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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday urged Israel to create safe zones for Palestinian civilians in Gaza before it resumes "major military operations" in the Hamas-ruled territory. Israel "must put in place humanitarian civilian protection plans that minimise further casualties of innocent Palestinians", he told reporters in Tel Aviv, "including by clearly and precisely designating areas and places in southern and central Gaza, where they can be safe and out of the line of fire". (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/ytwIv4Y

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday urged Israel to create safe zones for Palestinian civilians in Gaza before it resumes "major military operations" in the Hamas-ruled territory. Israel "must put in place humanitarian civilian protection plans that minimise further casualties of innocent Palestinians", he told reporters in Tel Aviv, "including by clearly and precisely designating areas and places in southern and central Gaza, where they can be safe and out of the line of fire". (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/ytwIv4Y

Major producer Brazil will join OPEC+ from next year, the oil cartel announced on Thursday. Brazil is among the world's top 10 producers and has been the largest oil producer in Latin America since 2016. Its crude production hit a record 3.7 million barrels per day in September, a near 17 percent increase from the same month last year and a 6.1 percent hike from August, according to pricing agency Argus Media. Ministers of the 13-member Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) headed by Saudi Arabia and its 10 partners led by Russia were meeting to discuss further output cuts to boost prices. "The meeting welcomed Alexandre Silveira de Oliveira, Minister of Mines and Energy of the Federative Republic of Brazil, which will join the OPEC+... starting January 2024," OPEC said in a press release. OPEC+ was born in late 2016 when Russia and nine others joined forces with the Saudi-led OPEC to prop up falling prices. "Considering that Brazil is a larg...

Major producer Brazil will join OPEC+ from next year, the oil cartel announced on Thursday. Brazil is among the world's top 10 producers and has been the largest oil producer in Latin America since 2016. Its crude production hit a record 3.7 million barrels per day in September, a near 17 percent increase from the same month last year and a 6.1 percent hike from August, according to pricing agency Argus Media. Ministers of the 13-member Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) headed by Saudi Arabia and its 10 partners led by Russia were meeting to discuss further output cuts to boost prices. "The meeting welcomed Alexandre Silveira de Oliveira, Minister of Mines and Energy of the Federative Republic of Brazil, which will join the OPEC+... starting January 2024," OPEC said in a press release. OPEC+ was born in late 2016 when Russia and nine others joined forces with the Saudi-led OPEC to prop up falling prices. "Considering that Brazil is a larg...

Our sun and other stars form when a dense clump of interstellar gas and dust collapses under its own gravitational pull. Once a star is born at the centre of such a cloud, leftover material forms a swirling disk around it that feeds stellar growth and often gives rise to planets. Newborn stars with these circumstellar disks had been observed by astronomers only in our Milky Way galaxy - until now. Researchers said on Wednesday they have spotted such a disk around a star larger and more luminous than the sun residing in one of our nearest neighbouring galaxies, the Large Magellanic Cloud. The star, growing and accreting material from the surrounding disk, is about 10 to 20 times more massive than the sun and perhaps 10,000 times more luminous. As material is drawn by gravity toward a forming star, it flattens into a spinning disk. The newly observed disk has a diameter of about 12,000 times the distance of the Earth to the sun, or roughly 10 times larger than the one that encircled t...

Hamas said Wednesday it had released two women hostages with Russian citizenship in the Gaza Strip, as a truce held between Israel and the Islamist movement in the Palestinian territory. The women were handed over to the Red Cross by the armed wing of Hamas, the movement said in a statement, "after the efforts of the Russian president". (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/DQer9uw

The ruling Junta in Myanmar has been losing vital military locations and border towns to well-armed ethnic militias that have collaborated with resistance forces to launch massive new offensives in recent weeks, CNN reported. This is a development that has not been seen in decades when it comes to Junta in Myanmar. "The junta is actively collapsing right now and that's only become possible because there is this wider effort across the country," an independent Myanmar analyst, Matthew Arnold said, according to CNN. Arnold described the situation as a "military existential moment" and stated that the opposition is "now focused on taking major towns to fundamentally defeat the junta." It appears well-armed ethnic militias are attempting to overthrow the military government that has controlled the country since a 2021 coup ousted the democratically elected National League for Democracy (NLD). For decades, there has been a civil war raging in Myanmar be...

