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U.S. Steps Up Campaign Against Maduro in Seizing Tanker Off Venezuela

The United States seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela on Wednesday, a dramatic escalation in President Trump’s pressure campaign against Nicolás Maduro, the leader of Venezuela.

Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Resigns in the Face of Mass Protests

Bulgaria’s prime minister resigned on Thursday after less than a year in office, acknowledging “the voice of the people” after mass protests against government corruption in recent weeks.

Pakistan’s Ex-Spy Chief Sentenced to Prison After Court-Martial

A Pakistani military court announced that it had sentenced Lt. Gen. Faiz Hameed, the former head of the country’s intelligence agency, to 14 years in prison after convicting him on charges of corruption, political meddling and misuse of authority.

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Venezuela’s Nobel Winner Ups the Ante in Standoff With Maduro

News Analysis: The decision by María Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader, to leave her homeland after more than a year in hiding has drastically raised the stakes in the unfolding standoff over Venezuela’s future.

Islamic State Camps Pose a Dangerous Problem for Syria’s Leaders

The Syrian government faces a dilemma over what to do with civil-war-era prisons and detention camps that hold thousands of ISIS fighters and tens of thousands of their family members.

Louvre Heist Was Caught on Film, Officials Say, Rebutting Director’s Account

After robbers broke into the Louvre in October, the museum’s director said they had entered undetected. Now, investigators from the French culture ministry have found that that the thieves’ entrance was recorded but the security guards had taken too long to switch to the live feed.

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When Diamonds Are Not Forever

After decades of growth driven by diamond mining, Canada’s Northwest Territories are facing the closure of three major mines and wondering: What’s next?

Lithuania Declares National Emergency Over Suspicious Balloons From Belarus

Lithuania’s government declared a nationwide emergency on Tuesday to bolster security after months of fending off suspicious balloons that have floated into the country’s airspace from neighboring Belarus, disrupting flights and stirring chaos.

Australia’s Social Media Ban for People Under 16 Takes Effect

A new law in Australia that bars anyone younger than 16 from having social media accounts went into effect on Wednesday, in the start of a sweeping governmental effort to shelter children from the harms associated with such platforms.

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The U.S. Gave Mexico a List of Russian Spies. Mexico Let Them Stay.

Moscow has ramped up covert operations in Mexico, with spies meeting handlers in its bustling capital and seaside resorts, U.S. officials say.

With Fireworks and Parades, Syrians Celebrate Anniversary of al-Assad’s Fall

Syria commemorated a year since the fall of the dictator Bashar al-Assad with fireworks and parades, but the festivities come as violence and economic woes hinder true recovery.

Thai Jets Bomb Cambodia as at Least 5 Die in New Wave of Fighting

Thai F-16 fighter jets bombed Cambodian targets on Monday, as a decades-old border dispute that President Trump claimed to have ended erupted in a new salvo of fighting that killed at least five people and displaced hundreds of thousands.

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How the Fire in Hong Kong Became So Deadly

Hazardous construction materials, the buildings’ design and a series of safety failures likely enabled Hong Kong’s worst fire in decades to spread with devastating speed.

Zelensky’s Government Sabotaged Oversight, Allowing Corruption to Fester

Ukrainian leaders blame independent advisers for failing to prevent corruption. A New York Times investigation found President Volodymyr Zelensky’s own administration systematically sabotaged that oversight, allowing graft to flourish.

The ‘Cocaine Superhighway’ Fueled by the U.S. Focus on Fentanyl

As Washington made combating fentanyl a priority, cocaine trafficking has surged. Nowhere have the ripples been felt like in Ecuador, where criminal groups have run rampant.

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The Diplomat Who Was Accused of Sexual Abuse but Kept His Job

Kenya’s government received complaints that a diplomat was sexually abusing women, according to a U.N. official and a labor leader. But officials allowed the diplomat to continue working with migrant women.

Putin ‘Must Have’ Authorized Poisoning, U.K. Inquiry Finds

President Vladimir Putin of Russia “must have” authorized the nerve agent poisoning attack that accidentally killed a British woman in 2018, and he bears “moral responsibility” for her death, the chair of a British inquiry said on Thursday.

How Israel’s Settlement Surge in the West Bank Is Displacing Palestinians

The Israeli government authorized 22 settlements in May, the largest expansion in decades, and Palestinian families are now being forced from their homes.

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Europe Wants to Get the Word Out: Russia Is to Blame for Sabotage

European officials are accusing Russia of smaller-scale assaults. President Vladimir Putin sought to turn the tables, saying that if Europe were to start a war, Russia is ready.

Israel Says a Gaza Border Will Reopen, but Only for Palestinians to Leave

Israel said on Wednesday that it would begin allowing some Palestinians to leave the Gaza Strip for Egypt “in the coming days” through the Rafah border crossing. Egypt denied that the border would reopen soon.

A Devastating Fire Has Fueled a National Security Crackdown in Hong Kong

Authorities in Hong Kong quickly arrested critics demanding accountability, signaling an expansive use of the security law to silence dissent over nonpolitical tragedies.

