• newsinsightplus.com
• 2024Donald
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• March 4, 2024
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaNikki Haley beats Donald Trump in Washington DC for first primary victoryPublished2 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsUS election 2024Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, This is Nikki Haley’s first primary win against Donald TrumpNikki Haley has defeated Donald Trump in the Republican primary in Washington DC.This is her first victory over the former president in the 2024 campaign to become the Republican presidential candidate.She lost in South Carolina, her home state. But she is the first woman to win a Republican primary in US history. Mr Trump however has a huge lead over Ms Haley and is likely to face Joe Biden in the November election.The BBC’s US partner CBS reports that Ms Haley will receive all 19 Republican delegates who were up for grabs in Washington DC, giving her 43 delegates nationwide – well behind Mr Trump’s 247.Ms Haley, a former US ambassador to the UN, won 62.9% of the vote, to Mr Trump’s 33.2%.Her campaign national spokesperson Olivia Perez-Cubas said: “it’s not surprising that Republicans closest to Washington dysfunction are rejecting Donald Trump and all his chaos”.Mr Trump has dominated every state primary or caucus so far in the Republican campaign, and is poised to win more delegates this week, on Super Tuesday, when voters in 15 states and one US territory will nominate their candidate. It is the biggest day of nominating contests, with 874 Republican delegates’ support at stake.More on the US electionExplained: A simple guide to the US 2024 electionAnalysis: Where Biden v Trump will be won and lostPolicies: What a Trump second term would look likeEconomy: Voters feel better – will that help Biden?Recap: The Trump life story to dateRelated TopicsWashington DCRepublican PartyNikki HaleyUS election 2024Donald TrumpUnited StatesMore on this storyTrump moves closer to nomination with string of winsPublished22 hours agoProtest vote over Gaza is election warning Biden cannot ignorePublished4 days agoTop StoriesUS urges more aid for starving people in GazaPublished3 hours agoHunt hints at tax cuts ahead of BudgetPublished18 minutes agoMystery of giant star sand dunes solvedPublished1 hour agoFeaturesDid the last Budget deliver what was promised?The Papers: Hunt looks for £9bn and German leaks on UkraineThe Ukrainian teenagers who returned for their school promMystery of giant star sand dunes solvedCan a rubberstamp parliament help China’s economy?’I embrace my alopecia, but I’d love my old hair back’ Video’I embrace my alopecia, but I’d love my old hair back’Brit Awards 2024: The real winners and losersKate, the King and three other big challenges for royalsWhy Macron hopes abortion rights are a political winnerElsewhere on the BBCFrom the seizure of Crimea to the war in UkraineThe story of a decade of clashes, told by the Western leaders who traded blows with PutinAttributioniPlayerFrom the largest ship to disasters on deck…A closer look at times when cruise ships have caused commotionAttributioniPlayer’I never tried to be famous…it was accidental’Michael Parkinson with guests Ricky Gervais, Michael Palin and Kate AdieAttributioniPlayerIt’s make or break timeAnother set of eager entrepreneurs hope to impress the fearsome panelAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Nikki Haley defeats Trump in Washington DC primary2Mystery of giant star sand dunes solved3Hunt looks for £9bn and German leaks on Ukraine4’No option of life on benefits for young’ – Labour5Haiti gangs free 4,000 inmates in mass jailbreak6Nissan accused of dumping its electric car pioneers7Police to return Mia Janin’s lost phone to family8Warning cost of living fund closure ‘catastrophic’9Israel agrees to change Eurovision song lyrics10The Ukrainian teenagers who returned for their school prom

[ad_1] Mr Trump has dominated every state primary or caucus so far in the Republican campaign, and is poised to win more delegates this week, on Super Tuesday, when voters…

