Hamas and Israel are set to carry out their fourth hostage-prisoner swap under the Gaza ceasefire on Saturday. In exchange for three Israeli captives—Yarden Bibas, Keith Seigel, and Ofer Kalderon—Israel will release 90 Palestinian prisoners. This swap is part of a broader deal, where militants have already handed over hostages in exchange for prisoners. The ceasefire has allowed aid into Gaza, and talks for a second phase are set to begin.
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Elon Musk, leveraging his social media platform X, launched a campaign against a bipartisan spending deal, influencing some Republicans to oppose it. This unprecedented political move drew criticism and raised concerns about the billionaire's influence on government decisions, even prompting some to suggest him as a potential Speaker of the House.
A passenger died on an Air France flight from Paris to Boston despite doctors' efforts after a medical emergency onboard. The Massachusetts State Police are investigating the untimely death. Emergency services met the plane upon landing at Boston Logan Airport. The incident follows a similar event involving a Turkish Airlines pilot earlier this year.
With Trump openly questioning America’s role in Ukraine, Britain and France rushed to assemble a coalition of European leaders, grandly dubbing their London summit “Securing Our Future.†The problem? Trump wasn’t buying it. And if Trump isn’t buying, no amount of European back-slapping is going to make the deal happen.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban urges the EU to address Hungary's gas dispute with Ukraine, citing increased energy prices following Ukraine's decision to stop Russian gas transit. Orban emphasizes Hungary's economic burden due to EU sanctions on Russia and signals potential veto against renewing these sanctions unless the gas transit issue is resolved.
Michelle Obama will not attend Donald Trump's inauguration, as confirmed by her office without any explanation. Former President Barack Obama will attend. This is Michelle's second missed event in two weeks, following Jimmy Carter's funeral. The Bushes and the Clintons will be in attendance, reports said. The Obamas attended Donald Trump's inauguration in 2017.
India has rejected third-party involvement in its border dispute with China after US President Donald Trump offered mediation. Foreign secretary Vikram Misri emphasized India's bilateral approach to such issues. India and China have been resolving their differences through direct dialogue, and the relationship remains tense post the Galwan Valley clashes in June 2020.
An F-35 fighter jet crashed during a training exercise at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska, with the pilot safely ejecting and in stable condition. The incident occurred during landing, and a malfunction was reported. Authorities are investigating the cause to prevent future crashes. There were no other injuries reported.
Social media users have pointed out the disparity in how Gaiman and Rowling are treated. Rowling has faced years of relentless backlash for her defence of women’s spaces and her belief in the reality of biological sex, while Gaiman’s progressive persona appears to have insulated him from a similar level of scrutiny.
Syria's new authorities have arrested nearly 300 people, including informants, pro-regime fighters and former soldiers, in a crackdown on loyalists to ousted former president Bashar al-Assad, a monitor said Sunday. Among those arrested, according to the Observatory, were former regime informants, pro-Iranian fighters and lower-ranking military officers accused of killings and torture, Abdel Rahman said.
Tom Homan, former border chief under Trump, criticized MSNBC's Joy Reid for dismissing ICE operations as merely performative. Homan emphasized that these raids, targeting undocumented immigrants with violent crime records, have significantly enhanced public safety by apprehending dangerous offenders, including child sex predators.