• newsinsightplus.com
• 10yearpassport
• 2023Israels
• March 27, 2024
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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 & CanadaIsrael and Hezbollah trade strikes over Lebanon borderPublished23 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, EPAImage caption, Lebanese sources say a relief centre was targeted in the Habbariyeh strikeBy Robert GreenallBBC NewsHezbollah has fired a barrage of rockets into northern Israel, killing one person, in response to deadly Israeli strikes on a Lebanese village.Lebanese sources said seven people were killed in the Israeli attack overnight on Habbariyeh, making it one of the deadliest in recent violence.Israel said militants were killed, including one involved in attacks on Israel.The Lebanese group targeted said those killed were “rescuers”.The strikes come as Israel and Hezbollah trade almost daily strikes across the border, which began with the start of the Israel-Gaza war following the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel.Hezbollah is a Lebanese Shia Muslim militant group with close ties to Iran and an ally of Hamas.Image source, ReutersImage caption, One of the rockets targeting Kiryat Shmona hit an industrial siteHezbollah fired dozens of rockets at the Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona and a military base there on Wednesday morning.Israel’s Magen David Adom ambulance service said a factory worker was pulled from wreckage after one of the strikes hit an industrial park triggering a fire.He had severe wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene, it added.Hezbollah said the rocket attacks were “in response to the massacre in Habbariyeh”.Was this the week Israel and Hezbollah drew closer to war?’We are surrounded’: Guarding the Middle East’s most dangerous borderWhat is Hezbollah and will it go to war with Israel?Lebanese officials said the strikes on the village had hit an emergency and relief centre for Jamaa Islamiya, a Sunni Muslim group with links to Hamas.The Lebanese Ambulance Association, quoted by the Associated Press, called the strike a “flagrant violation of humanitarian work”.The Israel Defense Forces described the target as a “military compound”.They said: “A significant terrorist operative belonging to the Jamaa Islamiya organisation who advanced attacks against Israeli territory was eliminated along with additional terrorists who were with him.”According to UN figures from before the latest attacks, 316 people have been killed in Lebanon since the conflict began, at least 54 of them civilians.Up to 20 have lost their lives on the Israeli side, around half of them civilians.Related TopicsIsraelHezbollahLebanonMore on this storyWas this the week Israel and Hezbollah drew closer to war?Published16 MarchIsrael launches deadly air strikes in LebanonPublished14 February’We are surrounded’: Guarding the Middle East’s most dangerous borderPublished8 FebruaryWhat is Hezbollah and will it go to war with Israel?Published3 November 2023Israel’s border residents in fear of invasion from northPublished9 JanuaryTop StoriesLive. Black box data recorder recovered from ship in Baltimore bridge crashParents killed baby when he should have been protected, report saysPublished45 minutes agoFive dead in FlixBus crash on German motorwayPublished33 minutes agoFeaturesLost power, mayday call and crash before Baltimore bridge collapseHow a US bridge collapsed after being struck by a ship. VideoHow a US bridge collapsed after being struck by a shipLost IRA film shows planting and detonation of bombUS guns pour into Haiti, fuelling surge in violenceWhy some Tory MPs are stepping downThe women behind a fugitive rapist’s downfallFight for justice decades on from oil rig disasterLocal elections 2024: Is there an election in my area?£5bn Thames super sewer set for completionElsewhere on the BBCHair-pulling, punching and kickingFootage from the moment a brawl erupts in the Maldives ParliamentAttributioniPlayerThe man who combatted Goebbels’ propagandaHow Sefton Delmer became Britain’s master propagandist during the Second World WarAttributionSoundsTime to learn and laughPaul Sinha improves your general knowledge with fascinating facts and hilarious storiesAttributionSoundsPractical, passionate and hilarious conversationsJoanna Lumley and Roger Allam return with their award-winning comedy playing a long-married coupleAttributionSoundsMost Read1Holidaymakers caught out by 10-year-passport rule2Five dead in FlixBus crash on German motorway3Stacey Solomon and Hannah Waddingham win TV awards4MPs warn of ‘fleecehold’ on new housing estates5Safeguarding of murdered baby ‘inadequate’6Boat Race rowers told not to enter dirty Thames7Veteran MP cleared of flouting Covid-19 rules8Banksy tree mural covered in plastic and boards9The women behind a fugitive rapist’s downfall10Bankers jailed for interest rate rigging lose appeal

[ad_1] The Iran-backed movement fires rockets into Israel killing one, after a deadly strike on a Lebanese village.

