Netanyahu to meet Trump at White House next week amid Iran war escalation
Visit will be Netanyahu’s seventh to White House, underscoring US commitment amid war with Iran, genocide in Gaza. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House next Tuesday, the PM’s office said. It added that the meeting coincides with Netanyahu’s visit for the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham. The Republican, who was one of the staunchest supporters of Israel in Washington, died suddenly last week. Recommended Stories list of 3 items list 1 of 3US court affirms release of pro-Palestine scholar as legal battle continues list 2 of 3Israel carries out blasts across south Lebanon despite ‘ceasefire’ deal list 3 of 3Trillion dollar US defence bill would deepen military ties with Israel end of list “At President Trump’s invitation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will depart for Washington on Monday for an official visit,” the statement said. “As part of the visit, the prime minister will meet with President Trump at the White House on Tuesday and will attend the funeral service for Senator Lindsey Graham.” The visit will be Netanyahu’s seventh at the White House in Trump’s second term, far outpacing any other world leader and underscoring the administration’s continued commitment to Israel. It comes as the US-Israeli war with Iran has again escalated following a breakdown earlier this month of a ceasefire reached as part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the US and Iran. Israel had opposed the MoU, with its ongoing military operations in Lebanon repeatedly threatening to derail diplomatic overtures. The Trump administration has been overseeing talks between Lebanon and Israel aimed at ending the war that do not include Hezbollah. Both Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a plan meant to turn over Israeli-occupied areas to the Lebanese military, although the facts on the ground have remained largely unchanged since March. In a meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun earlier this week, Trump did not offer a timeline for Israel’s withdrawal. Also on Friday, US Central Command said its forces completed their 13th consecutive night of strikes on Iran. Iran has retaliated daily against US assets in the region, killing three US soldiers in a strike on a base in Jordan last week. Washington has also increasingly shifted military assets to Israel, in what some analysts see as a sign of a larger escalation on the horizon. The visit also comes as Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza goes on, with the Israeli military continuing to issue displacement orders and launching near daily attacks, despite the US-backed “ceasefire” that began last October. An analysis from UN agencies has found that an estimated 1.4 million people, representing 67 percent of Gaza’s population, are still suffering “crisis or worse levels of acute food insecurity”. All told, at least 73,311 Palestinians have been killed in the war, according to local health authorities, including 1,185 people since the current “ceasefire” began. In the occupied West Bank, Israeli raids have again escalated, with four Palestinians killed on Friday in an attack by Israeli forces and settlers southwest of Nablus, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said in a statement. Israeli health officials reported that an Israeli settler was killed and others injured in the area. At least 86 Palestinians have been killed by Israelis across the occupied West Bank since the beginning of the year, including 21 shot by settlers. Threats to arrest The US visit comes as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has called on federal officials to arrest Netanyahu, who has been indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges related to war crimes committed in Gaza. Mamdani had previously threatened to use the New York Police Department to arrest Netanyahu, but acknowledged earlier this week he did not have the “authority to do so”. Netanyahu is expected to travel to New York City for the United Nations General Assembly in September. The US is not a signatory of the ICC’s founding document, the Rome Statute, and is therefore not subject to the court’s jurisdiction. The Trump administration has further taken an offensive approach against the court, vowing an “all-of government” campaign that has included sanctioning ICC officials and groups that support its investigations. Trump has rejected the prospect of Netanyahu’s arrest while in the US. “Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America,” he posted on Truth Social on Monday. He instead hailed Israel’s role in fighting Iran. The US Congress is also currently considering a defence budget that would see the US and Israel integrate their militaries, in a major deepening of ties. But public opinion polls have shown Israel’s standing in the US has plummeted amid the war in Gaza. More recently, several influential right-wing figures have charged that Israel dragged the US into the war with Iran. The conflict has stretched on for five months with no end in sight. Adblock test (Why?)
LIVE: Israeli settlers attack West Bank’s Nablus, shooting leaves six dead
Live updates, Four Palestinians and two Israelis killed after about 20 settlers raid the village of Tal in occupied West Bank. Video Duration 01 minutes 08 seconds 01:08 Four Palestinians and one Israeli killed after armed settlers raid Palestinian village By Yashraj Sharma Published On 24 Jul 2026 At least four Palestinians and two Israelis were killed after a settler attack on the village of Tal. About 20 Israeli settlers descended on the village, shooting at people and their homes. Adblock test (Why?)
