In a move that brings the fate of the Gaza ceasefire even closer under his personal control, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is appointing a close political ally to lead talks over phase two of the current ceasefire in Gaza, replacing Israel’s previous chief negotiator. “In the coming days, Israel will enter negotiations on Phase B, which is a political phase that deals with the question of the conditions for ending the war,” an Israeli source told CNN. “Accordingly, the Israeli efforts will be led by the Secretary of Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, and he will do so in front of the US President’s special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff.”
Argentine President Javier Milei has defended himself for promoting a cryptocurrency whose value collapsed within hours of its launch, likening those who invested in the token after his endorsement to gamblers at casinos. “The reality is if you go to the casino and lose money, I mean, what is the claim if you knew that it had those characteristics?” he said during an interview with the TN news channel that aired on Monday night. Milei said he promoted the little-known crypto coin $LIBRA in a tweet on X last week because he believed it would encourage economic growth by funding small businesses.
South Korean police have announced a cause of death for actress Kim Sae-ron, reports say. Authorities presume Kim, who was found dead at her home by a friend, died by suicide, according to The New York Times and South Korean outlets like The Korea Times and Yonhap News Agency. USA TODAY has reached out to South Korean police for confirmation.
Russia gets a small win, Ukraine gets a slight reprieve yet is still angrily outside the room and Europe is suddenly relevant again. The US-Russia talks that just concluded in Riyadh have broadly given Moscow the most to be pleased about. It has long (incorrectly) portrayed the war in Ukraine as a NATO assault on Russia, and this bilateral meeting helps perpetuate that false idea.
Russian forces unleashed a combined drone and missile strike on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early on Saturday, killing at least three people in a central district, city officials said. Explosions boomed across the pre-dawn sky as air defenses repelled the attack, which also wounded three others, according to military administration chief Timur Tkachenko. He said four people had been killed, while police reported three deaths.
It was nearly 30 years ago when Rosember Lopez received a life-altering diagnosis: He was HIV positive. With scant government resources for HIV support at the time in Mexico, Lopez joined advocacy groups to secure the funding he needed for medication to help him survive. “In the first years after my diagnosis, it was very difficult for me,” he told CNN. “We had to fight for access to medications,” he added of himself and others with the disease.
Lil Wayne took the stage this weekend to perform his classics for the 50th anniversary of "Saturday Night Live." Along with The Roots, the legendary rapper performed several of his hits, including "Lollipop," "6 Foot 7 Foot," and "A Milli." His performance reignited the conversation on social media about whether he should have performed at Super Bowl 59 at the Caesars Superdome in his hometown of New Orleans earlier this month.
"The Brutalist" has been racking up wins throughout awards season, but its director says he hasn't been reaping the financial rewards. In an interview on the "WTF with Marc Maron" podcast, director Brady Corbet claimed he has not made any money from the film, which was nominated for 10 Academy Awards.
Taylor Swift was crowned the global recording artist of the year for a third consecutive year and fifth total time. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) announced the honor on Tuesday morning saying Swift is the only artist to achieve the honor five times. The IFPI is a nonprofit organization that represents the global recording industry.
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving is exploring a dramatic move to represent Australia, the country of his birth, in international competition. The nine-time NBA All-Star won gold with Team USA at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro but has been overlooked by selectors in recent years and was not picked for last summer’s Games in Paris. Irving holds dual American and Australian citizenship, having been born in Melbourne in 1992 while his father, Drederick, was playing for the Bulleen Bullets in the South East Australian Basketball League. He and his family returned to the US when he was two years old.