"In appreciation of the national positions of the outgoing Prime Minister, we have decided to release the American detainee, Shelly Kittleson, on the condition that she leaves the country immediately," Abu Mujahid al-Assaf stated.
Ukraine and Russia concluded a second round of US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi on Thursday aimed at ending Europe's biggest conflict since the second world war, with the two sides conducting a major prisoner swap and agreeing to resume negotiations soon. But Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump's special envoy involved in the talks, cautioned that significant work remains in the weeks ahead, dampening expectations of any swift move towards peace.
A French prosecutor Friday sought a one-year jail term for an Iranian woman accused of promoting "terrorism" online in a case linked to a possible prisoner swap with two French citizens. Judgment in the case is expected on February 26. Mahdieh Esfandiari, a 39-year-old Iranian, was arrested in France in February on charges of promoting and inciting "terrorism" on social media.
President Emmanuel Macron announced the release of Laurent Vinatier, who had been jailed for allegedly violating Russia's so-called foreign agent laws, saying that the researcher was free and back in France. list of 3 itemsend of list I share the relief of his family and loved ones. My gratitude to our diplomatic agents for their mobilisation, Macron said on Thursday.
In a statement on Tuesday, the UN envoy on Yemen Hans Grundberg said the prisoner swap deal came after nearly two weeks of talks in Muscat, the capital of Oman, a mediator in the conflict between the government and the Houthis that began in 2014. Calling it a positive and meaningful step, Grundberg said the agreement will help to ease the suffering of detainees and their families across Yemen.
French authorities released an Iranian national on Wednesday in what Tehran said was part of a deal involving the release of French nationals serving heavy prison sentences in the Iranian capital. "Our citizen in France, Ms Esfandiari, is now free, she is at our embassy, and hopefully, she will return once her trial is over," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday.
Just a day earlier, Ben-Gvir led a group of Jewish worshippers in prayer on the Temple Mount, the flashpoint site in Jerusalem that also houses the Al Aqsa Mosque, and called for "total victory" in Gaza. Now he was sitting with his fellow ministers to discuss how to bring to an end two years of hostilities that had reduced much of Gaza to a charred wasteland-but had left Hamas still standing.
"We know that he is innocent and he would not do anything wrong which could bring his life or his family's life at risk," Khan, 33, said at her home on Tuesday. "The U.S. government should bring him back."
