As ceasefire takes hold, Hamas returns 3 Israeli hostages and Israel frees 90 Palestinian prisoners

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — After 15 months of collective grief and anxiety, three Israeli hostages left Hamas captivity and returned to Israel, and dozens of Palestinian prisoners walked free from Israeli jail, leaving both Israelis and Palestinians torn between celebration and trepidation as the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took hold Sunday.

The skies above Gaza and Israel were silent for the first time in over a year, and Palestinians began returning to what was left of the homes they fled across the war-ravaged enclave, started to check on relatives left behind and, in many cases, to bury their dead. After months of tight Israeli restrictions, more than 600 trucks carrying humanitarian aid rolled into the devastated territory.

The ceasefire that went into effect Sunday morning stirred modest hopes for ending the Israel-Hamas war.

But in Israel, the joy of seeing freed hostages Emily Damari, Romi Gonen, and Doron Steinbrecher reunited with their families was tempered by major questions over the fate of the nearly 100 others abducted in Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack, still in captivity in Gaza.

Damari, Gonen and Steinbrecher were the first among 33 Israeli hostages who are meant to be released in the coming six weeks in a deal that includes a pause in fighting, the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and increased fuel and aid deliveries for Gaza.

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Middle East latest: Israel releases 90 Palestinian prisoners after Hamas frees 3 Israeli hostages

Israel has freed 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. The release came early Monday, more than seven hours after three Israeli hostages released from Hamas captivity in Gaza returned to Israel.

A large bus carrying dozens of Palestinian detainees exited the gates of Israel’s Ofer prison, just outside the West Bank city of Ramallah. Israel’s military, which occupies the West Bank, warned Palestinians against public celebration, but crowds thronged the buses after they left the prison, some people climbing on top or waving flags, including those of Hamas.

There were fireworks and whistles, and shouts of “God is great.” Those released were hoisted onto others’ shoulders or embraced.

According to a list provided by the Palestinian Authority’s Commission for Prisoners’ Affairs, all of those released are women or teens, the youngest 15. Israel detained them for what it said were offenses related to Israel’s security, from throwing stones to more serious accusations like attempted murder.

The Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel killed some 1,200 people and left some 250 others captive. Nearly 100 hostages remain in Gaza.

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Trump pledges a series of Day 1 executive actions to end 'four long years of American decline'

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump used a raucous rally Sunday on the eve of his inauguration to promise swift Day 1 action remaking the federal government, shifting federal priorities at breakneck speed and ensuring that “the curtain closes on four long years of American decline.”

Supporters filled nearly all of the 20,000-plus-seat Capital One Arena in downtown Washington for a “Make America Great” victory celebration, and cheered as Trump said he’d take quick action on everything from cracking down on the U.S.-Mexico border to promoting oil drilling, reining in the federal workforce and eradicating diversity programs.

“We’re going to give them the best first day, the biggest first week and the most extraordinary first 100 days of any presidency in American history,” said Trump, who also promised to roll back executive actions by his predecessor, outgoing President Joe Biden, “within hours.”

In an unusual move, Trump entered at the arena’s concourse level and deliberately made his way down the stairs before his speech, stopping frequently to pump his fist and pose for pictures with rallygoers. It was even more surreal after he finished speaking, when the Village People took the stage and the president-elect sang — and even briefly danced — along to “YMCA,” an unofficial anthem of his campaign.

Trump said he'd jump start his agenda with a series of unilateral actions from the White House, telling the crowd, “You’re going to see executive orders that are going to make you extremely happy. Lots of them.”

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TikTok restores service for US users based on Trump's promised executive order

TikTok restored service to users in the United States on Sunday just hours after the popular video-sharing platform went dark in response to a federal ban, which President-elect Donald Trump said he would try to pause by executive order on his first day in office.

Trump said he planned to issue the order to give TikTok’s China-based parent company more time to find an approved buyer before the ban takes full effect. He announced the move on his Truth Social account as millions of U.S. TikTok users awoke to discover they could no longer access the TikTok app or platform.

