‘Trump forced Israel into a ceasefire’ with Lebanon
NewsFeed Abed Abou Shhadeh, a political commentator based in Israel, says the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon is ‘extremely problematic, not only for Netanyahu, but for the Israeli public who were promised for two and a half years now, absolute victory’. Published On 17 Apr 202617 Apr 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
IMF, World Bank say they are restoring ties with Venezuela
Acting President Delcy Rodriguez calls resumption of ties ‘great achievement’ of Venezuelan diplomacy. Published On 17 Apr 202617 Apr 2026 The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have announced the resumption of ties with Venezuela under the Latin American nation’s interim leader. The Washington, DC-based financial institutions severed ties with Caracas in 2019 amid a split in the international community over whether to support Nicolas Maduro or Juan Guaido as the country’s rightful leader following disputed presidential elections. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said in a statement on Thursday that the institution had resumed dealings with Venezuela under the administration of acting President Delcy Rodriguez. “This important step, guided by the views of our members, allows the Fund to re‑engage in a way that can ultimately benefit the Venezuelan people,” Georgieva said in a post on social media. The World Bank announced that it would follow the IMF’s lead in a statement shortly afterwards, saying it had been “guided by the outcome” of the fellow lender’s decision-making process. The bank said it had last made a loan to Caracas in 2005. Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodriguez speaks during a news conference after signing an agreement between Chevron Venezuela and the national government at the Miraflores Palace in Caracas on April 13, 2026 [Juan Barreto/AFP] The announcements come several weeks after United States President Donald Trump’s administration lifted sanctions on Rodriguez, the latest move by Washington to confer legitimacy on the acting leader. Rodriguez, who assumed power in January after Trump ordered the abduction of former President Maduro to the US to face drug-trafficking and weapons possession charges, welcomed the announcements. Advertisement “It has been a great achievement of Venezuelan diplomacy, and I want to thank all the countries and governments that joined in this push for Venezuela’s return to the IMF,” Rodriguez said in an address broadcast on state television. The moves clear the way for Venezuela to request financial assistance from the international lenders if Caracas deems it to be necessary to shore up the nation’s straitened finances. The Latin American country has one of the highest debt burdens in the world, with total external liabilities estimated at more than $150bn. In 2020, the IMF rejected Venezuela’s request for an emergency loan of $5bn to help fund its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, citing the lack of an international consensus on the legitimacy of Maduro’s leadership. Venezuela has been a member of the IMF and the World Bank since 1946. Adblock test (Why?)
How Israel’s war upended daily life in Lebanon
Before a 10-day ceasefire came into effect between Israel and Lebanon, people in Beirut described the war as having turned their lives upside down. Prices have soared, work slowed to a crawl, and fears of shortages prompted people to panic-buy medicines. Published On 17 Apr 202617 Apr 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
TCS conversion case: ‘These things happen’, Nashik office HR told employee not to report harassment
Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran has described the allegations as “gravely concerning and distressing”, adding that a comprehensive probe is being carried out by the TCS.
TCS Nashik Case: New twist in ‘love jihad’ allegations, accused Danish Sheikh’s mother responds
The mother of an accused in the Nashik TCS BPO harassment and forced conversion case has defended her son, claiming he is innocent and falsely implicated.
TCS Nashik case: Nida Khan’s family denies allegations, calls HR claims fake and misleading amid conversion scandal
Nida Khan’s family denies allegations in the TCS Nashik BPO case, claiming she is wrongly portrayed as absconding and an HR head.
Camp Mystic security guard says an early evacuation order could have saved lives
A court hearing this week has produced extensive details from camp operators of what happened in last year’s Hill Country flood.
She won a $7M grant to teach Texans how to farm. Then the Trump administration yanked it over DEI.
Diana Padilla has spent a decade teaching Rio Grande Valley residents how to farm and was set to expand across the rest of the state, first in Kaufman County.
Texas needs at least $174 billion to avoid water crisis, state says
That new amount is more than double the amount predicted four years ago. The new forecast comes as supply is already drying up.
Gov. Greg Abbott threatens $200 million in funding from major Texas cities over ICE policies
The governor’s letters to Austin, Dallas and Houston say the state will pull back state grants because of local policies that deter police from fully cooperating with immigration officials.