Israeli strikes across Gaza kill 25 Palestinians, health ministry says
At least 25 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip, the Hamas-run health ministry has said, BBC reported.
Ten people, including a woman and a young girl, were killed when a ministry of religious endowments building in the eastern Zeitoun neighbourhood of Gaza City was hit, according to rescuers.
The Israeli military said it had struck "Hamas terrorist targets" after it said gunmen had opened fire towards an area where its soldiers were operating in the southern city of Khan Younis, in violation of the five-week-old ceasefire agreement, according to BBC.
Two Miss Universe judges quit scandal-hit pageant, as one claims it's rigged
Two Miss Universe judges have resigned days before the annual beauty pageant, with one of them accusing organisers of rigging the selection process, BBC reported.
Lebanese-French musician Omar Harfouch, who announced his resignation from the eight-member jury on Instagram, alleged that an "impromptu jury" had pre-selected finalists ahead of the competition, set to be held on Friday in Thailand.
Hours later, French football manager Claude Makelele also announced he'd pulled out, citing "unforeseen personal reasons".
US military officials in Ukraine for talks on ending war
Senior Pentagon officials have arrived in Ukraine to "discuss efforts to end the war" with Russia, the US military has said, BBC reported.
The team, led by US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, is expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Thursday when he returns from a trip to Turkey.
Reports began surfacing on Wednesday that the US and Russia had prepared a new peace plan, containing major concessions from Ukraine. Neither Washington nor Moscow has officially confirmed the plan, according to BBC.
Brazil creates new Indigenous territories during protest-hit COP30
COP30 host Brazil has created 10 new Indigenous territories, with the climate summit hit by protests in recent days, Reuters reported.
The designation means the areas, including one in part of the Amazon, will have their culture and environment protected under Brazilian law - though this is not always enforced.
The move follows similar actions from President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, whose government recognised Indigenous possession of 11 territories last year.
"Each and every indigenous territory in Brazil is a reason to celebrate and is a reason for us to feel happy," Dinamam Tuxu from the group Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) told the BBC at COP30, according to Reuters.