Senegal gets CAS date for appeal to regain AFCON from Morocco
Senegal given October date by CAS for appeal to regain AFCON title won in chaotic final against Morocco in January. Senegal’s appeal to regain the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title it won in a chaotic final against host nation Morocco in January will be heard at sport’s highest court on October 8. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said on Friday the hearing will be held behind closed doors at its headquarters in Lausanne, with no target date set for a verdict. Recommended Stories list of 4 items list 1 of 4Germany appoint Klopp as ex-Liverpool coach sought to lift World Cup blues list 2 of 4Sooryavanshi 18-ball fifty tops ‘tremendous’ India T20 win against Zimbabwe list 3 of 4FIFA World Cup final draws record viewership in United States list 4 of 4Goats of football: Indian village holds tournament with an indigenous twist end of list CAS judges can typically take several months to announce their decision. Preparing the appeal hearing was in process throughout the World Cup, where Morocco reached the quarterfinals and Senegal lost in the round of 32 against Belgium. Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 after extra time in an extraordinary AFCON final in Rabat. Senegal players walked off the field and delayed play for 15 minutes when Morocco was awarded a stoppage-time penalty kick that was eventually saved. Morocco was awarded the title several weeks later when appeal judges for the Confederation of African Football ruled Senegal had defaulted the game by leaving the field. That ruling seemed to ignore the laws of football, which state the referee’s decision on the field of play is final. Adblock test (Why?)
‘I lost my home twice’: Sudanese mothers caught between two wars
Built in 1875 and modelled on the Chapelle Saint-Marc in Lyon, the church was originally intended to be the chapel for St Joseph University, which was opened by French Jesuits as part of France’s colonial-era “civilising mission”. Its pale stone facade rises above a busy Beirut street. Today, it remains under Jesuit stewardship, with Father Michael Petro leading the parish. “It’s an interesting space, because it is on the edge of Ashrafieh, a predominantly Christian, francophone area, which has plenty of wealthy Lebanese people living in it. But it also has their domestic workers. From the start of the first waves of migrants in the 70s, this place became known as a place for them,” he tells Al Jazeera. Every Sunday, during peacetime, the gravel car park is transformed into a cricket ground. Indian and Pakistani migrant workers play softball cricket while families sit on the sidelines sharing home-cooked food, catching up with friends and enjoying one of their few days away from work. Today, the atmosphere is very different. Instead of the crack of a plastic bat and Bollywood music spilling across the church grounds, rows of mattresses line the floors, and laundry hangs from railings. Men slouch on plastic chairs littered around the church, scrolling through their phones. Women carry blankets and washed clothes in plastic tubs. Only the children seem able to break the subdued mood, darting between adults and filling the space with bursts of laughter. “When the war escalated, we immediately had large groups of Sudanese and South Sudanese come here,” Father Michael says. “They showed up because they would ask community leaders what to do, and were told to come here, as it is the first place they trusted. “On one hand, that’s very beautiful, because people thought they would be welcome here, and they were.” However, the strain of being a first port of call for so many displaced migrants is beginning to show. Supplies are low, and tensions occasionally flare among those sheltering at the church. Father Michael says the church reached its capacity of 250 people on just the second day of the war. “We’ve turned away more than 100 people in the last few days,” he says. “It’s a disaster.” Mohammad says daily life has become increasingly difficult, particularly since the arrival of their son. “We do not have enough clothes, especially now that the baby is growing. Also, my wife’s nutrition is not great. Sometimes she gets constipated, and then the baby becomes ill. We need more protein and vegetables. The diet is a huge concern.” Living in crowded conditions, surrounded by uncertainty, has taken a toll on people’s mental wellbeing, Rufaida says. “Because of the atmosphere and mental health problems, small problems become big ones. I said good morning to someone, and they didn’t like it. There are no big fights, but there is an underlying tension.” Both say they understand why tempers sometimes fray. Many of those sheltering at the church have fled war, lost homes and spent months or years living with uncertainty. Small problems become big ones. by RUFAIDA, DISPLACED SUDANESE MOTHER Their gratitude is rooted partly in what happened when Rufaida sought maternity care. At Karatina Hospital, they say they were repeatedly overlooked by doctors in favour of Lebanese patients. “We were there to get papers so she could give birth in that hospital, but we were ignored, and Lebanese people were allowed into consultations first,” Mohammad says. After waiting for three hours, a worker from