strike

unday marked the first day of strike action at the Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport in the Spanish capital, where “endless queues” and plenty of disruption are being reported

Brits heading for Spain are being warned of major chaos at its biggest airport, with passengers facing security delays of up to an hour and a half.

Sunday marked the first day of strike action at the Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport, where “endless queues” are being reported. Unions say the strike is “indefinite and full-time”. The disruption has continued this morning, with images circulating online showing crowded corridors and jammed conveyor belts. Antena3 reports that lines have ‘exploded’.

Passengers have expressed dismay after finding themselves caught up in the chaos. “What’s happening at Barajas Airport at this hour? Kilometre-long lines (and this isn’t an exaggeration) to get through security at Terminal 4. Passengers are very nervous about missing their flights,” said Felix Millán on X where he posted pictures of the queues.

READ MORE: Brits heading to Greece on holiday face new bans in two monthsREAD MORE: ‘I decided to spend my holiday money on a day out in my hometown’

Passenger control staff, managed by the Trablisa company and with about 800 personnel, began their full-time action on Sunday after negotiations to improve their working conditions failed.

The workers say their work is at a saturation level and demand salary improvements and specific compensation for this service. Alejandro Corredera Arriaga, spokesperson and member of the Madrid strike committee, said the volume of work at Barajas “far exceeds” that of other Spanish airports.

Among other demands, the passenger security guards demand at least equal conditions, such as the summer bonus paid for similar work at Palma de Mallorca, also managed by Trablisa. They also want a “danger” bonus, similar to that paid to explosives guards, when carrying out their work in a critical infrastructure such as an airport, in a context in which Spain has maintained level 4 of anti-terrorist alert since 2015.

Delays are occurring in all the terminals of the Madrid airport, both in the standard access to the passenger filter and the preferential one, known as ‘fast track’. At 9am on Sunday, the waiting time in Barajas was around 95 minutes, compared to the usual ten.

Passengers have been reporting “endless queues that reach the entrances and exits of the airport.”

The Spanish airport authority AENA has warned travellers of possible delays. To try to alleviate this situation, from the first hour, it has placed assistants in the metro hall of the old terminals and in other areas to divert passengers to T2 and T3 in the face of the collapse in the rest of the terminals.

“Due to a strike by Trablisa security personnel at Madrid-Barajas Airport, security clearance times may be longer. We apologise for the inconvenience,” said AENA in a statement.

The industrial action in Madrid is far from the only bit of aviation-related strike chaos due to take place this month.

In Italy, a 24-hour strike by airport handling staff at Milan Linate and Milano Malpensa Airport has been called on September 26. Security staff at Cagliari Elmas Airport are also planning 24 hours of industrial action on the same day.

In France, air traffic controllers in France are planning a strike in September after talks over pay between their union, SNCTA, and their employer, the nation’s Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC), broke down.

The strike will last from September 18–19 and is expected to cause disruption to a huge number of flights. Even those who aren’t flying to or from France could be impacted, as so many flights follow routes over France.

Airports across Spain will be impacted by strikes over labour rights by Azul Handling baggage staff, which is part of the Ryanair Group. The firm handles the bags for the majority of the operator’s flights. Its unionised members have planned actions from 5am to 9am, on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for the rest of 2025.

The affected airports are Alicante, Barcelona, Girona, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Madrid, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Santiago de Compostela, Seville, Tenerife South and Valencia.

Arab and Islamic foreign ministers are gathering in Doha after Israel’s unprecedented missile strikes on Qatar that killed five Hamas members and a Qatari officer. The summit aims to formulate a collective regional response, with leaders warning Israel’s attack crossed ‘all red lines’, as Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar explains.

SEATTLE — Bryan Woo struck out a career-high 13, J.P. Crawford hit a go-ahead homer in the fourth inning, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Angels 5-3 on Saturday night to stay tied with Houston atop the American League West with their eighth straight win.

Matt Brash worked the ninth inning for his fourth save, yielding a solo home run to Taylor Ward.

Woo (14-7) pitched six innings, giving up two runs on three hits while walking one. He has pitched five innings or more in 31 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the AL.

Woo surrendered Jo Adell’s 36th homer and an RBI single by Bryce Teodosio in the second inning, then retired the next 13 batters he faced. The Angels struck out 16 times total.

Seattle scored early against Angels starter Mitch Farris (1-1), who lasted only four innings, yielding five runs on five hits, walking four and striking out seven. Jorge Polanco hit a two-run double in the first, and Crawford hit his 10th homer of the year in the fourth.

Angels interim manager Ray Montgomery was away for a funeral so Ryan Goins was the acting manager for Saturday’s game.

Seattle holds the second AL wild-card spot in a tie with the Boston Red Sox.

Key moment: Josh Naylor worked an 11-pitch at-bat against Chase Silseth in the fifth, concluding with a two-run single to extend Seattle’s lead 5-2.

Key stat: Polanco’s two-run double in the first inning was his eighth straight game with an extra base hit. It’s the longest streak by a Mariner this season.

Up next: Angels RHP Kyle Hendricks (7-9, 4.58) faces Seattle RHP George Kirby (8-7, 4.56) Sunday in the series finale.

US secretary of state says Trump was ‘not happy’ about the attack, but the incident will not change ties with Israel.

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio is due to arrive in Israel, where he is set to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as tensions mount in the Middle East over the Israeli attack on Qatar last week.

Rubio’s trip, which begins on Sunday, comes after US President Donald Trump criticised Israel over the unprecedented attack on Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital, Doha.

Before departing for Israel, Rubio told reporters that while Trump was “not happy” about the strike, it was “not going to change the nature of our relationship with the Israelis”.

But he added that the US and Israel would discuss its impact on efforts for a truce in Israel’s war on Gaza.

