Syrian court sentences Assad’s cousin to death for crimes against humanity
A Syrian court on Tuesday sentenced Wassim al-Assad, a cousin of ousted President Bashar al-Assad, to death for crimes against humanity and war cri...
Around 1,700 apartment blocks in Kyiv remain without heating after a Russian missile and drone attack earlier this week, Mayor Vitalii Klitschko said on Sunday. Russia has intensified strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure since its invasion in 2022.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces had taken control of the village of Starytsya in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, near the border town of Vovchansk, as Moscow presses to expand its foothold in northeastern Ukraine on Saturday (25 January).
Ukraine’s military did not confirm the claim, saying fighting was continuing in the area. Kyiv reported Russian attacks but did not acknowledge any territorial losses.
Starytsya lies close to the Russian border, giving it potential strategic importance for access routes and supply lines around Vovchansk.
Ukraine’s General Staff said Russian forces carried out six attacks in the area, including near Starytsya. Independent verification of battlefield claims was not immediately possible, a recurring issue in the conflict.
The developments came as Russia intensified strikes across Ukraine and as Ukrainian, Russian and U.S. negotiators held talks in Abu Dhabi on possible ways to end the war.
Around 1,700 apartment buildings in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv were still without heating on Sunday following a Russian missile and drone attack earlier this week, Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko said.
Russia launched a large-scale attack on Ukraine’s energy system on Saturday, rocking Kyiv with explosions overnight and leaving about 1.2 million properties without power nationwide during sub-zero winter temperatures.
“Russia’s main targets right now are our energy sector, critical infrastructure, and residential buildings,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on X.
He said Russia had launched more than 1,700 attack drones, over 1,380 guided aerial bombs and 69 missiles this week alone.
Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said more than 3,200 of Kyiv’s buildings were without heating late on Saturday, down from 6,000 earlier in the day.
“Since yesterday evening, utility workers and energy companies have restored heat supply to more than 1,600 buildings,” Klitschko said on Telegram, adding that work was continuing.
Russia’s Defence Ministry also said its forces had launched a large overnight strike targeting Ukrainian long-range drone facilities and energy infrastructure.
Such attacks have been part of a broader campaign aimed at degrading Ukraine’s military capabilities and power supply as fighting continues.
U.S. President Donald Trump says Washington is not seeking an extension of its memorandum of understanding with Iran, claiming the U.S. already controls the Strait of Hormuz through its naval blockade.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
Ukraine has targeted at least 20 Wildberries warehouses across Russia since 18 July, disrupting a major logistics network. Kyiv says the strikes aim to disrupt alleged military-linked supplies, while the attacks have caused billions of dollars in losses and wider economic pressure.
South Korea's presidential Blue House said on Monday it was reviewing U.S. President Donald Trump's comments on scaling back joint military drills. It added that it hoped a favourable relationship between Washington and Pyongyang could lead to meaningful talks.
Azerbaijan exported goods worth $17.372 million to Armenia between January and July 2026, according to data from the State Customs Committee, as commercial ties between the two South Caucasus neighbours showed signs of expansion.
A federal judge has allowed the Trump administration to move forward with ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for thousands of Ethiopian nationals living in the United States, removing one of the last major legal obstacles to a broader effort to roll back humanitarian immigration protections.
With governments focused on conflicts in the Gulf and Ukraine, China is pressing ahead with a more assertive military and strategic posture across the Pacific, particularly around its immediate neighbourhood.
The United States is pushing to establish a formal deconfliction mechanism between Israel, Türkiye and Syria after Israeli airstrikes on a Syrian airbase raised concerns about the risk of a wider regional confrontation.
Britain will continue to support Ukraine “100 per cent” against Russia’s invasion, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Tuesday, after Moscow warned London of consequences over reports that British-made drones had been used in strikes on Russian territory.
Russia has summoned Japan’s ambassador to Moscow and delivered a strong protest over what it called “anti-Russian” remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi concerning four disputed islands.
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