*Evening News Round-up: Friday 20 June 2025* *Headlines* *Dictatorship By-laws: Opposition MPs Push Back Against ZANU PF’s Move For National Ideology* *Kudakwashe Tagwirei Elevated To ZANU PF Central Committee* *Helicopter Docs Deliver 13-year-old’s Baby Mid-Air* *Shortage Of Skilled Health Care Workers Affecting Standards* *Chillmaster Misses Out As Nisha Ts Joins Germany’s Moto Moto Festival* *“University Of Zimbabwe Now A Factory Of Fake Degrees”* *Zimbabwe Woman Sells Infant Via Facebook* *Zimbabwe Faces $15 Million Annual Shortfall for Contraceptive Supplies* *Zambian Ex-president To Be Buried In South Africa After Funeral Row* *Israel Kills "All" Iranian Leaders* *Trump Aid Cuts Deal A Blow To HIV Prevention In Africa* *Rwanda Arrests Opposition Leader Ingabire, Her Lawyer Protests* *Iran, Israel Trade Air Attacks As Conflict Enters Second Week* *Russia & Ukraine Swap More POWs In Second Exchange In Two Days* *Myles Lewis-Skelly Agrees New Arsenal Contract* Join our *Ad-free* News Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VacXkvFJJhzd2UoZYF1F *Stories in Detail:* *Dictatorship By-laws: Opposition MPs Push Back Against ZANU PF’s Move For National Ideology* PARLIAMENT is divided over the motion for Zimbabwe to adopt a legal framework for a National Ideology, which opposition legislators have condemned as the “ZANU-fication” of the country, warning it could lead to the suppression of government critics. Recently, ZANU PF Member of Parliament (MP) Joseph Mapiki tabled a motion for the National Assembly to debate the adoption of a national ideology across Zimbabwean society. According to Mapiki, the National Ideology would entrench patriotism and Zimbabwean identity. However, the proposal has angered opposition legislators, who fear the legal framework could be used to restrict democratic freedoms. Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) MP Lynnette Karenyi-Kore argued that if passed, the law would be weaponised against opposition members. “Our Constitution guarantees freedom of thought, opinion and expression. To enforce patriotism legally would infringe upon these basic rights, Madam Speaker. “Creating a legal framework compelling ideological loyalty undermines democracy and pluralism through thriving on diversity of opinion. The dangers of institutionalising ideology are as follows: An ideology institution sounds disturbing. “History has shown us that once States begin controlling ideology, State abuse, censorship and suppression of dissent follow. Decisiveness and weaponisation risk, it is also going to be one of the challenges,” said Karenyi. ZANU PF is pushing to nationalise the ideological school concept it established within its party. The ruling party has previously proposed enrolling civil servants into the Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology. The National Ideology would also be incorporated into the school curriculum, with patriotism as a core component of education from primary to tertiary level. CCC legislator Gladys Hlatywayo warned that the proposal risks being hijacked by ZANU PF’s interests rather than serving the nation. “Terms such as national interest are often euphemisms for advancing party interest and the interest of the ruling class or ruling elite. In this case, legislating patriotism might be legislating the zanufication of the State. “There is also a danger that legislating patriotism can erode civil liberties and restrict freedoms of speech, assembly and association. These civil liberties are at the heart of any democratic society and encoded in our own Bill of Rights, in our own Constitution, and must therefore be protected and protected rather than taken away by opaque, divisive and undemocratic laws under the guise of legislative patriotism. “The proposed prayer by the mover of the motion also has a chilling effect on public discourse Madam Speaker. Open, honest public debate that is so instrumental to democratic development might be discouraged as fear grips the country,” said Hlatywayo *NewZW* *Kudakwashe Tagwirei Elevated To ZANU PF Central Committee* Controversial businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei has officially joined the ZANU PF Central Committee, the ruling party’s highest decision-making body outside of congress. The move, confirmed by party secretary for legal affairs Patrick Chinamasa, marks a significant political elevation for the prominent tycoon and long-time party benefactor. Tagwirei’s co-option comes amid growing speculation about ZANU PF’s succession race, with President Emmerson Mnangagwa entering the final three years of his second and constitutionally final term. With his new role, Tagwirei is now considered one of the potential contenders to take over the party leadership in the future. Although the initial recommendation for his appointment came from ZANU PF’s Masvingo province, it was Harare province that ultimately made space for him in the powerful 300-member committee. Chinamasa described Tagwirei as “a dormant but committed ZANU PF party cadre,” saying the businessman has long worked behind