Daily News Brief by TRT World

*) Israel-Hamas agree to extend truce for seventh day Israel and Palestinian group Hamas have agreed to extend the truce for a seventh day after another exchange of captives for Palestinians and humanitarian aid was delivered to besieged Gaza. Israel's military said that a truce with Hamas will continue “in light of the mediators' efforts to continue the process of releasing hostages, and subject to the terms of the agreement.” Israel freed 30 more Palestinian women and minors early on Thursday as Hamas released 10 Israeli captives and four Thai nationals — who had arrived in Egypt on the same day. *) Henry Kissinger, US diplomat and controversial Nobel winner, dies at 100 Henry Kissinger, a controversial Nobel Peace Prize winner and diplomatic powerhouse has died at age 100. Kissinger Associates Inc said in a statement that he died at his home in Connecticut on Wednesday. Kissinger had been active past his centenary, attending meetings in the White House, publishing a book on leadership styles, and testifying before a Senate committee about the nuclear threat posed by North Korea. *) India ‘intelligence' official plotted to kill Sikh activist on US soil An Indian government official has directed a $100,000 plot to assassinate a prominent Sikh separatist leader in New York City, US authorities said. Last spring, US officials became aware of the plot to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who is considered a terrorist by the Indian government. The US Drug Enforcement Administration stopped the plot when the foreign government employee recruited an international narcotics trafficker to commit the murder, the DEA administrator said. *) Russia claims capture of village in Ukraine's Donetsk region Russia said its armed forces had taken control of Khromove, a small village on the outskirts of Bakhmut in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region. Moscow's troops seized Bakhmut in May after one of the bloodiest battles of its 21-month military offensive. Russia's defence ministry announced this in a daily briefing. *) Elon Musk uses F-word for advertisers who boycotted X over ‘anti-Semitism' Billionaire Elon Musk has used the F-word for advertisers who fled his social media platform X over alleged anti-Semitic content in a fiery interview. His remarks followed a moment of contrition in a New York Times DealBook Summit interview, as he first said, “I'm sorry” for a tweet that agreed with an “anti-Jewish” post on X on November 15. Musk has faced a torrent of criticism since he agreed with a user who claimed Jewish people were stoking hatred against white people, saying the user who referenced the “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory was speaking “the actual truth.”

*) US, Israeli spy chiefs discuss ‘next phase' of Gaza truce deal in Doha US and Israeli intelligence chiefs have arrived in Doha to discuss the “next phase” of a deal between Hamas and Israel in Gaza, a source briefed on the visit said. The leaders of the US Central Intelligence Agency and Israel's Mossad were scheduled to meet Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the source said, adding that Egyptian officials were also taking part. *) More people at risk of death from disease than bombardment in Gaza: WHO More people could die from disease than from Israeli bombings in Gaza if its health system was not repaired, World Health Organization spokesperson Margaret Harris has said at a UN briefing in Geneva. Palestinian health authorities in Gaza deemed reliable by the United Nations say more than 15,000 people have been confirmed killed in Israel's bombardment, around 40 percent of them children, with many more dead feared to be lost under rubble. “(There are) no medicines, no vaccination activities, no access to safe water and hygiene and no food. We saw a very high number of cases of diarrhoea among infants,” the UN spokesperson said. *) Israel not letting enough fuel in Gaza, curbs harming aid delivery: EU Israeli restrictions on fuel supplies to Gaza are hampering aid deliveries and humanitarian access required under a UN resolution, an EU commissioner, Janez Lenarcic, has said. “We are calling for the increase of fuel supplies to Gaza,” Lenarcic told journalists in Brussels. “The humanitarian access should be based on the needs and not on some restrictions,” the EU commissioner said. *) Hijab can be banned in public service, top European court rules The top European Union court has ruled that public authorities in member states can prohibit employees from wearing signs of religious belief, such as a Muslim head scarf. The Court of Justice of the European Union said a policy of strict neutrality that was intended to establish a neutral administrative environment may be regarded as being objectively justified by a legitimate aim. It added that another public administration would also be justified if it decided to authorise, in a general and indiscriminate manner, the wearing of visible signs of belief. *) All 41 workers trapped in tunnel rescued after 17 days: Indian officials Indian workers have been greeted with wild cheers and flower garlands as rescuers safely brought out all 41 from the collapsed Himalayan road tunnel. With beaming smiles, the rescued men were welcomed as heroes after being hauled through 57 metres of steel pipe on stretchers specially fitted with wheels, where they were greeted by state officials before embracing their families. Crowds outside the tunnel cheered, as news spread that all had made it safely out of the under-construction tunnel in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, where they had been trapped since a partial collapse on November 12.

*) Hamas seeks to extend humanitarian pause in Gaza Palestinian group Hamas has announced that it is seeking to extend the four-day humanitarian pause with Israel in Gaza. The group said in a statement that it is making serious efforts to secure the release of more Palestinians even after the pause ends. A Palestinian source who preferred to remain anonymous, as the person was not authorised to speak to the media, confirmed to Anadolu Agency that Hamas informed mediators Qatar and Egypt that the resistance movements were willing to extend the current truce by two to four days. *) Israeli girl's death brings army's ‘Hannibal Protocol' back into focus An Israeli eyewitness said that during Hamas's October 7 attack on southern Israel, the army surrounded a house containing members of the Palestinian group and Israelis and later opened fire with tank rounds, killing all of them. It appeared to be the latest implementation of the ‘Hannibal Protocol', which involves the killing of enemy-held captives to prevent Israeli civilians from being taken to Gaza as hostages. Reports in Israeli media about the high number of civilian casualties during Hamas's cross-border assault and Israeli military helicopters shooting both Palestinian fighters and civilians at a music festival near Gaza have led to debates on whether the army applied the ‘Hannibal Protocol'. *) President Erdogan discusses Gaza with his Iranian counterpart Raisi In a recent phone conversation, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi have discussed unlawful Israeli attacks on Palestine's Gaza, humanitarian aid delivery for Palestinians, and potential steps to achieve a permanent ceasefire in the region. President Erdogan emphasised the importance of taking a common stance by particularly Türkiye and Iran, and Muslim world against Israeli atrocities and brutality in Palestinian lands. The leaders expressed their commitment to working together to turn the temporary ceasefire into a permanent one and achieving permanent peace in the region. *) Ukraine calls for more air defence systems to protect grain corridor Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said his country needs more air defence systems in order to protect the grain corridor that has been operational since Russia's withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July. “We have a positive response when these systems start to protect that region. Because both the corridor and the people there are important,” Zelenskyy said at a press briefing following the ‘Grain From Ukraine' summit in Kiev. Ukraine has an agreement with several states for the escort of vessels by Ukrainian boats, he said, adding that the country is already receiving naval boats specifically for this purpose. And finally… *) Irish writer Paul Lynch wins Booker Prize with novel ‘Prophet Song' Irish writer Paul Lynch won the Booker Prize for fiction with what judges called a “soul-shattering” novel about a woman's struggle to protect her family as Ireland collapses into totalitarianism and war. “Prophet Song”, set in a dystopian fictional version of Dublin, was awarded the 50,000-pound (about $63,000) literary prize at a ceremony in London. Canadian writer Esi Edugyan, who chaired the judging panel, said the book is “a triumph of emotional storytelling, bracing and brave” in which Lynch “pulls off feats of language that are stunning to witness”.

*) Gaza truce starts after intense Israeli bombing, prisoner swap to follow A four-day truce in Israel's war on Gaza has started with hostages to be released in exchange for prisoners. It is the first major reprieve in seven weeks of conflict that has claimed thousands of lives. After prolonged negotiations, deliberations and delay, the pause was due to begin at 7:00 am (0500 GMT), silencing guns that have raged since Hamas's attack on Israeli towns near Gaza on October 7. The start of the truce is set to be followed by the release of the first group of 13 hostages being held in Gaza, and - an undefined number of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, according to Qatari peace brokers. *) Egypt says 130,000 litres of diesel to be delivered daily to Gaza Egypt has said that 130,000 litres of diesel and four trucks of gas will be delivered daily to Gaza with a four-day truce. Diaa Rashwan, the head of Egypt's State Information Service (SIS), also said in a statement that 200 trucks of aid would enter Gaza daily. *) Israeli military confirms Al Shifa Hospital chief held for questioning The Israeli military has confirmed that the director of Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza had been held for questioning over allegations that the facility had been used as a command and control centre for Hamas. “In the hospital, under his management, there was extensive Hamas terrorist activity,” the Israeli ministry said in a statement, but offered no evidence. The Israeli army, which raided the hospital last week, has alleged that Hamas fighters used a tunnel complex beneath the facility in Gaza City to stage attacks. *) ECOWAS parliament seeks to lift sanctions on Niger The parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) appeals to the bloc's heads of state to lift the sanction imposed on Niger after the July 26 military coup. It said the people of Niger desire relief from economic hardship and humanitarian challenges, triggered by a ban on trade relations - and a freezing of the country's accounts in regional central banks. “This is an appeal to the ECOWAS Heads of State to consider the humanitarian situation and resolve the political impasse in Niger,” Nigeria's Senate chief Ali Ndume said. *) China reports no unusual or novel pathogens in respiratory illnesses upsurge — WHO China has reported no “unusual or novel pathogens” in respiratory illnesses, spreading in the north of the country, the World Health Organization has said. The WHO said that Chinese authorities had responded, advising “that there has been no detection of any unusual or novel pathogens or unusual clinical presentations, including in Beijing and Liaoning.” It was a matter, the authorities said, of the “aforementioned general increase in respiratory illnesses due to multiple known pathogens.”

*) US won't allow expulsion of Palestinians US President Joe Biden has told Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el Sisi in a phone call that the US would not permit the forced relocation of Palestinians from besieged Gaza or the occupied West Bank, the White House said in a statement. It added that the US is also against the besiegement or redrawing of Gaza's borders. “The President affirmed his commitment to the establishment of a Palestinian state and recognised Egypt's essential role in setting the conditions for that outcome,” the White House said. *) US warns India as it thwarts plot to kill Sikh separatist leader in America United States authorities have thwarted a plot to kill a Sikh (SEEK) separatist leader in America and issued a warning to India over concerns the right-wing government in New Delhi was involved, a senior official said. The US is treating the plot with utmost seriousness and has raised the issue with the Indian government “at the senior-most levels,” the White House said. US authorities raised concerns with New Delhi that the Indian government may have had knowledge of the plot, according to the official who was not authorised to comment on the sensitive matter. *) Dutch anti-Islam Geert Wilders wins most votes with landslide margin Far-right, anti-Islam Geert Wilders has won the most votes in the Dutch election with a landslide margin, according to an exit poll. This puts him in line to lead talks to form a new ruling coalition and possibly become the country's prime minister. The exit poll published by the national broadcaster NOS said Wilders' Party for Freedom won 35 seats in the 150-seat lower house of parliament. This is more than double the 17 he won at the last election. If confirmed when votes are counted, a Wilders victory would send a seismic shock through European politics. *) OpenAI staff warned board of discovery ‘that could threaten humanity' ahead of Sam Altman's ouster Ahead of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's ouster, several staff researchers sent the board of directors a letter warning of a powerful artificial intelligence discovery that they said could threaten humanity. This is according to two people familiar with the matter. The previously unreported letter and AI algorithm was a key development ahead of the board's ouster of Altman, the poster child of generative AI, the two sources said. Before his triumphant return late on Tuesday, more than 700 employees had threatened to quit and join backer Microsoft in solidarity with their fired leader. And finally… *) Hollywood artists punished for supporting Palestine's resistance to Israeli occupation Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon and “Scream” star Melissa Barrera were each dropped by Hollywood companies after making pro-Palestinian comments on the Israel-Gaza war. Spyglass Media Group, the production company behind the upcoming “Scream VII,” acknowledged Barrera's exit from the horror franchise. The Mexican-born actress, who starred in “In the Heights” and the two recent “Scream” installments, had posted statements on Instagram Stories calling the war “genocide and ethnic cleansing.” “Gaza,” she wrote, “is currently being treated like a concentration camp.”

