Palestinian journalist Saleh Aljafarawi shot dead in Gaza City clashes
Sources say the 28-year-old was killed by members of an Israel-linked ‘militia’ fighting Hamas in the Sabra neighbourhood. Published On 12 Oct 202512 Oct 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Palestinian journalist Saleh Aljafarawi has been killed during clashes in Gaza City, just days after Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. Palestinian sources told Al Jazeera Arabic that the 28-year-old, who had gained prominence for his videos covering the war, was shot and killed by members of an “armed militia” while covering clashes in the city’s Sabra neighbourhood. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Al Jazeera’s Sanad agency verified footage published by reporters and activists showing his body – in a “press” flak jacket – on what appeared to be the back of a truck. He had been missing since Sunday morning. Palestinian sources said clashes were taking place between Hamas security forces and fighters from the Doghmush clan in Sabra on Sunday, although this has not been confirmed by local authorities. A senior source in Gaza’s Ministry of Interior told Al Jazeera Arabic that the clashes in Gaza City involved “an armed militia affiliated with the [Israeli] occupation”. The source said security forces imposed a siege on the militia, adding that “militia members” killed displaced people as they were returning from southern Gaza to Gaza City. Despite the recent ceasefire, local authorities have repeatedly warned that the security situation in Gaza remains challenging. ‘I lived in fear for every second’ Speaking to Al Jazeera in January, several days before the start of a temporary ceasefire in the war at the time, Aljafarawi talked about his experiences being displaced from northern Gaza. “All the scenes and situations I went through during these 467 days will not be erased from my memory. All the situations we faced, we will never be able to forget them,” Aljafarawi said. Advertisement The journalist added that he had received numerous threats from Israel due to his work. “Honestly, I lived in fear for every second, especially after hearing what the Israeli occupation was saying about me. I was living life second to second, not knowing what the next second would bring,” he said. In the deadliest-ever conflict for journalists, more than 270 media workers have now been killed in Gaza since the start of Israel’s war in October 2023. Aljafarawi’s death comes as the current ceasefire in Gaza has held for a third day, ahead of an expected hostage-prisoner exchange. United States President Donald Trump is set to gather with other world leaders on Monday in Egypt’s Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh for a Gaza summit co-hosted by Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. It aims “to end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East, and usher in a new era of regional security and stability”, according to the Egyptian president’s office. During the “historic” gathering, a “document ending the war in the Gaza Strip” is set to be signed, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said on Sunday. Neither Israel nor Hamas will have representatives at the talks. Adblock test (Why?)
LIVE: Israel, Hamas set to free captives; Trump says Gaza ‘war is over’
blinking-dotLive updatesLive updates, Families in Palestine and Israel await the return of their loved ones as the Israeli-Hamas truce continues to hold. Published On 13 Oct 202513 Oct 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Adblock test (Why?)
