Good day.
Iran dramatically escalated its strategy of attacking civilian infrastructure and transportation networks across the Gulf on Wednesday, attacking commercial ships and targeting Dubai International Airport as US and Israeli warplanes launched new waves of attacks.
Top Iranian officials warned of a long “war of attrition” and a global economic crisis stemming from Tehran’s choking of the region’s energy supplies, and oil prices on Thursday surged back above $100 a barrel before falling to $98. Violence continued across the Middle East, with Israel shelling the southern suburbs of Beirut and southern Lebanon after Hezbollah launched drones and rockets into northern Israel on Wednesday night.
As the conflict approaches the two-week mark, multiple Israeli security sources have told The Guardian that Israel had no realistic plan for regime change when it attacked Iran, and that the expectation that the airstrikes could spark a popular uprising was driven by “wishful thinking,” not hard intelligence.
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Who has borne the most of Iran’s attacks? More than two-thirds of Iran’s attacks have been against the United Arab Emirates. Dubai, a hub of global finance and international tourism, faces an existential threat as foreigners flee.
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What do we know about the United States? secretary of defense attitude towards Iran? A review of Pete Hegseth’s books, speeches and broadcasts in The Guardian revealed that he has expressed extreme antipathy toward Iran for years.
Trump hits back at Republican Senate majority leader over voter ID bill
Donald Trump lashed out at Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune for his refusal to change the rules to force a vote on the Save America Act, a sprawling bill that would restrict voting access.
Trump gave Thune a strong message on Wednesday: “You have to be a leader.” The president has previously threatened to refuse to sign any bill until Congress passes the legislation, ahead of midterm elections that are expected to be tough for Republicans.
Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown calls for international criminal court for crimes against children
Former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called for the creation of an international criminal court for crimes against children, saying “no child should ever become collateral damage in a conflict.”
Writing for The Guardian, Brown focused on the missile attack on the Shajareh Tayyebeh school at the start of the conflict with Iran, which killed 168 people, mainly schoolgirls. A preliminary US military investigation reportedly determined that Washington was responsible. Brown also spoke about Israel’s killing of Palestinian schoolchildren in Gaza, where 18,069 have been killed, and the killing of more than 200 children by Iranian security forces.
Brown argued that “schools deserve the same moral status as hospitals – protected places – and the same protection under international law.”
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Doesn’t international law already prohibit attacks on schools and children? Yes, but Brown argues that as schools “are increasingly drawn into war,” an international criminal court dedicated to crimes against children is needed to emphasize the seriousness of these crimes.
In other news…
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An Afghan judge has rejected the divorce request of a woman who claimed her husband beat her with a cable. revealing the shocking level of physical violence against women permitted under the Taliban.
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Tech billionaires are funding opposition to the state’s proposed billionaire tax and invest millions in the California governor’s race.
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The head chef and co-founder of Noma has resigned after the accusations physically abused his staff, with claims that René Redzepi had “punched employees in the face, hit them with kitchen utensils, and thrown them against walls.”
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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán accused Ukrainians of plotting to attack his family. as an increasingly bitter standoff between Kyiv and Budapest continues.
Stat of the day: San Francisco reduces air pollution levels by more than 20% since 2010
San Francisco reduced levels of two key air pollutants by more than 20% between 2010 and 2024. It was the only US city to reduce levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and fine particle pollution (PM2.5) by more than 20%, according to an analysis of almost 100 cities around the world. Beijing and London were also among 19 global cities that achieved “notable reductions” in air pollution; In particular, almost half of the major cities were in Central and Eastern Asia.
The Filter recommends: the best sleep products
From mouth taping to the quirky potato bed trend, people seem willing to try anything to improve their sleep. But investing in your dream is not always cheap. This week, for Sleep Awareness Week, many of Filter US’s favorite brands are offering discounts. Here are the 11 best deals, from an affordable mattress on sale to the internet’s favorite way to wake up.
Don’t miss this: ‘Invasive’ AI-led mass surveillance in Africa violates freedoms, experts warn
Human rights experts have warned that artificial intelligence-based mass surveillance is rapidly being introduced across Africa, violating citizens’ right to privacy. Eleven African governments have spent at least $2 billion on Chinese-built surveillance technology that recognizes faces and tracks movements, with concerns that the surveillance systems have been used to monitor Ugandan activists and suppress Gen Z-led protests in Kenya last summer.
Climate control: Australian governments subsidize fossil fuel use by more than $30,000 a minute, analysis finds
Australian federal and state government subsidies for planet-warming fossil fuels have risen almost 10% and will reach $16.3 billion this year, according to new analysis. This amounts to governments paying or forgoing the equivalent of $31,020 per minute to subsidize companies that produce and use coal, gas and especially oil.
The Latest: ‘Sneaky Stowaway’: British fox finds new home in the Bronx Zoo after illicit transatlantic voyage
An English fox ended up at the Bronx Zoo after it snuck onto a cargo ship and traveled 3,400 miles from Southampton to New York, according to zoo officials. Keith Lovett, director of animal programs at the zoo, said: “He seems to be adjusting well. He’s been through a lot.”
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