Six In The Morning Saturday 23 December 2023

 

Doctors accuse Israeli troops of desecrating bodies and shooting civilians at hospital Israel says was Hamas ‘command center’

Israeli soldiers raiding a hospital in northern Gaza desecrated the bodies of dead patients with bulldozers, let a military dog maul a man in a wheelchair, and shot multiple doctors even after vetting them for terror links, according to allegations by staff and patients.

The claims relate to an eight-day operation by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) at the Kamal Adwan Hospital last week, which the military alleges was being used as a command and control center by Hamas.

CNN spoke to two senior medical staff, another doctor and a patient at the hospital, who provided corroborating testimonies of what happened. CNN also reviewed video evidence for some of the claims.

Czech Republic holds day of mourning for Prague shooting victims

Flags fly at half mast and minute’s silence observed two days after Charles University student killed 14 people

Bells rang out and flags flew at half mast on Saturday as the Czech Republic mourned the 14 victims of the country’s worst mass shooting.

The archbishop, Jan Graubner, said mass at the main St Vitus cathedral at the Prague Castle and a minute of silence was observed at midday, with people stopping in streets amid heavy rain and snow, and in malls while Christmas shopping.

A 24-year-old student opened fire at the faculty of arts at Charles University on Thursday, killing 13 people and then himself. Another person died in hospital later. It is one of the the worst shootings in the country in decades.

Russia: Ex-reporter barred from challenging Putin in 2024

TV journalist Yekaterina Duntsova, who applied to run in Russian presidential elections next March, has been barred from the ballot over registration “mistakes.”

Former TV journalist Yekaterina Duntsova has been barred from running in March’s presidential election because of “mistakes” in her application for registration as a candidate, Russian television reported.

A video posted by a Russian news channel showed a meeting of the Central Elections Committee (CEC) where the members voted unanimously to reject Duntsova’s candidacy.

Duntsova’s campaign team also confirmed the rejection on its Telegram channel and showed screenshots of documents the CEC had highlighted as lacking the proper signatures.

Two held after France grounds Nicaragua-bound plane over suspected ‘human trafficking’

French police were questioning two men Friday a day after officials grounded a Nicaragua-bound plane carrying more than 300 Indian passengers over suspected “human trafficking,” prosecutors said.
 

The Airbus A340 had flown in from the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, landing at Vatry airport in eastern France for a technical stopover.

It was held by French authorities after an anonymous tip-off that it was carrying passengers “likely to be victims of human trafficking,” the Paris prosecutors office told AFP. The two men in custody were among the passengers.

“Identity checks are being carried on the 303 passengers and on the cabin crew,” said the prosecutor’s office. They were also checking the conditions in which the passengers were being transported and the purpose of their journey.

A source close to the case said that minors were among the passengers.

Taiwan reports more Chinese military activity as election approaches

 

Taiwan reported Chinese warplanes and warships around the island on Saturday, including aircraft crossing the sensitive median line of the Taiwan Strait, as Beijing continues military activities with three weeks to go before Taiwan votes.

Democratically governed Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has complained for four years of regular Chinese military patrols and drills near the island.

Campaigning is under way for Taiwan’s Jan. 13 presidential and parliamentary polls. Relations with China are a major point of contention.

 

Banksy: Police investigate removal of street sign in Peckham as alleged theft

 
23rd December 2023, 06:32 PST
 
By Thomas Mackintosh & Noor Nanji BBC News
 

The Metropolitan Police has launched an investigation after a south London street sign featuring work by the elusive artist Banksy was removed.

The piece of street art – a red stop sign with three military drones on – was unveiled on the corner of Commercial Way, Peckham, on Friday.

But within an hour it was removed by a man with bolt cutters as witnesses took photos.

Police are treating it as theft. Officers are yet to make any arrests.

One gallery owner told the BBC the artwork could be worth up to £500,000.