World Headlines
Russia ‘very closely’ monitoring Trump’s sanctions threats, Kremlin says
(Soltan Frédéric/Getty Images)(LONDON) -- Russia is "very closely monitoring all the rhetoric" from Washington, a Kremlin spokesperson said, after President Donald Trump threatened to impose new sanctions unless Russia ends its war against Ukraine."We don't see any new elements here," Dimitry Peskov, the spokesperson, said on Thursday.He added, "You know that in his first iteration of the presidency, Trump was the president of America who most often resorted to sanctions methods. He likes these methods. At least he liked them during his first presidency."The comments came the morning after Trump's social media message to Russian President Donald Trump, calling on him to make a deal to "settle" Russia's war in Ukraine."It's time to 'MAKE A DEAL.' NO MORE LIVES SHOULD ... Read More
How Trump is likely to wield America’s power around the world
Shawn Thew-Pool/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- Donald Trump returned to office as president on Monday, reassuming his duties as commander in chief. His position once again puts him in charge of the world’s most powerful military, which -- often at his discretion -- can either engage in lethal warfare or act as a deterrent and a force for peace.How Trump behaved as commander in chief during his first administration may offer a guide for the next four years.In Monday's inauguration speech, Trump set the tone for a significant change in U.S. foreign policy that could have seismic implications for America's friends and foes."Our armed forces will be free to focus on their sole mission -- defeating America's enemies," he said.His recent comments ... Read More
Putin eyes reset in US-Russian relations as Trump enters 2nd term
Contributor/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- In his first public comments following President Donald Trump's inauguration, Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated on Monday that he sees a second Trump presidency as an opportunity for a new era in U.S.-Russian relations.Putin spoke of the challenges Trump faced in the weeks running up to the November election, including the assassination attempts, and said Trump had "showed courage to win in a convincing manner."In a televised statement made from his official residence, the Russian leader said he recognized "the desire [of Trump's team] to restore direct contacts with Russia," blaming the rupture of U.S.-Russian relations on the Biden administration -- while neglecting to mention his decision to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, ... Read More
At least 76 dead in Turkish ski resort hotel fire
Ibrahim Yozoglu/Anadolu via Getty Images(LONDON and ISTANBUL) -- A predawn fire at a hotel in the Kartalkaya Ski Resort in Turkey killed at least 76, with another 51 injured, Turkey's Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said Tuesday."We are in deep pain," Yerlikaya told reporters during a press conference.The fire ignited after 3 a.m. on Tuesday at the Grand Kartal, a hotel at the resort in Northwestern Turkey.A city official told ABC News that after the fire broke out in the middle of the night, around 3:27 a.m. local time, most of the victims, including children, appeared to have lost life due to suffocation.There were 238 registered guests in the 12-story hotel at the time of the fire, according to the interior ... Read More
Americans freed from Afghanistan in prisoner swap, family and Taliban say
US soldiers board an US Air Force aircraft at the airport in Kabul on August 30, 2021. - Rockets were fired at Kabul's airport on August 30 where US troops were racing to complete their withdrawal from Afghanistan and evacuate allies under the threat of Islamic State group attacks. (Photo by Aamir Qureshi / AFP/ Getty Images)(WASHINGTON) -- Ryan Corbett, an American held in Afghanistan since 2022, has been released from Taliban custody in a prisoner swap, according to his family.The Taliban’s foreign ministry confirmed the swap in their own statement, saying Corbett and another American national were exchanged for Khan Mohammad.Mohammad was sentenced to life in prison in 2008, two years after his arrest near Jalalabad, Nangahar Province, Afghanistan, ... Read More
Trump inauguration: Vladimir Putin, others from international community react
MORRY GASH/AFP via Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- Donald Trump was sworn into office on Monday for a second term in the White House, and international figures across the globe are sharing their reactions to the 47th president's inauguration.Here's what world leaders are saying:Russian President Vladimir PutinRussian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Trump on his return to office, specifically his "desire to restore direct contacts with Russia, which were interrupted through no fault of our own by the outgoing administration.""We also hear his statements about the need to do everything to prevent a third World War," Putin said during a meeting with members of the Russian Security Council. "Of course, we welcome this attitude and congratulate the U.S. president-elect on taking office."Pope FrancisPope ... Read More
Middle East live updates: At least 21 Palestinians hurt in West Bank settler violence
Omar Al-qattaa/AFP via Getty Images(LONDON) -- A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza went into effect on Sunday morning. Hostages held in the strip and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails will be freed in the first phase of the deal.Meanwhile, the November 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. Israeli forces also remain active inside the Syrian border region as victorious rebels there build a transitional government.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.At ... Read More
Who are the hostages being released in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal?
