Mexico says won’t accept US ‘invasion’ in fight against cartels

Mexico’s president warned the United States on Thursday her country would never tolerate an “invasion” of its national sovereignty and vowed fresh legal action against US gunmakers after Washington designated cartels as terrorist organizations.The remarks were the latest in a series hitting back at the administration of President Donald Trump, which has ramped up pressure on its southern neighbor to curb illegal flows of drugs and migrants.Mexico is trying to avoid the sweeping 25-percent tariffs threatened by Trump by increasing cooperation in the fight against narcotics trafficked by the cartels in his sights.The eight Latin American drug trafficking groups designated as terrorist organizations include Mexican gangs such as the Jalisco New Generation and Sinaloa cartels — two of the country’s most powerful and violent criminal organizations.But the designation “cannot be an opportunity for the US to invade our sovereignty,” President Claudia Sheinbaum told a news conference.”They can call them (the cartels) whatever they want, but with Mexico, it is collaboration and coordination, never subordination or interventionism, and even less invasion.”In an interview broadcast late Thursday on the social media platform X, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio attempted to allay those concerns.”In the case of Mexico, the preference always is to work in conjunction with our partners in Mexico, and we can provide them a lot of information about who they are and where they’re located,” he said, referring to the newly designated criminal gangs. Sheinbaum said Mexico would expand its legal action against US gun manufacturers, which her government accuses of negligence in the sale of weapons that end up in the hands of drug traffickers.The lawsuit could lead to a new charge of alleged “complicity” with terrorist groups, she said.- ‘Eligible for drone strikes’? -Trump signed an executive order on his first day back in the White House last month saying that the cartels “constitute a national security threat beyond that posed by traditional organized crime.”US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that the designations “provide law enforcement additional tools to stop these groups.””Terrorist designations play a critical role in our fight against terrorism and are an effective way to curtail support for terrorist activities,” he said in a statement. While he did not mention it, the move has raised speculation about possible military action against the cartels.Tech billionaire Elon Musk, who has been given a prominent role in the Trump administration, suggested the designation “means they’re eligible for drone strikes.”On Wednesday, Sheinbaum confirmed that the United States had been operating drones spying on Mexican cartels as part of a collaboration that has existed for years.According to The New York Times, Washington has stepped up secret drone flights over Mexico in search of fentanyl labs as part of Trump’s campaign against drug cartels.Military threats from the United States always generate resentment in Mexico, which lost half of its territory to the United States in the 19th century.Sheinbaum said that she would present to Congress a constitutional reform to protect “the integrity, independence and sovereignty of the nation” including against the violation of its territory by land, air or sea.On Thursday, Canada — also under threat of 25-percent tariffs from Trump over the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States — joined the United States in labeling seven drug cartels as “terrorist entities.”The groups sanctioned by Canada included the Gulf Cartel, the Sinaloa Cartel, the Michoacan Family, the United Cartels, MS-13, TdA and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. – Mexico adjusting strategy -Mexico says that between 200,000 and 750,000 weapons manufactured by US gunmakers are smuggled across the border from the United States every year, often being used in crime.The Latin American country tightly controls firearm sales, making them practically impossible to obtain legally. Even so, drug-related violence has seen around 480,000 people killed in Mexico since the government deployed the army to combat trafficking in 2006, according to official figures.While she has ruled out declaring “war” on drug cartels, Sheinbaum has quietly dropped her predecessor’s “hugs not bullets” strategy, which prioritized tackling the root causes of criminal violence over security operations.Her government has announced a series of major drug seizures and deployed more troops to the border with the United States in return for Trump pausing tariffs for one month.Mexican authorities also announced the arrest this week of two prominent members of the Sinaloa Cartel, including the head of security for one of its warring factions.

