Europe

Barca punish 10-man hosts Villarreal to win eighth consecutive La Liga game and move four points clear at the summit.

Barcelona wingers Raphinha and Lamine Yamal guided the Catalan giants four points clear at the top of La Liga with a 2-0 win at 10-man Villarreal.

Brazil international Raphinha won and converted an early penalty on Sunday before Villarreal’s Renato Veiga was sent off before half-time for a late lunge on teenager Yamal.

The 18-year-old slotted home Barca’s second midway through the second half, as Hansi Flick’s side restored their advantage on Real Madrid, who are second, and won an eighth consecutive league game.

Villarreal are fourth after Atletico Madrid moved ahead of them with a 3-0 win at Girona earlier on.

Flick launched into an impassioned defence of Raphinha on Saturday after he was not included in FIFA’s ‘The Best’ team of the year earlier in the week, and the winger quickly repaid his coach.

Raphinha produced an all-action display at Villarreal’s Estadio de la Ceramica, where the match was played instead of in Miami, after La Liga’s plans to take this game to the United States were scrapped in October.

Barca were poor defensively and struggled in their build-up play, but the quality of wingers Raphinha and Yamal and their goalkeeper Joan Garcia’s outstanding performance decided an entertaining encounter.

Jules Kounde blocked Villarreal striker Ayoze Perez’s shot before Raphinha drew a foul from Santi Comesana to win a penalty at the other end.

The winger dispatched it confidently and nearly added the second with a superb effort from distance, which crashed back off the bar.

Kounde deflected a cross into his own net as Villarreal fought back, but the goal was disallowed for offside in the build-up.

Barca stopper Joan Garcia saved from Tajon Buchanan after an Alejandro Balde mistake as Villarreal almost levelled.

The visitors’ job was made easier by Veiga’s needless red card for an ugly, late lunge on Yamal before the interval.

The champions got their second goal after a scramble in the box, with Frenkie de Jong teeing up Yamal to fire home after 63 minutes.

Joan Garcia made stunning saves to deny Rafa Marin and Georges Mikautadze to help Barca end 2026 with three points and a third clean sheet in their last three games across all competitions.

Kounde went off hurt before the end, potentially adding to Flick’s problems at the back following Andreas Christensen’s diagnosis with a partially torn knee ligament.

Barca finish the year in better shape than rivals Real Madrid, who beat Sevilla 2-0 on Saturday, but still have plenty of their own concerns to worry about.

Barcelona captain de Jong said his side had achieved their objective of finishing the year on top of the league and will rest before the league resumes in early January.

“Villarreal are very quick on the counter; they’ve got talented players up front. We could’ve managed to be a bit better… We have to organise ourselves a bit better,” he said.

“But I felt out there on the pitch that we were superior. Not necessarily comfortable, but I think we deserved to win.”

Villarreal captain Dani Parejo said he was pleased with how his team performed, apart from conceding the penalty.

“We had loads of really good chances; we could have been more than one goal up at halftime,” he said.

“It feels like everything is going against us at the moment; teams are scoring against us with not much, but we are pleased with the image we have shown, how we played with 10 men against a great team. We showed great attitude.”

Yury Ushakov’s remarks come a day after US and Russian officials held talks on the US proposal in Florida.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s top foreign policy aide says that changes made by European countries and Ukraine to the United States’ proposals for an end to Russia’s war on Ukraine did not improve prospects for peace.

“I am sure that the proposals that the Europeans and Ukrainians have made or are trying to make definitely do not improve the document and do not improve the possibility of achieving long-term peace,” Yury Ushakov was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies on Sunday.

The US-drafted proposals for an end to the nearly four-year ⁠war, leaked to the media last month, raised European and Ukrainian concerns that they favour more of Russia’s wartime demands ​and that US President Donald Trump’s administration could push Kyiv into conceding too much.

Since then, European and ‍Ukrainian negotiators have met with Trump envoys in an attempt to add their own proposals to the US drafts, though the exact contents of the current proposal have not been disclosed.

The remarks from Ushakov came after Putin’s special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, met in Florida on Saturday with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Dmitriev said the talks would continue ​on Sunday.

The Miami meeting followed US talks on Friday with European and Ukrainian officials.

In the wake of those talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his team should hold more talks with European allies.

“There is a shared sense that after the work by our diplomatic team in the United States, we should now hold consultations with European partners in a broader circle,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X on Sunday.

Three-way talks?

Zelenskyy had said on Saturday that Ukraine ‌would back a US proposal for three-way talks with the US and Russia if it facilitated more exchanges of prisoners and paved the way for meetings of national leaders.

Ushakov ‌said that a proposal for three-way talks had not been seriously discussed by ⁠anyone and that it was not being worked on.

Russia says that European leaders are intent on scuttling the talks by introducing conditions that they know will be unacceptable to Russia, which took 12-17 square kilometres (4.6 to 6.6 square miles) of Ukrainian territory per day in 2025.

Ukraine and European leaders say that Russia cannot ‌be allowed to achieve its aims in what they call its imperial-style land grab.

Ukraine battles attempted Russian breakthrough

In Ukraine, fighting continues with the Ukrainian army battling an attempted Russian breakthrough in the Sumy region, it said on Sunday, following reports that Moscow forcibly moved 50 people from a border village there.

This marks a renewed Russian advance in the part of the region previously largely spared from intense ground fighting since Ukraine regained land there in a swift 2022 counter-offensive.

“Fighting is currently ongoing in the village of Grabovske,” Ukraine’s joint task force said, adding the troops were “making efforts to drive the occupiers back into Russian territory”.

Zelenskyy said that over the week, “Russia has launched approximately 1,300 attack drones, nearly 1,200 guided aerial bombs, and nine missiles of various types” against Ukraine.

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 after eight years of fighting in the country’s east.

Authorities board vessel off Swedish coast after it suffered an engine failure.

Sweden’s customs service has said that authorities boarded a Russian freighter that anchored in Swedish waters on Friday after developing engine problems, and were conducting an inspection of the cargo.

The owners of the vessel, the Adler, are on the European Union’s sanctions list, Martin Hoglund, spokesman at the customs authority, said on Sunday.

“Shortly after 0100 (00:00 GMT) last night we boarded the ship with support from the Swedish Coast Guard and the police service in order to make a customs inspection,” Hoglund said. “The inspection is still ongoing.”

Hoglund declined to say what the customs service had found on board the ship.

According to ship-tracking service Marine Traffic, the Adler is a 126-metre-long, roll-on, roll-off container carrier. It is anchored off Hoganas in southwest Sweden.

