No food, no sleep, no hope in Gaza
I have spent a total of four years in Gaza, six months of them during the ongoing war. I have never felt so helpless in the face of the formidable war machine that shoves a new bullet into its gun as soon as it has fired the previous one, while having a seemingly unlimited supply of ammunition. In September, I spoke to a matriarch who ran a shelter for displaced people in Khan Younis. I asked her what hope she had about the prospect of peace. She pointed at a small girl holding her mother’s hand and sucking her thumb. “Her father was killed when their house was bombed five days ago, and they’ve not been able to retrieve his body from the rubble because the area is under constant fire,” she said. “What hope?” In hopeless Gaza, sleep is among the most precious commodities. Back in January, we would run to the window to watch the plume of smoke painting the sky after a particularly loud and close hit. But with time, they have become so commonplace that hardly anyone bothers to look any more. Advertisement On an average night in my neighbourhood in Deir el-Balah, bombardment would start at night, just as people would prepare to try to sleep. We would hear the whistling of a missile and then a loud explosion, shaking the windows. The blast would wake up the local dogs, the donkeys, the babies and any other soul who dared to sleep, starting a chain reaction of barking, crying and other agitated noises. More bombs would come that would then be followed by various types of gunfire until all quiets down for a short while. The dawn call to prayer would usually trigger another series of attacks. The apocalyptic scenes that everyone sees on TV are even more harrowing in person. I often find myself deleting photos and videos from my phone because the camera does not do justice to just how grotesque the surroundings appear to the naked eye. In person, the visuals are accompanied by a slew of sounds. This includes the now-daily ritual of people fighting for bread at the nearby bakeries as food supplies are dwindling, amid the almost total cut-off of commercial goods and the persistent and paralysing restrictions on the entry of humanitarian assistance. Just the other week, a woman and two girls suffocated after being trampled in front of a bakery when a fight broke out because there was not enough bread for everyone. My dear friend Khaled, who runs community kitchens across Gaza, worried that soon there would be no food at all and his kitchens would have to close. I struggled to find anything helpful to say to him given the reality around us and would cry every time we spoke, as I too was losing hope. “Don’t cry, Olga,” he always said. “Be strong, like we are.” Indeed, the strength of Palestinians is unparalleled. Advertisement In November, the Famine Review Committee, an ad hoc body of international technical experts that reviews classifications of potential famine identified by the United Nations and other actors, published a report, ringing another alarm over the imminent threat of famine, particularly in the beleaguered north of Gaza. Since then, things have only been getting worse. On several occasions, I saw people scooping up dirty flour that had spilled on the road after some bags of flour had fallen off an aid truck. Prioritising the most vulnerable in Gaza is a hopeless task since there is almost no aid to provide. With 100 percent of a population of about 2.3 million people in need, do you choose to help a pregnant woman, a domestic violence survivor, or someone who is homeless and disabled? Do you look for all of these risks in a single person? The agony of these choices will keep us awake long after our jobs in Gaza end. During the months we have spent in Gaza, my colleagues and I have witnessed so much pain, tragedy and death that we are at a loss for words to convey the horror. We have picked up dead bodies from the side of the road – some still warm and bleeding profusely, others with rigor mortis, half-eaten by dogs. Some of these bodies were young boys. Boys who were killed senselessly, some of them dying slowly as they bled out, terrified and alone, while their mothers agonised over why their sons had not come home that night. For the rest of the world, they became just another number in the grim statistic of people killed in Gaza so far – now more than 45,500, according to the Ministry of Health. Advertisement In the rare moments of quiet and between the chaos of constant crises, I reflect on everything around me and ask myself: “What hope?” The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance. Adblock test (Why?)
