International News

Latest International Headlines

27 minutes ago

Europe's anti-torture watchdog slams Italy over migrant detention abuses

The Council of Europe anti-torture committee has criticized Italy’s treatment of migrants in local detention centers
27 minutes ago
ARCHIVO - Migrantes interceptados en aguas internacionales abordan un barco de la Guardia Costera italiana en el puerto de Shengjin, Albania, con destino a Italia, después de que un tribunal de Roma rechazara su detención, el sábado 19 de octubre de 2024. (AP Foto/Vlasov Sulaj, Archivo)
27 minutes ago

Who was in ousted Syrian President Assad's inner circle and where are they now?

After insurgents toppled Syrian President Bashar Assad this month, many senior officials and members of his dreaded intelligence and security services appear to have melted away
27 minutes ago
FILE - Bashar Assad, right, and his brother Maher Assad, center, stand during the funeral of their father, former President Hafez Assad, in Damascus, Syria, June 13, 2000. (AP Photo, File)
39 minutes ago

Brother of Israeli hostage to speak at UN

Amit Levy’s sister, Naama, is being held captive by Hamas after being kidnapped along with six other women on Oct. 7, 2023.
39 minutes ago
VIDEO: Brother of Israeli hostage to speak at UN
1 hour ago

Iran the ‘big loser’ with changing Syria: International security expert

Emily Harding of the Center for Strategic and International Studies discusses what Syria’s shift in power means for the Middle East.
1 hour ago
VIDEO: Iran the ‘big loser’ with changing Syria: International security expert
1 hour ago

Dutch court rejects lawsuit from rights groups seeking to halt arms sales to Israel

A Dutch court has rejected a bid from human rights groups to block weapons exports to Israel and trading with the occupied territories
1 hour ago
1 hour ago

UN human rights office in Venezuela partially resumes work months after government shut it down

The U.N. office on human rights in Venezuela has partially resumed operations in recent weeks
1 hour ago
FILE - U.N. and Venezuelan flags hang outside the building that houses the Technical Advisory Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in Caracas, Venezuela, Feb. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix, File)
2 hours ago

Canadian government asks labor board to intervene in Canada Post strike as Christmas nears

Canada’s labor minister says he's asking the Canada Industrial Relations Board to order about 55,000 striking Canada Post employees back to work after a four week strike that disrupted mail service during the busy holiday season
2 hours ago
Members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) picket outside the Canada Post Pacific Processing Centre, in Richmond, British Columbia, on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
3 hours ago

A US Navy ship will make its first port call in 8 years in Cambodia, a close ally of China

A U.S. Navy warship will make a port call next week in Cambodia, China’s close ally in Southeast Asia, the first such visit in eight years
3 hours ago
FILE - In this photo released by the official Facebook page of the Ream Naval Base, Cambodian navy crew stand on a patrol boat at the Ream Naval Base in Sihanoukville, southwest of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023. (Ream Naval Base's Facebook page via AP, File)
3 hours ago

Famous Syrian activist Mazen Al-Hamada found dead in Saydnaya

"Mazen poured his heart into every meeting and to anyone he spoke with."
3 hours ago
Mazen Al-Hamada is shown in a scene from the documentary "Syria's Disappeared," by Afshar Films.
3 hours ago

International headlines from ABC News

Catch up on the developing stories from around the globe making headlines.
3 hours ago
Catch up on the developing stories from around the globe making headlines.
3 hours ago

Russia targets Ukrainian infrastructure with attack of missiles, drones

Russia launched a massive aerial attack against Ukraine, firing 93 cruise and ballistic missiles and almost 200 drones, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. ABC News’ Marcus Moore reports.
3 hours ago
VIDEO: Russia targets Ukrainian infrastructure with attack of missiles, drones
3 hours ago

Indian Ocean islands of Comoros, Madagascar and Mayotte are bracing for Cyclone Chido

The islands of Comoros, Madagascar and Mayotte in the Indian Ocean are bracing for Cyclone Chido as it makes its way toward Africa’s east coast
3 hours ago
4 hours ago

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken makes unannounced visit to Iraq amid push to stabilize post-Assad Syria

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken makes unannounced visit to Iraq amid push to stabilize post-Assad Syria
4 hours ago
4 hours ago

Bringing hope and joy: superheroes for children with cancer in Kosovo

As the year draws to a close, a remarkable initiative involving “superheroes” clad in unique costumes brings unexpected joy — not only to the sick children but also, perhaps even more deeply, to their parents
4 hours ago
A child dressed as a superhero poses with a Kosovo alpinist disguised as super-heroes of modern times delivering New Year's gifts to children patients in Pristina hospital on Friday, Dec. 13, 20124. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)
4 hours ago