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• 11year
• 2017Ms
• March 4, 2024
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaYvonne Aki-Sawyerr – the tree-planting mayor of Sierra Leone’s capital FreetownPublished16 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsClimateBy Tamasin FordBBC Africa EyeYvonne Aki-Sawyerr has made a name for herself as a tree-planting mayor of a West African city on the brink of a climate emergency.The 56-year-old is also the first directly elected female mayor of Freetown – and the first person to be re-elected since it became a position voted for by the residents of Sierra Leone’s capital city two decades ago.BBC Africa Eye had unique access to her and her family last year in the run-up to the elections – an insight into the highs and lows of Sierra Leonean politics and also the personal cost of living in the political limelight. But after several decades working in finance in London, what has shocked her more than anything about her return home has been the obsession about her capabilities as a woman.”There was no interview I had when I wasn’t asked: ‘So do you think you can do this job as a woman?'” says Ms Aki-Sawyerr with a smile on her face.”And I used to say: ‘Why are you asking me this?’ I am first and foremost a professional… I happen to be a woman.”You get things like: ‘Oh, she’s so stubborn. She’s difficult.’ If [those behaviours] were being displayed by a man, [they] would be encouraged and celebrated: ‘Oh he’s strong. He knows his mind.'”She credits a lot of her success to her father.”I’ve realised that I took a lot for granted in my upbringing. I’m one of four girls and people would say to [my dad]: ‘Hey, so sorry, you know, no boys.'”He’s like: ‘There’s nothing my girls can’t do that a boy could do.'”So we grew up just full of confidence and never thinking of our gender as being in any way an inhibitor.”Ms Aki-Sawyerr was born in Freetown. After graduating from the city’s Fourah Bay College with an economics degree in 1988, she moved to the UK. Not long afterwards, Sierra Leone was rocked by an 11-year civil war, characterised by widespread atrocities against civilians, thousands of whom had their arms or legs hacked off with machetes.She was one of seven Sierra Leoneans living in the UK who set up a charity to help children, especially orphans, affected by the conflict.When the Ebola outbreak reached Sierra Leone in 2014, Ms Aki-Sawyerr decided to travel back for a three-month stint as a volunteer – for which she was appointed an OBE by the late Queen Elizabeth II. Ten years later she is still there.”The journey to this seat, the journey to where our family’s found itself, it’s not been easy,” she admits. The moment that galvanised her entry into politics came in August 2017, when Sierra Leone suffered the worst natural disaster in its history.A colossal mudslide, caused by days of torrential rain, engulfed the streets on the edge of Freetown, killing 1,141 people.Image source, ReutersImage caption, The red gash visible on the mountain near Freetown after the devastating mudslide in 2017Ms Aki-Sawyerr decided to make the environment her focus after her election in 2018. Like many cities along the West African coast, Freetown is vulnerable to flooding, coastal erosion and extreme heat. As the authorities got to grips with the coronavirus pandemic, she launched the #FreetownTheTreeTown campaign in January 2020.Funded by tokens sold on private and carbon markets, city residents are paid to plant and monitor trees and mangroves.The aim was to plant one million trees over two years. Although the goal has been missed, more than 600,000 seedlings have been planted. The project was a finalist for last year’s Earthshot Prize, which is backed by Prince William to support those working to provide innovative solutions for environmental issues. It notes the target is now to reach the one million mark by this year – adding that “they have seen an excellent tree survival rate of over 80%”.Ms Aki-Sawyerr has won plenty of international plaudits for her climate work. In 2021, she was named in Time magazine’s TIME100 Next list of “emerging leaders who are shaping the future” for her efforts to clean up Freetown’s streets, fix its drainage systems and plant trees.Image source, Freetown City CouncilImage caption, Seedlings planted by the #FreetownTheTreeTown iniative are reported to have a survival rate of more than 80%She is on several boards and commissioning groups and spoke at COP28 in Dubai, the UN’s Climate Change Conference in 2023. Success when it comes to tackling climate change is not easy to measure and critics closer to home say she has not done enough.”She said she would clean Freetown. Freetown is still filthy. There are a lot of things she said she would do that she hasn’t done,” said Mohamed Gento Kamara, who ran against her in the 2023 mayoral elections for the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) – the party of the current president.Ms Aki-Sawyerr defends herself by saying she spent “five years with my hands tied behind my back” as she is in the opposition party, the All People’s Congress (APC).”In my first term as mayor, I tried to work with the government but they rejected me.”President Julius Maada Bio has also put climate on his agenda. He spoke at COP26 in Glasgow, as well as last year’s Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi. He also launched the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security a month after his re-election.The inter-party rivalry also has darker undertones as shown in the BBC documentary, when Ms Aki-Sawyerr, her daughter and campaign team were filmed huddled on the ground in the APC headquarters on the day of the election while shots and tear gas were fired at the building. A woman died in the violence.Image caption, It was a frightening experience being caught up in electoral turmoil when tear gas was fired at the APC’s HQChallenged on whether she is now focusing more on politics rather than people, she replied: “I reject that.”But… you have to have wisdom. You have to be able to work within a context that’s different and dynamic whilst holding on to your life.”Although she won office again in Freetown last June, she was not sworn in until October as the APC, alleging fraud in the national polls, was refusing to engage in any official activities. The impasse was only overcome with the help of regional negotiators and the African Union.The climate is still on Ms Aki-Sawyerr’s agenda for her final term in office. But one thing she admits she “totally underestimated” was “the extent to which having a female mayor has been an inspiration to so many women and girls”.”It wasn’t really in my calculations, it wasn’t even in my thought process when I was running for this role, but it’s been such a significant part of who I’ve been and what impact I’ve had it’s really moved me.”Sierra Leone is seeing more women in politics than ever before, many say because of President Maada Bio’s 2022 Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act, which sets a 30% quota of women in parliament, the cabinet and other institutions. Parliament has met that target, meaning Sierra Leone now has double the number of female MPs it had previously, and way above the average for West Africa.Quotas are helpful, says Ms Aki-Sawyerr, but they are not enough. She says she fears they “may be more about window dressing” and that “women empowerment needs to come from the heart”.Being the mayor of Freetown has made her realise many other women did not grow up with the confidence she enjoyed as a girl. “Seeing me… sort of helps a lot of women to realise that there’s nothing they can’t do.” You can watch the full BBC Africa Eye documentary Mayor on the Front Line on the BBC Africa YouTube channel.More BBC Africa Eye stories:‘Terrible things happened’ – inside TB Joshua’s church of horrorsHow a sex abuse ring targeted Gabon’s child footballersThe uniformed group targeting foreigners in South AfricaRelated TopicsSierra LeoneFreetownClimateWomen’s rights in AfricaAround the BBCAfrica EyeFocus on Africa podcastsTop StoriesUS urges more aid for starving people in GazaPublished2 hours agoI will only cut taxes in responsible way – HuntPublished13 hours agoPolice to return Mia Janin’s lost phone to familyPublished9 hours agoFeaturesDid the last Budget deliver what was promised?The Papers: Hunt looks for £9bn and German leaks on UkraineThe Ukrainian teenagers who returned for their school promMystery of giant star sand dunes solvedCan a rubberstamp parliament help China’s economy?’I embrace my alopecia, but I’d love my old hair back’ Video’I embrace my alopecia, but I’d love my old hair back’Brit Awards 2024: The real winners and losersKate, the King and three other big challenges for royalsJeremy on the Hunt for Tax Cuts. AudioJeremy on the Hunt for Tax CutsAttributionSoundsElsewhere on the BBCFrom the seizure of Crimea to the war in UkraineThe story of a decade of clashes, told by the Western leaders who traded blows with PutinAttributioniPlayerFrom the largest ship to disasters on deck…A closer look at times when cruise ships have caused commotionAttributioniPlayer’I never tried to be famous…it was accidental’Michael Parkinson with guests Ricky Gervais, Michael Palin and Kate AdieAttributioniPlayerIt’s make or break timeAnother set of eager entrepreneurs hope to impress the fearsome panelAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Mystery of giant star sand dunes solved2’No option of life on benefits for young’ – Labour3Police to return Mia Janin’s lost phone to family4Hunt looks for £9bn and German leaks on Ukraine5Israel agrees to change Eurovision song lyrics6Haiti gangs free 4,000 inmates in mass jailbreak7Warning cost of living fund closure ‘catastrophic’8Tributes to ‘one-in-a-million’ woman as murder arrest made9Girl, 7, dies in English Channel crossing attempt10US urges more aid for starving people in Gaza

[ad_1] The inter-party rivalry also has darker undertones as shown in the BBC documentary, when Ms Aki-Sawyerr, her daughter and campaign team were filmed huddled on the ground in the…

