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Mahindra Thar Roxx Gets 5 Stars In Bharat NCAP Crash Test

The Bharat NCAP crash tested the AX5 L and the MX3 variants of the Thar Roxx




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Salman's Team Denies "Association" With Kapil Sharma's Show Amid Legal Row

The notice claims that The Great Indian Kapil Show allegedly disrespects Rabindranath Tagore's legacy and risks offending cultural and religious sentiments




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Trump Tracker: Ex-Democrat Tulsi Gabbard Appointed US Intelligence Chief

Donald Trump is set to return to the White House after his victory over Kamala Harris in the November 5 US presidential elections. The 78-year-old leader Republican has secured all seven swing states.




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Vivek Ramaswamy's Old Speech Goes Viral Ahead Of 'DOGE' Appointment

The viral video features young Vivek Ramaswamy, then an 18-year-old student at St Xavier High School, reflecting on his journey through high school.




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Sri Lanka Heads For Snap Elections Today, Results Likely On Friday

Sri Lanka votes today in a second national election in as many months with a deeply divided opposition struggling to recover from a crushing defeat at presidential polls.




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Rajasthan Candidate Naresh Meena Who Slapped Poll Official Arrested Amid High Drama

Rajasthan Candidate Naresh Meena Who Slapped Poll Official Arrested Amid High Drama




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Pregnant Woman Has Narrow Escape As Oxygen Cylinder In Ambulance Explodes

A pregnant woman and her family in Maharashtra's Jalgaon district had a close shave on Wednesday evening after the engine of an ambulance caught fire and an oxygen cylinder exploded minutes later.




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Opinion: India Is Failing Its Young. But Happy Children's Day, I Guess

To support her family, Sulekha has been forced to drop out of school. One in every five students is compelled to do so.




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Delhi Government Appeals To Lt Governor For Reinstatement Of Bus Marshals

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday said only the lieutenant governor has the power to formulate a policy for permanently reinstating the bus marshals as it is a matter of services and law and order.




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In Pics: Taj Mahal Disappears Behind Thick Blanket Of Smog

Visuals showed the Taj Mahal, the UNESCO World Heritage site disappearing behind the smog, making it barely visible to tourists.







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John Hlophe's Meddling in Eviction Matter Slammed By Appeal Court

[GroundUp] The Supreme Court of Appeal has found that the former judge's inappropriate interventions resulted in a flawed judgment




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Cabinet Apprised of Interventions to Deal With Foodborne Illnesses and Fatalities

[SAnews.gov.za] President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to address the nation soon on the interventions government is undertaking to deal with foodborne illnesses and fatalities that have transpired in the country.




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FG pegs power sector investment gap at $10bn

The Federal Government says it will collaborate with the private sector in raising a portion of the $10bn needed to ensure the provision of consistent and reliable electricity across the country. This initiative is part of the government’s broader strategy to address the country’s chronic power supply challenges and is expected to span a period


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  • Business & Economy

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NNPCL appoints new EVPs, CFO

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has announced a reshuffling in key management positions to strengthen its operational efficiency and boost its competitive edge in the global oil and gas industry. A statement signed by the NNPCL spokesperson, Femi Soneye, on Wednesday, revealed that the board of directors had approved the replacement of Mr Umar


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  • Business & Economy

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Germany to hold snap February election amid fears political turmoil imperils Ukraine aid

