demand

Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators have marched through the streets of the Italian capital, Rome, against the war in Gaza in a protest called by Italy’s main opposition parties, who accuse the right-wing government of being too silent.

At the start of Saturday’s march, protesters held a banner, reading: “Stop the massacre, stop complicity!”

The protest attracted a diverse crowd from across the country, including many families with children.

According to organisers, up to 300,000 people participated in the rally organised by the left-wing opposition to ask the government for a clear position on the conflict in Gaza.

“This is an enormous popular response to say enough to the massacre of Palestinians and the crimes of [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu’s government,” the leader of Italy’s centre-left Democratic Party, Elly Schlein, told reporters at the march.

“There is another Italy that doesn’t remain silent as the Meloni government does,” she said, referring to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Meloni was recently pushed by the opposition to publicly condemn Netanyahu’s offensive in Gaza, but many observers considered her criticism too timid.

Earlier this week, the Italian leader urged Israel to immediately halt its military campaign in Gaza, saying its attacks had grown disproportionately and should be brought to an end to protect civilians.

Israel faces mounting international criticism for its offensive and pressure to let aid into Gaza during a humanitarian crisis.

Gaza has been under an Israeli blockade for nearly three months, with experts warning that many of its two million residents are at high risk of famine.

Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 54,772 Palestinians and wounded 125,834, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health. An estimated 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023, and more than 200 were taken captive.

Thousands of Israeli protesters in Tel Aviv have again called for the return of captives held in Gaza and an immediate ceasefire, while hundreds of thousands of pro-Palestine supporters gathered in Rome denouncing the Italian government’s “complicity” in the war.

Captive families and antigovernment protesters gathered in front of Israel’s army headquarters on Saturday, several hours after Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that Israeli forces had recovered the body of a Thai captive.

In a statement, the Israeli army said on Saturday morning that the body of Nattapong Pinta was retrieved from the Rafah area in southern Gaza after he was taken captive during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum wrote on X that it “bows its head in sorrow over the murder of Nattapong Pinta”.

“The time is running out for all 55 hostages. We must bring them all home, Now!,” the group wrote on X.

The spokesperson of Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, Abu Obeida, warned that an Israeli captive, Matan Zangauker, is being held in an area targeted by the Israeli army.

He warned that if Zangauker were killed during an attempt to free him, the Israeli military would be responsible.

The captive’s mother, Einav Zangauker, speaking at the Tel Aviv protest, criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for neglecting those being held in Gaza.

“The military pressure is closing in on [my son] and is placing him in immediate danger. The decision to expand the ground operation comes at the cost of Matan’s life and the lives of all the hostages,” she said.

“[Netanyahu] continues to sacrifice the hostages. He is using the [Israeli military] not to protect Israel’s security, but to continue the war and protect his government.”

Police prevented activists from the NGO, Looking the Occupation in the Eye, from reaching the protest area in Tel Aviv, according to reports in the Israeli media. The activists were reportedly carrying placards protesting against Israeli war crimes and ethnic cleansing in Gaza.

אלימות מצד המשטרה, דחיפות וצעקות לעבר מפגינים הנושאים שלטים הקוראים להפסקת המלחמה.

07.06.2025 תל אביב 🎥אריק סגל pic.twitter.com/2vJ3lFkXDl

— אלימות ישראל (@Alimut_Israel) June 7, 2025

Translation: Police pushing and shouting at protesters carrying signs calling for an end to the war.

During the Hamas attack, which killed 1,139 people in southern Israel, the group abducted 251 people; following a series of prisoner-for-captive exchanges with the Israeli government, the group are currently holding 55 captives in Gaza, a number of whom are dead.

Israel’s war on Gaza has now killed at least 54,772 Palestinians and injured 125,834 others, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported.

‘Enough to the massacre of Palestinians’

In the meantime, across Europe, pro-Palestine demonstrators called for an end to the Israeli genocidal assault in Gaza.

