General NewsOvernight events: Serbia protests escalate, Rubio talks with Ukraine
Overnight events: Serbia protests escalate, Rubio talks with Ukraine
This happened while you were sleeping. Here's what global agencies recorded overnight from Friday to Saturday.
- Tens of thousands of people responded to the students' call for a general strike and protest marches organized on Friday in several Serbian cities. Many protested in front of the headquarters of public television RTS in Belgrade, local media reported. Numerous shops, bars, and restaurants were closed as part of a nationwide strike organized by students who have been holding massive protests for months following the tragedy in Novi Sad. In early November 2024, 15 people were killed when part of the railway station roof in this city collapsed. The demonstrators blame the authorities for corruption and negligence that allegedly led to the accident.
- Former National Security Advisor to Donald Trump, Republican John Bolton, believes that the US President shows "weakness, not strength" in his efforts to achieve peace between Russia and Ukraine.
- Yemeni Houthi rebels threatened on Friday to resume attacks if Israel does not restore humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip within four days. Supported by Iran, the Houthis have attacked ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since the war in the Gaza Strip erupted—one of the world's most important trade routes. After four days, "we will resume our naval operations against the Israeli enemy," announced the Houthi movement leader, Abdulmalik al-Houthi. The organization controls a large part of Yemen, including the coastline along the Red Sea.
- The authorities revealed the causes of death of actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa. A week ago, the couple's bodies were found in their Santa Fe home in New Mexico.
- At least six people died on Friday due to severe storms and floods in the coastal city of Bahia Blanca, Argentina. The disaster, described by the media as unprecedented, forced the evacuation of over a thousand people and the precautionary shutdown of electricity throughout the city. City authorities confirmed the deaths of six people and acknowledged that the death toll might still rise, reported TN television. On Friday, 12 inches of rain fell in the city within six hours. The forecast is not optimistic, with meteorologists predicting more storms in the coming hours, reported Infobae.
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had a phone conversation on Friday with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybihá, informing him that "resident Trump is determined to end the war as soon as possible," the State Department announced.
- The Israeli armed forces reported that the air force conducted a raid on Friday evening targeting Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon. It was stated that targets posing a threat to Israel were attacked. The World Bank announced on Friday that rebuilding war-torn Lebanon would cost about $11 billion. Israeli planes targeted, among other things, weapons depots and rocket launchers, according to an army statement. It was added that the arms depots in southern Lebanon constituted a "blatant violation" of the ceasefire in effect since the end of November 2024. According to the agreement, both Israel and Hezbollah were to withdraw from southern Lebanon, with full control over the area to be assumed by the regular Lebanese army.
