HOUTHI LEADER ISSUES WARNING AGAINST TARGETING MILITIA

Yemen's Houthi leader issued a stern warning on Wednesday, cautioning that they would retaliate by attacking US warships if Washington targeted the Iranian-backed militia. This follows the establishment of a multinational force by the US to counter Houthi assaults on commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

In response to what the Houthis claim is Israel's assault on Gaza Strip, the militia has been launching drones and missiles at merchant vessels navigating the Red Sea.

The US-led initiative involves joint patrols with nine other nations in the Red Sea. The Houthi leader, Abdel-Malek al-Houthi, declared, "Any American targeting of our country will be targeted by us," signaling a potential escalation in the region.

EU REACHES DEAL TO REFORM BLOC’S MIGRATION LAWS

The European Union's (EU) new migration and asylum pact aim to redefine the handling of asylum seekers, emphasizing collective decision-making over individual nations' control. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen stressed the need for Europeans to determine entry and stay in the EU, sidelining the influence of smugglers. The pact introduces rapid assessments for asylum eligibility at borders, curbing the ability of seekers to move freely between countries. The proposed "solidarity mechanism" suggests that nations receiving fewer asylum-seekers must assist those with higher influxes, either by accepting refugees or providing financial aid.

While the plan awaits approval in the EU's complex legislative process, it lacks specifics on deporting those deemed ineligible for asylum, as the EU lacks return agreements with several countries. Over the weekend, Britain and Italy announced joint financing to facilitate the return of migrants stranded in Tunisia, though the exact financial commitment remains undisclosed.

In response to the growing challenge, Rishi Sunak emphasized the need for credible deterrents and a departure from the existing consensus. Meanwhile, the French parliament recently approved a contentious immigration bill, enhancing France's deportation capabilities for undesirable foreigners. The bill's passage through the National Assembly, backed by the far-right, sparked heated debates, reflecting the broader complexity and division within EU member states on immigration policies.

TRUMP'S FUTURE HINGES ON US SUPREME COURT DECISION

The trajectory of Donald Trump's political future faces a critical juncture as the US Supreme Court, shaped during his presidency, takes center stage. The former president, aiming for a 2024 presidential bid, confronts obstacles after Colorado's top court blocked him from the ballot, citing his alleged role in inciting the Capitol attack on January 6.

Trump is determined to challenge this decision, signaling a potential Supreme Court review. Simultaneously, the highest court is deliberating a request from special counsel Jack Smith to expedite Trump's immunity claim against federal charges related to obstructing President Biden's 2020 election victory. With these legal battles converging, Trump's destiny now squarely rests in the hands of the US Supreme Court.

HAMAS LEADER VISITS EGYPT, INDICATING TALKS ON HOSTAGE SWAP, TRUCE ARE PICKING UP

Hamas’ top leader travelled to Cairo on Wednesday for talks on the war in Gaza, part of a flurry of diplomacy aimed at securing another ceasefire and hostage swap at a moment when the militant group is putting up stiff resistance to Israel’s offensive.

Ismail Haniyeh's visit came a day after Hamas fired rockets that set off air raid sirens in central Israel, a show of strength during a 10-week war that has devastated much of northern Gaza, killed nearly 20,000 Palestinians, and driven some 1.9 million — nearly 85% of the population — from their homes.

Both sides have recently relaunched indirect talks, mediated by Egypt and Qatar, aimed at instituting another cease-fire and freeing more hostages captured in that attack in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Despite a burst of activity by high-level officials in recent days, the two sides appeared to be far from an agreement.

Hamas has said no more hostages will be released until the war ends, and is expected to insist on the release of large numbers of Palestinian prisoners — demands Israel has thus far rejected.

US EXPECTS ISRAEL TO SHIFT TO TARGETED OPS: BLINKEN

The US wants and expects Israel to shift its military operations in Gaza to a lower-intensity phase during which there will be more targeted operations focused on the Hamas leadership and its infrastructure, US secretary of state Antony Blinken said on Wednesday. Speaking at a year-end news conference, Blinken said once this shift happens, the “harm done to civilians” should decrease significantly, while repeating his calls for Israel to heed its obligation to minimise civilian casualties as it moves to destroy Hamas. “It’s clear that the conflict will move and needs to move to a lower-intensity phase,” Blinken told reporters. "We expect to see and want to see a shift to more targeted operations with a smaller number of forces that's really focused in on dealing with the leadership of Hamas, tunnel network and a few other critical things,” he said.

