President Joe Biden is set to embark on a four-day trip to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland this week to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. The trip is part homecoming, part statecraft and part politics, as Biden has a deeply felt personal history with the country. He will deliver remarks at Ulster University to highlight the progress since the signing of the peace agreement in 1998 and trace his family history in the country. Biden's trip is an intersection of his personal history and his view of international relations, and is expected to be a meaningful and memorable journey.
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The US State Department has officially declared Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich wrongfully detained by Russia, empowering the Biden administration to explore avenues such as a prisoner swap to try to secure his release. The Wall Street Journal has called for Gershkovich’s immediate release, saying the espionage charges against him are “absurd” and “unfounded”. It is unclear when he will be released, but the State Department’s designation gives the Biden administration additional resources to secure his freedom.
On Sunday, an avalanche in the French Alps near Mont Blanc killed six people and injured one. Video footage shared by Reuters showed clouds of snow rolling down the mountainside. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin deployed emergency workers to the scene and one person was sent to the hospital with minor injuries. The local authorities of Haute-Savoie are investigating the cause of the avalanche.
At least four hikers have been killed and two more are missing after an avalanche swept through the French Alps near Mont Blanc on Sunday. Two helicopters were sent in to help in the search, and one person suffered slight injuries while eight others were unharmed. Rescue teams are continuing to search for the two missing hikers and the cause of the avalanche is still under investigation.
The Department of Justice has opened an investigation into the recent leaks of a trove of US intelligence documents that were posted on social media. The documents, which are labeled "Top Secret," contain sensitive information that could be used to undermine US security. A senior US official has said that the government's "working theory" is that the documents are real, although some of them could have been altered. The investigation is ongoing and the US government is taking the matter seriously to ensure that the security of its classified information is not compromised.
Key takeaways: The Pentagon is deeply concerned about the leak of highly classified documents online. The documents reveal US spying activities on allies and foes,…
On Sunday, tensions between Jews and Muslims in Jerusalem reached a peak, with simultaneous religious rituals at a volatile shrine and Israeli warplanes and artillery striking targets in Syria in response to rare rocket fire. The IDF reported that six rockets had been launched from Syria, three of which were intercepted, and hundreds of Jews visited the Al-Aqsa compound under heavy police guard. Simultaneously, thousands of Jewish worshippers gathered at the Western Wall for a mass priestly benediction prayer service. The events have further heightened the tension between Israel and Syria, and between Jews and Muslims in Jerusalem.
Pope Francis celebrated Easter Mass in St. Peter’s Square, decorated with 38,000 flowers from the Netherlands, and was joined by prelates and thousands of worshippers. His message of hope and peace invoked prayers for the Ukrainian and Russian people, and called for Israelis and Palestinians to forge a “climate of trust”.