In Rome, hundreds of thousands of people marched through the city in a protest called by opposition parties slamming the government’s “complicity” in the war.

The leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, Elly Schlein, called the turnout “an enormous popular response” in opposition to Israel’s actions in the besieged and bombarded enclave.

The demonstration was “to say enough to the massacre of Palestinians, to say enough to the crimes of Netanyahu’s far-right government” and to show the world “another Italy”, Schlein told reporters.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has come under increasing pressure to take a stronger stance on the war in Gaza as she has backed Israel and Netanyahu throughout, while admitting difficult conversations with the Israeli leader of late.

In the British capital, London, antigovernment demonstrators held placards demanding “Cut war, not welfare.”

Speaking at the Whitehall rally, former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said with the “abominable, deliberate starvation of children in Gaza and the genocide that’s inflicted against the Palestinian people”, a world of “peace” was needed.

“We need a world of peace that will come through the vision of peace, the vision of disarmament and the vision of actually challenging the causes of war, which leads to the desperation and the refugee flows of today,” he said.

Pro-Palestine protests were also held Saturday in Denmark, Sweden, and Germany, where demonstrators raised banners calling for an end to the Israeli genocide against Palestinians.

Benedict Corpuz has always been a “day one” type of person when it comes to fueling his video game habit.

Beginning in his high school years, the 45-year-old flight attendant from Kent, Wash., has tried to get his hands on new Nintendo systems on the day of their release, whether it was the Nintendo 64 or its less popular successor, the GameCube. The new Nintendo Switch 2 was no different. He lined up at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Federal Way Best Buy in Washington, was allowed in the store at 9:01 p.m. and was back in his car with the coveted item — which he had preordered — by 9:13 p.m.

“It’s a good feeling to be one of the first,” he said. “I just really enjoy playing the games.”

Demand for the roughly $450 handheld device, which officially launched Thursday, was high as eager shoppers like Corpuz waited in line for hours to acquire the newest iteration of the Switch, which launched eight years ago to robust sales. “Let the games begin!” Nintendo of America posted on social media, showcasing photos of excited customers holding up their Switch 2 devices.

By afternoon in Los Angeles, there were reports of the devices selling out at some retailers, a clear indication of the console’s success. Shortages were reported in a number of international markets. The last time a console release generated so much attention was in 2020, when Sony’s PlayStation 5 and Microsoft’s latest Xbox were released during the same month.

“Realistically, it’s going to be sold out for quite a while,” Michael Pachter, a managing director at Wedbush Securities, said of the new Switch. “By January, maybe they’ll get supply and demand in balance.”

The popular device, which introduces several new games including “Mario Kart World,” will provide a boost to the global video game and game services market, which is expected to grow 1% to $201 billion this year, according to estimates from London-based Ampere Analysis. Video games are a massive business in entertainment, with gross revenues far exceeding annual worldwide box office ticket sales for movies, for example.

Console sales alone are projected to hit $16.5 billion this year, up from $13.4 billion in 2024.

Ronald Santa-Cruz, a research manager at Ampere, estimates that Switch 2 will sell 13.6 million units in 2025, and attributes its popularity to a large install base of Switch users ready to upgrade, improved performance and capabilities to support higher fidelity games, and the loyalty of fans to Nintendo’s franchises, which include “Super Mario Bros.” and “The Legend of Zelda.”

The original Switch, which launched in 2017, saw sales soar for Nintendo during the COVID-19 pandemic as people looked for ways to entertain themselves at home. Nintendo said it has sold 152 million units of Nintendo Switch hardware as of March 31.

Before launching the Switch, Nintendo’s future was uncertain. The video game pioneer, based in Kyoto, Japan, had struggled to compete in the intense consoles market against the likes of Sony and Microsoft, said Rob Enderle, principal analyst with advisory services firm Enderle Group. Nintendo’s onetime chief rival, Sega Corp., stopped making and selling consoles in 2001 after a series of failures.

