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The National

The Houthis’ reach into Africa should alarm the world

For more than a decade, the Houthis have inflicted immense suffering on Yemen and sown instability across the Middle East. Since taking control of the country’s north in 2014, the Iranian-backed rebels have deprived large segments of the population of basic services, launched projectiles into neighbouring countries and turned the Bab Al Mandeb strait into one of the world’s most dangerous shipping lanes.Now, a report from the Century Foundation, a US-based non-partisan think tank, details how the group’s nefarious ambitions have extended far beyond the region’s shores. This should concentrate minds in the western, Middle Eastern and African capitals.The report details how the Houthis have been building smuggling and training networks that stretch across the Red Sea into the Horn of Africa and Sudan, as they deepen ties with Al Shabab, a terrorist group in Somalia, and the Sudanese Armed Forces.These connections are largely transactional – at least for now. But as the report warns, they can develop into something considerably more durable. The potential consequences of this happening are serious.Al Shabab, a group with links to Al Qaeda, has sought Houthi assistance in acquiring anti-aircraft weapons and drones to counter aerial attacks. While advanced weaponry hasn’t appeared in Somali battlefields, such a possibility could be a matter of when – not if. Several Al Shabab operat...

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The National

Diabetes in young people should be a wake-up call for all

Write to us: Share your feedback on the news of the weekA collective responsibilityI write in reference to Nick Webster’s article Doctors in UAE call for early diabetes screening as youth cases surge (August 25): this piece is a serious wake-up call. Changing food habits, increased consumption of processed and sugary foods, sedentary lifestyles and lack of regular physical activity are among the major factors contributing to this growing menace. What was once largely considered an adult disease is now affecting younger generations, making early screening and timely intervention increasingly important. Prevention, however, cannot be left to doctors and healthcare systems alone. Regular awareness programmes and community meetings can educate people about healthy eating, exercise, early warning signs and the importance of periodic health checks. Schools and families, in particular, have an important role in nurturing healthier habits from an early age. The rising numbers should make us pause and reflect: are we giving our children a healthier future, or are our present lifestyles silently putting their health at risk? Early awareness, responsible food choices, regular exercise and timely screening can go a long way in controlling this growing public-health challenge. A healthy generation is not merely a medical responsibility – it is a collective responsibility of families, commun...

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Nation

Coast water crisis deepens as firms fail to pay Sh5.5bn debt

A water vendor pushes his cart along Ndia Kuu in Mombasa’s Old Town on February 28, 2022. Four Coast water companies have been disconnected from bulk supplies over Sh5.5 billion in unpaid bills, worsening water shortages across the region.For years, Coast residents have endured the frustration of turning on dry taps. Now, a Sh5.5 billion debt crisis threatens to make the region’s water shortages even worse.Four water companies serving Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi and Taita-Taveta counties have been cut off from bulk water supplies after failing to settle their outstanding bills, deepening a crisis already marked by shortages, ageing infrastructure and unreliable distribution.The Coast Water Works Development Agency (CWWDA) said it disconnected TAVEVO Water and Sewerage Company, Kwale Water and Sewerage Company (KWAWASCO), Malindi Water and Sewerage Company (MAWASCO) and Kilifi-Mariakani Water and Sewerage Company (KIMAWASCO) after repeated demands for payment went unheeded.In a customer alert on Tuesday, the agency said the companies had failed to meet the requirement to settle all their outstanding bulk water bills.“The disconnection has been undertaken due to outstanding water bills and failure by the respective Water Service Providers to settle 100 per cent of their water bills as required,” the agency said.The debt, captured in Auditor-General records for the 2024/2025 financial year, exposes the financial strain threatening the sustainability of water services across the region.The timing could hardly be worse. The Coast already has a combined daily water deficit of about 327,000 cubic metres, with demand substantially exceeding available supply.The latest cuts therefore risk turning a financial problem into a wider economic and social crisis, particularly in rapidly growing urban centres where households, businesses and tourism depend on reliable water supplies.TAVEVO serves Voi, Mwatate, Wundanyi, Taveta, Mackinnon, Maungu and Mbololo in Taita-Taveta. KWAWASCO supplies Kwale Town, Ukunda, Diani, Msambweni, Lunga Lunga and Kinango, while MAWASCO serves Malindi, Watamu and surrounding areas. KIMAWASCO covers several parts of Kilifi County, including Rabai, Kaloleni, Ganze, Kilifi South and parts of Kilifi North.Behind the mounting debts are persistent operational problems, including leakages, illegal connections, outdated meters, ageing infrastructure and poor revenue collection.Also Read: State defends controversial appointment of Coast water agency directorsAn audit of MAWASCO for the 2023/2024 financial year found the company had incurred a loss of about Sh1.04 billion. The Auditor-General linked the losses to illegal connections, outdated meters, leaking infrastructure and reliance on flat-rate billing.Electricity debts have compounded the problem. Unpaid power bills have affected pumping stations in parts of Kilifi, while Kenya Power has previously disconnected some facilities over outstanding debts, further disrupting distribution.From right: Daniel Mwaringa, chairperson of the Coast Water Works Development Agency board, director Judith Wabosha and Mwatate MP Peter Shake test the newly installed water taps during the launch of the Mwarondo borehole project on November 12, 2025.The result is a damaging cycle: water companies struggle to pay the bulk supplier, consumers receive unreliable services, revenue collection suffers and debts continue to grow.The disconnections have also reignited debate over how the Coast’s water resources are managed.In Taita-Taveta, nominated MCA and Minority Leader Peter Shambi criticised the decision, saying residents of Voi and surrounding areas had suffered repeated shortages despite the county hosting Mzima Springs, a major source of water for the region.Mr Shambi said TAVEVO inherited more than Sh600 million in historical debts incurred before its establishment and urged the national government to waive the liability rather than allow repeated disconnections.“Mzima Springs, the source of this water, is located in Taita-Taveta County. It is unacceptable for our people to watch water originating from their county being taken elsewhere while they struggle to access the same resource,” he said.He called for a restructuring of the bulk-water arrangement and proposed that TAVEVO be empowered to manage and distribute water from Mzima Springs, including supplying neighbouring counties at affordable rates. The dispute comes as population growth, tourism, industrial expansion and urbanisation drive demand higher across the Coast. Mombasa relies heavily on water transported from sources outside the county, while expanding towns in Kilifi, Kwale and Taita-Taveta continue to strain existing infrastructure.Clearing the Sh5.5 billion debt may provide immediate relief, but it will not resolve the underlying weaknesses that created it.Unless water companies address illegal connections, leakages, poor metering, ageing infrastructure and weak revenue collection, the region risks falling back into the same cycle — leaving residents to bear the cost through unreliable supplies.