Netanyahu orders ‘intensive’ West Bank operations after Israel bus blasts

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday ordered an “intensive operation against centers of terrorism” in the occupied West Bank, his office said, after three buses exploded in central Israel without causing any reported injuries. Three devices detonated on buses in the city of Bat Yam on Thursday evening and two others were being defused, according to police, with Israel’s defence minister accusing “Palestinian terrorist” groups of being behind the blasts.Netanyahu’s office said on social media early Friday that he had completed a security assessment with top officials, ordering fresh counterterrorism operations as well as stepped up security in Israeli cities. “The Prime Minister has ordered the IDF (military) to carry out an intensive operation against centers of terrorism in Judea and Samaria,” Netanyahu’s office said on X, using the biblical term for the West Bank. “The Prime Minister also ordered the Israel Police and the ISA (internal security agency) to increase preventative activity against additional attacks in Israeli cities,” he added. A large number of police were deployed to search for suspects after the “suspected terror attack”, the police force said in a statement.”Police bomb disposal units are scanning for additional suspicious objects. We urge the public to avoid the areas and remain alert for any suspicious items,” it added.Tzvika Brot, the mayor of Bat Yam, said in a video statement that there were “no injured in these incidents”.Security forces and bomb disposal units were seen by an AFP journalist as they inspected the remains of destroyed buses.Israeli media said that bus drivers countrywide had been asked to stop and inspect their vehicles for additional explosive devices.- ‘Intensify’ West Bank raids -A police commander from central Israel, Haim Sargarof, said in a televised briefing that the devices used to set off the blasts were similar to those found in the West Bank.Separately, Defence Minister Israel Katz said he ordered the military to “intensify operations to thwart terrorism” in West Bank refugee camps, particularly Tulkarem.The military has been carrying out near-daily raids in West Bank cities and camps for several weeks now targeting Palestinian militants.Multiple Palestinian civilians have also been killed in the raids, while Israeli security forces have destroyed homes and infrastructure.The military operation has displaced more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to the United Nations.Violence in the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967, has escalated since the October 2023 outbreak of war in the Gaza Strip.At least 897 Palestinians including militants have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the West Bank since the Gaza war began, according to an AFP tally based on figures provided by the Palestinian health ministry in Ramallah.At least 32 Israelis, including some soldiers, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or confrontations during Israeli operations in the West Bank over the same period, according to official Israeli figures.

Most Asian markets rise as traders pick over week of headlines

Asian markets mostly rose Friday after a negative day on Wall Street as investors weigh the economic outlook in light of Donald Trump’s tariffs drive and geopolitical machinations.A largely positive week in the region was headed for a healthy finish, and Hong Kong was again the standout performer thanks to the tech sector led by Alibaba following a forecast-topping earnings release.The yen pulled back a day after rallying past the 150-per-dollar mark following a warning on rising bond yields by Japan’s finance minister saw a rethink over bets on how many interest rate hikes the central bank will announce this year.Traders have been dealing with a series of Trump headlines this week that have made them consider their investment strategies, with his mulling of more tariffs adding to inflation worries.Minutes from the Federal Reserve’s January policy meeting, released this week, showed officials concerned that the president’s trade wars and pledges to cut taxes, regulations and immigration will force them to pause their rate cutting for now.The first high-level discussions between Washington and Moscow since Russia invaded Ukraine — without the presence of Europe or Kyiv — saw the two appoint teams to negotiate an end to the war.The thawing of US-Russia tensions has led to angry exchanges between Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky.The developments have rattled market confidence amid questions over Trump’s commitments to European security.The uncertainty has helped push gold to record levels and close to $3,000 for the first time.Disappointing earnings from retail titan Walmart sparked worries about US consumer activity and the impact on the world’s top economy, and weighed on Wall Street with all three main indexes ending in negative territory.Asia fared a little better, with Tokyo, Shanghai, Singapore, Taipei, Manila and Jakarta rising.But Hong Kong led the pack, soaring more than two percent on the back of an 11 percent surge in Chinese ecommerce titan Alibaba in the wake of forecast-topping sales figures. The city’s market has piled on more than 15 percent in 2025 thanks to a blistering performance in the tech sector in the wake of the unveiling of Chinese startup DeepSeek’s chatbot, which has upended the global AI market.Alibaba is up around 60 percent this year, while Tencent has gained 20 percent and games developer XD Inc more than 30 percent.Sydney, Seoul and Wellington all retreated.On currency markets the yen retreated after Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato said Friday that rising government bond yields — which at a 15-year high — could weigh on economic growth.The yen was back above 150 to the dollar, having strengthened to below that figure for the first time since December.That dented expectations the Bank of Japan will announce a series of rate hikes this year, even after data Friday showed Japanese core inflation hit a 19-month high of 3.2 percent in January.”Kato’s remarks had traders rethinking whether the BoJ would really push ahead aggressively or if they might be nudged into a more measured, summer one-and-done approach in 2025,” said SPI Asset Management’s Stephen Innes.”Most economists expect the next BoJ rate hike to land in the summer, but the market isn’t entirely convinced.”Stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter GDP growth figures, notably hawkish remarks from BoJ board member Hajime Takata, and a hotter CPI have amplified speculation that the tightening cycle could move faster than anticipated.”- Key figures around 0245 GMT -Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.1 percent at 38,719.34 (break) Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 2.7 percent at 23,177.48Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.7 percent at 3,374.62Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0488 from $1.0505 on ThursdayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2656 from $1.2668Dollar/yen: UP at 150.00 from 149.65 yenEuro/pound: DOWN at 82.86 pence from 82.90 pence West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.3 percent at $72.69 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: UP 0.3 percent at $76.70 per barrelNew York – Dow: DOWN 1.0 percent at 44,176.65 (close)London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.6 percent at 8,662.97 (close)

