World News - The Morning Sun

In this image made from video released by the Russian Presidential Press Service, on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, shakes hands with Russian Chief of General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov as he visits military headquarters in the Kursk region of Russia. (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)

Ukraine loses a ceasefire bargaining chip as its troops retreat from Russian land

As momentum builds for a ceasefire with Russia, Ukraine has lost a valuable bargaining chip. The Ukrainian army stunned Russia in August by attacking across the border and taking control of more than … more

By SAMYA KULLAB and VOLODYMYR YURCHUK | 3/13/25

FILE - Flags fly outside the United Nations headquarters Sept. 28, 2019. (AP Photo/Jennifer Peltz, File)

The Trump administration demands UN agencies disclose any 'anti-American' ties

The Trump administration is demanding U.N. humanitarian agencies that receive or disburse U.S. funding to fill out a questionnaire disclosing any ties to communism, socialism or anti-American … more

By FARNOUSH AMIRI, MATTHEW LEE and ELLEN KNICKMEYER | 3/13/25

In this photograph released by UNICEF, a 16-year rape victim rests on a mattress at a UNICEF office in Sudan, Dec. 2, 2024. According to UNICEF, the girl and her 19- year- old sister, were kidnapped, beaten and raped by soldiers for four months, before they escaped and later learned they were both pregnant.(Tess Ingram/UNICEF via AP)

UN: Sudan war is world's worst humanitarian crisis: 30 million need aid, 16 million of them kids

The head of the U.N. children's agency says the war in Sudan has created the world’s largest and most devastating humanitarian crisis, with over 30 million people needing aid this year – 16 … more

By EDITH M. LEDERER | 3/13/25

FILE - South African soldiers, part of the Southern African Development Community's mission to fight against armed rebel groups in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, stand in Goma as the bodies of two South African soldiers are repatriated to South Africa Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa, File)

South Africa, Tanzania and Malawi will withdraw troops from conflict-torn eastern Congo

African leaders have announced the withdrawal of thousands of troops from South Africa, Tanzania and Malawi, who were sent to fight insurgents in mineral-rich eastern Congo, where M23 rebels have … more

By FARAI MUTSAKA | 3/13/25

Jailed, former Peruvian President Pedro Castillo, attends his trial on charges of rebellion at a police base on the outskirts of Lima, Peru, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Guadalupe Pardo)

Peru's detained ex-President Castillo transferred to a hospital days after starting hunger strike

Former Peruvian President Pedro Castillo has been taken from prison to a hospital days after beginning a hunger strike in protest of his ongoing rebellion trial. The court hearing his trial on … more

3/13/25

Patrick Bahati is treated for Mpox at the Miti Murhesa hospital, some 25kms from Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Thursday, March 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Janvier Barhahiga)

US aid cuts are hurting Africa's ability to respond to disease outbreaks, health chief says

Aid cuts by the United States are hurting Africa’s capacity to respond to disease outbreaks, the head of the continent's public health agency said ahead of a meeting with regional health ministers … more

By RODNEY MUHUMUZA | 3/13/25

FILE - A vial of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is on display at the Lubbock Health Department Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas. (AP Photo/Mary Conlon, File)

Measles cases in Europe and Central Asia doubled last year to the highest reported level since 1997

There were 127,350 reported cases of measles, including 38 deaths, in Europe and Central Asia last year, marking the highest total in nearly 30 years, according to figures from UNICEF and the World … more

3/13/25

Syria's interim president Ahmad Al-Sharaa, center, prepares to sign a temporary constitution for the country in Damascus, Syria, Thursday March 13, 2025. At left foreign minister Asaad Hassan al-Shiban.(AP Photo/Omar Albam)

Syrian leader signs constitution that puts the country under an Islamist group's rule for 5 years

Syria’s interim president has signed a temporary constitution that leaves the country under Islamist rule for five years during a transitional phase. The country’s interim rulers have struggled … more

By GHAITH ALSAYED and KAREEM CHEHAYEB | 3/13/25

Rohingya refugees collect food stuff distributed by the World Food Programme (WFP) at their refugee camp at Kutupalong in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, Thursday, March 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Shafiqur Rahman)

UN secretary-general arrives in Bangladesh to visit Rohingya refugee camps and push for aid

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has arrived in Bangladesh on a four-day visit to review the situation of more than 1 million Rohingya refugees amid the fear of aid cuts that could seriously … more

