Fresh headlines and publisher-supplied excerpts from Kenya, Africa and the world—collected in one transparent, attributed briefing.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari tells Bloomberg that mediators are shuttling between Tehran and Washington to revive talks, with several proposals being exchanged to bridge differences.
Read briefingAnnouncement comes as Canada seeks a closer relationship with the EU amid a trade war with the US.Canada and France will pursue cooperation on energy, defence, space and other sectors, in what their leaders say is a reflection of shared values between the two countries.The announcement was made on Sunday during a joint media conference by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and French President Emmanuel Macron on the island archipelago of Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the North Atlantic.The French territory is only about 25km (15.5 miles) from Newfoundland in Canada. Macron said it is a reflection of the historic closeness between the two countries, who “see the present from the same angle”.Parts of Canada were once French colonies and French is still one of Canada’s two official languages, along with English.“We both believe in democracy, in the rule of law, in the respect of international law, in the respect of free and fair commerce and trade,” Macron said alongside Carney. “That is why we support this future alliance, that you named as an associate member of the EU.”Carney said both countries see eye to eye on protecting sovereignty, and that this meant going beyond “being able to feed, fuel and defend ourselves” to being able to secure access to AI, space, semiconductors, critical minerals and clean energy. Carney said the time had come to strengthen bonds between Canada, France and the European Union based on their “shared values”.The remarks came as Canada looks to reduce its dependence on the United States amid the escalating trade dispute between the neighbours and instead move closer to the EU.Carney has said Canada seeks a “unique alliance” with the economic and political bloc, which would fall short of being a full member state. Last week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed opening the door for Canada to become the EU’s first “associate member.”Canadian and European leaders have openly said they want to forge closer bonds to distance themselves from the United States and the political direction it seems to be going.“I am not proposing a third bloc in order to become a great-power rival – only with better manners,” Carney said in a speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Thursday. “We do not seek power to dominate others. On the contrary, we are pursuing resilience so that no one can control our open markets, impair our sovereignty, threaten our territorial integrity, or undermine our freedoms, our democracies, our rule of law.”United States President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to annex Canada and make it the “51st state”. He has also called for Greenland to be taken away from Denmark and made a part of the US. But this week, he said he was happy with an agreement that he claimed would give Washington “permanent control” over the island, which largely enjoys self-rule but is still a part of Denmark. Both Greenland and Denmark said after the agreement was announced that any deal with the US would not compromise Greenland’s sovereignty.Trump has called Ottawa’s attempt to move closer to the EU “laughable” and said he would have to study exactly what membership would mean. If it did not satisfy him, Trump said it could be seen as a “hostile act”.“If it’s a good intention, that’s fine. If it’s a bad intention, we’ll put very heavy tariffs,” Trump said. He also suggested that the US could stop trading with Europe “on many things”.Canada and the US have been locked in a trade war after failing to reach an agreement. The Trump administration imposed up to 50 percent tariffs on nearly $20bn worth of Canadian products, including machinery, textiles and even hockey sticks. Canada imposed retaliatory measures and the impasse continues.
Read briefingElor Azaria had shot a Palestinian who had already been incapacitated by Israeli troops, in controversial case.Israeli President Isaac Herzog has expunged the criminal record of a former soldier convicted of manslaughter for killing a wounded Palestinian in Hebron a decade ago.Herzog announced on Saturday that he had shortened the remaining erasure period on Elor Azaria’s record, effectively clearing it despite opposition from Israeli army Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Eyal Zamir.In a letter to the defence minister, Zamir and other senior officers said Azaria “has refrained from expressing remorse and taking responsibility for his actions, even a decade after his conviction”.The president’s office said it had taken the military’s position into account but decided the circumstances justified allowing Azaria to “open a new chapter in his life”.Azaria, an army medic at the time, was filmed shooting Abdel Fattah al-Sharif in the head in March 2016.Al-Sharif had stabbed and wounded a soldier but had already been shot by Israeli troops and had lain on the ground for about 11 minutes before Azaria killed him.Azaria was convicted by a military court in 2017 and sentenced to 18 months in prison, later reduced to 14 months. He was released in May 2018 after serving nine months.Herzog’s office said the decision followed a request from Defence Minister Israel Katz in July and was based on “the passage of time, the completion of his sentence, and the remorse he has expressed”.The statement added that the pardon was issued “in the spirit” of Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, and did not challenge the original legal proceedings.Katz welcomed the pardon, writing on X that it “sends an important message to [Israeli army] soldiers and their families: We do not abandon our fighters”.Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, called the decision “deeply moving” and urged Herzog to grant a similar pardon to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption.The 2016 shooting generated intense debate in Israel and drew international condemnation at the time.The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had condemned the shooting as an “extrajudicial execution” and a “war crime”, saying the video footage “demolished all the slogans chanted by the occupation leaders about the ethics of the Israeli army”.The family of al-Sharif had dismissed the legal proceedings as a “farce” aimed at improving Israel’s international image rather than delivering justice.The United Nations human rights office described the original sentence as “excessively lenient” and said it risked “reinforcing the culture of impunity”. In 2024, the Joe Biden administration barred Azaria and his immediate family from entering the United States, citing an “extrajudicial killing”.