Earthquake hits Tibet’s Shigatse: What we know so far
A powerful earthquake has struck a remote region of Tibet, killing at least 95 people and wounding dozens, with tremors felt in Nepal, Bhutan and parts of northern India. Videos aired by China’s state broadcaster CCTV showed houses destroyed with the official Xinhua News Agency saying more than 1,000 houses were damaged. The epicentre of the quake was Shigatse, one of the holiest cities of Tibet. Here is what we know so far: What was the magnitude of the Tibet earthquake? The United States Geological Survey said the earthquake measured 7.1 on the Richter scale, while the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) recorded a magnitude of 6.8. The quake, just after 9:05am local time (01:05 GMT), shook the region of western China at a depth of about 10km (6 miles). Where was the epicentre of the earthquake? The epicentre of the quake was the Shigatse high-altitude county of Dingri, located on the Chinese side of Mount Everest and home to about 62,000 people. Tuesday’s quake was the most powerful recorded within a 200km (124-mile) radius in the last five years, the CENC added. Advertisement Shigatse is the seat of the Panchen Lama, a significant figure in Tibetan Buddhism, whose spiritual authority is second only to the Dalai Lama. Dingri is currently experiencing temperatures of about minus 8 degrees Celsius (17.6 degrees Fahrenheit). The China Meteorological Administration forecast that the mercury will drop to minus 18 degrees Celsius by Tuesday evening. The remote Shigatse is far from China’s main cities. This, combined with the extreme cold, has hindered rescue efforts, according to Al Jazeera’s Katrina Yu, reporting from Beijing. What do we know about the victims? At least 95 people have been killed and another 130 people are injured, according to Chinese state media. A man in Kathmandu was injured after jumping off the top of a house following strong tremors, Nepal Police spokesman Bishwa Adhikari told Reuters. No other casualties or damages have been reported so far from Nepal, India and Bhutan. Were houses damaged in the quake? The earthquake caused infrastructural damage, with images showing collapsed homes and other buildings reduced to rubble. The Xinhua news agency reported that more than 1,000 houses have been damaged to varying degrees. “Dingri county and its surrounding areas experienced very strong tremors, and many buildings near the epicentre have collapsed,” according to the state broadcaster CCTV. In the town of Lhatse, videos geolocated by AFP showed debris scattered in front of streetside eateries. Rescue teams look through rubble in Shigatse City [Screengrab obtained from a handout video via Reuters] Where were the tremors of the Tibet earthquake felt? Kathmandu, the Nepalese capital, was rattled by the tremor and aftershocks, forcing some residents to rush from their homes. Kathmandu is about 230km (140 miles) south of Shigatse. Advertisement Tremors were also felt in India’s northern state of Bihar which borders Nepal. They were also felt in Bhutan’s capital Thimphu. According to Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), shocks were experienced in seven hill districts which border Tibet. People leave their houses during an earthquake in Kathmandu, Nepal [Stringer/Reuters] How has the government responded? The government has deployed some 1,500 rescue workers, including military personnel, to the area. Al Jazeera’s Yu said there are pictures of those affected by the earthquake being treated on the streets. Xinhua reported that some 22,000 items of disaster relief aid have been dispatched to the affected areas, which include cotton tents, quilts and items for high-altitude areas. Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasised “the all-out search and rescue efforts, minimising casualties to the greatest extent possible, properly resettling affected residents, and ensuring their safety and warmth through the winter”, CCTV added. Xinhua said that “local authorities are reaching out to various townships in the county to assess the impact of the quake”. Have the Himalayas recently experienced earthquakes? The Tibetan Plateau is prone to earthquakes because of colliding tectonic plates. Tibet and Nepal lie on a major geological fault line where the Indian tectonic plate pushes up into the Eurasian plate, forming the Himalayas, and earthquakes are a regular occurrence. The region is seismically active, causing tectonic uplifts that can grow strong enough to change the heights of the Himalayas’ peaks. Advertisement There have been 29 earthquakes of magnitude three or above in the past five years within 200km (124 miles) of the Shigatse quake epicentre, according to CCTV. However, authorities say that Tuesday’s quake has been “more powerful” than the other earthquakes in the past five years, Al Jazeera’s Yu reported. In 2015, nearly 9,000 people died and more than 22,000 were injured when a magnitude 7.8 quake struck Nepal, destroying more than half a million homes. On May 21, 2021, an earthquake of magnitude 7.3 rattled China’s southern Qinghai province. Tuesday’s quake is among the worst earthquakes to hit the Himalayan region in 100 years. Adblock test (Why?)
Shooting in the occupied West Bank kills three Israelis
NewsFeed A shooting took place near an illegal settlement in the occupied West Bank, killing three Israelis and wounding several. Published On 6 Jan 20256 Jan 2025 Adblock test (Why?)
How to end the conflict in eastern DRC?
