Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar killed, Israel says

In in the present day’s e-newsletter:

• Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar killed in Gaza

• Huge Chinese language navy drills gas alarm in Taiwan

• Playing hub Macau’s new Beijing-backed chief

Good morning. Israel mentioned yesterday it had killed Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar, the architect of final yr’s October 7 assault which triggered the deadliest struggle within the historical past of the Israeli-Palestinian battle.

Sinwar’s loss of life is a pivotal second within the yr of preventing, delivering a extreme blow to the Palestinian militant group and a symbolic victory to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Israel Protection Forces mentioned Sinwar had been killed on Wednesday by troopers from its southern command within the south of the Gaza Strip, with out giving additional particulars. Hamas didn’t instantly verify Sinwar’s loss of life.

Netanyahu hailed Sinwar’s loss of life as a “victory of good over evil” and “the beginning of the day after Hamas” rule in Gaza, including these militants nonetheless holding Israeli hostages within the enclave now had a chance to launch them and be allowed to stay.

The IDF, outlining how Sinwar was situated and killed, mentioned he was noticed by probability on Wednesday by its forces. Right here’s what occurred throughout the pursuit of the Hamas chief.

• ‘Dead man walking’: After greater than a yr, the relentless seek for Yahya Sinwar, Israel’s most needed man, lastly led to a bombed-out constructing within the south of the Gaza Strip.

Right here’s what else I’m conserving tabs on in the present day:

• Financial information: China publicizes third-quarter GDP together with the September home value index and retail gross sales. Japan releases its September inflation information.

• UK-China relations: UK overseas secretary David Lammy meets his Chinese language counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing. Lammy will elevate issues over human rights and China’s help for Russia, in response to individuals accustomed to his plans.

How effectively did you retain up with the information this week? Take our quiz.

5 extra prime tales

1. China’s present of drive round Taiwan in a day of large navy workouts has fuelled alarm in Taipei. A senior Taiwanese nationwide safety official known as for different democracies to push again tougher towards Beijing after China deployed a file variety of warplanes round Taiwan on Monday.

2. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has mentioned that he has intelligence reviews that 10,000 North Korean troopers are getting ready to enter the struggle on the aspect of Russia. The White Home mentioned yesterday it couldn’t independently verify the reviews, however Nationwide Safety Council spokesperson John Kirby described them as “concerning”.

3. Alimentation Couche-Tard’s proposed $47bn buyout of Seven & i is a greater deal and fewer dangerous than its goal’s break-up plan, the Canadian retailer’s chief mentioned in Tokyo as he urged the Japanese group to begin talks. Couche-Tard executives are in Japan to attempt to transfer their supply ahead, and mentioned they needed the prospect to debate their bid with authorities officers who must evaluate any deal.

4. China plans to nearly double credit score help for a particular group of housing initiatives to Rmb4tn ($562bn) as a part of official efforts to reinvigorate its property sector and switch across the financial system. China’s housing minister mentioned the brand new funds must be deployed by the top of the yr. Study extra concerning the so-called whitelist of initiatives which might be eligible to obtain financing.

5. Meta has fired about two dozen workers in Los Angeles for utilizing their $25 meal credit to purchase home goods together with pimples pads, wine glasses and laundry detergent. The terminations happened final week, simply days earlier than the social media firm individually started restructuring sure groups throughout WhatsApp, Instagram and Actuality Labs, its augmented and digital actuality arm.

Information in-depth

The following chief of playing hub Macau is a Beijing-backed former prime decide who has beforehand warned towards the “wild” growth of the gaming sector. Sam Hou Fai was elected unopposed on Sunday by a range committee stacked with pro-Beijing politicians and businesspeople. Analysts mentioned the territory’s playing sector is ready to return below additional strain from China when Sam takes workplace in December.

We’re additionally studying . . . 

Chart of the day

Synthetic intelligence is being marshalled in a number of fields to alleviate issues in a number of the world’s poorest nations — in Zambia to assist enhance medical diagnostics, in Kenya to allow farmers to establish crop illness and in Ethiopia to tailor training supplies to pupils’ wants. However some worry the technological rush will deepen a digital divide.

Take a break from the information

Italian vogue group Prada and the US aerospace start-up Axiom House yesterday unveiled the spacesuits that may take astronauts to the Moon on Nasa’s upcoming Artemis III mission. Right here’s extra on the not-very-fashionable however extremely engineered 200kg-plus gender-neutral white extravehicular mobility unit spacesuit.

Further contributions from Gordon Smith and Irwin Cruz