When discussions began over releasing Israeli hostages shortly after the October 7 attack by Hamas, the negotiators tasked to strike a deal were mostly intelligence and security professionals. But in February, Israel made an important change that those now involved say has had a profound slowing effect on the discussions…

Japan’s largest yakuza crime syndicate has pledged to end its longstanding war with a rival faction and refrain from causing “trouble,” authorities said, as the mafia-like groups contend with falling membership and increased police crackdowns. The Yamaguchi-gumi, one of the world’s largest and wealthiest crime gangs, has been embroiled in…

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has said his nation is “not afraid,” in his first public comments on the escalating trade war with the United States that has tanked international markets and fueled fears of a global recession. “There are no winners in a trade war, and going against the world…

An Italian scientist has been found dead in Colombia, according to local authorities, after several pieces of a human body were discovered lying on a path in the coastal city of Santa Marta on Sunday. City police said their investigation showed that a bracelet found on the remains belonged to…

As civil war-torn Myanmar struggles to recover from a devastating earthquake, the United States is facing criticism that it has abandoned the country in its hour of need – and is ceding global leadership on disaster response to its rivals. The 7.7-magnitude quake, which struck on March 28 and killed…

Prince Harry met with war victims on Thursday in an unannounced visit to Ukraine as part of his ongoing work with wounded veterans, a spokesperson said. Harry visited the Superhumans Center, an orthopedic clinic in Lviv that treats and rehabilitates wounded military personnel and civilians, to see top-notch services provided…

A major Australian IVF clinic has apologized for giving the wrong embryo to a woman who then gave birth to another couple’s baby, blaming the mix-up on “human error.” Monash IVF, which operates more than 100 clinics across Australia, said in a statement staff were “devastated” by the mistake, believed…

Taiwan prosecutors on Friday for the first time charged a Chinese ship captain with intentionally damaging undersea cables off the island in February, after a rise in sea cable malfunctions alarmed Taiwan officials amid tensions with China. Prosecutors say the man was captain of the Chinese-crewed Hong Tai 58, registered…

Ukraine’s key allies are meeting in Brussels on Friday with a noticeable absence at the table: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who is only attending virtually. The Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which was created by former US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during the Biden administration, is a group of roughly…