Israel bombs charity building in Gaza’s Jabalia refugee camp
NewsFeed This is the aftermath of an Israeli air strike on the Al Salam Charitable Society building in northern Gaza’s Jabalia refugee camp, which killed and injured dozens of Palestinians. Civilians are searching under the rubble for survivors. Published On 20 Dec 202320 Dec 2023 Adblock test (Why?)
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 665
As the war enters its 665th day, these are the main developments. Here is the situation on Wednesday, December 20, 2023. Fighting Ukraine’s military said Russia launched its fifth air attack this month on the capital, with air defence systems destroying all weapons on their approach to Kyiv. “According to preliminary information, there were no casualties or destruction in the capital,” Serhiy Popko, the head of Kyiv’s military administration, said on the Telegram messaging app. Russia’s Defence Ministry said it brought down a Ukrainian drone near the capital that led to restrictions on flights at Moscow’s main airports. No casualties were reported. Ukraine said its military was holding the line in the eastern Kharkiv region, despite being outgunned by Russian forces trying to take control of the town of Kupiansk. “The situation is complicated. We have to fight in conditions of superiority of the enemy both in weapons and in the number of personnel,” said Oleksandr Syrsky, the head of Ukraine’s ground forces. Russia’s Defence Ministry said it had repelled eight Ukrainian attacks around Kupiansk with artillery. Firefighters working at an apartment block in the Russian-occupied part of Ukraine’s Donetsk after the building was hit by shelling [AFP] Politics and diplomacy Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the military had asked for the mobilisation of 500,000 more people in the fight to remove Russian forces from its territory and urged the United States and Kyiv’s other Western allies to maintain their support for his country. He said he also hoped prisoner swaps, which he said had been delayed as a result of unspecified “reasons” on the Russian side, would soon resume. The last exchange took place in early August. Russian President Vladimir Putin told defence and military chiefs that Moscow had the momentum in its war in Ukraine and was well-positioned to reach its goals, claiming that attempts to defeat it had failed. Putin also said Moscow was upgrading its nuclear arsenal and maintaining the military at its highest level of readiness. Italy’s cabinet passed a decree allowing it to supply “means, materials and equipment” to Ukraine in its fight against Russia until the end of 2024. Supplies will include not only weapons but also power generators and “everything needed to support military operations in defence of unarmed civilians”, a Defence Ministry statement said. Volker Turk, the United Nations’s human rights chief, said there were indications Russia had committed war crimes in Ukraine, including 142 cases of “summary executions” of civilians as well we enforced disappearances, torture and ill-treatment such as sexual violence against detainees. A court in Poland convicted 14 citizens of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine for being part of a spy ring preparing acts of sabotage on behalf of Moscow. They were given jail terms ranging from 13 months to six years. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the media the military was asking for the mobilisation of 500,000 more troops [Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo] A former Russian soldier sought asylum in the Netherlands and said he wanted to testify at the International Criminal Court (ICC) about Russian war crimes he witnessed while fighting in Ukraine. A Dutch legal source told the Reuters news agency the man had been a member of Russian-backed separatist forces in eastern Ukraine since 2014 and had also worked as an instructor for the Wagner mercenary group there. Chuck Schumer, the majority leader in the US Senate, said the upper house aimed to pass an agreement to provide additional aid to Ukraine and bolster US border security as soon as it returns to Washington, DC in January after the Christmas and New Year holidays. Weapons Sergei Shoigu, Russia’s defence minister, said that since the country began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, it had increased production of tanks by 5.6 times, drones by 16.8 times and artillery shells by 17.5 times. Speaking during Putin’s meeting with military chiefs, Shoigu said Russian forces had also laid 7,000sq km (2,703 square miles) of minefields in Ukraine – some of them as much as 600 metres (1,969 feet) wide – along with 1.5 million anti-tank barriers and 2,000km (1,243 miles) of anti-tank ditches. Zelenskyy said Ukraine planned to manufacture some 1 million drones next year for use on the battlefield. Ukraine and Russia use drones to scope out enemy positions, drop explosives and launch attacks on the enemy. Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu talked optimistically about Moscow’s chances of achieving its goals in Ukraine [Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP] The US charged Hossein Hatefi Ardakani, an Iranian, and Gary Lam, a Chinese national, with allegedly supplying dual-use US-manufactured microelectronics to Iran’s drone programme. “These very components have been found in use by Iran’s allies in current conflicts, including in Ukraine,” special agent Michael Krol said. Both men remain at large. The US Treasury Department, meanwhile, announced that it was imposing sanctions on a network of 10 Ardakani-linked entities as well as four individuals based in Iran, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Indonesia, for circumventing export bans to procure US components for Iranian-made attack drones. Adblock test (Why?)