But by Sunday afternoon, a message greeted those who signed on thanking them — and the president-elect — for their support.

“As a result of President Trump's efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!” the message read.

TikTok said it shut down the platform late Saturday because of a federal law that required parent company ByteDance to sell its U.S. operation by Sunday. Google and Apple also removed TikTok from their digital stores. The law, which passed with wide bipartisan support in April, allows for steep fines.

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Fire-ravaged Southern California braces for gusty winds and heightened wildfire risk

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Southern Californians are bracing for gusty winds and a heightened risk of wildfires, less than two weeks after the outbreak of deadly blazes that have killed at least 27 people and charred thousands of homes.

The National Weather Service has issued a warning of a “ particularly dangerous situation ” for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties from Monday afternoon through Tuesday morning due to low humidity and damaging Santa Ana winds. Gusts could peak at 70 mph (113 kph) along the coast and 100 mph (160 kph) in the mountains and foothills.

Windy weather and single-digit humidity are expected to linger through Thursday, said Rich Thompson, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service. He said the fire risk is also elevated because the region hasn’t seen rain since April.

Critical fire weather with wind gusts up to 60 mph (97 kph) was also forecast for Southern California communities stretching to San Diego on Monday and Tuesday, with residents urged to take steps to get ready to evacuate such as creating an emergency kit and keeping cars filled with at least a half tank of gas. A windblown dust and ash advisory was also issued, as high winds could disperse ash from existing fire zones across Southern California.

The warnings come as firefighters continue to battle two major blazes in the Los Angeles area, the Palisades and Eaton fires, which have destroyed more than 14,000 structures since they broke out during fierce winds on Jan. 7. The Palisades fire was 52% contained on Sunday and the Eaton fire 81% contained, according to fire officials.

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Why are lone homes left standing after the fires? It's not entirely luck

Emails and videos of burned buildings in Los Angeles next to those left standing have been flying back and forth among architects, builders and fire safety specialists around the world.

For many homeowners, like Enrique Balcazar, the sometimes scattershot nature of the carnage can seem like random chance. Balcazar, a real estate agent, posted video that showed little more than chimneys remaining of most homes on his block after fire leapt through his Altadena neighborhood. Balcazar stood on his neighbor's destroyed classic Mustang to douse his smoldering roof, but his home was otherwise fine.

“It's an older house and it still has the old wood sidings,” Balcazar said. “To me there's nothing explainable in logical or scientific reason of why my house would not have burned.”

Many experts say luck does play a part. After all, wind can shift 180 degrees in a split second, pushing fire away from your house and towards a neighbor's. But they also say there are many ways that homes can be made less vulnerable to fire.

“Because there are, say, 50 ways a fire can burn your house," said Greg Faulkner of Faulkner Architects in California, who has focused on less combustible home exteriors for more than a decade. “If you eliminate half of those, or three-quarters of them, that’s not luck, that’s increasing your odds.”

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Immigrants in Chicago and other US cities brace for expected Trump deportation arrests

CHICAGO (AP) — The Rev. Homero Sanchez said he didn't realize the depth of fear in the Chicago immigrant community he serves until someone asked him to handle the sale of their family's home and other finances if they are picked up this week when President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

Immigrants in large cities have been preparing for mass arrests since Trump won election in November, but reports that his initial push would be in the Chicago area has brought a new sense of urgency and fear.

“They feel they have been targeted for who they are. They feel like they’re reviving this fear they had eight years ago,” said Sanchez of St. Rita of Cascia Parish on Chicago's South Side. “They’re feeling like something is going to happen. This is not their city because of the threat.”

Sanchez, whose congregation has consisted mostly of people of Mexican descent since the 1980s, devoted Sunday Mass “to solidarity with our immigrant brothers and sisters.”

