11 MORE GAZA HOSTAGES RELEASED AS ISRAEL-HAMAS TRUCE EXTENDED

The truce between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has been extended by two days, with Qatar announcing a deal to continue the pause in the seven-week conflict. Mediating through Qatar and Egypt, both sides agreed to the extension, although Israel has not officially commented. Egypt's state information service mentioned a potential release of 20 Israeli hostages seized by Hamas in exchange for 60 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

The initial truce was set to conclude on Monday. The extension involves the release of 11 Israeli hostages in Gaza for 33 Palestinians held in Israel. The White House welcomed the extension and expressed hope for the release of American hostages among the 20 expected to be freed. This truce marks the longest break in fighting since the conflict began on October 7, resulting in thousands of deaths and significant destruction in Gaza.

On Sunday, Hamas released 17 people, including a 4-year-old Israeli-American girl, while Israel freed 39 Palestinian prisoners, bringing the total released under the truce to 117. The terms include the eventual release of 50 Israeli women and children held hostage in Gaza by Hamas. The total number of hostages still held in Gaza on Monday was reported to be 184, including 14 foreigners and 80 Israelis with dual nationality.

ELON MUSK'S DIPLOMATIC ENDEAVOR: BACKING ISRAEL AGAINST HAMAS

During a visit to israel on Monday, tech magnate Elon Musk voiced his support for Israel's ongoing campaign against Hamas, in an online discussion with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Recognizing the challenge of countering propaganda that fueled the October 7 Hamas attack, Musk engaged in a dialogue emphasizing the necessity of addressing the Hamas threat for lasting peace. As the owner of Tesla, SpaceX, and the social media platform X, Musk expressed his willingness to contribute to these objectives, stating, "There's no choice. I'd like to help as well."

Musk's visit to Israel took a turn as he toured the site of a Hamas attack in Kfar Azza. Meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, he expressed concern after witnessing footage of the Oct. 7 massacre, underlining the importance of eliminating those threatening Jewish lives while minimizing civilian casualties. The trip also addressed Musk's earlier proposal to use Starlink for communication links in Gaza, a move met with concerns about potential misuse by Hamas for terrorist activities.

An understanding was eventually reached with Israel over deploying Starlink in Gaza, with Musk agreeing not to open access without permission from Israel's communications ministry. This diplomatic venture showcases Musk's engagement with complex geopolitical issues and his commitment to contributing to peace efforts in the region.

ARAB STATES AND EU UNITE FOR TWO-STATE SOLUTION IN PALESTINIAN-ISRAELI CONFLICT

Arab states and the EU reached a consensus in Spain, agreeing that a two-state solution is the key to resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. EU Foreign Affairs Chief Josep Borrell emphasized that the Palestinian Authority should govern Gaza, urging elections and enhanced functionality to secure Gaza's leadership. Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki highlighted that the Palestinian Authority, despite losing control of Gaza in 2007 to Hamas, has continuously maintained a presence there with 60,000 public workers.

US NAVY ARRESTS ATTACKERS WHO HELD TANKER OFF YEMEN

Dubai : Armed assailants seized and later let go of a tanker linked to Israel off the coast of Yemen on Sunday before being apprehended by the US navy, officials said. Two ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen then landed near USS Mason, a US warship aiding the tanker in the Gulf of Aden, raising the stakes amid a series of ship attacks linked to the Israel-Hamas war. Pentagon press secretary Brig. General Pat Ryder said Monday that the militants were likely Somali and not Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. However, Pentagon hasn’t ruled out Houthis were somehow linked to the attack. Yemen’s government in Aden has said this was a Houthi attack on a Liberian-flagged ship managed by Zodiac Maritime. Earlier in the day, Zodiac said that the vessel and its crew of 22 sailors from Bulgaria, Georgia, India, the Philippines, Russia, Turkiye, Vietnam were unharmed.

CHRISTOPHER LUXON SWORN IN AS PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND

WELLINGTON: Former airline boss Christopher Luxon formally took office as New Zealand’s Prime Minister on Monday, vowing to tame inflation and bring down interest rates. Luxon took over six weeks after his conservative National Party won national elections, ending a six-year Labour Party reign ushered in by Jacinda Ardern.

HALF A MILLION LEFT WITHOUT POWER IN RUSSIA, UKRAINE AFTER HUGE STORM

MOSCOW: More than half a million people were left without power in Crimea, Russia and Ukraine after a storm in the Black Sea area flooded roads, ripped up trees and took down power lines, Ukraine’s energy ministry said. Meanwhile, the Moscow region experienced its heaviest snowfall in 40 years, the governor said.