“The president wants this to be finished with. And finished with meaning 48 hostages released all at once. Hamas is no longer a threat, so we can move on to the next phase, which is, how do you rebuild Gaza?” he said.

“How do you provide security? How do you make sure Hamas never comes back again? That’s the president’s priority… And part of what we’re going to have to discuss as part of this visit is how the events of last week with Qatar impact that.”

Rubio said it had yet to be determined who would do that, who would pay for it and who would be in charge of the process.

Israel’s attack on Qatar, a major non-NATO ally of the US, targeted Hamas leaders who had gathered to discuss a new ceasefire proposal in the war on Gaza put forth by the US. The leadership survived, but six people were killed, including a Qatari security officer.

US officials described it as a unilateral escalation that did not serve US or Israeli interests.

The strike also led to broad condemnation from other Arab states, and derailed ceasefire and captive talks brokered by Qatar.

Al Jazeera’s Rosiland Jordan, reporting from Washington, DC, noted that the US and Qatar have expressed a commitment to continue the push for peace.

“However, late on Saturday, Netanyahu said on social media that it’s Israel’s view that the Hamas leadership needs to be driven out of Qatar, because in Israel’s view, Hamas is not committed to peace,” she said.

“So there’s going to be certain discussions about the next steps forward, given that Trump has said he wants to see an end to the war in Gaza,” she said.

For its part, Hamas has repeatedly said it was willing to release all of the captives it took from Israel and cede control of Gaza to an interim Palestinian administration, in exchange for an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from the territory.

Netanyahu, meanwhile, has called for the expulsion of Gaza’s population and signed an agreement on Thursday to move ahead with a settlement expansion plan in the occupied West Bank that would make any future Palestinian state virtually impossible.

On Friday, the United Nations General Assembly voted to back a revival of the two-state solution, in open defiance of Israeli opposition.

Israeli allies, France and the United Kingdom, alongside several other Western nations, are set to recognise Palestinian statehood at a UN gathering this month out of exasperation at Israel’s conduct in the war in Gaza war and in the occupied West Bank.

Sept. 12 (UPI) — Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, will be at the White House on Friday before a summit between Arab states regarding Israel’s attack on Qatar’s capital city of Doha.

Al-Thani is expected to discuss the strike by Israel and potentially a defense deal between Qatar and the United States.

He is expected to meet with President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and diplomat Steve Witkoff.

Trump was in Doha in May, when the United States and Qatar finalized agreements regarding a letter of intent on defense cooperation between the Qatari Ministry of Defense and U.S. Department of Defense, which included a purchase of both drone systems and drone defense systems, as stated in a press release from the Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Trump has distanced himself from the Israeli strike, which was intended to target the leadership members of Hamas. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday that Trump assured the Qatari government that such an attack would never take place again.

The Israeli attack struck a residential compound in Doha and killed six people, including a Qatari security officer.

Qatar has since stressed it would “take all necessary measures to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity” in a statement from the Qatari government.

Other countries in across the Persian Gulf are also concerned and are holding an emergency summit in Doha Sunday in response to Israel’s attack.

The Israeli offensive on Gaza City is displacing thousands of starving Palestinians.

Prior to talks with Trump, Sheikh Mohammed met US Secretary of State Rubio, who is heading to Israel to pledge continued support.

Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani is meeting United States President Donald Trump in New York in the wake of Israel’s deadly strike on Doha this week.

Sheikh Mohammed, who is also the country’s foreign minister, has been engaged in a flurry of diplomatic activity in the US since Israel’s attack on a Hamas meeting in Doha on Tuesday, which killed a Qatari security official and five Hamas members who were discussing a new deal proposed by Trump to end the Gaza war.

Ahead of Friday’s dinner meeting with the US president, Sheikh Mohammed met US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House, where they discussed Israel’s strikes and the US-Qatar security arrangement, according to Al Jazeera’s Kimberly Halkett.

Washington counts Qatar, which hosts its Al Udeid airbase in the desert outside Doha, as a strong Gulf ally.

Trump has already said he was “very unhappy” about Israel’s targeting of Qatar, which appeared designed to derail ongoing Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks.

“The concern is that the relationship between Qatar and the United States has become increasingly complicated as a result of those strikes, so they’re looking for a path forward on both of those issues,” said Al Jazeera’s Halkett, reporting from Washington, DC.

Halkett said Friday’s scheduled meeting with Trump would “continue the conversations regarding Israel’s attack on Doha earlier this week and the negotiations to end Israel’s war on Gaza”.

The location and time of the dinner remain unclear, but Trump is currently in New York and is staying at his eponymous Manhattan tower.

Balancing act

This week has also seen the Trump administration engaged in a balancing act between Middle East allies and Israel.

The issue was brought to the fore on Thursday, when the US – which traditionally shields Israel on the international stage – joined fellow members of the United Nations Security Council in condemning the country for its attack on Qatar.

But in what appears to be a show of continued support for Israel, Rubio will arrive in Israel this weekend for a two-day visit before attending an upcoming UN summit on September 22, where a number of Western countries plan to recognise a Palestinian state.

That meeting signals growing international momentum towards a viable post-conflict settlement for Israel and Palestine, which was manifest at Friday’s meeting of the UN General Assembly, which endorsed a resolution pushing for a revival of the two-state solution.

France and Saudi Arabia have been instrumental in pushing for “collective action to end the war in Gaza, to achieve a just, peaceful and lasting settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict”, which has so far killed at least 64,756 people.

During his visit to Israel, Rubio will speak to leaders about “our commitment to fight anti-Israel actions, including unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state that rewards Hamas terrorism”, State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement.