the scenes in a low-profile party role within Harare province. He praised Tagwirei’s loyalty and continued support for the party, even while staying out of the public spotlight. Tagwirei’s entry into formal politics marks a new chapter for the businessman, who has previously wielded considerable influence through his business empire and close ties to top government officials. Said Chinamasa: From being, for a long time, a dormant but committed Zanupf Party Cadre, loyally working quietly and outside the public limelight or glare, holding some low-ranking position in some Zanupf Party District under Harare Province, your recent cooption into the Zanupf Central Committee is a breath of fresh air and will certainly be impactful to Zanupf’s political fortunes in Harare City and perhaps in other urban settings as well. I am, of course, referring to Cde Dr Kudakwashe Tagwirei, who has recently been coopted into the Zanupf Central Committee by the Zanupf Harare Provincial Council. I have no hesitation in assuring those of us who are skeptics that Harare Province will never be the same again. Cde Tagwirei, who has erupted from his dormant state like a volcano, is destined to add value to our deliberations as a Zanupf Central Committee. Welcome aboard, Cde Tagwirei, and brace yourself to the fact that there will be malcontents out there who will bay for your blood and try to throw mud at you with a view to seeking to tarnish your reputation. I know you are made of sterner stuff and that you can take any brickbats and insults in your stride. *Helicopter Docs Deliver 13-year-old’s Baby Mid-Air* IN a scene Helidrive National Air Rescue Service doctors pulled off a mid-air delivery after a 13-year-old girl went into labour inside a chopper en route to the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH). The teenage mother had been airlifted from Maphisa Hospital in Matabeleland South and barely seven minutes into the flight, the situation turned critical. “She started having contractions every minute, each lasting two minutes,” said heroic delivery doctor Marshall Kahari. “She was stable, vitals normal, and we were monitoring her closely.” Then came the shocker. “After another strong contraction, she reached between her thighs. I checked and saw the baby’s leg sticking out. It was a footling breech,” said Dr Kahari. With no time to waste and 1 000 feet above the ground, the airborne medical team swung into action and successfully delivered a healthy baby boy mid flight. The high stakes drama left the crew in awe as they cradled new life in the sky. Both mother and child are said to be in good condition. *Herald* *Shortage Of Skilled Health Care Workers Affecting Standards* Shortage of skilled workers remains a critical barrier to achieving the high standards of healthcare that every Zimbabwean deserves, an expert said on Friday. Private Healthcare Association of Zimbabwe (PHAZ) chairperson Letitia Gaga said this during the association`s 2025 Annual General Meeting and Conference held in the second largest city. The conference, which was held under the theme "Collaborating for Best Health Care Outcomes," brought together experts and consultants in the medical field to interact and exchange ideas on ways to collaborate and improve health care systems in the country. Gaga also commended healthcare professionals in the country for their resilience and dedication in the face of the challenges they encounter in their workplaces. "As we reflect on the current state of our health care system, it is essential to acknowledge the resilience and commitment of our health care professionals. Despite the challenges we face, they continue to offer compassionate and quality care to our communities," she said. "However, we must confront the reality of a labour force that is stretched thin. The shortage of skilled health care workers remains a critical barrier to achieving the high standards of healthcare that every Zimbabwean deserves," she added. Gaga acknowledged that while the sector has made commendable strides in infrastructure development, the country still has a long way to go as many facilities remain in dire need of renovation and modernisation. "Many of our facilities are in dire need of renovation and modernization. Access to essential services, such as diagnostic tools and emergency care, remains inconsistent across the country," she said. She said there is need to prioritise investment in health care to ensure that all citizens have access to timely and effective care. Gaga also advocated for policies that support the development of health care infrastructure and create enabling environment for public private partnership. She also highlighted the pressing issue of medicine and medical equipment procurement, noting that local manufacturers face operational challenges that hinder their ability to meet demand, resulting in shortages that ultimately compromise patient care. "We need to explore innovative solutions to enhance our procurement processes. This may involve strengthening partnerships with local manufacturers, establishing better