Israel, Lebanon agree to implement ceasefire
Israel and Lebanon agreed Wednesday to the implementation of a ceasefire, according to a joint statement released on Wednesday following trilateral negotiations in Washington.
The ceasefire is contingent on a complete cessation of Hezbollah fire and the evacuation of all Hezbollah operatives from the South Litani Sector, said the statement.
U.S. House votes to limit Trump's Iran war powers
The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday voted to restrict U.S. President Donald Trump's authority to continue military operations against Iran, with four Republicans joining Democrats.
The resolution, which passed by a 215-208 vote, directed Trump to withdraw U.S. forces from the war against Iran unless Congress authorizes further military action.
The vote came after three previous war powers resolutions failed in the House by slim margins. In the Senate, seven similar attempts have also failed.
Even if the measure passes both chambers, it would almost certainly be vetoed by Trump.
Trump was overwhelmingly backed by his fellow Republicans when the war started. However, as the war dragged on with no clear end in sight, some Republicans began to waver.
Over 1,000 aid pallets enter Gaza despite new restrictions: UN
Despite significant delays introduced at a new Israeli checkpoint, aid partners collected more than 1,000 pallets of essential supplies for Gaza in one day, UN humanitarians said on Wednesday.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the pallets collected at the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem crossing on Tuesday included hygiene kits, tarpaulins, blankets and medicine.
OCHA said convoys traveling to Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem to collect humanitarian cargo through the newly established southern Gaza checkpoint are still experiencing significant delays.
"Yesterday (Tuesday), congestion at the new checkpoint prevented six fuel tankers from reaching Kerem Shalom, which significantly reduced the volume of fuel that could be collected from the crossing," OCHA said. "A steady flow of fuel is critical to keep hospitals, desalination plants and other life-sustaining services running in the absence of a functioning electricity grid."
Kuwait summons Iranian envoy, expels two diplomats amid Iranian attacks
Kuwait on Wednesday summoned Iran's charge d'affaires, expelled two Iranian diplomats and reduced the size of Iran's diplomatic mission in the country, reiterating its territory and airspace were not used to attack "any country."
In a statement posted on social media platform X, the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry said Deputy Foreign Minister Hamad Sulaiman Al-Mashaan handed an official protest note to Hamid Yaqoubi Far, charge d'affaires of the Iranian Embassy in Kuwait, over the ongoing attacks.
The ministry said Kuwait had declared two members of the Iranian diplomatic mission persona non grata and ordered them to leave the country within 24 hours.
Al-Mashaan said the decision was taken in response to what he described as "continued and blatant" attacks involving ballistic missiles and drones, which he said violated Kuwait's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as international law and relevant U.N. resolutions.
18 foreigners among 21 killed in New Delhi hotel fire
At least 18 foreign nationals were killed in a fire that broke out at a hotel in New Delhi, India, local media reported.
According to the report, the deceased foreign nationals were from Bangladesh, Nigeria, Mozambique and Liberia. The total death toll of the fire currently stands at 21, with more than 40 taken to nearby hospitals for medical treatment. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation.
In a post on social media platform X, Indian President Droupadi Murmu offered condolences to the families of the victims and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
Sources said that the hotel is close to one of New Delhi's top medical centers, with most guests at the hotel either seeking treatment or attending patients admitted to the hospital.■
