EU fiddles on Middle East as Ukraine burns (www.politico.eu)
EU leaders look set to focus on Iran — where there is little they can achieve — while still failing to flex real muscle against Putin in Ukraine....
Iran’s imprisonment of EU diplomat reveals new era of hostage diplomacy (www.politico.eu)
Johan Floderus, an EU diplomat, has spent two years in an Iranian prison....
Gaza: Children killed as Israeli strike on playground leaves 11 dead (www.thenational.scot)
At least 11 people, including children, have been killed in an Israeli attack on the Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza, it has been reported....
Mass grave found at Gaza hospital occupied by Israeli forces (www.aljazeera.com)
A new mass grave has been discovered at al-Shifa Hospital where a two-week siege by the Israeli army has turned the facility into a graveyard and put what was once Gaza’s largest medical complex out of service.
Israeli tanks push back into northern Gaza, warplanes hit Rafah, say residents (www.reuters.com)
Israeli tanks pushed back into parts of the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday which they had left weeks ago, while warplanes conducted air strikes on Rafah, the Palestinians’ last refuge in the south of the territory, killing and wounding several people, medics and residents said....
Johnson’s Plan for Ukraine Aid Meets Republican Pushback, Muddying Its Path (www.nytimes.com)
Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday encountered stiff resistance from Republicans as he embarked on a complicated and politically perilous strategy to push legislation through the House to send aid to Israel and Ukraine — all while beating back a threat to his own job....
Explosions, fire reported at military airfield in occupied Crimea (kyivindependent.com)
Explosions were reported in the town of Dzhankoi in occupied Crimea near a military airfield during the early hours of April 17, according to Russian-affiliated telegram channels. Following the explosions, a large-scale fire reportedly broke out at the airfield....
Netanyahu aims to trap west into war across Middle East, warns Iranian diplomat (www.theguardian.com)
Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking to trap the west into a total war across the Middle East that would have incalculable consequences for the region and the world, Iran’s top diplomat in the UK has claimed, in his first interview since Tehran launched an unprecedented missile and drone attack against Israel at the weekend....
Vladimir Putin not welcome at French ceremony for 80th anniversary of D-day (www.theguardian.com)
France says Russia can be represented but president will not be invited because of war in Ukraine...
China continues to persecute family of dissidents unlawfully, finds report (www.theguardian.com)
Authorities continuing ‘intimidation’ including separating children from their parents, despite pledge to end collective punishment...
Russia's meat grinder soldiers - 50,000 confirmed dead (www.bbc.com)
Russia’s military death toll in Ukraine has now passed the 50,000 mark - the BBC can confirm....
EU looking to expand sanctions on Iran following attack on Israel (www.euronews.com)
The European Union will “start the necessary work” to hit Iran with heavier sanctions after Saturday’s aerial attack on Israel, the bloc’s top diplomat has said....
Solomon Islands: The Pacific election being closely watched by China and the West (www.bbc.com)
In the Solomon Islands, the night before an election is known as Devil’s Night....
Time for a European single market ‘with teeth’ to take on China, India, leaders told (www.politico.eu)
Former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta tells POLITICO that government subsidies should become a “European tool.”...
Russia to grow faster than all advanced economies says IMF (www.bbc.com)
An influential global body has forecast Russia’s economy will grow faster than all of the world’s advanced economies, including the US, this year....
Debris from burning satellites could be affecting Earth's magnetic field | Space (www.space.com)
Chinese city Zhengzhou tells state-owned company to buy second-hand homes to reduce new housing inventories (news.yahoo.com)
BEIJING (Reuters) - China’s central city of Zhengzhou has asked residents to sell their second-hand homes to a local state-owned company and buy new ones instead, in a bid to reduce new-home inventories and boost the local property sector....
MPs to vote on smoking ban for those born after 2009 (www.bbc.com)
Plans to stop young people born since 2009 ever smoking are being debated and will be voted on later....
Dead satellites are filling space with trash. That could affect Earth’s magnetic field | Sierra Solter (www.theguardian.com)
Over 500 people targeted with Pegasus spyware under former Polish government (notesfrompoland.com)
News Announcement for Disaster Damage from KHI Restoration Company (www.khi-restoration.com)
According to the company, disasters can strike at any moment and cause significant damage to properties. In such cases, immediate action is necessary to prevent further damage and minimize the restoration costs. KHI Restoration understands the urgency of these situations and provides 24/7 emergency services to its clients....
Making deepfake porn without consent could soon be a crime in England (www.cnn.com)
UN demands end to Israeli forces’ support of settler attacks on West Bank Palestinians (www.theguardian.com)
The United Nations has voiced grave concern over escalating violence in the West Bank, demanding that Israeli security forces “immediately” stop supporting settler attacks on Palestinians in the occupied territory....
'Bollard Man': Hero who confronted stabber promised Australia visa (www.bbc.com)
Julian Assange: What the US “assurances” for extradition are all about (www.freitag.de)
today is the deadline for the United States to provide diplomatic assurances to the High Court of the UK prior to the next hearing on May 20
