The U.S. and Russia are said to be involved in talks to reach a prisoner exchange which could include detained journalist Evan Gershkovich. The Wall Street journalist has been in a Russian jail since his arrest in March last year.

Moscow

The United States and Russia are reportedly in discussions regarding a potential prisoner exchange deal. The talks are said to include the possibility of exchanging detained journalist Evan Gersovich. Gersovich, who is a journalist for The Wall Street Journal, has been held in a Russian jail following his arrest in March of the previous year. 

The inclusion of Gersovich in the prisoner exchange negotiations highlights the significant diplomatic efforts both nations are undertaking. The discussions between the U.S. and Russia mark a crucial point of diplomatic engagement amidst broader tensions. 



Russia, U.S. discussing Evan Gershkovich exchange deal

Russia believes prisoner exchanges with the US are effective only if they are agreed behind closed doors. In June 2021, in Geneva, Russian and US intelligence services created a channel to negotiate prison exchanges and it was agreed that it would operate confidentially. In 2022, two successful swaps took place. Pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko was freed in exchange for Marine veteran Trevor Reed and arms dealer Viktor But for basketball player Brittany Greiner. Now Washington is eager to bring home another former Marine Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. Russia accused Whelan, a career intelligence officer, of trying to recruit agents from the Security Service and Defense Ministry. He's serving a 16-year term in a high-security prison. Gershkovich was also arrested on charges of espionage. Often people can be used to collect intelligence without knowing it. This is standard practice for any intelligence service. A person can collect information sincerely believing that he is gathering material for an article. It must be understood that any journalist, and Gershkovich is a journalist and a Russian-speaking person well immersed in our environment, could cause great damage. During an interview with US media, President Vladimir Putin revealed discussions about a deal involving Gershkovich were in progress. I would also like him to go home eventually. I say this sincerely, I repeat, the dialogue is ongoing. The more we publicize things like this, the more difficult it is to resolve them. The Wall Street Journal denies the reporter is a spy and maintains Putin is building up a pool of foreign prisoners to exchange for a few Russians he really wants back. But Alexander Atamonov disagrees. I wouldn't say someone is specifically creating an exchange fund. Foreign agents often turn up at some point. When an intelligence service receives a surrender or, should I say, failed agent from the opposite side, it begins assessing how valuable that person is. Not a viable candidate to exchange? Numerous sources suggest Washington turns to its ally Germany, where Russian intelligence officer Vadim Krasikov is serving a life sentence for murder. Berlin was reportedly considering swapping him for Alexei Navalny before the Kremlin critic died in jail. Currently, a number of other Russian-American dual nationals are also waiting to be sentenced in Russia. Negotiations on a possible exchange of those prisoners seem to have stalled after Navalny's death. Russia is unlikely to stop arresting people it considers foreign agents because it has no plans to wind down its intelligence activities abroad.

Israel has ordered civilians in Rafah to move towards Khan Younis, in the clearest sign yet that a military operation is imminent. A ceasefire in Gaza looks as distant as ever with Hamas refusing to lay down arms unless there is a complete cessation of the war. Meanwhile, Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would go it alone if necessary, even in the face of criticism from its Western allies.

Rafah

Israel-Gaza War

Israeli army orders Palestinians to evacuate parts of Rafah

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Council of the City of Sydney

Brothers identified as victims of Mexico robbery

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Mascot

Qantas ordered to pay compensation over 'ghost flight' scandal

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Penrith

Police officer accused of assaulting rape victim

The death toll from heavy rains that have caused flooding in Brazil's southern state of Rio Grande do Sul has risen to at least 78, local authorities said, with more than 115,000 people displaced.

State of Rio Grande do Sul

Climate Crisis

Death toll rises in record-breaking Brazil floods

China's President Xi Jinping has arrived in France for a rare visit with President Emmanuel Macron. They are set to discuss trade, amid growing tension between Europe and China over an imbalance between China's exports and European imports.

Paris

China's Xi Jinping visits Europe amid global tensions

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Chicago

Protests disrupt graduation ceremonies at U.S. universities

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Tel Aviv-Yafo

Gaza truce hopes fade as Israel, Hamas trade blame

The Israeli cabinet has voted to unanimously shut down Al Jazeera's operations in the country. That's according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement on X. 
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Israel announces ban of Al Jazeera channel, website

Australian police said they have shot dead a boy after he stabbed a man in Western Australia's capital Perth, in an attack authorities said indicated terrorism.

