Plus: The debate around cousin marriage in the UK ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
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| Hello. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to the White House ended earlier than expected after clashing with US President Donald Trump and Vice-President JD Vance. We bring you the latest news and reaction. Also, my colleagues at BBC InDepth delve into the debate around cousin marriage in the UK. And finally, a lighthouse becomes a nuisance to its neighbours. | |
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TOP OF THE AGENDA | Trump says Zelensky 'not ready for peace' |
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| | The high-level meeting was due to discuss US support for Ukraine in the war against Russia. Credit: Reuters | What started as a cordial meeting between President Zelensky and President Trump in front of the press at the Oval Office descended into a heated exchange that exposed the tensions between the two sides. Watch the extraordinary scenes, which have been likened to a public dressing down of the Ukrainian leader. Afterwards, Zelensky was told to leave and a planned news conference with the two presidents was abruptly cancelled. In a statement, Trump said Zelensky "is not ready for peace". A US-proposed rare minerals deal between the US and Ukraine has not been signed. |
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| Ten things Trump and his team did this week | The Trump administration's sixth week in office saw developments at home and abroad. | Read the recap > |
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| Vatican gives update on Pope's condition | The 88-year-old, who has been battling pneumonia for two weeks, has had an "isolated" breathing crisis in hospital. | What happened > |
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| Gene Hackman and wife's deaths under investigation | The caller who contacted 911 to alert authorities of the bodies can be heard in distress in a recording of the conversation. | What we know > |
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| The 'ugly cousin to the Oscars' announces awards | Francis Ford Coppola has been named worst director for his self-financed project Megalopolis in this year's Razzies. | Who else won > |
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| Inside a Taliban's surveillance centre | | Thousands of cameras are now being used to monitor the movements of Kabul residents. Credit: BBC | The Taliban's police force has acquired a network of 90,000 CCTV cameras that are used to watch over the day-to-day lives of millions of people. The BBC are the first international journalists allowed to see the system in action. |
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| | Mahjooba Nowrouzi, BBC Afghan Service |
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| | From car licence plates to facial expressions, everything is monitored. "In certain neighbourhoods, when we notice groups of people and suspect they might be involved in drug use, criminal activities, or something suspicious, we quickly reach out to the local police," says Khalid Zadran, a spokesperson for the Taliban police chief.
Rights groups are concerned about who is being monitored and for how long. A young graduate who lives with her parents in Kabul tells the BBC there is "significant concern that surveillance cameras may be used to monitor women's hijabs [veils]". |
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| | Sport solidarity: Afghanistan women's cricket team fled to Australia when the Taliban took over - a documentary recounts the "Jason Bourne-like" operation. | Citizens detained: The Taliban told the BBC it will endeavour to release a British couple detained alongside and American and an Afghan citizen for undisclosed reasons "as soon as possible". |
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PICK OF THE WEEK | Cousin marriage under scrutiny |
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| | Cousin marriage was outlawed in Norway last year, while in Sweden a ban is due to take effect next year. Credit: BBC | In the UK and across Europe, cousin marriage faces increased scrutiny - particularly from doctors, who warn about the health risks for children of first cousins. One British lawmaker is trying to ban the practice. Others argue that education - specifically, "genetic literacy" - would be more effective. |
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SOMETHING DIFFERENT | March's must-watch | From Disney's Snow White to Mickey 17, these are some of the best new releases. | |
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And finally... in the UK | Lighthouses serve life-saving purposes. But one such installation at Land's End, in the south-west of England, has become a major nuisance to nearby residents. Due to a malfunction, the lighthouse has been emitting a loud beep every 13 seconds for the past week. As you can hear, it can get pretty annoying - locals have been advised to buy earplugs until a fix is sorted. | |
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