Two killed as Russia launches series of strikes across Ukraine

Russia pounds Ukraine with overnight strikes, killing two near Kyiv on eve of Paris peace summit Russia launched overnight airstrikes across Ukraine early Monday, killing two people in the Kyiv region and triggering nationwide air raid alerts hours before European leaders gather in Paris to discuss a potential peace framework, Ukrainian authorities said. Sirens sounded shortly after midnight as Ukrainian air defenses engaged multiple incoming targets, the military said. In Kyiv, a private medical facility caught fire…

Somalia and Saudi Arabia reaffirm ties at Riyadh foreign ministers meeting

Saudi, Somali foreign ministers reaffirm support for Somalia’s sovereignty in Riyadh talks Monday, Jan. 5, 2026 MOGADISHU — Somalia and Saudi Arabia reaffirmed support for Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity during high-level talks in Riyadh on Sunday, underscoring a shared commitment to the Horn of Africa nation’s unity and stability amid rising regional tensions. Somali Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Abdisalam Abdi Ali met Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah…

Growing calls for accountability after Swiss bar fire; all victims identified

CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland — Swiss authorities said they have identified all 40 people killed in a New Year’s Day bar fire at this Alpine ski resort, intensifying pressure for answers as prosecutors investigate potential lapses in safety at the popular nightlife spot. Most of the victims were teenagers. Prosecutors in the canton of Valais said the blaze, which spread rapidly in the early hours of Jan. 1 in the basement of Le Constellation bar, was likely ignited by sparkling “fountain” candles that caught the ceiling alight.…

Erdoğan: Turkey closely watching developments in Yemen and Somalia

Turkey monitors Yemen, Somalia as Erdogan, Saudi crown prince discuss regional crises and ties ANKARA — Turkey is “closely” following developments in Yemen and Somalia, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a phone call Sunday with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, stressing the importance of stability and protecting both countries’ territorial integrity, according to Turkey’s Communications Directorate. The two leaders discussed bilateral relations along with regional and global issues, the directorate said. Erdogan…

U.S. wants Venezuela’s oil, but broader geopolitical stakes loom

With Nicolas Maduro in U.S. custody after a pre-dawn raid and President Donald J. Trump touting a “Donroe Doctrine,” Washington has put a modern stamp on one of its oldest ideas: uncontested dominance in the Western Hemisphere. The operation in Venezuela, framed by the White House as a corrective to autocracy and a bid to unlock oil wealth, also signals an unapologetic return to sphere-of-influence politics—this time with China and Russia cast as the intruders to be pushed out. The White House’s case mixes moral clarity with…

Irish prime minister presses for freer trade on China trip

Micheál Martin meets Xi Jinping in Beijing, urges open trade as EU-China tensions simmer Taoiseach Micheál Martin met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Monday, opening a four-day official visit focused on trade, technology and wider geopolitical issues amid a tense backdrop in EU-China relations. During an audience at the capital’s Great Hall, Martin cited the strength of Irish-Chinese commerce and called for more open trade between the countries. He also acknowledged what he described as China’s indispensable role…

Maduro to appear in US court as Trump warns more strikes

WASHINGTON — Deposed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is expected to appear in a U.S. court on drug charges after his capture by American forces, even as President Donald Trump signaled the possibility of further incursions and broader regional action if Washington’s demands on Venezuela’s interim government are not met. Maduro, 63, is being held in a New York detention center following a Saturday military raid in Caracas that jolted the country’s political order and set off international alarm. Trump administration…

Venezuela’s interim government rallies behind Maduro after U.S. capture

Venezuelan officials vowed to remain unified behind President Nicolas Maduro after U.S. forces seized the 63-year-old leader and flew him to New York to face drug charges, deepening uncertainty over Venezuela’s future and prompting international pushback. Maduro is being held in a New York detention center ahead of a court appearance. U.S. President Donald Trump ordered his capture and said Washington would take control of the oil-rich South American nation, a declaration that rattled allies and adversaries alike and drew…

Fresh clashes erupt in Iran as protests enter second week, rights groups say

Deadly clashes flared across Iran as cost-of-living protests entered a second week, with rights groups and local media reporting fresh confrontations, multiple deaths and hundreds of arrests amid a heavy security deployment in major cities. At least 12 people, including members of the security forces, have been killed since the unrest began with a shopkeepers’ strike in Tehran on Dec. 28, according to an official toll compiled from state and semi-official reports. Demonstrations have been reported in 23 of Iran’s 31…

Nigeria violence leaves more than 30 dead, several abducted in attacks

Nigeria: Armed gangs kill at least 30, torch market in Niger state raid; dozens kidnapped Armed gangs killed more than 30 people and abducted others in a raid on Kasuwan Daji village in Niger state, police said, the latest mass attack in a region scarred by bandit violence and recent school kidnappings. Gunmen swept into Kasuwan Daji, in the Kabe district of northwestern Nigeria’s Niger state, and set a market ablaze before looting shops for food, according to authorities. “Over 30 victims lost their lives during the attack,…