New footage shows investigators compiling evidence of suspected Russian war crimes in Ukraine

Ukraine expands war crimes probe as evidence mounts for future Hague tribunal KYIV — Ukrainian investigators are escalating a sweeping, years-long effort to document alleged Russian war crimes across the country, collecting vast troves of physical evidence, eyewitness testimony and digital records with an eye toward future prosecutions at a special tribunal in The Hague. Now into the fourth year of full-scale war, authorities say the scope of the investigations continues to widen. Teams are working case by case to capture…

Trump warns Iran conflict could drag on as attacks hit Riyadh, Beirut

Trump warns monthlong Iran campaign as drones hit U.S. embassy in Riyadh WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump warned Monday that the U.S. assault on Iran could extend beyond a month as Tehran’s retaliation rippled across the region, including drone strikes that hit the U.S. embassy compound in Saudi Arabia and missile-and-drone attacks that forced Qatar’s state-run energy firm to halt liquefied natural gas production. “From the beginning we projected four to five weeks, but we have capability to go far longer than that,”…

Melania Trump presides over UN meeting on children in war zones

First lady Melania Trump on Monday chaired a United Nations Security Council session on children and education in conflict, a first for a spouse of a sitting world leader and a striking display of the Trump administration’s hands-on approach to global diplomacy by family members. The meeting in New York came two days after U.S. President Donald Trump and Israel launched attacks on Iran, drawing warnings from the United Nations about the safety of children amid a broader military escalation. UNICEF said the flare-up “marks a…

Iran Claims Strait of Hormuz Closure, Fueling Fears of Oil Market Shock

AXADLE, Somalia — Iran’s state media reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has declared the Strait of Hormuz closed to maritime traffic, warning commercial and oil tankers against attempting to transit the waterway as regional tensions escalate. According to Reuters, a senior IRGC commander said vessels that try to pass through the strait would face direct attack, adding that ships violating the order would be set ablaze. The remarks, carried by Iranian state outlets, immediately raised fears of energy-market…

Oil prices spike amid Iran conflict, disrupting Middle East supplies

Oil and natural gas prices surged as Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran and retaliatory attacks by Tehran forced shutdowns of energy facilities across the Middle East and snarled shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints. A sustained rise threatens to undercut the global recovery, stoke inflation and lift U.S. gasoline prices — a political risk for President Donald Trump and Republicans ahead of November’s midterm elections. Brent crude futures jumped as much as 13% to $82.37 a…

U.S. House committee unveils footage of Clinton and Epstein depositions

WASHINGTON — A U.S. congressional committee investigating convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has released videos of closed-door depositions of Bill and Hillary Clinton, who were questioned last week about their interactions with the late financier. In the recordings, taken in Chappaqua, New York, the former president and former secretary of state addressed their ties to Epstein and rejected any suggestion of misconduct. Hillary Clinton told members of the House Oversight Committee that she did not know Epstein. Bill…

Puntland State Opposes Somalia’s Constitutional Overhaul, Says No National Consensus

AXADLE, Somalia — Puntland State on Monday formally rejected unilateral attempts by Somalia’s federal government to amend the country’s provisional constitution, warning that the push risks fracturing national unity and destabilizing the federal system. After a high-level consultative meeting in Garowe, Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni and federal lawmakers from the region issued a joint statement condemning the reform process led by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. The regional leadership called the proposed…

Essential travel guidance after Middle East unrest: What to know

Middle East unrest grounds flights as Dubai shutdown and airspace closures strand thousands of Irish passengers Thousands of Irish holidaymakers are among the hundreds of thousands of air passengers stranded worldwide after unrest in the Middle East triggered sweeping flight cancellations and airspace closures. Dubai International Airport — the world’s busiest international hub and a key transit point for Irish travelers heading to Asia and Australia — is in a third consecutive day of disruption, rippling through schedules…

Israel strikes Beirut after Hezbollah launches rocket attack

BEIRUT — Israeli warplanes struck Beirut’s southern suburbs and multiple areas across Lebanon on Monday after Hezbollah said it launched rockets and drones at a military base near Haifa in northern Israel, calling the operation retaliation for the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In a statement, the Iran-aligned Lebanese group said the attack was “in defence of Lebanon and its people” and “in response to the repeated Israeli aggressions.” “The resistance leadership has always affirmed that the…

UN warns Gaza may face total fuel shortage within days

Gaza faces fuel and food crunch as Israel shuts border crossings after Iran strikes UN warns hospitals and water systems at risk within days; Israel says food stocks sufficient Gaza is rapidly running out of fuel and could soon see shortages of basic foods after Israel closed all border crossings to the enclave, officials said, following Israeli air strikes on Iran conducted with the United States. Israel’s military shut the crossings on Saturday, saying they could not be operated safely during wartime conditions.…