Major Global Shifts: Prisoner Swaps, Famine Alerts, and Record Heatwaves

This summary covers significant world events, including major prisoner swaps between Ukraine and Russia, famine warnings in Sudan, deadly heatwaves in India, and geopolitical tensions involving NATO, Yemen, and North Korea. Additional highlights include South Africa's shifting political landscape and Donald Trump's historic conviction.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Ukraine and Russia announce major prisoner swap

Ukraine and Russia announced their first exchange of prisoners of war in nearly four months on Friday, with 150 people freed after negotiations mediated by the United Arab Emirates. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said 75 Ukrainian prisoners had been returned from Russia. They included four civilians while the rest were members of the military.

Sudan at 'imminent risk of famine', UN aid chiefs warn

The people of Sudan are at "imminent risk of famine", United Nations agencies said on Friday, more than a year into a war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Around 18 million people are already acutely hungry, including 3.6 million children who are acutely malnourished, according to a joint statement by U.N. chiefs including Volker Turk, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights

At least 24 dead in eastern India as temperatures soar

At least 24 people died of suspected heatstroke in India's eastern states of Bihar and Odisha on Thursday, and the heatwave in the region is expected to continue until Saturday, authorities said. India has been experiencing a blisteringly hot summer and a part of capital Delhi recorded the country's highest ever temperature at 52.9 degrees Celsius (127.22°F) this week, though that may be revised with the weather department checking the sensors of the weather station that registered the reading.

NATO chief dismisses Russian warnings after lifting of arms restrictions

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Friday dismissed warnings by Russian President Vladimir Putin that allowing Kyiv to use Western weapons for strikes inside Russian territory might lead to an escalation. Speaking on the sidelines of a NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Prague, Stoltenberg said the alliance had heard such warnings many times before.

Ex-leader Zuma's populist party becomes top disrupter in South Africa vote

The biggest winner in South Africa's election this week may be former President Jacob Zuma, whose newly formed uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party has exceeded expectations and emerged as a major factor in the African National Congress' sharp drop in support. MK is not going to win the election and is unlikely to be a coalition partner, analysts say, while Zuma is barred from standing for parliament because of a conviction for contempt of court.

Yemen's Houthis say they launched missile attack on US aircraft carrier Eisenhower in Red Sea

Yemen's Houthis launched a missile attack on the U.S. aircraft carrier Eisenhower in the Red Sea in response to U.S. and British strikes on Yemen, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said on Friday. Six U.S. and British strikes have killed 16 people and wounded 41, including civilians, Saree said in a televised statement.

Israeli military says combat in part of north Gaza is over

Israeli forces have ended operations in north Gaza's Jabalia area after days of intense fighting and over 200 airstrikes, while probing further into Rafah in south Gaza, targeting what they say is the last major redoubt of Hamas battalions. Israeli troops found caches of rocket launchers and other weapons, as well as Hamas tunnel shafts in the centre of Rafah, the military said on Friday, pressing an offensive to break up militant combat units it says are hunkered down in the city on the border with Egypt.

South Africa heads for coalition as ANC support plunges

South African parties geared up for coalition talks on Friday as the governing African National Congress (ANC) looked set to fall well short of a majority for the first time in 30 years of democracy. While the party of the late Nelson Mandela looked likely to remain the largest political force after Wednesday's election, voters appeared to have punished the former liberation movement for years of decline.

US, allies 'gravely concerned' by North Korea-Russia cooperation

The United States and its main allies on said on Friday they are "gravely concerned" by deepening cooperation between North Korea and Russia and called for an end to North Korean arms transfers for use against Ukraine. The U.S. secretary of state and foreign ministers from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Britain, as well the EU High Representative, issued a joint statement highlighting their recent coordination of sanctions measures in response to such activity.

Guilty on all counts, Donald Trump becomes first US president convicted of a crime

Donald Trump became the first U.S. president to be convicted of a crime on Thursday when a New York jury found him guilty of falsifying documents to cover up a payment to silence a porn star ahead of the 2016 election. After two days of deliberation, the 12-member jury pronounced Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts he faced.