‘IMRAN WILL CONTEST POLLS FROM PRISON’

Islamabad : Pakistan’s former PM Imran Khan will run in upcoming parliamentary elections from prison, his party said Wednesday, which legal experts said is possible while his appeal of his conviction in a corruption case is being considered. “Khan has decided to contest elections for three seats in the National Assembly,” said Gohar Khan, head of PTI.The former PM is serving at a high-security prison in the garrison city of Rawalpindi. He was removed as PM in April 2022.Khan was disqualified from holding public office months ago. But he has challenged the ruling by country’s election commission. Sharif and his elder brother Nawaz Sharif have also announced their candidacies for parliament.

B’DESH OPPN CALLS FOR POLL BOYCOTT

Dhaka : Bangladesh’s main opposition party urged voters Wednesday to boycott what it called a “one-sided dummy election” due in January, as PM Sheikh Hasina kicked off her campaign for a fourth consecutiveterm. With its leaders either jailed or in exile, opposition BNPhas been calling for Hasina to resign and for a neutral authority to oversee the polls, which BNP is not contesting. “Boycott the dummy election on January 7. Don’t participate in the monkey game,” BNP’s senior joint secretary general said. Hasina has rejected calls to step down and has blamed BNP for instigating anti-government protests that have rocked Dhaka since October and in which at least 10 people have beenkilled.

SL PAUSES FOREIGN RESEARCH VESSELS’ DOCKING FOR A YEAR

Colombo : Sri Lanka has decided to impose a one-year moratorium in allowing foreign vessels to conduct research in the island nation’s territorial waters from January, foreign minister Ali Sabry has said, amid frequent docking requests from Chinese surveillance ships. The Sri Lankan government has communicated its decision to the relevant countries, Sabry told the Daily Mirror newspaper. The move comes in the wake of China seeking permission to berth yet another research vessel in Sri Lanka’s waters in January, the report said. China despatches its research/surveillance vessels to Sri Lanka regularly. In August this year, a PLA navy warship arrived in the country on a two-day visit. Another Chinese research vessel docked at the Colombo port in October despite India’s objections.

UK’S TOP COURT RULES AI CAN’T BE PATENT ‘INVENTOR’

London : A US computer scientist on Wednesday lost his bid to register patents over inventions created by his artificial intelligence system in a landmark case in Britain about whether AI can own patent rights. Stephen Thaler wanted to be granted two patents in the UK for inventions he says were devised by his “creativity machine” called DABUS.

His attempt to register the patents was refused by Britain’s Intellectual Property Office on grounds that the inventor must be a human or a company, rather than a machine.

He appealed to UK’s Supreme Court, which unanimously rejected his appeal as under UK patent law “an inventor must be a natural person”.

“This appeal is not concerned with the broader question whether technical advances generated by machines acting autonomously and powered by AI should be patentable,” the judge said. “Nor is it concerned with the question whether the meaning of the term ‘inventor’ ought to be expanded ... to include machines powered by AI which generate new and non-obvious products and processes which may be thought to offer benefits over products and processes which are already known.”

Thaler lost a similar bid in the US, where the SC declined to hear a challenge to the Patent and Trademark Office’s refusal to issue patents for inventions created by AI.

KUWAIT EMIR REBUKES PARLIAMENT AND CABINET IN INAUGURAL SPEECH

KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait's new Emir Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmed al-Sabah criticised Parliament and Cabinet for harming national interests as he was formally sworn in before lawmakers as the country's 17th ruler. He takes over from his half-brother Sheikh Nawaf, who passed away on Saturday, and has to reform the country’s bloated public sector.

CHINA’S STRONG RUSSIA TIES ARE A STRATEGIC CHOICE, SAYS XI

Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday that maintaining close ties with Russia is a “strategic choice”, calling for deeper bilateral cooperation during a meeting with Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin in Beijing, state media reported.

The strong relationship between the two nations, which endured despite Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, has faced pointed criticism from Western leaders in recent years.

“Maintaining and developing China-Russia relations is a strategic choice made by both sides based on the fundamental interests of the two peoples,” Mr. Xi told Mr. Mishustin.

Mr. Mishustin said on Tuesday that ties between Moscow and Beijing had reached an “all-time high” during a discussion with his counterpart, Premier Li Qiang.

POLAND’S NEW PRO-EU GOVT. SACKS CONTROVERSIAL MEDIA OFFICIALS

Poland’s pro-EU government announced on Wednesday it has sacked authorities at state media outlets, widely seen as government mouthpieces during the right-wing populists’ time in power.

The chairmen and boards of the state television, radio and news agency were removed, Poland’s Culture Ministry said in a statement citing the need to restore impartiality of the outlets.

The state-owned media under the Law and Justice (PiS) party were regularly accused of biased reporting, transmitting government propaganda and launching verbal attacks on the Opposition.

The new ruling coalition adopted a resolution calling on the restoration of “impartiality and reliability of the public media”.

The vote prompted the PiS lawmakers to stage a sit-in in the state television buildings, with the party officials posing for pictures with the television employees.