Putin's warning for the West

Plus, Gaza death toll passes 30,000.

Sign up for Reuters newsletters Daily Briefing Putin warns the West it risks a nuclear war, Mitch McConnell's legacy, and how Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani is kickstarting the massive celebrations for his son's wedding.   Plus, Norway gives Arctic foxes a helping hand.   By Kate Turton Today's Top News Palestinians shop at a market in Rafah, January 4, 2024. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa GAZA Armed, masked men in Gaza have started patrols to stop traders profiteering in Rafah, where more than a million displaced Palestinians are taking shelter from Israel's air and ground campaign, a member of the vigilante group said. The mounting death toll from Israel's military offensive on the Gaza Strip is a concrete, daily reality for Ibrahim Ahmed: instead of building houses as he did before the war, he digs graves. US POLITICS Mitch McConnell's decision to step aside as Senate Republican leader raises questions about whether the chamber long known for being slow and deliberative will be swept up in the heated populism of Donald Trump. Listen to Washington correspondent Richard Cowan on McConnell's legacy. An Illinois state judge barred Trump from appearing on the Illinois' Republican presidential primary ballot because of his role in the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. IN OTHER NEWS President Vladimir Putin warned Western countries that there was a genuine risk of nuclear war if they sent their own troops to fight in Ukraine, and he said Moscow had the weapons to strike targets in the West. In Russia signs of opposition still flicker despite the machinery of state working around the clock to snuff out any sign of dissent over the invasion of Ukraine and, more recently, the death in detention of leading dissident Navalny. Thailand will ban recreational use of marijuana by the end of this year but continue to allow its use for medical purposes, the health minister told Reuters in an interview. Here's what you need to know about Thailand's cannabis industry. The world likely notched its warmest February on record, as spring-like conditions caused flowers to bloom early from Japan to Mexico, left ski slopes bald of snow in Europe and pushed temperatures to 100 degrees Fahrenheit in Texas. Business & Markets Frenetic activity in bitcoin put it on course for its biggest monthly gain in more than three years and it is within range of a record high as cash rushing to listed bitcoin funds propels a sweeping rally. US Food and Drug Administration inspectors found problems with record keeping and quality controls for animal experiments at Elon Musk's Neuralink, less than a month after the startup said it was cleared to test its brain implants in humans, according to an agency report reviewed by Reuters. Inflation fell in six economically important German states in February, preliminary data showed, suggesting that national inflation is continuing on its downward trajectory. Chinese firms are stepping up hiring, with more jobs on offer as the country's recruiting season kicks off. However, wages remain sluggish as graduates compete for jobs. Lufthansa will likely miss its 2024 profit margin goal as the German airline seeks to agree new, higher pay deals to end prolonged strikes, which have forced it to cancel thousands of flights, analysts and investors say. Bayer may have to ask shareholders for fresh capital to shore up its finances even after the debt-laden German drugmaker slashed dividends last week in its latest effort to get wiggle room, analysts said. Subscribe to the Reuters Health Rounds newsletter to keep up with the latest medical breakthroughs, healthcare trends, pharmaceutical news. Norway gives Arctic foxes a helping hand amid climate woes A blue and a white Arctic fox are seen inside their enclosure at the station near Oppdal, Norway, March 21, 2023. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner One by one, the crate doors swing open and five Arctic foxes bound off into the snowy landscape.   In the wilds of southern Norway, the newly freed foxes could struggle to find enough to eat, as the impacts of climate change make the foxes' traditional rodent prey more scarce.   In Hardangervidda National Park, where the foxes have been released, there hasn't been a good lemming year since 2021, scientists say. Norway has been feeding arctic foxes for nearly 20 years And Finally... Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant, daughter of industrialist Viren Merchant, February 28, 2024. REUTERS/Stringer Charter jets for tycoons and celebrities, a performance by Rihanna and directions to don "jungle fever" outfits when visiting an animal rescue center - that's how Mukesh Ambani is kickstarting wedding celebrations for his son.   India Company News Editor Aditya Kalra tells the Reuters World News podcast about the party of the year. Ambani son's pre-wedding bash to feature Rihanna, tycoons and Bollywood stars Sponsors are not involved in the creation of newsletters or other Reuters news content. Advertise in this newsletter or on Reuters.com Reuters Daily Briefing is sent 5 days a week. Think your friend or colleague should know about us? Forward this newsletter to them. They can also sign up here.   Want to stop receiving this email? Unsubscribe here. To manage which newsletters you're signed up for, click here. Reuters Terms & Conditions and Privacy Statement © 2024 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved. 3 Times Square, New York, NY 10036