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Qatar has reportedly withdrawn from its role as a mediator in the ongoing ceasefire and hostage release negotiations between Israel and Hamas, according to diplomatic sources. The move comes after senior US officials indicated that Washington would no longer tolerate the presence of Hamas representatives in the Gulf state, accusing the Palestinian militant group of rejecting new peace proposals aimed at ending the war in Gaza.

Hamas, which has maintained a political office in Doha since 2012 at the request of the Obama administration, is said to have failed to negotiate in good faith, leading Qatar to reconsider its involvement in the talks. Diplomatic sources cited by AFP and Reuters suggested that Qatar would resume its mediation efforts if both Israel and Hamas demonstrate a genuine willingness to return to the negotiating table.

The US’s decision to distance itself from Hamas’s presence in Qatar marks a significant shift in diplomatic dynamics. In recent months, Qatar, along with the US and Egypt, played a central role in trying to broker a ceasefire in the year-long conflict between Israel and Hamas. However, frustrations have been mounting due to a series of failed talks and disagreements over the terms of a ceasefire.

Hamas rejected a short-term ceasefire proposal during the latest round of discussions in mid-October, insisting on a complete end to the war and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. Israel, for its part, has also faced criticism for rejecting proposed peace deals, with former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of ignoring advice from security officials on potential ceasefire agreements.

The US’s call for Hamas to be expelled from Qatar is seen by some as an attempt by the Biden administration to secure a peace deal before the president’s term ends in January. If Hamas were to be forced out of Doha, it is unclear where the group would relocate its political office. Iran could be an option, but tensions over the assassination of Hamas leaders in Tehran make it a less attractive choice. Another possible destination is Turkey, which has historically maintained ties with Hamas. Turkey’s position as a NATO member, coupled with its Sunni Muslim majority, could offer the group a safer base while still allowing diplomatic interactions with the West.

The pressure on Qatar and Hamas highlights the growing concerns over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where conditions are worsening. UN officials recently warned that northern Gaza is facing an “apocalyptic” situation, with famine becoming a real possibility. The Biden administration has also expressed increasing frustration with Israel’s handling of the war and its reluctance to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza.

This shift in Qatar’s mediation role underscores the complex and evolving nature of the Middle East peace efforts, as diplomatic alignments and pressures continue to change in response to the ongoing conflict.

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Writing a To-Do List Before Bed May Help You Sleep Better, Study Finds

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Struggling to sleep due to stress about upcoming tasks may be more common than you think, but a new study suggests that writing a to-do list before bed could be a simple yet effective solution.

In a study conducted at Baylor University in the U.S., participants who wrote a to-do list before bed fell asleep faster than those who wrote about what they had accomplished that day. The results were clear: the group writing a list of tasks for the following day and beyond fell asleep an average of nine minutes quicker.

Dr. Michael Scullin, director of the Sleep Neuroscience and Cognition Laboratory at Baylor, led the research and used a method called polysomnography to confirm sleep patterns. This technique, which tracks brainwaves and other bodily functions, found that the to-do list group experienced quicker sleep onset compared to the group who reflected on their completed tasks.

The study’s findings can be attributed to a psychological mechanism called “cognitive offloading.” This is when individuals reduce mental stress by taking physical action, like writing down thoughts, to make mental tasks easier. By writing a to-do list, individuals can reduce the mental burden of trying to remember and process tasks when they should be winding down. The process of transferring tasks from the mind to paper helps to organize thoughts and provides reassurance that the tasks are not forgotten.

Christine Syrek, a researcher from the University of Trier, studied employees at a German IT company and found that individuals with unfinished work at the end of the week were more likely to ruminate on work-related problems over the weekend. This “perseverative cognition” worsened sleep quality, suggesting that unresolved tasks are a significant contributor to sleep disturbances. Syrek’s findings indicated that the perception of incomplete tasks could have a lingering impact on sleep, even more so than time pressures at work.

Dr. Scullin’s study, although not large, supports the idea that offloading tasks before bedtime can significantly reduce the cognitive load. His research found that participants who wrote longer to-do lists, with more than 10 specific tasks, fell asleep even faster—up to 15 minutes quicker than those who didn’t write any list. The more comprehensive the list, the better the results, as it provided a clearer structure for handling the upcoming workload.

While it may feel like an added effort when you’re already tired, taking the time to write down your tasks before bed could help ease anxiety and lead to better sleep. So, next time you’re struggling to drift off, consider creating a detailed to-do list—your brain may thank you for it.

