Saudi Arabia has intensified air strikes against Houthi positions in Yemen as the Iran backed group expands its territorial gains along the Red Sea coast, opening a new front in the wider Middle East war and adding pressure to already disrupted global energy supplies.

The Houthis have swept through several Yemeni towns and seized islands near the Bab el Mandeb Strait, a strategically important maritime route connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. The group has also released footage showing its fighters capturing armoured vehicles from Saudi backed forces.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed that the group had shot down a Saudi F 15 fighter jet and said Saudi Arabia had conducted as many as 450 air strikes in Yemen during the week. Saudi authorities have not confirmed the aircraft claim, while officials supporting the internationally recognised Yemeni government have acknowledged that Saudi and allied forces are carrying out strikes against Houthi positions.

Saudi Arabia faces growing security pressure

The escalation has brought the conflict closer to Saudi territory. The Houthis have repeatedly launched attacks toward Saudi Arabia over the past week, prompting alarms in cities across the kingdom’s south and west.

Saudi Arabia said its air defenses intercepted a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered restricted airspace over the holy city. Riyadh described the incident as a serious escalation because of the threat to religious sites. The Houthis denied targeting Mecca and accused Saudi Arabia of using the incident for propaganda.

The United States has also tightened its travel warning for Saudi Arabia, barring government employees from travelling within 20 miles of the Yemen border.

The latest escalation marks a sharp deterioration after several years in which the Saudi led conflict in Yemen had largely quietened under a ceasefire. The Houthis declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in July and resumed attacks on areas in the kingdom before making rapid gains against forces aligned with the Saudi backed Yemeni government.

Energy markets face another shock

The renewed fighting is particularly significant because global energy markets are already under pressure from disruptions caused by the wider war involving Iran.

An attack blamed on Iran aligned fighters in Iraq last week knocked out Saudi Arabia’s East West Pipeline, an important route that allows the kingdom to move oil without relying entirely on the Strait of Hormuz.

Traders estimate that a prolonged closure of the pipeline could affect as much as 4% of global oil supply. Saudi Arabia has not given a timetable for restoring operations, although U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said oil should begin flowing through the pipeline within days.

Brent crude was trading around $108 a barrel on Wednesday, close to its highest level since May. The average U.S. retail diesel price also reached a record above $6.30 a gallon.

The simultaneous disruption around the Strait of Hormuz and Saudi Arabia’s alternative export infrastructure increases the vulnerability of global energy markets to further regional escalation.

Washington faces another difficult choice

The developments also create a new challenge for the United States.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke with President Donald Trump last week seeking additional military support. So far, U.S. assistance has been limited to intelligence support.

The United States previously conducted a two month bombing campaign against the Houthis in 2025 before Trump announced a ceasefire with the group.

Washington now faces competing pressures. Greater support for Saudi Arabia could help contain the Houthi advance and protect regional energy infrastructure, but deeper military involvement could also expand the U.S. role in another theatre of the Middle East war.

What’s next

The immediate concern is whether the Houthi advance can be contained before the fighting causes further disruption to Saudi energy infrastructure and shipping routes.

For Saudi Arabia, the challenge is to push back against the Houthis while preventing the conflict from developing into a broader regional confrontation.

For global markets, the key issue will be whether disruptions to Saudi oil infrastructure remain temporary. Continued attacks on energy facilities or shipping routes could place additional pressure on already strained supplies.

The developments in Yemen therefore carry consequences well beyond the country’s existing conflict. The combination of Houthi territorial gains, pressure on Saudi Arabia and disruption to major energy routes has created another potential source of instability for the global oil market.

With information from Reuters.

KYIV: A Russian drone struck a passenger bus in southern Ukraine early Wednesday, killing five people and wounding at least seven in the latest in a series of Russian strikes on civilian transportation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the attack an atrocity with no military purpose.

The strike occurred in the Nikopol district of Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, near the war’s southern front line. Oleksandr Hanzha, head of the regional military administration, said that all five were killed at the scene while the seven wounded were receiving medical care.

Zelensky described the vehicle as a minibus and said in an X post that the strike had “no military rationale” and that it was “just another atrocity.” He said the strike was connected to Russia’s targeting of logistics and critical infrastructure that has continued “unabated.”

Zelensky said that a passenger train was also struck in the Mykolaiv region on Wednesday, damaging a railway station and a diesel locomotive. Nearly 170 passengers on board the train were evacuated before the strike. An electric locomotive in the northwestern city of Kovel was also struck, Zelensky said.

Ukraine requests locomotives from partners

Russian strikes on Ukraine’s rail network have resulted in more than 500 locomotives being damaged or completely destroyed since the beginning of the all-out war on Feb. 24, 2022, with more than half those strikes occurring this year, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X on Tuesday.

Sybiha described such attacks as “systematic” and aimed at disrupting logistics across Ukraine. He said that Ukraine urgently needs replacements for damaged locomotives, and called on the country’s partners to assist in finding locomotives compatible with its 1,520-millimeter rail gauge and to assist in financing.

In another post on X on Wednesday, Sybiha said that Russian forces were striking passenger trains, locomotives, stations and railway routes “knowing exactly how essential they are for civilians, evacuations and Ukraine’s economy.”

“This is not collateral damage. It is a systematic hunt for people and an attempt to (paralyze) civilian life,” he wrote.

Zelensky says there is no truce on halting energy strikes

In an interview with CBS News on Tuesday, Zelensky pushed back against an earlier claim by US President Donald Trump that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to mutually cease attacks on each other’s energy infrastructure. Zelensky said that Ukraine was ready to enter such an agreement, if Russia stops striking Ukrainian energy facilities.

Trump said in a social media post Monday that such a truce had been reached, but didn’t offer details on the purported agreement. Previous efforts to broker even a partial ceasefire have repeatedly fallen apart within hours, with both sides accusing the other of violations.

In the CBS interview, Zelensky said that the possibility of an energy truce was discussed during a recent meeting in Kyiv with Trump’s representatives, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, but that he had told them: “If the Russians are ready for an energy truce, that means there will be no attacks on energy facilities at all.”

Russia decorates ship captain who fired flares at Danish helicopter

Russia’s Defense Ministry said Wednesday that the captain of a Russian warship that fired two signal flares toward a Danish military helicopter on Monday, drawing ire from Denmark, has been awarded a medal for his “competent and resolute action.”

The ministry said in a statement that the Soobrazitelny corvette was on a mission in neutral waters in the Baltic Sea when its crew spotted the approaching helicopter, which failed to respond to calls made via the international communication channel.

“To prevent a provocation by the Danish helicopter, the corvette commander decided to fire two red signal flares, after which the helicopter left the area where the Russian warship was located,” the ministry said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday that Moscow has no aggressive intentions toward Europe, but that if countries on the continent were to launch an attack on Russia, “it would be a completely different kind of war, and a very short one.”

Russian general killed in Ukrainian drone strike

The deputy head of the Russian armed forces’ military-political department, Lt. Gen. Apti Alaudinov, confirmed Wednesday that a decorated Russian general had been killed in the occupied Donetsk region.

Alaudinov, who didn’t provide details on the circumstances of Maj. Gen. Anton Grunis’ death, hailed the officer as “a hero” and “one of the most respected generals … a real man and officer and a great patriot.”

The confirmation of Grunis’ death came after Robert “Magyar” Brovdi, commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, alleged on Wednesday that Grunis had been killed in occupied Donetsk by a Ukrainian drone while at a command post in the village of Kindrativka.

In July, Grunis reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin that his troops had captured the town of Kostiantynivka and he was later awarded the Hero of Russia medal. Ukraine has disputed that Kostiantynivka was fully taken by Russian forces.

Grunis had previously fought in Chechnya, a mainly Muslim republic whose bid for independence after the Soviet Union’s collapse led to years of war with Russian government forces. He also took part in Russia’s campaign in Syria.

In Ukraine, he commanded the 4th Guards Motorized Infantry Brigade.

Meanwhile, 17 other sites were damaged in Ukraine’s Kyiv region between Tuesday and Wednesday morning, according to the head of the Kyiv regional military administration, Tymur Tkachenko. Eight private homes, five vehicles, a municipal building, a hangar and a production facility were among the sites damaged, Tkachenko said on Telegram.

Zelensky said on X that the Kherson, Donetsk and Poltava regions had also come under attack.

In the northern city of Sumy, six people were injured in a Russian guided aerial bomb attack, including a 14-year-old girl, according to the head of the Sumy regional military administration Oleh Hryhorov. Two homes were destroyed and 10 others damaged in the strikes, along with damage to an educational facility, Hryhorov said, adding that two other men were hospitalized after a separate strike hit an industrial zone.

In the port city of Odesa, one person was killed in a Russian attack that sparked a fire at garages and damaged vehicles and private homes, Serhii Lysak, head of the city’s military administration, wrote on Telegram Wednesday.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said that its air defenses downed 71 Ukrainian drones overnight. In the Belgorod region, one person was killed and four others were wounded by Ukrainian strikes over the last 24 hours, according to acting governor Alexander Shuvayev.

The village has been crowned the finest seaside destination by Which? and is a must-visit for anyone seeking a peaceful autumn break in the UK

As the summer crowds begin to thin out, late September offers the perfect chance to explore the UK’s stunning coastline, with quieter beaches, milder temperatures and spectacular coastal paths just waiting to be discovered. Tucked away on the north Devon coast, one spot is a picture-postcard seaside village where the East and West Lyn rivers meet the Bristol Channel.

