Israel halts Palestinian prisoners’ release demanding guarantee on captives
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delays the release until Hamas ends its ‘humiliating ceremonies’ while freeing Israeli captives. Israel has postponed the release of 620 Palestinian prisoners until the next release of the remaining captives in Gaza is guaranteed, with Hamas denouncing the move as a “blatant violation” of the ceasefire agreement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said freeing Palestinians under the deal would be delayed until Hamas ends its “humiliating ceremonies” while releasing Israeli captives, issuing a new demand not spelt out in the ceasefire agreement. “In light of Hamas’ repeated violations – including the disgraceful ceremonies that dishonour our hostages and the cynical use of hostages for propaganda – it has been decided to delay the release of terrorists that was planned for yesterday [Saturday] until the release of the next hostages is ensured, without the humiliating ceremonies,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement. Hamas on Saturday upheld its side of the deal by releasing six Israeli captives from Gaza, the last group of living captives to be freed under the ceasefire’s first phase. Advertisement Hamas accused Netanyahu of playing “dirty games to sabotage and undermine” the ceasefire. “Over 100 Palestinians have been killed in the first phase [of the ceasefire], much of the agreed humanitarian aid was not allowed into Gaza, and the withdrawal from the Netzarim Corridor was postponed,” Basem Naim, a senior member of the Hamas political bureau, told Al Jazeera on Saturday, referring to the militarised zone that divides Gaza into north and south. “We are committed to the deal, and we have abided by all our obligations,” he said. Since the ceasefire came into effect on January 19, Hamas has released 25 Israeli captives in high-profile handovers, with masked fighters parading the captives on stage. The ceasefire deal does not categorically define how Hamas and Israel should release the Israeli captives and the Palestinian prisoners. Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh, reporting from Amman, Jordan, said Israel’s decision to delay the release of the Palestinian prisoners was issued by Netanyahu against the recommendation of Israel’s security establishment. “There are a lot of questions and a lot of dashed hopes, as well as a lot of work for the mediators, who have been working for the release of the Palestinian prisoners and Israeli captives,” Odeh said. In Gaza and the occupied West Bank, Palestinian families waited for hours on Saturday for their loved ones to be released from Israeli prisons. The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society advocacy group said Israel would free 620 inmates, most of them from Gaza who were taken into custody during the war. Advertisement “We have been sitting in our chairs waiting for many hours, but after many hours, nothing. But what else can we do?” Khaled Khalil al-Jabarin, uncle of a detainee, told Al Jazeera. Shireen al-Hamamreh, sister of another Palestinian prisoner, told Al Jazeera it was a “very difficult” wait. “We wait for them, to hug them, and see them, but Netanyahu is always stalling,” said Fatiha Abu Abdullah, a mother in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis. “God willing, they will be released soon.” Adblock test (Why?)
Can Arabs stop Trump’s Gaza displacement proposal?
Some Arab leaders have met to discuss an alternative plan for the Strip devastated by 15 months of Israeli war. US President Donald Trump has ruffled many feathers since he announced his proposal to “take over” Gaza. According to him, more than two million Palestinians should leave “to somewhere nice and safe” like Jordan or Egypt – while he builds a new riviera on the Mediterranean in Gaza. This idea has angered the international community, and the Arab world has downright rejected it. But what can they suggest instead? A meeting on Friday of Gulf nations in Riyadh joined by Egypt and Jordan, and ended with no concrete counter-proposals. They will be meeting in Cairo in the coming weeks. But will they be able to make Trump change his mind? Presenter: James Bays Guests: Dania Thafer – Executive director of Gulf International Forum and lecturer at Georgetown University Yossi Mekelberg – Senior consulting fellow at Chatham House Daoud Kuttab – Palestinian journalist and author of, State of Palestine NOW: Practical and Logical Arguments for the Best Way to Bring Peace to the Middle East Adblock test (Why?)
ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Australia beat England in record chase
Australia chase 356 to beat England as the Cricket World Cup holders open their Champions Trophy account in Lahore. Josh Inglis marshalled two-time champion Australia’s record-breaking run chase at the Champions Trophy with a 77-ball century to hand England a five-wicket defeat in Lahore. Inglis finished with an unbeaten 120 off 86 balls for a maiden ODI hundred that included eight fours and six sixes as Australia cruised to 356-5 in 47.3 overs on Saturday. It was the highest-ever successful run chase in all ICC ODI tournaments. Inglis’s terrific power-hitting eclipsed Ben Duckett’s 165, which was the highest-ever individual knock in the history of Champions Trophy and had anchored England to a score of 351-8 in their Group B opener. England’s Ben Duckett celebrates after reaching his century in Lahore [Akhtar Soomro/Reuters] Australia’s chase got off to a rocky start as Jofra Archer and Mark Wood removed Travis Head (6) and captain Steven Smith (5) in successive overs before the Australian middle-order batters countercharged the fast bowlers. Matthew Short (63) and Marnus Labuschagne (47) combined in a 95-run stand with fast bowler Brydon Carse going for well over nine runs an over in his four-over spell before England put in spinners in the middle overs. Adil Rashid denied Labuschagne a half-century when Jos Buttler held on to a sharp catch at short covers and then, Liam Livingstone took a smart low return catch to dismiss Short as Australia slipped to 136-4. However, with dew setting in, Inglis and Alex Carey (69) mastermind the run-chase perfectly as it became difficult for the bowlers to handle the wet ball. The two batters shared a 146-run stand off 116 balls, but England missed an opportunity when Australia still needed 104 for victory. Advertisement Archer missed a regulation catch of Carey in the outfield in Rashid’s penultimate over before he completed his half-century and Inglis smashed Archer for two boundaries in the next over. Carey was finally dismissed when he drove to Buttler at mid-off in Carse’s return spell, but Glenn Maxwell finished on 32 not out off 15 balls and Inglis, who raised his century with a pulled six off Archer, sealed the win in similar fashion with another a six off Wood at mid-wicket. Australia’s Glenn Maxwell helped seal the chase with Josh Inglis [Akhtar Soomro/Reuters] Duckett became the first batter in the history of the Champions Trophy to score more than 150 runs after Smith won the toss and elected to field on a flat wicket. Duckett smashed his 165 off 143 balls with 17 fours and three sixes as the Australian second-string pace attack struggled on a wicket devoid of grass at a newly renovated Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. New Zealand batter Nathan Astle held the previous record after he amassed an unbeaten 145 against the United States at the Oval in 2004. The Black Caps’ 347-4 in the same game was the previous highest team total of the tournament. Duckett laid a solid foundation for England’s strong finish when he combined in a 158-run stand with Joe Root, who made 68 off 78 balls. Duckett was dominant against the pace with his down-the-ground drives and was not afraid to reverse sweep against Australia’s best bowler on show, Adam Zampa (2-64). Labuschagne (2-41) dismissed Duckett in the 48th over when the left-hander missed a straight ball while going for a sweep against the leg-spinner and was out leg before wicket. The crowd in Lahore ensured a full house and an incredible atmosphere for the occasion [Nida Mehboob/Reuters] Australia, which came into the event without Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, did make early inroads. Advertisement Ben Dwarshuis (3-66) struck inside his first three overs when Carey, handing over the wicketkeeping gloves to Inglis, plucked a sensational diving catch on the edge of the 30-yard circle to dismiss Phil Salt (10) and then grabbed a hard drive of newly promoted number three batter Jamie Smith (15). Duckett and Root raised England’s first century stand in ODIs this year with their better than run-a-ball partnership. Duckett raised his century off 95 balls with two straight boundaries against Spencer Johnson, who was taken out of the attack after 0-54 off his seven overs. Zampa broke the threatening stand when he had Root trapped lbw in the 31st over and then Carey picked up another brilliant catch at point to dismiss Harry Brook for 3. But Duckett continued to score at brisk pace despite Buttler (23) and Livingstone (14) falling in quick succession while looking for acceleration. Archer played a little cameo of 21 off 10 balls as he smacked Labuschagne for 12 runs off the final three balls and England made 83 runs off the final 10 overs. Adblock test (Why?)
