From Reuters.

1. The United States broke a longstanding diplomatic taboo by holding secret talks with Hamas on securing the release of U.S. hostages held in Gaza, sources told Reuters on Wednesday, while President Donald Trump warned of "hell to pay" should the Palestinian militant group not comply.

2. European leaders aim to endorse bold measures to ramp up defence spending and pledge support for Ukraine on Thursday, after Donald Trump’s suspension of military aid to Kyiv fuelled concerns the continent can no longer be sure of U.S. protection.

3. A new travel ban by President Donald Trump could bar people from Afghanistan and Pakistan from entering the U.S. as soon as next week based on a government review of countries’ security and vetting risks, three sources familiar with the matter said.

4. Russia ruled out European proposals to send peacekeeping forces to Ukraine and said on Thursday that French President Emmanuel Macron had threatened it by suggesting that Moscow was a grave menace to Europe.

5. Hong Kong’s top court unanimously overturned on Thursday the convictions of three former members of a pro-democracy group that organised an annual candlelight vigil to mark China’s 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, citing a miscarriage of justice.

#News #us #gaza #hostagerelease #israel #ceasefire #palestinian #hamas #europe #ukraine #russiaukrainewar #travelban #afghanistan #pakistan #hongkong #tiananmensquare #Reuters #Newsfeed

👉 Subscribe: http://smarturl.it/reuterssubscribe

Keep up with the latest news from around the world: https://www.reuters.com/
Follow Reuters on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Reuters
Follow Reuters on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Reuters
Follow Reuters on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reuters/?hl=en