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UK Unemployment Rises to 4.3%, as Wage Growth Slows Amid Economic Uncertainty

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The UK’s unemployment rate rose to 4.3% in the three months leading up to September, marking an increase from 4% in the previous quarter, according to recent data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). However, the ONS has cautioned against relying heavily on these figures due to data collection challenges that may impact accuracy.

Despite the slowing of wage growth, pay increases remain above inflation, which measures the rate of price rises. Data reveals that excluding bonuses, wages grew by an annual rate of 4.8% between July and September, the slowest rate in over two years. This deceleration could reflect the easing of the labour market, where job demand has waned. Vacancy numbers have been consistently declining for more than two years, indicating a broad softening in hiring trends.

Liz McKeown, ONS director of economic statistics, highlighted on the BBC’s Today programme that while the latest data hints at a “continued easing of the labour market,” the response rate for the ONS’s Labour Force Survey—a primary source of UK employment data—has been lower than usual, raising concerns about the data’s reliability. The accuracy of these figures is crucial as the Bank of England closely monitors employment data when making interest rate decisions. Last week, the Bank reduced rates for the second time this year, following a drop in inflation to 1.7%, below its 2% target.

McKeown acknowledged that issues with the current data are affecting the Bank’s decision-making process, and efforts are underway to refine the methodology.

Adding to businesses’ challenges, a rise in National Insurance contributions (NICs) and the upcoming minimum wage increase have sparked concerns from major employers. Supermarket chains, including Asda and Sainsbury’s, along with High Street retailer Marks and Spencer, have expressed concerns about rising operational costs due to these new measures, announced in Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ recent Budget.

For businesses like Wendy Jones-Blackett’s greeting card company, headquartered near Leeds, these changes bring a potential strain on finances. Jones-Blackett mentioned that rising costs for outsourced services like printing and storage might impact her company’s ability to provide competitive pay increases. “If you want to retain good staff, you need to increase their pay,” she explained. “We want to do that but will have to temper it with rising costs.”

On the hiring front, recent data from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation and consultancy KPMG show that job vacancies have dropped for a consecutive 12 months, underscoring a reduced demand for new workers. Alexandra Hall-Chen, a principal policy adviser at the Institute of Directors, warned that the tax increases and new employment regulations introduced in the Employment Rights Bill are putting significant strain on hiring plans. “The cumulative effect of these changes will ultimately stifle job creation,” she said, urging the government to address businesses’ concerns.

Rob Wood, chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, noted that while unemployment may gradually increase, the Bank of England is expected to focus on broader trends rather than specific data fluctuations when assessing future interest rate changes.

Meanwhile, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has emphasized the importance of improving living standards, noting that three million of the lowest-paid workers are set to benefit from a minimum wage increase starting in April.

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OpenAI Blocks Over 250,000 Requests to Create Election Candidate Images

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OpenAI, the company behind the AI chatbot ChatGPT, has rejected more than 250,000 requests to generate images of key US election candidates using its platform, DALL-E. The rejections, which were disclosed in a company blog update on Friday, were part of measures aimed at ensuring the safety and integrity of the upcoming election period.

Requests for AI-generated images of high-profile figures like president-elect Donald Trump, his vice-presidential pick JD Vance, current president Joe Biden, vice-presidential candidate Kamala Harris, and Tim Walz were all blocked. According to OpenAI, these refusals were implemented as part of “safety measures” to prevent the platform from being used to create misleading or harmful content in the lead-up to Election Day.

“These guardrails are especially important in an elections context and are a key part of our broader efforts to prevent our tools being used for deceptive or harmful purposes,” the blog post explained. The company emphasized that it had not seen evidence of any widespread influence operations in US elections through its platforms.

In addition to the image rejections, OpenAI revealed that it had taken action earlier this year against a political influence campaign linked to Iran. In August, OpenAI blocked the Iranian campaign, known as Storm-2035, from generating political content on US elections, which attempted to impersonate both conservative and progressive news outlets. Accounts tied to this campaign were subsequently banned from using OpenAI’s services.

The company also highlighted in an October update that it had disrupted more than 20 separate influence operations and deceptive networks from around the world that had attempted to use OpenAI tools for misleading purposes. However, the company’s report noted that none of these election-related operations managed to generate significant “viral engagement.”

OpenAI’s proactive steps to protect the integrity of its platforms during the election period are part of its broader efforts to minimize the potential for AI-generated content to be used maliciously or deceptively, especially in politically sensitive contexts. Despite concerns about the potential misuse of AI technologies for creating misinformation, OpenAI asserts that its safety measures are working to limit such risks.

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