The United Kingdom and other Western allies have imposed sanctions on two hardline Israeli government ministers for “repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian communities” in the West Bank, Britain’s foreign office announced Tuesday.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich will face a travel ban and an asset freeze in the UK, the government said.

Ben Gvir and Smotrich both lead far-right political parties that help keep Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fragile government coalition afloat. Both men have faced criticism for their inflammatory comments about the occupied West Bank as well as their positions on the war in Gaza.

The sanctions are being jointly implemented by the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway, according to a joint statement by the countries’ foreign ministers.

“We are steadfastly committed to the two-state solution which is the only way to guarantee security and dignity for Israelis and Palestinians and ensure long term stability in the region, but it is imperilled by extremist settler violence and settlement expansion,” the joint statement said.

“Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights. Extremist rhetoric advocating the forced displacement of Palestinians and the creation of new Israeli settlements is appalling and dangerous,” the statement added. “We have engaged the Israeli Government on this issue extensively, yet violent perpetrators continue to act with encouragement and impunity.”

While the sanctions are in relation to the West Bank, the Western allies’ statement added that “of course this cannot be seen in isolation from the catastrophe in Gaza. We continue to be appalled by the immense suffering of civilians, including the denial of essential aid.”

Smotrich and Ben Gvir both live in settlements in the West Bank, which Palestinians and the vast majority of the international community hold as part of a future Palestinian state.

Ben Gvir, the leader of the Jewish Power party, reacted to the move Tuesday afternoon, saying that “the sanctions do not scare me.” He added: “I will continue to act for our country, for our people, I will continue to act and make sure that they do not let humanitarian aid into Hamas.”

Smotrich said Tuesday that he “heard that Britain has decided to impose sanctions on me because I’m thwarting the establishment of a Palestinian state.”

“Britain already tried once to prevent us from settling the cradle of our homeland, and we will not let it happen again. With God’s help, we are determined to continue building,” said Smotrich, who leads the National Religious Party–Religious Zionism.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

The European Union announced a new package of sanctions against Russia on Tuesday, saying that Moscow’s daily deadly attacks against Ukraine show that it is not interested in peace – despite recent diplomatic efforts.

The new package – the 18th since Russia launched its full-scale unprovoked invasion against its neighbor in 2022 – is designed to further target the Kremlin’s ability to make money from its oil and gas production.

The proposal includes lowering the price cap on Russian oil exports from $60 to $45 per barrel and introducing a full transaction ban on Russian banks and financial institutions in third countries that help Russia circumvent existing sanctions.

The EU said it is also proposing a ban on the use of Russian energy infrastructure, forbidding any EU operator from engaging directly or indirectly in any transactions that involve the Nord Stream pipelines.

The new package will need to be approved by the EU’s 27 member states. That could be complicated given previous concerns raised by some more pro-Kremlin governments, such as Hungary and Slovakia, about further sanctions targeting Russia.

While both those countries have previously threatened to block new rounds of sanctions, so far they have ultimately voted in favor of them.

The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said the sanctions were necessary “because strength is the only language that Russia will understand.”

“We want peace for Ukraine. Despite weeks of diplomatic attempts, despite (Ukraine’s) President (Volodymyr) Zelensky’s offer of an unconditional ceasefire, Russia continues to bring death and destruction to Ukraine. Russia’s goal is not peace, it is to impose the rule of might. Therefore, we are ramping up pressure on Russia,” von der Leyen said at a news conference in Brussels.

The leaders of Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Poland last month told Russian leader Vladimir Putin to agree to a 30-day ceasefire or face possible “massive” sanctions. Putin ignored the ultimatum, proposing instead “direct talks” between Moscow and Kyiv.

But two rounds of talks in Istanbul, Turkey, have made it clear Russia is sticking to its maximalist demands that would essentially equate to Ukraine’s capitulation.

Targeting Russian energy

Explaining why the EU has targeted Russia’s energy sector, the Commission chief said oil exports still represent one third of Russian government revenues.

“We need to cut this source of revenue,” she said.

The oil price cap was introduced by the EU and G7 countries in December 2022.

The cap, which applies to Russia’s seaborne oil exports, prohibits Western companies from providing shipping, insurance and other services needed to export the fuel unless it is priced below the threshold.