France’s Macron unveils new government ahead of budget deadline
The new government, led by Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, must present a 2026 draft budget on Monday. French President Emmanuel Macron has unveiled a new government after holding marathon talks with newly re-appointed Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu ahead of a fast-approaching deadline to present next year’s budget to parliament. In Lecornu’s new cabinet, Jean-Noel Barrot remains as foreign minister, while outgoing Labour Minister Catherine Vautrin takes on the defence portfolio, according to a lineup published by the president’s office on Sunday. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Roland Lescure, a Macron loyalist, will serve as economy minister. There were also new faces. Paris police chief Laurent Nunez will take over the interior ministry, replacing Bruno Retailleau of the right-wing Republicans (LR) party. Monique Barbut, the former France director of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), was to head the ministry of environmental transition. Gerald Darmanin, however, stayed on as justice minister. And Rachida Dati, the culture minister who is set to stand trial for alleged corruption next year, also retained her post. In a post on X, Lecornu wrote: “A mission-based government has been appointed to draw up a budget for France before the end of the year.” “I would like to thank the women and men who have freely committed themselves to this government, putting aside personal and partisan interests. Only one thing matters: the interests of the country.” Macron reinstated Lecornu late on Friday, just four days after the premier had resigned and as his first government collapsed, leading to outrage and pledges from opponents to topple any new cabinet at the first chance. Advertisement The former defence minister was tasked with assembling a government to present a 2026 draft budget on Monday, giving parliament the constitutionally required 70 days to scrutinise the plan before the year’s end. But the LR, a key political ally, complicated matters on Saturday by announcing that the party would not take part in the new government but only cooperate on a “bill-by-bill” basis. Other allied and rival parties wrestled all weekend over whether to join Lecornu’s new government or vote to topple it. The premier had pledged to work with all mainstream political movements and to select cabinet members who are “not imprisoned by parties”. A Macron loyalist, Lecornu agreed after he had quit to stay on for two extra days to talk to all political parties. He told the French weekly La Tribune that he had resigned “because the conditions were no longer met” and said that he would do so again if that remained the case this time around. The French president, facing the worst domestic crisis since the 2017 start of his presidency, has yet to address the public since Lecornu’s first government fell. On Monday, Macron is due to travel to Egypt to support a Gaza ceasefire deal brokered by the United States, a trip that could delay the presentation of the draft budget. Lecornu’s reappointment comes as France faces political deadlock and a parliamentary impasse over an austerity budget against a backdrop of climbing public debt. The country faces pressure from the European Union to rein in its deficit and debt, with the fight over cost-cutting measures toppling Lecornu’s two predecessors. Lecornu has pledged to do “everything possible” to give France a budget by the end of the year, saying that restoring the public finances was “a priority” for the future. But he is under pressure from parties across the political spectrum, including the Socialists, who have threatened to topple his government unless he backs away from the 2023 pension reform that pushed the retirement age from 62 to 64. Lecornu said on Saturday that “all debates are possible” over the pension reforms, and that his “only ambition is to get out of this situation that is painful for everyone”. If Lecornu fails to secure parliamentary support, France would need emergency stopgap legislation to authorise spending from January 1 until a full budget is adopted. French politics has been deadlocked ever since Macron gambled last year on snap polls that he hoped would consolidate power, but that instead ended in a hung Parliament and more seats for the far right. Adblock test (Why?)
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,326
Here are the key events from day 1,326 of Russia’s war on Ukraine. Published On 12 Oct 202512 Oct 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Here is how things stand on Sunday, October 12, 2025: Fighting Russian drone and missile attacks across Ukraine on Saturday killed at least five people, while also cutting power to parts of the southern Odesa region, the AFP news agency reported, citing local officials. Two of the victims were killed in an attack on a church in Kostiantynivka in eastern Donetsk, AFP said. Ukraine’s private energy firm DTEK said that power has been restored to 240,000 households in Odesa after a Russian attack overnight on Saturday, which damaged some energy infrastructure. The Russian TASS news agency said a Ukrainian drone attack on Russia’s Kursk region killed an 81-year-old man. An official from Ukraine’s SBU security service told the Reuters news agency that Ukrainian drones struck Russia’s Bashneft oil refinery in Ufa, causing explosions and a fire. The unnamed official said the attack marked the third time Ukrainian forces struck the facility in Bashkortostan in southwestern Russia in the last month. Regional security United Kingdom Secretary of State for Defence John Healy said that two Royal Air Force aircraft flew a 12-hour mission earlier this week alongside US and NATO forces to patrol Russia’s border. Healy described the joint operation as “substantial”, coming after a series of alleged Russian drone and aircraft incursions into NATO airspace. Politics and diplomacy Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a post on X that he discussed the most recent Russian attacks on the Ukrainian energy system in a call with United States President Donald Trump. He described the discussion as “positive and productive”, while adding that the two also talked about how to bolster Ukrainian air defences. In a separate post on Facebook, Zelenskyy said that he congratulated Trump for his “outstanding” ceasefire plan in the Middle East, while urging him to broker a similar deal for Russia’s war on Ukraine. He wrote that if Trump could stop one war, “others can be stopped as well”. Cuba denied US claims that it had deployed soldiers to fight for Russia in its war in Ukraine. It also said that 26 Cubans had been sentenced to prison terms ranging from five to 14 years for mercenary activity since September 2023, when reports circulated of Cubans being sent to the front in Ukraine. Residents of Odesa clean debris near their damaged home after a Russian attack [Igor Tkachenko/EPA] Adblock test (Why?)
