Umbria's Castle of Antognolla will soon transform into a Six Senses luxury resort.

The notice claims that The Great Indian Kapil Show allegedly disrespects Rabindranath Tagore's legacy and risks offending cultural and religious sentiments

Rajasthan Candidate Naresh Meena Who Slapped Poll Official Arrested Amid High Drama

There has been an early onset of toxic cover across Delhi and north India this year owing to stubble burning across the north Indian states. What is also shocking is the scale of the smog cover, as well as the level of pollutants present in it.

For the first time ever in the Indian Navy, sister and brother duo of Commander Prerna Deosthalee and Commander Ishan Deosthalee are commanding two different warships at the same time in the force.

Delhi-NCR Air Pollution: A sharp spike in Delhi's air pollution was witnessed in the past 24 hours with 30 out of 36 monitoring stations reporting a severe air quality index.

The N Chandrababu Naidu government in Andhra Pradesh has launched a massive crackdown against social media posts targeting political leaders and their family members.

To support her family, Sulekha has been forced to drop out of school. One in every five students is compelled to do so.

A 10-year-old autistic boy from California who was slapped by an irate Mercedes driver a few months ago received the surprise of his life recently when he was given an SUV.

Shija doctor presses alarm button on diabetes : 14th nov24  E-Pao.netView Full coverage on Google News

1. Interview: Can diabetes be reversed? Dr V Mohan’s ABCDEF mantra on Diabetes Day  South First
2. India has the highest number of diabetic people in the world, even more than China: Report  The Economic Times
3. Quarter of diabetics globally are Indians, says Lancet study  India TV News
4. Why Lancet study on diabetes is a red flag: A quarter of diabetics globally are Indians  The Indian Express
5. 800 million diabetics worldwide and most aren't getting treatment, finds study  The Times of India

Top 10 Largest Supergiant Stars in the Universe  Moneycontrol

1. Vikrant Massey says older brother Moeen ‘compromised’ in life, father ‘lived a life of affluence’ before losing it all: ‘I didn’t want to do that’  The Indian Express
2. Did You Know Vikrant Massey’s parents were neighbors of the Kapoor family? Actor reveals they stayed in godowns  PINKVILLA
3. This actor's mother is Sikh, father is Christian, brother is Muslim, wife Hindu, she used to lend...  Bollywood Life
4. 7 must-watch investigative thrillers on OTT ahead of Vikrant Massey’s The Sabarmati Report release  OTTplay
5. Vikrant Massey Compares Early Years Struggle To A Classic Hindi Film: 'Family Fued, Living In Godowns, Mother Doing...'  ABP Live

1. Jio Financial Services shares surge over 6% on inclusion in F&O segment  The Economic Times
2. Zomato Surges 5% On Inclusion In F&O Segment, Swiggy's Listing; Details  News18
3. NSE to introduce futures and options contracts on 45 stocks from November 29, here's the full list  Moneycontrol
4. Jio Financial, Zomato potential Nifty inclusion candidates? Here is what analysts said  CNBCTV18
5. Exchanges make 45 new additions in the F&O following new eligibility norms | News on Markets  Business Standard

1. 75+ Happy Children's Day Messages, Greetings, Wishes and Quotes for 2024  The Times of India
2. Bal Diwas 2024: Why was Demand to Change Children’s Day from 14 November to 26 December? Check Reason  Jagran Josh
3. Happy Children's Day 2024: 50+ heartfelt wishes, quotes, WhatsApp messages to wish your beloved kids with  Business Today
4. Jawaharlal Nehru birth anniversary: Why the day is celebrated as Children's Day, Top quotes by India’s first P  CNBCTV18
5. Opinion | Celebrating Childhood: The Enduring Significance Of India’s Children’s Day  News18

The company's EV has become one of the most talked-about electric cars this year.

The post Xiaomi Finally Hits a Major EV Sales Milestone appeared first on Phandroid.

Nothing says that the phone sold out from its online store in just under 15 minutes.

The post Nothing’s Special Community Edition Phone has Already Sold Out appeared first on Phandroid.

[SAnews.gov.za] Cabinet has welcomed the historic issuing of the first batch of 33 Muslim marriage certificates by the Department of Home Affairs.

VW Group and Rivian collaborate on electrical architecture and software development First Rivian to use jointly developed systems will be R2 due in 2026 First VW Group models will use the the systems from 2027 Volkswagen Group has decided to deepen its ties with U.S. electric vehicle startup Rivian, with the two companies announcing on Tuesday...

