| | | | | | | Hello. Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the same Caribbean island. But as one side plunges into crisis, its neighbour is reluctant to extend a helping hand, as Will Grant reports from a border crossing. In Israel, an assault on the Gazan city of Rafah remains on the cards, and the military has proposed to move displaced Palestinians to “humanitarian islands” in the middle of Gaza. Anna Foster explains the issues with the plan. Finally, we cast an eye over the Royal looks on display at Cheltenham Festival, and try to keep up with juggling joggers. |
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| | | | | | AT THE SCENE | Haiti-Dominican Republic border | | Haitian migrants forced back over border | | | | Those being returned to Haiti face an uncertain future. Credit: BBC | | Haiti’s precarious situation has left an estimated 350,000 people internally displaced - 15,000 in the last fortnight alone, during the most recent surge of violence. But its only neighbouring country by land, the Dominican Republic, is fiercely guarding its borders. | | | | Will Grant, Mexico, Central America and Cuba correspondent |
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| At the Dajabón border crossing, a constant stream of trucks pulls up carrying undocumented Haitian migrants, who are being deported back to their home country. Dominican soldiers unlock the wrought-iron doors, order out dozens, and send them across the Massacre River into Haiti. Some of the immigrants are furious, shouting indignantly in Spanish and Creole. Others are resigned, holding their children or a few possessions in their arms.
The message the Dominican Republic appears to be sending is no matter how bad things become at home, Haitians should not seek refuge on Dominican territory. Last month, the country's President, Luis Abinader, urged the UN to "fight together to save Haiti", but warned that if no help was forthcoming, his country would "fight alone to protect the Dominican Republic". |
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| Questions Answered | | Israel plans ‘humanitarian islands’ in Gaza | | | | Moving more than half of Gaza's population from Rafah to the centre of the strip would take time, potentially weeks. Credit: Reuters |
| | Even Israel’s allies have cautioned against an assault on Rafah, a densely populated city that is hosting an estimated 1.4 million people displaced from elsewhere in Gaza. The Israeli military now says it plans to create “humanitarian islands” in the middle of the strip to move displaced Palestinians ahead of any offensive. | | | | Anna Foster, Middle East correspondent |
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| | What has the Israeli military proposed? | | The chief spokesman of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Rear Adm Daniel Hagari, told journalists on Wednesday that they needed to make sure that all 1.4 million people currently living in Rafah, or "at least a significant amount", would leave ahead of any offensive. He suggested that they could move to "humanitarian islands that we will create with the international community", where temporary housing, food and water would be provided. | | How would Palestinians get to these areas? | | Cars are in short supply now, as is fuel for them, so most people would have to walk once again, carrying their belongings. Palestinians are hungrier and weaker than they were five months ago, which would also make large-scale movement slow. The central part of the strip where Israel proposes to relocate them has been badly damaged by repeated ground and air attacks. | | Why does Israel deem an assault on Rafah necessary? | | Israel insists Hamas cannot be fully removed in Gaza without targeting Rafah. It is conscious, too, that the group's most senior leaders are still at large, almost certainly now in the southernmost part of the strip. | | | | • | Nasser hospital: The BBC has spent several weeks establishing what happened at Nasser, one of Gaza's biggest and busiest hospitals until an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) raid last month. Through witness testimony and analysis of verified video footage, we can show how the days leading up to the raid unfolded. Our previous investigation into the treatment of doctors by IDF forces can be found here. | | • | Chuck Schumer: The US Senate Majority leader named Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as one of the obstacles for peace in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, and called for new elections. |
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| | The big picture | | Hats on! We’re off to the races | | | | Racegoers were encouraged to wear sustainable fashion. Credit: Reuters/Peter Cziborra/Pool |
| | The Cheltenham Festival is taking place this week. A major event in the Royal Family’s calendar, Queen Camilla and Princess Anne were among the racegoers showing off their favourite hats on Style Wednesday - the new name for “Ladies Day”. | | | | |
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| | | For your downtime | | Have some extra Pi | | A mathematician explores the irrational number that makes the world go round. | | |
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| | And finally... in Scotland | | Are you looking to exercise but finding plain jogging just too boring? Joggling might be for you. The sport is precisely what it sounds like - jogging while juggling - and it’s becoming more popular. Two jogglers in Scotland will be teaming up in May to tackle the Edinburgh Marathon, hopefully carrying their three balls to the finish line in under four hours. Check out their training. |
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| | | | | | | | In History Newsletter | | The past comes to life through the BBC's unique audio, video and written archive, each Thursday. | | |
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| | | | More BBC newsletters | | • | Football Extra: Latest news, insights and gossip from the Premier League, weekdays. Subscribe. | | • | Royal Watch: The full story from royal correspondent Sean Coughlan, every Thursday. Subscribe. | | • | Tech Decoded: Timely, trusted tech news from global correspondents, twice-weekly. Subscribe. |
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– Sofia |
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