Taliban, Pakistani forces trade heavy fire along Afghanistan border
Clashes come as tensions escalate over an air strike on Kabul that the Taliban blames on Islamabad. Taliban and Pakistani forces have exchanged fire across the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, prompting calls for restraint from Iran, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, as tensions escalate following an air strike on the Afghan capital, Kabul, earlier this week. Enayatullah Khwarizmi, the spokesperson for the Afghan Ministry of Defence, said late on Saturday that Taliban forces had carried out “successful retaliatory” attacks against Pakistani soldiers in response to the neighbouring country’s “repeated violations” of, and air strikes on, Afghan territory. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list He said on X that the operation had ended at midnight. Pakistani Minister of Interior Mohsin Naqvi called the Afghan attacks “unprovoked” and said that Pakistani forces were responding “with a stone for every brick”. “Firing by Afghan forces on civilian population is a blatant violation of international laws. Pakistan’s brave forces have given a prompt and effective response that no provocation will be tolerated,” he said in a post on X. Radio Pakistan, citing security sources, said the Afghan attacks took place at some six locations along the border. It said the attacks prompted a “strong, intense response” from the Pakistan Army, and shared video footage of gun and artillery fire that lit up the night sky. It did not say whether the clashes had ended. The fighting comes days after explosions rocked the Afghan capital, Kabul, in an air strike that the Taliban blamed on Pakistan. Islamabad did not claim responsibility for Thursday’s attacks. Advertisement However, it accused the Afghan Taliban administration of harbouring fighters of the Pakistani Taliban who attack Pakistan, with the support of its adversary, India. New Delhi denies the charge, while the Taliban says it does not allow its territory to be used against other countries. The escalating tensions have prompted regional concern. Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araghchi called on his country’s two neighbours “to exercise restraint”. “Our position is that both sides must exercise restraint,” Araghchi said during a live interview with state television, according to the AFP news agency, adding that “stability” between the countries “contributes to regional stability”. Qatar expressed “deep concern” over the tensions and the “potential tensions these may have on the security and stability of the region”. Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also urged “both sides to prioritise dialogue and diplomacy, exercise restraint, and work to contain the disputes in a way that helps reduce tension, avoids escalation, and contributes to regional peace and stability”. Saudi Arabia, too, expressed concern. “The kingdom calls for restraint, avoiding escalation, and embracing dialogue and wisdom to contribute to reducing tensions and maintaining security and stability in the region,” the Saudi Foreign Ministry said. “The kingdom affirms its support for all regional and international efforts aimed at promoting peace and stability, and its continued commitment to ensuring security, which will achieve stability and prosperity for the brotherly Pakistani and Afghan peoples,” it added. Adblock test (Why?)
