In the most recent high-level meeting between Russia’s president Vladimir Putin and North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, which has bolstered ties with the former Ukrainian dictatorship.
Putin and Choe were greeted in the Kremlin on Monday by footage released by Russian state news agencies. Sergey Lavrov, the head of Russia’s foreign ministry, also made an appearance at the meeting.
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According to Russian Sputnik news agency, Putin stated that the nations’ “relations and development prospects” are proceeding “according to plan” and that Kim Jong Un’s situation is progressing. Kim, who had earlier praised the “spiritual closeness” of the two countries’ relationship in discussions with Lavrov, then turned on Choe to send her “warm wishes.”
In recent years, Russia and North Korea have significantly bolstered ties, signing a 2024 defense pact that requires each nation to provide military support to the other in the event of “aggression.”
At least 600 of North Korea’s troops have died fighting in Ukraine since then, according to Seoul and Kyiv-based estimates, and it has sent around 10,000 to Russia’s conflict since then.
In April, Pyongyang first acknowledged its soldiers’ involvement in the conflict, claiming they had assisted Russia in retaking its strategic Kursk region following a counteroffensive by the Ukrainians.
Kim and his family celebrated the opening of a museum in Pyongyang a few days ago in honor of the North Korean soldiers killed in the conflict. He claimed that their deployment “emerged from a new era of militant solidarity” with Russia, which has an “invincible” alliance.
After attending a military parade hosted by China’s President and CEO, Xi Jinping, the leaders of Beijing met in person on September 3 for official talks. Putin at the time praised North Korean soldiers for participating in the Ukrainian conflict “courageously and heroically.”
Putin said, “I want to make it clear that we will never forget the sacrifices your armed forces and your service members have made.”
The hurricane that has been strewn directly at Jamaica, Hurricane Melissa, is anticipated to be the strongest to ever strike the island.
Wind speeds exceeding 252 km/h (157 mph) increased on Monday to a Category 5 storm, the most powerful on the Saffir-Simpson scale. According to the American National Hurricane Center (NHC), it was expected to make landfall on Tuesday morning. The storm, according to the report, will bring “catastrophic flooding” and “destructive winds” that it expects to worsen day and night.
The south coast of Jamaica is likely to experience life-threatening storm surge, accompanied by large, destructive waves, from late on Monday through Tuesday morning, according to Jamaica’s Meteorological Service.
What caused Hurricane Melissa to form?
Off the coast of West Africa, a group of thunderstorms called Melissa first appeared. It developed into a depression as it traveled west. Its status as a tropical storm was announced on October 21.
Melissa made its way through the Caribbean Sea through the weekend into a Category 4 storm.
(Al Jazeera)
The Atlantic hurricane season, which starts on June 1 and ends on November 30, includes Melissa, which is the 13th hurricane of the season. Every year, the Atlantic basin experiences about seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes on average. This year’s Atlantic hurricane season was predicted by the US’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which included 13 to 18 named storms.
After Hurricanes Erin and Humberto, this is the third Category 5 hurricane to hit the area.
(Al Jazeera)
Storms are categorised using the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. Hurricanes are classified into five different categories based on the wind’s sustainedness.
A storm with a sustained wind speed of 252 km/h (157 mph) or higher is categorized as Category 5. The NHC claims that Category 5 storms typically cause “catastrophic damage.”
(Al Jazeera)
What has Melissa grown up to? What country will Jamaica be hit by?
Residents of Jamaica have been instructed to use sandbags and boards to protect their homes and stock up on necessities in anticipation of the hurricane.
The NHC predicted that tropical storm-force winds will blow out to as far away as 45 kilometers (30 miles) from Melissa’s center, and that they will blow out to as far as 315 kilometers (195 miles) from it.
How far along is the storm’s path:
Monday, 7am in Jamaica (12: 00 GMT)
Melissa moved northwest in the Caribbean on Monday morning, earning it a Category 5 hurricane status.
Tuesday, 1am (06: 00 GMT)
Melissa will probably landfall very soon after this. The storm will cause more damage, according to the NHC because it moves slowly, moving at 8 km/h (5 mph).
Slow motion is expected to cause a catastrophic event in Jamaica due to this extreme rainfall potential, according to NHC Deputy Director Jamie Rhome.
