has completely ruled out he has completely ruled out dropping out of the us presidential election. the uk's new prime minister sir keir starmer promises to rebuild the country "brick by brick" after a landslide election win for labour. changing a country's not like flicking a switch but have no doubt that the work of change begins immediately. and israel—gaza ceasefire talks ramp up as the humanitarian crisis on the ground deepens. joe biden says he's "completely ruling out" leaving the us presidential election, despite mounting pressure from some within his own party. president biden�*s faltering performance against donald trump in last week's debate has seen a number of senior figures in the democratic party calling for him to make way for a younger candidate. in an exclusive interview with abc news anchor george stephanopoulos, mr biden said he was thrown off

by mr trump, but denied there was a wider issue. —— by mr trump, but denied there was a wider health issue. the fact of the matter is that, when i looked at is that he also lied 28 times. i couldn't — i mean, the way the debate ran — not my fault, no—one else's fault, no—one else's fault... but it seems like you were having trouble from the first question in, even before he spoke. well, ijust had a bad night. mr biden�*s problems mounted friday with the washington post reporting that virginia senator mark warner is trying to bring together fellow democratic senators to pressure mr biden to step aside. mr warner's spokesperson didn't deny those reports, which have since been confirmed by our us news partners, cbs. but mr biden is striking a defiant tone, telling reporters he is "completely

ruling out" standing aside. it's a message he repeated to supporters at a rally in the key battleground state of wisconsin. rodney davis former illinois congressman and stephanie joined me. iwant congressman and stephanie joined me. i want to start with this anticipated interview with bbc news and george stephanopoulos, really the first big sitdown interview since the debate. i want to play you a couple of clips, the first is president biden being asked about his chances of defeating donald trump in november.- chances of defeating donald trump in november. yes, i am, because it's _ trump in november. yes, i am, because it's the _ trump in november. yes, i am, because it's the last _ trump in november. yes, i am, because it's the last thing - trump in november. yes, i am, because it's the last thing i - because it's the last thing i want to do is not be able to leave that. i think is someone senior economist senior foreign policy specialist say if i stop now go down in history is a pretty successful president.

no—one thought i could get done what we got done. but no-one thought i could get done what we got done.— what we got done. but are you bein: what we got done. but are you being honest _ what we got done. but are you being honest with _ what we got done. but are you being honest with yourself - what we got done. but are you being honest with yourself as l being honest with yourself as well— being honest with yourself as well about your ability to defeat _ well about your ability to defeat donald trump right now? yes _ defeat donald trump right now? yes yes. — defeat donald trump right now? yes. yes, yes, yes.— yes. yes, yes, yes. stephanie, let's start _ yes. yes, yes, yes. stephanie, let's start with _ yes. yes, yes, yes. stephanie, let's start with you. _ yes. yes, yes, yes. stephanie, let's start with you. you - yes. yes, yes, yes. stephanie, let's start with you. you heard | let's start with you. you heard the president at the end, yes, yes, very insistent. do you think that he really is that clear and that convinced himself that he is still the person who can defeat donald trump at the ballot box? i won't venture to say what president biden is thinking but i can tell you what the broad swathes of american people are thinking. nearly three quarters of the american people do not believe that he has the mental acuity or the physical ability to be president for the next four years and so, i think that's the reality that the white house has to grapple with and, quite honestly, members of congress are grappling with

that and the ramifications it has, notjust for the has, not just for the presidential has, notjust for the presidential race but also for the down ballot races in the senate and house and so, i always find that parties that ignore the broad public sentiment do that at their own political peril.— political peril. rodney, how about you? _ political peril. rodney, how about you? i'm _ political peril. rodney, how about you? i'm sure - political peril. rodney, how about you? i'm sure you . political peril. rodney, how. about you? i'm sure you watch that interview. did you make of how insistent the president still was about the fact that he needs to stay in the race and run against donald trump? i'm not surprised. joe biden and — i'm not surprised. joe biden and the _ i'm not surprised. joe biden and the team around joe biden thinks — and the team around joe biden thinks he — and the team around joe biden thinks he is the only person who— thinks he is the only person who can _ thinks he is the only person who can defeat donald trump again — who can defeat donald trump again i— who can defeat donald trump again. i don't believe that's true — again. i don't believe that's true i_ again. i don't believe that's true. i think the rest of the world — true. i think the rest of the world has— true. i think the rest of the world has finally seen what many — world has finally seen what many republicans have been talking — many republicans have been talking about for a few years now — talking about for a few years now - — talking about for a few years now — president biden isjust, is not — now — president biden isjust, is not the _ now — president biden isjust, is not the same joe biden that iflew— is not the same joe biden that ifiew on— is not the same joe biden that i flew on air force to with back— i flew on air force to with back in— i flew on air force to with back in 2015. this is a different person, obviously the world _ different person, obviously the world witnessed that he was not

