Iraqi PM heads to US seeking balance between security and economy
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is travelling to the United States for talks with President Donald Trump, in what will be his first foreign trip since taking office in May. During this week’s meetings, al-Zaidi is expected to sign agreements in energy and trade while also boosting investment with US companies. Iraqi government spokesman Haider al-Aboudi told reporters on Sunday the visit to Washington, DC, will mark a shift in the countries’ relations “from a framework of crisis management to a strategic economic partnership”. The focus, he said, would not be about striking a “temporary” agreement but about establishing “a durable, long-term partnership that serves the shared interests of both countries”. Al-Aboudi said oil would be “a top priority” during the visit as the Iraqi government seeks to increase production and find alternative export hubs to lessen the consequences of any future closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Iraq was one of the countries badly hit by the shutting down of the critical waterway in recent months due to the US-Israel war on Iran, as about 90 percent of its 3.4 million barrels per day (bpd) of exports passes through it. Al-Aboudi said Iraq’s proposal to establish an energy and development fund with the US would be on the table to finance any projects that would be agreed upon, especially in the energy sector. Al-Zaidi had previously said the fund would initially be structured in oil exports of 500,000 bpd with the goal of increasing to as much as two million bpd. Advertisement The prime minister has also said Iraq seeks to increase oil production to seven million bpd over the next three years, up from its current output of about 4.5 million bpd. “Iraq is in need of such kind of cooperation, especially with a partner like the United States to enhance and strengthen its capacity, particularly in the energy, oil, gas, electricity, and petrochemicals sectors,” said Abdulrahman Almashhadani, an Iraqi economic expert and professor. “However, the critical question remains whether Iraq can provide a safe and stable environment that would encourage US companies to come to Iraq,” he said. “This issue is sensitive and unresolved; it largely depends on the government’s ability to deliver on its commitments to restrict weapons to state control.” Large delegation Sources told Al Jazeera the Iraqi delegation to the US comprises more than 70 people, including key ministers, the head of the central bank, the national security adviser, lawmakers and businessmen. A well-informed source said meetings with US administration officials and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have also been planned. According to the source, who asked not to be named, Iraq is seeking to secure an IMF loan of up to $8bn. A separate well-informed source told Al Jazeera that the disarming of pro-Iran Iraqi armed factions and restricting weapons under state authority, as well as Baghdad’s relationship with Tehran, are expected to be among the issues the US side will raise during the visit. In his first speech in parliament as prime minister, al-Zaidi had promised that the state would have control over weapons in a country where paramilitary groups, including many supported by Iran, have been powerful since the 2003 US-led war on Iraq. Some armed factions said they would abide by the prime minister’s declaration, but others – particularly the powerful ones that launched missiles and drones at US facilities during the war on Iran – rejected it. In a statement released hours before al-Zaidi’s trip to Washington, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed armed groups in the region, including Iraq, rejected the prime minister’s visit and its outcomes. “We will not give a blank cheque for all government policies. We warn against replacing military occupation with an economic occupation that is even more dangerous,” the statement said. “The option of defending Iraq and its legitimate interests will remain on the table,” it added. Al-Zaidi has said his government is eager to implement a 2024 deal made with the US-led coalition’s military mission in Iraq to end its presence as combat forces by the end of September. Advertisement Some of the factions that rejected the prime minister’s disarmament statement said they would wait to see what happens on September 30 and then act accordingly. Ehsan al-Shammary, a professor of international studies at Baghdad University, said the economic initiatives and the backing that al-Zaidi is seeking from Trump during Monday’s talks would inevitably be overshadowed by the issue of Iran’s influence in Iraq. Ultimately, he added, it is the issue that will determine the success or failure of a “very important” visit that could “redefine” bilateral relations and “give it a push”. “Al-Zaidi has little room for manoeuvre. He should choose either to align with the United States or move closer to Iran,” said al-Shammary. “I do not believe Washington is willing to accept a divided sphere of influence in Iraq alongside Tehran. That is why the prime minister’s task appears to be almost impossible.” Adblock test (Why?)
