The Israeli military on Thursday released the first findings from its internal investigations into the colossal military and intelligence failure of Oct. 7, 2023, describing how senior officers vastly underestimated Hamas and then misinterpreted early warnings that a major attack was coming. The inquiries attempted to answer the question that has confounded Israel since that … Read more
President Trump on Tuesday night shared an AI-generated video depicting the devastated Gaza Strip as an opulent resort emblazoned with his name, less than a week after he appeared to back off his proposal to displace Palestinians en masse from the territory and assert U.S. control over it. It was not immediately clear where the … Read more
Shamekh al-Dibs has not begun rebuilding his home in northern Gaza, which was destroyed last year. He is living in a nearby school turned into a shelter for displaced Gazans, grappling with a deep uncertainty over whether this tense calm will last. The first phase of the cease-fire elapses on Saturday night and there have … Read more
Three years ago, support for members of a Ukrainian political party that advocated closer ties with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia plunged to near zero after Russian forces invaded Ukraine, flattening whole cities and killing tens of thousands of Ukrainians. The party, called the Opposition Platform for Life, was banned, some members went to … Read more
Prosecutors in Romania have opened a criminal case against Calin Georgescu, an ultranationalist politician who in November won the first round of a presidential election only to have his victory annulled when the Constitutional Court ordered a redo of the vote. The start of criminal proceedings against Mr. Georgescu, a fierce critic of NATO and … Read more
Although Gene Hackman, who died at age 95, was one of Hollywood’s most enduring and recognizable stars, it was nearly impossible to put the actor in a box. In a five-decade career, he portrayed cops, villains and men of the cloth, in thrillers, comedies and superhero blockbusters. His accolades included two Academy Awards and four … Read more
Sharief al-Homsi shivered, clutched his arms and pretended to go through Syrian regime withdrawal. Standing before an audience in Damascus, he was telling a joke that would have been unthinkable until just a few weeks before, when President Bashar al-Assad was suddenly ousted after more than five decades of his family’s oppressive rule. “We need … Read more
International relations seldom figure into local politics in Canada. And Thursday’s provincial election in Ontario, where many voters are worried about issues closer to home, like access to health care and the soaring cost of housing, should have been no exception. But President Trump has upended the electoral dynamic. His threats against Canada — including … Read more
Three mainstream political parties in Austria said on Thursday that they had reached an agreement to form a new government that excludes the far right, ending five months of roller coaster negotiations after an election last fall. The coalition is set to announce ministerial posts on Friday, but the new chancellor is likely to be … Read more
Inside the White House, Trump officials are embroiled in a debate over whether to carry out military strikes against Mexican drug cartels or instead to collaborate with Mexican authorities to jointly dismantle criminal organizations. On one side, several people familiar with the matter say, some U.S. officials are advocating for unilateral military action against cartel … Read more