Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, is expected to stay in a hospital for up to two weeks following abdominal surgery

In a statement, Kensington Palace, Middleton’s residence, did not comment on her condition but said it was not cancer

“Based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter,” the palace said

Also on Wednesday, news broke that King Charles III will receive treatment for a prostate issue

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan announced the US will re-designate the Houthis as a terrorist group

That will freeze the group’s foreign assets and forbid its members from traveling to the US

During his final weeks in office, former president Donald Trump designated the Houthis a terrorist group. Soon after taking office, the Biden administration reversed that, citing the humanitarian situation in Yemen

In a statement, Sullivan said the Houthis “fit the textbook definition of terrorism,” although he added that the US “ will…re-evaluate this designation” if the Houthis stop attacking shipping

China’s population declined by ~2M in 2023, marking the second straight year of declines, official data showed

Roughly 600,000 more people died last year than in 2022, which itself was the first time since 1961 that China’s population – the world’s second-largest – declined

China also reported 5.2% economic growth last year, higher than expected yet still its lowest non-pandemic-era annual growth percentage since 1990

Analysts believe China’s economy will grow at a slower rate over at least the next two years

California Governor Gavin Newsom said he would not sign a bill banning tackle football for children under 12

The bill, currently on the floor of California’s state assembly, cited the risk of repeat concussions at a young age causing life-long brain injury

Yet Newsom – who in 2021 supported a bill limiting youth tackle football to two full-contact practices per week – said an outright ban “is not the answer”

California’s legislature could override his veto, but it hasn’t successfully done so since 1979

A Kenyan court ordered mental health assessments for a cult leader and 30 associates accused of leading a starvation cult

Paul Mackenzie reportedly instructed his followers to starve themselves to obtain salvation. Since April, Kenyan authorities have uncovered the bodies of 400+ people, including 191 children, with ties to the cult who are believed to have starved themselves or been murdered

A court charged Mackenzie with the murder of 191 children. A mental health evaluation is needed before he can be charged for murdering 200+ others who died as part of the cult killing

Belgian authorities seized a record 127 tons of cocaine at the port of Antwerp last year, a 5% increase from 2022

The country has struggled to deal with a cocaine influx from South America that has turned it into the continent’s premier point of entry for the drug

Belgian officials estimate they seize less than 10% of the drugs that enter Antwerp

Meanwhile, the Netherlands seized 66 tons of cocaine in 2023, up from 56 tons the year prior

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