December 25, 2023

*)Israeli 'massacre' on Christmas Eve at refugee camp kills 70 An Israeli air strike on Al Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza has killed at least 70 people, a spokesman for the health ministry in the enclave said. Ashraf Al Qudra said what was happening at the Maghazi camp was a "massacre" that was committed on a crowded residential block. He added that the death toll is likely to climb, given the large number of families residing there. *) Gunfire erupts at a Colorado mall on Christmas Eve. One man is dead and 3 people are hurt A man was fatally shot and three people were hurt as gunfire rang out at a shopping centre in Colorado on Christmas Eve, police said. A fight broke out between two groups of people on Sunday afternoon at the Citadel Mall in Colorado Springs and officers received a report of gunshots and responded, the Colorado Springs Police Department said. Colorado Springs is about 114 kilometres south of Denver. *) Serbian opposition supporters try to break into Belgrade assembly Hundreds of residents of Serbia’s capital tried to break into the Belgrade City Assembly building as they gathered to protest the results of snap general and local elections that took place last weekend. The protest rally was organised by the Serbia Against Violence (SPN) coalition, which said the elections were marred by irregularities. A police officer appeared at the entrance to the assembly and warned SPN leaders and the crowd that forced entry is a “criminal offence.” *) Maersk to resume operations in Red Sea Danish shipping giant Maersk announced that it will resume operations in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden after a multinational security initiative deployed its forces against Houthi attacks. Yemen’s Houthi rebel group has significantly stepped up its involvement in the war in Gaza. The group has warned that it will attack all Israel-bound ships in the Red Sea, one of the world's most frequently used sea routes for oil and fuel shipments, in a bid to support Palestinians. The world's largest container companies suspended their operations in the region last week. And finally… *)Australia skipper Cummins backs Khawaja on Gaza views Australia captain Pat Cummins threw his support behind star opener Usman Khawaja Monday, saying his bid to bring attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza was "not offensive". Khawaja has been denied permission by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to have a sticker showing a black dove holding an olive branch on his bat and shoes during the second Test against Pakistan. The 36-year-old was stopped from wearing shoes emblazoned with the hand-written slogans "Freedom is a human right" and "All lives are equal" during the first Test in Perth. The ICC said they flouted its rules on messages that relate to politics, religion or race.