Seychelles’s Patrick Herminie wins presidential run-off election
Patrick Herminie wins 52.7 percent of the vote, denying incumbent Wavel Ramkalawan a second term in office. Seychelles’s opposition leader, Patrick Herminie, has won the country’s presidential race, defeating incumbent leader Wavel Ramkalawan in a run-off vote, according to the electoral commission. Herminie won 52.7 percent of the vote, while Ramkalawan took 47.3 percent, official results announced early on Sunday showed. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list In his victory speech, Herminie pledged to lower the cost of living, revive public services and unite the island nation. “The people have spoken,” the 62-year-old said at the headquarters of the electoral commission. “I am deeply humbled for the trust that the people have placed in me. I will be the president of all Seychellois, and I will end divisions by ceasing preferences, and giving everyone the opportunity to thrive,” he said. Herminie’s victory gives his United Seychelles party full control of the government after it also reclaimed a majority in parliament during the first round of the general election last month. The win is also a complete turnaround for Herminie, who in 2023 was arrested on charges of witchcraft that were later dropped. He previously served as speaker of the country’s parliament from 2007 to 2016. Ramkalawan, who attended the electoral commission’s announcement of the results, congratulated Herminie, who becomes Seychelles’s sixth president. “I leave with a legacy that makes many presidents blush… I hope President Herminie continues to maintain such a level,” he said. Images published by the Seychelles Nation newspaper showed the two leaders shaking hands after the announcement. Advertisement Outside the electoral commission headquarters, thousands of Herminie’s supporters erupted in cheers and waved the country’s flag and party banners as they greeted him following his proclamation as the winner, according to videos on social media. The race between the two main contenders was decided in a run-off after there was no outright winner in the presidential vote two weeks ago. Early voting began on Thursday, but most people in the island nation voted on Saturday. Herminie and Ramkalawan ran spirited campaigns trying to address key issues for voters, including environmental damage and a crisis of drug addiction in a country long seen as a tourist haven. Ramkalawan campaigned for re-election on his management of Seychelles’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and expansion of social protections. But voters opted for Herminie, who accused Ramkalawan of presiding over a proliferation of corruption, and promised to cancel a hotel project permitted by his government that environmentalists say threatens a UNESCO-listed coral atoll. Herminie has also pledged to lower the retirement age from 65 to 63 and implement recommendations from a truth and reconciliation commission that examined human rights abuses related to a 1977 coup and its aftermath. A physician by training, he previously headed the government’s anti-drug agency, and has promised to tackle the country’s sky-high heroin addiction, blamed in part on the fact that the islands sit on a drug route between Africa and Asia. The country’s Agency for Prevention of Drug Abuse and Rehabilitation says that 5,000 to 6,000 people use heroin out of a population of about 120,000. Other estimates put the figure as high as 10,000. Seychelles, a nation of 115 islands, is Africa’s wealthiest country per capita. Located across 1.2 million square kilometres (463,000 sq miles) in the western Indian Ocean, it is a prime tourist destination as well as a target for investment from, and security cooperation with, China, Gulf nations and India. Adblock test (Why?)
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,325
Here are the key events from day 1,325 of Russia’s war on Ukraine. Published On 11 Oct 202511 Oct 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Here is how things stand on Saturday, October 11, 2025: Fighting More than 450 Russian drones and 30 missiles targeted Ukrainian energy infrastructure through the early hours of Friday morning in what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called a “cynical and calculated attack” that injured at least 20 people nationwide. Throughout Friday, repair crews raced to restore power to more than 725,000 families in Kyiv and other cities amid widespread outages. In a video message discussing the attacks, Zelenskyy said Russian President Vladimir Putin was “clearly taking advantage of the moment” as world leaders focus on implementing a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. Zelenskyy separately told reporters that Russia deliberately waited for bad weather before launching its assault, with inclement conditions reducing the efficiency of Ukraine’s air defences by 20 to 30 percent. Russian forces killed three foreign soldiers fighting on behalf of Ukraine near Otradnoye, a village in northeastern Ukraine, where Russian troops claimed to have taken control earlier this week, Russia’s state TASS news agency reported. Ukraine’s military said it struck Russia more than 70 times last month, decreasing oil refining in the country by more than 21 percent. Peace process The “E3” leaders of Germany, France and the United Kingdom condemned Russia’s “escalatory” attacks against Ukraine’s national infrastructure, promising