Iraq starts mass grave excavation from ISIL (ISIS) carnage south of Mosul
The al-Khasfa site, near Iraq’s second-largest city, could contain 4,000 remains and possibly thousands more. Iraqi officials have begun the excavation of what is believed to be a mass grave left behind by ISIL (ISIS) during its years of carnage exacted upon the civilian population after it seized large swaths of the nation from 2014 onwards, until being vanquished three years later. Local authorities were working alongside the judiciary, forensic investigators, the Iraqi Martyrs Foundation and the directorate of mass graves to carry out the excavation in al-Khafsa, south of the northern city of Mosul, the state-run Iraqi News Agency reported on Sunday. The site – a sinkhole about 150 metres (nearly 500 feet) deep and 110 metres (360 ft) wide – is believed to have been the grisly scene of some of the worst massacres committed by ISIL. Ahmad Qusay al-Asady, head of the Martyrs Foundation’s mass graves excavation department, told The Associated Press news agency that his team began work on August 9 at the request of the Nineveh province. The operation will initially be limited to gathering visible human remains and surface evidence, while preparing for a full exhumation that officials say will require international support, al-Asady said. The foundation will then build a database and start collecting DNA samples from families of suspected victims. Full exhumations can only proceed once specialised assistance is secured to navigate the site’s hazards, including sulfur water and unexploded ordnance. The water may have also eroded the human remains, complicating DNA identification. Because of the presence of these elements, al-Khafsa is “a very complicated site,” al-Asady added. Advertisement Based on unverified accounts from witnesses and families and other unofficial testimonies, authorities estimate the site could contain at least 4,000 remains, with the possibility of thousands more. The sinkhole at the al-Khasfa site could be the largest mass grave in modern Iraqi history [Zaid Al-Obeidi/AFP] Al-Khasfa is located near Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city, where ISIL took control before being defeated in Iraq in late 2017. At its peak, ISIL ruled an area half the size of the United Kingdom, spanning across Iraq and Syria, with Raqqa in the latter being the capital of their self-declared “caliphate”. The group was notorious for its brutality. The group carried out massacres of thousands of the Yazidi people and enslaved thousands of Yazidi women. The Yazidis, a long-persecuted group whose faith is rooted in Zoroastrianism, are still recovering from the horrors of ISIL’s onslaught on their community in Iraq’s Sinjar district in 2014. Rabah Nouri Attiyah, a lawyer who has worked on more than 70 cases of missing people in Nineveh, told the AP that information points to al-Khasfa being “the largest mass grave in modern Iraqi history”. Al-Asady, however, said investigators have not yet been able to confirm its size. About 70 percent of the estimated human remains there are believed to belong to Iraqi army and police personnel, as well as other victims, including Yazidis. Interviews conducted with numerous witnesses from the area suggest ISIL fighters brought people there by bus to kill them. “Many of them were decapitated,” al-Asady said. In addition to ISIL-era mass graves, Iraqi authorities continue to unearth such sites dating to the rule of Saddam Hussein, who was toppled in a US-led invasion in 2003. Adblock test (Why?)
More than 40 missing after boat capsizes in Nigeria’s Sokoto
Officials say about 10 people rescued after accident in African country’s northwestern region. Rescuers are searching for more than 40 people who are missing after a boat capsized in Nigeria’s northwestern state of Sokoto, according to authorities. Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said on Sunday that its Sokoto operations office had deployed a response team to support rescue efforts following the “tragic boat mishap”. NEMA’s director general, Zubaida Umar, said the agency responded after “receiving reports that a boat conveying over 50 passengers to Goronyo Market had capsized”. NEMA said in a statement shared on social media that about 10 people had been rescued, and more than 40 other passengers were missing. Nigeria’s The Punch newspaper, citing a local official, said the accident may have been caused by overloading, a recurring issue for boats in the state’s riverine communities. Boat accidents are common in Nigeria, particularly during the annual rainy season, from March to October, when rivers and lakes overflow. At least 16 farmers died in a similar accident in Sokoto State in August 2024, when a wooden canoe carrying them across a river to their rice fields capsized. Last month, at least 13 people died and dozens more went missing after a boat ferrying about 100 passengers capsized in Niger State, in north-central Nigeria. Two days later, six girls drowned after a boat taking them home from farm work capsized midstream in the northwestern Jigawa State. Adblock test (Why?)
