Last week was Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. A day of prayer and staying away from news. As people made their way to Heaton Park synagogue in north Manchester, they saw a small car being driven erratically before it crashed into the gates. In seconds, Jihad al-Shamie had jumped from the vehicle and started stabbing those nearby. Within six minutes three people had been killed, including the attacker, who was shot by armed police.
For our cover story, Chris Osuh and Geneva Abdul speak to members of the Jewish community about how they feared such an assault was likely, as well as their hopes for unity in the face of hatred. Our reporting team pieces together what is known about Shamie, and Jonathan Freedland says the terror attack was no surprise amid rising antisemitism, but must be a turning point.
Five essential reads in this week’s edition
Spotlight | A chilling message David Smith reports on how Donald Trump is stepping up attacks on Democratic donors little more than a year before the midterm elections for Congress
Science | Catching Zs If you’ve ever found yourself awake in the small hours, mind whirring, you’re not alone. Jillian Pretzel asks experts about what causes maintenance insomnia – inability to stay asleep – and which treatments can help to tackle it
Feature | Broken connection A volcanic eruption in the South Pacific in 2022 ripped apart the underwater cables that connect Tonga to the world.Samanth Subramanian examines how losing the internet catapulted the archipelago back in time
Opinion | Man without a plan? Latin American governments are fretfully watching a big US military buildup around Venezuela as Donald Trump steps up action against drug cartels. The president’s efforts to act as a neighbourhood policeman, writes Simon Tisdall, are regressive, dangerous and almost certain to backfire
Culture | Boss mode New biopic Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere captures the musician at a pivotal point in his career. Alexis Petridis speaks to the film’s cast and crew about bringing the musical icon to life
As China struggles with economic discontent, internet censors are silencing those who voice doubts about work, marriage, or simply sigh too loudly online.
The second anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks comes with peace talks underway, but with hostages still in Gaza, more than 67,000 Palestinians dead and Israel isolated.
As Republicans try to pin blame for shutdown damage on Democrats, they are hailing a federal bureaucracy they normally bash as wasteful and overreaching.
A federal judge in Oregon accused the administration of circumventing her order, as the president turned to Texas for troops aimed at Chicago and other cities.
Two years of intense warfare have left Gazans with a dismembered and disordered society. Many have mental and physical wounds that could scar a generation.
In a country where power is highly centralized, Moscow sets the tone for Vladivostok, 4,000 miles away, complicating ambitions to make it a trading powerhouse.
A West Coast version of Zohran Mamdani’s campaign is playing out in Portland, Ore. But the socialist city councilors are facing significant opposition.
Sean Combs Now Faces Not Just Prison and a Fine, but Shunning
Many who have tracked the music mogul’s career think his reputation has been irreparably damaged by testimony of abusive behavior as a boss and boyfriend.
Trump officials want schools to sign on to conservative priorities for special treatment. Some in higher education say agreeing would end academic freedom.
A bitter deadlock between President Trump and Democrats in Congress over federal spending is expected to disrupt services and leave many workers furloughed, and possibly cause mass job losses.
Gaza City Exodus Is Overwhelming Relief Efforts, Aid Agencies Say
Hospitals are overflowing, water is low and diseases are spreading as hundreds of thousands of Palestinians flee south to escape Israel’s expanded ground offensive.
Almost daily, thousands of words pour forth from President Trump’s mouth. Sometimes, he tucks in a revealing insight about the direction he is taking the U.S.
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