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Officials say man who opened fire at Trump rally was a 20-year-old from Pennsylvania

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Donald Trump’s campaign says he is “fine” after what law enforcement officials are treating as as assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Officials said the man who opened fire was a 20-year-old from Pennsylvania.

In a social media post, Trump said he was “shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear.” The former president was quickly whisked from the stage by Secret Service agents, his ear covered in blood.

A prosecutor said the suspected gunman and at least one attendee are dead, and the Secret Service said two spectators were critically injured.

President Joe Biden and political leaders of all stripes condemned the attack. “There’s no place in America for this type of violence,” Biden said. “It’s sick. It’s sick.”

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Reactions condemning the attack along with messages of support and wishes for a successful recovery for Trump have poured in from political leaders around the world.

“Political violence in any form has no place in our societies,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the attack “despicable” and French President Emmanuel Macron said his country “shares the indignation of the American people.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the shooting was “a horrific crime that must be condemned.”

Egyptian President Abdelfattah El Sissi said he hopes the U.S. presidential campaign proceeds “in a peaceful and healthy atmosphere, free of any aspects of terrorism, violence, or hatred.” Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the shooting a “shocking development.”

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who recently was shot in a failed assassination attempt, called the attack on Trump a “copycat scenario.”

The FBI early Sunday named Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the shooter in the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. The agency said the investigation remains active and ongoing.

The political leanings of Crooks were not immediately clear. Records show Crooks was registered as a Republican voter in Pennsylvania, but federal campaign finance reports also show he gave $15 to a progressive political action committee on Jan. 20, 2021, the day President Joe Biden was sworn in to office.

Former President Donald Trump’s private jet landed shortly after midnight Sunday at Newark Liberty International Airport.

Video posted by an aide showed him deplaning flanked by U.S. Secret Service agents and heavily armed members of the agency’s counter assault team, an unusually visible show of force by his protective detail.

Trump planned to spend the night at his private golf club in nearby Bedminster, New Jersey.

Meanwhile President Joe Biden arrived at the White House early Sunday after cutting short a weekend trip to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

The White House said he would receive a briefing from Homeland Security and law enforcement officials on the attempted assassination of Trump later in the morning.

Vice President Kamala Harris was also to attend.

The officials spoke to AP on condition of anonymity to discuss details that had not yet been publicly released.

Asked if law enforcement did not know the shooter was on the roof until he began firing, Kevin Rojek, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Pittsburgh field office, responded, “that is our assessment at this time.”

“It is surprising” that the shooter was able to get off as many rounds as were fired, Rojek said. He added that “all the details of that will come out later investigation.”

Meanwhile State Police said the Secret Service was responsible for surveying the venue where the rally was held. Asked whether there was anything about the venue that made it particularly difficult to secure, Lt. Col. Bivens deferred to the Secret Service, which was not present at the news conference.

Bivens said he wouldn’t speculate when asked “how close a call” it was for Trump.

Bivens also said police have have identified the person killed and people injured but are not prepared to release names.

Other than Trump, two people were critically injured and one was killed. All were adult males.

Kevin Rojek, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Pittsburgh field office, said late Saturday: “Tonight we had what we’re calling an assassination attempt on our former president, Donald Trump.”

“We do not currently have an identified motive,” he added.

The FBI was not prepared to release the identity of the shooter, who died at the scene.

Rojek said they received no specific threats ahead of the shooting.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro also said Trump had left the area of Butler, where the rally was held.

Shapiro said Trump was “under the protection of US Secret Service and with the assistance of the Pennsylvania State Police.”

“Lori and I are thankful that his team reports that he is fine and we continue to wish him a full and speedy recovery,” the governor added.

The White House said President Joe Biden spoke with former President Donald Trump on Saturday evening.

No further details were provided on the call.

Biden will convene a briefing with homeland security and law enforcement officials at the White House on Sunday morning.

The president said late Saturday that he would return to the White House, cutting short a weekend stay in Delaware to monitor the unfolding situation.

At 6:02 pm Saturday, to the strains of “God Bless the U.S.A.,” former President Donald Trump took the stage at fairgrounds in Butler, Pennsylvania, waving at the cheering crowd and settling into his regular rally speech under a scorching midsummer sun.

