World Headlines
Middle East live updates: Israel to act against Houthis in Yemen, Netanyahu says
Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu via Getty Images(LONDON)-- Rebel forces in Syria are building a transitional government after toppling the regime of President Bashar Assad in a lightning-quick advance across the country.Meanwhile, the ceasefire in Lebanon is holding despite ongoing Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah targets, which Israeli officials say are responses to ceasefire violations by the Iranian-backed militant group. The Israel Defense Forces continues its intense airstrike and ground campaigns in Gaza.Tensions remain high between Israel and Iran after tit-for-tat long-range strikes in recent months and threats of further military action from both sides. The IDF and the Yemeni Houthis also continue to exchange attacks.Hamas reports Israeli attack on Gaza's Nuseirat refugee campHamas on Monday said the Israel Defense Forces killed or wounded ... Read More
Ukraine special forces claim over 100 North Koreans killed or wounded
ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images(LONDON) -- Ukrainian special forces claimed on Monday to have inflicted more than 100 casualties among North Korean forces over three days of operations.Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces branch claimed in a post to its official Telegram channel that 77 North Koreans were killed and 40 wounded in recent fighting.On Sunday, the SSO posted photos of what it said were North Korean troops killed in Russia's western Kursk region. The SSO also uploaded photos of purportedly fabricated Russian military identity cards. ABC News was not immediately able to independently verify the images.“Russia is trying to hide the presence of military personnel from North Korea by issuing them with fake documents,” the SSO wrote.It added that the documents “do ... Read More
Trump threatens to try to take back the Panama Canal. The US relinquished control years ago
PHOENIX -- PHOENIX (AP) — Donald Trump suggested Sunday that his new administration could try to regain control of the Panama Canal that the United States “foolishly” ceded to its Central American ally, contending that shippers are charged “ridiculous” fees to pass through the vital transportation channel linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The Republican president-elect used his first major rally since winning the White House on Nov. 5 to bask in his return to power as a large audience of conservatives cheered along, a display of party unity at odds with a just-concluded budget fight on Capitol Hill where some GOP lawmakers openly defied their leader's demands. Addressing supporters at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Arizona, Trump pledged that ... Read More
2 Navy pilots shot down over Red Sea in ‘friendly fire’ incident: Military
The USS Gettysburg on June 29, 2010. Via Chris Jackson/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- Two U.S. Navy pilots ejected safely over the Red Sea after their F/A-18 fighter aircraft was mistakenly shot down early Sunday in what military officials are calling "an apparent case of friendly fire."One of the pilots has minor injuries, according to a news release from U.S. Central Command.The guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, which is part of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, mistakenly fired on and hit the aircraft, that was flying off the USS Harry S. Truman, according to the news release.The military said a full investigation is underway.The U.S. Navy has been patrolling the region for over a year to combat ongoing attacks on ... Read More
Russian airports disrupted after ‘massive’ overnight drone exchange with Ukraine
Samoilov/Getty Images(LONDON) -- Two Russian airports were put under flight restrictions early Saturday after authorities alleged an attack by Ukrainian drones, according to state-run news agencies.The state-owned RIA Novosti agency reported that Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency announced a temporary block on landing and takeoff at Kazan International Airport and restrictions at Gagarin Airport in the city of Saratov -- both in the southwest of the country.Kazan is more than 600 miles from the closest Ukrainian-controlled territory. Saratov is more than 350 miles from Ukrainian-held territory.The press service of the head of the Tatarstan region -- of which Kazan is the largest city -- said authorities recorded eight drones attacking the city, with no reported casualties, according to the state-run ... Read More
5 killed, 200 injured in German Christmas market attack
Car drives into crowd at Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany. Via ABC News(LONDON) -- At least five people, including a 9-year-old, are now known to have been killed in the vehicle-ramming attack on a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg on Friday, German officials said Saturday. The four other victims killed in the attack were adults, according to police.At least 200 more people were injured when a car plowed into festive market-goers in the eastern German city, around 75 miles west of the capital Berlin, according to Minister President of Saxony-Anhalt Reiner Haseloff.The Magdeburg Christmas market will be closed for the remainder of the season, police told reporters Saturday.At least 41 of those injured in the attack are ... Read More
