The World Health Organization (WHO) is deploying experts to support health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with investigations to determine the cause of a yet undiagnosed disease that has been reported in Panzi, a locality in Kwango Province in the southwest of the country.

The WHO experts are joining the Congo response team and are on their way to Panzi, the WHO regional office for Africa confirmed in a statement on Friday, news agency reported.

An initial local WHO team has been supporting the health authorities in Kwango since the end of November to reinforce disease surveillance and identify cases.

"Our priority is to provide effective support to the affected families and communities. All efforts are underway to identify the cause of the illness, understand its modes of transmission, and ensure appropriate response as swiftly as possible," said WHO Regional Director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti.

Amid a positive turnaround from foreign institutional investors (FIIs) to India, the Indian stock market maintained a positive outlook throughout the week as the core sector output in October and stability in service PMI data showed signs of recovery, experts said on Saturday.

FIIs returning to India in expectation of a dovish monetary policy by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) also supported the sentiment.

“RBI turns more realistic with a revision on its growth forecast for FY25. While boosting liquidity in the financial system by reducing CRR by 50 bps, RBI reiterates that maintaining macroeconomic stability remains crucial,” said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Financial Services.

The market closed flat on Friday. Sensex settled at 81,709.12 while Nifty ended at 24,677.80. Nifty is holding steady above the crucial 24,650 support level.

Chandigarh Police has issued a traffic advisory in view of Punjabi singer Karan Aujla’s live concert scheduled to be held at the Exhibition Ground, Sector 34, on Saturday. Traffic movement will be restricted or diverted on certain roads from 4 pm.

The road stretch from Sector 33/34 light point to Sector 34/35 traffic lights will be closed to the general public. Only vehicles of ticket holders will be allowed on this stretch after 5 pm.

The road from Sham Mall to the Polka turn in Sector 34 will also remain closed to the public from 5 pm to 10 pm. Only ticket holders will be allowed on this stretch.

There will be traffic diversions on road stretches from the 44/45/33/34 chowk towards 33/45 road, from the 34/35 light point to the dispensary turn, and from the Bharti School T-point to the 33/45 light point.

Jordan's Interior Minister Mazen Farrayah has announced the closure of the Jaber border crossing with Syria due to the security conditions in southern Syria.

Under the decision, Jordanian citizens and trucks will be allowed to return to the kingdom, but outbound traffic to Syrian territories will be prohibited, according to a statement released by the Ministry on Friday.

The Ministry said that Jordan is closely monitoring developments in Syria, while the armed forces continue to secure the borders, according to the statement.

Located on the Damascus-Amman international highway, the Jaber crossing, which is known as the Nassib crossing in Syria, was the sole operational passenger and commercial border crossing between the two countries, news agency reported.

On Friday, clashes erupted near the Nassib crossing in Syria, where armed groups allegedly infiltrated the area and attacked Syrian army positions, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

US video and e-commerce retailer QVC is recalling about 1.1 million of its "Temp-tations Oven Gloves" because they fail to provide sufficient heat protection, according to a notice published by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.

QVC has received 162 reports of insufficient heat protection, including 92 minor burns, reports news agency.

Consumers in possession of the now-recalled gloves are urged to stop using them immediately and contact QVC for a refund. More information can be found on the recall's online registration page.

According to the recall notice, the oven gloves were sold online at qvc.com as well as through QVC's televised and digital shopping platforms from August 2018 to August 2024 for between 4 dollars and 13 dollars a pair.

Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly announced the launch of Canada's Arctic Foreign Policy.

The Arctic Foreign Policy, a diplomatic strategy for Canada's engagement in and on the Arctic, provides expanded presence and partnerships to address current needs and the flexibility to adapt to future challenges, the foreign minister said in a new release, news agency reported.

The Arctic Foreign Policy comprises four foreign policy pillars: Asserting Canada's sovereignty; advancing Canada's interests through pragmatic diplomacy; leadership on Arctic governance and multilateral challenges; and adopting a more inclusive approach to Arctic diplomacy, according to the release.

One of the core priorities for the Arctic Foreign Policy is to deepen cooperation across the North American Arctic, the release added, saying that the relationships in this region are unique due to geographical proximity and the ancestral relations that exist among Indigenous Peoples.

The New Gwadar International Airport is set to commence operations by the end of December, Acting Director General of the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA), Air Vice Marshal Zeeshan Saeed, said.

During his visit to the airport, the officer was briefed about the airport's cutting-edge features and the promising business and investment opportunities it is expected to generate in the future, news agency reported quoting PAA.

The airport, a donation by China, is a 4F-grade state-of-the-art facility that can handle the largest civil aircraft. Its 3,658-metre-long, 75-metre-wide runway, with specialised foundation treatment, sets a benchmark in engineering standards.

Designed to transform connectivity, the airport features a spacious apron with five slots for wide-body aircraft and plans for extensive cargo operations with a dedicated cargo shed and future expansions.