The Full Belmonte, 11/23/2023
Law enforcement blocked off the entrance to the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls, N.Y., on Wednesday.
PHOTO: DEREK GEE/BUFFALO NEWS/ASSOCIATED PRESS
The FBI said it is investigating a vehicle explosion at the Rainbow Bridge, a border crossing between the U.S. and Canada.
“Two people died inside a vehicle traveling toward Canada, according to U.S. law-enforcement officials. Authorities hadn’t yet established whether the incident was terrorism-related, but it might have been the result of a reckless driver, they said. An injured customs officer was treated and released from a local hospital, according to two of the U.S. officials. The span that connects Niagara Falls, N.Y., and Ontario, Canada, is closed, as are the other bridge border crossings in western New York, according to Erie County officials. New York State Police are working with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force to monitor all points of entry to New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.” [Wall Street Journal]
Hamas won’t release Israeli hostages until at least Friday, Israel's national security adviser said.
“He did not explain why there was a delay; the release of the first group of hostages had been expected to begin Thursday afternoon local time. Israel’s hostage deal with Hamas is a hard-fought diplomatic win, but it also brings new risks. The agreement to temporarily stop fighting in the Gaza Strip brings hope for some of the families of the 236 people believed to still be held by Hamas after they were kidnapped from Israel on Oct. 7. The danger is that the pause gives the Palestinian militants time to regroup, complicating Israel’s plan to eliminate Hamas. In the first phase of the deal, Hamas will free 50 women and children. In exchange, Israel will release 150 Palestinian women and minors held in Israeli prisons. Israel also published a list of 300 Palestinian prisoners who could be released, if Hamas frees another 100 hostages.” [Wall Street Journal]
Sam Altman is returning as OpenAI’s CEO, ending a dramatic five-day standoff with the board that fired him.
“The artificial-intelligence startup he co-founded also announced the formation of a new initial board that will exclude three of the four members involved in ousting Altman on Friday. The new board will include former Salesforce co-CEO Bret Taylor as chair, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and Quora co-founder Adam D’Angelo, an existing board member. Altman won’t be on the initial board. The previous board and Altman’s camp agreed to conduct an independent investigation into his conduct, the decision to fire him and its aftermath, a person familiar with the matter said, adding that the new board is expected to add as many as six members.” [Wall Street Journal]
Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao’s decision to cop a plea for violating U.S. money-laundering rules reflected a sense of pragmatism.
“The deal requires him to step down, but the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange can continue to operate and Zhao retains his ownership. An internal monitor mandated by the agreement might constrain or choke off business—or reassure Binance customers that its regulatory troubles are over. The Justice Department had its own reasons for resolving the case. A trial comes with risks and would have taken years to resolve. Binance mostly operates outside the U.S., limiting the ability to disrupt its operations. Zhao is based in the United Arab Emirates, which doesn’t have an extradition treaty with the U.S., though last year it signed a law-enforcement cooperation treaty with Washington. Also part of the plea: a $4.3 billion fine for Binance and up to 18 months in prison for Zhao.” [Wall Street Journal]
Democrats who swept Moms For Liberty off school board fight superintendent's $700,000 exit deal
“A Pennsylvania school board that banned books, Pride flags and transgender athletes slipped a last-minute item into their final meeting before leaving office, hastily awarding a $700,000 exit package to the superintendent who supported their agenda.” Read More at AP News
3 dead and 3 missing after landslide rips through remote Alaska fishing community
“Three people were killed and three were missing after a landslide barreled down a heavily forested, rain-soaked mountainside and smashed into homes in a remote fishing community in southeast Alaska.” Read More at AP News
Drug overdose deaths have soared among pregnant people.
“What to know: The ratio of overdose deaths more than tripled in pregnant and postpartum women ages 35 to 44 between 2018 and 2021, new federal data shows.
Why? Social isolation in the pandemic and gaps in prenatal and postpartum care, experts say. Stigma and fear of legal penalties also prevent drug users from seeking help.”
Read this story at Washington Post
Bodycam released in police tasing death of Atlanta deacon
“Atlanta police have released bodycam video showing the encounter that left a 62-year-old church deacon dead.
The video, running more than an hour long, shows the interaction between an officer and Johnny Hollman after a traffic accident on Aug. 10.
The officer attempted to serve Hollman a citation, but when Hollman refused to sign the ticket, the two got into a struggle and the officer tased Hollman, the video appears to show.
Hollman was later taken to the hospital and pronounced dead. The medical examiner ruled his death a homicide caused by a combination of the tasing and Hollman’s heart condition.