Pope in critical condition after suffering respiratory crisis: Vatican
Francis was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on February 14 after experiencing breathing difficulties. Pope Francis’s health has deteriorated over the past 24 four hours, the Vatican said, adding that the pontiff had suffered a “prolonged asthma-like respiratory crisis” and needed blood transfusions. “This morning Pope Francis presented a prolonged asthmatic respiratory crisis, which also required the application of high-flow oxygen,” the Vatican said on Saturday. “The Holy Father remains alert and has spent the day in a chair, though he is more unwell than yesterday,” it added. Francis was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on February 14 after experiencing difficulty breathing for several days. He has since been diagnosed with double pneumonia. The pontiff’s doctors had told a news conference on Friday there was no imminent risk to his life but that he was “not out of danger”. But on Saturday, the Vatican said that “the Holy Father’s condition remains critical” and added that doctors had to administer a “high flow” of oxygen because of his breathing crisis. It also said that the blood transfusions were necessary because tests showed he had a low platelet count, associated with anaemia. Advertisement Double pneumonia is a serious infection that can inflame and scar both lungs, making it difficult to breathe. Francis has continued to work during his hospital stay, including making bishop appointments. Earlier on Saturday however, the Vatican announced that the pope would not appear in public on Sunday to lead prayer with pilgrims, the second consecutive week he will have missed the event. There is no provision in canon law for what to do if a pope becomes incapacitated. Pope Benedict XVI resigned in February 2013 citing declining health, but Francis has shown no signs of stepping down. Adblock test (Why?)
The rise of the far right in Europe
[unable to retrieve full-text content] As AfD is polling second in Germany, we look at how the far-right rose to popularity in Europe over the last 25 years.
Why a news site in Ireland has been drawn into JD Vance’s attacks on Europe
A conservative media outlet in Ireland has become the latest lightning rod for populist concerns about free speech that have exposed stark divisions between Europe and the United States in the era of President Donald Trump. Gript, a news site known for its conservative stances on culture war issues such as mass immigration and political correctness, announced this week that Irish police last year obtained a court order to access private messages and IP addresses associated with its X account. Gript, which purports to cover the news without the “liberal filter”, called the move an “intolerable” and “egregious” attack on privacy and media freedom. Elon Musk’s X, which said it successfully challenged the court order, shared Gript’s statement, which was widely amplified by conservative, populist and far-right accounts on the platform in and outside Ireland. Gript’s announcement came days after US Vice President JD Vance thrust the issues of free speech, censorship and immigration in Europe into the spotlight with a blistering speech that roiled transatlantic relations and energised the political right on the continent and beyond. Advertisement What exactly happened? On Tuesday, Gript released a statement saying that police had sought access to its communications on X as part of investigations into violent protests that took place in April at the site of planned accommodation for asylum seekers. Gript, which also published what it said was a copy of the court order, had published footage of the protests in Newtownmountkennedy, a town about 40km (25 miles) south of Dublin, including scenes of violent clashes between police and demonstrators. Gript’s footage of the protests, during which six people were arrested, included video appearing to show police using pepper spray against one of its journalists among other confrontations between officers and members of the public. Gript said that it was given no opportunity to challenge An Garda Siochana, the name of Ireland’s police force, over its application to access its communications or the resulting court order. The outlet said it only learned that police had sought access to its communications after being informed by X. According to the court order published by Gript, a judge determined there were “reasonable grounds” to believe footage published by the outlet on X contained evidence of criminal offences. In a follow-up video, Gript editor John McGuirk said police had used a law originally introduced to combat drug dealers and “terrorists” to target his outlet on the “very flimsy pretext” that it might have evidence “connecting somebody somewhere” to crimes. “In journalism, it is very important to defend your sources, to defend your readers and to defend the rights of those who work for you, up and until the point of going to prison, which I am prepared to do if necessary,” McGuirk said in his video statement. Advertisement McGuirk said that the police ultimately dropped their bid without gaining access to his outlet’s private messages and other data after X successfully challenged the move in court. Gript did not respond to a request for comment from Al Jazeera. What are the Irish police saying? In a statement to Al Jazeera, An Garda Siochana said it does not comment on the comments of third parties or ongoing investigations but acknowledged the court order. “In order to vindicate the rights of potential victims of crime including Gardai [police officers] who have been verbally and physically assaulted, An Garda Siochana has a positive obligation to obtain all available evidence relating to particular incidents,” a spokesperson said. An Garda Siochana said the decision of whether or not to issue a court order is a matter for the independent judiciary and that it takes the “protection of the right of journalists to report freely and in safety very seriously”. An Garda Siochana did not respond to a question about whether it had sought the communications of other media organisations or journalists. What is the connection with Vance’s claims about free speech in Europe? Conservative and far-right figures in and outside Ireland have highlighted the case as an example of what Vance claimed was Europe’s retreat from its “fundamental values,” including free speech. Gript itself has sought to draw a link, with McGuirk saying his run-in with the authorities fit “very well” into the themes of the US vice president’s speech. Advertisement “I think it was timely that he made it just as the consequences of the very issues he was talking about were coming home for us,” McGuirk said in his video statement. Harry Browne, a journalism lecturer at Technological University Dublin, said that the case involving Gript raises legitimate concerns, but questioned the attempts to link it to Vance’s criticisms of Europe’s speech restrictions. “It is concerning but not surprising that they used this particular ‘back-door’ tool of going through the platform, and it’s likely Twitter [the former name for X] was not alone,” Browne told Al Jazeera, referring to the police’s application to access private messages on X and suggesting other social media platforms may have been similarly targeted. “It bears no relation whatsoever to the European digital censorship regime,” Browne said, arguing that, despite Vance’s complaints, restrictions on speech in Europe are more likely to target figures on the political left, such as pro-Palestinian and antiwar activists, than those on the right. In his withering speech to the Munich Security Conference last Friday, Vance said that Europe faced a greater threat “from within” than from China or Russia. “I look to Brussels, where EU commissars warn citizens that they intend to shut down social media during times of civil unrest the moment they spot what they’ve judged to be, quote, ‘hateful content’,” Vance said. “Or to this very country, where police have carried out raids against citizens suspected of posting anti-feminist comments online as part of, quote, ‘combating misogyny on the internet’.” Advertisement Vance’s speech received a cool response in Europe, whose governments have traditionally taken a more proactive role in cracking down on hate speech than the US. Unlike the US, where the First Amendment of
Hamas releases remains of captive Shiri Bibas after ‘mix-up of bodies’
Family members and forensic experts confirm that the new remains turned over by Hamas belong to the deceased Bibas. Israel’s Bibas family has confirmed that the remains of Shiri Bibas have been returned by Hamas, a day after it announced that the Palestinian group had returned an unidentified body. On Friday, Hamas released the remains of Bibas, whose misidentification in a handover earlier prompted anger in the Israeli government and threatened to derail the fragile Gaza ceasefire deal. Bibas’s community, Kibbutz Nir Oz, also confirmed her identity on Saturday, just hours before the seventh captive-prisoner exchange under the ceasefire agreement. “After the identification process at the Institute of Forensic Medicine, this morning we received the news we feared the most. Our Shiri was murdered in captivity and has now returned home to her sons, husband, sister, and all her family to rest,” the Bibas family said in a statement published on Saturday. Hamas had agreed to hand over the bodies of Bibas and her two young sons Kfir and Ariel along with the remains of a fourth captive on Thursday under a ceasefire that has halted fighting in Gaza since last month. Advertisement Hamas said the children and their mother were killed in an Israeli air attack in November 2023. Four bodies were delivered, but Israel later said one of the remains did not belong to the elder Bibas. On Friday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to “ensure that Hamas pays the full price” for what he described as a “violation” of the ceasefire deal. Hamas later admitted “the possibility of an error or mix-up of bodies”, which it attributed to Israeli bombing of the area that had killed several people. Basem Naim, a member of the Hamas political bureau, said “unfortunate mistakes” could occur, especially as Israeli bombing had mixed the bodies of Israeli captives and Palestinians, thousands of whom were still buried under the rubble due to relentless Israeli bombardments. “We confirm that it is not in our values or our interest to keep any bodies or not to abide by the covenants and agreements that we sign,” he said in a statement. Ismail al-Thawabta, director of the Hamas-run Gaza Government Media Office, said Netanyahu “bears full responsibility for killing her and her children”. The incident underscored the fragility of the ceasefire deal reached with United States backing and with the help of Qatari and Egyptian mediators last month. Six living captives are due for release on Saturday in exchange for 602 Palestinians in Israeli prison, most of whom have been detained without charge or trial. Negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire are expected to start in the coming days. Advertisement Adblock test (Why?)
ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Pakistan vs India: Start, team news, preview
Who: Pakistan vs IndiaWhat: ICC Champions Trophy 2025Where: Dubai International Stadium, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesWhen: Sunday, February 23 at 1pm (09:00 GMT)Follow Al Jazeera‘s live text and photo commentary stream of the match. The host nation – and second favourites – Pakistan face the team tipped to win the tournament, India, at the Champions Trophy on Sunday in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The match is arguably the biggest fixture in world sport with the two rival nations drawing huge television audiences and general attention from all parts of the globe. As ever, there is plenty at stake, beyond the fierce rivalry between the two cricketing giants and neighbouring countries, with Pakistan defeated by 60 runs in their opening match against New Zealand on Wednesday. India, conversely, opened with a six-wicket win against Bangladesh on Thursday. Why are India not playing their matches in Pakistan? All of India’s matches will be played in UAE instead of Pakistan, the host nation of the 2025 edition. The move came after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) reached an agreement with the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Pakistan, that both nations would play all ICC events hosted in either country to be played at neutral venues until 2027. India fans turned out in large numbers for their opening match at Dubai International Stadium [Satish Kumar/Reuters] When was the last time Pakistan hosted a major tournament? International cricket in Pakistan has been heavily restricted in recent years following the attack by gunmen on the Sri Lankan cricket team’s bus in Lahore in 2009, which wounded six players. Advertisement Pakistan was shunned by top teams after the attack, and the Champions Trophy marks the first major global tournament to be hosted in the country in nearly 30 years. The last time Pakistan staged the global game was in 2006 for the Cricket World Cup, which they jointly hosted with India. Why are defending champions Pakistan not the favourites? Pakistan lifted the last edition of the Champions Trophy by beating India in the final in 2017, but the defeated finalists are the favourites for the tournament based on their consistency since then. Pakistan have key match-winning players in the form of Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi, both former captains, but the nation’s tendency to implode at any stage in any match and any series has led to a reputation that precedes them. Off-field turbulence remains a huge hindrance as well – Gary Kirsten was appointed white-ball coach last year but he quit soon after and was replaced by the then Test-match coach Jason Gillespie. The former Australian bowler soon followed his South African predecessor in standing down – both appeared to be popular figures with the players. The opening defeat by New Zealand, which saw the batting labour through the chase, highlighted how much Pakistan will have to overcome if they are to lift the trophy on home soil. Pakistan’s Hasan Ali celebrates taking the wicket of India’s Ravichandran Ashwin during the 2017 Champions Trophy final [Paul Childs/Reuters] Why are India favourites to win the Champions Trophy? India made harder work of the chase in their opening match against Bangladesh than was expected. Towhid Hridoy’s century should only have delayed the inevitable, but without Shubman Gill’s century in pursuit of 229, India could have been in deep trouble. Advertisement Rohit Sharma’s side reached the final of the last ICC one-day international tournament, where they were defeated by Australia at the 2023 Cricket World Cup. The loss was hard to take for the players and their fans – especially because it came on home soil in Ahmedabad. The 2024 T20 World Cup victory softened the blow to some extent but a victory in the Champions Trophy to deny the host nation and rivals, Pakistan, back-to-back crowns will be a sweet return for Rohit’s men. What are Pakistan and India’s records in the Champions Trophy? Pakistan’s victory in the final against India in 2017 is their only triumph in the competition. India