Name: Elderly couple held by Taliban returns to Britain with Qatars help
Uploaded: 2025-09-20T13:09:52.352Z
Duration: 2 min 8 s
Description: After Peter and Barbie Reynolds were reunited with their daughter in Qatar, the country that mediated their release. They will now return to the UK.

After Peter and Barbie Reynolds were reunited with their daughter in Qatar, the country that mediated their release. They will now return to the UK.

Doha

A British couple, Peter Reynolds and his wife Barbie, who had lived in Afghanistan for almost two decades running educational programs, have been released after being held by the Taliban for more than seven months. Their release was secured through diplomatic negotiations between the UK and the Taliban, with Qatar acting as mediator. The couple, both Afghan citizens, were detained in February on undisclosed charges after choosing to remain in Afghanistan following the Taliban's return to power in 2021. Their family expressed deep gratitude to both the British and Qatari governments for their efforts in securing the couple's release. The diplomatic success comes shortly after Qatar hosted an emergency summit in response to regional tensions.

Elderly couple held by Taliban returns to Britain with Qatar's help

A British couple held in Afghanistan for more than seven months are finally on their way home. Their release on Friday comes after high-level negotiations between the UK and Taliban, mediated by Qatar. It's being hailed as a clear example of how diplomacy can ease tensions, even during times of conflict. 80-year-old Peter Reynolds and his 76-year-old wife Barbie had lived in Afghanistan for nearly two decades, running educational programs. The couple, who are Afghan citizens, chose to remain in the country after the Taliban returned to power in 2021. In February, they were detained on undisclosed charges. Actually, it's continuous efforts by my government to keep our policy in helping releasing hostages and our mediation and diplomacy. So we are very grateful for Afghanistan, UK, for their cooperation to conclude this case in this way that you have just presented. And it's a very good moment for us to show our appreciation and to make sure that this is the way that we should deal with problems and conflicts and how to resolve it with dialogue, with good manners and also with peaceful solutions. Their daughter says the family is overwhelmed with gratitude and relief, thanking both the Qatari and British governments for their role in securing her parents' release. This experience has reminded us of the power of diplomacy, empathy and international cooperation. We are forever grateful to the Qatari and British governments for standing with us during this difficult time. Thank you for giving us our family back. The release comes just days after Qatar hosted the Emergency Arab-Islamic Summit. That was in direct response to the September 9th Israeli airstrike that targeted Hamas leadership, who were gathered in the Qatari capital to discuss a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal. Adel Halim, Euronews, Doha.

A Collaborative Combat Aircraft, the AI-powered fighter YFQ-44A has begun flight testing, as General Atomics takes to the sky as well.

California

Anduril's unmanned AI-powered fighter jet 'Fury' makes first flight

The U.S. Senate is voting on a bill to fund and reopen the government. Earlier Sunday, the Trump administration ordered states to "undo" SNAP benefits payments amid the funding halt.

Washington

Trump admin orders states to 'undo' SNAP payments ahead of Senate vote

Israeli settlers attacked a group of Palestinian villagers, activists and journalists on Saturday (November 8) who had gathered during an attempt to harvest olives near a settler outpost in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, witnesses said. Two Reuters employees were among those injured in the attack by the men who wielded sticks and clubs, and hurled large rocks at them.

Jerusalem

Israeli settlers attack Palestinians, journalists in West Bank

Ukrainian energy companies reported a complete power outage after two thermal power plants supplying the Kyiv and Kharkiv were struck overnight by Russia. Officials in Kyiv also shared that their forces carried out strikes targeting the Kremlin's energy sector, which it says funds the invasion.

Kyiv

Ukraine and Russia trade overnight strikes on energy facilities

A tragic Saturday in Tenerife left three people dead and at least 15 injured as exceptionally high waves gripped the Canary archipelago. Officials are reporting waves that can reach as high as four metres.

Tenerife

Three dead as giant waves lash Tenerife

COP30 has kicked off in Belem, Brazil, drawing 50,000 participants to the gateway to the Amazon rain forest. One key topic of the summit is adapting to a warmer world, as well as who will bear the costs for that.

Belém

Brazil welcomes world leaders to Amazon for COP30

Nearly a million people have been evacuated from their homes in the Philippines, as Super Typhoon Fung-wong approaches the country. It’s the most powerful storm to threaten the country this year and is due to make landfall just days after an earlier typhoon killed more than 200 people.

Manila

State of emergency declared as Super Typhoon approaches Philippines

This time last year, Ahmed al-Sharaa was wanted by the U.S. with a 10-million-dollar bounty on his head. Today, he's preparing to hold talks with Donald Trump in the White House as the president of Syria. Sharaa arrived in Washington a day after the U.S. removed him from a blacklist.

Damascus

Global sanctions on Syria eased as leader visits U.S.

At least 6 people are dead and 750 people injured after a tornado tore through a town in southern Brazil. Rescuers are still searching for survivors from under the remains of homes and businesses hit by the powerful storm.

Rio Bonito do Iguaçu

Brazil cleans up after deadly tornado

The U.S. government shutdown is now at 40 days—the longest in American history—with no sign of it ending soon. That’s led to chaos at airports but also knock-on effects across industries.

