How are powers involved in Syria reacting to the opposition offensive?
Advances by opposition fighters raise questions over how Russia, Iran, Turkiye, Arab states and the US will respond.
Russia-friendly candidates surge in Romania’s elections, a worrying signal for Ukraine – Kyiv Independent
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- Romanian leftists ahead of resurgent far right in election Reuters
- Romania’s Top Court Clears Pro-Russia Candidate for Runoff Vote Bloomberg
- Romanian court upholds presidential election first-round results Al Jazeera English
Middle East crisis: Israel strikes Lebanon amid fears ceasefire could collapse – as it happened
This live blog is now closed. You can read our latest full report here:
We’re closing our Middle East crisis liveblog now after a day in which Israel and Hezbollah traded fire in Lebanon, five days after a ceasefire was declared in the conflict.
Here’s what we’ve been following:
Hezbollah said it launched two rockets near a watchtower in the occupied Shebaa farms earlier on Monday night. They landed in an open area and caused no injuries. In a statement, the group said the attack on the watchtowers was an “initial warning defensive response” against “repeated violations” by Israel of the ceasefire agreement.
In response, Israel said it targeted “dozens of targets” in southern Lebanon, claiming to have struck “Hezbollah terrorists, dozens of launchers, and terrorist infrastructure” across the country. “Israel demands that the relevant parties in Lebanon fulfill their responsibilities and prevent Hezbollah’s hostile activity,” the army said in a statement.
US officials said they believed the ceasefire, announced last Wednesday, had not broken down. “If we do see violations of the ceasefire, we’ll go to the parties and tell them to knock it off,” state department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at an afternoon briefing.
But the UN peacekeeping force, United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil), told CNN through an unnamed source said Israel has been serially in breach of the ceasefire agreement. The source said “approximately 100” incidents have been recorded.
Everybody is talking about the hostages who are being held so violently, inhumanely, and against the will of the entire World, in the Middle East - But it’s all talk, and no action!
Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume Office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity. Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW!
Continue reading...Germany’s Scholz pledges new military aid to Ukraine during rare Kyiv trip – Reuters
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- Where's the briefcase? Speculation over Scholz's mysterious luggage Yahoo! Voices
- German Chancellor Scholz defends decision not to deliver long-range missiles to Ukraine Euronews
Trump says ‘hell to pay’ if captives in Gaza not released
Threat of escalation comes amid reports Trump seeking Israel-Hamas ceasefire before he takes office in January.
Starmer rejects false choice between Trump’s US and EU in key speech
At lord mayor’s banquet in London, British PM says ‘national interest demands that we work with both’
Keir Starmer has “utterly rejected” the idea that the UK must choose between the United States and Europe when Donald Trump comes to power, arguing that it is in the national interest to work with both.
The prime minister said the UK would “never turn away” from its relationship with the US, despite the difficulties the new administration could pose, as it had been the “cornerstone” of security and prosperity for over a century.
Continue reading...Tech millionaire who spends $2 million a year to live forever says he packs ‘every calorie’ while traveling abroad—including to India for a week – Fortune
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Airstrikes hit hospitals in Syria’s Idlib region as insurgents fight Assad forces
White Helmets say at least 18 people killed in strikes on five healthcare facilities including maternity hospital
A wave of airstrikes has pummelled hospitals and neighbourhoods in the rebel-held region of Idlib in northern Syria as Islamist insurgents continued to battle forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad after the militants’ lightning assault on Aleppo.
White Helmets civil defence forces based in Idlib, from where the insurgents had launched their attack, said Russian airstrikes had struck five healthcare facilities including a maternity hospital. At least 18 people were killed and 35 injured, they said, adding that they feared numbers could rise.
Continue reading...Georgia’s moment of truth: Protesters demand Western path not Russian past
The ruling party denies any Russian link, but its actions raise questions about Georgia's path to the EU.
