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Two of northern Gaza’s last functioning hospitals have been encircled by Israeli troops, preventing anyone from leaving or entering the facilities, hospital staff and aid groups said this week, as Israel pursued its renewed offensive into the devastated Palestinian territory. The Indonesian hospital and al-Awda hospital are among the region's only surviving medical centers. Both hospitals as well as another and three primary health care centers are within the evacuation zone, though Israel has not ordered the evacuation of the facilities themselves. Two of the last functioning hospitals in northern Gaza are encircled by Israeli forces, staff say

During the Ukraine war, which has lasted more than three years, at least 49,000 soldiers have deserted from the Russian army, according to journalists from "Important Stories," who accessed lists of military personnel accused of desertion. This number is equivalent to the strength of a military corps comprising several divisions. By the end of 2024, two extensive lists of alleged deserters appeared online—referred to as "five-hundredth" in the Russian military. Journalists from "Important Stories" verified this data and concluded that at least 49,000 soldiers of the Russian Federation Armed Forces were considered deserters or individuals who left their units without permission. Russian desertion crisis: 49,000 troops abandon the frontlines

In a ranking of the country’s 100 most visible brands, Tesla fell to 95th, while SpaceX clocked in at 86, according to the 2025 Axios Harris 100 poll. The rankings represent steep declines from the companies’ previous perches at 8th and 5th, respectively, in the 2021 poll. The plunge in reputation came even as competitors like Microsoft, Samsung, Nvidia, and Apple all made the top 10 for 2025. Elon Musk’s companies see reputations crumble as backlash from his work with DOGE hits his ventures

North Korean soldiers deployed to support Vladimir Putin’s army are reportedly sowing chaos on the battlefield, with Russian troops expressing fear that they could be shot by their own allies. Last year, Pyongyang sent a contingent of 11,000 troops to help Moscow retake the Kursk region, parts of which remain under Ukrainian control following a surprise counteroffensive. A leaked message from a private communication among Tuvan units claims that the North Korean troops have lost discipline and are behaving unpredictably. Putin fuming as North Korean soldiers wreak havoc in Russian army

The British government says it is suspending free trade negotiations with Israel and has levelled new sanctions targeting West Bank settlements as it criticizes Israel's military actions in Gaza. Foreign Secretary Lammy said the persistent cycle of violence by extremist Israeli settlers in the West Bank demanded action. “The Israeli government has a responsibility to intervene and halt these aggressive actions,” Lammy said. “Their consistent failure to act is putting Palestinian communities and the two-state solution in peril.” U.K. suspends free trade talks with Israel and announces sanctions over West Bank settlers

Ibiza resident Erika Barrachina shared a TikTok video of British travellers screaming and chanting “come on Ibiza” in the cabin on Saturday (17 May). She captioned the footage: “My trip yesterday London-Ibiza with easy jet was a real horror!! I was scared, a plane full of real English animals!!” According to Erika, during the almost two and a half hour flight from Luton, passengers prevented flight attendants from working by “standing, screaming, kids hitting each other, drinking little bottles of alcohol one after the other”. ‘A plane full of English animals’: Passenger describes horror flight to Ibiza as police intervene Unsurprisingly Airbus A320 from Luton was met by local police after landing in Ibiza at around 11.30pm!

The recent protests by various Western leaders: Canada, UK, France and Spain are a protest about Israel's actions, especially the food blockade leading to starvation of the population. And then there's the bombing with thousands of civilian casualties.

The ongoing war in Gaza has fundamentally challenged Forensic Architecture's approach to its work, agency founder Eyal Weizman says in this interview. London-based investigative agency Forensic Architecture specialises in using 3D digital modelling to scrutinise incidents in which people have been killed in contentious circumstances involving states or corporations. It attempts to show that Israel has sought to systematically displace Gaza's population by destroying buildings and infrastructure – including food and water sources – in combination with dividing the territory into humanitarian zones and safe routes. Forensic Architecture's normal approach "meaningless" in face of Gaza war says Eyal Weizman An interesting article above in which Israeli born Weizman considers if Israel's systematic destruction of Gaza is in fact a form of genocide.

As negotiations loom, the Russians are attempting to gain more territory in Ukraine. But on the Ukrainian side, they're not backing down. Zelensky's armed forces have developed sharp expertise in the use of drones, and this latest event is further proof of that. In a Facebook post, the 412th Nemesis Regiment claimed to have destroyed "an enemy Buk-M3 surface-to-air missile system in the Luhansk region". "Intelligence services tracked the target’s route, pinpointed its exact location and, working together with other units of the Ukrainian defence forces, attacked the enemy air defence system." Ukraine causes major damage: 100 million dollar Russian missile system destroyed

The UN’s humanitarian chief has warned 14,000 babies in Gaza could die within 48 hours if more aid does not enter the territory. Tom Fletcher said five aid trucks entered Gaza on Monday, a “drop in the ocean” after an 11-week blockade by Israel, and were yet to reach the communities in need. “There are 14,000 babies that will die in the next 48 hours unless we can reach them,” he said. UN warns 14,000 babies could die within 48 hours under Israel siege of Gaza

The US Senate has confirmed Charles Kushner, the father of President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, to serve as ambassador to France. The 70-year-old real estate developer, who received a presidential pardon from Trump in December 2020 over convictions for witness tampering and tax evasion, was confirmed by a 51-45 vote in the Senate on Monday. At his confirmation hearing on 1 May before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Kushner was asked about his criminal past. He was sentenced in 2005 to two years in prison after pleading guilty to 18 counts. Charles Kushner, father of Trump's son-in-law, confirmed as US ambassador to France

The text was about the Spanish PM wishing to ban Israel from cultural events, not only the Eurovision song contest. Indeed you seem to be the one following it , giving details about points awarded by Spain. This led me to assume you were a follower of the noted contest. Protests against the current Israel policy in Gaza include not only the Dutch but also several other Western countries, the latest being the leaders of the UK, France and Canada. The topic could be considered to be Western opposition to Israeli policy in Gaza. Incidentally there was a large demonstration in London at the weekend too. Tens of thousands join pro-Palestine protest in London for Nakba anniversary | UK News | Sky News

I gave up watching the Eurovision song contest in 1974 when Abba won it.

