Middle East: Live updates from Syria and the wider region for 9 December
The historic power shift in Syria adds new layers of complexity to the Middle East crisis, with ongoing hostilities in Gaza, violence in the West Bank, and a fragile ceasefire in Lebanon. Millions across the region continue to rely on…
Ukraine reports destroying 18 Russian drones
Ukraine’s military said Monday it shot down 18 drones that Russian forces deployed in overnight attacks. The Ukrainian air force said the intercepts took place over the Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Khmelnytsky, Odesa, Poltava, Rivne, Sumy, Ternopil and Vinnytsia regions. There were…
‘Reindeer’ volunteers bring holiday magic to Ukrainian children on front lines
IZIUM, Ukraine — Hopes for victory, a swift end to the war and prayers for their loved ones’ survival or return from Russian captivity are among the wishes scattered throughout letters sent to a volunteer group by Ukrainian children living…
Ukrainian couple takes care of abandoned animals despite shelling
The town of Orikhiv in southeastern Ukraine is located just ten kilometers from the front lines and is under almost-constant Russian shelling. Only some 900 people remain, a fraction of those who lived there before the war. Among them is…
India not pursuing shared BRICS currency, analysts say
NEW DELHI — India is not pursuing the creation of a shared BRICS currency, an idea that has met with a strong verbal pushback from incoming U.S. President Donald Trump, but the South Asian giant is making efforts to promote…
India not pursuing shared BRICS currency
India is not supporting the creation of a shared currency among the nine-nation BRICS grouping but it is trying to promote trade in its local currency, according to analysts in New Delhi. Incoming U.S. President Donald Trump recently warned BRICS…
Trump calls for ‘immediate ceasefire’ in Ukraine after meeting Zelenskyy in Paris
KYIV — U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, shortly after a meeting in Paris with French and Ukrainian leaders, claiming Kyiv “would like to make a deal” to end the more than 1,000-day…
Syrians now have ‘historic opportunity’ to build a peaceful future, says Guterres
As reports continued to emerge from the Syrian capital, Damascus, where opposition forces declared victory overnight on State television, the UN chief said in a statement: The future of Syria is a matter for the Syrians to determine. There is…
$45M stegosaurus on display in NY. Here’s what scientists hope to learn about it
NEW YORK — The most expensive dinosaur fossil ever discovered will be on view in New York starting this weekend, American Museum of Natural History officials announced Wednesday. The giant stegosaurus fossil, dubbed “Apex,” is 3.3 meters tall and 8.2…
As data centers proliferate, conflict with local communities follows
ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA — Richard Andre Newman thought he would live the rest of his life in his quiet, leafy neighborhood in suburban Virginia. He was born and raised in Bren Mar Park, where children ride their bikes and neighbors wave…