Some immigrants in the country without legal status have been designating power of attorney to trusted friends, making plans for childcare in case of separations and installing security cameras on their doors in case immigration agents come. Others have left voluntarily, as Trump aides have encouraged them to do.

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Biden urges Americans to 'keep the faith' as he spends final full day as president in South Carolina

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Joe Biden spent his final full day as president Sunday in South Carolina, urging Americans to “keep the faith in a better day to come” and reflecting on the influence of both the civil rights movement and the state itself in his political trajectory.

On the eve of Monday’s inauguration of Republican President-elect Donald Trump, Biden delivered a final farewell from a state that holds special meaning after his commanding win in its 2020 Democratic primary set him up to achieve his life’s goal of winning election as president.

Biden spoke to the congregation of Royal Missionary Baptist Church about why he entered public service — Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy were political heroes, he said. And in a nod to South Carolina Democrats, he said: “I owe you big.”

The day before the federal holiday honoring King, the slain civil rights leader, Biden struck a more hopeful tone for the future of the country than his televised farewell address last Wednesday, when he warned about an “oligarchy” of the ultrawealthy taking root and a “tech-industrial complex” impeding the future of democracy.

“We know the struggle to redeeming the soul of this nation is difficult and ongoing," Biden said Sunday. “We must hold on to hope. We must stay engaged. We must always keep the faith in a better day to come."

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Heavy snow and frigid Arctic blast put 70 million across the US under winter storm warnings

BOSTON (AP) — Tens of millions of residents along the East Coast are bracing for several inches of snow Sunday followed by dangerously cold temperatures that will grip much of the country from the Northern Plains to the tip of Maine.

Winter storm warnings issued by the National Weather Service have already gone into effect for parts of the Mid-Atlantic through Monday morning, with the forecast projecting up to a half foot (15 centimeters) of snow. Warnings will begin in New England on Sunday afternoon, with parts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and Connecticut seeing as much as 10 inches (25 centimeters) of snow.

Marc Chenard, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in College Park Maryland, projected that as many as 70 million residents will be under some kind of winter storm warning in the coming days including in New England and the Mid-Atlantic. Large cities such as Philadelphia, New York and Boston could see several inches of snow this evening with the highest totals accumulating outside of major cities.

“There will certainly be some more hazardous road conditions anywhere from D.C. up the whole I-95 corridor and then inland from there later today and tonight,” Chenard said. “Then it gets quite cold behind that. By Monday morning, any roads that haven’t been treated or cleared will still likely be some hazardous travel conditions.”

The snowfall was disrupting airline flights along the Eastern Seaboard. Nearly 130 flights at New York City-area airports were canceled and nearly 90 others were delayed, according to the FlightAware flight tracking service. Dozens of flights also were canceled or delayed at airports around Washington, D.C., and Boston.

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Josh Allen scores 2 TDs, Bills force 3 turnovers to beat Ravens 27-25 and reach AFC title game

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen rushed for two touchdowns, Buffalo’s defense forced three turnovers and the Bills advanced to the AFC championship game with a 27-25 win over the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round on Sunday night.

The Bills hung on when a wide-open Mark Andrews dropped a 2-point conversion pass from Lamar Jackson, allowing the ball to bounce off his chest with 1:33 left. Jackson connected with a sliding Isaiah Likely for a 24-yard touchdown to give the Ravens a chance to tie it.

“How about that Buffalo Bills defense?” said Allen, the Bills' potential MVP quarterback. “All year, this team has heard we’ve got no talent, we’re too small, we can’t stop the run, we’re not good enough to compete. We’ve just put our head down and worked hard. I’m so proud of our defense. I’m so proud of our offense and special teams. What a complete win.”

The Bills will play for the AFC title next Sunday against the conference’s top seed, the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. Buffalo snapped a three-year run of being eliminated in the divisional round.

It’s a familiar matchup for Buffalo, which has been beaten by Kansas City in three of the past four postseasons.

News from © The Associated Press, 2025