to increase pressure on Russia as Putin “continues his stalling tactics and abhorrent attacks in response to peace talks”. The leaders added they were “ready to progress towards using, in a coordinated way, the value of the immobilised Russian sovereign assets to support Ukraine’s armed forces” in order to pressure Russia to negotiate. During a three-day visit to Tajikistan, Russia’s Putin told reporters he remained “committed to the discussion that took place in Anchorage”, referring to his Alaska summit with United States President Donald Trump in August. Putin’s comments were a sharp reversal from those of Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov earlier this week, who said that “powerful momentum” for peace talks has been lost since August. US First Lady Melania Trump said she and Putin are discussing the repatriation of children caught up in the war, with some already returned to their families and more expected to be reunited soon. Politics and diplomacy Advertisement Zelenskyy said he had spoken with several leaders in light of Russia’s overnight strikes – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz – and thanked all three for their support. Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president and current deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, visited North Korea for the 80th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea. Russia and North Korea signed a mutual defence treaty last year, and Pyongyang has sent thousands of troops and vast quantities of weapons to support Moscow’s war against Kyiv. Putin told reporters that Trump “does a lot for peace” and praised the Gaza ceasefire deal. Trump quickly reposted a clip of Putin’s comments about his peace efforts to Truth Social with a note of thanks to the Russian leader. Regional security Ukraine and the Netherlands signed a memorandum of understanding for the co-production of drones. Amsterdam has provided almost $9bn in support to Ukraine throughout the war, according to Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry. European Union’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the EU must seek a “common European vision for defence”, and that Russia must be prevented from winning its war against Ukraine. Putin said that Russia is developing new weapons of deterrence, and noted that it’s “not a big deal” for Moscow if the US declines to extend the warhead limits set out in a nuclear arms treaty that expires next year. Adblock test (Why?)
Massive explosion at Tennessee munitions factory leaves 19 people missing
Authorities in the southern US state have called the blast ‘devastating’, with many of the missing presumed dead. By The Associated Press Published On 11 Oct 202511 Oct 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share An explosion at a Tennessee military munitions plant has left 19 people missing and feared dead, authorities said. The blast occurred on Friday at Accurate Energetic Systems, a manufacturer in rural Tennessee, a state in the southern United States. People reported hearing and feeling the explosion miles away. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said it was one of the most devastating scenes he’s ever seen. He did not specify how many people were killed, but referred to the 19 missing as “souls” and said officials were still speaking to family members. The company’s website says it makes and tests explosives at an eight-building facility that sprawls across wooded hills in the Bucksnort area, about 97 kilometres (60 miles) southwest of Nashville. The cause of the explosion, which Davis called “devastating”, was not immediately known, and the investigation could take days, the sheriff said. Aerial footage of the aftermath from the news channel WTVF-TV showed the explosion had apparently obliterated one of the facility’s hilltop buildings, leaving only smoldering wreckage and the burnt-out shells of vehicles. There’s no further danger of explosions, and the scene was under control by Friday afternoon, according to Grey Collier, a spokesperson for the Humphreys County Emergency Management Agency. Emergency crews were initially unable to enter the plant because of continuing detonations, Hickman County Advanced EMT David Stewart said by phone. He didn’t have any details on casualties. Local station WTVF-TV captured the wreckage on the ground after the October 10 explosion [WTVF-TV via AP] Accurate Energetic Systems, based in nearby McEwen, did not immediately respond to a phone message seeking comment Friday morning. Advertisement “This is a tragedy for our community,” McEwen Mayor Brad Rachford said in an email. He referred further comment to a county official. Residents in Lobelville, a 20-minute drive from the scene, said they felt their homes shake and some people captured the loud boom of the explosion on their home cameras. The blast rattled Gentry Stover from his sleep. “I thought the house had collapsed with me inside of it,” he said by phone. “I live very close to Accurate, and I realized about 30 seconds after I woke up that it had to have been that.” State Representative Jody Barrett, a Republican from the neighbouring town of Dickson, was worried about the possible economic impact because the plant is a key employer in the area. “We live probably 15 miles [24km] as the crow flies, and we absolutely heard it at the house,” Barrett said. “It sounded like something going through the roof of our house.” Adblock test (Why?)
