International
Hamas claims that one of the militiamen killed an Israeli hostage
The Qasam Brigades, armed wing of the Islamist group Hamas, announced on Monday that one of its militiamen opened fire and “instantaneously killed” an Israeli hostage, while two others kidnapped were seriously injured in another incident; while the Israeli Army assured that it has not been able to confirm the information by its own means.
“Two of our soldiers assigned as captive guards of the enemy opened fire on a Zionist hostage, killing him instantly,” the spokesman of the Qasa Brigades, Abu Obeida, said in a statement.
In a second “separate incident,” two kidnapped were seriously injured and “attempts are being made to save their lives,” Abu Obeida said.
The Israeli Army pointed out, for its part, that it does not have “intelligence information that allows the claims of Hamas to be refuted or confirmed.” “We will continue to examine and verify the credibility of the message and update with the information we obtain,” he added in a statement.
“The Zionist government is fully responsible for massacres and resulting reactions that affect the lives of Zionist prisoners,” said the spokesman for the military wing of Hamas, who pointed out that a committee has been formed to investigate what happened and “the conclusions will be announced later.”
Of the 251 kidnapped on October 7, 111 captives remain in the enclave, at least 39 of them dead as Israel has been able to confirm – more than 70 according to Hamas -; while there have been four other hostages for years, of them two dead.
Since the war began, Israel and Hamas only achieved a one-week truce agreement at the end of November, which allowed the release of 105 hostages in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners; while the international community is now trying to relaunch negotiations for a ceasefire.
Israel announced that it would send a delegation this Thursday, August 15, to meet with the meters -Egypt, Qatar and the United States – but Hamas announced last night that it would not attend the appointment, amid reports pointing to an attack by Iran and Hizbulah against Israel this week in retaliation for the murder in Tehran of the leader of the Palestinian Islamists, Ismail Haniyeh.
Of the total number of captives, four hostages were released by Hamas in October; seven rescued by the Army – one soldier in October, two in Rafah in February and four in Nuseirat in June -; while the bodies of 24 hostages have been recovered, three of whom accidentally killed Israeli troops in December in Shujaiya.
International
Man arrested after deliberately driving into seven children in Osaka
Japanese police arrested a man on Thursday after he rammed his car into a group of seven schoolchildren in an apparent deliberate attack in the city of Osaka.
The children, who were on their way home from school, sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital. All seven remained conscious, according to local authorities.
An Osaka police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the suspect is a 28-year-old man from Tokyo. The officer shared statements the man made after his arrest: “I was fed up with everything, so I decided to kill people by driving into several elementary school children,” the suspect reportedly said.
The man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
The injured children, aged between seven and eight, included a seven-year-old girl who suffered a fractured jaw. The six other children—all boys—suffered minor injuries such as bruises and scratches and were undergoing medical evaluation.
Witnesses described the car as “zigzagging” before hitting the children. One witness told Nippon TV that a girl was “covered in blood” and the others appeared to have scratches.
Another witness said the driver, who was wearing a face mask, looked to be in shock when school staff pulled him from the vehicle.
Violent crimes are rare in Japan, though serious incidents do occur from time to time. In 2008, Tomohiro Kato drove a two-ton truck into pedestrians in Tokyo’s Akihabara district, then fatally stabbed several victims. Seven people were killed in that attack.
Internacionales
Clashes erupt during may day protests across France amid calls for better wages
May Day protests in France were marked by a heavy police presence and clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement in several cities.
In Paris, Lyon, and Nantes, thousands took to the streets to demand better wages, fairer working conditions, and to voice their dissatisfaction with President Emmanuel Macron’s government.
While the majority of the demonstrations remained peaceful, isolated confrontations broke out in some areas. Protesters threw objects at the police, prompting the use of tear gas and resulting in several arrests.
Videos showing police crackdowns circulated widely on social media, drawing criticism from labor unions and human rights advocates, who denounced the authorities’ response to the protests.
International
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem claimed that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has deported “more than half a million” migrants due to pressure from former President Donald Trump.
During a cabinet meeting highlighting the “achievements” of Trump’s administration in its first 100 days, Noem asserted that under the Republican leader’s influence, “Mexico has finally come to the table” to negotiate on migration and fentanyl trafficking.
“The president of Mexico told me she has returned just over half a million people before they reached our border,” Noem stated, criticizing media reports that suggest the Biden administration deported more migrants than Trump’s.
“I wish those deportations were counted,” Noem added, “because those people never made it to our border—she sent them back because you made her.” She went on to thank Trump: “They never made it here because they got the message—because you were so aggressive.”
Noem has made controversial claims about Sheinbaum in the past, prompting the Mexican leader to refute them.
On April 1, Sheinbaum responded to one such statement by declaring, “The president answers to only one authority, and that is the people of Mexico,” after Noem said on Fox News that she gave Sheinbaum “a list of things Trump would like to see” and that Mexico’s actions would determine whether Trump granted tariff relief.
Man arrested after deliberately driving into seven children in Osaka
Clashes erupt during may day protests across France amid calls for better wages
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
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