Politics

Israelis expressed growing concern Sunday that President Biden’s faltering debate performance could embolden the country’s Middle Eastern adversaries at a critical moment for American leadership in the region. Israeli commentators across the political spectrum have sounded the alarm that Iran and its allies could exploit Biden's apparent weakness as Israel battles Hamas in Gaza and faces the prospect of all-out conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon. U.S. officials have been working to broker a diplomatic solution to tensions between Israel and Hezbollah to prevent a broader regional war that could involve both Iran and the United States. The Biden administration is…

U.S. defense officials raised the security alert level at military bases in Europe over the weekend in response to vague threats from the Kremlin about Ukraine using long-range weapons on Russian soil, U.S. and Western officials said. Officials noted that no specific information has been gathered about potential Russian attacks on U.S. bases. However, any such attack by Russia, overt or covert, would mean a significant escalation of its war in Ukraine. Russia has stepped up its sabotage efforts in Europe, aiming to disrupt the flow of materials to Ukraine. So far, no U.S. bases have been targeted in these…

Haiti's new prime minister, Garry Conille, met with top Democratic congressional leaders Tuesday to request more American assistance, after a U.S.-backed international police mission arrived to restore stability in a country besieged by criminal gangs. The Biden administration plans to allocate $100 million for the mission, with the United States as the lead donor. However, Mr. Conille told Democrats that more money is urgently needed to address basic infrastructure and services. “This is a critical point,” Mr. Conille said, stressing the need for continued investment after meeting with lawmakers and international financial institutions. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Democrat of Florida and the…

Relief efforts began Wednesday in New York City's Caribbean community, as residents anxiously followed the path of Hurricane Beryl. The storm has already claimed at least seven lives in the southeastern Caribbean, leaving thousands without power. By Wednesday afternoon, Beryl had weakened from a Category 5 hurricane to a Category 4 hurricane, coasting just south of Jamaica and unleashing destructive winds and heavy rains on the island. In Brooklyn’s Little Caribbean neighborhood, those with ties to Jamaica have been closely monitoring the storm’s progress. Nadine Ducille, chef at Caribbean Vibes Jamaican Restaurant and Bakery on Nostrand Avenue, said she’s been…

Voters in Portsmouth, a city famous for its naval base on England’s south coast, streamed into a polling station on Thursday morning. Warmly greeted by poll workers, they arrived in a steady stream: elderly couples holding hands, parents with babies in strollers, and young professionals rushing to work. According to the latest polls, every vote cast has added weight to what could be the decisive conclusion to 14 years of Conservative government. “I just want to see change,” Sam Argha, 36, said after voting for Labour. “We need to try something different.” This sentiment reverberated across the city, where many,…

Instead of waking up on Monday in a country governed by the far right, France found itself in a situation similar to Italy's, where only patient parliamentary negotiation could lead to the formation of a viable coalition government. France rejected Marine Le Pen’s anti-immigration Rassemblement National in its legislative elections, once again demonstrating its deep-seated resistance to nationalist initiatives. The country voted for a resurgent left that, while it has not achieved absolute power, has shifted the political heart of the nation from an all-powerful presidency to Parliament. With the Paris Olympics less than three weeks away and the August…

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán visited Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing on Monday, following his recent talks with Russian President Vladimir V. Putin in Moscow. China's state-run news agency, Xinhua, announced Orban's visit, saying Xi would engage in "in-depth discussions on issues of mutual concern" with him. The two leaders last met two months ago, when Xi visited Budapest to boost Chinese influence in Europe. Chinese state television reported that the meeting took place at the Diaooyutai State Guesthouse, but gave no further details. The meeting offers Xi and Orban, who often diverges from the European Union on Ukraine…

A significant problem is now affecting humanitarian aid convoys trying to deliver essential goods to the starving population of Gaza: attacks by organized groups looking not for flour or medicine, but for cigarettes hidden in the cargo. In the tightly restricted Gaza Strip, where Israel meticulously inspects every incoming truck, cigarettes have become extremely rare, often selling for $25 to $30 apiece. Smugglers in Egypt have hidden them in sacks of flour, diapers and even watermelons donated by the United Nations, according to aid agencies and Israeli officials who shared information with The New York Times. Aid trucks headed to…

A Russian missile attack on Ukraine's largest children's hospital on Monday underscored the escalation of attacks on medical facilities, vehicles and workers in the country. The incident is in line with World Health Organization (WHO) data indicating a potential increase in Ukrainian casualties from such attacks in 2024 compared to the previous year. Before the attack on Ohmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kyiv, WHO had reported 18 deaths and 81 injuries from more than 175 attacks on health infrastructure in Ukraine during the first half of 2024. In addition, 44 attacks on medical vehicles were recorded. In 2023, WHO documented 22…