Dec 13 (Reuters) – Israel put a planned strike on a village in southern Lebanon on hold on Saturday after the Lebanese army requested access to the site to “address a breach” of a ceasefire agreement, an Israeli military spokesperson said. Earlier in the day, Israel had issued an evacuation warning for the village of …
Israel suspends strike on southern Lebanon village after Lebanese army request Read More »
KYIV, Dec 13 (Reuters) – Ukraine’s navy accused Russia of deliberately attacking a civilian Turkish vessel carrying sunflower oil to Egypt with a drone on Saturday, a day after Moscow hit two Ukrainian ports. In a statement on Telegram, the navy said the vessel was called the Viva and had 11 Turkish citizens on board. …
Ukraine says Russian drone attack hit civilian Turkish vessel Read More »
WASHINGTON, Dec 13 (Reuters) – Two U.S. Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed in an Islamic State attack on Saturday in Palmyra, Syria, where they were supporting counterterrorism operations, the Pentagon said. Three others were wounded, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the attacker was killed by partner forces. …
Two U.S. soldiers, one interpreter killed in Syria, Pentagon says Read More »
(Removes reference to Valiantsin Stefanovic after Bialiatski said he was still in prison) Dec 13 (Reuters) – Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko released 123 prisoners on Saturday in return for a further easing of sanctions by the United States. Here are some of the most prominent people to be freed, according to Belarusian human rights group …
Who are the most prominent prisoners released by Belarusian president Lukashenko? Read More »
By Mathieu Rosemain and Sybille de La Hamaide PARIS, Dec 13 (Reuters) – France will vaccinate 1 million head of cattle in coming weeks against lumpy skin disease, Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard said on Saturday, as farmers blocked highways and dumped manure near public buildings to protest against culls of herds. Several outbreaks of the …
By Mark Trevelyan Dec 13 (Reuters) – Human rights campaigner Ales Bialiatski fought for decades on behalf of political prisoners in Belarus, earning the Nobel Peace Prize but paying the cost of his own freedom. The Nobel award in 2022 made Bialiatski a globally recognised symbol of resistance to the authoritarian rule of President Alexander …
Ales Bialiatski, who won Nobel prize while behind bars, is freed from prison in Belarus Read More »
MADRID, Dec 13 (Reuters) – Spanish police said on Saturday they had broken up a criminal gang that used helicopters to smuggle hashish from Morocco, in a rare operation against aerial drug trafficking. The helicopters, which could carry between 500 and 900 kilograms (1,100-2,000 pounds) of drugs, flew across the Mediterranean to southern Spain, where …
Spanish police bust gang that used helicopters to fly drugs from Morocco Read More »
BRUSSELS, Dec 13 – European Union fisheries ministers struck a deal on Saturday on 2026 fishing quotas, avoiding an earlier proposal to tighten restrictions in the Mediterranean. Spain, which opposed a European Commission plan to cut trawler fishing days in the Mediterranean next year, welcomed the agreement. “We have concluded two intense days of discussion …
EU countries agree 2026 fishing quotas, avoid tighter Mediterranean curbs Read More »
By Mark Trevelyan Dec 13 (Reuters) – When Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko used the full force of his security apparatus to smash mass demonstrations in 2020, Maria Kalesnikava became an icon of the protest movement. Snatched off the street by masked officers on September 7 that year, the opposition campaigner was bundled into a van, …
Maria Kalesnikava, hero of Belarus opposition, freed after more than 5 years Read More »
By Friederike Heine BERLIN, Dec 13 (Reuters) – Germany will host U.S. and Ukrainian delegations over the weekend for talks on a ceasefire in Ukraine, before a summit with European leaders and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Berlin on Monday, a German official said. A U.S. official said President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law …
US and Ukraine to discuss ceasefire in Berlin before European summit Read More »
