More than 100,000 people from Ukraine and Sudan can stay in the United States without immediate risk of deportation, the Department of Homeland Security said, in what amounts to a temporary reprieve after their right to stay in the country was set to expire on Monday.Temporary protected status was set to end on Monday for about 101,000 Ukrainians and 1,800 Sudanese. But the DHS said an announcement "will be made at the appropriate time". Until then, the department said in a written statement, Ukrainians and Sudanese in the US covered by those temporary measures "retain protection". The department did not indicate how long they could stay or when a final announcement would be made on their status. Continue reading...
Kenyan starvation cult leader guilty of murder of 190 children and one adult Paul Mackenzie and his church set up sect that ordered followers to starve themselves and their children, say prosecutorsA Kenyan court has found the starvation cult leader Paul Mackenzie and about 30 others guilty of murder over the deaths of 190 children and one adult in one of the world's worst cult-related disasters in recent history.Mackenzie was arrested in 2023 after police received a tipoff, and weeks later authorities began uncovering bodies in shallow graves in the Shakahola forest near the coast in south-eastern Kenya. Continue reading...
Drone attack near market kills 80 in Sudan Witness says drone struck twice at transport hub in al-Dibab, in one of deadliest single attacks of warA drone strike near a market in southern Sudan on Sunday evening killed 80 people, mostly commuters catching rides home.Ahmed Wadi, a witness, said the attack in the town of al-Dibab in West Kordofan state left "50 bodies who I helped bury, one of them my own brother Mohamed". Continue reading...
Ebola cases in Kenya highlight US failures amid Trump cuts to key services Opposition to US-led quarantine center in Kenya follows sweeping funding cuts and withdrawal from WHOAn eighth person in Kenya has tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in the country's first-ever cluster of cases of the virus, as the second-largest outbreak in history has killed more than 4,300 and sickened more than 9,000 people in the region.It highlights the diminished role the US has played in the worsening Ebola outbreak by building a controversial quarantine center in Kenya, pulling back health support globally, and banning travelers from certain countries. All of this has also reduced the ability to identify and respond to the outbreak and exacerbated mistrust. Continue reading...
Hilarious quips and '100,000-volt' energy: the hypemen (and women) redefining Afrobeats music Style of emceeing based on high-octane, ad-libbed vocals has flourished thanks to its unique way of captivating crowdsFor the 2015 freshmen cohort of the history degree programme at the University of Lagos, their classmate's first-semester presentation was so captivating that they began calling him Toby Shang, after the 16th-century Chinese dynasty he had focused on.His crowd engagement that day had been harnessed from his high school days as a ginger-man (energiser) in a three-man band and as a private tutor. By his final year at university, his viral catchphrases and infectious energy had resulted in a hit song, Shedibalabala. Today, he is one of the self-acclaimed "evangelists and pioneers" in the Afrobeats sub-genre some are now calling Afrohype or lamba. Continue reading...
Hurricane Trudy menaces Mexico's Pacific coast and Greece hit by deadly floods Trudy weakens to tropical storm after warnings of strong winds and heavy rain, while one person killed in GreeceIn contrast to the quiet Atlantic hurricane season, there has been ongoing activity in the Pacific, with Trudy being the 22nd and latest named system. The category 2 hurricane remained roughly 100 miles (160km) south-west of the coast of Mexico, meaning the worst of the conditions stayed offshore. However, the US National Hurricane Center put coastal parts of the states of Jalisco, Michoacán and Colima under hurricane warnings, with sustained winds of up to 60-90mph forecast on Sunday.Rainfall totals of 100-150mm were likely for these areas, prompting warnings of flooding and landslides. Warnings also covered the risk of a dangerous storm surge accompanied by damaging waves in areas of onshore winds across the coast of south-western Mexico. By Monday morning, Trudy had weakened and been downgraded to a tropical storm, with coastal warnings being lifted. Continue reading...