‘We don’t…’: BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on opposition camp’s PM candidate
Reacting to some leaders suggesting Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge’s name as the prime ministerial candidate of the INDIA bloc, which was eventually turned down by Kharge, West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said that the Bharatiya Janata Party is not interested in who is the Prime Minister from the opposition camp as it has a powerful leader like Narendra Modi in theirs.
INDIA bloc to hold nationwide protest on Dec 22 after 141 Opposition MPs suspended from Parliament
As many as 49 more opposition lawmakers were suspended from Lok Sabha on Tuesday for unruly behaviour, taking the total number of MPs suspended in both Houses of Parliament to 141.
Amarillo City Council says it needs more time to debate abortion travel ban
After weeks of debate, the council took no action at a politically-charged meeting Tuesday. It is the largest city in Texas to debate such a rule.
Texas led the nation in population growth in the last year
Texas grew by nearly half a million people in the past year, accounting for nearly 30% of the 1.6 million people gained in the U.S. and driving population growth in the South.
Ramaswamy vows to withdraw from Colorado primary ballot unless Trump is on it, calls on GOP opponents to join
Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is vowing to withdraw his name from the Colorado primary ballot unless former President Trump is reinstated following the state’s historic Supreme Court ruling on Tuesday declaring him ineligible for office. “This is what an *actual* attack on democracy looks like: in an un-American, unconstitutional, and *unprecedented* decision, a cabal of Democrat judges are barring Trump from the ballot in Colorado,” Ramaswamy reacted on X. “Having tried every trick in the book to eliminate President Trump from running in this election, the bipartisan Establishment is now deploying a new tactic to bar him from ever holding office again: the 14th Amendment.” “I pledge to *withdraw* from the Colorado GOP primary unless Trump is also allowed to be on the state’s ballot, and I demand that Ron DeSantis, Chris Christie, and Nikki Haley to do the same immediately – or else they are tacitly endorsing this illegal maneuver which will have disastrous consequences for our country,” he wrote. COLORADO SUPREME COURT DISQUALIFIES TRUMP FROM 2024 BALLOT The Colorado Supreme Court’s disqualification, which was made under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, cited Trump’s conduct during the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Tuesday’s 4-3 ruling is stayed until January 4 because of likely appeals. Three justices on the Colorado Supreme Court dissented. “We do not reach these conclusions lightly,” the court’s majority wrote. “We are mindful of the magnitude and weight of the questions now before us. We are likewise mindful of our solemn duty to apply the law, without fear or favor, and without being swayed by public reaction to the decisions that the law mandates we reach.” POLL SHOWS BIDEN HITTING RECORD LOW APPROVALS, FALLING BEHIND AGAINST TRUMP IN 2024 MATCHUP Trump Campaign Spokesman Steven Cheung wrote in a statement that an appeal would be filed on Tuesday night. “Unsurprisingly, the all-Democrat appointed Colorado Supreme Court has ruled against President Trump, supporting a Soros-funded, left-wing group’s scheme to interfere in an election on behalf of Crooked Joe Biden by removing President Trump’s name from the ballot and eliminating the rights of Colorado voters to vote for the candidate of their choice. Democrat Party leaders are in a state of paranoia over the growing, dominant lead President Trump has amassed in the polls. They have lost faith in the failed Biden presidency and are now doing everything they can to stop the American voters from throwing them out of office next November,” Cheung wrote. “The Colorado Supreme Court issued a completely flawed decision tonight and we will swiftly file an appeal to the United States Supreme Court and a concurrent request for a stay of this deeply undemocratic decision. We have full confidence that the U.S. Supreme Court will quickly rule in our favor and finally put an end to these unAmerican lawsuits,” he added. In a previous ruling, Colorado District Judge Sarah B. Wallace allowed Trump