up world witnessed that he was not up to _ world witnessed that he was not up to the — world witnessed that he was not up to the task in a debate and what — up to the task in a debate and what scares me most about our nationat— what scares me most about our national security here in the united — national security here in the united states is that we have a president— united states is that we have a president that the majority of americans don't feel is in charge _ americans don't feel is in charge right now and that is something that is out of the movies. _ something that is out of the movies, not rely.— movies, not rely. rodney, stephanie. _ movies, not rely. rodney, stephanie, i— movies, not rely. rodney, stephanie, i want - movies, not rely. rodney, stephanie, i want to - movies, not rely. rodney, stephanie, i want to play | movies, not rely. rodney, i stephanie, i want to play you another moment in the interview that stood out ——no real life. many wondering what it might take to convince president biden to step aside. george stephanopoulos asked him about whether some of his colleagues, some of the high—ranking democrats, may be able to do just that. democrats, may be able to do “ust that. . ~ . democrats, may be able to do “ust that. ., ~ ., , , just that. take a listen. this is a nu just that. take a listen. this is a guy who _ just that. take a listen. this is a guy who talks _ just that. take a listen. this is a guy who talks about - is a guy who talks about wanting to get rid of the healthcare provision we put in place, this is the guy who wants to give the power back to big pharma be able to charge exorbitant prices for drugs. this is the guy who wants to undo every single thing i've done. every single thing. every single thing. i done. every single thing. every single thing-— single thing. i understand that and i will understand - single thing. i understand that and i will understand that's . and i will understand that's why— and i will understand that's why you _ and i will understand that's why you want to stay in the ways — why you want to stay in the ways that you've convinced yourself _ ways that you've convinced yourself only you can defeat him? — yourself only you can defeat him? �* . ., .

yourself only you can defeat him? �* . , , yourself only you can defeat him?�* . i, ., him? i've convince myself of two things — him? i've convince myself of two things - _ him? i've convince myself of two things - i'm _ him? i've convince myself of two things - i'm the - him? i've convince myself of two things - i'm the most i two things — i'm the most qualified person to beat him and i know how to get things done. if and i know how to get things done. , ., .., and i know how to get things done. i. .., , and i know how to get things done. , . done. if you can be convinced that you _ done. if you can be convinced that you cannot _ done. if you can be convinced that you cannot defeat - done. if you can be convinced| that you cannot defeat donald trump, — that you cannot defeat donald trump, would you stand down? well, _ trump, would you stand down? well, it— trump, would you stand down? well, it depends on whether the lord almighty comes out and tells me that, i might do that. because want to ask whether somebody likejim clyburn, hakeem jeffries, nancy pelosi, if those people were to come to him and say it's time to step down, whether he would and he said, "no" and stephanie, do you think that we could see this group of high—ranking democrats start to come to the president and have some serious conversations? we have heard some lower ranking democrats already doing that.— already doing that. first, i would say _ already doing that. first, i would say that _ already doing that. first, i would say that every - already doing that. first, i - would say that every candidate says they are going to run and i going to win until the moment that they are ready to announce that they are ready to announce that they are not going to run. so, that's the first thing. the second piece of this is it really depends on whether or

not the pressure builds from the frontline members in the house and senate seats so frontline members other people who are running in districts that are most difficult to hold onto and most difficult to win and i represented one of those seats my entire time in congress and i will tell you as a frontline member, right now they are looking at their polling and they are trying to calculate with headwinds at the top of the ticket should biden continue to run for president, whether or not they will be able to overcome that. and even the most skilled politician cannot overcome double—digit headwinds at the top and polling is starting to slip in that direction so i would imagine that a lot of the concern is starting to bubble up concern is starting to bubble up and i understand that leadership in the house is convening a call to hear some of those concerns.— convening a call to hear some of those concerns. rodney, what do ou of those concerns. rodney, what do you think? — of those concerns. rodney, what do you think? we've _ of those concerns. rodney, what do you think? we've heard - of those concerns. rodney, what do you think? we've heard from | do you think? we've heard from some lower ranking democrats. if somebody like chuck schumer or nancy pelosi or maybe former president barack obama were to