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Nation

MPs plot to hand KDF greater say in military collaborations

 The chairperson National Assembly Committee on Defence, Intelligence, and Foreign Relations Nelson Koech (centre) Vice Chair Elijah Memusi (left) and committee members addressing the media at County Hall Nairobi, on Tuesday, April 9, 2024.The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) will play a major role in determining whether Kenya enters into a Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) in future if Members of Parliament approve the various proposals under consideration.Following the recent stalemate with the United Kingdom over the jurisdiction for trying foreign soldiers who commit offences while training on Kenyan soil, lawmakers are considering giving the KDF more power to approve such agreements after scrutinising the terms of engagement.The proposals, which are still in the drafting stage, will see the KDF inspect the weapons that foreign soldiers are bringing into the country and make the final decision on whether the training will have a devastating effect on neighbouring communities.Kenyan soldiers will also have the power to determine where such training takes place, with the draft proposals indicating that no foreign country will be permitted to set up a training camp in any border area.For example, visiting troops would not be permitted to set up a training camp between Kenya and Somalia, as this would hinder the KDF's ability to secure the country's borders effectively.There are also concerns that setting up training camps near the border could give Kenya's perceived enemies access to the territory, or cause the visiting troops to cooperate with the enemy.Further, KDF will also ensure that there is no major disparity in payment agreement between visiting troops, private ranchers and the land of the host community. This meant to cure the situation where visiting troops pay more to private ranchers and peanuts to the locals.“These are the templates that the Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations committee will be working on in determining future Defence Cooperation Agreements,” said an officer working on the document to be tabled in the House soon.The National Assembly is currently embroiled in a standoff with the UK over the renewal of the Defence Cooperation Agreement to allow the British Army Training Unit in Kenya (Batuk) continue training in the country in future.Parliament has insisted that Articles 6(5) and 23 of the cooperation must be amended to include murder as one of the offences within the jurisdiction of Kenyan courts and include a Corporate Social Responsibility component by the British Army Training Unit in Kenya (Batuk).British Army soldiers during a training exercise in Lolldaiga, Laikipia County. on November 14, 2022. As currently drafted, the agreement excludes certain serious offences from the definition of “official duty”, giving Kenya primary jurisdiction over those cases. However, murder is omitted from that list, leaving room for Britain to claim jurisdiction over such cases — a loophole Kenyan lawmakers’ want closed.The House is currently examining three DCAs-which includes the agreement between the government of Kenya and the government of the Republic of Angola which was signed on May 25, 2026 by the Cabinet Secretaries for Defence of both countries.Also Read: A maritime dream or a red herring? Unpacking Uganda's Indian Ocean threat to Kenya’s sovereigntyThe Agreement provides for areas of cooperation which include military training and exercises; exchange of information and intelligence, maritime security, cyber security, counter-terrorism and counter-violent extremism; and humanitarian operations, among other areas.The second DCA is the agreement between the government of Kenya and the government of the Republic of Turkiye.The agreement seeks to provide a framework for relations and develop cooperation between the Parties for several areas of cooperation which include military training and education, exchange of military intelligence and mutual participation in exercises and training, among other areas.The committee undertaking a critical analysis of each of the Defence Cooperation Agreements and considering submissions from the public and all relevant stakeholders in accordance with the requirements of section 8 of the Treaty Making and Ratification Act, Cap 4D.Borrowing from its experience with the Defence Cooperation Agreement between the government of Kenya and the UK government, the Committee already has defined parameters that it will be considering in making its recommendations on the two Agreements, for adoption.In examining the agreements, the committee will seek to safeguard the interests of the country and the local communities by ensuring that the jurisdiction provisions under which personnel of sending states can be charged for criminal offences committed in the country are watertight.The Committee will also be examining provisions on compensation of local communities in case of damage or loss of property; and provisions on enhancing community relations through corporate social responsibility activities that may be undertaken by the sending states.

