AP

By STEFANIE DAZIO, JOHN LEICESTER and KIRSTEN GRIESHABER Associated Press BERLIN (AP) — Friedrich Merz plunged straight into international crises on his first full day as Germany’s new chancellor Wednesday, presenting a united front with France against U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war, demanding more aid for Gaza and announcing he soon would visit Ukraine.

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Slovakia’s populist leader on Wednesday blasted a European Union plan to halt imports of Russian natural gas by the end of 2027 to deprive President Vladimir Putin of revenue that helps fuel the war in Ukraine. The European Commission, the bloc’s executive branch, will present a detailed plan next month. It

By WAFAA SHURAFA and TIA GOLDENBERG Associated Press DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli strikes across Gaza killed at least 92 people, including women, children and two journalists, officials said Wednesday, as Israel prepares to ramp up its campaign in the strip, with the devastating war now entering its 20th month. Two Israeli airstrikes

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean officials on Wednesday downplayed a Czech court’s decision to put on hold an $18 billion project for South Korea to build two nuclear reactors in the country, describing it as a temporary setback and expressing confidence that the deal will eventually proceed. A South Korean consortium led by

By ALEX BABENKO and KATIE MARIE DAVIES Associated Press Attacks by Ukrainian long-range drones caused flight disruption at Moscow’s main airports for a third straight day on Wednesday as Russia prepared to receive the Chinese president and other foreign leaders for the annual Victory Day military parade in Red Square. Russian flag carrier Aeroflot on

By JON GAMBRELL Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An F/A-18 fighter jet landing on the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier in the Red Sea went overboard, forcing its two pilots to eject, a defense official told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The incident Tuesday marks the latest mishap to mar the

By TIA GOLDENBERG Associated Press TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The war in Gaza may be on the cusp of a new phase after Israel approved plans over the weekend to intensify its operations. Which raises the question: After 19 months of bloodshed and destruction, why is there still no end in sight? Israel and

By NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press VATICAN CITY (AP) — Black smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel chimney on Wednesday, signalling that no pope had been elected as 133 cardinals opened the secretive, centuries-old ritual to choose a new leader of the Catholic Church. The cardinals participating in the most geographically diverse conclave in the

BEIRUT (AP) — An Israeli drone strike on a car in southern Lebanon killed an official with the Palestinian militant group Hamas early Wednesday, authorities said. Hamas said in a statement that Khaled Ahmad al-Ahmad, who was a member of its military wing, was killed while he was on his way to a mosque to

By The Associated Press Russia’s President Vladimir Putin is set to host the leaders of China, Brazil and other heads of states for festivities on Friday marking the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. Victory Day, which is celebrated in Russia on May 9, has become the country’s most