Israelis and Palestinians rejoice after more hostages and prisoners are freed

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Eight more hostages were freed from the Gaza Strip by Hamas-led militants on Thursday in a sometimes chaotic process that briefly delayed Israel's release of 110 Palestinian prisoners and underscored the fragility of the ceasefire that began earlier this month. ...

Middle East latest: Eight hostages are released from Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners

Hamas released eight hostages on Thursday — five Thai farm workers and three dual German-Israeli nationals — in exchange for 110 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. This is the third round of exchanges in the Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, which is now in its...

Who are the Palestinian prisoners released in exchange for Israeli hostages?

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — Israel released 110 Palestinian prisoners on Thursday in exchange for three Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Five Thai workers held captive in the enclave were also freed in a separate deal with Thailand. Thursday's prisoner-for-hostage swap marked the third round of...

Michigan priest has license revoked by church after mimicking Musk's straight-arm gesture

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan priest had his license revoked by the Anglican Catholic Church after he mimicked a straight-arm gesture performed by Elon Musk during a speech earlier this month that some have interpreted as a Nazi salute. Calvin Robinson, who is listed as the...

Who are the hostages released as part of the Hamas-Israel ceasefire in Gaza?

JERUSALEM (AP) — Hamas-led militants released eight hostages on Thursday after more than 15 months in captivity, including an Israeli soldier, bringing to 15 the number of captives freed since the start of a ceasefire in Gaza more than a week ago. Agam Berger, 20, was among five...

A line of white buses carrying Palestinian prisoners set to be released left Ofer prison in the West Bank

Church of England's Liverpool bishop resigns after assault allegations

LONDON (AP) — The Bishop of Liverpool has resigned following allegations of sexual assault and harassment, heaping more pressure on the Church of England as it seeks to move past the fallout from a separate scandal that toppled its former leader. Right Rev. John Perumbalath’s...

Netanyahu says mediators have assured hostages' safe exit going forward, paving way for Palestinian prisoners' release

Thousands of Albanians pay last respects to Orthodox Christian Archbishop Anastasios

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Thousands of Albanians gathered in the capital on Thursday to pay their last respects to Archbishop Anastasios, who revived the country’s Orthodox Christian Church after the fall of the Communist party in 1990. Anastasios, who was the Archbishop of Tirana,...

Couple challenging Vatican bank’s ban on workplace marriages invoke pope's pro-family message

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis has long urged couples to marry and have babies rather than dogs. And he has long championed the rights of workers and held up labor itself as the foundation of human dignity. So it has come as something of a surprise to many in the Holy See that the...