The biggest obstacle to resolving Russia’s war in Ukraine is the status of Crimea and the four mainland Ukrainian regions occupied by Russia, said US special envoy Steve Witkoff, calling them “the elephant in the room” in peace talks.

In a long interview with podcast host Tucker Carlson, Witkoff – who also revealed Russia’s President Putin had commissioned a portrait of Donald Trump and sent it to him – said the administration was making progress “that no one thought was possible” with Russia, but that issues of territory still need ironing out.

The four mainland regions, which Witkoff appeared to struggle to name and needed prompting from Carlson, were illegally annexed during Russia’s full-scale invasion and Kyiv vehemently opposes giving them up.

The Kremlin has since staged referenda on joining Russia in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, which Kyiv and the international community decried as a propaganda exercise, but which Witkoff claimed was evidence of their desire to split from Ukraine.

“They’re Russian-speaking,” Witkoff said of the four eastern regions. “There have been referendums where the overwhelming majority of the people have indicated that they want to be under Russian rule.”

Witkoff, Trump’s Middle East envoy who also plays a key role in talks with Russia, said the “constitutional issues within Ukraine as to what they can concede… with regard to territory” had become “the elephant in the room” during negotiations. Talks are set to resume Monday in Saudi Arabia, with US officials set to meet officials from both Russia and Ukraine.

“The Russians are de facto in control of these territories. The question is: Will the world acknowledge that those are Russian territories?” Witkoff asked. “Can (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky survive politically if he acknowledges this? This is the central issue in the conflict.”

Zelensky stressed last weekend that Ukraine’s position “is that we do not recognize the occupied Ukrainian territories as Russian.”

The US raised the issue during talks with Ukrainian delegates in the Saudi city of Jeddah, Zelensky said, adding that he hopes the question can be resolved during later peace talks, rather than discussions over an initial ceasefire. “It is dragging out the process for a long, long time,” he said.

‘Gracious’ Putin

Witkoff said he was impressed by how “gracious” the Russian leader has been during the pair’s discussions, praising him as “smart” and “straightforward.”

Before meeting Putin in Moscow, Witkoff said someone in the Trump administration warned him to “watch it, because he’s an ex-KGB guy,” referring to Putin’s former career in the Soviet Union’s security agency.

Witkoff said he downplayed the person’s fears, saying Putin’s background in the agency was a measure of his intelligence. “In the old days, the only people who went into the KGB were the smartest people in the nation… He’s a super smart guy,” he recalled saying.

“I don’t regard Putin as a bad guy,” Witkoff said, saying it was “gracious” of the Russian leader to receive him in Moscow for talks earlier this month.

That meeting “got personal,” he said, recalling how Putin “had commissioned a beautiful portrait of President Trump from the leading Russian artist,” which Witkoff took home to the president.

Witkoff said also that, following the assassination attempt against Trump in September, Putin said that he “went to his local church and met with his priest and prayed” for Trump, “not because he… could become the president of the United States, but because he had a friendship with him.”

Trump was “clearly touched” by Putin’s story and the portrait, Witkoff said.

Witkoff implied that resolving the war in Ukraine could lead to cooperation on a broader range of issues, and that the two sides were thinking about “integrating their energy policies in the Arctic,” sharing sea lanes, collaborating on artificial intelligence and sending liquefied natural gas “into Europe together.”

“Who doesn’t want to have a world where Russia and the United States are doing, collaboratively, good things together?” he asked.

Pope Francis will be discharged on Sunday from the hospital where he has spent more than a month being treated for double pneumonia, Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the head of the team taking care of the pontiff announced.

“The Holy Father will be discharged from tomorrow in stable clinical condition with a prescription to partially continue drug therapy and a convalescence and rest period of at least two months,” Alfieri told reporters at a news conference at Gemelli on Saturday.

“Today we are happy to say that tomorrow he will be at home,” he added.

Francis has been in hospital since February 14.

