The Full Belmonte, 12/25/2023
Israel-Hamas War
“Israeli officials said they would intensify their fight against Hamas.” [New York Times]
“The Gazan health ministry said dozens were killed in airstrikes in a central Gaza neighborhood.” [New York Times]
“Israel’s economy is expected to shrink by 2 percent this quarter, as hundreds of thousands of workers are displaced by the war or called up as reservists.” [New York Times]
“The Iran-backed Houthi militia is sowing chaos in the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia would rather watch the developments from the sidelines.” [New York Times]
“In the U.S., some see parallels between campus protests over Gaza and demonstrations during the Vietnam War.”
War in Ukraine
In Kyiv. Finbarr O'Reilly for The New York Times
“After centuries of marking Christmas on Jan. 7, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church formally switched to celebrating on Dec. 25 with much of Europe — and not with Russia.” [New York Times]
“The Ukrainian police arrested a senior defense official on suspicions that he embezzled nearly $40 million.” [New York Times]
“A Ukrainian soldier escaped from an embattled steel plant and sneaked 125 miles to Ukrainian territory. Read his story.” [New York Times]
International
“Opposition leaders in the Democratic Republic of Congo, citing fraud accusations, called for an annulment of the recent general election results.” [New York Times]
“Kashmiris are asking for an investigation into the deaths of three civilians who were taken into custody for questioning by Indian soldiers.” [New York Times]
“Leaders in South Africa are pitching crackdowns on foreigners to appeal to voters. A thriving border town undercuts the nation’s anti-immigrant mood.” [New York Times]
Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny has been located, his team says
“Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny has been moved to a penal colony in northwestern Siberia, his team announced Monday, two weeks after saying they had lost contact with him.
‘We have found Alexey,’ his spokesperson Kira Yarmysh said in a statement on X. ‘He is now in IK-3 in the settlement of Kharp in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District.’
She said Navalny’s lawyer had visited him earlier Monday and that the jailed activist was ‘doing well.’”
Read More at CNN
Schoolchildren make their way along a street amid heavy smog in Lahore, Pakistan. (AFP/Getty Images)
ASIA
Bad air forces Pakistan to shut schools and markets and seed the clouds
“Air pollution in the Pakistani city of Lahore is estimated to reduce average life expectancy by over seven years.”
Read more » at Washington Post
SPORTS
“Sunday Night Football: The New England Patriots upset the Denver Broncos, 26-23.” [New York Times]
“Around the N.F.L.: The Detroit Lions clinched their first division title since 1993 with a win against the Minnesota Vikings. And the Miami Dolphins rallied to defeat the Dallas Cowboys, 22-20. See takeaways from Week 16.” [New York Times]
“Soccer: The owners of Manchester United announced that they sold a 25 percent stake in the team to a British petrochemical billionaire.” [New York Times]
“Lives Lived: Mildred Miller was a mezzo-soprano who spent 23 years at the Metropolitan Opera. She died at 98.” [New York Times]