Saturday, October 5

World

In the European elections the center holds, but the far right still wreaks havoc
World

In the European elections the center holds, but the far right still wreaks havoc

The biggest losers of the election appear to be the Greens, who have seen their support plummet by a quarter compared to five years ago. However, the Greens, with their 53 seats, could play an important role by strengthening centrist majorities as an alternative to far-right parties. Final data from all 27 EU countries is expected to be made public early Monday morning. The results appear to have largely maintained the balance of power in the European Parliament, which approves legislation, the bloc's budget and its top leaders, including the president of the powerful European Commission, the EU's executive branch. The first test for the weak centrist majority will be the approval of the new president of the European Commission, expected in July. Von der Leyen, who was approved for her po...
In the rescue of the Israeli hostages, minutes made the difference
World

In the rescue of the Israeli hostages, minutes made the difference

In the footage, edited to blur the soldiers' faces and remove gory images, the hostages are then seen leaving the building and climbing through tree-lined terrain as gunfire erupts around them. “Hamas members shot at them,” said al-Tahrawi, the shop owner. Other militants joined the fight, according to Admiral Hagari, "running through the streets with RPGs," an acronym for rocket-propelled grenades. "There was a lot of fire around us," he said. As Ms. Argamani was approaching the beach in one vehicle, the other truck used for the rescue broke down, according to Israeli officials, who requested anonymity to discuss a clandestine operation. To provide cover for the stalled truck, officials said, the Air Force began bombing the nearby area, effectively creating a fire shield. “Suddenly I he...
Rocky Wirtz, president of the Chicago Blackhawks, has died at the age of 70
World

Rocky Wirtz, president of the Chicago Blackhawks, has died at the age of 70

Rocky Wirtz, who after taking over from his father as principal owner of the Chicago Blackhawks, won three Stanley Cup championships in the 2010s — a stellar run that lost its luster several years later after a sexual assault investigation by one of the teams of the minor league. players by a coach – died Tuesday in Evanston, Illinois. He was 70 years old. His death, in hospital, was confirmed by John Steinmiller, team spokesman. Under Mr. Wirtz's father, William, the Blackhawks, one of the National Hockey League's six original franchises, had become a downtrodden, money-losing franchise. The team hadn't won the Stanley Cup since 1961. Attendance at the United Center was among the worst in the league. And home games weren't televised. “I would say, 'Dad, we're losing generations of fan...
Claudine Gay and the Fight Over D.E.I. in the C-suite
World

Claudine Gay and the Fight Over D.E.I. in the C-suite

And on X, Elon Musk argued that the basis of D.E.I. was “literally the definition of racism.”Others are pushing back. The billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban challenged Musk in a series of posts on X, defending the three principles of D.E.I. as good for business:On diversity, “Good businesses look where others don’t, to find the employees that will put your business in the best possible position to succeed.”On equity, “Put your employees in a position to succeed. Recognize their differences and play to their strengths where ever possible.”And on inclusion, “Great companies create environments that reduce unnecessary stress of their employees.”Meanwhile, Gay defended herself and attacked her critics. In a Times Opinion guest essay, the former Harvard president writes that her ouster was abo...
U.S. Says It Believes ISIS Was Behind Bombing That Killed Dozens in Iran
World

U.S. Says It Believes ISIS Was Behind Bombing That Killed Dozens in Iran

American officials believe that Wednesday’s bombing attack in Kerman, Iran, was most likely the work of the Islamic State — a preliminary assessment based on intelligence, according to four American officials, who cautioned that no final conclusions have been drawn.Two regional military officials also said they believed the Islamic State had perpetrated the attack, which killed 84 people during a memorial ceremony at the tomb of Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, who was assassinated four years ago in an American drone attack.Some Iranian leaders initially appeared to blame Israel for the attack, but the American officials said early intelligence assessments indicated that Israel was not behind the explosions. Although Israel is believed to have regularly carried out covert operations in Iran, th...