Japan’s core inflation rate hits 19-month high

Japanese inflation accelerated in January, further pressuring households as prices excluding fresh food rose 3.2 percent on-year, government data showed Friday.The rate was the highest since June 2023, fuelling speculation over the timing of the Bank of Japan’s next interest rate hike as it retreats from years of aggressive monetary easing to boost the moribund economy.January’s core Consumer Price Index (CPI) was above market expectations of a 3.1 percent rise, accelerating from 3.0 percent in December, the internal affairs ministry said.Overall, inflation including volatile fresh food was up 4.0 percent on-year — among the highest in the G7 — speeding up from 3.6 percent in December and 2.9 percent in November.The price of cabbage almost tripled in January, in what local media have dubbed a “cabbage shock” after last year’s record summer heat and heavy rain ruined crops.The price of rice also soared more than 70 percent, Friday’s data showed, while electricity bills jumped 18 percent.Last week, the government said it would release a fifth of its emergency rice stockpile after poor harvests and panic-buying over a “megaquake” warning pushed up the cost of the staple.Japan has previously tapped into its reserves during disasters, but this was the first time since the stockpile was created in 1995 that supply chain problems have prompted the move.- Yen ‘slugfest’ -The Bank of Japan raised interest rates again last month, having done so in March 2024 for the first time in 17 years.It is gradually normalising monetary policies after years of efforts to counter Japan’s “lost decades” of economic stagnation and static or falling prices.”Japan’s hotter-than-expected CPI had all the makings of a knockout punch” for boosting the yen’s value, with traders ready for a “major shift” in expectations for central bank policy, said Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management.”But instead, it turned into a slugfest as high-ranking officials stepped in to cool the yen rally,” he said.Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato warned Friday that higher bond yields could pressure government spending, because it means paying more for servicing Japan’s huge government debt.His comments reminded traders “that the BoJ isn’t operating in isolation — it’s still tethered to the Ministry of Finance, which has its own set of concerns”, Innes said.”Most economists expect the next BoJ rate hike to land in the summer, but the market isn’t entirely convinced.”One dollar bought 150.26 yen mid-morning on Friday, with the Japanese currency weaker than 149.68 Thursday.This week, gross domestic product (GDP) figures showed that Japan’s economic growth slowed sharply last year, although the rate for the fourth quarter topped expectations.It comes as companies fret over the impact of US President Donald Trump’s tariffs and other protectionist trade policies on the world’s fourth largest economy.Japanese media reported on Thursday that the trade minister is arranging a visit to the United States to seek exemptions from the tariffs.