M23 rebel fighters have taken control of two towns in North Kivu province. The eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been in conflict for more than 30 years. The lives of millions of people have been affected because of the dozens of armed groups active in the area. The most prominent among them is the March 23 Movement (M23), which is widely believed to be backed by neighbouring Rwanda – allegations that the Rwandan government has denied. And M23 fighters have stepped up their offensive in recent months. They’ve captured two towns in recent days and are believed to be just 80km (50 miles) away from Goma, the capital of North Kivu province. So, will regional leaders be able to broker peace to stop this conflict? Presenter: Cyril Vanier Guests: Reagan Miviri – Researcher who specialises in the conflict in the DRC Solomon Dersso – Founding director of Amani Africa, a Pan-African think tank that works on peace, security policy and diplomacy in Africa David Munkley – Director of World Vision’s response to the conflict in eastern DRC Adblock test (Why?)
US Steel, Nippon sue Biden administration over decision to block merger
Nippon Steel and US Steel have filed a federal lawsuit in the United States challenging the Biden administration’s decision to block Nippon’s proposed $15bn acquisition of the Pittsburgh company. The companies say the head of the United Steelworkers union and a rival steelmaker worked together to scuttle the buyout. The lawsuit, filed on Monday, alleges US President Joe Biden prejudiced the decision of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS) which scrutinises foreign investments for national security risks, and violated the companies’ right to a fair review. In moving to block the transaction on Friday, Biden said US companies producing a large amount of steel need to “keep leading the fight on behalf of America’s national interests”, though Japan, where Nippon is based, is a strong ally. This is the first time a US president has blocked a merger between a US and Japanese firm. In separate lawsuits filed in the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia and the US District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, the steelmakers allege that it was a political decision made by the Biden administration that had no rational legal basis. Advertisement “Nippon Steel and US Steel have engaged in good faith with all parties to underscore how the Transaction will enhance, not threaten, United States national security,” the companies said in a prepared statement Monday. Nippon Steel had promised to invest $2.7bn in US Steel’s aging blast furnace operations in Gary, Indiana, and Pennsylvania’s Mon Valley, and had said it is best positioned to help the US compete in an industry dominated by the Chinese. US Steel has warned that, without Nippon Steel’s cash, it will shift production away from the blast furnaces to cheaper non-union electric arc furnaces and move its headquarters out of Pittsburgh. In a separate lawsuit filed in the District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, the companies accused steel-making rival Cleveland-Cliffs Inc and its CEO, Lourenco Goncalves, in coordination with David McCall, the head of the United Steelworkers (USW) union, of “engaging in a coordinated series of anticompetitive and racketeering activities” to block the deal. McCall on Monday called the allegations baseless. In 2023, before US Steel accepted the buyout offer from Nippon, Cleveland-Cliffs offered to buy US Steel for $7bn. US Steel turned down the offer and later accepted an all-cash offer from Nippon Steel which has now been nixed. Politicised merger The merger had become highly politicised ahead of the November US presidential election, with both Democrat Biden and Republican President-elect Donald Trump pledging to kill it as they wooed voters in the swing state of Pennsylvania, where US Steel is headquartered. USW President McCall opposed the tie-up. Advertisement Trump and Biden both asserted the company should remain American-owned even after the Japanese firm offered to move its US headquarters to Pittsburgh, where the US steelmaker is based, and promised to honour all agreements in place between US Steel and the USW. Biden sought to kill the deal to “curry favor with the USW leadership in Pennsylvania in his bid for reelection”, the companies allege. “As a result of President Biden’s undue influence to advance his political agenda, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States failed to conduct a good faith, national security-focused regulatory review process,” the companies said in a statement announcing the litigation. A White House spokesperson said “A committee of national security and trade experts determined this acquisition would create risk for American national security. President Biden will never hesitate to protect the security of this nation, its infrastructure, and the resilience of its supply chains.” The prospects are unclear for the lawsuit, which also targets Attorney General Merrick Garland and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who oversees CFIUS. Courts generally give great deference to CFIUS to define national security, experts say. The US Department of Justice