But the Switch heralded a turnaround. Its hybrid design, which allowed for on-the-go playing, broadened its appeal beyond the typical console gamers.

“Back before the Switch, it was really kind of unclear whether Nintendo was going to survive,” Enderle said, adding that the Switch was different enough from the other offerings and portable. “The end result is it allowed them to restore their market opportunity. But without the Switch, I think they would have gone under.”

Nintendo is forecasting that Switch 2 hardware sales will total 15 million units in its fiscal year, with the goal of reaching the sales that the company had with the first Switch in the 10-month period from its launch in March 2017, said Shuntaro Furukawa, president of Nintendo Co. Ltd. in a briefing last month. Furukawa said that the tariff situation in the U.S. and the possibility of a recession did not reduce the company’s forecast.

“Our first goal is to get off to the same start we did with Nintendo Switch, and we are working to strengthen our production capacity so we can respond flexibly to demand,” Furukawa said.

“We appreciate the positive response from our fans,” Nintendo said in a statement, declining to share launch-day sales numbers.

Nintendo said it supplied its retail partners with “a significant amount of products for launch” and encouraged anyone who didn’t get a Switch 2 during preorder to visit their favorite retailers.

“We’ll work hard to replenish our retail partners with a steady stream of product as we make every effort to meet demand,” Nintendo said.

Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser told CBS News on Thursday that the company has been “delighted with the demand we’ve seen thus far” and that preorders sold out in a “very quick period of time.”

While the Switch is off to a strong start, its future pricing remains uncertain as the Trump administration imposes tariffs. Despite the uncertainty, analysts said that they think demand will remain strong for the device.

BBC Bargain Hunt viewers flocked to Twitter as the latest instalment of the beloved antiques show aired – and they were united in their frustration over the same issue

Bargain Hunt aficionados were left feeling miffed as they settled down for the latest instalment of the fan-favourite BBC show.

The episode whisked viewers away to Norfolk, specifically King’s Lynn and Swaffham, with stalwart auctioneer and TV personality Charlie Ross steering the ship alongside antiques aficionados Caroline Hawley and David Fergus.

However, no sooner had Charlie introduced the competing red and blue teams than did fans take to social media to express a sense of déjà vu plaguing the programme.

Disgruntled viewer took their frustration online, stating on X: “Bargain Hunt is so predictable. Needs a total shake up. Get rid of Charlie Ross would be first #bargainhunt.”

Complaints didn’t stop there, with another viewer chiming in during their midday break: “Just sat down at home to have some lunch with the wife before moving on to my next job and she’s watching Bargain Hunt on @BBC – I cannot believe that utter drivel is still going and it’s not changed since it first started!”, reports Cornwall Live.

READ MORE: Luke Humphries shows true colours with Luke Littler message after winning Premier LeagueREAD MORE: Clarkson’s Farm star Harriet Cowan’s partner revealed as stepsister shares verdict

An additional comment came from a disappointed fan: “@BBCBargainHunt love this programme but editing a bit off today.”

Within the episode’s narrative, we saw team members Kerri and Lorraine of the red team compete against Bruno and Tom of the blue team, all set on snagging profits from their antique finds procured at a King’s Lynn fair before hitting the auction block.

The red team’s eclectic mix of items, including a Norwegian brooch, a vintage typewriter, and some dinner-service china, sadly failed to rake in the expected cash, culminating in a disappointing £40 loss.

Despite their items not making a profit and ending up £58 down, Lorraine stayed cheery, commenting: “Ah well, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!” The blue team had banked on a vintage table football game, a captivating blue vase, and a duo of silver treasures to win over the bidders.

As Charlie declared the winners, the red team could not contain their excitement, which led to Charlie responding with amusement: “Shrieks of delight! So much joy despite not even making a profit.”

During the programme, viewers were treated to Dr Sue Gattuso’s intriguing stories about Howard Carter, shared with presenter Charlie Ross, revealing the exciting chronicles of the local legend and his significant find of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922.

