Volodymyr Zelenskyy: “205 Ukrainians are home. “Today, warriors of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, and the State Border Guard Service are returning from Russian captivity. This is the first stage of the 1,000-for-1,000 exchange. “Among those released are privates, sergeants, and officers. Most of them had been in Russian captivity since 2022. They defended Ukraine in Mariupol and at Azovstal, in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, and Kyiv sectors, and at the Chornobyl NPP. “I thank everyone working to bring our people home – first and foremost, our warriors, who replenish Ukraine’s exchange fund, and...

The United Nations and rights groups say Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities have detained at least three journalists on undisclosed charges in recent days. The U.N. mission in Afghanistan expressed “serious concern” Thursday over the detentions, as well as over “reports of assaults against journalists and confiscation of property during search operations by the de facto authorities.” Since the Taliban seized power in 2021, Afghanistan ranks among the worst countries in the world in terms of press freedom, with the 2026 index from Reporters without Borders ranking it 175 out of 180. “A free, independent, and safe press is essential for transparency,...

Efforts to unseat British Prime Minister Keir Starmer from within his own party broke into open rebellion Thursday, with one potential rival resigning from the Cabinet and two others positioning themselves for a future leadership challenge. Health Secretary Wes Streeting became the first senior minister to quit Thursday in what was seen as a precursor to challenging Starmer’s leadership. He said he had lost confidence in Starmer, who should not serve out the rest of his term. “You have shown courage and statesmanship on the world stage — not least in keeping Britain out of the war in Iran,” Streeting...

Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinpingwrapped up critical talks on Friday, claiming important progress in stabilizing U.S.-China relations even as deep differences persist between the world’s two biggest powers on Iran, Taiwan and more. Xi welcomed Trump at his official residence, Zhongnanhai, on Friday for their final engagement of the summit before the U.S. leader’s return to Washington. The leaders took a short walk through the grounds that feature ancient trees and Chinese roses, and strolled through a covered passageway with green columns and archways painted with birds and traditional Chinese mountain scenes. Over tea and lunch, Trump and Xi...

Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund became an “official tournament supporter” of the World Cup on Thursday and reaffirmed its commitment to invest heavily in sports despite notable retreats from other ventures in recent months. In announcing the partnership, the kingdom’s public investment fund (PIF) said sport was a “priority sector” and soccer was crucial to the “ongoing transformation of Saudi Arabia.” PIF announced this month that it was pulling the plug on future funding for LIV Golf, the breakaway tour that it has poured billions of dollars into, raising questions about its long-term plans for other sports after its enormous...

Russia on Thursday unleashed a third straight day of massive drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, demolishing an apartment building in Kyiv where nine people were killed and dozens injured, authorities said. More strikes elsewhere in the country wounded more than two dozen civilians. As dawn broke on a clear day in Kyiv, a scene of devastation came into focus in the capital’s leafy Darnytsia neighborhood, located between a suburban forest and the Dnieper River. Wisps of smoke rose from the collapsed nine-story apartment block, where emergency workers dug under concrete slabs and took people away on stretchers. The building’s...

Blink and you might miss the few stone walls that are all that’s left of the village that Yusuf Abu Hamam’s family was forced to flee when he was an infant in 1948. The village, al-Joura, was demolished by the Israeli military at the time. It has since vanished under neighborhoods of the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon and the grounds of a national park. The neighborhood where Abu Hamam’s family ended up — and where he spent most of his life — now lies also largely in ruins. Buildings in the Shati Camp in the northern Gaza Strip have...