Funeral prayers were held at Gaza City’s Saint Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church for a Palestinian mother and daughter who were among five killed in an overnight Israeli airstrike on an apartment.
Published On 3 Oct 20263 Oct 2026
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William Serafino. (Venezuelanalysis)
William Serafino is a political scientist with a master’s degree in history. His research and analysis have focused on geopolitics. In this interview, he discusses Venezuela’s current relationship with the United States, including a major oil deal and what Donald Trump and Delcy Rodríguez seek to gain from it.
In New York, Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodríguez thanked Trump for his support and described their bilateral meeting as “historic.” Nearly nine months after the January 3 US bombing and kidnapping of President Maduro, how would you describe the current relationship between Caracas and Washington? Which elements are short-term Trump gimmicks, and which ones will structurally define the relationship in the future?
It is difficult to find a precise definition. Many speak of a protectorate-like condition; some even go so far as to describe it as a relationship of colonial or neocolonial subjugation. Others, however, define it as a process of political, economic, and energy normalization in which the Venezuelan acting government makes tactical concessions, but without formally compromising national sovereignty. I believe the devil is in the details, not in one-size-fits-all approaches. At the level of inter-state relations, what I observe is a strategic attachment of Venezuela to the US sphere of influence and an energy realignment that operates with significant geopolitical restrictions in what concerns relations with Russia, China, and Iran.
At the governmental level, an asymmetrical alliance (favorable to Trump) has been forged in the wake of the military defeat on January 3, from which Caracas and Washington derive immediate and existential gains: Trump cherishes the sole geopolitical achievement of his second term, and Rodríguez gains relief and fresh revenue to govern after more than a decade of suffocating sanctions, within a framework defined by US interests. This reality can hardly be classified as a protectorate, in which a foreign power takes control of diplomacy, defense, and other strategic elements of the subordinate state. Could one speak of a sui generis, or “soft,” protectorate? Perhaps, but that would be an acknowledgment that the concept is not entirely effective in explaining the situation.
The same is true of the thesis of a “retreat with full sovereignty,” which is difficult to sustain when the US is clearly shaping the portrayal of the new national political dynamic and controlling the country’s oil revenues. That is why I have ventured –at the risk of being wrong –to speak of “joint governance” or “co-government,” in which Washington and Caracas divide areas of responsibility and share the political costs of each move so that the alliance endures and each party can, albeit unequally, reap its corresponding share of the benefits.
Trump, despite his constant demeaning tone, needs the Rodríguez administration to be strong enough to lead the country in order to get what he wants; only under such conditions can he extract the oil. And she, too, needs Trump to remain in power so that the oil agreement and other commitments can move forward in the medium term. This is the only way to stay in power and hope to gain legitimacy through performance. I believe that, described in this way, we are talking neither of classic colonialism nor of uncompromised sovereignty, but of something more unique that requires developing other analytical categories.
In your articles, you have pointed out that the US-Venezuela oil deal must be analyzed beyond the announced figures. What do you consider to be the true political and geopolitical scope of this agreement, and what benefits do the various actors seek to extract from it?
I see it more as a political arrangement than a formal agreement. Its function is not legal or institutional, but political. The announcement gave Trump narrative ammunition to promise that gas prices will drop, a necessity driven by his debacle in Iran. By not having signed anything, he avoids going through Congress, sends a message to his core electorate that he is guaranteeing the country’s energy security, and reassures energy corporations to go ahead and invest in Venezuela because the relationship with Caracas is solid and unshakable. Rodríguez, on the other hand, benefits from the fact that the agreement shuts the door on María Corina Machado in Washington’s power circles and thereby helps reestablish her domestic legitimacy, promising a secure path to economic and social recovery underpinned by US investment.
I would go as far as saying that the agreement is Rodríguez’s trump card in a potential presidential campaign, where she will be able to present herself as the only political actor capable of boosting the economy, as opposed to potential rivals who lack influence in the White House and do not have a reliable plan to pull the country out of the spiral of inflation and economic frustration in which it finds itself after years of sanctions.
Both sides stand to gain politically, and the agreement appears to be designed to avoid institutional resistance: neither is forced to face the hassle of legislative approval nor the criticism from political opponents. Since there are no specific clauses, they can more easily divert attention and focus their message on the eventual economic benefits. This level of coordination is a sign of partnership, not of one-sided imposition. If that were the case, Trump could force Rodríguez to sign a bilateral treaty in the National Assembly, and that is not what we are seeing.
You have paid special attention to the role of the Pentagon and the involvement of its Office of Strategic Capital in the structure of the agreement. Why is it so significant that the US defense establishment is a formal actor in a Venezuelan oil deal?
It seems to me that the Pentagon’s involvement serves as a coercive cover—an insurance policy backed by force—to ensure, in the medium and long term, US commercial and financial advantages in the exploitation of the oil fields included in the agreement. Let us imagine that the current government, or another one in the future, wants to modify the arrangement and secure better terms. At that point, it would not be dealing with a conventional transnational corporation, but with one controlled by the Department of War. It doesn’t take much thought to realize that negotiating under such conditions would scare anyone off: the language of business would be replaced by the language of weapons, and after January 3, no one would want to venture into this murky territory.
Furthermore, I believe that the Pentagon’s involvement sends a message to companies to invest and feel secure in the knowledge that the Department of War guarantees their investments and capital commitments in the Venezuelan energy sector. For the US, Venezuela’s oil reserves are not being treated as an economic asset, but rather as a matter of “national security.” As we well know, when that term is used, any coercive tool is fair game against a country’s sovereignty.
You have argued that the relationship between Caracas and Washington is taking on the characteristics of a negotiation marked by a profound power asymmetry. And many official spokespeople or analysts ask, “But what alternative do we have?” whenever criticism is raised about the path the government has chosen. What real ability does Venezuela have today to negotiate different terms or reject certain demands from the United States?
Right now, those capabilities are very limited, because, as I said, it’s not just a matter of US impositions, but also of calculating how to obtain tangible benefits from an asymmetrical relationship. But politics also takes place outside institutional spaces, and I believe there is much to be done there. What I’m about to say won’t, I don’t think, resolve the dilemma you’ve raised, but it could be a path toward regaining political vitality and initiative: strengthening social consensus on national sovereignty, refusing to concede the battle for historical memory regarding a century-long history of US plunder, and fostering a broad discussion on the vision for the nation’s future. These steps could help break the inertia somewhat and prepare the country for more favorable political conditions in the near future. In contrast, suggesting specific policies or positions to the current government would be irresponsible, because I’m not the one who has to deal with a Trump and his violent ego.
My message is directed at all of us who do not hold such high-stakes positions and can contribute, from our own small spheres of influence or through our individual activism, to rebuilding a patriotic consciousness that must adapt to a new reality. How many open forums are being promoted to discuss the educational model, the economic model, and the model of income distribution? Which bodies are evaluating the trajectory of the bilateral relationship with the US in order to better address it? Are these discussions conceptually limited? Perhaps these debates will not change the current situation of Trump’s disproportionate influence, but they would give us autonomy in our vision and in shaping the future. If Venezuela does not have its own vision on major national issues, there is a risk that they will end up being imposed from Washington. That would be committing the perfect crime, and I believe we must avoid it: with national unity, transcending political divisions.
In your articles and social media posts, you have criticized political elites who, historically, have lacked “imagination” beyond offering lucrative deals to the US. How did Chávez manage to break that mold? How could Venezuela return to a more sovereign path?
To be fair, Chávez broke the mold but the political and geopolitical conditions were ripe for it. The weakness of the national elites, discredited by a society weary of inequality and injustice, coincided with the US being drunk on power at the end of the Cold War. In its plans to establish itself as a unipolar superpower, Latin America did not figure as the central battleground. The inattention of an empire more concerned with reshaping West Asia, forcing China into the “rules-based order,” and eliminating the last strongholds of the socialist bloc (Tito’s Yugoslavia) in turn allowed Chávez to implement his agenda without facing a full-scale war, although he did face numerous coup attempts.
