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
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)
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.
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
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
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 🧵)
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.
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...
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.
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'
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:
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.
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
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.
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.
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"
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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:
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.
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_
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'.
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.”
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 🇬🇧🇲🇦
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.
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.
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.
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.
@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
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."
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.
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
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
"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
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
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
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
📺 📡 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!
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
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?
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!
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
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 🌿🍁
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
Shocking claims from survivor of Channel tragedy: French and British authorities both refused the boat’s emergency calls for help, each saying it was the other’s responsibility.
Mohammed Shekha told Kurdish tv they were in the water for hours, holding hands and waiting for help
In terms of aid items, the top request emanating from Derna right now is body bags, according to a Benghazi surgeon I spoke to.
What happened in Derna, given that it is climate change-induced, is truly of global importance.
More than a tenth of the population may have perished
How a tablet discovered on a Libya battlefield helped unpick the role of Wagner, Russia’s shadowy mercenary group. Great reporting by
@Nader_SM
and
@barabanch
📺📡 Tune into
@BBCNewsnight
at 2230 tonight for a special report from on the ground in government-held Syria. We join the rare protests demanding the removal of President Bashar al-Assad, despite the threat of violent retribution. We'll speak live afterwards to
@LinaKhatibUK
Something I'm proud in having helped bring about: the BBC took part in the biggest ever survey in the Arab world. Revealing a fall in religiosity, changes in attitudes towards women and love for Erdogan, amongst much more
Today we release results of one of the biggest surveys of public opinion in the Middle East & North Africa:
- problems in finding food
- disillusionment w democracy
- increase in religiosity
- growing acceptance of women in leadership roles
Listen ⬇️ 📻
With
@ArabBarometer
Moroccan gov appears to have accepted aid teams from only Spain, Tunisia and Qatar. A lot of Europe & MENA countries say they’re ready but waiting for a formal request. With chance of rescuing survivors becoming slimmer, I wish we could understand what’s the decision making here
Afghanistan faces a humanitarian crisis after Taliban gains in the country displaces 360,000 from their homes this year - 60% of them children - bringing the total to 3.5 million.
WATCH ➡️
#Newsnight
|
@EmirNader
Thrilled to be selected as a finalist in the
@amnesty
Media Awards for our investigation into the Channel migrant tragedy.
We spent weeks trying to give the most thorough account of who the victims were and how their lives ended trying to reach the UK.
A big happy birthday 🎂to
@AidaAlami
who's one of the finest journalists I know and who i'm grateful to call a friend. She's spent much of the past weeks in a court-room reporting the sentencing of journalist colleagues in Morocco. After a difficult week, I hope you take a break!
"There's nothing left for us to be scared about."
Our report from on the ground in Suweida, in southern Syria, among the anti-government protests that have been building over the last month.
@BBCNewsnight
“Sometimes I get so tired I think I should just leave”
Here’s your Sunday read by
@AidaAlami
on Tangier’s Gnawa heritage and the precarious situation cultural institutions always seem to be in North Africa.
Myanmar’s military is increasingly using live rounds to break the pro-democracy movement. We spoke to protesters whose loved ones are missing or killed, doctors treating the injured, and a defector from the security forces on the run. For
@BBCNewsnight
Thanks to all who watched our report on Newsnight. Apologies for the problems at the beginning of the report, not clear what happened however the film will be available to watch shortly on YouTube and the BBC website. Many thanks
Egypt has been getting a lot of criticism for ripping up ancient trees across the country ahead of COP27, now they’ve announced the sponsor is the world’s biggest plastic polluter
We're always looking for ideas for investigative documentaries from the Arab world at
@BBCArabic
.
I've been standing in as Investigations Editor since earlier this year and can be your contact for pitches. Email is in bio, DMs open and can share Signal number.
Get in touch!
We learnt from
@BenCowdock
of
@TransparencyUK
that latest statistics put number of offshore held properties in UK at 85,000.
1,500 of those properties came out in these leaks today - with a value of over £4 billion 💷
For over a year the govt has mostly boycotted
@Channel4News
yet in its first four days GB News has had Priti Patel, Sajid Javid, Liz Truss - and now Chancellor Rishi Sunak (looking in this like a schoolboy explaining to the headmaster why there's money missing from the tuckshop)
Andrew Neil asks Chancellor Rishi Sunak what Boris Johnson meant when he told the G7 summit he wanted to build back Britain "in a more gender neutral and more feminine way...
"Can you explain what that means for economic policy?"