Lebanon Cease-Fire Appears to Hold Despite Israeli Strike

Israel said it had targeted militants headed to a rocket facility, but neither Israel nor Hezbollah seemed keen to immediately return to full-scale fighting.

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Russia Strikes Ukraine’s Energy Sector as Putin Signals More to Come

Ukraine said the attacks targeted energy infrastructure. President Vladimir V. Putin said they were retaliation for Kyiv’s use of long-range American missiles.

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Australia Bans Social Media for Everyone Under 16

The law sets a minimum age for users of platforms like TikTok, Instagram and X. How the restriction will be enforced online remains an open question.

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What to Know About Australia’s Social Media Ban for Children Under 16

Critics say big questions remain not only about how the new law will be enforced, but also about whether the ban will really protect young people.

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What a Deadly Offensive in Syria Means for a Stalled Civil War

Rebel groups have launched the largest offensive in years against government forces in the northwest.

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Bangladesh Ties with India Plunge Further After Arrest of Hindu Leader

India and Bangladesh have traded angry accusations about Bangladesh’s Hindu minority.

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Daniel Khalife, UK Prison Escapee, Is Convicted of Spying for Iran

Daniel Khalife also pleaded guilty to an escape from a London jail, strapped underneath a truck with a sling made of trousers, that embarrassed the British authorities.

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Romania Court Orders a Recount After Surprise Election Result

A top court issued the ruling just days after an ultranationalist outsider unexpectedly won the most votes in the first round of presidential elections held Sunday.

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Lebanese Residents of Baalbek Return to a Bombed-Out City

Tens of thousands of people who had fled the city of Baalbek returned to bombed-out restaurants, flattened apartment buildings and many of the dead still buried under the rubble.

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Friday Briefing: Day 2 of Lebanon’s Cease-fire

Plus, the gangs stealing hiring exams in India.

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