supply chain management practices, and advocating for government support to simplify the procurement process," she explained. Gaga said the financial challenges also continue to plague the sector, adding that delay in payments by service providers have created a ripple effect that impacts the entire health care ecosystem. "Many private facilities are struggling because of cash flow issues, which hampers our ability to invest in new technologies, recruit additional staff, and maintain quality standards. " This situation not only threatens the sustainability of our health care businesses but also compromises the quality of care we are able to deliver to our patients. *New Ziana* *Chillmaster Misses Out As Nisha Ts Joins Germany’s Moto Moto Festival* RISING contemporary musician Chillmaster has pulled out of the upcoming MOTO MOTO Festival in Cologne, Germany, where he was scheduled to perform on July 19. Chillmasters’ inclusion on the festival’s lineup was part of the winning package as the NAMA Outstanding Breakthrough Musician. He has been replaced by Zimdancehall artist Nisha Ts. “Unfortunately, Chillmaster, the NAMA 23rd Edition Outstanding Breakthrough Musician category winner, will be unable to travel due to unforeseen circumstances. After full consultations with Chillmaster and his management, and in alignment with the spirit of the partnership, Nisha Ts, the 2nd place honoree, has been selected to take up the opportunity. “NAMA is committed to supporting Nisha Ts’ travel and participation at the festival, ensuring that this vital platform continues to open doors for Zimbabwean musical talent on the global stage,” reads a statement by the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NCAZ). The ‘horror’ hitmaker escaped jail time after he was sentenced to community service following his conviction for culpable homicide and was fined US$200 for driving without a license. Following a pubic outcry, the case is now under review at the High Court, with Judge President Zimba-Dube set to determine if “real and substantial justice” had been served. When NewZimbabwe.com asked Chillmaster’s manager, Admire Mushambi aka Mama Vee, if his decision to pull out of the festival was related to the case, he declined to comment. *NewZW6* *”University Of Zimbabwe Now A Factory Of Fake Degrees”* The Association of University Teachers (AUT) at the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) has criticised the institution’s leadership, alleging that the university has devolved into a “factory of fake degrees” under the stewardship of Vice Chancellor Paul Mapfumo. In a statement, the AUT declared that the University of Zimbabwe has “lost its integrity, its credibility, and its reputation.” The association pointed to what it called the “one-day learning and exam farce” as merely a symptom of a much larger, insidious scheme designed to “churn out students who are not educated, but merely certified.” The lecturers did not spare senior academic staff, accusing chairpersons and deans of complicity in this “charade” and “travesty,” asserting that they have abandoned their duty to uphold the highest educational standards. The AUT statement read: The students are being sold fake degrees, degrees that are not worth the paper they are printed on. They are being robbed of their right to a quality education, their right to a bright future, and their right to a decent life. The AUT specifically singled out Vice Chancellor Paul Mapfumo, labelling him a “master of deception, a virtuoso of fake degrees.” The association claims that Mapfumo has orchestrated a system where students are “forced to buy their degrees, where students are forced to pay for grades, and where students are forced to pay for their certification.” The lecturers’ body urged all stakeholders to “stand up against this factory of fake degrees.” They demanded “a quality education, a bright future, and a decent life,” saying “the students, the lecturers, and the nation deserve better.” *Zimbabwe Woman Sells Infant Via Facebook* A 27-year-old woman from Bulawayo, Christable Muringani, appeared before Harare magistrate Tilda Mazhande on Wednesday facing charges of human trafficking after allegedly selling her newborn baby through Facebook. Muringani was remanded in custody until June 25, while her co-accused, 20-year-old Tabeth Chenyika, was released on US$200 bail. According to state prosecutor Heather Muwokoto, Muringani, who was pregnant at the time, expressed her intention to have her unborn child adopted through a post on a Facebook page called "Adoptions" in January this year. She then connected with Chenyika, and the two conspired to illegally arrange for the infant's adoption soon after birth. On February 9, Muringani traveled from Bulawayo to Harare, claiming she had been referred to Parirenyatwa Hospital for a fibroids operation. She registered her pregnancy at the Mbuya Nehanda maternity wing of Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and delivered a baby girl via elective cesarean section on February 25. Both mother and newborn were discharged on February 