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  • Police investigate Married at First Sight Australia after ‘inappropriate’ allegations

    Police investigate Married at First Sight Australia after ‘inappropriate’ allegations

    One of Australia’s highest-rated reality entertainment franchises, Married at First Sight Australia (MAFS Australia), has been thrown into fresh controversy as law enforcement officials have launched a formal investigation into allegations of improper content sharing tied to the program.

    A spokesperson for the New South Wales Police Force confirmed to BBC News that official inquiries have been opened following a formal report of inappropriate content being distributed. Local broadcaster Channel Nine, which holds the exclusive Australian broadcast rights for the hit series, has acknowledged it is aware of the ongoing investigation, which centers on the program’s production company, Endemol Shine Australia.

    This latest development marks the third high-profile crisis to hit the Married at First Sight global franchise in 2026 alone, following a string of damaging revelations earlier in the year. A BBC News investigation published in June uncovered multiple accounts from former MAFS Australia cast members who claimed production teams failed to disclose serious criminal histories of their on-screen partners, including prior convictions for drug offenses and violent crimes. These disclosures prompted a formal, critical warning from Australia’s national media regulator, which described the omissions as “serious and disturbing.”

    The international version of the format, MAFS UK, faced its own major scandal back in May, when the BBC’s investigative current affairs series Panorama published on-camera accounts from two female cast members who made rape allegations against male participants. Both men named in the report have strongly denied all allegations. MAFS UK is produced by a separate independent production company, CPL, and is broadcast on UK public service broadcaster Channel 4, so its crisis is entirely unconnected to the current Australian investigation.

    For audiences unfamiliar with the format, Married at First Sight is built on a high-concept premise: consenting single participants agree to enter a legally non-binding ceremonial “marriage” with a complete stranger, whom they meet for the first time walking down the aisle. After the mock wedding, the couples go on a luxury honeymoon, move into a shared home, and navigate the early stages of their relationship while being filmed daily for broadcast.

    According to Australian entertainment industry outlet TV Blackbox, the current investigation stems from a formal complaint lodged by a male cast member on MAFS Australia’s 2026 season. The cast member alleges that production staff shared his sensitive private personal information with his on-screen bride without his prior consent, leading to the report that triggered the police inquiry.

    “On Monday 24 August 2026, officers attached to South Sydney Police Area Command commenced an investigation following a report of inappropriate content being shared,” a New South Wales Police spokesperson confirmed in a statement to BBC News. “Following inquiries, the matter will be referred to WA [Western Australia] Police Force.” As of the latest update, Western Australia Police have confirmed they have not yet received the formal referral for the case.

    When approached for comment, a Channel Nine spokesperson directed all media inquiries to the production company, saying: “We are aware of a police investigation involving Endemol Shine Australia and all enquiries should be directed to them.” Endemol Shine Australia has not issued any public statement or responded to multiple requests for comment from BBC News on the latest investigation.

    The June BBC investigation that uncovered the background check failures included testimony from nine former MAFS Australia cast members, who collectively called on production to overhaul its participant vetting processes and bar individuals with active criminal convictions or unresolved violent allegations from being cast on the series. One female participant from the 2025 season told reporters she had no idea her matched partner had a prior drug conviction, and only discovered the information after filming wrapped. “There should be informed consent,” she said of the experience.

    At the time of those revelations, both Channel Nine and Endemol Shine Australia pushed back against criticism, releasing a joint statement that said they had “strong protocols in place to ensure participant safety and wellbeing.”

    Beyond its domestic success, MAFS Australia has built a large international fanbase, particularly in the UK where it streams on Channel 4’s on-demand platform. Following the May Panorama investigation into MAFS UK, Channel 4 pulled all UK-produced MAFS episodes from its streaming service hours before the documentary aired, but has left the Australian version of the series available to viewers.

    The MAFS UK scandal has also moved through legal and regulatory channels in the months since it broke. In July, BBC News confirmed that a male cast member from MAFS UK had been arrested on suspicion of rape following the Panorama report. Both the suspect and the alleged victim have been granted anonymity under UK law, so no names have been released to the public. UK media regulator Ofcom has launched its own formal investigation into the program, and Channel 4 commissioned an independent external review of its participant welfare policies for the series.

    The UK version of MAFS is one of Channel 4’s most popular programs, wrapping its 10th season earlier this year and regularly drawing audiences of more than three million viewers per episode. Channel 4 has confirmed it only plans to publish a summary of the independent review’s findings, rather than releasing the full report publicly. Channel 4 chief executive previously said the review would be completed over the summer, but it has not yet been published. Speaking to members of UK Parliament earlier this week, Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes said the review is expected to be published “any day now.” BBC News has contacted Channel 4 for an updated comment on the review’s release timeline, but has not yet received a response.

