | | • | Nuclear arsenal: An annual Pentagon report noted an increase in China's nuclear stockpile, with a further expansion expected. | | • | Costume change: The US actors' union has issued strict guidelines on stars' Halloween outfits. Confused? Our entertainment reporter Ian Youngs explains. |
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| | | | | | Beyond the headlines | | The islanders fighting for their homes | | | | Most of the island's inhabitants are fishermen. Credit: BBC |
| | The Indonesian government has lofty ambitions for the island of Rempang. Having secured Chinese investment, President Joko Widodo wants to turn it into an "eco-city" that would bring jobs and boost tourism. But locals would have to be evicted, and some of them have made their dissent known. | | | | |
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| | | | Something different | | WAG Culture | | How British media turned footballers' wives and girlfriends into a national obsession. | | |
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| | | | And finally... | | Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi enjoyed splurging on art, but did not care much for its value. The billionaire's heirs are now saddled with a collection of 25,000 pieces that is estimated to be worth around €20m (£17.4m, $24.2m), an average of €800 a painting, but costs €800,000 a year to store. |
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