While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Jan 7
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A picture taken from Rafah shows smoke billowing over Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, during Israeli bombardment in its ongoing war against Hamas. PHOTO: AFP
PHOTO: AFP
Hamas command structure ‘dismantled’ in north Gaza
The Israeli army said on Jan 6 it had “completed the dismantling” of Hamas’ command structure in the northern Gaza Strip.
“We have completed the dismantling of the Hamas military framework in the northern Gaza Strip,” army spokesman Daniel Hagari told reporters.
He added that Palestinian militants were now operating in the area only sporadically and “without commanders”.
“Now the focus is on dismantling Hamas in the centre of the Gaza Strip and in the south of the Gaza Strip,” he said, while acknowledging that the task will take time.
US temporarily grounds Boeing 737 Max 9 planes
US regulators have ordered the temporary grounding of 171 Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft for safety checks following a cabin panel blowout late on Jan 5 that forced a brand-new plane operated by Alaska Airlines to make an emergency landing.
“The FAA is requiring immediate inspections of certain Boeing 737 Max 9 planes before they can return to flight,” FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said on Jan 6.
“Safety will continue to drive our decision-making as we assist the NTSB’s investigation into Alaska Airlines Flight 1282.”
Biden invited to give State of the Union speech in March
EPA-EFE
President Joe Biden has been invited to give his State of the Union address to Congress on March 7, a relatively late date that places the speech after the Super Tuesday primaries and any early 2024 congressional showdown over federal funding.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, who issued the invitation to Mr Biden in a letter posted to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, said it comes at a “moment of great challenge for our country.”
The speech will give Mr Biden a chance to lay out his 2024 agenda as he seeks a second term and potentially to draw a contrast with his likely Republican opponent, former president Donald Trump.
Wives of mobilised Russians protest in earshot of Kremlin
REUTERS
Wives of Russians mobilised to fight in Ukraine symbolically laid flowers on Jan 6 at the flame of the unknown soldier right beneath the walls of the Kremlin and demanded the return of their husbands from the front.
Anger has been growing for months among relatives of reservists who President Vladimir Putin mobilised in September 2022, seven months after the initial invasion of Ukraine.
The mobilisation is a sensitive subject for authorities, who have so far refrained from repressing what has become a nascent movement of revolt.
Relief for Eddie Howe as Newcastle beat Sunderland
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe was a relieved man as his team defeated Championship side Sunderland 3-0 in the FA Cup third round on Jan 6.
The Magpies headed into the Tyne-Wear derby at the Stadium of Light having lost seven of their past eight games and their most recent four in all competitions.
The dire run has led to speculation that Howe’s future as head coach at the Saudi Arabia-owned club could be uncertain after just two years in the post.