The pontiff is also expected to also make his first public appearance on Sunday at the hospital’s balcony before making his way back to the Casa Santa Marta, his residence since the 2013 conclave, according to Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni.

The 88-year-old pontiff will offer a blessing and greeting to well-wishers at the end of Sunday’s Angelus prayer, the Vatican press office said earlier on Saturday. Francis usually leads the prayer and offers a reflection each week, but has not done so for the past five Sundays.

The pope’s hospitalization has been his longest stay in Gemelli since his election 12 years ago. While he has not been seen in weeks, his presence has been felt with the Vatican releasing a short audio message from the pope as well as a photo last weekend showing him praying at that hospital’s chapel.

News of his discharge comes after the Vatican said this week that the Pope’s condition appeared to be improving, adding that his pneumonia is considered under control.

Last week, the pope approved a new three-year reform process for the Catholic Church, sending a strong signal he intends to remain in the post despite his lengthy stint in hospital.

Reforms on the table include how to give greater roles to women in the Catholic Church, including ordaining them as deacons, and the greater inclusion of non-clergy members in governance and decision making.

Iceland’s minister for children and education has resigned after admitting she had a child with a teenager more than three and a half decades ago, according to Icelandic media.

Ásthildur Lóa Thórsdóttir revealed that she had started a relationship with a 15-year-old boy when she was 22 and had a son with him, Iceland’s public broadcaster RUV reported on Thursday.

Thórsdóttir met the boy while working as a counselor for a religious group, the Icelandic broadcaster said, before giving birth to his child when she was 23 and he was 16.

The age of consent is 15, according to the country’s penal code. However, it is illegal for adults to have sexual relations with a child under 18 if they are entrusted to teach them, with perpetrators facing up to 12 years in prison.

The father told RUV he had never seen himself as a victim in this situation, but noted that he was in a difficult place in his life and at home turned to the church group for support.

Iceland’s public broadcaster reported that the relationship was kept secret but that the father was present for the birth of his child and initially allowed contact, but nearly all access was cut off before his son turned 1.

He was however required to pay child support for 18 years.

The young father sought assistance from the Ministry of Justice and the church’s family service to see his child, but Thórsdóttir refused him visitation rights, according to Iceland’s public broadcaster.

Shortly after RUV’s report on Thursday, Thórsdóttir resigned from her ministerial position, the public broadcaster said. She will continue to represent the People’s Party as a member of parliament.

Iceland’s prime minister said Thórsdóttir had met with the country’s three party leaders but it had been her decision to resign, according to RUV.

“We discussed the options together and heard her account of the matter in detail for the first time at that meeting,” Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir said at a news conference Friday, RUV reported. The leader reiterated that Thórsdóttir had swiftly taken responsibility by resigning.

“Of course, this is an unfortunate matter, but it has nothing to do with our work,” Frostadóttir said, adding that the prime minister’s office had not finished investigating the matter since it was brought to their attention a week ago.

Raucous, lightning-paced and brimming with eye-catching fan costumes, the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens is like no other sporting spectacle.

Each spring since 1982, for one rowdy weekend, Hong Kong Stadium – nestled among skyscrapers and lush jungle, and just a lofted drop-kick from the city’s fabled nightlife – has transformed into the Asian financial hub’s biggest and wildest party.

Rugby enthusiasts from all over the world make the pilgrimage to the Hong Kong tournament, the jewel in the crown of the World Rugby Sevens Series circuit – which showcases the shorter, faster and higher-octane version of the traditional 15-a-side game.

It draws teams from rugby powerhouses such as New Zealand, South Africa and Fiji, yet the appeal is never just about the sport. With its carnival atmosphere and legendary party spirit, the three-day event joins other Asian showpieces such as the Singapore Grand Prix and Australian Open in drawing tourists and business travelers alike.

“It’s probably the most fun event that Hong Kong does throughout the year. It’s where everyone comes to party,” said Bill Coker, a 33-year-old teacher and Sevens regular.

This year, however, the revelry will unfold against a very different backdrop.

