International

International partners embrace the Palestinian Authority for a two-state future

The international partners and donors of the Palestinian National Authority (ANP) met this Sunday in Brussels to cover their new prime minister, Mohamed Mustafa, who showed himself as a “responsible” partner for a two-state future for Palestine and Israel.

“These meetings are key to moving towards an independent, sovereign and viable Palestinian State. Today is a very important opportunity to present to our international partners the plans and priorities that we have, as a new government, for the next mandate,” Mustafa said in a statement prior to today’s ministerial meeting, held at the headquarters of the European Commission.

This is his first visit to Brussels since he took office in mid-March and he participated, along with about twenty countries and international organizations, in this meeting, hosted by the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, chaired by the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Espen Barth Eide, and also attended by the Spanish head of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares.

The head of the Palestinian government presented himself as a reliable partner in the eyes of the international community and set the reconstruction of Gaza as the first priority of his new Executive, so he called for a ceasefire.

When the war is over, the ANP wants to “be prepared” to “care” for the civilian population in the Strip, in addition to “reintegrating the institutions of Gaza,” now controlled by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, with those of the West Bank, in the hands of the secular Fatah party.

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Improving the economic situation of Palestine is another of Mustafa’s great priorities, and in this sense he asked the international community to put pressure on Israel to unblock the funds belonging to the ANP that the Israelis have kept frozen since the beginning of the war.

“We must take better care of the Palestinian authorities that we have because there is no alternative, and I think we are all convinced that there is no long-term alternative to a two-state solution. A two-state solution requires a Palestinian government,” stressed the head of Norwegian diplomacy.

Norway, which together with Spain and Ireland will officially recognize the Palestinian State next Tuesday, believes that the Palestinian National Authority, “which has all the control it can in the West Bank and East Jerusalem must be able to survive, strengthen itself, improve its ability to provide services, reform, and also plan a future return to Gaza, because we want a Palestine to be governed by a single government,” Eide said.

“We need to strengthen the voice of the moderates who really want to achieve a solution in which both Israelis and Palestinians can live together in peace,” stressed the Norwegian Foreign Minister, whose purpose in the meeting he chairs is that key partners and donors not only listen “attentively” to Mustafa’s plans but also “understand how serious the situation is.”

For Eide, the Mustafa government, with support, will be “capable of becoming the embryo of the State that we not only recognize, but also want to see in practice on the ground.”

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“It is very important that we get together to try to support the Palestinian Authority because these are extremely difficult times for the Palestinians,” Borrell said.

And he drew a disheartening panorama: “The situation in Gaza goes beyond the worst. The occupied West Bank is on the edge of the abyss and runs the risk of suffering an explosion at any time. And while we speak, military operations continue in Rafah and its surroundings.”

In addition, the borders remain closed for humanitarian deliveries and dozens of Israeli hostages remain in the hands of Hamas, which today attacked Tel Aviv with rockets for the first time in four months. “This also has to stop,” Borrell added.

He highlighted the “immense challenges” faced by the Palestinian authorities, with “a dangerous socio-economic crisis, the impact of the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza, the closures imposed in the West Bank and other punitive actions such as the announcement by the Israeli occupation authorities to cut all the income that belongs to them.”

“That’s why today, with international partners and donors, we will focus on how we can better support the Palestinian Authority at this critical juncture,” Borrell added, urging to “do more” to help Mustafa’s new government.

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Related Topics:Palestinian Authority two-state

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International

Five Bodies Found in Ecuador as Police Probe Suspected Gang Turf War

Ecuadorian authorities are investigating the deaths of five people whose bodies were found inside a rural home, in what police believe may be linked to a territorial dispute between organized criminal groups.

The victims, aged between 21 and 30, were discovered Tuesday in the town of La Troncal, in the Andean province of Cañar. Police reported that two of the bodies were bound with wire, while a burned-out vehicle was found outside the residence.

Investigators said graffiti on the walls of the house included messages such as “Lobos territory” and “Lobos active,” suggesting a possible connection to the criminal organization known as Los Lobos.

Police believe the killings were likely the result of a conflict over territorial control between rival gangs.

The discovery came on the same day authorities arrested a former mayor in the neighboring province of Azuay. Officials identified him as the alleged main financial backer of Los Lobos, one of Ecuador’s most powerful criminal organizations.

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Ecuador has experienced an unprecedented surge in violence in recent years, driven by criminal groups involved in drug trafficking, illegal mining, kidnapping, and extortion.

According to Insight Crime, the country recorded 51 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2025—equivalent to roughly one killing every hour—making it one of the most violent countries in Latin America.

International

Georgia Teen Sentenced to Life Without Parole for Deadly School Shooting

A Georgia teenager who killed four people in a 2024 school shooting was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to the attack.

Colt Gray, now 16, admitted to opening fire at Apalachee High School in Winder, about 70 kilometers (45 miles) northeast of Atlanta. He was 14 years old at the time of the shooting.

The attack claimed the lives of two students and two teachers, while nine other people were injured. Despite being a minor when the shooting occurred, Gray was prosecuted as an adult.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Nicholas Trimm acknowledged the failures of the teenager’s family but said they did not excuse his actions.

“Your parents failed you. Your family failed you. But that does not absolve you,” the judge said.

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Trimm also rejected any suggestion that the shooting was motivated by bullying or personal grievances.

“You were not bullied at Apalachee. This was not driven by hate. You didn’t know anyone at that school. It was simply the desire to commit a notorious act,” he told Gray.

The case also led to the prosecution of the shooter’s father, Colin Gray, who was convicted in March of voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter. The case marked one of the first instances in which a parent was held criminally responsible for a mass shooting carried out by their child.

Prosecutors said Colin Gray had given his son an AR-15-style rifle as a Christmas gift in 2023, despite being aware that the teenager had previously threatened to carry out a school shooting.

Authorities said the same rifle was used in the attack less than a year later. Months before the shooting, FBI investigators had alerted local law enforcement after receiving reports of online messages linked to the Gray family’s internet address that referenced plans for a school massacre.

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The case reflects growing legal scrutiny in the United States over the responsibility of parents whose children commit acts of gun violence.

In a similar case, the parents of a Michigan teenager who killed four people at his high school in 2021 were convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2024 and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 10 to 15 years.

According to U.S. health authorities, firearms have been the leading cause of death among children and teenagers in the United States for several years.

International

Portuguese Authorities Seize 2.6 Tons of Cocaine Worth More Than $550 Million in Drug Bust

Italian financial police reported Monday that Portuguese authorities intercepted a speedboat carrying more than 2.6 tons of cocaine, with an estimated street value exceeding $550 million.

Four people — two Spanish nationals, one Albanian citizen, and a man from Gibraltar — were arrested in connection with the operation, according to Italian authorities.

The vessel was intercepted off the coast of Lisbon by Portugal’s maritime police following an investigation led by Italian authorities.

Italian financial police estimated that the seized shipment had a street value of approximately 500 million euros ($570 million), making it one of the largest drug seizures reported in the region in recent years.

Portuguese authorities said the interception took place on Thursday, about 90 kilometers (50 nautical miles) southwest of Cape Espichel, during an operation targeting international drug trafficking routes.