South Africa has ordered Israel's chargé d'affaires to leave the country within 72 hours, citing "unacceptable violations" of diplomatic protocol and a direct challenge to its sovereignty, further straining relations already tense over the ICJ genocide case.
The Kremlin stated President Vladimir Putin has agreed to a personal appeal from former U.S. President Donald Trump to pause strikes on Kyiv until February 1, aiming to foster conditions for potential talks, though the scope and durability of the pause remain unclear.
Kyiv expresses gratitude for a reported week-long halt to strikes on major cities brokered by the U.S. president, as freezing temperatures exacerbate the humanitarian situation. Moscow remains silent on the alleged agreement.
Foreign women detained in Syria's Roj camp, linked to the Islamic State group, see a potential path to freedom following a government offensive that weakened their Kurdish guards. As political dynamics shift, their hopes for amnesty or repatriation collide with international reluctance and an uncertain future for the camps.
The European Union has taken the unprecedented step of designating Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity, triggering a sharp diplomatic crisis. Iran has denounced the move as illegal and politically motivated, vowing to respond.
Amid renewed threats of steep US tariffs, South Korean officials are scrambling to salvage a key trade deal, with high-level talks in Washington failing to yield an immediate breakthrough.
