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January 28, 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 & CanadaItalian net closes in on ‘Fleximan’ – vigilante destroyer of speed camerasPublished25 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Nuovetecniche/Simone PiccirilliImage caption, At least 15 speed cameras have been destroyed across Northern ItalyBy Stefano FasanoBBC News, RomeItaly has been gripped by a vigilante who calls himself “Fleximan” and has made it his mission to tear down as many speed cameras as possible. Fleximan has already claimed at least 15 successful strikes, and a special police task force and four different prosecutors’ offices are now investigating the attacks. The anonymous vandal began leaving a trail of destruction months ago in the north-east, as more and more of the cameras were put out of action.Photos of his actions then spread on social media, along with the nickname taken from the Italian word for angle grinder, flessibile – the tool he has mostly used to destroy the cameras.The campaign may reflect popular anger about the proliferation of speed cameras, but road deaths in Italy are higher than in many other European countries.What is not clear is whether Fleximan is one man or two, or perhaps he has become a number of copycat vandals.Police in the north-west Piedmont region say they have charged a 50-year-old suspect, but most of the attacks have taken place in the Veneto area of the north-east.Image source, Asti prefectureImage caption, Closed-circuit TV captured two men sawing down a speed camera in the north-western Asti areaAt the scene of one of his most recent attacks, the anonymous vigilante left a handwritten message: “Fleximan is coming.”The vandal’s methods are consistent, and the chorus of approval is growing on social media, where Fleximan is treated as a sort of modern Robin Hood. So much so that a street artist in Padua called Evyrein has dedicated his latest work to Fleximan. His graffiti depicts Uma Thurman’s character from Kill Bill, holding a sword in one hand and a cut-up speed camera in the other. The autovelox, as it is known in Italian, has always been contentious in Europe. But Italy is known to have the highest number on the continent, estimated at more than 11,000.That’s a third more than the UK’s 7,700 and almost three times as many as in Germany with 4,700.This is likely to explain some of the anger towards the Italian speed detector, and local mayors have said they won’t replace the vandalised cameras just yet. The official reason is to calm the situation down.Image caption, This camera was dismantled near Padua in the north eastFines imposed on drivers have risen dramatically in recent years, with Florence taking €23.2m ($25m; £20m) in 2022, according to Italian consumer group Codacons, followed by Milan, Genoa and Rome.But Italy has a less than impressive track record on road safety. The European Transport Safety Council put the number of deaths in Italy per million inhabitants at 54 in 2022, almost twice as many as the 26 per million lives lost in the UK and 37 per million in Spain.For Paola Di Caro, a political journalist with Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera, these numbers are highly personal and she has directly challenged Fleximan’s narrative of standing up for people’s freedom with her own devastating experience.Her 18-year-old son Francesco Valdiserri was knocked down and killed by a speeding driver as he waited for a bus in Rome in October 2022. “I would just like [Fleximan] to feel for one day, just one day, what I feel when I go to lay flowers where my son was killed… and then at [the cemetery in] Verano where he was closed forever behind poured concrete.”As she headed to her son’s grave, she told the BBC that the Fleximan enigma reflected a culture that tells people they have the right to feel that rules do not apply to them.”People hail him as a hero, but Fleximan for me is just shameful. The idea that these actions may be done for fun… is just unbearable to me. It is like they are making fun of my son.”Image source, Paola di CaraImage caption, Paola di Cara’s son Francesco was killed by a speeding driver in RomeThe speed camera story has also entered Italian politics, with nationalist League leader Matteo Salvini eyeing an opportunity ahead of regional and European parliamentary elections.Mr Salvini, who is also transport minister and deputy prime minister, has targeted the mayor of Bologna, Matteo Lepore, for bringing in a new 30km/h (18mph) speed limit across the city. The Bologna speed reduction was signed off by Mr Salvini’s own ministry, and inspired by European Commission figures that show the risk of death for pedestrians is eight times higher at 50km/h than at 30km/h.Bologna’s reduced speed limit has kickstarted a drivers’ protest, and a campaign for a referendum on the issue has attracted more than 52,000 names. “The problem is that a 30km/h limit is just too low,” complained Guendalina Furini, a 22-year-old student who started the petition.”It takes too long to cross the city, and it does not solve the real problem, which is people driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs,” she explained.She challenged the mayor at a recent meeting, so far with no success.Although she admits she is no expert on safety statistics she wants her voice to be heard. “We have obtained the right to divorce and abortion through referendums, why shouldn’t this be decided in that way too? This is not the democracy I am studying at university.”Related TopicsItalyRoad safetyTop StoriesUN agency condemns aid halt after Hamas attack claimPublished3 hours agoPost Office chairman asked to step downPublished6 hours agoEx-minister of secretive sect admits child sex abusePublished1 hour agoFeaturesWill $83m defamation damages really deter Trump?Warning over children using anti-ageing skincare productsTwins separated and sold at birth reunited by TikTokHuge push for Gaza aid – but little hope for those sufferingBali bomb families face accused at Guantanamo Bay’What terminal cancer has taught me about life’Jess Glynne says she ‘fell out of love with music’The Kindertransport refugees who made Britain homeCheese, beef, cars: What UK-Canada trade rift meansElsewhere on the BBCA Scottish wild swimming road-trip!Julie Wilson Nimmo and Greg Hemphill take the plunge at Scotland’s breath-taking wild swimming spotsAttributioniPlayerScientists uncover alcohol’s hidden dangersInvestigating what alcohol is and why so many people love to drink itAttributioniPlayerCould this Italian dream turn into a real nightmare?Amanda Holden and Alan Carr don their boiler suits to renovate a dilapidated house in TuscanyAttributioniPlayerBritish television’s greatest double actEric and Ernie share their remarkable journey through TV appearances, rare radio material and BBC archivesAttributioniPlayerMost Read1World’s largest cruise ship sets sail from Miami2Ex-minister of secretive sect admits child abuse3Dragons’ Den episode edited after ME complaints4UN agency condemns aid halt after Hamas attack claim5Post Office chairman asked to step down6Beauty giant Avon under fire over Russia links7My dad saved my club, now we’re playing Man Utd8Cuddly toy sellers chase an unlikely audience9Australian drill rap vs the police10’Rwandans get UK asylum’ and PM wants ‘Saga vote’

[ad_1] Some Italians are impressed by the man dubbed “Fleximan”, but Italy has a high rate of road deaths.