Scandale de Bétharram: les gardes à vue s’achèvent pour deux anciens surveillants

Vers de premières mises en cause dans le scandale de Bétharram? La garde à vue de deux anciens surveillants de l’établissement catholique du Béarn s’achève vendredi dans le cadre de l’enquête sur les violences physiques et sexuelles que dénoncent plus d’une centaine d’anciens élèves.Le parquet de Pau a “mis un terme”, jeudi, à l’interrogatoire d’un ex-prêtre nonagénaire, sans rien dire des suites de la procédure judiciaire.Les gendarmes enquêtent depuis un an sur cette institution longtemps réservée aux garçons. Les victimes, enfants ou adolescents à l’époque des faits, décrivent des masturbations et fellations imposées ou subies plusieurs fois par semaine, des châtiments corporels, menaces et humiliations.Des “faits graves”, “en contradiction totale avec l’esprit de l’enseignement catholique”, a dénoncé jeudi la Conférence des évêques de France (CEF).Les trois hommes, nés en 1931, 1955 et 1965, avaient été interpellés mercredi pour des “viols aggravés, agressions sexuelles aggravées et/ou violences aggravées”, sur une période allant de 1957 à 2004, selon le procureur Rodolphe Jarry.D’après une source proche du dossier, l’un des surveillants avait été démis de ses fonctions en février 2024, peu après l’ouverture de l’enquête, alors qu’il était visé par au moins huit plaintes. L’autre officia comme surveillant général.- “Cheval” -Des victimes interrogées par l’AFP mettent en cause les trois suspects.”J’ai subi des punitions, des violences, on nous caressait à la sortie des douches, personne ne disait rien, on avait neuf ans !”, enrage Brice Ducos, 49 ans, interne à Bétharram entre 1984 et 1991, ciblant celui que l’on surnommait “Cheval” à l’époque.Allusion à la chevalière qu’il portait à une main et qu’il retournait avant de gifler un élève, en lui disant: “Regarde ce que tu m’obliges à faire”, témoigne auprès de l’AFP un autre ancien, scolarisé de 1973 à 1980, qui a requis l’anonymat.Antoine (prénom modifié), 48 ans, incrimine, lui, le surveillant écarté l’an dernier. “J’ai été son protégé”, dit-il, évoquant des agressions sexuelles sous la tente lors de sorties scouts, puis des masturbations hebdomadaires, quatre ans durant, quand il habitait chez lui.Jean-Marie Delbos, 78 ans, accuse, lui, le nonagénaire, “jeune ecclésiastique” quand il le vit arriver au dortoir en 1957. Il “venait la nuit, soutane ouverte, s’accroupir au pied du lit pour faire des attouchements et des fellations”, raconte-t-il.- “Sérialité” -Parmi les 132 plaintes recensées par le collectif des victimes, une poignée ne sont pas frappées par la prescription, estime son porte-parole Alain Esquerre, lui-même ancien pensionnaire.Pour Me Jean-François Blanco, avocat en 1996 d’un élève victime d’une violente claque, la période retenue par le procureur, longue d’un demi-siècle, situe cependant “les crimes dans leur sérialité”, “critère fondamental” pour l’appréciation de la prescription.La loi de 2021 sur la protection des mineurs contre les crimes et délits sexuels permet de prolonger le délai de prescription d’un premier viol si la même personne récidive sur un autre mineur.Ces interpellations sont intervenues quatre jours après une réunion entre des victimes et François Bayrou, mis en cause depuis début février par plusieurs témoignages affirmant qu’il était au courant de premières accusations entourant l’établissement dans les années 1990, ce qu’il dément.Le chef du gouvernement, ministre de l’Éducation de 1993 à 1997, répète n’avoir “jamais été informé” dans le passé des violences sexuelles dans cet établissement qu’ont fréquenté plusieurs de ses enfants et où son épouse a enseigné le catéchisme.Une ancienne enseignante de Bétharram, Françoise Gullung, a maintenu pour sa part, dans une vidéo diffusée jeudi par Mediapart, l’avoir alerté de vive voix et par écrit, à l’époque, sur les violences et humiliations infligées aux élèves.Elle y raconte également avoir sollicité, en vain, une intervention de Mme Bayrou, un jour où toutes deux entendaient un enfant hurler sous les coups d’un membre de l’encadrement.Un rapport d’inspection du rectorat de Bordeaux, diligenté au printemps 1996 avant une visite de l’actuel Premier ministre à Bétharram, avait conclu que les élèves n’y étaient pas “brutalisés”.

