A US commander has gone to Israel amid fears of an Iranian attack
A top US military commander traveled to Israel yesterday to coordinate with top officials there about impending retaliatory action by Iran, as well as to discuss the war in Gaza, officials said.
Iran’s leaders have repeatedly vowed to punish Israel for the April 1 strike in Syria that killed several senior Iranian commanders. US officials have said they are preparing for a possible Iranian response, and Israel has put its military on alert.
The general’s visit came a day after President Biden said Iran was threatening a “significant” attack. Biden said that despite recent friction, US support for Israel “is ironclad” in the event of an attack by Iran.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that amid the war in Gaza, Israel was “prepared for scenarios involving challenges in other areas.” He added: “We have established a simple rule: Whoever hurts us, we will hurt him.”
Homers: A senior Hamas official said it does not have 40 hostages alive who met the criteria for exchange under a proposed cease-fire deal with Israel, raising fears that more may be dead than previously thought.
Hunger crisis: Samantha Power, the head of the US Agency for International Development, told lawmakers this week that a famine was underway in northern Gaza.
OJ Simpson has died at the age of 76
OJ Simpson, the football star and actor who was acquitted in a 1995 trial of the murders of his ex-wife and her girlfriend, died Wednesday at the age of 76.
Simpson’s trial for the deaths of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Ronald Goldman — a nine-month courtroom drama in Los Angeles — became a national sensation and a turning point in race in America. Dubbed “The Trial of the Century” by some news outlets, Simpson’s acquittal left many black people elated and many white people stunned. (Read our coverage of the 1995 verdict.) The case subsequently became the focus of television specials, movies and more than 30 books.
In 1997, a civil suit found Simpson liable for the deaths and ordered him to pay $33.5 million in damages. It was a vindication of sorts for the victims’ families and a blow to Simpson, who said he couldn’t pay.
Career: Simpson won the Heisman Trophy as the nation’s best college football player in 1968, and some magazines called him the greatest running back in the history of the college game. Here is a timeline of his life.
Ukraine votes on bill to replenish classes
Ukraine’s parliament has passed a mobilization law, an effort to replenish its depleted and depleted fighting forces, which are struggling to contain Russia. Earlier this month, Kiev lowered the age limit to 25, upsetting many young men and their families.
The bill includes incentives for volunteers and benefits for the families of those killed in action — as well as new penalties for draft evasion. Importantly, it has no demobilization timetable, which soldiers and their families demanded. Many young Ukrainians are fearfully waiting to be called up for service.
Population: Ukraine’s search for young soldiers has another critical problem – the lack of young men. These tables explain the dilemma of a century, but the key question is whether the country can replenish its ranks without decimating a generation.
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For restaurant owners, using virtual hosts could reduce rising costs. But others see a model rife with abuse: Remote workers are paid $3 an hour, their management company said. The minimum wage in New York is $16 an hour.
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Deserted Island Rescue: Three men stranded on a remote Pacific island for more than a week were rescued by the US Coast Guard after calling “HELP” on a beach using palm fronds.
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Art Deco Revival: Celebrities and designers have contributed to the growing interest in the work of painter Tamara de Lempicka.
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Trauma and psychedelics: The Hamas attack on a music festival in Israel gave researchers a rare opportunity to study the link between mind-altering substances and extreme trauma.
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We remember Taro Akebono
Taro Akebono, a wrestler born in Hawaii who became the first foreign sumo wrestler, or sumo grand champion, died this month at the age of 54.
When he became Japan’s 64th yokozuna in 1993, he broke a cultural ceiling: The council that bestows the title had previously argued that no foreigner could have the requisite dignity to hold it. Akebono would gain acceptance and popularity in part because people appreciated his dedication to the sport.
Akebono won a total of 11 major championships. His success led to a resurgence in sumo’s popularity and set the stage for an era in which foreign-born wrestlers dominated its top levels.
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That’s it for this week. We hope you have an exciting, restful weekend. — Amelia
Email us at briefing@nytimes.com.
