Tuesday, May 18

*) Israel continues its relentless bombardment of Gaza Israeli missiles and artillary shells continue raining down on Palestinian civilians in Gaza for a ninth consecutive day. Since the latest Israeli attacks began last Monday, over 200 Palestinians have been killed, including 61 children. Despite a global outcry and international pressure against Israel's brutal aggression in the region, it does not seem to be slowing down. Gaza is now facing critical shortages of food, medical supplies and fuel, with the UN and other NGOs asking for urgent support to provide much needed aid. *) Biden calls for ceasefire in Palestine Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden has expressed his support for a ceasefire during a phone call with Israel's PM. Biden has so far resisted joining other world leaders and some members of his own Democratic party, in calling for an immediate truce in the fighting. Ironically, Biden's administration on Monday also approved the potential sale of $735 million worth of precision-guided weapons to Israel. *) Monster Cyclone Tauktae hammers India's west coast Over 200,000 people have been evacuated in India's state of Gujarat as tropical Cyclone Tauktae makes landfall. The storm has already battered the country's western coastline, killing at least 16 people. The storm is set to be the worst in the state in over 20 years. *) Record 5,000 migrants illegally cross into Spanish island via Morocco At least 5,000 migrants, about 1,000 of them minors, illegally crossed into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta from neighbouring Morocco. Spain says the scale of the record influx, which comes at a time of high tension between Madrid and Rabat, is unprecedented and could yet rise. The migrants reached the enclave by swimming or walking at low tide from beaches in neighbouring Morocco a few kilometres to the south. And finally ... *) Ariana Grande ties the knot Pop star Ariana Grande married her real estate agent fiance Dalton Gomez at her home in Los Angeles. She announced her engag