- Russia bombards Ukraine’s gas sites as Zelenskyy flies to US for Trump meeting The Guardian
- Russian barrage causes blackouts in Ukraine as Zelenskyy seeks Trump's help NBC News
- As Russia pounds Ukraine's power supply, one nursery battles to provide food and warmth Reuters
- Ukraine imposes blackouts in most regions after Russian power grid attacks BBC
- Russia batters Ukraine’s energy grid with drone and missile strikes, officials say Euronews.com
Ships accused of stealing Ukrainian grain linked to Assad regime front – The Kyiv Independent
- Ships accused of stealing Ukrainian grain linked to Assad regime front The Kyiv Independent
- A secret fleet of ‘ghost ships’ moving Russia’s oil could soon enter Trump’s crosshairs Fox Business
- How a shadow fleet of oil tankers aids Russia in the war with Ukraine NPR
- Espionage, sabotage and ghost tanks in the Baltic Sea Le Monde.fr
- Grain Looting and Sanctioned Oil Trade: Ukraine Exposes Russia-Linked Illegal Maritime Network UNITED24 Media
Japan’s Takaichi woos right-leaning party to secure premiership – Reuters
- Japan's Takaichi woos right-leaning party to secure premiership Reuters
- Takaichi Sanae’s path to power in Japan grows more complex The Economist
- Japan Opposition Leaders to Discuss Uniting Behind Tamaki for PM Bloomberg.com
- LDP, Japan Innovation discuss decentralization, social security reform Nikkei Asia
- Japan’s aspiring leader drums to relieve stress. She has many reasons to reach for her sticks CNN
Oscar Wilde’s library card reissued 130 years after being revoked over gay conviction
The celebrated Irish writer had his pass revoked in 1895 after being imprisoned for a gay relationship.
How do Pakistan and Taliban Afghan militaries stack up as clashes escalate? – Reuters
- How do Pakistan and Taliban Afghan militaries stack up as clashes escalate? Reuters
- Pakistan says it's ready for talks with Afghanistan, Kabul residents recall airstrike shock Reuters
- The Man Behind Pakistan's Deadly New Enemy, Afghanistan NDTV
- Border clashes erupt between Pakistan and Afghanistan—again The Economist
- Afghanistan’s Taliban government blames Pakistan for twin drone strikes on Kabul AP News
The megadonor hypocrisy
We compare and contrast Trump’s 2015 attack on Marco Rubio over donor ties with his own close ties to the same family.
Thousands protest in Tunisia over pollution from phosphate plant
Thousands in southern Tunisia rally to shut a state phosphate plant blamed for cancer, illness, and mass poisoning.
Inside Ukraine’s drone campaign to blitz Russia’s energy industry – Reuters
- Inside Ukraine's drone campaign to blitz Russia’s energy industry Reuters
- Ukraine Claims Russia Refinery Strike as Pressure on Putin Grows Bloomberg.com
- BBC Verify Live: Assessing Russian fuel shortages, and video shows Gaza executions BBC
- To Inflict Pain on Russians, Ukraine’s Drones Zero In on Oil Refineries The New York Times
- How successful is Ukraine’s ‘gas war’ against Russia? Al Jazeera
Ex-Catholic priest exploited family deaths to abuse disabled boy, police allege
Mark Ford, extradited from Indiana to New Orleans jail, faces life in prison if convicted of sexual abuse charges
A man working as a Roman Catholic priest in New Orleans positioned himself as a mentor to a young disabled boy grieving two family deaths – and then exploited the proximity to abuse him for years, police allege.
Those details are contained in criminal court records generated by the arrest of Mark Francis Ford in Indiana in September as well as his subsequent transfer to New Orleans’s jail, a process which was completed late on Tuesday.
Continue reading...‘Inherently cruel’: Canadian parents say citizenship bill erodes rights of children adopted abroad
Rule would require adopted children born abroad to prove ‘substantial connection’ to Canada to pass on citizenship
Canadian parents of children adopted abroad say a proposed citizenship bill represents a “shocking and unconscionable” erosion of their children’s rights by the governing Liberals.
The federal government is in the midst of overhauling the Citizenship Act so Canadians born abroad can pass citizenship to further generations born abroad. The bill would also restore or grant citizenship descendants who were excluded under older citizenship laws.
