US President Donald Trump speaks next to Kid Rock on the day he signs an executive order related to the US live entertainment ticketing industry in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, March 31, 2025. — Reuters
WASHINGTON: United States President Donald Trump’s approval rating has declined from 47% to 43%, according to Gallup, as his administration moves forward with a series of controversial policies.
The dip comes as Americans react to his administration’s early moves, including the controversial Project 2025 agenda, proposed market-disrupting tariffs, and unusual policy interests— from acquiring Greenland to reshaping US influence in the Gulf.
Despite previously distancing himself from Project 2025 during the campaign, Trump’s swift embrace of its policies has raised concerns, potentially alienating voters and dampening initial support for his presidency, a Vanity Fair correspondent wrote.
According to the publication, Trump’s recent policy decisions, including proposed renaming of the Gulf of Mexico, discussions about Greenland, and a tariff-heavy trade approach impacting Canada and Mexico, have contributed to a decline in public approval.
Additionally, the government spending cuts have raised concerns, particularly regarding funding for medical research on cancer and Alzheimer’s.
A Harvard-HarrisX poll suggested that billionaire Elon Musk, who has been influencing federal agencies under Trump’s administration, has also seen his favourability rating drop by 10 points from February to March amid ongoing Tesla protests.
Public dissatisfaction with Trump’s leadership is evident across multiple key issues. A recent Associated Press–NORC Center poll indicates that only 38% of Americans approve of his handling of trade negotiations, 40% support his economic policies, and 41% back his approach to the Russia-Ukraine war and Social Security. Immigration remains his strongest-polling issue, with 49% approval.
Despite entering office with relatively strong public backing, Trump’s policies have drawn widespread scrutiny, signaling increasing concerns about his governance.
Furthermore, the publication wrote that the Trump administration is facing increased scrutiny following the emergence of the so-called “Signalgate” scandal, in which National Security Adviser Mike Waltz reportedly created a Signal group to discuss classified Yemen attack plans.
The group included 17 government officials, among them Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth — alongside Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, whose inclusion has drawn significant attention.
While the White House has downplayed the incident, a CBS News–YouGov poll found that 76% of Americans, including 56% of Republicans, believe discussing military operations on an unsecured app was inappropriate.
Despite growing criticism, Trump has refrained from taking action against Waltz, reportedly asking allies whether he should remove him but ultimately deciding against it to avoid appearing to yield to media pressure.
Members of the Chinese Red Cross International Emergency Response Team work at a collapsed residential building following the earthquake, in Mandalay, Myanmar March 31, 2025. — Reuters
BANGKOK: Myanmar’s junta on Wednesday said its troops fired warning shots at a Chinese Red Cross aid convoy, underlining the challenge of delivering relief amid a civil war in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake as aid groups called for better access to help survivors.
The country’s military is struggling to run Myanmar following its coup against the elected civilian government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021, reducing the economy and basic services including healthcare to tatters after civil war broke out.
Junta spokesperson Zaw Min Tun said the Chinese Red Cross had not informed authorities it was in a conflict zone on Tuesday night, and a security team fired shots in the air after the convoy, which included local vehicles, failed to stop.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said the aid team and supplies were safe, and called on all parties in Myanmar to ensure the safety of rescuers.
“It’s necessary to keep transportation routes for relief efforts open and unobstructed,” Guo Jiakun told a press conference.
People take shelter in a makeshift camp in front of a damaged building following a strong earthquake in Mandalay, Myanmar, April 1, 2025. — Reuters
The firing came as the death toll from Friday’s 7.7-magnitude quake rose to 2,886, with 4,639 injured, Myanmar state media said.
The rural parts of hard-hit Sagaing region were mostly under the control of armed resistance groups fighting the military government, the International Crisis Group said.
“They will be among the most challenging for aid agencies to reach, given regime restrictions, a complex configuration of local administrations and control by armed resistance groups, and the persistent conflict,” it added in a statement.
Even before the quake, the ICG said, information had been hard to gather from such areas, because of a junta blackout of internet and mobile phone networks as part of the conflict.
“Soldiers are everywhere in the town,” a man who travelled to Sagaing told Reuters. “They are there for security, not for rescue. They check every vehicle.”
