First Thing- Israel bombs Beirut after US says it opposes ‘scope’ of strikes

US appears to take harder line with Israel. Plus, Diddy asks for the identities of his accusers to be disclosed
Clea SkopelitiWed 16 Oct 2024 06.12 EDTLast modified on Wed 16 Oct 2024 06.47 EDTShareGood morning.
Within hours of the US saying it opposed the “scope” of its bombing of Beirut, the Israeli army carried out further strikes on the Lebanese capital’s southern suburbs.
The state department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, said the US had voiced concerns to Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration about the recent strikes, as the death toll grew amid fears of the conflict spiralling into a regional war.
Miller appeared to take a harder line than previously, telling reporters: “When it comes to the scope and nature of the bombing campaign that we saw in Beirut over the past few weeks, it’s something that we made clear to the government of Israel we had concerns with and we were opposed to.”
When did Israel last strike Beirut? On 10 October. Its two strikes near the city center killed 22 people.
How many are directly affected? Israeli military evacuation alerts are in place across more than a quarter of Lebanon, according to the UN refugee agency.
Elon Musk gives $75m to pro-Trump group, putting him among the largest Republican donorsDonald Trump listens as Elon Musk speaks during a campaign rallyView image in fullscreenDonald Trump listens as Elon Musk speaks during a campaign rally. Photograph: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/APElon Musk has given about $75m to his pro-Donald Trump group over a period of three months, federal disclosures show, making the world’s richest person one of the former president’s top donors.
Musk’s America PAC, which is working to increase Republican voter turnout in critical swing states, spent about $72m of that in the July-September period, according to Federal Election Commission figures.
After saying he had previously voted Democrat, Musk endorsed Trump in July and appeared at a Pennsylvania rally this month. On Tuesday, Trump repeatedly mentioned Musk’s support at an Atlanta rally.
Who are Trump’s other mega donors? The list includes the banking heir Timothy Mellon and the casino billionaire Miriam Adelson.
What is Harris’s funding like? The Harris Victory Fund raised $633m in the three months from 1 July to 30 September – over a third more than the amount raised by Biden in that period in 2020, according to the New York Times.
Diddy asks judge for identities of accusers to be disclosedSean ‘Diddy’ CombsView image in fullscreenCombs has pleaded not guilty to the indictment. He remains jailed pending trial. Photograph: Lucas Jackson/ReutersSean “Diddy” Combs has asked prosecutors in his sex-trafficking case to share the names of his accusers, Manhattan federal court documents show.
His legal team have argued in a letter to the judge that Combs needs to know the identities of his accusers to prepare for his 5 May trial. “This case is unique, in part because of the number of individuals levying allegations against Mr Combs due to his celebrity status, wealth” and extensive media coverage of lawsuits and other legal proceedings against him, they argued.
The team added that it has had a “pervasive ripple effect”, with allegations from anonymous complainants “spanning from the false to outright absurd”.
What charges does Combs face? Racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to the indictment.
In other news …Russian soldiers attend combat training View image in fullscreenRussian soldiers take part in combat training for assault units at an undisclosed location. Photograph: AP Six Russian soldiers who deserted have been granted temporary visas in France while they seek asylum, in a first for an EU country.
The 19-year-old son of the British photojournalist Paul Lowe has been charged with his murder, according to Los Angeles police, after the 60-year-old was found to have been fatally stabbed on a hiking trail.
Jerry Seinfeld has walked back on comments blaming the “extreme left and PC crap” for ruining comedy, saying he now believes “it is not true”.
Giza’s Grand Egyptian Museum will finally partly open its main galleries on Wednesday, after years of delays to the $1bn-plus mega-project that has been in the works for than a decade.
Stat of the day: Record 328,000 people vote cast ballots on Georgia’s first day of early voting, more than doubling 2020 figureDonald Trump rally staff hold a sign that reads ‘vote early’View image in fullscreenStaff members before a Donald Trump rally in Atlanta, which comes three weeks before polls open on 5 November in the US presidential election. Photograph: Kevin Dietsch/Getty ImagesMore than double the number of people voted early in the swing state of Georgia on Tuesday compared with 2020, with 328,000 people casting a vote in person or by mail on the first day they were able to. The candidate who wins the state has a good chance of becoming president, according to polling analysis website FiveThirtyEight.
Don’t miss this: When veneers go very wrong: ‘I knew I’d made the biggest mistake of my life’Closeup of woman with perfect white teethView image in fullscreen‘The huge demand for veneers is largely driven by social media and the desire for symmetrical white smiles.’ Photograph: Holger Scheibe/Getty ImagesWhen Catherine spotted a discounted rate to get her teeth done at a private clinic in London, she thought she had got a good deal. But when the experience of getting veneers – which includes shaving down your teeth into “pegs” for the false teeth to be fitted on to – went badly wrong, she was left feeling traumatized. With dentists reporting that veneers are becoming routine, Simon Usborne looks at what is driving this – and what happens when there is a problem.
Climate check: Fossil fuels could soon ‘become cheaper and more abundant’A gas hob View image in fullscreenThe IEA said the shift would require green alternatives such as EVs to become cheaper too. Photograph: Yui Mok/PAAs the world transitions toward clean energy by the end of the 2020s, the price of fossil fuels may plummet, according to the International Energy Agency. As governments hasten their energy transitions, we will enter an era where countries have surplus oil, gas and coal, the global energy watchdog said, leading household bills to fall – and green alternatives must become cheaper to compete.
Last Thing: Good gourd! Minnesota teacher clinches pumpkin weigh-off with 2,471lb winnerGiant pumpkin being weighed View image in fullscreenTravis Gienger’s pumpkin weighed in at 2,471lbs during the 51st annual pumpkin weigh-off in California. Photograph: Jeff Chiu/APA Minnesota horticulture teacher has won an annual pumpkin-weighing contest in northern California for the fourth year in the row, taking home the top prize for his 2,471lb gourd. Next, the giant pumpkin will head to southern California to be carved up professionally at a Halloween event.
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