War, latest news. France: PM Borne resigns, successor soon. Israel, Hamas responsible for rocket launch from Syria killed

'There is no forgiveness for those who attack democracy, the country and the people'. This was said by Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva during his speech at a commemoration ceremony one year after the tragic events of 8 January 2023, in which supporters of former head of state Jair Bolsonaro invaded and looted the offices of parliament, the presidency and the Supreme Court. "All those who financed, planned and carried out the coup attempt must be punished in an exemplary manner. There is no forgiveness for anyone who attacks democracy, their country and their people. Forgiveness would seem like impunity. And impunity, a safe-conduct for new terrorist acts,' Lula said in the Black Hall of Parliament in front of some 500 guests including institutional representatives, diplomats and politicians. Lula also said that if the 'coup' had been successful, the country would today be plunged into social and economic chaos. "Our country would be isolated from the world, the Amazon would soon be reduced to ashes, and political opponents and constituted authorities would risk being shot or hanged in the public square," he said. The president again emphasised the need for regulation on social networks. "Lies, disinformation and incitement to hatred were the ;;fuel of 8 January. Our democracy will be constantly threatened until we move forward with the regulation of social networks,' he said. 'Freedom', he concluded, 'is not the right to preach the establishment of an authoritarian regime and the murder of opponents'.

Elon Musk retorts to Wall Street Journal press rumours that the billionaire's illegal drug use is worrying executives at his companies. "After that puff with Rogan, I agreed, at Nasa's request, to do three years of random drug testing," Musk said on X referring to his famous 2018 appearance on 'The Joe Rogan Experience' where he smoked marijuana on camera. "Not even the slightest traces of drugs or alcohol were found." "If drugs actually helped improve my net productivity over time, I would definitely take them!" added Musk in a later post.

Israeli singer and actor Idan Amedi, best known for his role in the TV series Fauda, was seriously injured during the fighting in Gaza and was flown to the Sheba Medical Center in Tel Aviv where he is currently sedated and receiving treatment. This was reported by the Israeli media, citing the actor's cousin Ayelet and father, according to whom his son's life is not in danger. The Fauda star was performing reserve duty in the Corps of Engineers when he was injured. Admitted, he underwent urgent, serious and lengthy surgery, reports Channel 12. "It can be safely said that he is out of life-threatening danger," added a reporter from the hospital. In a video message recorded last week at the height of the war, Amedi urged an end to internal dissent among Israelis: 'After 90 days of fighting, we continue to destroy the short-range missile positions, launching posts and command facilities of the terrorist organisation Hamas. I join my reservist brothers in asking politicians, the media and everyone: whoever does not have something good to say, shut your mouth. The people of Israel lives'.

Three Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces in the Israeli-occupied West Bank town of Tulkarm, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The West Bank had already experienced the highest levels of unrest in decades in the 18 months prior to the 7 October attack on Israel by Hamas gunmen, but the clashes increased dramatically with the invasion of Gaza by Israeli forces.

The announcement of the appointment of the new French prime minister will not take place tonight but tomorrow morning, sources close to the Elysée Palace told Bfm-Tv. The candidature now taken for granted by most, that of Education Minister Gabriel Attal, would encounter "a few more problems than expected", according to the broadcaster's political analysts. In particular, some 'bigwigs' in the government, such as Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire, would have some reluctance to go under the direction of a 34-year-old premier.

Pro-Palestinian protesters block major bridges and tunnels in New York causing major traffic disruptions. Calling for a cease-fire in Gaza, protesters block the entrances to the Brooklyn Bridge and those in Manhattan and Williamsburg. Protesters also blocked the Holland Tunnel, the tunnel under the Hudson River that connects New York with New Jersey.