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• newsinsightplus.com
• 2023Israels
• 240The
• March 16, 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 & CanadaWas this the week Israel and Hezbollah drew closer to war?Published34 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warBy Mark LowenBBC News, JerusalemSince the start of the Israel-Gaza war, following the Hamas attack of 7 October, the overriding fear has been that the conflict could spill over into something even deadlier.The day after the Hamas assault, Lebanon’s most powerful armed group Hezbollah fired guided rockets and shells into Israel in solidarity with Hamas, prompting Israeli drone and artillery retaliation. Could Israel, traumatised and vulnerable, with a prime minister fighting for political survival, decide the threat from across its northern border in Lebanon needs to be neutralised? The fear has been that Benjamin Netanyahu’s government might be tempted into a second front in the war, against Hezbollah – which, like Hamas, is intent on destroying the Jewish state. And if so, would it draw in Iran, Hezbollah’s key patron in the region and sworn enemy of the US?This week Israel carried out more air strikes on the Bekaa valley, deep into Lebanon, taking the death toll in Lebanon since the start of the conflict to more than 240. In retaliation, Hezbollah fired a barrage of 100 Katyusha rockets on northern Israel, its heaviest attack since the war began, with targets including Israeli army bases in the Golan Heights. At least 17 Israelis have been killed in attacks from Lebanon and Syria since October.Image source, EPAImage caption, Israel carried out more air strikes on the Bekaa valley, taking the death toll in Lebanon since the start of the conflict to more than 240The rockets this week prompted an angry post by Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, addressed to the Defence Minister Yoav Gallant: “The military is your responsibility. What are you waiting for? We have to start responding, attacking – war, now!”Last month, Chief of Staff of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) Herzi Halevi said: “We are now focusing on being prepared for war in the north.”For long, it seemed that the clashes on the border were carefully calibrated around unspoken red lines to avoid escalation into all-out war. Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, has not called for it. Memories in Lebanon are still fresh of the disastrous 2006 war with Israel, which left more than 1,000 Lebanese dead.And Israel knows that Hezbollah’s military capability is far greater than that of Hamas.Holding back – justA poll published in the country’s Maariv newspaper last month showed that 71% of respondents favoured a large-scale military operation to drive Hezbollah back.Sarit Zehavi lives close to the Lebanese border and heads the Alma research centre, which specialises on the threat there. She says Hezbollah’s aim is “to drag Israel into war without actually initiating it”.But, she argues, Israel is not looking for all-out confrontation. “Israel’s interest is to avoid full scale war – but achieve an improved security situation, while damaging Hezbollah’s brigades as much as possible. For Israel, it is about choosing the least worst option: we understand the capability of Hezbollah here and the cost of war.”She believes that Hezbollah’s use of rockets, which have a longer range than anti-tank missiles used previously by the group, is evidence of a shift in the group’s military tactics and capability. “Hezbollah takes into consideration the cost of a war, but they don’t look into the near future – they look years ahead.””They have already gained by forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands of Israelis,” she adds – about 60,000 Israelis living in communities close to the border have fled the fighting since October, the largest such displacement in Israeli history. Around 100,000 Lebanese residents have also been moved from the other side of the border.To allow for the evacuees to return, Israel wants to push Hezbollah’s forces back beyond the Litani river, which marks a buffer zone of sorts between Beirut and the Israeli border. As part of the agreement to end the 2006 war, the area south of the Litani was supposed to be clear of military presence except for that of the Lebanese army and UN forces – which Hezbollah has violated.That’s been part of discussions with Amos Hochstein, the US Special Envoy, who has been repeatedly dispatched to the region to avert an escalation. But a deal on Hezbollah’s withdrawal and disarmament remains elusive.So far, both Benjamin Netanyahu and Hezbollah appear to be holding back from the precipice. The Israeli army is already stretched in Gaza, without opening a new front – and a new wave of international tension. And Hezbollah is in reactive mode, opting more for a lower-level war of attrition. But the real risk is miscalculation, and caving into competing pressures. What is Hezbollah and will it go to war with Israel?’We are surrounded’: Guarding the Middle East’s most dangerous borderMr Netanyahu is battered by the perception that he left his country vulnerable to the worst attack in its history, reviled by families of the hostages who want him to strike a deal to bring them back, and excoriated by the West over the mounting civilian casualties in Gaza. The fear is that he may see expanding the fight in Lebanon as key to his political survival – and that Israel, in the wake of the 7 October attacks, would not countenance the continued threat on its northern front without taking military action. Image source, AFPImage caption, Israeli strikes hit about 4,000 positions across Lebanon since OctoberProfessor Hilal Khashan, from the American University in Beirut, believes Israel’s relative restraint so far doesn’t tell the true story. “Netanyahu clearly wants war,” he says, pointing to Israel’s strikes on about 4,000 positions across Lebanon since October. “He is finished politically and when the war stops, he will have to face his reckoning,” he says. “I don’t think he’ll give a damn about what the US or Europe will think – he has made up his mind on Hezbollah.”A further, and potentially more serious, unknown would be the response from Iran, which relies on Hezbollah, its proxy in Lebanon, as a bulwark against Israel. Since the Hamas attack, Tehran has flexed its muscles across the Middle East. Iran-backed groups have hit US military bases in Iraq and Syria, and Yemen’s Houthi rebels, aligned with Iran, have launched countless strikes on ships in the Red Sea. It has so far stopped short of an unfettered war. But major Israeli strikes on Hezbollah could change Tehran’s calculus.In Lebanon, there is little appetite for full conflict with Israel, particularly among religious groups that don’t belong to the Shia branch of Islam to which Hezbollah belongs. “Non-Shias are almost unanimously opposed, and want Hezbollah to disarm,” says Professor Khashan. But Shias are unhappy about the fighting too, he says. “By and large, they don’t want war either.”Hassan Nasrallah has said that he will not agree to a ceasefire with Israel before there is a truce in Gaza. He is reported to have told an Iranian military leader last month that he did not want Iran to get sucked into a war with Israel or the United States – and that in the case of a full offensive with Israel, Hezbollah would fight on its own. Still fear stalks those living on either side of a perilous border. “Every night, I take the images of 7 October massacre with me to bed,” says Sarit Zehavi, “and every morning I wake and say ‘ok, the terrorists didn’t invade again last night’. It’s an existential threat in the deepest possible way.”Netanyahu is a survivor, but his problems are stacking upBiden treads carefully through Middle East minefieldGaza desperately needs more aid but agencies can’t copeIsrael-Gaza war: Death and Israel’s search for ‘total victory’What are routes out of this ‘dangerous moment’ in Middle East?Huge push for Gaza aid – but little hope for those sufferingIran’s sudden strikes show just how perilous region has becomeTough choices for Israel in US’s Middle East visionHuge challenges for Israel on its vague ‘day after’ Gaza planStakes are immense as Biden presses Israel to change courseHamas support soars in West Bank – but full uprising can still be avoidedThe status quo is smashed. The future is messy and dangerousBowen: US sets clearer red lines for Israel as ceasefire endsWhen this truce ends, the decisive next phase of war beginsRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warIsraelPalestinian territoriesGazaMore on this storyIsrael launches deadly air strikes in LebanonPublished14 February’We are surrounded’: Guarding the Middle East’s most dangerous borderPublished8 FebruaryWhat is Hezbollah and will it go to war with Israel?Published3 November 2023Israel’s border residents in fear of invasion from northPublished9 JanuaryTop StoriesWales’ next first minister set to be announcedPublished36 minutes agoGridlock fears as M25 closures come into forcePublished35 minutes agoThe ‘insane’ plan to save the Arctic’s sea-icePublished7 hours agoFeaturesSecret classes to counter Russian brainwashing in occupied UkraineThe Papers: ‘Tory PM ousting plot’ and ‘Gran’s death row wait’Should adult Harry Potter fans ‘grow up and get over it’?Born on 7 October: Gaza mum’s fight to feed her babyWhat we know about Meghan’s regal lifestyle brandWorkaholics Anonymous: ‘I couldn’t step away from the computer’Doctors question science behind blood sugar diet trendHow to get Glastonbury tickets if you missed outThe ‘insane’ plan to save the Arctic’s sea-iceElsewhere on the BBCThe ultimate bromanceWatch the masters of satire Peter Cook and Dudley Moore with a look back through the archivesAttributioniPlayerThe mystery of a devastating helicopter crash…A weekend away for those leading the intelligence war in Northern Ireland turns to disasterAttributioniPlayer’A few people laughed, a few cried, most were silent’The extraordinary story of the rise and fall of the inventor of the atomic bomb, J Robert OppenheimerAttributioniPlayerFancy a film tonight?There’s something for everyone on BBC iPlayerAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Gridlock fears as M25 closures come into force2The ‘insane’ plan to save the Arctic’s sea-ice3’Tory PM ousting plot’ and ‘Gran’s death row wait’4Should adult Harry Potter fans ‘grow up and get over it’?5Billie Piper opens up about Laurence Fox comments6What we know about Meghan’s regal lifestyle brand7Boeing tells pilots to check seats after plane drops8’Irreplaceable’ Henry hosts his last Comic Relief9Aid reaches shore in Gaza after first sea delivery10Wales’ next first minister set to be announced

[ad_1] The fear has been that Benjamin Netanyahu’s government might be tempted into a second front in the war, against Hezbollah – which, like Hamas, is intent on destroying the…

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• newsinsightplus.com
• 2023Residents
• 2023Top
• March 2, 2024
• 0 Comments