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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 & CanadaEx-minister of secretive sect admits to child sex abusePublished26 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage caption, (L-R) Lauren Rohs, Sheri Autrey and Michael Havet – pictured here as childrenBy George WrightBBC NewsRobert Corfield, a man who abused a boy in a secretive Christian church in the 1980s, has spoken publicly about what happened for the first time. He was confronted by the BBC as part of a wider look into claims of child sexual abuse spanning decades within the church, known as The Truth. His name is one of more than 700 given by people to a hotline set up to report sexual abuse within the church.The sect says it addresses all abuse allegations.The church, which has no official name but is often referred to as The Truth or The Way, is believed to have up to 100,000 members worldwide, with the majority in North America.The potential scale of the abuse has been captured through a hotline – set-up last year by two women who say they were also sexually abused by a church leader when they were children. People have phoned in claiming they too were abused, with testimonies stretching back decades through to present day. The highly secretive and insular nature of the church has helped abuse to thrive, say former and current insiders who spoke to the BBC. It has many unwritten rules, including that followers must marry within the group and keep mixing with outsiders to a minimum.The church was founded in Ireland by a Scottish evangelist in 1897 and is built around ministers spreading New Testament teachings through word-of-mouth.One of its hallmarks is that ministers give up their possessions and must be taken in by church members as they travel around, spreading the gospel. This makes children living in the homes they visit vulnerable to abuse, the insiders said.Warning: This article contains details some readers may find upsettingImage caption, Robert Corfield (L) told the BBC he sexually abused Michael (R) for six years.Former church member Michael Havet, 54, told the BBC he was abused by Robert Corfield in the 1980s, from the age of 12. “People called me ‘Bob’s little companion’ – I just felt dirty and still do,” says Mr Havet, speaking from his home in Ottawa.After abusing him, Mr Havet says Mr Corfield would force him to kneel beside him and pray. “I had to work hard to get past that and find my prayer life again,” he says.When confronted about the child abuse allegations by the BBC, Mr Corfield admitted that they had taken place for about six years in the 1980s. “I have to acknowledge that’s true,” he said.Mr Corfield was a minister – known within the sect as a “worker” – in Saskatchewan, Canada, at the time of the abuse.This is the first time he has publicly admitted to child abuse, though he has previously been confronted by church members and wrote two private letters to Mr Havet in 2004 and 2005 which asked for forgiveness and said he was seeing a therapist. In one letter, Mr Corfield said he was “making a list of victims”.”We don’t want to miss anyone who has been a victim of my actions,” he wrote.However, when asked about this by the BBC, Mr Corfield said that there were no other victims “in the same sense that Michael was”, and that he had given two or three other teenagers massages. Abuser given ‘fresh start’ Mr Havet is among a dozen people who have told the BBC that widespread abuse has been ignored or covered up in The Truth for decades – with some of the accused remaining in powerful positions for years. The way his own case was dealt with by the church is a prime example, believes Mr Havet.He reported his abuse in 1993 to Dale Shultz, Saskatchewan’s most senior church leader – known as an “overseer”. Overseers are the most senior members of the church and there is one for each US state and Canadian province where there is an active following. But Mr Shultz didn’t go to the police – and, says Mr Havet, violently assaulted him a few weeks later because he thought he had told others of the abuse claims. “He grabbed my shoulders yelling at me, slamming my head against a concrete pillar,” says Mr Havet, “splitting it open and causing it to bleed.” If you are affected by any of the issues in this story, visit the BBC Action Line.Mr Havet says Mr Shultz then “encouraged” him to leave the church – while his childhood abuser, Robert Corfield, was just moved to be a minister across the border, in the US state of Montana. Mr Corfield told the BBC that he believed it was Mr Shultz’s decision to send him to Montana, where he remained in post for 25 years.”It was suggested it would give me a fresh beginning and probably also put space between me and the victim,” he said. Mr Corfield was removed as minister last year after being confronted about Michael’s abuse by another congregation member, according to internal church emails seen by the BBC. One email also suggested “it is possible there may be additional victims”.The ex-minister told the BBC that he “voluntarily stepped down when the accusations of Michael were presented” against him, and that he had “not been informed of any allegations beyond that.”When contacted by the BBC, Dale Shultz said via email that “much of the information that you have received concerning me is distorted and inaccurate”. However he declined to go into any further detail. A global crisisMr Havet is one of more than 1,000 current and former members of the sect to have contacted a hotline set up by campaign group, Advocates for The Truth.The group was founded last year by Americans Cynthia Liles, Lauren Rohs and Sheri Autrey. They say they have been given the names of more than 700 alleged perpetrators in 21 countries, including the UK, Ireland, Australia and Russia. They plan to build cases against those on the list and take them to the police. All the women used to belong to The Truth and Lauren Rohs and Sheri Autrey say they were abused by the same man.That man was Ms Rohs’ father, a senior minister called Steve Rohs. Image source, Sheri AutreyImage caption, Sheri Autrey, Cynthia Liles and Lauren Rohs have formed an unlikely friendshipLauren Rohs traced Ms Autrey after reading her anonymous online account of childhood sexual abuse, in 2019. In the post, Ms Autrey described how her abuser would sing Maneater by 80s pop duo Hall & Oates to her when she was in his bedroom at night.Ms Rohs knew immediately that the man being described as the perpetrator was her own father, as it was the same song she remembers him singing to her as a child. “I sat there stunned,” says the 35 year-old. “It disoriented me beyond belief.” She says