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Modi welcomes first phase of Trump’s peace plan as Israel and Hamas agree to ceasefire

Prime Minister Modi Welcomes First Phase of President Trump’s Peace Plan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has welcomed the agreement on the first phase of President Donald Trump’s peace plan. The Prime Minister emphasized that this development reflects the strong leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, expressing hope that the release of hostages and enhanced humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza will bring much-needed respite and pave the way for lasting peace in the region, reports 24brussels.

Modi stated, “We welcome the agreement on the first phase of President Trump’s peace plan. This is also a reflection of the strong leadership of PM Netanyahu. We hope the release of hostages and enhanced humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza will bring respite to them and pave the way for lasting peace.”

On Thursday, Reuven Azar, Israel’s Ambassador to India, expressed appreciation for India’s support regarding the agreement. In a post on X, he remarked, “Thankful for the efforts of the Israeli delegation and all involved in reaching the agreement that will release all our hostages. Special thanks to POTUS Trump. May we see peace restored soon, free from terror threats. Appreciate India’s support all along!”

Earlier, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the announcement of an agreement to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza, based on the proposal put forward by President Trump. He praised the diplomatic efforts of the United States, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkiye in brokering the deal, urging all parties to abide fully by the terms of the agreement.

Qatar’s Prime Minister and spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Majed Al Ansari, stated that an agreement had been reached on all provisions and implementation mechanisms of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. This deal encompasses the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners. In a post on X, he wrote, “The mediators announce that tonight an agreement was reached on all the provisions and implementation mechanisms of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, which will lead to ending the war, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the entry of aid. The details will be announced later.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the agreement as “a great day for Israel,” indicating plans to convene the government to approve the agreement and bring all kidnapped individuals home. He expressed gratitude to the Israeli military and security forces, as well as President Trump and his team, “for their commitment to this sacred mission of freeing our kidnapped people.”

In its first public statement since President Trump confirmed that the Palestinian group Hamas and Israel had agreed on the first phase of the peace plan, Hamas announced the conclusion of an agreement that stipulates an end to the war on Gaza, the occupation’s withdrawal, the entry of aid, and a prisoner exchange, according to Al Jazeera. The group called on the US leader, Arab mediators, and international stakeholders to ensure that the Israeli government complies with the agreement’s requirements. Hamas concluded by affirming its commitment to the national rights of the Palestinian people, including freedom, independence, and self-determination.

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US diplomat fired over relationship with woman accused of ties to Chinese Communist Party

The State Department said Wednesday that it has fired a US diplomat over a romantic relationship he admitted having with a Chinese woman alleged to have ties to the Chinese Communist Party.
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World leaders express hope after Israel and Hamas deal signals major breakthrough in Gaza war

World leaders express hope after Israel and Hamas deal signals major breakthrough in Gaza war [deltaMinutes] mins ago Now
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‘The UN is ready to act,’ to get aid flowing into Gaza, UNOPS executive director says

The Executive Director of UNOPS, the UN Office for Project Services, Jorge Moreira da Silva, told Euronews that 170,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid are available for distribution in Gaza.
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‘A fatal blow’: Italian producers fear effects of Trump’s ‘war against pasta’

US president’s threat to impose 92% tariffs targeting major manufacturers put family-run firms in the firing line as well

“It’s a real pity,” laments Antonio Rummo of Donald Trump’s latest target in his ever-evolving tariff war: Italian pasta. Rummo is the sixth-generation grandson of the founder of Pasta Rummo, who opened a wheat mill in Benevento in southern Italy in 1846, using the family’s three horses to lug grain from the surrounding Campania region and Puglia to produce fresh pasta.

“Demand for premium pasta in the US has been growing,” says Rummo. Appreciated by consumers for a traditional processing method that guarantees it will cook to al dente perfection, sales of Pasta Rummo have been thriving.

Continue reading…

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Illegal immigrant quietly handed slap-on-the-wrist sentence for hit-and-run that killed University of South Carolina student

He only pleaded guilty to hit-and-run resulting in death — with the other charges reportedly dismissed.
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Shonda Rhimes says you can’t have it all as a working mom: ‘It does not work that way’

Shonda Rhimes
Shonda Rhimes says there was a “relief” in knowing she couldn’t be perfect at work and as a mom at the same time.

  • Shonda Rhimes says it was a relief to accept she can’t excel at work and motherhood at once.
  • “It’s always going to be a little bit, you know, shaky. So let it be shaky,” the “Grey’s Anatomy” showrunner said.
  • In a 2014 speech, Rhimes said success in one part of her life often meant she was falling short in another.

