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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...

Jemima, Indian celebrities condemn Israeli airstrikes on Gaza

More than 400 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza on March 18, during a ceasefire agreement, sparking widespread condemnation from prominent figures, including Jemima Goldsmith and Bollywood celebrities. The airstrikes have drawn sharp criticism from across the globe, as many continue to voice their support for the Palestinian cause. British activist Jemima Goldsmith also voiced her frustration, criticizing global leaders and Western media for their bias over the situation in Gaza. On her X account, she wrote, “On October 7, when 36 Israeli children and a newborn were ruthlessly murdered, it was rightfully remembered. World leaders condemned it, films were made so it never be forgotten, the Israeli flag was diplayed on public buildings across the globe. Yet, when 130 Palestinian children were killed in their sleep just a mile away on March 18, it didn't even make the front page. This was just another day in Gaza.” Indian actress Swara Bhasker, known for her outspoken views, strongly condemned the airstrikes, labeling Israel a “terrorist.” In a post on her official X account, Bhasker wrote with the hashtag #FreePalestine: “We live in a world where the slaughter of 400 children in a single day is apparently acceptable just because they are Palestinians. This an utterly despicable act of terrorism. I will SAY IT AGAIN AND AGAIN... Israel is the terrorist.”   Actress Kalki Koechlin also expressed her deep sorrow in an emotional Instagram post, criticizing the ongoing brutality in Gaza. "My heart breaks," she wrote, alongside a heartbreaking emoji. "The Israeli government chooses war over the ceasefire. Over political solutions. Over peace. The death of hundreds more Palestinians, the genocide of a people. The hostages’ families are left hanging."         View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Kalki Koechlin (@kalkikanmani) Koechlin continued, “Hamas cynically will celebrate each death of an Israeli. Life snatched away from ordinary people who live in the region. A cycle of death chants on social media. While parents who have lost children on both sides band together and stand on the streets in protest, they know there is another way. Their shattered hearts beat consistently and tirelessly and I can hear them above all the other noise” Meanwhile, Israeli-born Hollywood actress Gal Gadot, a vocal supporter of Israel, was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. However, her ceremony was delayed by pro-Palestinian protests. According to Variety magazine, protesters carried banners reading, "Heroes fight like Palestinians" and "No other land, no Oscar," referencing a documentary on Israeli attacks in the West Bank that won an award for Best Documentary this month.

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