Buckingham Palace has announced that King Charles III is taking the issue of the monarchy's ties to slavery "profoundly seriously" and has committed to giving academics access to the royal collection and archives. This is the first time the British monarchy has publicly acknowledged its ties to slavery and has sparked a debate about the monarchy's role in the slave trade, including questions about the extent of its involvement and the implications of this involvement. Historians have argued that the monarchy should take responsibility and make reparations for the suffering caused by the slave trade.
Posts published in “World”
This article discusses the recent rocket fire from Lebanon into Israeli territory, which was carried out by Palestinian militants in response to violence at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The IDF reported that 34 rockets were fired, 25 of which were intercepted, five landed in Israeli territory, and the status of the remaining four is still under review. In response, the IDF conducted airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, raising concerns of a wider conflict in the region.
The White House has released a summary of the "hotwash" of U.S. policies around the ending of the longest war, blaming the chaotic 2021 withdrawal on the Trump administration and asserting that President Joe Biden was "severely constrained" by President Donald Trump's decisions. The Pentagon and State Department have completed after-action reviews on the withdrawal and are expected to provide a more detailed assessment of the withdrawal, security failures, and how the Biden administration can prevent similar situations in the future.
The White House released a report summarizing the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, which found that President Joe Biden was "severely constrained" by the conditions created by President Donald Trump. The report outlines the steps taken by the Biden administration to ensure a safe and orderly withdrawal, and calls for continued diplomatic engagement with the Afghan government and support for the Afghan people. It concludes that the Biden administration has taken steps to ensure a safe and orderly withdrawal from Afghanistan, but that the challenges faced by the country remain significant.
On Thursday, protesters in Paris took their fight against France's plan to raise the retirement age to BlackRock, the world's largest money manager. Approximately 100 people, including representatives of several labor unions, stormed the Centorial office block near the Opéra Garnier opera house, chanting anti-reform slogans and holding red flares and smoke bombs. The protesters were voicing their opposition to the government's pension reforms, which would raise the retirement age and delay pension payments. The protests against the reforms have been ongoing for weeks, and it appears the protesters are determined to make their voices heard.
Israeli officials reported a barrage of rockets fired from Lebanon and Gaza into Israel on Thursday, raising fears of an escalation in violence during a sensitive holiday period. The attack came after a tense night at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque, where Israeli police clashed with Muslim worshippers. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is monitoring the situation closely, with no group yet claiming responsibility for the attack.
Jacinda Ardern, the world's youngest female head of government, gave her farewell speech to Parliament on Wednesday, reflecting on her time in office and the challenges she faced. She thanked her family, her political party, and her supporters for their support and hoped to have demonstrated that "you can be anxious, sensitive, kind and wear your heart on your sleeve" and still be a successful leader. She also hoped her legacy would be showing the world “you can be a nerd, a crier, a hugger” and still be a leader.
U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy hosted Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in a show of support for the self-ruled island, with a bi-partisan delegation of more than a dozen U.S. lawmakers in attendance. China has responded with threats of reprisals, but the U.S. has made it clear that it will not back down in its support for Taiwan's independence. The meeting is seen as a sign of the U.S.’s commitment to the island.