International
Israel, Hamas free more hostages in latest ceasefire swap
Israel, Hamas free more hostages in latest ceasefire swap
Hamas has released another three Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners following a week in which the fragile ceasefire deal appeared under threat.
American-Israeli Sagui Dekel-Chen, 36, Argentinian-Israeli Yair Horn, 46, and Russian-Israeli Alexander Troufanov, 29, were freed in return for 369 Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
So far 19 hostages and more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners have been freed in the first phase of ceasefire deal which began on 19 January.
The swap came days after Hamas said it would pause the release of hostages, accusing Israel of violating the terms of the deal – an allegation denied by Israel.
Israel, backed by US President Donald Trump, said “intense” fighting would resume unless the hostages were handed over. Hamas later said it remained committed to the ceasefire, and that Israel was “responsible for any complications or delays”.
But on Saturday the sixth swap went ahead, with the hostages handed over to Red Cross workers in a highly-choreographed public show in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.
Surrounded by heavily armed Hamas militants, the men briefly addressed a crowd of Palestinians before being transferred into Red Cross vehicles.
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They did not look as gaunt as the hostages freed a week earlier – their appearance had aroused anger in Israel and elsewhere.
Under the first six-week stage of the ceasefire deal, 33 hostages and 1,900 prisoners are supposed to be freed.
The three men were airlifted by military helicopters to a hospital in central Israel, where they underwent medical tests and were reunited with relatives.
Yair Horn and his brother Eitan, 37, had been abducted from a kibbutz during the 7 October 2023 attacks by Hamas. Eitan remains in captivity in Gaza.
Pictures showed Yair Horn hugging his mother and his brother Amos in hospital, and a message where he wrote “Eitan, you’re next”.
US citizen Sagui Dekel-Chen also reunited with his wife, where he learned that he had one-year-old daughter. His wife had been eight months pregnant with their third child when he was captured by Hamas in October 2023.
US President Donald Trump marked the hostage release on Saturday, noting Hamas had not followed through with their threat.
“They seem to be in good shape,” he said.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog, posting on social media, said the hostages had been “forced to endure” a “despicable and cynical ceremony”.
In a social media post, Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel would continue to work with the US to “ensure that all hostages return to Israel soon”.
The majority of the freed Palestinians were taken to Gaza, although some were taken to the West Bank. In both areas, crowds gathered to welcome the former prisoners.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society told the BBC that five of those released in the West Bank city of Ramallah were taken straight to hospital.
“They all have chronic illnesses,” said Mohammad Faqih, an official from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, adding that one man had a broken leg.
Most of the 36 Palestinians serving life sentences will reportedly be deported to Egypt.
The latest releases mean that under the ceasefire, Hamas is due to free another 14 hostages.
However Israel says eight are of them are dead, meaning six living Israelis are still expected to be returned in the first phase.
A total of 141 hostages have now been freed, including 81 Israelis and 24 foreign nationals released as part of a previous deal between Israel and Hamas.
About 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken back to Gaza as hostages when Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023.
This triggered a massive Israeli military offensive in Gaza, which has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, the Hamas-run health ministry says.
Israel, Hamas free more hostages in latest ceasefire swap
BBC
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International
Miami Teen Receives 17-Year Jail Term For Boyfriend’s Fatal Stabbing
Miami Teen Receives 17-Year Jail Term For Boyfriend’s Fatal Stabbing
, the South Florida teenager convicted over the fatal stabbing of her boyfriend, has been sentenced to 17 years in prison after an emotional court hearing that left both families devastated.
The sentence was handed down on Tuesday by Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Christine Hernandez, who ruled that Malik would serve 17 years in a Florida state prison followed by five years of reporting probation for the 2024 killing of 17-year-old Yahkeim “Keimo” Lollar.
The tragic incident occurred on December 20, 2024, at an apartment complex in Miami’s Liberty City neighbourhood. Prosecutors told the court that Malik stabbed Lollar in the chest during an argument inside a parking garage near Northwest Sixth Court and 61st Street.
