While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Dec 21
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
An Israeli soldier exits what Israel says is the largest Hamas tunnel they have discovered so far in Gaza, located a few hundred metres from the Erez border crossing.
PHOTO: NYTIMES
Israel finds tunnels from Hamas leaders’ homes
Israeli forces uncovered a network of tunnels running deep beneath central Gaza City from properties registered to Yahya Sinwar and other senior Hamas organisers of the Oct 7 attacks on Israel, the military said on Dec 20.
The tunnels were found when soldiers secured a central area of the city in recent days, spokesman Peter Lerner told reporters.
Accessed by spiral staircases and an elevator up to 20m below ground, the tunnels were kitted out with electricity, plumbing, surveillance cameras and heavy blast doors, according to images shared with reporters by the military.
“This complex, both above and below ground, was a centre of power for Hamas’ military and political wings,” Lieutenant-Colonel Lerner said.
Iran hangs ‘child bride’ for murder of husband
Iran on Dec 20 hanged a woman convicted of murdering her husband, whom she married while still a child, defying an international campaign for clemency, rights groups said.
Samira Sabzian, who had been in prison for the past decade, was executed at dawn in Ghezel Hesar prison in the Teheran satellite city of Karaj, the Norway-based Iran Human Rights group said.
IHR said Sabzian was a “child bride” who had married her husband at the age of 15 and had been a victim of domestic violence, according to relatives.
Teens convicted of ‘ferocious’ murder of transgender girl
Two British teenagers were found guilty on Dec 20 of killing 16-year-old transgender girl Brianna Ghey in a “ferocious attack” in a park in north-west England earlier this year.
The court heard the boy and girl, who were 15 at the time of the murder and cannot be named because of their age, spent months plotting to kill someone and had a list of several potential victims who they knew.
Ghey, who had agreed to meet the girl in a local park, was stabbed 28 times with a hunting knife before her body was spotted by a couple walking their dogs.
UK bans Rimmel make-up ad for playing on girls’ ‘insecurities’
An “irresponsible” advert for cosmetics brand Rimmel was banned by the UK regulator on Dec 20 for “playing on young girls’ insecurities”.
Rimmel London was censured by the Advertising Standards Authority for the paid-for ad seen on Facebook on Sept 9.
The ad included the caption “get ready to slay this back to school season”.
Messi, Inter Miami to kick off 2024 MLS season on Feb 21
Argentine great Lionel Messi will launch his first full Major League Soccer (MLS) campaign on Feb 21 when Inter Miami kick off the 2024 regular season at home with a match against Real Salt Lake, the league announced on Dec 20.
Messi’s club, which he joined in July after signing a two-and-a-half year contract, will be thrown back in the spotlight four days later when Miami visit LA Galaxy in a match that will highlight a full slate of opening week action.
Among their 34 regular season games, Messi’s club will also visit Orlando City SC on May 15 during MLS Rivalry Week. Miami’s final regular season game is Oct 19 at New England Revolution.