By James WaterhouseBBC Ukraine Correspondent in Kupiansk
BBCUkrainian troops hold a Christmas prayer near KupianskChristmas in Kupiansk is a celebration in name only. Most children have been evacuated and a fraction of its 26,000 population remains.
There is a visceral tension which comes with living close to the front line. Within the first hour of us arriving there were two sirens and incoming artillery fire. This city was occupied for six months and then liberated last year. Read More...
By Gareth Evans & Madeline HalpertBBC News
Watch: Receding water reveals destruction after historic floodsCrews in Vermont are assessing the damage after a storm dumped up to two months of rain on the state in a matter of days, triggering dangerous flash floods that submerged homes.
The state's governor said there had been "historic and catastrophic" flooding. Some areas saw more than 9in (0.22m) of rain. In the capital city, Montpelier, crews are beginning to clear debris and inspect buildings. Read More...
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Mourners are paying their respects Wednesday to the late U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein in San Francisco City Hall, where she launched her groundbreaking political career and where she spent a decade as the city’s first female mayor.
Feinstein’s casket was carried into the City Hall rotunda, where it was draped with an American flag, with San Francisco Mayor London Breed and Feinstein’s daughter and granddaughter following behind. Read More...