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Israeli Airstrikes Kill 47 Palestinians in Central Gaza, Officials Say

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Forty-seven Palestinians were killed and dozens injured, most of them children and women, in overnight Israeli bombardment of the central Gaza Strip, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported Friday.

The attacks occurred in the city of Deir Al-Balah, the Nuseirat camp and the town of Al-Zawayda, it said. The Israeli military said its troops had identified and eliminated “several armed terrorists” in central Gaza and had eliminated “dozens of terrorists” in targeted raids in northern Gaza’s Jabalia area.

The latest violence is part of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that controls Gaza. The Gaza war began after a Hamas attack on Israel a year ago killed 1,200 people and led to the capture of about 250 hostages.

Israel’s counteroffensive in Gaza has killed more than 42,400 Palestinians, with more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza health officials. Israel says the death toll includes thousands of Hamas fighters. Hamas has been designated a terrorist organization by several countries.

At least 46 Palestinians were killed in Israeli military strikes across the Gaza Strip on Thursday, mostly in the north where one attack hit a hospital, torching medical supplies and disrupting operations, the enclave’s health officials said. Israel’s military has accused Hamas of using the hospital for military purposes, but health officials and Hamas deny the assertion.

The health ministry in Gaza called for international bodies “to protect hospitals and medical staff from the brutality of the (Israeli) occupation.” Medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières said one of its doctors at the hospital had been detained by Israeli forces, and called for the protection of all medical staff facing “horrific violence.”

Chadian Army Accused of Killing Scores of Nigerian Fishermen in Botched Anti-Jihadist Operation

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Chad’s military has been accused of killing “scores” of fishermen in Nigeria while targeting jihadists, days after 40 died in a Boko Haram attack on a military base in Chad, fishermen and anti-jihadist militia told AFP on Thursday.

The Chadian army launched an airstrike pummelling Tilma island in Kukawa district on the Nigerian side of Lake Chad on Wednesday while fishermen were tending to their catch, the sources said. Two anti-jihadist militia assisting Nigerian soldiers said several fishermen were killed in the bombardment.

“The jet mistook the fishermen for Boko Haram terrorists who attacked a military base inside Chad on Sunday,” said Babakura Kolo, an anti-jihadist militia leader. A Chadian general staff officer confirmed the strikes, saying “Boko Haram fighters often blend in with the fishermen and farmers whenever they commit their crimes.”

Most of the fishermen caught up in the aerial attack were from towns on the shores of Lake Chad, said Ibrahim Liman, another anti-jihadist militia. “A large number of fishermen were killed. No one can give an exact number because bodies are still scattered across Tilma,” said fisherman Sallau Arzika.

Chad’s assault, dubbed Operation Haskanite, aims to “hunt down, root out and obliterate the nuisance capability of Boko Haram and its affiliates,” interim Prime Minister Abderahim Bireme Hamid told reporters. The operation is being “personally” directed by President Mahamat Idriss Deby on the ground.

The Lake Chad region’s countless islets serve as hideouts for jihadist groups like Boko Haram, who carry out regular attacks on the countries’ armies and civilians. This latest incident highlights the challenges and risks of anti-terror operations in the remote, contested areas where civilians often get caught in the crossfire.

The Chadian military’s botched air strike, which appears to have mistakenly targeted fishermen, has drawn strong condemnation and raises concerns about the unintended consequences of the counter-terrorism efforts in the volatile Lake Chad basin.

Jury Demands Man Faces Life Sentence Over 2018 Killings of Two Vietnamese Tour Leaders in Las Vegas

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A Nevada jury decided Thursday that a man should serve life in state prison with no chance of parole for breaking into a room at a Las Vegas Strip hotel-casino and killing two Vietnamese tour leaders in 2018.

Julius Damiano Deangilo Trotter, 37, was spared a death sentence by the same state court jury that found him guilty on Tuesday of murder, burglary and robbery in the stabbings of Sang Boi Nghia and Khoung Ba Le Nguyen at the Circus Circus hotel.

Defense attorney Lisa Rasmussen said Trotter and his legal team appreciated the jury’s decision, but that Trotter will appeal his conviction and sentence “as a normal part of the criminal justice system.” Rasmussen acknowledged Trotter had a prior criminal record, but said he also had the support of a loving family.

Nghia, 38, was a mother of three who operated a tour business in Vietnam. Nguyen, 30, was one of her employees. Police said Trotter was found with items belonging to the victims, including a purse, wallets, a cellphone, jewelry and Vietnamese cash.

The jurors heard testimony from Trotter, his relatives and the victims’ family members before issuing their decision to spare Trotter the death penalty. The last person put to death in Nevada prison was in 2006.

Bus Carrying University Students Skids Off Road in Sri Lanka, Killing 2 and Injuring 39

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A bus carrying university students on a field trip skidded off a road and tipped over in central Sri Lanka on Friday, killing two students and injuring 39 others, officials said.

Police said the accident occurred when the driver lost control of the vehicle on a curve near the town of Badulla in the country’s mountainous tea-growing region, about 330 kilometers (205 miles) north of Colombo, the capital.