A charming seaside village tucked between dramatic hillsides and the Bristol Channel has been named Devon’s best seaside destination by Which?, cementing its status as an essential stop for a quintessential West Country getaway. Lynmouth sits beneath its hilltop neighbour, Lynton, with both forming part of the spectacular Exmoor National Park.

Sitting on the edge of Exmoor National Park, it is surrounded by stunning landscapes and is frequently likened to “Little Switzerland”.

At the heart of the village is its harbour, a reminder of Lynmouth’s roots as a small fishing settlement. Its history stretches back centuries, with records dating to at least the 13th century.

One of the area’s most famous attractions is the Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway, which connects the seaside village with Lynton high above. The historic railway is powered by water and offers visitors a memorable way to travel between the two communities while taking in the surrounding scenery, reports the Express.

Today, Lynmouth offers a winning combination of harbour views, rushing rivers, wooded valleys and dramatic coastline. With Exmoor’s walking trails right on its doorstep, it is an appealing destination for anyone looking to escape the crowds and enjoy a peaceful slice of the Devon coast.

Visitors can follow the River Lyn upstream towards Watersmeet, a magnificent tree-lined gorge managed by the National Trust, complete with riverside walkways and a charming tea garden.

For those looking for a spectacular group getaway, the area is also home to Lynhurst, an impressive and distinguished property just a short walk from the historic village of Lynton.

Tucked within stunning gardens and natural woodland, it features a games room with a slate pool table and dartboard, as well as an outdoor table tennis table to keep guests thoroughly entertained.

For couples in search of a romantic getaway, River View is a second-floor apartment set right on the riverbank in Lynmouth. The property features a furnished balcony overlooking the bay, and on a clear day, guests may even spot the Welsh coastline in the distance.

Inside the apartment, visitors will find a cosy open-plan living and kitchen area, fully kitted out for a hassle-free self-catering break. A king-size master bedroom with an en-suite shower room offers a peaceful retreat in which to unwind after a day exploring the local coastline.

The balcony is a particularly lovely spot to savour a morning coffee or an evening drink, with sweeping views across the river and the picturesque village below. With plenty of cafés and restaurants nearby serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, there’s absolutely no pressure to cook every meal either.

For a change of scenery, Ilfracombe lies fewer than 20 miles away, well known for its diverse dining scene and historic harbour. Visitors can also take in Damien Hirst’s iconic ‘Verity’ statue at the harbour entrance before heading back to the tranquil surroundings of Lynmouth.

Previous guests at River View have been fulsome in their praise online. One visitor wrote: “Lovely apartment. Perfectly situated with everything we needed. A real ‘home from home’. We love Lynmouth and will be back.”

Another noted: “A wonderful location for walkers as several spectacular river and coastal walks from the door. Great for visitors with dogs, close to the promenade for walks and meeting lots of other dogs.”

One particularly detailed review read: “A small but well-equipped and comfortable flat with beautiful views over the river to the sea. Good location to explore the area. Luckily found a temporary parking spot initially on Riverside Road in order to unpack, as the flat entrance is on a pedestrianised street.

“Parking permit was £25 for the week at the nearby Upper Lyndale car park. Tesco delivered groceries without difficulty. Walks locally and some National Trust properties made it a very enjoyable week in a lovely location.”

One guest noted that “the two flights of steep stairs would need to be taken into consideration by anybody perhaps not a 100% fit”, while another savoured the surroundings, remarking: “We had the door open all the time and could listen to the water and the wildlife, which we really enjoyed.”

River View can be booked through Holiday Cottages, with a four-night stay in September starting from £449.

WITH autumn here and the 2026 never-ending heatwave in the rearview mirror, it’s time to brush up on our knowledge of rainproof attractions.

So, there’s no better time to discover some fun indoor attractions to keep the family occupied as the weather turns – and we have quite a few to share.

Whether you prefer adrenaline-filled rides or obstacle filled challenges – there are loads of great indoor attractions across the UK.

From older kid favourites to the ideal toddler spots, here are the top indoor UK theme parks and attractions:

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Babylon Park, London

Found in Camden, London, Babylon Park is one of the only fully indoor theme parks in the UK.

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It even has an underground rollercoaster.

The entire attraction is outer space-themed and boasts different rides and attractions such as a rollercoaster, a drop tower, bumper cars and an arcade.

The park is free to visit but to go on the different rides and attractions you’ll need to buy Game Coins, Bonus Coins and Ride Coins.

Packages for these cost between £14 to £100.

The Playhive, North Yorkshire

Stockeld Park in North Yorkshire is home to The Playhive, which calls itself one of Europe‘s largest indoor playgrounds.

Inside, there are four themed worlds including space, air, jungle and sea.

The different areas feature giant slides, games, tunnels and climbing trails.

Tickets cost from £11 per person, which includes entry to the entire Stockeld Park attraction as well as The Playhive.

Woodlands, Devon

In Devon, Woodlands family theme park has loads of outdoor attractions to explore, but when the weather gets ba, d head inside and you will find what the park claims to be the biggest indoor soft play in the country.

There are multiple different areas for kids to explore across five floors, with net towers, drop slides and ball pits.

There are even specific areas for little ones too.

Big kids – or daredevils – have more thrilling attractions such as a 15.2-metre drop ride too.

And parents can feel at ease by keeping an eye on the kids from one of the many tables around the play area.

Tickets cost £16.50 for adults and kids over 92 cm, which includes access to the theme park and indoor adventure park.

Gravity Max, London

Older kids will love Gravity Max which has two venues – one in Wandsworth and the other in Westfield Stratford.

The attractions feature a huge e-karting track that looks like a real-life Mario Kart game.

There’s also immersive bowling, AR darts, and VR arenas.

Individual activities cost from £16 per person.

Ninja Warrior UK Adventure Parks, multiple locations

Who hasn’t wanted to try out the Ninja Warrior course? Well, you can in a number of places across the country.

With 15 venues across the UK including in Sheffield, Milton Keynes, Cardiff, Bristol and Leicester, the indoor Ninja Warrior UK Adventure Park obstacle courses are the perfect way to have fun indoors.

The obstacle courses have balance beams, monkey bars and the famous TV show obstacle, The Warped Wall.

Tickets cost from £9.50 per person.

Zip World, Llechwedd

Head underground at Zip World Llechwedd in Wales, where there are caves and huge trampolines in a disused slate mine.

There are a number of different activities to choose from including Underground Golf with neon lights from £29 per person.

Or for the same price, there’s a cave tour.

For kids needing to let off steam, there are Bounce Below with a number of giant trampolines across six chambers.

Bounce Below sessions cost from £29 per person.

For the ultimate adventure, head to Caverns at the attraction, where you can zip line through the caves for £79 per person.

Play Factore, Manchester

Play Factore in Manchester claims to be the biggest indoor entertainment attraction in the UK.

Inside, there’s a giant play frame with spider nets, rollers and even the UK’s tallest indoor standing slide.

For younger guests, it has the biggest toddler area in the country too.

Tickets cost from £2.95 to £12.95 depending on the kids’ age, while adults pay £4.75.

Adventure Inside, Essex

Over in Essex, Adventure Inside has a six-storey soft play area with monkey bars and ball pits, ideal for young children.

There’s also a carousel, drop tower ride, swinging pirate ship and a racing spin ride.

An Adventure Island Day Band costs from £30 per person.

And currently, when you buy one you’ll get an annual pass as well for free.

Riverside Hub, Northampton

In Northampton, Riverside Hub is home to several different zones which include Role Play Villages where kids can explore an imaginary world with its own cafe, shop, witch’s house and tooth fairy dentist.

Older kids aren’t left out though as they can try out different climbing activities, including a 10-metre beanstalk.

There’s a giant play frame with slides, games and even a football pitch too.

Travel writer Catherine Lofthouse said: “There’s so much to do here that it’s a struggle to fit it into the two and a half hours that each session is allocated.

“We could have happily spent the whole day and still have gone back for more.

“With three boys aged between five and 12, it can sometimes be difficult to find somewhere that has enough to keep all ages happy as the older two are getting a bit big for soft play, but that certainly wasn’t a problem here.”

Tickets cost £8.50 per adult, £14.50 per child aged one to three-ears-od and £17.50 for kids between four and 17-yers-old.

Flip Out, various locations

Another great indoor attraction with venues across the UK including Bradford, Doncaster, Chichester and Coventry, is Flip Out.

Inside each venue there is a trampoline park with foam pits and stunt walls.

Some venues have additional attractions such as Flip Out Canary Wharf, where there is also laser quest and bumper cars.

Prices vary depending on destination and session length.

£1 DOESN’T go all too far these days. Unless you’re using it to sign up to Travelzoo.

Travelzoo is a travel club that gives its members major discounts on holidays, as well as fancy airport lounge access if your flight gets delayed.

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There’s no worse feeling than looking up at the board in the airport to see your flight has been delayed, or being sat at the gate ready to board when it gets pushed back again.

Then comes the waiting game, and if you’ve ever wanted to swap those hard airport chairs for somewhere more comfortable, you’re in luck.

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With Travelzoo, if your flight gets delayed by an hour or more, you’ll see airport lounge tickets pop up straight into your email inbox or via text.