Scandale de Bétharram: les gardes à vue s’achèvent pour deux anciens surveillants

Vers de premières mises en cause dans le scandale de Bétharram? La garde à vue de deux anciens surveillants de l’établissement catholique du Béarn s’achève vendredi dans le cadre de l’enquête sur les violences physiques et sexuelles que dénoncent plus d’une centaine d’anciens élèves.Le parquet de Pau a “mis un terme”, jeudi, à l’interrogatoire d’un ex-prêtre nonagénaire, sans rien dire des suites de la procédure judiciaire.Les gendarmes enquêtent depuis un an sur cette institution longtemps réservée aux garçons. Les victimes, enfants ou adolescents à l’époque des faits, décrivent des masturbations et fellations imposées ou subies plusieurs fois par semaine, des châtiments corporels, menaces et humiliations.Des “faits graves”, “en contradiction totale avec l’esprit de l’enseignement catholique”, a dénoncé jeudi la Conférence des évêques de France (CEF).Les trois hommes, nés en 1931, 1955 et 1965, avaient été interpellés mercredi pour des “viols aggravés, agressions sexuelles aggravées et/ou violences aggravées”, sur une période allant de 1957 à 2004, selon le procureur Rodolphe Jarry.D’après une source proche du dossier, l’un des surveillants avait été démis de ses fonctions en février 2024, peu après l’ouverture de l’enquête, alors qu’il était visé par au moins huit plaintes. L’autre officia comme surveillant général.- “Cheval” -Des victimes interrogées par l’AFP mettent en cause les trois suspects.”J’ai subi des punitions, des violences, on nous caressait à la sortie des douches, personne ne disait rien, on avait neuf ans !”, enrage Brice Ducos, 49 ans, interne à Bétharram entre 1984 et 1991, ciblant celui que l’on surnommait “Cheval” à l’époque.Allusion à la chevalière qu’il portait à une main et qu’il retournait avant de gifler un élève, en lui disant: “Regarde ce que tu m’obliges à faire”, témoigne auprès de l’AFP un autre ancien, scolarisé de 1973 à 1980, qui a requis l’anonymat.Antoine (prénom modifié), 48 ans, incrimine, lui, le surveillant écarté l’an dernier. “J’ai été son protégé”, dit-il, évoquant des agressions sexuelles sous la tente lors de sorties scouts, puis des masturbations hebdomadaires, quatre ans durant, quand il habitait chez lui.Jean-Marie Delbos, 78 ans, accuse, lui, le nonagénaire, “jeune ecclésiastique” quand il le vit arriver au dortoir en 1957. Il “venait la nuit, soutane ouverte, s’accroupir au pied du lit pour faire des attouchements et des fellations”, raconte-t-il.- “Sérialité” -Parmi les 132 plaintes recensées par le collectif des victimes, une poignée ne sont pas frappées par la prescription, estime son porte-parole Alain Esquerre, lui-même ancien pensionnaire.Pour Me Jean-François Blanco, avocat en 1996 d’un élève victime d’une violente claque, la période retenue par le procureur, longue d’un demi-siècle, situe cependant “les crimes dans leur sérialité”, “critère fondamental” pour l’appréciation de la prescription.La loi de 2021 sur la protection des mineurs contre les crimes et délits sexuels permet de prolonger le délai de prescription d’un premier viol si la même personne récidive sur un autre mineur.Ces interpellations sont intervenues quatre jours après une réunion entre des victimes et François Bayrou, mis en cause depuis début février par plusieurs témoignages affirmant qu’il était au courant de premières accusations entourant l’établissement dans les années 1990, ce qu’il dément.Le chef du gouvernement, ministre de l’Éducation de 1993 à 1997, répète n’avoir “jamais été informé” dans le passé des violences sexuelles dans cet établissement qu’ont fréquenté plusieurs de ses enfants et où son épouse a enseigné le catéchisme.Une ancienne enseignante de Bétharram, Françoise Gullung, a maintenu pour sa part, dans une vidéo diffusée jeudi par Mediapart, l’avoir alerté de vive voix et par écrit, à l’époque, sur les violences et humiliations infligées aux élèves.Elle y raconte également avoir sollicité, en vain, une intervention de Mme Bayrou, un jour où toutes deux entendaient un enfant hurler sous les coups d’un membre de l’encadrement.Un rapport d’inspection du rectorat de Bordeaux, diligenté au printemps 1996 avant une visite de l’actuel Premier ministre à Bétharram, avait conclu que les élèves n’y étaient pas “brutalisés”.

