- West Bank: Israel Emptying Refugee Camps a Crime Against Humanity Human Rights Watch
- Israel’s forced expulsion of Palestinians from West Bank refugee camps amounts to war crimes, HRW alleges CNN
- Israel’s emptying of West Bank refugee camps amounts to war crimes: HRW Al Jazeera
- Human Rights Watch accuses Israel of war crimes in West Bank expulsions Reuters
- “All My Dreams Have Been Erased”: Israel’s Forced Displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank | HRW Human Rights Watch
Angoulême comics festival in crisis as creators and publishers declare boycott
French government withdraws funding after claims of toxic management and dismissal of staff member who lodged rape complaint
One of the world’s most prestigious comic book festivals is under threat of cancellation after leading graphic novelists and publishers announced they would boycott the event and the French government withdrew a tranche of its funding.
In the biggest crisis in its illustrious history, the Angoulême festival of la bande dessinée (comic strip) may not take place in 2026 after claims of toxic management and the dismissal of a member of staff who had lodged a rape complaint.
Continue reading...The Hunt Is On for Bears in Japan After Deadly Attacks – The New York Times
- The Hunt Is On for Bears in Japan After Deadly Attacks The New York Times
- U.S. Embassy Warns Americans in Japan to Stay Alert for Bears After 13 Deadly Attacks in 2025 People.com
- Deadly bear attacks set Japan on edge, prompt military action The Washington Post
- US government issues a surprising warning about Japan travel TheStreet
- Why Have There Been So Many Bear Attacks in Japan in 2025? Britannica
Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, November 19, 2025 – Institute for the Study of War
- Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, November 19, 2025 Institute for the Study of War
- Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,364 Al Jazeera
- Ukraine’s Hardest Winter Foreign Affairs
- Ukraine fights for money, reform to survive 'forever war' Reuters
- Seven Contemporary Insights on the State of the Ukraine War CSIS | Center for Strategic and International Studies
Samoa PM suspends country’s only daily newspaper from press briefings amid dispute over coverage
Prime minister has accused the Samoa Observer of inaccurate reporting during his eight-week medical stay in New Zealand
Samoa’s only daily newspaper has been banned from attending press conferences with the Samoan prime minister, in a move that critics say threatens the democratic integrity of the Pacific nation.
Relations between La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Fosi Schmidt and the Samoa Observer have deteriorated in recent weeks, with the prime minister accusing the newspaper of inaccurate reporting during his eight-week medical stay in New Zealand.
Continue reading...Pakistan’s Army Chief, Trump’s ‘Favorite Field Marshal,’ Cements Power – The Wall Street Journal
- Pakistan’s Army Chief, Trump’s ‘Favorite Field Marshal,’ Cements Power The Wall Street Journal
- Pakistan Will Regret Letting the Army Back In Bloomberg.com
- Pakistan’s Army Chief Gets Expanded Powers and Lifelong Immunity The New York Times
- State and its pillars Dawn
- Pakistan dispatch: constitutional amendment reshapes judicial power and cements military authority Jurist.org
China Is Priming Its People and the World for a New Pressure Campaign on Taiwan – The Wall Street Journal
- China Is Priming Its People and the World for a New Pressure Campaign on Taiwan The Wall Street Journal
- China & Taiwan Update, November 17, 2025 Institute for the Study of War
- Taiwan’s Lexington Without Concord: Sovereignty, Resilience, and the Price of War Small Wars Journal
- Chinese Coercion of Taiwan’s Energy Lifelines: A Contest Taiwan and the West Can’t Afford to Lose Foundation for Defense of Democracies
- Report: China preparing its population for war with U.S. Washington Times
Meta sets date to remove Australians under 16 from Instagram, Facebook
'Soon, you'll no longer be able to use Facebook', Meta said in messages it sent to young people ahead of the ban.
Rabih Alameddine wins National book award for fiction with darkly comic epic spanning six decades
True to his irreverent style, author of The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) thanks his psychiatrist, his gastrointestinal doctors and his drug dealers
Rabih Alameddine has won the National book award for fiction for The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother), a darkly comic saga spanning six decades in the life of a Lebanese family.
The novel, which traverses a sprawling history of Lebanon including its civil war and economic collapse, is told through the eyes of its titular protagonist: a gay 63-year-old philosophy teacher confronting his past and his relationship with his mother and his homeland.
Continue reading...Trump signs bill to compel release of more Epstein documents
President attacks Democrats in post on Truth Social after US lawmakers swiftly move bill through Congress
Donald Trump signed a bill Wednesday directing the justice department to release files from the investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, surrendering in the face of joint pressure from Democratic opponents and the president’s conservative base.
The signature marked a sharp reversal for Trump, who had the authority as president to release the documents himself, but chose not to.
Continue reading...UK accuses Russian spy ship of pointing lasers at pilots watching vessel
Defence Secretary John Healey condemns the Yantar's actions as 'deeply dangerous' and says Britain is poised to react.
Mount Semeru volcano eruption in Indonesia prompts evacuations – The Guardian
- Mount Semeru volcano eruption in Indonesia prompts evacuations The Guardian
- Watch: Indonesia’s Semeru volcano spews giant ash clouds as it erupts BBC
- Volcanic eruption at Indonesia's Mount Semeru sends ash over 6,500 feet into the sky, threatening air traffic FOX Weather
- Indonesia evacuates stranded climbers after Semeru volcano erupts Reuters
- Mount Semeru Erupts and Rains Ash on Villages The New York Times
Turkiye to host COP31 climate summit after Australia concedes bid
Australia's PM says it reaches agreement to host pre-meetings with Pacific nations while Turkiye will host main summit.
Watch: Indonesia’s Semeru volcano spews giant ash clouds as it erupts
Java Island’s tallest mountain, a volcano called Mount Semeru, has spewed tall plumes of ash clouds that engulfed bridges and the surrounding countryside.
Paris court blocks auction of earliest-known calculator
The court blocked La Pascaline, a 400-year-old calculating machine, from being exported from France.
Paris court blocks auction of earliest-known calculator – BBC
- Paris court blocks auction of earliest-known calculator BBC
- Christie’s withdraws rare ‘first calculator’ from auction after French court halts export The Guardian
- Christie's suspends sale of world's 'first calculator' RTE.ie
- Christie’s suspends auction of Pascal’s 1642 calculator The Hindu
- The sale was suspended afer a last minute court ruling IslanderNews.com
Paris court blocks auction of earliest-known calculator
The court blocked La Pascaline, a 400-year-old calculating machine, from being exported from France.
Papua New Guinea ‘not happy’ as Australia walks away from bid to host Cop31
Australia had been pushing to host climate conference next year with south Pacific nations, which are increasingly threatened by rising seas and climate-fuelled disasters
Papua New Guinea has voiced frustration after Australia ditched a bid to co-host next year’s UN climate talks with its Pacific island neighbours.
“We are all not happy. And disappointed it’s ended up like this,” foreign minister Justin Tkatchenko told Agence France-Presse after Australia ceded hosting rights to Turkey.
Continue reading...Brazil’s Lula faces obstacles in push for agreement at climate summit
Brazilian president pushes for a 'roadmap' away from fossil fuel use, but countries remain divided on key issues.
Trump says he signed bill to release Epstein files
Epstein Files Transparency Act compels release of unclassified materials in searchable format within 30 days.