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday greeted Sikhs in Canada and around the world on the occasion of Guru Nanak Dev's birth anniversary, saying his teachings of equality, and the values of unity, selflessness, and compassion can serve as an inspiration for all Canadians to build a better future for all. "On behalf of all Canadians, I offer my warmest wishes to everyone celebrating the anniversary of the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Happy Gurpurab!" Prime Minister Trudeau said in a statement. A large number of devotees thronged gurdwaras across the country to mark the 554th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism. "On this important occasion, families and friends will gather to reflect on Guru Nanak Dev Ji's teachings of equality, and the values of unity, selflessness, and compassion that he upheld. These important values continue to guide Sikh Canadians today, and can serve as an inspiration for all Canadians as we strive to build a bette...

Nine-year-old Ohad Munder was among four children freed from Hamas' captivity on Friday. He was released along with his mother and grandmother after 49 days in Hamas' captivity on the first day of a planned four-day truce and prisoner exchange. Israel today released footage on their social media platforms showing a conversation between Munder and an Israel Air Force (IAF) helicopter pilot during his first moments of "regained freedom". In the 25-second-long video, he can be heard asking the pilot "Where are we flying". "We are now flying to a hospital," the woman pilot told him. Ohad was also asked if he had been on a plane before, to which he could be heard saying "Not an army one". 9-year-old Ohad, his mother and grandmother, were released after 49 days in Hamas' captivity on Friday, November 24. Listen to Ohad's conversation with an IAF helicopter pilot during his first moments of regained freedom. pic.twitter.com/CcRNz...

In a whirlwind US trip this week, Chinese President Xi Jinping held long talks with President Joe Biden, got a standing ovation from top business leaders, and even hinted there could be more pandas on the way to the United States. The high-profile welcome for Xi in San Francisco, coupled with the summit where he and Biden agreed to restore suspended US-Chinese military communications, add up to a successful visit, analysts say. But in the face of heightened business risks and enduring national security concerns, experts say the rhetoric needs now to be backed up by action if it is to produce meaningful long-term results for the Chinese leader, whose slowing economy needs to reverse the flight of foreign capital. "For China, Xi's ability to gain a prominent platform in San Francisco (and) to speak with US business leaders was a success in and of itself," said Nathaniel Sher, senior research analyst at Carnegie China. At a dinner Wednesday attended by executives like Ap...

When Natthawaree Mulkan's mother saw that her daughter was among the Thai hostages released by Hamas, she was so happy she danced with her 8-year-old granddaughter outside their home in northeastern Thailand. "I was elated ... I came out and danced," Bunyarin Srijan, 56, said pointing to her patio. Natthawaree, a mother of two, was one of 10 Thai hostages freed by Hamas during the first truce of a seven-week-old war that started with the Palestinian group's Oct. 7 assault on southern Israel. She was the only Thai female kidnapped. Her mother lost touch with her after the attack and then stopped following reports, dreading bad news. "During that hopeless period I didn't watch the news for half a month," Bunyarin recounts alone in her living room. "I was afraid of seeing my daughter lying dead." Some 30,000 Thai labourers, mainly from the country's impoverished northeast, work in the Israeli agriculture sector, one of its largest group...

Almost 400,000 deaths in Europe in 2021 were related to three main air pollutants and some could have been avoided if pollutants had been reduced to World Health Organisation-recommended levels, an EU report said on Friday. The European Environment Agency (EEA) said that within the European Union, pollution caused by fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which affects people with heart diseases in particular, led to 253,000 deaths in 2021. Pollution from nitrogen dioxide (NO2), most harmful to people with diabetes, resulted in 52,000 deaths and short-term ozone (O3) exposure led to 22,000 deaths. Including a larger set of European countries outside the EU, there were 389,000 pollutant-related deaths in Europe, the EEA said in its report for 2021, released on Friday. "Air pollutant concentrations in 2021 remained well above the levels recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) in its air quality guidelines," the EEA said in the report. "Reducing air pollution to th...

