Netanyahu says ‘last-minute crisis’ with Hamas holding up approval of Gaza truce

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that a last-minute dispute with Hamas was holding up Israeli approval of a long-awaited ceasefire that would pause the fighting in the Gaza Strip and release dozens of hostages. Netanyahu signaled complications with the deal shortly after U.S. President Joe Biden and key mediator Qatar announced it was complete. It was not yet clear if Netanyahu’s statements merely reflected jockeying to keep his fractious coalition together or whether the deal was at risk. The Israeli Cabinet is expected to vote on the deal Thursday. But Netanyahu’s office said they won’t meet until Hamas backs down, accusing it of reneging on parts of the agreement, without elaborating. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 72 people in the war-ravaged territory.

UK leader Starmer signs ‘100-year partnership’ agreement with Ukraine

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have signed a 100-year partnership agreement. It’s part of a European show of support to continue helping Ukraine prevail in its nearly three-year war with Russia. The announcement on Thursday came days before Donald Trump is sworn in as U.S. president with what he says is a plan to end Europe’s biggest war since World War II. Starmer said that the landmark century-long agreement commits the two sides to cooperate on defense and on technology projects including drones.

Standoff in South Africa ends with 87 miners dead and anger over police’s tactics

STILFONTEIN, South Africa (AP) — Police say the death toll in a monthslong standoff between authorities and miners trapped while working illegally underground at an abandoned gold mine in South Africa has risen to at least 87. National police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe says Thursday that 78 bodies were retrieved from the mine in an official rescue operation that began Monday, while another nine had been recovered previously. She did not give details on how those other bodies were retrieved. Community groups have launched their own rescue attempts. The miners are suspected to have died of starvation and dehydration. South African authorities have come under scrutiny for refusing to help the miners for months and claiming they were able to get out on their own.

South Korean court rejects petition to release impeached president

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Lawyers for impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol have failed in their court effort to secure his release. The decision on Thursday came a day after Yoon was detained at his residence for questioning over rebellion allegations linked to his martial law declaration last month. Yoon was sent to a detention center near South Korean capital Seoul after undergoing more than 10 hours of questioning on Wednesday at the headquarters of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials. Yoon exercised his right to remain silent. He refused further questioning by the anti-corruption officials on Thursday as his lawyers maintained that the investigation was illegal. Investigators are expected to move to place him under arrest in the coming days.