News & Stories

Real Madrid have only won two of their last eight matches piling pressure on their manager Xabi Alonso for Alaves trip.

Who: Alaves vs Real Madrid What: Spain’s La Liga Where: Mendizorroza Stadium in Vitoria, Spain When: Sunday, December 14, at 9pm (20:00 GMT) How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 17:00 GMT in advance of our text commentary stream. Real

Madrid will hope to ease the pressure on Xabi Alonso when they visit Alaves on Sunday, but the record La Liga winners will know that one more defeat could spell the end of the short-lived tenure of their beleaguered manager. In a

welcome show of solidarity, Los Blancos midfielder Jude Bellingham said on Wednesday, after their defeat by Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League, that the players were behind Alonso and no one was “downing tools”. More wel

come news for the Madrid-based club is that Kylian Mbappe is back in contention for Sunday’s game after missing out against City due to injury. Al Jazeera

Sport takes a look at what is surely a must-not-lose for Alonso, but – with Barcelona seven points clear – may well be a must-win. Alonso, whom S

panish media reported was set for the sack if Madrid lost against City, remains at the helm despite a 2-1 defeat at a frustrated, whistling Bernabeu. The hope is th

at the match, despite the outcome, can be a turning point for a team with just two wins in their last eight games across all competitions. Alonso’s playe

rs rallied around him, with not only Bellingham offering public messages of support after the game and even during it, as goalscorer Rodrygo Goes ran over to hug his manager. “The only thing

we can do is change our attitude … and [against City] we saw a change,” said defender Raul Asencio. Goalkeeper Thibaut Cou

SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur — Catholic religious and lay leaders in Surigao del Sur province welcomed the resignation of Rep. Ro

meo Momo Sr. from the bicameral conference committee on Saturday. “W

e acknowledge and welcome the courtesy resignation of Congressman Romeo S. Momo

Sr. But

the point must be made: resignation from a committee does

Two US soldiers and a US civilian interpreter have been killed in Syria in an ambush by an Islamic State gunman, the US Central Command has said.

Officials said three other service members were injured in the attack, during which the gunman was "engaged and killed".

US President Donald Trump wrote on social media that it was "an ISIS attack" against the US and Syria and said there would be "a very serious retaliation".

The identities of those killed are being withheld for 24 hours until their next of kin have been informed, the US Central Command said.

In a post on X, the US Central Command said the attack was "the result of an ambush by a lone ISIS gunman", while a Pentagon official said initial assessments showed the attack was "likely" to be carried out by the Islamic State group.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the attacker was a member of the Syrian security force.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and the identity of the gunman has not been released.

The ambush occurred in Palmyra, located in the centre of the country, while the soldiers were "conducting a key leader engagement", according to Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell.

A Pentagon official said: "This attack took place in an area where the Syrian president does not have control."

Trump added that the three injured US soldiers were "doing well".

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Health’s (DOH) controversial health aid program had its budget increased to P51 billion at the bicameral conference committee level despite clamor from civil society watchdogs to cut all funding for pork and patronage programs. If

signed into law, the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) Program will even see a

MANILA, Philippines — Rain showers brought by the northeast monsoon, locally known as amihan, and shear line are forecast to persist over a large part of the Luzon region, while fair weather is expected over Visayas and Mindanao on Sunday due to the easterlies, the state weather bureau reported on Saturday. Ba

sed on the 5

Israel said it killed a senior Hamas commander on Saturday in a strike on a vehicle inside Gaza.

In a joint statement, the Israeli military and security agency Shin Bet announced it had "eliminated" Raed Saad, the head of weapons production for Hamas's military wing, the Qassam Brigades, in Gaza city.

Saad had been regarded as one of the most prominent Qassam commanders and led several brigades during Hamas's 7 October attacks on Israeli communities east of Gaza City.

The Hamas-run Civil Defence spokesman, Mahmoud Basal, told the BBC that four people were killed in the strike.

He said multiple passers-by were also injured by the blast.

A local Hamas official in Gaza told the BBC that the strike also killed Saad's aide and another lower-ranking official identified as Abu Imad al-Laban.

The BBC is prevented by Israel from reporting independently from inside Gaza and is unable to verify details of the incident.

The IDF and ISA joint statement added that Saad had been "responsible for the deaths of many soldiers" killed in the Gaza Strip as the result of explosive devices.

Saad is believed to be a member of the newly formed five-member leadership military council established since a ceasefire took hold in October.

Israel has attempted to kill him on multiple occasions.