Derana television showed residents helping health workers remove the wounded students from the toppled bus. Police and doctors said 39 wounded passengers, including six in critical condition, were admitted to the main hospital in Badulla. Two others were declared dead at the scene.

Deadly bus accidents are common in Sri Lanka and are often caused by reckless driving and poorly maintained roads. The latest incident has once again highlighted the need for improved road safety and transportation regulations in the country.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the causes of the crash. The two fatalities and dozens of injured students are a tragic outcome of what was meant to be an educational field trip for the university group.

AP

Botswana’s President Masisi Concedes Defeat as Opposition Sweeps to Landslide Victory

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Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi conceded defeat in the general election Friday, in a seismic moment of change for the country that ended the ruling party’s 58 years in power since independence from Britain in the 1960s.

Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi

Masisi’s concession came before final results were announced, with his Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) trailing in fourth place in the parliamentary elections. The opposition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) held an overwhelming lead in the partial results, making its candidate Duma Boko the favorite to become the country’s next president.

“I concede the election,” Masisi said in an early-morning press conference two days after the vote. “I am proud of our democratic processes. Although I wanted a second term, I will respectfully step aside and participate in a smooth transition process.”

Botswana has long been held up as one of Africa’s most stable democracies and a post-colonial success story, largely due to its diamond-fueled economy. However, the country now faces new challenges, with a downturn in global diamond demand badly impacting the economy and leading to a sharp increase in unemployment, especially among young people.

The BDP had dominated Botswana’s politics for nearly six decades, but the mood for change became evident as voters expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of the economic crisis. Masisi acknowledged that the party had “lost this election massively.”

Duma Boko, the 54-year-old Harvard-educated lawyer leading the UDC, is now poised to become Botswana’s next president

Duma Boko, the 54-year-old Harvard-educated lawyer leading the UDC, is now poised to become Botswana’s next president. His party’s victory represents a significant political shift in the country, marking the end of the BDP’s long uninterrupted rule.

Botswana’s general elections decide the makeup of its Parliament, which then chooses the president. The opposition’s landslide win means Boko’s UDC will have the opportunity to form the next government and chart a new course for the diamond-rich nation as it seeks to diversify its economy and address the pressing challenges of unemployment and economic stagnation.

The peaceful transfer of power underscores Botswana’s commitment to democracy, even as the country navigates a critical juncture in its political and economic development. Masisi’s concession and the UDC’s triumph signal a new era for Botswana, with the potential for significant policy changes and reforms under the incoming administration.

Deadly Shooting Erupts During Halloween Celebrations in Orlando, Leaving 2 Dead and 6 Injured

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Two people were killed and six others were wounded in a shooting early Friday at a public Halloween celebration in Florida, police and local media said.

The Orlando Police Department said it was conducting an investigation into a shooting in the city’s downtown area. Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith stated the victims were shot while hundreds were celebrating Halloween in public around 1 a.m., according to WTVT.

A 17-year-old male suspect was being interviewed by detectives, Smith said. Additional details were expected to be released at an upcoming police briefing.

The deadly shooting occurred during the crowded holiday festivities, shattering the celebratory atmosphere. Authorities have not yet provided information on the identities of the victims or the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Law enforcement has launched a full investigation into the shooting, which resulted in multiple casualties at the public Halloween event. The community is now grappling with the tragic loss of life and the injured victims as the holiday celebrations turned deadly.

Police have assured the public that they are working to determine the motives and details behind this shooting.

Germany Shuts Down All Iranian Consulates in Response to Execution of Iranian-German Prisoner

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Germany ordered the closure of all three Iranian Consulates in the country on Thursday in response to the execution of Iranian-German prisoner Jamshid Sharmahd, who lived in the United States and was kidnapped in Dubai in 2020 by Iranian security forces.

Sharmahd, 69, was put to death in Iran on Monday on terrorism charges, which Germany, the U.S. and international rights groups dismissed as a sham trial. The decision to close the Iranian Consulates in Frankfurt, Hamburg and Munich, announced by Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, leaves the Islamic Republic with only its embassy in Berlin.

“The execution of a European citizen is seriously harming relations between Iran and the European Union,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said earlier this week, warning that the EU will now consider “targeted and significant measures” against Iran.

Baerbock noted that the EU had already imposed a new set of sanctions in mid-October, and she is pushing for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard to be put on a list of terror organizations. She accused the Iranian government of knowing “above all the language of blackmail, threat and violence,” and said Berlin will continue its “tireless work” to get other Germans released who are being held in Iran.

Sharmahd was one of several Iranian dissidents abroad in recent years who were either tricked or kidnapped and brought back to Iran. Germany’s decision to shut down all of Iran’s consulates represents a major diplomatic downgrade, signaling the deteriorating relations between the two countries in the wake of this case.

Devastating Russian Attack Hits Residential Building in Kharkiv, Killing 3 including 2 Teens

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Russian forces struck a residential building in Ukraine’s second-largest city of Kharkiv on Thursday, killing three people, including two teenage boys, and injuring scores of others, as they continued their grinding onslaught in the country’s east.