    Lawyers for CPL, the production company behind MAFS UK, have previously defended the program’s welfare infrastructure, describing its system of participant support as a “gold standard” that leads the global reality TV industry.

    Anyone with additional information related to the ongoing investigations can contact reporter Noor Nanji via email at noor.nanji@bbc.co.uk.

  • China adds 1,625 km of new rail lines amid push to build modern railway infrastructure

    China adds 1,625 km of new rail lines amid push to build modern railway infrastructure

    BEIJING, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) — As part of its ongoing push to upgrade and expand a world-leading modern railway infrastructure ecosystem, China brought 1,625 kilometers of newly constructed railway segments into full commercial operation across the first nine months of 2026, latest official data from China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (China Railway) confirms.
    The national railway sector recorded total fixed-asset investment reaching 601.2 billion yuan (approximately $89 billion) over the January-September period, marking a 1.3% year-on-year uptick that underscores sustained state commitment to transport network optimization. China Railway officials noted that the expanded track footprint and steady capital inflows have delivered tangible gains in overall network operational efficiency, while unlocking fresh growth momentum for broad-based economic and social progress.
    A slate of high-impact new lines and modernized stations launched service during the reporting window, including four high-speed rail sections that went online on Sept. 28. These new links connect Xiongan New Area in northern China’s Hebei Province to Shangqiu in central Henan Province, Xi’an to Ankang in northwestern Shaanxi Province, Yichang to Xingshan in central Hubei Province, and Harbin to Yichun in northeastern Heilongjiang Province. Company representatives emphasized that these projects have streamlined fragmented regional rail networks, cut cross-regional travel times dramatically, and improved daily mobility for communities located along the routes, while also spurring targeted industrial upgrading and underutilized local resource development to act as a new growth engine for high-quality regional socioeconomic advancement.
    As of the close of 2025, China’s total operational railway mileage stood at 165,000 kilometers, of which over 50,000 kilometers consisted of high-speed rail tracks, forming the largest high-speed passenger network on the planet. Current long-term planning targets project the national high-speed rail footprint will expand to 70,000 kilometers by 2035, structured around a framework of eight north-south vertical trunk lines and eight east-west horizontal trunk lines. Upon full completion, this grid will seamlessly connect all major metropolitan hubs, densely populated city clusters, and core economic development zones across the country.
    The steady flow of capital into railway construction aligns with surging public demand for rail travel in the world’s second-largest economy: China Railway data shows total passenger trips via rail hit an all-time first-three-quarters high of 3.71 billion in 2026, representing a 4.8% year-on-year increase. Earlier in October, the National Railway Administration released a forward-looking innovation roadmap that aims to put in place a science and technology innovation system leading global railway modernization by 2030. The plan outlines a minimum of 20 flagship demonstration projects and real-world application scenarios for cutting-edge technologies, including a 400 km/h high-speed train operating system, alongside accelerated research and development for a 600 km/h high-speed maglev platform, plus full domestic testing and validation of core components for localized production.

  • Some New Yorkers hail ban on horse-drawn carriages, but drivers fear for incomes

    Some New Yorkers hail ban on horse-drawn carriages, but drivers fear for incomes

    For more than 160 years, clip-clopping horse hooves on Central Park’s paved paths have been a defining New York City tourist tradition. But that iconic practice is poised to come to an end by 2028, after a years-long battle that has pitted animal welfare advocates and public safety campaigners against hundreds of carriage drivers whose livelihoods and lives are tied to the industry.

    Alexus Lawson’s connection to the trade began when she was just five years old, after a chance encounter with a Central Park carriage horse that left her captivated. Today, at 28, the sixth-generation driver owns six horses, and has worked guiding rides through the park for six years. When news broke of the upcoming city council vote to outlaw the industry, her first thought was not just for her job, but for the animal she works alongside every day. “What am I supposed to do with my horse?” Lawson questioned. “You’re going to tell me I can’t work with her anymore? How am I supposed to ensure her health?”

    Lawson is one of roughly 200 licensed carriage drivers in Central Park, a group that has pushed back fiercely against claims that the horses are mistreated or that the rides pose an unacceptable public risk. Medet Fidan, a driver with 12 years of experience, calls the mistreatment allegations absurd. “I spend more time with my horses than my wife and my kids,” he said. “They’re telling me I’m abusing my horse? No way.” Fidan says he is angry that city leaders are moving forward with the ban without meaningful input from the people who make their living in the industry, warning the decision will destroy his family’s livelihood.