Chinese rescue workers work at the site of a collapsed building, in the aftermath of a strong earthquake, in Mandalay, Myanmar, March 31, 2025. — Reuters
New York-based Human Rights Watch urged the junta to allow unfettered access for humanitarian aid and lift curbs impeding aid agencies, saying donors should channel aid through independent groups rather than only junta authorities.
“Myanmar’s junta cannot be trusted to respond to a disaster of this scale,” Bryony Lau, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a report.
“Concerned governments and international agencies need to press the junta to allow full and immediate access to survivors, wherever they are.”
The military has dismissed as misinformation accusations that it committed widespread atrocities as it fought against a multi-pronged rebellion that followed the coup.
Rebels have accused the military of conducting airstrikes even after the quake and on Tuesday a major rebel alliance declared a unilateral ceasefire to help relief efforts.
Millions affected
The United Nations said there were more than 28 million people in the six regions affected by the quake, and it had $12 million in emergency funding for food, shelter, water, sanitation, mental health support and other services.
An aerial view shows flattened buildings and one damaged following an earthquake on March 28, in a location given as Mandalay region, Myanmar, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video released March 31, 2025. — Reuters
“The situation remains critical, with disrupted communications and road access hampering response efforts, particularly in Sagaing,” the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) said.
Australia announced a further A$6.5 million ($4.1 million) in humanitarian support for Myanmar, supplied “through thoroughly vetted international and local partners”.
In a statement on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said, “We take proactive steps to ensure our assistance does not legitimise the military regime in Myanmar.”
A woman in Mandalay, near the quake epicentre, told Reuters that authorities were building a stage for this month’s Thingyan water festival, though many people were homeless, with bodies left under collapsed buildings.
The military council has rejected requests from international journalists to cover the quake devastation, citing the lack of water, electricity and hotels.
In neighbouring Thailand, the death toll from the quake rose to 22 on Wednesday, with hundreds of buildings damaged.
Rescue workers operate with heavy equipment at the site of a collapsed building, following a strong earthquake, in Bangkok, Thailand, April 2, 2025. — Reuters
A search for survivors in the rubble of a skyscraper under construction in the capital, Bangkok, entered its fifth day with a change in role for some rescue dogs at the site, where 15 people died and 72 are missing.
Officials said two dogs were reassigned to provide emotional support for the families of those missing.Children patted the golden retrievers wearing light-up vests in a temporary shelter, while others spoke softly to them.
It brought a small sense of comfort, said Chanpen Keawnoi, whose mother and younger sister are missing.
“They said as long as the dog keeps barking when it hears a signal, there’s still a chance someone could be alive,” she said.
The government is investigating the collapse and initial tests showed some steel samples from the site were substandard.
A sign is seen at the arrivals passport control area of Terminal 5, at Heathrow Airport, London, Britain, March 23, 2023. — Reuters
European visitors to Britain will have to purchase an electronic permit in advance for trips from Wednesday, as the UK government follows other countries in seeking to strengthen immigration security by screening people before they cross its borders.
The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme requires all visitors who do not need a visa to enter Britain to purchase pre-travel authorisation online at a cost of £10 (12 euros), rising to £16 from April 9. Irish citizens are excluded.
The regime was initially rolled out to non-European nationals last year, including visitors from the United States, Canada and Australia.
“Expanding ETA worldwide cements our commitment to enhance security through technology and innovation,” migration minister Seema Malhotra said last month.
Britain’s Home Office, or interior ministry, said applying for an ETA should be simple through the UK ETA app, with the vast majority of applicants receiving a decision automatically in minutes.
Applicants provide a photo and biographic details and answer questions on suitability and criminality. Once an applicant has successfully applied, their ETA is digitally linked to their passport.
An ETA allows multiple visits to the UK of up to six months over a two-year period.
Airlines, ferry and train companies will be responsible for verifying the ETA status of travellers before they board.
Budget airline easyJet said on Tuesday it did not expect the new permit requirement to dent demand for Europe to UK travel.
The United Kingdom received 22.5 million visitors from the European Union in 2023, up from 19.0 million in 2022, according to official data.
The EU’s much delayed post-Brexit border security checks for UK nationals entering the bloc are slated to be introduced in October. Britain left the EU in 2020.