Charlie took a deep dive into the world of the celebrated Swaffham archaeologist, as the episode played out amidst Norfolk’s picturesque backdrop.

TEHRAN — Iran’s top diplomat insisted Wednesday that Tehran will never stop enriching uranium, reinforcing the Islamic Republic’s hard line ahead of a new round of indirect talks with the United States over its fast-advancing nuclear program.

The comments by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi come after multiple rounds of talks between the two nations, including at an expert level over the details of a possible deal. However, none has been reached yet, and American officials, including President Trump, Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, maintain that Iran must give up enrichment — something it didn’t do in its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

“I have said it before, and I repeat it again: Uranium enrichment in Iran will continue — with or without an agreement,” Araghchi said, according to state television.

Araghchi added that Iran is “currently reviewing whether to participate in the next round and when to take part” in talks with the United States. Trump’s trip to the Mideast last week delayed any new meeting. Negotiators previously met in Muscat, Oman, and Rome.

Later Wednesday, Oman’s foreign minister announced that the fifth round of indirect talks between Iran and the United States would be held Friday in Rome. Neither Tehran nor Washington has confirmed the meeting or announced whether they will attend. The minister made the comment on social media. Oman has long served as a mediator, facilitating quiet diplomacy amid tensions over Iran’s nuclear program and regional security.

“We have never abandoned diplomacy. We will always be present at the negotiating table, and the main reason for our presence is to defend the rights of the Iranian people,” Araghchi said. “We stand against excessive demands and rhetoric at the table.”

Araghchi’s remarks came a day after Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said he didn’t expect the negotiations to produce a deal.

“I don’t think nuclear talks with the U.S. will bring results. I don’t know,” Khamenei said.

The talks seek to limit Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of some of the crushing economic sanctions the U.S. has imposed on the Islamic Republic, closing in on half a century of enmity.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to unleash airstrikes targeting Iran’s program if a deal isn’t reached. Iranian officials increasingly warn that they could pursue a nuclear weapon with their stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels. Meanwhile, Israel has threatened to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities on its own if it feels threatened, further worsening tensions in the Mideast already spiked by the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.

Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers capped Tehran’s enrichment level at 3.67% and reduced its uranium stockpile to 661 pounds. That level is enough for nuclear power plants, but far below weapons-grade levels of 90%.

Since the nuclear deal collapsed in 2018 with Trump’s unilateral withdrawal of the U.S. from the accord, Iran has abandoned all limits on its program and enriched uranium to up to 60% purity — a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels. There have also been a series of attacks at sea and on land in recent years, stemming from the tensions even before the Israel-Hamas war began.

Vahdat writes for the Associated Press. AP writers Gabe Levin and Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.

Thousands gather demanding an end to the war and the release of Israeli captives in Gaza.

Thousands of Israelis rallied in central Tel Aviv, calling on the government to end the war on Gaza and secure the immediate release of Israeli captives held in the besieged Palestinian enclave.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that in Tel Aviv, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, an Israeli campaign group, held its weekly rally Saturday in “Hostages Square”, while another demonstration by families of captives is taking place outside the Israeli military headquarters.

A separate antigovernment protest is also occurring at Habima Square in Tel Aviv.

The Times of Israel reported that Shai Mozes, whose parents were held captive and released in separate exchange deals, told the crowd at the protest in Habima Square that Israel’s “real enemy is not Hamas, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is destroying Israel as a Jewish and democratic state”.

Netanyahu’s critics in Israel have accused the prime minister of extending the war for his own personal and political survival.

Haaretz also reported that protests are expected in other cities, including Jerusalem, Haifa, and Beersheba, as well as at dozens of other sites and intersections across Israel.

After Netanyahu announced an expanded offensive in the Gaza Strip on Monday, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum criticised the move in a statement, saying the plan is “sacrificing” those still held in the Palestinian territory.