declined to comment, and the Treasury Department did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters news agency. Trump, in a post on his social media platform, asked “Why would they want to sell US Steel now when Tariffs will make it a much more profitable and valuable company?” Advertisement Trump has promised to impose tariffs on imports across the board. US Steel, founded in 1901 by some of the biggest US magnates, including Andrew Carnegie, JP Morgan and Charles Schwab, became intertwined with the nation’s industrial recovery following the Great Depression and World War II. The company has been under pressure following several quarters of falling revenue and profit, making it an attractive takeover target for rivals looking to expand their US market share. ‘Manipulated’ review Nippon Steel’s December 2023 bid for US Steel faced headwinds from the start. Biden came out against the deal on March 14, before the CFIUS review had even begun, prejudging the outcome and depriving the companies of due process, guaranteed by both the Constitution and CFIUS regulations, the companies said. McCall endorsed Biden a week later. Biden was later replaced on the ticket by Vice President Kamala Harris, who also opposed the deal and was endorsed by the USW. Following a review, CFIUS normally approves a deal, or recommends the president block it. In rare cases, when the agencies that make up CFIUS cannot agree, they can refer the matter to the president, as they did with the Nippon Steel deal on December 23, setting the stage for Biden’s block. Before that, CFIUS staff were barred from negotiating with the companies on a proposed agreement to address the committee’s national security concerns, the statement alleges, a marked deviation from normal practice. “It is clear that the review process was being manipulated so that its outcome would support President Biden’s predetermined decision,” the companies said. “That cannot be, and is not, the due process to which parties before CFIUS are entitled.” Advertisement Adblock test (Why?)
US Congress certifies Donald Trump’s victory in 2024 presidential election
The quiet proceeding contrasts with efforts by Trump’s own supporters to overturn his 2020 loss by storming the US Capitol. The United States Congress has certified Donald Trump’s victory in November’s presidential election, clearing a final hurdle for his return to the White House later this month. Monday’s ceremony in Congress officially validated the 2024 Electoral College results. Overseen by Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump’s main rival in the election, the event passed quickly and with little fanfare. “Today was obviously a very important day,” Harris, who also serves as the president of the Senate, said in remarks afterwards. “It was about what should be the norm and what the American people should be able to take for granted, which is that one of the most important pillars of our democracy is that there will be a peaceful transfer of power.” The largely procedural affair marked a stark contrast with the last time Congress convened to certify Electoral College votes, on January 6, 2021. During that ceremony, thousands of Trump’s supporters stormed the US Capitol in an effort to overturn then-President Trump’s defeat in the 2020 election. Advertisement Lawmakers were forced to evacuate as doors were smashed, police officers were attacked and one protester was shot to death while trying to enter a chamber through a broken window. The attack took place after Trump held a rally nearby on the Ellipse, a park south of the White House, where he reiterated false claims that the election had been stolen through massive fraud. Critics roundly condemned the attack as an assault on democracy, and the US Department of Justice has since charged 1,583 participants with federal crimes. As of Monday, approximately 1,009 have pleaded guilty, with 327 offering guilty pleas to felony charges. Trump himself faced two criminal indictments for his role in trying to overturn the 2020 election results: A federal case in Washington, DC, was recently dismissed, while a state-level case in Georgia is stalled but ongoing. Nevertheless, four years later, Trump is set to return to power on the heels of his most successful presidential campaign to date. In November, Trump won 312 Electoral College votes to Harris’s 226 and became the first Republican candidate to win the popular vote since 2004. Trump’s Republican Party will also take control of Congress after winning majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Many in the party have since embraced the Republican leader’s false claims about the 2020 election. “Congress certifies our great election victory today – a big moment in history. MAGA!” Trump wrote on his platform Truth Social on Monday, using an acronym for his slogan, “Make America Great Again”. Advertisement Harris, meanwhile, urged respect for the tenets of US democracy. She cited Monday’s peaceful certification as an example of the right way forward. “I do believe very strongly that America’s democracy is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it,” she said. “Otherwise it is very fragile, and it will not be able to withstand moments of crisis.” Adblock test (Why?)