that her father subjected her to years of sexual, physical and emotional abuse from as early as she can remember. Meanwhile, Ms Autrey says Steve Rohs stayed at her family home in Tulare County, California, for two months in 1982 – when she was turning 14 – and molested her daily. He would sing Maneater because “a part of his manipulation was that I was this wild seductress”, the 54-year-old says.Image source, Sheri AutreyImage caption, Sheri Autrey, seen here as a childThere is a 20-year age gap between the two women. By the time his daughter was born, Mr Rohs had given up his role as a worker and started a family in San Diego, California. They later moved to Washington state, Idaho and Colorado. Lauren Rohs says her father gave various reasons for their constant moving, including that “God needs us in a new place”.The BBC put all the allegations to Mr Rohs in emails and social media messages, but he did not respond.Abuse culture persistsMs Rohs says during her time in the church in the 1990s and 2000s, workers were like “demigods” and never questioned, and that callers to the abuse hotline confirm that this culture persists today. Like Mr Havet, Ms Autrey says she spoke out about her abuser – and he was protected. In 1986, she confided in her mother about being abused by Steve Rohs. “I felt scared, dirty, ashamed, embarrassed, and guilty,” says Ms Autrey, who was 17 at the time and believed she would be in “big trouble”.But her mother believed her right away and reported the man to the California state overseer, who has since died. In a letter dated 11 May 1986, written by Mr Rohs and seen by the BBC, he admits to the overseer that he and the teenager “did kiss and touch each other intimately” and that he had “begged for forgiveness” ever since. Mr Rohs was later brought to Ms Autrey’s home by workers where he verbally apologised to her.”I responded that he was not sorry for what he had done or he would have apologised long before,” Ms Autrey recalls. Image source, Sheri AutreyImage caption, Steve Rohs, pictured in the 1980sDespite admitting to child abuse, Mr Rohs remained a respected and influential member of the church. His daughter says he was even promoted in 1994 to being a church elder – a person of seniority who holds meetings in their own home.The BBC understands he now lives in Minnesota with Ms Rohs’ mother – their daughter is estranged from them both. He works as an insurance agent and was an active member of The Truth until April last year, after his daughter and Ms Autrey brought their allegations to the state’s overseer and he was removed from meetings. The floodgates openThe catalyst for the hotline was the death of Oregon’s overseer, Dean Bruer, in 2022. He was one of The Truth’s most respected leaders and had worked for the group for 46 years, across six US states. An internal letter was written by his successor which stated Mr Bruer had a history of abuse including “rape and abuse of underage victims”. It is not clear what the motivation behind writing the letter was but it leaked and soon found its way onto Facebook and TikTok. Then more people started coming forward to tell their own stories of abuse. “I think we thought the hotline was solely for Dean Bruer victims but what the hotline did was just open the floodgates,” Ms Rohs says.The friends say they now want the kind of justice they didn’t manage to get for themselves.”When I found Sheri it was a really rather rare and massive healing,” says Ms Rohs. “It has been distressing as survivors to go back and hear the amount of filth and evil,” Ms Autrey says. “Ours was bad enough but to see other people in such terrible situations – it’s beyond angering. It’s been ugly but also very rewarding.”Ms Autrey stepped down from the Advocates in December. Image source, Advocates For The TruthImage caption, Michael Havet, 54, continues to be affected by the sexual abuse he experienced as a childBecause The Truth has no official leader, the BBC instead put the allegations to more than 20 overseers in North America, via email.The only one to respond was Rob Newman, the overseer for California.”We actively address all abuse allegations involving participants in our fellowship,” he wrote in an email, before Mr Corfield’s confession.”Our paramount concern is that victims receive the professional help that they need. We take all allegations of abuse seriously, strongly recommend mandated reporter training to all, and encourage everyone to report issues to the proper legal authorities.”Ms Autrey believes change will not happen before any culpable overseers are jailed.”It’s an extremely well-oiled machine for criminals,” she says.”It’s a perfected system that has gone on for 12 decades.”Related TopicsChild abuseReligionTexasChristianityUnited StatesCanadaTop StoriesUN agency condemns aid halt after Hamas attack claimPublished2 hours agoPost Office chairman asked to step downPublished5 hours agoEx-minister of secretive sect admits child sex abusePublished9 minutes agoFeaturesWill $83m defamation damages really deter Trump?Warning over children using anti-ageing skincare productsTwins separated and sold at birth reunited by TikTokHuge push for Gaza aid – but little hope for those sufferingBali bomb families face accused at Guantanamo Bay’What terminal cancer has taught me about life’Jess Glynne says she ‘fell out of love with music’The Kindertransport refugees who made Britain homeCheese, beef, cars: What UK-Canada trade rift meansElsewhere on the BBCA Scottish wild swimming road-trip!Julie Wilson Nimmo and Greg Hemphill take the plunge at Scotland’s breath-taking wild swimming spotsAttributioniPlayerScientists uncover alcohol’s hidden dangersInvestigating what alcohol is and why so many people love to drink itAttributioniPlayerCould this Italian dream turn into a real nightmare?Amanda Holden and Alan Carr don their boiler suits to renovate a dilapidated house in TuscanyAttributioniPlayerBritish television’s greatest double actEric and Ernie share their remarkable journey through TV appearances, rare radio material and BBC archivesAttributioniPlayerMost Read1World’s largest cruise ship sets sail from Miami2Dragons’ Den episode edited after ME complaints3Post Office chairman asked to step down4UN agency condemns aid halt after Hamas attack claim5Star Wars figure found in loft sells for £19,5006Ex-minister of secretive sect admits child abuse7Van Gerwen beats Littler to win Dutch MastersAttributionSport8’Rwandans get UK asylum’ and PM wants ‘Saga vote’9The Traitors final: I trusted the wrong person10John Lewis planning major workforce cuts

[ad_1] Alleged victims say predators have gone unpunished for decades in Christian church known as The Truth.

