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I'm VOA's Joe Ramsey with your worldwide news update.
Loud explosions could be heard over Beirut late on Tuesday, one of which produced a thick billow of smoke visible even in the night sky. It came after Hezbollah fired another barrage of rockets into Israel as the Lebanese militant group's acting leader vowed to keep up pressure that has forced thousands of Israelis from their homes near the Lebanese border. The Israeli military said it sent more ground troops into southern Lebanon and a senior Hezbollah commander was killed in an air strike. It said Hezbollah launched more than 170 rockets across the border. Israeli forces also fought heavy battles Tuesday with Palestinian militants in northern Gaza, a day after marking a year of war in the enclave. A new book by journalist Bob Woodward reveals phone calls between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, and President Joe Biden's private remarks about former President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. AP Correspondent Ed Donahue reports. In Woodward's new book, War, he wrote Donald Trump had as many as seven private phone calls with Putin since leaving office and secretly sent Putin coronavirus test machines for Russia during the height of the pandemic. Trump's spokesman Steven Cheung says Woodward made it up. Woodward also writes about President Biden's frustration and distrust of Netanyahu over the Israeli leader's talk of killing every last member of Hamas. He felt Netanyahu lied to him regularly. The White House says the commitment to Israel is ironclad. The book also details Biden's criticism late last year of then President Barack Obama's handling of Russia's earlier invasion of Ukraine in Crimea in 2014. Ed Donahue, Washington. This is VOA News. President Biden postponed a planned international trip Tuesday to oversee the response to Hurricane Milton, which is hitting the state of Florida just days after Hurricane Helene ravaged the southeastern United States. White House bureau chief Patsy Widakuswara has the story. Florida residents braced for Hurricane Milton less than two weeks after the southeastern U.S. state was hit by Hurricane Helene. "Very scary. We're evacuating, had to get a hotel very far away." "All of my years living there is definitely the scariest, most hyped up hurricane we've ever had." Milton is projected to make landfall overnight Wednesday with a storm surge much stronger than what some residents experienced during Helene. President Joe Biden postponed his trip to Germany and Angola scheduled for Thursday so he can oversee the disaster response. Meanwhile, rain and powerful winds battered Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula Tuesday as Milton headed eastwards towards Florida. Patsy Widakuswara, VOA News, Washington. Mozambicans are voting on Wednesday in an election that is almost certain to see the ruling party Frelimo maintain its half-century grip on power. But whoever wins will inherit an economy being battered on several fronts. Reuters correspondent Diane To reports. President Filipe Nyusi is stepping down after two terms and as Frelimo party's candidate, Daniel Chapo, is widely expected to replace him. But the former radio announcer and law lecturer faces an independent candidate who has captured the support of disenchanted youth. Frelimo has ruled the southeast African nation since independence from Portugal in 1975. Since first allowing elections in 1994, opponents and election observers have consistently accused Frelimo of rigging them. It denies the accusation. Reuters correspondent Diane To. Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes is allowing the social media platform X to be reinstated in the country over a month after its nationwide shutdown. AP correspondent Haya Panjwani reports. Elon Musk's X was blocked in August in the highly online country of 213 million people in one of X's biggest markets. Its user base in Brazil ranges from 20 to 40 million. The Supreme Court justice ordered the shutdown after a months-long dispute with Musk over free speech, far-right accounts and misinformation. Despite Musk being hesitant, X ultimately complied with all of the Brazilian government's demands. They included blocking certain accounts from the platform, paying outstanding fines and naming a legal representative in the country. I'm Haya Panjwani. That wraps up this update, but the world and news never stop. For additional updates, visit our website. I'm Joe Ramsey, VOA News. |