Emir Nader
@EmirNader
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BBC correspondent and investigative filmmaker, focussing on the Middle East and North Africa. #BBCEye. 📩 [email protected]
Joined August 2009
NEW: Since last year we’ve been following extremist settlers in the West Bank and unpicking the support they receive from influential Israeli organisations. Read the article 👇 our film is out Tuesday on Youtube 📺 .
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Horrible scenes as Israeli security forces beat the funeral procession for slain journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and the crowd momentarily lose control of her casket
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Six babies have died from hypothermia in under two weeks in Gaza - we've been speaking to some of the parents suffering from the anguish of not being able to keep their children warm
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Closer of the beating of the pallbearers of Shireen Abu Akleh’s coffin. I rewatched the moment Israeli security forces begin striking - seems the goal was to stop a walking procession through Jerusalem streets. (10:50 Mecca time, Al Jazeera live feed)
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Groundbreaking hack of Chinese government computers blows apart its narrative on the mass “re-education” of Uyghur Muslims. The files passed to @BBCNews contain 250,000 IDs and “paint a picture of relentless internment”, arbitrary detention, and imprisonment without trial.
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From what I can tell following the live feed the security forces didn’t want her procession to leave on foot from the French Hospital and become a walking demonstration, with a hearse subsequently coming to take her body.
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Just spoke to a local aid worker on the ground in eastern Libya who told us that 13,000 people are missing, a quarter of the city of Derna has been washed away. Truly an unimaginable loss of life, prayers for the people of Libya .@BBCNewsnight.
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One year of work came to an end this week with the publication of our BBC investigation into Syria drug trafficking - starting to recover my energy so thought would share some top-lines. (a very short 🧵)
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Israeli police release a video showing two individuals throwing objects among mourners. From watching livestream earlier, I believe this is a couple of minutes after the police began striking the procession and pushing them back into the hospital's yard.
Rioters hiding near and under the coffin after throwing stones and other objects at Israel Police officers in Jerusalem
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🚨 The US has imposed sanctions on the Israeli settler organisation 'Amana'. It's the most significant action against settlers in the West Bank since the start of the Gaza war - a move that will send shockwaves throughout the settler movement 🧵
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Shocking videos starting to come through of what looks like entire villages destroyed close to the epicentre of the earthquake in Morocco .
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RWANDA DEPORTATIONS: .On Tuesday, Priti Patel announced the first deportation flights to 🇷🇼 will depart 14 June. The following day, detained asylum seekers, inc Syrians, received letters notifying they'll be on first flight. We managed to speak with them & see their letters.
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An incredible team effort to bring you this. ⬇️.Thanks to many colleagues inside and outside the BBC, we can share this extraordinary story with you - of the last moments of a dictator's 23 years in power, and the beginning of the Arab Spring.
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The Taliban have been playing around in a Kabul fairground. I think this is the first time I’ve seen a militant group riding dodgems
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Al Jazeera’s correspondent in north Gaza: “By God, if I stood before you for a thousand years, I would not be able to describe the massacres and horrors we are witnessing.”.
والله لو وقفت أمامكم ألف عام لا يمكنني أن أصف لكم ما نشاهده من مجاز�� وأهوال. يا الله ما إلنا غيرك يا الله.
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Since the start of the war in Gaza, extremist settlers have used violence to seize huge areas of land in the West Bank and drive Palestinians out - the UN says 1,600+ Palestinians have been forced from their homes.
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A series of sanctions by Western nations over the past year has targeted the settler community as an attempt to reduce settler violence, but sanctions have mostly focussed on extremist individuals - not the powerful organisations that support them.
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And secondly, because Amana is the most influential and largest builder of settlements in the West Bank - it's assets are estimated at $160m and annual budget in the $ millions. Amana's goal is 1m settlers in the Palestinian territory.
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These new sanctions are highly significant for two reasons: Firstly, because US sanctions are much more powerful - penalties can be placed on an institution (e.g. bank) that deals with you and they can be cut out of the global banking system (that the US basically runs).
