News Desk

United Nations peacekeepers say a drone ‘dropped a grenade’ on its troops as Israel continued attacks on Lebanon.

Israeli strikes have killed two people in Lebanon, according to the Lebanese health ministry, in the latest violation of a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah.

In a statement on Friday, the Ministry of Public Health said an “Israeli enemy strike” on a vehicle in Mansuri in southern Lebanon had killed one person.

It also said that a strike on the southern town of Mayfadun killed one person the previous night. Israel said the victim of that attack was a Hezbollah member who it alleged “took part in attempts to reestablish Hezbollah’s infrastructure in the Zawtar al-Sharqiyah area”.

The Israeli military on Thursday also carried out several strikes in eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa region, north of the Litani River, after issuing warnings to evacuate.

United Nations peacekeepers deployed in southern Lebanon on Friday sent a stop-fire request to the Israeli army after a drone “dropped a grenade” on its troops. It was unclear if the grenade exploded or not.

UNIFIL said such activities put both civilians and peacekeepers at risk and constitute a violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.

UNIFIL was established in 1978 following Israel’s invasion of southern Lebanon and saw its mandate significantly expanded after the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah under Resolution 1701.

More than 10,000 peacekeepers were deployed to monitor the cessation of hostilities and support the Lebanese army’s presence south of the Litani River.

The UN Security Council decided in August to end UNIFIL’s mandate on December 31, 2026, followed by a one-year plan for a phased drawdown of forces.

Israel has continued violating the ceasefire with Hezbollah in place since late November 2024, resulting in hundreds of casualties, while Israeli forces remain on five Lebanese hills seized in the latest war, in addition to other areas occupied for decades.

Lebanon has faced growing ‌pressure from the US ⁠and Israel to disarm Hezbollah, and its leaders fear that Israel could dramatically escalate strikes ‌across the battered country to push Lebanon’s leaders to confiscate Hezbollah’s arsenal more quickly.

Who: Manchester United vs Manchester City
What: English Premier League
Where: Old Trafford, Manchester, United Kingdom
When: Saturday, January 17, at 12:30pm (12:30 GMT)
How to follow: We will have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 09:30 GMT, in advance of our text commentary stream.

Michael Carrick will step ‍into the dugout as Manchester United’s interim manager for the first time in Saturday’s Manchester derby at Old Trafford, tasked with steadying a side that has stumbled through another bleak winter – and another change of manager.

City have put behind them their period of discontent, which saw them implode last season in their title defence, and they are once again challengers for the Premier League crown.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at one of the biggest games in world football, which sees the rivals in contrasting form.

How have Man Utd fared in the Premier League this season?

United are seventh in the table with one win in their last six league matches – add to that last week’s FA Cup exit, and the ⁠mood is flat on the red side of Manchester.

Carrick’s arrival, however, in the wake of Ruben Amorim’s sacking, brings a flicker of hope.

The former midfielder, who won the full set of major trophies as a United player, certainly does not give the impression of being overawed by the situation.

“I feel in a really good place to be here. It feels very natural, to be honest, very normal,’ he said this week. “I understand the job, what it entails and the responsibility of it.”

What experience does Carrick bring to the Man Utd job?

Carrick had an unbeaten three-game interim spell in charge of United in 2021, but his only long-term experience as a manager was at second-tier Middlesbrough from 2022-25.

He has a contract until the end of the season as United gives itself time to identify candidates to try to end a decade-plus of decline. Carrick has the chance to put himself in the frame in the 17 remaining games this term.

Carrick wants to put smiles on the faces of fans who jeered at the final whistle as United was knocked out of the FA Cup by Brighton last week.

“I want to be off my seat [with excitement],” he said. “I want to be enjoying watching the boys play and results obviously need to come with that. You can feel my kind of enthusiasm for it because I’m buzzing to get started and see what we can do.”

After City, United face a trip to Arsenal. Quite the start for a coach barely experienced at this level and taking on a role that increasingly looks like an impossible job after Amorim became the sixth coach or manager to make way since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

How have Man City fared in the Premier League this season?

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City appear to be returning to somewhere close to their best. For a team that won an unprecedented four Premier League titles in a row, however, they still have some way to go.

City are six points behind Arsenal and second in the league ‍table, despite three consecutive draws.

They are still in the hunt for four trophies and a victorious run – similar to that that saw them lift five trophies in 2023 – cannot be ruled out.

Indeed, City arrive with their own narrative twist with January signing ‍Antoine Semenyo stealing the ⁠headlines.

Two games, two goals, and his own chant from the Etihad faithful, Semenyo has injected a dose of unpredictability into Guardiola’s well-oiled machine.

While City’s three draws cost them precious points in the title race, their recent form suggests they are rediscovering their ruthless edge, with a 10–1 FA Cup demolition of League One side Exeter City and a 2-0 League Cup semifinal win over Newcastle United on Tuesday.

What happened the last time United played City in the Manchester derby?

City demolished Amorim’s United 3-0 in September in the first Premier League meeting of the season.

City’s goal-scoring machine Erling Haaland struck twice in the match at Etihad Stadium, while Phil Foden chipped in with the other.

What happened in the corresponding fixture last season?

Last season’s Premier League encounter at Old Trafford resulted in a dour 0-0 draw on April 6.

United were already long out of contention for their aim of Champions League qualification but City’s place at European football’s top table was still in doubt.

United also had one eye on the upcoming Europa League final against Tottenham, which ultimately ended in defeat.

When did United last beat City in the Manchester derby?

United’s last victory in the derby came last season with a 2-1 win in the Premier League match at Etihad Stadium.

City led, through Josko Gvardiol’s first-half strike, with two minutes remaining of the match, but one of Amorim’s finest hours was to follow.

Amad Diallo netted a late equaliser to the delight of the away support, which soon turned to delirium, though, when Bruno Fernandes netted an injury-time penalty.

Head-to-head

This is the 197th Manchester derby, with the first match coming in the old Second Division in England in 1894, and resulting in a 5-2 win for United at City.

Overall, United have won 79 of the contests with City claiming the spoils on 62 occasions.

Manchester United team news

Harry Maguire is back fit, and Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo return from Africa Cup of Nations duty, adding depth to a squad that has looked threadbare.

Noussair Mazraoui remains at AFCON with Morocco ahead of their final on Sunday, while defender Matthijs de Ligt is injured and forward Shea Lacey is suspended after being shown a second yellow in the FA Cup defeat by Brighton last weekend.

Predicted Manchester United lineup

Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Cunha; Sesko

Manchester City team news

Guardiola is counting on Omar Marmoush’s return from AFCON to shoulder some of the attacking load on “exhausted” Haaland. Marmoush’s Egypt lost 1-0 to Senegal ​in Wednesday’s AFCON semifinals, but City will have to wait for the forward’s return until ‌after the tournament’s third-place playoff on Saturday.

Haaland, who once again tops the Premier League scoring chart with 20 goals, played Tuesday’s full match, including 10 minutes of injury time. He has not scored from open play, however, since their 3-0 win over West Ham United on December 20.

“Hopefully Omar ‌will be back soon to give rest to Erling because Erling is exhausted,” Guardiola said on Tuesday.

Josko Gvardiol, Mateo Kovacic, John Stones, Ruben Dias, Oscar Bobb and Savinho are all absent due to injury.

Predicted Manchester City lineup

Donnarumma; Nunes, Khusanov, Alleyne, O’Reilly; Rodri; Bernardo, Cherki, Foden, Semenyo; Haaland

Gardeners’ World star Monty Don has made a surprising admission after leaving the UK on a Rhine trip

Monty Don, the beloved horticulturist and lead presenter of Gardeners’ World , has revealed an “interesting” insight after leaving the UK to explore gardens along the Rhine.

The 70-year-old broadcaster recently embarked on a journey from the river’s source in the Swiss Alps down to the North Sea, documenting his discoveries in a new three-part BBC Two series that begins this evening, January 16.

