BBC News Briefing

30 April, 2024

Jules Darmanin

Hello. Today we're taking a closer look at the US student protests over the Israel-Gaza war, as New York's Columbia University has started to suspend some of the demonstrators. I'm also coming with good medical news after a promising trial of a measles vaccine patch in The Gambia. Video games, Irish soap operas and communal living are also on the menu.

GET UP TO SPEED

Donald Trump was hit with a $9,000 (£6,960) fine for violating on nine occasions the gag order imposed upon him in his criminal hush-money trial. Our live page brings you the latest from the court in New York.

Kenyans living in risk areas have been asked to evacuate on Wednesday after violent flooding killed at least 170 in the country.

Two people have been charged in connection with the felling of the world-famous Sycamore Gap tree in the North of England.

AT THE SCENE

New York City

Columbia students occupy campus building

Four students, including two with keffiyeh scarves push furniture against a door in the corridor of a student hall.

Protesters used chairs, tables and rope to barricade themselves in the university building. Credit: Getty Images

A Columbia spokesperson said students who took over the university's Hamilton Hall in Manhattan were "facing expulsion", after dozens of demonstrators started occupying the campus building. Protesters on campuses across the US have called for universities to boycott companies and individuals with ties to Israel during the war in Gaza.

Nomia Iqbal, North America correspondent

A statement on Monday from Columbia's president, Dr Minouche Shafik, reiterated that the university "will not divest from Israel", and that talks between academic leaders and student organisers had failed to result in an agreement. Several hours after the deadline passed for students to take down their camp - and before the break-in at Hamilton Hall was reported - another official said the university had started to suspend students.

‌

Mahmoud Khalil, one of the students who has been negotiating with Columbia officials, told the BBC that protesters believed it was "highly probable" that police would again be called in again. "The students are here," added Mr Khalil, who said he was a Palestinian refugee who grew up in Syria. "They are holding their ground." Many wore face coverings, telling the BBC they were worried about being recognised and facing recrimination. But the university wrote in its letter on Monday that it had already identified several participants.

Follow live

An update: Mahmoud Khalil, the student negotiator, told Nomia Iqbal he had been suspended by Columbia University on Tuesday morning. More on our live page.

The context: Hundreds of demonstrators have been arrested across the US. What are they asking for, and where are they protesting? Sam Cabral explains it all.

In the Middle East: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will launch an invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah regardless of truce talks with Hamas.

QUESTIONS ANSWERED

A promising vaccine patch against measles

There has been around 136,000 deaths from measles in 2022, mostly among under-fives who'd had only one dose or none at all. Credit: MRC unit, The Gambia at LSHTM

A vaccine patch against measles has been successfully trialed in The Gambia. These patches could be a safe and effective alternative way to protect young children against the deadly disease.

Philippa Roxby, health reporter

What's the state of measles vaccination?

Despite the existence of a very effective measles jab, falling vaccination levels since the Covid pandemic have left millions of children unprotected, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Globally, in 2022, about 83% of children received one dose of measles vaccine by their first birthday - the lowest since 2008, according to the World Health Organization.

How does the patch work?

The microarray patch sticks to the arm and lots of microscopic needles deliver the vaccine through the skin, with no pain. In the trial, involving more than 200 healthy toddlers and babies, more than 90% of babies were protected against measles after one dose, and all infants against rubella. The patch stayed in place for five minutes. And it could eventually be used against other diseases.

What are the advantages of the patch?

Volunteers with minimal training can apply the patch, instead of doctors and nurses, and fridges for transporting and cold storage are no longer necessary. It also reduces people's fears over needles and the risk of injuries from them. Even in countries such as the UK, where there is no shortage of these resources, the patches could be more convenient and attractive to some parents of young unvaccinated children, the researchers say.

Read in full

An 'alarming rise': There was a nearly 45-fold increase in measles cases in Europe in 2023, likely due to lower rates of vaccination during the Covid pandemic.

Challenging delivery: The Democratic Republic of Congo is frequently grappling with some of the world's worst outbreaks of measles. Back in 2020, the BBC followed health workers scrambling to distribute the delicate vaccine.

THE BIG PICTURE

Cult video game turns 20 without a party

A statue of an elfish creature holding a crossbow is displayed in a packed convention center.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.

World of Warcraft is a rarity in the gaming industry: a single video game able to transform itself and last for now 20 years. But its maker Activision Blizzard, which was bought by Microsoft for $69bn (£56bn) last year, cancelled a yearly convention where fans would have celebrated the milestone.

What fans think

Watch: Some of the game's most senior bosses tell the BBC they have enough ideas to carry on for 20 more years.

A woman lies on a bed, smiling. She has short, cropped hair and has covered her mouth as she laughs, holding a piece of food. The legs of another person, who is holding a phone, are seen beside her on the bed.

FOR YOUR DOWNTIME

Living together

Can living in big groups with strangers make us happier?

Explore how

And finally... in Ireland

Conan O'Brien has been a staple of American late-night television for three decades. But on Tuesday the red-haired entertainer has added a surprising line to his CV: Irish language soap opera actor. The 61-year-old is a special guest for an episode of Ros na Rún, a long-established TV drama in the Celtic language. O'Brien had some difficulties learning his lines, however.

The Essential List newsletter

The week's best stories, handpicked by BBC editors, in your inbox twice a week.

MORE BBC NEWSLETTERS

In History: The past comes to life through the BBC's unique audio, video and written archive, each Thursday. Subscribe.

US Election Unspun: Cut through the noise in the race for the White House, every Wednesday. Subscribe.

Football Extra: Latest news, insights and gossip from the Premier League, weekdays. Subscribe.

Thanks, as ever, for reading. Send us what you think of this newsletter. We read everything, even when we don’t have the time to reply. And feel free to send it to your friends and family, who can subscribe by clicking this link.

Also, you can add newsbriefing@email.bbc.com to your contacts list and, if you're on Gmail, pop the email into your “Primary” tab for uninterrupted service. Thanks for reading!

‌

– Jules

You've received this email because you've signed up to the BBC News Briefing newsletter.

Click here to unsubscribe

To find out how we use your data, see the BBC Privacy Policy.

BBC Studios Distribution Limited.

Registered Number: 01420028 England

Registered office: 1 Television Centre, 101 Wood Lane, London, W12 7FA, United Kingdom