MANILA, Philippines — A Filipino-led team of international researchers has developed a new physics-based algorithm that can detect a weather system known as a “shear line.” A shea

r line occurs when the northeast monsoon or “amihan” meets the warm easterlies from the Pacific Ocean, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

MANILA, Philippines — Four senators skipped the first day of the bicameral conference committee meeting for the 2026 national budget.  Senator Bato dela Rosa, who has been absent in plenary sessions since mid-November, still skipped the bicam opening despite being named as one of the conferees.  READ: Bicameral panel convenes to reconcile 2026 national budget

Parts of Nigeria's biggest city, Lagos, have been turned into an "open-air gallery", in the words of the organisers of the city's first street art festival.

One of the featured artists, Ashaolu Oluwafemi, told the BBC that the festival brings art "to the people and the community".

"People don't always have the opportunity to go to exhibitions, so they don't have the opportunity to see art," he said.

The artwork is on display on Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue, a busy street in Victoria Island in the heart of the city.

Oluwafemi, who was born and brought up in Lagos, said he and the other artists were telling the story of the city and its rise.

"You have to be wise and strong and brilliant to make it out of Lagos."

Although Lagos is known for its vibrant arts scene, nightlife and creativity, street art is relatively unknown.

"The visibility is not too strong compared to other African nations," painter Ernest Ibe told AFP news agency.

"So, it's a challenge, but the country is evolving.

We are beginning to understand the impact of social murals and how it affects us socially and in our environment in general."

MANILA, Philippines — The northeast monsoon or amihan and the shear line will bring rains in parts of Luzon and Visayas on Saturday, according to the state weather bureau.  In

its 5 a.m. weather forecast, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that the shear line, the warm winds coming from the

The 12th Globe Media Excellence Awards (GMEA@12) recognized 15 journalists and digital storytellers whose work brought important community issues to wider public attention and showed how technology and local initiatives influence daily life across the regions.

Guided by the theme “#DigitallyForward: One Barangay at a Time,” this year’s program centered on the role of regional media in amplifying stories on expanding access to technology, helping families reach their aspirations, and contributing to national development. “We ho

nor journalists and creators who capture how digital tools open doors for families, workers, and communities,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe Group Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer. “The rapid

move into digital spaces shows how ready Filipinos are to embrace change. Through GMEA

@12, we reaffirm our commitment to bringing technology closer to every home so people can pursue new paths and strengthen the bonds that drive progress.” Radio News Rep

ort of the Year First place went to John Paul Hervas of Radyo Pilipinas Iloilo, who reported on DTI’s assistance to the online businesses of Guimaras MSMEs. Rowena Capistran

o of DYRF 1215 Cebu placed second for a story on barangay service delivery. Sheila Gravinez

of DYMR Radyo Pilipinas Cebu took the third spot for a feature on farmers shifting to digital selling. TV News Report o

f the Year Jaira Mae Mondez-Alis of PTV Davao won first and second place for a feature on a DICT livelihood beneficiary and a report on Davao City’s aerial patrol effort, respectively. Queenie Grace Joli

gon of MyTV Cebu placed third for covering an invention developed from waste materials. Online News Report

US President Donald Trump's overseas envoy will travel to Germany this weekend to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders for the latest round of high-level talks on ending the war.

Steve Witkoff, who has been leading White House attempts to mediate between Ukraine and Russia, will discuss the latest version of the proposed peace agreement in Berlin.

The Trump administration is pushing for a deal to be in place by Christmas and has held several rounds of talks with Ukrainian and Russian representatives in recent weeks, though there has been little sign a breakthrough is imminent.

It has not yet been confirmed which European leaders will attend the Berlin talks.

The Wall Street Journal, which first reported details of the meeting, said UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz would all take part.

Confirmation of the Witkoff-Zelensky meeting comes days after Ukraine gave the US its revised version of a 20-point peace plan, the latest iteration of a proposal which first emerged in late November and has triggered a flurry of diplomatic activity.

The fate of territory in eastern Ukraine remains one of the most intractable topics in the negotiations, with Kyiv refusing to cede land which has been illegally occupied, and Moscow repeating its intention to take the Donbas region in full by force unless Ukraine withdraws.

Zelensky has reacted sceptically to the White House's latest proposal on resolving the territorial question, which is for Ukraine's army to pull out of the region and for it to be turned into a "special economic zone".

The Ukrainian president told reporters that under the US-proposed terms, the Kremlin would undertake not to advance into the areas vacated by Ukraine's forces, with the land between Russian-controlled parts of the Donbas and Ukraine's defensive lines effectively turned into a demilitarised zone.

The proposal, seemingly an attempt to resolve the question of legal ownership by creating a new status for the land, has been publicly questioned by Zelensky, who said: "What will restrain [Russia] from advancing?