News in Brief-(2024-04-16)

Israeli military calling up reservists
for more Gaza operations
JERUSALEM, Apr 15: The Israeli military said on Sunday it will soon call up two reserve divisions for operations in Gaza, where it has been conducting a war against Islamist militant group Hamas. "In accordance with the situational assessment, the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) is calling up approximately two reserve brigades for operational activities on the Gazan front," the military said, though it provided no further details. Earlier this month Israel pulled some forces out of Gaza, saying troops would be preparing for further operations in the territory, including in the southern area of Rafah, where more than a million people have taken shelter. — Reuters
Trump's hush money trial kicks off
New York, Apr 15: Donald Trump becomes the first former US president to face a criminal trial on Monday in a case involving hush money paid to a porn star that could keep him tied up in court for weeks and complicate his bid to win back the White House. Trump, 77, is required to attend the trial in Manhattan, which is expected to last through May. Jury selection is expected to take about a week, followed by witness testimony. Trump left his apartment at Trump Tower in Manhattan and travelled in a motorcade to the downtown courthouse ahead of the trial's 9:30 a.m. (1330 GMT) start. — Reuters
Floods claim 58 lives in Tanzania
DAR ES SALAAM, Apr 15: Heavy rains and flooding have killed at least 58 people, including children, in Tanzania since the beginning of April, a government spokesman said on Sunday. "From April 1 to April 14, 2024, there were 58 deaths caused by the heavy rains, which led to flooding," Mobhare Matinyi told a press briefing, stressing that the coastal region of the East African country was one of the worst affected. — AFP