IDF Starts Gaza Pullout, Philippines Earthquake, Peace Nobel

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🗞️ FRONT PAGE​​

Tel Aviv-based daily Israel Hayom dedicates its front page to the emotion surrounding the announcement of a Gaza ceasefire deal that will see the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian security prisoners, and a halt to the fighting. Read more about Phase 1 of Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan here, courtesy of France Inter’s Pierre Haski, translated French and adapted by Worldcrunch.

🌎 7 THINGS TO KNOW RIGHT NOW

• IDF starts Gaza troops withdrawal after Israel ratifies ceasefire. Israeli troops began pulling back from some parts of Gaza on Friday under a ceasefire deal with Hamas, while some residents have already started returning to shattered neighborhoods. Under the Israel-Hamas peace plan, which was brokered under the initiative of U.S. President Donald Trump, Hamas has until Monday to release all Israeli hostages, while Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian detainees.

• Nobel Peace prize announced. The winner of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize is Venezuelan democracy campaigner Maria Corina Machado. The Nobel committee has recognized Machado “for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela” and “her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.” From the Worldcrunch vault, we offer this profile of Machado by Andrés Hoyos for Colombian daily El Espectador.

• Major Russian strikes cut power across Kyiv. Overnight Russian missile and drone strikes have caused power cuts in large parts of Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv. Nine people were injured while residents in eastern districts were plunged into darkness and faced disruption to water supplies.

• Deadline looms for naming new French PM. France’s President Emmanuel Macron will meet with major political party leaders on Friday as his self-imposed deadline to appoint a new prime minister approaches. The central bank chief warned that the ongoing political crisis is hindering economic growth. This will be Macron’s sixth prime minister in less than two years.

• 7.4 magnitude quake hits southern Philippines. Residents in coastal towns in central and southern Philippines were asked to evacuate as authorities warned of tsunamis with waves over 3.3ft above normal tide levels. At least five people were killed in the 7.4.-magnitude earthquake that struck the country Friday morning, leading to power cuts and classes being suspended in parts of the country.

• Peru’s president removed from office amid soaring crime. Peru’s Congress has voted to oust President Dina Boluarte during a late-night impeachment session over corruption allegations and failure to tackle rising crime in the country. Legislative leader José Jeri, 38, was sworn in as interim president soon after, pledging to head a transitional government until elections in April 2026.

• News Quiz! What new feature has Rome’s Colosseum announced it would soon inaugurate for visitors?

A. A full VR replica of the arena
B. A panoramic elevator to the upper tiers 
C. IMAX screens showing a gladiator fight
D. A secret passage once used by Roman emperors

[Answer below]

💬 LEXICON

T-Dome

Taiwan has unveiled plans to build a new multi-layered air defense system, dubbed “T-Dome,” aimed at strengthening its defenses and boosting military spending. President Lai Ching-te urged neighboring China to abandon threats of force against the self-governing island, as Taipei faces growing military and political pressure from Beijing which views the island as its own territory.

📰 IN OTHER NEWS

⏩ The first phase of Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan sees Israelis and Palestinians taking to the streets in a rare moment of shared joy — but there is good reason to be skeptical about what comes next.
— FRANCE INTER

🌡️ German scientists warn global warming is accelerating faster than expected, raising the risk of a 3 °C rise by 2050 and forcing Europe to confront unthinkable adaptation plans.
— DIE ZEIT

🥛 Argentine family farms are turning to robotic milking to modernize operations, ease the daily grind, and secure their future for the next generation.
— CLARÍN

📸 PHOTO DU JOUR

Firefighters clear debris from a car after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck southern Philippines, killing at least five people and prompting tsunami warnings and mass evacuations. — Photo: Philippine Bureau of Fire Protection