Trump administration changes have upended the U.S. agency charged with providing humanitarian aid to countries overseas, with dozens of senior officials put on leave, thousands of contractors laid off, and a sweeping freeze imposed on billions of dollars in foreign assistance.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the pause on foreign assistance Thursday, saying "the U.S. government is not a charity."

Five years ago Friday, two crowds of people gathered near Britain's Parliament — some with Union Jacks and cheers, others European Union flags and tears.

On Jan. 31, 2020 at 11 p.m. London time – midnight at EU headquarters in Brussels — the U.K. officially left the bloc after almost five decades of membership that had brought free movement and free trade between Britain and 27 other European countries.

The Army helicopter and regional American Airlines jet that collided over Washington are both workhorse aircraft that operate around the world on a daily basis.

There were 60 passengers and four crew members on the jet, a Bombardier CRJ-700, officials said. Three service members were on a training flight on the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. None are believed to have survived the Wednesday night collision, which caused both aircraft to plunge into the frigid Potomac River.

Israel released 110 Palestinian prisoners on Thursday in exchange for three Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Five Thai workers held captive in the enclave were also freed in a separate deal with Thailand. Thursday's prisoner-for-hostage swap marked the third round of exchanges as a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas entered its second week.

Most of the prisoners stepped off the Red Cross bus and onto the shoulders of jubilant supporters in the occupied West Bank, where U.N. data shows that one in five Palestinians has passed through Israeli jail and the release of prisoners is a source of joyous national celebration — a homecoming in which almost all Palestinians felt they could partake.

Hezbollah legislator Ibrahim Moussawi called Friday Israeli strikes on east Lebanon "a very dangerous violation and a blatant and explicit aggression."

Two people were killed and 10 others were wounded in an overnight strike on an unofficial border crossing in eastern Lebanon, as Israel launched four strikes on the Janta border crossing in the eastern province of Baalbek, while two other strikes targeted two illegal Syria-Lebanon border crossings in northern Lebanon late Thursday and early Friday.

Hamas confirmed the death of Mohammad Deif, head of its military wing and one of the alleged masterminds of the Oct. 7 attack, six months after Israel announced he was killed in an airstrike in Gaza.

It was Hamas’ first statement on his condition since the Israeli military announced last August that he was killed in southern Gaza the month before. Hamas also confirmed the deaths of four other members.

Crowds of Palestinians — the relatives and friends of released prisoners but also scores of jubilant supporters — mobbed buses carrying the prisoners. As soon as they stepped off the buses, the crowd hoisted the prisoners in the air.

Zakaria Zubeidi — a prominent former militant leader and theater director who took part in a dramatic jailbreak in 2021 before being rearrested days later — wore a grey prison jumpsuit and flashed a victory sign from inside one of the buses.

Sixteen environmental activists who were jailed for actions including stopping traffic, blocking an oil facility and splashing a van Gogh painting with soup went to a London court Wednesday to challenge their sentences.

The Just Stop Oil protesters say they received unduly harsh prison terms –- between 15 months and five years –- for disruptive but peaceful actions.

After a frantic last round of action Wednesday, the inaugural 36-team league phase in Champions League history is over.

Here's a look at some of the numbers that tell the story of how the first season in the new-look format has gone:

Neymar's move from Al-Hilal to Brazilian club Santos means the Saudi Pro League has lost one of its most high-profile players.

The Brazilian attacker was among the global stars who transferred to Saudi clubs in 2023 when Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr and Karim Benzema left Real Madrid for Al-Ittihad.