Trump: US will ‘take over’ Strait of Hormuz
NewsFeed President Donald Trump has said the US will ‘take over’ the Strait of Hormuz, accusing Iran of breaking the deal and insisting Washington should be paid to guard the waterway. Trump confirmed on Truth Social that the reinstated blockade would begin ‘immediately’. Published On 13 Jul 202613 Jul 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
India thrash England in historic first women’s cricket Test match at Lord’s
England, set a record-breaking target of 457 for victory, were dismissed for 186 shortly before lunch on the final day of four. Published On 13 Jul 202613 Jul 2026 Sneh Rana and Deepti Sharma shared the last four wickets as India completed a 270-run thrashing of England to win the first women’s Test at Lord’s. England, set a record-breaking target of 457 for victory, were dismissed for 186 shortly before lunch on the final day of four on Monday Rana took 4-42, removing Amy Jones for 54 and finishing the landmark match when she bowled Sophie Ecclestone for 50. Fellow spinner Sharma chipped in with the wickets of Issy Wong and Lauren Bell as England crumbled in front of a crowd that included India men’s cricket great Sachin Tendulkar. India were dominant in all aspects of a game being played 142 years, and 150 matches, after Lord’s staged its first men’s Test and decades on from the first women’s game of any kind at the London ground – a 1976 one-day international between England and Australia. Victory meant India finished their tour with joyous memories of Lord’s, having been knocked out of the T20 World Cup in the group phase at the “Home of Cricket” by eventual champions Australia. England, by contrast, struggled to adapt to the demands of the longer format in a match that started just days after their T20 World Cup final loss to Australia at Lord’s on July 5. Their second-heaviest Test reverse, in terms of runs, and fourth defeat in five Tests was not the way England would have wanted to send off Tammy Beaumont and former captain Heather Knight in the veteran batters’ final appearance before international retirement. The match was a personal triumph for India’s Kranti Gaud and Yastika Bhatia, the first women to take five wickets and score a century respectively in a women’s Test at Lord’s. Advertisement Gaud took a superb 5-37 in England’s first-innings 170 and wicket-keeper Bhatia’s 113 – her first century in any international format – was the cornerstone of India’s imposing second-innings 341-7 declared. India captain Harmanpreet Kaur praised her top order, with opener Smriti Mandhana hitting fifties in both innings “In this Test match, the way they batted was outstanding to watch,” said Kaur at the presentation ceremony. “Bhatia is a great batter. I had a really strong feeling for her – that’s why we put her in the eleven – and I’m really happy with the way she played.” Seam bowler Gaud was named player of the match after also taking 2-54 in the second innings. “Growing up I never imagined something like this would happen but the moment the Test started I wanted to get my name on the honours board,” said Gaud. “I stuck to what the coaches told me. My strength is to hit the right length and the ball moved and did its bit.” ‘Exceptional India’ Defeat left England still searching for their first win in a home women’s Test since 2005. “I’m disappointed all round, really,” England coach Charlotte Edwards told Sky Sports. “You come into such a historic Test match and occasion, which has been absolutely amazing. To then not play anywhere near our best over the four days…” The former England captain added: “A lot of credit has to go to India. I thought they were exceptional. They were really disciplined with bat and ball.” Nat Sciver-Brunt, the current England skipper lamented a lack of time between formats but said: “As cricketers we have to be prepared for that and recover as best we can before preparing for a Test match.” England resumed in dire straits at 130-6. The highest successful fourth-innings chase in any women’s Test is Australia’s 198 against England in Sydney in 2011. England’s slim hopes of success rested with wicket-keeper Jones, 52 not out after completing her second fifty of the match. Jones, however, had added just two runs to her overnight total when she pulled Rana to mid-wicket. The tourists, in rare blemishes, dropped a couple of catches but the end was not long in coming to the vocal delight of India fans basking in another sun-drenched day at Lord’s. Although Monday’s crowd was sparse, the overall attendance across the four days of 37,846 was a new record for a women’s Test. Adblock test (Why?)
