Reuters World News Summary

"Israel is on a trajectory potentially to inherit an insurgency with many armed Hamas fighters left or if it leaves a vacuum filled by chaos, filled by anarchy and probably refilled by Hamas," Blinken said on NBC's Meet the Press. Factbox-Who is Andrei Belousov, Putin's choice as defence minister? Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a surprise new defence minister, nominating civilian Andrei Belousov, a former deputy prime minister who specialises in economics, for the job more than two years into the Ukraine war, the Kremlin said.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Israel lacks 'credible plan' to safeguard Rafah civilians, says Blinken

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday said Israel lacked a "credible plan" to protect some 1.4 million Palestinian civilians in Rafah and warned an Israeli attack could create an insurgency by failing to kill all Hamas fighters in the southern Gaza city. "Israel is on a trajectory potentially to inherit an insurgency with many armed Hamas fighters left or if it leaves a vacuum filled by chaos, filled by anarchy and probably refilled by Hamas," Blinken said on NBC's Meet the Press.

Factbox-Who is Andrei Belousov, Putin's choice as defence minister?

Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a surprise new defence minister, nominating civilian Andrei Belousov, a former deputy prime minister who specialises in economics, for the job more than two years into the Ukraine war, the Kremlin said. Below are some facts about Andrei Removich Belousov:

Former US Marine pilot arrested in Australia worked with Chinese hacker, lawyer says

A former U.S. Marine pilot fighting extradition from Australia on U.S. charges of training Chinese military pilots to land on aircraft carriers, unknowingly worked with a Chinese hacker, his lawyer said. Daniel Duggan, 55, a naturalised Australian citizen, feared requests by Western intelligence agencies for sensitive information were putting his family at risk, the lawyer said in a legal filing seen by Reuters.

Russian forces bear down on Ukraine border town in Kharkiv region

Russian forces attacking Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region were engaged in fighting on the outskirts of the border town of Vovchansk, Kyiv's troops said on Sunday, as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy described heavy fighting there and in the east. Moscow troops entered into the Kharkiv region on Friday, opening a northeastern front in the 27-month war that has long been waged in the south and east. Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city, is 30 km (18 miles) from the Russian border.

Georgian PM vows to pass 'foreign agent' bill next week after thousands protest

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze vowed on Sunday to push ahead with a law on "foreign agents" that has sparked a political crisis, after opponents of the bill rallied in one of the largest protests seen since independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Kobakhidze told a televised briefing that the ruling Georgian Dream party would secure passage of the bill in a third reading this week, and threatened protesters with prosecution if they resort to violence.

Turkey's Erdogan says U.S., Europe not doing enough to pressure Israel into Gaza truce

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that the United States and European countries were not doing enough to pressure Israel to agree a ceasefire in Gaza, after Palestinian militant group Hamas' move to accept a truce proposal. Turkey has denounced Israel's attacks on Gaza, called for an immediate ceasefire, and criticised what it calls unconditional support for Israel by the West.

Analysis-Before global scrutiny, Indian spice maker MDH faced many US rejections

Popular Indian spice brand MDH, under scrutiny for alleged contamination in some products, has since 2021 seen an average 14.5% of its U.S. shipments rejected due to the presence of bacteria, a Reuters analysis of U.S. regulatory data found. Hong Kong suspended sales last month of three spice blends made by MDH and one by another Indian company, Everest, for apparently containing high levels of a cancer-causing pesticide. Ethylene oxide is unfit for human consumption and a cancer risk with long exposure.

Israel pushes back into northern Gaza, ups military pressure on Rafah

Israel sent tanks into eastern Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip on Sunday after a night of heavy aerial and ground bombardments, killing 19 people and wounding dozens of others, Palestinian health officials said. The death toll in Israel's military operation in Gaza has now passed at least 35,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry. The bombardment has laid waste to the coastal enclave and caused a deep humanitarian crisis.

Exclusive-Before arrest in Russia, US soldier's relationship with Russian girlfriend turned bloody, wife says

Months before his arrest in Russia, U.S. Army soldier Gordon Black made a surprise video call from his overseas tour in South Korea to his 6-year-old daughter in Texas. Instead of a normal chat, however, his daughter and wife witnessed a fight break out between Black and his Russian girlfriend that became bloody, said his wife, Megan. Screaming turned to violence, with his girlfriend clawing at his face. Then she pulled a knife.

Putin taps economist to run defence, replacing Shoigu in unexpected move

Russian President Vladimir Putin tapped a civilian economist as his surprise new defence minister on Sunday in an attempt to gird Russia for economic war by trying to better utilise the defence budget and harness greater innovation to win in Ukraine. More than two years into the conflict, which has cost both sides heavy casualties, Putin proposed Andrei Belousov, a 65-year-old former deputy prime minister who specialises in economics, to replace his long-term ally, Sergei Shoigu, 68, as defence minister.