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15

Middle East conflict live updates: IDF takes control of Rafah border crossing; aid flow halted, official says

The Rafah crossing borders Egypt. Hamas said it agreed to a Qatari-Egyptian cease-fire proposal, and Israel said it would send mediators to Egypt to negotiate.

13

To please Putin, universities purge liberals and embrace patriots

Russian university leaders are imbuing the country’s education system with patriotism to favor Putin, quashing Western influences and dissent.

Israeli troops take control of Rafah border crossing, angering Egypt

Israeli forces moved on Rafah after Hamas said it had agreed to a Qatari-Egyptian brokered cease-fire proposal.

Eurovision 2024 is as garish and controversial as ever. Here’s what to know.

The 2024 edition of Europe’s biggest musical party promises bombastic performances, but tension over Israel’s participation may cast a pall on the show.

Triumphal Putin is inaugurated for fifth term as Russian president

Vladimir Putin was inaugurated on Tuesday for a fifth term as presiden in a ceremony that highlighted his quarter-century grip on power in Russia.

How Fat Leonard compromised admirals in charge of Navy intelligence

Book excerpt: The Malaysian con man tempted admirals Ted “Twig” Branch and Bruce Loveless with cigars, meals and women — creating a counterintelligence disaster

07

Putin sits at the heart of the West’s illiberal axis

Vladimir Putin’s sympathizers share an aversion to the West’s perceived liberal establishment, and see a positive vision in the Russian president’s rejection of it.

02

For Biden, a tough call looms on whether Israel violated laws in Gaza

The Biden administration is due to deliver its assessment this week on whether Israel has violated U.S. or international law during the Gaza war.

01

Israel to send mediators to negotiate cease-fire as it presses on with Rafah operation

Hamas said it would approve a Qatari-Egyptian cease-fire proposal shortly after Israel’s military ordered about 100,000 civilians in parts of Rafah to evacuate “immediately.”

Israel to press attack on Rafah as it negotiates possible cease-fire deal

Hamas’s agreement to a cease-fire proposal revived hopes of an extended pause to the fighting in Gaza, even as Israel ordered a large-scale evacuation of Rafah.

U.S. soldier detained in Russia on criminal charges

A U.S. soldier, identified as Gordon Black, was detained by Russian authorities in Vladivostok, near the borders with China and North Korea, officials said.

Monday, May 6

23

Historic floods kill 83, leaving Brazil and its president shaken, angry

The flooding that has slammed into Rio Grande do Sul, one of Brazil’s most prosperous states, has deeply alarmed this nation of 215 million.

21

Russia announces nuclear drills, lashing out in anger at West

Russia rattled its nuclear saber and scolded the ambassadors of Britain and France to show anger at comments by Western leaders about military support for Ukraine.

20

Visualizing what an attack on Rafah means for civilians

Over 1 million Palestinians displaced by war have sought refuge in Rafah. Now, about 100,000 civilians are being told to evacuate to an area with little infrastructure.

18

China’s Xi Jinping visits France in first post-pandemic trip to Europe

Chinese leader Xi Jinping is visiting France, and the friendlier countries of Hungary and Serbia. Trade tensions and Russia’s war in Ukraine are on the agenda.

15

In photos: At least 83 dead as historic flooding hits southern Brazil

Heavy rainfall brought the highest water levels recorded in more than 80 years to the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul

Improper ‘shadow’ ads thriving on Facebook during India’s election

Many political ads on Facebook in India hide their true buyers, according to civil society groups and recent studies, threatening the integrity of the process.

14

In an Israel changed by Oct. 7, Holocaust survivors find a new mission

On Holocaust Remembrance Day, the experiences of the survivors have new relevance for Israelis coping with the trauma of the Oct. 7 attacks.

13

Under Putin, a militarized new Russia rises to challenge U.S. and the West

In Putin’s bid to recast Russia as a global superpower, he champions a society built on pro-war activism, puritanical values and scaled-back social rights.

We reported for months on changes sweeping Russia. Here’s what we found.

“Russia, Remastered” reveals how Vladimir Putin is harnessing the war in Ukraine to transform his own country and fulfill his vision of a restored superpower.

Book excerpt: The admiral who had a mental breakdown over Fat Leonard

Rear Adm. Robert Gilbeau, known as ‘Crazy Bob,’ had a mental breakdown in Afghanistan. His staff accused him of faking PTSD to dodge an epic corruption scandal.

07

Missing surfers from U.S., Australia confirmed dead by Mexico

Carter Rhoad and Jake and Callum Robinson went missing during a surfing trip in Baja California in late April. Three people are in custody.

What lies beneath Gaza’s rubble and ruin

The hysteria over campus protests in the United States has shifted American attention away from the depth of the ongoing calamity in Gaza.

Sunday, May 5

22

Hamas attacks border crossing, killing 3, as Gaza cease-fire talks drag on

Hamas claimed responsibility for a mortar attack on the Kerem Shalom border crossing, as its officials departed cease-fire negotiations in Cairo and Al Jazeera’s offices in Israel were ordered to close.

21

Israel shuts down Al Jazeera’s operations, raids Jerusalem office

The government is banning Al Jazeera’s operations in Israel over its Gaza war coverage. Israel’s Foreign Press Association called it a “dark day for democracy.”

12

How Pope Francis opened the Vatican to transgender sex workers

The outreach, reflecting the most radical stage of his papacy, has prompted backlash while also altering the lives of the nearly 100 people he has met.

Saturday, May 4

23

In the village, it’s too dangerous to dance. But a bigger stage awaited.

In Burkina Faso, a West African nation facing Islamist extremism, a national arts festival attracted troupes from even the hardest-hit areas.

19

Residents accuse Israeli forces of executions during West Bank raid

Palestinian residents of the Nur Shams refugee camp said at least three people were summarily executed or used as human shields, claims Israel’s military denies.

18

3 bodies found in Mexico during search for missing American, Australians

The bodies, which were not publicly identified, were in the same area where Carter Rhoad and Australians Jake and Callum Robinson were reported missing.

13

Two women are seeking Mexico’s presidency. But the race is about a man.

A win by Claudia Sheinbaum, protégée of Andrés Manuel López Obrador, could cement the grip of a party that already controls the presidency, both chambers of Congress and two-thirds of Mexico’s governorships.