Domestic politics deepens the US-Israel divide
Relations between the US and Israel appear to have sunk to a new low after the US abstained from a UN vote that allowed a Gaza ceasefire resolution to pass – and domestic politics in both countries is adding to the divide.
In the US, President Biden is facing outrage from supporters and global allies over the war’s civilian death toll and Israel’s apparent reluctance to allow enough aid into Gaza. At the same time, Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and his former ambassador to Israel have stepped up policy proposals embraced by Israel’s far-right wing, which call for the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza and the annexation of the West Bank. from Israel.
In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces sharp criticism from his far-right coalition partners for any sign that he is wavering on the war against Hamas or the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Netanyahu and his far-right allies have made increasingly bellicose remarks against the Biden administration. In a recent interview, the Homeland Security Secretary accused Biden of tacitly supporting Israel’s enemies.
Even as the Biden-Netanyahu rift widens, Israel’s defense minister yesterday sought to shore up US support during a second day of meetings with top Biden administration officials in Washington. The Israeli military continued its bombardment of Gaza yesterday, saying its warplanes had hit “more than 60 targets”.
Six workers are missing after a bridge collapses in the US
A huge cargo ship leaving the port of Baltimore in Maryland lost power and hit a major bridge yesterday, causing it to collapse and vehicles on the bridge to fall into the river. Six construction workers who were on the bridge making repairs are missing as divers and other emergency workers continue to search for them. Two workers have been rescued.
The ferry made the call shortly before the collision, which occurred around 1:30 a.m., and gave officials enough time to stop traffic at both ends of the bridge. No injuries were reported on the ship, which was bound for Colombo, Sri Lanka, according to MarineTraffic, a marine data platform. Here’s a detailed look at where the ship was at the time of the collision.
The governor of Maryland called the incident a terrible accident, adding that there is no reliable evidence of a terrorist attack. An inspection of the cargo ship last year in a Chilean port said the ship had a deficiency related to “propulsion and auxiliary machinery.”
Record: Baltimore is a major commercial hub that ranks first in the US in terms of the volume of cars and light trucks it moves.
Suicide bomber kills 5 Chinese workers in Pakistan
At least five Chinese workers were killed yesterday when a suicide bomber drove a vehicle into their convoy in northern Pakistan, officials said. The driver of the vehicle was also killed. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
The workers were working on the Dasu Dam, a hydroelectric project in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The attack comes amid a spate of terror attacks in Pakistan as the country’s faltering ties with the Taliban affect regional security.
Ocean Conservation Namibia, a non-profit group, estimates it has rescued about 3,000 seals entangled in marine debris since 2020. Videos of its rescues have become an internet sensation, suggesting the group has thrown a difficult needle: drawing attention to growing marine litter crisis, but with a happy ending for the affected animals.
DISCUSSION STARTERS
Beyoncé is here for country music
Beyoncé’s new album, “Cowboy Carter,” which explores and tests the boundaries of country music, is an extension of her exploration of how Black creativity fuels all corners of popular music.
But Beyoncé is black and a woman, two groups that the modern country music industry has consistently marginalized and belittled. No built-in celebrity seems likely to undo that, writes our reviewer Jon Caramanica. But whether or not the music industry welcomes Beyoncé is irrelevant. He embraces music as art and inspiration, not industry, he wrote.
