Hamas released six hostages in Gaza, including four kidnapped during the October 2023 attack on Israel and two held for years. In exchange, 602 Palestinian prisoners will be freed, including 50 serving life sentences. This marks the end of the first phase of a ceasefire deal, with more hostages expected to be released in the next phase starting March 1. The bodies of four more hostages will be returned to Israel next week. Currently, 59 hostages remain, with about half believed to be alive.

Ava Sinclair 22/02/2025 8:30 pm

France is set to hold its largest-ever child sex abuse trial, with former surgeon Joël Le Scouarnec accused of abusing 299 people, mostly children. His detailed notebooks document decades of abuse. The trial, starting in Vannes, aims to empower victims and challenge societal taboos. Le Scouarnec, 74, faces up to 20 years in prison. The case began in 2017 after a neighbor’s complaint, leading to the discovery of incriminating evidence. Activists hope the trial will shift shame to perpetrators and improve justice for victims.

Ava Sinclair 22/02/2025 5:00 pm

A 19-year-old Syrian refugee, suspected of antisemitic motives, stabbed a 30-year-old Spanish tourist at Berlin’s Holocaust Memorial. The attack occurred Friday evening, with the victim seriously injured but no longer in critical condition. The suspect, who arrived in Germany in 2023 as an unaccompanied minor and lived in Leipzig, was not previously known to law enforcement. The incident happened ahead of a local election focused on migration and security issues.

Penelope Kingsley 22/02/2025 5:00 pm

Pope Francis, 88, remains hospitalized at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital due to fragile health and age-related risks, including bilateral pneumonia. Doctors emphasize he is “not out of danger” and requires “enhanced” treatment. Despite his condition, he continues to work and read. The pope occasionally uses oxygen support and faces potential sepsis risk. He aims to return to his Vatican residence, Santa Marta, once stable.

Penelope Kingsley 22/02/2025 1:30 pm

The U.S. and Russia have initiated talks in Saudi Arabia to negotiate an end to the nearly three-year war in Ukraine, without Ukrainian or European involvement. This marks the first high-level dialogue between the two nations since the war began. President Trump urged Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to swiftly negotiate peace, warning of severe consequences. The last meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and former U.S. Secretary of State Blinken occurred in January 2022, just before Russia’s invasion.

Penelope Kingsley 22/02/2025 1:30 pm

Hamas released five of six hostages in Gaza, the last agreed upon in a ceasefire deal. Tal Shoham and Avera Mengistu were released in Rafah, while Eliya Cohen, Omer Shem Tov, and Omer Wenkert were handed over in Nuseirat. Hisham al-Sayed’s release is pending. The hostages appeared in better condition than previous ones. Hamas expects Israel to release 602 Palestinian prisoners in exchange. The releases follow indirect talks in Qatar, leading to a ceasefire agreement.

Penelope Kingsley 22/02/2025 1:30 pm

Seven Arab leaders met in Riyadh to discuss Gaza’s future, rejecting a US plan to displace residents and transform Gaza. They aim to propose an alternative at the March 4 Arab League meeting. The meeting, called by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, included leaders from Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, UAE, Kuwait, and Bahrain. They discussed an Egyptian reconstruction plan linked to a ceasefire with Israel. Funding and political control remain unresolved, with reconstruction costs estimated at over $53 billion. The leaders seek a unified proposal for international support.

Ava Sinclair 22/02/2025 10:00 am

Red Cross vehicles arrived in Nuseirat, Gaza, for the release of Israeli hostages amid a fragile ceasefire. Hamas freed two hostages, Tal Shoham and Avera Mengistu, earlier, despite tensions over a mistaken body handover involving Shiri Bibas. The ceasefire, pausing over 15 months of conflict, faces uncertainty as negotiations for a second phase, involving more hostage releases and a potential lasting ceasefire, loom. The Bibas family confirmed her remains, seeking closure after 16 months.

Noah Prescott 22/02/2025 10:00 am

Nearly 300 Asian migrants deported by the US were held in a Panamanian hotel under tight security, with limited outside contact. Part of the Trump administration’s deportation efforts, they await repatriation or relocation. Conditions reportedly violated their rights, causing distress. Some were unaware of their destination until landing in Panama. Migrants, including Iranian Artemis Ghasemzadeh, face uncertainty and fear, with language barriers and lack of legal guidance. Ghasemzadeh fears persecution if returned to Iran due to her conversion to Christianity.

Ava Sinclair 22/02/2025 10:00 am

President Trump ordered the U.S. Trade Representative to revive investigations into digital service taxes imposed by countries on U.S. tech companies, potentially leading to tariffs. The directive targets countries like Britain, France, and India, which levy these taxes, seen as discriminatory against U.S. firms. The move follows previous investigations during Trump’s first term, which found unfair trade practices, allowing for retaliatory tariffs. Trump emphasized the need to protect America’s tax base from foreign appropriation.

Penelope Kingsley 22/02/2025 10:00 am