EU targets Somalia with visa curbs as president pushes back on returns
President says his country will readmit genuine nationals but insists Europe must first verify deportees’ identities. Published On 26 Jun 202626 Jun 2026 Mogadishu, Somalia – The European Union has imposed visa restrictions on Somali citizens, escalating a dispute with Mogadishu over the return of Somalis living in Europe illegally. The bloc’s member states approved the measures on Thursday, acting on a report that Somalia was not doing enough to take back nationals who had been refused the right to stay. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud pushed back, saying his government would readmit its citizens, but said that many returnees were not Somali nationals. “We haven’t rejected our people; they own this country. And we cannot reject them,” the president said at an Independence Day event on Thursday, adding that Somalia had “questions about how those people would be returned.” People across the Horn of Africa share a similar appearance, he said, and some present themselves as Somali to claim asylum in Europe. He pointed to past cases in which individuals sent back as Somalis turned out not to be, including some who “don’t know the Somali language.” “If they are Somali, then we’ll take them. If they aren’t, we’ll help you find out where they are from, and you can send them there,” Mohamud said. The pressures driving people to leave are rooted in decades of upheaval. Somalia is still rebuilding after the collapse of its central government in 1991 and the long civil war that followed. Recovery efforts have been stifled by the ongoing armed rebellion of al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-linked armed group that has waged deadly attacks since 2006. Advertisement Those conditions have pushed many young Somalis to attempt the dangerous journey to Europe, often through Libya, where migrants have faced detention, extortion and violence. The prime minister regularly handled such cases, Mohamud said, adding that Somali embassies had been instructed to help citizens return. Magnus Brunner, the bloc’s migration commissioner, said countries of origin had to meet their commitments “otherwise, there can be consequences.” A European Commission assessment concluded that Somalia’s cooperation on readmission was insufficient. Under the new rules, member states can no longer issue multiple-entry visas to Somalis, and the fee waiver for holders of diplomatic passports has been removed. The standard processing time for visa applications has also been extended from 15 to 45 days. The suspension has no fixed end date and is intended as leverage to push Mogadishu towards closer cooperation. Somalia now joins a short list of countries hit with such measures. The EU imposed similar restrictions on The Gambia in 2021 and Ethiopia in 2024, lifting the Ethiopian curbs in May after deciding cooperation had improved. The visa restrictions add to a run of setbacks for Somali travellers. The United States imposed a sweeping travel ban in 2025, after President Donald Trump returned to office, covering citizens of a dozen countries, including Somalia. The policy drew attention this month when Omar Abdulkadir Artan, named Africa’s referee of the year in 2025, was denied entry to the US and couldn’t officiate at the World Cup, despite holding a valid visa. The standoff comes as the EU tightens its wider approach to migration, pursuing return centres beyond its borders and faster deportations for people refused the right to stay. Adblock test (Why?)
Why has the UN paused plans to evacuate sailors from the Strait of Hormuz?
