Controversial West Bank settlement project gets final approval
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CTV News
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Italian soccer coaches call for Israel to be suspended by UEFA and FIFA over Gaza war
Carabinieri, the Italian paramilitary police, patrol ahead of the Nations League soccer match between Italy and Israel, outside the Bluenergy stadium in Udine, Italy, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (Andrea Bressanutti/LaPresse via AP, file) MILAN — The Italian Soccer Coaches' Association is pushing for Israel to be suspended from international competition over the war in Gaza. Ahead of Italy's crucial World Cup qualifiers against Israel in the next two months, the AIAC says 'Israel must stop. Soccer must also take action.' The AIAC has written a formal letter to the Italian soccer federation, to be forwarded to European and world soccer's governing bodies, calling for Israel to be suspended. Gabriele Gravina, the president of the Italian soccer federation, is also senior vice-president of UEFA. 'The AIAC Board of Directors unanimously believes that, given the daily massacres, which have also resulted in hundreds of deaths among managers, coaches, and athletes … it is legitimate, necessary, indeed a duty, to place at the centre of federation talks the request, to be submitted to UEFA and FIFA, for the temporary exclusion of Israel from sporting competitions,' the letter concludes. 'Because the pain of the past cannot cloud anyone's conscience and humanity.' Italy is set to play Israel on neutral turf in Debrecen, Hungary on Sept. 8, before hosting the return match in Udine on Oct. 14. 'We could just focus on playing, looking the other way. But we believe that is not right,' AIAC vice president Giancarlo Camolese said. The Azzurri also played Israel in Udine last October in a Nations League match that saw protests before and during the game and intense security measures, including snipers on the roof of the stadium. Since then the situation has continued to deteriorate with the Palestinian death toll from the 22-month war passing 62,000 earlier this month and an ever-worsening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, which experts say is sliding into famine. The UN last week warned that starvation and malnutrition in the Palestinian territory are at their highest levels since the war began with the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in which the militants abducted 251 people and killed around 1,200, mostly civilians. 'The world is in flames. Many people like the Palestinians are suffering,' AIAC vice-president Francesco Perondi said. 'Indifference is unacceptable.' Russian teams have been suspended by UEFA and FIFA since days after the full invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 because future opponents clearly said they would not play those games in international competitions. No team in a UEFA member federation has refused to play an Israeli opponent. The AIAC sent the letter after an unanimous vote by its board of directors. The association has around 18,000 members, consisting of coaches and technical staff at all levels of Italian soccer — from Serie A to amateur leagues. A spokesperson told The Associated Press that, while it did not consult all its members, 'the letter of appeal represents the widespread feelings present within the large community of Italian coaches.' ___ Daniella Matar, The Associated Press
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
Israel says it has taken first steps of military operation in Gaza City
Israel's military has taken the first steps of a planned operation to take over Gaza City, Israeli military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said on Wednesday. Following a clash with Hamas south of Khan Younis in the strip on Wednesday, he said: "We will deepen the attack on Hamas in Gaza City, a stronghold of governmental and military terror for the terrorist organization." Defrin said troops had already begun circling the outskirts of Gaza City and Hamas was now a "battered and bruised" guerrilla force. "We have begun the preliminary operations and the first stages of the attack on Gaza City, and already now IDF forces are holding the outskirts of Gaza City," he said. Israel's military called up tens of thousands of reservists on Wednesday in preparation for the expected assault on Gaza City, as the Israeli government considered a new proposal for a ceasefire after nearly two years of war. The call-up signals Israel is pressing ahead with its plan to seize Gaza's biggest urban centre despite international criticism of an operation likely to force the displacement of many more Palestinians. But a military official briefing reporters said reserve soldiers would not report for duty until September, an interval that gives mediators some time to bridge gaps between Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel over truce terms. Israel calls up 60,000 reservists for new Gaza offensive 3 hours ago Israeli troops clashed on Wednesday with more than 15 Hamas militants who emerged from tunnel shafts and attacked with gunfire and anti-tank missiles near Khan Younis, south of Gaza City, severely wounding one soldier and lightly wounding two others, an Israeli military official said. In a statement, Hamas' al-Qassam Brigades confirmed carrying out a raid on Israeli troops southeast of Khan Younis and engaging Israeli troops at point-blank range. It said one fighter blew himself up among the soldiers, causing casualties, during an attack that lasted several hours.
CTV News
3 hours ago
- CTV News
Pope Leo sets day of fasting, prayers for peace on Friday
Pope Leo XIV waves as he arrives for his weekly general audience, at The Vatican, Wednesday, Aug.20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) VATICAN CITY -- Pope Leo has asked Catholics and other religious faithful to observe a day of fasting and prayers for peace in the Middle East, Ukraine and other war-torn areas of the world on Friday, August 22. 'As our Earth continues to be wounded by wars in the Holy Land, in Ukraine, and in many other regions ... I invite all the faithful to live the day of August 22 in fasting and prayer,' the pontiff said during his weekly audience at the Vatican on Wednesday. Leo suggested the faithful could ask God to 'grant us peace and justice and to wipe away the tears of those who suffer because of the ongoing armed conflicts.' Leo, the first U.S. pope, was elected by the world's Catholic cardinals on May 8 to replace the late Pope Francis. He has made several appeals to end the war in Ukraine during the first months of his papacy, and his first known phone call with a foreign leader in May was to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who the pope also met in person in July. Catholics have a practice of fasting on or before important spiritual holidays as a way of coming closer to God in prayer. Francis had previously called a special day of fasting and prayer last October, on the one-year anniversary of the Israel-Hamas war. Reporting by Joshua McElwee, editing by Gavin Jones, Reuters