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Nation

Kings without a kingdom: Opposition chiefs losing MPs to defections

People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua (centre) leading United Alternative Government and Linda Mwananchi members in addressing journalists at Hermosa Hotel in Nairobi on August 19, 2026.Kenya’s opposition is facing an unusual form of political cannibalism, with partner parties poaching each other’s elected leaders and smaller outfits struggling to retain their political bases.The defections are exposing what could become the soft underbelly of some opposition principals that they may command a seat at the coalition table but have little political muscle on the ground.In the boardrooms, the principals have presented themselves as equal partners in the United Opposition.On the ground, however, their elected leaders are drifting towards rival parties and emerging political movements raising questions about who actually controls the grassroots networks needed to win elections.For individual politicians, the shifts may be driven by political survival and self-preservation.The poaching has already created friction within the United Opposition, with some parties accusing their bigger partners of bullying and scavenging on their political bases.The Democratic Citizens Party (DCP) associated with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has in turn accused some of its partners of failing to pull their weight in grassroots mobilisation.“Our party leader has told them that they need to go to the people and stop spending a lot of time in hotels and boardrooms,” said Embakasi Central MP Benjamin Gathiru, alias Mejja Donk.“If you look at Jubilee MPs, I don’t think there is a single member seeking to defend their seats on the party. Some of those leaders cannot even convince their own members of parliament. We have a very big problem with some of the so called principals,” said the MP, a close ally of Mr Gachagua.Jubilee Party which is fronting former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i for the presidency has suffered one of the most visible waves of defections.Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) Party Leader Rigathi Gachagua (second right) addressing a press briefing at the SKM Centre on April 15, 2026. With him are (from left) Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Jubilee Deputy Party Leader Fred Matiangi and Democratic Action Party-Kenya (DAP-K) Party Leader Eugene Wamalwa. A number of its elected leaders have either moved to DCP, aligned themselves with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA), or gravitated towards the Linda Mwananchi movement associated with Nairobi Senator Edwin SifunaIn Nairobi, all three Jubilee MPs have indicated that they will defend their seats on DCP. They are Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan, Embakasi Central MP Mark Mwenje and Starehe MP Amos Mwago.In the Mt Kenya region, former Kieni MP Kanini Kega who was sponsored by Jubilee to the East African Legislative Assembly has also moved to DCP.Others have aligned themselves with UDA including nominated MP Sabina Chege, Aldas MP Aden Keynan, Nakuru West MP Samuel Arama, Sirisia MP John Waluke, Kitui South MP Racheal Nyamai and Garissa Senator Abdulkadir Mohamed Haji.The DCP inroads into Jubilee’s traditional bases could weaken former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s bargaining position in the 2027 political matrix while strengthening Mr Gachagua’s hand.It could also complicate Dr Matiang’i’s quest to emerge as the opposition’s presidential flag bearer.Some Gusii leaders who had initially identified with Dr Matiang’i have also been gravitating towards Linda Mwananchi which has gained momentum in recent months.Among them are Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka, Kitutu Chache South MP Anthony Kibagendi and Kitutu Masaba MP Clive Gisairo.Pauline Njoroge who served as Jubilee’s deputy organising secretary has also resigned from the party to join Mr Sifuna’s movement.Mr Kega has been particularly blunt about Jubilee’s prospects, declaring the party dead.He blamed the party leadership for failing to recognise the role of elected leaders and argued that Mr Kenyatta should have stepped aside as party leader.People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua (centre) leading United Alternative Government and Linda Mwananchi members in addressing journalists at Hermosa Hotel in Nairobi on August 19, 2026.“There is no future for Jubilee in Mt Kenya and Nairobi. Uhuru should have resigned as the party leader because his presence is not allowing other officials to exploit their potential,” the EALA MP said in an interview.But Jubilee Co-deputy Party leader Jeremiah Kioni accused DCP of deliberately targeting the party instead of focusing on the broader objective of defeating President Ruto.“It is shocking that some parties within the opposition are busy scavenging from each other. DCP’s main purpose is to embarrass Jubilee. They are happy fighting Jubilee more than they do UDA in Mt Kenya,” Mr Kioni said.He accused Mr Gachagua of being more interested in increasing DCP’s parliamentary numbers in Mt Kenya than in the opposition’s wider campaign to deny Dr Ruto a second term.

