Thailand’s new prime minister has stated that his country will propose a referendum to resolve a de facto dispute with its neighbor, Cambodia, regarding a demarcation agreement.
The government will demand a vote on whether Thailand should revoke the country’s existing memorandum of understanding regarding border issues, according to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Monday.
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Thailand and Cambodia have long had disagreements over undefined points along their 817 km (508 km) land border, but tensions sharply increased during a five-day conflict in July. On July 28, Malaysia brokered a ceasefire, which brought the fighting to an end.
At least 48 people were killed and hundreds of thousands were temporarily displaced in the worst fighting between the two nations in a decade.
The two nations have relied on an agreement signed in 2000 that provides the framework for joint surveys and land boundaries’ demarcation for years.
Anutin Charnvirakul addresses the Thai Parliament on September 29, 2025 [Chalinee Thirasupa/Reuters]
In a different agreement signed in 2001, it established a framework for cooperation and potential resource sharing in both nations’ maritime regions.
However, the agreements have received a lot of public scrutiny in Thailand over the past ten years, particularly in the wake of the most recent conflict.
The new referendum, in Charnvirakul’s opinion, would give a clear mandate on the subject of the agreements.
Political scientist Panitan Wattanayagorn, a student at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University, warned against the termination of the agreements as a solution.
He told the Reuters news agency, “They may not be a direct solution to the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia because it could leave a hole.”
He said Cambodia needs to agree on this and the government must make it clear what will replace them.
A gunman opened fire on a Mormon church in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, setting the structure on fire before setting it on fire. Before the suspect was shot and killed, at least four people were killed.
Gaza, Nuseirat – As Gaza’s entire population suffered as a result of Israel’s siege and food shortages, my family had to find creative ways to expand their food supplies while making up for lost ingredients.
We experimented with new recipes, created combinations we never imagined trying, and managed to come up with some solutions that would help us a bit to endure the harsh realities of famine and survive as best we could.
converting pasta and lentils into bread
We used pasta to make our bread when the wheat flour ran out, as almost everyone in Gaza did.
Bread is a core part of our eating habits, and the current famine means there is nothing else in the market – no fruits, vegetables, eggs, cheese, chicken, or meat.
Instead of cooking and eating pasta as is, people in this country prefer to make bread with it. Unlike pasta, which is typically meant for lunch, bread can be consumed at every meal.
We also genuinely believe bread is more filling and keeps us satisfied longer.
At the beginning of June, we first attempted to make pasta bread. Doha, my brother Fady’s wife, got in touch with her family, who had been surviving on pasta bread for some time.
Doha started working on the recipe with the help of my mum, Saham.
The pasta was soaked until it was soft, then it was kneaded until it came together as a dough. It requires a lot more time and perseverance, and the bread texture is a little different from flour-only bread.
After shaping the dough as usual, my brother, Fady, 35, went out to bake the bread in a communal oven, where he had to wait in line for about 30-45 minutes for his turn.
We were all interested in the taste when Fady returned with the bread. Our impression of reassurance was helped by the bread’s appearance, which was not significantly different from our regular bread.
When we shared a loaf to taste it, the flavour was acceptable, and we were happy – it would serve the purpose.
However, pasta became scarce and cost skyrocketed over the next few weeks as more and more people in Gaza relied on it to make bread.
Many people, including my family, were unable to pay for it, so we had to look for a substitute in July.
So we thought: Maybe lentils would work for making “fake” bread in Gaza.
[Photo by Deema Fayad] The lentil bread had an odd flavor, which only got worse the next day.
Following a friend’s recipe, Fady milled lentils into flour before handing them to us to knead them with some wheat flour, as we had done with the pasta.
But lentil dough was far harder to work with than pasta dough, taking my mum and me forever to turn into dough. And it didn’t taste good either, instead tasting more like lentils.
We tried to avoid the odd lentil taste while eating, but it was a major disappointment. Yet we had to eat whatever was available, we simply don’t have the luxury of choice.
The lentil bread got drier, harder, and more and more difficult the next day, making each bite feel like a rock in your throat.
We tried to eat it with Dukkah, our standard breakfast and dinner, after heating it up to make it softer and edible.
Dukkah is a mix of toasted wheat and spices, like dried coriander and dill seeds, ground up and combined with sesame seeds – but in these lean times, we make it with lentils instead, like everyone else in Gaza.
My brother Fady began making terribly funny jokes about how we were consuming dukkah, which was also made of lentils.
We never made lentil bread again despite the fact that many people chose it as their only option because we preferred the taste of cooked lentils cooked on their own rather than in bread form.
A burger treat, but faked
I left my sister Fidaa at home on May 11 while I was volunteering at a shelter in Deir el-Balah, knowing that I was only a short drive away from her place.
My 37-year-old sister, who lost her lovely home in Khan Younis, works as a WASH officer and shares a shared shelter with her coworkers.
Fidaa was in her small cooking space in the shared kitchen, getting ready to prepare something.
She responded, “Fake burgers from canned meat and lentils,” with a sarcastic smile. The recipe is from a neighborhood Facebook group I found.
