Scoop: French plan to end Lebanon war includes recognition of Israel – Axios

  1. Scoop: French plan to end Lebanon war includes recognition of Israel  Axios
  2. Lebanon appeals to Israel’s allies to intervene and says hundreds are killed  The Washington Post
  3. Israeli foreign minister denies country facing interceptor shortages  Reuters
  4. France offers to broker Lebanon-Israel talks: What do we know?  Al Jazeera
  5. Direct Israel-Lebanon truce talks said expected in coming days, though challenges abound  The Times of Israel
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How a Marine Unit in the Middle East Could Open New Phase of Iran War – The New York Times

  1. How a Marine Unit in the Middle East Could Open New Phase of Iran War  The New York Times
  2. How US Sending of Marines to Strait of Hormuz Signals Posture Shift  Military.com
  3. USS Tripoli, 31st MEU Heading to the Middle East  USNI News
  4. U.S. is deploying Marines to Middle East as it pounds Iran  MPR News
  5. Pentagon sends USS Tripoli, thousands of Marines to Middle East  Axios
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UK faces ‘seismic moment’ as nationalists target election wins, says John Swinney

SNP leader hails prospect of success for parties in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland that want to break up union

The UK is facing an “absolutely seismic moment”, John Swinney has said, with the prospect of the election of first ministers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in May who are all committed to the break-up of the union.

Speaking at the Scottish National party’s campaign conference ahead of the Scottish parliament elections, the first minister told delegates: “For people watching around the world, there could be no clearer sign that Westminster’s time is up.”

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New York lawyer linked to Trump pardon charged with attempted extortion

Joshua Nass, of alleged $600,000 extortion plot, played role in pardon of man convicted of failing to pay $40m in taxes

A New York lobbyist and attorney connected to a presidential pardon issued by Donald Trump in November has been charged with attempting to extort a former client and the client’s son over an alleged $500,000 debt.

Joshua Nass, 34, was arrested on Friday after being charged in federal court in Brooklyn with attempted Hobbs Act extortion. US justice department prosecutors contend that Nass threatened a client for payment that he claimed he was owed for his services.

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Dozens of Medical Workers Killed as Israel Hits Lebanon – The New York Times

  1. Dozens of Medical Workers Killed as Israel Hits Lebanon  The New York Times
  2. The war that never ended: Israel seizes moment to finish fight against Hezbollah, Iran’s proxy in Lebanon  CNN
  3. Israel planning massive ground invasion of Lebanon, officials say  Axios
  4. Israel and Lebanon to talk as war with Hezbollah rages, Haaretz reports  Reuters
  5. Destroy, displace, dismantle: Israel’s Gaza doctrine comes to Lebanon  Al Jazeera
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Strait of Hormuz closed only to US, Israeli vessels: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi | World News – Hindustan Times

  1. Strait of Hormuz closed only to US, Israeli vessels: Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi | World News  Hindustan Times
  2. A Visual Guide to How Iran Is Holding the Strait of Hormuz Hostage  WSJ
  3. Iran ‘to allow Chinese ships’ through Strait of Hormuz  The Telegraph
  4. Hegseth, Trump face perilous options in the Strait of Hormuz  The Hill
  5. Iran unleashes oil shock to blunt US firepower  Reuters
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Reform UK government would replace top civil servants with those ‘more likely to implement party’s priorities’

Exclusive: Senior party figures conclude outsiders or existing senior staff deemed more suitable should take over from current permanent secretaries

A Reform UK government would expect to dismiss the top civil servant in every government department and replace them with people seen as more likely to implement the party’s priorities, the Guardian has learned.

Senior Reform figures have concluded that the current crop of permanent secretaries, the lead civil servant in each department, are not up to the necessary standard. Some would be replaced by outsiders, and others by existing officials viewed as more suitable.

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Duke and Duchess of Sussex hit back at ‘deranged’ author’s claims in new book

Royal couple criticise Tom Bower’s ‘fixation’ on them and describe released extracts as ‘conspiracy and melodrama’

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have launched a scathing attack on a “deranged” author whose new book claims Queen Camilla once told a friend: “Meghan’s brainwashed ‌Harry.”

The royal couple hit out at Tom Bower, the author of Betrayal: Power, Deceit and the Fight for the Future of the Royal Family, criticising his “fixation” on the pair.

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How US Sending of Marines to Strait of Hormuz Signals Posture Shift – Military.com

  1. How US Sending of Marines to Strait of Hormuz Signals Posture Shift  Military.com
  2. How a Marine Unit in the Middle East Could Open New Phase of Iran War - The New York Times  The New York Times
  3. USS Tripoli, 31st MEU Heading to the Middle East  USNI News
  4. More Marines and Warships Head to Middle East as Hormuz Mission Intensifies  WSJ
  5. More Marines heading to Middle East as U.S. continues relentless strikes on Iran  PBS
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This Week in Palestine: Israeli Settlers Kill With Impunity, Israeli Soldiers Rape With Impunity – Zeteo

  1. This Week in Palestine: Israeli Settlers Kill With Impunity, Israeli Soldiers Rape With Impunity  Zeteo
  2. Man reported killed in W. Bank settler attack; separately, 3 said hurt by settler gunfire  The Times of Israel
  3. Israeli settlers shoot Palestinians in West Bank villages, steal livestock  Al Jazeera
  4. Police arrest three for attack on Palestinian village  The Jerusalem Post
  5. EU and UK demand Israel stop surge in West Bank settler violence since Iran war  BBC
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