go into the white house and have a conversation with the president — not saying that would happen to do you think that's what it would take or it's just something that the biden family and the president himself have to make up their minds about?— himself have to make up their minds about? you know, i don't think there's _ minds about? you know, i don't think there's anybody _ minds about? you know, i don't think there's anybody to - minds about? you know, i don't think there's anybody to date i think there's anybody to date that would think that joe biden would — that would think that joe biden would make the decision himself anyway — would make the decision himself anyway i— would make the decision himself anyway. i don't like to play hypotheticals but let's say all of those _ hypotheticals but let's say all of those colourful democrats did exactly what you are mentioning that — they all came in en _ mentioning that — they all came in en masse and somehow there was a _ in en masse and somehow there was a democratic liberal seance that got— was a democratic liberal seance that gotjoe biden to have the good — that gotjoe biden to have the good lord, as he said, give him that— good lord, as he said, give him that message and decide to get away _ that message and decide to get away. who's next? vice president harris? some polling has shown she is doing worse than — has shown she is doing worse than president biden. and let's say you — than president biden. and let's say you want to skip over vice president _ say you want to skip over vice president harris. that's impossible in the democratic party— impossible in the democratic party that focuses on issues such— party that focuses on issues such as _ party that focuses on issues such as gender, race and

demographics. now, let's say we -et demographics. now, let's say we get to— demographics. now, let's say we get to an — demographics. now, let's say we get to an open convention. that would _ get to an open convention. that would be — get to an open convention. that would be a _ get to an open convention. that would be a disaster for democrats and republicans like me would be giddy to talk about that during the convention on the bbc— that during the convention on the bbc because you will see the bbc because you will see the far— the bbc because you will see the far left trying to take over— the far left trying to take over that convention to put their— over that convention to put their candidate into that role as the — their candidate into that role as the presidential candidate and then donald trump would be that person. and i've seen it on the — that person. and i've seen it on the other side before. this is exactly— on the other side before. this is exactly how barack obama in 2004 _ is exactly how barack obama in 2004 won— is exactly how barack obama in 2004 won in a landslide as a candidate for us senate in my home — candidate for us senate in my home state of illinois. stephanie, briefly, we saw this big sitdown interview, the president would be very active and we saw him in wisconsin today and he has an event in pennsylvania scheduled for sunday and will be at the nato summit here in washington next week. this strategy, it seems, is that the president out there a bit more. do you think that will work?— will work? i'm not sure it would be _ will work? i'm not sure it would be enough - will work? i'm not sure it would be enough to i will work? i'm not sure it i would be enough to convince will work? i'm not sure it - would be enough to convince the three quarters of americans who

believe that he isn't up to running. it would be enough to convince him. but i disagree with rodney. i think if there is an open convention in the democratic party and they have a democratic process to nominate an alternative, it would be answering to what the american people want. two—thirds of the american people never wanted to see this match—up between trump and biden in the first place and i think the party that can actually be responsive to the american people has a really good chance of energising voters and prevailing in the fall. ~ �* voters and prevailing in the fall. �* ~ ., ., voters and prevailing in the fall. ~ �* ~ ., ., ., voters and prevailing in the fall. �* ~ ., ., ., ., fall. we've known that for a lona fall. we've known that for a long time — fall. we've known that for a long time but _ fall. we've known that for a long time but neither i fall. we've known that for a i long time but neither candidate is very popular with voters overall. stephanie murphy, rodney davis, thank you to you both. in the uk, the labour party's resounding election victory has ended 14 years of conservative government. new prime minister sir keir starmer is promising

to rebuild britain "brick by brick" and provide security for millions of working class families. after a ceremonial meeting with king charles, sir keir began the process of forming a government, appointing his new cabinet ministers. in his first official remarks, the new pm laid out his ambitions. my government will fight every day, until you believe again. from now on, you have a government unburdened by doctrine, guided only by the determination to serve your interests. to defy, quietly, those who have written our country off. you have given us a clear mandate and we will use it to deliver change, to restore service and respect to politics, end the era of noisy performance, tread more lightly on your lives, and unite our country. let's break down the results. the labour party secured 412 parliamentary seats in thursday's general election — a gain of 211 seats on 2019, dealing a catastrophic blow to the conservative party, which won only 121.

