The trade deal von der Leyen signed with Donald Trump in July was an unequal bargain, decried by right and left as a humiliation for Europe. Russia escalated its attacks on Ukraine, while EU leaders were left wincing at the spectacle of Trump's red carpet welcome for Russian president Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Israel's war on Gaza continued relentlessly, killing more than 64,000 people and bringing famine to the strip,
Former winner Charlie McGettigan praises decision of broadcaster to pull Ireland out of contest over war in Gaza. The Netherlands is the latest country to say it will not participate in the 2026 Eurovision if Israel is allowed to compete. In a statement on its website, the Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS said it could "no longer justify Israel's participation in the current situation, given the ongoing and severe human suffering in Gaza".
Free Palestine is, to me, just you're free to say you don't like Jews. Just say you don't like Jews, the 71-year-old comedian said on stage, according to the Duke University Chronicle. By saying Free Palestine', you're not admitting what you really think, he continued. So it's actually compared to the Ku Klux Klan, I'm actually thinking the Klan is actually a little better here, because they can come right out and say, We don't like Blacks, we don't like Jews.' OK, that's honest.
Qatar has hosted Hamas's political office since 2012, after what Qatari officials say were requests from the United States. The Gulf nation of Qatar has long served as a mediator, both in the Middle East and further afield. The country has good relations with nations that oppose each other, such as the United States and Iran, and therefore serves as a location where conversations can happen between adversaries.
The two conservative commentators were discussing the Middle East when Knowles mentioned Saint Porphyrius, a Greek Orthodox church in Gaza, which had been damaged by Israeli strikes in October 2023 and in July 2024. I don't understand it. I think it's self-destructive behavior, Carlson said. What I care about is the effect on Christians and that's just not good at all. Knowles, a moment before, said he believed the strike which reportedly killed 18 people, according to Palestinian officials was accidental.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, consisting of around 20 boats with participants from 44 countries, chose to return and delay its departure to "prioritise safety", a statement said. Facing winds of more than 35 miles per hour, some of the smaller boats taking part in the mission would have been at risk, it said. The flotilla is the largest attempt yet to break the Israeli blockade of the Palestinian territory by sea.
Until the first half of 2025, she had worked in Jerusalem doing advocacy on the occupied Palestinian territories for a large aid organization with its headquarters in the United States. During that time, she would routinely have to fight for weeks on end to get a single statement published. Leadership, she told DW, would insist on watering down the language, deeming words such as "occupation," "blockade" and "accountability" too problematic.