Although Malik was 17 years old at the time of the incident, she was prosecuted as an adult. Earlier this year, she pleaded guilty to manslaughter and carrying a concealed weapon without reaching a plea agreement with prosecutors, leaving the final sentencing decision to the judge.
During the hearing, Judge Hernandez imposed additional probation conditions on Malik, including mandatory yearly reflection letters about the crime and its consequences.
“You will have to write a letter December 20th of every year that you’re on probation acknowledging what occurred and how it has affected your life,” the judge said in court.
The judge also ordered a mental health evaluation for the teenager as part of her probation requirements.
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Court proceedings became emotional as members of Lollar’s family delivered victim impact statements. His mother, Nathalie Jean, expressed relief after the ruling and said she believed justice had finally been served.
“I’m glad today my son can finally rest in peace knowing that justice was served,” she said after the sentencing.
Jean added that she hoped Malik would reflect deeply on the damage caused by the stabbing.
“I hope that when she goes to prison and gets processed, she thinks about the lives that she destroyed and how much she affected our families,” she stated.
During the hearing, prosecutors reportedly played surveillance footage showing Lollar’s final moments after the stabbing. Testimony from investigators revealed that the knife wound penetrated the teenager’s chest and struck his heart.
Before the sentence was announced, Malik addressed the court directly and apologised for her actions.
“Every day I sit and think about the damage I caused,” she told the judge.
“The family wants me in prison, but I’m in my own prison for the rest of my life. This was my best friend, my love and someone I could vent to about anything and everything,” Malik added tearfully.
Defense attorneys had urged the court to sentence Malik as a youthful offender and place her in a correctional boot camp programme instead of prison, arguing that she was still a juvenile when the incident occurred.
However, prosecutors requested a tougher punishment of 20 years imprisonment followed by 10 years probation, insisting the seriousness of the crime required a substantial sentence.
Judge Hernandez ultimately rejected the request for youthful offender treatment, saying the evidence showed the stabbing was not accidental.
“Although I do believe that you are remorseful, I do not believe that this was an isolated incident of aggression,” the judge said.
Following the hearing, emotions remained high outside the courthouse. While Lollar’s relatives embraced one another and welcomed the ruling, some members of Malik’s family argued that the sentence was too harsh for someone who was still a teenager at the time of the crime.
The case has continued to attract widespread attention across the United States due to the age of those involved and the emotional courtroom scenes surrounding the sentencing.
Miami Teen Receives 17-Year Jail Term For Boyfriend’s Fatal Stabbing
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International
US Warns Parents Owing $2,500 Child Support Risk Passport Revocation
US Warns Parents Owing $2,500 Child Support Risk Passport Revocation
The United States government has warned that citizens who owe more than $2,500 in unpaid child support risk having their passports revoked or denied under existing federal regulations governing child support enforcement.
The US Department of State said the measure applies to individuals who fall behind on court-ordered child support payments, stressing that such persons will not be eligible to obtain or renew a US passport until their debts are cleared.
In its advisory, the department stated that affected individuals are typically identified through federal and state child support enforcement systems and notified through email or postal mail using contact details provided in their passport records.
The agency warned: “If you owe more than $2,500, federal regulations do not allow us to issue you a U.S. passport and we may revoke your valid U.S. passport.”
It also urged affected persons to contact their state child support enforcement agency immediately to make payment arrangements and avoid passport restrictions or revocation.
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The State Department explained that even after repayment, a revoked passport cannot be used for travel, meaning holders must apply for a new passport before regaining full travel privileges.
It further noted that in urgent travel situations, coordination between state agencies and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to update records and clear names from enforcement lists may take about 2–3 weeks.
The department also warned that US citizens abroad whose passports are revoked may only be issued limited-validity emergency travel documents to return home, until their child support debts are fully settled and verified.
According to the agency, applicants must first clear all outstanding arrears through their state child support enforcement agency before any passport application can be processed.