29. Throughout the registration, admission, delivery, and discharge process, Muringani and Chenyika remained in contact. On March 6, the two met in Letombo, Msasa, where Muringani handed over the 10-day-old infant to Chenyika. Following a tip-off alleging that Muringani had disposed of the newborn, police arrested her on March 29. Subsequent investigations led to Chenyika's arrest and the recovery of the infant, who was placed under the care of the Department of Social Welfare for safekeeping. The case continues as investigations proceed. *Zimbabwe Faces $15 Million Annual Shortfall for Contraceptive Supplies* Zimbabwe is facing an annual shortfall of close to US$15 million worth of contraceptive supplies to reach the demand for them as reported by the National Family planning council. According to the organisation, they have been operating at a huge deficit of contraceptive drugs and measures for the past years. The Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) has initiated high-level discussions with parliamentary oversight committees to address critical funding gaps in reproductive health services. Today’s strategic meeting in Kadoma brings together the Health and Child Care Committee with the Budget and Finance Committee to develop sustainable financing mechanisms. While acknowledging the Second Republic’s efforts in boosting local financing, including $4.5 million allocated for contraceptive procurement between 2022 and 2024, authorities recognise this covers only a fraction of the annual requirement. ZNFPC Chief Executive Farai Machinga emphasized the persistent shortfall: “Our $15 million yearly contraceptive budget remains largely unmet, particularly as external funding sources diminish.” Family Planning Council Proposes Innovative Financing Models The council proposes two key solutions to bridge the funding gap like the mandatory inclusion of family planning services in all medical aid packages and dedicated allocations from the National Health Insurance Fund. These measures aim to create predictable, sustainable funding streams for reproductive health commodities and services nationwide. This will then lead to the national family planning organisation not facing shortfalls. *Zambian Ex-president To Be Buried In South Africa After Funeral Row* The family of Zambia's former President Edgar Lungu says he will be buried in South Africa in a private ceremony following a row with the government over the funeral arrangements. Late on Thursday, President Hakainde Hichilema cut short a period of national mourning after Lungu's family refused to allow his body to be repatriated from South Africa as planned. His funeral had been set for Sunday in Zambia's capital, Lusaka. The family now says it will announce later when Lungu will be buried in Johannesburg in "dignity and peace". It will be the first time a former head of state of another country is buried in South Africa. In his will, Lungu said that Hichilema, his long-time rival, should not attend his funeral. The government and his family later agreed he would have a state funeral before relations broke down over the precise arrangements. "We wish to announce that the funeral and burial of our beloved Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu will take place here in South Africa, in accordance with the family's wishes for a private ceremony," family spokesperson Makebi Zulu said in a statement. Mr Zulu thanked the South African government for "non-interference" and honouring the family's decision and desire during "this deeply emotional period". In his address on Thursday, President Hichilema said that Lungu, as a former president, "belongs to the nation of Zambia" and his body should therefore "be buried in Zambia with full honours, and not in any other nation". However, because of the row, he announced an immediate end to the mourning period, saying the country needed to "resume normal life". "The government has done everything possible to engage with the family of our departed sixth president," he said. The national mourning period initially ran from 8 to 14 June but was later extended until 23 June, with flags flying at half-mast and radio stations playing solemn music. President Hichilema and senior officials had been prepared to receive Lungu's coffin with full military honours on Wednesday. However, Lungu's family blocked the repatriation of his remains at the last minute, saying the government had reneged on its agreement over the funeral plans. The opposition Patriotic Front (PF), the party Lungu led until his death, has stood with the family over the funeral plans. "The government has turned a solemn occasion into a political game," said PF acting president Given Lubinda. "This is not how we treat a former head of state." Civil society groups have called for an urgent resolution of the matter, with a section of religious leaders saying the stand-off was "hurting the dignity of our country". "We appeal for humility, dialogue, and a resolution that honours the memory of the former president while keeping the nation united," said Emmanuel