“He will also emphasise our shared goals: ensuring Hamas never rules over Gaza again and bringing all the hostages home,” Pigott added.

A Palestinian mother filmed the panic and confusion, screaming for her son after she said an Israeli strike targeted their neighbour’s home as they were preparing to evacuate. Palestinians in Gaza City say Israel often gives only 15–30 minutes’ warning before striking buildings.

The last of the venerable Sukhoi Su-22 Fitter swing-wing strike aircraft in Europe have been officially withdrawn from service. At one time, the Su-22 was a backbone of Warsaw Pact offensive airpower on the continent, with the final examples having been operated by the Polish Air Force, which had flown these impressive jets since the first example was delivered more than 40 years ago.

There was much attention on Poland yesterday after NATO fighters shot down several of the more than a dozen Russian drones that entered the country’s airspace in an unprecedented violation, which you can read about here. Meanwhile, the Polish Air Force held a media event to mark the retirement of the Su-22. A formation of Fitters flew over the various bases where Su-22s in Poland had been stationed. Friend of TWZ, Stephan de Bruijn, was in Poland and provided the following photos of the event, which was not impacted by the drone incident. Today, meanwhile, the Polish Air Force stages an official ceremony to mark the Su-22’s long career.

Powered by a single turbojet engine that propelled it to a top speed of Mach 1.77, the Su-22 was a brutish design that was very much in line with Soviet doctrine of the Cold War era. While its origins lay in the Su-7 Fitter ground-attack aircraft, the Su-22 was a swing-wing type, with only the outer wing panels pivoting. This was a simpler, robust solution to the aerodynamic challenges of variable geometry. Weapons — including nuclear gravity bombs — were carried on 10 external hardpoints. During the Cold War, the Su-22s would have been provided with Soviet-owned tactical nuclear bombs, had things turned hot.

Overall, the Su-22 was built for easy maintenance and combat operations with limited technical support. These factors helped ensure it stayed in service for so long in Poland.

“It is a rugged, reliable fighter — a very good platform for weapons delivery,” Capt. Krzysztof Kreciejewski, a flight commander and instructor pilot, said of the Su-22 in an earlier interview. “The navigation and attack system is still the same 1980s vintage, but it is virtually indestructible. The engine too is very old but very reliable with a remarkable resistance to FOD [foreign object damage].”

Poland received a total of 90 single-seat Su-22M4s and 20 two-seat Su-22UM3Ks, which were deployed within four tactical bomber regiments based at Piła, Powidz, Mirosławiec, and Swidwin. The first example arrived in Poland in August 1984. By the time the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, Su-22s were also serving with Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, and Hungary, with Soviet examples (known as Su-17s) also serving in some of those countries.

After Poland joined NATO in 1999, its Su-22s underwent limited upgrades, and the air force decided to continue flying the Soviet-type, as well as the MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter. Among others, the Fitters received NATO-standard avionics and more modern VHF/UHF communication systems. Also, service life was extended by 10 years on 18 of the aircraft, with work performed in-country, at Bydgoszcz, from 2014. In the process of modernization, the jets traded their former green and brown camouflage for a low-visibility two-tone gray scheme.

At one stage, it was expected the Polish Fitters would be withdrawn in 2016, but they soldiered on, even after the introduction of F-16C/D Block 50/52 fighters, among the most advanced of their type anywhere in Europe. However, with Poland being the last Su-22 operator in Europe, and with production long since ceased, maintaining the fleet — which was eventually concentrated at Mirosławiec, in northwestern Poland — became increasingly difficult.

While the Su-22’s original role was as a low-level strike specialist, with a secondary reconnaissance mission, toward the end of its Polish service, it was also used for adversary work. This involved the jets flying as ‘red air,’ as well as launching aerial targets, during air force and ground-based air defense training scenarios. Such work wasn’t without hazards, with one Su-22 being accidentally shot down during an exercise by a Polish Kub (SA-6 Gainful) surface-to-air missile in 2003.

Aside from second-line duties, Polish Fitters retained a combat role until the end. This included anti-surface strikes over the Baltic Sea as part of defensive operations. Meanwhile, offensive counter-air missions included supporting units of the Polish Land Forces, Navy, and special forces, as well as assisting allies during exercises. One limitation was the removal of time-expired Soviet-era guided air-to-ground missiles, leaving the Su-22s armed with free-fall bombs, rockets, and guns. For self-defense, R-60 (AA-8 Aphid) air-to-air missiles could be fitted on special underwing pylons.

Outside of Europe, the Fitter’s days are likely also numbered. The other last remaining operators are found in Angola, Libya (where only a handful of aircraft likely remain active), and Vietnam. Others are flown by Iran, Syria, and Yemen, where their current status after Israeli airstrikes this year, on top of other recent conflicts, must be considered questionable.

The retirement of the last Polish Su-22s was finally enabled by the arrival of the Korea Aerospace Industries FA-50 light combat aircraft, acquired as part of a multi-million-dollar South Korean arms package. The initial 12 FA-50GFs (representing the initial Block 10 configuration) were delivered to Poland between July and December 2023. Another 36 of the more advanced FA-50PL (Block 20) aircraft are also on order.

At Mirosławiec, the Fitters also make way for the Bayraktar TB2 uncrewed aerial system, with the base becoming a tactical drone hub, as these assets take on a more important role with the Polish Air Force. The TB2s will ultimately be joined by three MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones, providing much expanded capabilities.

In terms of crewed combat aircraft, the Polish Air Force has already donated 14 of its MiG-29s to Ukraine, leaving 14 more based at Malbork, where they are expected to serve until 2027. A contract was recently signed for the upgrade of the country’s 47 surviving F-16s to the F-16V configuration, as you can read about here. In the most ambitious expression of the service’s modernization, 32 F-35As are also on order, with a first operational squadron due to be established at Łask, around 2025-26.

