In our news wrap Sunday, Biden and Netanyahu spoke by phone amid signs of progress in Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks, efforts are underway for Syria to re-engage with other nations, South Korea’s suspended president will not attend the first hearing of his impeachment trial,

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken agreed Thursday in talks in Rome with European counterparts on the need to encourage stability in Syria, officials said, as Turkey threatens Kurdish forces in the war-torn country.

Yoon Suk Yeol became the first South Korean leader to be held by criminal investigators, ending a long standoff after he imposed martial law.

The launch event came as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was visiting Seoul for talks with South Korean allies over the North Korean nuclear threat and other issues.

Eight days after Pyongyang launched a hypersonic ballistic missile, it fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles into the sea.

South Korea has endured six weeks of political turmoil since President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law and sent soldiers and helicopters to parliament.

Inclusivity and moderation are indeed immediate priorities for Syria, but a big national vote is not. Democracy does not itself guarantee peace in a country so recently riven by autocratic rule

“Over the course of next year, Putin will likely face mounting domestic problems. Russia’s central bank has forecast economic growth of 0.5 to 1.5 per cent in 2025, down from 3.5 to 4 per cent in 2024, suggesting that the wartime boom may have run its course.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Thursday his Cabinet won’t meet to approve the agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of dozens of hostages until Hamas

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President Joe Biden's administration, which is helping to broker the talks, urged Hamas to agree to a deal. Hamas said it was committed to reaching an agreement deal, but it remains unclear how close the two sides are.

Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was detained by police at his residence Wednesday morning for questioning over his short-lived martial law attempt.