BANGKOK: Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said 12 Thai hostages kidnapped by Palestinian militants during Hamas’s October 7 raids into Israel were released on Friday, hours after a truce in the Israel-Hamas war began.
“It has been confirmed by the security side and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that 12 Thai hostages are already released,” he posted on X.
“Embassy officials are on their way to pick them up in another hour. Their names and details should be known. Please stay tuned.”
A total of 25 Thai nationals were among the estimated 240 people taken hostage by gunmen during last month’s wave of cross-border raids into Israel.
In the worst attack in Israel’s history, 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed, according to Israeli authorities.
Israel has retaliated with a massive campaign of air, artillery and naval strikes alongside a ground offensive into Gaza, which is ruled by Hamas.
The Hamas government says the war has killed around 15,000 people, thousands of them children.
On Friday, a truce began following weeks of negotiations brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States.
Under the agreement, a four-day pause in the fighting was set to see at least 50 hostages released from Gaza in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
Two Hamas sources told AFP on Friday that some of the hostages seized in the raids were on Friday handed over to the Red Cross for return to Israel, via Egypt.
Shortly after the Thai prime minister posted on X, a source close to Hamas confirmed to AFP that some Thai hostages had been freed, in addition to hostages released under the deal with Israel.
“Hamas made a gesture to also release some Thai foreigners,” the source close to the Islamist movement said.
Last week, a member of Thailand’s hostage release negotiation team said his government had been given assurances by Hamas that the kingdom’s nationals held hostage by the armed group were “safe.”
Earlier this month, the Thai foreign minister traveled to Qatar to hold talks with his Iranian counterpart over the Thai nationals’ release.
A source with knowledge of the truce negotiations told AFP “the release of 12 Thai citizens held hostage in Gaza comes following the Thai foreign minister’s visit to Qatar and mediation efforts by the Qataris and Egyptians.”
About 30,000 Thais were working in Israel, mostly in the agriculture sector, at the time of the October 7 attacks, according to the kingdom’s labor ministry.
Thirty-nine Thai citizens have been killed and 19 wounded in the war, with the kingdom evacuating more than 8,500 of its people, according to Bangkok’s foreign ministry.
Thai PM says 12 Thai hostages released by Hamas
https://arab.news/vqgtn
Thai PM says 12 Thai hostages released by Hamas
- “It has been confirmed by the security side and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that 12 Thai hostages are already released,” he posted on X
- A total of 25 Thai nationals were among the estimated 240 people taken hostage
Russians struggle with ‘crazy’ prices
- Russia’s three-year-long military offensive on Ukraine has caused inflation to surge at home
- Western sanctions have disrupted supply chains and dozens of consumer brands have left the country
“The prices are crazy,” lamented the 84-year-old, who said he can no longer afford cherries — or even potatoes, a staple that is now three times more expensive than a year ago.
Russia’s three-year-long military offensive on Ukraine has caused inflation to surge at home, a thorn in the side for the Kremlin, which strives to shield Russians from the fallout of its campaign.
Western sanctions have disrupted supply chains and dozens of consumer brands have left the country, while inflation is now running above 10 percent.
Meanwhile, deep labor shortages caused by massive recruitment by the army and arms manufacturers, have seen both salaries and prices jump higher.
Russia’s Central Bank last week cut interest rates from a two-decade high, saying inflation — including food prices — was starting to come under control.
But for many hard-pressed Russians, it does not feel that way.
Paltievich’s wife, Tatyana, stood next to him clutching a small punnet of strawberries — a precious treat for her grandchildren that set her back 400 rubles ($5).
“We survived 1991, so now we’re not afraid of anything,” she said defiantly, in reference to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the economic chaos that followed.
Many of those navigating the aisles at Moscow’s Preobrazhensky market were also worried about high prices.
“I came here to buy chicken for my granddaughter. It’s more expensive in the supermarkets, so I don’t buy there anymore,” Nikolai Kucherov, a 62-year-old freelance artist said.
“I had to forget about traveling. For the past three or four years, I’ve only been thinking about filling up the fridge,” he said.
The Kremlin has hailed Russia’s economic performance since it ordered its troops into Ukraine in February 2022.
A huge surge in spending on the military has helped Moscow defy predictions that sanctions would collapse the Russian economy.
