- Three male hostages expected for Saturday release, ceasefire negotiations to continue The Jerusalem Post
- After the initial ecstasy of freedom, released hostages face a long road to recovery The Associated Press
- ‘I can breathe again’: Family of American-Israeli hostage reacts to his release CNN
- Hamas to Submit Names of Three Israeli Hostages to Be Freed Saturday Haaretz
- Freed Israeli Hostages: What They Endured in Captivity and How They Survived American Jewish Committee
‘Stagflation’ fears as Bank of England cuts growth forecast and warns of price rises
UK economy expected to grow by just 0.75% this year, in fresh blow to Rachel Reeves’s attempts to raise confidence
Rachel Reeves’s plans for growth suffered a double blow after the Bank of England halved its forecast for the year and warned households would face mounting pressure from rising prices.
In a downbeat assessment as it cut interest rates for a third time in six months, Threadneedle Street warned people would face a fresh squeeze on living standards from rising inflation even as the economy stalled.
Continue reading...Exclusive: Ukraine sees marked improvement in accuracy of Russia’s North Korean missiles – Reuters
- Exclusive: Ukraine sees marked improvement in accuracy of Russia's North Korean missiles Reuters
- Ukraine-Russia war latest: Warning over North Korea missile strikes as French jets arrive to bolster Kyiv The Independent
- North Korean missiles show improved accuracy in Russian attacks on Ukraine, Reuters reports Kyiv Independent
- Ukraine-Russia war latest: Trump's team 'split' on how to deal with Putin - as US talks with Russia 'intensifying' Sky News
- North Korean missiles in the Ukraine war are getting deadlier — as troops use battlefield as ultimate testing ground New York Post
‘Based on a falsehood’: Panama president denies US claim on canal fees
Panama’s president says a State Department claim that it agreed to waive canal fees for the US government is false.
Netanyahu told U.S. officials war could end if Hamas leaders go into exile: sources – Axios
- Netanyahu told U.S. officials war could end if Hamas leaders go into exile: sources Axios
- Trump-Netanyahu meeting is a consequential moment for both leaders – and the Middle East CNN
- Netanyahu vows to restart Gaza war Semafor
- Netanyahu Will Return to Israel a New Man on the Wings of Trump's Verbiage Haaretz
- Israeli prime minister lauds Trump's leadership when asked if Biden should take credit for ceasefire Fox News
‘How patronising’: rail bosses face anger over plan to hide train departure times
New scheme, aimed at reducing platform dashes, will see schedules deleted from boards three minutes before departure
Rail bosses have been accused of patronising passengers by hiding trains’ departure information minutes before they are due to leave in a bid to tackle last-moment platform dashes.
Under the scheme, which is being trialled at King’s Cross, the final call for long-distance trains will be made four minutes before departure. Train details will be deleted from departure boards three minutes before they leave.
Continue reading...Panama formally exits China’s Belt and Road Initiative as US claims ‘victory’ – South China Morning Post
- Panama formally exits China’s Belt and Road Initiative as US claims ‘victory’ South China Morning Post
- Rubio says Panama must reduce Chinese influence around the canal or face possible US action The Associated Press
- China lodges complaints with U.S. over Panama Canal remarks Reuters
- Donald Trump’s Combative Pursuits in Panama The New Yorker
- Opinion | Any US bid to retake Panama Canal would be prohibitively costly South China Morning Post
Spanish footballer was ‘overwhelmed’ after World Cup kiss, court hears
Teammates of Jenni Hermoso have testified in a trial over a kiss between her and former football chief Luis Rubiales.
‘Worst nightmare’: Egypt and Jordan put in impossible bind by Trump Gaza plan
Though heavily dependent on US aid, Amman and Cairo face political calamity at home should they comply
International outrage in recent days has focused on Donald Trump’s proposal that the US take “ownership” of Gaza, and that more than two million Palestinians be displaced to allow the territory to be transformed from “a demolition site” into a “riviera” in the Middle East.
In Jordan and Egypt, the demand that both countries accept huge numbers of Palestinians from Gaza – potentially on a permanent basis – has prompted equal concern. Leaders of both countries immediately rejected the proposal, and the Jordanian king, Abdullah II, and the Egyptian president, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, are heading to Washington in an attempt to convince Trump to change course.
Continue reading...What purpose does Trump’s media strategy serve?
The US president's controversial proposals are garnering global attention.
Netanyahu won’t meet with Jewish org. leaders during US visit – exclusive – The Jerusalem Post
- Netanyahu won’t meet with Jewish org. leaders during US visit - exclusive The Jerusalem Post
- Trump-Netanyahu meeting is a consequential moment for both leaders – and the Middle East CNN
- Israeli prime minister lauds Trump's leadership when asked if Biden should take credit for ceasefire Fox News
- President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Hold Press Conference C-SPAN
- Trump and Netanyahu Leave Little Daylight Between Them The New York Times
Man launches fight against fine for loudspeaker call at French station
The outraged passenger hires a lawyer to dispute the fine over a public phone call in Nantes.
Trump says Israel would hand over Gaza after fighting, no US troops needed – Reuters
- Trump says Israel would hand over Gaza after fighting, no US troops needed Reuters
- Trump Digs In on Gaza Takeover and Palestinian Resettlement The New York Times
- ‘Worst nightmare’: Egypt and Jordan put in impossible bind by Trump Gaza plan The Guardian
- The End of ‘Palestine’ Tablet Magazine
- There Is No Real-Estate Solution for Gaza The Atlantic
People relying on USAID face uncertainty after Trump funding freeze
Thousands of aid projects, from food assistance to vaccinations, partially-funded by USAID, face uncertainty.
A referendum on crime? What to know about Ecuador’s presidential election
President Daniel Noboa hopes to secure a full four-year term but faces concerns over high crime and economic issues.
Nearly 3,000 people killed after rebels seize key city in DR Congo, UN says – CNN
- Nearly 3,000 people killed after rebels seize key city in DR Congo, UN says CNN
- Rwanda-backed rebels tell residents of a captured eastern Congolese city they are safe The Associated Press
- ‘Days of Mass Burials Ahead’ as Congo Mourns Its Dead in Goma The New York Times
- ‘A crying need’: Goma hospitals plead for blood donors after M23 assault The Guardian
- Ceasefire in east Congo appears to crumble as rebels take another town NBC News
Trump announces plan to launch task force against ‘anti-Christian bias’
At a prayer breakfast, Trump said the task force would prosecute the 'targeting' of Christians within government.
False video claims Hollywood stars were paid by USAID to visit Ukraine
The video claiming that USAID paid Hollywood celebrities millions of dollars to visit Ukraine is not real and has hallmarks of a Russian disinformation operation that the BBC has previously investigated.
102 venomous snakes — including 97 newborns — found in homeowner’s backyard in Australia – CBS News
- 102 venomous snakes — including 97 newborns — found in homeowner's backyard in Australia CBS News
- 102 snakes removed from homeowner’s garden in Sydney CNN
- The number of snakes removed from this Australian yard will make you shudder Yahoo! Voices
- Expert Pulls 'Snake After Snake' — 102 in Total — from Property After Homeowners Notice Something 'Unusual' PEOPLE
Fishing rights will not derail EU-UK security pact, says European Council president
With member states keen to link quotas to any deal, António Costa says defence and fisheries ‘are different things’
The EU will not let the question of fishing rights derail a pact with the UK on security and defence, the president of the European Council has said.
The comments from António Costa, who took over as the European Council president in December, is a boost for Keir Starmer, amid frustration among UK officials over EU insistence on linking a security deal to other demands, notably fishing rights.
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