By Thomas Schlachter, CNN

(CNN) — Lucky New York City residents will be able to purchase World Cup tickets at a reduced price, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced at a press conference on Thursday.

These 1,000 tickets will be available at $50 each – split across the five group stage games and two knockout games played at MetLife Stadium, renamed New York New Jersey Stadium during the tournament, in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

“As we prepare to host the World Cup right outside of New York City, we know that ticket prices for this tournament have soared into the thousands of dollars. There are countless New Yorkers desperate to attend a World Cup match, but who simply cannot afford to go,” Mamdani announced.

“We know that there are so many New Yorkers who thought that there was no way they could afford to go to this tournament and now there is that glimpse of an opportunity.”

Eligible residents will be able to enter a lottery that runs from May 25 and lasts for six days. Each entrant can sign up once per day, with the daily signups capped at 50,000. Mamdani ensured that only New York City residents will be able to enter and each of the five boroughs will be represented.

By winning a ticket, the entrant also wins the right to purchase an additional ticket.

“This is just a question of if you sign up, and then it’s just a question of crossing your fingers,” Mamdani added.

The holders of these tickets will also be able to get free bus transportation to and from the stadium.

The 2026 World Cup, hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, has come under fire for both the price of the tickets and transportation – particularly in the US.

Train fares from New York City to the stadium – home of the NFL’s New York Giants and Jets – had skyrocketed to almost 12 times the regular cost, per the Associated Press. These prices have been reduced slightly since, though, following criticism.

“As someone who grew up playing soccer in this city, we know that too often there are too many cost barriers, not just to watching soccer but even playing soccer and we want to make it as easy as possible for the world’s game to be enjoyed by everyone across the five boroughs,” Mamdani added from the Harlem Tavern in Little Senegal.

During Thursday’s announcement, Mamdani was joined on stage by US Men’s National Team player Timothy Weah, who spoke about inspiring the next generation of US soccer stars.

“I think this opportunity is really healthy for the community and for New York in its whole. I think as athletes it’s important to have a voice because we are the pillars of this community – we’re the leaders of the next generation.

“As a kid, it was always a dream to be up here and to be in stadiums playing and if I can help the next kid get to that stage, I think it’s a wonderful feeling,” the winger from New York said.

“My jo

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By Issy Ronald, Kosta Gak, Anna Chernova, CNN

(CNN) — Ukraine claims to have killed scores of Russians in two strikes in the country’s occupied eastern region, as Kyiv steps up mid-range drone attacks targeting Moscow’s military infrastructure.

One wave of strikes hit a Russian drone pilot training camp in the occupied town of Snizhne, killing at least 65 cadets and an instructor on Wednesday night, according to the commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces.

Another set of strikes hit a Russian security service headquarters and an air defense system in the Kherson region in occupied Ukraine, killing and wounding almost 100 Russians, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed Thursday. He did not say when the attack took place.

Ukrainian claims of such high casualty figures are unusual, and CNN cannot independently verify them. The Kremlin directed CNN to Russia’s Defense Ministry for comment. CNN has reached out to both the Federal Security Service (FSB) and the ministry for comment.

Meanwhile, throughout Thursday, Russia’s Defense Ministry touted gains it claims to have made on the front line.

Separately, the ministry said Thursday it has delivered some nuclear munitions to storage sites in Belarus as part of a nuclear forces exercise. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko, led those exercises Thursday via video call, the Kremlin added.

Ukraine has had some newfound success on the battlefield in recent weeks, stanching the rate at which it was losing land. Last month, it took back more land than Russia seized for the first time since August 2024, though Moscow still controls almost 20% of Ukraine’s territory, according to an analysis from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a US-based conflict monitor.

That success can largely be attributed to Kyiv’s current drone superiority. After focusing much of its efforts on short-range attacks on Russian positions along the front line, and long-range strikes reaching far into Russia itself, Ukraine has recently stepped up its mid-range strikes, targeting Russia’s logistics.