Then you can simply head straight to the lounge to enjoy free Wi-Fi, somewhere to charge your phone, free food and drinks (including alcohol) as well as comfy seats.

Travelzoo are connected with the majority of airports, with access to more than 1,600 lounges across 500+ airports in 100+ countries. So if you’re just headed off on a standard holiday abroad, you’re more than likely covered.

Some locations even have showers and sleep pods, so you can freshen up or take a nap.

You can register up to three travel companions to enjoy the lounge with you, so no need to worry about splitting up your group.

So instead of sitting bored at the gate or squeezing onto a table in an expensive airport restaurant, you could treat the family to a comfy sofa with free-flowing food and drink.

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Airport lounge day passes typically cost between £30 – £40, whereas a Travelzoo membership costs £30 for an entire year.

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Instead of blowing £30 on bottles of water, snacks and in overpriced airport shops, you could bag yourself an entire year of comfort when you most need it.

But there’s no need to pay the £30 without trialling it out first, when you can pay £1 to give Travelzoo a go for a month by clicking here.

But it’s not all about the stylish airport lounges. Travelzoo members also get access to super cheap holiday deals.

We’ve found UK breaks from £89pp, Portugal holidays from £127pp, and even an incredible 11-night River Nile cruise and hotel package for £549pp – package deals that are reserved for Travelzoo members.

One of the best deals this week is a three-night £151pp all inclusive holiday to Marrakesh including flights, staying the 4-star Aqua Mirage Club & Aqua Parc, set at the foot of the Atlas Mountains. 

The hotel has three swimming pools onsite, two of which are heated through winter, plus a wellness centre, tennis courts and football field.  

And guests can take the daily shuttle into central Marrakesh to explore the souks and medina.

We also found a Benidorm package holiday for £179pp, a two-night staycation for two in Northumberland for £89, or a charming English inn stay for £59.

As a member, you’ll get emailed these super cheap deals straight into your inbox.

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Prices correct at the time of publication.

TORONTO — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is heading to Europe in the middle of a trade war with President Trump, seeking a deeper relationship with the European Union that could give Canadians greater freedom to work and study there.

Canada will seek an arrangement that would allow Canadians to live and work in Europe without visas as part of a strategic partnership, according to a senior Canadian official familiar with the discussions.

The official said Ottawa is not seeking to replicate the arrangements Norway or Switzerland have with the EU and did not propose “associate membership,” a term used in a recent report. Canada instead wants a partnership tailored to its priorities, with investment at its core.

Roughly 70% of Canadian exports go to the United States. Europe is central to Carney’s effort to reduce that dependence.

Carney has ruled out EU membership, saying Canada instead wants “a unique security and economic alliance” with the bloc. He said formal discussions will begin next month.

Economics is only part of the push, Carney said Tuesday. “The core of this, yes, there is an economic component, but it is about greater sovereignty,” he said.

Canadian government officials have consulted provinces and labor groups but have not settled on what form the relationship should take. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the talks publicly.

Carney’s Trump challenge returns to Europe

Carney will attend European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s State of the Union address Wednesday as a guest of honor before addressing the European Parliament on Thursday.

Carney cautioned against expecting a major announcement in Europe, saying the “real deepening discussions” will begin at the Canada-EU summit in Montreal in late October.

The trip puts him back on the European stage as relations with Washington reel from tariffs, threats and personal attacks since trade talks collapsed.

Carney said Tuesday that economic integration, once viewed largely as an asset, is increasingly “being used as a weapon by certain countries,” making it more important for Canada to deepen ties with trusted partners. He is also carrying to Europe a message that has won praise there but that European governments have been reluctant to follow in dealing with the United States: Middle powers should resist economic coercion and be willing to walk away from a bad deal.

Carney’s Davos speech on middle powers in January drew a personal rebuke from Trump, and another forceful defense could raise the temperature again.

Canada has retaliated against U.S. tariffs and rejected terms Carney says would weaken its sovereignty. Europe, by contrast, shelved retaliation and accepted a deal leaving most EU exports to the U.S. facing tariffs of up to 15%.

That choice is striking given the EU’s economic weight as the world’s largest trading bloc.

At Davos in January, Carney urged middle powers to band together rather than bow to great powers. When countries negotiate alone with a hegemon, he said, “we negotiate from weakness. We accept what is offered.”

“This is not sovereignty,” Carney said. “It is the performance of sovereignty while accepting subordination.”

In a European Parliament debate in March, French lawmaker Chloe Ridel said Carney had “said out loud what many Europeans think quietly,” while German lawmaker Tobias Cremer urged Europe to “show the same courage as the Canadians have done in this moment of rupture.”

Tobias Gehrke of the European Council on Foreign Relations said Europe accepted economic pain in hopes of preserving U.S. support for NATO and Ukraine, but gained neither firm security commitments nor stable ties with Washington.

“European governments will be watching closely to see whether retaliation creates leverage or simply produces more escalation and an increasing bill,” Gehrke said.

Building a hedge against Washington

Canadian Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne rejected the idea that Canada’s push toward Europe is simply an effort to gain leverage over Washington, saying Ottawa intends to keep working with the United States even as it builds stronger partnerships elsewhere.

“It’s always about us,” Champagne told the Associated Press. “We will still do things with the United States.”

But Champagne also said the geopolitical landscape has fundamentally shifted. “The world has changed and America has changed,” he said. “And I think the world has taken notice.”

Carney’s trip follows his global investment summit in Toronto, part of a broader push to attract international capital and reduce dependence on the United States.

Canada and the EU already cooperate on trade, defense, energy, technology and critical minerals. Bilateral trade reached about $147 billion in 2025, making the EU Canada’s second-largest trading partner.

Europe moves closer to Canada too

Underscoring the push for closer ties, the European Parliament said Monday that it will open an office in Ottawa, its 10th outside the EU, with a regional mandate extending to the Arctic.

“At a time when the world is becoming more unpredictable, like-minded partners need to work even more closely together,” European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said.

Canada this year became the first non-European country to join the EU’s $173-billion SAFE defense program, giving Canadian companies access to joint procurement.

Ian Lesser of the German Marshall Fund in Brussels said Trump’s tariffs and policies toward the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and his stated intention to acquire Greenland for the U.S. have accelerated efforts by Canada and Europe to diversify their economic and security ties.

“The sheer unpredictability emanating from Washington has given history a shove,” Lesser said. He said many in Brussels still prefer to accommodate Washington or “wait and see” whether November’s midterm elections produce a Congress able to constrain Trump.

Carney will also travel to Britain to meet Prime Minister Andy Burnham for the first time. Both men are supporters of Everton soccer club and are expected to meet at the team’s League Cup match against Wolverhampton on Wednesday.

Gillies writes for the Associated Press. AP reporter Sam McNeil in Brussels contributed to this report.

Texas quarterback Arch Manning has apologized for his public reaction to a video that was altered by AI to show Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian slapping ESPN reporter Holly Rowe and knocking her to the ground.

Talking to reporters on Monday, Manning brought up the video, then laughed about it and called it “a good one” and “hilarious.”

The next day, the grandson of Archie Manning and nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning posted an apology on his Instagram Story.

“In my press conference yesterday, I made an insensitive comment about an AI video,” Manning wrote. “There is nothing funny about it. It’s easy to say I didn’t mean it, but I know my words and actions were hurtful to a lot of people. I do not take that lightly and am deeply sorry for that.

“I specifically want to apologize to Holly Rowe for what she has personally had to deal with because of my comments. I have a ton of respect for her and appreciate her showing me grace in this moment. I need to do better and will be more thoughtful going forward.”

Rowe posted Manning’s apology on X and indicated she’s not holding a grudge.

“Thank you Arch. I appreciate our conversation about this — which will remain private,” Rowe wrote. “Apology accepted. We move forward with respect and kindness for one another.”

On Saturday, Manning rallied the then-No. 4 Longhorns from a 20-point deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat top-ranked Ohio State 24-23. In the real video of Rowe attempting to interview Sarkisian, the coach yelled a few Texas cheers before rushing away from the veteran sideline reporter to join his team’s celebration.

Saudi digital payments company barq announced the close of a series A funding round worth $329.5 million, at a valuation of $1.85 billion, marking a new milestone that reflects the growth the company has achieved since its launch. The funding round cements its position among the fastest-growing fintech companies in Saudi Arabia and the region.

The round saw participation from Noon Investments, Sohar International Bank, and M20 Fund, a step that reflects investor confidence in barq’s trajectory and future potential, and underscores the appeal of the investment opportunities emerging in the fintech sector across the Kingdom and the region.

The round follows a standout growth journey for barq, which has now surpassed 15 million users within two years, from more than 210 nationalities, alongside the expansion of its ecosystem of digital financial services and solutions — reflecting the growing demand for the company’s products and its ability to build a broad user base within a record period of time.

The value of funds processed has also surpassed SR440 billion ($117.2 billion), an indicator that reflects the scale of activity barq has achieved and the widening use of its digital financial services since launch.

Based on its valuation, barq has become one of the fastest companies in the region to reach unicorn status, and among the fastest globally within the fintech sector, reflecting the pace of growth the company has achieved within a short period since its launch.

The funding round will support barq’s next phase of growth, by strengthening operational efficiency, accelerating the development of products and services, investing in new financial and technology solutions, and expanding into new regional and international markets — contributing to delivering a more advanced and accessible digital financial experience for users.