Altogether, these are examples of the staggering Polish defense spending spree that has now been going on for years, as the country works to modernize its entire armed forces, with a particular eye toward meeting threats from Russia.

There is some irony, therefore, in the fact that the Polish Air Force today bids farewell to its long-serving Su-22s, provided by Moscow at a time when Europe’s geopolitical landscape looked entirely different.

With thanks to Rich Cooper/COAP Media. You can see more of his photos on Instagram.

Contact the author: [email protected]

The United Nations Security Council has condemned the Israeli attack on the Qatari capital Doha on Tuesday and called for de-escalation in a statement agreed by all 15 members, including Israel’s chief ally, the United States.

Council members issued the statement ahead of the emergency meeting on Thursday, which was convened to discuss Israel’s attacks targeting Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital, as it ramped up its offensive in Gaza City, forcing more than 200,000 to flee.

Five Hamas members were killed, but the Palestinian group said its leadership survived the assassination bid. A Qatari security force member was also killed in the unprecedented attack, which has sent tensions in the region skyrocketing.

Hamas leaders were meeting to discuss a new deal proposed by US President Donald Trump when the attack happened.

“Council members underscored the importance of de-escalation and expressed their solidarity with Qatar,” said the statement, drafted by France and the United Kingdom, which nonetheless stopped short of explicitly mentioning Israel.

It also emphasised that “releasing the hostages, including those killed by Hamas, and ending the war and suffering in Gaza” were “top priority”. More than 40 captives are still held in Gaza, but only 20 of them are believed to be alive.

The US, which traditionally shields its ally Israel at the United Nations, appeared to deliver a strong rebuke to Israel, reflecting President Donald Trump’s purported unhappiness with the attack.

Acting US Ambassador Dorothy Shea said: “Unilateral bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation working very hard and bravely taking risks alongside the United States to broker peace, does not advance Israel’s or America’s goals.”

“That said, it is inappropriate for any member to use this to question Israel’s commitment to bringing their hostages home,” she continued.

Reporting from New York, Al Jazeera’s Gabriel Elizondo said that diplomatic sources had told him the US “pushed back” against stronger language against Israel in the statement, which was nonetheless “highly significant”.

However, Shea had made it clear that “the US cannot and will not defend Israel’s attack on Qatar”.

“Clearly, the US still backs Israel. Clearly, the US will still … protect Israel in the Security Council, but this was a bridge too far for the United States,” said Elizondo.

“It will be interesting to see in the coming hours and days if we even get more clarification from the White House on this,” he added.

After Tuesday’s attack, the White House had said President Trump was not notified in advance. Upon learning of the attack, the president had allegedly asked his envoy, Steve Witkoff, to warn Qatar immediately, but the attack had already started.

‘A new and perilous chapter’

The Security Council statement highlighted “support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar”, underlining the country’s crucial role as “a key mediator” in peace talks between Israel and Hamas.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani flew in from Doha for the marathon three-hour session, telling the UNSC that Doha would continue its humanitarian and diplomatic efforts, but would not tolerate further breaches of its security and sovereignty.

Blasting Israel’s leaders as “arrogant”, he said that the timing of the attacks during mediation efforts showed that the country intended to derail them. “Israel is undermining the stability of the region impetuously,” he said.

UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo described Qatar as a “valued partner in advancing peacemaking” and expressed concern over Israel’s recklessness, saying that the strikes represented an “alarming escalation”.

She pointed out that Israel’s war on Gaza had killed tens of thousands of people and almost completely destroyed Gaza, noting that the situation in the occupied West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, had “continued to spiral downward”.

She also noted Israel’s other “dangerous escalations” across the region, involving Iran, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen.

“The Israeli attack on Doha potentially opens a new and perilous chapter in this devastating conflict, seriously threatening regional peace and stability,” she said.

‘A sign of madness’

In other interventions, Algeria’s ambassador to the UN, Amar Bendjama, said: “Israel behaves as if law does not exist, as if borders are illusions, as if sovereignty itself is a dispensable motion, as if the UN charter is an ephemeral text.”

Noting Israel’s attacks on Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and “renowned peace broker” Qatar, he added: “This is not strength, it is recklessness. It is a sign of madness. It is the conduct of an extremist government, emboldened by immunity [and] impunity. A government driving the region and the whole world toward the abyss.”

Israel’s UN envoy, Danny Danon, said Israel carried out its strike on Hamas leaders, who had directed attacks planned in the “luxury confines of Doha”.

Danon said these were the “sole targets” of the attack, adding that they were “terrorists” rather than “legitimate politicians, diplomats, or representatives”.

Al Jazeera’s Elizondo said the prevailing sentiment at the session was that “the world clearly stands behind Qatar”.

“It was widespread support for Qatar and widespread condemnation of Israel,” he said. “You also saw countries wanting accountability for Israel’s continued crimes.”

SACRAMENTO — Amid concerns that refinery closures could send gas prices soaring, California legislative leaders Wednesday introduced a last-minute deal aimed at increasing oil production to shore up the struggling fossil-fuel industry while further restricting offshore drilling.

The compromise, brokered by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and Senate Pro Tem Mike McGuire, would streamline environmental approvals for new wells in oil-rich Kern County and increase oil production. The bill also would make offshore drilling more difficult by tightening the safety and regulatory requirements for pipelines.

With support from Rivas and McGuire, Senate Bill 237 is expected to pass as part of a flurry of last-minute activity during the Legislature’s final week. Newsom’s office said the governor “looks forward to signing it when it reaches his desk.”

