Latest news with #Hannukah
Metro
2 days ago
- Politics
- Metro
MP kicked out of parliament for second time after trashing LGBT exhibit
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A far-right politician has been kicked out of the Polish parliament for destroying an exhibition about LGBTQ+ equality. Grzegorz Braun ripped down posters which had been put up in the corridors of Poland's parliament building and stamped on them. Braun was accused of antisemitism in 2013 when he extinguished Hannukah candles with a fire extinguisher. And he has now made his dislike of the LGBTQ+ community even clearer than before by trashing the exhibition on Wednesday. Braun served as a member of the lower house of Poland's parliament between 2019 and 2024, and he's currently a Member of the European Parliament representing Lesser Poland and Świętokrzyskie. He ran as a presidential candidate in 2015, receiving less than 1% of the vote, and again in the early round of this year's presidential election where he received about 6% of the vote. A traditionalist Catholic, Braun has not been shy to express his anti-American, anti-Ukrainian, and anti-LGBTQ+ views. In 2023 he destroyed a Christmas tree decorated with Ukrainian, EU and LGBTQ+ flags in the Kraków district court building. With thousands of members from all over the world, our vibrant LGBTQ+ WhatsApp channel is a hub for all the latest news and important issues that face the LGBTQ+ community. Simply click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! Don't forget to turn on notifications! And earlier this year, on March 18, Braun vandalised a public exhibition in the town of Opole depicting equality marches in the city, put on by a local LGBTQ+ group. More Trending He spray painted 'stop the propaganda of deviation' over display boards in the town's market square. He claimed the exhibit, titled 'There is more of us! Let's provoke equality' violated the Code on Petty Offences which prohibits 'indecent behaviour' in public and reported it to the police. In response, the town's mayor cancelled Braun's contract to rent a town hall for a campaign event, and said they would try to seek damages of 35,000zloty (£6,900). Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber's transgender daughter Kai, 16, speaks out for the first time MORE: Billie Eilish, JoJo Siwa, and Fletcher are all dating men and the internet is spiralling MORE: New train to span 745 miles linking five European countries — and tickets are £40
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Freed Israeli hostage held onto faith to get through months of captivity in Gaza
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli hostage freed in the current ceasefire between Israel and Hamas said Tuesday that faith sustained her in captivity and that she used the few means that were available to observe Judaism. In what appeared to be the first media interview by a captive freed in this ceasefire, Agam Berger told Israeli public radio Reshet Bet that she was moved around multiple times during the nearly 16 months she was held in the Gaza Strip. She said she was held in tunnels and apartments with other female captives, with the conditions varying depending on where she was held and who was guarding her. 'We had food and conditions that for the most part were OK when you know what could have been,' she said. 'But when you think about it, they aren't conditions for a human.' Berger was a military spotter who was captured along with other female surveillance soldiers on Oct. 7, 2023, from a base in southern Israel. She was freed last month as part of the ceasefire pausing the 15-month war. Other freed captives have recounted through their families being starved, chained and abused. And Berger said her conditions worsened after two military raids early last year rescued hostages, making her captors more anxious. Hamas has released 25 living hostages and the remains of four others as part of the deal. On Tuesday, mourners held a funeral for Oded Lifshitz, who at 83 at the time of the abduction was one of the oldest hostages taken captive in Hamas' attack, which sparked the war in Gaza. Israel says he was killed in captivity. Berger's family has said since her release that she tried to observe Judaism even in captivity. In January 2024, Berger said her captors brought her and other hostages two Jewish prayer books, as well as other objects left behind by Israeli soldiers, such as an Israeli newspaper and military maps. She spent her first Hannukah in captivity in December 2023, held in a tunnel with four other captives. She said they asked their captors for candles to mark the holiday when faithful light a menorah for eight nights. They were brought one. She kept track of the date through a clock given to one of her fellow captives until that was taken away months before her release when she said she had a harder time following Jewish holidays unless she caught a glimpse of Israeli news. For much of the time, Berger, 20, was given two meals a day, pita and rice. In her little access to news media, she learned of developments in the war, including the debate in Israel over what price to pay for the hostages' release. She said it was demoralizing to learn there were some in government unwilling to make big concessions to free the captives. 'It's like saying that our lives aren't worth enough,' she said. Israel is freeing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the hostages. Berger said she was told the night before her release last month that she would be freed and a sleepless night followed. Palestinian women came to prepare her in the morning and dressed her in the dark green military fatigues she would appear in on a stage later that day. They told her she would be made to participate in an orchestrated release ceremony with a large crowd, and she was forced to write a thank-you note to her captors. 'I just tried to invent things and said (to myself) 'I don't care. I am going home today,'' she said. She was told she couldn't take with her any of the meager possessions she had gathered while in captivity. She left behind notebooks full of sketches she had made with a fellow captive, cards she had written for the birthdays of relatives she had missed and the prayer book. ___ Follow AP's war coverage at Tia Goldenberg, The Associated Press