Read briefingGaza’s IT sector was once considered the hope for enclave’s disenfranchised youth. Now, it is mostly in ruins.Deir el-Balah, Gaza – A handful of electronic components, a few wires and a basic programmable circuit board are enough to bring a group of curious children around a table in central Gaza to learn about robotics.Students at The Next Gen Team: Rising Robotics Engineer Project in Deir el-Balah learn how to integrate sensors into alarm systems, study robotics, understand how motors and drive units work, as well as get firsthand experience with programming.The children’s research could save lives in the future. The robotics and early warning systems they are working on could make way for bigger developments such as early detection of gas leaks and fires or help rescue workers access hard-to-reach areas, such as victims trapped under rubble.Today’s lesson will also teach students the sciences of the future and help them keep pace with technological advancements happening outside Gaza’s borders.Before the war, students had access to schools, universities, incubators and training programmes to pursue an interest in technology.With much of that infrastructure now destroyed or damaged during Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, there are few places and tools for students to work with.But their interest in robotics and will to learn are helping them maintain their skills and ambitions for the future, something they hope will be of benefit when the bombs stop falling on Gaza.Hamza al-Atrash, 16, is a student taking part in the “Next Gen” project and learning how electronic components can be used to develop robots and early-warning systems. To do this, he is using an Arduino controller – a programmable circuit board which connects sensors – and some other electronics.Students work with what they have, but a shortage of equipment and electricity outages make studying a challenge.“We have capabilities and aspirations that we want to develop, and we try to take advantage of every available opportunity for learning and training,” Hamza tells Al Jazeera.Hamza hopes the skills that he and his cohort learn in class will benefit his community and provide new opportunities for young people in Gaza.“The lack of devices and equipment doesn’t mean we’ll stop. It pushes us to look for solutions and make the most of the simple tools we have,” he said.The challenges facing these students are part of a wider disruption to Gaza’s technology and innovation sector.Before the war, Gaza had several incubators that supported technology projects and startups. Bahaa al-Masri, head of the training team for the Early Warning Systems and Robotics Project, said it provided a rare bit of hope for children and young adults in the besieged enclave.“These incubators provided an environment for training and development. They helped innovators and entrepreneurs turn their ideas and projects into prototypes and ventures,” he told Al Jazeera.The war severely damaged this ecosystem: training spaces were lost, equipment difficult to find, and students and innovators left with limited opportunities to experiment and develop their ideas.Although challenges remain, the trainers are continuing their mission of educating budding tech experts in Gaza.“We have a generation of students who possess genuine passion and talent in technology and digital systems,” he told Al Jazeera. “They need the environment and tools to develop these abilities and turn their ideas into projects that can serve their community and their future.”The near-collapse of Gaza’s technology sector has coincided with the widespread destruction of the education system, with schools, universities and research facilities repeatedly targeted by Israel during the war.Preliminary estimates from the Government Media Office in Gaza put direct losses to the education sector at approximately $4bn. Seventeen higher education institutions have been completely or partially destroyed since October 2023, preventing about 620,000 high school students and 90,000 university students from continuing their education.Approximately 20,228 students and 830 teachers and educational staff have also been killed, along with 194 scientists, academics and researchers.For students seeking to enter technical fields, the loss of such educational facilities and teachers means fewer opportunities to gain practical experience and hone their skills.Before the war, the IT industry was one of the promising sectors of Gaza’s economy and a rare source of foreign income, said Ahmad Abu Qamar, an economic affairs specialist and board member of the Palestinian Economists Syndicate.It was also an opportunity for employment for thousands of university graduates entering a job market with high unemployment, with roughly 80 percent of its economic activities directed towards foreign markets.Abu Qamar estimates that the IT sector now runs at less than 25 percent of pre-war levels, while more than 70 percent of IT companies in Gaza have completely or partially halted operations.
Read briefingUS Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth has kicked off his ‘Send Me Tour’ in Texas, invoking the biblical words, “Whom shall I send?”, a reference to Isaiah’s declaration, “Here am I. Send me.” The military outreach comes as Hegseth’s net favourability fell to a record low of -24 points amid growing public frustration over the Iran war.
