A group of Israeli settlers attacked Israeli rights activists as they were conducting a tour near illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank. Israeli security forces arrested the activists.
Published On 15 May 202615 May 2026
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WITH the UK heating up this month, it can be tempting to splash the cash and make the most of the sunshine.
During the May Bank Holiday, the UK could hit highs of 25C according to the BBC – compared to just 23C in Santorini that day.
BUT there are still lots of fun things you can do to make the most of the weather without having to spend a penny.
This includes everything from outdoor swimming pools and playgrounds to markets and hikes – so here are eight of the best ideas for how to make the most of the weather.
Lots of outdoor swimming pools are free across the UK – if you know where to find them.
In Swansea there is Blackpill Lido, while many seapools like Shoalstone Seawater Pool in Devon has no entry charges either, along with Bude Sea Pool.
While most small playgrounds are free, there are some bigger adventure ones that don’t cost either – there’s the Lower Leas Coastal Park in Folkestone, which is the biggest in the southeast.
Or in London there is the Tumbling Bay Playground in the Queen Elizaeth Olympic Park.
Did you know that a lot of theme parks on the coast are free to visit?
One’s like Dreamland in Margate or Adventure Island in Southend-on-Sea have free entry – instead you pay to go on the rides (so non riders can get all of the vibes without the cost).
The UK is one of the best in the world for having free museums, so you’re spoilt for choice.
In London there is everything from the Natural History Museum and Science Museum to the Tate Modern and V&A Museum; in York there is the National Railways Museum while the Museum of Liverpool and the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford are all free too.
History buffs can explore some beautiful castle grounds without having to reach into their wallet.
Try Liverpool Castle (weirdly not in Liverpool but in Lancashire) or Cardiff Castle in Wales (although you will need a ticket go into the castle itself).
With everything from animals to playgrounds, why not take the kids to a garden centre?
There’s the celeb-popular Burford Garden Centre in the Cotswolds or Bridgemere Garden Centre in Cheshire, which is the biggest in the UK.
If you love a good walk, the UK has lots of them.
There is the recently opened King Charles III Coastal Path, running along the Kent coast; a short option of Hadrian’s Wall that takes just a few hours; or part of the Thames Path from Windsor to Eton which is around four miles.
If you can avoid wanting to spend, then a beautiful market is often the place for stunning architecture and even sometimes some live shows.
Grainger Market in Newcastle is known for its food, while Leadenhall Market in London is beautiful just to look at.
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Despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s public expectations that incoming Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh will cut interest rates, one investment expert believes the central bank may actually be forced to move in the opposite direction.
Skyler Weinand, Chief Investment Officer at
WASHINGTON — The head of U.S. Border Patrol, the agency tasked with securing the nation’s frontiers and increasingly tapped by the Trump administration for immigration operations in American cities, announced his resignation Thursday.
Michael Banks’ decision, announced in a Fox News interview and later confirmed by the Department of Homeland Security, is the latest leadership shake-up of officials implementing President Trump’s immigration crackdown and comes as the Republican administration appears to be recalibrating its approach.
“It’s just time,” Banks was quoted as saying in a report on the Fox News website. “I feel like I got the ship back on course from the least secure disastrous chaotic border to the most secure border this country has ever seen,” he said.
In a statement, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection commissioner, Rodney Scott, thanked Banks for his service “during one of the most challenging periods for border security.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It was not immediately clear who will replace Banks. He led an agency at the forefront of Trump’s high-profile immigration enforcement efforts but kept a lower profile than some other officials such as Gregory Bovino, a now-retired commander who became a public face of the city operations.
CBP is one of the federal agencies that participated since last year in a series of immigration enforcement operations, carried out primarily in cities governed by Democrats —an effort that triggered a spike in arrests and led to the fatal shooting of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis this year at the hands of federal immigration officers.
Banks’ resignation takes place two months after Markwayne Mullin, a former Republican senator from Oklahoma, became homeland security secretary. DHS oversees CBP and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also known as ICE.
Banks is stepping down at the same time that ICE is also going through a leadership transition. Todd Lyons, the acting ICE director, is leaving later this month and will be replaced by David Venturella, who worked for years for private contractors before returning to government service.
CBP was established in 2003 and handles customs, immigration, and agricultural regulations to secure U.S. borders.
Banks returned to the Border Patrol last year after a long agency career that had never landed him in its senior ranks. His star had risen as border czar to Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, during a period when illegal crossings reached record highs and the state launched a multibillion-dollar enforcement surge that led to turf battles with the Biden administration.
Banks kept a relatively low public profile as arrests for illegal crossings that have plunged to their lowest levels since the mid-1960s, a trend that began toward the end of that Democratic administration.
Banks did not appear publicly at the Border Security Expo this month in Phoenix, an annual conference at which government officials update contractors on the state of the border. Scott, who was Banks’ supervisor, is a close ally of Trump border czar Tom Homan and has acted more as the agency’s public face.
In the interview with Fox News, Banks said that after 37 years, “it’s time to enjoy the family and life.”
David Malpass also said that Beijing’s claim to be a developing nation is no longer credible.
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The EU’s foreign policy chief said “extremism and violence carry consequences”, while Israel branded the move “arbitrary”.
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In the occupied West Bank, a marathon is a political statement. Palestinians ran alongside the separation wall today, a structure that cuts them off from their land, their families, and even the sea. Al Jazeera’s @leila.shw reports from Bethlehem.
Published On 9 May 20269 May 2026
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Dozens of Israeli settlers stormed various areas of the West Bank, set cars on fire and attacked Palestinians.
Published On 9 May 20269 May 2026
Israeli settlers have launched another wave of raids in the occupied West Bank, with houses and cars set on fire and a Palestinian child attacked.
The Palestinian Wafa news agency reported that a man and his child were attacked with “sharp instruments” in the village of Khirbet Shuweika, south of Hebron, on Friday.
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The father and child were taken to hospital due to head injuries.
