World News

Ukrainian strikes on vast Russian warehouse complexes have generated dramatic scenes, with towering columns of black smoke rising above blazing storage centers belonging to Wildberries, Russia’s largest online retailer and a company often compared to Amazon. Kyiv’s drones initially targeted the facilities over the weekend in Elektrostal, east of Moscow, and in the Tambov region, leaving eight people dead and dozens injured. Early Wednesday, two additional Wildberries warehouses in the southern

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Powerful explosions shook the Syrian capital on Tuesday as France’s president held talks with his Syrian counterpart during a significant diplomatic visit, injuring at least 18 people, according to Syria’s Interior Ministry. Emmanuel Macron had just entered the presidential palace for discussions with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa when blasts struck near the Four Seasons Hotel. Authorities did not immediately provide detailed comments about the circumstances

Despite widespread fuel shortages across Russia, President Vladimir Putin has shown little public concern over Ukraine’s escalating strikes on Russian oil refineries. He has characterized the disruption to one of the world’s largest oil producers as “not critical,” brushed aside calls for a ceasefire and reaffirmed that military operations will continue until his objectives are achieved. Putin has framed the attacks on Russian energy infrastructure as an attempt by Kyiv to divert attention from

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union countries agreed on Friday to begin accession talks with Ukraine next week, formally starting the path for the war-affected nation to eventually become part of the world’s largest trading bloc. During a meeting in Brussels, ambassadors from the 27 member states decided that negotiations with Ukraine, as well as with Moldova — another country facing pressure from Moscow — will officially commence on Monday in Luxembourg. For Kyiv, joining the EU represents a vital

QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) — A suicide attacker drove an explosives-packed vehicle into the vicinity of a railway line just as a passenger train was passing through the southwestern city of Quetta on Sunday, killing at least 19 people and injuring more than 70 others, authorities reported. The powerful blast caused two train carriages to derail and burst into flames, with thick black smoke rising above the scene, as seen in videos posted online. The bombing occurred in an area typically monitored by

LONDON (AP) — The British government has discreetly relaxed certain restrictions on Russian oil in a move aimed at shielding households from rising living expenses following the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz. A new trade license that took effect on Wednesday allows the import of Russian crude that has been processed into jet fuel and diesel in other countries, including India and Turkey. The conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, along with Tehran’s decision to close the

WASHINGTON (AP) — American and Nigerian forces have killed a senior Islamic State leader in Nigeria during a joint operation conducted on Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced. In a late-night social media statement, Trump disclosed the mission carried out in Africa’s most populous nation but provided limited operational details. He identified the militant as Abu Bakr al-Mainuki and described him as the Islamic State group’s global second-in-command, saying he had attempted to conceal

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — More than a dozen senior European leaders gathered in Ukraine’s capital on Tuesday to demonstrate solidarity on the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion — a somber landmark in a war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and heightened fears across Europe about the breadth of Moscow’s ambitions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy struck a resolute tone despite the immense human and material losses, declaring that Russia has neither “broken

End of Nuclear Arms Control Treaty Raises Global Concerns The final remaining nuclear treaty between the United States and Russia is scheduled to lapse on Thursday, eliminating longstanding restrictions on the world’s two largest nuclear stockpiles for the first time in over fifty years. The expiration of the New START agreement could spark fears of a renewed, uncontrolled nuclear arms race between global powers. Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed willingness to maintain the

KYIV, Ukraine — A barrage of Russian drones struck residential buildings and the power network in the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa overnight, leaving six individuals injured, including a small child and two other minors, according to Ukrainian officials on Wednesday. Four residential buildings sustained damage during the assault, reported Oleh Kiper, the head of Odesa’s regional military administration. Energy provider DTEK confirmed that two of its power facilities were heavily impacted.