Read briefingTrump has wanted a foothold in Greenland for some time, as a strategic battle unfolds for supremacy in a warming Arctic.Denmark has hailed a “binding” deal by United States President Donald Trump to give Washington “permanent control” over Greenland’s security and bar Russian and Chinese military bases from the Arctic territory.But Denmark and Greenland – an autonomous Danish territory – said on Saturday that any deal with the US would not compromise Greenland’s sovereignty, and the two countries would sign the agreement next week at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.“A long period of uncertainty will hopefully be replaced by a binding agreement that strengthens security in the Arctic and North Atlantic, and thereby our shared security within NATO and Europe – while respecting the [Danish] Kingdom’s red lines,” Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said in a social media post.Since returning to the White House in January 2025, Trump has repeatedly insisted that Washington needed to control Greenland for strategic reasons, alarming NATO ally Denmark and sparking fierce pushback from the alliance.Key details of the agreement have not been made public, including the scale of the US military presence in the self-governing Danish territory and whether any formal power over foreign policy and resources would be ceded to Washington.Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the agreement “recognises Greenland’s interests” and is “to the benefit of us all”.Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said it is “great for NATO and Europe”, as it “strengthens our common security in the Arctic and the North Atlantic Area”.“I don’t know exactly what the agreement is or what has been signed. But whenever the US and Trump are mentioned, I have mixed feelings. I’m not entirely comfortable with how much attention Greenland has right now,” Soren Kreutzmann, a 29-year-old hairdresser, told the AFP news agency.“We hope the leaders have made a good agreement, because our country needs to be protected, both from the air and sea. Denmark had not given that enough attention for many years,” said Bibbi Kleist Jepsen, a 64-year-old educator.Trump, who had previously said the US needs “ownership” of Greenland, announced that Washington would immediately start building up a large military presence in the territory.“From now on, no US adversary can EVER have a base in Greenland, have a military presence in Greenland, or make sensitive investments in Greenland, without our express written approval”, he said.Trump has repeatedly warned of Russia and China trying to establish a foothold in Greenland as a strategic battle unfolds for supremacy in the warming Arctic region. The State Department left no doubt that they would not be allowed to do so.“This agreement guarantees that China and Russia cannot have a base in Greenland, they cannot send troops to Greenland and the necessary mechanisms are in place to prevent investment in sensitive sectors,” a State Department official said.
Read briefingFrom work and study to trade, Canadians see new possibilities in closer ties with the European Union.Some Canadians are already embracing their newfound European identities after the European Union floated the potential for “associate member” status amid the trade war with the United States.“Telling my boss I don’t need to show up for work today cuz I’m [European],” an X user joked as talk of closer ties between Canada and the EU spawned a flood of memes about everything from cigarettes for breakfast to generous European vacation time.“If Canada joins the EU I’m taking [seven] weeks off work next summer,” wrote another user.Canada is not joining the EU, but the prospect of a new kind of relationship with Europe had been kicking around for days.It comes after Canada and the US’s trade war broke out as negotiations failed to head off US President Donald Trump’s threatened 50 percent tariffs on nearly $20bn worth of Canadian products, including machinery, textiles and hockey sticks. Back-and-forth retaliatory measures have resulted in both sides slapping new tariffs on each other.Canadian officials initially pushed back on news reports of the “associate membership” possibility with the EU.Then, on Wednesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the proposal public. By Thursday, Canada’s own vision was becoming clearer.Addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed von der Leyen’s ambition, describing what he wanted as an “alliance for the future” spanning critical minerals, defence, artificial intelligence, energy, digital trade, research and financial services.He also called for making it easier for young Canadians and Europeans to work, study and live on either side of the Atlantic.“Canada and Europe are each strong,” Carney told EU legislators. “Europe and Canada are stronger together.”In response to the talks of closer economic relations, Trump threatened to take action against the EU if it moves forward with von der Leyen’s proposal of associate membership for Canada.“If they do that, if I think it’s at all a hostile act, I will put very serious tariffs or stop trading with Europe on many things,” Trump told reporters, calling the proposal “laughable”.Whatever the partnership is ultimately called, getting closer to Europe appears to have broad support at home.An Abacus Data survey conducted from September 4 to 9, before the proposal was officially confirmed, found 81 percent of Canadians supported closer integration with the EU while remaining outside the bloc, including making it easier for transatlantic trade, travel, work and study. Eighty percent backed deeper cooperation on foreign policy, defence and economic priorities, up six percentage points since February.David Coletto, founder and CEO of Abacus Data, said he did not expect those numbers to have shifted significantly now that the conversation has turned to “associate membership”.He said the support makes more sense against a striking shift in how Canadians view the United States. Positive impressions of the EU have risen to 71 percent, while just 21 percent now have a positive view of the US.