NETANYAHU AFFIRMS CONTINUED GAZA OPERATIONS DESPITE PUBLIC OUTCRY

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted his dedication to continuing military operations in Gaza, even in the face of public condemnation following the unintentional killing of three hostages by the Israeli military.

The tragic incident has prompted scrutiny of the government's approach to the conflict. In response to mounting concerns over civilian casualties in Gaza, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is set to visit the region this week. Discussions with Netanyahu and Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant will focus on implementing a new phase involving smaller elite forces conducting precise, intelligence-driven missions.

During a Tel Aviv government meeting, Netanyahu read a letter from families of Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza, emphasizing the mandate to persist in the fight. The pledge to "fight to the end" contrasts with pleas from relatives of those still held hostage, urging a ceasefire for their safe return. The accidental killing of the three hostages has intensified calls for an immediate end to hostilities.

In a joint article in the Sunday Times, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron and German Foreign Affairs Minister Annalena Baerbock called for a ceasefire, citing the unacceptable civilian toll. They emphasized that Israel's victory in the conflict is jeopardized if military operations undermine the possibility of peaceful co-existence with Palestinians.

MORE THAN 60 PEOPLE DROWN IN CAPSIZING OF MIGRANT VESSEL OFF LIBYA: UN

Cairo : A boat carrying dozens of migrants trying to reach Europe capsized off the coast of Libya, leaving more than 60 people dead, including women and children, the UN migration agency said. Saturday’s shipwreck was the latest tragedy in this part of Mediterranean Sea, a key but dangerous route for migrants seeking a better life in Europe.

The UN’s International Organization for Migration said the boat was carrying 86 migrants when strong waves swamped it off the town of Zuwara on Libya’s western coast and that 61 migrants drowned, according to survivors.

“The central Mediterranean continues to be one of the world’s most dangerous migration routes,” the agency wrote on X.

Alarm Phone — a hotline for migrants in distress — sa id some migrants onboard reached out to the volunteer group who in turn alerted authorities including the “Libyan coastguard who stated that they would not search for them.”

ISRAEL FINDS ‘BIGGEST HAMAS TUNNEL’ NEAR BORDER

Erez : The Israeli Army said on Sunday it had uncovered the biggest Hamas tunnel in the Gaza Strip so far, just a few hundred metres from a key border crossing.

Such was its size that small vehicles would be able to travel within the tunnel, an AFP photographer granted access to it reported.

The underground passage formed part of a wider branching network that stretched for over four kilometres and came within 400 metres of the Erez border crossing, the Army said in a statement.

The honeycomb of passageways features a drainage systems, electricity, ventilation, sewage and a communication network as well as rails.

The floor is compacted earth while its walls are reinforced concrete and its entrance is a metal cylinder with 1.5 centimetre thick walls.

Footage released by the Israeli Army, which it said was filmed by Hamas, showed a small construction vehicle being driven into the tunnel. The Israeli army said it had found a large number of weapons stored in the tunnel, ready to be used in an attack.

PUTIN WARNS OF ‘PROBLEMS’ WITH FINLAND AFTER NATO MEMBERSHIP

Moscow : Russian President Putin has warned of “problems” with Finland after it joined Nato earlier this year, saying Moscow will create a new military district in north-west Russia in response, in an interview published on Sunday. Finland, which shares a 1,340-km border with Russia, joined Nato in April in the midst of Moscow's Ukraine offensive. “They (the West) dragged Finland into Nato. Did we have any disputes with them? All disputes, including territorial ones..., have long been solved,” Putin told a state TV reporter. “There were no problems there, now there will be, because we will create the Leningrad military district and concentrate a certain amount of military units there.” The comments come as Finland shut its border with Russia, accusing it of orchestrating a migrant crisis on its border.

TO MAKE OPPN TAKE PART IN POLLS, B’DESH RULING PARTY TO GIVE UP 26 OF 300 SEATS

Dhaka : Bangladesh's ruling Awami League, led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has decided to relinquish 26 out of 300 parliamentary seats to the Jatiya Party (JAPA) in an attempt to encourage the opposition party's participation in the upcoming January 7 elections.

The move is a response to the boycott by the main opposition party, BNP. The Awami League nominees withdrew from these seats following behind-the-scenes discussions with the JAPA, which was initially hesitant to contest the elections.