An India-EU Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on semiconductors was signed on Friday, ahead of the Trade and Technology Council meeting in New Delhi, according to the Ministry of External Affairs press release. The MoU was signed by Minister of Electronics, IT and Communications Ashwini Vaishnaw and the European Commissioner for Internal Markets Thierry Breton. The MoU aims at increasing the resilience of the semiconductor value chain in India and the EU and covers cooperation in wide areas covering research and innovation, talent development, partnerships and exchange of market information, as per the release. The MoU symbolizes the strong commitment between India and the EU to work towards building robust semiconductor supply chains and work together on innovation. Meanwhile, a virtual meeting of the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) was held in New Delhi on Friday. The Indian side was led by External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar, Minister of Commerce and Indust...

New York City mayor Eric Adams has been accused of sexually assaulting a female coworker 30 years ago, US media reported Thursday, as the northern state sees a flurry of such suits filed ahead of a statute of limitations deadline. The Democratic mayor "vigorously" denies the claim, his office said, arguing he does not know the complainant and would never cause anyone physical harm. The civil suit, first reported by The Messenger news site, alleges the complainant "was sexually assaulted by Defendant Eric Adams in New York, New York in 1993 while they both worked for the City of New York." In the filing, the woman whose name has not been revealed, is seeking a trial and at least $5 million in relief, according to The Messenger. "The mayor does not know who this person is. If they ever met, he doesn't recall it," a City hall spokesperson said in a statement. "But he would never do anything to physically harm another person and vigorously denies...

North Korea claimed Wednesday to have successfully put its first military surveillance satellite into orbit, with the South also preparing to send up its first spy satellite later this month. The two launch attempts, set to come in such quick succession, appear to be the beginnings of a space race on the Korean peninsula. Here, AFP takes a look at what we know about the new competition between the North and South: Why does North Korea want the satellite?  North Korea first tried -- and failed -- to launch a satellite in 1998. In 2021, leader Kim Jong Un made developing a military spy satellite a key regime goal. Pyongyang wants to monitor areas of strategic interest, including South Korea and Guam, experts say. Real-time monitoring capacity "effectively means the advancement of preemptive strike capabilities", said Lim Eul-chul, associate professor at Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies. Seoul and Washington have called the launches veiled balli...

Sam Altman and OpenAI's board have opened discussions with the aim of bringing back the former CEO of the artificial intelligence startup, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. Discussions are happening between Altman and at least one board member, Adam D'Angelo, the report said, adding that the former CEO could return as a director on a transitional board. OpenAI did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said on a CNBC interview on Monday that he was open to staff staying at OpenAI or coming to the Windows maker. He said governance at the ChatGPT maker needed to change no matter where Altman ended up. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) from NDTV News-World-news https://ift.tt/iX7y1Vf

At first, the young mother couldn't find her newborn son, Anas, among the 31 tiny babies who had just arrived in southern Gaza after being evacuated from Gaza City's devastated Al Shifa Hospital. She hadn't seen him for 45 days. "I was losing hope to see my baby alive," said Warda Sbeta in an interview with Reuters TV on Tuesday. She and her husband frantically checked the list of names provided by the head of the neonatal unit where the babies were being cared for, at a hospital in Rafah, and there it was, Anas's name in black and white. "I felt alive again, grateful to God that we now have our baby safely in our care," said Sbeta, speaking at the hospital as she watched over her sleeping son, whom she had dressed in a light blue sleepsuit and matching hat. Sbeta smiled as she held him in her hands and her husband helped her to wrap him in a white swaddling blanket with pink ribbons and a hood. Once he was bundled up, she cradled him against her...