The late introduction of the measure may force the Legislature to extend its 2025 session, set to end Friday, by another day because bills must be in print for 72 hours before they can be voted on.

The bill was introduced Wednesday as part of a package of energy policies that aims to address growing concerns about affordability and the closure of California oil refineries.

Valero and Phillips 66 plan to close plants in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles County’s South Bay, which would reduce California’s in-state oil refining capacity by an estimated 20%. Industry experts warn that losing refining capacity could lead to more volatile gas prices.

The closures have become a sore spot for Newsom and for state Democrats, pitting their longtime clean-energy goals against concerns about the rising cost of living — a major political liability.

The package tries to strike a balance between the oil industry and climate activists, but neither side seemed particularly pleased: Environmental groups panned the agreements, and industry groups said they were still reviewing the bill.

“I don’t think what’s in that legislation is going to keep refineries open,” said Michael Wara, the director of Stanford University’s Climate and Energy Policy Program.

Crude oil produced in California makes up a fraction of what refineries turn into gasoline, he said, so although increasing production may help stabilize the decline of local oil companies, it won’t benefit the refineries.

The bill would grant statutory approval for up to 2,000 new wells per year in the oil fields of Kern County, the heart of California oil country, which produce about three-fourths of the state’s crude oil. That legislative fix, effective through 2036, would in effect circumvent years of legal challenges by environmental groups seeking to stymie drilling.

The state, which has championed and pioneered progressive environmental policies to slash carbon emissions, also is home to a billion-dollar oil industry that helps power its economy and has significant political sway in Sacramento. Despite steady declines in production, California remains the eighth-largest crude oil producing state in the nation, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Hollin Kretzmann, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute, said the legislation “acknowledges the harms of oil drilling yet takes radical steps to boost it.”

“Removing environmental safeguards won’t reverse the terminal decline of California oil production but it will allow the industry to do more damage on its way out the door,” Kretzmann said, adding that it will have “no impact on refinery closures or gas prices.”

Ted Cordova, a vice president of E&B Natural Resources, an oil and natural gas company with operations in Kern County, told reporters earlier this week that California needs to reverse falling oil production to keep refineries operating. He said his firm gets emails from pipeline companies saying they are operating “at dangerously low levels, can you send us more?”

The bill also has the potential to create new hurdles for Sable Offshore Corp., the Texas oil firm that is moving toward restarting offshore drilling along Santa Barbara County’s coast, depending on when the company navigates through a litany of ongoing litigation and necessary state approvals.

The company has moved forward on repairs to the network of oil pipelines that burst in 2015 in one of the state’s worst oil spills, despite opposition from the California Coastal Commission.

The bill, which would take effect in January, reasserts the authority of the commission to oversee pipeline repair projects and requires the “best available technology” for any pipe transporting petroleum from offshore. That could add lengthy governmental reviews for Sable if the operation isn’t running by January.

The company, despite reports that it’s running low on capital and has suffered repeated setbacks, continues to say it hopes to begin sales as soon as possible.

Representatives from Sable did not respond to questions Wednesday.

Mary Nichols, an attorney at UCLA Law’s Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, said the bill probably wouldn’t affect the ongoing project off Santa Barbara County’s coast — which remains tied up in litigation — but makes clear that there’s no easy path for any other company looking to take advantage of offshore oil in federal waters under the oil-friendly Trump administration.

“This was designed to send a message to anybody else who might be thinking about doing the same thing,” said Nichols, a former chair of the California Air Resources Board.

Lawmakers also introduced a tentative deal on cap-and-trade, an ambitious climate program that has raised roughly $31 billion since its inception 11 years ago. The revised language would extend the program from its current 2030 deadline until 2045.

The program, last renewed in 2017, requires major polluters such as power plants and oil refineries to purchase credits for each ton of carbon dioxide they emit, and allows those companies buy or sell their unused credits at quarterly auctions.

Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City), one of the authors of SB 237, said she was glad to make progress on the push and pull between the state’s fuel needs and its commitment to green energy. She said she understands there are environmental concerns, but “at the end of the day, our purpose was an issue of petroleum supply.”

“We all don’t want an import model,” she said.

Times staff writers Melody Gutierrez and Hayley Smith contributed to this report.

The Tube strikes are due to come to an end on Thursday, September 11

The RMT walkout has brought London public transport to a standstill since Sunday, September 7 and is due to end on Thursday, September 11. However, certain routes and lines will still be affected into the early hours of Friday morning as service returns to the TfL Underground network.

On Thursday, September 11, there is limited service on the Tube as well as the DLR. The Central, Northern and District lines were partly running on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday according to the Guardian. More information can be found on the TfL website.

The Elizabeth Line, London Overground and tram network are still operational but extremely busy and unable to stop at certain stations shared with the Tube network.

The DLR has seen disrupted services on September 9 and September 11 due to strikes in a separate dispute. On Friday, September 12, the DLR and Elizabeth line are expected to have normal service but there will still be no service on the Tube until 8am.

While some disruptions are expected as the service returns, the TfL predicts that all lines will return to normal by late morning on Friday, September 12. However, as the Tube strike comes to a close, strikes are planned to begin on bus services operated by First Bus.

If these go ahead, it will affect services in west, northwest and southwest London from 5am on Friday, September 12 until 5am on Monday, September 15. The RMT walkout disrupting the Tube lines this week was due to a dispute over pay and conditions.

Including a reported demand for a 32-hour working week according to the Telegraph. The union claimed management had refused to seriously engage with their demands.

It also raised concerns over pay, fatigue management and extreme shift patterns faced by its members. It said: “Management’s dismissive approach has fuelled widespread anger and distrust among the workforce, who voted in overwhelming numbers to take strike action.”

