https://www.voazimbabwe.com/z/3164 The Voice of America is one of the world's most trusted sources for news and information from the United States and around the world. VOA is a multi media news organization using radio, television, and the internet to distribute content in 45 languages. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/Content/responsive/VOA/en-ZW/img/logo.png https://www.voazimbabwe.com/z/3164 en 2026 - VOA 60 Tue, 09 Jun 2026 14:10:58 +0200 Pangea CMS – VOA By Nike Ching State Department — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will arrive in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Monday for U.S.-Ukraine talks as President Donald Trump pushes to broker a swift end to the Russia-Ukraine war. While in Jeddah, Rubio will also meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud to discuss ways to advance shared interests in the region and strengthen the U.S.-Saudi relationship, said State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce. According to the State Department, Rubio has “underscored President Trump's determination to end the war as soon as possible and emphasized that all sides must take steps to secure a sustainable peace” in a Friday call with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. SEE ALSO: Trump confident Putin wants peace despite ‘bombing the hell out of Ukraine’ On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit the Gulf kingdom for a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Afterward, a Ukrainian diplomatic and military delegation led by Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, will remain in Saudi Arabia for talks with U.S. officials. The Ukrainian team will also include Sybiha, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and military commander Pavlo Palisa. Rubio will join U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, for the Jeddah talks with Ukrainian officials. Witkoff has told reporters that "the idea is to get down a framework for a peace agreement and an initial ceasefire as well." The U.S.-Ukraine talks will take place three weeks after senior U.S. officials held talks with Russian officials in Riyadh. Ukraine said it is “fully committed” to constructive dialogue with the U.S. and hopes to “discuss and agree on the necessary decisions and steps.” “Ukraine has been seeking peace from the very first second of this war. Realistic proposals are on the table. The key is to move quickly and effectively,” Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X on Saturday. G7 foreign ministers Following his visit to Saudi Arabia, Rubio will travel to Charlevoix, Canada, for the Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers' meeting from March 12 to 14. In a joint statement following talks on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in February, G7 foreign ministers underscored their commitment to helping “achieve a durable peace” and “reaffirmed the need to develop robust security guarantees” for Ukraine. “Any new, additional sanctions after February should be linked to whether the Russian Federation enters into real, good-faith efforts to bring an enduring end to the war against Ukraine,” the joint statement added. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/rubio-heads-to-saudi-arabia-for-us-ukraine-talks-then-canada-for-g7/8004316.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/rubio-heads-to-saudi-arabia-for-us-ukraine-talks-then-canada-for-g7/8004316.html Sun, 09 Mar 2025 17:28:58 +0200 World The Vatican said Monday that Pope Francis suffered two new episodes of “acute respiratory insufficiency,” with a prognosis that “remains guarded.” The pope’s condition is the result of “a significant accumulation of endobronchial mucus and consequent bronchospasm,” the Vatican said in a statement. The Vatican said Francis, 88, underwent two bronchoscopies to remove the mucus and later resumed the use of noninvasive mechanical ventilation. He remains “alert, oriented and cooperative at all times,” the Vatican added. The leader of the Roman Catholic Church was admitted to Gemelli Hospital in Rome on Feb. 14 with a case of bronchitis that soon worsened to double pneumonia. This hospital stay is the longest during his time as pope. He is prone to lung infections, having had part of a lung removed when he was a young man. Some of the faithful who have journeyed to Rome to see the Vatican and possibly the pope have altered their plans and are now saying prayers for Francis outside the hospital for his full recovery. The pope's illness has also prompted Catholics to gather in Vatican City, his native Argentina and other areas of the world to hold prayer vigils. Francis became pope in 2013 when his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, resigned. Some information for this report came from Reuters. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/pope-francis-prognosis-is-guarded-after-suffering-new-breathing-crises/7995848.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/pope-francis-prognosis-is-guarded-after-suffering-new-breathing-crises/7995848.html Mon, 03 Mar 2025 23:52:50 +0200 World voadigital@voanews.com (VOA News) A top Hamas leader says that the militant group plans to release six more living Israeli hostages from their Gaza captivity on Saturday and the bodies of four others on Thursday. Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya made the surprise announcement in a recorded statement Tuesday, an apparent response to the Israeli decision to allow long-requested mobile homes and construction equipment into the Gaza Strip. The six living hostages are the last set to be freed under the first phase of the ceasefire that expires in early March, with Hamas believed to be holding about 70 more captives, half of them living. Four more bodies of hostages are set to be returned next week. So far during the ceasefire, Hamas has released 24 hostages, and Israel freed more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. The warring sides have yet to negotiate the second and more difficult phase of their truce, in which Hamas says it will only release the remaining hostages in exchange for a lasting halt to the fighting and a full Israeli troop withdrawal from the narrow territory along the Mediterranean Sea. Meanwhile, Israel has not backed off its goal, supported by the United States, of eradicating any military or governing role for Hamas in Gaza. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Tuesday that Israel was ready to open negotiations on the details of the second phase. Those talks were supposed to have started two weeks ago, according to the ceasefire deal. In his remarks, Hayya said the "Bibas family" would be included in the handover of the four bodies, apparently referring to Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Ariel and Kfir, who for many Israelis embody the captives' plight. Israel has not confirmed their deaths, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office urged the public not to distribute "photos, names and rumors." Israel has said it was gravely concerned about the Bibas family, while Hamas said they were killed in an Israeli airstrike early in the war. Yarden Bibas, the husband and father, was kidnapped separately and released this month. Kfir, who was 9 months old at the time, was the youngest hostage taken in Hamas' shock Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that triggered 15 months of fighting. Video footage of the abduction showed Shiri swaddling her redheaded boys in a blanket and being whisked away by armed men. "In recent hours we have been shaken after the Hamas spokesman's announcement was published about the return of our Shiri, Ariel and Kfir this coming Thursday as part of the movement to release kidnapped civilians,” the family said in a statement. “It is important for us to say that we are aware of the reports but have not yet received an official update on the matter.” “Until we receive certainty, our journey will not end,” the family said. An Israeli official said Netanyahu had agreed to allow the mobile homes and construction equipment into Gaza to accelerate the hostages' release. Hamas last week threatened to hold up the release of more hostages, citing the mobile home issue and other alleged violations of the truce. Israel is expected to continue releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including many serving life sentences for deadly attacks, in exchange for the hostages. Israelis and Palestinians marked 500 days of the war on Monday. Hamas killed about 1,200 people in the October 2023 attack and took about 250 as hostages. More than half the captives have been released in ceasefire agreements and other deals, while eight were rescued in military operations. Israel's air and ground war killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not say how many were combatants. The Israeli military, without offering evidence, says the death toll includes 17,000 militants. The offensive destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced most of its population of 2.3 million. Meanwhile, Israeli troops remained in some areas of southern Lebanon on Tuesday, despite a deadline for their withdrawal as part of a ceasefire with the militant group Hezbollah. Israel withdrew from some villages in the region, but said it was leaving forces in place in five positions that it said were necessary to protect parts of northern Israel. A joint statement from Lebanon’s president, prime minister and parliament speaker on Tuesday called on the U.N. Security Council to demand Israel’s immediate withdrawal. The ceasefire agreement called for Israel to withdraw by late January, with Hezbollah also moving away from the border and U.N. peacekeepers deploying in the vacated buffer zone along with the Lebanese troops. An extension pushed the deadline to Tuesday. The U.N. envoy for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, and the head of the U.N. peacekeeping mission and force commander in Lebanon, Lieutenant General Aroldo Lazaro, said in a joint statement that another delay in implementing the ceasefire deal “is not what we hoped would happen.” Katz said the military “will remain in a buffer zone in Lebanon with five control positions and will continue to act forcefully and uncompromisingly against any Hezbollah violation.” The ceasefire, reached in late November, halted more than a year of fighting in Lebanon, which had intensified in the months ahead of the truce, with Israeli troops conducting ground operations inside of Lebanon and repeated airstrikes targeting Hezbollah. The militants launched a cross-border rocket campaign in October 2023, attacking northern Israel a day after Hamas attacked southern Israel. Hamas and Hezbollah have been designated by the United States and others as terrorist organizations. Some information for this story was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/hamas-says-it-will-release-10-more-hostages-six-of-them-living/7979760.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/hamas-says-it-will-release-10-more-hostages-six-of-them-living/7979760.html Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:13:15 +0200 World The U.S. fully endorsed Israel’s war aims in Gaza on Sunday, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying that Hamas “must be eradicated” and "cannot continue as a military or government force." Rubio met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem at the start of a regional tour as the first phase of a tenuous Israel-Hamas ceasefire expires in two weeks, with the second segment yet to be negotiated. Rubio, on his first trip to the Middle East as the new top U.S. diplomat, told Netanyahu that “as long as [Hamas] stands as a force that can govern or as a force that can administer or as a force that can threaten by use of violence, peace becomes impossible.” Rubio is likely to face continued opposition from Arab nations about U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to move Palestinians out of Gaza into neighboring countries and then for Israel to hand over the narrow territory along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea to the U.S. to own and redevelop. While U.S. allies and adversaries alike have assailed Trump’s Gaza plan, Netanyahu has welcomed it, saying that he and Trump have a "common strategy" for Gaza's future. SEE ALSO: Arab League chief rejects Trump plan to displace Palestinians from Gaza  Echoing Trump, the Israeli leader said "the gates of hell would be open" if Hamas does not release dozens of remaining hostages abducted in its Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war. Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist group, freed three hostages Saturday in exchange for nearly 400 Palestinians who had been jailed in Israel. But the militants continue to hold dozens of hostages they captured in the terror attack that killed 1,200 people. Israel’s counteroffensive during 15 months of fighting in Gaza has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to the territory's health ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians. Israel, without proving evidence, says it has killed over 17,000 militants. Rubio and Netanyahu met as the first phase of the ceasefire nears its end. In the second phase, the tentative plan calls for Hamas to release dozens of remaining hostages in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners, drafting of a permanent truce and the withdrawal of Israeli forces. But the detailed terms of the deal have yet to be negotiated. The tough U.S. stance aligning with Netanyahu’s position could complicate efforts to continue talks with Hamas, which, despite suffering heavy losses in the war, remains intact and in control of Gaza. Some of Netanyahu’s supporters in the Israeli government want to continue the war when the first phase of the ceasefire ends but resuming it could endanger the lives of the remaining hostages. Netanyahu has offered Hamas a chance to surrender and send its top leaders into exile, but Hamas has rejected such a scenario. Meanwhile, despite the ceasefire largely holding, the Israeli military said it carried out an airstrike early Sunday on people who approached its forces in southern Gaza. The Hamas-run Interior Ministry said the strike killed three of its policemen while they were securing the entry of aid trucks near Rafah, on the Egyptian border. Hamas described the attack as a "serious violation" of the ceasefire and accused Netanyahu of trying to sabotage the deal. During his tour of the region, Rubio was not scheduled to meet with any Palestinian officials. Egypt says it is hosting an Arab summit on Feb. 27, and is working with other countries on a counterproposal that would allow for Gaza to be rebuilt without removing its population. Human rights groups say the expulsion of Palestinians would likely violate international law. Arab nations have long called for creation of an independent Palestinian state to exist alongside Israel, which the U.S. has also supported. But Netanyahu opposes a two-state solution and U.S. ownership of Gaza also would likely end the possibility of a Palestinian state encompassing Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Egypt has warned that any mass influx of Palestinians from Gaza would undermine its nearly half-century-old peace treaty with Israel, a cornerstone of American influence in the region. Rubio is also set to visit the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The United Arab Emirates was the leading force behind the 2020 Abraham Accords in which four Arab states normalized relations with Israel during Trump's first White House term. Trump hopes to expand the accords to include Saudi Arabia, potentially offering closer U.S. defense ties, but the kingdom has said it will not normalize relations with Israel without a pathway to a Palestinian state. Some material in this report came from The Associated Press. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/us-hamas-must-be-eradicated-/7977097.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/us-hamas-must-be-eradicated-/7977097.html Sun, 16 Feb 2025 22:36:01 +0200 WorldUSA Hamas released three more hostages Saturday in exchange for Palestinian prisoners as a fragile ceasefire appears to be holding despite recent tensions. Israeli American Sagui Dekel Chen, 36, a resident of Kibbutz Nir Oz in southern Israel, reportedly was taken captive when he confronted Hamas militants during their Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack in southern Israel. Two months after his capture, his wife, Avital, gave birth to their third daughter. Also released was Israeli Russian Sasha Troufanov, 29, also from Kibbutz Nir Oz. He was taken prisoner in the Hamas attack, along with his mother, Yelena, grandmother Irina Tati and girlfriend Sapir Cohen. All three women were released in a hostage deal a month later. His father, Vitaly, was killed in the attack. The family emigrated to Israel from Russia 25 years ago. The third hostage released was identified as Israeli Argentinian Iair Horn, 46, also from Kibbutz Nir Oz. He was kidnapped in the Hamas attack, along with his brother Eitan, who is not part of the current phase of the hostage deal. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/hamas-releases-3-more-israeli-hostages-israel-frees-more-prisoners/7976389.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/hamas-releases-3-more-israeli-hostages-israel-frees-more-prisoners/7976389.html Sat, 15 Feb 2025 21:02:14 +0200 World voadigital@voanews.com (VOA News) U.S. President Donald Trump says Palestinians living in Gaza now would be moved to an unspecified location outside the territory and have no right to return under his plan for the enclave. Trump, in an interview with Fox News released Monday, called his plan for the narrow territory along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea a "real estate development for the future." “I would own it," he said, adding that the 2.3 million Palestinians now living in war-ravaged Gaza would be moved to as many as six different sites outside Gaza under a plan that the Arab world, as well as U.S. allies and adversaries alike, have already rejected. SEE ALSO: Trump: Israel to hand Gaza over to US when war with Hamas ends Trump, a billionaire New York real estate magnate before entering politics in 2015, did not say where the Palestinians would be relocated. But when asked by Fox anchor Bret Baier if they would be allowed to return home to Gaza, Trump said, "No, they wouldn't, because they're going to have much better housing." "In other words, I'm talking about building a permanent place for them because if they have to return now, it'll be years before you could ever — it's not habitable,” Trump said of Gaza, decimated by 15 months of fighting between Israel and Hamas, although currently in the middle of a six-week ceasefire. Trump first disclosed his surprising Gaza plan standing alongside visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House last week. He has suggested that Egypt and Jordan take in the Palestinians but both countries have rejected the idea. In the Fox interview, set to be broadcast Monday after the first half was aired ahead of the Super Bowl pro football championship game Sunday, Trump said he would build "beautiful communities" for the Palestinians. "Could be five, six, could be two. But we'll build safe communities, a little bit away from where they are, where all of this danger is," Trump said. Meanwhile, Hamas, a U.S.-designated terror group, announced Monday it is indefinitely postponing its next hostage-prisoner exchange, accusing Israel of violating terms of the ceasefire that extends to early March. The next exchange was set for Saturday, with three more Israelis set to be freed in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners jailed by Israel. A spokesperson for Hamas' armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, said in a statement, the militants remain committed to the ceasefire terms “as long as the occupation adheres to them.” Hamas accused Israel of delaying the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza, although hundreds of thousands have returned; “targeting them with airstrikes and gunfire across various areas”; and “failing to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid as agreed,” although 1,260 humanitarian aid trucks have entered Gaza and the United Nations has said the immediate threat of famine has dissipated. Since the ceasefire took effect, Hamas has freed 21 hostages while Israel has released more than 730 prisoners. Pressure is growing on Israel and Hamas to extend the truce. While on Air Force One on the way to the Super Bowl, Trump told reporters he was losing patience with the situation after seeing emaciated hostages released by Hamas. “I watched the hostages come back today and they looked like Holocaust survivors. They were in horrible condition. They were emaciated. It looked like many years ago, the Holocaust survivors, and I don’t know how much longer we can take that,” he said. A new benchmark was reached Sunday in the ceasefire in Gaza, with Israeli troops withdrawing from the Netzarim corridor, a narrow strip of land that bisects the territory. It allowed more Palestinians to return to the northern sector where they once lived, but much of the land has been leveled by 15 months of fighting. Hamas spokesperson Abdel Latif Al-Qanoua said the withdrawal showed Hamas had "forced the enemy to submit to our demands" and that it thwarted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin "Netanyahu's illusion of achieving total victory." Israeli officials did not disclose how many soldiers withdrew or to where. Troops currently remain along Gaza's borders with Israel and Egypt and a full withdrawal is expected to be negotiated in a later stage of the initial 42-day ceasefire. But almost no progress has been made in negotiating an extension of the truce, which is supposed to lead to the release of more hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners jailed in Israel. During the first six-week phase of the ceasefire, Hamas is gradually releasing 33 Israeli hostages captured during its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel in exchange for a pause in fighting, freedom for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and a flood of humanitarian aid into Gaza. The deal also stipulated that Israeli troops would pull back from populated areas of Gaza as well as the Netzarim corridor. In the second phase, all remaining living hostages would be released in return for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a "sustainable calm." But details are unclear and yet to be negotiated. The war in Gaza was triggered by the shock October 2023 Hamas terror attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and led to the capture of 250 hostages. Israel’s counteroffensive killed more than 47,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to local health authorities. Israel says the death toll includes 17,000 militants it has killed. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/trump-palestinians-won-t-have-right-to-return-under-his-gaza-plan/7969842.