A rare nugget of information about the famously enigmatic street art superstar Banksy emerged Tuesday when he gave his first name as "Robbie" in an unearthed 2003 BBC interview. In the interview, one of the few known to exist with the global art phenomenon, he is asked if his name "Robert Banks", to which he replies: "It's Robbie." His identity has long been the source of speculation, with some claiming his name was Robin or Robert Banks. Banksy talks about his distinctive stencilling style in the interview, a podcast bonus part of a series called "The Banksy Story". "It's quick... I want to get it done and dusted," he is heard to say of his work. The artist was in his 20s at the time, and was promoting the opening of his "Turf War" show in east London. The series also contains a 2005 interview the artist purportedly gave with US broadcaster National Public Radio (NPR). In it, the host asks: "We assume that...

A UN protectorate in Gaza would not solve the conflict there, the body's Secretary-General said Monday, calling instead for a "transition period" involving Arab nations and the United States and leading to a two-state solution. Antonio Guterres said it was "important to be able to transform this tragedy into an opportunity" -- which, for him, meant moving "in a determined and irreversible way to a two-state solution." This means, after the current war between Israel and Hamas fighters in Gaza ends, "a strengthened Palestinian Authority, assuming responsibilities in Gaza," he said. But the Palestinian Authority cannot go into Gaza backed by Israeli tanks, he added -- meaning the "international community needs to look into a transition period." "I do not think that a UN protectorate in Gaza is a solution," however, Guterres said. Instead, he called for a "multi-stakeholder approach" that would see the US act a...

A UN protectorate in Gaza would not solve the conflict there, the body's Secretary-General said Monday, calling instead for a "transition period" involving Arab nations and the United States and leading to a two-state solution. Antonio Guterres said it was "important to be able to transform this tragedy into an opportunity" -- which, for him, meant moving "in a determined and irreversible way to a two-state solution." This means, after the current war between Israel and Hamas fighters in Gaza ends, "a strengthened Palestinian Authority, assuming responsibilities in Gaza," he said. But the Palestinian Authority cannot go into Gaza backed by Israeli tanks, he added -- meaning the "international community needs to look into a transition period." "I do not think that a UN protectorate in Gaza is a solution," however, Guterres said. Instead, he called for a "multi-stakeholder approach" that would see the US act a...

The remains of a 12-year-old Israeli girl, burned alive alongside her twin brother and great-aunt in the October 7 Hamas onslaught on southwestern Israel, have been identified by archaeologists sifting through the rubble, family members said on Sunday. Liel Hetzroni was murdered, together with her twin brother Yanai and their 73-year-old great-aunt Ayala, in the attack on Kibbutz Be'eri after they were taken hostage by the operatives, who were then engaged in a firefight with Israeli security forces. The twins had been raised by their grandfather's sister after their single-parent mother suffered brain damage immediately following their C-section birth due to a tragic hospital mistake. Their grandfather Aviya was also killed in the attack on the kibbutz. Family members held a symbolic, funeral at a temporary resting place at Kibbutz Revivim last Wednesday, burying Liel's belongings since her remains had not yet been identified. The family said Sunday that they will inter...

A hat belonging to Napoleon Bonaparte when he was French emperor sold for a record of nearly two million euros at a French auction on Sunday, the auction house said. It went for 1.932 million euros ($2.1 million) -- breaking the previous record for a Napoleonic hat, held by the same auction house, of 1.884 million euros in 2014 shelled out by a South Korean businessman. The hat, known as a bicorne, is in Napoleon's trademark colours -- black, with the French flag's colours blue-white-red as insignia -- and attracted interest from collectors "the world over", auctioneers Osenat said, declining to give the identity or nationality of the eventual buyer. It was last owned by businessman Jean-Louis Noisiez, who died last year. Other Napoleon memorabilia from the Noisiez collection also went on the block, including a Legion of Honour medal and a pair of silver spurs owned by Napoleon. The final price for the hat, including all charges, was more than double the estimate...

For the first time a mixed-gender battalion of combat and rescue fighters is fighting inside the Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces announced on Sunday A mixed force from the "Shahar" Battalion in the Rescue and Training Brigade of the Home Front Command joined the ground forces' activity in Gaza, the IDF said. The female and male fighters of the battalion joined brigade combat teams in the 162nd division for tasks such as scanning buildings and locating weapons in the area of the Shati refugee camp. The camp is a Hamas stronghold in northern Gaza. During a raid on a hotel where Hamas terrorists were hiding, soldiers also uncovered an underground floor in a hotel where intelligence material was found. The Shahar Battalion's engineers also advise ground soldiers on the safety of damaged buildings they consider entering. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) from NDTV News-World-news h...

