World News Roundup: South Korea's top intelligence officials resign; 'Can't find words', Israeli families welcome second group of hostages and more

"There is a deficit of air defence - that is no secret," Zelenskiy told the Grain from Ukraine summit, which was attended by senior officials from European countries, including Swiss President Alain Berset and Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte. Palestinians in Gaza use truce to pick through rubble of homes After seven weeks of bombardment stopped in Gaza for a truce, Tahani al-Najjar used the calm on Saturday to return to the ruins of her home, smashed by an Israeli air strike that she said killed seven of her family and forced her into a shelter.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

South Korea's top intelligence officials resign

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol accepted the resignation of head of the intelligence agency and his two deputies on Sunday, his office said. Yoon's office did not specify any reasons for the resignations. But local media have reported there were troubles during previous personnel reshuffles at the National Intelligence Service (NIS).

'Can't find words', Israeli families welcome second group of hostages

Emily Hand had her ninth birthday as a hostage in Gaza, the day before she was reunited with her father, who initially believed she had been killed in the devastating attack by Hamas gunmen on southern Israel last month. Returned in the second group of hostages released by the Islamist movement under a Qatari-brokered deal with Israel, she appeared in good health in a photograph released with fellow hostage Hila Rotem, whose mother remains in Gaza.

China ministry seeks more fever clinics to combat respiratory illness surge

China's health ministry on Sunday urged local authorities to increase the number of fever clinics as the country grapples with a surge in respiratory illnesses in its first full winter since easing COVID-19 restrictions. The spike become a global issue last week when the World Health Organization asked China for more information, citing a report on clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia in children by the Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases.

Reported killing in Gaza refugee camp casts shadow on third day of truce

A Palestinian farmer was killed and another injured on Sunday after they were targeted by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip's Maghazi refugee camp, the Palestinian Red Crescent said, underlining the fragility of the truce between Israel and Hamas fighters. There was no comment from Israel on the report but there were fears it could jeopardise the third phase of plans to swap 50 hostages held by the Palestinian militant group for 150 prisoners in Israeli jails over a four-day period.

Ukraine needs more air defences to protect grain exports - Zelenskiy

Ukraine needs more air defences to protect its grain export routes as well as regions bordering Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday, as he addressed an international summit on food security in Kyiv. "There is a deficit of air defence - that is no secret," Zelenskiy told the Grain from Ukraine summit, which was attended by senior officials from European countries, including Swiss President Alain Berset and Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte.

Palestinians in Gaza use truce to pick through rubble of homes

After seven weeks of bombardment stopped in Gaza for a truce, Tahani al-Najjar used the calm on Saturday to return to the ruins of her home, smashed by an Israeli air strike that she said killed seven of her family and forced her into a shelter. More than 24 hours into the four-day pause in fighting, thousands of Gaza residents are making that same difficult journey from communal shelters and makeshift encampments to discover what has become of their homes.

Israeli forces kill seven Palestinians in West Bank, Palestinian officials say

Israeli forces killed seven Palestinians, including two minors and at least one gunman, in the occupied West Bank late on Saturday and early Sunday, medics and local sources said. The West Bank, among territories where Palestinians seek statehood, has experienced a surge in violence parallel to the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, now in its eighth week.

Gunfire heard in Sierra Leone capital after attack on barracks

Gunfire could be heard in some neighbourhoods of Sierra Leone's capital Freetown on Sunday afternoon following an attempt by unidentified gunmen to break into a military armoury.

The government declared a nationwide curfew after assailants attacked the armoury at the Wilberforce barracks in the early hours of Sunday. The assailants were rebuffed by the country's security forces, it said in a statement.

Dutch politician Wilders vows 'I will be prime minister' on X

Veteran Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders on Saturday vowed to be prime minister of the Netherlands eventually, following an election in which his party won the most seats. In a long post on X, formerly Twitter, that expressed frustration at other parties for their apparent unwillingness to cooperate with his Freedom Party (PVV), Wilders said he would "continue to moderate" his positions if necessary to gain power.

China, Japan, South Korea agree to boost trilateral ties, seek summit

The foreign ministers of China, Japan and South Korea agreed on Sunday to restart cooperation among the Asian neighbours and pave the way for a summit of their three leaders in the latest move to ease tensions in the vital region. Even as China and the United States mend frayed ties, including a summit this month between Presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden, Beijing is concerned that Washington and its key regional allies are strengthening their three-way partnership.