A few short minutes later, Trump pointed to a projection of a chart that showed a spike in illegal border crossings under the man he’s running against, President Joe Biden. “That chart’s a couple of months old,” Trump told the crowd. “And if you want to see something really sad —”

That’s when the shots rang out, at least five. Trump clutched his ear as dark-suited Secret Service agents dashed toward him. He dropped to the ground as the agents yelled, “Get down!” The thousands of rallygoers packed into the field in front of him moved as one, dropping down as silence spread across the grass, punctuated only by an occasional scream.

Rico Elmore, vice chairman of the Beaver County Republican Party, was sitting in a section for special guests, facing President Trump, when he heard what sounded like firecrackers.

“So, everyone hesitated — and it was like, no, these are actual shots. So I yelled, ‘Get down!’”

Elmore saw Secret Service agents helping Trump off the stage and then heard someone from his left calling for a medic.

Elmore knows first aid and CPR from his time in the military, and he knew a medic wouldn’t be able to reach the cries for help fast enough.

He took off his tie and jumped a barricade, but when he reached the person, Elmore saw he had been shot in the head. Elmore said he held the victim’s head but it was too late. The man was unresponsive.

“I mean, it was a horror,” Elmore said. “I pray to the family that had to deal with this that is going through this now. Because it is hard. It is so hard.”

He said that the shots came from behind the bleachers but did not see the shooter.

Trump’s campaign and the Republican National Committee say the party’s convention in Milwaukee this week will “proceed” after the rally shooting.

“President Trump looks forward to joining you all in Milwaukee as we proceed with our convention to nominate him to serve as the 47th President of the United States,” said Trump campaign advisers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita and Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley and co-chair Lara Trump in a statement.

The convention is set to open Monday.

Law enforcement recovered an AR-style rifle at the scene, according to a person familiar with the matter. The person was not authorized to discuss details of the investigation.

“DHS and the Secret Service are working with law enforcement partners to respond to and investigate the shooting,” Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement.”

“We are engaged with President Biden, former President Trump, and their campaigns, and are taking every possible measure to ensure their safety and security. Maintaining the security of the Presidential candidates and their campaign events is one of our Department’s most vital priorities.”

Ivanka Trump, his eldest daughter: “Thank you for your love and prayers for my father and for the other victims of today’s senseless violence in Butler, Pennsylvania. I am grateful to the Secret Service and all the other law enforcement officers for their quick and decisive actions today. I continue to pray for our country. I love you Dad, today and always.”

Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and a key witness against him at his criminal trial: “Whether you agree or disagree with someone’s political position, THIS IS NOT THE SOLUTION!”

James Comer, a Kentucky Republican who chairs the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability: “Political violence in all forms is unamerican and unacceptable. There are many questions and Americans demand answers. I have already contacted the Secret Service for a briefing and am also calling on Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to appear for a hearing.”

Billionaire Elon Musk: “I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery.”

The National Rifle Association: “We pray for the safety and well-being of President Trump and the brave men and women protecting him and all in attendance in PA.”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: “I’m sickened by the shooting at former President Trump. It cannot be overstated — political violence is never acceptable. My thoughts are with former President Trump, those at the event, and all Americans.”

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat: “I’m glad to hear President Trump is doing well following this terrible act of violence. Violence is never acceptable. My thoughts are with President Trump and everyone impacted by this inexcusable act that I strongly condemn.”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese: “There is no place for violence in the democratic process. I am relieved to hear reports that former President Trump is now safe.”

Multiple shots were fired toward the stage by a shooter at Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania, the Secret Service said, leaving one spectator dead and two critically injured.

The agency said the shooter fired from “an elevated position outside the rally venue.” Agents “neutralized” the shooter, who is now dead. The agency repeated that Trump is “safe” and is being evaluated.

In a social media post, Trump said he was “shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear.”

He wrote on his Truth Social platform that he “knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”

Trump also thanked the Secret Service and other law endorsement for their “rapid response.” And he extended condolences “to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured.”

“It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country. Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead,” he said.

Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger told CNN that in addition to the spectator who was killed, another attendee was taken to a local hospital and in serious condition.

“The shooter is dead,” Goldinger said.

He said the shooter was outside the rally grounds, but he didn’t give additional information about where.