A deal to secure the release of some of the hostages held in Gaza by Hamas operatives is closer than ever in the Islamist group's war with Israel, a White House official said on Sunday. White House deputy national security adviser Jon Finer said an agreement to free "considerably more than 12" hostages would also likely include an extended pause in the fighting and allow for the distribution of humanitarian assistance in Gaza. Fighting raged on Sunday, with Hamas operatives battling Israeli forces trying to push into Gaza's largest refugee camp, the day after Israeli and US officials denied a Washington Post report that a deal had been reached. "What I can say at this point is that some of the outstanding areas of disagreement, in a very complicated, very sensitive negotiation, have been narrowed," Finer told NBC's "Meet the Press" program. "I believe we are closer than we have been in quite some time, maybe closer than we have been si...

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy opened up about his 'Hindu' faith, emphasizing that it provides him with freedom and has motivated him to undertake this presidential campaign as a moral obligation. Speaking at 'The Family Leader' forum organized by The Daily Signal platform on Saturday, the Indian-American entrepreneur drew parallels between the teachings of Hinduism and Christianity, expressing his intention to promote shared values for the benefit of the next generation. Mr Ramaswamy said, "My faith is what gives me my freedom. My faith is what led me to this presidential campaign...I am a Hindu. I believe there is one true God. I believe god put each of us here for a purpose. My faith teaches us that we have a duty, a moral duty to realise that purpose. Those are God's instruments that work through us in different ways, but we are still equal because God resides in each of us. That's the core of my faith". Speaking about his upb...

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday there was an "urgent need" to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where Israeli forces have vowed to destroy Hamas. Scholz "underscored the urgent need to improve the humanitarian situation for residents in the Gaza Strip," his office said in a statement after a call between the two leaders. "Humanitarian ceasefires could contribute to a significant improvement in care for the population," the statement said. It added that Netanyahu had "given details on Israel's efforts to protect civilians in the Gaza Strip". Hamas seized 239 hostages on October 7 when they surged across Gaza's militarised border into southern Israel to kill around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli officials. In response, Israel's air strikes and ground attacks in the Gaza Strip that have killed 12,000 people, according to the Palestinian territory'...

American superstar Taylor Swift said Saturday she was "devastated" by the death of a 23-year-old fan during a show in Brazil before a crowd of 60,000. The death came in an overheated venue in Rio de Janeiro during which Swift, as seen in videos on social media, tried to help thirsty fans by dispatching aides to pass out water bottles and even throwing one to the audience herself. "Ana Benevides, (who) attended last night's show in Rio for The Eras Tour has passed away," Swift said in a post to her millions of social media followers.  "I can't even tell you how devastated I am by this," Swift added on Instagram. The Rio Health Secretariat reported that Benevides died Friday after saying she felt poorly and then suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest in the Nilton Santos stadium during Swift's concert, her first in Brazil. It said efforts to revive the young woman failed, adding that it was too soon to determine "the precise cause of death...

Thousands of Israelis including friends and relatives of hostages taken by Hamas arrived Saturday in Jerusalem, capping a four-day march to pressure the government to secure the captives' release. Since Hamas surged out of Gaza six weeks ago and, according to Israel, seized some 240 hostages, their loved ones have waged a determined publicity campaign for their freedom. A column of thousands of demonstrators draped in white and blue Israeli flags, some clutching portraits of the missing, reached Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office in Jerusalem after a 60-kilometre (37-mile) walk. "Bring them home now," they chanted. Relatives of hostages have consistently criticised the government for failing to keep them informed, and say release efforts should be an absolute priority of Israel's campaign in Gaza following the October 7 attacks. Family representatives were due to meet Israeli war cabinet members Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot. "We want them to lo...