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• 13yearold
• 17yearold
• March 4, 2024
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityCultureThe Ukrainian teenagers who returned to a war zone for their school promPublished9 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsWar in UkraineImage source, POLLY BRADENImage caption, Sofiia (second left), Aliesia (third left) and Yuliia (front) with their friends at Lyceum No 2 school in Mykolaiv before the warBy Katie RazzallCulture and media editorSofiia, Yuliia and Aliesia, three school friends from Mykolaiv in Ukraine, were 16 years old when war broke out. They were regular teenagers looking forward to sleepovers and trips to the beach near their home city.But after 24 February 2022, the girls and their families scattered across Europe.For two years, they have connected almost entirely online, using Telegram and Snapchat. “Many of us feel overwhelmed by the loss of friends and the inability to meet them,” Yuliia says.Incredibly, though, they did see each other again in person last summer, in their bombed-out hometown for a school prom.Now, their stories, and those of other Ukrainian women, are being told in a photography exhibition in London.Image source, POLLY BRADENImage caption, Yuliia, Sofia and Aliesia talking over Zoom from Warsaw, Mykolaiv and Gipf-Oberfrick, SwitzerlandWhen they fled Ukraine, the teenagers hoped it would be temporary, as Yuliia tells me they thought “it would take just a few months and we would all go back to Ukraine and back to our lives”.She originally moved with her mother and grandparents to Bulgaria, where a friend lent them a holiday flat. They later moved to Poland.Aliesia’s journey was more intense. She spent weeks travelling by bus and train, staying in tents and hostels, moving from Romania to Switzerland, then France and Spain, before arriving in Krakow, Poland, in May 2022.The whole experience “was not as physically stressful as it was emotionally”, Aliesia says.With her mother, 13-year-old brother, 17-year-old cousin and aunt, they moved into a one-room dormitory. Image source, POLLY BRADENImage caption, Aliesia (second left) with her mum, brother, cousin and aunt, sharing a room in KrakowThe children did online schooling on their bunks, with teachers who had remained in Mykolaiv. Sofiia left Ukraine for Katowice in Poland first. The journey took several days. “There wasn’t a place to stay for the night, my mum wasn’t sleeping for three days, there was no food at the gas stations.”Seven of them, including her mother and her cousin, lived in one bedroom.”It was really difficult.”Image source, POLLY BRADENImage caption, Left-right: Sofiia with her new friends in Katowice in April 2022Sofiia loves dancing and music. She would practise on the outdoor public piano on a street in Katowice. “I didn’t have one at home. I’m really very extroverted, so it was great.”The family have since moved to Switzerland, where she is studying 10 subjects at a prestigious school.Her father died of Covid during the pandemic. Aliesia and Yuliia had to leave their dads behind in Ukraine because men over the age of 18 are banned from emigrating.Aliesia and her father were reunited when the family moved back to Ukraine at the end of 2022. Six months into the war, her mother and aunt found that the hotel cleaning jobs they had in Poland didn’t pay enough to cover rent and other bills.Teenage dreamsPhotographer Polly Braden has tracked the families’ experiences over two years and is about to tell their stories in an exhibition, Leaving Ukraine, at the Foundling Museum in London. After watching reports from inside Ukraine about the men going to war and what they faced, “it felt really important to see what the women were doing and what was happening outside Ukraine”, she says.So she followed the young people as they have built new lives to find out, “what would that be like for them?”They have had to grow up fast.Image source, POLLY BRADENImage caption, Sofiia putting on make-up after school in Katowice in April 2022Sofiia says “very quickly we stopped being teenagers and had to start our life as adults”.Aliesia tells me the “teenage dream”, the one you see “in American movies”, has been taken from them. “I have sometimes had pretty bad mental breakdowns… It was not fair that I can’t enjoy life the same way as people my age from other countries do.”Yuliia says it has “felt very isolating, especially as everyone else in the world is still living their lives like nothing happened”.Image source, POLLY BRADENImage caption, Yuliia at Poland’s Independence Day in Warsaw in November 2023But none of the girls come across as self-pitying. As Sofiia puts it: “It’s not only difficult for us.”Aliesia adds: “We have to sometimes just accept some things we cannot change.”With school friends spread far and wide, last year they began to talk about wanting to have a school prom when their Ukrainian schooling ended.”For such a long while, our friend group was separated, our whole class was separated,” Yuliia says. “So seeing everyone, almost everyone, was really important to all of us.”‘We all felt beautiful’Sofiia began planning her outfit. “If you want to get a prom dress in Switzerland or Italy, it’s very expensive.” She and her mum decided “it would be cheaper to go to Ukraine”. So after school one Friday, Sofiia took a 20-hour bus trip to Lviv, in western Ukraine. She found a gold dress that “was really perfect”, bought it, and took the long journey back to Switzerland.The prom couldn’t be held at their school, which had been bombed.Instead, they hired a local hall. Bombs fell on Mykolaiv a couple of days before the reunion, which made the decision to return difficult because they were “a bit scared”, Sofiia says.Image source, ReutersImage caption, The aftermath of a Russian missile strike in Mykolaiv in July 2023But about 20 teenagers went back for the prom, from new homes as far away as the UK, Austria, Poland, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland. They came to dance, party and try to be normal teenagers for just one night.”It was actually much more special than just being a normal teenager, because a prom is quite a special day in anyone’s life,” Yuliia says. “We all felt beautiful and it was kind of magical.”She spent two days getting to Mykolaiv from Poland. “I was very excited.”She also got to see her father for the first time since she had left Ukraine.Sofiia’s mother drove for three days to get them back home, sleeping by the roadside when she felt tired. Everyone understood why it meant so much.Image source, Abramov SergeyImage caption, Left-right: Sofiia, Aliesia, their teacher Svetlana, Iryna and Yuliia at their prom in Mykolaiv in July 2023″The war wasn’t planned and so our lives stopped in one moment,” Sofiia says. “I think it was really very important to have the ending of our school lives, of our teenage lives.”It was an emotional evening, according to Aliesia. “Especially by the end, when we had to say goodbye to each other and realise that we won’t see each other for a long time again.”But for one night, they drank punch (“mildly alcoholic” and “so tasty”, according to Yuliia), danced and sang to Maneskin (Alesia’s “favourite band”), listened to speeches, and as the sun rose in the early hours, went out for a walk.”In the morning, we all felt sad,” Sofiia says, “because it was totally the end of school life.”Polly Braden’s exhibition Leaving Ukraine is at the Foundling Museum in London from 15 March.Related TopicsWar in UkrainePhotographyUkraineTop StoriesUS urges more aid for starving people in GazaPublished1 hour agoI will only cut taxes in responsible way – HuntPublished12 hours agoPolice to return Mia Janin’s lost phone to familyPublished8 hours agoFeaturesDid the last Budget deliver what was promised?Nadiya Hussain: A letter to my teenage daughterBrit Awards 2024: The real winners and losers’I embrace my alopecia, but I’d love my old hair back’ Video’I embrace my alopecia, but I’d love my old hair back’Kate, the King and three other big challenges for royalsJeremy on the Hunt for Tax Cuts. AudioJeremy on the Hunt for Tax CutsAttributionSoundsCan green ‘super powders’ really make you healthy?How Israel-Gaza war is spilling into cultural lifeThe ‘banned’ Star Trek episode that promised a united IrelandElsewhere on the BBCFrom the seizure of Crimea to the war in UkraineThe story of a decade of clashes, told by the Western leaders who traded blows with PutinAttributioniPlayerFrom the largest ship to disasters on deck…A closer look at times when cruise ships have caused commotionAttributioniPlayer’I never tried to be famous…it was accidental’Michael Parkinson with guests Ricky Gervais, Michael Palin and Kate AdieAttributioniPlayerIt’s make or break timeAnother set of eager entrepreneurs hope to impress the fearsome panelAttributioniPlayerMost Read1’No option of life on benefits for young’ – Labour2Police to return Mia Janin’s lost phone to family3Israel agrees to change Eurovision song lyrics4Warning cost of living fund closure ‘catastrophic’5Haiti gangs free 4,000 inmates in mass jailbreak6Tributes to ‘one-in-a-million’ woman as murder arrest made7Kate, the King and three other big challenges for royals8Girl, 7, dies in English Channel crossing attempt9Horner situation can’t continue – Jos VerstappenAttributionSport10US urges more aid for starving people in Gaza

[ad_1] Three friends who were separated by the war talk about going back home for a special school reunion.

