DolphinMath

Feb 7 (Reuters) - Russia's economy rebounded sharply from a slump in 2022, annual data showed on Wednesday, but the growth relies heavily on state-funded arms and ammunition production and masks problems that are hampering an improvement in Russians' living standards.

Palestinian gunmen kept up attacks against Israeli forces on Sunday in the Gaza Strip's two main cities, weeks after they were overrun by troops and tanks, in a sign Hamas still maintains some control ahead of any potential truce.

Nearly four months into the war triggered by the Palestinian Islamist group's deadly cross-border rampage in Israel, there was persistent fighting in Gaza City in the north of the densely populated enclave, and in Khan Younis to the south.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Israel on Friday to take action to prevent acts of genocide as it wages war against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip but stopped short of calling for an immediate ceasefire.

The top United Nations court for handling disputes between states was ruling in a case brought by South Africa.

Here are key takeaways from the decision.

Unidentified gunmen killed nine Pakistani workers in a restive southeastern border area of Iran on Saturday, Pakistan's ambassador and Iranian state media said, amid efforts by the two countries to mend ties after tit-for-tat attacks.

"Deeply shocked by horrifying killing of 9 Pakistanis in Saravan. Embassy will extend full support to bereaved families," the Pakistani ambassador to Tehran, Muhammad Mudassir Tipu, said on the X platform. "We called upon Iran to extend full cooperation in the matter."

Iranian state media said police were looking for the three gunmen who escaped after the shooting.

TEL AVIV—Growing numbers of Western countries suspended aid to the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees Saturday after allegations that a dozen of its staff took part in the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel that killed some 1,200 people, the biggest single loss of Jewish life since the Holocaust. 

The U.K., Finland and Italy all paused funding to the United National Relief and Works Agency a day after the agency said it was investigating information it had received from Israel’s government that some of the agency’s staff took part in the attacks. The U.S., UNRWA’s biggest donor, as well as Canada and Australia had said Friday they would suspend aid to the agency pending an investigation. 

Russian energy company Novatek (NVTK.MM) said on Sunday it had been forced to suspend some operations at a huge Baltic Sea fuel export terminal due to a fire started by what Ukrainian media said was a drone attack.

The giant Ust-Luga complex, located on the Gulf of Finland about 170 km (110 miles) west of St. Petersburg, is used to ship oil and gas products to international markets. It processes stable gas condensate - a type of light oil - into light and heavy naphtha, kerosene and diesel to be shipped by sea.

It was not clear how long the disruption would last, how many tankers would have to idle outside the port, and what the knock-on effect would be on international energy markets.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday rejected conditions presented by Hamas to end the war and release hostages that would include Israel's complete withdrawal and leaving Hamas in power in Gaza.

As Israeli planes resumed bombing Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters the Israeli leader's refusal to end the military offensive in Gaza "means there is no chance for the return of the (Israeli) captives."

"In exchange for the release of our hostages, Hamas demands the end of the war, the withdrawal of our forces from Gaza, the release of all the murderers and rapists," Netanyahu said in a statement. "And leaving Hamas intact."

Taiwan's defence ministry said it had detected six more Chinese balloons flying over the Taiwan Strait on Sunday, one of which crossed the island, the latest in a spate of such balloons the ministry says it has seen over the past month-and-a-half.

The ministry earlier this month, in a strongly worded statement, accused China of threatening aviation safety and waging psychological warfare on the island's people with the balloons, days before Taiwan's Jan. 13 elections.

Many Mexicans find it difficult to square recent mass shootings with official statistics showing that homicides are on the decline.

SEOUL—The head of South Korea’s opposition party was stabbed in the neck during a Tuesday visit to the port city of Busan.

Lee Jae-myung, the 59-year-old leader of South Korea’s Democratic Party, remained conscious after being attacked by a male assailant, who was arrested at the scene, according to South Korea’s semiofficial Yonhap News Agency. Blood could be seen on his shirt collar. Lee was transported to a hospital in Busan within 20 minutes of getting attacked, Yonhap reported. 

Hong Kong pro-democracy tycoon Jimmy Lai pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to all charges against him in a high-profile national security trial that could see the city's leading critic of the Chinese Communist Party jailed for life.

Israeli forces expanded their military operations in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, intensifying efforts to kill Hamas’s top leadership, as aid agencies said the areas to which Israel has directed Palestinians to evacuate were increasingly overcrowded, short on resources and hit by Israeli strikes.

A Hamas political delegation was headed to Cairo on Friday to discuss a deal proposed by Egypt to end the war, a plan that neither side has agreed to so far, Egyptian officials said. Israel said negotiations on the deal, which would free hostages held by Hamas, were under way.