International

Ukraine withdraws from Avdiivka, in Russia's first major battlefield win in months
It's Russia's first significant battlefield win since last May. The White House said Ukrainian soldiers pulled out because they had "dwindling supplies as a result of congressional inaction."
Alexei Navalny, galvanizing opposition leader and Putin’s fiercest foe, died in prison, Russia says
The stunning news — less than a month before an election that will give President Vladimir Putin another six years in power — brought renewed criticism and outrage directed at the Kremlin leader who has cracked down on all opposition at home.
Greece becomes first Orthodox Christian country to legalize same-sex civil marriage
Greece on Thursday became the first Orthodox Christian country to legalize same-sex civil marriage, despite opposition from the influential, socially conservative Greek Church.
Ukrainian military says it sank a Russian landing ship in the Black Sea
Sinking the vessel would be another embarrassing blow for the Russian Black Sea fleet and a significant success for Ukraine 10 days before the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion.
Mediators are in Cairo working to secure a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas
The talks come as Israel signals it may soon launch an invasion of Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip. The talks were expected to center on a plan that would pause the fighting for up to six weeks.
With Western military aid increasingly uncertain, Ukraine builds its own weapons
Ukraine's domestic arms manufacturers bristle at the notion the country relies entirely on military aid from the U.S. and Europe. The country's weapons development and production, they say, is robust.
Israel rescues 2 hostages, but Gaza officials say dozens were killed in the operation
Israeli military strikes in Rafah were part of an operation to rescue two Israeli hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7. There were initial reports that at least 50 Palestinians were killed in the raid.