to stay on the ballot, but found that Trump “engaged in insurrection” for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold said in a statement that she would “continue to follow court guidance on this important issue.” “The Colorado Supreme Court has ruled that Donald Trump is barred from the Colorado ballot for inciting the January 6 insurrection and attempting to overturn the 2020 Presidential Election. This decision may be appealed,” Griswold wrote. DEMOCRATS DROP ‘BIDENOMICS’ AS SOME VOTERS COMPLAIN IT’S ‘TONE-DEAF’: REPORT The 14th Amendment states: “No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any state, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.” Disqualification lawsuits relating to Trump’s appearance on the ballot are pending in 13 states, including Texas, Nevada and Wisconsin. Fox News’ Bill Mears and Adam Sabes contributed to this report.
White House says ‘Operation Prosperity Guardian’ will counter Houthi threats against ships in Red Sea
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said at a White House press briefing Tuesday that ships and aircraft of several nations will join the U.S. in conducting surveillance and taking defensive action against Houthi rebels who target commercial ships in the Red Sea, in what is being called, “Operation Prosperity Guardian.” Kirby told reporters during a press briefing that the Department of Defense announced the operation on Monday, calling it an international coalition of countries aimed at countering threats from the Iran-backed Houthis. “From the beginning, we’ve said that this is an [initiative] that requires collective and international action, and we’ve been able to bring together, now, a number of partners including the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles, Spain, and even more to address this challenge together,” he said. Kirby also said the U.S. and others – including 44 signatories including NATO, the entire European Union and G7 – condemning “in the strongest terms” the threats and acts by Houthis. PENTAGON ANNOUNCES NEW RED SEA INTERNATIONAL MISSION TO COUNTER ESCALATING HOUTHI ATTACKS ON SHIPS He explained that there are six countries that border the Red Sea, which is a conduit for 10-15% of all global trade, 8% of global grain trade and 12% of global seaborne oil trade. Of the total trade that flows through the Red Sea, Greek-, Chinese-, Japanese- and German-owned vessels make up about 40-50% of the transits, the spokesperson said. HERZOG SIGNALS ISRAEL READY FOR ANOTHER CEASE-FIRE IN GAZA TO FREE REMAINING HOSTAGES “These attacks have to stop. They need to stop. They’re unacceptable,” Kirby said. “The United States, our Allies and our partners will do what we have to do to counter these threats and to protect these ships.” Kirby added that a review is being conducted on whether to re-designate the Houthis as a terrorist organization, though no decision has been made, nor is a timeline available on when a decision will be made. The Pentagon announced the establishment of Operation Prosperity Guardian earlier in the day, with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin calling the initiative, “an important multinational security initiative under the umbrella of the Combined Maritime Forces and the leadership of its Task Force 153, which focuses on security in the Red Sea.” NETANYAHU TELLS BIDEN ISRAEL WILL ACT MILITARILY AGAINST YEMEN’S HOUTHIS IF US WON’T: REPORT The seriousness of the attacks, several of which have damaged vessels, has led multiple shipping companies to order their ships to hold in place and not enter the Bab el-Mandeb Strait until the security situation can be addressed. The U.S. Central Command reported two more attacks on commercial vessels on Monday. A strike by an attack drone and a ballistic missile hit a tanker off Yemen at roughly the same time a cargo ship reported an explosive detonating in the water near them, the U.S. military said. Austin said the recent Houthi aggression “threatens the free flow of commerce, endangers innocent mariners, and violates international law.” The U.S. is still actively seeking member countries to join the mission and increase the number of navies present and participating. Two U.S. Navy destroyers — USS Carney and USS Mason — are currently moving through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to help deter and respond to attacks from the Houthis. The move to set up the expanded operation came after three commercial vessels were struck by missiles fired by Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen on Dec. 3. To date, the U.S. has not struck back at the Houthis operating in Yemen or targeted any of the militants’ weapons or other sites. On Monday, Austin did not answer a question as to why the Pentagon had not conducted a counterstrike. Fox News Digital’s Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