“Canadians overwhelmingly [feel] still angry and a sense of betrayal over how the Trump administration has approached the Canada-US relationship,” Coletto told Al Jazeera.Flight attendant Donna Gordon welcomes closer ties. She was among several people Al Jazeera spoke to in Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto on Thursday.She said they made sense given “the state of our negotiations with the United States right now, or lack thereof”. Having travelled frequently to Europe for work, she said she had seen its “efficiency” and “innovation” firsthand.She was particularly excited about what closer ties could mean for younger Canadians, including greater opportunities to study and work in Europe.For Riyad Choy, that possibility was one of the biggest draws. The Canadian who works for a tech company in New York said greater freedom to live and work in Europe was particularly appealing.“I would love to have the opportunity,” he said. “I want to be able to have that freedom of movement.”While older Canadians were more likely to prioritise trade and security, 38 percent of 18-to-29-year-olds polled by Abacus listed study, training and research among their top priorities for a closer EU relationship.“The thing that most people in Canada and I think a lot of people around the world are just seeking more agency, more control to make choices for themselves,” Coletto said.For many Canadians, Europe may feel like a natural place to exercise that choice.Asked which side they had more in common with in terms of values, way of life and outlook on the world, 56 percent chose countries in the EU. Only 16 percent chose the United States.Peter Van Driel is a hydrogeologist whose father is Dutch Canadian and who previously lived in Germany. He described Canada as culturally “sort of in between” Europe and the United States, pointing to differences in healthcare, gun laws, parental leave and vacation time.
Read briefingThousands of people cheered as they welcomed Syrian icon Assala Nasri back at a sold-out concert in Damascus. She spent more than 15 years in exile after publicly supporting the 2011 uprising against the government of Bashar al-Assad.
Read briefingFormer air officers, including an air force general, were arrested in a series of operations.Syrian security forces say they have arrested five former air force officers accused of involvement in air strikes on civilians during the rule of deposed President Bashar al-Assad.The former officers, including an air force general, were arrested in a series of operations in coordination with the Counter Terrorism Directorate, the head of Syria’s Internal Security Forces in the coastal Tartous province said in a statement on Friday.The detained officers were involved “in using the air force, airbases and field command centres to conduct intensive combat airstrikes targeting populated areas”, according to the statement.Colonel Abdul Aal Mohammad Abdul Aal said the detainees included pilots, field commanders and officers who served in operations rooms under the former regime.Those detained were identified as Major-General Mohammad Fajr Ali; Brigadier-General pilot Abdullah Ali Mualla; Colonel pilot Nidal Hussein Saleh; Colonel Mohammad Ali Salim; and Lieutenant-Colonel pilot Talib Abdul Karim Hassan.Investigations and military records indicated that the five, each according to his position and responsibilities, were involved in planning, directing and carrying out air strikes, Abdul Aal said.According to the security chief, aircraft, airbases and field command centres were used to conduct intensive strikes on populated areas, resulting in the destruction of residential neighbourhoods and infrastructure, forced displacement and extensive casualties.The forces said investigations were ongoing before the suspects’ referral for trial.Over more than 13 years of a civil war that claimed more than half a million lives, Syrian forces relentlessly shelled areas held by the rebels before al-Assad was toppled and the current government came to power.Since al-Assad was overthrown in December 2024, Syria’s new government has arrested dozens of former security officials.Earlier this month, Syrian authorities said they had arrested nine former pilots, including three generals accused of taking part in lethal bombings of towns and villages under al-Assad’s rule.Syria sentenced Bashar al-Assad, his brother Maher al-Assad, and five other security officials to death in absentia in August for atrocities committed during the civil war.The former president fled Syria as his government fell and is believed to be living in Russia.
Read briefingThe US president insists media outlets report ‘fiction and lies’ as he enforces new bans on White House access.United States President Donald Trump has announced that, effective immediately, CNN, MS NOW and Politico are banned from the White House.On Friday, Trump posted on social media his displeasure with the media outlets’ coverage of his administration.“I am proud to announce that, effective immediately, I am banning Fake News CNN, MSNOW … from the White House as a result of their constant “reporting” FAKE NEWS!” Trump wrote.“Media Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America. Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow.”Speaking to reporters later on Friday at the White House, Trump said the outlets “purposely write negative news.”“You get so tired of reading and seeing fake news,” he told reporters in the Oval Office. “They purposely write negative news, and they do that because they want to try and diminish the Republicans and a Republican administration. And honestly, we’ve done a fantastic job.”Asked why he is taking action now, Trump said it is because of the news organisations’s “cumulative” coverage.“We have a right under the US Constitution to do that reporting without hindrance or interference from the government. Should the ban which President Trump threatened go ahead, it would be an illegal assault on that fundamental and constitutionally-protected right,” the spokesperson said.Al Jazeera’s Alan Fisher reported from Washington that Trump’s ban will likely be challenged soon.“The United States has the First Amendment [of its Constitution] that says the government cannot restrict access to this sort of thing,” he said.“Other presidents have been angry at press coverage before. Lyndon B Johnson used to rail about it. Richard Nixon wondered whether or not he could ban certain people from the White House as well,” he said. “At every point, they were told it’s not a good look.”While in office, Trump has repeatedly criticised the press for what he says is unfair coverage and has verbally targeted reporters for their reporting.
