Plus: Putin warns South Korea it would be a "big mistake" to arm Ukraine, and Indian students protest over alleged exam cheating ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
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| Hello. On the heels of a disappointing draw (for some in the UK, at least) between England and Denmark at the men's football Euros, the British public watched another confrontation on Thursday evening. Party leaders faced tough questioning from a live studio audience - and the programme had more highlights than the football match. We're also writing on Indian exams, China-US relations, and macaque sociability. | |
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TOP OF THE AGENDA | UK leaders feel the public's heat | | Each party leader was questioned for 30 minutes. Credit: BBC | Question Time, a 44-year-old TV show where a studio audience grills public figures, is a staple of British political life. Yesterday, four party leaders were on the spot in a special edition. It probably did not "change the course of the election", writes Henry Zeffman. But the rare chance for the general public to confront the country's leading politicians made for a few memorable moments. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey was accused of un-seriousness for his eye-grabbing campaign stunts. John Swinney, who leads the Scottish National Party, had to discuss the legal troubles of some senior figures in his movement. Sir Keir Starmer had moments of difficulty over his past support for his predecessor as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. And many in the audience were visibly furious with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who was asked if he felt “embarrassed” to be Conservative leader. BBC Verify, meanwhile, checked the leaders’ claims on spending, migration, Brexit and the National Health Service.
Social care: Politicians of all colours have long been grappling with how to support the UK’s older and disabled people. Now, more than 24,000 people have signed an open letter calling on them to do more to support the sector.
A place to call home: BBC audiences have identified housing as one of the key issues in the election campaign, with Labour and the Conservatives trading blows over policies towards renters and first-time buyers.
Voting intentions: Get a sense of each party’s prospects in our poll tracker. | |
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| Communication key for US and China | | Relations stabilised after US President Joe Biden met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in November. Credit: AFP | Tensions in the South China Sea, where the Chinese military operates in close proximity to those of the US and its allies, have flared in recent months, as Filipino and Chinese vessels have clashed. Nicholas Burns, the US ambassador to China, tells the BBC it highlights the importance of communication. |
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| | Laura Bicker, China correspondent |
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| | "The Chinese have agreed to increase our military-to-military communications and that’s really critical… the last thing we want is an accident, a misunderstanding that leads to conflict," said the 68-year-old diplomat. While tensions between the US and China have eased, the upcoming US presidential election has the potential to disrupt the relationship again. "We’ve warned the Chinese not to involve themselves in our election in any way, shape or form," Mr Burns said, adding that the US was "very concerned" about the possibility. |
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BEYOND THE HEADLINES | Outrage at alleged exam cheating |
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| | | Only a small percentage of exam takers get good enough marks to secure a college placement. Credit: Getty Images | Each year in India, millions of students take a highly competitive exam to get to medical school. But this month’s results revealed thousands of candidates with unusually high marks, sparking allegations of cheating. It has led to protests on the streets and petitions to the country's Supreme Court. |
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SOMETHING DIFFERENT | Lessons to learn | The tragedy of the Titan submersible could make future deep-ocean voyages safer. | |
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And finally... | A man filmed his rescue of a baby moose trapped between a floatplane and a dock in Homer, Alaska. The exhausted calf was able to rejoin his mother. Take a look at the heartwarming scene. | |
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Medal Moments | Your daily newsletter guide to the Paris Olympics, from global highlights to heroic stories, throughout the Games. | |
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MORE BBC NEWSLETTERS | | The Essential List: The week's best stories, handpicked by BBC editors, in your inbox twice a week. Subscribe. | | In History: The past comes to life through the BBC's unique audio, video and written archive, each Thursday. Subscribe. | | US Election Unspun: Cut through the noise in the race for the White House, every Wednesday. Subscribe. | |
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