India suspends visas for Canadians, and the newest job perk on the block
| | | | | | | Hello, I’m delighted to join Jules and Andy in bringing you the latest news. US President Joe Biden is hosting Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, with military aid on their agenda. Anthony Zurcher examines America’s appetite for more spending on that front. Marianna Spring investigates how TikTok frenzies influence real-life behaviour, and wood discovered in Zambia changes what we know about ancient humans. Perhaps Australia’s upcoming “Swiftposium” (an academic conference focused on Taylor Swift) will unearth similarly ground-breaking insights about modern humans. |
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| | | | Top of the agenda | | Poland limits its support for Ukraine | | | | Poland has sent Ukraine 320 tanks and 14 MiG-29 fighter jets. Credit: EPA-EFE |
| | Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is on his way to Washington to meet President Joe Biden, asking for more funding for his country’s ongoing struggle against invading Russian forces. America’s support is more vital than ever to Kyiv, as some of Ukraine’s neighbours show signs of having reached the limit of their commitment to the country’s war efforts. Earlier this week, Ukraine filed lawsuits to the World Trade Organization against Slovakia, Poland and Hungary over their bans on food imports from Kyiv. Mr Zelensky mentioned the dispute in his speech to the UN General Assembly, prompting Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki to summon Ukraine’s ambassador. Now, Mr Morawiecki says his country will no longer supply weapons to Ukraine. He has also threatened to increase the number of banned products from Ukraine if Kyiv escalates the grain dispute. | | • | Weapons suppliers: Poland has supplied Ukraine with both funding and weaponry - see who else has handed over arms and aid. | | • | US spending explained: The US is by far the largest contributor of military aid to Ukraine. North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher examines whether President Biden can convince the US Congress to keep allocating funds towards Ukraine. | | • | A ballot issue: Military aid to Ukraine has already been a heated topic of debate in the US Congress, and it’s set to play a role in the 2024 presidential election. We’ve asked a panel of US voters for their thoughts on the issue. |
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| | | | | | World headlines | | • | On hold: India has suspended visa services for Canadian citizens, with its private provider citing “operational reasons”. It comes amid an escalating row over the killing of a Sikh separatist on Canadian soil. From Delhi, Sharanya Hrishikesh and Vikas Pandey explain how relations have soured. | | • | Five-star jail: The Venezuelan military has sent 11,000 troops to recapture a prison run by a notorious gang that turned the facility into a sort of hotel, featuring a pool, a nightclub, and a mini-zoo. | | • | Manhunt: New York City Police are searching for the husband of a nursery owner after a child in her care died from a suspected fentanyl overdose. The case renews the spotlight on the US’s opioid epidemic, which is killing more Americans than ever. | | • | Maps to blame? The family of a man who died after driving off a collapsed bridge is suing Google, alleging that the company failed to update its maps. | | • | King’s speech: It’s day two of Charles’ trip to France, and the monarch was given a standing ovation after addressing the Senate, having already flexed his French language skills at a star-studded banquet. Follow the live page for the latest updates. |
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| | AT THE SCENE | Kyiv, Ukraine | | A growing army of amputees | | As Ukraine's counter-offensive against Russia grinds on, the number of amputees in the country has soared to 15,000 – more in six months than the UK had in six years of World War Two. | | | | Orla Guerin, Senior international correspondent |
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| | Alina Smolenska's only thought when her husband Andrii was wounded was to get to his bedside. "I just wanted to be with him, to touch him, to say that he's not alone," she says. "When a person needs support, I would touch their hand." But when she reached him in hospital that was impossible. "I saw that Andrii really didn't have his hands, so I just touched his leg and started to talk to him," she says. "I said: 'We are a family. Don't worry. Of course, there will be some harsh moments, but we are together'." |
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| | | | Beyond the headlines | | When TikTok takes over IRL | | | | TikTok has previously distanced itself from outbreaks of disorder. Credit: BBC |
| | TikTok is driving online frenzies that encourage anti-social behaviour in the real world, a BBC investigation reveals. Social media correspondent Marianna Spring identifies four recent episodes linking disproportionate engagement on TikTok to harmful behaviour, from riots to false murder claims. | | | | |
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| | | | Something different | | Newest work perk | | Some companies are paying for their workers’ holidays. | | |
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| | | | And finally... | | What we thought we knew about the lives of ancient humans has been upended by a discovery along the banks of a river in Zambia. Archaeologists unearthed wooden structures dating almost half a million years ago, suggesting that humans started using wood to build much earlier than previously thought. See for yourself. |
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| | | | | | Football Extra Newsletter | | Get all the latest news, insights and gossip from the Premier League. | | |
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– Sofia |
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