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Gaza rescue workers scared and exhausted under Israel's air strikes

By Nidal al-Mughrabi, Bassam and Masaoud GAZA (Reuters) - Palestinian rescue worker Ibrahim Hamdan has been on duty almost constantly since Saturday, dodging Israeli air strikes that have killed paramedics even as his team tries to pull survivors from houses destroyed by the relentless pounding of the tiny enclave. Israel's bombardment of Gaza began on Saturday soon after the armed wing of the militant Islamist group Hamas governing the enclave smashed through barriers to send hundreds of fighters marauding through Israeli towns, killing 1,200 soldiers and civilians including children, Israel'...

New Zealand election campaign winds down with Labor facing defeat

By Lucy Craymer WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins on Friday urged voters to get out and re-elect Labour in Saturday's national election, as polls indicate a change in government after six years of left-wing rule. Hipkins, who took over as prime minister in January when Jacinda Ardern made the surprise decision to step down, has struggled to win back swing voters disenfranchised with the Labour Party, which they blame for long COVID-19 lockdowns and a huge rise in the cost of living. However, Hipkins, 45 said Labour was starting to see momentum build in the final h...

US must be ready for simultaneous wars with China, Russia: report

By Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States must prepare for possible simultaneous wars with Russia and China by expanding its conventional forces, strengthening alliances and enhancing its nuclear weapons modernization program, a congressionally appointed bipartisan panel said on Thursday. The report from the Strategic Posture Commission comes amid tensions with China over Taiwan and other issues and worsening frictions with Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. A senior official involved in the report declined to say if the panel's intelligence briefings showed any Chinese and...

'God bless America!' Blinken receives emotional thank you from Israel

Tel Aviv (AFP) - Hearing firsthand from Israeli survivors of the massive Hamas assault, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken experienced a rare scene for a diplomat: a cheering crowd. During his 12-hour visit to Tel Aviv, Blinken declared, "The United States has Israel's back", a sentiment ordinary Israelis demonstrated was mutual, showing gratitude to their country's main ally. Blinken's motorcade made a last-minute stop at the underground parking lot that has been turned into a makeshift donation hub after Israel's deadliest day in decades. As Blinken brought baby supplies to add to the unru...

British TV host Holly Willoughby quits show after man arrested for plotting her murder

British TV show host Holly Willoughby resigned from her job after a man was arrested for plotting to kidnap and kill her. Willoughby, 42, had hosted “This Morning” on ITV for 14 years. She announced her departure on Tuesday, though she did not directly mention the investigation. “To everyone who has ever worked on the show over the years, thank you so so much,” she wrote in the goodbye message. “It’s been an honour to be part of its story and I know this story has many chapters left to go. Sadly, however, I now feel I have to make this decision for me and my family.” Gavin Plumb, 36, was arres...

Watch: Voter walks out on DeSantis in anger during argument over Israel

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis got into an argument with a voter on the campaign trail at a restaurant in Littleton, New Hampshire, over the escalating Israeli clashes with Hamas in Gaza this week, with the frustrated voter finally storming out and proclaiming DeSantis had lost his vote.

"Ron, what do you think about the annihilation and the decapitation of all the Palestinians in Gaza right now?" asked the voter. "They're basically bulldozing the whole — I worked in the Gaza Strip, in Palestinian refugee camps."

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Donald Trump issues damage control statement: 'No better friend or ally of Israel'

He's trading potshots for white doves.

After days of scorn aimed at Israel (and particularly Prime Minister Netanyahu), former President Donald Trump wants to show he's a loyal friend to the country and can assure the world will be "safe" again if he is reelected in 2024.

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UN human rights body extends mandate for investigator of Russia

GENEVA (Reuters) - The top U.N. human rights body on Thursday adopted a resolution extending the mandate of an independent expert to document alleged human rights abuses in Russia that activists say have drastically increased since its invasion of Ukraine last year. Eighteen members of the United Nations Human Rights Council voted in favour of the resolution, with 22 abstaining and seven voting against it. "The Special Rapporteur is one of the last avenues for civil society to bring international attention to their important work and to give a voice to those who risk their lives," Katharina St...

'Now is the time for war,' says Israel's military chief

By Henriette Chacar, Nidal al-Mughrabi and Humeyra Pamuk JERUSALEM/GAZA/TEL AVIV (Reuters) - Israel's military chief said, "Now is the time for war," as his country amassed tanks near the Gaza Strip ahead of a planned ground invasion to annihilate the Palestinian militant Hamas group that rules the enclave. Seeking to build support for its response, Israel's government showed U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and NATO defence ministers graphic images of children and civilians they said Hamas had killed in a weekend rampage in Israel. Blinken said they showed a baby "riddled with bullets,"...

Trump using Israel crisis to push for Netanyahu's impeachment as revenge: report

In recent days, former President Donald Trump has made a sudden public turn on right-wing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with whom he was a close friend while in office, accusing him of chickening out on a mission against Iran during a rally this week.

Now, reported Adam Rawnsley and Asawin Suebsaeng for Rolling Stone, Trump is working behind the scenes to try to get Netanyahu "impeached" from office — and it's all because Trump is still furious that Netanyahu wouldn't back up his false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him.

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'Nonsense': Israeli official slams Trump's comments on terror attack

Israel's Communications Minister slammed recent comments from ex-president Donald Trump, where he seemingly mocked Israel for failing to stop the terror attack carried out by Hamas over the weekend, The Times of Israel reported.

“We don’t have to bother with him and the nonsense he spouts,” Shlomo Karhi said, adding that Trump cannot be relied on when it comes to Israel's security.

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Syria's two main airports out of service after Israel strikes: state media

Israeli strikes knocked Syria's two main airports out of service on Thursday, Syrian state media said, in the first such attack since a weekend Hamas onslaught on Israel triggered fierce fighting.

Israeli strikes have repeatedly caused the grounding of flights at the airports in the capital Damascus and northern city Aleppo, both of which are controlled by the government of war-torn Syria.

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Ted Cruz busted for false claim about Biden taking 'days' to say US stands with Israel

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) on Thursday made a flagrantly false claim about President Joe Biden dragging his feet when it came to showing solidarity with Israel in the wake of last weekend's terrorist attacks by Hamas that resulted in more than 1,000 Israelis being killed.

Writing on Twitter, Cruz falsely claimed that it took Biden several days to state that the United States government was standing shoulder-to-shoulder with one of its top allies in a time of need.

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