Congratulations to Liz Cookman on being a finalist at this year’s Bayeux Calvados-Normandy Award for War Correspondents. Proud to see your New Lines Magazine work getting the recognition it deserves!

It’s incredibly difficult and infuriating to watch this clip of our brave friend Evan in a glass cage being sentenced to 16 years in jail simply for doing his job as a journalist

SCOOP: Between 20 to 30 people may be released from Russian prison in a matter of hours, incl. Evan Gershkovich, Vladimir Kara-Murza, Ilya Yashin and many others, a source familiar with planning for the exchange says. Surreal to think about themoscowtimes.com/2024/07/31/rus…

Amazing news! Russia is releasing The Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich and other detainees in what is reportedly the largest prisoner swap since the Cold War.

The large, multi-country Russian prisoner exchange, believed to include journalist Evan Gershkovich and former US marine Paul Whelan, is taking place in Turkey’s capital Ankara.

EVAN IS FREE!!! Thank you to everyone who made this happen, who supported Evan and his family over the last 491 days. We have seen the best of humanity in action. My heart is so full. Cant wait to hug you Vania ♥️

Every parent, child, spouse, and loved one who joined me in the Oval Office today has been praying for this day for a long time. In just a few short hours when our fellow Americans return home, those prayers will be answered.

Thousands of convicts are preparing for frontline deployment in the Ukrainian military against Russia later this summer, @Liz_Cookman writes. foreignpolicy.com/2024/08/01/ukr…

I visited a Kyiv prison to speak to inmates preparing to trade their cells for the trenches as part of Ukraine’s mobilisation drive. The message: We want to be useful. “I am a burden on the Ukrainian state here. I can be a benefit on the battlefield.” foreignpolicy.com/2024/08/01/ukr…

Casual Turkish Olympic shooter and meme sensation Yusuf Dikec joined Twitter 12 hours ago with a fittingly causal “merhaba” and already has 72k followers.

Oleksandr Budko lost his legs fighting in Kharkiv. He’s since become a disability rights advocate, 🏊‍♀️ at the Invictus Games, 💃🏽 in a ballet, feat. in a forthcoming Sarah Jessica Parker doc, & 🖋️ a book. Soon, he’ll be the star of Ukraine’s The Bachelor. My interview: theguardian.com/global-develop…

Reuters safety adviser Ryan Evans was killed and two Reuters journalists were injured in a strike on a hotel in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk reut.rs/3X7Mld0

Freelance journalist Liz Cookman has been named as the winner of the first Irish Times Dave McKechnie Memorial Journalism Prize irishtimes.com/ireland/2024/0…

I’m very proud to say I’ve won the first The Irish Times Dave McKechnie journalism prize for this letter from Ukraine - on how beauty offers support in hard times. It’s such an honour. I didn’t know Dave, but have heard glowing memories from those who did. irishtimes.com/world/europe/2…

Kyiv's older murals depict fairy tales, musicians & activists, but since early 2022 they've mainly honored soldiers & the war effort. Well-known symbols include Patron, a mine-detecting Jack Russel, and the Ghost of Kyiv: Liz Cookman escapeartist.com/blog/the-ghost… Escape Artist

My letter on the power of the beauty industry amid war & the silent battle of Ukraine’s women has won the ⁦The Irish Times⁩ Dave McKechnie memorial prize. Amidst bombardments and blackouts, Kyiv’s nail salons tell a story of human endurance in wartime: irishtimes.com/world/europe/2…