China spent much of the year continuing its attempt to position itself as the new global superpower while strengthening alliances aimed at undercutting American influence around the world.The end of 2022 in China was a point of nearly unprecedented turmoil, with citizens of the country taking to the streets to…

Residents of Grindavik, Iceland, will be permitted to return home Saturday.The small fishing village near Iceland’s main airport was evacuated after unusual seismic activity ruptured the ground between it and Sýlingarfell, a nearby mountain.The village has been empty since Nov. 10.Residents of the small Icelandic fishing village near where a…

Oil prices are on the rise amid attacks on ships in the Red Sea. Prices are at around $80 a barrel, which is far lower than prices were when Russia invaded Ukraine. Oil futures had then jumped to more than $100 a barrel. The prices have remained low since June 2022.…

MIAMI (AP) — A former Colombian soldier pleaded guilty Friday to conspiring in the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, which plunged the Caribbean nation into violence and political turmoil.Mario Antonio Palacios Palacios, 45, pleaded guilty to three charges, including conspiracy to commit murder or kidnapping outside the United…

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — More Brazilians declared they are biracial than white last year, the country’s statistics agency said on Friday, citing data from its most recent census.Agency IBGE said in a statement that about 92.1 million people — which is about 45.3% of the country’s population — consider…

With the help of Israel’s specialized canine unit, Oketz, soldiers discovered and raided a tunnel built by Hamas terrorists in the southern part of Gaza City, an IDF spokesperson said on Friday.Video released by the IDF in an X post Friday showed the military’s four-legged unit hard at work.The video…

Former Tourism Secretary Najib Balala of Kenya has been charged alongside two others in a large-scale corruption case.Balala stands accused of defrauding tens of millions of dollars in inflated costs for a hospitality college’s construction.Balala has denied the charges.Kenya’s anti-corruption commission Friday charged the country’s former tourism minister and two…

France completed its withdrawal of troops from Niger on Friday.Niger severed ties with France and other Western-allied nations after its government transitioned from democratic rule to a military junta over the summer.Elected President Mohamed Bazoum has been under indefinite house arrest since his government was overthrown.France on Friday completed the…

Another vessel has been hijacked near the coast of Somalia, a British sea trade monitoring agency said Friday, raising more concerns that Somali pirates are active again, nearly a decade after they caused chaos for international shipping.A dhow trading vessel was seized by heavily armed people near the town of…

Christmas has come early for hundreds of lucky ticket holders in Spain as they are set to share the spoils of the world’s largest lottery, totaling $2.86 billion.Known as “El Gordo,” meaning “the fat one,” fortuitous players with the number 88008 each won 400,000 euros ($440,000) in the top prize…