Macron urges end to Israeli ‘escalation’ and Hezbollah rocket fire
"We are firmly calling on Israel to stop the escalation in Lebanon and Hezbollah to stop firing towards Israel."
Labour crackdown on non-doms may raise no money, officials fear
Exclusive: Watchdog may conclude that emigration of wealthy individuals could actually cost Treasury revenue
Keir Starmer’s promised tax crackdown on non-doms could yield no extra funds for the Treasury, leaving a £1bn hole in the government’s planned spending for schools and hospitals.
Labour planned to use the money raised from wealthy individuals who are registered overseas for tax purposes to invest in ailing public services.
But the Guardian understands that Treasury officials fear estimates due to be released by the government’s spending watchdog may suggest the policy will fail to raise any money because of the impact of the super-rich non-domiciles leaving the UK.
Continue reading...Keir Starmer under pressure to ‘get a grip’ on Sue Gray tensions
Exclusive: Some ministers have rallied around chief of staff while others accuse her of ‘control freakery’
Keir Starmer has become exasperated about in-fighting across government involving Sue Gray, with the prime minister under pressure from senior aides and cabinet ministers to resolve the row.
Sources said the situation would come to a head after he returned from his trip to the UN in New York, where he was joined by his chief of staff. Starmer is said to be dismayed at tensions inside the No 10 machine.
Continue reading...Israel prepares for possible ground assault in Lebanon, military chief says
At least 51 killed and 220 wounded in Israeli air raids, according to Lebanese health minister.
US announces $424m in Sudan aid amid pleas to stop ‘senseless’ war
American envoy to UN urges humanitarian pause and says international community ‘cannot simply look away’
The United States has announced $424m in new aid for displaced and starving Sudanese, with the US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, saying all options for civilian protection must now be considered by the international community.
Describing the war in Sudan as horrific and shaming for the whole world, she said it was now necessary “to compel, insist and demand that the warring parties agree a humanitarian pause to allow aid to flow and for citizens to flee”.
Continue reading...Meet Pesto, the 49-pound baby penguin going viral online – New York Post
- Meet Pesto, the 49-pound baby penguin going viral online New York Post
- Pesto the baby penguin is already taller than his parents. Now he’s a social media star CNN
- Why Is Pesto the Baby Penguin So Big? The Viral Bird's Aquarium Shares the Answer PEOPLE
- Meet Pesto the Penguin, Australia's nearly 50-pound baby penguin capturing hearts worldwide with its hefty fluff CBS News
- A massive baby penguin named Pesto is inhaling fish and winning fans NPR
The Dangerous Game – Current Affairs
- The Dangerous Game Current Affairs
- U.S. Intelligence Stresses Risks in Allowing Long-Range Strikes by Ukraine The New York Times
- Why long-range missiles could be either a silver bullet or a powder keg for Ukraine-Russia war USA TODAY
- Nevada Democrats add to calls for Biden to lift restrictions on Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles The Hill
- Debate over Ukraine weapons restrictions divides allies, administration The Washington Post
Is Israel about to invade Lebanon?
More than 550 Lebanese have already been killed and 90,000 displaced since Israel escalated air attacks a week ago.
Albanese government to launch storybook to teach children from culturally diverse backgrounds about consent
My Superhero Voice, which will be available online, is careful not to single out a particular religion or culture
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The Australian government will launch a storybook aimed at teaching children from multicultural backgrounds about body safety and consent on Wednesday, but experts say “there is still more to do”.
The book, titled My Superhero Voice, is part of the government’s One Talk at a Time campaign, aimed at preventing child sexual abuse. It was developed by the National Office for Child Safety and consulting agency Cultural Perspectives.
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Continue reading...4 Countries Are Taking the Taliban to Court – Newser
- 4 Countries Are Taking the Taliban to Court Newser
- Meryl Streep: ‘A squirrel has more rights than a girl in Afghanistan’ CNN
- Taliban to be taken to international court over gender discrimination The Guardian
- Actor Meryl Streep shows solidarity at UN with Afghan women, girls Reuters
- Afghan women have less freedom than cats, Meryl Streep says at U.N. The Washington Post
Israel preparing for possible ground offensive in Lebanon, military chief says
Strikes designed to destroy Hezbollah infrastructure before possible incursion by troops, says Israel’s top general
Israel’s top general has said the country is preparing for a possible ground operation into Lebanon amid growing international pressure for a negotiated ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel.
As an intense bombing campaign inside Lebanon stretched into a third day, Israel’s chief of staff, Maj Gen Herzi Halevi, said the airstrikes aimed to destroy Hezbollah infrastructure and prepare for the possibility of Israeli troops crossing the border.