“Quite frankly I don’t know how he would have gotten to the location where he was, but he was outside the grounds, and I think that’s something that we’re going to have to figure out — how he got there,” Goldinger told CNN.

Vice President Kamala Harris: “Doug and I are relieved that he is not seriously injured. We are praying for him, his family, and all those who have been injured and impacted by this senseless shooting. … We must all condemn this abhorrent act and do our part to ensure that it does not lead to more violence.”

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell: “Tonight, all Americans are grateful that President Trump appears to be fine after a despicable attack on a peaceful rally. Violence has no place in our politics.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office: “We are shocked by the scenes at President Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania. We condemn all forms of political violence in the strongest terms and we send our best wishes to President Trump and his family at this time.”

Nikki Haley, Republican former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador: “This should horrify every freedom loving American,” and “Violence against presidential candidates must never be normalized.”

Democratic Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren: “Political violence is wrong and I condemn it. I hope everyone who attended the rally is ok and I am glad the former president is safe.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican: “Thank God President Trump seems to be okay. Just another reminder of the times in which we live. We need to pray fervently for anyone who may have been injured at the rally.”

Former President Bill Clinton: “Violence has no place in America, especially in our political process. Hillary and I are thankful that President Trump is safe, heartbroken for all those affected by the attack at today’s rally in Pennsylvania, and grateful for the swift action of the U.S. Secret Service.”

Former Democratic Vice President Al Gore: The country “must join together to wholeheartedly and unequivocally condemn political violence,” and “the former president and those affected today are in my prayers.”

Democratic Mayor Cavalier Johnson of Milwaukee, which is hosting the upcoming Republican National Convention: .“No one should be shot — not like this. Not kids, not churchgoers, and not a candidate for President of the United States,” Johnson, a Democrat, said. “We must demand peace, whether it is in the political sphere or in homes and neighborhoods everywhere.”

“There’s no place in America for this type of violence,” Biden said. “It’s sick. It’s sick.”

The president said “everybody must condemn” the attack, he is relieved that Trump is reportedly “doing well” and he hopes to speak with his 2024 presidential rival soon.

Biden said he was waiting for additional information before formally calling the attack an attempted assassination. “I have an opinion, but i don’t have any facts,” he told reporters, pledging to provide updates as he learns more.

The president also pledged to update the public later on whether they speak as well as additional details about the investigation.

Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., said he just spoke to his father on the phone and “he is in great spirits.”

“He will never stop fighting to save America, no matter what the radical left throws at him,” Trump Jr. said in a statement.

Biden will be delivering remarks from the White House’s emergency briefing room in Rehoboth Beach, Del., which is set up whenever the president travels to allow him to deliver remarks to the country in a matter of minutes.

Two officials spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation. They said the shooter was not an attendee at the rally and was killed by U.S. Secret Service agents.

Former President Barack Obama said in a statement that “There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy.” He added that while details were still scarce, “we should all be relieved that former President Trump wasn’t seriously hurt, and use this moment to recommit ourselves to civility and respect in our politics.”

“As one whose family has been the victim of political violence, I know firsthand that political violence of any kind has no place in our society,” former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. “I thank God that former President Trump is safe. As we learn more details about this horrifying incident, let us pray that all those in attendance at the former President’s rally today are unharmed.”

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said on the social platform X that his thoughts and prayers are with former President Trump. “I am thankful for the decisive law enforcement response,” he said. “America is a democracy. Political violence of any kind is never acceptable.”

The shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania is being investigated as an attempted assassination of the former president and presumptive Republican nominee, law enforcement officials say.

Two officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation.

Former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who was shot in the head in 2011 while at a meeting with her constituents, released a statement saying “Political violence is terrifying. I know.”

“I’m holding former president Trump, and all those affected by today’s indefensible act of violence in my heart,” the Democrat said. “Political violence is un-American and is never acceptable — never.”

Similar statements are coming from other officials, including President George W. Bush, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and House Speaker Mike Johnson.

In New York, a spokesperson for New York Mayor Eric Adams said that out of “an abundance of caution,” police increased their presence across the city including at Trump Tower and 40 Wall Street.

“While we are surging these resources, we want to be very clear that we see no nexus to NYC at this time,” Fabien Levy said on the social platformX.

As Trump was talking, a popping sound was heard, and the former president put his right hand up to his right ear. People in the stands behind him appeared shocked.

