Following is a abstract of present world information briefs.

Former Hong Kong independence group chief seeks asylum in Britain

The former chief of a Hong Kong pro-independence group, who was sentenced in 2021 to jail underneath a nationwide safety legislation imposed by China, stated on Thursday he had fled to Britain and formally utilized for political asylum. WHY IT’S IMPORTANT

Displaced Gazans flee once more as Israel launches contemporary tank, air assaults

Tens of hundreds of newly displaced Gazans huddled underneath tarpaulins on Friday within the centre of the enclave after fleeing the newest offensive by Israeli tanks, whereas warplanes focused the south, flattening properties and burying households as they slept. Israel is closing the yr with new assaults in central and southern Gaza, unleashing a contemporary exodus of individuals already pushed from different areas, in what Defence Minister Yoav Gallant referred to as an important stage of its mission to destroy Hamas.

India’s far-right cow vigilantes bolster clout earlier than high-stake elections

Vishnu Dabad attributes his rise from poverty to highly effective native politician to an animal: the cow. The 30-year-old is certainly one of many Gau Rakshaks, or cow protectors: activists who’ve taken Indian legal guidelines banning cattle slaughter and beef consumption into their very own fingers since Prime Minister Narendra Modi got here to energy in 2014 on the head of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Russia launches huge missile assault on Ukraine, 12 useless – Kyiv

Russia on Friday unleashed certainly one of its greatest missile assaults on Ukraine of the struggle to date, killing 12 civilians, wounding dozens extra and hitting residential buildings in Kyiv, the south and west of the nation, officers stated. Ten individuals in Kyiv had been trapped underneath rubble at a warehouse broken by falling particles, the town’s army administration stated. A maternity ward was broken within the metropolis of Dnipro, however no casualties had been reported, the governor stated.

Iran executes 4 accused of sabotage, hyperlinks to Israel’s Mossad

Iran executed on Friday 4 individuals, together with a lady, whom it accused of being “saboteurs” with hyperlinks to Israel’s Mossad intelligence service, the Mizan information company affiliated to the judiciary stated. The executions took to 5 the variety of individuals put to loss of life this month in a decades-long shadow struggle that has seen Iran accuse Israel of assaults on its nuclear effort, prices the latter has by no means confirmed or denied.

In Nigeria and far of Africa, Catholic same-sex {couples} see no blessings quickly

Nigerian Catholic couple Jane and Lucy have little hope their native parish church will bless their same-sex union anytime quickly, as conservative clergymen throughout Africa select to disregard a landmark Vatican ruling permitting such blessings. Conservative Catholics have condemned the Vatican’s declaration two weeks in the past, which was accepted by Pope Francis, that may enable blessings for same-sex {couples}, so long as they don’t seem to be a part of the common Church rituals or liturgies.

Two killed, 15 injured in Russian strike on Odesa – governor

Two individuals had been killed and a minimum of 15 had been injured, together with two kids, as Russian missiles hit residential buildings within the southern metropolis of Odesa, the regional governor stated.

Conservative Cardinal Burke says he’s ‘nonetheless alive’ after uncommon pope assembly

Conservative American Cardinal Raymond Burke, certainly one of Pope Francis’ fiercest critics, had his first personal viewers with the pontiff in seven years on Friday, a month after the pope stated he was stripping him of a few of his Vatican privileges. Asked by Reuters exterior his residence in Rome if the assembly had gone nicely, Burke responded: “Well, I’m still alive”.

China’s fireworks ban sparks fiery debate forward of Lunar New Year

Chinese lawmakers on Friday weighed in on a fiery on-line debate on whether or not fireworks needs to be used to ring within the Lunar New Year in February, saying a complete ban on pyrotechnics within the nation credited with inventing them can be onerous to implement.

In an unusually frank response, lawmakers stated air air pollution prevention legal guidelines and hearth security rules have led to “differences in understanding” of the ban on fireworks, which was by no means absolute.

In Gaza, rows of white shrouds symbolise mounting civilian deaths

“My life, my eyes, my soul,” a husband writes on the white shroud wrapped round his spouse after the struggle devastating Gaza took her life. A bereaved son writes “my mother and everything” on the burial fabric protecting his mom, one other of the greater than 21,000 Palestinians killed within the Israel-Hamas confrontation.

(With inputs from companies.)