Israeli attacks target Palestinians across Gaza amid ceasefire talks
World Food Programme condemns Israeli forces for firing at one of its convoys in Gaza in ‘unacceptable’ incident. Recent Israeli attacks have killed and injured dozens of Palestinians across the Gaza Strip amid ongoing talks to reach a truce deal in the besieged territory. Medical sources told Al Jazeera Arabic that Israeli bombardment injured about 40 people north of the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza on Monday. Casualties, including children, were also reported in the al-Mawasi area near Khan Younis. The Palestinian Civil Defence said that it retrieved the bodies of three people who were killed in Israeli bombing in Nuseirat and another person in Khirbet al-Adas, north of Rafah. The Gaza Health Ministry had said earlier on Monday that at least 49 people were killed over the previous 24 hours, bringing the Palestinian death toll from the war to 45,854. Israel has been killing dozens of Palestinians in Gaza daily since the war broke out in October 2023. It has also imposed a suffocating blockade on the territory and displaced nearly its entire population. Harsh winter conditions have added to the woes of Palestinians sheltering in makeshift tents, already contending with hunger and lack of medical care. Advertisement The Gaza Government Media Office said on Monday that eight displaced Palestinians have died due to severe cold in recent weeks, warning that the number could rise amid dire conditions in the territory. “We hold the Israeli occupation fully responsible for the deterioration of humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip as well as the American administration and countries that have supported and participated in the genocide,” the office said in a statement. It called on international organisations and Arab and Muslim countries to urgently intervene to save civilians in Gaza. The World Food Programme (WFP) on Monday accused Israeli forces of firing at one of its convoys a day earlier. It described the shooting, which did not result in casualties, as “unacceptable”. “The World Food Programme strongly condemns the horrifying incident on January 5, when a clearly marked WFP convoy was shot at by Israeli forces near the Wadi Gaza checkpoint, putting the lives of our staff at tremendous risk and leaving the vehicles immobilised,” WFP said in a statement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant are facing arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over alleged war crimes in Gaza, including using “starvation as a method of warfare”. Against the backdrop of the violence and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, diplomatic efforts have continued to reach a ceasefire deal that would lead to the release of Israeli captives held by Hamas and other Palestinian groups. Advertisement Hamas officials told several media outlets on Monday that the group is willing to free 34 Israeli captives in the first stage of the deal that would also see the release of an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. It is unclear how many of the Israeli captives on the initial list are still alive. Hamas has said that Israeli bombardment has killed several captives since the start of the war. Israeli media outlets reported on Monday that Mossad chief David Barnea postponed a trip to Doha to finalise the deal while Israel awaits Hamas’s response to a proposal. Incoming United States President Donald Trump reiterated on Monday that “there would be hell to pay” if the captives are not released by the time he returns to the White House for a second term on January 20. Adblock test (Why?)
US envoy says Israeli army will withdraw completely from south Lebanon
The Israeli military will withdraw completely from south Lebanon, United States envoy Amos Hochstein has said, despite recent reports that Israel is planning to maintain a permanent presence in the country. Hochstein’s statement on Monday came as Israel was withdrawing its forces from Naqoura in the western sector of the border, with the Lebanese army deploying in the area. “The Israeli military started its withdrawal from Naqoura, most of the western sector and back into Israel proper today, south of the Blue Line,” Hochstein told reporters in Beirut, referring to the unofficial border between the two countries. “These withdrawals will continue until all Israeli forces are out of Lebanon completely.” However, the US official did not specify a timetable for the Israeli withdrawal. A ceasefire agreement reached in November between Israel and Hezbollah stipulates that Israeli forces must leave Lebanon within 60 days, by January 26. But media reports from Israel have suggested that the Israeli military does not plan on honouring the deadline. Advertisement Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati said in a statement after meeting Hochstein on Monday that delaying the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon is “strongly rejected”. Last week, the United Nations reiterated its call for a “timely” Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon. The Israeli military has been conducting near-daily attacks in Lebanon in violation of the ceasefire, including air strikes across the country, ground advances and the destruction of homes in areas under its control. Israel argues that it is enforcing the agreement, which says that Hezbollah must withdraw its forces to the north of the Litani River, about 30km (19 miles) from the Israeli border. Despite the Israeli attacks, Hezbollah has held its fire since the agreement came into effect, with the exception of a single “warning attack” against an Israeli base last month. Hezbollah officials have said that they are allowing space for the Lebanese government to address the Israeli violations through diplomatic channels and the US-led “mechanism” to monitor the agreement. But the Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem warned on Saturday that the group’s patience may run out before or after the 60-day period. “When we decide to do something, you will see it directly,” Qassem said in a televised speech. Hezbollah started attacking Israeli military positions after the outbreak of the 15-month war on Gaza in a campaign that it said was meant to pressure Israel to end its offensive against the besieged enclave. After nearly a year of low-level cross-border hostilities, Israel launched an all-out war in Lebanon, killing thousands of people and destroying large parts of the country. Advertisement During its onslaught, Israel dealt heavy blows to Hezbollah, assassinating several of its top military and political officials, including its powerful leader Hassan Nasrallah. The Israeli army also claimed it had wiped out most of the group’s rocket arsenal. However, Hezbollah claimed victory after the war, saying that it halted Israel’s ground advances and inflicted heavy damage on the invading soldiers. The Lebanese group also continued to fire rockets and drones at Israel throughout the conflict. On Sunday, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz warned that the country would be “forced to act” if Hezbollah does not pull away from the border. But Hochstein has suggested that the fragile ceasefire is holding. “This process is not smooth, but it is successful,” he said on Monday. The Lebanese army had confirmed its deployment in Naqoura earlier on Monday, but the municipality urged residents against returning to the town before the green light from the authorities after opening the roads and clearing unexploded ordnances. Adblock test (Why?)
