SUMMARY: Protesters in Israel staged a nationwide strike demanding the government negotiate for the release of about 50 hostages held in Gaza by militants. Organized by families of hostages and bereaved relatives, the protest blocked roads and closed businesses, fearing an offensive could endanger hostages believed mostly alive. Police arrested 32 protesters amid clashes. Israeli leaders are divided, with Prime Minister Netanyahu opposing deals favoring Hamas, fearing political fallout. Meanwhile, Israel launched airstrikes against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen responding to missile threats. Aid deliveries of tents to Gaza resumed ahead of planned evacuations, as the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict causes massive casualties and worsening humanitarian conditions.

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SUMMARY: In Serbia, protests escalated with violent clashes between demonstrators and police in Valjevo and Belgrade. Protesters, upset over alleged police brutality and corruption linked to a fatal train station collapse, attacked Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) offices, setting them on fire. Police responded with tear gas amid confrontations involving flares, bottles, and rocks. The unrest follows months of largely peaceful student-led protests demanding early elections, which President Aleksandar Vucic has refused, accusing protesters of foreign interference. Dozens have been injured, and many detained. The European Council urged peaceful assembly, while Serbian police denied brutality claims. Serbia seeks EU membership despite Vucic’s strong ties with Russia and China.

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SUMMARY: Hurricane Erin has rapidly intensified from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane with 160 mph winds, expected to reach 165 mph soon. The well-defined eye is moving west and will continue to strengthen. The National Hurricane Center forecasts it will miss most islands, curving north into the Atlantic by midweek, passing between Bermuda and the U.S. East Coast near Cape Hatteras. Both major models agree on this path, guided by high-pressure systems steering the storm away from land. Northern Puerto Rico and parts of the southern Atlantic and northern Florida coasts may experience increased waves and rip currents as Erin passes.

The National Hurricane Center has upgraded Hurricane Erin to a Category 5 with sustained winds of 160 mph and is moving westward through the Atlantic Ocean.

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