Manifestanti contro la guerra a Gaza vengono arrestati per aver bloccato il traffico all’ingresso dell’Holland Tunnel l’8 gennaio 2024 a New York. (Foto di Bryan R. Smith / AFP)

The IDF has announced that it has eliminated a Hamas member in Syria who was responsible for firing rockets into northern Israel in recent weeks. Local media reported this. Hassan Akasha was killed in the southern Syrian town of Beit Jinn, the army reports without further details. "We will not allow terrorism from Syrian territory," the IDF warned.

Joe Biden was interrupted by a group of pro-Gaza protesters during his speech in Charleston. "I understand your anger," replied the US president, who let them shout before the secret service removed them from the church that was the scene of a racist massacre in 2015. "I'm working with Israel to get aid to the Palestinian population and limit civilian casualties," Biden then stressed. Some of the people in attendance instead began shouting, 'four more years,' in support of the president.

The families of four hostages in Gaza have released photos of their daughters taken shortly after they were taken captive following Hamas' attack on Israel on 7 October. The photos were published by the 'Daily Mail' on the occasion of the third month of their captivity, in an attempt to intensify international pressure for a hostage deal. They are 19-year-old Karina Ariev, 19-year-old Agam Berger, 18-year-old Liri Albag and 19-year-old Daniela Gilboa.

Ukrainian forces destroyed a railway bridge built by the Russians near the occupied city of Mariupol, which served for the railway project between Russia and occupied Crimea. This was announced by Petro Andriushchenko, advisor to the Ukrainian mayor of Mariupol. "The issue of opening a direct railway line from Russia is now out of the question for quite some time," he commented in a Telegram post picked up by Ukrainska Pravda. The structure of the bridge, built in the village of Hranitne to cross the Kalmius river, was destroyed. Fuel loads were also set on fire in the operation, Andriushchenko reports. The bridge, the post explained, was part of a project to connect the cities of Mariupol and Dzhankoi in Crimea with the cities of Rostov and Tangarog in Russia by rail. The new route served Russian military and civil logistics in the occupied areas in Ukraine, reducing the dependence of transport via the Crimean bridge.

"Madam Prime Minister, dear Elisabeth Borne, your work in the service of our nation has been exemplary every day. You have realised our project with the courage, commitment and determination of stateswomen. With all my heart, thank you'. This was stated in a post on 'X' by the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron after the resignation of the premier, Elisabeth Borne.

The French premier, Elisabeth Borne, has resigned. The news, which had already been circulating in the last few hours after her interview with Macron at the Elysée Palace, has now become official. The president 'thanks her wholeheartedly' in a message on X, for her 'exemplary work in the service of the nation'.

US military bases in Rmeilan and al Omar were targeted today by rockets fired by pro-Iranian armed groups in eastern Syria. This was reported by the National Observatory for Human Rights, confirming earlier reports in Syrian and Iraqi media. No casualties or material damage were reported. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an acronym that brings together a number of Iraqi armed groups operating between Iraq and Syria with Iranian support, has also claimed responsibility for the two attacks carried out against US bases: one near the Rmeilan oil wells in the north-east near the border with Turkey and Iraq, and another near the al Omar oil well, east of the Euphrates river. From mid-October to date, in correspondence with the ongoing conflict in Gaza, there have been more than 100 attacks attributed to pro-Iranian forces in Syria and Iraq against US military bases.

President Xi Jinping called for more efforts to crack down on corruption in China, especially in capital-intensive sectors, and promised to toughen punishments for offenders. Speaking today at the third plenary session of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (the Communist Party's dreaded and powerful Anti-Corruption Commission), Xi outlined the contours of another anti-corruption campaign for a situation that "remains serious and complex" despite "the achievements of the past 10 years of the new era," Xinhua reported. Xi's call came as the armed forces are also in the crosshairs.

"Austin will remain in place, he will continue the work he has done so far." This was said by US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby in a briefing on Air Force One, confirming that the Defence Secretary 'has regained full authority from the hospital' and had a conversation with President Joe Biden.