The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) will remove the requirement to manually stamp passports at the EU’s external borders and instead create digital records that link a travel document to a person’s identity using biometrics.
EES will be a precursor to an enhanced system, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which will also require non-Schengen area citizens to pay a fee before they travel.
Britons currently pay about £17 for a similar permit to enter the US.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and his Bangladeshi counterpart Muhammad Yunus. — Reuters/ AFP/ File
BEIJING: In a meeting with his Bangladeshi counterpart Muhammad Yunus on Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping promised greater cooperation as Dhaka looks for new allies to counteract chilly relations with India.
After a student-led uprising overthrew dictatorial former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who then fled to New Delhi, Yunus assumed power in Bangladesh in August 2024.
India was the biggest benefactor of Hasina’s government, and her ouster sent cross-border relations into a tailspin, culminating in Yunus choosing to make his first state visit to China — India’s biggest Asian rival.
Xi told Yunus on Friday that Beijing was “willing to work with Bangladesh to push bilateral cooperation to a new level,” Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported.
“China… insists on remaining a good neighbour, good friend and good partner to Bangladesh, based on mutual trust,” Xi said, according to the Chinese television.
The Chinese leader reportedly said Beijing and Dhaka should “firmly support each other” on core interests and backed Bangladesh on issues including safeguarding national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
He added that the two countries would explore cooperation in infrastructure construction, water conservancy and the digital, marine and environmental sectors.
Dhaka said this week that Yunus’s China visit showed that Bangladesh was “sending a message”.
The 84-year-old Nobel laureate is expected to return home on Saturday after holding several other high-level meetings in the Chinese capital.
Several agreements are expected to be signed on economic and technical assistance, cultural and sports cooperation, and media collaboration between the two countries, according to the Bangladeshi administration.
Talks are also expected to touch on Bangladesh’s immense population of Rohingya refugees, most of whom fled a violent military crackdown in neighbouring Myanmar in 2017.
China has acted as a mediator between Bangladesh and Myanmar in the past to broker the repatriation of the persecuted minority, although efforts stalled because of Myanmar’s unwillingness to have them returned.
Sour India ties
Senior figures in the Indian and Bangladeshi governments have traded barbs ahead of Yunus’s sojourn to Beijing.
Those tensions have almost fully halted travel by Bangladeshis to India for medical tourism, thousands of whom crossed the border each year to seek care in their larger neighbour.
Dhaka’s top foreign ministry bureaucrat said this week that talks in Beijing would touch on the establishment of a Chinese “Friendship Hospital” in Bangladesh.
Yunus’s caretaker administration has the unenviable task of instilling democratic reforms ahead of new elections expected by mid-2026.
It has requested — so far unsuccessfully — that India allow Hasina’s extradition to face charges of crimes against humanity for the killing of hundreds of protesters during the unrest that toppled her government.
Yunus has also sought a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a bid to reset relations, with both expected to be at the same regional summit in Bangkok next month.
His government has yet to receive a response, with Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar saying the request was “under review”.
Supporters of Democrat-backed Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Judge Susan Crawford react after voters elected Crawford, at her election night headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin, US April 1, 2025. — Reuters
WASHINGTON: Donald Trump and Elon Musk suffered a political blow in Wisconsin as voters rejected their favoured conservative candidate for the state’s Supreme Court, electing liberal judge Susan Crawford instead.
Two months into his barnstorming return to the White House, Trump celebrated victory in a pair of House races in Florida, which remained in Republican hands.
But in the first real electoral test of his polarising presidency, his all-out effort to lodge a new Republican on the Wisconsin Supreme Court fell flat, as liberal judge Susan Crawford came out ahead of the Trump-backed Brad Schimel, according to US media.
Trump had earlier pushed for the conservative judge running for the spot on Wisconsin’s top court, saying on social media that Schimel was a “Patriot” while Crawford was a “Radical Left Liberal.”
Echoing his usual extreme rhetoric, Trump claimed Crawford has a “History of letting child molesters and rapists off” and that a win by her would be a “DISASTER.”
‘Fate of civilisation’
Musk, who has spearheaded Trump’s radical attempts to gut much of the US government in a right-wing cost-cutting drive, went himself to Wisconsin to drum up support for Schimel.