Don’s expedition was not just about plants, far from it. “People are always more interesting than plants,” he told The Times, reflecting on the human stories behind the gardens he encountered. The Gardeners’ World favourite explained that his trip has been more of a cultural exploration than a horticultural one.

While he hasn’t necessarily learned anything new about plants, he has uncovered fascinating insights into the communities who cultivate them. The presenter noted that the Swiss, Germans, and Dutch, while sharing a love of greenery comparable to Britain’s, approach their gardens in very different ways.

“The Swiss are irresistibly drawn to tidiness and neatness. The Germans garden very enthusiastically but they do so as if it’s a job, in the same way as they will clean their houses or look after their cars,” he observed. Even the seemingly freewheeling Dutch are methodical and disciplined. “They’re incredibly methodical and organised,” he added.

Despite this orderliness, Don emphasises that these nations’ green spaces are far from dull or conformist. Across Switzerland, Germany, and the Netherlands, pioneering schemes have transformed both private gardens and public parks, sometimes reshaping entire communities in the process.

Often, he explains, these initiatives begin with a single passionate individual or a group of committed residents. “In the end, government is never going to do these things — it always has to come from an individual or a few individuals with passion and with knowledge, and they get the ball rolling.”

One striking example came from the village of Osterfingen, where Don was impressed less by the plants themselves than by the way the villagers had transformed their community through gardening. “It is about how gardens can change people’s lives. That’s the point,” he said, summarising the broader theme of his Rhine adventure.

Don’s own life has long been intertwined with gardens, but his professional career extends beyond the boundaries of his own back garden. Since becoming the lead presenter on Gardeners’ World , he has inspired generations of viewers with practical gardening advice, creative planting schemes, and an infectious enthusiasm for nature.

Away from the studio, Monty is a devoted family man, having married his wife Sarah in 1983, and the couple are often spotted with their dogs at their home in Herefordshire. They have three children — Adam, Tom, and Freya — and Monty has frequently spoken about the importance of balancing work and family life, though he rarely misses an opportunity to explore the world with a green-fingered lens.

The new series promises to showcase the diversity of gardens along one of Europe’s most iconic rivers while celebrating the human passion that makes them flourish. For Don, it is the stories of the people behind the plants that leave the most lasting impression.

“People are always more interesting than plants,” he concludes, reminding viewers that gardening is as much about community, creativity, and culture as it is about soil and seeds.

Jan. 16 (UPI) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Friday where they unveiled a “strategic partnership,” including a new trade deal, amid a thaw of an almost decade-long deep freeze in relations between the two countries.

Welcoming Carney at the Great Hall of the People, the first visit of a Canadian leader in eight years, Xi lauded the “turnaround,” noting that cooperation in recent months had already yielded “positive results” and that he was committed to further strengthening the relationship.

Carney said the relationship would deliver “stability, security and prosperity” for Chinese and Canadians alike, saying agriculture, energy and finance were the issues where efforts should be directed.

“That’s where we can make most immediate progress,” he said.

After their meeting, Carney emerged to announce a five-point partnership — the fruit of “recalibrating distant and uncertain ties” since he came into office in March — with a focus on boosting agri-food trade and clean energy and climate competitiveness, along with championing multilateralism and cultural exchange.

The trade deal will see China slash tariffs on Canadian canola seeds, peas and shellfish — worth as much as $3 billion in new orders — in exchange for Canada slashing its 100% tariff on 49,000 Chinese-made electric to just 6.1%, and Chinese investment in the development of clean power.

The deal unlocks an expected flow of Canadian investment in the other direction into aerospace, sectors, including services, aerospace and advanced manufacturing, as well as a potential increase in oil and gas exports to China.

Carney’s visit kicked off with a meeting Thursday with Premier Li Qiang with the Canadian delegation holding a series of ministerial-level meetings that yielded an MOU to hold more in-depth discussions oil and gas resource development, including LNG along with LPG, as well as cutting emissions.

“They are very clear, they would like more Canadian products,” said Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson.

At a news conference with Li, Carney said the progress made in their new partnership would help position Canada and China up “for the new world order.”

He later clarified, saying what he meant was the decades-old multilateral, rules-based international order was no longer intact and was being superseded by a new one.

“The world is still determining what that order is going to be. The multilateral system that has been developing these has been eroded, to use a polite term, or undercut,” he explained.

Carney stressed Friday that differences between the two sides remained and that he had emphasized to Xi areas where Canada would never compromise, including human rights and issues such as election interference.

Ties have been stretched to the limit by a series of diplomatic and trade frictions dating back years but relations took a nose-dive in 2018 after Canada arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou on a U.S. extradition warrant, with China retaliating by detaining Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig on espionage charges.

All three eventually made it home after a swap in 2021 but relations were tested again in 2023 after Ottawa accused Beijing of attempting to influence the result of Canadian federal elections in 2019 and 2021.

More recently, the Canadian government condemned China in March for executing four dual Chinese-Canadian citizens on drug-related charges.

Authorities order emergency imports of electricity as people struggle in subzero temperatures.

Ukraine’s energy minister has sounded an alarm over the energy situation as Russian strikes ​on the country’s infrastructure leave people shivering in subzero temperatures without heating or power.

Denys Shmyhal, who took office ‍earlier this week, told parliament on Friday that there was “not a single power plant left in Ukraine that the enemy has not attacked”.

Russia, since it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, has each winter concentrated fire on the country’s energy infrastructure in a bid to weaken Kyiv’s determination to defend itself and resist Moscow’s far-reaching demands for territory and limits on its military capabilities.

Shmyhal said the most challenging energy situation is in the capital, as well as the regions of Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv and ‍Odesa. Towns near the front line in eastern Ukraine are also filled with thousands of homes that have been without electricity and heating for days in subzero conditions.

“In some cities and regions, winter preparations have failed. Over the past two days in office, I’ve seen ​that many things are clearly stalling,” ‌he said.

The minister has ordered emergency imports of electricity, while declaring that Ukraine needs to install up to 2.7 GW of generation ‍capacity by the end of the year if it is to meet its consumption needs.

“State companies, primarily Ukrainian Railways and Naftogaz, must urgently ensure the procurement of imported electric energy during the 2025-26 heating season, amounting to at least 50 percent of total consumption,” Shmyhal said.

His ministry estimates that Ukraine has fuel reserves ‍for just 20 days. It did not give data on how much electricity Ukraine currently generates or imports, information that authorities have withheld due to wartime sensitivities.

Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko has introduced measures to try to help with the emergency, including reducing overnight curfews to allow people to access central heating and power hubs and extending school holidays in Kyiv until February 1.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said ‌the foreign and energy ministries had organised an international appeal for funds to help tackle Ukraine’s energy problems, similar to periodic meetings on arms supplies. ‌Norway, he said, had made an initial grant of $200m.

Russia has attacked the power grid and other energy facilities while pressing a battlefield offensive that has left Kyiv on the back foot as it faces US pressure to secure peace.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Thursday that ‌about 300 apartment buildings in the capital remained without heat after a January 9 attack knocked out heating to half the city’s high-rises.

Kharkiv’s Mayor Ihor Terekhov said Russian ‍forces destroyed a large energy facility in Ukraine’s second-biggest city on Thursday.

He did not specify what sort of facility had been hit, but said emergency crews were working around ​the clock. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the attack had left 400,000 people without electricity.

Kharkiv, 25 kilometres (15 miles) from the Russian border, has ‌been regularly targeted by drones, missiles and glide bombs throughout the war.

Cinephiles, assemble.

Nominations for the 98th Academy Awards will be revealed Thursday in a livestream that’s sure to spur some chatter. While critics seem to agree on a few locks, as this month’s Golden Globes — and last year’s Oscars, for that matter — proved, there’s always room for surprise.

