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Global Events Unfold: Gaza Border Reopens, Ukraine Miners Killed, Mexico Tackles Pollution, Cuba Faces Pressure
Several significant global events unfolded on Monday, impacting regions from the Middle East to Eastern Europe and Latin America. The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt reopened for the movement of people after being largely closed since May 2024, according to BBC World. This reopening is a key part of the first stage of US President Donald Trump's ceasefire plan between Israel and Hamas, which began in October. However, only dozens of people will be able to cross in both directions each day, and humanitarian aid and commercial goods will still not be allowed through. Around 20,000 sick and wounded Palestinians are reportedly waiting to leave Gaza for treatment.
In eastern Ukraine, twelve miners were killed by a Russian drone strike, DTEK, the country's largest private energy firm, reported. According to BBC World, the miners were traveling in a bus after a shift in the Dnipropetrovsk region when the attack occurred on Sunday. State emergency services indicated that at least 15 people were injured. Separately, at least two others were killed and nine injured in other Russian attacks overnight and on Sunday, including six people hurt when a drone hit a maternity hospital in Zaporizhzhia. The BBC noted that the strikes occurred while Russia had agreed not to target population centers.
Meanwhile, in Mexico, the government announced a sweeping array of tactics to combat industrial pollution, following investigations by The Guardian that revealed high levels of contamination in a neighborhood around a factory processing US toxic waste. The government will pursue tactics including 4.8m in fines against a plant processing US toxic waste.
Adding to international concerns, Cuba is facing increasing pressure as the Trump administration tightens its policies, potentially leading to a "real blockade," according to The Guardian. The country is already suffering an acute fuel shortage, and experts warn that a complete cutoff would be catastrophic to its infrastructure. Javier Peña and Ysil Ribas were reported waiting since 6 a.m. outside a petrol station in Havana, highlighting the severity of the fuel shortage.
In financial news, gold and silver prices plunged on Monday after experiencing losses on Friday, according to BBC Business. Spot gold prices fell more than $9 to $4,403 (£3,222) an ounce in Asia trade, while silver slumped by $15 to less than $72 an ounce. Prices had previously hit fresh records in January due to geopolitical uncertainties, with investors seeking "safe haven" assets. The naming of Kevin Warsh as the new chair of the US Federal Reserve by President Trump was welcomed in general by the financial markets, which led to the fall in metal prices. Warsh is a former central bank governor.
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