Tag Archives: Ukraine

News, Newspapers, Views

The New York Times — Sunday, December 10, 2023

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Fears of a NATO Withdrawal Rise as Trump Seeks a Return to Power

Former President Donald J. Trump has made it clear that he primarily sees NATO as a drain on American resources.

Current and former European diplomats said there was growing concern a second Trump presidency could mean an American retreat from the continent and a gutting of NATO.

Penn’s Leadership Resigns Amid Controversies Over Antisemitism

The University of Pennsylvania’s president, M. Elizabeth Magill, during a hearing of the House Committee on Education on Capitol Hill on Tuesday.

The president, Elizabeth Magill, and the chairman of the board of trustees, Scott L. Bok, are leaving after intense pressure from donors, politicians and alumni.

Hong Kong Wants More Tourists, but Mostly ‘Good Quality’ Ones, Please

The return of budget tour groups from mainland China is sparking frustrations — and a dose of snobbery — in a city starved for business.

Tiny Electric Vehicles Pack a Bigger Climate Punch Than Cars

Two- and three-wheeled vehicles, used by billions of people, are moving away from fossil fuels to batteries faster than cars in countries that have made the energy transition a priority.

News, Podcasts, Politics, Stories

Saturday Morning: News From London And Oslo

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Monocle on Saturday, December 11, 2023: Emma Nelson and Yassmin Abdel-Magied review the week’s news and culture. Also, Monocle’s Oslo correspondent, Lars Bevanger, visits Ambassaden – the former US embassy, which has been transformed into a food-and-drink hub. Arts and culture specialist Issabella Orlando also joins the panel to talk about other heritage-inspired spaces around the world.

News, Newspapers, Views

The New York Times — Saturday, December 9, 2023

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E.U. Agrees on Landmark Artificial Intelligence Rules

Lawmakers discussed the A.I. Act in June at the European Parliament.

The agreement over the A.I. Act solidifies one of the world’s first comprehensive attempts to limit the use of artificial intelligence.

U.S. Vetoes Israel-Hamas Cease-Fire Resolution at U.N. Security Council

Displaced Palestinians set up a makeshift camp in the Al-Muwasi area of the southern Gaza Strip on Thursday.

The veto came amid a warning that “civil order is breaking down” in Gaza, and a day after the Biden administration warned that Israel’s military had not done enough to reduce harm to civilians.

Iran Looks to Houthi Proxies to Escalate Fight With Israel

The Iranian-backed militia in Yemen has launched drone and missile attacks on Israeli and American targets. American officials fear the group could go too far and incite a wider war.

Inside OpenAI’s Crisis Over the Future of Artificial Intelligence

Split over the leadership of Sam Altman, board members and executives turned on one another. Their brawl exposed the cracks at the heart of the A.I. movement.

News, Podcasts, Politics, Stories

News: Ukraine Funding Blocked In Senate, Health System Crisis In Nigeria

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The Globalist Podcast (December 8, 2023) – Natasha Lindstaedt discusses divisions within Congress after Republican senators blocked billions in new funding for Ukraine.

Also, a flick through the latest issue of Monocle’s seasonal newspaper, ‘Alpino’, the latest TV and film news and a new ski season kicks off in Europe.

News, Newspapers, Views

The New York Times — Friday, December 8, 2023

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Hunter Biden Charged With Evading Taxes on Millions From Foreign Firms

Hunter Biden, the son of President Biden, had already been charged with three federal weapons felonies in September.

The Justice Department charged President Biden’s son after a long-running and wide-ranging investigation with substantial political repercussions.

Ukraine Carries On Fight While Pondering an Erosion of U.S. Aid

Ukrainian soldiers firing a self-propelled howitzer in the Kharkiv region on Wednesday.

The government in Kyiv remains hopeful of further American assistance, but it is also looking to other resources — and trying to make clear what could be at stake.

How Israel Is Using Real-Time Battlefield Intelligence to Target Hamas

Israel has recovered a trove of material that its military has used to assess the extent of the group’s attack plans, and its tactics and abilities, information reviewed by The Times shows.

Texas Judge Grants Woman’s Request for Abortion, in Rare Post-Roe Case

A state court judge said a woman whose fetus was diagnosed with a fatal condition could legally obtain an abortion despite the state’s bans.

