| | | | | | | Hello. About 400 people were able to leave Gaza through the Rafah border yesterday, and another 600 are expected to be allowed out today. Correspondent Fergal Keane speaks to some who were waiting to make the crossing about their hopes and fears. Music correspondent Mark Savage has a handy guide to the Beatles' last song as fans wait for its release later today. Finally, as the Turnip Prize opens submissions for its 25th edition, we look back at the low-effort art award's previous winners. |
|
|
|
| | | | Top of the agenda | | Israel claims to be at 'the gates of Gaza City' |  | | Jabalia in north Gaza is home to a sprawling refugee camp. Credit: Reuters |
| | People in Gaza faced another night of intense airstrikes, including new bombing in the area of Jabalia. The UN human rights office warned that the strikes that hit Jabalia "could amount to war crimes". The Israeli army said they targeted a senior Hamas commander and killed dozens of fighters. They have previously rejected claims of breeching international law. This morning, Israeli forces claimed to have reached "the gates of Gaza City," as Yolande Knell reports. Meanwhile, Thailand has begun negotiating directly with Hamas to secure the release of its citizens held hostage in Gaza. Follow our live page for the latest updates, analysis, and images from the ground. | | | | |
|
|
| | | | | | World headlines | | • | Donald Trump Jr: The eldest son of former president Donald Trump went on a charm offensive during his testimony at his father's civil fraud trial. He's back in court today. | | • | George Santos vote: The New York congressman has easily survived a motion to expel him from the US House of Representatives in relation to a variety of charges including fraud and money laundering. | | • | Australia mushroom deaths: A woman who served a lunch that killed three people and caused a fourth one to fall ill has been arrested and charged with murder. She maintains her innocence. | | • | Toxic cough syrup: The boss and three officials of the Indonesian pharmaceutical company whose medicine was linked to the death of more than 200 children have been sentenced to jail. | | • | Alpha Consulting: A Seychelles-based firm has helped create companies used by members of Vladimir Putin's inner circle, including one hiding the late mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin's yacht. Alpha said it always followed the law. |
|
|
|
| AT THE SCENE |  Jerusalem, Israel | | Alone at the border crossing | | Only a tiny percentage of Gaza's 2.2 million residents have been given the all clear to pass through the border crossing with Egypt. The process is slow and not everyone on the list was able to leave as planned. Some can take comfort in each other. Others, who may be the only foreign passport holder in their family, are on their own. | | | | The border is a place where the word "luck" has different meanings. It means escaping bombing, hunger and lack of water. It also means having to leave behind those you love who don't have foreign passports, or who are not badly wounded enough to merit evacuation, or who are trapped under fire and cannot reach the border. Mona - she did not wish to give her surname - is an Australian citizen through marriage. She came to the border alone and was haunted by the thought of her family trapped in Gaza. "I'm not happy at all, because I'm leaving my other part, my brothers and sisters, my whole family is still here. I wish, God willing, they would all be in a safe place. The situation is terrible there, it's very, very bad," she says. |
| | |
|
|
|
| | | | Beyond the headlines | | A fab farewell |  | | The first bars of Now And Then were written by John Lennon in 1978. Credit: Getty Images |
| | Fans of The Beatles will get to hear the Fab Four's "final song" later, when Now And Then is made available. Our music correspondent Mark Savage has everything you need to know about the farewell single, from how the decades-old demo was finished to details of its video. | | | | |
|
|
| | | | Something different | | Forest-savvy kids | | School that let children spend all day in the woods are increasingly popular. | | |
|
|
|
| | | | And finally... | | What constitutes proper art or not is a philosophical debate this newsletter won't get into. Instigators of the Turnip Prize, however, have a very broad-minded opinion on the matter. The spoof award, now open for entries for its 25th year, is bestowed upon the cheapest, most low-effort pieces of art. Previous winners include Panda Mick, Pulled Pork and Cue Jumper. Look at them in all of their glory. |
|
|
| | | | | | Essential List Newsletter | | The week’s best stories, handpicked by BBC editors, in your inbox every Friday. | | |
|
|
|
| | | Do you have suggestions for what we cover in BBC News Briefing? You can email me to let me know what you think. And why not forward it to friends? They can sign up here.
While you're at it, add newsbriefing@email.bbc.com to your contacts list and, if you're on Gmail, pop the email into your “Primary” tab for uninterrupted service. Thanks for reading!
– Sofia |
|
|
| | | | |
|
| | |
|