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• March 3, 2024
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaIsrael-Gaza war: Kamala Harris urges more aid for starving GazansPublished23 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warImage source, EPA-EFE/REX/ShutterstockImage caption, The fighting has reduced much of Gaza to rubble and many of the victims were women and childrenUS Vice-President Kamala Harris says people in Gaza “are starving” and has urged Israel to “significantly increase the flow of aid” there.She said “there must be an immediate ceasefire for at least the next six weeks”, which would “get the [Israeli] hostages out”. Earlier, Israel did not attend truce talks in Egypt, saying Hamas was not giving a list of hostages still alive.Hamas told the BBC it was unable to do so because of the Israeli bombing.”Practically it is impossible to know who is still alive,” said Dr Basem Naim, a senior Hamas official.Hamas’s team and mediators from the US and Qatar are understood to be in Egypt’s capital Cairo for the planned negotiations. Pressure for a ceasefire deal intensified after Thursday’s incident outside Gaza City in the north of the Palestinian enclave where at least 112 people were killed when crowds rushed an aid convoy and Israeli troops opened fire. What video and eyewitness accounts tell us about Gazans killed at aid dropBiden treads carefully through Middle East minefieldBiden hopes for Gaza ceasefire by start of RamadanSpeaking at an event in Alabama on Sunday, Ms Harris said: “What we are seeing every day in Gaza is devastating. We have seen reports of families eating leaves or animal feed, women giving birth to malnourished babies with little or no medical care, and children dying from malnutrition and dehydration. “As I have said many times, too many innocent Palestinians have been killed.”Image source, ReutersImage caption, Kamala Harris spoke at an event in Alabama to honour US civil rights protestersThe vice-president stressed that “our common humanity compels us to act”, reiterating President Joe Biden’s commitment “to urgently get more life-saving assistance to innocent Palestinians in need”.On Monday Ms Harris is due to have talks in Washington with Benny Gantz, an influential member of Israel’s war cabinet, to discuss a possible ceasefire deal and increased humanitarian aid for Gaza.Ms Harris said “there is a deal on the table and as we have said, Hamas needs to agree to that deal. Let’s get a ceasefire. Let’s reunite the hostages with their families, and let’s provide immediate relief to the people of Gaza.”She also said “the Israeli government must do more to significantly increase the flow of aid. No excuses.” She was speaking in Selma, Alabama, at an event marking the 1965 attack by state troopers on civil rights demonstrators, known as Bloody Sunday.The Israeli military launched a large-scale air and ground campaign to destroy Hamas after its gunmen killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel on 7 October and took 253 back to Gaza as hostages.Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry says at least 30,410 people, including 21,000 children and women, have been killed in Gaza since then, with some 7,000 missing and 71,700 injured.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: Devastation after dozens killed in Gaza aid operationDr Basem Naim, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, told the BBC’s Newshour programme on Sunday that the group was unable to provide Israel with a full list of surviving hostages. “Practically it is impossible to know who is still alive because of the Israeli bombardment and blockage. They are in different areas with different groups. “We have asked for a ceasefire to collect that data”, he said, adding: “we cannot accept any preconditions”. He was speaking from Istanbul.The UK, US and their Western partners consider Iranian-backed Hamas to be a terrorist organisation.Related TopicsIsrael-Gaza warIsraelKamala HarrisAlabamaUnited StatesHumanitarian aidMore on this storyWhat video and eyewitness accounts tell us about Gazans killed at aid dropPublished2 days agoBiden treads carefully through Middle East minefieldPublished1 day agoMore than 30,000 killed in Gaza, health ministry saysPublished3 days agoWhy are Israel and Hamas fighting in Gaza?Published13 FebruaryTop StoriesUS urges more aid for starving people in GazaPublished23 minutes agoIsraeli hostages status hangs over Gaza truce talksPublished3 hours agoI will only cut taxes in responsible way – HuntPublished11 hours agoFeaturesNadiya Hussain: A letter to my teenage daughterBrit Awards 2024: The real winners and losersKate, the King and three other big challenges for royalsJeremy on the Hunt for Tax Cuts. AudioJeremy on the Hunt for Tax CutsAttributionSoundsCan green ‘super powders’ really make you healthy?How Israel-Gaza war is spilling into cultural life’There was heartache but we had to keep going’Friends struggle to comprehend US airman’s Gaza protest deathFive ways to save on train tickets as fares riseElsewhere on the BBCFrom the seizure of Crimea to the war in UkraineThe story of a decade of clashes, told by the Western leaders who traded blows with PutinAttributioniPlayerFrom the largest ship to disasters on deck…A closer look at times when cruise ships have caused commotionAttributioniPlayer’I never tried to be famous…it was accidental’Michael Parkinson with guests Ricky Gervais, Michael Palin and Kate AdieAttributioniPlayerIt’s make or break timeAnother set of eager entrepreneurs hope to impress the fearsome panelAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Police to return Mia Janin’s lost phone to family2Israel agrees to change Eurovision song lyrics3’No option of life on benefits for young’ – Labour4Kate, the King and three other big challenges for royals5Haiti gangs free 4,000 inmates in mass jailbreak6Tributes to ‘one-in-a-million’ woman as murder arrest made7Girl, 7, dies in English Channel crossing attempt8Horner situation can’t continue – Jos VerstappenAttributionSport9I will only cut taxes in responsible way – Hunt10’My daughter’s uncontrollable hair is beautiful’

[ad_1] US Vice-President Kamala Harris says Israel must let more aid into Gaza and calls for an immediate ceasefire.

