Global Unrest: UN Aid Blocked in Gaza, Putin's North Korea Visit, NATO Leadership Shift

The UN faces challenges distributing aid due to lawlessness in Gaza despite Israel's military pause. Meanwhile, Putin visits North Korea to strengthen ties, and Mark Rutte is poised to lead NATO. Additionally, tensions rise as the U.S. attempts to prevent conflict between Israel and Lebanon.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

UN says lawlessness in Gaza impedes aid via Kerem Shalom despite Israel's military pause

The United Nations said on Tuesday it has been unable to distribute aid in the Gaza Strip from the Israel-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing because of lawlessness and panic among hungry people in the area, despite Israel's daytime pause in military activity. Israel's military said on Sunday there would be a daily pause in its attacks from 0500 GMT until 1600 GMT until further notice along the road that leads from Israel via the Kerem Shalom crossing to the Salah al-Din Road and northwards in Gaza.

Fire at Chad military depot triggers explosions

A fire at a military ammunition depot in Chad's capital N'Djamena triggered a series of blasts on Tuesday night, Foreign Affairs Minister Koulamallah Abderaman said. The depot was in the north of the city in the neighbourhood of Goudji, Abderaman said on X, calling on the population to remain calm.

Putin flies into North Korea with promise to back it against the US

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in North Korea on Wednesday for his first visit in 24 years, vowing to deepen trade and security ties with the reclusive nuclear-armed state and to support it against the United States. Russian state media said Putin's plane touched down in Pyongyang around 2:45 a.m. after a stopover in Russia's far east.

UN Haiti chief warns of 'catastrophic' impact of gang war displacements

A top executive at the United Nations' migration agency on Tuesday warned of catastrophic humanitarian consequences for the spiraling numbers of Haitians forced to flee their homes due to violence fueled by a conflict with armed gangs. "The figures we see today are a direct consequence of years of spiraling violence," said Philippe Branchat, who heads the International Organization for Migration's (IOM) Haiti arm, "and its catastrophic humanitarian impact."

Dutchman Mark Rutte, longtime Putin critic, set to lead NATO alliance

Mark Rutte, who looks set to be NATO's next secretary-general, is a staunch ally of Ukraine and a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who honed his skills as a political dealmaker during nearly 14 years as Dutch prime minister. Rutte, 57, has been one of the driving forces behind Europe's military support for Ukraine since Russia's 2022 invasion, and says defeat on the battlefield for Moscow is vital to secure peace in Europe.

NATO worried Russia may support North Korea's missile and nuclear programs

NATO is concerned about support Russia could provide for North Korea's missile and nuclear programs, the alliance's head said on Tuesday as Russian President Vladimir Putin began his first trip to the reclusive nuclear-armed country in 24 years. Putin, on a state visit for talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, vowed to deepen trade and security ties and to support the North against the U.S., a close ally of its bitter rival South Korea.

Israel and Lebanon escalate rhetoric as US tries to prevent war

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz warned on Tuesday that a decision on an all-out war with Hezbollah was coming soon, even as the United States tries to avert any escalation. U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein was sent to Lebanon to try and cool tensions following an increase in cross-border fire along Lebanon's southern frontier that has escalated to Hezbollah hinting it could attack Haifa, Israel's third-largest city.

Dutch PM Rutte to succeed Stoltenberg as NATO chief, media reports

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, a staunch ally of Kyiv and a critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, will succeed Jens Stoltenberg as NATO chief, Dutch national broadcaster NOS reported on Tuesday, after Hungary and Slovakia backed him. Speaking at a news conference alongside U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington, Stoltenberg neither confirmed nor denied the media report.

US pushing Netherlands, Japan to restrict more chipmaking equipment to China, source says

A U.S. official was headed to Japan after meeting with the Dutch government in an effort to push allies to further crack down on China's ability to produce cutting-edge semiconductors, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday. Alan Estevez, the U.S. export policy chief, was again trying to build on a 2023 agreement between the three countries to keep chipmaking equipment from China that could modernize its military.

Russia buying spies to make up for expelled diplomats, German agency says

Russia has turned increasingly to blackmail and financial incentives to hire Germans to spy for it after the blow dealt to its intelligence services by Europe's expulsion of some 600 Russian diplomats, Germany's domestic security service said. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) said Russian intelligence services were spending big to recruit agents in Germany despite Western attempts to limit their operations since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)