China’s Xi expected to visit South Korea during APEC summit next month
Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to visit South Korea in October for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, South Korean Foreign M...
The United States and Russia carried out a high-profile prisoner exchange in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, marking the second such swap in less than two months. Among those released was Ksenia Karelina, a U.S. resident who had been imprisoned in Russia on charges of treason.
Russia and the U.S. carried out a prisoner swap early Thursday in Abu Dhabi. Ksenia Karelina, an amateur ballerina and Los Angeles resident, had been in prison in Russia for over a year after being arrested in the city of Yekaterinburg in early 2024. She had previously spent over a decade in a Russian prison after making a donation of just over $50 to a New York-based charity offering humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Her contribution was deemed an act of treason, leading to a 12-year sentence behind bars.
She is now released and heading back to the U.S. as part of a prisoner exchange for Arthur Petrov, a dual German-Russian citizen. Petrov was arrested in Cyprus in 2023 and later extradited to the United States. He was accused of illegally exporting microelectronics to Russia for manufacturers linked to the Russian military, and faced charges including export control violations, smuggling, wire fraud, and money laundering.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed Karelina’s release on X, stating that U.S. President Trump secured her freedom after she was wrongfully held by Russia. He added that the president’s efforts to free all detained Americans are ongoing. Around 10 other U.S. citizens remain imprisoned in Russia.
According to officials, the prisoner swap took place in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
The UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the exchange, stating that Abu Dhabi was chosen due to the “close friendship between both countries and the United Arab Emirates.” The ministry expressed hope that the exchange would help ease tensions and promote dialogue for greater regional and global stability. This marks the second prisoner exchange between Russia and the U.S. in under two months.
AnewZ has learned that India has once again blocked Azerbaijan’s application for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, while Pakistan’s recent decision to consider diplomatic relations with Armenia has been coordinated with Baku as part of Azerbaijan’s peace agenda.
A day of mourning has been declared in Portugal to pay respect to victims who lost their lives in the Lisbon Funicular crash which happened on Wednesday evening.
A Polish Air Force pilot was killed on Thursday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight ahead of the 2025 Radom International Air Show.
At least eight people have died and more than 90 others were injured following a catastrophic gas tanker explosion on a major highway in Mexico City’s Iztapalapa district on Wednesday, authorities confirmed.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to visit South Korea in October for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said on Wednesday ahead of talks in Beijing.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reaffirmed on Tuesday that a two-state solution is the only viable path to settle the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 17th of September, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The Trump administration's first U.S. weapons aid packages for Ukraine have been approved and could soon ship as Washington resumes sending arms to Kyiv - this time under a new financial agreement with allies - two sources familiar with the situation told Reuters.
A United Nations Commission of Inquiry concluded on Tuesday that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza and that top Israeli officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu incited these acts - accusations that Israel called scandalous.
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