While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Nov 25
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Hostages abducted from Israel are handed over to the International Red Cross by Hamas militants.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Hamas releases 24 hostages held in Gaza, amid truce
Hamas fighters released 24 hostages on Nov 24, during the first day of the war’s first truce, including Israeli women and children and Thai farm workers, after guns fell silent across the Gaza Strip for the first time in seven weeks.
The hostages were transferred out of Gaza and handed over to Egyptian authorities at the Rafah border crossing, accompanied by eight staff members of the International Committee of the Red Cross in a four-car convoy, the ICRC said.
Qatar, which acted as mediator for the truce deal, said 13 Israelis had been released, some with dual nationality, plus 10 Thais and a Filipino.
Thirty-nine Palestinian women and children detainees were released from Israeli jails.
Happy but wary, displaced Palestinians try to head home
REUTERS
Gaza - Many joyful but wary Palestinians emerged from makeshift shelters at the start of the four-day Gaza ceasefire on Nov 24 to begin the long journey back to their homes.
In the southern town of Khan Younis, which has been housing thousands of displaced families including from heavily bombarded northern Gaza, streets were packed with people on the move.
Hundreds were heading towards the north, despite Israel dropping leaflets warning them not to go back to an area it described as still being a dangerous war zone.
Zelensky names ‘three victories’ Ukraine needs
via REUTERS
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Nov 24 said Ukraine needed to secure three key “victories” abroad, including the approval of major aid packages from the US Congress and European Union, and a formal start of accession talks to join the bloc.
Twenty-months into Russia’s full-scale invasion, fatigue has crept into the West’s relations with Kyiv, which heavily relies on its allies for military, economic and humanitarian aid to battle on against the Kremlin’s troops.
“We need three victories. The first one is the victory with US Congress. It’s a challenge. It’s not easy, but Ukraine is doing everything,” Mr Zelensky told a news conference in Kyiv.
Blow for Wilders as Dutch ruling party snubs Cabinet role
AFP
Dutch firebrand Geert Wilders’ already difficult task of forming a government became even harder on Nov 24, when the head of the ruling party immediately snubbed a role in his Cabinet.
The Netherlands is under scrutiny in Europe and further afield after Wilders’ PVV Freedom Party touched off a political earthquake by comfortably winning the general election on Nov 22.
But Mr Wilders’ dream of leading a far-right coalition as prime minister received a major blow when the liberal VVD of departing leader Mark Rutte declined to join him.
Alex De Minaur drives Australia to Davis Cup final
Alex de Minaur smoothly guided Australia into a second successive Davis Cup final with an assured 2-0 win over Finland on Nov 24 in Malaga.
The world number 12 wore down Emil Ruusuvuori in a 6-4, 6-3 straight sets triumph, after Alexei Popyrin beat Otto Virtanen 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 in the first singles rubber.
Australia, who last won the competition in 2003, will face Novak Djokovic’s Serbia or Jannik Sinner’s Italy in Sunday’s final.
