World News Roundup: Congo opposition candidates call for street protests and election rerun; Israeli government approves appointment of new foreign minister; North Korea to launch new satellites, build drones, calling war inevitable and more

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Struggling Caracas restaurants, bars offer tour to boost sales

Several bars and restaurants in Venezuela's capital Caracas are offering an eight-hour tour where customers visit each establishment in a bid to boost low sales at a time of persistent inflation. The so-called "Route of Pagan Temples" takes diners through two restaurants and seven bars in the city in a tour which has been organized by the businesses involved.

Congo opposition candidates call for street protests and election rerun

A group of opposition presidential candidates in the Democratic Republic of Congo asked supporters on Sunday to take to the streets to protest after provisional results of the disputed election are released. Congo's election commission is due on Sunday to release full provisional results from the Dec. 20 presidential election. The opposition has alleged widespread irregularities, which they say have enabled fraud.

Israeli government approves appointment of new foreign minister

The Israeli government on Sunday approved the appointment of a new foreign minister to replace Eli Cohen, who will become energy minister as part of a pre-arranged ministerial rotation, a government statement said. The appointments are subject to Israeli parliamentary approval.

Final bodies found after China's most serious earthquake in a decade

The bodies of the two remaining people missing in the aftermath of China's most serious earthquake in nearly a decade were found on Sunday, a tragedy that has renewed concern over exposed populations in seismically active zones. That raises official fatalities from the magnitude 6.2 quake that rocked the northwestern provinces of Qinghai and Gansu almost two weeks ago to 151. The final bodies were found in Qinghai at 1:16 a.m. (1716 GMT Saturday), state media reported.

Israeli jets pound central Gaza as Netanyahu indicates longer war

Israeli jets intensified attacks on central Gaza on Sunday, residents and medics said, as battles raged through the rubble of towns and refugee camps in a war that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said would take "many more months" to end. Netanyahu's comments signal no let up in a campaign that has killed many thousands and levelled much of Gaza, while his vow to restore Israeli control over the enclave's border with Egypt raises new questions over an eventual two-state solution.

Israel ready to let ships bring aid to Gaza's shores - minister

Israel is prepared to let ships deliver aid to the war-ravaged Gaza Strip "immediately" as part of a proposed sea corridor from Cyprus, the Israeli foreign minister said on Sunday, naming four European countries as potential participants. Under the arrangement first suggested by Nicosia in November, cargo would undergo security inspection in the Cypriot port of Larnaca before being ferried to the Gaza coast, 370 km (230 miles) away, rather than through neighbouring Egypt or Israel.

North Korea to launch new satellites, build drones, calling war inevitable

North Korea vowed to launch three new spy satellites, build military drones, and boost its nuclear arsenal in 2024 as leader Kim Jong Un said U.S. policy is making war inevitable, state media reported on Sunday. Kim lashed out at Washington in lengthy remarks wrapping up five days of ruling party meetings that set economic, military and foreign policy goals for the coming year.

Australia thunderstorms raise risk of flash flooding

Parts of Australia's east face severe thunderstorms for the second straight day on Sunday, the weather bureau warned, with heavy rains raising the risk of dangerous flash flooding. In the last 24 hours, a wild weather system across the southeastern regions of Queensland and northern New South Wales has produced torrential rains, hailstones as big as 5 cm (2 inches) and wind gusts close to 100 kph (62 mph).

Russia pounds Kharkiv with missiles and drones, Ukraine says

Russia pounded the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv with missiles and drones in the hours leading into New Year's Eve, Ukrainian officials said, hours after Moscow accused Kyiv of carrying out a deadly air assault just across the border on nearby Belgorod. In the first wave of Russia's attacks, at least six missiles hit Kharkiv, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said on Sunday, injuring at least 28 people and hitting residential buildings, hotels and medical facilities.

Kharkiv strikes were retaliation for Ukraine's Belgorod attack, Russia says

Russia on Sunday said it attacked military facilities in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv overnight, including a hotel housing military commanders and "foreign mercenaries", in response to Ukraine's strikes on Belgorod the previous day. Kharkiv officials had said that at least six missiles hit Ukraine's second city, injuring at least 28 people and damaging residential buildings, hotels and medical facilities, followed by waves of drone attacks on housing blocks.

(With inputs from agencies.)