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,271
Here are the key events on day 1,271 of Russia’s war on Ukraine. Here is how things stand on Monday, August 18: Politics and diplomacy The leaders of several European countries announced that they will accompany Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to meet with United States President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday to discuss ending Russia’s war on Ukraine. The leaders accompanying Zelenskyy will be: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. White House envoy Steve Witkoff said on Sunday that Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to “robust security guarantees” for Ukraine that were “game-changing” at a summit with Trump in Alaska on Friday. Zelenskyy welcomed Witkoff’s announcement, saying it was “a historic decision that the United States is ready to take part in security guarantees for Ukraine”. However, he added that the guarantees “must be developed with Europe’s participation”. Macron said that European leaders would ask “to what extent” Washington would participate in the security guarantees on Monday. Macron also said that “there is only one state proposing a peace that would be a capitulation: Russia”. Von der Leyen welcomed the proposal as an offer of NATO-style security guarantees from the US, adding that the “coalition of the willing, including the European Union, is ready to do its share”. Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Maria Zakharova, in a statement shared on Telegram on Sunday, said that Macron’s claims of capitulation were an “abject lie”. In an interview with CNN, Witkoff also said that Russia had “made some concessions” in relation to “all five of those regions”, in an apparent reference to the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhia and Crimea. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on NBC that a ceasefire “is not off the table” but “what we ultimately are aiming for is an end to this war”, a day after Trump said he was aiming for a peace agreement without a prior ceasefire. Trump posted on his Truth Social platform on Sunday morning, simply saying: “BIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIA. STAY TUNED!”, without elaborating. Fighting Advertisement Russian forces killed five people and injured four in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, Governor Vadym Filashkin said in a post on Telegram on Sunday. The attacks killed two people in Raiske, two more people in Sviatohorivka, and one person in Kostiantynivka, Filashkin said. Four people were injured in a Ukrainian drone attack on a commercial facility in the village of Rakitnoye in Russia’s Belgorod region, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said in a post on Telegram on Sunday. Russia’s state-run TASS news agency reported on Sunday that in total, Ukrainian forces struck 13 locations across Belgorod in one day, using 111 drones and 52 munitions. TASS also reported on Sunday that Russian forces shot down four aerial bombs and 300 drones in the past day. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces claimed that Ukrainian forces cleared the city of Pokrovsk of Russian forces and occupiers. Ukrainian forces advanced up to 1km (0.6 miles), in the Yablunivka area of the Sumy region, the General Staff added in a post on Telegram on Sunday. Adblock test (Why?)
Barcelona begin La Liga title defence with win at Mallorca
Lamine Yamal and Raphinha both find the net in Barcelona’s 3-0 La Liga win at Mallorca, who had two players sent off. Barcelona began the defence of its La Liga title with a comfortable 3-0 win at Mallorca, scoring early and taking advantage of two first-half red cards for the hosts. Raphinha and Lamine Yamal, who led Barcelona’s prolific attack last season, needed only seven minutes to impress again on Saturday. Yamal’s curling cross found Raphinha by the far post, and the Brazil forward headed in from close range. Ferran Torres’s shot from outside the area in the 23rd was a goal that drew complaints from Mallorca because one of its players was on the ground after being hit by the ball in the head in the buildup. Some Mallorca players stopped playing after their teammate went down, but the referee allowed play to continue. Mallorca immediately complained after Ferran scored. The host went a man down 10 minutes later when Manu Morlanes was sent off for a second yellow card for fouling Yamal on the run. His first yellow was for protesting Barcelona’s second goal. The second red card in the 39th came from Mallorca striker Vedat Muriqi hitting the head of Barcelona goalkeeper Joan García with his left foot while reaching up for a high ball. The referee changed the card from yellow to red after a video review. Barcelona’s Brazilian forward Raphinha heads the ball to score the opening goal at Mallorca [Jamie Reina/AFP] Yamal made it 3-0 in second-half stoppage time by hitting the top corner. Barcelona, which won the league last season after scoring 102 goals, was without veteran striker Robert Lewandowski because of an injury. Newly signed forward Marcus Rashford went in as a substitute in the 69th. Advertisement New Barcelona goalkeeper García did not have to work much in his Barcelona debut after being signed in the offseason in a transfer from city rival Espanyol. Regular starting goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen is out after undergoing lower back surgery, and García started ahead of Wojciech Szczesny and Iñaki Peña, who replaced Ter Stegen last season. Later Saturday, Valencia hosted Real Sociedad and promoted Levante visited Alaves. On Friday, Rayo Vallecano won at Girona 3-1, and Villarreal defeated promoted Oviedo 2-0. Atletico Madrid is at Espanyol on Sunday, while Real Madrid hosts Osasuna on Tuesday. Adblock test (Why?)
