News you can use

US man found wandering near Damascus after months in Syrian prison
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

Mr Timmerman told CBS that he was detained upon entering Syria seven months ago.

Jeremy Bowen: Assad's palace, once a symbol of power, now an empty shell
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

The BBC's international editor returns to Bashar al-Assad's presidential palace, where he interviewed him in 2015.

Donald Trump named Time Person of the Year again
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

The Republican president-elect also won the award in 2016 after he first won the presidency.

Rape inquiry linked by Swedish media to Mbappé closed
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

Authorities said there was not enough evidence to pursue the investigation into the alleged Stockholm attack.

Indian teen becomes youngest world chess champion
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

Gukesh Dommaraju defeated defending chess champion Ding Liren of China in a nail-biter final game.

Some on-air claims about Dominion Voting Systems were false, Fox News acknowledges in statement after deal is announced
Posted on Wednesday April 19, 2023

Dominion still has pending lawsuits against election deniers such as Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell
Posted on Wednesday December 31, 1969

Here are the 20 specific Fox broadcasts and tweets Dominion says were defamatory
Posted on Monday April 17, 2023

• Fox-Dominion trial delay 'is not unusual,' judge says • Fox News' defamation battle isn't stopping Trump's election lies

Judge in Fox News-Dominion defamation trial: 'The parties have resolved their case'
Posted on Wednesday April 19, 2023

The judge just announced in court that a settlement has been reached in the historic defamation case between Fox News and Dominion Voting Systems.

'Difficult to say with a straight face': Tapper reacts to Fox News' statement on settlement
Posted on Tuesday April 18, 2023

A settlement has been reached in Dominion Voting Systems' defamation case against Fox News, the judge for the case announced. The network will pay more than $787 million to Dominion, a lawyer for the company said.

US believes circulating video could show missing American, officials say
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

The U.S. believes an individual seen in a video circulating online could be Travis Pete Timmerman, an American who went missing from Hungary earlier in the year.

LIVE: ABC News Live
Posted on Wednesday December 11, 2024

24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events

CEO killing latest: New York prosecutors presenting evidence to grand jury
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

Prosecutors at the Manhattan District Attorney's Office have begun presenting evidence to a grand jury as they work to secure an indictment against Luigi Mangione.

Trump has invited China's Xi to inauguration, spokesperson says
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Trump wants to create dialogue with adversaries.

WATCH: Small plane crashes into 3 vehicles on Texas roadway
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

âPreliminary information indicates the plane landed on a roadway and struck multiple vehicles," the National Transportation Safety Board said in a statement.

China denies new report linking CCP to four sites in Cuba allegedly used to spy on the US
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

The Center for Strategic and International Studies released a report last week detailing facilities in Cuba that it claims China may be using to gather signal intelligence on the U.S.

‘Despicable’: Immigration activists fume at blue city mayor’s meeting with Trump border czar
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

New York immigration activists are slamming an upcoming meeting between New York City Mayor Eric Adams and incoming border czar Thomas Homan, calling it "despicable."

Drunk immigrant killed 7 year old months after he was released from ICE detainer
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

Seven-year-old Ivory Smith was killed by Venezuelan migrant Joel Enrique Gonzalez Chacin in a late-night drunk driving accident in north Houston just two and a half months after ICE released a hold against him, court documents revealed.

Syria's liberated political prisons reveal grim reality of Bashar Assad's regime of torture
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

The fall of Bashar Assad's regime in Syria has provided a unobstructed view of the torture and persecution inflicted on the nation's prisoners.

Free speech org torches Iowa teacher’s banned words list featuring ‘Ohio,’ ‘rizz’ and Holocaust references
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

A seventh grade teacher irked free speech advocates by allegedly posting a list of "Banned Words" in her classroom, including slang like "womp womp," "rizz" and "Ohio."

Biden Commutes the Sentences of Nearly 1,500 Americans, a Record for One Day
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

Most of those being granted clemency had been placed in home confinement during the pandemic. Some Republicans have tried to push legislation that would have forced those people to return to prison.

