Dozens of Australian Schools Close Over Asbestos Fears

Three-quarters of the schools in the area around the capital will be closed, although officials say the health risk from asbestos found in colored sand is low.

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Saudi Ex-Intelligence Official Seeks American Help Spilling U.S. Secrets

Saad Aljabri, feuding with the de facto Saudi ruler, wants former U.S. officials to help him fend off Saudi corruption claims.

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U.N. Security Council Removes Syria’s President From Sanctions List

The decision comes days before the Syrian president, Ahmed al-Shara, is expected in Washington for the first time since he came to power.

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Remains of the Last American Hostage Held in Gaza Returned to Israel

Israeli officials told Itay Chen’s family last year that he was probably killed on Oct. 7, 2023, but relatives put off mourning until his body had come home.

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Deforestation Is Imperiling Coffee Cultivation, Report Finds

A new report by an industry watchdog adds to growing scientific consensus that as forests are felled to make way for coffee farms, rainfall decreases and crops are more likely to fail.

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Vivienne Westwood Show Opens Riyadh Fashion Week, as Saudis Highlight Creative Side

Some Saudis see the provocative brand’s appearance as one more example of the kingdom’s pursuit of cultural cachet. But some critics see incongruity in such pairings.

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Hamas Says It Has Returned All Hostage Remains It Can Recover, Putting Fragile Truce at Risk

The Palestinian militant group said it needed special equipment to locate and extract the remaining remains.

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Trump Calls for Israel’s President to Pardon Netanyahu. Could it Happen?

The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has been on trial for corruption since 2020, battling charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three separate but related cases.

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Trump and Abbas Share Moment of Rapprochement in Egypt

The Palestinian leader was recently denied a U.S. visa, preventing him from going to the United Nations last month to witness the recognition of a Palestinian state by several nations.

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Trump Touts ‘Very Important Signing,’ but Details Are Few

The document from a summit in Egypt left many questions unanswered.

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