Plus: Haiti's spiralling violence, and church weddings' unexpected feud
| | | | | | | Hello. A UN report sought to clarify what we know, and what we don't, about sexual violence during and after Hamas's 7 October attacks, while a WHO visit to hospitals in northern Gaza shed light on malnutrition in the area. From South Africa, Kyle Zeeman reports on the massive search for a missing six-year-old, and Latin America and Caribbean editor Vanessa Buschschlüter explains Haiti's spiralling gang violence. Finally, we cover the calls to "reset" relations between vicars and wedding photographers in the UK. |
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| | | | Top of the agenda | | UN findings on sexual violence and hunger | | | | The Nova festival was one of the sites of alleged sexual violence on 7 October. Credit: EPA |
| | Two separate UN reports have shared insights about the issues of sexual violence and hunger in the conflict between Hamas and Israel. UN Special Representative Pramila Patten visited Israel last month to gather and verify several allegations of sexual violence: during Hamas's 7 October attacks in southern Israel and against hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and Palestinians in Israeli custody. Her team's findings were published on Monday. Also on Monday, the World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus shared "grim findings" from visits to the Al-Awda and Kamal Adwan hospitals in northern Gaza. He said that a lack of food resulted in the deaths of 10 children and "severe levels of malnutrition". | | • | Widowed at 26: Zouahra had just given birth to her fourth child when her husband, Mahmoud, was killed while fetching food for the family. Stories like hers are not uncommon in a section of Gaza's al-Mawasi refugee camp dedicated to unaccompanied women and children, writes Fergal Keane. | | • | Washington diplomacy: Israeli minister Benny Gantz has met Vice-President Kamala Harris and other senior US officials in a visit to the US that was seen as a snub to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. | | • | Ceasefire talks: Hope for a deal between Israel and Hamas before the start of Ramadan has faltered, reports Yolande Knell. |
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| | | | | | | | AT THE SCENE | Saldanha Bay, South Africa | | Frantic search for missing six-year-old | | Six-year-old Joslin Smith disappeared from outside her home in Saldanha Bay, near Cape Town, two weeks ago. A dog unit, drones, rescuers and around 300 navy officers are involved in the search, which has transfixed the country. | | | | Saldanha Bay mayor André Truter predicted it would be a "big day" for search operations. "I stood in amazement when I saw how many people from so many different organizations, led by SAPS [South African Police Service], focused on getting the job done! It gave me new hope for finding little Joslin," Mr Truter said. Frantic community members searched sewers and pits across the area in the days following the girl's disappearance, with an angry mob also taking to searching homes and accosting neighbours, said Mr Truter. |
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| | | | Beyond the headlines | | Haiti's spiralling gang violence | | | | Eighty percent of the capital Port-au-Prince is now estimated to be under gang control. Credit: Reuters |
| | The scenes unfolding in Haiti in the past few days are shocking even to those who have been following the seemingly unstoppable rise of armed groups in the country in recent years. BBC Latin America and Caribbean editor Vanessa Buschschlüter explains how the Caribbean country descended into gang violence. | | | | |
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| | | | Something different | | Paradox of thrift | | The trendy pre-owned clothes market is huge but no-one is making a profit. | | |
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| | | | And finally... | | A walk down the aisle of a picture-perfect church - and capturing the moment on camera - is the ideal for many a bride or groom. But photographers in the UK are complaining of "rude" and "abusive" vicars ordering them to stand behind pillars, or keep to the back of the church. In turn, priests have reported being shoved aside by overenthusiastic snappers whose clicking shutters have ruined the quieter moments. Things have got so bad there are calls to "reset the relationship". |
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