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January 27, 2024
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityAsiaChinaIndiaAustralian Open: Zheng Qinwen sparks Chinese tennis hopes going into finalPublished1 day agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Zheng Qinwen has reached her first Grand Slam final but can the rising Chinese star repeat Li Na’s success a decade on?By Frances MaoBBC NewsOn paper, it sounds like a fairy tale penned by a Chinese tennis fan.Almost exactly 10 years since Li Na won the Australian Open to become China’s first Grand Slam champion a new, young Chinese player will be attempting to follow in her footsteps. When Zheng Qinwen walks out onto centre court on Saturday, she will be just the second Chinese player in history to reach a major final.Which means with her will be the hopes of more than a billion Chinese people and diaspora – just a little extra pressure on the 21-year-old, who only broke into the top 10 this week.Many of those new fans have lapped up the narrative around the bright-eyed young star, who huddled around a television screen to watch Li Na, the woman who would become her hero, pick up her first trophy for China aged just eight.”She put a little seed in my heart that I also wanted to do that and to be like her… and even better,” Zheng said of Li’s 2011 Roland Garros victory in a Tennis Channel interview last year.Organisers at the Australian Open have also seized on that narrative, staging a surprise meeting at this year’s tournament.Image source, AUSTRALIAN OPEN/TENNIS AUSTRALIAImage caption, Zheng only met her idol Li for the first time in Melbourne this weekThe Slam published the moment the retired champion sneaks up on Zheng during an interview. Zheng, caught in front of the cameras, is stunned: “Wow Li Na, big sister!” she gasps, hugging her hero. “This is my first time speaking to you,” she says, half to Li, half to the cameras. “She’s so beautiful in reality!”‘This could be huge’She may have only become a household name since securing her grand final place this week, but to those in the know, Zheng’s been on the radar for a while now. Last season she worked with top coach Wim Fissette, who this year returned to Naomi Osaka at which point Zheng reunited with her Spanish coach, Parc Reberre, who co-coached Coco Gauff to her US Open win last year.”We’ve seen a number of waves of Chinese tennis players who have been solid – by which I mean top 30, even top 20 on occasion… but no one really to rival Li Na until Zheng Qinwen,” says Mark Dreyer, author of Sporting Superpower, a book on China’s sporting ambitions.”But the big difference is she’s only 21. Li Na broke through when she was already 29, much later in her career. For Zheng, because she’s so young and has such a long career potentially ahead of her, this could be huge.”Like Li Na was, Zheng is backed by major sponsors and management – Nike and IMG. “I can tell you they’ve been talking about her internally as a potential top five player for at least a couple of years,” Mr Dreyer says. “So this has been a long anticipated moment I think.”After debuting on the WTA in 2022, she cracked the top 100 last year before reaching the US Open’s quarter-final, where she lost to the woman she will meet on the court this Saturday, the world number two Aryna Sabalenka.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Zheng previously met Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter finals of the US Open last yearThe parallels to her idol aren’t limited to just her playing performance – Zheng exhibits the same bubbly, friendly persona on court that won Li Na fans the world over.Her former coach Fissette described her in the New York Times as funny and as passionate about karaoke as she is about tennis.She also endeared herself to female fans in her debut season, after talking about the period pain which brought to an end her otherwise impressive run at the 2022 French Open.”It’s just girl things you know. The first day is always so tough and then I have to do sport… I wish I can be a man on court, but I cannot in that moment. If I don’t have my stomach pain I think I could enjoy more, like to run better and to hit harder, to give more effort on court,” she said.Mr Dreyer notes Zheng also “ticks every box” for global athletic stardom, not least because she is fluent in English.”People really warm to Zheng when she does the on-court interviews just the the way that they did with Li Na,” he says, noting the former champion’s famous sense of humour. “Zheng is not quite at the same humour level, but she’s engaging, she’s smiley and articulate – people warm to her.”But what’s more, stars like Li and now potentially Zheng are “the best soft power that China has”, he says, especially as, in contrast to other athletes, tennis players get great global exposure because of the international tournament circuit.Li Na set the standard for how many Chinese players operate on the circuit these days: in independent teams with foreign coaches, under the approval of national sports authorities but outside of their control.But for those at the top there’s also a tricky line to walk.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Zheng has been a crowd favourite at the Australian Open this yearMany believe former world number one doubles player Peng Shuai was essentially exiled from the sport, forced into retirement in 2021 after she accused retired Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of sexual assault. Questions over her disappearance fuelled global concern for weeks before she was seen again in public in officially released images. That treatment of Peng, only two years ago, still lingers in the minds of tennis fans. Under some videos of Zheng’s plays in the tournament, commentators have written: “Where is Peng Shuai?” And there were comments on Chinese social media after Zheng’s semi-final on Thursday suggesting that state CCTV, which livestreamed the match to record viewing numbers, delayed broadcast of her post-match interview.”Yes she’s going to get awkward questions… but frankly, as a 21-year-old, what is she supposed to say? I mean it’s an impossible situation. We all know she can’t get up there and say this or that about whatever the situation may and may not be,” Mr Dreyer says.She should just be allowed to “develop the way she wants and to be a personality and character without being too worried about what she does or doesn’t say”.He noted that of the four Chinese players who have ever made a Grand Slam semi final, all except Peng Shuai were spotted courtside in Melbourne this week.There’s a high chance that Li Na and the other luminaries will be in Rod Laver Arena again on Saturday night to “jiayou” or cheer on their country’s next tennis star. Zheng’s performance has drawn many Chinese spectators to the Slam, which