Israeli settlers torched a home in the village of al-Lubban Asharqiya, south of Nablus, after which members of the Palestinian Civil Defence arrived to extinguish the blaze.
In Abu Falah, northeast of Ramallah, Wafa cited security sources that the settlers “stormed the outskirts of the village, burned a citizen’s vehicle, and wrote racist slogans on the walls of houses”.
In the village of al-Asa’asa in Jenin, Israeli forces forced residents to exhume a newly buried body and take it elsewhere. They claimed the first site was too close to an illegal Israeli settlement.
Israeli settlers also attacked a Palestinian man in the town of Beit Fajjar, south of Bethlehem, and stole his mobile phone.
A group of Palestinians were picnicking in the Burak Sulayman (Solomon’s Pools) area, south of Bethlehem, but were forced to leave after Israeli forces fired stun grenades at them.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society treated two people for tear gas inhalation and evacuated five others from the scene after the attack.
In the town of Tuqu, southeast of Bethlehem, the mayor, Taysir Abu Mufreh, told Wafa that Israeli forces fired “tear gas and sound bombs” at a group of worshippers who were leaving a local mosque and locked a number of them inside.
On Friday, Israeli forces arrested four Palestinian men in the town of Battir, west of Bethlehem, while they were hiking near a railway line. The following day, three more Palestinians were arrested during a raid on the city of Nablus.
Settlers attacked the town of Silwad, northeast of Ramallah, leading to clashes when residents confronted them.
Human rights groups say Israeli authorities have allowed the settlers to operate with total impunity in their attacks against Palestinians.
In February, Israel approved a plan to claim large areas of the occupied West Bank as “state property”.
More than 700,000 Israelis live in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Canada leads the creation of a multilateral defense bank, coinciding with a commitment to increase defense spending to meet NATO benchmarks.
Earlier this spring Canada hosted representatives from 18 countries to establish the Defence, Security & Resilience Bank (DSRB).
The initiative aims to create a multilateral AAA-rated bank that can provide loans to allied governments and allow countries to borrow directly from the institution at a lower cost. Backers of the proposed DSRB want it to become a global state-backed institution capable of raising $135 billion to fund defense projects.
Its backers have modeled the DSRB on existing multilateral lending institutions, such as the World Bank. The founding member-states, who, as shareholders, would own the DSRB, will capitalize the bank, providing an equity base that allows the bank to raise additional funds on global capital markets at favorable rates.
This, in turn, will enable the DSRB to provide long-term low-cost financing for member governments, supporting the increase of their national defense and resilience capabilities. Also, the DSRB would unlock private capital for the defense sector by providing institutional guarantees to commercial banks, lending to private defense firms, reducing risk, lowering interest rates, and increasing overall financing available to the industry.
In Canada, the Big Six Banks, including BMO, CIBC, National Bank of Canada, RBC, Scotiabank, and TD Bank, have signed on. Major global banks, including Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, ING Group, and JPMorgan Chase, have also signed on.
“Canada is committed to advancing the DSRB and by extension strengthening partners’ resilience in a shifting geopolitical landscape,” François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s Minister of Finance and National Revenue, said in a prepared statement.
Not all major European governments support the project, however.
German and UK officials have said they will not back the DSRB, according to published reports. Germany argues that defense financing should run through existing EU mechanisms, while a British government source raised concerns that the DSRB may not meet the UK’s goal of getting more value from defense spending.
Unlike traditional financing methods, the DSRB enables member states to collectively borrow at lower interest rates and aims to streamline defense procurement processes. This initiative also coincides with Canada’s recently announced Defence Industrial Strategy, which includes a commitment to increase defense spending toward NATO benchmarks.
Israeli forces have raided the city of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, firing live ammunition that killed a 26-year-old Palestinian man and wounded four others, including children. Dozens of people have suffered tear gas inhalation.
Published On 3 May 20263 May 2026
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BCV authorities recently met with banking executives and pledged to loosen credit restrictions. (BCV)
Caracas, April 27, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – The Venezuelan Central Bank (BCV) has announced the hiring of outside firms to audit Venezuelan export revenues currently controlled by the Trump administration and disbursed to Caracas.
In a press statement, BCV Acting President Luis Pérez confirmed that both the Venezuelan and US governments had hired auditing companies to “ensure peace of mind and impartiality.”
“The auditing of the country’s resources by external consultants gives us peace of mind,” Pérez stated. “Venezuela can be confident that the resources are being channeled where they have to and getting where they need to.”
According to Reuters and Bitácora Económica, Deloitte is one of the firms selected to inspect the Central Bank’s accounts, though it is not known whether it was chosen by Washington or Caracas.
One of the largest global consulting corporations, Deloitte has close ties to the US political establishment and national security state. The London-based firm has a well-documented history of hiring former CIA agents and undertaking corporate espionage.
Since the January 3 US military strikes and kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, the Trump administration has taken control over Venezuelan oil revenues, mandating that all royalty, tax, and dividend payments be deposited in US Treasury-run accounts before a portion is returned to Caracas at the White House’s discretion.
US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, have stated before congressional committees that the Venezuelan government’s allocation of its own resources, once returned by Washington, would be subject to outside audits.
Rubio additionally claimed that Caracas needs to submit “budget requests” before accessing funds. Both US and Venezuelan officials have acknowledged the use of US-managed funds for imports of medicines and medical equipment from US manufacturers.
The sequestered Venezuelan earnings have not been returned directly to the BCV but injected into foreign currency auctions run by banks. US officials have confirmed the transfer of US $500 million of a projected $2 billion initial agreement, though analysts have reported a higher volume of foreign currency made available in recent weeks.
Recently issued US Treasury licenses allowing transactions with the Venezuelan Central Bank are expected to restore some of the institution’s capacity to intervene in the economy. In a recent meeting with banking executives, Acting President Pérez stated that the BCV was prioritizing inflation control and forex market stability. A black market exchange rate has consistently hovered above the official one, with a gap currently at around 30 percent. Critics have blamed the BCV’s lack of oversight for the proliferation of currency speculation.