Read briefingAcclaimed Russian film director who won 2026 Grand Prix award at Cannes, has been critical of the war in Ukraine.The winner of a prestigious Cannes Film Festival award has been declared a foreign agent by Russian authorities for his criticism of Moscow’s war in Ukraine.Acclaimed Russian film director Andrey Zvyagintsev was designated a “foreign agent” by the Kremlin on Friday, according to state news agency TASS.Zvyagintsev won the 2026 Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival for, Minotaur, a film depicting a Russian businessman who is forced to decide which of his employees should be mobilised to go and fight in Ukraine.“Millions of people on both sides of the front line dream of only one thing: for the massacres to stop,” Zvyagintsev said in his acceptance speech, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin was the only person capable of ending the war.Moscow has kept casualty numbers from the fighting in Ukraine heavily restricted and has not provided timely or complete public updates, but estimates of Russian soldiers killed in the four-year war range from anywhere from 200,000 to half a million.Russia’s Ministry of Justice on Friday accused Zvyagintsev of disseminating “false information about decisions taken by the public authorities of the Russian Federation and the policies they pursue”.“He interacted with foreign agents and resides outside the Russian Federation,” it said.The 62-year-old director, who has lived outside Russia since the COVID pandemic, is known for a series of other films including, The Return, The Banishment, and, Leviathan, a bleak portrayal of life in rural Russia.People listed as foreign agents are subjected to onerous bureaucratic requirements and restrictions on their income in Russia.They are barred from holding public office and forced to register their activities with the authorities.They also have to add warnings on everything they publish, including on social media, that the content was produced by a foreign agent.The label adds connotations of espionage to numerous people, including public figures, whom it deems to be engaging in anti-Russian activity with support from abroad.Previously, writer Boris Akunin and rock musician Boris Grebenshchikov have been labelled as foreign agents by Moscow.
Read briefingIn southern Lebanon, visual artist Lina Jouni transforms debris from Israeli missile strikes into pieces of art. As Israel continues bombing Lebanon, she says it is her way of turning weapons of death and painful memories of war into symbols of life and dignity.
Read briefingBrazil has opened the UN’s General Debate for decades, with the US traditionally second in line as the host country. Here’s how that tradition began and how the rest of the speaking order is decided. Al Jazeera’s Farah Samir explains.
Read briefingCanada’s prime minister is turning towards the European Union, as United States President Donald Trump’s threats and tariffs force Ottawa to look for other allies and markets.Mark Carney told the European Parliament that closer ties with the bloc would ensure no one could control Canada’s markets or undermine its sovereignty.Earlier this year at the World Economic Forum, Carney urged so-called middle powers to act together to limit the effects of coercive actions by more powerful states.So, do Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on the US offer a blueprint for how Europe should deal with the Trump administration?Julian Karaguesian – Visiting Lecturer at McGill University and a former special adviser to the Canadian finance ministryPetros Fassoulas – Secretary General of the European Movement International, a civil society network promoting closer European integration
Read briefingChina’s oil prices hit a record high this week, topping out at about 130 US dollars a barrel, as globally supply disruptions drive up prices. But is the world’s biggest oil importer at risk of running out? Al Jazeera’s Katrina Yu explains.
