Reuters World News Summary

This has put them at odds with the rest of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which is urging them to return to democratic rule. Israel seeks full control of Gaza-Egypt border, Netanyahu says Israel must take full control of the Gaza Strip border corridor with Egypt to ensure a "demilitarisation" of the area, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday, as Israel's military pushed deeper into central and southern Gaza.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Burundi's president says gay people should be stoned

Burundi's President Evariste Ndayishimiye has called on citizens to stone gay people, escalating a crackdown on sexual minorities in a country where LGBT people already face social ostracism and jail terms of up to two years if convicted of same-sex offences. "If you want to attract a curse to the country, accept homosexuality," Ndayishimiye said in a question and answer session with journalists and the public held in Burundi's east on Friday.

Analysis-Sweeping Chinese military purge exposes weakness, could widen

A sweeping purge of Chinese generals has weakened the People's Liberation Army, exposing deep-rooted corruption that could take more time to fix and slow Chinese leader Xi Jinping's military modernization drive amid geopolitical tensions, analysts say. China's top lawmakers senior military officers from the national legislative body on Friday, state media reported, a step that typically precedes further punishment for wayward cadres. Many of these were from the Rocket Force - a key arm of the PLA overseeing tactical and nuclear missiles.

Military-led Sahel states rally thousands to support alliance

The prime ministers of Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali on Saturday affirmed their commitment to a shared future under an alliance that has seen the three junta-led countries distance themselves from the larger West African political bloc since their coups. The three neighbouring states are all ruled by military officers who have seized power in coups since 2020. This has put them at odds with the rest of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which is urging them to return to democratic rule.

Israel seeks full control of Gaza-Egypt border, Netanyahu says

Israel must take full control of the Gaza Strip border corridor with Egypt to ensure a "demilitarisation" of the area, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday, as Israel's military pushed deeper into central and southern Gaza. Speaking at a press conference, Netanyahu said: "The Philadelphi Corridor - or to put it more correctly, the southern closing point (of Gaza) - must be in our hands. It must be shut. It is clear that any other arrangement would not ensure the demilitarisation that we seek."

Massive waves on California coast cause flooding, force evacuations

Coastal communities in California faced another day of towering waves and possible flooding on Saturday as officials issued evacuation orders in some areas and warned residents to stay off beaches and coastal roadways. The National Weather Service in Los Angeles forecast significant flooding in low-lying coastal areas with powerful waves and strong rip current posing an "exceptional risk" of drowning and damage to structures like piers and jetties.

Russia says 20 dead after 'indiscriminate' Ukrainian strikes on Belgorod

Russia said 20 people including two children had been killed and 111 injured in "indiscriminate" Ukrainian strikes allegedly including cluster bombs on the Russian provincial capital of Belgorod on Saturday, and vowed to retaliate. The Belgorod region, which adjoins northern Ukraine, has like other Russian border zones suffered shelling and drone attacks all year that authorities have blamed on Ukraine, although none have previously been on such a scale.

US urges appeals court to reject Trump immunity claim in 2020 election case

U.S. prosecutors on Saturday urged a federal appeals court to reject former President Donald Trump's claim that he cannot face criminal charges for seeking to overturn his defeat in the 2020 election. Special Counsel Jack Smith, who is overseeing the prosecution, argued in a court filing that nothing in the U.S. Constitution or American legal tradition supports giving former presidents "absolute immunity" from criminal charges for action taken while in office.

North Korea plans for three more reconnaissance satellites as it sets policy goals

North Korea says policy goals for next year includes launching three additional military reconnaissance satellites and building unmanned aerial vehicles to advance North Korea's military, state media KCNA reported on Sunday. "Based on the experience of successfully launching and operating the first reconnaissance satellite in 2023, the task of launching three additional reconnaissance satellites in 2024 was declared to vigorously promote the development of space science and technology," the report said at a major policy-setting year-end meeting presided by leader Kim Jong Un.

Israeli ex-hostage says she feared being raped by Gaza captor

An Israeli-French woman who was among scores of people taken hostage by Hamas militants has described how she feared being raped by the gunman who watched over her around the clock in the home where he lived with his wife and children in Gaza. Mia Schem, 21, was released in late November under a now-lapsed ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and made headlines while in captivity after the Palestinians released video footage of her undergoing treatment for a bullet wound to the arm.

Twin Russian missile strikes on Kharkiv injure 21, officials say

Twin Russian missile strikes on central Kharkiv on Saturday injured at least 21 people, Ukrainian officials said. The Kharkiv regional chief prosecutor said two boys aged 14 and 16 and a security advisor for a team of German journalists were among those injured. The missiles came from the direction of Belgorod, Russia, he added.

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