Daily News

South Korea’s Constitutional Court has rejected the impeachment of Prime Minister, Han Duck-soo, and reinstated him as acting president. Han took over from President Yoon Suk-yeol, after he was also impeached for his short-lived declaration of martial law in December.

An Israeli air strike has targeted a hospital in southern Gaza, killing a senior Hamas official. An Al Jazeera journalist was standing by to go live outside Nasser Hospital when it was hit. Fire broke out on the second floor of the facility, filling it with smoke. Hamas says a member of the group's political bureau, Ismail Barhoum, was killed in the attack. He had been undergoing treatment at the hospital. A 16-year-old boy was also killed in the strike, while several others were injured.

The Israeli military carried out airstrikes across southern Lebanon, killing at least eight people over two days. A drone strike in Tyre destroyed a residential flat, killing a man and a woman and damaging surrounding buildings. Israel claims it targeted Hezbollah sites, but the strike hit civilian areas, including a gym. The Lebanese-Israeli border remains tense, with frequent Israeli strikes violating a fragile ceasefire. The attacks come amid heightened concerns over the war in Gaza. It's the largest escalation since a ceasefire agreed in November ended most of the cross-border fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. Residents fear the situation could escalate further.

Violence intensifies in the Middle East. Israel bombs Lebanon again and the US carries out fresh attacks on Yemen's Houthis -- all while Israel resumes its genocide in Gaza. With previous fragile ceasefires now shattered, what's the danger of a wider regional conflict?

From rampaging through the occupied West Bank to setting their sights on colonising Gaza, Israel’s settlers wield more power now than ever before. Once unthinkable to many Israelis, their calls to re-establish settlements in the Gaza Strip have entered the mainstream media discussion.

Israeli analyst Ori Goldberg says there are two “points of origin” to consider when looking at Israel’s current strategy on Gaza. “One has to do with the Trump plan, the collective Israeli fantasy … that has been pursued actively by the hard-right government … that is ethnic cleansing, forced – certainly not the voluntary – expulsion of Palestinians outside the Strip,” he told Al Jazeera, referring to the widely criticised proposal by the US president. Goldberg said the plan looks to appease Israeli settlers and give Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz, “who is constantly on the prowl for empty titles, some jurisdiction over the matter should it arise”. The second point of origin concerns the domestic political issues plaguing Netanyahu and the Israeli military Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir. “They’re both looking for redemption. Netanyahu is looking to actively stave off protests that show no sign of weakening against his government,” Goldberg said.

The Health Ministry in Gaza reports that at least 41 people have been killed and 61 wounded in Israeli attacks over the past 24 hours. This brings the total Palestinian death toll since the war began 17 months ago to 50,021, with 113,274 wounded, according to the ministry. Gaza’s Government Media Office reports a higher death toll of over 61,700, stating that thousands missing under the rubble are presumed dead. Israeli forces have also ordered evacuations in Rafah. At least 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, with over 200 taken captive.

The Panama Canal handles 5% of global trade, but now, it's facing political turbulence. President Donald Trump claims the US is being overcharged and alleges Chinese influence, threatening to take the canal back by force. In this Talk to Al Jazeera episode, Panama Canal's administrator, Ricaurte Vasquez, addresses the mounting tensions and defends Panama's sovereignty.

A court in Turkiye has ordered the mayor of Istanbul be formally arrested and jailed, pending trial on charges of corruption. Ekrem Imamoglu denies the accusations and says they're part of a smear campaign. Mass protests have been held nightly in Istanbul and the capital Ankara since he was detained on Wednesday. Supporters came out in spite of a ban on public gatherings. They say the charges against the opposition politician are politically motivated. Imamoglu had also been accused of terrorism, but those charges have been dropped.

The Israeli military has launched more attacks on southern Lebanon. It's killed seven people and injured another 40 since the strikes began on Saturday. Tel Aviv says its air raids on the cities of Tyre and Touline were targeting Hezbollah positions. It's the largest escalation since a ceasefire agreed in November ended most of the cross-border fighting between Israeli troops and Hezbollah.