Pérez likewise pledged to review the Central Bank’s current reserve requirements, a recurring demand from banks in recent months. Banks are presently forced to hold 73 percent of deposits as reserves.
The contraction of credit, alongside reduced public spending and the freezing of wages, were policies adopted by the Maduro government in recent years in an effort to slow down inflation in the sanctions-hit Venezuelan economy.
Pérez was appointed acting president of Venezuela’s financial authority on April 16. He replaced Laura Guerra, who had been in the post since April 2025. Last week, the Venezuelan government’s “rapid response” social media denied reports of negotiations with the US State Department and the far-right opposition to select a new BCV board.
Since January, the Venezuelan government led by Acting President Delcy Rodríguez has fast-tracked a diplomatic rapprochement with the Trump administration.
The White House’s recognition of Rodríguez as Venezuela’s sole leader has paved the way for the resumption of dealings with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), while creditors of Venezuela’s sizable foreign debt anticipate a lucrative restructuring agreement.
The Rodríguez administration has likewise driven a pro-business legislative agenda with the goal of attracting foreign investment. The Caribbean nation’s parliament has approved reforms to the hydrocarbon and mining sectors that grant increased control to foreign conglomerates, alongside reduced fiscal responsibilities and the possibility of taking disputes to international arbitration bodies.
Canadian miner Gold Reserve issued a statement Monday “welcoming” the new mining law, noting that some of its “key recommendations were reflected in the final enacted law,” including the repeal of a 2015 decree establishing majority Venezuelan state control over the sector.
Acting President Rodríguez, as well as National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez, have both acknowledged receiving “recommendations” and “suggestions” from oil majors in the hydrocarbon industry overhaul.
Edited by Lucas Koerner in Fusagasugá, Colombia.
An Israeli settler was filmed throwing rocks and trying to break into the home of Palestinian activist Issa Amro while an Israeli soldier watched. The settler was briefly arrested and then released.
Published On 26 Apr 202626 Apr 2026
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Bailey Zimmerman performed Friday night at Stagecoach, where his set mixed post-grunge country hits like “Religiously” and “Where It Ends” with a cover of Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb” and an appearance by BigXthaPlug on their duet “All the Way.” Before Zimmerman’s set, I met with the 26-year-old singer inside a denim-bedecked pop-up presented by American Eagle, for whom Zimmerman serves as an official spokesbro.
Did you only agree to become an American Eagle ambassador because you thought you might be able to meet Sydney Sweeney?
I would understand why you would think that. But honestly, no — it was a full circle moment in my life. Before my American Eagle deal, I had all the American Eagle underwear. They couldn’t send me new ones — I had ’em all.
Do you get free jeans?
They give me everything for free.
Could you get me some free jeans?
Maybe? I could do one of those things where I’m like, “Oh, it’s for me,” but it’s really for you.
By my count, this is your fourth Stagecoach in a row.
Yep.
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You never miss this, bro.
It’s my favorite time of the year — it’s sick. I come out here the whole weekend. The first year, I brought my best friends, and we’ve done it every year since — all my friends and their fiancees now because we’re getting older and they’re getting married. So it’s just a big party all weekend. It’s something I look forward to.
Speaking of getting married, last year you you told me you were looking for a wife. Any progress?
Well, you know, honestly, I’m still just kind of doing my thing. I’m on God’s timing, truly —I’m just letting it roll.
You’re a Justin Bieber guy.
Beliebe it.
“Swag” or “Swag II”?
I was hesitant to want to listen to “Swag II” because I love “Swag I” so much. But then once you get into “Swag II,” it’s like, Dude, this is so fire, bro. Both albums are so fire — I’ll listen to either one.
Did you watch Bieberchella?
Yes!
What did you think of the YouTube of it all?
I thought it was really cool. I loved it — it was just something way different. I’ve never seen that done like that. Iconic — I would call it iconic. That’ll go down in history.
Bailey Zimmerman on Stagecoach’s main stage.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
You have a current radio hit, “Chevy Silverado.” What was your first truck?
A 2005 white Chevy Silverado. That’s what the song’s about.
Yes, of course. But I didn’t know it was true to life — I thought you were using writerly inspiration.
No, true to life, man. My grandpa had a 2005 crew-cab short-bed Chevy Silverado, and I bought it off of him. I had to borrow money from my bank in my hometown, and I bought it of him because times weren’t good at the time. When the used car dealership was going good, maybe he would’ve given it to me, but at that time, it wasn’t going good, so I had to borrow money and have a payment at the bank. Adult things.
You know where that truck is now?
I still have it. Honestly, I didn’t think anybody would resonate with the song — I didn’t think anybody would listen to it just because it was so personal to me. Every single line is a real life story from my life, so to see it resonating with everybody and seeing it do what it’s doing — it’s so cool, man.
Published On 25 Apr 202625 Apr 2026
Palestinians in central Gaza and the occupied West Bank have begun voting in municipal elections, the first local vote held since the start of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.
Polling stations opened at 7am (04:00 GMT) on Saturday for 70,000 eligible voters in Gaza’s Deir el-Balah area – the first electoral exercise in the besieged enclave in 20 years.
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The vote in a single city in Gaza is largely symbolic, with officials calling it a “pilot”. Deir el-Balah was selected because it is one of the few areas in Gaza not destroyed by Israeli forces.
Nearly 1.5 million registered voters in the occupied West Bank are also voting to determine the makeup of the local councils overseeing water, roads and electricity.
The elections come amid a tightly restricted political landscape and deep public disillusionment, as the Palestinian Authority (PA) seeks to project reform and legitimacy amid growing public frustration over corruption, political stagnation and the absence of national elections since 2006.
Most electoral lists are backed by President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah movement or independent candidates, with no official participation from Hamas, which controls parts of Gaza.