The officer involved was fired for ‘failing to follow the department’s standard operating procedures,’ Atlanta police said. Hollman’s family has called for him to be charged.” [NBC News]
Democratic divide over Israel-Hamas war looms over Biden’s reelection
BY ALEXANDER BOLTON
© Illustration/Samantha Wong; Greg Nash; Getty Images
“The growing divide within the Democratic Party over President Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war is becoming a serious political problem for the 81-year-old president, who has trouble appealing to young voters and energizing his party’s base.
Democratic strategists and progressive activists say growing disenchantment among liberals, especially younger Democrats and minority voters, over the war and graphic images of Palestinian civilian casualties could hurt Democratic turnout in the 2024 election.”
Read the full story here at The Hill
5 key takeaways on the temporary truce between Israel and Hamas
BY ELLEN MITCHELL
“The deal reached by Israel and Hamas to release 50 hostages in exchange for a pause in fighting marks one of the most significant developments in the more than six-week war.
But the implementation of the deal, set to go into effect this week, is taking place amid intense distrust, skepticism and concern.”
Read the full story here at The Hill
Bolton: Hostage swap with Hamas is ‘a very bad deal for Israel’
BY NICK ROBERTSON
Former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton slammed the Hamas hostage and cease-fire agreement reached Tuesday as a ‘very bad deal for Israel’ Wednesday.
Read the full story here at The Hill
Head of pro-DeSantis super PAC steps down
BY CAROLINE VAKIL
“The head of a super PAC backing GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday that he was stepping down from his post.”
Read the full story here at The Hill
Frustrated lawmakers run for the exits: ‘DC is broken’
BY MYCHAEL SCHNELL
“The public has increasingly soured on Congress — and now, some House lawmakers are starting to agree.”
Read the full story here at The Hill
Democratic Senate candidate says he rejected $20M offer to challenge Tlaib
BY TARA SUTER
“A Democratic candidate for a U.S. Senate seat in Michigan said Wednesday he rejected a $20 million offer to drop out of his race and challenge Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) for her House seat.”
Read the full story here at The Hill
What’s in the Israel-Hamas Hostage Deal
This picture, taken from the Israeli side of the border with the Gaza Strip, shows smoke rising above buildings during Israeli strikes on the northern part of the enclave on Nov. 22. John MacDougall/AFP via Getty Images
“After weeks of negotiations, Israel and Hamas have agreed to a deal that will result in the exchange of at least 50 hostages currently held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip for 150 imprisoned Palestinians, as well as a four-day cessation in fighting.
Under the agreement, which was mediated by Qatar along with the United States and Egypt, Hamas will release at least 50 people, mostly women and children, who are among the 240 hostages that it is estimated to be holding, and the International Committee of the Red Cross will be allowed to visit and offer medical treatment to those still unreleased. In exchange, Israel will release 150 Palestinian prisoners, also including women and children, who are being held on charges ranging from unlawful assembly to attempted murder. Israel has imprisoned as many as 7,200 Palestinians, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Society, and the government has said that it will not free those convicted of murder.
The deal also offers room for more hostages and prisoners to be released later, as well as the possibility of further brief extensions of the temporary pause. Israel has agreed to prolong the pause in fighting by one day for every 10 additional hostages released, as long as the total break does not exceed 10 days. On Wednesday, Israeli officials published a list of 300 prisoners who could be included in a potential swap; of those individuals, 123 are minors and five are 14 years old, Haaretz reported.
The agreement will take place in multiple phases, although negotiators are still hammering out the exact timing and other final details. If all goes to plan, the deal is expected to bring a brief respite to suffering civilians in Gaza, where the ongoing siege and intensifying fighting has killed more than 14,000 people and wounded 35,000 more, according to the Hamas-run Palestinian Health Ministry.
Within Gaza, the agreement will allow the entry of hundreds of trucks filled with medical supplies, fuel, and humanitarian supplies, Hamas said, while civilians can freely travel along the key roadway of Salah al-Din Street. Israel will cease attacks and arrests in Gaza, and any aerial movement will be restricted to northern Gaza for a daily six-hour period.
Qatari negotiators expressed hope that the agreement ‘will be a seed to a bigger agreement and a permanent cease of fire,’ but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Wednesday to ramp up efforts after the pause. ‘We are at war, and we will continue the war,’ he told his cabinet. ‘We will continue until we achieve all our goals.’” [Foreign Policy]
“The Netherlands chooses a new leader. Dutch politics seem poised to take a far-right turn after Wednesday’s election, with initial exit poll results projecting victory for Geert Wilders, a politician known for his anti-Islam rhetoric and euroskeptic views. Wilders’s party, the Party for Freedom, is expected to secure 35 of parliament’s 150 seats—defeating his opponents Frans Timmermans and Dilan Yeşilgöz, who are expected to win 26 seats and 23 seats, respectively.