Economics, Financial, Magazines, Opinion, Politics, Previews, Reviews

Previews: The Economist Magazine – Dec 9, 2023

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The Economist Magazine (December 7, 2023): The latest issue features Israel and Palestine: how to get to peace – For there to be any hope, both Israelis and Palestinians need new leaders; What if Trump stumbles? – And what might happen if Trump dropped out; Make or break for renewables – Supply-chain dysfunction, rising interest rates and protectionism are making life tough; Our books of the year – This year’s picks transport readers to mountain peaks, out to sea and back in time…

Israel and Palestine: How peace is possible

A peace process can go wrong in many ways, but a real possibility exists that it could go right

How to stop over-medicalising mental health

What the world could learn from Britain’s flawed approach

A messy contest is coming to a head behind Donald Trump

Our poll tracker sheds light on that competition. It may yet matter

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The New York Times — Thursday, Dec 7, 2023

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Biden Calls on Congress to Approve Aid to Ukraine: ‘This Cannot Wait’

President Biden urged Congress in a televised speech on Wednesday to pass aid for Ukraine.

The administration has already alerted Congress that money for Ukraine will run out by the end of the year.

Nikki Haley’s Path From Trump Critic to Defender and Back

Nikki Haley has stepped up her criticism of Donald J. Trump’s norm-breaking foreign policy. But as ambassador to the United Nations, she strove to stay on his good side. “I just know that’s who he is,” she said at the time.

As ambassador to the United Nations, Ms. Haley strove to stay in the president’s favor and avoided some battles to change his mind on contentious issues.

Police Trainers Used Sexist Language and Glorified Violence, Videos Show

Street Cop Training, a private police training company, encouraged the use of unconstitutional tactics, a report by New Jersey’s comptroller says.

Jewish American Families Confront a Generational Divide Over Israel

Gen Z and young Millennials often see Israel as an occupying power oppressing Palestinians — a shock to their parents and grandparents, who tend to see it as an essential haven fighting for survival.

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The New York Times — Wednesday, Dec 6, 2023

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War Intensifies in Southern Gaza, Where Civilians Say No Place Is Safe

A Palestinian man mourning the loss of relatives killed in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, on Tuesday.

Amid some of the war’s heaviest bombing, Israeli forces battled Hamas deep into the city of Khan Younis, with few signs that Israel was heeding Biden administration calls to show more restraint.

Ukraine Aid Falters in Senate as Republicans Insist on Border Restrictions

Ukrainian soldiers with the 22nd Mechanized Brigade firing at Russian positions in the direction of Bakhmut, in eastern Ukraine, last week. The front line has remained largely static over the past year.

Legislation to send military aid to Ukraine and Israel was on the brink of collapse, after a briefing devolved into a screaming match one day before a critical test vote in the Senate.

How Nations Are Losing a Global Race to Tackle A.I.’s Harms

Alarmed by the power of artificial intelligence, Europe, the United States and others are trying to respond — but the technology is evolving more rapidly than their policies.

Desperate Families Search for Affordable Home Care

Facing a severe shortage of aides and high costs, people trying to keep aging loved ones at home often cobble together a patchwork of family and friends to help.

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The New York Times — Tuesday, December 5, 2023

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Israeli Forces Near Major City in Southern Gaza as Civilians Panic

Palestinians carrying the body of a victim in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, on Monday.

Israel, escalating its assault against Hamas in southern Gaza, warned civilians there to evacuate, but some said there was nowhere left to go.

Why a Second Trump Presidency May Be More Radical Than His First

The extreme policy plans and ideas of Donald J. Trump and his advisers would have a greater prospect of becoming reality if he were to win a second term.

Donald Trump has long exhibited authoritarian impulses, but his policy operation is now more sophisticated, and the buffers to check him are weaker.

White House Warns Ukraine Aid Is Running Out, Pressing Congress for More

The warning, in a letter to congressional leaders, comes as Republican support for funding Kyiv’s war effort is waning, and an emergency funding package is stalled in Congress.

A Prison at War: The Convicts Sustaining Putin’s Invasion

Nearly 200 inmates left a high-security Russian prison to join the war in Ukraine, seeking redemption, money or freedom. Many were killed or wounded.

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The New York Times — Monday, December 4, 2023

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Israel, Expanding Offensive, Tells More Gazans to Evacuate

An Israeli airstrike left a crater on Sunday in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip.

As its ground forces prepared to move in the south of Gaza, residents there were told to leave their homes, spreading fear and confusion.

What the Scale of Displacement in Gaza Looks Like

Eighty percent of Gazans are displaced from their homes as Israel orders more evacuations. See where thousands have been sheltering amid the war’s destruction.

Ego, Fear and Money: How the A.I. Fuse Was Lit

The people who were most afraid of the risks of artificial intelligence decided they should be the ones to build it. Then distrust fueled a spiraling competition.

‘Medical Freedom’ Activists Take Aim at New Target: Childhood Vaccine Mandates

Mississippi has long had high childhood immunization rates, but a federal judge has ordered the state to allow parents to opt out on religious grounds.