VW's taking a larger stake in Rivian, now up to $5.8 billion Rivian and VW's joint venture has formally been created The Rivian R2 in 2026 and a Volkswagen in 2027 will be the first vehicles to feature the new joint-venture electrical architecture The Volkswagen Group on Tuesday announced that it would up its investment in Rivian as the two...

Two soldiers were killed early Wednesday morning when gunmen attacked an army checkpoint at the Imo/Abia boundary community of Ekenobizi in Umuopara in Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State. A military officer who spoke to PUNCH Metro on condition of anonymity said the attack came at about 6.18 am from the gunmen who

Nigeria’s push to revamp its mining sector is generating heightened interest from global investors as President Bola Tinubu’s administration drives reforms to unlock an estimated $700 billion in untapped mineral resources, diplomatic sources said. Last week, Nigeria launched a four-day mining investment roadshow in South Africa, aiming to attract $500m in foreign investment for its

Leading health researchers have urged Africans to embrace clinical trials, emphasising their vital role in addressing local health challenges and boosting economic opportunities. Ahead of the 2024 Impact Africa Summit in Lagos, the group of experts highlighted the need to create a robust and sustainable clinical trial ecosystem in Sub-Saharan Africa. They noted that this

The Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong, has revealed that a phone call from late coach Stephen Keshi and the prospect of international football at age 21 influenced his decision to represent Nigeria instead of his country of birth, the Netherlands, PUNCH Sports reports. The Al-Kholood defender, speaking on the Sports Afterparty Podcast, explained that the

Former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, on Wednesday, warned that if Nigeria refused to do away with the 1999 Constitution, it would be hard for anyone to fix the country. He described Nigeria as a pluralistic country that needed to address its diversity with true federal constitutions. “To those who think that the trouble with

GUBIO, Nigeria — Unrelenting price rises and a brutal insurgency had already made it hard for Nigerians in northeastern Borno State to feed their families. When a dam collapsed in September, flooding the state capital and surrounding farmland, many people ran out of options. Now they queue for handouts in camps for those displaced by fighting between extremist Boko Haram rebels and the military. When those run out, they seek work on local farms where they risk being killed or raped by local bandits. "I can't even cry anymore. I'm too tired," said Indo Usman, who tried to start again in the state capital Maiduguri, rearing animals for the two annual Muslim holy days, after years of repeatedly fleeing rebel attacks in rural Borno. The flood washed that all away, driving her, her husband and their six children to a bare room at Gubio, an unfinished housing project about 96 km northwest of Maiduguri that has become a displacement camp. Torrential rains and floods in 29 of Nigeria's 36 states this year have destroyed more than 1.5 million hectares of cropland, affecting more than 9 million people, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Climate change is a factor, as is Nigeria's poorly maintained or non-existent infrastructure as well as vulnerabilities caused by the weakening Naira currency and the scrapping of a government fuel subsidy. The cost of staples like rice and beans has doubled, tripled or even quadrupled in a year, depending on location — an unmanageable shock for millions of poor families. Mass kidnappings for ransom in the northwest and conflict between farmers and pastoralists in the central belt, traditionally the nation's bread basket, have also disrupted agriculture and squeezed food supplies. 'Hungriest of the hungry' Roughly 40% of Nigeria's more than 200 million people live below the international poverty line of $2.15 per person per day, the World Bank estimates. Already, 25 million people live in acute food and nutrition insecurity - putting their lives or livelihoods in immediate danger, according to a joint analysis by the government and U.N. agencies. That number is expected to rise to 33 million by next June-August. "The food crisis in Nigeria is immense because what we are seeing is a crisis within a crisis within a crisis," said Trust Mlambo, head of program for the northeast at the World Food Program, in an interview with Reuters in Maiduguri. With international donors focused on emergencies in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan, Mlambo said there was not enough funding to fully meet Nigeria's growing need for food aid. "We are really prioritizing the hungriest of the hungry," he said. In Borno, the Alau dam, upriver from Maiduguri, gave way on Sept. 9, four days after state officials had told the public it was secure. Local residents and engineers had been warning that it was under strain. Hundreds of people were killed in the resulting flood, according to aid workers who did not wish to be identified for fear of offending the state government. A spokesperson for the state government did not respond to requests for comment. Zainab Abubakar, a self-employed tailor in the city who lived in relative comfort with her husband and six children in a house with a refrigerator, was awoken at midnight by water rushing into her bedroom. They ran for their lives while the flood destroyed their house and carried everything away, including her sewing machine. Now, they are sheltering at Gubio and collecting rice from aid agencies in a plastic bucket. "There is no alternative," she said. In Banki, on Nigeria's border with Cameroon about 133 km southeast of Maiduguri, Mariam Hassan lost crops of maize, pepper and then okra in repeated flooding of her subsistence farm this year, leaving her with nothing to eat or sell. "I beg the neighbors or relatives to give me food, not even for me but for my children, for us to survive," said Hassan, who has eight children. "The situation has turned me into a beggar."

