British Citizen of Syrian Origin Named in Manchester Synagogue Terror Attack

UK counter-terrorism police have identified Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian heritage, as the attacker behind the Manchester synagogue assault that left two people dead and three others injured. Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned of the growing dangers of antisemitism, confirming that authorities are treating the incident as terrorism.

In Germany, flight operations at Munich Airport were suspended last night following several drone sightings. The disruption affected thousands of travelers, grounding 17 departures and forcing 15 inbound flights to divert to Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Vienna, and Frankfurt.

Meanwhile in France, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu faces a critical day as he seeks to pass the national budget. To survive a potential ousting by the divided National Assembly, the country’s fifth premier in just two years is working to secure at least partial backing from opposition groups during debate on the 2026 finance bill.

In Switzerland, public opinion has turned sharply critical of the government’s relationship with the United States. A new poll from broadcaster SRG SSR revealed that 80% of Swiss voters believe their government acts “too favorably” toward Washington, particularly after former U.S. President Donald Trump slapped steep tariffs on Swiss exports.

Elsewhere, the global chocolate industry spotlight is on Barry Callebaut, the Swiss-based bulk chocolate giant that supplies brands like Hershey, Nestlé, and Mars. Despite controlling about 20% of the world’s cocoa processing, the company has seen its stock price tumble by half in the past two years amid soaring cocoa costs, rising interest rates, and leadership upheaval.