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• March 3, 2024
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaHaiti violence: Gangs free 4,000 inmates in mass jailbreakPublished47 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, ReutersImage caption, Port-au-Prince has descended into violence in recent daysBy Henri AstierBBC NewsArmed gangs have stormed the main prison in Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince, releasing many inmates. The vast majority of about 4,000 men held there have now escaped, a local journalist told BBC News.Among those detained were gang members charged in connection with the 2021 killing of President Jovenel Moïse.Violence in Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, has worsened in recent years. Gangs aiming to oust PM Ariel Henry control 80% of Port-au-Prince.The latest upsurge in violence began on Thursday, when the prime minister travelled to Nairobi to discuss sending a Kenyan-led multinational security force to Haiti.Gang leader Jimmy Chérizier (nicknamed “Barbecue”) declared a co-ordinated attack to remove him.”All of us, the armed groups in the provincial towns and the armed groups in the capital, are united,” said the former police officer, who is thought to be behind several massacres in Port-au-Prince.Kenyan police to tackle Haiti gang violence Haitian capital taken hostage by brutal gangsHaitians flee surging gang violence in capitalA wave of shootings left four police officers dead and five injured. The French embassy in Haiti advised against travel in and around the capital.Haiti’s police union asked the military to help reinforce the prison, but the compound was stormed late on Saturday.On Sunday the doors of the prison were still open and there were no signs of officers, Reuters news agency reported. Three inmates who tried to flee lay dead in the courtyard, the report said.One volunteer prison worker told the Reuters journalists that 99 prisoners – including former Colombian soldiers jailed over President Moïse’s murder – had chosen to remain in their cells for fear of being killed in crossfire. This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Haiti Crisis: Can Kenya Succeed Where Others Failed?Violence has been rife since President Moïse’s assassination. He has not been replaced and elections have not been held since 2016.Under a political deal, elections were to be held and the unelected Mr Henry was due to stand down by 7 February, but that did not happen.In January, the UN said more than 8,400 people were victims of Haiti’s gang violence last year, including killings, injuries and kidnappings – more than double the numbers seen in 2022. Related TopicsHaitiMore on this storyKenyan police to tackle Haiti gang violencePublished2 days agoHaiti leader urges calm as violent protests mountPublished8 FebruaryCan Kenya’s police defeat Haiti’s fearsome gangs?Published2 October 2023Haitians flee surging gang violence in capitalPublished18 August 2023Inside the capital taken hostage by brutal gangsPublished5 December 2022Top StoriesI will only cut taxes in responsible way – HuntPublished9 hours agoIsraeli hostages status hangs over Gaza truce talksPublished52 minutes agoPolice to return Mia Janin’s lost phone to familyPublished4 hours agoFeaturesNadiya Hussain: A letter to my teenage daughterBrit Awards 2024: The real winners and losersKate, the King and three other big challenges for royalsJeremy on the Hunt for Tax Cuts. AudioJeremy on the Hunt for Tax CutsAttributionSoundsCan green ‘super powders’ really make you healthy?How Israel-Gaza war is spilling into cultural life’There was heartache but we had to keep going’Friends struggle to comprehend US airman’s Gaza protest deathFive ways to save on train tickets as fares riseElsewhere on the BBCFrom the seizure of Crimea to the war in UkraineThe story of a decade of clashes, told by the Western leaders who traded blows with PutinAttributioniPlayerFrom the largest ship to disasters on deck…A closer look at times when cruise ships have caused commotionAttributioniPlayer’I never tried to be famous…it was accidental’Michael Parkinson with guests Ricky Gervais, Michael Palin and Kate AdieAttributioniPlayerIt’s make or break timeAnother set of eager entrepreneurs hope to impress the fearsome panelAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Kate, the King and three other big challenges for royals2Police to return Mia Janin’s lost phone to family3Israel agrees to change Eurovision song lyrics4Haiti gangs free 4,000 inmates in mass jailbreak5Tributes to ‘one-in-a-million’ woman as murder arrest made6Girl, 7, dies in English Channel crossing attempt7I’m not just a posh idiot – Radio 1’s Jamie Laing8Horner situation can’t continue – Jos VerstappenAttributionSport9I will only cut taxes in responsible way – Hunt10’My daughter’s uncontrollable hair is beautiful’

[ad_1] Thousands of criminals escape, as the capital Port-au-Prince descends further into gang violence.

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• newsinsightplus.com
• 2014.Video
• 2022.Ukraine
• March 3, 2024
• 0 Comments

