Cactus three

Related media - Recent news Instead of waking up on Monday in a country governed by the far right, France found itself in a situation similar to Italy's, where only patient parliamentary negotiation could lead to the formation of a viable coalition government. France rejected Marine Le Pen’s anti-immigration Rassemblement National in its legislative elections, once again demonstrating its deep-seated resistance to nationalist initiatives. The country voted for a resurgent left that, while it has not achieved absolute power, has shifted the political heart of the nation from an all-powerful presidency to Parliament. With the Paris Olympics less than three weeks away and the August exodus to the beaches or mountains a sacred feature of French life, talks to form a government could drag...

Related media - Recent news A significant problem is now affecting humanitarian aid convoys trying to deliver essential goods to the starving population of Gaza: attacks by organized groups looking not for flour or medicine, but for cigarettes hidden in the cargo. In the tightly controlled Gaza Strip, where Israel meticulously inspects every incoming truck, cigarettes have become extremely rare, often selling for $25 to $30 apiece. Smugglers in Egypt have hidden them in sacks of flour, diapers and even watermelons donated by the United Nations, according to aid agencies and Israeli officials who shared information with The New York Times. Aid trucks headed to Gaza have been attacked by groups of Palestinians, some armed, searching for hidden cigarettes, UN and Israeli officials said....