*) Hamas to release 50 captives; Israel to free 150 Palestinian women, children The Israeli cabinet has approved a plan that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says will bring a temporary ceasefire with Palestinian resistance fighters in besieged Gaza. Hamas will free 50 Israeli captives over the course of four days, during which there will be a pause in the war, according to the Israeli prime minister's office. Israel, as part of the truce, will release 150 Palestinian women and children languishing in Israeli jails. Qatar and the US have announced that the 4-day ceasefire will begin within the next 24 hours. *) Gaza's worsening sanitation situation signal ‘perfect storm for tragedy': UN Fuel shortages and worsening sanitation in the besieged Gaza are shaping up to be the perfect storm for tragedy through the spread of disease, the United Nations has warned. UNICEF, the UN children's agency, said there was a serious threat of a mass disease outbreak in the occupied Palestinian territory. “Without enough fuel, we will see the collapse of sanitation services. So we have then, on top of the mortars and the bombs, a perfect storm for the spread of disease,” the UN agency said. *) Jordan doesn't rule out war with Israel if Palestinians are expelled en masse Jordan has said the army had beefed up its presence along its borders with Israel. It warned that any Israeli attempt to expel Palestinians across the Jordan River would represent a breach of Jordan's peace accord with its far-right neighbour. Jordanian Prime Minister said his country would resort to “all the means in its power” to prevent Israel from implementing any transfer policy to expel Palestinians en masse from the occupied West Bank. *) Civilian death toll in Ukraine tops grim 10,000 mark: UN body More than 10,000 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since Russia's offensive started in February 2022, with about half of recent deaths occurring far behind the front lines, the UN Human Rights Office said. The UN human rights mission in Ukraine, which has dozens of monitors in the country, said it expects the real toll to be “significantly higher” than the official tally since corroboration work is ongoing. This includes events in the first months after the invasion, such as the battle for control of Mariupol, where residents reported high civilian casualties. *) Sam Altman to return as OpenAI CEO OpenAI has announced its co-founder Sam Altman will return as CEO, days after the board fired him. Altman's departure caused discontent in the tech giant company, and hundreds of OpenAI staff threatened to quit in response to the dismissal. "I am looking forward to returning to OpenAI," Sam Altman said in a post on X. OpenAI on Monday named ex-Twitch boss Emmett Shear as interim CEO, while outgoing chief Sam Altman moved to backer Microsoft.

*) Hamas leader says ‘close to reaching' Gaza truce deal with Israel Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has said his resistance movement is nearing a truce agreement with Israel, according to a statement posted on Telegram. Negotiators have been working to seal a deal to allow the release of around 240 mostly Israeli hostages seized on October 7, during the deadliest assault on Israel in its history. Israel has been relentlessly bombing Palestine's Gaza in the wake of the Hamas attack. *) WHO official says Gaza hospital situation ‘catastrophic' A top World Health Organization official has described the hospital situation in Gaza as “catastrophic.” The official says most facilities are no longer functioning and what remains will likely be overwhelmed by thousands of births expected in the next month. Plans by the Israeli military to push further south, the WHO official added, would worsen health conditions even further. *) Premature babies arrive in Egypt Twenty-nine premature babies have arrived in Egypt, local media said, after they were evacuated from Gaza's largest hospital which has become a focal point of Israel''s ground invasion. The infants were evacuated Sunday from the Al Shifa Hospital, which the World Health Organization has described as a “death zone” as Israel seeks to uncover what it claims are Hamas bases in tunnels underneath the facility. An initial 31 babies were reported evacuated from Al Shifa to another Gaza clinic and it was not immediately clear why only 29 arrived in Egypt. *) Israeli ships are ‘legitimate targets' anywhere, warn Yemen's Houthis Israeli ships are a “legitimate target,” Yemen's Houthi rebels have warned after their seizure of an Israel-linked cargo vessel opened a new dimension in the Gaza war. “Israeli ships are legitimate targets for us anywhere ... and we will not hesitate to take action,” Major General Ali al Moshki, a Houthi military official, told the group's Al Massirah TV station on Monday. The capture of the Galaxy Leader and its 25 international crew came days after the Houthis threatened to target Israeli shipping over the Israel-Palestine conflict. And finally… *) Oxfam Report: Rich elite's carbon footprint equals two-thirds of the world The richest one percent of the global population is responsible for the same amount of carbon emissions as the world's poorest two-thirds, or five billion people, according to an analysis published by the Oxfam International. While fighting the climate crisis is a shared challenge, not everyone is equally responsible and government policies must be tailored accordingly, Max Lawson, who co-authored the report, said. “The richer you are, the easier it is to cut both your personal and your investment emissions,” he said, adding: “You don't need that third car or that fourth holiday, or you don't need to be invested in the cement industry.”

*) Israel shells Indonesian hospital in northern Gaza, kills many At least eight Palestinians were killed and dozens injured in Israeli army's shelling of Indonesian Hospital and its surroundings in northern Gaza, medical sources said. The sources added that the Israeli army was firing live bullets at anyone moving outside the hospital's door. The assault led to the extensive destruction of the facility, the sources said, adding that the death toll is increasing. *) Colombia's president slams Netanyahu, compares him to Herod Colombia's president said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a “crazy man” who is “killing many people” in Gaza in the style of Herod. Herod was the king of Judea who ordered the slaughter of innocents according to the Christian New Testament. Colombian President Gustavo Petro also criticised the US for supporting Israel's war on Palestine's Gaza, saying, “The Israeli capital owns American banking.” *) European outcry grows over Israel's Gaza war, sparks widespread protests People across Europe have continued to take to the streets to express solidarity with Palestine and condemn ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza. Braving rainy weather, some 2,000 people gathered in Amsterdam over the weekend, carrying Palestinian flags and chanting slogans including, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” “Ceasefire now,” and “Stop genocide in Palestine.” A protester Cillia Ferrier maintained that what was happening in Palestine was apartheid, while another demonstrator, Bart, urged the Dutch government to stop Israel. *) Turkish Center for Combating Disinformation rejects Israeli claim that Hamas killed innocent person A claim by Israel that the Palestinian group Hamas killed an innocent person based on images depicting an execution was not accurate, Türkiye's Center for Combating Disinformation said. The centre, which falls under Türkiye's Communications Directorate, said on X that the images in question were taken during the public execution of a drug trafficker in Iran in the year 2014. Meanwhile, Turkish Communications Director Fahrettin Altun said the centre has, since October 7, exposed over 100 international false news regarding Israel's attacks on Gaza and revealed the truth. *) Australia beats India to win Cricket World Cup for sixth time as Head hits 137 Australia won the cricket World Cup for a record-extending sixth time, ending India's dominant run in its home tournament with a six-wicket victory in a low-scoring finale. A heavily pro-Indian crowd inside the 132,000-capacity Narendra Modi Stadium was silenced as Australia overpowered India by chasing down the target of 241. The victory has helped Australia regain its status as the kings of one-day international cricket, adding to its 50-over world titles in 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2015.

*) Thousands at Al Shifa Hospital ‘fighting death' Over 7,000 displaced people, patients, and medical staff at Al Shifa Hospital are “fighting death due to a lack of water and food” caused by the Israeli military blockade. There is “no food, water, or milk for infants at Al Shifa Hospital,” Gaza's media office said on Telegram. It added that they “may lose a number of malnourished children at the hospital due to the power outage, leaving them without incubators.” *) Blinken urges Israel to take action against settler violence in occupied West Bank US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called on Israel to take “urgent” action to stop settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Blinken made the plea in a telephone call with Benny Gantz, an opposition leader who joined Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's wartime cabinet. Blinken “stressed the urgent need for affirmative steps to de-escalate tensions in the [occupied] West Bank, including by confronting rising levels of settler extremist violence.” *) Heads of UN agencies reject unilateral proposals to create ‘safe zones' in Gaza The leaders of a number of UN agencies and humanitarian organisations have said they will not take part in any “safe zones” in Gaza declared by Israel. The Inter-Agency Standing Committee said in a statement that they “will not participate in the establishment of any ‘safe zone' in Gaza that is set up without the agreement of all the parties.” The committee added that under the current circumstances, any proposals to unilaterally establish “safe zones” are likely to harm civilians. *) Turkish FM urges West to uphold moral values over Gaza brutality Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has taken a tough stance on the ongoing Israeli attack on Gaza. He said, “being silent on Israel's lawlessness in Gaza is tantamount to giving the green light to other lawlessness around the world.” Fidan called on the Western world “to uphold moral values and refrain from being complicit in the blatant violation of human rights in Gaza.” *) TikTok to ban viral videos promoting bin Laden's ‘Letter to America' TikTok has said it will prohibit content that promotes Osama bin Laden's 2002 letter detailing the former al Qaeda leader's explanation for attacking America. The letter criticised US support for Israel and accused Americans of financing the “oppression” of Palestinians. TikTok said in a statement, “Content promoting this letter clearly violates our rules on supporting any form of terrorism,” adding that reports that it was “trending” on the platform were inaccurate.

*) UNSC calls for 'humanitarian pauses' as Israel issues ultimatum for south Gaza residents The UN Security Council has called for "extended humanitarian pauses" in besieged Gaza, the first time it has broken its silence since the start of Israel's brutal war on the blockaded Palestinian enclave. The resolution was prepared by Malta and adopted with 12 votes in favour. Three states abstained — the United States, Britain and Russia. The resolution "calls for urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors throughout besieged Gaza for a sufficient number of days" to allow aid to reach civilians in the blockaded territory.*) Israel raids Gaza's Al Shifa Hospital for second time The Israeli army has attacked Gaza's largest hospital for the second time in two days and claimed it found weapons and a Hamas command centre. Hamas government denies the claim and Human Rights Watch says it cannot independently verify if Hamas was operating from within the Al Shifa compound. According to reports from inside Al Shifa, Israeli soldiers carried out search operations and interrogated patients and doctors. Meanwhile, the United States has denied giving Israel a green light for a raid on the hospital. *) First fuel truck enters Gaza since October 7th A truck has delivered fuel to Gaza for the first time since fighting began on October 7th. It delivered around 23 thousand litres of fuel, but it's not nearly enough to bring any relief to Palestinians. Israel allowed the limited amount of fuel to enter on the condition it will be used only for UN aid trucks — not hospitals, water treatment plants or sewage pumping stations. *) Russia alleges Ukraine officials embezzled 20-36% of Western aid Meanwhile in the war in Ukraine, Russia has claimed that 20 percent and 36 percent of all financial aid provided to Kiev by the West allies has been misappropriated by Ukrainian officials. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova made the claim about “former senior officials of the Ukrainian Defence Ministry”, TASS news agency reported. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia is "still capable of doing evil", saying they must keep the country's defence as a top priority. *) Biden, Xi restore military ties despite 'dictator' comment US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping have agreed to restore military communications at their first summit in a year. The four-hour talks between the leaders were aimed at preventing growing tensions between the world's largest economies from spiralling into conflict. However, the two remained far apart on the issue of Taiwan, with the Chinese president telling his US counterpart to stop arming the island and that reunification was "unstoppable."

*) Israeli troops storm Gaza's Al Shifa Hospital Following extensive attacks around the hospital, the Israeli army has stormed Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. The head of the Al Shifa Medical Complex's burns department, said in a press statement that Israeli tanks and bulldozers were now inside the complex. Meanwhile, the director general of Gaza hospitals, said that “not a single bullet was fired from inside the hospital during the occupation forces' storming of the complex.” *) Yemen's Houthis threaten to attack Israeli ships in Red Sea Yemen's Houthi rebels have threatened to target Israeli ships in the Red Sea, as the group said they had launched another missile targeting the country over its war in Gaza. Rebel leader Abdul Malik al Houthi said the group was monitoring Israeli vessels in the commercially vital waters, even those that do not have Israeli flags. Al Houthi said his group is constantly “monitoring and searching for any Israeli ship." *) Israel's killing of women, babies in Gaza ‘has to stop': Canada Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has urged Israel to exercise maximum restraint for the protection of civilians in Gaza, saying that “the world is witnessing the killing of women, children, babies” and that “this has to stop.” Trudeau said the human tragedy in Gaza is heart-wrenching, citing the suffering in and around Al Shifa Hospital after Israel's recent strikes. Trudeau added that the price of justice cannot be the continued suffering of all Palestinian civilians, adding that “even wars have rules. All innocent life is equal in worth, Israeli and Palestinian.” *) Hundreds protest against Dutch government for supplying arms to Israel Hundreds of people gathered at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands to protest against the government for supplying arms to Israel. The demonstration in solidarity with Palestine later continued outside despite unfavourable weather conditions. The demonstrators also protested against politicians in the European Union and US for supporting Israel. And finally… *) Turkish academics issue global ‘Call for Responsibility' against Israel More than 900 academics at various universities in Türkiye have condemned Israel's actions in Gaza in a declaration. The academics said that the UN, which was founded to protect international peace and security, has failed to stop actions against humanity. It was emphasised that Israel continues to violate the basic rules and principles of law and its inhumane actions in Gaza and other occupied Palestinian territories.