By JULHAS ALAM | 3/13/25

In this photo released by the Flora & Fauna conservation group, elephants roam at Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary in Preah Vihear province, Cambodia, in 2020. (The Flora & Fauna conservation group via AP)

Study says endangered Asian elephant population in Cambodia is more robust than previously thought

A genetic study of Asian elephants in northern Cambodia reveals a larger and more robust population than previously thought, raising hopes the endangered species could slowly recover. Researchers … more

By SOPHENG CHEANG and DAVID RISING | 3/13/25

Chris Sidoti, Member of the Commission, speaks during a press conference about the launch of the latest report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, at the European headquarters of the United Nations, in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, March 13, 2025. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP)

UN report accuses Israel of sexual violence against Palestinians. Netanyahu claims anti-Israel bias

United Nations-backed human rights experts have accused Israel of “the systematic use of sexual, reproductive and other gender-based violence” in its war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The … more

By JAMEY KEATEN | 3/13/25

One injured, schools closed as strong earthquake strikes Naples area

Naples struck by 4.4-magnitude quake causing minor damage and light injuries

The southern Italian city of Naples was struck by a 4.4-magnitude quake early Thursday that caused only minor damage. Officials said 11 people sought hospital treatment, the most serious suffering … more

By COLLEEN BARRY | 3/13/25

This combo of pictures show President Donald Trump, left, addressing a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, March 4, 2025, and a handout of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei attending a ceremony in Tehran, Iran, March 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis - Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)

What to know about tensions between Iran and the US as Trump sends a letter to its supreme leader

A letter U.S. President Donald Trump wrote to Iran’s supreme leader in an attempt to jump-start talks over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program has arrived in the Iranian capital. While the … more

By JON GAMBRELL | 3/13/25

Poland's President Andrej Duda speaks during a media conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Thursday, March 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Harry Nakos)

President Duda calls on US to place nuclear weapons in Poland

Poland’s President Andrzej Duda has again called on the United States to deploy nuclear weapons to Poland as a deterrent to Russia. It is the latest indication that Poland is increasingly … more

3/13/25

FILE - Ethiopians holding national flags protest against what they say is interference by outsiders in the country's internal affairs and against the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), the party of Tigray's fugitive leaders, at a rally organized by the city administration in the capital Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022. (AP Photo, File)

Ethiopia's Tigray regional government appeals for help after factional fighters seize key towns

The interim government of Ethiopia’s Tigray region has appealed for the Ethiopian federal government to intervene after a faction of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front seized control of two … more

By SAMUEL GETACHEW | 3/13/25

Passengers rescued by security forces from a passenger train attacked by insurgents arrive at a railway station in Much, Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, Thursday March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Pakistan's leader to meet with survivors and commandos who ended an insurgents' train attack

Pakistan’s prime minister traveled to restive southwestern Balochistan province to meet survivors of a train attack and the commandos who rescued over 300 passengers from the insurgents who killed … more

By ABDUL SATTAR | 3/13/25

FILE - In this photo released by the Taiwan Presidential Office, Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te speaks at a press conference after a security meeting about U.S. President Trump's tariffs on trade partners and semiconductors at the Presidential office in Taipei, Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. (Taiwan Presidential Office via AP, File)

Taiwan's leader says tougher measures needed to counter stepped-up Chinese infiltration and spying

Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te says tougher measures are needed to counter stepped-up Chinese infiltration, spying and other efforts to weaken the island’s defenses. Lai cited a range of … more

By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN | 3/13/25

FILE - Lawmakers listen to French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou delivering his general policy speech, Jan. 14, 2025 at the National Assembly in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, file)

French lawmaker who uses a wheelchair wins a change in voting rules that discriminated against him

French lawmakers have agreed unanimously to change the way they vote, opting to eliminate a balloting method that discriminated against a parliamentarian who uses a wheelchair because it required him … more

By JOHN LEICESTER | 3/13/25

'We will just die in silence': US aid cuts hit Ethiopia's fragile Tigray region

Aid agencies distributing U.S. food aid in Ethiopia's war-affected Tigray region say they have had to stop feeding millions of people because of the Trump administration's restrictions on foreign … more

By SAMUEL GETACHEW and FRED HARTER | 3/13/25

FILE - Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, looks on during a joint press conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the presidential palace in Ankara, Turkey, Feb. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, File)

Syria flashes signs of peril and promise in a week of violence and diplomacy

After Syria’s longtime autocratic ruler was toppled late last year, the man who led rebel groups to victory immediately faced a new challenge: unifying the country after more than a decade of civil … more

By ABBY SEWELL | 3/13/25