After more than four decades in the heart of Hong Kong Island, the Sevens is moving across the harbor into a flashy new home on the city’s Kowloon peninsula: a shimmering, 50,000-seat stadium in the brand-new Kai Tak Sports Park.

Officially opened this month, and due to host rock band Coldplay for four nights in April, the sprawling waterfront complex is part of Hong Kong’s bid to reclaim its status as Asia’s premier destination for mega-events, after losing out to rival cities like Singapore and Tokyo in attracting some of the world’s biggest stars.

The nearly $4 billion project is central to Hong Kong’s efforts to revive its economy and international image, following years of stringent pandemic restrictions and a sweeping national security crackdown that fueled an exodus of foreign workers, local professionals and global companies.

John Lee, the city’s leader, hailed the new venue as “a state-of-the-art new stage of Hong Kong.” “Like this very stadium’s retractable roof, the sky is the limit,” he declared at a star-studded opening ceremony.

The new stadium is significantly more spacious, glamorous and high-tech than its dated predecessor, boasting spectacular views of Victoria Harbor and the city’s skyline. Yet, it also sits further from downtown.

While many fans and players are excited about the new venue – designed specifically to enhance the rugby experience – one lingering question remains: Can it preserve the party spirit that has long defined the Hong Kong Sevens?

“Everyone knows that the bar’s going to be pretty high to get that aura it’s created over the years. It’s about whether that aura is passed on from the old stadium,” said former New Zealand captain and sevens Hall of Famer DJ Forbes. “I’m sure everyone – the South Stand in particular – will be doing their best to make the players feel that vibe and energy. It will be interesting to see how it pans out.”

State-of-the-art stadium

Sitting on the former site of Hong Kong’s iconic old airport, the Kai Tak Stadium shimmers with shades from blue and purple to silver depending on the angles, thanks to a facade of 27,000 self-cleaning aluminum panels.

With its retractable roof, configurable seating and adaptable pitch – which will be stored in the neighboring mainland Chinese city of Shenzhen when not in use – the stadium can accommodate a wide range of sports and entertainment events. Yet, at its core, it was purpose-built for rugby, with the goal of heightening the intense, electric atmosphere that defines the Sevens, said Paul Henry, a senior principal at Populous, the architecture firm behind the sports park.

“We’ve designed more rugby stadiums than anyone else in the world, and the most important thing with rugby is: how close can we get everyone to the action on the field?” Henry said.

To achieve this, the design team optimized the geometry of the stadium, giving each seat enough space while wrapping them as tightly around the pitch as possible. “What that translates to is great noise, great atmosphere, and that’s what matters,” he said. (The seats also come with individual air-conditioning outlets underneath, a welcome relief during Hong Kong’s unforgiving summers.)

Another way to intensify the audience experience is by containing and amplifying crowd noise. The stadium’s retractable roof – which can open and close fully within 30 minutes – is engineered with the highest level of acoustic insulation the firm has ever incorporated. “As soon as you close the roof, the noise stays in, and the atmosphere just gets elevated,” Henry said.

“The atmosphere is going to be crazy,” said Cado Lee, one of Hong Kong’s most experienced men’s players, after touring the stadium. “I think it’ll all hit us when we run out onto the field and see everyone in the packed stands.”

The players were equally impressed by the stadium’s 20 changing rooms each equipped with physiotherapy facilities and video analysis tools.

All about the party

For the new stadium’s designers, the trick to replicating the party spirit of past Sevens tournaments hinged on faithfully recreating the infamous South Stand – a designated zone for hardcore revelers at the old stadium.

There, spectators competed to outdo one another with outrageous costumes and copious amounts of booze. Sudden showers of beer, cider, and other mysterious fluids became as integral to the vibe as the deafening roar of the crowd. At night, after the final whistle was blown, thousands of jubilant fans poured into the streets, heading toward the city’s bars to continue the debauchery, sometimes till dawn.

Even the players couldn’t resist the infectious energy. “It’s definitely more of a party – with some rugby involved,” said Christy Cheng, former captain for the Hong Kong Women’s Sevens.

