Herald section
The latest reporting from across the Belfast Herald news desks.
The US-funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network withdrew a report claiming famine in northern Gaza after the US envoy to Israel disputed its population estimates, citing outdated figures and methodological flaws.
Israeli airstrikes hit al-Mawasi, a designated safe zone in Gaza, killing at least seven people. Further attacks across the Strip killed at least 43 others, including in a school and displaced persons' camps.
All flights in and out of Belfast City Airport are cancelled after an Aer Lingus plane is forced to make an emergency landing during strong winds.
Israeli strikes across Gaza killed at least 28 people, including children, in attacks on a school and residential buildings, according to Palestinian rescuers.
Puntland region of Somalia plans to introduce a new regional currency in 2025, following its shift to the US dollar in 2021 due to Somali shilling inflation. The move reflects ongoing economic fragmentation and federal tensions.
A missile launched from Yemen struck the Tel Aviv-Jaffa area, injuring sixteen people, with the Israeli military reporting interception and shrapnel damage to a nearby school.
The United States Senate passed a funding bill, which President Joe Biden signed into law on 21 December 2024, averting a government shutdown. The measure extends funding through 14 March and includes disaster relief and aid for farmers.