By enforcing a price cap, the EU and its allies have tried to diminish a key source of revenue for the Kremlin while still allowing its oil to flow to the global energy market – because cutting Russia’s supplies completely could destabilize the market and cause prices to shoot up.

Von der Leyen said on Tuesday that the price cap needs lowering because global oil prices had fallen since the cap was first introduced and now trade “very close” to the $60 level.

The price of a barrel of Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, has dropped 18% since the price cap on Russian crude took effect on December 5, 2022. It was trading at almost $68 a barrel late morning Eastern Time (ET) on Tuesday.

The bloc also wants to harden sanctions on Russia’s banking sector. Shortly after the invasion, the United States, EU, Britain and Canada jointly banned some Russian banks from the SWIFT messaging service – a high-security network connecting thousands of financial institutions around the world. That has made it far more difficult for those banks to send and receive money from abroad.

Now, the Commission wants to go a step further and prevent any EU operator, such a a business, from conducting a transaction with a list of sanctioned Russian banks. It also plans to add another 22 of Moscow’s banks to that list. Additionally, the bloc wants to extend the transaction ban to financial institutions in third countries that help Russia circumvent existing sanctions.

Von der Leyen said the latest package of sanctions will also broaden the current ban on materials and technologies that can be exported to Russia, adding: “We want to make sure that Russia does not find ways to modernize its weapons with European technologies.”

The sanctions will also include new measures against 22 Russian and foreign companies providing direct or indirect support to Russia’s military and industrial complex.

France said it has received a letter from the Palestinian Authority that contains “concrete and unprecedented commitments” to reform as Paris prepares to co-chair a conference on Palestinian statehood in New York.

“Hamas will no longer rule Gaza and must hand over its weapons and military capabilities to the Palestinian Security Forces, which will oversee their removal outside the occupied Palestinian territory, with Arab and international support,” the Élysée Palace cited Abbas as writing.

The letter France says it received comes as anticipation builds around whether President Emmanuel Macron might recognize the State of Palestine at a summit next week aimed at building support for Palestinian statehood at the United Nations. France is co-chairing the summit with Saudi Arabia.

France said Abbas pledged to organize presidential and general elections within a year in order to “rejuvenate the Palestinian governance.”

Abbas, 89, is deeply unpopular among Palestinians. He has led the PA since the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in 2004 and has clung to power despite being seen by critics as lacking democratic legitimacy. Proposals put forth by Arab states for a post-war Gaza have excluded Hamas from governance and called for the reformation of the PA.

The Guardian reported on Saturday that France may be retreating from its plan. The conference “has weakened its ambition and will instead hope to agree on steps towards recognition,” The Guardian said, citing diplomats, adding that “French officials briefing their Israeli counterparts this week reassured them the conference will not be the moment for recognition.”

“We can clearly see that some have an interest in suggesting that we are not moving in the direction of recognition. That is false,” the source said Tuesday, adding that “we are determined to recognize a Palestinian state in order to create the conditions for the state’s existence.”

The source highlighted the importance of the upcoming conference at the UN.

“Recognizing Palestinian statehood is consistent with France’s position in support of the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people,” the source said. “As part of the June 18 conference, it must contribute meaningfully to the momentum behind implementing the two-state solution, based on the principles reaffirmed by the President of the Republic.”

France would be the most prominent Western country to recognize Palestinian statehood. Last year, Spain, Ireland and Norway formally recognized the State of Palestine in a move that provoked backlash from Israel.

A series of explosions were reported in the Colombian city of Cali on Tuesday morning.

The city’s mayor, Alejandro Eder, said authorities were “responding to two explosive devices in our city: one at the Meléndez police station and another at the Manuela Beltrán CAI.”

“Our law enforcement officers are already on site, and health teams are on standby for any eventuality,” the mayor stated on social media.

Several people were injured in the explosions, the sources said.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Here’s a look at the life Friedrich Merz, chancellor of Germany.

Personal

Birth date: November 11, 1955

Birth place: Brilon, Germany

Birth name: Joachim-Friedrich Martin Josef Merz

Father: Joachim Merz, judge

Mother: Paula Sauvigny

Marriage: Charlotte Gass (1981-present)

Children: Three

Education: Studied law at the University of Bonn and the University of Marburg, graduating in 1985.

Military service: 1975–1976

Religion: Catholic

Other Facts

Merz has a hardline stance on migration. He has called for asylum-seekers arriving from other European Union member states to be rejected at Germany’s land borders.