that's a loss of 251 seats. the liberal democrats and reform uk also made significant gains in parliament. former prime minister rishi sunak left downing street earlier, closing the door on 14 years of conservative rule. fungal zalmay overnight between the american and new british leaders —— phone calls. this is

what the russian foreign minister told our steve rosenberg.— minister told our steve rosenbera. ~ �* , rosenberg. unlike the british government. _ rosenberg. unlike the british government, we _ rosenberg. unlike the british government, we don't - rosenberg. unlike the british government, we don't have l rosenberg. unlike the british i government, we don't have metal in domestic matters. do government, we don't have metal in domestic matters.— in domestic matters. do you think anything _ in domestic matters. do you think anything will— in domestic matters. do you think anything will change i in domestic matters. do you think anything will change in the uk? �* , think anything will change in the uk?_ it's - think anything will change in the uk?_ it's you. i think anything will change in | the uk?_ it's you. do the uk? it's me. it's you. do ou the uk? it's me. it's you. do you think _ the uk? it's me. it's you. do you think anything _ the uk? it's me. it's you. do you think anything will i the uk? it's me. it's you. do. you think anything will change in uk russian relations? diplomacy is not an out of guessing. diplomacy is not an out of guessing-— diplomacy is not an out of uuuessin. ~ ., , ., guessing. what is it? -- art. you know— guessing. what is it? -- art. you know the _ guessing. what is it? -- art. you know the saying - guessing. what is it? -- art. you know the saying about l guessing. what is it? -- art. l you know the saying about the pudding? you understand that this is a putting when you eat it? ., ., ,_ a, ., it? for more, gary o'donoghue in london- _ well, within hours of sir keir starmer entering downing street as the new british prime minister, heading up his centre—left government here in london, that all—important call took place between the white house and the new administration here in britain, reaffirming the importance of the special relationship, promising to deepen it, and talking about the importance of ukraine and britain continuing

to back ukraine and its war against russia, particularly with money and weapons, which has been happening for the last 2.5 years. there are some key connections, if you like, between the new labour government here and washington already. the chancellor, the finance minister here, rachel reeves, the first woman to hold that post in a uk government, she has been over to washington on a number of occasions, has built links with janet yellen, the treasury secretary, and has taken some of labour's policy, economic policy and the inspiration from bidenomics. talking about building out from the middle and rather than sort of rejecting the idea of trickle—down economics from the top. also the new foreign secretary, the new foreign minister here in the uk, david lammy, he's the descendant of enslaved people. he spent a lot of time in the united states, describes himself as an atlanticist. he's been very rude

about donald trump in the past. he's had to walk back some of that. he referred to him as an anti—woman, nazi—sympathising sociopath. but his team have also realised that in four months' time, there may be a different administration in washington and that they have to be prepared for that. because if there is one thing that is true about british governments, really for the last century or so, is that their national interest — whatever their political persuasion but they know their national interest, the british national interest — lies in a close working relationship with washington, the so—called �*special relationship,�* and that cannot really depend on who is in the white house. so, with an extraordinary position here where we've got a british general election in the same year as a presidential election — hasn't happened for for more than half a century — more than a quarter of a century, rather — they're going to have to prepare, if you like, for two

very different eventualities. efforts to secure a ceasefire deal and a hostage release in gaza are gaining momentum after weeks of stalled negotiations. the head of israel's spy agency mossad returned from qatar's capital doha on friday after an initial meeting with mediators. israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu's office says indirect negotiations with hamas will resume next week. our middle east correspondent sebastian usher has the latest from jerusalem. we've heard little from what came out of those talks for now, but we have heard from the israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu's office, saying that an israeli delegation would be sent again for discussions in the coming week. we also heard from the prime minister's office that gaps still remain and, before the israeli delegation left, israeli officials were saying that there should be low expectations. i think those expectations had risen when a response from hamas had been given to israel to look at, and there were reports from various sources that that response might contain

