International
Thousands of Israelis protest in Jerusalem against Netanyahu and demand an agreement in Gaza
Thousands of people demonstrated in Jerusalem and other cities in Israel this Thursday against the Government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is accused of “sabotaging the hostage agreement, leaving the north and making Israel fall into the abyss,” according to the call released this afternoon by the anti-government movement Banderas Negras.
After a black, red and white banner that reads “Netanyahu endangers Israel’s security,” thousands of people crossed the streets of the city on the way to Netanyahu’s residence on Azza Street, where the protest will conclude.
“We are running out of time: there is an agreement on the table!”, says one of the slogans disseminated by the Black Flags on their digital channels during the march, which demands that Netanyahu reach a pact with Hamas that guarantees the safe return of the 120 hostages that remain in Gaza (116 of them, kidnapped in the Islamist attacks of October 7, in which about 1,200 people died).
Also in Tel Aviv, the Israeli pro-democracy movement called a demonstration in which hundreds of people went to the headquarters of the Ministry of Defense.
Tonight, the Prime Minister will meet with his Cabinet to evaluate the proposal launched last night by Hamas in view of the ceasefire and exchange of hostages agreement, in which the organization claims to have taken a more “flexible” position in order to talk with Israel about the points of the agreement in which both parties clash.
“Today, and I say it cautiously, we are closer than ever” to the agreement, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told the families of the hostages, according to information from Channel 12, the most popular Israeli television network.
Along with the protests in Jerusalem, the Black Flags called for another march in the coastal town of Caesarea (north), where the other private residence of the Likud leader is located.
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz also picked up a protest against the war in Haifa, also on the northern coast, where four people were arrested after the police declared the meeting illegal.
The protesters also called for the call of early elections in the country, an option increasingly demanded among Israelis, as revealed in mid-June by a survey by the newspaper Maariv, which placed 57% of the population who want to go to the polls.
Along with the call for elections, the protesters call for the return of the thousands of Israeli evacuees to their homes, both in the south (near the border with Gaza) and in the north (next to the divide with Lebanon), where more than 60,000 people continue to live in hotels and other state-funded accommodation following the peak of hostilities with the Shiite militia Hizbulah.
The center of the protests today is the demand for a ceasefire agreement in Gaza that allows the return of the hostages who remain in the enclave. Of the 251 kidnapped on October 7, 116 captives remain there, at least 40 of them dead according to Israel – more than 70 according to Hamas – while there have been four other hostages for years, of them two dead.
International
Mexico City Mayor Invites U2 to Perform at Iconic Zócalo Plaza
Irish rock band U2, which spent Tuesday and Wednesday filming a new music video for its song Street of Dreams in the Historic Center of Mexico City, received an invitation to perform at the capital’s iconic Zócalo square from Mayor Clara Brugada.
Brugada shared the invitation through social media posts accompanied by photos and a video showing her meeting with the band members.
“This is an invitation for you to perform in our wonderful public square, the Zócalo. You are welcome here, and we would love to have you,” Brugada said in the video while handing a document to Bono, the band’s lead singer.
Bono responded by saying that the group would like “to begin its new tour in Mexico City.”
Referencing one of the band’s most famous songs, In the Name of Love, Brugada said she was greeting Bono along with The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr..
“Welcoming U2 to our capital means celebrating music, connection and the emotion that can be felt in every corner of this city,” Brugada wrote in one of her messages. “We are a city open to the world, vibrant and full of stories shared from the stage to the streets.”
She also described the Zócalo as “the country’s most important public square” and a cultural landmark for Latin America.
Over the years, the Zócalo has hosted massive concerts by internationally renowned artists and bands including Roger Waters, Paul McCartney, Manu Chao, Café Tacvba, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Los Tigres del Norte, La Maldita Vecindad, Silvio Rodríguez, Joan Manuel Serrat, Rosalía and Shakira, drawing hundreds of thousands of fans.
International
Marco Rubio Urges China to Help Restrain Iran Amid Gulf Tensions
Marco Rubio said Wednesday that Washington hopes to persuade China to take a more active role in stopping Iran from escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf, arguing that the crisis directly threatens Asian commercial interests.
“It is in China’s interest to resolve this situation. We hope to convince them to play a more active role in getting Iran to stop what it is doing now and trying to do in the Persian Gulf,” Rubio said during an interview with journalist Sean Hannity on Fox News while traveling aboard Air Force One.
The top U.S. diplomat said the conflict and concerns over the possible disruption of the Strait of Hormuz have already affected China’s interests.
Rubio noted that “a Chinese cargo ship was struck over the weekend,” referring to the exchange of attacks reported last Friday between Iran and the United States.
The remarks come amid growing international concern over rising tensions in the region and the potential impact on global trade routes and energy supplies.
International
Trump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubiocould potentially form a Republican presidential ticket for the 2028 elections.
Speaking during a dinner with law enforcement officials as part of National Police Week, Trump publicly praised both officials and said they could make “an ideal team” for the next presidential race.
“Who likes JD Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio?” Trump asked attendees before adding that the pair “sound like a good combination.”
The president highlighted his vice president’s performance in office, stating that their current partnership has been highly effective. “JD is perfect, that has been a perfect formula,” Trump told reporters later.
He further suggested that a Vance-Rubio pairing could represent a strong presidential and vice-presidential ticket, although he stopped short of offering any formal endorsement.
“I think it sounds like a presidential candidate and a vice-presidential candidate,” he said, while clarifying that his remarks should not be interpreted as an official backing of any future campaign.
So far, neither Vance nor Rubio has publicly confirmed any intention to run in the 2028 presidential election.
Rubio previously sought the Republican nomination in 2016 but withdrew after losing the primary race to Trump. Later, in a December 2025 interview with Vanity Fair, he said he would be among the first to support Vance if he decided to run for the White House.
Vance, meanwhile, has recently dismissed speculation of any political rivalry with Rubio amid growing discussion about potential future GOP leadership.
Mexico City Mayor Invites U2 to Perform at Iconic Zócalo Plaza
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International1 day agoTrump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election
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Central America1 day agoPanama confirms drug contamination of El Salvador coffee shipment occurred on its territory
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International4 minutes agoMarco Rubio Urges China to Help Restrain Iran Amid Gulf Tensions
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International2 minutes agoMexico City Mayor Invites U2 to Perform at Iconic Zócalo Plaza