Yaounde, Cameroon — An estimated 8 million voters in Chad go to the polls Dec. 29 in legislative, local and district elections. Female leaders and activists, however, say women candidates are being underrepresented. Chadian officials say the legislative elections will mark an end to a three-year transition from military to civilian rule that began when General Mahamat Idriss Deby seized power in April 2021 following the death of his father, long-serving President Idriss Deby Itno. During the transitional period, Deby said he would make sure women, who constitute more than 51% of Chad's population, were nominated in legislative, provincial and district elections. He said Chad would respect its pledges as a signatory to the Maputo Protocol, a commitment by African nations through the African Union to ensure gender equality in political decision making. But activists say women constitute just over one-third of the candidates in this year’s races, in which 180 political parties have nominated more than 8,500 candidates. They say limiting women from elective positions prohibits a majority of the central African nation’s civilians from participating in their country's development and legislating and voting on laws that will improve living conditions. Ahmed Bartchiret, president of ANGE, Chad’s national elections management body, acknowledged the low number of women running for elected office.  He said women constitute less than 35% of the lists of nominees submitted by political parties, including Deby's Patriotic Salvation Movement, or MPS, for the Dec. 29 elections. ANGE also acknowledged that some nominations, including those of women, were turned down, but gave no further details. ANGE said anyone whose nomination was rejected can take up the issue through the courts. Women’s groups, including the Association of Indigenous Women and People and the Civil Society Group Against Injustice and Inequality, said in a release that ANGE rejected nomination papers of women candidates who could not pay the roughly $250 application fee. Activists, however, say some political parties are still very reluctant to nominate women, at times claiming that women are not educated enough to occupy political office. Amina Priscille Longoh is Chad's minister of women and child protection. Speaking Wednesday on state television, she noted that in some communities, there is resistance to women seeking higher office.   Longoh said Deby’s strong political will to involve more women in politics is facing opposition from communities, traditional rulers and some clerics, who think that women should stay at home to take care of their husbands and children. She said Deby has ordered that a mass education campaign be carried out to advocate for the respect of women's rights and political participation. Longoh also said many women lack the financial means to run in elections. Some Chadian women have complained that Prime Minister Allamaye Halina, whom Deby appointed on May 23 as part of a new civilian government, has reduced the number of female ministers from 12 to eight. Activists say the government has not respected a resolution of the central African nations’ 2022 Inclusive and Sovereign National Dialogue which states that more women should be appointed to government positions. Female leaders say women constitute the majority of Chad’s population and can have more influence than men in peacekeeping processes.

Russia launched a combined missile and drone attack on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, overnight, with residents sheltering in metro stations and air raid sirens blaring for hours. Serhii Popko, head of the Kyiv City military administration, said Ukrainian forces destroyed several cruise and ballistic missiles and up to a dozen drones. Some 96 different “means of air assault were detected” by the air force, including anti-aircraft missiles, winged missiles from strategic bombers, Iskander-M strategic missiles and Shahed drones, the Ukrainian military said in a Facebook post Wednesday. Officials said a 48-year-old man was wounded by the falling debris of a downed drone in the Kyiv suburb of Brovary, and emergency services distributed images of firefighters battling flames at one site. A separate drone attack in the Kherson region killed a 52-year-old woman, officials said. Blasts were heard in Kyiv after the air force put the nation under an air raid alert. "Putin is launching a missile attack on Kyiv right now," the president’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said on the social media platform Telegram, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The attack came after a U.S. State Department spokesperson said North Korea troops have begun fighting alongside Russians. "Over 10,000 DPRK (North Korean) soldiers have been sent to eastern Russia, and most of them have moved to the far western Kursk Oblast, where they have begun engaging in combat operations with Russian forces," spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters during a Tuesday briefing in Washington. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke Tuesday with his Ukrainian counterpart Rustem Umerov “to discuss battlefield dynamics and provide an update on U.S. security assistance” for the Eastern European country, according to Pentagon press secretary Major General Pat Ryder. Ryder said, "the secretary reaffirmed President [Joe] Biden's commitment to surge security assistance to Ukraine." The Pentagon also clarified the amount of money that remains available for Ukraine's military assistance. There is about $7.1 billion left in the Presidential Drawdown Authority, which includes $4.3 billion approved by Congress in April, plus $2.8 billion that became available after recalculations. Additionally, there is about $2.2 billion available under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative program. Ryder again underscored that the United States would rush aid to Ukraine and use all available funds. Ryder said the two defense leaders also talked about the implications of the thousands of North Korean troops now assessed to be mostly in western Kursk Oblast. Information from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse was used in this report.

