September 4, 2024

Daily News Brief

*) More polio vaccines arrive in Gaza: Palestinian Health Ministry A new shipment of polio vaccines totalling 350,000 doses has arrived in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. It came as the vaccination campaign in the enclave continued amid a devastating Israeli war. The second batch of vaccines brings the total number of doses received by Gaza to around 1.6 million. *) US says 'time to finalise' Gaza truce deal as protests continue in Israel The United States has called for urgency and flexibility to finalise an agreement between Israel and Hamas for a truce in Gaza. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters the United States will work "over the coming days" with mediators Egypt and Qatar "to push for a final agreement." The deaths of six hostages in besieged Gaza has sparked massive protests in Israel and a general strike against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. *) Dozens killed, scores wounded in Russian strike on Ukraine's Poltava: Kiev Two ballistic missiles have blasted a military training facility and a nearby hospital in Ukraine. At least 50 people were killed and more than 200 others wounded, according to Ukrainian officials. It was one of the deadliest Russian strikes since the war began. The strike hit the central-eastern city of Poltava, partially destroying a building used by the region’s Military Institute of Communications. *) Lebanon's ex-central bank head arrested for alleged embezzlement: official Lebanon's former central bank governor Riad Salameh has been arrested over alleged embezzlement, a judicial official said. The public prosecutor "arrested Salameh after questioning him for three hours on suspicions of embezzlement from the central bank exceeding $40 million". It is the first time Salameh has appeared before Lebanon's judiciary since he left his post of 30 years at the end of July last year without a successor. And finally…. *) ‘Game of Thrones’ props are up for auction After watching eight seasons of the epic saga “Game of Thrones,” fans can now purchase prized memorabilia from the HBO series. They can bid on a slew of costumes, props, set pieces and memorabilia from the hit show that ended in 2019 — including a melted version of the coveted Iron Throne. More than 2,000 items, distributed across 900 lots, will be on the auction block in October through Heritage Auctions.