- Islamic Jihad released a video on social media of the hostage Elad Katzir, 47, who was kidnapped on 7 October in the kibbutz of Nir Oz. His mother Hanna, who was also abducted, was later freed. Elad's brother Rami, on the other hand, was killed in the 7 October attack. In the video - which the family has asked not to be released in Israel - Katzir, according to the media, refers to events of the past few days.

Donald Trump calls for the Pentagon chief to be fired for his secret admission. "Failed Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin," Truth writes on his social, "should be fired immediately for professional misconduct and dereliction of duty. He disappeared for a week and no one, including his boss, the corrupt Joe Biden, had any idea where he was or could be."

French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne has arrived at the Elysée Palace for a new meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron after last night's, against the backdrop of a government reshuffle that, according to local media, is expected in the coming hours. This was reported by broadcaster Bfmtv. Borne could leave Matignon and, according to Bfmtv, among the names circulating for his possible replacement are former Agriculture Minister Julien Denormandie and Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu. It would be a reshuffle to relaunch Macron's second five-year term, after the approval of the controversial immigration law in December with the support of the right-wing and at the start of a year that will be marked by the Paris Olympic Games.

La prima ministra francese Elisabeth Borne (a sinistra) e il presidente della Repubblica francese Emmanuel Macron (Photo by Alain JOCARD and Ludovic MARIN / AFP)

Israel admitted that it suffered damage during the Hezbollah bombardment of the 'Northern Air Control Unit' on Mount Meron (Galilee) and announced that it was nevertheless able to repair it. "Thanks to preparations organised in good time," said military spokesman Daniel Hagari, "that unit continues to function, supported by back-up systems. "We have opened an investigation into the incident," he added, "to learn the details, to do better in the future and to strengthen the area's defences. Yesterday, Hezbollah had announced that it had struck Mount Meron "the eyes of Israel in the north of the country" and had also released video footage of the attack. According to the Israeli media, Hezbollah used Kornet - EM missiles, against which the Israeli Iron Dome air defence system is apparently inefficient.

The Israeli military has begun a new and less intense phase of its invasion of Gaza, its chief spokesman said Monday, after weeks of pressure from the United States and other allies to scale back an offensive that has caused widespread devastation and many civilian deaths. The spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, told the New York Times that the Israeli campaign had already begun transitioning to one that would involve fewer ground troops and air strikes.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken criticised 'irresponsible' and 'inflammatory' statements made by far-right Israeli ministers calling for the resettlement of Palestinians out of Gaza. This was reported by CNN. Blinken said Palestinian civilians must be allowed to "return home as soon as conditions allow". "They cannot and should not be forced to leave Gaza," he said at a press conference with Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid called on National Unity Ministers Benny Gantz, Gadi Eisenkot and Gideon Saar to leave the governing coalition, declaring that this executive 'is not qualified to lead the war' and Prime Minister Netanyahu 'is not qualified to lead the country'. The Times of Israel reports that. ''This is not a government of national unity, this is not an emergency government. They are not saving the state of Israel, they are saving Netanyahu,'" he added.

Two-thirds of Republican voters believe Donald Trump is the best among conservative candidates to manage the economy. According to a Financial Times-Michigan Ross poll, 67% of voters are convinced that Trump is the best choice to manage the US economy compared to just 8% for Nikki Haley and 9% for Ron DeSantis.

A Hezbollah military leader was killed in an Israeli attack in Lebanon. This was reported by a security official.According to the Beirut media, Jawwad Tawil, a member of the Party of God, was killed in an air raid carried out by Israel in Kherbet Selem, a location 20 km north of the demarcation line with Israel.

Una foto del segretario generale di Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, su un edificio distrutto a Beirut (Photo by ANWAR AMRO / AFP)

A Hyundai jeep with three people on board was hit by a rocket today in the western sector of Rafah, near the tents of displaced people in the Moassi area. This was reported by witnesses on the spot who said that the passengers were killed. According to initial information - still not officially confirmed - two of them are members of the Dahdouh family clan. Yesterday, according to Israel, another member of that clan, Hamza, had been killed in a similar attack on the coastal road between Rafah and Khan Yunis. A journalist by profession, Hamza was the eldest son of al-Jazeera's Gaza bureau chief Wael Dahdouh.

