UNITED STATES: A Palestinian man who led student protests against the Gaza war has been arrested at an immigration office where he expected to be interviewed about finalising his US citizenship.

Mohsen Mahdawi, who has held a green card since 2015, was detained in Colchester, Vermont.

“His detention is an attempt to silence those who speak out against the atrocities in Gaza,” lawyer Luna Droubi said in an email.

UNITED STATES: Donald Trump’s top aides and Salvadorean President Nayib Bukele have claimed there is no basis for the return to the US of a Maryland man who was wrongly deported to El Salvador last month.

On Monday, Mr Bukele backed claims that Kilmar Abrego Garcia is a terrorist and dismissed the idea of returning him as “preposterous,” even though the US Supreme Court has called for Mr Abrego Garcia to brought back.

LEBANON: At least 71 civilians, including 14 women and nine children, have been killed by Israeli strikes since a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect on November 27, the office of the United Nations high commissioner for human rights said today.

Israel has continued to launch near-daily strikes on what it says are Hezbollah facilities and still occupies five strategic points in southern Lebanon.

FRANCE: Officials said today that several prisons had been attacked in response to government efforts to fight drug trafficking.

In the most recent incident, an automatic weapon was fired overnight in the southern city of Toulon. No-one was injured. Elsewhere, cars have been set on fire outside prisons.