US President Donald Trump announced that he is sending his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, to Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in an effort to finalize a peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine. Trump stated on his social media platform Truth Social that only a few points of disagreement remain. However, European leaders remain doubtful, particularly as Russian missile attacks on Kyiv continue. Trump also expressed hopes to meet both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky once the deal is finalized. The initial 28-point US plan for the agreement was criticized as being favorable to Moscow, leading Kyiv’s European allies to propose a revised version more aligned with Ukraine’s interests. Negotiations have been ongoing, with recent discussions taking place in Geneva and Abu Dhabi, while leaders from 30 pro-Ukraine nations held a virtual meeting to review progress.

A new Human Rights Watch (HRW) report reveals that Israeli military operations in the occupied West Bank have forcibly displaced around 32,000 Palestinians from three refugee camps—Jenin, Nur Shams, and Tulkarem—since January. The report describes it as the largest mass displacement in the West Bank since 1967. Violence has escalated sharply since Israel’s Gaza offensive began in October 2023, with over 1,000 Palestinians killed in the West Bank. The United Nations also reported that more than 1,000 Palestinians were displaced in early November after Israeli authorities demolished homes in Area C, while over 500 people lost their homes in occupied East Jerusalem. Israel claims the demolitions were due to lack of building permits, though such permits are rarely granted to Palestinians. Human rights groups have urged international investigations into Israel’s actions and accountability for its military and political leaders.

A recent Al Jazeera video highlights the tragic stories of orphaned children in Gaza, where over 70,000 people have reportedly been killed in more than two years of Israeli military operations. The children, many too young to fully grasp their loss, describe how their parents were killed—some while fetching food or firewood to support their families. One boy recounts that his father was shot while bringing flour, while a girl recalls her father being killed in Nablus by Israeli soldiers. The video captures the deep emotional trauma and human cost of the ongoing conflict, as Gaza remains under blockade and international pressure on Israel remains limited. The testimonies reflect the devastating impact of the violence on Gaza’s youngest and most vulnerable residents, many of whom now live without parents or stable homes.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused Israel of committing massacres against Palestinians, particularly women and children, due to insufficient international pressure. Speaking in Ankara on November 25 during an event marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Erdogan said that over 20,000 children have been killed in Gaza and that two-thirds of the victims are women and children. He criticized the global community for failing to respond adequately to Israel’s actions and for ignoring the suffering of Palestinian women. Erdogan emphasized that the international community’s failure to act has prolonged the conflict and deepened the humanitarian crisis. He also linked the plight of women in Gaza to broader issues of gender inequality and exploitation under capitalist systems, calling for stronger global solidarity to protect women’s dignity and lives.

In Pakistan, a 27-year-old woman named Kiran has been reunited with her parents after being missing for 17 years. She disappeared from her home in Islamabad at the age of 10 while going out to buy ice cream. Authorities from the Punjab Safe City project confirmed her identity using data that matched her personal details. Kiran had been living under the care of the Edhi Foundation in Karachi since being taken there by the late Bilquis Edhi. During her stay, she received both religious and general education. The Edhi Foundation said that several attempts had been made over the years to locate her family, but only recent technological assistance led to success. The emotional reunion in Karachi drew widespread attention and praise for the Edhi Foundation’s dedication. Kiran described meeting her parents again as the most important day of her life, while her father expressed deep gratitude to the foundation for caring for his daughter for nearly two decades.

Ukraine has indicated its willingness to accept a 28-point peace proposal reportedly initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump, as diplomatic efforts intensify to end the ongoing war with Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to travel to the United States this week to meet Trump and finalize the framework of the agreement. Ukraine’s National Security Chief Rustem Umerov said both sides have reached a common understanding on the main terms during earlier discussions in Geneva. Meanwhile, Russia confirmed it has received the draft plan and is open to negotiations. The United States also confirmed upcoming talks with Russian representatives in Abu Dhabi. Despite ongoing airstrikes that killed several people in both Ukraine and Russia, Kyiv remains optimistic about a diplomatic breakthrough. European leaders, however, have criticized the initial draft as being overly favorable to Moscow, while Ukraine has welcomed recent revisions that strengthen its defense and NATO prospects.

Russia has expressed its gratitude to Turkey for its continued mediation role in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict resolution process. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday that Moscow highly values Ankara’s efforts to facilitate dialogue between the warring sides. His remarks followed a phone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, during which both leaders discussed the nearly three-and-a-half-year-long war along with various regional and international issues. Erdoğan reaffirmed Turkey’s commitment to pursuing a fair and lasting peace, emphasizing Ankara’s readiness to contribute diplomatically and facilitate direct negotiations. Since the start of the war, Turkey has positioned itself as a key diplomatic hub for talks between Russia and Ukraine. Istanbul has hosted several rounds of peace discussions this year, leading to significant outcomes such as prisoner exchanges and the exchange of draft peace documents, underscoring Turkey’s active role in promoting dialogue and stability in the region.

A joint report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and UN Women reveals that more than 50,000 women and girls were killed worldwide in 2024 by intimate partners or family members—an average of 137 victims per day or one every 10 minutes. The report, released ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women 2025, highlights that 60% of all female homicides were committed by current or former partners or relatives, compared to only 11% of male victims. The UN agencies warned that many of these femicides are preventable but persist due to weak protection systems, inadequate police responses, and limited social support in many countries. The report also notes that the actual number of femicides may be higher because of poor data collection, victims’ fear of reporting, and outdated legal definitions that fail to classify many killings as gender-based violence.

