Your Wednesday briefing
Violence in Israel and the West Bank
Hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last night that a military incursion targeting Palestinian armed groups in the West Bank town of Jenin was coming to an end, five rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip at Israel, raising fears of more violence . There were no injuries and the Israeli military said the country’s air defense system intercepted all five missiles.
The Palestinian death toll in the Jenin operation has risen to 12 and at least 120 people have been injured, Palestinian health officials said. Four of the victims were under the age of 18 and Palestinian militant groups said five were combatants. An Israeli military spokesman said a soldier had been killed “by gunfire” during the operation.
Eight people were injured yesterday when a Palestinian man carried out a car ram and stabbing attack in a residential area of Tel Aviv, Israeli authorities said. A pregnant woman was injured and lost her baby, local media reported. The driver, who exited his car and stabbed passersby, was shot and killed by a civilian, Israeli security officials said.
Take flight: As many as 3,000 of the approximately 17,000 residents of the Jenin refugee camp have sought shelter in schools and other public buildings or with families elsewhere.
Jenin: For many Israelis, the city and its environs are a feared breeding ground for terrorism that has claimed many lives over the years. For many Palestinians, it is a heroic symbol of resilience and resistance to Israeli rule and the rule of others who came before it.
France holds hundreds of hasty lawsuits
Some 3,400 people were arrested during five nights of rage in France after police shot dead a teenager. The justice system runs almost around the clock to process them, many through fast-track processes typically used for crimes such as traffic violations or theft. Lawyers often have only 30 minutes to prepare, and cases often end up in jail.
After flooding the streets night after night with 45,000 agents, the French state wants to send a second hard message. Justice Minister Éric Dupond-Moretti called for a “steady hand” and advised prosecutors to seek prison sentences for those accused of physical assault or serious vandalism.
Those arrested include paramedics, restaurant workers, factory workers, students and the unemployed. A majority had no criminal record, according to French authorities. And most of them are minors: the average age of the detainees is 17 years old, some as young as 12 years old. They go to a specialized court, where the process is slower and imprisonment is seen as a last resort.
Injury: During the protests, more than 5,000 vehicles were burned, 1,000 buildings damaged or looted, 250 police stations or gendarmeries attacked and more than 700 officers injured.
A possible prisoner exchange between Russia and the US
Russia and the US are in contact over the possibility of a prisoner exchange, according to the Kremlin, apparently involving imprisoned Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. Talks would “continue in complete silence,” a Kremlin spokesman said.
US officials have repeatedly called for the release of Gershkovich, who has been detained for months on allegations of espionage that the US government has unfounded. He and Paul Whelan, a former Marine serving a 16-year prison sentence after being convicted of espionage in 2020, are considered “unjustly held” by the US – the equivalent of political hostages.
The Kremlin’s statement was Moscow’s latest admission that Russia could be open to an exchange, though there are no outward signs of talks.
Other news from the war in Ukraine:
THE LAST NEWS
Around the world
Winemaker Maggie Harrison’s meticulous blends are dazzling diners and critics alike – and upends long-held ideas about how winemaking should work.
“Tasting a good wine can be as immersive as watching a movie,” writes Alex Halberstadt. But Harrison’s pinot noir “took me somewhere beyond that,” he added. “First, it showed me colors.”
Lives lived
Léon Gautier, the last surviving member of an elite French unit who joined Allied forces during the D-Day invasion to wrest Normandy from Nazi Germany’s control, has died aged 100.
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The Great Wimbledon Legacy of Venus: This may turn out to be her last Wimbledon, but her biggest win was winning the battle for equal prize money 16 years ago.
From the time: On a rain-soaked day at the All England Club, Carlos Alcaraz showed his continued improvement on grass – and what he learned from Andy Murray.
The stylish new Italian player at Wimbledon
Jannik Sinner, an Italian tennis player, broke with tradition on Monday when he took to the court wearing a custom duffle bag wrapped in Gucci’s “GG” monogram, the red and green straps slung over one shoulder. It was the first time a tennis player was allowed to carry a bag with a luxury logo on the Wimbledon court.
In most other sports, this may not be exceptional. But tennis is different. A Grand Slams rule book regulates players’ attire and what they are allowed to bring to court, including the size, placement and number of logos on their outfits and equipment bags. Sinner’s not-so-humble duffel bag could be a new frontier for luxury brands in the sport.