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Former Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has spent years risking her life defying President Nicolas Maduro. The 58-year-old industrial engineer, now in hiding, won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to move Venezuela from “dictatorship to democracy.”

At least 36 people, including journalists, were injured in attacks by Israeli military forces and illegal settlers in towns near Nablus in the occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

In a statement on Friday, the ministry said two people were wounded by live fire, while many others were injured as a result of beatings and physical assaults.

The attacks by illegal settlers and Israeli soldiers took place in the towns of Beita, Huwara, and Deir Sharaf in the Nablus governorate .

According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, illegal settlers attacked Palestinian farmers while they were harvesting olives in the Jabal Qamas area of Beita, beating them and setting fire to three vehicles, one of which belonged to AFP photographer Jaafar Ishtayeh.

“In my 30-year career, this is the first time I have faced violence of this kind,” Ishtayeh said. “If I hadn’t managed to escape, they would have killed me.”

Shortly after midday (09:00 GMT), two groups of Israeli settlers armed with sticks and stones – numbering around 70 people in total – attacked the olive pickers and journalists at the scene.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society said it treated seven people who were injured, including journalists Ishtayeh and Wahaj Bani Moufleh.

Two other journalists, Yazan Hamayel and Sujja al-Alami, suffered from tear gas inhalation, Wafa said.

Israeli soldiers also raided the area, firing stun grenades and tear gas at the residents, causing several cases of suffocation.

Violence escalates during olive harvests

Hit by several stones in the back, arm and hand, photographer Ishtayeh was discharged from hospital in the afternoon and is suffering from bruising, AFP said.

His car, along with a handful of others parked at a safe distance from the field, was stoned and then set on fire.

Ishtayeh said Israeli soldiers who were present before the attack did nothing to stop the settlers from advancing.

Israeli forces stormed Nablus earlier in the day as well, arresting resident Sidqi al-Aghbar after searching his home.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces also raided the nearby city Tubas.

Local sources told Wafa that Israeli forces stormed the city with several military vehicles from the Tayasir military checkpoint. Soldiers were also deployed in more than one location and pursued a young man.

In the el-Bireh governorate in the central West Bank, Israeli forces arrested six Palestinians while they were collecting olives in the village of Kafr Nima, west of Ramallah. The arrests took place after settlers assaulted them in the area.

These attacks by settlers often escalate during the olive harvest season, a vital time of year that provides a key source of livelihood for many Palestinian families.

Ishtayeh said he had been covering the olive harvest in the village of Beita, particularly looking at the work of Israeli and foreign peace activists who had come to support residents in the face of repeated settler attacks during the harvest season.

More than 700,000 settlers live in 150 settlements and 128 outposts – both illegal under international law – dotting the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Settlers are often armed and frequently accompanied or protected by Israeli soldiers. In addition to destroying Palestinian property, they have carried out arson attacks and killed Palestinian residents.

According to official Palestinian figures, more than 1,000 Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed by settlers and Israeli army soldiers, and over 20,000 have been arrested, since the genocide in Gaza began two years ago.

Families eager to return to what’s left of their homes are walking back to Gaza City as Israel begins its withdrawal under the new ceasefire agreement.

Who: Portugal vs Republic of Ireland
What: UEFA World Cup qualifier
Where: Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon, Portugal
When: Saturday, October 11, at 7:45pm (18:45 GMT)

Portugal will seek to strengthen their grip on Group F in their UEFA World Cup qualifying campaign when they face the winless Republic of Ireland in Lisbon on Saturday.

The Portuguese stormed to the UEFA Nations League title earlier this year and are part of the group of football teams that have belatedly joined the qualifiers for the FIFA 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at the match that could put one foot in next year’s final for Portugal, while it’s a must-win for the Irish.

How have Portugal fared in their World Cup qualifiers so far?

Portugal have won both their opening qualifiers in Group F, winning 5-0 in Armenia in their first match and 3-2 in Hungary in their second game.

How have Ireland fared in their World Cup qualifiers so far?

