Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he remains determined to carry out a ground invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah, despite the misgivings of U.S. President Joe Biden.

Netanyahu told a parliamentary committee Tuesday that he would wait to hear proposals from the U.S. “out of respect to the president” about ways to protect the civilian population in Rafah before ordering the operation.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant will meet with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin next week in Washington, a U.S. defense official confirmed Tuesday.

The official, who spoke under condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public, said Austin and Gallant plan to discuss securing the release of Hamas-held hostages, humanitarian aid to Gaza and protecting those in Rafah.

Global heat records were "smashed" last year, the U.N. confirmed Tuesday, with 2023 rounding out the hottest decade on record, as heatwaves stalked oceans and key glaciers suffered record ice loss.

"The state of the climate in 2023 gave ominous new significance to the phrase 'off the charts'," the World Meteorological Organization said as it published an annual report on the global climate, confirming that last year was the hottest on record, and 2014-2023 was the hottest decade ever measured.

Real Madrid filed a new complaint with Spanish state prosecutors on Monday following reports of more hate chants aimed at forward Vinícius Júnior in the Spanish league.

The club also filed a complaint with the Spanish Football Federation disciplinary committee against the referee of Saturday's match at Osasuna for not including in his match report the alleged "Die, Vinícius" chants by local fans at El Sadar Stadium.

The German football federation is targeting racism and discrimination among fans and amateur players with a new campaign ahead of this summer's European Championship.

The federation presented its two-pronged strategy on Monday with a video message under the motto "Football time is the best time against racism."

Romelu Lukaku will miss Belgium's friendly in Ireland this weekend because of a groin problem.

Lukaku missed a Europa League match last Thursday because of a recurring hip injury, then played 85 minutes on Sunday in Roma's 1-0 win against Sassuolo in Serie A.

Federal prosecutors on Monday painted one-time British tech star Mike Lynch as the ruthless mastermind of an $11 billion deal that defrauded Silicon Valley pioneer Hewlett Packard.

But his lawyer depicted him as a visionary who was made a scapegoat for a desperate buyer's bad decision.

Unilever, the company that makes Dove soaps and Vaseline, said Tuesday that it is cutting 7,500 jobs and spinning off its ice cream business to reduce costs and boost profits.

London-based Unilever said its ice cream business, which also includes Magnum bars, has "distinct characteristics" from its other brands and would benefit from separate ownership to increase growth. It said the split is expected to be completed by the end of next year.

Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez are now divorced.

A Los Angeles Superior Court judgment dissolving their marriage of nearly three years became official Tuesday, six months after the 30-year-old pop star filed a petition to divorce the 28-year-old real estate broker.

Lionel Messi will not play in Argentina's two friendlies in the United States this month due to a right leg muscle injury, the Argentine Football Association said on Monday.

The captain was injured last week while playing for his Inter Miami club in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.