The Resurrection of Trumpâs Support for Pete Hegseth
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

The president-elect became convinced that letting Pete Hegseth fail would set off a feeding frenzy among senators. What followed was a MAGA swarm that helped salvage his bid, at least for now.

Anger After UnitedHealthcare CEOâs Killing Rattles Health Insurance Workers
Posted on Wednesday December 11, 2024

Employees at UnitedHealthcare and other companies described being anxious after an outpouring of online vitriol.

What Is Extradition? What to Know as Luigi Mangione Fights the Process.
Posted on Wednesday December 11, 2024

Under the Constitution, states are obliged to hand over other statesâ fugitives if requested. But the process can be challenged in court. Hereâs what to know.

Humbled in Syria, Putin Seeks Vindication in Ukraine
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

An allyâs downfall has prompted calls in Russia for a definitive victory closer to home.

Posted on Wednesday December 31, 1969

Biden administration overdraft rule caps bank and credit union fees at $5
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

The rule closes a loophole that exempted overdraft fees from lending laws, but is expected to face challenges.

An inside look at UPS as holiday shipping deadlines near
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

CBS News correspondent Nancy Chen tagged along at a UPS training facility with a driver amid the holiday season rush.

Dec 12: CBS News 24/7, 10am ET
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

Trump rings opening bell at New York Stock Exchange; Mysterious drone sightings over New Jersey prompt concerns from residents and lawmakers.

Woman arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle meth disguised as presents
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

A Canadian woman had over 20 pounds of methamphetamine disguised as Christmas presents in her carry-on duffel bag, New Zealand's customs agency said.

Mayor Adams meeting with Trump's "border czar" Tom Homan today
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

New York City Mayor Eric Adams is meeting with President-elect Donald Trump's incoming "border czar" Tom Homan.

Holidaymakers on smaller budgets turning to Tunisia and Egypt, says Tui
Posted on Wednesday December 11, 2024

Bulgaria also among more affordable choices as vacations remain a priority

Business live – latest updates

Cash-strapped consumers are still prioritising spending on holidays but are choosing more affordable destinations including Egypt, Bulgaria and Tunisia for their annual break, according to Europe’s biggest package trip operator.

Tui said new customers with smaller budgets who are not able to find a package holiday in more traditional locations such as Spain are looking elsewhere.

Ghanaians give ex-president Mahama a chance to eclipse his shaky legacy
Posted on Wednesday December 11, 2024

Honeymoon period will be short as John Mahama tries to fix economy, seen as a huge factor in election

Ghana’s electoral commission had been due to announce the official results of Saturday’s presidential election by Tuesday. But by Sunday morning Mahamudu Bawumia, the country’s vice-president and the flag-bearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), and his campaign team had seen enough to give up.

“The data from our own internal collation of the results indicates that … John Mahama has won the presidential election decisively,” he said at a press conference after calling his rival to concede. By Monday, the commission had confirmed the outcome: the former president Mahama, of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), had indeed won with 56% of the vote to Bawumia’s 41%.

Walking Dead actor Danai Gurira inspires African playwrights with Zimbabwe workshops
Posted on Wednesday December 11, 2024

Television and film star, who wrote first play to premiere on Broadway with all female and black cast and creatives, hopes writers’ conference will bring on new talent

A group of upcoming playwrights is gathering in the Zimbabwean capital Harare this week for an 11-day event organised by celebrated American-Zimbabwean actor Danai Gurira as part of her commitment to nurturing a new generation of dramatic artists in southern Africa.

The Almasi African Playwrights conference is hosted by Almasi Collaborative Arts, the organisation Gurira co-founded in 2011, and offers writers a chance to develop their work with directors and actors. Running from 11 December at Harare’s Reps theatre, it is part of Almasi’s aim to promote and celebrate African storytelling. Gurira is expected to join the group.

Some ‘mystery disease’ patients in DRC have malaria, WHO says
Posted on Tuesday December 10, 2024

UN health body says patients could have more than one disease as unidentified illness continues to cause alarm

Ten patients suffering from a mystery disease that has broken out in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have tested positive for malaria, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

However, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the patients could have more than one disease simultaneously.