Ireland came from two behind in Dublin to draw 2-2 in their opening Group F match against 10-man Hungary. Adam Idah scored the leveller in the 90th minute. The Irish fell two behind once again in their second match, away to Armenia, but Evan Ferguson’s 57th-minute strike did not set up another comeback on this occasion, with the hosts holding on for a 2-1 win.

Why have Portugal and Ireland only recently joined the World Cup qualifying process?

Portugal and Ireland, along with 22 other teams, are only joining the qualifying programme for the World Cup now due to the progress of some of the top seeds in the 2025 Nations League, which culminated in June.

Portugal were crowned champions as they beat Spain 5-3 on penalties in the 2025 final.

Portugal beat Germany in the semifinal, while Spain overcame France. The rest of the qualifiers for the latter stages of that tournament are also only entering the World Cup qualifiers now.

The spots are filling up.⏳🏆 @aramco | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/3opHdZQUDX

What happened the last time Portugal played Ireland?

Portugal beat Ireland 3-0 in a friendly match in June 2024 in the last meeting between the sides.

Joao Felix gave the Portuguese the lead in the first half of the match in Aveiro, before Cristiano Ronaldo bagged a brace to seal the win.

The last competitive meeting between the sides was in a World Cup qualifier in 2021, which ended in a 0-0 draw in Ireland. Portugal won the reverse fixture 3-1, aiding their qualification for the Qatar 2022 World Cup. Ireland failed to qualify.

Roberto Martinez says Cristiano Ronaldo has lost none of his hunger

“Normally, when a player wins or achieves something, the next morning they don’t have the same hunger. But I haven’t seen that with Cristiano Ronaldo,” Martinez said ahead of the Ireland match.

“With him, the next morning is an opportunity to become better and win again. This is unique. I cannot explain it.

“He’s had a 20-year career. He’s not the same player as he was before, but he always finds a way to be useful. And he’s an example to the others. His love of playing football and the national team is there for all to see. He has played more than 200 games and continues to set an example. He will be remembered forever.

On the qualification process, Martinez added: “The national team’s focus is on trying to qualify. We continue step by step. The training camp in September was very good, but we can’t lose what we did in September. Our focus is on trying to be at the best level against Ireland.”

Ireland need ‘almost perfect game’ against Portugal

“We know that we need to have almost a perfect game to get something from this match,” Heimir Hallgrimsson, the Republic of Ireland coach, said.

“If we do, we have a chance to steal a point or to win the game. Obviously, we need to try to keep a clean sheet. That’s always going to make it easier.

“We have a game plan that we think is going to work. We’ll see if that materialises. But obviously, if you look at the table, we need at least a minimum three points from this camp. And for obvious reasons, it’s probably the Armenia game that everybody is saying: ‘OK, we can have a good performance and a better performance than in Armenia and get three points there.’”

Head-to-head

This is only the 17th meeting between the European sides, with Portugal winning nine and Ireland winning four.

Ireland’s last win in the fixture came in a friendly between the sides in 2005, courtesy of Andy O’Brien’s solitary strike in Dublin. There have been four subsequent matches, of which Portugal have won three.

Ireland’s last competitive win against Portugal came in a European Championships qualifier in 1995.

The fixture dates back to 1946 and began with a 3-1 home win for Portugal in a friendly.

Portugal form

W-W-W-W-W

Republic of Ireland form

W-D-D-D-L

Portugal team news

Midfielder Joao Neves and defender Joao Cancelo are both absent due to hamstring injuries.

Republic of Ireland team news

The Irish have been hit by an extensive injury list, including Matt Doherty, Jason Knight, Bosun Lawal, Callum O’Dowda and Sammie Szmodics

Striker Troy Parrott made a substitute appearance in a match with  AZ Alkmaar at the weekend, and returns to the Ireland squad, having missed the last two internationals due to injury.

Portugal predicted starting lineup

Costa; Dalot, Dias, Inacio, Mendes; Bernardo, Vitinha, Fernandes; Conceicao, Ronaldo, Neto

Republic of Ireland possible starting lineup