With much of Gaza decimated by more than two years of war, the Ramallah-based Central Elections Commission chose to hold its first vote in Deir el-Balah. It had to improvise because it was unable to conduct traditional voter registration.
“The main idea is to link the West Bank and Gaza politically as one system,” its spokesperson, Fareed Taamallah, said.
The commission has not coordinated directly with either Israel or Hamas ahead of the Deir el-Balah vote and has been unable to send materials like ballot papers, ballot boxes or ink into Gaza, he added.
Though Palestinian voter turnout has gradually decreased, it has been relatively high in past local elections by regional standards, according to commission figures, averaging between 50 and 60 percent.
Hamas won parliamentary elections in 2006 and seized control of Gaza from the Fatah-led PA a year later.
It did not put forth candidates for Saturday, but polling from the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research indicates it remains the most popular Palestinian faction in both Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
Ramiz Alakbarov, the United Nations deputy special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, called the elections “an important opportunity for Palestinians to exercise their democratic rights during an exceptionally challenging period”.
Hamas controls half of Gaza, which Israeli forces partially withdrew from last year, including Deir el-Balah, but the coastal enclave is preparing to transition to a new governance structure under US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan.
The plan established a Board of Peace composed of international envoys and a committee of unelected Palestinians, intended to operate under it.
Progress towards further phases, including disarming Hamas, reconstruction and a transfer of power, has stalled.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, 90, signed a decree last year to overhaul the electoral system in line with some demands from Western donors.
The reforms allow voting for individuals rather than party lists (slates), lowering the eligibility age to run and raising quotas for female candidates.
In January, another Abbas decree required candidates to accept the programme of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the group that leads the PA. The programme calls for the recognition of Israel and renouncing armed struggle, in effect, sidelining Hamas and other factions.
The slates in major West Bank cities are dominated by Fatah, the faction that leads the PA, and independents, some with ties to other factions. It marks the first time in six local elections that no other faction has officially put forward its own slates.
In the occupied West Bank, the PA exercises limited autonomy, and local councils oversee services from rubbish collection to building permits.
Votes are being held in villages in Area C, which covers about 60 percent of the West Bank and remains under direct Israeli control. Full administrative control would have been handed to the PA according to the 1995 Oslo Accords.
Votes will also be held in municipalities that Israel’s military has occupied since it launched a ground invasion in the northern West Bank last year.
Campaign posters have been plastered across cities, though many – including Ramallah and Nablus – will not hold elections because too few candidates or slates registered.
The PA’s power has withered amid years without peace negotiations with Israel and the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Ramallah, occupied West Bank – Hani Odeh has spent four and a half difficult years as mayor of Qusra, southeast of Nablus.
Surrounded by illegal Israeli settlements and outposts, the small Palestinian town of approximately 6,000 in the northern West Bank faces relentless settler attacks that left two residents killed last month.
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Many are unable to access their agricultural fields as settlers repeatedly damage the village’s water pipes. But when his Palestinian neighbours go to the polls for municipal elections on Saturday, he will not be on the ballot.
“The resources are limited, the demands are many, there’s the settlers, the army – the problems don’t stop,” he says. “You can’t do anything for them. I’m exhausted. I just want to rest, honestly.”
Only three months ago, the Palestinian Authority (PA) announced that there would be local elections on April 25 for municipalities and village councils, the first such elections in nearly five years. There have been no national elections since 2006, keeping the Fatah-ruled PA in power in the West Bank more than 17 years after its initial mandate expired.
Odeh, who will be stepping down, doesn’t believe there is much point to the vote. “It won’t change the reality,” he says, pointing out that the gate to enter Qusra has been shut by the Israeli military for two years.
Meanwhile, the PA civil servants that Odeh relies on to run Qusra receive salaries of just 2,000 shekels ($670), a fraction of what they are owed, as Israel continues to withhold tax revenues earmarked for the Palestinians.
According to the Palestine Elections Commission, 5,131 candidates are competing across 90 municipal councils and 93 village councils on April 25, with nearly a third of the electorate between the ages of 18 and 30.
Across the West Bank, many agree with Odeh, and express doubts that these elections can move the needle on anything that actually matters.
In the days leading up to the vote in Ramallah, there have been no campaign posters hanging along the streets. That is because Ramallah – the city where the PA is headquartered – is not holding competitive elections this Saturday. Neither is Nablus, another major city in the West Bank.
Instead, both cities are being decided through a process known as acclamation, in which a single list of candidates is elected without a formal vote. Across the West Bank, 42 municipal councils and 155 village councils will be filled this way – a majority of local administrative authorities.
Historically used in small villages where extended families agreed on candidates, the process is now being applied in major cities that are PA strongholds – such as Ramallah and Nablus – where Fatah mobilisation has discouraged challengers.
“There is definitely a sense of futility in certain places,” says Zayne Abudaka, cofounder of the Institute for Social and Economic Progress (ISEP), which regularly surveys Palestinian sentiments and views, “and I think that makes it easier for places to just not have an election.”
Fatima*, a businesswoman who runs an education centre in el-Bireh, says she hasn’t voted in an election since the last Palestinian national election 20 years ago – and she doesn’t plan to this time, either. “They will choose a new group of decisionmakers, and I believe they will do the same according to the old decisionmakers,” says Fatima. “We don’t see any difference between them. It is not fair.”
Sara Nasser, 26, a pharmacist who commutes to Ramallah for work from the village of Deir Qaddis, west of the city, says she has simply grown accustomed to elections not happening and will not vote. “It’s been since before I was aware that there were significant elections,” she says. “We’ve always lived like this.”
Not everyone is so pessimistic. Iyad Hani, 20, works at a children’s store and is enthusiastic to vote for the first time in his life in el-Bireh. “Hopefully, the one coming is better than the one who left,” he says. “There should be construction in the town and fixing the streets – that’s the most important thing.”
Muhammad Bassem, who is a restaurant manager in Ramallah, is also showing up to the polls, optimistic for what change may bring. “It is the new faces that bring about change for the better – always for the better,” he says. “We want our country to be beautiful, clean and to offer plenty of comfortable employment opportunities, tourism and development.”