Manchester United vs Arsenal: Premier League – teams, start, lineups
Who: Manchester United vs ArsenalWhat: English Premier LeagueWhere: Old Trafford, Manchester, United KingdomWhen: Sunday, August 16 at 4:30pm (15:30 GMT) How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 4:30pm (15:30 GMT) in advance of our live text commentary stream. Arsenal face an immediate test of their Premier League title credentials against a revamped Manchester United. Al Jazeera Sport takes a closer look at the game. How does the season shape up for Arsenal? Mikel Arteta has challenged Arsenal to keep digging for gold. The Gunners have finished as Premier League runners-up for the last three seasons, sparking criticism of their failure to get over the line in the title race. Arsenal blew significant leads when Manchester City pipped them to the trophy in 2023 and 2024, before Liverpool left the injury-plagued north Londoners trailing in their wake last season. Arsenal’s title frustrations are mounting, with fans questioning whether Arteta is the right man to end their drought after winning only the 2020 FA Cup since he took charge in December 2019. But the Gunners showed their potential last season, with a run to the Champions League semifinals that ended with a narrow defeat against eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain. And, buoyed by a host of new signings worth more than 180 million pounds ($244 million) in total, Arteta is convinced they can finally get their hands on the Premier League silverware this season. “You keep digging, digging, digging, and you have to be digging because one day the gold is going to be there,” he told reporters on Friday. “For three seasons, we’ve had more points than [nearly] any other team in this league, which is incredible. Advertisement “You have the consistency, but now we have to do it in a season, to end with more points than any other team. “That’s the objective. When I’ve been taught, when I’ve been educated, that’s it.” Hampered by injuries to Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz at various stages last season, Arsenal lacked a cutting edge and were held to 14 draws compared with Liverpool’s nine. That was a crucial edge as Arsenal finished 10 points behind the champions. Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres heads at goal during a preseason friendly against Athletic Bilbao [Matthew Childs/Reuters] Who did Arsenal sign this summer? In an attempt to insulate Arsenal against another fitness-related collapse, Arteta has brought in Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres, Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, Chelsea winger Noni Madueke and Brentford midfielder Christian Norgaard. After bemoaning Arsenal’s failure to sign Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins as Liverpool pulled away during the January window, the Spaniard is a far more upbeat figure on the eve of the new season. “I think we have great versatility, very different qualities in relation to the opposition, so we are very happy with that,” he said. Arteta said that “too many” teams have a legitimate shot at winning the Premier League for his liking, some he even suspects will “surprise everybody”. Whether that was a hint that United, who suffered their worst season since 1973-74 last term, could emerge as contenders after their summer spending spree remains to be seen. Arsenal were linked with a move for United’s new striker Benjamin Sesko before deciding to bet on Gyokeres for a fee that could rise to 66 million pounds ($89.5m). The Swede netted 97 times in 102 games in two years at Sporting, much of which came under United’s current manager, Ruben Amorim. Manchester United’s Bryan Mbeumo moved from Brentford in the summer transfer window [Andrew Boyers/Reuters] How is the season shaping up for Man Utd? Instead of being reunited with Gyokeres, Amorim overhauled his attack with the signings of Leipzig’s Sesko, Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo and Wolves forward Matheus Cunha at a combined cost of more than 200 million pounds ($271m). United, who have not won the title since 2013, had to spend big to erase the stench of their putrid campaign. Amorim’s team finished a dismal 15th in the top-flight, and squandered a chance to qualify for the Champions League with a toothless 1-0 defeat against fellow underachievers Tottenham in the Europa League final. Advertisement The pressure is on Amorim, who replaced the sacked Erik ten Hag in November, to deliver major improvements in his second season. Amorim knows Sesko will be key to that target and believes the 22-year-old Slovenian is ready to rise to the challenge. “I don’t need to tell Ben, ‘Ben, this is Manchester United, a lot of pressure. Every game is like do or die’,” Amorim said. “He is always thinking about football. He’s really obsessed about that.” Head-to-head This is the 244th meeting between the clubs, with United winning 99 of those games and Arsenal winning 89. The last two meetings ended in 1-1 draws, although one of those was in the FA Cup with United advancing on penalties. The Red Devils have not beaten the Gunners since December 2022, a 3-1 home win lead by a Marcus Rashford double. The Gunners have won four of the six following meetings. Manchester United team news Defenders Lisandro Martinez (knee) and Noussair Mazraoui (hamstring) are both injury absentees for United. Joshua Zirkzee and Andre Onana have, however, both recovered from knocks and are available for selection. Arsenal team news Arteta has said that the new signings, Gyokeres and Zubimendi, are both “fit to play”. Leandro Trossard has had a groin problem but is expected to recover in time for selection. Gabriel Jesus remains a long-term absentee with an ACL injury, but otherwise, Arteta has a full squad to choose from. Manchester United predicted starting lineup Onana; Yoro, Maguire, Shaw; Dalot, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dorgu; Mbeumo, Cunha; Sesko Arsenal predicted starting lineup Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli Adblock test (Why?)
