Israeli forces on Saturday demanded the evacuation of Gaza's al-Shifa hospital "within one hour," AFP reported. Loudspeaker announcements instructed all 2,300 patients, staff and civilians sheltering inside to immediately depart the premises on foot, according to witnesses. Al-Shifa, Gaza's largest hospital, has been an area of focus for Israeli troops who believe Hamas militants are operating underground. The facility houses thousands of patients and displaced Palestinians amid dire shortages caused by the ongoing conflict. Hospital administrators said evacuating extremely ill patients is impossible. The evacuation order comes as fighting enters a seventh brutal week.

A magnitude 6.7 earthquake off Mindanao island, Philippines, has claimed at least six lives. In General Santos City, three people died, including a couple crushed by a collapsing concrete wall and another woman in a mall. In Sarangani province, two fatalities are confirmed, with two missing due to a landslide. Davao Occidental province reported a 78-year-old man crushed by a rock. Despite power restoration and passable roads, the earthquake highlights the region's vulnerability within the Pacific "Ring of Fire," prone to volcanic activity and earthquakes.

Pope Francis will separately meet next week with relatives of hostages held by Hamas and a delegation of Palestinians with family in Gaza, the Vatican confirmed on Friday. The meetings on Wednesday are "exclusively humanitarian" to show the Pope's spiritual closeness to suffering on both sides, said Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni. Earlier reports said 12 relatives of Israeli hostages will meet the Pope before his general audience. The Palestinian meeting is seen as a humanitarian gesture by the Pope to hear grievances from both sides.The humanitarian meetings come amid ongoing tensions between Israel and Hamas.

UN aid deliveries to Gaza were suspended again due to fuel shortages and communication blackouts, exacerbating hunger and homelessness amidst Israel's ongoing offensive. The UN warned of imminent starvation without supplies. Israel continues strikes in northern Gaza, taking control of an Islamic Jihad commander's base and killing Hamas fighters at a school housing weapons. Israel also found a Hamas tunnel under Al Shifa hospital, a hub overflowing with patients that Israel accuses Hamas of using as a shield and base. At least 18 Palestinians were reportedly killed by an Israeli strike on a refugee camp. Israel has not commented on the incidents. The war is nearing 7 weeks with no ceasefire in sight despite international calls.

  In a widely shared video, Secretary of US tate Antony Blinken visibly winces and shakes his head after President Joe Biden referred to Chinese President Xi Jinping as a "dictator" following their four-hour meeting on November 15. Blinken's discomfort is evident as Biden reaffirms his stance, calling Xi a "dictator" due to his role in leading a communist country. The incident occurred as the US and China aim to address their differences. The meeting covered various issues, fostering open communication despite underlying tensions between the two nations. The encounter reflects the ongoing challenges in US-China relations.

King Charles III marked his 75th birthday with a special reception at Buckingham Palace, honoring Indian nurses and international medics contributing to the UK's National Health Service (NHS). Approximately 400 nurses from India, the Philippines, and other nations attended, emphasizing their significant role in the UK's healthcare sector. The monarch, working through his birthday, expressed appreciation for their contributions, receiving a rendition of 'Happy Birthday' and a birthday card. The event showcased the deep links between the UK and India, with newly appointed Health Secretary Victoria Atkins expressing gratitude and anticipating closer ties during her prospective visit to India. (Picture courtesy: @RoyalFamily/X)

Republican Presidential Candidate Vivek Ramaswamy addressed criticism of Donald Trump's "vermin" comment, slamming CNN's Abby Phillip for emphasizing language over substance. Ramaswamy, while discussing the term, also labeled San Francisco's homeless and drug addicts as "vermin." He expressed frustration with mainstream media's focus on specific words rather than policy debates, stating, "Let's have an actual policy debate." The GOP hopeful emphasized the need for discussions on substantive issues facing the country.

After videos praising Osama bin Laden's post-9/11 'Letter to Americans' flooded social media, TikTok faced a massive backlash, prompting the removal of videos and disabling the #lettertoamerica'. Gen Z TikTokers discovered the letter 21 years later, leading to widespread outrage. Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley and Senator Marsha Blackburn called for a TikTok ban, accusing the platform of promoting anti-American sentiments. TikTok responded, stating it violates rules on terrorism support and actively removing the content. The viral trend began on TikTok but spread to other platforms, reigniting the debate on the Chinese app's potential ban in the US.

A powerful earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale hit the southern Mindanao region in the Philippines, causing damage and prompting aftershock concerns, according to the country's seismology agency. The German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) reported the quake at a depth of 10km. Fortunately, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center assured no tsunami threat. Radio reports from General Santos city describe cracked walls and toppled computers, while airport passengers in General Santos City were evacuated to the tarmac. The Philippines, situated on the seismic "Ring of Fire," frequently experiences such geological events.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged the difficulty of minimizing civilian casualties in the conflict with Hamas, stating in an interview with CBS News, "Any civilian death is a tragedy... Unfortunately, we're not successful" despite extensive measures such as leaflet warnings and evacuation calls. Netanyahu emphasized Israel's attempts to protect civilians, contrasting it with Hamas's actions. The ongoing military campaign, aimed at destroying Hamas, has resulted in widespread displacement and casualties, with Gaza health authorities reporting over 11,500 confirmed deaths, over 4,700 of them are children. Netanyahu expressed the intention to conclude the operation with minimal civilian casualties but conceded the challenges faced in achieving this goal.