LONDON, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Former TV journalist Yekaterina Duntsova was disqualified on Saturday as a candidate for Russia's next presidential election, preventing her from running against Vladimir Putin on a platform of opposition to the war in Ukraine.

Members of the central electoral commission voted unanimously to reject her candidacy, citing "numerous violations" in the papers she had submitted in support of her bid.

PHNOM PENH, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet will participate in the fourth Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Leaders' Meeting via video conference on Monday, the country's foreign ministry said in a press statement on Saturday.

Myanmar and China will co-chair the virtual meeting, the statement said.

The LMC consists of six countries, namely China, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam.

CAIRO, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Hamas said on Saturday it has lost contact with a group responsible for five Israeli hostages being held captive in the Gaza Strip due to Israeli bombardment.

The Palestinian Islamist group believes the hostages were killed during an Israeli raid, Abu Ubaida, the spokesman for the armed wing of Hamas, al-Qassam Brigades, was quoted as saying in a statement on the group's Telegram channel.

Reuters was not able to verify the report and there was no immediate response from the Israeli authorities.

Dec 22 (Reuters) - Russia has bought out another 92 planes from foreign leasing companies, airlines and aircraft leasing company AerCap said.

The planes have been bought out using money from Russia's National Welfare Fund, 190 billion roubles ($2.06 billion) of which has been allocated for the purpose.

Ownership will now pass to Russia's state insurance company NLK-Finance, which will transfer them to the airlines.

PHNOM PENH, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet will participate in the fourth Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Leaders' Meeting via video conference on Monday, the country's foreign ministry said in a press statement on Saturday.

Myanmar and China will co-chair the virtual meeting, the statement said.

The LMC consists of six countries, namely China, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam.

MOSCOW (AP) — A Russian politician calling for peace in Ukraine hit a roadblock in her campaign Saturday, when Russia’s Central Election Commission refused to accept her initial nomination by a group of supporters, citing errors in the documents submitted.

Former legislator Yekaterina Duntsova is calling for peace in Ukraine and hopes to challenge President Vladimir Putin, promoting her vision of a “humane” Russia “that’s peaceful, friendly and ready to cooperate with everyone on the principle of respect.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden believes “serious scrutiny” is warranted for the planned acquisition of U.S. Steel by Japan’s Nippon Steel, the White House said Thursday after days of silence on a transaction that has drawn alarm from the steelworkers union.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. real gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the third quarter of 2023 was revised down to an annual rate of 4.9 percent in its third and final estimate, the Commerce Department reported on Thursday.

In the "advance" estimate, U.S. GDP in the third quarter grew by an annual rate of 4.9 percent, and the figure was revised up to 5.2 percent in the second estimate.

The update primarily reflected a downward revision to consumer spending. Imports, which are a subtraction in the calculation of GDP, were revised down.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Gen. CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke with his Chinese counterpart on Thursday, in the first of what officials said will be renewed talks between the two nation’s senior military leaders, as the Biden administration works to thaw relations with Beijing.

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council on Thursday again delayed a vote on a watered-down resolution to deliver desperately needed aid to Gaza — a revision backed by the United States, while other countries support a stronger text that would include the now eliminated call for the urgent suspension of hostilities between Israel and Hamas.

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union on Thursday paid the final tranche of a multibillion-euro support package to Ukraine to help keep its war-ravaged economy afloat this year, leaving the country without a financial lifeline from Europe as of next month.

The EU has sent 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion) each month in 2023 to ensure macroeconomic stability and rebuild critical infrastructure destroyed in the war. It’s also helping to pay wages and pensions, keep hospitals and schools running, and provide shelter for people forced from their homes.

WASHINGTON (AP) — This Congress started with showy bluster, a bitter 15-round, multi-day spectacle to elect a House speaker, a Republican who vowed to “never quit,” and then did just that.

House lawmakers proceeded not only to oust the GOP speaker, they also punished their own colleagues with censures and expulsion, launched an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden and were barely able to conduct the basics of governing by keeping federal offices from shuttering.