This achievement comes at a time when Saudi Arabia’s fintech sector is undergoing exceptional development, driven by continued progress in financial and digital infrastructure, a supportive regulatory environment, the targets of Saudi Vision 2030, and the Saudi Central Bank’s efforts to advance digital payments and support innovation in financial services.

The close of the round marks a major milestone in barq’s journey, reflecting its ability to move within a short period from a phase of rapid growth to building a broad-scale digital financial platform, underpinned by a growing user base, an increasing volume of operations, and expansion ambitions aimed at strengthening its presence in the fintech sector at both the regional and international levels.

It is stunning to see the impact the USAF’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program has made on discourse surrounding the future of the Air Force since it was officially announced. There is still much to prove regarding the concept, but testing is accelerating and the USAF now plans on buying 500 CCAs by 2032. At the same time, the USAF is now hunting for a successor to the MQ-9 Reaper, with plans on procuring hundreds of those drones, as well, by early in the next decade.

With all this in mind, TWZ’s Jamie Hunter talked to Mike Shortsleeve from General Atomics on the show floor at Air, Space & Cyber 2026. The two discussed the latest progress for the company’s newly-named FQ-42 Vengeance Collaborative Combat Aircraft, as well as General Atomics’ new Wildfire platform designed to address the lower-cost Massed Modular Aircraft program that could replace the company’s iconic MQ-9 Reaper.

Check out the interview below or at the top of this post.

FQ-42 Vengeance fighter drone update from General Atomics

Contact the editor: Tyler@twz.com

The Latin Recording Academy has unveiled the nominees for its 27th Latin Grammy Awards. The ceremony will air live Nov. 12 on Univision from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Edgar Barrera leads the count with a total of 10 nominations, followed by Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso, Jorge Drexler, Karol G and Rosalía, who each received seven nods.

Trailing behind them are indie folk artists Silvana Estrada and Mon Laferte, who each received six nominations.

All nominations are for recordings released between June 1, 2025, to May 31, 2026.

Hit songwriter Barrera — who now holds the record for the most Latin Grammy nominations, reaching 84 this year — could make history once more if he wins in any category.

The Texas-born composer — who has collaborated with the likes of Bad Bunny, Karol G, Shakira and Maluma, along with anglophone divas like Ariana Grande and Madonna — is currently tied with Calle 13’s Residente for the title of most-awarded individual in Latin Grammy history.

Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso took home five Latin Grammy awards last year, which tied them for the most wins that night alongside Bad Bunny — who received no nominations this year.

Now, the kooky Argentine pair are nominated in multiple top categories, following the release of their experimental 2026 LP “Free Spirits” — which features collaborations with British musicians Sting and Fred Again, as well as California’s very own Anderson .Paak and Jack Black. The duo is competing for album of the year, as well as record of the year for the song “Ha Ha.”

Karol G is also contending for top prizes, including album of the year for “Tropicoqueta,” her 2025 survey of Latin American pop. (She previously won the honors back in 2023 for her heartbreak album, “Mañana Será Bonito.”) Her tender pop duet with Marco Antonio Solis, “Coleccionando Heridas,” is also nominated for record of the year and song of the year.

Spanish singer Rosalía is up for record of the year, song of the year and pop song for the song “La Perla” — which features the música mexicana sibling trio Yahritza y Su Esencia. The band resurfaced from the shadows following a public fallout with Mexican media regarding their American-leaning tastes in cuisine; their 2026 album, “Metamorfosis,” is also nominated for contemporary Mexican music album this year.

There are several notable first-time nominees, some of whom De Los has previously profiled. This includes Xavi, whose album “Dosis” is up for contemporary Mexican music album, as well as his viral TikTok song “No Capea,” which he recorded with Grupo Frontera, in the regional song category. Working-class hero Macario Martínez is also in the running for the new artist award.

Colombian artist Ryan Castro is also nominated for the first time alongside Afrobeat singer Kapo and producer Gangsta for their song “La Villa” in the urban performance category. Castro is also nominated for urban music album for his joint LP “Omerta” alongside J Balvin.

Here’s the list of nominees in all general categories:

Record of the year

“Ha Ha” – Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso

“¿Cómo Se Ama?” – Jorge Drexler

“Dime” – Silvana Estrada

“O Amor Nos Encontrou” – Loulu Gilberto

“Coleccionando Heridas” – Karol G & Marco Antonio Solís

“Femme Fatale” – Mon Laferte

“Desde Que Te Tengo” – Carín León

“Niño” – Milo J

“La Perla” – Rosalía Featuring Yahritza y Su Esencia

“Alma” – Elena Ros

Album of the year

“Equilibrivm” – Anitta

“Free Spirits” – Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso

“Taracá” – Jorge Drexler

“Vendrán Suaves Lluvias” – Silvana Estrada

“Tropicoqueta” – Karol G

“Femme Fatale” – Mon Laferte

“Muda” – Carín León

“La Vida Era Más Corta” – Milo J

“¿Dónde Es El After?” – Rawayana

“Lux (Complete Works)” – Rosalía

Song of the year

“Coleccionando Heridas” – Edgar Barrera, Kevyn Mauricio Cruz, Luis Miguel Gomez Castaño & Karol G, songwriters (Karol G & Marco Antonio Solís)

“¿Cómo Se Ama?” – Jorge Drexler & Diego López Crespo “Mauro”, songwriters (Jorge Drexler)

“Dime” – Silvana Estrada, songwriter (Silvana Estrada)

“Femme Fatale” – Mon Laferte, songwriter (Mon Laferte)

“Hasta Jesús Tuvo Un Mal Día” – Rafa Arcaute, Renee Barri, Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso, Vicente Jimenez “Vibarco”, Martin Kierszenbaum, John Ryan, Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner & Federico Vindver, songwriters (Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso Featuring Sting)

“Humano” – Emmanuel Briceño, Juanes, Felipe Navia & Vivir Quintana, songwriters (Juanes & Vivir Quintana)

“La Perla” – Noah Goldstein, David Rodríguez, Ryan Tedder, Rosalía & Dylan Wiggins, songwriters (Rosalía Featuring Yahritza y Su Esencia)

“Mi Gran Amor” – Edgar Barrera, Becky G, Luis Miguel Gómez Castaño, Manuel Lorente, Daniel Rondón & Carlos Santana, songwriters (Santana Featuring Becky G)

“Nilo” – Massimo Giovanardi & Zanna, songwriters (Zanna)

“Solifican12” – Santiago Alvarado, Milo J & Santiago Ruiz, songwriters (Milo J)

Best new artist

Delilah

Fabian

Loulu Gilberto

Arath Herce

Macario Martínez

maye

Sofia Monroy

Kendall Peña

Dora Sanches

Aria Vega

Zeca Veloso

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index held firm on Wednesday, losing just 1.66 points, or 0.02 percent, to close at 10,779.96 

As investors traded around 168 million shares worth nearly SR3.5 billion ($933 million), 113 stocks advanced and 147 declined. 

The Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu lost 2.77 points, or 0.01 percent, to close at 21,376.05, with 30 companies gaining and 33 declining. The MSCI Tadawul 30 Index also fell 0.08 points, or 0.01 percent, to close at 1,450.01. 

Market movers 

The main market’s top performer was Raydan Food Co., whose share price increased 10 percent to end the session at SR16.28, while Nofoth Food Products Co. recorded a 9.87 percent increase to close at SR6.57.

Ataa Educational Co. also increased 4.75 percent to end the day at SR42.76. 

On the losing side, Armah Sports Co. decreased 4.92 percent to close at SR67.60, while Flynas Co. declined 4.46 percent to end the session at SR42.02.

Sumou Real Estate Co. also declined 4.13 percent to close at SR25.08. 

Corporate disclosures 

Saudi Vitrified Clay Pipes Co. said Laffan Pipes Co., or Laffan Saudi, has been converted from a one-person limited liability company into an unlisted Saudi joint stock company with issued capital of SR45.5 million, according to a Tadawul filing. 

Laffan Pipes Factory Co. of Qatar has completed its admission as a shareholder through a capital increase against an in-kind contribution, giving it a 45 percent stake in Laffan Saudi, while SVCP retains the remaining 55 percent. 

Laffan Saudi’s issued capital comprises 45.5 million ordinary shares, each with a nominal value of SR1, and has been fully paid through in-kind contributions.  

The development follows an MoU signed between the two companies in February 2024 and a partnership agreement signed about six months later. 

SVCP’s shares declined 3.12 percent to close at SR17.99. 

In another disclosure, Umm Al-Qura for Development and Construction Co. said it signed an agreement to sell a 2,500-sq.-meter plot within Masar Destination in Makkah to Rawajeh Real Estate Co. for SR168.91 million. 

The boulevard-facing plot, located in Zone 2 of Masar Destination, has a book value of SR76.01 million. 

Umm Al-Qura, whose shares rose 2.50 percent to SR17.20, said the sale is part of its development strategy for Masar Destination, with the plot to be developed as a residential tower.

The transaction is expected to have a positive impact on liquidity and financial results, with proceeds to be used to finance working capital and ongoing projects. 

In a separate Tadawul filing, CATRION Catering Holding Co. said it signed an agreement with Air Arabia DMM Co. to provide inflight catering services under a five-year contract valued at an estimated SR200 million.  

