China to open border with Hong Kong after three years of tight control
Hong Kong CNN — The Chinese government announced on Thursday that it will reopen its border with Hong Kong on January 8, nearly three years after it was largely shut…
Poland says Germany refused talks on World War Two reparations
Reuters — Germany has rebuffed the latest push by Poland’s nationalist government for vast reparations over World War II, saying in response to a diplomatic note that the issue was…
Taraneh Alidoosti: Iranian authorities release prominent actress on bail
CNN — One of Iran’s best-known actresses, who was arrested after she criticized the execution of a man involved in nationwide protests, was released on bail on Wednesday, state-aligned ISNA…
Israel’s rightward shift leaves its new Arab allies in an awkward spot
Editor’s Note: A version of this story appears in today’s Meanwhile in the Middle East newsletter, CNN’s three-times-a-week look inside the region’s biggest stories. Sign up here. Abu Dhabi, UAE…
Philippines government vows to investigate New Year’s Day airport power crisis
(CNN) — The Philippines government has announced that it will launch an official investigation into what led to a severe outage at the country’s largest airport on New Year’s Day…
Extreme heat in Europe smashes all-time records
CNN — The year has only just started but already Europe has broken an alarming number of weather records as extreme heat spread across the continent. On New Year’s Day,…
Global markets try to put last year’s misery behind them
London CNN — Global stocks are pushing higher on the first major trading day of 2023 as investors try to look beyond a gloomy outlook for the world economy, China’s…
‘It’s like a constant gamble:’ Ukrainian couple await birth of twins in wartime Kyiv
CNN — Kateryna and her husband Oleg endure what every citizen of Kyiv must – long blackouts, hours without any internet connection and constant apprehension about the next missile barrage.…
Pelé: Brazilians bid final farewell with wake and coffin procession
CNN — Brazilians have started paying their final respects to football great Pelé with a 24-hour public wake, which began on Monday at the Urbano Caldeira Stadium, the home of…
Former Pope Benedict XVI lies in state in St Peter’s Basilica ahead of funeral
Rome CNN — The lying-in-state of former Pope Benedict XVI, who died Saturday at the age of 95, began Monday in St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City ahead of his…