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U.S. President Donald Trump has urged Israel’s President Isaac Herzog to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his ongoing corruption trial, sparking criticism and concerns about American interference in Israel’s internal affairs. In a letter sent Wednesday, Trump described the charges against Netanyahu as a “political, unjustified prosecution” and praised him as a “decisive wartime leader” now guiding Israel toward peace. This marks Trump’s second public call for a pardon, following a similar appeal during his Knesset speech last month while promoting his Gaza ceasefire proposal. Netanyahu, accused of fraud, breach of trust, and bribery, denies the allegations and calls the case a politically motivated “witch hunt.” Herzog confirmed receiving Trump’s letter but said any pardon request must follow formal legal procedures. More Americans disapprove of Trump’s government management, AP-NORC poll shows The move has drawn sharp reactions in Israel, with critics warning that U.S. involvement could undermine judicial independence. Opposition leader Yair Lapid noted that under Israeli law, a pardon requires an admission of guilt, making Trump’s request legally and politically complex. Analysts also cautioned that granting a pardon under such pressure could erode public trust in the rule of law. Source: AP 

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered an investigation after a young man died from severe burns he suffered when he set himself on fire following the closure of his family’s food stand by city officials in the southwestern city of Ahvaz. State-run IRNA news agency said the Ahvaz mayor and the head of the city’s enforcement arm were arrested, while arrest warrants were issued for three others. The incident has reignited public concern about poverty and economic pressure in the Islamic Republic. The victim, 20-year-old Ahmad Baledi, died Tuesday after suffering burns over 70% of his body. He set himself ablaze Nov. 2 in a park in Ahvaz, located in Iran’s oil-rich but restive Khuzestan province, after municipal workers shut down his family’s only source of income — a small food stall. Authorities initially described the action as a court-ordered eviction, claiming no coercion was used. But Pezeshkian on Tuesday directed the Interior Ministry to open a special inquiry and convey his condolences to Baledi’s family. By Wednesday, IRNA reported that the mayor had resigned and four other municipal officials had been dismissed. While there have been no major demonstrations, Baledi’s death has stirred anger and sympathy online. Khuzestan, home to many ethnic Arabs, has seen periodic protests over discrimination and water shortages in recent years.

