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00:00 At least 67 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes on Wednesday as WHO official calls
00:07 the situation in Gaza "inhumane".
00:11 Only days after the death of Alexei Navalny, EU member states have agreed on a 13th package
00:17 of sanctions against Russia.
00:24 Russia continues to pound the Gaza Strip, killing at least 67 Palestinians during strikes
00:30 on Wednesday, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, including in areas where civilians
00:36 have been told to seek refuge.
00:39 The head of the World Health Organization called the health and humanitarian situation
00:44 in Gaza "inhumane" and "worsening".
00:48 More than 29,000 people are dead, many more are missing, presumed dead, and many, many
00:55 more are injured.
00:58 Several malnutrition, severe malnutrition has shot up dramatically since the war started,
01:06 from under 1% to more than 15% in some areas.
01:11 While international calls for a ceasefire increase and governance mull over how to secure
01:17 long-term peace, the Israeli government has voted to back Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's
01:23 opposition to a Palestinian state.
01:25 The people of Israel and their elected representatives are united today as never before.
01:31 The Knesset voted overwhelmingly to oppose any attempt to unilaterally impose a Palestinian
01:37 state on Israel.
01:39 Peace can only be achieved after we achieve total victory over Hamas.
01:45 For the Prime Minister, an invasion of Rafa, where more than half of the territory's 2.3
01:50 million people have sought refuge, is necessary to achieve victory.
01:55 But Washington and other allies continue to warn Israel that if its military doesn't properly
02:00 account for the safety of Palestinian refugees, a Rafa invasion would be a disaster.
02:10 Many days after the death of Alexei Navalny, EU member states have agreed on a 13th package
02:15 of sanctions against Russia, including companies from Turkey, North Korea and China accused
02:20 of providing Russia with advanced technology and military goods manufactured in the EU.
02:25 We must keep degrading Putin's war machine, says the European Commission President Ursula
02:29 von der Leyen.
02:30 For Brando Benefe, a socialist member of the European Parliament, sending a political message
02:34 to Russia is the key.
02:37 From an economic point of view, we know that this is important to focus also on the connections
02:44 that Russia has with companies around the world and we also have targeted Chinese companies
02:51 for that.
02:52 But that's, in my view, a secondary aspect compared to the political message that, especially
02:59 in this moment when Navalny was killed under the conditions we know, we give a clear message
03:10 that we are not stepping back.
03:17 This new round of measures will be formally approved before the 24th of February, the
03:21 day that marks two years since the start of the war in Ukraine.
03:25 However, the overall impact of the sanctions on the Russian economy over the last two years
03:29 is disputed.
03:30 In 2023, Russia experienced a 3.5% economic growth, more than almost all European countries,
03:37 and is expected to keep it at 2.6% in 2024, according to the IMF.
03:42 But for Benefe, it is worth persisting.
03:45 If we take more initiative on our own and we are more united as the European Union,
03:51 speaking with our voice, as a European Union with the rest of the world, that we can isolate
03:58 more Russia.
04:00 And this message needs to be given to the elites of that country so that they can also
04:05 push those that are in the room of the buttons in Kremlin to change direction and change
04:16 the situation.
04:18 In this round of sanctions, nearly 200 people and entities have been added to the blacklist,
04:24 which now reads more than 2,000 names.
04:31 Alexei Navalny's mother has filed a lawsuit in the Arctic city of Salekhard, contesting
04:36 officials' refusal to release her son's body.
04:39 A closed-door hearing has been scheduled for the 4th of March.
04:42 "Let me finally see my son," she pleaded to Vladimir Putin.
04:47 "The UK sanctioned six officials from the Arctic penal colony where Navalny died, accusing
05:01 them of subjecting him to brutal treatment.
05:04 In the final months of his life, there will be a travel ban and assets will be frozen."
05:08 Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had this to say in the House of Commons.
05:12 "Together with our allies, we are considering all options to hold Russia and Putin to account.
05:18 And this morning we sanctioned those running the prison where Alexei Navalny's body still
05:22 lies."
05:24 This Friday, the White House will announce a major package of sanctions against Russia
05:29 in response to Navalny's death, President Joe Biden said.
05:32 Reactions to his death continue.
05:34 And while the NATO chief says the best way to honor Navalny is to ensure a Russian defeat
05:39 in Ukraine, the head of Germany's far-right AfD condemned theatrics over Navalny's death,
05:44 claiming it has been exploited for political means.
05:52 EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is the only nominee to be the lead candidate
05:57 for the European People's Party.
