Nearly 1% of the population in Gaza has died as a result of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, with 85% of the population displaced and half a million people starving. The UN has called for an immediate ceasefire to prevent further destruction and loss of life.
Posts published in “World”
On December 21, 2020, a gunman opened fire at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic, killing 14 people and injuring 25. The attack has been described as the worst mass shooting in the Czech Republic in decades, and mourners have left a sea of candles outside the university to grieve for the victims. The Czech government is working to implement stricter gun control laws to prevent such tragedies from happening again.
Ten Americans who were wrongfully detained in Venezuela have been released and returned to the United States as part of a prisoner exchange between the two countries. The exchange included the release of Leonard Glenn Francis, a fugitive defense contractor at the center of a massive Pentagon bribery scandal, and Savoi Wright, a Californian who had been arrested in October, expressed his joy upon disembarking the plane. The exchange marks a major diplomatic victory for the Biden administration and a step forward in restoring diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Ikea has warned of possible product shortages due to the mass diversion of shipping containers from the Red Sea over safety concerns caused by Houthi militants from Yemen. At least $80 billion worth of cargo has been diverted from the waterway which provides access to the Suez Canal, and Ikea is evaluating other options to secure the availability of products. The full impact of the Houthi threat remains to be seen.
President Joe Biden and Mexican President López Obrador held a phone call Thursday to discuss the ongoing crisis at the southern border, with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., sending a letter urging the President to take executive action. Johnson called for the President to end the policy allowing Customs and Border Protection to release migrants without court dates, restrict parole, and pursue agreements with third countries. During the call, the two leaders discussed threats of illicit drugs and ways to expand cooperation between U.S. and Mexican law enforcement. With Congress gone for the year, it remains to be seen what steps President Biden will take to address the issue.
For the past three weeks, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) has been engaged in an offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Gershon Baskin, an Israeli who has maintained communications with Hamas, has reported that the group is not interested in releasing any more hostages. This has been confirmed by the decrease in rocket attacks on Israel, indicating that Hamas' operations have been disrupted. However, Israeli casualties have been increasing due to close quarters combat, leaving the future of the conflict uncertain.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has caused a humanitarian crisis, with the Palestinian Health Ministry estimating that 20,000 people have been killed and 70% of those being women and children. In response, the United Arab Emirates has pledged to evacuate up to 1,000 injured children and 1,000 cancer patients by plane, and the United Nations is calling for an immediate ceasefire to end the conflict and allow for the delivery of humanitarian aid.
Police in Prague have confirmed a shooting in a university building, resulting in several dead and dozens of wounded people. The gunman has been eliminated, and authorities have urged people to remain indoors while they evacuate the area. Details about the shooting are still unknown, but more information is expected to be released soon.