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Today’s Top Stories
Ukraine is in mourning today after a Russian missile hit a military academy, killing dozens and injuring hundreds more in Poltavaa central-eastern city. It was one of the deadliest attacks of the war. It came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy prepared to reshuffle his government, leading to a number of resignations. This morning, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, one of the most prominent cabinet members, resigned. If parliament accepts the resignations, it could be the biggest reshuffle since the war began.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a joint news conference with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Monday.
Evgeniy Maloletka/AP
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Evgeniy Maloletka/AP
- 🎧 The explosions were so intense that Danys Kliap, the head of the local emergency response team,could be felt nearly two miles away, NPR’s Joanna Kakissis reports. To The Top. He describe the scene at the academy was the worst tragedy he witnessed in the war. Zelenskyy wanted the White House to allow Ukraine to use long-range weapons from the United States to attack military targets in Russia, saying the war would end sooner if Ukraine could counterattack. But the White House said allowing these attacks could escalate the war.
Israelis are pressuring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to strike a ceasefire deal with Hamas after days of protests over the deaths of six hostages. Hamas killed the hostages just as Israeli troops were advancing on the Gaza enclave where they were. Netanyahu’s critics blame Hamas for the killings but accuse him of blocking a deal that would have brought the hostages home. Former general Benny Gantz has called on Netanyahu to either make a deal or resign.
- 🎧 Gantz does not have enough influence to sway Netanyahu, but his voice has added to the growing pressure. from within Israel and around the world to accept a deal, NPR’s Hadeel Al-Shalchi reports. One of the main sticking points The proposal now being floated is for an Israeli military presence in a strip of land known as the Philadelphi corridor on the Gaza-Egypt border. Netanyahu opposes a withdrawal from the area, saying Hamas could smuggle weapons through underground tunnels and rebuild its military capabilities. Hamas wants the Israeli military to withdraw from the area entirely, something Netanyahu’s defense minister has said he is prepared to do.
- ➡️ The US Department of Justice has announced terrorism charges against Six Hamas leaders were involved in the October 7 attack in Israel. Here’s what that means.
Linda Sun, a longtime aide to Democratic governors in New York, has been accused of being a spy for the Chinese government. The FBI says she working secretly for China in early 2016. Charges filed by the Justice Department allege that she accepted money from the Chinese Communist Party. Sun and her husband, Chris Hu, pleaded not guilty yesterday in a Brooklyn court.
- 🎧 NPR’s Brian Mann says one of Sun’s missions, according to the indictment, was to quietly use his influence to block New York officials. from contact with Taiwanese representatives. Sun is also accused of rewriting official statements issued by former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and current Governor Kathy Hochul to make them friendlier to China. Millions of dollars in cash were transferred from Beijing to businesses owned by Hu. The couple accused of disguising money partly by laundering money through luxury real estate. Hochul told NPR’s WNYC television station that she was shocked by Sun’s brazen behavior and that it was a betrayal of trust.
Life advice
Jasjyot Singh Hans for NPR
If you value empathy and community, losing sleep over social relationships is normal. But if worrying about others is negatively affecting your life, or you’re unhealthily dependent on others for your self-esteem, it could be a sign of a behavior called codependency. Melody Beattie, author of No more interdependencesays that codependency can lead to negative emotional consequences including a deep need for approval from others and a pattern of conflict avoidance. If that sounds like you, Here are ways to get out:
- 🤝 Talk to a therapist someone who can help you explore and change your behavior.
- 🤝 Set boundaries around the physical and mental space you give to others.
- 🤝 Take care of yourself before you care about others.
- 🤝 Identify your wants and needs. Knowing this can help build healthier relationships.
Click here for one delve deeper into the interdependence trend.
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Bolivian Skateboarders at the 2024 Smithsonian Folklife Festival
Ben de la Cruz/NPR
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Ben de la Cruz/NPR
The women of Imilla Skate, an all-female skateboarding group from Bolivia, are known for their unique skateboarding outfits.: dresses called polleras and wide-brimmed hats. The indigenous clothing is worn to honor the strength of their mothers and grandmothers. Since becoming an internet phenomenon in 2020, they have amassed more than 170,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok and traveled the world. With their newfound fame, the members work on bigger projects to make a difference in their community.
3 things to know before you go
Hvaldimir photographed in Hammerfest, Norway in 2019. He lived there for much of that year before traveling along the Norwegian coast and even floating in Sweden.
Al Armiger/Alamy
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Al Armiger/Alamy
- Hvaldimir, a beloved beluga whale believed to have escaped from his past life as a Russian spy, has been found dead. in Norwegian waters over the weekend. OneWhale, an animal rights organization, say that death is not natural.
- A long-standing Chinese influence operation, known as “Spamouflage,” impersonating American voters on social media attempt to exacerbate social divisions ahead of the 2024 election. They post on topics including abortion, Israel and Ukraine.
- Former President Donald Trump denied on Tuesday had one conflict or “fight” in one’s own time Last week, a visit to Arlington National Cemetery called it a “fabricated story.” Meanwhile, members of Congress are demanding details about what happened.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