Il fumo dei raid che sale da Rafah. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa

- About 550 demonstrators took part in the farmers' protest in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin with their vehicles this morning. At 10 a.m. police counted 566 tractor trucks, cars, vans and trailers, as well as 550 people, on the road between the Brandenburg Gate and the Victory Column, a spokesman told Dpa. In addition to farmers, many bus and truck drivers also took part in the protest, and among the protesters were also many craftsmen.

La protesta degli agricoltori in una strada tedesca . EPA/Filip Singer

"Particularly worrying is the increase in acts of anti-Semitism that have occurred in recent months; and once again I am here to reiterate that this scourge must be eradicated from society, above all with education in fraternity and the acceptance of the other". Pope Francis said this in an audience with the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See. "Equally worrying is the growth of persecution and discrimination against Christians, especially in the last ten years," the Pontiff added.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, nearing the end of her second and final term, said the island is preparing to develop the next generation of indigenously designed military fighters for the continuity of national defence policy. In an interview with Era News, Tsai emphasised her government's determination for Taipei's autonomy in defence systems, just days before the sensitive presidential and parliamentary elections on 13 January. Under the 'defence autonomy' plan, 66 Brave Eagle advanced training aircraft will be delivered by 2026, 27 of which are already on hand. "If the plan is discontinued, it would be difficult to resume it," Tsai noted further, expressing his hope that the next president would continue to support the development of the domestic defence industry. Tsai, who will leave the Presidential Office on 20 May, noted that when other countries consider joining forces to protect Taiwan, the main question is always whether the island is committed to self-defence. Continued efforts on the point 'are driven in part by the desire to demonstrate its capabilities and commitment to self-defence'. In September 2023, Taiwan unveiled the prototype of its first indigenous submarine, the 'Narwhal', considered a milestone in self-defence: it is expected to be delivered to the navy by the end of 2024, once testing is completed. In the televised interview broadcast on Sunday evening, the president spoke of relations with China, which considers the island an 'inalienable' part of its territory to be reunified even by force if necessary: 'It is the biggest challenge for every government and president,' she said. "There are essentially two scenarios: either the positions of the parties are aligned and everything runs smoothly, or there is a conflict of interests. When the latter arise, it is crucial to manage the risks, and given the inherent differences in Taiwan-China relations, the Taipei government must address and mitigate these risks." Based on this perception, Tsai said that he followed the 'maintenance of the status quo'

since taking office as president in 2016.

Former Chief Justice of Israel, Justice Aharon Barak (87) will represent Israel in the International Court of Justice session in The Hague convened for this week following South Africa's accusations against Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. This was announced by official sources in Jerusalem. Barak will thus join the 15 judges who will examine the documentation submitted by South Africa, which is also based on statements made after the start of the war by Israel's political leaders and public figures. A Holocaust survivor, Barak - who left the Supreme Court in 2005 - is still considered one of Israel's most prominent jurists. Over the past year he has been severely attacked by the Israeli right for his strenuous opposition to the far-reaching judicial reform undertaken by the Netanyahu government. But in the last few days, when his name emerged as a possible representative of Israel at The Hague, Netanyahu - according to media reports - supported the idea without hesitation.

"In Gaza there are immense humanitarian needs, civilians are desperate." Red Cross spokesman Tommaso Della Longa tells RaiNews24. "No one should question that the displaced people can return home, now the Palestinians are afraid that they cannot return home," Della Longa argues.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said that if an agreement is not reached with Lebanon to allow the inhabitants of the Upper Galilee to return to their homes (which have been bombed by Hezbollah for months), Israel will not hesitate to use force. "We are ready to make sacrifices," Gallant said, "They see what is happening in Gaza and they know that we have the ability to make a 'copy-paste' with Beirut.