Madrid — New storms in Spain caused school closures and train cancellations on Wednesday, two weeks after flash floods in Valencia and other parts of the country killed more than 220 people and destroyed thousands of homes. Coastal areas of Valencia were placed under the highest alert on Wednesday evening. Forecasters said up to 180 millimeters (7 inches) of rain could fall there within five hours. Cleanup efforts in parts of Valencia hardest hit by the Oct. 29 storm were still continuing, and there were concerns over what more rain could bring to streets still covered with mud and debris. In southern Malaga province, streets were flooded, while 3,000 people near the Guadalhorce river were moved from their homes as a preventive measure. Schools across the province were closed, along with many stores. High-speed AVE train service was canceled between Malaga and Madrid as well as Barcelona and Valencia. There were no reports of any deaths. Spanish weather forecaster AEMET put Malaga on red alert, saying up to 70 millimeters (roughly 3 inches) of rain had accumulated in an hour. Parts of Tarragona province in the east also faced heavy rain and remained under red alert. The forecast in Malaga delayed the start of the Billie Jean King Cup tennis finals between Spain and Poland, which was set for Wednesday. The storm system affecting Spain is caused by warm air that collides with stagnant cold air and forms powerful rain clouds. Experts say that drought and flood cycles are increasing with climate change.

Ukrainian overnight drone attacks have set several non-residential buildings on fire in Russia's Kaluga and Bryansk regions, regional governors said on Sunday. "Emergency services and firefighters are on the site," Alexander Bogomaz, governor of the Russian border region of Bryansk, wrote on the Telegram messaging app, without providing further detail. The defense ministry said its air defense units had destroyed 23 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 17 over Bryansk. Vladislav Shapsha, governor of the Kaluga region, which borders the Moscow region to its northeast, said a non-residential building in the region was on fire as result of Ukraine's drone attack. Reuters could not independently verify the reports. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine. Kyiv has often said its drone attacks on Russian territory are aimed at infrastructure key to Moscow's war efforts and are in response to Russia's continued attack on Ukraine's territory.

Russian exiles plan a march Sunday in Berlin demanding the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine, the prosecution of Russian President Vladimir Putin as a war criminal, and the release of all political prisoners. Ricardo Marquina reports. Narrator: Elizabeth Cherneff.

Today, Somaliland took a significant step in its democratic journey, holding simultaneous presidential and political party…

The post Somaliland Elections Officially Begin Amid High Turnout and Minor Delays appeared first on Horseed Media.

Multichoice Group has announced that its Nigerian subsidiary lost 243,000 subscribers across its DStv and GOtv services between April and September 2024. The pay TV platform in its financial result for the year ended September 30, 2024, published on Tuesday, said the high cost of food, electricity, and petrol has forced many of its customers […]

The post MultiChoice Nigeria loses 243,000 subscribers in six months first appeared on Business Hallmark.

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has disclosed that Nigeria’s average daily crude oil production rose marginally to 1.33 million barrels per day (bpd) in October 2024. OPEC disclosed this in its monthly oil market report released on November 12. It said the figure was obtained from direct communication with Nigerian officials. The organisation […]

The post Nigeria’s crude oil production increased to 1.33m bpd in October – OPEC first appeared on Business Hallmark.

The Libyan Department for Combating Illegal Migration has deported seven Nigerians, three Bangladeshis, and three Ghanaians detained at the Qanfoudah Immigration Detention Centre for allegedly violating the country’s laws. The deportees were flown out of Libya via Benina International Airport in Benghazi. in a statement on their X handle on Tuesday, confirmed that these individuals […]

The post Libya deports seven Nigerians, others over law violations first appeared on Business Hallmark.