The United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO) has suspended plans to evacuate more than 11,000 sailors stranded in the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship transiting the waterway was struck by a projectile. IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said several crews had already been evacuated, but the agency had decided to pause the operation until there were “necessary safety guarantees” for those involved. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a Royal Navy maritime security agency, said on Thursday that a cargo vessel had been struck by “an unknown projectile” about 7.5 nautical miles (14km) southeast of Dahit, Oman. No casualties were reported. The incident comes despite a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by the United States and Iran last week that ended hostilities and included provisions aimed at reopening the strategic waterway. Iran had restricted passage through the strait in early March after the US and Israel attacked it on February 28. In April, the US imposed a naval blockade on Iran-linked vessels trying to pass through the waterway. Since the MoU was signed, commercial traffic has restarted through the strait, but key disagreements remain over which shipping routes vessels should use — and whether Iran gets to charge a toll or fee. Oman and the IMO have proposed a new shipping corridor that would partially bypass waters under Iran’s direct control. Tehran has rejected the plan, saying it was announced without consultation and raises safety concerns while demining operations are still under way. While Iran has not claimed responsibility for Thursday’s attack on the ship off Oman, it has not denied any role, either. Advertisement The latest attack has heightened concerns that tensions over navigation through the strait remain unresolved. Here’s what we know. Why is the UN evacuating sailors? Following the outbreak of the US-Israel war on Iran on February 28, Tehran and Washington imposed counter restrictions on the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, leaving thousands of seafarers unable to leave vessels trapped in the waterway. More than a dozen sailors have also been killed in attacks on ships — some from American missiles, others from Iranian projectiles. Most of those killed were from India. Even with last week’s agreement between Washington and Tehran to end the conflict, more than 11,000 sailors remain stranded in the strait. Announcing the evacuation plan on Tuesday, the IMO’s Dominguez said the operation would be conducted in “close cooperation with Iran, Oman, all other coastal states in the region, the United States and the maritime industry”. Oman’s Ministry of Defence said the operation, which had been under discussion for months, would be carried out in phases. Denmark also announced on Tuesday that it would join a multinational maritime mission led by France and Britain to help restore safe navigation through the strait. Why was the ship attacked? The Singapore-flagged cargo vessel Ever Lovely was struck by what authorities described as an “unknown projectile” while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday. Ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic showed the vessel had been following the southern shipping route proposed by the IMO earlier that day, a corridor that passes closer to Oman’s coastline and has been rejected by Iran. Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) said the vessel had since completed its transit through the strait and was continuing its voyage, adding that all 21 crew members were safe. The authority said it was “deeply concerned” by an attack it described as “unprovoked, unjustifiable, and a breach of international law”. “All actions affecting international shipping must fully comply with international law, in particular the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and not endanger the safety of seafarers and ships at sea,” the MPA said. The incident prompted the IMO to suspend its planned evacuation of stranded sailors. Dominguez said the Ever Lovely “did not transit under IMO’s evacuation framework”. “I have always reiterated that the safety of the seafarers remains paramount. Therefore, to ensure a coordinated approach and navigational safety, the evacuation plan will be paused until further clarity is obtained,” he said. Advertisement What has Iran said? While it remains unclear if the attack was carried out by Iran, the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had criticised the new shipping corridor announced by Oman and the IMO, while also warning that passage through the strait, “is only possible via routes announced by Iran,” the state broadcaster IRIB reported. Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, has said safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz cannot be guaranteed for vessels transiting “with ambiguous arrangements, parallel routes, or decision-making outside of Iran’s considerations as the coastal state”. “Any credible framework must be based on coordination with Iran and the provisions of paragraph five of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding,” he said in a statement on X. “Otherwise, the outcome will be the suspension of the designated parallel route.” Iran first published its own map of approved navigation routes in April, directing ships to sail much closer to the Iranian coastline than before the conflict. The IRGC’s latest warning came after a Liberian-flagged oil tanker transited the strait on Thursday using a route closer to Oman’s coast. On Friday, a further three foreign oil tankers that attempted to cross the Strait of Hormuz “without authorisation” were turned back after a warning from the IRGC, Iranian state TV reported. Analysts say control over the Strait of Hormuz has long been one of Tehran’s most important sources of strategic leverage, allowing it to exert pressure on the US, whose economy is inextricably tied to global markets. Why was the evacuation suspended? Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar Atas said the attack appeared to show Iran was prepared to enforce its warnings over navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, after Tehran insisted vessels using either the Iranian or Omani route must coordinate with its authorities. “Yesterday, Oman announced new routes for the passage of the ships. But then the IRGC released a statement, saying that