    City officials and ban supporters, however, argue the change is long overdue, pointing to decades of documented incidents that have harmed both horses and humans. Official data from the Manhattan Borough President’s office shows 40 horses working in Central Park have died since 1982, with causes ranging from overheating to collisions with vehicles and other carriages. The push for a ban gained urgent new momentum this summer following the death of 18-year-old Indian tourist Romanch Mahajan, who fell from a carriage after the horse bolted and later died from his injuries. The proposed legislation, dubbed Romanch’s Law, was also spurred by the death of carriage horse Deniz, who died after ingesting a toxic plant in the park earlier this year.

    Since that fatal incident, ban supporters have highlighted a string of other recent accidents: the Central Park Conservancy, the non-profit that manages the park and backs the ban, recorded seven horse-related incidents in just 13 months leading up to the vote. These include a collision that tipped a carriage and sent a driver to the hospital in May, and an incident in January where a spooked horse ran into nearby city traffic, causing a multi-car crash.

    Previous attempts to ban the industry in past decades were derailed by pushback from city council members and the Transport Workers Union, which represents the drivers. This year, however, the proposal has the backing of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has proposed an industry transition framework to support affected workers. The plan includes promises of potential job placement, vocational training, career counseling, and financial compensation for drivers and other workers in the sector, with the mayor’s office confirming it is actively working to connect drivers to new roles. Drivers in the industry report earning between $60,000 and $70,000 annually.

    The union, however, says the proposal offers no binding guarantees for compensation or new jobs, arguing the ban will leave workers “economically wiped out.” It also raised urgent concerns about what will happen to the hundreds of horses currently working in the industry, noting that thousands of unwanted horses are sent to slaughter auctions across the U.S. every year. The proposed legislation does prohibit selling carriage horses for slaughter or reassigning them to other similar heavy work, but the union says there is no dedicated funding to support shelters or rescues that take in the animals.

    For animal rights activists, the ban marks a decades-in-the-making victory that addresses longstanding abuses. The movement to end New York’s horse-drawn carriage industry actually predates the modern animal rights movement: the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was founded in 1866, after activist Henry Bergh witnessed a carriage horse being brutally beaten in the city. Today, groups including PETA and a broad coalition of animal welfare organizations continue to back the ban, arguing that horses are not suited to stand for hours in noisy, crowded urban parks pulling passengers. Current rules allow horses to work up to nine hours a day, waiting for hire at designated park entrances, with rides costing a minimum of $72.22 for 20 minutes.

    Public opinion on the ban is deeply divided, even among tourists and visitors. German tourist Vanessa Stolle, who keeps horses at her family’s home back in Europe, said the animals do not belong in Central Park’s busy environment. “To stand the whole day here – it’s loud for them and they can’t go to the countryside,” she explained. But other visitors say the carriages are a core part of New York’s cultural identity. German tourist Christian Bauers, who first saw the horses during a visit 20 years ago, said: “It’s part of the culture of New York. Let them stay. It’s cute.”

    Many visitors who support the ban say they sympathize with the drivers facing job loss, but argue the safety risks are too high to keep the industry running. Jeanne Collopy, an animal lover from Colorado who grew up around wild horses, said: “I know there’s a union and I hate to have people out of work, but it’s a little bit confining for the horses.” Her husband Chris Koenigs added that while the horses are pleasant to observe, the death of 18-year-old Mahajan was an unacceptably high cost for preserving the tradition. “The park is magnificent,” he said. “I can’t help but think, it would be a magnificent park with or without the carriages.”

    Drivers, meanwhile, push back that New York’s carriage industry is the most heavily regulated in the country, and that many horses thrive on the daily work and stimulation of the job. “They look at an animal in harness and they see a trap,” Lawson said of city officials pushing the ban. “They see a job as something that’s terrible. Horses are working animals.” For Lawson and her fellow drivers, the ban is not just a policy change – it is the end of a lifelong passion and a livelihood they have built with the horses they love.

  • Two European women held captive for more than a year in Niger freed in Libya

    Two European women held captive for more than a year in Niger freed in Libya

    After more than 12 months held captive in Niger, two elderly European women have been released and transferred to Libyan government representatives in the eastern port city of Benghazi. The two hostages, 76-year-old Swiss national Eva Gretzmacher and 69-year-old Austrian national Claudia Abbt, were abducted separately in Agadez, a major city in northern Niger, in two separate incidents that took place in January and April of 2023 respectively.

    Public details around the kidnapping and subsequent release remain heavily limited. Authorities have not confirmed the identity of the groups that held the two women, nor have any demands connected to the captivity been made public. Multiple unofficial reports have previously connected the abductions to fighters aligned with the Islamic State militant network, and no information has been shared about the specific conditions that paved the way for the pair’s release.

