From Reuters Daily Briefing |
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By Robert MacMillan, Reuters.com Weekend Editor |
Welcome to one more weekend with Reuters. Israeli air strikes cut off communications between Gaza and the rest of the world, the Lewiston shooting suspect was found dead, and Russian comedians navigate some tricky bits. |
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An explosion in Gaza, seen from Sderot in Israel, Oct. 27, 2023. REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura |
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- Blackout: Israel's military widened its air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip, suggesting that a ground offensive had begun. Gaza was under an almost complete blackout, with internet and phone services cut. Telecoms firms and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said it was the result of Israeli bombardments. Israel said it would allow trucks carrying food, water and medicine to enter, indicating that bombing might pause, at least in the area of its border with Egypt. It also rebuffed allies' pleas to pause the assault on humanitarian grounds, and told Reuters and Agence France Presse that it cannot guarantee the safety of their journalists operating in Gaza.
- Underground: Israeli troops on the ground likely will encounter Hamas' tunnel network, hundreds of miles long and up to 260 feet deep, which one freed hostage called a "spider's web" and one expert described as "Viet Cong times 10." Don't miss the video on this story. In fact, don't miss our World News Saturday podcast on this very same topic.
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- Manhunt: The man suspected of killing 18 people and wounding 13 in a shooting rampage in Lewiston, Maine, was found dead of a likely self-inflicted gunshot wound, ending a 48-hour manhunt that followed the most lethal episode of gun violence in the state's history. The body of Robert R. Card, 40, was discovered in the woods near the neighboring town of Lisbon Falls.
- Scene: My colleague Gabriella Borter has been reporting from Lewiston, where she wrote of the lives of the victims and interviewed the trauma medical director at Central Maine Medical Center, where the wounded were treated.
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- Testimony: Sam Bankman-Fried testified in his own defense at his fraud trial, saying the collapse of his cryptocurrency exchange FTX hurt people, but that he did not defraud anyone or steal billions of dollars from customers. Prosecutors say he used FTX customer funds to prop up his hedge fund and make speculative investments and political donations.
- Shush: In other fraud-trial news, a New York judge fined Donald Trump $10,000 for violating a gag order barring the former president from speaking about court staff during his civil trial. He almost rescinded the fine, but decided to keep it in place, saying it was clear that Trump was referring to the judge's law clerk in public remarks. The judge in Trump's trial over charges of trying to overturn his 2020 election defeat asked him if he wants the trial televised.
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- Outlook: Russia's invasion of Ukraine is starting to boost defense contractors' revenues as orders for artillery rounds, Patriot missile interceptors and armored vehicles arrive from the U.S. and Europe.
- Claims: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia has lost at least a brigade's worth of troops in trying to advance on Avdiivka. That would be anywhere from 1,500 to 8,000 people. And a White House spokesperson said the U.S. has information saying Russia's military executes soldiers who don't follow orders in the war. Russia denied the White House report.
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Before I forget... Armita Geravand, a 16-year-old Iranian girl, died following an alleged encounter with officers over violating the country's hijab law, the official IRNA news agency reported. Geravand was pronounced brain dead last week. Looting broke out in Acapulco after Hurricane Otis battered the Mexican beach resort, killing 27 people and leaving residents short of food and water. Over the volcano: People in the Italian port town of Pozzuoli are getting more nervous these days after the super-volcano in their midst caused numerous earthquakes. Scientists don't fear an eruption, but the shifting of the ground could destabilize buildings. I love Tromsø in the springtime: The U.S. is opening a diplomatic station in the Norwegian city after closing the previous one in 1994. Yes, it has to do with Russia. "I just saw the stats that 60% of all women in Russia have had at least one erotic dream about Putin." Read about the tricky business of being a Russian comedian in wartime. The punchline is in the story. And we're here all weekend, two shows a night. Don't forget to tip your journalist. |
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