KYIV — Russian drones early Sunday struck the Black Sea city of Mykolaiv, setting a hotel ablaze and damaging energy infrastructure, the local Ukrainian governor reported, while ammunition shortages continued to hobble Kyiv's troops in the more than 2-year-old war.  Vitaliy Kim, the governor of Ukraine's southern Mykolaiv province, said that Russian drones "seriously damaged" a hotel in its namesake capital, sparking a fire that was later extinguished. Kim also reported that the strike… Read Full Article

A tornado that hit China's Guangdong province killed five people and left dozens injured.

A tornado that hit China's Guangdong province killed five people and left dozens injured.

Jerusalem — Diplomatic efforts increased on Sunday to reach a long sought-after truce and hostage-release deal in Gaza, as Israel carried out further airstrikes and shelling on the war-battered territory. A new video of two hostages being held by Hamas militants since the group's October 7 attack prompted fresh outrage in Israel, where protesters have piled pressure on the government to reach a deal. Global opposition to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has also been growing, with world… Read Full Article

Human Rights Watch says at least 56 children were killed by soldiers in Soro village.

VENICE, Italy — Venice has always been a place of contrasts, of breathtaking beauty and devastating fragility, where history, religion, art and nature have collided over the centuries to produce an otherworldly gem of a city. But even for a place that prides itself on its culture of unusual encounters, Pope Francis’ visit Sunday stood out. Francis traveled to the lagoon city to visit the Holy See’s pavilion at the Biennale contemporary art show and meet with the people who created it. But… Read Full Article

Sergei Karelin and Konstantin Gabov have both worked for international outlets.

Sergei Karelin and Konstantin Gabov have both worked for international outlets.

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Baghdad — Iraq's parliament passed a bill on Saturday criminalizing same-sex relations, making them punishable by up to 15 years in prison, a move rights groups condemned as an "attack on human rights." Transgender people would be sentenced to three years in jail under the amendments to a 1988 anti-prostitution law, which were adopted during a session attended by 170 out of 329 lawmakers. A previous draft had proposed capital punishment for same-sex relations, which campaigners had called a… Read Full Article