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In late 2021, as the world reeled from the arrival of the highly contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus, representatives of almost 200 countries met — some online, some in-person in Geneva — hoping to forestall a future worldwide outbreak by developing the first-ever global pandemic accord. The deadline for a deal? May 2024. ... But even as negotiators pack in extra hours, the goal of clinching a legally binding pact by next month is far from certain — despite a new draft document being delivered in recent days. The main sticking point involves access to vital information about new threats that may emerge — and to the vaccines and medicines that could contain that threat. (more) https://archive.ph/kkGmp

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RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory. Israel’s war against the Islamic militant group Hamas has led to a dramatic escalation of tensions in the Middle East, notably between Israel and Iran in recent weeks. Now attention returns to Rafah, where more than half of Gaza’s population of about 2.3 million people are sheltering, many displaced by fighting elsewhere. Relatives sobbed and hugged children’s shrouded bodies at al-Najjar hospital. “Hamza my beloved. Your hair looks so pretty,” a mourning grandmother said. ... The war was sparked by an unprecedented Oct. 7 raid into southern Israel by Hamas and other militant groups that left about 1,200 people dead, the vast majority civilians, and saw about 250 kidnapped and taken into Gaza. Israel says about 130 hostages remain in Gaza, although more than 30 have died. (more) https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-04-20-2024-05df312cfce4dc546837b2499fdbae02

Georgia, Michigan and Nevada have already brought charges against people who posed as electors for Donald Trump, and Arizona and Wisconsin have active investigations The chairman of the Nevada Republican Party has been indicted. So has the former chairman of the Georgia G.O.P. In Michigan, a former co-chairwoman of the state party is facing charges. As Donald J. Trump goes on trial in the New York criminal case, other investigations and prosecutions in five crucial swing states are continuing to scrutinize the steps that he and his allies took in trying to circumvent the will of voters after the 2020 election. The investigations focus largely on the plan to deploy fake electors in states that Mr. Trump lost. Documents emerging from the state cases highlight divisions among Trump advisers after the 2020 election about whether to use hedging language in the phony certificates that they sent to Washington purporting to designate electoral votes for Mr. Trump. They also undercut claims by some Trump aides that they played little role in the fake-electors plan. (more) https://archive.ph/GBCcP#selection-4493.0-4513.454

Moscow says 50 Ukrainian drones shot down as attacks spark fires at Russian power stations KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine launched a barrage of drones across Russia overnight, the Defense Ministry in Moscow said Saturday, in attacks that appeared to target the country’s energy infrastructure. Fifty drones were shot down by air defences over eight Russian regions, including 26 over the country’s western Belgorod region close to the Ukrainian border. Two people — a woman with a broken leg and the man caring for her — died during the overnight barrage, after explosions sparked a blaze that set their home alight, Belgorod Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on social media. (more) https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-drones-energy-68f8e26eaff94e440f71578c43334332

(CNN) -- Ukraine launched attacks on eight Russian regions with long-range strike drones in the early hours of Saturday morning, targeting a fuel depot and power substations, according to a statement from a Ukrainian special services source. The overnight attacks, which were confirmed by the Russian Defense Ministry, come amid a renewed effort by Moscow to disable Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and plunge its citizens into darkness, using the freezing temperatures as a weapon of war. “Russian Defense Ministry is complaining that dozens of Ukrainian drones popped up in some eight regions - Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Tula, Smolensk, Ryazan, Kaluga regions, and even Moscow region. At least three power substations and a fuel storage facility were damaged and caught fire,” the source said, adding that the attacks were part of a joint operation by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Defence Intelligence, and the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. (more) https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/20/europe/ukraine-drone-attacks-russia-intl/index.html

Per Reuters: The vote on passage of the Ukraine funding was 311-112. Significantly, 112 Republicans opposed the legislation, with only 101 in support. The Israel aid was passed 366-58, had 37 Democrats and 21 Republicans in opposition. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-house-vote-long-awaited-95-billion-ukraine-israel-aid-package-2024-04-20/

‘Thank You America!’: Ukraine’s Zelensky and Israel’s Netanyahu hail House passage of $95 billion foreign aid package Kyiv (CNN) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu have thanked US lawmakers after they voted in favor of new aid packages for their countries worth billions of dollars. “Thank you, America!” Zelensky wrote on his Telegram on Saturday, shortly after the House of Representatives passed the long-delayed Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act by a vote of 311-112. ... “Thank you friends, thank you America!” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a post on social media, adding that the bill demonstrates “strong bipartisan support for Israel and defends Western civilization.” However, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, the spokesperson for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, condemned the aid package for Israel, describing it as a “dangerous escalation” and act of aggression that would lead to more Palestinian casualties in Israel’s war on Hamas. (more) https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/20/world/foreign-aid-bill-ukraine-israel-thank-you-intl-latam/index.html

Johnson temporarily dodges ouster vote as House passes foreign aid Conservative rebels are hoping the week-long recess will build support for their pending effort to boot the speaker Speaker Mike Johnson ultimately succeeded in passing foreign aid Saturday, after months of fierce infighting over sending additional funds to Ukraine. Whether he can survive a looming effort to boot him from the speakership still remains to be seen. Johnson had plowed ahead with the votes to send money to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan despite rising conservative anger — passing every part of the foreign aid plan with widespread Democratic help. Some Republicans are openly entertaining the idea of backing the ouster threat led by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), but those already backing the effort opted to wait on triggering the vote. Instead, they indicated members should go back home and hear from their constituents. (more) https://www.politico.com/news/2024/04/20/johnson-mvp-house-foreign-aid-00153497

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Please continue the discussion of this topic in the following World News thread:

Marjorie Taylor Greene's Furious Reaction After Ukraine Aid Passes Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, decried the House of Representatives for passing a Ukraine aid bill on Saturday. As Ukraine continues to fight against the full-scale invasion that Russian President Vladimir Putin launched in February 2022, the United States has proven to be a strong ally to Kyiv, with the House passing a $60.8 billion aid bill on Saturday to help restock its arsenal. After months of U.S. lawmakers urging House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, to take up legislation that would help fund Ukraine, Johnson worked to get it passed in a 311-112 vote. There was some resistance from Republican lawmakers who opposed additional aid to the war-torn nation, with Johnson having to rely on the help of Democrats. In total, 210 Democrats and 101 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while 112 Republicans voted against it. (more) https://www.newsweek.com/marjorie-taylor-greene-ukraine-aid-passes-reaction-1892521

House Speaker Mike Johnson An additional bill could force the sale of TikTok. The House of Representatives on Saturday passed a series of foreign aid bills that allocate $60.8 billion for Ukraine, $26.4 billion for Israel and $8 billion for Taiwan and other Indo-Pacific allies. Another bill, passed by a vote of 360-58, would force the sale of TikTok and imposes strong sanctions on Iran, China and Russia. An amendment to that bill requires the Treasury Department to submit a report on Iranian assets and sanction exemptions. The four bills will now be sent to the Senate as a package. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Saturday that the Senate will take up the bills on Tuesday afternoon. (more) https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/house-vote-foreign-aid-bills-ukraine-israel/story?id=109429499

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