CNN – World

By Jessie Yeung, and CNN’s Beijing bureau (CNN) — In recent weeks, a morbid-sounding app has taken China by storm, tapping into widespread loneliness and youth disaffection in the world’s second most populous country. The app, named “Are You Dead” and aimed at those who live alone, has a simple premise: users must check in

By Chris Lau, Gawon Bae, Yumi Asada, CNN (CNN) — The leaders of Japan and South Korea staged a surprise drum session on their first day of talks in Japan, smashing out K-pop hits in a loud and unconventional display of diplomacy between a self-confessed metalhead and an aspiring novice. Japanese Prime Minster Sanae Takaichi

CNN Editorial Research (CNN) — Here’s a look at the life of Charles Taylor, former president of Liberia and convicted war criminal. Personal Birth date: January 28, 1948 Birth place: Arthington, Liberia Birth name: Charles Taylor Father: Nelson Taylor, judge Mother: Zoe Taylor Marriages: Victoria Addison-Taylor (unknown-present); Jewel (Howard) Taylor (1997-2006, divorced) Children: with Victoria

By Tal Shalev, CNN (CNN) — As waves of protests have tested the Iranian regime’s ability to manage dissent, the country with arguably the most to gain has been waiting in the wings, reluctant to intervene even when its regional adversary is at its most vulnerable point in years. After months of publicly threatening Iran,

By Daria Tarasova-Markina, Lauren Kent, CNN Kyiv, Ukraine (CNN) — An intense wave of Russian drone attacks has left hundreds of thousands of households in the Kyiv region without power, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday, as temperatures fall well below freezing. Kyiv mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said about 500 high-rise buildings have no heating, and

By Jack Guy, CNN (CNN) — Peter Mandelson, the former British ambassador to the United States, has apologized for continuing his friendship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in the wake of the latter’s conviction. Mandelson, who was fired from his ambassadorial role in September over his ties to the disgraced financier, had faced criticism for

By Hilary Whiteman, CNN Brisbane, Australia (CNN) — A much-loved annual literary festival has been canceled after more than 180 writers quit the program to protest the dumping of a Palestinian Australian author, whose invitation was withdrawn due to “cultural sensitivities” following the Bondi Beach terror attack. Adelaide Writers’ Week has been mired in controversy

Story by the Associated Press London (AP) — London’s murder rate fell in 2025 to its lowest level in decades, officials said Monday. Mayor Sadiq Khan said the figures disprove claims spread by US President Donald Trump and others on the political right that crime is out of control in Britain’s capital. Police recorded 97

By Michael Rios, Gonzalo Zegarra, CNN (CNN) — Venezuela’s promise last week to release “a significant number” of political prisoners is progressing far slower than many had hoped, as hundreds of families continue to wait in agony for their loved ones to be freed. Of the more than 800 people considered arbitrarily detained for political

By Hira Humayun, CNN (CNN) — Iranians screamed in anguish and cried in confusion as they gathered beside bodies shrouded in black bags in a makeshift morgue at the Kahrizak Forensic Medical Center and lying on the ground outside the facility south of Tehran. Videos making their way past Iran’s internet blackout circulated over the

By Ivana Kottasová, CNN (CNN) — Ukrainian civilians endured the deadliest year since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of their country in 2022, with more than 2,500 people killed in 2025, the United Nations said in a new report Monday. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said it verified that 2,514 civilians were

CNN Editorial Research (CNN) — Here’s a look at the life of Mexico’s richest man, businessman and investor Carlos Slim. Personal Birth date: January 28, 1940 Birth place: Mexico City, Mexico Birth name: Carlos Slim Helú Father: Julián Slim Haddad, real estate investor Mother: Linda Helú Atta Marriage: Soumaya Domit Gemayel (1966-1999, her death) Children:

By Mostafa Salem, CNN (CNN) — Anti-government protests have erupted across all 31 of Iran’s provinces in a wave of unrest that marks the biggest challenge to the regime in years. An ongoing communications shutdown, which experts say is unprecedented in its scale, was imposed by authorities on Thursday and has mostly isolated the country

By Laura Sharman, Junko Ogura, CNN (CNN) — Dozens of worshipers took a deep breath and a brave plunge into icy waters at a Tokyo shrine Sunday, keeping afloat a New Year tradition to purify the soul and pray for good health. The cold endurance event, known as “Kanchu Misogi,” drew around 100 participants –

By Laura Sharman, Michael Rios, CNN (CNN) — Cuba’s leader has pushed back on Donald Trump’s demand that the Caribbean nation “make a deal” with Washington, as the US president warned that Havana would be cut off from the Venezuelan oil and money that it’s relied on for decades. “No one dictates what we do,”

CNN By Caitlin Danaher and Mostafa Salem, CNN (CNN) — Robina Aminian, a 23-year-old studying at university in Tehran, had dreams of moving to Milan to pursue a career in fashion. Her Instagram account showed her proudly displaying various traditional Kurdish outfits. On Thursday, she left the Tehran Shariati Technical University, where she was studying

By Caitlin Danaher and Mostafa Salem, CNN (CNN) — Robina Aminian, a 23-year-old studying at university in Tehran, had dreams of moving to Milan to pursue a career in fashion. Her Instagram account showed her proudly displaying various traditional Kurdish outfits. On Thursday, she left the Tehran Shariati Technical University, where she was studying fashion

By Sophie Tanno, Daria Tarasova-Markina, CNN (CNN) — Ukraine battled Sunday to restore power to tens of thousands of people left without heating in bitterly cold temperatures after a week of intense Russian attacks that have brought the country’s energy infrastructure to its knees. In Kyiv, heating was restored to about 85% of apartment buildings

By Catherine Nicholls, Billy Stockwell, Caitlin Danaher, CNN (CNN) — Several people who protested in Iran in recent days have told CNN of enormous crowds as well as brutal violence on the streets of Tehran, with one woman saying she saw “bodies piled up on each other” in a hospital. A woman in her mid-60s

By Mostafa Salem, CNN (CNN) — Anti-government protests in Iran erupted for a thirteenth consecutive day on Friday, in a wave of nationwide unrest that marks the biggest challenge to the regime in years. Authorities cut off internet access and telephone lines on Thursday – the biggest night of nationwide demonstrations so far – leaving