Wilders’s projected victory could see him become the Netherlands’ first new prime minister since 2010, following former Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s decision not to seek a fifth term in office. Rutte resigned in July after coalition talks over migration policies failed, sparking a political crisis and the government’s collapse—and prompting this election to occur two years earlier than planned. If current projections hold true, the next question will be whether Wilders can find enough parties willing to work with him to form a coalition government, as his party will lack a parliamentary majority by itself.” [Foreign Policy]
“Global pressure on Israel. In a mostly symbolic move, South African lawmakers voted on Tuesday to shutter the Israeli Embassy and end diplomatic ties with the country until the Israeli government agrees to a cease-fire in Gaza. The resolution would still need to be adopted by the government to take effect. South Africa has already withdrawn its diplomats from Israel, making it one of at least 10 countries that have used diplomatic action to voice their objection to Israel’s actions in the war.
The lawmakers’ vote came as President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered sharp criticism of Israel’s conduct at a virtual summit of the BRICS bloc (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) on Tuesday. ‘The collective punishment of Palestinian civilians through the unlawful use of force by Israel is a war crime,’ he said. ‘The deliberate denial of medicine, fuel, food and water to the residents of Gaza is tantamount to genocide.’” [Foreign Policy]
Anti-Islam populist win shakes Dutch politics
“‘The PVV can no longer be ignored,’ Geert Wilders said in a fiery speech. Credit: EPA
Geert Wilders, a veteran Dutch anti-Islam leader, has won a dramatic victoryin his country's general election. His Freedom party (PVV) won the biggest share of votes and is set to win 37 seats out of 150. This is far from a majority, but in the fragmented landscape of Dutch politics, it is an achievement that will allow him to lead coalition talks. It also came as something of a surprise after a contest in which many voters were undecided. In the run-up to the vote, Mr Wilders tempered his anti-Islam rhetoric - which earned him a conviction over his ‘insulting’ of people with Moroccan ancestry in 2014. The strategy proved successful. ‘His win has shaken Dutch politics and it will send a shock across Europe too,’ write Paul Kirby and Anna Holligan, reporting from The Hague. Mr Wilders wants to hold a referendum to leave the EU, although he recognises there is no national mood to do so.” [BBC News]
“After years of trying, Geert Wilders has finally succeeded in persuading the Netherlands to fall in with his brand of right-wing, anti-Islam populism.
The question now is whether he can translate his election win into a viable coalition, and what such a government might mean for Europe.
Wilders has been threatening to break through for over a decade. The fact he managed it during hard economic times is less of a surprise than the margin of his victory on a platform including opposition to European Union climate policies and the promise of a referendum on EU membership.
France’s far-right leader Marine Le Pen was quick to hail his achievement as a sign that anti-EU sentiment is on the march. But any coalition deal would involve policy compromise, and it’s hard to see any electorate rushing to emulate the UK’s experience of quitting the bloc.
Still, the symbolism of the vote in a founding EU member state is hard to avoid.
The Netherlands has often been a forerunner of European politics, with its splintered party system — some 15 parties won seats in parliament yesterday — and its early advocates of libertarian, anti-immigration policies.
Back in 2017, Mark Rutte defeated Wilders in an election that was seen as a bellwether for Europe after the shocks of the Brexit vote and Donald Trump’s victory in the US.
That year, Emmanuel Macron went on to beat Le Pen to the French presidency, then Angela Merkel held off Germany’s anti-immigration forces that came to the fore in the wake of the crisis of 2015-16.
Circumstances now are different, with the far right on the ascendancy in Germany, in power in Italy and unbowed in much of Europe. Trump is vying for the US presidency once more.