At the Kai Tak Stadium, the new South Stand features the exact same seating capacity and nearly identical entrance ways. But instead of the familiar green hillside backdrop of the old open-air stadium, the new South Stand is framed by a sweeping glass curtain wall that offers panoramic views of the harbor and the Hong Kong skyline.

It is against this towering vista that bands, including the UK’s Kaiser Chiefs, will take the stage in between the matches, on a vast terrace just above the stand. Bridging the North and South stands is a 100-meter-long drinks service station dubbed “Asia’s longest bar,” designed to ease the notoriously long queues as fans scramble for top-ups between games.

“It will be familiar, but it will be amplified so much more,” Henry said of the new party vibe.

For some, that promise remains the Sevens’ biggest allure. “I only ever go to the South Stand,” said Dalton Huskins, who has been five times. “In all honesty, I’m not a huge rugby fan, but when the Sevens comes around, I’m like: I can take an interest in rugby for a few days,” said the 32-year-old, who plans to show up this year dressed as a “sexy farmer.”

Local hero Salom Yiu, Hong Kong’s longest-serving Rugby Sevens player, relishes what will be a rare experience as a spectator after his emotional retirement from the sport at last year’s edition.

“I’ve actually never been to the South Stand in my life, even after 14 years of competing in this tournament, so this time will be my first. I really want to feel the party spirit,” he said.

James Farndon, chief executive of Hong Kong China Rugby, the event’s main organizer, said he expected “all of the traditions and atmosphere of the Sevens to not just continue but to be amplified by the state-of-the-art venue at Kai Tak.”

“At the same time we are also very excited to see what new traditions are created by the fans inside the stadium this year.”

But what about the after-party?

For many fans and players alike, the Sevens isn’t just about what happens on the field – it’s also about what comes after. The post-match revelry has long been a big part of the tournament’s charm.

Coker, the teacher and a South Stand regular, recalled how the shared journey from the stadium to bars in the nearby Wan Chai district was an experience in itself. “It was really nice because you had thousands of people walking out of the stadium together. Everyone was singing, everyone was in good spirits, and they were all going towards Wan Chai,” he said.

Players felt the same way. “At the previous stadium, we could go straight to the party districts easily. But here, how will they make up for it?” wondered Yiu, the local Sevens legend.

The 28-hectare sports park, which includes a mall and a hotel, boasts dozens of restaurants popular with local families and friends on weekends, yet few can rival the high-energy, late-night revelry of the downtown bar strips.

To add to the festive spirit, pop-up food and beer stalls will line the “fan village,” an outdoor space just outside the stadium, during the tournament. But with a closing time of 11 p.m., they may wind down just as the night is getting started for diehard revelers.

Nevertheless, with or without the after-party, this year’s Sevens is set to carry forward a nearly half-century-old tradition.

“The Sevens is one of the reasons why rugby is so big in Hong Kong. People you meet from back home fly in for it, because everyone has heard about it,” said Luke Linssner, who has been playing rugby since he was nine.

For Cheng, the former captain, the Hong Kong Sevens will always hold a special place – with its sea of costumes and unmatched sense of fun.

“That’s what sports is all about – to be able to bring people together and create that magical atmosphere together,” she said. “I really look forward to making new memories.”

Robert Antic has never been to Hungary’s annual Budapest Pride, due to mark its 30-year anniversary this summer. But now, the 37-year-old content creator who is representing Hungary at this year’s “Mr. Gay Europe” wants to join the festivities for the first time – and the timing is no coincidence.

Hungarian lawmakers on Tuesday passed a new law which bans Pride events in the country and allows authorities to use facial recognition technology to identify those attending any events that go ahead despite the ban – something campaigners say is illegal and part of a wider crackdown on the LGBTQ+ community.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban welcomed the ban, which he said would outlaw gatherings that “violate child protection laws.”

“We won’t let woke ideology endanger our kids,” he posted on X on Tuesday.