Trump appeared to lower himself behind the lectern and the sounds — apparent gunshots — continued as Secret Service agents rushed the stage.

Trump’s microphone picked up the sound of people yelling “Get down, get down, get down” while at least three agents piled on top of him.

The apparent gunshot sound was heard again several times while agents were on him. People in the crowd screamed.

Someone’s voice was heard through the microphone asking “Are we good?” Secret Service agents in tactical gear stood on the stage, some looking out to the crowd.

A voice was heard saying, “Shooter’s down.” Then a voice said, “We’re clear” and “Let’s move.”

Agents stood up, surrounding Trump. As they moved with him off the stage, Trump lifted his right arm and fist into the air. Blood was seen on the right side of his face.

Butler County district attorney Richard Goldinger said in a phone interview that the suspected gunman was dead and at least one rally attendee was killed.

Pennsylvania Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick, who was sitting in the front row, told Politico that it appeared someone behind him was shot.

“All the sudden shots started to crack, someone behind me appears to have been shot,” McCormick said. “There’s lots of blood, and then the Secret Service were all over President Trump.”

Trump, as a former president, retains Secret Service protection for life under federal law. As the presumptive Republican nominee who is frequently in the public eye, he received added protective assets.

President Joe Biden received an updated briefing on the incident at the Trump rally from Kimberly Cheatle, the director of the United States Secretary Service, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and White House homeland security adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall.

The Bureau of Alcoholo, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives issued a statement: “ATF is responding to assist the U.S. Secret Service and other law enforcement partners. This is a top priority. We have no further comment at this time.”

North Dakota Sen. Doug Burgum, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Ohio Sen. JD Vance, the three men on Trump’s shortlist for vice president, all quickly sent out statements expressing concern for the former president.

Rubio shared an image taken as Trump was escorted off stage with his fist in the air and a streak of blood on his face along with the words, “God protected President Trump.”

“I am horrified by what happened at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania and relieved that former President Trump is safe. Political violence has no place in our country,” said Sen. Chuck Schumer in a statement.

“We should all condemn what happened today and I am hoping for the health of the former president and everyone else at the rally,” Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy posted on the social platform X.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a post on X that his “thoughts and prayers are with former President Trump” and expressed thanks “for the decisive law enforcement response.”

Trump’s new eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., posted a photo of Trump, his first raised and his face bloody in front of an American flag, with the words: “He’ll never stop fighting to Save America ” on the social platform X.

Donald Trump’s campaign said in a statement that he was “fine” after being whisked off the stage at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania after apparent gunshots rang through the crowd.

“President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act,” spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement. “He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow.”

The former president and presumptive Republican nominee was showing off a chart of border crossing numbers during his last rally before the Republican National Convention opens Monday when bangs started ringing through the crowd. Trump could be seen reaching with his right hand toward his neck. There appeared to be blood on his face.

He quickly ducked behind the riser as agents from his protective detail rushed the stage and screams were heard in the crowd of several thousand people. The bangs continued as agents tended to him on stage.

The crowd cheered as he got back up and pumped his fist.

His motorcade has since left the venue. His condition was not immediately known.

Donald Trump was whisked off the stage at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania after apparent gunshots rang through the crowd.

Trump was showing off a chart of border crossing numbers when bangs started ringing through the crowd. Trump could be seen reaching with his right hand toward his neck. There appeared to be blood on his face.

He quickly ducked behind the riser as agents from his protective detail rushed the stage and screams rang out from the crowd. The bangs continued as agents tended to him on stage.

The crowd cheered as he got back up and pumped his fist.

His motorcade has left the venue. His condition was not immediately known.

Police began vacating the fairgrounds shortly after Trump left the stage.

The U.S. Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies did not immediately respond to messages.

Leaving Mass in Rehoboth Beach, President Joe Biden simply responded, “No,” when asked if he’d been briefed about the incident.

Donald Trump has been escorted off stage by the Secret Service during his rally after loud noises rang out in the crowd.

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International

Mass burials in Nepal as death toll from flash floods exceeds 1,000

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KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Rescue teams with search dogs continued to look through mud, rocks and debris on the Nepal -China border Tuesday for thousands of people missing a week after the catastrophic flash floods that tore through Himalayan communities and left more than 1,000 dead.

