Skip to main content

Gaza hospital generators stop operating amid shortages of fuel, oil: Health Ministry

Several electricity generators at hospitals in the Gaza Strip have stopped operating due to shortages of oil, spare parts and fuel, the Health Ministry said Sunday. The ministry said several generators had stopped working in recent days, warning that shortages of generator oil were making it increasingly difficult to maintain electricity supplies at hospitals. It said the limited quantities of oil recently allowed into Gaza by Israel were only sufficient for emergency needs, while hospitals require around 2,500 liters per month. “The remaining generators are operating around the clock under difficult technical and mechanical conditions and are unable to meet the electricity needs of all life-saving departments,” the ministry said. Read: Muslim states warn against forced Gaza exodus It warned that more generators could stop working without urgent oil changes and called for the immediate entry of essential supplies to keep them operational. Generators have beco...

US judge orders Kennedy Center to remove Trump's name, halts closure plans

A federal judge has ordered the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to remove President Donald Trump’s name from its building and branding and temporarily halt plans to close the venue for two years, dealing a significant setback to the institution’s renovation plans. US District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled on Friday that Congress had established the Kennedy Center’s name and that only Congress could authorise any change to it. The ruling requires the removal of Trump’s name within two weeks. The judge also granted in part a request from Representative Joyce Beatty, an ex officio member of the Kennedy Center’s board, for a preliminary injunction blocking steps towards the planned closure. Cooper found that Beatty had demonstrated that a two-year closure could cause irreparable harm, although he left open the possibility that the board could reconsider the decision after conducting an independent review of its obligations. Beatty welcomed the ruling, saying efforts to rename and close the institution had no legal basis. She argued that the Kennedy Center belonged to the American public rather than any individual political figure. The Kennedy Center said it was confident the decision would be overturned on appeal. Roma Daravi, the institution’s vice-president of public relations, said the board remained committed to pursuing renovation plans backed by funding approved by Congress. Read: Trump in excellent health with leg swelling, hand bruising, doctor says President Trump criticised the ruling on social media, describing it as misguided. He argued that the building must close for renovations to be carried out safely and suggested he could withdraw from involvement with the project if courts continued to limit his authority. Trump also said he would seek to transfer responsibility for the institution’s operation and management to Congress and the Department of Commerce, although federal law assigns management responsibilities to the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees. The decision stems from one of two lawsuits challenging actions taken by the Kennedy Center under Trump’s leadership. Beatty sued after trustees voted to rename the institution and later expanded her case to challenge the closure plans. Cooper also ruled unlawful a bylaw change that removed voting rights from ex officio board members such as Beatty. In a separate case, a coalition of preservation organisations argued that the renovation project should undergo federal historic preservation reviews before work begins. Cooper rejected their request for a similar injunction, ruling that the Kennedy Center was not subject to the same requirements that apply to federal agencies. However, he indicated that further proceedings could still alter that conclusion. The preservation groups had argued that changes already made to the building, including repainting exterior columns and adding Trump’s name to the façade, had affected historic features without proper review. Government lawyers countered that Congress had effectively authorised the renovation through previously approved funding and that no demolition was planned. Court filings and testimony have highlighted competing views of the building’s condition. Kennedy Center executive director Matt Floca described serious maintenance problems, including structural, electrical and plumbing concerns, and argued that remaining open during construction would be unsafe. Opponents of the closure pointed to earlier planning documents that envisaged repairs being completed while performances continued. Read more: US judge temporarily blocks Trump's $1.8 billion 'weaponisation' fund The legal dispute comes amid wider upheaval at the Kennedy Center since Trump became board chair in February 2025. Several productions have withdrawn from the venue, ticket sales and subscriptions have fallen, staff reductions have taken place, and employees have sought union representation. The ruling leaves the institution’s immediate future uncertain, with plans for closure paused and questions remaining over how renovation work and future programming will proceed.

from Latest World News, International News | Breaking World News https://ift.tt/JBxLG5u

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

At least 32 miners dead after bridge fails at cobalt site in southeast DR Congo

A bridge collapsed at a cobalt mine in southeast Democratic Republic of Congo killing at least 32 wildcat miners, a regional government official said Sunday. The bridge came down Saturday onto a flooded zone at the mine in Lualaba province, Roy Kaumba Mayonde, the provincial interior minister, told reporters. He said 32 bodies had been recovered and more were being searched for. The DRC produces more than 70 percent of the world supply of cobalt, which is essential for batteries used in electric cars, many laptop computers and mobile phones. More than 200,000 people are estimated to be working in giant illegal cobalt mines in the giant central African country. Local authorities said the bridge collapsed at the Kalando mine, about 42 kilometres (26 miles) southeast of the Lualaba provincial capital, Kolwezi. "Despite a formal ban on access to the site because of the heavy rain and the risk of a landslide, wildcat miners forced their way into the quarry," said Mayonde. He said ...

Arab countries, Pakistan likely to observe Eid on same day

The International Astronomy Centre confirmed on Wednesday that the crescent moon of Shawwal will be impossible to sight on Saturday, March 29, across all regions of the Arab and Islamic world. This is due to the moon setting before the sun, with the conjunction occurring after sunset. As a result, observing the crescent moon, whether by the naked eye, telescopes, or other means, will be unfeasible on March 29. For countries requiring an actual sighting to mark the start of Shawwal, Ramadan will likely extend to 30 days, with Eid Al Fitr falling on Monday, March 31. However, in some regions where the conjunction occurs before sunset, allowing the moon to set after sunset, some countries may choose to declare Eid on Sunday, March 30, following traditional moon-sighting practices. Notably, a partial solar eclipse will be visible at noon on Saturday in parts of the western Arab world, including Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. This event serves as definitive proof that the cresce...

Vancouver tribunal says 'every dog is entitled to one bite' in injury case

A woman who sought nearly $5,000 in damages after being bitten by a dog on Christmas Eve has had her claim dismissed, after a British Columbia tribunal ruled the incident amounted to an accident — and that “every dog is entitled to one bite.” Ying Shen was bitten on the hand by a mini Australian Shepherd named Juliet as she stepped out of an elevator in her apartment building in Vancouver on 24 December 2022. The dog, which was leashed and accompanied by neighbour Jeffrey Dale Polo, bit Shen as the two passed each other in the corridor. According to the B.C. Civil Resolution Tribunal’s decision, Polo apologised, saying Juliet was “usually well behaved.” Shen sought medical attention that night at St. Paul’s Hospital, where she was treated for a superficial abrasion and given a tetanus shot. She later filed a report with the City of Vancouver. A bylaw officer determined that Juliet was not considered dangerous under city regulations, though the dog was found to be unlicensed. In his 5 M...