the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), who had accompanied them to the hospital, intervened and helped ensure they were seen. Through support coordinated by JRS and partner organisations, the entire cost of Rufaida’s pregnancy was covered, including prenatal care, the cesarean delivery and Ahmad’s vaccinations. “It gave me comfort and peace that I was able to deliver in a safe environment,” Rufaida says. Their experience is increasingly common among Sudanese migrants in Lebanon, many of whom have found themselves uprooted more than once — first by war in Sudan and then by conflict in Lebanon. Rufaida’s story is far from unique. According to figures published by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in August 2025, there are 164,097 migrants living in Lebanon, of which 14,854 are Sudanese nationals. That number represents only a small fraction of the 4.4 million Sudanese who have fled their country since the outbreak of civil war in April 2023. Some, like Rufaida, arrived on tourist visas. Others found jobs as concierges or domestic workers, under Lebanon’s kafala sponsorship system, which ties a migrant worker’s legal residency to their employer. Human Rights Watch has described the system as, at its worst, a form of modern slavery. About 3,800 Sudanese have also found asylum in Lebanon as registered refugees with the UN Refugee Agency. For refugees in Lebanon, a UNHCR registration card can mean far more than a piece of paper. It offers a measure of protection from detention or deportation, can unlock access to aid and education where services exist, and, for many, represents their best hope of one day being resettled in another country. Among them is 30-year-old Roudaina Mustafa. Adblock test (Why?)
Israel builds Gaza barrier as politicians push for settlements
NewsFeed As Israeli politicians and protesters keep up their demands to annex and settle in Gaza, recent satellite images reveal the construction of a huge earthen barrier dividing the territory. Al Jazeera’s Hala Al Shami explains. Published On 24 Jul 2026 Adblock test (Why?)
What are the Abraham Accords?
What are the Abraham Accords? NewsFeed US President Donald Trump has seemingly backpedalled on a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia by claiming the Kingdom must join the Abraham Accords as a condition. So what are the accords? Soraya Lennie explains. By Soraya Lennie Published On 24 Jul 2026 Adblock test (Why?)
US launches 13th night of strikes as Iran warns of escalation in the Gulf
US launches 13th night of strikes as Iran warns of escalation in the Gulf NewsFeed Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi reports from Tehran as the US launches strikes for the 13th consecutive night. Iranian leaders are warning further attacks could lead to retaliation targeting Gulf nations. Published On 24 Jul 2026 Adblock test (Why?)
As oil soars, experts watch Red Sea tankers for clarity on Houthi blockade
EDITOR’S ANALYSIS Houthi blockade for now is shaping who moves Saudi crude, not whether it moves, analysts say, even as oil prices soar. As oil prices hit $100 a barrel on Thursday, experts say they are watching to see which vessels Yemen’s Houthis allow to pass through in the Red Sea as that will indicate how the crude market trends. Brent futures rose $6.58 or 6.96 percent, to $100.65 a barrel, exceeding $100 for the first time since late May. Recommended Stories list of 4 items list 1 of 4US government cancels subpoena against three New York Times reporters list 2 of 4White House says will not block Tate brothers’ extradition to UK list 3 of 4France wildfires force evacuation of over 20,000 people from tourist town list 4 of 4US attacks Iran for 13th night as Trump threatens ‘bigger’ strikes end of list That was on the back of the Iran-aligned Houthis saying they were cutting off the passage Riyadh had been using to ship parts of its crude oil once Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz to retaliate against United States and Israel attacks. On Monday, the Yemeni group declared a naval blockade on shipments from Saudi Arabia and said they would target Saudi, Israeli, and United States-linked tankers in the Bab el-Mandeb, which links the Red sea to the Indian Ocean. On Thursday, the Houthis attacked two Saudi Arabian oil tankers, the group said, with a Saudi news agency later confirming that one of the two vessels was set ablaze. It is not clear if the second one was also hit, according to marine analysis firm, Windward. “The Houthis are quite mercurial and there is no complete clarity on what the blockade means,” said Michelle Bockmann, a senior maritime intelligence analyst at Windward. “We’re watching now the ability of Chinese-owned tankers at [Saudi port] Yanbu if they are allowed to go through Bab el-Mandeb. Two have gone through but those had been loaded before the blockade was announced.” The Houthis have previously relied on China for help, including for drone components, and “the Chinese have previously had a free pass”, said Bockmann, including between 2023 and 2025 when the Houthis attacked cargo ships aligned with Israel and the US in the Red Sea in the wake of the war on Gaza. Windward tracking shows the cargo that moved through the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint on July 20 was Saudi in origin but Chinese in crew and destination, and