Can’t get started
Briefing: War halts in Gaza as Israel and Hamas begin prisoner exchanges. Peru removes its president in the middle of the night. + Out now—the weekend despatch.
There’s the handshake, then …
The weekend despatch: Agreeing to disagree in the Middle East. Sanctions against the little guys in Europe. &c.
The way of Kim Jong Un
How is political upheaval in South Korea affecting North Korea? Soo Kim on what’s driving Pyongyang’s increasing hostility toward Seoul.
The tower goes dark
An agreement on Gaza’s first peace phase after two years of war. A new set of American sanctions cut Serbia’s fuel supply. + U.S. air-traffic controllers are working 60-hour weeks without pay—and airports are going dark.
Keys to the fortress
A Nobel in chemistry for structures that pull water from desert air. A former FBI chief faces Trump’s Justice Department in court. + Red Hat’s consulting breach—800 clients exposed through a trusted partner.
Digital fentanyl
The U.S. treasury targets the Sinaloa cartel’s chemical suppliers. A hardline conservative is Japan’s first woman PM. + How TikTok turns casual scrollers into compulsive users—by design.
The 24-hour government
France’s government collapses in less than a day. Georgia’s opposition tries storming the presidential palace. &c. + When political fragmentation makes even forming a cabinet impossible.
Censors without borders
Why are American universities letting foreign governments bully their students? Sarah McLaughlin on the business model behind the pressure.
‘Ready for a lasting peace’
The Czech Republic turns away from Ukraine. The Church of England names its first woman archbishop. + Out now—the weekend despatch.
Terms of art
A social app for making anyone do anything. Easy money with the House of Saud. &c. | The despatch, Week XL.