Venezuela quake leaves La Guaira in almost total devastation
NewsFeed La Guaira, the region hardest hit by two earthquakes in Venezuela, has been left devastated. Families are searching for loved ones trapped beneath collapsed buildings. Residents say rescue efforts are too slow and resources are insufficient. Published On 25 Jun 202625 Jun 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Economic losses mount as Venezuela earthquake death toll grows
The series of powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela on Wednesday could cause economic losses equal to as much as 7 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), according to preliminary estimates from the United States Geological Survey. Initial assessments released on Thursday estimate that the damage could amount to between 1 and 7 percent of Venezuela’s $111bn GDP after twin earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 struck about 160 kilometres (100 miles) west of the capital, Caracas, on Wednesday afternoon, leaving at least 188 dead. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Interim President Delcy Rodriguez has said that there will be a $200m fund from the International Monetary Fund that will be used to help rebuild infrastructure, hospitals and housing. “Significant reconstruction will likely be necessary, and this will likely require foreign support, including from the US, regional actors, and international financial institutions. The government appears to have moved quickly to announce a reconstruction fund with support from the IMF [International Monetary Fund],” Rachel Ziemba, economist and senior adjunct fellow at the Center for a New American Security, told Al Jazeera. “Other adjustments to the sanctions regime may be necessary to facilitate remittances, capital flows, and greater flexibility for imported material.” The US is sending resources to assess the damage and provide aid. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the US has deployed rescue operations, and it should have a better understanding of what is needed in the next 48 hours. Advertisement “We will have a whole government response,” Rubio said on Thursday to reporters in Bahrain amid logistical challenges as Simon Bolivar international airport, the country’s main airport, remains closed. Experts are watching closely how the US response will impact diplomatic ties. “I think this could be an opportunity, perhaps a catalyst, to compel or propel the relationship to develop in a positive economic direction,” John Deal, managing director of capital markets at the Post Oak Group investment bank, told Al Jazeera. “The administration has been very interested in securing oil and gas assets, and it doesn’t appear that Venezuela’s oil infrastructure was significantly damaged. Meanwhile, the country has sustained massive damage in the most psychologically sensitive location in Venezuela: its capital city,” Deal said. The United Nations has also “fully mobilised” humanitarian efforts, the group’s humanitarian chief said, and Switzerland has sent 18 tonnes of rescue equipment to help elevate pressure on local authorities. Al Jazeera’s Noris Soto reported from Caracas that private companies have been asked to help remove rubble. The challenges for aid come amid an already sensitive economic situation. Of the country’s 31.7 million people, more than 20 million were already living in poverty with insufficient access to food and medicine, and many hospitals lack even reliable running water or power supplies. At Caracas’s Hospital de Clinicas, staff were asked to double up on the night shift to help treat the injured, a worker there said. Classes were cancelled for the rest of the week as authorities began to take stock of the damage. The destruction comes on top of existing challenges to both the country’s healthcare and housing infrastructure. Healthcare data from Venezuela is limited. The government has not published any epidemiological bulletins since 2016. Roughly 10 percent of the country’s population pre-quake had been living in vulnerable situations because of inadequate housing, according to the National Survey of Living Conditions report published by researchers at Andres Bello Catholic University in Caracas as of 2023. The home-buying market has been frozen amid heightened inflationary pressures as purchasing power has dropped. Oil impacts The quakes had a limited impact on the country’s oil and gas sector, which typically produces 1.2 million barrels per day of crude oil. The El Palito refinery in central Carabobo state near the epicentre did not sustain damage, according to preliminary reports shared with the Reuters news agency. Advertisement Meanwhile, at the Moron Petrochemical Complex, the country’s second-largest petrochemical plant, production restarted on Thursday after a brief shutdown. Workers were told not to come as initial assessments found a leak in a storage tank on Wednesday. It was not immediately clear if the leak was repaired since the order to reopen, according to Reuters. Chevron told Al Jazeera that it remains operational. “As a longtime employer and partner in Venezuela, we stand in solidarity with the country and its people during this difficult time. We remain committed to supporting our employees and the communities surrounding our facilities and ensuring the continued safe operation of our assets,” a Chevron spokesperson told Al Jazeera. Other companies, including Shell, Eni and Repsol said that all workers are accounted for. “The human toll is likely to be greater than economic, especially if, as it seems, the energy infrastructure does not appear to have been damaged significantly. Most of Venezuela’s revenues come from oil, even if the US sanctions limit the inflow of these funds into the country,” Ziemba, the economist, added. Adblock test (Why?)