05:59 The EU's biggest party made the announcement in Brussels.
06:02 Von der Leyen revealed on Monday her plans to run for a second term.
06:06 She has now visited the EPP Group's meeting at the European Parliament, where she is going
06:11 to support some conservative MEPs.
06:14 Party boss Manfred Weber is confident in an election success.
06:18 "When I became party president, we only had seven prime ministers and chancellors and
06:27 head of state and government on the EPP table.
06:31 Today we have 12 and most probably we will have in June this year 14 prime ministers,
06:37 head of state and government in our ranks.
06:39 So I can tell you the EPP is back."
06:43 According to the polls, though the European People's Party will remain the biggest political
06:47 group, they will need allies to achieve a parliamentary majority.
06:51 When asked about a possible cooperation with the Euro-sceptic European Conservatives and
06:56 reformers group, Ursula von der Leyen said where she drew the line.
07:01 "The cut-off line is do you stand for democracy, do you defend our values, are you very firm
07:08 in the rule of law, are you supporting Ukraine and are you fighting against Putin's attempt
07:16 to weaken and divide Europe.
07:19 And these answers have to be very clear."
07:21 Von der Leyen's warning comes after Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban revealed plans
07:28 for his Fidetz party to join the ECR after the elections.
07:31 Orban was widely criticised for blocking the EU's efforts to help Ukraine for several months.
07:37 Another ECR member party to heed von der Leyen's warning could be the Polish Law and Justice
07:42 Party, which clashed with the EU over the rule of law backsliding.
07:46 Julian Assange's spying activities put innocent lives at risk.
07:57 That's what US lawyers said on the second day of his extradition hearing in London.
08:02 The American government wants the WikiLeaks founder to face 17 spying charges on its soil
08:07 over his website's publication of classified US documents almost 15 years ago.
08:12 The appeal proceedings are Assange's last-ditch attempt to avoid being handed over to the
08:16 US.
08:17 Assange claims his publication of classified material was not illegal and was in the public
08:22 interest.
08:28 Travellers from Turkey will be able to visit some Greek islands with a fast-track temporary
08:33 visa announced Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis after his historic meeting last December with
08:39 Turkey's President Erdogan.
08:41 The seven-day visa that will be granted on the spot will be valid for 10 islands.
08:46 The islands included are very close to the Turkish coastline and have been attracting
08:50 visitors from Turkey for years.
08:52 "We are working with the Turks in the field of tourism and culture.
08:59 Turkey has a lot of people and ships.
09:03 This year, 1,400 ships entered the coast of Symi.
09:11 This number is not even reached by Rhodes.
09:16 So you understand that the visa will make it much easier for Turkish visitors who want
09:24 to visit our islands."
09:27 Up to now, visitors from Turkey had to issue their papers in the Greek consulate and then
09:32 wait for the approval.
09:33 Now they will be able to do a fast-track procedure upon their arrival.
09:37 According to the local authorities, thousands are already interested.
09:41 "The number of visitors from Turkey will be multiplied.
09:47 They will stay in hotels for a few days, so the hotel market and the city market will
09:55 be activated.
09:56 I believe that this is a positive move and I think that it will also cover a large area
10:01 that has been created by the non-resistance of Israeli customers, who had a great interest
10:07 in Turkey.
10:08 Maybe we will replace the part that we lost in this market."
10:14 Locals are pushing for the visa to be implemented as soon as possible to receive people from
10:18 Turkey this summer.
10:29 Famous World War II D-Day landing beaches could soon become a UNESCO World Heritage
10:34 Site.
10:35 This year is the 80th anniversary of the day 150,000 men landed on Omaha, Juneau or Gold
10:43 Beach in Normandy, France.
10:45 Operation Overlord marked the beginning of the liberation of Europe from the Nazis grip.
10:50 10,000 young men never made it.
10:54 Until now, UNESCO has refused to classify war sites.
10:57 But the institution has changed its mind and is ready to study this application.
11:06 The first sterling banknotes featuring Britain's King Charles III will go into circulation
11:11 in June, the Bank of England has announced.
11:14 The only difference to the design will be the King's image replacing that of his mother,
11:19 Queen Elizabeth II.
11:21 The initial batches will be sold at auction to raise money for charity.
11:27 The first coins embossed with Charles' image have been in circulation for several months.
11:33 But the banknotes have taken much longer to prepare due to technical reasons, including
11:39 making them readable to bank machines and automatic tills.
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