Weekly World News

Jan 01, 2024

West Asia/Middle East:

Israel continues to relentlessly bombard the Gaza Strip as the death toll rises and humanitarian conditions rapidly become unlivable. Israeli jets pounded Central Gaza this week, forcing more displaced people to head to the border city of Rafah, where over a million Gazans now reside. Acute hunger grips the entire population, with cases of death by starvation becoming increasingly reported. Unsanitary conditions and malnutrition lay the groundwork for a variety of dangerous diseases to sweep through Gazans who sleep in tents or out in the cold. A collapse of the medical system means that proper care is nearly nonexistent. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Israel’s operation in Gaza would last “many more months” as Israel struggles to achieve its stated goal of eliminating Hamas. Meanwhile, over 29,124 Gazans have been killed, with many more injured and scores buried under the rubble.

The United States Navy exchanged fire with the Houthi rebels based in Yemen, sinking 3 Houthi ships in the Red Sea. Navy helicopters reportedly repelled a Houthi attack on the Maersk Hangzhou container vessel traveling through the Red Sea. 10 Houthi fighters were killed in the battle, with one of the four boats escaping. The Ansar Allah movement, better known as the Houthis, vowed to attack any Israeli ships or cargo ships seeking to utilize ports in occupied Palestine, prompting the United States to assemble a coalition of nations to take military action in the Red Sea.

Europe:

Russia and Ukraine exchanged deadly missile attacks on the territory of the other, causing damages and casualties. On Friday, Russia launched one of the largest missile campaigns since the beginning of the war, striking various Ukrainian cities and reportedly killing 18 and injuring 130. The next day, Ukraine struck the Russian border city of Belgorod, killing 24 and injuring 108. The Russian military vowed to “punish” those behind the deadly strikes, claiming to hit several Ukrainian reconnaissance centers, military facilities, and decision-making locations. The United Nations Security Council held separate meetings to discuss the Ukrainian and Russian strikes, reiterating the need to prevent civilian casualties and damages.

North America:

Shenna Bellows, Secretary of State of Maine, ruled that Former United States President Donald Trump is ineligible to appear on the state’s 2024 presidential election ballot for his alleged role in attempting to overturn the 2020 election. Maine became the second state to bar Trump from participating in the 2024 election, citing Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, a Civil War-era amendment that prevents insurrectionists from holding public office. The ruling is subject to judicial review, giving the potential for the case to end up in front of the Supreme Court. Colorado became the first state to challenge Trump’s electability when the Colorado Supreme Court arrived at the same conclusion as Secretary of State Shenna Bellows. However, an appeal from the Colorado GOP to the Supreme Court led to the Colorado Secretary of State deciding to include Trump on the state’s ballot.

Sources:

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