Lionel Messi scores as Inter Miami wins late against LA Galaxy
The Argentinian superstar returns from injury to score a goal and add an assist as Inter downs Galaxy at Chase Stadium. Lionel Messi returned from injury as a reserve and scored in the 84th minute to lead Inter Miami to a 3-1 victory over the defending Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup champions, Los Angeles Galaxy. The iconic 38-year-old Argentinian striker was back on the field on Saturday for Miami after suffering what Inter coach Javier Mascherano had called a “minor muscle injury” – an apparent hamstring strain – in Inter’s Leagues Cup victory over Mexican side Necaxa on August 2. “It had been something very small,” Mascherano said of his injury after the match. “The three training sessions we had were good. The important thing is that the match ended. As the minutes went by, I saw him better. We have to see how he feels tomorrow.” Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi, who missed a Leagues Cup win over Pumas UNAM and last weekend’s MLS loss at Orlando City, was on the bench as a reserve before entering in the second half, replacing Telasco Segovia. “We had planned the match to give minutes to Leo [Messi]. The idea was to give him 45 minutes so that he can find sensations,” Mascherano said. “I didn’t see him after the game. Tomorrow, we’ll see what feelings he had. “He’s an extraordinary player. I saw that he was clearly not 100 percent comfortable, but as the minutes went by, he was loosening up more and more. We will have to see how he ended with the fatigue.” Jordi Alba scored for Miami in the 43rd minute, but Joseph Paintsil equalised for the Galaxy in the 59th minute. Messi takes a shot and scores his team’s second goal against LA Galaxy at Chase Stadium [Chandan Khanna/AFP] Messi dominates late Messi’s brilliant goal six minutes from full-time – a thunderous left foot strike fired from the edge of the penalty area that caromed off the bottom corner of the net – restored the lead for Miami. Advertisement He then put the victory beyond doubt with a sensational 89th-minute assist to teammate Luis Suarez, who put the home side ahead 3-1. Messi, the reigning MLS Most Valuable Player, has 19 goals and 10 assists in 19 MLS appearances for Miami this season. He also has the Herons into the quarterfinals of the Leagues Cup, which they won in 2023, just after Messi’s arrival. Miami will play the Tigres in a Cup quarterfinal on Wednesday. “He wants to play every single game,” Mascherano said. “You have to understand why Leo is Leo. He always wants to be on the pitch. He’s happy there. Sometimes, we try to explain him that we have to go slowly, but when he feels good, he knows himself like no one. In the end, we tried to give him some minutes today to start having good feelings for Wednesday.” Inter Miami rank fourth in the MLS Eastern Conference, six points behind MLS leaders Philadelphia, but with three matches in hand. Messi, left, celebrates with teammate Luis Suarez after Inter Miami went ahead 3-1 in the 89th minute [Chandan Khanna/AFP] Adblock test (Why?)
