HEADING SOUTH IN GAZA, ISRAEL DEPLOYS TROOPS AND TANKS

Israel directed Palestinians to evacuate portions of Gaza's main southern city on Monday, coinciding with airstrikes on the designated areas. Concurrently, Israeli forces, including tanks, intensified the ground offensive against Hamas militants in the southern region, securing control over the already-devastated north.

A map posted by Israel's military on Monday highlighted approximately a quarter of Khan Younis City in yellow, designating it as an immediate evacuation zone. Arrows indicated south and west directions, urging people to move towards the Mediterranean coast and Rafah near the Egyptian border.

In response, distressed Gazans from Khan Younis began relocating towards Rafah, predominantly on foot, passing damaged structures in a solemn procession. However, Rafah itself became a target of Israeli attacks. Thomas White, the head of the United Nations agency in Gaza, noted that residents in Rafah were also compelled to flee, seeking guidance on finding safety. He expressed helplessness, stating, "People are pleading for advice on where to find safety. We have nothing to tell them." Overnight bombing in Rafah left a crater the size of a basketball court, with the visible tragedy of a deceased toddler under the rubble.

After securing the northern half of Gaza in November, Israeli forces have swiftly advanced into the southern region since the collapse of a week-long truce on Friday. With approximately 2 million people crowded into Gaza's south, existing shelters are overwhelmed, and both Israel and Egypt have declined to accept refugees.

UK RAISES MINIMUM SALARY FOR SKILLED FOREIGN WORKERS TO CURB MIGRATION

London: In an effort to reduce the influx of migrants through legal channels, the United Kingdom announced on Monday that it would increase the minimum salary requirement for foreign skilled workers by a third. This decision comes after a surge in net migration in 2022, putting pressure on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to take action. Legal migration has been a prominent issue in British politics for over a decade, and Sunak, facing criticism from his Conservative Party members, aims to exert more control, especially with an upcoming election expected next year. The proposed changes include raising the minimum salary threshold for skilled foreign workers from £26,200 to £38,700, revising the list of jobs exempt due to shortages, and strengthening regulations regarding workers bringing their families. Interior Minister James Cleverly emphasized the need to reduce migration, stating, "Migration to this country is far too high and needs to come down, and today we are taking more robust action than any other government before. This package of measures will take place from next spring." However, these measures may spark new disagreements with business owners struggling to recruit workers amid the UK's tight labor market and the end of free movement from the EU post-Brexit.

US LAWMAKERS DEMAND ACTION FROM ISRAEL ON CIVILIAN CASUALTIES IN GAZA

As the Gaza ceasefire waned and Israel readied airstrikes, Senator Bernie Sanders and Democratic senators urged President Biden to leverage aid to Israel for concrete steps in reducing civilian casualties. Sanders stressed the need to end the "blank cheque approach." With Biden's $106 billion aid package in limbo, his administration is publicly demanding Israeli leaders not just listen but agree to ease civilian suffering in Gaza, marking a notable move in a Democratic-controlled Senate. Israeli officials countered by showing lawmakers videos of Hamas atrocities on Oct 7.

US SAYS SHIP DOWNED 3 DRONES, CLAIMS IRAN’S HAND IN HOUTHI ATTACK

A US navy destroyer shot down three drones during a sustained attack in the Red Sea on Sunday, the Pentagon said, heightening fears of the conflict spreading. An official said the USS Carney shot down the drones as several commercial ships nearby came under fire. The US Central Command said the attacks originated from areas in Yemen that are controlled by the Iranian-backed Houthi militia. “We also have every reason to believe that these attacks are fully enabled by Iran.”

AMID WAR, GRAFT TRIAL AGAINST BIBI RESUMES; PARTY CALLS IT DISGRACE

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption trial resumed on Monday, despite the country's continuing war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The trial was suspended two months ago following the Hamas attack on October 7.

Netanyahu, leader of Israel's right-wing Likud party, is accused of fraud and breach of trust over his relationship with Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan and other wealthy personalities. According to prosecutors, between 2007 and 2016, he allegedly received gifts valued at $195,000, including boxes of cigars, bottles of champagne and jewellery, in exchange for financial or personal favours.

Minister David Amsalem of Likud called the resumption “a disgrace”. “War? Captives? ... No, no. The most important thing now is to renew Netanyahu's trial,” he said. Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing.

US OUT OF MONEY FOR UKRAINE, WHITE HOUSE WARNS CONGRESS

The Biden administration on Monday sent Congress an urgent warning about the need to approve tens of billions of dollars in military and economic assistance to Ukraine, saying Kyiv’s war effort to defend itself from Russia’s invasion may grind to a halt without it. In a letter to House and Senate leaders, Office of Management and Budget director warned the US will run out of funding to send weapons and assistance to Ukraine by the end of the year. So far, Congress has authorised $111 billion for Ukraine. In Oct, the administration asked for an additional $61.4 billion.

