Russian air defense units downed 43 Ukrainian drones over parts of southern Russia over a 2-1/2-hour period late on Friday, the Defense Ministry said. A ministry statement said the drones had been destroyed between 8.15 p.m. and 10.45 p.m. (1715 and 1945 GMT). Twenty-one of them were intercepted over the Krasnodar region, east of Ukraine. The ministry said nine drones were destroyed over the Bryansk region.
(Reuters)

The cryptocurrency industry elite are set to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday to discuss how the government will enact Trump's vision of making the country the "crypto capital of the world." Trump will host players, including Michael Saylor, CEO of MicroStrategy, and Zach Witkoff, one of the founders of the president's own crypto business, World Liberty Financial, according to the executives' social media posts.
(Reuters)

Officials involved in diversity, equality, inclusion and accessibility programs at the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) have been ordered to resign or be fired, the lawyer for two of the officials said on Friday. Attorney Kevin Carroll said he did not know how many other ODNI officials had received the directive beyond his clients.
(Reuters)

The IDF announced Friday that Israeli forces targeted Hezbollah military sites in southern Lebanon, including identified rocket launchers. "The presence of weapons and launchers at these sites poses a threat to Israel and is a blatant violation of understandings between Israel and Lebanon," the statement said.
(Yoav Zitun)

A total of 134 civilians have been executed in Syria by the security forces of the new regime, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
(Lior Ben Ari)

The leader of the Houthis in Yemen, Abdel-Malek Badr al-Din al-Houthi, warned Israel on Friday saying, 'If humanitarian aid does not enter the Gaza Strip within four days, we will resume our maritime operations.'"
(Lior Ben Ari)

President Donald Trump said on Friday that something will happen with Iran very soon, adding that he hopes it's a peace deal that blocks the rival from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
(Reuters)

U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday that he was finding it more difficult to deal with Ukraine and that it may be easier to deal with Russia as his administration seeks to reach a peace agreement.
(Reuters)

The UN special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, said on Friday he was alarmed by intense clashes and killings in coastal areas between Syrian Caretaker Authority forces and elements loyal to the former regime, "with very troubling reports of civilian casualties".
(Reuters)

In a video released by Hamas on Friday, Matan Angrest said, "It feels like the IDF, the State of Israel, and the government have abandoned us in captivity for a very long time. We are starting to lose hope. We don’t see the end. I want to tell the IDF: You will not succeed in bringing us back through military force. The only way is through a deal. We just want to go home. I beg you, bring us back alive." The family has now authorized the release of the video and Matan’s words, which were likely dictated by his captors as part of Hamas's psychological warfare.
(Ynetnews)

Russian air defense units downed 43 Ukrainian drones over parts of southern Russia over a 2-1/2-hour period late on Friday, the Defense Ministry said. A ministry statement said the drones had been destroyed between 8.15 p.m. and 10.45 p.m. (1715 and 1945 GMT). Twenty-one of them were intercepted over the Krasnodar region, east of Ukraine. The ministry said nine drones were destroyed over the Bryansk region.
(Reuters)

The cryptocurrency industry elite are set to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday to discuss how the government will enact Trump's vision of making the country the "crypto capital of the world." Trump will host players, including Michael Saylor, CEO of MicroStrategy, and Zach Witkoff, one of the founders of the president's own crypto business, World Liberty Financial, according to the executives' social media posts.
(Reuters)

Officials involved in diversity, equality, inclusion and accessibility programs at the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) have been ordered to resign or be fired, the lawyer for two of the officials said on Friday. Attorney Kevin Carroll said he did not know how many other ODNI officials had received the directive beyond his clients.
(Reuters)

The IDF announced Friday that Israeli forces targeted Hezbollah military sites in southern Lebanon, including identified rocket launchers. "The presence of weapons and launchers at these sites poses a threat to Israel and is a blatant violation of understandings between Israel and Lebanon," the statement said.
(Yoav Zitun)

A total of 134 civilians have been executed in Syria by the security forces of the new regime, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
(Lior Ben Ari)

The leader of the Houthis in Yemen, Abdel-Malek Badr al-Din al-Houthi, warned Israel on Friday saying, 'If humanitarian aid does not enter the Gaza Strip within four days, we will resume our maritime operations.'"
(Lior Ben Ari)

President Donald Trump said on Friday that something will happen with Iran very soon, adding that he hopes it's a peace deal that blocks the rival from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
(Reuters)

U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday that he was finding it more difficult to deal with Ukraine and that it may be easier to deal with Russia as his administration seeks to reach a peace agreement.
(Reuters)

The UN special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, said on Friday he was alarmed by intense clashes and killings in coastal areas between Syrian Caretaker Authority forces and elements loyal to the former regime, "with very troubling reports of civilian casualties".
(Reuters)

In a video released by Hamas on Friday, Matan Angrest said, "It feels like the IDF, the State of Israel, and the government have abandoned us in captivity for a very long time. We are starting to lose hope. We don’t see the end. I want to tell the IDF: You will not succeed in bringing us back through military force. The only way is through a deal. We just want to go home. I beg you, bring us back alive." The family has now authorized the release of the video and Matan’s words, which were likely dictated by his captors as part of Hamas's psychological warfare.
(Ynetnews)