A boat carrying migrants capsized off the Tunisian coast near Djerba on Monday, resulting in at least 12 deaths, including three infants, with 10 others reported missing, Tunisian authorities said.
The Tunisian coast guard managed to rescue 29 people from the overcrowded vessel, according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
The Human Rights Observatory, a local rights group, reported that the majority of the migrants on board were Tunisian nationals, with two Moroccans among them.
Tunisians trying to flee to Europe gather aboard a ship owned by the Tunisian coast guards, after being intercepted by them at sea on August 10, 2023. Mediterranean Sea crossing attempts from Tunisia have multiplied following a incendiary speech by the Tunisian president who had alleged that “hordes” of irregular migrants were causing crime and posing a demographic threat to the mainly Arab country. (Photo by FETHI BELAID / AFP)
The dangerous sea crossing to Europe has claimed thousands of lives in recent years, with many attempting the journey in overcrowded and unseaworthy vessels.
Tunisian authorities have been struggling to cope with the surge in departures, facing pressure from European countries to stem the flow of migrants while also dealing with domestic economic challenges.
Manchester City travel to Slovakia for the first time in their history to face Champions League debutants Slovan Bratislava on Tuesday night, as the English champions look to bounce back from a recent dip in form.
Pep Guardiola’s side, currently on a rare run of just one win in four matches, will be without key midfielder Rodri, who has been ruled out for the season with an ACL tear. The absence of the Spanish international was felt in City’s 1-1 draw at Newcastle United on Saturday.
“Losing Rodri is a significant blow,” Guardiola said in a pre-match press conference. “But we have depth in our squad and must adapt quickly.”
City enter the match as heavy favorites, despite their recent struggles. A win or draw would see them equal Manchester United’s Champions League record of 25 games unbeaten, set between 2007 and 2009.
Slovan Bratislava, making their group stage debut, come into the match following a 5-1 defeat at Celtic two weeks ago. Manager Vladimir Weiss acknowledges the challenge ahead.
“We’re facing one of the best teams in the world,” Weiss stated. “It’s a huge test for us, but also an opportunity to show what we’re capable of on this stage.”
The financial disparity between the clubs is stark. Transfermarkt values Slovan’s squad at £24 million ($29.5 million), compared to City’s £1.04 billion ($1.28 billion).
City may rotate their squad, with Phil Foden and Jeremy Doku potential starters. Kevin De Bruyne remains sidelined with injury.
Slovan are likely to field a defensive setup, with Marko Tolic expected to play a key role behind lone striker David Strelec.
The match kicks off at 20:00 local time (18:00 GMT) at the Tehelné pole stadium in Bratislava.
Despite their recent form, Manchester City are expected to dominate. A high-scoring affair could be on the cards, reminiscent of City’s record 7-0 European victory.
As Slovan make their home Champions League debut, they face a baptism of fire against the reigning Premier League champions.
Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain, two European footballing powerhouses still in search of their first Champions League title, are set to face off Tuesday evening at the Emirates Stadium in a highly anticipated group stage match.
Both teams enter the game with mixed results from their opening fixtures. Arsenal salvaged a point in a goalless draw against Atalanta, while PSG narrowly defeated Girona 1-0 thanks to a late own goal.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta faces several injury concerns ahead of the match. Martin Odegaard, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Kieran Tierney are among the key players sidelined. Ben White’s fitness remains uncertain after missing the last two matches due to a knee issue.
“We’re monitoring Ben’s situation closely,” Arteta said in a pre-match press conference. “We’ll make a decision on his availability closer to kick-off.”
PSG, under the guidance of Luis Enrique, also grapples with injuries. Goncalo Ramos, Lucas Hernandez, and Presnel Kimpembe are long-term absentees. However, goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and defender Nuno Mendes have returned to the squad.
The match marks the first meeting between the two sides since the 2016-17 Champions League group stage, where both encounters ended in draws.
Arsenal’s recent form has been strong, with the team undefeated this season and scoring 11 goals in their last three matches across all competitions. Bukayo Saka has been particularly impressive, contributing to seven goals in five Champions League games at the Emirates.