a significant breakthrough. now, a significant breakthrough would essentially be an agreement by hamas to drop its key demand that there must be a permanent ceasefire at the start of any process, which is not in the biden deal that was set out, which would allow the process to begin and then moves towards a permanent ceasefire would happen after that. if that is the case, then that would be a major shift and it would put the ball very much in israel's court. the palestinian health ministry says israeli forces killed seven people on friday after it raided a refugee camp in the occupied west bank. the israeli military says the raid was carried out to find militants involved in an attack last week in which an israeli captain was killed. hamas says five of its members were among the dead. in gaza, civilians are facing terrible conditions after nearly nine months of war. the united nations reports that about 1.9 million — or nine out of every ten people — have been internally displaced in gaza at least once since october. the staggering numbers come after the most recent

israeli evacuation order. on monday, the military ordered an estimated 250,000 palestinians to evacuate from the southern gaza city of khan younis. my colleague caitriona perry has been speaking about the humanitarian crisis with sam rose, the director of planning at unrwa, the un agency that supports palestinian refugees. we have very little. there is very little that we have been able to bring in through the kerem shalom rafah crossing since the beginning of may, so the displacements that happened from khan younis, we were able to distribute some flour, we had some of those supplies in stock, but otherwise a very, very difficult. we have hundreds and hundreds of containers stuck in egypt and trapped at the border in kerem shalom and as long the access constraints persist at that border, it will be very difficult

for us to get food in. now, there are some commercial supplies on the market. there are some fresh fruit, fresh vegetable but very difficult for people — regular people — to afford that. prices have risen considerably since the start of the conflict and people are not working, so they have no means to secure them. so while commercial supplies — some are coming in, which is a good thing, they do not help us to meet the needs of the vulnerable. and it is a similar situation up in the north. we have been able to get food in to northern gaza, some supplies are now coming in, so with the displacement from eastern gaza city just a few days ago, we were able to provide food, we were able to provide some water. this is unrwa in cooperation with other humanitarian partners up there. but supplies are running extremely low. it's a battle, it's a struggle everyday to bring things in, to bring the supplies in, but also to bring the fuel in to get those supplies around

and to navigate a safe passage across checkpoints and through what is increasingly squeezed space in gaza. new evacuation orders issued in khan younis just a few days ago cover a quarter of the entire land area of the gaza strip, so the safe space in which we're operating as a humanitarian community is becoming increasingly squeezed into the central area of the gaza strip. hungary's prime minister victor orban met with —— hungary's prime minister viktor orban met with russian president vladimir putin in moscow. the visit was heavily criticised by other european leaders. mr orban is the eu's only head of government to maintain warm ties with russia since its full—scale invasion of ukraine in 2022. friday's meeting was part of what mr orban has called a "peace mission," coming just three days after a visit to kyiv where he met with ukrainian president volodymyr zelensky. hungary recently took over the presidency of the council of the european union, but eu leaders stress that

mr orban is not acting on behalf of the bloc. earlier, my colleague caitriona perry spoke to angela stent, the director of the center for eurasian, russian and east european studies at georgetown university. from your perspective, what do you think viktor orban is doing in russia? so, i think he wanted to show that hungary has taken over the presidency of the european council for six months. he has his own ideas. he's always been disruptive in the european union, in nato, so he wanted to show — to make his mark. i don't think he really believes that he is going to be able to make peace between ukraine and russia. after his talks with putin, he said ukraine and russia were very far apart in the way they see things and in the possibility of ending the war. i mean, he didn't need to go to moscow or kyiv to understand that, but it is showing that he is a force to be reckoned with. european leaders have been at pains to point out that

although hungary is holding the presidency of the eu at the moment, viktor orban is not speaking for them in these meetings in moscow. but how problematic is it for the eu to have him there doing this? well, i think it is problematic just because it is disruptive. and there are some other eu members like slovakia, i would say to some extent even austria, who want a more forward—looking policy toward vladimir putin, who may be not as excited about voting as much money as the eu has voted to support ukraine, so itjust makes things more difficult, it causes more dissension within the eu. poland has also sharply criticised what orban has just done — unlike the previous government that had a rather good relationship with hungary. so, it's is not going to change eu policy, but itjust is much more disruptive for them. so, what will president putin take from the whole thing?

