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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityCultureBafta Games Awards 2024: Baldur’s Gate 3 wins game of the yearPublished10 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsBafta AwardsImage source, Larian StudiosImage caption, Lae’zel is one of the main characters in Baldur’s Gate 3By Tom Gerken & Marc CieslakBBC NewsBaldur’s Gate 3 led the pack at the 20th Bafta Game Awards, with five wins including the coveted best game title.The role-playing game based on Dungeons & Dragons also scooped prizes for music and narrative, with an acting award for Andrew Wincott as fan-favourite devil Raphael.Super Mario Bros. Wonder won two, while Star Wars Jedi: Survivor missed out despite having six nominations.Meanwhile, photography-based puzzler Viewfinder won best British game.Last year gaming sales accounted for £4.7bn in the UK, more than double that of the music industry, according to the digital entertainment and retail association (ERA).There was some love for Nintendo’s two big games of 2023, with wins for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Super Mario Bros. Wonder in various categories.But Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 came away with just one win despite being nominated nine times overall.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Developers at Larian Studios had five chances to come to the stage to celebrate their wins – but boss Swen Vincke waited until the final award to speak”I still can’t believe we’re standing here,” said Larian Studios’ Swen Vincke as he stood at the podium surrounded by his colleagues.”A lot of people put a lot of heart and soul into making Baldur’s Gate 3, so this is amazing – thank you Bafta, thank you everybody.”The game’s lead writer Sarah Baylus had previously called it “an honour and a privilege” to collect the award for best narrative, while the game also picked up the EE Player’s Choice prize, which is voted for by members of the public.And Baldur’s Gate 3’s composer Borislav Slavov struggled to hold back tears when he took the trophy for best music – thanking Bafta for “this special moment in my life”.”I believe if you don’t leave a piece of your heart in the music, nobody can enjoy it… I would like to say thank you to each and every one of you in this room,” he said.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Borislav Slavov was one of five different people to collect awards for their work on Baldur’s Gate 3Elsewhere, while it missed out on the main prize, Dave the Diver game director Jaeho Hwang was enthusiastic as his sushi-restaurant-management game beat out big name rivals to pick up the award for game design.”Thank you so much for giving us this award, it means a lot to us – we just beat Zelda,” he said.”As everyone knows, last year was one of the biggest years in gaming history, so I was just happy to stand next to these incredible games – but now I’m bringing this heavy mask back to Korea!”Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Jaeho Hwang joked that after his game was overlooked by other awards, he only came to cheer on othersAs well as winning in the British game category, Sad Owl Studios also won for having the best new intellectual property.Their first trip to the podium was one full of tears, but by the time they returned they were more concise – joking that they hadn’t prepared any speeches, and if people wanted more of their game, they’d first need the money to develop it.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The Scottish studio behind Viewfinder stayed true to their roots with their outfits of choiceAs well as being the 20th anniversary of the awards, this year is the fifth-running since the best performer category was split into two – awarding actors in both a leading and supporting role.Performing in a modern game tends to be more than recording voice lines in a studio, with actors now generally having their entire body captured to be replicated in-game.Andrew Wincott, who won the performer in a supporting role award, said he had not done motion capture before, and was surprised to be asked to wear a skin-fitting bodysuit for the performance on his first day – before a fire alarm went off.”Out of nowhere, I was suddenly standing on Croydon High Street in the drizzle of a Monday morning,” he said.”So this is glamour, people are walking past saying I’ve seen that bodysuit in M&S, I must get one… but it was all fine, there was no fire – only in the nine hells.”Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Stand-up comedian Phil Wang won plaudits online for his in-jokes throughout the ceremonyThe awards come after a year peppered with blockbuster games, leading some to call it a vintage year in gaming.But that is in stark contrast to the upheavals occurring behind the scenes, where it feels like the games industry has taken a battering from the world’s most insidious final boss – job cuts.Unity, Microsoft, and Electronic Arts are just a few of the big-name game companies to have grabbed headlines by shedding thousands of staff between them in recent months.While the winners will rightly celebrate, it cannot be forgotten that many working in the industry will not be so happy as their future employment prospects remain blighted by uncertainty.Phil