UN passes US-backed ceasefire resolution
The United Nations Security Council adopted a U.S.-sponsored resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The move shows the world’s major powers are increasingly dissatisfied with the war and eager to end it.
Fourteen of the 15 Security Council members voted in favor, with Russia, which holds veto power, abstaining from the vote. The Security Council’s adoption of the resolution represents a diplomatic victory for the United States, which had previously vetoed three ceasefire resolutions.
The Security Council proposal builds on the three-phase ceasefire plan President Biden laid out in May. It has been more than two weeks since Israel submitted the agreement to Hamas through an intermediary, but the Israeli government has not officially accepted it.
Hamas said on Monday it welcomed parts of the resolution but did not endorse the entire plan. “Hamas stressed its willingness to cooperate with mediators in indirect negotiations,” the group said in a statement. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is urging a ceasefire in the region, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday.
Israeli Hostage Mission: The Israeli military said two commandos raided two houses simultaneously and rescued four hostages held by Hamas militants. Later, the truck used to evacuate the three hostages and a wounded Israeli officer broke down and was surrounded by militants.
The military said the air force began attacking dozens of nearby targets to give the hostages time to escape. Gazans described heavy bombing during the attack, which left dozens of Palestinians dead. “The whole hospital turned into a giant emergency room,” said a doctor in Gaza.
The right wins in Europe, but the center holds on
Right-wing parties have won European Parliament elections, especially in Germany and France, often at the expense of liberal and progressive parties. But according to provisional results, Europe’s mainstream conservative European People’s Party came first and even gained a few seats.
This shows that the party’s strategy of integrating more right-leaning policies to prevent voters from switching to its far-right rivals has paid off. Here are the most important trends emerging from the election.
Green Party: They were the biggest losers, giving up a quarter of their seats after becoming a significant progressive force in parliament.
German choice: Germany’s far-right party won a record 16% of the vote despite suspicions from domestic intelligence agencies that it was an “extremist” group. The party’s two top candidates have been banned from running after a series of public scandals.
France: Analysts are still parsing President Emmanuel Macron’s move to call for snap elections after his stunning defeat. The decision could be a way to prevent his opposition from organizing and leave voters with a stark choice between him and the far right.
Apple joins the artificial intelligence war
Apple announced plans to bring generative artificial intelligence to more than 1 billion iPhone users around the world, representing the technology’s further entry into the consumer mainstream. Yesterday, the company revealed that it will use generative artificial intelligence to power Apple Intelligence. The company emphasized that privacy concerns are taken into consideration when planning to integrate the technology.
The system will prioritize messages and notifications and provide writing tools that can proofread text and provide suggestions. It would also lead to a major upgrade for Siri, the languishing voice assistant.
Apple has reached an agreement with OpenAI, the manufacturer of ChatGPT, to support some of its artificial intelligence functions. The deal is another sign that OpenAI, which already has a close partnership with Apple rival Microsoft, has become a leading developer of artificial intelligence technology.
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The United States once viewed modular construction as an effective way to build large amounts of housing quickly. The idea had little impact in the United States, but the practice radically influenced countries like Japan and Sweden, which are now leaders in industrialized residential construction.
In this video, Times writer Francesca Mari details the process of building a house in 30 minutes through a tour of a Swedish factory.
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25 years ago, “Hannibal” was a new bestseller
The Silence of the Lambs, published in 1988, introduced the murderous psychiatrist and foodie to millions of readers Hannibal Lecter. Three years later, the book was made into a movie, winning five Oscars and leaving fans hungry for a sequel.
But author Thomas Harris almost disappears in his slow, methodical writing. Finally, he published Hannibal in 1999. The book’s release sparked a frenzy in the book industry: fans cleared their calendars, retailers prepared their shelves, and critics sharpened their knives.
It was also one of the first major publications of the ultra-fast, opinionated Internet age. Hype fanned the flames and helped immortalize the character.