increasingly pitches itself as the tournament of the Asia-Pacific region.But Zheng is very much the underdog going into the final: a lucky run has meant she has not faced a single seeded player on her way through the open.Sabalenka, on the other hand, is on a 13-game winning streak and knocked out Coco Gauff in her semi. Zheng herself has called her one of the biggest hitters on tour. But she says she won’t let the history of the moment get to her. When asked about destiny at Thursday’s post-match conference, she laughed it off. And Li’s been giving her tips, Zheng says.”She said don’t think too much, just go for it.”Related TopicsChinaMore on this storySabalenka beats Gauff to reach Melbourne finalAttributionSportPublished2 days agoHow China censored a tennis starPublished8 February 2022Top StoriesUN agency condemns aid halt after Hamas attack claimPublished1 hour agoPost Office chairman asked to step downPublished4 hours agoWatch: Huge fire engulfs building in Liverpool. VideoWatch: Huge fire engulfs building in LiverpoolPublished7 hours agoFeaturesWill $83m defamation damages really deter Trump?Warning over children using anti-ageing skincare productsTwins separated and sold at birth reunited by TikTokHuge push for Gaza aid – but little hope for those sufferingBali bomb families face accused at Guantanamo Bay’What terminal cancer has taught me about life’Jess Glynne says she ‘fell out of love with music’The Kindertransport refugees who made Britain homeCheese, beef, cars: What UK-Canada trade rift meansElsewhere on the BBCA Scottish wild swimming road-trip!Julie Wilson Nimmo and Greg Hemphill take the plunge at Scotland’s breath-taking wild swimming spotsAttributioniPlayerScientists uncover alcohol’s hidden dangersInvestigating what alcohol is and why so many people love to drink itAttributioniPlayerCould this Italian dream turn into a real nightmare?Amanda Holden and Alan Carr don their boiler suits to renovate a dilapidated house in TuscanyAttributioniPlayerBritish television’s greatest double actEric and Ernie share their remarkable journey through TV appearances, rare radio material and BBC archivesAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Dragons’ Den episode edited after ME complaints2Post Office chairman asked to step down3World’s largest cruise ship sets sail from Miami4Star Wars figure found in loft sells for £19,5005UN agency condemns aid halt after Hamas attack claim6The Traitors final: I trusted the wrong person7Van Gerwen beats Littler to win Dutch MastersAttributionSport8John Lewis planning major workforce cuts9Kuenssberg: What do voters think of party leaders? Not a lot10Fire on ship linked to Britain after Houthi attack

[ad_1] The 21-year-old aims to repeat Li Na’s 2014 victory going into the Australian Open final.

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January 27, 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 & CanadaUNRWA claims: UN agency condemns aid halt over alleged help for Hamas attacksPublished15 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warImage source, ReutersImage caption, UNRWA aid services help about two-thirds of Gaza’s 2.3 million populationThe head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA has urged the countries that halted funding to reconsider their “shocking” decision.”UNRWA is the primary humanitarian agency in Gaza, with over two million people depending on it for their sheer survival,” Philippe Lazzarini said.Nine countries, including the UK, earlier paused funding the agency.They acted over allegations that some UNRWA staff were involved in the 7 October deadly Hamas attacks on Israel.The agency later announced it was sacking those employees.The countries that have now suspended funding UNRWA are Australia, Canada, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the UK and the US.Created in 1949, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA, is the biggest UN agency operating in Gaza. It provides healthcare, education and other humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. It employs around 13,000 people inside Gaza.Since Israel began its offensive in response to the Hamas attacks UNRWA has used its facilities across Gaza to shelter hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians.The information on UNRWA employees’ alleged involvement in the Hamas attacks was supplied by Israel, which has long accused different branches of the UN – including UNRWA – of bias and even of antisemitism.Huge push for Gaza aid – but little hope for those sufferingIsraeli protesters hold up aid trucks to GazaStories of the hostages taken by Hamas from IsraelIn a statement on Saturday, Mr Lazzarini said: “It is shocking to see a suspension of funds to the agency in reaction to allegations against a small group of staff, especially given the immediate action that UNRWA took by terminating their contracts and asking for a transparent independent investigation. ”It would be immensely irresponsible to sanction an agency and an entire community it serves because of allegations of criminal acts against some individuals, especially at a time of war, displacement and political crises in the region.  “UNRWA shares the list of all its staff with host countries every year, including Israel. The agency never received any concerns on specific staff members.”Mr Lazzarini added that an investigation by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services into “the heinous allegations will establish the facts”.An adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday told the BBC that the 7 October Hamas attacks had involved “people who are on their [UNRWA] salaries”.Mark Regev said there was information showing teachers working in UNRWA schools had “openly celebrated” the attacks. Hamas gunmen killed around 1,300 people, mostly civilians, and took another 250 hostage.Mr Regev also referred to an Israeli hostage who, on her release, said she had been “held in the house of someone who worked for UNRWA”. “They have a union which is controlled by Hamas and I think it’s high time that the UN investigated these links between UNRWA and Hamas,” he added.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The US, Germany and the EU are among UNRWA’s biggest donorsThe allegations prompted reaction from major donors.”The UK is appalled by allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the 7 October attack against Israel, a heinous act of terrorism that the UK Government has repeatedly condemned,” the UK Foreign Office said in a statement on Saturday.”The UK is temporarily pausing any future funding of UNRWA whilst we review these concerning allegations,” it added.Earlier, the US State Department announced it was suspending additional funding to the UN agency, saying it was “extremely troubled” by the allegations.The EU said it would assess further steps “based on the result of the full and comprehensive investigation”. The US, Germany and EU are among some of UNRWA’s biggest donors. UN Secretary General António Guterres said he was “horrified by this news”.Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said he aimed to stop UNRWA operating in Gaza after the war. But the Palestinian Authority’s minister for civilian affairs, Hussein Al-Sheikh, said the decision by some countries to pause support for the vital UN agency “entails great political and humanitarian relief risks”.The 7 October attacks triggered Israel’s massive retaliation on Hamas in Gaza – air strikes and shelling that have killed more than 26,000 Palestinians, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.UNRWA says it is struggling to get humanitarian aid to many of the estimated 1.7 million people – nearly three-quarters of the population – displaced by 12 weeks of fighting.Related TopicsIsrael-Gaza warUnited NationsUnited StatesMore on this storyUK halts aid to UN agency after Hamas attack claimPublished1 hour agoIsraeli protesters hold up aid trucks to GazaPublished1 day agoUN says 12 killed at Gaza shelter as fighting ragesPublished2 days agoTop StoriesUN agency condemns aid halt after Hamas attack claimPublished15 minutes agoPost Office chairman asked to step downPublished3 hours agoWatch: Huge fire engulfs building in Liverpool. VideoWatch: Huge fire engulfs building in LiverpoolPublished6 hours agoFeaturesWill $83m defamation damages really deter Trump?Warning over children using anti-ageing skincare productsTwins separated and sold at birth reunited by TikTokHuge push for Gaza aid – but little hope for those sufferingBali bomb families face accused at Guantanamo Bay’What terminal cancer has taught me about life’Jess Glynne says she ‘fell out of love with music’The Kindertransport refugees who made Britain homeCheese, beef, cars: What UK-Canada trade rift meansElsewhere on the BBCA Scottish wild swimming road-trip!Julie Wilson Nimmo and Greg Hemphill take the plunge at Scotland’s breath-taking wild swimming spotsAttributioniPlayerScientists uncover alcohol’s hidden dangersInvestigating what alcohol is and why so many people love to drink itAttributioniPlayerCould this Italian dream turn into a real nightmare?Amanda Holden and Alan Carr don their boiler suits to renovate a dilapidated house in TuscanyAttributioniPlayerBritish television’s greatest double actEric and Ernie share their remarkable journey through TV appearances, rare radio material and BBC archivesAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Post Office chairman asked to step down2Dragons’ Den episode edited after ME complaints3Large blaze causes huge plumes of smoke over city4World’s largest cruise ship to set sail from Miami5Star Wars figure found in loft sells for £19,5006The Traitors final: I trusted the wrong person7UK halts aid to UN agency after Hamas attack claim8John Lewis planning major workforce cuts9Kuenssberg: What do voters think of party leaders? Not a lot10Barcelona manager Xavi to leave at end of seasonAttributionSport

[ad_1] Created in 1949, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA, is the biggest UN agency operating in Gaza. It provides healthcare, education and other humanitarian aid to Palestinians…

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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 & CanadaBurkina Faso thanks Russia for ‘priceless gift’ of wheatPublished2 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, AFPImage caption, It is the latest overture from the isolated European power (photo taken July 2023)By Natasha BootyBBC NewsBurkina Faso says it has received 25,000 tonnes of free wheat from Russia.Confirming the news on Friday, one minister called the delivery a “priceless gift”.Ties between Moscow and Ouagadougou have been strengthening since the military took power in two successive coups in 2022.Last month Russia re-opened its embassy in Burkina Faso, which been closed since the collapse of the Soviet Union.Burkina Faso has at the same time been distancing itself from former colonial power France, and last year it ordered its troops to leave.Burkina Faso is one of the world’s most-neglected crises, humanitarians say. About a quarter of all children under five have stunted growth, according to UN data, and more than three million people face acute food shortages.The West African nation is battling a years-long Islamist insurgency that has forced more than two million people from their homes. One in four schools are closed because it is too dangerous for children to risk going.So severe is Burkina Faso’s security crisis that some citizens welcomed the military coups two years ago, and hoped for an end to the violence and upheaval.Yet the military junta has failed to deliver on its early promises to tackle Islamist militants, and the latter still control large swathes of the country.It was during a summit in St Petersburg last year that President Vladimir Putin promised to send Burkina Faso a gift of thousands of tonnes of wheat. Russia is one of the world’s biggest grain producers, and is projected to export about 45 millions tonnes of wheat this financial year, according to US estimates.The isolated European power, condemned by much of the international community for waging war in Ukraine, is seeking to deepen alliances in Africa and elsewhere.Speaking at a ceremony on Friday, Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean Marie Traoré said the wheat consignment from Russia would help to push his nation towards “developing our own production capacity in order to halt once and for all dependence on food from abroad”.Nandy Some Diallo, Burkina Faso’s minister for solidarity and humanitarian action, said the government was “delighted” and called the grain delivery a “priceless gift” that would benefit people who were internally displaced and vulnerable.Earlier this week, there were reports that a contingent of Russian troops had arrived in Burkina Faso.Last summer, Burkina Faso signed a deal with Russia in July for the construction of a nuclear power plant to increase its energy supply. Less than a quarter of the country’s population has access to electricity.In addition to Russian influence in matters of economics, diplomacy and defence – there has also been a rise in recent months of Russian-sponsored disinformation.Russia has consistently denied such allegations in the past.Burkina Faso, which is rich in gold and other minerals, has denied reports it paid Russian mercenary fighters by giving them rights to mines in the country.Related TopicsRussiaBurkina FasoMore on this storyWhy does France have military bases in Africa?Published6 November 2023Why young Africans are celebrating military takeoversPublished31 August 2023Russia-Africa summit: Putin seeks to extend