WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted late Tuesday to censure Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan — the only Palestinian American in Congress — an extraordinary rebuke of her rhetoric about the Israel-Hamas war.

The 234-188 tally came after enough Democrats joined with Republicans to censure Tlaib, a punishment one step below expulsion from the House. The three-term congresswoman has long been a target of criticism for her views on the decades-long conflict in the Middle East.

The debate on the censure resolution on Tuesday afternoon was emotional and intense. Republican Rep. Rich McCormick of Georgia pushed the measure in response to what he called Tlaib’s promotion of antisemitic rhetoric. He said she has “levied unbelievable falsehoods about our greatest ally, Israel, and the attack on October 7.”

With other Democrats standing by her side, Tlaib defended her stance, saying she “will not be silenced and I will not let you distort my words.” She added that her criticism of Israel has always been directed toward its government and its leadership under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Consul of Ghana to Italy, Massimiliano Colasuonno Taricone, has responded to critics regarding the registration fees for the Juventus Academy in Ghana.

The newly established academy, spearheaded by former Black Stars midfielder-defender Kwadwo Asamoah, has sparked controversy online due to the substantial fees and their denominations.

Public attention gravitated toward the payment structure for enrolling in the academy, which gained traction on social media. Fees range from a minimum of $1500 for the 6 to 8 age category, escalating to $3000 for the 15 to 19 age category.

This pricing has provoked widespread criticism from various sectors in Ghana, contending that the fees are exorbitant and exclude a significant portion of the Ghanaian population, particularly talented players hailing from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

In response to the backlash, Taricone posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account, stating, “Ghana is a country where criticism arises whether one acts or refrains from action.”

He further added, “We will introduce a segment exclusively for the talented and underprivileged, which will be entirely free, covering accommodations and other expenses. Details will be disclosed soon. However, it was pertinent to establish an elite section as well.”

The academy’s objective is to disseminate Juventus FC’s methodologies and principles while offering opportunities for young players aged between six to 21 years to develop and excel, both on and off the field.

Loud wails fill a riverside village in western Nepal that was struck by a powerful earthquake last Friday.

Grieving survivors have gathered around funeral pyres to send off 13 people who died in the 6.4-magnitude quake.

As they grieve their loved ones, survivors in the remote Jajarkot district worry about their future.

They have been sleeping outdoors in the cold since the earthquake flattened their homes and are in dire need of aid.

Jajarkot, in Karnali province, was one of the worst-hit areas in Friday’s earthquake, which left 157 people dead and more than 300 others wounded.

Some of the mourners by the Thuli Bheri river banks cried to the point of fainting and were taken to hospital by ambulance.

• ‘They couldn’t save my daughter’: 150 dead in Nepal quake

Among those cremated was Hire Kami, who had taken a break from his work in India to attend the Tihar light festival in Jajarkot.

His relative Hattiram Mahar said he tried to rescue him from the rubble. He pointed the BBC to the spot where Hire Kami was found gasping for life and asked people not to step on it.

People dug for survivors using bowls, plates and household items, Hattiram Mahar said.

Hire Kami’s friend, Hari Bahadur Chunara, also came to pay his respects.

He recalled how the earthquake struck in the middle of the night. “Cries gripped the entire village… None of us could think properly.”

The funeral pyres were extinguished as the sun set. Eventually the survivors walked uphill towards the ruins of their village.

“There is no place to take shelter, perhaps relief materials will arrive,” said Hari Bahadur Chunara.

Hattiram Mahar said he was worried for children spending another night in the cold, without a roof above their heads.

Further down the Thuli Beri river, in Aathbiskot, earthquake survivor Ganesh Malla was receiving treatment for his wounds.

He remembers being airlifted by helicopter to a hospital, where he is one of 30 survivors.

“My two daughters died,” he said. “My wife and son are also injured, I don’t even know where they are being treated.”

Padam Giri, an orthopedic surgeon at the hospital, recalled the rush of patients in the aftermath of the quake.

“Some didn’t even have clothes, so we provided that to them,” he said.

Another Aathbiskot resident, Kul Bahadur Malla, appealed for help. “We victims lost our homes. At least for now, I request the government to make arrangements for sleeping and eating.”

The epicentre of the quake was in Barekot, where the damage was not as severe as in Jajarkot.

Still, it caused mud and stone houses to collapse, Barekot resident Ganesh GC said.

However, the concrete houses of those who are more well-off were not damaged as extensively.

“Floods and landslides harass the poor,” said Ganesh JC, a teacher.

“The earthquake too has attacked the poor,” he added.

BBC Nepali, Jajarkot