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Already 500k+ Jewish settlers live in the West Bank. This year the UN's top court reaffirmed that all settlements are illegal - calling on Israel to end the occupation, dismantle the settlements, and evacuate the settlers. Amana is among the organisations pushing against this.
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Watch @BBCNewsnight tonight to see our film on impact of govt's Policing Bill on UK's Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. I went to Appleby Horse Fair to ask what threat does criminalisation of trespass pose to their way of life? It's described to me as 'ethnic cleansing'.
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But the US sanctions recognise Amana's less well known activities - something that we investigated for the BBC this year. We revealed multiple cases of Amana loaning hundreds of thousands of dollars to settlers to build illegal 'outposts'.
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Outposts are seen as illegal by *both* Israeli and international law. They're typically farms set-up by ideologically extreme, young, gun-toting settlers and are at the forefront of pushing Palestinians out of their homes in the West Bank - regularly using violence.
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Amana is known for building large, town-style settlements that are *legal* by Israeli law - despite them being *illegal* by the UN/internationally. They're home to the majority of settlers in the West Bank and Amana has previously even worked with the Israeli gov to develop them
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In our BBC documentary we play a leaked recording from a 2021 Amana meeting. In it, Amana's leader discusses their shift to supporting outposts as a way to more quickly, easily and cheaply seize large areas of the West Bank. He never responded to our questions. (h/t
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The US sanctions will be a blow to the *whole* settler community, not just the extremists: the US has firmly placed Amana within the extremist camp. Here is the text from the sanction announcement, noting Amana's ties to violent parties and financing of illegal activity,
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Defenders of Israeli settlements in the West Bank often seek to draw a distinction between violent outpost settlers and those living in the town-style settlements that are authorised by the Israeli government - the kind of settlement that Amana is known for.
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Amana is led by this man, Ze’ev Hever. He speaks rarely to the press but is seen as one of the most important players in the settler movement, with access to Israeli ministers. In the 80s he was a member of the 'Jewish Underground' terrorist group and jailed for plotting to kill
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So what will the sanctions mean for Amana trying to raise funds and move money? And the 1000s of Israelis that pay them regularly? Anyone dealing with Amana financially could suffer the consequences of the same kind of sanctions as those on Russian oligarchs and IRGC commanders.
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To learn more about Amana, outposts, and settler violence, watch our investigation "Settlements above the Law"
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Clearly, Biden pushing this through in his final weeks is a way to shift the dial before leaving office. Trump's pick for Israel ambassador Mike Huckabee doesn't believe in a future Palestinian state👇On Friday, he said again that Israel has "a right" to the West Bank.
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This morning, Ze'ev Hever made a rare public comment, saying the sanctions were based on 'slander' and expecting that Trump will reverse the decision. (
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Other Western countries have taken part in the sanctions on the settler community and in recent weeks the UK has also sanctioned Amana. If Trump gives Israel the greenlight to annex the WB/go full settlement, it will set up a schism between the US and the rest of the Western.
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In Israel, some politicians like far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich are getting excited by Trump's election. Saying that it opens up the possibility of one of their dreams - Israel fully seizing the West Bank.
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If Trump does lifts the sanctions on Amana and extremist settlers, it would be building on his previous actions. In 2019, his administration changed the US position on settlements - stating that they would no longer be seen as against international law. Biden then reversed it.
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Whatever happens next, the US sanctions will remain important as they highlight Amana as the key player building settlements having direct links to illegality and violence on Palestinians. It undermines the distinction between the 'law-abiding' and the violent outpost settlers.
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Of course as a caveat to the above, the US and international community has for years been content with Israel's incremental annexation of the West Bank. It's only the post-October 7 settler violence that forced them to perk up.
