Rally in Tel Aviv calls for return of deceased hostage Ran Gvili
Hundreds of people gathered for a second consecutive week at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, on Friday (12 December), to support the family of Master Sg...
Indian and Pakistani military officials are scheduled to hold talks on Monday to discuss the next steps following a ceasefire that ended four days of intense cross-border hostilities—the worst in nearly three decades.
The ceasefire, announced on Saturday by U.S. President Donald Trump, brought a return to calm in the Himalayan border region. After initial reports of violations, Sunday night passed peacefully, according to the Indian Army. However, some schools in the area remain closed as a precaution.
India’s military sent a “hotline” message to Pakistan on Sunday, expressing concern over earlier violations and warning of retaliation if the ceasefire is breached again. A Pakistani military spokesperson denied any violations had taken place.
India’s foreign ministry confirmed that both countries’ director generals of military operations would hold a conversation at 1200 hours (0630 GMT) on Monday. Islamabad has not yet commented on the planned call.
The ceasefire followed a deadly escalation that began after India accused Pakistan of orchestrating an attack that killed 26 tourists. In response, Indian forces launched strikes on what it claimed were nine “terrorist infrastructure” sites in Pakistan and Pakistani-administered Kashmir. Pakistan, however, said the sites targeted were civilian, and it denied any role in the attack, calling for an independent investigation.
The two nuclear-armed neighbours had exchanged missiles and drone fire, hitting each other’s military installations and resulting in dozens of civilian deaths.
Islamabad has expressed gratitude to Washington for its role in facilitating the ceasefire and welcomed President Trump’s offer to mediate the Kashmir issue. New Delhi, however, has remained silent on any U.S. involvement, reaffirming its position that issues with Pakistan must be resolved bilaterally without third-party mediation.
The conflict over Kashmir remains at the heart of the tensions. Both India and Pakistan claim the region in full but control only parts of it. India blames Pakistan for supporting an armed insurgency in its part of Kashmir that began in 1989, while Pakistan maintains that it only provides diplomatic and moral support to the separatist movement.
The scheduled talks between the top military officials could be a critical step in maintaining the fragile peace—though the underlying disputes remain unresolved.
Japan has lifted a tsunami advisory issued after an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 hit the country's northeastern region on Friday (12 December), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. The JMA had earlier put the earthquake's preliminary magnitude at 6.7.
Iran is preparing to host a multilateral regional meeting next week in a bid to mediate between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The United States issued new sanctions targeting Venezuela on Thursday, imposing curbs on three nephews of President Nicolas Maduro's wife, as well as six crude oil tankers and shipping companies linked to them, as Washington ramps up pressure on Caracas.
The resignation of Bulgaria's government on Thursday (11 December) puts an end to an increasingly unpopular coalition but is likely to usher in a period of prolonged political instability on the eve of the Black Sea nation's entry into the euro zone.
An extratropical cyclone has caused widespread disruption across Brazil’s São Paulo state, with powerful winds toppling trees and power lines, blocking streets and leaving large parts of the region without electricity.
Britain’s King Charles III said on Friday, 12 December, that his cancer treatment is expected to be reduced in the coming year, using a televised address to urge people across the country to take part in cancer screening programmes, officials confirmed.
Talks aimed at ending the war between Ukraine and Russia are set to continue in Berlin this weekend, with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff due to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and senior European leaders, a U.S. official said.
Türkiye’s Trade Minister Omer Bolat said Friday that discussions in Washington with U.S. officials have strengthened efforts to expand bilateral trade, moving closer to a $100 billion target.
Lebanon is prepared to demarcate its border with Syria, President Joseph Aoun said on Friday, while noting that the dispute over the Shebaa Farms could be addressed at a later stage.
Greek farmers blocked the Port of Thessaloniki on Friday (12 December) as part of nationwide protests demanding delayed European Union subsidies and compensation for rising production costs and livestock losses.
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