Read briefingWarsaw also says it has scrambled military planes in response to a Russian attack in western Ukraine, close to its border.Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk says that intelligence information suggests Russia plans to launch drone and missile attacks against countries supporting Ukraine.Warsaw’s leader outlined the assessment during an address to parliament on Thursday, saying that the attacks will be meant to weaken NATO’s ability to act collectively in response.“According to intelligence assessments, Russia’s plan … includes hybrid drone and missile strikes against countries supporting Ukraine, including Poland,” Tusk said.European countries suspect Moscow of being behind a series of acts of sabotage in recent months to put pressure on the allies, especially Germany, helping Kyiv in its bid to resist Russia’s full-scale invasion – something the Kremlin has vigorously denied.“These potential strikes would be quote-unquote ‘accidental’ in nature, intended to paralyse or at least weaken the resolve of NATO states to invoke the relevant NATO provisions in the event of aggression against a member country,” Tusk added.He also said such attacks by Russia could coincide with “political changes in certain European countries granting power – or at least a powerful voice – to those who, increasingly invoking noble slogans of peace, pacifism and needless casualties, will call for peace – or rather, the total capitulation of Ukraine”.Tusk appeared to be referring to the advance of more Russia-friendly parties such as Alternative for Germany (AfD) and National Rally in France.Earlier on Thursday, Poland said it had scrambled military planes in response to a Russian attack in western Ukraine, close to the Polish border.Airports in Rzeszow and Lublin were temporarily closed, and residents of two eastern regions of Poland received air raid warnings. Local media reported that sirens had sounded and that pupils in some schools had sought shelter.“Very close to the Polish border, not far from Dorohusk, a petrol station was most likely attacked again,” Tusk said.On Sunday, a Russian drone hit a passenger train in Ukraine, just two kilometres (1.6 miles) from the Polish border.Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said Poland was strengthening airspace protection.“We have increased F-16 and helicopter activity, and are reinforcing our air defence and rapid response systems,” he wrote on X.Tusk said he would visit Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday to discuss cooperation within the Integrated Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition, a group of European countries developing an air defence system with Ukraine as a cheaper alternative to the US-built Patriot.
Read briefingAssailant sprayed vinegar at Representative Ilhan Omar, admitting political motives were behind the assault during her townhall.The man who sprayed apple cider vinegar at Democratic United States Representative Ilhan Omar during a town hall meeting in her district in Minneapolis was sentenced to a 14-month prison term after he pleaded guilty to an assault charge.Appearing before District Judge Joan N Ericksen on Thursday, 55-year-old Anthony James Kazmierczak pleaded guilty to planning the January 27 assault, admitting he targeted the congresswoman over opposing political views. He had been charged with assaulting a US officer.It has been nearly eight months since Kazmierczak lunged towards the congresswoman and sprayed her with a dark water-and-vinegar mixture from a syringe, which landed on Omar’s clothing and skin.The attack was captured on video and showed Kazmierczak, who sat in the front row of the town hall, leaping from the audience, after which he could be heard yelling, “You must resign” and that Omar was “splitting Minnesota apart”.Kazmierczak was promptly subdued by Omar’s security team before being arrested. Omar was not injured in the attack and proceeded with the town hall.The assault came as Omar had been calling for the abolition of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency and the resignation of then-Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem over her management of federal border agents in Minneapolis during the shootings during “Operation Metro Surge,” President Donald Trump’s federal immigration crackdown in the state of Minnesota. The crackdown involved more than 2,000 officers in Minneapolis and Saint Paul and provoked intense civil unrest and led to the deaths of two US citizens, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, at the hands of federal agents.In an earlier hearing, Kazmierczak could not explain what happened in the assault.The government sentencing memorandum, submitted to the court by prosecutors, said he had texted at least three people indicating his actions were premeditated, though he refused to answer questions about his specific intent.He also messaged a neighbour to arrange for dog care and contacts for a bail bond company.The sentencing memo said Kazmierczak had long struggled with alcohol abuse, had “a history of mental and emotional health concerns”, and also had a string of health issues tied to a 2022 diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. His lawyer, John Fossum, had argued that Kazmierczak had not been taking his mental health medication before the attack, lowering his inhibitions and contributing to what happened.“I’ve spent enough time in jail thinking,” Kazmierczak said Thursday. “I really apologise to her for having put her through that,” he said, referring to Omar.In social media posts, Kazmierczak had denounced former President Joe Biden and referred to Democrats as “angry and liars”, writing that Trump wants the US to be “stronger and more prosperous”.“This assault is yet another example of a dangerous national trend: people channeling political hatred into criminal acts,” said US Attorney Daniel N Rosen after Kazmierczak pled guilty in May.Omar, a Somali-American refugee and naturalised US citizen, has faced sustained mocking and anti-immigrant rhetoric from Trump throughout her congressional tenure.
