Hegseth indicates US backing for Taiwan – but it is transactional Trump who has the final word

Defence secretary’s trip to Asia shows the Trump administration is engaged with the region, but analysts warn Taipei to tread carefully

On Tuesday China’s military launched joint drills around Taiwan, sending ships, planes and some bizarre propaganda videos across the strait to both warn and punish Taiwan’s government over what Beijing calls “separatist activity”.

The purported provocation was recent assertiveness by Taiwan’s president, Lai Ching-te, who in March designated China a “foreign hostile force” and announced 17 measures to counter its espionage and influence operations.

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Cory Booker breaks record for longest Senate speech with Trump condemnation

In speech that began Monday night, Democratic senator warns of ‘grave and urgent’ danger of Trump administration

Cory Booker, the Democratic US senator from New Jersey, has broken the record for longest speech ever by a lone senator – beating the record first established by Strom Thurmond, who filibustered for 24 hours and 18 minutes in opposition to the Civil Rights Act of 1957.

Booker’s speech eventually ran to 25 hours and five minutes. Having begun at 7pm on Monday night, was not a filibuster but instead an effort to warn of what he called the “grave and urgent” danger that Donald Trump’s presidential administration poses to democracy and the American people.

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Gazan clan executes alleged Hamas operative who killed one of their relatives – The Times of Israel

  1. Gazan clan executes alleged Hamas operative who killed one of their relatives  The Times of Israel
  2. Hamas warns those who "spread chaos" following killing of its police officer  The Jerusalem Post
  3. Revenge Killing of Hamas Policeman Adds to Building Pressure on Group  WSJ
  4. Street justice in Gaza in broad daylight: Abu Samra clan executes Hamas policeman in retaliation for killing their son  All Israel News
  5. Exploiting Hamas’s Weakness  Commentary Magazine
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Over 300 children killed since Israel’s new Gaza offensive, Unicef says – BBC

  1. Over 300 children killed since Israel's new Gaza offensive, Unicef says  BBC
  2. Middle East: Israeli strikes kill over 300 children — UN  DW
  3. Education in ruins: Gaza’s children on losing their right to learn  CNN
  4. UN: Hundreds of children killed in Gaza since Israeli attacks resumed  Yahoo
  5. In one of the Gaza war's darkest nights, the IDF killed nearly 300 women and children  Haaretz
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Mexico’s security chief quietly forms an elite force to take on the drug cartels – AP News

  1. Mexico’s security chief quietly forms an elite force to take on the drug cartels  AP News
  2. The Missing Elements in Sheinbaum’s Crime-Fighting Strategy  Americas Quarterly
  3. Trump Pushes Sheinbaum Away From AMLO’s Cartel Policies  The American Conservative
  4. Who is Mexico’s Security Minister and why does he matter?  Mexico News Daily
  5. Mexico Special Force  timesdaily.com
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3-year-old girl discovers 3,800-year-old treasure during family outing in Israel – CBS News

  1. 3-year-old girl discovers 3,800-year-old treasure during family outing in Israel  CBS News
  2. Three-year-old girl finds Canaanite seal where Bible says David battled Goliath  The Times of Israel
  3. Israeli toddler finds 3,800-year-old amulet on family trip  JNS.org
  4. Israeli toddler uncovers 3,800-year-old Canaanite scarab on family hike  Ynetnews
  5. Tiny hands, ancient find: Israeli toddler uncovers 3,800-year-old scarab  The Jerusalem Post
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