Under the agreement, CATRION will provide inflight catering services, sell onboard food, beverages and other supplies, and provide logistics services to Air Arabia.  

The agreement was signed on Sept. 15 and is expected to have a financial impact beginning in the fourth quarter of 2026. 

CATRION, whose share price fell 0.74 percent to SR67.25, said the agreement is part of its strategy to sustain business, strengthen long-term partnerships with airline-sector clients, support growth, diversify revenue streams and enhance operational efficiency. 

With their unique adults-only approach to cruising, Virgin Voyages is attracting a whole new generation of cruisers

If you’d asked me a few years ago to go on a cruise, it’s fair to say I’d be apprehensive. The idea of being trapped on a floating Butlin’s, pushing past screaming toddlers to reach the lukewarm buffet, wasn’t exactly my idea of a relaxing holiday. Then I heard about Virgin Voyages : no kids, no buffets, and the few people I knew that’d tried it raved about it.

Billed by the company as an adults-only boutique hotel at sea, Richard Branson’s cruise line has won multiple awards since it launched in 2021, as well as amassing a loyal fanbase.

I thought it was time to see if I could become one of those fans, could I finally be a cruise person? I embarked on one of Virgin Voyages’ sailings from Portsmouth, an easy 90-minute drive from my home in Oxfordshire.

This wasn’t just any cruise though, this was one of the company’s specialty comedy cruises – promising top acts from across the UK, all included in your fare.

I have to say, the standard of names was well above what I expected for a cruise ship. Headliners included Celebrity Traitors star Lucy Beaumont, Gogglebox regular Babatunde Aleshé and I’m A Celebrity all-star Seann Walsh, to name a few. All of the comedy shows were excellent, but my standout has to be Matt Richardson, of Xtra Factor fame. His show was genuinely one of the funniest things I’d ever seen, and had the audience in hysterics.

This was all offered alongside Virgin’s regular entertainment offering, which includes bingo with the ship’s resident drag queen, cabaret shows and gameshows – one of which even had a prize from the on-board tattoo parlour.

A tattoo parlour at sea pretty much sums up the whole design and vibes of the ship. Stepping onboard is like walking into a chic beach club in Ibiza. We entered our balcony cabin, and within a few minutes I was sitting in the iconic Virgin Voyages hammock with a glass of champagne. Not bad for a cruise sceptic.

The Valiant Lady may only be five years old, but it’s already had a refurb with refreshed seating areas, menus and a brand new restaurant.

At the very back of the ship sits The Dock, an outdoor lounge and casual small plates eatery that feels extremely relaxed. Forget clunky plastic sunloungers, here you sink into comfortable modern seats and huge beds and look out to the incredible views.

It was here that I started to think ‘I could get used to this’, as a helpful waiter handed me my third sangria and delivered our snacks. Think charred octopus and hanger steak, all included in the fare.

That brings me to one thing I’d heard about cruising – ‘it’s a constant sales pitch’. That may be the case on other cruise lines, but based on what I experienced, it could not be further from the truth on Virgin.

Standard WiFi and soft drinks are free, and every single restaurant on board is included. The majority of dishes are included in the fare, although some venues have one or two premium menu items at an extra cost. We never felt compelled to try these as there were so many appealing options which were included.

In fact, the food is one point that I heard so much about. Replacing the traditional buffet, you have The Galley, a food market style venue with multiple cuisines offered – all made to order. Imagine lots of street food stalls, including tacos, burgers and sushi.

Then there are the sit-down restaurants, which feel like trendy London eateries that I’d genuinely want to eat at on land. There’s no traditional ‘main dining room’ here, and no strict dress code to boot.

Highlights on-board included Ariya, the new Indian restaurant which, for me, blew Dishoom out of the water with its tender lamb shank biryani, and The Wake, a high-end steak restaurant nestled at the bottom of a glamorous, cascading staircase.

There were, of course, things I didn’t love. The pool area is relatively small, and although not an issue on our chilly UK cruise, I could see it becoming more of an issue on a sunnier trip.

There is honestly so much more I could write about this ship. I haven’t even touched on the spectacular Scarlet Night, where the entire ship transforms into a massive bright-red pool party.

I left this holiday feeling fully converted into a ‘cruise person’, so much so that I even booked two more trips before we pulled back into Portsmouth.

If you’ve spent your whole life swearing you’d never set foot on a cruise ship, it might just be time to eat your words. I certainly did, and luckily, the food was spectacular.

THE 40 most trendy spots in the world have been announced, and three neighbourhoods in the UK have made it onto the list.

The locations were chosen by Time Out’s on-the-ground experts based on criteria like food and drink, nightlife and liveability – so which ones came out on top?

According to Time Out, one of the best neighbourhoods is Govanhill in Glasgow – it came in fifth place.

Just beating it to the punch were Jongno 3-ga in Seoul, the L’Ocean District in Rabat, Neos Kosmos in Athens and Chinatown in Los Angeles.

Talking about Govanhill, the publication described it as for years being “Shawlands‘ rougher little sibling”.

But over the past few years it has been transformed with trendy new bars, bookshops and brunch spots.

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It added: “Gen Z are migrating from West End bars and brunch spots to trendy new spots in Govanhill, injecting this once-overlooked sandstone suburb with quirkiness and energy.”

When it comes to pubs, Time Out suggests popping into the Bell Jar or the Rose Reilly.

Reporter for the Scottish Sun Oliver Norton gave us the inside track on the neighbourhood, he said: “The Govanhill district of Glasgow has just been voted the fifth coolest neighbourhood in the world.
I’m not surprised.

“I don’t live there, but I spend a lot of time in the area as it’s home to some of my favourite people and places.

“There’s always something going on, and the multicultural vibe has totally transformed what some once considered a deprived dump.

“The area in the south side of the city is home to around 17,000 people and has experienced a visible wave of gentrification over recent years.”

Oliver continued: “It is now home to people from at least 52 different nationalities speaking over 88 different languages, also making it Scotland’s most culturally diverse neighbourhood.

“As a regular visitor, I’ve experienced how dedication from local activists, entrepreneurs and creatives has helped raise the profile of the area and made it a welcoming home to many.

“Time Out, which tipped Govanhill among its top five cool neighbourhoods, hailed it for it for the ‘vibrant community spirit, independent shops, and creative culture’.

“And that’s a fair assessment.

“When visiting, I like to swing by Cibo, an Italian kitchen and deli, or one of the trendy cafes before browsing through local book and record shops.

“Later in the day, the area comes alive thanks to some of Glasgow’s best pubs – far away from the stress of the city centre.

“Personal favourites include McNeill’s Bar or Ryan’s Bar where some of the city’s finest DJs and selectors have provided the soundtrack to many a night.

“Pubs like The Rose Reilly or the The Bell Jar, both name-checked by Time Out, are great for relaxed drinks with friends.

“Govanhill also hosts regular arts and music festivals, concerts and exhibitions which draw people from across the city and beyond, especially during the summer.

“My personal highlights this year include the Sub Club Southside Weekender with house pioneer Kerri Chandler and Detroit techno legend Robert Hood’s Floorplan project.

“Queen’s Park, which is great for a walk or a picnic with friends, also hosts regular events, including concerts, film screenings and entertainment for kids.

“In July, Libertines front man Pete Doherty headlined the annual Recovery Connects festival which is alcohol-free and aimed at supporting people in recovery.”

“The Govanhill Street Music Festival and the Govanhill International Festival and Carnival are also hot tips for music and art lovers planning to visit.”

Two other UK spots made the list – and coming in 24th position is the Cathedral Quarter in Belfast.

It was described as having “cobbled lanes and old warehouses house galleries, gig spaces, restaurants, yoga studios and enduring cultural institutions.”

Travel Reporter Jenna Stevens said: “Whether you’re wanting a pint in a pretty setting, the city’s coolest souvenir shopping or a backdrop for your Instagram pictures, the Cathedral Quarter is the place to be in Belfast.

“The area is anchored by St Anne’s Cathedral, where cobbled streets branch out to reveal buzzy bars, pubs and independent shops.

“Once an old warehouse district, this trendy quarter is now the city’s creative heart. Victorian warehouses that used to store linen and rope now house art galleries and indie coffee shops.

“Red brick walls are plastered with impressive murals of hyper-realistic portraits and landscapes.

“It also hosts many of the city’s festivals, including the yearly Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival packed with comedy, street theatre and arts, and a hilarious Improv Festival in September.

“The Metropolitan Arts Centre is always switching up with the latest theatre and art exhibitions, while the Golden Thread Gallery and Oh Yeah Music Centre are a shrine to the city’s musical heritage, celebrating artists from Van Morrison to Snow Patrol.

“When it comes to shopping, here you’re trading bland malls for independent gems. Hill Street and Commercial Court house vintage clothing, boutiques and specialist shops.

“One must-visit is The Friend in Hand, a whiskey shop and museum that feels like a Harry Potter wand shop, with warm orange lighting filling the small wooden space.

“Inside you’ll find a plethora of Irish whiskeys, including the Writers’ Tears collection celebrating the city’s best authors. King Charles and Queen Camilla even visited in 2025, and you’ll see a framed photo of them propped up at the till.

“Then there’s the food and drink scene, which is one of the quarter’s biggest draws.”

