International

The Israeli army confiscates equipment and invades Al Jazeera’s office in the occupied West Bank

Al Jazeera denounced on Sunday that heavily armed Israeli soldiers seized and destroyed equipment in their offices in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, according to a report by the head of the Qatari network office, Walid al-Omari.

“The soldiers are confiscating the equipment even though the order only refers to the closure of the office,” Al Jazeera said in his report.

The network, known for its coverage of bombings of hospitals, attacks on residential buildings and the death of unarmed civilians in Gaza, also reported that during the raid the soldiers tore off a poster from journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was murdered by an Israeli soldier two years ago while covering a military raid in the West Bank.

This fact generated international condemnations and widened tensions between Israel and the channel.

For its part, the Government’s media office in Gaza strongly condemned the Israeli Army’s decision to close Al Jazeera’s offices in Ramala, describing it as a “crime and a clear violation of international law.”

In a statement published on Telegram, they stated that this decision reflects “the weakness and fragility of the Israeli narrative in the face of the truth and facts on the ground.”

The statement also urges press unions and media organizations to condemn this act, and calls on journalists and media around the world to show solidarity with Al Jazeera in defense of press freedom.

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This military incursion comes just four days after the Israeli Government Press Office (GPO) revoked the press cards of Al Jazeera journalists in the country. This measure follows the May decision to ban the canal in Israel, claiming that its coverage represented a threat to national security.

International

Security Council to Hold Emergency Meeting on Middle East Crisis

UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Saturday condemned the “military escalation in the Middle East” following attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes, just hours before an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council.

“I call for the immediate cessation of hostilities and de-escalation,” Guterres said in a statement.

The Security Council is scheduled to meet on Saturday at 21:00 GMT (4:00 p.m. in New York) to address “the situation in the Middle East,” the United Nations announced.

The meeting, during which Guterres will deliver remarks, was convened at the request of France, Bahrain, Colombia, Russia and China, according to a diplomatic source.

International

Trump Floats “Friendly Takeover” of Cuba Amid Rising Tensions

U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that his administration is considering what he described as a “friendly takeover” of Cuba, as Washington continues to increase pressure on the island’s communist government.

“The Cuban government is talking to us and they have very serious problems, as you know. They have no money, they have nothing at this moment, but they are talking to us and maybe we will see a friendly takeover of Cuba,” Trump told reporters as he departed the White House for a trip to Texas.

Earlier in the week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Cuba needed a “radical change,” shortly after Washington eased restrictions on oil exports to the island for what officials described as “humanitarian reasons,” amid a deep economic crisis.

The United States has imposed an energy blockade on Cuba since January, citing what it calls an “extraordinary threat” posed by the communist-run island, located roughly 150 kilometers (90 miles) off the coast of Florida, to U.S. national security.

International

Argentina’s Senate Reviews Milei-Backed Labor Overhaul

Argentina’s Senate on Friday began reviewing the Labor Modernization Law promoted by the administration of President Javier Milei, a proposal that would significantly reshape labor rules across the country.

The upper chamber opened its final discussion of the contentious initiative, which revises the method used to calculate severance payments — lowering the amounts owed in dismissal cases — and introduces an “hour bank” mechanism that allows overtime to be offset with paid leave rather than extra wages.

The legislation also broadens the classification of essential services, a change that would place new limits on the right to strike in designated sectors.

The bill was initially approved by the Senate on February 11 and then moved to the Chamber of Deputies, where lawmakers passed it with amendments. It has now returned to the Senate for definitive approval.

Outside the Congress building in Buenos Aires, workers, trade unions and left-wing organizations staged demonstrations beginning at midday. The gathering later thinned out amid reports of disturbances and a strong police presence. Security forces had secured the area surrounding the legislature since early morning hours.

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Union leaders contend that the reform weakens labor protections, while many business representatives back the measure but stress that sustainable formal employment will require economic expansion, improved credit conditions, greater investment and a more dynamic domestic market.