Reuters

(Reuters) - Russian air defence units intercepted 20 Ukrainian drones on Monday in southern Russia's Kursk region bordering Ukraine, regional Governor Alexei Smironov said.

Smirnov, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said Ukrainian forces had attacked four villages in his region using attack drones and helicopters, but no injuries were reported.

In Belgorod region, to the southeast, regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said air... (continue reading...)

By Ahmed Aboulenein

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former top U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci strongly denied suppressing the theory that COVID-19 originated from a lab leak in China, telling lawmakers he never influenced research on the origins of the virus.

In his first time addressing the allegations publicly since a 14-hour hearing held behind closed doors in January, Fauci also reiterated that he believes the most likely... (continue reading...)

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Large swaths of northern Israel were engulfed by wild fires set off by rockets launched from Lebanon by the militant group Hezbollah, with rescue teams battling on Monday to get them under control.

Many Israelis who live in towns near the Lebanon border evacuated months ago given the escalating fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. Israeli media reported several minor injuries and that some houses had caught fire.

By Mike Scarcella

(Reuters) - Venture capital fund Fearless Fund cannot resume making grants to Black women-owned businesses, a divided U.S. appeals court ruled on Monday, siding with an anti-affirmative action group that sued over the program.

The Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that the group's discrimination lawsuit was likely to succeed, reversing a judge’s decision that the program should be allowed to... (continue reading...)

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi security forces cracked down on rioters in Baghdad who were attacking a KFC on Monday, wounding three with live fire and detaining at least 12, security and medical sources told Reuters.

The attack on a KFC on the city's Palestine Street is at least the third in just over a week and was reported just as a senior official in the Iran-backed Iraqi armed group Kataib Hezbollah released a statement calling on Iraqis to "boycott... (continue reading...)