Mike Johnson raises concerns over Trump's Russia sanctions waiver as GOP criticism grows Mike Johnson raises concerns over Trump's Russia sanctions waiver as GOP criticism growsSpeaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Sunday that he warned the White House of "unintended consequences" that could stem from waiving sanctions on Russia.President Trump signed an executive order last week waiving sanctions on Russia that were slated to take effect under a legislative package championed by former Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and passed by Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support. The move quickly sparked bipartisan backlash.Asked whether he wants to waive the tariffs or forgo the move, Johnson told Fox News host Larry Kudlow, "Congress voted on this decisively just several weeks ago, and we understand that Putin cannot be trusted.""He demonstrates that over and over and over," Johnson said. "So I did talk to several of my colleagues yesterday who had concerns about that. They're on committees of jurisdiction, like intelligence and foreign affairs, and I didn't talk to the president yesterday because he and I are both traveling nonstop and we're on different schedules. But I told the White House team that we need to talk about it, and I think carefully consider the unintended consequences that may ensue from that."Johnson added that he knows the "president's evaluating this as he does everything else.""Look, he has two major objectives, as you know, Larry. Every day he wants to keep America safe, and he wants to bring down the cost of living for every American. He thinks outside the box with creative ideas all the time, and he carefully evaluates those. So I think the right decision will be made here in the end," Johnson said.Several GOP lawmakers, meanwhile, were quick to bash Trump's move."What part of enforcing a law passed 86-11 by the Senate does the President and his advisors not understand? It's unconscionable that this administration is capitulating to a Russian dictator who illegally invaded Ukraine and butchers innocent civilians every single day," Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) wrote on the social platform X.Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) wrote on X that the president is "prolonging the war, not ending it."Trump has defended the move, writing in a Truth Social post that he is "in the process of negotiating Peace in the war between Russia and Ukraine, and don't want to do anything that will drive, foolishly, Russia away from the bargaining table."Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.This article originally appeared on The Hill at https://thehill.com/homenews/house/6157672-johnson-warns-trump-russia-sanctions/
The balance of power in state governments is on the ballot in many states this November.Both parties could win "trifectas" -- control of the governor's mansion and both chambers of the state legislature -- in some states, which would give them more power to advance their agendas.Jim West/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images - PHOTO: The Arizona State Capitol complex in Phoenix, Feb. 2, 2026.Where Democrats are eyeing trifectas"It's a great environment for Democrats this year and the opportunity in state legislatures is huge," Will Rusche, an official with the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, told ABC News.One opportunity is in Pennsylvania, where Democrats control the state House (103 Democrats to 100 Republicans) but the GOP holds the state Senate (23 Democrats to 27 Republicans).Democrats are hoping to net three seats to flip the Senate and hold onto the governorship if Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro wins reelection. Only half of Pennsylvania's state Senate seats are up for reelection.Democrats have said they'll raise the minimum wage, codify abortion rights and work on transportation funding if they have a trifecta. The Pennsylvania Democratic Party, in partnership with Shapiro, is running the "Rise Up Pennsylvania Initiative" for getting out the vote for congressional, gubernatorial and statehouse elections."You've got the power to help us get more stuff done here in Pennsylvania," Shapiro said at a recent campaign event in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.Jeff Swensen/Getty Images - PHOTO: Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro delivers the keynote speech during the AI Horizons Summit at Bakery Square, Sept. 17, 2026, in Pittsburgh.But Republicans are ready to defend the state Senate."The Pennsylvania State Senate has been a critical shield for the Commonwealth against the radical, socialist ideologies of the Democrats in the PA State House, and the failed policies of Governor Josh Shapiro," James Markley, the executive director of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania, told ABC News in a statement.Minnesota has a state House that is currently split: 67 Democrats, 66 Republicans and one vacancy (in a GOP-leaning seat). Democrats need to net one seat to gain full control.Democratic enthusiasm in the 2026 primaries and what it could mean for midterm electionsThey already control the state Senate (34 Democrats to 33 Republicans) and the governorship, which they also hope to hold.If Democrats gain a trifecta, they said they want to work on affordability and the costs of housing and healthcare, according to Minnesota Public Radio.Nevada has a state