Jenna added: “The Dirty Onion and Yardbird is a popular pub housed in Belfast’s oldest building, which puts on traditional music seven nights a week and has a massive beer garden. You can grab a crispy fried chicken burger for £13.50, or a rack of ribs smothered in sauce for £25.50.

“The Muddlers Club is a more modern spot, serving Michelin small plates in an eight-course tasting menu for £80pp – which is great if you have a special occasion to celebrate.

“As for cheap eats, Common Market is a giant food hall where you can grab dirty loaded fries, gyros, wings and more to sink down with a perfectly-poured pint. Lunch here will cost around £8 – £15.

“For something sweet, Established Coffee does a banging banoffee french toast and lemon meringue pie, plus unique drinks like an apple pie latte (£4.80).

“Whether you’re after a cosy traditional pub, a vintage clothes shop or industrial cocktail bar, the Cathedral Quarter offers them all – often on the same street.

“Oh, and make sure to visit Commercial Court when it gets dark to get that classic picture underneath the neon-lit hanging umbrellas.”

The last spot in the UK to make the list is the neighbourhood of Newington Green in London which came in at number 33.

Time Out describes Newington Green as a mix of old and new London.

The publication said: “These days it’s brimming with brilliance. From newly forged, hipstery gastropub Golden Tooth and small-herd butcher-cum-nightclub Stella’s to legendary Turkish seafood joint Sariyer Balik and the old Mildmay Club, Newington Green successfully combines both new and old London.”

Some of the top spots are Jolene, a trendy bakery and restaurant that is constantly popping up on Instagram thanks to its daily rotating menu, pastries, and natural wines.

There’s a trendy pizzeria called Bar Etna, Stella’s restaurant and the Army & Navy pub.

The full list of Time Out’s 40 trendiest neighbourhoods around the world…

1. Jongno 3-ga, Seoul
2. L’Ocean District, Rabat
3. Neos Kosmos, Athens
4. Chinatown, Los Angeles
5. Govanhill, Glasgow
6. Kitakagaya, Osaka
7. Chapinero Alto, Bogotá
8. Koenji, Tokyo
9. Downtown, St. Catharines
10. Esquilino, Rome
11. Russafa, Valencia
12. Tân Định, Ho Chi Minh City
13. São Bento, Lisbon
14. Talat Noi, Bangkok
15. Slakthusområdet, Stockholm
16. Humayunpur, Delhi
17. Laranjeiras, Rio de Janeiro
18. West Town, Chicago
19. Rákóczi tér, Budapest
20. Jalan Besar, Singapore
21. Crooswijk, Rotterdam
22. Chacagiales, Buenos Aires
23. Bandra West, Mumbai
24. Cathedral Quarter, Belfast
25. República, São Paulo
26. Changning, Shanghai
27. Oost, Amsterdam
28. Financial District, New York
29. New Farm, Brisbane
30. Quartier d’Aligre, Paris
31. Kalk Bay, Cape Town
32. North Hobart, Hobart
33. Newington Green, London
34. Yulin, Chengdu
35. Mount Pleasant, Vancouver
36. Centro Histórico, Lima
37. Boavista, Porto
38. Starstreet Precinct, Hong Kong
39. South Melbourne, Melbourne
40. Distillery District, Lexington

WASHINGTON — The United States has confirmed for the first time that it has deployed weapons in space.

Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told the Air and Space Cyber Conference in Maryland on Monday that the U.S. has fielded “on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action.”

Meink did not detail what the weapons were or how they work. In 2024 the U.S. said Russia was developing a new anti-satellite weapon that could be launched from space. At the time the White House said the danger wasn’t imminent.

But reports of the anti-satellite weapon reflected longstanding worries about space threats from Russia and China, given that much U.S. infrastructure is dependent on satellite communications.

In his remarks, Meink also said the Air Force was adding more autonomous systems to its capabilities and predicted the service would look “radically different” by 2032. For example, he foresaw one-way attack drones replacing artillery as the “primary killer.”

“We are increasing readiness against existing threats,” he said.

President Trump created the Space Force in 2019.

Catalini writes for the Associated Press.

Glentoran have identified Cliftonville manager Jim Magilton as their preferred candidate to take over from Declan Devine.

Devine left the Oval club on Monday after two years in charge following a poor start to the season.

Assistant managers Paddy McCourt and Tim McCann oversaw Tuesday night’s home defeat by Irish Premiership leaders Coleraine.

Magilton has emerged at the front-runner with the Glens making a formal approach to speak with the Cliftonville boss, with the clubs set to meet in an Irish Premiership fixture at Solitude on Saturday.

The 57-year-old former Northern Ireland international was appointed Cliftonville boss in 2023, succeeding Paddy McLaughlin, and led the club to Irish Cup glory the following year, ending a 45-year wait for the trophy.

Magilton, who previously worked at Ipswich Town, the Irish FA, Dundalk and Melbourne Victory, also led the Reds to the 2025 BetMcLean Cup, beating Glentoran in the final, but lost to Dungannon Swifts in the Irish Cup decider two months later.

Are the brakes finally being slammed on the artificial intelligence race? Or are we simply witnessing a wake-up call that has come too late?

Developers are coming forward in numbers these days to say that the speed and direction of travel of AI, machine learning and the tech reaching the human level of intelligence is threatening human existence.

Jacob Coxon, the researcher who quit Anthropic last week, feared that those developing AI systems are “genuinely frightened” for the future of humanity. His words echo a growing anxiety in the field, as well as in government, about the challenges and dangers posed by AI. At this late stage, could there still be room for a U-turn that keeps the machine at the service of humanity, instead of human existence becoming a victim of the machines that have already been built?

Ask anyone on the street and — though they would be all for the progress and the positives the tech is offering in many fields touching human life — they would be quick to roll their eyes in despair when they reflect on AI, the uncertainties it brings and their future job security. Scratch the surface further and their anxiety surges about the impact unregulated tech companies are having on their children, potentially exposing them to unmoderated, manipulated content and often-damaging influence.

People are quick to despair when they reflect on AI, the uncertainties it brings and their future job security

Mohamed Chebaro

Their worries take a turn when they reflect that, even if they safely navigate their children’s youth, the job market may be permanently changing, hurting their prospects in the digitally automated and largely autonomous world of tomorrow.

It was troubling when I read recently that Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates had called, in a 6,000-word essay, for society to intentionally keep certain roles off-limits to the machine. His proposal of setting aside 40 percent of occupations as “human-reserved” is bizarre to say the least, as he better than anyone should be aware that markets, economies and competition do not work this way.

The words of Gates and the AI developers and researchers point to a grave lapse. It seems we have rushed into a race to make the machine supreme, giving artificial general intelligence agency over humans, who could ultimately be replaced by AI and advanced robots. The developers seem to have fallen into the trap of the machine becoming an end in itself and not a tool to serve and ensure the well-being of individuals.

It is not usual for companies and entire industries to plead with the world to make them work less and advance at a slower pace. And who and which institutions should heed their calls when we live in a highly fractured and geopolitically splintered world, in which superpowers and medium powers are vying for supremacy, with AI and its tools becoming their most potent vehicles?

The tech industry has clearly become too big to fail and too big to slow down. An AI slowdown — if there were suggestions its progress could be reversed or even stalled — would significantly affect the long-term direction and costs of the infrastructure boom.

It was surprising and unusual to hear key world leaders defend the sector. In the race for the vast supremacy and advantages it offers, their posture is understandable. The political imperative to press ahead was made clear by both Washington and Beijing. That appears to show that, whatever the private sector does, governments will want to ‌drive this capability precisely because of, not despite, the risks that are now being flagged.

Governments want to ‌drive this capability precisely because of, not despite, the risks that are now being flagged

Mohamed Chebaro

In this competitive world, there is no place for existential worries or fears for humanity and its survival. One country’s slowdown is another’s chance to catch up.

Calls for guardrails, rules and regulations are being constantly ignored or watered down. In a world where multilateralism is waning, technological restrictions like arms controls are useless unless solid conventions enforce them internationally.

The prospect of a multilateral agreement on hard-and-fast rules limiting the capacity of AI seems far-fetched. US President Donald Trump made that clear, saying on social media that “There is a SICK conspiracy going on against AI and Data Centers, and the only one that is happy about it is China.” The reply from Beijing came through an editorial in China’s state-backed Global Times, which claimed that AI warnings were a “Cold War playbook” targeting Beijing.

A call by Anthropic CEO ‌Dario Amodei to slow the pace of AI development won ⁠rare backing from SpaceXAI’s Elon Musk and OpenAI’s Sam Altman, with all evoking AI “doomerism.” This should surely not be ignored.

The solution should be simple: more cooperation in order to regulate.

According to these tech supremos, reports that swarms of AI agents have been increasingly found to be collaborating with others and hacking outside systems, or that their power was being used to develop harmful biological agents, are just the beginning. The same AI tools might have the potential to take down the internet and everything that relies on it, such as power grids, transport infrastructure, water supplies and banking systems. All of which could be the first call for an act of aggression by any group or state.

AI has become a crucial tool of economic and military prowess. Calls for protocols and conventions to restrain the tech realm have long irked most companies. Yet, if we are to believe some in the tech community, the world has in its hands a calamity in the making that surpasses even the existential nuclear threat, which was ultimately constrained through global moratoriums and conventions. AI is a different beast and, since its onset, humans have been the victims in the name of reducing labor costs.

