Crux

A cease-fire between Israel and Hamas took effect on Sunday, offering a glimmer of hope after a grueling 15-month conflict. Israel reunited three hostages—Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, and Doron Steinbrecher—with their families after their release from Gaza. Hamas had captured them during the October 7, 2023, attacks that ignited the war. In exchange, Israel pledged to release 90 Palestinian prisoners, including women and minors, later in the day. Joyful celebrations swept through Gaza. Residents honked car horns, fired celebratory gunshots, and filled the streets with music. Meanwhile, masked Hamas gunmen paraded through cities as the group moved to reassert control. Hamas-run police, absent during Israeli strikes, redeployed to maintain order. The cease-fire, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, followed months of delicate negotiations. A three-hour delay in releasing hostages prolonged tensions, with Israel continuing airstrikes that killed 19 and injured dozens, according to Palestinian authorities. The truce finally began at 11:15 a.m. local time, halting violence and raising cautious optimism for peace ...

On the eve of reclaiming the White House, President-elect Donald Trump pledged swift and decisive action, vowing to sign over 200 executive measures on his first day in office. Addressing a fervent crowd in Washington, DC, he promised to overturn Biden-era policies and implement sweeping reforms with “historic speed and strength.” Trump outlined bold plans to dismantle environmental regulations, end diversity programs, and launch mass deportation operations. He committed to ramping up artificial intelligence initiatives, creating a Department of Government Efficiency, declassifying JFK assassination records, and enhancing military defenses with an Iron Dome system. Additionally, he vowed to ban transgender women from female sports and restore control of education to individual states. With an assertive vision, Trump signaled a transformative agenda focused on unilateral executive authority ...

Shariful Islam Shehzad, a Bangladeshi national living in India under a false identity, was arrested for a daring burglary at actor Saif Ali Khan’s residence, leaving Khan seriously injured. Mumbai police, after reviewing extensive CCTV footage and tracing a motorcycle in Andheri, tracked him to a rented accommodation in Worli. Using intelligence and phone tracking, they located Shehzad hiding in a Thane thicket. Surrounding him swiftly, the police apprehended him, ending the extensive manhunt ...

TikTok went dark for its 170 million U.S. users on Saturday night as a national security ban took effect. Despite this, President-elect Donald Trump vowed on Truth Social to "SAVE TIKTOK!" ahead of his inauguration. Trump had earlier signaled he might grant the platform a 90-day reprieve after taking office. In a notice, TikTok assured users it would work closely with the incoming administration to restore access. By Saturday night, the app vanished from Apple and Google stores ...

A gas cylinder explosion at the Maha Kumbh venue in Prayagraj triggered a massive fire, reducing 18 tents to ashes. Fortunately, no injuries occurred. Fire trucks stationed on-site promptly extinguished the blaze, while authorities evacuated nearby tents for safety. Responding swiftly, PM Modi called CM Yogi Adityanath, who dispatched senior officials to assess the situation ...