Throughout the strike, commuters have turned to buses, bikes, walking and even boats on the Thames to get where they need to be. This in turn has triggered some congestion on London’s roads but it’s businesses that are believed to be paying the price for this strike.

Centre for Economics and Business Research predicted the strike would deliver a £230million blow to the London economy in research carried out for The Standard. It estimated around 700,000 working days would be lost as it affected the three million passengers the Tube usually serves on a daily basis.

However, the thinktank expects this number to be millions higher due to indirect impacts from the strike. For example, retailers, bars and restaurants receiving a noticeable fall in customers. No talks have reportedly taken place during the strike to resolve the dispute as of Wednesday.

TfL reported around the strikes: “Since the ballot was undertaken, London Underground has offered a 3.4pc pay increase in the ongoing pay discussions. Members of the RMT at London Underground have not had a say on the final pay offer, with the 3.4pc pay increase a figure in line with offers accepted by RMT in recent pay discussions across the rail industry.”

Claire Mann, TfL’s chief operating officer, added: “We are disappointed that the RMT union has announced strike action. We regularly meet with our trade unions to discuss any concerns that they may have, and we recently met with the RMT to discuss some specific points …

“We welcome further engagement with our unions about fatigue and rostering across London Underground, but a reduction in the contractual 35-hour working week is neither practical nor affordable.”

The UK Foreign Office has issued an update on advice for tourists travelling to Poland after multiple Russian drones were shot down over the country earlier this week

Russian drones entering Poland’s airspace were shot down this week, leading some people to fear that the war could spread to the West – and tourists wondering if it’s safe to travel to the country.

Millions of Brits travel to Poland every year often to check out the cultural cities of Kraków and Warsaw or visit the salt sculptures and chapels at the Wieliczka Salt Mine.

And it can also be a great place to have a cheap beach holiday according to some travellers, who have been raving about the largely unknown town of Gdańsk on the Baltic Coast of Northern Poland on TikTok.

READ MORE: European country has incredible overlooked beaches ‘like the Maldives’READ MORE: Pretty UK island easily accessible from mainland makes for ‘perfect autumn getaway’

It can be much cheaper than travelling to more popular destinations like Spain and Portugal – flights from London, Leeds and Liverpool to Gdańsk cost just £23, £31 and £33 respectively in September. Meanwhile, Park Gródek is often referred to as the ‘Maldives of Poland’ thanks to its crystal clear waters and picturesque landscape.

In fact the country is a sought-after destination all year round – Gdańsk Christmas Market boasts the title of Best Christmas Market in Europe 2024. While other popular and highly-regarded choices include the visually stunning Wrocław Christmas Market, famous for its colourful wooden stalls and the historic Kraków Christmas Market.

However, as Poland borders both Ukraine and Russia some people may be wondering if it’s safe to go there on holiday.

And as the Polish Prime Minister confirmed Russian drones were shot down earlier this week for violating Poland’s air space, the UK Foreign Office changed its guidance for anyone travelling to the country.

If you’re thinking of travelling to Poland the good news is that it’s still considered safe to travel although the UK Foreign office warns there could be some ‘disruption’.

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office issued an update on its travel guidance for Poland on Wednesday September 10.

It said: “Poland’s airports are open but there may be travel disruption. Follow official Polish government announcements and updates from airlines.”

The Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed that Polish forces shot down Russian drones, which were violating the country’s airspace, in Warsaw, Poland on September 10, 2025.

He said 19 Russian drones entered the country’s airspace on Tuesday night during strikes on western Ukraine and up to four were shot down by Polish and Nato aircraft, BBC News reports.

Tusk wrote on social media that Polish airspace was violated by multiple Russian drones, saying: “Those drones that posed a direct threat were shot down.”

The Polish armed forces said on Wednesday morning that a search for possible crash sites is ongoing and urged people not to approach, touch or move any objects they see, warning that they may pose a threat and could contain hazardous material.

The incident saw Chopin Airport in Warsaw suspend flights for several hours on Wednesday September due to military operations.

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Planet Labs has collected satellite images that show just the level of precision in yesterday’s unprecedented Israeli airstrike on a Hamas compound in Doha, Qatar. The IAF hit a compound where negotiators for the terror group were meeting to consider a Gaza ceasefire proposal put forth by the U.S. government. You can read our initial reporting on that incident here.

The images offer views of what that compound looked like before and after the attack. The one taken after the attack shows it was confined to a cluster of five buildings without damage to surrounding structures. The building in the lower right corner of the compound appears to have suffered the most damage, but other areas of the compound are clearly affected too. This includes a small structure that sits near a pool being destroyed. The buildings right next to the compound seemed to have emerged largely unscathed.

You can see a street view of the strike in the following video.

Israeli officials said the Doha strike was carried out by 15 Israeli fighter jets, firing 10 precision munitions against a single target, the BBC reported, citing Israeli media. We don’t know at the moment what weapons were used.

Qatar and its U.S. guests have very advanced air defense systems and sensors that would provide prior alert to an impending attack, in most circumstances. With standoff munitions launched at distance the most likely means of attack, why there was no attempt to intercept these weapons if they were of unknown origin isn’t clear. The use of F-35s is possible here, as well, which may have been able to make closer proximity standoff attacks, but Israel has F-15 and F-16-launched weapons capable of reaching hundreds of miles and strike with pinpoint accuracy.

The U.S. military spotted Israeli jets flying east toward the Persian Gulf but had little time to react, according to Axios.

“The U.S. sought clarification, but by the time Israel provided it, missiles were already in the air,” the publication reported, citing three U.S. officials.

At the same time, U.S. President Donald Trump “was informed of the impending strike by his military and alerted Qatar’s leadership,” White House spokesperson Karonline Leavitt told reporters on Tuesday.