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Nation

Stalemate: United Opposition retreat ends without deal on key coalition disputes

Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) Party Leader Rigathi Gachagua (second right) addressing a press briefing at the SKM Centre on April 15, 2026. With him are (from left) Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Jubilee Deputy Party Leader Fred Matiangi and Democratic Action Party-Kenya (DAP-K) Party Leader Eugene Wamalwa. The United Opposition’s much-anticipated retreat ended in Kiambu County on Monday without resolving some of the fundamental questions threatening to derail efforts to forge a united political vehicle ahead of the 2027 General Election.The retreat which had been scheduled for two days, August 24 and 25 however, ended after only one day’s deliberations.The coalition dubbed; “United Alternative Government” brings together Democracy for the Citizen’s Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Jubilee Deputy Leader Dr Fred Matiang’i, People’s Liberation Party chief Martha Karua, her Democratic Party counterpart Justin Muturi, DAP-Kenya’s Eugene Wamalwa and Party of National Unity’s Peter Munya.Although the principals meeting at Windsor Hotel signed a covenant of unity and pledged to support whoever emerges as their presidential candidate, critical details on how the coalition will operate remain unsettled.At the heart of the disagreements are questions over who will run the coalition, how its secretariat will be constituted, how decisions will be made, how the presidential candidate will be selected and, ultimately, who will face President William Ruto in 2027.Nation established that the meeting did not reach an agreement on rebranding of Azimio, had no consensus on the name of coalition, even though Komboa Kenya Coalition remains the most preferred vehicle for the opposition.The leaders however, sought to project unity, signing a Personal Unity Pledge and a Coalition Unity Agreement committing them to remain together, participate in a credible process of selecting a presidential candidate and support whoever is picked.“Kenya comes first. Unity above division. Service above power,” the principals said in their statement.But behind the carefully choreographed show of unity, political differences continued to emerge, exposing the difficulty of converting the broad opposition alliance into a coherent political machine.The retreat itself had been preceded by uncertainty over attendance and timing, with insiders saying former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua opted not to attend and instead sent his deputy, Cleophas Malala, to represent him.People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua (centre) leading United Alternative Government and Linda Mwananchi members in addressing journalists at Hermosa Hotel in Nairobi on August 19, 2026.According to sources familiar with the developments, Mr Gachagua was unhappy with former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s remarks at the late Vice-President Michael Wamalwa’s anniversary, where Mr Kenyatta mentioned Mr Musyoka, Dr Matiang’i and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna among opposition politicians considered capable of challenging Dr Ruto.Mr Gachagua, the sources said, was concerned that despite his increasingly prominent role in the opposition alliance, he was not mentioned among the potential presidential contenders.The development added another layer to the already delicate relationship between Mr Gachagua and Mr Kenyatta, whose political influence remains a major factor in opposition calculations.There were also questions about Mr Musyoka’s attendance. Insiders claimed the Wiper leader arrived at the retreat at the last minute, despite his party's earlier position that the meeting was not scheduled until October.Wiper vice-chairperson Mutula Kilonzo Jnr had previously said there was no firm date for the meeting and indicated that the retreat would be held in October.“No set date yet but it is in October,” Mr Kilonzo had said, adding that dates were tentative and subject to the concurrence of constituent parties.The conflicting positions underscored the fragile nature of the coalition arrangements and raised questions about whether the principals were genuinely working from the same political script.The meeting was itself a rescheduled affair after an earlier retreat failed to take place amid what insiders described as “competing interests”.The principals had previously met at the Tamarind Hotel in Nairobi and agreed to establish a secretariat, with each participating party expected to second two representatives.The arrangement was intended to give the opposition a permanent administrative structure capable of coordinating activities instead of relying on ad hoc meetings of party leaders.“There is still no fully operational secretariat. There is no agreed method for choosing a presidential candidate as the principals are yet to discuss a technical report presented to them early this year,” an opposition insider said.The absence of agreement on the presidential nomination process is particularly significant because virtually all the principals have political ambitions or supporters who believe they are best placed to challenge Dr Ruto.

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Citizen Digital

Child abuse victim sues Musk's xAI over AI-generated images

The complaint, lodged Wednesday in the Northern District of California by an anonymous plaintiff identified as Jane Doe 1, alleges that xAI designed Grok to alter real photographs of identifiable people into sexual content and then published the results directly to the X social media platform (formerly Twitter). Elon Musk looks on as US President Donald Trump speaks at the US-Saudi Investment Forum at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC on November 19, 2025. Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / AFPElon Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI is accused of using a child sexual abuse victim's decades-old images to generate new abusive material through its Grok chatbot, according to a lawsuit filed in a California federal court.The complaint, lodged Wednesday in the Northern District of California by an anonymous plaintiff identified as Jane Doe 1, alleges that xAI designed Grok to alter real photographs of identifiable people into sexual content and then published the results directly to the X social media platform (formerly Twitter).The plaintiff is a victim who was first identified by the US National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in the early 2000s and images of her abuse have circulated online for nearly two decades.Grok, the suit alleged, drew on that material to produce new imagery of her.The AI-generated material depicting the plaint...