*) Palestinian victims file ICC complaint over Israel's Gaza massacres Lawyers for the Palestinian victims of Israeli attacks on Gaza filed a complaint at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. The victims' representative before the ICC, Gilles Devers, and a four-person delegation that accompanied him submitted the complaint to the court's prosecutor. Devers asserted that Israeli acts in Gaza constitute factors of the crime of genocide. He emphasised that the ICC is currently investigating war crimes in a related inquiry, stressing the imperative of including the crime of genocide in this investigation. *) Israel admits growing international pressure over its onslaught on Gaza Israel's foreign minister said international pressure on Israel would increase within two or three weeks over its onslaught on Gaza. Eli Cohen said that Israel has only two or three weeks before it loses its diplomatic battle on the international stage to stop the war on Gaza. He stressed, however, that the Israeli military invasion in Gaza will not stop until the Palestinian group Hamas is eliminated and the captives are released. *) Jewish protesters, allies block Israeli consulate in Chicago, demand ceasefire in Gaza Hundreds of Jewish peace activists and their allies converged at a major train station in downtown Chicago during rush hour. They blocked the entrance to the Israeli consulate and demanded US support for an Israel ceasefire as war rages in Gaza. Over 100 protesters were arrested for misdemeanour trespassing and escorted out of the building, according to Ben Lorber, who helped organise the protest. *) EU says int'l community failed to find solution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict The international community has failed to find a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as shown by its continuation, the European Union's foreign policy chief said. Josep Borrell said “his tragedy should be an occasion for everyone to understand that a solution must be sought that can only be based on the construction of two states.” Saying that he put forward a proposal which participants of the meeting agreed to support, he summed it up as follows: No to forced displacement of Palestinian people out of Gaza, no re-occupation of Gaza by Israel, and no to the dissociation of Gaza from the overall issue of Palestine. And finally… *) Gaza hospitals 'out of service' as fuel shortages claim more lives Hospitals in northern Gaza were forced out of service amid fuel shortages and intense combat, with the death toll inside the territory's largest facility rising, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza. Death toll inside Al Shifa hospital has risen to 27 adult intensive care patients and seven babies since the weekend as the facility suffered fuel shortages. At least 2,300 people including patients, health workers, and people fleeing fighting were inside the Al Shifa Hospital, The World Health Organisation in the Palestinian Territories said.

*) "Freedom for Palestine": Thousands march across Europe for Gaza Hundreds of thousands of protesters across Europe have taken to the streets in solidarity with the Palestinian people in response to Israel's brutal bombardment of civilians in Gaza. Protesters gathered in Germany, France, UK, Sweden and Greece, waving Palestinian flags and chanting slogans such as "Freedom for Palestine", criticising the ongoing attitude of the Israeli government in Gaza. *) Israel committing war crimes while the whole world watches: President Erdogan Israel is committing "war crimes" in front of the whole world by targeting hospitals, schools, places of worship, mosques, churches, even ambulances carrying the sick and the dead, and refugee camps, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said. Asserting that the Western countries are only watching all these atrocities from the tribunes, Erdogan said that those with a conscience can't remain silent in the face of all this. Erdogan emphasised the importance of establishing a ceasefire, ending the clashes and ensuring the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. *) Hamas calls for swift intervention to allow fuel for Gaza hospitals Meanwhile, Hamas has urged the UN and the international community to “immediately intervene to bring fuel into Gaza to operate hospitals.” It issued the statement in response to a claim by the Israeli army that the group had refused to receive fuel for Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza. Israel claimed that their army had provided Al Shifa Hospital with 300 litres of fuel but Hamas had prevented the hospital from receiving it, while Hamas described the statement as “a lie.” *) Red Cross makes urgent call for protection of civilians in Gaza The International Committee of the Red Cross issued an urgent plea for the protection of civilians in Gaza. The committee said civilians are "trapped in fighting, whether they are trying to evacuate or staying where they are." The attacks are underway in densely populated areas and around hospitals which poses a risk to the lives of the most vulnerable people, the committee added. *) Amsterdam witnesses largest climate protest ever as Dutch election nears Tens of thousands of protesters have marched through Amsterdam demanding immediate action against the climate crisis, 10 days before the country holds a general election. Local police said around 70,000 people joined the march, including climate activist Greta Thunberg and former EU climate chief Frans Timmermans, who will lead the combined Labour and Green parties at the upcoming election. Organisers said the turnout was the largest ever at a climate protest in the Netherlands.

*) Israel agrees to four-hour 'pauses' in Gaza attacks, Biden rules out truce Israel has agreed to daily four-hour pauses in northern Gaza to let civilians flee, the White House said. US President Joe Biden said there was no chance of a full ceasefire but he has been pressing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for longer breaks in the fighting after more than a month of war on Gaza. In addition, the US State Department said that there will be two humanitarian corridors allowing people to evacuate areas of hostilities in northern Gaza. *) Israel carries out air strikes near Gaza hospitals At least three hospitals in northern Gaza have come under attack early Friday, as Israeli air strikes continue across the enclave. The medical facilities included Gaza's biggest hospital, Al Shifa, where Israel without proof said Hamas has hidden command centres and tunnels. These attacks further stress the Palestinian enclave's precarious health system as it struggles to cope with thousands of people wounded or displaced in Israel's war on Gaza. *) Israel does not seek to occupy Gaza: Netanyahu Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said his country does not seek to conquer, occupy or govern Gaza after its war against Hamas. But he said a "credible force" would be needed to enter the Palestinian enclave if necessary to prevent the emergence of threats. Netanyahu said a civilian government would need to take shape in Israel-besieged Gaza but that Israel would make sure an attack like October 7 does not happen again. *) Ukraine extends martial law, general mobilisation till February Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed two bills into law, extending martial law and general mobilisation in the country for an additional three months. The bills' status were updated on the online portal of Ukraine's parliament, which said they were returned with Zelenskyy's signature. Martial law was first declared by Zelenskyy immediately after the start of the Russia-Ukraine war last year in February, and has been extended several times since then. *) Toxic smog ravages eastern Pakistan, forcing closure of schools, markets, parks Toxic grey smog has sickened tens of thousands of people in Pakistan's cultural capital of Lahore, forcing authorities to shut schools, markets and parks for four days. The decision came on Thursday after the country's second-largest city was repeatedly ranked the world's most polluted city. Doctors advised people to wear face masks and stay at home. Residents said many people were coughing and having breathing problems.

*) Israel carries out air strikes near Gaza hospitals Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza, which houses thousands of patients and refugees, has been targeted by Israeli missiles. This is according to Palestinian news agency WAFA. The simultaneous use of illumination flares during the attacks resulted in shrapnel damage to the hospital's surroundings. Another air strike near Al Nasr Children's Hospital in the western part of the city killed three Palestinians and left dozens more wounded. Meanwhile, Israeli artillery fired rounds towards the eastern part of the city of Rafah. *) Israel's systematic bombing of housing in Gaza a 'war crime': UN expert An independent United Nations expert has said the widespread and systematic bombardment of housing and civilian infrastructure in Gaza amounts to a war crime and a crime against humanity. The UN special rapporteur on the right to adequate housing said these moves by Israel are strictly prohibited under international law. A month of Israeli attacks on targets within Gaza have destroyed or damaged 45 percent of all housing units in the Palestinian territory. *) G7 foreign ministers call for 'humanitarian pauses' in Gaza Meanwhile, the G7 foreign ministers have issued a statement, supporting Israel's right to defend itself, while calling for humanitarian pauses in the fighting. After meeting in Tokyo, the diplomats repeated their support for Israel's self-defence and its goal of removing Hamas. But they also insisted there must be pauses in fighting to allow critical humanitarian aid into Gaza. The US and UK oppose the long-term Israeli occupation of Gaza. But US State Secretary Antony Blinken suggests a transition period may follow the end of the war. *) Russia strikes civilian ship in Ukraine's Odessa harbour In other news, Ukrainian officials have said Russia fired a missile at a civilian ship entering a port in the Black Sea region of Odessa. One harbour worker was killed and several crew members injured. Previously, civilian ships were guaranteed safe passage under the Türkiye-brokered grain deal but it collapsed in July. Since then, Ukraine and Russia have been increasing their military activities in the Black Sea. *) China says climate talks with US a success China has said that climate talks with the United States were a success. The talks between top officials aimed at strengthening cooperation between the world's two largest greenhouse gas emitters. This comes ahead of a meeting between US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping next week, as the two powers seek to improve ties after years of frosty relations.

*) Israel agrees on 'little pauses' over Gaza strikes — Netanyahu Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel was open to “little pauses” in its bombardments. It was not clear whether some kind of small stoppage had been agreed to or whether the US was satisfied with the scope of the Israeli commitment. US President Joe Biden had raised the need for humanitarian pauses, but there was no agreement reached, according to the White House. Netanyahu also underlined that there would be no general ceasefire in Gaza, without the release of the hostages. *) Gaza death toll exceeds grim 10,000 mark as Israeli onslaught continues The death toll in Gaza exceeded 10,000 after one month of Israeli bombardment, the Health Ministry in the besieged enclave has said, as the offensive against the Palestinians showed signs of intensifying. Hundreds of overnight strikes pushed the death toll to 10,022, mostly women and children, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Health Ministry, told a press conference on Monday afternoon. The toll included 4,104 children and 2,641 women, according to the ministry. *) Israel minister's Gaza nuclear comment was wholly unacceptable: US The United States has condemned as "wholly unacceptable" comments by an Israeli cabinet member who appeared to voice openness to the idea of Israel carrying out a nuclear strike on Gaza. "We continue to believe that it is important for all sides of this conflict to refrain from hateful rhetoric," deputy State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel told a media briefing. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday disciplined the cabinet member in question. *) 118 aid trucks enter Gaza through Rafah crossing Palestine Red Crescent Society has announced that it had received 118 aid trucks through the Rafah border crossing, bringing the total number of trucks that entered Gaza since October 21 to 569. They said the trucks contained “food, water, relief assistance, medical supplies and medications, while fuel has not been allowed to enter as of now.” *) Russia officially withdraws from European armed forces treaty Russia has formally withdrawn from a key post-Cold War security treaty designed to de-escalate potential East-West conflicts, in a latest sign of rising tensions between Russia and NATO. The 1990 treaty, negotiated and concluded at the end of the Cold War and signed a year after the fall of the Berlin Wall, placed limits on the deployment of military equipment to maintain military balance between NATO and the then-Warsaw Pact countries. Russia suspended its participation in the treaty in 2007 and halted active participation in 2015.

*) Israel intensifies Gaza strikes despite ceasefire calls Israel has pounded Gaza with "significant" strikes, ignoring ceasefire calls by UN aid agencies who condemned surging civilian deaths in the month-long conflict. Reporters in Gaza say Sunday night saw one of the heaviest, if not the heaviest, Israeli bombardment since the conflict began. For a third time, communications and internet services in the Palestinian enclave have been shut down. There are also reports of heavy shelling in the vicinity of several hospitals across the North. Israel's army claims it has now split Gaza in half, taking control of the areas to the north and south of Gaza City, and effectively encircling the area that holds the headquarters of Hamas. *) Israeli army conducts raids in Nablus and occupied East Jerusalem Meanwhile, in the occupied West Bank and in occupied East Jerusalem, there have been reports of overnight clashes as the Israeli military continues its raids in Palestinian majority areas. According to the Palestinian WAFA agency, the Israeli forces entered the city of Tubas, accompanied by a military bulldozer. The soldiers fired live ammunition, tear gas, and sound grenades during confrontations that left two people injured. The Israeli forces also arrested two Palestinian leaders in the town of Anata as they were giving live interviews. *) US Secretary of State Blinken to meet Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan Top US diplomat Antony Blinken has arrived in the Turkish capital Ankara, following inconclusive talks with his Arab and Israeli counterparts He is due to meet with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in the coming hours to discuss regional issues and bilateral relations. Since the conflict began, Blinken has supported the Israeli position while trying to assure regional players that Washington is focused on relieving humanitarian suffering. *) Arab world denounces Israeli minister's remarks calling for ‘nuking Gaza' The Arab world has issued statements condemning remarks by an Israeli minister on using a "nuclear bomb" against Gaza. Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu said on Sunday “one of Israel's options in the war in Gaza is to drop a nuclear bomb on the Strip,” according to The Times of Israel. In response, Egypt, Kuwait, UAE, Jordan and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation condemned the remarks, saying it “reflects extremism and hate speech”. *) Stage set for conflict at COP28 with mixed response to outcome of key climate talks The final meeting on a climate-related loss and damages fund has ended in Abu Dhabi, with participants agreeing that the World Bank would temporarily host the fund for the next four years. The US and several countries expressed disappointment in the draft agreement, which will be sent for global leaders to sign at the COP28 climate conference in Dubai later this month. While acknowledging that an agreement on the fund is better than a stalemate, climate policy analysts say there are still numerous gaps that must be filled if the fund is to be effective.