Israeli forces kill five Palestinians in latest attacks on Gaza
Since a US-brokered truce in October, Israeli attacks have killed more than 1,098 Palestinians in Gaza. Published On 12 Jul 202612 Jul 2026 An Israeli drone attack and gunfire in Gaza have killed at least five people, including a nine-year-old girl, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Tala Abu Matar died when Israeli gunfire targeted an encampment on the eastern side of the Al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, medics said. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Also on Sunday, a drone attack on a blacksmith’s shop in the Sabra neighbourhood of Gaza City killed at least four Palestinians and wounded another, according to officials at al-Shifa hospital where the casualties were taken. The Israeli military acknowledged striking the area, saying without elaborating that it targeted “terrorist infrastructure”. Following shooting on Friday, a Palestinian man died of wounds sustained from Israeli fire near Al-Bureij camp, said a health official. Another Palestinian succumbed to injuries from an Israeli drone strike east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza. The continued attacks in Gaza are in violation of the ceasefire agreed last October by Israel and Hamas. While fighting on the ground has mostly stopped since then, Israel has continued carrying out air strikes in Gaza, killing at least 1,098 Palestinians and wounding 3,535 during the so-called ceasefire, health ministry data shows. Since October, Israel has expanded its control over the enclave beyond the so-called “Yellow Line”, which demarcates territory occupied by Israel from the rest of Gaza under the ceasefire agreement. Last week, Gaza’s Government Media Office said Israeli forces now control about 80 percent of Gaza. Advertisement The latest violence comes as Hamas leaders visited Cairo for further talks on implementing the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan. The discussions include Hamas disarmament and Israeli army withdrawals, according to sources close to the talks, who said no breakthrough has been achieved. Since the beginning of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, the health ministry said at least 73,118 Palestinians have been killed. Adblock test (Why?)
Meet the Cubans stuck in Mexico under Donald Trump’s deportation campaign
‘Like we were dogs’ For Scull Delgado, life in the US began with the famous Mariel boatlift, a 1980 exodus that saw some 125,000 Cubans pile onto small, rickety boats and sail across the Florida Strait. Many were fleeing political persecution. Others had grown desperate as a result of the island’s economic strife. Scull Delgado said he joined the boatlift to escape service in Cuba’s army. But even though the “marielitos” arrived in the US without formal paperwork, Washington agreed to accept them. The US, after all, had long opposed the island’s communist leadership. “We will continue to provide an open heart and open arms to refugees seeking freedom from communist domination and from economic deprivation,” US President Jimmy Carter said at the time. Over the following decades, Scull Delgado settled in California and got married to a US citizen. He had three children and four grandchildren. But he also got a criminal record. “I committed a crime in the ’90s,” he said, describing it as “a slip-up” for which he did time in prison. “After I got out, I didn’t get into any more problems,” Scull Delgado added. He just had to “show up every year to sign in” at US immigration offices. “That’s where they picked me up.” Immigration agents arrested him while he was signing in at the office. After nearly 46 years in the US, he was one month away from retirement — one month away from enjoying “the benefits I earned through my work”. “I do feel betrayed by Trump because he took everything away from me after I’d spent my whole life in that country,” Scull Delgado said. By November, he had been transported to Mexico, away from his home and his family. From left: Lazaro Diaz Garcia, Seul Delgado, Ricardo Scull Delgado and Ernesto Perez Chapman, four Cuban men deported from the US, say they are stuck in legal limbo in Palenque, Mexico [Ann Deslandes/Al Jazeera] Another Cuban national, 48-year-old Orlando Martinez Mendoza, was also deported in 2025. He migrated from Cuba to the US in 2015, arriving by boat. But he said immigration authorities grabbed him at a court hearing in Tennessee, where he had appeared for a speeding charge. He described being transported to three different detention centres over the course of two months in Tennessee. He was then transported out of state, to a holding facility set up in the Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola. Martinez Mendoza remembers the transfer being staged for media purposes. “They selected a group of us migrants, saying we were the biggest criminals in the country,” he said. “They took us to Angola prison in a bus with police in front and back, stopping traffic with sirens, and TV cameras rolling.” Eventually, he too was sent to Arizona and, from there, to Palenque. He said his bus came to a stop right in front of the offices for the Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance, or COMAR. Immigration officials, he said, “dumped us right in front of COMAR like we were dogs”. The US Department of Homeland Security, which oversees federal immigration enforcement, did not reply to a request for comment for this story. It has, however, featured Martinez Mendoza on a website of its immigration-related arrests, highlighting his conviction for selling cocaine in 2018. He was subject to a deportation order after serving two years in prison. Adblock test (Why?)