it drew no interdiction. The two vessels passed through the same corridor that Western- and Saudi-linked operators were being warned to avoid. The enforcement is calibrated to affiliation rather than cargo and the blockade is shaping who moves Saudi crude, not whether it moves, Windward said. “No one has ever been able to predict their actions… but they know you don’t have to do a lot to get the oil markets to react,” said Bockmann referring to the rise in benchmark oil prices on Thursday. Rachel Ziemba, adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, underscored that the standoff in Bab el-Mandeb is happening while crude buffers have nor been replenished after the peak of the Hormuz crisis earlier this year. “The multiple chokepoints are new and an example of littoral states looking to use their leverage,” Ziemba said. Diesel also impacted For now, both the Houthi threats and the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz through which nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil transited before the US-Israel war on Iran, has sent prices soaring, including at the pump in the US reaching the national average of $4.09 per gallon (3.4 liter). “Today’s rise in oil prices could cause $0.10 to $0.20 rise over the next week or two per gallon average price in US,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. But De Haan is looking beyond the two straits and says he’s watching the availability of diesel as price per gallon averages $5.34. “Diesel prices are being impacted more significantly,” he told Al Jazeera. One reason behind that is that Ukrainian drone attacks have taken offline some of Russia’s oil refineries. The shortages are being felt domestically leading to Russia banning diesel exports, De Haan said. “Oil exports are one story, but supplies of diesel gasoline, jet fuel is another story,” he said. Another unknown in the mix is the role of China which, historically has been a major importer but slashed those imports in the past few months, helping stabilise global prices as some pressure on demand eased. “It’s been one of the reasons that oil prices haven’t gone up dramatically – that china slashed its imports, and no one predicted that,” De Haan said. “For now, we don’t know if china is using its own strategic reserves or if it will start import again.” Between those geopolitical plays and the upcoming hurricane season in the US, there is “another wildcard ahead for global refining capacity” and prices, De Haan said. Adblock test (Why?)
Trump says Saudi nuclear pact hinges on kingdom joining Abraham Accords
Claim casts further confusion over deal to launch US-supported civilian nuclear programme in Saudi Arabia. United States President Donald Trump has said that a civilian nuclear cooperation deal with Saudi Arabia is “totally subject” to the kingdom normalising relations with Israel as part of the Abraham Accords. Trump’s statement on Thursday, a day after the agreement was announced, has cast confusion over an already opaque deal, the full details of which have not been released. Recommended Stories list of 3 items list 1 of 3US and Saudi Arabia announce nuclear cooperation deal list 2 of 3Why is Iran still able to conduct deadly attacks on US military sites? list 3 of 3Saudi Arabia and US agree to landmark nuclear deal for civilian purposes end of list In a post on his Truth Social Account, the US president wrote that the agreement “will be approved, but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords”. Saudi Arabia did not immediately respond to the claim. Any acceptance of normalising ties with Israel under the accords would represent a major pivot for Riyadh, which has long opposed such a prospect. Trump’s statement came a day after the US Department of Energy announced that Washington and Riyadh had signed “a peaceful nuclear cooperation agreement for a decades-long, multi-billion-dollar partnership” as well as a “bilateral safeguard agreement” related to the launching of a civilian nuclear programme. The deal will require approval from the US Congress. Several US media reports have suggested that the agreement will allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium domestically, as opposed to importing nuclear fuel. Such a provision would represent a major departure from how Washington has approached civilian nuclear programmes abroad. It has long opposed providing enrichment technology and knowledge to countries that do not already possess it. But in his statement on Thursday, Trump appeared to deny the report, writing without further context: “There will be no enrichment of material!” “The United States is not opposed to Civil (Non-Enriched) Nuclear Facilities,” he added. Uranium enrichment is not prohibited under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), to which both the US and Saudi Arabia are signatories. Enrichment is needed to create nuclear fuel, but, when done at a much higher level, it is also the basis for creating nuclear weapons. Iran’s enrichment of nuclear material has been a major justification for the ongoing US-Israel war, launched on February 28. Tehran has long maintained it does not seek a nuclear weapon, while framing enrichment rights as a matter of sovereignty. Saudi Arabia has also long sought a civilian nuclear programme as it has pursued reducing its dependence