A long-brewing battle over conscription exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jews is coming to a head. Facing a deadline set by the Supreme Court, the government has until the end of April to agree to a new military draft plan. Israel's ultra-Orthodox have been protesting attempts to end the exemptions.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

The U.S-brokered ceasefire deal in Gaza is holding, after Hamas released the remaining Israeli hostages.

Middle East Conflict

Israel's ultra-Orthodox resist potential military draft

The ultra-Orthodox life is a deeply religious one. Their calling is to pray and to study the Torah. Many of the men brought their holy books with them to this protest. Picket signs here say they'd rather die than abandon their traditions. Those traditions have so far spared them from serving in the Israeli armed forces. All other Israeli Jewish men are supposed to serve at least 32 months and women 24, and most think the ultra-Orthodox should do the same now. But the men here who call themselves Haredi or Froma people don't even see themselves as Israeli. Nobody here is going to go to the army. They want to go to jail, and they're not going to go to the army. Are you against the war in Gaza right now? It's not the issue here, no. It's not the issue. It's not, no, it's not the issue. You don't have an opinion on it? It's not the issue. They want us for years to make the Israelis, they want us to, they see that the Haredi The Froma people want, they're growing, and they want us to be like them, and we want to live like our life, like we lived for many years, for hundreds of years, and we're not going to be going to the army. Haredi Jews see Israel as a secular country, which they say is in violation of the Torah, and therefore has no authority over them. The Jew is not allowed to enter Israel, make a state, until the Messiah comes, which we're waiting for him. And that's what they did 80 years ago. We're stuck with it, with all the problems that come with it. The protest began with prayers, but soon the younger men marched toward the nearby military recruitment office. A somewhat mismatched standoff ensues. The ultra-Orthodox are not pacifists. Things are heating up here at the protest in front of the IDF recruiting headquarters. Things were peaceful at the beginning, but especially the young people have come out to show their anger that they might have to be drafted and might have to join the IDF to fight in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu relies on ultra-Orthodox parties to keep his ruling coalition together. Opposition parties like Yesh Atid say they should no longer get special treatment. The ultra-Orthodox community only makes up 13% of the population and they're reluctant to fight. And a reluctant soldier is not always a good soldier. So is it really in Israel's national interest to draft them into the military? Of course, now that we are at war and the situation is very complex. We've seen this week what happened with Iran. We need more soldiers. This is a necessity. It's not, you know, something that is nice to have. It's a necessity. We need people to serve in the army and it's the right and moral thing to do. So I'm sure if we sit down at the table, we can reach some sort of understandings in how to enlist these people because it's very, very important and it's also a part of being an Israeli. Despite the regional conflict developing around them, life here in the ultra-Orthodox neighborhood of Jerusalem seems to go on undisturbed. They're determined to keep it that way.

Ten people are on trial in Paris for spreading false rumors about French first lady Brigitte Macron’s gender and personal life. The case, involving influencers and online figures, comes as the Macrons also pursue legal action in the US over similar attacks spread by far-right media.

Paris

Brigitte Macron harassment trial opens in Paris

Millions of Americans are set to lose Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and federal food aid starting Nov. 1 as the government shutdown continues, according to a post on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's website.

Washington

Millions of Americans set to lose SNAP benefits starting Nov. 1

The USS Gravely docked in Trinidad and Tobago as the Trump administration signals possible land strikes against Venezuela. CBS News national security correspondent Charlie D'Agata has more details.

Trump admin alludes to Venezuelan land strikes

U.S. President Donald Trump stopped in Japan on his Asia trip, meeting with the country's emperor. Also planned during the trip is a meeting with China's Xi Jinping. Trump said he thinks "we're going to have a good deal with China" after months of trade tensions.

Tokyo

Global Tariffs

Trump lands in Japan with U.S.-China deal in sight

Two suspects were arrested over the weekend in connection to the Louvre museum heist in Paris, a week after the brazen daylight robbery at the world's most-visited museum.

Arrests made in heist at Paris' Louvre museum

Hurricane Melissa was upgraded to a Category 5 storm and is expected to make landfall in Jamaica Monday night or early Tuesday. CBS News correspondent Jason Allen has more from Kingston, while CBS News New York meteorologist Tony Sadiku has the latest forecast.

Kingston

Jamaica braces for landfall as Hurricane Melissa becomes Category 5

U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Japan Monday, disembarking from Air Force One after flying from Malaysia. Trump will meet new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi amid the prospect of completing a joint deal to promote shipbuilding capacity.

Trump arrives in Japan, due to meet emperor and new prime minister

Venezuela on Sunday (October 26) condemned what it said was a military provocation by neighboring Trinidad and Tobago in coordination with the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, aimed at spurring a full military confrontation with the Latin American nation.

Caracas

Venezuela condemns 'provocation' by CIA and Trinidad and Tobago

The party of Argentinian President Javier Milei has won midterm elections clinching a crucial vote of confidence in his free-market reforms and deep austerity measures. Early results show Milei's Libertarian Party secured more than 40 percent of votes.