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaUkraine war: Russia says it intercepts 38 Ukrainian drones attacking CrimeaPublished2 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, ReutersImage caption, The Kerch bridge – which links Crimea and Russia – was temporarily closed following the attackA series of explosions have rocked Crimea, after a reported Ukrainian drone attack on the peninsula which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014.Video posted online shows a blast allegedly near a fuel depot in the south-eastern city of Feodosiya. Russian officials said 38 drones had been shot down. The Kerch bridge which connects Crimea with Russia was temporarily closed. The attack comes as Ukraine continues to urge allies to boost arms supplies.Russian troops have recently made gains in Ukraine as Kyiv struggles to sustain its forces with Western-made arms. Moscow took control last month of the key eastern town of Avdiivka.However, according to British military intelligence, this has come at a huge cost. In its latest update, it said February had been the deadliest for the Russians since the start of the full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022 – with 983 killed and wounded per day. “Today, Russia has highly likely lost over 355,000 personnel killed or wounded during the Ukraine war,” it said. It is not clear how the figure was reached.Russia does not provide a record of casualties. A few days ago, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said Ukraine had lost 31,000 troops since 24 February 2022. He also claimed that 180,000 Russian troops had been killed since then.Russia has not reported any damage from the latest attack on Crimea, although eyewitnesses have reported windows shaking and car alarms going off. Kyiv has not confirmed its forces were involved.On Saturday, a Russian drone hit a block of flats in the Ukrainian city of Odesa, killing at least 12 people, including five children. Sunday is a day of mourning in Odesa and the region.In a separate development on Sunday, Russia targeted the southern Kherson region, killing one person and injuring another three, according to Ukrainian officials.They also said 16 people were injured in Russian shelling of the town of Kurakhove, in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.Two years into Russia’s invasion, exhausted Ukrainians refuse to give upRosenberg: How two years of war have changed RussiaUkraine war in maps: Russia makes limited advancesRussian forces have launched thousands of Iranian-made drones at Ukrainian targets since they invaded the country more than two years ago.In retaliation Ukraine has targeted Russian sites, notably oil facilities.On Saturday a drone struck a residential building in St Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city. About 100 people were evacuated and there were no reports of casualties.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Russia has been using Iran-supplied drones as Ukraine suffers from a dwindling of Western arms suppliesWith its airbases, troop concentrations, training grounds and the Black Sea fleet, Crimea has been a key target for the Ukrainians.At one point last year, it was thought that it intended to launch a full-scale attack to retake the peninsula.In particular, Ukraine has repeatedly hit Russia’s Black Sea fleet. Satellite images last year showed many of the Crimea-based warships had left the peninsula for the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk.Last month, the Russian landing ship Caesar Kunikov was sunk off the coast of Crimea, according to Ukraine’s armed forces.Its sister ship Novocherkassk was hit while in port in Feodosiya in December last year.In one of the biggest strikes on the Black Sea fleet, last September Ukraine attacked naval targets and port infrastructure, using as many as 10 missiles and three unmanned boats. It caused a large fire at a Sevastopol shipyard.Ukraine’s biggest scalp in naval warfare has so far been the sinking of Russia’s flagship Black Sea missile cruiser, the Moskva, in April 2022.Ukraine has also targeted the Kerch bridge several times as it is an important resupply route for Russian forces occupying parts of the country’s south.Kyiv has repeatedly said it plans to retake Crimea and all territories seized by Russia.Ukraine is critically dependent on weapons supplies from the US and other Western allies to keep fighting Russia – a much bigger military force with an abundance of arms and artillery.Ukrainian troops have been running out of ammunition as supporters of former US President Donald Trump in Congress refuse to approve a $61bn (£48bn) military aid package.Related TopicsUkraineMore on this storyUkraine appeals to West as deadly drone hits OdesaPublished1 day agoThe secret movement spying on Russians in occupied CrimeaPublished6 JanuaryUkraine battles frostbite and shell shortage in ruined townPublished15 FebruaryNato allies reject Macron idea of troops to UkrainePublished4 days agoTwo years into Russia’s invasion, exhausted Ukrainians refuse to give upPublished24 FebruaryZelensky says 31,000 troops killed in war in UkrainePublished7 days agoTop StoriesI will only cut taxes in responsible way – HuntPublished8 hours agoIsraeli hostages status hangs over Gaza truce talksPublished4 hours agoThe ‘banned’ Star Trek episode that promised a united IrelandPublished18 hours agoFeaturesNadiya Hussain: A letter to my teenage daughterBrit Awards 2024: The real winners and losersKate, the King and three other big challenges for royalsJeremy on the Hunt for Tax Cuts. AudioJeremy on the Hunt for Tax CutsAttributionSoundsCan green ‘super powders’ really make you healthy?How Israel-Gaza war is spilling into cultural life’There was heartache but we had to keep going’Friends struggle to comprehend US airman’s Gaza protest deathFive ways to save on train tickets as fares riseElsewhere on the BBCFrom the seizure of Crimea to the war in UkraineThe story of a decade of clashes, told by the Western leaders who traded blows with PutinAttributioniPlayerFrom the largest ship to disasters on deck…A closer look at times when cruise ships have caused commotionAttributioniPlayer’I never tried to be famous…it was accidental’Michael Parkinson with guests Ricky Gervais, Michael Palin and Kate AdieAttributioniPlayerIt’s make or break timeAnother set of eager entrepreneurs hope to impress the fearsome panelAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Kate, the King and three other big challenges for royals2Haiti gangs free 4,000 inmates in mass jailbreak3Israel agrees to change Eurovision song lyrics4Police to return Mia Janin’s lost phone to family5Girl, 7, dies in English Channel crossing attempt6Tributes to ‘one-in-a-million’ woman as murder arrest made7I’m not just a posh idiot – Radio 1’s Jamie Laing8The ‘banned’ Star Trek episode that promised a united Ireland9Horner situation can’t continue – Jos VerstappenAttributionSport10I will only cut taxes in responsible way – Hunt

[ad_1] Reports say a fuel depot was hit during the attack on the town of Feodosiya on the occupied peninsula.

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• 2016Switzerland
• 2020Swiss
• March 3, 2024
• 0 Comments

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaSwiss vote to give themselves a bigger pensionPublished39 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, AFP via Getty ImagesImage caption, Supporters of the extra pension across the country – like in this photo from Bern – celebrated the referendum’s resultsBy Imogen FoulkesBBC News, GenevaSwiss voters have given themselves an extra month’s pension each year – in a nationwide referendum focusing on living standards for the elderly. The government had warned that the increased payments would be too expensive to afford.But almost 60% of voters said ‘yes’ in Sunday’s poll. Separately, 75% rejected raising the pension age from 65 to 66.The maximum monthly state pension is €2,550 (£2,180; $2,760) – not enough, many say, to live on in Switzerland.The cost of living in Switzerland, particularly in cities such as Zurich and Geneva, is among the highest in the world. Health insurance premiums, which are obligatory for everyone, have been rising fast, and older people sometimes struggle to pay them.Women who may have had work breaks to raise a family, and immigrants recruited decades ago to work in Swiss factories, restaurants, or hospitals, can find it particularly difficult to make ends meet. More and more people are working into their 70s not out of choice, but out of necessity. Meanwhile among the younger generation, work related stress and burnout are increasing. The proposal to increase pensions came from the trades unions – but was opposed by the Swiss government, parliament, and business leaders, who argued it was unaffordable. Voters in Switzerland often take their government’s advice about money matters: a few years ago they actually rejected an extra week’s holiday a year. This time they said enough was enough, using the power that Switzerland’s system of direct democracy gives them to vote themselves an extra month’s pension each year. The initiative also secured the required double-majority: getting the popular vote, and also majorities in most of the country’s 26 cantons.The result was described as a “historic victory for retirees” by Avivo, a Swiss association that defends the rights of current and future pensioners.The move brings the state pension into line with Switzerland’s salary system, which is also paid in 13 instalments, meaning workers get a double payment in November. The system was originally designed to help people ahead of Christmas, and the annual tax bill. As Swiss retirees pointed out, pensions were taxed too, and Christmas fun did not stop at 65. In a further sign the Swiss are keen that life should not be all work and no play, they also overwhelmingly rejected raising the retirement age.These votes would, the government said repeatedly, have to be paid for. Voters, though, looking at Switzerland booming economy, whose success is in large part thanks to their hard work, clearly believe their country can afford it.Related TopicsPensionersPensionsSwitzerlandMore on this storyThe city with the world’s highest minimum wagePublished2 November 2020Swiss reject abuse liability law for businessesPublished29 November 2020Swiss voters reject basic income planPublished5 June 2016Switzerland country profilePublished19 June 2023Top StoriesI will only cut taxes in responsible way – HuntPublished6 hours agoIsraeli hostages status hangs over Gaza truce talksPublished2 hours agoBrit Awards 2024: The real winners and losersPublished11 hours agoFeaturesNadiya Hussain: A letter to my teenage daughterBrit Awards 2024: The real winners and losersKate, the King and three other big challenges for royalsJeremy on the Hunt for Tax Cuts. AudioJeremy on the Hunt for Tax CutsAttributionSoundsCan green ‘super powders’ really make you healthy?How Israel-Gaza war is spilling into cultural life’There was heartache but we had to keep going’Friends struggle to comprehend US airman’s Gaza protest deathFive ways to save on train tickets as fares riseElsewhere on the BBCFrom the seizure of Crimea to the war in UkraineThe story of a decade of clashes, told by the Western leaders who traded blows with PutinAttributioniPlayerFrom the largest ship to disasters on deck…A closer look at times when cruise ships have caused commotionAttributioniPlayer’I never tried to be famous…it was accidental’Michael Parkinson with guests Ricky Gervais, Michael Palin and Kate AdieAttributioniPlayerIt’s make or break timeAnother set of eager entrepreneurs hope to impress the fearsome panelAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Kate, the King and three other big challenges for royals2Israel agrees to change Eurovision song lyrics3Girl, 7, dies in English Channel crossing attempt4Police to return Mia Janin’s lost phone to family5I’m not just a posh idiot – Radio 1’s Jamie Laing6The ‘banned’ Star Trek episode that promised a united Ireland7Brit Awards 2024: The real winners and losers8Horner situation can’t continue – Jos VerstappenAttributionSport9I will only cut taxes in responsible way – Hunt10’My daughter’s uncontrollable hair is beautiful’