The present conditions are different. There is a hemispheric imperial retreat underpinned by a militarized reinterpretation of the Monroe Doctrine, which drastically raises the cost of sovereignty-oriented proposals. Still, I believe that what is most commendable about Chávez, and which can be of use in this new context, is his ability to clearly identify favorable conditions and act upon them.
I believe that anyone who considers themselves a political figure must build upon these principles to take on the new challenges of the present, developing and defending a dignified vision of the nation’s future. I believe that, rather than waiting for another Chávez to emerge, we should instead study his thought in depth and draw on the best of it to renew political practices, always interpreting the situation for what it is: changing, volatile, and full of opportunities. Chávez is a great political school, but it has been reduced to a crude tool for private interests of all kinds.
In 2011, Joe Kay debuted Soulection as a college radio show at Cal State Long Beach, spinning rare B-sides, progressive beats, inventive flips of classic records and soulful underground tracks.
Fifteen years later, the niche local broadcast on K-Beach Radio has ballooned into a cultural movement that extends far behind his alma mater’s campus. Beyond its flagship on Apple Music with nearly 750 episodes (Grammy-winning producer Swizz Beatz was a recent guest DJ), Soulection is also an independent record label, live event and clothing brand. Operating under the banner “the Sound of Tomorrow,” the collective championed artists like Kaytranada, Brent Faiyaz, Bryson Tiller and Snoh Aalegra before they were household names.
Still, Kay remains hungry for more. “There’s so much more to do,” says Kay, who released his first project “If Not Now, Then When?” last year.
“We’re at this breaking point of not just being underground,” he adds. “It’s like we’ve been D-1. We’ve been to the playoffs. Now we’re like how do we get to the championship and not just show up to the championship, how do we win?”
On Saturday, Kay and his tight-knit crew are celebrating Soulection’s 15th anniversary with a festival at Reframe Studios Outdoors in Atwater Village. The lineup includes DJ sets from Kay, Grammy-winning producer and artist Kaytranada, Sango, Esta, DJ Miss Milan (who DJs for Doechii), Ayanna Heaven and surprise guests. (Kay doesn’t even know who all will show up.)
Ahead of the hallmark event, Kay spoke about how he continues to find emerging talent when everyone’s an artist or DJ these days, building long-term staying power, his new dance music concept and why he’s nowhere near done pushing the limits of what Soulection can do.
Joe Kay and his team are celebrating 15 years of Soulection on Saturday at Reframe Studios Outdoors in Atwater Village.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
This weekend, you are celebrating the 15th anniversary of Soulection with several guests, including Kaytranda, who has been connected to the brand for years but has yet to be on an official Soulection lineup until now. What does this homecoming mean for you?
It’s special. Just having Kaytranada, it’s been long overdue but right on time, and to me that’s all that matters. About four years ago, we did a private party in L.A. in between Coachella, and it was him, Peggy Gou and myself, and it was a really cool party. So we played together, but in terms of a public, front-facing event, this is the first time he’s been on one of our lineups. What I appreciate about him is his work ethic. That man just doesn’t love to DJ, but this man works so hard. I work really hard, and then I see him and it makes me just want to go harder. This man is constantly on tour and he just finds a way to keep putting out music that people care about so much. I think that alignment between him, Esta and Sango is special. Even having Miss Milan, it’s one thing to be a DJ for someone like Doechii, but to also see what she does independently, I really admire that. There’s not a lot of women in the space who are moving like that and are recognized. She’s a boss on stage. Then, Ayanna Heaven is from New York, but she’s Jamaican and we’re lucky to have her.
What else can we expect at the show?
We’ll have a sunset set of Soulection and Friends, so special guests will pop out to do a couple songs. We’re not even sure who’s going to be popping out completely, but we have a handful of names and there’s some good people who I feel like have been part of the Soulection sound and Soulection radio. In London, people were like :We wanted a party. There were a lot of performances.” So now we’re giving people the party and we’re trying to move, but there will be a portion where everyone does a couple of songs. I love how we listen to feedback from one event and we make adjustments. I think that’s part of why we’re still around.
Soulection was pivotal in giving early platforms to artists like Brent Faiyaz, Bryson Tiller and Anderson .Paak before they became global superstars. What is your internal filter for spotting rising talent and has this changed over the years?
It’s a loaded question because talent and gifted people are everywhere. I find those people everyday. But in terms of who has the “it factor,” that one takes more layers. It’s not about “Does this person have to have that ‘factor’ for me to give them an opportunity or to be excited about them?” It’s more so an internal feeling. Nowadays, content is important so it’s the music and it’s mainly how they message themselves. How are they communicating their work, their vision and is it resonating with me? Then I scan their socials. I have no problem following anyone. I’m not one of those guys like “I have to have my following ratio at a certain amount and I’m too cool to follow you.” If I’m interested, I’m interested. I think today it takes a lot more to stand out. It’s a saturated [market], but I feel if you can break off and stand out now, it says a lot more than ever because everyone’s an artist and a DJ. Whereas 10 to 30-plus years ago, it was so much more of a rarity. It was a lot harder to be an artist so now that’s what makes it a bit more complicated.
It’s been over a year since you released your debut project “If Not Now, Then When?” You’ve talked about overcoming impostor syndrome to make it. What did you learn about yourself throughout the process?
It went by really quick. I’m really glad we dropped that project. It taught me a lot. When people ask, “So what do you do? Or can I find you on Apple or Spotify?” It’s nice to have something to direct people to outside of the radio show, there’s a body of work. I get emails every week of how many people are still discovering the music even though it might be old to us. Working on this project taught me a lot about accountability. I realized putting out a project as a label head and allowing artists to share their vision versus how I would do things are two different worlds even under Soulection. I’m so used to being on the executive or A&R side and letting people cook like “We’re here to help market it, but this is your work.” I honestly was proud of it because in my opinion “This is how I think you should do a rollout” and it was nice to show proof of concept. Also, working with all these great artists. I’m still in awe when I think about D-Mile being on two records. Bruno Mars is on tour right now, selling out SoFi Stadium. He’s doing like 8-10 times what we’re doing and D-Mile is a big part of his sound. To know we had him be a part of my project was a blessing and says a lot about the work that has been done.
Last year, you talked about potentially releasing an album this year. Are you still planning to do that?
It truly is extremely difficult to get a project done when you’re on tour and that’s why it didn’t get done. I did about 30 cities and when you’re going city to city, country to country, there’s really no time. When you’re putting together these projects, I feel like you have to literally be stationary for weeks at a time when you wake up and that’s all you think about. It’s very difficult when you’re stopping and going and nowadays. There’s a lot of chasing with the artists. Even if they are down, artists have their own projects, their own rollouts, their own tours. We’ve also been working on this 15-year celebration for the last year and a half, so I would say the album is the next focus.
You’ve been cooking up a new concept called Tempo. Can you tell us about that?
I’m very passionate about Tempo. If I could launch it today, I would. I’ve been using that word so much because I keep trying to tell people we’re trying to make people dance. If the women move and are having a good time, everyone’s moving. That’s why we love dancehall, Afrobeats, amapiano and now as we’ve seen in the last years, Afro House, and these other genres. It’s essentially dance music. I’m also very close to South Africa, specifically Cape Town and Johannesburg. That’s a place I’ve been going since 2015 and I’ve built a really good connection with people out there. As these new subgenres started to come out in like 2018, I’ve been very passionate and researching that music. A couple years ago, I was there and I curated these shows with some really great local artists and producers. I’m just very passionate about trying to push those artists to a higher scale. Imagine Brent [Faiyaz], Leon [Thomas], SiR or Snoh Aalegra or Kwn, hearing their vocals on an Afro House record or just the right tune that has that tempo. Now all of a sudden, you have Shimza, Keinemusik or Francis Mercier playing the records in front of 30,000 to 50,000 people. I feel like we have those relationships with the artists. They need to be told like, “This is who you need to work with. Trust me.” Then bringing them together and not feeling like we have to make it pop or saturate the music or make the drums lighter and more radio-friendly. I think we do it in an organic Soulection style. To me, that’s really the goal of Tempo. It’s not just an event, but it’s also like a sub label of Soulection that focuses on electronic music, a lot of Afro electronic music but not just that — just house music in general. There’s no boxes or boundaries to it. If it moves you, we’re going to put it out.
