Zamir: Gaza occupation needs 200,000 reservists; warns logistics gap as cabinet advances plan

Trump says he may meet Putin soon after envoy talks in Moscow and warns of more sanctions if Russia does not move toward peace in the coming days.

Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak once praised convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as “a collector of people,” according to newly published letters and photos obtained by The New York Times. Barak and his wife, Nili Priel, presented Epstein with a signed map of Israel and a birthday letter in 2016 that lauded his “boundless curiosity” and wished him “many more years of hosting friends at your table.” The gift was embossed in a leather-bound compilation marking Epstein’s 63rd birthday. The Times also published a photograph showing Epstein alongside Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse, underscoring the financier’s wide circle of powerful acquaintances years after his 2008 conviction in Florida for soliciting a minor. Epstein’s home featured an array of macabre décor, including framed prosthetic eyeballs and a taxidermied tiger, as well as snapshots of Epstein with global figures such as Pope John Paul II, Bill Clinton, Donald Trump and Elon Musk. Barak, who served as Israel’s prime minister from 1999 to 2001, has not publicly explained his relationship with Epstein. His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The revelations renew questions about Epstein’s ties to political and intelligence figures. Epstein’s alleged links to Israeli intelligence have long been the subject of speculation but have never been substantiated. Epstein died by suicide in a Manhattan jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges. His associate Ghislaine Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence after her conviction on related charges.

Prince Harry was found not guilty of misconduct by the Charity Commission after a public boardroom dispute harmed Sentebale’s reputation.

A new US visa policy requires travellers from Malawi and Zambia to pay a refundable bond as part of a one-year plan to discourage overstaying.

Katz says IDF will carry out Gaza policy set by government, despite military resistance to occupation

Hezbollah’s “Black Shirts” reappear in Beirut, signaling defiance amid calls for disarmament

Hezbollah’s Naim Qassem refuses disarmament deadline, vows joint retaliation if Israel escalates conflict

Tensions spike in Beirut as ministers debate disarming Hezbollah, with fears of “Black Shirt” rallies

Trump says he might not run again—but U.S. law bars a third term after his 2024 reelection

Abdi: Syria must decentralize after 14 years of war; Paris talks loom, SDF and Damascus trade fire

SVR: UK to stage tanker attack with Ukrainian agents, pressuring Trump to tighten sanctions on Russian oil

Doctors say Trump’s decor digressions and windmill rants echo Biden-like cognitive lapses

Diala Salhi al-Wadi, dual-national actor, found strangled in Damascus apartment amid crime wave

Gazan student ousted from France over anti-Semitic tweets; study program for Gaza now on hold

Trump: US aid must feed Gaza; envoy tours as only $3 m of promised $60 m delivered, hunger deepens

A migrant boat carrying around 150 people sank in the Arabian Sea off Yemen, leaving 54 dead and dozens unaccounted for, according to officials.

Quasi-secret Trump-Netanyahu plan demands Hamas free hostages, disarm or Israel gets green light

Hamas refuses to disarm unless a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as capital is established in full

Five immigrants deported by the US to Eswatini have served their sentences but face solitary confinement and denied lawyer access, prompting legal action by their attorney.

Rubio: Palestinian state needs Israel’s approval; Western recognitions harm peace efforts

Ukraine said 15 people were killed and 145 injured in Kyiv during Russian strikes that hit residential areas and damaged more than 100 structures.

Over 18,500 Palestinian children have been killed in Gaza since October 2023 by Israeli forces, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry and rights groups.

Egyptian President al-Sisi and Pakistan’s Gen. Mirza met to enhance military cooperation, discuss Gaza ceasefire efforts, and urge international aid.