Israelis hold posters with the images of Oded Lifschitz, Shiri Bibas and her two children, Kfir and Ariel Bibas. REUTERS/Itay Cohen |
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel would make Hamas pay for failing to release the body of hostage Shiri Bibas as agreed, in the latest potential threat to the month-old Gaza ceasefire.
- Listen to today's Reuters World News podcast for more on the latest developments.
- Arab states who were swift to reject President Donald Trump's plan for the US to take control of Gaza and resettle its Palestinians are scrambling to agree on a diplomatic offensive to counter the idea.
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- US and Russian participants have quietly met in Switzerland for unofficial discussions about the Ukraine war in recent months, including as recently as last week, sources told Reuters.
- China came out in support of Trump's bid to strike a deal with Russia to end the war, at a G20 meeting in South Africa, while US allies rallied around Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
- We look at how China's hopes to be a Ukraine peacemaker are colliding with its goals on Trump and trade.
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- The Trump administration can continue its mass firings of federal employees for now, a federal judge ruled, rejecting a bid by a group of labor unions to halt the dramatic downsizing of the roughly 2.3 million-strong federal workforce.
- Workers responsible for nuclear weapons, scientists trying to fight a worsening outbreak of bird flu, and officials responsible for supplying electricity are among those who have been accidentally fired. The Trump administration is now rushing to rehire hundreds of them.
- Elon Musk's DOGE team has slashed hundreds of jobs paid for by fees from banks, medical device companies and other forms of funding rather than taxpayer dollars, raising the question of whether the cuts will render hoped for savings.
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- European shares rose, following peers in Asia - which hit a three-month high on AI optimism.
- Alibaba's shares opened 10% higher in Hong Kong to reach their highest level in more than three years, after it reported third-quarter revenues just above analysts' estimates and said it plans to invest more in e-commerce and AI.
- Walmart forecast sales and profit for the current year below Wall Street estimates, citing the need for caution in navigating an uncertain geopolitical landscape.
- Euro zone business activity saw very tepid growth in February as demand fell at a faster pace and an expansion in services barely offset a long-running decline in manufacturing.
- British retail sales rose in January for the first time since August and by much more than expected, according to official data that suggested consumers were happy to spend despite a weak outlook for the economy.
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Spain's booming economy brings cold comfort for some |
A protest to prevent the eviction of a building called Casa Orsola, which has become a symbol of Barcelona's housing crisis. REUTERS/Nacho Doce/File Photo |
Spain's economy is growing at four times the euro zone average, driven by migration and tourism. But anger is building over a toxic mix of housing shortages, high consumer prices and sluggish wage growth. |
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A boat carries 'Pantegana', the big rat, on the Grand Canal during the Venice Carnival. REUTERS/Claudia Greco |
See a selection of our top photography from around the world. |
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