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NEW: We’ve found that Uighur pilgrims and students have been deported from Saudi Arabia back to China - raising questions about Saudi as custodian of holy mosques and China’s growing leverage in the Middle East Our @BBCNewsnight film here:
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Our BBC team on the investigation was @jaketacchi @ziadqattan @matthewcassel @simoncoxreports @muskhalili @BettinaWaked.
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An Israeli air strike levelling a building in Beirut’s Ghoibery neighbourhood this afternoon. Journalists attending a nearby Hezbollah press conference fled after a warning was issued before the attack. (Video from social media.)
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One Uyghur Muslim was jailed for 10 years on terrorism charges as “he doesn’t drink alcohol or smoke”. His mum (below) is then detained, one of thousands under suspicion of guilt by association charges.
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Today is a tragic day for Arab media as BBC Arabic Radio has broadcast for the last time, after 85 years of service. One of many huge losses following cuts in BBC World Service's budget. في يوم محزن، اخر بث بي بي سي راديو عربي من الكبير محمود المسلمي
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Another - Turson Kadir’s file lists the offence of “growing a beard under the influence of religious extremism”. For this, the 58 year old was jailed for 16 years and 11 months. Photographs show him both before and after his detention began.
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We did our best to piece together everything about the Channel tragedy, its 29 victims and 2 survivors - hour by hour. In Iraq, France, and UK @bbcworldservice colleagues tirelessly confirmed every detail w family members, lifeboatmen and OSINT data.
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One final issue highlighted to us by Barrister @StevenGA is that the new Nationality and Borders Act provision that allows for deporting asylum seekers is not supposed to be effective til 28 June. It may well be Priti Patel is expecting these first flights to be challenged.
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But Shireen Abu Akleh's brother Tony appears to contradict that, to BBC last night. "We were shocked to see them starting beating people, throwing sound grenades, tear gas. this happened without any explanation".
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China governments claims that the camps are nothing more than ‘schools’ are contradicted by “shoot to kill” policies for anyone trying to escape, plans for the positioning of machine guns and snipers in watchtowers.
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Ok, so you want to know how high up the Syrian gov did we find complicity? . Here's a teaser: private Whatsapp messages allowed us to tie a 'Captagon king' imprisoned in Lebanon (L) w/ one of the most powerful men in Syrian army (R), he's 2nd in command to Pres. Assad's brother.
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I didn’t work on this report - the credits for the outstanding journalists who did is below
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Full report:. “When they gave me the Rwanda papers I told them I will kill myself”: BBC sees first refugee removal notices .
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Little Jinan cradling her brother between concrete captured hearts last week. Yesterday local filmmakers returned to meet the Syrian children and who remains from their family. I had the privilege to report this @BBCNewsnight with @jennymparks .
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NEW: We've spent weeks digging into a leaked Ericsson report that found possible payments to militant groups in Iraq and that the company put workers lives at risk by insisting work continued under ISIS.
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The hacked Xinjiang Police files were passed to @adrianzenz who passed them to the BBC’s @TheJohnSudworth. Zenz found that at one time in a county called Shufu in Xinjiang, 12% of the adult population were in a camp or prison
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We've been able to call 4 asylum seekers who recently arrived by boat from France and are detained in Brook House, near Gatwick. They were among 17 who'd just come off a 5-day hunger strike after guards began denying them the sugar they were mixing with water to drink.
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Blindfolds, handcuffs and shackles are mandatory for any “student” being transferred between facilities or even to hospital.
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Storm Daniel has ravaged eastern Libya over past two days and 2,000 people are feared dead. Derna, the worst hit city is said to have become inaccessible and entire neighbourhoods have washed away, acc to local authorities. 🎥 via @WxNB_
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The letters - which are provided only in English - state that the men 'cannot appeal this decision'. 'Ali', 29 from Syria told us, "we would rather die than be deported,” and said they will go on strike again if the flight isn't stopped.
