The US says "serious negotiations" are taking place on a new Gaza truce and the release of more Israeli hostages. But prospects remain uncertain after Hamas's leader reportedly rejected the prospect of a temporary pause during talks in Cairo on Wednesday. Meanwhile,

Amnesty International has said the Myanmar military should be investigated for war crimes over a new offensive by an alliance of ethnic armed groups and anti-coup fighters, which has emerged as the biggest challenge to the generals since they seized power in a coup nearly three years ago.

At least 20,000 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip since Israel began bombarding the enclave more than 10 weeks ago, according to Palestinian officials. At least 8,000 children and 6,200 women are among those killed, Gaza’s Government Media Office said on Wednesday. The

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that India will "definitely look into" any evidence provided on its alleged links to an assassination plot in the US. In November, the US charged an Indian man of conspiring to murder a Sikh separatist leader in New York. Mr Modi told

Malaysia banned on Wednesday Israeli-flagged cargo ships from docking at its ports in response to Israel's actions in Gaza, which it said ignores "basic humanitarian principles". Ships on their way to Israel will also be barred from loading cargo at any port in the

The humanitarian situation in Gaza was rapidly deteriorating, with a senior UN official saying Israel's steps to allow in aid were "far short" of mounting need. Members of the council had grappled for days to find common ground on the resolution, a vote on which was

Rescue efforts for survivors of an earthquake that killed at least 131 in China's north-west are coming to an end. Authorities on Wednesday said they were wrapping up operations and would now focus on treating the injured and helping those who lost their homes. The 6.2 magnitude

At least 250,000 people have fled fighting in a Sudanese state once seen as a safe haven for those escaping the civil war, the UN said. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have advanced into the city of Wad Madani, in al Jazira state. For months, both the state and the city

Ukraine's military wants to mobilise up to 500,000 extra people, President Volodymyr Zelensky has revealed, as the war with Russia nears a two-year mark. At a news conference in Kyiv, he said his commanders were seeking "450,000-500,000 individuals", admitting this was a

Colorado's Supreme Court has ruled that Donald Trump cannot run for president next year in the state, citing a constitutional insurrection clause. In a landmark decision, the court ruled 4-3 that Mr Trump is not an eligible candidate. It is the first time that Section 3 of the

Indian opposition leaders have accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government of attacking democracy after 78 MPs were suspended from parliament in one day. The MPs were protesting against last week's security breach in parliament. Overall, 92 opposition lawmakers have

Texas has enacted a law that will make border crossings illegal and punishable with jail time, one of the toughest immigration laws passed by any US state in modern times. Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, said it would "stop the tidal wave of illegal entry into Texas".

The United States has announced the launch of a multinational force to protect trade in the Red Sea after a series of attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels forced several shipping companies to suspend operations. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Monday that Bahrain, Canada,

A volcano has erupted on the Reykjanes peninsula of south-west Iceland after weeks of intense earthquake activity. About 4,000 people were earlier evacuated from the fishing town of Grindavik and the nearby Blue Lagoon geothermal spa was closed. The eruption started north of the

At least 111 people have been killed and another 220 injured following an earthquake on Monday night in north-west China, state media report. The 5.9 magnitude quake struck Gansu province around midnight (16:00 GMT), bringing down buildings there and in Qinghai province to the south.

A car accidentally hit an SUV that was part of a motorcade escorting President Joe Biden in Wilmington, Delaware on Sunday night—resulting in damage to both vehicles—although the president and first lady Jill Biden were unharmed. According to Reuters and CNN, the incident

Fourteen people have been killed after a storm brought heavy rain and winds of 150km/h (93mph) to eastern Argentina. The storm hit the port city of Bahia Blanca, around 570km (355 miles) south of Buenos Aires, on Saturday, damaging buildings and causing power outages before moving

Climate activist Greta Thunberg once again fused the Palestinian cause with the climate change movement as she participated in her weekly “Fridays for Future” protest outside parliament in Stockholm on December 15. During the demonstration, she prominently displayed a

South Korea has accused the North of firing a short-range ballistic missile amid tensions in the peninsula. Sunday’s launch came as North Korea condemned the United States-led military’s shows of force, including the arrival of a submarine in South Korea as tantamount to

Pope Francis on Sunday condemned killings of two women in a Catholic parish in Gaza, where he said "defenceless civilians" were targeted by shootings and bombs. Pope Francis on Sunday suggested Israel was using "terrorism" tactics in Gaza, deploring the reported