Southern Hispaniola is expected to experience rainfall totals of 1, 016mm (40 inches) through Wednesday, with additional rainfall of 203mm to 406mm (8 to 16 inches) and a rainfall total of 381mm to 762mm (15 to 30 inches) due to Melissa. There are a lot of landslides and catastrophic flash flooding.
Wednesday, 1pm (18: 00 GMT)
By Wednesday, Melissa is expected to pass over Cuba before moving through the Greater Antilles and the Atlantic.
By the time it reaches Cuba, it is expected to fall into Category 3.
What has recently happened on the ground?
“I am aware that there are many Jamaicans who are anxious, who are very concerned,” said Prime Minister Andrew Holness. You ought to be worried.
However, being prepared is the best way to deal with anxiety and any enthrallement and concern.
The Jamaican Meteorological Service has advised fishermen and small craft owners on the banks and cays to stay in safe harbor until wind and sea conditions are normal.
It stated that it is impossible to leave the island before the hurricane arrives. Both Montego Bay and Kingston, the main airports, are closed. The airport in Kingston is advising travelers to “contact your airline for rebooking.” NEVER travel to the airport.
Melissa is anticipated to cause similar damage in parts of Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and eastern Cuba.
Jamaica’s hurricane history
Only one Category 4 storm, Hurricane Gilbert, was recorded in Jamaica in 1988, according to the NHC. At least 45 people were killed in the storm, which was the most destructive in Jamaica’s history.
The island was hit by Hurricane Sandy for the first time since Gilbert in October 2012. It was a Category 1 storm when it struck.
In a first-look clip from Disney+’s new two-part documentary Caroline Flack: Search for the Truth, Christine Flack’s mother has revealed her “big regret.”
Christine, Caroline Flack’s mother, expressed her deepest regret after the passing of her daughter. Caroline, 40, took her own life tragically, and her mother doesn’t want anyone else to experience the same nightmare.
In a first look clip from Disney+’s newest two-part documentary Caroline Flack: Search for the Truth, Christine addresses a memorial bench for Caroline along with her children.
Speaking of her daughter, Christine said: “I think Caroline would be pleased with what I’m doing. I wish I had done it then, before she took her own life, and that’s my biggest regret, that I wasn’t shouting like this, then. But now I have nothing to lose. The worst thing in the world happened with losing Carrie.”
Christine and Caroline’s children were pictured in the first look scene. She continued, “I come here, and you have different moods when you’re here, don’t you? ” I must have felt awful that day.
Another lonely year has passed, I just said. You missed me just as much as I did when you left today. I’m making every effort to explain to the world why some horrible people compelled you. I’ll keep fighting. I sincerely love you. “
Do you think there will ever be a moment when you can stop fighting, mother, Elizabeth asks Caroline’s older sister?
Then Christine said, “I hope I can stop. I’m hoping it will end. You can fight until the truth is revealed to you until the end of your life.
Elizabeth responded, “Your main concern is that you’re dealing with organizations that are so corrupt, they have so much money, legal experts, and can you ever truly find the truth in these organizations”…
“I only hope I can accomplish something.” And I’ll continue doing it as long as you all approve of it.
Christine previously spoke to The Mirror about her daughter’s legacy. She told us: “At the end, Carrie didn’t think there was anything to live for, she felt the world had turned against her. I hope people who read her story will see her life was wasted and may think twice about ending theirs. That’s how I want Carrie to be remembered, for inspiring people to live.
Caroline would speak to depressed people almost as though she knew what they were going through. Her compassion and kindness can continue to be used to help people through her bench and others.
She would be unbelievably proud, I am certain. A secure location where people could sit and reflect at any time of day or night was the goal. There are currently so many negative aspects to the world.
Continue reading the article.
She continued, “I think that’s often why people give up, because they don’t see any hope,” adding about Caroline’s memorial bench. Even if it’s just to sit for five minutes and reflect on things in a secure space, Caroline’s bench offers hope. And I am aware from speaking with members of the neighborhood that it is frequently used. The QR code needed to be replaced because it was out so quickly.
The Samaritans have a free helpline that is available 24/7, accessible at 116 123, for those who are struggling and need to talk. You can also contact Jo at jo@samaritans.org or visit their website to find your neighborhood branch.
In their Women’s World Cup semi-final against Australia, India has substituted injured Pratika Rawal for injured batter Shafali Verma.
