WARS
Thursday, 30 November 2023 04:28
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 55
Israel releases more Palestinian prisoners on sixth day of Gaza truce after Hamas frees 16 hostages Israel released another group of Palestinian prisoners early Thursday in exchange for 16 hostages freed hours earlier by the Islamic militant group Hamas in Gaza. The releases came on the sixth day of a temporary truce in the Israel-Hamas war. The latest swap for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel under the Gaza truce comes as international mediators raced to seal another extension to allow further exchanges and prolong the halt of Israel’s air and ground offensive. A bus carrying some of the Palestinian detainees…
Thursday, 30 November 2023 04:26
What to know after Day 644 of Russia-Ukraine war
WESTERN PERSPECTIVE Russia says it takes Ukrainian village, Ukraine notes increased Russian activity Russia's military said on Wednesday that its forces had captured a village in a contested area of eastern Ukraine, while Ukrainian officials offered no comment but said Moscow's forces were suffering heavy losses while launching fierce attacks. Russia's armed forces have focused on eastern Donetsk region after failing at the outset of the 21-month-old conflict to advance on Kyiv. But their progress has been slow. Ukraine regained large chunks of territory a year ago, but a new counteroffensive launched in June has made only incremental gains in…
Wednesday, 29 November 2023 04:46
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 54
With deadline looming, diplomats seek to extend Gaza truce; more hostages, prisoners are freed Hamas and Israel released more hostages and prisoners under terms of a fragile cease-fire that held for a fifth day Tuesday as international mediators in Qatar worked to extend the truce. The United States urged Israel to better protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza if it follows through on its promise to resume the war. In the latest swap since the cease-fire began Friday, Israel said 10 of its citizens and two Thai nationals were freed by Hamas and had been returned to Israel. Soon after, Israel…
Wednesday, 29 November 2023 04:45
What to know after Day 643 of Russia-Ukraine war
RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE Ukraine has used chemical weapons – Russian general The Ukrainian military has used chemical agents to poison food on 17 occasions since the conflict escalated in February 2022, killing at least 15 people, Russian Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov said on Tuesday. Kirillov heads the Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Protection Troops of the Russian Armed Forces. He made the revelation in a speech to the 3rd Congress of Young Scientists, currently meeting in Sochi. “We have confirmed that officials of the administrations of the new constituent entities of the Russian Federation were poisoned,” Kirillov said. “Moreover, we found a…
Tuesday, 28 November 2023 04:43
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 53
Israel and Hamas agree to extend truce for two more days, and to free more hostages and prisoners Israel and Hamas agreed to extend their cease-fire for two more days past Monday, raising the prospect of further exchanges of militant-held hostages for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel and a longer halt to their deadliest and most destructive war. Eleven Israeli women and children, freed by Hamas, entered Israel Monday night after more than seven weeks in captivity in Gaza in the fourth swap under the original four-day truce, which began Friday and was due to run out. Thirty-three Palestinian prisoners released…
Tuesday, 28 November 2023 04:42
What to know after Day 642 of Russia-Ukraine war
WESTERN PERSPECTIVE Russian forces advancing on Ukrainian town from all sides Russian forces are intensifying their drive to capture the eastern Ukrainian town of Avdiivka, trying to advance on all sides after weeks of fighting, the town's top official was quoted as saying on Monday. Russian troops have been pressing land and air-based attacks on Avdiivka, since mid-October as the focal point of their slow-moving push through eastern Ukraine's Donbas region in the 21-month-old war. The latest push, reported by Vitaliy Barabash, head of Avdiivka's military administration, followed reports last week that Ukrainian troops had made some headway in halting…
Monday, 27 November 2023 04:42
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 52
Hamas releases third group of hostages as part of truce, and says it will seek to extend the deal The fragile cease-fire between Israel and Hamas was back on track Sunday as the militants freed 17 more hostages, including 14 Israelis and the first American, in a third exchange under a four-day truce that the U.S. said it hoped would be extended. In turn, Israel released 39 Palestinian prisoners. Most hostages were handed over directly to Israel, waving to a cheering crowd as they arrived at an air force base. Others left through Egypt. Israel’s army said one was airlifted…
Monday, 27 November 2023 04:41