The White House on Friday condemned the owner of social media platform X and the world's richest person, Elon Musk, for "abhorrent promotion" of anti-Semitism. Referring to Elon Musk's post on X, formerly called Twitter, in which he endorsed an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory, White House spokesman Andrew Bates said it was "unacceptable" to repeat such a "hideous lie." "We condemn this abhorrent promotion of anti-Semitic and racist hate in the strongest terms, which runs against our core values as Americans," Bates said. "We all have a responsibility to bring people together against hate, and an obligation to speak out against anyone who attacks the dignity of their fellow Americans and compromises the safety of our communities." The White House was reacting to a post by Elon Musk in which the controversial Tesla and SpaceX tycoon replied to an anti-Semitic post on X with the words: "You have said the actual truth." ...

The White House on Friday condemned the owner of social media platform X and the world's richest person, Elon Musk, for "abhorrent promotion" of anti-Semitism. Referring to Elon Musk's post on X, formerly called Twitter, in which he endorsed an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory, White House spokesman Andrew Bates said it was "unacceptable" to repeat such a "hideous lie." "We condemn this abhorrent promotion of anti-Semitic and racist hate in the strongest terms, which runs against our core values as Americans," Bates said. "We all have a responsibility to bring people together against hate, and an obligation to speak out against anyone who attacks the dignity of their fellow Americans and compromises the safety of our communities." The White House was reacting to a post by Elon Musk in which the controversial Tesla and SpaceX tycoon replied to an anti-Semitic post on X with the words: "You have said the actual truth." ...

Amazon has announced that employees who do not show up for work three times a week will be blocked from promotions, as per a report in the Independent . The company told managers that a higher office-to-home ratio is a must for employees who wish to advance in their careers. If they do not adhere to the same, employees would need approval from the Vice President.  "Managers own the promotion process, which means it is their responsibility to support your growth through regular conversations and stretch assignments, and to complete all required inputs for a promotion. If your role is expected to work from the office 3+ days a week and you are not in compliance, your manager will be made aware and VP approval will be required," the internal memo stated.  This comes after the e-commerce company implemented a policy in February this year requiring workers to report to work three days a week starting in May. The COVID-19 pandemic altered the workplace, with companies sending emp...

Amazon has announced that employees who do not show up for work three times a week will be blocked from promotions, as per a report in the Independent . The company told managers that a higher office-to-home ratio is a must for employees who wish to advance in their careers. If they do not adhere to the same, employees would need approval from the Vice President.  "Managers own the promotion process, which means it is their responsibility to support your growth through regular conversations and stretch assignments, and to complete all required inputs for a promotion. If your role is expected to work from the office 3+ days a week and you are not in compliance, your manager will be made aware and VP approval will be required," the internal memo stated.  This comes after the e-commerce company implemented a policy in February this year requiring workers to report to work three days a week starting in May. The COVID-19 pandemic altered the workplace, with companies sending emp...

Elon Musk on Wednesday denied a report that his rocket company SpaceX was discussing an initial public offering (IPO) for its satellite internet business, Starlink, as soon as 2024. He called it "false" in a reply to a post on social media platform X that shared a Bloomberg News report saying SpaceX had been moving the unit's assets to a wholly owned unit that would ultimately be spun off. The billionaire entrepreneur has previously said he intended to list Starlink when revenue growth and cash flow became smooth and predictable. Earlier this month, he said Starlink had achieved cash-flow breakeven. SpaceX has an estimated value of $150 billion and was the first private company to send humans into orbit. Its breakthroughs have left rivals, including Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin scrambling to keep pace as reusable rockets significantly reduce launch costs. The Starlink unit is the world's largest satellite operator. On Wednesday, it obtained a contract to offer free...

Britain's King Charles III celebrated his 75th birthday by hosting a special reception at Buckingham Palace in London for Indian nurses and midwives along with other international medics who contribute to the country's state-funded National Health Service (NHS). Indians lead the estimated 150,000 international nurses and midwives currently working in the NHS, which is also celebrating its 75th anniversary year. Around 400 nurses and midwives representing countries such as India, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Kenya, among others, attended the reception celebrating their contribution to the UK's health and social care sector on Tuesday evening. "It was a wonderful, once in a lifetime experience meeting His Majesty the King. He's an amazing and warm person," said Shreejith Mulaleedharan, an Indian staff nurse working in Scotland. "It was a massive privilege to meet King Charles, tell him about the contribution that Sikh nurses have made in this c...