Chikoya, head of the Council of Churches in Zambia. Lungu, who led Zambia from 2015 to 2021, died earlier this month in South Africa where he was receiving treatment for an undisclosed illness. After six years as head of state, Lungu lost the 2021 election to Hichilema by a large margin. He stepped back from politics but later returned to the fray. He had ambitions to vie for the presidency again but at the end of last year the Constitutional Court barred him from running, ruling that he had already served the maximum two terms allowed by law. Despite his disqualification from the presidential election, he remained hugely influential in Zambian politics and did not hold back in his criticism of his successor. *BBC* *Israel Kills "All" Iranian Leaders* Reports suggest at least 27 Iranian leaders, including 21 military commanders and 6 nuclear scientists, were killed by Israeli strikes between June 11 and June 18, 2025. Key figures include IRGC Commander Hossein Salami and nuclear scientist Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani. Numbers may vary due to conflicting reports and civilian casualties. The situation remains fluid, with no definitive count confirmed. *Trump Aid Cuts Deal A Blow To HIV Prevention In Africa* Emmanuel Cherem, a 25-year-old gay man in Nigeria, tested positive for HIV two months after U.S. President Donald Trump's administration cut access for at-risk groups like gay men and injecting drug users to medication that prevents infection. Cherem admits he should have been more careful about practicing safe sex but had become accustomed to using the U.S.-supplied pharmaceutical. The drug - known as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, or PrEP - is typically taken daily as a tablet and can reduce the risk of contracting HIV through sex by 99%. "I blame myself... Taking care of myself is my first duty as a person," Cherem said at his gym in Awka, the capital of Nigeria's southeastern state of Anambra. "I equally blame the Trump administration because, you know, these things were available, and then, without prior notice, these things were cut off." Trump ordered a 90-day pause on foreign aid after taking office in January and halted grants by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The agency was responsible for implementing the bulk of the assistance under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the world's leading HIV/AIDS initiative. Sub-Saharan Africa remains the epicenter of the AIDS pandemic. Trump's cuts have restricted the availability of drugs that millions of Africans have taken to prevent infection - particularly vulnerable communities such as gay men and sex workers - as aid groups and public health systems in Africa strove to roll back the disease. The number of initiations, or people who have taken at least one dose of the drug, rose in Africa from fewer than 700 in 2016 to more than 6 million by late 2024, according to PrEPWatch, a global tracker. More than 90% of new initiations last year were financed by PEPFAR, using cheap generic versions of the drug. Sub-Saharan Africa had 390,000 AIDS-related deaths in 2023, or 62% of the global total, according to UNAIDS, the United Nations AIDS agency. However, progress has been made: that death toll was down by 56% from 2010, according to the World Health Organization. Now, some of those who've lost access to the preventative medication because of U.S. cutbacks are already testing positive, according to 10 patients, health officials and activists. Restrictions on PrEP have coincided with dwindling supplies of more widely used HIV prevention tools like condoms and lubricants "because of the US funding cuts", according to a UNAIDS fact sheet, from May. The combination is creating what nine activists and three medical experts described as a major threat to prevention across the continent. "I just see this as incredibly short-sighted because we were on a winning path," said Linda-Gail Bekker, an HIV expert at the University of Cape Town. She said that many African governments did not have the resources to spend on PrEP drugs on top of treatment for HIV infections, risking a worsening of the pandemic. "It's as predictable as if you take your eye off a smouldering bushfire and the wind is blowing: a bushfire will come back." Trump has said that the United States pays disproportionately for foreign aid and he wants other countries to shoulder more of the burden, as he seeks to reduce U.S. government spending across the board. The U.S. disbursed $65 billion in foreign assistance last year, nearly half of it via USAID, according to government data, "It's a question of who has primary responsibility for the health needs of citizens of other countries, and it's their own governments," said Max Primorac, a former senior USAID official who is now senior research fellow at The Heritage Foundation's Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom. "We all know, and this is a bipartisan issue, that aid dependency doesn't help these people - that the best solution is for these countries to be able to take