Buenos Aires

Argentina's midterms deliver huge win for Milei's libertarian agenda

Argentines are voting in legislative elections that will test support for President Javier Milei's free-market reforms and deep austerity measures and determine whether he has the backing to continue his economic overhaul

Argentines vote in high-stakes test of Milei's vision

Beijing decided to implement tighter restrictions on rare earths exports that are needed for advanced technologies. In response, Trump threatened additional tariffs on Chinese imports.

Kuala Lumpur

US-China trade deal closing in ahead of meeting between Trump and Xi

U.S President Donald Trump has presided over the signing of a peace accord between Thailand and Cambodia. Trump helped broker a ceasefire between the two after a deadly dispute on the border in July.

Trump signs Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire pact

French authorities have made arrests in connection with the recent theft of jewellery from the Louvre Museum in Paris, however it's uncertain whether any jewels have been recovered. One of the men taken into custody was preparing to leave the country at a Paris Airport.

Arrests made in Louvre jewellery heist by French police: Paris prosecutor

Russian President Vladimir Putin, dressed in military fatigues, met army chief Valery Gerasimov for an update on Ukraine’s front lines. Putin also praised the successful test of the Burevestnik nuclear-powered missile, which reportedly flew 14,000 kilometres in 15 hours.

Moscow

Ukraine Invasion

Putin hails long-range nuclear missile as Russia pushes deeper into Ukraine

Hurricane Melissa rapidly intensified from a Tropical Storm to a Category 4 hurricane in 24 hours and is still undergoing rapid intensification. It is expected to be a Category 5 storm by Monday. Melissa is forecast to bring life-threatening, catastrophic rainfall and storm surge to Jamaica, as well as Haiti and Cuba.

Category 4 Hurricane Melissa to bring catastrophic impacts

Left-wing independent Catherine Connolly, who secured the backing of Ireland's left-leaning parties including Sinn Féin, has won the country's presidential election in a landslide victory against her centre-right rival.

Dublin

Left-winger Catherine Connolly wins Irish presidency

It took the French police almost a week to make their first arrests in connection with the investigation into the theft of the jewels of the French sovereigns from the Apollo Gallery.

Louvre robbery: two suspects arrested, Paris prosecutor says

Moscow says it successfully tested a Burevestnik nuclear missile this week, with Russian president Vladimir Putin saying it is "unlike any other in the world."

Testing of 'unique' new Russian weapon successful, says Putin

On the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Malaysia, U.S. President Donald Trump oversaw the signing of a ceasefire deal between Cambodia and Thailand. Trump is on a multi-stop tour of Asia, meeting allies in an attempt to resolve a trade war with China.

Trump's ASEAN visit yields Thai-Cambodian truce, trade deals

Kingston's waterfront in Jamaica was empty on Saturday, with the first bands of rain from Hurricane Melissa hitting the island. But in some parts of the city, they are still racing to prepare for the storm. Jason Allen reports.

Jamaica braces for Hurricane Melissa

U.S President Donald Trump says he plans to hike tariffs on imports of Canadian goods by an extra 10 per cent because of an anti-tariff television ad aired by the province of Ontario.

Ontario

Trump announces new punishing tariffs on Canada

French media reports that the Louvre has moved some of its most precious jewels out of the museum for safekeeping. The jewels were moved from the Apollo Gallery, the scene of Sunday's heist, according to French radio.

Louvre moves most precious jewels out of museum for safekeeping

The United States is stepping up its military presence in the Caribbean by ordering its most advanced aircraft carrier into the region. Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro accused the US of using drug trafficking claims to "fabricate a war" in Latin America.

Venezuela's Maduro accuses U.S of 'fabricating war'

Deploying an aircraft carrier is a major escalation of military power in a region that has already seen an unusually large US military buildup in the Caribbean Sea and the waters off Venezuela.

U.S sending aircraft carrier to South America in major escalation

Ontario Premier Doug Ford stands by his decision to run an anti-tariff ad campaign in the U.S. after President Donald Trump halted trade talks with Canada because of it. The ad will be paused next week and Prime Minister Mark Carney says he is ready to resume talks when the U.S. is interested.

Ottawa

Trump halts trade talks with Canada over World Series ad

New York Attorney General Letitia James pleaded not guilty to federal charges of bank fraud and railed against the Trump administration over her prosecution.

New York

Letitia James pleads not guilty in mortgage fraud case

The Pentagon announced the USS Gerald R. Ford, the Navy's newest and most advanced aircraft carrier, is headed toward South America as news emerges about a 10th U.S. strike against alleged drug-carrying vessels in the area.

Pentagon sending world's largest aircraft carrier to Latin America

U.S. President Donald Trump will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping next week as part of a trip to Asia, the White House said on Thursday (October 23), confirming the meeting which had been called into question following an escalation in trade tensions.

Seoul

Trump to meet Xi in South Korea as part of Asia swing

Changpeng Zhao, known as "CZ," stepped down as head of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange and pleaded guilty to money laundering in 2023. U.S. President Donald Trump has issued Zhao a pardon.

Trump pardons convicted Binance founder Changpeng Zhao

Britain's King Charles III and Pope Leo XIV have prayed in public together in a historic moment, marking the first time in 500 years that leaders of both the Church of England and the Catholic Church have taken part in a joint service.

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