Canada to retaliate for US tariffs, worsening ties after talks fail

Syria has strongly condemned Israeli airstrikes on the Abu al-Duhur Military Airbase in Idlib province, calling the attack a serious violation of its sovereignty. The Syrian Foreign Ministry said the strikes were an unjustified act of aggression. It warned that continued Israeli attacks could further destabilise the region. According to Syrian state media, Israeli aircraft carried out several strikes on the abandoned military airbase early Tuesday. The attacks targeted the runway and caused damage to the facility’s infrastructure. No casualties were reported in the strikes. The Syrian Foreign Ministry said the attacks were particularly concerning as Damascus was seeking to maintain stability and avoid further escalation in the region. It accused Israel of undermining those efforts and increasing tensions through repeated military operations inside Syrian territory. The ministry said Israeli attacks had continued since December 2024. It argued that the repeated strikes threatened Syria’s territorial integrity and regional security. The Abu al-Duhur airbase is located in the eastern countryside of Idlib in northern Syria. The facility has been largely inactive, but its strategic military infrastructure has remained a target during Israel’s operations in Syria. Israel has carried out numerous strikes in Syria in recent years. Its operations have previously targeted weapons depots, missile facilities and military positions linked to Iranian forces and Hezbollah. The latest strikes also drew concern from Washington. US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said the United States was “deeply concerned” about the Israeli operation. He described the strikes as an unnecessary escalation that would not contribute to regional stability. Barrack said Syria’s current government had not adopted what he called a predatory approach or maintained proxy forces. He added that Damascus had repeatedly indicated a preference for reducing tensions with Israel. The US envoy said Washington remained willing to support diplomatic efforts between the two sides. He stressed that dialogue should be prioritised over military escalation. The latest developments come amid continued instability in Syria following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad government. Israel has expanded its military activity in Syria since then, citing security concerns. Damascus has repeatedly condemned Israeli military operations and called for respect for Syrian sovereignty.

Poland’s main opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party has fractured following a severe internal dispute over its political strategy, with former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and dozens of his allies breaking ranks with longtime leader Jarosław Kaczyński. The split occurred after Kaczyński issued an ultimatum demanding all PiS lawmakers sign a strict loyalty oath committing them not to collaborate with outside political groups. Dozens of parliamentarians, led by Morawiecki, refused to sign the pledge before the deadline, leading Kaczyński to declare that those who abstained had effectively resigned from the party. The former prime minister confirmed that his faction includes 40 members of parliament, three members of the European Parliament, and one senator, though he maintained that his group sought to preserve unity while broadening the right-wing electoral base toward younger, centre-right voters. The division threatens PiS’s status as the largest party in the Polish parliament, a position it held despite losing power to Donald Tusk’s pro-European coalition in 2023. As the conservative vote increasingly fragments across competing factions ahead of the 2027 parliamentary elections, the formal expulsion of the dissident lawmakers is scheduled to be processed at a party leadership meeting.

SEATTLE: Three people were killed and four others, including a toddler, were wounded after gunfire erupted at a food festival in downtown Seattle, US authorities said. The shooting took place on Sunday evening at Seattle Center, where the annual Bite of Seattle food festival was being held. Police said one suspect was taken into custody following the incident. Investigators believe another person may have been involved and were searching for the second suspect. Seattle Police Department Assistant Chief Tyrone Davis said one of the injured victims later died in hospital. The death raised the confirmed toll to three. The four surviving victims were receiving medical treatment and were reported to be in stable condition. Witnesses said several gunshots were heard at around 6pm local time. The sound of gunfire caused panic at the busy festival, which had attracted visitors for food and entertainment. Police quickly responded to the scene and secured the area. Officers established a perimeter while emergency teams treated the injured and investigators began collecting evidence. Authorities have not yet disclosed the identities of the victims. The circumstances that led to the shooting also remain under investigation. Officials are working to determine whether the incident was targeted or resulted from another dispute. Police have not yet provided a clear motive. Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson condemned the shooting as a horrific act of violence. She expressed sympathy for the victims, their families and others affected by the incident. The shooting occurred during a public event intended to bring people together for food, culture and entertainment. The violence has therefore caused widespread shock among residents and festival attendees. Authorities are continuing their investigation and have urged anyone with information about the shooting to cooperate with investigators.

Spain has deployed armed forces to reinforce civil guard units in its North African enclave of Ceuta after thousands of migrants swam around border jetties from Morocco, resulting in chaos and at least 15 drownings. The influx follows a recent Spanish Supreme Court ruling prohibiting the summary return of migrants intercepted at sea, a move Spain’s interior ministry claims human trafficking networks have exploited to drive illegal crossings. The sudden security breakdown has triggered a diplomatic dispute within Europe, with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announcing that Italy is considering suspending the open-border Schengen agreement with Spain in response to the crisis. Spanish Foreign Minister José Luis Albares condemned the statement, accusing Italy of political demagoguery instead of displaying European solidarity. As local reception centres in Ceuta remain severely overwhelmed, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pledged immediate government intervention to restore order along the European Union’s land border with Africa.