Gaza under blackout as Israel declares new phase in war
Gaza was largely cut off from the outside world on Saturday after Israel rained more bombs from the air and suggested that its long-promised ground offensive against Hamas militants controlling the Palestinian enclave had begun.
This comes after the UN General Assembly called for an immediate humanitarian truce in Gaza. The non-binding resolution on Friday received overwhelming support, including from Singapore, but Israel and the United States voted against it.
Israel said on Saturday morning that its troops, sent in on Friday night, were still in the field, whereas previously, it had made only brief sorties during three weeks of bombing to destroy Hamas who it said killed 1,400 Israelis, mostly civilians, on Oct 7.
Musk says Starlink to provide connectivity in Gaza through aid organisations
Elon Musk said on Saturday that SpaceX’s Starlink will support communication links in Gaza with “internationally recognised aid organisations”.
Musk said in a post on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that it was not clear who has authority for ground links in Gaza, but we do know that “no terminal has requested a connection in that area”.
A telephone and internet blackout isolated people in the Gaza Strip from the world and from each other on Saturday, with calls to loved ones, ambulances or colleagues elsewhere all but impossible as Israel widened its air and ground assault.
Former US VP Pence drops out of Republican presidential campaign
Former US Vice President Mike Pence ended his cash-strapped presidential campaign on Saturday, after struggling for months to convince Republican voters he was the best alternative to the man he once served with unswerving loyalty, Donald Trump.
“To the American people I say: This is not my time,” Pence told attendees at the Republican Jewish Coalition donor conference in Las Vegas.
Pence, 64, publicly broke with Trump, lambasting the former president for his role in the Jan 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol. Pence gambled that Republican primary voters would reward him for following the US Constitution rather than obeying Trump, who wanted him to overturn the 2020 election results.
Bangladesh police break up anti-PM protest with tear gas, rubber bullets
Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at huge crowds of Bangladesh opposition supporters Saturday to break up a giant protest against the prime minister, with an officer and a protester killed in several hours of violent clashes in central Dhaka.
More than 100,000 supporters of two major Bangladesh opposition parties rallied to demand Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina step down to allow a free and fair vote under a neutral government.
Live footage on the verified Facebook page of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) showed thousands of people running for safety as sound grenades went off one after another and plumes of black smoke rose from the roads.
South Africa beat 14-man New Zealand to claim record fourth World Cup title
South Africa became the first team to win the Rugby World Cup four times when they beat New Zealand 12-11 after the All Blacks were reduced to 14 men after half an hour in Saturday’s final at the Stade de France.
New Zealand captain Sam Cane, the first player to be sent off in a World Cup final, was shown a red card for a high tackle as the Springboks led 12-3 despite losing hooker Bongi Mbonambi with a knee injury in the third minute.
Handre Pollard kicked four penalties to make sure that Beauden Barrett’s try and Richie Mo’unga’s six points from the tee would not prevent South Africa from maintaining their perfect final record as the Springboks won their third game in a row by one point.