UN agency pauses Hormuz ship evacuation initiative after vessel attacked
Iran warns vessels to use only Tehran-approved routes as IMO halts Hormuz evacuation after ship struck. By AFP and Reuters Published On 25 Jun 202625 Jun 2026 The United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO) has paused its Strait of Hormuz evacuation initiative after a vessel was attacked in the Gulf of Oman. A cargo ship reported a suspected attack as it attempted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz close to the coast of Oman on Thursday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list The ship reported being struck on its starboard side by a projectile 14km (7.5 nautical miles) southeast of Oman’s port of Dahit, the British navy agency added. Another maritime security source told the Reuters news agency that the vessel was likely targeted by a drone, although it was not clear yet who carried out the strike. The IMO on Tuesday began evacuating 600 ships and around 11,000 mariners stranded by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz during the US-Israeli war on Iran, helping them leave the Gulf through two routes – one via Iranian waters and another via Omani waters with US oversight. On Thursday, the head of the IMO said the plan to move stranded ships out of the Gulf will be put on hold. “I have decided to temporarily pause [the evacuation plan’s] implementation in order to reconfirm that the necessary safety guarantees continue to be in place for the ships on our evacuation list and all those in the region,” IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said in a statement. He said the agency had secured the necessary safety guarantees and verified conditions for safe navigation before the plan began. But the latest suspension came after they were informed of the attack on a vessel that had passed through the strait. Maritime security reporting identified the vessel as the Singapore-flagged container ship, Ever Lovely. The ship was not operating under the IMO evacuation framework. Advertisement The report of a strike on the ship came hours after Iran told vessels to stop using the route through the strait without Tehran’s permission. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) ordered two Panama-flagged ships to change course earlier on Thursday, British maritime security company Ambrey said After the incident, the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), a body set up by Iran to manage the Strait of Hormuz, said that transit outside its own designated routes “will not be covered by the guarantee of safe passage”. “Consequences arising from passage through unauthorised routes shall be the responsibility of the owner, operator, and vessel commander,” the PGSA added on X. ‘Moving cautiously’ The evacuation effort by the IMO comes against the backdrop of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed last week between the United States and Iran to work towards ending the US-Israeli war on Iran. After the war began on February 28, Tehran had effectively closed off the strait, leaving vessels stranded on both sides. MarineTraffic confirmed 70 verified crossings on Wednesday and 31 on Tuesday by commercial and energy-laden vessels. “Operators are still moving cautiously rather than returning to fully normal traffic patterns,” the ship tracking firm said. That compares to pre-war levels of around 120 vessels per day. Oman’s Defence Ministry said the evacuation would be phased, warning that the current environment creates an elevated collision risk and requires gradual, controlled movement of ships. Denmark has also said it will join an international maritime mission led by France and the UK to help reopen the waterway. Oil tankers and cargo vessels anchor off the coast of Oman after being stranded for days near Muscat, Oman [File: Elke Scholiers/Getty Images] Adblock test (Why?)
Venezuela rescue teams race to find earthquake survivors
NewsFeed Rescue teams raced to find survivors and recover bodies after twin earthquakes rocked Venezuela on Wednesday. The death toll has climbed to 188 with thousands more reported missing and injured. Al Jazeera’s Maria Alesia Sosa reports from the scene of the devastation in Caracas. Published On 25 Jun 202625 Jun 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Venezuela earthquakes live: At least 188 dead as rescue efforts intensify
blinking-dotLive updatesLive updates, Venezuelans battle to rescue loved ones trapped alive beneath rubble of collapsed buildings after two major earthquakes. Published On 25 Jun 202625 Jun 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
WNBA: Alyssa Thomas suspended one game for fist into Cailtin Clark’s throat
Both players were on the floor when Thomas pushed her fist into Clark’s throat before getting up and stepping over her. By Reuters Published On 25 Jun 202625 Jun 2026 Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas has received a flagrant foul 2 penalty and a one-game suspension for “recklessly making contact with her fist to the throat area” of Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, the WNBA has announced. The incident occurred with 6:52 left in the second quarter of the Mercury’s 111-109 triumph over host Indiana on Wednesday. No foul was called. Thomas will serve the suspension on Saturday, when the Phoenix visit the Toronto Tempo. Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas shoots the ball, while Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse [Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images/Reuters] The WNBA office said it has the option to review games and “classify as flagrant any foul not called as such during a game”. In this instance, Clark drove into the lane and fell on her side following contact with Phoenix defender Lexi Held. In the ensuing scramble for the ball, Thomas pushed her fist into Clark’s throat before getting up and stepping over Clark. Fever coach Stephanie White was upset after the contest that Thomas was not called for a foul. “Number one, you’ve got to call it. It’s absolutely egregious and utterly disrespectful,” White said. The teams also had played a testy contest two nights earlier, in which a combined six technical fouls were called during Indiana’s 86-77 victory. Thomas, 34, is a six-time All-Star. She is in her second season with the Mercury after playing 11 campaigns with the Connecticut Sun. Thomas is averaging 14.7 points, 8.4 assists, and 6.6 rebounds in 18 games this season. Advertisement Clark exited Wednesday’s game with 5:15 left in the third quarter due to back issues. Clark, 24, is averaging a career-high 21.2 points, 8.2 assists, and 4.0 rebounds through 17 games this season. She is a two-time All-Star. The Fever host the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday. Adblock test (Why?)
