Plus: Truth Social and Trump's cash problems, and France's orphanage for police children ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
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| Hello. Today, with Jeremy Bowen, we're taking a step back from the latest developments in the Middle East to understand why the killing of aid workers, and the assassination of a senior Iranian general, are forcing leaders to ponder the next stages of the Gaza crisis. We're also reporting on Donald Trump's social network, Truth Social, and his legal bills. Also in your newsletter: Spanish football, green urbanism, and Japanese royals. | |
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| The Israel-Gaza war is at a crossroads |  | A Palestinian boy in Maghazi in central Gaza. Credit: Getty Images | The killing of seven aid workers in Gaza, as well as the assassination of a senior Iranian general in Syria, has changed the political and diplomatic context of the war between Israel and Hamas. Belligerents and their allies now have big decisions to make, writes Jeremy Bowen. |
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| | Jeremy Bowen, international editor |
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| | After the World Central Kitchen team was killed in Gaza, President Biden used his strongest language yet in public statements to condemn Israel's actions. The president and his aides must now decide whether words are enough. So far, they have resisted calls to put conditions on the use of American weapons in Gaza, or even to turn off the supply line.
While the weapons still arrive, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who depends on hardline Jewish ultranationalists to stay in office, might feel he can still afford to defy President Biden. A major test will be the offensive Israel wants to attack Hamas in Rafah, plans the US believes would compound the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. American interests and Joe Biden's political prospects in an election year have already been damaged by what is seen in many countries as complicity with Israel. |
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| | | | - More reactions: World Central Kitchen founder Jose Andres has accused Israeli forces in Gaza of targeting the aid workers "car by car" - Israel's PM Benjamin Netanyahu previously said the strike was unintentional. More on our live page.
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QUESTIONS ANSWERED | Will Truth Social solve Trump's cash problems? |
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|  | Donald Trump has roughly 7m followers on Truth Social, out of the 9m accounts the platform claims to have. Credit: Getty Images | The share price of Donald Trump's media company has fallen from last week's high when it officially listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange. But it is still worth more than $7bn (£5.6bn) at current prices - an astonishing sum given the business behind it. Is it the answer to Mr Trump's spiralling legal bills? |
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| | Natalie Sherman and Chris Newlands, business reporters |
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| What are Trump Media and Truth Social? | Trump Media & Technology Group was founded in 2021 after Mr Trump lost the presidential election and was temporarily booted from major social media platforms, including Twitter and Facebook, which accused him of inciting violence. In 2022 Trump Media launched its only product for the public: the social media platform Truth Social. Much of its functionality is identical to X, formerly known as Twitter. | How much money does it make? | It doesn't. Trump Media lost nearly $60m in 2023, while bringing in only about $4m in revenue from advertising, according to its latest financial update, which also warned of "substantial doubt" about its ability to continue as a business. Trump Media claims about 9m Truth Social accounts have been created since its start. | So will this solve Donald Trump's financial problems? | Mr Trump is barred from selling his roughly 78m shares for about six months, unless the company decides to grant him a waiver. But he stands to earn a windfall should he decide to cash in - even if the price drops sharply, as many analysts predict. Right now, with shares around $50 apiece, Mr Trump's stake is worth $4.1bn. Even if they were to fall to $1 apiece in six months, Mr Trump could still raise more than $78m by selling. | | | |
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THE BIG PICTURE | France's orphanage for police children |
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| |  | Orpheopolis has cared for the children of police for more than a century. Credit: Orpheopolis | Several orphanages in France are dedicated to children of police officers. In one of them, on the Mediterranean coast, the equivalent of 28 full-time staff look after 20 children between 10 and 18. Chris Bockman gets a rare look into the century-old institution. |
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FOR YOUR DOWNTIME | Most sustainable cities | These urban centres are doing the most to ensure lower-carbon future. | |
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And finally... in Japan | The world's oldest continuing monarchy has taken a decisive step into the 21st Century. Japan's imperial family has joined Instagram under the @kunaicho_jp account, which features plenty of formal images. | |
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In History newsletter | The past comes to life through the BBC's unique audio, video and written archive, each Thursday. | |
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