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Lufthansa Suspends Beirut Flights Amid Middle East Tensions

Planes of German air carrier Lufthansa are parked as Lufthansa pilots start a strike over a wage dispute, at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany, September 2, 2022. - Reuters
Planes of German air carrier Lufthansa are parked as Lufthansa pilots start a strike over a wage dispute, at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany, September 2, 2022. - Reuters
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Lufthansa Suspends Beirut Flights Amid Middle East Tensions

Planes of German air carrier Lufthansa are parked as Lufthansa pilots start a strike over a wage dispute, at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany, September 2, 2022. - Reuters
Planes of German air carrier Lufthansa are parked as Lufthansa pilots start a strike over a wage dispute, at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany, September 2, 2022. - Reuters

German airline Lufthansa suspended its flights to and from the Lebanese capital Beirut on Friday until October 16 as tensions soar in the region while the Israel-Gaza war rages.

The spokesman, who blamed the decision on the "current situation in the Middle East", confirmed information from two passengers who had been unable to fly from Frankfurt to Beirut.

On Saturday Lufthansa cut its flights to Tel Aviv, citing "the current security situation".

The route will remain suspended until October 22, according to the spokesman on Friday, AFP reported.

Evacuation flights for German nationals in Israel were organized on Thursday and Friday by the German government.

The German foreign ministry said that around 950 nationals were evacuated on Thursday and more than 850 left Israel on Friday.

These flights were chartered by Lufthansa at the request of the foreign ministry, and flew from Tel Aviv to Frankfurt and Munich.

Other airlines to have cut flights to Tel Aviv amid safety concerns include Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Air France-KLM and US airline Delta.

Before the flights were halted, British Airways turned around one of its flights from London's Heathrow Airport to Tel Aviv in mid-air, citing fears over the security situation in the region.

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Rubio Says US Sanctioning ICC Judges for Targeting Israel

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to traveling journalists at the John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport in Hamilton, Ontario, on November 12, 2025 after the G7 foreign ministers meeting. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / POOL / AFP)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to traveling journalists at the John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport in Hamilton, Ontario, on November 12, 2025 after the G7 foreign ministers meeting. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / POOL / AFP)
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Rubio Says US Sanctioning ICC Judges for Targeting Israel

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to traveling journalists at the John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport in Hamilton, Ontario, on November 12, 2025 after the G7 foreign ministers meeting. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / POOL / AFP)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to traveling journalists at the John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport in Hamilton, Ontario, on November 12, 2025 after the G7 foreign ministers meeting. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / POOL / AFP)

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that the US was sanctioning two judges of the International Criminal Court for targeting Israel.

"Today, I am designating two International Criminal Court (ICC) judges, Gocha Lordkipanidze of Georgia and Erdenebalsuren Damdin of Mongolia, pursuant to Executive Order 14203," Rubio said in a statement, referring to the order President Donald Trump signed in February sanctioning the ICC, Reuters reported.

"These individuals have directly engaged in efforts by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute Israeli nationals, without Israel's consent," he said.

The United States and Israel are not members of the ICC.

The US sanctions in February include freezing any US assets of those designated and barring them and their families from visiting the United States.

World

US Imposes Sanctions on Vessels Linked to Iran, Treasury Website Says

A crew member raises the Iranian flag on Iranian oil tanker Adrian Darya 1, previously named Grace 1, as it sits anchored after the Supreme Court of the British territory lifted its detention order, in the Strait of Gibraltar, Spain, August 18, 2019. REUTERS/Jon Nazca
A crew member raises the Iranian flag on Iranian oil tanker Adrian Darya 1, previously named Grace 1, as it sits anchored after the Supreme Court of the British territory lifted its detention order, in the Strait of Gibraltar, Spain, August 18, 2019. REUTERS/Jon Nazca
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US Imposes Sanctions on Vessels Linked to Iran, Treasury Website Says

A crew member raises the Iranian flag on Iranian oil tanker Adrian Darya 1, previously named Grace 1, as it sits anchored after the Supreme Court of the British territory lifted its detention order, in the Strait of Gibraltar, Spain, August 18, 2019. REUTERS/Jon Nazca
A crew member raises the Iranian flag on Iranian oil tanker Adrian Darya 1, previously named Grace 1, as it sits anchored after the Supreme Court of the British territory lifted its detention order, in the Strait of Gibraltar, Spain, August 18, 2019. REUTERS/Jon Nazca

The United States imposed sanctions on Thursday on 29 vessels and their management firms, the Treasury Department said, as Washington continues targeting Tehran's "shadow fleet" it says exports Iranian petroleum and petroleum products, Reuters reported.

The targeted vessels and companies have transported hundreds of millions of dollars of the products through deceptive shipping practices, Treasury said.

Thursday's action also targets businessman Hatem Elsaid Farid Ibrahim Sakr, whose companies are associated with seven of the vessels cited, as well as multiple shipping companies.

World

Zelenskiy Says Ukraine Faces Foreign Aid Shortfall of up to 50 billion Euros Next Year

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. File Photo/The AP
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. File Photo/The AP
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Zelenskiy Says Ukraine Faces Foreign Aid Shortfall of up to 50 billion Euros Next Year

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. File Photo/The AP
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. File Photo/The AP

Ukraine is facing a foreign aid shortfall of 45-50 billion euros ($53-59 billion) in 2026, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday, Reuters reported.

He added that if Kyiv did not receive a first tranche of a loan secured by Russian assets by next spring, it would have to significantly cut drone production.

Speaking in Brussels as EU leaders were set to take a decision on Moscow's seized sovereign wealth, Zelenskiy said this would mean that Ukraine would have far fewer drones than Russia, and would not be able to conduct long-range strikes on Russian energy facilities.