Plus: Afghanistan's cricket journey, and what Ivanka Trump's evidence means for her father
| | | | | | | Hello. We have new updates on the Israel-Hamas war, as a top UN official has accused both parties of committing "war crimes". In India, Afghanistan's men's cricket team gives us a complex underdog story, while the women's team is in exile. And my US colleagues analyse Ivanka Trump's legal strategy after her witness testimony. |
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| | | | Top of the agenda | | UN accuses Israel and Hamas of 'war crimes' | | | | At least hundreds of Palestinians have fled from the north today. Credit: Reuters |
| | Volker Türk, the UN high commissioner for human rights, has accused Hamas and Israel of "war crimes". He mentioned the "heinous" 7 October attacks and the "continued holding of hostages" by the Islamist group, as well as the "collective punishment by Israel of Palestinian civilians". Here's a bite-sized primer on what constitutes war crimes under the Geneva Convention. Mr Türk was speaking at the Rafah border crossing, which has been closed since Wednesday. In northern Gaza, Israel's army says it has taken a "Hamas stronghold" after 10 hours of fighting. My colleagues have been unable to verify this statement so far, as media operations are tightly controlled in the main zone of combat. Our live page has more on the conflict. | | • | Wasteland in Gaza: The BBC's international editor Jeremy Bowen has travelled with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) into Gaza. The IDF showed what they said was a Hamas weapons factory, below a home in which children lived. Watch his report. | | • | UK row: British Home Secretary Suella Braverman has been accused of making "unhinged" comments, after she said police in London were applying "double standards" in favour of pro-Palestinian protesters. Read our political editor Chris Mason's analysis. | | • | The latest: Photos show more crowds fleeing the north of Gaza, while Israeli troops have carried out more overnight raids in the West Bank. Read our updates. |
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| | | | | | World headlines | | • | Tech: Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is in hospital in Mexico, according to multiple reports. It's not clear why the 73-year-old was hospitalised. | | • | Crisis in Myanmar: The military-installed president of Myanmar has said that the country is in danger of breaking apart if the government cannot control fighting its eastern Shan State. We have a map of where the conflict stands. | | • | Heated exchanges: The latest US Republican presidential debate was a lively affair, with former UN ambassador Nikki Haley calling rival Vivek Ramaswamy "scum". For more sober analysis, read Sam Cabral's four takeaways from the event. | | • | Ready, action: US actors' union Sag-Aftra says it has agreed a tentative deal with Hollywood studios to end a months-long strike that has caused major disruption to the TV and film industries. Read how stars have reacted. | | • | Art watch: Pablo Picasso's Femme à la montre (Woman with a watch) has sold for $139m (£113m), the second highest price ever achieved for the artist. Thankfully, you can see it for nothing here. |
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| | AT THE SCENE | Delhi, India | | A 'ray of hope' for war-weary Afghans | | Afghanistan’s cricket team operates in highly unusual circumstances - supported financially by the Taliban regime while playing under the flag of the former Afghan republic it ousted in 2021. But a fairy tale run of World Cup results has brought rare joy to thousands of Afghans in India. | | | | "When there is cricket, there is hope, even for a weary nation like ours," says Farshid Mohammad, who moved to India three years ago. "When it comes to Afghanistan, my children only know about the doom and gloom there. The World Cup is our ray of hope." It's hard to say what comes next for the team. Sidharth Monga, a senior cricket writer at ESPNcricinfo, says many boards might not want to play with Afghanistan because they don't have structures to promote the sport among women. The suppression of women's rights under Taliban rule is the harshest in the world. The country's female cricket team fled abroad to safety and exile in Australia. |
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| | | | Beyond the headlines | | What Ivanka’s evidence means for Trump | | | | Ivanka Trump took the stand for four hours on Wednesday. Credit: Reuters |
| | Ivanka Trump's testimony in her father's fraud trial on Wednesday could almost be summarised in three words: "I don't recall". The strategy is common in business cases, where executives can argue that they handle a wide variety of issues and interact with many people daily, experts tell our reporter Holly Honderich. | | | | |
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| | | | Something different | | Shakespeare's lost play | | Love's Labour's Won has been missing since it was mentioned in 1603. | | |
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| | | | And finally... | | Dogs have a reputation for being man's best friend, but their friendship is also extended to members of other species, including the feline kind. I submit two pieces of evidence in support of this argument: one dog found her owner's lost cat that had fallen down a mine shaft, and another nursed the litter of kittens that her owner had brought home. |
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– Jules |
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