Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a U.S.-backed 21-day cease-fire with Hezbollah in Lebanon, despite U.S. claims that Israel was informed and had agreed. Netanyahu, in New York for a U.N. speech, insisted on continuing strikes until all objectives are met. The Biden administration criticized Netanyahu’s rejection, calling it a bait and switch, and emphasized that the cease-fire proposal was developed with extensive consultation, including with Israel. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby highlighted the significant effort and conversations with Israeli officials that went into the proposal. Noah Prescott 27/09/2024 7:30 am
Israel targeted Hezbollah by hiding explosives in pager batteries, making them virtually undetectable, according to Lebanese security officials. Controlled explosions of these pagers revealed their catastrophic potential. Thousands of explosions last week killed at least 37 people and injured nearly 3,000, many civilians. The attacks, a joint operation by Mossad and the Israeli military, blindsided Hezbollah, which had switched to analogue devices to avoid Israeli infiltration. Israel’s defense minister tacitly acknowledged the operation. The explosive material was sophisticatedly hidden in the pagers’ lithium batteries. Penelope Kingsley 27/09/2024 7:30 am
Anti-Israel protesters chanted “We’re gonna get you” outside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s New York hotel Thursday night, ahead of his UN speech. Demonstrators gathered at the Loews Regency New York Hotel, shouting “Netanyahu.” The protest coincided with Netanyahu’s visit amid Israel’s military campaign against Hamas. Over two dozen were arrested during a morning protest. The night protest began near Grand Central Station, moving towards the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Upper East Side hotel, leading to clashes with police and additional arrests. Penelope Kingsley 27/09/2024 7:30 am
On Sunday night, Dalia Farran slept on the beach in Tyre, southern Lebanon, despite warnings of airstrikes. She awoke at 6 a.m. to bombing and saw flames and smoke. On Monday, Israel’s bombing campaign killed about 600 people and injured nearly 2,000, marking the deadliest day in Lebanon since its civil war. Reporter William Christou discussed the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, the displacement of 200,000 civilians, and Israel’s threats of a ground invasion, suggesting it might be a psychological tactic to unsettle Hezbollah and Lebanese citizens. Noah Prescott 27/09/2024 4:00 am
Families of the 43 abducted students from a rural teacher’s college in Mexico marked the 10th anniversary of their disappearance, expressing disillusionment over unfulfilled government promises. Thousands marched in Mexico City, demanding truth and justice. Despite initial hope from President LĂłpez Obrador’s administration, which established a Truth Commission, the investigation stalled due to lack of military cooperation. The students were attacked by a drug gang in collusion with authorities in 2014, and many details about their fate remain unknown. Penelope Kingsley 27/09/2024 4:00 am
Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 storm with 130 mph winds, is set to make landfall on Florida’s Big Bend coast Thursday evening. The storm has already caused heavy rainfall and flooding. Many residents have evacuated, leaving some areas deserted. Streets in St. Petersburg’s Shore Acres neighborhood are flooded, and businesses in Old Town are affected. Penelope Kingsley 27/09/2024 12:30 am
An 88-year-old former boxer, Iwao Hakamada, was acquitted by a Japanese court after a retrial for a 1966 quadruple murder, reversing his status as the world’s longest-serving death row inmate. The Shizuoka District Court found evidence was fabricated by investigators. Hakamada’s acquittal, the fifth in postwar Japan, may spark debate on the death penalty. His 91-year-old sister celebrated the ruling after a 58-year legal battle. Hakamada spent 48 years in prison, mostly on death row. Prosecutors have not decided whether to appeal, and the defense may sue the government for the flawed investigation. Ava Sinclair 27/09/2024 12:30 am
I spoke with Sally Abou AlJoud, a Beirut-based reporter, after twin attacks killed 37 people and injured thousands. She described the devastation and panic she witnessed at hospitals. Within a day, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 600 people, including civilians, and Israel hinted at a ground invasion. AlJoud now wears body armor and a PRESS-marked helmet daily, venturing into devastated areas. We discussed how lives in Lebanon have changed, her interactions with displaced people, and the potential for a wider war. Our conversation has been edited for clarity. Ava Sinclair 27/09/2024 12:30 am
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine, lowering the threshold for nuclear weapon use. He stated that any attack posing a “critical threat” to Russia’s sovereignty, even by a non-nuclear power with support from a nuclear power, would be considered a joint attack on Russia. This shift aims to deter the U.S. and its allies as Ukraine seeks NATO’s long-range missiles for strikes inside Russia. The new doctrine also applies to attacks on Belarus. Russia, with the largest nuclear arsenal, is responding to perceived growing threats from the West. Penelope Kingsley 27/09/2024 12:30 am
President Vladimir Putin announced changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine to deter Western support for Ukrainian attacks on Russia, the Kremlin stated. The U.S. and EU condemned these changes as “irresponsible.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized the revisions as a warning to countries aiding attacks on Russia. Putin indicated that any conventional attack on Russia supported by a nuclear power would be seen as a joint attack, potentially lowering the threshold for nuclear response. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and European Commission spokesman Peter Stano criticized Putin’s statements as reckless. Penelope Kingsley 26/09/2024 9:00 pm
