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Finland has accused Russia of flooding its borders with migrants from the Middle East and Africa over its decision to increase defense cooperation with the United States, a claim which Moscow denies. As many as 300 migrants from Iraq, Yemen, Somalia and Syria have arrived in Finland this week, Reuters reported, citing the Finnish Border Guard. The arrivals have prompted Finland to erect barricades at the border with Russia to stop the migrants from crossing freely into the country. The razor-wire barriers were put up Friday around midnight at the Vaalimaa, Nuijamaa, Imatra and Niirala border posts in southeast Finland, border officials said. After two people breached the barriers and crossed into Finland, border authorities said the barriers would be improved so that similar crossings would be impossible. ZELENSKYY WARNS RUSSIA WANTS TO CAUSE ‘EXPLOSION’ IN THE BALKANS Migrants, mostly from the Middle East and Africa, have arrived in the Nordic nation without proper documentatio...

A cargo ship linked to an Israeli billionaire was allegedly seized by Iran-backed rebels in the Red Sea on Sunday.  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said it "strongly condemns the Iranian attack against an international vessel."  "The ship, which is owned by a British company and is operated by a Japanese firm, was hijacked with Iran guidance by the Yemenite Houthi militia," Netanyahu's office said in a statement. "Onboard the vessel are 25 crew members of various nationalities, including Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Filipino and Mexican. No Israelis are onboard. This is another act of Iranian terrorism and constitutes a leap forward in Iran's aggression against the citizens of the free world, with international consequences regarding the security of the global shipping lanes."  Israel Defense Forces also wrote on X, "The hijacking of a cargo ship by the Houthis near Yemen in the southern Red Sea is a very grave incident of glo...

French President Emmanuel Macron’s wife Brigitte Macron revealed her relationship anxieties from the early days of dating the future French leader – including concerns he would "fall in love with someone his age" after moving schools.  "My head was in a mess," Brigitte Macron said during a rare interview, given to the outlet Paris Match, and reported in the Daily Telegraph. "For me, such a young boy was crippling." "Emmanuel had to leave for Paris," Macron revealed. "I told myself that he would fall in love with someone his [own] age. It didn’t happen." The couple’s age difference – she, 70, and he, 45 – has remained a hot topic for the couple: Macron addressed the difference during an interview in 2017 with Elle France, telling the outlet "there are times in your life where you need to make vital choices."  FRENCH PRESIDENT SEEKS TO ENSHRINE ABORTION IN COUNTRY'S CONSTITUTION "Of course, we have breakfast toge...

JERUSALEM — At a summit of leaders from more than 50 Arab and Muslim states held last weekend in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Israel’s military response in Gaza following Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre was fiercely condemned.  But what was missing from the gathering’s final statement was any immediate solution for the 2.3 million civilians of the Palestinian enclave, more than half of whom are now internally displaced after nearly six weeks of fighting. While the final resolution called for an immediate end to "the brutal Israeli aggression on Gaza" and made offers of humanitarian and financial aid to the Palestinians, not one country came forward with a viable solution, even temporarily, for the 1.5 million civilians who, according to the latest U.N. figures, are now internally displaced in the southern section of the Strip.  As the death toll in Gaza rises, thousands of civilians continue to flee the conflict and head southward, where the Israeli military has said it is safer and wher...

Authorities are warning residents of the Icelandic town of Grindavik that it may be months before they are able to return to their homes as volcanic eruption concerns persist. Grindavik, which was evacuated by the Icelandic government this week after seismic activity and air content analysis pointed to possible eruptions, has been shut down to traffic for the foreseeable future. Residents have only been given short windows of time to gather their belongings and flee the town, which is believed to now sit on a corridor of magma flowing under the area. POPULAR TOURIST DESTINATION ICELAND ON EDGE AS EXPERTS FEAR IMMINENT VOLCANIC ERUPTION The Icelandic Meteorological Office said since midnight yesterday, around "800 earthquakes have been measured, most of them in the middle of the magma dyke at Sundhnúk at a depth of about 3-5 km [1.8 to 3.1 miles]."  "Seismic activity has remained constant since 11th of November. The main monitoring focus on seismic activity remain...

Tens of thousands of Israeli supporters marched from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem this week in protest of government inaction on rescuing hostages.  Families of Israeli hostages taken by Hamas were the focal point of the support as the procession marched over the course of three days.  The march is set to end on Saturday in front of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence. UN SECURITY COUNCIL CALLS FOR EXTENDED PAUSE IN ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR AS IDF STRIKES HAMAS LEADERS There remain up to 238 Hamas hostages in Gaza, and 10 of them are believed to be Americans.  After the protest, the families of Israeli hostages are set to meet with war cabinet Minister Benny Gantz and cabinet observer Minister Gadi Eisenkot. The families have demanded to meet with Netanyahu , Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and cabinet observer Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer — but such requests have been met with silence. ISRAELI FORCES STRIKE ISLAMIC JIHAD STRONGHOLD IN GAZA, KILL HAMAS ...

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released video on Friday showing what it says is a stash of mortar bombs hidden in the vicinity of a kindergarten classroom. The short video shows a damaged kindergarten classroom and then pans into a small storage area, revealing a pile of mortar shells. An  IDF spokesman  said the mortar shells and other weapons were recovered by soldiers in schools inside the Gaza Strip. NETANYAHU: ISRAEL 'NOT SUCCESSFUL' IN MINIMIZING GAZA CIVILIAN CASUALTIES Additionally, IDF troops also found numerous Hamas weapons hidden in the Al-Karmel elementary school, the IDF said. Those weapons are understood to consist of rocket-propelled grenades and other military equipment. U.S. and Israeli officials have said the Hamas terrorist organization uses civilian infrastructure like schools, homes and hospitals as cover for its military activities.  The IDF also released an image of a stockpile of weaponry and ammunition it says were seized from the Al-Quds ...