PARIS (Reuters) - Israel's easing of humanitarian aid access to Gaza is insufficient, French foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Tuesday. "It is totally insufficient... Immediate and massive aid is needed," Barrot told France Inter radio. He said Israel needed to ensure massive, immediate aid without any hindrance by Israel. Israel's easing of humanitarian aid access to Gaza insufficient, says French foreign min

Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates has condemned in the strongest terms the Israeli airstrikes on the Hamad Prosthetics Hospital in the Gaza Strip, which resulted in the death and injury of a number of innocent people. The UAE denounced the attack as a blatant violation of international humanitarian law, and warned against the ongoing Israeli aggression and military escalation which threaten to cause further loss of life and exacerbate the humanitarian catastrophe in the Strip. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) reaffirmed the UAE’s categorical rejection of the targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure, emphasizing the importance of protecting medical facilities, institutions and healthcare workers, and ensuring that they are not targeted during conflict. UAE strongly condemns targeting of Hamad Prosthetics Hospital in Gaza Strip

An extract from the article below, describing life in Gaza: Amjad Shawa, director of the Palestine Non-Governmental Organisations Network (PNGO), said malnutrition across the enclave has meant that people are unable to donate blood to assist with the treatment of injured civilians. He added: “To donate blood, you then have to compensate with food and drinks, but there is no food – nothing. “If you manage to buy some vegetables, it will be for one dish of salad. “Cucumber and tomatoes will cost you $25 (£18.70), and you need about $400 (£300) for 25kg of flour. Who can buy this?” Gaza’s families describe scenes of horror, starvation, and £300 sacks of flour

Trump suffers from two deficiencies, which in combination are extremely detrimental for the US, and unfortunately the world at times. 1. His extreme narcissism which leads to wild claims both on his social media posts and press conferences, etc. The stopping the Ukraine-Russia war in 24 hours being a prime example. 2. His ignorance of the topic at hand. Tariffs for example, claiming the US is being ripped off for buying foreign goods. It's an exchange of items for gawds sake, money for goods. Am I being cheated when I go to the grocery store and spend a few pounds on vegetables? ' Hey! I'm down 5 pounds!' Abraham Lincoln said it best: Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.

The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt may be closed or have highly restricted access for long periods and is subject to change at short notice. It has been closed for a significant period due to the Gaza conflict and can be subjected to attacks, including air strikes

"Tens of thousands join pro-Palestine protest in London for Nakba anniversary | UK News | Sky News" https://news.sky.com/story/tens-of-thousands-join-pro-palestine-protest-in-london-for-nakba-anniversary-13370022

Israel doesn't allow any foreigners except doctors or nurses to enter Gaza.

EU Council President António Costa demanded that Israel halt its military operations, while also calling on Hamas to release all remaining hostages immediately. He emphasized that only a two-state solution could bring lasting peace to the region. Echoing Costa's remarks, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reaffirmed the bloc's position: "We are convinced that the only solution is the two-state solution." She also stressed that humanitarian aid for civilians must never be politicized. EU and UK describe situation in Gaza Strip as 'unacceptable'

Blimey. The German I hear is more like the clip below.

The Wall Street Journal reports many Americans may not care to adopt the kind of factory work President Donald Trump’s is pledging to bring back to the U.S. The U.S. already has nearly half a million unfilled manufacturing jobs, according to the U.S. Labor Department. A 2025 National Association of Manufacturers survey also shows nearly half of manufacturing companies say their biggest challenge is recruitment and retention in jobs with rigid hours, hard work, and risk of significant physical injury. Americans don’t want 'hazardous' jobs Trump is pushing: report

Sir Keir Starmer has condemned Benjamin Netanyahu’s “egregious” actions in Gaza, warning that the UK and allies will take “concrete actions” unless he changes course. The Prime Minister, along with French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian premier Mark Carney called for a halt to Israel’s military offensive and an end to restrictions on humanitarian aid. In a joint statement, Sir Keir, Mr Macron and Mr Carney said: “We strongly oppose the expansion of Israel’s military operations in Gaza. The level of human suffering in Gaza is intolerable. UK, France and Canada condemn ‘egregious actions’ by Netanyahu’s Israel

MADRID (Reuters) -Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called on Monday for Israel's exclusion from international cultural events such as the Eurovision song contest over its military campaign in Gaza, just as Russia was barred after its invasion of Ukraine. "We cannot allow double standards, not even in culture," Sanchez, a Socialist and long-time critic of Israeli policies in occupied Palestinian territory, told a conference in Madrid. "I believe that no one was shocked three years ago when Russia was asked to withdraw from international competitions after it invaded Ukraine and not participate, for example, at Eurovision. Therefore, Israel should not do so either," he said. Spain's PM wants Israel out of international cultural events over Gaza war