Lebanon Latest: Peace talks between Lebanon and Israel, people return south
[unable to retrieve full-text content] Al Jazeera’s Robert McBride brings you the latest from Beirut as people return to the south of Lebanon.
Israel kills three in Lebanon as Rubio praises progress in Washington talks
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reports three people have been killed in an Israeli attack on a car in Nabatieh. Published On 25 Jun 202625 Jun 2026 Israeli attacks on Lebanon have continued despite a ceasefire, with three people killed during a strike on a car in the south of the country, as senior Israeli and Lebanese officials meet for a final day of talks in Washington. According to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA), three people were killed on Thursday, and one was wounded after the Israeli attack hit a car on the road between Zawtar and Mayfadoun in Nabatieh Governorate. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list NNA also reported that Israeli forces burned a number of houses in the town of Ain Arab, after issuing warnings forcing residents to evacuate the town before 5pm on Wednesday. According to Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health, since the conflict began on March 2, 4,230 people have been killed and 12,179 others have been wounded. Reporting from Nabatieh, southern Lebanon, Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr said the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah remains “fragile” as the Israeli army continues to target “anyone or anything in front-line villages”. “[These are ] villages on the outskirts [of the] city of Nabatieh, which lie along the area which is under Israel’s occupation,” Khodr explained. “So the message is they don’t want people to approach that area, there’ve been drone strikes, they’ve dropped stun grenades … people killed. “Those villages, the Israeli army was not able to occupy them during weeks of fighting and it wants to still be able to control them by fire because the more territory you control, the more leverage you have in negotiations,” she said, adding that officials from Lebanon and Israel are discussing the possible and gradual handover of territory. Ceasefire talks Israel and Lebanon have been discussing a United States-backed proposal for the past three days, with the talks wrapping up in Washington, DC, on Thursday. The negotiations have been focused on Israeli forces handing over some of the territory they occupied during the fighting with Hezbollah to Lebanon’s military. Advertisement A US State Department official told the Reuters news agency that Israel had taken a “concrete step” towards the proposal, which had been part of the latest round of talks, by pulling back from a part of a buffer zone in southern Lebanon. However, a senior Israeli defence official denied that there had been any pullback, adding that Israel would not be withdrawing from its buffer zone. Moreover, a senior Lebanese military official also told Reuters that developments on the ground in recent days had shown the “opposite of a pullback”. Still, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that Israel and Lebanon were making good progress towards a “commitment of intent”. “I think we are very close in our hopes of getting a commitment of intent between the two countries,” Rubio told reporters during a visit to Bahrain. “It’ll be a process, it’ll take some time, it’ll take a lot of work, but I can tell you that for the first time in 30 years, the sovereign government of Lebanon is speaking to the government of Israel directly.” Under US pressure, Lebanese officials began direct talks in April with Israel in Washington. Hezbollah, however, has condemned the Lebanon-Israel talks, demanding the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon first. Adblock test (Why?)