For more than a generation, defence policy and much else has been increasingly determined by the dictates of Israel's religious settler lobby and its Messianic visions.
Thursday Briefing: What's Next After McCarthy's Downfall
Thailand is grappling with its gun culture as the nation experiences its third high-profile shooting spree in nearly four years.
Thailand has strict gun laws, but a lack of enforcement and a thriving black market contribute to the country's high rates of gun ownership and gun homicide. [ more ]
U.N. Finds More Cases of Russians Executing Ukrainian P.O.W.s
Russian movie theaters are finding workarounds to screen Western films, including Barbie, despite the sanctions and the absence of copyright owner consent.
The absence of Western films has caused a crisis among Russian movie theaters, with revenues dropping 44% from 2021 to 2022. [ more ]
The U.S. Congress passed a stopgap spending bill to avoid a government shutdown, but it did not include additional aid for Ukraine.
Republicans' decreasing willingness to fund Ukraine's war effort was highlighted by the failure to include more Ukraine funding in the bill.
Despite the lack of additional support, the bill continues funding at current levels and maintains the program to send money to Ukraine for training troops. [ more ]
An Ancient City, Now in Ruins, Struggles to Keep Its Soul
A bakery and cafe in the ancient Turkish city of Antakya was heavily damaged in earthquakes.
The business has reopened in a temporary location but plans to move back to the city once there is enough life to support a larger establishment. [ more ]
Iraq Wedding Fire's Death Toll Rises, as Investigators Point to Safety Violations
Fire at a wedding hall in Qaraqosh, Iraq killed at least 119 people and injured many more.
The hall violated basic safety requirements and lacked emergency exits and a sprinkler system, similar to the Grenfell Tower incident in London in 2017. [ more ]
New York Times @nytimes: How Peter Thiel's Palantir Pushed Toward the Heart of U.K. Health Care - The New York Times. #aistrategy #industry40 #AI https://t.co/yB25cBwENn
A New Speaker for Canada After a Misstep That Deeply Embarrassed Parliament'
Former speaker of the House of Commons in Canada, Anthony Rota, resigned after inviting a 98-year-old Ukrainian man to Parliament who was later revealed to have been a member of a volunteer Nazi group during World War II.
The incident has highlighted the role of speakers in the Canadian House of Commons, who act as nonpartisan adjudicators and control all activity and conduct within the chamber. [ more ]
Maldives Votes in Presidential Runoff Overshadowed by India and China
The presidential runoff in the Maldives is seen as a competition between India and China for influence.
The race has focused on issues such as a housing crisis and de-dollarization proposals, but the influence of India and China remains a central concern. [ more ]
Gifts, Gadgets and Greece: Inside a Huawei Lobbying Campaign
Huawei executives exchanged messages discussing providing gifts to Greek government advisers in exchange for valuable information.
The messages reveal Huawei's attempts to cultivate relationships with high-ranking figures in Greece and push the limits of Greek rules on gifts to civil servants. [ more ]
Chinese Activist Camps Out at Airport in Taiwan in Bid for Asylum
Activist Chen Siming is seeking asylum in the West after fleeing China and is camped out at an airport in Taiwan.
Taiwan, while an attractive refuge for those fleeing oppression, is cautious about raising tensions with Beijing by accepting too many critics of China's Communist Party. [ more ]