The attack once again sparked fears among Russians about terrorism
A seemingly coordinated attack killed at least 20 people in Russia’s southern Dagestan region on Sunday, the worst attack in the region in 14 years.
Russian authorities have characterized the attack as a terrorist act, but it is unclear who is responsible. Gunmen attacked police stations as well as synagogues and Orthodox churches. Fifteen of the victims were police officers. One of them, an Orthodox priest, was killed inside the church. It’s unclear whether the attackers specifically targeted law enforcement officers.
Five attackers were eventually killed by security forces, officials said.
The attack was reminiscent of the severe violence that engulfed the predominantly Muslim North Caucasus in the late 1990s and early 2000s. That bloodshed was caused by a combination of Islamic fundamentalism and organized crime. Suppressing it became one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s main boasting points after he came to power in 1999.
Today, this heritage is at risk of being destroyed by a resurgence of violence. In March, four gunmen killed 145 people at a concert hall near Moscow. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.
analyze: Sunday’s attack cast a spotlight on the challenges facing Russia as the war in Ukraine places a heavy burden on its economy and security apparatus.
Israel says military focus may shift to Hezbollah
Recent comments from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Yoav Galant suggest that the country may soon reduce its operations in Gaza and shift its focus to Lebanese Hezbollah.
Netanyahu said in an interview on Sunday that after withdrawing troops from Gaza, “we will be able to move some of our forces to the north.” But Netanyahu did not announce an invasion of Lebanon, a move that is likely to bring consequences to both sides heavy losses and leaving room for a diplomatic solution with Hezbollah.
Hajj deaths raise questions about Saudi Arabia’s preparations
More than 1,300 people have died in sweltering heat this month during Saudi Arabia’s Islamic pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca, raising questions about the country’s preparedness.
Officials said most of the dead had not yet registered to perform the hajj. Pilgrims with permits ride on air-conditioned buses and rest in cool tents, while pilgrims without permits have little protection against temperatures that can reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Saudi Arabian government has tried to control the effects of the heat by adding shade and spraying cold water on pilgrims. But many relatives of the dead and missing complained that authorities were not doing enough to calm down all pilgrims. It’s unclear whether this year’s death toll is higher than in previous years because Saudi Arabia does not regularly release these statistics.
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Artificial intelligence is rapidly advancing in creating realistic faces and lifelike photos that fool many people. But there are some telltale signs that can help you tell the difference between real and fake images.
Reporter learns about father’s past
My colleague Edward Wong, who worked as a reporter in China and later as Beijing bureau chief of The Times, knew that his father had served in the Chinese military. But it wasn’t until he was researching his new book, “The Edge of Empire: One Family’s Reckoning with China,” that Ed revealed the full story.
Ed’s father, Yook Kearn Wong, was stationed in Xinjiang, northwest China, in 1952. Later, after he survived the famine, he knew he had to escape China. He arrived in the United States in 1967.
“I was amazed,” Ed wrote, “that my family’s story was like a Möbius strip, looping around generations and China’s history.”
