Category Archives: News

The New York Times — Saturday, Dec 16, 2023

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Zelensky Returns to Ukraine With Little Aid and a Raft of Needs

Residents removing their belongings on Wednesday after a Russian missile fell near an apartment building in Kyiv.

The European Union’s willingness to open accession talks will lift morale, but the more immediate prospects for financial support from allies is sobering.

Women at Fast-Growing Realty Firm Say They Were Drugged and Assaulted

In lawsuits, five women say eXp Realty long ignored complaints that two male agents were preying on their female peers at alcohol-fueled work events.

Private Gun Ownership in Israel Spikes After Hamas Attacks

In a country already bristling with armed soldiers and reservists, a new sense of insecurity is pushing civilians to seek more personal weapons.

Jury Orders Giuliani to Pay $148 Million to Election Workers He Defamed

Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, wrongfully accused by Rudolph W. Giuliani of having tried to steal votes from Donald J. Trump in Georgia, were awarded the damages by a federal court in Washington.

News: 2024 U.S. Election, Trump Poll Surge, Biden Impeachment Inquiry

The Globalist Podcast (December 15, 2023) –The latest on the battle for the White House as Donald Trump surges in key swing-state polls and Joe Biden grapples with inflation, as well as a looming impeachment investigation.

Then: Moncole’s Tokyo bureau chief, Fiona Wilson, discusses the political fallout from Japan prime minister Fumio Kishida’s latest scandal. Plus: Vladimir Putin’s Year of the Family 2024 agenda, a flip through the papers and Andrew Mueller’s take on the news of the week.

The New York Times — Friday, December 15, 2023

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Washington Urges Israel to Scale Down Its War in Gaza

A soldier on an armored vehicle.

The call for a more targeted phase in the war appeared to be the most definitive effort yet by the United States to restrain Israel in its retaliation against Hamas for the attacks it led on Oct. 7.

How the Israel-Hamas War Tore Apart Public Defenders in the Bronx

The Bronx Defenders, who represent the borough’s most vulnerable in court, have been mired in furious debate over a faraway conflict.

The Bronx Defenders is one of the most influential public defense organizations in the United States. But allegations of antisemitism have dogged it and have grown louder since Oct. 7.

Who Gets the Water in California? Whoever Gets There First.

As the world warms, the state is re-examining claims to its water that have gone unchallenged for generations.

Losing Hair, Gaining Followers

Hair-loss influencers on TikTok say they are destigmatizing a common insecurity. Critics say they are cashing in on a vulnerable audience.

News: Ukraine Membership In EU Opposed By Hungary, Putin News Conference

The Globalist Podcast (December 14, 2023) – We discuss Ukraine’s EU membership bid as Hungary vows to stand firm against its accession.

Plus: the latest on Vladimir Putin’s annual call-in, questions over Emmanuel Macron’s political future and Serbia’s messy election campaign. And: an interview with Bob van den Oord on the future of luxury travel and hospitality.

The New York Times — Thursday, Dec 14, 2023

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In a First, Nations at Climate Summit Agree to Move Away From Fossil Fuels

Sultan Al Jaber, right, the president of COP28, at the summit early on Wednesday with COP28 and United Nations officials.

Nearly 200 countries convened by the United Nations approved a milestone plan to ramp up renewable energy and transition away from coal, oil and gas.

Under Rules of War, ‘Proportionality’ in Gaza Is Not About Evening the Score

Palestinians examining the rubble of destroyed buildings after an airstrike in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, in October.

The concept, important for determining the legality of an act of war, is about weighing civilian harm against military objectives, not about achieving a balanced number of casualties.

Held Hostage in Gaza, a Thai Worker’s Prayers for Freedom Come True

A Thai farmworker clung to hope during her nearly 50 days of captivity in Gaza by befriending a young Israeli girl and dreaming of reuniting with her boyfriend, who had also been abducted.

Tesla Recalls Autopilot Software in 2 Million Vehicles

Federal regulators pressed the automaker to make updates to ensure drivers are paying attention while using Autopilot, a system that can steer, accelerate and brake on its own.

News: Qatar-Israel-Hamas Bribe Scheme; Rwanda Migrants, Liz Cheney & GOP

The Globalist Podcast (December 13, 2023) – We examine Benjamin Netenyahu’s alleged scheme to bribe Hamas through Qatar.

Also, Tim Bale explains how, in the UK, Tory factions are pulling the strings on Rwanda; Liz Cheney’s message to the GOP; and film critic Karen Krizanovich reveals how Japan is breathing life into the US box office.

The New York Times — Wednesday, Dec 13 2023

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Biden Warns Israel It Is ‘Losing Support’ Over War

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, at his office in Jerusalem this week.

The president’s words exposed a widening rift between his administration and that of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as casualties rise in Gaza.

Harvard’s Board Unites Behind Its President, but Its Campus Remains Splintered

Claudine Gay, president of Harvard University, testifying before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce in Washington.

Harvard’s governing body said it stood firmly behind Claudine Gay as the university’s president, a stance both praised and condemned by students, faculty and alumni.

Biden Says Russia Is Celebrating U.S. Divisions Over Providing Aid to Ukraine

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine traveled to Washington to make a last-ditch appeal for more help to fight Russia. But Republicans said they wouldn’t act without a border deal.

How Africans Are Changing French — One Joke, Rap and Book at a Time

More than 60 percent of French speakers now live in Africa. Despite growing resentment at France, Africans are contributing to the evolution and spread of the French language.

News: Zelensky In The U.S. For Aid Talks, Hong Kong ‘Patriots Only’ Elections

The Globalist Podcast (December 12, 2023) – We examine Volodymyr Zelensky’s efforts to bolster unity amid a rift between the Ukrainian leader and his top general.

Also, pro-democracy activist Nathan Law unpacks Hong Kong’s “patriots only” elections, a flick through today’s papers and a look at Swarovski’s new flagship store on Fifth Avenue.

The New York Times — Tuesday, December 12, 2023

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As Fighting Rages in Gaza, Israel Issues Warnings on Another Front

Smoke billowing above badly damaged buildings.

Top Israeli officials hinted at a powerful response to attacks by Hezbollah across the northern border with Lebanon, as to the south Israeli troops wage street battles against Hamas in Gaza.

Is Anti-Zionism Always Antisemitic? A Fraught Question for the Moment.

Supporters of Israel in Los Angeles last month.

From the halls of Congress to America’s streets and universities, a once largely academic issue has roiled national discourse, inciting accusations of bigotry and countercharges of bullying.

To Revive Portland, Officials Seek to Ban Public Drug Use

State and local leaders are proposing to roll back part of the nation’s pioneering drug decriminalization law and step up police enforcement.

Record Rent Burdens Batter Low-Income Life

More tenants than ever spend half or more of their income for shelter, leaving less for everything else, taking an emotional toll and leaving some without a place to call their own.

News: Israel-Hamas War In South Gaza, Egypt’s Sisi To Win The Presidential Vote

The Globalist Podcast (December 11, 2023) – The latest on the war between Israel and Hamas, examine the results of Egypt’s presidential election and debate Japan prime minister Fumio Kishida’s uncertain political future.

Also, the dispute between Guyana and Venezuela over Essequibo, art news and a dispatch from the Monocle Christmas Market.