Joe Kay will be DJing alongside Kaytranda, Sango, Esta, DJ Miss Milan and Ayanna Heaven at the Soulection anniversary show on Saturday.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Looking back on the last 15 years, what are you most proud of what you’ve built with Soulection?
There’s a couple things. One, it’s nice to have my team who have been with us for over a decade. It’s a testament to what we’ve built, that people still want to be here. It makes me feel good that I have a loyal group of people who are my friends, who I’m grateful to call my family and who go up to bat for me and the team everyday. It’s not easy. Now that we’re older, I feel like, we choose to be here. Secondly, to think about all the artists and collectives that have been motivated by Soulection and have gone on to create their own businesses or have gone on to sign to agencies or get a manager. To know they were listening to Soulection at one point, that’s all it was meant to be — to inspire. It’s not about being on Soulection, it’s more of how do you take this motivation and create your own. It’s nice to be a part of that, but also they did the work.
That’s cool because it makes me think of how you were heavily inspired by labels like Stones Throw. You wanted to intern for them, but ended up creating your own thing and now Soulection is a blueprint for others.
I’m still inspired by Stones Throw. They literally just hit 30 years, so they’re literally two times what we’re doing. That had me thinking like, “Damn, what are we at year 30?” To see them still doing it, it’s very admirable. To be [a blueprint] is still great, but I don’t feel complacent. We just feel like there’s so much more to do. You asked, “How do I stay excited to show up to work everyday amongst all the craziness” and I think it’s my curiosity. I’m just grateful to provide for my family and for so many others for just doing something that I love everyday. Being about music, arts and highlighting people, that’s a blessing. I think we can take that for granted, but I don’t and I really do wake up everyday like, “How are we going to change someone’s life?” That’s the best part about it.
Israeli settlers and soldiers have attacked and blocked Palestinian farmers from harvesting olives as the season begins. More than 80,000 Palestinian families rely on the olive harvest as a source of income.
Published On 3 Oct 20263 Oct 2026
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United States President Donald Trump has increased the pressure on US Senate Republicans to make Daylight Saving Time permanent, singling out one of the body’s members for stalling legislation to end the twice-a-year changing of clocks.
In a social media post on Saturday, Trump blasted US Senator Tom Cotton for “holding up” the Sunshine Protection Act, which Trump has personally opted to call the “No More Changing of Clocks Act”.
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“For some reason, Tom is stopping the Bill and, in the Senate, it’s very easy to do, it only takes one!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social account about the Arkansas Republican. “It should pass overwhelmingly, in a Bipartisan fashion”.
“Nobody wants to spend their precious time running all over the place, turning Clocks back twice a year and, having sunshine in the afternoon is better than early in the morning!” he added.
Trump went even further, publishing what he claimed was Cotton’s phone number as he implored Arkansas residents to pressure him. The move echoed a moment during the 2016 Republican presidential primaries, when then-candidate Trump gave out US Senator Lindsey Graham’s number after the former rival criticised him.
Al Jazeera called the number listed in Trump’s post, but an automated message stated the voicemail box was full. Cotton’s spokesperson and the White House did not respond to requests for comment.
The president has routinely pushed Senate Republicans to pass legislation mandating year-round daylight saving, which would end Americans’ decades-long practice of changing their clocks twice a year to increase daylight hours. On Friday, Trump urged the US Senate to approve the bill, which passed the US House in July by a 308-117 vote.
Cotton has previously opposed the bill, arguing in a US Senate floor speech last year that farmers, construction workers, commuters and children heading to school would begin their days in the dark during the winter.
Trump disputed that argument in a separate post on Saturday, saying the bill “would be a very nice and easy WIN for the Republican Party”.
“If Tom Cotton were putting Arkansas first, he would give them an extra hour of daylight and, more importantly, they wouldn’t have to run all over their houses, farms, workplaces, and everywhere else, twice a year, having to change their Clocks, and often forgetting to do so”, Trump wrote.
Trump, an avid golfer, also highlighted what he considered to be another selling point of the bill: the North American Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) tour.
“The PGA TOUR, as an example, needs more Daylight in the afternoon in order to finish their Tournaments”, he wrote in a post, which included a letter from PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp supporting the bill. “Likewise, regular Golfers, Tennis Players, Hunters and, perhaps more importantly, Farmers who want more Daylight to play or work.”
The US president, who spent part of Saturday at his golf club in Sterling, Virginia, indicated in a subsequent post that he had received personal feedback on the proposal: “I don’t know about anyone else, but a table full of very distinguished people just told me that they HATE, immediately after a mandatory time change, going home at night – and it’s DARK. It’s depressing!”
In 1974, the US Congress briefly adopted year-round daylight saving time in response to the country’s energy crisis. But Congress repealed the law less than a year later over safety concerns as children commuted to school before sunrise.
US senators left Washington this week and have no set plans to return until after the November 3 midterm elections.
Some members, such as Senator John Kennedy, weren’t optimistic that Senate Republican Leader John Thune would bring the bill up for a vote before polling day.
“It’s dead as disco,” the Louisiana Republican told Reuters this week of Trump’s push to make daylight saving time permanent. “My sense is it would have trouble passing … I don’t think the leader is going to bring it up.”
GEMMA Collins could be on years to come and could take inspiration from Holly Willoughby.
That’s the opinion of our showbiz expert, who has reported on Gemma since she first broke through on Towie in 2011.
From a car saleswoman to a media millionaire, Gemma, 45, has become a cultural icon and has now diversified with a documentary on her fertility and relationships struggles for Sky.
But speaking on Showbiz Fix Uncut, our weekly showbiz podcast, our Showbiz Features Editor Fay Leyfield thinks The GC has a lot more to give.
Fay said: “Gemma is very selective about her work and she’s made some really savvy choices and not just put her name to anything.
“She is not going anywhere and will on TV for years to come.
Read More on Gemma Collins
“Do you know what would be really good for Gemma is her own YouTube style chat show like Holly Willoughby.
“You know, like, those magazine style shows, she does a bit of cooking. She loves cooking as we’ve seen in her programme.
“Fashion, she’s always loved fashion.
“Hair and makeup, celebrity pals. She’s got loads of them. Like Fat Tony in the documentary, that’s been lovely to see that friendship.
“Her future maybe won’t be traditional telly, but I don’t think she’s going anywhere.”
We discuss Gemma’s amazing career on this week’s show, which you can find on The Sun’s video hub Showbiz Fix: Uncut | The Sun or The Sun Showbiz YouTube.
Bruno Fernandes says he has spoken to Cristiano Ronaldo and denies a rift within Portugal’s squad after the 41-year-old abruptly left the team’s training camp in Copenhagen. Ronaldo departed after tensions with coach Jorge Jesus became public, saying he would explain his reasons “in due course”.
Published On 3 Oct 20263 Oct 2026
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The emperor is a symbol of Bulgarian national identity whose repatriation stoked tensions with Greece.
Published On 3 Oct 20263 Oct 2026
More than 1,000 years after his death, the remains of medieval ruler Czar Samuel have arrived in Bulgaria.
A symbol of Bulgarian national identity, Samuel was a warrior emperor who battled the Byzantine Empire to expand his kingdom before suffering defeat and dying soon after in 1014. His supposed remains were discovered in a Greek border area in the 1960s.
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The coffin and remains were flown on Saturday to the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, on board a military aircraft that was surrounded by air force fighter jets.