A hundred Hiroshimas
Hind Hassan examines the prospect of a new nuclear arms race, the companies helping to fuel it, and the dangers it poses. Eighty years after the first and only time nuclear weapons have been used – the US bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 – the risk of the unthinkable happening again has never been greater. The world’s largest nuclear powers – Russia and the United States – are as close as they’ve been to conflict since the height of the Cold War. As they upgrade their nuclear capabilities, even talking openly about using them, all signs point to the beginnings of a second nuclear arms race. Only this time, there aren’t just two players, but three: China, once a junior member of the nuclear club, is expanding its arsenal faster than any other nation. Adblock test (Why?)
‘Will I make it back alive?’: Gaza journalists fear targeting by Israel
After Israel’s attack on a tent housing journalists in Gaza City, Palestinians say press vests now feel like a target. Palestinian journalists have long known Gaza to be the most dangerous place on earth for media workers, but Israel’s latest attack on a tent housing journalists in Gaza City has left many reeling from shock and fear. Four Al Jazeera staff were among seven people killed in an Israeli drone strike outside al-Shifa Hospital on August 10. The Israeli military has admitted to deliberately targeting the tent after making unsubstantiated accusations that one of those killed, Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif, was a member of Hamas. Israeli attacks in Gaza have killed at least 238 media workers since October 2023, according to Gaza’s Government Media Office. This toll is higher than that of World Wars I and II, the Vietnam War, the war in Afghanistan and the Yugoslavia wars combined. Al Jazeera correspondent Hani Mahmoud said, “Press vests and helmets, once considered a shield, now feel like a target.” “The fear is constant — and justified,” Mahmoud said. “Every assignment is accompanied by the same unspoken question: Will [I] make it back alive?” The US-based Committee to Protect Journalists has been among several organisations denouncing Israel’s longstanding pattern of accusing journalists of being “terrorists” without credible proof. “It is no coincidence that the smears against al-Sharif — who has reported night and day for Al Jazeera since the start of the war — surfaced every time he reported on a major development in the war, most recently the starvation brought about by Israel’s refusal to allow sufficient aid into the territory,” CPJ Regional Director Sara Qudah said in the aftermath of Israel’s attack. In light of Israel’s systematic targeting of journalists, media workers in Gaza are forced to make difficult choices. Advertisement “As a mother and a journalist, I go through this mental dissonance almost daily, whether to go to work or stay with my daughters and being afraid of the random shelling of the Israeli occupation army,” Palestinian journalist Sally Thabet told Al Jazeera. Across the street from the ruins of the School of Media Studies at al-Quds Open University in Gaza City, where he used to teach, Hussein Saad has been recovering from an injury he sustained while running to safety. “The deliberate targeting of Palestinian journalists has a strong effect on the disappearance of the Palestinian story and the disappearance of the media narrative,” he said. Saad argued the Strip was witnessing “the disappearance of the truth”. While journalists report on mass killings, human suffering and starvation, they also cope with their own losses and deprivation. Photographer and correspondent Amer al-Sultan said hunger was a major challenge. “I used to go to work, and when I didn’t find anything to eat, I would just drink water,” he said. “I did this for two days. I had to live for two or three days on water. This is one of the most difficult challenges we face amid this war against our people: starvation.” Journalist and film director Hassan Abu Dan said reporters “live in conditions that are more difficult than the mind can imagine.” “You live in a tent. You drink water that is not good for drinking. You eat unhealthy food … We are all, as journalists, confused. There is a part of our lives that has been ruined and gone far away,” he said. Al Jazeera’s Mahmoud said that despite the psychological trauma and the personal risks, Palestinian journalists continue to do their jobs, “driven by a belief that documenting the truth is not just a profession, but a duty to their people and history”. Adblock test (Why?)
