US envoy says Gaza hostage deal possible 'within weeks'

U.S. officials are set to meet with a Ukrainian delegation in Saudi Arabia to assess Ukraine's willingness to make concessions to Russia for ending the war, with a focus on improving ties with the Trump administration. The delegation, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, will evaluate Ukraine's commitment to realistic peace and potential compromises, with President Trump expressing optimism for progress. Ukraine's European allies stress the importance of negotiating from a position of strength....

Russia, China, and Iran are set to conduct joint naval exercises in the Indian Ocean near Iran's port of Chabahar, involving drills on striking maritime targets and search and rescue operations to enhance military cooperation. Observers from various countries will monitor the exercises, which mark the seventh edition of the "Security Belt" drills organized by Iran, Russia, and China. The agreement for the exercises was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud...

Union minister Jitendra Singh highlighted the involvement of militants in the deaths of three civilians in Billawar tehsil of Kathua district, triggering protests and a shutdown. Victims Darshan Singh, Yogesh Singh, and Varun Singh were found in Ishu canal after going missing on their way to a marriage ceremony. Union home secretary Govind Mohan has arrived in Jammu to assess the security situation in the region following the tragic killings. Full Article

Congress leader Shama Mohamed, previously criticized for allegedly fat-shaming Rohit Sharma, praised his leadership after India's ICC Champions Trophy 2025 win, highlighting his brilliant knock of 76. India clinched their third title with contributions from Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, and Hardik Pandya. The BJP hailed Sharma's captaincy, while the Congress also congratulated Team India on their victory amidst the earlier controversy surrounding Mohamed's comments on Sharma's fitness. Full Article

India skipper Rohit Sharma expressed his happiness with the team's Champions Trophy victory in Dubai, where they defeated New Zealand in the final by four wickets while chasing down 252 runs, with Rohit scoring 76 runs. Rohit praised the fans for their support, highlighted individual performances such as Varun Chakaravarthy and Shreyas Iyer's contributions, and acknowledged the team's overall success as the only unbeaten side in the tournament. The top run-scorers included Shreyas Iyer and...

Russian special forces infiltrated a gas pipeline to strike Ukrainian units from the rear in the Kursk region, as part of Moscow's efforts to recapture seized border territory. Ukraine's daring incursion into Kursk resulted in the capture of Sudzha and hundreds of Russian prisoners, but now faces overwhelming assaults from over 50,000 troops. Russian operatives reportedly traveled 15 kilometers inside the pipeline to launch a surprise attack near Sudzha, putting Ukrainian soldiers at risk of...