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Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu warned that the Gaza ceasefire will end if Hamas doesn’t release hostages by Saturday. This follows Hamas’s delay in freeing hostages, citing Israeli violations of the ceasefire terms. Netanyahu’s security cabinet supports resuming fighting if hostages aren’t released. Hamas insists on the ceasefire and blames Israel for complications. Arab countries are pressuring Hamas to adhere to the deal, while Egypt plans a reconstruction proposal for Gaza. Conflicting reports suggest Israel might accept the release of just three hostages to maintain the ceasefire.

At the AI Action Summit in Paris, world leaders prioritized winning the global AI race over concerns about AI safety or misuse. French President Macron, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, India’s Narendra Modi, and others emphasized innovation and investment. Safety concerns, prominent at previous summits, were scarcely mentioned, with the final declaration referencing safety only three times. The U.S. and U.K. did not sign the declaration. Leaders highlighted significant investments and light regulation, focusing on AI opportunities rather than risks.

North Korean state media criticized U.S. President Trump’s proposal to relocate Palestinians from Gaza, labeling it as bluster and robbery. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) commentary condemned the plan to transform Gaza into a “Riviera of the Middle East” and criticized U.S. intentions to take over the Panama Canal and Greenland, and rename the “Gulf of Mexico” to the “Gulf of America.” KCNA urged the U.S. to stop infringing on other nations’ sovereignty.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized U.S. force posturing priorities in Europe and Africa, highlighting the threat from China in Africa. He stressed the importance of U.S. and allied presence to counter China’s influence. Hegseth also addressed counterterrorism efforts, citing the February 2025 airstrikes against ISIS in Somalia as an example of empowering military commanders with decision-making authority. He underscored the need for swift decisions at high levels to effectively degrade enemy threats.

The Justice Department unsealed charges against Roman Berezhnoy and Egor Nikolaevich Glebov, Russian nationals accused of operating the Phobos ransomware group, which attacked over 1,000 global victims, including hospitals and schools, extorting $16 million. Arrested in a coordinated international effort, they allegedly encrypted victims’ data, demanding ransoms for decryption keys, and threatened to expose stolen data. The operation involved Europol and disrupted over 100 servers. They face multiple charges, including wire fraud and computer abuse.

The Church of England’s governing body rejected a fully independent safeguarding model for abuse cases, opting for a temporary solution before future full independence. Child safety expert Prof Alexis Jay criticized the decision as disappointing for victims. The vote followed controversies involving former Archbishop Justin Welby and Archbishop Stephen Cottrell. Cottrell, now acting head, supports eventual independence but is committed to the current decision. The adopted model creates an independent central safeguarding team, while diocesan officers remain unchanged, despite calls for a more ambitious approach.

Scientists have detected thousands of small earthquakes near Santorini, Greece, raising concerns about a potential larger quake. Authorities declared a state of emergency, deploying rescue crews and putting coast guard and navy on standby. Many residents and tourists have evacuated, and schools are closed. Extra medical staff and disaster teams are on alert. The earthquake swarm, with magnitudes between 3 and 5, has registered over 12,000 quakes since January 26. The largest, a magnitude 5.2, occurred Monday night. A larger quake remains possible.

Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, criticized the AI Action Summit in Paris as a “missed opportunity,” urging faster, clearer action from the AI industry and governments. While appreciating the French government’s efforts, he emphasized the need for urgency given AI’s rapid advancement. His concerns echoed academics’ critiques of the summit’s vague commitments, which the U.S. and U.K. did not endorse. U.S. Vice President JD Vance opposed Europe’s regulatory approach, labeling it as stifling. Amodei warned of AI’s growing sophistication and potential risks without proper regulation.

A WFP worker, Ahmed, died in Houthi detention in northern Yemen, where he was held since January. His death led the UN to pause operations in Saada due to safety concerns. The UN reported additional detentions of its personnel by Houthis, amid ongoing civil war and humanitarian crisis. WFP’s Cindy McCain mourned Ahmed, highlighting his humanitarian contributions. The conflict has caused over 150,000 deaths and severe displacement. No comment from Houthi authorities.

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