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AFP News

2/19/2025, 11:46:24 AM

3️⃣ *Bayern Munich sealed a place in the Champions League last 16* with a *stoppage-time goal against Celtic*, while *AC Milan were dumped out by Feyenoord* and both *Club Brugge and Benfica advanced.* ⚽🏆 In Germany, *Bayern were defending a 2-1 lead over Celtic in their play-off* from last week's first leg but it was Celtic who went ahead on the night *thanks to a goal from Nicolas Kuehn, a former Bayern player.* The tie was heading for extra time, but *Bayern avoided that scenario when Alphonso Davies scored in injury time.* Earlier, *seven-time European Cup winners Milan were knocked out by Feyenoord,* a 1-1 draw at San Siro taking the Dutch club through 2-1 on aggregate. *In Lisbon, Benfica drew 3-3 with Monaco to win 4-3 on aggregate*, while teenage starlet *Chemsdine Talbi scored twice as Club Brugge won 3-1 at Atalanta* to win 5-2 overall.

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2/20/2025, 11:46:08 AM

2️⃣ US President *Donald Trump says his treasury secretary was treated _"rudely"_ during an official visit to Kyiv,* accusing Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky of "sleeping" and failing to make a deal. 🇺🇸 🇺🇦 🇷🇺 *Scott Bessent met Zelensky in Ukraine's capital last week* to discuss granting Washington access to rare earth minerals in return for security support. *_"Scott Bessent actually went there and was treated rather rudely, because essentially, they told him 'no',"_* Trump told reporters on Air Force One. _"And Zelensky was sleeping and unavailable to meet him,"_ adding that: *_"He went there to get a document signed, and when he got there, he came back empty."_* *The remarks came after Trump branded the Ukrainian president a _"dictator"_* who refuses to hold elections and said the Russians _"have the cards"_ in any negotiation to end the war.

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2/20/2025, 2:37:04 PM

The UN human rights group has denounced the "abhorrent and cruel" manner in which Hamas staged the handover of the bodies of four hostages to Israel. _“The parading of bodies in the manner seen this morning is abhorrent and cruel, and flies in the face of international law,”_ said the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Among the bodies returned were Shiri Bibas and her two young boys -- Kfir and Ariel -- who had become symbols of Israel's ordeal during the unprecedented October 7 Hamas attack in 2023. #AFP 📸 Eyad BABA

AFP News

2/20/2025, 11:41:05 AM

👋 Hello! Here are three of our top stories today.

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2/20/2025, 11:48:37 AM

3️⃣ *Real Madrid swept Manchester City aside to qualify for the Champions League last 16,* while Paris Saint-Germain advanced to the next round by thrashing French rivals Brest. ⚽🏆 *Kylian Mbappe struck twice in the first half before completing a hat-trick* in Madrid as the European champions won the return leg of the play-off tie 3-1 to complete a 6-3 aggregate victory. *PSG demolished Brest 7-0 at the Parc des Princes -- 10-0 over both legs* -- with goals from seven different players, while *PSV Eindhoven knocked out Juventus 4-3 on aggregate after extra time,* overturning a first-leg deficit with a 3-1 win in the Netherlands. *Borussia Dortmund progressed after their goalless draw at home to Portugal's Sporting Lisbon* sealed a 3-0 overall victory.

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2/20/2025, 11:43:58 AM

1️⃣ *Militants have handed over the bodies of four hostages taken into Gaza* during their October 2023 attack, with *Hamas saying they include those of the Bibas family* -- symbols of Israel's ordeal since the Gaza war began. 🇮🇱 🇵🇸 🇺🇸 *This is the first release of dead hostages under a fragile ceasefire* under which *living hostages have been exchanged for Palestinians* held in Israeli prisons. *Israel has _"received the caskets of four fallen hostages"_,* Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said, before the *military confirmed a convoy with the bodies had entered Israel.* *While the Bibas's deaths are largely accepted as fact abroad* after Hamas said an Israeli air strike killed them, *Israel has never confirmed the claim and many remain unconvinced* -- including the Bibas family. *The family said it would wait for a confirmation of their deaths:* _"Should we receive devastating news, it must come through the proper official channels after all identification procedures are completed."_

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2/21/2025, 12:11:41 PM

1️⃣ *Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he will ensure _"Hamas pays the full price"_* for *failing to hand over hostage Shiri Bibas* after the militant group released a body Israel said was not hers.   🇮🇱 🇵🇸 The *remains of four people, whom Hamas said included those of Bibas and her two young sons*, were handed over on Thursday, the first such transfer under a fragile ceasefire in Gaza.   On Friday, however, *Israel said the body purported to be of Shiri Bibas was instead that of a Gazan woman* and *Netanyahu accused Hamas of committing a _"cruel and evil"_ violation* of the ceasefire deal.   *_"It is likely that Mrs Bibas' body was mistakenly mixed with others found under the rubble,"_* said a Hamas official who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity, adding the group was *_"investigating"_* the issue. Hamas has long maintained an *Israeli air strike killed the boys and their mother* early in the war. Israel has so far not confirmed the death of Shiri Bibas.

AFP News

2/21/2025, 11:59:05 AM

👋 Hello! Here are three of our top stories today.

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2/20/2025, 12:56:46 PM

🇪🇸⚽ A Spanish court has convicted former football chief Luis Rubiales of sexual assault over the forced kiss he gave star forward Jenni Hermoso in 2023, and fined him 10,800 euros ($11,300). ⚖️ The court acquitted him and the three other accused in the case of the charge of coercion over the affair. Prosecutors had sought a prison term of two-and-a-half years for Rubiales. 📸 Chema MOYA / Pool

AFP News

2/19/2025, 11:41:02 AM

2️⃣ *Pope Francis, who has been diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs, passed a _"peaceful night"_ in hospital*, the Vatican has said, amid growing *concerns over the 88-year-old's condition.* 🇻🇦 *The pontiff was admitted with bronchitis last week* after suffering breathing difficulties, but *has since developed double pneumonia.* *_"The pope spent a peaceful night, woke up and had breakfast,"_ the Vatican said* on Wednesday after Francis's fifth night at the Gemelli hospital in Rome. *On Tuesday, the Vatican had reported that Francis was in _"good spirits"_,* adding that he had been alternating resting and reading in the suite reserved for popes on the 10th floor of the hospital.