PSG, leading Ligue 1 on goal difference, aims to improve their recent record against English opposition in the Champions League. They have lost their last three away matches to English teams in the competition.
“We respect Arsenal, but we’re here to compete and get a positive result,” Enrique stated. “Our team has shown great character in recent matches, and we’ll need that same spirit at the Emirates.”
The match kicks off at 20:00 local time (19:00 GMT) on Tuesday.
Stephen James Hubbard, a 72-year-old U.S. citizen, pleaded guilty on Monday in a Moscow court to charges of mercenary activity, admitting he received payment to fight for Ukraine against Russia, according to the Russian state news agency RIA.
“Yes, I agree with the indictment,” RIA quoted Hubbard as saying in court.
Hubbard, who was placed in pre-trial detention last week for six months, faces a potential sentence of seven to 15 years if convicted.
According to a prosecutor cited by RIA, Hubbard signed a contract with a Ukrainian territorial defense unit in the central city of Izyum at the onset of the conflict in February 2022. The prosecution alleges he was promised $1,000 a month and provided with training, weapons, and ammunition. Russian soldiers reportedly detained Hubbard on April 2 of that year.
However, Hubbard’s sister, Patricia Fox, refuted these claims in an interview with Reuters. “He is so non-military,” Fox said. “He never had a gun, owned a gun, done any of that…He’s more of a pacifist.”
Fox described her brother as a long-time English teacher who had worked abroad for decades, including in Japan and Cyprus. She stated that Hubbard had moved to Ukraine in 2014 and lived there for a time with a woman, surviving on a small pension.
The U.S. Embassy in Moscow has not yet commented on the case.
Hubbard’s situation highlights the complexities surrounding foreign involvement in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. He is one of at least 10 Americans currently detained in Russia, despite a major prisoner swap between Russia and the West on August 1 that freed three Americans and dozens of others.
As the case proceeds, it raises questions about the treatment of foreign nationals caught in the crossfire of international conflicts and the diplomatic challenges in securing their release.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta lauded Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique on Monday, ahead of their highly anticipated Champions League match at Emirates Stadium.
The fixture, set for Tuesday, marks the second round of games in the revamped competition and brings together two of Europe’s most prominent clubs.
Arteta, who recently expressed admiration for Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola, spoke warmly of Enrique, another influential Spanish coach. The two share a history dating back to their time at Barcelona in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
“I am a huge admirer of him,” Arteta said during a pre-match press conference. “I remember his personality, huge character, huge energy, very supportive of his young players. What I love about him is that wherever he has been, as a player or as a manager, his fingerprints are all over the place.”
Arteta emphasized Enrique’s impact on PSG, stating, “You can see it’s his team. You can see PSG is his team.”
The Arsenal manager highlighted Enrique’s “unbelievable power” and approach to life and profession as sources of inspiration. “It’s something to really look at and I learnt a lot of things from him,” Arteta added.
PSG enters the match leading the French league with five wins and a draw from six games. They began their Champions League campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Girona, secured by a 90th-minute own goal.
Arsenal, meanwhile, started their Champions League journey with a 0-0 draw at Atalanta. Arteta confirmed that the fitness of fullbacks Ben White and Riccardo Calafiori would be assessed on Monday.
The match presents a significant test for both teams’ European ambitions. Arsenal, returning to the Champions League after a six-year absence, aims to make a statement against the French champions.
As the soccer world turns its attention to this marquee matchup, the mutual respect between Arteta and Enrique adds an intriguing subplot to what promises to be a tactically rich encounter.
Antoine Griezmann, a key figure in France’s 2018 World Cup victory, announced his retirement from international soccer on Monday, ending a decorated 10-year career with the national team.
The 33-year-old Atletico Madrid forward, known affectionately as “Grizou,” made the surprise announcement via social media, catching many in the soccer world off guard.