Thousands of people poured into a public square to honour the czar’s arrival, which capped years of fraught negotiations between Bulgaria and Greece until an accord was reached this week.
Bulgarian politicians across the spectrum paid tribute to the medieval ruler, listening to the national anthem and a 21-gun salute.
“Today, we Europeans are learning to read history with a desire to belong not only to our homeland, but also to the culture that unites us across the entire European continent,” Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said.
“That is why Europe must not reopen old wounds but must work for peace as the supreme good,” Radev continued, referring to the centuries-old rivalry between neighbouring Greece and Bulgaria.
Crowds cheered as fighter jets performed a flypast.
Martin Nestorov, a 42-year-old software engineer, told the AFP news agency he attended the ceremony “to welcome Czar Samuel back to Bulgaria, where he belongs”.
“I am here because I am Bulgarian, and a Bulgarian is returning to his homeland,” added Tsanka Zlatkova, 65, a retired art historian.
A procession brought the remains to be laid in the Church of Saint Sofia, a sixth-century basilica that is the capital’s namesake and where church officials say Samuel was baptised.
The handover of Samuel’s remains is part of a broader accord between the Greek and Bulgarian culture ministers.
In exchange, Greece is slated to receive 48 objects that Bulgarian troops pillaged from churches and monasteries in Greece during World War I.
Speaking before the handover, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said he hoped the ceremony would boost Greece’s campaign to repatriate the Parthenon Marbles, a collection of 2,500-year-old marble sculptures taken from the Acropolis in Athens and later displayed in the British Museum.
“The global community is essentially re-evaluating its longstanding stance on protecting cultural heritage,” Mitsotakis said, adding that historical heirlooms “cannot be treated as the spoils of war”.
Bulgaria is not the only country to have claims on Samuel. A huge statue of the czar stands in the North Macedonian capital of Skopje, with Macedonians claiming him as “their” ruler.
In 2022, a bilateral commission recommended presenting Samuel as the head of a state that “most contemporary historiographers consider to be the Bulgarian Empire”, based in what is currently North Macedonia.
A FAMOUS TikTok couple has officially welcomed their first child and revealed the babe’s sweet name.
Rosie Daniels and her partner Harry Wilde, who boast over five million followers on the app, recently quit the UK to move to Australia before having the tot.
The couple have taken to Instagram to announce the birth of their baby boy in a heartwarming post.
Alongside several pics of Rosie and Harry at the hospital bed with their bundle of joy, the first time parents gushed over how their ‘entire world’ has been changed.
Rosie penned: “There truly are no words for the feeling and love we have for you.
“Our sweet boy, you have changed our entire world and given us a kind of purpose we never knew existed. We love you more than words could ever say.”
READ MORE ON TIKTOK STARS
The couple also revealed the name of their newborn son as Beau Blu Wilde, adding he had been born on September 29.
The family were met with a flood of comments and well wishes from fans on their social media.
It’s been a year full of joy for the content creators, who tied the knot earlier this year, following seven years of dating.
Sweet clips posted by the couple show them exchanging their vows in a stunning outdoor ceremony and sealing them with a kiss.
“Mr & Mrs Wilde,” they wrote alongside the video.
The pair have been candid about their life achievements, including their move from the UK to Australia.
They made the move due to Rosie’s skin condition psoriasis with the immune-mediated disease causing red, flaky, crusty patches of skin.
The internet personality revealed that it was the British weather that prompted her to relocate, finding that the cold damp conditions seemed to worsen her skin with the Aussie sunshine providing relief.
Rosie didn’t want her condition to set her back, so she launched a career on social media – and now has millions of fans across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
She publicly documents her condition in a bid to normalise it – and is proud to say that she doesn’t receive much backlash from trolls.
Speaking previously about her lifestyle, she said: “My skin condition never has and never will affect our love life in the slightest, it has only made us both stronger.
“Sharing my journey online is so special to me. I live by the quote ‘be real, not perfect’ and my mission is to show others that it’s important to love and embrace the way you look.”
Youth-led movement demands resignation of chief election commissioner.
India’s Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) is calling for another senior official to resign.
In July, protests by the youth-led movement saw the education minister quit. Now it wants the chief of the election commission to step aside.
Critics say he is overseeing an unfair review of the electoral roll. The revisions have led to the removal of tens of millions of eligible voters.
The commission says reform is long overdue – and necessary to weed out duplicate entries.
Protesters say it. is an assault on democracy and designed to benefit the governing BJP.
So, will the Cockroach movement be successful again?
Presenter: Sami Zeidan
Guests:
Rajat Sethi – Political commentator who focuses on contemporary India
Nikita Sud – Professor of the politics of development at the University of Oxford
Sravasti Dasgupta – Senior political correspondent at The Wire
Published On 3 Oct 20263 Oct 2026
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A progressive move down the right gave Gloucester fly-half Charlie Atkinson – three days after he signed a new deal committing his long-term future with the club – the opportunity to find Ben Loader free on the left with a pinpoint kick, and the winger dotted down to open the scoring.
Harlequins, in their desperation to keep Gloucester out on their own try line, lost Will Evans to the sin bin and mere seconds later Wales flanker Morgan barged over in the left corner to extend Gloucester’s lead.
On the stroke of half hour, Morgan’s strong carry allowed Will Trenholm to force over Gloucester’s third try from close range before George Barton slotted the conversio superbly from touch.
A spectacular 50:22 from scrum-half Caolan Englefield then put Gloucester in another great position and Charlie Atkinson broke a tackle to go over next to the sticks, as Barton kicked an easy extra two to give the hosts a 24-point advantage at half-time.
The interval did not change the momentum as two short passes saw Seb Atkinson race to the line and power over Gloucester’s fifth of the evening and Quins’ day was perhaps summed up best when Connor Slevin’s poor restart failed to go 10 metres.
Gloucester ruthlessly made their visitors pay once more as with their next attack Will Joseph’s outstanding run and offload allowed Englefield to dive over.
Joseph then grabbed the try his own performance deserved, diving in to the right of the posts to claim Gloucester’s seventh try and third inside 12 minutes after half-time.
Another kick to the corner from Charlie Atkinson found Barton who juggled successfully and managed to extend over for Gloucester’s eighth.
Joseph thought he had scored his second with the final act of the match to take Gloucester past 50 points, but his try was chalked off for a knock-on in the build up.
Gloucester: Barton; Thorley, Joseph, S. Atkinson, Loader; C. Atkinson, Englefield; Rapava-Ruskin, Lake (capt), Fasogbon, Kleyn, Clark, Thomas, Morgan, Trenholm.
Replacements: Innard, Bleuler, C. Knight, Clement, Ludlow, Robson, W. Knight, Denny.
Harlequins: Furbank; Anderson, Beard, Bradley, Murley (capt); Slevin, Porter; Hobson, Walker, Delgado, Dun, Browne, Kenningham, Evans, Carr.
Sin-bin: Evans (17 mins)
Replacements: Riley, Wenger, Kerrod, Petti, Cunningham-South, Friday, Lang, Green.
Referee: Sara Cox.
Country music star Zach Bryan signaled his support for Palestinians at the same stadium that recently banned rapper Macklemore over his efforts to do the same.
Grammy winner Bryan donned a black T-shirt emblazoned with the words “Free Palestine” and “Appeal to Heaven” during his Friday concert at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., according to photos and videos shared on social media.
Members of his backing band also wore similar shirts, including drummer Nate Head, whose jersey paid homage to Hind Rajab, the 5-year-old girl killed alongside five members of her family in a 2024 attack by Israeli forces in Gaza.
Bryan’s Friday concert marked the first of two at Gillette Stadium, owned by billionaire Robert Kraft. The musician’s public display of support for Palestinians comes weeks after Kraft urged pop star Ed Sheeran to remove Macklemore from his tour, citing concerns over his pro-Palestinian messaging.