Here’s everything you need to know about the announcement.

How can I watch?

Actors Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman will announce the nominees in all 24 categories, including the new casting award, in a livestream from the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. The presentation will kick off at 5:30 a.m. Pacific, and viewers can tune in live to the Academy’s website and social media platforms or to ABC’s “Good Morning America.” It will also stream on “ABC News Live,” Disney+ and Hulu. American Sign Language services will be available on YouTube. Nine of the categories will be revealed at 5:30 a.m., and the 15 remaining ones will be announced at 5:41 a.m. after a short break.

Brooks received an Oscar nomination for her role in “The Color Purple” (2024), and Pullman starred in “Top Gun: Maverick,” which won the Oscar for sound in 2023. He also co-starred alongside Amanda Seyfried in “The Testament of Ann Lee,” another awards contender this season.

When are the Oscars?

The 98th Academy Awards will take place on March 15 at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC, with streaming available on Hulu. The show starts at 4 p.m. Pacific.

Who’s hosting the awards show?

Conan O’Brien will return as host after his knockout performance in 2025, which helped the show draw its biggest audience in five years.

As Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Chief Executive Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang said in a notably early announcement of O’Brien’s encore, “Conan was the perfect host — skillfully guiding us through the evening with humor, warmth and reverence.”

The seasoned comic this past year made an appearance in Mary Bronstein’s “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,” whose star Rose Byrne is likely to receive a nod in the actress category.

Who are the projected front-runners?

Ryan Coogler’s horror standout “Sinners” is projected to lead nominations with as many as 15. Along with Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another,” the film may tie or even break the record for most Oscar nominations (14), which was first set by “All About Eve” (1951) and later matched by “Titanic” (1998) and “La La Land” (2017).

Other top contenders include Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet,” which took the best drama Golden Globe, Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value” and Josh Safdie’s “Marty Supreme.” Plus, after “The Secret Agent” notched a couple Globes wins, the Brazilian political thriller has its sights set on an Oscar next.

As for the individual categories, “Hamnet’s” Jessie Buckley is a sure bet for actress, and Timothée Chalamet and Leonardo DiCaprio are shoo-ins for their roles in “Marty Supreme” and “One Battle,” respectively. Chalamet beat DiCaprio for the Golden Globe Award on Sunday.

Wimbledon plans to treble the size of the existing site in London, adding 39 courts, but campaigners seek to block move.

Wimbledon’s ‌plans to expand the grounds for the world’s oldest ‍and most ‍prestigious Grand Slam tennis tournament were back in court on Friday, as campaigners again seek to block the project.

The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club ⁠wants to treble the size of its main site, which ​has been home to the Championships since 1877, in ‍a 200 million-pound ($267.9m) project which would feature 39 new courts.

The AELTC’s plans to redevelop a former golf course, which it owns, are ‍supported by ⁠several leading players and some residents.

But campaign group Save Wimbledon Park, which took legal action to challenge planning permission, argues the land is subject to a statutory trust, meaning it must be kept for public recreation.

The AELTC is seeking a ruling from London’s High ​Court that the land is not subject ‌to such a trust, with its lawyers saying it has never been used for public recreation.

Dozens of Save Wimbledon Park’s supporters gathered outside the court before ‌Friday’s hearing, including two women dressed as tennis balls holding a sign which said: “Balls ‌to AELTC.”

The expansion plans were at ⁠the centre of a separate case last summer, when Save Wimbledon Park challenged planning permission approved by the Greater London Authority in 2024.

Save Wimbledon Park ‌argued in that case that the GLA failed to properly take account of restrictions on redeveloping the land. Their challenge was ‍rejected, but the group has since been granted permission to appeal against that ruling.

Record-winners Egypt were one of favourites to add AFCON 2025 to their seven titles but focus turns to World Cup.

Egypt ‌might be disappointed with their failure to reach the Africa Cup of ‍Nations final but coach ‍Hossam Hassan says it has been a good experience ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 later this year.

Egypt lost in Wednesday’s semifinal to Senegal in Tangier but on Saturday will play Nigeria for the ⁠bronze medal at the tournament in Morocco.

“It has been very good preparation for ​us, we’ve tried several systems of play throughout the tournament and ‍played against different types of opponents,” Hassan said.

“We came close to the final but that’s football,” he said of the 1-0 loss to Senegal.

“Overall, I’m satisfied with all that happened and ‍what we achieved. ⁠We have a good team. We were away from home and did not have a lot of supporters.”

The match against Nigeria would be another opportunity to prepare for the World Cup, he added.

Egypt play in Group G with Belgium first up in Seattle on June 15, New Zealand in Vancouver on June 21 and Iran on June 26 back in Seattle.

Hassan ​said Egypt might have fallen short because of a ‌lack of players at top clubs in Europe, in contrast to the two finalists, Morocco and Senegal, whose squads are filled with players at top European teams.

“Players based in Europe gain better tactical ‌acumen and become physically much stronger, and we need that added value to make us better,” he said.

Egypt’s 28-man squad ‌had only three players based in Europe – captain ⁠Mohamed Salah from Liverpool, Omar Marmoush from Manchester City and Mostafa Mohamed from Nantes in Ligue 1.

“I think [the Nigeria] game gives us a chance to continue preparations, but we always want to win. Egypt ‌always plays to win, we are a team who have won seven Cup of Nations in the past,” Hassan said.

“We will evaluate after the competition where we ‍need to improve. We will study the positive points in order to be much better in both defence and attack,” he added.

BBC’s Gladiators is back for a new series this weekend, with stars Giant and Diamond appearing on BBC Breakfast to talk about what fans can expect

Gladiators star Giant has spilled an “inside secret” ahead of the new series of the BBC show.

The rebooted series, which was revived in 2024 after its massive success in the 90s, is set to return for a third season this weekend, with Bradley Walsh and son Barney reprising their roles as hosts, reports the Daily Star.

Appearing on BBC Breakfast alongside fellow Gladiator Diamond on Friday (January 16), Giant hinted at “some good surprises” and shared a behind-the-scenes secret.

Speaking to hosts Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt, he revealed: “We had a little, I’m letting you into an inside secret this time. So the previous series we’ve been kept away from the contenders while they’re training. This time we’ve been allowed a little look while they’re training.”

Naga playfully responded with: “Oh, that’s not fair!” as Giant, whose real name is Jamie Christian-Johal, explained: “We’re sizing them up a little bit.”

Diamond chimed in, reminding everyone that “they’ve been able to watch us the last time,” leading Giant to agree that things were now “even”.

“There’s a few big guys, strong-looking girls,” he observed. “And then you think, right, he’s my target.”

Discussing this year’s contenders, Diamond, real name Livi Sheldon, commented: “I think every year they get stronger.”

She added: “Even though we go up on to like, Duel for example, and we hit everyone off as hard as we can, it’s all really friendly afterwards and stuff and we support and we encourage the contenders as well because at the end of the day it’s a huge thing for them to come up against us.”

Giant revealed: “I would say this season is ramped up on every single level. So there’s more interaction with contenders. We as a team of athletes and friends are just looking out for each other on all the games. There’s new games to look forward to.”

Naga then queried if they had become accustomed to the fan response.

“It really is amazing,” Diamond admitted. “I mean we walk down in supermarkets don’t we and we get stopped and asked for photos.”

“It’s lovely and for children, adults, everyone to recognise you, it just really shows the love for Gladiators, for how well it’s been received as the past three series,” she added.

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new Everything Gossip website.

BBC Breakfast airs on BBC One from 6am and Gladiators returns to iPlayer and BBC One on Saturday January 17 from 5.45pm

Unsettled forward Mohamed Salah is set to return to Liverpool on Sunday, once his AFCON duty with Egypt comes to an end.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot said he would welcome Mohamed Salah back at the Premier League champions even if he had 15 attackers, as the Egypt forward nears a return from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Salah is set to play in Egypt’s third-place playoff match against Nigeria in Morocco on Saturday, after the Pharaohs lost their AFCON semifinal against Senegal.