Miami

No end in sight for longest government shutdown in U.S. history

Delays are stacking up across the U.S. Throughout the day, ground stops have been put in place and lifted, fluctuating with staffing levels at several major airports. With more airline flight cuts coming, things will only get worse for flyers. Andres Gutierrez reports.

John F. Kennedy International Airport

Flight cuts could double if shutdown drags into Thanksgiving

Millions of Americans who depend on federally funded food assistance programs, known as SNAP, remain in limbo as the Supreme Court temporarily blocked a full payment of SNAP benefits for now.

Millions who depend on SNAP in limbo as Supreme Court blocks payment

The Supreme Court has ruled that the Trump administration could temporarily withhold SNAP benefits after a previous judge ordered the White House to provide full federal food benefits to states by Friday.

Latest Supreme Court ruling adds to shutdown confusion

Satellite imagery is showing details of the humanitarian crisis in Sudan amid the country's ongoing civil war. People in al-Fashir were shot in the streets, targeted in drone strikes, crushed by trucks and abducted, witnesses have said after the RSF, violently seized the Sudanese city.

Al Fashir

Satellite imagery shows horrors in Sudan

At least 14 people were killed in the UPS cargo plane crash near the Louisville International Airport on Tuesday, officials said. UPS and FedEx announced they were grounding their fleets of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 planes "out of an abundance of caution."

Louisville

At least 14 people killed in UPS plane crash, officials say

A deadly typhoon has hit Vietnam after wreaking havoc in the Philippines, where more than a hundred are dead and the number is expected to climb.

Hanoi

Typhoon Kalmaegi pounds Vietnam, death toll rising

In the U.S., more than 1,000 flights were cancelled and thousands more delayed as the Federal Aviation Administration struggles with the impacts of the 37-day government shutdown that left air traffic controllers without pay.

Los Angeles International Airport

Flight cancellations expanding fast due to U.S government shutdown

Ukraine says Russian drone and missile attacks have killed at least three people and damaged energy facilities in three regions. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has admitted his forces are facing a “difficult situation” holding back Russian troops in the strategic city of Pokrovsk.

Pokrovsk

Ukraine Invasion

Deaths, injuries after Russia hits residential and energy sites in Ukraine

Colombia is once again at the centre of the global drug debate. Under President Gustavo Petro, the government has vowed to move away from decades of U.S.-backed eradication efforts. But as coca cultivation expands to record levels, Washington’s pressure is mounting.

Bogotá

Tensions growing between U.S. and Colombia

Hamas says it's retrieved the remains of an Israeli soldier from a tunnel near Rafah. It's believed to be the body of officer Hadar Goldin. He's one of the five remaining captives meant to be returned to Israel, under the terms of the Gaza ceasefire deal.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Middle East Conflict

Hamas locates body of deceased Israeli soldier

The United States will officially boycott the upcoming G20 summit in South Africa, escalating a diplomatic dispute by reiterating his controversial claims about the treatment of white farmers in the country and calling the choice of host "a complete disgrace".

Cape Town

U.S. to boycott G20 summit in South Africa over abuse claims

A tornado accompanied by strong winds and heavy rain struck the southern Brazilian state of Parana, killing at least six people, the state government said on Saturday.

Guarapuava

Six killed after tornado lashes Brazil, hundreds injured

The Hungarian leader said he has managed to convince US President Donald Trump to grant his country a full exemption from sanctions for the purchase of Russian energy, after detailing to him the dire consequences it would have on the Hungarian people.

Trump to grant Hungary exemption from sanctions on Russian energy

World leaders are gathering at the heart of the Amazon for global climate summit COP30 in Belem, Brazil, with Earth set to surpass 1.5 C of warming in the next decade, a climate change skeptic in the White House and worry that global co-operation to fight climate change is collapsing.

World leaders gather in Brazil for COP30 climate summit

Tesla shareholders approved a historic pay package worth one trillion dollars to the company's CEO, Elon Musk. At the company's annual meeting they paved the way for Musk to become the world's first trillionaire.

San Francisco

Tesla approves $1 trillion pay deal for CEO Elon Musk

The White House meeting came after Trump managed to at least temporarily ease tensions between the U.S. and China over the export of rare earth metals, a major source of contention in their trade talks.

Trump hails Central Asian leaders to forge critical mineral ties

Sudan's army rebuffed a U.S. proposal for a ceasefire and said it will rally public support to fight rebels who've captured much of the western half of the country.

Johannesburg

Sudan army rebuffs U.S. ceasefire proposal, prepares to fight on

The U.S. Senate narrowly voted 51-49 to block a resolution that sought to prevent President Donald Trump from launching strikes on Venezuela without congressional approval. The measure, led by Senators Tim Kaine, Adam Schiff, and Rand Paul, followed reports that U.S. forces have carried out at least 16 strikes on boats off Venezuela since September, killing more than 65 people.

Washington County

U.S. war on drugs: Senate republicans block move to stop boat attacks

In a video letter to her constituents, California Democrat Nancy Pelosi ended months of speculation about her political future, announcing she would not seek reelection to Congress. Elected in 1987, Pelosi would become the most powerful women in politics as the first female House speaker.

Nancy Pelosi announces retirement after historic career in Congress

Israel’s military says it has begun conducting “a wave of strikes” targeting Hezbollah military sites in southern Lebanon.

Breakdown