Last month, Sheeran and his touring team faced pressure to remove former opening act Macklemore from the rest of the tour. The Grammy-winning “Same Love” musician faced backlash from a number of Jewish advocacy groups over his performances at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Days after the New Jersey shows, Messina Touring dismissed the rapper, who has been a vocal advocate for the Palestinian cause. “Shape of You” singer Sheeran denied playing a part in Macklemore’s departure, but confirmed in a statement that he spoke with Kraft, who was among the stadium owners expressing concern about Macklemore’s further involvement.
The remaining supporting acts for Sheeran’s tour, including Grammy winner Finneas (and brother of Billie Eilish) and folk band Beoga (Sheeran’s backing band), quit Sheeran’s Loop tour in solidarity. Sheeran carried on with his tour, but it hit another snag when his shows at Gillette Stadium last weekend were canceled “due to severe weather warnings” in the region.
Following the fallout, Macklemore announced his Free Palestine tour, which begins later this month with three shows in Dublin, Paris and London. Macklemore said he will be joined by artists “who have shown up and used their stages to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people.”
The rapper announced on Wednesday that “all three shows sold out immediately.” He also said the full concert lineups and U.S. tour stops will come in a later announcement.
Macklemore, in his announcement, said all proceeds from the tour will go to a handful of charities supporting the Palestinians amid Israel’s war in Gaza. Macklemore previously said he would donate all $1 million of his earnings from his time on Sheeran’s tour to numerous pro-Palestinian charities.
Bryan’s With Heaven on Tour will return Saturday at Gillette Stadium. The “I Remember Everything” and “Pink Skies” singer will conclude his tour Oct. 10 at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala.
The country star and U.S. Navy veteran, 30, is no stranger to channeling his political views in his music and performances. In 2025, Bryan released “Bad News,” a song critical of nationwide federal immigration enforcement operations.
Bryan’s pro-Palestinian stage gesture adds to a noticeable shift among mainstream artists speaking openly about their support for Palestinians amid Israel’s ongoing strikes on Gaza. Melissa Barrera, Rachel Zegler, Irish rap trio Kneecap and rap-punk group Bob Vylan have been among the entertainers who faced professional backlash for their criticism of Israel.
In April 2025, Cornell University also dismissed Kehlani from her headlining performance at the school after President Michael Kotlikoff accused the singer of espousing “antisemitic, anti-Israel sentiments in performances, videos, and on social media.”
In recent months, however, artists and entertainers, including Mark Ruffalo and the Israeli “NAZA” filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor (co-directors of Oscar winner “No Other Land”), continue to face backlash for criticizing Israel.
Cristiano Ronaldo withdrew from the Portugal squad, but Bruno Fernandes says forward remains team’s ‘greatest symbol’.
Published On 3 Oct 20263 Oct 2026
Portugal playmaker Bruno Fernandes said Cristiano Ronaldo remains the country’s greatest footballing icon despite walking out on the squad this week after finding out he would not start a match.
The 41-year-old superstar said on Wednesday that he had left the team after coach Jorge Jesus said he would not start against Denmark in the Nations League, a match Portugal won 4-2 without him.
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The former Real Madrid and Manchester United attacker’s future with the national team, for whom he is the leading goalscorer and most capped player, is in doubt after his walkout.
“Regarding Cristiano, I had a conversation with him, and what I told him, and what I repeat here, is this – the most important thing is that, regardless of what happens, Cristiano Ronaldo will never cease to be the greatest symbol of our national team, of our football, and of the country, for what he has done not only in Portugal but throughout the world,” Fernandes told reporters on Saturday.
Manchester United midfielder Fernandes called for unity after a tumultuous few days in which Portugal fans’ opinions have been split over Ronaldo’s decision.
“He has a reserved place not only among the best of all time, but also in the hearts of all Portuguese people and the most important thing is that we stop dividing things,” said Fernandes.
“There are no divisions in the national team, it is one and will remain so, despite any noise that may come from outside…
“We are outside of this controversy, but what I ask is that the country does not divide itself, does not make choices, that it respects all sides, but, at the same time, Cris is and will be the biggest icon of our national team, he deserves everyone’s respect, regardless of who likes him more or (who likes him) less.”
Portugal beat Norway and Denmark away from home without Ronaldo starting and face Norway again on Sunday.
Coach Jesus said Ronaldo was a “symbol of Portugal” and said there would be time to speak about him after Sunday’s game in Porto.
“I’m going to focus on the team, on the opponent which is Norway, one of the five best teams in Europe. That’s the problem right now,” said the 72-year-old coach.
Who: Portugal vs Norway
What: UEFA Nations League 2026-27, Group A4 match
Where: Estadio do Dragao, Porto, Portugal
When: Sunday, October 4, at 8:45pm local time (18:45 GMT)
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the build-up and live updates from 15:45 GMT.
For the second time in a week, Portugal and Norway clash in the UEFA Nations League. But this time, things are not quite the same in the Selecao camp.
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Sunday’s fixture in Porto will see the Nations League title holders play without their talisman, Cristiano Ronaldo, after the 41-year-old abruptly left their camp, raising questions about his international future.
Ronaldo’s dramatic exit and apparent rift with new coach Jorge Jesus have dominated headlines worldwide. Portuguese players have largely blocked the outside noise, however, maintaining a perfect record at the tournament where they are chasing a record-extending third crown.
Opponents Norway have won just one match, despite boasting a talented side that defied expectations with a historic quarterfinal finish at this year’s FIFA World Cup.
However, their striker Erling Haaland – one of Europe’s most lethal players – poses enough danger to put Portugal under pressure ahead of this weekend’s thrilling encounter.
The UEFA Nations League was founded in 2018 to reduce the number of meaningless friendlies and give nations competitive matches against top-ranked teams.
In this competition, countries from across Europe participate in a league structure which features promotion and relegation.
Ronaldo left the squad late on Wednesday, shortly after a news conference in which coach Jesus confirmed the five-time Ballon d’Or winner would be left out of his starting line-up for a second consecutive Nations League game.
The 41-year-old’s decision to walk out came as a shock as he had been due to train with his teammates at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen.
Portugal’s leading scorer with 146 goals had already spent the entirety of last weekend’s 2-1 Nations League win in Norway on the bench, having captained the side in the 1-0 home victory over Wales last Thursday.
He appeared to indicate that the reasons behind Jesus’s decision ran deeper and hinted at a departure from the national team he has graced for more than two decades.
“In due course, I will tell the truth to all the Portuguese people about my reasons for leaving the national team, to which I have always been dedicated,” Ronaldo said in a cryptic Instagram post, announcing his sudden exit from the camp.
Spanish sports daily Marca said that Jesus and Portuguese federation president Pedro Proenca followed Ronaldo to Copenhagen airport in an attempt to persuade him to stay with the squad, before the player boarded his private jet.
Jesus insisted earlier on Wednesday that there was no rift between them, although the 72-year-old, who was appointed in July, acknowledged that his captain was disappointed to remain on the bench against Norway.
Portugal are on top of Group A4 on nine points, with three wins out of three. They started their campaign with a 1-0 home win over Wales, before adding a 2-1 victory over Norway in Oslo. In the last match, they thrashed Denmark 4-2 in Copenhagen.
Norway are second-bottom in the group, with only three points. They started their campaign with a 3-2 home win over fellow Scandinavians Denmark but suffered identical 2-1 defeats at home to Portugal and to Wales in Cardiff.
They met in matchday two of this year’s Nations League, with Portugal beating Norway 2-1 in Oslo.
Joao Felix and Goncalo Ramos scored for Portugal, while Haaland struck the consolation goal for Norway.
(Last five games, latest results first)
Portugal: W-W-W-L-W
Norway: L-L-W-L-W
Joao Felix and Goncalo Ramos (Portugal): Al Nassr forward Felix has emerged as the reliable scorer in the Portugal setup, finding the net in each of the three games this term. Meanwhile, Ramos, playing in place of Ronaldo, has made up for CR7’s absence with goals in the last two matches.