1 dead in ‘brutal’ Russian missile attack on Kyiv, US ambassador says
omersukrugoksu/Getty Images(LONDON) -- A Russian missile strike killed one person and wounded nine others early on Friday morning, Ukrainian officials said, an attack that U.S. Ambassador Bridget A. Brink described as "brutal.""Early this morning Russia launched a ballistic missile attack against the capital, killing a civilian and resulting in debris and fires around the city," Brink said in a statement on social media.Brink added that the United States and its partners were "surging security assistance and energy support" to the country "in response to these brutal attacks."First responders were battling fires in the streets, and several high-rise buildings were damaged. Debris had fallen in at least four districts in the city, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on the Telegram messaging ... Read More
Putin says West’s air defenses have ‘no chance’ against Russian ballistic missile
Contributor/Getty Images(LONDON) -- Russia's war on Ukraine dominated the opening stages of President Vladimir Putin's annual marathon press conference on Thursday, with the Russian leader also addressing issues including future relations with President-elect Donald Trump and the situation in Syria.Among the questions was how Moscow would deal with the incoming Trump administration given Russia was in a "weaker position."In response, Putin said he had not spoken to Trump for four years but was ready for a meeting. "You would very much like Russia to be in a weakened position, but I hold a different point of view," he said."If I ever meet with the newly-elected president, Mr. Trump, I am sure we'll have something to talk about," Putin said.Discussing the ... Read More
Dominique Pelicot given maximum 20 year sentence in France rape trial that has shocked the world
Arnold Jerocki/Getty Images(LONDON) -- Dominique Pelicot, 72, has been found guilty of all charges in the rape and drugging of his wife, Gisèle Pelicot, and on Thursday was given the maximum sentence of 20 years in the massive trial that has shaken France and shocked the world.Dominique Pelicot and 50 co-defendants have all been found guilty, with all except one having been charged with rape. The co-defendants were each sentenced Thursday to between three and 15 years.Gisèle Pelicot made a powerful statement to reporters at the courthouse in Avignon and spoke about her grandchildren, saying they are the "future" and that she led "this fight" for them. She also said her three children were high in her mind at the ... Read More
China nearly triples nuclear arsenal since 2020, Pentagon report says
Rainer Puster / EyeEm/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- China has nearly tripled its nuclear warhead arsenal since 2020, according to the Pentagon's latest China military power report released Wednesday."DOD estimates the PRC has surpassed 600 operational nuclear warheads as of mid-2024," a senior U.S. defense official told reporters this week.In 2020, the Pentagon estimated China's nuclear stockpile was in the low 200s."The PLA continues its rapid nuclear build up," the official said, using an acronym for the People's Liberation Army, adding that China is expected to exceed 1,000 warheads by 2030.China is also diversifying the kinds of nuclear weapons it's building, the official said."When you look at what they're trying to build here, it's a diversified nuclear force that would be comprised of systems ranging from ... Read More
North Korean troops in Russia’s Kursk adapting after ‘serious losses,’ Ukraine says
ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images)(LONDON) -- Ukraine's intelligence services released new information Tuesday about the conduct of North Korean troops now fighting alongside Russian forces in the western Russian region of Kursk, which since August has been a key front of Moscow's war on its neighbor.U.S. and Ukrainian estimates suggest there are between 10,000 and 12,000 North Korean troops currently inside Russia, with their focus on the Kursk region. Ukrainian and American officials now say North Korean forces are actively engaged in fighting and taking casualties.The Ukrainian Defense Ministry's Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) this week reported at least 30 North Korean troops killed and wounded in Kursk.On Tuesday, the GUR said North Korean forces were taking additional security measures to ... Read More
Trump’s return to White House creates uncertainty for Israelis and Palestinians
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)(WASHINGTON) -- The upcoming change in the White House is sparking uncertainty for the Middle East. President-elect Donald Trump might be a familiar face (and a historically friendly one for the Israelis), but what he will do to address the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian territories remains unclear.During his first term, Trump moved the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in a deeply symbolic show of support for Israel. The decision created anger among Palestinians, since it effectively recognized the city as Israel's capital.Jerusalem lies at the heart of the near-century-old conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, since it stands as a powerful political and religious symbol for both sides. Palestinian protests over the move spread to Gaza and the ... Read More
