Israel says hostage release won’t take place before Friday

Plans to release the first hostages under the deal Israel reached with Hamas were delayed late Wednesday, just hours ahead of the expected beginning of a hard-negotiated pause in fighting, CNN reports.

Fiery crash kills 2 at Niagara Falls’ Rainbow border bridge

A vehicle speeding toward a U.S.-Canada bridge from the American side crashed and exploded at a checkpoint in Niagara Falls on Wednesday, killing two people and prompting the closing of multiple border crossings for hours. Authorities weren’t sure what spurred the wreck but said there were no signs it was a terror attack, AP reports.

Far-right Geert Wilders’ party leads Dutch election

Beating all predictions, the Ipsos exit poll put Geert Wilders' Freedom Party (PVV) at 35 out of 150 seats, 9 seats ahead of the closest rival, former EU commissioner Frans Timmermans' Labour/Green Left combination. That margin was far greater than expected, AFP reports.

WHO asks China for more data on outbreak of respiratory illnesses

Northern China has reported an increase in "influenza-like illness" since mid-October when compared to the same period in the previous three years, the WHO said, AFP reports.

G20 meeting // German Chancellor Olaf Scholz asks Russian President Vladimir Putin to withdraw his army from Ukraine

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Wednesday that he asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop aggression against Ukraine, during the first online meeting of the G20 attended by the Russian president since the beginning of the war, AFP and Agerpres report.

Israel-Hamas war live: four-day ceasefire due to start on Thursday too short to meet Gaza’s needs, aid agencies warn

The first ceasefire in seven weeks of war in Gaza is due to come into effect on Thursday morning, officials from both Hamas and Israel have said, The Guardian reports.

Oil spill tops 1 million gallons, threatens Gulf of Mexico wildlife

Skimming vessels are working to contain and recover oil from a spill in the Gulf of Mexico off the Louisiana coast, which the U.S. Coast Guard on Tuesday estimated to be at least 1.1 million gallons, The Washington Post reports.

North Korea says spy satellite launch successful

A rocket carrying the satellite blasted off Tuesday night from North Phyongan province and "accurately put the reconnaissance satellite 'Malligyong-1' on its orbit", state-run news agency KCNA reported.

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.

Netanyahu and Hamas chief say agreement on Gaza ceasefire and hostage release is close

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.

Charles Michel on a visit to Kiev for the Maidan anniversary

The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, arrived on Tuesday in an unannounced visit to the Ukrainian capital Kiev, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the beginning of the pro-European Maidan protest movement, reports AFP.

US approves $100 million in military aid to Ukraine

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin pledged further American support for Ukraine during an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Monday, November 20, to stem concerns that help from its biggest ally could waver. The United States has provided over $40 billion in security aid to Ukraine since Russia's invasion and pledged to back Kyiv for "as long as it takes" but opposition from hardline Republicans has raised doubts about the future of US assistance, Le Monde reports.