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Barcelona grind past Racing Santander to reach Copa del Rey quarterfinals as Valencia advance and Albacete’s shock shapes the field SANTANDER, Spain — FC Barcelona booked a Copa del Rey quarterfinal place with a 2-0 win away to second-tier leader Racing Santander on Thursday night, a patient performance sealed by Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal as the knockout bracket took further shape after a seismic upset earlier in the week. In a tie that demanded control more than flair, Barcelona — resting Pedri, Raphinha and Robert…

Kyiv is operating with barely half the electricity it needs as Ukraine’s capital endures its most severe wartime energy crisis after waves of Russian strikes on critical infrastructure, city officials and aid agencies said, forcing school closures, dimmed street lighting and mounting risks of hypothermia amid bitter winter cold. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Kyiv requires about 1,700 megawatts to power services for its 3.6 million residents, but current supply falls far short. “It’s the first time in the history of our city…

Machado says Venezuela entering ‘true transition to democracy’ as U.S. backs Rodriguez; Nobel medal gesture to Trump draws scrutiny Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said the country is beginning a “true transition to democracy” and called for free and fair elections “as soon as possible,” using a Washington appearance to press her case for broad participation at the polls. “We are definitely now into the first steps of a true transition to democracy,” Machado said, adding that the shift would have “an…

U.S. pulls some personnel from Middle East bases as Iran warns of strikes if attacked The United States is withdrawing some personnel from key military bases in the Middle East amid heightened tensions with Iran, a U.S. official said Wednesday, as Tehran warned regional neighbors it would target American facilities if Washington launches strikes. The U.N. Security Council is due to meet on Iran on Thursday at the request of the United States. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the drawdowns are…

Havana paid tribute to 32 Cuban soldiers killed during a U.S. military operation that removed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro from power, in a solemn ceremony attended by revolutionary leader Raul Castro and President Miguel Diaz-Canel, underscoring spiraling U.S.-Cuba tensions. The government decreed two days of tribute for the dead, some of whom had been assigned to Maduro’s protection detail, according to Cuban officials. Twenty-one of the fallen were from the Interior Ministry, which oversees the intelligence services;…

Saudi Arabia in Talks With Egypt, Somalia on Military Coalition RIYADH — Saudi Arabia is finalizing an agreement with Somalia and Egypt on a new military coalition aimed at tightening Red Sea security and curbing the United Arab Emirates’ regional influence, according to two people with knowledge of the matter. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia soon to complete the deal, the people said. The pact under discussion would deepen coordination on maritime security across the Red Sea and…

Egypt, Djibouti back Somalia’s unity, condemn Israel’s move on North Western State of Somalia, deepen economic ties CAIRO — Egypt and Djibouti reaffirmed their support for Somalia’s unity and territorial integrity and pledged to expand bilateral cooperation in trade, energy and infrastructure during talks between Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Djiboutian Foreign Minister Abdulqader Hussein Omar in Cairo on Wednesday. The meeting, held on the sidelines of a fifth consultative gathering focused on improving…

Israel struck targets across Gaza in what it called a response to a “blatant violation” of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire, as Washington moved to stand up a new “board of peace” to steer the next phase of a fragile plan for the war-battered territory. The Israeli military said it hit “several terrorists, including commanders from the Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorist organisations across the Gaza Strip,” saying the operation answered an incident in western Rafah earlier this week in which “armed terrorists fired at IDF troops.”…

Anthony Joshua has returned to the gym, sharing a measured but unmistakable sign of progress as he recovers from a car crash in Nigeria that killed two close friends and longtime members of his team. The former world heavyweight champion posted a video on Snapchat showing him moving through pad work, conditioning drills and time on a stationary bike, with one clip stamped with the phrase “mental strength therapy.” The crash occurred on December 29 and left Joshua injured while claiming the lives of Sina Ghami and Latif…

Uganda's Controversial Election: Museveni Takes the Lead Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has taken a significant early lead in the presidential election amidst accusations of fraud and intimidation by the opposition. Main challenger Bobi Wine alleges widespread electoral violations in a climate of repression and delays. Museveni leads with 76.25% of the vote while Wine holds 19.85%. The elections have been marred by delays, violence, and an internet shutdown. Wine claims he is under house arrest as security…