Russia detains suspect in Moscow blast that killed general
Sefa Karacan/Anadolu via Getty Images(LONDON) -- Russian investigators detained a 29-year-old citizen of Uzbekistan in connection with Tuesday's assassination of a general in Moscow, an attack in a residential neighborhood for which Ukraine claimed credit.Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov was killed by an explosive device that appears to have been hidden in a parked scooter and set off by remote control, Russian state-affiliated media TASS reported. The explosion also killed an aide accompanying him.Kirillov was the head of Russia's radiation, chemical and biological protection troops. Sources told ABC News that the Security Service of Ukraine was behind the killing. Kirillov is the most senior Russian military official assassinated by Ukraine.The suspect, whose name has not been released, had been recruited by ... Read More
Middle East live updates: IDF says Israelis entered Lebanon in ‘serious incident’
Ugur Yildirim/ dia images via Getty Images(DAMASCUS, SYRIA) -- Rebel forces in Syria are building a transitional government after toppling the regime of President Bashar Assad in a lightning-quick advance across the country.Meanwhile, the ceasefire in Lebanon is holding despite ongoing Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah targets, which Israeli officials say are responses to ceasefire violations by the Iranian-backed militant group. The Israel Defense Forces continues its intense airstrike and ground campaigns in Gaza.Tensions also remain high between Israel and Iran after tit-for-tat long-range strikes in recent months and threats of further military action from both sides.NGOs accuse Israel of ethnic cleansing, genocideDoctors Without Borders (MSF) published a new report on Thursday describing life in Gaza as "life in a death ... Read More
Climate and environment updates: Biden sets ambitious greenhouse gas emissions goal
SimpleImages/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- The climate crisis is not a distant threat; it's happening right now and affecting what matters most to us. Hurricanes intensified by a warming planet and drought-fueled wildfires are destroying our communities. Rising seas and flooding are swallowing our homes. And record-breaking heat waves are reshaping our way of life.The good news is we know how to turn the tide and avoid the worst possible outcomes. However, understanding what needs to be done can be confusing due to a constant stream of climate updates, scientific findings, and critical decisions that are shaping our future.That's why the ABC News Climate and Weather Unit is cutting through the noise by curating what you need to know to keep ... Read More
What we know about the shooter
WASHINGTON (AP) — The man identified as the shooter in the apparent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump was a 20-year-old from a Pittsburgh suburb not far from the campaign rally where one attendee was killed. Investigators were working Sunday to gather more information about Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, who they say opened fire at the rally before being killed by Secret Service days before Trump was to accept the Republican nomination for a third time. An FBI official said late Saturday that investigators had not yet determined a motive. Two spectators were critically injured, authorities said. Relatives of Crooks didn’t immediately respond to messages from The Associated Press. His father, Matthew Crooks, told CNN late ... Read MorePrayers for Trump also pour in from political rivals
Prayers for the former president are also coming from his political opponents. “I am horrified by what happened at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania and relieved that former President Trump is safe. Political violence has no place in our country,†said Sen. Chuck Schumer in a statement. “We should all condemn what happened today and I am hoping for the health of the former president and everyone else at the rally,†Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy posted on the social platform X. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a post on X that his “thoughts and prayers are with former President Trump†and expressed thanks “for the decisive law enforcement response.†... Read MoreWikiLeaks founder facing pivotal moment in long fight to stay out of US court
LONDON -- The host of a news conference about WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's extradition fight wryly welcomed journalists last week to the “millionth†press briefing on his court case. Deborah Bonetti, director of the Foreign Press Association, was only half joking. Assange’s legal saga has dragged on for well over a decade but it could come to an end in the U.K. as soon as Monday. Assange faces a hearing in London's High Court that could end with him being sent to the U.S. to face espionage charges, or provide him another chance to appeal his extradition. The outcome will depend on how much weight judges give to reassurances U.S. officials have provided that Assange's rights won't be trampled if ... Read More
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