London — Germany's plan to hold a snap election in February has raised uncertainties over the country's military aid program for Ukraine, as the government has not yet approved its 2025 budget. Berlin is the second biggest donor of weapons and equipment to Kyiv, after the United States. The political turmoil in Europe's biggest economy comes as allies prepare for a second term for President-elect Donald Trump in the United States. Trump has repeatedly questioned U.S. support for Ukraine. February vote Germany's main political parties agreed to hold the election on February 23, following the collapse of the ruling three-party coalition government earlier this month. Chancellor Olaf Scholz is due to introduce a confidence motion in parliament next month, which he is expected to lose, paving the way for a general election. Scholz has said he will stand again as the Social Democrats' candidate, although some in the party have questioned whether he is the best choice amid low approval ratings. The chairman of the Social Democrats in the German parliament, Rolf Mützenich, insisted Tuesday that Scholz was the right candidate. "I am firmly convinced that Olaf Scholz has done this country good in the last three years under the most difficult conditions. He has done everything to ensure that the coalition stays together. We have not only experienced the attack by Russian troops on Ukraine, but we have also helped Ukraine. We have also created important economic stabilization effects in Germany," Mützenich told reporters in Berlin. Opposition poll lead However, the main opposition Christian Democrats have a big lead in the polls. The party's leader, Friedrich Merz, argued for a quicker election. "We are basically losing around a month for the election to the next German parliament and thus also for the formation of a government after the next election," Merz told reporters Tuesday. "I just want to remind you that we do not have a federal budget for 2025. We are going into 2025 with this serious omission, with this heavy burden. And that is why it is completely unknown what will become of it," he added. Debt dispute The current government — a coalition between the Social Democrats, the Green party and the Free Democrats — collapsed last week following disagreements over raising new debt to finance the 2025 budget, including the provision of military aid to Ukraine. A so-called debt brake in Germany's constitution restricts the government's ability to take on new loans. Berlin has given Kyiv around $11 billion in weapons and equipment since Russia's February 2022 full-scale invasion. The outgoing government had planned to cut that aid to just over $4 billion next year. "Broadly speaking, there was a consensus that supporting Ukraine remains a priority for Germany. The question was just where and how to get and raise the finances for that," said Mattia Nelles, founder of the German-Ukraine Bureau, a political consultancy based in Düsseldorf, who said the February election was "bad timing for Ukraine, bad timing for Europe." 'Leadership vacuum' "It means Germany will be preoccupied with itself for a few months before we have a new government with a hopefully strong mandate — a coalition that could take literally until next summer, or in the worst case, even until autumn. So that is a leadership vacuum in Europe, and that's bad news for everyone involved," Nelles said. The election is due to take place just weeks after the January 20 inauguration of Donald Trump as the next U.S. president. "The worst case that many fear in Berlin and Kyiv [is] an incoming Trump administration taking power in January then slashing or ending the Ukraine aid, that will force the German government, the lame duck Scholz government with the current parliament, to increase the funding for Ukraine." "It's important to note that there is still a majority in the old parliament, even before the new parliament is elected, to increase the aid, to take new debt and amend the constitution for that, to take new debt to support Ukraine ... but it's going to be difficult politically to implement that," Nelles said. European security Trump's presidency could have wider implications for European security, including the deployment of U.S. forces and equipment, such as long-range missile systems, says analyst Marina Miron, a defense analyst at Kings College, London. "What else might be reversed is the placement of Tomahawk [U.S. missiles] in Germany. So, we have quite a situation where, let's say, Trump might pursue an anti-globalist agenda and push NATO countries to invest more of their GDP into defense," Miron told VOA. Russian assets Europe froze around $200 billion in Russian assets following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. The interest is being used to help fund weapons for Kyiv, while the G7 group of rich nations has implemented a loan plan for Ukraine using the Russian assets as collateral. At a time of fiscal pressures in Europe, some argue it's time to seize the assets entirely and give them to Ukraine. "Europe is sitting on a war chest of 200 billion U.S. dollars of frozen Russian assets," said analyst Mattia Nelles. "And I think the incoming Trump administration will push the Europeans to go further. And that's welcome news from the Ukrainian side — to not just give loans and credit based on frozen Russian assets, but to move to confiscate the assets themselves. And that's certainly something many in Germany also support," he added. Economic pressures Chancellor Scholz oversaw German efforts to end reliance on cheap Russian energy. However, analysts say that has driven inflation and undermined confidence in Europe's biggest economy. Scholz also was seen as reluctant to make bolder decisions on arming Ukraine, including the supply of long-range Taurus missiles, something Kyiv has repeatedly requested. Ukraine may be hoping that a change in leadership in Berlin could unblock more military aid, said Nelles. "We are looking at a new, potentially stronger government, which, if it's led by [Christian Democrat leader] Friedrich Merz, might be taking some of the bolder decisions which Scholz had hesitated to take, including the delivery of Taurus. But everyone hoping for that, I would urge caution," he said. Germany's economic constraints won't disappear with new leadership, said analyst Marina Miron. "Let's assume, for a moment, there is somebody who would drive this policy forward and who would have much more resolve than Scholz. The problem is the German budget. The problem is also that defense contractors in Europe are now affected, as other companies, by the disruption in the global supply chain," she told VOA. Germany is also struggling to overcome decades of underinvestment in its armed forces, something the next government will have to address, Miron added. "The dictates of German strategic culture just go against the grain of the current threat landscape, when it comes to bigger investment in defense," she said.