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From Snarling Zombies to Frolicking Dogs: Recruiting Ads Trace a War’s Evolution

Early Ukrainian military recruitment ads were a call to arms in an existential fight. Now, they frame joining as cool, a good career move or a point of pride.

Former President of Honduras Is Freed From Prison After Trump Pardon

President Trump on Monday formally pardoned former President Juan Orlando Hernández of Honduras, an ex-president who was at the center of what the authorities had called “one of the largest and most violent drug-trafficking conspiracies in the world.”

India Orders a Tracking App to Be Installed in All Smartphones

India’s government sent a notice to private companies last week giving them 90 days to ensure that a government app was “preinstalled on all mobile handsets manufactured or imported for use in India.”

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Floods Have Killed at Least 1,200 in Southern Asia. Here’s What to Know.

At least 1,200 people have been killed in floods that have ravaged southern Asia over the past few weeks. Hundreds more are still missing and millions are displaced across the rain-soaked region, with Sri Lanka and Indonesia hit particularly hard.

Netanyahu Asks Israel’s President to Pardon Him in Corruption Cases

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel asked its president on Sunday to pardon him in his long-running corruption trial, a request that the president called “extraordinary” and that critics said would run counter to the rule of law.

Outdoor Concerts? Uncovered Hair? Shimmying in Public? Is This Iran?

Young people across Iran have been leading a dramatic shift in social mores in recent months as the government, already dealing with crisis upon crisis, seems unwilling or unable to confront the tide of change.

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Zelensky’s Top Aide Resigns Amid Widening Corruption Scandal

President Volodymyr Zelensky’s powerful chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, resigned on Friday in the highest-level political realignment in Ukraine since Russia’s all-out invasion nearly four years ago.

Israeli Raid in Southern Syria Kills at Least 13, Syrian Officials Say

An Israeli raid into southern Syria killed at least 13 people and left several Israeli soldiers wounded, according to Syrian health officials and the Israeli military, in one of the bloodiest cross-border incursions since the fall of the Assad regime last year.

Sri Lanka Battered by Cyclone as Death Toll Climbs to 69

Sri Lanka was battered by heavy rainfalls and powerful storms as cyclone Ditwah made landfall on the country’s eastern coast, killing dozens and shutting down much of the island.

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France Creates Voluntary Military Service as Europe Faces Russian Threat

France on Thursday announced the creation of a paid, voluntary military service for young adults, becoming the latest European country to beef up its armed forces in the face of perceived threats from Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Rocket Attack on Iraqi Gas Field Cuts Power to Most of Kurdistan

An overnight rocket attack on one of the largest gas fields in Iraq caused major power outages across most of the country’s semiautonomous Kurdistan region on Thursday, local authorities said.

Hong Kong’s Worst Fire in Generations Fuels Scrutiny of Safety Lapses

In Hong Kong, a city where millions of residents sleep, eat and work high above the ground in towers pressed together like books on a shelf, there has long been the threat that a massive fire could trap people inside their high-rises.

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Live Updates: Fire Engulfs Hong Kong Apartments, Killing 36 and Leaving Hundreds Missing

Firefighters were making slow progress early Thursday on a fire that quickly engulfed several high-rise towers in Hong Kong, killing at least 36 people and leaving others trapped inside the inferno.

Venezuela’s Nobel Winner Pushes False Claims About Maduro, Critics Say

As the Trump administration weighs using force to overthrow President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela, former diplomats and even some prominent critics of Mr. Maduro worry that his political opponents in Venezuela are promoting exaggerated claims and falsehoods to justify a U.S. intervention.

Army Takes Control in Guinea-Bissau Amid Apparent Coup

The army took control of Guinea-Bissau on Wednesday, according to a military spokesman on state television, one day before the small West African nation was scheduled to announce the results of its recent presidential election.

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Russia Strikes Ukraine and Signals Resistance to Amended Peace Plan

Russia launched a deadly barrage of missiles and drones on the Ukrainian capital on Tuesday, as Kremlin officials signaled they would resist changes negotiated by Ukraine to President Trump’s peace plan.

U.S. Plans Compounds to House Palestinians in Israeli-Held Half of Gaza

The Trump administration is pushing for the rapid construction of a number of residential compounds to provide housing for Palestinians in Israeli-controlled parts of the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, an effort that is fraught with risks and potential pitfalls.

Bolsonaro to Start Serving 27-Year Sentence Over Coup Plot

Brazil’s Supreme Court ordered former President Jair Bolsonaro to start serving a 27-year sentence for overseeing a failed plot to hold onto power after losing the country’s last election.

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After ‘Meaningful Progress’ at Peace Talks, Zelensky Says Ukraine Is at Critical Moment

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday that Ukraine was at a “critical moment” and would soon determine its next steps, after negotiations with American officials over the weekend to revise a U.S.-backed proposal aimed at ending the war with Russia.