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Each one seemed in high distress about the letters, with two expressing suicidal thoughts. The Home Office has taken away their smartphones and they have no internet access. Despite that, we've been able to see copies of their fresh 'Removal Direction' notices:
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In a classified speech delivered by a visiting minister he suggests that at least two million people are infected with “extremist thought” in southern Xinjiang alone. A former CCCP Secretary says “For some, even five years re-education may not be enough.”
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Two men asked our reporter @shpanda9 about the meaning of parts of the document as no translation has been provided. However, one document states an interpreter was present for the handover. An Immigration Officer dismissively describes the language as 'Arabic Big word used'.
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Ok so that's all i'm saying! The rest you can discover below. Huge thanks to colleagues named and anonymous @BBCArabic @OCCRP @QandeelRasha Chris Mitchell @Hayaalbadarneh @suwayda24 @angelicajopson and many more. 🎥🎥 this was also my first 1 hour film to produce and direct.
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Meet the new Lord Mayor of Westminster, 22 year old, British-Moroccan Hamza Taouzzale. He's the youngest ever mayor of the city and the first Muslim to be elected to the position. Mabrouk @Hamza_Taouzzale! 👏👏 . #المغرب 🇬🇧🇲🇦
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It's been widely alleged that the Syrian gov and Armed Forces have turned to making and exporting it to raise lots of cash - and also to pressure neighbours. It's become a new 'narco-state'. Our goal was to find strongest evidence we could to substantiate (or not) these claims.
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Again, thanks to the brilliant team: @Petalstomp @simoncoxreports and especially @shpanda9 who got us into this story and navigated some difficult conversations with detainees at Brook House.
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A team of journos in UK, Middle East and Europe toiled away, hoping to push the story on and provide something solid. We built networks inside Syria, filmed in 6 countries, consulted dozens sources, and filed through 100s pages of confidential documents.
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The Home Office has not confirmed how many people have been issued with the removal notices. However @Care4Calais estimates there are around 100 asylum seekers who have arrived over the last month that have been warned of imminent removal from the UK.
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Captagon is an amphetamine-like 💊, recreational and very addictive. It's flooded the Middle East in the past 5 or so years, finding a market everywhere between manual labourers to the burgeoning Saudi party-scene. Best estimates put trade at whopping 💰5 billion.
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@jackdaw_writes In Egypt 'lobster' is 'estakoza' which I'm told is 'this thing' in Italian? Presumably it was picked up from gesticulating Italian fishermen.
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Wai's father Mya Aye has campaigned for democracy in Myanmar since the 80s, he was arrested in the first days of the military coup in February alongside other activists and elected politicians. Charges have now been brought against him. #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar.
My dad has been charged with hate speech (505c) & his trial starts today. In my country, racist nationalists enjoy freedom but people who promote peace get jailed with politically motivated charges. Trials are just a show in a country ruled by a military dictatorship.
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We asked the Home Office about the hunger strike and the numerous conversations we'd had about suicide with detainees. They said: “We take every step to prevent self-harm or suicide, including a dedicated welfare team onsite at each immigration removal centre.".
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A little personal news, i've returned to @BBCNewsnight to step in @BBCNawal's mighty shoes as International Correspondent until October. Tune in weeknights at 22:30 on BBC2 and the News channel. 📺📡.
ICYMI: Is Europe's largest nuclear power plant about to be attacked?. Last night @EmirNader looked at what's been going on at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, as concerns grow over the possibility it could be targeted.
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"Israel Police instructed that the coffin be returned to the hearse, as did the EU ambassador and Abu-Akleh’s own family, but the mob refused". Seems dispute comes down to whether family agreed not to hold a walking procession, as Israeli police claim .
6/7) Israel Police intervened to disperse the mob and prevent them from taking the coffin, so that the funeral could proceed as planned in accordance with the wishes of the family.
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@nebedaay Both true I think. The sanctions have genuinely spooked the settler community over the past year. I tried to explain in the thread that US sanctioning Amana is still significant even if Trump undoes it as it’s now accepted that settler violence is not simply responsibility of.
