Israel carried out an airstrike on a Hamas militant in southern Gaza Wednesday in response to an earlier attack that wounded five Israeli soldiers, testing a fragile ceasefire in place since October. The strike came as Israel received the remains of what may be one of the last hostages held in Gaza and prepared to allow Palestinians to exit the territory via the Rafah crossing … Continue reading Israel launches airstrike in southern Gaza after earlier attack by militants wounded 5 soldiers

Israeli and Lebanese diplomats met Wednesday in Naqoura under U.S. auspices to discuss economic cooperation aimed at stabilizing southern Lebanon near their shared border—the first direct, public engagement between the countries since 1993. The meeting comes amid rising tensions, including recent Israeli strikes against Hezbollah targets following the assassination of the group’s top military commander, Haytham Ali Tabatabai. U.S. officials hope the talks will help … Continue reading U.S. brokers first direct Israel-Lebanon talks in decades

Spain is preparing to reinstate mask mandates in hospitals and healthcare facilities due to rising flu cases ahead of winter. The Ministry of Health is coordinating with regional governments to create a unified protocol aimed at protecting vulnerable populations and easing pressure on hospitals. Masks will become mandatory for patients, visitors, and staff in high-risk medical settings, particularly where immunocompromised individuals are treated. Although everyday … Continue reading Spain bringing back mask mandates as flu spreads

Colombia responded sharply after President Donald Trump suggested possible U.S. military action against the country as part of his fight against drug trafficking. Colombian President Gustavo Petro warned Trump not to threaten the nation’s sovereignty, saying such comments risk damaging long-standing diplomatic ties. Trump claimed Colombia and Venezuela were producing cocaine for shipment to the U.S. and said they could be targets of military strikes. … Continue reading Colombia warns on ‘brink of war’ with USA

Belgian authorities have arrested three people, including former EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, in a probe into suspected fraud involving EU-funded training for junior diplomats. Police also raided the Brussels headquarters of the EU foreign service and several College of Europe buildings in Bruges, as well as the homes of the suspects. The investigation, led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, focuses on possible … Continue reading Former EU top diplomat among three held in fraud investigation

Germany’s Defense Ministry confirmed that around 20,000 rounds of ammunition intended for the armed forces were stolen from a civilian contractor’s trailer last week. The theft occurred between November 24 and 25 while the trailer was parked overnight, and was discovered on November 28. The military is investigating the incident with local police and emphasized the seriousness of ensuring such ammunition does not fall into … Continue reading German military says thousands of rounds of ammunition were stolen from parked vehicle

The Taliban carried out a public execution in Khost, Afghanistan, of a man convicted of killing 13 members of a family, including nine children, earlier this year. Tens of thousands attended the execution at a stadium, making it the 11th public execution since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. The UN Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan condemned the execution as inhumane and a violation of … Continue reading Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers carry out public execution in sports stadium in eastern city