EU and US sanctions

In addition to the Adler being on an EU sanctions list, the vessel and its owners, M Leasing LLC, are also both subject to US sanctions, suspected of involvement in weapons transport, according to OpenSanctions, a database of sanctioned companies and individuals, persons of interest and government watchlists.

Hoglund said the ship had left the Russian port of St Petersburg on December 15, but he said customs did not have any information about its destination.

The night-time operation was led by the Swedish Customs Administration along with the coastguard, National Task Force, Swedish Security Service and prosecutors.

In a previous incident, the Adler was boarded by Greek forces in the Mediterranean in January 2021. The operation was carried out under the auspices of the EU’s Operation Irini, which monitors the United Nations arms embargo on Libya.

Three people arrested in connection with suspected theft of items worth between 15,000 and 40,000 euros.

France’s presidential silverware keeper and two other men are set to stand trial over the alleged theft of porcelain and other tableware worth thousands of euros, the Paris prosecution office has said.

Prosecutors said the silverware keeper Thomas M and ‍his partner Damien G were arrested on suspicion of theft on Tuesday. Another man, Ghislain M, was arrested on suspicion of receiving stolen goods. Their full names were not given due ‍to French ⁠privacy customs.

The Elysee, the president’s official residence, had reported the disappearance of silverware and tableware pieces used for state dinners and other events, with the ⁠value of the missing items estimated between 15,000 and 40,000 euros ($17,500 and $46,800), the ​prosecution office said.

Interviews with presidential staff pointed suspicions at Thomas M, whose suspected downward inventory adjustments appeared to anticipate future thefts, prosecutors said.

They said about 100 objects were discovered in Thomas M’s personal locker, his vehicle and home, including copper pots, Sevres porcelain and Baccarat champagne glasses.

Investigators found an air force-stamped ​plate and ashtrays that Thomas M was selling on the online marketplace Vinted, prosecutors said, items that are not available to the general public. ‌

The three suspects appeared in court Thursday on charges of jointly stealing moveable property listed as part of the national heritage – an offence punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a 150,000-euro ($175,000) fine, as well as aggravated handling of stolen goods.

The trial was postponed to February 26. The defendants were placed under judicial supervision, banned from contacting one another, prohibited from appearing at auction venues and barred from their professional activities.

French paper Le Parisien, which first reported the case, said Ghislain M worked as a guard at the Louvre museum, citing his lawyer as ‌saying that his client’s motivation for his suspected involvement was his “passion” for rare antique goods.

In October, the museum experienced its own robbery when thieves disguised as construction workers ‌stole priceless pieces from France’s crown jewels, prompting a debate about security standards at the country’s landmarks.

The Sevres porcelain factory, one of the Elysee’s main suppliers, identified a ‍number of items on auction websites, prosecutors said, adding that some items had been returned.

After years of support from the United States for the Ukraine war to continue “as long as it takes”, the Trump administration is now pushing to end Europe’s war – quickly and imperfectly.

While details are still under negotiation, they include issues such as ensuring Ukraine never joins NATO and Russia’s control over about 20 percent of Ukraine.

To understand the implications for Europe, the US and their relations, host Steve Clemons speaks with Kurt Volker, Trump’s former special representative for Ukraine negotiations, and retired Colonel Heino Klinck, former director of US Army international affairs.

Leaders from Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso are hoping to find a way to repel advancing fighters linked to al-Qaeda. Al Jazeera’s Laura Khan explains what’s at stake at an Alliance of Sahel States summit in Bamako.

SABADELL in Spain is often referred to as ‘Catalan Manchester’, because it has a textile heritage with many of its chimneys still maintained today.

In fact, the city was once the largest producer of wool textiles in the whole of Spain.

Today, the city is known for being a centre for business, innovation and knowledge.

The city sits on the banks of the River Ripoll and in the old town visitors can see the remains of many historic facades.

Located just 30 minutes from Barcelona, it makes a great alternative compared with the bustling city.

One of the things to do in Sabadell is head to Parc Catalunya, where visitors can ride a boat on the lake, go skateboarding or bike riding.

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Alternatively, you could head to Iglesia de Sant Felix – a church built in the Baroque style with three bells.

There is also the Mercado Central de Sabadell, which is the central market in Sabadell and is a great spot to pick up some souvenirs from local sellers.

The market has been used as a trading hub for centuries and today still is.

One recent visitor said: “Beautiful building outside and inside. There is a great selection of meat, fish, vegetables and breads.

“There are also some stalls offering cooked food and other ready to eat choices are also available.”

Another visitor said: “Very spacious inside allowing traders plenty of space to show off their fresh produce. The fruits stalls are eye catching.

“I had a cafe con leche and chocolate croissant at the bustling tapas bar.”

Another place to head to is Los Lavaderos de la Font Nova – these historic laundry rooms are part of the city’s heritage, but have been preserved and today tourists can see where people used to do their laundry in the 1830s.

Also make sure to head to Masia de Can Deu, which is a historic estate with a museum, rescued church and even a small farm.

Sabadell also makes a great base for heading off hiking as there are several trails nearby.

If you happen to be in Sabadell in September, make sure to visit Fiesta Mayor, where the city transforms into a lively destination with lots of music, fireworks, parades and carnival rides.

Or if you are in the city in December, head to City Hall, where for the first 24 days of the month an advent calendar is brought to life with a new light shining each day.

The annual tradition has a main character called El Llaminer, who is a fairytale-like figure made of sweets, who sings and tells a different story each evening.

Across the city, there are numerous places to grab a bite to eat including Maximmus Pizzeria Napoletana, which is the best rated spot on TripAdvisor.

The restaurant serves up freshly made pizzas, including ‘The peasant woman’ with sausage, artichoke, parmesan and oil for €16 (£13.97).

Alternatively, you could grab a ‘Quattro Formaggi’. which features four different cheese including parmesan, mozzarella, gorgonzola and provolone for €16.50 (£14.41).

There are a number of places to grab a tipple as well, such as These Wild Geese, Irish pub, where a cocktail will set you back just €7.30 (£6.37).

There are just a handful of hotels to choose from across the city, including Urban Sabadell which costs from £65 per night for two people.

Return flights to Barcelona in January cost from £34 per person.

Then to get to Sabadell, you can jump on a train or bus which takes about 40 minutes.

In other news from Spain, one Spanish city known as the foodie capital with one of Europe’s best beaches is getting new British Airways flights.

Plus, these are 5 of the best Spanish foodie destinations with direct UK flights and cheap holiday packages.

Real Madrid star forward scores his 59th goal in a calendar year to equal Cristiano Ronaldo’s record tally at the club.

Kylian Mbappe has equalled Cristiano Ronaldo’s club record of 59 goals in a calendar year for Real Madrid with a late penalty in his side’s 2-0 home win over Sevilla in La Liga, with the French forward celebrating his 27th birthday in style.