“It’s like one of those strange situations where a seemingly small election would determine the fate of Western civilisation here,” Musk said in a discussion on his social media platform X on Tuesday.
The highlight of his weekend visit to the upper Midwestern state reprised a tactic seen during his efforts to help Trump defeat Democrat Kamala Harris in November—handing out money to anyone who signed a petition against so-called “activist judges.”
Senator Bernie Sanders, a major force on the left of the Democratic Party, told supporters on X they had “the power to REJECT Musk and the oligarchy buying our elections.”
Beyond testing the public mood, the Wisconsin result will decide whether the state’s Supreme Court—which rules on matters such as voting district boundaries—tilts majority left or right.
In Florida, two seats in the US House of Representatives were up for grabs to fill vacancies in Republican strongholds, left by Trump’s National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and failed nominee for Attorney General, Matt Gaetz.
On Tuesday evening, media called the race for Florida’s sixth district in favour of Republican Randy Fine, with Trump tweeting: “Congratulations Randy, a great WIN against a massive CASH AVALANCHE.”
Shortly after, media outlets also called the special election in Florida’s first district for Trump-backed Republican Jimmy Patronis.
Trump took credit for his party’s victory in both deep red districts, posting on social media that “the Trump endorsement, as always, proved far greater than the Democrats’ forces of evil.”
Democrats have been adrift since losing the presidency to Trump and both chambers of Congress in November, and had hoped that a decent showing in Florida and a win in Wisconsin could be the spark.
In Florida, they were defeated by double-digit percentage margins in both special elections.
Big stakes, bigger money
Illustrating the stakes of the contest in Wisconsin, the race has set a spending record—much of that in advertising and attempts, particularly by Musk, to drive turnout.
Musk, who spent roughly $277 million on Trump’s 2024 election campaign, presented cheques of $1 million to two voters and $100 each to other voters who signed his petition.
According to the Brennan Centre for Justice, more than $53.3 million has been spent by Schimel and his backers, including $12.2 million from Musk’s America PAC.
Crawford’s campaign and those backing her have spent an estimated $45.1 million.
The spending has made the Wisconsin race the most expensive in US judicial history, the centre said.
Billionaire Musk’s Green Bay rally on the weekend had an enthusiastic crowd, but the South African-born oligarch’s role in Wisconsin elections has provoked as much resistance as support.
At a pro-Crawford rally, 65-year-old retired electrical engineer Rob Patterson held up a sign showing Musk giving a straight-armed salute.
“Our Supreme Court is not for sale,” the sign read.
US Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) walks toward reporters after delivering a record-setting floor speech for the US Senate at the US Capitol on April 1, 2025. — AFP
WASHINGTON: Democratic US Senator Cory Booker accused President Donald Trump of “recklessly” challenging the nation’s democratic institutions in a marathon speech that broke a nearly seven-decade record on Tuesday for length.
The 55-year-old New Jersey lawmaker, in a speech that began at 7pm on Monday and went on for 25 hours and five minutes, criticised the crusade by the Republican president and his billionaire top adviser Elon Musk to slash large swaths of the federal government.
“Our institutions are being recklessly and unconstitutionally attacked and even shattered,” said Booker, who was first elected to the Senate in 2013.
Booker, who is Black, broke the record for the longest continuous speech previously held by segregationist Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina.
In the summer of 1957, Thurmond launched a filibuster against civil rights legislation that lasted 24 hours and 18 minutes. In the end, Thurmond failed in his mission to block a bill that expanded federal protections of voting rights for Black people.
Booker, whose speech was not a filibuster — which is a tactic to delay or kill action on specific legislation — passed Thurmond’s record and continued to speak.
He repeatedly referred to activists getting into “good trouble” by speaking out against Trump’s actions, using a term that the late Democratic Representative John Lewis, a civil rights leader, had often employed.
Trump, in his first weeks in office, has moved to outright shutter government arms including the Department of Education and withhold congressionally approved spending. His administration has also questioned the authority of the federal courts to constrain its policies.
Democratic voters have become restive in recent weeks as Trump, backed by a Republican-controlled Congress, has shaken up long-established US alliances and cut more than 100,000 federal workers.
