Reuters World News Summary

His account, which Israel's military says it is looking into, comes after the killing of three hostages escaping Hamas in Gaza raised new questions over Israel's rules of engagement in a war that has proven unusually deadly for civilians. North Korea says it conducted Hwasong-18 ICBM test launch North Korea said on Tuesday it had launched a Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Monday as a drill to confirm the war readiness of its nuclear deterrence force in the face of mounting hostility by the United States.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Israel shipping costs rising as lines pull out and Red Sea attacks worsen

The cost of shipping goods to Israel by sea has risen in recent days as some container lines pull out while others impose new surcharges, adding to the country's supply chain pressures amid its war in Gaza, shipping sources said. Israel, whose economy relies on seaborne trade, said in October it would provide compensation for ships damaged due to the war with Islamist group Hamas, although it has not detailed whether it will cover additional shipping costs.

Iceland volcano erupts after weeks of quake activity

The Reykjanes volcano in southwest Iceland erupted on Monday, spewing lava and smoke into the air, after weeks of intense earthquake activity, the country's Meteorological Office said. Fearing a significant outbreak on the Reykjanes peninsula, authorities last month evacuated the nearly 4,000 inhabitants of the fishing town of Grindavik and closed the nearby Blue Lagoon geothermal spa.

Trump's million dollar expert 'lost all credibility,' judge in NY civil fraud trial says

An expert witness paid nearly $1 million by Donald Trump to testify at his New York civil fraud trial "lost all credibility" by "doggedly" justifying the former U.S. president's business records, the judge overseeing the case said on Monday. Eli Bartov, a New York University accounting professor, testified on Dec. 7 that he did not see any evidence of fraud in Trump's family real estate company's financial statements, which New York state's attorney general alleges overstated property values in order to win favorable loan and insurance terms.

Trump would install loyalists to reshape U.S. foreign policy. Diplomats gird for "doomsday"

Donald Trump in a second term would likely install loyalists in key positions in the Pentagon, State Department and CIA whose primary allegiance would be to him, allowing him more freedom than in his first presidency to enact isolationist policies and whims, nearly 20 current and former aides and diplomats said. The result would enable Trump to make sweeping changes to the U.S. stance on issues ranging from the Ukraine war to trade with China, as well as to the federal institutions that implement - and sometimes constrain - foreign policy, the aides and diplomats said.

Egypt's Sisi sweeps to third term as president with 89.6% of vote

Abdel Fattah al-Sisi swept on Monday to a third term as Egypt's president in an election where he faced no serious challengers, calling the vote a rejection of the "inhumane war" in neighbouring Gaza. The election, in which he took 89.6% of the vote according to the National Election Authority, was held as Egypt struggles with a slow-burning economic crisis and tries to manage the risk of spillover from the war adjacent to Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.

Gaza grandfather describes killing of his family by Israeli soldiers

When the Israeli soldiers entered the Gaza school where Yousef Khalil was sleeping near his family, they began shooting indiscriminately, killing nine people including children, he said, pointing to bullet-pocked, bloodstained walls. His account, which Israel's military says it is looking into, comes after the killing of three hostages escaping Hamas in Gaza raised new questions over Israel's rules of engagement in a war that has proven unusually deadly for civilians.

North Korea says it conducted Hwasong-18 ICBM test launch

North Korea said on Tuesday it had launched a Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Monday as a drill to confirm the war readiness of its nuclear deterrence force in the face of mounting hostility by the United States. State news agency KCNA said the country's leader Kim Jong Un watched the launch of the ICBM at the site. The missile reached the altitude of 6,518 km (4,050 miles), flying 1,002 km (623 miles) and accurately hitting the intended target, KCNA said.

Australians assess flood damages from cyclone as rescue efforts ramp up

Residents in Australia's northeast on Tuesday took stock of flood damages from former Tropical Cyclone Jasper and authorities accelerated efforts to rescue people stranded in remote towns as rivers stayed above dangerous levels. Jasper made landfall last week as a category 2 storm, three rungs below the most dangerous wind speed level, in the far north of Queensland state, home to several resorts along the world-famous Great Barrier Reef.

US-led force to patrol Red Sea in response to attacks by Houthis backing Palestinians

Several countries have agreed to jointly carry out patrols in the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden to try to safeguard commercial shipping against attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. The Iran-aligned group says the aim of its missile and drone attacks is to support the Palestinians as Israel and Hamas wage war in the Gaza Strip. On Monday, Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi politburo, told Al Jazeera that his group will be able to confront any coalition formed by the United States that could deploy to the Red Sea.

Texas to arrest migrants crossing border illegally under new state law

Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Monday signed a law allowing state law enforcement to arrest people suspected of crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, giving local officers powers long delegated to the U.S. government in a move likely to trigger legal challenges. The law, known as SB 4, will take effect in March and create a new state crime for illegal entry or re-entry into Texas, with penalties ranging from 180 days in jail to 20 years in prison. Texas magistrate judges will be required to order migrants to return to Mexico, with up to 20-year sentences for those who refuse to comply.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)