Wrapped tightly around his forearms, the former Israeli soldier feels the snakes’ cold skin against his, and for a moment he’s able to breathe. It’s been nearly 18 months since he left the army after fighting in the war in Gaza, and the flashbacks and panic attacks haven’t ceased. He was wounded in a Hamas missile attack on his military base, and said two of his friends — also soldiers in their 20s — died by suicide. This farm in central Israel dedicated to helping soldiers has been a lifeline, he said. “It doesn’t matter if a plane goes by or if the drone goes by or if someone is yelling. ... Because I’m here with the snake right now,” said the 27-year-old sergeant major, who called the experience grounding. Like other soldiers who spoke to The Associated Press, he insisted on anonymity to discuss private mental health matters. Israel’s longest war is leaving a trail of traumatized soldiers, with a growing number suffering from mental health illnesses after two years of war with Hamas. Reports of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and other mental health problems are increasing among soldiers, as are suicides. EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org. Helplines outside the U.S. can be found at www.iasp.info/suicidalthoughts. Israel’s defense ministry says it has documented nearly 11,000 soldiers suffering from “mental health injuries” since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack that triggered the war in Gaza. That accounts for more than a third of the total 31,000 troops with such injuries in all of Israel’s conflicts since its founding nearly 80 years ago. The ministry defines mental health injuries as PTSD, anxiety, depression and other mental health issues. Suicides have also spiked. In the decade preceding the war, the number of soldiers taking their own lives in the army averaged 13 per year. Since the war, the number has risen, with 21 soldiers dying by suicide last year, according to the army. The figures — which account for active duty and reserve troops — don’t include soldiers who took their own lives after leaving the military. A report published by Israel’s parliament last month said an additional 279 soldiers tried to take their own lives from January 2024 through July 2025 but survived. “There’s now a genuine understanding that psychological injuries have profound consequences and that treatment is both necessary and practical,” said Limor Luria, deputy director general and head of the defense ministry’s Rehabilitation Department. “We’re seeing a generational difference," she said. "While many wounded veterans from previous wars never sought help, today’s wounded are responding very differently.” The army is scrambling to address the crisis, mobilizing hundreds of mental health officers. It has sent experts to the front lines to help soldiers during combat, established a hotline and provided group therapy sessions to fighters once they’ve left service. Yet experts warn Israel is not yet equipped to deal with the scale — a gap the rehabilitation department acknowledged, saying it impacts the entire national health system. US envoy pushes Israel-Hamas truce as first phase nears end The length and intensity of this war on multiple fronts — with tens of thousands of active duty and reserve troops called up for repeated deployments — haven’t allowed soldiers to properly heal, which could have long-term consequences for the country, said Tuly Flint, a trauma therapy specialist who has counseled hundreds of Israeli soldiers. “Those victims of war, if not treated, lose the potential for personal and social development possible for them and may become a burden on themselves, their families and society,” he said. Half a dozen soldiers who spoke to the AP, as well as psychologists who have treated fighters, said they lacked purpose, had difficulty concentrating or having relationships, and as the war dragged on, a sense of hopelessness set in. Flint said some also suffered from what he called “moral injury.” “Soldiers come back asking themselves who are they after what they’ve seen and done, what kind of people are they?” he said. Rescue animals help soldiers heal The 27-year-old former soldier, who worked as a radio technician for about six months at the start of the war, said he came to the farm earlier this year because he felt lost. A missile struck his base on the border with Gaza, badly injuring his back. After that, he was anxious, triggered by noise, constantly on edge. “Everything got louder, like my aggressions, my yelling, my feelings, everything just went up,” he said — as though “someone broke the volume.” He’s receiving therapy from the army, but the farm has allowed him to heal in a different way, surrounded by others with similar experiences and allowing him to calm his mind by focusing on the animals, he said. Nestled in the Sdot Yam kibbutz, the Back2Life farm is among several grassroots organizations stepping in to support the growing number of soldiers needing help. It was co-founded by Assi Nave and dedicated to his friend from an elite military unit, Amir (Dani) Yardenai, who suffered severe PTSD for years after fighting in Gaza in 2014, and died by suicide last year. “Dani’s loss left me with the sense that he’s not the last one,” Nave said. The farm has become an oasis for dozens of veterans who have participated in its sessions — which in addition to traditional counseling includes therapy with dogs and other animals — to the backdrop of chirping birds and clucking chickens. Former soldiers work with rescue animals, each helping the other to heal. Psychologist Guy Fluman, who works with former soldiers and is among the mental health experts advising the farm on therapeutic approaches, said a major challenge veterans face is readjusting to civilian life and being with animals is grounding. “You need to help them resolve their memories, be able to live in peace with what has happened ... and on the other hand to reconnect them to life,” he said. Stigma persists One 31-year-old deployed in Gaza and the West Bank for a year said upon returning home everything was a struggle: His relationship ended and he had difficulty connecting with family and friends. “I felt like I was back there,” he said “My body is here, but my mind is not.” Hamas to return body of Israeli soldier held in Gaza since 2014 He was among several veterans who told the AP he suffered from mental illness for years, triggered by fighting in Israel’s previous wars, yet this was the first time he felt comfortable seeking support. “Stigma around mental health persists” among soldiers, acknowledged Luria, the rehabilitation program director. “Combating this stigma is a top priority.” “We’re addressing it on multiple fronts,” including public campaigns and media outreach, she said, as well as programs designed to engage younger veterans, like rehabilitation farms and adventure sports. A 32-year-old reservist who was assigned to collect bodies in southern Israel after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack in which some 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage said his flashbacks were less connected to the sight of the decaying men and women but to the smell. “I started to smell dead bodies ... all the time,” he said. He’d get triggered changing his child’s diaper. A therapist himself, he recognized the signs and sought help for PTSD. He then started working with others to help with the army’s growing need. He said the best way for soldiers to come forward is for their commanders on the ground to let them know that it’s OK. “When the commander of the soldier says you can get help,” he said, “it works better and you have less stigma.”  

Iraqis went to the polls Tuesday for a parliamentary election marked by heavy security and a boycott by the influential Sadrist Movement. A total of 8,703 polling stations were open nationwide, following early voting on Sunday for security personnel and displaced residents in camps. Turnout was low in the initial hours, with first results expected on Wednesday. Only 21.4 million of the country’s 32 million eligible voters registered this year, down from around 24 million in the 2021 election. The election takes place amid major regional upheavals, including wars in Gaza and Lebanon since the October 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel, the Israel-Iran conflict in June, and last year’s fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad. U.S. officials are pressing Iraq to limit the influence of Iran-backed armed groups, some of whose members are contesting Tuesday’s vote. Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani, seeking a second term, cast his vote in Baghdad alongside his mother, emphasizing that the election “asserts the principle of peaceful transfer of power” and reflects citizens’ commitment to democracy. The Sadrist Movement, led by Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, boycotted the election. Al-Sadr’s bloc, which won the most seats in 2021, withdrew from politics after failed government negotiations. In Sadr City, his stronghold, security was tight, shops remained closed, and polling stations were nearly empty. “The Sadrist boycott has had a major impact,” said station director Ahmed al-Mousawi. In Kirkuk, northern Iraq, violence erupted overnight, killing two police officers and injuring two civilians. Authorities said clashes between rival groups led to the shooting, though calm returned by polling hours. Many voters expressed apathy, expecting little change beyond new parliamentary faces. Ahead of the vote, 46 people were arrested for illegally buying and selling voter cards, and 1,841 cards were seized. Legal challenges are also anticipated, with Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council noting that Tuesday’s election date was unconstitutional, as the vote was initially scheduled for Nov. 24. Despite security concerns, political tension, and low expectations, Iraqis turned out to participate in the parliamentary election, underscoring the nation’s continued engagement with democratic processes amid instability.  

