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By Abeer Salman

(CNN) — Angelina Jolie, the actress and former special envoy to the United Nations Refugee Agency, visited the Rafah Crossing on Friday as part of a humanitarian trip to Egypt, according to a statement from Jolie’s representatives.

Her visit comes as Israel said it will suspend the operations of dozens of aid groups working in the Gaza Strip.

“I spoke to humanitarian agencies who are working hard to do their best to overcome the restrictions and challenges of delivering necessary aid into Gaza. I walked through a large warehouse that was full of items that were denied entry, most of them medical, Jolie said in a statement.

Earlier this week, Israel said it will suspend the operations of international aid groups that did not renew their registration, which includes requiring organizations working in Gaza to provide personal details of their staff members.

Aid agencies have repeatedly voiced concerns over those requirements, citing the safety of their employees.

Israel’s move comes as 10 countries warned that Gaza’s humanitarian situation is facing “renewed deterioration” and that conditions in the enclave “remain catastrophic.”

Israel said its registration rules are to prevent Hamas from exploiting international aid, a claim the UN and aid groups have rejected. A US government review earlier this year found no evidence of widespread theft by Hamas, claims both Israel and the US State Department have made.

Gaza, which lies in ruins, is enduring a harsh winter, with heavy rain and plunging temperatures worsening already dire living conditions.

Fierce rain and strong winds have destroyed the flimsy, waterlogged tents many Palestinians are forced to survive in, and at least 20 people have been killed by homes and buildings collapsing as they sought shelter from the severe weather conditions, according to the Hamas-run Government Media Office in Gaza (GMO).

During her visit, Jolie met with aid workers from the Egyptian Red Crescent and other local organizations to discuss how to provide additional aid to Gaza.

“What needs to happen is clear: the ceasefire must hold, and access must be sustained, safe and urgently scaled up so that aid, fuel and critical medical supplies can move quickly and consistently, at the volume required,” Jolie said in a statement.

“Winter items and essential medical equipment should move without delay. Every day of disruption costs lives,” she continued.

Jolie expressed gratitude to the volunteers working to provide humanitarian assistance.

She is also meeting Palestinian and Sudanese refugee families in Egypt, her office said.

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The post Angelina Jolie visits Rafah Crossing as Gaza aid groups face Israeli suspension appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. - Rain returns overnight Friday into Saturday morning: about 1-2 inches near the coast.

A wind advisory has been issued until 6pm Saturday with up to 60mph gusts possible.

Weekend rain picks up again Sunday late morning and afternoon.

There will be a short break in the storm after that - before more rain arrives Monday night into Tuesday morning, which may bring another inch.

Dry weather will begin by Thursday though we are likely to stay cool next week.

The post Saturday morning rain, Sunday showers appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

OPOLJA // Shutterstock

It’s a shame that customer service doesn’t always get the respect and attention it deserves because it’s among the most important ingredients in any business’s success. There’s no better marketing than an enthusiastic user base, so every organization should strive to excel at making customers happy.

Alas, this is easier said than done. When someone comes to you with a problem, they can be angry, stubborn, mercurial, and—let’s be honest—extremely frustrating. Some of this just comes with the territory, but some stems from the fact that many customer service professionals simply don’t have a detailed, high-level view of customer service challenges or how to overcome them.

Quiq shares remedies to nine common customer service challenges.

Key takeaways:

• Set clear expectations: Define response times and support channels upfront to prevent frustration.
• Train for empathy: Equip agents to personalize interactions and turn issues into loyalty moments.
• Use automation wisely: Leverage agentic AI with a solution like Quiq to speed up resolutions without losing the human touch.
• Manage difficult requests: Stay transparent and solution-oriented when needs can’t be met.
• Reduce turnover: Invest in onboarding, feedback, and recognition to keep service teams engaged.

Major Customer Service Challenges

The top customer service challenges include:

1. Understanding Customer Expectations
2. Exceeding Customer Expectations
3. Dealing with Unreasonable Customer Demands
4. Improving Your Internal Operations
5. Not Offering a Preferred Communication Channel
6. Not Offering Real-Time Options
7. Handling Angry Customers
8. Dealing With a Service Outage Crisis
9. Retaining, Hiring, and Training Service Professionals

Read on for a breakdown of each challenge, plus strategies for addressing them.

1. Understanding Customer Expectations

No matter how specialized a business is, it will inevitably cater to a wide variety of customers. Every customer has different desires, expectations, and needs regarding a product or service, which means you need to put real effort into meeting them where they are.

One of the best ways to foster this understanding is to remain in consistent contact with your customers. Deciding which communication channels to offer customers depends a great deal on the kinds of customers you’re serving. That said, in our experience, text messaging is a universally successful method of communication because it mimics how people communicate in their personal lives. The same goes for web chat and WhatsApp.

Beyond this, setting the right expectations up front is another good way to address common customer service challenges. For example, if you are not available 24/7, only provide support via email, or don’t have dedicated account managers , you should make that clear right at the beginning.

Nothing will make a customer angrier than thinking they can text yo

vin.rusanov // Shutterstock

GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound have quickly become tools for helping people with obesity and diabetes lose weight and lower blood sugar. But emerging research suggests these medicines may also offer healthspan–extending benefits for people without these conditions.

A growing number of clinicians view GLP-1 medications as an essential ingredient in a well-rounded metabolic health optimization program, even for people who don’t meet the current prescribing criteria.

While GLP-1 medications shouldn’t replace exercise, nutrition, sleep, and other healthy lifestyle changes, weight loss medications may enhance weight loss, and in many cases, make lifestyle changes possible, Hone Health reports.

The Problems with Current GLP-1 Guidelines

Traditional medicine waits to prescribe GLP-1 medications until a patient’s BMI hits 30 (obesity) or 27 with at least one weight-related health condition, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Clinicians can prescribe GLP-1s off-label for people with BMIs below 27, but insurance rarely picks up the tab.

Unfortunately, BMI—which measures only weight and height—is a poor gauge of body composition and overall health. It’s especially problematic for people between the clinical diagnoses of “overweight” and “obesity.” Here’s why:

Muscle mass and bone density skew BMI

BMI doesn’t reflect the difference between the weight of muscle and fat. Based on BMI alone, some very muscular people would qualify for GLP-1 treatment under current FDA guidelines, even though they don’t need it. A growing number of experts believe patients with BMIs of 25 or 26 who have low muscle mass (“skinny fat”) might benefit metabolically from the medication.

People with BMIs under 30 can be metabolically unhealthy

Where you carry fat on your body—a metric BMI doesn’t measure—can mean the difference between healthy and unhealthy. Read more