Companies from UK, Italy and Japan to form joint venture for new fighter jet

The three companies building a next generation fighter jet for the U.K., Italy and Japan have revealed that they are forming a joint venture to deliver the aircraft
4 hours ago
December 13

Seoul invests millions to become 'city without loneliness'

Seoul plans to spend $327 million over the next 5 years to battle loneliness.
December 13
A restaurant owner waits for customers at her empty restaurant in Seoul, South Korea, Oct. 31, 2024.
December 13

Thousands of Syrians celebrate in central Damascus during first Friday prayers since Assad's fall

Thousands of Syrians celebrated in Umayyad Square, the largest in Damascus, after the first Muslim Friday prayers following the ouster of President Bashar Assad
December 13
Syrians walk toward he Umayyad mosque for Friday prayers in Damascus, Syria, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
December 13

Traffic blockades held throughout Serbia against populist government over roof collapse tragedy

Residents throughout Serbia have stopped in silence for 15 minutes as part of persistent protests against the populist leadership following the collapse last month of a concrete canopy in the country’s north that killed 15 people
December 13
People hold a banner that reads "You have blood on your hands" and stop traffic during a silent protest to commemorate the 15 victims of a railway roof collapse six weeks ago, demand accountability for the tragedy, in Belgrade, Serbia, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
December 13

Turkey's Erdogan offers to mediate between Sudan and the UAE

Turkish officials say President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has offered to mediate to resolve tensions with the United Arab Emirates
December 13
FILE - Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a plenary session at the COP29 U.N. Climate Summit, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool, File)
December 13

President Macron names centrist ally Bayrou as France's next prime minister

French President Emmanuel Macron has named centrist ally François Bayrou as prime minister, after a historic parliamentary vote ousted the previous government last week
December 13
FILE - French centrist party MoDem (Mouvement Democrate) leader Francois Bayrou leaves after a meeting with France's President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, France, Tuesday, June 21, 2022. French President Emmanuel Macron names key centrist ally François Bayrou as new prime minister Friday Dec.13 2024. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File)
December 13

Moldova declares a state of emergency over energy as fears of Russian gas shortage loom

Moldova’s parliament has voted in favor of imposing a state of emergency in the energy sector over fears that Russia could leave the European Union candidate country without sufficient natural gas supplies this winter
December 13
FILE - Men stand next to pipelines of the national natural gas distribution network outside Ungheni, Moldova, March 4, 2015. (AP Photo/Aurel Obreja)
December 13

French President Emmanuel Macron names key centrist ally François Bayrou as new prime minister

French President Emmanuel Macron names key centrist ally François Bayrou as new prime minister
December 13
December 13

Danish court sentences British hedge fund trader to 12 years over massive tax fraud

A Danish court has sentenced a British hedge fund trader to 12 years in prison in connection with what authorities say was a 9 billion kroner ($1.3 billion) tax fraud, Danish justice officials confirmed
December 13
December 13

Topless women protesting the Ukraine war are detained for vandalizing sculpture near UN building

At least three feminist activists have been detained for vandalising a monument outside the United Nations building in Geneva to protest Russia’s war against Ukraine and what they see as the UN's failure to stop the conflict
December 13
EDS NOTE: NUDITY - Activists of the feminist group Femen protest to support Ukraine and to demand Russia's expulsion from the UN, under the 'Broken Chair' Monument on Place des Nations in front of the European headquarters of the United Nations (UN) in Geneva, Switzerland, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)
December 13

US and allies mark the 80th anniversary of World War II Battle of the Bulge

The United States, its European allies and a dwindling number of veterans are marking the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge
December 13
WWII veterans, Gilbert Charleston, Choctaw Nation Elder, 739th Tank Battalion, from Oklahoma, right, and David Marshall, US Army 84th Infantry Division, from NY, speak with journalists during the 80th commemoration of the Battle of the Bulge in Bastogne, Belgium, Friday, Dec 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)
December 13

China signals it's prepared to double down on support for the economy as Trump tariffs loom

Chinese leaders met this week to plot economic policy for the coming year and sketched out plans to raise government spending and relax Beijing's monetary policy
December 13
Shoppers walk around art light structures on display at a popular outdoor shopping mall in Beijing, on Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
December 13