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaThe derelict hotel sheltering Lebanese displaced from borderPublished35 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warImage caption, The Hotel Montana in Marwaniyeh has become home to displaced residents of Lebanese border townsBy Carine TorbeyBBC Arabic, Marwaniyeh, southern LebanonOn an elevated position overlooking the town of Marwaniyeh in southern Lebanon, with its pastures and green lands, stands the imposing, three-storey structure of the Hotel Montana.Despite its derelict state, there are reminders of its better days – a marble-floored reception hall, a large pool and wrought iron railings. After being sold at auction years ago, it was completely abandoned. Four years ago, authorities agreed with its owner to use it as a quarantine facility during the Covid-19 pandemic. Today, its owner has once more made it available for use, this time as a displacement centre.A few months ago, the hotel opened its rooms again to shelter around 50 families from border towns following the start of the ongoing round of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel on 8 October, the day after Hamas’s attacks on southern Israel triggered the war in the Gaza Strip. Hezbollah – an Iran-backed Shia Islamist group proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the UK, US and others – is the largest military force in Lebanon. It says it is attacking Israel in support of Palestinians in Gaza. The Israeli military has carried out air and artillery strikes in response, fuelling fears of a major confrontation. ‘Evacuating was a mistake’: Israelis push to return to border homes ‘We are surrounded’: Guarding the Middle East’s most dangerous borderThe escalation has prompted tens of thousands of residents from both sides of the border to flee their homes.In Lebanon, around 90,000 people have been displaced. The overwhelming majority are staying with relatives or in rented houses. The rest are in centres like the Hotel Montana. As the sun spread its warmth on a cold day, children here gathered to play football, racket games or take a walk. Many of them are not attending any classes after their schools were shut because of the war. Others have online lessons, but they can only join for a few hours each morning before the generator that provides electricity to the premises is switched off. Image caption, Fatima, from Odaysseh, had to move many times before finding a room at the hotelFatima was supposed to be in the 6th Grade. But her school in the border town of Odaysseh had not even started enrolling students for the new year when the fighting started. “My dad came home one day and told us that we had to leave the house the next morning. We were packing our stuff while crying,” Fatima says. She’s now staying with her father, mother and brother in one room. It’s spacious, with a queen size bed and an en suite bathroom. Fatima and her family had to move many times before settling in the hotel. “We stayed in four or five different places before we got here,” her father Abu Ali, who is helping with organisational efforts at the hotel, tells me. He longs to return to his village where he was born and raised. “Only God knows when we will back. Unfortunately, there are no signs on the horizon. This has been happening for too long.” Image source, AFPImage caption, Smoke is seen billowing over the Lebanese town of Odaysseh in this photo taken from northern Israel on 20 JanuaryManahel, in her late 50s, is also from Odaysseh. She has no idea whether her house is still standing. “Our village is completely empty. No-one has access to it at the moment.” She fears the worst. “We do not care about the stone, but what matters to us are the memories. It’s very painful.” In the corridor, the hotel’s “guests” meet and chat. Each one is from a different border town; all united by displacement. Families refer to each other by their room numbers and behind each door is a story of a village. On top of the displacement, families from southern Lebanon have to deal with uncertainty and constant fear for their safety. As the conflict continues, it’s also getting closer. On 19 February, an Israeli air strike in Ghaziyeh, a few towns away from Marwaniyeh and around 50km (30 miles) north of the border, caused shock across southern Lebanon and beyond.As footage of the attack circulated on social media, people feared the war would not remain confined to the border area and its surroundings.Five days before that, an Israeli air strike had killed seven people from the same family in Nabatiyeh, to the south-east. Image caption, Lebanese authorities say some 90,000 people have been displaced as a result of the cross-border hostilitiesOn that night, many people from the city sought refuge at the Hotel Montana. They spent their night sleeping on thin mattresses on the floor. Most of them left the next day, but more could be expected at any time.Salam Badreddine is in charge of the Disaster Management Committee in the al-Zahrani area, which is composed of more than 70 towns. He tells me that when the hostilities started, no-one expected them to last that long. “We thought it would be a matter of days or weeks, but the hostilities have expanded greatly. There’s no longer one single conflict spot.” He added: “The more the situation escalates, the bigger the number of displaced. Emergency and relief plans are constantly updated which puts a lot of pressure on us. We always have to reassess the situation.”The fighting comes amid an unprecedented economic crisis in Lebanon. A lot of organisations are providing help to the displaced. As we were visiting the hotel, we met representatives of a non-governmental organisation providing the displaced with hot meals. Another organisation has set up a clinic in the premises. A third is looking after the children’s needs. There were also people from the Red Cross giving awareness sessions on how to deal with disasters and earthquakes. But for the displaced attending, a different kind of danger is already too close to home.Related TopicsIsrael-Gaza warIsraelHezbollahLebanonMore on this storyHuge explosions as Israel strikes southern LebanonPublished19 FebruaryIsrael launches deadly air strikes in LebanonPublished14 FebruaryIsrael’s border residents in fear of invasion from northPublished9 JanuaryHamas leader’s assassination sparks wider war fearsPublished3 JanuaryWhat is Hezbollah and will it go to war with Israel?Published3 November 2023Residents leave as tension soars at Lebanon borderPublished20 October 2023Top StoriesBiden hopes for Gaza ceasefire by start of RamadanPublished4 hours agoUS president treads carefully through Middle East political minefieldPublished4 hours agoRents soar in commuter towns as tenants priced out of citiesPublished7 hours agoFeaturesBad blood over Singapore Taylor Swift tour subsidiesThe Papers: ‘Democracy under threat’ and ‘Farewell Navalny’Black country singers: ‘We’re tolerated, not celebrated’What video and eyewitness accounts tell us about Gazans killed at aid dropThe two faces of Robert F Kennedy JrJools ‘can’t believe’ he’s finally hit number oneHow worried is Labour after losing Rochdale?Listen: Sunak’s Surprise Downing Street Speech. AudioListen: Sunak’s Surprise Downing Street SpeechAttributionSounds’Cousin of the Kelpies’ unveiled on Glasgow canalElsewhere on the BBCWill this elite boarding school fit around them?Five black inner-city teens must leave their old worlds behind…AttributioniPlayerHair-pulling, wrestling and kicking!Watch the moment a violent brawl unfolded in the Maldives ParliamentAttributioniPlayerThe mysterious deaths of Nazi fugitivesThree brothers investigate whether a family connection may explain the truthAttributioniPlayerWhy do people behave the way they do on social media?Marianna Spring investigates extraordinary cases of online hate to find out…AttributioniPlayerMost Read1Killer whale vs shark: solo orca eats great white2How did the viral Willy Wonka experience go so wrong?3’Democracy under threat’ and ‘Farewell Navalny’4Rents soar in towns as tenants priced out of cities5Screenwriter slams Doctors axing as filming ends6Jools ‘can’t believe’ he’s finally hit number one7Bad blood over Singapore Taylor Swift tour subsidies8How we tracked down the Ukrainian poison seller9Can Raye break the Brits Awards record?10We must face down extremists, says Rishi Sunak

[ad_1] Tens of thousands have fled border towns because of the hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel.