An Israeli airstrike on Monday killed a Hezbollah commander on the Sarafand–Baysarieh highway in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese security and official sources. A Lebanese army intelligence official identified the victim as Samir Ali Faqih, a Hezbollah commander, without providing further details. Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported that Faqih was killed when an Israeli drone targeted his car. According to security sources, Israeli warplanes conducted around 20 air raids on Hezbollah positions in eastern and southern Lebanon on Monday, firing about 40 air-to-ground missiles. The wave of strikes came amid mounting Israeli threats and renewed demands for Hezbollah to disarm — a call the group has repeatedly rejected. Mahmoud Qomati, deputy head of Hezbollah’s Political Council, reaffirmed on Monday that the group would not lay down its arms, describing its weapons as “a guarantee of Lebanon’s existence and strength” and a deterrent against “Israeli aggression.” A U.S.- and French-mediated ceasefire has been in place between Hezbollah and Israel since November 27, 2024, bringing an end to most cross-border hostilities that flared after the Gaza war. Despite the truce, Israeli forces have continued to launch intermittent strikes inside Lebanon, claiming they are aimed at neutralizing threats from Hezbollah while maintaining troops across five key border positions.   With inputs from Xinhua

Two decades after being detained by U.S. forces in Iraq for fighting alongside al-Qaida, Ahmad al-Sharaa is poised to make history as the first Syrian president to visit Washington since the country’s independence in 1946. Following his forces’ ouster of Bashar Assad last December, al-Sharaa has sought to rebrand himself and Syria, rebuilding ties with nations that once isolated Damascus. His meeting Monday with U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to formalize Syria’s entry into the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State group and push for a full repeal of remaining sanctions, including the Caesar Act. Trump has praised al-Sharaa’s leadership, saying he deserves “a fighting shot.” The U.N. Security Council and the U.S. Treasury recently lifted sanctions against him and Syria’s interior minister. However, some Republicans in Congress want to attach conditions to a broader repeal, citing sectarian violence and minority rights concerns. Human rights and religious groups have urged Washington to ensure protection for Alawite and Druze minorities, calling for a humanitarian corridor from Israel’s Golan Heights into southern Syria. Despite concerns, supporters argue the Caesar Act now hinders Syria’s reconstruction and foreign investment. Advocates like Mouaz Moustafa say the law is “a sledgehammer instead of a scalpel,” warning it punishes civilians more than officials. Al-Sharaa is also expected to sign an agreement bringing Syria into closer coordination with U.S. forces against IS militants. U.S. officials say the move marks a “milestone” in regional security cooperation, even as remnants of the extremist group continue to stage attacks across Syria and Iraq. Al-Sharaa’s journey—from insurgent commander Abu Mohammed al-Golani to Washington guest—underscores one of the most surprising political transformations in the modern Middle East.

Hamas said Sunday it would hand over the body of Israeli soldier Hadar Goldin, killed during the 2014 Gaza war and held in the enclave for 11 years — the only remains kept in Gaza before the current conflict. The move marks a major development in the U.S.-brokered truce and could bring closure to Goldin’s family, who have long campaigned for his return. Hamas claimed it discovered the body in a tunnel in Rafah on Saturday. Goldin was killed on Aug. 1, 2014, just two hours after a ceasefire began. Israeli media reported that Hamas had delayed the release in hopes of negotiating safe passage for over 100 militants trapped in Rafah, though Israeli officials dismissed any “deal within a deal.” Goldin is one of five Israeli hostages’ bodies still held in Gaza. Under the truce, Hamas is expected to return all remains of hostages, while Israel has released the bodies of Palestinians in exchange — 15 for each Israeli hostage. President Isaac Herzog confirmed Israel expected Goldin’s body to be returned later Sunday. The announcement came as he attended the funeral of another soldier, Staff Sgt. Itay Chen, whose remains were released last week. Since the ceasefire began last month, militants have returned 23 Israeli bodies, while Gaza’s Nasser Hospital says it has received the remains of 300 Palestinians, with 89 identified. The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and kidnapping 251. Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 69,000 Palestinians have since been killed. Goldin’s death was confirmed by the Israeli military in 2014 based on evidence from the tunnel where his body was taken.