    Footage broadcast by Libya’s local al-Masar TV captured the two women entering a vehicle matching the description of a medical ambulance, before receiving preliminary check-ups and care from a licensed health worker. Speaking through an interpreter in French, the pair publicly expressed gratitude to Khalifa Haftar, the top military commander who controls much of eastern Libya, and his son Saddam Haftar, for overseeing their safe release.

    Gretzmacher is no stranger to the region: she worked for years as an international aid worker and built a decades-long life in Niger prior to her kidnapping. Abbt, similarly, had resided and worked as a community outreach worker in Agadez for multiple years before her abduction. According to independent local news outlet Air Info Agadez, a repatriation flight was scheduled to depart Benghazi on Thursday, with an initial stop in Vienna to hand Gretzmacher over to Austrian officials before the aircraft continues to Switzerland to deliver Abbt to her home country’s authorities.

    The release comes against a backdrop of long-running instability across both Libya and the broader Sahel region. Libya has been locked in a fragmented political landscape since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising removed longtime authoritarian ruler Muammar Gaddafi from power. The country is currently split between two competing governing authorities: an eastern administration based in Tobruk, which is backed militarily by Haftar’s forces, and a unity government based in the western capital of Tripoli led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah.

    For its part, the Sahel region that spans across central West Africa, including Niger, has faced a surging wave of jihadist insurgent violence for more than a decade. Militant groups aligned with both al-Qaeda and Islamic State have carried out thousands of deadly attacks and targeted kidnappings of foreign nationals and local residents across the region. Niger itself also entered a new period of political uncertainty in 2023, when General Abdourahmane Tchiani led a military coup that deposed the country’s democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, placing the nation under full military rule.

  • Celebrity shark returns to South Korea canal after failed rescue

    Celebrity shark returns to South Korea canal after failed rescue

    What was supposed to be a triumphant ending to a month-long wildlife rescue operation has taken an unexpected turn in the South Korean port city of Busan: a beloved dusky shark that authorities declared successfully guided out to open waters has turned around and swum back to the narrow canal where it has been stranded for weeks.

    The 3-meter-long shark, nicknamed Bukangi after the canal where she was first spotted, became an unexpected cultural sensation across South Korea after she was first spotted lingering in the urban waterway last month. Scientists believe the predator wandered into the canal seeking two conditions that have grown increasingly common in Busan’s waters: unusually warm ocean temperatures driven by long-term climate shifts, and abundant populations of small fish to prey on. Experts warn that as regional sea temperatures continue to rise year over year, more shark sightings and unexpected incursions into urban coastal waterways could become the new normal for Busan.

    From the moment Bukangi’s presence was made public, she captured the public imagination. Over the course of her month-long stay in the canal, more than 1.6 million tourists and local residents flocked to the nearby waterfront park just to catch a glimpse of the famous shark. The unexpected viral fame gave a major boost to Busan’s local tourism sector, and city officials quickly embraced Bukangi as an unofficial, one-of-a-kind mascot for the coastal community.

    Despite the widespread affection for the stranded shark, wildlife and fisheries authorities raised urgent concerns about Bukangi’s long-term well-being in the narrow canal. Observers noted the shark appeared to have an unexplained injury, and she had not been observed feeding since arriving in the waterway. As autumn temperatures dropped, officials also warned that falling water temperatures would further weaken the large predator, putting her life at serious risk.

    That urgency led authorities to launch a third, heavily publicized rescue attempt on Wednesday, streamed live to millions of viewers across South Korea. Over the course of more than eight hours, a team of trained rescue workers carefully herded Bukangi through the canal toward the open harbor using a large containment net. Hundreds of fans gathered along the canal banks to cheer the operation and wave goodbye to their beloved local celebrity, celebrating what appeared to be a successful end to the saga.

    By Wednesday evening, South Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries officially declared the operation a success, confirming that the shark had been guided out to open water. But just 24 hours later, local media outlets confirmed a shocking development: Bukangi had broken through the protective barrier installed by authorities to prevent her return, and had swum all the way back to the mouth of her preferred canal. In response to the unexpected turn of events, officials have already scheduled a second relocation operation for Thursday to attempt to move the shark back out to open sea once again.

  • No purchase, no seats: Starbucks China rolls out new policy

    No purchase, no seats: Starbucks China rolls out new policy

    Starting Thursday, a landmark policy shift is now in effect across more than 8,000 Starbucks locations throughout China: anyone hoping to grab a seat in one of the chain’s cafes must first make a purchase. The new ‘purchase to sit’ rule, which has already seen photographic and video evidence of in-store signs circulate widely across Chinese social media this week, marks a deliberate effort by the coffee giant to upgrade the in-store experience for paying guests at a time when it faces mounting pressure from aggressive domestic competitors.