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• newsinsightplus.com
• 2023Syria
• 2023Top
• February 21, 2024
• 0 Comments

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaIsraeli missile strike on Damascus flat kills two, Syria saysPublished32 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warImage source, ReutersImage caption, The reported missile strike caused extensive damage to a fourth-floor flat in the building in the Kafr Sousa areaBy David GrittenBBC NewsAt least two people have been killed in a suspected Israeli missile strike in Syria’s capital, Damascus, Syrian state media and activists say.The Syrian military said two civilians died when several missiles hit a block of flats in the Kafr Sousa district.A monitoring group said two foreigners and a Syrian civilian were killed, and that the area was frequented by senior figures from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and Lebanese group Hezbollah.The Israeli military has not commented.However, it has previously acknowledged carrying out hundreds of strikes on targets in Syria that it says are linked to Iran and allied armed groups.It has reportedly stepped up such strikes since the start of the war in the Gaza Strip in October, in response to cross-border attacks on Israel by Hezbollah and other Iran-backed groups in Lebanon and Syria, who say they are acting in support of the allied Palestinian group Hamas. Last month, a strike in Damascus that was blamed on Israel killed five senior Revolutionary Guards and several Syrian security personnel. Syria says Israel bombed targets in Homs areaIran: Air strike on Syria will not go ‘unanswered’Syria’s official Sana news agency cited a military source as saying a number of missiles were launched towards Damascus from the direction of the Israel-occupied Golan Heights shortly before 09:40 (07:40 GMT) on Wednesday. The missiles struck a residential building in Kafr Sousa, in the west of the city, killing two civilians and wounding another, the source added.The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights – which monitors the war in Syria via a network of sources – said the missiles killed two non-Syrian nationals who had been inside the block of flats. A Syrian civilian who had been on the street below was killed by falling shrapnel, it added.Video and photos posted online showed the aftermath of what appeared to be a precision strike on the fourth floor of the building, with extensive damage to the exterior and interior of one flat clearly visible.Several vehicles parked on the street below were also damaged, including an empty bus reportedly belonging to the adjacent Al-Bawader private school.In February 2023, a rocket attack blamed on Israel killed at least five people in Kafr Sousa, which is situated near a large complex used by security agencies. One report said the target was an installation where Iranian and Syrian military experts had been meeting to advance programmes to develop drone or missile capabilities of Iran-backed groups. Iran has built a wide network of allied armed groups and proxies operating in countries across the Middle East. They are all opposed to Israel and the US and sometimes refer to themselves as the “Axis of Resistance”.A number of the armed groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah, are proscribed as terrorist organisations by Israel, the US, UK and other countries.Related TopicsIsrael-Gaza warIsraelSyriaMore on this story’Evacuating was a mistake’: Israelis push to return to border homesPublished1 day ago’We are surrounded’: Guarding the Middle East’s most dangerous borderPublished8 FebruaryAir strike kills Iranian commander in SyriaPublished25 December 2023Syria says Israeli missiles hit its main airportsPublished12 October 2023Top StoriesTrident missile crashes into sea in failed test firingPublished41 minutes agoLive. Rishi Sunak faces PMQs ahead of Commons Gaza vote’I was raped more than 100 times by grooming gang’Published5 hours agoFeaturesChris Mason: Gaza vote exposes awkward choices for LabourThe strangers who saved each other’s livesSewage, floods, rats: Disrepair in NHS buildingsThe secret to my Mr Universe title? Potatoes and porridgeElection poll tracker: How do the parties compare?Robin Windsor was ‘a brilliant dancer and a lovely man’Beef trade risks key Brazil ecosystem – campaignersHow does government borrowing work?The Papers: Prince’s call for peace and Labour revolt threatElsewhere on the BBCFacing impossible choices, what would you do?An ordinary family take on the extraordinary battle of life, death and survivalAttributioniPlayerIs nature better off without us?Discover the wonder of nature and meet the people determined to keep it wonderfulAttributionSounds’I regret posting online that I was Madeleine McCann’Marianna Spring investigates extraordinary cases of online hateAttributionSoundsSix places you might not know were named after peopleDiscover the human stories behind the names of these famous tourist destinationsAttributionBitesizeMost Read1The Office actor Ewen MacIntosh dies aged 502’Iconic’ BT Tower to be turned into a hotel3Trident missile test fails for second time in a row4Ex-Post Office chair escalates compensation row5’I was raped more than 100 times by grooming gang’6Jordan North to replace Roman Kemp as Capital host7Government finances show big surplus in January8Hospitals to introduce Martha’s rule from April9’Premier League caught my online troll. Should I forgive him?’10Average speed drops 4mph after switch to 20mph

[ad_1] Israel’s military has not commented on the reported attack on a building in the Syrian capital.

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• 11s
• Aadchit
• February 14, 2024
• 0 Comments

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaIsrael launches ‘extensive’ strikes in Lebanon after rockets hit army basePublished8 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warImage source, AFPImage caption, The rocket attack from Lebanon targeted several areas in northern Israel, including town of SafedBy David GrittenBBC NewsFour people have been killed in an “extensive wave” of Israeli air strikes in Lebanon launched after Hezbollah rocket fire killed a soldier in Israel.A woman and two children were killed in the southern Lebanese town of Souaneh, state media and security sources said.A man who Hezbollah identified as one of its fighters was killed in Aadchit. Israel’s military said it hit Hezbollah infrastructure in response to a deadly rocket attack on its base in the northern Israeli town of Safed.Hezbollah fighters have exchanged fire with Israeli forces almost every day along the border since the start of the war between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas in the Gaza Strip in October.The clashes have raised fears of a wider regional conflict.’We are surrounded’: Guarding the Middle East’s most dangerous borderOn Wednesday morning, sirens sounded across northern Israel as barrages of rockets were fired towards the border communities of Netua and Manara, and the town of Safed, which is 14 km (9 miles) south of the frontier.One Israeli soldier was killed and seven others were wounded after their base in Safed was hit by rockets, Israeli media and emergency services said. The soldier who died was later identified as Staff-Sergeant Omer Sarah Benjo.A video showed that another rocket landed near the gate of Safed’s hospital.Hezbollah later claimed it had attacked an “enemy position” in Safed “in support of the people and resistance of Gaza which is being subjected to brutal Zionist aggression with a US green light”.In the afternoon, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that fighter jets had “struck a series of Hezbollah terror targets” in Souaneh, Aadchit, Jabal al-Braij, Kfar Houneh and Kfar Dunin in response to the rocket fire.Image source, ReutersImage caption, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said it would only cease fire “when the aggression stops and there is a ceasefire in Gaza””Among the targets struck were military compounds, operational control rooms, and terror infrastructure,” it said, adding that several targets belonged to Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, whose well-trained members are considered the group’s special forces.Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) said a strike on a home in Souaneh killed a Syrian woman, Rawaa al-Mohammed, and her two sons, Hassan Mohsen, 13, and Amir Mohsen, two.Video from the town showed residents inspecting the rubble of at least one destroyed building and the burned-out wreckage of a car.NNA also reported that one man was killed and 10 other people were injured in Aadchit. It named the dead man as Hassan Ali Najm, a Hezbollah fighter whose death the group confirmed in a statement on Telegram.”As we have made clear time and time again, Israel is not interested in a war on two fronts. But if provoked, we will respond forcefully,” Israeli government spokesperson Ilana Stein told Reuters news agency.”The current reality, where tens of thousands of Israelis are displaced [in the north] and cannot return to their homes, is unbearable. They must be able to return home and live in peace and security.”The IDF’s chief of staff, Lt Gen Herzi Halevi, meanwhile told the heads of northern municipalities: “There are great achievements striking Hezbollah in Lebanon, but we continue to operate – this is not the time to stop.”We are intensifying the strikes all the time, and Hezbollah are paying an increasingly heavy price.” On Tuesday, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah warned Israeli leaders in a speech that launching a war against the group would result in a “million evacuees” from northern Israel.”To those who threaten us with a widening of the war: if you widen, we will too,” he said, adding that “those who think the resistance might be afraid are very mistaken”.He also vowed that Hezbollah would only cease fire “when the aggression stops and there is a ceasefire in Gaza”.Related TopicsIsrael-Gaza warIsraelLebanonMore on this story’We are surrounded’: Guarding the Middle East’s most dangerous borderPublished6 days agoHezbollah missile attack kills Israeli woman and sonPublished14 JanuaryIsrael’s border residents in fear of invasion from northPublished9 JanuarySuspected Israeli strike kills Hezbollah commanderPublished8 JanuaryTop StoriesUkraine claims sinking of Russian ship off CrimeaPublished2 hours agoBank boss says 4% inflation won’t spark rate cutsPublished1 hour agoIsraeli strikes on Lebanon after rockets hit basePublished8 minutes agoFeaturesTired and alone – families of disabled people tell of fight to secure NHS careFull cemeteries and empty homes: Ukrainians struggle two years after invasionTough week tests Starmer’s leadershipAI could ‘supercharge’ election disinformation, US tells the BBC’Like a friend’ – listeners’ tributes to Steve WrightTorvill, Dean and the death of romanceAttributionSportResignations of leading women give Hungary’s Orban his biggest crisis’He said he was a UN surgeon and that lured me in’ – the world of romance scamsAI fake nearly led to serious disorder, says Sadiq KhanElsewhere on the BBCExperience Apollo 11’s adventure first-hand!Discover the awe-inspiring journey of Apollo 11 and its crew with newly released cockpit audioAttributioniPlayerWhat holds us back from exercising as we age?James Gallagher explores the mental and physical barriers that may stop usAttributionSoundsOne of the most densely populated places on earthUncover the hidden systems and armies of people running Hong KongAttributioniPlayerThe surprising health benefits of sleeping moreCould going to sleep one hour earlier dramatically improve your mood and health?AttributionSoundsMost Read1Family members jailed after abusing son’s wife2Man poisoned couple and rewrote will – court told3Ukraine claims sinking of Russian ship off Crimea4Critics savage Spider-Man spin-off Madame Web5Just Eat, Deliveroo and Uber in Valentine’s Day strike6Brand denies claim of sexual assault on film set7’Meaty’ rice grown in lab for protein kick8Bank boss says 4% inflation won’t spark rate cuts9Israel launches ‘extensive’ strikes on Lebanon10Jury sees how newborn baby’s body was found

