LONDON — The cacophonous wail of the shofar was loud, mournful and lasted nearly two minutes as dozens of Jews blew on rams’ horns Sunday to wake up others to the plight of the estimated 100 hostages still held in Gaza. Demonstrators standing in the rain outside a London mosque blew on the long, curling … Read more
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Tour booking agents and managers of a New Zealand island where a volcanic eruption killed 22 people in 2019 were ordered Friday to pay nearly $13 million (US$7.8 million) in fines and reparations. The holding company of the island’s owners, a boat tour operator and three companies that operated helicopter tours … Read more
The Russian authorities on Monday sought a prison sentence of nearly three years for a veteran human rights advocate who spoke out against the war in Ukraine. The prosecution demanded that Oleg Orlov, 70, be convicted of “repeatedly discrediting” the Russian army and sentenced to two years and 11 months in prison, in a retrial … Read more
Hamas says its political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, has left Egypt after holding talks with Egyptian officials about a possible cease-fire in the Gaza Strip and an exchange of hostages held by the militants for Palestinians imprisoned in Israel. During Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, militants killed about 1,200 people and took some 250 … Read more
TEL AVIV, Israel — Between 9 and 12 months old, babies learn to stand, say their first word, maybe take their first steps. As the family of Kfir Bibas, the youngest Israeli held in captivity in Gaza, celebrated his first birthday without him, they wondered which, if any, of the typical milestones they missed during … Read more
JERUSALEM — An Israeli woman who recently returned from captivity in the Gaza Strip says she was groped by her Palestinian kidnapper and lived in constant fear throughout the weeks she was held hostage. Mia Schem, a 21-year-old dual citizen of Israel and France, was attending a music festival in southern Israel when Hamas militants … Read more
TALLINN, Estonia — A court in Russia on Thursday overturned a fine handed to a veteran human rights advocate for speaking out against the war in Ukraine and sent Oleg Orlov’s case back to prosecutors, who have sought to imprison him for three years instead. Orlov, co-chairman of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning human rights group … Read more