World
Syria Says It Arrested an ISIL-Linked Cell Behind Damascus Bombings That Struck During Macron's Visit
Syrian officials say raids netted the group responsible for July 7 blasts that killed one and wounded dozens while France's president met the country's post-Assad leader; the Islamic State has not claimed the attack.
Venezuela's Official Earthquake Death Toll Passes 3,500 as Opposition and Protesters Press Acting President for Elections
Twin June 24 quakes killed thousands amid a U.S.-backed transition; sides dispute whether the crisis reflects government failure, U.S. control, or the sidelining of Venezuela's elected opposition.
Russia Strikes Kyiv With Missiles and Drones a Day Before NATO Summit; Casualty Counts Vary
Overnight missile and drone strikes hit residential and other sites in Kyiv on July 6, 2026, with early death tolls ranging from about 7 to 15, as President Trump prepares to meet President Zelenskyy at a NATO summit in Turkey.
Venezuela Twin Earthquakes Kill at Least 235; U.S. Deploys Rescue Teams and Partially Eases Sanctions
A 7.5-magnitude mainshock and a 7.2-magnitude foreshock struck northern Venezuela on June 24, 2026, triggering a large U.S. aid response and renewed debate over whether American sanctions are blocking effective disaster relief.
Russia Cites Unverified Anchorage 'Understandings' as Ukraine Peace Talks Remain Deadlocked
The U.S.-imposed June 2026 deadline has passed with no deal. Russia keeps citing disputed commitments from the August 2025 Trump-Putin summit in Alaska while refusing direct talks with Zelensky. No party has agreed on a ceasefire or a political framework.
Belarus Opens Four-Day Military Exercise Near Poland and Lithuania Borders, Hours After NATO Downs Drone Over Lithuania
Belarus says the Sept. 15-18 drills are defensive; Lithuania is running its own exercises, and Poland's border crossings remain open, unlike during last year's Zapad drills.
Syria's Post-Assad Assembly Seated With 137 of 140 Elected Seats Filled; Sweida's Three Remain Vacant
Indirect voting by regional electoral colleges ran from October 2025 through May 2026, President Ahmed al-Sharaa appointed the other 70 members on July 1, and the chamber first met on July 12, 2026.
Taiwan's Defense Ministry Logs Four PLA Aircraft and Six Navy Ships Around the Island on Sept. 13-14, as Beijing Warns Over a Pending U.S. Arms Sale
Taiwan's military reported routine-scale Chinese air and naval activity in mid-September, while China's Foreign Ministry said a $14 billion U.S. arms package for Taiwan could cost Beijing's participation in a Sept. 24 Trump-Xi summit.
EU Ambassadors Extend Russia Sanctions List for One Week After France and Slovakia Block Six-Month Renewal
The bloc's roughly 2,600-name blacklist was due to expire September 15; envoys pushed the deadline to September 22 while Paris and Bratislava press to remove businessmen Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman.
North Korean State Media Publishes Kim Letter to Putin Backing Russia's 'Sacred War'; Ukrainian Intelligence Separately Puts Possible Deployment at 50,000
Kim Jong Un's Sept. 15 message pledged "invariable support" and broader cooperation but named no troop numbers; the 50,000 figure comes from separate Ukrainian assessments made in August.
Russian Drone Hits Locomotive of Warsaw-Bound Train at Ukraine's Yahodyn Station, About 2 Kilometers From Poland
Ukraine's railway says passengers were evacuated before the September 13 strike and no one was hurt; Russia's Defense Ministry says it struck rail infrastructure moving military cargo from Europe.
Philippine Defense Chief Reads Chinese Note Aloud at Seoul Forum; Beijing Calls It "Grandstanding"
Gilberto Teodoro rejected a Chinese attaché's note on the 2016 arbitration ruling on Sept. 8, China's foreign ministry answered the next day, and a U.S. think tank report says Chinese ships radio-questioned nearly 200 commercial vessels in the Philippine Sea between June and August 2026.