Erling Haaland and Oscar Bobb (Norway): All of Norway’s goals in the ongoing competition have come through Haaland (three) and Bobb (two). While their partnership proved successful in the opening match, their goals were not enough in the following matches, as the Norwegians suffered back-to-back defeats. Norwegians will demand better from Haaland, especially after the Manchester City talisman’s incredible start to the club season that features seven goals in as many games.
Winger Francisco Conceicao is doubtful for the game due to a thigh injury.
Probable Portugal XI: Diogo Costa; Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias, Renato Veiga, Nuno Mendes; Ruben Neves, Vitinha; Pedro Neto, Bruno Fernandes, Rafael Leao; Goncalo Ramos
Wing-back Julian Ryerson is doubtful with a muscle injury, while centre-back Torbjorn Heggem is suspended.
Probable Norway XI: Orjan Nyland; Julian Ryerson, Kristoffer Ajer, Torbjorn Heggem, David Moller Wolfe; Martin Odegaard, Sander Berge, Patrick Berg; Oscar Bobb, Erling Haaland, Antonio Nusa
You can find your regional broadcaster on UEFA’s official broadcaster listing.
IT was the row that erupted all over TikTok a year ago – with insiders insisting there was no way back for Charly Anne and the Welsh 5.
But for the first time in more than a year, The Sun can reveal how Charly is attempting to make a ‘return’ to the social media stars for a very savvy reason – and the real reason she’s still secretly fuming with Becki Jones.
The Sun were the first to lay bare the feud between Charly and the other four members of the Welsh 5 – Cory, Lea, Kane and Ieuan – last year and told how it had even led to a devastating fallout between Charly and her own mother, Trudi Anne.
The rift originally began with a row over Charly’s relationship with girlfriend Emily Woodfin, with the other four members claiming she was controlling – an accusation which both Charly and Emily deny.
But bridges were left officially burned when Trudi sided against her own daughter by uploading a series of dance videos she made with Cory and Lea as well as Becki Jones, who also fell out with Charly amid the feud.
Now it seems that Charly may finally be having something of a change of heart – but is it all for the right reasons?
Sources close to Charly have told The Sun how the Welsh influencer is secretly considering publicly reuniting with her sworn enemies as part of a savvy business decision.
Our insider told us: “Things have all gone quiet on the Welsh 5 feud front in recent months.
“Everything exploded last year and it seemed there was zero chance of reconciliation when Charly’s own mother snubbed her in favour of the others.
“But amid the silence in the months that have followed it seems that some very interesting conversations have been going on.”
One of Charly’s pals has conceded that, since separating herself from the group, potential work opportunities have begun to slowly dry up.
Industry experts suggest that, for brands, the appeal of the Welsh 5 as a group is what drew them in – with Charly now no longer having a piece of that pie.
Our source told us: “Charly views her life as a business – like many influencers do.
“She was at the top of her game amid the Welsh 5 hype but things have certainly been slower since then.
“After the split, it is almost like she has ended up becoming the ‘problem child’ – and it has put people in the industry off wanting to work with her.
“For the first time, she has quietly been considering if now could be a good time to publicly reunite with her former pals but not necessarily because she wants to build relations but in order to continue building her career.
“Charly knows deep down that if everyone is seen to be on friendly and amicable terms, the interest in her could ramp up again.
“Her followers would have a field day if she started sharing content with Cory and Lea again!”
Moreover, Charly is still feeling annoyed that her greatest rival Becki is continuing to get bigger and bigger.
Her pals admit it is a sting every time she sees Becki’s success as she always felt she was destined for the same fate.
They told us: “Charly is determined to become as well-known as Becki – even all these months on.
“If a reunion with the Welsh 5 is what it takes – she thinks she’d be ready to do it.
“But, ultimately, this is all just private talks at the moment.
“It is very much speculative thoughts that Charly is having – no one knows if it is something she will actually go through with.
“Plus, the others in the Welsh 5 might also not be ready to make amends.
“The channels for a reunion are definitely there though. They still have the same team around them, it wouldn’t take much for a few strings to be pulled behind-the-scenes.
“It has all been a bit of a mess but for the first time it seems that the mess may be ready to come to an end.
“Only time will tell but it is certainly closer than ever to happening.”
The Sun has reached out to the Welsh 5 and Charly’s reps for comment.
Israeli journalists asked coach Hallgrimsson about the Flydubai attack and alleged racist abuse by Ireland’s players.
Published On 3 Oct 20263 Oct 2026
Members of an Israeli media contingent heckled Republic of Ireland head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson’s news conference prior to the UEFA Nations League football match, causing it to end abruptly amid growing political tensions and protests against the fixture.
During the media event on Saturday, an Israeli journalist asked Hallgrimsson about his views on an incident onboard a Flydubai flight to Israel earlier this week.
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According to the prosecutor general of the United Arab Emirates, the Flydubai co-pilot “attempted to carry out a terrorist act”, using an axe against the pilot to take over the aircraft’s controls.
The plane carrying 174 passengers was on its way from the Dubai in the UAE to Tel Aviv in Israel on Wednesday when the copilot wounded Indian pilot Smit Machchhar, who opened the cockpit door to seek help.
The aircraft briefly plunged about 17,000 feet (5,180 metres) before it was brought back under control.
The attacker was not officially identified, but media reports quoting unnamed sources said he was an Omani national, Hamam al-Hammami.
“What do you say about the people that you support? Their ideology is based on murder,” the journalist asked, purportedly hinting at Ireland’s stance on Palestine and attempting to link it to the aviation incident.
Before the Irish team’s coach could answer, the Football Association of Ireland’s communications manager Kieran Crowley stepped in and asked the journalist to refrain from asking questions not linked to the match.
The journalist persisted, carrying on with her question before Crowley stopped her again.
“We respected your questions at the last press conference, but we are doing football questions today,” he said, referring to Israeli journalists’ pointed questions about the calls to boycott the first leg of the European match.
Icelandic coach Hallgrimsson later termed the incident a “verbal attack”.
The first leg of the fixture was played on September 27 and the FAI faced strong calls for a boycott from the Irish public and former players. The match went ahead and Ireland beat Israel 3-0 amid a tense atmosphere on the pitch.
Following the match, Israeli supporters were accused of directing racist chants towards Ireland player Adam Idah and were filmed raising military slogans, but evaded disciplinary action from the competition’s organisers.
However, another Israeli journalist turned the incident on its head during Saturday’s news conference and accused the Irish team of calling Israel’s players “monkeys” during the match.
FAI’s Crowley was quick to shut out the accusation and ended the media event.
“That’s a lie. You’ve just broadcast a lie,” Crowley said before getting up to walk away.
According to Irish media reports, the FAI is continuing to investigate allegations that Irish players Adam Idah and James Abankwah were racially abused by Israeli fans.
An Israeli supporter also led chants about his country’s military from the stands as he attempted to brush aside the team’s drubbing on the football pitch.
The day before the first leg, goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu publicly withdrew, saying he felt “it would be wrong to participate in the upcoming fixtures against Israel”.
The second leg will be played at the TSC Arena in Backa Topola in Serbia on Sunday.
Ireland’s Hallgrimsson termed it “a game with a lot of emotions attached to it”.
He said the team was focused on winning the second leg as well.
“There’s been a lot of emotions from the people in Ireland about this and obviously that affects the players as well. We want to do good, but it’s always going to be a challenge when the environment is as noisy as it is.”
Multiple media reports have named the Flydubai co-pilot as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami, who UAE’s prosecutor general said attempted a ‘terrorist’ attack.
Al Jazeera’s Ava Warriner has the latest.
Published On 3 Oct 20263 Oct 2026
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KIM Kardashian was single for five years as she needed time to “heal” following her traumatic divorce from Kanye West.
Apart from a brief fling with comedian Pete Davidson, the reality superstar shunned dating until falling for F1 ace Lewis Hamilton earlier this year.