Wang, who hosted the show, made reference to this in his opening monologue, while others spoke up the quality of the games on show – with one presenter, YouTuber Jane Douglas, calling designing good video games “an art form”.That was no clearer than a touching moment where the room was brought to silence by a stunning performance of Late Goodbye from Max Payne 2, in memory of some of those in the gaming industry who died this year.The Bafta Games Awards winners in full:Debut game: VenbaAudio achievement: Alan Wake 2Multiplayer: Super Mario Bros. WonderEvolving game: Cyberpunk 2077Game design: Dave the DiverBritish game: ViewfinderArtistic achievement: Alan Wake 2New intellectual property: ViewfinderNarrative: Baldur’s Gate 3Performer in a supporting role: Andrew Wincott, Raphael in Baldur’s Gate 3Family: Super Mario Bros. WonderEE Players’ Choice: Baldur’s Gate 3Animation: Hi-Fi RushMusic: Baldur’s Gate 3Game Beyond Entertainment: TchiaTechnical achievement: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the KingdomPerformer in a leading role: Nadji Jeter, Miles Morales in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2Best game: Baldur’s Gate 3Related TopicsGamingBafta AwardsNintendoMore on this storyLara Croft voted most iconic video game characterPublished4 AprilSpider-Man battles Baldur’s Gate in Bafta Games AwardsPublished7 MarchTop StoriesUS restricts travel for employees in IsraelPublished3 minutes agoUnpaid carers shocked at having to repay thousands of pounds of benefitsPublished2 hours agoUK economy grows increasing hope it is out of recessionPublished21 minutes agoFeaturesSuicide is on the rise for young Americans. 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[ad_1] Super Mario Bros Wonder won two, while Star Wars Jedi: Survivor missed out despite six nominations.
![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaUkraine war: MPs pass long-awaited conscription lawPublished12 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsWar in UkraineImage source, ReutersImage caption, The law provides for compulsory training for new recruits before they are sent into combatBy Robert GreenallBBC NewsUkraine’s parliament has passed legislation to help mobilise troops to fight invading Russian forces. The measure – adopted after months of wrangling – is aimed at boosting numbers in the military, which is under severe pressure as Russia continues its advances in the east.But a clause aimed at demobilising soldiers after three years was dropped at the army’s request. The president still has to sign the bill into law. Earlier this month, Volodymyr Zelensky approved other measures, including lowering the age of mobilisation by two years, to 25. The new legislation passed on Thursday tightens registration processes and strengthens penalties for draft dodgers. MP Oleksandr Fedienko said, quoted by Reuters, that the bill would send a “message to our partners that we are ready to retake our territory and we need weapons”.Ukraine’s military has been under severe pressure of late, in part due to Russia’s greater manpower. A senior general told MPs before the passing of the bill that Ukrainian forces were outnumbered by Russia by between seven and 10 to one.”We are maintaining our defences with our last strength,” joint forces commander Gen Yuriy Sodol said, quoted by Reuters.”Pass this law and the Ukrainian Armed Forces will not let down you or the Ukrainian people.”A total of 283 MPs voted in favour of the bill, but 49 opposition lawmakers abstained.Ukrainian deserters risk death to escape warUkraine war in maps: Russia makes limited advancesOne of them, Oleksiy Goncharenko, said he could not vote for a bill that excluded demobilisation.”The main question for those serving and those who might be potentially mobilised [is] ‘how long will I serve?’ Without this, I don’t think the law will improve mobilisation,” he said, quoted by the Financial Times.The demobilisation issue will now be considered in a separate bill, parliament officials said.Draconian measures to prevent draft-dodging were also excluded from the latest version of the bill after a public outcry. The main provisions of the bill, which has not yet been published in full, include:Obliging men aged 18-60 to update personal data with the military authorities and carry draft office registration documents at all timesFinancial rewards for volunteersCompulsory training for all new recruits before going into combat, and basic military training for those aged 18-25 (ie below the conscription age)People with convictions serving suspended sentences to be allowed to serve in the armyTracking procedure proposed for men of military age living abroadDriving bans for those who do not comply with the requirements of draft authoritiesThe bill was passed hours after the country was hit by more heavy bombardments by Russia.More than 80 missiles and drones targeted sites across Ukraine, many of them involving energy infrastructure.The Trypillya power plant, a key provider of electricity for three regions including Kyiv, was completely destroyed.Ukraine has been asking Western countries to send more assistance, including ammunition and air defences.But a $60bn US military aid package has been held up for months in Congress.