His impending return has been a major talking point after he took aim at the club in an explosive interview in early December.

Salah accused Liverpool of throwing him “under the bus” after he was benched for three games in a row, and said he had no relationship with manager Slot.

The 33-year-old was then dropped for the Reds’ Champions League game at Inter Milan, while interest grew in the Saudi Pro League about signing the unsettled star.

But he appeared as a substitute in a 2-0 Premier League win against Brighton on December 13, providing an assist, and Slot subsequently said the club had moved on from the furore.

Slot, whose fourth-placed team host struggling Burnley on Saturday, was asked at his pre-match news conference about Salah’s return on Sunday.

“First of all, he needs to play another big game for Egypt on Saturday,” said the Dutchman.

“And then he comes back to us, and I’m happy that he comes back. Mo has been so important for this club, for me, so I’m happy that he’s back.

“Because even if I had 15 attackers, I still would have been happy if he would have come back, but that’s not our current situation. So I’m happy to have him back after an important game that he still has to play.”

Salah scored 29 Premier League goals to win the Premier League Golden Boot last season as Liverpool romped to a 20th English league title, but has managed just four league goals during the current campaign.

Slot was asked when he expected Salah to be available to play.

“Next week,” he said. “We’re in talks with him, what is expected of him over there and what we expect over here.

“But first of all, he needs to have an important game on Saturday, and next week he will be back with us.”

Liverpool take on Roberto de Zerbi’s Marseille in the Champions League on Wednesday before travelling to Bournemouth next weekend.

The Premier League champions’ title defence collapsed with a run of six defeats in seven league matches starting in late September.

But Slot has steadied the ship, and the club are now unbeaten in 11 games in all competitions.

When the Trump administration invaded Venezuela and kidnapped President Nicolás Maduro on January 3, the New York Times and Washington Post framed it as a surprise.

In a 2,000-word play-by-play, the Post (1/3/26) called it a “surprise strike” in a headline, and a “secretive operation” in the article. The Times, for its part, dubbed it a “surprise nighttime operation” (1/3/26), noting that “the military took pains to maintain so-called tactical surprise” (1/3/26).

But word quickly got out that it was not a surprise to either paper. Semafor (1/3/26), an outlet co-founded by former Times media columnist Ben Smith, reported that both the Times and Post “learned of a secret US raid on Venezuela soon before it was scheduled to begin,” but chose not to report on it, to “avoid endangering US troops.” Semafor sourced its report to “two people familiar with the communications between the administration and the news organizations.”

Semafor’s reporting didn’t clarify which individuals at each organization were aware of the forthcoming operation, but it wrote that the outlets decided “to hold off their reporting for several hours after the administration warned that reporting could have exposed American troops performing the operation.”

‘Did not have verified details’

The New York Times and Washington Post suppressed the story as Trump continues to crack down on press freedom. Trump has implemented new, restrictive media policies that led major news outlets to give up their news desks at the Pentagon (AP, 10/15/25). The president has filed costly lawsuits against the media, including a $15 billion defamation suit against the Times for multiple books and articles published shortly before the 2024 election (AP, 9/16/25). The Times, meanwhile, is suing what Trump calls the Department of War over its new press policy (New York Times, 12/4/25).

Whether the Times or Post should have exposed the operation is—at the very least—a legitimate question that should be debated in the public forum. And yet the Post has failed to even address Semafor‘s report. Times executive editor Joe Kahn, meanwhile, challenged Semafor’s reporting in a Times morning newsletter (1/12/26) more than a week later.

In response to a reader question, Kahn said that, “contrary to some claims,” the Times “did not have verified details about the pending operation to capture Maduro or a story prepared, nor did we withhold publication at the request of the Trump administration.”

But Semafor‘s report—the only claims that have been publicly made about the Times‘ withholding of information—made no mention of details being “verified,” or a story being “prepared.” It’s highly doubtful that the Pentagon would ever verify such information to a news organization prior to an operation—or that a US corporate news organization like the Times would be so bold as to prepare such a story without permission.

Kahn acknowledged that the Times was “aware of the possibility that that planning could result in new operations,” given its previous reporting and “close contact with sources.” And he admitted that the Times “does consult with the military when there are concerns that exposure of specific operational information could risk the lives of American troops,” but he claimed that was “not relevant in this case.”

Kahn added that “we take those concerns seriously, and have at times delayed publication or withheld details if they might lead to direct threats to members of the military.” He said, though, “in all such cases, we make our editorial decisions independently.”

It might be true that reporting a story about the Venezuela invasion before it happened could have endangered US troops. This is a familiar justification, used by US corporate media to suppress the story of the Bay of Pigs invasion and delay reporting on the NSA wiretapping during the Bush administration, as Semafor noted.

But there is a very real possibility that exposing the operation—for which Trump did not seek congressional approval, and which is widely viewed by international law experts as illegal—could have saved the hundred people who were killed by the airstrikes (New York Times, 1/8/26), including an 80-year-old woman (New York Times, 1/3/26; Washington Post, 1/4/26).

ACTION ALERT:

Please ask the New York Times and Washington Post why they failed to report on the Venezuelan invasion and kidnapping when it could have saved lives. Please ask their specific criteria for delaying significant information they receive, and whether the legality of US actions play any role whatsoever in their consideration.

CONTACT:

New York Times: [email protected] and [email protected] (or via Bluesky @NYTimes.com)

Washington Post: [email protected] (or via Bluesky @WashingtonPost.com)

The views expressed in this article are the authors’ own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Venezuelanalysis editorial staff.

Source: FAIR

Sanaa, Yemen – Naef has been a government soldier in southern Yemen for nine years. When he joined the government army in 2016 – aged only 19 – he thought that the Yemeni government’s war against the Houthi rebel group would be brief.  A decade has elapsed, and the conflict remains unsettled, with the Houthis remaining in Sanaa.

Naef was clear as to the reason for the government’s failure – a lack of unity and clear command structure. For years, government soldiers and other anti-Houthi fighters have adhered to conflicting agendas across the country, with many of the fighters in the south supporting the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC). A solution to that division, Naef thought, was far-fetched.

However, more recently, things have changed. The STC’s decision to attempt to seize all of southern and eastern Yemen backfired, and Saudi Arabia backed pro-government troops in pushing the group back. The STC is now divided, with one leader on the run, and others declaring that the group had been dissolved.

The Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), Yemen’s UN-recognised authority led by President Rashad al-Alimi, has seized the initiative and, on January 10, established the Supreme Military Committee (SMC), with the goal of overseeing all anti-Houthi military units, and integrating them into the official Yemeni military, under one command.

Al-Alimi said that the SMC would ultimately be a vehicle to defeat the Houthis, and reclaim all of Yemen.

The SMC announcement marks a dramatic twist in the decade-long war, and Naef is now – finally – hopeful.

“I am optimistic today as the government has revived some of its power in southern Yemen,” he told Al Jazeera. “The formation of an inclusive military committee is a boost to our morale and a prelude to a powerful government comeback.”

The soldier believes that, after years of inertia, the tide has finally turned for the government. After nine years of experience on multiple frontlines, Naef now thinks that the government – with the backing of Saudi Arabia – is capable of pushing into Houthi-controlled northwestern Yemen, should negotiations fail.

“The PLC has achieved remarkable success in the south over the past few weeks with support from the Saudi leadership. It has once again proven to be an indispensable party to the conflict. Whether this success will be short-lived or lasting remains to be seen,” said Naef.

Concerns and defiance

The formation of the SMC has unleashed a sense of concern among Houthi supporters in northern Yemen.

Hamza Abdu, a 24-year-old Houthi supporter in Sanaa, describes the new military committee as an “attempt to organise the proxies in the south”.

