Urgent news from across the world including foreign war, global politics, and international intrigue.
Pope Leo XIV greeted crowds at the Vatican in his first public appearance since undergoing surgery for lung cancer, an event carried worldwide by major outlets and met with a mixture of relief and pointed commentary online.
Reports circulating from First Squawk and other outlets claim Ukrainian drones struck Russia's largest Baltic oil terminal, a VK data center and a power substation in Saint Petersburg overnight, sparking fires and cutting power to thousands. The claims have not been independently verified.
Critics online are blaming President Emmanuel Macron for unrest in France, arguing that his focus on defending European values abroad has come at the expense of French citizens' safety at home. The claims are circulating widely on X but have not been independently verified.
Conservative commentators seized on footage of Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron at a Celine Dion concert in Paris as violent unrest spread across France, with Elon Musk warning the country has 'one last chance' at the next election.
Ukrainian attack drones reportedly struck a data center belonging to Russian social media giant VK, sparking a fire and disrupting the platform's network, according to open-source intelligence accounts tracking the war. The claim has not been independently confirmed.
The Vatican released the first images of Pope Leo XIV since his lung cancer surgery, showing him celebrating Mass at Rome's Gemelli Hospital. The photos drew reactions from major news outlets and well-wishers worldwide, though the full details of the pope's condition remain unverified.
The Milwaukee Brewers completed a four-game sweep of the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers to win the National League pennant. The franchise will appear in the World Series for the first time in forty-four years.
UK Defense Secretary Wes Streeting is in Washington to meet with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, seeking answers on a Starshield service lapse that endangered Ukrainian forces and positioning Britain as a mediator between the Trump administration and Kiev.
Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro returned to a New York federal courtroom Thursday to face a rewritten drug trafficking indictment that now includes a new torture allegation, according to Reuters. The charge has ignited a firestorm of reaction across conservative and independent media.
Syrian General Intelligence has arrested Ali Kayali, also known as Mihrac Ural, the Turkish-born leader of the pro-Assad militia Syrian Resistance, as he attempted to cross the border, according to multiple foreign outlets. Next News Network could not independently verify the arrest.
Ukraine's president says Kyiv is 'done' with the energy ceasefire and is restarting attacks on Russian oil refineries, while accusing Washington of pulling back intelligence and Starlink support critical to Ukraine's defense.
Ukrainian officials and the accounts carrying the story say Starlink speed caps killed drone connectivity during a Russian missile attack, while Germany puts a former Ukrainian officer on trial over the Nord Stream blasts — the two stories colliding on the same morning.