  United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Africa’s global bank, has partnered with Mastercard to launch a commemorative debit card in celebration of UBA’s 75th anniversary. This collaboration, according to a statement, aims to honor UBA’s long-standing customer relationships and enhance their banking experience with a range of offers and discounts across multiple platforms. UBA’s […]

The post UBA partners Mastercard to launch special debit card with benefits to mark its 75th anniversary first appeared on Business Hallmark.

ZHUHAI, China — Authorities in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai removed wreaths, candles and even bottles of Chinese alcohol laid at the scene of the deadliest mass killing in the country in a decade, as the government scrambled to respond and censor the outrage online. On Monday, a male driver angry at his divorce settlement rammed his car into a crowd at a sports center in the city of 2.5 million, killing 35 people and injuring 43, but the government took almost a day to announce the death toll. This prompted an outrage on Chinese social media, where posts complaining about the government's slow response and raising questions about the mental health of a nation shaken by a recent spate of similar killings, were being quickly removed. Despite the efforts to clear the site in Zhuhai, which is near Macau, delivery drivers on motorbikes kept dropping off fresh flowers on Wednesday morning, even as authorities erected temporary barriers around the makeshift vigil area and deployed security personnel. “The authorities hadn’t released any information - some colleagues mentioned it and I couldn’t believe it at first, but it was confirmed later,” said a 50-year-old man who identified himself as Zheng who brought flowers to the site. “It’s just a spontaneous feeling I had. Even though I don’t know them personally, I had family members who passed away in the past, so I understand that feeling," said Zheng. Some wreaths carried handwritten notes: "Strangers travel well. May there be no demons in heaven,” read one. On another: “May there be no thugs in heaven. Good will triumph over evil. Rest in peace.” After initially allowing journalists to briefly speak to the people laying the flowers, a handful of security personnel sporting light blue uniforms and caps told reporters not to talk to the people or to film specific messages on the bouquets. The attack happened as Zhuhai captured China's attention with the People's Liberation Army's largest annual airshow, where a new stealth jet fighter is on display for the first time. China’s state broadcaster CCTV did not mention the attack in its 30-minute midday news bulletin. Instead, the program led with President Xi Jinping's departure for the APEC summit in Peru and devoted a portion of the airtime to the airshow. Other state media, such as China Daily's Chinese language website, also prominently displayed the news of Xi's upcoming visit to Peru. The current affairs part of China Daily's website and the local area page did not mention the incident either. Hundreds of rescue personnel were deployed to provide emergency treatment, and more than 300 healthcare workers from five hospitals worked around the clock to save lives, state media's Beijing Daily reported on Tuesday. There was no indication that the attack was related to the airshow. But it was the second such incident to occur during the Zhuhai airshow: in 2008, at least four people were killed and 20 injured when a man drove a truck into a crowded schoolyard during the airshow. Police said that attacker had been seeking revenge over a traffic dispute. Xi, cited by CCTV on Tuesday, ordered all-out efforts to treat the injured and demanded severe punishment for the perpetrator. The central government has dispatched a team to provide guidance on handling of the case, CCTV said. Violent crime is rare in China due to tight security and strict gun laws. However, a rise in reports of knife attacks in large cities has drawn public attention to safety in public spaces. The deadliest attack Reuters was able to identify in recent years in China took place in Urumqi, in China's western Xinjiang region, in 2014, in which suicide bombers killed 39 people and four of the five attackers also died.

LAS VEGAS — Former “Dances with Wolves” actor Nathan Chasing Horse is set to stand trial early next year in Las Vegas on charges that he sexually abused Indigenous women and girls, a significant development in the sweeping criminal case after more than a year of stalled court proceedings while he challenged it. His trial in Clark County District Court is currently scheduled to begin on Jan. 13, court records show. He pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to 21 felonies, including sexual assault, kidnapping and producing and possessing videos of child sexual abuse, KLAS-TV in Las Vegas reported. Prosecutors are […]...

Keep on reading: Nevada trial set for ‘Dances with Wolves’ actor in newly-revived sex abuse case

Known for its distinct animation style and worldbuilding, Studio Ghibli films offer important lessons that still hold up to this day     Watching “Spirited Away” on Disney Channel was my earliest memory of being introduced to the world of Studio Ghibli, a Japanese animation studio known for its animated feature films. It was an experience I didn’t completely understand until later in my teenage years when I would revisit the film with my family.  There is such nuance in the stories of Studio Ghibli films that you have to rewatch them to fully understand them. Most of the time, […]...