0h,| think he'll take from it that he's doing quite well at dividing the alliance from these issues. here you have a eu and nato ally that's willing to meet with putin — who, as we all know, has been indicted as a war criminal — and to talk about peace with ukraine and have a press conference where putin accused ukraine of not being interested in peace, laid out briefly his own peace plan — which, of course, involves ukraine accepting all the loss of territory, which the russians have demanded they do — and, so he can come away from this satisfied that he doesn't have a united west against him. and angela, viktor orban has said he is on a peace mission — although he has said ukraine and russia are very far apart — but do you think he thinks he can make peace there? oh, i doubt that he does. i'm sure that he understands he can't make peace there, given the wide gulf between the countries. but he wants to show he's

a legitimate eu leader, he wants to get some brownie points for it, you might say, from some countries. i doubt that he believes that he can really make peace between russia and ukraine, just as i doubt all the other countries, like china, who presented their own peace plans, understand that they can't either. let's turn to some other important news around the world. vote counting is under way in the iran's run—off presidential election. the vote comes after no candidate in last week's general election was able to secure 50% of the vote. the race is now down to ultraconservative saeed jalili and the reformist dr masoud pezeshkian. the final result is expected on saturday. thousands of people have returned to their homes in northern california in the us after wildfires swept through the area, burning more than 800 acres of land and destroying 74 structures. officials warn that residents should brace themselves for the fire season as excessive heat and dry weather feeds the wildfires.

well, storm beryl — you can see the path here — is passing over mexico after bringing strong winds to southern jamaica. it's now weakened to a tropical storm, with sustained winds of 70 mph or 112km/h. officials say that being over land will continue to weaken beryl but it's expected to regain strength once it clears mexico. it could again become a hurricane as it heads towards the us and southern texas. i'm carl nasman. more of the top of the hour. stay with us on bbc news. hello there! friday was another pretty unsubtle day, but at least many areas saw at least some sunshine for a time and through the afternoon,

it didn't look too bad here in flamborough in east yorkshire — some hazy sunshine, a bit of high cloud and the seas looking quite calm. won't look like that, mind you, for saturday because further southwards, we ended friday with this band of rain moving in and this area of rain is actually going to develop into a whole new area of low pressure. so, that's notjust going to be bringing some wet weather our way but also, it'll be quite windy at times as we go through saturday — particularly for england and wales, where we've got the tightly packed isobars with us. so, next few hours — quite a heavy rain across england and wales. there'll be some heavy showers for northern ireland and another zone of quite persistent rain setting up across northern areas of scotland. our temperatures to start off saturday morning generally around about double figures — about 10—13 for most — but as we start off saturday, there will be these areas of heavy rain associated with this developing low pressure system. gusty winds running into the 30s of miles an hour, knocking the edge off the temperatures. and even as the rain clears through, showers will follow. sunshine and showers

for northern ireland, some persistent rain for northeast scotland that could cause one or two issues here. and look at that — just 12 degrees in aberdeen. certainly a lot colder than it was on friday. now, the second half of the weekend on the whole looks like being the better of the two days of the weekend but it's all relative, really. we start the day on a dry and sunny note but showers become pretty widespread through the afternoon, some of those turning heavy and thundery as well. temperatures for many areas still generally mid to high teens. could be a few areas that sneak a 20 but i suppose where thejuly sunshine comes out, it won't feel too bad. next week, if you're hoping for signs of change, you can forget that. we've got low pressures coming our way from the southwest. now, monday is another showery kind of day, so most areas will start the day dry with sunshine. the cloud then develops late morning into the early afternoon and then, we start to see some showers and thunderstorms break out in places. could be a few areas that miss those — maybe east anglia, south east england seeing largely dry weather. and a little bit warmer here as well — temperatures could get into the low

20s for a time. but overall next week, it is looking pretty unsettled with rain or showers around and temperatures still a little below average for the time of year. bye for now.

voice—over: this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines for you at the top of the hour, which is straight after this programme. in discovering the world's culture, we travel the globe, exploring the art and people that make a place vibrate. we show you places through the eyes of the artists who live and work there. i'm nikki bedi, and my passion in life is understanding people and places through their arts and culture. as an arts presenter, i've had the privilege of bringing artists' stories and their work to global audiences. i'm in mardin, in southeast turkey, where art is part of the very essence of life — and it's fast becoming a cultural player on the international arts scene. on myjourney, i'm exploring the special meaning behind this cultural symbol... oh, wow, it's a shahmaran! ..bringing light to a unique photography project... here, this is my pose. ..and experiencing the mardin biennial.