Assembly and Senate where Democrats hold comfortable majorities. They're trying to flip the governorship held by Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo.They'll get a trifecta if Democratic candidate Aaron Ford wins the election and Democrats hold the other chambers. One implication: Democrats could repeal Nevada's "right-to-work" law that lets workers get union benefits without paying dues.Where Republicans, or both parties, could notch trifectasRepublicans have fewer opportunities to go on the offense this year in statehouses."Our focus has been on making strategic investments that will give Republicans a chance to overcome historical headwinds and hold as many majorities as possible this fall," Republican State Leadership Committee President Edith Jorge-Tuñón told ABC News.One state where Republicans are eyeing a trifecta: Kansas. The GOP already holds comfortable majorities in the state House (88 Republicans to 37 Democrats) and state Senate (31 Republicans to nine Democrats). Republicans are hoping to flip the governorship.One step Republicans might pursue with a trifecta is redrawing the state's only Democratic-held congressional district. The state's term-limited Democratic governor had previously blocked efforts to do so.Democratic Senate candidate Adam Hamilton says he's fighting for the 'rights of all people'Mark Schiefelbein-Pool/Getty Images - PHOTO: Kansas state senator and candidate for Governor Ty Masterson listens as U.S. Vice President JD Vance speaks during an event at Webco Manufacturing on Sept. 14, 2026, in Olathe, Kansas. In Arizona, Democrats hope to flip both GOP-controlled chambers of the statehouse while Republicans hope to flip the governorship.GOP gubernatorial candidate Andy Biggs' campaign has pointed to working on eliminating or replacing income taxes as well as moves on tax reform and affordability. Democrats, meanwhile, said in 2024 they'd aim for workers and reproductive rights legislation if they got a trifecta.A Republican operative familiar with state level politics told ABC News that Republican gubernatorial candidates in states like Arizona and Pennsylvania who are lagging behind the Democrats in polling present a challenge for down-ballot candidates, who might outperform the gubernatorial candidates.The operative also pointed to the challenging national environment for Republicans and cautioned that Democrats seem too optimistic over making inroads in some statehouses like in Texas and Florida.Michigan, which has a Democratic governor and a split legislature, is also a jump ball. Democrats need to net four seats to flip the state House (currently 52 Democrats, 58 Republicans) and Republicans need to net two seats to flip the state Senate (currently 20 Democrats, 18 Republicans). Republicans are trying to win the governorship as well.Paul Sancya/AP - PHOTO: Democratic gubernatorial nominee and Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, talks during a televised debate, Oct. 6, 2026, at WOOD-TV, in Grand Rapids, Mich.Democrats, if they win a trifecta, could address education, prescription drug pricing and ethics reforms as well as work on a voting rights act, according to The Detroit News and Votebeat. Republicans could institute voting reforms such as a proof-of-citizenship requirement, per Votebeat, and gubernatorial candidate John James has focused on affordability and safety priorities on the campaign trail.
This article originally appeared on Good Morning America at https://abcnews.com/Politics/democrats-republicans-seek-trifectas-2026-midterms/story?id=137293503
Iran threatens to target AI centers and undersea cables if war with U.S. resumes Iran threatens to target AI centers and undersea cables if war with U.S. resumesIranian Revolutionary Guards spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi speaks during a press conference in Tehran, Iran, on September 29. - Majid Asgaripour/Wana News Agency/ReutersIran has signaled that it is preparing for another round of war with the United States and has issued public threats against Washington and its allies in an apparent bid to deter President Donald Trump from restarting the current conflict.Over the past month, Iranian military commanders have intensified a series of public messages claiming that Iran has built large stockpiles of new weapons ready to be unleashed on targets beyond the region should the US resume hostilities that began in February.Iranian officials have threatened to broaden their targets if the conflict resumes, floating options that include cutting undersea internet cables, striking AI data centers, and attacking regional oil and gas facilities."The world will be amazed," Iran's Revolutionary Guards spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi said late last month. "We have new targets that have not yet been attacked," he added.Nearly nine months after the US and Israel launched their war on Iran, the conflict has stagnated into a stalemate that has left everyone uncertain about Trump's endgame and the world grappling with economic unrest. Both sides have claimed victory - Tehran pointing to its survival and Washington the damage inflicted on the Iranian regime. Meanwhile, the Trump administration continues testing new economic and military measures to force Iran into capitulation, which Tehran has stubbornly resisted."The war is not over," Mohebbi said. "The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has prepared itself for a long-term war."
