| | | | | | | Hello. It's now been a month since Hamas launched its assault on communities near the border with Gaza, triggering a war that changed the region and shows no signs of relenting. Our correspondents bring you the latest. My colleague in Ukraine Jenny Hill reports on new refugees fleeing the front line. I also have stories on audiobooks, Thailand tourism and the former loneliest sheep in Britain. |
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| | | | Top of the agenda | | One month of pain and relentless war | | | | Memorial candles were lit during a special ceremony at the Western Wall. Credit: EPA |
| | Israelis have observed a minute’s silence, marking one month since Hamas killed 1,400 people and kidnapped around 240 hostages, according to Israel's latest numbers. Families of victims had called for the moment of contemplation, a day after 1,400 candles were lit near the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City. Those who have loved ones held in Gaza have had virtually no news. "It is hard to have a conversation talking about what is happening when nothing is happening," said Noam Sagi, whose mother was kidnapped. In a BBC interview, a senior Hamas leader has refused to acknowledge his group killed civilians in Israel, despite the wealth of evidence, claiming only conscripts were targeted. In Gaza, another grim milestone has been passed yesterday. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, more than 10,000 people have been killed, including more than 4,100 children. "Any human being will find that horrific because we share humanity," said Sharone Lifschitz, whose mother was freed from Hamas captivity two weeks ago. She's still waiting for news of her father. | | • | A month in Israel: My colleague Yolande Knell, who was already in Israel at the beginning of the war, looks back on the pain and reckoning going through the country. | | • | Children of Gaza: Thanks to journalists in Gaza, BBC special correspondent Fergal Keane reports on the devastating effects of the war on children in the Gaza Strip. Some readers may find this video distressing. | | • | The latest: Deadly strikes have been reported in the south of Gaza, designated as "safer" by Israeli authorities. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will have "overall security responsibility" for Gaza once the fighting ends. Follow our live updates. |
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| | | | | | World headlines | | • | The King's Speech: It's the State Opening of Parliament in the UK, with King Charles setting out the government's plans for the first time as monarch. There may not have been a King's Speech for 72 years but royal correspondent Sean Coughlan says some of the topics feel familiar - our live page captures the pomp. | | • | WeWork: The shared-office company has said its spaces remain open and operational, after it filed for bankruptcy in the US. It's used by 730,000 members at 700 sites around the world. | | • | Grenade death: A close aide to the head of Ukraine's armed forces was killed when a grenade he received as a birthday present exploded, the country's interior minister has said. Ukrainian commentators are questioning the official account of a "tragic accident". | | • | Room with a due: An Italian judge has ordered the seizure of €779.5m ($835.5m; £676.8m) from Airbnb, over alleged tax evasion. Prosecutors say the short-term rental giant failed to collect a tax from landlords on around €3.7bn of rental income. | | • | Parasite: South Korean authorities are working to contain bedbug infestations that have caused some people to stay away from cinemas and public transportation out of fear of bedbugs. |
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| | AT THE SCENE | Odesa, Ukraine | | The new refugees of the war in Ukraine | Russia has intensified its attacks on the Kherson region of southern Ukraine in recent weeks, causing civilian deaths and injuries in some of the heaviest aerial bombardment this year. Air strikes have been particularly intense in settlements along the front line, according to the local government.
| | | | The elderly woman sits, alone among strangers, at an aid centre. Nina survived German air strikes in World War Two. Now, at the age of 91, she is a refugee again. Hundreds of people arrive here every day, fleeing their homes near the front line as fighting and shelling intensify. Many, like Nina, come from the Kherson region. Ukraine's interior minister said on Monday that Russia had targeted the area with 87 guided aerial bombs overnight, the largest number since the war began. "I couldn't sleep," Nina tells the BBC. "I couldn't eat, there were explosions." Her eyes, hooded with age, are exhausted. As she speaks, it becomes evident that the last few weeks have rekindled the painful memories of 80 years ago. |
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| | | | Beyond the headlines | | Why Chinese tourists are snubbing Thailand | | | | The new Thai government hoped its announcement of a five-month visa waiver would entice more tourists. Credit: EPA |
| | When China lifted its zero-Covid restrictions in January, allowing its citizens to travel overseas, Thailand hoped to see five million Chinese visitors jolting its tourism industry back to life. Only half of that number has come since January. In Bangkok, our correspondent Jonathan Head explains why even shirtless waiters have lost their pre-pandemic appeal. | | | | |
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| | | | Something different | | Betting on audiobooks | | Spotify's push into audiobooks could push the medium further into the mainstream. | | |
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| | | | And finally... | | A sheep deemed the be "the loneliest in Britain" has found a new home. Fiona was rescued on Saturday after being stranded at the foot of cliffs in the Scottish Highlands for more than two years. But plans to rehome her have proved controversial. |
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