Video: Defense minister’s dismissal prompts protests in Tel Aviv #press
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Democracy Dies in Darkness ( feed imported by https://press.coop )
China, already grappling with a weak economy, braces for Trump’s return
Ties between Beijing and Washington worsened sharply during Donald Trump’s first term. But some in China see a potential bridge builder in his second: Elon Musk. #press
Trump win spurs interest in 4B, fringe South Korean movement to swear off men
In light of Donald Trump’s victory, some American women say they are turning to a movement that advocates no sex, dating or marriage with men and no children. #press
Trump win complicates Biden’s lame-duck foreign policy
From Ukraine to Gaza, Trump’s unilateral and unpredictable tendencies could embolden both allies and enemies. #press
U.S. vote was peaceful, but Trump’s fraud claims hurt trust, international observers say
International monitors saw “a well-run process” in Tuesday’s U.S. election, but warned of “intolerant language against women and immigrants by one candidate.” #press
The U.S. has never been led by a woman. See how many countries have been.
The U.S. has still not been led by a woman — a state increasingly rare in the world. Enter your birthday to find out the number of women who have served as president or prime minister around the world. #press
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interactive/2024/women-global-leaders/?utm_source=press.coop
What Trump’s win means for the world’s most pressing problems
Republican Donald Trump will face immediate challenges as the Israel-Gaza and Russia-Ukraine wars rage. What his election means for NATO, aid, trade and more. #press
What this U.S. election showed the world about America
Harris and her allies cast Trump as unprecedented, fascistic threat. Trump, meanwhile, stewed in the same angry ultranationalism that powered his earlier presidential bids. #press
Netanyahu ally accused of leaking documents to derail hostage deal
A former aide to the Israeli prime minister allegedly leaked top-secret military documents to foreign outlets to discredit a possible hostage agreement with Hamas. #press
The world is trying to make sense of the U.S. electoral college
The United States has a distinctive system by which presidents are elected indirectly. Every four years, the world tries to figure it out. #press
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/11/04/electoral-college-explained/?utm_source=press.coop
Protesters hurl mud at Spain’s king, queen and prime minister after floods
King Felipe, Queen Letizia and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez were met with anger in Paiporta, a town badly hit by the devastating floods in Valencia. #press
As U.S. election nears, ‘fascism’ is in the spotlight again
Though former members of his administration have called Trump a fascist, his political prospects have not dimmed. What does that tell us about the term’s power and usefulness? #press
As regional violence rages, Saudi Arabia pitches itself as investment hub
The summit in Riyadh, known as the Future Investment Initiative, allowed the kingdom to showcase its ambitious plans to reshape its economy. #press
Arab states resist U.S. pressure to denounce Houthis
Attacks in the Red Sea by Yemen’s Houthis are hurting economies across the Middle East, but Arab leaders are loath to be seen siding with the U.S. and Israel. #press
The new season of ‘The Bachelor’ in Ukraine shows the scars of war
The man has an easy smile, the women are gorgeously dressed, and generators fend off the blackouts with air raid shelters nearby. #press
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/11/03/ukraine-bachelor-show-dating/?utm_source=press.coop
Israelis and Palestinians find little hope in divisive U.S. election
In a region upended by a year of violence and tumult, many are looking ahead to the vote between Trump and Harris on Tuesday with a sense of resignation. #press
Russia feigns indifference over U.S. election but roots quietly for Trump
Trump’s international agenda is more to the Kremlin’s tastes but even his plans for ending the war in Ukraine might not be acceptable to Putin. #press
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/11/03/us-elections-russia-putin/?utm_source=press.coop
Live briefing: At least 50 children killed in Gaza’s Jabalya in 2 days, UNICEF says
A separate attack on a polio vaccination center in northern Gaza during a “humanitarian pause” on Saturday injured six people, WHO said. #press
Iran’s Khamenei warns of ‘crushing’ response to Israeli strikes
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei did not explicitly say an attack would originate from Iran, adding to speculation Tehran plans to retaliate from neighboring Iraq. #press
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/11/02/israel-iran-khamanei-strike/?utm_source=press.coop
Canada’s largest drug ‘superlab’ in history has been taken down, police say
Canadian police said they seized enough drug and chemical precursors to produce 95.5 million potentially lethal doses of fentanyl at the lab in British Columbia. #press
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/11/02/canada-drug-lab-fentanyl/?utm_source=press.coop
How Europe is preparing for a possible second Trump presidency
European officials are strategizing how to avoid a trade war, how to “Trump proof” security arrangements and how to deal with Donald Trump diplomatically. #press
Spain’s floods have killed more than 200. Why have they been so deadly?
