Reuters World News Summary

Yellen, speaking to reporters after a broadband event in rural Fredericksburg, Virginia, said she and other U.S. officials had made clear to China they could reconfigure tariffs first imposed under former President Donald Trump to be more strategic, but that any changes would be narrowly targeted. Israeli forces press Gaza offensive from north and south Israeli forces pushed deep into the ruins of Gaza's northern edge on Monday to recapture an area from Hamas fighters, while in the south tanks and troops pushed across a highway into Rafah, leaving Palestinian civilians scrambling to find safety.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Analysis-Surprise pick as Russia’s defence minister is tough-talking economist and Putin ally

With zero military experience, Andrei Belousov, a wiry white-haired economist and Orthodox churchgoer who enjoys rock climbing, seems an odd pick to be Russia's new defence minister at a time when Moscow is waging war against Ukraine. But six sources, some of whom have worked with Belousov, described a tough-talking and professional government insider who once led a campaign to wring more money out of big business for the state, proving he had sharp enough elbows to navigate the system.

Sirens sound for the dead and for rockets on Israeli Memorial Day

Memorial sirens for generations of Israeli war dead sounded on Monday while air raid sirens warned of incoming shells from the conflict triggered by the Oct. 7 Hamas attack. Traffic slowed to a standstill for the traditional two-minute silence for Israel's annual Memorial Day, observed the day before Independence Day.

Interactive Israeli exhibition tells Oct 7 survivor stories

Noam Ben David, 27-year-old survivor of the Nova Music Festival, hid in a garbage container for five hours on Oct. 7, after seeing Hamas gunmen kill her partner. Seven months later, she has been released from hospital, but many of her wounds, she said, have not healed.

US to force China-linked firm to sell land near US missile silos

The White House on Monday gave a Chinese-linked company and its partners 120 days to sell property they had bought near a U.S. Air Force base in Wyoming that is home to part of the U.S. nuclear arsenal, citing fears of spying. The move comes as the United States has become increasingly concerned about the national security risks posed by Chinese-led purchases of American property near sensitive military sites.

Former US military intelligence official says he resigned over Gaza war

A former U.S. military intelligence official released a letter on Monday that explained to his colleagues at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) that his November resignation was in fact due to "moral injury" stemming from U.S. support for Israel's war in Gaza and the harm caused to Palestinians. Harrison Mann, an Army major, would be the first known DIA official to quit over U.S. support to Israel. A U.S. airman fatally set himself on fire in February outside Israel's embassy in Washington and other military personnel have protested.

Russia widens Kharkiv front in Ukraine with small assault groups, governor says

Russia pressed its ground assault into the north of Ukraine's Kharkiv region on Monday, attacking new areas with small groups to try to widen the front and stretch Ukrainian forces, the regional governor said. Moscow's troops entered Ukraine near its second largest city of Kharkiv on Friday, opening a new, northeastern front in a war that has for almost two years been largely fought in the east and south. The advance could draw some of Kyiv's depleted forces away from the east, where Russia has been slowly advancing.

Yellen says Chinese response possible on expected US tariff action

The United States could see a significant response from China following any U.S. tariff actions, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Monday ahead of expected new tariffs targeting certain sectors this week. Yellen, speaking to reporters after a broadband event in rural Fredericksburg, Virginia, said she and other U.S. officials had made clear to China they could reconfigure tariffs first imposed under former President Donald Trump to be more strategic, but that any changes would be narrowly targeted.

Israeli forces press Gaza offensive from north and south

Israeli forces pushed deep into the ruins of Gaza's northern edge on Monday to recapture an area from Hamas fighters, while in the south tanks and troops pushed across a highway into Rafah, leaving Palestinian civilians scrambling to find safety. Some of the most intense fighting for weeks is raging in both the north and south. Israeli operations in Rafah, which borders Egypt, have closed a main crossing point for aid. Humanitarian groups say this has worsened an already dire situation.

Tunisian police storm lawyers' headquarters and arrest another lawyer

Tunisian police stormed the bar association's headquarters for the second time in two days and arrested a lawyer, witnesses said on Monday, after detaining two journalists as well as another lawyer critical of the president over the weekend. A live broadcast on media website TUNMEDIA showed videos of broken glass doors and toppled chairs while the police arrested the lawyer Mahdi Zagrouba and other lawyers screamed in the background. Zagrouba is a prominent lawyer known for his opposition to President Kais Saied.

Top Biden official doubts Israel can achieve 'total victory' in Gaza

The Biden administration does not see it likely or possible that Israel will achieve "total victory" in defeating Hamas in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said on Monday. While U.S. officials have urged Israel to help devise a clear plan for the governance post-war Gaza, Campbell's comments are the clearest to date from a top U.S. official effectively admitting that Israel's current military strategy won't bring the result that it is aiming for.