"I reiterate my appeal to all parties involved for a cease-fire on all fronts, including Lebanon, and for the immediate release of all hostages in Gaza". Thus the Pope to the Diplomatic Corps on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "I ask that the Palestinian population receive humanitarian aid and that hospitals, schools and places of worship have all the necessary protection," he said. "I hope that the international community will resolutely pursue the solution of two States, one Israeli and one Palestinian, as well as an internationally guaranteed special status for the City of Jerusalem, so that Israelis and Palestinians can finally live in peace and security," the Pontiff added.

Il Papa durante un’udienza

Kiev believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants 'neither a frozen conflict nor peace' in Ukraine, and that 'those who propose a frozen conflict claim to be acting in the best interests of Ukraine and the world, but in reality they are helping Putin and ignoring what Russia is today': this is stated by Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister, in an interview with the Spanish daily El País. According to this member of Volodymyr Zelensky's government, Ukraine has already 'attempted' the path of dialogue with Moscow between 2014 and 2022, during the conflict in Donbass, with 'interminable negotiations' that, however, 'ended with the large-scale invasion' desired by Putin in February 2022. "There are wars in which one side has to win and the other has to lose. And Russian aggression against Ukraine is that kind of war. Ukraine has to win. Russia must lose. And all political thinking should focus on achieving this goal,' Kuleba added. The Ukrainian foreign minister also said he was "quite confident" about the possibility of the EU approving a new 50 billion aid package for Kiev despite Hungary's reticence. "We do not have a plan B," he said on the eventuality that such funds do not arrive, "we have to focus all energy and intellectual efforts on one thing: making plan A work."

According to the Ukrainian energy operator Ukrenergo, Russian shelling that began at 6am this morning caused new damage to power grids in the Donetsk, Kharkiv and Kherson regions. Emergency repairs are being carried out according to the security situation, the company said, as reported by Rbc-Ukraine.

German farmers are protesting against changes in the government's agricultural policies, causing unrest in several regions in northern and eastern Germany. In the north-eastern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern farmers blocked motorway entrances with hundreds of tractors across the state. They were supported by transport companies protesting against rising truck tolls. In the district of Cloppenburg, in the north-west of Lower Saxony, a main road was blocked by 40 vehicles. In Saxony, according to the police, some motorway junctions in the Dresden area were blocked. There were gatherings on the A4, A13, A14 and A17 motorways. In Berlin the situation was initially calm early this morning, but already on Sunday evening tractors had started to gather in front of the Brandenburg Gate in the centre of Berlin. One of the main roads near the Brandenburg Gate will be closed all day because of a planned demonstration. The Farmers' Association had called for a week of protests to demonstrate against the cancellation of subsidies to the sector. The main issue concerns the tax breaks for agricultural diesel. The partial cancellation of the federal government's savings plans did not stop the protests.

La protesta degli agricoltori in Germania. EPA/RONALD WITTEK

As of 1 January, Spain recognises Kosovo's passport, which means that Kosovo citizens will be able to enter all 27 EU countries in the Schengen area without a visa, although Madrid "does not change its position of non-recognition" of the former Serbian province as an independent state, according to sources in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, quoted in the media today. In addition to Spain, four other EU countries do not recognise Kosovo's sovereignty: Romania and Cyprus, which are not part of the Schengen area although the former will do so in the coming months, and Greece and Slovakia, which are part of the Schengen area and accept Kosovo passports. Since the beginning of the year, Kosovars have been able to travel visa-free within the entire Schengen area, an aspiration they have been working towards since 2008, when the parliament in Pristina unilaterally declared the independence of the former Serbian province. The latter has been recognised by over 100 countries, including the United States, but not China and Russia. The European Union yesterday celebrated the decision of Kosovo and Serbia to formally recognise each other's vehicle licence plates. "This decision is a positive step in the implementation of the agreement on the road to normalisation, as well as previous Dialogue commitments related to freedom of movement," said EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell in a note quoted in the media today