    The domestic rival that has reshaped China’s coffee market most dramatically is Luckin Coffee, a homegrown chain that surpassed Starbucks to become the country’s largest coffee chain by store count in 2023. Unlike Starbucks’ long-standing business model, which positions its cafes as welcoming third places for customers to linger, Luckin has built its success around a low-price, app-driven grab-and-go model that has eroded Starbucks’ market share in recent years. This growing competition has pushed Starbucks to reevaluate long-held in-store norms that once allowed non-paying visitors to occupy seats for hours on end.

    Reaction to the new policy among Chinese social media users has been largely supportive. Many commentators have shared frustration with chronic seat hogging, a common issue during peak cafe hours that has left paying customers unable to find available seating. One top-voted comment on Weibo noted that the rule will finally put an end to scenarios where visitors occupy tables for hours without ordering, sometimes even bringing outside coffee from competing brands while playing games or taking loud phone calls. Another user echoed this sentiment, saying they felt uncomfortable occupying a seat without a purchase and preferred leaving space open for paying customers who need it.

    This policy change is far from an isolated solution unique to Starbucks’ Chinese market. Coffee chain locations across the globe have grappled with the same problem of non-paying visitors lingering and hogging valuable seating space for extended periods. Just last month, a Starbucks location in southwestern China’s Sichuan province sparked widespread online debate after footage circulated showing outdoor seats chained shut, an apparent early attempt to block non-paying visitors from sitting. In South Korea, Starbucks implemented a ban on bulky personal items after customers began bringing full desktop computers and printers to set up long-term work stations in-store, occupying seats for entire days without increasing their spending. In North America, the chain already reversed its decades-long open-door policy that allowed non-paying guests to use seating and restrooms, announcing the change would allow the company to prioritize the needs of paying customers.

    Beyond the new seating rule, Starbucks China has outlined a broader set of upgrades aimed at improving customer experience. In a statement released Wednesday, the company announced plans to increase frontline staffing at its locations, upgrade in-store digital systems, and make other targeted investments to ensure customers receive timely, attentive service even during the busiest peak hours. The policy shift comes as Starbucks has already restructured its Chinese business operations: last year, the company sold a 60% majority stake in its China business to investment firm Boyu Capital in a $4 billion deal, a move that has given local leadership greater flexibility to adapt to the fast-changing Chinese coffee market. As China remains Starbucks’ second-largest global market, the new ‘purchase to sit’ policy signals the chain’s clear push to refocus on its paying customer base and retain its position against growing domestic competition.

  • US embassy accuses Canada of election meddling ahead of midterms

    US embassy accuses Canada of election meddling ahead of midterms

    A sharp diplomatic dispute has erupted between North American neighbors the United States and Canada, after the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa formally accused Canadian federal and provincial officials of orchestrating interference in the upcoming November 2026 U.S. midterm elections. In an official fact sheet published Wednesday, the embassy alleged that senior Canadian leaders have deliberately dismissed warnings about potential election meddling, even as cabinet ministers and provincial premiers openly lay out plans to shape American political outcomes in both government documents and public statements. The accusation comes amid already strained bilateral relations that have deteriorated further during the second term of the Donald Trump administration, rooted in months of escalating trade friction. The U.S. embassy specifically highlighted multiple high-profile actions to back its claims. It pointed to remarks from Canadian Industry Minister Mélanie Joly, who when asked about her expectations for trade tariffs if Democrats emerged victorious in the midterm contests, responded: “That’s exactly why I’m meeting so many governors and potential presidential candidates.” The embassy also called out Ontario Premier Doug Ford, claiming Ford had pressured the federal government in Ottawa to implement additional retaliatory tariffs targeting imports from key U.S. states that form the core of the current Trump administration’s political support base. The 2026 U.S. midterm elections will decide which party holds a majority in both chambers of Congress, an outcome that will shape the legislative agenda and political trajectory for the remainder of Trump’s current presidential term. When confronted with the allegations during a public appearance Wednesday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney forcefully rejected the interference claims, framing Canada’s actions as a measured, defensive response to unilateral U.S. trade policy. Carney pointed out that the U.S. was the first party to initiate restrictive trade measures against Canada, noting that all Canadian countermeasures have been designed solely to protect domestic employment, support Canadian businesses, and safeguard the national economy. “We’ve responded to those to protect Canadian jobs, to protect Canadian companies and develop our economy,” Carney stated during the event, where he alongside Joly and Ford unveiled a nearly C$9 billion ($6.2 billion) aid package to offset economic damage from U.S. tariffs. “Our response has been in the interests of Canadian workers, Canadian families and the future of this economy.” Ontario’s Doug Ford also flatly denied the accusation of election meddling, stating he has no intention of influencing U.S. domestic political outcomes. “I have no interest at all in interfering in US elections,” Ford said. “I’ll tell you what the American people want. They want certainty, they want stability. The people of the United States will make that determination in the midterms, and my focus remains entirely on delivering for the people of Ontario and all Canadians.” This is not the first time Joly has pushed back on these claims; according to Canadian public broadcaster CBC, she denied any interference last week, noting that Canadians would never accept foreign meddling in their own domestic politics, and that her recent trips across the U.S. border have solely focused on attracting new business investment to Canada – a mission she plans to continue. Tensions over trade and political interference have been building for months, ever since the Trump administration implemented new tariffs on Canadian goods, prompting Ottawa to roll out proportional retaliatory measures. Earlier this month, U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra publicly warned that American officials were closely monitoring Canadian politicians for any signs of election interference. In a tit-for-tat development this week, Trump administration officials have been accused of making inappropriate comments regarding the ongoing separatist referendum movement in the Canadian province of Alberta. That incident has sparked a public petition calling for Hoekstra to be removed from his post for undermining long-standing bilateral diplomatic relations, which has already gathered more than 280,000 signatures from Canadian citizens, amplifying the already fraught diplomatic standoff between the two allies.