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/trump-palestinians-won-t-have-right-to-return-under-his-gaza-plan/7969842.html Mon, 10 Feb 2025 22:22:52 +0200 World Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners Saturday in the latest exchange for Israeli hostages held in Gaza, which is part of a fragile ceasefire deal. It comes on the heels of Hamas freeing three more Israeli hostages earlier in the day. This is the fifth exchange since a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect last month. It comes amid the backdrop of U.S. President Donald Trump continuing to promote his plan to take ownership of the Gaza Strip. Eighteen of those released Saturday had been sentenced to life imprisonment, and 54 were serving long sentences for what Israel says was their involvement in deadly attacks against Israelis. Some have been in jail for two decades. In the West Bank town of Beitunia, whistling crowds greeted the released prisoners as heroes, waving flags and chanting support for Hamas. Some of the released men fell to their knees after getting off the bus, crying and kissing the ground. Emotional relatives were there to greet them before they returned to their homes in the West Bank. “We've been waiting. And waiting is the most painful thing, it wears on the nerves,” said Samah Abu Aliya, whose 34-year-old son, Imad Abu Aliya, was freed Saturday after serving 4½ years for his affiliation with Hamas. The United States, Britain and other Western nations designate Hamas as a terror group. Seven of those convicted of the most serious crimes were transferred to Egypt. Under the terms of the ceasefire agreement, they either will stay in that country or be deported elsewhere. Additionally, among those released were 111 Palestinians from Gaza who were captured after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack on southern Israel, which triggered the war in Gaza. They were detained without trial, and the Red Cross brought them to the European Hospital in Gaza's southern town of Khan Younis, where scores of people poured into the streets in celebration. Of the Israeli hostages, 52-year-old Eli Sharabi and 56-year-old Ohad Ben Ami were taken from Kibbutz Beeri, a communal farm, while Or Levy, 34, was abducted from the Nova music festival during the Hamas terror attack. During the first phase of the ceasefire, set to last six weeks, Hamas is to gradually free 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. So far, 13 Israeli hostages and five Thai workers abducted during the Hamas attack have been freed in exchange for some 600 mostly Palestinian prisoners released from Israeli jails. The exchange Saturday follows Trump’s proposal to clear Gaza of its Palestinian inhabitants and for the U.S. to take ownership of the territory. Trump told reporters Friday at the White House before a meeting with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba his plan should be viewed as a real estate transaction but offered no timetable for the plan, saying “we’re in no rush on it.” Responding to a question about his Gaza proposal, Trump said his plan has been "very well received," and as he envisioned it, there would be no need for the United States to have "boots on the ground" in the region because Israel would provide security. Trump first announced his Gaza takeover plan earlier this week alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a White House news conference. Trump later offered more on the plan on his Truth Social platform, suggesting Israel should turn the Gaza Strip over to the United States after the war with Hamas ends. Under his plan, he said, the more than 2 million Palestinians who live there "would have already been resettled in far safer and more beautiful communities." In a video statement Thursday, during his visit to Washington, Netanyahu praised the plan, saying it was worth listening to and "the first original idea to be raised in years." The plan has been widely assailed by U.S. allies and adversaries alike, many of whom remain committed to the creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel, known as the "two-state solution." A large street protest was held in Amman, Jordan, on Friday in opposition to the plan. At the demonstration, organized by the Muslim Brotherhood and other opposition parties, marchers carried posters and a banner condemning Trump and chanting pro-Palestinian slogans. On Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz called Trump’s idea a "bold plan" and said he has ordered the Israel Defense Forces to devise a plan for Palestinians to voluntarily leave the Gaza Strip, adding they could go "to any country willing to accept them." Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/hamas-releases-3-israeli-hostages-as-ceasefire-deal-holds/7968089.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/hamas-releases-3-israeli-hostages-as-ceasefire-deal-holds/7968089.html Sat, 08 Feb 2025 23:58:41 +0200 World voadigital@voanews.com (VOA News) U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that his plan for the United States to take ownership of the Gaza Strip should be viewed as a real estate transaction, but he offered no timetable, saying “we’re in no rush on it.” The president made the comments as he and visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba met with reporters at the White House before the two leaders held talks. Responding to a question about his Gaza proposal, Trump said that his plan had been “very well received,” and that as he envisioned it, there would be no need for the U.S. to have “boots on the ground” in the region because Israel would provide security. Trump first announced his Gaza takeover plan earlier this week alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a White House news conference. Trump later offered more on the plan on his Truth Social platform, suggesting Israel should turn the Gaza Strip over to the United States after the war with Hamas ends. Under his plan, he said, the more than 2 million Palestinians who live there "would have already been resettled in far safer and more beautiful communities.” In a video statement Thursday, during his visit to Washington, Netanyahu praised the plan, saying it was worth listening to and “the first original idea to be raised in years." The plan has been widely assailed by U.S. allies and adversaries alike, many of whom remain committed to the creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel, known as the “two-state solution.” A large street protest was held in Amman, Jordan, on Friday in opposition to plan. At the demonstration, organized by the Muslim Brotherhood and other opposition parties, marchers carried posters and a banner condemning Trump and chanting pro-Palestinian slogans. Also Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz called Trump’s idea a “bold plan” and said he had ordered the Israel Defense Forces to devise a plan for Palestinians to voluntarily leave the Gaza Strip, adding they could go "to any country willing to accept them." Meanwhile, the IDF announced Friday that it had deployed forces from three divisions of its Southern Command to several points in the Gaza Strip to “strengthen the layer of defense for Israeli citizens bordering the area.” In statement on its website, the IDF said the deployments were “part of the ceasefire agreement” and added that its forces “are prepared for defense and will continue to act decisively against terrorist organizations, in order to ensure the security of the residents of the State of Israel.” Netanyahu wrapped up his Washington visit Friday with a trip to Capitol Hill, where he met with House Speaker Mike Johnson. During remarks following their meeting, Netanyahu thanked Trump for the executive order he issued placing sanctions on the U.N.’s International Criminal Court. Netanyahu called the ICC a “scandalous and corrupt organization” that “threatens the right of all democracies to defend themselves by themselves.” In the executive order, issued Thursday, Trump said the court “has engaged in illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel.” The order also accused the ICC of abusing its power by issuing arrest warrants in November for Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, Israel’s former defense minister, who oversaw much of the war in Gaza. In a statement Friday, the ICC condemned the executive order. In a separate statement, Judge Tomoko Akane, president of the court, said the order was “only the latest in a series of unprecedented and escalatory attacks aiming to undermine the ICC’s ability to administer justice in all situations.” The ICC was established in 2002 to serve as a permanent court to prosecute individuals responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. The court is governed by an international treaty called the Rome Statute, which was adopted by the United Nations in 1998. It took effect on July 1, 2002. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/trump-sees-us-takeover-of-gaza-as-real-estate-transaction-/7967267.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/trump-sees-us-takeover-of-gaza-as-real-estate-transaction-/7967267.html Sat, 08 Feb 2025 00:46:34 +0200 World U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said that Israel would turn the Gaza Strip over to the United States after the war with Hamas ends and that no U.S. soldiers would be needed there. Trump, who has called for U.S. ownership of the narrow territory along the Mediterranean Sea, issued the statement on Truth Social. Under his plan, he said, more than 2 million Palestinians now inhabiting the war-ravaged land “would have already been resettled in far safer and more beautiful communities, with new and modern homes, in the region.” He did not say whether he meant in Gaza or other countries that, as yet, have not agreed to accept them. “They would actually have a chance to be happy, safe, and free,” the U.S. leader wrote. Meanwhile, Hamas on Thursday called on all Palestinian factions to unite against Trump’s proposed Gaza takeover. Trump earlier this week said he could envision sending U.S. troops to Gaza to ease the American takeover but said in his new posting that with the Israeli handover of the land, “No soldiers by the U.S. would be needed! Stability for the region would reign!!!” Trump’s surprise Gaza takeover plan, announced earlier this week alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a White House news conference, has been widely assailed by U.S. allies and adversaries alike, many of which remain committed to creation of an independent Palestinian state coexisting alongside Israel. The two-state solution is also a long-held U.S. stance but one that Netanyahu opposes. Gaza has been decimated by the ravages of more than 15 months of Israeli-Hamas fighting. But in his new comments, Trump said, “The U.S., working with great development teams from all over the World, would slowly and carefully begin the construction of what would become one of the greatest and most spectacular developments of its kind on Earth.” On Tuesday, Trump said a newly redeveloped Gaza would become the “Riviera of the Middle East.” Israeli leaders welcome ‘bold plan’ Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Thursday he has instructed the country’s army to prepare plans for large numbers of Palestinians to leave the Gaza Strip via land crossings as well as sea and air routes, although it was unclear what countries might accept them. Katz welcomed what he characterized as Trump’s “bold plan” for Gaza residents to leave the territory, which has been devastated by Israeli ground and air attacks targeting Hamas militants. Netanyahu told Fox News late Wednesday that Palestinians could leave Gaza while it is rebuilt and then return. Netanyahu described the Trump plan as “a remarkable idea, and I think it should be really pursued, examined, pursued and done, because I think it will create a different future for everyone.” Guterres: Don’t make problem worse Trump’s proposal has met widespread criticism, including from U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who said, “In the search for solutions, we must not make the problem worse” by moving Palestinians out of Gaza. “It is vital to stay true to the bedrock of international law. It is essential to avoid any form of ethnic cleansing.” German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Wednesday that Trump’s proposals “generate deep concern in some people, even horror,” and would be “unacceptable under international law.” The 22-member Arab League said Trump’s plan “represents a recipe for instability” and would not advance the prospects of Palestinian statehood. “They must be allowed home,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Wednesday. "They must be allowed to rebuild, and we should be with them in that rebuild, on the way to a two-state solution.” Following Trump’s Gaza ownership suggestion, Australia, China, Germany, Ireland, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Spain said that they continue to support a two-state solution. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for the United Nations to "protect the Palestinian people and their inalienable rights," saying that what Trump wanted to do would be "a serious violation of international law." Hamas said Trump's Gaza proposal was a "recipe for creating chaos and tension in the region. Instead of holding the Zionist occupation accountable for the crime of genocide and displacement, it is being rewarded, not punished.” Egypt and Jordan: No Even before Trump called for U.S. ownership of Gaza, Egypt and Jordan had in recent days rejected his suggestion that Gaza’s Palestinian population be relocated to their countries. Trump said the two countries would eventually agree to accept the Palestinians. Egypt's Foreign Ministry issued a statement stressing the need for rebuilding in Gaza "without moving the Palestinians out of the Gaza Strip." Fighting in Gaza has halted, other than occasional outbursts, amid a planned six-week ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, a U.S.-designated terror group. Hamas sparked the war with the shock October 2023 attack on Israel, during which the militants killed 1,200 people and took 250 hostages. Israel’s counteroffensive has killed more than 47,500 people, more than half women and children, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza. The Israeli military says it has killed 17,000 Hamas militants. Hamas is believed to be holding about 60 living captives. During the first phase of the ceasefire, the militants have released 18 hostages, while Israel has freed hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. More people are due to be set free in the coming weeks, and negotiators are working on the details of a planned second phase of the ceasefire that would bring an end to the conflict, free the remaining hostages and see Israeli troops withdraw from Gaza. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/trump-israel-to-hand-gaza-over-to-us-when-war-with-hamas-ends/7965830.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/trump-israel-to-hand-gaza-over-to-us-when-war-with-hamas-ends/7965830.html Fri, 07 Feb 2025 00:57:34 +0200 World By Ken Bredemeier U.S. allies and adversaries alike on Wednesday denounced President Donald Trump’s proposal for the United States to take ownership of the Gaza Strip, force 2 million Palestinians to move to other countries and then turn the territory along the Mediterranean Sea into “the Riviera of the Middle East.” Global reaction to Trump’s suggestion, offered at a White House news conference Tuesday evening alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was swift and mostly universally opposed to the idea advanced by the one-time New York real estate magnate. SEE ALSO: Trump says US will take ownership of Gaza Britain, China, Germany, Ireland, Russia and Spain all said they continue to support a two-state solution — creation of an independent Palestinian state that would include Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank existing next to Israel. The two-state proposal, aimed at ending decades of Middle East conflict and wars, has long been the bedrock of U.S. policy in the region even though Netanyahu’s government opposes it. Saudi Arabia, an important oil-producing American ally in the Middle East, weighed in quickly in a sharply worded statement, saying its call for an independent Palestinian state was a "firm, steadfast and unwavering position." "Australia's position is the same as it was this morning, as it was last year, as it was 10 years ago," Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in support of a two-state solution. Netanyahu offered support for the plan, saying Tuesday that one of his war goals is to ensure that Palestinian militant group Hamas never again poses a threat to Israel. But Trump, Netanyahu said, is “taking it to a much higher level.” “I think it’s something that could change history, and it’s worthwhile really pursuing this avenue,” he added. Trump was noncommittal when asked Tuesday whether he supports the two-state solution. His plan on Gaza “doesn't mean anything about a two-state or one-state or any other state,” he said. Palestinians, nearby countries reject Trump ideas Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for the United Nations to "protect the Palestinian people and their inalienable rights," saying that what Trump wanted to do would be "a serious violation of international law." Hamas said Trump's Gaza proposal was a "recipe for creating chaos and tension in the region. Instead of holding the Zionist occupation accountable for the crime of genocide and displacement, it is being rewarded, not punished.” Even before Trump called for U.S. ownership of Gaza, Egypt and Jordan had in recent days rejected his suggestion that Gaza’s Palestinian population be relocated to their countries. Egypt's foreign ministry issued a statement stressing the need for rebuilding in Gaza "without moving the Palestinians out of the Gaza Strip." United Nations human rights chief Volker Türk said Wednesday that deporting people from Israeli-occupied Gaza was illegal. "The right to self-determination is a fundamental principle of international law and must be protected by all states, as the International Court of Justice recently underlined afresh,” Türk said in a statement. “Any forcible transfer in or deportation of people from occupied territory is strictly prohibited." Later, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a speech that “in the search for solutions, we must not make the problem worse. It is vital to stay true to the bedrock of international law. It is essential to avoid any form of ethnic cleansing.” But Trump said at his news conference that Jordan's King Abdullah and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi would come around to his idea of deporting the Palestinians from Gaza, contending the two countries will "open their hearts and will give us the kind of land that we need to get this done and people can live in harmony and in peace." Trump’s Gaza proposal was his first major Middle East policy statement since taking office for a second four-year term two weeks ago. Trump said he envisioned building a resort on the shores of the Mediterranean where international communities could live in harmony. Much of the coastal territory currently lies in ruins, after more than 15 months of Israeli bombardment that has killed more than 47,000 people, more than half of them women and children, according to Palestinian health officials. The Israeli military says it has killed 17,000 Hamas militants. Trump’s Gaza proposal comes amid a six-week ceasefire to halt the fighting that erupted Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and capturing 250 hostages. About 60 living captives are still believed to be held by Hamas, a U.S.-designated terror group. During the truce, Hamas has so far released 18 hostages, while Israel in exchange has freed hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Trump sees ‘unlimited jobs’ with Gaza development At his news conference, Trump said, "The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too. We'll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site, level the site, and get rid of the destroyed buildings, level it out, create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs. “Everybody I've spoken to loves the idea of the United States owning that piece of land, developing and creating thousands of jobs with something that will be magnificent, in a really magnificent area,” he said. Trump offered no details on how he plans to exert control over Gaza, which has been decimated by the war, but he did not rule out sending in U.S. troops. “If it’s necessary, we’ll do that. We’re going to take over that piece, and we’re going to develop it,” he said. Some walk back On Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump “has not committed to boots on the ground in Gaza.” “The United States is not going to pay for the rebuilding of Gaza,” she said. “This is an out-of-the-box idea ... his goal is lasting peace in the Middle East for all people in the region.” Trump’s Gaza ownership idea was a pronounced shift from his past criticism of America’s involvement in Middle East conflicts. Trump said he envisions a “long-term ownership position” for the U.S. that would bring “great stability to that part of the Middle East, and maybe the entire Middle East.” “This was not a decision made lightly,” he said. The U.S. leader’s Gaza overture was his latest suggestion of an American show of force in far-flung reaches of the world. He has voiced the need for the U.S. to retake control of the Panama Canal from the Panamanian government; for the U.S. to buy Greenland, for centuries a Danish territory; and for Canada to be annexed to become the 51st U.S. state. Reactions in the United States Several U.S. lawmakers joined the chorus of world leaders opposing Trump’s Gaza offering. Democratic Senator Chris Coons of Delaware called the comments "offensive and insane and dangerous and foolish." The idea, Coons said, "risks the rest of the world thinking that we are an unbalanced and unreliable partner because our president makes insane proposals.” Coons noted the irony of the proposal coming shortly after Trump had moved to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development, the prime conduit for U.S. foreign aid. Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib, a Palestinian American member of Congress from Michigan, accused Trump in a social media post of "openly calling for ethnic cleansing" with the idea of resettling Gaza's entire population. But a Trump supporter, Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina, adopted a lighthearted assessment, saying, “Let’s turn Gaza into Mar-A-Lago,” referring to Trump’s Atlantic oceanside resort residence and club in south Florida that he calls the Winter White House. House Speaker Mike Johnson, the leader of the narrow Republican majority in the House of Representatives, offered support for Trump’s Gaza takeover, saying, “Yeah, we're trying to get the details of it, but I think this is a good development.” Senate Republican Majority Leader John Thune, in a neutral view, said Trump “wants a more peaceful and secure Middle East and put some ideas out there." Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/countries-leaders-denounce-trump-proposal-for-us-ownership-of-gaza/7964373.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/countries-leaders-denounce-trump-proposal-for-us-ownership-of-gaza/7964373.html Thu, 06 Feb 2025 00:21:44 +0200 World By Patsy Widakuswara   WHITE HOUSE — U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Saturday that places 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico and 10% tariffs on goods from China starting Tuesday, the White House said. "Both Canada and Mexico have allowed an unprecedented invasion of illegal fentanyl that is killing American citizens, and also illegal immigrants into our country," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during her briefing Friday. Trump, who is spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, was not scheduled to speak to reporters. While Canadian goods will face a 25% tariff, Trump said he would tariff Canadian crude oil imports at 10%. Mexico’s energy imports are included in its 25% tariffs. For Canada alone, Trump canceled the "de minimis" tariff exemption for shipments worth less than $800. China’s 10% would be on top of various existing tariffs on its goods. SEE ALSO: Trump tariff met with mixed reactions from China   Under the order, there is no process to seek an exception, but there is one to escalate the tariff rates if the countries retaliate. Mexico and Canada responded later Saturday while China denounced Trump’s action Sunday but left open the possibility for talks to avoid worsening the situation. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum ordered retaliatory tariffs in response to the U.S. move, saying in a post on X that her government would prefer dialogue but had been forced to respond. "I've instructed my economy minister to implement the plan B we've been working on, which includes tariff and nontariff measures in defense of Mexico's interests," she wrote. She also rejected "the White House’s slander that the Mexican government has alliances with criminal organizations, as well as any intention of meddling in our territory." "If the United States government and its agencies wanted to address the serious fentanyl consumption in their country, they could fight the sale of drugs on the streets of their major cities, which they don’t do, and the laundering of money that this illegal activity generates that has done so much harm to its population," she wrote. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Saturday that Canada would retaliate against the U.S. action with 25% tariffs on U.S. goods, saying that the tariffs would apply to $155 billion in U.S. goods, with those on $30 billion to go into effect Tuesday those on the other $125 billion in 21 days. He also said Canada is looking at nontariff measures, possibly relating to critical minerals, energy and other partnerships. China on Sunday denounced the U.S. tariff on China, saying it would challenge the move in at the World Trade Organizations and take "corresponding countermeasures to resolutely safeguard our own rights and interests." While its Commerce Ministry said the U.S. move “seriously violates” international trade rules, it urged Washington to "engage in frank dialogue and strengthen cooperation." 'Negative impact’ predicted China, Mexico and Canada account for more than one-third of the goods and services imported into or bought from the United States. Some economists warn that the tariffs could backfire. Imports from Mexico and Canada make up around 3% of U.S. gross domestic product, while exports make up around 2.5% of U.S. GDP, Brad Setser, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said. A 25% tariff on Mexico and Canada amounts to a "tax hike on imports from those countries" and will "have an immediate and negative impact on the U.S. economy," he told VOA. "It's a strategy for shrinking the U.S. economy." Trump has long threatened to impose tariffs to pressure countries to help his administration stop illegal immigration and the smuggling of chemicals used for fentanyl. He has pledged to use tariffs to boost domestic manufacturing and has praised their use as an effective economic policy. Trump believes that "tariffs are a great source of leverage," and that he will "convince Canada and Mexico to make big concessions under the threat of tariffs," Setser said. "But these measures are going to be pretty costly to the U.S." Trump acknowledged that the tariffs might cause a "short-term disruption" for consumers but said they would lead to a long-term benefit for U.S. manufacturing. "Tariffs don't cause inflation. Tariffs cause success," he added. Trump had vowed Friday to impose sweeping tariffs on semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, steel and aluminum, and oil and gas. "All forms of medicine and pharmaceuticals," Trump said. "And we'll be doing, very importantly, steel, and we'll also be doing chips and things associated with chips." Trump warned he would "absolutely" place tariffs on goods from the European Union. "They're treating us so badly," he said. In imposing the tariffs, he invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The White House said Saturday the act was needed because of "the extraordinary threat posed by illegal aliens and drugs, including deadly fentanyl, constitutes a national emergency." Free trade agreement During his first administration, in 2018, Trump negotiated and signed the United States-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement, in part to narrow the large U.S. trade deficit — the gap between what it exports and what it imports — with its neighbors. He once called the deal "the fairest, most balanced and beneficial trade agreement we have ever signed into law." However, the U.S. trade deficit in goods with Mexico has widened from $106 billion in 2019 to $161 billion in 2023, according to government data. The trade gap in goods with Canada has also increased, from $31 billion in 2019 to $72 billion in 2023. "He's now acting like his deal caused a disaster needing an emergency fix," said Derek Scissors, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. There is no justification for high tariffs on Canada, a market economy that is not in the top five of U.S. trade deficits, Scissors said. "Fentanyl shipments across the Canadian border are tiny," he added. Fentanyl and illegal migration are justifications for border restrictions on Mexico, Scissors said. However, tariffs "don't stop illegal immigration and probably encourage it by threatening jobs in Mexico." Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters, and Agence France-Presse. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/trump-places-tariffs-on-canada-mexico-china/7960107.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/trump-places-tariffs-on-canada-mexico-china/7960107.html Sun, 02 Feb 2025 18:32:14 +0200 World Hamas handed over three Israeli hostages Saturday, the latest in a series of exchanges agreed to in a deal aimed at ending the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group. French Israeli Ofer Kalderon, 54, and Israeli Yarden Bibas, 35, were handed over to the Red Cross in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis before being returned to Israel. Israeli American Keith Siegel, 65, was released hours later at the Gaza City seaport. Bibas was taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7, 2023, Hamas terror attack on Israel along with his wife, Shiri, and their two young sons, Ariel, 5, and Kfir, 2. The fate of his family is uncertain. Siegel, originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was taken hostage from Kibbutz Kfar Aza along with his wife, Aviva Siegel. Aviva Siegel was released during a brief ceasefire in November 2023. Kalderon was captured by the militants from Kibbutz Nir Oz along with his two children. His ex-wife, Hadas Kalderon, was also taken captive but was released with their children during the 2023 hostage exchange. Israel had agreed to release 90 prisoners Saturday, the fourth such exchange. But a Palestinian advocacy group said that number had been updated to 183, expected to be freed later in the day. Israel reopens Rafah crossing Israel also reopened the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza, which will allow 50 Palestinians daily, each with three escorts, to leave Gaza for medical treatment. Later Saturday, foreign ministers from five Arab nations and the Palestinian Authority and the Arab League rejected removing Palestinians from their land. U.S. President Donald Trump had called for Jordan and Egypt to take in the Palestinians, citing the destruction of the Gaza Strip. "We affirm our rejection of [any attempts] to compromise Palestinians' unalienable rights, whether through settlement activities, or evictions or annex of land or through vacating the land from its owners ... in any form or under any circumstances or justifications," the joint statement read. Several million Palestinians live in Jordan, and tens of thousands live in Egypt. Fatal strikes continue In the West Bank on Saturday, Israeli airstrikes killed five people, including a 16-year-old Palestinian boy, the Palestinian health ministry said. The Israeli military said it had struck armed terrorists in airstrikes in the Jenin area. Israel has been engaged in military operations in the West Bank since January 21, searching for weapons and equipment that it says are being smuggled into the West Bank by Iran. Before Saturday, Israel said its military operation had killed 18 militants in the Jenin refugee camp. Included in that toll is a 2-year-old girl. The military is looking into her death, it said, calling it tragic. Israel and Hamas are to begin negotiating the second phase of the three-phase ceasefire on Monday. The second stage calls for all Israeli hostages to be freed, a long-term ceasefire in Gaza, and an Israeli troop withdrawal. The war between Israel and Hamas, which has been designated a terror group by the United States, the U.K. and other Western countries, began after Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Hamas killed 1,200 people and captured about 250 hostages in the attack. Israel had said it believes Hamas is still holding about 100 hostages, including 35 the military says are dead. Under the recent ceasefire, 18 of those hostages have been released. Israel's counteroffensive in Gaza has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, according to the territory's health ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count. The Israeli military says it has killed more than 17,000 militants in the offensive, without providing evidence. Some information for this story came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/hamas-frees-3-hostages-in-latest-ceasefire-exchange-with-israel/7959666.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/hamas-frees-3-hostages-in-latest-ceasefire-exchange-with-israel/7959666.html Sun, 02 Feb 2025 01:58:00 +0200 World BEIJING —  China has prohibited imports of sheep, goat, poultry and even-toed ungulates from African, Asian and European countries due to outbreaks of livestock diseases such as sheep pox, goat pox and foot-and-mouth-disease. The ban, which also includes processed and unprocessed products, comes after the World Health Organization released information of disease outbreaks in various countries, according to a series of announcements by China's General Administration of Customs dated Jan. 21. The ban from the world's largest meat importer affects Ghana, Somalia, Qatar, Congo (DRC), Nigeria, and Tanzania, Egypt, Bulgaria, East Timor and Eritrea. China also said it has stopped imports of sheep, goat and related products from Palestine, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal and Bangladesh due to sheep pox and goat pox outbreaks. It also blocked the imports of even-toed ungulates and related products from Germany following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, it said. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/china-bans-livestock-product-imports-from-numerous-countries-on-disease-worries/7952274.