海角大神

The U.S. is now prepared to take military action against Iran following a rapid build-up of forces in the region, according to Trump administration officials. At least 46 refueling tankers have been positioned at bases and airports in Europe, the U.S. Air Force announced yesterday. Meanwhile, the Pentagon聽has started moving some personnel out of the region in preparation for a possible strike.聽American and Iranian negotiators meeting in Geneva on Tuesday failed to reach an agreement on Washington鈥檚 demand that Tehran give up its nuclear program. According to U.S. officials at the talks, as well as Israeli media reports, any military action would be a joint U.S.-Israeli operation and would likely last weeks.

UK police arrested Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor聽today on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The Thames Valley Police said it was 鈥渁ssessing鈥� reports that the former Prince Andrew sent trade reports to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2010. The assessment followed the release of millions of pages of documents gleaned under a U.S. investigation of Epstein. 鈥� Associated Press

Mayor Zohran Mamdani threatened to raise property taxes in New York City by nearly 10% unless Gov. Kathy Hochul provides more funding. Gov. Hochul, a Democrat facing reelection, has rejected tax increases, while Mr. Mamdani works to raise revenue for his $127 billion progressive spending plan released on Tuesday. He called it a 鈥渄rastic鈥� measure he would be 鈥渇orced鈥� to take, despite criticism from the real estate industry and some city council members.

Greece announced that it will work with Germany, Austria, Denmark, and the Netherlands to set up deportation centers in third countries, most likely in Africa, for migrants whose asylum applications have been rejected. For decades, Greece has been a primary entry point into the EU, with tens of thousands of migrants and refugees arriving each year. It has taken an increasingly hard line on immigration amid a broader tightening of policies across the continent.

The Vatican declined to join the Gaza 鈥淏oard of Peace,鈥� which U.S. President Donald Trump created to oversee reconstruction and governance in the Palestinian enclave after October鈥檚 ceasefire. The American president聽later said the board might address other global conflicts as well. Officials within the Holy See said that responsibility should remain with the United Nations. The decision follows concerns from some countries about the board鈥檚 role and structure, even as others plan to attend its initial meeting as observers.

A London artificial intelligence company is seeking $1 billion in what would be the largest first round of funding raised by a European start-up. AI researcher David Silver founded Ineffable Intelligence after leaving Google DeepMind last year, aiming to develop 鈥渟uperhuman intelligence.鈥� Big Tech companies are among those considering investment, the Financial Times reports. Investors are increasingly bankrolling prominent researchers who leave big AI companies for experimental projects.

Russian athletes celebrated a decision by the International Paralympic Committee to allow them to compete under their country鈥檚 name and own flag at the Milan-Cortina games next month. Yesterday鈥檚 decision opens the door for six athletes and overturns a ban imposed in November. Olympic restrictions on Russian athletes competing began with a major聽doping scandal at the 2014 Sochi Games and escalated after Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The ruling opens the way for Russian athletes, along with their national symbols, to make a full comeback at the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.

鈥� Compiled by Monitor writers around the globe

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified in a trial that鈥檚 weighing a hot issue for both U.S. families and tech companies 鈥� whether social media is designed to be addictive and poses special risks for teenagers.

President Donald Trump鈥檚 Board of Peace is convening amid doubts about this approach to diplomacy. Muslim and Arab countries, hoping to influence Gaza鈥檚 path forward, have signed on. Western democracies, wary of further weakening international institutions, are staying away.

Mikaela Shiffrin鈥檚 gold medal in the slalom was a monumental sporting achievement. She not only set the second-largest winning margin in Olympic Alpine history, but she also subdued Olympic-sized fears.

Refugees in Minnesota are challenging the Trump administration over its arrest and detention tactics. The case features an unprecedented legal argument that could reshape federal-local immigration cooperation.

As U.S. governors convene in Washington this week, many Democrats among them will be in the spotlight as top contenders for their party鈥檚 2028 presidential nomination. One reason: They found ways to fight back against the Trump administration.

Artificial intelligence is transforming economies around the world. But India, hosting the Global South鈥檚 first major AI summit, wants to shape the AI era 鈥� not just service it.

The first question to ask about Thursday鈥檚 inaugural meeting of President Donald Trump鈥檚 Board of Peace is this: How will this new international body, initially set up to govern postwar Gaza, be held accountable?

The answer 鈥� still a work in process 鈥� could possibly help define a new era of integrity and trust in how humanity cooperates in working on shared problems, from the need for a Palestinian state to climate change.

The Trump-designed board, whose 26 members are largely Arab and Muslim countries and include Israel, was heartily endorsed by the United Nations Security Council in November. Yet the exact responsibilities of the U.N. itself remain vague and ambiguous. In addition, the war-weary people of a divided Gaza have little or no say over the board鈥檚 decisions. And Mr. Trump has near-absolute power: He holds permanent chairmanship and even hints at expanding the board鈥檚 role to other conflicts.

If Mr. Trump will be answerable to anyone for the board鈥檚 actions, it would be American voters. Come the midterm elections in November, a return to violence or a successful start to a peaceful Gaza might help determine if Republicans keep control of Congress. After all, Mr. Trump won the 2024 presidential election in part by campaigning on the shambolic withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan by the Biden-Harris administration in 2021.

Mr. Trump has shifted U.S. foreign policy away from relying on the U.N. and many other global institutions to focus on building coalitions of countries to solve problems 鈥� often with a great deal of dealmaking. One reason: The decades-old global bodies have lately failed or been tainted in much of their work, yet, because of their diffused authority, have not been forced to make major reforms. A recent survey of 447 foreign policy experts from 72 countries found 71% believe that the U.N. will become less influential in the coming decade.

A new model of state-centric alliances might be replacing the international system that was set up by the United States after World War II. 鈥淎 state-anchored approach recognizes that it is states, not global institutions, that are directly accountable to citizens,鈥� wrote Nadia Schadlow, a senior fellow at Hudson Institute, in the latest issue of Foreign Affairs.

Beneath Mr. Trump鈥檚 theatrics, she added, lies a coherent claim that only states create, experience, and solve problems. 鈥淚n democracies, governments face political consequences when they fail, a chain of accountability weakened when authority is delegated to international organizations.鈥�

Whether this Trumpian version of a new world order will prevail, let alone succeed, is now playing out in Gaza. If the new board can create a Gaza where the government is answerable to the values and interests of the people, it will depend on the board itself 鈥� especially its chairman 鈥� knowing it will be held accountable by citizens of its member countries. Trust and integrity in society start with the ability of people to ensure responsibility in their leaders.