US warship downs incoming missile fired from Yemen: Military

• Several shipping firms have diverted from the Red Sea, instead taking the longer and more expensive route around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.
• Maritime monitoring agencies meanwhile said two missiles exploded in waters south of Yemen on Friday, though it was unclear if those reports were related to the incident.

Apple to make changes to App Store in Europe

• The changes expected to take place in March will curtail the dominance of the App Store
• The company said on Thursday the Digital Markets Act has created "privacy and security risks"

South Africa’s genocide case against Israel explained

• South Africa has asked the ICJ to impose nine orders on Israel, including to immediately suspend military activity and to enable more humanitarian access to Gaza.
• The court could order all nine of the orders, none of them, or even make up its own completely different orders.

UN court says Israel must prevent genocidal acts in Gaza

• South Africa brought the case before the ICJ, saying Israel violated the UN Genocide Convention.
• The court rulings are binding on all parties, but it has no mechanism to enforce them.

Son faces Saudis, Palestine make history in Asian Cup last 16

• The tournament has been whittled down from 24 teams to 16 but trying to predict who lifts the trophy on February 10 looks more difficult than ever
• Japan came to Qatar as favourites and looking to win the title for a record-extending fifth time, but they reached the knockout phase as only runners-up in their group behind Iraq

Indians queue for Israel jobs as war in Gaza rages

• Recruiters are aiming to fill a labour shortage in Israel exacerbated by nearly four months of fighting against Palestinian fighters in Gaza
• For the hundreds of Indians in line, almost all men, the chance of a skilled construction job in Israel - and wages up to 18 times higher - outweighs their fears

Alaska Airlines to take US$150m hit

• The airline's financial hit is the latest ripple effect from the episode, which prompted regulators to ground 171 MAX 9 planes
• With 65 planes affected by the grounding, Alaska Airlines expects to bring the jets back into service beginning Friday

CIA chief heading to Europe for Gaza negotiations: US media

French court censures parts of controversial immigration law

• The bill is a flagship reform of President Macron's second term but its text, hardened under pressure from the right, caused a revolt among ruling party's lawmakers.
• Around a quarter of the 251 lawmakers in Macron's camp voted against the bill or abstained, and several left-wing ministers have registered their opposition to the bill.

US economy defy expectations to grow stronger in Q4 2023

• The US economy expanded at an annual rate of 3.3 percent in the fourth quarter, fueled by a resilient jobs market and consumer spending, the Commerce Department said
• The fourth quarter GDP jump "reflected increases in consumer spending, exports, state and local government spending" and other areas, it added