Europe’s biggest armed conflict since World War II is poised to enter a key new phase in the coming weeks. With no suggestion of a negotiated end to the 13 months of fighting between Russia and Ukraine, a counteroffensive by Kyiv’s

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Friday that Russia, which has already decided to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in his country, can place intercontinental nuclear missiles in its neighboring and allied country if necessary.

Tirana Hasan, the new executive director of Human Rights Watch, said on Thursday that Israel is "experiencing unrest" that could affect human rights, and urged the United States and other allies to do more to hold it accountable for alleged abuses and persuade it to change course.

 In the latest accusation from the United States, Russia began turning to "rogue" countries to help it continue the war in Ukraine, this time in an agreement that would provide Pyongyang with the necessary food and other goods in return. The White House said it has new evidence that Russia is again looking to North Korea for weapons to fuel the war in Ukraine.