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The Straits Times

US mother’s child murder trial puts spotlight on postpartum psychosis

Defence attorney Kevin Reddington represents Lindsay Clancy, a woman who says she suffered from postpartum psychosis before strangling her three young children.PLYMOUTH, Massachusetts – The high-profile US murder trial of Lindsay Clancy, a woman who says she suffered from postpartum psychosis before strangling her three young children, has sparked a debate in the United States over maternal mental health.The 36-year-old nurse does not deny strangling Cora, five, Dawson, three, and Callan, eight months, with fitness bands in their home in Duxbury, Massachusetts, in January 2023.She then jumped out of a second-storey window, leaving her paralysed from the waist down and using a wheelchair.Clancy, however, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, saying she heard a voice ordering her to kill her children. Her lawyers say this was caused by postpartum psychosis.Prosecutors have rejected her argument, saying she had planned to murder her children and was able to understand the consequences of her actions.For the past several weeks, dozens of women dressed in pink have come to the court in Plymouth to show their support for Clancy – and to make a statement about women’s health more generally.Kelly Woods, a lawyer from Chicago, said she was attending the trial as a “big advocate” for people who suffer from postpartum psychosis.“That is a very under-considered element of this case,” Woods told AFP on Aug 27, when jury deliberations began.“I certainly hope that the medical community can learn from this. I ultimately hope that there is more advocacy for postpartum depression and psychosis.”Psychiatrists and people close to Clancy, as well as her estranged husband, described her distress during the five-week trial.The nurse faces life in prison without the possibility of parole if found guilty.Postpartum psychosis is a medical emergency that affects about one to two women in every 1,000 births, said Sally Wilson, national training coordinator at the Britain-based charity Action on Postpartum Psychosis.Clancy’s case is “an incredibly distressing and rare outcome of postpartum psychosis”, Wilson told AFP.During closing arguments, Clancy’s lawyer Kevin Reddington recalled that the mother had made several pleas for help before the killings and received “lousy medical care” from the doctors she consulted.“She was doing everything that she could to get help, and for whatever reason, she still slipped through the cracks,” said Adrienne Griffen, executive director of the nonprofit Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance.“That is the question that everybody is asking, is how do we prevent something like this from happening in the future,” Griffen said, adding that mothers need to be connected with better resources.The trial has revived memories of a similar case that also captivated the country 25 years ago: Andrea Yates, a Texas mother who drowned her five children in 2001.Yates was initially convicted and sentenced to life in prison, but she was found not guilty by reason of insanity at a 2006 retrial and committed to a psychiatric hospital.Prosecutors acknowledged that Clancy was “suffering from mental illness” and tried to kill herself, but they argued that the killings were planned and particularly cruel.Right-wing political voices have condemned the level of violence in the killings and the supporters who have gathered outside the courthouse.“Lindsay Clancy deserves to die for murdering her three children,” Katie Miller, a podcaster and wife of President Donald Trump’s senior aide Stephen Miller, wrote on social media.Juliet Williams, a professor of gender studies at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), said the trial and debate around it shows “how profoundly invested Americans and the world remain in the figure of the mother”.She said the case has become an opportunity “for people not just to condemn a tragedy” but also show how “this figure of the good mother and then of course the bad mother becomes a dividing ground in our society”. AFP

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The Straits Times

Americans of all incomes head to dollar stores to stay frugal

Dollar General reported its fifth straight quarterly rise in store traffic, which was up 2 per cent.NEW YORK - The biggest dollar-store chains in America said they have seen more customers visit their stores in recent months, with shoppers trying to stretch every dollar they spend in an uncertain US economy.Dollar General, the sector’s largest retailer with more than 21,000 stores across the country, said on Aug 27 that comparable stores sales were up 3.5 per cent in its most recent quarter.

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The National

Premier League predictions: Arsenal add to Villa misery, Man United find winning touch

Friday: Crystal Palace v Manchester City (11pm kick-off UAE)New Palace manager Pierre Sage will be looking for improvement in Palace's first home match of the season after losing 2-0 away to Everton in their opener. The Eagles have boosted their squad this week by completing the loan signing of defender Axel Disasi from Chelsea.City also had a new man in the dugout last week, but Enzo Maresca was able to start his reign with a win as late goals from Marc Guehi and Josko Gvardiol earned them a comeback victory over Bournemouth. City have also been active in the transfer market, completing an £85.6m deal to bring 18-year-old Moroccan midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille.Prediction: Palace 1 City 3Saturday Liverpool v Nottingham Forest (3.30pm)Liverpool needed a stoppage-time penalty from Dominik Szoboszlai to rescue a point at Newcastle on Sunday, with Cody Gakpo also on target in a 2-2 draw in what was manager Andoni Iraola's first game in charge. The Merseysiders are reported to be closing in on a £120m deal for Paris Saint-Germain forward Bradley Barcola.New Forest manager Oliver Glasner saw his team fall to a frustrating 1-0 home defeat against Leeds United on Saturday and then lost 2-0 in the League Cup second round to the same opponents. There was some good news for Glasner this week, though, when Forest sealed a £50m deal for Chelsea striker Liam Delap on Thursday.Predicti...