Health officials in Gaza said Saturday that more than 69,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, as both sides continued exchanging bodies under a shaky ceasefire agreement. The increase in casualties comes as additional bodies are recovered from the rubble across Gaza and previously unidentified victims are confirmed. The latest handover saw Israel return 15 Palestinian bodies to Gaza, a day after militants gave back the remains of an Israeli hostage. The exchange of remains forms part of the first phase of the truce, which began on Oct. 10, and aims to de-escalate the conflict that erupted after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, which killed about 1,200 people and led to 251 hostages being taken. Gaza’s Health Ministry, which maintains detailed records widely regarded as credible, said that 284 more names have recently been verified, pushing the total to 69,169. Officials said 241 people have been killed since the truce began, while hundreds remain missing. Israel confirmed that the body returned Friday was that of Lior Rudaeff, an Israeli hostage who died during the initial Hamas assault. For each Israeli hostage’s remains, Israel has been releasing 15 Palestinians’ bodies. So far, militants have returned 23 Israeli remains, while Israel has handed over 300 Palestinians’ bodies, of which 89 have been identified. Meanwhile, violence flared in the occupied West Bank, where Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian farmers, journalists, and medics during the olive harvest. At least 11 people were injured in one assault in Beita, witnesses said, describing settlers armed with clubs and rocks. Rights groups say prosecutions for settler violence are extremely rare, reinforcing fears of growing lawlessness across the West Bank even as Gaza mourns its mounting losses.

Since the U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Gaza began on Oct. 10, Palestinian militants have returned the remains of 23 hostages held over the past two years. However, the process of recovering the remains of the five remaining hostages has been slow, officials said Friday. Hamas says some bodies remain under rubble left by Israel’s two-year offensive, while Israel accuses the group of delaying the process and has threatened to resume military operations or withhold aid if all remains are not returned. In the latest exchange, Hamas returned the remains of Lior Rudaeff, 61, who died fighting Hamas during the militants’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack. In return, Israel has sent 285 Palestinian remains to Gaza, though it has not disclosed their identities. Gaza health officials have identified 84 of the returned bodies despite limited access to DNA kits. The five hostages whose remains are still in Gaza include: ·         Meny Godard, 73 – A former professional soccer player and Israeli soldier, killed along with his wife Ayelet on Oct. 7, 2023. They are survived by four children and six grandchildren. ·         Hadar Goldin, 23 – An Israeli soldier killed on Aug. 1, 2014, shortly after a ceasefire ended that year’s war. He is survived by his parents, three siblings, and fiancée. ·         Ran Gvili, 24 – Served in an elite police unit; killed on Oct. 7, 2023, while assisting civilians. Survived by his parents and sister. ·         Dror Or, 52 – A dairy farm manager and cheesemaker at Kibbutz Be’eri, killed along with his wife. Two children were abducted but later released in November 2023. ·         Sudthisak Rinthalak – A Thai agricultural worker employed at Kibbutz Be’eri, abducted on Oct. 7, 2023. He was among the 31 Thai hostages, most of whom were later released. The ongoing delays in returning the remaining remains underscore the fragility of the ceasefire and the human toll of the conflict, which has left thousands dead and disrupted life across Gaza.    

Israel has celebrated the return of the last 20 living hostages held in Gaza under the first phase of the fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire, officials said Friday. Under the current truce, militants have released the remains of 23 hostages, leaving five bodies still in Gaza. Hamas says some remains are buried under rubble from Israel’s two-year offensive, while Israel accuses the group of delaying the return and has threatened to resume military action or withhold aid if all remains are not handed over. As part of the ceasefire deal, Israel has returned the remains of 15 Palestinians for each Israeli hostage. So far, 300 Palestinian remains have been sent back to Gaza. Gaza health authorities have identified 89 of the bodies, despite limited access to DNA kits. The hostage crisis dates back to the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack, which killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 hostages. The conflict that followed has claimed more than 68,800 Palestinian lives, roughly half of them women and children, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, whose casualty records are considered generally reliable by the United Nations and independent experts. Hostage details: ·         Total hostages taken during Oct. 7 attack: 251 ·         Hostages taken before Oct. 7: 4 (including two killed soldiers from 2014) ·         Living hostages released: 160 ·         Hostages rescued alive: 8 ·         Bodies of hostages released in deals: 30 ·         Bodies retrieved by Israeli forces: 51 ·         Bodies still in captivity: 5 (including one Thai national)