Briefly

GAZA STRIP

Conflict death toll surpasses 70,000

The Health Ministry in Gaza said on Saturday more than 70,000 people have been killed since the conflict erupted more than two years ago. The milestone comes as a fragile ceasefire largely holds, while both Israel and Hamas accuse each other of violating the terms of the deal. In a statement, the Health Ministry said the death toll from the conflict had risen to 70,100. The latest toll comes as the United Nations marks the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, on Nov 29 each year. "In so many ways, this tragedy has tested the norms and laws that have guided the international community for generations," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement.

DPRK

Air force to receive new strategic assets

The top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea said on Friday that the Korean People's

Army air force "will be given new strategic military assets and entrusted with a new important duty", the Korean Central News Agency reported on Sunday. Kim Jong-un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, made the statement during events celebrating the air force's 80th anniversary. He emphasized the high expectations placed on the air force, highlighting its role in nuclear deterrence and its duty to counter espionage and military provocations threatening the DPRK's airspace.

Agencies - Xinhua