Their anger has been aimed both at Republican lawmakers and the party’s own leaders, including top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer and top House of Representatives Democrat Hakeem Jeffries, for not being aggressive enough in challenging Trump.
Schumer paused Booker late in his speech to ask, “Do you know you have broken the record?”
“I know now,” Booker responded, dabbing his eyes with a tissue before continuing.
Musk in crosshairs
Booker acknowledged the Democratic voter anger about 24 hours into his speech, saying, “I was challenged by my own constituents to do something different, challenged by my own constituents to do something, challenged by my own constituents to take risks.”
A White House spokesman dismissed Booker’s criticism.
“Cory Booker is looking for another ‘I am Spartacus’ moment, but that didn’t work for his failed presidential campaign, and it didn’t work to block President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh,” said Deputy White House press secretary Harrison Fields.
Booker, a former mayor of Newark, New Jersey, had made a run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, the year that Trump ultimately lost his bid for re-election to Joe Biden.
The only breaks Booker took were when a stream of fellow Democrats, one-by-one, came to the floor to ask him a question, allowing him to keep control of his speaking time.
Booker was spirited throughout but showed some signs of strain by Tuesday afternoon. When he dropped a piece of paper from his desk he looked down, very slowly and carefully began bending to pick it up, only to be rescued as fellow Democratic Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado sprang to his aid.
A unifying theme of Booker’s wrath was Musk’s campaign to slash the size and scope of the US government.
“The Trump-Vance administration continues to plunge us into chaos,” Booker said. “Trump’s trade war on our allies will only increase costs and fears for American families.”
As Booker entered the final hours of his speech, most of his fellow Democrats took seats in the chamber, while Republican seats on the opposite side of the chamber sat empty.
Booker used that time to urge Congress to be the check on the president as outlined in the US Constitution and to heed “the voices of our constituents.”
“For all Americans, it’s a moral moment. It’s not left or right. It’s right or wrong,” Booker said as his voice broke. Then, finally, he yielded his time.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi attends a meeting with his Armenian counterpart in Yerevan, Armenia, on March 25, 2025. — AFP
Iran has sent a response through Oman to US President Donald Trump’s letter in which he urged Tehran to reach a new nuclear deal, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi was cited as saying by the official IRNA news agency on Thursday.
“Our policy is still to not engage in direct negotiations while under maximum pressure and military threats, however, as it was the case in the past, indirect negotiations can continue”, IRNA cited Araqchi as saying.
Earlier on Thursday, Kamal Kharrazi, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, said that Tehran has not closed all doors to resolve its disputes with the United States and is ready for indirect negotiations with Washington.
Tehran has so far rebuffed Trump’s warning to make a deal or face military consequences. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called the message deceptive and Araqchi said talks are impossible unless Washington changes its “maximum pressure” policy.
“The Islamic Republic has not closed all doors. It is ready for indirect negotiations with the United States in order to evaluate the other party, state its own conditions and make the appropriate decision,” Kharrazi said, according to state media.
“Our response includes a letter in which we detailed our views on the current situation and Mr Trump’s letter”, Araqchi said on Thursday.
In his first 2017-21 term, Trump withdrew the US from a 2015 deal between Iran and world powers that placed strict limits on Tehran’s disputed nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.
After Trump pulled out in 2018 and reimposed sweeping US sanctions, the Islamic Republic breached and has since far surpassed those limits in its escalating programme of uranium enrichment.
Western powers accuse Iran of having a clandestine agenda to develop nuclear weapons capability by enriching uranium to a high level of fissile purity, above what they say is justifiable for a civilian atomic energy programme.
Tehran says its nuclear programme is wholly for civilian energy purposes.
Pete Hegseth, US secretary of defense, speaks during a joint news conference with Gen Nakatani, Japan’s defense minister, not photographed, at the Ministry of Defense in Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday, March 30, 2025. — Reuters
WASHINGTON: The United States has moved nuclear-capable B-2 bombers to a military base on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia, bringing them within striking distance of Yemen and Iran amid rising regional tensions, the Pentagon confirmed on Wednesday.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth decided to deploy additional warplanes to reinforce the Pentagon’s naval assets in the Middle East.