Mbappe missed several earlier chances before getting his opportunity from the spot four minutes from time on Saturday, and he made no mistake to net his ⁠59th goal in as many games across all competitions in 2025 to level Ronaldo’s 2013 haul.

“Today, and because of the record, it’s ​incredible, in my first year to be able to do what Cristiano did,” Mbappe told RMTV.

“My idol, the ‍best player in the history of Real Madrid and a reference in world football. It’s an honour for me.”

Jude Bellingham put Real in front in the opening half, and Sevilla went down to 10 men with 22 minutes remaining after Marcao received a second booking, but the hosts had goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to thank for keeping them ahead.

Real are second in the La Liga standings on 42 points, one behind Barcelona, who are away to third-placed Villarreal on Sunday, while Sevilla are ninth on 20 points.

Xabi Alonso’s side were looking to end the year on a high note after losing top spot in November with three consecutive draws, and they saw out 2025 with three successive wins in all competitions, but it was far from a straightforward success.

Sevilla created plenty of problems early on, with Isaac Romero chipping a shot narrowly wide when sent through on goal, bringing whistles from the home crowd with Real under pressure.

Mbappe sent ​a snap shot wide, as the hosts struggled to find a clear-cut chance, and Sevilla’s Lucien Agoume ‌put another strike wide for the visitors before Real went in front seven minutes before the break.

Rodrygo put a free kick into the box, and Bellingham rose to power a header into the far corner to settle Real’s nerves at the break.

Mbappe made to wait

Mbappe sent an effort straight at the keeper and ‌dragged another shot wide, while at the other end, Courtois twice denied Alexis Sanchez and Romero with Real all too easy to open up at the back.

From a corner, Mbappe hit the crossbar ‌with a header, and after Marcao’s sending off, Rodrygo struck a beautiful shot on the ⁠turn, but Sevilla keeper Odysseas Vlachodimos touched it onto the bar.

Real were hanging on for the win with Mbappe still labouring to find the net when Juanlu Sanchez fouled Rodrygo in the box and the birthday boy stepped up to score before pulling out Ronaldo’s celebration.

“I wanted to give him a little nod because he ‌has always been affectionate with me,” Mbappe added.

“Normally, I have my own celebration, but I wanted to share that with him, and like I said, he’s been my idol since I was a kid. I have a very good relationship with him; he’s a friend ‍now.”

Mbappe thought he had been gifted the perfect chance to score again when the referee pointed to the spot two minutes later, but the official changed his mind after a VAR check, and the Frenchman had to settle for a share of the ‌record.

Negotiators from Russia and the United States have met in the US city of Miami as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Washington to ramp up the pressure on Moscow to end its war on Ukraine.

The meeting on Saturday took place between Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, and US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Dmitriev told the reporters the talks were positive and would continue on Sunday.

“The discussions are proceeding constructively,” said Dmitriev. “They began earlier and will continue today, and will also continue tomorrow.”

Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had said that he may also join the talks in Miami. He said that progress has been made in discussions to end the war, but there is still a way to go.

“The role we’re trying to play is a role of figuring out whether there’s any overlap here that they can agree to, and that’s what we’ve invested a lot of time and energy [on], and continue to do so,” Rubio said. “That may not be possible. I hope it is. I hope it can get done this month, before the end of the year.”

Trump’s envoys have for weeks been negotiating a 20-point peace plan with Ukrainian, Russian and European officials.

While US ​officials say they have made progress, major differences remain on the issues of territory and possible security guarantees that Kyiv says are essential for any agreement.

Russia has shown few signs that it is willing to give up its expansive territorial demands in Ukraine, which it believes it is well-positioned to secure as the war grinds on and political fractures emerge among Ukraine’s European allies.

In Kyiv, Zelenskyy said he remains supportive of a US-led negotiations process, but that diplomacy needs to be accompanied by greater pressure on Russia.

“America must clearly say, if not diplomacy, then there will be full pressure… Putin does not yet feel the kind of pressure that should exist,” he said.

The Ukrainian leader said Washington has also proposed a new format for talks with Russia, comprised of three-way talks at the level of national security advisers from Ukraine, Russia, and the US.

Zelenskyy expressed scepticism that the talks would result in “anything new”, but said he would support trilateral discussions if they led to progress in areas such as prisoner swaps or a meeting of national leaders.

“If such a ‍meeting could be ⁠held now to allow for swaps of prisoners of war, or if a meeting of national security advisers achieves agreement on a leaders’ meeting… I cannot be opposed. We would support such a US proposal. Let’s see how things go,” he said.

The last time Ukrainian and Russian envoys held official direct talks was in July in Istanbul, which led to prisoner swaps but little else.

The talks in Miami come after Putin promised to press ahead with his military offensive in Ukraine, hailing Moscow’s battlefield gains in an annual news conference on Friday.

Putin, however, suggested that Russia could pause its devastating strikes on the country to allow Ukraine to hold a presidential ballot, a prospect that Zelenskyy rejected.

Meanwhile, the death toll in Ukraine’s Black Sea Odesa region from an overnight Russian ballistic missile strike on port infrastructure rose to eight, with 30 people wounded.

A civilian bus was struck in the attack, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said.

The Russian attacks on the coastline region have wrought havoc in recent weeks, hitting bridges and cutting electricity and heating for hundreds of thousands in freezing temperatures.

Moscow earlier said it would expand strikes on Ukrainian ports as retaliation for targeting its sanctions-busting oil tankers.

On Saturday, Ukraine claimed to have destroyed two Russian fighter jets at an airfield in Moscow-occupied Crimea, according to the security service SBU. Kyiv’s army said it struck a Russian oil rig in the Caspian Sea as well as a patrol ship nearby.

Putin described Russia’s initial full-scale invasion of Ukraine as a “special military operation” to “demilitarise” the country and prevent the expansion of NATO.

Kyiv and its European allies say the war, the largest and deadliest on European soil since World War II, is an unprovoked and illegal land grab that has resulted in a tidal wave of violence and destruction.

A charming city with ancient walls and fairytale architecture is known for being the sunniest capital in Europe, and temperatures can reach up to 24C in December

With the UK in the depths of winter, many of us our turning our attention to that well-needed dose of vitamin D, and where better than a European destination that offers more than 3,300 hours of sunshine every year. And with flights from as little as £52 in December, it could be the sun-soaked break you’re after.

The capital of Nicosia in Cyprus is stunning, pedestrian-friendly and, as expected, bathed in sunshine, with all key tourist sites within comfortable walking distance of one another. Ledra Street serves as the primary shopping area, and adjacent to this street stands Shacolas Tower, where visitors can ascend to discover a compact museum dedicated to the city’s history while enjoying panoramic city vistas.