- Israeli bombings in south Lebanon are reported this morning in two locations close to the demarcation line between the two countries. This was reported by the Lebanese news agency NNA and other media, according to which Israeli tanks bombed a mosque, damaging the prayer hall and minaret, in Abbasiya, in the eastern sector of the demarcation line. Another Israeli shelling occurred in Aita Shaab, in the western sector of the front line between Israel and Hezbollah. According to the Lebanese media, the Israeli raids lasted for most of last night and resumed this morning at around 6:40am local time (5:40am in Italy).

Russian forces struck Kryvyi Rih and Novomoskovsk in the Dnipropetrovsk oblast on 8 January, killing one person and wounding 25 others, including five children. This was reported by regional governor Serhii Lysak. In Kryvyi Rih, the Russian missile attack damaged a shopping centre and more than 20 houses, Lysak wrote on Telegram. A 58-year-old man reportedly suffered shrapnel injuries. The attack also hit the community of Lozuvatka near Kryvyi Rih, killing a 62-year-old woman and destroying a house, according to Lysak. Three administrative buildings, two petrol stations, a five-storey building and a car were damaged when Russia struck Novomoskovsk on the northern outskirts of Dnipro, the oblast governor said. According to initial information, 24 people were injured, including five children and youths between the ages of four and 17.

Brazil's Defence Minister, José Múcio Monteiro, claimed that the Armed Forces 'did not want a coup d'état' on 8 January 2023, when radical supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro invaded and looted institutional offices in Brasilia. Despite some 'undisciplined' military personnel, the Army, Navy and Air Force did not want to join a coup movement, the minister told Cnn Brasil. "At no time was the hypothesis mentioned. There was a great sense of cohesion. All the commanders were there that night (8 January),' Múcio added. Today, Brazil's highest institutional officials will take part in a ceremony desired by the President of the Republic, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, in the Parliament building in Brasilia, to condemn those events and celebrate democracy. Múcio's words were criticised by MP Lindbergh Farias, the boyfriend of Lula's Workers' Party president Gleisi Hoffmann. According to Farias, the speech sounds like a 'defence of a preventive amnesty' for the military and Bolsonaro.

Palestinian National Authority (PNA) President Mahmpud Abbas has arrived in Egypt, where he will discuss with local authorities the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip and the ongoing efforts to reach a ceasefire. He is scheduled to hold talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, as the newspaper 'Egypt Today' writes. The two leaders will also review Egyptian, Arab, regional and international efforts to address the unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip after the Israeli aggression, as explained by Palestinian Ambassador to Cairo Diab al-Louh. Abbas and al-Sisi will also talk about how to prevent the forced displacement of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and stop the violence in the West Bank.

Il presidente egiziano Abdel Fattah al-Sisi saluta la folla di copti durante la Vigilia di Natale ( AFP)

Dozens of people are protesting in front of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, demanding that the government resign and call new elections. Local media report this. The activists are sitting on the ground and blocking the entrance to the building shouting 'elections now'.

La polizia israeliana cerca di rimuovere cittadini che protestano bloccando l’entrata principale della Knesset, il parlamento israeliano. Si protesta contro il primo ministro israeliano Netanyahu e il suo governo e si chiedono nuove immediate elezioni EPA/ABIR SULTAN

The attacks launched by Israel against journalists will not prevent the truth about what is happening in the Gaza Strip from being known. This was stated by Osama Hamdan, a senior Hamas representative, during a press conference in Beirut after the latest raid against information workers in the Palestinian enclave in which the son of the al-Jazeera newsroom in the Gaza Strip also died. The attacks on journalists ''by the occupation'' are a ''deliberate and systematic'' act, but they ''will not prevent the world from knowing the truth about the crimes taking place in Gaza'', he said. These attacks, he added, ''denote the collapse of the Zionist narrative and its goal of hiding the truth''.