How a Sabotaged Ankle Monitor Ended Bolsonaro’s House Arrest

Shortly before he was expected to begin a 27-year sentence for trying to stage a coup, Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s former president, on Saturday took a soldering iron to his tracking device.

Vietnam’s Year of Floods, Mud and Death

More than 90 people in Vietnam have been killed in the past week from flooding and landslides, and around a dozen more are missing, government officials reported Sunday, as a deadly rainy season in Asia that has been supercharged by climate change seems to drag on without end.

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Ukraine Faces ‘Difficult Choice’ Over U.S. Plan to End War, Zelensky Says

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine suggested on Friday that his country’s alliance with the United States could be at a breaking point over a White House plan to end the war against Russia that would require Kyiv to give up territory and reduce its army.

At Least 52 Kidnapped From Nigeria School in Second Mass Abduction This Week

At least 52 schoolchildren and teachers have been kidnapped from a school in northwestern Nigeria, according to government officials, the second such attack in the country this week.

Desperate Search for Missing Syrians Leads to Mass Graves

More than 100,000 people disappeared during the civil war in Syria. To bring closure to some of their families, the new government faces the challenging task of exhuming remains from scores of burial sites.

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Move Over, Netflix: Ukraine’s Corruption Investigators Bring the Drama

Ukraine's anti-graft agencies have taken a cinematic approach to revealing a scandal that has touched President Volodymyr Zelensky’s inner circle.

Louvre’s Embattled Leader Defends Contested Renovation Plan, and Her Tenure

In one of her very few interviews since the museum heist, Laurence des Cars said the plan would increase much-needed security, but critics say it is too focused on new construction.

The Hunt Is On for Bears in Japan After Deadly Attacks

Residents in the northern region of Akita are living in fear after dozens of assaults on humans. Riot police and the army have been sent to help.

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Russian Missile Kills at Least 25 in Ukrainian Apartment Building

Russia launched a barrage of missiles and drones against Ukraine, killing at least 25 people and wounding some 73 others, as President Volodymyr Zelensky sought to revive long-stalled peace talks on Wednesday with negotiations in Turkey.

Trump Lauds Saudi Prince in Lavish Visit, Brushing Off Journalist’s Killing

President Trump welcomed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s autocratic leader, to the White House on Tuesday, hailing him as a protector of human rights and a frequent phone friend.

Israeli Strikes Kill at Least 25 in Gaza Amid Truce, Officials Say

Israel launched a series of strikes on Gaza, killing at least 25 people, according to the local health ministry, and piercing a cease-fire in the territory that has mostly held for the past six weeks.

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Recycling Lead for U.S. Car Batteries Is Poisoning People

Automakers in the U.S. have turned to car battery recycling as a cheaper, seemingly sustainable source of lead. But in Africa’s lead recycling capital, a Times investigation found, reality looks very different: Factories are poisoning people.

In Major Breakthrough, U.N. Security Council Adopts U.S. Peace Plan for Gaza

The United Nations Security Council on Monday approved President Trump’s peace plan for Gaza, a breakthrough that provides a legal U.N. mandate for the administration’s vision of how to rebuild the war-ravaged enclave.

Jeju Air Crash Investigators to Hold Public Hearing as They Face Criticism

South Korean investigators have scheduled their first public hearing into the Jeju Air jet crash that killed 179 people onboard last year. With the cause of the disaster still unclear, victims’ families have questioned the credibility of the inquiry board.

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Ukraine’s Cash Is Running Low, and Europe Has No Good Plan B

The European Union wants to finance Ukraine’s war efforts using a loan based on Russia’s frozen assets in Belgium. If that falls through, there’s no easy alternative.

Britain’s Labour Government Plans New, Tougher System for Asylum Seekers

Britain rolled out a major hardening of its rules for handling asylum seekers, reflecting the rapidly changing politics of immigration as successive British governments have failed to curb a rising influx of migrants crossing the English Channel in often unseaworthy boats.

Trump-Style Candidate Heads to Runoff in Chile’s Election

José Antonio Kast, the main conservative contender in Chile’s presidential election and a candidate who has borrowed liberally from President Trump’s playbook, secured second place in voting Sunday, advancing to a runoff that polls predict he will win.

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Kenyan Workers Get Abused Abroad. The President’s Family and Allies Profit.

The government of President William Ruto of Kenya acts as an arm of a staffing industry that sends poor workers abroad in droves, and whose leaders compare women to dogs and blame them for their own abuse, a Times investigation found.

Zelensky’s Image Is Stained as Corruption Inquiry Shakes His Inner Circle

Volodymyr Zelensky’s promises to fight corruption propelled him to the presidency in 2019. But now a sweeping corruption investigation is threatening his support both at home and abroad, and tarnishing his image as a lionized wartime leader.

A Bloody Month in the West Bank Olive Harvest Leads to the Death of a Boy

Palestinians see the violence of Israeli settlers in the West Bank, and its tolerance by right-wing Israeli officialdom, as part of a broader campaign to harass them and make life so unbearable that they will abandon their villages.

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