Read briefingTrump says country has made progress against narcotics since Maduro’s removal, may also remove Colombia and Bolivia.United States President Donald Trump’s administration has decided to drop Venezuela from its list of major drug transit or production countries, and is considering removing Colombia and Bolivia.“In Venezuela, thanks to my Administration’s arrest and removal of former illegitimate dictator and drug trafficker Nicolas Maduro, we are already seeing the results of growing cooperation with the country’s interim government against cartels,” Trump said in a statement submitted to the US Congress on Tuesday and released Wednesday.The US abducted Maduro, a leftist and long-time critic of Washington, in January and is trying him in a New York City federal court on drug trafficking charges. Washington has since been working with interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez, securing agreements for US oil companies to access resources in the oil-rich country.Under US law, the president must inform lawmakers annually about other countries’ efforts at combating narcotics production and trafficking. The US is restricted from giving some types of financial assistance to countries on the list.Afghanistan, Bolivia, Burma, and Colombia were designated as having “failed demonstrably” by Trump in the recent report, which also criticised Mexico, Canada, Brazil and Nicaragua.Trump praised Bolivia and Colombia for electing new conservative leaders that broke with previous leftist governments, saying he expects them to ramp up efforts at coca eradication and combating “narcoterrorist” groups but would keep their designations in place for the time being.“Dramatic political changes in South America over the past year have created historic openings for United States cooperation with governments in the region,” Trump’s statement said, alluding to the wave of right-wing leaders that have replaced leftists who were critical of Washington in the region.Bolivia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Peru, Venezuela and Colombia are now among those countries led by leaders who have aligned themselves with Trump.Many have also joined the Shield of the Americas programme, a regional US-led military and security alliance, which members say is aimed at combating narcotics trafficking and other criminal activity in the region.On Tuesday, the Trump administration announced it was redirecting $52m in foreign military funding towards Latin America, away from partners in Europe and the Middle East.
Read briefingDisplaced Syrians are digging through mountains of burning garbage near al-Bab in northern Aleppo, searching for recyclable materials to make a living after 13 years of civil war left millions in Syria facing acute food insecurity.
Read briefingHouthi forces have released a video claiming to show a Saudi fighter jet the group says was shot down in Yemen’s Marib Governorate. Al Jazeera cannot independently verify the claim. There was no immediate comment from Saudi Arabia.
Read briefingDiscontent is testing President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s ability to unify a country emerging from 14 years of conflict.Syria’s parliament has voted to abolish an al-Assad-era “terrorism” court and nullify the legal effects of its rulings, in one of the first significant legislative moves by the country’s new assembly.The vote on Wednesday formalised the abolition of the court, which Syria’s new authorities had already treated as defunct, state-run Al-Ekhbariya TV reported.The Counter-Terrorism Court, established in 2012, was used to prosecute thousands of Syrians for offences deemed “terrorism-related” under ousted former President Bashar al-Assad.Wednesday’s vote came during the opening weeks of the first parliament formed since al-Assad was toppled. The chamber convened for the first time in July.In June 2025, President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued a decree dismissing 67 judges who had served in what he described at the time as the “abolished Counter-Terrorism Court”.Syria’s March 2025 constitutional declaration had also called for abolishing the effects of what it described as unjust rulings issued by the court, including returning confiscated property.The United Nations Human Rights Committee said in 2024 that the 2012 law establishing the court failed to adequately provide key judicial guarantees and raised concerns over arbitrary detention, torture or ill-treatment, and the court’s independence.The vote is among the assembly’s first major legislative decisions after it spent its initial sessions establishing its internal rules and committees.The 53-year-long rule of the al-Assad family ended on December 8, 2024, after a lightning 11-day offensive that took Syria and the world by surprise. With it ended a brutal police state, notorious for its use of torture and disappearances.Hundreds of oil tanker trucks were stranded in northeastern Syria’s Kurdish region on Wednesday after demonstrators blocked a major highway near the town of Tal Tamr in protest over rising fuel prices.Discontent has been building in the Kurdish region amid a push to integrate a once-powerful Kurd-led armed force – the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) – into Syria’s army and bring them under the control of the central government.The integration agreement with the SDF, minted in August, has been widely regarded as a victory for al-Sharaa’s government, but discontent is testing the president’s ability to unify a country emerging from 14 years of conflict.Kurds, who made up about 10 percent of Syria’s population of 23 million before the civil war began in 2011, were long marginalised under the country’s al-Assad dynasty. During the war, they carved out a de facto autonomous zone in the northeast.When northeast Syria – including its oilfields – was under the SDF’s control, fuel was heavily subsidised. After the central government took control, it removed those subsidies, leading to a price hike.Syrian Energy Minister Mohammed al-Bashir is scheduled to be questioned in parliament on Thursday over the increase in fuel prices.On Sunday, the government further hiked petrol prices by about 30 percent and diesel by 40 percent, citing rising global fuel prices due to the US-Israel war on Iran as well as repair work at the Baniyas refinery on the country’s coast.Demonstrators shut down the M4 highway near the town of Tal Tamr, blocking trucks bringing oil from the Qamishli and Rmeilan oilfields, and announced that they would only reopen the route if the price increases were reversed.Additionally, students in the cities of Qamishli and Hasakah staged mass protests in recent weeks over a government decree that makes Kurdish an official language of instruction for the first time in Syrian history but only provides for three classes a week in the language. By contrast, Kurds had set up a school system teaching mostly in Kurdish.With the new post-war government reasserting control over the northeast, Kurdish communities have been anxious about losing the rights they had under self-rule. Al-Sharaa has promised constitutional protection for Kurdish language and political rights.In January, the integration deal reached between the central government in Damascus and the SDF halted weeks of fighting. While some Kurdish politicians hail the integration as a door for the Kurds to participate in building the new Syria and to demand their rights through the constitution, others consider the step a result of pressure from Turkiye and the United States and potentially harmful for Kurdish interests.