The JAPA's participation is crucial for legitimizing the polls and ensuring a participatory process, especially in the absence of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

Additionally, the ruling party has allocated six seats to its partners in the 14-party ruling alliance. JAPA's secretary general, Mujibul Haque, stated that the party decided to participate in the elections based on assurances from the government and the Election Commission regarding the fairness of the polls.

TRUMP REPEATS ‘POISONING BLOOD’ ANTI-IMMIGRANT REMARK AT RALLY

Donald Trump said on Saturday that undocumented immigrants were “poisoning the blood of our country,” repeating language that has previously drawn criticism as xenophobic and echoing of Nazi rhetoric.

He made the comments during a campaign event in New Hampshire where he railed against the record number of migrants attempting to cross the US border illegally.

“They’re poisoning the blood of our country. All over the world they are pouring into our country,” Trump told a rally in Durham attended by several thousand supporters, adding that immigrants were coming to the US from Asia and Africa in addition to South America.

The Republican presidential frontrunner used the same “poisoning the blood” language during an interview with National Pulse, that was published in September. It prompted a rebuke from the antidefamation league, whose leader, Jonathan Greenblatt, called the language “racist, xenophobic and despicable.”

In October Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung had dismissed criticism of the former president’s language as “nonsensical,” arguing that similar language was prevalent in books, news articles and on TV.

IN A RIGHTWARD SHIFT, NEW ZEALAND RECONSIDERS ITS PRO-MAORI POLICIES

New Zealand, known for its efforts to support the Maori people, faces a potential reversal in policies as the recently elected conservative government aims for "equal rights" for all citizens. The shift includes reconsidering a Maori health agency, discarding policies benefiting the community, and discouraging the use of the Maori language. There is also discussion within the coalition about a possible referendum on the Treaty of Waitangi, signed in 1840, which could strain societal fabric and damage race relations. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon rejects criticism, emphasizing a commitment to benefiting both Maori and non-Maori. Despite reassurances, Maori communities, constituting about 17% of the population, express deep concern and have taken to the streets, with the Maori king planning a meeting in January to hold the government accountable. The National Party, the largest coalition member, navigates partner demands for change with concerns about potential division.

NORTH KOREA FIRES SHORT-RANGE MISSILE, BLAMES US FOR RAISING TENSIONS

Seoul/Tokyo : North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile on Sunday, as it condemned US-led military shows of force including the arrival of a submarine in South Korea as tantamount to “a preview of a nuclear war”. The missile was launched towards the sea off North Korea’s east coast and flew about 570km before falling in the ocean, according to South Korean joint chiefs of staff. Less than half an hour after the launch, North Korea’s defence ministry criticised “military gangsters” in the US and South Korea for raising tensions with drills, displays of force, and nuclear war planning. “The armed forces of DPRK will neutralise the US and its vassal forces’ attempt to ignite a nuclear war in the Korean peninsula,” it said.

SERBIAN POPULIST PARTY LOOKS TO EXTEND RULE IN DOUBLE-HEADER VOTE

BELGRADE: Serbians headed to the polls on Sunday in elections that will likely see President Aleksandar Vucic’s populist party extend its rule as his right-wing Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) has a double-digit lead over the leading opposition coalition. Vucic is not personally on the ballot in Sunday’s parliamentary and local elections.

NO WEDDINGS STILL, BUT CHURCH OF ENGLAND BLESSES SAME-SEX COUPLES FOR THE FIRST TIME

London : Church of England priests conducted officially sanctioned blessings for same-sex couples for the first time, a significant move amid continued opposition to church weddings for gay couples. The ceremony at St John the Baptist church in Felixstowe featured the blessing of the union between Rev. Catherine Bond and Rev. Jane Pearce. While the church's national assembly permitted clergy to bless same-sex unions with civil weddings or partnerships, a ban on church weddings for gay couples persists. The compromise, established after five years of discussions, includes prayers of love and faith approved by the House of Bishops. However, clergy can opt-out if they disagree with same-sex blessings. The church also proposed a plan for separate "services of prayer and dedication" resembling weddings for same-sex couples, awaiting formal approval. Despite surveys showing public support for same-sex marriage in England, the church has maintained its traditional teaching on marriage. Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the spiritual leader of the Church of England and the Anglican Communion, has refrained from personally blessing same-sex couples to uphold unity within the global Anglican community.