International

Hamas and Fatah bring positions closer on future management of the Gaza Strip

The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas and Fatah, the main governing party of the Palestinian National Authority (ANP), brought positions closer to positions on a future management of the Gaza Strip when the conflict with Israel ends, which preserves the unity of Palestine during its meetings yesterday and today in Cairo.

Egyptian sources close to the negotiations, where the Arab country participates as a mediator, told EFE that both Fatah and Hamas “showed more flexibility and positivity” for the establishment of the so-called “Community Support Committee”, the organization that would govern the Belt, affiliated with the ANP and would administer the territory with the presence of independent figures in its ranks.

“The Community Support Committee will be formed by a presidential decree of Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas and will be responsible for the administration of the Strip. It will be affiliated with the ANP and will include independent figures,” the source remarked.

Preventing the separation of the West Bank from Gaza

In this sense, he indicated that the meeting that both groups, which faced in a Palestinian “civil war” in Gaza in 2006 when the Islamist group won the elections in the enclave and took control of the area, sought at all times to achieve “unity” of the Palestinian forces and avoid a separation of the West Bank from the Gaza Strip.

“The meetings are a purely Palestinian matter, and Egyptian efforts are aimed at uniting the Palestinian ranks and alleviating their suffering,” the source said.

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Yesterday, Friday, delegations from both groups met in Cairo to discuss the future administration of the Gaza Strip and analyze the negotiations with Israel for a ceasefire.

Egyptian security sources close to the negotiations also told EFE that a delegation from the Israeli Mossad and Shin Bet (military intelligence) was expected to arrive in Cairo to address with the mediators of Egypt, Qatar and the United States Hamas’ responses to the proposals for a truce.

Truces

Hamas has already indicated to Egypt that it is willing to enter into a series of “brief truces”, under the premises that the movement accepted on July 2 based on the proposal of US President Joe Biden, on the condition that “Washington provides US guarantees to the movement, that Israel withdraws from the axis of Philadelphia, Netzarim and Rafah after a first truce that will not exceed 28 days.”

The Egyptian source indicated that the Arab country and Qatar, another key mediator, agree with the US assessment of the situation in Gaza after the death of its leader, Yahya Sinwar, since with that, “Israel has achieved much of its objectives in Gaza, allowing a serious entry into the ceasefire.”

The next day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he would be willing to accept a two-day truce in the Gaza Strip, in exchange for releasing four hostages, if he had received such a proposal from the mediators.

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Israel bombs Lebanon and causes 71 new deaths

A total of 71 people were killed and 169 were injured, in the last 24 hours, due to Israeli bombing, bringing to 2,980 the total number of deaths since the conflict began just over a year ago, the Ministry of Public Health of Lebanon reported.

The ministry said that 109 aviation bombings were recorded in the same period of time in various areas of Lebanon, most in Nabatie (57), the South (26), and Baalbek-Hermel (24), bringing the total number of bombings to 11,876, according to a statement.

Israeli bombings left 52 dead yesterday in Baalbek alone, a place that is home to Greco-Roman ruins that are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Known as the City of the Sun, the historic Baalbek, had received its first total evacuation order this week by Israel, which has intensified bombing in the area, threatening some of the best preserved Roman vestiges in the world.

Although the Israeli bombings on Lebanon started almost simultaneously with the conflict in Gaza, in response to the launch of missiles by Hizbula, the Lebanese Shiite group, the situation took a radical change with the intensification of the attacks just over a month ago.

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Almost 1.2 million people were displaced by the conflict from the areas where the violence is most intense, the South and the Beeka Valley, areas of Shiite majority.

Israel attacks more than 120 “targets” in Gaza and Lebanon

The Israeli Army attacked more than 120 “targets” of the Islamists of Hamas in Gaza and Hizbula in Lebanon, where it also killed two commanders, according to a military statement, after a deadly day in the Palestinian enclave in which medical sources recorded more than 80 deaths.