US President Trump says Israeli captives to be released from Gaza on Monday
The US president told reporters that the bodies of Israelis who died in captivity in Gaza are ‘being unearthed’. Published On 11 Oct 202511 Oct 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Israelis held in Gaza by Hamas and other armed groups are slated to “come back” on Monday, United States President Donald Trump said, with 20 living captives and the bodies of 28 others who died in captivity due to be handed over as part of the US-backed ceasefire deal. Speaking to reporters at the White House late on Friday, Trump said Monday will be “big” as Hamas exchanges all 48 Israeli captives, both living and deceased, for roughly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list “Some of those bodies are being unearthed right now, as we speak. They’re working on it right now,” Trump said. “It’s a tragedy. It’s a tragedy,” he said. Of the living captives still held in Gaza, the US president added, “they’re in some pretty rough places, where only some people know where they are”. Trump said he plans to travel to Cairo this weekend and separately speak at the Israeli Knesset before returning to the US. Under the terms of the US-brokered peace deal for Gaza, Hamas agreed to release all captives within 72 hours following the start of a ceasefire. Israel’s government ratified the ceasefire in the early hours of Friday, and it came into force later in the day. Israeli troops then began to withdraw from areas in Gaza to designated locations, and the countdown began on the 72 hours for Hamas to release captives. Reports surfaced earlier this week that Hamas may struggle to locate and gather the remains of all the deceased captives, potentially complicating the planned exchange on Monday. Advertisement As Palestinians began to return to their war-torn homes on Friday amid the Israeli pullback, key questions about Gaza’s future remain uncertain – including plans for a future Palestinian state. Trump, however, maintained an optimistic tone about both the first and later phases of his unfolding ceasefire plan. Both Hamas and Israel, he said, are “all tired of fighting”. “There is consensus on most of it and some of the details, like anything else, will be worked out,” Trump said. “Because, you’ll find out that when you’re sitting in a beautiful room in Egypt, you know, it’s easy to work something out,” he said. “But then sometimes it doesn’t work from a practical standpoint. But for the most part, there’s consensus,” he added. The US president also appeared to be pleased with support for the deal from the European Union, Iran and Russia, saying that the peace plan will extend “beyond Gaza”. “This is peace in the Middle East, and it’s a beautiful thing,” he said. Adblock test (Why?)
Tsunami threat as magnitude 7.6 earthquake strikes off southern Philippines
DEVELOPING STORYDEVELOPING STORY, Tsunami evacuation warning after quake strikes in waters off Davao Oriental in the country’s Mindanao region. Published On 10 Oct 202510 Oct 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share The Philippines and some regions of Indonesia have issued a tsunami warning urging coastal communities to evacuate after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck offshore in the southern Philippines The strong quake struck at a depth of 23 kilometres (14 miles) at 9:43 am local time on Friday, according to the US National Tsunami Warning Centre. The centre warned the earthquake could trigger waves of up to 1 to 3 metres above tide level along the coast of the Philippines, and waves of 0.3 to 1 metres above tide level in parts of Indonesia and Palau. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology “strongly advised” people living in coastal communities in the southern and central Philippines to evacuate to higher ground, as waves of more than 1 metre were expected to hit the area. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr — popularly known as Bongbong Marcos — said that the Philippines government was “assessing the situation on the ground and ensuring that everyone is safe.” “I have directed the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the Office of Civil Defense, the Armed Forces, the Philippine Coast Guard, and all concerned agencies to immediately carry out evacuations in coastal areas, activate emergency communication lines, and coordinate closely with local governments,” Marcos said, according to the Inquirer, a leading media organisation in the Philippines. Indonesia’s northern Sulawesi and Papua regions also issued tsunami warnings that waves as high as 50 cm could hit coastal areas, according to Reuters. Advertisement There were no immediate reports of casualties in the Philippines following the earthquake, but videos shared on social media show damage to infrastructure. The US National Tsunami Warning Centre said that tsunami waves can persist for many hours after the first wave hits, and the impact will vary depending on the shape and elevation of the local shoreline. This is a developing story. More to follow… Adblock test (Why?)