Continue reading...Madagascar’s new army ruler to be sworn in as Rajoelina confirms departure
Military leader to take his oath as president on Friday as African Union calls for the restoration of civilian rule.
Kluivert, Indonesia part ways after FIFA World Cup 2026 miss
Indonesia appointed Patrick Kluivert in January on a two-year deal to boost hopes of reaching next year's World Cup.
Titan submersible imploded due to poor engineering, say US officials
The submersible disappeared from sensors on its journey to the wreck of the Titanic, killing all five people on board.
Catholic Church must do more to help sexual abuse survivors and hold church leaders to account, hard-hitting report says – CNN
- Catholic Church must do more to help sexual abuse survivors and hold church leaders to account, hard-hitting report says CNN
- Protection of Minors: Second Report proposes restorative measures against abuse Vatican News
- Catholic Church is failing abuse victims, Vatican panel says Reuters
- Vatican report says clergy sex abuse victims need reparations and tangible sanctions to heal Crux
- Vatican Panel Says Church Is Still Too Slow in Addressing Sexual Abuse The New York Times
Hamas Says It Can’t Find Dead Hostages as Israel Pushes Back – Bloomberg.com
- Hamas Says It Can’t Find Dead Hostages as Israel Pushes Back Bloomberg.com
- Live updates: Israel-Gaza, Hamas says it has handed over all hostage bodies it can access CNN
- Hamas needs more time to recover hostages' remains, U.S. advisers say NBC News
- Sa’ar claims Hamas is able to return bodies of additional hostages, is choosing not to The Times of Israel
- Remains of last female Hamas hostage and IDF soldier handed over to Israel Fox News
Ricky Hatton is thought to have killed himself, inquest told
Provisional cause of death for former boxing world champion given at opening of inquest in Stockport
Ricky Hatton, the former world champion boxer who died in September, is believed to have killed himself, according to a provisional cause of death given at the opening of his inquest at Stockport coroner’s court.
Hatton, 46, was found dead in his home on 14 September. News of his death caused an outpouring of grief across the world and thousands of people lined the streets for his funeral.
Continue reading...U.S. forges ahead on Gaza deal amid disputes, clashes and executions – Axios
- U.S. forges ahead on Gaza deal amid disputes, clashes and executions Axios
- France and Britain refine plans at UN for Gaza force resolution Reuters
- EU diplomat says US role in Gaza security force still unclear, delaying mission The Times of Israel
- The countries volunteering to patrol Gaza Politico
- Focus on peace process turning to demilitarizing Gaza, Trump admin advisers say JNS.org
Anti-Israel rioters break store windows, light fires as thousands march in Barcelona – The Times of Israel
- Anti-Israel rioters break store windows, light fires as thousands march in Barcelona The Times of Israel
- Barcelona: Violent 24-hour March Denounces 'genocide In Gaza' i24NEWS
- Tens of thousands in Spain strike to protest Israel's military action Yahoo
- Violence erupts at anti-Israel rallies in Spain JNS.org
- Pro-Palestinian riots rock Barcelona despite Gaza ceasefire: McDonald’s and Starbucks vandalized Ynetnews
Hamas says all reachable hostage bodies recovered amid Israel threat to resume Gaza fighting
Hamas says it needs specialist equipment to recover remaining bodies as Israel’s defence minister threatens to resume fighting
Israel has threatened to resume fighting in Gaza after Hamas announced that it could not return any further remains of deceased Israeli hostages without specialist recovery equipment that is needed to retrieve the rest from the ruins of the devastated territory.
The threat from Israel Katz, the defence minister, came after Hamas handed over the remains of two further bodies late on Wednesday, bringing the total of known deceased hostages returned by Hamas to nine – along with a tenth body that Israel said was not that of a former hostage.
Continue reading...‘Conflicts of interest’ behind Australian parliamentary official’s $315k retirement payment, report finds
Barrister finds ‘multiple procedural failures’ in payment to Cate Saunders, who had ‘close’ relationship with former DPS secretary
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An independent “fact-finding mission” into a $315,126 retirement payment to a senior parliamentary department official has found “multiple procedural failures” including overpayment, a disregard for specialist advice and “excessive pressure” applied in the payment’s timing.
The report by Sydney barrister Fiona Roughley SC, released Thursday, found there were “conflicts of interest” and “conflicted persons” within the Department of Parliamentary Services involved in the decision-making process.
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