Engineer Konstantin Zelenkov, 38, is one of those who have benefited from rising wages amid the government spending boom.
“Some things are becoming more expensive but salaries are rising too, so it’s staying roughly the same,” he said.
Central bank chief Elvira Nabiullina has also pointed to rising wages and on Friday said inflation was starting to moderate, though it remains well above the institution’s four percent target.
“The high interest rate has led to a significant slowdown in inflation,” she told reporters.
Overall “the rate of increase in food prices has slowed,” she added.
But even Russian President Vladimir Putin was forced recently to address fears over a potato shortage that sent prices for the staple soaring.
For many across Russia, price rises feel never-ending.
“Starting even with bread, everything is getting more and more expensive,” Irina Yakovleva, 68, said.
“We just have to limit ourselves,” she added.
Finland summons Russian diplomat after suspected airspace violation
- The incident comes only weeks after a similar incident, which was also followed by a summoning of Russia’s diplomatic representative
HELSINKI: Finland on Wednesday summoned Russia’s charge d’affaires for talks, a day after a Russian military aircraft was suspected of violating Finnish airspace, the foreign ministry said.
Finland’s defense ministry said on Tuesday that it believed a Russian military aircraft had violated Finnish airspace off the coast of Porvoo, east of the capital Helsinki.
The foreign ministry said it would provide more details after the talks.
The incident came only weeks after a similar incident, which was also followed by a summoning of Russia’s diplomatic representative.
Finland, which joined NATO in 2023 after Moscow’s fully-fledged invasion of Ukraine a year earlier, shares a 1,340-kilometer (830-mile) border with Russia.
“An investigation into the alleged violation of airspace was launched immediately,” Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen said of Tuesday’s incident, adding that the coast guard would head the inquiry.
Moscow has repeatedly warned Finland of possible repercussions over its decision to join NATO, amid heightened tensions.
Hakkanen said in mid-May that Finland was “closely monitoring and assessing Russia’s activities and intentions.”
He was commenting after the New York Times published satellite images appearing to show an expansion of Russian military infrastructure near the border.
Fans greet K-pop stars Jimin and Jung Kook of BTS discharged from military service
- The pair wore their military uniforms Wednesday, saluted and addressed fans who had assembled to see the pair after their discharge
- The seven singers of the popular K-pop band plan to reunite as a group sometime in 2025 after they finish their service
YEONCHEON: Hundreds of fans gathered in the early morning hours to catch a glimpse of K-pop superstars Jimin and Jung Kook, the latest and final members of BTS to be discharged from South Korea’s mandatory military service.
The pair wore their military uniforms Wednesday, saluted and addressed fans who had assembled to see the pair after their discharge.
Jung Kook thanked the journalists and fans who traveled to see him and Jimin after their discharge and acknowledged how different it was to be back in the spotlight. “Actually, it’s been so long since I’ve been in front of cameras, and I didn’t even put on makeup, so I’m a bit embarrassed,” he said. “I don’t know what to say.”
The pair enlisted in December 2023, one day after RM and V did the same. The latter were discharged on Tuesday.
Supporters traveled from around the world to the public sports ground where the meet-and-greet took place. It was moved from the military base’s gate for safety reasons. Color-wrapped buses bearing BTS members’ faces lined the streets while red and yellow balloons floated above and a decorated food truck provided free coffee and water, adding to the festive atmosphere.
Many supporters wore masks, conscious of potential backlash after the band’s label discouraged attendance citing safety concerns. Despite the challenges, fans like Anaesi from Portugal said the 20-hour journey to Yeoncheon, a town near the tense border with North Korea, was worth it.
“Portugal is a small country, but inside of Portugal, BTS is a king,” she said. Anaesi, who discovered BTS on YouTube, said the group “saved” her from depression. “So for me BTS is my angel,” she said. She displayed a colorful upper arm tattoo featuring a golden shield emblazoned with “ARMY” and an eagle above it, complemented by Korean text listing BTS members’ names and those of her friends.
V thanked fans Tuesday for their patience in waiting for him and RM’s return and teased the band’s reunion. “If you can just wait a little bit longer, we will return with a really amazing performance.”
The seven singers of the popular K-pop band plan to reunite as a group sometime in 2025 after they finish their service.
Six of the group’s seven members served in the army, while Suga is fulfilling his duty as a social service agent, an alternative form of military service. He will be discharged later this month.