Hamas releases video of two Israeli captives alive in Gaza

Hamas’s armed wing released a video on Saturday showing two Israeli captives alive in the Gaza Strip, with one of the two men calling to end the 19-month-long war.

Israeli media identified the pair in the undated video as Elkana Bohbot and Yosef Haim Ohana.

The three-minute video released by Hamas’s Qassam Brigades shows one of the captives, identified by media as 36-year-old Bohbot, visibly weak and lying on the floor wrapped in a blanket.

Ohana, 24, speaks in Hebrew in the video, urging the Israeli government to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of all remaining captives.

Bohbot and Ohana were both abducted by Palestinian fighters from the site of a music festival during Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on October 7 2023.

Bill Esterson, the MP for Sefton Central, which includes Ainsdale, the location of the now-closed Pontins site, told the Mirror that the villagers are clamoring for change

A year on from the closure of Merseyside’s sole Pontins resort, local holiday-goers have been left disheartened by the state of the former park, prompting their MP to make a demand of the firm behind it.

The Liverpool Echo recently took a trip down to Ainsdale Village to take the community’s pulse after Britannia Hotels’ abrupt decision shuttered the Pontins park a year ago. Shopkeeper Lorraine Griffin, a 30-year-plus resident and worker at The Chocolate Box newsagent, reflected on her experience of seeing the once-thriving holiday park shuttered.

“I work and live in the village and have done for more than 30 years. It’s a shame really because it did bring people into the town and into the village. It helped the shop too because we sell buckets and spades, sweets for the kids, so it did bring people into the shop, but having said that the shop is doing well without it.”

Bill Esterson, the MP for Sefton Central, which includes Ainsdale, the location of the now-closed Pontins site, told the Mirror that the villagers are clamoring for change.

READ MORE: I’m paid to travel the world on private jets – but men are intimidated by my job

“There’s an appetite for change, but Britannia must release the lease and allow someone to develop the Pontins site. I’m working with the Council, residents, and MPs facing similar issues with Pontins around the country to find a way forward. Many local people want to see Ainsdale’s beach gateway revived. Leisure trends may have shifted, but Ainsdale’s village centre is thriving, and the beach remains one of the region’s real beauty spots,” he said.

He previously added: “We now have an eyesore in Ainsdale and people are fed up with the situation. I ran a consultation and it was the biggest response I have ever had. There is a real desire for investment in what is known as the beach gateway. People want it to be an attraction for people locally and those coming from out of the area.”

The deserted Pontins site, known locally as the beach gateway, is just a ten-minute stroll from the bustling village centre. It sits next to the vacant, mural-adorned Toad Hall and across from the derelict The Sands pub.

However, there are signs of life returning to this part of Ainsdale, with the recent arrival of The Beach House, a pop-up food and drink stall. The Sands, which has been boarded up since 2017, is currently under offer from an unknown bidder, sparking hopes that its reopening could trigger further rejuvenation of the beachfront.

Ainsdale Village has become a hub for the vibrant and evolving hospitality industry, with the Golden Monkey shining as a prime example. Joining the ranks of the village’s popular spots is The Mallard, a traditional pub serving an array of drinks and food, and now, In Den Engel, a recent addition to Liverpool Road that boasts an impressive selection of over 130 beers since it opened its doors just last month.

Golden Monkey’s bar manager Lorraine Cross said: “I’ve only worked here for a year but I don’t think we’ve lost out since it’s [Pontins] shut. It’s just been normal.” Customers, according to Cross, are not venturing far for their leisure time, opting to support local businesses instead.

She continued: “Even though we’re quite close to Pontins, being next to the train station, we’ve not lost out at all. We have a strong customer base here with people who live in the village. Once upon a time it used to be Formby and Birkdale that were the places to be but the number of people that now rave about Ainsdale village, I think it’s great. It’s good to have all these thriving businesses in the area.”

However, despite the positive vibes emanating from Ainsdale, one question lingers – what will become of Pontins?