[ad_1] Four people are killed in strikes in Lebanon following a rocket attack that killed an Israeli soldier.

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• newsinsightplus.com
• 27yearold
• Abu
• February 10, 2024
• 0 Comments

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaIraq could be pushed into conflict, minister warnsPublished3 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingThis video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, ‘They are not going to solve their problem on Iraqi soil’By Orla GuerinSenior international correspondent, BaghdadIraq could be pushed into conflict by tit-for-tat attacks on its territory by Iranian-backed militias and US forces, Iraqi foreign minister, Dr Fuad Hussein, has told the BBC.”The tension nowadays between Iran and the United States is very high,” he said. “I hope both sides will stop their attacks. They are not going to solve their problem on Iraqi soil,” he said. “We paid a very big price.”In the past week or so, that price has involved a wave of US air strikes killing 17 fighters from Iranian-backed armed groups. Then came a deadly missile attack on a militia commander, Abu Bakir Al Saadi, which turned his jeep into a fireball on a residential street in Baghdad. That attack was condemned by the government here as “a clear-cut assassination” without regard for civilian lives or international law – a stunning indictment of an ally.The American strikes were in retaliation for the killing of three US soldiers in Jordan. The US military says it will “continue to take necessary action” to protect its own people. As the two sides battle it out, Iraq is getting burnt.The minister said talks had to resume on the withdrawal of 2,500 US troops, deployed here as advisors since 2014 to help prevent a resurgence of the so-called Islamic State. The word – in government and on the streets – is that they have overstayed their welcome.Image caption, Foreign Minister Dr Fuad Hussein says the US and Iran are not going to solve their problems in Iraq”The majority of Iraqi people do not want to have foreign forces on Iraqi soil,” he told us. “Those who have been invited (the Americans), we will do it through negotiation. And those who have not been invited must leave, we hope also through negotiation.”The uninvited guests – at least not invited by him – are powerful pro-Iranian militias here who have been targeting US troops. Officially, many are part of Iraq’s security forces. Critics say they are foot soldiers for Iran. The minister says the militias are now being challenged, a change from the past when speaking out meant threats. This is a new moment in Iraq.”If now you talk with many political leaders, they’re starting to talk about this,” he said. “Many people, they didn’t dare to talk about it. This is also part of the reality of this country. But now we are talking about it. People dare to say to those guys, ‘it’s enough’.” And he says the militias have got the message that “if they continue, they will push this country into a war while it is not our war”. The message has also been received in Tehran, he says.The foreign minister admits that Iran has “influence” here, but denies it is dictating policy in Baghdad. It is more of “a constant negotiation”, according to Dr Renad Mansour, a senior research fellow at Chatham House, an international affairs think tank in London.”Do they have to listen to Tehran? Sometimes yes, and sometimes no,” he says. “It depends. The Iranians come in and say ‘this is our bottom line, this is our red line’. Often, they converge, but sometimes they diverge. It’s not as black and white.”Image source, EPA/EFEImage caption, A senior commander of an Iranian-backed militia was killed in a US drone strike in BaghdadThe Iranian influence looms large here: in politics, in militias, and in the streets. Among the blast walls and the palms trees, you find posters of Qasem Soleimani, the top Iranian general killed at Baghdad airport in January 2020 by a US airstrike. Here and there the face of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, gazes down on choking traffic.Some of the tuk-tuk taxis screeching around Tahrir Square in the afternoon sun have pictures of Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, the Iranian-backed leader of Hezbollah, the most powerful armed force in Lebanon.I asked the foreign minister if he was worried about the degree of Iranian influence here. “I’m worried about the degree of all the influence surrounding us, not only Iranian. We are trying to get rid of all these influences. The decision about Iraq must be taken in Baghdad, and it must be taken by the Iraqis in Baghdad,” he said.For now, the country is ensnared between its two feuding allies: Iran and the US. Neither may want a major escalation in their conflict – and it appears they do not – but it cannot be ruled out.Pro-Iranian armed groups here have vowed to step up their attacks on US forces, after the killing of the militia commander in Baghdad. “His assassination… violated all rules of engagement,” said a statement from the Islamic Resistance of Iraq. “We call on our brothers in jihad to join the ranks of the resistance… to expel the occupation.”The situation remains volatile, according to the United Nations envoy for Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert. “Iraq – indeed, the wider region – remain on a knife-edge,” she says, “with the tiniest miscalculation threatening a major conflagration.Related TopicsMiddle EastBaghdadIraqMore on this storyWhy did US wait to retaliate for drone attack on its troops?Published7 days agoIran’s sudden strikes show just how perilous region has becomePublished20 January’We are surrounded’: Guarding the Middle East’s most dangerous borderPublished2 days agoTop StoriesGazans surviving off animal feed and rice as food dwindlesPublished3 hours agoPolice to search Thames for Clapham attack suspectPublished8 minutes agoRival parties each claim edge in Pakistan electionPublished52 minutes agoFeaturesIsraeli soldier videos from Gaza could breach international law, experts sayThe Ukrainians ‘disappearing’ in Russia’s prisonsDinosaur Island: 40 years of discoveries on Skye’There is no right or wrong way to have alopecia’The Papers: Gaza bloodbath fears and King bonds with FergieSpain’s LGBT matador: ‘More will come out because of me’Is Iceland entering a new volcanic era?An ‘impossible’ country tests its hard-won democracyWhat’s next in Prince Harry’s war against the media?Elsewhere on the BBCIt’s make or break timeAnother set of eager entrepreneurs hope to impress the fearsome panelAttributioniPlayerHow are jelly beans made?Gregg Wallace visits a Dublin factory that makes over ten million of the sweets per day!AttributioniPlayerIs this the greatest Jurassic predator that ever lived?Sir David Attenborough investigates a unique discovery: the skull of a giant, prehistoric sea monsterAttributioniPlayerThe sound effect that became the ultimate movie in-jokeIt’s used in everything from Toy Story to Reservoir Dogs, but what is the Wilhelm Scream?AttributioniPlayerMost Read1Celebrities and the perils of oversharing daily routines2Ex-Fujitsu boss ‘shocked’ by Post Office’s actions3Man’s indefinite sentence a ‘serious injustice’4Mum found under coat in A&E died days later5Gaza bloodbath fears and King bonds with Fergie6Tory donors and 27-year-old among new peers7Cash-strapped clubbers make their nights out count8Invasive alligator snapping turtle found in Cumbria9Police to search Thames for Clapham attack suspect10Gazans surviving off animal feed and rice as food dwindles