[ad_1] Majority votes for a ’13th month’ payment to address a cost of living crisis, but the government says it could not afford it.

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• newsinsightplus.com
• 62.I
• AbubakarBBC
• March 3, 2024
• 0 Comments

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaMr Ibu: Nollywood actor John Okafor dies in LagosPublished2 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Mr Ibu/InstagramImage caption, John Okafor was known for his comic roles in a career spanning more than two decadesBy Natasha Booty & Mansur AbubakarBBC NewsNigerians are mourning popular Nollywood actor John Okafor, better known as Mr Ibu, who has died at the age of 62.”I announce with [a] deep sense of grief that Mr Ibu didn’t make it,” said Actors Guild of Nigeria President Emeka Rollas on Saturday.He said the actor had a cardiac arrest.Okafor rose to fame two decades ago in the film Mr Ibu – which became his career-long nickname. It is still regarded as one of the best Nigerian performances in a comic role.He went on to star in more than 200 Nollywood films – including Keziah, 9 Wives and several Mr Ibu sequels.”Rest well, sir,” said actress Mercy Johnson-Okojie in her tribute. Law professor and former UN rapporteur Joy Ezeilo said the actor was a “beloved” figure who “brought laughter to many”.Nigeria’s Culture Minister Hannatu Musawa described him as a household name who had made families smile throughout his career.According to local reports, Okafor died at an undisclosed hospital in Lagos state.The actor’s health issues first came to public attention last year. One of his legs was amputated in November after fans donated to a crowd-funding scheme for his medical bills.Since then, his son Daniel Okafor and adopted daughter Jasmine Chioma have been arrested on suspicion of hacking into his phone and taking $60,700 (£47,800) for themselves.The pair have not commented since their arrest in January and are expected to appear in court on 11 March for the next hearing.Okafor’s last years were “tumultuous”, Nigeria’s Punch newspaper said, with the actor claiming to have survived several attempts to poison him.Local media say he is survived by his 13 children.You may also be interested in:Nigerian stars expose sexism in music and film industriesGenevieve Nnaji’s rise from Nollywood to NetflixRelated TopicsNigeriaNollywoodAround the BBCFocus on Africa podcastsTop StoriesI will only cut taxes in responsible way – HuntPublished5 hours agoIsraeli hostages status hangs over Gaza truce talksPublished1 hour agoBrit Awards 2024: The real winners and losersPublished10 hours agoFeaturesNadiya Hussain: A letter to my teenage daughterBrit Awards 2024: The real winners and losersKate, the King and three other big challenges for royalsJeremy on the Hunt for Tax Cuts. AudioJeremy on the Hunt for Tax CutsAttributionSoundsHow Israel-Gaza war is spilling into cultural life’There was heartache but we had to keep going’Friends struggle to comprehend US airman’s Gaza protest deathFive ways to save on train tickets as fares riseThe ‘banned’ Star Trek episode that promised a united IrelandElsewhere on the BBCFrom the seizure of Crimea to the war in UkraineThe story of a decade of clashes, told by the Western leaders who traded blows with PutinAttributioniPlayerFrom the largest ship to disasters on deck…A closer look at times when cruise ships have caused commotionAttributioniPlayer’I never tried to be famous…it was accidental’Michael Parkinson with guests Ricky Gervais, Michael Palin and Kate AdieAttributioniPlayerIt’s make or break timeAnother set of eager entrepreneurs hope to impress the fearsome panelAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Kate, the King and three other big challenges for royals2Girl, 7, dies in English Channel crossing attempt3Israel agrees to change Eurovision song lyrics4Nadiya Hussain: A letter to my teenage daughter5The ‘banned’ Star Trek episode that promised a united Ireland6Brit Awards 2024: The real winners and losers7Horner situation can’t continue – Jos VerstappenAttributionSport8’My daughter’s uncontrollable hair is beautiful’9I will only cut taxes in responsible way – Hunt10Israeli hostages status hangs over Gaza truce talks

[ad_1] John Okafor, aka Mr Ibu, was loved for his comic roles in a career spanning more than two decades.

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• 20yearold
• accidentalMichael
• March 3, 2024
• 0 Comments

