Plus: Stories of heroism from Hong Kong flats fire ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
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| Hello. As the US and Ukraine prepare to hold more talks on ending the war in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin will be in India not only to discuss business but also to display geopolitical power. Our editors explain what's at stake. Just over a week after the deadly Hong Kong flats fire, we hear from a survivor wracked by guilt. And finally, take a look at a Christmas tree with a difference in Scotland. | |
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TOP OF THE AGENDA | A special friendship, trade deals and geopolitics |
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| | Modi and Putin share a warm relationship and have met several times. Credit: Getty Images | There is more at stake than just business negotiations at an annual summit between Russia and India. Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be hoping to do deals on oil and defence, but the image the meeting projects is perhaps just as important, our editors write. "The Kremlin enjoys demonstrating that Western efforts to isolate it over the war in Ukraine have failed. Flying to India and meeting Modi is one way of doing that," writes Russia editor Steve Rosenberg. While for India, the meeting with Putin will "test" its "geopolitical autonomy", notes the BBC's Vikas Pandey in Delhi. Modi "will be walking the proverbial diplomatic tightrope" trying to balance ties with both Russia and the West, he says. |
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| | | | - From the frontline: While many Ukrainians believe they have sacrificed too much to lose territory to Russia, others are desperate for the war to end.
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| Five killed in Israeli strikes on tents, medics say | Others were wounded when tents for displaced people in Gaza were hit. Israel said it had "struck a Hamas terrorist". | Read more > |
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| | | - State banquet: King Charles and other senior royals hosted Germany's president at the glittering, Christmassy event. Take a look.
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| BEYOND THE HEADLINES | Tales of heroism emerge after Hong Kong flats fire |
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| | | William Li began saying goodbye to friends via WhatsApp because he did not think he would escape. | "My heart breaks every time someone calls me a hero," says William Li as he breaks down in tears. The 40-year-old helped save two of his neighbours when their block of flats in Hong Kong went up in flames last week, yet he is haunted by guilt. He says he is speaking out to "help find the truth", highlighting fire alarms that did not go off and reports a fire exit was locked. His is just one of many stories of small acts of heroism that have emerged in the wake of the blaze that left 159 people dead. |
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