Others are not so sure. Amani, who is from Tulkarem but works in Ramallah as a receptionist, watches the campaigns play out on her phone, though she does not plan to vote. “Right now, they keep saying, ‘we’re going to do this, we’re going to do that,’” she says. “But I don’t know if any of it will actually yield results.”
The Tulkarem issues she is thinking of, such as inadequate waste management, no parks for children and roads in disrepair, fall squarely into the kinds of changes that local elections might have an impact on, she suggests. “I just hope that something genuinely new and positive comes out of this.”
Underlining the question of these specific elections is a broad disillusionment with the PA that colours nearly every conversation about Palestinian political life.
Fatima says she and her whole family are politically aligned with Fatah, the effective governing party of the PA. “We don’t hate Fatah,” she says. “We hate the decisions they are taking right now.” While she says her business has contracted 85 percent in recent years, the PA still charges her 16 percent VAT.
That same disillusionment extends even to the elections in small localities like Qusra, which Mayor Odeh calls “a family affair, not a political affair”.
“People have lost faith in the parties, lost faith in the [Palestinian] Authority, lost faith in the whole world,” he says, expecting low turnout on Saturday. While most candidates in Qusra are politically aligned with Fatah, Odeh says no candidates in Qusra’s election this Saturday are doing so officially. “If they run under political affiliations, no one will support them.”
According to the Palestine Elections Commission, 88 percent of those on the ballots this year are doing so as independent candidates.
While polling suggests roughly 70-80 percent of Palestinians distrust the PA as an institution, Obada Shtaya resists framing this simply as a PA problem, considering the PA’s hobbled finances and its shrinking autonomy in Areas A and B under Israeli occupation. Israel continues to expand settlements and military raids in the West Bank, and the PA has no power to respond, with the prospect of a Palestinian state increasingly distant.
“Pessimism, lack of hope, helplessness – it is beyond the classical distrust in the PA,” he says. “It is looking at the PA and potentially understanding that these people also don’t have much that they can do to help themselves.”
A new amendment to the local elections law, requiring all candidates to affirm their commitment to agreements signed by the PLO – widely understood as a measure to exclude Hamas and other opposition factions – now threatens to taint how people perceive these elections. “If you want to run, you need to pre-agree to things at the national level,” says Shtaya. “But this is about local service delivery. Why am I having to sign things that deal with agreements between the PA and Israel?”
Despite the many naysayers in this election, “Palestinians are thirsty for democracy,” says the pollster, including those in Gaza. What is missing is not the will, he says, but the proper architecture for it: elections announced years in advance, a functioning legislature, and accountability that extends beyond voting day.
“There isn’t a credible setup that shows people their vote makes a difference,” says Shtaya. Without that, sporadic elections take place at what he calls the surface level: real enough that some people show up, but shallow enough that not much changes underneath.
Soon to be relieved of his mayoral duties, Hani Odeh plans to open a toy shop and set up a house for himself. “Let people breathe,” he says. “We’re here. We’re not going anywhere.”
A MAJOR train station in England has announced its closure over a busy bank holiday weekend.
Passengers are urged to plan their journeys ahead as the station will be shut.
One of the North West‘s busiest stations will be closed over the early May bank holiday.
Liverpool Lime Street station will stop its overground services on Sunday, May 3, and into the morning of Monday, May 4.
Engineers will be carrying out major upgrade works around the station during the closure.
Along with replacing outdated signalling infrastructure in the Edge Hill area, workers will be maintaining overhead power cables and track points.
This means that overground lines in and out of Lime Street will be disrupted.
Paul Owen, Liverpool area director for Network Rail, said: “We would like to thank passengers for their patience while this vital work takes place.
“Replacing older signalling infrastructure with new equipment will reduce disruption on the railway and create smoother, more reliable journeys.”
Local Merseyrail trains will continue to run while other routes will be diverted or replaced by bus.
Travellers are advised to check with their train operator or on the National Rail Enquiries website for the latest information.
Passengers should allow extra time for travel and expect delays or changes to their journeys.
THERE’S still time to bag a bargain break for a long weekend away this May bank holiday
We found a selection of staycation deals across the UK that still have availability for both the early May bank holiday and the late bank holiday weekend.
From lodges in the woods, to farm stays with roaming cows, to resorts with outdoor pools overlooking the sea – here’s the best cheap UK holiday deals you can still book for a long weekend in May.
3-night stay for two from 1 – 4 May: £284
Snap up this last-minute deal for the early May bank holiday and stay three nights in the cosy Thirley Beck Lodge, right in the stunning landscapes of the Yorkshire Moors.
This lodge is perfect for a couple’s retreat to the countryside, with a double bed and open plan kitchen, dining and seating area – plus a balcony and chairs to enjoy a sunset drink or morning coffee.
The lodge sits on a working farm, so it’s not a rare sight for cattle, sheep or horses to roam the surrounding fields.
And for a change of scenery, the beautiful seaside village of Robin Hood’s Bay is only 20 minutes’ drive away.
3-night stay for two from 1 – 4 May: £292
Bag a stay at this pretty countryside cottage in North Wales for a last-minute romantic staycation for two.
Step into an adorable pastel blue cottage decorated with blooming flowers and mini white picket fence into a blue and cream-themed interior.
Make use of the afternoon tea table set, or enjoy a bottle of fizz out in your own private garden under the sun.
Nearby, you can visit Talacre Beach to watch the sun set behind its Grade II-listed lighthouse.
3-night stay for two from 1 – 4 May: £292
This Parkdean resort in Scratby sits on a golden sand beach with plenty of relaxing coastal path walks nearby – plus it’s close to mega seaside resort Great Yarmouth.
Stay in a comfortable chalet and make use of the pool, crazy golf, on-site arcade and live evening entertainment at the Showbar every night.
