Zelensky to join European leaders in Cyprus as EU unblocks €90bn Ukraine loan

A second French soldier died on Wednesday from wounds suffered in a weekend ambush against UN peacekeepers in Lebanon blamed on Hezbollah, President Emmanuel Macron said. A first soldier, staff sergeant Florian Montorio, was shot dead in the Saturday ambush, for which Hezbollah has denied responsibility.

Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon on Wednesday killed Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil and wounded a photographer accompanying her, according to a senior Lebanese military official and Khalil's employer, the Al-Akhbar newspaper. The death of Khalil, 43, brought the death toll on Wednesday to five people. It was the deadliest day since a 10-day ceasefire was announced on April ‌16 to halt hostilities between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

The United States on Wednesday accused China of pressuring African nations to block a planned visit by Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te, after several countries revoked overflight permits. Beijing denied the claims while expressing "high appreciation" for the states in question as tensions over Taiwan’s international engagement continue to heighten.

French prodigy Paul Seixas at 19 became the youngest winner of the La Fleche Wallonne one-day classic on Wednesday in his first ride in the race. Seixas beat home Switzerland's Mauro Schmid and British rider Ben Tulett to replace Philemon De Meersman in the race's history books as the Belgian was 21 years old and 150 days when he won in 1936.