Israel says hostage body returned by Hamas not Bibas mother

Israel said Friday that one of the bodies returned from Gaza is not that of Shiri Bibas, as claimed by Hamas, and accused Palestinian “terrorists” of killing her two boys who have become symbols of the hostages’ ordeal.Thousands of mourning Israelis had observed a moment of silence Thursday in honour of four dead hostages returned by Hamas, the first handover of bodies under the fragile ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.Hamas said the remains included those of Bibas and her two young sons, whose father was released by the militant group this month.On Friday, however, Israel said the body purporting to be Shiri Bibas’s did not belong to her and “does not match any other kidnapped individuals”.Military spokesman Avichay Adraee said on Telegram that Israel had identified the remains of Bibas boys Ariel and Kfir, accusing Palestinian “terrorists” of killing them. “According to the assessment of the relevant authorities and based on available intelligence and diagnostic indicators, Ariel and Kfir Bibas were brutally killed in captivity in November 2023 by Palestinian terrorists,” Adraee said. Hamas has long maintained an Israeli air strike killed the Bibas family early in the war.Hamas also handed over the body of a fourth hostage, Oded Lifshitz, a veteran journalist and long-time defender of Palestinian rights.The bodies’ repatriation is part of the six-week initial phase of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which took effect on January 19 and so far has led to the release of 19 living Israeli hostages in exchange for more than 1,100 Palestinian prisoners.- Bus blasts -Palestinian militants on Thursday staged a ceremony to return the bodies at a former cemetery in the southern Gazan city of Khan Yunis.Ahead of the handover, Hamas and members of other armed Palestinian groups displayed four black coffins with small photos of the deceased, while mock-up missiles nearby carried the message: “They were killed by USA bombs,” a reference to Israel’s top military supplier. “We are all enraged at the monsters of Hamas,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later said in a video message, vowing again to destroy the group. At around the same time as the handover, police in central Israel reported a “suspected terror attack”, saying three bombs had exploded on or around buses and more were being defused, though no injuries were immediately reported.”These are identical explosive devices with a timer,” a police spokesman told AFP.Security forces and bomb disposal units were seen by an AFP journalist as they inspected the remains of destroyed buses.Some Israeli media outlets reported bus drivers countrywide had been asked to stop and inspect their vehicles for other devices.Large numbers of police had been deployed to search for suspects, the police statement said.Defence Minister Israel Katz said that following the “serious attempted attacks”, he had ordered the military to “intensify operations” in the Tulkarem refugee camp and other areas of the occupied West Bank.- The youngest hostage -Earlier Thursday, flag-waving Israelis had lined the route along which a convoy carrying the returned bodies travelled from southern Israel to Tel Aviv.Tania Coen Uzzielli, 59, who had come to the Tel Aviv plaza dubbed “Hostages Square”, said it was “one of the hardest days, I think, since October 7”.During their attack that day in 2023 that triggered the Gaza war, Hamas filmed and later broadcast footage showing the Bibas family’s abduction from their home near the Gaza border.Ariel was then aged four, while Kfir was the youngest hostage at just nine months old. Yarden Bibas, the boys’ father and Shiri’s husband, was abducted separately and released in a previous hostage-prisoner swap on February 1.Hamas said in a statement that it and its armed wing had done “everything in their power to protect the prisoners (hostages) and preserve their lives”.Tahani Fayad, 40, was among the hundreds of people gathered to witness the handover ceremony in Gaza, which she called “proof that the occupation (Israel) will not defeat us”.- Next phase -Israel and Hamas announced a deal earlier this week for the return of eight hostages’ remains in two groups this week and next, as well as the release of the six living Israeli captives on Saturday.Palestinian prisoners are also set to be freed in Saturday’s swap, but were not part of Thursday’s handover.Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has said talks will begin this week on the truce’s second phase, aiming to lay out a more permanent end to the war.A Hamas spokesman on Thursday accused Netanyahu of “procrastinating regarding the second phase”, saying the group was “ready to engage”.Senior Hamas official Taher al-Nunu told AFP on Wednesday that Hamas was ready to free all remaining hostages held in Gaza in a single swap during phase two.Hamas and its allies took 251 people hostage during the October 7 attack. Prior to Thursday’s handover, there were 70 hostages still in Gaza, including 35 the Israeli military has said are dead.That attack resulted in the deaths of 1,211 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.Israel’s retaliatory campaign has killed at least 48,319 people in Gaza, the majority of them civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory that the United Nations considers reliable.