The move sparked lively protests in Budapest earlier this week, with organizers of the city’s Pride vowing to continue with the annual festival despite the new law and declaring: “We will fight this new fascist ban.”

For Antic, who describes himself as a “proud gay man,” the ban is a violation of his right to express himself.

Despite the fears that the new law brings, Antic said he still considers Pride a “fundamental event” for the community.

“No matter the challenges or restrictions, it’s important for people to come together and celebrate who they are,” he said. “I believe change is possible.”

‘New laws to segregate us’

The Hungarian government, led by Orban’s nationalist-populist party, regularly stands at odds with the rest of the European Union despite being a member.

Earlier this month, Hungary, the only EU member state opposing Ukraine from joining, refused to sign a statement of support for Kyiv that was agreed to by all other countries within the union. Orban is also a close ally of US President Donald Trump, with the two sharing both an ideology and political approach.

Orban’s party has been enacting anti-LGBTQ+ legislation for several years now, often under the guise of so-called “child-protection.”

In 2020, the country effectively barred same-sex adoption, with Orban’s office saying at the time that the move strengthened “the protection of Hungarian families and the safety of our children.”

A year later, the country banned the distribution of content related to homosexuality or gender change to under 18s, something the European Commission said violated “a number of EU rules.”

As a self-described queer person, he has attended every Pride event held in Budapest since he arrived.

Though the new law made him momentarily question whether his move to the city had been the right decision, he decided that his presence, along with other members of the LGBTQ+ community, is “now more important than ever.”

“It makes me want to be more obvious (as a queer person),” he said.

For June, a 24-year-old non-binary, bisexual teacher and tattoo artist who did not want to share their last name for privacy reasons, Hungary is a challenging place to be openly LGBTQ+.

In an effort to create more spaces for LGBTQ+ people in Budapest to meet, June has for the past two years held an event called Queer Picnic on the city’s central Margaret Island.

Some 70 people showed up to the first picnic after June advertised it on social media, with dozens showing up the following year.

Despite the escalating clampdown, June said that they would organize another event this year, despite the ban on LGBTQ+ gatherings. “Queer Picnic for now will be a really great solace for people during these times,” they said.

“People want to feel normal – that’s all we want. We just want to feel normal,” they added. “It’s the government that keeps inventing new laws to further segregate us.”

‘Highly intrusive level of surveillance’

As members of the LGBTQ+ community are vowing to defy Hungary’s new law, politicians and non-governmental organizations around the world are speaking out against it too.

“This government wants to turn the clock back by decades and drag the country back to a much darker past,” a cross-party group of European Parliament members declared on Wednesday.

Ghoshal said the law’s reliance on “the worn-out claim that it is protecting children by criminalizing LGBTIQ people and their allies is a blatant ploy to misuse children for political gain.”

Despite criticism from human rights groups and opposing legislators – some of whom let off smoke flares in Hungary’s parliament on Tuesday – the law was passed in a 136-27 vote, with support from Orban’s party and their minority coalition partner the Christian Democrats.

Orban may be trying to appeal to right-wing voters – Hungary’s opposition party, Tisza, leads Orban’s Fidesz in polls, according to Reuters, a year before elections in the country.

Meanwhile, other critics have homed in on the government’s planned use of facial recognition tools to police the ban.

Anna Bacciarelli, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, said that Hungary is subject to the European Union’s AI Act, which, she says, “explicitly prohibits the use of facial recognition in public spaces unless there is justification on national security grounds and when it is subject to judicial oversight.”

Another danger of facial recognition technology is that it has been shown to misidentify people, particularly those from minority groups, according to Serhat Ozturk, a legal officer at UK-based nonprofit Privacy International.

June, the non-binary tattoo artist, said the threat of facial recognition being used if this year’s Pride goes ahead initially scared them, but as they heard more people say that they would go anyway in defiance of the law, it “lit a flame” within them.

“I’m realizing that these are all tactics to silence us,” June said. “And if that is their goal, then we must continue. We have to continue fighting. That is all that we can do.”