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, BBC documentary shows Ukrainian defence missionRelated TopicsWar in UkraineUkraineMore on this storyKey power plant near Kyiv destroyed by Russian strikesPublished2 hours agoUkraine fires army conscription officials for taking bribesPublished11 August 2023Ukrainian deserters risk death to escape warPublished8 June 2023Ukraine war in maps: Russia makes limited advancesPublished21 FebruaryTop StoriesOJ Simpson, NFL star cleared in ‘trial of the century’, dies aged 76Published1 hour agoLive. 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![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaCan US pressure deliver Israel-Hamas truce in Gaza?Published2 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warImage source, ReutersImage caption, Israel has withdrawn most troops from southern Gaza – but it is not being interpreted as an end to the warBy Hugo BachegaMiddle East correspondent, JerusalemA truce between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza was never going to be easy. Weeks of talks have failed to produce agreement. But international pressure is growing.Perhaps the biggest sign is the Biden administration sending William Burns, the head of the CIA, for the latest round of talks in Cairo.Hamas has, in public at least, stuck with its initial demands of a permanent ceasefire, the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops and the return of displaced Palestinians to northern parts of the territory without restrictions.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meanwhile insists that Israel will continue fighting until Hamas is destroyed and hostages the group is holding are free. “There’s a lot more American pressure on Israel, and on Egypt and Qatar to put pressure on Hamas. That’s obvious,” said Gershon Baskin, who helped negotiate a deal with Hamas for the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2011. “The fact that the head of the CIA showed up, which required all the negotiators to be there at the highest level. That’s indicative of increased American pressure.”But that does not mean a deal is at hand.Israeli officials have indicated willingness to make some concessions amid intensifying frustration among the country’s main allies, including the US. Earlier this week, the Israeli defence minister, Yoav Gallant, suggested that now was the right time for a truce.Any deal is expected to see the release of some of the hostages captured in the Hamas attacks in return for Palestinian prisoners being held in Israeli jails, which was the basis for a truce that led to a temporary pause in hostilities in November. According to Israeli authorities, 133 people remain captive in Gaza, although at least 30 have already been confirmed dead.Under the latest US proposal, an initial phase of a six-week ceasefire would see Hamas release 40 hostages who are alive, with the priority being given to female captives including soldiers, men over the age of 50 and those with serious medical conditions. Israel would then release at least 700 Palestinians, including about 100 who are serving life sentences for killing Israelis, which has proved controversial in Israel in the past. But Hamas has reportedly told negotiators it is not holding 40 people in this category, raising the prospect that many more hostages than previously thought have died or that they could be in the hands of other armed groups, such as Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Image source, ReutersImage caption, Hostage families say Mr Netanyahu is more concerned with his political survival than their loved ones’ plightIn Israel, Mr Netanyahu’s room for manoeuvre is limited by pressure from different parts of society and politics. While most of the Israeli public remain supportive of the war, there are growing calls for him to agree to a deal for the release of the hostages. The families have held large protests, accusing the prime minister of not making the captives’ return a priority and of being more concerned with his own political survival. Calls for Mr Netanyahu to resign are on the rise too.Divisions have intensified within Mr Netanyahu’s governing coalition, which includes far-right, ultranationalist allies who refuse concessions to Hamas and insist the war must go on. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich told the prime minister that increasing pressure on Hamas was the only way to bring the hostages back and destroy the group, while National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir explicitly threatened to bring down Mr Netanyahu himself if he did not go ahead with a much-promised offensive into the city of Rafah, in southern Gaza. Israeli officials insist it is essential to enter Rafah, where, they say, Hamas has four operational brigades and its senior leaders could be hiding. But virtually everyone outside Israel is against an offensive in the city, where about 1.5 million Palestinians are sheltering in tents, improvised shelters and overcrowded camps, over concerns of the catastrophic impact it could have on civilians. In what could have been an attempt to counter domestic criticism, on Monday, Mr Netanyahu said a date had already been set for a Rafah operation, without giving details.”There’s a revolt going on right now in the government, and within [Mr Netanyahu’s party] Likud, against Netanyahu making any kind