Plus: The LGBT matador making waves in Spain, and the Kansas City Chiefs win the Super Bowl
| | | | | | | Hello. We're covering the war in Gaza today, after Israel said it had rescued two hostages in Rafah - where dozens of Palestinians have been killed by strikes overnight. My colleagues in Kenya are reporting the shocking death of Kelvin Kiptum, the 24-year-old endurance champion who aimed to run a marathon in less than two hours. I'm also sharing stories on Danish drug-making and Spanish bullfighting - as well as fireworks to welcome the Year of the Dragon. |
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| | | | Top of the agenda | | Israeli strikes kill dozens in Rafah as raid rescues two hostages | | | | At least two mosques and more than a dozen houses were reported to have been hit in Rafah overnight. Credit: Reuters |
| | Two Israeli hostages have been rescued in Rafah as strikes have killed dozens of Palestinians in Gaza's southernmost city. The Israeli military said Fernando Simon Marman, 60, and Louis Har, 70, were in "good medical condition". Their rescue represents "a small but symbolically significant success" in Israel's effort to retrieve the hostages still held by Hamas, writes our correspondent in Jerusalem Barbara Plett Usher. While various casualty figures are circulating - 67 Gazans have been killed overnight in Rafah according to the latest toll from the Hamas-run health ministry - pictures from the city show the destruction from last night's intense aerial bombardment. The international community, including Israel's American and British allies, have been warning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government against an unplanned assault on the city, where about 1.5 million Palestinians are sheltering. "Only continued military pressure, until total victory, will bring about the release of all of our hostages," Mr Netanyahu said on social media after the rescue. | | • | The latest: A relative of the hostages said the two men looked okay during their emotional reunion. Listen to what he said and follow our live page for more updates. | | • | The next battle: Watch Jeremy Bowen's report on Rafah as Israel's military says it intends to expand its military operations all the way to the south. | | • | In Gaza City: We've been reporting on the disappearance of six-year-old Hind Rajab, who pleaded for rescue on the phone with the Palestinian Red Crescent. She was found dead on Saturday. |
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| | | | | | | | AT THE SCENE | Western Spain | | Spain's LGBT matador | | Mario Alcalde, a baggage handler in Madrid and amateur bullfighter, recently came out as pansexual. He became the first openly LGBT matador in a sport that is typically associated with conservative Spain. | | | | "There have always been gay people in bullfighting, but they didn't say anything," says Mario Alcalde. I meet the 31-year-old on a remote farm near the Portuguese border, where he is having a practice session for one of Spain's most notable, and notorious, traditions. Dressed in a small black waistcoat and skin-tight grey trousers, he looks every inch the bullfighter. Supporters of bullfighting see events as a noble contest where man is pitted against beast. But this is a blood sport, banned in most countries. It has even been outlawed in parts of Spain. |
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| | | | Beyond the headlines | | The 'Viagra' of weight-loss drugs | | | | Wegovy maker Novo Nordisk became Europe's most valuable listed company last year. Credit: Reuters |
| | Research suggests that patients using Wegovy can lose more than 10% of their body weight, but it also shows that they often put weight back on after stopping treatment. This doesn't stop the diabetes and weight-loss drug from flying off the shelves - so much so that its manufacturer, Denmark's Novo Nordisk, is struggling to keep up with the demand. | | | | |
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| | | | Something different | | Twenty-four carat beige | | What's behind the subdued interiors of the ultra-rich. | | |
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| | | | And finally... | | I'd like to wish a happy Year of the Dragon to all of our readers who celebrated the Lunar New Year this weekend. Take a look at the festivities across the world and in London. |
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| | | | | | US Election Unspun newsletter | | Cut through the noise in the race for the White House, every Wednesday to your inbox. | | |
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– Jules |
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