News

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir drew Palestinian condemnation after posting a video showing him entering the cell of prisoner Hassan Salameh and threatening him with killing and execution. The incident comes as Israeli right-wing forces push for the implementation of a law allowing Palestinian prisoners to be executed under certain conditions.

Thousands displaced from Kordofan and Darfur face difficult health, living and psychological conditions at Qoz al-Salam camp in Kosti, amid shortages of food, medicine and aid. Local organisations provide limited support, including food, household items and hygiene supplies, while overcrowding and insufficient relief have prompted families to move to other camps.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan accepted Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya’s resignation from the leadership of the Justice and Development Party after opposition allegations that she and her husband made substantial returns from share trading before a liquidity crisis and sharp stock market decline. Kaya said she was stepping down to allow the allegations to be examined independently.

Families who lost their homes in the southern Lebanese town of Zawtar al-Gharbiya have begun moving into prefabricated units erected by the Council of the South as an initial phase, pending reconstruction. Residents face challenges including a lack of equipment, limited space and the approaching winter, as well as the difficulty of covering the cost of renting alternative accommodation.

Ukrainian authorities said eight people were killed in Russian attacks targeting Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Kyiv and other areas on Sunday, 27 September 2026. They reported damage to homes and civilian facilities, while Moscow said its strikes hit logistics and communications sites and facilities linked to the Ukrainian military.

Around 70% of the above-ground homes and facilities in Jenba village, in Masafer Yatta, were damaged during Israeli demolition operations last Wednesday. The damage included homes, water tanks, agricultural facilities and solar power systems, while residents affirmed their determination to remain and rebuild despite some being forced to return to caves.

Puntland’s maritime police freed the oil tanker Cebo 1 and its 20-member crew after they were held off the Somali coast, announcing that one pirate had been killed and 41 others arrested. The operation was followed by circulating claims that Iraqis had taken part in the rescue, but these were not officially confirmed by Iraq or Somalia.

The Houthi-affiliated Health Ministry said seven people were killed and 40 others, including children, were injured in strikes targeting shops in the Mafraq Mawiyah area east of Taiz. While the ministry accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out the attack, Yemen’s government forces said their aircraft had struck a Houthi camp and military vehicles near the site.

A global study analysing land temperatures between 1979 and 2023 found that heatwaves are starting earlier and ending later, extending their season by about 39 days. The shift was more pronounced in dry regions, with potential implications for agriculture, health, and electricity and water networks.

Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council chairman and army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, said during an event supporting the health sector at Khartoum Stadium that his country would not submit to pressure or blackmail. He vowed to continue fighting what he described as the “rebel militia”, praising the role of young people on the front lines, in stadiums and on social media platforms.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Navy said it had detained a US-made Remus 600 unmanned vehicle while it was operating in the Strait of Hormuz, accusing it of carrying out a spying mission. It added that the operation relied on intelligence capabilities and electronic warfare technologies, and that Iranian specialists were examining the vehicle to recover the data stored on it.

Tehran said reopening the Strait of Hormuz and halting the fighting require its conditions to be met and a negotiated agreement to be reached, after US President Donald Trump announced that he had rejected an Iranian proposal delivered through Qatari mediators. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the mediators had not formally conveyed the final US position to Iran.

Heavy rain and storms have killed 56 people in India and 14 in Nepal, with 11 people still missing. Authorities have warned of further flooding as river levels rise, while rescue teams continue to assist affected areas and assess damage to homes and crops.

Israeli forces carried out two strikes on the town of Mيفدون, alongside artillery shelling targeting southern towns and the advance of a force towards the outskirts of Deir Mimmas. Air strikes were also reported on the Iqlim al-Tuffah heights, while explosions were recorded in Baraashit and Haddatha. The Deir Mimmas municipality warned residents not to go to fields or olive groves for security reasons.

Twenty-seven people were killed and 26 others injured in two separate attacks targeting a tavern and an entertainment venue near Johannesburg and Cape Town within hours. Police are pursuing several suspects, while the motive for the first attack remains unknown and no arrests have been made in either incident so far.

Gaza residents face growing risks as the rainy season approaches, with hundreds of buildings at risk of collapse, inadequate protection for displaced people’s camps, and widespread disruption to sewage treatment and pumping facilities. UN data warns that flooding and water contamination could worsen humanitarian and health conditions in the Strip.

Iranian Armed Forces spokesman Abu al-Fadl Shakarchi said his country’s forces were fully prepared, warning that any new US or Israeli attack would be met with stronger, broader and more precise strikes. He added that Tehran had developed its missile and drone capabilities and would use new military technologies in any potential confrontation.

Gloucestershire Police declared a “major incident” near RAF Fairford in south-west England and arrested several men on suspicion of offences linked to the Explosives Act. The measures included evacuating residents, searching vehicles and deploying around 30 emergency vehicles, while police confirmed that the situation was contained and under control.

A study of wild indris in eastern Madagascar found that they widen their mouths as the pitch of their songs rises, in a pattern resembling a technique used by trained singers. Researchers used deep learning to analyse facial movements, but stressed that the findings do not prove the animals consciously control their voices.

Iran and the United States continue indirect talks in New York, while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi awaits a written response through mediators to a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 7 days. Washington is maintaining conditions concerning Iran’s nuclear programme, missiles and regional policies.

A nor’easter killed a man and cut power to tens of thousands across the north-eastern United States, while around 445 flights were cancelled and another 3,016 delayed. New York and New Jersey declared states of emergency in threatened counties, amid warnings of strong winds and coastal flooding through Monday.

Swiss voters are casting ballots in a referendum on an initiative seeking to enshrine “armed and permanent” neutrality in the constitution, which would restrict closer ties with NATO and the imposition of sanctions outside the United Nations framework. The latest opinion polls indicate that more than 60% of voters are inclined to reject the proposal, which is opposed by the government and most major parties.

Israel’s Channel 13 said documents from two security meetings held before the 7 October 2023 attacks show that security and military leaders recommended targeting senior Hamas officials, while Benjamin Netanyahu chose to contain the escalation and maintain a balanced level of security activity in Gaza amid efforts to normalise relations with Saudi Arabia.