“This committee may end the friction between the militant groups in the south, but it will deepen the south’s subjugation to Saudi Arabia,” Hamza said. The Houthis have often framed their opponents as being proxies controlled by foreign powers, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. They themselves are backed by Iran.

In light of the developments, Hamza shared a concern: the resumption of the war between the Houthis and their opponents, which has largely been frozen since 2022.

“If this military committee succeeded in uniting the forces in the south, that might entice them to attack the north,” he said. “A new destructive war will begin, and the humanitarian ordeal will magnify.”

Like many ordinary citizens, Hamza is now fearful that the war will restart. But Houthi leaders – while warning that their forces should stay alert – are still confident, saying that the formation of the SMC will not affect their power or weaken their control.

Aziz Rashid, a pro-Houthi military expert, believes that the SMC will not alter the status quo, arguing that any future confrontation with the Houthis “will only serve the agendas and plans of the United States-supported Zionist entity [Israel]”.

Rashid indicated that Houthi forces in Sanaa “confronted international and powerful military forces, including the United States, Britain and Israel, and stood firm against the [Saudi-led Arab] coalition during the past 10 years”.

The only solution for Yemen, Rashid said, was a political settlement.

The Iran-backed Houthis took over Sanaa in September 2014 and toppled the UN-recognised government in February 2015. They insist they are the only legitimate authority governing Yemen.

The Houthis have faced attacks from the US, the United Kingdom, and Israel since 2023, when the Yemeni group began attacking shipping in the Red Sea and Israel itself, in what the Houthis declared was solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

A terrifying message

Defeating the Houthis will be easier said than done, considering the Saudi-backed coalition’s failure to do so with overwhelming air power in the early years of the war, and the group’s now extensive combat experience and possession of advanced weapons, including drones and missiles.

But if the Yemeni military does truly reorganise itself and integrate the different anti-Houthi forces on the ground, the opportunity may be there.

Adel Dashela, a Yemeni researcher and non-resident fellow at MESA Global Academy, said that if the SMC is able to provide security and stability in territory under its control, it may also be able to improve the lives of Yemenis living there – and put itself in a stronger position in any negotiations with the Houthis.

“The next stage is the start of a political process to reach an agreement with the Houthi group. If the peaceful option fails, the military action becomes necessary,” Dashela told Al Jazeera.

Abdulsalam Mohammed, the head of the Yemeni Abaad Studies and Research Center, believes that recent events – both inside and outside Yemen – provide the government with a perfect opportunity to confront the Houthis.

“A limited military operation routed the UAE-backed STC within a few days,” Mohammed said. “What happened to the STC in the south carried a terrifying message to the Houthis in the north. The Houthis are not invincible.”

According to Mohammed, some factors have magnified the vulnerability of the Houthis at present.

He explained, “Iran is undergoing a massive crisis, and this can weaken Tehran’s Houthi proxy. The popular silent rage against the group keeps growing, given the economic and governance issues in areas under their control. Moreover, the exit of the UAE from the south will enable the Yemeni government to shift the battle to the Houthis in the north.”

Desperate for order

Armed groups in Yemen have proliferated over the last decade. The outcome has been a weakened government and a prolonged war. Amid the chaos, the population has borne the brunt.

Fawaz Ahmed, a 33-year-old resident of the southern city of Aden, is hopeful that the establishment of a military committee will end the presence of armed groups in Aden and other southern cities.

Fawaz expects Aden to get two immediate benefits from the formation of the SMC: an end to unlawful money collection by fighters and the disappearance of infighting between competing armed units.

He recalled an incident last August in Aden’s Khormaksar district, when two military units clashed at the headquarters of the Immigration and Passports Authority, leading to the closure of the facility for days.

“The commanders of the armed groups issued conflicting directions, and soldiers opened fire on each other. This clearly points to the absence of a united leadership. So, the declared military committee will prevent such face-offs,” said Fawaz.

“We are desperate for law and order,” Fawaz said. “Desperate for a city free from an unneeded military presence. This is a collective dream in Aden. Only united military leadership can achieve this.”

Washington seeks improved access to strategic chip industry of island nation, over which China claims sovereignty.

Taiwan and the United States have struck a trade deal that will see the island nation boost tech and energy investments in the US in exchange for lower tariffs.

In a statement announcing the deal late on Thursday, the US Commerce Department said Taiwan’s semiconductor and technology businesses will invest at least $250bn in the US. In exchange, it said Washington will reduce its general tariff on imports of Taiwanese goods from 20 percent to 15 percent.

The deal illustrates an ongoing push by the US to improve access to Taiwan’s semiconductor industry. The island nation holds a dominant position in the supply of the chips used in advanced digital technology across the world and, therefore, a critical component in the global economy, but it faces Chinese claims over its sovereignty.

President Donald Trump announced a 32 percent tariff on Taiwanese goods as part of his sweeping “Liberation Day” tariffs last spring, a rate he later lowered to 20 percent.

The Commerce Department said the “historic” deal “will strengthen US economic resilience, create high-paying jobs, and bolster national security”.

In addition to investing $250bn in building and expanding advanced semiconductor, energy, and artificial intelligence production and innovation capacity in the US, Taiwan will provide at least the same amount in credit guarantees for additional investment by its businesses in the US semiconductor supply chain.

Silicon shield

Taiwan stressed that it would remain the world’s main semiconductor supplier.

The island’s chip industry has long been seen as a “silicon shield” protecting it from an invasion or blockade by China – which claims the island is part of its sovereign territory – and an incentive for the US to defend it.

“Based on current planning, Taiwan will still remain the world’s most important producer of AI semiconductors, not only for Taiwanese companies, but globally,” Economic Affairs Minister Kung Ming-hsin told reporters on Friday, the AFP news agency reported.

Production capacity for the advanced chips that power artificial intelligence systems will be split about 85-15 between Taiwan and the United States by 2030 and 80-20 by 2036, he projected.

Reacting to the accord, Beijing expressed its stern opposition.

“China consistently and resolutely opposes any agreement … signed between countries with which it has diplomatic relations and the Taiwan region of China,” China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said, urging Washington to abide by Beijing’s one-China principle.

The actor was left with a very short time in which to respond to the invitation to be honoured, from King Charles

Idris Elba has told how he nearly missed his chance of a knighthood – because the letter asking him if he wasn’t to be a Sir got lost in a pile of letters.

Revealing how the honour almost passed him by, the Luther star said: “It’s a bit embarrassing. I was sent a consideration letter asking whether I would or wouldn’t accept it, but I didn’t see it as it got lost in a pile of post.”

Luckily, word went to his management that he’d had the invitation and needed to respond. “My agent told me that if I didn’t accept it would pass me by,” he tells Graham Norton on tonight’s BBC1 chat show. “By the time I found the letter I had only two days to decide.”

READ MORE: The Traitors survive as Harriet’s outburst fails to topple RachelREAD MORE: BBC star quits major news show to follow dream of ‘being Del Boy’

Idris, who found fame in huge US series The Wire, said he had yet to receive his knighthood, which was announced in the King’s 2026 New Year Honours list.

Despite his long career on the screen, he was honoured for his anti knife crime work through the Elba Hope Foundation, which focuses on empowering youth and providing alternatives to violence. “I got it for services to young people and I was thinking, ‘Hang on a minute, that’s great, but I’ve been acting for 30 years!’ It is actually a great honour, and my mum is so pleased.”

And another family member is also delighted. Idris has told how wife Sabrina is already using her new title of ‘Lady’. “I haven’t had the sword on the shoulder yet, but my wife is loving it.”

At the time he said the honour reflected the efforts of the young people he has worked with rather than his own achievements. “I receive this honour on behalf of the many young people whose talent, ambition and resilience has driven the work of the Elba Hope Foundation,” he said.

“I hope we can do more to draw attention to the importance of sustained, practical support for young people and to the responsibility we all share to help them find an alternative to violence.”

