Israel announces withdrawal of troops from southern Gaza
The Israeli military has announced that it has withdrawn a division of ground troops from the southern Gaza Strip.
The withdrawal from the southern city of Khan Yunis means that Israeli forces are currently not operating in southern Gaza, Israeli news media reported. It is unclear what the withdrawal will mean for Israel's frequently announced plans to invade the southernmost city of Rafah.
Israel has significantly reduced the number of troops stationed in the Gaza Strip over the past few months. But officials have vowed that the military will remain in other parts of Gaza to maintain “freedom of action and the ability to conduct accurate intelligence operations.” And Israel's defense minister said the military was preparing a “follow-up mission” that would include Rafah.
News of the withdrawal comes six months into the longest war involving Israel since the 1980s, and as international mediators gather in Cairo in hopes of brokering a temporary ceasefire.
Mexico severed diplomatic relations with Ecuador
Mexico suspended relations with Ecuador after Ecuadorian police entered the Mexican embassy in Quito and arrested a refugee politician, an action Mexico called a violation of its sovereignty.
Ecuador's presidential office announced that Jorge Glas, a politician who previously served as Ecuador's vice president, has been sentenced to prison on corruption charges. Mr Glass had been living at the embassy since December and had been granted political asylum by Mexico hours before his arrest.
30 years since the Rwandan genocide
Rwanda is marking 30 years since a 100-day genocide in which extremists from the country's Hutu majority massacred around 800,000 people, most of them ethnic Tutsis.
The day-long memorial service included a wreath-laying ceremony at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, where more than 250,000 genocide victims are buried.
“Our journey has been long and hard,” President Paul Kagame said at yesterday's ceremony, adding: “The lessons we have learned are etched in our blood.”
context: Kagame, who led Tutsi rebels during the genocide, has overseen impressive economic and medical advances in his decades in power. But critics accuse it of resorting to draconian measures to achieve stability and maintain governance. He is up for re-election in July.
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Brandon Blackwell from New York City wanted to make quiz shows his full-time job. Before leaving for London in 2016, he trained with his 30,000 flashcards of obscure facts and won by joining the school's team on the BBC's hit show University Challenge. I entered Imperial College with a plan to do so.
The mainstay of British television has long been dominated by Oxford and Cambridge. But thanks in large part to the efforts of Blackwell, London's science and engineering school, Imperial, won his second championship and today has another chance.
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today's solar eclipse
Today, the moon crosses the sun, briefly blocking the light and creating a communal experience that people in North America won't see again for decades. The total solar eclipse will pass from Mazatlan, Mexico to the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.