Bracing for war
While Iran's commanders signal strength and readiness, ordinary Iranians, long burdened by conflict and economic uncertainty, are once again bracing for the on the ground realities of war."Every single day and every night, we're waiting for the bombing to start again," a 70-year-old Tehran resident told CNN last week. "I've charged all my power banks, stocked up on water, and got everything ready, because the attacks could start again at any moment, any day."A mother of two described to CNN the fear she lives with as she sends her children to school each morning, past streets where Revolutionary Guards are visible, and military bases remain active."I would like to know exactly what else the US is planning to bomb?" she said. "They couldn't even take (the Iranian leadership) out. You couldn't negotiate either. So, what's the point of starting another war?"A plume of smoke rises following a missile strike on a building in Tehran on March 1. - Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty ImagesIranians are "convinced" war is going to restart, another resident in Tehran told CNN."It's all anyone can talk about…you just have it in the back of your head, is tonight the night? Is it tomorrow? I think it makes it worse that there areall this conversation about it, you can't even take a break," the resident told CNN.The Iranians spoke to CNN on the condition of anonymity in order to speak freely about their fears of further war.
Targeting Europe
Over the last few weeks, White House advisers have held meetings to discuss various options for Iran. While Trump announced publicly that he would not take new actions before the midterm elections, several advisers told CNN privately they didn't know whether that statement was definitive or could change before election day on November 3.The US military has developed new strike plans that include potentially using the so-called "mother of all bombs" to target Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites should Trump give the order to resume combat operations either before or after the midterm elections, according to multiple US officials familiar with the matter. The GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb or MOAB is the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal and would mark a notable escalation."These are propaganda tools intended to intimidate the Iranian people," Alireza Sheikh, an Iranian army commander said on Saturday. "The Iranian people are the father of all bombs."Iran has signaled a new, more offensive military doctrine that suggests it will not wait to be struck and could even launch pre-emptive strikes. Last week, Revolutionary Guards social media accounts reported that Iran conducted military exercises across the country, including launching 30 ballistic missiles in one go.Farzin Nadimi, a senior fellow with The Washington Institute think tank focused on US foreign policy in the region, said if an emboldened Tehran decided to try its new long-range missiles against Europe in an attack, targets might include US forces based at airbases in England, or the logistic hub in Ramstein, Germany, the largest US military installation outside of the US."However, Iran would likely reserve that possibility to a very top level of escalation," Nadimi said.The US moved all of its long-range bombers stationed in the United Kingdom back to their American home bases earlier this month after an unspecified new threat, officials said. Days before the move, the British government arrested a number of individuals in connection with an alleged Iranian plot to target the UK airbase where the US bombers had been stationed.B‑1B Lancer bomber at the UK's RAF Fairford airbase, which hosts US Air Force personnel. - Toby Shepheard/ReutersArmed police stand guard manning a roadblock at an entrance to RAF Fairford base in Fairford, south-west England. - Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty ImagesTo increase their chances of hitting targets, Nadimi said Iran may potentially launch more sophisticated and coordinated swarms of AI-enabled drones fitted with cameras and datalinks that can communicate with each other, adjust flight paths and speed to evade jamming and air defenses."They haven't demonstrated these capabilities yet, but they discussed developing such technologies in the past," Nadimi said.Iran may also seek to advance its cruise missile capabilities to include supersonic propulsion to better evade interception and try jamming military communication and surveillance satellites, he added.
