Vladimir Putin faces no serious opposition. The election comes just a month after the death of the President's most prominent and vocal critic, Alexei Navalny, in a penal colony in Siberia. We hear from a young voter who plans to spoil her vote in protest. Also on the programme: The judge overseeing an election fraud case against Donald Trump has rejected the former president's attempt to have the chief prosecutor disqualified; and snakes on plate? Why scientists think that pythons could be a sustainable alternative to conventional livestock.  (Picture: Voters in front of a mural of President Putin of Russia. Credit: EPA)

Russian election begins

Interviews, news and analysis of the day's global events.

News

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says 274 Palestinians were killed during Saturday's Israeli offensive on the Nuseirat refugee camp. The operation led to the rescue of four Israeli hostages. Israel has previously estimated there were fewer than one hundred casualties. Footage from the area's Al-Aqsa hospital shows badly wounded people lying on the ground. We speak to a doctor who was there.
 
Also in the programme: millions vote to elect representatives to the European Parliament; and will Americans learn to love cricket?
 
(Photo: The Hamas-run health ministry has started naming people it says were killed as Israeli forces fought Hamas in and around the Nuseirat refugee camp. Credit: Reuters)

Gaza hospital scene "tough and horrible"

Noa Argamani, 26, Almog Meir Jan, 22, Andrei Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 41, were freed during a "high-risk, complex mission" from two separate buildings in the Nuseirat area, the Israel Defense Forces said. Hamas claims more than two hundred Palestinians were killed by Israeli attacks in the same area as the raid took place. The IDF said the released hostages were all in good health, and they were later pictured embracing family members at a medical centre near Tel Aviv. Also on the programme: A celebration of the first colour photo of earth taken from space on the occasion of the photographer, Bill Anders’ death; and UNESCO celebrates the unique cultural importance of Italian opera. (Photo: Almog Meir Jan, a rescued hostage embraces a loved one Credit: Israeli Army handout via REUTERS)

Four Hostages rescued from Gaza

Israeli security forces say they've rescued four hostages from two separate locations during a special operation in Nuseirat, in central Gaza. They've been named as Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov and Shlomi Ziv. All had been abducted by Hamas from the Nova music festival on October the seventh. They're said to be in good medical condition and have been transferred to hospital. Gaza's Al-Aqsa hospital says at least fifty Palestinians - including children - were killed during the Israeli operation.
 
Also in the programme: The astronaut who took the ground-breaking first colour photo of Earth from space, William Anders, has died; and as UNESCO celebrates Italian opera, we listen in. (Photo: People react outside a medical centre, after the military say four hostages rescued alive from the central Gaza Strip on Saturday, in Ramat Gan, Israel 8 June, 2024. Credit: Marko Djurica/Reuters)

Israeli military: Four hostages rescued in central Gaza

The US special envoy to Sudan, Tom Perriello, warns other countries not to seek to benefit from the conflict there. Khartoum, he said, needed aid not arms. Also in the programme: are sanctions against Russia working? And sea urchins under threat. (Picture: Adam Hassan, who has an album with pictures of his son and father, who he said were killed by the RSF and Arab militias in the West Darfur town of Murnei in June, sits outside his makeshift shelter in Adre, Chad. Credit: Reuters)

US Sudan envoy warns of '20 year crisis'

With elections to the European Parliament underway, what's driving the expected rightward shift in the politics of many EU countries?  Also in the programme: what humpback whales can tell us about the impact of climate change on the Antarctic; and the woman who allegedly inspired the stalker character in the hit Netflix show Baby Reindeer sues the streamer for defamation. (Image: The European Parliament prepares for broadcast of European elections results, Brussels, Belgium - 07 Jun 2024 / CREDIT: Olivier Hoslet / EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

Russian election begins

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