*) Israeli troops gather around Gaza City, kill several Palestinians in occupied West Bank Israeli ground troops encircled Gaza City in their invasion of Gaza, as top US diplomat Antony Blinken arrived in Israel. The Israeli army announced that four more Israeli soldiers had been killed in overnight fierce fighting in Gaza with Palestinian fighters. And in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian medical sources said eight Palestinians were killed in separate incidents overnight. *) EU prevention of pro-Palestine rallies shows double standard The prevention of pro-Palestinian rallies in some European Union countries constitutes a "double standard," Türkiye's foreign minister has said at a meeting organised by the German Foreign Ministry in Berlin. Minister Hakan Fidan was quoted as saying "Those who allow attacks on our Holy Book, the Quran, under the guise of freedom of expression are blocking those who want to protest the brutal killing of civilians in Palestine." He added that it “is an unacceptable double standard." *) Tunisia postpones vote on law criminalising relations with Israel Tunisia's parliament postponed voting on a draft law that would criminalise the normalisation of relations with Israel. The decision was made during an evening session of the legislative assembly, according to Parliament Speaker Ibrahim Bouderbela. Parliament started discussions over the proposed law in August. *) MSF: Greece 'normalised' illegal pushbacks of asylum seekers Doctors Without Borders accused Kyriakos Mitsotakis' government, stating that Greece has "normalised" abusive pushbacks of asylum seekers within a broader European Union policy that disregards violence against vulnerable individuals in a statement. The organisation also said in a report that MSF teams have borne witness to how normalised pushbacks have become, and to the stark absence of protection for people who seek safety in Greece. *) Air pollution in India's New Delhi turns 'severe' People in New Delhi woke up to a thick layer of toxic haze, and some schools were ordered to be shut for two days as the air quality index entered the "severe" category in several parts of the Indian capital. Residents complained of irritation in the eyes and itchy throats with the air turning a dense grey as the AQI hovered around 480 in some monitoring stations in the city. *) Egypt's Bassem Youssef slams Gaza deportation plan An Egyptian heart surgeon turned comedian has criticised a leaked proposal by Israel to forcibly deport Palestinians from the besieged Gaza to Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, asking why Europe, which has 44 countries, or 50 states of US "take the Israelis" to end the Middle East's protracted conflict. Bassem Youssef said the Israeli proposal of forcible transfer of some 2.3 million Palestinians of Gaza to Sinai was "the worst possible solution", in an interview with British TV host Piers Morgan.

*) Israel strikes Gaza refugee camp again as UN warns of 'war crimes' Israel has hit Gaza's largest refugee camp with renewed air strikes, prompting UN rights officials to warn that targeting densely populated residential areas "could amount to war crimes." Bombs struck the Jabalia camp for a second time in two days, pulverising buildings and, according to the Palestinian health ministry, killing dozens of people. The UN's top human rights body — citing "the high number of civilian casualties" and scale of destruction — said it had "serious concerns that these are disproportionate attacks that could amount to war crimes." The Health Ministry in Gaza has reported that over 1,000 people were killed by Israeli strikes in the camp. *) Latin America ramps up condemnations of Israel's attack on Gaza Some of Latin America's biggest countries have condemned Israel's attacks on a densely populated refugee camp in Gaza, widening the diplomatic rift between the region and Tel Aviv. Argentina, Peru and Mexico lambasted the Israeli attacks, which the Gaza government said had killed more than a thousand people while hundreds others were wounded or unaccounted for under the debris. The criticisms come a day after Bolivia cut diplomatic ties with Israel while Colombia and Chile recalled their ambassadors to the country. *) US top diplomat to begin new Mideast tour amidst Israel's Gaza attacks US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is returning to the Middle East with a somewhat more nuanced message than he offered in the immediate aftermath of Hamas' October 7 operation. As he did last month, Blinken is expected to stress US support to Israel. Blinken's agenda this time is more complex as the conflict intensifies and the Biden administration grapples with competing domestic and international interests and anger. *) Deadly Russian attacks in eastern Ukraine damage Kherson city centre A Russian attack on Kherson in eastern Ukraine killed one person and caused serious damage in the city's centre, the region's governor said, and a Russian drone strike killed another civilian in the frequently targeted city of Nikopol. The attack on Kherson, which Russian forces seized early in the conflict but then abandoned a year ago, also wounded two people. *) TRT Director-General Sobaci is elected as the president of the world's largest broadcast union TRT Director-General Mehmet Zahid Sobaci has been elected as the President of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) during the 60th General Assembly of the union. It is the world's largest broadcasting union with approximately 3.5 billion viewers and 246 members from 65 countries. "My election as the President of ABU is significant for Türkiye's goal of becoming a leading country in all fields,” said Sobaci, adding that the ABU presidency is especially gratifying as it coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Republic.

*) Rafah crossing to Egypt opens for the first time since war began Scores of foreign passport holders trapped in Gaza started leaving the war-torn territory as the Rafah crossing to Egypt opened for the first time since the Israeli war on Gaza began on October 7, AFP correspondents reported. Convoys of desperately needed aid have passed between Egypt and Gaza but no people have been allowed to cross. Some 400 foreigners and dual nationals along with some 90 sick and wounded were expected to leave. *) One year on: Despite peace holding on, many Tigrayans struggle to find their feet One year after Ethiopia signed a peace deal with the Tigray People's Liberation Front, ending a brutal conflict that killed hundreds of thousands by some estimates, life in the northern region is slowly limping back to normal. But many Tigrayans say that they were struggling to find their feet after the November 2022 peace agreement, some losing their homes and livelihoods to the war, others grieving family members killed in the conflict. A million people remain displaced across the region, according to the International Organization for Migration, with around 234,000 in Tigray's capital Mekele. *) Bolivia severs ties with Israel as Colombia, Chile recall envoys over Gaza Bolivia has said it had broken diplomatic ties with Israel because of its attacks on Gaza, while neighbours Colombia and Chile recalled their ambassadors to the Middle Eastern country for consultations. The three countries called for a ceasefire, with Bolivia and Chile pushing for the passage of humanitarian aid into the zone and accusing Israel of violating international law. In response, Israel slammed Bolivia's decision to cut diplomatic ties over its war in Gaza after a deadly Hamas attack as a capitulation to "terror". Other Latin American countries, such as Mexico and Brazil, have also called for a ceasefire. *) Live blog: Ukraine reports most extensive Russian shelling this year Ukraine has said that Russia had shelled more than 100 settlements over the last 24 hours - more than in any single day so far this year. Moscow has fired millions of shells on cities, towns and villages along the frontlines since it launched its offensive last February, reducing several across the eastern part of the country to rubble. "Over the last 24 hours, the enemy shelled 118 settlements in 10 regions. This is the highest number of cities and villages that have come under attack since the start of the year," Ukrainian Interior Minister Igor Klymenko said in a post on social media. And finally… *) Saudi ready for summer or winter World Cup in 2034: FA chief Saudi Arabia is prepared to host the 2034 World Cup in summer or winter, its football chief said, after the oil giant became the sole bidder for the tournament. "Of course, we are ready for all possibilities," Saudi Arabian Football Federation president Yasser al Misehal said late on Tuesday at the Asian Football Confederation awards in Doha. Saudi Arabia's successful bid, just 27 days after announcing it, comes less than a year after neighbouring Qatar held the first winter World Cup, a decision that forced a pause to league competitions in Europe.

This is TRT World's Daily News Brief for Tuesday, October 31st. *) Israel's ‘concept paper' suggests expulsion of Palestinians in Gaza to Egypt's Sinai An Israeli government ministry has drafted a wartime proposal to transfer 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza to Egypt's Sinai peninsula, drawing condemnation from Palestine and worsening tensions with Cairo. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office played down the report compiled by the Intelligence Ministry as a hypothetical exercise — a “concept paper.” But its conclusions deepened long-standing Egyptian concerns that Israel wants to make Gaza into Egypt's problem, and revive for Palestinians memories of their greatest trauma — the Nakba in 1948. *) Israeli army detonates house of Hamas deputy leader in occupied West Bank Israeli forces detonated the house of Hamas deputy leader Saleh al Arouri in the occupied West Bank, according to witnesses. Israeli forces raided the town of Arura northwest of Ramallah and searched al Arouri's house, a witness told Anadolu Agency. Israel blames Al Arouri for attacks against Israeli targets in the occupied West Bank. *) Aid distribution centres halt work as civil order breaks down in Gaza: UN A breakdown in civil order has put four UN aid distribution centres and a storage facility out of action in Gaza as people search desperately for food and water. A UN Palestinian refugee agency official said a logistics base at the Rafah border crossing vital to aid distribution had become increasingly difficult to operate because 8,000 people were sheltering at it. “With the breakdown of civil order, every day now we've got hundreds of people trying to get into the warehouses to steal flour,” the official said. *) UN warns of Syria danger, ‘spillover' from Israel's war on Gaza The UN has warned that Syria was at its “most dangerous” point in a long time as violence surges and the “spillover” from Israel's war on Gaza starts to have an impact. Syria has “seen growing instability and violence, exacerbated by the lack of a meaningful political process,” Geir Pedersen, UN special envoy for Syria, told the Security Council. Pedersen sounded “alarm that the situation is now at its most dangerous for a long time.” And finally… *) Türkiye condemns in strongest terms Israel's attack on Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital Türkiye has condemned in strongest terms Israel's attack on the Gaza Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, the only cancer hospital in the besieged enclave. “There can be no justification for such an attack carried out despite all necessary information, including the coordinates of the institution was previously shared with the Israeli authorities,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The ministry added that “the siege in Gaza, aimed at depriving the Palestinian people of their most basic rights, and these inhumane attacks, clearly violate international law.” And that's your daily news brief from TRT World. For more, head to trtworld.com

*) Israeli tanks enter Gaza from east and north Israeli tanks have attempted to enter Gaza in an effort to cut a vital road from the north to the south in the war-torn Palestinian territory, as part of their ground invasion. Witnesses reported sightings of tanks in the Zaytun district, where Israelis aimed to sever the Salah al Din (Salah Addin) road and are firing at any vehicle attempting to use it. Israel's chief military spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, stated during a regular press briefing that they are advancing gradually into Gaza and plan to escalate the offensive, based on the phases and goals of the war. But the Israeli forces encountered Palestinian fighting groups on the key road and subsequently withdrew from the area, according to a Hamas spokesman. *) Israel: Over 600 Gaza targets hit in 24 hours Israel's military has said it had struck more than 600 targets in Gaza in one day, making it one of the heaviest bombardments yet in its attacks on the Palestinian enclave. "We have hit more than 600 targets in the past 24 hours," a military spokesperson told AFP, a rise of 450 targets reported on Sunday. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza, the death toll in the enclave since October 7 has reached 8,306, including 3,457 children and 2,136 women. 21,048 people also have been wounded by Israeli bombardments. *) ICC prosecutor says hindering Gaza aid could be a crime The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor has warned that blocking humanitarian aid from entering Gaza could constitute a crime. ICC prosecutor Karim Khan told reporters in Cairo that “impeding relief supplies as provided by the Geneva Conventions may constitute a crime within the court jurisdiction.” He was speaking after a visit to Egypt's Rafah crossing, where he said trucks full of desperately needed goods remained stuck and unable to cross into Gaza. *) 47 mosques, 3 churches damaged in Gaza since October 7 Continuous Israeli attacks on Gaza have led to the destruction of 47 mosques and damage to three churches, the local government media office said. The director of the office, Salama Maarouf, told a press conference that “Israeli raids on Gaza have caused the destruction of 47 mosques and damaged three churches and 203 schools in addition to 80 government buildings.” He said the number of medical personnel killed by Israel had reached 116 along with 18 members of rescue teams and civil defense crews and 35 journalists. *) Turkish Republic embarks on the Century of Türkiye: President Erdogan As celebrations marked the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Türkiye, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Türkiye is experiencing “a unique pride and excitement.” President Erdogan delivered his Centenary address on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Türkiye in Istanbul on Sunday. It followed the special parade by Turkish Stars, SOLOTURK and TCG Anadolu-led 100 warships' crossing the Istanbul Strait.