[ad_1] The foreign minister says his country is paying a high price for tensions between the US and Iran.

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• newsinsightplus.com
• 17yearold
• 1980s
• February 9, 2024
• 0 Comments

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaJoe Biden: A political hand grenade disguised as a reportPublished31 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsUS election 2024Image source, Getty ImagesBy Anthony ZurcherNorth America correspondentIt was a political grenade disguised as a 345-page report.The pyrotechnics were delivered on Thursday afternoon in the findings of special counsel Robert Hur’s investigation into Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents after he left the vice-presidency in 2017.The top-line conclusion was that the president would not face criminal charges for his actions, despite evidence that he had “wilfully retained and disclosed classified materials… when he was a private citizen”.The bottom line was much more damaging. Among the reasons Mr Hur listed for why he had decided not to prosecute the 81-year-old president was because he would likely be a sympathetic figure to a jury who would view him as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory”.Issues about Joe Biden’s age and competency to serve another four years in office have been simmering for practically as long as Mr Biden has been in the White House, so this latest finding will provide fuel for Republican attacks and stoking concerns among some Democrats that the president is not up to the task.It is a narrative that the Biden campaign has been desperately trying to confront, said Chris Borick, the director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion.”The polling, over and over, we see data points that suggest it is his largest liability into this election that voters think he’s simply too old to run,” he says.It’s no surprise, then, that the Hur report prompted the White House to launch a furious counter-offensive that included the president holding an impromptu press conference, where he asserted that his memory was “just fine”.”I know what the hell I’m doing,” he said.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: Biden responds to special counsel – ‘I’m elderly and know what the hell I’m doing’What’s more, the special counsel presented specific evidence to back up this assertion. He wrote that during two days of interviews, Mr Biden had frequently been unable to recall details relevant to the investigation. More than that, Mr Hur recounted, he had struggled to recall which years he had been vice-president and when his oldest son, Beau Biden, had died of cancer.It was this last claim that prompted an angry response from the president during his press conference at the White House on Thursday evening.”How in the hell he dare raise that?” the president said.The press conference itself could lend more fuel to the attacks on Mr Biden, however, as the president answered a question about the Gaza War by referring to Egyptian President Mohamed al-Sisi as the president of Mexico.That stumble, not unlike other verbal miscues by Mr Biden in recent days, exposes the scope of the challenge facing his re-election effort. The best way for the president to address concerns about his age is to run a vigorous campaign and increase his public exposure. But every attempt comes with the risk of actions or evidence that feed existing concerns.The White House has made other efforts to defuse the potency of the Hur report. Mr Biden’s personal lawyer, Richard Sauber, tried to convince the special counsel to drop references to Mr Biden’s mental acuity and mental lapses, writing in a letter that such language was not “accurate or appropriate”.Mr Biden also noted that he had given his two days of testimony to the special counsel shortly after the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel – while he was “in the middle of handling an international crisis”, he said.Other Biden allies have pushed back on Mr Hur’s impartiality, pointing out that he was appointed to a US attorney office by Donald Trump in 2017. It was Biden Attorney General Merrick Garland who selected Mr Hur as special counsel, however.The Biden team has also been quick to pounce on the verbal missteps of his likely November opponent, 77-year-old Donald Trump. The former president recently confused his primary opponent Nikki Haley with former Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and referred to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban as the leader of Turkey.The best case for the White House may be that this particular grenade exploded in February, a full nine months from election day. Larry Sabato, the director for the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, says concerns about Mr Biden’s age are already essentially baked into the race, making the report damaging but not fatal.The public “will look at it, and will raise one eyebrow, not both”, he says. “Because in a way, people already knew this. Even if you casually watch five minutes of a speech he’s giving, you already know this,” he says.When American voters finally head to the polls, the assertions contained in a special counsel report that ultimately declined to find Mr Biden criminally culpable will be of less concern than issues like the economy and abortion.The worst-case scenario, on the other hand, is that this is just the start of a cavalcade of evidence undermining the president on one of his weakest attributes. And the arrow of time only points one way.The president isn’t getting any younger.’My memory is fine’: Biden hits back at special counselFive things in the Biden classified documents reportNo charge for Biden over documents but report questions memoryWho is the special counsel in the Biden probe?If you’re in the UK, sign up here.And if you’re anywhere else, sign up here.Related TopicsUS election 2024US politicsUnited StatesJoe BidenTop Stories’My memory is fine’ – Biden hits back at special counselPublished3 hours agoPutin says deal can be reached to free US reporterPublished2 hours agoUS warns Israel over sending troops into RafahPublished5 hours agoFeaturesWeekly quiz: Who beat Miley to win Song Of The Year?A political hand grenade disguised as a reportThe Papers: Labour’s £28bn ‘U-turn’ and fury at ‘blue card’ plans’Fat people can be heroes, not just the punchline’Chris Mason: The politics of Starmer’s U-turnWhy the e-bike boom is raising fire fearsA mosque demolished, and orphans displaced in India‘Get it up ye!’ How 17-year-old Kevin Bridges conquered the world’We are surrounded’ – Guarding the Middle East’s most dangerous borderElsewhere on the BBCHow did a booming computer manufacturer go bust?Commodore computers were huge in the 1980s, so why couldn’t the business adapt and survive?AttributionSounds’It was 23andMe’s biggest ever security breach’Was a recent, unprecedented DNA data theft a racially motivated attack?AttributionSoundsCould you be owed cash over car finance deals?Martin has been investigating and shares his step-by-step guide on how to find outAttributionSoundsAll-out action!A new generation of superhumans take on the ultimate test of speed and strengthAttributioniPlayerMost Read1’My memory is fine’ – Biden hits back at special counsel2Labour’s £28bn ‘U-turn’ and fury at ‘blue card’ plans3Putin says deal can be reached to free US reporter4Piers Morgan to move TalkTV show to YouTube5Weather warnings across UK for snow and floods6US warns Israel over sending troops into Rafah7TikTok and Temu pull cheap heaters over fire risk8Cocoa price hits record high as El Niño hits crops9’Fat people can be heroes, not just the punchline’10Weekly quiz: Who beat Miley to win Song Of The Year?