She wanted to make it as a special treat for her four little children – Basma, Ward, Assem, and Omar Abu Daqqa.
Because the canned meat we used wasn’t made for these purposes, I began to help her shape the patties.
We added some meat spices hoping it would give it a dash of familiar taste because it was ready-to-eat and very different from fresh meat in both texture and definitely taste.
The author’s sister tried making ‘ fake ‘ burgers using canned meat and lentils]Deema Fayyad/Al Jazeera]
My sister’s husband, Anas, went to the balcony to chop the wood and start the fire so we could fry the patties, while Anas and I played in the room while the kids were waiting for lunch.
My sister brought the burgers back the same day with the same sarcastic smile on her face as she had done them. Their smell wasn’t bad, but their texture was disastrous. Fidaa was unable to remove a few of the round patties from the pan because they were so soft and crumbly.
Because we didn’t have any buns to use as sandwiches, we instead made them out of regular flatbread and some cucumbers.
When we first tasted it, we agreed that it didn’t taste too bad, but with the next few bites, we weren’t so sure.
Although I’m not sure if our fake burgers were good, they were all eaten.
Snacks
We tried making fake snacks in an effort to lessen the suffering caused by this cruel famine for both ourselves and our children.
In June, Doha made chocolate spread from the halva that we used to get in the aid kits before the complete blockade.
Tahini and sweeteners are used to make the region’s famous halva. It has the same flavor as the aid kits, but it can either taste good or be cheap.
Doha added water to the halva and mixed it until it was a liquid sauce, then added a lot of cocoa and heated the mixture over the open fire.
The cocoa served as the spread’s only flavor because it was still halve-free, and we were happy to use it to make our breakfast sandwiches.
Mohammed and Adam, my two youngest nephews, were thrilled and asked their mother to keep making it, but she only succeeded in making it once or twice before the cocoa ran out.
As a salty treat, we made fake chips by frying pasta and adding spices to it – a famous famine snack.
A friend and neighbor, Afnan Baraka, roasted chickpeas to replace nuts on Friday, and then sprinkled them with spices.
Nuts are a very well-liked snack in Gaza. We used to enjoy nuts anytime, anywhere, salted and flavoured with various spices.
We all learned something new when Afnan made the chickpea nuts. It was a really good substitute for what we really liked, though. Yet, it’s not easy to prepare often, as it all is made over an open fire, consuming time, effort and many smoky tears.
[Deema Fayad/Al Jazeera] Chickpeas can be roasted and flavored to replace nuts.
We eat essentially the same foods, including lentils, pasta, and chickpeas, but my family frequently jokes that we do the same.
They were common in the aid kits distributed by UNRWA before the blockade in March. Even these foods have since become indisputable and expensive.
My sister Mariam made a bitter joke about how important it is to give pasta and legumes for sticking with us and providing them with alternatives for as long as they did.
But for me, and I think for many others, we feel a deep need for compensation.
I want to eat anything and everything after this terrible blockade is over, aside from the foods I consumed during these illiberal days.
I’d like to be compensated. Compensation for every time I craved fruit, vegetables, eggs, chicken, or anything fresh and found none. I was unable to eat or feel dizzy at all.
In a busy residential area of Gaza City, Al Jazeera’s Ibrahim al-Khalili captured the moment an Israeli bomb targeted a building behind him. More than 40 people were killed in the strip’s numerous attacks on Sunday, according to one of them.
To celebrate India’s victory in the Asia Cup final against their regional arch foes, India’s prime minister Narendra Modi has contentiously invoked the conflict with Pakistan in May, which sparked a fifth all-out war.
On the games field, “#OperationSindoor.” India wins, and the outcome is the same! Congratulations to our cricketers,” Modi posted on X on Monday.
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In May, Modi made reference to the four-day conflict between the two countries, with an emphasis on India-administered Kashmir, following an attack that India blamed Pakistan for killing 22 tourists, an accusation Islamabad vehemently refutes.
In response to the attack, Modi declared “Operation Sindoor,” which heightened tensions and caused Pakistan to retaliate. More than 70 people were killed in the brief conflict by missile and drone attacks, with both parties claiming victory.
An Indian naval officer in June acknowledged that the country lost a number of fighter jets to Pakistani fire during their May-torn conflict and that the government had “constraints” placed on Indian forces in New Delhi.
As tensions between India and Pakistan continue to be high, Indian cricket players and Pakistani counterparts have exchanged other insults after refusing to shake hands in the Asia Cup final.
After India defeated Pakistan by five wickets on Sunday at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Mohsin Naqvi, the country’s interior minister, and the Asia Cricket Council (ACC) chief Mohsin Naqvi, the country’s interior minister, refused to accept the trophy.
Former New Zealand cricketer and broadcaster Simon Doull announced, citing the ACC, that the Indian team would not be able to collect their awards because of the tensions.
Abrar Ahmed of Pakistan congratulates Sanju Samson of India [Satish Kumar/Reuters]
In any of the three matches the two teams played, the Indian team refused to shake hands with the Pakistan team.
Naqvi reportedly refused to leave the award-giving ceremony altogether.