Continue reading...Vladimir Putin warns west he will consider using nuclear weapons
Comments are strongest yet against allowing Ukraine to launch long-range missiles into Russian territory
Vladimir Putin has escalated his nuclear rhetoric, telling a group of senior officials that Russia would consider using nuclear weapons if it was attacked by any state with conventional weapons.
His remarks on Wednesday came during a meeting with Russia’s powerful security council where he also announced changes to the country’s nuclear doctrine.
Continue reading...Several arrested after American woman dies in first use of controversial suicide pod – CNN
- Several arrested after American woman dies in first use of controversial suicide pod CNN
- Reported "suicide capsule" death of U.S. woman in Switzerland prompts multiple arrests, launch of criminal case CBS News
- Several detained after American's 'suicide capsule' death in Switzerland: Police ABC News
- Swiss police make arrests after suicide capsule is used for first time USA TODAY
- American woman's death in suicide capsule leads to arrests in Switzerland NBC News
Israeli army boss tells troops to prepare for possible Lebanon push
Israeli general Herzi Halevi told soldiers in northern Israel that the air attacks on Lebanon would continue.
Eswatini opposition leader poisoned in South Africa, party says
Alleged poisoning follows last year’s killing of human rights lawyer and 2021’s pro-democracy protests
Eswatini’s main opposition party has alleged that its leader was poisoned in an assassination attempt, putting renewed scrutiny on the southern African country that is one of the last remaining absolute monarchies, where authorities have for years moved to quash pro-democracy movements.
The People’s United Democratic Movement party (Pudemo) said its president, Mlungisi Makhanya, was hospitalised after being poisoned in neighbouring South Africa on Tuesday. It said he was under security protection but gave no detail on his condition or the circumstances of the alleged poisoning. Makhanya had recently said there would be new pro-democracy protests in Eswatini next month. The Eswatini government spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo denied any involvement.
Continue reading...Zelenskyy is pitching his ‘victory plan’ on adverse terrain
Ukraine president made forceful call for ‘just peace’ at UN, but winning more US support and fending off Russia are both uphill battles
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has come to the US with a mission: to sell his vision for a Ukrainian victory despite the growing odds against Kyiv in its war with Russia.
The Ukrainan president spoke out forcefully on Tuesday and Wednesday in the security council and then at the general assembly of the United Nations, calling on other countries to back Ukraine’s proposal for a “just peace” and refrain from holding alternative talks with Vladimir Putin.
Continue reading...Can Israel avoid same pitfalls of past ground offensive in Lebanon?
A land incursion would be a far more complex undertaking than the intelligence-led strikes pursued so far
No two wars are alike, even those fought between the same two combatants on the same terrain. But many of the challenges remain the same.
Israel’s most senior military commander has told troops that airstrikes will continue inside Lebanon as the Israeli military prepares for a possible ground operation. If its forces do cross the northern border they are likely to face obstacles they have seen before.
Continue reading...Two drones breach Eilat airspace – The Jerusalem Post
- Two drones breach Eilat airspace The Jerusalem Post
- WATCH: Footage shows explosive drone impacting in Eilat The Times of Israel
- Attack on Eilat: UAV explodes in port, second drone intercepted; Watch the videos Ynetnews
- Israel Air Base Gripped By Huge Fire, Suffers Drone Attack After IDF Missile Launches Towards Syria Hindustan Times
- Two injured by drone attack on southern Israeli port city of Eilat Yahoo! Voices
The deadly pager operation in Lebanon is no laughing matter, or is it? – The Jerusalem Post
- The deadly pager operation in Lebanon is no laughing matter, or is it? The Jerusalem Post
- Israel has landed heavy blows on Hezbollah. The victory it seeks could prove elusive The Associated Press
- Explosives expert shows damage of pager bomb CNN
- Opinion | Urgent Message for the Iranian Ambassador The Wall Street Journal
- Exploding pagers leave clues to Israeli ‘red button’ plot, officials say The Washington Post
Israel has ‘legitimate problem’ with Hezbollah on border, says Blinken
US secretary of state emphasises he wants diplomatic solution, but remarks unlikely to be seen as warning against Israeli ground offensive
Israel has a legitimate interest in seeking to remove Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group, from the borders of northern Israel, the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said as he rebuffed calls to take a tougher line over the Israeli bombardment.
Speaking before an emergency meeting of the security council in New York, Blinken emphasised that he would prefer a diplomatic solution to the crisis, but his tone is unlikely to be seen as a warning to Israel to stop, or to reconsider its plan for a ground offensive.
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