*) Some 3,000 children in Gaza killed by Israel: Palestine's UN envoy Some 3,000 children have been killed by Israel since the attacks it launched on October 7, Palestine's UN envoy has said. "I repeat, 3,000 children, innocent children, angels killed in Gaza during the last three weeks," Riyad Mansour said in an emotional address to an emergency UN General Assembly session on the Israel-Palestine conflict. "There is no time to mourn, more death is on the way," Mansour warned. Mansour said 7,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza, saying that fully 70 percent of all those killed are women and children. "Is this the war some of you are defending? These are crimes. This is barbarism. If you don't stop it for all those who were killed, stop it for all those whose lives we can still save," he implored. Some 1,600 Palestinians still lie under the rubble, killed or injured and no one can reach them, to save them or bury them, he said. *) Almost 50 hostages killed so far from Israeli bombings on Gaza — Hamas Hamas's armed wing has said that "almost 50" Israeli hostages held by the group in Gaza have been killed by the Israeli bombardment of the Palestinian territory. "Qassam Brigades estimates that the number of Zionist prisoners who were killed in Gaza as a result of Zionist strikes and massacres has reached almost 50," the group said in a statement on Thursday issued on its Telegram channel. Israel launched a massive air and artillery bombardment of Gaza after Hamas carried out a brutal attack on Israel on October 7. Earlier, the Israeli army said 224 people were abducted by Hamas during the attack that left 1,400 people dead. *) Humanitarian crisis deepens in Gaza amid total Israeli siege: UN The UN agency providing aid to Palestinian civilians in besieged Gaza warned it may have to shut down operations shortly if no fuel reaches the enclave, amid an increasingly desperate need for shelter, water, food and medical services. The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA said it urgently needed fuel to maintain life-saving humanitarian operations in the Palestinian enclave that has been under Israeli bombardment for almost three weeks. "If fuel is not received into Gaza, UNRWA will be forced to significantly reduce and in some cases bring its humanitarian operations across Gaza to a halt. The coming 24 hours are very critical," it said. *) Global oil prices rise over $1 as Israel intensifies attacks on Palestine Oil prices rose by over $1 on Friday as reports that the US military struck Iranian targets in Syria raised concerns of a widening of the Israel-Hamas conflict that could impact supply from the key Middle East producing region. Brent crude futures for December rose $1.16, or 1.3 percent, to $89.09 a barrel by 0338 GMT. The US West Texas Intermediate contract for December climbed $1.08 , also 1.3 percent, to $84.29 a barrel. Though the strike did not directly impact supply, it increases fears that the conflict in Gaza between Israel, backed by the US, and Hamas may spread and disrupt supply from major crude producer Iran. A wider war could also impact shipments from Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, and other large producers in the Gulf. *) Malaysia to warn TikTok, Meta over blocking of pro-Palestinian content Malaysia's communications regulator will issue a warning to social media firms Tiktok and Meta for allegedly blocking pro-Palestinian content on their platforms, its communications minister said. "If this issue is ignored, I will not hesitate to take a very firm approach and stance," Fahmi Fadzil said on Thursday in a posting on X, formerly known as Twitter. Without elaborating, Fahmi said many parties had urged the government to take firm action against social media platforms for allegedly restricting pro-Palestinian content. Representatives of Tiktok and Meta did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

*) Israeli forces launch 'relatively large' land incursions in Gaza: army The Israeli army has carried out a "targeted raid" overnight in northern Gaza with tanks and infantry, it said in a statement, as the country prepares its forces for a ground invasion. "Overnight, the IDF conducted a targeted raid using tanks in the northern Gaza Strip, as part of preparations for the next stages of combat," the army said in a statement. "The soldiers exited the area at the end of the activity." *) Altun: Israeli strike that killed family of Al Jazeera's Gaza reporter 'alarming' Türkiye has condemned the Israeli strikes against Palestinian journalists in Gaza and their families following the killing of an Al Jazeera reporter's family members. "We are shocked by yet another incident against news professionals, where the house of an Al Jazeera reporter, Wael Al Dahdouh, was destroyed by an Israeli strike." Türkiye's Communications Director Fahrettin Altun said in a post on social media platform X late Wednesday. Altun expressed condolences and deepest sympathies to Dahdouh. He added, "We find it difficult to believe that this was random as Israel has been trying to stop the truth coming out from Gaza. These kinds of attacks amount to employing terror tactics against journalists to silence them." *) Serbia, Türkiye to improve ties, continue talks for Kosovo: President Vucic Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has said his government will continue to work to develop relations with Türkiye and the continuation of political dialogue. “We have demonstrated the highest level of relations between the two countries in modern history,” Vucic wrote on social media on Wednesday after meeting Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler. Vucic emphasised that Guler's visit to Belgrade has extreme importance, saying: “The visit will prove an additional contribution to the very important role that Serbia and Türkiye play in maintaining peace and stability throughout the Balkans.” *) Multiple fatalities, injuries in Maine shooting, gunman still at large At least 22 people were killed and several were injured in shootings in the city of Lewiston, Maine, local officials reported, with police saying that the gunman was still at large. City Councilor Robert McCarthy told CNN that the death toll had risen to 22 in the shooting spree that took place at a bowling alley and also at least one other location, a local restaurant and bar, according to media. Local police posted a photo of the shooter on Facebook carrying what appeared to be a semi-automatic style weapon inside the bowling alley. *) UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones injured, title fight at MSG vs. Stipe Miocic called off Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic will no longer fight for the UFC heavyweight championship next month in New York after Jones tore a pectoral tendon off the bone during training. UFC President Dana White said Jones was injured during a training session on Monday. The heavyweight champion needs surgery and will be out at least eight months, throwing out the anticipated main event of UFC 295 on Nov. 11 at Madison Square Garden. White said Sergei Pavlovich and Tom Aspinall will fight for the interim heavyweight title. The light heavyweight title fight between Jiri Prochazka and Alex Pereira was bumped to the main event.

*) UN chief says Hamas blitz 'didn't happen in a vacuum', riling Israel UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has rankled Israel at the United Nations Security Council meeting in which he stressed the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel "did not happen in a vacuum”. Opening the session on Tuesday, Guterres said there was no excuse for the operation by Hamas on Israeli settlements but also warned against "collective punishment" of the Palestinians. He then said Hamas operation "did not happen in a vacuum" as the Palestinians have been "subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation." His remarks infuriated Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen. *) UNSC deepening crisis in Gaza with one-sided approach: President Erdogan The International community is failing in the face of Israel's lawless and indiscriminate attacks on civilians in Palestine's Gaza, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said. In his message on the 78th anniversary of the United Nations, Erdogan thanked those working under its framework for peace and justice in the world. He said a party that is a bystander to "collective punishment" of the people in Gaza cannot offer hope to humanity, and ensure peace, stability *) Biden's Israel support angers Muslim Americans; could jeopardise 2024 votes Muslim Americans and their allies are criticising President Joe Biden's response to the Israeli war on Gaza, asking him to do more to prevent a humanitarian crisis in the blockaded enclave or risk losing their support in the 2024 election. Many Arab Americans and Muslim Americans are upset Biden has not pushed for any humanitarian ceasefire even as Palestinians are being killed by Israel's bombardment of besieged Gaza. In hotly contested Michigan, Arab Americans account for 5 percent of the vote. In other battleground states, Pennsylvania and Ohio, they are between 1.7 percent to 2 percent, said Jim Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute. Biden won Michigan with 50.6 percent of the vote in 2020, compared to 47.8 percent for Trump, and Pennsylvania with 50.01 percent to Trump's 48.84 percent, a difference of less than 81,000 votes. *) US is world's 'biggest disruptor' of peace — China The United States is the "biggest disruptor of regional peace and stability" in the world, China has said in a scathing response to a Pentagon report on China's growing military buildup. "The US has sent depleted uranium munitions and cluster bombs to Ukraine, sent its carrier battle groups to the Mediterranean and weapons and munitions to Israel, is this the so-called 'gospel' the 'human rights defender is bringing to the area?" said Wu Qian, the spokesperson for China's Defence Ministry. *) Netflix and Spielberg combine for 'binge watch' story of life on Earth "Life on Our Planet," the new natural history series from Netflix and Steven Spielberg, sets out to tell the entire, dramatic story of life on Earth in a serialised, "binge-watch" format. Streaming globally from Wednesday, the show's eight episodes transport viewers through Earth's five previous mass extinction events, each recreated with computer-generated visual effects. Aside from a series of cliffhanger finales, "Life on Our Planet" finds dramatic tension with a series of ordinary, loveable underdogs who "win" evolution against the odds — at least for a few hundred million years.

1) Israeli overnight strikes kill at least 110 Palestinians in Gaza At least 110 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks overnight across Gaza, marking the 18th day of Israel's war on the besieged enclave. Deaths and injuries were reported in Israeli airstrikes on residential buildings in Rafah and Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Israeli strikes also targeted houses next to Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital and apartments west of the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza. The Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza was also targeted, according to Al Aqsa satellite channel. Palestinian group Hamas claims that 140 people were killed overnight. 2) Health Ministry in Gaza warns all electric generators at hospitals will soon stop working The Health Ministry in Gaza has warned that electric generators in hospitals will cease functioning within the next 48 hours due to a fuel shortage. Ministry spokesman Ashraf Al-Qudra said the mechanism followed to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza is "slow and cannot change the reality," stressing that "the healthcare system has reached the worst stage in its history." Earlier on Monday, the ministry said that 32 health centres are out of service due to targeting by Israeli warplanes and the fuel shortage. 3) Six UN refugee agency workers killed in Gaza in 24 hours Six workers with the United Nation's Palestinian refugee agency have been killed in just 24 hours in Israel-besieged Gaza, the global body has said, bringing to 35 the total of its staff killed since October 7. Humanitarian and aid workers have not been spared in more than two weeks of relentless Israeli bombardment on Gaza. In an update sent Tuesday on the situation up to Monday evening, the UN's humanitarian agency said at least 16 health workers have been killed while on duty, along with 35 UNRWA staff since the start of hostilities. *) US weapons, staff rush to Israel as ground invasion of Gaza looms The Pentagon has sent military advisers to Israel and is speeding multiple sophisticated air defence systems ahead of an anticipated ground invasion of Palestine's Gaza. One of the officers leading the assistance is Marine Corps Lt. Gen. James Glynn, who previously led special operations forces against Daesh and served in Iraq, according to a US official. *) Israeli army launches arrest campaign at dawn on Tuesday in Ramallah, West Bank The Israeli army has launched an arrest campaign at dawn in Ramallah city of the occupied West Bank, according to Palestinian news agency WAFA. Israeli forces have cracked down on the occupied West Bank after beginning air strikes on Gaza in retaliation for the October 7 attacks launched by Hamas into Israel. Over the past two weeks, according to officials and rights groups, Israel has arrested some 4,000 labourers from Gaza who were working in Israel. Separately, it has also arrested 1,070 other Palestinians in overnight army raids in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. As of Tuesday, October 24, Israeli forces have killed at least 95 Palestinians across the occupied West Bank.

*) Israel kills 400 Palestinians in one day At least 400 Palestinians have been killed in intensified Israeli attacks on besieged Gaza. Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that according to medical sources, 70 percent of the death toll was women, children and elderly. Death toll of women in Israeli airstrikes has reached over 1,000 and forced displacement stands at about half a million others, according to the media office of Gaza administration. Over 4,600 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Israel began its bombardment on October 7.  *) 120 incubated newborns' lives are at risk as fuel runs out in Gaza's hospitals The UN children's agency has warned that the lives of at least 120 newborn babies on incubators in Gaza's hospitals are at risk as fuel runs out. Health care workers have warned that a dire lack of medicine, fuel and water is about to turn Gaza into a mass graveyard after Israel sealed the territory off. Palestinian Health Ministry reported Israeli strikes have already killed more than 1,750 children in retaliation for the October 7 Hamas attacks. *) Israel's 'unusual weapons' against Palestinians cause severe burns Gaza's Health Ministry has said Israel has been using “unusual weapons” that cause severe burns to the bodies of victims. Ministry spokesman Ashraf al Qudra stated that “medical staff monitored the usage of unusual weapons that caused severe burns to the bodies of the martyrs and wounded.”  Al Qudra also warned 1,000 patients could die due to kidney failure if fuel supplies are not made available to hospitals and the healthcare sector. *) Cairo's 'Summit for Peace' ends without any breakthrough on Gaza ceasefire Muslim, Arab and Western countries came together in Egypt's capital Cairo to find a solution for the ongoing conflict in Palestine's Gaza. Dubbed "Summit for Peace", the meeting was meant to be a diplomatic solution for a ceasefire but ended with no breakthrough. "The disagreement was over condemning Israel, which Western states refused to do," an Arab official said. Instead, they sought a statement that placed "responsibility for the escalation on Hamas", which Arab states refused, according to an Arab diplomat. *) Turkish presidential plane arrives in Cairo with medical aid for Gaza A Turkish presidential plane carrying vital medical equipment for Palestine's Gaza has touched down in Egypt's capital Cairo. According to Türkiye's Health Ministry, a group of 20 healthcare experts and doctors were also on board.