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,047
Here are the key developments on the 1,047th day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Here is the situation on Monday, January 6: Fighting Russia says its forces seized control of Kurakhove, a town in Ukraine’s Donetsk region. Gaining control over Kurakhove “has significantly hampered the logistics and technical support” of Ukrainian troops, the Russian Defence Ministry said. Kurakhove lies 32km (20 miles) south of Pokrovsk, an important Ukrainian logistics hub towards which Russia has been advancing for months. The Ukrainian air force said it shot down two Kh-59 cruise missiles launched by Russia overnight. Of 128 drones launched, 79 drones were shot down and 49 “imitator drones” did not reach their targets, it added. The Ukrainian military launched a new offensive in the Kursk region of western Russia on Sunday, where Moscow’s forces have been trying to push back Ukrainian troops for the past five months. Russia’s Defence Ministry said Ukraine lost up to 340 soldiers in the past 24 hours in the Kursk region. It also said it shot down a Ukrainian MiG-29. Ukraine launched a counterattack in Kursk and “Russia is getting what it deserves,” the head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office, Andriy Yermak, said on Sunday, adding there was “good news” for Ukraine from the region. Serhiy Lysak, the governor of Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, has said Russia attacked the Nikopol region with artillery fire “half a dozen times” overnight. He said Moscow also launched a “suicide drone over the region”. No casualties were reported. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has heard loud blasts near Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, coinciding with reports of a drone attack on the plant’s training centre, it said in a statement. The IAEA has not yet been able to confirm any effect of the attacks. The IAEA team also reported hearing machine-gun fire coming from the site on multiple occasions, it added. Politics and diplomacy Advertisement United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, speaking in Seoul, South Korea on Monday, said Ukraine’s position in Kursk is “important” because it would “factor in any negotiation that may come about in the coming year”. Blinken said the US believes Russia is expanding space cooperation with North Korea in exchange for its troop contribution in fighting Ukraine. “The DPRK is already receiving Russian military equipment and training. Now we have reason to believe that Moscow intends to share advanced space and satellite technology with Pyongyang,” he said. Blinken also said the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden, which has given Kyiv billions of dollars in security assistance since Russia’s February 2022 invasion, wants to ensure that “Ukraine has the strongest possible hand to play”. President Zelenskyy said security guarantees for Kyiv to end Russia’s war would only be effective if the US provides them. “Without the United States, security guarantees are not possible. I mean these security guarantees that can prevent Russian aggression,” he said in an interview with US podcaster Lex Fridman published on Sunday. Zelenskyy said Ukrainians were counting on Trump to force Moscow to end its war and that Russia would escalate in Europe if Washington were to quit the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) military alliance. A Slovak government delegation travels to Brussels to discuss the gas situation after Ukraine ended the deal that allows Russian gas to travel through its territory to some European countries, including Slovakia. Advertisement Adblock test (Why?)
Israeli attack kills 13 members of a family in Gaza City
NewsFeed Al Jazeera’s Moath al-Kahlout, one of the few journalists in northern Gaza, has been to the scene of an Israeli attack that killed 13 members of the same family in Gaza City. Published On 6 Jan 20256 Jan 2025 Adblock test (Why?)