Last September, it was disclosed that Britannia Hotels holds a 150-year lease agreement with Sefton Council, who owns the land on which the holiday park is situated. Britannia Hotels, a budget hotel group boasting 64 establishments across the UK – including Liverpool city centre’s Adelphi – has owned the Sefton holiday park since 2011. Some Ainsdale locals said that if the site isn’t repurposed immediately, it should be “knocked down”.

Recently, the ECHO debunked a persistent rumour that the park would be transformed into a golf course.

Alistair Urry, an Ainsdale resident who lives just a short distance from the Shore Road site, has lived in the village intermittently for the past 30 years. He believes that the village hasn’t felt the absence of the visitors usually attracted by the park.

He commented: “People are coming into the village from around the town, it’s good to see businesses busy and making money.”

Britannia was contacted for comment.

President Trump’s tariffs are upending crop trading, delaying tractor purchases and constraining imports of chemical supplies into the United States.

That’s the main message from big agricultural businesses as they report their quarterly earnings, giving an early glimpse into the far-reaching impacts of the U.S. president’s trade war.

The disruptions in global trade threaten to extend a years-long slump in the U.S. farm industry, which had already been struggling with ample supplies, depressed crop prices and rising competition from Brazil. Lack of clarity on how the Trump administration will address much-needed incentives for crop-based fuels in the next few years has added to concerns.

Crop traders and processors have been among the hardest-hit. Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. and Bunge Global SA saw their combined operating profits slump by about $750 million in the first quarter, with both companies citing an impact from trade and biofuel policy uncertainty.

Importers put off purchases of U.S. grain and oilseeds as Trump threatened tariffs as well as levies on any Chinese vessels docking at American ports, reducing trade flows, according to crop merchant the Andersons.

“Global trade uncertainties disrupted typical grain flows and caused many of our commercial customers to focus on just-in-time purchasing,” William Krueger, the Andersons’ chief executive, said Wednesday in a call with investors.

Tractor makers CNH Industrial NV and AGCO Corp. also reported lower first-quarter sales, and warned of the possibility of reduced demand for farmers, potentially giving them less to spend on machines to plant, harvest and treat their fields. Both companies have raised prices to ease the impact of tariffs on costs.

“Geopolitical uncertainties and trade frictions have dampened U.S. farmer sentiment recently,” AGCO CEO Eric Hansotia said during a conference call with analysts. “As a result, demand for machinery was lower in the quarter than we had expected.”

Duties also threaten to curb imports of some fertilizer and pesticide supplies. Shipments of phosphate — a key crop nourishing ingredient — into the U.S. have trailed last year’s levels because vessels have been diverted to other countries to avoid the nation’s 10% tariff, Mosaic Co. said in its earnings statement.

“The phosphate market remains tight, and while tariffs could disrupt trade flows, they cannot create more phosphate supply,” CEO Bruce Bodine said on a conference call with investors.

Farmers are expected to pay more for pesticides as the U.S. relies on tariff-hit countries such as China and India for some of its supplies. Nutrien Ltd. said its branded products could potentially cost as much as 7.5% more, with even higher adjustments expected for generic ingredients.

“Long story short is, we’re going to see price increases,” Jeff Tarsi, Nutrien’s president of global retail, said on a Thursday call. “Our plan is to pass those price increases through to our customers.”

Brazil is emerging as a winner from the trade tensions. Minerva SA said tariff turmoil drove increased Chinese demand and higher export prices for South American beef in the first quarter, helping lift profits for the Brazilian supplier. Meanwhile, China has effectively shut its market for U.S. meat exporters, including Smithfield Foods.

China, the world’s largest commodity importer, has already shifted to Brazil for a meaningful part of its soybean needs since Trump first raised tariffs on goods from the Asian nation in 2018.

“Any harmful impacts to the U.S. grower profitability stemming from tariffs and trade flow shifts” are likely to benefit Brazilian growers, Jenny Wang, executive vice president of commercial at Mosaic, said in the call with analysts.

Freitas writes for Bloomberg.