Drive or take the bus just 15 minutes into Great Yarmouth to stroll its famous seaside pier – plus a go on the snail rides at the Joyland amusements is a must!
3-night stay for up to four from 1 – 4 May: £169
Stay in a luxurious safari tent this bank holiday weekend on the sandy sweep of Thorness Bay on the Isle of Wight.
With two bedrooms, a unique safari-style look and wooden decking, the safari tents make your staycation feel like you’re holidaying somewhere more far-flung.
On the resort there’s a heated indoor pool with a waterslide, sports courts, arcades and more. Plus there’s a family-friendly restaurant and takeaway options like fish and chips and Costa Coffee.
And if you want to venture out, there’s a beautiful beach on your doorstep, plus the Isle of Wight Steam Railway is nearby, too.
3-night stay for up to three from 1 – 4 May: £184
Bag a bargain stay this early May bank holiday at Sea Acres Holiday Park in Helston, Cornwall.
The Sea Acres Holiday Park is close to top attractions like the Cornish Seal Sanctuary, as well as the pretty fishing town of Porthleven.
The resort has sweeping views over Kennack Sands, where you can take a dip in the water or catch a spectacular sunset.
Stay in a bronze caravan with a modern interior, kitchen, seating area with a flatscreen TV, plus a large comfy bed and sofabed.
3-night stay for two from 22 – 25 May: £351
These cosy pods nestled in Forrester Park in the Essex countryside make for a very Instagrammable staycation.
Each wooden dome comes with a cosy seating area, kitchenette, a double bed under a window looking out to the forest, decking to soak up the sun, and access to a hot tub.
Within Forrester Park there’s Padel courts, a driving range and several restaurants offering everything from fry-ups to a Sunday roast – turning your woodland retreat into an action-packed weekend away.
3-night stay for two from 22 – 25 May: £298
This holiday resort in the traditional seaside town of Cleethorpes has plenty to see and do on-site, including live entertainment and lots of child-friendly activities.
The heated outdoor pool area has a sun terrace with plenty of loungers, and looks more like a posh resort abroad than it does a UK holiday park.
The food at this resort is fantastic, too, as restaurants and shacks serve up everything from Filthy Fries to Magical Milkshakes.
Nearby you can laze out on the sands of Cleethorpes Beach, or hop on the historic Cleethorpes Light Railway – which makes a stop at the tiniest pub in the world.
3-night stay for two from 22 – 25 May: £298
Whitecliff Bay on the eastern tip of the Isle of Wight is a gorgeous coastal destination with golden beaches overlooked by dramatic cliffs.
The Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park is a scenic spot to stay, with a giant outdoor pool looking out to sea.
On-site there’s activities like a crazy golf course, and stylish places to eat and drink like The Nab Bar and The Culver Club.
Nearby head to the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary to spot rare species, or Dinosaur Isle for family-friendly fossil walks.
ONE of the UK’s busiest airports is set for travel chaos over the May bank holiday weekend due to strike action.
Around 100 workers at London Stansted Airport – the UK’s fourth busiest airport – will walk out between May 3 and 6.
The walkout, which has been called by Unite the Union, will mainly involve staff who help passengers with disabilities at the airport and onto their flights.
Action was called after staff rejected a “substandard” pay offer.
Delays are expected as a result of the strike, as it will take longer to board passengers who need help to get to their flights.
Last year the airport handled 2.74 million passengers across May, with thousands travelling across both May bank holiday weekends.
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Many budget airlines fly from the airport including Ryanair and popular European destinations include Rome, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Alicante and Ibiza.
As a result of the strike action, families and travellers heading off for the long weekend might experience delays in getting to their destinations.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “ABM staff do a vital job for passengers at the airport, yet they are struggling with low pay while their employer makes huge profits.
“This situation is unacceptable and workers at ABM continue to have Unite’s full support.”
Unite regional officer Steve Edwards added: “Workers at ABM are increasingly given bigger workloads and deserve pay that reflects this.
“Their employer can afford to come back with an offer workers would accept and could end this dispute easily by doing so. But until then, Unite members will strike until their voices are heard.”
A previous strike was planned for April 17 to 20 but was called off.
Sun Travel has contacted London Stansted Airport for comment.
Stansted Airport also recently hiked its drop-off parking charges by almost 50 per cent.
In March, the fee to use the express drop-off (up to 15 minutes) at the airport rose from £7 to £10.
The fee for longer stays of up to 30 minutes also rose from £25 to £28.
The changes made Stansted Airport the second most expensive airport for drop-off fees in the UK, only beaten by Gatwick Airport where the fee is £10 for 10 minutes.
A look at your rights if a flight is delayed or cancelled, when your entitled to compensation and if your travel insurance can cover the costs.
What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?
Under UK law, airlines have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.
If you’re flying to or from the UK, your airline must let you choose a refund or an alternative flight.
You will be able to get your money back for the part of your ticket that you haven’t used yet.
So if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded.
But if travelling is essential, then your airline has to find you an alternative flight. This could even be with another airline.
When am I not entitled to compensation?
The airline doesn’t have to give you a refund if the flight was cancelled due to reasons beyond their control, such as extreme weather.
Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ are not eligible for compensation.
Some airlines may stretch the definition of “extraordinary circumstances” but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled?
If you can’t claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may refund you.
Policies vary so you should check the small print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours will normally mean you qualify for some money from your insurer.
Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof.
If your flight is cancelled entirely, you’re unlikely to be covered by your insurance.
In other flight news, Ryanair is axing thousands of flights from European airport this summer.
Plus, four major European airlines are set to scrap free hand luggage onboard.
A group of Israeli settlers torched a Palestinian home overnight in the occupied West Bank and prevented the family from escaping. Eight people were injured in the attack, including a one-year-old.
Published On 22 Apr 202622 Apr 2026
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There was a time when various developments from this past week – such as the Israeli government spending hundreds of thousands of dollars promoting ultra-nationalist marches, a sanctioned settler leading army-escorted livestock raids on a Palestinian village, and the Israeli finance minister calling for the full military occupation and settlement of Gaza while speaking at once-dismantled occupied West Bank settlements – would have been met with outcry or debate in some corners of Israeli society.