Climate change helps explains why the storms and floods were so extreme. But questions have emerged about whether communication failures contributed to the toll. #press
Export controls failed to keep cutting-edge AI chips from China’s Huawei
A Chinese cryto billionaire is in the spotlight as export control evasion creates a furor. #press
Google fined $20 decillion — more than world’s total wealth — by Russian court
The $20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 fine is a response to a lawsuit by Russian channels blocked on YouTube and is largely symbolic. #press
As smuggling rings made billions from migrants, the U.S. was sidelined
Migrant-smuggling has become a top income stream for criminal groups in Latin America but for years the U.S. government did little to dismantle these networks. #press
Live Briefing: U.S. pushes to rekindle peace talks; hospital hit in northern Gaza
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken argued that Israel had accomplished its main objectives in Gaza and thus the “focus now must be on ending the war.” #press
The world beyond the election: The China problem
No matter who wins the election, competition between the U.S. and China will continue. Still, there are major differences between Harris and Trump’s likely approaches. #press
China built a $50 billion military stronghold in the South China Sea
See how China has spent tens of billions of dollars turning farm fields and seaports into military complexes in the South China Sea. #press
Russian drones hunt civilians in streets of southern Ukrainian city
With Russian forces just over the river, Kherson has turned into a hunting ground for drones that appear to be focusing mainly on civilians. #press
Typhoon Kong-rey makes landfall in Taiwan with high winds, heavy rain
The storm, said to be the largest typhoon to hit Taiwan in 30 years, had caused damage even before making landfall in the country’s southeast. #press
Live Briefing: Israel strikes Lebanon’s Baalbek after issuing first citywide evacuation
Nineteen people were killed in the strikes, Lebanese authorities said. Two senior White House officials are traveling to Israel to discuss a diplomatic resolution. #press
Israel orders Baalbek evacuation as Hezbollah chief vows to fight
It was the first citywide evacuation notice Israel has issued in its five week war, forcing thousands to flee the ancient city and UNESCO world heritage site. #press
European countries, trailing U.S. economy, hike taxes and trim spending
The largest economies — Britain, France and Germany — are confronting sluggish growth and soaring debt as they struggle to produce their budgets for next year. #press
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/10/30/uk-france-budget-taxes/?utm_source=press.coop
What to know about UNRWA, the U.N. organization banned by Israel
A pair of laws passed by the Israeli Knesset this week, however, could imperil the ability of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees to work in Gaza. #press
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/10/30/what-to-know-unrwa-gaza/?utm_source=press.coop
Centuries-old ‘witches marks’ found carved into walls of English manor house
A volunteer tour guide found an inscription cursing a previous owner of Gainsborough Old Hall, an old manor house in England with a history of ghosts. #press
The lonely road of MAGA’s man in Mexico
Eduardo Verástegui is beloved in Trumpworld. Less so at home. #press
Live Briefing: U.S. presses Israel for answers on Gaza strike that killed dozens
The Biden administration has asked Israel to explain what it called a “horrifying” attack that resulted in heavy civilian losses, the State Department said. #press
More than 90 killed in north Gaza strike as Israel bans U.N. relief agency
The deadly attack came a day after Israel voted to ban operations by the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, or UNRWA, Gaza’s leading humanitarian provider. #press
North Korea’s elite troops are in Russia to fight Ukraine: What we know
The North Korean Special Forces sent to Russia are the state’s best trained troops but they will face challenges with modern warfare technology, experts say. #press
Bloody attack in Mali’s capital shows al-Qaeda’s shifting strategy