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هنا النسخة العربية لفيلمنا - "مكالمات الدكتاتور الأخيرة".تسجيلات سرية تكشف آخر لحظات بن علي في السلطة. #تونس #تحقيق @BBCArabic .
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He wanted to point out that there are two functioning airports near to Derna that can be used to bring aid in - Al-Abraq and Martuba.
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There's been some spectacular videos coming out of Syria today showing where the drug Captagon appears to have been made at industrial quantities. I spoke to BBC News about the multi-billion $ trade and the regime's involvement.
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Our leading report on yesterday's From Our Own Correspondent .
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Qatar’s ruling family bought two of the UK’s most expensive homes using offshore shell companies - avoiding millions in taxes. @Ahmed_Shamy and I have spent countless hours piecing this together from @ICIJorg’s #PandoraPapers .
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📺 📡 Tune into @BBCNewsnight tonight at 2230 for a special report by @AymanOghanna and me looking at the amount of Russian-sourced energy 🛢️🛢️still making its way to the UK 🇬🇧. Below, a little taste of the beautiful places crude oil can take you!
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We will have some London-based opportunities for freelance Arabic-speaking APs and researchers at @BBCArabic Documentaries over the next months. Please send CV to following address or share with anyone interested - thanks! .emir[dot]nader[at]bbc[dot]co[dot]uk.
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Tune in!.
TONIGHT: A plan by Highways England to concrete Victorian bridges across the country has been branded as 'cultural vandalism'. Is the work necessary?. @EmirNader has a full report at 2230 on @BBCTwo. #Newsnight
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My first time in seven years of being a journalist to do live TV! Here’s me reporting the latest from Afghanistan in front of @BBCNewsnight’s wall - how did I do?.
The UK government says 600 troops will be sent to Afghanistan to assist British nationals to leave. . What are the implications as the Taliban seizes control of 11 provincial capitals in under a week? @EmirNader reports. #Newsnight
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A whole neighbourhood in Al Rimal appears to have been destroyed by Israeli airstrikes #Gaza.
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And verily, the days have cycled and returned, like the ride of a merry-go-round
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I've just seen the 'US consortium-led re-development' plans for the Mugamaa building in Cairo and they're turning it into a. "contemporary lifestyle hotel" with a swimming pool on the roof?
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Happy to say from today I'll be spending the rest of summer reporting for @BBCNewsnight. Hoping to dig into some UK stories as well my usual international bag. Anything on your mind? My DMs open and email in bio. Thanks!.
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Tune into @BBCNewsnight tonight for my exclusive interview with dismissed Ambassador Kyaw Zwar Minn. We also speak with @DrSasa22222 and @lisanandy on what next for Myanmar and the UK’s response.
TONIGHT: Myanmar's ambassador in London spent last night in his car after saying he was locked out of his embassy by Myanmar's military attaché. What does this mean for Myanmar and the country's diplomatic relations?. @EmirNader reports. #Newsnight
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An Egyptian journalist was in the middle of a livestream about today’s earthquake to @youm7’s 24 million FB followers when his mobile was stolen 😑
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بعد عام من البحث والانتاج. تم نشر تحقيقي عن تجارة الحشيش في المغرب واوروبا. يكشف الوثائقي عن فقر الفلاحين والثراء الإجرامي والفوضى القانونية وراء هذه التجارة المربحة 🌿🍁
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New video of Shireen Abu Akleh's killing seems to corroborate witness accounts that there were no clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian fighters at the time of the shooting
New video emerges of moment #ShireenAbuAkleh was shot dead. Significantly, the group is relaxed and no gunfire is apparent as they prepare to work. There are two instances of repeat single shots, not bursts, that appear to come towards them. Warning : distressing content
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Secret lair of Syria’s king of Captagon? Maher Al-Assad, Bashar’s brother and commander of Army’s 4th Division who were deeply involved in the Captagon drug trade - this is apparently filmed in his house
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