Trump set to meet Ukraine’s Zelenskyy after ‘successful’ talks with Putin
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday will meet US President Donald Trump in Washington to discuss an end to the more than three-year war in Ukraine, hours after Trump’s talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska ended without a concrete deal. In a post on his Truth Social platform after holding phone conversations with European Union and NATO leaders, Trump said the talks with Putin “went very well”. “It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up.” Trump’s pitch for the peace agreement, analysts say, came after no deal was announced in the Alaska talks. Prior to the meeting, Trump had threatened Moscow to agree to a ceasefire. Al Jazeera’s Osama Bin Javaid, reporting from Moscow, said there has been an atmosphere of success in Moscow. “Trump’s remarks on the need for a larger peace agreement fall in line with what Putin has been saying for the last few months,” he said. The Ukrainian leader and his European allies, who have been seeking a ceasefire, welcomed the Trump-Putin talks on Saturday but emphasised the need for a security guarantee for Kyiv. Zelenskyy, who was publicly berated by Trump and his officials during his last Oval Office meeting, said, “I am grateful for the invitation.” The Ukrainian leader said he had a “long and substantive conversation with Trump”. “In my conversation with President Trump, I said that sanctions should be tightened if there is no trilateral meeting or if Russia evades an honest end to the war,” the Ukrainian leader said. Advertisement He said that Ukraine needed a real, long-lasting peace and not “just another pause” between Russian invasions. “Security must be guaranteed reliably and in the long term, with the involvement of both Europe and the US,” he said on X following his call with the European leaders. Zelenskiy stressed that territorial issues can only be decided with Ukraine. Trilateral meeting In his first public comment after the Alaska talks, Zelenskyy said he supported Trump’s proposal for a trilateral meeting between Ukraine, the US, and Russia, adding that Kyiv is “ready for constructive cooperation”. “Ukraine reaffirms its readiness to work with maximum effort to achieve peace,” the Ukrainian president posted on X. But Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov, said on Russian state television on Saturday that a potential trilateral meeting between Trump, Putin and Zelenskyy has not been raised during the US-Russia discussions. “The topic has not been touched upon yet,” Ushakov said, according to the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. Trump rolled out the red carpet on Friday for Putin, who was in the US for the first time in a decade, but he gave little concrete detail afterwards of what was discussed. Trump said in Alaska that “there’s no deal until there’s a deal,” after Putin claimed the two leaders had hammered out an “understanding” on Ukraine and warned Europe not to “torpedo the nascent progress.” Al Jazeera’s Charles Stratford, reporting from Kyiv, said Trump has been heavily criticised by the US media over the meeting in Alaska. “They are concerned about what has been described as far more of a conciliatory tone by Trump towards Putin, without coming out of that meeting with even a ceasefire,” he said. Stratford said that the eyes are now on the meeting in Washington as Zelenskyy and Trump try to set up a trilateral meeting with Putin. “If all works out, we will then schedule a meeting with President Putin,” the US president said. During an interview with Fox News Channel after the talks, Trump insisted that the onus going forward might be on Zelenskyy “to get it done,” but said there would also be some involvement from European nations. Meanwhile, several European leaders on Saturday jointly pledged to continue support for Ukraine and maintain pressure on Russia until the war in Ukraine ends. Europe’s stance In a statement, EU leaders, including the French president and German chancellor, outlined key points in stopping the conflict. They said: “Ukraine must have ironclad security guarantees to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity”. Advertisement Russia cannot have a veto against Ukraine‘s pathway to the EU and NATO, the statement said. “It will be up to Ukraine to make decisions on its territory. International borders must not be changed by force.” Al Jazeera’s Hashem Ahelbarra, reporting from Brussels, said reaching a ceasefire in Ukraine is the priority of European leaders. “They believe that there needs to be an immediate ceasefire before reaching a comprehensive deal on the future of Ukraine,” he said. “Then they seek to provide security guarantees by deploying their own forces to make sure Russians will not violate the terms of that agreement,” our correspondent stressed, adding that European countries reject the notion of changing the borders by force. Adblock test (Why?)
