Hezbollah fires into Israel-held area after multiple Israeli strikes in Lebanon

JERUSALEM (AP) — Hezbollah fired into a disputed border zone held by Israel after multiple Israeli strikes inside Lebanon since a ceasefire took hold last week. The militant group said the volley, its first during the truce, was a warning shot in response to what it called repeated Israeli violations. Israeli leaders threatened to retaliate, further straining the fragile U.S.- and French-brokered ceasefire. Israeli strikes in recent days, including a string of hits on Monday, have killed at least four people in Lebanon. U.S. officials said the ceasefire was largely holding.

German leader Olaf Scholz vows more Ukraine aid

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has visited Ukraine for the first time in more than two years and vowed to keep supporting Kyiv in the war. Monday’s trip came just weeks after Scholz was rebuked by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for having a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The conflict is approaching a pivotal new phase, with the new U.S. administration of Donald Trump taking office next month and potentially determining the trajectory of the war after the president-elect’s pledge to end the fighting. Ukraine is sensitive to whether cracks might be appearing in the unity of its Western allies to keep helping it against Russia, as Putin banks on outlasting the West’s commitment to Ukraine.

Turkey calls for reconciliation between Syria government and opposition

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s foreign minister says the recent rapid advance by opposition fighters in Syria shows that Syrian President Bashar Assad must reconcile with his own people and hold dialogue with the opposition. Speaking Monday at a joint news conference in Ankara with his Iranian counterpart, Hakan Fidan said Turkey and Iran, which support opposing sides in Syria’s civil war, have agreed to resume diplomatic efforts along with Russia to restore calm days after insurgents launched a lightning offensive and captured almost all of the country’s largest city, Aleppo. The swift advance by fighters that Turkey supports was a huge embarrassment for Assad.

Chief of International Criminal Court lashes out at US and Russia

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The president of the International Criminal Court has lashed out at the United States and Russia for interfering with its investigations and calls threats and attacks on the court “appalling.” Judge Tomoko Akane said Monday that “the court is being threatened with draconian economic sanctions by another permanent member of the Security Council as if it was a terrorist organization.” Akane is referring to remarks made by U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham who urged Congress to sanction its prosecutor and nations that seek to cooperate with the court.