BANGLADESH LAUNCHES VIOLENT CRACKDOWN ON OPPOSITION AHEAD OF ELECTIONS

Bangladesh is witnessing a severe crackdown on opposition parties as authorities aim to "eliminate competition" in the lead-up to the January 7 general elections, warns Human Rights Watch (HRW). Nearly 10,000 activists, primarily from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), have been arrested, with about half of the BNP's five million members facing "politically motivated prosecution," according to the party. Prisons are now overcrowded, doubling their capacity. HRW describes the government's actions as a "violent autocratic crackdown" aimed at stifling opposition and muzzling dissent, with at least 16 fatalities and over 5,500 injuries reported since protests intensified in October.

IMRAN KHAN SENT TO JUDICIAL REMAND AMID GRAFT ALLEGATIONS

An accountability court in Pakistan has ordered a 14-day judicial remand for former Prime Minister Imran Khan in connection with a graft case. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) sought physical custody to further question Khan regarding the Al Qadir Trust case, related to an alleged land scam. Imran and his wife, Bushra Bibi, face accusations of accepting a property gift in exchange for providing benefits to real estate tycoon Malik Riaz. The case alleges that the couple received significant sums for legalizing laundered funds during Imran's term as prime minister. Imran, who denies the charges, has faced numerous legal challenges since his ousting in April 2022, characterizing them as politically motivated.

NZ SCRAPS WORLD-LEADING ‘GENERATIONAL SMOKING BAN’

Wellington : New Zealand’s plans for world-leading antismoking laws will be revoked, Christopher Luxon confirmed Monday after being sworn in as PM, in a move described as a “huge win for the tobacco industry”.

Former airline boss Luxon took over six weeks after his conservative National Party won national elections, ending a sixyear Labour Party reign ushered in by Jacinda Ardern. Luxon, 53, was sworn in as head of a new coalition government by New Zealand’s governor-general in a ceremony in the capital Wellington. “It is an honour and an awesome responsibility,” Luxon said. The conservative said he would prioritise taming inflation and bringing down interest rates, and also confirmed he would scrap a so-called “generational smoking ban” adopted last year that stops sales of tobacco to anyone born after 2008. Luxon said the tax revenue from ongoing cigarette sales would generate welcome income for the government, but also voiced concern that the ban would create a flourishing — and untaxed — black market.

The move was criticised by anti-smoking groups as a step back for the country. “This is a major loss for public health, and a huge win for the tobacco industry, whose profits will be boosted at the expense of Kiwi lives,” the Health Coalition Aotearoa — the Maori name for New Zealand —said.

The anti-smoking legislation was designed to reduce the number of people using tobacco products. While the number of adults smoking in New Zealand is relatively low at just 8%, the previous government had envisioned a future where the country was completely smoke-free.

UK CONFIRMS FIRST HUMAN CASE OF SWINE FLU STRAIN

London : UK public health officials on Monday said they had confirmed a first human case of a swine flu strain similar to one that has been circulating in pigs. The variant of the H1N2 virus was confirmed in an individual who had been tested by their doctor after experiencing respiratory symptoms. It has not previously been detected in humans in the country, the UK Health Security Agency said.

“This is the first time we have detected this virus in humans in the UK, though it is very similar to viruses that have been detected in pigs,” said the agency’s incident director Meera Chand. “We are working rapidly to trace close contacts and reduce any potential spread.” The individual concerned experienced amild illness and had fully recovered, the agency said. The source of their infection, however, was undetermined and is being investigated.

‘CHINA’S SINOPEC TO ESTABLISH $4.5BN REFINERY AT LANKA’S HAMBANTOTA PORT’

Colombo : The Sri Lankan cabinet has given clearance to allow China’s energy major Sinopec to establish a new $4.5 billion petroleum refinery plant at the strategic Hambantota port in the island nation, energy minister Kanchana Wijesekara said on Monday. The upcoming plant of Sinopec, which entered the Sri Lankan market in July this year, would be the largest foreign direct investment with $4.5 billion for Sri Lanka. Wijesekara said that the new refinery will be supplemented with an associated products training centre.

Hambantota is Sri Lanka’s second largest port. The port was opened in 2010 and since 2017 it has been managed under a joint venture between the Sri Lanka Port Authority and the China Merchant Ports known as the Hambantota International Port Group. The port’s construction was funded under a commercial loan by the Exim Bank China. The large Chinese investment in Sri Lanka follows state-run China Merchant Port Holdings’ 99-year lease at Hambantota port in 2017 and another million deal to build a logistics and storage hub in Colombo port.

PAUL LYNCH WINS 2023 BOOKER PRIZE FOR DYSTOPIAN MASTERPIECE

Irish author Paul Lynch secured the 2023 Booker Prize for Fiction with his novel "Prophet Song," a dystopian exploration of Ireland's descent into tyranny. Lynch's work, set in a near-future Dublin, follows a mother of four battling totalitarianism. The novel, which lacks paragraph breaks, earned Lynch £50,000 and marked his fifth publication. Esi Edugyan, chairing the judging panel, praised it as "a triumph of emotional storytelling," capturing current social and political anxieties. Lynch becomes the fifth Irish writer to receive the prestigious literary award, joining the ranks of Rushdie, Atwood, and Mantel.