Homecoming - Helicopters at Re'im base ahead of release of hostages

Homecoming - Helicopters at Re'im base ahead of release of hostages

"The Israeli military published footage of IAF helicopters finaiising preparations to the release of Hamas hostages on Monday. The date and location cannot be independently verified. The 20 living hostages are set to be handed over by Hamas to the Red Cross on Monday, before transfer to Re'im military base in Israel. The bodies of 28 deceased hostages will also be returned later, while around 1,700 Palestinians detained in Gaza since October 2023 and 250 more serving life sentences, will be freed under the deal. Donald Trump is in Israel to address the Knesset and meet with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and the families of hostages on Monday, before flying to Egypt for the official signing of the peace deal. The first phase of the deal, agreed by Israel and Hamas last week, includes the ceasefire, the swapping of hostages and prisoners, and the Israeli military withdrawal to the 'yellow line' in Gaza. Subsequent phases will include the governance of Gaza, the future of Hamas and the reconstruction of the enclave. "

'They don't care if they kill' - Tear gas and clashes rock Quito amid protests over diesel price hike

'They don't care if they kill' - Tear gas and clashes rock Quito amid protests over diesel price hike

"Police and military forces clashed with protesters in Quito on Sunday amid demonstrations against the government's decision to eliminate the diesel subsidy, coinciding with the Day of Indigenous Resistance. Footage shows Ecuador's National Police and Armed Forces firing tear gas as crowds march through the streets carrying national flags, signs and banners reading 'Noboa rat' and 'I see you scared, Noboa'. "Look at how the soldiers are, loaded with weapons, bombs, rifles, how they go out into the streets to repress. They don’t care if they kill or if someone falls," said Monica Tamy, who claimed to have witnessed police violence during the ongoing Indigenous-led strike. Protesters denounced the Ecuadorian Prosecutor's Office for filing ‘terrorism’ charges against at least 20 people held in pre-trial detention amid the demonstrations. "We are not terrorists, and let him [Noboa] come out from wherever he is. We want him to go," said demonstrator Olga Moran, who also criticised President Daniel Noboa for calling Indigenous activists 'troublemakers' and telling them to 'get to work' amid the protests against the elimination of the diesel subsidy. "Ecuador belongs to our Indigenous peoples. How is he going to say he will throw us out? He is the one who should leave. If he doesn’t have the capacity to govern a country, let him go," Moran added. The end of the diesel subsidy raised the price from 1.80 to over 2.80 USD (1.55-2.41 EUR) per gallon – a policy the government claims will save 1.1 billion USD (946 million EUR) for social programmes and production incentives, which unions and Indigenous groups condemn as harmful to workers and rural communities. At least one person has been killed, reportedly by army fire, and over a hundred injured or detained amid the unrest in Quito."