Kim, 45, said: “I was really single for five years. And that felt great.
“I felt like I needed my time. I wanted to completely heal and just work on myself.
“I wasn’t ready to open up. I really wasn’t even thinking about it. The universe works in your favour when you just allow it to.”
The mogul filed for divorce from Ye, 49, in February 2021 following a turbulent period driven by his erratic behavior and public breakdown.
In a new interview with The Sunday Times, the Skims founder admits she worries about exposing her four children with the rapper – North, 13, Saint, 10, Chicago, 8, and Psalm, 7 – to her stratospheric fame.
Read More on Kim Kardashian
Describing herself as an “intermediate-strict parent,” Kim bans her kids from taking part in any storyline drama on Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
She said: “I do worry about it. Each kid does what they’re comfortable with.
“So, my little ones come around when I’m filming but they don’t really do storylines.
“North loves it a little bit more than the rest. I hold her back. All she wants to do is forward-facing projects.
“And with her, since it’s more music-related, that is something that her dad and I have better communication about. We make sure that we’re aligned and that she’s in projects that we both approve.”
The star, worth £1.9 billion, recently branched out into acting with a role in the popular but critically panned Hulu drama All’s Fair.
Addressing the backlash, she added: “I am so used to it, I have a really thick skin.
“I mean, at the beginning, to the girls, my cast, I was like, ‘Wait, are we OK? Did I ruin everything?’
“And they were like, ‘Listen, we are OK.’
“I didn’t realise that in the film business as well you get so much criticism. But we had so much fun.”
EXCLUSIVE
In exclusive Al Jazeera interview, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud says attempts to pull Somalia into Middle East crises won’t succeed.
Somalia will not accept Israeli presence in the country “under any circumstances” and will resist any attempts to be pulled into the Middle East’s crises, its President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud tells Al Jazeera.
Speaking in an exclusive interview, Mohamud said that Israel was planning to establish a naval base in Berbera and use the city’s airport, adding that its real aim was to get closer to the Gulf states and Iran.
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Berbera is a port city on the Gulf of Aden coast in Somaliland – the self-declared republic in northwestern Somalia that Israel recognised last year, but which is claimed by Mogadishu.
Berbera faces Yemen across the water near the strategic Bab al-Mandeb strait. The Iran-aligned Houthis have previously enforced a blockade on Israel-linked ships in the area.
“We will overcome the challenges posed to our country by Israeli moves,” Mohamud said in his wide-ranging interview.
He added that the Israeli plans fall under the “Greater Israel” project – referring to a term for various proposals, often rooted in biblical interpretations, for Israeli control over territory beyond its current borders. Some versions extend from the Nile to the Euphrates.
Israel has not adopted it as official policy, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an August 2025 interview that he felt connected to the vision, prompting condemnation from Arab governments.
The Somali president described Israel as a “destabilising force” that does not abide by international law.
He also criticised Tel Aviv’s recognition of Somaliland in December.
No country other than Israel recognises Somaliland, while the region’s own residents are completely opposed to an Israeli presence, Mohamud said.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 and has governed itself independently for more than three decades. But it had not secured recognition from any United Nations member state until Israel’s move.
The Somali president told Al Jazeera the United States remains his country’s strongest partner in the fight against “terrorism”, and added that al-Shabab has no presence in the major cities, leaving no possibility of the group taking control in Somalia.
Al-Shabab is a Somali armed group that emerged from the Islamic Courts Union in the mid-2000s and pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda in 2012. It has fought Somalia’s federal government for years, holds territory in parts of southern and central Somalia, and has carried out deadly attacks, including in Mogadishu and in neighbouring Kenya.
Regarding the East Africa region, Mohamud said Somalia’s relations with neighbouring Ethiopia are good, and Mogadishu does not object to Addis Ababa gaining access to the sea through Somali territory.
Ethiopia has been landlocked since Eritrea became independent in 1993 and relies largely on Djibouti’s ports for trade. In January 2024, Addis Ababa signed a memorandum of understanding with Somaliland on sea access, which Somalia condemned as a violation of its sovereignty. Somalia and Ethiopia later agreed to ease tensions.
Mohamud also accused Yemen’s Houthis of “destabilising” the region and disrupting navigation in the Bab al-Mandeb strait.
His comments come as the group attempts to build on its lightning offensive that captured the country’s Red Sea coast last month.
Thus far, Yemeni government forces have been able to hold their positions on the front lines and even claimed to have inflicted heavy losses against the Houthis.
The Houthis have also intensified their attacks on Saudi Arabia, but the kingdom’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has promised not to compromise on its security, saying the Yemeni rebels chose “chaos and destruction, threatening the Yemeni people and the region”.
The full interview with President Mohamud will be broadcast on Al Jazeera Arabic on Sunday.
Washington, DC – Democrats have the momentum; Republicans are surging in defence and cash.
That narrative has emerged ahead of the United States midterm elections in November, as races across the country enter their final stretch.
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With control of the US House of Representatives and the US Senate at stake, Democrats begin October with a surprisingly rosy outlook as more congressional seats are seen as in play.
Republicans, meanwhile, appear to be in damage control, pouring millions of dollars into races once seen as secure victories while injecting more funding into a handful of marquee showdowns.
The party’s standard bearer, President Donald Trump, who has embraced the notion of the election being a referendum on his leadership, enters the final month with staggeringly low approval ratings.
The most recent Associated Press-NORC polling, released on Thursday, showed Trump with 31 percent approval, the lowest during either of his two terms. Only 26 percent of respondents approved Trump’s handling of the economy, dipping two points below his predecessor, former President Joe Biden’s lowest rating on the topic.
Surveys continue to show voters rank the economy as their top issue, with topics like gas prices, made higher by the US-Israel war with Iran, dominating their concerns. Immigration and corruption have also regularly ranked high.
“The broad stroke is that Americans are disappointed, bordering on angry that President Trump hasn’t delivered on the core promises he made when he won re-election,” according to Henry Olsen, a senior fellow at the conservative Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, DC.
Political trackers have long projected Democrats will take control of the US House of Representatives in the November 3 vote.
Winning a majority in the 435-member chamber from Republicans would give the party renewed legislative power to assert leverage over Trump, while launching investigations into his administration’s dealings. Top Democrats have already signalled that probes into Trump’s family business dealings would be top priorities.
Two election non-partisan prediction authorities, the Cook Political Report and the University of Virginia’s Sabato’s Crystal Ball, have recently assessed that the likelihood of Democrats taking the House has only increased.
The Cook Political Report recently shifted 15 House races in the direction of Democrats, moving some considered “toss-ups” to “leans Democrat” and some previously considered “lean Republican” to “toss-ups”.
One such shift was for a Texas border district represented by Republican Monica De La Cruz. Her district was emblematic of a wider Latino shift towards Trump in 2024. Once seen as holding the advantage over her challenger, Democrat Bobby Pulido, Cook now rates her race as a “toss-up”.
All told, the political analysis clearinghouse now predicts Democrats are on track to win 5 to 15 House seats.
With 30 days left to go, “there’s much more drama in the Senate than the House races”, according to Kyle Kondik, the managing editor at Sabato’s Crystal Ball.
Once considered a pipe dream for Democrats, who need a net gain of at least four seats to win a slim majority, the 100-member chamber has moved within a more comfortable striking distance.
Unlike in the House, where every seat is up for re-election, only 35 Senate seats are up for grabs in this cycle, creating a far narrower pathway to control.
“The trajectory of the polling since Labor Day (September 7) has generally been that a bad Republican environment is just getting worse,” Kondik said, adding that “the Senate just seems to get more and more competitive as the cycle has gone on”.
To be sure, the quality of polling can vary across the country, with Kondik cautioning that gauging the political temperature of the Midwest has been particularly challenging for pollsters.
Still, in North Carolina, former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper is expected to trounce former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Whatley in the race for a Senate seat currently held by Republicans. Top conservative donors have already begun to divert funds from the contest.
