Hamas and Israel traded accusation on Wednesday over delays in finalising a ceasefire and hostage release deal, after both had reported progress in the latest round of Gaza truce talks.

Desi Bouterse, the former dictator of Suriname who was a fugitive from justice for the murder of political opponents four decades ago, has died at age 79, the government said Wednesday.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday condemned a Russian attack which saw more than 170 drones and missiles launched on Ukraine's energy grid, killing one person.

Hamas said Wednesday that "new conditions" imposed by Israel had delayed the finalisation of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, but acknowledged that negotiations were still proceeding.

The suicide by a train driver on the job has caused widespread delays in France's rail traffic, operator SNCF said Wednesday.

Thirty-eight people were killed when an Azerbaijan Airlines plane with 67 on board crashed in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, a senior Kazakh official said.

A Russian court slightly reduced prison sentences Wednesday on a playwright and a theatre director convicted of "justifying terrorism" in a play.

Pope Francis called Wednesday for an end to the war in Ukraine and for talks for a just peace as the country was pummelled by 170 Russian missiles and drones on Christmas morning.

NATO member Romania said Wednesday it had not detected any Russian missile passing through its airspace to target Ukraine as claimed by Kyiv.

One of the missiles Russia launched over Ukraine on Wednesday morning went through the airspaces of Moldova and Romania, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said.

Kazakhstan's emergency situation ministry on Wednesday said 25 people had survived the crash of a passenger jet with 67 people on board in the west of the country.

Pakistan air strikes in an eastern border province of Afghanistan killed 46 people, the Taliban government spokesman told AFP on Wednesday.