[ad_1] The findings into Joe Biden’s handling of classified files reignite debate over his age and competency.

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• newsinsightplus.com
• 15.3.Cocoa
• 17yearold
• February 9, 2024
• 0 Comments

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityBusinessMarket DataEconomyYour MoneyCompaniesTechnology of BusinessCEO SecretsArtificial IntelligenceChocolate: Cocoa price hits record high as El Niño hurts cropsPublished34 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesGlobal cocoa prices have hit a fresh record high as dry weather hurts crops in West Africa.Cocoa prices on the New York commodities market reached a new all-time high of $5,874 (£4,655) a ton on Thursday.The cost of the key ingredient for making chocolate has now roughly doubled since the start of last year.Soaring cocoa prices are already filtering through to consumers and squeezing major chocolate makers.On Thursday, one of the world’s biggest chocolate manufacturers Hershey warned: “Historic cocoa prices are expected to limit earnings growth this year.”The company’s chief executive Michele Buck also did not rule out putting up prices for customers.”We can’t talk about future pricing,” she said in a call with analysts but added, “given where cocoa prices are, we will be using every tool in our toolbox, including pricing, as a way to manage the business.”The comments came as Hershey announced its financial results for the three months to 31 December. The figures showed sales fell by 6.6% as inflation-hit consumers cut back spending on confectionary.Last month, Mondelez, the company behind the Cadbury brand, identified rising costs of ingredients as one of the challenges it faced in the year ahead.Chief financial officer Luca Zaramella said the firm had seen “significant increases in both cocoa and sugar”.In December, UK consumer group Which? said the price of some festive chocolate boxes had risen by at least 50% in a year.While overall inflation for UK supermarket food and drink eased in November to 8.3%, the rise in the chocolate prices was significantly higher at 15.3%.Cocoa prices have been driven up by poor harvests in West Africa, which produces the bulk of global supply.The El Niño weather phenomenon has been causing drier weather in Ghana and Ivory Coast, which are the world’s two biggest producers of cocoa beans.Hotter temperatures and shifts in rainfall patterns caused by climate change can also have an impact on harvests.Related TopicsEl NiñoChocolateMore on this storyNestlé axes classic Breakaway bar after 54 yearsPublished11 hours agoCost of some festive chocolate boxes soars – Which?Published23 December 2023Hotel Chocolat founders share £288m from Mars salePublished16 November 2023Top Stories’My memory is fine’ – Biden hits back at special counselPublished2 hours agoUS says it will not back unplanned Rafah offensivePublished4 hours agoPutin says deal can be reached to free US reporterPublished1 hour agoFeaturesFive things in the Biden classified documents reportThe Papers: Labour’s £28bn ‘U-turn’ and fury at ‘blue card’ plans’Fat people can be heroes, not just the punchline’Why the e-bike boom is raising fire fearsA mosque demolished, and orphans displaced in IndiaWeekly quiz: Who beat Miley to win Song Of The Year?‘Get it up ye!’ How 17-year-old Kevin Bridges conquered the world’We are surrounded’ – Guarding the Middle East’s most dangerous borderWhat happened to Labour’s £28bn for green projects?Elsewhere on the BBCHow did a booming computer manufacturer go bust?Commodore computers were huge in the 1980s, so why couldn’t the business adapt and survive?AttributionSounds’It was 23andMe’s biggest ever security breach’Was a recent, unprecedented DNA data theft a racially motivated attack?AttributionSoundsCould you be owed cash over car finance deals?Martin has been investigating and shares his step-by-step guide on how to find outAttributionSoundsAll-out action!A new generation of superhumans take on the ultimate test of speed and strengthAttributioniPlayerMost Read1’My memory is fine’ – Biden hits back at special counsel2Labour’s £28bn ‘U-turn’ and fury at ‘blue card’ plans3Putin says deal can be reached to free US reporter4Piers Morgan to move TalkTV show to YouTube5US says it will not back unplanned Rafah offensive6TikTok and Temu pull cheap heaters over fire risk7Zelensky sacks Ukraine’s commander-in-chief8‘Get it up ye!’ How 17-year-old Kevin Bridges conquered the world9’Fat people can be heroes, not just the punchline’10Cocoa price hits record high as El Niño hurts crops

[ad_1] The cost of the key ingredient for making chocolate has roughly doubled since the start of last year.

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• newsinsightplus.com
• 17yearold
• 1980s
• February 9, 2024
• 0 Comments

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaKurtley Beale: Australian rugby player not guilty of sexual assaultPublished12 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, EPAImage caption, Kurtley Beale pleaded not guiltyBy Tiffanie TurnbullBBC News, SydneyAustralian rugby union player Kurtley Beale has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in a Sydney pub bathroom.Prosecutors alleged he had groped the 29-year-old woman and later forced her to perform oral sex in December 2022.But the Wallabies star, 34, said their encounter was consensual. His legal team argued the woman had lied to get sympathy from her fiancé.After a two-week trial, a jury cleared Mr Beale of three charges.It paves the way for Mr Beale, who was suspended by Rugby Australia when he was charged, to return to the field.The case in the New South Wales District Court heard the pair – who had both been drinking – met on a night out at the Beach Road Hotel in suburb Bondi.The jury was shown CCTV footage which prosecutors said captured the moment Mr Beale had placed his hand on the woman’s bottom, and which later showed them entering and leaving the men’s bathroom.Giving evidence, the woman – who cannot legally be named – said Mr Beale had barged in on her in the toilet cubicle and forced himself on her.She told the court she had repeatedly said “no”, and told Mr Beale “you’re married, I’m engaged, we can’t”. In a phone call recorded by police a month later, the woman confronted Mr Beale – he apologised multiple times and said he may have “misjudged the whole scenario”. In another call with his manager, also recorded by police, he said he had “messed up”.Summing up their case, prosecutors said he had been “reckless” as to whether or not the woman consented to his actions.But Mr Beale’s lawyers said what happened in the toilet stall was consensual and initiated by the complainant.The woman had originally claimed Mr Beale followed her into the bathroom, but CCTV showed she had entered second, his barrister Margaret Cunneen said.Witnesses inside the men’s bathroom reported hearing what sounded like a sex act, but no distress or protestations from the complainant, the court heard.At no point had Mr Beale said he knew the woman had not consented, Ms Cunneen argued – and in fact he had told his manager he believed that she had.”I don’t shrink from suggesting that [the complainant] is a manipulative woman who curated circumstances of the night to turn the tables, to turn herself into a victim,” she said.Rugby Australia said in a statement last January that it had suspended him from all forms of rugby “with immediate effect” in line with its code of conduct and would be carrying out its own investigations.Full-back Beale, who has played 95 times for his country, returned to Australia in 2022 after a spell with French team Racing 92 to play for New South Wales Waratahs.Top Stories’My memory is fine’ – Biden hits back at special counselPublished1 hour agoUS says it will not back unplanned Rafah offensivePublished3 hours agoPutin says deal can be reached to free US reporterPublished37 minutes agoFeaturesFive things in the Biden classified documents reportThe Papers: Labour’s £28bn ‘U-turn’ and fury at ‘blue card’ plans’Fat people can be heroes, not just the punchline’Why the e-bike boom is raising fire fearsA mosque demolished, and orphans displaced in IndiaWeekly quiz: Who beat Miley to win Song Of The Year?‘Get it up ye!’ How 17-year-old Kevin Bridges conquered the world’We are surrounded’ – Guarding the Middle East’s most dangerous borderWhat happened to Labour’s £28bn for green projects?Elsewhere on the BBCHow did a booming computer manufacturer go bust?Commodore computers were huge in the 1980s, so why couldn’t the business adapt and survive?AttributionSounds’It was 23andMe’s biggest ever security breach’Was a recent, unprecedented DNA data theft a racially motivated attack?AttributionSoundsCould you be owed cash over car finance deals?Martin has been investigating and shares his step-by-step guide on how to find outAttributionSoundsAll-out action!A new generation of superhumans take on the ultimate test of speed and strengthAttributioniPlayerMost Read1’My memory is fine’ – Biden hits back at special counsel2Labour’s £28bn ‘U-turn’ and fury at ‘blue card’ plans3Putin says deal can be reached to free US reporter4Piers Morgan to move TalkTV show to YouTube5US says it will not back unplanned Rafah offensive6Zelensky sacks Ukraine’s commander-in-chief7TikTok and Temu pull cheap heaters over fire risk8‘Get it up ye!’ How 17-year-old Kevin Bridges conquered the world9’Fat people can be heroes, not just the punchline’10US court sceptical of move to bar Trump from ballot