Indian players Tilak Varma, who won the player-of-the-match award, Abhishek Sharma, who won the player-of-the-tournament award, and Kuldeep Yadav, who won the most valuable player award, showed up to accept their individual awards, but did not acknowledge Naqvi.
The only other audience member on stage who did not applaud the Indian trio was the Pakistani official.
Yadav claimed he had “never seen” a winning team deny their trophy during a post-game press conference.
Salman Agha, the captain of Pakistan, claimed that India’s conduct at the tournament was “bad for cricket.”
A good team doesn’t do that, as they did today. Good teams follow our instructions. We waited for and took our medals, Agha said.
Devajit Saikia, the secretary of the Indian cricket board (BCCI), announced that the board would protest Naqvi at its upcoming November meeting of the governing International Cricket Council (ICC).
In a mass shooting at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ chapel in Grand Blanc, Michigan, at least four people were killed and eight others were hurt.
The suspect, 40, was Thomas Jacob Sanford, who police claimed intentionally set the church on fire and spewed smoke out of the structure. In addition, Stanford was fatally shot while he was firing at law enforcement personnel.
What information is necessary here:
When and what happened?
Police received a call on Sunday morning at 10:25 am (14:25 GMT) about an armed man’s vehicle entering a church building.
At a press conference, Grand Blanc Township police chief William Renye stated that the attacker then opened fire with an assault rifle and “fired several rounds at people inside the church.” He added that the suspect is also alleged to have started a massive fire that quickly grew.
Just eight minutes after the shooting started, officers immediately responded and shot the suspect, who was ultimately killed, in the church parking lot at 10:33 am (14:33 GMT).
When the building caught fire, congregations were inside and attending services. According to officials, the chapel partially collapsed as a result of the fire.
According to Renye, “We are still trying to figure out exactly when, where, and how the fire started.” However, “we do think the suspect intentionally set it.”
Police believe the burned-out building may still have victims. The FBI is now taking charge of an investigation that it calls “an act of targeted violence.”
During the police investigation, three improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were discovered inside the suspect’s car, according to local media reports.
Flames and smoke appear from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc [Julie J/X via AP] in this screengrab from a Julie J video.
Where in Michigan was the shooting reported?
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ meetinghouse was in Grand Blanc, a township located 60 miles (100 kilometers) northwest of Detroit, where the attack occurred. There are about 7,700 people in Grand Blanc.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or “the Mormon church,” teaches Joseph Smith, a religious leader from the United States, along with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Members put a lot of emphasis on family and traditional values, study the Bible and the Book of Mormon, and revere the church president as a living prophet.
Its teachings oppose same-sex unions, alcohol use, and abortion.
The attack occurred in Russell M. Nelson’s home just one day after his death, according to the president of the church.
Thomas Jacob Sanford, who was he?
Former US Marine from Burton, Michigan, who served in the military from 2004 to 2008, including a deployment to al-Fallujah, Iraq, during US occupation of the Middle Eastern nation, was the suspect.
Before the deployment in 2007, Jacob’s father, Thomas Sanford, stated in a local media outlet, “He’s a homegrown kid who misses his family when he’s gone.” When his service is over, Jake intends to return to this community. The report, which read “We are very proud of him,” continued with “We are very proud of him.”
He was promoted to sergeant in the Marines three months after returning to the US in March 2008.
Sanford, a graduate of Goodrich High School, moved into the trucking industry in 2016 and moved to Burton to live there.
His son Brantlee was a result of a rare medical condition known as hyperinsulinism, in which the pancreas produces too much insulin. He was also a father.
In a 2016 interview, Sanford recalled how they discovered that Brantlee was having issues shortly after his birth. For us, it was a nightmare.
Sanford was also known for his passion for hunting and fishing, with photos that show him posing alongside deer and displaying his catches from ice-fishing trips.
What are the victims’ details known to us?
Police have confirmed that the attack left eight people injured and at least four fatalities so far. Some of them were in critical condition.
Authorities say the partially collapsed chapel’s debris may still be the site of more victims.
According to a statement from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “Places of worship are intended to be sanctuaries of peacemaking, prayer, and connection.” We ask that all parties involved find peace and healing.
What are the current information on US shootings?
According to the Gun Violence Archive, the Michigan attack was the 324th mass shooting in the US to date in 2025.
At least two people were killed and several were hurt in Eagle Pass, Texas, which was also the third mass shooting to occur in one day, coming after one in Southport, North Carolina, and two in Southport, North Carolina.
In a strange coincidence, the suspect in the North Carolina shooting was a 40-year-old Marine veteran who had served in Iraq, similar to the shooting in Michigan. Three people were killed and five others were hurt in that attack, which took place less than 14 hours prior to the rampage in Michigan.
Police in Southport claim Nigel Max Edge fired shots from a boat into a waterfront bar on Saturday night. He is currently facing charges, including five counts of attempted murder and three counts of first-degree murder.
Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, the shooter at Michigan Church Shooter at a Texas casino: 34-year-old Keryan Jones Nigel Max Edge, 39, Carolina Riverfront shooter
Both Sanford and Edge, both Iraq Marine veterans, used assault weapons per LEO.