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Al Jazeera

US nears deal to secure stake in Venezuelan oil fields, insiders say

Pact with Caracas would bolster US oil supplies for years to come, but may face legal challenges.US President Donald Trump’s administration is working on a deal to lock in long-term access to some of Venezuela’s crude reserves, Reuters sources have said.The agreement, which insiders said could be signed and made public soon, is expected to operate in a way that would let the US government secure a group of Venezuelan oilfields to be developed by American companies, with the resulting supply guaranteed for the US.“This is real and being discussed at the highest levels of the US and Venezuelan governments,” one of the sources said.A separate source said a “lease” was in consideration as the legal model to make the deal work, with a further auction or tender to allocate each one of the fields among US producers.A list of 17 fields in negotiation seen by Reuters includes green fields in the vast Orinoco Belt, combined with mature areas in Lake Maracaibo, some of which are currently operated by a small Chinese firm whose contract was signed during the administration of former President Nicolas Maduro.The White House referred questions to the US Department of Energy. Venezuela’s oil ministry, state oil company PDVSA and the Energy Department did not immediately reply to requests for comment. Venezuelan oil minister Paula Henao could not be reached for comment.Caracas is considering leaving the OPEC oil production group as it strengthens ties with the US, Bloomberg reported on Thursday. Venezuela, which joined the group as a founding member in 1960, has not met OPEC quotas for years as its state-run oil industry suffered from neglect and corruption. Washington has long been at odds with OPEC for its influence on oil prices.Current hydrocarbons regulation in Venezuela, which has the world’s largest crude reserves, does not include acreage leases for oil areas, while the constitution reserves the industry’s core activities to the state.Recently reformed oil legislation allows oilfield operation through joint ventures and production-sharing contracts. The Venezuelan government has for decades prevented foreign producers from booking the country’s oil reserves.While full details of the prospective deal between Washington and Caracas have yet to emerge, it could raise constitutional questions and face legal challenges, according to experts.Since the US captured and removed former President Nicolas Maduro from power in January, Washington has been trying to secure a stable flow of Venezuelan crude for US refineries while promoting American investment into the country’s deteriorated energy industry, which currently produces some 1.25 million barrels per day of crude.The Trump administration is under pressure ahead of November’s midterm elections over rising petrol prices, which could be eased through cheaper oil supplies and expanded output. The US has also been looking for solutions to replenish its Strategic Petroleum Reserve, the oil stockpile it keeps for emergencies, including the possibility of crude swaps with US producers.Funding shortages and ongoing maintenance at the reserve have limited the administration’s efforts to refill it after the US tapped it following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and then again after the war on Iran was launched in February.

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The Straits Times

White House construction may have contributed to close call with Trump’s helicopter