[ad_1] The Australian player was accused of groping a woman and forcing her to perform oral sex in a pub toilet.

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• newsinsightplus.com
• 17yearold
• 28bn
• February 9, 2024
• 0 Comments

BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaIsrael-Gaza war: US says it will not back unplanned Rafah offensivePublished2 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Children sheltering at a school in Rafah on ThursdayBy Tom Bateman State Department Correspondent & Kathryn Armstrong & Patrick JacksonBBC NewsThe US has warned Israel that staging a military offensive into Gaza’s southern city of Rafah without proper planning would be a “disaster”.The White House said it would not support plans for any major operations in Rafah without due consideration for the refugees there. The comments come days after Israel’s leader said the military had been told to prepare to operate in Rafah. More than half of Gaza’s people now live in the city bordering Egypt. Some 1.5 million Palestinians are surviving there in dire humanitarian conditions.Israel bombed parts of Rafah from the air on Thursday morning and Israeli tanks reportedly also opened fire.Emad, 55, a father of six sheltering in Rafah after fleeing his home elsewhere, was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying his greatest fear was a ground assault with nowhere left to run.”We have our backs to the [border] fence and faces toward the Mediterranean,” he said. “Where should we go?” Much of northern and central Gaza has been reduced to ruins by sustained Israeli bombardment since the war began on 7 October. Speaking on Thursday evening, and without referring to Rafah, US President Joe Biden said Israel’s actions in Gaza had been “over the top”. Earlier, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the Israeli military had a “special obligation as they conduct operations there or anywhere else to make sure that they’re factoring in protection for innocent civilian life”. “Military operations right now would be a disaster for those people and it’s not something that we would support,” he said, adding that the US had not seen anything to suggest Israel was going to launch a major operation in Rafah imminently. Deputy State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel echoed Mr Kirby’s comments, saying: ”We [the US] would not support the undertaking of something like this without serious and credible planning.” Asked by the BBC where refugees in Rafah should go in the event of an operation, Mr Patel said these were “legitimate questions that we believe the Israelis should answer”. Speaking in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said any “military operation that Israel undertakes needs to put civilians first and foremost… and that’s especially true in the case of Rafah”. It is rare for the US, a key ally and military backer of Israel, to talk about any forthcoming stages of the country’s military offensive in Gaza – but this was a clear warning. Washington sends around $3.8bn (£3bn) in military aid to Israel each year, making the country the world’s biggest recipient of such funding.Around 1,300 people were killed during the Hamas attacks on southern Israel on 7 October, according to Israeli officials.More than 27,800 Palestinians have been killed and at least 67,000 injured by the war launched by Israel in response, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.”They are living in overcrowded makeshift shelters, in unsanitary conditions, without running water, electricity and adequate food supplies,” was the stark assessment of the situation by UN chief António Guterres on Thursday. “We were clear in condemning the horrific acts of Hamas. We are also clear in condemning the violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza.”On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered troops to “prepare to operate” in Rafah and that “total victory” by Israel over Hamas was just months away.Related TopicsIsrael-Gaza warIsraelGazaUnited StatesMore on this storyHamas sets out three-stage plan for ceasefire dealPublished1 day agoNetanyahu rejects Hamas’s proposed ceasefire termsPublished1 day agoTop Stories’My memory is fine’ – Biden hits back at special counselPublished21 minutes agoUS says it will not back unplanned Rafah offensivePublished2 hours agoPutin says deal can be reached to free US reporterPublished1 hour agoFeaturesFive things in the Biden classified documents reportThe Papers: Labour’s £28bn ‘U-turn’ and fury at ‘blue card’ plans’Fat people can be heroes, not just the punchline’Why the e-bike boom is raising fire fearsA mosque demolished, and orphans displaced in IndiaWeekly quiz: Who beat Miley to win Song Of The Year?‘Get it up ye!’ How 17-year-old Kevin Bridges conquered the world’We are surrounded’ – Guarding the Middle East’s most dangerous borderWhat happened to Labour’s £28bn for green projects?Elsewhere on the BBC’If I can’t live with you, I don’t want to live anyway’The Hungarian footballer executed for loveAttributionSoundsFrom the seizure of Crimea to the war in UkraineThe inside story of a decade of clashes, as told by the Western leaders who traded blows with PutinAttributioniPlayerFrom The Fall to Fifty ShadesActor Jamie Dornan shares the soundtrack of his life with Lauren LaverneAttributionSoundsHow do they make two million litres of stout per day?Gregg Wallace hops into the world of Irish stout at the Guinness brewery in DublinAttributioniPlayerMost Read1’My memory is fine’ – Biden hits back at special counsel2Putin says deal can be reached to free US reporter3Piers Morgan to move TalkTV show to YouTube4US says it will not back unplanned Rafah offensive5Zelensky sacks Ukraine’s commander-in-chief6TikTok and Temu pull cheap heaters over fire risk7‘Get it up ye!’ How 17-year-old Kevin Bridges conquered the world8US court sceptical of move to bar Trump from ballot9Weekly quiz: Who beat Miley to win Song Of The Year?10Why the e-bike boom is raising fire fears

[ad_1] Officials warn Israel over sending troops into Rafah without due consideration for refugees there.

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