Syrian parliament convenes for first time following al-Assad’s overthrow
President Ahmed al-Sharaa says improving the economy and strengthening public services are key priorities. Published On 12 Jul 202612 Jul 2026 Syria’s president has called on lawmakers to put “national interest above all” as the newly appointed transitional parliament convenes for its inaugural session. Members of the parliament took the constitutional oath in Damascus on Sunday, more than 18 months after longtime authoritarian ruler Bashar al-Assad was toppled by rebels led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, who is now Syria’s president. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list “I urge you to make this assembly a model of responsibility and competence, and to help foster a culture of dialogue, the rule of law and respect for institutions,” al-Sharaa said. The main role of the parliament, called the People’s Assembly, will be to draft a new constitution and lay the foundations for democracy after decades of oppressive rule under the al-Assad family that culminated in a 14-year civil war that killed more than half a million people. The 43-year-old al-Sharaa has pledged to usher in a new era for Syria, which remains in a dire economic state after years of conflict and political isolation. The country’s challenges have been compounded by periods of political and sectarian tension following al-Assad’s overthrow. Al-Sharaa stressed that improving the economy, strengthening public services and attracting international investment were key priorities for parliament. “Syria is writing a glorious history that reflects its heroism, and we face the responsibility of building both the nation and the individual,” he said. The chamber has 210 seats. Two-thirds of lawmakers were chosen last year by regional electoral colleges, while al-Sharaa appointed the remaining 70 members of parliament at the beginning of the month. Advertisement Officials say nationwide elections were not feasible because of the complex logistical challenges created by years of conflict, including inaccurate population records. Claudio Cordone, the deputy United Nations special envoy for Syria, called the parliament’s first session “a key milestone in the country’s political transition”, adding that the international community “will follow its work closely and stand ready to support” it. Adblock test (Why?)
