January 16, 2024

*) Israel kills 25 civilians in new Gaza carnage — Palestine Israel has killed 25 Palestinians and wounded dozens of others during new bombardment of different areas in besieged Gaza, Palestinian news agency WAFA has reported. One such Israeli bombardment targeted a house north of Rafah, killing 11 people, most of whom were children and women, and injuring many others. In addition, Israel also killed eight people and wounded dozens during a bombing of a site near the Civil Defence headquarters in Khan Younis City. This new carnage brings the total of Palestinians killed by Israeli strikes to some 24,100, while 60,834 others are wounded, according to Palestinian authorities. *) Russia declares state of emergency in Ukraine attacked region Meanwhile in the war in Ukraine, now in its 692nd day, the mayor of southern Russian city Voronezh has declared a state of emergency. Russian officials say a Ukraine-launched drone attack damaged several buildings and wounded a child. The Russian Defence Ministry said it had destroyed five drones and intercepted three others overnight over the region, which borders Ukraine. *) North Korea abolishes agencies seeking unification with South North Korea has formally abolished a handful of government agencies charged with promoting cooperation and unification with the South, according to state media. This comes just weeks after the nation's leader Kim Jong-un said that continuing to seek reconciliation with South Korea was a "mistake". He called for a constitutional amendment to change the status of South Korea to a separate state and said unification with the South is no longer possible. *) Iran says it bombed 'Mossad' and 'terrorist' sites in Iraq and Syria Iran's Revolutionary Guard has launched missile attacks as Tehran described them as the espionage headquarters of Israel's Mossad and terrorist groups in Iraq and neighbouring Syria, state media has reported. The headquarters have been the centre for developing espionage operations and planning terrorist actions in the region, according Iranian media. At least four civilians were killed and six wounded in the strikes on Erbil, the Kurdish Regional Government in northern Iraq said in a statement, describing the attack as a "crime." And finally… *) Trump wins Republican race in frigid Iowa Donald Trump romped to a lightning-quick victory in Iowa's caucuses as the presumptive Republican standard-bearer to challenge President Joe Biden in November's election. Biden acknowledged that Donald Trump was the "clear frontrunner" to be the Republican candidate in the US election. Meanwhile, Vivek Ramaswamy, a multi-millionaire former biotech executive, ended his White House bid and endorsed Trump.