Recapping some of the most talked-about news this week from the nation and around the world – in case you missed it.

Tragedy in Minnesota, vaccine news, Snoop's game call: Week in review

"Your goal might be set in stone, but how you achieve it shouldn't be."

Struggling to keep your New Year's resolutions? Here's how to keep yourself on track

Kimiya Yui released the timelapse footage to celebrate his 300th cumulative day spent orbiting Earth.

Astronaut on ISS captures spectacular orbital video of zodiacal light, auroras and the Pleiades

The Washington Monument lit up on New Year's Eve in celebration of the Artemis 2 moon mission as well as the 250th anniversary year of the Declaration of Independence.

Moon fever hits DC as Artemis 2 rocket 'candle' lights up Washington Monument just 1 month before launch (photos)

Andy Provencher spent a year searching for the cause of his exhausting symptoms before a physician's assistant suggested a rare illness.

Doctors thought he had cancer. An offhand suggestion led to a rare diagnosis.

The Southern Transitional Council denied that it was disbanding on Saturday, contradicting a statement by one of its members that the group had decided to dissolve itself. Yemen's main separatist group, the Southern Transitional Council, denied that it was disbanding on Saturday, contradicting a statement by one of its members that the group had decided to dissolve itself.

UAE-backed Yemeni Southern Transitional Council denies disbandment rumors

Temperatures rose as much as 34 degrees above average in Victoria, Australia, where wildfires have already destroyed 750,000 acres and more 100 homes and buildings. It is the worst heat wave for the country since the catastrophic wildfires of 2020.

Heat Wave Fuels Massive Wildfire In Australia

Some railway services in Germany resumed on Saturday after Storm Elli had brought the north of the country to a standstill, but major restrictions remained as meteorologists warned of more snow set to come down over the weekend. Long-distance rail services, which were suspended in northern Germany on Friday amid heavy snowfall, are set to continue to see disruptions until Sunday, a spokeswoman for operator Deutsche Bahn told dpa.

Major railway disruptions persist as Germany braces for more snow

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Saturday called for the release of all imprisoned protesters in Iran and for full restoration of internet access in the country. "Tehran's streets, and cities around the world, echo with the footsteps of Iranian women and men demanding freedom.

EU chief urges Iran to free imprisoned protesters, lift internet ban

The Metropolitan Police said two arrests were made as demonstrators rallied amid major anti-government protests in Iran.

Protester climbs on to balcony of Iranian embassy in London

A magical encounter in northern Finland blends ancient folklore, swirling auroras and an unexpectedly curious fox.

Aurora chaser catches a fox basking in the glow of Finland's legendary 'fox fires' (photos)

Environmental experts are warning that the U.S. push to revamp and boost Venezuela’s vast oil reserves could worsen decades of ecological damage and increase planet-warming pollution in a country already struggling with the legacy of a long-declining petroleum industry.  The warnings come as Washington has intensified pressure on Venezuela following the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro last weekend.  Since then, the United States has moved to assert control over Venezuelan oil exports,

Why boosting production of Venezuela's 'very dense, very sloppy' oil could harm the environment

In southern Nepal, tigers, leopards, and rhinos are more dangerous than avalanches and altitude sickness are in the high Himalaya.

Four Dead in Last Month From Animal Attacks in Nepal

The recall affects nearly 50 countries across the globe. The infant formula was recalled after it may have been contaminated with a toxin.

Nestlé recalls infant formula in 49 countries. See list.

Nearly half a million people had their power cut on Friday as a strong storm unleashed winds over 130 mph in France and the United Kingdom.

Storm Goretti sweeps United Kingdom, France with winds over 120 mph

Latvia will seek an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council in response to Russia’s latest heavy attacks on Ukraine, Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže said on Friday. Russia earlier carried out renewed large-scale airstrikes on Ukraine and said it had, for the second time since the start of the war, used its nuclear-capable Oreshnik intermediate-range missile in stike on the western city of Lviv, not far from the border with Poland.

Latvia seeks emergency UN meeting over Russian missile attack on Lviv

The Venezuelan government has released just nine prisoners following an announcement by the authorities in Caracas that a large number of political prisoners would be freed, the Foro Penal human rights organization said on Friday. Foro Penal said the number released represented around 1% of the 800 it believes are being held in Venezuela's prisons.

Activists: Venezuela released just nine prisoners despite promise

Iran’s growing reliance on cryptocurrency in 2025 exposed how digital assets now power sanctions evasion and militant networks.

Iran Used $2 Billion in Crypto to Run Its Militant Proxies in 2025

Making sense of the various rationales going around — including drugs, democracy and the "Donroe Doctrine."

Trump says Venezuela will start 'turning over' oil to the U.S. Is that the reason he toppled Maduro — or is it something else?