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Freed Israeli hostage held onto faith to get through months of captivity in Gaza
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli hostage freed in the current ceasefire between Israel and Hamas said Tuesday that faith sustained her in captivity and that she used the few means that were available to observe Judaism. In what appeared to be the first media interview by a captive freed in this ceasefire, Agam Berger told Israeli public radio Reshet Bet that she was moved around multiple times during the nearly 16 months she was held in the Gaza Strip. She said she was held in tunnels and apartments with other female captives, with the conditions varying depending on where she was held and who was guarding her. 'We had food and conditions that for the most part were OK when you know what could have been,' she said. 'But when you think about it, they aren't conditions for a human.' See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Berger was a military spotter who was captured along with other female surveillance soldiers on Oct. 7, 2023, from a base in southern Israel. She was freed last month as part of the ceasefire pausing the 15-month war. Other freed captives have recounted through their families being starved, chained and abused. And Berger said her conditions worsened after two military raids early last year rescued hostages, making her captors more anxious. Hamas has released 25 living hostages and the remains of four others as part of the deal. On Tuesday, mourners held a funeral for Oded Lifshitz, who at 83 at the time of the abduction was one of the oldest hostages taken captive in Hamas' attack, which sparked the war in Gaza. Israel says he was killed in captivity. Berger's family has said since her release that she tried to observe Judaism even in captivity. In January 2024, Berger said her captors brought her and other hostages two Jewish prayer books, as well as other objects left behind by Israeli soldiers, such as an Israeli newspaper and military maps. She spent her first Hannukah in captivity in December 2023, held in a tunnel with four other captives. She said they asked their captors for candles to mark the holiday when faithful light a menorah for eight nights. They were brought one. She kept track of the date through a clock given to one of her fellow captives until that was taken away months before her release when she said she had a harder time following Jewish holidays unless she caught a glimpse of Israeli news. For much of the time, Berger, 20, was given two meals a day, pita and rice. In her little access to news media, she learned of developments in the war, including the debate in Israel over what price to pay for the hostages' release. She said it was demoralizing to learn there were some in government unwilling to make big concessions to free the captives. 'It's like saying that our lives aren't worth enough,' she said. Israel is freeing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the hostages. Berger said she was told the night before her release last month that she would be freed and a sleepless night followed. Palestinian women came to prepare her in the morning and dressed her in the dark green military fatigues she would appear in on a stage later that day. They told her she would be made to participate in an orchestrated release ceremony with a large crowd, and she was forced to write a thank-you note to her captors. 'I just tried to invent things and said (to myself) 'I don't care. I am going home today,'' she said. She was told she couldn't take with her any of the meager possessions she had gathered while in captivity. She left behind notebooks full of sketches she had made with a fellow captive, cards she had written for the birthdays of relatives she had missed and the prayer book. ___ Follow AP's war coverage at
The Independent
25-02-2025
- General
- The Independent
Freed Israeli hostage held onto faith to get through months of captivity in Gaza
An Israeli hostage freed in the current ceasefire between Israel and Hamas said Tuesday that faith sustained her in captivity and that she used the few means that were available to observe Judaism. In what appeared to be the first media interview by a captive freed in this ceasefire, Agam Berger told Israeli public radio Reshet Bet that she was moved around multiple times during the nearly 16 months she was held in the Gaza Strip. She said she was held in tunnels and apartments with other female captives, with the conditions varying depending on where she was held and who was guarding her. 'We had food and conditions that for the most part were OK when you know what could have been,' she said. 