Foreign News
Yemen’s Houthis say military chief killed as Israel claims responsibility
Yemen’s Houthis say that their Chief of Staff Mohammed Abdulkarim al-Ghamari, one of the most senior military officials of the group, has been killed “while fulfilling his duties”.
Shortly after the Houthi announcement on Thursday, Israel claimed responsibility for the killing, with Defence Minister Israel Katz saying al-Ghamari was attacked in an Israeli strike.
The Houthis said in a statement that the conflict with Israel had not ended. Israel will “receive its deterrent punishment for the crimes it has committed”, it said.
In August, Israel said it targeted senior figures from the group, including al-Ghamari, in air strikes on the capital Sanaa, killing the prime minister of Yemen’s Houthi-run government and several other ministers.
In a social media post on Thursday, Katz said that al-Ghamari was attacked in an Israeli strike.
“We will do the same against any threat in the future as well”, he added.
Al-Ghamari’s death was announced six days into a fragile US-backed ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The truce has halted Israel’s two-year war on Gaza, which has killed nearly 68,000 Palestinians and triggered a dire humanitarian crisis. Israel has been accused by rights groups and a United Nations Commission of Inquiry of carrying out a genocide in Gaza.
Since Israel launched the war on Gaza in October 2023, the Houthis have carried out drone and missile attacks against Israel, saying that they have been conducted in solidarity with Palestinians under fire. The group has also targeted vessels in the Red Sea.
In response to the Houthi attacks on shipping lanes, the United States and the United Kingdom have attacked Houthi sites in Yemen.
[Aljazeera]
The United States Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, will hold talks in Miami, Florida, with senior officials from Qatar, Egypt and Turkiye as efforts continue to advance the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire, even as Israel repeatedly violates the truce on the ground.
A White House official told Al Jazeera Arabic on Friday that Witkoff is set to meet representatives from the three countries to discuss the future of the agreement aimed at halting Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.
Axios separately reported that the meeting, scheduled for today [Friday], will include Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty.
At the same time, Israel’s public broadcaster, quoting an Israeli official, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is holding a restricted security consultation to examine the second phase of the ceasefire and potential scenarios.
That official warned that Israel could launch a new military campaign to disarm Hamas if US President Donald Trump were to disengage from the Gaza process, while acknowledging that such a move was unlikely because Trump wants to preserve calm in the enclave.
Despite Washington’s insistence that the ceasefire remains intact, Israeli attacks have continued almost uninterrupted, as it continues to renege on the terms of the first phase and blocks the free flow of desperately needed humanitarian aid into the besieged Palestinian territory.
[Aljazeera]
A former Nascar driver and his family were among the seven people killed in a plane crash at a regional airport in North Carolina, the car-racing organisation has said.
A highway patrol spokesman said people on the ground confirmed that Greg Biffle was among those who boarded the plane.
The Cessna C550 crashed while landing at Statesville Regional Airport around 10:20 local time (15:20GMT), officials investigating the incident told reporters.
“Greg was more than a champion driver, he was a beloved member of the NASCAR community, a fierce competitor, and a friend to so many,” Nascar said in a statement where it confirmed Biffle had died along with his wife, daughter, son, and three others.
“His passion for racing, his integrity, and his commitment to fans and fellow competitors alike made a lasting impact on the sport,” the company added.
Beyond the racetrack, Biffle was remembered for helping in North Carolina in the aftermath of last year’s Hurricane Helene, when he used his personal helicopter to rescue stranded residents and deliver supplies.
Tributes to the former racer poured in on Thursday.
“Heartbreaking news out of Statesville,” North Carolina Governor Josh Stein posted on X. “Beyond his success as a NASCAR driver, Greg Biffle lived a life of courage and compassion and stepped up for western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene.”
Motorsport YouTuber Garrett Mitchell wrote on Facebook that Biffle and his family were on their way to spend the afternoon with him.
“Unfortunately, I can confirm Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, daughter Emma, and son Ryder were on that plane… because they were on their way to spend the afternoon with us,” he wrote on Facebook. “We are devastated. I’m so sorry to share this.”
Statesville Airport Director John Ferguson described the aircraft as a corporate jet and said it was already engulfed in flames when he arrived on the scene.
The Cessna C550 aircraft is owned by a private company associated with Biffle, CBS, the BBC’s US partner, reported.
The jet took off around 10:06 local time and was in the air briefly before it crashed on the east end of the runway.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash.
Statesville Airport will remain closed until further notice as crews clear debris off the runway, Mr Ferguson told reporters.
Officials did not provide any information about deaths or people aboard the aircraft during their first media conference.
The National Transportation Safety Board, which is leading the investigation has sent in a team to investigate the fatal crash.
The Statesville Regional Airport (KSVH) is owned by the City of Statesville, which is about 45 minutes north of Charlotte.
It also provides aviation facilities for Fortune 500 companies and several Nascar racing teams.
[BBC]
The UK and South Korea have finalised a trade deal which the government says will create thousands of jobs and bring billions into the British economy.
British industries including pharmaceuticals, car manufacturing, alcohol and financial services are expected to benefit from an extension to the current tariff-free trade on most goods and services.
The deal is the fourth such agreement struck by the Labour government, following deals with the EU, US and India — none of which have had a material impact on the UK’s economy so far.
South Korean culture, including music, cosmetics and food, has become much more popular in the UK in recent years.
(BBC)
No Christmas miracle for England as Australia make it 3-0 to retain the Ashes in 11 days
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