The Pentagon’s brief statement made no mention of specific aircraft. However, at least four B-2 bombers have relocated to a US-British military base on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia, according to US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity. That is close enough to reach Yemen or Iran, experts say.
“The United States and its partners remain committed to regional security in the CENTCOM (area of responsibility) and are prepared to respond to any state or non-state actor seeking to broaden or escalate conflict in the region,” Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in the statement.
“Secretary Hegseth continues to make clear that, should Iran or its proxies threaten American personnel and interests in the region, the United States will take decisive action to defend our people,” he added.
CENTCOM refers to the US Central Command, which comprises a region stretching across northeast Africa, the Middle East, and Central and South Asia.
The B-2 bombers are capable of carrying nuclear weapons and, with only 20 such aircraft in the Air Force’s inventory, are usually used sparingly. In October, the Biden administration used the bombers in its own campaign against the Houthis in Yemen.
56-Year-Old Woman Undergoes Scar-Free Hysterectomy at Aster Hospital Al Qusais Using Advanced vNOTES Technique
FDA-approved technique since 2019, gaining global recognition for safer and more precise gynecological procedures 1 Patients can resume normal activities within 2 to 3 weeks, compared to 4 to 6 weeks for traditional hysterectomy. The vNOTES technique eliminates abdominal incisions, ensuring faster recovery, reduced pain, and improved aesthetic outcomes. Hysterectomies or surgical removal of the uterus, are most common in women aged 40-49, but this 56-year-old’s successful vNOTES surgery shows its feasibility for older patients 2
Dubai(News Desk):: Aster Hospital Al Qusais, recognized in Newsweek’s “World’s Best Smart Hospitals 2025” List among 350 hospitals globally and ranked No. 14 on Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals in the UAE list, successfully performed a groundbreaking hysterectomy using a scar-free,minimally invasive technique known as Vaginal Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery(vNOTES). This advanced procedure eliminates the need for cuts on the abdomen, allowing for faster recovery, reduced pain, and improved surgical precision.
The surgery was performed on 56-year-old Ms. Sarojadevi Selvaraja, an Indian national, who was experiencing unusual postmenopausal bleeding for some time. After experiencing irregular spotting for two years, she had a more severe episode in January, which prompted her to seek medical advice. A thorough evaluation revealed precancerous changes in the uterine lining, which, if untreated, could lead to further complications. Given her previous medical history, including high blood pressure and past gynecological procedures, her doctors recommended hysterectomy. Since she preferred a less invasive approach, the expert medical team at Aster Hospital Al Qusais, led by Dr. Fathima Safa, Specialist in Obstetrics Gynecology, chose the vNOTES technique, ensuring a smoother recovery and better cosmetic results. While hysterectomies are most common in women between the ages of 40 and 49, performing this type of scar-free surgery on an older patient highlights the hospital’s expertise in handling complex cases with the latest medical advancements. 2 Unlike traditional surgery, which requires cuts on the abdomen, vNOTES allows doctors to remove the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries through the natural vaginal opening. A specialized device creates a working space, allowing the surgical team to use a tiny camera and advanced instruments to carefully perform the procedure with minimal bleeding.
During the procedure, doctors carefully removed the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries using a minimally invasive approach that required no abdominal incisions. Advanced technology ensured precision, minimal bleeding, and faster healing.
Thanks to the vNOTES technique, Ms. Sarojadevi experienced little discomfort and was able to leave the hospital within a day, resuming her daily routine much sooner than with traditional surgery. Dr. Fathima Safa, Specialist in Obstetrics Gynecology, Aster Hospital Al Qusais highlighted the importance of using advanced techniques in gynecological surgery. She stated, “vNOTES is the future of minimally invasive procedures, combining the benefits of traditional vaginal surgery with the precision of modern techniques. This results in quicker recovery, less pain, and no visible scars. While laparoscopic and robotic-assisted surgeries are commonly used, vNOTES takes it a step further by eliminating external incisions entirely, making it a significant breakthrough in gynecologic surgery.” Dr. Aysha Salam, Specialist in Obstetrics Gynecology at Aster Hospital Sharjah, added, “This technique is a game-changer for women who need gynecologic surgery. It shortens recovery time, reduces post-surgery discomfort, and significantly improves overall patient experience. Aster Hospitals is committed to bringing innovative and patient-friendly surgical solutions to enhance women’s healthcare.”
