BBC News Briefing

3 September, 2024

Sofia Lotto Persio

Hello. A BBC investigation has found the development of illegal outposts in the occupied West Bank has seen its biggest increase last year. My colleagues look into the outposts' growth and its impact on Palestinian communities. In South Korea, Jean Mackenzie and Leehyun Choi explore the spread of non-consensual fake images of women and girls that has shocked the country. Finally, a Native American tribe and the Republic of Ireland celebrate their friendship.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

BBC analysis shows rise of illegal outposts

A rectangular building covered by a light grey tent stands on a hillside terrain, a car parked nearby

There is little evidence that the Israeli government has been trying to prevent new outposts. Credit: Matthew Cassel/BBC

A BBC investigation has looked into the increasing number of settlers' outposts in the occupied West Bank. There are currently at least 196 across the West Bank, and 29 were set up last year - more than in any previous year. Official figures for the number of outposts do not exist. The BBC reviewed lists gathered by Israeli anti-settlement watchdogs Peace Now and Kerem Navot - as well as the Palestinian Authority, which runs part of the occupied West Bank. The BBC has also analysed open source intelligence to examine their proliferation. The outposts - which can be farms, clusters of houses, or even groups of caravans - often lack defined boundaries and are illegal under both Israeli and international law. Experts say outposts are increasingly linked to violence and harassment towards Palestinian communities. The investigation hears from some of those affected and looks into the organisations funding the outposts' development.

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Israel's one-day general strike: Middle East correspondent Lucy Williamson speaks to Israelis about the protests against the government and reports on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's defiant speech.

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Partial arms ban: Political editor Chris Mason explains how the new UK government appears to be setting out a new approach to Israel.

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Get the latest: Follow reaction to the announcement that the UK will suspend 30 out of 350 arms export licences to Israel.

WORLD HEADLINES

Putin in Mongolia: The Russian president has arrived in his neighbouring country, his first visit to an International Criminal Court (ICC) member since it issued a warrant for his arrest last year.

China's Shandong province: A school bus ploughed into a crowd of people standing outside a school's gates in Tai’an city, killing at least 11, including five students, state media report.

Rebecca Cheptegei: The Ugandan athlete is in a critical condition in a Kenyan hospital, after allegedly being doused with petrol and set on fire by a former boyfriend.

Venezuelan political crisis: A judge has issued an arrest warrant for Edmundo González, the opposition's candidate in the country's recent - and contested - presidential election.

Papal visit: Pope Francis has landed in Indonesia, the first stop of a 12-day visit to the Asia Pacific region - the longest foreign trip of his tenure to date.

AT THE SCENE

Seoul, South Korea

Deepfakes target women and girls

South Koreans have been shocked and angry since the deepfake scandal has come to light. Credit: News 1

South Korean journalist Ko Narin has uncovered dozens of chat groups on the messaging app Telegram where users shared photos of women and girls they knew, edited with an AI software to turn them into fake sexually explicit images. Targets included not just university students, but also high-school and even middle-school pupils.

Jean Mackenzie, Seoul correspondent, and Leehyun Choi, Seoul producer

“I was shocked at how systematic and organised the process was,” said Ms Ko. Scores of women and teenagers across the country have since removed their photos from social media or deactivated their accounts altogether, frightened they could be exploited next. “We are frustrated and angry that we are having to censor our behaviour and our use of social media when we have done nothing wrong,” said one university student, Ah-eun, whose peers have been targeted.

Keep reading

BEYOND THE HEADLINES

India faces Bangladesh balancing act

sheikh Hasina shakes hands with narendra modi

During Ms Hasina's 15-year rule, trade relations and connectivity between the two countries flourished. Credit: EPA

It's been nearly a month since Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina hurriedly fled Dhaka by helicopter and landed near Delhi. Her continued presence in India has created challenges for the country in developing a strong relationship with the new interim government in Dhaka - a close ally crucial to India's border security.

Find out more

Trees adorned in red and orange autumn leaves line the sides of a street leading to a farm

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Influencers begone

A town known for its autumn foliage wants visitors to show more respect.

Here's how

And finally...

A sculpture to celebrate the ties between the Native American Choctaw nation and the people of Ireland has been unveiled in Oklahoma. Take a look, and learn more about the 177-year history of the two nations.

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– Sofia

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