Over the past decade, labor has become a mere number on a cost sheet. The fear is that humanizing work once again would be a far more complex task — one that the tech giants, the financiers and the state are not ready to undertake, even if it could save humanity from eventual extinction. The world has long since departed from the mindset that the machine should serve humans and not the other way round.

• Mohamed Chebaro is a British-Lebanese journalist with more than 25 years of experience covering war, terrorism, defense, current affairs, and diplomacy.

Mohamed Chebaro is a British-Lebanese journalist with more than 25 years’ experience covering war, terrorism, defense, current affairs and diplomacy. He is also a media consultant and trainer.

More from Mohamed Chebaro

A EUROPEAN airline that carries thousands of British passengers every week has filed for bankruptcy.

The travel company organises flights to the Baltic region from both London Gatwick and Aberdeen airport.

The national airline of Latvia, airBaltic, has had its bankruptcy protection approved in a move that hopes to cut mounting costs.

Around 4,000 British passengers fly on AirBaltic flights weekly, with the airline operating direct flights between London Gatwick and Riga, along with seasonal twice-weekly routes from Aberdeen to the capital.

The voluntary decision saw the carrier file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States, later securing $405million in financial commitments from various financial groups.

Despite the filing, experts have warned passengers not to interpret bankruptcy as cancellation and to wait before considering changing bookings.

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Anton Radchenko, CEO of AirAdvisor, said: “Cancelling voluntarily could leave the passenger subject to the ticket’s normal restrictions, whereas waiting for the airline’s decision preserves their statutory rights if the service is later changed or cancelled.”

AirBaltic has confirmed that operations would continue as usual during the bankruptcy process, which is expected to finish by June 2027.

This includes scheduled flights, ticket sales, reservations and customer service, with all existing tickets, vouchers and credits remaining valid.

AirBaltic flies to over 70 destinations around the Baltics, including Europe, North Africa and the Middle East out of its main hub in Riga, Latvia.

The carrier is majority-owned by the Latvian government and has agreements with major international airlines such as Air France, KLM and Delta Airlines.

It currently operates a fleet of 54 aircraft, but announced a business plan in August to reduce its fleet to 36 planes to improve its financial stability.

Taiz, Yemen – Hajja Fatima Mohammed Saleh, a 70-year-old Yemeni woman, is among the countless people and families displaced from Taiz governorate, southwest Yemen, in recent fighting between government forces and the Houthis.

The Iran-backed rebel group, also known as Ansar Allah (supporters of God), now controls most parts of northwestern Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa.

Saleh’s village in Maqbanah district, on the border of Yemen’s western coast, is situated at the epicentre of last week’s Houthi assault in which the group captured the whole of the Red Sea coast, including the port city of Mocha.

At least 100,000 people have now fled their homes following renewed fighting between the two sides, according to the United Nations’ refugee agency, most leaving with few belongings due to the speed of the Houthi offensive.

Saleh said she had to leave her wheelchair behind as it was unsuitable for the rugged terrain her family had to navigate to find shelter.

“The attack was massive, we had never seen anything like it before. Shells were falling heavily on the village, and bullets were flying in every direction,” she told Al Jazeera.

“We had no choice but to leave and flee to a safe place. We left everything we owned and walked a long distance on foot. For me, I suffered especially because I am disabled and cannot walk, so I had to crawl – using both hands – for a long distance through rain and floods before we found a vehicle to carry us.”

UN agencies and the internationally recognised Yemeni government say that Taiz governorate has witnessed most of the displacements, with Taiz City among the Houthis’ next targets after their victory on the Red Sea coast. This means the humanitarian situation could worsen even further.

Ali al-Shumairi, director-general of the Executive Unit for the Management of IDP Camps in Taiz governorate, told Al Jazeera that 65,845 people were displaced between August 10 and September 15. About 95 percent of those displaced come from the five districts which witnessed the heaviest fighting: Jabal Habashi, al-Maafer, Maqbana, al-Wazi’iyah and Mawza.

Fighting has intensified on several fronts in Yemen as government forces have carried out air attacks on Houthi positions in attempts to retake Mocha, days after the group captured the strategic port city, tightening its grip on the Red Sea – a vital shipping lane.

This development has placed the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the strategic waterway that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the wider Indian Ocean, at the heart of the war between the United States and Iran, and amplifies pressure on global trade routes.

Yemen’s more than 10-year civil war was reignited in July, threatening a United Nations-brokered truce that halted large-scale violence in 2022, after the Houthis declared a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia and began targeting its ships in the Red Sea.

Forces affiliated with Yemen’s internationally recognised government have launched a campaign against the Houthis on a number of fronts since last week. They have retaken some positions and are advancing in the southwestern Taiz province as clashes intensify.

Osama al-Wafi, supervisor of the Mushrifa camp in Wadi Bikhawlan in Taiz governorate and a representative of the Yemeni government’s Executive Unit in Jabal Habashi district, described the situation as “dire and tragic”.

“These people have been displaced and have lost all the basic necessities of life, after having homes, farms, and livestock. Now they are only looking for a shelter to house them,” al-Wafi told Al Jazeera.

He said the number of displaced people arriving at the camp is steadily rising, with more than 1,500 families entering over the past six days, most living in the open due to a lack of shelter.

The al-Munij camp in the al-Bireen area, about 40 kilometres southwest of the semi-besieged city of Taiz, has become a temporary refuge for Yemenis fleeing the area after another bout of conflict between government and Houthi fighters in 2020.

Over the years, al-Munij has extended over a space of two square kilometres to house more displaced families, while other larger camps have been established in the area. Most residents complain they lack access to the most basic services – such as sporadic drinking water supplies and few toilets – in the camps.

Hajj Saif Qaed Thabet, 73, has been living with his wife and four children in an exposed space with no doors since arriving at al-Munij on September 10. He left behind a farm and livestock from his home in al-Kadaha, western Taiz governorate.

“We were displaced because of the war, fleeing bullets and artillery shells falling over our heads. Since arriving at the camp, we have been living like this, waiting for our situation to be addressed and for us to be housed in a suitable place,” said Thabet. “Praise be to God in all circumstances.”

Malouk Ahmed Ali, 55, from the al-Kadaha area in Taiz, said her family of 14 all escaped drones, shelling and gunfire on foot, including five children under her care, seven under her daughter’s care, and her elderly grandmother.

“We fled to an area near our village in the hope that the war would calm down quickly and we would return to our homes, but the clashes expanded until they reached us, so we were displaced again to here aboard a military vehicle that came to transport the threatened homeless people,” she told Al Jazeera.

“When we arrived at this camp, we were received and placed in this small tent as temporary housing for all members of the large family. Although they took all our information, our situation has not improved much so far, and we still hope it will improve.”

Ali hopes the war will end soon so she can return home but believes her family’s possessions, including solar panels and a battery, will have gone.

“As for our livestock, most of them died, some fled to the mountains and valleys, and what remained was looted,” she said.

When Judy Collins comes to Los Angeles, she likes to stay at the Beverly Hilton in part because “they serve a fabulous breakfast,” she says over coffee at the hotel on a recent morning. “That’s rare today,” she adds. “Too often a place will just send up a cardboard shopping bag with the things you ordered in it.”

Collins knows her amenities: At 87, the Grammy-winning singer and songwriter still plays about 120 shows a year, drawing audiences around the world with her high, clear voice and an expansive repertoire that blends the hits that made her famous in the 1960s and ’70s — Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now,” Leonard Cohen’s “Suzanne,” Stephen Sondheim’s “Send in the Clowns” — with traditional folk tunes and material of her own.

Yet now she’s preparing to hang it up with a lengthy farewell tour she’s calling Sweet Judy Blue Eyes (after “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes,” the folk-rock classic her one-time lover Stephen Stills wrote about her for Crosby, Stills & Nash). The night before our interview, Collins played L.A.’s Ford Theatre; she’ll be back through Southern California for a Sept. 27 date at the Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara and again next year for shows in Palm Springs and Aliso Viejo.

After we talk, she plans to do a bit of tai chi, for which she uses an app on her phone and which she wishes more people practiced. “Maybe that would alter civilization,” she says. “If we were all doing tai chi, we couldn’t be at war with Iran.” Then she’ll head to the airport for a flight home to New York, where she’s lived for decades — most of them with her husband, industrial designer Louis Nelson, who died in 2024.

At breakfast, Collins is wearing a patterned turquoise jacket over a matching dress and high-heeled black leather boots.

“You like these?” she asks of the boots. “These are Stuart Weitzman. I bought them 30 years ago, and I’ve never stopped wearing them.”

That’s a well-made boot.
They fit, they’re great and I reject all invitations to get rid of them.

Has your thinking about clothes changed over the decades?
I used to dress in jeans because I was a cowgirl — I hung out with rodeo riders in Colorado. As I came up, I liked what was simple. My mother made all our clothes on a Singer sewing machine for years. Now I love beaded things. I have full closets I need to go through.

Before you came onstage last night, an announcer told the audience not to take pictures or videos.
That’s my management’s doing — it’s important to them, so I go along with it. But the pictures are usually bad. Also, the phones take people’s minds off what’s going on onstage. People need the chance to focus. We’re in a period of insanity right now, so people need time to sit wherever they are. They could go to the ballet or to the theater, but they choose to come to me, and they get to sit there and they get to listen and they get to think about their own lives.