Regional head Oleh Syniehubov said one of the boys, aged 12, was fatally injured when the building was hit by a Russian 500-kilogram (1,100-pound) glide bomb. “He was freed from under the rubble with severe head injuries and fractures,” Syniehubov wrote on social media. “Doctors performed resuscitation measures for more than half an hour. Unfortunately, it was not possible to save the child.”

Syniehubov later said rescuers also retrieved the bodies of a 15-year-old boy and an unidentified man from the debris. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko stated that at least 35 people were injured in the attack, with others potentially still trapped under the rubble.

Russia has increasingly turned to powerful glide bombs to pummel Ukrainian positions along the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) line of contact and strike cities dozens of kilometers (miles) from the front line. Kharkiv, a city of 1.1 million, is about 30 kilometers (less than 20 miles) from the border.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly urged the United States to allow Ukraine to use long-range American missiles to strike air bases deeper in Russia that are used by warplanes carrying such glide bombs. Washington has so far only allowed some strikes close to the border.

Zelenskyy reiterated his request on Thursday, publishing a video showing the ravaged nine-story building, with at least three of its floors destroyed and the rest seriously damaged. “Partners see what is happening every day,” Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram. “And under these conditions, each of their delayed decisions means at least dozens, if not hundreds of such Russian bombs against Ukraine. Their decisions are the lives of our people.”

The devastating attack in Kharkiv comes as Russia continues to launch missile and drone strikes across Ukraine, hitting critical infrastructure and civilian areas. The relentless onslaught has prompted renewed calls from Ukraine for its allies to provide more advanced weapons to help defend against the Russian bombardment.

The human toll of this conflict continues to mount, with the attack in Kharkiv serving as a tragic reminder of the devastation wrought by Russia’s invasion. As the war grinds on, the pressure on Ukraine’s partners to step up their military aid will only intensify in the face of such senseless loss of life.

Rapper Young Thug to Be Released from Jail After Guilty Plea on Gang Charges

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US rapper Young Thug will be released from jail after pleading guilty to gang, drug and gun charges, in a dramatic twist that could end the longest criminal trial in Georgia history.

The 33-year-old Grammy winner, born Jeffery Lamar Williams, has spent more than 900 days behind bars since his arrest on racketeering and gang-related charges. In May 2022, prosecutors alleged the rap label he founded, Young Stoner Life (YSL) Records, was a front for an organized crime syndicate responsible for “75 to 80% of violent crime” in Atlanta.

On Thursday, Williams was sentenced to time served and 15 years of probation. “I take full responsibility for my crimes, for my charges,” he told the court. “I want to say sorry” to “everybody that has got something to do with this situation.”

Prosecutors had planned to recommend a sentence of 45 years, including 25 in custody and 20 on probation. But the plea negotiations were unsuccessful, and Superior Court Judge Paige Whitaker instead chose his punishment, commuting his sentence to the time he has already served, paving the way for his release.

As part of the deal, Williams pleaded guilty to one gang charge, three drug charges and two gun charges. He also entered a no-contest plea to leading a gang and violating the state’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.

The indictment had drawn widespread outrage over prosecutors’ use of Williams’ rap lyrics as evidence of the gang’s actions and criminal intent. Critics argued the charges violated the rappers’ freedom of speech and were part of a growing assault on a Black-dominated art form.

The trial was plagued by multiple delays, courtroom disturbances and motions for mistrial. The judge stipulated that Williams must complete 100 hours of community service, avoid contact with gang members or former co-defendants, and be prohibited from remaining in metropolitan Atlanta for the first 10 years of his probation period.

The plea deal likely brings an end to a high-profile case that has shone a spotlight on the use of rap lyrics in criminal prosecutions and the broader tensions between the justice system and the hip-hop community.

Kenyan Court Lifts Orders Blocking Swearing-In of Deputy President Nominee Kithuri Kindiki

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A Kenyan court has lifted orders blocking the swearing-in of Deputy President nominee Kithuri Kindiki, dealing a blow to former DP Rigathi Gachagua who was impeached and removed from office in mid-October amid accusations of gross misconduct and undermining the president.

The three-judge bench appointed to hear the case by the deputy chief justice made the highly anticipated announcement on Thursday. “Public interest in this matter favors giving way to the constitution, which in any event is the will of the people,” said Judge Antony Mrima.

President William Ruto had 14 days after Gachagua’s removal to replace him, and he took less than a day to nominate Interior Minister Kindiki. The selection was quickly approved by lawmakers at the National Assembly.

However, the court had earlier suspended any further action until it could hear the case. Gachagua’s lawyers had filed about 30 court cases arguing against his ouster in the last two weeks, contesting the validity of the judges’ appointment and their impartiality.

Gachagua was Ruto’s running mate in the 2022 election but had recently complained of being left out, highlighting the friction and tension between him and his former boss. Gachagua was convicted on five of the 11 charges against him, which included accusations of gross misconduct, irregular acquisition of wealth and undermining the president.

Public opinion on the matter has been mixed, with some agreeing with Gachagua’s removal while others found it distasteful, especially because the deputy president fell ill while the proceedings were happening.

The court’s decision to lift the orders paves the way for Kindiki’s swearing-in, marking a significant shift in Kenya’s political landscape.

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