Judge denies union bid to halt Trump firing of government workers

A US judge on Thursday denied a union bid to temporarily halt the firing of thousands of federal employees on probationary status, handing President Donald Trump another legal win in his plan to slash the government workforce.District Judge Christopher Cooper said he lacked the jurisdiction to handle the complaint, one of several filed in courts in recent days in an effort to pause the mass sackings.The judge’s decision comes as around 6,700 workers at the 100,000-strong Internal Revenue Service (IRS) who were on probation were being laid off.”The anxiety was running through the floor, like I personally felt anxious because I was one of (the) last people to get that email,” an IRS probationary worker who was laid off Thursday told AFP.A former IRS official said most of the IRS employees being let go were part of the US tax agency’s enforcement teams, less than two months before the US income tax filing deadline of April 15. A number of IRS employees posted messages on LinkedIn saying they had been abruptly terminated and were seeking other opportunities.The National Treasury Employees Union and four other unions that represent federal employees had asked Cooper to issue a temporary restraining order preventing termination of their members who are probationary employees.Cooper, an appointee of former president Barack Obama, said his court lacks jurisdiction to hear their claims and they should instead be brought before the Federal Labor Relations Authority, a body that adjudicates federal labor disputes.”Federal district judges are duty-bound to decide legal issues based on even-handed application of law and precedent — no matter the identity of the litigants or, regrettably at times, the consequences of their rulings for average people,” the judge said.- Managers had ‘no idea’ -The probationary worker who spoke to AFP, on condition of anonymity to freely discuss his former employer, said that managers at the agency had “no idea” the layoffs were coming.”I think DOGE has been very careful to make it seem like the agencies themselves are making the decisions, when I can tell, our managers yesterday were just as shocked as we were,” he said. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is a free-ranging entity run by Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and a top Trump ally and donor.On Thursday, the laid-off IRS worker said staff at his agency were “a little resigned, a little defeated, including our managers… some of them were, seemed like they were on the verge of tears.”The worker had been a revenue agent on a team that oversaw tax collection for corporations and wealthy individuals.”I think Republicans have really kind of twisted the narrative in the press to say that the IRS has hired a bunch of people to go after middle- or working-class folks, when really a lot of the people that were hired were hired to go after large corporations and high net worth individuals,” he said. – ‘Cruel’ -In his opinion, Cooper said the federal government employs 220,000 probationary employees and he noted that workers with that status at the Food and Drug Administration, the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Park Service and other agencies have already been sacked.On Wednesday, another federal judge declined a request to temporarily block DOGE from firing federal employees.Fourteen Democratic-ruled states had filed suit last week contesting Musk’s legal authority but District Judge Tanya Chutkan denied their emergency request to pause his actions.Musk’s cost-cutting spree has been met with legal pushback on a number of fronts and a mixed bag of rulings.A judge last week lifted a freeze he had temporarily imposed on a mass buyout plan offered by the Trump administration to federal workers.According to the White House, more than 75,000 federal employees signed on to the buyout offer from the Office of Personnel Management.The fired IRS worker said he had felt “between a rock and a hard place” when he received the buyout offer, facing either quitting his job or being fired anyway.”For all of this to happen in such a cruel fashion, just it doesn’t make sense to me,” he said.