Expressing her gratitude, Ms. Sarojadevi said, “I was initially worried about having surgery, but the doctors reassured me about the benefits of this advanced approach. With no visible scars, little pain, and a quick recovery, I felt at ease and deeply appreciated the care and expertise of Dr. Fathima Safa, Dr. Aysha Salam, and the entire medical team.”
The vNOTES technique offers several advantages over traditional surgery. Since it is performed through the vaginal canal, patients have no visible scars, experience faster recovery, and can return to normal activities sooner. In fact, many patients are able to return to work within 2 to 3 weeks,while others may need 4 to 6 weeks, depending on their recovery. Post-surgery discomfort is minimal, reducing the need for strong pain medication. The use of a small camera provides a clear, detailed view, allowing for safer and more precise surgery while lowering the risk of complications such as excessive bleeding or internal scar tissue.
Recent studies have shown that vNOTES hysterectomy results in shorter operation times, less pain after surgery, and fewer complications compared to traditional laparoscopic hysterectomy. Since receiving approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2019, the technique has gained international recognition and is being used for a variety of gynecologic procedures, including the removal of ovarian cysts, treatment of ectopic pregnancies, and surgeries to improve pelvic support.
vNOTES is a great option for many patients, but it may not be suitable for those with certain medical conditions, like severe endometriosis, previous colorectal surgery, or pelvic radiation. However, for those who are eligible, vNOTES offers a safer and faster recovery with fewer scars and less pain Aster Hospital Al Qusais remains at the forefront of medical innovation, ensuring that patients receive the highest standard of care with the most advanced and patient-friendly surgical options available.
Ukrainian rescuers at the site of a Russian drone attack in Dnipro, south-eastern Ukraine, on Friday night which left four dead and 19 hurt. — Dnipropetrovsk regional state administration.
KYIV: Russia and Ukraine have both turned to Washington with complaints of alleged ceasefire violations, as they accused each other of attacking energy sites despite an informal understanding reached in Saudi Arabia to avoid such strikes.
Each side has accused the other of breaking a supposed deal to stop firing on energy sites, though a formal agreement has not been put in place, and what commitments each side has undertaken remain unclear.
Following separate meetings with US officials, the White House said both Ukraine and Russia had “agreed to develop measures for implementing” an “agreement to ban strikes against energy facilities of Russia and Ukraine”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his defence minister, Rustem Umerov, was in touch with US officials.
“We have passed on all the necessary information about Russian violations in the energy sector,” Zelensky said in his daily evening address.
He earlier called on Washington to strengthen sanctions on Russia as a response.
“I believe we have come to the point of increasing the sanctions impact, because I believe that the Russians are violating what they have promised America. At least what America has told us, and publicly,” Zelensky said at a press conference in Kyiv.
“And we very much hope that President (Donald) Trump has all these appropriate tools to increase the sanctions pressure on the Russian side.”
He said Ukraine remains “ready” for an unconditional ceasefire with Russia.
In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier discussed allegations of Ukrainian “violations” in a private meeting of top security officials on Tuesday.
Moscow also said it had handed its complaints to Washington.
‘We passed a list’
“We passed a list of violations… to the US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz,” Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after the meeting.
“I have passed this list to the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio,” he added.
Russia’s defence ministry earlier accused Kyiv of striking Russian energy sites in the Russian region of Belgorod and the partially Moscow-controlled Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia.
The allegations come hours after Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said tens of thousands were left without power in the southern Kherson region by a Russian strike.
Local authorities later said power supplies had been restored.
Russia has launched systematic aerial attacks on Ukrainian power plants and the grid since invading in February 2022.
Putin last month rejected a joint US-Ukrainian proposal for an unconditional and full ceasefire.
Sybiga also said Kyiv and Washington were holding fresh talks on a minerals agreement that would give the United States access to Ukrainian natural resources in return for more support.
The two countries had planned to sign a deal in February on extracting Ukraine’s strategically important minerals until a spectacular televised White House clash between Trump and Zelensky derailed the agreement.
Trump on Sunday warned Zelensky he would have “big problems” if Kyiv rejected the latest US proposal, details of which have not been published by either side.
