Briefly

SPAIN

5 dead on boat rescued off Canary Islands

Five migrants were found dead aboard a boat rescued off Spain's Canary Islands, maritime rescue authorities said on Thursday, while a migrant rights group reported that survivors said dozens more had died during the crossing. Three survivors were in serious condition and were airlifted to hospital, while another 41 disembarked at the port of Arguineguin on Gran Canaria in the early hours of Thursday, Maritime Rescue said. Helena Maleno, founder of Walking Borders, said on social media that survivors reported that 83 people had died during the crossing. The boat had left The Gambia 27 days earlier. Maritime Rescue said it could confirm only that five bodies were aboard the vessel when rescuers reached it.

ISRAEL

Netanyahu says troops will remain in Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a visit to the Gaza Strip on Wednesday that Israeli troops would remain in the enclave. "We control the territory. We are not withdrawing. We are staying on this line," he said near the so-called Yellow Line, which was established under an October 2025 United States-brokered ceasefire as the line to which Israeli forces were initially to withdraw. Netanyahu said Israel controls about 60 percent of the Gaza Strip, adding, "There is more to come, as we continue to kill militants who threaten us on a daily basis." Three Palestinians, including a 16-year-old boy, were killed on Wednesday by Israeli fire in Gaza, Xinhua News Agency reported, citing Palestinian sources.

UNITED STATES

No AI use for students until high school: NYC

New York is banning students from using AI until high school, the city's mayor said on Wednesday, in a move designed to protect children's education and mental health. The move by the United States' largest school district is the most restrictive to date across the country, though other districts, including Los Angeles, have said they are reviewing AI policies. Mayor Zohran Mamdani told reporters that schools would halt the current use of about 40 educational tools in New York classrooms. "Children need teachers and human connection in order to learn and grow. They need to develop skills alongside their peers, build relationships with educators and wrestle with tough problems on their own," he said. Major AI developers Google, Anthropic and Microsoft did not immediately reply to requests for comment.

AGENCIES-XINHUA