on fossil fuels. Still, nuclear non-proliferation groups have heavily criticised the pact announced on Wednesday, with several lawmakers saying it could lead to a nuclear arms race in the Middle East, particularly if the deal allowed for domestic enrichment. Some have warned it could incentivise Iran to seek nuclear weapons. Israel has also for years been assessed to possess nuclear weapons, although the US government has long maintained a policy of ambiguity towards the ally. Turkiye, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates maintain civilian nuclear infrastructure to varying degrees. ‘Many questions’ Reporting from Washington, DC, Al Jazeera’s Mike Hanna said Trump’s latest claim on the Abraham Accords has cast further confusion over the agreement. “This…does not appear to be part of the original agreement either,” he said. “So there are many questions that arise, and no doubt there will be many questions in Congress.” Several Arab countries agreed to normalise ties with Israel as part of the Abraham Accords, initially signed by the UAE and Bahrain in December 2020, during Trump’s first term as US president. The move made the two countries the first in the region to recognise Israel since Jordan in 1994. Morocco and Sudan have also signed the accords, although Sudan has not ratified the agreement. Despite the agreements remaining in principle, Israel’s relations with the signatories have cratered amid its genocidal war in Gaza. Prior to the conflict, the accords were largely criticised for side-stepping the Palestinian issue. Both Trump and the administration of former US President Joe Biden have for years vociferously pushed for Saudi Arabia to join the accords. Adblock test (Why?)
More than 100 UK millionaires ask new PM Andy Burnham to tax them more
Calling themselves ‘Patriotic Millionaires’, they say ‘wealth and power have been concentrated in a small group for too long’. A group of 120 millionaires in the United Kingdom have asked the new Prime Minister Andy Burnham to increase taxes on the ultra-wealthy, saying they are willing to pay more so that the country can reinvest back into its people. In a “Proud to Pay” letter released on Thursday, the millionaires, including sports broadcaster Gary Lineker and actress Julia Davies, told Burnham: “As millionaires we have a clear message for you, our new Prime Minister: tax us. We are proud to pay and here to stay.” Recommended Stories list of 3 items list 1 of 3Burnham pledges devolution and discipline if he becomes UK prime minister list 2 of 3‘Where do I get that from?’: UK asylum seekers face hefty repayment bill list 3 of 3Elon Musk poised to make history as world’s first trillionaire end of list Calling themselves “Patriotic Millionaires”, the group said “wealth and power has been concentrated in a small group for too long”, hurting “our country, its people, our democracy and our environment”. “For a better Britain, this has to change,” they said, adding that the money raised from higher taxes on wealth could be used to reduce inequality, support public infrastructure and back small businesses. ‘Basic British value’ Lineker, a former professional footballer, said Britain’s wealthiest can afford to chip in more, as Brits struggle to get by every day. “Paying your fair share is a basic British value, but so many ordinary people are already paying more than they can afford,” said Lineker. “Our richest people can do more and most want to. To live up to our national values, our new government must raise taxes on extreme levels of wealth for a fairer, better, more hopeful Britain,” he said in the statement. Asked about the letter, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Emma Reynolds on Thursday said she welcomed the initiative, but gave no indication whether the government would consider a policy change. “Well, look, it is day four of this new government, and obviously any major tax changes would be announced at a budget,” Reynolds told Sky News. “I welcome the fact that people of good means are saying that they want to pay more. They can pay more,” she said. “There is a link on gov.uk, but look, we have to look at tax policy in the round, and we only make major tax announcements at budgets.” Burnham, who has sought to address Britain’s rising cost of living, has said his administration may “ask for a little bit more” in taxes and suggested this could include a wealth tax. “I do believe we need a greater sense of fairness and people feeling that things are being done in the right way and a fair way,” Burnham said during a podcast interview on Wednesday. Putting in place a 2 percent minimum annual tax on the Britain’s super wealthy – those with more than 100 million pounds ($133.3m) in assets – could raise about 10 billion pounds ($13.3bn) a year, according to a recent report by Gabriel Zucman, economics professor at the Paris School of Economics, and Ben Tippet, lecturer in economics and wealth inequality at King’s College London. The report recommended such a tax, saying it would “raise meaningful revenues and dampen runaway inequality”. According to Patriotic Millionaires, a 2 percent tax on wealth above 10 million pounds ($13.3m) could raise 24 billion pounds ($32bn) a year for the UK, while reforms to capital gains tax could raise a further 12 billion pounds ($16bn). Adblock test (Why?)