Israel, Hamas agree 4-day truce for hostage release and aid into Gaza

Israel green-lit a deal on Wednesday to release some hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and a four-day truce in Gaza, Euronews reports.

Hopes for a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas. Progress is being made on hostage release negotiations, says Benjamin Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said "we are making progress" in freeing the hostages kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 and taken to Gaza. The leader of Hamas previously said the group was close to reaching a "ceasefire agreement" with Israel, raising hopes of a pause in hostilities that could lead to the release of the hostages, writes the BBC.

"We don't need anything, just air defense." Zelensky says that Ukrainians will return to the country only if they are protected

Ukrainians who went to other countries because of the war will start to return home and work for the good of their country if Ukraine has enough anti-aircraft defense to protect them, Kyiv leader Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with The Sun.

Boris Pistorius, on a surprise visit to Kiev

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius arrived in Kiev on Tuesday on an unannounced visit to reaffirm Berlin's support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian troops, AFP reports.

Albania opposition starts fire in parliament during anti-government protest

Albania’s opposition has set off smoke bombs and started a small fire in the middle of parliament in a failed attempt to stop the chamber from voting on the 2024 budget, The Guardian reports.

Slovakia extends border controls with Hungary until Dec 23

Slovakia's government on Monday approved keeping temporary controls on its border with Hungary until Dec. 23 as it seeks to prevent a renewed spike in illegal migration, Reuters reports.

Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin visits Ukraine

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin made an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Monday to reassure Ukraine that Washington will continue to support its fight against invading Russian forces, AFP reports.

1 crew dead and 11 are missing after a Turkish cargo ship sinks in Black Sea in severe storms

Turkish rescuers on Monday recovered the body of a crew member of a cargo ship that sank off Turkey’s Black Sea coast in severe storms, officials said. Eleven other crew were reported missing, AP reports.

Klaus Iohannis begins his visit to the Republic of Cape Verde as part of his African tour

President Klaus Iohannis begins his visit to the Republic of Cape Verde on Monday, the penultimate stage of his African tour, the previous ones being Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar. The last stop of the head of state in Africa will be in Senegal, reports Hotnews.ro.

Ukraine says it has evidence of 109.000 Russian war crimes

Ukraine says it has evidence that the Russian Federation has committed around 109,000 crimes, including cyber attacks, since the start of the war. According to Kiev Prosecutor General Andrei Kostin, Ukrainian officials have identified more than 400 suspects in these crimes, reports Politico.

Russian drone attacks on Kiev for the second night in a row

Russia has launched several "waves" of drone attacks on Kiev, for the second night in a row, says the city's military administration, quoted by the BBC.

Two thousand families in Odessa region were left without electricity after Russia's night bombing

In Odessa, the Russian army hit an energy infrastructure object, as a result of which two thousand subscribers were left without electricity, says the head of Odessa Regional Military Administration.