The New York Times

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: For South Korean Families, a Grim Wait for Bodies After Plane Crash South Korean officials on Monday began the slow, painstaking process of piecing together the many body parts found in the wreckage after the country’s worst plane crash in decades, as hundreds of relatives, waiting to receive the victims’ bodies, grew more anguished by the hour. Where Is Russia Finding New Soldiers? Wherever It Can. From murder suspects to immigrants to a former Olympic gold medalist, Russia pressures those it thinks should fight in Ukraine. Syria’s Rebel Leader Offers Hint of Timetable for Potential Elections Syria’s de facto new leader, Ahmed al-Shara, has said it could take up to four years to hold elections, offering the first potential timetable for a transition of power following the overthrow of the country’s longtime ruler, President Bashar al-Assad. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: Ukraine Slows Firing of Missiles Into Russia as Trump Prepares to Take Office The long-range missiles provided by the United States and Britain were used by Ukraine to strike inside Russian territory, despite concerns that their use would escalate the conflict. Kyiv’s stockpiles are running out. South Korean Lawmakers Impeach Acting President as Crisis Deepens South Korea’s leadership crisis deepened on Friday after lawmakers voted to oust a second head of state, the acting president, in less than two weeks. 10 Years Ago, a U.S. Thaw Fueled Cuban Dreams. Now Hope Is Lost. A decade since the United States and Cuba restored diplomatic relations — which many believed would transform the island — Cuba is in its worst crisis since Fidel Castro took power. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: Israel Loosened Its Rules to Bomb Hamas Fighters, Killing Many More Civilians Surprised by Oct. 7 and fearful of another attack, Israel weakened safeguards meant to protect noncombatants, allowing officers to endanger up to 20 people in each airstrike. One of the deadliest bombardments of the 21st century followed. Plane Crash Investigators Focus on Russian Air Defenses as Possible Cause As authorities in several countries tried to determine what caused the deadly crash of a passenger airplane in Kazakhstan, investigators and experts on Thursday were focusing on the possibility that a Russian air defense system had struck the plane. How Mexican Cartels Test Fentanyl on Vulnerable People and Animals A global crackdown on fentanyl has led cartels in Mexico to innovate production methods and test their risky formulas on people, as well as rabbits and chickens. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are coming from around the world: Russia Unleashes Another Wave of Attacks on Ukraine Air-raid alarms and explosions sounded on Christmas Day as Moscow again struck Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, part of an effort to wear down the country. “In the trenches, there are no holidays,” one man said. At Least 56 Killed in Clashes Over Mozambique’s Disputed Election Ruling At least 56 people have been killed in Mozambique since Monday as police officers and protesters clashed in the latest wave of unrest over a presidential election that demonstrators claim was rigged by the governing party. The Radish-Carving Contest That Draws Thousands to Southern Mexico In southern Mexico, a city dazzles with a celebration of its rich culture and history through a radish-carving competition, a cherished tradition upheld by generations of families. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: Russia Sentences U.S. Citizen to 15 Years for Espionage A Russian court sentenced Eugene Spector, a U.S. citizen, on Tuesday to 15 years in a high-security prison for espionage, prompting speculation that the Kremlin might seek to use him as leverage in negotiations for a future prisoner swap. Iran’s Energy Crisis Hits ‘Dire’ Point as Industries Are Forced to Shut Down Although Iran has one of the biggest supplies of natural gas and crude oil in the world, it finds itself in a full blown energy emergency, coming just as it also suffers major geopolitical setbacks. Behind Afghanistan’s Fall, U.S.-Backed Militias Worse Than the Taliban Trump blamed Biden. Biden blamed the Afghan military. A New York Times investigation found that the U.S. unwittingly laid the groundwork for the Taliban’s victory long ago. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: Slovak Leader Visits Putin, Breaking With E.U.’s Policy of Isolation European unity against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine suffered a new blow as Robert Fico, the leader of Slovakia, made a surprise visit to Moscow for talks with President Vladimir Putin on natural gas supplies and the conflict in Ukraine. Mozambique’s Top Court Upholds Disputed Presidential Election Result Protesters set fires on the streets across the southern African nation of Mozambique on Monday after the country’s highest court upheld the results of a contested presidential election in which the candidate from the governing party was declared the winner. Top Arab Diplomats, in Syria Visits, Aim to Build Ties With New Leadership Ministers from Jordan and Qatar were among the first high-ranking Arab diplomats to meet with the leader of the rebel coalition that toppled the Syrian regime, as the Arab world seeks to bring Syria back into the fold. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: Driver Rams Christmas Market in Germany, Injuring Dozens in Suspected Attack A vehicle drove into a Christmas market in the city of Magdeburg in central Germany on Friday evening, wounding dozens of people, in what local officials said they suspected was an attack. Russia’s Abrupt Setback in Syria Creates Headaches for Putin For decades, Russia has been trying to rebuild its influence in the Middle East. But after the rapid collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, the Kremlin is scrambling to salvage whatever it can. Trump Is Threatening Europe With Tariffs. Is It Ready? President-elect Donald Trump’s threats of tariffs on allies and adversaries alike have unsettled companies and governments across Europe, setting off a scramble for what they fear could be a trans-Atlantic trade war. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: With Guilty Verdicts, Rape Victim’s Ordeal in France Becomes a Message of Hope Dozens of men who abused Gisèle Pelicot were convicted, including the man who invited them to do so: her husband of 50 years. With that, the trial that had both horrified and captivated France for almost four months ended with a victory for the woman at its center. Putin Glosses Over Russian Setbacks, Including Syria President Vladimir Putin of Russia on Thursday tried to paper over or shift the blame for recent setbacks at home and in the Middle East, while making a fresh appeal to Donald Trump that he was ready to talk to the U.S. president-elect “any time.” What It Looks Like on an Island Steamrolled by a Cyclone A visit to the Indian Ocean islands of Mayotte, which were struck by Cyclone Chido last weekend, reveals the devastating toll of the storm on an impoverished territory that belongs to France. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: The Once Booming Drug Town Going Bust Under Taliban Rule Funding its war against the United States, the Taliban reaped millions from boom towns trading opium, heroin and meth. Victorious, the group crushed the trade, leaving ghost towns in its wake. Russia Detains a Man It Says Killed a General on Ukraine’s Orders The Russian authorities said on Wednesday that they had detained a suspect in the killing of a senior military officer, Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, a major development in the most prominent political assassination case in the country since the start of the war in Ukraine. Al-Assad’s Soldiers Hope for Amnesty. First, They Have to Take a Number. Syria’s new rulers say they will spare conscripts of Bashar al-Assad and pursue those who oversaw his regime’s abuses. Hundreds are lining up to learn which promise applies to them. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: Ukraine Says It Killed General Who Led Russia’s Nuclear Defense Force Igor Kirillov, a general in charge of Russia's radioactive, chemical and biological defense forces was killed by a bomb on a Moscow street on Tuesday, in one of the most brazen assassinations since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago. France Rushes Aid to Mayotte, Island Territory ‘Devastated’ by Cyclone Hundreds are feared dead after a tropical cyclone razed entire neighborhoods in Mayotte, a series of islands off the eastern coast of Africa, before unleashing its destructive force on Mozambique. In Visit to Mountain Recently Seized in Syria, Netanyahu Vows to Keep Troops There Indefinitely Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday met with military officers in territory Israel recently took control of in Syria, and vowed that Israeli troops would remain in the country for the foreseeable future. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: Hundreds Feared Dead After Cyclone Hits French Territory of Mayotte Emergency workers and families on Monday desperately searched for victims after a storm devastated the French territory of Mayotte, off the eastern coast of Africa. Officials fear that hundreds or even thousands could be dead, far higher than the current confirmed toll of 14. German Government Collapses at a Perilous Time for Europe Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany lost a confidence vote on Monday, deepening the political turbulence in one of the continent’s most powerful economies. Ex-Bangladeshi Leader Orchestrated Mass Disappearances, Inquiry Finds Bangladesh’s ousted prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, and top officials orchestrated a centralized program of enforced disappearances with thousands of likely victims, an official commission’s preliminary report said. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: Emmanuel Macron Appoints Key Ally as France’s New Prime Minister President Emmanuel Macron of France tapped François Bayrou, a veteran centrist politician and one of his top allies, as the new prime minister, a move that few expect would stabilize the country's roiling politics. The Syrian Upheaval Has Iranian Leaders Reeling, Too For decades, Iran poured money and military aid into Syria, backing the Assad regime in its ambition to confront Israel. Now many Iranians are openly asking why. Russia Hits Ukraine’s Energy Infrastructure in a Renewed Assault Russia launched a missile attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure early Friday, in an assault that President Volodymyr Zelensky described as “one of the largest strikes” on his country’s power facilities. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: How America Created the Enemy It Feared Most The New York Times trekked into Afghanistan’s mountains to discover how America lost a valley, then a battle and finally a decades-long war. Trump’s Middle East Adviser Pick Is a Small-Time Truck Salesman The lore around Massad Boulos, Tiffany Trump’s father-in-law and President-elect Trump's pick for Middle East adviser, is that he is a billionaire dealmaker. Records show otherwise. In Milei’s Argentina, Economic Albatross Is Tamed but Life Is Much Harder A year after becoming president, Javier Milei has been praised inside and outside Argentina for reining in galloping inflation. But his economic policies have inflicted widespread hardship. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: The Gold Rush at the Heart of a Civil War Famine and ethnic cleansing stalk Sudan. Yet the gold trade is booming, enriching generals and propelling the fight. Scholz Calls for Confidence Vote, in Step Toward German Elections Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany called for a confidence vote in Parliament on Wednesday, taking the first formal step toward disbanding the German government and leading to snap elections likely to oust him from office. Blast in Afghanistan Kills a Taliban Leader, Khalil Haqqani An explosion in Afghanistan’s capital on Wednesday killed a Taliban official who was a member of one of the country’s most powerful political families, government officials said. The government accused the Islamic State of being behind the attack. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: 12 Days That Changed Syria: The Rebel Offensive in Visuals In just two weeks, rebel forces tore across Syria, shattering the stalemate left by more than a decade of civil war and bringing an end to more than five decades of brutal rule by the Assad dynasty. Here’s how it unfolded. Netanyahu Finally Takes the Stand in His Corruption Trial Eight years after the police started investigating him and four years after his trial began, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, took the stand for the first time to respond to accusations of corruption that have defined and disrupted Israeli public life for nearly a decade. Rage Grows Over a Spate of Brutal Murders of Women in Kenya In Kenya, almost 100 women have been killed in the span of three months, the police say. Rights groups want President William Ruto to declare femicide a national crisis. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: A Surprise Advance to Damascus, Captured on Video Bashar Al-Assad’s grip over Syria was visible everywhere in the capital. It was all dismantled in less than 24 hours. Massacre in Haiti’s Capital Leaves Nearly 200 Dead, U.N. Says More than 180 people were killed in a massacre over the weekend in one of the poorest neighborhood’s of Haiti’s capital, the United Nation’s human rights chief said on Monday. Ukraine Asks if Telegram, Its Favorite App, Is a Sleeper Agent In recent months, Ukrainian officials have become more alarmed by the country’s dependence on Telegram, as worries that the app was used as a vector of disinformation and a spying tool for Russia have mushroomed. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: Syrian Rebels Push South, Edging Closer to Damascus Syrian rebels pushed south on Friday toward the major city of Homs, edging another step closer to the capital, Damascus, in their dramatic offensive. Government forces scrambled to stop the rapid advance. As Trump Threatens Tariffs, Europe and South America Strengthen Ties The European Union reached a major trade agreement on Friday with four South American countries, establishing one of the largest trade zones in the world. The deal concludes negotiations that took on new urgency as President-elect Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on some of the world’s largest economies. As India-Bangladesh Tensions Rise, So Do Fears of Tit-for-Tat Violence A diplomatic dispute over claims of persecution of Bangladeshi Hindus led relations between India and neighboring Bangladesh to a perilous new low this week and threatens to upend Bangladesh’s interim government. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: Syrian Rebels Storm Another Major City Syrian rebels advanced on the city of Hama as government forces withdrew, bringing the rebels one step closer to Damascus, the capital and seat of power of President Bashar al-Assad. Roommate Murdered Kenyan Gay Rights Activist, Court Finds The roommate of a prominent gay activist in Kenya was convicted on Wednesday of murdering him, almost two years after the grisly killing shocked the East African nation and spread chilling fear among its gay community. No Food, Water or Power for Opponents Hiding From Venezuelan Government Six leading Venezuelan opposition activists and advisers have taken refuge at the Argentine diplomatic residence for eight months. Now, the police are cutting off basic services. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: Lawmakers Move to Impeach South Korean Leader After Failed Martial Law Bid Emboldened by their forceful rejection of military rule, members of South Korea’s political opposition moved on Wednesday to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol, after his abrupt declaration of martial law failed spectacularly. Iran Releases Narges Mohammadi, Nobel Laureate, From Prison for 21 Days Prosecutors in Iran have agreed to allow Narges Mohammadi, the jailed activist and Nobel laureate, to leave prison for 21 days to recover from surgery, her foundation said on Wednesday. Syrian Forces Battle Rebels Outside Government Stronghold Syrian rebels battled pro-government forces on Wednesday on the outskirts of Hama, a major city in western Syria where President Bashar al-Assad’s government has long maintained strength. @nytimes

Here are some of the stories we are covering from around the world: South Korea’s President Backs Down From Martial Law: What to Know President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea declared martial law on Tuesday night, accusing the opposition of “trying to overthrow the free democracy.” But about five hours later, he reversed his decision, bowing to pressure after the National Assembly unanimously passed a resolution demanding that it end. Fighting Worsens Already Dire Conditions in Northwestern Syria In Syria, years of war and a powerful earthquake had led to crushing poverty, displacement and breakdowns in services. But over the last several days, the region’s misery deepened. Investigation Into Forced Adoptions From Ukraine Points Finger at Putin President Vladimir Putin and senior Kremlin officials “intentionally and directly” authorized a program of coerced fostering and adoption of Ukrainian children during the war in Ukraine, according to a Yale University report that was released on Tuesday. @nytimes