“The Armed Forces eliminated (yesterday) two commanders of Hizbulá responsible for firing more than 400 projectiles against Israel in October” in the Tyre area, a military statement detailed today.

The dead in Gaza

The number of deaths from the war in Gaza increased this Saturday to 43,314, after at least 55 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the Ministry of Health of the strip, dependent on Hamas and which put the total number of injured since October 7, 2023 at more than 102,000.

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International

Trump moves to reclassify marijuana as less dangerous substance

Former U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous addictive substance, a move aimed at encouraging medical research without immediately opening the door to federal-level decriminalization.

Trump said that “people were begging” him to make the decision, particularly individuals suffering from chronic pain. He stressed, however, that the measure “is not at all a decriminalization” of marijuana for non-medical use.

“I’ve always told my children: don’t use drugs, don’t drink, don’t smoke,” Trump added. He is a well-known teetotaler.

A senior government official described the decision as “common sense” during a briefing with reporters, noting that marijuana and CBD-based products — a compound derived from cannabis known for its relaxing properties — are already widely used in the United States by patients dealing with chronic pain.

Most U.S. states currently allow the use of cannabis for medical purposes, and more than 20 states, along with the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., have also legalized recreational use.

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International

Shakira’s El Salvador concerts sell out in hours, fans demand more dates

The sell-out of all three announced Shakira concerts in El Salvador in less than 24 hours has sparked a collective call for additional dates, highlighting an overwhelming demand that transcends borders and positions the country as a cultural hub in Central America.

Ticket sales for Shakira’s Central American residency confirmed the artist’s massive impact across the region. The three shows scheduled for February 12, 14, and 15 in El Salvador sold out in under 24 hours, triggering an immediate public response from fans who were unable to secure tickets and are now urging promoters to open new dates, according to an official statement from promoters Two Shows and Fenix Entertainment.

Even before ticket sales officially opened, thousands of people joined virtual queues that exceeded the usual capacity of the country’s ticketing platforms. Despite logging in early and waiting for hours, many users were unable to complete their purchases and were ultimately left without tickets, Two Shows reported.

The unprecedented demand was widely documented through screenshots, testimonials, and social media posts, showing slow-moving waiting lists, ticketing websites overwhelmed by traffic, and purchase processes that failed to go through despite users following all required steps within the designated timeframes.

According to the organizers, demand to see Shakira perform in El Salvador remains strong even after the sell-out. Meanwhile, hotels have reported booking inquiries beyond the announced concert dates, pointing to a larger-than-expected tourism influx tied to the event.

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International

Rubio rules out 2028 presidential bid if Vance runs

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he would not seek the presidency in 2028 if current Vice President JD Vancedecides to run as the Republican nominee to succeed President Donald Trump.

“If JD Vance runs for president, he will be our candidate, and I will be one of the first people to support him,” Rubio said in an interview with Vanity Fair, in which he appeared alongside other senior members of the presidential cabinet.

Rubio, 54, and Vance, 41, are widely viewed as two of the leading Republican figures who could headline the party’s ticket in the 2028 election. Under the U.S. Constitution, Trump is barred from seeking another term after completing two presidential mandates.

In a lighthearted moment during the interview, Vance jokingly offered photographers $1,000 if they managed to make him look better than Rubio in the photos. Both leaders have received public backing from Trump, who last October floated the idea of a joint ticket featuring Rubio and Vance, without clarifying who would lead it.

“I think that if they ever teamed up, they would be unstoppable. I don’t think anyone would run against us,” Trump said at the time.

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White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, who also took part in the interview, confirmed that Trump does not intend to violate the 22nd Amendment, which prohibits a third presidential term, though she acknowledged that the president is “having fun” with speculation about a possible return to office.

Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, served as a Republican senator from 2010 to 2025. He sought the party’s presidential nomination in 2016 but was defeated by Trump after a bruising primary contest. His name was floated as a potential vice presidential pick in 2024, but Vance ultimately secured the spot. After taking office, Trump appointed Rubio as secretary of state, making him the first Latino to hold the position.