UN official warns against further escalation amid attacks in Yemen, Israel and the Red Sea
Briefing the Security Council in New York, Assistant Secretary-General for Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, Khaled Khiari, warned the Middle East was witnessing another dangerous escalation. He said that attacks in Israel and Yemen, as well as in the…
US announces $2.5 billion in new Ukraine aid
The United States Monday announced nearly $2.5 billion in new aid for Ukraine as part of a surge of assistance in the waning days of the Biden administration. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement the aid…
Record-breaking heat likely to continue in 2025, accelerating climate change
The World Meteorological Organization warns this year’s record-breaking heat is likely to continue in 2025, further accelerating climate change and leading to catastrophic consequences if urgent action is not taken to stem the “human activities” behind this looming disaster. According…
Netanyahu ‘in good condition’ after prostate surgery, says hospital
JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu successfully underwent prostate removal surgery on Sunday and is in good condition, according to the hospital treating him. The surgery took place while Israel remains at war against Hamas militants in the Gaza…
In Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, aid workers risk lives to keep residents warm
As harsh winter weather descends on Ukraine, UNICEF and other aid organizations are helping communities in eastern Ukraine’s Kharkiv region prepare for the cold season. Many locals have lost jobs and reliable income sources because of the war and cannot…
Sudan conflict: ‘There cannot be a military solution to this war’
Ramtane Lamamra, the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy For Sudan recently travelled to Sudan, where he met senior figures of the Government, including General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan Chairman of the Transitional Sovereign Council of Sudan and the Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed…
AI technology helps level playing field for students with disabilities
For Makenzie Gilkison, spelling is such a struggle that a word like rhinoceros might come out as “rineanswsaurs” or sarcastic as “srkastik.” The 14-year-old from suburban Indianapolis can sound out words, but her dyslexia makes the process so draining that…
Abortions more common in US, as women turn to pills, travel
Abortion has become more common despite bans or deep restrictions in most Republican-controlled states, and the legal and political fights over its future are not over yet. It’s now been two and a half years since the U.S. Supreme Court…
Drought, fire, deforestation ravaged Amazon rainforest in 2024
BOGOTA, COLOMBIA — 2024 was a brutal year for the Amazon rainforest, with rampant wildfires and extreme drought ravaging large parts of a biome that’s a critical counterweight to climate change. A warming climate fed drought that in turn fed…
Trump sides with Musk in H-1B visa debate, saying he supports program
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA — President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday sided with key supporter and billionaire tech CEO Elon Musk in a public dispute over the use of the H-1B visa, saying he fully backs the program for foreign tech…