So exactly what the U.S. knew about the impending strike and when, and when Qatar was informed, remains disputed at this time.

Qatari officials complained that they only found out about the attack after it took place. Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari said notification from the U.S. only came after explosions were heard in Doha. He did not address why his nation’s air defense system did not pick up the Israeli jets.

The statements being circulated about Qatar being informed of the attack in advance are baseless. The call from a U.S. official came during the sound of explosions caused by the Israeli attack in Doha.

— د. ماجد محمد الأنصاري Dr. Majed Al Ansari (@majedalansari) September 9, 2025

Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, however, said Israeli jets went undetected by radar.

Israel used weapons that were not detected by Qatari air defence radar, says Qatari PM Al Thani: 

“US officials notified Qatar of Israeli attack 10 minutes after the attack began”

pic.twitter.com/X3m22vnOGs

— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) September 9, 2025

The Iranian Press TV news outlet questioned why “with many air defense systems present”…the U.S. hadn’t “fired a single shot to defend Qatar against the Israeli invasion.” The U.S. military’s largest salvo of Patriot interceptors took place at Al Udeid back in June, defending against an Iranian missile barrage. You can read more about that here.

As we previously reported, the widely condemned strike targeted Hamas leadership but killed five lower-level Hamas negotiators instead. Now it appears some Israeli officials are trying to distance themselves from that attack.

“Israel’s Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, who has led Israel’s ceasefire negotiations for months, told U.S. officials that he was unaware of the specific strike plan when he met with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff one day earlier, CNN reported on Wednesday, citing anonymous officials.

“David Barnea, the Mossad director who has played a key role in ceasefire talks, told US and Qatari mediators that he had no prior knowledge of the strikes and learned about them as they took place,” the network added. “But two other Israeli sources familiar with the discussions told CNN that Barnea was aware of the plans and had questioned the wisdom of carrying out the strikes at the same time as the U.S. was launching a new attempt to restart negotiations.

As the cable network noted, it is “highly unlikely that either official would have been unaware of the planning and decision-making to carry out such a high-profile strike.”

In an exclusive interview with CNN on Wednesday, Al Thani expressed outrage at the attack, said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “needs to be brought to justice,” and that Arab nations were working on what steps to take next.

“There is a response that will happen from the region,” he told the network. “This response is currently under consultation and discussion with other partners in the region,” Al Thani said. An Arab-Islamic summit will be held in Doha in the coming days, where the participants will decide on a course of action.”

Qatar’s PM to CNN:

There will be a “collective response” to Israel’s strike on Hamas officials in Doha.

— Clash Report (@clashreport) September 10, 2025

Al Thani added that Netanyahu is “trying to undermine any chance of stability, any chance of peace” by attacking Hamas’ leadership in Doha. All this leaves the future of negotiations between Israel and Hamas in doubt. Israel is planning a full-scale ground assault on the Palestinian enclave, where tens of thousands of civilians have been killed in constant bombardment. These attacks follow the surprise Hamas incursion into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which killed more than 1,200 and resulted in the capture of hundreds of hostages, some still in Gaza.

Meanwhile, a day after the Qatar strike, Israel said it carried out airstrikes on targets in Yemen belonging to the Houthi rebels.

“A short while ago, the IAF struck military targets belonging to the Houthi terrorist regime in the areas of Sanaa and Al Jawf in Yemen,” the IDF said on Telegram. “Among the targets struck are military camps in which operatives of the terrorist regime were identified, the Houthis’ Military Public Relations Headquarters, and a fuel storage facility that was used by the terrorist regime for terrorist activity.”

⭕️The IDF struck military targets belonging to the Houthi terrorist regime in the areas of Sanaa and Al Jawf in Yemen.

Among the targets struck:
• Military camps in which the Houthi regime gathered intelligence, and planned & executed terrorist attacks against Israel.
• A…

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) September 10, 2025

The IDF claimed that the airstrikes were “conducted in response to attacks by the Houthi terrorist regime against the State of Israel, including launching UAVs and surface-to-surface missiles toward Israeli territory.”

Israel justified its attack by saying that the Houthis’ public relations department is “responsible for distributing and disseminating propaganda messages in the media, including speeches of Houthis leader Abd al-Malik and spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree’s statements. During the war, the headquarters led the propaganda efforts and the terrorist regime’s psychological terror.”

The military camps that were struck “served the Houthi regime to plan and execute terrorist attacks against the State of Israel,” the IDF claimed. “Additionally, the military camps included operation and intelligence rooms.”

The Houthis claim without proof that they deflected most of the attack.

“Our air defenses were able to launch a number of surface-to-air missiles during the confrontation of the Zionist aggression on our country, forcing some combat formations to retreat before carrying out their aggression, and thwarting the majority of the attack, thanks to God,” Saree, a target of the airstrike, stated on X. You can read more about the Houthis’ air defenses in our deep dive here.

دفاعاتُنا الجوية تتصدى في هذه الأثناء للطائرات الإسرائيلية التي تشن عدوانا على بلدِنا.

— العميد يحيى سريع (@army21yemen) September 10, 2025

Video and images emerged on social media showing explosions in the Yemeni capital, followed by flames and trails of smoke.

⚡ Israel bombs houthis

An airstrike was carried out on the Houthi government complex in the capital of Yemen, Sana’a. Media reports indicate hits on the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff buildings.

“Israel’s long arm will reach and strike terrorism anywhere it… pic.twitter.com/v9cHMFClDl

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) September 10, 2025

🇮🇱🇾🇪 WATCH: Multiple Israeli Airstrikes against Houthis in Sana’a

Footage captures the moment an Israeli strike targeted the area near the Presidential Palace in Yemen’s capital, Sana’a, controlled by the Houthis.