During India’s final group game against Bangladesh on Sunday, Rawal injured his ankle while playing.
The 25-year-old opener failed to bat in the match at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai despite trying to stop a boundary on the slick outfield.
With 308 runs in six innings at 51.33, Rawal is the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament, trailing only Smriti Mandhana, a fellow Indian opening batter.
The International Cricket Council’s event technical committee approved India’s request to replace Rawal with Verma for the tournament.
Verma has played 50-over cricket for India A in recent months but hasn’t played one-day internationals for India since October 2024.
The 21-year-old will now be eligible for a place in the semi-final showdown against Australia despite being excluded from India’s original World Cup squad.
Semi-final matches of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup
Norman Cook recalls a “weird” incident he and his ex-wife Zoe Ball had in a Dubai hotel room when Alan Carr spoke about his travel-themed podcast, Life’s a Beach.
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Zoe Ball’s ex-husband, Norman Cook, has recalled a “weird” experience (Image: Getty Images)
Norman Cook has recalled a “weird” experience he shared with ex-wife Zoe Ball in a hotel room. In a recent episode of Celebrity Traitors star Alan Carr’s travel-themed podcast, Life’s a Beach, Norman (who also goes by his DJ name Fatboy Slim) shared a strange detail that he and his former wife spotted in a hotel in Dubai.
The Praise You hitmaker was urged to dish the truth about “everything” by Alan after he asked about his “best hotel experience.” He claimed that this might include “butler service” or a “pillow menu,” which is reportedly a “pillow menu” in hotels.
Norman, whose 18-year relationship with Zoe came to an end in 2016, was then asked if he’d ever had such a “menu”. It prompted him to share a “weird” thing they found in a hotel.
He said: “No, I’ve had weird ones where me and Zoe stayed at a place in Dubai, and there was our wedding photo was in a frame by the bed.”
What did an unprepared Alan say in response? adding that it was actually “weird.”
Norman continued, “I believe they were trying to make us feel at home, so they kind of Googled our wedding photo, printed one, framed it, and embroidered my name on the pillow one time.” That really threw me, ” “
Elaborating further about this rather strange perk that he encountered during his hotel stay, Norman described how he opted to go downstairs to ask why his name had been immortalised in such a way.
Norman, who has two children Woody and Nelly with Zoe, claimed that he was informed that the staff believed he would “like it” and that, despite his pointing out how much “trouble” they had endured, they would “save it” for when he returned.
Meanwhile, Zoe, who first met Norman in Ibiza in 1998, recently opened up about the friendship she shares with him post-breakup on an episode of the Dig It podcast, which she hosts with Jo Whiley.
She explained how she didn’t want to follow the same path as her parents (who reportedly divorced in the 1970s).
Continue reading the article.
After their breakup, Zoe argued that they “have to do right by our kids,” and she remained in touch with Norman.
She said, “My parents divorced. I felt really bad about getting divorced because I believed what happened to me was what caused my children to lose.
With the most recent ceasefire agreement in Gaza, Israel continues to be aggressive in the Middle East.
Even if Israeli strikes in Gaza continue, the pact, which was signed on October 10, has lowered the burden on Palestinians there. Israel is still waging attacks on numerous fronts in other regions of the region.
Israel’s recent strikes in Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank give cred to the notion that Israel is attempting to isolate and weaken its neighbors.
Although Israeli officials had a visit from the US this week, Gaza’s biggest supporter didn’t seem to show any signs that Tel Aviv was ready to hold Israel accountable for its regional hostility.
What information about Israel’s most recent attacks in the area is absolutely necessary.
West Bank that is under Israeli occupation
In the occupied West Bank, Israel is severely punishing Palestinians.
Since October 7, 2023, the Israeli military has increased its efforts to annex the occupied territory, killing more than 1, 000 Palestinians in the West Bank alone.
Palestinians trying to harvest their olives are being harassed and detained by Israeli soldiers and settlers for the second week in a row.
One of the Palestinians who Israel recently detained was released during the brief but unsuccessful ceasefire, and he later was taken prisoner-free, according to the Wafa news agency.
Israeli officials, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who urged his supporters to appoint US President Donald Trump to support the West Bank’s annexation, are also engaged in violence there.
He has also suggested that Israel should “proclaim sovereignty” over the occupied West Bank, arguing that this would stymie the “dangerous idea of a Palestinian state.”
