BBC News Briefing

28 August, 2024

Andrew McFarlane

Hello. Britain's prime minister has been in Berlin, working to "reset" relations with the European Union. Henry Zeffman assesses the mood in the German capital, and explains why Sir Keir Starmer might find things tricky back at home. From Paris, you may have caught some of the Paralympics opening ceremony on TV. My BBC Sport colleagues set out all you need to know about the Games. And scroll down for mafia busts, dogs' business and shuttlecock innuendo.

GET UP TO SPEED

A Bedouin Arab man rescued from Gaza has urged Israel to reach a deal with Hamas to free all the remaining hostages, as details of his suffering in captivity have emerged.

Italian authorities are expanding their investigation into the deaths of seven people on the yacht, the Bayesian, to include two crew members as well as the captain, according to Italian news agencies.

Telegram - the messaging app service whose boss was arrested in France - refuses to join international programmes aimed at detecting and removing child abuse material online, the BBC has learned.

AT THE SCENE

Berlin, Germany

Starmer tries to define his EU reset

Sir Keir Starmer has dark greying hair and wears dark-rimmed glasses, a black suit and spotted tie over a white shirt as he places his hands on a lectern. Alongside him is Olaf Scholz, who is balding and wears a dark suit and tie over a white shirt. Behind them are the flags of the UK, Germany and EU

These were the first official talks between Starmer and Scholz. Credit: PA Media

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, saying he wants to "reset" Britain's relationship with the EU. Sir Keir, who will meet France's President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday, insists his plan does not mean reversing Brexit.

Henry Zeffman, chief political correspondent

The mood music here was unquestionably good. The low-key Mr Scholz was noticeably enthusiastic, saying that Germany intended to "take this hand that has been reached out to us". Two things are especially striking about the leaders' professed ambitions for this treaty. One is how fast they plan to negotiate it: within six months. The other is how broad it is intended to be.

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In his press conference with Mr Scholz, the prime minister suggested it would cover trade, defence, illegal migration, science, technology, development, people and culture. Downing Street's formal announcement also referenced collaboration on energy, supply chains, biodiversity and the environment. Quite a lot, then. For some, that will prompt the question of whether the treaty's intended breadth is a sign of how significant it is, or whether it shows that the treaty is merely a symbolic way of writing down the ways in which the countries already cooperate.

Why it's tricky

What happened: Sir Keir said the reset did not mean re-entering the EU's single market or customs union. Here's our round-up.

The Brexit effect: More than four years after the UK left the EU, how do British people feel about it? In June, our reporters canvassed views in towns in southern England that had voted Leave and Remain.

Economic warning: On Tuesday, Sir Keir Starmer warned the British public to expect "painful" measures in October's Budget. Here are five key points from his speech.

QUESTIONS ANSWERED

What to know about the Paralympics

A collection of performers - some wearing red and white tracksuits or vests and some holding crutches - reach for the skies beneath a cloud of blue smoke during the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games. They are in front of the Obelisk of Luxor at the centre of the Place de la Concorde, in Paris.

As with the Olympics, the ceremony was the first to take place outside a stadium, with the city as a backdrop. Credit: Reuters

Tens of thousands of people have gathered in Paris to watch the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games. About 4,400 athletes from around the world will compete for medals until Sunday, 8 September.

BBC Sport reporters

Which sports feature at the Paralympics?

There are 22 sports in the Paralympic programme - here's the full list. Unlike the past two editions of the Games, where Para-triathlon and Para-canoe (Rio) and Para-taekwondo and Para-badminton (Tokyo) made their debuts, no new sports are included in the Paris programme. However, the badminton and taekwondo programmes have been expanded and there are a record number of medal events for women.

How many nations will compete at the Paralympics?

The increase in the profile of Para-sport has meant a gradual rise in the number of nations participating in a Paralympic Games. The Paris Games will feature about 4,400 athletes from a record 168 delegations - still short of the 207 that competed at the Olympics. The total includes 167 National Paralympic Committees, an eight-strong Refugee Paralympic Team and a Neutral Paralympic Athletes delegation from Russia and Belarus.

How many people are watching?

Nearly two million tickets have been sold, with about 500,000 still available. After the success of the Paris Olympics, organisers say this is only half-time. There will also be television coverage in more territories than ever before.

Read in full

The basics: Read our day-by-day guide to look ahead to the highlights, or check the full schedule. And, if you've ever wondered how athletes are classified to ensure fair competition, check out our explainer.

An athlete's story: Paralysed by an ex-boyfriend, Tracy Otto used his attack as the launchpad for a new life as a Paralympic archer. Emma Smith and Caroline Barker's powerful report has descriptions of domestic violence.

'Welcoming and accessible': BBC Sport columnist and 11-time Paralympic gold medallist Tanni Grey-Thompson says Paris needs to raise the bar from disability sport's previous high at London 2012.

THE BIG PICTURE

How Interpol dealt a blow to violent mafia

Somebody wearing a ski mask with a skull image

Operation Jackal III led to the seizure of $3m of illegal assets and more than 700 bank accounts being frozen. Credit: BBC

Nigerian mafia Black Axe is one of the world's most feared criminal networks. But a four-month operation involved police carrying out raids in 21 countries, arresting 300 people linked to the group. Charlie Northcott explains how authorities remain locked in a technological arms race with the criminals.

Read now

The background: In 2021, BBC Africa Eye's two-year investigation detailed how Black Axe evolved from a Nigerian student fraternity to a scamming and killing operation spanning the globe.

FOR YOUR DOWNTIME

Foul play

Wondering why your dog loves rolling in poo?

Here's why

And finally... in Hong Kong

Hong Kong's Education Bureau has unintentionally coined a new euphemism, when it said in teaching materials that teenagers who wanted to have sex could choose to play badminton instead. The suggestion has flooded local social media with jokes about the fast-paced, high-intensity indoor sport.

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– Andy

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