Iran on edge as protests spread — and government threats grow

Berlin power outage exposes vulnerabilities in German infrastructure

The German capital just experienced its longest blackout since the end of World War II, and authorities say it was caused deliberately — by an arson attack....

Inside the frantic global race to find an escape route for Maduro

A previously unreported Christmas Eve meeting in Vatican City was one of many failed attempts to find safe harbor for the Venezuelan leader before the U.S. raid....

Russia unleashes nuclear-capable missile in latest Ukraine attack

Russia said its strike was retaliation for a claimed drone attack that President Donald Trump said never happened. Kyiv’s mayor urged residents to evacuate if they can....

In blow to Trump plan, Russia rejects European peacekeepers in Ukraine

After Western leaders signed a document on post-war security guarantees for Ukraine, Russia said it would view foreign peacekeeping troops as a threat....

Despite Gaza ceasefire, war still deadly along Israel’s ‘Yellow Line’

Israel’s enforcement of its shifting demarcation line in Gaza has left hundreds of Palestinians dead in the months since an Oct. 10 ceasefire....

U.S. seizes two tankers as Venezuelan oil blockade intensifies

A Russian-flagged vessel was boarded in the North Atlantic. Another ship was apprehended near the Caribbean....

U.S. reduces number of warships near Venezuela after Maduro raid

The USS Iwo Jima and the USS San Antonio have been relocated to waters north of Cuba, and the Air Force also has withdrawn some aircraft from the region....

Why Trump wants Greenland and what’s standing in his way

Denmark’s leader warned that any use of force by Washington to seize Greenland, as Trump officials have suggested, would render the postwar NATO alliance defunct....

In Maduro’s capture, Russia sees a great-power rival act with impunity

The U.S. intervention in Venezuela distracts attention from Ukraine and signals a new era of great-power politics in which Russia can seek its own sphere of dominance....

Venezuela’s U.N. envoy warns of far-reaching consequences if body doesn’t act against U.S.

Zelensky ousts security services chief, angering military commanders

The ousting of Vasyl Maliuk, head of the Ukrainian security services, infuriated many military commanders, who said it risked destabilizing the chain of command....

Trump says U.S. is ‘in charge’ in Venezuela after Maduro’s capture

President Donald Trump warned Venezuelan interim president Delcy Rodríguez to “do what’s right” or “pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro.”...

Zelensky taps military intelligence chief to run presidential office

The Ukrainian president’s choice of a new top aide prioritizes battlefield knowledge and public popularity and also seeks to dispel concerns over a corruption scandal....

2025 was a year of heightened conflict, amid wars in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan

Violent conflicts around the world left at least 240,000 people dead in 2025, ACLED data shows. The high level of conflict remained steady after years of increasing....

In plan for Ukraine, Trump faces fundamental differences with Russia

Russia invaded Ukraine to restore it to Moscow’s orbit, but President Donald Trump’s peace plan would increase Kyiv’s security, economic and other ties with the West....

In Russia, plans to cut mobile internet on New Year’s Eve draw fury

One Russian official called the outage “a break from the endless viewing of unnecessary videos” and urged citizens to deliver holiday greetings in person....

Saudi Arabia strikes Yemen port over alleged UAE weapons shipment

The airstrike marks an unprecedented escalation of tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, whose goals in war-torn Yemen have increasingly diverged....

As Russia’s war grinds on, its society is fraying

The Kremlin paints a picture of a society united by war, but underneath, frustration is festering as all avenues of creativity and dissent or controlled or blocked....

Taiwan condemns China as ‘biggest destroyer of peace’ as drills continue

Beijing’s military launched a massive simulated blockade of Taiwan, sending a warning to the independent island after the U.S. approved an $11 billion arms sale....

Tensions flare between Russia and Ukraine after Trump’s peace talks

Russian allegations of an attack on one of Putin’s residences, denied by Ukraine, injected new uncertainty into U.S.-sponsored peace talks....

Trump and Zelensky strike hopeful tone after talks as hurdles remain

The United States will help facilitate Russia-Ukraine talks in January, as Trump called the peace process “very complicated stuff.”...

China expands nuclear warhead manufacturing capacity, research finds

Satellite images suggest China is growing the sites where it makes warheads, while also preparing to retaliate faster — signs of its nuclear ambitions....

Russian attack pummels Kyiv as Zelensky prepares to meet Trump

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the attacks make clear Russia does not want to end the war and that the world must do more to pressure Moscow....

Zelensky says he will meet Trump soon, citing progress in peace plan

The Sunday meeting suggests that Washington and Kyiv are closing in on a joint position to end the war. Russia, however, will probably reject the plan....

She spent the war planning to stay in Gaza. Now she is ready to leave.

Displaced seven times, Diana Shams intended to return to her home, which survived years of war in Gaza only to be destroyed in the final hours before the ceasefire....

Pope Leo speaks about Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan in his first Christmas address

The pope called for peace, especially for the victims of “forgotten” wars, naming several conflicts in Africa....

‘Carol of the Bells’ was born in a Ukrainian city destroyed by Russia

The music school dedicated to the song’s Ukrainian composer, Mykola Leontovych, was destroyed in Pokrovsk but has been reborn in exile....

Zelensky open to withdrawing troops in new peace draft, awaits Russian reply

It is the first time Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky has inched toward any compromise on the issue of territory in the eastern Donbas region, which Russia claims....

Pentagon says China’s nuclear warhead growth slows, commits to stabilizing tensions

The Department of Defense’s new China Military Power Report notes China’s continued buildup, while taking a more conciliatory approach to tensions with Beijing....

War-weary Ukrainians seek healing nature in their vast national parks

With mental health resources in short supply, the traumatized children, wounded veterans and grieving widows turn to Ukraine’s national parks for solace....