  • ‘Null and void:’ Egypt condemns Turkey-Libya maritime deal, reaffirms pact with Greece

    ‘Null and void:’ Egypt condemns Turkey-Libya maritime deal, reaffirms pact with Greece

    Fresh geopolitical fault lines have re-emerged across the Eastern Mediterranean after Egypt issued a formal, categorical rejection of the recently ratified maritime boundary agreement between Turkey and eastern Libya, labeling the pact entirely null and void while reaffirming its own 2020 demarcation deal with neighboring Greece.

    In an official statement released Wednesday, Egypt’s foreign ministry doubled down on its position, stating that the memorandum of understanding between Turkey and eastern Libya carries no legal weight, and that its recent ratification by the Libyan House of Representatives holds no legal ramifications for Cairo whatsoever.

    The sharp rebuke comes just one day after the Libyan House of Representatives — based in the Haftar-controlled eastern region of the divided North African country — delivered a surprising unanimous vote to approve the agreement, a deal that the body had publicly opposed for nearly five years. The accord was first signed in 2019 with Libya’s UN-backed Tripoli-based Government of National Accord, and its ratification marks a significant shift in eastern Libya’s foreign policy amid shifting power dynamics within the region.

    Libya has remained politically split since 2014, with eastern authorities led by veteran general Khalifa Haftar opposing the Tripoli-based central government. Back in 2019, Haftar launched a major military offensive to seize Tripoli, a campaign that ultimately failed after Turkey deployed military advisors, weapons, and mercenary support to prop up the Tripoli government. At the time, Egypt, alongside the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, threw its backing behind Haftar. But in recent years, Haftar’s son and designated political heir Saddam Haftar has actively cultivated closer bilateral ties with Ankara, as the general’s family pursues new alliances to solidify their hold on power in any future Libyan power-sharing arrangement. Saddam Haftar personally welcomed the deal’s ratification in a social media post Tuesday, and regional diplomatic sources indicate he is actively seeking Turkish backing for a broader national power-sharing agreement with Tripoli’s current leaders.

    The 2019 Turkish-Libyan agreement sparked immediate alarm across Athens and Cairo from its inception, as the deal enshrines sweeping Turkish territorial claims to large swathes of the Eastern Mediterranean, a region rich in untapped offshore energy reserves. To counter the Turkish-Libyan pact, Greece and Egypt moved quickly to sign their own mutually agreed maritime boundary demarcation agreement in 2020, a deal that directly contradicts the territorial terms laid out by Ankara and Tripoli in 2019.

    Cairo’s latest rejection of the eastern Libya-Turkey deal holds particular significance because Egypt has long been aligned with eastern Libya’s leadership. While Egypt and Turkey have pursued a gradual rapprochement in recent years, coordinating policy on regional flashpoints including the Horn of Africa, the maritime dispute remains a core sticking point between the two former rivals. Last year, Athens formally requested Cairo’s support to prevent eastern Libyan lawmakers from moving forward with ratification of the agreement, and just days before Egypt’s latest statement, an Egyptian diplomatic delegation traveled to Athens to hold in-depth consultations with Greek officials on the Libyan situation.

    Though Cairo was ultimately unable to block the ratification, diplomatic observers note that Wednesday’s statement will be well received by Athens, which has long counted Egypt as a key partner in its decades-long maritime dispute with Ankara.

    The broader confrontation between Greece and Turkey over Eastern Mediterranean maritime rights stretches back decades, rooted in conflicting interpretations of international maritime law. Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) — the global framework governing ocean sovereignty — coastal states are permitted to claim up to 12 nautical miles of territorial sea, and up to 200 nautical miles of an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), where they hold exclusive rights to exploit offshore resources including fishing stocks and fossil fuel deposits.