Suspected Chinese spy with business ties to Prince Andrew barred from UK

A suspected Chinese spy with business ties to Prince Andrew has been barred from the U.K. because of concerns he posed a threat to national security
December 13
FILE -Prince Andrew leaves after attending the Christmas day service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham in Norfolk, England, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)
December 13

Japan's ban on recognizing same-sex unions is unconstitutional, a court finds

A Japanese high court has ruled that the refusal to recognize same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, the latest victory for the LGBTQ+ community that adds pressure on the reluctant government
December 13
Plaintiffs and their supporters celebrate after a Japanese high court ruled that the country’s refusal to recognize same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, outside the Fukuoka High Court in Fukuoka, southern Japan, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. The banner, in red, reads "Unconstitutional at the high court." (Kyodo News via AP)
December 13

'Crown of Thorns' returns to Notre Dame cathedral for public veneration

An ancient relic that many Christians revere as Jesus Christ’s “Crown of Thorns” is returning to Notre Dame, five years after it was saved from the flames of the cathedral’s devastating 2019 fire
December 13
FILE - The reliquary of the Crown of Thorns designed by French artist Sylvain Dubuisson is pictured during the ceremony in Notre Dame Cathedral, Saturday Dec.7, 2024 in Paris. An ancient relic that many Christians revere as Jesus Christ's "Crown of Thorns" is returning to Notre Dame, nearly five years after it was saved from the flames of the cathedral's devastating 2019 fire. ( Ludovic Marin, Pool via AP, File)
December 13

14-year-old stabs a Thai-Australian schoolmate to death in a fight, Thai police say

Police in Thailand say a 14-year-old has been arrested on charges alleging that he stabbed a Thai-Australian schoolmate to death in a fight after having an ongoing feud
December 13
This photo provided by the Sawang Rojana Thammasathan Sattahip Rescue shows a knife handle found at the crime scene where a Thai-Australian boy was stabbed to death in Sattahip, Chonburi province, Thailand, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (Sawang Rojana Thammasathan Sattahip Rescue via AP)
December 13

New Zealand scientists suspect specimen of world's rarest whale died from head injuries

Scientists suspect the first complete specimen ever recorded of the world’s rarest whale died from head injuries
December 13
FILE - In this photo provided by the New Zealand Department of Conservation, rangers inspect what is believed to be a rare spade-toothed whale on July 5, 2024, after it was found washed ashore on a beach near Otago, New Zealand. (Department of Conservation via AP, File)
December 13

Middle East latest: Blinken urges Mideast nations to support a peaceful Syrian political transition

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is pressing ahead with efforts to unify Middle East nations in supporting a peaceful political transition in Syria
December 13
Israeli soldiers stand next to armoured vehicles before crossing the security fence, moving towards the so-called Alpha Line that separates the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights from Syria, in the town of Majdal Shams, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
December 13

Russia targets Ukrainian infrastructure with a massive attack of missiles and drones

Russia has launched a massive aerial attack against Ukraine
December 13
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters work on the site of a damaged building after a Russian drone attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, early Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP Photo)
December 13

Russia has launched a massive aerial attack against Ukraine involving dozens of cruise missiles and drones

Russia has launched a massive aerial attack against Ukraine involving dozens of cruise missiles and drones
December 13
December 13

China's military is staying silent on its recent activity around Taiwan

China’s military is keeping silent on its large deployment of naval and coast guard ships off Taiwan this week
December 13
Taiwan's fighter jets prepare to take off at an airbase in Hsinchu, northern Taiwan, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, as Taiwan's Defense Ministry said it detected Chinese naval ships and military planes engaged in training. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)
December 13

Greece's only miniature therapy horses bring joy to many, but their charity is struggling

Specially trained miniature horses visit hospital wards and residential care homes in the Greek capital, providing pet therapy to sick and disabled children and adults
December 13
Homer, a miniature horse used for therapy programs, stands in a van, in Rafina about 32 kilometres (51 miles) east of Athens, Greece, on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
December 13

Rolling blackouts plague Iran, some suspect bitcoin mining may have a role in outages

Iran’s capital and outlying provinces have faced rolling power blackouts for weeks in October and November, with electricity cuts disrupting people’s lives and businesses
December 13
The reactor building of Iran's nuclear power plant and electricity poles are seen, at Bushehr, Iran, 750 miles (1,245 kilometers) south of the capital Tehran, Iran, Feb. 27, 2005. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File)
December 13

Ukraine's reformed military procurement agency drives the country's NATO ambitions

Ukraine's new state agency for nonlethal military procurement is an example of the type of reform that the country hopes will clear the path toward NATO
December 13
FILE - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in his office in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File)
December 12