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/china-bans-livestock-product-imports-from-numerous-countries-on-disease-worries/7952274.html Mon, 27 Jan 2025 23:37:28 +0200 World A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took hold Sunday, seemingly starting a six-week pause in 15 months of fighting in Gaza and setting the stage for the release of dozens of hostages held by the militants, including three young women freed in the first hours of the truce. The truce started at 11:15 a.m. local time and hours later, a Red Cross convoy headed into Gaza, the narrow strip of land along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, and secured the release of Romi Gonen, 24, Emily Damari, 28, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31. Meanwhile, Israel began to move dozens of Palestinian prisoners toward Gaza. Israel had pledged to free them as part of the ceasefire deal agreed to last week after a year of futile negotiations. In Washington, U.S. President Joe Biden, who spurred negotiations leading to the truce, said on his last full day in office, "After so much pain, destruction, and loss of life, today the guns in Gaza have gone silent." Gonen had been abducted from a music festival on Oct. 7, 2023, during the shock Hamas attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and led to the abduction of about 250 hostages, while the other two women handed over to Israeli authorities were kidnapped from Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Damari is an Israeli-British dual citizen. The ceasefire was delayed for three hours when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it would not start until Hamas provided a list of the three hostages set for release Sunday. Meanwhile, Israeli attacks in Gaza raged on, with the Gaza health ministry saying at least 26 more people were killed, but did not say whether they were civilians or fighters. The military had warned people to stay away from Israeli forces as they retreated to a buffer zone. The truce was announced last week after intensive mediation by the United States, Qatar and Egypt. Biden’s outgoing administration and President-elect Donald Trump's team had both pressed for an agreement to be reached before Trump’s inauguration and return to the White House on Monday. "Hostages starting to come out today! Three wonderful young women will be first," Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social. The terms of the pact call for a 42-day first phase with the release of 33 of the 99 hostages believed to be held by Hamas and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees freed. About two-thirds of the hostages are believed to be alive, with the rest killed in fighting or having died. Israeli forces are expected to pull back into a buffer zone inside Gaza, and many displaced Palestinians should be able to return home, although much of Gaza has been laid to waste. There is also supposed to be a surge of humanitarian aid to famished Palestinians in Gaza, with hundreds of trucks entering daily, far more than Israel has allowed during the fighting. The United Nations' World Food Program said trucks had started entering Gaza through two crossings after the ceasefire took hold. The Palestinian death toll from the Israel’s counteroffensive after the October 2023 attack has reached more than 46,000, with most of them women and children, although the Israeli military contends, without providing evidence, that it has killed 17,000 militants. Mike Waltz, Trump’s national security adviser when Trump assumes the presidency for a second nonconsecutive term, told CNN’s “State of the Union” show that the release of the hostages is “at the top of the mind of President Trump.” The parameters of the ceasefire-hostage release deal were first proposed last May by Biden, but Trump’s Middle East adviser, Steve Witkoff, joined negotiations in the final stages and the incoming president warned Hamas there would be “all hell to pay” if it did not agree to end the hostilities and free the hostages. “If President Trump had not been elected, this deal was dead in the water,” Waltz told CNN. “They had no option except to let our hostages go.” But he also said the path to peace could be perilous. “It’s going to be a difficult road ahead,” Waltz said, and that “pockets of (Hamas) fighters” could emerge to contest the ceasefire. Top Israeli officials support the ceasefire, but not all of them. Israel's hardline national security minister meanwhile said his Jewish Power faction was quitting the government in protest over the ceasefire agreement. Itamar Ben-Gvir's departure weakens Netanyahu's coalition but will not affect the truce. Negotiations on the far more difficult second phase of this ceasefire should begin in just over two weeks. Major questions remain, including whether the war will resume after the first phase and how the rest of the hostages in Gaza will be freed. But Palestinians across Gaza celebrated the initial truce. Masked militants appeared at some of the celebrations, where crowds chanted slogans in support of them, according to news accounts. Palestinian residents began returning to their homes in parts of Gaza City early Sunday, even as tank shelling continued to the east, closer to the Israeli border, overnight. Families could be seen making their way back on foot, with their belongings loaded on donkey carts, residents said. "The sound of shelling and explosions didn't stop," said Ahmed Matter, a Gaza City resident. Matter said he saw many families leaving their shelters and returning to their homes. "People are impatient. They want this madness to end," he said. Reactions in Israel were more varied, as people hoped for the safe return of the hostages but remained divided over the agreement. "It's a new day," Nissan Kalderon, the brother of hostage Ofer Kalderon, 54, told Israeli Channel 12. "Don't stop. Bring all the hostages home." Asher Pizem, 35, from the Israeli city of Sderot near Gaza, said he eagerly awaited the return of the captives. But he said the deal had merely postponed the next confrontation with Hamas and criticized Israel for allowing aid into Gaza, saying it would contribute to the revival of the militant group. Some information in this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/israel-hamas-ceasefire-takes-hold-with-first-hostages-freed/7942409.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/israel-hamas-ceasefire-takes-hold-with-first-hostages-freed/7942409.html Sun, 19 Jan 2025 18:57:49 +0200 World SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — South Korea's impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol, was formally arrested early Sunday, days after being apprehended at his presidential compound in Seoul. He faces possible imprisonment over his ill-fated declaration of martial law last month. Yoon's arrest could mark the beginning of an extended period in custody for him, lasting months or more. The decision to arrest Yoon triggered unrest at the Seoul Western District Court, where dozens of his supporters destroyed the court's main door and windows. They used plastic chairs and police shields that they managed to wrestle away from officers. Some got inside a hallway and were seen throwing objects and using fire extinguishers. Hundreds of police officers were deployed to suppress the riot at the court. Dozens of people were arrested, while some injured police officers were seen being treated at ambulance vans. It wasn't immediately clear whether any court staff were injured. Following an hourlong deliberation, the court granted law enforcement's request for an arrest warrant on Yoon, seeing him as a threat to destroy evidence. Yoon and his lawyers on Saturday appeared before the court's judge during a hearing and argued for his release. Yoon faces potential rebellion charges Yoon, who has been in detention since he was apprehended Wednesday in a massive law enforcement operation at his residential compound, faces potential rebellion charges linked to his declaration of martial law on December 3, which set off the country's most serious political crisis since its democratization in the late 1980s. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, which is leading a joint investigation with police and the military, can now extend Yoon's detention to 20 days, during which they will transfer the case to public prosecutors for indictment. Yoon's lawyers could also file a petition to challenge the court's arrest warrant. Court appearance ignites chaos Yoon's appearance in court triggered chaotic scenes in nearby streets, where thousands of his fervent supporters rallied for hours calling for his release. Even before the court issued a warrant for Yoon's arrest, protesters repeatedly clashed with police who detained dozens of them, including about 20 who climbed over a fence in an attempt to approach the court. At least two vehicles carrying anti-corruption investigators were damaged as they left the court after arguing for Yoon's arrest. Yoon's lawyers said he spoke for about 40 minutes to the judge during the nearly five-hour closed-door hearing on Saturday. His legal team and anti-corruption agencies presented opposing arguments about whether he should be held in custody. The lawyers did not share his specific comments. Following the hearing, Yoon was transported back to the detention center, where he awaited the decision. Neither Yoon nor his lawyers immediately commented on the arrest warrant. Yoon's defense minister, police chief, and several top military commanders have also been arrested and indicted for their roles in the enforcement of martial law. The crisis began when Yoon, in an attempt to break through legislative gridlock, imposed military rule and sent troops to the National Assembly and election offices. The standoff lasted only hours after lawmakers who managed to get through a blockade voted to lift the measure. The opposition-dominated assembly voted to impeach him on December 14. If prosecutors indict Yoon on rebellion and abuse of power charges, which are the allegations now being examined by investigators, they could keep him in custody for up to six months before trial. Under South Korean law, orchestrating a rebellion is punishable by life imprisonment or the death penalty. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/south-korea-s-impeached-president-formally-arrested-supporters-riot/7941919.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/south-korea-s-impeached-president-formally-arrested-supporters-riot/7941919.html Sun, 19 Jan 2025 01:22:37 +0200 World By Patsy Widakuswara WHITE HOUSE —  Israel’s Cabinet approved a deal for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release, with 24 ministers voting in favor and eight ministers rejecting the agreement. The deal is scheduled to be implemented beginning Sunday. The deal to end the fighting between Israel and Hamas was achieved after more than a year of negotiations, with mediation from the United States, Qatar and Egypt. U.S. President Joe Biden first endorsed the deal in May. The warring parties agreed to it on Wednesday, and it was subsequently approved by the Israeli Cabinet early Saturday in Israel. Starting midday on Monday when President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated, it will be up to his administration to see that the deal is enforced. The agreement has three phases, each of which will last six weeks. The terms of phases two and three are still being negotiated, but under phase one the cessation of hostilities is expected to continue if six weeks pass before the next phase is finalized. SEE ALSO: Gaza ceasefire to begin Sunday morning as Israel continues strikes Phase one includes withdrawal of Israeli forces from densely populated areas and more aid for Gaza, as well as the release of some Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons and some hostages held by Hamas, including Americans. The U.S. and other Western countries have designated Hamas as a terrorist group. The release of American hostages is a "fundamental component" of Trump's interest in ending the war swiftly, according to Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, nonresident senior fellow with the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council's Middle East Programs. Whether Trump will sustain pressure for the deal to proceed to phase two, when all of the hostages are set to be released, and to phase three, when reconstruction of Gaza will begin, remains to be seen, Alkhatib told VOA. Alkhatib expressed concern that after the first phase Trump will be "so disinterested" in Gaza that the agreement will amount to "little more than a freezing of the conflict." This would be disastrous for Palestinians in Gaza and the goal of Palestinian statehood, he added. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said late Friday that he had received "unequivocal guarantees" from Biden and Trump that if negotiations on phase two fail, Israel "will return to intense fighting with the backing of the United States." Hamas militants killed about 1,200 people and captured about 250 hostages in their Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that sparked the current war. Israel says Hamas is still holding 101 hostages, including 35 the military says are dead. Israel’s counteroffensive in Gaza has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, according to the territory's Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count. Two-state solution The Biden administration’s goal has been Palestinian statehood under the two-state solution. This could pave the way to bringing Saudi Arabia into the Abraham Accords — the 2020 deal brokered under the first Trump administration that normalized diplomatic relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Biden had sought to expand the accords to include Saudi Arabia, which maintains it will not consider normalizing relations until Israel commits to a "credible path" to a Palestinian state. Washington and Riyadh had been exploring the expansion through a package that would include, among other offers, American security guarantees for the Saudis. Those efforts stalled after the Oct. 7 Hamas onslaught. Now Trump appears to be aiming to use the momentum of the Gaza ceasefire to add Saudi Arabia into the accords. "We will continue promoting PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH throughout the region, as we build upon the momentum of this ceasefire to further expand the Historic Abraham Accords," Trump posted on social media Wednesday following the announcement that a ceasefire deal has been reached. Saudi Arabia has never formally recognized Israel since its creation in 1948. As a de facto leader of the Arab and Islamic world, Riyadh’s recognition would represent a breakthrough for the Jewish state. Trump’s main objective now is to ensure that whatever happens in Gaza does not prevent him from securing that deal, while Israel’s goal is to ensure whatever happens in Gaza doesn't prevent cooperation with the U.S. over Iran, said Jonathan Rynhold, head of the department of political studies at Bar Ilan University. "So, I'm not sure that it makes sense to think beyond the first phase at this point," Rynhold told VOA. Trump and Israel will "work out their positions on Gaza precisely against the shadow of those two things," he added. Trump’s role in securing the deal In the same social media post Wednesday, Trump took credit for his role in securing the ceasefire. "This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies," Trump wrote. For months the Biden administration has progressively included Trump’s team in peace talks, beginning with an Oval Office meeting a week after Trump won the election. At that Nov. 13 meeting, Biden proposed that they work together to push the deal through. "We’ve sent a signal to the incoming team that we’re prepared to work with them on this issue," national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters that day. Shortly after, Sullivan and Biden’s top Middle East adviser, Brett McGurk, began coordinating with their successors on the Trump team, Mike Waltz and Steve Witkoff, said a senior administration official who spoke with reporters on background Wednesday. The Biden official said that in the final days leading up to the ceasefire, Witkoff worked in tandem with McGurk in an "almost unprecedented," cross-administration partnership that was "highly constructive, very fruitful." But he declined to elaborate on Witkoff’s and Trump’s role in securing the deal, other than saying that the presidential transition provided a "natural" deadline for a diplomatic breakthrough. Pressure on Israel Critics have accused Biden of failing to use U.S. military support as leverage over Netanyahu to reach a deal or moderate Israel’s campaign, which has taken tens of thousands of Palestinian lives. Publicly, Biden officials have largely echoed Israel in faulting Hamas for the failure of the talks. But some Israeli security officials and many observers also blame Netanyahu for blocking progress, including by repeatedly introducing fresh demands in negotiations. With Trump’s victory, Netanyahu’s calculations may have changed, said Laura Blumenfeld, senior fellow at the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies. "Trump injected a kind of fear factor into this process that was missing before," she told VOA. "He can't triangulate anymore the way he would play Biden off of the Republican Congress. There's nowhere for Netanyahu to run, nowhere to hide, and so he took this deal he couldn't refuse." Trump’s pressure may have also created space for Netanyahu to resist ultimatums from far-right allies who had threatened to leave his governing coalition if a ceasefire deal is made, which would mean an end to the prime minister’s term. Eight Israeli far-right politicians, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, rejected the deal, but it is still unclear whether they will leave the coalition. "Netanyahu finally called their bluff," Blumenfeld said. "Or maybe actually, Trump called Netanyahu’s bluff, because he was using these right-wing Cabinet members all along as an excuse not to make the concessions that he didn't want to make." VOA's Natasha Mozgovaya contributed to this report. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/gaza-ceasefire-set-to-begin-implementing-it-will-be-up-to-trump/7941917.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/gaza-ceasefire-set-to-begin-implementing-it-will-be-up-to-trump/7941917.html Sun, 19 Jan 2025 01:13:00 +0200 World The Israeli security Cabinet has recommended approving the Gaza ceasefire and hostage return agreement, ahead of a full Cabinet meeting expected later Friday, according to a statement from the Israeli prime minister’s office. Despite some uncertainty over the timing of the final Cabinet approval, the deal is expected to begin as originally scheduled on Sunday, the prime minister’s office said. “Pending approval by the Security Cabinet and the Government, and the agreement taking effect, the release of the hostages will be implemented according to the planned framework in which the hostages are expected to be released on Sunday,” it said in a statement. Israeli President Isaac Herzog welcomed the security Cabinet’s ceasefire approval and said he expects the full Cabinet “to follow suit in swiftly affirming this decision.” The security Cabinet is a small forum of senior ministers, while the full Israeli Cabinet is composed of more than 30 ministers. The ceasefire agreement will feature a three-week-long pause in fighting and the release of dozens of Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. The Israel Prison Service said Friday it was taking measures to prevent any “public displays of joy” when Palestinian prisoners are released as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal. In this first phase, Israeli troops will pull back to the edges of Gaza, and many Palestinians will be able to return to what remains of their homes as increased aid flows into the besieged enclave. Hamas said on Friday that there were no longer any barriers to the agreement. Outgoing Democratic U.S. President Joe Biden said on Thursday in an interview with MSNBC that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “has to find a way to accommodate the legitimate concerns” of Palestinians for the long term sustainability of Israel. The United Nations says at least 1.9 million of the 2.3 million people living in Gaza have been displaced and 92% of housing units have been destroyed. The World Health Organization, or WHO, said on Friday that it should be possible to increase aid imports into Gaza to around 600 trucks per day under the ceasefire agreement. “I think the possibility is very much there and specifically when other crossings will be opened up,” Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, told a Geneva press briefing. “This can be built up very rapidly.” Peeperkorn also said he expected the ceasefire to allow for more medical evacuations for the more than 12,000 patients on the waiting list. Around one-third of the people on the list are children. “We hope now with the ceasefire process that this will be better facilitated and supported,” he said. The war in Gaza began when Hamas launched an attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 1,200 people and abducting about 250 hostages. Of those hostages, just under 100 are thought to remain in Hamas custody, but about one-third are believed to be dead. Gaza authorities say nearly 47,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in subsequent Israeli military operations. Without providing evidence, Israel says the death toll includes thousands of militants it has killed. Some information in this report came from Reuters and Agence France-Presse. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/israeli-security-cabinet-recommends-gaza-ceasefire-deal/7941134.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/israeli-security-cabinet-recommends-gaza-ceasefire-deal/7941134.html Sat, 18 Jan 2025 00:24:12 +0200 World voadigital@voanews.com (VOA News) Hamas said Thursday it is committed to the ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the militants of backtracking on parts of the agreement. A statement from Netanyahu’s office said Hamas was trying to “extort last-minute concessions.” Netanyahu's office accused Hamas of backtracking on an understanding that he said would give Israel a veto over which Palestinian prisoners convicted of murder would be released in exchange for hostages held by the U.S.-designated terror group. A short time later, Izzat al-Rishq, a senior Hamas official, said the militant group "is committed to the ceasefire agreement, which was announced by the mediators." In Washington, outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters at a farewell news conference, "I am confident, and I fully expect that implementation will begin, as we said, on Sunday." Netanyahu said his Cabinet would not meet to give necessary approval to the agreement until the militant group accepts all the elements. One Israeli official said the vote was now likely to occur on Friday. The multiphase ceasefire agreement, announced Wednesday after months of difficult negotiations, is set to take effect on Sunday if fully approved. Even with the prospective ceasefire days away, Palestinian medics said Israeli forces carried out multiple airstrikes Thursday in Gaza, killing 72 people in the narrow strip of land along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. If the ceasefire takes hold, U.N. agencies said they were ready to surge humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, where the United Nations says at least 1.9 million of the 2.3 million people living there have been displaced, and 92% of housing units have been destroyed. Israeli President Isaac Herzog offered his strong support for the ceasefire after the deal was announced Wednesday. “As the President of the State of Israel, I say in the clearest terms: This is the right move,” he said. “This is an important move. This is a necessary move. There is no greater moral, human, Jewish or Israeli obligation than to bring our sons and daughters back to us — whether to recover at home or to be laid to rest.” But one of the main opponents of the deal in the government, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, called it “a bad and dangerous deal for the national security of the State of Israel.” The first phase of the agreement includes a 42-day ceasefire, the release of 33 hostages from Gaza, the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israel, a phased Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza and an increased flow of aid for Palestinian civilians. During the first phase, there will be negotiations on the details of a second phase focused on bringing a permanent end to the conflict with the release of the remaining hostages and a full Israeli