The city also boasts ancient walls and gates that delineate the historic quarters, creating a perfectly circular fortification. Constructed by the Venetians during the 1500s, these walls remain remarkably well-preserved, while the former moat encircling them has been transformed into a running track, gardens, and a sculpture park.

If that’s not enough to entice you to the city, then it’s worth noting that it boasts an impressive 3,388 hours of sunlight every year, making it the sunniest European city, according to travel booking site Omio. Nicosia enjoys a whopping 358 more hours of sunshine each year than its closest competitor, Valletta in Malta.

The top five were also rounded off by Lisbon in Portugal with 2,838 hours, Athens in Greece with 2,773 hours, and Madrid in Spain with 2,712 hours of annual sunshine. The ranking, compiled by Omio using data from Weather and Climate, unsurprisingly does not feature London in the top 20, with the British capital averaging 1,675 hours of sunshine annually.

Interestingly, Nicosia is a tale of two cities. It serves as the capital of the Republic of Cyprus, an internationally recognised EU member, and also of Northern Cyprus, a state acknowledged only by Turkey. This division stems from a Turkish invasion in 1974, triggered by a Greek Cypriot nationalist coup.

Greek Cypriots sought unification with Greece after gaining independence from Britain in 1960, but Turkey established Northern Cyprus as a separate state for Turkish Cypriots in 1983, sparking widespread international criticism. Yet, the capital has become a popular destination for travellers, with many noting its outstanding beauty.

One holidaymaker shared on Expedia: “A busy bustling town with some great designer shops and quaint touristy souvenir shops too.” Another shared: “A unique divided city, with a Green Wall separating the south (Greek) from the north (Turkish). Easy to cross and a striking contrast. Lots of history to explore on both sides. City feels safe and welcoming, and small enough to be walkable.”

Crossing the Green Line that divides the Republic of Cyprus and Northern Cyprus, where the city is located, is typically straightforward unless you’ve entered Cyprus via Turkey. In such instances, there’s a chance you might be denied passage.

To visit Nicosia, you’ll need to fly into Ercan International Airport, which is just a short drive away from the capital. Flights on Skyscanner start from £52 for travel in December, making it an ideal winter break.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

Here is where things stand on Sunday, December 21:

Fighting

• The death toll from a Russian missile attack on Ukraine’s port city of Odesa rose from seven to eight, with at least 30 others wounded, according to Ukrainian authorities.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the situation in Odesa as “harsh” and accused Russia of trying to block Kyiv’s access to the Black Sea.
• The Ukrainian leader also said that he is looking to replace the head of the Southern Air Command, Dmytro Karpenko, over the Russian strikes on Odesa.
• Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba said Russian forces also attacked the nearby port of Pivdennyi on Saturday, hitting several reservoirs.
• Ukraine’s military said its special forces carried out a drone attack on a Lukoil oil rig in the Caspian Sea on Friday, along with the Russian military patrol ship Okhotnik. The military also said that the Filanovsky oil rig, which had been targeted twice this month, was damaged in the strike.
• The Ukrainian military also said it destroyed two Russian fighter jets at an airfield in the occupied Crimean peninsula.
• Russia’s Ministry of Defence said its forces took control of the villages of Svitle and Vysoke, located in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region and the northeastern Luhansk region, respectively.

Diplomacy and ceasefire talks

• Zelenskyy said the United States proposed a new format for talks with Russia, comprised of three-way talks at the level of national security advisers from Ukraine, Russia, and the US.
• The Ukrainian leader expressed scepticism that the talks would result in “anything new”, but added that he believes that US-led talks have the best chance of success.
• He added that he would support trilateral discussions if they led to progress in areas such as prisoner swaps or a meeting of national leaders. “If such a ‍meeting could be ⁠held now to allow for swaps of prisoners of war, or if a meeting of national security advisers achieves agreement on a leaders’ meeting… I cannot be opposed. We would support such a US proposal. Let’s see how things go,” he said.
• Zelenskyy also pushed back against calls for Ukraine to hold elections as the war drags on, stating that voting cannot take place in Russian-occupied areas and that security conditions must first improve. “It is not [Russian President Vladimir] Putin who decides when and in what format the elections in Ukraine will take place,” Zelenskyy said.
• Zelenskyy urged European leaders to approve a measure to seize frozen Russian assets and use them to fund Ukraine’s war effort, saying that doing so will strengthen Ukraine’s leverage at the negotiating table. The International Monetary Fund has estimated that Ukraine will need about 137 billion euros ($161bn) in 2026 and 2027, as the demands of the war continue to strain the country’s economy.
• Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev held talks with his US counterpart, Steve Witkoff, and US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, in the city of Miami.
• “The ‌discussions are proceeding constructively. They began earlier and ‌will continue ⁠today, and will also continue tomorrow,” ‌Dmitriev said
• Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov attended a summit in Cairo, held to advance closer cooperation between Russia and African nations, and attended by more than 50 countries. Lavrov pitched Russia as a “reliable partner” to African countries in areas such as security and national sovereignty.

Weapons

• Ukrainian presidential aide Oleksandr Kamyshin announced a deal with Portugal on the joint production of maritime drones, saying it would help “defend Europe from the sea”.

Red ribbons and Palestinian flags were seen in London at a vigil calling for the release of thousands of Palestinians being held without charge in Israeli prisons. The vigil focused on Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, director of Gaza’s Kamal Adwan Hospital, who’s been held for nearly one year. Al Jazeera’s Milena Veselinovic was there.

Defending champions Liverpool win 2-1 at Tottenham to climb to fifth in the Premier League table.

Alexander Isak endured a bittersweet evening as the Liverpool striker scored before limping off injured in a chaotic 2-1 win over nine-man Tottenham.

Isak put Liverpool ahead in the second half in north London on Saturday after Tottenham’s Xavi Simons was sent off before the interval for a nasty lunge on Virgil van Dijk.

It was only Isak’s third goal in 16 games in all competitions since his British record 125-million-pound ($166m) move from Newcastle on transfer deadline day.

Yet in keeping with Isak’s troubled start to life with the Premier League champions, the 26-year-old was unable to fully enjoy his goal as he was forced to come off after being injured by Micky van de Ven’s failed attempt to stop him scoring.

Hugo Ekitike’s fifth goal in his last four appearances put Liverpool in command before Richarlison’s reply set up a tense finale that came to a head with Tottenham defender Romero’s dismissal in stoppage time.

Arne Slot’s side are up to fifth place in the Premier League after extending their unbeaten run to six games in all competitions, further distancing them from the miserable run of nine defeats in 12 that plunged them into crisis.

