Daily World Briefing, Nov. 5
Shenzhou-20 crew to return to Earth on Nov. 5
China's Shenzhou-20 crew has completed its in-orbit handover with the Shenzhou-21 crew and is scheduled to return to Earth on Nov. 5.
The two crews held a handover ceremony and transferred the keys of the country's space station on Tuesday.
So far, the Shenzhou-20 trio -- Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie -- have completed all their planned tasks and are set to return to the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
At present, the landing site and all supporting systems are undergoing preparations to welcome the astronauts back, according to the China Manned Space Agency.
U.S. gov't shutdown set to break record as Senate again fails to pass funding bill
The U.S. Senate on Tuesday again failed to pass a temporary funding bill, marking the 14th unsuccessful attempt.
This means the federal government shutdown is on track to surpass the 35-day record set during the 2018-2019 shutdown and become the longest in U.S. history.
The Republican-held Senate voted 54-44 on the House-approved "clean" continuing resolution, which would fund the government at current levels through Nov. 21. The bill needed 60 votes to overcome filibuster and move forward in the upper chamber.
The ongoing shutdown has caused growing disruptions, hitting sectors such as aviation, food assistance and health care, with its impact continuing to expand and putting mounting pressure on both livelihoods and the economy.
Palestinian PM says Gaza reconstruction plan sent to international partners
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa said on Tuesday that his government has shared the executive program of the Gaza recovery and reconstruction plan with foreign governments and international organizations.
In a statement after a weekly cabinet meeting, Mustafa said the program sets out a strategic vision for rebuilding the war-torn Gaza Strip and outlines recovery priorities.
He said the government and its international partners were ready to begin implementation as soon as conditions on the ground allow, given the current humanitarian and security challenges.
Peru decides to break diplomatic relations with Mexico
The government of Peru has decided to break diplomatic relations with Mexico, Peruvian Foreign Minister Hugo de Zela told a press conference on Monday.
The minister said Betssy Chavez, former prime minister of the Pedro Castillo government, who is prosecuted for a failed coup attempt in December 2022, is being granted asylum at the residence of the Mexican embassy in Lima.
"In response to this unfriendly act, and considering the repeated instances in which the current and former presidents of that country (Mexico) have interfered in Peru's internal affairs, the Peruvian government has decided, as of today, to break diplomatic relations with Mexico," he said.
Hamas hands over another Israeli hostage's body to Red Cross
The Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, said Tuesday it has handed over the body of an Israeli hostage found in Gaza earlier in the day to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
The handover was arranged as part of the ceasefire deal, according to a Hamas source.
Eyewitnesses in Gaza said the ICRC has received the body and is delivering it to the Israeli side.
The Israeli army confirmed in a statement that the body has been received by the ICRC and is "on the way to IDF troops" in Gaza.
Israeli forces strike in Gaza amid ceasefire
Israeli forces carried out airstrikes in Gaza on Tuesday despite a fragile ceasefire that took effect on Oct. 10, saying they targeted a militant who approached troops in the northern part of the enclave.
The military said the individual had crossed the "Yellow Line," a demarcation marking areas where Israeli forces remain deployed.
"Shortly after identification, the terrorist was eliminated to remove the threat," the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement. It added that troops under the Southern Command "remain deployed in accordance with the ceasefire agreement and will continue to act against any immediate threat."
Death toll rises to 40 in central Vietnam floods
The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in Vietnam's central region has risen to 40, with six people missing and 76 others injured, the Vietnam Disaster and Dyke Management Authority reported Tuesday.
Nearly 80,000 houses remain inundated, while 104 others were destroyed or swept away, and 453 were damaged, according to the report.
The floods also submerged more than 10,800 hectares of rice and other crops. Over 68,500 livestock and poultry were killed or swept away.■