IRAN, CUBA SEEK TO STRENGTHEN TIES TO CONFRONT U.S. SANCTIONS

TEHRAN: Iran and Cuba vowed on Monday to strengthen relations and stand together against sanctions imposed on them by the U.S. Cuba has been under a U.S. embargo since 1962 and is included on the American list of countries supporting terrorism.

IMRAN KHAN ‘NAMES’ EX-ARMY CHIEF AS WITNESS IN CIPHER CASE

Islamabad : Jailed former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan reportedly said on Monday that he would include former retired army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and US embassy officials as witnesses in his defence in the cipher case related to alleged leak of state secrets through diplomatic channels.

The move came as a special court constituted for his trial announced it would indict Imran again in the case on December 12. Previous proceedings were declared illegal by the Islamabad HC, necessitating a fresh prosecution. “Imran has said the US embassy representative should be called and he also took the name of a former general,” Imran’s lawyer Babar Awan said outside Adiala jail where the former PM is lodged with his exforeign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

While the counsel did not name the former general, some journalists who attended the hearing said Imran had mentioned Bajwa. “....will include General Bajwa and US embassy officials as witnesses. General Bajwa did everything on (US diplomat) Donald Lu’s directives,” the journalists quoted Imran as saying. As only three TV journalists were allowed to attend the hearing, Imran’s attorney sought foreign media, international observers and bloggers to be allowed due to the case’s “international dimension”.

80 SPANISH MEDIA HOUSES FILE $600-MN LAWSUIT AGAINST META

MADRID: A group of 80 Spanish media houses on Monday filed a $600-million lawsuit against Instagram-owner Meta for allegedly violating European Union regulations on extracting personal information from users and selling it to advertisers.

VENEZUELA CLAIMS TERRITORIAL CONTROL IN GUYANA IN REFERENDUM

In a non-binding referendum, Venezuelan electoral authorities reported a 95% approval for the nation's territorial claim on a substantial part of oil-rich Guyana. President Maduro sees it as a historic victory, aiming to strengthen Venezuela's claim over the disputed Essequibo territory. Guyana's President Irfaan Ali reassures citizens, asserting the established border from the British colonial era, confirmed in 1899 by a court of arbitration. The referendum raises concerns about Venezuela's intentions over the contested region.

FORMER TESLA EMPLOYEE QUESTIONS SAFETY OF SELF-DRIVING TECHNOLOGY

A former Tesla employee, Lucasz Krupski, has expressed concerns about the safety of Tesla's self-driving technology, alleging that the hardware and software are not ready for public roads. Krupski leaked data, including customer complaints about braking and self-driving software, to German newspaper Handelsblatt. Despite Elon Musk's endorsement of Tesla's AI, Krupski believes the technology is not adequately prepared, putting all road users at risk. His findings, including evidence of "phantom braking," have prompted investigations by the US Department of Justice and data protection authorities. Tesla has not responded to these allegations.

70-YR-OLD UGANDAN WOMAN GIVES BIRTH TO TWINS AFTER FERTILITY TREATMENT

A 70-year-old woman in Uganda has given birth to twins after receiving fertility treatment, making her one of the world’s oldest new mothers. Safina Namukwaya gave birth to a boy and a girl on Wednesday via cesarean section at a hospital in the capital Kampala where she had been receiving in vitro fertilization treatment, said Arthur Matsiko, spokesman for the Women’s Hospital International and Fertility Centre. “She’s healthy. She’s talking. She’s walking around if they tell her to walk around the hospital,” Matsiko said Friday, speaking of Namukwaya, who had a daughter in 2020 following IVF treatment. Breakthroughs in research are improving success rates in IVF treatment. Notably, it was reported that a 73-year-old in India gave birth to twins in 2019 after getting IVF care.

TEMPERATURES IN SIBERIA DIP TO -56°C AS RECORD SNOW BLANKETS MOSCOW

Temperatures in parts of Siberia plummeted to -56°C on Monday while blizzards blanketed Moscow in record snowfall and disrupted flights as winter weather swept across Russia. In the Sakha Republic, located in the northeastern part of Siberia and home to Yakutsk, one of the world’s coldest cities, temperatures fell below -50°C, according to the region’s weather stations.

In Oymyakon, an area in Sakha, the temperature was recorded at -56°C on Monday evening. Russian forecasters said it would feel like more than -56°C in Oymyakon given the wind and humidity and that temperatures would fall further overnight.