He has also called for greater accountability from the technology companies behind social media, warning about young people’s exposure to violent content online.

“When it comes to big tech, there needs to be accountability within their own policies,” he said last year. “It’s great that they are big companies that make a lot of money with lots of social media followers, that’s fantastic, but by the way we don’t like knives.”

The second series of his hostage thriller Hijack was released on Apple TV this week, with the action this time taking place on a train rather than a plane. Asked about his role as corporate negotiator Sam Nelson he said: “The first season was a big hit and people bought into so we’re going to do it again. The story is about what happens next after the plane hijack. It’s a good old-fashioned thriller.”

Also on Graham’s sofa tonight – fresh from her latest win alongside Stephen Graham for Adolescence at the Golden Globes – was Erin Doherty. Chatting about the second run of Victorian drama A Thousand Blows on Disney + – in which she also stars alongside Graham, she told Norton it was the first time she’d been able to use her own voice for a role.

Erin explained: “Surprisingly I’ve never been able to use it before, so it was a real joy. When Stephen Graham heard I was being considered for the role he said, ‘I don’t think she is what we are looking for’ because he had only seen and heard me as Princess Anne in The Crown. He was delighted to find out I’m from Crawley.”

Other guests in tonight’s show are actors Wunmi Mosaku and Martin Freeman and there is a musical performance from Olivia Dean.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

Jan. 16 (UPI) — More than 4.7 million social media accounts belonging to Australians under the age of 16 have been removed since the nation’s new social media youth ban went into effect last month, Canberra announced Friday.

“Our government has acted to help keep kids safe online,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement.

“Change doesn’t happen overnight. But these early signs show it’s important we’ve acted to make this change. We want our kids to have a childhood and parents to know we have their backs.”

Albanese introduced the law in 2024, calling it “world-leading,” with the intent to protect Australia’s youth from harms presented online, including Internet addiction.

The ban went into effect Dec. 11, ordering the most popular social media platforms to remove accounts held by those under the age of 16 and to block the creation of new accounts.

Some social media companies, including Meta — which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads — began preemptively removing accounts held by those under the age of 16 and blocking the creation of new accounts for these youth starting Dec. 4.

Violations are to be enforced against the companies, not users. Platforms affected are: Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, X, Reddit, YouTube, Twitch, Kick and Snapchat. Others, such as Bluesky, Steam and WhatsApp, could be added if they gain significantly more users or are otherwise deemed social media instead of gaming or peer-to-peer communication services.

The preliminary figures announced Friday were what the Albanese government called a first tranche of information provided to the eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant.

There are approximately 2.5 million Australians between the ages of 8 and 15, according to statistics from the government, which said that in 2025, 84% of children between 8 and 12 had social media accounts.

“Now Australian parents can be confident that their kids can have their childhood back,” Minister for Communications Anika Wells said Friday in a Press conference in Murarrie, Queensland.

“They can discover and learn who they are before these platforms assume who they are. They can spend a summer making real-world connections with each other, with their siblings, with their parents, skateboarding, writing, reading, art, music. I don’t care what it is, but it’s off the screen and discovering for themselves who they are and forging connections in the real world.”

Grant told reporters that all 10 social media platforms were in compliance, and no other services were being considered to be added for now.

Given the number of youth and the number of accounts removed, journalists asked if the numbers were at all inflated. Grant said no, explaining that more than 95% of 8 to 15 year-olds were on YouTube.

“I’m very confident these numbers are right, but we will continue to check,” she said.

The law has attracted criticism from social media companies. Earlier this week, Meta voiced concerns that prohibiting youth from their services could isolate vulnerable teens from their online communities, while driving some to less reputable services.

Grant said that the government doesn’t expect the law to eliminate every account and it is not trying to prevent children from accessing technology.

“What we’re actually doing is we’re preventing predatory social media companies from accessing our children,” she said. “And we will be working on digital action plans so that we make sure that they’re building digital and algorithmic literacy into the years to come.”

Researchers at the University of Queensland have said that teenagers on social media have increased exposure to harm, social isolation, depression, anxiety and cyberbullying.

A 2024 study from Orygen, the world’s leading research and knowledge organization for youth mental health, found nearly all Australian youth reported daily social media use. It also found that nearly 40% spent three or more hours online a day.

The announcement comes days after Meta announced that it had so far removed more than 500,000 accounts from Facebook, Instagram and Threads.

The first European troops have arrived in Greenland ahead of exercises that are intended to show the willingness of Denmark and its allies to defend the strategically important island. Greenland is currently the object of intense interest, as President Donald Trump continues to stress its critical role in the defense of the United States. Increasingly, the White House is arguing that U.S. ownership of Greenland is the only alternative to eventual domination by China or Russia. For now, the number of European troops involved is very small and largely symbolic, but that could change in the future.

Late last night, local time, a Royal Danish Air Force C-130J transport landed at Nuuk Airport, where it disembarked an undisclosed number of Danish military personnel, as seen at the top of this story. This advance party will soon be followed by small numbers of troops from France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. They will not be deployed under NATO auspices.

France has said it will deploy around 15 “mountain specialists” to Greenland.

🇫🇷🇬🇱🇩🇰
Every year, French Army mountain commandos deploy to #Greenland for Operation Uppick.
Extreme cold training, long-range raids, autonomy in polar warfare, and scientific research prepare them to operate and fight in one of the world’s harshest environments. pic.twitter.com/INXrCHhTOS

— Tom Antonov (@Tom_Antonov) January 14, 2026

The German Armed Forces is deploying a reconnaissance team of 13 personnel, initially to Copenhagen, before moving on to Greenland alongside Danish personnel.

At 🇩🇰’s invitation, 🇩🇪 will participate in an assessment mission in Greenland, together with other European nations. The aim is to explore the framework conditions for possible military contributions to support 🇩🇰 in ensuring security in the region. 1/2
©️ dpa/imagebroker/elov pic.twitter.com/H6zYnVsVIn

— Germany at NATO (@GermanyNATO) January 14, 2026

Norway and Sweden will send two and three officers, respectively.

Finally, a single British officer will be embedded in the group.

More European military personnel could follow, with the Dutch foreign minister having said that the country is willing to send staff. A decision is due before the end of the week.

Together, the European troops will establish the groundwork for larger-scale exercises that are primarily meant to send a signal to Washington that it is ready and able to defend Greenland.

“The Danish Armed Forces, together with a number of Arctic and European allies, will explore in the coming weeks how an increased presence and exercise activity in the Arctic can be implemented in practice,” the Danish Ministry of Defense said of the upcoming maneuvers.

While the deployment is meant to show strength and resolve, its tiny size, at least initially, could lead Washington to come to the opposite conclusion.

The military security of the island is at the center of Trump’s rhetoric surrounding it.

Greenland and Denmark — of which the island is an autonomous territory — have both repeatedly said the island is not for sale and have expressed alarm about threats of the potential use of U.S. force to acquire Greenland.

Trump’s interest in Greenland is far from new. Back in 2019, TWZ reported on Trump’s claim that his administration was considering attempting to purchase Greenland from Denmark, the U.S. leader noting at the time that the idea was “strategically interesting.”

The topic came back to the forefront at the beginning of the second Trump administration. In early 2025, Trump said he wouldn’t categorically rule out using the U.S. military to take control of Greenland, saying that America needs it — as well as the Panama Canal — for “economic security.”

“The American ambition to take over Greenland is intact,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said today, in comments to Reuters. Frederiksen talked of a “fundamental disagreement,” as he reflected on the meeting of officials from Denmark, Greenland, and the United States at the White House yesterday.

Those talks apparently ended with no solution in sight.

“That is, of course, serious, and therefore we continue our efforts to prevent this scenario from becoming a reality,” Frederiksen added.

