Israeli drone strike kills 2 cyclists in Gaza as death toll mounts despite ceasefire

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Two Palestinian men riding bicycles were killed in an Israeli drone strike Tuesday, hospital officials said, as deadly violence continued in Gaza despite an October ceasefire. Gaza health authorities say 586 Palestinians have been killed since the truce took effect, bringing the war’s overall toll to more than 72,000. Israel says its strikes respond to ceasefire violations. Some elements of the agreement have advanced, including the return of all hostages and limited reopening of the Rafah crossing. Plans for an international stabilization force are also emerging, with Indonesia saying it is preparing thousands of troops for humanitarian and reconstruction roles, though the force’s mandate remains unclear.

King Charles III seeks ‘moral high ground’ with pledge to help police

LONDON (AP) — In an earlier era, Britain’s royal family might have tried to bury the scandal surrounding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. Not during the reign of King Charles III. Since October, the king has stripped his younger brother of the right to be called prince, forced him to move out of the royal estate he occupied for more than 20 years and issued a public statement supporting the women and girls abused by Epstein. Then came Monday’s unprecedented announcement that Buckingham Palace was ready to cooperate in the event of a police inquiry into Mountbatten-Windsor’s links to Epstein.

Venezuelan opposition politician placed under house arrest after release from jail, son says

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Juan Pablo Guanipa, an ally of Venezuela’s opposition leader María Corina Machado, has been placed under house arrest. His family said on Tuesday that he is at home two days after his release from prison. “My father remains unjustly imprisoned — because house arrest is still imprisonment — and we demand his immediate and full freedom, as well as the freedom of all political prisoners,” his son, Ramón Guanipa, posted on X. Guanipa was rearrested following his participation in demonstrations outside detention centers. His rearrest highlights ongoing political turmoil in Venezuela. The government released him and several other opposition members on Sunday. They had been detained for political reasons.

Russia can’t attack NATO this year but plans to boost its own forces, an intelligence chief says

LONDON (AP) — A senior European intelligence chief says Russia cannot launch an attack on NATO this year or next but is planning to increase its forces significantly along the alliance’s eastern flank, depending on the outcome of the war in Ukraine. The head of Estonia’s foreign intelligence service suggested Moscow is playing for time in talks with Washington. Kaupo Rosin, the head of the service, said his comments were based on intelligence his country gathered from “Russian internal discussions.” Rosin said Russia’s plan involves creating new military units and multiplying the prewar force along its border with NATO by two to three times. Russia continues to bombard Ukraine, causing civilian casualties and damaging energy infrastructure.