Russia closes German consulate in St. Petersburg

12 min agoKosovo signed an agreement to join the International Stabilization Force in Gaza, with the document signed by US Major General Jasper Jeffers and Kosovo Security Force Commander Lieutenant General Bashkim Jashari. The Balkan state joins a short list of countries committing to send peacekeepers to the Palestinian enclave.

27 min agoThe Lebanese Health Ministry put the death toll from the conflict that began on March 2 at 4,381, with 12,402 wounded. Israel's continued military operations are challenging Lebanon's push for a peace agreement. A hydrogeologist said more than half the destroyed area in southern Lebanon is vulnerable to contamination from war-related pollutants.

43 min agoNorth Korea's Premier Pak Thae Song tuned in by video link to address workers and officials at the opening ceremony. The bridge is 1 km long with two lanes, and Ukraine expressed concern it could be used to conceal military personnel and weapons in vehicles.

1 h agoSaudi Arabia is preparing to grant the IAEA additional verification and monitoring powers over uranium enrichment, uranium conversion, and reprocessing, though it will not sign the Additional Protocol that gives the UN watchdog sweeping inspection rights. The arrangement follows a July US-Saudi civil nuclear cooperation agreement permitting Riyadh to enrich uranium and build reactors using American technology.

1 h agoRussia's Foreign Ministry announced on September 7 it was closing the German consulate in St. Petersburg after Germany closed the Russian consulate in Bonn and Russian House in Berlin. Germany accused Russia of an attempted drone attack at Leipzig Airport in early August. Russia ordered the German consulate closed by September 18.

1 h agoRussia has ordered the closure of its German consulate general in St. Petersburg by September 18, escalating tensions with Berlin. The move follows German measures related to a drone incident in Leipzig and comes after Germany announced it would close the Russian consulate in Bonn and the Russian House in Berlin.

2 h agoA man in his sixties killed a 60-year-old neighbour and seriously wounded her 55-year-old partner in Finistère on Friday before turning a weapon on himself. Gendarmes found him unconscious and armed, and he was airlifted to hospital in very critical condition but has since died. Prosecutors opened an investigation for murder and attempted murder.

2 h agoThe Kremlin said it does not rule out resuming trilateral talks with Russia, Ukraine and the United States, though it is too early to discuss location and dates. U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner traveled to Moscow and Kyiv over the weekend to advance peace negotiations.

2 h agoAn average of 10 commodity vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz daily over the past 10 days—the lowest volume recorded since May—following strikes on tankers by the United States and Iran. Iran's foreign ministry cautioned South Korea that involvement in Strait operations would be interpreted as backing US aggression, warning of serious repercussions.

3 h agoRussia and North Korea held an opening ceremony on Monday for their first road bridge, which crosses the Tumen River and is designed to handle up to 300 vehicles daily. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin addressed the event via video link, saying the bridge would strengthen ties between the two countries as they deepen military and economic cooperation.