What to know after Day 641 of Russia-Ukraine war
WESTERN PERSPECTIVE Zelenskiy praises Ukrainians for battles with Russia and the weather President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Sunday thanked Ukraine's military for fighting Russian attacks and its rescue services for tackling the consequences of extreme winter weather that he said had deprived about 400 settlements in 10 regions of power. In his nightly video address, Zelenskiy said relentless, intense battles were ongoing in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Kharkiv, while "extremely challenging weather" was affecting areas from Kyiv region in the north to Odesa in the south. In Russian-controlled territory, Oleg Kryuchkov, a senior Moscow-installed official, said nearly half a…
Sunday, 26 November 2023 04:51
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 51
Israel and Hamas complete 2nd day of swaps after tense delay, as Gaza cease-fire holds Hamas militants on Saturday released 17 hostages, including 13 Israelis, from captivity in the Gaza Strip, while Israel freed 39 Palestinian prisoners in the latest stage of a four-day cease-fire. The late-night exchange was held up for several hours after Hamas accused Israel of violating the agreement. The delay underscored the fragility of the cease-fire, which has halted a war that has shocked and shaken Israel, caused widespread destruction across the Gaza Strip, and threatened to unleash wider fighting across the region. The war erupted…
Sunday, 26 November 2023 04:50
What to know after Day 640 of Russia-Ukraine war
WESTERN PERSPECTIVE Five wounded in Kyiv by largest drone attack yet on Ukraine Ukraine's capital suffered what officials said was Russia's largest drone attack of the war on Saturday, leaving five people wounded as the rumble of air defences and explosions woke residents at sunrise after a week of intensifying attacks. Saturday's six-hour air raid, on the day Ukraine commemorates the 1932-33 Holodomor famine that killed several million people, began hitting different districts of Kyiv in the early hours, with more waves coming as the sun rose. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that over the course of the week, Russia…
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Saturday, 25 November 2023 04:50
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 50
On Day One of Gaza cease-fire, Hamas and Israel carry out first swap of hostages and prisoners Hamas on Friday released 24 hostages it held captive in Gaza for weeks, and Israel freed 39 Palestinians from prison in the first stage of a swap under a four-day cease-fire that offered a small glimmer of relief to both sides. Israel — wrenched by the abduction of nearly 240 people in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that triggered the war — cheered as 13 Israeli women and children emerged free from Gaza. Most were in their 70s or 80s, and the youngest was…
Saturday, 25 November 2023 04:49
What to know after Day 639 of Russia-Ukraine war
RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE Ukraine conflict could have ended in Spring 2022 – Kiev’s top MP Russia was ready to stop the fighting had Ukraine agreed to remain neutral, but the West advised Kiev to keep going, the head of President Vladimir Zelensky’s parliamentary faction – and the chief negotiator at the peace talks in Istanbul – David Arakhamia admitted on Friday. Arakhamia, who heads the ‘Servant of the People’ parliamentary group, told the TV channel 1+1 that Moscow had offered Kiev a peace deal in March 2022, but the Ukrainian side did not trust Russia. “Russia’s goal was to put pressure…
Friday, 24 November 2023 04:46
Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 49
Qatar says Gaza cease-fire will begin Friday morning, with aid to follow 'as soon as possible' A four-day cease-fire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas was set to begin Friday morning, Qatar said after a daylong delay extended the agony for those hoping for some relief from the deal, which is to bring the release of dozens of hostages held by militants and Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The diplomatic breakthrough promised some relief for the 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza who have endured weeks of Israeli bombardment, as well as families in Israel fearful for the fate of their loved…
Friday, 24 November 2023 04:45
What to know after Day 638 of Russia-Ukraine war
WESTERN PERSPECTIVE Unrelenting Russian attacks on Avdiivka, shelling kills four in south, Ukraine says Ukrainian forces staved off unrelenting Russian attacks on the devastated eastern Ukraine city of Avdiivka on Thursday, a senior official said, and Russian shelling killed four people on the war's southern front in Kherson region. With little movement along the 1,000-km (600-mile) front line, Moscow has been focused since mid-October on capturing Avdiivka, a town noted for its vast coking plant and proximity to the Russian-held regional centre of Donetsk. Vitaliy Barabash, head of Avdiivka's military administration, said Russian forces had unleashed "the fiercest" attacks on…