over the responsibility of these programs." UNAIDS says the permanent discontinuation of PEPFAR-supported prevention and treatment programs could lead to an additional 2,300 new HIV cases globally per day. There were 3,500 new cases per day in 2023. Reuters spoke to 23 health workers, PrEP users and activists, nearly all of whom said that the increase in HIV infections since the funding cuts was impossible to quantify because many organisations working with vulnerable populations have been defunded. A State Department waiver issued on February 1 allowed some PEPFAR activities to restart, but only covered HIV prevention for mother-to-child transmission. That means PEPFAR-financed PrEP is no longer available for gay and bisexual men, sex workers and injecting drug users who are especially exposed to the virus. Many African governments had specifically targeted these groups in their PrEP programs. *Reuters* *Rwanda Arrests Opposition Leader Ingabire, Her Lawyer Protests* Rwanda has arrested prominent opposition leader Victoire Ingabire on charges of inciting public disorder and creating a criminal organisation, a state investigative agency said - a move one of her lawyers said was politically motivated. Ingabire, who heads unregistered opposition party DALFA–Umurinzi, returned from exile to contest a presidential election in 2010, but was barred from standing after being accused of genocide denial. She was jailed two years later on charges related to conspiring to form an armed group and seeking to minimise the 1994 genocide - charges she denied - and freed in 2018. She is now accused of "playing a role in creating a criminal organisation and engaging in acts that incite public disorder," the Rwanda Investigations Bureau said in a statement late on Thursday. It did not say when she would be charged in court. "For us, this is a continuation of a long process of intimidation and political harassment against Victoire and her supporters," Iain Edwards, one of Ingabire's international lawyers, told Reuters. "It's to silence her and to warn others not to speak out against the government. People always fear for the lives of political opponents in Rwanda. I certainly fear for her life," he added. Yolande Makolo, the government's spokesperson, did not immediately respond to a message and phone call requesting comment on the lawyer's statement. Last year President Paul Kagame, in power for a quarter of a century, won re-election after securing 99.18% of the vote, according to the electoral body. Western and regional leaders have praised Kagame for transforming Rwanda from the ruins of the 1994 genocide into a thriving economy. Rights groups have accused him of abuses and of supporting rebels in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, accusations that he denies. *Reuters* *Iran, Israel Trade Air Attacks As Conflict Enters Second Week* Israel has launched strikes on dozens of targets in Iran, including missile production sites, and Iran fired a barrage of missiles that hit near industrial facilities in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba, as the conflict between the two sides entered its second week. An Iranian nuclear scientist was killed on Friday morning following an Israeli strike in Tehran, according to the Israeli public broadcaster Kan. The news followed reports from the Iranian media saying that a residential building in the capital’s central Gisha district was hit by a drone strike. The identity of the scientist was not immediately clear. Israel has killed several nuclear scientists since it started attacking Iran on June 13. A hospital in Tehran was hit in a separate Israeli missile strike, the third such medical facility damaged in the past eight days, Iran’s health ministry was quoted by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) as saying. There were no immediate reports of casualties from the hospital strike, but six ambulances were damaged, the ministry said. Despite the attacks, thousands of Iranians took to the streets of Tehran following Friday prayers to denounce Israel and the US for the deadly attacks in the country. In the northwestern province of Kermanshah, a medical clinic was also hit, leaving it completely damaged, according to Press TV. Both Iran and Israel have been exchanging allegations of targeting medical facilities, which is prohibited by international humanitarian law. In a statement, Israel’s Defence Minister Israeli Katz said he has instructed the military to intensify attacks on “symbols of the regime” in Tehran, aiming to destabilise it. “We must strike at all the symbols of the regime and the mechanisms of oppression of the population, such as the Basij [militia], and the regime’s power base, such as the Revolutionary Guard,” Katz said. Earlier on Friday, at least seven people were lightly injured after Iranian missile strikes hit Beersheba, the largest city in the Negev desert in southern Israel, according to Israeli media. The attack temporarily shut the city’s central rail station and damaged several buildings including the Microsoft office located