A prisoner swap between the United States and Afghanistan’s Taliban freed two Americans in exchange for a Taliban figure imprisoned for life in California on drug trafficking and terrorism charges

Qatar’s success in helping to broker the long-awaited Gaza ceasefire has enhanced its reputation as an international mediator, with officials now considering which other conflicts they could help resolve.

A Gaza ceasefire agreement has been reached, Qatar has confirmed - as President Joe Biden announced the imminent release of US and Israeli hostages.

In the very last hours of President Joe Biden’s time in office, a prisoner exchange years in the making was finally struck: the Taliban agreed to swap two Americans being held in Afghanistan for one Taliban member serving a life sentence in a US prison.

Qatar's ruler met on Monday with the Middle East envoys for the incoming and outgoing US administrations, his office said in a statement.

In these final actions of his presidency, Biden is asserting his domestic and foreign-policy principles before Trump takes charge.

A prisoner swap between the United States and Afghanistan's Taliban freed two Americans – including a man from Western New York – in exchange for a Taliban figure imprisoned for life in California on drug trafficking and terrorism charges,

The release of two Americans freed in the swap, Ryan Corbett and William McKenty, was brokered before President Joe Biden left office ... the release and thanked Qatar for its assistance ...

Fighters from the Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, control the crowd while Red Cross vehicles come to collect Israeli hostages to be released under a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, Jan. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Abed Hajjar, File)

Qatari PM says ‘pushing for this'; Shin Beit, Mossad chiefs reportedly discussed next stage in Egypt, two weeks before start date; Trump envoy Witkoff also expected to be involved

Qatar might be a small country in the gulf region but they have played a critical role in negotiating on high stakes issues the last few years. […]

The new top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee reminded James Comer of his past interest in presidential ethics.