Germany blames Russia for 'bitter defeat' in UN Security Council bid
Germany's foreign minister says support for Ukraine and Israel may have cost votes after Berlin failed to secure a rotating spot on the UN Security Council, BBC reported.
Johann Wadephul described losing out to Portugal and Austria as a "bitter defeat" after a vote on which countries would become one of the five new members of the council was held on Wednesday evening.
Ukrainian drones hit St Petersburg as Putin's flagship economic forum opens
Ukraine has carried out a strike on the outskirts of Russia's St Petersburg, hours before the opening of a major economic forum designed to attract foreign investment into the country, BBC reported.
As dawn broke black plumes of smoke rose over Russia's second city, where Vladimir Putin is due to address the financial event on Friday. Thousands of guests from 130 countries are due to attend, including a low-key US delegation.
Local authorities said air defences shot down 59 drones overnight and that three different districts of St Petersburg had been hit, although no one was killed.
US House votes to halt Iran war, in rebuke to Trump
The US House of Representatives passed a measure that seeks to halt President Donald Trump from taking further military action in Iran, BBC reported.
The 215-208 vote was successful after four Republicans joined Democrats in a rare public show of disapproval of the war, which began in February. This is the fourth attempt by the House to rein in Trump's war powers, which critics say lack congressional approval.
The House resolution still needs approval from the Republican-controlled US Senate. Even if it were successful in the Senate, the measure is unlikely to fully curb military action against Iran.
Israel and Lebanon agree to implement ceasefire if Hezbollah stops attacks
Israel and Lebanon have agreed to the implementation of a ceasefire, the US State Department has announced in a statement, BBC reported.
The agreement is "contingent on a complete cessation" of attacks from the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah, among other conditions.
It comes after Israeli strikes killed at least nine people in southern Lebanon on Wednesday and Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel,testing a shaky truce initially agreed in April.