France begins military withdrawal from Chad as influence in Africa wanes
Posted on Tuesday December 10, 2024

Senegal also requests departure of French troops, saying they are ‘not compatible’ with country’s sovereignty

France has begun recalling its military assets from its former ally Chad in the latest blow to its dwindling influence across its former colonies in Africa.

Two Mirage fighter jets returned to a base in eastern France on Tuesday, said the army spokesperson Col Guillaume Vernet.

FAA chief Mike Whitaker announces that he will step down in January
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

Mike Whitaker says he will step down as head of the Federal Aviation Administration on Jan. 20. It's not unusual for FAA administrators to resign at the change of administration, though some have stayed longer.

As Time's 'Person of the Year,' Trump outlines his top priorities in lengthy interview
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

In a wide-ranging and long interview, President-elect Donald Trump tells TIME Magazine his priorities for the first days of his second time at the presidency.

Missing American Travis Timmerman found wandering barefoot outside Damascus
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

The 29-year-old said he was detained earlier this year after crossing into Syria on foot from Lebanon and held in prison until the fall of Assad. Timmerman's family called it a "Christmas miracle."

Biden commutes sentences for 1,500 people, the largest act of clemency in a day
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

Biden said he plans to take more steps using his clemency powers in the remaining weeks of his presidency.

FBI Director to resign. And, UHC CEO killing brings attention to U.S. life expectancy
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

Why FBI Director Christopher Wray will step down from the role at the end of Biden's term. And, the UHC CEO killing turns public attention to the U.S. life expectancy and health care.

American imprisoned in Syria freed following fall of Assad regime
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

An American man from Missouri who was held in a Syrian prison for months has been found alive and freed during the country’s revolution. NBC’s Matt Bradley reports for TODAY.

Inside the palace of Syria's deposed dictator
Posted on Wednesday December 11, 2024

Days after Syria's longtime president, Bashar al-Assad, was driven from power and the country, NBC News' Richard Engel got an inside look at the palace where Assad lived in luxury.

Syria's new leadership blames Assad for pain of Austin Tice's disappearance
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

DAMASCUS, Syria — Syria's new leadership says it holds ousted President Bashar al-Assad responsible for the "pain inflicted" for years on the family of Austin Tice, as the search goes on for the American journalist who went missing in the country more than a decade ago while reporting on the Syrian civil war.

Biden to commute sentences of 1,500 in the biggest single-day act of clemency
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

President Joe Biden will commute the sentences of almost 1,500 offenders and pardon 39 others, in what the White House said early Thursday was the biggest number of commutations and clemencies granted in a single day.

2.6 million Stanley mugs recalled after dozens of burn injuries from faulty lids
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

Stanley issued a recall on 2.6 million of its popular steel cups, citing concerns about loose tops that have led to dozens of burn injuries, officials said Thursday.

In Defiant Speech, South Korea’s President Defends Martial Law Decree - The New York Times
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

In Defiant Speech, South Korea’s President Defends Martial Law Decree The New York Times
South Korean President Yoon vows to 'fight to the end', defying impeachment threat Reuters
Power vacuum in South Korea, a key U.S. ally, raises security concerns The Washington Post
South Korea’s unrepentant president is on the brink The Economist
South Korea’s Opposition Files Second Motion to Impeach Yoon Bloomberg

Chemical weapons use in Syria must be investigated, says watchdog - Reuters
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

Chemical weapons use in Syria must be investigated, says watchdog Reuters
Syrian rebel chief says working with international groups to secure chemical sites The Times of Israel
‘Critical’ to secure Syria’s chemical weapons amid fall of Assad regime, KT McFarland says Fox News
US sees Assad's fall as chance to destroy Syria's chemical arsenal 'once and for all' Hindustan Times
Syria’s President Had Stocks of Chemical Weapons. What Happens to Them Now? The New York Times

Report: Hamas has agreed to temporary IDF presence in Gaza in potential hostage deal - The Times of Israel
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

