Plus: An Indian wedding like no others, and a snake smuggling attempt ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
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| Hello. A Democratic fundraiser with star power has become the latest to speak out against US President Joe Biden's candidacy for re-election. Anthony Zurcher assesses the damage George Clooney inflicted to the Biden campaign. In India, Zoya Mateen and Meryl Sebastian report on how a wedding uniting two of the country's richest families has highlighted wealth and connections beyond most people's dreams. Finally, a wildlife smuggler gets entangled with Chinese authorities. | |
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TOP OF THE AGENDA | Starring role in Democrats' drama | | Biden campaign officials have noted the actor has recently had disagreements with the president over his Gaza policy. Credit: EPA | The Biden campaign is pushing back against Hollywood star and prominent Democratic fundraiser George Clooney, who wrote a blistering opinion piece in the New York Times calling for the incumbent president to drop out of the 2024 race. Joe Biden has been trying to quell concerns about his mental and physical fitness and ability to defeat rival Donald Trump in the November presidential election, in the aftermath of their 27 June debate. Mr Clooney's message adds momentum to a small, but growing choir of Democrats publicly urging Mr Biden to withdraw. But Mr Clooney's suggestion of what to do next - for Democrats to regroup and pick a new nominee - is easier said than done. As North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher notes, Mr Biden has mathematics on his side, as he controls the lion’s share of national convention delegates who ultimately decide the party’s presidential ticket.
Nato summit: The chaotic situation within the Democratic Party is playing out against the backdrop of a high-level meeting focused on Ukraine's future. President Biden's press conference on Thursday afternoon will be keenly watched for both its international and domestic repercussions.
Mental fitness: During the CNN debate, Trump proudly recalled "acing" two cognitive tests. There are different tests and screenings to measure how well the brain is functioning. This is what they involve.
Running mate: Trump is expected to announce his vice-presidential pick at the Republican Party convention next week. Here are the names that could be under consideration. | |
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| | | Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina |
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| Unhealed wounds from mass atrocity | | Berija's husband was one of more than 8,000 Bosniak Muslim men and boys killed by Bosnian Serb forces. Credit: BBC | The Srebrenica massacre of July 1995, recognised by the UN as a genocide, is remembered as Europe's worst mass atrocity after World War Two. This year, 11 July is marked for the first time as the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the victims. |
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| | Natasa Andjelkovic, Grujica Andric, BBC News Serbian |
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| | Berija Delic lost her husband in the massacre. His remains were only found a decade later, and were buried in 2010. Before the war, Srebrenica was largely a Bosniak Muslim town. Now, the majority of the population is Serb; some of the residents had been soldiers during the conflict. “Even now you see someone walking around town, and you know that he has killed [Bosniaks] - but you remain silent, you cannot deal with that,” says Berija. |
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BEYOND THE HEADLINES | 'Nothing short of a royal wedding' |
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| | | Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was among the guests at the couple's pre-wedding celebrations. Credit: Reuters | India isn't a stranger to big fat weddings but the nuptials of Anant Ambani, the youngest son of the country's richest man Mukesh Ambani, and pharma heiress Radhika Merchant are turning heads in the country and beyond. Months of lavish celebrations that have attracted both awe and outrage reach their peak this weekend, when the couple is due to finally tie the knot. |
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SOMETHING DIFFERENT | The 'birthplace of Taiwan' | The island's oldest city is turning 400 this year. | |
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And finally... | A man has been caught by Chinese customs officials trying to smuggle more than 100 live snakes into mainland China by stuffing them in his trousers. Reptiles "in all kinds of shapes, sizes and colours" were found by authorities, who shared images of the snakes. | |
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Medal Moments | Your daily newsletter guide to the Paris Olympics, from global highlights to heroic stories, throughout the Games. | |
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MORE BBC NEWSLETTERS | | The Essential List: The week's best stories, handpicked by BBC editors, in your inbox twice a week. Subscribe. | | In History: The past comes to life through the BBC's unique audio, video and written archive, each Thursday. Subscribe. | | US Election Unspun: Cut through the noise in the race for the White House, every Wednesday. Subscribe. | |
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