ABC NewsAfter being held by Hamas terrorists for 470 days, the first three hostages released on Sunday as part of the ceasefire deal were reunited with their mothers and airlifted to a hospital, according to Israeli officials.The now-former captives -- Romi Gonen, 24; Emily Damari, 28, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31 -- were turned over by Hamas to the International Committee of the Red Cross as part of the ceasefire and hostage release deal that has been in the works for months."Today's ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages is a result of a principled and effective policy that we've presided over for months," President Joe Biden said in an address from the White House on Sunday. "And we got ... Read More
After charm offensive, Ukraine braces for Trump’s return
Mathilde Kaczkowski/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images(LONDON) -- President-elect Donald Trump will return to office on Monday having promised a peace deal to end Russia's war on Ukraine, which is still raging nearly three years after President Vladimir Putin troops crossed into Ukraine expecting to be welcomed as heroes.It is hard to say how Trump will try to unpick the twisted knot constricting eastern Europe.The president-elect has hinted at territorial concessions and reduced aid for Ukraine in pursuit of peace, but has also suggested the U.S. will expand military support if Putin refuses to come to the table.Ukrainian lawmakers and a former official told ABC News they are bracing to again deal with perhaps the most unpredictable president in living memory ... Read More
Woman poisoned 1-year-old girl for months to exploit her for online donations: Police
amphotora/Getty Images (LONDON) -- A woman has been arrested after allegedly poisoning a 1-year-old girl over two months so she could post videos of the child online in order to solicit donations from the public, police said.The Queensland Police in Australia said that the Morningside Child Protection and Investigation Unit (CPIU) has charged a woman with torture following “extensive investigations into allegations of an infant being poisoned,” according to a statement released on Thursday.“It will be alleged between August 6 to October 15, 2024, a 34-year-old Sunshine Coast woman administered several unauthorised prescription and pharmacy medicines to a one-year-old girl, who was known to her, without medical approval,” authorities said. “It will be further alleged the woman, disregarding medical advice, ... Read More
Climate and environment updates: Fires would have been extreme without climate change
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
Israeli strikes kill 86 in Gaza since ceasefire announced, officials say
Hasan N. H. Alzaanin/Anadolu via Getty Images(LONDON) -- Israeli strikes killed at least 86 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip since the announcement of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday, Gaza's Civil Defence body in the Hamas-run territory said.More than 250 other people were injured in Israeli attacks, they added.The strikes came despite the ceasefire agreement announced on Wednesday after weeks of intense negotiations in Doha, Qatar. The final round of talks followed more than a year of failed efforts to reach an accord.The first of three ceasefire phases is set to go into force on Sunday, though is still pending approval by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet. If the first is successful, the second phase will ... Read More
North Korean soldiers dispatched to Russia
Contributor/Getty Images(SEOUL) -- Over 12,000 North Korean troops are estimated to be fighting against Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region, deputy U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Camille Shea told the United Nations Security Council last week.Of those dispatched to the region, an estimated 300 North Korean soldiers in Russia have died and over 2,700 have been wounded, according to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service’s closed briefing to the National Assembly on Monday.North Korean defectors who finished their almost decade-long military service in their 20's have shared their mixed sentiments and analysis with ABC News.“So unfortunate, that’s all I can say,” North Korean defector Lee Cheol-eun said with a grimace after watching footage of North Korean soldiers fighting in Kursk, ... Read More
Pope Francis falls, injures arm at residence, Vatican officials say
Pope Francis (R) reads a speech during his weekly general audience in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican on January 8, 2025. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP) (Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)(LONDON) -- Pope Francis fell and injured his arm on Thursday in his residence, the Vatican said."This morning, due to a fall at the Santa Marta house, Pope Francis suffered a bruise to his right forearm, without fractures," the Vatican said in a statement in Italian. "The arm was immobilized as a precautionary measure."The pontiff, 88, was seen in a photo released by the Vatican with his arm in what appeared to be a soft sling.This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.ABC ... Read More
Middle East live updates: Israel cabinet approves ceasefire, government still to vote
Menahem Kahana/AFP via Getty Images(LONDON) -- A ceasefire has been reached between Israel and Hamas, with the Qatari prime minister announcing the deal Wednesday afternoon.Meanwhile, the November 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. Israeli forces also remain active inside the Syrian border region as victorious rebels there build a transitional government.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.Israeli minister, party to resign in protest of 'reckless' ceasefire dealFar right Israeli minister Itamar Ben Gvir ... Read More
Putin apologizes for ‘tragic incident’ but stops short of saying Azerbaijani plane was shot down
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday apologized to his Azerbaijani counterpart for what he called a “tragic incident” following the crash of an Azerbaijani airliner in Kazakhstan that killed 38 people, but stopped short of acknowledging that Moscow was responsible. Putin’s apology came as allegations mounted that the plane had been shot down by Russian air defenses attempting to deflect a Ukrainian drone strike near Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya. An official Kremlin statement issued Saturday said that air defense systems were firing near Grozny airport as the airliner “repeatedly” attempted to land there on Wednesday. It did not explicitly say one of these hit the plane. The statement said Putin apologized ... 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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