Tuesday, December 23, 2025

World

Former Israeli PMs slam Netanyahu’s plans for ‘concentration camps’ in Gaza

Two prominent Israeli politicians have criticised plans by the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to set up what it calls a “humanitarian city” in southern Gaza Strip, stressing the proposal would amount to interning Palestinians in a “concentration camp”.

German president urges universal military conscription

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has called for a nationwide debate about reinstating military conscription, stressing that Berlin needs to strengthen its armed forces amid escalating security threats in Europe.

Macron says France to speed up increase in defense spending, to 64 billion euros in 2027

Paris intends to accelerate the increase in defense spending in the coming years, so that in 2027 they will amount to 64 billion euros, which is twice as much as in 2017, French President Emmanuel Macron has stated in an address to the country’s military.

Palestinian groups say Gaza talks must lead to ending war

The Palestinian groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad have stressed that any indirect negotiations with Israel must lead to a complete end to the war in the Gaza Strip, a full Israeli withdrawal, the reopening of border crossings, and the reconstruction of the war-torn enclave.

Over 30 killed in sectarian clashes in Syria

More than 30 people were killed and 100 injured in armed clashes in Syria's predominantly Druze city of Sweida, the Syrian interior ministry announced early on Monday, in the latest bout of sectarian clashes in the war-ravaged country.

US will send Patriot missiles to Ukraine: Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump has stated he will send Patriot air defense missiles to Ukraine, adding they are necessary to defend the country because Russian President Vladimir Putin "talks nice but then he bombs everybody in the evening."

Russia slams Axios report it backed ‘zero enrichment’ Iran nuclear agreement

Russia's Foreign Ministry on Sunday described reports claiming that President Vladimir Putin had encouraged his Iranian ally to accept a "zero enrichment" deal on its nuclear programme as "defamation".

Gaza death toll surges past 58,000 amid relentless Israeli attacks

At least 58,026 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s war on the besieged Gaza Strip since October 2023, the Health Ministry announced on Sunday.

France says to raise defence targets, citing Russia threat

President Emmanuel Macron is on Sunday to set new French defence targets in the face of a menacing Russia and a potential United States disengagement from Europe, his office has announced.

UN warns of sharp rise in malnutrition cases in Gaza

The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) warned Sunday of a sharp rise in malnutrition cases across the Gaza Strip following Israel’s tightened blockade and continued prevention of humanitarian aid deliveries.

Sand, dust storms affect about 330 million people in 150 countries due to climate change: UN

A new report by the United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has showed that sand and dust storms are leading to “premature deaths” due to climate change, with more than 330 million people in 150 countries affected.

UK: Over 80 protesters arrested at Palestine Action protests

UK police on Saturday detained 86 protesters who were demanding the reversal of a ban on the pro-Palestine direct action group, Palestine Action, according to the campaign group Defend Our Juries (DOJ).

Family of American citizen killed by Israeli settlers in West Bank demands US probe

The family of Sayfollah Musallet, a 20-year-old United States citizen from Florida who was beaten to death by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, urged Washington to launch its own probe into the incident and to hold the perpetrators accountable.

Trump considering dispatching new funds to Ukraine for first time since taking office: CBS News

U.S. President Donald Trump is considering authorizing additional funding for Ukraine for the first time since the start of his term in January, CBS News has reported, citing multiple diplomatic sources.

Syrian, Israeli officials meet in Azerbaijan’s Baku: Diplomatic source in Damascus

A Syrian and an Israeli official met face to face in Baku Saturday on the sidelines of a visit to Azerbaijan by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a diplomatic source in Damascus has confirmed.

Thousands of Israelis protest in Tel Aviv to demand prisoner swap agreement

Thousands of Israelis demonstrated in central Tel Aviv on Saturday to demand a prisoner exchange deal with Palestinians.

North Korea voices ‘unconditional’ support for Russia in Ukraine

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has told Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that Pyongyang is ready to “unconditionally support” all actions taken by Moscow in its war on Ukraine, state media reports, as the two countries held high-level strategic talks.

Syrian president arrives in Baku for official visit to Republic of Azerbaijan

Syrian President Abu Mohammad al-Jolani has arrived in Baku, the capital of the Republic of Azerbaijan, for an official visit, Syrian state news agency SANA reported.

67 children starved to death in Gaza since start of war

At least 67 children have died of hunger in the Gaza Strip since October 2023 as Israel’s total blockade of the territory enters its 103rd consecutive day, the Government Media Office in the besieged enclave announced in a statement Saturday.

EU’s population hits record 450mn with numbers driven by migration: Eurostat

Migration to the European Union pushed the bloc’s population to a record 450.4 million people last year, Eurostat data showed.

PKK disarmament opens ‘new page in history’ after group lays down arms: Turkey

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stated a “new page in history” has turned, after the Kurdish PKK militant group that has waged a decades-long insurgency in the country began laying down their weapons.

Dozens of Labour MPs call for UK to immediately recognise Palestinian state

Nearly 60 Labour MPs have demanded London immediately recognise Palestine as a state, after Israel’s defence minister announced plans to force all residents of the Gaza Strip into a camp on the ruins of Rafah.

US court nixes guilty plea for 11 September attacks mastermind

An appeals court in the United States has validated the decision of former Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin to withdraw a plea deal for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the 11 September attacks on the US in 2001.

Zelensky says aid shipments restored following halt in US weapons deliveries

U.S. military aid shipments to Ukraine have been restored following a previous pause in weapons deliveries, President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated.

Israel turning Gaza into ‘graveyard of children and starving’: UNRWA

Israel is engineering a “cruel and Machiavellian scheme to kill” in the Gaza Strip, the head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees has warned, as the world body reports that since May, some 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid.

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