AP Week in Pictures: Latin America and Caribbean

Dec. 6-12, 2024 Faithful in Chile threw rose petals on a statue of the Virgin Mary during a commemoration of the Immaculate Conception, in Valparaíso. People rode the Samba Train to celebrate National Samba Day in Rio de Janeiro. Haitian students commuted to school on a motorcycle in Port-au-Prince. Pilgrims in Mexico arrived at Our Lady of Guadalupe Basilica marking the feast day of the patroness in one of the world's largest religious pilgrimages. This gallery highlights some of the most compelling images made or published in the past week by The Associated Press from Latin America and the Caribbean. The selection was curated by AP photographer Moisés Castillo, based in Guatemala City. ___ Follow AP visual journalism: AP Images blog: http://apimagesblog.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apnews X: http://twitter.com/AP_Images
December 12
Students get to school on a motorcycle in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph)
December 12

Prominent human rights attorney quits international court over failure to prosecute Venezuela

A prominent human rights attorney has quietly parted ways with the International Criminal Court to protest what he sees as an unjustified failure of its chief prosecutor to indict members of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s government for crimes a...
December 12
FILE - Karim Khan, chief prosecutor of International Criminal Court, right, shakes hands with National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez during a meeting at the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, April 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos, File)
December 12

Huge and rare Mekong catfish spotted in Cambodia, raising conservation hopes

Six critically endangered Mekong giant catfish — one of the largest and rarest freshwater fish in the world — were caught and released in Cambodia recently in just a few days, offering new hope for the survival for the species
December 12
In this photo released by Zeb Hogan, USAID Wonders of the Mekong Project, people hold a Mekong giant catfish to release it in Mekong River in Kampong Cham, Cambodia on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (Zeb Hogan, USAID Wonders of the Mekong Project via AP)
December 12

This hospital in Venezuela restores discarded toys for another round of love

One by one, the toys that show the wear and tear of love are restored for the holidays: sewed and combed, stuffed and dressed
December 12
A volunteer washes recycled toys at the non-profit foundation Hospital de los Peluches, or Hospital of Stuffed Animals, in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
December 12

South Korea battles 'lonely deaths'

The city of Seoul plans to spend around $327 million to prevent 'lonely deaths' -- people who die alone and remain undiscovered for extended periods
December 12
South Korea battles 'lonely deaths'
December 12

Inside Syria’s fallen regime

ABC News’ James Longman reports on the fall of the Assad regime and gets up close look inside Assad’s former palace, personal home and infamous prison.
December 12
Inside Syria’s fallen regime
December 12

US believes circulating video could show missing American, officials say

The U.S. says another American, Austin Tice, is thought to be alive in Syria.
December 12
Travis Timmerman, a U.S. citizen who had entered Syria from Lebanon on a Christian pilgrimage and had been detained for several months, speaks with reporters in a house in Damascus on Dec. 12, 2024, after he was found in the village of Thihabiyeh east of the capital, after rebels toppled longtime president Bashar al-Assad.
December 12

How Syrian rebels took down Bashar al-Assad

The armed Islamist faction Hayat Tahrir al-Sham led a revolution toppling Syria's former president, and forcing him to resign and flee to Moscow.
December 12
The armed Islamist faction Hayat Tahrir al-Sham led a revolution toppling Syria's former president, and forcing him to resign and flee to Moscow.
December 12

Did the synthetic stimulant Captagon help lead to Assad regime’s downfall in Syria?

Captagon trade under the Assad regime generated billions annually for Syria.
December 12
A Syrian rebel fighter holds a container of pills of Captagon, a brand name of the drug psychostimulant Fenethylline, discovered at a drug manufacturing facility in the city of Douma in the Eastern Ghouta region on the eastern outskirts of Damascus, Dec. 12, 2024.
December 12

US makes contact with Travis Pete Timmerman

Former Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman discusses what efforts can be made to get Timmerman back to the United States as the search continues for other former prisoners of Syria.
December 12
US makes contact with Travis Pete Timmerman
December 12

US says $365 million is available to install solar and battery storage systems in Puerto Rico

The U.S. Department of Energy says $365 million is available to install solar and battery storage systems in homes and healthcare centers across Puerto Rico
December 12
December 12

Iranian woman's viral performance at a traditional venue is being investigated

Singer Parastoo Ahmadi held a performance in one of Iran's traditional venues.
December 12
Parastoo Ahmadi greets absent audience in her performance concert in Iran, on Dec 11, 2024.