Region prepared
Iranian commanders are preparing for what they regard as an inevitable resumption in hostilities, while also attempting to deter Washington by highlighting the costs of an attack, Ali Vaez, deputy program director for the Middle East and North Africa at International Crisis Group told CNN."Tehran wants to make clear that the next round will be fought on a much wider battlefield, with fewer restraints and potentially more lethal consequences," Vaez said. "But the danger is that what Iran intends as deterrence could be interpreted in Washington as provocation, making the very war Tehran hopes to avert more likely."When the US and Israel launched the war on Iran in February, they killed the Islamic Republic's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei along with Iranian military commanders, top officials, and civilians, including schoolchildren. Iran's retaliation focused mostly on its Arab neighbors, which it accuses of colluding with Washington.Iran effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, the only maritime waterway used by neighboring nations to export oil, before striking civilian infrastructure across Arab cities. Dubai, a major tourist destination, was targeted, water plants in Kuwait were hit, and attacks on data centers disrupted banking services in several countries across the region.An aerial view shows ships anchored off the coast of Khasab in Oman's Musandam Governorate, near the Strait of Hormuz, on October 2. - AFP/Getty ImagesIran fired more than 2,500 missiles and drones on the United Arab Emirates alone, more than any other country, including Israel. Abu Dhabi intercepted nearly all of the projectiles, according to figures by the UAE's defense ministry.Last week, the head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, warned that Iran will target US assets in the region, including within the UAE, in retaliation for any fresh attacks"If another war breaks out, numerous undersea cables, data centers, AI facilities and other infrastructure across the region could be destroyed," Rezaei said.A senior UAE official told journalists on Thursday that his country is better prepared should fighting resume."We don't want war," Ali Al-Nuaimi, chairman of the Defense, Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee of the UAE's Federal National Council said. "But if a war starts today, we are ready to deal with any threat that comes our way better than we were on February 28.""Whatever is needed to protect our national security, sovereignty and people, we will do it."For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.comThis article originally appeared on CNN at https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/19/middleeast/iran-us-conflict-warning-intl
France imposes curfews after violent protests lead to thousands of arrests France imposes curfews after violent protests lead to thousands of arrestsBy Sudip Kar-Gupta and Elizabeth Pineau PARIS, Oct 19 (Reuters) - French authorities set curfews in parts of several cities on Monday, including Paris, Lille and Nice, as they faced pressure over security failings after a weekend of riots and looting stemming from nationwide anti-government protests. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu had ruled out a blanket curfew in Paris but not a state of emergency, and had said it was more appropriate for now to apply partial and localised curfews. "My determination to restore order is absolute," he told reporters. Paris police said they had issued orders barring protests in certain areas of the French capital from 8 p.m. (1800 GMT) and had issued a curfew around the Place de la Republique and Les Halles from 11:00 p.m. Both would remain in effect until 6 a.m. on Tuesday morning. "A police deployment is in place to ensure strict compliance with these measures," the police said in a statement. A source in Lecornu's office said a curfew for minors had been set between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. for the next two days in Lille, Douai, Wattignies and Denain with the agreement of the local mayors. In Nice, mayor Eric Ciotti said in a video posted online that he had signed an order installing a curfew for minors in central Nice overnight. Marseille banned gatherings and demonstrations. French unions meanwhile called for a new round of strikes and rallies on November 5. The weekend of looting and violence between some protesters and police followed weeks of student demonstrations, rocking France six months ahead of its next presidential election and highlighting pressures from a weak economy and surging debt. MINISTER BLAMES FAR LEFT Lecornu blamed far-left groups for some of France's worst unrest in years. "There is, after all, a far-left movement that wants to cause - we can't put it any more strongly - profound unrest in the country in the run-up to the presidential election," he said. Hard-left presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon urged him to provide evidence. "Otherwise, he