Report: Hamas has agreed to temporary IDF presence in Gaza in potential hostage deal The Times of Israel
Exclusive | Hamas Concedes on Israeli Troops in Gaza, Raising Hopes for Hostage Deal The Wall Street Journal
Hamas agrees to yield to some ceasefire demands, Mossad chief and Qatari PM meet for hostage talks The Jerusalem Post
Mossad chief talks hostage deal with Qatari PM as Hamas reportedly drops key demand Haaretz
Hamas Agrees To IDF Presence In Philadelphi Corridor During Ceasefire - Rep i24NEWS

She fled during Assad's regime. Now this Syrian activist is considering going home - NPR
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

She fled during Assad's regime. Now this Syrian activist is considering going home NPR
Europe’s Syrians shaken by debate over repatriation to their war-ravaged homeland POLITICO Europe
Syrian refugees in Europe fear being forced home after Assad's fall Reuters
‘We need time’: Syrians in Europe resist calls to return home Financial Times
European countries suspend Syrians’ asylum cases, amid calls for deportations The Times of Israel

After toppling Assad, can Syria’s rebels rebuild a shattered state? - The Washington Post
Posted on Wednesday December 11, 2024

After toppling Assad, can Syria’s rebels rebuild a shattered state? The Washington Post
Live updates: The latest in Syria as man thought to be US citizen found in Damascus CNN
Little reason for the West to exult over Assad’s downfall The Hill
Inside Assad's luxury palace, a modernist sanctuary from the Syria he tore apart NBC News
Opinion | Al-Assad’s Fall Has Changed the Future of the Middle East The New York Times

Man arrested on suspicion of murder of missing schoolboy Kyran Durnin (8) was in relationship with chief suspect
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

The man arrested on suspicion of the murder of Kyran Durnin (8) was previously in a relationship with the chief suspect in the case.

Fionnán Sheahan: Armagh omerta in the wake of alleged Miami incident has not played out well for GAA president Jarlath Burns
Posted on Wednesday December 11, 2024

Brimming with pride, emotion and joy, the GAA president dropped his impartiality.

Restaurant Awards 2024: our food critic’s best – and worst – dining experiences of the year
Posted on Wednesday December 11, 2024

In what has been another brutal year for restaurants, there’s a sense many are playing it safe. Who can blame them? For those restaurateurs somehow making things work, there’s no incentive to shake things up and risk getting it wrong. For most, it was a case of steady as she goes and fingers firmly crossed for a less-nervy year ahead.

Fears grow for Christmas supplies as Holyhead Port remains shut 'indefinitely'
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

Irish shops are facing inevitable shortages of goods in the run-up to Christmas following news that the port of Holyhead is to remain closed indefinitely.

Former F1 team owner Eddie Jordan reveals 'aggressive' cancer diagnosis
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

Former Formula One boss Eddie Jordan spoke on Thursday of going through "very dark days" after being diagnosed with prostate and bladder cancer earlier this year.

Miguel Delaney: Absurd image sums up Fifa’s ‘tinpot dictatorship’ as Saudi Arabia awarded World Cup
Posted on Wednesday December 11, 2024

It was a scene that should become infamous, more absurd than anything even witnessed on December 2, 2010.

Location of 700 acre Ploughing Championships 2025 site revealed
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

The location for the National Ploughing Championships in 2025 has been confirmed to take place at Screggan, Tullamore, Co Offaly from 16-18 September.

Stay Well: I have alopecia. What is causing it and will my hair grow back?
Posted on Wednesday December 11, 2024

"Alopecia is a catch-all term for all types of hair loss,” explains consultant dermatologist Caitriona Ryan, who is also associate clinical professor at UCD, and co-founder of the Institute of Dermatologists in Dublin.

Daniel Kinahan’s Dublin mansion sold for way over asking price after 168 offers made in auction
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

The former home of cartel boss Daniel Kinahan has been sold at an online auction for €931,000.