As Islamist militants spread south, group leaders have made clear their fight is with Mali’s government — and the Wagner mercenaries protecting it. #press
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/10/29/mali-bamako-jnim-attack-qaeda/?utm_source=press.coop
Live Briefing: Israel passes laws restricting U.N. aid agency for Palestinians
Israel’s parliament passed laws that could seriously affect aid work by the United Nations agency in Gaza, prompting warnings of a worsening humanitarian crisis. #press
Families separated by Israel’s war in Gaza fear they will never reunite
In the early days of the conflict, parents, husbands and wives made snap decisions about where to run. Now, some worry their separation could be permanent. #press
Live Briefing: IDF withdraws from northern Gaza’s last operational hospital
Israeli troops have withdrawn from Kamal Adwan Hospital after a days-long raid, the IDF said. Gaza cease-fire talks are ongoing in Doha, said a person briefed on the talks. #press
In a warming world, English sparkling wine challenges French champagne
Climate change has been hard for vineyards, but also made it possible to grow the grapes that make sparkling wine in southern England. #press
How Soviet farm planning gave Ukrainian troops vital battlefield real estate
On the Ukrainian steppe, where it is nearly impossible to hide from drone surveillance, windbreaks are fought over by Russian and Ukrainian troops. #press
Russian economy overheating, but still powering the war against Ukraine
Putin’s massive spending on the war is overheating the economy, but he has the resources to keep doing it. #press
Vatican meeting ends and hope fades for more change under Francis
The pope’s “Synod on Synodality” ended Saturday without progress on female deacons, married priests or LGBTQ+ outreach. #press
Israel limited its Iran attack, hoping to ease tensions for now
Tehran was quick to downplay the damage inflicted by the Israeli strikes, although officials said at least two soldiers were killed. #press
Australia, the land of iron ore exports, faces a green reckoning
Iron ore miners in South Australia are moving to produce more environmentally friendly steel in the hope they can keep being a top supplier to mineral-hungry China. #press
Iran and Israel’s shadow war has lasted years: Key moments before the attack
Israel retaliated after Iran launched a barrage of nearly 200 ballistic missiles at Israel. Here are some key events that led to the latest conflagration. #press
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/04/16/iran-israel-attack-shadow-war/?utm_source=press.coop
Do you know where Trump and Harris stand on foreign policy? Take our quiz.
Find out how Trump and Harris plan to address international issues such as immigration, the Middle East and Ukraine. #press
Israeli strike in south Lebanon kills three journalists, government says
The deaths came amid continued heavy fighting in southern Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, with Israel announcing Friday that five soldiers were killed in combat. #press
Live Briefing: Gaza cease-fire talks set to resume; Iran braces for Israeli retaliation
The upcoming talks in Qatar represent the latest effort by the United States to forge a cease-fire after the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. #press
Al Jazeera rejects Israeli claim that its journalists have militant links
The Israeli military published documents that it said showed cooperation between Al Jazeera and Hamas. The network denied the allegations, saying Israel wanted to “silence” its journalists. #press
People in northern Gaza running out of means to survive, U.N. says
Israel’s military assault has pushed the area to the edge of humanitarian collapse, aid officials say, after a near-total blockade on aid deliveries to the north. #press
Putin relishes role on stage, but Ukraine war looms over BRICS summit
The summit’s final document said little about the Ukraine war, but several participants were still searching for a way to end it diplomatically. #press
U.K’s Labour denies election interference allegations from Trump campaign
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer dismissed the allegations that Labour was financially supporting its members who volunteered for the Harris campaign. #press
The internet fell for a dog filmed atop an Egyptian pyramid. Meet Apollo.