should apologise, keep quiet and stop fanning the flames of unrest," he said on X. The Federation of Trade and Retail said almost 3,000 shops had been affected over the weekend. "Behind every ransacked shop are business owners, employees and families who have seen years of work and effort wiped out in a matter of hours," it added, calling for social security and tax relief for affected businesses. Lecornu said the government would provide furlough measures from Tuesday. Standing before a boarded-up shopfront, Gerard Nouchi, manager of two clothing stores in Marseille, said there weren't enough police to stop the looters. "They trashed everything, broke things, insulted us," Nouchi said. "It was like a real tornado." The government ordered platforms selling looted goods to take down announcements and collaborate to prosecute resellers, Junior Digital Minister Anne Le Hénanff wrote on X. Some 2,400 people were arrested and one protester died from a cardiac arrest on Saturday while nearly 1,000 officers were injured, according to the Interior Ministry. 'LEFT WITHOUT PROTECTION' French assets were underperforming broader European markets on Monday, though moves were more contained than at some other moments of recent political friction. Tensions in President Emmanuel Macron's fragile government over apparent security shortcomings - coming as the government needs to pass a budget bill to rein in its finances - could further unsettle investors. Macron's office said on Monday he had turned down his Interior Minister Laurent Nunez's offer to resign, telling him instead to put an end to barricades and looting and be transparent over what Macron called "intelligence and foresight failings". Nunez told reporters that Tuesday evening's Champions League soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona would go ahead as planned. The mayors of Paris, Marseille and Lyon said in a joint op-ed in the newspaper Liberation that they were used to demonstrations and protests. "But on Saturday ... for the first time, we had the feeling that whole sections of our cities had been left without protection," said the mayors, all from the centre-left. The start of school holidays on Monday may provide relief, but students were staging more gatherings and blockades in some places, including the Louvre gallery and Sciences Po university in central Paris. LUXURY BOUTIQUES DAMAGED At the weekend, hundreds of thousands took to the streets to protest over what many say are declining and dysfunctional public services. At the Place Vendome in Paris, home to luxury hotels and boutiques, most shops were shuttered and surrounded by security guards on Monday. The front door of a Dior boutique was smashed, while windows belonging to other luxury brand stores in central Paris, including Rolex, Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren and Gucci, were damaged. In Marseille, Ligue 1 club Olympique de Marseille said its official store on the city's historic main avenue had been looted, while a town hall in central France was torched. France deployed 60,000 police and other security forces on Saturday, Nunez told France Inter radio, but he acknowledged that was not enough to control violent crowds. Cost-of-living issues also drove weekend protests in other European countries including Italy, Belgium and Albania. European governments have advised citizens travelling to France to avoid large crowds and exercise caution. As France was busy cleaning up its streets, Macron arrived in Kuwait for a Gulf trip aimed at securing additional petrol and diesel supplies to bring down pump prices. (Reporting by Zhifan Liu, Tassilo Hummel, Elizabeth Pineau, Dominique Vidalon, Alessandro Parodi and Makini Brice in Paris, Sudip Kar-Gupta in Brussels, Amanda Cooper, Alun John and Helen Reid in London; Writing by Tassilo Hummel and Charlie Devereux; Editing by Aidan Lewis and Andrew Cawthorne) This article originally appeared on Reuters at https://www.yahoo.com/news/world/articles/frances-macron-declines-interior-ministers-052023968.html
Homebuyers are backing out of contracts at near-record rates, a potential sign of how higher mortgage rates are prompting buyers to rethink their plans.
Nationwide, 14.5% of homes fell out of contract in September, according to Redfin data, the highest share on record apart from the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Homes can fall out of contract for a number of reasons, such as inspection findings or financing pitfalls, or when a buyer just has a change of heart. But pending sales tend to fall through at higher rates when buyers have more options and more negotiating power, as they currently do in much of the country.
Indeed, metro areas that are notably buyer's markets, like Jacksonville and Tampa, Fla., and Las Vegas, all had contract cancellation rates approaching 20%, higher than anywhere else in the country. But they're relatively rare in strong seller's markets like San Francisco, where just 2.8% of deals fell apart.