Read briefingTrump presses for a solution to end Ukraine’s war with Russia as oil prices surge.Efforts are underway to organise a “meaningful” meeting between United States President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the United Nations General Assembly next week.Ukrainian and US diplomatic teams are “actively” working to set up a meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump at the 81st UN General Assembly session in New York, according to press briefing by Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi.Tykhyi said Zelenskyy’s visit will include dozens of bilateral negotiations and engagements with US legislators, business leaders and the Ukrainian community in the US.Zelenskyy and Trump last met at the White House in July in a much-anticipated encounter after a heated 2025 televised meeting at the Oval Office ended abruptly, with US Vice President JD Vance calling Zelenskyy “disrespectful” for not thanking the US for its support for Ukraine.As Ukrainian officials were preparing for the UN visit, a Russian drone strike on a bus killed at least five people and injured seven others on Wednesday in the city of Nikopol near the southern Ukraine front line.The number of civilians killed in Ukraine has increased sharply this year, according to the UN, amid an escalation in Russian strikes. At least 1,396 civilians were killed and 7,978 wounded in Ukraine during the first six months of 2026, according to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, a 37 percent increase from the same period in the previous year.Along with the Iran conflict, the war in Ukraine is also having an impact on diesel prices, according to the International Energy Agency.Last week, Trump urged Zelenskyy to halt strikes on Russian diesel infrastructure, saying the attacks were to blame for a global fuel shortage that was driving up prices, not the war with Iran.And on Sunday, Trump said the increase in the price of diesel “isn’t done by the Middle East, this is done by what’s happening with Russia and Ukraine”.Zelenskyy says Ukraine is ready to halt its attacks on Russian territory if the US can secure a commitment from Moscow to not hit Ukrainian infrastructure.
Read briefingDozens injured as 2,000 farmers – backed by far-right groups – protest the extension of a livestock export ban.Riot police have clashed with Romanian shepherds and farmers as they rioted during a protest against a ban on livestock exports due to disease.About 2,000 people gathered to demonstrate in the capital, Bucharest, on Tuesday against the extension of a live sheep export ban, imposed by the European Union due to the highly contagious small ruminant plague. As in other protests by farmers across Europe in recent years, the rally was encouraged and supported by far-right forces.Violence broke out in front of the Romanian government building in Bucharest when some protesters demanding the reversal of the ban began throwing rocks, metal barriers and other objects at law enforcement.Police responded with tear gas in a bid to disperse them. Twenty-six people were detained, riot police said in a press release.Twenty-four demonstrators and police officers required medical attention – some for broken bones, others for the effects of the tear gas. Four were hospitalised.The government and the opposition called on the demonstrators to refrain from violence.The demonstration was called by farmers and shepherd groups. Protesters held banners calling on the country’s president and prime minister to resign.Some chanted the name of far-right politician Calin Georgescu, a former presidential candidate who is standing trial for acts against the constitutional order following the annulment of the presidential elections in 2024.Supporters of Georgescu had shared messages on social media ahead of the protest, asking people to join.George Simion, the leader of the main far-right group in the country, the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), wrote on Facebook that “AUR stands with the farmers and all working Romanians”, but called on protesters to demonstrate peacefully.The Romanian government said in a press release that the protest had “degenerated into regrettable acts of violence” and called for “calm”.President Nicusor Dan condemned the “extremely serious” violence and “any attempt to turn a legitimate protest into street fighting” in a social media post.Romanian shepherds had protested outside the government building at the end of July over the EU ban on live sheep exports, which expires at the end of 2026.The country of 19 million people has been struggling for months with the highest inflation in the EU and a political crisis with no end in sight.The pro-European government, which adopted austerity measures to rein in a high budget deficit, was brought down in a no-confidence motion in May, and a divided parliament has failed to confirm a successor.
Read briefingAl Jazeera’s Josh Rushing talks with United States journalists Krystal Ball and Jude Russo about why the 2026 congressional midterms matter and what’s driving the political conversation.They look at the big issues shaping voters’s views, from the economy and foreign policy to immigration, AI and the changing media landscape.Along the way, they explore the growing divides within both major parties and what voters are looking for from Washington.Contributors: Krystal Ball – Co-founder and anchor, Breaking Points Jude Russo – Editor, The American Conservative
Read briefing