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityCultureIsrael Eurovision: Broadcaster agrees to change October Rain lyricsPublished4 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warImage source, Shai FrancoImage caption, Israel will be represented by Eden Golan at this year’s contestBy Henri AstierBBC NewsIsrael’s public broadcaster has requested changes to the lyrics of a song submitted for this year’s Eurovision contest.Organisers barred it last week for breaking rules on political neutrality.Israeli broadcaster Kan had pledged not to alter the lyrics of October Rain – an apparent reference to the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October.But Israel’s President Isaac Herzog called for “necessary adjustments” to ensure Israel can enter the show.Israel has won the Eurovision Song Contest four times before. This year’s event will be held in Sweden – who won last year’s content – in May.Kan is in the process of choosing its entry, with October Rain the leading submission and Dance Forever in second place.How Israel-Gaza war is spilling into cultural lifeIsrael chooses Eurovision act amid boycott callsIn a statement on Sunday, Kan said it had contacted the lyricists of both songs and asked them to “readapt the texts, while preserving their artistic freedom”.President Herzog, it added, had “emphasised that it is precisely at a time when those who hate us are seeking to repress and boycott the State of Israel” that the country “must raise its voice” in international forums.Last month, when the European Broadcasting Union said it was assessing the lyrics, Kan said it had “no intention to replace the song”.Israel’s entry, to be performed by 20-year-old singer Eden Golan, is due be confirmed next Sunday.The original lyrics of October Rain – written in English – were published on Kan’s website last month.They include the lines “They were all good children, every one of them” and “Who told you boys don’t cry/ Hours and hours/ And flowers/ Life is not a game for the cowards.”The reference to flowers was significant, according to Israel Hayom newspaper, as it often denotes war fatalities.In previous years the EBU has forced national representatives to change their lyrics.In 2009, Georgia withdrew from the event after its proposed entry – We Don’t Wanna Put In – was rejected for its obvious references to the Russian president.Separately, musicians from other Eurovision countries have called for Israel to be suspended over the war in Gaza.These include artists in Iceland, Finland, Norway, Denmark and Sweden, with several pointing out that Russia has been disqualified since its invasion of Ukraine two years ago.So far, Eurovision organisers have resisted those calls, arguing that the situations in Ukraine and Gaza are different.Related TopicsMiddle EastIsrael-Gaza warIsraelEurovision Song ContestMore on this storyIsrael threatens to withdraw from EurovisionPublished23 FebruaryIsrael chooses Eurovision act amid boycott callsPublished8 FebruaryTop StoriesI will only cut taxes in responsible way – HuntPublished3 hours agoIsraeli hostages status hangs over Gaza truce talksPublished2 hours agoBrit Awards 2024: The real winners and losersPublished8 hours agoFeaturesBrit Awards 2024: The real winners and losersKate, the King and three other big challenges for royalsJeremy on the Hunt for Tax Cuts. AudioJeremy on the Hunt for Tax CutsAttributionSoundsHow Israel-Gaza war is spilling into cultural life’There was heartache but we had to keep going’Friends struggle to comprehend US airman’s Gaza protest deathFive ways to save on train tickets as fares riseThe ‘banned’ Star Trek episode that promised a united Ireland’King of Chaos’ Imran Khan keeps winning even behind barsElsewhere on the BBCFrom the seizure of Crimea to the war in UkraineThe story of a decade of clashes, told by the Western leaders who traded blows with PutinAttributioniPlayerFrom the largest ship to disasters on deck…A closer look at times when cruise ships have caused commotionAttributioniPlayer’I never tried to be famous…it was accidental’Michael Parkinson with guests Ricky Gervais, Michael Palin and Kate AdieAttributioniPlayerIt’s make or break timeAnother set of eager entrepreneurs hope to impress the fearsome panelAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Nadiya Hussain: A letter to my teenage daughter2Kate, the King and three other big challenges for royals3Girl, 7, dies in English Channel crossing attempt4Brit Awards 2024: The real winners and losers5The ‘banned’ Star Trek episode that promised a united Ireland6Horner situation can’t continue – Jos VerstappenAttributionSport7I will only cut taxes in responsible way – Hunt8Israeli hostages status hangs over Gaza truce talks9The Unknown star of viral Willy Wonka event unmasked10Russia says 38 Ukrainian drones intercepted in Crimea

[ad_1] Contest organisers had ruled that references to last year’s attacks by Hamas broke neutrality rules.

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• newsinsightplus.com
• accidentalMichael
• accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore
• March 3, 2024
• 0 Comments

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityAsiaChinaIndiaPakistan: Shehbaz Sharif wins second term as prime ministerPublished1 hour agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, ReutersImage caption, Shehbaz Sharif first became PM in 2022 after Imran Khan was oustedPakistan’s newly formed parliament has elected Shehbaz Sharif as prime minister for a second term.He defeated a rival supported by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan.The move comes three weeks after an inconclusive general election that was marred by allegations of intimidation and vote-rigging.Mr Sharif’s PML-N party came second in the poll. Independent candidates backed by Mr Khan’s PTI won the most seats but failed to get a majority.On Sunday, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq announced that Mr Sharif had secured 201 parliamentary votes. He needed 169 to be elected prime minister.His rival Omar Ayub, who was supported by Mr Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, won 92 votes.Image source, EPAImage caption, Supporters of Imran Khan protested outside the National Assembly before the voteIn his victory speech, Mr Sharif said that as no side had a clear parliamentary majority, it was “the democratic way” that “like-minded parties may form a coalition government”.Following last month’s election, the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) – headed by Nawaz Sharif, a former prime minister who is Shehbaz Sharif’s brother – reached a coalition deal with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). In 2022 the two parties, which have traditionally been rivals, joined forces to oust Imran Khan as prime minister and install Mr Sharif as his successor.’King of Chaos’ Imran Khan wins even behind barsWhat happened in Pakistan’s election?After the assembly was dissolved last August, Pakistan was led by a caretaker government.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Imran Khan says the corruption cases against him are politically motivatedImran Khan was jailed in the run-up to the 6 February election and barred from standing.He faces more than 150 criminal and civil charges – all of which he denies – as the authorities launched a crackdown on his party.PTI candidates were forced to run as independents, but won more seats than any other party.Related TopicsPakistanMore on this story’King of Chaos’ Imran Khan keeps winning even behind barsPublished15 hours agoWhat now in Pakistan after Khan vote surprise?Published12 FebruaryTop StoriesI will only cut taxes in responsible way – HuntPublished2 hours agoIsraeli hostages status hangs over Gaza truce talksPublished1 hour agoBrit Awards 2024: The real winners and losersPublished7 hours agoFeaturesBrit Awards 2024: The real winners and losersKate, the King and three other big challenges for royalsJeremy on the Hunt for Tax Cuts. AudioJeremy on the Hunt for Tax CutsAttributionSoundsHow Israel-Gaza war is spilling into cultural life’There was heartache but we had to keep going’Friends struggle to comprehend US airman’s Gaza protest deathFive ways to save on train tickets as fares riseThe ‘banned’ Star Trek episode that promised a united Ireland’King of Chaos’ Imran Khan keeps winning even behind barsElsewhere on the BBCFrom the seizure of Crimea to the war in UkraineThe story of a decade of clashes, told by the Western leaders who traded blows with PutinAttributioniPlayerFrom the largest ship to disasters on deck…A closer look at times when cruise ships have caused commotionAttributioniPlayer’I never tried to be famous…it was accidental’Michael Parkinson with guests Ricky Gervais, Michael Palin and Kate AdieAttributioniPlayerIt’s make or break timeAnother set of eager entrepreneurs hope to impress the fearsome panelAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Kate, the King and three other big challenges for royals2Girl, 7, dies in English Channel crossing attempt3The ‘banned’ Star Trek episode that promised a united Ireland4Brit Awards 2024: The real winners and losers5Horner situation can’t continue – Jos VerstappenAttributionSport6Nadiya Hussain: A letter to my teenage daughter7I will only cut taxes in responsible way – Hunt8The Unknown star of viral Willy Wonka event unmasked9Israeli hostages status hangs over Gaza truce talks10Russia says 38 Ukrainian drones intercepted in Crimea

[ad_1] Mr Sharif got parliament’s backing after a deal shut out supporters of his jailed predecessor Imran Khan.

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