Power cuts plunge Gaza hospitals into darkness as Israel’s attacks persist
Omar Abu Atwa, a 30-year-old driver, was walking home from work one day in central Gaza last month when an explosion shook the street around him. Bloodied and confused, he was taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir el-Balah, where doctors examined injuries to his hand. As he waited for an X-ray, the lights cut out, rendering much of the hospital’s medical equipment inoperable, including the machine doctors needed to inspect his wound. After a six-hour wait in the ward, Omar left tired and frustrated, without an X-ray or proper treatment for his injured hand. This is a repeated experience for patients in Gaza, including those rushed to hospital to receive potentially lifesaving surgery. “I waited for many hours inside the hospital hoping for electricity to return and the medical devices to start working again. During that time, I was in pain and anxious because I did not know the nature of my injury or whether my condition required urgent medical intervention,” he told Al Jazeera. “I saw children, elderly people and injured individuals waiting just as I was. Some needed medical tests, while others kept asking about when electricity would return so they could continue their treatment. The crisis affected everyone.” Israel’s genocide has already caused immense damage to Gaza’s healthcare sector, with Israeli bombing since October 7, 2023 destroying 38 hospitals and 96 primary healthcare centres or rendering them inoperable. Bombing has almost completely decimated Gaza’s national grid, with about 90 percent of power lines destroyed, forcing hospitals to rely on generators for power. Advertisement But an ongoing blockade on Gaza has resulted in severe shortages of fuel needed for generators, which power essential life-saving medical equipment at hospitals such as ventilators, incubators and monitoring devices. The use of non-original engine oils due to the blockade has resulted in generators malfunctioning or affected their performance. It comes as Israel continues its near-daily air raids on Gaza with at least 1,092 people killed and 3,507 injured since a so-called “ceasefire” came into effect in October 2025. The consequential routine power cuts have rendered hospitals semi-dysfunctional and affected thousands of patients and medical staff in Gaza, where the flow of patients caused by new waves of bombings and disease continues. Most of Al-Aqsa’s main generators went out of service in early May 2026, when doctors and nurses were already struggling to cope, leaving the hospital to use secondary generators and solar energy or simply cut back on operations. A Palestinian doctor checks a drip at the dialysis treatment centre at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, Deir el-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, on February 1, 2026 [AFP] Surgeon Omar al-Ashtal said medical teams at the hospital are struggling to provide proper and essential services to patients due to erratic power supplies, especially in operating rooms, where electricity is essential. Surgeons and doctors are having to shorten or delay important operations until stable energy supplies are available, leading to serious consequences for patients. “What we are witnessing today is not only a shortage of electricity, but a cumulative crisis that includes worn-out generators, fuel shortages and a lack of spare parts needed for maintenance,” al-Ashtal told Al Jazeera. “The continuation of this situation threatens the hospital’s ability to respond to emergencies and increases the suffering of patients waiting for treatment and medical care.” Intensive care units, operating rooms, anaesthesia departments and neonatal care are the most affected by the latest power crisis. Any interruptions to these departments can lead to serious life-threatening complications for patients, including babies in incubators. Outages of internet and electronic systems also prevent administrative teams and nurses from fulfilling the essential tasks of accessing or recording patient data, tracking cases and communicating between different departments. Nurse Hamza Nawas said that medical teams were coping as well as they could under the circumstances. Advertisement “We are living under daily pressure because of the electricity crisis. At night, the difficulties increase, especially with rising temperatures and the disruption of some services related to power,” he told Al Jazeera. “We try as much as possible to continue providing care, but the current conditions make work more difficult and complex.” Engineer Omar al-Ghariz, a specialist in energy systems at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, said that generators have been overloaded, exceeding their capacity for months. “The electric generators at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital have been operating continuously for many months under loads that exceed their normal capacity, due to full reliance on them amid ongoing electricity outages,” he told Al Jazeera. “[This has] led to significant wear on many generator components and a noticeable increase in technical malfunctions.” Shortages of fuel and spare parts have forced the hospital’s maintenance staff to rely on temporary solutions to keep generators running, but these can only delay the inevitable, with the machines struggling under 24/7 operations. “The greatest risk lies in the fact that the hospital depends on a limited number of generators to operate its vital departments. Any sudden failure or fuel shortage could lead to the suspension of essential services,” he said. “Therefore, we urgently need new generators, spare parts and immediate technical support to ensure the continuity of hospital operations.” Adblock test (Why?)
