Unidentified drones flew over a military training base in eastern Belgium, near the German border, Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken said yesterday.

The US government shutdown appeared likely to stretch into next week as senators yesterday prepared to vote for a fourth time on a funding fix proposed by Donald Trump’s Republicans that has little hope of success.

The Net-Zero Banking Alliance, a UN-backed initiative seeking carbon neutral investments by banks, announced Friday its immediate shutdown -- at a time of faltering climate commitments in the United States and Europe.

The Church of England named Sarah Mullally yesterday as the next Archbishop of Canterbury, the first woman to serve as ceremonial head of Anglican Christianity worldwide, prompting immediate criticism from conservative church leaders in Africa.

The United Nations yesterday insisted there was no safe place for Palestinians ordered to leave Gaza City, and that Israeli-designated zones in the southern Gaza Strip were “places of death”.

Russia overnight carried out its largest attack on Ukraine’s gas network since Moscow first invaded in 2022, Kyiv’s state-owned gas operator said yesterday.

US President Donald Trump has given Hamas until 2200 GMT on Sunday to accept his 20-point plan for peace in Gaza, warning the Palestinian militant group faced “all hell” if it did not agree to the terms.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah of Saudi Arabia has announced a new licensing system for pilgrim accommodations in Makkah and Madinah for the 2026 hajj season.

Israel yesterday deported four Italian activists, the first of hundreds detained from an aid flotilla bound for Gaza, shortly after the interception of a final boat brought an end to its mission.

Describing their mission as a stand against what he termed the “illegal siege” of Gaza, photographer-activist Shahidul Alam yesterday said the group’s presence was not primarily for aid delivery.

Bangladesh has strongly condemned the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was carrying humanitarian assistance for Gaza, by Israeli forces in international waters.

US forces carried out a strike on an alleged drug-smuggling boat off the coast of Venezuela yesterday, killing four people, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said.

Dozens of UN experts yesterday cautioned that key elements of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza were inconsistent with international law and risked deepening oppression of Palestinians.

They voiced serious concerns about more than a dozen aspects of the 20-point plan unveiled by the US president last week, and backed by Israeli PM Netanyahu

Israeli foreign ministry says four Italians deported, others in process of being deported

RSF called for their immediate release

Promotional blitz includes midnight sales, global release parties, pop-up experiences

Regional bodies to elect most lawmakers on Sunday, Sharaa will appoint remaining one-third

Trump previously gave Hamas an ultimatum of "three or four days"

Germany's Munich airport halted flights after several drone sightings, a police spokesperson told AFP early Friday, the latest in a string of similar aviation disruptions across Europe