The strikes reportedly target military and government buildings… pic.twitter.com/wC0y3gLLRo

— Conflict Dispatch (@ConflictDISP) September 10, 2025

This is the latest in a series of attacks Israel has carried out against the Houthis in response to the Iranian-backed rebel group’s firing missiles and drones at Israel. The Houthis say they are supporting Hamas and the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and on Sunday, sent a drone that breached Israel’s vaunted multilayered air defenses and slammed into the country’s southern airport. You can see a video of that incident below.

The mystery as to how Israel pulled off its strike in Qatar remains unsolved at this time, but hopefully we will learn more in the coming days about what was truly an unprecedented and highly controversial operation.

Contact the author: [email protected]

Israeli missiles hit Qatar’s capital, Doha, on Tuesday, with Israel saying it was targeting Hamas leaders, as they met to discuss ceasefire efforts in Gaza. Qatar called it a breach of sovereignty. With global condemnation mounting, what does this unprecedented attack mean for the negotiations and the people in Gaza?

Jockey Tom Marquand said he and wife Hollie Doyle, also a leading rider, could be forced to move abroad if the funding of British racing is hit.

“It seems pretty sad we might have to think about emigrating somewhere else to make a living out of the sport that we so enjoy,” he told BBC Sport.

“It’s an important day for racing and hopefully a step in the right direction. It’s a huge industry employing 85,000 people. The effect would be enormous.”

When the BBC filmed at Windsor races on Monday, many punters were supportive of the action.

“It’s a wonderful day out and we have a little flutter,” said racegoer Alan Mills.

“Bookmakers need the money to come in to keep the business going. The sport should be promoted, rather than taking people’s livelihoods away.”

But the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) – which represents betting shops, online betting and gaming operators and casinos – says it was not consulted.

“Racing’s decision to reschedule fixtures was taken without consultation with betting operators, whose support for the funding of the sport is mission critical,” it said in a statement.

“We are concerned that futile political gestures will only antagonise the government and frustrate punters instead of delivering a solution to a shared challenge facing both racing and betting.”

US President Donald Trump has said Israel’s strike on Hamas targets in Qatar “does not advance Israel or America’s goals”, adding that he feels “very badly” about the location of the attack.

In a Truth Social post on Tuesday, Trump said he was notified that Israel was attacking Hamas in the capital Doha by the US military, but it was “unfortunately, too late to stop the attack”.

“This was a decision made by [Israel’s] Prime Minister Netanyahu, it was not a decision made by me,” he said, before praising Qatar as a “strong ally and friend”.

Six people were killed in the strike, Hamas said, including one member of the Qatari security forces, but the group said its leadership team survived.

The Israeli military said it had conducted a “precise strike” targeted at Hamas senior leaders using “precise munitions”. Israeli media reported the operation involved 15 Israeli fighter jets, which fired 10 munitions against a single target.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he authorised the strike and there would be “no immunity” for Hamas leaders.

In his statement on Tuesday, President Trump issued a rare rebuke of Netanyahu. “Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a Sovereign Nation and close Ally of the United States, that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker Peace, does not advance Israel or America’s goals,” he wrote.

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said earlier that “The president also spoke to the emir and prime minister of Qatar and thanked them for their support and friendship to our country.”

“He assured them that such a thing will not happen again on their soil,” she added.

Trump said, however, that “eliminating Hamas, who have profited off the misery of those living in Gaza, is a worthy goal” and reiterated that he wants “ALL of the hostages, and the bodies of the dead released and this War to END, NOW!”.

The attack took place on early Tuesday afternoon, with footage showing a badly damaged building in Doha.

Qatar’s foreign ministry condemned the strike “in the strongest possible terms,” and said the attack was a “blatant violation” of international law.

It later said that Qatari officials were not notified of the Israeli strike ahead of time.

“The communication received from one of the US officials came during the sound of explosions,” said Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari in a post on X.

Qatar has hosted Hamas’s political bureau since 2012 and played a key role in facilitating indirect negotiations between the group and Israel since the 7 October attacks.

It has also been a close ally of the US. Around 10,000 American troops are stationed at a US airbase in al-Udeid, just outside Doha. In May, Trump announced a “historic” economic agreement signed between the two countries that he said is valued at least $1.2 trillion (£890bn).

Qatar has also recently gifted Trump a plane – valued at $400m – as an “unconditional gift” to be used as the new Air Force One, the official aircraft of the US president.

Hamas said their negotiating team in Doha survived Tuesday’s attack, adding that the action “confirms beyond doubt that Netanyahu and his government do not want to reach any agreement” for peace.

It said it holds the US administration “jointly responsible” due to its ongoing support of Israel.

The office for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu put out a statement shortly after the strike, which said the attack was “a wholly independent Israeli operation”.

“Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility,” the statement said.

A few days prior to the attack, Hamas said it welcomed “some ideas” from the US on how to reach a Gaza ceasefire, and that it was discussing how to turn them “into a comprehensive agreement”.

In its statement, the White House said Trump believes the “unfortunate” attack “could serve as an opportunity for peace,” and that Netanyahu had expressed to him after the attack that “he wants to make peace and quickly”.

Israel has carried out a precision strike targeting the top leadership of Hamas in the Qatari capital Doha. This appears to be the first time Israeli forces have openly attacked in Qatar, marking a significant expansion in the country’s operations against Hamas.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israel Security Agency (ISA; better known as Shin Bet) issued a joint statement after explosions rocked an area of Doha earlier today. This all comes as Hamas negotiators have been considering a Gaza ceasefire proposal put forth by the U.S. government.

António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, has called Israel’s ‘targeted strike’ on Hamas officials in Doha a ‘flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar.’