Middle East

Australian nurses suspended over ‘vile’ antisemitic video6 days agoSimon AtkinsonBBC NewsPolice and the state’s healthcare watchdog are investigating the incident Two Australian nurses have been suspended after a video appeared to show them threatening to kill Israeli patients and boasting about refusing to treat them.
The man and woman – both employees at a Sydney hospital – are now being investigated by police, officials in New South Wales (NSW) said.
State Health Minister Ryan Park said that a “thorough investigation” would be carried out to make sure there had been “no adverse [patient] outcomes”, but that a “rapid” examination of hospital records had not turned up anything unusual.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the video as “sickening and shameful” after it began circulating online.
It comes less than a week after Australia passed tougher laws against hate crimes following a wave of high-profile antisemitic attacks.
On Wednesday, NSW Police said that they b..

What will anger at sight of gaunt hostages mean for a fragile ceasefire?8 February 2025Joe InwoodBBC NewsReporting fromJerusalemOhad Ben Ami, 56, was among the three released on SaturdayThe sight of Eli Sharabi being interviewed on stage, surrounded by Hamas fighters, has caused heartbreak and fury in equal measure amongst Israelis.
“How do you feel?” he is asked by a masked interviewer. “I feel very happy today to return to… my wife and daughters”, he answers, seemingly unaware they were killed in Hamas’s attack on Israel on 7 October 2023.
The scene was broadcast live around the world,the stage-managed handover of hostages, to send a message.
The ranks of armed fighters, the banner in Arabic, Hebrew and English declaring “We are the flood… the war’s next day” – all filmed on modern camera equipment – says to the world they are still in charge in the Gaza Strip and intend to remain so.
In previous exchanges, Hamas have also sought to give the impression that they had taken good ..