World News

Russia is bolstering its strategic nuclear forces in 2023 with further deployment of multi-warhead nuclear missiles and further modernization of its long-range strategic bomber division, the Russian Defense Ministry announced this week.

Russian President Vladimir Putin faced embarrassment Tuesday after one of Ukraine’s deadliest attacks on Russian troops was reportedly caused by the unauthorized use of mobile phones.

The UK is set to follow the United States in designating Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, Jewish News UK reports. With Tehran continually threatening the annihilation of Israel, a designation of the 250,000-strong IRGC as a terror organization has long been sought by British Jewish and pro-Israel groups.

Overriding strong objections from press freedom organizations, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday signed controversial legislation granting the government increased regulatory power over Ukrainian journalism and media groups, the Hill reports. Zelensky has wanted to strengthen governmental control of the Ukrainian media since he came to office in 2019.

This year is going to be tougher on the global economy than 2022, the International Monetary Fund’s chief, Kristalina Georgieva, has warned.

Russia used Iranian-made drones in a wave of attacks targeting essential infrastructure in Ukraine over the New Year’s weekend, Ukrainian officials announced Monday.

Ukraine faced “terror on New Year’s Eve” as Russia fired more than 20 cruise missiles at targets in Ukraine on Saturday, killing at least one person in the capital Kyiv and injuring more, authorities said.

Heavily Catholic Croatia rang in the New Year with the euro currency and by joining European Union’s border-free Schengen zone a decade after joining the EU.

Brazil’s controversial leftist leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, was sworn in as president shortly after his predecessor left for the United States amid rising tensions.

Former Pope Benedict XVI, who resigned as pontiff citing poor health, has died at his Vatican residence, aged 95, the Vatican said Saturday. He died almost a decade after he stood down.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah was rushed to intensive care after suffering a stroke, according to reports from Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.

The COVID-19 omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 is quickly becoming the dominant strain in the United States. In the past week, it has doubled its spread. Now 41% of new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. consist of it.

Scientists have identified more than 100,000 RNA viruses that have never been seen before, a new study has revealed.

Iran said Friday it has kicked off annual military drills Friday in the critical Strait of Hormuz even as Tehran continues its crackdown on anti-government protests that have spread throughout the country.

Belarus has accused neighboring Ukraine of firing an air defense missile into Belarusian territory. The incident raised concerns as Belarus is a close ally of Russia, which invaded Ukraine earlier this year.

One of Russia’s most extensive bombardments since the war began, was underway in Ukraine on Thursday with missiles fired from the sea and land, injuring several people, authorities said.

Kosovo’s minority Serbs, who blocked roads in the north for 19 days, agreed to remove their barricades from Thursday after bowing to pressure from the United States and European Union to end the worst ethnic tensions in years. Yet distrust remained in the region where Serbia had put its armed forces on high alert ahead of Orthodox Christmas.

Iran’s army began military exercises Thursday in strategic southern regions east of the Strait of Hormuz, state news agency IRNA reported.

Russian forces have stepped up mortar and artillery attacks on Kherson city in southern Ukraine, forcing civilians to flee the recently liberated town.

The planets of the solar system will be lined up in the sky Wednesday night in an astronomical phenomenon, visible from Earth, known as a “planet parade.”