A Houston-area man was arrested Thursday and federally charged with the sexual exploitation of children for obtaining explicit images and videos of women throughout the United States, many of whom were minors, and using them for extortion, according to a criminal complaint.

Ukrainian troops “enjoyed success” in villages near Bakhmut, a key town seized by Russian forces in May after some of the heaviest fighting in the 19-month-old war. Ilia Yevlash, spokesperson for Ukraine’s forces in the east, told national television that Russia trained fire on Ukrainian soldiers 580 times on this front and used aircraft four times. “On the southern flank, we continue the offensive operation. In particular, we have had successes near Zaitseve, Klishchiivka, Odradivka and Ivanivske. There, our defenders continue to knock out the enemy. Under heavy fire, they are holding the defence and consolidating positions,” he said during the 24/7 national forecast. The Ukrainian army killed 141 Russian troops and destroyed several pieces of Russian artillery equipment, the spokesperson said. On the southern front, Russian forces were bringing in reserves as Ukrainian troops dug in and were poised to move on the village of Verbove as part of their advance to the Sea of Azov, said Oleksandr Shtupun, a spokesperson for the troops in the south. "I believe we will soon have good news," the spokesperson said. The battlefield’s “loud” successes were cheered on by president Volodymyr Zelensky in his nightly address who confirmed damage to Russian logistics and headquarters. “The first is the actual situation at the front, our offensive and defensive operations. Important reports on the east and south. On the destruction of logistics and headquarters of the occupiers. There are good details. Loud details. I thank all the Ukrainian warriors who distinguished themselves!” he said on Tuesday evening. While Russian forces aimed their strikes on Ukraine’s grain exporting district, Kyiv’s forces also struck back on Monday and Tuesday with a growing number of attacks inside Russia and Russian-occupied Crimea. The governor of Russia’s Kursk region said power had been cut off to about seven settlements in the latest reported attack. Russia’s defence ministry said a drone had been destroyed over the Kursk region at around 5.30 am local time. Ukraine fired its counteroffensive operations in early June and is gradually progressing with gains in eastern and southern Ukraine where Russian forces have managed to breach the territory. But Ukrainian troops have targeted these regions in its bid to push back Russian soldiers off its territory. After a grinding slow start in June, Ukraine has reported a chain of success in recapturing its settlements and villages in Bakhmut, Zaporizhzhia and southern regions as it continues to move through heavily mined and destroyed towns and cities. Read More Ukraine-Russia war – live: Putin planning new ‘assault units’ despite Moscow’s ‘mobilisation issues’ Destruction in Ukraine’s eastern village of Klishchiivka captured in aerial footage Explosions from Russian drone attack on Odesa region seen from ferry on Danube Russia tries to rejoin UN Human Rights Council

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was impeached in an extraordinary vote by the state’s Republican-dominated House of Representatives,

Donald Trump has defended CNN over his chaotic town hall appearance on Wednesday evening, saying the network did “the right thing” by giving him a mainstream media platform. The former president has also begun his appeal against the verdict in the E Jean Carroll case after he was found liable for sexual abuse and defamation earlier this week. Ms Carroll, 79, has meanwhile said she may sue Mr Trump for a third time over his “vile” comments during Wednesday’s broadcast, telling The New York Times that his comments were “just stupid, it’s just disgusting, vile, foul, it wounds people”. Her attorney, Roberta Kaplan, told the newspaper: “Everything’s on the table, obviously, and we have to give serious consideration to it.” CNN CEO Chris Licht praised moderator Kaitlan Collins on Thursday for her “masterful performance last night” during an editorial call with network staff, batting away criticism of her failure to bring Mr Trump to heel. “America was served very well by what we did last night,” Licht said, according to media reporter Brian Stelter, who suggested that many of the company’s own employees might not agree with his assessment. Read More CNN is defending its disgusting Trump town hall. But the consequences have only just begun Trump campaign uses footage from Ukraine in attempt to depict Americans suffering from rising housing costs The danger of America’s ageing politicians The two-word slur that tells us everything we need to know about Donald Trump Trump's sexual assault verdict marks a rare moment of accountability. And women are noticing

President Joe Biden intends to nominate Michael Whitaker as administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, the White House announced Thursday.

A delegation of security officials, diplomats and journalists accompanying the South African president to Ukraine and Russia was stranded on a separately chartered plane at Warsaw’s airport for more than 24 hours. Polish authorities said on Friday that the problem was over permissions for firearms. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is among a group of African leaders visiting Kyiv and Moscow on a mission to encourage a resolution to Russia’s war on Ukraine. According to the Poland Border Guard agency, Ramaphosa's security detail did not have permission for the weapons they were carrying, which resulted in a standoff. The president's office described the incident as “very unfortunate and deeply regrettable” but said his security was not compromised. “Members of the delegation had weapons which they did not have permission to bring, but they could leave the plane themselves,” the Polish agency tweeted Friday. “Our officials remain engaged with their Polish counterparts in trying to resolve the situation,” said Vincent Magwenya, Ramaphosa's spokesman. Among the group was Maj. Gen. Wally Rhoode, the head of Ramaphosa’s personal protection unit, who claimed the delegation faced hostile treatment from Polish authorities, including one of their female colleagues who was strip searched. Rhoode told journalists from the steps of the plane that Polish officials were being deliberately obstructive and had tried to “confiscate” firearms from them — even though the arms were being transported in secure cases in the plane’s cargo hold. South African journalists who were stuck on the plane were tweeting that they were later told to disembark and proceed to customs. It was unclear whether they would be allowed to proceed to Kyiv, where Ramaphosa and other African heads of state are expected to hold talks with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The incident sparked debate in South Africa, where many suggested the standoff was an indirect message to the country over its non-aligned stance on the war that has led to diplomatic tensions with the West. ___ Associated Press writers Vanessa Gera in Warsaw and Gerald Imray in Cape Town, South Africa, contributed to this story. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide

Magic Johnson’s love for his Los Angeles Lakers has kept him from considering ownership of any other NBA team

Wildfires have claimed most lives in Algeria, but blazes are also widespread in Greece and Italy.

It will be harder to break into the cockpit on new airline planes

Some of the most expensive major cities in the US — like San Francisco and Washington — also

Authorities described the suspect Santos Diaz Escobar to be a white-Hispanic man, 5 feet 4 inches tall and 150 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes

By Lucy Craymer WELLINGTON New Zealand's national radio broadcaster has launched an investigation and put a staff member