Russia-Ukraine War News Live Updates: Biden approves antipersonnel mines for Ukraine: Report

The West continues to use Ukraine as a tool to defeat Russia, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesperson, told Russia’s RIA state news agency in remarks published on Wednesday.

“Western politicians continue their line of inflicting a strategic defeat on our country,” Peskov told RIA, commenting on reports that Washington has allowed Ukraine to use U.S.-made weapons to strike deep into Russia.

“And, of course, they use Ukraine as a tool in their hands to achieve these goals.”

US special envoy Amos Hochstein said Tuesday in Beirut that an end to the Israel-Hezbollah war was “now within our grasp” as he met officials to discuss a truce plan largely endorsed by Lebanon.

The United States and France have spearheaded efforts for a ceasefire, which escalated in late September after nearly a year of deadly exchanges between Hezbollah and Israeli troops.

Israel expanded the focus of its operations from Gaza to Lebanon, vowing to secure its northern border to allow tens of thousands of people displaced by the cross-border fire to return home.

After meeting with Hezbollah-allied parliament speaker Nabih Berri, who has led mediation on behalf of the group, Hochstein told reporters he saw “a real opportunity” to end the fighting.

Rafael Nadal’s last match as a professional was a 6-4, 6-4 loss to No. 80 Botic van de Zandschulp in the Davis Cup as Spain was eliminated by the Netherlands on Tuesday.

Spain lost 2-1 in the quarterfinals of the team event that marked the last tournament for Nadal after more than 20 years on tour and 22 Grand Slam titles.

US special envoy Amos Hochstein said Tuesday in Beirut that an end to the Israel-Hezbollah war was “now within our grasp” as he met officials to discuss a truce plan largely endorsed by Lebanon.

The United States and France have spearheaded efforts for a ceasefire, which escalated in late September after nearly a year of deadly exchanges between Hezbollah and Israeli troops.

Israel expanded the focus of its operations from Gaza to Lebanon, vowing to secure its northern border to allow tens of thousands of people displaced by the cross-border fire to return home.

After meeting with Hezbollah-allied parliament speaker Nabih Berri, who has led mediation on behalf of the group, Hochstein told reporters he saw “a real opportunity” to end the fighting.

Israeli soldiers seized a weapons cache located beneath a schoolyard in southern Lebanon, the Israel Defense Forces disclosed on Tuesday.
The weapons were found in an underground Hezbollah facility tens of meters long. Rockets, explosive charges, rocket-propelled grenades and other weapons were seized.

The army added that soldiers also captured rocket launchers, anti-tank missiles, military equipment, and intelligence documents in a nearby building.

On Monday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed not to allow the Iran-backed Hezbollah return to its pre-war strength.

Australia will partner with India to boost investment in renewable energy, including solar manufacturing, battery and mineral processing, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a meeting with his Indian counterpart on the G20 sidelines.

Australia and India will also look to enhance defence and maritime security cooperation, Albanese said in a meeting with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday.

The two countries, along with the United States and Japan, are members of the Quad, which has sought to balance China’s rising military and economic clout in the Indo Pacific region.

Australia was the largest producer per capita of rooftop solar in the world, and projects with India will include training a rooftop solar workforce as India seeks to boost household use of renewables, Albanese said.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) announced Tuesday it was ceasing its activities in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince after “violence and threats from police,” just over a week after two of its patients were shot and killed.

After “serious threats against its staff by members of the Haitian police force, MSF has been forced to suspend its activities in Port-au-Prince until further notice,” said a press release from the NGO.