influencePublished27 July 2023The rise of military coups in AfricaPublished30 August 2023Coups in Mali and Burkina Faso fail to stop jihadist attacksPublished30 July 2022A quick guide to Burkina FasoPublished11 December 2023Top StoriesUK halts aid to UN agency over claims staff helped Hamas attackPublished3 hours agoLarge blaze causes huge plumes of smoke over cityPublished16 minutes agoPost Office chairman asked to step downPublished1 hour agoFeaturesWill $83m defamation damages really deter Trump?Warning over children using anti-ageing skincare productsHuge push for Gaza aid – but little hope for those sufferingBali bomb families face accused at Guantanamo Bay’What terminal cancer has taught me about life’Twins separated and sold at birth reunited by TikTokJess Glynne says she ‘fell out of love with music’The Kindertransport refugees who made Britain homeCheese, beef, cars: What UK-Canada trade rift meansElsewhere on the BBCA Scottish wild swimming road-trip!Julie Wilson Nimmo and Greg Hemphill take the plunge at Scotland’s breath-taking wild swimming spotsAttributioniPlayerScientists uncover alcohol’s hidden dangersInvestigating what alcohol is and why so many people love to drink itAttributioniPlayerCould this Italian dream turn into a real nightmare?Amanda Holden and Alan Carr don their boiler suits to renovate a dilapidated house in TuscanyAttributioniPlayerBritish television’s greatest double actEric and Ernie share their remarkable journey through TV appearances, rare radio material and BBC archivesAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Large blaze causes huge plumes of smoke over city2Post Office chairman asked to step down3Star Wars figure found in loft sells for £19,5004World’s largest cruise ship to set sail from Miami5UK halts aid to UN agency after Hamas attack claim6The Traitors final: I trusted the wrong person7Boy with IQ of 162 says football comes first8John Lewis planning major workforce cuts9Kuenssberg: What do voters think of party leaders? Not a lot10Fire on ship linked to Britain after Houthi attack

[ad_1] It is the latest overture from an isolated European power seeking to deepen ties with West Africa.

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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 & CanadaBiden vows border ‘shut down’ if Congress passes dealPublished1 hour agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, EPA-EFEBy Nadine YousifBBC NewsUS President Joe Biden has said he backs a bipartisan Senate border deal that gives him powers to shut down the southern border “when it becomes overwhelmed”. “If given that authority, I would use it the day I sign the bill into law,” he said in a statement on Friday.Mr Biden urged lawmakers to pass the deal, calling it the “toughest and fairest” set of reforms seen yet.The border deal faces objections from right and left.Former President Donald Trump has also tried to tank the deal, urging Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson to only accept it if it is “perfect on the border”. Pressure has been mounting on Mr Biden to act on the US-Mexico border as he vies for a second-term in the White House. He is likely to face off against Mr Trump – who has taken a hardline stance on immigration – again in the upcoming presidential election.Immigration is a central issue ahead of the election, with voters in Iowa and New Hampshire delivering primary victories to Mr Trump in part due to their concerns over the border.In December, migrant encounters at the US-Mexico border averaged more than 9,500 per day, according to US government data.Adding to the pressure, some Republicans have set a deal on border security as a condition for further Ukraine aid. A border deal is also integral to the approval of further aid for Israel and Taiwan, as Republicans in the House said they will not back more funding for either without it.A crisis at the Mexico border felt in UkraineMr Biden’s latest comments come as Senate negotiators try to win the approval of some House colleagues who have vowed to strike down the current border deal.Top Senate Republicans, like Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, have urged them to pass it.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: A look at the US border as immigration debate heats upMr McConnell called it “a unique opportunity to accomplish something in a divided government that wouldn’t be there under a unified government”. But Mr Johnson has shown no signs that he and his colleagues will approve the deal. Earlier on Friday, Mr Johnson told reporters that the deal is “dead on arrival” in its current form. Related TopicsMexico–US borderUnited StatesMore on this story25 governors back Texas in border row with US govtPublished1 day agoRepublicans work to impeach Mayorkas over US borderPublished11 JanuarySupreme Court sides with Biden in Texas border disputePublished4 days agoTop StoriesUK halts aid to UN agency over claims staff helped Hamas attackPublished2 hours agoLarge blaze causes huge plumes of smoke over cityPublished32 minutes agoPost Office chairman asked to step downPublished34 minutes agoFeaturesWill $83m defamation damages really deter Trump?Warning over children using anti-ageing skincare productsHuge push for Gaza aid – but little hope for those sufferingBali bomb families face accused at Guantanamo Bay’What terminal cancer has taught me about life’Twins separated and sold at birth reunited by TikTokJess Glynne says she ‘fell out of love with music’The Kindertransport refugees who made Britain homeCheese, beef, cars: What UK-Canada trade rift meansElsewhere on the BBCA Scottish wild swimming road-trip!Julie Wilson Nimmo and Greg Hemphill take the plunge at Scotland’s breath-taking wild swimming spotsAttributioniPlayerScientists uncover alcohol’s hidden dangersInvestigating what alcohol is and why so many people love to drink itAttributioniPlayerCould this Italian dream turn into a real nightmare?Amanda Holden and Alan Carr don their boiler suits to renovate a dilapidated house in TuscanyAttributioniPlayerBritish television’s greatest double actEric and Ernie share their remarkable journey through TV appearances, rare radio material and BBC archivesAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Large blaze causes huge plumes of smoke over city2Post Office chairman asked to step down3World’s largest cruise ship to set sail from Miami4UK halts aid to UN agency after Hamas attack claim5The Traitors final: I trusted the wrong person6John Lewis planning major workforce cuts7Boy with IQ of 162 says football comes first8Kuenssberg: What do voters think of party leaders? Not a lot9Star Wars figure found in loft sells for £19,50010US convicts Russian man who flew to LA without passport

[ad_1] President Biden’s statement came as he pushed US lawmakers to pass bipartisan border security bill.