While Liverpool steadied the ship with a third successive win, Isak’s injury could not have come at a worse time following Mohamed Salah’s departure for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Slot claimed on Friday that Liverpool had “moved on” from the Salah controversy after his explosive interview two weeks ago in which he said he had been thrown under the bus by the club and no longer had a relationship with the Reds boss.

He was dropped from the squad for a Champions League game at Inter Milan but returned as a substitute in last week’s victory over Brighton.

The 33-year-old is now on international duty with Egypt for several weeks, making Isak’s injury an especially painful blow if he is ruled out for a prolonged period.

Slot will spend Christmas sweating on Isak’s fitness, and Tottenham manager Thomas Frank’s festive period will be even more fraught.

Last weekend’s limp 3-0 loss at Nottingham Forest sparked debate over the Dane’s future in his rocky first season in charge.

Tottenham are languishing in 13th place after winning just one of their last eight league games.

Ange Postecoglou was sacked despite winning the Europa League last season to end Tottenham’s 17-year trophy drought, and Frank is in danger of suffering the same fate as the Australian if results do not improve soon.

Simons left Tottenham with a mountain to climb in the 33rd minute when he raked his studs down Van Dijk’s calf with an ugly challenge from behind.

Initially booked for the foul, Simons was shown the red card after a VAR review.

Slot sent on Isak for the injured Conor Bradley at half-time and it took the Sweden striker just 11 minutes to make an impact as Liverpool broke the deadlock with a goal 300 million pounds ($399m) in the making.

All three of Liverpool’s costly close-season signings combined as Ekitike picked out Florian Wirtz, and he slipped a perfectly weighted pass to Isak, who timed his run to drill a clinical finish past Guglielmo Vicario from 10 yards.

Ekitike doubled Liverpool’s lead in the 66th minute.

Jeremie Frimpong’s deflected cross looped into the six-yard box, where Ekitike out-jumped Romero to thump his header into the top corner.

Richarlison reduced the deficit with a close-range blast after Reds captain van Dijk miscued a clearance in the 83rd minute.

But, with the visitors wobbling, Romero’s second booking for kicking Ibrahima Konate let Liverpool off the hook.

European farmers are protesting against the EU-Mercosur deal.

That is as signing has been postponed until January, due to disagreements in Europe.

The European-South American deal, planned for more than 25 years, would create the world’s largest free-trade zone.

So, why is there division?

Presenter: Folly Bah Thibault

Guests:

Pieter Cleppe – Editor-in-chief at BrusselsReport.eu
Ciaran Mullooly – Member of the European Parliament for the Independent Ireland group
Gustavo Ribeiro – Founder and editor-in-chief of the Brazilian Report online newspaper

SNOW-DUSTED fir trees line the streets, shiny red baubles dangle over shopfronts and enormous Nutcrackers stand to attention by the doors of cafes.

The city of Vilnius in Lithuania has been named this year’s Christmas Capital of Europe — and I couldn’t wait to unwrap it.

There’s festive fodder in every direction I turn and, unlike many European cities at Christmas, there are no obnoxiously loud rides or tacky grottos.

Instead, the capital of Lithuania celebrates the festive period with pure charm, transforming into a glittery wonderland as soon as it is acceptable to do so (generally in late-November).

Vilnius’s main attraction, an enormous decked-out Christmas tree, stands tall in Cathedral Square, accompanied by a traditional carousel and market stalls dishing out warm apple punch and pots of doughnuts drizzled in chocolate.

This tree has some competition, though. In early November each year, The Senator’s Passage, just up the road from Cathedral Square, receives its own grand tree.

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The owner tells me with a grin that it usually takes around 15 workers to drag the tree through the narrow passageway and dress it for the season.

It seemed worth the hassle though, with seven metres of green branches dripping in twinkling lights.

If you plan your travel dates well, you can visit for “Christmas Before Christmas”, where seasonal events take place throughout the city prior to the main event.

This year, the festivities took place on December 13 with performances from carol singers, festive tours and even a holiday-themed train and bus.

Your euros won’t be accepted on this day, though.

Christmas Before Christmas relies on a special currency — a red pine cone which visitors can swap for a warming cherry tea or a sweet treat.

There’s so much to keep you entertained during the day, from ice skating to strolls through wintry gardens, but the magic of Vilnius doesn’t truly comes to life until the sun goes down.

This is especially true for Konstantinas Sirvydas Square, which this year has an impressive 144 Christmas trees.

Delicious grub

Or, for a truly epic festive display, a must-see is the Poniuų Laimė in the Old Town’s Jewish Quarter.

The cafe selling delicate cakes and cookies decorates its front for each season, and this December it became the Orient Express, embellished with huge red velvet bows and suitcases.

If you’re looking for something a little different, however, you may want to swing by the Lukiskiu Kalejimas Christmas market set up in a former prison.

Eagle-eyed Stranger Things fans will recognise this as the filming location of the Russian prison where Hopper was held in the fourth series.

It looks a little different at this time of year, though, with locally-made drinks, teas and gifts being flogged from a once gloomy building that housed prisoners until as recently as 2019.

Of course, a festive getaway isn’t complete with some delicious grub.

I had never considered Lithuania to be a place for foodies — but in fact, Vilnius has four Michelin-star restaurants.

It was one simple snack that took the biscuit for me — kepta duona, which is essentially fried bread in garlic.

The crunchy, delicious treat is a bit like a meat-free pork scratching, but much tastier.

If you’re a fan of bagels, then stop by Baleboste, where I felt more like I was being welcomed into someone’s dining room than a Jewish cafe.

Here, the ring-shaped bread is served warm with just the right amount of sweetness and a sprinkling of poppy seeds.

I had mine with a pulled beef filling which comes with mustard and plenty of pickles.

This isn’t something locals will be enjoying at this time of year as traditionally in Lithuania, it’s common to fast in the run-up to December 24, and most families don’t eat meat in this period — even on Christmas Eve.

Instead, they get together for a 12-course evening dinner called Kucios where they feast on beetroot, dumplings, lots of fish, berries and nuts.

You can enjoy a taster of this feast at Ertlio Namas, a Michelin-Guide restaurant in the Old Town.

After that delicious spread, I practically rolled back to the Hotel Pacai which has spacious rooms with enormous bathtubs for when you need to warm up after wandering around the chilly city.

If you’re lucky, like I was, there might even be a sprinkling of snow outside the window come morning.

NEXT time you’re exploring France, you might spot something that looks like a UFO.

However, it is more likely to be a swimming pool, built back in the 1970s.

Called “Piscines Tournesol” – or “sunflower pools” – it aimed to build 1,000 swimming pools across the country.

This was launched by then Secretary of State for Youth and Sport, Joseph Comiti.

