American Stephen Hubbard Freed After Four Years in Russian Prison
Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old Michigan native and retired schoolteacher, has been released from a Russian prison and returned to the United States, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump said. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the release during talks with Witkoff in St. Petersburg on Wednesday, and Hubbard was taken to Pulkovo Airport before flying out.
Russian authorities had accused Hubbard of fighting as a mercenary alongside Ukrainian forces and said he was taken captive by Russian forces in Ukraine years ago. U.S. officials described him as wrongfully imprisoned during his more than four years in custody.
Pope Leo XIV Needs No Further Lung Cancer Treatment
Pope Leo XIV will need no further treatment for lung cancer after follow-up tests confirmed the disease was localized, the Vatican said Wednesday. Doctors Luigi Carbone and Stefano Margaritora said the results showed a pulmonary adenocarcinoma that had not spread.
The 71-year-old pontiff had the lower lobe of his right lung removed last week and left the hospital on Saturday; he is expected to gradually resume activities. It remained unclear whether he would proceed with a scheduled trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru next month.
France Reports First Documented Human Case of Shamonda Virus
French health authorities said Thursday that the country had detected the first known human case of Shamonda virus, a bunyavirus normally found in livestock and spread by infected midges. The infected patient, who had a severely compromised immune system, died in early October, and officials emphasized that the infection appeared to pose no broader public health risk.
Investigators are still working to determine whether the virus contributed to the death. Until now, the virus had been considered non-transferable to humans.
Judge Orders Trump Deposition in BBC Defamation Suit by December 11
A federal judge has ordered President Donald Trump to sit for a deposition by December 11 in his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC. The order stems from a Panorama documentary at the center of the case.
The judge warned that failure to cooperate with discovery could bring sanctions, including possible dismissal of the suit. The BBC has accused Trump of trying to postpone the deposition until January 2027.
International Criminal Court Wins European Union's Sakharov Prize
The European Union has awarded its Sakharov Prize for human rights and democracy to the International Criminal Court. The prize comes as the United States has imposed sanctions on the court, and EU lawmakers cast the award as a signal of support for its work.
Russia Agrees in Principle to Resume Trilateral Ukraine Peace Talks
Russia has agreed in principle to resume trilateral peace talks with Ukraine and the United States after November 10, Putin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said following a meeting in St. Petersburg between Putin and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff.
Witkoff had met Ukraine's president and European leaders in Oslo before traveling to Russia and was due to return to the Norwegian capital. Washington is seeking to revive U.S.-led efforts to end the war.
Houthi Strike Kills Two as U.S. Orders Diplomats Out of Saudi Arabia
A Houthi strike on the airport in Dammam, near the headquarters of Saudi Aramco, killed at least two people, according to the New York Times. The Guardian reported that at least three people were killed at an airport and an oilfield on Wednesday evening. Yemen's Iran‑backed Houthi militia has been attacking the kingdom's aviation and energy sectors for weeks.
The U.S. State Department has ordered some diplomats and the families of U.S. government employees to leave Saudi Arabia because of the Houthi threat. The Guardian reported that similar withdrawals were being reported in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain.
Final Michigan Senate Debate Turns on Questions of Loyalty
Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed clashed in their final Michigan Senate debate Wednesday, repeatedly questioning each other's loyalties. El-Sayed accused Rogers of being overly devoted to President Trump, while Rogers charged that El-Sayed was not sufficiently loyal to the country. The exchange was more cordial than their previous debate, though the candidates also sparred over immigration.
Germany Arrests Ukrainian Man Suspected of Spying for Russia
German police arrested a Ukrainian man Thursday on suspicion of spying for Russian intelligence, federal prosecutors said. He is accused of gathering defense-related information on tank and munitions production as well as details about NATO's eastern flank. The German military has raised the threat level for Russian sabotage against German troops and facilities.
Social Media Influencer Clavicular Pleads Not Guilty to Rape Charge
Braden Peters, the 20-year-old social media influencer known as Clavicular, pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges that he raped a 17-year-old girl at his family's Massachusetts home. He is accused of giving the girl alcohol until she was drunk and then sexually assaulting her in 2025; he denies the allegations.
Virginia State Senator Indicted in Alleged Federal Drug Scheme
Virginia state Senator L. Louise Lucas, a prominent Democrat, has been indicted on federal charges accusing her of leading a criminal marijuana enterprise involving drug trafficking and money laundering. Federal authorities also alleged bribery and racketeering in the scheme. Lucas is one of the state's most powerful Democrats and a vocal critic of President Trump.
Fighter Jets Intercept Plane Near Trump Rally in South Carolina
Fighter jets intercepted a plane that entered restricted airspace over Clemson, South Carolina, on Wednesday while President Trump was speaking at a rally there, military officials said. The event was part of a swing through conservative states to support Republican candidates, including Senator Darline Graham.