Keep on reading: Beyond fantasy and nostalgia: 5 life lessons from Studio Ghibli films

Washington, United States — More than a dozen US-based employees of Taiwanese chipmaking giant TSMC have sued the company for apparent discrimination against non-Asian workers, according to a recent lawsuit. The suit alleges that the world’s largest contract manufacturer of chips — used in everything from Apple iPhones to Nvidia’s AI hardware — unfairly favors […]...

Keep on reading: Taiwan chip giant TSMC sued for alleged discrimination

Moira Dela Torre’s third studio album and Denise Julia’s sophomore EP dominate November music releases     Slowly but surely, Mariah Carey and Jose Mari Chan have eased their way into radio waves and mall playlists. But before the holiday classics completely take over this December, check out these upcoming and newly-released November drops. The month’s best and latest will surely be a high point for the year in music—from Moira Dela Torre’s first album in three years to Denise Julia’s sure-hit sophomore EP. READ: What makes Filipinos start celebrating Christmas as early as September? “I’m Okay” – Moira Dela […]...

Keep on reading: Moira Dela Torre, Denise Julia lead new November releases

Tehran, Iran — International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi is set to visit Tehran on Wednesday for crucial talks on Iran's nuclear program, warning just ahead of his trip that room for maneuver is narrowing. His visit comes only two days after the defense minister of Iran's nemesis Israel warned the Islamic republic was "more exposed than ever to strikes on its nuclear facilities". Israel has long accused Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, a claim Tehran denies. The two countries have traded missile strikes this year, as tensions soar over Israel's war with Iran's allies, Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The strikes have brought to the surface their years-long shadow war and fueled fears of a wider Middle East conflict. "The margins for maneuver are beginning to shrink," Grossi said in an interview with AFP ahead of his visit, adding that "it is imperative to find ways to reach diplomatic solutions". While the IAEA is allowed to carry out inspections in Iran, Grossi stressed the need for "more visibility" into Iran's nuclear program, given its scale and ambition. "They have a lot of nuclear materials that could be used eventually to make a nuclear weapon, the IAEA chief told CNN on Tuesday, adding: "They do not have a nuclear weapon at this point."  Trump's warning Grossi's trip comes after Donald Trump -- who pulled out of a hard-won nuclear deal with Iran negotiated under Barack Obama -- was voted back into the White House. Trump said last week that he was not seeking to harm Iran and instead wanted its people to have "a very successful country", while insisting "they can't have a nuclear weapon". In 2015, major world powers including the United States reached an agreement with Iran on its nuclear program after 21 months of talks. The text provided for an easing of international sanctions on Iran in exchange for guarantees that it would not seek nuclear weapons. But Trump withdrew from the agreement in 2018 before re-imposing US sanctions on Iran. A year later, Iran started to gradually roll back its commitments to the nuclear deal, which only allowed Tehran to enrich uranium to 3.65 percent purity. The IAEA says Iran has considerably increased its reserves of enriched uranium to 60 percent, close to the 90 percent needed to develop an atomic bomb. It is against this backdrop that Grossi is schedule to visit Iran for the first time since May. In a statement, the IAEA said it would hold "high-level meetings with the Iranian government" and conduct "technical discussions on all aspects". Cameras unplugged Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who came to office in July with hopes of improving ties with the West and having sanctions lifted, favors a revival of the nuclear deal. But all efforts to get the nuclear agreement off life support have so far failed. The IAEA chief has repeatedly called for more cooperation from Iran. In recent years, Tehran has decreased its interaction with the UN agency by deactivating surveillance devices needed to monitor the nuclear program and effectively barring its inspectors. The foundations of Iran's nuclear program date back to the late 1950s, when the United States signed a civil cooperation agreement with Iran's then Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. In 1970, Iran ratified the Non-Proliferation Treaty, which requires signatory states to declare and place their nuclear materials under the IAEA control. But with Iran threatening to hit back at Israel for its latest missile strikes, some lawmakers in the Islamic republic have called on the government to revise its nuclear doctrine to pursue nuclear weapons. The parliamentarians called on supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who wields ultimate authority in Iran, to reconsider his long-standing religious edict or fatwa banning nuclear weapons. The Islamic republic has maintained its policy against acquiring nuclear weapons, insisting its nuclear activities were entirely peaceful.