The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday upheld the convictions and 25-year sentence of Dominic Ongwen, a former child soldier who became the commander of Uganda's brutal Lord's Resistance Army rebel group.
The big picture: Ongwen, who is now in his mid-40s, was convicted last year of 61 offenses committed between 2002 and 2005. Those crimes included murder, rape and the recruitment of child soldiers.
Russia on Thursday warned of "consequences" if the U.S. sends the Patriot air defense system to Ukraine, AP reports.
The big picture: Ukraine has pressed the U.S. and its allies to deliver more advanced weapons to counter Russian missiles, which have destroyed much of the country's critical infrastructure, including its energy facilities.
Indigenous, Spanish, and African influences shape the many nativity scenes that can be found during the holidays in Latin America and in the U.S.
Through the lens: These photos show how Latinos use their multicultural, multiracial experiences to reinterpret the birth of Jesus using the resources available.
Researchers in Mexico are developing an AI program to identify patterns and clues that humans cannot in the search for forcibly disappeared people.
Why it matters: Over 108,000 people have been reported missing or disappeared in Mexico since 1964, according to official counts. A third of the cases have been reported in the last four years.
The Bank of England and the European Central Bank both raised interest rates by a smaller amount on Thursday — the latest central banks to begin slowing the rapid pace of increases that have come to define the year.
Why it matters: Economic policymakers continue to up borrowing costs swiftly to battle still-elevated inflation and signal more to come. But the era of hiking rates by record-shattering amounts appears to be ending.
The Senate voted unanimously Wednesday to pass a bill that would ban TikTok on government-issued devices.
Why it matters: A growing number of states have barred state employees and contractors from using the popular social media app on government devices in recent weeks amid FBI warnings about the possibility of surveillance and "influence operations" by the Chinese government.
Peru's defense minister announced Wednesday a 30-day state of emergency in response to deadly protests sparked by the ousting of former President Pedro Castillo.
Driving the news: Peruvian Defense Minister Alberto Otarola told reporters the state of emergency would involve "the suspension of freedom of movement and assembly."
A key road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia remains blocked by Azerbaijani civilians for a third day Wednesday.
Why it matters: The blockade of the Lachin Corridor, the only connection between Armenia and the region, cuts off the people of Nagorno-Karabakh from the outside world at the same time Azerbaijan cut gas supply during freezing winter temperatures, per Karabakh’s state-run InfoCenter.
United Nations member states voted Wednesday to remove Iran from the Commission on the Status of Women in response to the government's deadly crackdown on protests over the death of Mahsa Amini.
Driving the news: Though the move is largely symbolic, it's a direct response to Iranian women and activists who have called for the removal amid demonstrations that have now continued into their third month.
AMMAN — The Jordanian government and truckers, who have been on strike for 11 days, are locked in a bitter fight over fuel prices.
Why it matters: The truckers strike puts King Abdullah II and his government in an unenviable position: They cannot break their IMF commitment to not return to subsidized fuel prices in the country, which is almost totally dependent on oil and gas imports.
An upcoming report to the UN Security Council obtained by Axios about Iran's compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal does not accuse Iran of supplying Russia with drones for the war in Ukraine, despite pressure from the U.S. and its allies to do so.
Driving the news: Russia has pushed back hard, and so far successfully, on Western efforts to convince UN Secretary-General António Guterres to order an investigation into Iran's alleged supply of drones. Guterres makes no definitive statement on the issue in his forthcoming report.
UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg in October helped give a renewed push to the negotiations between the U.S. and Russia that eventually led to the release of basketball star Brittney Griner, a source with direct knowledge of the issue told Axios.
The big picture: The UAE's efforts to facilitate Griner’s release were part of a wider strategy by the Emiratis to use its relations with the U.S. and Russia to help solve specific issues related to the war in Ukraine, the source said.
Suedi Murekezi, a U.S. Air Force veteran, was freed from Russian-controlled territory in a prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Wednesday.
Why it matters: Murekezi's relatives told the Washington Post he was arrested in June by pro-Russian authorities in the formerly occupied city of Kherson after being wrongly accused of participating in pro-Ukrainian protests.
The Library of Congress on Wednesday announced 25 films that will be added to a national registry that preserves significant works.
Driving the news: The films include "The Little Mermaid," "When Harry Met Sally," the original, 1976 "Carrie" and the 1951 version of “Cyrano de Bergerac,” which made its star, José Ferrer, the first Hispanic to win an Oscar for best actor.
Chinese health officials said Wednesday the country would stop reporting asymptomatic COVID-19 cases.
Why it matters: It's another change to the country's COVID policy after lockdowns, mass testing and other strict policies fueled public unrest and set off rare public protests in late November.
Grant Wahl, a highly revered soccer journalist, suddenly died last week while covering the FIFA World Cup in Qatar from a rupture in his aorta, the main blood vessel leading from the heart, his family said in a statement Wednesday.
The big picture: The family said Wahl's cause of death was determined through an autopsy performed by the New York City Medical Examiner's Office after his body was returned to the U.S. on Monday.