WASHINGTON – Construction at the White House might have contributed to an incident in August in which the president’s helicopter came dangerously close to a commercial jet over Washington, according to a new report from the National Transportation Safety Board.According to the report, work to build a new ballroom at the White House forced officials to move the helicopter’s takeoff location temporarily from the South Lawn to the Ellipse, the park south of the White House.But the new location might have been less optimal for communicating with air traffic controllers, leading to communication glitches, the report said.Technicians “conducted a coverage analysis and determined that there was not adequate line-of-sight to ensure communications” between the Ellipse and the tower ”while construction was ongoing at the White House,” the board’s report reads.The report chronicled how garbled communications caused the airport controller to miss multiple warnings from the helicopter crew that they were minutes from takeoff – a notification that would have signalled to the controller to temporarily ground planes while the helicopter passed through the area.Instead, the controller allowed an Envoy Air jet bound for Pensacola, Florida, to depart from an airport runway just as Marine One was about to take off, resulting in the plane and the helicopter passing each other less than 1.6km apart.The board’s findings are preliminary, and its investigation of the incident is ongoing.The White House grounds have been the site of extensive construction, as crews work 20 hours a day, seven days a week, to make progress on US President Donald Trump’s plans to build a massive ballroom.The project has been hotly contested, but last week, the Supreme Court temporarily allowed Trump to forge ahead while it considered whether the 90,000-sq-ft project could be completed.Representatives for the White House did not address questions about the role that the White House ballroom construction might have played in the incident.“Marine One flights are piloted by the finest aviators in the world, and the White House maintains the utmost confidence in these patriots and other security officials who are responsible for ensuring the president’s safety,” Kush Desai, a spokesperson for the White House, said in a statement.“Although the president was at no point in harm’s way during the Aug 4 momentary loss of separation, the White House continues to work with relevant military, FAA, and other security personnel to ensure the president’s continued safety.”Under current procedures, controllers are expected to keep the congested skies around Ronald Reagan National Airport clear of traffic when the president’s helicopter is traversing the area.In the wake of the Aug 4 incident, Sean Duffy, the transportation secretary, said the president was never in danger because the flight paths of the two aircraft would not have converged. He blamed the incident on faulty telecom issues.Earlier this week, Bryan Bedford, who leads the Federal Aviation Administration, told reporters that his agency had made changes to communication procedures and relocated an air traffic antenna to help fix the problems.“The FAA took immediate action following the Aug 4 incident involving Marine One,” Hannah Walden, a spokesperson for the FAA, said in a statement, listing the changes that Bedford had referenced earlier in the week.On Aug 27, just hours after the NTSB released its preliminary report, air traffic controllers again appeared to have difficulty receiving transmissions from Marine One, just minutes before it was due to depart the Ellipse.They relied on other helicopters operating nearby to prepare for the president’s departure.“Eagle 2, Marine One is trying to reach you at three minutes to lift,” one helicopter was heard radioing the control tower at Reagan National, according to transmissions captured on LiveATC.net, a site that compiles and posts recordings of air traffic audio collected by aviation enthusiasts.“Do me a favour: I can’t hear Marine One,” the controller said a couple of minutes later to another helicopter pilot. “If you hear Marine One, can you let me know?”A little more than a minute later, the controller could be heard making contact with the Marine One crew, and the takeoff proceeded without incident, with controllers halting other traffic before takeoff.When asked about the incident, Walden said in a statement that the sequence had been smooth.“The three-minute notification was communicated by alternate means, acknowledged by a controller, and positive contact was established with Marine One before takeoff,” she said.But the events nonetheless harked back to the 2025 tragic collision over National Airport, in which a passenger jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided in midair, killing 67.That accident focused national scrutiny on long-standing shortfalls in air traffic control staffing, and revealed that senior FAA officials had ignored years of warnings that crisscrossing flight paths through the skies surrounding the airport posed critical safety risks.

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The Straits Times

Pro-Israel lobby spends big on US midterms as backlash grows

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee has poured tens of millions of dollars into races nationwide through the United Democracy Project.WASHINGTON – The most powerful pro-Israel lobby in the United States is spending more than any other outside group on the 2026 midterms – even as its once-coveted backing becomes an increasingly potent weapon for political opponents.The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has poured tens of millions of dollars into races nationwide through its main election-spending vehicle, the United Democracy Project (UDP).The so-called “super PAC” – a group allowed to lavish unlimited sums to influence elections, provided it operates independently of candidates – has spent US$54 million (S$68.6 million) on congressional races, according to campaign finance monitor OpenSecrets.That has made it the single largest outside spender of the cycle, OpenSecrets said, while the wider pro-Israel donor network spent US$71 million – placing it second only to the cryptocurrency industry.The extraordinary financial firepower underscores AIPAC’s continued influence in Washington – but also a growing backlash over US policy towards Israel and the role of wealthy interest groups in American elections.AIPAC has concentrated much of its spending on Democratic primaries, supporting candidates strongly committed to Israel and trying to defeat critics of unconditional US military aid.It did not respond to a request for comment, but it has rejected suggestions that its influence is collapsing, saying hundreds of candidates it backed have won their primaries.Its money has indeed delivered victories in 2026, but also some expensive failures.In Michigan, AIPAC and allied groups spent around US$30 million in an unsuccessful effort to prevent progressive former health official Abdul El-Sayed from winning the Democratic Senate nomination over establishment-backed Congresswoman Haley Stevens.Progressives have also defeated candidates supported by AIPAC-linked money in congressional contests in California, Illinois and New York, often turning the group’s spending itself into a campaign issue.Eli Clifton, of US foreign policy think-tank the Quincy Institute, said UDP was the biggest spender in Michigan, although 97 per cent of its large contributions came from outside the state – and its biggest donors are Republican billionaires.“This is a special interest that participates outside of the partisan framework, and it’s really all about advancing the interests of a foreign country,” he told AFP.Allies of Mike Rogers, the Republican Senate nominee in Michigan, recently asked AIPAC not to run advertisements publicly on his behalf, US media reported, fearing its overt involvement would benefit El-Sayed in the Arab-American heartland.The discomfort reflects a broader transformation in US attitudes towards Israel following years of war in Gaza and widening conflict across the Middle East.A June Quinnipiac University poll found 48 per cent of American voters believed Washington was too supportive of Israel, including 66 per cent of Democrats – the highest overall figure in nine years of the survey.The change has been clearest on the Democratic left, where candidates increasingly portray AIPAC as too closely aligned with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and emblematic of big-money interests overwhelming ordinary voters.But criticism has spread to the populist right, where some “America First” conservatives have attacked Washington’s support for Israel and blamed pro-Israel lobbying for drawing the United States deeper into foreign conflicts.AIPAC’s financial strength, meanwhile, continues to grow. OpenSecrets says the organisation itself has contributed US$30 million to UDP.And its political power remains formidable, with US military aid to Israel continuing to attract broad support in Congress.But the primaries have demonstrated that record spending cannot guarantee victory – and a once-prized endorsement can now, in some races, be something candidates would rather their opponents talked less about.“That’s precisely why they never mention US foreign policy and Israel in their ads,” Casey Kennedy, co-founder of the Track AIPAC advocacy platform, told AFP.“AIPAC knows AIPAC is toxic, and the more they spend, the more toxic they become with voters across the political spectrum.” AFP