A prominent Mexican magistrate who was the country's first citizen to be granted a non-binary passport was found dead on Monday, authorities said. The body of Jesus Ociel Baena, an "activist of the LGBTIQ+ community and that of another person were found in a house in Aguascalientes", the state prosecutor's office said. The death could be related to a "personal matter", prosecutors said, ruling out the possibility of a third person at the scene. An investigation has been launched to determine the cause of both deaths, officials said. Baena, 38, became Mexico's first non-binary magistrate to serve on an electoral tribunal in October 2022. Baena received the country's first passport that did not mention the holder's gender on May 17, with Mexico's former foreign minister Marcelo Ebrard hailing it a "historic day". At the end of July, authorities granted Baena protection following "multiple attacks" and social media ...

The United States and Britain imposed a fresh round of sanctions on Tuesday targeting Hamas as they seek to cut off funding for the terrorist Palestinian group following its deadly attack on Israel last month. The United States announced its third round of sanctions since the attack, targeting key Hamas officials and the mechanisms through which Iran provides support to Hamas and its ally Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), another terrorist group. Britain added sanctions on four Hamas senior leaders and two financiers, the Foreign Office said in a statement, including the group's political leader in Gaza and the commander of its military arm. "The United States will continue to work with our partners, including the UK, to deny Hamas the ability to raise and use funds to carry out its atrocities," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement. "Hamas's actions have caused immense suffering and shown that terrorism does not occur in isolation. Together with...

Israel has raised about 30 billion shekels ($7.8 billion) in debt since the start of the war with Hamas militants, the Finance Ministry said on Monday. Slightly more than half of that - 16 billion shekels - was dollar-denominated debt raised in issuances in international markets, it said. The ministry on Monday raised another 3.7 billion shekels in the local market in its weekly bond auction. "The financing capabilities of the State of Israel allow the government to fully and optimally finance all its needs," the ministry's accountant-general division said. The war that began on Oct. 7 when Hamas gunmen rampaged through Israeli towns has sharply boosted Israel's expenses to fund the military as well as to compensate businesses near the border and families of victims and hostages taken by Hamas. At the same time, tax income has slowed. As a result, Israel recorded a budget deficit of 22.9 billion shekels in October, a leap from 4.6 billion in September and pushing...

Israel has raised about 30 billion shekels ($7.8 billion) in debt since the start of the war with Hamas militants, the Finance Ministry said on Monday. Slightly more than half of that - 16 billion shekels - was dollar-denominated debt raised in issuances in international markets, it said. The ministry on Monday raised another 3.7 billion shekels in the local market in its weekly bond auction. "The financing capabilities of the State of Israel allow the government to fully and optimally finance all its needs," the ministry's accountant-general division said. The war that began on Oct. 7 when Hamas gunmen rampaged through Israeli towns has sharply boosted Israel's expenses to fund the military as well as to compensate businesses near the border and families of victims and hostages taken by Hamas. At the same time, tax income has slowed. As a result, Israel recorded a budget deficit of 22.9 billion shekels in October, a leap from 4.6 billion in September and pushing...

Restoring dialogue between the US and Chinese militaries as tensions persist will be the priority for President Joe Biden when he meets Wednesday with his counterpart Xi Jinping, a senior White House official said Sunday. "The president is determined to see the re-establishment of military-to-military ties," National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told CBS's "Face the Nation." "He believes that having military-to-military communication is necessary to manage competition responsibly and to ensure the competition does not turn into conflict," Jake Sullivan said. "And we need those lines of communication so that there aren't mistakes or miscalculations or miscommunication." It was China, he told CNN in a separate interview, that had "basically severed those communication links" amid tensions over trade, Taiwan, and other issues. Biden and Xi are to meet on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit thi...