'But when you think about it, they aren't conditions for a human.' Berger was a military spotter who was captured along with other female surveillance soldiers on Oct. 7, 2023, from a base in southern Israel. She was freed last month as part of the ceasefire pausing the 15-month war. Other freed captives have recounted through their families being starved, chained and abused. And Berger said her conditions worsened after two military raids early last year rescued hostages, making her captors more anxious. Hamas has released 25 living hostages and the remains of four others as part of the deal. On Tuesday, mourners held a funeral for Oded Lifshitz, who at 83 at the time of the abduction was one of the oldest hostages taken captive in Hamas' attack, which sparked the war in Gaza. Israel says he was killed in captivity. Berger's family has said since her release that she tried to observe Judaism even in captivity. In January 2024, Berger said her captors brought her and other hostages two Jewish prayer books, as well as other objects left behind by Israeli soldiers, such as an Israeli newspaper and military maps. She spent her first Hannukah in captivity in December 2023, held in a tunnel with four other captives. She said they asked their captors for candles to mark the holiday when faithful light a menorah for eight nights. They were brought one. She kept track of the date through a clock given to one of her fellow captives until that was taken away months before her release when she said she had a harder time following Jewish holidays unless she caught a glimpse of Israeli news. For much of the time, Berger, 20, was given two meals a day, pita and rice. In her little access to news media, she learned of developments in the war, including the debate in Israel over what price to pay for the hostages' release. She said it was demoralizing to learn there were some in government unwilling to make big concessions to free the captives. 'It's like saying that our lives aren't worth enough,' she said. Israel is freeing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the hostages. Berger said she was told the night before her release last month that she would be freed and a sleepless night followed. Palestinian women came to prepare her in the morning and dressed her in the dark green military fatigues she would appear in on a stage later that day. They told her she would be made to participate in an orchestrated release ceremony with a large crowd, and she was forced to write a thank-you note to her captors. 'I just tried to invent things and said (to myself) 'I don't care. I am going home today,'' she said. She was told she couldn't take with her any of the meager possessions she had gathered while in captivity. She left behind notebooks full of sketches she had made with a fellow captive, cards she had written for the birthdays of relatives she had missed and the prayer book. ___
Associated Press
25-02-2025
- General
- Associated Press
Freed Israeli hostage held onto faith to get through months of captivity in Gaza
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli hostage freed in the current ceasefire between Israel and Hamas said Tuesday that faith sustained her in captivity and that she used the few means that were available to observe Judaism. In what appeared to be the first media interview by a captive freed in this ceasefire, Agam Berger told Israeli public radio Reshet Bet that she was moved around multiple times during the nearly 16 months she was held in the Gaza Strip. She said she was held in tunnels and apartments with other female captives, with the conditions varying depending on where she was held and who was guarding her. 'We had food and conditions that for the most part were OK when you know what could have been,' she said. 'But when you think about it, they aren't conditions for a human.' Berger was a military spotter who was captured along with other female surveillance soldiers on Oct. 7, 2023, from a base in southern Israel. She was freed last month as part of the ceasefire pausing the 15-month war. Other freed captives have recounted through their families being starved, chained and abused. And Berger said her conditions worsened after two military raids early last year rescued hostages, making her captors more anxious. Hamas has released 25 living hostages and the remains of four others as part of the deal. On Tuesday, mourners held a funeral for Oded Lifshitz, who at 83 at the time of the abduction was one of the oldest hostages taken captive in Hamas' attack, which sparked the war in Gaza. Israel says he was killed in captivity. Berger's family has said since her release that she tried to observe Judaism even in captivity. In January 2024, Berger said her captors brought her and other hostages two Jewish prayer books, as well as other objects left behind by Israeli soldiers, such as an Israeli newspaper and military maps. She spent her first Hannukah in captivity in December 2023, held in a tunnel with four other captives. She said they asked their captors for candles to mark the holiday when faithful light a menorah for eight nights. They were brought one. She kept track of the date through a clock given to one of her fellow captives until that was taken away months before her release when she said she had a harder time following Jewish holidays unless she caught a glimpse of Israeli news. For much of the time, Berger, 20, was given two meals a day, pita and rice. In her little access to news media, she learned of developments in the war, including the debate in Israel over what price to pay for the hostages' release. She said it was demoralizing to learn there were some in government unwilling to make big concessions to free the captives. 'It's like saying that our lives aren't worth enough,' she said. Israel is freeing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the hostages. Berger said she was told the night before her release last month that she would be freed and a sleepless night followed. Palestinian women came to prepare her in the morning and dressed her in the dark green military fatigues she would appear in on a stage later that day. They told her she would be made to participate in an orchestrated release ceremony with a large crowd, and she was forced to write a thank-you note to her captors. 'I just tried to invent things and said (to myself) 'I don't care. I am going home today,'' she said. She was told she couldn't take with her any of the meager possessions she had gathered while in captivity. She left behind notebooks full of sketches she had made with a fellow captive, cards she had written for the birthdays of relatives she had missed and the prayer book.