They hoped to encourage more people to swim, after the a series of drowning incidents.

Not only that, but it followed a poor performance from the French swimming team in the 1968 Summer Olympics.

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Around 700 were built, but there was one particular style that was praised.

With a number of designs put forward, the winner was created by architect Bernard Schoellerr – called Piscines Tournesol.

Despite plans for 250 “sunflower” pools across the UK, around 183 were built.

Each one was around 25m long and 10m wide, with a 35m diamater domed roof.

Most of the light came from the round port-hole style windows.

While named after the flower, the pools look more like a spaceship, many have said.

In good weather, the roofs open 120 degrees, so are half indoors and half outdoors.

Sadly only 100 remain across France, although a number are still open to the public, although there are a few also across Luxembourg and Belgium.

One of the easiest for Brits to visit is Piscine Tournesol d’Hellemmes, on the outskirts of Lille.

Or there is Tournesol Raymond-Mulinghausen, 30 minutes from the centre of Paris which even launched €1 swims this summer for kids.

And one of the oldest is Piscine Tournesol de Bonneveine in Marseille, which was granted heritage status in 2000.

I saw one on holiday in Luxembourg, in the early 80’s. It was on top of a hill, hidden behind some trees, just like a real UFO

It’s beautiful, so Space Age looking. Does it open any further, to expose the whole pool?

Here’s how to find the grand Grecian-style pool in the UK.

And we’ve rounded up the best outdoor swimming pools in the UK.

Follow our live build-up, with full team news coverage, before our text commentary stream of the EPL clash in London.

A Russian ballistic missile strike on port infrastructure in Ukraine’s Odesa port in the south has killed at least eight people and wounded 27, as Moscow intensifies attacks on the strategic Black Sea region and talks to end the war remain in a critical stage.

The attack late on Friday hit critical logistics infrastructure, with some of the wounded trapped on a bus at the strike’s epicentre as trucks caught fire in a car park.

Ukrainian officials say the bombardment is part of a sustained Russian campaign against Odesa’s civilian infrastructure that has left more than two million people without electricity, water and heating for days amid freezing temperatures in the war’s fourth punishing winter.

Moscow struck the same port again on Saturday, hitting reservoirs in what Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba described as deliberately targeting civilian logistics routes.

The escalation comes as both sides trade blows across multiple fronts, while United States-led negotiations and numerous high-level meetings in Europe to end the war lumber on without a breakthrough.

Russia claimed on Saturday to have seized the villages of Svitle in the eastern Donetsk region and Vysoke in the northeastern Sumy region, though the reports could not be independently verified.

Ukraine has responded with a widening campaign against Russian military and energy assets.

On Friday night, Ukrainian drones struck the Filanovsky oil rig belonging to Russian energy giant Lukoil in the Caspian Sea, along with a military patrol ship patrolling near the platform.

The attack marked the first officially acknowledged Ukrainian strike on Caspian drilling infrastructure, though the rig had been hit at least twice before in December.

Between December 14 and 15, Ukrainian forces used sea drones to strike a Russian Kilo-class submarine at the Novorossiysk Naval Base in the Black Sea, according to a United Kingdom Defence Intelligence assessment.

Miami talks

The attacks unfold as American and European officials gather in Miami for weekend talks aimed at ending the nearly four-year war, with Russian and Ukrainian teams also in attendance.

Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev said on Saturday he was heading to Miami.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington would not force Ukraine into any agreement, though he described the conflict as “not our war”.

Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are leading discussions with Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov and officials from the UK, France and Germany. Russian representatives, including Kremlin key negotiator Dmitriev, are meeting separately with American officials.

The key obstacle remains territorial concessions, with reports suggesting Washington is pushing Kyiv to cede parts of the eastern Donetsk region.

Russian President Vladimir Putin showed no signs of compromise at his annual choreographed news conference on Friday, pledging to press ahead with military operations and predicting new successes before the year’s end.

Putin’s remarks were the latest in a drumbeat of often-repeated maximalist Russian positions nearly four years after he ordered troops into the neighbouring country.

The issue of territory gained, lost, to be ceded or not, delves into the heart of the matter on one of the most contentious issues in the talks to end the war so far.

Putin has demanded Ukraine cede all territory in four key regions his forces have captured and occupied, along with Crimea, which Moscow seized and annexed in 2014.

He also wants Ukrainian troops to withdraw from parts of eastern Ukraine that Russian forces have not yet taken in the eastern Donetsk region, where fighting remains attritional – conditions Kyiv has rejected outright.

As talks continue, so does the fighting, with Russia controlling large parts of Ukraine’s eastern and Black Sea coastal regions.

Putin projected confidence on Friday about battlefield progress, saying Russian forces had “fully seized strategic initiative” and would make further gains before the year ends.

However, that narrative is on shaky ground this week, as Moscow’s assertion of inevitable victory flew in the face of facts on the ground.

Ukraine steadily took back control of almost all of its northern city of Kupiansk after isolating Russian forces within it, belying Russian claims to have seized it.

Russian forces were also unable to dislodge Ukrainian defenders from the eastern city of Pokrovsk in the eastern area of Donetsk to back up Moscow’s claims of total control.

Ukraine received a boost on Friday when European leaders agreed to provide a 90 billion euros ($105bn) loan to cover military and economic needs for the next two years.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who met Polish President Karol Nawrocki in Warsaw the same day to reinforce regional unity against Russia, said the funds would go towards defence if the war continues or reconstruction if peace is achieved.

These are the key developments from day 1,395 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Here is where things stand on Saturday, 20 December :

Fighting

• Russian attacks targeting ports in Ukraine’s Odesa killed seven people and wounded 15, Governor Oleh Kiper said in a post on Telegram.
• Kiper described the attack as “massive” and said it involved Russian ballistic missiles, which targeted trucks that caught fire.
• The Kyiv Independent news outlet reported that Odesa city has been suffering from chronic power outages since December 13, due to earlier Russian attacks.
• Russian forces attacked Ukraine’s Dnipro region with artillery shelling and drones, damaging homes, power lines and a gas pipeline, Vladyslav Hayvanenko, acting head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration, wrote on Facebook.
• Ukraine has taken back control of almost all of its northern city of Kupiansk after isolating Russian forces and unending Russian claims to have seized the key urban centre.

Aid

• European Union leaders agreed to provide a $105.5bn interest-free loan to Ukraine to meet the country’s military and economic needs for the next two years.
• EU leaders decided ‍to borrow cash on capital markets to fund Ukraine’s defence against Russia, rather than use frozen Russian assets, diplomats said.