A political shift ahead? What to know about Bolivia’s presidential election
For the first time in nearly two decades, Bolivia is on the precipice of a rightward shift. Voters in the South American nation will go to the polls on August 17 to choose the next president, as well as members of Congress. But schisms within Bolivia’s long-dominant left have opened the door to a possible right-wing victory, with candidates like businessman Samuel Doria Medina and former President Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga leading the race. Bolivia has been unsettled by political and economic turmoil in recent years, including high inflation and dwindling currency reserves. That, in turn, has fuelled public dissatisfaction with the ruling Movement for Socialism (MAS) party, which has been in power almost continuously since 2006. Candidates like Medina and Quiroga are hoping to capitalise on that disillusionment to oust MAS from the presidency. But tensions in the country remain high, and polls show a close race that may not produce a clear winner in the first round of voting. Who are the figures shaping the race, what issues are top of mind for voters, and how could this election shape Bolivia? We answer those questions and more in this explainer. When is the election? The first round of voting will take place on Sunday, August 17. Will there be a second round of voting? Possibly. To avoid a run-off, the top presidential candidate must either earn more than 50 percent of the vote or garner 40 percent of the vote and have a 10-point lead over the second-place contender. But that scenario is unlikely, given the tight race between candidates like Medina and Quiroga. Advertisement The presidential race is expected to proceed to a second round of voting on October 19. Are there other races on the ballot? Yes. In addition to voting for a president and vice president, Bolivians will cast ballots for 36 Senate seats and 130 positions in the Chamber of Deputies. Bolivia has a population of approximately 12 million, of which more than seven million are eligible voters. Bolivian presidential candidate Jorge ‘Tuto’ Quiroga campaigns in La Paz, Bolivia, on August 7 [Juan Karita/AP Photo] Who are the main presidential candidates? A total of 10 presidential candidates registered to race in Sunday’s election, but so far, no single contender has decisively broken into the lead. “This is the first national election in two decades without a dominant party or a clear frontrunner,” said Glaeldys Gonzalez Calanche, an analyst with the International Crisis Group, a research nonprofit. Two closely watched candidates, however, are both conservatives who struggled to make an impression in past elections. They now appear to have a shot at success, a development that underscores the implosion of the once-formidable Bolivian left. One of the candidates is a politician and businessman named Samuel Doria Medina. An entrepreneur who made his fortune in cement, Medina now owns hotels and Burger King restaurant franchises in Bolivia. In the 1990s, he also served as a minister of planning under President Jaime Paz Zamora. The founder of the right-of-centre National Unity Front, Medina previously made three failed attempts to run for president: in 2005, 2009 and 2014. He likely faces his stiffest competition from fellow also-ran, the right-wing Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga. Like Medina, Quiroga has been a presidential candidate three times before: in 2005, 2014 and 2020. But he briefly ascended to the presidency himself after being elected as the country’s youngest vice president in 1997. He shared a ticket at the time with the country’s former military dictator Hugo Banzer, whose government in the 1970s was associated with abuses such as torture and enforced disappearances. As president, Banzer decided to leave office in 2001 after he was diagnosed with lung cancer, and Quiroga served the final year of Banzer’s term. Bolivian Senate President Andronico Rodriguez waves to supporters at a rally in La Paz, Bolivia, on May 10 [Juan Karita/AP Photo] Are there any contenders on the left? Yes, but they have not been polling as strongly as their conservative counterparts. Andronico Rodriguez is the leading left-wing candidate, running as an independent. The president of the Senate, Rodriguez boasts roots in Bolivia’s rural coca-growing regions, which tend to be strongholds for the governing MAS party. Advertisement Rodriguez, however, split from the MAS party this year as Bolivia’s leftist coalition fractured. Outgoing president and MAS member Luis Arce has been blamed for Bolivia’s slumping economy, and MAS founder Evo Morales has been locked in a feud with both Arce and Rodriguez as he seeks to regain the presidency himself. The official MAS candidate in the 2025 election, former minister Eduardo del Castillo, has barely made a ripple in the polls. What do the polls say? A poll aggregator compiled by the Americas Society/Council of the Americas shows conservatives Samuel Doria Medina and Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga vying for the lead. But the polls note that a significant number of voters are either undecided or intent upon casting null votes, adding a wild-card element to Sunday’s race. Three polls taken between early June and late July show Medina in the lead, with between 19.6 and 24.5 percent support. Quiroga, meanwhile, garnered between 16.6 percent and 22.9 percent in the polls. And Andronico Rodriguez, the left-wing candidate, earned between 6 percent and 13.7 percent support among the survey respondents. What issues are top of mind for voters? The country’s economic turbulence and cost of living crisis are among the highest-profile issues for voters this election cycle. “Bolivia is experiencing its worst economic crisis in a generation,” said Gonzalez Calanche, the analyst with the International Crisis Group. She pointed out that the national currency has lost more than half of its value. While Bolivia has vast stores of natural gas and oil, its production has tumbled, leading to an economic shortfall. The country has been forced to import fuel rather than exporting it amid shortages. A survey in May found that voters identified rising prices as their top concern, followed by other economic issues such as fuel shortages, shrinking dollar reserves and unemployment.