of deal that they don’t think should be made,” Mr Baskin said. “Netanyahu is not a free actor. He’s a hostage himself within his own government.”Image source, EPAImage caption, Hamas may believe time is on its side despite the dire humanitarian situation in GazaFor its part Hamas has yet to give a formal response to the latest proposal, but said that while it was interested in an agreement “that puts an end to the aggression on our people”, the offer did not meet its demands.”The Israeli position remains intransigent,” the group said in a statement.The White House described the group’s response as “less than encouraging”.A final decision will probably be made by Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader in Gaza who is thought to be hiding in tunnels surrounded by guards and hostages. But communications with him are difficult and said to involve several intermediaries and take days. The group, Mr Baskin said, was also demanding more say in which Palestinian prisoners would be released and that it would not agree to any of them being deported to another country, issues that could present obstacles to negotiations.Bowen: Obstacles to peace seem larger than ever Six months on, how close is Israel to eliminating Hamas?Why are Israel and Hamas fighting in Gaza?Hamas also believes that without guarantees of a permanent ceasefire, Israel will continue to attack the group once the hostages are released. Its leadership has witnessed growing international criticism of Israel and may believe time is on their side to secure concessions, despite the overwhelming and immediate needs of Gaza’s devastated civilian population.The war in Gaza, Israel’s response to the Hamas attacks on 7 October that killed about 1,200 people, has killed more than 33,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, destroyed large parts of the territory, and left many on the brink of famine. “From my experience in dealing with these things, the main difficulties are whether or not the main decision maker on both sides is ready for a deal. That’s not clear,” Mr Baskin said. “It’s not clear that Netanyahu is ready for a deal, it’s not clear that [Hamas political leader in Gaza Yahya] Sinwar is ready for a deal. But when they are, they will find the middle ground.”Perhaps unsurprisingly, a Hamas spokesperson seized on Mr Netanyahu’s comments about setting a date for an attack on Rafah, saying it raised questions about the purpose of resuming negotiations.Related TopicsIsrael-Gaza warIsraelHamasMore on this storySix months on, how close is Israel to eliminating Hamas?Published3 days agoBowen: Obstacles to peace seem larger than everPublished2 days agoTop StoriesMP targeted in Westminster honeytrap resigns party whipPublished1 hour agoAlan Bates says Post Office run by ‘thugs in suits’Published6 hours agoArizona court reinstates abortion ban law from 1864Published2 hours agoFeaturesFirst ever climate change victory in Europe courtIsrael’s Gaza withdrawal hints at what comes nextSpectacular images of eclipse that transfixed North AmericaThe eclipse at Niagara Falls: ‘Wow! Spectacular’ VideoThe eclipse at Niagara Falls: ‘Wow! Spectacular’Listen: Flights, Cameron, Action – DC Meets Trump. 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![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityBusinessMarket DataEconomyYour MoneyCompaniesTechnology of BusinessCEO SecretsAI BusinessBoom times for US green energy as federal cash flows inPublished9 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law in August 2022By Zoe CorbynSan FranciscoIn February US company LanzaJet, which produces sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from ethanol, announced that it intended to build a second, larger plant on US soil.The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was a “big influence”, says Jimmy Samartzis, its chief executive.The second plant would add to its facility in Soperton, Georgia – the world’s first commercial scale ethanol-to-SAF plant.”We have a global landscape that we are pursuing…[but] we have doubled down on building here in the United States because of the tax credits in the IRA, and because of the overall support system that the US government has put in place.” Signed into law by President Biden in August 2022, the IRA, along with the so-called Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) enacted in November 2021, are intended, amongst other things, to funnel billions of federal dollars into developing clean energy. The aim is to lower greenhouse gas emissions, and incentivise private investment, to encourage the growth of green industries and jobs: a new foundation for the US economy.With a 10-year lifespan, and a cost originally estimated at $391bn (£310bn) but now predicted to reach over $1tn – the final figure is unknown – the IRA offers new and juicer tax credits, as well as loans and loan guarantees for the deployment of emissions reducing technology.The tax credits are available to companies for either domestically producing clean energy, or domestically manufacturing the equipment needed for the energy transition, including electric vehicles (EVs) and batteries.Consumers can also receive tax credits, for example for buying an EV or installing a heat pump. The tax credit for SAF producers like LanzaJet is new in the IRA and, offers