Category Archives: Views

The New York Times — Sunday, November 5, 2023

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How a Campaign of Extremist Violence Is Pushing the West Bank to the Brink

Mourners burying the body of Bilal Muhammad Saleh, a Palestinian man killed by a settler in the West Bank last Saturday.

Israeli settlers and Palestinians have been locked in a cycle of bloodshed for decades. But extremist settler attacks could send the conflict out of control.

Blinken Meets Arab Ministers in Bid to Calm Outrage Over Gaza Airstrikes

Searching through the rubble of a destroyed building after an Israeli airstrike in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip, on Friday.

A missile attack on an ambulance convoy has drawn severe criticism, including from the U.N., but Israel says it was transporting Hamas fighters.

A Secret War, Strange New Wounds and Silence From the Pentagon

Many U.S. troops who fired vast numbers of artillery rounds against the Islamic State developed mysterious, life-shattering mental and physical problems. But the military struggled to understand what was wrong.3h ago.

Across the Echo Chamber, a Quiet Conversation About War and Race

When two acquaintances in Atlanta sat down to find common ground on the Israel-Hamas war, they found themselves in a painful conversation about race, power and whose suffering is recognized.

Paris: Eiffel Tower Views – The 16th Arrondissement

ART VISION TV / C&B JOURNAL (NOVEMBER 4, 2023) – The swanky 16th arrondissement is home to foreign embassies and renowned museums, including the Fondation Louis Vuitton and the Palais de Tokyo with its contemporary art.

Hilly Passy, home to the city’s wealthiest residents, features trendy restaurants and the Maison de Balzac, a house museum where the novelist once lived. Families head to the Bois de Boulogne for its boating lakes and kids’ theme park. 

The New York Times — Saturday, November 4, 2023

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Blinken Urges ‘Pauses’ in Fighting to Deliver Aid for Gaza Civilians

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with President Isaac Herzog of Israel during his visit to Tel Aviv on Friday.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel appeared to rebuff the Biden administration’s request, saying that any cease-fire would be contingent on the release of Israeli hostages taken by Hamas.

As Gaza War Enters New Phase, Israel Faces Pressure Over Civilian Deaths

Israeli soldiers working at an artillery unit near the Gaza border with Netivot, Israel, on Thursday.

Fears are rising that the conflict could spread to the occupied West Bank, where tensions are soaring among Palestinians angered over deadly Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.

Why the Abortion Ballot Question in Ohio Is Confusing Voters

Ballot questions have been a winning strategy for abortion rights, even in red states. But complicated ballot language and misinformation have some abortion rights supporters worried.

A Tangle of Rules to Protect America’s Water Is Falling Short

The Times asked all 50 states how they manage groundwater. The answers show why the country’s aquifers are in trouble.

Travel: An Aerial Tour Of Lagos, Algarve, Portugal

Drone Snap Films (November 3, 2023) – Lagos is a town in southern Portugal’s Algarve region. It’s known for its walled old town, cliffs and Atlantic beaches. Steep wooden steps lead to the sandy cove of Praia do Camilo.

The nearby cliffs of Ponta de Piedade offer sweeping headland views and a lighthouse. Igreja de Santo António, an ornate 18th-century church, sits across from the Castelo dos Governadores, a castle with a baroque facade and watchtowers.

The New York Times — Friday, November 3, 2023

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Israeli Troops Encircle Gaza City as Global Criticism of Strikes Mounts

Many people dig through rubble and demolished buildings.

An Israeli military spokesman said that Israeli soldiers had surrounded Gaza’s largest city. White House officials said they would urge Israel to “pause” its bombardment on humanitarian grounds.

U.S. Investigating Whether Adams Received Illegal Donations From Turkey

Mayor Eric Adams has said that he has made numerous visits to Turkey.

A raid at the home of Eric Adams’s chief fund-raiser was part of an inquiry into whether foreign money was funneled into his mayoral campaign, a search warrant shows.

An ‘Israel Explainer’ Makes Her Country’s Case in America

Once a celebrated actress in Israel, Noa Tishby has emerged as a leading pro-Israel voice on U.S. TV, on social media and in print.

Sam Bankman-Fried Is Found Guilty of 7 Counts of Fraud and Conspiracy

The case against the founder of the failed FTX exchange had come to symbolize the excesses of the volatile cryptocurrency industry.

Philippines Travel: A Canoe Ride On Litik Maasin River

Wind Walk Travel Videos ʬ (November 2, 2023) – Relaxing banca (canoe) ride at Litik Maasin Enchanted River in Dapa Siargao Island, Philippines. This scenic ride cruises on a clear, turquoise-colored water surrounded by jungle of coconut trees and lush vegetations.