Merz has criticized liberal welfare benefits. He has promised to slash welfare spending, telling The Economist in a rare sit-down interview in the lead-up to the election that he wants to avoid “paying people who are not willing to work.”

In 2003, Merz argued that German tax rules should be simple enough to calculate on the back of a beer coaster.

Merz is an amateur pilot.

Timeline

1972 – Joins the Christian Democratic Union (CDU).

1985-1986 – Judge at Saarbrücken District Court.

1986-1989 – Lawyer for the German Chemical Industry Association.

1989 – Is elected to the European Parliament.

1994 – Wins a seat in the Bundestag.

2000 – Loses to Angela Merkel in a CDU party leadership election.

2009 – Merz leaves the Bundestag and joins the private sector, working as a lawyer.

2021 – Returns to his previous seat in the Bundestag.

January 2022 – After two failed bids for CDU party leadership, in 2018 and 2021, Merz is selected to lead the party.

February 23, 2025 – CDU and its sister party wins the federal election. Merz will likely be the next chancellor of Germany.

April 9, 2025 – Announces he will form a coalition with the center-left Social Democrats (SPD).

May 6, 2025 – Merz is approved as chancellor of Germany. He had fallen six votes short earlier in the day.

Syria issued a conservative new dress code Tuesday requiring women to wear burkinis or full-body swimwear on all public beaches, the latest cultural shift since Islamist-led rebels toppled dictator Bashar al-Assad’s regime last December.

The Tourism Ministry said the new guidelines were made in “the requirements of public interest.”

“Visitors to public beaches and pools, whether tourists or locals, are required to wear appropriate swimwear that takes into account public taste and the sensibilities of various segments of society,” Tourism Minister Mazen al-Salhani said in a directive posted to Facebook.

“More modest swimwear is required at public beaches and pools (burkinis or swimsuits that cover more of the body),” said the directive, adding, “When moving between the beach and other places, it is necessary to wear a beach cover-up or loose-fitting robe (for women) over swimsuits.”

Men are required to wear shirts under the new guidance, which says that “topless clothing is not permitted in public areas outside of swimming areas, hotel lobbies, and food service areas.”

“In public areas outside of beaches and pools, it is preferable to wear loose clothing, covering shoulders and knees, and avoid transparent or overly tight clothing,” according to the directive.

However, the ministry said that in resorts and hotels “classified as international and premium (4-star)” and in private beaches and swimming pools ”typical Western swimwear is permitted.”

It’s unclear what repercussions people who do not follow the guidelines will face, but the ministry said that “lifeguards and beach supervisors” would monitor people to ensure compliance.

The new regulations reflect the influence of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Islamist coalition now leading Syria’s transitional government. Formerly known as Al-Nusra Front, HTS is designated as a terrorist group by the US and UK.

Interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who signed the dress-code directive, led HTS in the lightning offensive that led to the fall of Assad, whose regime had been in power for several decades.

In March, al-Sharaa signed an interim constitution mandating Islamist rule for a transitional phase of five years. Al-Sharaa said in December that rewriting Syria’s constitution might take three years, with elections potentially taking place within five years.

The US-based Human Rights Watch said in March that Al-Sharaa’s “broad authority raises serious concerns about the durability of the rule of law and human rights protections unless clear safeguards are put in place.”

Tourism Minister al-Salhani, who recently courted Qatari and Saudi investors for tourism projects worth “billions of dollars,” framed the rules as respecting Syria’s cultural, social, and religious diversity.”

The announcement comes amid a push to revive Syria’s tourism industry following the lifting of US sanctions in May 2025 – a move US President Donald Trump described as a “chance at greatness” for Syria.

Argentina’s top court effectively banned two-term former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner from office and upheld a six-year jail sentence, likely drawing a curtain on one of the country’s most flamboyant and divisive political careers.

Kirchner, 72, a polarizing opposition figure and leftist president from 2007 to 2015, was convicted by a trial court in 2022 for a fraud scheme that steered public road work projects in the Patagonia to a close ally while she was president.

The ruling scuppers Kirchner’s plans to run in Buenos Aires provincial legislative elections, but could galvanize her divided Peronist opposition coalition, which has been licking its wounds since being ousted in 2023 by current libertarian President Javier Milei.

