Houthi missiles strike near presidential palace in Yemen's Aden
Two loud explosions rocked Yemen's southern port city of Aden on Friday as Houthi-fired missiles struck near the presidential palace, a local security official told Xinhua.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the missiles struck the vicinity of Al-Ma'ashiq Palace in Aden's Crater district, where Yemen's internationally recognized government is based. Security forces were deployed around the area.
He added that air defenses were engaging drones over key government institutions in Aden following the missile strikes.
Casualties and damage were not immediately known.
Majid al-Nuzaili, spokesperson for the government forces, said in a statement posted on social media platform X that the Houthis had targeted both Aden International Airport and the presidential palace.
Al-Ma'ashiq Palace, a heavily guarded compound housing Yemen's government and secured by forces supported by the Saudi-led coalition, has repeatedly come under attack during the latest escalation. On Oct. 15, five missiles struck the compound, killing five people and wounding 16 others.
Israeli forces demolish 2 Palestinian homes as Hebron operation enters 8th day
Israeli forces on Friday blew up the homes of two Palestinians accused of killing two Israeli soldiers in the southern West Bank city of Hebron, as a military operation entered its eighth day and displaced hundreds of families.
The two, Hamoudeh and Ahmed al-Jaabari, were killed by Israeli forces after being accused of carrying out a shooting attack on Oct. 23 in the Farsh al-Hawa area that killed two Israeli soldiers.
Palestinian security sources said Israeli forces deployed reinforcements to the Deir Baha area west of Hebron, where engineering units raided Hamoudeh al-Jaabari's home and carried out demolition work, forcing more families to leave.
Confirming the demolitions, the Israeli military said in a statement that it would "continue to operate proactively and offensively" to thwart attacks in the West Bank and "protect residents in the area."
The Hebron Governorate Emergency Committee said Thursday that 537 families, comprising 3,361 people, had been displaced from the al-Jilda and Deir Baha neighborhoods since the operation began.
DR Congo Ebola death toll nears 5,000 as Africa CDC honors fallen doctor
The death toll from the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is approaching 5,000, according to the latest official report released Friday, as the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) paid tribute to a doctor who died from the disease in the country's conflict-hit east.
The latest situation report from the DRC's National Institute of Public Health (INSP) showed that the country had recorded 10,274 confirmed Ebola cases, including 4,992 deaths, as of Oct. 28, with a case fatality rate of 48.6 percent. The outbreak has affected 67 health zones across eight of the country's 26 provinces.
Meanwhile, Africa CDC paid tribute on social media platform X to Dr. Marie-France Shogogo, who died of Ebola in Beni, North Kivu Province, calling for greater protection of frontline health workers.
Brazil summons Argentine diplomat over Flavio Bolsonaro's departure
The Brazilian government summoned Argentina's charge d'affaires in Brazil, Maria Emilia Cortes, to seek clarification on the Argentine government's alleged role in Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro's departure from Brazil, local media reported Friday.
Bolsonaro, the Liberal Party candidate who lost the runoff on Oct. 25, arrived in the United States with his family Wednesday aboard a private plane that departed from Argentina and made a stopover in Ecuador.
The Argentine government confirmed that the Brazilian senator left with his family on a private plane that departed from Argentine territory Tuesday night, two days after Brazil's presidential election.
Cortes was received Thursday afternoon at the Itamaraty Palace, Brazil's Foreign Ministry headquarters in the capital Brasilia.
U.S. approves 2.1 bln USD Patriot missile sale to Ukraine
The U.S. Department of State announced Friday that it had approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles and related equipment to Ukraine, valued at 2.1 billion U.S. dollars.
"The Government of Ukraine has requested to buy five hundred PATRIOT Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) missiles. The following non-major defense equipment items will also be included: PAC-3 MSE classified and unclassified spare parts; and other related elements of logistics and program support," it said.
Ukraine will pay for this purchase with donations from Canada, Germany and Norway via the JUMPSTART program and national funds, financed by the European Union's Ukraine Support Loan. No U.S. funds are involved in this sale, according to the statement.
The principal contractor will be American defense and aerospace manufacturer Lockheed Martin.
Canada-EU summit closes with launch of "Alliance for the Future"
The two-day 21st Canada-European Union Summit concluded Friday in Montreal, Canada, with the launch of an alliance to bolster collective strength, while Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada is working toward becoming the EU's first "associate member."
According to a joint statement issued Friday, Canada and the EU launched the "Alliance for the Future" aiming to deliver ambitious cooperation in the following areas: trade and regulatory cooperation; digital, research and communications technologies; critical raw materials and energy; financial services and markets; security and preparedness; and people-to-people.
The prime minister's office said in a news release that the alliance is a new partnership of nations that will leverage the strategic capabilities of Canada, the EU, and a variable geometry of like-minded nations to address common issues.
Together, Canada and the EU will deliver more choice and lower costs for families, new export markets for businesses, and greater opportunities for young people to live, work, and study where they want, in Canada or the EU, according to the release.
In closing remarks, Carney said that the two sides are working toward the deepest possible partnership, short of accession, with Canada becoming the EU's first associate member. ■
