Israel announces largest West Bank land seizure since 1993 during Blinken visit (www.washingtonpost.com)
Israel’s far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, announced the seizure of 10 square kilometers (3.8 square miles) of Palestinian territory in the West Bank on Friday. The move marks the single largest land seizure by the Israeli government since the 1993 Oslo accords, according to Peace Now, a settlement watchdog group....
Zelensky on Moscow shooting: Putin's attempts to link it to Ukraine 'absolutely predictable' (kyivindependent.com)
‘Insane’: Xi’s call for ethnic Chinese to tell Beijing’s story stirs anger (www.aljazeera.com)
Millions of people of Chinese origin are nationals of countries other than China and they don’t back Beijing....
A pro-West diplomat and an ally of populist premier to meet in runoff for Slovakia’s presidency (apnews.com)
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — A pro-western career diplomat defeated a close ally of Slovakia’s populist Prime Minister Robert Fico in the first round of the presidential election Sunday to set up a runoff between the two to decide who will succeed Zuzana Čaputová, the country’s first female president....
Some of nearly 300 abducted schoolchildren in Nigeria’s north are freed after weeks in captivity (apnews.com)
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nearly 300 kidnapped Nigerian schoolchildren have been released, local officials said Sunday, more than two weeks after the children were seized from their school in the northwestern state of Kaduna and marched into the forests....
Poland activates air force as western Ukraine and Kyiv come under ‘massive’ Russian attack (www.theguardian.com)
Poland says Russian missile targeting Ukraine’s Lviv region violated its airspace while Kyiv suffers third pre-dawn attack in four days...
Senegal votes Sunday in a presidential election that has fired up political tensions (apnews.com)
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Senegal votes Sunday in a tightly contested presidential election that has fired up political tensions and tested one of West Africa’s most stable democracies....
Ukraine war: Two Russian landing ships hit off Crimea, officials say (www.bbc.com)
Ukraine says it has hit two landing ships, a communications centre and other infrastructure used by Russia’s Black Sea fleet off annexed Crimea....
Suspects arrested after Moscow concert hall attack leaves at least 133 dead; ISIS claims responsibility (www.cbsnews.com)
Warning, graphic video....
Israeli forces shoot dead 12-year-old Palestinian who set off firework (www.bbc.com)
Laurent de Brunhoff, ‘Babar’ heir and author, dies at age 98 (apnews.com)
NEW YORK (AP) — “Babar” author Laurent de Brunhoff, who revived his father’s popular picture book series about an elephant-king and presided over its rise to a global, multimedia franchise, has died. He was 98....
Thousands Protest Against Gov't, for Hostage Deal Across Israel; Protesters Light Fires on Tel Aviv Road (www.haaretz.com)
Israeli official: Israel agreed to American ratio proposal for terrorist and hostage exchange, Hamas has yet to answer ■ Hamas: 19 killed, 23 wounded from IDF tank fire while ‘waiting for humanitarian aid’ ■ Anti-gov’t protests, rallies calling for the release of the hostages are taking place across Israel ■ UN chief...
Chinese coast guard hits Philippine boat with water cannons in disputed sea, causing injuries (apnews.com)
Chinese coast guard ships hit a Philippine supply boat with water cannons Saturday in the latest confrontation near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, causing injuries to its navy crew members and heavy damage to the wooden vessel, Philippine officials said....
A quick note on the spam comments:
So for the folks seeing all the deleted comments and going “Wow, that’s uncharacteristic!”...
A deepfake is already spreading confusion and disinformation about the Moscow terror attack. (www.motherjones.com)
‘Man-made starvation’: the obstacles to Gaza aid deliveries – visual guide (www.theguardian.com)
Aid officials criticise the slow and often arbitrary inspection process, which in practice blocks aid, with trucks waiting weeks for approvals....
Ukraine denies US requested to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries (newsukraine.rbc.ua)
Ukraine did not receive calls from the United States to cease attacks on Russian oil refineries, according to the advisor to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Mykhailo Podolyak. Earlier, the media reported on Washington’s alleged request to Kyiv....
Germany ‘Takes Note’ of Kejriwal's Arrest, Expects Standards of Judicial Independence to Apply (thewire.in)
Al Shabaab launches deadly attack on military base in Somalia (www.reuters.com)
MOGADISHU, March 23 (Reuters) - At least 17 people were killed in Somalia on Saturday after Islamist group al Shabaab attacked a military base....
Russia says United States must share any information it has on attack near Moscow (www.reuters.com)
MOSCOW, March 22 (Reuters) - Russia said on Friday that if the United States knew for sure that Ukraine was not involved in a mass shooting incident at a concert hall near Moscow Washington should share any information it had....
Turkish central bank stuns market by hiking interest rates to 50% (www.theguardian.com)
Hawkish rise 10 days before local elections is seen as a signal of independence from politics...
Mexico’s president says he won’t fight drug cartels on US orders, calls it a ‘Mexico First’ policy (apnews.com)
Remember when Trump said “America First” and everyone cried? Pepperidge Farms remembers…
Haiti gang wars push hunger to worst levels on record (www.today.com)
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification said in a report that about 4.97 million people out of a population of about 11.5 million were facing crisis or worse levels of food insecurity....
English Nazi collaborators may have aided recapture of ‘great escape’ PoWs (www.theguardian.com)
Document discovered by National Archives shows claim made after the war by recaptured RAF officer, but historians are sceptical...