The Supreme Court’s three judges rejected Kirchner’s appeal and left in effect an appellate court decision that had upheld the guilty verdict. A lower court will decide whether to grant Kirchner house arrest due to her age.

“The complaint is dismissed,” the Supreme Court said in a ruling. Kirchner has denied wrongdoing and claims she is a victim of political persecution.

In Buenos Aires, her supporters blocked roads across the city. Some banged on drums. Others carried banners with the image of Evita Perón, the wife of Juan Perón, the founder of the political movement who was known as a defender of the poor.

“A triumverate of unpresentables,” Kirchner said of the Supreme Court judges after the ruling, speaking before thousands of supporters who rallied in downtown Buenos Aires outside the headquarters of her Peronist Justicialista party.

Kirchner’s shadow looms large over the Peronist movement, which needs to identify a new generation of leaders.

“The fact that she goes to jail and can’t be a candidate doesn’t eliminate her political movement,” said political analyst Carlos Fara. “Obviously though it won’t be the same.”

A government source said that it could both weaken or strengthen the opposition. Peronism “can either entrench itself or break into a thousand pieces,” the person told Reuters.

Justice?

Prosecutors accused Kirchner of directing hundreds of millions of dollars to construction magnate Lázaro Báez. During her government and that of her late husband, Néstor Kirchner, companies tied to Báez were awarded dozens of government contracts for roadwork projects in Patagonia but nearly half of them were abandoned, prosecutors said.

Báez and other officials were sentenced to prison terms.

Peronism and Kirchner’s popularity have suffered in recent years. She served as vice president in 2019 under President Alberto Fernández, whose government oversaw a slide into economic crisis by overprinting pesos that led to sharp spike in inflation.

But she has still been able to maintain a hardcore support base, particularly from working-class voters who relied on government subsidies under her and her husband’s governments.

“As a figure she’s not been overshadowed on the political scene by anyone,” said Carolina Barry, an expert on Peronism at the Universidad Nacional de Tres de Febrero in Buenos Aires. “Her words resonate with many groups.”

Kirchner has been sharply critical of Milei’s austerity, accusing him of cutting pensions and defunding public education. Milei has shot back that he would “love to bang the last nail in the coffin of Kirchnerismo, with Cristina Kirchner inside.”

“Justice,” wrote Milei on X after the verdict on Tuesday.

Alejandro Carrió, a constitutional and criminal law expert in Buenos Aires, said that even if Kirchner serves the sentence under house arrest, it was unclear “if with time she’ll lose the clear leadership she’s held for years.”

Kirchner faces charges in several other criminal cases and is scheduled to stand trial in November on accusations that she led a large-scale bribery scheme.

She’s not the first Argentine president to face a criminal conviction, joining, among others, former President Carlos Menem, who was sentenced to over four years in prison for embezzlement of public funds during his presidency in the 1990s. As a senator, congressional immunity protected him from prison.

Hundreds of masked rioters attacked police and set homes and cars on fire in the Northern Irish town of Ballymena on Tuesday in the second successive night of disorder that followed a protest over an alleged sexual assault in the town.

Police said they were dealing with “serious disorder” in the town, which is about 45 km (30 miles) from the capital Belfast, and urged people to avoid the area.

Officers in riot gear and driving armoured vans responded with water cannon and plastic baton rounds after being attacked by petrol bombs, scaffolding and rocks that rioters gathered by knocking down nearby walls, a Reuters witness said.

One house was burned out and a police officer vomited after leaving another in a different part of the town that rioters had attempted to set alight, the witness added.

A number of cars were set on fire and one lay upside down in flames as police sirens blared throughout the town past midnight.

Four houses were damaged by fire and windows and doors were smashed in other homes and businesses in the first night of rioting on Monday, in what police said they are investigating as racially-motivated hate attacks.

Hundreds of protesters had gathered in Ballymena earlier on Monday in response to a case involving two teenage boys who appeared in court that day, accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl in the County Antrim town.

Local media reported that the charges were read to the teenagers via an interpreter.

Fifteen police officers were injured on Monday, with some requiring hospital treatment.

Separate protests on Tuesday had earlier blocked off some roads in Belfast, another Reuters witness said, but no unrest was reported in other parts of the British-run region.

The British government and local politicians condemned the violence.

“The terrible scenes of civil disorder we have witnessed in Ballymena again this evening have no place in Northern Ireland,” Britain’s Northern Ireland Minister Hilary Been said on X.