This is TRT World's Daily News Brief for Friday, October 20th. *) Israel targets Gaza church At least two women have been killed and many other civilians wounded in an Israeli attack on Saint Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church in besieged Gaza, the Palestinian news agency WAFA said. Palestinian Interior Ministry reported multiple casualties, calling it a "new massacre". The ministry said several displaced people had taken shelter at the church compound when Israeli warplanes targeted it. The strike left a "large number of martyrs and injured" at the compound, the ministry said. *) Israeli defence minister tells troops to prepare for ground assault in Gaza Israel's defence minister has told ground troops to be ready to enter Gaza, though he did not say when the invasion will start. In a meeting with Israeli infantry soldiers on the Gaza border on Thursday, Yoav Gallant urged the forces to "get organised, be ready" for an order to move in. Whoever sees Gaza from afar now will see it from the inside," he said. "I promise you." Shortly after Gallant's statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a video of himself with troops near the border promising victory. *) US Muslim group faces death threats over event to highlight Gaza crisis A major US Muslim civil rights group planning to highlight rampant human rights violations of Palestinians by Israel is moving its annual event out of a Virginia hotel after anonymous threats to bomb the venue. “We strongly condemn the extreme and disgusting threats against our organisation, the Marriott hotel and its staff," CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad, who is Palestinian American, said in a statement. *) Turkish league matches to start with minute's silence in solidarity with Palestine The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has announced that a moment of silence for Palestine will be held before this week's league matches. The federation also said the players will appear on the field wearing black armbands. The war in Gaza, which has been under Israeli bombardment and a blockade since 2007, began on October 7 when the Palestinian group Hamas initiated Operation Al Aqsa Flood, a multi-pronged surprise attack that included a barrage of rocket launches and infiltration into Israel by land, sea and air. The Israeli military then launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets in Gaza. And finally… *) Biden tries to rally Americans on Israel, Ukraine support US President Joe Biden has delivered a rare Oval Office speech urging Americans to back military aid for Israel and Ukraine at what he called a perilous moment for democracy around the globe, as Israel readied troops for a ground invasion of besieged Gaza. Fresh from a trip to Israel after the October 7 surprise Hamas operation on Israeli settlements, the Democratic president's primetime address on Thursday to the nation, pitched the case for a global US role to war-weary voters and isolationist Republicans. Biden sought to link the Hamas resistance group in Gaza to Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose forces invaded Ukraine. "Hamas and Putin represent different threats, but they share this in common: They both want to annihilate a neighbouring democracy," he said. And that's your daily news brief from TRT World. For more, head to trtworld.com

*) Seven children among civilians killed in fresh Israeli strikes on Gaza At least seven children were among several civilians killed in an Israeli air strike on a house close to a school sheltering displaced people in southern Gaza. The official WAFA news agency reported that Israeli warplanes struck a home in the Khan Younis refugee camp besides other sites in the besieged enclave. “This is a massacre,” hospital director Dr. Yousef Al Akkad said, his voice choking with emotion. “Let the world see, these are just children.” *) US says Egypt to allow limited aid into Gaza Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el Sisi has agreed to open the Rafah crossing into besieged Gaza to allow a first batch of humanitarian aid trucks through, US President Joe Biden said. "He agreed to ... let up to 20 trucks through to begin with," Biden told reporters after calling Sisi from Air Force One while returning from a visit to Israel. Both leaders agreed to work closely on encouraging an "urgent and robust" response to a humanitarian appeal by the United Nations, the White House said. *) UN demands investigation into hospital attack in Gaza The UN has demanded an investigation into an Israeli attack on Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza that claimed hundreds of lives. When asked by Anadolu news agency whether the UN will be involved in the investigation to clarify details of the attack that killed hundreds of civilians, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said it is "early days" and the UN will "have to see what is done by way of investigation." "It is essential that there could be some form of investigation into this," he added. *) Türkiye declares three days of national mourning for Gaza Türkiye has declared a three-day national mourning period in solidarity with Palestine following an Israeli air strike on the Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza that killed at least 500 people. "As Türkiye, we feel the great suffering of our Palestinian brothers and sisters in our hearts," President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said. The Turkish legislature earlier condemned in a joint statement Israeli attacks on hospital, and emphasised that bombing medical facilities is against the laws of war. And finally… *) Anti-Zionist Jews in US urge end to Israel's war in Gaza At least a hundred protesters have occupied a building of the US Congress urging lawmakers and Joe Biden administration to push for an end to Israel's war in besieged Gaza. Dressed in black T-shirts emblazoned with the words "Jews say cease fire now" and "Not in our name," the activists on Wednesday sat clapping and singing on the floor in the rotunda of the Cannon House Office building and held up large banners that read "Ceasefire" and "Let Gaza Live". Capitol police said protests are not allowed inside the building and many demonstrators were arrested.

*) Israeli strike kills hundreds of Palestinians in Gaza An Israeli air strike on Gaza's Al Ahli Arab Hospital compound killed at least 500 people, the Palestinian health ministry in Gaza has said, with many still under the rubble. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared three days of mourning following the deadly attack. Israel's military has denied its forces bombed the hospital. Around 3,000 people have been killed in Israeli air strikes across Gaza since the war erupted on October 7. *) World reacts to Israel's strike on Gaza Israel's hospital bombing in Gaza triggered condemnation and fury in the Middle East and beyond. "Israel has crossed all red lines. ... We will not leave nor allow anyone to expel us from there," Palestine's President Mahmoud Abbas said. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: "Hitting a hospital containing women, children and innocent civilians is the latest example of Israel's attacks devoid of the most basic human values." United Nations Human rights chief Volker Turk shared a statement over the bombing: "Words fail me. Tonight, hundreds of people were killed — horrifically — in a massive strike at Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, including patients, healthcare workers and families that had been seeking refuge in and around the hospital. Once again the most vulnerable. This is totally unacceptable." The World Health Organization also condemned the deadly strike in a statement, said: "The hospital was operational, with patients, health- and care-givers, and internally-displaced people sheltering there.Early reports indicate hundreds of fatalities and injuries. *) Jordan cancels summit with Biden after Israel bombs Gaza hospital Jordan has cancelled a planned summit with US President Joe Biden and leaders of Egypt and Palestine, saying "there is no use in talking now about anything except stopping the war." The decision came after Israel's deadly hospital bombardment. The summit will be held "when the decision to stop the war and put an end to these massacres has been taken," said Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi. *) UN warns Israel against 'forcible transfer' of Palestinians in Gaza The United Nations has warned Israel against the "forcible transfer of civilians" in Gaza, which could be in breach of international law. Israel has demanded that residents of north Gaza leave for the south, hoping to clear the area of civilians in preparation for a perilous urban ground assault. "We have grave fears about the toll on civilians in the coming days. Military operations show no signs of abating," UN rights office spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani told a media briefing. And finally… *) Thousands of artists demand 'immediate' end to Israeli attacks on Gaza Over 2,000 artists demanded an "immediate ceasefire" and the opening of Gaza's crossings to allow residents to leave the enclave amid increasing tension in the region. Artists for Palestine UK released a letter signed by more than 2,000 artists that include famous novelists, singers, playwrights, filmmakers as well as famed actors such as Tilda Swinton and Charles Dance. "We are witnessing a crime and a catastrophe. Israel has reduced much of Gaza to rubble and cut off the supply of water, power, food and medicine to 2.3 million Palestinians. In the words of the UN's undersecretary for humanitarian affairs, 'the spectre of death' is hanging over the territory," it said. The letter criticised governments that expressed support for Israel and it said there will come a time when they are held to account "for their complicity."

*) UN Security Council rejects Russia's resolution on Gaza ceasefire The UN Security Council has rejected a Russian resolution that condemned violence and terrorism against civilians. Only four countries joined Russia in voting for the resolution. Four countries voted against it, including the United States. Six countries abstained. Russia's UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, had urged support for the resolution to respond to the “unprecedented exacerbation” of the situation. The Russian draft resolution would have called for “an immediate, durable and fully respected humanitarian ceasefire” and “strongly condemns all violence and hostilities directed against civilians and all acts of terrorism.” It never mentions Hamas. *) Türkiye proposes multi-country guarantor system for Israel-Palestine conflict Türkiye's foreign minister has put forth a proposal for a guarantor system in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, emphasising Ankara's central role in shaping the idea. Hakan Fidan underlined the need for multiple countries, including Türkiye, to act as guarantors once both parties reach an agreement, with the responsibility to ensure its implementation. Fidan also pointed out the importance of international pressure on Israel to adopt a two-state solution, saying Türkiye shared its views on this issue with the parties. Discussions between the Turkish foreign minister and the US revealed that the Biden administration supported a two-state solution. Stressing the importance of transforming the current situation into an opportunity for peace, Fidan said the presence of guarantor countries would be pivotal in achieving a sustainable resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. *) Biden to visit Israel on Wednesday: Blinken US President Joe Biden will pay a solidarity visit to Israel on Wednesday following the Hamas attacks, said Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who also announced that Israel had agreed to work on civilian aid for Gaza. Blinken spoke after meeting for nearly eight hours at the defence ministry with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the top US diplomat's second visit since the October 7 attacks by Hamas. "The president will reaffirm United States solidarity with Israel and our ironclad commitment to its security," Blinken said early Tuesday in Tel Aviv. *) Malaysia pulls out of Frankfurt book fair over organisers' pro-Israel stance Malaysia's education ministry has withdrawn from participating in this year's Frankfurt Book Fair, accusing the organisers of taking a pro-Israel stance, amid growing global divisions over the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. The move by Malaysia to pull out of what is considered the world's largest trade fair for books came after literary association Litprom said it would postpone an award ceremony for a novel by a Palestinian author at the event following the October 7 attack by the Hamas in Israel. It was announced that Palestinian author Adania Shibli would not be honoured with the LiBeraturpreis, a German award, at the fair, as had been originally planned. *) Black man wrongfully jailed for 16 years shot dead by police in US A Black man who spent more than 16 years imprisoned in Florida on a wrongful conviction was fatally shot by a sheriff's deputy in Georgia during a traffic stop, authorities said. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which is reviewing the shooting, identified the man as Leonard Allen Cure, 53. Cure had been represented in his exoneration case by the Innocence Project of Florida. The group's executive director, Seth Miller, said he was devastated by news of the death, which he heard from Cure's family. “I can only imagine what it's like to know your son is innocent and watch him be sentenced to life in prison, to be exonerated and ... then be told that once he's been freed, he's been shot dead,” Miller said on Monday.

*) Palestinian-American boy killed in US hate crime amid Israeli siege of Gaza A landlord in the US state of Illinois stabbed a 6-year-old boy to death and seriously wounded his mother in a hate crime driven by the family's Islamic faith and the Israel-Palestine conflict. The boy was stabbed 26 times with a military-style knife with a 7-inch (18-cm) serrated blade, the Will County Sheriff's Office said in a statement. The 32-year-old woman had multiple stab wounds and is expected to survive the attack. The attacker, Joseph Czuba, 71, was charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and two counts of a hate crime, said the sheriff's office. *) Biden says Israeli occupation of Gaza would be 'a big mistake' US President Joe Biden has said that Israel's occupation of Gaza would be "a big mistake" but appeared okay for an inside operation against the Palestinian group Hamas. "I think it'd be a big mistake," Biden said in an interview with CBS News' 60 Minutes program. "What happened in Gaza, in my view, is Hamas and the extreme elements of Hamas don't represent all the Palestinian people.” *) US news network MSNBC suspends Muslim anchors amid Israeli war in Gaza US news network MSNBC has suspended shows hosted by three Muslim anchors, following Hamas's attack inside Israel last week, two sources directly involved with the decision told Arab News. Sources say MSNBC anchors Mehdi Hasan, Ayman Mohieddine and Ali Velshi were 'quietly taken out of the anchor's chair'. On Saturday, Arab News reported that MSNBC chose not to air the weekly episode of 'The Mehdi Hasan Show' and scrapped the plan of having Mohieddine to anchor Joy Reid's show on Thursday and Friday. MSNBC, however, "vehemently pushed back against any notion that either Hasan or Mohieddine were being sidelined in any way," Semafor, a news website, said in its report. *) Ecuador elects business heir as country's youngest president Daniel Noboa, an inexperienced politician and an heir to a fortune built on the banana trade, won Ecuador's presidential run-off election held amid unprecedented violence that even claimed the life of a candidate. With more than 97 percent of the votes counted, electoral officials said Noboa had 52.1 percent, compared to 47.9 percent for Luisa González, a leftist lawyer and ally of exiled former President Rafael Correa. González conceded defeat during a speech before supporters in which she also urged Noboa to fulfil his campaign promises. Noboa, 35, will lead the South American country during a period that drug trafficking-related violence has left Ecuadorians wondering when, not if, they will be victims. Their uneasiness has prompted them to continuously watch their backs and limit how often they leave home. And finally… *) Türkiye beat Latvia 4-0 to qualify for UEFA EURO 2024 Türkiye beat Latvia 4-0 on Sunday to qualify for the 2024 UEFA European Football Championship. After a goalless first half, Türkiye began the second half with the wind at their backs at Konya Metropolitan Municipality Stadium. Yunus Akgun drew first blood in the 58th minute, then Cenk Tosun made it 2-0 in the 84th minute. Kerem Akturkoglu netted the third goal for the hosts in the 88th minute, and Tosun tallied another goal in the 92nd minute. With this result, Türkiye placed first in Group D with 16 points and guaranteed to take part in EURO 2024.