Victims of Israel-Hezbollah conflict reburied in Lebanon after ceasefire
Following a ceasefire in Lebanon, the remains of some of those killed are being relocated from Tyre’s temporary cemetery
Huge anti-Russian protests in Tbilisi echo Ukraine’s Maidan – The Economist
- Huge anti-Russian protests in Tbilisi echo Ukraine’s Maidan The Economist
- Georgia is being rocked by growing protests. Here’s what you need to know CNN
- Pro-Putin leader backs harsh crackdown as over 40 people hospitalized amid protests in Georgia Fox News
- Georgian president seeks West's support in standoff with her own government Reuters
- Police in Georgia move again to disperse protests over the suspension of EU talks The Associated Press
US left facing a difficult situation in Syria as rebels make massive advances against Assad regime – CNN
- US left facing a difficult situation in Syria as rebels make massive advances against Assad regime CNN
- UN chief calls for ceasefire amid sharp escalation in northwest Syria UN News
- US military in Syria stands down as HTS drives back Assad regime, Kurdish forces Al-Monitor
- North-west Syria: Escalation of Hostilities - Flash Update No. 2, 2 December 2024 [EN/AR] ReliefWeb
- Syria: US, Germany, France, UK call for de-escalation DW (English)
‘Blatant corruption’: Biden under fire for pardoning his son Hunter
Republicans pounce on the decision as evidence of corruption and abuse of power. Some Democrats are also critical.
Israel responds to Hezbollah rocket attack with airstrikes on south Lebanon
Bombing comes an hour after Israeli PM, Benjamin Netanyahu, vowed a ‘strong’ response to Hezbollah’s action
Israel has carried out a series of airstrikes in the Nabatieh district, south Lebanon, in response to Hezbollah rocket fire near a watchtower, in the deadliest attacks since a ceasefire came into effect last week.
The Israeli PM, Benjamin Netanyahu, promised there would be a strong response to Hezbollah’s attack, and the Israeli military later said it had “struck Hezbollah terrorists, dozens of launchers, and terrorist infrastructure throughout Lebanon”.
Continue reading...Agent for Russia and UK-based Bulgarian planned ‘honeytrap’ for journalist, court hears
Pair chatted on Telegram about plot to target Christo Grozev, known for his investigations into Russian espionage
An agent for Russia and a Bulgarian based in Britain discussed setting up a “honeytrap” for an investigative journalist, the Old Bailey has heard.
Jan Marsalek, the agent, chatted on Telegram with Orlin Roussev in September 2021 about a plot to target the award-winning journalist Christo Grozev, known for his investigations into Russian espionage, prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said.
Continue reading...Ukraine’s exhausted troops in Russia told to cling on and wait for Trump
Ukrainian soldiers paint a bleak picture of a battle they don't understand, and fear they will lose.
Over the weekend, China debuted a new rocket on the nation’s path to the Moon – Ars Technica
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- China launches first next-gen Long March 12 rocket, christens private spaceport The Register
Syria crisis due to Assad’s refusal to engage with opposition, says Turkish minister
Iran’s foreign minister blamed Israel’s intervention instead, but emergency talks in Ankara said to be ‘constructive’
The crisis in Syria is the result of President Bashar al-Assad’s refusal to engage in political dialogue with the opposition, and not external interventions, the Turkish foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, said after meeting his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, for emergency talks in Ankara.
Araghchi, by contrast, blamed intervention by Israel for the crisis. But the two sides appeared to agree on the need to convene an urgent summit between Turkey, Iran and Russia, the three main external powers inside Syria.
Continue reading...Talks over return of Parthenon marbles to Athens are ‘well advanced’
Exclusive: Keir Starmer reiterates support for British Museum reaching deal with Greek PM, who visits UK on Tuesday
Talks concerning the Parthenon marbles between Athens and the British Museum are “well advanced”, the Guardian has learned, even if officials have decided the cultural row will be low on the agenda when the prime minister, Keir Starmer, meets his Greek counterpart on Tuesday.
The fate of the classical masterpieces, which caused a quarrel last year between Rishi Sunak and Kyriakos Mitsotakis, will not be actively raised by either side when the two leaders hold their first Downing Street discussions. Starmer’s spokesperson said on Monday: “Our position on the Elgin marbles has not changed.”
Continue reading...Hamas says 33 captives killed in Gaza as Palestinian factions hold talks
Hamas's announcement comes as the group and Fatah discuss the Palestinian Authority's management of post-war Gaza.