World

Anti-government chants filled Tehran as protesters pressed the biggest challenge to Iran’s clerical leadership in more than three years, defying a deadly crackdown and a sweeping internet blackout that rights monitors say has masked rising casualties. Demonstrations now stretching into a second week have tested the theocratic establishment that has ruled since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has struck a defiant tone, denouncing protesters as “vandals” and accusing the United States of…

Israeli police detained a senior aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on suspicion of obstructing an investigation, in a case local media said is tied to the leak of military information during the Gaza war. Police did not name the official, but Israeli outlets reported it was Tzachi Braverman, Netanyahu’s chief of staff and Israel’s ambassador-designate to the United Kingdom. Officers searched his home, according to Israeli media, and the aide was “being questioned under caution,” police said. “This morning, a senior…

Bob Weir, the U.S. guitarist and songwriter who co-founded the Grateful Dead and helped redefine American rock through six decades on the road, has died at 78, his family announced. Weir was diagnosed with cancer in July and had beaten the disease but “succumbed to underlying lung issues,” his family said in a statement posted on his personal website. The statement did not specify where or when he died. “For over sixty years, Bobby took to the road,” the family said. “Bobby will forever be a guiding force whose unique…

Paris summit yields a framework for Ukraine’s security — but not the forces to back it The Paris gathering of the Coalition of the Willing promised “concrete commitments to protect Ukraine.” What emerged was a sharper framework for security guarantees and a clearer alignment between Europe and the United States — without the hard numbers of troops or the operational blueprint that would turn ambition into deterrence. The 35-nation coalition, convened by France and Britain last year to prepare for a post-ceasefire…

Tehran — Iran warned that any U.S. attack would trigger strikes on Israel and American military sites across the region, escalating tensions as nationwide protests and an internet blackout grip the country and regional capitals brace for potential spillover. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf told lawmakers that Israel and U.S. bases would be “legitimate targets” if President Donald Trump orders military action, state media reported Sunday. Israel is on high alert for possible U.S. intervention in support of the…

U.S., allies launch “large-scale” strikes on Islamic State targets across Syria after Palmyra attack U.S. and allied forces carried out large-scale strikes against the Islamic State group across Syria today, the U.S. military said, describing the operation as a direct response to last month’s attack that killed three Americans in the ancient city of Palmyra. U.S. Central Command said in a statement on X that “the strikes today targeted ISIS throughout Syria” as part of Operation Hawkeye Strike, launched after a Dec. 13…

U.S., allied forces launch large-scale strikes on ISIS in Syria after deadly Palmyra attack U.S. and allied forces carried out large-scale strikes against the Islamic State group across Syria on Saturday, U.S. Central Command said, the latest response to a Dec. 13 assault in Palmyra that killed three Americans. “The strikes today targeted ISIS throughout Syria” and were part of Operation Hawkeye Strike, which CENTCOM said was launched “in direct response to the deadly ISIS attack on U.S. and Syrian forces in Palmyra.” The…

Thousands march nationwide after ICE agent fatally shoots Minneapolis woman Renee Good MINNEAPOLIS — Thousands of demonstrators chanting the name of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother killed by a federal immigration agent, flooded Minneapolis streets on Saturday, the latest flashpoint in anger over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and use of force by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Organizers said more than 1,000 actions were planned across the United States under the slogan “ICE, Out for Good,” a nod to…

X faces threat of being effectively blocked in the United Kingdom as regulators probe its AI chatbot Grok over reports it generated sexualized deepfake images — including of children — at users’ request. Owner Elon Musk has denounced the backlash, saying critics “want any excuse for censorship.” The UK’s communications regulator, Ofcom, said it has launched an expedited assessment following urgent contact with X and is weighing enforcement under the Online Safety Act. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said she would support…

Kyiv’s water and heating systems are back on after a brief shutdown Friday as engineers scrambled to stabilize a power grid battered by weeks of Russian strikes and a plunging cold snap. The city administration said around noon local time that state grid operator Ukrenergo had ordered a full shutdown of Kyiv’s power system, forcing water and district heating to stop and halting electrified public transport. Less than an hour later, Ukrenergo said crews had remedied the immediate issue, caused by damage from earlier attacks,…