inside a technology park, which is also near an Israeli army military telecommunications branch. After air raid sirens sounded later on Friday, Israeli media reported there were potential impacts in Tel Aviv, Beersheba and Haifa. At least two wounded people were in a serious condition after they were hit with shrapnel in Haifa, according to local media. “The south of Israel is more sparsely populated, and the one missile that we could see landed before the beginning of business hours, so there were no people in the offices, presumably,” Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh, reporting from Amman, Jordan said. *Iran-Europe meeting* Against the backdrop of deadly exchanges, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in the Swiss capital, Geneva, ahead of a meeting with his French, German, British and European Union counterparts. Before Israel launched its assault on Iran on last week, Tehran was engaged in diplomatic talks with the United States in an attempt to end the long-running dispute over its nuclear programme. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff had planned to meet Araghchi in Oman on June 15 but the meeting was cancelled after Israel attacked. In an appearance at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Friday, Araghchi said the Israeli attacks were a “betrayal” of diplomatic efforts. “We were supposed to meet with the Americans on 15 June to craft a very promising agreement for peaceful resolution of the issues fabricated over our peaceful nuclear programme,” said Araghchi. “It was a betrayal of diplomacy and unprecedented blow to the foundations of international law,” he said. Ahead of the Iran-Europe talks, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the only way to end the conflict is for Israel to stop its air attacks. “We have always pursued peace and stability,” he said in a statement cited in Iranian media on Friday. Foad Izadi, professor of international relations at the University of Tehran, told Al Jazeera that it was clear that Araghchi was not prepared to hold any negotiations while Israeli strikes were continuing. “When you negotiate, it’s give and take,” he said. “Iran cannot engage in that style of give and take when we have bombs falling” on Tehran and other parts of the country. Still, Araghchi’s presence in Geneva also sends out a message “that they’re not closing the door to the possibility of diplomacy,” said Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi, who is reporting from Tehran. Meanwhile, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported that Ali Shamkhani, a close adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was seriously wounded in an Israeli attack a week ago, was now in stable condition after round-the-clock efforts of doctors. “I am alive and ready to sacrifice myself,” Tasnim quoted Shamkani as saying in a message. *Al Jazeera* *Russia & Ukraine Swap More POWs In Second Exchange In Two Days* Russia and Ukraine completed another round of prisoner exchanges on Friday, officials in both countries said, part of a recent agreement to swap POWs and the bodies of dead soldiers. Neither Russian nor Ukrainian officials specified how many people were involved in the exchange, the second in two days. The Reuters Tariff Watch newsletter is your daily guide to the latest global trade and tariff news. Sign up here. Writing on X, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said most of his country's POWs had been held by Russia for more than two years, and had been captured across various parts of the sprawling front line. Russia's defence ministry said the Russian POWs included in the exchange were currently in Belarus, which shares borders with both warring countries. The two countries have carried out a series of swaps of captured troops and the remains of dead soldiers since renewing peace talks in Istanbul last month after a gap of more than three years. *Reuters* *Myles Lewis-Skelly Agrees New Arsenal Contract* England defender Myles Lewis-Skelly has agreed a new contract at Arsenal. The left-back, whose current deal expires in 2026, has been in talks with the Gunners over recent months. The 18-year-old has now agreed the outline of an extended agreement, which will see him commit his future to the Gunners once signed. It is reward for a breakthrough campaign last season, which saw Lewis-Skelly make 39 appearances in all competitions. He made his debut against Manchester City in September and was mainly used at left-back, despite emerging through Arsenal's academy as a midfielder. Lewis-Skelly's performances earned him a call-up to the full England squad in March, having previously been capped from Under-16 through to U19 level. He scored in a 2-0 win against Albania at Wembley, becoming the youngest player in history to score on their full Three Lions debut. Lewis-Skelly's performances last term saw him nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award earlier this week, alongside Morgan Rogers, Liam Delap, Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez and Ethan Nwaneri. *BBC*