As a performer, that’s what you seek to provide.
I’m providing silence. It’s such a noisy world — so full of crappy music that plays outside all these hotels and places where we stay. It drives me nuts.

You have a line in the show where you say, “Something unexpected happened — I turned 87.” It got a good laugh.
People applaud too.

What are they saying by applauding?
They want to be acknowledged for their own ages, whether they’re 87 or 90 or 19. People are coming to see me, but they’re also coming to see their history. They’ll remember what happened 60, 70 years ago — they were probably marching at the same things I was marching at. And if they’re 19, they want to know why we’re not marching now.

Judy Collins performs on “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” in 1969.

(CBS via Getty Images)

You said we’re in a period of insanity.
This country is losing so much of the depth of our origin. The fact that workers who’ve come to this country are being taken off to God knows where — it makes no sense. Number one, these people often have some sort of legality. And secondly, they do the work here. Nobody else wants to go up to the orchards in Oregon and pick the fruit. Do you?

I can’t say that I do.
I don’t want to do that.

This tour is billed as your grand farewell.
So long, you guys.

I’m always reluctant to trust that framing. Cher’s done like eight farewell tours.
I hadn’t counted them up — shame on me.

Should we really believe you?
I think we have to believe in the present tense. What you’re hearing is what’s happening.

You had a music stand onstage with you. What was on it?
All the lyrics to all the songs.

You can’t possibly need the lyrics anymore.
Oh, yes, I do.

You’ve been singing some of them for decades.
Doesn’t matter — it has to be there in case you have to look at it.

Would you say you do look? Or is it more of a security blanket?
It’s a security blanket. But my eyes wander — I like to see who’s in the audience and what’s going on. I like to look up and down the aisles, and I like to fantasize: How did this happen?

Your life and career?
I mean, I know how it happened. I was 16, and I started going to the Denver Folklore Society, which was run by a guy named Lingo the Drifter. And Lingo the Drifter had these wonderful evenings where we all played the guitar and sang and drank illegal whiskey and so on.

Judy Collins last month in Beverly Hills.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Before Denver, you lived briefly as a kid in Los Angeles.
My father was a very eclectic and fabulous radio personality. He had a radio show for 30 years in Seattle then here in Hollywood, broadcasting out of CBS — a big deal. If we weren’t in school, we would drive up Santa Monica Boulevard into Hollywood and we’d stand around and watch them produce the radio mysteries. People would walk in a sandbox to get the sound of somebody walking up the gravel road to the door.

Are you familiar with the term “nepo baby”?
No.

It refers to the child of a famous artist who follows in their parent’s footsteps.
Oh, that’s interesting.

People use it derisively, as if to say that a kid has overly benefited from their advantages.
We certainly had advantages. For instance, the Library of Congress, which is the jewel in the crown — I don’t know what they’re doing now — but they sent us Braille books and they sent us all the shows from New York and they sent us the recordings of all the Shakespearean plays by the great Dame Judith Anderson and John Gielgud. I had all that growing up. In some ways, I wasn’t raised — I was trained. I got to see how a professional has to handle his life. My father was a professional in all ways. He drank — occasionally, not all the time — but he was absolutely organized about everything, including that.

You’ve been sober for something like half a century.
Forty-eight years. I’m in my 49th now.

You ever miss drinking?
Oh, my God, no. I was so sick — I was gone. Bye-bye.

Some people replace one addiction with another.
I had an eating disorder, which is still kind of … You know, last night, I asked for apple juice during the show — I was in trouble because I wasn’t eating. When my husband died, I stopped eating again. I’d stopped eating in the ’60s and ’70s and ’80s, but I got over that. But suddenly I didn’t want to eat again.

Would you consider that disordered eating?
I don’t know. Anyway, I have to really be careful. We had a talk about it last night. I have to eat these protein bars, and I have to eat them all the time.

Do you remember the first gig you played after your husband died?
Oh, yes — I had to go out. When my son took his life in 1992, I got a call from Joan Rivers — she and I knew each other pretty well. She was getting ready to go out and do her show in Las Vegas, and she called me in New York and she said, “I have to tell you this” — her husband had just killed himself — she said, “You cannot stay home. You have to go out.” I was canceling all my shows, and she said, “You can’t do that because you won’t ever get over this if you do.”

How did you take that advice?
I said, “Thank you,” and I called my staff and I said, “Put ’em back on.” My mother came out with me, Louis came out with me, my sister came out with me, and it was incredibly true: I had to be working or else I would die. So when it came to Louis, I was out three days later.

What did that feel like?
Well, it was wonderful because I was working. I can work and get through anything — that’s the psychological effect of what I’m doing on the stage. I’m interacting with people, I’m hearing the laughter, I’m hearing the music. What could be more healing?

This is why I’m wondering why you plan to stop touring.
But you see, I have all these other things to do — I have a life that’s not just touring. I’m working on the music for a Broadway show. And I’m doing a new book — it’s called “Singing Through the Storm,” and it’ll be out next year, I hope.

Judy Collins and Leonard Cohen attend the 41st annual Songwriters Hall of Fame ceremony in New York in 2010.

(Larry Busacca / Getty Images)

You’ve interpreted the music of so many great songwriters: Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen. Was there ever a writer whose work you admired but couldn’t find your way into?
No.

OK.
I’ll tell you my funniest Leonard story. In 2014, I think it was, I went to this little group in Norway called Democrats Abroad — lonely group of people. That night, this woman came up to me and said, “Hi, I’m Marianne.” I said, “Hi, Marianne.” And then she said, “I’m Leonard’s Marianne.” She said, “There’s something I’ve wanted to tell you for many years: We were living together in Spain, Leonard and I, and he was writing songs and we were swimming in the nude. And then one day he came to me and he said, ‘Marianne, I’m going to New York to sing my songs for Judy Collins,’ and he went to New York and he played you all his songs and you recorded them.” Marianne said, “I just wanted to tell you that you ruined my life.” Fortunately, we became friends on Facebook.

You opened last night’s set with “Both Sides Now.”
Oh, yes.

This might be the most famous song you do. Some artists would save it for later in the show.
I don’t want people to wonder for an hour and a half: Will she? Won’t she? What will I do if she doesn’t?

Do you still enjoy singing “Both Sides Now”?
I love it. It was Al Kooper who brought me to Joni — she sang it to me over the phone. Al is living a very sane, quiet life in the Northeast now. He’s married — never goes out anymore. It’s hard to think of Al Kooper just sitting there enjoying his marriage and his garden.

What will you do on the plane home today?
I’ll probably get out the computer and noodle around on the book and see what I can come up with.

The work never ends.
It never ends because it’s not done.

Indonesia is expanding cultural cooperation with Gulf states to preserve the diverse heritage of Muslim societies, the culture minister tells Arab News, as he seeks partnerships in new technologies and creative entrepreneurship to keep it relevant for younger generations.

Minister of Culture Fadli Zon has held talks with Gulf officials in recent months, as part of Indonesia’s effort to strengthen cultural diplomacy. 

This includes meetings with Saudi Minister of Culture Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan, the Kuwaiti Ambassador to Indonesia Khalid Jassim Al-Yassin, and the Qatari Ambassador to Indonesia Sultan bin Mubarak Saad Al-Dosari.  

“Indonesia and the Gulf countries share an interest in safeguarding heritage while ensuring its relevance to younger generations,” Fadli said.  

“Collaboration in digitization, museum development, heritage management, cultural education, and the use of new technologies can strengthen preservation while supporting tourism, research, and creative entrepreneurship.” 

He envisions deeper cooperation with Gulf partners through more extensive cultural exchange, experience and knowledge sharing, as well as collaborations in the creative economy, ranging from modest fashion, culinary traditions to digital content creation. 

While Indonesia and Gulf countries have “distinct cultural traditions and national experiences,” they are still connected by centuries-long ties, through which further cultural cooperation can serve as “an important platform for sharing the diverse expressions of Muslim societies,” Fadli added. 

He highlighted “strategic, multi-layered initiatives” Jakarta currently has with Gulf nations, including how the visit of Saudi culture minister to Jakarta in April “opened new avenues in joint film co-production, artist residencies, museum innovation and digital cultural” programs and boosted the renewal of their cultural cooperation, following Jakarta and Riyadh’s first such agreement in 2017. 

The two countries are also collaborating under the framework of intangible cultural heritage, including on preserving Arabic calligraphy and the extension of its recognition by UNESCO. 

This year, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country will organize cultural programs with Qatar to celebrate their 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations, with plans to showcase their national stamps. 

In 2025, the culture ministry’s Directorate General of Cultural Diplomacy, Promotion and Cooperation signed an agreement with the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Center, as Jakarta aims to promote Indonesian literature and arts through major international events held in the UAE. 

In his meetings with the Qatari and Kuwaiti envoys last month, Fadli also proposed talks on bilateral cultural agreements to broaden cooperation in the sector.

“Indonesia is committed to transforming its longstanding historical and spiritual ties with the Gulf into modern, dynamic, and sustainable partnerships … We believe that the relationship between Indonesia and the Gulf can become an important model of cooperation between diverse Muslim societies,” Fadli said. 

“By working together, Indonesia and the Gulf can ensure that culture does more than preserve the memory of our past. It can guide our societies through the challenges of the present and help us shape a more peaceful, inclusive, and humane future.”