Today's NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for June 9, #828Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles. Today's NYT Strands puzzle was an especially tough one, I thought. Some of the answers are...

Shelly Kittleson: US journalist to be released after kidnap in Iraq, militia saysGetty ImagesA US freelance journalist who was kidnapped in the Iraqi capital Baghdad a week ago is to be released, an Iran-backed militia says.Kataib Hezbollah said on Tuesday it would release Shelly Kittleson, who was taken on 31 March, on the condition that she leave Iraq immediately.Abu Mujahid al-Assaf, a...

Officials investigating DNA found in home of Savannah Guthrie's missing mother NancyGetty ImagesInvestigators have found DNA at the home of Nancy Guthrie, the missing mother of US news anchor Savannah Guthrie, which does not belong to her or those in close contact to her, local officials said. The Pima County Sheriff's Department said they are working to identify who the DNA belongs to, but...

In Ukraine, a competition puts soldiers' drone skills to the test As drones become the weapon of choice in the Russia-Ukraine war, a group of soldiers test their skills in an unusual competition.

German politician resigns over surrogacy child controversyGerman centre-right politician Jens Spahn has resigned as parliamentary group leader of the country's governing coalition after being accused of hypocrisy over his use of a surrogate mother in the US to have a child.Surrogacy is prohibited in Germany - a policy backed by his Christian Democrat party (CDU) and, several years ago, by Spahn...