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Al Jazeera

Fired Stars and Stripes journalists sue Trump administration for censorship

Staff at the military newspaper allege that the US government seeks to violate their First Amendment rights to free speech.Three staff members from the Stars and Stripes military newspaper have filed a lawsuit against the United States Department of Defense, alleging that their recent firing was part of an effort to erode the paper’s independence.In Thursday’s court filings, the newspaper’s publisher Max Lederer, editor-in-chief Erik Slavin and Middle East reporter Lara Korte argued that their First Amendment rights to free speech had been infringed.The Stars and Stripes has long billed itself as an independent source for military news, though it receives government funding for its operations.But last week, the three journalists received notices of termination from the Pentagon that reportedly accused them of insubordination.That has raised questions about the Defense Department’s longtime commitment to respecting the newspaper’s editorial independence.Thursday’s complaint accuses the department and several of its leaders, including Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, of engaging in “extraordinary censorship efforts”.“Defendants are attempting to fire Plaintiffs for speaking up as private citizens in support of the press’s freedom to cover military operations,” the lawsuit says.“This [legal] action seeks to prevent the blatant violation of the First Amendment rights of these journalists.”Korte explained the journalists’ reason for filing the lawsuit in a social media post.“Everyone deserves the right to a free and independent press, especially our service members,” she wrote. “This lawsuit is about safeguarding the mission of Stars and Stripes journalists so they can continue to do their jobs without fear or retaliation.”The legal battle is the latest instance under President Donald Trump of the executive branch being sued for allegedly penalising reporters and media personalities who do not comply with the administration’s viewpoints.The lawsuit points to a July interview on CBS Sunday Morning as the “genesis” of the friction between the Stars and Stripes journalists and the Trump administration.Both Korte and Slavin were featured in the segment. A reporter for the morning news show asked them about their work and recent statements from the Pentagon indicating it would seek to redirect the newspaper’s focus.“You have a sign on your desk: Pick your battles,” CBS News reporter David Martin asked Slavin. “Which foxholes are you willing to die in?”“We need to be able to provide independent news to service members,” Slavin responded. “If we can’t do that, if we were turned into something other than that, if we were public relations, that’s the foxhole.”The CBS interview followed a statement in January, in which Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said his department would return Stars and Stripes “to its original mission: reporting for our warfighters”.“We will modernize its operations, refocus its content away from woke distractions that syphon morale, and adapt it to serve a new generation of service members,” Parnell wrote.“It will focus on warfighting, weapons systems, fitness, lethality, survivability, and ALL THINGS MILITARY.”But critics have denounced the modernisation initiative as a smokescreen through which the Pentagon is seeking to reshape the Stars and Stripes’ coverage.The lawsuit points to the newspaper’s key role in breaking coverage about deteriorating conditions on board the USS Abraham Lincoln, an aircraft carrier that has been on deployment, without a port stop, since November of last year.The Stars and Stripes was one of the first media outlets to cover the supply shortages on the ship, as well as the mental health struggles of the sailors working through the record-long deployment.But Trump and Hegseth have both denied reports of poor living conditions on the USS Lincoln, calling such news “fake”.The lawsuit suggests the recent firings may be retaliation for the Stars and Stripes reporting on the subject.A day after one of its articles was published, the lawsuit alleges that the Defense Department contacted Lederer, the publisher, about firing Korte and Slavin. The department allegedly pointed to the CBS interview from weeks earlier as justification.Lederer did not follow through with the order to deliver the termination notices. Instead, he announced his intention to retire in September.His memo to the Stars and Stripes staff suggested he had disagreements with the “direction the leadership of the Department of Defense has for the organization”.But on August 21, the Department of Defense had issued termination notices to all three employees, including Lederer.In April, the newspaper’s ombudsman, Jacqueline Smith, was also fired. Her role, in part, was charged with safeguarding the independence of the Stars and Stripes, a newspaper with a storied history, stretching back to the US Civil War.Korte has worked at the paper since 2024. Her colleagues Slavin and Lederer have been with the Stars and Stripes for 21 and 25 years, respectively.

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