Algeria and Mali restore diplomatic ties following yearlong rift
Relations begin to thaw as both countries reinstate ambassadors and reopen airspace closed to each other since April 2025. Published On 11 Jul 202611 Jul 2026 More than a year after a diplomatic fallout, relations between Algeria and Mali are beginning to thaw, with both countries reinstating their ambassadors and reopening their airspace to one another. Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced on Saturday that the country’s ambassador would return to Mali, a day after Algiers fully reopened its airspace to civilian and military aircraft travelling to and from its southern neighbour. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Issa Ousmane Coulibaly, spokesperson for Mali’s military government, confirmed in a statement that Bamako had taken reciprocal measures. Relations between the two African nations deteriorated in April last year after Algeria said it had shot down a Malian surveillance drone for violating its airspace. Bamako disputes this, saying the drone was downed within its own borders. The fallout between Algeria and Mali has jeopardised security in the Sahel region. Mali is a member of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), along with Burkina Faso and Niger. Both Ouagadougou and Niamey also withdrew their ambassadors to Algeria in April last year in solidarity with their ally. The AES has experienced a surge in attacks by armed groups linked to the ISIL (ISIS) group and al-Qaeda in recent years. Many analysts argue that such groups were able to establish a foothold in the Sahel partly because of the NATO-backed overthrow of longtime Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The ousting of Gaddafi left a power vacuum that has been exploited by armed groups. Vast stockpiles of weapons belonging to forces loyal to him were looted and are believed to have been used by those groups. Advertisement Algeria has previously mediated peace talks between the Malian government and Tuareg separatist rebels waging an armed rebellion there. However, last year’s diplomatic fallout led Algiers to step back from its role as mediator, raising concerns about Mali’s security and territorial integrity while also posing a threat to Algeria’s own internal security. This April, Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf reaffirmed Algiers’s support for Mali’s territorial integrity, rejecting what he described as all forms of “terrorism”. Adblock test (Why?)
UK police free suspect in ex-MP Ann Widdecombe murder investigation
The former government minister is believed to have been attacked on Wednesday, a full day before her body was discovered. By Al Jazeera Staff and Reuters Published On 11 Jul 202611 Jul 2026 A man who was arrested on suspicion of murdering former British government minister Ann Widdecombe has been released and is no longer part of the investigation, police said. This comes as detectives revealed the killing took place a day before Widdecombe’s body was found at her home in rural southwest England on Thursday. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Devon and Cornwall Police said a 26-year-old white British national was arrested in Newton Abbot, about 14.5 kilometres (nine miles) from Widdecombe’s home, on Friday, before being freed on Saturday. Officers now believe the 78-year-old was attacked on Wednesday around 11:30 GMT, a day before ambulance workers called police to her home, where she was found dead with serious injuries. Police said they had found no evidence the killing was “terrorism”-related or politically motivated. They also said the suspect was believed to be a white male and that there was no wider risk to the public. Socially conservative views Widdecombe was known for her socially conservative views, first as a junior minister in Conservative Prime Minister John Major’s 1992-1997 government and latterly as an immigration spokesperson for Nigel Farage’s far-right populist Reform UK. She converted to Catholicism partly in protest at the Church of England’s ordination of women as priests and was opposed to abortion and to equalising the age of consent for homosexual and heterosexual relationships. She also defended a policy of shackling pregnant prisoners during childbirth to prevent their escape and viewed single mothers as poor role models, but was unusual among Conservative lawmakers in opposing the hunting of foxes with hounds. Advertisement News of her death led to tributes on Friday from across the political spectrum in the UK, including from Prime Minister Keir Starmer and from Farage, who described her as “an extraordinary woman”. “She stood up and fought for what she believed in – a devout Christian and somebody with strong, socially conservative views,” Farage said in a video clip posted on his X account. Two serving British members of parliament have been murdered in the last decade. The Labour lawmaker Jo Cox was shot and stabbed by a Nazi-obsessed loner during the Brexit campaign in 2016. The Conservative lawmaker David Amess was stabbed to death in 2021 by a man inspired by the ISIL (ISIS) group. Adblock test (Why?)
Why the new US housing bill won’t fix the crisis
NewsFeed Edward Pinto, co-director of the American Enterprise Institute Housing Center argues that the new US housing bill is unlikely to significantly ease the country’s housing crisis. He says it’s too limited to address the core issues – like restrictive local zoning. For the full segment, watch Al Jazeera’s ‘This is America’. Published On 11 Jul 202611 Jul 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)