Between raising kids and creating hit TV shows, Shonda Rhimes says she’s found comfort in accepting that something will always have to give.

During an appearance on Wednesday’s episode of “Call Her Daddy,” hosted by Alex Cooper, Rhimes spoke about the realities of balancing motherhood and her career.

“I think the relief was realizing that you can only do so much at once,” Rhimes told Cooper. “I mean, I think that the struggle and the way we’re told like, lean in or you can have it all or all these things — it’s such bullshit.”

Rhimes said that working mothers are often “conditioned” to believe they need to give their all at work and still be perfect at home, when in reality, “it does not work that way.”

“My job is amazing, but there are times when I’m going to have to say, OK, I let that slide because my kids needed me. And that is OK,” the “Grey’s Anatomy” creator said.

The pressure to be “perfect” in every part of life sets women up to fail, since no one can give their all to everything at once, she added.

“It’s never going to happen. You’re never going to feel amazing at both. It’s always going to be a little bit, you know, shaky. So let it be shaky,” she said.

She added that she’s accepted that she’ll always have to prioritize some things over others: “It’s not that you can’t do it all. It’s that you can’t do it all at once.”

“People used to be like, ‘How can you say that?’ I’m like, it made me feel so much better to think like, ‘OK, I’m failing at work right now. That’s OK.’ To give myself that permission made it so much easier,” Rhimes said.

This isn’t the first time Rhimes has spoken about finding balance as a working mother. In a 2014 Dartmouth commencement speech, she shared that she, too, has to make trade-offs between her personal and professional lives.

“Whenever you see me somewhere succeeding in one area of my life, that almost certainly means I am failing in another area of my life,” Rhimes said.

A representative for Rhimes did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by Business Insider outside regular hours.

The concept of how women should “lean in” to their careers and ambitions was popularized by Sheryl Sandberg, then Facebook’s Chief Operating Officer, in her 2013 book of the same title.

In a 2025 memoir, former Meta executive Sarah Wynn-Williams revealed how the workplace’s “lean in” culture often left working mothers feeling unsupported and exhausted.

Rhimes is far from being the only Hollywood star who has spoken about the challenges they faced trying to balance work and motherhood.

In 2024, Keira Knightley said she had to step back from her career because she chose to start a family.

“I couldn’t go job to job [abroad] now. It wouldn’t be in any way fair on them, and I wouldn’t want to,” Knightley told The Times. “I’ve chosen to have children, I want to bring them up, so I’ve had to take a major step back.”

During a May appearance on the “Armchair Expert” podcast, Michelle Williams said that balancing her career and motherhood is like figuring out “which master you’re going to serve.”

“Because the truth is, if work is going well, somebody else is taking care of the kids. And if you’re in a high point with your kids, the work is shoved to the side,” Williams told podcast host Dax Shepard.

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The world’s oldest president seeks an eighth term in Cameroon as youth grumble

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Amazfit Active 2 fitness tracker available for $81, offering strong features for budget buyers

Amazfit Active 2 Smartwatch Offers Robust Features at a Budget-Friendly Price

The Amazfit Active 2 smartwatch goes on sale for $80.74 as part of the Prime Big Deal Days event, offering a range of features typically found in more expensive devices, reports 24brussels.

Despite its affordability, the Active 2 stands out with a vibrant 2,000-nit OLED display, impressive water resistance, and a solid battery performance delivering up to 10 hours of regular use on a single charge. The smartwatch includes essential health tracking features as well as advanced functionalities such as real-time heart rate monitoring and blood oxygen saturation detection.

In addition to core fitness metrics like steps taken and calories burned, the Active 2 supports menstrual cycle tracking and offers AI-powered tools like the Zepp Flow assistant, allowing for basic voice commands. Users can also access Zepp Coach to create personalized training plans. A subscription option for $77 per year provides access to the Zepp Aura AI chatbot for tailored sleep and recovery insights, enhancing the smartwatch’s already appealing value proposition.

The Active 2 not only caters to fitness enthusiasts but also boasts features typical of high-end smartwatches, such as offline maps with turn-by-turn navigation and compatibility with all major GNSS satellite systems. This budget-friendly smartwatch thus proves to be an excellent investment for those seeking reliable fitness tracking without high costs.

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What to know about the capture of the last of 10 escapees from a New Orleans jail

What to know about the capture of the last of 10 escapees from a New Orleans jail