Diplomacy

• In his annual “results of the year” speech in Moscow on Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for refusing to discuss giving up the Ukrainian Russia has seized, as part of truce negotiations.
• “We know from statements from Zelenskyy that he’s not prepared to discuss territory issues,” Putin said.
• The Russian president also attacked Europe’s handling of frozen Russian assets, labelling plans to use them to fund Ukraine as “robbery”, rather than theft, because it was being done openly.
• “Whatever they stole, they’ll have to give it back someday,” Putin said, pledging to pursue legal action in courts that he described as “independent of political decisions”.

Ceasefire talks

• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that progress has been made to end Russia’s war on Ukraine in a year-end address in Washington, DC.
• “I think we’ve made progress, but we have a ways to go, and obviously, the hardest issues are always the last issues,” Rubio told reporters.
• “We don’t see surrender any time in the near future, and only a negotiated settlement can end this war,” Rubio said, adding that any decision about ending the war will be up to Ukraine and Russia, and not the US.
• Top Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov, who is in the US for ceasefire discussions, said the US and Kyiv had agreed to continue their joint efforts to reach a ceasefire.
• “We agreed with our American partners on further steps and on continuing our joint work in the near future,” Umerov wrote on Telegram, without providing further details. He added that he had informed Zelenskyy of the outcome of the talks.
• Putin’s special envoy, Kirill ‍ Dmitriev, is heading ‍to Miami for a meeting with Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, and the US president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, a Russian source told Reuters.
• The meeting in Miami this weekend comes after Witkoff and Kushner held talks in Berlin with Ukrainian and European officials earlier this week to try to reach a deal to ​end the war.
• The Russian source said that any meeting between Dmitriev and Ukrainian negotiators currently in the US had been ruled out.

Regional Security

• Turkiye’s Ministry of the Interior said that it found a Russian-made reconnaissance drone in the İzmit district of Kocaeli, in northwestern Turkiye, based on “initial findings” from an ongoing investigation.
• An “unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) believed to be of the Russian-made Orlan-10 type, used for reconnaissance and surveillance, was found,” the ministry said in a post on X.
• Turkiye’s Ministry of National Defence said on Monday that it had shot down a drone over the Black Sea as it approached Turkish airspace, according to local reports, without providing further details.
• Ukraine’s Ukrinform news site reported on Friday that after the drone was shot down, Turkiye had informed both Kyiv and Moscow “of the need to act cautiously” so as not to “negatively affect security in the Black Sea”.

Who: Villareal vs Barcelona
What: Spain’s La Liga
Where: Estadio de la Ceramica in Villareal, Spain
When: Sunday, December 21, at 4:15pm (15:15 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 1215 GMT in advance of our text commentary stream. Click here to follow our live coverage.

Villarreal has quietly mounted a potential dark horse title campaign through most of the first half of La Liga.

Now it has a chance to make it official when the “Yellow Submarine” host Barcelona on Sunday.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at a game that could blow the Spanish top flight wide open.

How have Villareal fared in La Liga this season?

The team coached by Marcelino Garcia Toral is in third place, eight points behind leader Barcelona and four behind second-placed Real Madrid. But it has played two fewer games than the powerhouses, so it could easily be in an even stronger position.

Villarreal has disappointed in the Champions League and was eliminated from the Copa del Rey by a lower-division side this week. But La Liga is a different story. Villarreal is on a six-game winning run, and its only two losses have come at Madrid and Atletico Madrid.

Marcelino’s men have also turned their La Ceramica stadium into a fortress, conceding a miserly four goals in eight home matches while remaining unbeaten and winning all but one of those league encounters.

How have Barcelona fared in La Liga this season?

The game will pit the league’s top defence in Villarreal, with 13 goals allowed in 17 games, against the league’s top attack. Barcelona has poured in 49 goals in that time – 15 more than closest challengers Real – and more than made up for a sometimes shaky defence by outscoring its opponents.

Barcelona will look to both quash thoughts of a challenge by Villarreal and close 2025 on a high note this weekend.

An eighth consecutive league victory for Lamine Yamal and company would also keep the pressure on a Madrid side which is struggling.

Madrid hosts Sevilla on Saturday, with coach Xabi Alonso in need of a convincing victory before they have the two-week winter break to ponder the team’s future.

What happened in Villareal’s last match?

Adding insult to the injury of Villareal’s difficulties outside of La Liga this season, they suffered a shock 2-1 Copa del Rey defeat to second-tier Racing de Santander on Wednesday.

Their last La Liga match was on December 6, and was a 2-0 home win against Girona. In between those two matches, Villareal also suffered a 3-2 home defeat at the hands of Copenhagen in the Champions League.

What happened in Barcelona’s last match?

Andreas Christensen and Marcus Rashford struck late in the game to hand Barcelona a hard-fought 2-0 victory against third-tier side Guadalajara in the Copa del Rey on Tuesday.

Their last La Liga match also saw the Catalans pushed to the limit by Osasuna with Raphinha netting twice late in the game to secure a 2-0 win.

What is the secret of Villareal’s La Liga form?

Villarreal has based its success on a team effort with several goal-scorers and playmakers. But left winger Alberto Moleiro stands out. He is having a breakout first season with the team and leads Villarreal with six league goals. Tajon Buchanan has added five goals, and midfielder Santi Comesana helps a solid midfield.

What are Barcelona’s challenges in their La Liga defence?

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has so far succeeded in making a left-side centre-back of Gerard Martin, who struggled to fill in at left back when Alejandro Balde was injured late last season.

Martin has five consecutive starts in the centre of the defensive line as Flick tries to find a replacement for Inigo Martínez, who left earlier in the year for Saudi Arabia. Martin may be tested by Villarreal’s attack.

What happened to La Liga’s plan to play Villareal-Barcelona in Miami?

The Sunday showdown was originally earmarked for Miami until La Liga’s international expansion plans collapsed under heavy criticism, forcing the cancellation of what would have been the first European league match played abroad.

What happened the last time Villareal played Barcelona?

Villareal were 3-2 winners in the La Liga clash in May at Barcelona in the side’s last encounter, although the home side had already secured the league title five days previous to the match.

The away side took the lead through Ayoze Perez after only four minutes, but Yamal and Fermin Lopez turned the game in Barca’s favour before the break. Villareal were not done, however, with Santi Comesana levelling in the 50th minute before Tajon Buchanan scored the winner 10 minutes from time.

What happened in the corresponding fixture between Villareal and Barcelona last season?

The first meeting between the sides last season resulted in a 5-1 drubbing as Barcelona ran amok at in Villareal.

Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha both netted braces either side of Pedro Torre’s strike. Perez was also on the scoresheet in this match for the home side, but it proved only to be a consolation.

Head-to-head

This is the 55th meeting between the sides, with Barcelona winning 33 of the matches and Villarreal emerging victorious on 11 occasions.