Afghanistan has threatened to retaliate against Pakistan following deadly airstrikes in Khost province that killed at least 10 people, including nine children, according to the Taliban government. The strikes came hours after a suicide bombing in Pakistan’s Peshawar killed six people, three of them security personnel. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid stated that defending Afghanistan’s territory and people is its legitimate right and promised an appropriate response at the right time. Pakistan claims that militants from Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) use Afghan territory to launch attacks, a charge the Taliban denies. Relations between the two neighbors have deteriorated since the Taliban took power in 2021, with cross-border violence escalating in recent months despite mediation efforts by Qatar and Turkey.

At the National Communication Association’s annual conference in Denver, Colorado, multiple international scholars presented research on Bangladesh’s July 2024 uprising, analyzing how Gen Z-led activism overcame state censorship and violence to drive political change. A special session titled “From Rights Movement to Regime Change,” chaired by Dr. Mohammad Ala Uddin of Saint Mary’s College, explored the cultural and communicative dynamics that sustained the movement. Studies highlighted how activists adapted to internet shutdowns through offline mobilization, used protest songs and graffiti as tools of emotional and symbolic resistance, and how foreign media framed the events. Researchers from the US, Bangladesh, China, and Pakistan contributed diverse perspectives, including analyses of leadership missteps and the movement’s lasting cultural memory. The uprising, they argued, has become a global reference point for understanding modern social movements. Revised papers from the panel will be published by Bloomsbury in an upcoming volume titled “Critical Media Perspectives on the 2024 Bangladesh Uprising.”

The United States has reduced its proposed Ukraine peace plan from 28 to 19 points following discussions in Geneva involving Ukrainian and European representatives. According to reports from TRT World and US media, the revised plan aims to end the ongoing war in Ukraine but remains unfinalized. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the talks as highly constructive, noting significant progress though some issues remain unresolved. Participants told the Financial Times that nine proposals were removed from the earlier draft, without specifying which ones. European officials had previously raised concerns over sanctions on Russia and the management of seized Russian assets, emphasizing these matters fall under EU jurisdiction. Finnish President Alexander Stubb called the reduction in points a step forward. The draft plan reportedly includes potential territorial concessions by Ukraine, limits on its military size, and a formal renunciation of NATO membership ambitions.

Amnesty International has accused Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of committing war crimes in the Darfur town of el-Fasher, citing testimonies from survivors who described executions, rapes, and other atrocities. The report was released shortly after the RSF announced a three-month humanitarian truce, purportedly in response to international mediation led by U.S. President Donald Trump. Sudan has been engulfed in conflict since April 2023, when fighting erupted between the RSF, led by Mohamed Daglo, and the national army under General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Amnesty’s findings detail widespread violence against civilians, which the group says could amount to war crimes under international law. The United Nations has described el-Fasher as a “crime scene,” urging accountability. Mediation efforts by the U.S.-backed Quad group, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE, have so far failed, with Burhan rejecting the latest truce proposal, accusing the UAE of bias—an allegation the UAE denies.

At least nine Afghan civilians, including eight children and one woman, were killed in Pakistani airstrikes on Afghanistan’s southeastern Khost province, according to the Taliban government. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid stated that the attacks occurred at midnight and also targeted Kunar and Paktika provinces, killing four more civilians. Mujahid accused Pakistan of bombing civilian homes, causing casualties and property destruction. Pakistan has not officially commented on the civilian deaths. However, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said its forces conducted operations against members of the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), whom it described as ‘Khawarij militants,’ killing 22 of them. The ISPR emphasized that Pakistan’s counterterrorism operations would continue against foreign-backed militants. The incident underscores escalating cross-border tensions between Islamabad and Kabul, with both sides trading accusations over harboring militants.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has canceled his planned visit to India for the third time this year, citing heightened security concerns following a deadly terrorist attack in New Delhi. According to reports from Israeli outlet i24News, the attack two weeks ago was one of the deadliest in nearly a decade, killing at least 15 people and injuring many others. The visit, initially expected before the end of the year for talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has now been postponed, possibly to next year, pending a new security assessment. Netanyahu had previously canceled his India trips in April and September, first due to election preparations and later citing scheduling conflicts. Analysts view Netanyahu’s planned visit as part of his effort to project international legitimacy and strengthen ties with key global leaders, including Modi, Trump, and Putin. Netanyahu last visited India in January 2018, while Modi made a historic trip to Israel in 2017.

A new United Nations report released on November 24, 2024, reveals that nearly 50,000 women and girls were killed globally last year by intimate partners or family members — averaging one death every 10 minutes. The study, jointly published by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and UN Women, highlights that 60% of female homicide victims were murdered by someone close to them, compared to 11% among male victims. Africa recorded the highest number of such killings, with around 22,000 cases in 2024. The report stresses that homes remain the most dangerous places for women and girls, showing no significant improvement from previous years. UN Women’s policy director, Sarah Hendriks, emphasized that femicide is often part of a broader pattern of violence, including coercion, threats, and online harassment. The report also warns that technological advances have enabled new forms of gender-based violence, such as non-consensual image sharing, doxxing, and deepfake abuse, urging stronger laws to ensure accountability both online and offline.