The New York Times

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: Rebels Backed by Rwanda Announce Capture of Key City in Eastern Congo The M23 militia, funded and directed by Rwanda, said that it had seized the city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, terrifying its people, many of whom sought shelter there after fleeing the rebel advance. Israeli Forces Again Open Fire as Lebanese Try to Return Home, Lebanese Officials Say Israeli forces opened fire toward residents of southern Lebanon for a second day on Monday as people pressed on with attempts to return to their homes along the border, a day after at least two dozen people were killed in Israeli attacks, Lebanese officials said. Standoff at Ukrainian Procurement Agency Threatens to Disrupt Weapons Supply Ukraine’s defense minister fired the head of a state agency that procured over $7 billion in armaments last year, citing “unsatisfactory” results. She says the move is illegal and vows to stay in her post. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: Did Ukraine Kill Its Own by Downing a Russian Plane? A Year Later, It Hasn’t Said. One year since Moscow accused Kyiv of shooting down a Russian military plane carrying dozens of Ukrainian prisoners of war, Ukraine has not confirmed its role, identified the bodies it received, or said how it happened. Israel Appears Poised to Keep Its Troops in Lebanon Beyond Deadline Israel implied its troops will remain in parts of southern Lebanon after a deadline for its full military withdrawal lapses on Sunday, amid Israeli concerns that Lebanon’s military cannot yet contain Hezbollah. MeToo Outrage Leaves Japanese Broadcaster Without a Single Advertiser A popular TV host in Japan admitted trying to conceal a sexual assault complaint. This time, the reaction was swift and harsh, and aimed not only at him but also his employers. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: Ukraine Is Losing Fewer Soldiers Than Russia — but It’s Still Losing the War Russia has lost about twice as many men to death and serious injury as Ukraine. But the trends favor the Kremlin. Rebels Backed by Rwanda Close In on Major City in Congo Rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo have surrounded the eastern city of Goma, in one of the sharpest escalations in years of a conflict that has pitted the Central African country against its neighbor Rwanda. U.S. Security Contractors Going to Gaza to Oversee Truce, Officials Say American security contractors have been enlisted to help handle the return of displaced Palestinians to the Gaza Strip’s devastated north, the next step in the cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas, according to four officials familiar with the matter. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: Fighting Alongside Russia, North Koreans Wage Their Own War North Koreans fighting for Russia are a new enemy with distinct tactics on their own patches of land, Ukrainian troops say. Partial Victory for Prince Harry as Murdoch’s U.K. Tabloids Admit Unlawful Activities Prince Harry cast himself as the “last person” who could hold Britain’s tabloids to account for years of predatory conduct during the phone hacking scandal. On Wednesday, he settled for a partial victory in his lonely campaign. ‘Living Through Hell’: How North Africa Keeps Migrants From Europe Libya deported more than 600 men from Niger last month as North African countries — financed by the European Union to tackle migration — have ramped up expulsions of sub-Saharan Africans. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: Facing Setbacks and Desertions at the Front, Ukraine Detains Commanders Facing growing public pressure to address concerns over military leadership on the front as its forces lose ground to Russian attacks, Ukraine said it had detained three former commanders that it blamed for the loss of territory last spring. At Least 76 Are Killed in Fire at Ski Resort in Turkey A fire blazed through a 12-story hotel at a ski resort in Turkey on Tuesday, killing at least 76 people and injuring 51 others, the authorities said, turning an idyllic vacation spot into a smoke-filled nightmare. ‘I Feel Rage, I Feel Sadness.’ With Border Closed, Migrants Face Few Options. On Monday, people waiting to enter the U.S. learned that President Trump had canceled all asylum appointments moments after taking office and planned to sign several executive orders sealing the border. Many migrants expressed despair, and some moved to cross the border anyway. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: Ukraine Braces for Trump’s Return, Eager for Peace, but Wary of the Terms As President Trump prepares to return to the White House on Monday, he is promising peace in Ukraine, but publicly offering no strategy for how to achieve it — so Ukrainians can only guess at what the coming months will bring. Fighting Has Halted in Gaza, but the War Is Not Over Sunday’s delayed start to the truce was a minor problem compared with the difficult choices and American leverage needed to get both parties to the second phase, which could end the war. The Last Migrant Caravans Before Trump’s Inauguration In the weeks before Donald Trump was to take office as president, promising a crackdown on illegal immigrants, groups of migrants were still setting out on foot from Mexico, hoping to somehow reach the northern border by inauguration day. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: Russia and Iran Sign Cooperation Treaty in the Kremlin President Masoud Pezeshkian of Iran and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, signed a major cooperation treaty on Friday in the Kremlin, solidifying an alliance between two countries driven by mutual desire to challenge the West. What We Know About the Israel-Hamas Cease-Fire Agreement Israel’s security cabinet approved a cease-fire deal for Gaza on Friday, bringing a pause in fighting one step closer after Israeli and Hamas negotiators worked out their remaining differences. It will now go before the full cabinet, which is expected to green-light it. 3 Lawyers for Navalny Sentenced for Passing Along His Correspondence A Russian court said on Friday that the lawyers for Aleksei Navalny, the country’s top opposition figure before his death in a penal colony last year, were guilty of involvement in an extremist group. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: Sudan’s Military Has Used Chemical Weapons Twice, U.S. Officials Say Sudan’s military has used chemical weapons on at least two occasions against the paramilitary group it is battling for control of the country, four senior United States officials said on Thursday. The determination came as the U.S. announced sanctions against the Sudanese military chief. Azerbaijan’s Leader, Emboldened, Picks a Rare Fight With Putin Russia’s president is said to have blamed birds or a Ukrainian drone for a Dec. 25 crash of an Azerbaijani plane. Azerbaijan says Russian air defenses were at fault. Patients Are Dying in Hospital Corridors, British Nurses Say A damning report on overcrowded hospitals added fuel to a painful debate over the crises at the British National Health Service. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: What We Know About the Israel-Hamas Cease-Fire Agreement Negotiators from Israel and Hamas have agreed to a 42-day cease-fire and hostage release in Gaza, President Biden and other officials announced on Wednesday, raising hopes that there could soon be an end to more than a year of war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and destroyed much of the enclave. South Korea Detains Its President, but Crisis Is Far From Over Yoon Suk Yeol became the first South Korean leader to be held by criminal investigators on Wednesday, ending a long standoff after he imposed martial law on Dec. 3. ‘Burn Mozambique’: New President Takes Power in a Nation on Edge Daniel Chapo was sworn in as president of Mozambique at a time of widespread anger directed at his party, Frelimo, which has led the country for 50 years and was accused of rigging the election. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: Ukraine Launches ‘Massive’ Drone Attacks Inside Russia, Officials Say Ukraine carried out “massive” drone strikes on several regions of Russia overnight, local officials said there said on Tuesday, in what appeared to be one of the largest recent assaults in Kyiv’s campaign to cripple Russia’s war machine on its home turf. Britain’s Anticorruption Minister Resigns British Prime Minister Keir Starmer suffered a new blow on Tuesday when his anticorruption minister and niece of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh, Tulip Siddiq, quit her post weeks after being named in an embezzlement investigation. The Mexican Official Accused of Hiding the Severity the Border Crisis When border crossings grew out of control in 2023, the U.S. pressured Mexico to do something. Officials rebuked the immigration chief and stripped him of a key power, a Times investigation shows. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: Battles Rage Inside Russia, With Waves of Tanks, Drones and North Koreans Ukrainian soldiers are describing fierce clashes as Russian forces try to retake territory in the Kursk region that could be key in eventual cease-fire talks. The Mafia’s Grip on a Brazilian Lottery Seemed Invincible. Until the Apps Came. Digital gambling could spell the end for a lottery run by criminal gangs that has been a fixture of Brazilian life for decades. Gaza Cease-Fire Deal Gains Momentum Ahead of Trump Inauguration Cease-fire talks appeared to be gaining momentum on Monday as Arab and American mediators pressed for an agreement to halt the fighting in Gaza and release hostages held by Hamas before President-elect Donald Trump assumes office on Jan. 20. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are publishing from around the world: Kremlin Confirms Readiness for Putin to Meet Trump The Kremlin said that Russia remained open to a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and President-elect Donald Trump, but that any concrete steps to set up such talks could be made only after Mr. Trump is sworn into office on Jan. 20. Venezuela’s Autocrat, Accused of Stealing Election, Seizes Third Term President Nicolás Maduro was sworn in for another six years on Friday, after claiming to win an election in July that many inside and outside Venezuela say he lost decisively. Israel Strikes Houthi-Controlled Ports and a Power Plant in Yemen Israeli warplanes bombed ports and a power plant in Yemeni territory controlled by the Houthis, the Israeli military said, in the latest attempt to force the Iranian-backed militant group to stop firing at Israel and commercial ships in the Red Sea. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are publishing from around the world: With Trump Arriving, Zelensky Urges Allies Not to ‘Drop the Ball Now’ President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday implored representatives from roughly 50 nations to maintain their military support for Ukraine’s nearly three-year long war with Russia, saying it would “be crazy to drop the ball now.” Boarding Schools in Tibet Reshape the ‘Souls of Children’ Across China’s west, the Communist Party is placing children in boarding schools to assimilate a generation of Tibetans into the national mainstream and mold them into loyal citizens. Lebanon Chooses a President After 2 Years of Gridlock Lebanon’s fractured Parliament overcame more than two years of gridlock on Thursday to select a new president, Gen. Joseph Aoun, a critical step toward bringing stability to a country attempting to recover from economic catastrophe and a devastating war. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are publishing from around the world: Russian Strike Kills 13 in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine Russia bombed the city of Zaporizhzhia in southeastern Ukraine on Wednesday, officials said, killing at least 13 people in a brazen daytime attack. Israeli Strike in West Bank Kills 3, Including Children, Official Says An Israeli drone strike killed three cousins, including two children, in the West Bank on Wednesday, according to the local Palestinian governor and a relative, as growing violence threatens to further destabilize the Israeli-occupied territory. ‘Make Greenland Great Again’? No Thank You, Greenlanders Say. After Donald Trump suggested he might take over Greenland by force, the consensus among the island’s population appears to be bewilderment and anxiety. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are publishing from around the world: Sudanese Paramilitary Group Committed Genocide, U.S. Says The United States on Tuesday accused a Sudanese paramilitary group and its proxies of committing genocide, singling them out in a conflict of unchecked brutality and drawing fresh attention to the scale of atrocities being perpetrated in Africa’s largest war. Strong Earthquake Hits Remote Tibet in Western China, Killing Dozens Using their hands and shovels in frigid conditions, rescue workers dug through the rubble in the search for survivors after a deadly magnitude 7.1 earthquake toppled houses and jolted people awake in a remote part of Tibet on Tuesday near the northern foothills of Mount Everest. For Many Returning Russian Veterans, a Long Road of Recovery Awaits A large number of Russian soldiers return as amputees, and many suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Once home, they face stigma and a grueling course of rehabilitation. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are publishing from around the world: Trudeau to Resign as Canada’s Prime Minister: ‘It’s Time for a Reset’ Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada announced that he would step down in the coming months, bowing to an angry electorate at a time of uncertain economic prospects and political infighting. Russia Claims Control of Key Town as Ukraine Renews Push in Kursk Five months after storming across the border into the Kursk region of southern Russia, Ukrainian forces were making a renewed push on Monday to drive deeper into Russia, even as they appear to have lost a strategic town in eastern Ukraine. Hamas Approves List of Hostages It May Free Under a Cease-Fire Deal With Israel As Israeli and Hamas officials continued indirect talks on Monday for a cease-fire and hostage release deal, Hamas representatives indicated that the group had approved an Israeli list of 34 hostages to be released in the first stage of an agreement, conveying a sense of momentum. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: South Korea Fails to Detain Impeached President in Standoff at His Home Blocked by bodyguards in an hourslong standoff, officials in South Korea retreated without serving a court warrant to hold President Yoon Suk Yeol for questioning on insurrection charges. European Ministers Visit Syria to Strengthen Ties With New Government Syria’s new leaders met the French and German foreign ministers in the capital, Damascus, on Friday in one of the highest-level Western diplomatic visits since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad last month. Elon Musk Has a Strange Fixation With Trolling Britain In a barrage of posts rife with misinformation, Elon Musk revived questions about a child sex abuse scandal, vilified the prime minister and defended a jailed far-right agitator. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: As Biden’s Term Ends, Gaza Truce Efforts Proceed Cautiously Talks between Israel and Hamas to end the war in Gaza and free the remaining hostages have appeared to make little headway, according to officials familiar with the discussions, as the clock runs down on the Biden administration’s remaining days to reach an agreement on a cease-fire. The Other Naples, Not Seen on Instagram The southern Italian city of Naples has become fashionable for tourists, models and actors in a social media age. Yet it remains merciless for many of its youth. A Half-Ton Piece of Space Junk Falls Onto a Village in Kenya A glowing ring of metal, more than eight feet in diameter and weighing more than 1,100 pounds, fell from the sky and crash landed in a remote village in Kenya, causing no injuries but frightening residents who feared a bomb or worse. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: Ukraine Halts the Flow of Natural Gas From Russia to Europe The flow of natural gas through a major pipeline from Russia to Europe was cut off early Wednesday after Ukraine refused to renew an agreement that allowed for the transit of Russian gas through its territory. Tensions Escalate After Pakistan Pounds Afghanistan With Airstrikes Airstrikes by Pakistani warplanes inside Afghanistan have intensified tensions in recent days in an already volatile region. Once-close ties between Pakistan’s leaders and the Afghan Taliban have frayed, and violent cross-border exchanges have become alarmingly frequent. A Mayor’s Odyssey: From Undocumented Migrant to Cartel Target A former undocumented resident of California who now runs a town in Mexico, Crispín Agustín Mendoza has survived one assassination attempt. But he says, “I have to learn how to survive.” @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: On E-Scooters and ATVs, Russian Forces Swarm Ukrainian Positions in the East Stepped up attacks by Russia are heightening longstanding concerns over how Ukraine manages its military and countering assumptions that Moscow’s offensive would slow, soldiers and military analysts say. Drugs, Scams and Sin: Myanmar’s War Has Made It the Global Crime Capital Since descending into a full-blown civil conflict nearly four years ago, after the military overthrew the elected government, Myanmar has cemented its status as a hotbed of transnational crime. U.S. Strikes Militant Group in Yemen That Has Kept Up Attacks on Ships The U.S. military said on Tuesday that it had carried out a series of strikes on the Houthis, the Iranian-backed group in Yemen, as the group suggested it would continue attacking Israel and ships in the Red Sea if there was no cease-fire in Gaza. @nytimes