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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 & CanadaIcon of the Seas: World’s largest cruise ship to set sail from MiamiPublished25 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsClimateImage source, Tribune News Service via Getty ImagesImage caption, The 20-deck Icon of the Seas boasts seven swimming pools, six waterslides, and more than 40 restaurants, bars and loungesThe world’s largest cruise ship is due to set sail from Miami, Florida, on its maiden voyage, amid concerns about the vessel’s methane emissions.The 365m-long (1,197 ft) Icon of the Seas has 20 decks, and can house a maximum of 7,600 passengers on board. It is owned by Royal Caribbean Group.The vessel is going on a seven-day island-hopping voyage in the tropics.But environmentalists warn that the liquefied natural gas-powered ship will leak harmful methane into the air.”It’s a step in the wrong direction,” Bryan Comer, director of the Marine Programme at the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency.”We would estimate that using LNG as a marine fuel emits over 120% more life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions than marine gas oil,” he said.Earlier this week, the ICCT released a report, arguing that methane emissions from LNG-fuelled ships were higher than current regulations assumed.LNG burns more cleanly than traditional marine fuels such as fuel oil, but there is a risk of leakage.A powerful greenhouse gas, methane in the atmosphere traps 80 times more heat than carbon dioxide over 20 years. Cutting these emissions is seen as crucial to slowing down global warming. A Royal Caribbean spokesperson is quoted by media outlets as saying that Icon of the Seas is 24% more energy efficient than required the International Maritime Organization for modern ships. The company plans to introduce a net-zero ship by 2035.On Thursday, Argentina’s World Cup winning captain Lionel Messi, who currently plays for Inter Miami, took part in the ship’s naming ceremony. He was seen placing a football on a specially-built stand to trigger the traditional “good luck” breaking of a champagne bottle against the vessel’s bow.Icon of the Seas cost $2bn (£1.6bn) to build. It now boasts seven swimming pools, six waterslides, and more than 40 restaurants, bars and lounges.Related TopicsMethaneFloridaCruise shipsEffects of global warmingClimateMiamiUnited StatesMore on this storyPort cruise ships’ methane emissions surge – studyPublished21 June 2023Why shipping faces a showdown over greenhouse gasPublished3 July 2023Shipping industry calls for new global carbon taxPublished21 April 2021Venice bans cruise ships from historic centrePublished1 April 2021Top StoriesUK halts aid to UN agency over claims staff helped Hamas attackPublished55 minutes agoLarge blaze causes huge plumes of smoke over cityPublished3 minutes agoJohn Lewis planning major workforce cutsPublished3 hours agoFeaturesWill $83m defamation damages really deter Trump?Warning over children using anti-ageing skincare productsHuge push for Gaza aid – but little hope for those sufferingBali bomb families face accused at Guantanamo Bay’What terminal cancer has taught me about life’Twins separated and sold at birth reunited by TikTokJess Glynne says she ‘fell out of love with music’The Kindertransport refugees who made Britain homeCheese, beef, cars: What UK-Canada trade rift meansElsewhere on the BBCA Scottish wild swimming road-trip!Julie Wilson Nimmo and Greg Hemphill take the plunge at Scotland’s breath-taking wild swimming spotsAttributioniPlayerScientists uncover alcohol’s hidden dangersInvestigating what alcohol is and why so many people love to drink itAttributioniPlayerCould this Italian dream turn into a real nightmare?Amanda Holden and Alan Carr don their boiler suits to renovate a dilapidated house in TuscanyAttributioniPlayerBritish television’s greatest double actEric and Ernie share their remarkable journey through TV appearances, rare radio material and BBC archivesAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Large blaze causes huge plumes of smoke over city2Kuenssberg: What do voters think of party leaders? Not a lot3John Lewis planning major workforce cuts4UK halts aid to UN agency after Hamas attack claim5The Traitors final: I trusted the wrong person6Boy with IQ of 162 says football comes first7US convicts Russian man who flew to LA without passport8Greta Thunberg joins marchers in airport protest9Warning over children using viral skincare products10‘I thought mum left me, she’d been sent to prison’

[ad_1] On Thursday, Argentina’s World Cup winning captain Lionel Messi, who currently plays for Inter Miami, took part in the ship’s naming ceremony. He was seen placing a football on…