A leader of a rescue group immediately recognized Apollo, one of millions of stray dogs in Egypt, barking at birds atop the Pyramid of Khafre. #press
Live Briefing: Northern Gaza conditions ‘beyond catastrophic,’ U.N. official says
The head of the United Nations’ Gaza humanitarian affairs office described a desperate situation brought on by Israel’s ramped-up military operations in the area. #press
Vatican debate over women as deacons hits a big obstacle: Pope Francis
In the final days of the most significant Catholic gathering since the 1960s, the prospect of women being ordained appears off the table for during Francis’s papacy. #press
Israel expands deadly strikes in Beirut after U.S. envoy visits Lebanon
The strikes hit new neighborhoods in the capital, signaling the widening scope of Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah, even as U.S. officials hailed diplomatic efforts. #press
Twitch apologizes after some users in Israel, Gaza barred from making accounts
A Twitch spokesperson said the platform disabled some sign-ups in Israel and the Palestinian territories after Oct. 7, 2023, in a bid to stop the spread of violent imagery. #press
950-year-old coins unearthed by treasure hunters are U.K.’s highest-value find
The coins, which date from 1066 to 1068, were found in the Chew Valley in England. They were purchased by the South West Heritage Trust for £4.3 million ($5.6 million). #press
Woman drops phone, gets stuck upside-down in rock crevice looking for it
A woman in Australia’s Hunter Valley region was stuck hanging by her feet in a rock crevice, New South Wales Ambulance said. It took seven hours to free her. #press
Zelensky sees NATO momentum on Ukraine joining, but not yet from U.S.
Ukraine sees joining NATO as a vital security guarantee to protect it from Russian President Vladimir Putin’s plans to take over the country. #press
Live Briefing: Israeli strike near Beirut hospital kills 4; Blinken heads to Middle East
At least 24 were injured in the strike near Rafik Hariri University Hospital, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said. Israel’s military said it had hit a Hezbollah target. #press
10/22/2024, 1 engagement
New Zealand airport caps goodbye hugs to 3 minutes to avoid traffic jams
“I’m not a big hugger. Twenty seconds tops for me,” joked the airport chief as he demonstrated a hug for his staff. Longer embraces can be had away from the drop-off zone. #press
10/22/2024, 1 engagement
Video shows Israeli strike on crowd helping wounded boy
Seconds after people rushed to help a 13-year-old boy grievously wounded from a strike in northern Gaza, another strike hit a few feet away. #press
Amid uncertainty over U.S. backing, Pentagon chief visits Ukraine
The trip comes just two weeks before an election that could determine whether the United States continues its campaign of massive military support. #press
Fethullah Gulen, Muslim cleric and target of Turkey’s Erdogan, dies at 83
Turkish authorities accused him of being the mastermind behind a 2016 coup attempt to topple the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. #press
Australian senator heckles Charles: ‘You are not my king’
Indigenous lawmaker Lidia Thorpe was removed from an event at Australia’s parliament after accusing the British royal family of “genocide” and stealing land. #press
To Putin, BRICS is key to his fight against the U.S. Not all members agree.
With Putin confident of a Russian victory in Ukraine, this week’s BRICS summit is designed to send a message that Russia is back as a powerful global player. #press
Live Briefing: Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon target Hezbollah financial operations
Smoke billowed above suburbs of the capital Beirut after Israel urged people to move away from branches of Al-Qard Al-Hasan, a Hezbollah-run financial institution. #press
Israeli strike kills at least 73 people in northern Gaza, medics say
Israel’s military intensified operations there just days after Biden suggested the death of Hamas’s leader could usher in an end to the ruinous war. #press
Live Briefing: North Gaza hospitals targeted, health ministry says, after dozens killed in Jabalya
The incidents come after Israel’s killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar this week raised hopes that peace could be on the horizon in the battered Gaza Strip. #press
Lebanese Christians, caught in crossfire, refuse to leave war zone
As Israel and Hezbollah fight all around them, defiant villagers stay put in hopes their presence will deter attacks on their homes. #press
Israelis and Palestinians brace for what follows Sinwar’s killing in Gaza
There is a diplomatic push to restart talks for cease-fire and hostage release talks in Gaza — but Israeli hard-liners want to shatter Hamas and Hezbollah and deliver a blow to Iran. #press
International telecom deal a sign of hope for Ukraine’s battered economy
The EBRD and IFC are providing a long-term loan of $400 million to investors for a telecom merger in the first major foreign investment since the Russian invasion. #press
