Weekend Edition of Latest News Headlines – Israel escalated its operations in the Gaza Strip’s southern region on Saturday, reigniting hostilities following a week of ceasefire with Hamas, raising fresh concerns over civilian harm.

Israeli authorities informed media outlets that the resurgence of conflict was partly due to a terrorist assault in Jerusalem on Thursday that claimed four lives. Israel expressed its readiness to implement further temporary ceasefires to facilitate the release of all hostages. Saturday’s military strikes by Israel were primarily concentrated in Gaza’s Khan Younis area.

Two individuals were detained in London on Saturday amidst pro-Palestinian demonstrations, part of a nationwide “day of action” organized by activists.

In Brixton, South London, one man was apprehended for suspected racially aggravated disorder after displaying a sign, as reported by the Metropolitan Police. When officers attempted to leave, they were encircled and temporarily obstructed by other protestors. A teenage boy was also detained for vandalizing a police vehicle.

A substantial earthquake, registering a preliminary 7.6 magnitude, struck off the Philippines’ southern coast on Saturday, causing panic among villagers who fled their homes near midnight, following a tsunami warning issued by Philippine authorities.

The earthquake occurred at 10:37 p.m., at a depth of 20 miles, as per the U.S. Geological Survey. There were no immediate reports of significant damage or casualties. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially predicted tsunami waves impacting the southern Philippines, Indonesia, Palau, and Malaysia, based on the quake’s magnitude and location.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Friday an acceleration in several key COVID-19 trends nationwide, marking the first major national increase in virus spread in months.

The CDC’s latest weekly report highlighted significant rises in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, though virtually all U.S. regions are experiencing an upsurge.

A shooting at a Las Vegas homeless encampment on Friday resulted in one fatality and four injuries, according to police.

The incident took place near Charleston Boulevard and U.S. 95 around 5:30 p.m. Responding officers were guided to multiple victims at a homeless camp, as stated by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Jason Johansson during a Friday night briefing.

In less than two days following Russia’s Supreme Court labeling the “global LGBTQ+ movement” as extremist, security forces raided various gay clubs and bars in Moscow on Friday.

Local media reported that the police conducted searches, including at a nightclub, a male sauna, and a bar hosting LGBTQ+ events, under the guise of a drug operation. Eyewitnesses shared that patrons’ identification was documented and photographed by security forces, and that venue managers managed to alert customers before police arrival.

Former U.S. Olympic swimmer Klete Keller received a sentence of 36 months probation on Friday for participating in the U.S. Capitol riot, evading jail time after admitting guilt to a federal felony charge.

Keller, 41, also faces six months of home confinement and is required to complete 10 hours of community service monthly. The two-time gold medalist, one of the earliest Jan. 6 riot defendants to admit to a felony, was identified in Capitol footage donning a Team USA jacket amidst the pro-Donald Trump crowd.

BMW has issued a recall for a limited number of SUVs in the U.S. due to a defect where driver’s air bag inflators could rupture in a collision, potentially launching metal fragments and causing injuries or fatalities.

The recall, announced Saturday by U.S. auto safety regulators, affects 486 X3, X4, and X5 SUVs from the 2014 model year with Takata Corp.-manufactured air bags. This raises concerns about the safety of approximately 30 million Takata inflators still under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, with most yet to be recalled.

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