The Taliban on Friday announced a spring offensive amid ongoing peace talks with the United States and Afghan forces. In a lengthy statement delivered in five languages, the Islamic extremist group said the operation would focus on “cleansing our Muslim homeland from invasion and corruption.” The Taliban release a similar statement every year, though it has carried out near-daily attacks against security forces over the winter. On Monday, a roadside bomb near the main U.S.

The South Korean Constitutional Court on Thursday overturned a 65-year-old law protecting unborn babies from abortion. Under the 1953 law, women who underwent abortions could face fines and imprisonment, except in cases of rape, incest, or health risks. In a 7-2 ruling, the court said the abortion law and another one that subjected abortionists to criminal charges were unconstitutional. South Korea was one of the last few developed nations with broad legal protection for unborn babies, though the law was rarely enforced.

The Sudanese military seized control on Thursday from President Omar al-Bashir in the culmination of anti-government protests that began in December 2018. In a broadcast address on state television, Defense Minister Awad Mohamed Ibn Ouf confirmed that authorities held al-Bashir in a secure location. Dressed in military garb, Ibn Ouf said a transitional military council would rule the country for the next two years before “free and fair elections” take place.

A London judge found WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange guilty Thursday of skipping bail after the Ecuadorian Embassy, where he had sought refuge the past seven years, expelled him. He faces a sentence of 12 months for the charge. Assange originally claimed asylum at the embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden on rape allegations. The United States has also charged him in connection with WikiLeaks’ publication of classified government documents.

European Union leaders on Thursday extended Britain’s departure deadline from the bloc until Oct. 31, with the option to leave earlier if British lawmakers can agree on a transition plan. British Prime Minister Theresa May initially sought an extension through June 30.

European Union leaders on Wednesday began talks with British Prime Minister Theresa May to consider extending the Brexit deadline again. After the EU postponed the original exit date, Britain is scheduled to leave the bloc on Friday, with or without a transition plan. Last week, May asked for a second extension until June 30.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday emerged as the likely victor of the country’s parliamentary elections, setting the stage for him to become the country’s longest-serving prime minister. With 97 percent of ballots from Tuesday’s vote counted, Netanyahu’s ruling Likud party and the Blue and White party, led by former military chief Benny Gantz, both won 35 seats each in the 120-seat parliament, known as the Knesset. Netanyahu is more likely than Gantz to secure the 61-seat majority needed to lead by forming a coalition with nationalist and ultra-Orthodox allies.