Former Olympic snowboarder accused of operating deadly drug enterprise
Authorities allege Ryan Wedding, who is believed to live in Mexico, and his organization moved about 60 tons of cocaine a year and orchestrated multiple murders. #press
Live Briefing: U.S. renews push for peace after Israel announces Sinwar’s death
President Joe Biden said now was the time to push for peace, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Hamas leader’s killing marked “the beginning of the end.” #press
Trump’s love for tariffs is the bluntest expression of a wider trend
The former president’s vows to expand such measures would probably spark retaliatory tariffs. #press
U.S. hopes Sinwar’s death can spur cease-fire, but regional officials skeptical
The Biden administration has long hoped that the killing of Hamas’s military chief in Gaza could be the victory Benjamin Netanyahu needs to finally end the war. #press
U.S. warns Israel it may withhold arms unless Gaza aid starts flowing
The Biden administration set a 30-day deadline for Israel to improve Palestinians’ access to food, medicine and other necessities. #press
Conkers championship caught up in chestnut-of-steel cheating commotion
“We think he’s innocent, but we’re just checking,” said a spokesman for the World Conker Championships, of allegations that the male champion swapped a chestnut for a steel nut. #press
U.S. warns Israel arms transfers could halt unless humanitarian situation in Gaza improves
Since the spring, the amount of aid delivered to Gaza “has dropped by more than 50 percent,” the United States says. #press
As U.S. election nears, gloom settles over Ukraine
Zelensky’s victory plan will likely be a far cry from the outright “victory” many hoped for, as cynicism and fatigue set in among Ukraine’s western allies. #press
At least 94 killed, 50 injured in fuel tanker explosion in Nigeria
The driver of the tanker lost control of the vehicle, which tipped over in Nigeria’s Jigawa state. As locals rushed to retrieve the fuel, the tank exploded. #press
Immersive replica of Anne Frank’s secret annex goes to New York exhibit
A walk-through replica of the rooms where the Jewish teen Anne Frank and others hid from Nazi occupiers will help a new audience learn about antisemitism. #press
Italy passes anti-surrogacy law that effectively bars gay couples from becoming parents
The West’s most restrictive law against international surrogacy threatens would-be parents who use birth mothers abroad with jail time and severe fines. #press
Israeli siege plan for Gaza under scrutiny as U.S. demands urgent change
The so-called “General’s Plan” is being pushed by some members of Netanyahu’s far-right government, despite pushback from the Israeli military and the White House. #press
Israel strikes southern Beirut; U.S. demands restraint in Lebanon, aid for Gaza
Israeli forces targeted Beirut’s southern suburbs with airstrikes, ending several days of relative calm in the Lebanese capital. #press
Italy sends first migrants to Albania, an offshoring model for Europe
Italy’s far-right government is rolling out what it says could be a model for solving one of the West’s most politically charged problems: illegal migration. #press
Zelensky reveals ‘victory plan,’ calls for urgent NATO membership
The plan includes permission for strikes inside Russia and assistance with air defenses, but Western reaction to it has been muted so far. #press
A voyage into the world’s most contested waterway
A small flotilla, a big mission and a daunting obstacle. Today, we voyage into the most contested waterway in the world: the South China Sea. #press
Former Mexican official sentenced to 38 years in U.S. prison for taking bribes
Genaro García Luna was charged in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn in 2019 with acting as an enabler for the Sinaloa drug cartel. #press
Israel complicates election’s final stretch, an issue Democrats hoped would fade
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s escalating assaults in Gaza and Lebanon have become a growing liability for Kamala Harris as Election Day nears. #press
U.S. strikes Houthi weapons sites in Yemen, deploying B-2 bombers
It was the first time the U.S. used these stealth bombers against the Houthis, who have targeted commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. #press
Israeli attacks on aid convoys in Gaza persist, U.N. says
The Biden administration warned Israel this week that Washington could suspend military assistance if humanitarian aid flows in Gaza are not increased within a month. #press
China’s coast guard joins military drills, raising risk of escalation
The world’s largest maritime law enforcement agency played an unprecedented role in Chinese military drills around Taiwan, simulating a blockade of the island. #press
Zelensky brings Victory Plan to Brussels, but NATO invite seems out of reach
The Ukrainian president pitched his plan for ending the war with Russia, but many European and NATO leaders approached it with caution. #press
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/10/17/zelensky-nato-victory-plan/?utm_source=press.coop