*) Israel warns 1.1 million Palestinians in Gaza to relocate south The United Nations has said it has been told by the Israeli military that some 1.1 million Palestinians in Gaza should relocate to the blockaded enclave's south within the next 24 hours. "The United Nations considers it impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement. "The United Nations strongly appeals for any such order, if confirmed, to be rescinded avoiding what could transform what is already a tragedy into a calamitous situation," he said. Dujarric said the order by the Israeli military also applied to all UN staff and those sheltered in UN facilities, including schools, health centres and clinics. *) UN warns food, fresh water rapidly running out in Gaza amid Israeli siege The United Nations World Food Programme (or WFP) has warned that crucial supplies were running dangerously low in Gaza after Israel imposed a total blockade on the territory following Hamas attacks. "It's a dire situation in the Gaza that we're seeing evolve with food and water being in limited supply and quickly running out," said Brian Lander on Thursday, the deputy head of emergencies at WFP, which is based in Rome. "WFP is on the ground and is responding and we're providing food to thousands of people that have sought shelter in schools and elsewhere across the territory. But we're going to run out very soon," he told Reuters TV. Israel has announced a total siege on Gaza on Monday, blocking the entry of food, fuel and water into the coastal territory and shuttering all crossing points following Hamas's weekend rampage that killed more than 1,300 people. *) Iran warns of reaction to Israeli 'crimes' as toll rises in Gaza Iran's foreign minister, whose government supports Hamas, has warned opening a "new front" against Israel would depend on Israel's actions in blockaded Gaza. "The continuation of war crimes against Palestine and Gaza will receive a response from the rest of the axis. And naturally, the Zionist entity and its supporters will be responsible for the consequences of that," Hossein Amirabdollahian said. The Iranian minister said the displacement of Palestinians and cutting water and electricity to Gaza are considered war crimes. *) Gaza death toll, evacuation numbers swell Gaza's Health Ministry has said that 1,537 Palestinians, including 500 children and 276 women, were killed and 6,612 were wounded in ongoing Israeli air strikes on the blockaded enclave. As of late Thursday, the number of displaced people in Gaza had risen by additional 84,444 people and reached 423,378, the UN humanitarian agency said in a statement. *) US is inflaming Middle East conflict by sending aircraft carrier: Putin Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the United States of inflaming the Middle East by sending an aircraft carrier group to the region, saying "compromise solutions" were needed and that he hoped common sense would prevail. Putin, speaking at an energy conference in Moscow, said on Wednesday the US move of sending an aircraft carrier strike group closer to Israel, which was also fiercely criticised by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday, was a mistake. "I don't understand why the US is dragging aircraft carrier groups into the Mediterranean Sea. I don't really understand the point. Are they going to bomb Lebanon or what?" he said.

*) Türkiye holding negotiations over Israeli civilians in Hamas detention President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has increased Türkiye's diplomatic efforts in securing the release of Israeli civilians from besieged Gaza even as Hamas freed a woman and her two children in the first release of Israelis detained by Palestinian fighters. "They are negotiating to secure the release of the hostages," an official source said, confirming a report by the private TV channel Haberturk. "We are ready to do everything in our power, including mediation and fair arbitration to end the conflict quickly," Anadolu Agency quoted Erdogan as saying. Erdogan separately criticised Israel over its disproportionate attacks on Gaza that could bring Tel Aviv into an undesirable place in the eyes of world public opinion. *) Gaza death toll climbs to 1,200, with 5000 others wounded Gaza's Health Ministry has announced that the number of Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks has climbed to around 1,200, with nearly 5,000 wounded. More than 338,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in besieged Gaza, the United Nations said, as heavy Israeli bombardments continue to hit the Palestinian enclave. The number of displaced in the densely populated territory of 2.3 million people had by late Wednesday "risen by an additional 75,000 people and reached 338,934," the UN added. *) UN agency seeks $104M in urgent Gaza aid as humanitarian crisis deepens The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (or UNRWA) has said it was seeking $104 million for life-saving aid to Gaza, which has been pounded by Israeli reprisal strikes following attacks by Hamas against Israel. "The requested funds will cover the urgent immediate food, non-food, health, shelter and protection needs of up to 250,000 persons seeking safety in UNRWA shelters across the ravaged Gaza and another 250,000 Palestine refugees within the community," according to the UN. UNRWA, which was already facing financial difficulties, said it had enough funding to continue its regular services, including education, healthcare and social protection, across the region until the end of October. *) Several UN, aid group workers killed in ruthless Israeli strikes on Gaza Eleven workers with the UN Palestinian refugee agency have been killed in Israeli air strikes on besieged Gaza since Saturday, and five members of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent have also been killed in the conflict, the organisations said. "We are very saddened to confirm that 11 UNRWA colleagues have been killed since 7 October in the Gaza Strip," UNRWA said in a statement on Wednesday. It did not specify if they were Palestinian or foreign personnel but said they included five teachers at UNRWA schools, one gynaecologist, one engineer, one psychological counsellor and three support staff. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said in a separate statement that five of its members - four in Gaza and one in Israel - had been killed. *) Putin in Kyrgyzstan on first trip since ICC arrest warrant Vladimir Putin has arrived in Kyrgyzstan, visiting abroad for the first time since the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him in March. President Putin is wanted by the court over the deportation of Ukrainian children. Its ruling requires members of the ICC, which does not include Kyrgyzstan, to make the arrest if he sets foot on their territory. This year, he has travelled only to Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine, with his last foreign trips to Belarus and Kyrgyzstan last December — a far cry from the busy international schedule he had earlier in his rule.

*) Palestine accuses Israel of waging 'genocidal' war in besieged Gaza The Palestinian envoy to the United Nations has described Israel's bombardment of besieged Gaza, vowing to impose a complete siege on the Palestinian enclave, as "nothing less than genocidal." Israel has incessantly bombarded Gaza, killing some 900 Palestinians and razing entire districts amid possible preparations for a ground invasion. Israel's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant drew international condemnation by announcing on Monday a "total blockade" to stop food and fuel reaching Gaza, home to 2.3 million people. Gallant said Israel was battling "beastly people." "Such blatant dehumanisation and attempts to bomb a people into submission, to use starvation as a method of warfare, and to eradicate their national existence are nothing less than genocidal," Palestine's UN envoy Riyad Mansour wrote in a letter to the UN Security Council on Tuesday. "These acts constitute war crimes," he wrote. *) President Erdogan, UN chief Guterres discuss Israel-Palestine tension Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have discussed steps to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which recently sparked into the deadliest conflict seen in years. In a phone call, Erdogan and Guterres also exchanged views on what could be done to deliver humanitarian assistance to innocent civilians to the region through Türkiye's mediation efforts, Türkiye's Communication Directorate said on Tuesday in a statement. Warning that disproportionate attacks could lead the situation into further stalemate, Erdogan told Guterres that it is very important for the parties to act with restraint and avoid impulsive steps. *) Two-state solution only path to sustainable peace in Middle East: Turkish FM Türkiye condemns attacks on civilians and attaches great importance to achieving calm in the Palestine-Israel conflict, the country's foreign minister has said. Speaking at the Economic Cooperation Organisation's meeting in Azerbaijan's city of Shusha on Tuesday, Hakan Fidan said: "We condemn attacks on civilians and emphasise the importance of restoring calm in the region,” underscoring the importance of avoiding geographical tensions that could lead to global insecurity and instability. The recent conflict was unprecedented, but not entirely surprising, Fidan said. He said the current tensions in the region are yet another indication that the only path to sustainable and equitable peace in the Middle East is a two-state solution. "This is an era of geopolitical changes and tensions. The geoeconomic landscape is also adapting accordingly. In a globalised world, regional dynamics and integration have become even more critical. ECO is working towards this goal," he said. *) Israel gets 'advanced' US ammo ahead of 'full' Gaza offensive The Israeli military has said "a first plane carrying American ammunition had landed in Israel after the US said it would send new supplies of air defences, munitions and other security assistance to its ally to battle Palestinian Hamas militants." The army said "the ammunition is designed to inflict significant blows," adding it is in "preparation for additional scenarios." It comes as Israel's defence minister announced that Israeli forces have taken control of the border area of besieged Gaza. "I have lifted all restrictions," said Yoav Gallant, adding, "We have taken the region under control. Now we are launching a full attack. *) Fresh 6.3-magnitude earthquake hits Afghanistan's Herat A magnitude 6.3 earthquake has struck western Afghanistan, the US Geological Survey said, hitting an area where more than 2,500 people were killed, after a similar tremor on the weekend. The quake occurred on Wednesday at a shallow depth at around 5:10 am local time [00:40 GMT], with its epicentre about 29 kilometres north of the city of Herat, the USGS said.

*) Israel announces complete siege of Gaza Israel has announced a "complete siege" of Palestine's Gaza amid intensified fighting with the Palestinian Hamas group. “There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed (to Gaza), " Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said following an army's assessment session. Energy Minister Israel Katz separately ordered "to immediately cut the water supply to Gaza". Katz's order came soon after Gallant's order for a "complete siege" on Gaza, which receives about 10 percent of its annual water from Israel. *) US, Europe witness rival groups demonstrate over Gaza bombardments Thousands of pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian protesters have held mainly peaceful gatherings in US and Europe, however, there have been a few small disturbances. In London, Paris, Athens, and several cities in the US including New York, supporters of Israel and of the Palestinians held competing rallies. *) Fanatical Jews issue death threats to Al Aqsa Mosque imam Sheikh Sabri Extremist Jewish groups have stepped up calls for the assassination of Sheikh Ikrima Sabri , imam of the Al aqsa Mosque, his lawyers said. The Defence Committee of Sheikh Ikrima Sabri , consisting of lawyers, issued a statement saying his life is under "serious threat" due to increasing "fascism" in Israeli society. The committee has called for taking the assassination and elimination threats seriously to ensure his protection and has lamented the silence of "Israeli security forces" over the provocations by fanatical Jewish groups and individuals. *) Egypt intensifies diplomatic efforts to de-escalate Hamas-Israel conflict Egypt has intensified its push for diplomatic efforts to de-escalate spiralling violence in besieged Gaza and Israel. President Abdel Fattah el Sisi spoke with UAE Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, agreeing to "intensify discussions and diplomatic efforts to stop military escalation", Sisi's spokesperson has said. Sisi has also spoken with Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas, warning of the dangerous "absence of political prospects", and with Jordan's King Abdullah II, whose country acts as custodian of Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. *) Syria faces torture allegations at international court Syria faces allegations at the UN top court that it maintains a "pervasive" system of torture that has killed tens of thousands of people. The case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) marks the first time Damascus has faced international judges over the brutal civil war that started in 2011. Victims have endured "unimaginable physical and mental pain and suffering" from "abhorrent treatment in detention, inhumane conditions of detention, and sexual and gender-based violence," the case brought by the Netherlands and Canada alleges. Damascus, on the other hand, has dismissed the case as "disinformation and lies," with a government source saying the allegations "lack the slightest degree of credibility."