‘The biggest turn off in relationships, and the problem women complain to me about most is not what you’d expect’
Posted on Wednesday December 11, 2024

‘Do you know what the most unsexy trait in a partner is?” my friend asked over lunch. I could think of a few ideas but waited for her response. “Unfairness.”

Abandoned ‘ghost ground’ with 80,000 seats officially left out of World Cup bid
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

Valencia's Nou Mestalla has had a troubled development since it was first announced in 2007 and the unfinished stadium has now been dealt another major blow

Famous cruise ship bigger than the Titanic to be sunk and abandoned for incredible reason
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

A famous cruise liner, once considered the fastest in the world, could soon find itself under water.

NATO 'is not ready for what's coming' as 'Russia prepares for conflict'
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

NATO is "not ready for what's coming our way", the military alliance's chief warned on Thursday.

Panic that America's gone so woke they've now cancelled Shakespeare
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

Is the Bard being cancelled? That's the fear in the US where his plays are increasingly rarely staged and suffering a backlash from race and gender campaigners and students.

Euro meltdown as pound dominates currency while Eurozone fears soar
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

The pound's rise this week was the highest since Britain voted to leave the European Union eight years ago.

TUI tourists 'abandoning' Spain for 2 countries in Africa and cheap nation in Europe
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

Tourists are turning to these places in order to save cash, an industry leader has said.

Donald Trump named Time magazine's Person of the Year after Kamala Harris tipped for title
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

Every year, the US magazine hands the title to a high-profile individual or group deemed to have had a major impact on the world.

EU fishermen fury as Brussels deal feared to let African countries 'fish what we can't'
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

The policy aims to "ensure that fishing and aquaculture activities are environmentally sustainable"

Caribbean Sea's tiny football pitch-sized island with the clearest water you'll ever see
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

This tiny village, which can be toured in all of five minutes, is surrounded by stunning coral reefs and rich marine life.

Brit grandmother stuck in US and unable to pay medical bills after falling seriously ill
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

The grandmother is terrified of dying far away from her family at home in the UK.

A pretty face overshadows a grisly crime
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

Even before a suspect was named in the murder of the UnitedHealthcare chief, much had been written about the alleged killer’s elevation to folk hero status – one man seeming to take a stand against an unfair system.

Interim Syrian PM calls for nationals who fled to return home as rebels take over
Posted on Thursday December 12, 2024

As Syria faces an uncertain future, its interim leader is calling on those who fled abroad to return home.

Kayaker accused of faking own death arrested after police pull at his heartstrings
Posted on Wednesday December 11, 2024

The husband and father-of-three has turned himself in after being accused of staging a kayaking accident to fake his death so he could start a new life.

The NRL’s newest recruit PNG is good for sport and Pacific politics
Posted on Wednesday December 11, 2024

The announcement that a team from Papua New Guinea will enter the NRL competition is a smart play.

‘You’re a coward’: Australia-based Syrian Girl lashes out after fall of Assad
Posted on Wednesday December 11, 2024

Susli, a vocal supporter of the Assad regime for more than a decade, blames Assad’s demise on a “treason revolution”.

All hail the Tech Right: Why Trump’s new bromances are even worse than the last
Posted on Wednesday December 11, 2024

While Donald Trump’s first inner circle may have tested democracy through its sheer chaos, the new guard presents a much greater threat that expands well beyond America.

Britain bans puberty blockers after reviews finds them too risky
Posted on Wednesday December 11, 2024

The indefinite ban will apply to children with gender dysphoria and comes after a judge said young people were caught up in “stormy social discourse”.

Mausoleum of Assad’s father torched as new leader vows to punish those responsible for torture
Posted on Wednesday December 11, 2024

The world is carefully watching to see if Syria’s new rulers can stabilise the country and avoid unleashing violent revenge.

New evidence alleged in US CEO shooting
Posted on Wednesday December 11, 2024

Police allege suspect Luigi Mangione's fingerprints match one found at the scene of a health insurance CEO's death in New York.

World of photos, December 13, 2024
Posted on Wednesday December 11, 2024

The best photos from the international wire agencies as chosen by our picture editors.