New explosions and air raid sirens reported in Bahrain amid Middle East conflict
via Le Matin1 min read
New explosions and air raid sirens have been reported in Bahrain. Iran previously stated it struck Bahrain, which hosts US bases, in retaliation for American strikes on its territory, following Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Qatar, a mediator in talks between Iran and the United States, condemned Iran's strikes in Kuwait and Bahrain on Wednesday. Qatar called for de-escalation, emphasizing the need to protect the region from the repercussions of these unjustified attacks, pursue dialogue and diplomacy, reduce tensions, and build on the achievements of the June 17 Iranian-American memorandum of understanding.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Matin.
Must ReadThe United Nations' 2026 report indicates that while the Sustainable Development Goals SDGs have yielded concrete results since 2015, an unprecedented global effort is required in the next four years to meet the Agenda 2030 commitments. Targeted investments, effective public policies, and international cooperation have improved the lives of billions, with nearly one billion people gaining access to safely managed drinking water and 1.2 billion to improved sanitation services. New HIV infections decreased by 30% and AIDS-related deaths by 35% between 2015 and 2024. Global electricity access reached 92%, and internet use rose from 40% to 74% of the population. Over half of the world's population now has some form of social protection. These advancements are partly attributed to better data availability, with a global database of over 3.2 million data points now tracking SDG indicators. Despite these positive developments, significant delays persist. Only 36% of the 139 targets with available data are on track or showing moderate progress, while nearly half are advancing too slowly, and 15% have regressed since 2015. Challenges include one in ten people living in extreme poverty, 2.3 billion suffering from moderate or severe food insecurity, and over 150 million children experiencing stunted growth. Maternal mortality remains nearly three times the global target, and no gender equality targets are on track. Climate change-related disasters have more than doubled since 2015, comp
Must ReadThe 2026 World Cup quarter-finals will feature a highly anticipated match between France and Morocco on Thursday at 9 PM in Boston, a rematch of their 2022 World Cup semi-final. On Friday at 8 PM, Spain will face Belgium in Los Angeles. Saturday's matches include Norway against England at 10 PM in Miami, followed by reigning world champions Argentina taking on Switzerland at 2 AM in Kansas City. Six of the eight qualified teams are European: France, Spain, Belgium, Norway, England, and Switzerland, highlighting European football's dominance. Morocco represents the African continent, while Argentina is the sole South American representative still in contention.
BreakingOil prices experienced a significant increase, with Brent crude for September delivery rising by 5.26% to $78.06 per barrel, and West Texas Intermediate for August delivery climbing 5.32% to $74.19 per barrel. This surge followed an announcement by US President Donald Trump in Ankara, where he stated that the ceasefire with Iran was "over." Trump described the Iranians as "liars" and referred to Iran as a "sick" country, adding that negotiating with them was "simply a waste of time."