*) Erdogan says freedom of Palestine along 1967 borders must not be delayed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged both Israel and Hamas to cease fighting, saying the realisation of an independent, geographically integrated Palestinian state based on 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as capital, cannot be delayed. *) Over 123,000 displaced in Gaza amid Israel, Hamas conflict — UN The United Nations says the number of displaced Gaza residents has risen to more than 123,000, due to the fighting between the Israeli military and Hamas, following the group's unprecedented attack on Israel. As of late Sunday, Israeli airstrikes in retaliation had destroyed 159 housing units across Gaza and severely damaged 1,210 others, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees said a school sheltering more than 225 people took a direct hit. The Gaza Health Ministry said 413 people, including 78 children and 41 women, were killed in the territory. *) US military aid to Israel amounts to aggression against Palestinians: Hamas Palestinian resistance group Hamas has said that the United States' plan to provide increased military aid to Israel amounts to "aggression" against Palestinians, after Washington ordered navy ships and warplanes closer to Israel. The Pentagon said it was sending the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and its accompanying warships to the eastern Mediterranean, while boosting fighter aircraft squadrons in the region. *) Israeli bombardment wipes out 19-member Palestinian family in Gaza An Israeli airstrike in the southern blockaded Gaza enclave wipes out 19 members of a family, including women and children. The air strike also killed five neighbours who were standing outside the jam-packed refugee camp, a jumble of buildings and alleyways. The air strike in Rafah came as Israeli forces intensified their bombardment of targets in Gaza following a big, multi-front attack by Hamas fighters on Saturday. Hamas also took dozens of Israelis hostage and fired thousands of rockets toward Israeli population centres, although most were intercepted by the country's Iron Dome defence system. *) Türkiye conducts aerial operations against YPG/PKK in northern Syria Turkish forces destroyed at least six targets, consisting of shelters and bunkers used in the fight against separatist terrorists, in an air operation carried out in northern Syria, Türkiye's Ministry of National Defence has said. In its Sunday statement, the ministry said that it carried out an operation against the PKK/YPG and other terrorist elements to neutralise them and ensure border security. The statement underscored that the operation was carried out under the United Nations' self-defence article. Six targets, including an oil facility, hideouts, and shelters, were destroyed, the ministry noted.

*) Türkiye destroys terror targets in Syria Türkiye has hit the terrorist group YPG/PKK positions as part of its anti-terror operations in northern Syria, destroying dozens of targets and "neutralising" many terrorists. 30 targets, including an oil well and a storage facility, caves, bunkers, shelters and warehouses used by terrorists were destroyed, Turkish Defence Ministry said in a statement. The Turkish anti-terror operation came after PKK/YPG attacked the Interior Ministry in the Turkish capital Ankara last Sunday. *) Bangladesh gets first uranium shipment from Russia for nuclear power plant Bangladesh has received the first Russian shipment of uranium fuel for its $12.65B debut nuclear power plant, making it the 33rd country in the world to produce nuclear power. The South Asian country is building the first of two nuclear power plants in collaboration with Russian state-owned atomic company Rosatom. Ninety percent of the project is financed through a Russian loan repayable within 28 years with a 10-year grace period. *) Biden to extend US border wall with Mexico using Trump-era funds US President Joe Biden has defended his plans to extend the border wall with Mexico, saying he didn't think such barriers worked, but he was bound by laws introduced under former president Donald Trump. Biden, who is polling neck-and-neck with rival Trump ahead of a likely 2024 rematch, insisted on Thursday his predecessor had tied his hands on the wall-building. "They have to use the money for what it was appropriated for. I can't stop that," he told reporters in the Oval Office. The US president also stressed that the border wall is ineffective. *) Drone attack on Syrian military ceremony kills 80, wounds 240 An attack on a Syrian crowded military graduation ceremony has killed 80 and wounded 240 others. Civilians, including children, and military personnel were among the dead. Syria's regime said in an earlier statement that drones laden with explosives targeted the ceremony. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. *) Eastern Canada breaks autumn heat records Eastern Canada has shattered heat records this week with temperatures close to 30 degrees Celsius, worrying experts and everyday people struggling to cope with extreme weather made worse by the climate crisis. In the last three days, heat records were broken in Quebec and adjacent provinces. On Wednesday, the mercury reached 29.3 degrees Celsius in Montreal, surpassing the record of 26.7 degrees set in 2005.

*) Many dead, over 100 missing in India flash floods due to glacial lake burst At least 14 people have been killed and 102 others missing in northeast India after heavy rain caused a glacial lake to burst its banks. The disaster affected the lives of 22,000 people and is the latest in a series of deadly weather events in South Asia's mountains. A cloudburst dropped a huge amount of rain over a short period on the Lhonak glacial lake, triggering flash floods and washing away eleven bridges. *) Azerbaijan president refuses to attend EU-brokered meet over snub to Türkiye Azerbaijan president Ilham Aliyev has decided against attending an EU-brokered meeting in Spain after France and Germany opposed his request for Turkish representation at the talks. It would have been his first face-to-face talks with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan since Baku took back full control of Karabakh. Aliyev wanted ally Türkiye to be represented at the meeting, but when France and Germany objected, he said "an anti-Azerbaijani atmosphere" had developed. *) Millions off work as Typhoon Koinu brings 'record' winds, rains to Taiwan Typhoon Koinu has unleashed record winds in southern Taiwan, with gusts of over 340 kilometres per hour. Nearly 200 people have been injured. Koinu made landfall as a category four typhoon, but is expected to weaken as it heads towards China. The severe weather has forced the shutdown of thousands of workplaces and schools across the region. *) 'Stop killing our children': Palestine, Israel women rally against violence Hundreds of Palestinian and Israeli women have rallied in occupied Jerusalem and the Dead Sea in the occupied West Bank. They called for an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, chanting "we want peace” and holding placards that read "Stop killing our children". Persistent violence linked to Israel's occupation of Palestinian lands has escalated since last year. At least 243 Palestinians and 32 Israelis have been killed this year. *) Africa, Europe and South America to host FIFA 2030 World Cup games Morocco, Portugal and Spain will be joint hosts for the 2030 World Cup but games will also be played in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay. FIFA said in a statement that the matches in South America were part of the celebration to mark 100 years since the first World Cup in Uruguay. The announcement puts an end to competition between two major bids, one led by Spain and Portugal and the other from Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Paraguay.

*) US House ousts Kevin McCarthy as speaker in historic vote A rare and dramatic scenario played out in the US congress when senior Republican Kevin McCarthy was ousted as US House speaker by his own party members. This came after Democrats announced that they would not bail him out of a move by Trump loyalists to remove McCarthy from the powerful post. McCarthy sparked fury among some Republicans when he worked with Democrats to pass a stopgap funding measure to avert a government shutdown. The Speaker is the top Republican and second in line of succession to the US presidency. *) Azerbaijan arrests top separatists as it takes total control of Karabakh Authorities in Azerbaijan have arrested several former separatist leaders of Karabakh after reclaiming control of the Armenian-occupied region in a lightning military operation last month. This is according to a top Azerbaijani news agency. The wave of arrests comes as Azerbaijani authorities move swiftly to establish their control over the region after a military operation that put an end to the illegal Armenian occupation in the region. *) Nearly two dozen Indian soldiers missing as flash floods hit hill state The Indian army has said that 23 soldiers are missing after a powerful flash flood caused by intense rainfall tore through a valley in the north east. The army said water released upstream from the Chungthang dam meant the river was already more than 4.5 metres higher than usual. Intermittent rain and thundershowers were hampering rescue operations in the area, according to an army official. *) Bus crash near Italy's Venice city leaves nearly two dozen dead A bus carrying foreign tourists has crashed near the Italian city of Venice, killing at least 21 people and injuring 18 others. According to officials, two of the dead were children and four of the injured were in serious condition following the accident on the mainland opposite the historic old city of Venice. Firefighters said the bus caught fire after careering off a bridge straddling a railway line. *) Galatasaray stun Man United with historic 3-2 win Galatasaray have beaten Manchester United 3-2 in a UEFA Champions League match, marking a historic win for the Turkish powerhouse. Galatasaray won the five-goal thriller in the Theatre of Dreams to move to second place in the group. The Turkish team has four points. Meanwhile, Man United are at the bottom of the group after losing their second match in a row.

*) Militant attack leaves dozens of Nigerian soldiers dead Twenty-nine soldiers have been killed in western Niger in an attack by suspected militants, the Defence Ministry has said. The ministry said the soldiers were targeted using "improvised explosive devices and kamikaze vehicles by more than a hundred terrorists". Two soldiers were seriously wounded and "several dozen terrorists" were also killed. According to the ministry, the attack took place near the country's border with Mali, during military operations aimed at "neutralising the threat posed by the Daesh" terror group. *) EU foreign ministers promise Ukraine billions of dollars EU foreign ministers have held talks with their Ukrainian counterpart in Kiev – the first time such a gathering has taken place outside of the bloc. It comes amid growing Western impatience over the war with Russia, especially after the Ukrainian counter-offensive didn't gather the pace many leaders had hoped for. Afterwards, the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell proposed over 5 billion dollars in military aid for Kiev next year. Meanwhile, Ukraine's eastern city of Kharkiv will build the country's first fully underground school to shield pupils from Russia's frequent bomb and missile attacks. *) UN finds no civilian violence in Azerbaijan's Karabakh as operation ends The UN mission visiting Karabakh in Azerbaijan has not received reports of violence against Armenian residents and seen destruction against civilian infrastructure. The mission was in the region to assess the situation on the ground and identify the humanitarian needs of both the people remaining and those who are on the move. Spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters the team surveyed the border checkpoint in Lachin and the city of Khankendi. *) Guatemalans block roads as anger grows over election interference Hundreds of Guatemalans have blocked key roads to demand the resignation of top prosecutors. The protesters accuse the prosecutors of trying to block the newly-elected president Bernardo Arevalo from taking office. One prosecutor even sent security forces to seize boxes of voting records. Arevalo is due to take office in January but observers and the international community have raised the alarm over efforts to challenge his election win. And finally… *) Trump decries New York trial over his business practices as 'scam' Former US President Donald Trump's fraud trial has gotten underway in Manhattan. Trump and his sons have been charged with inflating the value of his assets by billions of dollars to secure better loan and insurance terms. Trump is at risk of losing his business in New York and paying millions of dollars in fines but he denounced the case as a politically motivated "scam".

*) No one pursuing hostility towards Türkiye emerges victorious: Erdogan Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticised those who are trying to give democracy lessons to Türkiye, noting they turn a blind eye to hate crimes against Turks and Muslims, especially amid rising Islamophobia. In a speech at the Turkish Parliament on Sunday, Erdogan underscored Türkiye's critical role from Karabakh to Libya and Syria to Somalia, insisting, "No country, no society, no institution that pursues a hostile policy towards Türkiye emerges victorious in the end." In the meantime, Turkish warplanes carried out airstrikes on PKK positions in northern Iraq, in accordance with the UN's right to self-defence, the Turkish Defence Ministry has announced. Erdogan's comments and the anti-terror operation came after two terrorists attacked the Turkish Interior Ministry, in the nation's capital, Ankara, hours before his speech in parliament. *) Children among several dead, injured in Mexico church roof collapse The roof of a church collapsed in northern Mexico, during a Mass, killing at least nine people and injuring around 50, authorities said. Search teams probed in the wreckage late into the night, looking for survivors and other victims. The number of young victims — police officers said three of the dead were children — may have been due to the fact that baptisms were to take place at the church. The diocese later posted a list of about 50 people who had been hospitalised, as a result of the accident. Approximately 30 parishioners were believed to have been trapped in the rubble l, when the roof caved in, officials said. *) Serbia tried to annex northern Kosovo in recent attack: Pristina Kosovo said it has evidence Serbia was trying to annex its northern region and that recent attackers had been preparing for this for a long time at military bases. ''This terrorist organisation had only one purpose: the annexation of the north of the Republic of Kosovo,” the Interior Minister said on Sunday. According to the minister, the Serbian President, Defence Minister and Army Chief of Staff were directly engaged in the attempt. *) UN to vote on sending peacekeepers to Haiti The United Nations Security Council is set to vote to approve the deployment of foreign police to Haiti and to authorise the use of force to help the Caribbean nation combat violent gangs that have largely overrun the capital Port-au-Prince. A US-drafted resolution would also expand a UN arms embargo that currently applies only to designated individuals to include all gangs, which China wanted. Haitian officials have said guns used by gangs are believed to be mostly imported from the United States. Haiti asked nearly a year ago for international help. *) Japanese start-up develops high-tech robot inspired by 'Gundam' Tokyo-based start-up Tsubame Industries has developed a 4.5-metre-tall, four-wheeled robot that looks like "Mobile Suit Gundam" from the wildly popular Japanese animation series, and it can be yours for $3 million. Called ARCHAX, after a avian dinosaur, the robot has cockpit monitors that receive images from cameras hooked up to the exterior, so the pilot can manoeuvre the arms and hands with joysticks from inside its torso. The 3.5-tonne robot, to be unveiled at the Japan Mobility Show later this month, has two modes: the upright "robot mode" and a "vehicle mode" in which it can travel up to 10 km per hour.