Increasingly, Trump is now stating that the future of the island is threatened by China’s and Russia’s ambitions on it. The U.S. president has not ruled out any options to secure it, while stating that, as it stands, Denmark is not strong enough to dissuade Chinese or Russian aggression in the High North.

While China and especially Russia are increasingly projecting their power in the Arctic region, there is little evidence of particular activity around Greenland.

“Two senior Nordic diplomats with access to NATO intelligence briefings told the FT there is no evidence of Russian or Chinese ships or submarines operating around Greenland in recent years, directly contradicting Trump’s justification for U.S. control of the Arctic territory.” pic.twitter.com/ayJZ6xEI31

— Adam Federman (@adamfederman) January 12, 2026

There’s no other way to describe it – Trump is insane.

Greenland’s defense literally consists of two dog sleds. Do you understand? Do you know what their defense is like? Two dog sleds—Trump.

„Meanwhile, you have Russian and Chinese destroyers and submarines scattered across… pic.twitter.com/8O0QRIIJ7W

— Jürgen Nauditt 🇩🇪🇺🇦 (@jurgen_nauditt) January 12, 2026

Having said that, as well as its strategic location, the island is also rich in natural resources, with extensive mineral reserves.

For its part, Russia has said that attempts to identify it as a threat to Greenland are part of anti-Kremlin hysteria and has warned of escalating confrontation in the wider region.

Regardless, there are growing fears in Europe that the standoff over Greenland could threaten the fabric of the NATO alliance.

Several European NATO members have already stated that NATO could be at risk if the United States were to make any kind of effort to seize Greenland.

The U.S. troop presence on the island is currently also fairly small.

Around 200 U.S. troops are stationed in Greenland as of now, according to Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen.

Aside from this, the United States also operates one of its most strategic military outposts in Greenland. This is spearheaded by Pituffik Space Base, the U.S. military’s northernmost installation, a critical node in the U.S. ballistic missile early warning system, and also the world’s northernmost deep-water seaport. You can read in more detail about the U.S. military presence on the island here.

Under a 1951 agreement, the United States can establish military bases in Greenland, something that has also made sense for Denmark, since it benefits from the U.S. capability to defend the island.

The USA already has a defence agreement with Denmark that gives them exclusive and full military access to Greenland. But they are not using it. They have downgraded their presence by 99%.

Now, apparently, they are telling their base that they need to invade and annex Greenland… pic.twitter.com/3b6d5HkuTZ

— Rasmus Jarlov (@RasmusJarlov) January 7, 2026

The new European military presence on the island is even smaller, at least for now, but with larger maneuvers planned there later this year, it could be set to grow. Denmark has said that it plans to increase the number of its own troops permanently based on the island, with these potentially being boosted by rotational deployments by other allies, as in similar initiatives in the Baltic region.

The symbolic value of the initial European troop deployments should not be discounted entirely, however.

It seems clear that the upcoming maneuvers are intended to deliver two messages.

First, that Europe, even outside of the NATO framework, intends to defend Greenland against any kind of military aggression.

Second, Denmark, in particular, is showing the United States that it is responding to its criticism about its limited capacity to protect the island.

Exactly what kinds of maneuvers are going to take place, and on what scale, and what will come after, will depend heavily on the fallout of yesterday’s meeting at the White House.

One outcome of that meeting, which involved U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Rasmussen, and Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt, was a plan to establish a working group to discuss issues relating to the island.

For now, Greenland remains insistent that it has no wish to be governed by, or owned by, the United States. Its future, the government says, remains with Denmark and NATO.

Statement from Greenland’s leader today:

“There is one thing everybody must understand:

• Greenland does not want to be owned by the USA.
• Greenland does not want to be governed by the USA.
• Greenland does not want to be part of the USA.”
—-
Is that clear enough now? pic.twitter.com/iyPHVZtcD2

— Rasmus Jarlov (@RasmusJarlov) January 13, 2026

But as long as the United States continues to eye the territory, the more likely it becomes that Denmark and its regional allies will move to beef up their military presence there. Exactly how much military might will be needed to show the capability to effectively defend the island, at least in the eyes of the White House, is unknown.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com

Now in their early 70s, Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne have spent their filmmaking careers worrying about the fate of those much younger and less fortunate. Starting with the Belgian brothers’ 1996 breakthrough “La Promesse,” about a teenager learning to stand up to his cruel father, their body of work is unmatched in its depiction of young people struggling in the face of poverty or family neglect. Although perhaps not as vaunted now as they were during their stellar run in the late 1990s and early 2000s — when the spare dramas “Rosetta” and “L’Enfant” both won the Palme d’Or at Cannes — the Dardennes’ clear-eyed but compassionate portraits remain unique items to be treasured.

Their latest, “Young Mothers,” isn’t one of their greatest, but at this point, the brothers largely are competing against their own high standards. And they continue to experiment with their well-established narrative approach, here focusing on an ensemble rather than their usual emphasis on a troubled central figure. But as always, these writers-directors present an unvarnished look at life on the margins, following a group of adolescent mothers, some of them single. The Dardennes may be getting older, but their concern for society’s most fragile hasn’t receded with age.

The film centers around a shelter in Liège, the Dardennes’ hometown, as their handheld camera observes five teen moms. The characters may live together, but their situations are far from similar. One of the women, Perla (Lucie Laruelle), had planned on getting an abortion, but because she became convinced that her boyfriend Robin (Gunter Duret) loved her, she decided the keep the child. Now that she’s caring for the infant, however, he’s itching to bolt. Julie (Elsa Houben) wants to beat her drug addiction before she can feel secure in her relationship with her baby and her partner Dylan (Jef Jacobs), who had his own battles with substance abuse. And then there’s the pregnant Jessica (Babette Verbeek), determined to track down the woman who gave her up for adoption, seeking some understanding as to why, to her mind, she was abandoned.

Starting out as documentarians, the Dardenne brothers have long fashioned their social-realist narratives as stripped-down affairs, eschewing music scores and shooting the scenes in long takes with a minimum of fuss. But with “Young Mothers,” the filmmakers pare back the desperate stakes that often pervade their movies. (Sometimes in the past, a nerve-racking chase sequence would sneak its way into the script.) In their place is a more reflective, though no less engaged tone as these characters, and others, seek financial and emotional stability.

The Dardennes are masters of making ordinary lives momentous, not by investing them with inflated significance but, rather, by detailing how wrenching everyday existence feels when you’re fighting to survive, especially when operating outside the law. The women of “Young Mothers” pursue objectives that don’t necessarily lend themselves to high tension. And yet their goals — getting clean, finding a couple to adopt a newborn — are just as fraught.

Perhaps inevitably, this ensemble piece works best in its cumulative impact. With only limited time for each storyline, “Young Mothers” surveys a cross-section of ills haunting these mothers. Some problems are societal — lack of money or positive role models, the easy access to drugs — while others are endemic to the women’s age, at which insecurity and immaturity can be crippling. The protagonists tend to blur a bit, their collective hopes and dreams proving more compelling than any specific thread.

Which is not to say the performances are undistinguished. In her first significant film role, Laruelle sharply conveys Perla’s fragile mental state as she gradually accepts that her boyfriend has ghosted her. Meanwhile, Verbeek essays a familiar Dardennes type — the defiantly unsympathetic character in peril — as Jessica stubbornly forces her way into her mystery mom’s orbit, demanding answers she thinks might give her closure. It’s a grippingly blunt portrayal that Verbeek slyly undercuts by hinting at the vulnerability guiding her dogged quest. (When Jessica finally hears her mother’s explanation, it’s delivered with an offhandedness that’s all the more cutting.)

