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Record-breaking heat wave grips western United States

A record early heat wave striking the western United States on Friday is a one-in-500-year event and almost certainly the result of human-caused climate change, experts say. The heat has been toppling records this week and is set to continue into the weekend across western cities while expanding eastward. Four locations in the desert area near the California-Arizona border registered 44.4 degrees Celsius on Friday, a US national record for March. The readings were recorded near Yuma and Martinez Lake in Arizona, and around Winterhaven and Ogilby in California. Read: Intense heatwave grips US, triggering record-breaking temperatures Already, 65 cities have recorded new March highs, ranging from Arizona and California to Idaho, Weather.com reported. Death Valley reached 40°C on Thursday, while typically cool and foggy San Francisco tied its historic March record at 29°C. In Colorado, skiers were seen hitting the slopes shirtless. The National Weather Service issued extreme heat warni...

UN Security Council fails to pass US resolution calling for immediate ceasefire in Gaza

The United Nations Security Council on Friday failed to pass a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza as part of a hostage deal after Russia and China vetoed the measure proposed by the United States. The resolution called for an "immediate and sustained ceasefire" lasting roughly six weeks that would protect civilians and allow for the delivery of humanitarian assistance. "The vast majority of this council voted in favour of this resolution, but unfortunately Russia and China decided to exercise its veto," US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the Security Council. Before the vote, she said it would be a "historic mistake" for the council not to adopt the resolution. Read also: US proposes UN Security Council oppose Rafah assault, back temporary Gaza ceasefire Russia's ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, also speaking before the vote, called on members not to vote in favour of the resolution. He said the resolution was "exceedingly politicized" and contained an effective green light for Israel to mount a military operation in Rafah on the southern tip of the Gaza Strip, where more than half of its 2.3 million residents have been sheltering in makeshift tents to escape the Israeli assault farther north. "This would free the hands of Israel and it would result in all of Gaza and its entire population, having to face destruction, devastation, or expulsion," Nebenzia told the meeting. He said a number of non-permanent members of the Security Council had drafted an alternate resolution, which he called a balanced document, and said there was no reason for members not to support it.

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