As police in Kathmandu buried dozens of bodies in multiple trenches, Nepal’s disaster agency said 1,003 deaths had been counted there, with 3,916 people missing, including 583 foreign nationals. China reported 16 deaths and 546 missing, including 261 foreigners, as of Sunday.

The scale of the Aug. 26 disaster is hampering rescue efforts, with landslides, destroyed roads and widespread damage cutting off remote areas.

Crews faced challenging conditions as they searched unstable terrain and piles of debris, raising fears the death toll could rise as rescuers reach isolated communities.

Race to reach missing hydropower workers

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Rescuers are racing to reach hundreds of workers believed to be trapped inside tunnels at hydropower projects in Nepal damaged by the floods. About 900 workers are missing from 12 projects, with roughly 500 believed to be trapped in tunnels, according to local authorities.

Brig. Gen. Raja Ram Basnet, Nepal’s army spokesperson, said teams assisted by foreign experts were working at several hydropower projects. Images released by the army showed rescue teams entering debris-filled tunnels and wading through mud and water in the search for signs of life.

On the Chinese side, rescue crews scoured areas hit by mudslides, particularly around the Gyirong Port border crossing, which was destroyed.

Some rescuers, aided by search dogs, searched gaps among rocks and debris for signs of life. Other teams used heavy machinery to clear a major highway leading to Gyirong Port, hoping to clear the way for equipment, personnel and supplies to reach the disaster zone, according to China’s state-run Global Times newspaper.

Mass burials of unidentified bodies in Kathmandu

In Kathmandu, police worked in heavy rain on Tuesday to bury dozens of bodies in multiple trenches next to a forested area.

Barbed wire was erected around the site, while blue numbered markers identified the graves of people whose names were not yet known.

Authorities in Nepal have been burying bodies in temporary graves until they can be identified. They are preserving DNA samples, photographing distinguishing facial features and recording other identifying details.

Each body is assigned a reference number to help families identify and claim the remains later.

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Relief operations expanded to stranded communities

At least 11,814 people have been rescued so far, according to Nepalese authorities. Emergency crews used helicopters and other aircraft to reach stranded communities in areas where roads and bridges have been destroyed by the flooding and landslides.

Efforts are being stepped up to provide assistance to survivors in areas where roads and other transportation routes had been damaged or cut off.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, said a second batch of relief supplies was being sent to Nepal, including drones, DNA testing and water purification equipment. Chinese DNA testing experts will also help Nepal identify bodies, he said.

Bimal Sharma, a helicopter pilot who has been flying rescue and relief missions, said he was shocked to see the devastation in Timure, a border town close to Tibet that he has known for years.

“It felt like I was flying over an entirely different landscape,” said Sharma, adding that he has had little opportunity to speak with the people he rescued. “I can see the pain in their eyes. It’s heartbreaking,” he said.

Glacial collapse in the Himalayas
The disaster began in the Himalayas when a glacial collapse sent large amounts of rock, ice and meltwater into valleys below, triggering powerful floods downstream.

Scientists studying satellite imagery said the collapse appears to have involved the failure of bedrock beneath a glacier in the Himalayan region. The rockfall was powerful enough to register as a magnitude 5.2 seismic event.

The resulting surge of water and debris entered rivers that flow through valleys in Tibet and Nepal, causing them to rise rapidly. Floodwaters swept away homes, buildings, roads and bridges and carried mud and rocks downstream.

Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah said that the disaster highlighted the need for action to combat climate change.

“This incident has indicated that the risks we face in the Himalayan region are increasing with climate change,” Shah said in a social media post Monday night. “Therefore, this region must be alert, and at the same time, it is time for us to strongly raise the issue of disasters caused by climate change before the international community.”

Saaliq reported from New Delhi. Associated Press journalists Victoria Milko in Kathmandu, Nepal, E. Eduardo Castillo in Beijing, Kanis Leung in Hong Kong and Aijaz Hussain in New Delhi contributed to this report.

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Canada invites 1,000 candidates to apply for permanent residence

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Canada has invited 1,000 candidates through its Express Entry system to apply for permanent residence under the Canadian Experience Class.

The invitation round was conducted on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, according to the latest ministerial instructions published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

The department said candidates required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 523 to receive an invitation.