between $1.25 to $1.75 per gallon of SAF (though it only lasts five years).Complementary is the BIL, which runs for five years and provides direct investment largely in the form of government grants for research and development and capital projects. Under the BIL, about $77bn (£61bn) will go to clean energy technology projects, according to the Brookings Institution which monitors the law. Image source, Ascend ElementsImage caption, Ascend Elements extracts useful materials from old batteriesOne company to benefit so far is EV battery recycling company Ascend Elements.It has won BIL grants totalling $480m (£380m), which it is matching a similar amount in private investment to build its second commercial facility in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. “[The IRA and BIL] are massive investments… larger than the infrastructure related provisions in the New Deal,” says Adie Tromer from the Brookings. “There is a clear sense that America has become more serious about transitioning to a cleaner economy.”While rules for some tax credits are still being finalized, tens of billions in actual public spending is flowing into the economy, says Trevor Houser at the Rhodium Group, an independent research provider. Rhodium, together with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, runs the Clean Investment Monitor (CIM) to track US clean technology investments.According to recently updated CIM data, in the 2023 fiscal year, the federal government invested approximately $34bn (£27bn) into clean energy, the vast majority through tax credits.The extent to which the policy instruments are so far spurring not just announcements – of which there are plenty – but real extra private investment is harder to know: clean energy investment has been on a general upward trend anyway and the IRA hasn’t been around long. But experts believe it is rising.Total clean energy investment in the US in the 2023 calendar year including from both private and government sources reached a record $239bn (£190bn), up 38% from 2022 according to the CIM data. Clean energy investment in the US, as a share of total private investment, rose from 3.7% in the fourth quarter of 2022 to 5% in the fourth quarter of 2023.The IRA has had two main positive effects thus far, says Mr Houser. It has “supercharged” private investment in more mature technologies which were already growing very rapidly like solar, EVs and batteries. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Emerging technologies like CO2 capture have seen “dramatic” growth in investmentIt has also, combined with the BIL, led to a “dramatic growth” in investment in emerging climate technologies like clean hydrogen, carbon dioxide capture and removal and SAF. While the total magnitude of those investments are still relatively small compared to the more mature technologies, “the IRA fundamentally changed the economics” says Mr Houser.But the IRA is failing to reach some parts of the green economy: so far it hasn’t lifted investment in more mature technologies which have been falling like wind and heat pumps, though Mr Houser notes things may have fallen further without the IRA.On the industry’s mind is the fate of the laws, particularly the longer-to-run IRA, should there be a change of government in the US November elections. Repealing or amending the IRA (or BIL) would require Republican control of the Presidency, Senate and House – though wholesale repeal would likely face meaningful opposition from within. The rub is many of the projects that the IRA is incentivising are being or will be built in Republican states or counties. Yet a Republican president alone could potentially frustrate things for example by slowing or deferring loans or grants, or amending the rules which serve the laws. “A Trump presidency would definitely chill the atmosphere and possibly more,” says Ashur Nissan of Kaya Partners, a climate policy advice firm.The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank and purveyor of hard-right ideas for the next conservative President, advocates repeal for both the IRA and BIL. For the organization’s Diana Furchtgott-Roth, a former Trump administration official, it is fiscally irresponsible for the US, with its vast deficit and debt, to be spending like this.It is also time, she says, that renewable energy such as solar and wind, into which subsidies have been poured for years, stood on their own feet. Yet others argue the US can’t afford not to do take this path. And the point of the loans program is to take risks to help unlock new solutions that scale. “It would be failing if there weren’t any so called ‘failures’ within it,” says Richard Youngman, of Cleantech Group, a research and consulting firm.More technology of businessThe rise of magnets – from surgery to outer spaceWhy there’s a revolution on the way in glass makingCould AI take the grind out of accountancy?