Surveys have consistently shown Democrats leading in three other races for seats currently held by Republicans: Democrat James Talarico against Republican Ken Paxton in Texas; Democratic challenger Sherrod Brown against Republican incumbent Senator John Husted in Ohio; and Democratic Mary Peltola against Republican Dan Sullivan in Alaska.
Races for Republican held seats in Iowa, between Republican Ashley Hinson and Democrat Josh Turek, and in Maine, between Republican incumbent Susan Collins and Democratic challenger Troy Jackson, remain separated by less than one point, according to Real Clear Politics polling averages.
Democrats, meanwhile, have consistently led in polling in Senate races in Georgia, New Hampshire and Michigan for seats the party currently holds.
For Republicans, salvation could be in the spending, with this year’s race continuing a US phenomenon of small fortunes poured into politics.
All told, at least $4bn had been spent on gubernatorial and congressional midterm advertising buys as of September 17, putting the race on track to become “perhaps the most expensive midterm on record”, according to Michael Franz, co-director of the Wesleyan Media Project.
Republicans entered September with a considerable funding edge. The Republican National Committee had $125.6m on hand, with the Democratic National Committee trailing far behind with $16.9m and $17.6m in debt.
When accounting for the three major committees associated with both groups, the Republican Party had $233.4m in cash, according to a CNBC analysis, while the Democratic Party had $130.4m.
Trip Yang, a Democrat strategist based in New York City, told Al Jazeera such spending can be deployed to help boost a candidate’s name recognition or to tear down a competitor.
According to AdImpact, Republicans and their allies were set to spend $888m on advertising from mid-September to election day, with Democrats and their supporters set to spend $666m.
The firm found pro-Republican ad spending would be particularly pronounced in the key Senate races in Ohio, Texas and Michigan, outpacing Democratic spending by at least $24m in each state.
Trump’s unpopularity, Yang said, means “Republicans spending millions or hundreds of millions of dollars improving their candidates’ images by itself may not be enough”.
“If you’re a little bit handicapped because your president is so toxic, you try to spend your hundreds of millions of dollars attacking the Democrats to make it more of a food fight,” he said.
A New York Times analysis estimated by the end of August at least $1bn in so-called “dark money” had been poured into the midterms. The term refers to spending where the donor’s identity is shielded, typically through nonprofit and shell-company donations to Super PACs.
Industry groups, including those supporting Crypto, AI and online betting firms, are expected to be top spenders in key races, although their support tends to cut across partisan lines.
Trump, meanwhile, has pledged to spend between $400m and $500m from his MAGA Inc Super PAC, though it has so far spent about $15m to support Paxton’s Senate bid in Texas.
Pro-Paxton ad reservations far outpaced Talarico in September, according to AdImpact data analysed by NPR, with $94m spent compared with $30m to support the Democrat.
Trump has pledged to spend the final days before the election in non-stop campaign mode, after urging supporters during his Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas, Texas, to “vote like I’m on the ballot”.
His plan to criss-cross the country for rallies underscores a “base turnout” strategy meant to energise voters already loyal to the party, according to conservative analyst Olsen.
“But the Republican problem is a persuasion problem with people in the middle,” Olsen said. “[Trump’s campaigning] might help with some turnout … but their real problem is persuasion, and it’s not something that’s going to help with that in the slightest.”
Polls have spelt trouble for Republicans when it comes to swaying independents, with a PBS News, NPR and Marist poll from September 23 showing unaffiliated voters breaking for Democrats at 57 percent compared with 32 moving towards Republicans.
The scenario has created a dilemma for some top Republican candidates over whether to break from the president on his most controversial actions, according to Lee Miringoff, the director of the Marist University Institute for Public Opinion.
Senate candidates Ashley Hinson in Iowa, Jon Husted in Ohio and Mike Rogers in Michigan all recently put daylight between themselves and Trump on the war with Iran.
One Republican House candidate, Representative Maria Elvira Salazar, has criticised Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement policies as she seeks to rally Latino voters in South Florida.
Trump, in turn, reposted a social media message calling Salazar a “backstabber”.
“You need to have, you know, something else going for you other than endorsement of Trump,” said Miringoff. “Some Republicans are starting to have self-preservation kick in because they’re concerned.”
Achieving a wide-scale shift in public opinion remains a tall order for Republicans in the final stretch of the race.
Many of the defining issues are unlikely to change before November, with Trump signalling a possible escalation with Iran following the vote as he has downplayed the prospect of short-term affordability relief.
At the same time, the US president has also not ruled out actions that rights groups say could upend voter turnout. Most recently, he refused to commit to not invoking the Insurrection Act or declaring a state of emergency surrounding the vote during an interview with Time magazine.
Miringoff said he believed that the “potential for more than just a marginal shift is there”, as he assessed some Democratic candidates have struggled to present clear visions beyond opposition to Trump.
“The result isn’t formed in concrete,” he said, “to the degree that there’s going to be a lot of money still spent.”
Analyst Olsen saw less remaining wiggle room for the party.
“Republicans have the time and the resources to change the outcome with respect to a few close Senate races,” Olsen said. “But to change direction, they would need something that would be apocal.”
As Olivia Rodrigo kicked off the Unraveled Tour in support of her third album, “You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love,” the internet had plenty to talk about—from her dissolving dress and flower-covered stage design to her custom-made, pink heart-shaped guitar.
The guitar was built by Luis Muñoz, a Mexican American guitar technician and luthier who operates out of a tiny repair shop in East L.A.
Originally from El Paso, Muñoz moved to Los Angeles in 2009 and took guitar repair classes in Hollywood, hoping to find his way into the music industry.
Music was always around Muñoz. He remembers discovering Slash after his family got cable television. Mesmerized by the Guns N’ Roses guitarist, who stole the spotlight with his top hat and searing guitar solos in videos for “Welcome to the Jungle” and “Sweet Child O’ Mine” on MTV’s Hot 100 music video countdown, Muñoz knew that was what he wanted to do.
He picked up his father’s old guitar and began learning to play, experimenting with the strings and teaching himself along the way.
His first opportunity came with singer-songwriter LP as a guitar technician. Muñoz admits he exaggerated his skill set to get his foot in the door, but he was determined to make the opportunity count.
“Once you’re in, you’re in,” he said.
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Over the years, Muñoz has toured with artists including Smashing Pumpkins, Deftones, Bush, Anthrax, Fall Out Boy and his most recent touring job was with Rodrigo, after his wife, the pop star’s former bassist, told him she was looking for a new guitar tech.
Rodrigo’s heart-shaped guitar was another opportunity to put his craftsmanship on display.
“I’m sure Olivia has every guitar company in the world in her DMs, and she still trusted a small shop in East L.A.,” Muñoz wrote on Instagram, alongside photos of Rodrigo with the guitar.
“Five prototypes before I got the body right. It had to look cool, play easy, feel comfortable, and most of all, sound good. Built completely by hand, late nights after shop hours.”
Muñoz recalled the moment Rodrigo’s team reached out to request a custom-made guitar. He knew he had one shot to get it right: “In the back of my mind, I’m like, I only got one shot and it has to be made with love.”
The guitar took several months to complete and was built entirely by hand. He later hinted that it is currently one-of-one for now. After Rodrigo shared the guitar with her fans, Muñoz’s one-of-a-kind creation quickly became part of the visual identity of the tour — but for him, the significance went beyond the instrument itself.
Now retired from touring to spend more time with his family, including his 18-month-old daughter, Rosie, Muñoz says moments like seeing young fans in the crowd are what stay with him.
“One of my favorite things being on tour was seeing all the little girls lose their minds. The power of seeing that. Immediately in their head it’s like, ‘I can do that too.’ Imagine if I’m playing a tiny little role in that, yeah … all day.”
The co-pilot accused of attacking a Flydubai captain has reportedly been identified as Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national previously barred from flying over alleged extremist views.
Published On 3 Oct 20263 Oct 2026
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