    Greece, which controls hundreds of islands across the Aegean Sea, has long avoided extending its territorial waters to the full 12 nautical limit permitted under UNCLOS after Turkey’s parliament issued a formal declaration in 1995 that any such move would be considered a casus belli, or a formal justification for war. On the issue of EEZs, Greece holds that all of its islands — regardless of size — are legally entitled to their own exclusive economic zones, a position Ankara has repeatedly rejected. Turkey is one of the only United Nations member states that has not ratified UNCLOS.

    The 2020 agreement between Greece and Egypt recognizes Greek EEZ claims around large Greek islands including Rhodes and Crete, but intentionally excluded smaller islands like the 12-square-kilometer Kastellorizo, in a compromise designed to leave space for future negotiations between Cairo and Ankara. Greece has repeatedly offered to resolve the full EEZ and continental shelf dispute through arbitration at the International Court of Justice, but has stated it will not negotiate over the sovereign territory of its islands, including their territorial waters and airspace — an offer Turkey has repeatedly refused.

    Egypt is far from the only regional power to condemn the newly ratified deal. Israel’s foreign ministry issued its own statement Wednesday accusing Turkey of actively working to destabilize the Eastern Mediterranean region. The ratification also comes just weeks after a high-profile, controversial meeting between Saddam Haftar and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the United Arab Emirates, a meeting that sent shockwaves across the region. The European Union also issued a formal condemnation, stating that the Turkish-Libya deal violates the terms of UNCLOS.

    Responding to widespread international criticism on Wednesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan defended the agreement as entirely legitimate under both international and domestic law. “There are countries reacting to this. We know why they are reacting. Some are doing so because they need to; some really do have strategic problems with this issue. However, this is an entirely legitimate deal, both from a legal and a statutory perspective. There is no need to argue this,” Fidan told reporters.

  • What it’s like to be Palestine’s 17-year-old chess grand master

    What it’s like to be Palestine’s 17-year-old chess grand master

    Raised in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, Mohammed Seder first discovered his love for chess at just 5 years old, spending his after-school hours working through chess puzzles at home. His early aptitude for the game caught the eye of his father Naji Sider, a former Palestinian national chess champion, who quickly recognized the family’s inherited chess talent and began formal training for his son. By age 10, Seder was competing in official chess tournaments, and today at 17, he stands as Palestine’s highest-ranked chess player, holding a FIDE (International Chess Federation) rating of 2235 that earns him the grand master title. His 12-year-old sister Randa Seder has also made a name for herself in the sport, recently claiming the 2026 Palestine Women’s Classical Chess Championship title, and previously making history as the youngest ever participant at the 2022 FIDE Chess Olympiad in Mamallapuram, India.

    Seder has already secured two Palestinian National Chess Championship titles, and has claimed Arab chess championship wins in the under-8, under-10 and under-14 age categories, representing Palestine at dozens of international events and chess olympiads across more than 20 countries. Speaking to Middle East Eye, the teen champion shared that his local fame precedes him even at school, where teachers often know his reputation before their first class with him, and his tournament wins for the school are celebrated as major community achievements. For Seder, every international appearance carries dual weight: immense pride in flying the Palestinian flag, and a deep sense of responsibility to showcase the world the depth of talent and intelligence among Palestinian people.

    A meticulous competitor, Seder prepares for every match by researching his opponent’s full profile, including their signature playing styles, preferred opening moves, and common problem-solving patterns, before working with his coaches to craft targeted game plans. He also swears by non-strategic preparation steps: prioritizing sufficient sleep, and eating carb-heavy but light meals before matches, a lesson he learned the hard way after overeating at a Turkish restaurant in Dusseldorf, Germany, and losing a key match when heavy food made him drowsy. When he cannot travel for in-person tournaments, he keeps his skills sharp by playing daily on open online chess platforms including Lichess and Chess.com.

    Currently in his final year of secondary school, Seder is preparing to sit for the Palestinian Tawjihi general secondary exam, a high-stakes assessment in a society that values academic excellence deeply, with a 99 percent youth literacy rate across Palestine. He is aiming for top marks to secure a full scholarship to study computer science or engineering at a U.S. or European university, with his top pick being Saint Louis University in Missouri, renowned for its world-class collegiate chess program. Even as he seeks educational and competitive opportunities abroad, Seder emphasizes that his connection to his homeland outweighs all his chess ambitions: “My land is much more important to me than chess. If I leave Palestine for some years, I will come back for sure.”