Perth

Australian police shoot boy dead after stabbing

Sadiq Khan has been elected mayor of London, winning a historic third term after a dramatic contest. Khan was declared the winner over the Conservative candidate, Susan Hall with 43.8% of the vote.

London

Sadiq Khan elected London mayor for third term

Floods have killed at least 58 people in southern Brazil. Nearly 70,000 have been forced from their homes. Tens of thousands of people have been left without drinking water or electricity. It's the worst flooding the region has seen in more than 80 years.

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Students at the University of California in Irvine say they will remain on campus until all their demands are met. School officials say they'll continue to negotiate with the protesters -- and are hoping to reach a deal soon.

Irvine

Police, protesters in stand-off at California university

The Federal Government will cut $3 billion in student debts, in measures to be announced in next week's budget. The reforms will see the student loans of three million graduates by an average of $1200 and changes to loan indexation.

Camperdown

Labor to wipe $3 billion of student debts

Mexican authorities have charged three suspects over the disappearance of Australian brothers Callum and Jake Robinson and their American friend Jack Carter Rhoad. It's believed the tourists became embroiled in a bungled robbery. Four bodies were found near the trio's abandoned campsite, but are yet to be formally identified.

Baja California

Mexican authorities lay charges over Australian brothers' disappearance

A knife-wielding teenage boy has been shot dead by police in Bunnings carpark in Willetton, Perth. The 16-year-old boy had phoned Triple Zero saying he planned ‘acts of violence’ and stabbed a male member of the public. The WA Police Commissioner says the teenager had ‘mental health and radicalisation issues’.

Willetton

Police shoot dead ‘radicalised’ teenage boy in Perth

The death toll from rains in Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul rose to 57, local authorities said on Saturday (May 4) afternoon, while dozens still have not been accounted for.

Dozens missing amid record-breaking Brazil flooding

There are renewed hopes for a ceasefire in Gaza after a Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo to continue talks amid reports of a proposal agreed to by Israel to halt fighting for an initial 40 days in exchange for the release of hostages.

Hopes rise for Gaza ceasefire amid Hamas talks

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Pro-Palestine university protests spread to London

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Jerusalem

Five Palestinian fighters killed during West Bank raid

Dozens of people in two rubber dinghies have reached the southern coast of England, the latest among thousands of asylum-seeking migrants to make the risky sea crossing from France this year.

Dover

Asylum seekers arrive in England despite Rwanda threat

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Canberra

Pressure mounts on Immigration Minister after latest detainee incident

Mexican authorities have reportedly discovered a fourth body near the cliff site where Perth brothers Jake and Callum Robinson disappeared, along with their American friend Jack Carter Rhoad. The Australian family of the brothers are en route to Mexico. The bodies are yet to be formally identified.

Ensenada

Fourth body discovered in Mexico search for Australian brothers

Ukraine is eagerly waiting for Western aid as Russia racks up more victories on the battlefield. Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron on a visit to Kyiv gave Ukraine the go-ahead to use British weapons to strike directly at Russia.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

U.K. allows its weapons to be used on Russian soil

Canadian police have charged three Indian men with the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year and said they were probing whether the men had ties to the Indian government.

Surrey

Canada police charge three with murder of Sikh leader

China has launched an uncrewed spacecraft on a nearly two-month mission to retrieve rocks and soil from the far side of the moon, the first country to make such an ambitious attempt.

Wenchang

China launches mission to far side of the moon

Britain's opposition Labour Party won a parliamentary seat in northern England on Friday (May 3) and control of several councils, inflicting heavy losses on the governing Conservatives to pile more pressure on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

U.K.'s Labour claims big early win over Conservatives

Turkey has announced that it is halting trade with Israel, worth $7 billion a year, until a permanent ceasefire and humanitarian aid are secured in Gaza. Israel denounced the decision as breaking trade agreements.

Ankara

Turkey to stop trade with Israel until Gaza ceasefire

Media watchdog group Reporters Without Borders warned of declining government support for press freedom as it unveiled its annual world rankings on Friday, highlighting Argentina among the countries where the situation has deteriorated.

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Arizona's Democratic governor signed a bill overturning an 1864 law banning abortion, a month after the state's supreme court said the Civil War-era rule was valid.