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Hi, I'm VOA's Alexis Strope with your worldwide news update.
Palestinian militant group Hamas published a video of an Israeli-American hostage on Saturday in which he pleads for U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to secure his release from captivity. The family of 20-year-old hostage soldier Idan Alexander declined to comment but permitted the video to be published. Alexander was abducted to Gaza during the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas on southern Israel. The video shows a pale-looking Alexander sitting in a dark space against a wall, identifying himself, addressing his family, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump. It is unclear whether his statement was scripted by his captors. Netanyahu said in a statement that the video was "cruel psychological warfare" and that he had told Alexander's family in a phone call that Israel was working tirelessly to bring the hostages home. The Israeli military said on Saturday it had killed a militant who took part in the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel and who said it was employed by a U.S.-based charity, World Central Kitchen, in Gaza. Reuters correspondent Alex Cohen has more. The family of the man said the Israeli allegations were false and meant to justify his unlawful killing. The military said he took part in an attack on a kibbutz in southern Israel but did not offer any evidence. Reuters could not independently verify the details. The official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that three employees of World Central Kitchen were killed when an Israeli strike targeted a vehicle in southern Gaza. Medics said five people were killed overall. In a social media post, World Central Kitchen confirmed the strike and said it had no knowledge of an employee involved in the October 7 attack. The charity said it was pausing operations in Gaza, adding that it was working with incomplete information and urgently seeking more details. Hamas did not immediately comment. That was Reuters correspondent Alex Cohen. This is VOA News. The U.N.'s nuclear watchdog says Iran will again be working on uranium enrichment. AP correspondent Mimmi Montgomery reports. The International Atomic Energy Agency, a U.N. watchdog, says Iran will start enriching uranium using thousands of advanced centrifuges at two nuclear facilities. This raises further tension over Tehran's program as it enriches at near weapons-grade levels. The notice from the IAEA only mentions enriching uranium with the new centrifuges to 5 percent purity. That's far lower than the 60 percent it currently does and likely signals Iran wants to negotiate with the West and the incoming Trump administration. It remains unclear how Trump will approach Iran. But in 2018, he withdrew America from Iran's nuclear deal, setting in motion a series of attacks and incidents across the Middle East. I'm Mimmi Montgomery. Protesters have gathered across Georgia in a third straight night of demonstrations against the government's decision to suspend negotiations to join the European Union. The third night protests were held Saturday. More than 100 demonstrators were arrested as crowds clashed with police Friday night. The Associated Press saw protesters in Tbilisi being chased and beaten by police as demonstrators rallied in front of the country's parliament building. The violence follows the ruling Georgian Dream party's disputed victory in the country's October 26 election. It was widely seen as a referendum on the country's aspirations to join the European Union. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Saturday he discussed the border, trade and energy in a "very productive meeting" with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau amid fears of a trade war. Reuters correspondent Angela Johnston reports. He made an unannounced visit to Florida on Friday to meet with the U.S. president-elect. There have been heightened fears about a trade war, with Trump pledging to impose 25 percent tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports after he is sworn in as president in January. Trump said discussions with Trudeau about the border, trade and energy were "very productive." In a post on Truth social, he said they also talked about the deadly opioid fentanyl and immigration. Trump wants to use tariffs to get two of the U.S.'s biggest trading partners to help stem the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S. and migrants crossing illegally into the country. Trump has said tariffs on trading partners will help protect U.S. manufacturers and boost domestic job growth. That was Reuters correspondent Angela Johnston. Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te has arrived in Hawaii for a two-day transit in the U.S. as part of a trip to the South Pacific. The stopover in Hawaii and one planned for the territory of Guam have drawn fierce criticism from China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory. China objects to official exchanges between Taiwan and the U.S., the island's biggest backer and military provider. Lai left on a week-long trip to the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau, three diplomatic allies of the self-governed island. It's unclear whether Lai will meet with any members of the incoming Trump administration. That wraps up this update, but the world and news never stop. For additional updates, visit our website. I'm Alexis Strope, VOA News. |