Syria
In recent days, Israeli forces have been particularly active in Syria, with local media reporting nearly daily incursions into the southern border.
Israel invaded Syria’s territory and attacked its military infrastructure as the regime of ousted President Bashar al-Assad fell in December.
Israel has continued to invade Israel, even though the new government in Syria has not reciprocated Israel’s aggressions.
According to Syrian media, the incursions include reconnaissance overflights, ground infiltration by Israeli soldiers, Syrian arrests and disappearances, and the establishment of checkpoints on Syrian territory.
According to Syrian state media outlet SANA, Israel’s most recent aggression occurred on Sunday morning in the towns of al-Razaniyah and Sayda al-Hanout in Quneitra.
A checkpoint was established between the two villages by an Israeli forces unit that consisted of four military vehicles. A local bread distributor was being held captive by the forces while serving the nearby Sayda villages, before being released and withdrawn from the area, according to a SANA reporter.
As Israel continues its airstrikes following the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad, Israeli tanks enter Quneitra, Syria [Bekir Kasm/Anadolu Agency].
According to Syrian outlet Enab Baladi, Israeli incursions have recently occurred in numerous villages in Quneitra, southern Syria.
Ibrahim Olabi, a UN representative for Syria, stated at the UN Security Council session on October 24 that Israel should stop ingraining into Syria’s internal affairs and refrain from ingraining into its territory.
He also criticized Israel’s continued occupation of Syrian territory, including the Golan Heights.
Olabi claimed that Israel’s “aggressive” behavior was in violation of the Israeli-Syrian Disengagement Agreement of 1974. Since al-Assad’s assassination, Israel has asserted that the 1974 agreement is invalid.
Lebanon
Israel continues to regularly violate the ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Israel has recently carried out particularly heavy bombings in the south.
UNIFIL fired an Israeli drone from the sky on Monday after it claimed it had dropped a grenade close to a patrol. UNFIL claimed an Israeli tank shot at peacekeepers afterward, causing no injuries. Israel’s attacks on UNIFIL are not unprecedented.
Israel killed two people earlier on Sunday in Naqoura, south Lebanon, and Nabi Chit, Baalbek, respectively.
On November 27, 2024, Israel and the Lebanese government signed a ceasefire.
However, the Israeli military did not completely evacuate Lebanon and continued to bombard the area almost daily.
Israeli media claim that these strikes are preventing Hezbollah from rebuilding in the south, citing recent attacks that have destroyed reconstruction equipment and killed civilians.
Beyond what was stated in the ceasefire, which demanded Hezbollah’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon, Israel and the US are demanding that the Lebanese government completely disarm the organization.
The Lebanese government has pressed the US to hold Israel accountable for its ceasefire violations, including the country’s continued occupation of at least five locations in Lebanese territory.
However, according to Lebanese media, US Special Envoy Tom Barrack has been unable to persuade Israel to leave Lebanese territory or stop its aggression, leaving many Lebanese skeptical of a repeat of the violence from the year before, when Israel in Lebanon killed more than 4, 000 people and displaced over one million.
Israeli media also reported that Israeli soldiers recently conducted military exercises to simulate Hezbollah invasion, despite diplomats and experts telling Al Jazeera that the organization is currently incapacent to attack.
Gaza
US Vice President JD Vance claimed last week while visiting Israel that the Hamas-Israeli ceasefire is proceeding “better than expected.”
The definition of what the US administration was expecting is still unclear because Israel has continued to launch strikes across Gaza and kill people.
Israel is also undermining the ceasefire agreement by entering Gaza more deeply and overstepping the invisible “yellow line” it was supposed to break, according to a report from the BBC.
Israeli attacks continue in Gaza despite the ceasefire’s occurrence, which is less frequent. Israel has continued to raise its death toll, in addition to the aid supplies that have been flowing into Gaza.
In a drone attack on Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp on Saturday night, one Palestinian was killed and four others were hurt, according to a statement from al-Awda Hospital. Since the ceasefire became effective, nearly 100 Palestinians have died.
Israel is also preventing sick people from leaving via the Rafah border crossing.
After Israel destroyed the Gaza Strip’s medical infrastructure, Rasha Abu Sbeaka told Al Jazeera on Sunday that she needs to leave Gaza for treatment. She has stage three cancer.