    Despite his extraordinary talent, Seder’s path to advancing his chess career is blocked by systemic barriers facing Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. The network of Israeli military checkpoints across the territory turns short 60-kilometer trips between Hebron and cities like Ramallah, Nablus or Jenin into grueling, dangerous journeys that can stretch 5 to 12 hours. In recent years, settler violence and Israeli military raids in Hebron have escalated sharply; just days before the interview, the Israeli military demolished an entire Hebron neighborhood and forcibly displaced more than 2,670 Palestinian residents as collective punishment following an attack on a nearby military checkpoint. Seder has faced repeated arbitrary detentions during travel, including being held at a border crossing en route to a Kuwait tournament, and once being forced out of his car by Israeli soldiers and made to wait by the roadside for two hours with no stated reason. Two months prior to the interview, Israeli soldiers raided the Seder family home at night and arrested his father, who was released only after several hours in custody.

    Palestine’s domestic chess scene also suffers from a near-total lack of corporate sponsorship and public funding, severely limiting access to high-level competitive events. Seder’s next career milestone is reaching a FIDE rating of 2400 to earn the International Master title, a goal that requires competing in 3 to 4 high-level tournaments per month against existing International Master ranked players. In 2026 alone, he has only been able to participate in one official tournament, leading him to warn that if he remains in Palestine long-term, his promising chess career will stagnate and end prematurely.

  • Gulf exports more oil than it did before Iran war despite surge in Hormuz attacks

    Gulf exports more oil than it did before Iran war despite surge in Hormuz attacks

    Against a backdrop of escalating geopolitical friction following the outbreak of the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran in late February, Middle Eastern Gulf states have managed to push total oil exports above pre-conflict levels, using creative workarounds to blunt Iranian efforts to assert control over the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz, even as new threats of expanded military action loom from Washington and Tel Aviv.

    New data from leading energy analytics firm Kpler shows that for the week ending October 18, Gulf crude and product exports hit 24.6 million barrels per day (bpd), topping the pre-war baseline of 23.3 million bpd. This export growth comes amid a sharp spike in Iranian targeting of commercial shipping transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow chokepoint through which roughly a fifth of global oil supplies normally pass.

    According to updates from United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), at least 12 separate vessel attacks were recorded in the waterway last week alone. One of the most high-profile incidents saw a fully loaded UAE-owned container ship sink after sustaining damage from what is believed to be a projectile strike.

    To avoid the rising risks of direct passage through the Strait, Gulf exporters have widely adopted ship-to-ship transfer operations. Under this model, smaller shuttle vessels load crude from Gulf ports, then carry the cargo out to giant very large crude carriers (VLCCs) waiting in international waters outside the Strait. Amid growing safety concerns and soaring insurance premiums that have pushed most private shipping owners away from the high-risk zone, many Gulf states are now deploying their own national tanker fleets to handle these transfers.

    Top regional exporter Saudi Arabia has also diversified its export routes to reduce reliance on the Strait, ramping up shipments through the Red Sea. After Houthi forces in Yemen imposed an embargo on Saudi-flagged vessels using the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the kingdom shifted to an alternative pipeline corridor that runs through Egyptian territory to the Mediterranean coast, allowing it to continue accessing Asian markets without passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

    Kpler data confirms that direct shipments through the Strait of Hormuz still remain more than 30 percent lower than pre-war levels, a clear sign that Iranian actions continue to deter regular transits. But the success of alternative logistics routes has drastically reduced Tehran’s leverage over global oil supplies: as of September, 40 percent of all non-Iranian crude exported from Gulf states bypassed the Strait entirely, up from just 17 percent before the outbreak of conflict.

    Regional governments are now moving to lock in these gains with permanent bypass infrastructure. In July, Iraq, OPEC’s second-largest producer, signed a deal with Syria to rehabilitate an existing pipeline connecting Iraq’s northern oil fields directly to Syria’s Mediterranean export terminals. Middle East Eye first broke news of the project, which has received backing from the United States.

    Even with overall exports now above pre-war levels, global energy markets have not seen a corresponding drop in prices. International benchmark Brent crude has remained stable around $109 per barrel, and prices for refined products – most notably diesel – have jumped sharply in recent weeks. Much of this upward pressure stems from skyrocketing shipping costs: the workaround logistics required to bypass Hormuz have increased demand for tanker tonnage and extended voyage lengths, tightening available vessel supply and pushing up freight rates.

    The unexpected rebound in Gulf oil exports comes at a sensitive moment, as U.S. and Israeli officials openly discuss plans for a new round of military strikes against Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed this week his commitment to removing the Islamic Republic’s government, repeating claims that Tehran is moving forward with restarting its nuclear weapons program. Earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump, in a public endorsement of Netanyahu ahead of Israel’s upcoming general election, said he looked to Netanyahu to help “finish the job” against Iran.