Wilders may be having a moment. Whether it presages a broader political trend remains to be seen.” —April Roach and Alan Crawford [Bloomberg]
Wilders speaks at an election night party in The Hague yesterday. Photographer: Peter Boer/Bloomberg
“The EU is finalizing a decision to release as much as €1 billion ($1.1 billion) in funds for Hungary just as Prime Minister Viktor Orban is stepping up his attacks against the bloc and threatening to derail aid to Ukraine. In Budapest, meanwhile, a college endowed with more than $1 billion by Orban’s government is training a new generation of leaders of his ‘illiberal democracy.’” [Bloomberg]
“China’s government is pushing hard to end the nation’s property crisis, ramping up pressure on banks to plug an estimated $446 billion shortfall in funding needed to stabilize the industry. As Chinese President Xi Jinping steps up support for the economy, moves this week indicate increased urgency to stop a downward spiral in the property sector from derailing growth.” [Bloomberg]
“The EU promised to shut down the flow of President Vladimir Putin’s propaganda after Russia invaded Ukraine, slapping sanctions on state-backed media RT and Sputnik days after the attack. Nearly two years on, the Kremlin appears to be having the last laugh. RT.com may be inaccessible in the EU, but a series of less popular mirror sites provides the same content, including one that’s spelt RT News in reverse.” [Bloomberg]
“Turkey’s ratification of Sweden’s membership in NATO won’t be completed in time for a meeting of the alliance’s foreign ministers next week, dashing the hopes of some allies who expected it to be done by then.” [Bloomberg]
“Brazilian senators approved a constitutional amendment to curb some powers of the country’s Supreme Court, escalating a dispute between Congress and the judiciary.” [Bloomberg]
“Seoul ramps up surveillance. Just one day after North Korea claimed its first successful spy satellite launch, South Korea announced that it will partially suspend a 2018 military pact between the two countries. Among other provisions, the 2018 pact, known as the Comprehensive Military Agreement, included a no-fly zone and prohibited front-line aerial surveillance activities—two restrictions that Seoul said it will no longer adhere to.
‘North Korea is clearly demonstrating that it has no intention to abide by the Sept. 19 military agreement designed to reduce military tension on the Korean Peninsula and to build trust,’ said South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo.” [Foreign Policy]
Chart of the Week
In the wake of last week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit—and the closely watched meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping—a new Foreign Policy analysis investigates how Washington and Beijing are really competing on trade.
In a new infographic, FP’s Alexandra Sharp and Olatunji Osho-Williams show that most of the world’s major economies are ‘inextricably tied’ to both powers, even amid an intensifying geopolitical rivalry. ‘Although there are several reasons to want a more stable U.S.-China relationship,’ they write, ‘the data shows how most big economies are largely reliant on steady trade with the world’s two top consumers.’” [Foreign Policy]
“Canadian “super pigs” are making their way into the northern US. The pigs are reportedly a cross between the Eurasian boar — which is uniquely primed to survive in the wild — and domestic pigs — which are highly fertile. This makes these ‘super pigs’ and their proliferation particularly hard to manage.” [AP]
“Whale done: Blue whales - the largest known animals on Earth - seem to be settling in a part of the Indian Ocean where they were wiped out by whaling decades ago. Watch the impressive drone footage.” [BBC News]
SPORTS
“N.F.L.: Jim Irsay, the Indianapolis Colts owner, said he was profiled by the police for being ‘a rich, white billionaire’ when officers arrested him in 2014 for driving under the influence.” [New York Times]
“Women’s college basketball: The UConn star guard Azzi Fudd will miss the remainder of the season after injuring her right knee.” [New York Times]
“Men’s college football: In an interview with The Athletic, the U.S.C. coach Lincoln Riley said he would return to coach the Trojans next year.” [New York Times]
J. Crew executives at the company’s offices in Lower Manhattan. Amir Hamja/The New York Times
“The big 4-0: Over the four decades since J. Crew was founded, the preppy aesthetic that its founder sought to bring to the masses has been rejected and embraced, defined and redefined. Along the way, the company matured into a beloved American brand. Now, after surviving an identity crisis in the late 2010s and Covid-era bankruptcy, J. Crew is hoping for a renaissance.” [New York Times]
“Sheila Kennedy, a former model, sued Axl Rose of the band Guns N’ Roses, accusing him of raping her in a New York hotel in 1989.” [New York Times]
“Hall vs. Oates: Daryl Hall has filed a motion for a temporary restraining order against his former music partner John Oates, in connection with a contract lawsuit.” [NBC News]
Cheaper red wines might give you fewer headaches, a new study found.
“Why? They have less quercetin, a compound found in grape skins that protects them from sunlight. Grapes for cheaper red wines are often grown in shadier conditions.
What it does: Quercetin interferes with the way your body breaks down alcohol, leading to headaches. But white wine isn’t made with grape skins, and pairs nicely with turkey.”
Read this story at Washington Post
“Lives Lived: The British-born dancer Joan Jara dedicated much of her life to finding justice for her husband, Victor Jara, a popular Chilean folk singer and songwriter who was killed during the military coup that brought Gen. Augusto Pinochet Ugarte to power in 1973. She died at 96.” [New York Times]