Greetings! Happy National Chess Day to those celebrating.

Let’s get into today’s top stories.

🇸🇩 At least 53 killed in Darfur attack as shelters and clinics are overwhelmed. A paramilitary strike on a displacement site left scores dead and dozens more wounded, with triage tents running out of saline and surgical kits by nightfall. Survivors reported gunfire into crowds and fires set to tarpaulin shelters that spread in high winds. Humanitarian coordinators warned that access remains the binding constraint as armed checkpoints reroute or seize convoys. Epidemiologists flagged outbreak risks when latrines fail and clean water fades, compounding trauma with disease. The episode adds to a ledger of mass-casualty events that have displaced millions across Sudan’s west. Diplomats renewed calls for ceasefire guarantees tied to verifiable corridors and independent investigations.

🇵🇸 Palestinians return to ruins as US troops land in Israel amidst fragile ceasefire. Residents stepped back into Gaza’s blasted neighborhoods to recover belongings and assess what is left, navigating cratered streets, collapsed apartment blocks, and fouled water lines. Aid groups said the pause has opened windows for food and fuel deliveries, but warehouses remain thin and hospital generators still ration hours. Israeli officials confirmed U.S. forces had arrived for coordination and training, a presence meant to support ceasefire implementation and deter renewed rocket fire. Humanitarian agencies cautioned that displacement remains massive, with hundreds of thousands sheltering in schools and tents where sanitation is precarious, adding to a death toll ranging from the tens to hundreds of thousands. Economists estimate reconstruction needs in the tens of billions, contingent on demining and predictable corridors for cement, steel, and spare parts. Diplomats are testing verification steps for prisoner exchanges and access guarantees to convert a pause into something that lasts. Editor’s Note: The polycrisis afflicting Gaza is officially considered a genocide by the United Nations (UN) and International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS), with famine declared formally by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), confirmed by UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), UNICEF, World Food Program (WFP), and World Health Organization (WHO), along with Global Sumud Flotilla eyewitnesses.

💥 Tennessee plant blast leaves 18 workers missing and feared dead. State and federal teams began mapping blast patterns at a facility that manufactures industrial charges, combing debris fields with cadaver dogs and laser scanners. Families gathered at a nearby community center as authorities released preliminary timelines from shift logs and camera feeds. Regulators will review permits, storage protocols, and maintenance records to determine whether heat, handling, or design flaws triggered the chain reaction. Nearby homes reported shattered windows and chemical odors as air monitors sampled particulates and volatile compounds. Hospitals treated burn and concussion cases while requesting additional blood supplies. Officials said the priority is rescue and recovery before a full enforcement phase begins.

🇶🇦 Qatari air force base training facility to be built in Idaho. The installation will provide classroom instruction, simulators, and live-flight coordination for pilots and maintainers, expanding a program that pairs regional allies with American trainers. The Department of Defense (DoD) said the site improves readiness and standardization for coalition operations while spreading training load across multiple bases. Local officials highlighted construction jobs and longer-term service roles tied to base expansion and housing. Security planners framed the facility as part of broader Middle East engagement that includes shared exercises and logistics nodes. Environmental and noise assessments will determine flight-path limits and community mitigations. The opening timeline runs through permitting, procurement, and phased buildout.

⛈️ Noreaster to push coastal flooding and gale gusts along the East Coast. Forecasters warned of 2 to 4 feet of ocean overwash in vulnerable inlets and tides a foot or more above normal through multiple cycles. Rain totals of 2 to 5 inches could overwhelm urban drainage from the Delmarva to coastal New England. Airlines preemptively trimmed schedules at congested hubs as wind shear and low ceilings stack delays. Utilities staged extra crews for tree damage and scattered outages, especially where soils are saturated from earlier systems. Coastal towns prepositioned sandbags and closed low-lying lots to keep sightseers away from breaking surf. The best advice is to avoid flooded roads, secure loose items, and assume tides arrive higher and faster than the model on your phone.

🏛️ Senate votes unanimously to endorse repealing 2002 Iraq war authority. Lawmakers described the repeal as a long overdue reset of war powers that outlived its original purpose by two decades. Veterans groups and legal scholars argued that removing the statute narrows the potential for mission creep and clarifies command responsibility. The measure does not affect separate authorizations tied to other theaters or counterterror operations. Attention shifts to the House, where past attempts have stalled amid broader national security debates. The White House signaled support for repeal as consistent with tightening the use-of-force framework. Advocates say the symbolic value rivals the statutory change by closing a chapter formally.

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That’s all for today!

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See you tomorrow!