Claire Boston is a Senior Reporter for Yahoo Finance covering housing, mortgages, and home insurance.
Ukraine claims world's first drone evacuation of wounded soldier Ukraine claims world's first drone evacuation of wounded soldierAn injured soldier being evacuated by drone in video shared Monday by Ukraine's 92nd Separate Assault Brigade. (Ukraine's 92nd Assault Brigade)Ukraine has shared a video showing what it says is the world's first evacuation of an injured soldier from the front lines by drone.The "historic" mission comes just as Kyiv faces a dire turn in its relationship with Washington over the withdrawal of support in its fight against Russia. Shared by the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade on Monday, the video shows the soldier strapping himself into a large drone and being flown at what appears to be relatively low altitude over blurred-out territory. The drone carefully lowers him, and the drone operator greets him with "Welcome back to the ground!" The video also shows blurred faces of drone operators who carried out the mission. The post said the unidentified infantryman was wounded at his position. "Due to intense enemy drone activity and the presence of landmines, evacuation using conventional unmanned ground vehicles was impossible," the brigade said. "At that point, the specialists in our unit took it upon themselves to attempt something that had never been done before: evacuating a serviceman using an aerial drone," it added. The craft was a heavy-lift hexacopter, it said, originally designed as a bomber by a Ukrainian manufacturer. It looks about twice the size of the soldier in the video. The specialists working on the mission had to ensure the drone could carry a human being without flipping over or swaying excessively, according to the unit. The rescued soldier is undergoing treatment and rehabilitation, the brigade added. The squad leader and programmer with the brigade, identified only by his call sign, Napalm, called the soldier a "hero" for agreeing to the mission, "having seen and heard the kind of machine that had arrived to get him." In a separate statement, Ukraine's Ground Forces said its drone units are already conducting operations "that were recently considered science fiction."The unidentified infantryman was lifted out in a drone rescue mission after he was wounded at his position. (Ukraine's 92nd Separate Assault Brigade )The war has increasingly become a technological arms race, with both Ukraine and Russia relying on drones to reduce human casualties. The conflict has taken a severe toll on both armies, although neither side reports up-to-date numbers of those killed, injured or missing. Ukraine in particular has faced a severe shortage of manpower as it has tried to ramp up recruitment. Ukraine took a major leap in drone technology this year, allowing it to limit Russian logistics in occupied territories, as well as strike deeper inside Russia to target Russian oil refineries, commercial warehouses and data centers. Fires at an oil refinery in Moscow following a reported Ukrainian drone strike on Sept. 20. (Reuters)"This mission proves once again that Ukrainian service members, working in tandem with Ukrainian manufacturers, are setting global trends in the conduct of warfare," the brigade's statement added. Despite hoping its drone innovation would give it the upper hand at the negotiating table, Kyiv has faced pressure from the U.S. to halt its strikes on Russian oil sites after President Donald Trump signed a diesel deal with the Kremlin this month. Kyiv has since also reported gaps in intelligence sharing and restrictions on Elon Musk's Starlink service, which is crucial for its drone missions, battlefield communications and air defense. A Russian missile strike on an apartment building in Kyiv on Tuesday. (Genya Savilov/AFP; Yan Dobronosov/Global Images Ukraine / via Getty)The drone evacuation comes just days after Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi announced the Ukrainian government had approved an "experimental project" to use drones for medical logistics. Koretskyi said that flights would require coordination with the military and that drones would be given a special status and be identifiable in the air. "During the war, moving medical cargo by road can cost critical time, especially for transplants," he said. "Drones will be able to carry medicines, medical products, blood samples and donor organs between hospitals, including from remote areas."This article was originally published on NBCNews.comThis article originally appeared on NBC News at https://www.nbcnews.com/world/ukraine/ukraine-first-drone-evacuation-wounded-soldier-frontlines-hexacopter-rcna604310