Chicago mayor says Texas Gov. Abbott ‘attacking our country’ over migrant bussing to Dem cities
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson lashed out at Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday, saying the Republican leader was creating “chaos” around the country over his bussing program that has transported thousands of asylum seekers from border towns to Democratically-led cities. Speaking at an unrelated news conference, Johnson said migrants were being brought to Chicago in unhealthy conditions and have strained city programs and resources. “They come to the city of Chicago, where we have homelessness, we have mental health clinics that have been shut down and closed,” he said. “The issue is not just how we respond in the city of Chicago,” Johnson added. “It’s the fact we have a governor, a governor, an elected official in the state of Texas, that is placing families on buses without shoes, cold, wet, tired, hungry, afraid, traumatized, and then they come to the city of Chicago, where we have homelessness, mental health clinics that have been shut down and closed. We have people who are seeking employment. The governor of Texas needs to take a look in the mirror, with the chaos he’s causing for the people of this country.” MANY SENATORS HAVE ALREADY LEFT TOWN AMID BORDER NEGOTIATIONS AS ILLEGAL CROSSINGS HIT RECORD Texas has transported thousands of migrants to so-called sanctuary cities to bring attention to the influx of illegal immigration to the Biden administration and relieve overwhelmed border towns and border authorities. Officials in New York City have also criticized Abbott as asylum seekers there have strained resources and city agencies. “This is not just a Chicago dynamic. He is attacking our country!” Johnson said of Abbott. Abbott’s Press Secretary Andrew Mahaleris told Fox News Digital that Johnson was “flat out lying.” “If he truly cared about these migrants, he would stop spreading falsehoods and complaining about a few thousand migrants being bused into his sanctuary city,” he said. “Instead, Mayor Johnson should call on President Biden to take immediate action to secure the border — something the President continues failing to do.” SOUTHERN BORDER HIT BY RECORD NUMBER OF MIGRANT ENCOUNTERS IN A SINGLE DAY AS THOUSANDS FLOOD INTO TEXAS Mahaleris noted that migrants willingly sign a voluntary consent waiver available in various languages upon boarding a bus in which the destination has been agreed to. Each bus is also stocked with food and water and makes stops along the route to refuel and switch drivers, he said. Migrants are also allowed to purchase extra items or disembark at any stop because they were previously processed and released by border authorities, said Mahaleris. The mayor’s remarks came after a 5-year-old migrant boy recently died over the weekend and other migrants were hospitalized for illnesses. Johnson has also taken aim at the bus companies being used to bring the asylum seekers to his city. Cristina Pacione-Zayas, his deputy chief of staff, told the Chicago Tribune that the companies are now no longer communicating about where they are dropping migrants off in an effort to avoid city penalties. The city has filed over 50 lawsuits in an attempt to hold bus companies accountable for shuttling illegal immigrants to an already overburdened city amid winter conditions. “Migrants are no longer being dropped off at the city’s landing zone on buses from the southern border, causing people to wander with no direction looking for shelter, according to an aide to Mayor Johnson,” The Chicago Tribune reported. Fox News Digital’s Alexander Hall contributed to this report.
Aerial video shows volcano erupting in Iceland
NewsFeed A volcano in Iceland has started erupting after weeks of earthquake activity that forced the evacuation of a nearby town as a precaution. Published On 19 Dec 202319 Dec 2023 Adblock test (Why?)