These attacks seem to mark the latest display of that strategy. Robert Brovdi, the commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, claimed the drone academy strike targeted a 2,484-square-meter complex, which housed drones and explosives as well as a command post. He posted footage appearing to show one-way attack drones hitting a building, which became increasingly damaged with each strike.

Footage posted on social media Wednesday night also showed a building ablaze in Snizhne, which CNN has geolocated to the same area as the drone training camp.

Zelensky also posted footage showing strikes destroying several buildings, alongside his claims of striking a Russian FSB headquarters and air defense system.

In other overnight strikes, Ukraine targeted the Syzran oil refinery, which lies in Russia’s Samara region, more than 800 kilometers (497 miles) from the Russia-Ukraine border, Zelensky said. Two family members of a Russian soldier who fought in Ukraine were killed in that strike, according to the region’s governor. Other salvos targeted areas all along Russia’s western border, forcing Russian air defenses to shoot down 121 Ukrainian drones, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

Meanwhile, at least five people were killed and 41 injured in Russian strikes on Ukraine overnight into Thursday, as of midday, according to Ukrainian authorities.

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CNN’s Ivana Kottasová and Katya Krebs contributed reporting.

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By Issy Ronald, Kosta Gak, Anna Chernova, CNN

(CNN) — Ukraine claims to have killed scores of Russians in two strikes in the country’s occupied eastern region, as Kyiv steps up mid-range drone attacks targeting Moscow’s military infrastructure.

One wave of strikes hit a Russian drone pilot training camp in the occupied town of Snizhne, killing at least 65 cadets and an instructor on Wednesday night, according to the commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces.

Another set of strikes hit a Russian security service headquarters and an air defense system in the Kherson region in occupied Ukraine, killing and wounding almost 100 Russians, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed Thursday. He did not say when the attack took place.

Ukrainian claims of such high casualty figures are unusual, and CNN cannot independently verify them. The Kremlin directed CNN to Russia’s Defense Ministry for comment. CNN has reached out to both the Federal Security Service (FSB) and the ministry for comment.

Meanwhile, throughout Thursday, Russia’s Defense Ministry touted gains it claims to have made on the front line.

Separately, the ministry said Thursday it has delivered some nuclear munitions to storage sites in Belarus as part of a nuclear forces exercise. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko, led those exercises Thursday via video call, the Kremlin added.

Ukraine has had some newfound success on the battlefield in recent weeks, stanching the rate at which it was losing land. Last month, it took back more land than Russia seized for the first time since August 2024, though Moscow still controls almost 20% of Ukraine’s territory, according to an analysis from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a US-based conflict monitor.

That success can largely be attributed to Kyiv’s current drone superiority. After focusing much of its efforts on short-range attacks on Russian positions along the front line, and long-range strikes reaching far into Russia itself, Ukraine has recently stepped up its mid-range strikes, targeting Russia’s logistics.

These attacks seem to mark the latest display of that strategy. Robert Brovdi, the commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, claimed the drone academy strike targeted a 2,484-square-meter complex, which housed drones and explosives as well as a command post. He posted footage appearing to show one-way attack drones hitting a building, which became increasingly damaged with each strike.

Footage posted on social media Wednesday night also showed a building ablaze in Snizhne, which CNN has geolocated to the same area as the drone training camp.

Zelensky also posted footage showing strikes destroying several buildings, alongside his claims of striking a Russian FSB headquarters and air defense system.

In other overnight strikes, Ukraine targeted the Syzran oil refinery, which lies in Russia’s Samara region, more than 800 kilometers (497 miles) from the Russia-Ukraine border, Zelensky said. Two family members of a Russian soldier who fought in Ukraine were killed in that strike, according to the region’s governor. Other salvos targeted areas all along Russia’s western border, forcing Russian air defenses to shoot down 121 Ukrainian drones, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

Meanwhile, at least five people were killed and 41 injured in Russian strikes on Ukraine overnight into Thursday, as of midday, according to Ukrainian authorities.