troop withdrawal. A final phase concerns rebuilding Gaza, with a new governing and security structure. The war in Gaza began when Hamas sent its fighters into Israel in an Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack that killed more than 1,200 people and led to the abduction of about 250 hostages. Of those hostages, just under 100 are thought to remain in Hamas custody, but about a third are believed to be dead. Gaza authorities say nearly 47,000 Palestinians — most of them children and women — have been killed in Israeli military operations. Israel, without providing evidence, says the death toll includes 17,000 militants it has killed. In a statement, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which includes the families of 98 hostages, said Wednesday it welcomes “with overwhelming joy and relief the agreement to bring our loved ones home.” “However, deep anxiety and concerns accompany us regarding the possibility that the agreement might not be fully implemented, leaving hostages behind,” the statement continued. “We urgently call for swift arrangements to ensure all phases of the deal are carried out.” SEE ALSO: Reports say Israel seeks to retain security control of Gaza after ceasefire A senior official with the outgoing administration of U.S. President Joe Biden told reporters that two of the living American hostages — Keith Siegel and Sagui Dekel-Chen — will be among the first hostages released. The official spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity, as customary in such briefings. “Fighting in Gaza will stop, and soon the hostages return home to their families,” Biden said as he announced the ceasefire deal Wednesday at the White House. Biden urged his successor, President-elect Donald Trump, to implement the agreement, as Biden prepares to hand over power on Monday. Trump said on his social media network that he was “thrilled” and that his administration would build upon the success of this deal to expand U.S.-mediated Abraham Accords to normalize Arab-Israeli relations. “This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies,” he wrote on Truth Social. Analysts say Trump’s fiery threats last week — of “all hell” breaking loose against Hamas unless there was a deal before his inauguration — may have played a role. “President-elect Trump has been very, very clear. He said he would unleash hell on Hamas if the hostages weren't released,” said Mirette Mabrouk, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. “I mean, really, there isn't very much more hell that you could unleash on the current inhabitants of Gaza. They're already in hell, but there's also the feeling that he must have placed some pressure on Prime Minister Netanyahu as well. And this is why we are now moving forward.” What about the day after? Some analysts looking to the proverbial “day after” of the 15 months of fighting expressed doubt the next administration can reach the big goal, which is the U.S.’s vocal longtime support of a two-state solution, with an independent Palestinian state coexisting alongside Israel. “I don't see it under the Trump administration, and that's not squarely a criticism of the Trump administration or anyone else,” said Jonathan Ruhe, director of foreign policy at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America. “I think both the Israelis and Palestinians are so far off on making the sort of the hard agreements necessary to achieve a two-state solution — I don't think there's the political will on either the Israeli or Palestinian side.” But as Biden and Qatar’s prime minister laid out in explaining the newly inked agreements, the deal is complex enough. Biden on Wednesday emphasized how arduous the negotiations have been, and he used that point to underscore his administration's strong support for Israel, which has provoked tension between the U.S. and its closest allies. “This is one of the toughest negotiations I've ever experienced,” Biden said. “And it reached this point because of the pressure that Israel built on Hamas backed by the United States.” Some information for this story came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/hamas-says-it-is-committed-to-ceasefire-after-netanyahu-accuses-it-of-backtracking/7939423.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/hamas-says-it-is-committed-to-ceasefire-after-netanyahu-accuses-it-of-backtracking/7939423.html Thu, 16 Jan 2025 20:46:45 +0200 World SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — South Korean authorities detained impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol early Wednesday, the country’s anti-corruption agency announced, following a tense, five-hour standoff at his heavily guarded mountain compound in Seoul. Yoon’s motorcade arrived at the anti-corruption office, where he underwent questioning in an insurrection investigation related to his short-lived martial law declaration last month. He was later taken to a detention center near the capital. Authorities now have 48 hours to decide whether to file for a formal arrest warrant or release Yoon, whose detention marks the first time a sitting South Korean president has been taken into police custody. For weeks, Yoon has been holed up at his presidential residence, which had been fortified with barbed wire fencing and a multilayer barricade of tightly packed buses and other vehicles. Around 1,000 police officers were mobilized for Wednesday’s detention effort, local media reported. Authorities had also warned they were prepared to use more forceful tactics than they did in their failed attempt to detain Yoon two weeks ago. The warnings had raised fears of violence, either between security forces or between police and protesters. For weeks, the large street outside Yoon’s compound has been filled with demonstrators — mostly supporters of the embattled conservative president, who has vowed to “fight to the end.” Early Wednesday, about 30 ruling party lawmakers formed a human chain outside the main entrance of Yoon’s residence to prevent his detention, according to the Yonhap news agency. However, the Presidential Security Service, which during the last detention attempt formed a human barricade to protect Yoon, did not put up as much resistance this time, investigators said. At a briefing, South Korea’s anti-corruption agency said there were “virtually no” clashes on Wednesday. In a video recording that aired as he was leaving the compound, Yoon called the investigation illegal but said that he was complying to prevent bloodshed. Yoon was impeached last month following his declaration of martial law. He had justified his decree by citing the need to eradicate "anti-state forces" and "protect the constitutional democratic order." The country’s Constitutional Court must uphold the impeachment for him to be removed from office. Separately, Yoon faces a criminal investigation into insurrection and abuse of power. However, he has defied multiple requests to appear for questioning as part of that probe, leading authorities to seek a detention warrant. Yoon’s lawyers have slammed the detention effort as politically motivated. They also argue that the court that issued the detention warrant had no jurisdiction to do so, and that the anti-corruption agency leading the investigation has no mandate to investigate the president for insurrection.   https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/south-korea-s-yoon-detained-a-first-for-country/7938018.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/south-korea-s-yoon-detained-a-first-for-country/7938018.html Wed, 15 Jan 2025 20:37:59 +0200 World By Anita Powell WASHINGTON — Hamas and Israel have reached a ceasefire that will lead to the release of “some” hostages held by the militant group for more than a year, mediators and U.S. officials said Wednesday. In Washington, Senator Jim Risch, chair of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, broke the news in the middle of a nomination hearing for Senator Marco Rubio, who is President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of state. Risch, in delivering the news, also urged caution. “Before we all celebrate, though, obviously we’re all going to want to see how that executes,” he said. The news was greeted with bipartisan support, with Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat, replying to Risch, “That is indeed good news.” The basic parameters of the ceasefire proposal would see the process play out in several stages, and three U.S. officials confirmed to The Associated Press that “some” hostages would be freed. Hamas would release hostages it has been holding since the militants carried out their October 2023 attack on Israel, while Israeli authorities would release Palestinian prisoners. Israeli troops would carry out a phased withdrawal from Gaza, and some Palestinians displaced by the conflict would be allowed to return, along with a surge in aid for Palestinian civilians. As mediators pushed to finalize the ceasefire deal, Israel’s military reported carrying out airstrikes overnight in northern, central and southern Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces said it struck Hamas targets in Gaza City, Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Israel will not compromise on security and will intervene if it sees a threat from Gaza in the future. The United Nations said on Tuesday that it was preparing to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza under the potential ceasefire. But challenges — such as uncertainty surrounding border access and security — remain. Months of negotiations led by the United States, Egypt and Qatar had failed to bring a halt to the fighting, but in recent weeks, the effort has gained momentum at a time when the United States is preparing for President-elect Donald Trump to take office Jan. 20 and President Joe Biden's four-year term ends. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a last-minute case Tuesday for a plan for the post-war reconstruction and governance of Gaza. "We have a responsibility to ensure that the strategic gains of the last 15 months endure and lay the foundation for a better future," Blinken told the Atlantic Council, a Washington-based policy research organization. "All too often in the Middle East, we've seen how the shoes of one dictator can be filled by another or give way to conflict and chaos." Blinken said the plan envisions the Palestinian Authority inviting "international partners" to create an interim governing authority to run critical services and oversee the territory. Other partners, notably Arab states, would provide forces to ensure security in the short term, he said. That security mission would depend on a pathway to an independent Palestinian state unifying Gaza and the West Bank and would be tasked with creating "a secure environment for humanitarian and reconstruction efforts and ensuring border security," Blinken said. Creation of a Palestinian state, which Israel has refused to support, has been a sticking point in the negotiations. Israel launched its assault on Hamas in Gaza after Hamas fighters stormed across its borders on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Hamas has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States, United Kingdom, European Union and others. Since then, more than 46,600 people have been killed in Gaza, with most of them women and children, according to Palestinian health officials, although Israel says the death toll includes thousands of Hamas combatants it has killed. Much of Gaza has been laid to waste during the fighting and gripped by a humanitarian crisis, with most of its 2.3 million population displaced, often multiple times. Some information for this story was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/israel-and-hamas-reach-ceasefire-deal/7937984.html https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/israel-and-hamas-reach-ceasefire-deal/7937984.html Wed, 15 Jan 2025 20:15:10 +0200 World