A record 129 journalists and media workers were killed worldwide in 2025, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday, blaming Israel for two-thirds of the deaths.

It was the second consecutive annual record for press deaths and the deadliest year since the CPJ began collecting data more than three decades ago.

The Israeli army dropped overnight into Wednesday stun grenades on the southern border town of Aita al-Shaab and detonated houses in Marwahin and Odaysseh.

Israel has kept up regular strikes on Lebanon despite a November 2024 ceasefire that sought to halt more than a year of hostilities with Hezbollah, usually saying it was targeting the group. Troops frequently enter into Lebanese territories on the border and detonate houses there. The Israeli army is also occupying five hills in south Lebanon.

A Ukrainian drone attack on a factory in Russia's western Smolensk region killed four people and injured 10 others, the region's governor said Wednesday.

"Four employees tragically died while performing their professional duties. Ten were injured," Smolensk region governor Vasily Anokhin said in a video published on his Telegram account.

The U.S. ambassador to Paris called the foreign minister and had "amicable" talks, the embassy said Tuesday, as Washington sought to calm a diplomatic spat over the killing of a far-right activist in France.

Ambassador Charles Kushner and Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot "spoke today in a frank and amicable call," a U.S. Embassy spokesperson said in a statement.

Leaders of the G7 global powers, including U.S. President Donald Trump, on Tuesday reaffirmed their "unwavering support for Ukraine" in a statement on the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion.

The UK government on Tuesday announced its "biggest sanctions package" against Russia since ones imposed straight after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine four years ago, targeting oil exports and military equipment suppliers.

Marking the anniversary of the invasion, London announced nearly 300 new sanctions as foreign minister Yvette Cooper visited Kyiv.

The army accused the Israeli military on Tuesday of firing near a position it was setting up in the country's south, saying it had instructed troops to return fire.

In a statement, the Lebanese army said it was "establishing a new observation post on the southern border" when "the area surrounding the post was subjected to gunfire from the Israeli side".

Foreign minister Youssef Rajji said Tuesday that Lebanon fears its infrastructure could be hit by Israeli strikes if the situation with Iran escalates.

Rajji said Lebanese authorities had appealed to Hezbollah, which has fought several wars with Israel, most recently in 2024, not to respond in any way that could trigger “bad situations” for Lebanese civilians.

President Donald Trump on Monday denied reports that the top U.S. military officer had flagged the risks of a major operation against Iran, saying Washington would "easily" defeat Tehran in any conflict.

Trump said on Truth Social that General Dan Caine "like all of us, would like not to see War but, if a decision is made on going against Iran at a Military level, it is his opinion that it will be something easily won."

Iraqi prime ministerial candidate Nouri al-Maliki told AFP on Monday that maintaining a good relationship with the U.S. is essential but that Baghdad's ties with Iran are defined by shared interests.

"I believe that a relationship with the American side is essential for Iraq's progress," Maliki said, adding that he rejects claims his relationship with the U.S. was bad during his first two terms in power from 2006 to 2014.