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Por Alayna Treene , Tal Shalev, Jeremy Diamond y Jennifer Hansler, CNN

El presidente de EE.UU., Donald Trump, mantuvo una tensa conversación con el primer ministro de Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, el martes, que reflejó sus diferencias sobre cómo avanzar en la guerra con Irán, dijo a CNN un funcionario estadounidense.

No fue la primera conversación entre ambos líderes en los últimos días. Cuando hablaron el domingo, Trump compartió que probablemente avanzaría con nuevos ataques selectivos contra Irán a comienzos de la semana, dijo el funcionario. La operación, como CNN informó previamente, esperaba recibir un nuevo nombre: Operación Sledgehammer.

Pero unas 24 horas después de esa conversación inicial, Trump anunció que suspendía los ataques que, según dijo, estaban previstos para el martes a petición de aliados del golfo de México, incluidos Qatar, Arabia Saudita y Emiratos Árabes Unidos. En los últimos días, las naciones del Golfo han estado en estrecho contacto con mediadores de la Casa Blanca y de Pakistán para trabajar en un marco que permita avanzar en nuevas conversaciones diplomáticas, dijeron el funcionario estadounidense y una persona familiarizada con la situación.

“Estamos en las etapas finales con Irán. Veremos qué ocurre”, dijo Trump a periodistas el miércoles por la mañana sobre los esfuerzos para asegurar un acuerdo.

“O llegamos a un acuerdo o vamos a hacer algunas cosas un poco desagradables”, agregó. “Pero esperemos que eso no ocurra”.

Las negociaciones en curso han frustrado al primer ministro israelí, que desde hace tiempo ha defendido un enfoque más agresivo frente a Teherán. Netanyahu ha argumentado que cualquier demora solo beneficia a los iraníes, según funcionarios de Trump y fuentes israelíes.

Netanyahu dejó clara su decepción el martes y le dijo a Trump que creía que retrasar los ataques previstos era un error y que el presidente debía seguir adelante con el plan, dijo el funcionario estadounidense.

Una fuente israelí dijo que Netanyahu duda de que las conversaciones produzcan un acuerdo, especialmente porque, hasta ahora, Irán se ha negado a renunciar a su uranio enriquecido, un punto de fricción para EE.UU. Durante la conversación, que duró una hora, Netanyahu presionó para reanudar la acción militar, dijo una fuente israelí familiarizada con el tema. La diferencia quedó clara: Trump quiere ver si se puede alcanzar un acuerdo, mientras Netanyahu esperaba otra cosa, dijo un funcionario israelí.

Reuters, citando a dos altos funcionarios iraníes no identificados, informó que el líder supremo de Irán emitió una directiva para que las reservas de uranio cercanas al nivel apto para armas no sean enviadas al extranjero. Pero los medios estatales y afiliados al Estado iraní aún no han informado sobre esa exigencia del ayatola Alí Jamenei, y un funcionario estadounidense dijo que la directiva no había sido comunicada a la Casa Blanca hasta la mañana del jueves en EE.UU.

CNN contactó a la Casa Blanca.

Axios informó primero sobre la tensa llamada telefónica.

La preocupación israelí tras esa llamada del martes se extendió a funcionarios cercanos a Netanyahu, dijo otra fuente israelí a CNN. Existe un fuerte deseo en las altas esferas del Gobierno israelí de retomar la acción militar, añadió esta fuente, así como una creciente frustración porque Trump sigue permitiendo lo que consideran tácticas dilatorias diplomáticas de Irán.

Pero la frustración de Netanyahu con el enfoque de EE.UU. —y específicamente con Trump haciendo amenazas para luego pausarlas— no es completamente nueva, dijeron fuentes familiarizadas con sus conversaciones. Funcionarios estadounidenses han reconocido anteriormente que existen objetivos distintos entre EE.UU. e Israel respecto a la guerra.

Consultado sobre qué le dijo al primer ministro la noche anterior, Trump sugirió el miércoles que él tiene el control.