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‘Black Lives Matter’: Women weep as community rallies to rescue illegal miners trapped underground amid police blitz




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Suspects caught: Cape Town police arrest two with firearms in separate incidents




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Mark Lifman murder: Call for a ban on media photographers




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Cabinet congratulates Mozambique’s Daniel Chapo, Botswana’s Duma Boko and US’ Donald Trump and seeks to deepen trade with China




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Free State man sentenced for raping a mentally challenged teenager




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Foreign national businessman kidnapped in the Eastern Cape




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Suspect in custody for the alleged rape and murder of a teenage girl in Limpopo




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Former Standard Bank employee who claimed ‘kidnappers’ made him steal over R500,000 jailed




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My fellow South Africans: President Cyril Ramaphosa expected to address the nation on food poisoning deaths




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Trapped Zama Zama’s: Khumbudzo Ntshavheni’s ‘smoke them out’ remarks are irresponsible and inhumane




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Trump appoints Elon Musk to lead department of government efficiency

Donald Trump, US President-Elect, has appointed Elon Musk, chief executive officer (CEO) of Tesla and SpaceX, to lead a soon to be established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk, was a staunch supporter of Trump during the electioneering leading up to the November 5 presidential election in which the former president defeated Vice-President Kamala Harris […]

The post Trump appoints Elon Musk to lead department of government efficiency first appeared on Business Hallmark.




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Water availability could ‘deteriorate rapidly’, warns minister Majodina




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uMgungundlovu Film Festival to open with captivating film Intandokazi




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Pakistan grapples with surge in drug-related cases, particularly among youth




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Cape bosses John Comitis, Rob Benadie miss out on PSL exco, Irvin Khoza unopposed as chairman




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Biden, Xi to meet in Lima on sidelines of APEC summit in Peru

U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet November 16 on the sidelines of the 2024 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, or APEC summit in Lima, Peru, the White House announced Wednesday. The meeting follows the leaders' last in-person engagement a year ago on the sidelines of the APEC summit in California, and their 2022 meeting in Bali on the sidelines of the G20 summit. Biden and Xi are expected to revisit areas of cooperation, particularly the resumption of military-to-military contacts, efforts to combat the global fentanyl crisis and nascent work to deal with the risks of Artificial Intelligence, or AI, a senior administration said in a briefing with reporters Wednesday. The U.S. president will also express "deep concern" over Beijing's support for Moscow's war against Ukraine, and the deployment of North Korean troops to aid Russia, said the official, who requested anonymity to speak on the upcoming meeting. The official said Biden will also reiterate his "longstanding concern" over China's "unfair trade policies and non-market economic practices" that hurt American workers. The official added Biden will raise Chinese cyber-attack efforts on U.S. civilian critical infrastructure as well as Beijing's increased military activities around Taiwan and the South China Sea while also underscoring the importance of respect for human rights. The meeting is likely to be the last between Biden and Xi ahead of the incoming administration of Donald Trump in January. The president-elect has appointed ardent China critics in key foreign policy positions that could lead to a more confrontational U.S. posture toward Beijing. They include Republican Congressman Mike Waltz as Trump's pick for national security adviser and Senator Marco Rubio as secretary of state. Whatever the next administration decides, they're going to need to find ways to manage the "tough, complicated relationship" between the U.S. and China, the official said in response to a question from VOA. "Russia, cross-strait issues, the South China Sea and cyber are areas the next administration is going to need to think about carefully, because those are areas of deep policy difference with China, and I don't expect that will disappear," the official said. Xi is also likely anticipating what the Trump administration plans to do about global trade, particularly whether he will enact promises to impose steep tariffs on all Chinese goods.




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Storm outside PAR strengthens as it approaches PH, may arrive Thursday

MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Storm Man-yi, which will be assigned the local name “Pepito,” continues to intensify as it moves near the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR). The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) on Thursday said Man-yi was last spotted some 1,375 kilometers (km) east of northeastern Mindanao, still outside the PAR. It packs maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hour (kph) near its center, with gusts of up to 105 kph. Man-yi is moving southwestward at 25 kph, with strong to gale-force winds extending outwards up to 380 km from the tropical storm’s center. It […]...

Keep on reading: Storm outside PAR strengthens as it approaches PH, may arrive Thursday




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At APEC and G20, Biden faces leaders worried about US policy changes

White House — In what will likely be his farewell appearance on the world stage, President Joe Biden faces a daunting question: what to tell world leaders wondering about potential changes in U.S. policies when President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House with his America First agenda. Biden is set to depart for Peru and Brazil Thursday for two major economic summits. Biden is scheduled to spend Friday and Saturday in Lima with leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, made up of 21 member economies that promote free trade in the region.  He will be in Rio de Janeiro on Monday and Tuesday to meet with leaders of the world's 20 largest economies at the Group of 20 summit. On the way to Rio from Lima, Biden will make a brief stop at Manaus for a climate-focused engagement in Brazil's state of Amazonas. In his meetings, Biden must face allies and partners who four years ago may have been skeptical about his "America is back" message and the durability of U.S. global commitments. These leaders saw Trump, during his first term, act to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Climate Accord and threaten to pull out of NATO. Uncertainties about future U.S. policy will complicate efforts to reach an agenda on issues of global concern such as trade, poverty and debt alleviation, climate change, sustainable development, and green energy. "There will be a lot of combination of lamenting, speculation, guessing about what we'll see coming first in terms of policies out of the campaign and how countries are best able to position themselves," said Victor Cha, president of the Geopolitics and Foreign Policy Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. 'America's allies are vital' To these leaders, Biden's message is that "America's allies are vital to America's national security," said national security adviser Jake Sullivan, who previewed the trip to reporters on Wednesday. "They make us stronger. They multiply our capability. They take a burden off of our shoulders. They contribute to our common causes," Sullivan said. He underscored that Biden would be attending the APEC summit when U.S. alliances in the region were at an "all-time high," with bolstered ties with Japan, Korea, Australia and the Philippines. Biden will hold a trilateral meeting on the sidelines of APEC with President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba of Japan to "discuss the importance of institutionalizing" the progress made so that it carries forward through the transition to the new administration, Sullivan said. Whatever the questions surrounding the next administration, Biden will emphasize his faith in the "ideals of American engagement around the world," said Josh Lipsky, senior director of the Atlantic Council's GeoEconomics Center. "He believes it is in the best interest of both America and the world for it to continue," Lipsky said. "And not one election or one president can undercut that, from his perspective." Biden's agenda In Rio de Janeiro, Biden will "demonstrate the strong value proposition of the United States to developing countries and lead the G20 to work together to address shared global challenges," the White House said. He is expected to hold bilateral meetings with summit hosts Peruvian President Dina Boluarte and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. In Lima, he is set to support Peru's initiative to expand APEC's economic inclusion efforts to empower workers in the informal economy, said Matt Murray, U.S. senior official for APEC. In Rio, he will focus on workers' rights and clean economic growth and attend the launch of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, Lula's initiative aimed at accelerating global efforts to reduce hunger and poverty by 2030. In Manaus, Biden will make history as the first sitting U.S. president to visit the Brazilian Amazon. There, he will deliver remarks on climate conservation and engage Indigenous leaders working to preserve the rainforest. Symbolic and short-lived Many of Biden's efforts will be mostly symbolic and short-lived, as the incoming U.S. administration could bring dramatically different priorities on global welfare programs and climate change. Analysts say that while the world has watched U.S. leadership swing from Republican to Democratic and back again in recent years, Chinese President Xi Jinping will seek to project an image of stability as he exerts his vision of China's increased role on the global stage. In Peru, Xi will inaugurate a $1.3 billion megaport, part of China's infrastructure investment program that has bought him influence in various parts of the world. Beijing has increased diplomatic engagement in the region, with Xi visiting 11 Latin American countries since becoming president, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua. Summit hosts Peru and Brazil are set to honor him with state visits this month. A meeting between Biden and Xi, likely their last during Biden's term, is scheduled in Lima for Saturday. The meeting comes as Trump appoints ardent China critics in key foreign policy positions, moves that could lead to a more confrontational U.S. posture toward Beijing. Whatever the next administration decides, it's going to need to find ways to manage the "tough, complicated relationship" between the U.S. and China, a senior official said when asked what Biden might tell Xi to expect from the incoming administration.




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Nigerian Newspapers: 10 things you need to know Thursday morning

Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers: 1. The Federal Government says it needs $10 billion Public-Private-Partnership investment in the power sector, in the next five to 10 years, to achieve 24 hours power supply. Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu disclosed this when the Director-General, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Dr Jobson Ewalefoh, […]

Nigerian Newspapers: 10 things you need to know Thursday morning




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Seplat announces Nigerian govt approval for $1.3bn acquisition of MPNU

Seplat Energy Plc has announced that the Nigerian government has finally given consent to its $1.3 billion acquisition of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPNU) assets. The oil company disclosed this in a statement released on Wednesday through its official X account. Seplat said that the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has confirmed the consent […]

Seplat announces Nigerian govt approval for $1.3bn acquisition of MPNU




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Transfer: You can’t ignore them – Laporte on Real Madrid links

Al-Nassr defender, Aymeric Laporte has commented on reported interest from Real Madrid for his signature. The former Manchester City star has recently been linked with a move to Real Madrid next year. Speaking on the development, Laporte said he can’t ignore the Spanish LaLiga champions. According to him, it is nice to be linked with […]

Transfer: You can’t ignore them – Laporte on Real Madrid links




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Somali priates get 30 years in prison for kidnapping US journalist


While researching piracy in Somalia, American journalist Michael Scott Moore never imagined he'd become the story.




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Trump taps firebrand US Representative Matt Gaetz for attorney general


Gaetz, who faced a federal probe and opposed key bills, would oversee deportations and Jan. 6 pardons while dismantling what Trump calls a 'weaponized government.'




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Thailand set to reap $2 billion 'rainbow tourism' boon

Thailand's landmark move to legalise same-sex marriage is set to boost “rainbow tourism” by attracting four million more visitors annually, and generate about US$2 billion in revenue, according to travel platform Agoda.




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UNDP’s Sustainable Energy Director Calls For Innovative Financial Solutions for Adaptation, Mitigation

Riad Meddeb, Director of the Sustainable Energy Hub at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), stressed the urgency of finding innovative financial solutions during COP29. Meddeb was speaking to IPS in an exclusive interview at the conference. He said the negotiations were expected to focus heavily on finance—a core issue that has historically hampered climate […]




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Rwanda: Economic Policy Reforms Could Spur Rapid Private Sector Growth - World Bank Report

[New Times] Achieving rapid private sector growth in Rwanda is unlikely without far-reaching reforms to economic policies, a new report released on November 13, by the World Bank has shown.




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Kenya: Ruto Appoints Arita As New CBK Deputy Governor

[Capital FM] Nairobi -- President William Ruto has nominated Gerald Nyaoma Arita as the second Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), succeeding Sheila M'mbijiwe, who retired in June.




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Sudan: French-Manufactured Weapons System Identified in Conflict - New Investigation

[AI London] French-manufactured military technology incorporated into armoured personnel carriers made by the United Arab Emirates is being used on the battlefield in Sudan in what likely constitutes a violation of the UN arms embargo on Darfur, Amnesty International said in a new investigation.




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'Gossip Girl' star Chanel Maya's disappearance sparks panic

Chanel Maya Bank plays Sawyer Bennett in 'Gossip Girl' Gossip Girl star Chanel Maya Bank’s has sparked panic as she has been missing since two weeks.Chanel aka Sawyer Benett reportedly disappeared in Los Angeles. Her family members, including her mum, Judy Singh and cousin, Danielle-Tori...




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J-Hope 'really excited' for BTS bandmate Jin's debut solo album 'Happy'

J Hope is as excited about BTS bandmate Jin’s debut solo album releases as BTS ARMY and K-pop idol himself.In a recent Weverse Live on Tuesday, November 12, J Hope, whose real name is Jung Ho-seok, updated his whereabouts to the curious fans while teasing new projects in the pipeline and...




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King Charles issues message after solo appearance at 'Gladiator II' premiere

King Charles issues message after solo appearance at ‘Gladiator II’ premiereKing Charles appeared in high spirits as he stepped out on the red carpet for Gladiator II world premiere in London on Wednesday.The monarch, who is a patron of The Film and TV Charity, attended the 72nd Royal...




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How Israel and the Trump administration can win the war and shape Middle East policy - analysis


Israel's military campaign against Hamas and Hezbollah could reshape Middle Eastern alliances and weaken Iran's regional influence.