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We have changed the format of our daily news feed. Besides the traditional audio format, news tidbits are now presented in video format, with closed captions in English. The audio, YouTube link to the video and the full transcript of the news items can all be accessed here.

Double-click any word for Google translator Protests over Jerusalem Source: The New York Times Although the protests in Palestinian territories decreased, rallies in cities across the world denounced President Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. In Sweden, a masked gang hurled Molotov cocktails at a synagogue. Jerusalem itself is bracing for more turmoil. “You feel like you’re living in jail here,” one resident said. President Emmanuel Macron of France, trying to play the part of a world leader,  called the American announcement a “dangerous threat to peace” as he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel. ISIS and their Cruel Arsenal  Source: The New York Times Technicians and arms analysts working in areas captured from the Islamic state face an arduous task in removing improvised explosive devices left behind by the militant group, which took the manufacturing of such weapons to a new level. The results included teddy bears and copies of the Quran with bombs inside and chemical rockets. They created a system of armaments production that combined research and development, mass production and organized distribution that were variously novel and familiar. After one family returned to their supposedly safe home and connected a generator, it was blown apart by a massive explosive charge under their home that had been wired to the electrical system. The entire family was kille

Double-click any word for Google Translator Palocci Drops a Bomb on Lula and the PT Source: Veja   Muammar Gaddafi financed terrorist groups and political movements in the four corners of the world. According to Antonio Palocci, Lula and his party, PT (Workers’ Party) also benefited from these donations. In his statement to the Public Ministry, Palocci said Gaddafi secretly sent a million dollars to finance Lula’s campaign for president in 2002. This bombastic information has the potential to fulminate the party and Lula himself. One can always dream …  “It burns, and it keeps burning.”  Source: Los Angeles Times and The New York Times By Thursday evening, the Thomas fire, as the wildfire raging in California is known, had consumed 115,000 acres, destroyed 427 structures in Ventura and damaged at least 85 more, authorities said. Hot, dry winds sparked new fires in San Diego and Riverside Counties and up the coast. Nearly 200,000 people were forced to evacuate, and residents are worried that the strengthening, erratic winds could ignite new fires at any moment. “We’ve always been under threat of fire; we’re used to it,” said Suzanne White, who drove past curtains of flames above the 101 freeway as she fled her home in the town of Ojai. “But this year, the fires are raging so fast and furiously that you can’t get ahead of them. It burns,” she said, “and it keeps burning.” Middle East Powder Keg Source: The New York Times A day after the American president recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, the chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat, declared a radical shift in his goals: a single state, with Palestinians enjoying the same civil rights as Israelis

Tension in the Middle East Source: The New York Times Arab and European leaders, Pope Francis and the U.N. criticized President Trump’s decision to officially recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Pope Francis said, “I cannot remain silent.” The United Nations secretary general spoke of his “great anxiety.” The European Union expressed “serious concern.” American allies like Britain, France, Germany and Italy all declared it a mistake. A number of countries asked for an emergency meeting of the Security Council of the United Nations, and this has been scheduled for tomorrow. Secretary General António Guterres and Pope Francis both expressed alarm that President Trump’s announcement would provoke new tensions in the Holy City, which is revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims. California Fires Enter the Heart of Los Angeles Source: The New York Times As fires raged out of control in Southern California, a new blaze began in the Bel-Air neighborhood of Los Angeles, near landmarks like U.C.L.A campus and the Getty Museum. It burned up to edges of the 405 freeway, the nation’s busiest highway carrying about 400,000 vehicles a day, where the northbound lanes were closed for much of the day and commuters drove through a shower of ashes with flames rising in the horizon. Authorities said high winds — which could top 50 mph in some areas — create an “extreme fire danger.” The Los Angeles school system has canceled classes at many San Fernando Valley campuses and officials are bracing for more fires across the region. Powerful winds not only worsen existing fires but also help fan new ones. The regional air quality agency warned that the air posed a health hazard in several places. New Wave of Cheap Consumer Devices Source: The New York Times With the help of Amazon, many new electronics companies are offering inexpensive products, once considered “Chinese knockoffs.” A camera made by Wyze, a one-year-old Seattle startup, offers the same features and quality as devices by brand names costing 10 times more. Wyze’s low prices are based on Amazon’s high-volume