‘I want to help people fly – and keep them safe’How Temu is shaking-up the world of online shoppingMeanwhile, the US’s approach is putting competitive pressure on Europe to do more.Some European clean energy manufacturing companies are now building facilities in the US to take advantage of the tax credits that otherwise would have been built in Europe including solar panel maker Meyer Burger and electrolyser manufacturers Nel and John Cockerill. “The US wasn’t a market for some of these companies in the past because Europe was more active,” says Brandon Hurlbut, of Boundary Stone Partners, a clean energy advisory firm.The EU’s Net Zero Industrial Act (NZIA) is expected to enter into force this year. It doesn’t involve new money, but seeks to coordinate existing financing and introduces domestic favourability for the first time – putting in place a non-binding target for the bloc to locally manufacture 40% of its clean energy equipment needs by 2030.In the UK, chancellor Jeremy Hunt has made clear he isn’t interested, nor can the UK afford to copy the IRA’s approach in some “distortive global subsidy race” and will stick to other ways of helping. The Labour party recently scrapped its $28bn green investment plan seen as a stab at leaning into an IRA style policy.A global audience will be watching as the US’s clean energy juggernaut unfolds. And if it leads others to ask what more they can do to produce clean energy products – even if just for reasons of economic opportunity – it will be good for humanity’s sake, says Mr Hurlbut.Related TopicsTechnology of BusinessJoe BidenTop StoriesLabour vows to fund pledges by tackling tax dodgersPublished8 minutes agoMurder suspect was bailed on threats to kill chargePublished1 hour agoSpectacular images of eclipse that transfixed North AmericaFeaturesEclipse seen in Scotland but rest of UK misses outThe eclipse at Niagara Falls: ‘Wow! Spectacular’ VideoThe eclipse at Niagara Falls: ‘Wow! 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![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaLeaders urge Israel not to target Rafah in southern GazaPublished31 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warImage source, ReutersImage caption, Palestinians displaced by the war gathering to have their Iftar (breaking of the fast) in Rafah last weekThe leaders of Egypt, France and Jordan have warned Israel an offensive against Gaza’s southern city of Rafah would have “dangerous consequences”.They jointly said that it would “only bring more death and suffering” and “threaten regional escalation”.The US also said it opposed any assault on Rafah, where more than 1.5 million Palestinians are sheltering.Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said a date for the offensive had now been set but provided no details.”Today I received a detailed report on the talks in Cairo, we are constantly working to achieve our goals, first and foremost the release of all our hostages and achieving a complete victory over Hamas,” he said on Monday.”This victory requires entry into Rafah and the elimination of the terrorist battalions there. It will happen – there is a date.”At the same time, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant suggested that now was the right time for a deal over hostages, six months into the war with Hamas.His comments came as talks on a hostage-prisoner swap and ceasefire continued in Egypt’s capital Cairo.The CIA Director, William Burns, is also attending the discussions. His presence underlines the growing pressure from the US – Israel’s main ally – for an agreement. A senior Hamas official told Reuters news agency Israeli proposals had not met Hamas’s demands but the group said they would nevertheless be examined.”There is no change in the position of the occupation [Israel] and therefore, there is nothing new in the Cairo talks,” the Hamas official, who asked not to be identified, said. “There is no progress yet.”In a separate development on Monday, Israel reported a “record-breaking influx of aid trucks into Gaza, totalling 419″. Gazans return to devastation in Khan YounisBowen: Obstacles to peace seem larger than ever Six months on, how close is Israel to eliminating Hamas?”We warn against the dangerous consequences of an Israeli offensive on Rafah,” Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, French President Emmanuel Macron and Jordan’s King Abdullah II said in a joint editorial published in several newspapers.They also said a recent UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all Hamas-held hostages must be “fully implemented without further delay”.”The war in Gaza and the catastrophic humanitarian suffering it is causing must end now,” the three leaders said, urging a “massive increase” in aid for Gaza.Egypt and Jordan – who both border Israel – are seen as key players in the war-torn Middle East region.Hamas attacked southern Israeli border communities on 7 October, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostage. Israel says that of 130 hostages still in Gaza, at least 34 are dead. More than 33,000 Gazans, the majority of them civilians, have been killed during Israel’s offensive in Gaza since then, the Hamas-run health ministry says. Gaza is said to be on the brink of famine, with Oxfam reporting that 300,000 people trapped in the north have lived since January on an average of 245 calories a day.Israel has denied impeding the entry of aid or its distribution inside Gaza, and has accused UN agencies on the ground of failing to get the aid that is allowed in to the people who need it.Related TopicsIsrael-Gaza warIsraelEgyptFranceEmmanuel MacronHamasJordanMore on this storyGazans return to devastation in Khan YounisPublished8 hours agoBowen: Obstacles to peace seem larger than everPublished2 days agoThousands of Israelis rally to demand hostage dealPublished2 days agoSix months on, how close is Israel to eliminating Hamas?Published3 days agoTop StoriesNorth America awed by total solar eclipsePublished6 hours agoSpectacular images of eclipse that transfixed North AmericaBradford stabbing victim named as manhunt continuesPublished9 hours agoFeaturesThe Papers: Labour’s tax loophole plan, and council ‘fat cats’Cloudy skies scupper UK hopes of partial eclipseThe eclipse at Niagara Falls: ‘Wow! 