This week, however, they have become routine, as United Nations experts describe Israeli policy as “ethnically cleansing the West Bank through daily attacks resulting in killing, injury, and harassment of women and children, and the widespread destruction of Palestinian homes, farmland and livelihoods”.
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Against that backdrop, this past week brought intense and coordinated settler attacks on villages near Ramallah, continued Israeli strikes on civilians in Gaza, new evictions and demolitions in occupied East Jerusalem, and US-Hamas diplomatic talks in Cairo that showed some glimmers of progress – while falling well short of what either side has demanded.
Across the Gaza Strip, Israeli air strikes, gunfire and drone attacks continued throughout the week as the humanitarian crisis worsened.
On April 14, a strike on a police vehicle on al-Nafaq Street in Gaza City killed four people, including three-year-old Yahya al-Malahi, whose father said his family had been leaving a relative’s wedding. A strike on the Shati refugee camp later the same day killed at least five more.
On April 16, brothers Abdelmalek and Abdel Sattar al-Attar were killed in Beit Lahiya in an area that witnesses said fell outside the zone under Israeli military control along the so-called “yellow line”. On April 17, brothers Mahmoud and Eid Abu Warda were shot dead by a drone while trying to get water in Gaza City’s Shujayea neighbourhood; a drone separately struck a water desalination facility in the same area, killing one more. The following day, two civilian contractors delivering water on behalf of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) were shot dead by Israeli troops in northern Gaza.
Since the October ceasefire, 777 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed and at least 2,193 injured, as of April 20. Since October 7, 2023, the cumulative death toll stands at 72,553 – a figure revised upwards this week after the Gaza Ministry of Health certified an additional 196 deaths.
Meanwhile, aid access into Gaza remains severely constrained. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), United Nations and partner aid inflows declined by 37 percent between the first and second three-month periods following the ceasefire. Bakeries have scaled back production due to dwindling flour and fuel, with Palestinians reporting hours-long queues for bread.
Board of Peace envoy Nickolay Mladenov told an Egyptian news channel this week that Israeli restrictions at border crossings remain “the primary obstacle” preventing sufficient aid from reaching Gaza.
On the diplomatic front, direct US-Hamas talks in Cairo this week focused on implementing phase-one commitments before any discussion of disarmament. No official agreement has been reached.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, meanwhile, called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to order the military to “immediately prepare for the full occupation of the Gaza Strip” and establish Israeli settlements there if Hamas refuses to disarm entirely. Smotrich made the declaration while attending a ceremony commemorating the re-establishment of the illegal settlement of Sa-Nur, which had previously been dismantled by Israel in 2005 along with settlements in Gaza and several others in the northern West Bank.
The week’s most sustained violence in the West Bank took place across a cluster of villages northeast of Ramallah – Khirbet Abu Falah, al-Mughayyir and Turmus Aya – where three new illegal Jewish outposts have been established in the past two months, all on privately owned Palestinian land in Area B, which is supposed to be under limited administrative control of the Palestinian Authority. One such outpost was built on land from which the Abu Najjeh community – itself already forcibly displaced from Ein Samiya in the summer of 2023 – was recently violently expelled from.
On April 18, settlers launched simultaneous coordinated attacks on all three villages, according to local activists. In Turmus Aya, settlers arriving in more than a dozen vehicles burned a home and a car, with a military force near the outpost refusing to intervene, according to local activists. In Khirbet Abu Falah, dozens of settlers gathered at a newly established outpost before descending on Palestinian homes; soldiers subsequently raided the village themselves, according to locals. In al-Mughayyir, soldiers stopped two small children playing in the street, pushing them to the ground. They drove away before settlers on a government-supplied quad bike attacked a Palestinian driver on the nearby road.
The following morning, settlers raided a sheep pen in al-Mughayyir and stole 70 sheep. When residents pursued them, settlers fired live ammunition, activists said. Israeli military and police then escorted the Or Nachman outpost’s founder, Amishav Malt, back into the village, where he led a raid that he claimed was to recover stolen sheep – a tactic local activists say is routinely used to justify further theft. One Palestinian resident was beaten unconscious by police, according to local activists. Soldiers then enabled Neria Ben Pazi – the founder of another local illegal outpost who is internationally sanctioned by Australia, Belgium, France and Britain – to steal sheep from a restrained Palestinian resident. At least 20 military vehicles subsequently laid siege to the village entrance.
Beyond these villages, settler attacks on shepherds, farmers and residents were documented across numerous communities, including olive trees cut down in Yatma near Nablus, and the theft of livestock and crops in Jifna and several communities in Masafer Yatta. Settlers erected a barbed wire fence on the path that children from Umm al-Khair use to reach their school, blocking their safe access ever since.
On April 16, Israeli forces staged a raid on Beit Duqqu, northwest of Jerusalem, during which they shot dead 17-year-old Mohammed Rayan. Soldiers prevented ambulances from treating him, instead removing his body – denying his family proper Muslim burial rites. Four others were shot with live fire. On April 18, Israeli forces killed Mohammed Suwaiti, 25, in Khirbet Salama, southwest of Hebron, claiming he was approaching the illegal settlement of Negohot.
According to the latest OCHA humanitarian situation report, in 2026, more than 2,500 Palestinians have been displaced by demolitions, settler attacks, and evictions – including more than 1,100 children. Settler attacks now account for 75 percent of all displacement recorded this year, with March recording the highest monthly settler injury toll since documentation began in 2006.
Al Jazeera has reached out to the Israeli military for comment on the incidents reported on this week, but has yet to receive a reply.
In occupied East Jerusalem, demolitions and evictions continued at an elevated pace. Israeli authorities demolished the home of 80-year-old cancer patient Abu Kamel Dweik in Silwan’s al-Bustan neighbourhood, at least the eighth demolition in the area this month.
