South Dakota governor says she met North Korean dictator in same book in which she describes killing her dog The South Dakota governor, Republican vice-presidential hopeful and self-confessed dog-killer Kristi Noem’s bizarre claim in a new book to have met the North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un has been dismissed by experts as “dubious” and not “conceivable”. The Dakota Scout first reported Noem’s claim, which is in her forthcoming book, No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong With Politics and How We Move America Forward ..read more

Russians in separate compound and do not have access to US forces or equipment, says defence secretary Ukraine war – live updates The US secretary of defence, Lloyd Austin, has confirmed Russian security forces have been deployed to the same airbase as American troops in the Nigerien capital, Niamey. It remains unclear when the Russian troops, who have been in Niger for weeks, were deployed to Airbase 101, which is next to Diori Hamani international airport in Niamey. It is also unclear how many troops are on the ground ..read more

Useful idiots keep parroting provably false Israeli talking points. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me … “The Italians having a proverb,” wrote the 17th century British courtier Anthony Weldon, “‘He that deceives me once, its his fault; but if twice, its my fault.’” Today, we commonly summarize that old Italian proverb as: “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.” Timeline on repeat: • Israel commits massacre Mehdi Hasan is the editor-in-chief of Zeteo and a Guardian US columnist ..read more

Riyadh seeks more modest agreement with Washington in absence of Gaza ceasefire and Netanyahu resistance to Palestinian state The US and Saudi Arabia have drafted a set of agreements on security and technology-sharing which were intended to be linked to a broader Middle East settlement involving Israel and the Palestinians. However, in the absence of a ceasefire in Gaza and in the face of adamant resistance from Benjamin Netanyahu’s Israeli government to the creation of a Palestinian state – and its apparent determination to launch an offensive on Rafah – the Saudis are pushing for a more mode ..read more

Pro-Palestinian protesters have taken over Hamilton Hall, a key campus building, after talks to end the encampment failed Pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University have occupied a building on campus in an escalation of their months-long demonstration against Israel’s war in Gaza. The takeover of Hamilton Hall – named after one of America’s founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton – followed the failure of talks with university authorities aimed at winning the protesters’ agreement to dismantle an encampment of about 120 tents ..read more

A path forward through JudaismPedro Sánchez and Humza YousafTinned fishCurator stereotypesDodecahedron mystery As an American Jew, I found Naomi Klein’s article deeply inspiring (We need an exodus from Zionism, 24 April). At a time when my faith feels mangled from the ongoing genocide that a nation is committing against an oppressed population, and my religion is levied as a weapon against my peace activism, Naomi reminds me that there is a path forward through Judaism. I hope conflicted Jews read her words and call for ceasefire and justice. Laura Kandle Astoria, New York, US • In O ..read more

Republican governor says on social media ‘no encampments will be allowed’ as videos show police using pepper spray Protesters who returned to the University of Texas at Austin on Monday were greeted by dozens of law enforcement officers, many in riot gear. Six protesters were quickly arrested and others were taken into custody one by one. Republican governor Greg Abbott on social media reposted video of troopers arriving on the 50,000-student campus. “No encampments will be allowed. Instead, arrests are being made,” Abbott posted ..read more

State department says five units mostly from IDF but including at least one police unit responsible for gross violations in West Bank The US has found five units of the Israeli security forces responsible for gross violations of human rights, over incidents in the West Bank before the current Gaza war, the state department has said. The findings come at a time when Israel is facing potential accountability from the international criminal court and the state department for its conduct of the conflict in Gaza, in which more than 34,000 people have been killed ..read more

Antony Blinken urged Hamas to swiftly accept Israel's latest and 'extraordinarily generous' proposal for a Gaza truce to secure a release of hostages at a special meeting of the World Economic Forum held in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Monday. Hamas negotiators are meeting mediators in Cairo to deliver a response Middle East crisis: latest updates ..read more

US secretary of state also to discuss avoiding regional conflict as Egypt steps up efforts to mediate Israel-Hamas negotiations Middle East crisis – live updates The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, will travel to Saudi Arabia to try to restart fraught ceasefire negotiations between Hamas and Israel and discuss efforts to prevent spiralling regional conflict. Blinken is due to arrive in Riyadh on Monday for diplomatic talks on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, to discuss ceasefire negotiations and humanitarian assistance to Gaza ..read more