Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal has outlined the Palestinian group’s own disarmament vision as part of negotiations with the United States, a key issue in the second phase of the two-month ceasefire with Israel. Speaking to Al Jazeera Arabic, Meshaal emphasized that Hamas seeks guarantees to prevent the return of conflict, proposing a long-term truce of

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Portugal is experiencing widespread disruption across public services, transportation, healthcare, and education as trade unions launch the country’s largest general strike since June 2013. Workers are protesting a government-backed draft law aimed at simplifying dismissal procedures, extending fixed-term contracts, and defining minimum service levels during industrial disputes. In Lisbon, streets were unusually quiet as public

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Israel is bracing for heavy rainfall, flash floods, and strong winds as Storm Byron approaches, with the Israel Meteorological Service warning of up to 150mm (5.9 inches) of rain in coastal areas and wind gusts reaching 90 km/h (56 mph). While cities across the country implement emergency measures, many Palestinian citizens of Israel—especially those in

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is holding urgent meetings with leaders and officials from approximately 30 allied nations in a bid to secure more favorable terms in negotiations to end the war with Russia, now deep into its fourth year. The talks come as Kyiv faces mounting pressure both on the battlefield in eastern Donetsk and

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More than 400 civilians have been killed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as fighting escalates between government forces and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group. The surge in violence comes despite a United States-mediated peace agreement signed last week in Washington, DC, by the Congolese and Rwandan presidents, which is now at serious risk

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In a dramatic political turn, Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado publicly emerged in Oslo after nearly a year in hiding. Her high-risk escape from Venezuela, which included evading military checkpoints and crossing the Caribbean by fishing vessel, marks a significant moment in the ongoing struggle against President Nicolas Maduro’s

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Bulgaria is facing a major political upheaval as Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov announced the resignation of his government, following weeks of widespread protests across the country. The decision comes just minutes before parliament was scheduled to vote on a no-confidence motion against the cabinet, highlighting escalating public dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of economic policies

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Judge Grants Immediate Release from ICE Custody A United States federal judge has ordered the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from immigration detention, marking a significant development in a case that has drawn national attention. On December 11, 2025, US District Judge Paula Xinis ruled that Abrego Garcia, who was wrongfully deported to El Salvador

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Austrian Parliament Approves Headscarf Ban for Young Students Austria’s lower house of parliament has passed a controversial ban on Muslim headscarves for girls under 14 in schools. The legislation, passed by a large majority on December 11, 2025, prohibits headscarves that “cover the head in accordance with Islamic traditions” in all educational institutions. Under the

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