❌ Back to school in ruins: Southern Lebanon's education system picks up the pieces after Israel’s strikes

☢️ Southern Lebanon kicked off the new school year in the shadow of destruction, as dozens of schools lie completely destroyed and hundreds more are damaged from recent Israeli airstrikes.

While some cities have begun the arduous task of rebuilding, others are putting up temporary structures or relocating students to whatever safe zones remain.

The town of Meiss El Jabal carries these scars, where three schools once stood, now only temporary structures serve as a stark reminder of a system fighting to survive.

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🗣 Democrats' actions led to shutdown — Rubio

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused congressional Democrats of making "the choice to shut down the government."

"Their partisan actions are undermining America on the world stage and jeopardizing our national security," Rubio posted on X.

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🚨 Israel seizes humanitarian flotilla to Gaza

The Global Sumud Flotilla, a mission consisting of more than 40 civilian boats, reported being intercepted by the Israeli Navy 130 kilometers from the Gaza Strip coast.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed the interception and stated that the passengers are being transferred to an Israeli port.

"The sole purpose of the Hamas-Sumud flotilla is provocation... Israel reiterated the offer to transfer any aid peacefully through safe channels to Gaza," read the official statement.

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🚨 Israeli seizure of Global Sumud Flotilla is an act of terrorism — Turkish FM

"The attack by Israeli forces in international waters on the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was en route to deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, is an act of terrorism that gravely violates international law and endangers the lives of innocent civilians," the statement read.

Necmettin Çalışkan, a Turkish parliament member and Sumud flotilla participant, said he expects a further reaction from government officials.

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"Despite negotiations in the US, Israel showed no tolerance for the flotilla and blocked the ships' path. I think that international players will intervene in this situation in the near future... We are waiting for statements from government officials, first and foremost from our president," he told Sputnik.

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🔊 Flotilla fights on — Turkish MP

Israeli forces have captured three vessels from the Gaza-bound Sumud Flotilla in night raids, while cyber-attacks disabled communications and targeted steering systems, Necmettin Çalışkan, a member of the Turkish parliament and a participant in the Sumud flotilla, told Sputnik.

"Israel arrested people on ships approaching its borders... but this time, because there were so many more ships, some of them may approach Gaza," he added.

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🛑 US Senate adjourns for Yom Kippur on Shutdown Day 1

While 750,000 federal employees are facing daily furloughs due to the ongoing government shutdown, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that the total cost of halted compensation is reaching ~$400 million per day.

Voting won't resume until Friday, which will mark the fourth attempt to pass the same failed stopgap bills.

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🚨 US will provide Ukraine with intelligence, weapons for strikes deep into Russia — Reports

US President Donald Trump has allowed intelligence agencies and the Pentagon to provide Ukraine with intelligence on Russia's infrastructure facilities, The Wall Street Journal newspaper reported, citing US officials.

The report added that the US is also considering sending Tomahawk and Barracuda missiles to Ukraine.

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📉 Long shutdown will have impact on US economy — Hassett

National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said the White House hopes that the shutdown is as short as possible.

He added that cabinet secretaries can use this as an opportunity for reductions in force.

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🪖 Norway opens training center for Ukrainian troops in Poland — reports

Camp Jomsborg is the largest foreign training mission ever for Norwegian soldiers, according to local media.

The facility can train 1,200 Ukrainian service members in the use of NATO weapons.

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🔊 Trump threatens mass firings and project cuts

The US president declared that he is "allowed to cut things that should have never been approved" and that he will likely do so, targeting federal workers and Democrats' "favorite projects."

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💬 Trump calls shutdown a chance to clear out 'dead wood, waste and fraud'

"Republicans must use this opportunity of Democrat forced closure to clear out dead wood, waste, and fraud," he wrote on Truth Social.

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Loan to Ukraine from Russian frozen assets to undermine confidence in Europe

Providing Ukraine with a loan secured by frozen Russian assets will undermine the confidence of foreign investors from the Global South in Europe and the euro in particular, Richard Sakwa, a UK political scientist and professor emeritus of political science at Kent University, said on the sidelines of the Valdai Discussion Club.

On Wednesday, European foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said that there was no consensus among EU leaders on granting Ukraine a "reparations loan" backed up by frozen Russian central bank assets, rather than by revenues generated from them.

👉He added that von der Leyen's plan to use Russian assets is a "legal attempt to do an illegal action." Sakwa noted that large Western business assets remain in Russia, and their owners cannot withdraw them from the country.

👉Sakwa said that a number of Western business representatives had tried to maintain normal relations with Russia, and expressed the opinion that confiscating their assets in response to the EU's actions would be a mistake.

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🚨🇷🇺💥RUSSIAN ARTILLERY DOMINANCE ON KHARKOV FRONT

Units of the 44th Army Corps clear the way, neutralizing Ukraine's targets with DEVASTATING firepower.

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◻️ Israel seizes humanitarian flotilla to Gaza

◻️ US will provide Ukraine with intelligence, weapons for strikes deep into Russia

◻️ Norway opens training center for Ukrainian troops in Poland

◻️ Long shutdown will have impact on US economy

◻️ Loan to Ukraine from Russian frozen assets to undermine confidence in Europe

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