Trump to Recognize Jerusalem as Capital Source: The New York Times President Trump told Mideast leaders he would recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a move that would overturn decades of U.S. policy, upset peace efforts between Israel and the Palestinians and risk igniting unrest. His decision is driven by a campaign promise aiming to attract evangelicals and American Jews. Mr. Trump is to announce his formal recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital in a formal speech at the White House on Wednesday, when he will become the first American president to take that step since the founding of Israel in 1948. Arab leaders have warned him that it could disrupt the peace process, perhaps fatally, and unleash a new wave of violence across the region. Russia Banned from Winter Olympics Source: The New York Times Russia has been banished from the 2018 Winter Olympics, following investigations of a vast, state-sponsored doping scheme at the Sochi Olympics in 2014, above. Individual Russian athletes might be able to compete wearing neutral uniforms, and Russia is expected to appeal the decision. Political analysts have predicted that the ban will not dent President Vladimir Putin’s popularity ahead of elections next year. Where is Greenland’s Ice Going? Source: The New York Times Each year, Greenland loses 270 billion tons of ice as the planet warms. New research shows that some of the water may be trapped in the ice sheet, which could change how scientists think about global sea levels. Data collected over 72 hours showed that current models are overestimating the amount of runoff by 20 percent to nearly 60 percent. Sunlight hitting the ice sheet melts the surface, but some of the light reaches deeper into the ice and causes some melting there. The ice develops a ro

Former President of Yemen Killed Source: The New York Times Muhammed Muheisen/Associated Press Ali Abdullah Saleh, the former president of Yemen, was killed amid fierce battles in the capital, Sana. His death came at the hands of his former allies, the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, after he made propositions for a deal with the Saudi-led coalition to end the country’s catastrophic civil war. Hi s death will make it harder for a negotiated end to the conflict, analysts said, while renewed fighting in the capital, Sana, could worsen the humanitarian crisis afflicting Yemen, which the United Nations has called the world’s worst. Seven million Yemenis — nearly a third of the population — are at risk of starving. Millions more need emergency food aid. France Warns Trump about Jerusalem Source: The New York Times Ahmad Gharabli/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images President Trump’s plan to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel ran into increasing resistance on Monday, with France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, warning him it was a bad idea. The French president joined leaders from Jordan, Egypt, Turkey and the Arab League in speaking out against this, saying it would overturn decades of American policy. Mr. Macron called the American president and “expressed concern with the possibility that the United States might unilaterally recognize Jerusalem as capital of the State of Israel,” and “reaffirmed that the status of Jerusalem must be resolved through peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, with the establishment of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security with Jerusalem as their capital.” Wake up, Mr. Macron. That’s never going to happen. Supreme Court Confirms Trump’s Travel Ban Source: The New York Times Alex Wong/Getty Images The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday allowed the third version of the Trump administration’s travel ban to g

Achou o áudio muito rápido? Clique aqui para uma versão mais lenta. Arab Peace Plan Ignores Palestinians Source: The New York Times Construction in the Israeli settlement of Brushin in the West Bank. Credit: Tomas Munita for The New York Times  Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia presented a peace plan that would be more in favor of the Israelis than any plan ever embraced by the American government, one that no Palestinian leader could ever accept. Analysts said they believe the prince is trying to force a settlement in order to cement Israeli cooperation against Iran. The White House declared on Sunday that it was not its plan, and was still months away from finalizing a proposal for peace, while the Saudi government denied that it supports those positions. Trump Set to Recognize Jerusalem as Capital Source: The New York Times Thomas Coex/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images President Trump is expected to announce a decision on Wednesday recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, but not move the American Embassy there for now. The diplomatic status of Jerusalem is one of the world’s most contested issues, with Israel and the Palestinians claiming it as their capital. Its holy sites are sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims, and any change in its status would have vast repercussions across the Middle East and other Islamic-majority countries worldwide. Mr. Trump promised to move the American Embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv as one of his first acts as president, something that no president, Republican or Democrat, has done since the state of Israel was established in 1948. Some fear this decision may jeopardize peace talks and trigger a new Palestinian uprising. Norilsk – City of Brutal Extreme’s Source: The New York Times Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times Norilsk, 200 miles north of the A

Achou o áudio muito rápido? Clique aqui para uma versão mais lenta. Republican Tax Bill will Increase Deficit Source: The New York Times The sweeping tax bill proposed by the Republican party in the United States seemed headed for certain victory on Thursday, but came to a halt as senators rushed to find ways to raise several hundred billion dollars after some members objected to moving forward without a plan to safeguard against ballooning the deficit. An analysis by the congressional Joint Committee on Taxation found that the tax cuts would add $1 trillion to budget deficits over the next 10 years. Lawmakers are now studying alternatives and a final vote on the bill is expected today after a series of amendments are considered. Japanese Emperor to Abdicate Throne Source: The New York Times The emperor of Japan will step down on April 30, 2019, the first abdication by a Japanese monarch in two centuries, the prime minister of Japan said on Friday. Emperor Akihito, 83, said last year that he planned to step down before his death, and Friday’s announcement set the date. The emperor had been a godlike figure in Japan before the end of World War II, but the American victors stripped the throne of all political power. Emperor Akihito has a strictly ceremonial role but is a respected and popular figure in Japan. Japan’s Parliament passed a law in June that allows the emperor to retire, and proposed considering allowing the position to be passed to a female descendant. Emperor Akihito’s retirement would allow his eldest son, Crown Prince Naruhito, 57, to succeed him. G.M. Unveils Driverless Cars Source: