Tropical storm Oscar made landfall as a hurricane on Sunday evening in Cuba, where residents were preparing for more chaos and misery as the country grappled with a nearly nationwide power outage in its third day.&nbsp;

The arrival of Oscar, after the Friday collapse of Cuba's largest power plant crippled the whole national grid, piles pressure on a country already battling sky-high inflation and shortages of food, medicine, fuel and water.

Cuba's government said power would be restored to most of the country by Monday evening, with President Miguel Diaz-Canel warning his government would not tolerate public disturbances during the outage.

Oscar was a Category 1 storm when it made landfall in eastern Cuba at 5:50 pm local time (2150 GMT) on Sunday, the US National Hurricane Center said, before it weakened to become a tropical storm.

As of 11:00 pm local time, the storm was packing maximum sustained winds near 70 miles (110 kilometers) per hour, and it was expected to continue moving across eastern Cuba into Monday.

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In Baracoa, waves reaching up to 13 feet (four meters) high hit the seafront. Roofs and the walls of houses were damaged, and electricity poles and trees fell, state television reported.

Energy and Mining Minister Vicente de la O Levy told reporters Sunday that electricity would be restored for most Cubans by Monday night, adding that "the last customer may receive service by Tuesday."

The power grid failed in a chain reaction Friday due to the unexpected shutdown of the biggest of the island's eight decrepit coal-fired power plants, according to the head of electricity supply at the energy ministry, Lazaro Guerra.

National electric utility UNE said it had managed to generate a minimal amount of electricity to get power plants restarted on Friday night, but by Saturday morning it was experiencing what official news outlet Cubadebate called "a new, total disconnection of the electrical grid."

Most neighborhoods in Havana remain dark, except for hotels and hospitals with emergency generators and the very few private homes with backup systems.

After three days of no power, "my fridge has defrosted and I'm afraid that everything will be spoiled," said Adismary Cuza, a 56-year-old worker.

"Cubans are tired of so much," added Serguei Castillo, 68.

<h2>- 'Energy emergency' -</h2>

The blackout followed weeks of power outages, lasting up to 20 hours a day in some provinces.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Manuel Marrero on Thursday declared an "energy emergency," suspending non-essential public services in order to prioritize electricity supply to homes.&nbsp;

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And on Sunday, President Diaz-Canel warned that the government would act "severely" against anyone who attempted to "disturb public order" during the blackout.

That statement came as witnesses reported residents in several neighborhoods of Havana had taken to the streets on Sunday night to express their discontent.&nbsp;

There are "people in the street making noise with pots and pans, shouting 'Let us have the power back on,'" a resident of the Santo Suarez neighborhood told AFP.&nbsp;

Barricades of trash had also been erected in the Centro neighborhood, AFP photographers saw.

<h2>- Leaving Cuba -</h2>

President Diaz-Canel blamed the situation on Cuba's difficulties in acquiring fuel for its power plants, which he attributed to the tightening, during Donald Trump's presidency, of a six-decade-long US trade embargo.

Cuba is in the throes of its worst economic crisis since the collapse of key ally the Soviet Union in the early 1990s -- marked by soaring inflation and shortages of basic goods. &nbsp;

With no relief in sight, many Cubans have emigrated.

More than 700,000 entered the United States between January 2022 and August 2024, according to US officials.

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While the authorities chiefly blame the US embargo, the island is also feeling the aftershocks of the Covid-19 pandemic battering its critical tourism sector, and of economic mismanagement.

To bolster its grid, Cuba has leased seven floating power plants from Turkish companies and also added many small diesel-powered generators.&nbsp;

In July 2021, blackouts sparked an unprecedented outpouring of public anger.

Thousands of Cubans took to the streets shouting, "We are hungry" and "Freedom!" in a rare challenge to the government.

One person was killed and dozens were injured in the protests. According to the Mexico-based human rights organization Justicia 11J, 600 people detained during the unrest remain in prison.

In 2022, the island also suffered months of daily, hours-long power outages, capped by a nationwide blackout caused by Hurricane Ian.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Tropical storm Oscar made landfall as a hurricane on Sunday evening in Cuba, where residents were preparing for more chaos and misery as the country grappled with a nearly nationwide power outage in its third day.

Tropical storm Oscar made landfall as a hurricane on Sunday evening in Cuba, where residents were preparing for more chaos and misery as the country grappled with a nearly nationwide power outage in its third day. The arrival of Oscar, after the Friday collapse of Cuba's largest power plant crippled the whole national grid, piles pressure on a country already battling sky-high inflation and shortages of food, medicine, fuel and water. Cuba's government said power would be restored to most of the country by Monday evening, with President Miguel Diaz-Canel warning his government would not tolerate public disturbances during the outage. Oscar was a Category 1 storm when it made landfall in eastern Cuba at 5:50 pm local time (2150 GMT) on Sunday, the US National Hurricane Center said, before it weakened to become a tropical storm. As of 11:00 pm local time, the storm was packing maximum sustained winds near 70 miles (110 kilometers) per hour, and it was expected to continue moving across eastern Cuba into Monday. Also Read | Israel bombs Hezbollah-linked finance group Al-Qard Al-Hassan In Baracoa, waves reaching up to 13 feet (four meters) high hit the seafront. Roofs and the walls of houses were damaged, and electricity poles and trees fell, state television reported. Energy and Mining Minister Vicente de la O Levy told reporters Sunday that electricity would be restored for most Cubans by Monday night, adding that "the last customer may receive service by Tuesday." The power grid failed in a chain reaction Friday due to the unexpected shutdown of the biggest of the island's eight decrepit coal-fired power plants, according to the head of electricity supply at the energy ministry, Lazaro Guerra. National electric utility UNE said it had managed to generate a minimal amount of electricity to get power plants restarted on Friday night, but by Saturday morning it was experiencing what official news outlet Cubadebate called "a new, total disconnection of the electrical grid." Most neighborhoods in Havana remain dark, except for hotels and hospitals with emergency generators and the very few private homes with backup systems. After three days of no power, "my fridge has defrosted and I'm afraid that everything will be spoiled," said Adismary Cuza, a 56-year-old worker. "Cubans are tired of so much," added Serguei Castillo, 68. - 'Energy emergency' - The blackout followed weeks of power outages, lasting up to 20 hours a day in some provinces. Prime Minister Manuel Marrero on Thursday declared an "energy emergency," suspending non-essential public services in order to prioritize electricity supply to homes. Also Read | Climate change and environmental policies of Trump and Harris: A comparison And on Sunday, President Diaz-Canel warned that the government would act "severely" against anyone who attempted to "disturb public order" during the blackout. That statement came as witnesses reported residents in several neighborhoods of Havana had taken to the streets on Sunday night to express their discontent. There are "people in the street making noise with pots and pans, shouting 'Let us have the power back on,'" a resident of the Santo Suarez neighborhood told AFP. Barricades of trash had also been erected in the Centro neighborhood, AFP photographers saw. - Leaving Cuba - President Diaz-Canel blamed the situation on Cuba's difficulties in acquiring fuel for its power plants, which he attributed to the tightening, during Donald Trump's presidency, of a six-decade-long US trade embargo. Cuba is in the throes of its worst economic crisis since the collapse of key ally the Soviet Union in the early 1990s -- marked by soaring inflation and shortages of basic goods. With no relief in sight, many Cubans have emigrated. More than 700,000 entered the United States between January 2022 and August 2024, according to US officials. Also Read | Israeli strikes on northern Gaza kill at least 87 as Beirut attack continues While the authorities chiefly blame the US embargo, the island is also feeling the aftershocks of the Covid-19 pandemic battering its critical tourism sector, and of economic mismanagement. To bolster its grid, Cuba has leased seven floating power plants from Turkish companies and also added many small diesel-powered generators. In July 2021, blackouts sparked an unprecedented outpouring of public anger. Thousands of Cubans took to the streets shouting, "We are hungry" and "Freedom!" in a rare challenge to the government. One person was killed and dozens were injured in the protests. According to the Mexico-based human rights organization Justicia 11J, 600 people detained during the unrest remain in prison. In 2022, the island also suffered months of daily, hours-long power outages, capped by a nationwide blackout caused by Hurricane Ian. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Tropical Hurricane Oscar makes landfall in eastern Cuba as island grapples with blackout

Indigenous senator Lidia Thorpe heckles King Charles at Australian parliament&nbsp;

Indigenous senator Lidia Thorpe shouted anti-colonial slogans at King Charles during his visit to the Australian parliament on Monday, shocking assembled lawmakers and other dignitaries.

"Give us our land back! Give us what you stole from us!" Thorpe screamed in an almost minute-long diatribe, after the 75-year-old king's speech.

"This is not your land, you are not my king," the independent lawmaker said, decrying what she described as a "genocide" of Indigenous Australians by European settlers.

Australia was a British colony for more than 100 years, during which time thousands of Aboriginal Australians were killed and entire communities displaced.

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The country gained de facto independence in 1901, but has never become a fully fledged republic. King Charles is the current head of state.

Charles is on a nine-day jaunt through Australia and Samoa, the first major foreign tour since his life-changing cancer diagnosis earlier this year.

Thorpe is known for her attention-grabbing political stunts and fierce opposition to the monarchy.

When she was sworn into office in 2022, Thorpe raised her right fist as she begrudgingly swore to serve Queen Elisabeth II, who was then Australia's head of state.

"I sovereign, Lidia Thorpe, do solemnly and sincerely swear that I will be faithful and I bear true allegiance to the colonising Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II," she said before being rebuked by a Senate official.

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"Senator Thorpe, Senator Thorpe, you are required to recite the oath as printed on the card," said the chamber's president Sue Lines.

In 1999, Australians narrowly voted against removing the queen, amid a row over whether her replacement would be chosen by members of parliament, not the public.

In 2023 Australians overwhelmingly rejected measures to recognise Indigenous Australians in the constitution and to create an Indigenous consultative assembly.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Indigenous senator Lidia Thorpe heckles King Charles at Australian parliament Indigenous senator Lidia Thorpe shouted anti-colonial slogans at King Charles during his visit to the Australian parliament on Monday, shocking assembled lawmakers and other dignitaries.

Indigenous senator Lidia Thorpe heckles King Charles at Australian parliament Indigenous senator Lidia Thorpe shouted anti-colonial slogans at King Charles during his visit to the Australian parliament on Monday, shocking assembled lawmakers and other dignitaries. "Give us our land back! Give us what you stole from us!" Thorpe screamed in an almost minute-long diatribe, after the 75-year-old king's speech. "This is not your land, you are not my king," the independent lawmaker said, decrying what she described as a "genocide" of Indigenous Australians by European settlers. Australia was a British colony for more than 100 years, during which time thousands of Aboriginal Australians were killed and entire communities displaced. Also Read | Chinese Navy ships docked in Bangladesh this weekend. Should India worry? The country gained de facto independence in 1901, but has never become a fully fledged republic. King Charles is the current head of state. Charles is on a nine-day jaunt through Australia and Samoa, the first major foreign tour since his life-changing cancer diagnosis earlier this year. Thorpe is known for her attention-grabbing political stunts and fierce opposition to the monarchy. When she was sworn into office in 2022, Thorpe raised her right fist as she begrudgingly swore to serve Queen Elisabeth II, who was then Australia's head of state. "I sovereign, Lidia Thorpe, do solemnly and sincerely swear that I will be faithful and I bear true allegiance to the colonising Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II," she said before being rebuked by a Senate official. Also Read | Musk says college education ‘overrated’, success doesn’t need four-year degree "Senator Thorpe, Senator Thorpe, you are required to recite the oath as printed on the card," said the chamber's president Sue Lines. In 1999, Australians narrowly voted against removing the queen, amid a row over whether her replacement would be chosen by members of parliament, not the public. In 2023 Australians overwhelmingly rejected measures to recognise Indigenous Australians in the constitution and to create an Indigenous consultative assembly. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

King Charles heckled by Indigenous senator at Australian parliament

Kenya's senate voted to dismiss Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua from office by impeachment on five out of 11 charges levelled against him on Thursday, in an unprecedented move that risks pushing the country towards a political crisis.

The National Assembly voted last week to impeach Gachagua, who helped President William Ruto win an election two years ago but has been assailed by allies of the president over alleged disloyalty and a series of provocative public comments.

Fifty-four out of 67 senators voted to dismiss Gachagua on the first count of "gross violation of the constitution", more than the two-thirds majority required under the law, making him the first Kenyan president or deputy president forced from office by impeachment.

"Accordingly, His Excellency Rigathi Gachagua... ceases to hold office," said Senate Speaker Amason Kingi.

The process, however, is unlikely to stop there. Gachagua has filed several petitions challenging the push to oust him, and the chief justice has appointed a panel of three judges to examine them.

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Gachagua, who has denied the allegations, had been due to defend himself against the charges in the Senate on Thursday afternoon ahead of the vote.

When he failed to show up, his lawyer Paul Muite said the deputy president had been hospitalised with intense chest pains, urging the Senate to pause proceedings for a couple of days.

But the senate declined to do so, prompting Gachagua's legal team to leave the chambers in protest.

Dan Gikonyo, a doctor treating Gachagua, told reporters the deputy president was admitted to a Nairobi hospital with heart trouble on Thursday afternoon, but was now stable and would likely have to remain in hospital for 24-72 hours.

Some senators questioned the decision to proceed with the vote, despite Gachagua's absence.

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"We are to try a man in hospital because the only crime that Rigathi Gachagua has committed is a political crime, so he has to be removed out of the way, whatever it will take," said Senator John Methu.

But Senator Moses Otieno Kajwang defended the move to impeach Gachagua, saying, "we must drain the swamp".

<h2>RISKS FOR RUTO</h2>

Ruto, who has fallen out with Gachagua in recent months, has not commented on the proceedings, but could face a public backlash following the impeachment, political analysts said.

Many Kenyans view the impeachment process as politically motivated, and a distraction from the aftermath of the deadly anti-tax protests in June and July that exposed deep discontent with government policies and alleged corruption.

The hearings, which have involved in-depth scrutiny of Gachagua's finances, could boomerang back at Ruto, said Karuti Kanyinga, a professor at the University of Nairobi's Institute for Development Studies.

"We are going to hear people demanding that the same thing that has been done on Gachagua be done to the president," Kanyinga said.

Gachagua, who has previously called the impeachment process a political lynching based on falsehoods, had been due to respond to a litany of accusations laid out on Wednesday by lawmaker Mwengi Mutuse, who accused him of inciting ethnic hatred.

Mutuse also accused Gachagua of acquiring properties worth over $40 million since becoming deputy president, despite reporting a net worth of only around $6 million before entering office.

Elisha Ongoya, a member of Gachagua's legal team, said the allegations lacked evidence and were based on speculation.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Kenya's senate voted to dismiss Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua from office by impeachment on five out of 11 charges levelled against him on Thursday, in an unprecedented move that risks pushing the country towards a political crisis.

Kenya's senate voted to dismiss Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua from office by impeachment on five out of 11 charges levelled against him on Thursday, in an unprecedented move that risks pushing the country towards a political crisis. The National Assembly voted last week to impeach Gachagua, who helped President William Ruto win an election two years ago but has been assailed by allies of the president over alleged disloyalty and a series of provocative public comments. Fifty-four out of 67 senators voted to dismiss Gachagua on the first count of "gross violation of the constitution", more than the two-thirds majority required under the law, making him the first Kenyan president or deputy president forced from office by impeachment. "Accordingly, His Excellency Rigathi Gachagua... ceases to hold office," said Senate Speaker Amason Kingi. The process, however, is unlikely to stop there. Gachagua has filed several petitions challenging the push to oust him, and the chief justice has appointed a panel of three judges to examine them. Also Read | Hezbollah to escalate war with Israel after killing of Hamas leader Sinwar Gachagua, who has denied the allegations, had been due to defend himself against the charges in the Senate on Thursday afternoon ahead of the vote. When he failed to show up, his lawyer Paul Muite said the deputy president had been hospitalised with intense chest pains, urging the Senate to pause proceedings for a couple of days. But the senate declined to do so, prompting Gachagua's legal team to leave the chambers in protest. Dan Gikonyo, a doctor treating Gachagua, told reporters the deputy president was admitted to a Nairobi hospital with heart trouble on Thursday afternoon, but was now stable and would likely have to remain in hospital for 24-72 hours. Some senators questioned the decision to proceed with the vote, despite Gachagua's absence. Also Read | IDF troops did not have intel Hamas chief Sinwar was hiding in Gaza building "We are to try a man in hospital because the only crime that Rigathi Gachagua has committed is a political crime, so he has to be removed out of the way, whatever it will take," said Senator John Methu. But Senator Moses Otieno Kajwang defended the move to impeach Gachagua, saying, "we must drain the swamp". RISKS FOR RUTO Ruto, who has fallen out with Gachagua in recent months, has not commented on the proceedings, but could face a public backlash following the impeachment, political analysts said. Many Kenyans view the impeachment process as politically motivated, and a distraction from the aftermath of the deadly anti-tax protests in June and July that exposed deep discontent with government policies and alleged corruption. The hearings, which have involved in-depth scrutiny of Gachagua's finances, could boomerang back at Ruto, said Karuti Kanyinga, a professor at the University of Nairobi's Institute for Development Studies. "We are going to hear people demanding that the same thing that has been done on Gachagua be done to the president," Kanyinga said. Gachagua, who has previously called the impeachment process a political lynching based on falsehoods, had been due to respond to a litany of accusations laid out on Wednesday by lawmaker Mwengi Mutuse, who accused him of inciting ethnic hatred. Mutuse also accused Gachagua of acquiring properties worth over $40 million since becoming deputy president, despite reporting a net worth of only around $6 million before entering office. Elisha Ongoya, a member of Gachagua's legal team, said the allegations lacked evidence and were based on speculation. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Kenyan Senate impeaches deputy president Rigathi Gachagua over 'corruption'

Kenya's President William Ruto nominated Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki as his new deputy on Friday, hours after the Senate voted to impeach the last man in the job, Rigathi Gachagua.

Ruto's nomination of a close ally - who still needs to be approved by parliament - comes after a period of political turmoil, mass protests and the first removal of a Kenyan deputy president by impeachment.

"I have received a message from ... the president, regarding the nomination of Professor Kithure Kindiki to fill the vacancy which has occurred in the office," Speaker Moses Wetang'ula said in the National Assembly.

Gachagua was impeached on five out of 11 charges including gross violation of the constitution and stirring ethnic hatred - accusations that he denied and dismissed as politically motivated.

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He backed Ruto in his 2022 election win and helped secure a large block of votes from the populous central Kenya region. But in recent months, Gachagua has spoken of being sidelined, amid widespread reports in local media signalling a rift with Ruto as political alliances shifted.

Kindiki was a top contender to be Ruto's running mate during the 2022 election and was appointed interior minister shortly after the president took office in September that year.

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The interior ministry includes oversight of the police. Rights groups have accused the police of using excessive force during protests earlier this year that called for the withdrawal of now-shelved finance law and reforms to tackle corruption.

Appearing before parliament in September, Kindiki said police acted within the law and that the government did not engage in extrajudicial killings or abductions.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.&nbsp;

Kenya's President William Ruto nominated Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki as his new deputy on Friday, hours after the Senate voted to impeach the last man in the job, Rigathi Gachagua.

Kenya's President William Ruto nominated Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki as his new deputy on Friday, hours after the Senate voted to impeach the last man in the job, Rigathi Gachagua. Ruto's nomination of a close ally - who still needs to be approved by parliament - comes after a period of political turmoil, mass protests and the first removal of a Kenyan deputy president by impeachment. "I have received a message from ... the president, regarding the nomination of Professor Kithure Kindiki to fill the vacancy which has occurred in the office," Speaker Moses Wetang'ula said in the National Assembly. Gachagua was impeached on five out of 11 charges including gross violation of the constitution and stirring ethnic hatred - accusations that he denied and dismissed as politically motivated. Also Read | AI-generated child sex abuse images, videos rising at alarming levels, warn internet watchdogs He backed Ruto in his 2022 election win and helped secure a large block of votes from the populous central Kenya region. But in recent months, Gachagua has spoken of being sidelined, amid widespread reports in local media signalling a rift with Ruto as political alliances shifted. Kindiki was a top contender to be Ruto's running mate during the 2022 election and was appointed interior minister shortly after the president took office in September that year. Also Read | Several euthanasia deaths in Canada driven by isolation, homelessness: Reports The interior ministry includes oversight of the police. Rights groups have accused the police of using excessive force during protests earlier this year that called for the withdrawal of now-shelved finance law and reforms to tackle corruption. Appearing before parliament in September, Kindiki said police acted within the law and that the government did not engage in extrajudicial killings or abductions. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Kenya President Ruto chooses interior minister Kithure Kindiki as deputy prez after Gachagua's impeachment

A Delhi court on Friday granted bail to AAP leader and former Delhi cabinet minister Satyendar Jain in a money laundering case, citing "delay in trial" and his "long incarceration".

Jain was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on May 30, 2022, on the charge of laundering money through four companies allegedly linked to him. He is currently in judicial custody.

"Considering the delay in trial and long incarceration of 18 months, and the fact that trial will take long to start, let alone conclude, the accused is favourably suited for the relief," said Special Judge Vishal Gogne.

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The judge granted the relief on a bail bond of Rs 50,000 ($594.71)&nbsp;with two sureties of like amount. The ED case stems from an FIR lodged against Jain by the Central Bureau of Investigation in 2017 under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

A Delhi court on Friday granted bail to AAP leader and former Delhi cabinet minister Satyendar Jain in a money laundering case, citing "delay in trial" and his "long incarceration".

A Delhi court on Friday granted bail to AAP leader and former Delhi cabinet minister Satyendar Jain in a money laundering case, citing "delay in trial" and his "long incarceration". Jain was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on May 30, 2022, on the charge of laundering money through four companies allegedly linked to him. He is currently in judicial custody. "Considering the delay in trial and long incarceration of 18 months, and the fact that trial will take long to start, let alone conclude, the accused is favourably suited for the relief," said Special Judge Vishal Gogne. Also Read | Indian PM Modi to visit Russia from October 22-23 to attend BRICS summit in Kazan The judge granted the relief on a bail bond of Rs 50,000 ($594.71) with two sureties of like amount. The ED case stems from an FIR lodged against Jain by the Central Bureau of Investigation in 2017 under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

AAP leader Satyendar Jain gets bail by Delhi court in money laundering case

PepsiCo and Coke bottlers in the West Bank are running out of cans and sugar, blocked by the prolonged closure of a Jordan border crossing, managers of two soda-bottling plants in the occupied Palestinian territory said.

In the latest global supply chain snarl due to the conflict in the Middle East, a crucial trade crossing at the Allenby bridge has been largely closed to commercial traffic since early September after a Jordanian gunman shot and killed three Israeli civilians.

Sugar and cans previously were transported to West Bank bottlers from Jordan via the bridge, according to Hatim Omari, manager of a plant that bottles Pepsi, 7UP and Mirinda for sale in the Palestinian territories and neighboring countries.

The Pepsi facility, located in Jericho, ran out of materials for its canned soft drinks about 15 days ago, Omari said, and has not been able to get new shipments of cans or sugar for more than one month. Its sugar came from Saudi Arabia, he said.

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A Coke bottler based in Ramallah has been running low on some soft drink flavors and is without its usual supplies of sugar and cans, according to Imad Hindi, general manager of National Beverage Company.

"If the situation continues this way, most of the private sector players including us will reach a dead end," Hindi said in a WhatsApp message.

Pepsi did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Coca-Cola declined to comment. The bottlers are separate businesses, but sometimes the U.S.-based companies hold stakes in them.

<h2>GAZA, WEST BANK COSTS SOAR</h2>

The bottlers are the latest businesses to be hit by supply chain disruptions due to the conflict in the Middle East over the past year. Houthi attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea have prompted some global consumer companies to reroute their merchandise from Asia to sail around Africa.

"From Beirut to Iran to Gaza, it’s really hard to just run a normal business and no one is immune to it," said Paul Musgrave, an associate professor of government at Georgetown University in Qatar. "You need sugar, you need cans, you need people, you need electricity, and it’s all being disrupted."

The cost of doing business in the Palestinian territories is roughly five times greater than in surrounding countries, according to Hindi, manager of the Coke bottler in the West Bank.

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At the Pepsi bottling franchise, which previously made 60 million liters of beverages annually, production is down roughly 35%, Omari said. Without cans, it continues to use plastic bottles, but he said margins on plastic-bottled drinks are lower.

High unemployment in the densely populated West Bank, where he said Pepsi is a dominant cola, hurts local families' ability to buy Pepsi drinks, he said.

"Our supply is weak now, and our sales are weaker."

The plant now runs one shift per day for its 200 total workers, down from three previously, Omari added.

Beyond supply shortages, consumer-led boycotts of U.S.-based brands like Coca-Cola and Pepsi have hurt companies' sales in Muslim-majority countries, where some consumers shun the soft drinks.

PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said on Oct. 8 in a call with investors that "geopolitical tensions" have affected the company's business in the Middle East. "I don't think that's going to change in the coming months," Laguarta said.

Coca-Cola reports its financial results for the third quarter of 2024 on Oct. 23.

Israel launched an assault on Hamas in Gaza last October after an unprecedented Hamas raid of Israel killed 1,200 people and resulted in another 250 being abducted. More than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza over the past year.

In the Gaza Strip, a $25 million Coca-Cola plant was destroyed. A partly-damaged Pepsi bottling plant ceased operations last October, a spokesperson for the plant said.

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PepsiCo and Coke bottlers in the West Bank are running out of cans and sugar, blocked by the prolonged closure of a Jordan border crossing, managers of two soda-bottling plants in the occupied Palestinian territory said.

PepsiCo and Coke bottlers in the West Bank are running out of cans and sugar, blocked by the prolonged closure of a Jordan border crossing, managers of two soda-bottling plants in the occupied Palestinian territory said. In the latest global supply chain snarl due to the conflict in the Middle East, a crucial trade crossing at the Allenby bridge has been largely closed to commercial traffic since early September after a Jordanian gunman shot and killed three Israeli civilians. Sugar and cans previously were transported to West Bank bottlers from Jordan via the bridge, according to Hatim Omari, manager of a plant that bottles Pepsi, 7UP and Mirinda for sale in the Palestinian territories and neighboring countries. The Pepsi facility, located in Jericho, ran out of materials for its canned soft drinks about 15 days ago, Omari said, and has not been able to get new shipments of cans or sugar for more than one month. Its sugar came from Saudi Arabia, he said. Also Read | Gaza war: Who will be next Hamas leader after Yahya Sinwar's assassination? A Coke bottler based in Ramallah has been running low on some soft drink flavors and is without its usual supplies of sugar and cans, according to Imad Hindi, general manager of National Beverage Company. "If the situation continues this way, most of the private sector players including us will reach a dead end," Hindi said in a WhatsApp message. Pepsi did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Coca-Cola declined to comment. The bottlers are separate businesses, but sometimes the U.S.-based companies hold stakes in them. GAZA, WEST BANK COSTS SOAR The bottlers are the latest businesses to be hit by supply chain disruptions due to the conflict in the Middle East over the past year. Houthi attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea have prompted some global consumer companies to reroute their merchandise from Asia to sail around Africa. "From Beirut to Iran to Gaza, it’s really hard to just run a normal business and no one is immune to it," said Paul Musgrave, an associate professor of government at Georgetown University in Qatar. "You need sugar, you need cans, you need people, you need electricity, and it’s all being disrupted." The cost of doing business in the Palestinian territories is roughly five times greater than in surrounding countries, according to Hindi, manager of the Coke bottler in the West Bank. Also Read | ‘Nijjar was a terrorist,’ Top oppn leader rips into PM Trudeau over India row At the Pepsi bottling franchise, which previously made 60 million liters of beverages annually, production is down roughly 35%, Omari said. Without cans, it continues to use plastic bottles, but he said margins on plastic-bottled drinks are lower. High unemployment in the densely populated West Bank, where he said Pepsi is a dominant cola, hurts local families' ability to buy Pepsi drinks, he said. "Our supply is weak now, and our sales are weaker." The plant now runs one shift per day for its 200 total workers, down from three previously, Omari added. Beyond supply shortages, consumer-led boycotts of U.S.-based brands like Coca-Cola and Pepsi have hurt companies' sales in Muslim-majority countries, where some consumers shun the soft drinks. PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said on Oct. 8 in a call with investors that "geopolitical tensions" have affected the company's business in the Middle East. "I don't think that's going to change in the coming months," Laguarta said. Coca-Cola reports its financial results for the third quarter of 2024 on Oct. 23. Israel launched an assault on Hamas in Gaza last October after an unprecedented Hamas raid of Israel killed 1,200 people and resulted in another 250 being abducted. More than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza over the past year. In the Gaza Strip, a $25 million Coca-Cola plant was destroyed. A partly-damaged Pepsi bottling plant ceased operations last October, a spokesperson for the plant said. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Pepsi and Coke bottlers face can and sugar shortage in West Bank

More than a year into Israel's war against Hamas, "nearly 100 percent" of Gaza's population has been plunged into poverty with a ruined economy and "staggering" unemployment, the UN said Thursday.

In the occupied West Bank, where violence has also surged since Hamas's October-7 attack last year that sparked the war in Gaza, the situation "has been equally concerning", the UN's International Labour Organization said.

"The impact of the war in the Gaza Strip has taken a toll far beyond loss of life, desperate humanitarian conditions and physical destruction," Ruba Jaradat, ILO's regional director for Arab States, said in a statement.

"It has fundamentally altered the socioeconomic landscape of Gaza," she warned. "The impact will be felt for generations to come."

In the Gaza Strip, "nearly 100 percent of the population now lives in poverty", ILO said.

It warned that "the significant economic contraction in the West Bank is estimated to have more than doubled the short-term poverty rate, rising from 12 percent in 2023 to 28 percent by mid-2024".

Unemployment in the West Bank surged to nearly 35 percent since last October, "while in Gaza it averaged a staggering 79.7 percent", ILO said.

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The agency said the wider economic toll had also been "unprecedented" across the occupied Palestinian territories.

The West Bank saw gross domestic product contract by 21.7 percent year-on-year, while GDP in the Gaza Strip nosedived 84.7 percent, it said.

Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza after lasy year's October attack by Hamas, which resulted in the deaths of 1,206 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures, including hostages killed in captivity.

Israel's retaliation has killed at least 42,409 people, the majority civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory, which the UN considers reliable.

These figures also "reflect the shutdown of most economic activities in Gaza due to the destruction of homes and infrastructure, and the recurring displacement of workers and employers", ILO said.

"This has led either to complete termination of work or to a predominance of informal and irregular work."

<h2>- Soaring prices -</h2>

ILO said Gazans were also grappling with soaring prices, with year-on-year inflation reaching a whopping 248 percent in August.

On Wednesday, the United Nations again warned of the risk of a full-blown famine in the besieged territory.

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The situation is also increasingly dire in the West Bank.

"Israeli barriers to movement of persons and goods, coupled with broader trade restrictions and supply chain disruptions, have severely impacted the economy", ILO said.

"The closure of the Israeli labour market to Palestinian workers has further strained livelihoods," it added.

Israeli troops or settlers have killed more than 738 Palestinians there in the past year, according to the Ramallah-based health ministry.

At least 24 Israelis, civilians or members of the security forces, have meanwhile been killed in attacks carried out by Palestinian militants or in Israeli military operations in the West Bank over the same period, Israeli officials say.

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More than a year into Israel's war against Hamas, "nearly 100 percent" of Gaza's population has been plunged into poverty with a ruined economy and "staggering" unemployment, the UN said Thursday.

More than a year into Israel's war against Hamas, "nearly 100 percent" of Gaza's population has been plunged into poverty with a ruined economy and "staggering" unemployment, the UN said Thursday. In the occupied West Bank, where violence has also surged since Hamas's October-7 attack last year that sparked the war in Gaza, the situation "has been equally concerning", the UN's International Labour Organization said. "The impact of the war in the Gaza Strip has taken a toll far beyond loss of life, desperate humanitarian conditions and physical destruction," Ruba Jaradat, ILO's regional director for Arab States, said in a statement. "It has fundamentally altered the socioeconomic landscape of Gaza," she warned. "The impact will be felt for generations to come." In the Gaza Strip, "nearly 100 percent of the population now lives in poverty", ILO said. It warned that "the significant economic contraction in the West Bank is estimated to have more than doubled the short-term poverty rate, rising from 12 percent in 2023 to 28 percent by mid-2024". Unemployment in the West Bank surged to nearly 35 percent since last October, "while in Gaza it averaged a staggering 79.7 percent", ILO said. Also Read | China's economy grows at 4.6%, falling short of ambitious targets The agency said the wider economic toll had also been "unprecedented" across the occupied Palestinian territories. The West Bank saw gross domestic product contract by 21.7 percent year-on-year, while GDP in the Gaza Strip nosedived 84.7 percent, it said. Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza after lasy year's October attack by Hamas, which resulted in the deaths of 1,206 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures, including hostages killed in captivity. Israel's retaliation has killed at least 42,409 people, the majority civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory, which the UN considers reliable. These figures also "reflect the shutdown of most economic activities in Gaza due to the destruction of homes and infrastructure, and the recurring displacement of workers and employers", ILO said. "This has led either to complete termination of work or to a predominance of informal and irregular work." - Soaring prices - ILO said Gazans were also grappling with soaring prices, with year-on-year inflation reaching a whopping 248 percent in August. On Wednesday, the United Nations again warned of the risk of a full-blown famine in the besieged territory. Also Read | Pakistan: Violent protests erupt in Lahore over on-campus 'rape' of college student | Here's what happened The situation is also increasingly dire in the West Bank. "Israeli barriers to movement of persons and goods, coupled with broader trade restrictions and supply chain disruptions, have severely impacted the economy", ILO said. "The closure of the Israeli labour market to Palestinian workers has further strained livelihoods," it added. Israeli troops or settlers have killed more than 738 Palestinians there in the past year, according to the Ramallah-based health ministry. At least 24 Israelis, civilians or members of the security forces, have meanwhile been killed in attacks carried out by Palestinian militants or in Israeli military operations in the West Bank over the same period, Israeli officials say. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

UN sounds alarm over staggering unemployment in Gaza a year after war

China will prefer Kamala Harris to Donald Trump as the next US presidential considering that bilateral ties deteriorated sharply during the latter's presidency leading to serious confrontation, a senior member of the Chinese national advisory body said on Thursday.

The Chinese government prefers not to comment on the US presidential election because it doesn't want to be accused of interfering in American domestic politics, Jia Qingguo, member of the Standing Committee of the national advisory body CPPCC said.

The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is a key component of the state governance system and a distinctively Chinese political institution.

The views of the Chinese general public are divided over Harris and Trump, but "I would prefer Harris because of the bad experience with Trump. We don't want to have that experience again," he told BBC in a rare comment voicing Beijing's preferred choice in the US presidential election.

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During Trump's presidency, the relations declined sharply and the two countries ended up in serious confrontation. "From China's point of view, US Vice President Kamala Harris, who has worked under President Biden, represents the continuity," he said.

Trump, during his Presidency, was quite emotional and spread a lot of bad information about China, said Jia, who is also the Director of the Institute of Global Cooperation and Understanding of the Peking University.

"We have problems with the Biden admiration too," but Biden inherited a lot of tough measures initiated by Trump against China for the reasons of domestic politics and perhaps out of his ideological conviction, he said, adding, "Under Biden, the US policy towards China is more stable, predictable." "We are re-engaging with each other. Officials are meeting with each other, talking about issues," which he said is stabilising the relations.

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While following a tough policy towards China, including firming up US policy to challenge Beijing's claims over the disputed South China Sea and Taiwan, and restricting China's ambitious move to export its electric vehicles, Biden, however, has maintained regular dialogue with President Xi Jinping to keep the tensions under control.

The relations between the top two economies nosedived under Trump, especially after COVID-19 broke out in the Chinese city of Wuhan in 2019 and led to a pandemic which had a devastating impact all over the world.

Trump has alleged that the virus responsible for the pandemic was leaked from a bio lab in Wuhan, prompting China to mount a massive propaganda offensive to counter Trump's allegations.

The former president had levied tariffs on the flourishing Chinese exports to the US to force Beijing to provide more access to the American goods.

The Biden administration is continuing with the tariffs on Chinese exports to the US, which last year amounted to over USD 500 billion compared to around USD 148 billion American exports to China.

Trump's threat to impose 60 per cent tariffs on Chinese goods, if he gets elected, is worrying Beijing as it may have a severe impact on China's economy which is bogged down with a slowdown.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

China will prefer Kamala Harris to Donald Trump as the next US presidential considering that bilateral ties deteriorated sharply during the latter's presidency leading to serious confrontation, a senior member of the Chinese national advisory body said on Thursday.

China will prefer Kamala Harris to Donald Trump as the next US presidential considering that bilateral ties deteriorated sharply during the latter's presidency leading to serious confrontation, a senior member of the Chinese national advisory body said on Thursday. The Chinese government prefers not to comment on the US presidential election because it doesn't want to be accused of interfering in American domestic politics, Jia Qingguo, member of the Standing Committee of the national advisory body CPPCC said. The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is a key component of the state governance system and a distinctively Chinese political institution. The views of the Chinese general public are divided over Harris and Trump, but "I would prefer Harris because of the bad experience with Trump. We don't want to have that experience again," he told BBC in a rare comment voicing Beijing's preferred choice in the US presidential election. Also Read | ‘Sit down and discuss...,’ Ex-Pak PM Nawaz Sharif’s friendly overture to India During Trump's presidency, the relations declined sharply and the two countries ended up in serious confrontation. "From China's point of view, US Vice President Kamala Harris, who has worked under President Biden, represents the continuity," he said. Trump, during his Presidency, was quite emotional and spread a lot of bad information about China, said Jia, who is also the Director of the Institute of Global Cooperation and Understanding of the Peking University. "We have problems with the Biden admiration too," but Biden inherited a lot of tough measures initiated by Trump against China for the reasons of domestic politics and perhaps out of his ideological conviction, he said, adding, "Under Biden, the US policy towards China is more stable, predictable." "We are re-engaging with each other. Officials are meeting with each other, talking about issues," which he said is stabilising the relations. Also Read | Sinwar was killed accidentally: Here's how IDF troops who didn't have intel about Hamas chief neutralised him While following a tough policy towards China, including firming up US policy to challenge Beijing's claims over the disputed South China Sea and Taiwan, and restricting China's ambitious move to export its electric vehicles, Biden, however, has maintained regular dialogue with President Xi Jinping to keep the tensions under control. The relations between the top two economies nosedived under Trump, especially after COVID-19 broke out in the Chinese city of Wuhan in 2019 and led to a pandemic which had a devastating impact all over the world. Trump has alleged that the virus responsible for the pandemic was leaked from a bio lab in Wuhan, prompting China to mount a massive propaganda offensive to counter Trump's allegations. The former president had levied tariffs on the flourishing Chinese exports to the US to force Beijing to provide more access to the American goods. The Biden administration is continuing with the tariffs on Chinese exports to the US, which last year amounted to over USD 500 billion compared to around USD 148 billion American exports to China. Trump's threat to impose 60 per cent tariffs on Chinese goods, if he gets elected, is worrying Beijing as it may have a severe impact on China's economy which is bogged down with a slowdown. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

China prefers Kamala Harris over Donald Trump as US president, says top Chinese official

Russia launched one of its largest drone salvos at Ukraine in recent months, targeting Kyiv and other cities and igniting a fire at an industrial facility in the western region of Ternopil, officials said on Wednesday (Oct 16).

Air defences shot down 68 of 136 drones used in the attack, the air force said in its readout. Two drones got back to Russia and 64 were unaccounted for, possibly after being intercepted by electronic warfare systems, it added.

Two drones hit unidentified targets, according to the report on the attack, which took place hours before President Volodymyr Zelenskiy unveiled his plan to fend off Russia's invasion.

Almost 50 firefighters put out a "large-scale fire" in the Ternopil region, the military administration wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

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"There were no injuries," it said, declining to name the affected facility.

The air force said Russia also fired two missiles at the northern Chernihiv and eastern Donetsk regions, but did not say what happened to them. There was no immediate comment from Russia on its latest strike.

Police in neighbouring Moldova said that debris of what appeared to be a missile had been found to the country's north, about four&nbsp;km (2.5 miles) from its border with Ukraine's central Vinnytsia region. It was not immediately clear if it related to the latest or a previous attack.

The drone attack caused a fire at a private residence in the region outside the capital and damaged several other buildings, according to Governor Ruslan Kravchenko.

The region was under air alert for more than 12 hours because of the attack. Kravchenko said there were no casualties.

All the drones that targeted Kyiv overnight were destroyed and there were no reports of damage or injuries, Serhiy Popko, the city military administration's chief, said.

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Russian strikes have pounded Ukraine's power facilities this year and long blackouts and other outages are almost certain to make the looming winter difficult for ordinary Ukrainians far from the front line where Russian troops have been advancing.

The governors of the southern Kherson and Mykolaiv regions reported power cuts on Wednesday, with the energy authorities in the Mykolaiv region saying 272,000 consumers had been affected.

Regional governor Vitaliy Kim said the sweeping outage was not the result of the overnight strike and that the authorities were working to restore power in the next couple of hours.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Russia launched one of its largest drone salvos at Ukraine in recent months, targeting Kyiv and other cities and igniting a fire at an industrial facility in the western region of Ternopil, officials said on Wednesday (Oct 16).

Russia launched one of its largest drone salvos at Ukraine in recent months, targeting Kyiv and other cities and igniting a fire at an industrial facility in the western region of Ternopil, officials said on Wednesday (Oct 16). Air defences shot down 68 of 136 drones used in the attack, the air force said in its readout. Two drones got back to Russia and 64 were unaccounted for, possibly after being intercepted by electronic warfare systems, it added. Two drones hit unidentified targets, according to the report on the attack, which took place hours before President Volodymyr Zelenskiy unveiled his plan to fend off Russia's invasion. Almost 50 firefighters put out a "large-scale fire" in the Ternopil region, the military administration wrote on the Telegram messaging app. Also Read | Teenager detained in connection to hoax bomb threats to Indian carriers "There were no injuries," it said, declining to name the affected facility. The air force said Russia also fired two missiles at the northern Chernihiv and eastern Donetsk regions, but did not say what happened to them. There was no immediate comment from Russia on its latest strike. Police in neighbouring Moldova said that debris of what appeared to be a missile had been found to the country's north, about four km (2.5 miles) from its border with Ukraine's central Vinnytsia region. It was not immediately clear if it related to the latest or a previous attack. The drone attack caused a fire at a private residence in the region outside the capital and damaged several other buildings, according to Governor Ruslan Kravchenko. The region was under air alert for more than 12 hours because of the attack. Kravchenko said there were no casualties. All the drones that targeted Kyiv overnight were destroyed and there were no reports of damage or injuries, Serhiy Popko, the city military administration's chief, said. Also Read | Xi Jinping advocates for stronger China-America ties ahead of US Elections Russian strikes have pounded Ukraine's power facilities this year and long blackouts and other outages are almost certain to make the looming winter difficult for ordinary Ukrainians far from the front line where Russian troops have been advancing. The governors of the southern Kherson and Mykolaiv regions reported power cuts on Wednesday, with the energy authorities in the Mykolaiv region saying 272,000 consumers had been affected. Regional governor Vitaliy Kim said the sweeping outage was not the result of the overnight strike and that the authorities were working to restore power in the next couple of hours. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Kyiv says 130 Russian drones attacked Ukraine in recent strike

A helicopter carrying Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar had to make an emergency landing in a village near Munsiyari due to bad weather on Wednesday (Oct 16), an official said.

Pithoragarh District Magistrate Vinod Girish Goswami said the chopper, which was on its way to Milam Glacier, left at around 1:00 pm.

However, due to the cloudy weather and low visibility, it landed on a helipad in Ralam village, 42 km away, at around 1:30 pm, he said.

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&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 
Additional Chief Election Officer of Uttarakhand Vijay Kumar Jogdande is with the CEC, he said.

There were three people on board the helicopter apart from the pilot. They are all safe and waiting for the weather to clear up to return to Munsiyari, the DM said.

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They have the necessary communication equipment including satellite phones, he added.

"I have talked to the CEC twice. They are all safe. If the weather clears up, they will be taken back to Munsiyari and if it does not, they will rest at the ITBP camp near Ralam," the DM said.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

A helicopter carrying Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar had to make an emergency landing in a village near Munsiyari due to bad weather on Wednesday (Oct 16), an official said.

A helicopter carrying Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar had to make an emergency landing in a village near Munsiyari due to bad weather on Wednesday (Oct 16), an official said. Pithoragarh District Magistrate Vinod Girish Goswami said the chopper, which was on its way to Milam Glacier, left at around 1:00 pm. However, due to the cloudy weather and low visibility, it landed on a helipad in Ralam village, 42 km away, at around 1:30 pm, he said. Also Read | IndiGo Mumbai-Delhi flight diverted after hoax bomb threat; marks 12th incident in 2 days Additional Chief Election Officer of Uttarakhand Vijay Kumar Jogdande is with the CEC, he said. There were three people on board the helicopter apart from the pilot. They are all safe and waiting for the weather to clear up to return to Munsiyari, the DM said. Also Read | Teenager detained in connection to hoax bomb threats to Indian carriers They have the necessary communication equipment including satellite phones, he added. "I have talked to the CEC twice. They are all safe. If the weather clears up, they will be taken back to Munsiyari and if it does not, they will rest at the ITBP camp near Ralam," the DM said. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Helicopter carrying CEC Rajiv Kumar makes emergency landing in India's Uttarakhand

For Tereza Hussein, a 14-year-old refugee who lives in Darwin, Australia's planned social media ban would mean losing a direct line to the most important person to her: a grandmother she has never physically met.

For Tereza Hussein, a 14-year-old refugee who lives in Darwin, Australia's planned social media ban would mean losing a direct line to the most important person to her: a grandmother she has never physically met. "It's the only way I've ever connected to my grandma before, over socials," said Hussein, who was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo but lived in a refugee camp in Malawi before settling in Australia when she was nine. "It's going to have a very big change in my life because it's going to be hard for me to talk to the people that I've left behind," she said. While Hussein rarely posts on social media, she uses Meta's Instagram and Snapchat primarily to view and discuss photos and videos from family and friends. She represents what experts say is a blind spot in a plan by Australia's government to put an age minimum on social media in response to concerns about bullying, predatory grooming and physical and mental health. For teenagers from migrant, LGBTQIA+ and other minority backgrounds, an age block could cut off access to essential social support. Some 97% of Australian teenagers use social media across an average of four platforms, surveys show, making them among the world's most connected youth. Nearly two-thirds of parents of Australian teenagers reported concerns about their children's social media use, according to a 2024 survey by youth service ReachOut. Now the government wants to curb social media addiction by cutting the cord. While the ban is yet to be legislated and at present lacks key details -- such as which ages and platforms it would affect -- the government's first step is to trial age verification. Youth advocates, however, warn the ban will cut social connections for vulnerable youth and have instead called for tech platforms to better enforce safe interactions. Also Read | Indian American billionaire and past monk, investigated for tax abuse "The ban is pretty much the opposite of what we would recommend," said Amelia Johns, an associate professor of digital media at University of Technology, Sydney, who studied migrant teens' social media use during COVID-19 lockdowns. "Everyone is living on social media. For a lot of young people it's not an option to opt out, and I do wonder about the mental health consequences of a complete blanket ban." So far, no country has rolled out an age-based ban targeting internet platforms. France and Britain have tested age verification but are yet to go live with a ban, while some U.S. states require age verification to access restricted content. Australia plans to introduce legislation by the end of the year. While no lower age limit has been proposed, officials have suggested around 14 to 16. "If I lost social media it would make me feel a lot more isolated," said Ben Kioko, a 14-year-old from Sydney who self-described as autistic and part of the LGBTQIA+ community. "Since I struggle with mental health issues like anxiety and depression, it would make those a lot worse than they already are and could really affect my life long-term," he added. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is a key proponent of the ban. "Parents want their kids off their phones and on the footy field, so do I," he said in September. Also Read | Zelensky presents much-awaited 'victory plan': What's in it? Request to join NATO, and more A spokesperson for Albanese didn't respond to Reuters' request for comment Justine Humphry, a media researcher at University of Sydney who has published an online safety programme, said while social media companies should better protect teenagers, an outright ban was based on "nostalgia" for a childhood without screens that she described as "fiction". Meta, which also owns Facebook and WhatsApp, declined to comment. It has said it supports protecting young users from harmful content and interactions but an age block should be the responsibility of smartphone makers. The company upped privacy default settings for under-18 Instagram users this September and said those under 16 need parental approval to relax settings. Alphabet (GOOGL.O), owner of YouTube, one of the most popular platforms for teenagers, declined to comment but said in a blog post it has features to give parents oversight of their children's use. 'WORKAROUNDS' Elsewhere, no attempts to enforce age restrictions have succeeded partly due to access to virtual private networks (VPNs) that hide users' locations and personal information, experts said. A report by former judge Robert French, commissioned by South Australia state to support its own separate plan for a teen social media ban, noted "there will undoubtedly be workarounds by knowledgeable child users". A 2022 age verification trial in France, which wants social media restricted to 15 and above, found nearly half the country's teenagers could use VPNs, said Olivier Blazy, a computer scientist at Paris's Ecole Polytechnique who worked on the project. Also Read | Court says impeachment proceedings against Kenya deputy president are constitutional Antonio Cesarano, product manager for Proton VPN, said customer numbers typically surged when restrictions were introduced. In 2021, soon after YouTube started asking users for identification to view age-restricted content, a developer using the alias ZerodyOne posted software on open source website Github that helped users bypass the restrictions. It has been downloaded about 2.5 million times, according to data shared by ZerodyOne, who gave only his first name, David. Sydney high school student Enie Lam, 16, said she uses a VPN to bypass her school's wifi restrictions for school-assigned research like reading news articles online. "I understand that using social media a lot is not a good thing and I'm working on it," she said. "But a ban is not going to work." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Will Australia ban social media for teens? Fears rise of move isolating them

Lebanon said five people were killed in Israeli strikes Wednesday on municipality buildings in the southern city of Nabatiyeh, where Hezbollah and ally Amal hold sway, with an official saying the mayor was among the dead.

The attacks were among 11 strikes on Nabatiyeh city and its surroundings that created "a kind of belt of fire" in the area, the local official had earlier told AFP.

"The Israeli enemy raid... on two buildings, that of the Nabatiyeh municipality and the union of municipalities, killed five people," the Lebanese health ministry said in a statement.

It added that the death toll was preliminary and that rescuers were still searching for survivors under the rubble.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/amorous-couple-blamed-for-flooding-that-shut-down-two-major-melbourne-stations-768036">‘Amorous couple’ blamed for flooding that shut down two major Melbourne stations</a>

"The mayor of Nabatiyeh, among others... was martyred. It's a massacre," Nabatiyeh governor Howaida Turk told AFP.

She added that the mayor, Ahmad Kahil, had been in the municipality building with his team during a daily crisis management meeting.

Hezbollah-affiliated rescuers also told AFP that the mayor was among several people killed in the strike on the municipality building.

They also said the strikes destroyed the municipality building and a nearby medical facility, with two doctors among the dead.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/five-killed-including-two-children-in-deadly-car-crash-in-cumbria-768032">Five killed, including two children in deadly car crash in Cumbria</a>

AFP footage showed several plumes of grey smoke rising from Nabatiyeh, following the consecutive strikes.

On Saturday, Israeli strikes razed the city's main marketplace and wounded eight people there, the health ministry had said.

At least 1,356 people have been killed in Lebanon since Israel launched an intense air campaign on September 23, according to an AFP tally of Lebanese health ministry figures, though the real toll is likely higher.

The escalation followed nearly a year of cross-border fire between Hezbollah and Israeli troops over the Gaza war.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Lebanon said five people were killed in Israeli strikes Wednesday on municipality buildings in the southern city of Nabatiyeh, where Hezbollah and ally Amal hold sway, with an official saying the mayor was among the dead.

Lebanon said five people were killed in Israeli strikes Wednesday on municipality buildings in the southern city of Nabatiyeh, where Hezbollah and ally Amal hold sway, with an official saying the mayor was among the dead. The attacks were among 11 strikes on Nabatiyeh city and its surroundings that created "a kind of belt of fire" in the area, the local official had earlier told AFP. "The Israeli enemy raid... on two buildings, that of the Nabatiyeh municipality and the union of municipalities, killed five people," the Lebanese health ministry said in a statement. It added that the death toll was preliminary and that rescuers were still searching for survivors under the rubble. Also Read | ‘Amorous couple’ blamed for flooding that shut down two major Melbourne stations "The mayor of Nabatiyeh, among others... was martyred. It's a massacre," Nabatiyeh governor Howaida Turk told AFP. She added that the mayor, Ahmad Kahil, had been in the municipality building with his team during a daily crisis management meeting. Hezbollah-affiliated rescuers also told AFP that the mayor was among several people killed in the strike on the municipality building. They also said the strikes destroyed the municipality building and a nearby medical facility, with two doctors among the dead. Also Read | Five killed, including two children in deadly car crash in Cumbria AFP footage showed several plumes of grey smoke rising from Nabatiyeh, following the consecutive strikes. On Saturday, Israeli strikes razed the city's main marketplace and wounded eight people there, the health ministry had said. At least 1,356 people have been killed in Lebanon since Israel launched an intense air campaign on September 23, according to an AFP tally of Lebanese health ministry figures, though the real toll is likely higher. The escalation followed nearly a year of cross-border fire between Hezbollah and Israeli troops over the Gaza war. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Lebanon says five dead, including mayor, in Israeli strikes on Nabatiyeh municipality

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