European leaders pledged to support Ukraine
British Prime Minister Kiel Starmer yesterday declared that “we are at a crossroads in history,” and announced that European countries would gather a “coalition of will” to protect Ukraine against Russia. Click here for details.
The announcement followed a London meeting of 18 European leaders attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The order of priorities said many other countries could join Britain and France in the event of a ceasefire between Kiev and Moscow and deploy troops to Ukraine. He also announced plans to allow Ukraine to use £1.6 billion in UK export financing to purchase more than 5,000 air defense missiles.
context: The rally sparked greater urgency after a fierce meeting between President Zelensky and Vice President Trump and Vice President JD Vance on Friday in the Oval Office, causing fear that the US would try to force a peace deal on Ukraine.
Ukraine: Most people in the country this weekend seemed to be looking and waiting after a meeting between Trump and Zelensky. They wondered: Will the United States abandon them?
Israel has stopped Gaza aid and proposed a new deal
Israel said yesterday it had immediately stopped all goods and humanitarian invasions into Gaza. The move was intended to force Hamas to accept a temporary extension of the ceasefire after the first phase ended on Saturday. The suspension could uncertain the fate of the remaining hostages and worsen the situation for around 2 million residents of Gaza. Israel said the restrictions do not apply to water.
Hours before aid halted, Israel had proposed extending the ceasefire for seven weeks. Meanwhile, Hamas releases the ruins of half the remaining living hostages and half the deceased. Hamas rejected Israeli gambit and called the suspension of aid a “cheap and scary mail,” but said he was still willing to negotiate a second phase of the contract.
What's next: Analyst Aaron David Miller said Hamas is unlikely to accept the new offer without further negotiations. Israel's proposal “will allow Israelis to reclaim hostages without making mutual commitments,” he said.
The vast army of Congo is struggling with small militias
Militia Group M23 has swept the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo for the past few weeks. The Congolese army could have easily stopped the threat. It has a place that has 100,000-200,000 troops, warped M23s. Instead, the Congolese forces continue to lose.
Part of the problem is that the experienced militia M23 is supported by Rwanda, the UN says. But that's not the whole story. The Congolese army is plagued by unmotivated soldiers, internal conflict, terror and abuse. The government has remained weakened by decades of colonialism and has since suffered from unstable or predatory leadership.
Remote snacks have come a little closer to virtual reality. A team of scientists builds devices that convey taste from afar, helping volunteers experience flavors to express different foods. It's a bit of a hassle now, but one day you may be able to taste the recipe from the comfort of your home before buying groceries.
I lived in: Canadian writer Antonin Myletto became the first non-European to win France's most prestigious literary awards, but died in 1995.
Conversation starter
Turning the Bible into a script
The new Amazon series, “David of David,” appears to be another universe in “Game of Thrones.” The show is part of a wave of faith-based programming around streaming services. Last year, Netflix signed a similar entertainment deal and released “Mary,” a film about the mother of Jesus, who cast Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins as King Herod.
A lasting religious revival in Hollywood is unlikely, scholars predict. However, such projects could constitute a good financial model for a platform that is trying to reach a spiritual audience.
“The audience is huge,” said John Irwin, who pitched “The House of David” to Amazon. “It's the world's largest underserved niche audience.”