have twice claimed victory in the Champions Trophy, in 2002 and 2013. Form guide – Pakistan The opening defeat by New Zealand marked a third straight loss to the Kiwis, following two defeats in the pre-tournament tri-series with South Africa. Pakistan bring surprisingly good form to the tournament when on the road, however, so perhaps a match in Dubai will help. The men in green secured victory in the last three bilateral ODI series on their travels. A 2-1 triumph over world champions Australia was the highlight, but the 3-0 trouncing of a formidable South Africa side is not to be underestimated. India’s Shubman Gill led the way with a century in India’s run chase against Bangladesh [Altaf Qadri/AP] Form guide – India India’s dominance in ODIs took a recent dip with a 2-0 defeat in the three-match series against Sri Lanka last August. That was their last series prior to England’s tour earlier this month. Advertisement The 3-0 series whitewash was a huge blow to England but a massive confidence boost for the Men in Blue on the eve of the tournament – as was Gill’s moment to shine in the opener against Bangladesh. Last five ODI matches Pakistan: W L W L L India: L W W W W Pakistan team news Pakistan’s Champions Trophy hopes were not only hit by the defeat by New Zealand on Wednesday, but also the tournament-ending injury for Fakhar Zaman. The opening batter valiantly strode to the middle in an attempt to help Virat Kohli and his side in the chase but the chest muscle injury was clearly hampering the 34-year-old, who was ruled out of a return to the team during this edition. Imam-ul-Haq has taken his place in the squad. Pakistan’s Babar Azam, right, could only watch on as Fakhar Zaman struggled with injury in the defeat by New Zealand [Akhtar Soomro/Reuters] India team news India are likely to be unchanged from the side that beat Bangladesh in their opening game. The spin
Pope Francis ‘not out of danger’ as doctors keep him hospitalised
[unable to retrieve full-text content] Doctors for Pope Francis say he is improving but “not out of danger.”
Pope Francis’s condition not life threatening, medical team says
The pontiff is responding to drug therapy and sepsis has not been detected. Pope Francis’s condition is not considered life-threatening, but he is not out of danger, his medical team has said, as the 88-year-old pontiff continued to receive treatment to fight pneumonia and a complex lung infection. On their first in-person update on the pope’s condition, Francis’s personal physician, Luigi Carbone, and surgeon at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, Sergio Alfieri, sought to reassure the public. Francis was responding to the drug therapy that was “strengthened” after the pneumonia was diagnosed earlier this week, they said. He was also fighting a multipronged infection of bacteria and virus in the respiratory tract. The doctors said there was no evidence the germs had entered his bloodstream, a condition known as sepsis that can lead to organ failure and death. Yet, he was likely to remain in hospital “at least all next week” as there was still a risk that the infection could spread to other parts of the body. Francis was also receiving supplemental oxygen when he needed it through a nasal cannula, a thin, flexible tube that delivers oxygen through the nose. Advertisement The head of the Catholic church was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on February 14 after a case of bronchitis worsened. Doctors later diagnosed a complex respiratory infection, involving bacteria, virus and other organisms and the onset of pneumonia in both lungs on top of asthmatic bronchitis. There is no provision in canon law for what to do if a pope becomes incapacitated. Pope Benedict XVI “opened the door” to popes retiring, but Francis has shown no signs of stepping down. During his hospital stay, he has continued to work, including making bishop appointments. According to Alfieri, Francis was able to get out of bed and sit at his armchair to work, and maintained “a good appetite”. The medical team also invited the media to avoid reporting unverified news after rumours were circulated that the pope’s health had taken a turn for the worse. Adblock test (Why?)