“Number of invitations issued: 1,000,” the notice stated.

It added that candidates ranked among the first 1,000 eligible foreign nationals in the group were eligible to receive invitations.

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The round was conducted at 10:13:44 UTC on August 18, with a tie-breaking rule of August 17, 2026, at 22:09:00 UTC.

The tie-breaking rule means that “If more than one candidate has the lowest score, the cut-off is based on the date and time they submitted their Express Entry profiles.”

The invitations were issued under the Canadian Experience Class, one of the classes managed through Canada’s Express Entry system.

The ministerial instructions, signed by Canada’s Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Lena Metlege Diab, in Ottawa on August 18, stated that invitations could be issued between August 18 and August 19, 2026.

“Invitations may be issued to eligible foreign nationals who rank among the first 1,000 eligible foreign nationals in the group ranking,” the instructions stated.

Express Entry is Canada’s primary online system for managing permanent residence applications from skilled workers.

It covers three federal economic immigration programs: the Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Worker Program, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.

Candidates create profiles that are ranked using the Comprehensive Ranking System, which awards points for factors including age, education, language ability, work experience, and other human capital attributes.

The highest-ranked candidates are invited to apply in periodic rounds.

The Canadian Experience Class is designed for skilled workers who already have Canadian work experience and wish to become permanent residents. Eligibility generally requires at least one year (1,560 hours) of skilled work experience in Canada within the past three years in occupations under National Occupational Classification TEER categories 0, 1, 2, or 3, along with minimum language proficiency (Canadian Language Benchmark 7 for TEER 0 or 1 jobs, and CLB 5 for TEER 2 or 3).

There is no education requirement and no need to show settlement funds.

Applicants must plan to live outside Quebec.

The August 18 draw followed a pattern of frequent CEC-focused rounds in 2026. A previous Canadian Experience Class draw on August 5 issued 3,000 invitations with a lower CRS cut-off of 516.

The latest round’s reduced volume and higher cut-off of 523 mark one of the more selective CEC invitations so far this year.

As of mid-August 2026, IRCC had already issued well over 113,000 invitations through Express Entry, with a substantial share going to Canadian Experience Class candidates.

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Thousands begin journey home from Morocco border with Spain

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Spanish soldiers watch migrants sitting on the pavement prior to escorting them back to Morocco, in Spain’s north Africa’s Ceuta enclave on August 1, 2026. At least 67 people have died in a recent surge of migrant crossings from Morocco to Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta, Spain’s Interior Minister said today. Most of the 60,000 migrants who entered Ceuta over the space of a few days from neighbouring Morocco have already returned to Morocco. (Photo by JORGE GUERRERO / AFP)
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Thousands of people turned back from the Spanish enclave of Ceuta and returned to Morocco’s Fnideq began boarding buses home on Friday, with the operation continuing on Saturday, according to AFP journalists at the scene.

A Moroccan source close to the operation told AFP on condition of anonymity that the people sent back by Spain are to be transported home directly by bus or via the railway station in Tangier, 70 kilometres (45 miles) away.

According to the source, the Fnideq border crossing is now “completely secure”, as are the hills overlooking it, from which hundreds of people, mostly young men, had thrown stones at security forces on Friday.

The Spanish government announced on Friday evening that at least 48,000 of the 60,000 people who entered Ceuta in recent days had returned to Morocco.

Late Friday, AFP journalists saw around twenty 54-person-capacity buses depart, for a total of about a thousand people.

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Fnideq is a small town of just 70,000 inhabitants, roughly equivalent to the population of the enclave of Ceuta, one of Spain’s two North African enclaves.

The buses were headed for Tangier, Tetouan, or the economic capital Casablanca, all equipped with rail facilities to redirect people who had come from as far away as Marrakech, more than 500 kilometres to the south.

“I heard that buses had arrived to take us back home. Honestly, I just want to see my children again. I regret having come all the way here,” said Rachid Aouchari, 32, from Ksar el Kebir, 170 kilometres from Fnideq, who was turned back from Ceuta during the night from Thursday to Friday.

Until midday Friday, clashes had pitted the security forces against migrants seeking to cross into Spain, either by swimming or on foot along a narrow wall leading to the Ceuta crossing point.

Police responded with water cannons and tear gas against hundreds of young men, arresting dozens of them, according to an AFP journalist.

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