Villareal have won their last two trips to Barcelona, but the Catalan club have the same record from their last two games at La Ceramica.

Villareal team news

Villarreal received a timely boost as veterans Gerard Moreno and Dani Parejo returned to training on Tuesday and should be available to face Barcelona.

Pape Gueye and Ilias Akhomach, however, are away with Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Pau Cabanes is a definite injury absentee, while Thomas Partey, Gerard Moreno, Willy Kambwala and Santiago Mourino must prove their fitness before the match.

Barcelona team news

Dani Olmo and Gavi are both absent due to injuries, while Ronald Araujo is set to miss the game due to personal reasons.

Pedri missed training on Friday due to a calf strain, making him a major doubt for the match.

Predicted Villareal lineup

Luiz Junior; Navarro, Foyth, Veiga, Cardona; Buchanan, Comesana, Parejo, Moleiro; Perez, Mikautadze

Predicted Barcelona lineup

Joan Garcia; Kounde, Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, Balde; De Jong, Pedri; Yamal, Raphinha, Rashford; Torres

A shell company with Israeli ties exploited Palestinians desperate to flee the ongoing war in Gaza, charging them large sums of money to covertly exit the country in what may be an official plan to ethnically cleanse the territory.

In an exclusive digital investigation, Al Jazeera probed last month’s mystery flight that spirited 153 passengers from Gaza to South Africa, unearthing figures working for Al-Majd Europe, an unregistered front organisation that falsely claimed to be working for humanitarian aims.

The Palestinians arrived at OR Tambo International Airport, which serves the cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria, on November 13. Refused entry by border police as they did not have departure stamps from Israel on their passports, they were stuck on the aircraft for 12 hours before being allowed to disembark.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa admitted the passengers “out of compassion”, but said at the time that his government, which has long been a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause, would investigate as it seemed that they had been “flushed out” of the Gaza Strip.

Forced evacuations

Israeli officials have previously openly stated that they support what they have termed the “voluntary emigration” of Palestinians from Gaza, in what effectively would be their forced evacuation.

In March 2025, Israel’s security cabinet set up a controversial bureau to get Palestinians to leave Gaza voluntarily, which was headed by former deputy director of the Ministry of Defence, Yaakov Blitstein. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said at the time that 40 percent of Gaza residents were “interested in emigrating”.

The previous month, Al-Majd Europe set up its online presence with a new website stating that it focused on relief efforts in Muslim countries, specifically “for Gazans wishing to exit Gaza”, with claims that it had organised mobile health clinics in the enclave and trips for Palestinian doctors abroad that Al Jazeera later discovered to be false.

A passenger from the November flight to South Africa, whose identity was kept hidden for his own protection, said he contacted the organisation after finding the link online, which promised not only a way out of Gaza, but safety and medical treatment for injuries. “Initially, it said it was free. Then they asked for $1,400 [per person]. Then the price went up to $2,500,” he said.

Testimonies gathered by Al Jazeera showed that payments requested varied from $1,000-2,000 per person, with strict criteria for signing up. Only families would be accepted on condition that they kept their departure secret, with details on flight departures only released a few hours before takeoff.

Passengers say they were told to arrive at the Karem Abu Salem crossing (called Kerem Shalom in Israel) in southern Gaza. When they arrived, their personal belongings were confiscated, and they were put on buses to Ramon Airport, near the Israeli city of Eilat, apparently by Israeli authorities.

Nigel Branken, a South African social worker who helped tho Palestinians on the plane, previously told Al Jazeera that there were “very clearly … marks of Israel involved in this operation to take people … to displace them”.

Evacuees told Al Jazeera they were not informed of their final destination until moments before boarding. They were then escorted onto a flight registered to a brand new airline called FLYYO without exit stamps in their travel documents.

Al Jazeera discovered that FLYYO has organised a number of similar flights, all taking off from Israeli airports, headed to Romania, Indonesia, South Africa, Kenya and other destinations.

False identity

Further scrutiny of Al-Majd Europe, which said it was a “humanitarian foundation established in 2010 in Germany”, with a head office located in Sheikh Jarrah, a neighbourhood in occupied East Jerusalem, later revealed its identity to be a sham.

Al Jazeera found no company registered by that name on any German or European database. The supposed address does not appear in official Jerusalem records, with the location on Google Maps corresponding to a hospital and a cafe.

While digging into the flights, Al Jazeera found two faces linked to the organisation – both Palestinians. The first was Muayad Hisham Saidam, which the organisation lists as its humanitarian projects manager in Gaza.

A search of Saidam’s name reveals that in May 2024, his wife created a public page to ask for donations to help her family leave Gaza. A year later, Saidam posted an image of himself boarding a plane chartered by Fly Lili, another Romanian airline, announcing that he was departing Gaza.

Using the angle of his shadow, time of the flight and the location of the plane on the Ramon Airport runway, Al Jazeera discovered Saidam was likely on a flight on May 27, 2025, which left Israel for Budapest, with 57 Palestinian passengers from Gaza.

It appears that Saidam’s identity is real, and that his family was likely evacuated to Indonesia. But his connection to Al-Majd Europe is unclear.

The second public face of the organisation belongs to a man named only as Adnan, though he appears to have no digital footprint.

On November 13, the day of the Johannesburg flight, a page containing a number of partner companies was deleted from Al-Majd’s website. Using open-source intelligence techniques, Al Jazeera recovered the page, which showed a number of well-known groups that Al-Majd claimed to have been working with, including the International Red Cross.

One name stood out: Talent Globus – a recruitment company established in Estonia in 2024, with a fund containing only $350. Its website lists four employees, including Director Tom Lind, a businessman with Israeli and Estonian citizenship.

Lind’s name has been linked to a number of other companies where he’s listed either as a founder or director – all without official registration or physical addresses.

Lind’s name appeared in reports by Israeli newspaper Haaretz as one of the coordinators of the flights of Palestinians leaving Ramon Airport.

In May 2025, Lind posted on his LinkedIn page that he had left Talent Globus, and was instead focused on “humanitarian efforts to support Palestinians”. He said that, alongside a network of individuals and groups, he had assisted with the evacuation of a “substantial number” of people from Gaza.

Photos of the other three employees of Talent Globus from its website – James Thompson, Maria Rodriguez, David Chen – all turned out to be stock images.

And much like those employees, it appears as though Al-Majd itself is a fake humanitarian group, leading to the question of what those behind the organisation are trying to hide.

Publicly, Israel has seemed to back down from its plan to encourage “voluntary emigration”. But Al Jazeera’s investigation poses more questions – is Al-Majd part of a bigger plan, a way to quietly empty Gaza of its inhabitants, one secret flight at a time?