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![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaNorthern marsupial mole: Rare blind creature photographed in Australian outbackPublished31 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa Martu RangersImage caption, The marsupial mole was spotted in the Great Sandy DesertBy Tiffanie TurnbullBBC News, SydneyAn extremely rare blind, hairy mole has been spotted and photographed in the Australian outback.The northern marsupial mole, or kakarratul, lives in one of the most remote parts of the nation and is so elusive that authorities don’t even know how many there are.The palm-sized creatures have silky golden locks, no eyes, a stumpy tail and flipper-like hands. Sightings of marsupial moles usually occur only a few times each decade.This mole was stumbled upon by Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa Martu rangers – Aboriginal traditional owners who use cultural and local knowledge to look after their land – while they were working in the Great Sandy Desert, which is about 1,500km (932 miles) from Perth.The creatures are so uncommon that their existence remains a mystery to most people, says desert wildlife expert Gareth Catt.”[I know] somebody who spotted one but didn’t know what it was – they thought it was a baby guinea pig,” he tells the BBC.The burrowing animals live within sand dunes in isolated deserts and spend very little time on the surface.”[They] almost swim through the sand, so the main survey technique for them is to dig trenches and channels to look for their holes.”Very little is known about the cryptic creature, which is why this sighting – the second in six months – is so exciting.People often think “there isn’t a lot of life in the desert”, Mr Catt says, but it is full of unique animals. From bilbies with their giant heat-releasing ears to great thorny devils – which use their spikes to channel water into their mouths – many have developed quirks which help them cope in the harsh environment.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The thorny devil is one of the desert’s many weird-looking species”A lot of wildlife in a desert if you spotted it out of context, and you didn’t know what it was, it would look very unusual,” he says.Newly discovered beetle almost mistaken for bird pooMany of these animals are under-researched, Mr Catt says, and further study of them is essential for ensuring their conservation in the face of climate change.”At the most extreme ends of the environment, it becomes really obvious when things change – that’s what we’re seeing in the desert.””So that does put extra pressure on animals which are really living at the limits.”Related TopicsWestern AustraliaAustraliaMore on this storyNewly discovered beetle almost mistaken for bird pooPublished21 MarchTop StoriesNorth America awed by total solar eclipsePublished1 hour agoExtraordinary images of eclipse that transfixed North AmericaBradford stabbing victim named as manhunt continuesPublished5 hours agoFeaturesThe Papers: Labour’s tax loophole plan, and council ‘fat cats’Cloudy skies scupper UK hopes of partial eclipseThe Syria I came back to is not the one I left’Why I rewrote Huckleberry Finn to give slave Jim a voice”Carrot harvest helped me detect ancient coin hoard’BBC reporter: How I was targeted in the Westminster honeytrapWhy is Russia trying to frame Ukraine for concert massacre?Amy Winehouse film: ‘Paparazzi are the villains’ not BlakeWhen is Eid al-Fitr and how do Muslims celebrate it?Elsewhere on the BBCFinding the funny in the week’s big storiesIan Hislop, Paul Merton and a who’s who of hosts welcome a gaggle of guest panellistsAttributioniPlayerBlowing the lid on a baffling online scamPolly Weston’s determined to get to the bottom of the con involving a £138 dehumidifierAttributionSoundsWhat went disastrously wrong at Pontins?An investigation into the state of three holiday parks before their sudden closure…AttributioniPlayerThe opera-loving sisters who ‘stumbled’ into heroismHelena Bonham Carter shines a light on extraordinary stories from World War TwoAttributionSoundsMost Read1Together in wonder: North America awed by total solar eclipse2Labour’s tax loophole plan, and council ‘fat cats’3Wragg quits Commons post over Westminster honeytrap4Bradford stabbing victim named as manhunt continues5Human remains found in Croydon park are identified6Labour vows to fund pledges by tackling tax dodgers7An eerie darkness descends – eclipse in pictures8Two men jailed for footballer’s nightclub murder9Living near Sure Start boosted GCSEs – study10Why hundreds of Post Office workers were wrongly prosecuted](https://newsinsightplus.com/wp-content/uploads/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/1381B/production/_133099897_img_1246.jpg)