“It’s with a heart full of memories that I close this chapter of my life,” Griezmann wrote on Instagram. “Thank you for this wonderful tricolor adventure and see you soon.”
Griezmann’s international career spanned 137 matches for France, during which he scored 44 goals, placing him fourth on the country’s all-time scoring list behind Olivier Giroud, Thierry Henry, and Kylian Mbappe. Only Hugo Lloris and Lilian Thuram have more caps for Les Bleus.
France national team coach Didier Deschamps praised Griezmann’s contributions, saying, “Antoine was and will remain a monument to French football, one of the greatest players in its history.” Deschamps highlighted Griezmann’s “selflessness that is rare among attacking players.”
Griezmann’s international achievements include:
– 2018 FIFA World Cup winner
– 2016 European Championship runner-up and Player of the Tournament
– 2021 UEFA Nations League winner
His versatility and work rate made him a crucial component of the French squad, contributing not just in attack but also in defensive duties.
The timing of Griezmann’s retirement has raised eyebrows, coming after France’s semifinal exit in the 2024 European Championship and with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon. His final appearance for France was as a substitute in a 2-0 Nations League victory over Belgium in September.
Griezmann’s decision comes after he was passed over for the national team captaincy in favor of Mbappe following Hugo Lloris’ retirement. While acknowledging this as a difficult moment, Griezmann expressed gratitude to Deschamps in his retirement message.
The forward’s departure marks the end of an era for French football and opens opportunities for younger talent to step into his role. As France looks ahead to future tournaments, the national team will need to adapt to the absence of one of its most influential players of the past decade.
Griezmann continues his club career with Atletico Madrid, where he is the all-time leading scorer. His current contract with the Spanish club runs until 2026.
Russia launched a widespread aerial assault on Ukraine, targeting 11 regions with missiles and drones in the 33rd consecutive night of attacks, the Ukrainian air force reported Monday. The barrage set a new monthly record for drone strikes.
In Kyiv, residents endured a five-hour drone attack, with multiple explosions and machine gun fire heard throughout the night as air defenses worked to repel the assault. No casualties were reported in the capital or elsewhere, though Governor Vitalii Kim of the southern Mykolaiv region said a “critical infrastructure object” caught fire without providing further details.
“This escalation in drone warfare marks a significant shift in Russian tactics,” said a Ukrainian military analyst who requested anonymity due to security concerns. “The increased use of Shahed drones allows for sustained pressure on Ukrainian cities at a lower cost than traditional missile strikes.”
Russian forces launched over 1,300 Shahed drones at Ukraine in September alone, the highest number of drone attacks in a single month since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
Ukraine has also bolstered its drone capabilities, developing new models for battlefield use and long-range strikes within Russia. Russian officials reported shooting down more than 100 Ukrainian drones on Sunday.
Amid the escalating drone war, Russian President Vladimir Putin released a video Monday marking the second anniversary of Russia’s claimed annexation of four Ukrainian territories. Putin accused the West of turning Ukraine into “a military base aimed at Russia” and asserted that businesses in the occupied areas are being “actively restored.”
The international community widely denounced the 2022 referendums in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia as illegitimate. Russia also annexed Crimea in 2014, a move not recognized by most nations.
Britain’s last coal-fired power station closed on Monday, marking the end of 142 years of coal-generated electricity in the country that pioneered the Industrial Revolution.
The Ratcliffe-on-Soar plant in central England completed its final shift at midnight, concluding over five decades of operation. This closure makes the United Kingdom the first G7 nation to phase out coal power entirely.
“When I started my career 36 years ago, none of us imagined a future without coal generation in our lifetimes,” said plant manager Peter O’Grady, describing the closure as “an emotional day.”
Energy Minister Michael Shanks hailed the event as a milestone, stating, “The era of coal might be ending, but a new age of good energy jobs for our country is just beginning.”
The plant’s owner, Uniper, reported that many of the 170 remaining employees will stay on during a two-year decommissioning process.
Britain’s transition away from coal has been rapid, in 1990, coal provided about 80% of the country’s electricity, by 2012, this had fallen to 39%, and in 2023, coal accounted for just 1% of power generation.