The ‘bent coconut tree’ used to be a popular attraction at Maasin River until it came to an end in 2023. Back then, visitors can do a tarzan-like swing on a rope attached on the trunk of the tree.

The trip to Maasin River is part of the land tour offered by local operators which includes trips to Sugba Lagoon, Magpupungko Rocks Pools and Mountain View.

Filmed in May 2023

The New York Times — Thursday, Nov 2, 2023

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Limited Flight From Gaza Strip Begins, as Israelis Close In on Main City

Foreign passport holders at the Rafah border crossing check a list to see if they were permitted to leave the Gaza Strip on Wednesday.

Hundreds of people, including a few Americans, left the besieged territory for Egypt, the first group allowed across the border since the war began.

For Europe’s Jews, a World of Fear

Observing a minute of silence during a rally in solidarity with Israel in Berlin on Oct. 22.

The Oct. 7 Hamas assault on Israel and a surge in acts of antisemitism have awakened a repressed horror in Jewish populations across the continent.

In Protests Against Israel Strikes, G.O.P. Sees ‘Woke Agenda’ at Colleges

As the Mideast war escalates, the party’s politicians and activists are casting antisemitic incidents and progressive protests as part of a larger cultural battle over education.

Infant Deaths Have Risen for the First Time in 20 Years

The increases were particularly stark among babies born to Native American, Alaska Native and white mothers in 2022. Rates among Black infants remained highest of all.

The New York Times — Wednesday, Nov 1, 2023

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A Deadly Airstrike, and Gazans at the Breaking Point

The aftermath of the airstrike at the Jabaliya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip.

Israel said it killed a Hamas leader at a refugee camp, but many other people were wounded and killed, Hamas said. The assault came as fuel, food and water shortages pushed civilians to the brink.

Israel Faces Hostage Dilemma in Gaza

Family members of the hostages held in Gaza and their supporters during a demonstration on Sunday in Tel Aviv.

The country has said there are two main goals in the war: Destroy Hamas and free the hostages held in Gaza. But are those goals compatible?

In Cyberattacks, Iran Shows Signs of Improved Hacking Capabilities

A monthslong hacking campaign targeted the governments of regional rivals, including Israel, and marked a turn, a new report says, as the attacks were used to collect intelligence, not just disrupt services.

Panel Says That Innovative Sickle Cell Cure Is Safe Enough for Patients

The decision by an advisory committee may lead to Food and Drug Administration approval of the first treatment for humans that uses the CRISPR gene-editing system.

New Zealand Design: A South Island ‘Eco-Cabin’

The Local Project (October 31, 2023) – The Cabin by Johnstone Callaghan Architects is a tiny eco home located in Abel Tasman National Park, on the South Island of New Zealand.

Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the Tiny Eco Home 00:34 – The Remote South Island Location 01:38 – The Layout of the Tiny Eco Home 02:41 – The Cabin Structure and Features 03:17 – A Unique Outdoor Shower 03:37 – Bespoke Design Elements 04:48 – A Sensory Experience

Connected to nature and surrounded by wildlife, the tiny eco home is one of four privately held properties that is reachable only by boat or a walking track. As The Cabin is positioned among the trees, the architects limited tree cutting as much as possible so the owners could help regenerate the land. Additionally, due to the remote nature of the property, the owners have been given the rare opportunity to live amid nature itself. When arriving at the site of the tiny eco home, the house tour begins at the bottom of the property.

The house tour then takes you up a winding staircase that bypasses nature, so one is continuously connected to the natural surrounds. In the main living space of the tiny eco home, there is a kitchen with warm timber tones that complements the interior design, which is then contrasted by the dark timber tones found in the main bedroom. The remainder of the home leads out to the deck area, where a concrete bunker houses a sunken outdoor toilet.

The New York Times — Tuesday, October 31, 2023

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Israelis Advance on Gaza City, as Netanyahu Rules Out Cease-Fire

An Israeli artillery position near the border with Gaza on Monday.

Israel’s leaders vowed to destroy Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, after the deadly Oct. 7 attack, and Israeli ground forces are closing in on the city from three directions.

Biden’s Support for Israel Now Comes With Words of Caution

The change in President Biden’s tone has occurred against the backdrop of global denunciations of Israel’s actions and an explosion of divisive protests in the United States.

The administration has become more critical of Israel’s response to the Hamas attacks, a shift that U.S. officials attribute to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

‘A Very Slow Game:’ Why the Pace of Israel’s Ground Operation Counts

Israel’s invasion of Gaza is proceeding more slowly than expected. That may suit the needs of its allies — and its adversaries, analysts say.

Police Were Told Maine Gunman Had Threatened to Carry Out Shooting Spree

The Army Reserve and a Maine sheriff’s department knew of a reservist’s deteriorating mental health five months before he carried out America’s deadliest mass shooting this year.