A series of mild eruptions at the most active volcano in the Philippines has prompted the evacuation of nearly 3,000 villagers from a danger zone on its foothills, officials said Wednesday.  Authorities raised the 5-step alert around Mayon Volcano in the northeastern province of Albay to level 3 on Tuesday after detecting intermittent rockfalls, some as big as cars, from its peak crater in recent days along with deadly pyroclastic flows — a fast-moving avalanche of super-hot rock fragments, ash

Philippines evacuates 3,000 villagers after volcano activity raises alert level

An almost complete battle trumpet dating back around 2,000 years to the Iron Age has been unearthed by in England.

‘Extraordinary’ Iron Age war trumpet uncovered in England

Melting ice, thawing permafrost and crumbling fjord walls are just a few of the risks climate change poses for those living and working in Greenland.

Greenland’s melting ice and landslide-prone fjords make the oil and minerals Trump is eyeing dangerous to extract

Former President Jair Bolsonaro was granted a brief leave Wednesday from his 27-year prison sentence for a coup attempt so that he could undergo medical tests at a hospital in the capital after he fell from his bed.  Police escorted the 70-year-old Bolsonaro from the federal police's headquarters in Brasilia to the nearby DF Star hospital where he arrived at around midday for three brain tests.  At around 4:30 p.m. local time (1930 GMT), Bolsonaro's wife Michelle said on Instagram that the exams

Bolsonaro briefly leaves Brazilian prison for medical tests after a fall from his bed

Israel says Volker Türk's office makes "absurd" accusations in a report that details what the UN calls "systemic discrimination" against Palestinians.

UN rights chief says Israeli policy in West Bank 'resembles apartheid system'

A new think tank report posits that "even extensive efforts to reduce collateral damage can lead to a loss of diplomatic support if the information environment is not actively managed. " A key lesson of the Gaza war is that “even extensive efforts to reduce collateral damage can lead to a loss of diplomatic support if the information environment is not actively managed,” according to a think tank report.

Israel's ban on unsupervised reporters in Gaza causes strategic harm to legitimacy

Jan 7 () - The United Arab Emirates' drug regulator has ​recalled certain Nestle infant formula ‌products after the company recalled specific batches ‌over a potential toxin risk, the state news agency (WAM) reported on Wednesday. The Emirates Drug Establishment said no ⁠illness or ‌adverse events linked to the affected batches have been ‍reported or confirmed, WAM added.

UAE recalls some Nestle infant formula products, Qatar warns consumers

The prime minister toured communities near Israel’s southern border with Egypt with Katz and Ben-Gvir, outlining a multi-year plan to expand settlements and crack down on crime. Israel’s government will launch a national project to “return the Negev to the State of Israel,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a tour of the western Negev on Wednesday.

Netanyahu vows to ‘return Negev to Israel,’ pledges settlement growth during visit

Hundreds of people gave a fascist salute at a rally in Rome on Wednesday, raising their right arms in what is known in Italy as the "saluto romano," or Roman salute. The gesture, which is punishable under Italian law in certain circumstances, frequently appears at gatherings of neo-fascist groups and supporters of former dictator Benito Mussolini.

Hundreds show fascist salute at rally in Rome in annual ritual

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said on Wednesday that Warsaw was open to the possible deployment of German troops in Poland as part of efforts to secure a ceasefire in Ukraine. German soldiers have been stationed in Poland for years as part of various NATO missions, Sikorski said, adding that the presence of Bundeswehr troops on Polish soil would therefore be nothing new.

Poland open to German troops to help secure Ukraine ceasefire

New research shows how identity-driven assumptions can turn common ground into conflict.

Americans generally like wolves − except when we’re reminded of our politics

Tuesday's high-level meeting of the supporter states of Ukraine sends a strong signal of unity, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said. The agreed joint declaration sends a clear message, she wrote after the discussions in Paris.

Von der Leyen: Paris meeting sends signal of unity for Ukraine

In November 2024, Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that he had won a years-long battle to get authority to build a new high-tech border fence with Jordan to block smuggling. The IDF’s new security fence with Jordan could be completed as early as the start of 2028, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

New Jordan security fence could be done in early 2028

Thousands of ultra-Orthodox individuals have demonstrated against their conscription into the Israeli military, according to media reports. Leading rabbis called for the protest in Jerusalem, the Times of Israel reported on Tuesday.

Thousands of ultra-orthodox protest in Jerusalem against conscription

Germany has raised the prospect of a military involvement in securing a potential ceasefire in Ukraine during a meeting of Kiev's allies in Paris. "This could include, for example, us registering forces for Ukraine on neighbouring NATO territory after a ceasefire," Chancellor Friedrich Merz said following the meeting.

Germany raises prospect of military forces to secure Ukraine peace

Ukraine's supporter states have agreed on contributions to efforts to end the Russian war at a meeting in Paris, a top EU official said on Tuesday evening. "We stand ready to commit to a system of politically and legally binding guarantees that will be activated once a ceasefire enters into force," European Council President António Costa posted on X after the consultations.

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