Currently, more than half of Britain’s electricity comes from renewable sources such as wind and solar power, with the remainder from natural gas and nuclear energy.
The closure of Ratcliffe-on-Soar coincides with the shutdown of the last blast furnace at the Port Talbot steelworks in Wales, resulting in nearly 2,000 job losses. Tata Steel, the plant’s owner, plans to replace the coal-dependent blast furnace with a cleaner electric furnace.
These closures mark significant shifts in Britain’s industrial landscape and energy policy, reflecting the country’s commitment to renewable energy sources and reduced carbon emissions.
The U.K. government aims to generate all of Britain’s energy from renewable sources by 2030, a goal that now seems more attainable with the end of coal-fired power generation.
As Britain moves forward in its energy transition, the focus shifts to expanding renewable infrastructure and addressing the economic impacts on communities historically dependent on coal and steel industries.
Israeli forces launched airstrikes on Houthi rebel targets in Yemen on Sunday, hitting oil storage facilities and causing massive explosions, in retaliation for recent missile attacks on Israel.
Footage verified by independent sources shows a large fireball erupting at a port facility, followed by thick black smoke and secondary explosions. Local media reported four deaths and 33 injuries, though these figures have not been independently confirmed.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the strikes targeted “power plants and a port, which are used to import oil” and transfer Iranian weapons. The operation, involving fighter jets, refueling planes, and surveillance aircraft, hit targets approximately 1,800 kilometers (1,118 miles) from Israel.
“This action is in response to recent rocket launches by Houthi militants towards Israeli territory,” an IDF spokesperson said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to military protocols.
The Houthi attacks included a ballistic missile aimed at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, which was intercepted outside Israeli airspace. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plane had landed 35 minutes before air raid sirens sounded.
Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi vowed that the recent death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah “will not be in vain,” linking the Yemen conflict to the broader tensions in the region.
This escalation follows Israel’s intensified campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon, which culminated in the reported killing of Nasrallah on Friday night. The IDF claimed that over 80 bombs were used in the strike on Nasrallah’s underground bunker in Beirut, also killing at least 20 other Hezbollah militants.
Israeli airstrikes killed at least 45 people in Lebanon on Sunday, including 24 in a single attack on two buildings near Sidon, as tensions escalated following the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported.
The strikes on Ain al-Delb, east of Sidon, were captured on video verified by The Associated Press. Footage showed one strike causing a massive plume of smoke, followed by a second strike that caused an adjacent building to sway and collapse.
In a separate incident, the Health Ministry reported that Israeli strikes in the northern Baalbek Hermel province killed 21 people and injured at least 47.
These attacks come in the wake of Friday’s airstrike in Beirut that killed Nasrallah, dealing a significant blow to Hezbollah’s leadership. Israel has intensified its military campaign against the Iran-backed group, killing several top commanders in recent days.
“We’ve lost the leader who gave us strength and faith,” said Sophia Blanche Rouillard, a Lebanese Christian woman in Beirut, reflecting the sentiment of Nasrallah’s supporters.
The escalating conflict has raised fears of a wider regional war. Israel’s Defense Minister is discussing expanding the offensive, while Hezbollah has vowed to continue rocket attacks into Israel until the Gaza offensive ends.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that over 1,000 Lebanese have been killed and 6,000 wounded in the past two weeks, with a million people displaced. The ministry did not specify how many casualties were civilians.
The United Nations World Food Program has initiated an emergency operation to provide food for those affected by the conflict.
Israel’s military reported striking dozens of targets, including launchers and weapons stores, while its navy intercepted projectiles from Lebanon and the Red Sea.
Diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire continue, with the United States urging a peaceful resolution. “We believe that a diplomatic path is the right course,” said White House national security spokesperson John Kirby.
Iran, Hezbollah’s main backer, called for a UN Security Council meeting on Israel’s actions. Sources told Reuters that Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was moved to a secure location following Nasrallah’s death.