The policy is based on the 1996 federal child support enforcement law, which allows US authorities to deny, revoke, or restrict passports for individuals owing significant child support debt.
While the law has existed for decades, the State Department said improved coordination and data sharing between state agencies and federal systems have made enforcement more consistent and effective in recent years.
US Warns Parents Owing $2,500 Child Support Risk Passport Revocation
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International
Outrage as Israeli Soldier Poses With Cigarette in Virgin Mary Statue’s Mouth
Outrage as Israeli Soldier Poses With Cigarette in Virgin Mary Statue’s Mouth
The Israeli military has opened an investigation after a soldier was photographed smoking and placing another cigarette in the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary in southern Lebanon, triggering outrage among Christian leaders and residents in the region.
The controversial image, which spread rapidly across social media platforms, was reportedly taken in the Christian-majority village of Debel in southern Lebanon. The incident has intensified tensions amid ongoing clashes between Israel and Hezbollah despite a fragile ceasefire agreement.
In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) described the soldier’s conduct as unacceptable and said the military viewed the matter with “utmost severity.”
According to the military, the soldier’s actions were inconsistent with the ethical standards expected of Israeli troops. The IDF added that disciplinary action would be taken after the completion of an internal investigation.
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Israeli military spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani stated that the photograph had been taken several weeks earlier and stressed that the military respects religious freedom and holy sites.
“The IDF respects freedom of religion and worship, as well as holy sites and religious symbols of all religions and communities,” he said.
The controversy comes only weeks after another incident in the same village where an Israeli soldier was filmed striking a statue of Jesus Christ on the cross with a sledgehammer. Following widespread criticism, two soldiers involved in that case reportedly received 30-day prison sentences and were removed from combat duties.
Reacting to the latest incident, head of Debel’s congregation, Father Fadi Felfeli, condemned the act, describing it as offensive and unethical.
“Honestly, this issue really provoked us, especially after the apology regarding the cross,” he told the BBC.
Father Felfeli accused some members of the Israeli army of displaying intolerance toward Christians and religious symbols.
“It also shows that there are individuals within the army that lack ethics and values and are bigoted. This reflects a great deal of fanaticism,” he added.
Although the Virgin Mary statue was not physically damaged, the cleric said the act reflected extremism and disrespect toward a peaceful Christian community that has tried to remain neutral during the conflict.
The Custodia Terrae Sanctae, which represents the Roman Catholic Church in the Holy Land, also condemned the incident. The organisation described the soldier’s actions as “disrespectful and outrageous behaviour” and called on Israeli authorities to ensure accountability.
The church body urged the Israeli government and the military to send a strong message that attacks or acts of disrespect toward religious symbols would not be tolerated.
The incident has further raised concerns about growing hostility toward Christian sites and religious symbols amid the ongoing Israel-Lebanon conflict. Christian leaders have repeatedly warned against attacks on churches, clergy and sacred monuments in the region.
Meanwhile, tensions between Israel and Hezbollah continue despite a US-mediated ceasefire agreement that took effect in April. Israeli troops remain stationed in parts of southern Lebanon, while both sides continue to accuse each other of violating the truce.
Lebanese health authorities claim Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon have killed more than 120 people in the past week, including civilians. Hezbollah has also continued rocket, drone and mortar attacks targeting Israeli troops and communities in northern Israel.
On Wednesday night, Israel carried out an air strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs for the first time since the ceasefire began. The Israeli military claimed the strike killed Ahmed Ali Balout, identified as a commander in Hezbollah’s Radwan Force, although Hezbollah had not officially confirmed the claim at the time of reporting.
Lebanese officials say at least 2,715 people have been killed since the conflict escalated in March, while Israeli authorities report that 17 soldiers and one civilian have died in southern Lebanon. Two civilians have also reportedly been killed in northern Israel.
Outrage as Israeli Soldier Poses With Cigarette in Virgin Mary Statue’s Mouth
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