Daily World Briefing, Aug. 25
Israel vows to press on with Gaza City offensive as famine deaths rise
Israeli officials vowed on Sunday to press ahead with the offensive on Gaza City, as residents reported heavy air and ground attacks and local authorities said the famine death toll continues to rise.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the assault on the city, which has drawn international alarm and criticism abroad as well as in Israel, will continue. "The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) is acting and will continue to act with full force to defeat Hamas, to secure the release of all the hostages, and to bring the war to an end under the conditions set by Israel," he said.
Israeli warplanes launch new airstrikes on Yemen's capital
At least two people were killed and 35 others wounded on Sunday afternoon after Israeli airstrikes hit several locations in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, according to Houthi-run health authorities.
The casualties were reported at the Oil Company Station, a gas station run by the Houthi-controlled Yemeni Petroleum Company, one of several sites targeted in the city. Medics warned that the death toll could rise as more victims are being brought to hospitals.
Hamas says ready for comprehensive truce deal, accuses Netanyahu of rejecting all solutions
Hamas said on Sunday that it had agreed to a partial prisoner exchange deal with Israel and was ready for a comprehensive truce deal, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected all solutions.
In a press statement, Hamas said Netanyahu's approval of the "Gaza occupation plan" after the movement agreed to the proposal of Egyptian and Qatari mediators last week showed his "insistence on obstructing the agreement."
Hamas emphasized that a ceasefire agreement was the only way to release all Israeli hostages and held Netanyahu fully responsible for their fate.
DPRK top leader oversees test-fire of new air defence missiles on Saturday
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Saturday test-fired two improved types of new air defence missiles in a bid to examine their combat capabilities, with Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, overseeing the event, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Sunday.
The new air defence missile weapon systems demonstrated superior combat capabilities of fast response to various aerial targets, such as attack drones and cruise missiles. Their operation and reaction modes were described as innovative, with novel and distinctive technology, KCNA reported, citing an assessment of the test-firing conducted by the country's Missile Administration.
China's new deep-sea explorer Haiqin completes mission in South China Sea
China's self-developed Haiqin, a 6,000-meter deep-sea remotely operated vehicle (ROV), has successfully completed a deep-sea voyage in the South China Sea, scientists have told Xinhua.
The deep-sea electric ROV system named Haiqin, which was designed and built by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, reached a depth of 4,140 meters during the sea trial early on Saturday morning.
Equipped with high-definition cameras, robotic arms, sonar systems and sensors -- the ROV demonstrated capabilities including automatic heading control and precise hovering.■