Zelensky sacks key aide as pressure on him grows

Ukrainian domestic politics face turmoil as President Zelensky dismisses a senior official amid ongoing anti-corruption raids, while former defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov’s calls for wartime elections gain little traction. In the Middle East, Israel has initiated bids for over 1,000 new homes in the occupied West Bank, further complicating regional stability. Meanwhile, Gaza’s humanitarian crisis deepens with over 70,000 deaths and thousands missing, including individuals potentially held in Israeli detention. On a positive note, research indicates London’s ultra-low emission zone has significantly accelerated lung growth in children previously exposed to pollution. Global events also include the recovery of a SpaceX rocket off Christmas Island, the premature conclusion of US-South Korean military exercises, and a severe malnutrition crisis in Somalia, where aid cuts threaten to leave 1.9 million children at risk.