Despite their clear affection for these women, the Dardenne brothers never sugarcoat their characters’ unenviable circumstance or latch onto phony bromides to alleviate our anxiety. And yet “Young Mothers” contains its share of sweetness and light. Beyond celebrating resilience, the film also pays tribute to the social services Belgium provides for at-risk mothers, offering a safety net and sense of community for people with nowhere else to turn. You come to care about the flawed but painfully real protagonists in a Dardennes film, nervous about what will happen to them after the credits roll. In “Young Mothers,” that concern intensifies because it’s twofold, both for the mothers and for the next generation they’re bringing into this uncertain world.

A South ‍Korean court ‍has sentenced former president Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in jail after finding him ⁠guilty on charges stemming from his declaration of martial law ‍in ⁠December 2024. Al Jazeera’s Jack Barton is outside the court in Seoul.

Venezuela’s oil industry has long been a site of struggle—between national sovereignty and foreign control, between social development and extraction for profit.

In a wide-ranging conversation with theAnalysis.News, Venezuelanalysis founder and contributing editor Gregory Wilpert situates today’s crisis in that longer history, from the Chávez government’s effort to reclaim PDVSA for Venezuelans to the current US strategy of tying sanctions relief to oil exports.

As Washington pushes Caracas to increase production and redirect crude away from China, Wilpert examines whether interim leadership in Venezuela is navigating an impossible economic bind—or whether the country’s oil and sovereignty are once again being bargained under coercion.

Gaza City – Peace, in both the physical and mental sense, feels far away in Gaza.

A ceasefire may have officially been in place since October 10, but Israel continues to conduct occasional attacks, with more than 442 Palestinians killed in the three months since.

It is not just the attacks – daily life in Gaza is also shaped by siege and displacement, and a sense that living conditions will not improve any time soon.

Amid this exhaustion came the announcement on Wednesday by the United States of the beginning of the ceasefire’s “second phase”. This phase is about “moving from ceasefire to demilitarization, technocratic governance, and reconstruction”, said US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in a social media post.

The new phase includes a new Palestinian technocratic administration, overseen by an international “Board of Peace”, chaired by US President Donald Trump.

But while everything may sound workable on paper, the reaction from Palestinians in Gaza – one that mixes cautious hope and deep scepticism – is shaped by their lived experience since the beginning of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023.

“A lot of political decisions are distant from the reality faced in Gaza… our daily life that is filled with blockades, fear, loss, tents, and a terrible humanitarian situation,” said Arwa Ashour, a freelance journalist and writer based in Gaza City. “Even when decisions are made to ease the suffering, they are obstructed by the Israeli occupation authorities.”

“People want everything back like it was before the war: schools, hospitals, travel,” Ashour said. “If the Board of Peace is going to resolve all these crises, then we welcome it. But if it’s unable to do so, then what is its benefit?”

Palestinians excluded?

Ashour explained that after two years of war and more than 18 years of governance in the Palestinian enclave by Hamas, there is a desire for change in Gaza.

“People want to be part of the process of creating the future, not only to accept the implementation of decisions that have already been made,” she said.

The governance model envisaged in the second phase of the ceasefire plan does have a Palestinian component.

Ali Shaath, a former Palestinian Authority (PA) deputy minister, will head the Palestinian technocratic committee that will manage daily life. But that committee will be overseen by the Board of Peace, to be led by Bulgaria’s former foreign and defence minister, Nickolay Mladenov.

Mladenov – who has worked as a United Nations diplomat in the Middle East – is seen as an administrator, but one who may not be capable of pushing back against Israel and representing Palestinians in Gaza.

“Decisions made without the meaningful participation of those most affected reproduce the same power structures that enabled this occupation and genocide,” Maha Hussaini, head of media and public engagement at Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, told Al Jazeera. “Excluding Palestinians in Gaza from shaping their future strips them of agency and turns reconstruction and governance into tools of control rather than recovery.”

For Hussaini, justice after a war in which Israel has killed at least 71,400 Palestinians and destroyed vast swathes of the territory cannot be ignored.

“Peace does not mean silence after bombardment, nor a pause between wars,” she said. “For Gaza, peace means safety, dignity, and freedom from collective punishment. It also means justice: recognising the harm suffered, restoring the rights of victims, and holding perpetrators accountable. Without justice, what is called ‘peace’ becomes only a temporary arrangement that leaves the genocide intact.”

Palestinian political analyst Ahmed Fayyad said that ultimately, Palestinians have little choice but to go along with Mladenov and the Board of Peace model, even if there is a sense that they are handing over the administration of Gaza to foreigners.

“Palestinians don’t have the luxury of choice to accept or refuse Mladenov,” Fayyad said. “No one – the Palestinian Authority and the Arab [countries] – wants to disrupt the agreement.”

But Fayyad described several potential stumbling blocks, including internal Palestinian divisions between the Palestinian Authority, based in Ramallah, and its longtime rival Hamas.

The analyst also believes that the demilitarisation of Hamas – which the US and Israel insist upon, but which Hamas says is an internal Palestinian matter – will also likely cause problems.

“Israel might attach the demilitarisation to the reconstruction or the opening of [border] crossings, and investments in the education and health sectors,” Fayyad said.

“It is complicated, and it is all subject to Israeli security conditions,” he continued, adding that the formation of a new Palestinian security force that met Israel’s onerous requirements would take a long time because the process was not spelled out in Trump’s ceasefire plan.

“This will reflect negatively on the civilians who yearn for an improvement to their daily harsh reality and suffering in tents, amid outbreaks of disease and the collapse of all economic and social life,” Fayyad said.

Israeli spoiler

The announcement of the second phase of the ceasefire – a move that should have been seen as a sign of positive improvement – seems disconnected to the reality on the ground for Palestinians in Gaza.

“There is more fear than hope,” said Hussaini, from the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor. “Not because people in Gaza lack resilience or imagination, but because experience has taught them that moments labelled as ‘turning points’ rarely translate into real protection or accountability. Hope exists, but it is fragile and constantly undermined by the absence of justice and by decisions imposed from outside.”

And the most influential outside force is Israel – the power that has bombarded Gaza not just in the last two years but in several previous wars, and controls access to Gaza, and the air and sea that surrounds it.

“I think Israel tries its best to distance Gaza from any political solutions, which would end with Palestine’s right to self-determination,” said the analyst Fayyad. “Israel wants Gaza to be a disarmed zone; its people’s biggest concerns are the daily struggles of life, without caring about any political solutions.”

“Israel doesn’t want any future political solutions for Gaza. These are the concerns of the Authority and the Palestinians. Israel doesn’t want independence in decision-making in Palestine,” he concluded.

Reality of life in Gaza

The daily struggle of life is all Sami Balousha, a 30-year-old computer programmer from Gaza City, can think about.

Balousha described peace not as a political agreement, conducted in far-off meeting rooms, but as physical safety and a routine.

“It is simply to sleep at night assured that I wake up the next morning, not dead, or I won’t get up in the middle of the night because of the sound of bombing,” Balousha said. “It is getting up the next morning and going to work, and being sure that I will be able to get home safely, not suspiciously turning around all the time, afraid of a strike.”

Balousha said that he had been displaced with his family 17 times – moving from place to place to escape Israeli attacks. The mental turmoil of the past two years means he no longer looks to the future, and instead focuses on the here and now.

“Tomorrow is far away, and I have no control over it,” Balousha said. “We can’t imagine the near future and plan it. We’ve been stuck in this loop for two years. The reality has always been strangely hard and unexpected.”

Like many others, Balousha feels disconnected from international decision-making.

“They don’t have a deep understanding of the Palestinians’ needs in Gaza. I don’t think that we are being listened to seriously,” he said.

It is why he ultimately does not have much faith in any solutions being cooked up for Gaza, and is instead fearful that his current horror will become a permanent reality.

“I am afraid that the coming generations accept the new reality of living in an open grave, to accept the tent as a home, to grow up not knowing the great days of Gaza,” Balousha said. “People only want an end to this all, no matter what the solution is, no matter who makes it, all that matters is the end of this misery at any cost. People are tired, so tired of this all, but want to live.”