Il fumo che sale dopo i raid israeliani su Khan Yunis, sud di Gaza EPA/HAITHAM IMAD

No government reshuffle is planned in Israel, despite the pressure. As public broadcaster Kan reports, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has no intention of removing any of his ministers from office. What Netanyahu is thinking about, Kan continues, is the closure of ministries considered ''minor''. In this context, talks are underway to provide ''compensation'' to the ministers concerned and, according to rumours, they would be guaranteed a place in the government, but without a portfolio. Another option could be to offer the minister left without a portfolio the leadership of the government body Tkuma (resurrection in Hebrew) created after the massacre by Hamas on 7 October. The body is tasked with managing the reconstruction of communities in the Gaza Strip devastated by Hamas terrorists. Netanyahu hopes to explain his decision during the government meeting scheduled for Thursday, when the PM also hopes to get approval for the war budget for 2024 presented by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

Il primo ministro Benjamin Netanyahu assieme al suo governo al ministero della Diesa nella riunione settimanale EPA/RONEN ZVULUN / POOL

Dozens of cruise missiles were fired from Russia on six regions of Ukraine this morning, explosions were reported in several cities, national media reported. As a result of the shelling, a fire broke out in a shopping centre in Kryvi Rih, home town of President Voldymyr Zelensky. Injured people were rescued after the shelling in Zaporizhzhia.

Five officers were killed and 22 injured in an explosion near a police bus in Pakistan, in the Bajaur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. This was confirmed by Bajaur police spokesman Israr Ahmed to the Dawn website. Ten of the injured persons are in a serious condition and have been transferred to the hospital in Peshawar. Because of the explosion, the polio vaccination campaign has been suspended, Malakand Division Commissioner Saqib Raza added to the Dawn website.

Night of Russian air raids on Ukraine, where Moscow's armed forces targeted the areas of Dnipro, Ternopil, Kharkiv, Kyiv, and Lviv. The Kyiv Independent reported this, explaining that Russian Su-35 bomber planes had attacked north of the border with Russia. The Kiev Air Force urged residents to take the missile threats seriously and to take cover. Ukrainian officials reported that a Russian missile was detected over Sumy oblast and headed towards Poltava oblast. Missiles were detected heading towards Kiev from the southern direction.

Arab media say Israeli drones bombed tonight two hospitals in the Gaza Strip, the European hospital in the southern city of Khan Yunis and the Shuhada al-Aqsa in central Deir al-Balah. Last night two medical aid groups quoted by CNN announced their withdrawal from the al-Aqsa hospital, after the Israeli army had launched leaflets ordering Palestinians to evacuate to 'shelters' in the area.

Bo,bardamenti israeliani a Khan Yunis (Photo by AFP)

At least eight Palestinians were killed tonight when an Israeli airstrike hit a house in the Deir el-Balah refugee camp in the centre of the Gaza Strip. This was reported by the Arab broadcaster Al Jazeera citing Palestinian media.

Lloyd Austin underwent surgery on 22 December and returned home the next day, but was admitted to intensive care on 1 January when he began experiencing severe post-operative pain. This was revealed by the Pentagon, which released new details about the US defence secretary's hospitalisation. These updates come amid strong concerns in Congress from Republicans and Democrats over the secrecy of Austin's hospital stay and the fact that US President Joe Biden and other senior officials were kept in the dark about the situation for several days.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will be in Israel in the next few hours where he will ask Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to announce an end to the ''military phase'' of the war in the Gaza Strip and to switch to ''targeted raids''. This was announced by the Israeli TV station Channel 12. After visiting Turkey, Greece, Jordan and Qatar, Blinken will meet today with local authorities in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia in an attempt to convince them to use their influence to prevent an escalation of the conflict. ''This is a conflict that can easily have a risk of metastasis with more insecurity and even more intolerance,'' Blinken said while meeting journalists in Qatar.