Israeli forces were Sunday readying for a Gaza ground invasion aimed at destroying Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist militant group that led the bloodiest attack in the country's history. In the eight days since Hamas gunmen killed more than 1,300 Israelis in their surprise onslaught, Israel has responded with a devastating bombing campaign that has claimed over 2,300 lives in Gaza. Entire Gaza city blocks lie in ruins and hospitals are overflowing with thousands of wounded in the besieged territory, but there were fears that the worst is yet to come.

SEE HOW THE ISRAELIS ARE PREPARING TO STORM INTO GAZA

Russian President Vladimir Putin heads to China this week to meet his "dear friend" Xi Jinping, forging ties in a key strategic relationship in which experts say Moscow is increasingly the junior partner. Beijing is hosting representatives of 130 countries on Tuesday to mark a decade of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) -- a key geopolitical project for Xi to extend China's global reach. But all eyes will be on Putin, who "gladly accepted" Xi's invitation to visit China for the BRI talking shop.

HOW RUSSIA IS GROWING EVER MORE DEPENDENT ON CHINA

The International Olympic Committee is looking at creating an Olympic eSports Games, IOC president Thomas Bach announced during the opening ceremony of the 141st IOC session in Mumbai. Bach noted there are three billion people playing eSports and gaming around the world. Estimates say over a half billion of those are interested specifically in eSports, which include virtual sports and sport simulations.

SEE WHICH ESPORTS COULD LAND IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES

What was the first team sport to be featured at the Olympic Games?

Friday's answer: Former President Ronald Reagan served as the president of the SAG union during the last big actors strike in 1960.