| | | | | | | Hello. Tensions along the Gaza-Israel frontier have recently reignited. Yolande Knell in Jerusalem and Rushdi Abu Alouf in Gaza City look into what caused the resurgence of clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces. Peter Hoskins explains the significance of Chinese property giant Evergrande’s deepening troubles, and Harry Potter stars mourn the loss of Sir Michael Gambon, who played Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore in six films, and many, many more roles. |
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| | | | | | AT THE SCENE | Gaza-Israel frontier | | ‘The situation in Gaza is boiling’ | | | | Gaza has been under a tight Israeli-Egyptian blockade for the past 16 years. Credit: EPA | | After a period of relative calm in Gaza, demonstrations restarted along its boundary fence earlier this month, with hundreds of young Palestinians turning out most days to confront Israeli soldiers in clashes that have, at times, turned deadly. With the renewal of the protests, there is a perception that Hamas has been trying to distract attention from its own economic woes and gain leverage in international talks. | | | | Yolande Knell in Jerusalem and Rushdi Abu Alouf in Gaza City |
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| The rallies have been approved, even encouraged, by Hamas. For Omar Shaban, a political economist in Gaza, it is no surprise to see young people turning out by the perimeter fence. "The situation in Gaza is boiling," he says. "People who go to the border are frustrated by the lack of opportunity. Two thirds of Gazans are aged under 30, who don't have jobs and they can't travel and so they express their anger."
On TikTok, powerful videos have been put up by Gazans who were maimed in the earlier rallies and are now urging young people not to go to the new ones. One amputee claims he was deceived by the organisers five years ago. "Whenever they feel that people are against them, they rush to send them to the border to vent their anger away from them," he says. "We have nothing in this country. They are the ones making money and we are losing our limbs." |
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| | Questions Answered | | Making sense of Evergrande’s troubles | | | | Before the crisis, Evergrande was building a new stadium for Guangzhou FC. Credit: Getty Images |
| | The demise of Evergrande, a Chinese property giant and the world’s most indebted company, has been foretold since the company was first declared to be in default in 2021. Reports this week of current and former executives being detained, while shares were suspended from trading, mark a new low point for the struggling company. | | | | What does Evergrande do? | | The broader Evergrande Group encompasses far more than just real estate development. Its businesses range from wealth management to making electric cars and food and drink manufacturing. | | Why would it matter if Evergrande collapses? | | Firstly, there’s a risk to people who bought property from Evergrande even before building work began and the companies that do business with Evergrande, which face losses that could force them into bankruptcy. There’s also a potential impact on China's financial system. If Evergrande defaults, banks and other lenders may be forced to lend less, leading to a credit crunch. This would be very bad news for the world's second largest economy, because companies that can't borrow find it difficult to grow or even continue operating. | | Is Evergrande 'too big to fail'? | | The very serious potential fallout of such a heavily indebted company collapsing has led some analysts to suggest that Beijing may step in. The Economist Intelligence Unit's Mattie Bekink thinks so: "Rather than risk disrupting supply chains and enraging homeowners, we think the government will probably find a way to ensure Evergrande's core business survives." Others though are not sure. | | | | |
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| | The big picture | | Mourning a felled tree | | | | The tree in Sycamore Gap was found cut down on Thursday morning. Credit: Ian Sproat |
| | A 16-year-old was arrested in connection with the felling of one of the UK’s most iconic trees. Known as Robin Hood’s Tree, it had stood at the Sycamore Gap, next to Hadrian’s Wall, for nearly 200 years. | | | | |
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| | | | For your downtime | | ‘The Great Gambon’ | | Harry Potter stars mourn the death of Sir Michael Gambon | | |
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| | | | And finally... in Japan | | Desperate times of increased bear attacks in Japan called for desperate measures. Specifically, the deployment of robot wolves. See for yourself how the scary-looking machines have now found broader use in managing highways, golf courses, and pig farms. |
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