Jin, the oldest BTS member, was discharged in June 2024. J-Hope was discharged in October.
In South Korea, all able-bodied men aged 18 to 28 are required by law to perform 18-21 months of military service under a conscription system meant to deter aggression from rival North Korea.
The law gives special exemptions to athletes, classical and traditional musicians, and ballet and other dancers if they have obtained top prizes in certain competitions and are assessed to have enhanced national prestige. K-pop stars and other entertainers aren’t subject to such privileges.
However, in 2020, BTS postponed their service until age 30 after South Korea’s National Assembly revised its Military Service Act, allowing K-pop stars to delay their enlistment until age 30.
There was heated public debate in 2022 over whether to offer special exemptions of mandatory military service for BTS members, until the group’s management agency announced in October 2022 that all seven members would fulfill their duties.
Musk regrets some of his Trump criticisms, says they ‘went too far’
- ‘I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far’
WASHINGTON: Elon Musk, the world’s richest person and Donald Trump’s former adviser, said Wednesday he regretted some of his recent criticisms of the US president, after the pair’s public falling-out last week.
“I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far,” Musk wrote on his social media platform X.
Musk’s expression of regret came just days after Trump threatened the tech billionaire with “serious consequences” if he sought to punish Republicans who vote for a controversial spending bill.
Their blistering break-up – largely carried out on social media before a riveted public since Thursday last week – was ignited by Musk’s harsh criticism of Trump’s so-called “big, beautiful” spending bill, which is currently before Congress.
Some lawmakers who were against the bill had called on Musk – one of the Republican Party’s biggest financial backers in last year’s presidential election – to fund primary challenges against Republicans who voted for the legislation.
“He’ll have to pay very serious consequences if he does that,” Trump, who also branded Musk “disrespectful,” told NBC News on Saturday, without specifying what those consequences would be.
Trump also said he had “no” desire to repair his relationship with the South African-born Tesla and SpaceX chief, and that he has “no intention of speaking to him.”
In his post on Wednesday, Musk did not specify which of his criticisms of Trump had gone “too far.”
The former allies had seemed to have cut ties amicably about two weeks ago, with Trump giving Musk a glowing send-off as he left his cost-cutting role at the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
But their relationship cracked within days as Musk described the spending bill as an “abomination” that, if passed by Congress, could define Trump’s second term in office.
Trump hit back at Musk’s comments in an Oval Office diatribe and from there the row detonated, leaving Washington stunned.
“Look, Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore. I was surprised,” Trump told reporters.
Musk, who was Trump’s biggest donor to his 2024 campaign, also raised the issue of the Republican’s election win.
“Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate,” he posted, adding: “Such ingratitude.”
Trump later said on his Truth Social platform that cutting billions of dollars in subsidies and contracts to Musk’s companies would be the “easiest way” to save the US government money. US media have put the value of the contracts at $18 billion.
With real political and economic risks to their falling out, both appeared to inch back from the brink on Friday, with Trump telling reporters “I just wish him well,” and Musk responding on X: “Likewise.”
Trump had spoken to NBC on Saturday after Musk deleted one of the explosive allegations he had made during their fallout, linking the president with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Musk had alleged that the Republican president is featured in unreleased government files on former associates of Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while he faced sex trafficking charges.
Trump was named in a trove of deposition and statements linked to Epstein that were unsealed by a New York judge in early 2024. The president has not been accused of any wrongdoing in the case.
“Time to drop the really big bomb: (Trump) is in the Epstein files,” Musk posted on X. “That is the real reason they have not been made public.”
Musk did not reveal which files he was talking about and offered no evidence for his claim.
He appeared to have deleted those tweets by Saturday morning.
South Korea halts loudspeaker broadcasts along border with rival North Korea
- The South resumed the loudspeaker broadcasts in June last year following a years-long pause
SEOUL, South Korea: South Korea’s military has shut down loudspeakers broadcasting anti-North Korean propaganda along the inter-Korean border, in a move aimed at easing tensions.
The South resumed the loudspeaker broadcasts in June last year following a years-long pause in retaliation for North Korea flying trash-laden balloons toward the South in a psychological warfare campaign.
South Korea’s Defense Ministry said Wednesday the move was part of efforts to “to restore trust in inter-Korean relations and promote peace on the Korean Peninsula.”
