海角大神

Months ago, it looked like criminal lawsuits would feature prominently in Donald Trump鈥檚 2024 calendar. Instead, key cases have been delayed, while a civil fraud verdict weighs heavily on the聽presidential candidate.

鈥� Anti-far-right protests: Millions of Germans have been protesting the growing popularity of the far-right Alternative for Germany party. Alarm has grown following a recent report that right-wing extremists met to discuss deportation of millions of immigrants, including some with German citizenship.
鈥� Vladimir Putin wins: Russia鈥檚 March 17 election cements President Putin鈥檚 already tight grip on power, with 87.8% of the vote. Mr. Putin said the vote showed Moscow was right to stand up to the West and send troops into Ukraine.
鈥� Asbestos ban: The Environmental Protection Agency announces a comprehensive ban on chrysotile asbestos, the only ongoing use of asbestos in the United States. The substance is found in products such as brake linings and gaskets, and is used to manufacture chlorine bleach and caustic soda.
鈥� Gaza鈥檚 children: The death toll for children in Gaza has surpassed 13,000, reports UNICEF. It said many children were facing severe malnutrition.

Read these news briefs.

As the pressures grow on President Joe Biden to restrain Israel in Gaza, his administration鈥檚 rhetoric has gotten tougher. In response, Benjamin Netanyahu is talking tough as well, but is the pressure having an effect?

An Alabama court ruling on in vitro fertilization has added to nationwide upheaval over questions of reproductive rights and when life begins. We look at three questions about the aftermath of the Alabama decision.聽

Many in Pakistan expected press freedom to improve once Imran Khan was out of power, yet journalists continue to face legal challenges and harassment. Can the Pakistani media鈥檚 muckraking ethos survive the ongoing crackdown?

International adoption summons trust at its rawest and most powerful. It鈥檚 an act of good faith with the potential, as our writer learned, to transform both those adopted and adopting.

If there is such a thing as the heart of Europe, it would be the Czech Republic. The nation of only 10.5 million people in central Europe has shown once again why it is the most generous and unfailing supporter of Ukraine.

In recent weeks, Czech diplomats have scoured the globe to discreetly procure 800,000 artillery rounds from 18 countries for a Ukrainian military currently in a serious ammo deficit against Russian forces.

鈥淲e are like hobbits 鈥� small and peaceful, but in a moment of crisis we jump to forge alliances with much more powerful countries and deliver results,鈥� Tomas Kopecny, the Czech special envoy for Ukraine, told The Wall Street Journal, referring to the heroes in the 鈥淟ord of the Rings鈥� saga.

On Monday, the successful Czech initiative helped push the European Union to announce that it will provide more than $5.5 billion in additional military aid to聽Ukraine. And the moral leadership of the Czechs could help unlock a $60 billion aid package for Ukraine now stalled in the U.S. Congress.

The Czech Republic, states the news site Aktu谩ln臎.cz, 鈥渉as been experiencing the most stellar diplomatic moment since joining Nato and the EU.鈥�

Once a former satellite state of the Soviet Union, the Czech Republic is clear about its motives. Even though Ukraine is not a member of NATO or the EU, it is sacrificing more than any other country to safeguard Western values such as freedom, democracy, and respect for the individual, states Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky.

鈥淚t is holding back a much better armed opponent with tremendous resolve and has in the past managed to liberate almost half of the territory Russia occupied after the start of its aggression in 2022,鈥� Mr. Lipavsky said. 鈥淚t managed to change the balance of power in the Black Sea [with its attacks on the Russian Navy].鈥� Duty calls, he says, for the Czechs to support Ukraine.

In addition to providing early and strong military support to Ukraine, the Czechs have been the most generous European country in welcoming Ukrainian refugees. In December, the聽Czech聽Parliament approved an extension of protection for Ukrainian聽refugees, providing them access to jobs, education, and health insurance.

Ukrainians are 鈥渘ot running out of courage, they are running out of聽ammunition,鈥� says NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. Yet in addition to stiffening Ukraine鈥檚 military, the Czechs may also be stiffening the resolve of the Ukrainians. And showing the world that the front lines of freedom are everywhere.