According to OCHA, since January 2026, at least 86 Palestinian-owned structures have been demolished in East Jerusalem, displacing more than 250 people, with roughly half demolished by their owners to avoid additional fines.
In addition to further home demolitions in al-Bustan expected shortly, the extended Basha family – six households comprising 12 people, most over 60, who have lived in the Old City’s Muslim Quarter for nearly a century – now face court-ordered eviction by April 26.
The week also saw reports from Israeli media that the Netanyahu government is allocating approximately 1.2 million shekels ($400,000) to expand the ultra-nationalist Jerusalem Day marches across the country next month – yearly events marked by vulgar, racist slogans and violent attacks on Palestinian neighbourhoods.
With such funding, the marches are being expanded to several mixed Jewish-Arab cities including Lydd (Lod), where Jerusalem Day clashes in 2021 escalated into days of violence. That the state is now directly subsidising such events reflects the broader influence of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, whose reach over police operations has itself become the subject of a rare legal challenge.
Israel’s High Court this week ordered Ben-Gvir to reach an agreement with the attorney general to curb his political interference in police work, after his repeated alleged violations of a prior agreement not to do so. Critics say his tenure has radicalised the police’s approach toward Palestinians – a charge given weight by documented incidents of police facilitating settler attacks and, in some cases, participating directly in violence against Palestinian residents.
ICICI Bank beats on Q4 earnings after strong credit growth
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Former Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez denounced the IMF and the World Bank as “weapons of US imperialism.” (AFP)
Caracas, April 17, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuela has reestablished ties with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after a seven-year hiatus.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez confirmed the news on Thursday night, calling it a “great achievement of Venezuelan diplomacy” and a “very important step” for the Venezuelan economy.
“This is the result of months-long negotiations that the Venezuelan far-right unsuccessfully tried to sabotage,” she stated in a televised broadcast. “Good has triumphed.”
The IMF announced the “resumption of dealings” with Venezuela in a statement on Thursday, stating that the decision was “guided by the views of IMF members representing a majority of the total voting power.”
Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva stated earlier this week that the IMF had been approached by Venezuelan authorities at a technical level and that the Caribbean nation “desperately needs help.”
The World Bank likewise issued a statement disclosing the resumption of dealings with the acting Rodríguez government. Venezuela’s last loan with the institution concluded in 2005.
Venezuela had its relationship with the IMF suspended in 2019 after the first Trump administration and allies recognized the self-proclaimed “interim government” led by Juan Guaidó as the Caribbean nation’s legitimate authority.
In March, the White House recognized Rodríguez as Venezuela’s “sole leader” and later withdrew sanctions against her, while US officials spoke of efforts to reincorporate Caracas into the IMF fold.
Though relations were officially frozen in 2019, Venezuela had sought to distance itself from the Washington-based institution more than a decade prior. In 2007, former President Hugo Chávez formally withdrew Venezuela from the IMF and the World Bank, calling them “weapons of US imperialism.”
Chávez repeatedly denounced the US-controlled multilateral institutions’ role in promoting debt and underdevelopment in Global South countries and pushed for the creation of lending institutions as part of Latin American integration efforts. Under Chávez’s predecessors, Venezuela implemented draconian IMF-conditioned structural adjustment policies that saw over half of Venezuelans living in poverty by 1998.
Last year, President Nicolás Maduro stated that Venezuela had “broken the shackles” of the World Bank and the IMF and was instead building its own “self-sustainable model and relations with a new world.”
Venezuela’s priority will be accessing US $5.1 billion in Special Drawing Rights (SDR) that it is entitled to as an IMF member. In 2021, the lending institution issued $650 billion amid the Covid-19 pandemic as an effort to help countries boost reserves and address fiscal needs.
However, Venezuela was blocked from accessing the funds as the IMF refused to rule on the country’s legitimate authorities.
Caracas’ reengagement with the IMF and the World Bank also comes amid growing speculation about the fate of Venezuela’s sizable foreign debt. The Caribbean nation owes as much as $170 billion from a combination of defaulted bonds, unpaid loans, and international arbitration awards that have accrued interest for years as US sanctions battered Venezuela’s economy and cut it off from credit markets.
Venezuelan bonds have been rallying in recent weeks following Washington’s rapprochement with Caracas as creditors bet on a debt restructuring deal that can bring significant windfalls.
Since the January 3 US military strikes and kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro, the Rodríguez administration has fast-tracked a number of pro-business reforms, including in the hydrocarbons and mining sectors. Upon enacting the Mining Law on Thursday, the acting president thanked Trump, Rubio, and other administration officials for their “good disposition” in establishing “cooperation.”
Rodríguez recently announced further plans to overhaul the South American country’s labor, pension, and tax legislation, while also identifying state assets that are “not strategic.” The Cisneros Group, one of Venezuela’s largest business conglomerates, recently announced the raising of funds ahead of expectations of a “wave of privatizations.”
Since January, the Trump administration has imposed control over Venezuelan oil revenues, mandating that royalties, taxes, and dividends be deposited in US Treasury accounts. In a congressional hearing on Thursday, Assistant State Secretary Michael Kozak stated that “around $3 billion” have moved through the dedicated accounts.
He did not specify what portion of the revenues has been returned to Caracas, only that the funds had been used to pay public sector incomes and import oil industry inputs, while blocking any transactions with China, Cuba, and Iran.
Earlier this week, the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued new restricted licenses allowing transactions with the Venezuelan Central Bank and public banks that are expected to facilitate the partial return of seized Venezuelan export revenues.
On Thursday, Venezuelan authorities additionally announced a change in the Central Bank leadership, with Luis Pérez replacing Laura Guerra as president of the institution. Guerra had been appointed to the post in April 2025 by Maduro.
Pérez is an economist who had served on the BCV board of directors since 2018. In his social media profile, he describes himself as a cryptocurrency enthusiast.
Edited by Lucas Koerner in Fusagasugá, Colombia.
