World

People in a village just north of Mexico City complained of a persistent odor of gasoline for weeks, but even they were surprised when the community’s spring-water well burst into flames and began belching dense black smoke. Residents blocked a major highway this week in protest, complaining that the smell …

The Czech government on Wednesday approved a bill aimed at bringing defense spending at the required NATO goal of 2% of gross domestic product as Russia’s war in Ukraine continues. Defense Minister Jana Cernochova said the move would”ensure a stable and transparent financing of big defense strategic projects in the …

French police are investigating an allegation that the former archbishop of Paris sexually assaulted a woman who is under legal protection as a vulnerable person, prosecutors said Wednesday. Michel Aupetit, who unexpectedly resigned in 2021 after admitting to an “ambiguous” relationship with a woman in 2012, denies any wrongdoing, his …

Pope Benedict XVI’s personal secretary, who served him in multiple capacities for almost two decades, will soon publish a book on his experiences with the late pontiff. Archbishop Georg Gänswein serves as the prefect of the papal household and was a constant companion of Pope Benedict before his death. The …

The Japanese government is significantly boosting the amount of money it is offering families to leave the bustling metropolis and move to rural areas that are experiencing population declines. The incentive that will begin in April will provide families with 1 million yen, $7,500, per child, to move out of …

Two rockets struck a U.S. military base in northeastern Syria Wednesday following the 3rd anniversary of the killing of Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani by a U.S. drone strike in 2020.  Coalition forces at Mission Support Site Conoco were targeted in the attack that occurred around 9 a.m. local time, …

At least seven people have reportedly been killed in a shootout in Mexico, as authorities are trying to track down dozens of escaped inmates following a violent and deadly uprising at a prison near the Texas border.  Mexican officials say 17 have been confirmed dead so far in the prison break …

The U.S. State Department called on China to be more transparent about the current COVID-19 outbreak and origins of the virus, hitting back at a Chinese official who called travel restrictions “unacceptable” on Tuesday.  “If the [People’s Republic of China] wants to see countries do away with various requirements that …

Germany has recorded its highest annual inflation in more than 70 years, according to preliminary data released Tuesday by the country’s Federal Statistical Office. Surging energy and food prices due to Russia’s attack on Ukraine saw full-year inflation reach 7.9% in 2022. The last time annual inflation was near that …

A Ugandan soldier has shot and killed three colleagues serving in Somalia as part of an African Union peacekeeping force, Uganda’s military said Tuesday. Uganda People’s Defense Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Felix Kulayigye said the soldier woke up Monday morning and “sprayed bullets” at his colleagues. All four were part …